Reverend Ref +

JUST STUFF

The pace continues. I did my fifth funeral since moving to town. The average of one a quarter is holding. Not only that, but it still wasn't anybody I knew or part of my congregation. I did know the family, though. Two of them attend church, alot of the others are around town, and the son and daughter of the deceased are Episcopalians from Butte.

The funeral director called me and said, "Can you do this service? It's just going to be at the mortuary, no gravesite service thank goodness." Well yeah, with temperatures hovering around 0, waiting until spring sounded like a good idea.

Speaking of Spring -- We did, in fact, get that sudden warm up. It was in the mid- to upper 20's yesterday. Today it's in the upper 20's to low 30's. That's almost a 40 degree swing. On the first day of winter, spring is here.

I have a lucky girl -- The Kid plays flute in the pep band. It's basketball season. The last two nights she's been at the school playing for the game, not getting home until late. Where did that baby go?? Anyway, she calls from the school, "I won! I won! I won! I won two deer statues." These are those lighted mesh things that people put in their yards this time of year. She also has a habit of picking which elevator will open first. I wish she were old enough to buy lottery tickets.

Deanery Christmas Party -- today is the annual Christmas party for the deanery. I've already heard from three people who won't be able to attend. Hopefully it will be more than me, Mrs. Ref and our hosts. Oh well, it'll be what it'll be.

Final Changes -- Doing all of the last-minute preparations for Christmas. After this post I need to run over to the church and change the hymn board for Christmas Day services and change the altar hangings from purple to white.

And that about sums it up at this point. Have a merry Christmas and blessed New Year.