"The Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice...Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will."-- Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from the Birmingham Jail

The little dog Lily who was missing out on Chilkoot Lake was found safe and sound with much joy all around, which I take as a good omen for the first week of the year. 

The cold and clear weather made for a few perfect (well, it's all relative) days of skating to close 2017. And just like the year itself, there were a few lows, but such highs that I wanted to cheer-- I mean just look at this place. A person can't help but sing the Alleluia chorus. 

"Imagine you can disagree without someone being wrong."

It's the third Sunday in Advent, and in the bulletin in church today there were some suggestions for loving our neighbors (and everyone else) as well as we do  ourselves, that came from the Presiding Bishop. This tip is particularly useful for me on the Haines Borough Assembly, and no doubt will prove to be very helpful over the holidays (and everyday these days) for you, too.

The other night, as I watched the primary school Christmas concert in the Chilkat Center, when all the children in grades K-4 in our town were on the stage in that one place, all together, singing for us, I suddenly was afraid. Afraid something terrible might happen to those beloved children, including three of my grandchildren.

 I have been on vacation is all, cycling in Tucson with Chip for a week. On day three I said, "I feel guilty-- no borough meetings, no blogs, hardly any emails-- nothing but riding bikes in the sunshine, eating good food, soaking in the hot tub, and sleeping.. I mean, we aren't doing anything. I'm not even walking the dogs."

 "It's called a vacation,"  Chip said. (That's my wise man.)

It is Monday and it feels like Monday. 

Up at five, still cold and lots of snow, the fire was out, the puppy peed on the rug, my drip cup of coffee imploded when the filter broke and hot wet grounds spilled all over the counter, and then after braving the roads and dodging the plows, the pool was closed because a pipe burst. 

I am so grumpy. I figured I'd spread the gloom. 

Typing this made me laugh.

Thank you.

Therefore encourage one another and build up each other. --St. Paul