Scar/Scab Barbara Crafton is a writer, speaker, and recently retired Episcopal priest who seems to me to “have it all together” might be the descriptive idiom. For years she’s published The Geranium Farm , which describes itself as “The Almost Daily eMo.” I’ve not always read it, but it’s always worth the read, though after retiring she reduced its frequency, re-ran touching decade old issues from her files, and devotes some issues to imaginatively critiquing classical art. An extract from her upcoming book, this morning’s edition contemplating Moses at the Burning Bush touches me deeply.  https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=wm#inbox/1532bb3bc54da564 Barbara nails it. Yes, for us who ourselves are at the far end of life, but especially for us who always try but feel we never quite succeed in our ministries with those who are closer to the end than we think we are, and those who face the rest of their lives agonizing over the loss of a loved one. Crafton’s questions are ...

Especially if something has occurred to journal or blog of a morning, I avoid opening email or news first thing, as doing so instantly sweeps the mind. Best avoided, the outside world shades, dims, ability to focus. Bibel und Zeitung doesn’t always work well this early. Meaning to have a go at today’s gospel, I quickly browsed today’s news anyway, and that was that. Luke would have been better: Gospel, Luke 13:1-9 1 It was just about this time that some people arrived and told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, 2 'Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than any others, that this should have happened to them? 3 They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell, killing them all? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem?  5 They were not, I tell you. ...

Moshe! Moshe!  Take off your shoes,  make yourself comfortable, and let’s talk! Exodus 3:1-15 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up." When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord sai...

Life. It goes, is going, has gone, went by too fast. Best thing about old age? That I have more memories than you, that I can remember what you thought was only history. Neither are my memories eighty years of the same thing over and over again, but series of different things, different eras, different people, different loves, different words**, different children, different schools, different vocations, different places, different cars***, different tastes, different interests*, different stages, different ages … *Different interests: there was when my main was astronomy, but long faded and I don’t even want my telescope back except to look at ships way out in the Gulf of Mexico from 7H which, to use an astronomical telescope such as mine required an eyepiece with an erecting prism, otherwise the ship would show upside down. I prefer theology to politics; and the comics to the news, especially Candorville, Calvin & Hobbes, and Cul de Sac where there’s a buckethead  nam...

Nothing is served by saying “some dodo bird” because it could have been me (it wasn’t) or a friend or someone I care about, but somebody ran their vehicle into the exit gate and knocked it loose, it’s hanging by just its bottom hinge the past couple days, and both gates open. I don’t really like that, it diminishes the sense of security, safety. Thus, I reckon, the dream last night of a burglar here. What else I love is the wide open southern view across to Shell Island. In yesterday’s aftermath of the violent overnight storm, from 7H we could see breakers in the Gulf of Mexico rolling ashore on the other side of the island. And during the night, the lights of a sizable ship out in the Gulf waiting for daylight and calm to enter the Bay.  Actually, I’m not sure it’s still an island, the Old East Pass may be completely filled in and closed so that it would be Shell Peninsula or such. Also to love is the complete sweep of St. Andrews Bay from east to west. I could wish 7H...

Every Day is a Beautiful Day and Life is a Toll Bridge A highlight, one of the best things I’ve been subscribed to (tks, Bonnie) is Anu Garg’s a.word.a.day. When the news is bad, it will be bad throughout 2016 God help us what imbecile shouts “I love uneducated people”, or the weather is bad, even bad weather is a joy from 7H, or to daimonion emerges from the shadows to stir a computer-crashing song or memory, Anu opens for a lift, both with a new Word and with a cleverly selected Thought.  Sometimes, as for Monday, the word was especially apt, “piacular” showing up during Lent. So, theologically, in Christian theology, the sins of the world — human sins that is — nonhumans, all who didn’t eat the apple with Adam, even the serpent didn't get a taste -- are incapable of sin, a benefit of knowing not that you know not — the sins of the world are piacular, requiring atonement. And O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world is theologically the piac...

Ships coming and going: first time since living here we've witnessed two sizable vessels meeting and passing in the channel right off our porch, directly in front of us. There was no exchange of horn signals indicating otherwise, and they will pass port to port, the convention. Ship on the right, with her superstructure and bridge in her bow, is headed east toward the hairpin turn and out to sea. Ship on the left is headed west and toward the channel's sharp turn and on to the Port of Panama City. In the background: Davis Point, with its memories. 2016 Lent Term: the second session of our Tuesday Morning Bible Seminar gathers this morning. As is generally the case, we have a nice size group for lively discussion, but still and always plenty of room at the table for whoever would like to come, so this is our open and ongoing invitation. Mary Stuart Poole Library at HNEC, ten o’clock to eleven-fifteen. This morning we’ll finish last time’s opening discussion of Luke’...

From the middle nineteen-forties when World War II ended with the two main aggressors crushed in large part because of our participation and contribution, America has been regarded as leader of the free world. There has always been reservation to it, seeing us as leader, because admired is not the same as feared, and respect is earned not commanded. Power is an element of leadership, but brandishing power not. Being a “superpower” carries enormous risk and responsibility, because arrogance and bullies are hated, detested, contemned. Goes whether it’s business, military, nation, school, classroom, family, playground, government.  In history every “superpower” eventually has come down, some brought down, some just disintegrated. It has been sad to me, and distressing, to observe our decline in my lifetime. We were never perfect “within,” but there were years in my memory when America seemed like the place to go, a land of freedom, opportunity, goodness. Time was when people wer...

This morning I’m looking at today’s First Reading (Genesis 15) where Abram is chatting with God, and here is God again shamelessly enticing Abram with the idea of land and descendants and being a blessing; and Abram scoffs. Remember, the next time God does this, years later, Abram and Sarai laugh outright, embarrassing God and annoying God finally to procreative action, God saying Sarai won't have the last laugh.  But anyway, I’m looking in the Hebrew bible at this morning’s conversation between God and Abram, and I’m noticing that Abram is calling God יְהוִה. Well, they were old drinking buddies by then, weren’t they, a relationship that started way back when Abram was only seventy-five, and lasting a quarter century while Abram and Sarai were believing יְהוִה, and יְהוִה was reckoning it to them as “righteousness” when all the aging couple really wanted was a child. Isaac, of course finally arrived while יְהוִה was still seething that everybody had laughed at Him. I doubt...

βλέπετε τοὺς κύνας 3:2 Be watching-out-for the dogs[a], be watching out for the evil workers, be watching out for the mutilation[b]. 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones worshiping in the Spirit of God and boasting in Christ Jesus and not putting-confidence in the flesh— 4 though myself having confidence even in the flesh! If any other person thinks that he may put-confidence in the flesh, I more— 5 in circumcision the eighth day; from the nation of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew from Hebrews; in relation to the Law— a Pharisee; 6 in relation to zeal— persecuting the church; in relation to the righteousness in the Law— having been blameless[c]. 7 But what things were gains to me, these I have regarded to be a loss for the sake of Christ. 8 But more than that, I am indeed regarding all things to be a loss for the sake of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of Whom I suffered-loss-of all ...

Seventy or so years ago, wondering why the name I was stuck with (Carroll Weller, Jr.), I asked my father, Thomas Carroll Weller (who was always called Carroll), where his name came from. He said he was named for an uncle named John Thomas Carroll. Growing up, I knew and was told absolutely nothing about that uncle. Browsing online yesterday afternoon, I came across his grave (1855 - 1936) and the grave of his wife Mary Flemming Weller Carroll (1870 - 1948) in Live Oak cemetery.  Mary Weller and John Thomas Carroll were married at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, Florida, where my ggf was rector after his 1889 retirement from St. John’s, Jacksonville. Mary (b.1870) was one of my grandfather Alfred Weller’s sisters*, the next older child than Alfred (b.1872).  She and another sister, Hallie, died the same year, 1948. I don’t remember Mary or her name ever being mentioned during my childhood, but Hallie, “Aunt Hal” to my father and his sisters, was often...

PCNH reprints of front pages from the early 1940s WWII era and an October 1953 issue with Korean War news are in the tray here in the Beck bedroom. May 1942, German submarines operating near shallow waters in the area, I do remember that. I remember worrying my mother about my father, during the war a Maritime Service officer in a tanker steaming the Gulf of Mexico where U-boats were prowling. October 1953 I was a freshman at the University of Florida. At two o’clock in the morning the liquid supper came home to roost as Father Nature knocked insistently, jumping up and down on my bladder. Our first lenten Wednesday soups were delicious as ever. I try to have a taste of each, concluding with a bowl with cooked carrots and cooked mushrooms, two favorite ingredients. All tasty. Wednesdays after church generally are social, supper and visiting. But Lent we have an excellent program I really liked, short film “Twenty-four Hours that Changed the World,” a Methodist pastor giving to...

Pitch black dark predawn, ship arriving in the Bay and sailing briskly by my porch couple minutes later, two tugs await her at the turn north toward the Port. Latest Vessel Schedule was 2 Feb, can’t reliably tell what ship so guessing Forest Panama 442x69 because this old schedule had her ETA yesterday and nothing due in today. A guess is as good as a mile, or something. Nice on the porch, clear sky, loaded with planets and stars. Love having this south outlook across St. Andrews Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, unobstructed view of the sky. Miss about the old place just one thing: slipping down to MLP from time to time, haven’t been able to adapt porch, or elevator down to park next door, as MLP replacement.  Yesterday was Bible Seminar, start-up for the Lent Term. Beginning something new I always say too much by way of introduction. The first day, and those present wanted to continue next time, instead of plowing serially through Luke chapter by chapter as we did Mark -- a...