I told you so.....

The winter weather and my current mood has led me to revisit some of the literary classics of my youth. This week I embarked on a reread of Silas Marner. Written in 1861, it must have been on the list of  "must reads" in the middle of the last century, because most everyone of a certain age has read it.
However, I don't think many folks, under the age of 55 or so, have even heard of it. It has disappeared from the required reading lists of modern education. Kids are reading other things, now.  And, I am admitting that it didn't make much of an impression on me at age 15. But, I think it was supposed to.
Silas Marner is a highly moralistic tale. The good characters prevail through all of the trials posed to the them. The bad guys get their come uppance, in the end. No doubt young readers were supposed to learn something from the story and heed the written warnings to make good choices or regret it.... for ever and ever...for generations to come.
Honestly, in my reread this week, I found I had retained very little of the plot. I can't blame my morals...or the lack there of....on Eppie and the coal hole. The ending was a pleasing surprise.

Gracious and all knowing Lord. You show us the right path. We know that our decisions do have consequences.We don't have anyone to blame but ourselves, when we make the wrong choices. Open our eyes and our ears to your guidance. Shut our mouths, so we can listen to your direction. Praise the Lord, always.

How cold is it?

In Southern California, it snowed recently. From the weather reports, it's actually near freezing in San Diego. San Diego, you know, almost always has practically perfect weather. Warm, rarely HOT, and cool, never COLD. Their current weather phase is a rarity, indeed.
I cannot imagine how the folks out there are coping. People in Southern California, even stay inside when it rains.....because it rarely ever rains! They don't have snow boots. (My Orange County sister once put baggies on her kids feet, when they took a day trip to the mountains, to play in the snow.) They don't have warm coats, hats, gloves or scarves.
What can I say, as I sit here, all cozy in my turtleneck, lined jeans, fuzzy socks and faux fur slippers? We adapt to cold weather, here in the middle lands, just as we adapt to our sweltering summers.
As my nonagenarian friend says, "this too shall pass." It will warm up soon, folks.

Oh, Lord. We are hard to satisfy. We complain about all kinds of things. We rarely remember to give thanks for all that we have. Our blessings are mighty. Tomorrow is a brand new day. You are with us, Lord, rain or shine.

Have Faith

The choir sang a catchy anthem last Sunday. It was based on the the Bible verse..."Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened..... ". It had a great message. But, the problem was, we were having trouble singing it with conviction. We just couldn't get our level of excitement up to match the words we were mouthing. We were singing about God answering our prayers, but it sounded like we didn't really believe it.
Faith is so easy catch and so incredibly hard to hold on to.

Great God. You are always with us. Hold us tight. Open our eyes so that we can imagine what you have in store, for those of us who have Faith in you. We are of your Kingdom, always.

     

Happy New Year, Folks

It's a new year. The old one is toast! Stick a fork in it! It's so last year!
Aren't you looking forward to starting anew? The new year is a time for making resolutions and promises to ourselves and others.
Last year, I resolved to write a blog entry every week. I didn't make it. The year before I think I had one about losing some weight or maybe it was exercising regularly. I wasn't very successful at those, either. Several years ago, my resolution was to eat a fresh fruit daily. Change fruit to snack food, and I would have made that one, in spades.
But, the optomist in me, says "Go ahead and shoot for the stars. Make those resolutions, no matter what your success rate has been".
So, all of the above. Ditto, again! Why not? Those hopes and dreams are still valid. Add to the above... find meaningful and lucrative employment and maintain a strong sense of humor. Oh, and be a better friend to everyone I care about.
I've got a big and busy year ahead of me.

Kind and gracious God. There isn't a single doubt in my mind that you are with us every minute of every day. Open our eyes that we might be willing to see what you have in store for us this year. Guide our feet, the race is sometimes very difficult.
We thank you for our many blessings. Amen. Amen.