April 8 – “One page”

We woke up to an interesting newspaper this morning.  First let me explain that they stopped publishing a paper on Sundays and Mondays.  Just five days a week now.  Very small-town-ish.  Today they included two comics pages.  One was obviously a make-up page, and it made some of the serials come out out of order– like Charlie Brown’s team winning their first game (like how I correctly duplicated use of “out” there in that sentence?).  Not that I’m complaining.  Who doesn’t like two sets of comics? 

However, the first of two really glaring things to me (aside from all the Coronavirus stuff) involved the Sports page.  Notice how I carefully worded that?  Ordinarily we have a Sports “Section” of the paper.  But there are no sports going on in the world today, hence a sports “page.”  One page.  And it was a struggle to get that much.  If it wasn’t for the “overview of key county sports moments,” it could have been a sports “paragraph.”

The second significant find in the paper today was in the ad section.  The grocery stores are still open, so they are still using their advertising budgets.  Now, I don’t usually look at the ads.  That’s been Chris’ department.  She searches for good deals and coupons.  As I gathered the ads all up to stack them near her chair, one thing fairly leapt from the page at me.  It was in the Randall’s section, I think.  Blue Bell ice cream.  Half gallon.  Isn’t that the size of choice for most family purchasers?  Limit two.  OK, that’s not uncommon for Randall’s.  It was the price that made me do a double-take and shake off my N-95.  $3.99.  I can’t remember the last time Blue Bell was less than four dollars.  Looks like I need to head over there during old folks hours.  Or maybe borrow Nathan’s death eater mask …

Luke 22:20 says, “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’”

Father, be with our newspaper workers, as well as all the others who are still working and making adjustments to keep working during our crazy time.  Amen.