Our pastor has been preaching on James and this is the week that we came to:

James 5
1Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.[a] 6You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.
7Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. 9Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
10Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

So very much for the times we are in!

But we have been reminded by friends visiting Guatemala that it isn't just some other guys who are rich, but it's everyone that was in the church building this morning. I have a refrigerator. I have hot water coming out of a faucet. I have a toilet that always works. I sleep in safety. I have a car.

Yesterday my landlord raised my rent. But I must add that he raised it for the first time in ten years from a ridiculously low rent rate to a less ridiculously low rate.

life

I left a message on my landlord's phone this morning. No hot water. That is very inconvenient. I'll have to heat bath water in my electric frying pan. Too bad my coffee maker isn't bigger!
Well, this will inspire me to get to the pool this week - free shower.

I had a lot of fun with adolescents yesterday. K. bought a friend and I taught her how to play Go while S. trounced K.. S. was being his extremely shy self. The girls were self-conscious and inane ... true seventh graders. In response S. was trying to be mature. I told him that he would have to become self-conscious and inane someday because that was part of getting to maturity.

At game night a man was interviewing on film people sharing reflections on our church. (It is the 300th anniversary of Church of the Brethren.) I made sure that my "Got Fruit?" shirt got into the picture.