May 1 – “Flying monkeys … here we go”

Is it a good day or a bad day when all I can remember is the fact that we finished another jigsaw puzzle?  Only a 500 piece one this time.  I already pulled down the next victim, but can’t start it until Chris gets her pictures taken of this one.  Gotta have video evidence, you know. 

I did do some phone call pastoring and of course worked on the teaching for Sunday.  That’s pretty much an everyday occurrence.  I’m not even sure how we got to the point of watching our movie of the day.  It was Oz, The Great and Powerful.  Prequel to Wizard of Oz.  Kind of strange, but a fun origin story.  Besides, wasn’t the original strange, too?  Evil flying monkeys.  Frightening.

Did you think I was kidding about the lack of news?  Nope.  Well, unless you include reports of thundering hordes of pent-up Northerners crashing their way through unsuspecting neighborhoods like a pack of … well … evil flying monkeys … as they descend upon the one final destination … the beach (OK, OK.  I know not all flying monkeys are evil.  And we are excited to see some of our favorite ones this Sunday).  But you heard right.  Galveston city crews were hard at work yesterday taking down barricades and opening up the beaches once again.  Governor Abbot made a declaration that superseded whatever moves local governments had been trying to do.  It is official.  Galveston Beach is open.  Of course the restaurants are still operating at 25% capacity or take-out only, if at all.  Hotels just started taking reservations from people other than essential workers this morning.  Here we go. 

Not sure yet how this will affect Seaside’s outside worship service Sunday.  It may actually be a good thing.  People can park on Jamaica Beach now.  They might not need our parking lot.  Well, at least not as many of them.  We are putting out signs tonight to indicate the lots are for church parking only from 6 p.m. Saturday to 2 p.m. Sunday.  Hope that works.  Several of our small groups that use the building have talked to me about resuming meeting.  One is looking at Saturday evening.  Another at May 15^th.  Slow but sure, I guess.  Here we go.

Proverbs 21:3 says, “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”

Father, please keep all those folks safe who are planning to come to Galveston this weekend.  Keep our first responders safe as they deal with them.  Here we go.  Amen.