Tag: #faith journey

02.12.2024

47°F NW12mph SR0715 SS1821

Morning Offering given

Pleasanton quiet

Coffee tasteless

Woke up around 1 AM sick, hurling sick, am now freezing cold, the man is not. We shall see how the day progresses. May just end up going home.

Happy Birthday Sessirae! Hope your day is wonderful.

Today’s reading James 1:1-11 hit the spot for me, so I’m sharing it with you as well as the footnotes. This was taken from the NAB on the USCCB website.
1 *James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greetings aII.
The Value of Trials and Temptation
Perseverance in Trial.
2 b Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,*
3 for you know that the testing* of your faith produces perseverance.
4 And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom,* he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it.c
6 But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind.d
7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.
9 The brother in lowly circumstances* should take pride in his high standing,e
10 And the rich one in his lowliness, for he will pass away “like the flower of the field.”f
11 For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass, its flower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes. So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Footnotes:

  • [1:1] James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: a declaration of the writer’s authority for instructing the Christian communities; cf. Rom 1:1. Regarding the identity of the author, see Introduction. Dispersion: see Introduction.
  • [1:2] Consider it all joy…various trials: a frequent teaching of the New Testament derived from the words and sufferings of Jesus (Mt 5:10–12; Jn 10:11; Acts 5:41).
  • [1:3–8] The sequence of testing, perseverance, and being perfect and complete indicates the manner of attaining spiritual maturity and full preparedness for the coming of Christ (Jas 5:7–12; cf. 1 Pt 1:6–7; Rom 5:3–5). These steps require wisdom (Jas 1:5).
  • [1:5] Wisdom: a gift that God readily grants to all who ask in faith and that sustains the Christian in times of trial. It is a kind of knowledge or understanding not accessible to the unbeliever or those who doubt, which gives the recipient an understanding of the real importance of events. In this way a Christian can deal with adversity with great calm and hope (cf. 1 Cor 2:6–12).
  • [1:9–11] Throughout his letter (see Jas 2:5; 4:10, 13–16; 5:1–6), the author reaffirms the teaching of Jesus that worldly prosperity is not necessarily a sign of God’s favor but can even be a hindrance to proper humility before God (cf. Lk 6:20–25; 12:16–21; 16:19–31).
  • a. [1:1] Jn 7:35; 1 Pt 1:1.
  • b. [1:2] Rom 5:3–5; 1 Pt 1:6; 4:13–16.
  • c. [1:5] Prv 2:2–6; Wis 9:4, 9–12.
  • d. [1:6] Mt 7:7; Mk 11:24.
  • e. [1:9] 2:5.
  • f. [1:10] Is 40:6–7.

Know you are prayed for.

02.01.2024

29⁰F NNE7mph SR0720 SS1713

Morning Offering given

Village sleeping

Coffee brewing

The man & Chopper sleeping

Vacation has begun

New month

Time to take note of your old one. Is your relationship with Christ becoming more intimate? Or are you just going thru the motions? When’s the last time you entered the confessional? When’s the last time you took a hard, upclose, personal look at yourself? When’s the last time you prayed for your spouse or significant other? How’s that relationship going? Your children, do you pray for them daily? Your priest, do you pray for him daily? Your President? Your mayor? Council? Church board? Friends? How many of us have good intentions and fall short? Do you say a prayer passing the church? Cemetery? When a schoolbus, ambulance, firetruck, or squadcar passes? When’s the last time you visited/prayed for your parents, grandparents, Godparents, Godchildren, or other significant people in your life? There’s still time… start today.

Know you are prayed for.

01.26.2024

32°F freezing rain/fog SR0726 SS1705

Morning Offering given

Village shrouded in fog and wet

Coffee good

Chopper out and in

The man headed out to pick up at the hospital and take home

I’m headed to Boscobel this morning to drop off and back later in afternoon

Let’s talk about the Archconfraternity of Christian Mothers. https://www.archconfraternityofchristianmothers.com/our-patroness It would seem to me that this would be the right time for mothers to unite and pray for their children as well as their priests. Perhaps combining it with this. https://www.catholicapostolatecenterfeastdays.org/feast-days-and-solemnities/our-lady-of-sorrows#:~:text=These%20are%20known%20as%20the,one%20of%20the%20Seven%20Sorrows. It is time to take care of our families and clergy.

Know you are prayed for.

01.18.2024

-4°F clear NNW8mph SR 0732 SS1655

Morning Offering given

Village sleeps

Coffee good

Wonderful supper last evening at P & T’s, good time had by all

Ponder… “it isn’t that you could not be saved; it is that you would not be saved“
Heard this last evening on my way home while listening to Christian radio. I do not remember the speaker’s name or his religious affiliation. (He was not Catholic) His words circled around my brain until I finally had Google make a note on my phone. This morning I look/think more closely. I thought about can I lose my salvation… yes I believe I can if I use the free will given me to walk away from God. To me, that is the key… I chose to walk away. I chose to be of the world. I chose to think oh if I take a break from all this God stuff he will surely take me back. The problem with this line of thinking is once you make your choice to walk away it is hard to turn your thinking around to coming back. Satan (who is very real and very active in your life) has a way of turning thoughts to Oh I’ll do that later right now I want to do this. Scripture: Heb 6; Gal 5:1-5; Rev 22:19; Eph 5:3-5; 1 Cor 6:9; Gal 5:19; Rev 21:6-8; 1 Cor 9:27; Matt 6:15,21-35, 10:22-32; Luke 12:41-46; 1 Cor 15:1-2; Col 1:22-23; Heb 3:6,14; 2Pet 2:2-22; Rev 2:10, 25:26, 3:1-5

Know you are prayed for.

01.08.2024

25°F overcast SE14mph SR0736 SS1643

Morning Offering given

Village silent for a few more minutes

Coffee good

Chopper out and in warming overstuffed in the office

The man still sleeps

Yesterday I worked on my bible study lesson for tomorrow. I find the class interesting and informative. 

Intermittent Fasting…1227 hours overall of fasting. This week will be a big challenge for me. Eating time is from 1600-2000 hrs. Water intake is always a challenge for me. The fit of my clothes is changing enough to feel it and smile. Dropping of pounds is slow about a pound a week. I am in week 11 of a 25-week plan to complete the plan and accomplish the weight loss continues to be the goal. Overall, I feel better, am sleeping better (CPAP in place), knees are improving (most days). I continue to offer it all up for the souls in purgatory who need it the most.

February is fast approaching. That is the month the man and I will be taking off to wander to the south for a few days spent with DS#4 and his family. As well as spending time with DD#5 and her husband. From the sounds of things, we will be pulling DD’s self-contained down and parking it. We may wander into Nebraska and then into South Dakota before we return home.

Happy Bday to DS#3…time flies.

Today we celebrate “The Baptism of the Lord”

Which reminds me, of my thoughts on yesterday’s homily given by Bishop Flock of San Ignacio de Velasco, Bolivia. Who was born and raised right here in my neck of the woods. I did not appreciate his blanket reproach of those here in the USA who are skeptical of the way Pope Francis is conducting himself. I give respect for the office of the Pope as well as for the office of the Bishop but let me remind you those offices are held by humans who have a tendency to put themselves first (something Christ never did).  The cause of sin and shame are rooted in pride and disobedience. We ourselves are to blame, God offered the gift, and we decided to do things our way. The choice is between obeying God or one’s own desires. This has been the human struggle since the garden. The skeptisim comes due to Pope Francis and what he desires to happen, thus creating scandal and deception for the faithful who know and understand the 10 commandments. Nuff said.

Know you are prayed for.

20+C+M+B+24

Bless, O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of Thy law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell herein.

“Almighty and everlasting God, you have created salt for the use of man, we ask you to bless this salt and grant that wherever it is sprinkled and whatever is touched by it may be set free from all impurity and the attacks of Satan; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

01.07.2024

28°F WNW7mph SR 0736 SS 1641

Morning Offering given

Village silent and peaceful

Coffee good

This morning I sit here grateful for what God has blest me with in this life. He has been very good to me. This year, the man and I will celebrate 50 yrs of marriage, the wedding seems just yesterday as I look back through “Jesus-colored” glasses. When I look back through human eyes I see all the rocky parts, the mistakes, the pains and the doubts. I’ll stick with the “Jesus” sight. That view is full of love and tenderness.

This morning I read Fr Jeffrey Kirby’s article on “In Today’s Church, Who is Evangelizing Whom?” I will post the link later. Take the time to give it a thought.

Go see Jesus today.

Know you are prayed for.

01.03.2024

30°F NW10mph SR0737 SS1637

Morning Offering given

Village quiet

Coffee good

Belated birthday to my friend J. Hope it was an awesome New Year’s Day

Virtue for January… Perfection… Matt 5:48… “Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect. St Paul had good words for us in Phil 3:13-14 “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: forgetting the things that are behind, and stretching forth yourself to those that are before, I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.”

Looking forward to an uncomplicated day. What’s your’s looking like?

Know you are prayed for

12.22.2023

36⁰F overcast SE@5mph SR0734 SS1628

Morning Offering given

Village silent

Coffee good

The man cooking

Chopper out & in waiting for the boy to return from work.

Saint of the day… St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

Well, here we are. In 3 days we celebrate Christmas. The birth of Jesus Christ, son of God. Have you taken the time to realize that without noting his birth, life, death, and resurrection, there is absolutely nothing different about this time of year than any other time of year?

Have you also realized this time of year can bring out the worst things?

There are many walking wounded in the holiday season. I suspect it is because we have been conditioned to believe extravagant spending on gifts is necessary to show someone we love them or to indicate our success in life. This is a lie. Don’t swallow it. Don’t buy into the worldly thinking of $$ = success, love, importance, and acceptance. It is a lie, one the great deceiver wants you to believe.

May you find the love of Christ this Christmas season.

Know you are prayed for.