Julia often times wonders about me.  What I mean is, she doesn't understand my sense of humor.  I think I have a rather well developed sense of humor.  I like puns and sarcasm and "A man walked in to a bar" kind of jokes.  I remember times when my brother and I would start telling jokes and we would end up laughing so hard we could barely breathe.  That's when Mom would tell us to go outside.  Perhaps there was more air out there and we wouldn't suffocate.  She was saving our lives and her sanity.  Sam Goldwyn of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was reputed to have said, upon learning his grandson was being named Sam: "Why did you name him Sam?  Every Tom, Dick, and Harry is named Sam."  Norm Crosby said his favorite word was "apocryphal."  He learned it from the nursery rhyme: "Sing a song of sixpence, apocryphal of rye."  And he always thought "cabaret" was what French taxi drivers wore on their heads.  Ha Ha Ha.  You must have now figured out I am in a rather frivolous mood today.  Really, I'm just warming up for when Julia gets home and I can give her reason to keep wondering.

Beginning with the 18th of January and running through the 25th, Christians across the globe are urged to pray for Christian Unity.  This Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has been celebrated since 1908.  The World Council of Churches instituted this week noting it spans the days between the Feasts of the Confession of St. Peter and the Conversion of St. Paul. It encourages Christians to remember Jesus' prayer that we be one as He and the Father are One.  We need only look at the over two billions Christians in the world to see we are not united.  We may pay lip service to unity and ecumenicism but we are not one in spirit nor in intention.  We have one Lord and Savior.  We worship the One God of Heaven and Earth.  We are joined by One Baptism.  That is a good and laudable start, as a minimum. But however we are in agreement about these three, we are sorely divided by all kinds of social and political standings that bring shame to the Body of Christ.  Pray for Christian Unity this week.  Pray for our unity that the witness of our words and deeds brings a smile to the Face of God.

Mind readers and palm readers and Tarot Card readers and all other manner of "fortune tellers" have found gullible clients wherever they set up shop.  Knowing the future has always been a fascinating enterprise.  Imagine knowing the outcome of Super Bowl LI.  Placing the right bet could win buckets and bucket of money.  The great temptation is to win every time.  No one can do that.  To win every bet or to know in advance the Lotto numbers will eventually draw the attention of the IRS, if you're lucky.  It's organized crime I'd worry about.  It would track you down and you would either be their prisoner or shark bait.  19th Century showman P.T. Barnum famously and accurately said, "There's a sucker born every minute."  And I might add, that's enough for every charlatans who wishes to make a quick buck over and over and over.  Let me play fortune teller just this one time: Tomorrow may be messier than today or it may not.  No matter. The End is coming.  The Lord of Creation sits on the throne.  The Victory is His.  Always has been.  Is now.  And will be forever.  Read your horoscope, if you must for a good laugh.  Trust the End to God.  And may I say again, Happy New Year to you all.                                        

The New Year came on time, again.  That shouldn't come as surprise to anyone.  When you're old enough you can watch on TV as the ball drops in New York City's Times Square.  Being a bit older, you could even be there in person with a couple of million other revelers.  At some point you will reach the age when you may try to stay awake for the ball drop, but just can't do it.  Guess what?  The ball will drop and the year will change without your participation.  The ball dropping and the New year don't need your permission.  "Time like an ever rolling stream bears all its sons away."  So says Isaac Watts, the prolific 18th century hymn writer commenting on Psalm 90.  Time comes and goes and we live our life within its all encompassing realm.  It's the way God set things up.  For a season we live.  After a time, we die.  And the years just keep coming and passing.  What will A.D. 2017 bring?  Who knows?  Be of good cheer and give thanks for the life you know.  And trust the God of all time will accompany you along the paths it lays before us all.  Happy New Year!