“The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending, then having the two as close together as possible.”
My house is cold, a lingering cold from last night. I have turned on the heat, but once the house is warm, I’ll turn it off again. The dogs love this weather. They stay outside for the longest time coming in only for a treat, especially Henry, the chow hound.
I still have to change the gauze on my finger. Because my hand was painful yesterday, I decided to wait until today. The new technique will be to unwind the old gauze then wind the new gauze.
When I was a kid, every Sunday, I usually walked to church, but if it was raining, I’d go early with my father who was an usher at the eight o’clock mass upstairs. His job was to walk to the front of the church with his basket, go from row to row to collect the money then count it in the back vestibule of the church. I remember he always smiled at me when he collected my dime.
If I didn’t go with my father, I walked to church. Mostly I went to the mass downstairs because it was shorter than the mass upstairs. There either was no sermon or a very short one. The downstairs pews were old. They made all sorts of creaking sounds when people moved or shifted. They were usually the only sounds, other than the priest, I heard during the mass.
Every Sunday at my school in Ghana there was a service of sorts. My students wore their Sunday clothes. Each class had a separate pattern of Ghanaian cloth for their dresses which were three pieces, a top, skirt and a wraparound cloth. The service was in the cafeteria. Sometimes it was the white father from the Catholic church in town. Other times it was a minister from one of the other churches in town. Once it was me. I was a nervous wreck as sermons were outside my knowledge base. I regretted saying yes to my principal. It took me a while to come up with the theme. I ended up with one of Aesop’s fables. I don’t remember which one I used. I just remember it was a unique take on the Sunday sermon.
Explore posts in the same categories: Musings
October 9, 2022 at 3:44 pm
Hi Kat,
Today is another repeat of yesterday’s weather with a one degree increase in high temperature. Supposedly, the rain chances for next week are now reduced to just one day and the high temperatures have been increased. 🙁
When I was a kid I accompanied my father to the synagogue on the high holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. My father always walked out to take a break during the sermon. When I asked him why, he always replied that the Rabbi always asked for money during the sermon, which they always did. In his later years he would fall asleep during other times during the long holiday service and sometimes be asleep through the sermon. When I asked why he attended annually he replied that he made a promise to his father to always attend services on the high holidays. According to the Torah the only commandment for Rosh Hashanah is to hear the blowing of the, “Shofar”, or rams horn. That’s was always my favorite part of the service. Since the Covid-19 shutdown, my wife and I watched the service on the internet. The Rabbi on the Internet didn’t ask for a donation, maybe because she is a convert who is Korean American. 🙂
October 9, 2022 at 6:23 pm
Hi Bob,
It was in the low 60’s all day today. I went out to get a few things and a sweatshirt was enough, but now that the sun is down, the house is getting cold again.
My father went to church all the time until we moved down the cape. He went less frequently then. I stopped going while I was in college. My parents always went to midnight mass on Christmas Eve, even my mother who was seldom a church goer.
It was good of your father to honor his promise. I got a chuckle about his leaving so as not to have to give money, and there was my father collecting the money.
Mass is always on the TV here, but I don’t ever watch it.
October 9, 2022 at 5:43 pm
We like services on a Saturday night. After our little chapel was scattered to the winds , many of us have regrouped at Christ the Redeemer in Lake Orion. I chatted last night with Sister Margaret who talked about the joy of worshiping with friends and those you care about.
She is right. I look forward to my hour of reflection and gathering with like minded folks.
Meanwhile the Detroit Lions continue to set new standards of abysmalness. Going 6 times on 4th down and getting smoked, that takes some effort. And yet every week I settle in for 3 hours. Oh well, I guess it is me who will never learn
October 9, 2022 at 6:50 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I remember how much you loved your chapel and how painful the loss was so I am so glad you have found another church. Sister Margaret is right.
We all need reflection time and time to be with kindred spirits with whom we share so much.
The Patriots have been up and down. Their quarterback went on the injured list then the backup quarterback was hurt so in stepped the rookie. He was superb last week though they lost in overtime. Today, Bailey Zappe had his first start, and you saw how they did against your Lions!!
October 9, 2022 at 8:00 pm
Since Dak Prescott was injured in week one against the Tampa Bay Bucs, I stopped watching them play led by their backup quarterback, Cooper Rush. Since he has stepped in he’s own every game including today against the World Champions. Go figure, it’s football. 🙁
October 9, 2022 at 9:23 pm
I’d agree given the rookie quarterback for the Pat’s has done so well. Maybe this is another Brady moment as that was how he started.
October 9, 2022 at 9:11 pm
Kat,
My family never went to services. At one point they sent me to Hebrew school, and I failed, and begged them not to make me go. They complied. It was a time when it wasn’t important for a girl have a girl to have a bas mitzvah. If you were a boy, it different, and here is song you might enjoy:
Take care,
Sleepy Lori and Cookie eating.
October 9, 2022 at 9:21 pm
Hi Lori,
I remember this song though I am not an Adam Sandler fan. It is pretty funny!!
Enjoy the day!!
All of us!!