My brothers and sisters,

There are certain activities that you can do no matter what the season or what the weather. For instance, during the summer you can swim in pools, lakes or the river and in the winter you can do the polar plunge. You can ski on both the snow and the water. You can fish year round and you can even grow things in the garden, green house or with cold frames.

One thing I have noticed (and maybe you have too) is that there aren’t any yard sales in the winter (not counting indoor estate sales which are less about decluttering and more about preparing a home for sale). From late spring till the fall, they have yard sales every week but, come the cold months, they seem to disappear. Right when you’re really hooked on them, the rug is pulled right from under you. You go from looking forward to the weekly adventure to total withdrawal.

Now, yard sales are fun. While my wife looks for bargains, I like talking with those who are running them. You meet some very nice people that way. I think that is what I miss the most in winter. I don’t get to run into new or familiar people as often to just have a conversation. Everyone is bundled up inside and no one wants to stand outside to talk. Especially me! I can’t take the cold. So while looking for a bargain and finding one is rewarding, there are drawbacks to this outing. In the excitement of shopping, some people get carried away. They get home and, after unloading all the stuff they just purchased, might ask themselves, "I wonder why I bought this or that item" and, after acquiring a lot of these items, you have to have a yard sale of your own to hopefully get rid of them! In fact, I know people who go to yard sales just to buy stuff to sell at their own!!!

You might not be aware that the church has a yard sale of its own and, unlike traditional ones that end after a few months, ours runs all year long. Unlike other yard sales where you have to pretend that you really don’t want whatever they have for sale so you can get it cheaper, everything that we offer – remission of sin, the Eucharist, quiet time, prayer, the word of God in the sacred scriptures or simply the company of people who believe as we do – is free. You don’t have to ask for a discount. It’s all included when you walk through the doors. A bargain. All you have to do is want it enough to come.

May God Bless You,

Deacon Ray