Satur-deja Vu

Some way, somehow, wearing a mask in the United States has become an issue split down ideological lines. I hesitate to say party lines because it’s not that clearly drawn but people tend to fall into two camps; Those who wear a paper or cloth mask when going out in public because it is useful in containing the spread of the virus, by protecting others and possibly one’s self.  Also in the mask camp are those that aren’t sure of effectiveness but realize wearing one is expected, sometimes required, and they figure it can’t hurt anything. Those not wearing masks are taking a stand on freedom. I’ve read a lot of slippery slope speeches, claiming that if we give up one or two basic liberties that’s a first step in losing all our freedom and liberty. I have friends in real life that claim wearing a mask now, in the middle of a global pandemic – which many other countries have done a much better job getting under control – will lead to the government telling us in the near future what to wear, what kind of car to drive, who we can be friends with, etc.

Satur-deja Vu

That’s a very Happy Monday sort of item. We needed to go ahead and share now because we are doing something special all next week.

Holy Week at The Master’s Table – From Palm Sunday through Easter I will not post anything on this blog relating to COVID-19. Look for devotional posts, discipleship, maybe even a few reruns from years past. Happy Monday will look the same but feature none of the coronavirus memes that saturate social media on a daily basis. If you would like a little bit of escape from that particular topic, we will focus on the Passion Narrative of Jesus. That begins tomorrow; today we need to get it out of our system.

We Need Something to Push Against

Whether you believe in a literal six day creation week 6,000 years ago or evolutionary processes that took eons, conservative Christians and anthropologists agree that before societies developed humans were hunter-gatherers. During times of plenty the human body stores extra in fat cells, using those reserves in times that are lean. Evolution at work or God’s providence? Since you’re reading a religious blog, and I’m a Baptist preacher, we’re probably on the same page. We probably agree on what happened next. Technology improved, life got easier, and since none of us have to spend the majority of time making sure we have enough to eat we have to go jogging or walk a treadmill to stave off morbid obesity. We are designed for the struggle. When we are provided an abundance, with no hard labor required, we get fat.

Satur-deja Vu

Yes I take the coronavirus pandemic seriously but humor is one way to process serious things. That moment it takes to process a punch line or understand a pun is a momentary challenge that the mind struggles to understand. Being clever and creative is a healthy way to deal with all this. So, we will try to be positive and upbeat in our review of this past week but honestly there is little else besides the pandemic on the news or in real life. If you have some good news or encouragement share in the comments but I’m not sure about covering a range of topics in this post.

What were the Chances?

My friend Dudley and I used to joke about starting a Twitter feed of Things Dudley Says. He sometimes uses words in a sentence then asks me if that’s what he means or in some cases if that’s even a word. One of things we both do, according to my wife, is use the words irony and coincidence incorrectly. So Dudley made up a new word that we both enjoy using. Coincironical, or the adverb coincironically, refers to things that are either ironic, coincidental, or possibly both. We honestly don’t know.

Six months ago I took a part time job. The church I pastor in Plainville, Georgia, had been having only Sunday morning activities for about a year. My other job – driving my friend Dudley to see his clients – had been on the decline and we were both concerned about the possibility of it disappearing completely. I took a part time job at Kroger, expecting to get 20 or so hours a week on a flexible schedule that wouldn’t interfere with my other responsibilities.

Satur-deja Vu

Happy Leap Day! While today is February 29th, and there will not be another until the year 2024, we’re still not having a February 30th. So I would finish that milk off in the next couple of days and not wait for one. Welcome to the Deja Vu.