Saturday April 1st Breakfast Out

I didn't sleep all that well last night. I went to bed too early.

Anyhow, I got up and got myself around and fed Missy. Then I noticed that I am supposed to have the sermon next Sunday so while I had some time,. I worked on it. I wanted to take a different approach to Passion Sunday. We have heard that old old story many times over the years. I wanted to relate it to our own needs and that is the approach I took.

Then I picked up Bob for breakfast. We went to Sirloin Stockade this Saturday. I have had two cold breakfasts the past two Saturdays at Eggberts and I decided to suggest we go back to Sirloin Stockade.  We did and I got hot breakfast.

Then I took Bob home and came home myself.

Jeannie, next door here in the fourplex next to me, is moving to Tyro today. She will be closer to her oldest son.  Jeannie has some health problems and needs that.  I hope Betty gets someone nice in there and not another poor renter. She doesn't have s great track record renting to reputable people. The Russells are one of her successes. They live next to Marilyn in the fourplex.

I went to the market this morning and got some stew meat. I have fixed vegetable soup for a late lunch today. I put some meat in it too. I cut the beef up small and browned it before adding it to the soup. We will have biscuits with it. I have crackers too in case Bob would rather have those. I had intended to have the veggie soup yesterday but the market was waiting for a truck and did not have stew meat yet. They had it this morning. The soup is in the slow cooker and will stay warm until we are ready for lunch.

Bob will bring his set of Downton Abby DVDs over this evening and will watch an episode of it. There is nothing on Saturday evening on TV.

I got the sermon finished and printed it just under this post.

We had the soup for lunch and it was good again. I took some to Marilyn R.  then after lunch I lay down with Missy and we napped and watched TV.  

So...more later...

Bob came over at 5:15 and we watched the news and then watched the first episode of Downton Abby. It was interesting. We will watch it every time there's nothing on TV to watch.  It was pretty interesting.

More later....

After Bob left, I took my bath and watched TV with Missy until 9:00 when I went to bed.

Sunday April 9th Sermon

Hosanna to the Son of David; Passion Sunday

Passion Sunday: April 9^th, 2017

Matthew 26:14-30:66New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

¹⁷ On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” ¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.

²⁰ When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve;^{[a] 21} and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” ²² And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” ²³ He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” ²⁵ Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.”

²⁶ While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is like my body.” ²⁷ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; ²⁸ for this is like my blood of the^[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine again until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

³⁰ When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus knew he was being conspired against.  Judas may have thought he had got away with something. But Jesus knew. Have we ever felt betrayed by someone we imagined was a friend?  Have we ever felt dismay over such a situation? We can only imagine how Jesus must have felt having turned away from his mother and family. All he had at that time was his friends and his God. Have we ever felt that a situation has gotten away from us? That it was somehow now out of our hands? 

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to imagine a future all that different from the past? We all somehow get stuck in patterns of behavior and eventually come to believe that our past performance isn’t simply a predictor of our future behavior but rather it’s a guarantee. And so the older we get, the less open the future seems and more ominous the past looms in our lives.

The key to all of this, recent psychological research tells us, is story. Because the past isn’t simply the past, it’s the interpreted past. The past, in short, is the story we’ve told ourselves about the past. Which is why two siblings can have the same alcoholic parent and yet interpret that fact – and their similar pasts – quite differently and thereby walk into distinct futures.

Which is why what we do matters. As each and every week we are invited into a story that is not about all that went wrong this past week… like Jesus must have felt, but about what might go right in the week to come. 

It’s a story of hope. It isn’t about what we lack, but instead it’s about all that we’ve been given. And it’s not a story that exposes our problems or shortcomings but instead lifts up our gifts and blessings. It’s God’s story that tells us again and again that we are loved, that we are precious, that we have infinite value and worth in God’s eyes…every single one of us!

And that story reaches its dramatic climax this week and in the coming days… as we follow Matthew’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion and the betrayal of Judas…a friend and colleague. 

All of which may shape how we read this story. We are all familiar with the story of “The Sunday of the Passion.” Let us instead consider a different story, a route that begins in the heights of the crowds’ adoration of Jesus during his triumphal entry and descends to the depths of his crucifixion. 

The key is to draw us into this story so that we might imagine that it is our story. We have all felt a sense of betrayal at some time or other. 

What we might do on this day is to help each of us enter this story, inviting each of us to identify with a particular character… Jesus, Judas, or even Peter, who also betrayed him… or a bystander in the crowd… and ask ourselves to reflect on our emotions during the hearing of the story.

We should hear that this story as “our” story. Jesus suffered, and we should know that when we are suffering (and we all will do a certain amount of suffering in this life) we know God understands and cares for us. God never leaves us completely alone.  Jesus felt utterly alone by the end of the story but he really wasn’t. And when we feel completely alone we know we really aren’t and that God understands our pain and is always there with us…suffering along with us…supporting us in our grief.  Jesus also cried out in despair.. so when we become convinced the whole world has conspired against us and feel ready to give up, we should know that God is still there and understands and holds onto us. Jesus died and because of that we know God understands death and the fear of death and reminds us that death does not have the last word.

All that we see and hear in this story and all that we read and sing today, all of this is for us. And so a fourth century theologian, speaking of the climax reached in the crucifixion, said that Jesus in his humanity was like us…a human being… that had to deal with betrayal and death and the feeling of being deserted and alone and that that gives us hope that we too may see the path for us to become more fully human….to face life’s challenges with courage and hope. Jesus showed us the way to do that. 

Two thousand years after that crucifixion event – indeed, on this very Sunday as we proclaim the message in our congregation – this story continues, the story of God’s decision to not hold back and watch to see what we might do on our own but instead to get involved, to take matters into the divine hands, to join God’s own self to love us fully and completely so that we might live life in hope and live fully again! – in hope and courage.

That’s the story we tell this week, the story of this week’s dramatic reading; the story of God’s passionate and relentless quest to redeem each and every one of us in love. And if our story can introduce this story and invite others to see it as their own and that they may look ahead to an open future of freedom and possibility, it is enough. Really even more than enough!

The Sunday before Easter can be celebrated in two ways: as Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, or as Passion Sunday, focusing on his betrayal and crucifixion. Today’s scripture is intended for Passion Sunday. In the first half, Matthew focused on the exchange between Peter and Jesus on the night of his betrayal. The second half focuses on the efforts of Jesus’ opponents to shame, discredit, and kill him.

At the meal, Judas asks if Jesus knows about the plot against him. Jesus does, but it appears the disciples do not. Jesus calmly continues with the meal, a ritual time of remembering salvation from Egypt and God’s deliverance from enemies. Each of those images enriches the meaning of Jesus’ symbolic acts at the close of the Passover feast.

Peter’s relationship with Jesus is the central theme in the betrayal events. During the feast, Peter tells Jesus he will not desert him. In response, Jesus predicts his denial, and Peter fervently disagrees (Matthew 26:33–35). At Gethsemane later, Jesus asked Peter to support him in prayer. When he found the disciples sleeping, Jesus expressed his disappointment directly to Peter. After the ultimate betrayal, Peter followed Jesus to the house of the Sanhedren. Even though the law required any such actions to be taken in daylight they convicted him before the cock announced dawn. Peter’s denial, fulfilling Jesus’ prediction, closed the chapter. 

Jesus’ story, like some of ours, seems to end in betrayal and denial…but it actually ends in courage and hope.  This will be evident in next week’s story. Our stories also can end in courage and hope. If we choose to realize that God loves us and will always be right there with us through all of life’s challenges….just as God was with Jesus. 

Friday and Exercises Again

I slept like a log again last night. In fact I slept until almost 6:00. I only woke up once and then when I went to the bathroom, I took my thyroid med and drank some water. Then I went back to bed. So did Missy.

Both Missy and I are fed and I am just working on this blog and watching the news. About 8:40, Bob will be by to pick me up for exercise class. But first, I need to run over to Country Mart and get some stew meaty. I will cut that up fine and use it in my vegetable soup. That's what I am having for lunch today. In fact, the market is about to open and I had better get over there and get that meat and get the soup going.

So, more later....

Drat! I went to the market to get stew meat for my soup and they were waiting for their truck and had none. So it was either just plain vegetable soup or Sirloin Stockade or a trip to Bartlesville to eat out.  I left it up to Bob. He wanted to go to Bartlesville. So that's what we will do. We will either eat at McCalisters or Dinks.  We will decide later....

More later....

After exercise class Howard and Judy wanted to go get coffee so we did.  We visited for awhile and  then Bob brought me home. He will be back in awhile to drive to Bartlesville to Dink's for lunch.

So, more later....

We went to Dink's in Bartlesville for lunch and had an excellent lunch. Then we went to Lowe's where Bob bought a new squeegee for his shower.  Then we went on to the mall and walked around. We didn't buy anything there. We noticed that the main restaurant, Garfields,  was closing. We saw a newspaper, as we were leaving, that said the closing was unannounced and neither the employees nor the public knew in advance that they were closing. Strange....

Then we drove on home. We took highway 10 so Bob could stop at South Coffeyville for gas and then he drove me back to the apartment.  He then went home to take a nap. I lay down on the sofa with Missy until time for the news. At 5:20, Bob came back to watch the news and Brooks and Shields on PBS.

After he left, I took my bath and stayed up until 8:15 when I finally just gave up and went to bed. I was very tired.

Thursday and Cleaning

I slept very well again last night. I did get up shortly before 5:00 but I had such good sleep....never even woke up once....it didn't matter.

I have fed myself and Missy. I am dressed and ready for the day.

I will vacuum again this morning. Bob will be over some time today to do a small load of laundry.  I will need to get a few groceries today..not much..but essentials... such as my oatmeal, juice and milk.  I will also look for sale cake mixes. I only have one and that will be for next week.

I don't have another plan for today.

We will have the leftover roast from Monday for lunch. I will make up some gravy to put over it. We will have some cookies with pudding for dessert.

It's 46 degrees out this morning. It seems the weather just can't make up it's mind that it's spring. It rained off and on all morning.

More later...

Shortly before lunch Bob came over and started his laundry. Then we had lunch. It turned out well. I gave what was left of that roast to Marilyn. She seemed happy to have it.

After Bob left I finished my dusting.  I've turned on the TV and Missy and I may watch it this afternoon and perhaps get a nap.

More even later...

Dinner was fine and I did give Marilyn the rest of it. I did get a short nap.

Then at 5:15 Bob came over to watch the news here. After he left at 7:00, I took my bath and Missy and I watched TV until 9:00 when we went to bed.

Wednesday and Rain and Storms

It rained very hard last night with lots of wind too. Missy wanted to go out as soon as it got light and I let her out briefly but it had rained so hard there were a few huge night crawlers out. It was still raining some too. I took last night's newspaper over to Marilyn's mailbox. Missy wanted back in so I let her in.

I slept well again last night and didn't get up until almost 6:00. That's late for me. I have fed Missy and myself and had my coffee and Chai too. It's 59 degrees at 7:30  now. We are under severe storm warnings today too.

I don't know if I will go to exercise class or not. We may get hail and I try to protect my car from hail. I want this car to last the rest of my life. It's 9 years old now. I try to keep it nice. I even clean the carpets now and then.  I don't even know if I will go to the last Lenten luncheon. It depends on the weather.

Today I want to vacuum the apartment again and mop the kitchen and bathroom floors. I try to remember to leave my shoes on the mat in front of the carport door but often forget.

More later.... I did go to exercise class and afterward Karan and I went to Utopia and had a Utopiachino. ...so good!  Bob stayed home and waited for the plumber.

I will pick him up now for the Lenten Luncheon.

So..more later...

We went to the Lenten luncheon and it was good! It was a salad luncheon this time. It was very good so I ate too much. The sermon was given by Melvin Simpson on the subject of "Renewal". He is the pastor at the Church of God in Christ. He did a good job.  His church, as many Christian churches do, preaches "salvation theology". That's not my theology but he did a good job with it anyhow.

Bob's plumber got his faucet fixed while we were gone. Bob was very pleased.

I came home to wait for the mail.

Bob will come over later this afternoon and bring the bill I made out for the coffee. He said it was figured wrong. I had cheated myself out of $1.00

More later..

Bob came over at 5:15 and we watched TV until 7:00. After he went home I took my bath and Missy and I watched "Nature", her favorite program, on PBS.  At 9:15, we went to bed. It is 59 degrees now and we are under a tornado watch until 11:00.

I was very tired. Tomorrow, I will vacuum the apartment again and perhaps dust again.  I did get the bathroom and kitchen floors scrubbed again today. I am doing a load of laundry now. I will dry it in the morning.

Tuesday and Hair Day

This is the day I get my hair done and Bob will go with me to visit his sister, Betty while I am doing that.  After I get out of the shop, I will go over to Juanita's and balance her checkbook. Then I will pick up Bob for lunch at Big Cheese.  After that, we will go out to John and Leslie's to get some ground beef.

I slept very well last night. I had taken an allergy pill and also an Aleve for my back ache. All that sitting in the van on Sunday gave me a sore muscle in my back.  That Aleve took care of that and I slept well until well after 5:00.

I got right up and made the bed. Missy hopped right off it and I found out why later. Her bowl was empty. Poor starving kitty! If you have seen her photos you know she's a fat cat.

More later....

I got my hair done while Bob was visiting Betty. Then I went to Juanita's and balanced her checkbook.  Then I picked up Bob and we went to Big Cheese for lunch. He bought the pizza this week. That was good of him. He said I cooked most of the time and it wouldn't hurt him to buy my lunch occasionally.

We went by John and Leslie's after lunch and picked up three pounds of ground beef. They were there so I got to see both of them. 

This afternoon, I hope to lie down and rest again with Missy.

Our Keurig order came today. Part of it is Bob's. I order for both of us because that way we order enough to get free shipping. He will pick his up when he comes over this evening if he needs it. 

My social security doesn't come in until the 12th this next month so I will have to temporarily transfer some money from my savings to my checking in order to pay my rent.  Then when it does come in I will transfer that back.

Both boys called and visited with me today. We had a good visit. They are both so attentive.  Leslie texted me too. I have great kids! I was a very strict mother so I am constantly surprised about that.

More later....

Bob came over about 5:15 and stayed for the news and an old episode of  Big Bang Theory. Her left at 7:00 and I took my bath and tried to stay awake and watch TV with Missy but fell asleep so much that I finally just went to bed about 9:00.

Monday and Exercises Again

Yesterday was HUGE! It was difficult getting in and out of the van. Especially for us 80+ people. John R,  Sue R., Bob , and I are all over 80 and there were two that were in their 70's. John, Leslie, Sue J, Johnna and Kim and the two children were the ones under those ages.

It was a great worship service though. We had a great,  though expensive, lunch at Ophelia's there in Independence afterward. There were 16 of us from our congregation. Kelly, Melissa and Mary Beth were already up there. Kelly's son, Caleb lives there and so they went up on Saturday to spend time with him.

This is the organ in the Temple. We can barely see Leslie, who presided and Melissa who had the focus moment and Richard Betts, who was the speaker.

This was our group at Ophelia's after the worship service. There you can see Leslie and their grandchildren. Maia, who is 6 is clowning around and Cheyenne is right across the table from her.  Mary Beth is just to Maia's left.

We got home about 5:30 after driving over to Neodesha to leave John R., Sue R., Johnna and Kim.  Today John and Leslie will return the van to Bartlesville.

I will go to exercise class this morning.  I have a roast, onion and potatoes in the slow cooker for lunch. Later I will add the carrots. Bob will bring a salad.  I have already set the table too.

I stopped on the way to the Daylight Donut shop and mailed off Scott's book.  He should have it next Monday. I sent it by USPS media mail.

More later....

We stopped at daylight donuts after exercise class and had coffee with Howard and Judy and Karan. Bob had a sausage roll too. I hope he didn't spoil his lunch. He should be here shortly to bring the ice and his salad and to read yesterday's newspaper. 

We had a good roast for lunch with the potatoes and carrots. Bob did bring a salad.

I lay down with Missy in the afternoon and had an on again off again nap.   Bob came in at 5:15 to watch the news with me. Keith texted me before he went to bed. It was good to hear from him.

Bob left at 7:00 and I took my bath and put on my pjs and watched Tv until 8:15 when I just gave up and went to bed.