Povey Prattle

I have now been a week without a car. Regular readers will know that I borrowed a friend’s car last Sunday to get to my preaching gig, and on Monday  I rented a car for a couple of days to get down and back to Cape Coral, and to get to medical appointments. To be car-less leads to careful planning.  I found this out on Thursday when I again borrowed a car and in the space of 75 minutes I went to a pharmacy, to a hardware store, to the bank, to the post office, to my barber and to the supermarket (how lucky I am that each of these businesses are within a mile of my home) The supermarket visit entailed a detailed list of the comestibles and beverages I would need for five days. Wednesday and Friday were the tests.  It felt odd to be never more than ¾ mile from my home - when I walked Penne. But the days also helped me understand that sometime my quick car trips to the supermarket or to “Target” are rooted in impulse. For instance, a few weeks ago I got it int...

It was a grand start to the day as I walked my dog at 7:00 a.m. There was a gorgeous mist/fog. The sun “struggled” to break through. Maybe it’s the Englishman in me, for  I truly enjoyed walking through the mist.

My car is very sick.  It will be in the shop for at least a week. The repairs will be highly expensive. It broke down last Saturday.   In the providence of God my car failed about 300 yards from my home. So it was easy to stroll home and call AAA who took it to the car repair shop. The diagnosis is not good.   A repair shop I used last year failed to replace one vital component when I had the timing belt replaced, with the result that a chain reaction of failures has led to a badly damaged engine. (Don't ask me for the technical details, but the newish timing belt failed and the  valves are all messed up). I cannot prove the mistake, so I have to suck it up, be patient, and thank goodness for some savings into which I shall dip (that’s why we have savings). Providentially I have a good friend, Ben who lent me his car so that I could get down to Englewood FL for last Sunday’s services.  What a blessing that the car failed on Saturday afternoon,...

It is utterly clear that there is no racism in the opposition to President Obama. (My tongue is firmly in my cheek) At a rally in support of Willard Mitt Romney

The fabulous Diane Rehm had the actor F. Murray Abraham on her show today.  He “came to fame” when he played the role of the composer Antonio Salieri in the film “Amadeus”. Mr. Abraham has had a distinguished career as an actor, as much on the stage as in film. You can hear this  Diane Rehm show at http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-10-15/academy-award-winning-actor-f-murray-abraham As you listen you will hear Mr. Murray refer more than once to events in his life which he describes as “providential”. This was unusual because the religious doctrine of “providence”, though much appreciated and favoured by Calvinists/Puritans has fallen out of favour. Nonetheless  Mr Murray speaks freely of “providence”. The word refers to the gracious provisions which God sends our way.  “God will provide” as they say. God provides! In the providence of God I met a fabulous woman back in 1975.  She has been a friend, mentor, ally honest critic, and confessor. ...

Sermon for 14th October 2012. The Revd. J. Michael Povey, at St. David’s, Englewood, FL. Job 23:1-7; Hebrew 4:12-16; Mark 10:17-31 Do you ever fantasise about winning the lottery?   I do. I understand three things about this. First, it would help if I actually bought a lottery ticket. Second, that I stand a greater chance of being struck by lightning than winning the lottery.  Third, that our state sponsored lotteries are a fool’s game, played by fools. Yet I fantasise. The first thought I have (pious as I am) is that I would be very generous with my winnings.  But then my conscience or perhaps the Holy Spirit says “how about being generous with what you already have?” Then I go on to think that I would buy a nicer house (not that there’s anything wrong with the one I now own), and of course that fancier house would need a security system -  even better it would be in a gated community. Next I would begin to invest my money -  stocks are a bit risky, ...