In a short encouraging email article, “Honoring the Pause Between,” Savannah’s Ordinary Magic looks at the week we are in right now:
“This week between Christmas and the New Year often feels a little untethered. The calendar keeps moving, but something in us slows down.
It’s a liminal time — not quite behind us, not yet ahead. A space where nothing needs to be decided, named, or improved. Where rest doesn’t have to justify itself. Where listening matters more than planning.
January will come soon enough, and with it we’ll begin tending the inner hearth — warmth, protection, intention, and care. For now, this week belongs to rest and gentle noticing.” ordinarymagic.com
May we all experience—and gift—peace during this in-between time.
HR and buddy Ellie at our church’s Christmas Party
2. Holidays and Seasonal Changes.
3. Robert’s Recent Rescue.
So the other afternoon HR and I drove over to Jesup GA to one of our very favorite Christmas Tree farms, Days of Creation.
We bought a pretty fresh wreath.
When we got home, Robert put the wreath, along with some branches of spruce, in our shower (!) to freshen them up with some cold water. (Some things in a marriage you simply put up with.)
Oh, that’s his life-size Mr. Nutcracker he plastered on the shower door.
In another room, I heard him yell/squeal, “Neal, look!”
It took me a minute to see the little fellow.
“What are you doing?!” I asked.
“I’m rescuing him, of course.”
His new home outside our door.
4. These amazing little slider hotdogs we had yesterday for lunch at local Sly’s Sliders and Fries.
Holiday Yum
5. Nearby church spires at dusk here in Savannah.
May you look around and see some Peaceful Beauty this last weekend before Christmas.
From December 1-25, I’ll be sharing a quote and its truth from John Fugelsang’s Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, the book Robert and I are currently and fascinatingly reading.
An odd Advent Calendar, of sorts.
If you are interested, you can see the introduction to this new blog category here:
From December 1-25, I’ll be sharing a quote and its truth from John Fugelsang’s Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, the book Robert and I are currently and fascinatingly reading.
An odd Advent Calendar, of sorts.
If you are interested, you can see the introduction to this new blog category here:
Today, Fugelsang reminds us that “Jesus tells his followers to feed the hungry and care for the sick—not to pray that someone else will do it. Offering ‘thoughts and prayers’ for the poor is … a convenient substitute for tangible help or systemic solutions. Prayer is supposed to be a way to seek guidance, not an excuse for inaction.” p. 199
Ouch!
Fugelsang goes on: “Jesus’s brother nails why faith without works doesn’t work in James 2:15-17: ‘Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.” p. 199
From December 1-25, I’ll be sharing a quote and its truth from John Fugelsang’s Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, the book Robert and I are currently and fascinatingly reading.
An odd Advent Calendar, of sorts.
If you are interested, you can see the introduction to this new blog category here:
Today Fugelsang expounds: “If God loves men and women equally, then God’s a feminist.” p. 83
Yes, of course, that has to be true.
The author continues: “Feminism is, quite simply, the controversial (he’s joking!) belief that women deserve the same rights and access as men. Conservative men in power have historically tried to control women’s sexuality, education, participation in society, and bodily autonomy.” p. 83
“In addition to the twelve male apostles—whom Jesus repeatedly calls out for getting things wrong, by the way — women accompanied his journeys as part of his ministry. When Jesus was arrested and the apostles all scattered, it was the women who never abandoned him, who never hid, who never denied knowing him. In the Resurrection story, Jesus reveals himself to the women before any of his male disciples.”
“We know that Mary Magdalene, along with Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, were fellow travelers. To a sane person in the twenty-first century it might seem obvious that there were actually fifteen apostles, at least.”
Mary Magdalene!
Martha & Mary!
“Wrong, says the church. Those women might have always been with JC and the twelve, but they didn’t have full apostle passes. They just followed Jesus from gig to gig, working the merch tables like it was a boy band tour The church continues to treat these women as secondary figures rather than leaders.” p. 106
OK, then, I agree with God! I too aim to be a feminist!
My daughters Amy and EmilyGranddaughters Madison and Isabelle 
From December 1-25, I’ll be sharing a quote and its truth from John Fugelsang’s Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, the book Robert and I are currently and fascinatingly reading.
An odd Advent Calendar, of sorts.
If you are interested, you can see the introduction to this new blog category here:
Fugelsang explains that “The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) teaches Jesus’ followers to treat others as they would like to be treated. Which covers all cruelty, exploitation, domination, and discrimination. He makes it very clear that anyone who claims to follow him doesn’t get to hate anybody, ever, for any reason, no matter what.” Separation of Church and Hate p. 25
Wow, that is wild! Hate, then, is not an option if we earnestly desire to follow good in the world. To be good in the world.
I’ve always found it fascinating and encouraging that most religions and ethical ideologies have some form of The Golden Rule.
Judaism: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.”
Buddhism: “Treat not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.”
Islam: “Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself”
*********************
Our current political parties (both!) more often than not turn a blind eye to Jesus’ clear instruction.
For example, Monday’s remembrance of World AIDS Day took on more seriousness and urgency as the Trump administration (often claiming adherence to the Bible and the example of JC) cancelled the annual Dec. 1 observance. Presidents have acknowledged World AIDS Day for more than 30 years.
Is cancellation how they want to be treated? How we want to be treated?
May we all this holiday season and always lean toward this Rule of Love and Light.
From December 1-25, I’ll be sharing a quote and its truth from John Fugelsang’s Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, the book Robert and I are currently and fascinatingly reading.
An odd Advent Calendar, of sorts.
If you’re interested, you can see the introduction to this new blog category here:
My Countdown to Christmas series this year is inspired by a recent simple book recommendation from dear friends Jo and Kathi. “You HAVE to read Separation of Church and Hate! It’s FULL of truth, and it’s often laugh-out-loud funny!”
I Googled the book and saw the full, never-ending title: Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds.
“Whoa,” I thought, “That title sounds far too Holiday Heavy.”
But then Robert and I started to read, and we were absolutely flabbergasted by the clear, undeniable truth and push for lovingkindness presented by author John Fugelsang. (And yes, I have laughed out loud many a time during our read.)
So I plan to share with you a quote and its truth from the book each day starting today, December 1 and ending on Christmas Day.
An Advent Calendar, of sorts.
And of course, I realize that everyone is not Christian or religious. That many folks have had awful and problematic issues with organized religion. I get that. And we’ve experienced the same thing. But we are happy today to have found an inclusive, love-embracing and creatively fun congregation here in Savannah, Asbury Memorial.
If possible, may you receive the kernels of truth in these posts without being bogged down by the “Christian-ness” of them.
And may Christmas 2025 for us ALL be a season of pulling away from hatred — and embracing all-encompassing, inclusive Love.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22: 36-37
Love, then, is the apex of the Christian faith, and I would surmise at the apex of every faith or even non-faith (if that makes a lick of sense).
NealEnJoy 