snow job
Saturday: this is the only cornbread I've ever had that was too good to put butter on it. Yes, butter if cane syrup is to be poured on, otherwise just double toasted and donnahatchee. Oysters raw on the half-shell are that way too - - don't put nothin' on oysters that interferes with the taste.
As I say, Saturday: along with the vitamin, the eyesight pill, and the heart pill, it's the day my pill collection includes the green Vitamin D superpill in addition to the rest of the lot. Also now, a Vertasil capsule twice a day has entirely obliterated my dizziness. My brother put me onto these.
Speaking of whom, where are you, Walt, you said you and Judy plan to come over soon. Keeping my calendar clear just in case.
This cold, which consists solely of congested sinuses, has held sway for two weeks today: what's with it? There's no sore throat and no fever: is it allergy, dust, pollen? I've got a second air purifier on order, so one in the hall of the large room, one for the bedroom.
Video from Joe this morning: snowing in Louisville, Kentucky. Well do I remember my solemn oath to myself, sworn a 1969 winter morning in Newport, Rhode Island as I finished sweeping snow off my car, scraping ice off the windshield, shoveling enough show from around the car tires to get away from the curb, from where the snowplow scraped by at two o'clock in the morning, pouring boiling water on the door handle to unfreeze the lock, and getting inside the bitter freezing cold automobile: never again will I complain about getting in a hot car during August. I have kept that vow.
My sister once told me, "Some promises can't be kept" and over the course of life I've found that to be true; but the hot car vow is sacred to me. No ice and snow for Bubba, never again, no way in aitch.
The power suddenly went off this morning, was down for maybe an hour, then suddenly restored. One rule for a power outage: do not open the refrigerator or freezer. If it's winter, don't open the door either, because no matter what anyone promises, there's really never any telling how long the electricity will be off.
SpiritualDirection.com, currently the topic is forgiveness of sins, with a long essay on personal sin and original sin. I know and have known personal sin, which varies depending on religion, culture, and ethical codes; and I've experienced absolution for those personal sins for which I can forgive myself. But the theology of original sin is a crock except insofar as selfishness is part of human nature. Here (scroll down) is from our Articles of Religion:
IX. Of Original or Birth Sin.
Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk;) but it is the fault and corruption of the Nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation.
And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek, Φρόνημα σαρκός, (which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh), is not subject to the Law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized; yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin.
Okay, but what it tells me in conclusion is that St Paul was a prude; and I remember my Bay High classmates, Presbyterians who were North Hall dorm buddies at Florida, insisting that all sex is a sin, including sex in marriage. Well then, okey dokey then, whatever. Obviously the inhibited are not only the frustrated Roman Catholic priesthood, who insist Blessed Mary Ever Virgin notwithstanding Matthew 1:25, "Joseph did not have sex with Mary until after the baby boy was born. He said that the boy's name should be Jesus." Easy English Bible 2018.
Every story can be retold to confirm one's certainties: does retelling re-mythologize, or change Truth or the original author's intent? IDK, I'm just an innocent Episcopalian unimpaired by dogma.
What got me here this morning? Two things. Reading a Spiritual Direction essay snow job straight out of a priest's absolute dogmatic certainties, and being mindful that my next Time in the pulpit is Advent One.
RSF&PTL
T
image: pinched online with bitter cold memories of truth