TGIF the 13th
Just as with everyone else, Hurricane Michael left my church office a mess. We're just now getting back in, and it's still a mess as far as dust, but has been completely renovated. I'm here now, putting whatever furniture survived back in place. Several pieces were ruined including four leather chairs and all but two bookcases, but I have one chair left and the two bookcases, so am more or less back in business.
After the storm, my office space was unlocked and public accessible for more than a year and the only thing stolen was a box containing part of my model car collection, which, it could have been far worse and I'm putting it out of my mind. I'm alive, and well too, and you're alive and, I hope, well, and that's what we need to bring out of the storm's outrage. Although those little cars were collectors' items not toys, I hope they were not added to someone's collection or put up for sale on eBay, but are being played with by children who are enjoying them. If that's the case, Whoever you are welcome to them, over the years I'd been giving them away to special children anyway, little boys whom I knew loved, or should love, cars. You don't get to drive them or fix them up, not like a real Model A Ford parked out front; but collecting scale model cars is an oblique way of enjoying an old car collection. If I were doing life over, I'd set up an old car museum in the old Ford dealership and garage across the street from the Raney House in Apalachicola, and running it would be my retirement avocation and place in Time.
Today is Friday the Thirteenth. Pop, my grandfather, was born on the thirteenth and all my life told me his lucky number was 13 because of it. I guess my number is 14 then, which during the night overlaps with Pop's.
This, my office, is outside and separate and so private as totally to appeal to my needs and personality. I enjoy being here, and I like working here and have good internet access and whatever books here that I need from time to time for whatever. I may visit with a friend here once in a while, even confer now and then, especially if I'm asked to officiate a wedding; but I no longer do any sort of pastoral counseling. Also, my groups that used to meet here, Wednesday evening EfM and Tuesday morning Bible study, are no longer; so I have this lovely two-room space that's far more than I need anymore.
TGIF doesn't always work for clergy, not even for retired clergy, mostly for us it's TGIM because on Fridays, instead of the weekend, we're looking at our main working events. As a parish priest, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were my busiest times of the week, so I always tried to take Monday as my day off. For many reasons, it never worked when we lived in a rectory next door to the church, and I always welcomed parishioners and others ringing the doorbell when they needed or wanted to; but after my father died, July 1993, I started coming over to Panama City late Sunday afternoon, staying Monday and Tuesday to help my mother, and returning to Apalachicola early Wednesday morning.
Really, I need a hammer. If I had a hammer here I could make more progress by hanging my pictures and certificates &c back up on the walls. Come to think of it, there may be a hammer on the shelf in the pulpit across the street in the church. Here's the gospel for Sunday, scroll down, why don't you read that while I go borrow that hammer, and I'll get back to you later.
Don't call me, I'll call you.
RSF&PTL
T
Matthew 11:2-11
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’
“Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
After the storm, my office space was unlocked and public accessible for more than a year and the only thing stolen was a box containing part of my model car collection, which, it could have been far worse and I'm putting it out of my mind. I'm alive, and well too, and you're alive and, I hope, well, and that's what we need to bring out of the storm's outrage. Although those little cars were collectors' items not toys, I hope they were not added to someone's collection or put up for sale on eBay, but are being played with by children who are enjoying them. If that's the case, Whoever you are welcome to them, over the years I'd been giving them away to special children anyway, little boys whom I knew loved, or should love, cars. You don't get to drive them or fix them up, not like a real Model A Ford parked out front; but collecting scale model cars is an oblique way of enjoying an old car collection. If I were doing life over, I'd set up an old car museum in the old Ford dealership and garage across the street from the Raney House in Apalachicola, and running it would be my retirement avocation and place in Time.
Today is Friday the Thirteenth. Pop, my grandfather, was born on the thirteenth and all my life told me his lucky number was 13 because of it. I guess my number is 14 then, which during the night overlaps with Pop's.
This, my office, is outside and separate and so private as totally to appeal to my needs and personality. I enjoy being here, and I like working here and have good internet access and whatever books here that I need from time to time for whatever. I may visit with a friend here once in a while, even confer now and then, especially if I'm asked to officiate a wedding; but I no longer do any sort of pastoral counseling. Also, my groups that used to meet here, Wednesday evening EfM and Tuesday morning Bible study, are no longer; so I have this lovely two-room space that's far more than I need anymore.
TGIF doesn't always work for clergy, not even for retired clergy, mostly for us it's TGIM because on Fridays, instead of the weekend, we're looking at our main working events. As a parish priest, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were my busiest times of the week, so I always tried to take Monday as my day off. For many reasons, it never worked when we lived in a rectory next door to the church, and I always welcomed parishioners and others ringing the doorbell when they needed or wanted to; but after my father died, July 1993, I started coming over to Panama City late Sunday afternoon, staying Monday and Tuesday to help my mother, and returning to Apalachicola early Wednesday morning.
Really, I need a hammer. If I had a hammer here I could make more progress by hanging my pictures and certificates &c back up on the walls. Come to think of it, there may be a hammer on the shelf in the pulpit across the street in the church. Here's the gospel for Sunday, scroll down, why don't you read that while I go borrow that hammer, and I'll get back to you later.
Don't call me, I'll call you.
RSF&PTL
T
Matthew 11:2-11
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’
“Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”