We Press On

Photo by Peter Secan on Unsplash

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

Yesterday was very Monday. Very Monday indeed.

I suppose it started when I woke up before 5:00 a.m. and realized that I’d not posted for the day.

I didn’t get up right away, but neither did I go back to sleep.

Oh yes, I tried.

So I got up and started my morning routine a bit earlier. Fortunately the post was written. But it wasn’t formatted and posted. That often takes more time than the actual writing.

I know. Color you surprised.

I think it was Sunday. After being out of town for work and a family visit, and after church and mulitple errands, I had a thought. “Why am I still doing this blog?”

It comes down to this, I need a presence on the Internet beyond just Facebook and Instagram. Although you should definitely be following me there.

The blog is a work in progress. As am I.

I’ve ready the articles, and the sales pitches, and even attended some of the webinars. My blog is not going to make me a bazillionaire.

But, I’m here. Figuring it out post by post.

Usually I’ll be rethinking that around the time of formatting the post for the next day.

I’m still here.

For now.

I lost another friend to cancer last week.

Marsha wasn’t a close friend. We met through our online Tolkien group which has been together for some twenty years. We were more active on another site than Facebook. And I’ve written about losing another good friend from the group.

I’d never met Marsha in person. But we’d chatted for seemingly years online. And we spoke by phone when she tried to walk me through some computer crisis I was having.

Marsh was kind, talented, joyful, and full of life. She loved Jesus and walked right into his arms when this early vessel could no longer contain her.

Rest in Peace, my friend.

As I’m readying to post this on Tuesday morning, intentional this time, I receive news that another friend is knocking on Heaven’s door. No details yet out of respect for his privacy.

The news hit me hard this morning. I’m not quite ready to talk about it. But as I began my time of reading and prayer a song rolled around on Pandora. Usually the music I play in the morning is just instrumental. I suppose I needed these words this morning…

… When the valley is deep
When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall

… When the choices are hard
When we’re battered and scarred
When we’ve spent our resources
When we’ve given our all

… In Jesus’ name, we press on
In Jesus’ name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on

… Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on

… In Jesus’ name, we press on
In Jesus’ name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on

… We find the strength to press on
To press on

Lyrics by Daniel L. Burgess

It doesn’t seem right this morning to post a bunch of snarky articles to prove a political point or point out the silliness of another’s viewpoint. So, I’m holding off.

Like I said this blog is a work in progress.

Maybe the progress in me as I look to pour my time an energy into things that matter.

And in that, I’ll find the strength to press on.

WHAT I’M READING


BORN ON THIS DAY

American singer-songwriter and actress, Reba McEntire, was born on this day in 1955.


No Drama Monday

Writing the story of your own life is a bit like drilling your own teeth.

American actress and producer, Gloria Swanson, was born on this day in 1899 (died 1983).

Today is World Theatre Day. I’m currently having a really miss it/glad I’m not in rehearsal conversation with myself. But I’m grateful for the time I’ve spent on stage, or directing, or producing, or promoting.

Theatre has been a lot different since COVID. Around here local productions keep having to cancel or postpone because cast and crew are still testing positive.

And that with eleben-teen-hunnert booster shots.

I digress.

I’m not currently involved in a production, but amongst the many things I have to do before we leave for the beach are three must-see shows. Must-see because of friend’s involvement. Must-see because I still love theatre.

It’s the off-stage drama I’m not so fond of. But that’s another post.

In other news, my library card has expired and I don’t feel so good myself.

As I mentioned last week, we’re heading to the beach on Saturday for Spring Break.

No, not the Ft. Lauderdale break like I did in college which was probably nothing like the Florida Spring Break YOU did in college.

We’ve rented a house at the OBX. I miss the warmth of the summer sunshine, but the last two years we switched to spring break. We’ve been able to get a great deal on houses right on the water because we’re going just before the season changes over to summer rates.

I’ve been making, and checking twice, my list of what I want to take. Reading material is at the top of the list.

Last week I also quoted Louis L’Amour and noted that I’d not read any of his works and that I planned to correct that at the beach.

Except when I went to ask the library to hold the books I was told my card had expired and I have go to into the library to renew it. I mean, I’m going in anyway to pick up the books…that I can’t place on hold because my card has expired.

Not entirely unlike the time I had to drive across town and use my expired driver’s license to get a copy of my birth certificate so that I could renew my driver’s license.

All that to say that, along with everything else, I’ll try to get to the library this week.

It’s Monday and I’m rushing to get this done because, as I was reminded at about 4:30 this morning, I forgot to publish this post last night.

Have a good week.

THINGS YOU SHOULD READ

‘Time traveler’ claims hostile aliens are coming to ‘take back Earth’
New York Post
A self-proclaimed “time traveler,” who warned of an alien invasion, claims that said extraterrestrials have — wait for it — arrived on Earth yesterday and abducted 8,000 earthlings. A video depicting the supposed dystopian announcement has amassed 161,000 views, as well as ridicule from viewers, who wondered if he was 1.21 gigawatts short of a DeLorean.

NYT: that advice we gave you about disinfecting? It was harmful…
HotAir
Why, exactly, are we hearing about this just now? It’s not because those “experts” the Times spoke with didn’t know all this before. It’s because telling people not to go crazy with fear didn’t help the narrative they were pushing.

Trump Exploits Little-Known Legal Loophole Where You Avoid Indictment By Not Committing A Crime
The Babylon Bee
PALM BEACH, FL — As rumors continue to filter in that Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg’s attempt to indict former President Donald Trump is falling apart, a new report has indicated Trump’s team of attorneys is seeking to exploit a little-known legal loophole through which he can avoid indictment by not actually committing any crime.

WHAT I’M READING


BORN ON THIS DAY

American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress, Mariah Carey, was born on this day in 1969.