78°F SSW@7mph SR0524(0424) SS2049(1949)

Morning Offering given

Village hot, sticky, peaceful

No Coffee

Today we remember to pray for the souls of Jim Cummings, Jim Houlihan and Patty Melin. May they rest in peace.

Courage to Change, pg. 182, Today’s Reminder
Prayer is my most personal form of communication. I can pray by consciously thinking, writing, creating, feeling, and hoping. Whether I reach deep inside myself or turn outward toward the majesty of nature, it is the spirit of prayer rather than its form that matters. Today I will let my heart speak. “God meets me where I am… If I am just willing, He will come to me.” _{As We Understood…}

St Bertrand shows us the necessity of cultivating and nurturing people just as we might cultivate a garden. God, give me the empathy and compassion to grow people toward you and toward loving one another.

Meditations for Each Day, pg. 258, St Paul the Apostle Acts 9: 1-5, Gal 1:17-20, 2 Cor 11:23-29, 2 Cor 5:14, 1 Cor 13:4-13, Phil 1:21

Scripture Reading for Day 30 of Dealing with the Enemy
Hebrews 2:16-18 Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; 17 therefore, he had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people.^k
Galatians 5:1 For freedom^* Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.^a

Hot out there this morning! Am grateful for A/C. Ended up driving all the way into LAX to Sam’s Club to the TMobile kiosk and spoke with Emory who, got the phone back up and running but advised I would need to speak to a store as it still was not able to call the man. I will hopefully be switching carriers today. I cannot deal with the lack of customer service. Emmanuel Amanda’s funeral is today. I have one quick run this morning to LaFarge and the afternoon free. Hopefully the man has it off as well and we can both go at the same time to get the switch done. Jim H. has rallied a bit pls continue your prayers.

Know you are prayed for.

73°F S@6mph SR0523(0423) SS2049(1949)

Morning Offering given

Village quiet and waking

Coffee, cowboy blend boiled/perked

Sts. Peter & Paul the original “fisher of men & indefatigable teach us that God chooses the most ordinary of people to serve His Church. Jesus, help me to realize that my flaws are not an impediment to Your love and guidance.

Courage to Change, pg. 181, Today’s Reminder
Today I will acknowledge that I have many positive qualities, and I will share one or two of these with a friend. “All progress must grow from a seed of self-appreciation…” _{The Dilemma of the Alcoholic Marriage}

Meditations for Each Day, pg. 256, St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles
Mark 1:17, John 6:69, Matthew 16:15-19,

Scripture Reading for Day 29 of Dealing with the Enemy
Hebrews 2:14-15 Now since the children share in blood and flesh, he likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,^j
John 8:36 So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free.

Looks like the weekend was a brutal one for many.
There are no quick fixes
No magic wands
Just plain hard work
physical and spiritual

Know you are prayed for.

65⁰F SE@5 mph SR0523(0423) SS2049(1949)

Adoration 5

Mass 7

Breakfast Bobby John’s

Know you are prayed for

53°F WSW@2mph SR0523(0423) SS2049(1949)

Morning Offering given

Village sleeping in

Coffee instant

St. Cyril‘s tireless work we proclaim that Jesus was truly the Son of God from the moment of His conception

Courage to Change, pg. 179, Today’s Reminder
Being a sponsor is as much a commitment to myself as it is to someone else. It is not a favor. Sonsorship gives me a chance to share intimately, to care, to practice detaching with love, and to apply the Al-Anon principles more consciously than ever. And, if I listen to my own words, I find that I usually tell those whom I sponsor exactly what I myself need to hear. “Give what you have. to someone, it may be better than you dare to think.” _{Henry Wadsworth Longfellow}

Meditations for each Day, pg. 253, External Mortification
Original sin disturbed the perfect harmony which existed between a man’s body and soul. (Galatians 5:17, Romans 7:23, 2 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Corinthians 9:27, 1 Corinthian 25, Luke 13:5) Suffering voluntarily undertaken for the sake of Jesus purifies the soul and gives us a great peace when we see the body, subdues and converted into an instrument for the sanctification of ourselves and of others.

Scripture Reading for Day 27 of Dealing with the Enemy
Psalm 16:8 I keep the LORD always before me; with him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.^c
Psalm 119:11 In my heart I treasure your promise, that I may not sin against you.

Saturday has finally made its way into my week.
The week was long.
Flooring has been selected and brought home. Trim work will be done today.
The SUV needs cleaning. The porch and house need vacuumed. Potted plants need watering. Patio needs sweeping.
one copy job and 2 faxes need doing, letters need writing.
Looking forward to tomorrow’s day of rest.

Know you are prayed for.

54°F W@1mph SR0522(0422) SS2049(1949)

Morning Offering given

Village silent and peaceful

No Coffee but will pick some up at the “Local Buzz”

Birthday greetings to Kris M. Hope the day is a good one for you.

St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer... “to hide and disappear (our egos & pride) so that only Jesus may shine is his motto

Meditations for Each Day, pg. 252, Interior Mortification In the spiritual life, as in the physical order, death is the beginning of life. (I personally think of it as death to life in the womb, brings life; death to self (and the world brings spiritual life; death to physical life brings eternal life.)

Courage to Change, pg. 178, Today’s Reminder
I will not allow old resentments to drag me down any longer. I am building a better and more loving life today. “Forgiving is not forgetting, it’s letting go of the hurt.” _{Mary McLeod Bethune}

Scripture Reading for Day 26 of Dealing with the Enemy
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 for the weapons of our battle are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses. We destroy arguments^b 5 and every pretension raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ,
Joshua 24:15 ^o If it is displeasing to you to serve the LORD, choose today whom you will serve, the gods your ancestors served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Good Morning!
Lovely supper and conversation last evening with Pat & Terese.
Planning to attend Mark & Debra’s 4th party on the 2nd.
Set a date for grilling with Becca & her friend Justin for the 12th.
Lax today with the man for flooring.

Know you are prayed for.

53°F SSE@2mph SR0522(-422) SS2049(1949)

Morning Offering given

Village peaceful

No coffee

Happy 31 to Nathan C. wow, those years went quickly!

St Prosper of Reggio reminds us that we can only truly prosper when we help others prosper. Father, help me to be willing to use the gifts You have given me to help others.

Courage to Change, pg. 177, Today’s Reminder
I am not perfect. The character defects I have carried around for so many years will not vanish instantly. but with faith and hope I can work my way through them one at a time, one day at a time. “God seldom delivers… virtues all wrapped in a package and ready for use. Rather He puts us in situations whereby His help we can develop those virtues.” _{C.R. Findley}

Meditations For Each Day, pg. 250, Purity of Intention
Purity of intention consists in doing the will of God in all things from the motive of pure love.

Scripture Reading for Day 25 in Dealing with the Enemy
Isaiah 40:31 They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.
2 Corinthians 10:3 For, although we are in the flesh, we do not battle according to the flesh,^*

A new day has begun.
SUV fixed and at home.
Easy day, 2 runs then supper with sister-in-law & brother-in-law.
All copy projects completed and delivered.
The lawn needs mowing, the flower beds need weeding, and the pots need watering
Not to mention the house needs cleaning.

One would think that at our age there would be no house messes. The kitchen continues to evolve. I am pleased with how it is progressing.

Know you are prayed for.

57°F SW@3mph Rain SR0521(1921) SS2049(1949)

Morning Offering given

Village is wet

Coffee is ok

Happy “37th” Birthday Amy! have a super awesome day.

Congratulations to Claire Slattery and her new baby.

Today is the “Nativity of St. John the Baptist”
John recognized Jesus before birth and willingly followed him to death.
Jesus, help me to practice selfless dedication to you, so that like Joh, I can try to prepare the world to receive you.

Meditations for Each Day, pg. 249, Belonging Entirely to God
Willingly or unwillingly, we belong entirely to God. He created us from nothing and all that we have is his- soul and body, material and spiritual gifts and the world we live in.

Courage to Change, pg. 176, Today’s Reminder
The finest gift I can give to ensure my continued recovery is willingness. Each demonstration of willingness, each meeting attended, each Al-Anon tool used, is a mark of my success. “Every good thought you think is contributing its share to the ultimate result of your life.” _{Grenville Kleiser}
Also take a peek at Al-Anon’s 12 steps and twelve traditions specifically the preface and the introduction.

Scripture Reading for Day 24 of Dealing with the Enemy
James 1:20 for the wrath of a man does not accomplish the righteousness of God.^k
Galations 5:16-17 ^l I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh.^* 17 For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want.^m

Good Morning!
raining since 830 last night
2 copy jobs completed
SUV still in shop… 1 wiper tray, 2 tires, 1 coil, and ball joints/rocker arms… back today I hope. I keep asking myself why we continue to fix this thing. My answer always comes back because it is less expensive than buying a new one. I sure don’t need a monthly payment at this time in my life. The Subaru, I dislike immensely, wrecks the knees.

Know you are prayed for.

50°F W@0mph SR0521(0421) SS2049(1949)

Morning Offering given

Village quiet

Coffee-pod-blech

Blessed Mary of Oignies‘ counsel and direction to others reminds us that God sends us advisors and helpers in our journey to him. Lord, help me to recognize, heed, and appreciate those you’ve sent to inspire, counsel, and direct me.

Meditations for Each Day, pg. 248, Spiritual Communion John 15:1-6, ^* “I am the true vine,^* and my Father is the vine grower.^a 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes^* so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.^b 4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6 ^* c Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.

*Courage to Change Reminder, pg 175,
I know that honesty is an essential part of the Twelve Steps. I am willing to be more honest with myself today. “Where is there dignity unless there is honesty?” _{Marcus Tullius Cicero}

Scripture Reading for Day 23 of Dealing with the Enemy
James 4:7 So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.^d
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her^t

Morning!
SUV still in garage. replacing 2 tires, replacing wiper tray, replacing 1 coil, replacing ball joints & rockers. The coil was under warranty.
Subaru will be the chariot today. I truly dislike this sardine can.
The man spent the day cleaning up his new to him Suburban. Hopefully it will be the right fit for him.
You will notice I included a new read*. Figured I may as will add it in since it’s something I read to keep me even keeled (if that is at all possible).
I’ve been procrastinating on getting the labels done. No one should tell me there’s no rush, do it in my time frame. Not good.
Just finished Baldacci’s “The List” am now going to start “The Target”.
For those who are not aware, this blog is my personal journal. My journey to Christ, including the hiccups. I doubt it will seem exciting, but it will give you an idea of how I fill my days. At this point in time, I am lukewarm. I am holding on but not with the furver of my younger days. The turmoil of the Church has been a great scandal to me. The drift from the Church began back in 2019 when it became okay to not go to Sunday Mass. When it became ok to drift off to protestant leanings and slappy clappy touchy feely ideas. It increased when true devotion to the Church became somehow wrong. When good and holy priests were sidelined and fluffy look at me and how good I give a sermon priests were put in place. With the ideas that are coming out of the Church these days I barely recognize it. Worse yet the older members are ignored while thousands of dollars are being spent on fluff when the important things like being able to hear the sermon is ignored. Get hearing loops is my suggestion, that will allow us to hear what the priest is saying unless of course that’s the point. Out with the old, in with the new. Nuff venting.

Know you are prayed for.

53³F S@0mph SR0521(0421) SS2049(1949)

Morning Offering given

Village sleeps

No coffee

36 yrs ago I was shot at, he missed. He shot a state patrol officer, later shooting and killing his wife. He is now incarcerated for life in a penitentiary in Iowa. All this over a ham,

St Paulinus of Nola was a Christian poet who reminds us that there are many ways to creatively express our faith. Creator God, move me to demonstrate my devotion to you in all ways, both practical and poetical.

Meditations for Each Day, pg 246, Frequent Communion Acts 2:46,

Scripture Reading for Day 22 of Dealing with the Enemy
James 1:12-13 ^g Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation,^* for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him. 13 ^* 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
Joshua 1:9 I command you: be strong and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go.

•Summer is officially here. It arrived yesterday with rain and cool temperatures.
•Lovely day yesterday at DD#1’s for Father’s Day. Many thanks for an enjoyable day.
•The quick trip last Sat. to Mo went well.
•The kitchen moves forward, trim is waiting to be put up, flooring to be laid with just a countertop to decide on. I’m happy with how it looks/will look. I am ecstatic it is almost finished. The project took much longer than anticipated. There were days, weeks, months I thought it would never come to fruition.
•SUV in shop for new wiper motors, tires, and a reg. check over. Hopefully all will be simple normal fixes. The man’s new to him Suburban is here, he likes it. The Subaru is home and will be used today by me.
•No early morning run to Boscobel today. Regular parts, workers day with a few pickups and dropoffs. I’m liking the easier schedule and look forward to having only 1 thing a day to do driving wise.
•Giving thought to a family Al-Anon chat group since there are no local Al-Anon groups.

Know you are prayed for.

53⁰F. W@1mph. SR0521(0422) SS2048(1948)

Morning Offering given

Adoration 0500 the man took it

Mass Yesterday

Off to Iowa for dinner

Know you are prayed for