September 16, 2018 - Sunday was the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our prayers have been answered this week with some nice rain! Everything was greening up, which I guess means we will need to mow. Our prayers and thoughts go out to those in the Carolinas. My sister-in-law’s niece was to get married in North Carolina over the weekend. I don’t know if they soldiered on or postponed the wedding. My brother and sister-in-law had planned to attend—not having watched any weather—but (I think and hope) they changed their minds about going.

September 3, 2018 - Sunday was the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time; as we ordinarily do, we gathered at Paxton United Methodist around 9:15 for Sunday School. We started a new quarter with new materials and a new author. The first unit deals with creation: What beautiful creation stories are found in the two chapters of Genesis! Here you find order created from chaos as well as the beginning of the earth and sky. Ms. Fannie kept us on task while we all contributed our ideas, wonder, and puzzlement about creation and that great mystery we call God. 

August 13, 2018 - Sunday was the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time. These slightly cooler temperatures and the little bit of rain certainly are appreciated. As I am writing this article on Sunday afternoon, the sky is full of sunshine as the heavens are thundering! I sure hope we get some of the rain. Sue and I missed church last Sunday. My son Jacob and I have birthdays, my daughter’s renovation of her 1950s home are complete, and my brother celebrates his first year anniversary of having new and healthy lungs. We had a wonderful visit.

July 23, 2018 - Sunday was the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Most of the talk before Sunday School was about the hot weather. All of East Texas is under a heat advisory warning, and I am thankful for a cool house to take refuge in. We had a nice crowd by Paxton standards this morning. Our Sunday School lesson was titled “Entering God’s Kingdom.” The background scripture was Luke 13: 22-30, where Jesus tries to explain who will be saved. Jesus speaks of a narrow gate through which many will not be able to enter. I found this scripture difficult but thought-provoking.

July 2, 2018 - Sunday was the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time. It was certainly an ordinary hot and humid Sunday morning in East Texas! I don’t like the cold of winter, but I really can’t take the summer heat anymore. When we were kids we spent many summer days out playing and trying to stay out of our mothers’ hair. It wasn’t until I was in Junior High School that our schools were air conditioned. Last Sunday our air conditioning went out at home; we closed the drapes and turned on all the ceiling fans. It got up to the mid 80s but wasn’t terrible.