Santa wears an apron in Florida. Wouldn’t you? During the day it is usually in the mid 70’s and on a ‘cold’ day here it is about 62. Can you imagine being in a Santa suit standing outside Wal-Mart or the grocery store or a liquor store? Too hot; so Santa wears a red apron like you have for barbecuing except it has a Salvation Army crest on it. It seems the Santa hat is optional and quite a few Santas wear sunglasses.

Sunday, November 30, was the last day of hurricane season here in Florida. I guess it is something like March going out like a lion or a lamb, so hurricane season ended with a big wind/rain storm and just to keep us on our toes, there was a tornado watch too. The weather Monday wasn’t bad, so Lorinda and I went for a walk on the beach, hoping the sea had thrown treasures onto the shore.

I’ve been lying awake at night thinking again. ( insert groan here)  I have a habit of getting up during the night and I click the radio on as I go back to bed and drift back to sleep. It’s during these blank minded drifting periods that thoughts appear on the smooth glass of my mind, like a fly landing on a windowpane. This particular night, the fly was buzzing about the future of radio.

Please read (slowly) this wonderful poem by Robert Frost. Read it a few times if you have to and then think about what it means.

I used to try to make Rev. Martin Luther King into a Christ figure, but lately have been amazed at how his story lines up with the later life of Moses. Moses gave the hope to the Hebrews that they would indeed have a place in this world, while King assured black people that their hope for equal place in society was sound. Just before he was killed, he had expanded his movement after realizing that social justice involved all colours, not just the black folk.

Sometimes the Spirit just sneaks up on ya and slaps ya upside the head! I had just started reading Don Murray’s column exploring a little girl’s question, “Did we create God, or did God create us?” and instantaneously, Professor Dave (the know-it-all in my head) began a full blown lecture. I best let Prof Dave take it from here:

When October 31 rolls around we have visions of dark streets filled with tiny costumed creatures rushing to and fro carrying bags of goodies that they have collected from behind decorated doorways. Funny how this one night it’s OK to take candy from strangers but the tiny goblins are indoctrinated the other 364 days to do the opposite. Go figure...

I wake up most nights about three. I plod to the porcelain palace, then while returning to bed, my mind flicks on and in the quiet dark; cozy under the blankets, I spend time with (in?) the Spirit. Most of these times are simply pondering but the other night, from nowhere, a thought flashed like a lightning bolt. Spotlighted by it was the gnarly ogre of homosexuality as it relates to Bible interpretation. Hmmmm.... where did that come from? No matter, I was in Spirit mode now and ‘It’ seemed to be sending a message to be relayed.

We have a new grand-daughter in the family. “There is nothing like a grand-daughter,” I am wont to say. I love my grand-daughters Charley and Sydney. They are the light of my life. I am looking forward to getting to know and love our newest, Sloane.

I originally intended this article as a bit of a rant against those who criticize liberalism and progressivism in theology/religion. As a progressive myself, it is easy to spring to the defence of something I espouse. However, after typing the title for this, it was time for supper, so I put the laptop away. Coming back to it later, I had cooled down and decided to think about things for a bit. Maybe it was the delicious dinner but I was much more mellow when I got back to the keyboard.