10.24.2023

62⁰F SSW@13mph SR0728 SS1805

Morning Offering given

Village sleeps

Coffee good

The man sleeps

Happy (posthumous) Birthday, Dad! Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

This man stepped into my life when I was in 3rd grade. He married my mother and adopted her children. Not one time did he act like I was not his child. Not one time did he fail to be the dad I needed. This is not to say he was perfect because he was not. This is to say he knew how to love a child who was difficult. He accepted me where I was, patiently guided me, firmly disciplined me, and taught me to set boundaries, be true to myself, and believe there was something better ahead. I thank God for his time in my life.

Lightning, flashing this morning. No rain, but rain is coming, just a matter of time.

Today’s ponder

“Lead us not into temptation“

James 1:13-15

No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one.h

Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.

Bacci hits the nail on the head again. For those who don’t have his book but do have FB… https://m.facebook.com/cardinalbacci/?wtsid=rdr_07Dtx4GJryjpEfqSW

Know you are prayed for.

10.23.2023

41⁰F cloudy SSE@13mph SR0727 SS1807

Morning Offering given

Village quiet

Coffee good

Intermittent Fast Day #11. Feels like my body is humming (vibrating). My breath is horrid. Hmmm, it’s working. Tomorrow, I weigh and measure. Kudos to my friend AM for bringing this plan to my attention.

Made it home yesterday to find the guys winterizing the front porch. The fountain put away for winter. The pre electrical work completed in the office.

It is good to be home. It was good to be north and spend time with family.

Back to normal today with a busy Monday ahead of me.

“ As we also forgive our debtors”

Is today’s meditation. In a nutshell, forgive, sincerely forgive from the heart, or Jesus will not forgive you. Many scoff at this thought because after all I took Jesus as my Savior. I am saved, heaven bound… it’s a given.

It is not a given.

Nope, it is not. Look what Jesus did while hanging on the cross.

Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them they know not what they do.”

Again, he instructs…

Matthew 5:23-24

“If thou art offering thy gift at the altar and thou remember that thy brother has anything against thee, leave thy gift before the altar and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”

Convicted once again by the words of Christ. Looks like I have some work to do.

Know you are prayed for.

10.22.2023

30 clear WNW@3mph SR0720 SS1801

Morning Offering given

B&B in Lanark peaceful “Strength comes from rest”

Happy Birthday to my son-in-love Kyle

Happy 1st Anniversary to Kyle & Amy… wow!

Day @10 of Intermittent Fasting… let us just say everything I consumed was eatten during my eating time-frame. Oh and coffee was substitued 6 times for the water. But, this morning I don’t feel worse for wear and I was sensible.

Coffee dripping… fairly good tasting too!

Wonderful time yesterday at the Lutefisk/Lefse dinner in Northland. So good to spend time with family Jean/Judy/Nancy/Patsy. Supper with Jean/Terry topped off the day. Was amazed at how many memories came forward on the drive to Northland. The farm looked wonderful. The big rock wasn’t there and the gully at the end of the sledding hill didn’t seem so deep. No stick horses tied up could be found anywhere but in my mind and the conversations with family. My favorite house ever still stands. Funny the dreams of childhood: revisited still bring the feeling of belonging. I have not been in this area for years and that feeling is still there. Today I will drive by G’pa Jim’s before I leave. I’m sure the memories of mules and horses will emerge. Vists to two cemeteries are on the list as well church attendance in the place of my baptism. Then home to where I belong now. Thank you’s to Patsy for putting this video together and to George for posting. Was good to see so many old faces and surprising to remember some of them.

WTG Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and others in Arkansas for talking the steps needed to get hostile countries holding land out of her state. May the 49 other states follow.

My meditation for today is focused on “Forgive us our debts” from the Lord’s Prayer
We’ve already asked God to give us what we need to sustain us daily. Now we are asking him to forgive our debts. We owe God everything right down to the crook in our little finger. He is the only one who can rescue us from the world/from ourselves. Antonio Cardinal Bacci addresses this in his book Meditations For Each Day. Bacci makes one look deep into their being and recognize what was, what should have been, and what could be, if only we are willing to turn ourselves wholly to God and give him the reins to drive. Personally, I fail daily at giving up the driver’s seat. Daily I start again.

Know you are prayed for.

10.21.2023

41 cloudy NE@6mph SR0719 SS1803

Morning Offering given

Artha B&B in Lanark is quiet and restful

Cofffee brewing… fresh ground beans

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (Meditations for Each Day pg 422) has an interesting comment in today’s reading “We are under an obligation to work, because work is the result of, and the punishment for, sin, It enables us to co-operate with God in His work of creation and has been ennobled and sanctified by Jesus Christ.” Quite the thought isn’t it? I am obligated to work. I wonder how many of today’s young or not so young know/feel this obligation? I know for certain I have felt this obligation from early on in my childhood. An obligation first to God to use the talents and treasure he has entrusted to me and an obligation to my family to joyfully do what is necessary to keep the family. I did not always succeed in meeting my obligations and now I still fail at times.

I remember hearing these words from my G’ma “we don’t wash the dishes because someone told us. We wash the dishes because we love and care for the person who will use them next.” A form of this quote is attributed to Mother Teresa. I have no clue if that is true or not, but I do know my G’ma said it to me. I doubt she had ever given Mother Teresa a thought as she was protestant. I’ve also come across someone who said to her children “wash the plate” meaning clean up after yourself.

This last statement brings me to confession. How does one go from dishes to confession you might ask. Confession is the spiritual side of “wash the plate”. Because you love God, you go to confession. Because you love yourself, you go to confession. Simple “WASH THE PLATE”

Know you are prayed for.

10.20.2023

38⁰F NW@9mph SR0723 SS1811

Morning Offering given

Village sleeps

The man sleeps

Coffee not good.

Day #8 Intermittent Fast down 4#. For this, I am grateful.  Still short on the water & walking goals, but getting better. 

Russian invasion of Ukraine… US has given 75 billion in aide to Ukraine.  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine

Map of Israel… https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://media.istockphoto.com/id/487849408/vector/israel-political-map.jpg?s%3D612x612%26w%3D0%26k%3D20%26c%3D4Pyf9wMSAYxfQA_WIHBkT3YSMuSVYRwivvIDaBpL6zs%3D&imgrefurl=https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/israel-map&h=612&w=427&tbnid=kJVVkkI_A6eFnM&tbnh=136&tbnw=95&usg=AI4_-kRvSjVGremxg2tHU7doA8P1IpB1kw&vet=1&docid=4QFQQybMDdSbWM&hl=en-US#imgrc=6VmndvPijUoxhM&imgdii=igE9QPrUjizCuM

Gaza is a narrow strip of land bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and Israel. It used to be governed by Egypt. Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement) is a political party that won the 2006 elections in the Gaza Strip (Palestinian). There has not been an election since. The West Bank is also Palestinian and used to be governed by Jordan… Israel siezed both Gaza & and the West Bank in 1967 after the Six Day War and is recognized by the UN as the occupier state.

God gave Israel this land. You can read about that in Exodus.

It’s complicated.

The question here is… How can the US afford to give money to both wars? We are not financially capable of doing this… REGARDLESS of what Yellen says. We must consider taking care of our own.

Pray the Rosary for America.

Know you are prayed for.

10.19.2023

42⁰F WNW@10mph SR0722 SS1813

Morning Offering given

Village sleeping; as I should be but am not.

Coffee… waiting for it to be done

The man sleeps

The office… attic steps turned in opposite direction. You know that pull-down ladder that says weight limit 275. Wall framed. Plus, there are a thousand other things one has to do to accomplish those things.

Day #7 Intermittent Fasting… dwn 2#s. Still need to DMW (drink more water), take more steps, and do body measurements. Other things are happening, I’m not sure what, but it feels different. Let’s just leave it at that.

I still need a new book.

Looking forward to a weekend in Amherst.

Know you are prayed for.

10.18.2023

44⁰F S@13mph SR0720 SS1815

Morning Offering given

Village quiet

Coffee good

The man sleeps

Day #6 Intermittent Fasting… continue to work on drinking more water and increase walking.  Knee pain continues to be an issue. Not at all impressed with the recipes on this program nor the new age words they are using to coach or the assumption everyone struggles to fast. But there are some good things as well. No results as yet, but I am told that’s normal.

Another very interesting Bible Study class. No class next week.

DS#2 arrived yesterday. He mowed the lawn and gathered all the lawn furniture. It is now put away for the season. It’s so nice to have the help to get it done.

No word from friend HenryLinda after their move. A week today since they left.

Need to get 2 Hibiscus in the ground and 4 rose bushes moved. St. Francis should come in for the winter. Horseradish should be dug.

Need to have: hearing aides checked and updated, November cards ready, pick up paint for the office, trim paint for the house, car washed/vacuumed, and go to confession

K… ck with A for your stuff.

The Church struggles today. The parishioners struggle. It is hard to believe (at times) there is any interest in the parishioners other than the gaining of their $$. When is the last time your minister knocked on your door, called you on the phone, or even sent a txt? When was the last time you did this to them? What used to be set in stone isn’t any longer. At times, it seems to be the thought that those who continue as they were taught are considered ridged and judgemental. While reading Exodus, when Moses went up on Mt Sinai for 40 days and nights, he returned to find the people doing their own thing. I was thinking if that was today… someone would have canceled Moses and replaced him with someone less demanding. Someone who wouldn’t return to the mountain to get the 2nd copy of the commandments.

Know you are prayed for.