Gathering Graces 3/28/2020 Monopoly, Frozen 2 and virus gets personal

Now I feel more confident conversing with my students about Elsa and Anna and their roles in both "Frozen" and "Frozen 2" because I have now re-watched "Frozen" to refresh my memory, and watched "Frozen 2" today.  Zoe asked me which one I liked better.  I would have to say "Frozen".

I told Paul I felt like playing a board game today, one of those we usually don't play because they take too long.  One like Monopoly.  So that is what Zoe, Paul and I did on the late afternoon today.  Zoe was the big winner, wiping Paul and I out by acquiring the monopolies of Broadway, Park Place, Baltimore and Mediterranean and getting houses and hotels on them early.

Today I learned of two families close to our family that have family members who tested positive for the virus or are quarantined and are waiting for results.  Both families live in Idaho. Both have family members that are healthcare workers.  The news just makes me pray more for those essential workers who continue to do their jobs in our communities each and every day.

Stan Newton, a good friend of Paul's parents and a missionary in Bulgaria, posted this on his Facebook page and this is how I feel about how I, as a Christian, should respond to this virus:

Simple Theology for the Corona Virus
Stan Newton
1. We live in a broken world. We should not be surprised by our current situation.
2. God sent Jesus 2,000 years ago to fix what was broken.
3. God is not sending this virus to punish us, test us or to make us stronger.
4. God is with us and in us fighting against this virus.
5. Those living in the Kingdom have access to health and healing and can minister this to others.
6. As we expand the Reign of Jesus, we push out the darkness and create a world of righteousness, peace and joy.
7. Be a source of comfort and hope for those in need.

Thank you, Stan, for these good words. I keep trying to live out #7 each and every day.

We finished Season One of "Picard" tonight.  It was good.  My only negative comment would be the adding of the more "mature" language to the show.  It really didn't make the story any better.  And I felt like it went against the tone of the past "Star Trek" shows.  Jean Luc Picard did fine through seven seasons of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" without using the F-word.  Why does he have to start now?

And, to make you smile, here are a couple of cute photos I took of Clark today.