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Pastor Annette's Blog

"OF ALL THE THINGS GOD HAS SHOWN ME, I CAN SPEAK BUT A LITTLE WORD . . . NOT MORE THAN A HONEYBEE CAN CARRY AWAY ON ITS FOOT FROM AN OVERFLOWING JAR."
~ MECHTHILD OF MAGDEBURG, 13TH CENTURY MYSTIC

Great to Be

1/14/2025

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Date Jan 14, 2025
 
Great to be away ~ ​ 
  • I loved, loved, loved a whole week with my kids who now live in New York City. They had to work a lot but in between we saw the NY Public Library (amazing!), the Brooklyn Bone Museum and a Broadway show. We rode the train all over seeing their favorite spots. 
  •  By myself I walked and shopped and sat in cool cafes to read and people watch. 
  • New Yorkers are friendlier folks than I was led to believe.  I saw a construction worker save a woman’s life by jumping to catch a panel of scaffolding that his colleague overhead lost grip of.  It missed her by a hair but people who saw rushed to make sure she and the hero were okay, then a minute later carried on as if it was nothing special.  People I met were kind and had time for the small talk of the day, weather and the like.  ​​
  • I decided if I ever open an Etsy shop I’ll sell custom knitted dog sweaters to fantastically rich New Yorkers.  I saw hundreds of dogs a day, nearly all of them dressed for winter, some even had on little boots.   I’m already working out the patterns in my mind but I bet there is a book somewhere.   The best dog I saw was an enormous husky who loves to ride the subway.
Picture
Picture

​
Great to be home again ~ 
   where all my favorite things live; my soft bed, my books and plants and yarn and fabric, and my big lazy dog who would think I’d lost my mind if I tried to put her in a sweater.   My grandbabies are here and growing fast, which I can’t stand to miss, as are my church duties and the people for whom I pray and with whom I serve.  My life is here in this snowy small town I know like I know my own children’s faces.   
​
   I like thinking about how New York is home to people as much as Bloomington is to me, how all over the world people are busy at essentially the same things; taking care of their people and their spaces, making meals and folding clothes, rocking babies and grocery shopping.  Museums and shows have their place but I love ordinary neighborhoods, seeing how people live.  Thank God for the spots on the planet where life is stable and safe enough for people to live without fear of some great rack and ruin of their way of life; social, economic, political or otherwise.  It happens and I can think of nothing worse than the loss of one’s home and everyday stability.  
   As we begin another year together, I pray you are taking care, keeping warm and finding lovely indoor things to do these days.  I know the Bloomington Severe Weather Emergency Shelter is very much in need of volunteers so sign up if you can.  Thanks to those of you who helped last night, some called in at the last minute.  The shelter expects to be open most nights over the next four weeks as these bitter temps and more snow are predicted.  I appreciate you all so much and am so glad to live, pray and serve among you. 

Peace & Prayers, 
annette,  pastor, preacher, neighbor, mama, grandma, quilter, knitter, dallier, reader, friend, gardener ~ in no particular order ​
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    I write a Tuesday morning devotional to members and friends of UBC.  It is also posted here. 
     
    Enjoy!  
    Pastor Annette

    Copyright
    Everything on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons license, which gives you permission to copy freely, provided that you attribute the work to me, that you use the work for non-commercial purposes, and that you do not produce derivative works.

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3740 East 3rd Street
Bloomington, IN 47401
812-339-1404
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  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Staff
    • Annette Hill Briggs, Pastor
    • Rob Drummond ~ Music Minister
  • Listen & Read
    • Sermons
    • Pastor's Blog
    • #ITSYOURCHURCHTOO >
      • About >
        • When & Where?
        • Ministries >
          • Worship >
            • Music
            • Worship Arts
            • Worship Resources
          • Fellowship >
            • Wednesday Night Supper
            • Church Recipes
          • Service >
            • MCUM Collections
            • Habitat for Humanity Project
          • Vacation Bible School
        • Our Story >
          • Denomination
          • Who We Are
        • Contact
        • Calendar
    • Social Media Feed
  • Give
  • Newsletter
  • Recommended Reading