From: William Gibbons Jr
Sent: Friday, March 25, 2016 11:16 AM
To: 'william's email list' <williamslist@wsharing.com>
Subject: Happy Easter and an invitation to dinner

 

 

Greetings to each of you, 

Since my computer will remain off on Easter, you are being sent your ecard greeting early.

I have been thinking of adding something different to our Easter meal prayer this year.  Instead of all of us going right to “Amen” after “through Christ our Lord,” I will interject “I hear (or I am told) He is risen.”  To which others who wish will respond with the traditional, “He is risen indeed.”  I will then add, “This is Good News for everyone.  We should let people know.”  At that point we will finish saying grace with our “Amen.” 

Some might see it as silly to bother with such, but I think we really need to acknowledge the Good News of the resurrection when we gather this day.  We need to emphasize that it is meant for everyone, not just those who sit in church pews on Sundays (or Saturdays).  I think it is important, especially in our country right now, to proclaim that the resurrection story is not just another us and them situation.  It is an all-inclusive message of redemption.  Easter is indeed a day of Good News for every one of us, whether you currently believe it, disbelieve it, ignore it, or could simply care less.  God did something spectacular on what we call Easter morning (and, of course, on the day we call “Good Friday”).  Our belief, lack thereof, or total indifference, does not change that in the slightest.  It will ultimately impact every single one of us.

Besides being a day of Good News, Easter is also one of our holidays of gathering together.  Most of us share a meal with family and friends, or perhaps spend it serving others in the joy of His resurrection.  As with Thanksgiving and Christmas, each year I try to think of those we know who might be alone on Easter, so Donna and I can extend an invitation to join us.  Often, it is not until later that I remember someone else I could have called or emailed.  I decided I can go a long way toward solving that problem right now.  So, this is your invitation.  If you are not going to be with other friends, family, or serving somewhere, you are invited to join us.  Our entire life together, Donna and I have had an “open table” policy for each of the three major holidays mentioned.  You need not be a long time or close personal friend to come.  The invitation is genuine for each of you.  There is no need to celebrate Easter eating alone, except by personal choice (bad choice by the way).  Our holiday meals are around 2:00 in the afternoon.  All I ask is that you let us know no later than tomorrow (Saturday) evening that you will be joining us.  This allows us to gauge food amounts and how many places we will need to be setting around the table.  Since I would not see an email until Monday morning at this point, please call our home number (517 627-3462) and leave an RSVP message (only for a “yes.”  I do not need to know if you will be elsewhere ).  Ham will be the meat on the table, but there is never a shortage of other stuff if ham (or meat in general) is not your thing. 

Again, Happy Easter.  May God’s many blessings flow abundantly into your life on this day and always.  Be well.  Enjoy.

God’s peace,

william
Acts 5:29

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General Notes: 

My computer is usually kept turned off from sundown on Friday (beginning of the Sabbath) until very late on Sunday (end of the Lord's Day). Therefore, I typically do not see, nor have the opportunity to act on, reply to, or send, emails except on weekdays. Plus, I normally only check emails once each weekday morning, so later emails are not seen until the next day (or Monday if sent on a Friday). Please keep this in mind when deciding whether to email or phone. 

I am not on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media site. In addition to creating and maintaining the wsharing.com website (have you visited it lately?), I maintain one personal email list for sending information, updates, and various greetings. This list, created in 2016 as a simplification endeavor, combined a number of prior lists (atow/CBTC work list which was formerly the poet’s circle, Family & Friends email list, our Christmas card list, my birthday ecard list, and other items). It is used for holiday greetings or other home life related communications, but also keeps you apprised of basic information from a touch of william and Cherokee Bill's Teaching & Trade Center, as well as updates, changes, and new additions to my wsharing.com (.org and .net) website. While everyone receives all emails sent, the subject line of each email clearly identifies what it relates to, so you can easily decide if it is of interest to you. Those on my list also normally receive a birthday greeting by email. If you are receiving my other emails but not a birthday ecard, I probably do not have your birth date in my files. I would very much like to acknowledge your birthday, so please email me the date. This single combined list is my (and Donna’s) own separate list and unrelated to the T&SC corporate list (still called the poet’s circle). Simply reply to my email address to request addition to or removal from william’s list

I would like to emphasize that if, for any reason, you feel the need to be removed from my list, this is fine, just let me know. All I ask is that you please not block or designate my emails as 'spam.'  They are not that. Doing so could sidetrack them for others who wish to receive my emails. I have never sent spam and never will. If you are on my list, it is because you requested it, or our prior contact or relationship seemed to deem it appropriate. Since there is but one list now, however, also please be aware removal eliminates all general emails, including Christmas and holiday greetings, family updates, any direct sharing of my photography or poetry, and virtually all informational emails. 

Helping to identify and stop spam:  All emails from me clearly state the topic in the subject line. If there are any links, the complete URL is shown and the reason for the link described in the body of the letter. If I am including any attachments, they will be identified and mentioned in the body of the letter as well. When mailing to my list, I always use the blind carbon copy (Bcc) line so your email address does not appear in the email. My address books are kept only in my computer and not online anywhere. I do not forward petitions, lists, or similar items that show addresses, as these can be bogus attempts by spammers to collect them. 


If you add me to a list of yours, or whenever you are sending me multiple recipient emails, I would appreciate it if you would please use my wsharing.com@gmail.com email address.  It is my most public address. 

If you are replacing a working computer system or laptop with a newer one, live locally enough to drop your old one off at the Center (or have it picked up), and would like to donate it to my a touch of william outreach rather than try to find where to recycle or dispose of the old one, I freely place functioning used systems (Windows XP or later operating systems) with my slide shows into nature centers, museums, and other places where they are desired.  Call me (627-7366) if you have a system or laptop to donate. 
 

“Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.”  - Peace Pilgrim


“You can show your love to others by not wishing that they should be better Christians.”  - Francis of Assisi


“We must bear patiently not being good . . . and not being thought good.”  - Francis of Assisi


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