Sunday Somewhat Quiet

I was able to sleep in just a bit on Sunday. I woke tired and was tired all day. While writing the blog, I drank all the coffee and had a banana and yogurt to start the morning. The liberal coffee helped me get started. And while the coffee wakes me up, I am grateful that it is an Equal Exchange product, and thus, the farmers received a fair payment for the coffee and are not suffering from weak coffee prices. My cup of coffee helps the world be fair. Yes, I have a cup, savor the liberal, and “woke” up.

I am time-boxed on Sunday, but the church service has moved to 11, giving me another thirty minutes. While there is little difference, the change makes the morning easier. I wrote the story of Saturday, telling the story backward, and managed over 800+ words.

I decided on a sweater vest and pride tie for church. I cleaned up, shaved, and dressed. I still use Utterly Smooth most mornings with 20% Urea (cow pee) on my toes and fingers. While I don’t know if it does anything, my hands and feet are not entirely numb from Chemotherapy and diabetes and seem to have remained unchanged over the year. Results may vary, but I continue to use the cow pee: here.

Air Volvo crossed Beaverton without issue or any entanglements with Beaverton’s Finest. The other church that shares our facility was ramping down, and I had to take one of the last parking spots. It’s all good. I’m happy to see the facility get heavy use. I was early and saw that we had no usher. I stood and started to help people.

Folks admitted they were just there for a coffee, and I helped them get some. They stayed for a bit and then decided to leave. I made sure they knew they were welcome and also welcome to leave. I stand, count, and watch. One of the usher’s jobs is to ensure everyone is safe and that if someone gets in distress, I help them and call 911 (with the pastor’s approval or the worship leader’s agreement). I don’t have a badge or white gloves, which is a tradition in some churches, but I just try to be your friendly local Methodist church person. “Good morning!”

I pass the plate and walk it to the altar. Dondrea gives me a smile; last week, she had to do it while leading the worship service. Nothing unexpected happens, and soon, I am drinking too much coffee (my head is spinning with caffeine in the afternoon).

Dondrea gave the sermon “Why I hate Sundays.” Her point of her rather direct sermon was the recognition that many people apply rules and make Sundays more miserable and guilt-filled than holy. The Sabbath was meant for doing good, as recorded in John’s Gospel in chapter 5. Dondrea points out that God wants us to celebrate the creation, rest, and find holiness by slowing down for the Sabbath. Dondrea recognized that social issues mean that many folks must work Sundays to earn enough to survive. Dondrea also suggests that the Sabbath can be in the moment, not the whole day. To use my words for her sermon, the Sabbath is not about not working and following rules but doing something different to find the holiness in the creation, even for a moment.

After stopping at the Volvo Cave to get my laptop, I had lunch at McMenamins Cedar Hills. I had a Captain Neon burger (blue cheese and bacon) and a Ruby beer. I spoke to the manager and arranged for the 10 October 2024 Theology Pub to meet there; this is our first meeting not on Zoom since the pandemic. We need at least ten people (please come, you local folks) at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday in October.

Lunch and the excess coffee were not settling, so I returned home in Air Volvo and rested. I read and tried to sleep (sometimes this helps to settle the caffeine), but Corwin called. His truck was out of coolant, and he was stranded at Fred Myers at Beaverton Town Center. I put on my shoes and boarded Air Volvo. Soon, I picked up Corwin and took him to Red Robin, where Susie’s favorite bartender, Chin, worked this Sunday. Corwin had a burger and lots of fries. I had a giant dessert, thinking it was just a slice of pie-sized. I did not finish it, and Chin put it in the frig until we left. An hour passed, and the truck was cool enough to fill when we returned to it. I bought an extra gallon of premixed coolant for the vehicle, just in case. Corwin headed home, and the issue was resolved. More coolant was needed after he drove it, something I predicted as the air cleared from the system.

I reviewed some more AI code and what I wrote on Saturday morning. I was still tired and feeling off. I brought up Slough House on Apple+ and watched the start of season 4. You can see that this is written for the BBC and not an American show when they kill a main character in the first episode. Americans would think about selling toys representing each character, not scaring that audience by killing someone. This is also the first season not connected to a book (there are three books and a book of stories), and I can see we are going to new places. Excellent.

Tired and feeling strange, I realize I never ate dinner. I reheat the leftover chicken and mashed potatoes and have that. I am now feeling better. Still tired, I shower and dress for bed. I read but cannot sleep. I am itchy and have pain in my legs. I took some meds to help me stop the pain and the allergy reactions. I finally sleep before 1.

Thanks for reading.