I'M OFFICIALLY AN OLD LADY

Therefore---

WHEN I AM AN OLD 

WOMAN I SHALL WEAR

PURPLE*

With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beer mats and things in boxes

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

When you are an old lady, you can wear purple and a red hat, too!

*No, I am not a member of the Red Hat Society. (click on link in case you want to be a member.

Living in Thin Places

Thin Places is a series of sermons given during Epiphany 2019 by Rev. Siegfried S. Johnson, Christ of the Hills United Methodist Church, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, USA

To quote Rev. Johnson: "The theme is drawn from the writings of early Christianity in Ireland, Thin Places, a term used by Celtic Christians from about the 5th century, having in that beautiful land developed a strong sense of sacred space, certain trees, caves, streams, and mountains regarded as sanctuaries of nature. 

In a 'Thin Place' the veil between this world and the divine world, heaven and earth, seemed somehow sheer, porous allowing God's glory to seep through to our awareness." 

This series got me to think about my 'thin places'. These come to mind:

Muir Woods, California
When I entered the woods, I felt a sense of peace. I needed to be still and quiet. All was quiet, although there were many other people there. 





This theme was covered in The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell.
On Page 92: "I think it's Cicero who says that when you go into a great tall grove, the presence of a deity becomes known to you."

Bohemian Grove, California

I attended a wedding in the Bohemian Grove. All of the guests were driven into the woods by bus from Santa Rosa. The minute I stepped off the bus I heard organ music echoing through the trees. I went very still and listened as did the bus load of guests. There is a full pipe organ in 'The Grove'. The organist played until the wedding began. 

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
When I walked the streets of Colonial Williamsburg, I could feel the presence of the great men that I walked those streets.



I have seen my Guardian Angels.

One night as I was going to sleep, sometime between rest and deep sleep, I slightly opened my eyes and observed two greenish ethereal beings. It seemed that one 'angel' was relieving the other 'angel'. It was like they were changing shifts in order to watch over me.

My Aunt Mary Lou passed a few years ago. As I was dreaming, the veil opened and she peeked through. She was smiling and conveyed to me that she was fine. Then, she danced away, twirling on her toes.

I made a deal with my mother. After she passed, if it was possible, she was to leave me a sign that she was well on the other side. It was a while before I got my sign. Sometime the next summer, I took her Christmas Cactus outside. It wasn't long before it was in full bloom. I believe she is fine and at some time I will see her again. 

St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans

Whenever I go into a Cathedral, I feel close to God. Something happens there that I don't feel in other churches. When I was in the 5th Grade, I visited the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. Even then, I could feel something special.




These are the scriptures Rev. Sieg used for this series:
#1 January 20, 2019 Living in Thin Places Psalms 42 :1-2 
#2 January 27, 2019 Made  for Another World John 3:7-8
#3 February 3, 2019 The Well Is Deep John 4:10-11
#4 February 10, 2019 Step into the Stirring John 5:5-7
#5 February 17, 2019 How Now, Chop Logic! John 6:41-42
#6 February 24, 2019 Concealed in the Crease John 7:3-5
 If you would like to read these sermons, go to link at the beginning of this post. Click on 'Worship'  and then, Rev. Sieg's Sermons 

I'm a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson

I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away by Bill Bryson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved most of this book. Some of it I found boring or flippant. However, it captured my imagination.


First of all, this book was published in 1999 and I am reading in 2018, 20 years later. Things have changed and I was motivated to find out how. Here are some of my research and comments: (Titles of applicable chapter is in parenthesis.)

1. 9/11 had not happened.
2. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016. 
(Take Me Out to the Ball Game)
3. Airlines don't serve food any more. (Room Service)
4. We now shop by E-tail. (Consuming Pleasures)
5. National Debt is not 22+ trillion it was 4.7 trillon in 1999 
(The Numbers Game)
6. # of registered vehicles  2018-276 million 1999-121 million 
(The Cupholder Revolution)
7. # of people in prison Now 2.3 million 1999 1.6 million
(The War on Drugs)
8. Amtrak has a train that stops in eastern and middle New Hampshire on its way to Boston from Maine and back again.
(The Waste Generation)
9. Global Temperature has increased 1.33 degrees since 1999
It was predicted in 1999 that would increase in a half a century
by 4 degrees and everything would burn up. ((The Waste Generation)
10. Toy 'R Us went bankrupt last year and closed all of their stores. They are now trying to figure out how they can reopen some of the stores. (Shopping Madness)
11. Libraries no longer shelve video tapes. DVD's only. (Our Town)
12. Walmart annual sales 1999 $120 billion 2019 $496 billion
(Our Town)
13. Opryland Amusement Park closed in 1997, but Hotel still is triving. (The Great Indoors)
14. Everyone likes free stuff. 1999-book matches 2019 ball point pens.
(How to Have Fun at Home)
15. The trend was enclosed malls. 2019 trend has reversed and shoppers want open malls where they can drive to the particular store and not have to get out and walk through the mall to get to it.
(The Great Indoors)

I read this book for my Book Club. I was ready to share my findings when I discovered I had a conflict and couldn't be there. I shared with another member and she is going to share if she finds it appropriate.

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