oh, dearest one, how I needed you today!! It's cold and cloudy here in Amsterdam. I've just 'tidied' the house and can no longer put off going out. But, you have cheered me enough to hum a tune as i shiver and keep a smile on my face! xx's
Juxtaposing your 13 year old boy with 13 billion years, it occurs to me that at some point the Creator must’ve been a kid too, getting off a yuk or 2 before wrapping up the universe. In principio erat verbum and who’s to say it wasn’t worth a laugh?
I too suffer from worry and anxiety. But Sunday's sermon quoted Matthew: “Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.“ Perhaps the anger you recently gave up was a masking outlet for the emotions that now keep you awake?
“ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”. Thank you for giving cheerful. I wish I could give you a hug. Love, Dawn
I read with interest your column about the scripture passage that included the place called Shittim. I served as lector at my Lutheran church that same Sunday, and I also had the same readings from Micah and First Corinthians. I had signed up for that particular Sunday weeks in advance, without knowing what the readings were. When I received the readings list, I searched online pronunciation guides because there were so many words not used in everyday speech (Balak, Balaam, Beor, Shittim, Gilgal). I received mixed signals on the pronunciation of Shittim from several guides. Having known that Shittim was named for shittim wood, and in that case, it is definitely pronounced shit-tim, I asked my pastor about his opinion. He said yes, Shittim is pronounced shit-tim, and don't be self-conscious about it. On Sunday I read the passage from Micah steadily, not fast and not slow, and nailed all the names without stumbling. (Did I mention that this was the first time serving as lector at this church? Oh the horror of messing up!) After the service, several people thanked me for reading so well. In the end, delivery is more important than how individual words sound. Of course, you knew that from all the years you told us about Lake Wobegon.
Thanks for the chuckle. As a retired Episcopal priest, I am reminded of the many Sundays lay readers were required to deal with Shittim. I recall stuttering, giggles, and red faces, mostly from those who read the lesson cold. Woe to the unprepared!
Disciplined lay readers often asked for pronunciation advice in advance. My response: I was taught that no one really knows how biblical Hebrew was pronounced, so I’ll leave it up to you. Why not have a little fun with it? Those who are listening will chuckle. Those who are tuned out will wonder what they missed!
God bless you Garrison Keillor! My mind wanders in church too.
The reference to God’s foolishness vs. man’s wisdom got me to thinking about belief in God.
Those who think it is foolish to believe in God need only to listen to Tyre Nichols’s mother speak of her son’s cruel death. Her faith and belief in God will move mountains. R.I.P. Tyre.
No joke, I had to Google to get the knock knock joke. So now I'm smiling. It's crunchy snow cold here in Michigan. I hate it and love it at the same time. Have a great day!
Mr. Keillor you remind me of the solemn sad occasion of my Grandfather’s funeral. During one hymn my oldest brother was inspired to sing the Korean text that was included in the hymnal so only we could hear him. We are a gang of five brothers blessed with a baby sister, and that day dual purpose tears coursed down our cheeks, exactly in the spirit of loving fun that marked Pop’s precious life. Shittim. That’s a killer, nowhere more funny than in church.
Well the last Catholic I tried to have a spiritual conversation with totally misinterpreted my words and created a hostile environment. I was later told that she was devout and your reply implies I could get the same from you.
I don’t think I would, but GK is not Catholic. St. Mark’s is, I think, an Episcopal church in Mpls. Forgive me if I came off hostile. Tried to make a stupid joke. 😕
Once, as a lad, many years ago, I "let one fly" during Father John's far too long homily. I didn't mean to, but it turned out I had to. He gave me the evil eye and I knew enough to turn red and head for the rear. You'd think us octogenarians would no longer be playing with the ancient word "shittim" as we no longer have the mind of an 8 year old, let 80 year old. Still, there are some events in life that get us giggling at most any age. That's what we hear in the incongruous. You'd think we could do better but so far today we haven't. Some might call it getting the giggles, like Mary Tyler Moore got when Chuckles the Clown died. But 'shittim' is no Chuckles. It must have been that bitterly cold Sunday morning when your frontal lobes just weren't working as well. All that said, welcome to our lovely Basilica. You ought to see the Cathedral in St. Paul sometime. It's even more awesome and less likely to giggle.
Isn't it ironic that at the moment of creation 13 billion years ago, God appeared as a fully-formed human male? I mean, what are the odds? As a fellow spiritual traveler, I appreciate your ability to hold two separate ideas at the same time: that the universe is 13 billion years old (science), but that it could have been created by a God who looks just like us and who presumably cares about us (faith). I believe, as F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, this is a sign of first-rate intelligence.
oh, dearest one, how I needed you today!! It's cold and cloudy here in Amsterdam. I've just 'tidied' the house and can no longer put off going out. But, you have cheered me enough to hum a tune as i shiver and keep a smile on my face! xx's
Juxtaposing your 13 year old boy with 13 billion years, it occurs to me that at some point the Creator must’ve been a kid too, getting off a yuk or 2 before wrapping up the universe. In principio erat verbum and who’s to say it wasn’t worth a laugh?
I too suffer from worry and anxiety. But Sunday's sermon quoted Matthew: “Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.“ Perhaps the anger you recently gave up was a masking outlet for the emotions that now keep you awake?
“ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”. Thank you for giving cheerful. I wish I could give you a hug. Love, Dawn
Hi Garrison,
I read with interest your column about the scripture passage that included the place called Shittim. I served as lector at my Lutheran church that same Sunday, and I also had the same readings from Micah and First Corinthians. I had signed up for that particular Sunday weeks in advance, without knowing what the readings were. When I received the readings list, I searched online pronunciation guides because there were so many words not used in everyday speech (Balak, Balaam, Beor, Shittim, Gilgal). I received mixed signals on the pronunciation of Shittim from several guides. Having known that Shittim was named for shittim wood, and in that case, it is definitely pronounced shit-tim, I asked my pastor about his opinion. He said yes, Shittim is pronounced shit-tim, and don't be self-conscious about it. On Sunday I read the passage from Micah steadily, not fast and not slow, and nailed all the names without stumbling. (Did I mention that this was the first time serving as lector at this church? Oh the horror of messing up!) After the service, several people thanked me for reading so well. In the end, delivery is more important than how individual words sound. Of course, you knew that from all the years you told us about Lake Wobegon.
David
Atlanta, GA
Thanks for the chuckle. As a retired Episcopal priest, I am reminded of the many Sundays lay readers were required to deal with Shittim. I recall stuttering, giggles, and red faces, mostly from those who read the lesson cold. Woe to the unprepared!
Disciplined lay readers often asked for pronunciation advice in advance. My response: I was taught that no one really knows how biblical Hebrew was pronounced, so I’ll leave it up to you. Why not have a little fun with it? Those who are listening will chuckle. Those who are tuned out will wonder what they missed!
God bless you Garrison Keillor! My mind wanders in church too.
The reference to God’s foolishness vs. man’s wisdom got me to thinking about belief in God.
Those who think it is foolish to believe in God need only to listen to Tyre Nichols’s mother speak of her son’s cruel death. Her faith and belief in God will move mountains. R.I.P. Tyre.
"Eskimo Christians I'll tell you no lies" made me laugh aloud. Thanks!
Ditto.
(And, Garrison, I’m sure you’ll be glad to know that my wife groaned appropriately when I just read the joke to her.)
No joke, I had to Google to get the knock knock joke. So now I'm smiling. It's crunchy snow cold here in Michigan. I hate it and love it at the same time. Have a great day!
Thanks... both depth theology and humor, a rare beauty!
> “[I] prayed for my loved ones, that they be spared my anxiety.”
Perfect, just perfect.
What a wonderful, exact statement of Love.
Thank you, Garrison
Thank you. That was so enjoyable. I learned from it too, yet it did not seem preachy. Knock, knock.....
Mr. Keillor you remind me of the solemn sad occasion of my Grandfather’s funeral. During one hymn my oldest brother was inspired to sing the Korean text that was included in the hymnal so only we could hear him. We are a gang of five brothers blessed with a baby sister, and that day dual purpose tears coursed down our cheeks, exactly in the spirit of loving fun that marked Pop’s precious life. Shittim. That’s a killer, nowhere more funny than in church.
I did not know that you were a Catholic…..very interesting. I thought you were smarter than that.
Huh? A twofer! Both inaccurate AND insulting.
Well the last Catholic I tried to have a spiritual conversation with totally misinterpreted my words and created a hostile environment. I was later told that she was devout and your reply implies I could get the same from you.
I don’t think I would, but GK is not Catholic. St. Mark’s is, I think, an Episcopal church in Mpls. Forgive me if I came off hostile. Tried to make a stupid joke. 😕
Once, as a lad, many years ago, I "let one fly" during Father John's far too long homily. I didn't mean to, but it turned out I had to. He gave me the evil eye and I knew enough to turn red and head for the rear. You'd think us octogenarians would no longer be playing with the ancient word "shittim" as we no longer have the mind of an 8 year old, let 80 year old. Still, there are some events in life that get us giggling at most any age. That's what we hear in the incongruous. You'd think we could do better but so far today we haven't. Some might call it getting the giggles, like Mary Tyler Moore got when Chuckles the Clown died. But 'shittim' is no Chuckles. It must have been that bitterly cold Sunday morning when your frontal lobes just weren't working as well. All that said, welcome to our lovely Basilica. You ought to see the Cathedral in St. Paul sometime. It's even more awesome and less likely to giggle.
Isn't it ironic that at the moment of creation 13 billion years ago, God appeared as a fully-formed human male? I mean, what are the odds? As a fellow spiritual traveler, I appreciate your ability to hold two separate ideas at the same time: that the universe is 13 billion years old (science), but that it could have been created by a God who looks just like us and who presumably cares about us (faith). I believe, as F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, this is a sign of first-rate intelligence.
It's a sign of first-rate something, that's for sure.