I lost a book the other day. It is a dreaded phrase. 

I searched and searched my bookshelf and I just couldn’t find it. I searched, and I searched again. I pondered whether I had lent the book out to someone else. My brain couldn’t recall lending it out. I then searched again because I have this habit of not really looking. I have to ask my wife Jen all the time to find things for me because I tend to scan past them. I was determined to find this book without asking for help.   

​Upfront warning: Some may think that I am being blatantly political in this article. In our culture, that is how you earn the title “Bad Pastor” from some. I would counter that my message here is only peripherally about politics. It is primarily about faithfulness and justice. However, when we talk about feeding the hungry (a command from God throughout the scriptures) we often end up treading on matters related to the King, the President, the Governor, or the Legislature.  

The ancient Church adhered to a tradition of publicly announcing the dates of Easter, along with other festivals that lacked a fixed date. Given that the Epiphany (January 6) is a fixed date and it marks the final significant fixed-date feast before transitioning into the Easter cycle, characterized by moveable dates, it served as an opportune moment to declare the dates of Easter and other moveable observances. 

I just ate a donut that was growing stale in the workroom. I planned to begin my new day with some yoga, walking, and a time of prayer. I went for the snooze button and instead turned the alarm off. Falling back into a pleasant slumber, I awakened with just enough time to get out the door for my first appointment of the day. It is only January 3rd. My resolutions and my resolve lie in shambles all around. I am, once again, a failure. I have fallen into sin, and I cannot free myself – again.