For some reason I have been very fortunate recently; it was a pleasure to be in the Solstice service with the talented team of TRUU members who put it together; Christmas was the happy occasion for being with my family and getting some new ski clothing; my best friends from theological school, who I have known for 41 years, threw me a 65^th birthday dinner party in Chicago; and on January 1, when Patty and I went to our Office Depot to create a 90^th birthday party invitation for her mother, they only charged us $2.91 for creating, printing, cutting, and providing envelopes for it!  Though we only needed 15, the employee spent a lot of time helping us, so we were really surprised at the low cost.  They were very generous with their time, expertize, equipment, and supplies.

Just as I was reveling in my lucky start to the New Year, I realized that these were not “random acts of kindness.”  They were intentional, planned, even corporately sponsored.  As we start the New Year, as individuals and a congregation, we should plan “acts of kindness” and for social justice, like our friends, families, some corporations, and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., so there will be some reason we will all be fortunate in the years ahead.