If you are more into listening than reading, Words Twice a Week is available, along with other good stuff, as a podcast from St Paul’s Episcopal Church. Click here.
Last week’s challenge – write a short (280 characters or less!) fiction. (Following the book A Short Fiction by James Mark Miller).
Here’s what I got -
He put the plate of leftovers on the table on the deck to cool.
When he went to retrieve it, it was empty.
All around on the railing, the squirrels were bobbing and twitching.
And licking their lips.
Snowflakes fell gently.
They smoothly covered the sidewalk, the lawn, the driveway.
And the car keys where he had dropped them.
Midsummer’s Day - June 24.
Half way from one Christmas to the next.
“Is it really worth taking down the tree now?”, he wondered.
A Prayer for the Week - Wake Me Up Lord
Wake me up Lord,
so that the evil of racism finds no home within me.
Keep watch over my heart Lord,
and remove from me any barriers to your grace,
that may oppress and offend my brothers and sisters.
Fill my spirit Lord,
so that I may give services of justice and peace.
Clear my mind Lord,
and use it for your glory.
And finally, remind us Lord that you said,
"blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." Amen.
This prayer is from For The Love of One Another (1989), a special message from the Bishops' Committee on Black Catholics of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops on the Occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of the Pastoral Letter, Brothers and Sisters to Us, the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Pastoral Letter on Racism (1979).
https://www.usccb.org/resources/prayer-service-racial-healing-our-land.
A few days from the Church calendar – (and just to be clear, this week these are days observed “by some of Western Christianity”, not necessarily by the Episcopal Church)
Jan 15 Paul of Thebes (aka Paul the First Hermit) (226-341) and
Jan 17 St Anthony the Great (aka Saint Anthony, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, Anthony the Hermit, and Anthony of Thebes) (251-356) These guys were the first of the “Desert Fathers”, individuals (mostly men, but some women) who sought escape from the distractions of the world by living either alone or in small groups in the desert of Egypt. They practiced an austere asceticism, living simple lives devoted to “praying, singing psalms, fasting, giving alms to the needy, and preserving love and harmony with one another”. These two are kind of linked in that Anthony would visit Paul and in fact buried him when he died (at age 125!). When it was no longer that dangerous to be Christian, Anthony understood the solitude, austerity, and sacrifice of the desert to be almost a form of martyrdom. There are a variety of stories about these two and others of the Desert Fathers, one collection is The Wisdom of the Desert edited by Thomas Merton. Here’s one of my favorites -
To one of the brethren appeared a devil, transformed into an angel of light, who said to him: I am the Angel Gabriel, and I have been sent to thee. But the brother said: Think again—you must have been sent to somebody else. I haven’t done anything to deserve an angel. Immediately the devil ceased to appear. (308 characters – could almost be a “Short Fiction”!)
And some days from the earth/world calendar -
Jan 11
+ First use of insulin for diabetes – 1922 A timely remembrance!
Jan 12
+ All time best selling fiction writer Agatha Christie died in 1976. Those with Peter White Public Library cards can watch this piece about her with David Suchet. Or find a movie on some other streaming service. Or – read one of her books!
+ James Bedford died in 1967 and was the first person to be cryogenicly frozen, hoping to be revived at some future date. Stay tuned!
Jan 13
+ George Fox died in 1691. He separated from the Church of England and founded the Society of Friends, also known as The Quakers. “His charisma, patient selflessness, deep spirituality, tireless missionary travels, and talent for organization made him a remarkable person. Above all, he bequeathed to the Quakers a profound dedication to the work of peace.” (W Paul Jones) Fox wrote “I saw also that there was an ocean of darkness and death, but an infinite ocean of light and love, which flowed over the ocean of darkness.”
+ Wyatt Earp died in 1929. He took part in the Shoot-out at the OK Coral in 1881, but was not injured and died about 50 years later in Los Angeles.
+ James Joyce died in 1941. After three or four attempts to make it through Ulysses, I have pretty much given up. This would have been another book to tackle over the past 6-8 months. I did read Dubliners and enjoyed it.
+ in 1968 Johnny Cash played a concert at Folsum Prison.
Jan 14
+ It’s the birthday of Albert Schweitzer in 1875. He was a theologian, organist, writer, philosopher, physician. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952. He was a noted Bach scholar and interpreter. He walked away from it all and established a hospital at Lambarene in French Equatorial Africa. I just always have liked saying “Lambarene”.
+ Lewis Carroll died in 1898, leaving behind Alice and a variety of interesting characters – The White Rabbit, The Mad Hatter, The Queen of Hearts, The Cheshire Cat (or at least his grin) with this conversation
‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'
'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.
'I don't much care where —' said Alice.
'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat
+ Humphery Bogart died in 1975. “Play it, Sam” or “the black bird” or “the African Queen” – which one are you watching tonight?
Jan 15
+ Wikipedia goes online in 2001 – how would we get along without it?
+ MLK Jr was born in 1929.
Jan 16
+ The League of Nations (sounds like a Marvel Comic Book) held it’s first meeting in 1920; then “Shock and Awe” in 1991 as the US began the first war against Iraq. So a day showcasing the wide potential of humanity.
+ Prohibition began in 1919. Being pretty much an abstainer, I don’t know what we should do to note that. I could maybe skip coffee for the day? Probably not! Have a glass of root beer.
Jan 17
+ Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706. Well he did just about everything, didn’t he. “A penny saved is a penny earned; Early to bed and early to rise…” Probably foremost in our minds right now is “A republic, if you can keep it.” Here’s a list of some of his “not so familiar” quotes, including “Hide not your Talents, they for Use were made. What’s a Sun-Dial in the shade!”
That’s what I got for now -
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