Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-09-21
Monday, September 21st, 2020
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
Our dog is 16 and a half. She’s hobbling into the last season of her long life. In the mornings it takes her a while to stand up. Sometimes she moans. We assume she aches. She has accidents a lot now. Her hind legs often give out when she’s coming up or down the three steps into our back door. But her appetite is good, she still likes you to rub behind her ears, and when she hears something through the front screen door, she barks like crazy. Her eyes are dull, but she still fancies herself our guard dog and great protector. We love that about her, and, while I used to hush her sternly when she barked, I never do now. Bark, girl, bark.
Yesterday I spent much of the afternoon sitting with her in the sun on our deck. I wrote, and she watched the squirrels and the breeze stir the branches of the burning bush, pink honeysuckle, and Chinese elm.
There’s something sweet about sitting with an old dog in the sun on a cool, fall day. You take more time to notice things, like the single red maple leaf lying on the grass in our back yard from our maple tree that is full—for now—of still-green leaves. A single, bright, red maple leaf.
These signs portend change. It’s literally in the air. A change is coming for my dog. For me. For the leaves. I am led to believe that God had exactly this in mind when God created the cosmos.
And it’s all, very, very good.
My dog and I are taking note.
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell somebody.
News:
Grief and Loss:
https://www.aarp.org/home-
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) website contains a Grief & Loss section with grief-related articles and information.
Tuesdays 8 am Men’s Bible Study
Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.
Humor (Hard times need godly laughter):
Here’s an old chestnut that Brandi Lowe stole from somewhere:
Before he died, Billy Graham was returning to Charlotte after a speaking engagement and when his plane arrived there was a limousine waiting to transport him to his home. As he prepared to get into the limo, he stopped and spoke to the driver .
“You know,” he said, “I am 87 years old and I have never driven a limousine. Would you mind if I drove it for a while?”
The driver said, “No problem. Be my guest!” Billy gets into the driver’s seat and they head off down the highway. A short distance away sat a rookie State Trooper operating his first speed trap.
The long black limo went by him doing 70 in a 55 mph zone. The trooper pulled out and easily caught the limo and he got out of his patrol car to begin the procedure.
The young trooper walked up to the driver’s door and when the glass was rolled down, he was surprised to see who was driving.
He immediately excused himself and went back to his car and called his supervisor. He told the supervisor, “I know we are supposed to enforce the law, but I also know that important people are given certain courtesies. I need to know what I should do because I have stopped a very important person.”
The supervisor asked, “Is it the governor?” The young trooper said, “No, he’s more important than that.” The supervisor said, “Oh, so it’s the president.” The young trooper said, “No, he’s even more important than that.”
The supervisor finally asked, “Well then, who is it?”
The young trooper said, “I think it’s Jesus, because he’s got Billy Graham for a chauffeur!”
Good Word:
“LET LOVE BE GENUINE. ABHOR WHAT IS EVIL; HOLD FAST TO WHAT IS GOOD. LOVE ONE ANOTHER WITH BROTHERLY AND SISTERLY AFFECTION. OUTDO ONE ANOTHER IN SHOWING HONOR.” ROMANS 12:9-10
LET US PRAY:
Open our eyes, O God,
that we don’t miss a moment
of today’s splendor.
AMEN.
Much, much love to you all.
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
