Slow Start
January always seems
to be a time where I have ‘settled in’ after a somewhat busy time
in December. Early in the month, we experienced colder temps which
added to my slowness. On Saturday after New Year’s, we awoke to see
three inches of snow flurries on the ground. What we were supposed to
receive was not supposed to stick.
Taking Down
Christmas
I took down our
new-this-year Christmas tree on Epiphany. This new tree, being bigger
than the older tree, required more attention. I was used to NOT
undecorating the smaller one. However, the new one had to have the
decorations removed. I could get it in the box I had used for the
other one. I just happened to have some boxes I had saved that were
just the right size for what I needed.
Newness In Our
Lives
Our local newspaper
changed the method of delivering our newspaper to us. In the past, it
was delivered by carriers who had motorized routes. As of January 2,
the newspaper company has utilized the United States Postal Service
to deliver the copies to the subscribers. In order to do this
effectively (same day delivery), The company had to alter their print
schedule to Tuesday through Saturday. A friend who is on Facebook
really does not like the new system. A lot of people commented
negatively about the new delivery system.
At least, now, I
don’t have to go on a “scouting expedition” to find the paper.
Only one day, we did not receive that day’s edition. I called and
asked why. The young woman could not tell me. She could have given me
a credit for that missed paper; however, I wanted the paper. The next
day we received the missed one as well as the one for the correct
day.
Writing Efforts
In searching for a
paying market that I may submit to, I found one that appealed to me.
I chose a topic for their Spiritual Growth section. One email letter
told their word count was 1,000 words. The website of the magazine
said the requirements were 800-1250 words. At first, I had a
difficult time reaching either of those word counts.
I asked a question
on a Christian Writers group about how strict a publication could be
about a word count. I remembered the woman who started the writer’s
group I was in telling us when she taught creative writing, she told
her students to “just writ their story” and not worry about the
word count. I included that memory in my question. The moderator told
me that those word count guidelines were firm. And what I had been
told was incorrect. Another member agreed with the moderator. I
believe he knows that she is correct; he publishes books.
I submitted that
manuscript to that market. I received a response in two weeks. They
didn’t believe it would fit their needs. I had a private little
“pity party” and realized they may be correct in their thinking.
I started reading it again and found some typos. I wound up
responding to their notification by thanking them for their time.
A Friend’s
Grief
I received a phone
call from a friend early one evening. I had just called and talked to
her, asking how her middle son was. He had been in the hospital since
Christmas, just over two weeks. About a half-hour later, she called
me back. Her son had passed away. Her granddaughter had called from
the hospital to let her know. He was a few months younger than our
son. My friend has a younger son who also is in precarious health.
Please pray for my friend; her name is Vicki.
Brrrdy, Brr,
Brr, Brr
That is my
expression for January cold weather. I haven’t had to use it lately
until now.
For about two weeks,
we had windchill temperature readings, at least three different times
of snow, with accumulation. We have rarely seen the sun. When all
this started one of the forecasters said the temperature that night
would be the lowest since December 2022. I have a friend who is
wheelchair bound and works in our church office. On one particular
Friday, she chose to stay home rather than risk something happening
to place her in a perilous situation.
A Time of
Concentrated Prayer
On the last Monday
of the month, our congregation received a prayer request via phone call from the church
office. Our pastor was in the ICU at one of our local hospitals. His
wife took him to the ER. I knew it was serious. I texted a prayer to
his wife that night. On Tuesday morning she gave me some details. A
little later, she talked to the neurosurgeon. Our pastor had a mild
stroke. On Sunday, February 11th we will have an interim
pastor. We are in a new denomination and did not know how the
presiding elder would deal with this circumstance. I am impressed
that she acted in such a timely manner. One man in our congregation
will fill-in this coming Sunday.
Please pray for Cross Roads Global Methodist Church and our pastor and wife as God takes us through this circumstance.