I feel like Moses.  For 12 years, we have served our church as lay ministers, musicians,choir members, lectors, pot-luck planners, fund raisers, and occasional toilet cleaners....

Pastor D retired in April of 2006. For three months following his retirement, I wrote and delivered a sermon every week. I continued to plan and help perform the music weekly.  I presided at baptisms and received new members into the church, I counseled the troubled,  and prayed with the sick.

I was struck, as we drove over Donner Pass for the second time in 48 hours, how amazing a feat that really was. Most of us who live in Nevada are aware of the story of the Donner party: a group of gold-seekers in the mid 1800's who got lost in the Sierra mountains during an early November snow storm and resorted to cannibalism for several months to survive until they were found in the spring.

....that church is cancelled.

That was the message I heard when the phone rang early this morning.   We have been trapped in a series of storms coming off the Pacific: daily snows and blowing winds necessitate frequent snowplowing by DH. 

Pastor Bev, living in our guest house, and not used to such persistent "weather," asked whether we have ever had to cancel church in the past. "CANCEL CHURCH?!" exclaimed DH. "Never happen-we're always able to get through."

Whew! Well, don't say that WE aren't part of the jet set!  Now that I am awake and recovering from our New Year's Eve celebration, I will condescend to share with you the log of our festivities.

It started in the morning with a snowshoeing expedition with the dogs around the property. Only once around in 10" of snow was enough excitement for me, so I retired back to the safety (and warmth) of my den.  

The old Mervyn's Christmas commercial shows the woman waking up at 3am on the day after Thanksgiving, and standing at the door of Mervyn's.....
"Open, open, open....." she chants.

I always thought it was a stupid commercial. Until now.  Because as of midnight tonight I am eligible for my 20% senior discount at the thrift store on Thursdays......

open...open...open....open