Did you know that today is National Doughnut Day – or Donuts if your prefer. I pretty sure that we all now how to celebrate the day, but did you know the history behind the celebration? We have the Salvation Army (SA) to thank for this holiday. During World War I, the SA sent teams of volunteers to support the troops by meeting some of their needs: baked goods, writing supplies and stamps, and a clothes-mending service. Because of the difficulties of providing freshly baked goods from huts established in abandoned buildings near to the front lines, the two SA volunteers came up with the idea of providing doughnuts – which were instantly popular.
In 1938 the Chicago area SA wanted to do a fund raiser for the poor of the Great Depression and also to honor the SA volunteers from WWI – the rest is history
On All Saints Day we celebrate, remember, and honor all the saints, known and unknown. Back in the earliest days of the Church, we did not so much think of “saints” but rather martyrs were especially esteemed. It was very much a local event, as the local church celebrated the anniversary of a martyr’s death on the anniversary date and in the place of martyrdom. By the 4th century the list of martyrs had grown considerably with some martyrs being celebrated more universally. The Church was caught between its desire to remember and celebrate the martyr’s witness and death, an ever expanding geography, and the practical matter of finding days to set aside to celebrate. Very soon there was a movement to find a common day to celebrate martyrs that were important to the Church while leaving the local communities to set aside days for martyrs that loomed larger in local memory. 
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In today’s 
Someone once describe a blog as the digital platform that ensures no thought ever goes unpublished. I think there is a large measure of truth in that definition. The previous post, “
It is not a small thing to decide to leave life as you know it and take up the mantle of missionary. Many of the folks that join overseas mission services are taking a “gap” year – or in our mission society, three years. Lots of folks are recent college graduates or folks at the start of retirement. I was mid-career. I had worked for a company, started a company, sold a company, and as we reached the end of our agreement to remain, friends and I were considering starting another company. Then my pastor asked if this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I often jokingly tell people not to take dating advice from a priest. Perhaps I should have been cautious about taking career advice from a priest. About the same time, as I noted in a previous 
This week someone thanked me for my service because Memorial Day was coming up. I appreciated the thought but mentally noted so many people are a little unclear about the different holidays. Here is a handy reminder that I saw recently posted:
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