Junker Jeorge 

You think you have a problem?

-Those who struggle with the Virgin Birth need to remember that it was more a problem for Joseph than for them!

I had to laugh at that! Today in Bible Study I had one of my most wonderful liberal ladies, and an equally wonderful older very devout Roman Catholic. We barely brushed up against the vigin birth in our lectionary study and things got sorta tense. lol!

So if you think you have this is hard for you to handle, think of poor old Joe. Either way, life had to be interesting!

Advent - against the grain!

Ah…. Yes the rush is on. The church tells us that it is Advent, and we are to be about active waiting. However the world around us spins, pulls and tugs at us telling us that we really don’t have to be patient, we can have it all right now! If you think life on a sleepy little island would be different, you would be wrong. Plays, concerts, programs, decoration, caroling, food, parties, and the whole lot are going on from now until Dec. 26^th my life is smacked!

Oh, most of it is good things, Hanging of the Greens with a Soup and Bread Supper to follow. A dance recital where my daughter will glide and prance as best she can with the genetics I have, for better or worse, handed down to her. One of my favorites is our Advent service we do on the 15^th. We do the O Antiphons which are very old prayers and have been morphed into the verses of O Come, O Come Emmanuel. It is a wonderful night very paced, slow and reflective.

I guess one advantage I have on the island is a lack of commercial pressure to buy, buy, buy! Oh I get a little of it from the brief amount of TV I watch. Then there is the ever increasing (if you can believe it) amount of Spam that is trying to wedge it’s way into my in box. Up here you have to plan ahead of you are going to do Christmas shopping. Sure there is the Mercantile, they have a few nice doo dads and what nots, but if you are going to be really thoughtful, or get the kids some, some, a very few of the many many things they want, then you have to plan.

Shopping online has been great for us up here. Otherwise it was a trip to Sturgeon Bay a ferry ride and an hour drive each way (total cost just for the trip 50.00 and without buying a thing!) or Green Bay (2 ½ hours away and more gas money and like as not an overnight stay at a hotel).

So as you can see, now is my Christmas rush! But I think I am doing Ok. Kristi and I are going light on the gifts to each other this year, we are just doing stocking stuffers (ie underwear, tube socks, candy, little cute thingys) and the kids are old enough where it is mostly clothing which is already purchased and stashed away! So things are looking up for this Advent, maybe I will get a little active, passionate waiting in despite it all!

Hey, it's a cheezy self portrait taken with my palm zire 71, what do you want Ansel Adams?
 

Clothing

Un bloody believable. Ok, so as you might know I live and serve a Lutheran congregation on a small island in Lake Michigan. It is a half-hour ferry ride to the tip of the Door County peninsula and we are fairly remote for being smack dab in the middle of the US. Well twice a year there are these community “rummage” sales. Mostly just clothing is offered at these. It is remarkable to me how many tons of clothes show up for these every year, twice a year! Our fellowship hall and one Sunday school room are jam packed with clothing. It is amazing to me to see how even this low to middle class culture on the island produces racks and racks of good used clothing.

These really are great events. The Youth put them on so any money they make goes toward events, trips etc. Then, we are pulling aside any sheets blankets etc to go to a homeless shelter that is in need of them. We are also pulling out infant clothing for a group going to Guatemala. Winter coats in good shape and any other winter wear are being pulled aside to send to Chicago to help with a large bunch of new immigrants from the Sudan (I believe). The balance of the clothing is then given to “feed my people, clothe my people”, and “Goodwill.” Finally the Senior High girls are putting on a Mayaworks sale at the same time, (more on that later maybe!)

All in all it is a hum dinger, but right now my office smells like a closet!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peace,

David