Check this out

https://pilgrimhall.org/thanksgiving.htm

18°F W9mph SR0712 SS1628

Morning Offering given

Memory Verse—John 16:33

I have told you this
so that you might have peace
in me.
In the world
you will have trouble,
but take courage,
I have conquered the world.”

Village peaceful & chilly

Coffee good-strong

Very hard to believe it has been 49 years since our 1st born arrived in this world. We loved the carrot red hair (so much like her dad’s) and knew she was a kahli (Gaelic: ceilidh… gathering, party, dancing stick) (Greek: Kallisto… most beautiful, cup, black) the minute we set eyes on her. The nurse almost choked at the unusual name and we Americanized it by spelling it in a socially acceptable manner.

Birthday greetings to Robby S and Miss America-Tonia D.

Today “Bacci” speaks to us about “The Blessedness of Those Who Mourn” pg 475. Quite the contrast in this world that generally believes happiness is. How can you NOT SEE the evil in this world? It lurks in every corner, actually these days it seems to celebrate in the streets. We allow this with the results being great physical and moral suffering. We are too absorbed in worldly vanities to be capable of tears of repentance. Tears of repentance – Tears of joy = the gift of tears. May God grant us the gift of tears.

The man is once again off to Morrison, IL for the day. I have 3 things to accomplish today and plan to spend the rest of my time at home. I’ll try to get a few things whipped into shape.

This is the perfect time of year to look back at your life, take note of those things you are grateful for, take note of those things you have sorrow over, and contemplate what you plan to do to make things right. Confession is a wonderful starting place. Dig deep into your memories, there is much to remember and be joyful and sorrowful about.

Know you are prayed for.

38°F NW15mph SR0710 SS1629

Morning Offering given

Village damp and sleepy

Coffee strong

Memory Verse John 8:31-32

Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him,
“If you remain in my word,
you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free.”

Lovely day at M&S C’s yesterday. Awesome Thanksgiving dinner. Was so good to see G,K,& H, E&K, O&T, J&B, and all the others. Loved the piano music, brings back memories of MomC and the hours spent singing around the piano. So many traditions are being lost in this fast-paced world.

Thank you to the St. John Summit Ridge PCCW for the 24-25 Sunday Missal. Very nice to have one of my own to prepare for Mass. Also many thanks to the Tri-Parish for the little blue Advent book. We have so many “helps” to take us through the Church year.

No housework was accomplished this past weekend other than cleaning the front porch. At least those who come to the house won’t see my mess at the door.

Upstairs renovation–4 more feet of hallway was located behind a false wall and the man says there are 6′ more behind another false wall before one reaches the outside wall of the house. He was looking for the wiring, (which he found along with insulation full of mouse dirt that will need replacing.) I’m all for putting in built-in bookcases and using the space, but I think that will not happen. Hey if you think there should be built-in bookcases contact the man and tell him please. As with all renovation projects, there is more to do once one starts. May as well get it done right the first time.

Today “Bacci” talks about “The Blessedness of the Meek” pg 473 of his Meditations for Each Day. He tells us meekness is not simply a form of apathy or good-natured affability. He advises it is based on humility and fortitude; feels insult and ingratitude and does not remove the suffering that accompanies them, but demands the heroism of silence and charitable behavior towards those who hurt us. Goes on to say for this reason it is not identical with weakness but requires spiritual fortitude because it makes a man complete master of himself. Anger is not always sinful, the Holy Spirit indicates if it remains subject to the control of reason and charity, it is only a reaction against evil and can exist alongside Christian meekness. But it is fatal to allow anger to become blaind and tyrannical for it will then turn a man to hatred and vengefulness. It will grow noisy & vulgar, give scandal to others, and leave the soul in a sense of restlessness and vexation. ( I can attest to this, I have been there.)

Know you are prayed for.

What the Catechism Says…
https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/367/

Catholics also believe that the sacraments are an outward sign of an inward grace. In this case, the outward sign is the absolution, or forgiveness of sins, that the priest grants to the penitent (the person confessing his sins); the inward grace is the reconciliation of the penitent to God.

The purpose of Confession is to reconcile man to God. When we sin, we deprive ourselves of God’s grace. And by doing so, we make it even easier to sin some more. The only way out of this downward cycle is to acknowledge our sins, to repent of them, and to ask God’s forgiveness. Then, in the Sacrament of Confession, grace can be restored to our souls, and we can once again resist sin.

Three things are required of a penitent in order to receive the sacrament worthily:

He must be contrite—or, in other words, sorry for his sins.
He must confess those sins fully, in kind and in number.
He must be willing to do penance and make amends for his sins.

A good rule of thumb is to go once per month. (The Church strongly recommends that, we go to Confession even if we are aware of venial sin only.)

The Sacrament of Confession is one of the seven sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church. Catholics believe that all of the sacraments were instituted by Jesus Christ himself. In the case of Confession, that institution occurred on Easter Sunday, when Christ first appeared to the apostles after his Resurrection. Breathing on them, he said: “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained” (John 20:22-23).

CONFESSION: STEP BY STEP
Before going to Confession, do an examination of conscience to reflect on
what sins you have committed. Say a prayer to the Holy Spirit for guidance. If
you are worried you won’t remember your sins, it’s OK to make a written list
and bring it with you to Confession.
It is important that you are truly sorry for your sins (contrition) and that you are
determined to try and avoid committing these sins in the future (resolution).

STEP 1: PREPARE FOR CONFESSION
When you enter the confessional, you can choose to kneel behind the screen
and confess anonymously or to walk over and sit in the chair across from
Father to confess face-to-face.
BEGIN WITH THE SIGN OF THE CROSS:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
CONFESS YOUR SINS:

• Begin by saying, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been (# of weeks/months/
  years) since my last confession. These are my sins.” If you are not doing a face-to-face
  confession, it can be helpful to the priest to say your age, marital status, or other important
  characteristics.
• Next, tell the priest all of the sins you have committed and if possible indicate the number
  or frequency of the sin. Is this something you do often or was it just once?
• When you have said all your sins, end with, “For these and all my sins, I am truly sorry.”
  LISTEN TO THE PRIEST:
• Listen closely as the priest talks to you and gives you your penance.
• The priest will ask you to pray an Act of Contrition (see back) out loud.
• When you finish, the priest will extend his hand and say the prayer of absolution: God, the
  Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to
  himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry
  of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the
  name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. You reply, “Amen.”
• Lastly, the priest will dismiss you with a prayer, such as: The Lord has freed you from your
  sins. Go in peace. You respond, “Thanks be to God” and leave the confessional.
  After leaving the confessional, go into a pew, kneel down and say a prayer
  of thanksgiving to God for his mercy and love. If the penance given by the
  priest is to say certain prayers, complete your penance in the church. If
  your penance is something else, such as making amends with a person, try
  to complete this as soon as you can.
  
  

LET ME BE BLUNT!
Having to make an appointment for confession
or offering one hour of confessions a week
during a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning
is negligent.
Make it longer.
Make it every day, at a time when people can actually come
Early morning before work
maybe around 5 or 6 p.m.
on their way home from work.
If you pastor more than one parish rotate daily.
Perhaps one parish is easier to get to than the other.

You cannot tell your parish confession is good if you are not there to hear it. No one should wonder if you will be there. No one should be told you cannot hear any more you have something else to do or Mass to say.

34°F ESE11mph SR0709 SS1629

Morning Offering given

Memory Verse — Hebrews 2:10

For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom
all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation
perfect through suffering.

Village, silent and peaceful

Coffee good

The hand continues to gain. The feet need more work. The weight seems permanently stuck. I think talking with the Doc about the possibility of my not being a good converter of T4 into T3 is in order. I have all the symptoms of thyroid issues but my blood tests are good. In all honesty, I’ve had these symptoms for years but always good blood tests. Time to get it checked out. Hopefully, the doctor will agree to send me to have that checked.

Morning! Hoping all woke rested and peaceful. Take a few moments to thank Jesus for bringing you through the night and into a new day. This can be done before your feet hit the floor. There are formal Morning Offerings or ones that come directly from your heart.

Reading any special book for Advent? I’m looking into a few.

Bacci on page 471 of his Meditations for Each Day addresses “The Blessedness of the Poor” today. He advises that we need a proper understanding of the meaning of Matthew 5:3 ” Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” He advises that Christian perfection does not actually consist in being poor. That it can coexist with great wealth. This perfection consists in detachment from worldly possessions. The perfection we must have if we wish to be true followers of Christ. We must guard against riveting our ambitions on earthly objects as if they are capable of constituting the goal of our lives. St Paul warned that those who seek to become rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many useless and harmful desires, which plunge men into destruction and damnation. 1 Tim 6:9-10 Let us all (rich & poor) seek only true riches which are holiness and the grace of God.

Know you are prayed for.

33°F WSW5mph SR0708 SS1630

Morning Offering given

Memory verse–Daniel 12:2

“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake;
some shall live forever,
others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.”

Village waking

Coffee, POD type

The man in IL bringing someone back today. Already in Boscobel headed this way.

Got home last night around 9, and promptly fell asleep in my chair, waking about 2:30. Hmmm, I must have been tired.

Looking forward to this morning. I am taking one of the special scholars shopping at Dollar Tree, she has never been to one. Hope to be home by noon.

Hoping to get seat covers on both vehicles today along with the storage netting between the seats. Long time happening, hopefully, today will get it off my list. Funny how things always seem to get on the to-do list, many getting off quickly, but there is always one maybe two that linger there and one needs a push to get it done.

Today’s ponder… Men may be divided into 3 principal categories ^Bacci
“the evil” are numerous, fools are infinite, committing countless sins
“the indifferent” are content to lead materialistic lives without any thought to eternity
“the good” unfortunately these are few
WHICH ONE AM I?

Know you are prayed for.

39°F NW10mph SR0707 SS1631

Morning Offering given

Village peaceful… snow disappeared

Coffee good

Memory Verse— James 5:17-18

Elijah was a human being like us;
yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,
and for three years and six months, it did not rain upon the land.
18 Then he prayed again,
and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.

Morning!
Today is my office day and bank run day. Tonight, I’m off to Iowa to pick someone up and bring them back to Cashton. The snow has disappeared, the cold is here to stay I’m afraid. Time to get out the silkies and put them on.
Label job completed and ready to deliver. Copy (2) jobs completed and ready to deliver. The car needs a good wash and vacuum. Laundry to fold and put away. Life is good how’s yours?
Aldi’s grand opening in Viroqua was packed with people. I understand Viroqua doesn’t have a grocery store per se. There is WalMart and the Co-Op but no real hometown grocery. For those of us who are lucky enough to have a hometown grocery store, we all should be shopping in it or it will be gone. I cannot imagine driving 20 mins to the grocery. It has been my experience if I need something ask if it can be ordered in. So far that has worked well. Well except for the apricot pie filling that is.

The man is off to Milwaukee today.

Today’s Ponder: God does not need me, I need God. Therefore, it is my obligation to work to proclaim the glory of God. If I love myself more than I love God, I seek my own glory and stray from the Lord. I become lukewarm in my faith and eventually lose it.

Know you are prayed for.

26°F NW28mph 2″snow SR0705 SS1631

Morning Offering given… check out Megan Woods’ music

Village covered in white

Coffee brewing

Memory Verse— 1Thessalonians 5:18

“Give thanks
in everything;
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus for all of you”

Morning!
Winter has arrived in the wilds of Wisconsin. It is truly beautiful out there this morning. We are so very fortunate in this neck of the woods to have beautiful seasons every year that remind us of the power of God and the awe in his creations. Straightforward day ahead of me. Workshop clients and a quick run into Viroqua for a bit of shopping. I look forward to an evening at home with the man. The sweatshirt & tees from Eternal Light arrived yesterday… loving them!

Copy jobs (5) were completed and delivered yesterday. 1 label design job submitted for approval. Who would have thought so much use would be gotten out of this copy machine. I am looking for a new laminator. I’ve used mine till it gave up. Another useful office machine to replace.

Tracy & Pene worked their magic yesterday. These women are amazing!

Know you are prayed for.