Ten-Finger Exercises

apologies

Oops, just lost the whole blog. First, I think the nightshade I have is Woody or Vining Nightshade. I don't know if that's deadly too, or not, but I've been very careful as I ripped its little feet out of the ground.

I apologize if my tirade last night offended people. It started out as a rant against people getting mad and stomping out of a job ('Gertie,') or any relationship, including church or marriage. The point I meant to make was that some people get mad, leave, and blame the other side without acknowledging their own difficulties up till that time. That leaves the other party wondering what went wrong, what they could have done differently, etc. It also may make them wonder if the person who left didn't have other things he'd rather do with his time, other job openings that have come up, other people he'd rather be with, etc. That was what was making me angry.

On the other hand, I believe that the church is important, very important; but... that the church isn't a building. The church is the people of God in the world trying to do the work of God. Without that, the church building and hierarchy might as well be a social club. Its job is to provide opportunities for worship, education and service: to tell the story that we claim as our own. To, in the words of a song, "Re-member" him. To be "the body of Christ," to help bring in the Kingdom.

People can and do live faithful lives of prayer and service without being part of a congregation. I believe that. I was talking about the people who get mad and walk away from God and "throw out the baby with the bathwater." It's not a step to take lightly.

Now, for just a little levity.

Did you hear about the woman who looked in the mirror one morning and saw she only had three hairs left on her whole head. She said to herself, "I think I'll braid them." And she did. And she was happy.

The next day she looked in the mirror and saw she had only two hairs on her head. She said, " I think I'll part them down the middle." And she did. And she was happy.

The next day, she looked in the mirror and saw she had only one hair on her head. She said, "I think I'll pull it back in a pony tail." And she did. And she was happy.

The next day, she looked in the mirror and saw she had no hair at all. She said, "Good. Now I won't have to worry about my hair." And she didn't. And she was happy.