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One Final Word
My dear friend Michele slipped into eternity on Wednesday, February 1. She was a remarkable woman who left a legacy of faith, determination, and love. For three years she courageously battled the ovarian cancer that eventually robbed her of her life. A few days before she died, one of her docto
posted 8:43:41pm Feb. 10, 2012 |
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The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated
My husband told me that there are rumors that I've died. I'm happy to report that I'm still very much alive. My cancer has gone to stage four but we are controlling it with chemo, the cancer numbers are currently in the normal range. I've stopped blogging to concentrate on my daughters and writing a
posted 7:07:55pm Aug. 23, 2010 |
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An update and a prayer request
Several people have asked about Michele's condition, and have promised to pray for her. On her behalf, I thank you for that. I spoke with her a little while ago, and she asked that I come here and tell you what's going on, and to ask you to pray for her. She isn't able to post here herself right
posted 4:55:36pm Apr. 06, 2010 |
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Rest in peace, Internet Monk.
A man known in the cyber world as The Internet Monk, has died. Michael Spencer lost his battle with cancer tonight.
My prayers go out for his family and for all those who loved and will miss him. :(
posted 11:52:00pm Apr. 05, 2010 |
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The peace that passes all understanding, pt. 1
I'm coming out of my normal hiding place to make a few comments.
The internet is a strange place. It is often a wonderful place, a helpful place, a unifying place. But it is also alienating, cold, and is the perfect medium in which to depersonalize others.
Through it, I have seen people reach out
posted 4:39:08pm Mar. 25, 2010 |
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posted December 6, 2008 at 7:11 pm
My belly is most like a bowl of jelly in my church, so if there’s a Santa needed for a children’s party (not a worship or teaching session), I’m usually it. I do understand why Santa in church would give you pause. I’ve, pardon the expression, just gone with my gut on this issue, however.
posted December 6, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Just came from the Presbyterian Church in town, saw Santa Claus there with my kids.
St. Nicholas http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38
posted December 7, 2008 at 8:03 am
That’s a sweet story.
posted December 7, 2008 at 11:38 am
No Santas for us. I’ve been to a couple of Catholic midnight masses where a Santa comes in and kneels before the baby in the manger, symbolizing his subservience to the new king. Pretty touching actually.
posted December 7, 2008 at 9:12 pm
I think there will be a Santa at the church Christmas party next Saturday night.
Frankly, I’m already Santa’d out: saw him twice yesterday and once today – he rode the train with us at Allaire.
I’ve never seen what ZZ describes. Was this in the South, ZZ?
posted December 8, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Actually it was in a parish on an overseas military base, Moonshadow.
posted December 8, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Actually it was in a parish on an overseas military base, Moonshadow.
Completely unexpected. I appreciate the answer.
posted December 8, 2008 at 6:47 pm
The Puritans did not celebrate Christmas, and the Liberals act as if God and Santa Claus are pretty much the same, so there’s a spectrum there.
Historically Presbyterians believe that God tells us exactly how to worship Him: if it’s not commanded in the Bible, don’t do it. While the Roman Catholics have made Christmas “a holy day of obligation,” the Reformers after Luther generally did not emphasize Christmas, since the Bible does not tell us to observe the Lord’s birthday. It wasn’t till the 1970′s that my mother’s United Presbyterian church had a worship service on Christmas Eve, although they did have Santa Claus in Sunday School.
posted December 9, 2008 at 7:55 pm
since the Bible does not tell us to observe the Lord’s birthday.
If not for the Infancy narratives in Matthew & Luke, I’d agree with you.
I mean, I would agree that Jesus’ birth wasn’t a big deal to the Evangelists and the Early Church. But, if you figure that most of the early heresies were misunderstandings of the nature of the Incarnation, I’d suggest a regular memorialization of that event would only help counter false beliefs.
The 1970′s is pretty late, Tom. But I was scandalized a few years back when Christmas fell on a Sunday and churches, especially in the South, were closed. (And ironically packed on New Year’s Day, also a Sunday that year … Jan. 1st is also an RC HDoO.
I was actually trying to fit my town’s UPC’s Christmas Eve service into our schedule this year … for the sake of my kids …
We have this “Christmas was illegal” conversation every year, don’t we? I visited the Historic Village at Allaire this past Sunday … I don’t expect you to be familiar … in Wall, NJ … and during the brief chapel service they said just that, that Christmas was illegal until the mid-1800′s or so, even later in NJ. Should I say (yet again), “Thank God for Lutherans” who brought a much-needed balance to the force?!