Hops, Hymns, and Holy Humor

Saturday evening was a Hops and Hymns gala at the Bayboro Tavern in St.Petersburg.  Local Lutheran churches have held this event for the past several years now and the tavern owner can count on at least about hundred people showing up.  However there were some heavy rains passing through the area during the day Saturday and the turnout was not so good.

Of course, immediately upon arrival  at the tavern, Nathan our grandson chose to find all the puddles to splash through.  The event was advertised as an invite for everyone from age one to one-hundred.  And, according to Martin Luther: " who drinks beer is quick to sleep, whoever sleeps does not sin, and whoever does not sin, gets to heaven, so lets drink beer!  I must admit that it did seem strange to be singing "Almighty Fortress is Our God" with a glass of beer in my hand!

Musicians from Hope Church led us in the singing with keyboard and guitar.  The bar is located at the edge of the University of  Southern Florida Campus.  So there was plenty of area for the children, including Nathan, to safely roam.  Currently the campus is quite beautiful with red blooming bougainvillea.

Sunday morning at Hope was Holy Humor Sunday.  This old Easter custom ( observed on the Sunday following Easter) was observed by the Greeks in the early centuries of Christianity.  Easter is always well attended, but there is an immediate drop in attendance the first Sunday following it.  So Laughter Sunday was born, after all  "for everything there is a season..a time to weep and a time to laugh (Eccl. 3:1,4).  Our first hymn was" Joy to the World"- the words of that Christmas carol are quite appropriate for Holy Humor Sunday.  Pastor Bresemann certainly kept things lively through-out the service with his knock knock jokes.  Not sure where he got them from but they were good.  Knock knock who is there?  Gladys- Gladys who?  Aren't you glad it is Sunday?  And then there is Oliver- Oliver who?  All of our joys come from the Lord.   During the sermon we blew up balloons and slowly expelled the air- which created a lot of laughter.  There just can not be a better way to celebrate the grace and mercy of God!  

I thank God for blooming flowers, children and animals who do put such joy in my life!  We are boarding our daughter's cat Zelda until she and Spencer can move into a home that will allow cats.  So we are extending our stay here in Florida until the end of April.  However, on Wednesday we are driving north to Ohio to visit family for a week.  Never fear, we will find some interesting stops along the way to share with you ourreaders when we return!