Sunday Church, Sunday School and Home

I rose after 7 as I remembered it was Sunday and I had plans. I had a stuffy head from allergies, but otherwise I was fine. I made coffee in the kitchen, always wearing my slippers (my feet are slightly numb from diabetes and chemo, and it is important to protect them; I do not always feel damage or feel like a bump when it is worse).  Food is not appealing, and I am out of bananas, so I forgo breakfast. I had a late salad on Saturday night with ham and cheese, and that helped with the headache, but it left me still full the next morning.

I managed to get the blog about 1/2 done and took a call with Deborah before running out of time for writing the blog. It was a good morning. I showered, shaved, applied creams, and so on, and soon was in a red vest (for Pentecost) and a swirl red and blue tie (I bought in India on a trip there with Orville and Jean). I loaded up the cargo hold of Air VW the Gray with my sandwiches and a Caesar Salad (as we were covering Rome), and in the First Class seats, my Bible books for the class and my laptop. It was a quick trip to First United Methodist Church in the EV, and I meant to plug it in at the Beaverton Library chargers during church (it was still only charged to 35%), but spaced that.

While it was a holiday weekend, the base had 35 people attend the church service. The service went well and flowed better, and the music fit the topic of Jeremiah’s story. Ken preached and again covered how our American faith is tried by challenges and disasters. We are a culture that values work and the creation of prosperity. Ken reminds us that God’s plan does not mean prosperity, and in the story that Jeremiah covers, it is about terrible loss and seemingly impossible promises. We have to remember it is not about our prosperity but Justice and Faith for all, even the stranger. I was surprised when Ken mentioned that our church income is not covering expenses and that we asked for more help. He also said he sees a revival of our church and a future.

After the service, cake was served in honor of Rev. Anne Weld-Martin’s tenure as choir director at the church over the past few years. The Costco sandwiches and salad were served, too. It was almost a buffet!

I managed to eat a small sandwich and some salad.

I had 15 for Sunday School, More on the Book of Revelation, an adult class, and we covered Rome and the economics John called out in his Apocalypse. The text is often used as a map for the End Times, but I argue that it is really about the suffering caused by empires that rise and fall. The text, in only the most subtle of disguises, portrays Rome as Babalon, highlighting the abuses of the Pax Romana and the way it was eating up and accumulating resources in Rome. When the creature falls, I read that only petty kings, merchants, and sailors cry out (and the text says “from a distance”). The reason for the fall is obscure in the text, but it can be linked to war and to the invaders depicted in previous chapters of The Book of Revelation. Lastly, I pointed out, if you align the translation with fewer shouting words and more scriptive language, the meaning seems to move more toward this economic view. Next, I covered Cyrus the Great and his story as told by Herodotus, noting that he became a bloodthirsty tyrant, and that, in the end, he is the example of a ruler who goes power-mad and ends wtih justice and irony in ancient history. The blood and imagery match some of John’s text.

My lessons seemed well-received. Many found it interesting that a book they found frightening might be telling a more complex story of its time and observing the failures of empires. That each is doomed to fail and be consumed by the next. The Four Horsemen are always riding. One class left.

Lunch was at Elephant’s Delicatessen, and I should have just had a bowl of soup, but they had a pastrami reuben as one of the few remaining options (they are closed on Monday and only made the making for a small set of sandwiches for today). I finished the blog while enjoying a sinfully delightful sandwich (completely ignoring all the warnings in the Book of Revelation about overconsumption). I did have a Diet Cherry Soda, at least.

Next, I headed home. I was unusually tired and nodded off a few times in the afternoon. Deborah and I watched two episodes of Elsbeth on Paramount+. My subscription seems to be tangled, and I found myself re-upping my subscription through Apple+. I will try to untangle that later. We enjoyed the show, and the episode on the murderous wig maker was especially fascinating and fun. I wished Deborah goodnight, and I was happy that we managed to start and end our day together today, even remotely.

I did the dishes and found a Trader Joe’s Chinese-style frozen, mostly premade chicken for dinner. I roasted the pre-fried and battered chicken, made rice to go with it, and then stirred the chicken in an overly sweet sauce. It was not terrible, but likely to be on my list again. But I am keeping with trying to eat what I buy or to make at least one meal a day, and often all of them. I will save the $ for dinner out while traveling with Deborah.

I do like to eat alone at the bar at a restaurant, but it is bad for my waistline, too. I chat with the bartender and other folks at the bar. It is much more pleasant now that there is no smoking. Often, I meet folks who are traveling and like the company. I do not remember a bad meal (though some food was average), sitting alone at the bar.

I return to my laptop after sunset and start writing more of my novel. I am starting to find my groove. I have slipped into my default of instructions and process (from writing adventures for role-playing games and IT manuals I have written). I am starting to find the color and emotion in my words again. I only wrote for thirty minutes, but still it felt good.

I went to bed early as I was tired and soon fell asleep. It was a night of dark dreams and waking often. Not a comfortable sleep.

Thanks for reading.