November 2016 Highlights

• For my November review, I'm joining Kristin Hill Taylor's Things from November Three Word Wednesday, and Emily P. Freeman's Things We Learned this Fall. Yay!



• Día de los muertes, in Grand Park DTLA, closely followed by

• All Saints Sunday at LCM—I didn't take pictures. It was a wholly Holy Day.



• It's about time I shared photos of the citrus tree in the church yard. Almost ripe fruit makes it especially delightful.



• I always enjoy passing 11022 Santa Monica Blvd on my way to church for SS and worship, and to observe the milkweed interim pastor planted a few months ago. I've pictured milkweed planter boxes every week, and need to compile a photographic timeline.

• In a super exciting 10-inning game, Chicago Cubs finally won the MLB World Series against Cleveland Indians 4-3 on Wednesday 02 November 2016. If that had been the Boston Red Sox I'd have had a heart attack as the game progressed, but I know how Shytown fans felt, since I had the same anxiety and elation in 2004 when Boston won the World Series.



• Kids at the school the judicatory offices and 1^st ELCA Glendale share the campus with made these pumpkins I more than noticed when I was there for the Green Faith Team meeting. Cute scarecrow! I check out the windows every time I'm at synod offices.



• Annual National Sandwich Day USA happened on Thursday 03 Nov; I got a 6-inch SOTD at Subway, and a second 6-inch of my choice to celebrate and donate to the company's program and cause to feed hungry humans.

• Tuesday, 08 November was election day USA and included voting for the next POTUS. Exciting to get to vote for a women for head of state / head of government, and Hillary won the popular vote, but due to the USA still having the Electoral College, it still looks as if the other candidate will be sworn into office come January.

Additional not pictured new to me experiences included:

• Hotdogs from a vendor at the edge of Grand Park. I typically avoid hotdog carts because they never have mayonnaise, but this one did, so I got my bacon-wrapped wiener with grilled onions, cilantro, and mayonnaise.

• Pollo Campero, new to me fast food, focused more on cuisine from Guatemala and El Salvador with a Peruvian accent than on Comidas Mexicanas. The site explains, "We don't just serve sodas and tea, we serve Horchata, Jamaica and Tamarindo," which is close to a given around here, but their pride tells the story of their success!

• Not sure if it truly was a never before, but we have after worship brunch at church every week, and a couple weeks ago a newly baptized guy prepared an irresistible meal of Lebanese food. I said to him, "This is Mediterranean! I've had this kind of food many times!" He replied, "Of course." So I had to check out a map to find Lebanon.

• I almost cannot believe I finished leading our adult SS class in Luke's whole, entire, Revised Common Lectionary Year C on Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday.

• On Reign of Christ / Christ the King, interim pastor bestowed on me a life scripture verse from the second reading for that day. Although I've chosen several verses on my own, I never started or finished a formal confirmation study course, when sometimes the pastor – sometimes the confirmand – chooses a verse to ponder all their lives long, so I was excited when Pastor Peg offered bible verses to anyone who asked:

Colossians 1:11

• May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Two more illustrations and a wrap(up):



• Another Thanksgiving Day feast at church; very thankful that for the second year in a row I could invite people to dinner. Maria created all the gorgeous flower arrangements!



• On the first Sunday of Advent the church began a new year of grace (we are the church!) and started emphasizing readings from the gospel according to St, Matthew, aka RCL year A. Interim pastor presented me with a nativity-related gift and a thank you note:

• "Advent 2016

Dear Leah,

You have led us through Luke, the gospel that gives us this image of the Nativity. We now enter the Year of Matthew and are grateful you are our guide in Advent Study!

Thank you & God's blessings,
♥ LCM"

• I designed a group of Advent grunge graphics for my Facebook design page and this blog featuring snippets from the first readings that each Advent Sunday in year A are from 1^st Isaiah; the Nativity design still needs finishing touches.

• When Francisco Sepúlveda, familia and cohorts ventured into Las Californias, they never dreamt of a month like November 2016 I've only highlighted, but that's what can happen when you live in LA and you have several gigs. Stay tuned to this (occasional) frequency for next month...

• For time is a river rolling into nowhere
We must live while we can

So time is a river rolling into nowhere
I will live while I can
I will have my ever after

Steve Winwood, "The Finer Things"