The Comma

OK I confess.  It has been way, way, way too long since I wrote my last blog.  And I can’t even say why for sure.  There have been many posts I have written in my mind.  We voted to host that tent encampment of homeless people in our parking lot, and I was so moved by that process, by that vote, by that experience.  I have even been keeping a personal journal about that experience so I can remember this journey.  But I never let you who read this blog know about all those feelings.

And wow!  We have a new president.  I joined with friends to watch the inauguration and was delighted to see those large crowds on the mall in D.C. (I never saw any of our church members who were there, even though I looked really, really close).  And that night I went to a South Whidbey “Inaugural Ball,” knowing there were people all around the world celebrating our national step forward.  The so many “I never thought in my lifetime . . .”  stories I heard all through this election season have brought tears to my eyes.  But I didn’t tell you any of this.

And now our president, who has been in office for just over a week, has already signed an executive order banning torture.  Our anti-torture banner is rolled up and stored for now in room 309.  What do you do with an old banner like that?  Throw a party for it as it goes into retirement?

Maybe one of the problems I have had in getting my blogging done is the lack of deadlines for this.  I do work best when I have a deadline.  I know, for example, if my sermon is not ready for Sunday morning, folks will not come back sometime on Monday to hear it.  When I write my part of our children’s Christian education curriculum, the teachers need it when they need it, not a few weeks later.  And I won’t even talk about deadlines for the newsletter and the worship bulletin!

So here we are, still in the first month of a new year.  Is it too late for a resolution?    I am going to give myself a Thursday deadline.  That’s far enough into the week to give me some writing time, but not so close to Sunday that if my sermon is not done, I will be in panic mode.  My plan is to have a new post every Thursday.  So if you want, check back next Thursday at noon.  I will take this one week at a time.  Let’s see how I do.  And thanks ahead of time to anyone who will cheer me on.  Yikes!

Catherine