3°F NW11mph SR 0726 SS1704

Morning Offering Adoration

Village sleeping when I left it was -8°F

No coffee

Birthday greetings to s-i-l, Terese S.
31 yrs ago, we adopted our second sibling group, Josh & Tom. They’ve grown into good men who are working on overcoming their struggles.

Today, we look at the Conversion of St. Paul. God turned Paul onto the right path from the wrong path. We invite God to correct our direction when necessary. All-knowing Lord, You alone know what is best for me; let me welcome all opportunities You send to follow You, even when it is difficult.

Meditations for Each Day, pg. 33 Mediocrity Mt 5:48, Lev 11:44. This meditation holds real conviction. Thanks to a VDF for bringing it to my attention.

Scripture Reading for Day 25
•Cultivating a Quiet Heart, Isaiah 32:17, The work of justice will be peace; the effect of justice, calm and security forever.ⁿ
•New Beginnings, Philippians 3:13-14, Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead,1 4I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.^l

If you haven’t been journaling the readings each time for what it takes to cultivate a quiet heart or start a new beginning, you might want to consider it. Having a plan written out helps one stay on track and keep going when things become difficult.

Not feeling the greatest today. I managed a very peaceful Adoration. Even with the cloud and dull ache in my head. I do not see the medications I was prescribed as making any improvements.

Hope your day is enlightening and restful.

Know you are prayed for.

-22°F S1mph SR0727 SS1703

Morning Offering given

Village still shivers with the cold, streets are quiet, nothing stirs unless it has to

Coffee warming

St Frances de Sales reminds us we are all blessed with certain gifts and responsibilities in serving our neighbors. May we choose to use them correctly.

Meditations for Each Day, pg. 32, Following Through… John 14:6, 8:12

Scripture Readings for Day 24
•Cultivating the Quiet Heart, 1Peter 3:13-15 Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good?14But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, 15but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you fora reason for your hope,^f
•New Beginnings, 2 Peter 3:12-13 ^* waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God,^k because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. 13But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth^* in which righteousness dwells.^l

The cold is slowly seeping into every crack and crevice. A while back, when the cold began, it was uncomfortable but livable. As the cold slowly moved downward, it became familiar and even accepted as the way things were going to be. Then it even fluctuated up and down until finally it once again began its descent. Only this time it has surrounded us. It encompasses everything. There is no getting away from it.

Sin is like that. It begins with discomfort, slowly winding into a habit, with us accepting it as the way things are. Here we sit in what was once freedom but is now bondage. Some knew all along where it was leading, but didn’t care. Others are truly surprised at where they have ended up, and some lead the way, as it was their intent for everyone from the beginning.

Don’t let this be you… “Sometimes the devil allows people to live a life free of trouble, because he doesn’t want them turning to God. Sin is like a jail-cell except it is all nice and comfy, and there doesn’t ever seem to be any need to leave. The door is wide open, until one day, time runs out, and the cell door slams shut, and suddenly, it’s too late.” _{(Mia’s Mom in God is Not Dead)}

Know you are prayed for.

-21°F -44°F windchill NW12mph SR0728 SS1702

Morning Offering given

Village in the deep freeze, not much moving here today. No school.

Coffee good, but hot choco would be better

St Ildefonsus shows us how to celebrate Mary’s willingness to accept God’s will no matter what this obedience cost her.

Meditations for Each Day by Cardinal Antonio Bacci pg. 31: Carrying Our Cross
“…we must embrace our cross every day. We must carry it with resignation and love in the footsteps of Jesus. Each of us has his cross. It might be ill health or financial distress. It might be some person whom we feel to be intolerable and with whom we have to live. It might be humiliation or calumny. It might be some temptation which we find hard to fight and which is continually causing us to fall. It might be all these things together. Whatever it is, it is our cross. To rebel would be to make things far worse. Our cross would only become heavier and more unbearable. Jesus tells us to embrace it as He did. He tells us to bow beneath its weight and follow Him. If we accept His invitation, at once our cross will seem lighter.”

Scripture Readings for Day 23
•Cultivating a Quiet Heart, Hebrews 4:9-10, Therefore, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God. 10And whoever enters into God’s rest, rests from his own works as God did from his.
•New Beginnings, 2 Peter 3:10-11, But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,^* and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.ⁱ11Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought [you] to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion,^j

Today is a good day to make some time to think about what you have been reading this month. I’ve found it quite interesting that the scripture readings are telling how to quiet our hearts and how to begin our relationship with Christ. When I couple those with the daily meditations, I find myself with plenty to think about and work on. Today’s meditation in particular gives me much food for thought. If you were raised like I was, you were taught to “fix” the hardship, work hard, make it better, so you didn’t have to suffer much. Here we are being told to accept it, make ourselves one with it, and keep moving forward. In doing so, our suffering will lessen. Much food for thought here. What’s your take on it?

Know you are prayed for.

7°F W16 SR0729 SS1700

Morning Offering given

Village shivers, temps are dropping

Coffee hot

Bl Laura Vicuna‘s innocence, in spite of being abused, teaches us the wisdom of child-like faith. Jesus help me to follow Bl Laura’s example and make my faith simple, complete, perfect.

Meditations for Each Day pg. 29: Self-Denial Matthew 16:24 Self-denial might seem to be a degradation and almost an annihilation of human nature. Examine carefully what is meant by self-denial. Renounce all those lower impulses and desires which besiege the soul (1Peter2:11). Take control and discipline your passions. Turn passions into virtues. We must renounce our own ego and will, turning them into whatever is pleasing to God.

Scripture Readings for Day 22
•Cultivating a Quiet Heart, James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.^e
•New Beginnings, Romans 6:4 We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.^d

Temps are dropping this morning and will continue to do so until Saturday. Did anyone else’s G’ma open up the doors wide each winter morning and let the cold air in? Mine was convinced all the “germs” would be annihilated. Just a few pickup and drop-off tasks to accomplish this morning, and then I’ll do it in reverse tonight.

Anyone know who was involved in the accident at 33 & Oklahoma last night?

Know you are prayed for.

10°F WSW11mph SR0730 SS1659

Morning Offering given

Village peaceful

Coffee ok

St. Agnes shows us that answering the Lord’s call is not easy, but by choosing Him, we receive our heart’s desire. Beloved Lord, help me to follow my vocation, listening to and following You in all that I do and become in my life.

Meditations for Each Day, pg. 28, Humility Humility is the most difficult of all virtues because it requires us to deny ourselves. (Matthew 16:24)

Scripture Readings Day 21
•Cultivating a Quiet Heart Jeremiah 17:7-8 Blessed are those who trust in the LORD; the LORD will be their trust.^d 8They are like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: It does not fear heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still produces fruit.^e
•New Beginnings Colossians 3:10-11 ^* and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator.^g 11Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian,^* slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.^h

The Colossians readings from yesterday and today are thought-provoking for me. What about you?

Temps are warming up today, so we may have more new snow.

Please pray for my son Tom. He’s beginning over. Hopefully, this time, he can stay on the path.

Two copy jobs completed and ready for delivery. I take the workers to the shop today. New brakes get put on the SUV. Need to get the SW moved into the garage and thawed out. It needs to be registered and plated. Grateful we have the plates left from the wheelchair van that we sold last summer. They are still good till March. This little car will be a good runabout when SUV/orTruck are overkill.

Please continue your prayers for Joe.

The Man will be spending his weekends in IA for the next few weeks, working with the CEW crew for the upcoming retreat weekend.

Life is good, what about yours?

Know you are prayed for.

-13°F SW7mph SR0731 SS1656

Morning Offering given

Village frrrrreeeeeezing

Coffee ok

St. Sebastian showed us how to stay strong, to speak, and to act during torture and death for our faith. Father, make me strong enough to speak and act in your name and on behalf of your people, even in the face of danger.

Meditations for Each Day, Pg.26: The Pope

Scripture Readings Day 20
• Cultivating a Quiet Heart, Ephesians 4:29, No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear.^x
• New Beginnings, Colossians 3:8-9, But now you must put them all away:^* anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths.^e 9Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices^f

If you could all take a moment to pray for my nephew, Joe. He is going through a rough time right now.

Yesterday was Martin Luther King Day. Below you will find his entire speech. I’ve found over the years that people like to pick and choose the parts they like and leave out the rest. Here is your chance to read the entire speech.

“I Have A Dream” (speech given August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC)
by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration
for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the
Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to
millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a
joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the
Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One
hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of
material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of
American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to
dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our
republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence,
they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a
promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable
rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of
color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro
people a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” But we refuse to
believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds
in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check
that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also
come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to
engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the
time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate
valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from
the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make
justice a reality for all of God’s children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer
of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of
freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that
the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the
nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the
Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the
foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which
leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty
of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of
bitterness and hatred.
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not
allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to
the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy
which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for
many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that
their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is
inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We
can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police
brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel,
cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be
satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can
never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their
dignity by signs stating “For Whites Only”. We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in
Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No,
no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and
righteousness like a mighty stream.
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of
you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest
for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police
brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that
unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go
back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that
somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I
still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of
former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of
injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom
and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having
his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in
Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and
white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made
low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the
glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able
to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to
transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With
this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail
together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My
country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the
pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.”
And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the
prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New
York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let
freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village
and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all
of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will
be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last!
thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/16/i-have-a-dream-speech-text-martin-luther-king
jr_n_1207734.html

Know you are prayed for.

-7°F WNW19mph SR0731 SS1656

Morning Offering given

Village fffrrrreeeezzzzing!

coffee okay

Sts. Marius, Martha, Audifax, and Abachum show us how making do with less allows us to give more to the poor.

Meditations for Each Day, pg. 24: The Church Christ not only founded the Church as the mystical Body but also as a visible and hierarchical society, the supreme authority in doctrine and morals.

Scripture Readings for Day 19
•Cultivating a Quiet Heart, Romans 14:17-19 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Spirit;^p 18whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by others. 19Let us^* then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another.^q
•New Beginnings, Galatians 6:14-15 But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which^* the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.^k 15For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision,^l but only a new creation.^*

More snow fell last night. Not a lot, but enough to cover the ground. The windchill today is a killer -30. I doubt the car will ever warm up. It’s a good thing I don’t have a very full day.

The decision to purchase an old beater was made. More on that later.

1 email ready to deliver and 1 copy job ready to go.

Waiting for the school delay/cancel for today. Only 2 are going with me, and I doubt that one of them will go due to the cold.

Know you are prayed for.

-4°F SW7mph SR0732 SS1655

Morning Offering given

Village shivering cold with a steady breeze

Coffee later

Meditations for each Day, pg. 23: The Veration and Imitation of the Saints

Scripture Readings Day 18
•New Beginnings: 2 Corinthians 5:17 ^k So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.
•Cultivating a Quiet Heart: Psalm 37:7 Be still before the LORD; wait for him. Do not be provoked by the prosperous, nor by malicious schemers.

Have an awesome Sunday!

Know you are prayed for.

8°F NW14mph SR0732 SS1654

Morning Offering given

Village covered in layer of snow

Coffee okay

Birthday greetings to Judy S.

Bl. Christina Ciccarelli shows us that our love for Jesus should be evident for all to see in our deep humility and obedient actions.

Meditations for Each Day pg 22: The Vicissitudes of Life ” Life is a battle. Therefore we have to be armed and ready and always on the alert (Job 7:1, Mat 26:38). there are three kinds of trials which we have to expect: • suffering in the guise of illnes/accidents • insults, lack of understanding/ingratitude of our fellowmen • temptations/allurements of sin.

Scripture Readings for Day 18
• Cultivating a Quiet Heart Proverbs 16:32 The patient are better than warriors, and those who rule their temper, better than the conqueror of a city.ⁿ
• New Beginnings 1Peter 1:3 ^* Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,^c

Once again, “winter” has found its way into the Wilds of Wisconsin. The ground is covered by beautiful snow, the air is crisp and clean, and the roads are slippery. The snow shovels will come out to clean walkways and driveways. Rain gutters will need to be cleared of icicles. Sand/salt will be spread to remain steady while walking/driving. This all of course comes after a very successful Chiropractice & Reflexology appointment yesterday. I was to have had a stay home day that turned into a car day after appointments. Sometime today my new bible cover is to appear along with photoprints. The blog has been paid for another year, the brake appointment for the SUV is set for Wednesday of next week. There is a label copy job in the works and an email already printed, to be delivered today on my way to the bulk food store.

Life here in the wilds is good. How are you doing this month?

Know you are prayed for.

25°F W14mph SR0733 SS1653

Morning Offering given

Village dusted in new pristine snow

Coffee good

St. Anthony helps us understand that solitude is vital if we wish to meditate on and approach God. Father, teach me that by giving myself to you in silence and meditation and quietude, I am also giving myself the gift of your awe-inspiring presence.

Meditations for Each Day pg. 20: The Help of God… Do not think it is sufficient to ask for God’s help; his assistance is absolutely necessary, but our co-operation with divine grace is equally necessary.

Scripture Readings on Day 16
•Cultivating a Quiet Heart: John 14:27 Peace^* I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.^s
•New Beginnings: Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us^* and persevere in running the race that lies before us 2while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.^a

Friday has arrived, Reflexology and Chiropractic appointments begin the day. To be followed by another bout of office cleaning and organizing, a copy job, and ending with taking someone home after stopping at the fabric shop on County U.

BOOK: John Grisham’s Gray Mountain... a must-read! 12 hours of edge-of-the-seat drama.

The man is off to Milwaukee for the day.

Know you are prayed for.