It's Advent: Be on the Lookout for Angels

 

 

picture by Shana Dines of Elkhart 2014
You can find out more about Shana at:
https://ealonline.org/featured-artist-shana-dines/

Luke 2: 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Some things to consider…

1.     Angels told shepherds about the birth before priests, before kings, before  anyone else.

2.     The shepherds, in humility and joy, recognized the angels as messengers of the Lord.

3.     Upon receiving this divine revelation they were eager to respond and go on the adventure.

As we continue through Advent and approach Christmas, as we prepare our hearts, not only for the family get-togethers and gifts, but also for some sacred impact upon our souls, let’s be like shepherds.

    Let’s accept that wherever we are angels visit us. During Covid 19 we may feel much like the shepherds…some kind of outcasts in fields of loneliness. Know that you are valued highly.

  Like the shepherds let us be sensitive to the angels speaking to us. We do this by prayer and taking time to “Be still and know God”.

Let us eagerly respond in our souls to take a new and fresh spiritual adventure.

I know we have experienced many years of Christmas. Sometimes in all the hustle and bustle we become “bah, humbug” about it.

But as we listen to Christmas music, gaze upon ornaments, remember our loved ones who have gone on, let’s know that we are not left behind…not really. We are visited by angels of divine proclamation, grace, and encouragement.

Let us then anticipate something wonderful!

Eric Settles, Proud Pilot

 

 

first solo flight 12/17/2019

 

I am particularly proud to announce that as of Thursday, December 3. 2020, my son, Eric Settles, gained his pilot’s license at Goshen Municipal Airport- GSH. His FAA Examiner wrote on his report “nice touch…beautiful flying.”

   Eric was surely pleased. This has been a goal of his since his first airplane flight when he was 8 or 9 years old.

   Since his childhood he has been passionately interested in flight, airplanes, and the airline industry. I believe he told me that while in college one of his business class reports was of an airline industry incident.

    On December 17, 2019 he experienced his first solo flight.

    You know how it is when you set goals for yourself and life has a way of trying to sabotage your steps toward those goals. We have work to attend to, college, family concerns that interrupt our plans.

          Congratulations to my son, Eric, for sticking with it and making a dream come true.

   As a gesture of celebration, my wife, Sherry Borglum, found this 1974 vintage belt buckle to present as a gift in celebration.

vintage belt buckle

   Now we wonder what may be the next step…?

 

My favorite part of the Christmas story is found in Matthew 2: 1-12.

We are told that wise men, or kings, or star-gazers, came from the East to worship the new born King.

   We celebrate the arrival of these wise men on January 6, 2020. We call it Epiphany.

   Now personally, I think these “wise men” were indeed astrologers of their day who came from the land where the Israelites had been carried off to generations ago. I imagine the astrologers (priests) having coffee with the scribes and priests of the Israelites and discussing theology and other such things.

Perhaps this is how the wise men knew to be anticipating a king or Messiah.

But wherever from they came, the story mentions a plural “wise men”. It does not say three. There could have been two, there could have been many more.

It does say they brought gifts and three are named. It is likely they brought other gifts as well.

   But the thing I want to affirm here is that perhaps your church, like many, over time has lost one of the wise men set. Maybe you have only two left.

You are still faithful to the story because the story merely says “wise men”…not a specific “three”.

So relax, be not embarrassed. If anyone says anything, just tell them Mike claims only two wise men!

And, by the way…it is perfectly fine to keep your Christmas decorations up until Epiphany which is the conclusion of the twelve days of Christmas!

Caring for Neighbor as Advent/Christmas Worship

So here we are about to enter the Advent/ Christmas season doing church virtually, online, streaming rather than in person. Yes, I understand that this disruption of church tradition is disappointing. But it causes me to question…”What are the fundamental aspects of being a Christian…a Jesus follower.” As I read the gospel in which I see the modeling of Christ for how we are to conduct ourselves in the world, I read no call to have elaborate services celebrating his birth, or arrival of Magi from the East. There is no provision for lighting a series of candles over a four week period. Now for sure, I love the Church Calendar. Yes, I do find it helpful toward bringing order to the church and how we can find creative ways to worship. But the church calendar comes to us from tradition rather than anything Jesus taught. If we replace the teachings and modeling of Jesus as found in the Gospels with tradition-based “feel-good” moments of Christmas and even Easter, we reach toward a sort of idolatry that is actually self-serving rather than neighbor-serving. Jesus taught compassion and healing, not how to decorate a tree. Jesus taught a sincerity of, rather than a showmanship of, prayer and charity. Jesus taught surrender of one’s will for God and neighbor, not how to demand familiar customs as a way of making a political statement. These next few weeks, let’s not focus on the disruption of our familiar patterns of worship. Let’s realize the truth…that being a Christian, calling Jesus Lord and meaning it invites us to love our neighbors, pray for our enemies, heal the lame, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. This year we have the opportunity to preserve the health of our neighbors by merely limiting our physical contact with them. Allow me to insinuate Luke 16: 10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."  I believe our humble actions of neighbor-care will satisfy God as worship far more than well-planned and orchestrated Advent and Christmas Eve extravaganzas.

 

Lake James

Usually when Sherry and I stay at Pokagon State Park we request one of the Old Historic rooms to be in. Unfortunately, since we are in November, the air conditioning had been turned off for the season and the heat turned on. Our room, along with everyone else, was uncomfortable. Windows in the Old Historic Section were open, an unusual sight for November.

   Having no more portable fans to accommodate us, they moved us to one of the cabin 68 with individual air conditioning at no extra charge. My goodness, did we luck out!

cabin 68

    To arrive at cabin 68, we drove across a one-car bridge that crossed over the toboggan run tracks.

the 1-car bridge across tracks

Toboggan Tracks

   But, we had, not only air conditioning, but also a very personal and close view of Lake James.

The fox seemed almost domesticated as he paused long enough for me to take a photo.

Well-posed fox

   Sherry and I have been visiting Pokagon for 16 years now. This time we had some quite new experiences!

Autumn Excursion at Ox Bow Park Elkhart County Indiana

 

View from Ox Bow View tower

Usually I prefer my autumn days soaked in overcast and slight drizzle as I walk along paths accompanied by my umbrella to cover me and coffee to comfort.

   But today, October 29, 2020, sunny and bright, was quite accommodating as I took a stroll through Ox Bow Park in Elkhart County Indiana.

   As I had no need of an umbrella, I carried my camera through wooded paths and open fields snapping photos at will.

walk way

The falling golden leaves, twirling as if in choreographed dance, seemed to celebrate my presence while adorning my sweater momentarily before continuing their journey to the ground where they found rejoined brethren.

the conquered  tower

    One accomplishment of the day is my ascension to the top of the View tower at the park. When I was a teenager and young adult I had no fear of heights. But age causes uncooperative characteristics to sneak upon one. It is not really a very tall tower. Not any the less, as I ascended the stairs I felt that discomfort happen within my brain. I pressed on. Finally stepping upon the top level I felt a sense of personal achievement. I lingered in that self-satisfaction for a bit, taking photos to prove I was there.

shopping list

    Returning to the ground and walking away I saw a piece of paper hugging the damp grass. I initially dismissed it as unworthy of my attention at first. And then, my sense of incidental discovery burst through the apathy and prompted me to return to the paper and see what treasure may lie there.

It appears to be a shopping list: smoked ched./curried chic. Salad/crostin dessert?/pretzel buns/ cous cous?/cake mix/coffee/take forks plates napkins/go to Asian and German stores?/applewood bacon/mozz./pineapple/pretzel bun?

I love such discoveries. They cause me to imagine stories. I imagine a story about what party or family get-together this list was to accommodate.

The penmanship was pleasant and easy to read. This is obviously a well-organized person. I’m sure their event was a delightfully edible success.

Though born in Lafollette Tennessee and having spent some childhood in Detroit Michigan, I have lived in Elkhart County since 1969. It has become not only my historical home, but also my emotional and personal identity home as well. Today, in Ox Bow park, was one of the very many reasons why that is the case.

quiet and peaceful

Mick Jagger, Mary van Wijk, and "The St. Petersburg Syndrome"

 

 

    As a means of promoting my story “The St. Petersburg Syndrome” and the book in which it is gathered, I asked Mary van Wijk, a known Rolling Stones enthusiast, to read it and compose a review.

   Sometimes a review of a story is more entertaining than the story itself as is the case in this incidence.

   I offer Mary’s review here more as a celebration of her personal experience than as a promotion of my book “Preposterous Scenarios: Gathered Stories, Poems, and Memoirs” available as a digital download at Amazon.com for $2.99.

 

REVIEW:

Settles’ The St Petersburg Syndrome is reminiscent of an encounter, purely by chance, that I had in 1989 in an intimate Italian restaurant in London.  My encounter with Mick Jagger, Jerry Hall and Eric Idle, sitting at the table beside, and very near us, was unanticipated and extraordinary, just like this fresh and intriguing story. The St Petersburg Syndrome is sure to give you satisfaction!

Mary van Wijk, United Methodist Ordained Elder and Rolling Stones Aficionado

 

Oh, to have been just feet away from that table! I sincerely hope Mary eavesdropped sufficiently to accommodate Mick’s insatiable ego.

I look forward to being in person with Mary so as to experience vicarious proximity to rock and roll greatness!

Thank you Mary for these exciting words!

 

But before I leave…

   The story which prompted this review “The St. Petersburg Syndrome” is found in the book “Preposterous Scenarios: Gathered Stories, Poems, and Memoirs” by Mike Settles. Available as a digital download at amazon.com for $2.99.

Peter Frampton Meets President Gerald Ford

President Ford with Peter Frampton National Archives

    Some people pass the time or develop hobbies such as reading novels, golfing, or assembling evasive picture puzzles. I rummage through historical documents looking for the occasional “huh”, “wait a minute” or “wow” discovery.

   Such was the case a few days ago as I was perusing the daily diary of President Gerald Ford which is available online from the Gerald Ford Presidential Library.

   At the bottom, page seven, of the diary for September 8, 1976, I see the name “Peter Frampton” as someone with whom the President met. “Huh” was my whispered response. And so I was off on an engagement of historic research. Indeed it was the Peter Frampton of rock and roll guitar fame!

    The National Archives was wise enough to maintain the photograph.

It was 44 years ago this coming September 8^th that rock and roll royalty once again assumed its worthy place as it stood within the Oval Office beside Presidential stature!

And that’s my trivial report.

 

Ps…Peter reached the number 6 spot on the WLS survey for September 18, 1976 with “Baby, I Love Your Way”.

http://www.oldiesloon.com/il/wls760918.htm

 

Presidential diary entry found at:

https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0036/pdd760908.pdf

 

Photo from national archives:

https://nara.getarchive.net/media/president-gerald-r-ford-and-his-son-steve-ford-meeting-with-musician-peter-47e887

The Somnolent Effect of a Kienzle Mechanical Tick

 

I continue to affirm my wife, Sherry Borglum, as gift-giver Extraordinaire!

Knowing my interest in watches, contemporary, luxury, utilitarian, vintage, she is always finding the most excellent of choices.

   This one is a German made Kienzle from the 1960s. This is a wind-up stem watch. It has this cool-cream color face with a sweeping second hand in a circle at the six o’clock position. But the feature most important is that it produces the mechanical tick as the seconds sweep around.

And, oh the fun of winding the stem with my index finger and thumb!

   My first watch was given to me at Christmas in 1963 when I was nine years old. It was a Timex. That watch also produced the mechanical tick to which I would listen late at night as it lulled me off to sleep.

   Later, in 1970, for my birthday I received a Hamilton watch which also would tick mechanically and drift me off to sleep.

After those gifts of watches, succeeding watches, with batteries, merely gave a soft ping which left me unimpressed and awake, disappointingly.

   Over the decades I had forgotten the somnolent effect of a mechanical tick. I will once again make use of that feature as I try to sleep.

Thank you Sherry, I’m all wound up!

Pastel Blue

 

New cover photo by Donna Hemmig

August 9, 2020

Early AM

Thanks, Donna

A soft pastel-blue incomplete sphere

 teases the imagination and nudges inspiration to

 complete the circle and mentally color in the emptiness

with the cognitive crayon of fulfillment.

Moving the Church into the 21st Century

 

 

    For decades church attendance has been declining. While there are some exceptions, generally speaking, in-person/in sanctuary attendance is becoming an experience of the past.

   The current Covid 19 situation has caused many churches to cease operation and also has caused many people to stay home from church.

   Many churches offer online streaming services, some have radio broadcasts. I am anticipating that by the time there is a vaccine for this Covid 19 many folk who previously had good habit and routine of physical attendance at church will have lost that habit and will remain at home on Sundays.

   I further anticipate that churches that can pivot from a physical presence worship experience to an online service will be the churches that will survive long-term into the 21st Century.

This is not anything to feel bewildered about.

Regarding corporate shareholders...

“Globally, a significant majority of meetings have fewer than 100 attendees, and in many markets the attendance level is declining. Smaller companies may see only a handful of attendees, if any.” (see source 1 at bottom) Yet the shareholders who do not attend in person remain shareholders in full with right to vote by proxy. They are not less of a shareholder because they are not physically present.

Viewership of sports on television is measured in the millions whereas an arena or stadium holds less than 100,000 in attendance. (See source 2)

And, in 2019 the Beatles album ranked number 3 on Billboard though they have not provided a concert for over fifty years. (source 3)

One is not less a fan just because they have not been in person at a sporting event or a concert.

Likewise, one can be fully Christian, enjoy a meaningful experience, and be inspired by an online service. It is definitely the church that can make the pivot from physical focus to online that will do well as time goes on.

Even the idea of church membership or affiliation may move outside of the physical sanctuary. The church that can extend its affiliation structure will gain new relationships.

 

During 1969-1970 my grandmother would listen to a Christian broadcast on radio station WCMR in Dunlap Indiana. I could tell that she was fully engaged spiritually with that broadcast. Having left her home church of Cedar Hill Baptist church in Lafollette Tennessee and arriving here, she could not find a physical church in which she felt comfortable. But that radio program was fully and totally the experience that fed her spiritually.

 

There is nothing lacking in an online service or a radio service.

As time goes on and younger generations feel less of a need for a 20th century, physical building experience, we have opportunities to reach far many more people than ever our buildings could hold.

   Churches that are willing to let go of the 20th century model for church stand the better chance of stepping into the 21st century church opportunity.

 

 Sources

 

1.

(https://configio.blob.core.windows.net/media/em_ICSACanada/Attachments/Document%20Library/CGQ/Summer/The_future_of_shareholder_meetings.pdf)

 

2.

 (https://www.statista.com/statistics/619023/number-tv-viewers-sporting-events-usa/)

 

3.

https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8532282/the-beatles-abbey-road-returns-billboard-200-chart-top-3

Enjoy Volcano Pizza Easy Shopping Place

Pizza is a favorite food of mine. It is second in favorability rank only to pinto beans with onions and corn bread.

I was introduced to pizza in Detroit, age nine, by the neighborhood kids. We lived on Bessemore Street. The pizza place, I don’t remember the name, was on Gratiot Avenue. We would walk the three or four blocks to a store building which appeared to be fifty years old. The globe light fixtures suspended from the ceiling five feet. The floor tile was sufficiently aged that it had many cracked and missing pieces. I still remember the scrape of the wooden pizza peel as the worker thrusts the pizza into the oven.

   My friends and I would joke, converse about our favorite TV shows such as “Batman” and "Man from Uncle” while the workers also exchanged more adult versions of such discussion.

Yes, pizza is more than just food for me. It carries the memories of youth.

Having moved from Detroit to Dunlap Indiana the next favorite pizza place was the Pizza Shack on US 33 in beautiful downtown Dunlap. In 1969 it was located next door to a Burger Dairy store. My friend R. Keith Hunter and I would periodically walk there after school at Concord Junior High and order a pizza and then go next door to purchase soft drinks at Burger Dairy.

In those days crossing US33 was manageable as there were only three lanes, the center being a turn lane. The traffic, well before Concord Mall, was much lighter.

Anyway…much thanks to Bill and Ruth Ann Owen for making such great pizzas at the Pizza Shack.

Also in 1969 there was Miller’s Pizza in Goshen at intersection of Pike and 2nd. It was a healthy bicycle ride from Dunlap, but worth it.

Yes, since 1964, my Detroit friends and I eating pizza while watching Election night results, pizza has been a favorite food as well as a cultural companion.

   Even during the season of Covid 19 pizza will not surrender!

Last night I purchased pizza at Volcano’s at Easy Shopping Place. The cardboard container claims “legendary since 1957!”

   I encourage you to enjoy pizza from Volcano’s…call ahead with your order (574-295-8606). Someone comes out to your car to handle the transaction. Only employees are allowed in the building itself.

It is great pizza!

"Commercial" for book..."Preposterous Scenarios: Gathered Stories, Poems, and Memoirs"

 I would like to invite you to purchase and enjoy my book “Preposterous Scenarios: Gathered Stories, Poems, and Memoirs”

It is available on Amazon as a digital download.

The price is $2.99. As this publication is not about money to me, I have priced it so as to be irresistible!

 This publication is about sharing my humor with you.

The memoirs are from childhood. Perhaps they will cause you to reflect upon your first kiss. Or maybe the concluding memoir will remind you of how you overcame fear of public speaking.

 The poems are of such simple rhyme and rhythm dipped in humor surely they must cause a chuckle to emerge.

 But the main focus is the stories, fictional for sure, and indeed preposterous.

 “The Unexpected Roommate”   is a story based upon the Barbee Hotel in Kosciusko County Indiana. Legend has it that Al Capone often stayed there.

The story gives a fictionalized hint at what happened to the money supposed to be hidden in a hotel vault. But, I don’t want to give too much away!

 Then there is “Stunned and Bewildered”

What would you do if you accidentally became President of the United States? Set in Indiana, in the election cycle of 2024, stage comedian Bobby Beer has as his comedy act that he is a candidate for President. If this reminds you of Pat Paulsen and his comedy act of 1968, yes, that was the inspiration.

 “The Blue Sequined Party Dress” is romantic comedy inspired by a true report of an experience posted on Facebook (and the next morning removed). In the story I moved the scene to a golf course. The story is as much about friendship as it is about romance.

 “The Meek” refers to the “meek” of the Beatitudes in the New Testament. Imagine, as the story asks of you, that you have an opportunity to visit hell for one week as an extreme adventure. Would you?

 “The St. Petersburg Syndrome” If you are a Rolling Stones fan, you surely will enjoy this.  It is an imagining of a supernatural moment. And, of course, I remind you it is quite very fictional. Reference to anyone living is purely intentional. What if the devil was not the ultimate bad guy? What if he had a boss…a boss that had become playful and good-natured over time?

 

All of these stories are short and easy to read. I offer them for your amusement.

But also, I wrote them so as to have application for movie or film.

If you are a film director or producer, check out these stories. If you would like to do a film based upon one, get in touch with me. Let’s make an arrangement.

 Again… “Preposterous Scenarios” available on Amazon as a digital download for $2.99.

 The following video was filmed at beautiful Wellfield Botanic Gardens in Elkhart Indiana. It pretty much describes what I have already done in text here. But also, we have the added features of birds chirping, the sound of moving water, and a quacking duck. Such features contribute a sense of “live presence”. Thanks to my wife, Sherry Borglum, for her recording skills.

Give it watch!

Hey brother, how's your mind? Alisha Merrick and 3 John 1:2

Peace medallions created by artist Alisha Merrick

During the years of 1969-1971 my wanna-be hippie friends and I would greet each other with “Hey, brother, how’s your mind?” Back in those days there was a focus on mind-expansion, creativity, and release from the burdensome expectations of the Establishment. And so, we valued the state of the mind.

    A healthy mind was at peace from anxiety or stress caused by the evils of greed, hatred, and pursuit of status.

    A healthy mind was open to all persons regardless of religion, language, or nationality.

    A healthy mind was eager to hear the latest declarations from the vinyl prophets like the Youngbloods with “Get Together” or Jackie Deshannon with “Put a Little Love in Your Heart”.

   Ah, the days of youthful naivety.

   John Wesley, accidental founder of the Methodist movement, would open meetings with “How is it with your soul?” I think he was inspired by 3 John: 1: 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

While the vinyl prophets of the 1960s have moved on from their “peace and love” movement, The Methodist Movement continues. And so, it is a relevant question “How is it with your soul?”

   I pray that you enjoy health. I pray that all goes your way today. I pray that you are affirmed to the core of your soul.

   Also, I can’t help it…all of those sentiments are carried in my decades old sentiment “Hey brother, or sister, how’s your mind?

ps. you can find out more about Alisha Merrick's art here:

https://alishamerrickart.com/

Wellfield Botanic Garden Elkhart Indiana

   Wellfield Botanic Garden in Elkhart Indiana is my favorite place to walk and clear my thoughts. Today, Friday, May 15, 2020 is the first day of the year that it is open for members. As a member, I was there at noon, when the doors opened.

   The Garden will be open to the public on May 22, 2020. Please see their website for more information:

https://wellfieldgardens.org/

   Bearing in mind that I am an amateur at photography, I offer a couple of videos that give a sense of the beauty of the garden. These videos do not bring out the fullness of life and color present in the garden. Nor do they give the correct sense of acreage covered.  So, to experience the fullness of life and color, you are invited to visit and see for yourself.

The Garden is full of the sounds of birds as well.

Also, you may hear the sound of a nearby train in the background!

Enjoy!

A Brief Memorial for Dwight Grieser

For those that remember Dwight Grieser as a teacher at Concord during the early 1970s I offer a brief memorial.

   At the site of the College Mennonite Church on the campus of Goshen College there is a memorial circular walk way. On a wall of the building there are plaques named after deceased folk. One such is for Dwight Grieser.

   I have two distinct memories of Mr. Grieser.

1. I had first come from Detroit in 1969. During those days at Concord we had clubs at the end of the day. I had registered for “Leisure Club”. This was a club where folk played chess, cards, board games and such. Being new to Concord, I had not yet developed friends. Mr. Grieser came by and asked why I was not playing. I responded “I don’t know who to join.”

Mr. Grieser said “Well, you better figure something out or you will have to leave.”

I would have been content watching others play while I observed the social interactions of those involved in playful competition. But, since I did not want to try to find another club, I thrust myself into a card game. I remember Deb Pinkerton being helpful explaining the rules of the game.

   2.The other memory I have of Mr. Grieser was his advice of choosing a wife. While in Social Studies class, Central building, he offered…”Boys, if you want to know what your girlfriend will look like in twenty to thirty years, take a good look at her mother. That will be a good indication.”

   Why he felt it useful to offer such advice during Social Studies I don’t know. But I always received his advice with a twist of humor.

I wonder what advice he would have given the girls.

My wife, Sherry Borglum, stands by the memorial wall

In Defense of Unassuming Colloquialism

 I would encourage anyone to be sufficiently in command of proper language, grammar, spelling, and pronunciation so as to be effective when composing an academic paper, an application for work, or other professional contexts.

   Not any the less, I affirm and defend in casual conversation, whether in person or on social media, the use of unassuming colloquial communication.

    While I value and try to be diligent with my grammar and such, I acknowledge that I too have become embarrassingly relaxed by auto-correct functions of social media and Word document such that my precision, once admirable, has waned.

   But my real issue of advocacy is this: I am amused by the way people speak and write differently. I embrace the variations.

Again, so long as you adhere to acceptable conventions in academic and professional settings, I affirm your relaxed speech in common contexts.

If I say realtor while you say realitor, I know what you mean.

If I say jewelry while you say jewlery, we mean the same thing.

If I say “I couldn’t care less.” as you say “I could care less.” I get it.

If I say regardless as you say irregardless, I am not confused.

You just be you.

If you think highly enough of me to have friendly conversation, you’ll hear nary a word of criticism from me!

Knowing Scripture

Hand of God reaching down in love

Joshua 1: ⁸ This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Now, fore sure, those that claim Jesus, Christians, acknowledge that those words written for a Hebrew people may have had a context and application somewhat different from what we may apply today.

   But the core context is timeless, reaching across generations, nationalities, and languages. This core context has to do with knowing and doing God’s will.

   The way we get to know God’s will is by reading the Bible, allowing it to sink into our brains, and then observing…doing God’s will.

   Folks, I eagerly want to get beyond this Covid 19 “stay at home” season.

But, as we are stuck at home, take it as an opportunity to read the Bible and seek out its meaning.

Perhaps keep a journal and record your thoughts as you read.

Perhaps draw pictures of the stories you read.

Perhaps keep a scrap book of the news of the day and references to Scripture you have read.

Make these days count…increase your knowledge of Scripture.

Giving Peace a Spiritual Chance

Scripture: John 20: 19-31

Jesus appeared in the midst of disciples who were scared and filled with anxiety to bring peace.

In the midst of your anxiety do you notice that Jesus stands there saying “peace be with you”? And Jesus showed the disciples his hands and side. Not only does he offer them evidence, it is the evidence of painful sacrifice. Jesus, as he offers them peace, directly associates that peace with his sacrificial work for them. A lot like saying…” I have done it, I have paid the price, it is settled, you are completely and totally atoned for, and free.

    Now that is peace.

“ And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

My goodness, isn’t that a little like Genesis, chapter 2…

^“7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

Many folk, raised in the church, cannot state a specific time of accepting Jesus. It was more of a natural development of relationship.

    Still, even if you were raised in the church, you have to make the call for yourself at some point. But my emphasis today is… we become new, spiritual creatures by the breath of God…Jesus. And the stuff of that new, spiritual life is the Holy Spirit.

Allow the Holy Spirit to calm you and to motivate you toward a deeper relationship with Christ.

Lord, bring us peace today. Bring personal peace, family peace, community peace, and national peace. Amen

I Miss Baseball

Bosse Field Evansville

   I miss baseball. Though I was never good at actually playing the sport, I enjoyed being on the field, swinging the bat (too soon, too late, too high, too low), making errors in the out-field. Yes, I miss baseball. I humorously tell folk how accomplished I was at the game…”I caught every ball that came my way. I caught it in the head, I caught it in the nose.” and so on.

   While in school as springtime claimed its seasonal rights P. E. class would take the field. I remember the aroma of a leather glove and I felt a bit “like somebody” as I slipped my hand into the glove as if it were an award. I remember the sting of a well-batted ball slamming on my chest or my leg and my astonishment that I survived!

Mostly, I was thrilled when, swinging the bat; I accidentally made contact with the ball such that I made it to first base! What an accomplishment! Arriving at first I would feel my heart beating, the warmth of sunlight, I saw the glare of surprised classmates expressing “huh?” in silent unison.

Moving on to second, or third, or home was usually about the performance of other batters. Yes, some could steal bases, but generally, advancement from first base was due to others getting hits.

Baseball was a game I could understand. Typically, the action was slow enough that I could follow the target of action and grasp the results.

I was particularly interested in the statistics of baseball. Living in Detroit Michigan during the 1960s, I was a Tigers fan. I paid attention to each player’s stats and the games won/lost by the various teams. It was a bit easier in the 1960s before there were so many new teams.

Yes, I miss baseball. I look forward to opening day, whenever that may be. The last actual game I attended was The Evansville Otters at Bosse Field.

Bosse Field is one of the oldest baseball parks in the country. The movie “A League of Their Own” was partially filmed there.

Whether Major League, College, church league or neighborhood kids, Baseball is good old-fashioned American fun!!!

But if you want to win games, don’t ask me to play!

Exercise Those Church Bells!

Karen Nokes, Administrative Assistant and faithful servant, reports the following…

“Here at Willow Creek, we had a call come in yesterday from a church neighbor requesting that we ring our bells on Sunday morning for Easter. She missed hearing them on Sundays... I put the request into our Trustee Chair and had the thought about asking all churches to ring theirs too (or the equivalent). That it would be an amazing way to celebrate socially distanced unity!!!”

I too think it a wonderful idea!

I encourage each church to have some responsible person enter their church on Easter and chime their bells at their usual worship time.

Please know that this is not an invitation for people to gather at the church. Rather, enjoy the sound of the bells in your homes, in PJs with coffee.

Or, you may visit Youtube and listen to bells at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu1hYDrJNuM

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem about Bells on Christmas Day. His sentiment is consistent with Easter also.

As I like to tell people…once Jesus was born on Christmas Day, His resurrection on Easter was inevitable!

I offer the concluding verse...

Then pealed the bells more loud
      and deep.
"God is not dead, nor doth he
      sleep!
The wrong shall fail,
The right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to
      men!"