And I say to myself "What a wonderful world:


1.    I had a long and good “Skype” conversation with my good pal Joe S.  He got me up to speed with news of his partner Marliese, their very young son Raphael, and of his career. It was all good.

2.    Nancy called to tell me of the death of her good mother Diane S.  I have known Diane since about 1992, and was able to be present to her husband Don S. in his illness and death when they owned a restaurant in Chatham, N.Y. and Don was a patient at the (Pittsfield, MA) Berkshire Medical Centre.

In due course Diane S. moved down to Englewood, FL (some 30 miles from my home).  I’ve been able to visit with her in recent years – and our visits made it clear that we were very fond of each other.  I last saw her on 2th July 2011 and was able to pray with her in anticipation of her death.  I will be honoured to preside at her memorial service on Sunday 31st July 2011.

3.    My visit to Resurrection House (a day shelter for homeless people here in Sarasota) was as wonderful as ever.  I was able to pray with three people whose life prospects are dim, but whose hopes are undiminished in the face of dreadful adversity.

4.    My very good pal Ben and I had lunch with the equally wonderful Ron and Charlotte T.  It was a feast, with an amazingly good salad, topped with grilled tuna.  I am so grateful for the friendship of Ben, and of Ron and Charlotte.

5.    I had a lovely and funny e-mail from my niece Laura in England. I had mailed her a silly little gift.  She caught the humour of my gift, and expressed her giggly gratitude, even as she teased me by suggesting that I had “pinched” the gift from Ben’s home. (In fact he had given it to me to mail to Laura).

6.    My favourite clerk/assistant in a local store is young man named Sebastian.  He seemed to be below par this morning.    I asked about his apparent sadness.  He told me that his best friend had been murdered.  I wanted to hug him, but it’s just not done to hug shop clerks/assistants.  So I will pray for him.

7.    Such is life. Here are two pics via my friend Muriel.  She and I ask:-“Would you rather have a child or a dog!”


Child.
Dog

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not remember the words “ar
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were able to get together a few
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur
Read more