Memorable! Psalm 1 The Message (MSG)    How well God must like you— you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road,     you don't go to Smart-Mouth College.   2-3 Instead you thrill to God's Word,        you chew on Scripture day and night.     You're a tree replanted in Eden,        bearing fresh fruit every month,     Never dropping a leaf,        always in blossom.   4-5 You're not at all like the wicked,        who are mere windblown dust—     Without defense in court,        unfit company for innocent people.   6 God charts the road you take.     The road they take is Skid Row. Many Bible stories wer...

It’s Still Easter Told to pack his belongings, Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng left the hospital and driven to Beijing airport, being hustled out of China to the United States, says TWP, enroute to classes at NYU. Didn’t say who of his family are coming along.* For all the political fist-shaking, a healthy mutual cooperation, not to say admiration, society between US and China, where more Buick cars are manufactured and sold than in the US, and where this MacBook was made. The most senior Chinese government officials who most vociferously spout the Communist party anti-capitalist line against America send their children and grandchildren to the most prestigious American universities, where they blend socially, seamlessly, including joining the Greek societies. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/chinese-communist-leaders-denounce-us-values-but-send-children-to-us-colleges/2012/05/18/gIQAiEidZU_story.html?tid=pm_world_pop    Goes both ways: the ...

Perfect morning just now at 2308 WBD. 68 F, 55% humidity. Softest, gentle breeze and the Bay is flat. The Navy headed out to sea a few minutes ago. Right now, a ship is headed east far-out, three minutes from now should pass close-in headed west to Port PC. Standing up, there’s Shell Island, but if My Laughing Place cedar down by the Bay grows two inches taller, it’ll be necessary to stand on tiptoe.  Yep, there’s that ship close-in now, headed for the Port. Yesterday the Gulf was perfect, perfect temperature, strong surf. We waded out almost chest deep to scatter ashes and say the prayers. ... to the deep ...  Then a delicious supper at Carrabba's with dear friends before they return to Canada. A glass of chianti.  A beautiful day. May your day be as beautiful. T+ in +Time

God Has Gone Up With A Shout   Luke 24. ... v50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God. (NRSV) Acts 1. ... v9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’ 12  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet ... (NRSV) When Kristen was born in 1993, we  lived in Apalachicola, in the rectory of Trinity Episcopal Church. From the time she was six...

  This is another day, Lord.  I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready for whatever it may be.  If I am to stand, help me to stand bravely.  If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly.  If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently.  And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly.  Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus.  Amen. We needn’t speak to pray. We don’t even need thoughts that are formed into words. Depending on the nature of it, simply musing, a state of being, can be prayer. My worrying about a loved one or friend, worry that is never out of mind, becomes prayer. If we want help, though, The Book of Common Prayer has words that when the amen is said can leave us assured that we have well and truly prayed. All the more so because each prayer can be molded to suit our needs and hopes. My prayer this morning is for another beautiful day for someone very dear to me....

This coming Sunday's reading from Luke's book of the Acts of the Apostles chapter 1 tells us about the Ascension of Christ and the selection of Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot as one of The Twelve. The lectionary delicately slips past Luke's account of the death of Judas, omitting it from the reading.  Luke/Acts tells us that Judas purchased a field with the blood money of his betrayal reward, falling headlong into it and being burst open. Tradition and art seems to prefer the account at Matthew 27:3f in which Judas hangs himself.  Dante's Inferno has a scene in which the center mouth of satan chews forever the head of Judas Iscariot as his body twists in everlasting agony.  A quick search turned up no artistic depictions of Luke's gruesome scene that the lectionary for Sunday also prefers to skip over. Probably just as well. TW+   

St. Matthias Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 (KJV) 15  And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) 16  Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. 17  For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. 18  Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 19  And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. 20  For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. 21  Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the ...