Almost two weeks ago, NBC published a piece about the death of a young boy in Colorado due to complications from the flu. The piece wasn’t written highlighting the importance of flu prevention or about the suffering of the family after the death of a child, but instead, as an attack on the parents’ decision to consult other parents in a natural Facebook about how to improve his symptoms.

I intended to write on it at the time, but as fate would have it, I was too ill with the flu myself.

There was once a faithful man who prayed every day and completely trusted in God’s goodness. However, he lived in a flood plain and the forecast was grim — 40 days and 40 nights of rain. When the governor declared a voluntary evacuation, the police drove through the man’s neighborhood encouraging people to leave over their loudspeakers, but the man replied, “God will provide.”

After a few days of steady rain and as the waters began to rise into the streets, the voluntary evacuation became mandatory and National Guard trucks were sent in to help remainers move out. The faithful man politely thanked them and, refusing to leave, said, “God will provide.” When the water reached his front stoop, first responders were sent in skiff boats to help him out. He refused again, saying, “God will provide.”

I’ve finally put to rest the old DocJay phrase, “harshes my mellow.” It was cute for awhile, but it had run its course, as all things do in time. To make up for the missing excitement that DocJay’s phrase added to my post, I’ve started each item on my list with the letter B.

Blowers: I hate these darn things. Leaf blowers interrupt my naps, they blot out my conversation with Marie as we walk the neighborhood, and they scare Bob the dog.

Consider this an exhortation. I hear things from Trump-ump David French (“calling balls and strikes,” but never tallying RBIs) and read articles from Christians anguished over the President’s ugly, New York Americanism, and I have trouble finding the Spirit in it. Rather than digging a channel to God’s ocean of mercy, it seems some Christians are trying to dispense it with a teaspoon. It’s all so pinched and joyless and, well, unfamiliar to me as “Christian.”

Donald Trump is a sinner. Christians should not be surprised by this. What is astonishing is the good he’s done and is continuing to do, which must, by necessity, originate with God, who is the source of all goodness. “Oh, but he’s not really Christian, he just mouths the right words about the preciousness of all human life as made in the image and likeness of God,” some say. The subtext of this criticism is he’s hopelessly irredeemable no matter what he says or does! Is that Christian love? Is it even recognizable as faith in God’s ability to work in and through Donald Trump’s life?