We Are (should be) Community by Joyce Steiner
Community-“a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals”. “A group of people living in the same place”.
I have been thinking about “Plymouth Area News” as the title of my weekly column for a while. Since there are few others writing about their community, I expanded to Plymouth Area and since with no meetings or events happening, often I write some of my thoughts instead of news. So this week I am changing the title and hope that you will understand the need to do so.
This past week we did become a community. Bruno made us put his welfare and travels ahead of our own personal thoughts. Everyone followed his travels. Everyone wished him well and hoped for his safety. The area newspapers all had features on Bruno. Our pastor talked about Bruno this morning. There are Bruno face book pages if you want to continue to monitor his progress. We continue to wish Bruno safety as he continues his journey to find a mate and a new home.
Please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers. I am sure there are others in need of prayer too. We learned that Christine Gooding Lambert’s son in law passed away this week. He was only twenty one and Christine’s daughter is expecting a baby in August. Also keep Sara Hohe in your prayers. She is the daughter of Mary Hohe from Augusta and the niece of Tom Weinberg of Augusta. Also keep an auction friend of mine in your prayers as he awaits test results this week. Continue to pray for healing for the families of all those who have died of the virus. The virus numbers are going up again in many states.
An old friend called this week, Lynn Taylor form LaHarpe. She was an expert in restoration and was working on an old historic home when I first met her. Learned that her husband had also passed. She wanted me to look at some dishes as she was selling her mother’s home in Macomb. It was really nice to see her again and to catch up a bit.
The Japanese beetles have returned! Thus far they are only eating my rhubarb leaves and the leaves of one type of flower. Morning and evening, I take my pail of soapy water and shake them into it. Every evening something comes and takes them out of the water, leaving the water in the pail, coon? Hopefully they do not come in the hoards of the past where they strip all the leaves off of crops.
Have had a good week at the store this week. This is the first good week since March when we closed down. Thanks to the people who came to shop Plymouth Rock Antiques.
The 4th of July was beautiful. I went to Macomb to see the fireworks. As one pulled into Q lot, you were instructed to leave a space between each vehicle and if you wanted to get out and sit by your car, to sit on the west side of it. Felt that this was all reasonable and everyone seemed to have no problem with the instructions. The display was lovely. The drive home equally so. There was a full moon and stars. Hope you all had a good 4th!
“And the second is like unto it, Love your neighbor as yourself”. Jesus comment on which is the greatest commandment. We and our country seem to be having a problem with this commandment. Our neighbor is any other human being. Does not matter sex, race, mental ability, eye color, religion, political leaning or how many fingers or toes. We are to love them all. No matter how wonderful or intelligent a person we think we are, there are going to be people we disagree with. That is OK. As you know by now, one of my favorite quotes is “if two people agree on everything, one of them is unnecessary.” The problem is how we show our disagreement with others. Do we listen, are we respectful. Or do we just post awful comments on face book and put hateful signs in our yards. We need to do better. Vote how you like in November but you need not tell me how to vote. If you are asked to wear a mask, wear it. It does not make you a sheep, it makes you look like you are concerned about the health of others. What a small “price to pay” for helping keep someone else safe.
Have a good week. I do ask each week that you “ Scatter Kindness”, this means being kind to all and to all God’s creatures too.