IN WHICH BEAR DECLINES AN OFFER

Bear was offered an opportunity to post on this blog, but declined.

Bear claimed he was feeling tired and depressed.

We understand that. Bear can be very tired and very depressed at times.

Bear will be given another opportunity to post. We (his editorial committee) trust he will be better, soon.

U IS FOR UN-IMPORTANT STUFF — ABOUT THE BEAR (edited to fit into the A - Z Challenge)

I don't often do this sort of thing, because I usually find it boring.

But since I'm feeling kind of bored and sleepy today, I'm doing it.

A. Age: 66

B. Bed size: Double

C. Chore that you hate: Dusting; it's so useless. I get finished and have to do it again. 
I realize that cleanliness is next to Godliness, but around here cleanliness is next to impossible.

D. Dogs: Sadie, who still lives in my mind, and on an acreage.

E. Essential start to your day: Waking up.

F. Favourite colour: Blue

G. Gold or Silver: Either

H. Height: 6'0" when erect; less when all fours.

I. Instruments you play: Five-stringed banjo

J. Job title: Post-Socratic Gadfly — eccentric and eclectic.

K. Kids: 2

L. Live: In the urban forest

M. Mother's name: Ruth

N. Nicknames: None I could put here.

O. Overnight hospital stays: Too many to count, why bother?

P. Pet peeve: Economic inequality — in its many forms.

Q. Quote from a movie: "You're much too large and too old for that." From A Bridge too Far.
I can certainly identify with "too large and too old." (Besides — to add some context — why would anyone in his/her right mind jump out of a perfectly functional airplane?)

R. Right or left handed: Right

S. Siblings: None that I know about

T. Time you wake up: When I wake up.

U. Underwear: I'll not mention unmentionables.

V. Vegetable you hate: Ones that are over-cooked.

W. What makes you run late: The clock

X. X-Rays you've had: Too many!

Y. Yummy food that you make: Slow-cooked beans and lentils. (The "secret ingredient" is some cocoa powder.)

Z. Zoo animal: Bear. (What else would you expect?) Giraffe would probably come second.

Footnote

With some not-so-subtle editing, I turned this into a piece of the A - Z Challenge. Sometimes a Bear just has to do this kind of insightful thing. Not that any of you are surprised by this.

T IS FOR TRUTH — SIMPLE

 Here is a simple truth. In the time I have available for blogging, I can
1. write blog posts, or
2. read the blog posts of other people, and leave comments.

I have decided to do number 2 for a while. Mostly because I prefer to read and comment than create. Maybe I'm a touch lazy, too.

Truth be told, however, there is a darker thought taking shape in my mind. It is about truth. It is not nice. And, frankly, it is scary.

It is also for another day. 

Blessings and Bear hugs.

S IS FOR "SILLY OLD BEAR"

In the Blog World

"Silly old Bear."

That was one of Christopher Robin's terms of endearment of Pooh Bear. And it was a term of endearment.

You would have to read the books to understand. (Which would be a good exercise if you haven't done it already.) A four-book series, the last two of which revolve around the adventures — sometimes misadventures —  of "Edward Bear," as he is called at one spot. But he is better know as "Winnie the Pooh."

The model for the stories is a Canadian Bear, unofficial mascot of a Canadian Cavalry Regiment in World War One — The Fort Garry Horse.  She ended up in a British Zoo (for her own safety).

Christopher Robin (modelled on Milne's own son) had a stuffed Bear toy — and the rest, well, just came together. But in the book one can see a real endearment of Boy and Bear.

And sometimes I am "silly old Bear," too. Like Pooh, I get into all kinds of adventures, and misadventures (real and imagined). And I'm slowly starting to recover the child in me, who perhaps became too adult too soon in life, and lost the art of play. 

Here, in the blogsphere, I can do and say silly things. Well, yes, sometimes serious; but sometimes silly, too. Can you imagine, really, a Human trying to hibernate like a Bear? You can, if you read this blog. With an author who leaves sense and sensibility behind. Sometimes.

In the "Real" World 

Today, I am Bear-ing up just fine, thank you. Things are much better than they were a year ago. I'm active, even "holding down a job" (which feels more than anything like just helping out some friends). Strange; when I wrote that first, it came out "holding down a joy." Which seems so appropriate.

Sometimes on the "job" I make mistakes — fairly mild ones. After which I often think, or even say, "Silly old Bear." Like you, my friends and colleagues at our church have come to realize that I have not totally taken leave of my senses. It's just an expression I use.

Which means I have successfully fooled them, too.

I hope you are having a wonderful day, whatever you are doing.

Blessings and Bear hugs!

R IS FOR ROBIN — THE GUY WHO WON'T QUIT

Fog edged into town,
obscuring the city lights.
Preface to long rain.

But before that rain happened, there was a Robin. Singing.

At 1:00 a.m. And 2 a.m. And 3 a.m.

I thought Robins were supposed to sing only around sunrise.

Perhaps there is so much light pollution in our city, he was legitimately confused.

Poor bird.

Poor people who have to live with all this light pollution.

Q IS FOR QUESTIONS — THERE ARE REALLY ONLY FIVE.

Ah, yes. The journalists stock in trade:

Who?
What? 
When?
Where?
Why?

Anything else is merely clarification or expansion. 

One added thought. The better the question you ask, the better the answer you get. At least potentially.

Blessings and Bear hugs.

P IS FOR PREACHING — I DO THAT SOMETIMES

In fact, I get paid to do it. Just about every Sunday, now that I've gone back to work as pastor of our congregation. 

So I talk about God, talk about life, and talk about 15 minutes. And do some other things in the process, too. 

A few weeks ago, a colleague was leading worship. Came "talk time," he gave us an astute theological lecture. Maybe I did that at one point in my ministry. But not any more. While he told no stories, I mostly tell stories, with a few thoughts strung between. The life of  journalist crossed with a cleric. Interesting combination.

Meanwhile, . . .

All that by way of saying that life has been interfering with my blogging. I write every day, but most of it does't make it to my blog. You would be bored silly with the business e-mails and other notes I write. Being responsible for a large congregation is a life of looking after more details than you could imagine. Unless you're Diana, the church secretary.

To the point: the A - Z Challenge is officially over. It was, as of Monday. Will that stop me? No! You'll be getting Q through Z in "due course." Please be patient.

I'm also trying to visit your blogs, too. Please be patient with that, as well.

P is also for "Patient."

Blessings and Bear hugs!