Why do we keep calling this Black Friday anymore?  I mean there already has been many department stores and retailers that have started their Black Friday deals.  But it’s not Friday right?  So why call it Black Friday?  Call it Black Week?  That sounds weird…  I dunno, I am sure though the Friday of actual Black Friday will have insane deals… deals you can get online, so really no need to risk arms and limbs for yet another flat screen tv, just get in online, it’ll be fine. 

Someone should do a Black Friday sale on toilet paper, that would be insanity…

I never really got into the Black Friday hype.  I think two years ago was the only time I participated in Black Friday deals, and I bought a fishing rod through Field and Stream online… it got delivered broken…  So I had to wait another 2 weeks to get another one, unbroken.  However, if there is a sale for the Shimano SLX DC fishing reel… I am on it, but I doubt that will happen.  Hmm… maybe I am starting to get hyped about Black Friday…

Maybe I’m not just getting hyped about Black Friday, but Christmas in general.  I love Christmas time and I already have plans.  I am going to make loads of Rice Krispy treats with Norah and Ben.  We are going to eat ribs that Eunkyung is getting ready to prep once she gets done with school.  And I am going to try to fish some PA creeks, hoping to watch a ton of TV. 

Usually at this time of year for me, as a pastor, is really really busy, but I am not going to let that burden me.  I am going to do all my work in the presence of celebrating that Christmas is coming soon.  I know tomorrow will be Thanksgiving, which is for me the beginning of prepping for Christmas.  Following Thanksgiving weekend, I am going to get out all the Christmas decorations and have a blast decorating with Ben and Norah.  This time around Ben can help out more than eating the ornaments.  Yes, that’s right, you heard me correct, Last Year Ben kept eating the plastic ornaments.  So we have a bunch of dented and tore up ornaments, but that’s ok, it reminds me of how small and curious Ben was last year. 

Christmas is coming and we are preparing for the season of Advent.  This coming Sunday will be the start of Hope.  We hope for God coming to us.  We hope for the safety and health of all our friends and family.  We hope that we feel uplifted and joyful despite the COVID-19 pandemic.  We hope we can always keep our heads up, feel festive, and bring happiness to the people who need it the most. 

I hope that all of you will be safe during Thanksgiving and any sort of Black Friday kookiness you may get into.  Be safe, be civilized, and have a good time.  Eat good food and watch some crappy football games (can we please stop watching the Cowboys and Lions for Thanksgiving!  I’m tried of these two teams always having to play).   I know Thanksgiving isn’t going to be prefect or even ideal for most of you, but lets all be thankful for what we do have and pray the people we love.  God bless you all.  Happy Thanksgiving yinz guys!

Really?!  This again?!  Yup!  It’s that time, once more that it becomes impossible to find toilet paper.  I went out in search of the elusive toilet paper.  Seriously man, who are these people that stock up on toilet paper that’s going to last for the next 100 years.  Come on man… I’m like 2 dookies away from running out completely!  My wife’s solution is use tissues for the time being that we will run out before we find anything.

Listen, I totally understand that people are worried about the COVID-19 cases on an INSANE rise in our area and the rest of PA and that it’s “wise” to “stock up.”  But man… can we just be normal people?  I mean can we just buy stuff, when we need it, not prepping for doomsday?!  I wonder what are the sales like for bidets?  Anyone use a bidet before?  How does that work?  Will I still need toilet paper if I buy a bidet?  Hey session, will I the church pay for a bidet?  I have no idea… never used them before… and to be honest… I really don’t want to.  I want toilet paper.

So guess what I am going to do today… search for toilet paper.  And among other items, like food.  Not to stock up for my secret bomb shelter (I don’t have one, just trying to joke, while I’m stressed).  But I really wish people would just lighten up when it comes to supplies.  Just by the stuff you need, not to stock up.  Remember there are people who need stuff too.  There is no need to horde items man…  Sharing is caring right?  I mean, please just be normal!!!

However, I will say one thing.  If I remember before, I think it’s a good sign that people are going psycho on hording because it means our numbers of COVID-19 positive cases are going to plummet.  If I remember correctly, near the beginning of the pandemic, our numbers started to go down when we started to go manic on toilet paper, so that’s good right?  I dunno, just trying to be hopeful. 

Remember what God says about hording?  Let’s look at Exodus 16.  God tells Moses that God will rain down bread and meat from heaven.  The instruction was that every Israelite take what they need for that day.  Do not take more than they need or it will rot and be covered in maggots and smell awful.  

So what’s the point?  First of all, don’t effing horde.  Take what you need, ONLY what you need.  Because the next day God will give you what you need again.  So my other point, other than stop hording is trust in God.  Trust that God will take care of what you need.  Trust that you will have enough, so be patient, be wise, be satisfied. 
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That being said, I’m not going to worry about finding toilet paper and items I will need, because God will help me through this stress.  But, God, find toilet paper for me because, well God knows I will need it soon.  Stay safe everyone.  Stay healthy.  Stay calm.

So, it may look like we will be having a new president for the next 4 years.  I know that Trump will do everything in his powers to get the results he wants, and I don’t blame him for that, he should do whatever in his powers to fight for what he believes is true.  I would do the same, I can’t blame him for that.  All of us would do the same, regardless of being a democrat or republican, ALL of us would do what we can to find a way for self-preservation, truth, and justice. 

But to be honest, this writing isn’t about who will win or who will lose.  It is about how people are feeling right now.  4 years ago this feeling was flipped.  Literally 50% of the people were happy and the other 50% were furious.  And the same people who were unhappy are now that 50% who are happy and vise versa.  For you people who find themselves happy, be gracious, please.  Understand the “others” who find themselves upset, worried, and stressed.  Remember you felt the same way 4 years ago.  I know it is easy to gloat about your “victory” and I am sure 4 years ago, your “opponents” may have not had as much sympathy.  But this is not about revenge, it is about doing our best to come together as Americans.  This should be a time of healing, not criticizing.  So, whoever you are in the political spectrum and wherever you find yourself on the happiness scale, just find ways to live your life with humbleness and happiness. 

To be honest, I realize now, it does not matter who is president in the USA because we still have a ton of issues we need to fix in the USA.  The president is just one person.  One person can’t flip the problems we are facing currently; it takes all of us.  Covid-19 is still messing up our lives and society.  We need to come together to get rid of this wretched disease.  I want to go and see my parents in Georgia without them worrying about whether my coming is going to get them sick.  I want to hang out with my friends comfortably without thinking about whether this is “safe.”  I want to come to church and do activities without any rules or regulations.  I want to sing again… I miss that…  a lot…  We need to come together and be more responsible.  It is an embarrassment how we can’t stop this spread.  I hate blaming people, blaming the media, blaming the president.  This is about us working together to end the threat.  We need a vaccine, we need people to be more aware of their health and social contact awareness.  I want my kids to go to school normally.  Not this BS virtual thing.  I want things to go back to normal, and in order for that to happen… it takes all of us, do the right thing. 

We have issues of police feeling victimized and now their uniform is suddenly a target.  Police are being targeted for doing their jobs.  As well as we have Black people being victimized by police and racism is still looming in and out of the shadows.  All this needs to change.  It takes all of us, to listen to each other, be more sympathetic, and be more kind, regardless of what we oppose… just be kind to each other.  We have issues (before the COVID-19) with mass shooting, and it will continue to be a problem if we don’t find a solution to this issue.  The issue is that our society is broken and people just forget what it means to be sympathetic and kind. 

​One president can’t change these issues, but all Americans can change these, if we just practiced kindness, practice random acts of kindness.  Be kind not because anyone deserves it, but because it's the right thing to do.  As Christians, we believe that Jesus saved us from sin and death, not because we deserved any of it, but we are saved because of God's love.  Kindness, is given, not because anyone deserves it, but because we love other people, because God first loved us.

Just remember nobody deserves to be felt less than, nobody needs to feel targeted, nobody needs to feel afraid, nobody needs to feel unheard, nobody needs to feel less than a human.  I hate feeling those ways that I mentioned.  Everyone has experienced what that feels like.  Hate that feeling, not the persons.  Be a person that is all about healing, not hate.  Be a person that is about health, not death.  Be a person that is about unity, not division.  Be a better person, not for yourself, but for others. 

DISCLAIMER:  I AM NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ELECTION UNTIL NEXT WEEK.  I WANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS POST ELECTION AND I WANT SOME TIME TO REFLECT.

What is the difference?  Well the word catholic comes from the Greek word katholou, which means “according to the whole.”  Why is this significant? 

Well as most of you may know, or don’t know, us Presbyterians must include one creed during worship, and most PCUSA churches will proclaim the “Apostle’s Creed” in weekly worship.  In the lines of the Apostle’s Creed say, “I believe in the Holy Spirit (Ghost), the holy catholic Church, the communion of the saints…”  And I have had some people wonder why we, as Presbyterians, or even protestants, give recognition to the Catholic Church.  But please note the difference in spelling.  Catholic or catholic. 

The Apostle’s Creed reads catholic with a lower case “c” unlike the denomination Catholic, which is spelled with the upper case “C.”  Catholic is the denomination, and catholic is the universal Church of believers.  The lower case catholic is supposed to mean the whole Church.

So, I hope that clears things up for everyone who might be confused or mistaken the difference between Catholic or catholic.

I know this was a short blog, but I got a ton of stuff to do this week.  Next week, I’ll hope to have more insight about the election that just happened.  I just need some time to reflect and think about what is happening right now.