“I will give thanks to
the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds” (Psalm 9:1).
December 27, 2017
Brr, its cold outside, with temps at minus three below zero Fahrenheit early this morning and we had to crank up the furnace a tad. I thought yesterday was super cold, but today was worst with the temperatures staying in the single digits and with wind chill temps remaining below zero. I went down to the basement several times today just to make sure the temperature was warm enough to avoid pipes from freezing and bursting. I stayed warm by staying indoors and sipping on enough earl grey all day to float away. I can’t think of a more fitting comfort food for a winter day like today than Chinese steamed eggs. Not only does the simple traditional dish taste awesome, steaming eggs warm up and humidifies the house. Fawn told me that a coyote was spotted in town near Bradley Ct. Yikes, that only about a half a mile from my house.
December 24, 2017
I think there are some who hopefully pray for a white Christmas. Obviously, I wasn’t one. It’s never pretty after the snow trunks plowed the street. The snow didn’t stop falling until night fall, so the plan to hit it first thing tomorrow morning at first light. Poor Fawn, sick in bed all day with a fever. I had a lot to say about that, but deleted it as best left unsaid. Not sure if Andrea still went to the Christmas Eve late Mass with her family, but she was disappointed that we weren’t going to attend it this year. How can not ponder the mystery of Mary, the Mother of God? May we follow her example of a life filled with humility and gratitude. Jennifer took a break from her studies wanted to play sternhelma. I wasn’t up to the challenge; Jennifer demolished me by six moves in Chinese checkers and in the later rematch I lost by one move. Now that three games in a row I lost. Before playing her I told her about the game I lost to Rob. I really thought I had that game, but the rules said otherwise. Win or lose, I do enjoy playing board games and a fun way to exercise the mind. I forgot to mention the other day that Alex got a lage gift box of funky chunky that was delivered to our house. It was nice of him to give of two bags; we picked the Sea Salt Carmel and the Chocolate Popcorn, good stuff. It’s not something that I would normally buy, too expensive for my blood.
December 23, 2017
What a difference a day make, indeed. Yesterday I was down and out, but with plenty of liquids and rest, I back. We went to my sister’s house for Christmas celebration with members from my side of the family. No matter what the occasion, the blessing of family is always so. We celebrated with the abundance of good food and the exchanging of gifts for the children; in full knowledge of God’s grace give to us. “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
December 21, 2017
Fawn and Jennifer were gone most of the day, and I was alone in the still. “Be still and know that I am God.” There is nothing like the quiet time of shutting out the rest of the world and to simply bask in the love of God and seeking his counsel. In our Advent prayers, we are reminded to prepare for the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ, both in the Nativity and in the Parousia as well! During Advent, we await the celebration of Jesus’ nativity while taking stock of our readiness for his return.
December 20, 2017
What a gorgeous sunny day. This morning’s 3-minute retreat verse was from gospel of St. Matthew the fifth chapter, “You are the light of the world …” Exactly what I’ve been pondering. Saint Matthew exhorts us to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” The winter solaces will occur tomorrow at 10:28 a.m. central time. Then I look forward to the getting long and to prayerfully grow in his light.
December 19, 2017
Wow, Andrea posted a Facebook video of Isaac reaching another milestone. Rob called it last week, saying that Isaac will be able to stand on his own within a week’s time. I predicted by the end of the year and walking by his first birthday, oh well. We hit the indoor track again today. It’s clear to me now, that it belonged to Fawn. Good news, my next preventive carotid artery screen is two years out. Two days in a row on the indoor walking track now. Yesterday we walk for 30 minutes and today we did an hour. After playing through the play list, it’s clear to me the iPod belonged to Fawn. I’ll have to ask Fawn or figure out myself how to download to the device. But with the iPod, the time flew by. Now I’m wondering how often we are going to be to the gym. I’d like to spend time on the elliptical, so maybe now, with the time constraints, I’ll end up just doing short spurs it. Interesting, I said that I only reflected on my own brokenness and I began to wonder why doesn’t our Lord just come and right all the wrongs. All the wrongs that we see out in our troubled world is also wrong lurks inside of us all. The reality is that whenever we digress in our sinfulness, the light of the world doesn’t wait to eradicate the darkness and raises us up. “The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down” (Psalm 145:14). As little christs, may his light be more than a small flicker. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). With Christmas being under a week away, I’m ready to celebrate.
December 17-18, 2017
This morning I went for a ultrasound of the carotid artery. Last year I got my baseline, so prayers for good test results. After doing a few errands and doing lunch, we went to the gym and walked the indoor track. Believe it or not, once upon a time, I owned a Walkman cassette player; today I used an iPod mp3 player. I’m not sure who it belonged to, but I’m pretty sure even that is dated. I didn’t enter a journal entry yesterday because I spent most of the day alone with myself and with God, examining myself in the profound Advent silence and need time to retreat. I pause and didn't give thought to our broken and troubled world, but spent time reflecting on my own brokenness. The season of Advent is supposed to prepare us for Christmas and the Parousia. I wondered how can be possibly celebrate the Incarnation or be prepare to joyfully welcome his return in the mist of prayerfully begging for God's mercy and also have to wondered how this chief sinner is not only going to survive Advent, but emerge out as a new creature in Christ. Then Saint John dawned on me, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
December 16, 2017
Nice, Jennifer’s home for the remainder of the year. It was a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah day to be out and about in the sunshine and and already in the 40s in the a.m. Any above normal temps in the winter time is most welcomed in the midwest. I took her out to McDonald’s for coffee and a light breakfast, so I had more calories this morning than I cared for. Ha, so lame to be talking about calories when celebrating. The objective for me is not necessarily to lose any weight goal for the week now, but to make sure I don’t eat a big meal because I’m on less meds. I think if I monitor my calorie intake I’ll do fine and will slowly continue to loss a little. I’m fine with doing less time with resistance bands and the light weights and doing the added cardio exercises which is a good balance for me at this time. Lord, help me to see my sin as we enter more deeply into this Advent season. Help me to be aware of the many things that keep me from You and to turn from them wholeheartedly. Amen.
December 15, 2017
Whoo hoo, thanks be to God, Jennifer passed all her exams and her mind will be at eased during the holidays. We bundled up early this morning and went to Edwards Cancer Center for Fawn’s check up and by God’s grace and mercy, she remains cancer free. It was a mostly cloudy day, but every now and then, the sun would briefly show through and was most welcoming sight. I peeked at this weekend worship folder and was thrilled to see yet another double infant baptism. During Advent, we sing Nunc Dimittis, the words of the Canticle of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32) can not help but to be marveled like Joseph and Mary were. “And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35). I read the, "Softener of Evil Hearts" Icon. I believe the seven swords represent the Seven Sorrows of Mary in Roman Catholicism: the Prophecy of Simeon, Flight into Egypt, Loss of the Child Jesus, Meeting Christ on the Way to Calvary, Standing at the Foot of the Cross, Taking Christ Down from the Cross, Burial of Christ. The icon is very helpful in putting our own sorrows in perspective. Gracious Heaven Father, dispel any anger within us and soften our hearts, that we may not lament over our enemies’ evil, but rather confessing our own thoughts. Though Christ our Lord. Amen.
December 14, 2017
Was out and about early this morning to bring in the car from an oil change. I sat and enjoyed my second cup of coffee and read the newspaper while Fawn thumbs through the magazines and newspaper ads. I think it’s the only time I read the newspaper nowadays. Clearly, it doesn’t take much to amuse me. I came across a seven letter gender word riddle in which the first two letters indicate a boy, the first three letters indicate a girl, the first four letters indicate a boy and whole word indicates a girl. The world and national news continue to be bleak. Sigh, read that nearby Cook Country will be asked in the March primary ballot about legalizing recreational marijuana in the state of Illinois. I think it is not only unwise but is also is a debauchery to get high on marijuana or drunk on alcohol and brings no glory to God. O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most High, pervading and permeating all creation, mightily ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence. After getting the needed done we went to the mall and yes, I did the mall walk while Fawn did the shopping. Interesting that prefer the indoor track over the mall. I think both exercises have their merits. The mall provides a change of scenery while the indoor track provides a way to quiet the mind. I was totally surprised today at the mall wasn’t piping in the holiday music, but rather the samo samo typical year round Muzak mall music. Tomorrow is Jennifer’s last exam before the winter break. O Sapientia, grant the gift of sapience that she not only to do well in her exams, but also to remember what she learns and recall it when necessary and the grace to use the knowledge wisely.
December 13, 2017
Super cool day, Fawn went and watched to watch Victoria for a couple hours this morning. I stayed behind, because I didn’t want to break up my daily workout routine. After lunch we went to the doctor’s office for our blood work follow up, good news all around. I was thrilled that I improved enough to be off another one of my meds. The goal now is to be able reduce the dosage of one or more of meds I’m still taking. After our doctor’s visit, we went to the park district and got fitness memberships and started using the walking track doing a 30 minute walk. Afterwards, Fawn met up with her sister Soo for dinner and then went on to shopping malls, so I made it a dinner and a movie night. I went made myself a nice salmon with red beans and rice dinner and watched, The Nativity Story., two thumbs up.
December 12, 2017
"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand" (James 5:8-9). In the still of the pre dawn morning, I began musing about being patience in impatient times. I use to blow it off a people with being spastic, but I’m seeing it more and more in our society nowadays. It could be just me, but I think we have not only become impatient, but also become annoyed, frustrated, and an intolerant angry people that demands instant gratification. Let us not fall due to our impatience, but instead rejoice in the hope and peace of our Lord in our wait. I’ve come to expect the harsh and bone biting cold, but have to admit, as deceiving as the bright sunshine was today, how much more glorious than his creation is the light of day and is the light who provides eternal life to all who believe in Him? Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Now I have to play, Creator of the Stars of Night. Either I’m forgetful or actually never heard of celebrating Advent with a Jesse Tree. O Flower of Jesse's stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; rulers stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid. Whoo hoo, Isaac will be a happy camper, two more weeks and he’ll be done with his cranial orthosis. I was taken by surprise that Soo is flying back for another week stay to visit my mother-in-law, she was here two weeks ago when things looked bleak but have since improved immensely and discharged from the hospital. I suppose she has her reasons and will leave it at that. As Christmas approaches I tend to think about the nativity of our Lord, Christ Jesus. The veneration of Saint Mary, the mother of God, is really about God becoming human and about the faith that Jesus worked in Mary, his mother. She serves as an example of one who heard the word of God and believed. For this, we give thanks and pray that he may accomplish this work in us also. Almighty God, You chose the virgin Mary to be the mother of Your only Son. Grant that we, who are redeemed by His blood, may share with her in the glory of Your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. – Collect for Saint Mary, Mother of Our Lord.
December 11, 2017
Amazing, Advent waiting meets Christmas incarnation, this is the first time I even heard of the Catholic Carol, Night of Silence/Silent Night, beautiful and well done. We went to bed super early last night and got in the full zzzs and then some. It’s very telling when you able to accomplish that and still wake by 5:30 in the morning. I normally don't like reading or watching the news, but this morning's NYC Port Authority terrorist attack was all over the air waves. I'm glad the suspect Akayed Ullah survived his suicide bombing attack, meaning the pipe bomb was a partial failure that injured only a few people. I suppose I could we wishing he just killed himself without injuring other people, but even surprising myself, I don't feel that way. The motives of ISIS and ISIS an inspired attack makes no sense to me and remains a mystery. I was very interested, because several years back, I went on a week long business trip in New York and stayed in Time Square, daily walking passing the main transportation hub. Why people are resisting extreme vetting is beyond me. What a riot, now that Isaac is he starting to mimic shaking his head sideways and waving his hand. He hasn’t mastered doing the bobble head yet, that’ll be hilarious. The kid loves to stand and walk along a long side the coach and I’m predicting he’ll be able to balance himself up before the end of the year and maybe be able to walk about by his first birthday. That will be a huge milestone. It’s tough to keep up with the rug rat now. Looks like Isaac finally has the two front uppers to go with the two lowers and really chopping down on his teethers and drooling big time. I was pondering a little about being a blessing and bestowing a blessing. Hard to believe I was privileged to bless not only my children, but also my grandchild, saying to them, "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26 ). The plan was to do a mall walk after dinner, but the snow came down big time just before the dinner hour. It was definitely a winter wonderland as folks were wondering how they going to make it home from work. Andrea and Rob’s normal twenty five minute drive turn into an hour and a half drive home from work. Anyway, I calling it a night and going to bed early again…
December 10, 2017
Jennifer only had time for breakfast and was off to school to study with friends for exams this weeks prior to time off for the holidays. It was a dinner and a movie night, sort of. Sort of because we got a carry out dinner from Fabulous Noodle. Like creatures of habit, we got the usual appetizers, egg rolls, pot stickers and crab rangoon. As far a cold days comfort food, it doesn’t get much better than a stewed taro duck cooked in a clay pot as well as empress chicken. I tried making these dishes before and both were fails. It was really nice of Rob to sit and watched a coupled episode of, The Deputy, with me. We created a theater like atmosphere with the lights low and pop corn to booth. I’m not sure why watching the old b-rated black and whites are appealing to me, perhaps it is because my generation grew up watching and loving them. I find it funny how my kids roll their eyes and chuckle whenever I sit and watch any black and white shows. So Rob’s willingness and making time to sit and bear though it an hour of meant a lot to me, love at its finest.
December 9, 2017
“But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Habakkuk 2:20). I found myself humming the ancient hymn from the Liturgy of St. James, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. I went to the LSB to muse over the said timeless scriptural truths within the hymn lyrics that invites us to participate in the Eucharistic mystery of the Incarnation. Life is good. We only got a light dusting of fluff about a quarter of an inch. The morning weigh in was OK, I loss four tenth of a pound. I started to say, I wished I didn’t over indulged last night, but nah, not really. After a hot bowl of oatmeal and a piping hot cup of coffee, I went out to brave the cold at first sunlight. The task of shoveling turned out to be a piece of cake and after spreading a little salt on the front steps and porch, we were good to go. It never got above freezing, but the snow melted away anyway. I was curious as to why and learned that, “Snow can evaporate or sublimate even when it is very cold, however it will not melt but goes directly from a solid state to a gas with out being liquid. This can cause the snow to disappear when the temperature is well below the melting point.” Sundays are really becoming a super busy day, so we decided to go to the anticipated Masses. I’m always moved by The Offertory, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:10-12) as. Amen, amen, to this prayer that that confesses our sin and the workings of the Holy Spirit. I’ve been thinking about our good works and should be avoiding seeking the praise of others for our good deeds; we should also avoid self-congratulation for our piety. Besides, no matter how good we had thought our deeds were, they remain like polluted garments because we fail to empty ourselves of our own works. With the help of the Holy Spirit, though the Words of forgiveness, cleanses our hearts and renews our spirits, brings us joy and peace with God. We don’t go do an evening out often enough, after church we went to Burrito Parrilla Mexicana and enjoy a sharing the taco plate and the blessings of the day.
December 8, 2017
Woke to a crisp bone biting morning. I didn’t feel it yesterday, but this morning my arm was sore from the pneumonia shot, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13 (PCV13). I was recently asked, “Why do I wake up so early in the morning?” Waking up pre dawn is relative, eight hours of sleep is eight hours eight hours of sleep. It is not a given that I always wake before the sun rises, but that is my preference. Other times, I end up taking an afternoon nap when I don’t get all my zzz’s. Since my retirement, I’ve learned how important getting the need rest is to one’s health. I rewarded myself with half a serving of focaccia bread for breakfast with a nice hot cup of coffee. It's hard to believe such a small piece of bread has 125 calories. Originally, I thought I was going to have a good weigh in tomorrow, but now I am doubtful because Fawn came home with three containers of Chinese cooked meat; soy sauce chicken, barbeque pork, and roast pig. That put me shamelessly way over the calorie count for the day L. The weather forecast calls for the likelihood of a overnight snow shower between 1-2 inches. I think I’m more physically prepared to do some shoveling than I’ve been for several years, but going at it moderately and wisely is the key to getrdun safely. Hopeful if it does come our way, it’ll be the light fluffy stuff and will allow us to gracefully reaccumulate us to the task of shoveling snow. I decided to change the way I exercise during these cold winter months by reducing my daily resistance band exercises and only doing weight training twice a week and to really focus on increasing my time on the elliptical. I’m at the point where weights training with the fifteen pound dumb bells seem mundane and unnecessary for toning. A little over a year ago when injured shoulder, I thought lifting a three pound was an insurmountable task. I know, I know, I said that it was too cold to consider raking up all the leaves that blew on my front yard. But today made it just enough to be above freezing and the sun was shining, so I surprised myself by going out and braving the cold to do the needed. Trash day is Thursday and it’ll be the final pickup for the year. Hopefully, others are able to tend to the needed as well and all that work wasn’t done in vain again. Funny, how I use to find my stream of consciousness writings to be a therapeutic mind dump. From time to time Fawn would read my journal and tell me how poor my grammar and sentence structure is. And that my entries are is typo ridden. The point is to just pen whatever comes to the mind let go of any inhibitions, no matter how profound, shallow, and trivial or seemingly pointless and not worry about typos. Of course, that doesn’t all come out in my published entries, because I delete things that serve no good or useful purpose other than it reveals to me the darkness that remains within me and a need for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. More than ever, our troubled world is filled with tribulation and the capacity to self destruct. In our distress, we can turn to the Holy Spirit, the gift of peace, to calm our hearts and to nurture our soul that comes from the powerful love of God that surpasses all understanding. Come, Lord Jesus.
December 7, 2017
OK, dang, now I remember what cold is. I forgot to move the trash containers to curbside last night and had to do it this morning in winter like condition. What, is going on? Fawn is on the elliptical and got country music on again, so much for playing Advent music in the house. She had on the Brothers Osborne, CD album, Pawn Shop. Hopefully, yee-haw isn't the new norm. I can't believe Fawn and Andrea have become country music fans and watch the CMA. I say winter like only because it was in mid teens with a light dusting of snow, knowing fully this is nothing compared to the harsh Midwest winter conditions yet to come. It was cold enough for me to not only layer up, but to also start wearing my down winter coat. The good think about the coat now is, there is room enough for plenty of layers if needed now. After the doctor’s visit we went to the mall. I’m happy, since the doctor was happy with physical exam, giving me an ata boy and the keep up the good work pep talk. Naturally, I did the mall walk while Fawn, did the Christmas gift shopping. For no particular reason, I’m not much on shopping period, let along the putting in the effort required for getting the perfect gift. When friends and family thank Fawn and me for the thoughtful present, I doubt if anyone find humor in my reply of, “Your welcome, what did I get you?” Anyway, in our gift giving, may all come to understand and recognize that the biggest present of all is Christ Jesus. The twelve hour fasting ended up being a sixteen hour fast by the time I got my blood work done. Before heading out to the mall, we went to Yu’s for the usual pork and bamboo shoots lunch. Yuck, yuck, decided to omit the pun, pork out. So my fasting actually ended up being just missing breakfast and of course had nothing to do with any sort of biblical spiritual fasting. Good news, Fawn went to visit her mom and she’s out of the hospital and back in the nursing home. It’s been a long while since I made Chinese steamed eggs. Cold winter days are perfect days for comfort foods that makes the palate dance for joy, as well as warms and humidifies the house too. While preparing the dish, I always think about my dad, who taught me how to prepare this dish. I am grateful and thank God for blessing my siblings and me with the most loving and nurturing parents. I found myself thinking lowly of someone today and failed to be understanding to the struggles one endures to make their life work. Lord, have mercy. I came across a timely quote, “Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith in God” – unknown.
December 6, 2017
“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation” (Psalm 62:1). Advent is a time of silent wait in hopeful expectation. I’m going to make this quick because I want to go to bed early and just relax upstairs and away from the refrigerator. I have my annual physical tomorrow and it includes a twelve hour fast. I was musing a little about fasting and conclude that the primary aim of fasting is to help us see the weaknesses of the flesh and to make us conscious of our dependence upon God. I read Isaiah 58, True and False Fasting. I need to give more thought to fruitless fasting and to pointless praying. My daughter Jennifer went to Loyola for her undergrad and often talked about social justice. My pet peeve was the confederacy and slavery. Christians are to actively feed the hungry and provide shelter for the poor. Anyway, off to bed…
December 5, 2017
Dang, it is cold. I heard the wind howling last and think I heard it rained, but am not sure, because when I checked the temperature this morning, it was 32 F°. Isaac and were so happy to see the clouds eventually giving way to the morning sun, the little man loves to look out sliding door. Funny, went I can stop him on his track crawling around when I activate the monkey that his mom recorded say, “Mommy loves you Isaac, mommy loves you.” He always turns around with a big grin on his face looking around. Talk about high energy, he kept us busy today, with only one short nap. Getting back to the weather, I thank God that my only complaint for the day is that 60+ mph wind blew all the leaves back unto my front lawn. It’s understandable all the leaves are all about this year, because the city was done collecting them even when a lot of leaves remained on the tree this year. I think I was the only one raking them every week, but I was throwing them along the fence in back. It’s a losing battle now and I refuse to do any more ranking and mulching in the cold. Clearly as I drive through town, most homes are highly cheerfully decorated and beautifully lit. Rarely I would see a manger scene, but even then, the baby Jesus would be surrounded by reindeers, candy canes, nutcracker soldiers, Santa Claus and frosty the snowman. I had a brief but interesting conversation about Santa Claus with Andrea and Rob. I think every Christian parent should take the time to muse on what Holy Scripture in regards to the matter of the secular world Santa Claus. Eventually, there will come a day when the first child will ask, “Mommy, is there rally a Santa Claus?” Albeit, days passed a full moon, she’s remains huge and bright. ????? yeah, I got up for another spot of earl grey and looked out the kitchen window. Where was I, right, Christian parents explaining Santa Claus. First of all, I believe there is a place for imagination and I do think Santa and flying reindeers is pretty imaginative. And here's the but... the level of emphasis placed on Santa appears to me as crossing the line. In my mind, to teach your child that Santa is a real person who performs real miracles, to reward children with gifts for behaving well, with the full knowledge that he is a myth, can only be described as being deceitful. Using gifts from a mythical figure can only serve to promote a form of moralism that is alien to the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Christians, our motivation for being obedient to God’s ten words should be out of an attitude of gratitude for the grace God has shown us. The gospel speaks of God’s work in forgiving us of our sins—not because of the righteous acts which we have done. In my mind, promoting Santa is to bow to cultural pressures to have our children conform to the ways of the world. The bottom line is, does the promotion of Santa lead to an exaltation of Christ? What we are doing when we teach your child to seek Santa's approval of whether they were naughty or nice? I think we are committing idolatry when we don't trust in Christ alone for our approval. Anyway, something worth pondering? In our Coran deo, we live in God's love and live in love toward our neighbor. Saint Paul encourages us to follow the example of Christ saying, "Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me’” (Romans 15:2-3). Saint James, warns against partiality noting, "If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors" (James 2:8-9). In keeping of four of God's words toward our neighbor, we are to not steal, but to open a hand to feed and clothe the poor. We are not to bear false witness, but to set a watch on our foul tongue against calumny and toward putting the best construction when speaking about our neighbors in the kindest possible way. We are not to covet our neighbor’s wife or anything that belongs to our neighbor, but to be content with the gifts God has afforded us and wish our neighbor well. We have God's ten words to curb and control our sins. Like a mirror, his ten words show us our sin and our need for a Savior. And like a guide, his ten words, help us clearly teaches us what is a pure and God pleasing life should be. Lord, have mercy.
December 4, 2017
I woke in the middle of the night and initially thought I was dreaming as I had to peek out the window to see the gentle night rain. I say, it don’t get better than rain at night in December in our as Al Roker would say, “neck of the woods.” I think it’s insane to be in the 60s again for yet another day, but with high wind and rapidly dropping temperature, I looked at the ten day weather forecast and got a reality check; it’ll be initially in the 30s tomorrow and will soar down into the 20s the remainder of the ten day forecast, brr. I was off to a bad start this morning; I dropped and shattered my coffee mug. I hope I didn’t upset Fawn too much, as she insisted on cleaning up my mess; she’s truly a God send. It’s odd that I tend to eat and enjoy clementine and mandarin oranges more frequently this time of year. I was thinking about the prophet Isaiah who includes himself with “we have been unclean”. We can also learn from Saint Paul who recognizes the total depravity within us. We can all learn from he said with gratefulness, “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:12-15). Funny, how Isaac is start to mimic people. The plan was to go a do a mall walk, but that didn’t come to pass, instead I was tired and took a rather long afternoon nap. Talk about taking a flash back in the past, I remember my sister Mary skipping along and singing, God bless her soul, In my Heart There Rings a Melody. A reminder that we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart” (Ephesians 5:19). Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culp. Jesus Christ son of the living God, have mercy on me a poor miserable sinner. Come, Lord Jesus.
December 3, 2017
Unbelievable, just got in and was out and about in the beautiful evening with temps still in the mid 50s and looking up at the sky. One can’t help but be taken back super moon and ponder about creation and the creator of the stars of night. Thanks be to God for the gift of your creation. Amen. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bigger and brighter moon. Wasn’t able to make it to morning Mass, so we did the next best thing and listened in on the live streaming. "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away" (Isaiah 64:6). Polluted garment? What a sting from the get go. The Hebrew Bible, translates polluted garments to menstrual rags. Martin Luther said, “The most damnable and pernicious heresy that has ever plagued the mind of man is that somehow he can make himself good enough to deserve to live forever with an all-holy God.” I think some people see a conflict between faith and good works, but I do think that good works are necessary for salvation. Another way to put it is that our righteous acts do not produce salvation but are, in fact, evidence of our salvation or as some would have it, fruits of our salvation. Saint James speaks clearly about Faith Without Works Is Dead. We need to recognize that even our righteous acts come as a result of the Christ that is within us and not of ourselves. Normally, we sing Psalm 116 as the Offertory, how fitting it was to sing Psalm 51 this morning. I was wrong about the state on my mother-in-laws condition; she got a blood transfusion, this morning. It just occurred to me that we’ll be going to several Christmas parties and I’ll be stuffing myself, no wonder why people make New Year weight loss resolutions. Just getting to play with Isaac a little today made my day. Keep us close to you Lord, come Lord Jesus.
December 2, 2017
What’s wrong with me? I should have been leaping for joy, loss back about a pound and a half back from the Thanksgiving Day feast. Insane, the amount of effort it takes to accomplish to work off a mere pound. The plan is to put in the same effort again this week, and then hopefully I can go back to the norm. Was talking to my brother-in-law Carl and am amazed at what he is able to accomplish. He ran the Chicago M Marathon and with his best time, just missed qualifying for Boston with 3:30:30. So what he do? He goes to the Indianapolis Marathon a month later and qualifies by shaving off five minutes with 3:25:44! Getting older and running faster year after year. In my mind, he is defying logic, not bad for a man in the 50s. It’s my understanding that the Senate Tax Bill passed today. I am clueless as to how it will impact me or the nation as a whole, but it is what it is. I think this is the first major tax reform since 1986. Prayers this will create a substantial number of employment opportunities for Americans. One can only shake their head at both republicans and democrats. Instead of working to together, they go at each other with their extreme ideologies and divide our country. I have a history of voting multiple parties and rightly or wrongly, often times it is a vote against what I perceive as the lesser of two evil. The last presidential election was a doozy, with two unprecedentedly unpopular candidates. Fawn’s mom was complaining about the hospital food, so I made her some fried eggs with oyster sauce. Hmm, .... Normally I stir fry bitter melon with beef, but I changed it up today and made it with sliced barbecue pork, heaven. I started thinking about yesterday when asked, “aren’t you bored sitting doing nothing in the hospital waiting room?” but I was actually mediating. We are called to mediate day and night, contemplating or rehearsing in our mind God's word. Strangely my advent journey has led not to a dire place, but of thanksgiving. Perhaps this is because it will not be in full swing until tomorrow. But for sure, the celebration of Advent is possible only to those who search deeply in their soul and are troubled knowing themselves to be poor and imperfect. That is why I am thankful to God who gives us rest. Jesus declared, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30). The secular christmas season seems to be in full swing and without doubt, the people of Christ should rejoice that the Word has become flesh and dwelt and in his fullness we received grace upon grace. But the birth of the same baby Jesus of the manger is also the birth of Jesus brings judgment foretold in Malachi 4. The essence of Advent is Jesus Christ; he has come, and he will come again. This demands a bold telling of Good News. Fawn was reading out loud crime statistics in Chicago and how they remain stubbornly high. Even crime in Naperville is up in almost every category Reflection on the violence and evil in the world cause us to cry out to God to make things right. Our own sinfulness and need for grace leads us to pray along with the psalmist, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right2 spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:10-12). This will be my last Advent hymn of the day posting, and don’t get much better than Of the Father's Love Begotten. This great hymn celebrates the coming of Christ, taking us from when Christ was expected all the way to when Christ is taken into heaven to be seated at the right hand of God the Father and profoundly reminds us Christ is the means to all ends. Answering doubting Thomas, "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14: 6). To say otherwise is to reject God’s inconceivable love and to mock his justice.
December 1, 2017
I really need to listen and pay attention. I got up early and did my exercises, thinking I had had a early doctor’s appoint. LOL, we left the house at 6:30 for a beer run to Jewels and Binney’s for, Founders CBS. Between the two of us, we were able to get two bottles at $26 each at jewels and two bottles at Binney’s at Binney’s for $29 each, unbelievable. As usual, we got it for my brother-in-law, Carl. It’s too, pricey for my blood. Anyway, my doctor’s appoint was actually late morning and all was well. Alex came by and we all went to Fabulous Noodles for lunch. First time I tried their Mongolian beef luncheon, it was only so-so, but the pot stickers, egg rolls, hot sour soup and fried rice were awesome as usual. It got busy and the day went by fast, spent most of the day in the ER. I’m not a doctor, and it was somewhat confusing, but my mother-in-law looked fine. Prayers that all is well. I’m listening to Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming. It is so beautiful. Nice way to end the day.
November 30, 2017
I was a zip-a-dee-doo-dah day, but without the bluebird. What a super way to end the month on November. I start to ponder about global warming and have heard countless opinions that it's going to be bad, terrible or catastrophic, but in our hypocrisy, we limit what we do. In my mind, I’d rather burn fossil fuel than use nuclear energy. But to cut to the chase, I believe God is in control of the climate and will do with it as he pleases. Today’s Advent hymn is, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. The Word became flesh; Saint John said that, "The true light that enlightens every man was coming in to the world" (John 1:9). Jesus spoke saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12). Albeit, I’ve been sticking to the daily five calories deficit average per day formula that doesn’t seem to yield a pound a week weight loss, I have kicked up my cardio exercises this week and would be extremely disappointed if I didn’t lose nearly or at least a pound back from last week’s Thanksgiving gain. I read an article about Cloverhill Bakery losing eight hundred workers in Chicago after an immigration raid. Hopefully that means eight hundred jobs for Americans. I still have mixed feelings about the DACA program which will phase out by March. I am glad that the POTUS put an end to the program and called on Congress to act. Surly, congress will do the right thing by them, right? I was looking at our worship folder for the first week of Advent and can hardly wait for Sunday to come around. Well, off to bed, got to get up early and get my exercises in before my doctor appointment.
November 29, 2017
Funny, Fawn went out to do lunch with her friend Angelica, so I went to the freeze for a faithful standby meager meal, Stouffer’s Chicken Ala King. The only problem with the tasty dish is it is 38o calories for seemingly just the tiniest portion that leaves one still hungry. The Angel Gabriel is my 25th Advent hymn of the day, no wonder why I love Advent hymns. The Archangel Gabriel’s message to the Virgin Mary, and her subsequent response, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word”, marked the dawn of our redemption. With the heart of great appreciation for her role as the Theotokos, Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. I've been musing about gossipers to the self-righteous to the point of being annoyed being around people who find it is amusing to take pleasure in denigrating or criticizing other and talking crap seems to make them happy. Jesus said, "You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, son the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:34-37). Lord, tame my tongue and keep watch over the door of my lips. Amen.
November 28, 2017
Yesterday was a lazy day and Fawn let me know it. I was low energy yesterday and wasn’t much help with caring for the little man. I went to bed super early and got the needed rest to keep up with Isaac. The kid definitely loves to move about. I was up around five and so nice to get the exercises in and enjoy the coffee and the quiet of the day before sunrise. And the days are so noticeably shorter and we are finding ourselves literally in the darkness. There is something to be said for predawn, take note of God’s amazing grace, loving mercy and abiding peace. “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35). This ancient advent hymn is a gem, Drop Down Ye Heavens From Above, “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it” (Isaiah 45:8).
November 27, 2017
Been humming the Sunday’s hymn of the day, Lord of Glory, You have Bought Us, most of the day. I’ve been musing on our Lutheran evangelical catholicity. Interestingly, Jennifer mentioned that one of her Catholic friends said that her manner of speech was like a Catholic. I think that is because Lutherans didn’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Article XXIV of the Augsburg Confession "Of the Mass" states: "Falsely are our churches accused of abolishing the Mass; for the Mass is retained among us, and celebrated with the highest reverence." Unlike the protestant churches, we also confess belief in the efficacy of the sacraments: regeneration in Holy Baptism, Confession as the sacrament of Absolution, and the Real Presence of Christ in his Holy Eucharist and refuse to quibble over the number of sacraments. "For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace" (John 1:16). One can only join Jesus’ high priestly prayer that we all be one. My Advent hymn of the day is, Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates. O We are encouraged to open the gates of our heart that the King of glory may come in. I continue finding myself sold under sin much like Saint Paul, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15).
November 26, 2017
I know all days beautiful days the Lord has made, but wow. I tend to favor sunny days that are above the norm this time of year. The other day, my friend Jim predicted we were going to have an usually mild winter. I hope he's right. Sweet, we had a double Baptism. It’s been a while since I assisted at the altar and have forgotten how awesome it is to seated next the altar and be up close and personal. From the altar I also had good view of the new organ pipes being installed. Not only are they beautiful, they’re also humongous. The Closing hymn for the Last Sunday of the church year was Beautiful Savior. A praise hymn doesn’t get much better than that. In contrast to ordinary times, during Advent we wait in our repentant expectation, lying in fetters groaning in these end times to greet our Lord. I’m struck by the encouraging poetic third verse of my Advent hymn of the day, O Lord, How Shall I Meet You. “Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted, who sit in deepest gloom, who mourn your joys departed and tremble at your doom. Despair not; He is near you, there, standing at the door, who best can help and cheer you and bids you weep no more.”
November 25, 2017
OK, now I have to pay the piper for undesirably gaining back of two pound. For sure I have my work cut out for me to make an actual concerted effort to work it back off the next two week. I had a good go at it by doubling up the go on the elliptical today. I think it is too taxing to doing that much cardio on a daily basis, but think once or twice a week is doable for the short term. O Come, Divine Messiah. I can't help but to think of the O Antiphons because of the persistence weeping cry of "Come!" exemplify our longing for the Divine Messiah.
November 23-24, 2017
It didn’t seem so last night, but it sure felt like I was in a food coma. Fawn allowed me to sleep in late and only woke me to let me know she was going out to visit her mom. Jennifer is upstairs in her room studying so decided to pen this morning while sipping on my morning coffee, since I neglected to do so last night. Happy haircut, it was way overdue. The Great Forerunner Of the Morn. What an interesting ancient hymn written by, The Venerable Bede. There are many forerunners mentioned in holy scripture, but I found the certainty of God’s promise most encouraging. “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrew 6:19-20). I felt a little nostalgic yesterday and took the time to watch, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. I had no idea how many calories I consumed yesterday, but do know I did limit myself to a single plate. The problem was that the plate was huge and I did not feel the least deprived of indulging on the all out turkey and prime rib roast with all the trimmings. All that matter, was I did enjoy myself at the holiday dinner with friends and family. I can’t remember the last time Soo and Eddie share the Thanksgiving table with us. I was great that they flew in from Arizona. It’s been a while since I gave up on squats now I’m abandoning doing planks. There are just some exercises that seem to only cause more soreness than am helpful. Well, guess I’ll get my exercises in now and will finish the day's entry this evening. It’s hard to believe that it is still in the mid 50s right now. We just got back from an evening out with Jim and Mary. We made plans at the dinner party last night to do the Friday fish night at the Phoenix Club. It’s clear to me that I gained some weight this week. The question remains, how much? I’m guessing a pound or two. I started to pen, anytime it’s above the norm here in the Midwest is a day worth celebrating. But then again, Saint Paul exhorts us to, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). I felt the need for another advent hymn, so my Advent hymn of the day is, We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight. We are called to trust firmly in the Lord and firmly believing the fullness of the Gospel promise that Jesus lived, suffered, died and rose from the dead again for all. Lord, “I believe; help my unbelief!” I was struck by the noteworthy pen of Martin H. Franzmann: Rid us, O Lord, of the arrogant delusion that our age is harder to live in, harder to live through and be decent in than any age that ever was, that we are being tried as our fathers never were, that we have more excuse for our neurotic screaming, our pitiful muddling, our eroded standards, our sentimental slobbering, our pinching terror at the shadows of the future cast upon our way than any men who ever walked beneath Your heaven and on Your earth. Teach us, O Lord, by Your sane and steadying Word that we stand before You as we always stood, living of Your grace and moving toward Your judgment, that the Bomb and the terrible technological trifles of our time have not altered the great plain, steady fact that You are Lord and have not changed the blessed time of Your coming as a thief in the night.
November 22, 2017
Penning early and will have to make it quick, because it’s a dinner and a movie night, left over chicken from yesterday and, War for the Planet of the Apes. Hoping the movie will be as good as it is cranked up to be. OK, I get it; chilly days are the new norm. Had no choice but to brave the cold to see the doctor. Fawn has been miserable for quite some time now. Turns out she has a case of an acute sinus infection that required antibiotics. Before I get to my Advent hymn of the day, on this Thanksgiving Eve, I have the thanksgiving hymn, Come, Ye Thankful People, Come prayerfully on mind. Come Lord Jesus, bring thy final harvest home. Amen. We wait for thee, O Lord, We Wait for Thee.
November 21, 2017
Saint Paul said that taught is Jesus we are, “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). The Advent of Our King. It is through the renewal that takes place through the Holy Spirit that sanctifies and enables us to strive earnestly to live according to Jesus’ teachings. We leave the old sinful Adam behind and live as Christ’s new people. It’s a clear new milestone that Isaac routinely likes to crawl over to the couch and pull himself up and stand. I can hardly wait to see him stand upright on his own accord unassisted. The poor kid is teething big time. I am thankful for the joy of wearing the crown of the aged. Hmm, I love paprika chicken with potatoes and rice. What a great hearty dish, it right up there with a bowl of chili on a cold winter like day.
November 20, 2017
After waking in the pre dawn all week, of all days to wake up late, I woke up this morning around 7:30 to the bright sunshine. Isaac crawls to the edge of the sofa and pulls himself upright now. His reaction is funny to see when his locked knees gives and he is hanging on the sofa to keep from falling. Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending. Ah, the biblical imagery, come Lord Jesus. This is Thanksgiving week and we are also nearing the end of the church year. So it is most fitting to offer prayers of thanksgiving for the Holy Spirit. Tonight was game night and Rob and I played Chinese Checkers. The game ended with controversy with no known winner; because this was the first I think I blocked someone in their own starting area. Interesting, so what happens in this situation? LOL, it's only a game.
November 19, 2017
On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry. Repent and let us prepare our hearts for our Savior, the Lord is nigh. No wonder why Jennifer didn’t wake this morning, she bought some friends to the anticipated Mass. I remain convinced that the kindest act of love to one’s neighbor is to invite them church. In his sermon, Pastor Buchs spoke of the frailty we all share with the servant given the one talent, to soothe our uncertainty of the future by holding on to what we have. I concur that this loss aversion is likely why people do things that otherwise would be hard to explain, like staying in unhealthy relationships.
November 18, 2017
De Profundis Clamavi Ad Te Domine - “Out of the depths have I cried for you, O Lord” (Psalm 130: 1). How can one not love praying the psalms back to God? I have to believe that my Advent hymn of the day is inspired by a multitude of scripture, Hark, a Thrilling Voice is Sounding. Advent is nearing and we begin to wait and ponder coming Christ and sorrowfully turn our lives and attention in repentance to receive the gifts that Christ brings, casting away the works of darkness and haste with tears of sorrow to receive our Savior’s grace, mercy, pardon and comforting words of love. I went to bed early last night, and so I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of the pouring rain. Normally, I can close my eyes and easily fall back to sleep, but I was fully awake, so I went downstairs, made myself and cup of hot tea and enjoyed the quiet. It was no fun running errands this morning in the pouring rain, but gotrdun. I should be losing a pound a week with my calorie intake, but I was not surprised to be plateau, it is what it is. I have no plans to cut back any more food. I not concern about losing weight, but really need to get rid of all the fat around my mid section. I’ve been doing planks everyday for a week now and will challenge myself to slightly increase the time and difficulty every time. I’m currently at level 2 of the 30 day plank challenge. Hopefully, over time, there will be some noticeable progress toward a flatter gut. I still have underarm flab, but it is noticeably more tone. There is no quick way to get rid of the bat wings. There is only so much I can do with my resistance bands and pairs of five, ten and fifteen pound dumb bells.
November 17, 2017
Was up early before daybreak to get my exercises in before taking Fawn and Jennifer in for their blood work. On top of that, I raked seven 30 gallon trash can of leaves and brought it to the back along the fence and mulched it with the lawn mower. I can see me doing that until the snow fall, with all the remaining leaves on some of the trees and lawn the block. Without anymore leaf pick up, hopeful everyone will pitch in and bag them the next three weeks before the collection program ends on December 9th. I screwed up my calorie tracker. The word table is clumsy to use compared to Excel, but that is expected, it’s not a spreadsheet tool. I guess just monitoring the calorie counting daily and ongoing for short periods is all I ready need and no sense getting upset of frustrated. Anyway, today’s Advent hymn is Praise the One who breaks the darkness. Praise the one who brings healing, hope and salvation to the world, which allows us to live in joy and peace. Prayers for a kinder and more compassionate world.
November 16, 2017
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound" (Isaiah 61:1). Hark the Glad Sound! The Savior Comes. How can one not love Advent Had the annual fall furnace tune up and maintenance done this morning. We always schedule the technician to annually check the air conditioner in the spring and the furnace in the fall. I’m fully vested in staying warm in the winter as well as cool in the summer in my home. We took Alex to get his biannual comprehensive dilate eye exam, because he wouldn’t be able to immediately drive after his eyes were fully dilated. Afterward, Fawn and I went to the outlet mall. Wow, I couldn’t believe my eyes; I saw a nice Titanium™ coat at Columbia for $1,000. Most of the coats were over $500, but I will say that I think even there low end lines are good. Clearly, I was at the wrong section of the store and worked my way toward the clearance section and then out the store empty handed. I do have a few clothing items with the Columbia brand name on it, because Fawn is able to find from time to time huge markdowns on clothes from the store when they are out of season. Anyway, I was layered up and comfortable enough to enjoy the outdoor mall walk. I didn’t go with Fawn to visit her mom today, but was thrilled to learn that she was released from the hospital and is back at her nursing home, was wondering why she was gone so long. According to my calorie count and the little progress I gotten the last couple weeks, I’m not expecting to see any weight lost this week and for sure with Thanksgiving next week, well … Whoo hoo, my little girl is done with another quarter and will be off the remainder of this week and next.
November 15, 2017
I’m surprise to see torrential rain without thunder. Hmm, I failed late last night and snacked on popcorn, what was I thinking? I use to, but now rarely join Fawn in visiting her mom. I know I should be more supportive and visit my mother-in-law in the nursing home more often. For whatever reason, I noticed that I tend to go when she is in the hospital. While at the hospital I saw a quote, “Love is a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own” In my muse, I began think about mutual love relationships and suppose that has to be essentially mutual. Optimistic people often say that people change. I’m not saying that isn’t possible, but I am saying that hoping one changes is not an expectation to build a healthy relationship on. I’ve been pondering about gossip for a while now and even started penning about it, only just to delete it. Gossiping reflects poorly on the gossiper and only shows others their insecurity and meanspiritedness. Saint James said, "but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God" (James 3: 8-9). About a month or so ago, I was stuck by a read in the margins of our worship folder having to do with an unusual two fold penance the confessor Philip Neri assigned to a woman for her sin of spreading gossip. The first part of the assigned penance was to spread feathers about, was easy enough, but the second part that followed was performing the impossible task of collecting all the feathers that had blown about. The point Philip Neri was trying to make was, when we detract from others, our malicious words are scattered and cannot be fully gathered back. The gossip endlessly continues to dishonor a person as it lingers in people’s minds evermore passing from one talebearer to the next. Sadly enough, often times in our sinfulness, we start off speaking positively about someone, and then digress by adding a “but” in the middle of our sentence. We say things like, “He’s a great guy, but …” or “I love my mom, but …” I think these unnecessary detractions only diminishes the honors of others. May we move away from our sinful gossip, detraction, backbiting, and talebearing and repenting in our journey back to Eden using our speech as God intended for good and charitable conversation that edifies all in love for our Lord. Saint Paul instructs us to, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29). My Advent hymn of the day is, Come, Thou Redeemer of the Earth. Its ancient hymns like this and Te Deum in our Christian hymn treasury that we are blessed with.
November 14, 2017
Was super tire for some unknown reason. It was already day light when I woke. I think the overnight cold is here to stay for a while and will have to get use to seeing white frost on the roof tops and on the grass. Today was a much better than yesterday, in that at least it got up into the 40s. Strange, how it was so sunny in the a.m. and how the clouds move in for the remainder of the day about the same time it did yesterday. While caring Isaac today, it dawned on me that he is around twenty pounds, hard to believe I was carrying more surplus than that a year ago. In Holy Conversation, “As holy conversation, in silence or by word, in ev’ry situation through Jesus, we are heard. So let us pray securely, expressing hopes and fears with confidence that surely our Father ever hears.” The psalmist reminds us, “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry" (psalms 34:15).Imagine that, even we sigh.
November 13, 2017
Come, Thou Precious Ransom, Come. We anxiously wait for thee, thy only hope for sinful mortals. Brr, I woke to yet another early sign of winter. It was a cold frosty morning and I couldn’t wait to get a nice hot cup of java in me. Weather-wise, albeit frigid in the 30s all day, it wasn’t a total bust; the sun did shine for a couple hours in the a.m. I say, any sunlight is better than none. Sadly, the days continue to shorten. Isaac loves to look out the window, but I don’t stand near it and let him look out as long as I use to now. I can feel the outside cold. The day went busily by, with the little man.
November 12, 2017
Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying. Come thou blessed one. I looked up at the ten day forecast on the online Weather Channel and set my mind to get over the inevitable dreary weather that reminds me more of winter than fall. I was musing most of the day; on how blessed I am with a God fearing family that seeks to continue to grow in the light of God’s grace and goodness. Deceit folks try to do their best to raise their children to be moral and ethical, but that’s not enough, we are called to do all things to the glory of God. I’m elated how all my children turned out, despite all my short comings. Spiritual blessings in Christ comes as no surprise to me, for "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:3–6). May the Lord continue to shower us grace upon grace as we seek to live as a family for his glory. Amen. Talk about joy, got to see the little man again this week and with a little help, he’s standing. Fawn’s mom, wasn’t feeling all that well when Fawn and her brother went to visit her this afternoon. Clearly, she wasn’t. We got a call this evening that she is in the hospital for being tested with kidney complications. Prayers, for comfort, health and recovery.
November 11, 2017
Aah, Earl Grey tea, life is good. As The Dark Awaits The Dawn. Come, Lord Jesus, we await your light. I don’t get it; clearly weight loss is not a science. Albeit, I did lose two tenths of a pound this week, the calories count calls for the shedding of at least a pound. I thought for sure that I would fare much better this week then last, but am now guessing, if I don’t track the calories, I would be gaining weight, insane. I’m actually not that concern about my weight as I am about my belly fat, because my BMI is almost where it needs to be. After more investigation, I decided, well actually my body dictated, to start off with daily at the lowest level beginners plank and work my way up from there. Sounds like a plan. Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Amen, our Lord offers us an abundantly full life that is able to love, forgive and give more, when we stay connected to him. I tried my hand at teriyaki salmon again today and found it amazing how much favor salmon takes on after marinating them for an hour.
November 10, 2017
Brr, its record cold out there, it never got above freezing today. Alex came by and invited us to dinner at Fabulous Noodles, but that wasn’t enough to change my mind about braving the weather, so he just went with his mom. I ended up doing steps in addition to the usual time on the elliptical and am starting to pen today’s journal entry early while they are out and about. It very nice to be listening to sacred music in the background. It’s been a long time since I listened to Lutheran Public Radio. While doing my daily exercises this morning, I was thinking about yesterday’s mall walk and seeing the Fox Valley Mall beginning its annual transformation with Christmas decorations. The huge tree at center court as well as the Santa photo booth is already up and good to go. So I guess it’s officially the beginning of the Christmas season at the mall. It is a clear reminder that the world sees no need for Advent and wants to leapfrog over it and plunge right into the joy of Christmas shopping, angels, shepherds, wisemen, baby Jesus, Santa and snowmen. I thank the church in her wisdom to quiet the world that lives in our hearts. In our repentance and preparation, we wait in the silence, praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing. It is through advent are souls are anew in joining the angel in singing Gloria on the joyful Christmas Day. I actually believe it could sound like this very Gloria in Excelsis Deo. Interestingly, that we sing Luke 2:14 and John 1:29 every Sunday, but unlike Lent, we leave in the Alleluias but omit Gloria in Excelsis from the Liturgy during the season of Advent. Tomorrow is officially Veterans Day, so I began musing a little about the day that veteran are honored and thanked for their military service. Because I have never been in the military, I will never fully appreciate the daily sacrifices one makes while serving, but know because of them I am able to enjoy our freedoms. So with a grateful heart, I thank God for the service of all military personnel who have served as well as those who are actively servicing. I hid indoors all day away the cold.
November 9, 2017
Savior of the Nations, Come. Come, Lord Jesus! Dang, talk about the temperatures taking a nose dive. It is my understanding that it’ll continue to drop into the teens overnight and that the weather will be winter like tomorrow. It sure felt like it today. Looks like the roller coaster ride will begin early this year. I should know better and should stop complaining about the, I’ll never go outside again until the spring Midwest weather. I never could acclimate to cold weather and the only advice I can offer is buy yourself some thermal underwear and layer up.
November 8, 2017
Comfort, Comfort Ye My People, "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins” (Isaiah 40:1-2). The Lord’s mouth has spoken astonishing words of comfort, pardon and grace. I know, I know, we’re still in ordinary times and still several weeks away from Thanksgiving Day. I was musing on the, Thanksgiving Day Litany and Grace and think it as beautiful way to bless the table. I really love Thanksgiving Day and think it is a wonderful holiday where we gather with the people we love. The diverse American experience of the day is fascinating, being surrounded with love ones who are godless and are thankful for people on the worldly journey away from Eden. Love ones who worship other gods or even agnostic in itself is a challenging ordeal. I find it interesting, but not surprising the church has not set aside a liturgical day that celebrates thanksgiving, after all, we are blessed with the Holy Mass. Today’s retreat was on prayer which acknowledges the presence of God. It is most certainly true, that all else flows from that. There’s no getting around the temps being steadily in the 40s, but we bundled up and worked outside and cleared the gutter of leaves. It was nice to be in the sunshine though. We will most likely have around go at that, because there are so many tress on the block with so many leaves still green and just beginning to show signs of autumn colors. I replaced the 1-1/2 inch exterior sump pump hose with 4 inch flexible drainage pipes. Good for me, I normally regrettably procrastinate and do the needed in the extreme cold. From time to time, I offer Aaron's Blessings over my children, but tonight I offer a Catholic Prayer, O Heavenly Father, I commend my children to Thy care. Be Thou their God and Father; and mercifully supply whatever is lacking in me through frailty or negligence. Strengthen them to overcome the corruptions of the world, whether from within or without; and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy. Pour Thy grace into their hearts, and strengthen and multiply in them the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit, that they may daily grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and so, faithfully serving Thee here, may come to rejoice in Thy presence hereafter. Amen.
November 7, 2017
Conditor Alme Siderum (Creator of the Stars of Night), Christ redeemer save us all, "to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, Three in One, laud, honor, might, and glory be." Today, exhibited the normal dreariness of the autumn, with ever so little sunshine to speak of. I often become the typical ingrate when it gets so cold and the gloom and doom looking sky sets in and praising God for the weather just seems to cease and complaining abounds. This is when the mere thought of even considering God’s work of providence becomes more than challenging at times and I begin to fail to see the majesty in all his creation. The prophet spoke of my stubborn and rebellious heart, "They do not say in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest’" (Jeremiah 5:24). The reality is that God creates, ordains, and controls all weather and if we complain about the weather, complains of the God who ordains it. Yet I can't help but to think about the bite of hurricanes, Maria, Irma and Harvey or of the numerous tornados this year. May we rejoice in the midst of our suffering that it is not happening without purpose. Praise be to God in his glory in our sanctification.
November 6, 2017
It was suppose to be another mostly cloudy day, but zip-a-dee-doo-dah, plenty of sunshine, what a wonderful day. Despite all the sunshine, it remained a rather nippy day. Regardless of the temp, every bit of sunshine this time of year is considered a blessing. I was musing about being humbled under the right hand of God. Humility and the humbling of oneself is unappealing to most of us, because the world tells us to build up our self esteem and to think highly of one's self. But we are saints, holy ones, set apart from the world, and humility is one of the marks that characterizes us. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you" (James 4:10). There is no doubt that the prideful person uses his tongue to put down others and always playing the game of one-upmanship. The colorful remarks tend to be on the cutting side. The teasing may seem to be amusing put-downs, but they are actually bits of one’s pride showing through. We are therefore to, pray daily, that God would prepare our hearts and mind for every duty, to every good work, enabling us to curb, control and wisely use the tongue to speak well of one's neighbor and serve him accordingly with to the gifts that supplies us. In this way, in all things, God may be glorified through Christ our Lord. O Lord, keep a watch over our lips. Amen. What a riot, played with my grandson all day. The kid is full of smiles and continuously cooing babbling about something. Nice to get out and do the mall walk, especially at the Gurnee Mills Mall. It took me about thirty minutes to walk from one end to the other and back. Monday night football must be doing well. Not the usual hoar of people I’ve seen on the weekend, but then again, it is a week day. I have no doubt in my mind; a huge mall like this will be packed solid as it nears the holidays. The only mall I’ve seen bigger than this bad boy is the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. Ahh, there is nothing like praying the noble Advent hymns in our preparation. I’ll try my best to remember to include a link to one every day until … Come, Thou Precious Ransom, Come.
November 5, 2017
It’s not easy to get use to the grey sky not to mention as we move toward the winter solstice the days get shorter. One thing I noticed about harsh winter days the desire to rest in God’s presence. Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). I know it’s still Pentecost, but I can hardly wait for Advent and the beautiful hymns that accompany the season. It won’t be long now before the store will go full bolt with Christmas decorations and mostly secular Christmas songs. Growing up I enjoyed songs like, White Christmas, It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, It’s beginning to Look A Lot like Christmas, Silver Bells, Frosty the Snowman, Winter Wonderland, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Jingle Bells, Santa Clause is Coming to Town and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. LOL, if I set my mind to it, I bet I can easily double this list. It is easy to see why store play little to hardly any Advent songs, the focus is on selling Christmas giving and the pushing Christmas gift merchandise. But in the midst of it all, the true Christmas story of the birth of our Savior, will be told. Veni Veni Emmanuel.
November 4, 2017
Woke to the thunder clap and torrential downpour that almost made me jump out of bed. Usually, I can sleep through most things, except for extremely loud thunderclaps. I find it amazing that we are still get so many heavy rain storms. Whoo hoo, dropped a whopping one and two tenths pound, sweet. With Thanksgiving Day about three weeks away, it’s sad, that I am not musing about things I’m thankful for and am just thinking about the Thanksgiving meal instead. According to research from the Calorie Control Council, the average American may consume more than 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day. That’s three times more than what I’m eating on average per day now. Even on my pig out day when I gorge, it’s still less than two thousand calories. It I ate 4,500 calories on a given day, I think I would go into a food comma. Back in the day, I remember all you can eat Friday fish fry at the VFW where I at times felt I needed to be carted out on a two wheeler when it was said and done. Swapping out clothe in the closet and gearing up for the winter. I set aside the XXL shirts and thought, “When someone steals another's clothes, we call them a thief. Should we not give the same name to one who could clothe the naked and does not? The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat unused in your closet belongs to the one who needs it; the shoes rotting in your closet belong to the one who has no shoes; the money which you hoard up belongs to the poor.” ― Basil the Great. Albeit, I think I have a long ways to go with the tummy fat, I was encouraged when I put on a pair of sweat pant and had to adjust the string by a few inches! We went to Sam’s Club to fill my meds and Bailey Road was flooded for the most part. Fawn had some ten dollar mail coupons for Kohls and JCPennys so we went to the mall; and naturally, I did the mall walk while Fawn looked for the ten dollar plus bargain. I was musing about the ways God affords us blessings. Growing up most of my life as an atheist, the world has taught me that all accomplishments are earned, but the reality is, all good blessing flow from God. From time to time, things don’t quite work out the way we plan them, but surely, has a better plan for us. So in matters concerning us, we are to, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Nice, Andrea sent us a video clip of Isaac moving about at full stream, like a rug rat. Watch out, the kid is mobile. Great way to close a rainy day listening to Rain, beautiful. One last thing to do before calling it a day, turn back the clock and get an extra hour of sleep.
November 3, 2017
I dared it, and ate focaccia bread with my morning coffee. Well, not really, I ate only half a mini and it was less the calories of my usual healthier oatmeal. With the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation still on my mine, I remain sadden that we remain a fractured church, but not lightly said, I suppose it is what it is. I intentionally penned Lutheran Reformation, because … So what is it that makes the Lutherans distinctly what it is? The German word Gottesdienst comes to mine. It’s all about how we gather around the Eucharist with God serving us with his forgiveness of sins week after week. I often use the term Mass, but not in the sense of an unbloody sacrifice, but rejoicefully in the sense that much of is well grounded the majority of scriptural text of the Latin Mass. My friend Tony came to see my grandchild’s baptism and was stunned to see the Kyrie, Gloria in Excelsis, Creed, Sanctus, Agnus Dei in the Divine Service. So what is different? The very heart and center of the reformation, the Gospel, the full forgiveness of sins apart from anything we do, solely received by faith in Christ. Now I wonder if Luther had anything to with the reformation or was it God and his word that had everything to do with it. I think tomorrow’s weigh in will be interesting, because I averaged twenty five more calories per day than my goal for this week, but I kicked up the cardiovascular exercises a tad this week.
November 2, 2017
Nice, we went out and ran a few errands and I did the mall walk at Yorktown while Fawn shop for the needed. It’s official, Christmas displays are starting to sprout up. Lots of Santas, reindeers, snowman and Christmas trees displays, but I didn’t notice any nativity scenes displays yet. Secular christmas use to bother me, but now I know, somewhere down the line, the angel’s announcement of “good tiding of great joy” during the Christmas season, will be echoed, “And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). Then we went to Isaac’s plagiocephaly treatment clinic down the street. Albeit, the time with Isaac was brief, what a joy it is just to hold and play with my crown. I was looking at, The Offertory for the Feast of All Saints, Justorum Animae (Wisdom 3:1-3). Justorum animae in manu Dei sunt, The Souls of the Just are in the hand of God, et non tanget illos tormentum mortis. and the torment of death will not touch them. Visi sunt oculis insipientium mori, They seemed to die in the eyes of the foolish, Illi autem sunt in pace. They are, however, in peace. Then for some reason my mind began wandering on today, All Souls Day. I don’t often dwell much on the existence of purgatory or theology behind All Souls Day. With regards to Purgatory, I do not believe that through the prayers of the faithful on Earth, the dead are cleansed of their sins. However, I do believe purging is necessary so that souls will be cleansed and perfected before they enter into heaven. We are purged through the blood of Christ. However, I do believe that proper prayers for those who have died in the faith are not useless and that such prayers are useful within the communion of saints, for we all remain waiting in faith for the Last Day, for the fullness of our salvation.
November 1, 2017
Happy All Saints day! Had to purge how the world views saints and honor all the saints, known and unknown. I was listening to, Kontakion of the Departed and was struck by the orthodox liturgical words, “Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy saints, where sorrow and pain are no more neither sighing, but life everlasting. Thou only art immortal, the Creator and Maker of man; and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and unto earth shall we return; for so thou didst ordain when thou createdst me, saying: 'Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.' All we go down to the dust, and, weeping o'er the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.” Copied a bunch of photos and videos off of Fawn’s phone onto my laptop for storage on my 2TB laptop. Now she is free to remove whatever she wants to off smart phone. I spent a little time watching and enjoying some of the videos. I was just thinking about what Carnal Blase Cupich said on, Catholic Chicago, the other day about how the keeping of and the venerating of relics came about in a time without photographs and it was a means for people wanting to somehow be connect to people who they admire or is dear to them. It’s so cold; it’s hard to believe it rained instead of snowed. Albeit, not fond of cold winter days, I can hardly wait to see the Winter Olympics. Wow, has it been that long? The last time South Korea hosted the Olympics was for the 1988 summer games. Korean fiery temperament and obsessive rage, rightly or wrongly comes to mind. Hopefully, things have mellowed out over the years. The other standing question would be, how will their neighbors to the north be behaving? I can’t even begin to describe how beautiful this hymn, Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones, is. It gives me goose bumps just praying the lyrics that address the very communion of saints echoing praise the Lord! Alleluia to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, three in One. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
October 31, 2017
“Blest Halloween that struck the hour when Luther’s hammer rose and fell at Wittenberg in heaven-born power and rang dark popery’s funeral-knell, when long and cruel night was gone and smiling rose the promised dawn!” It is most certainly true, All Saints’ Eve (Halloween) and All Saints’ Day have a special place in the commemoration of the Christian Church, honoring all the saints, past, present and future. Most fittingly, it was on this very day five hundred years ago that Martin Luther chose to challenge the corruption in the official church about the notion that salvation in Christ could be bought with money or works, by posting his 95 Theses on the door of the church at Wittenberg, Germany. All Saints are saved by Grace, through Faith, revealed by God’s Word in Christ. Knock, knock, trick or treat, enjoyed some of the creative costumes as well. Not sure if it me or am viewing this day differently, but there were a lot of kids out and about that braved the cold. I hope the determined trick or treaters were dressed warm enough, because it was really cold out. I needed to wear my thermal underwear just to past out the candy, at the temperature stayed in the 30s all day. I was thrilled that Fawn and Alex got back around 6:30 and took over the candy distributing task.
October 30, 2017
Clearly, I am getting wordier. I had to create a new page, because it was taking forever to load the editor and that usually don’t happen until sometime in December. I’m not very fast on the keyboard and I was waiting for each letter I type to appear. The final straw was having to wait a long time for the page to save. So here I am on a new page. I did a little cleaning up on the site and added as few horizontal navigation tabs with drop down menu capabilities. The face lift seems to be functional. So what was it like to be home alone for the day? Well, the day started out with a hot cup of earl grey and cold pizza. I’ve been humming one of the world’s most comforting hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, most of the day. Dr Luther said, “Music is an outstanding gift of God and next to theology ... I would not give up my slight knowledge of music for a great consideration ... and youth should be taught this art ... for it makes fine skillful people ... I would certainly like to praise music with all my heart as the excellent gift of God which it is and to commend it to everyone.” I couldn’t agree with him more. Well, the day is almost over and it kind of reminds me of lonely days away from my love ones. Good night, darling wife.
October 29, 2017
I was a card carrying Lutheran, going to Mass wearing a red shirt. We got there early and prepared ourselves for the Eucharist. The music was exceptional from the get go, it always is whenever the ensembles include the Saint John Brass, Kantorei and choir. The teaching of Saint Paul and Saint James comes to mind and how they both seem to fit together when musing on the doctrine of justification. We went Jean’s home and had a 20’’ thin crust pizza pie to celebrate Adam’s birthday. Six of us weren’t able to finish the pizza. Aric flew end for a short stay, so it was good to see both our nephews as well as Alex. Bob had to go to southern Illinois, so he ended up missing his own party. Fawn and Alex went to visit Andrea and Rob as well as care for Isaac for the next few days. This will be interesting.
October 28, 2017
Great, I’m encouraged, loss a half of pound this week! I kicked it up another notch this morning, because I knew I was going to pig out a little more than I ought of. It is my hope to continue doing the few extra minutes on the elliptical, at least the duration of the winter months. About a month ago, I thought for sure someone finally moved into the house behind us, but I was mistake, it was just someone tending to the hedges in the backyard. What an emotional composer/singer/song. I had to stop and watch, Aidan Martin – Punchline, wow, incredible. Amazing, freezing rain, we went out this morning to Target to buy candy to distribute to the trick or treaters and stopped off at Bakers Square for pie for the party. I limited myself to a single plate, but did a good job of stacking the bad boy pretty good, for a shameless whopping eight hundred calorie night merry making with friends. Thanks be to God for the gift of laugher. Tomorrow is going to be another busy day with a birthday party for Bob and Adam, so I had to make all the pre cook meals this week for Jennifer, today. Fawn had to chip in and make us tomato and egg dish for lunch. I'm guess my baby is having a hard time concentrating at school on the weekends and come home to study and get a descent home cooked meal.
October 27, 2017
Yes, Al Green – Let’s Stay Together. After my morning exercises, I was curious and took a long shot exploring if MS Words had formula capabilities. Lo and behold it did! Albeit, not as robust as Excel, it is going to make life a lot simpler for me to track my calories, since I lost Excel. I was getting ahead of myself and found myself musing a tad on the Feast of All Saints acknowledging the link between the church triumphant and the church militant and prayerfully remembering friends and family that have gone ahead of us. In looking at the poor state our nation and in many ways much like Israel. Heavenly Father, God of mercy and compassion, have mercy on these United States. We are lost and foolish nation separated from you. We often ask you to bless us without giving any thought of seeking forgiveness and repenting our sinful ways. It is your will that no one should be lost and that all will to be saved. Grant us your Holy Spirit, that all be enlightened with the knowledge of your saving truth and demolish the stronghold of Satan’s deception. Through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. It was nice to get out and enjoy a dinner party at Carl and Sandy’s, not to mention awesome lasagna. Like always, good food and good conversation. I made it a point not to go over the calorie count today, because tomorrow morning is the designated day for my weekly weigh in. I won’t be so tentative at the Miller’s tomorrow night for their annual Oktoberfest gathering. It looks like it will stay constantly in the 40s for a while now as the autumn weather sets in. The leaves are really beginning to change colors now and are beginning to rapidly fall off the trees. I wore more than a few layers of warm clothing, and it still felt a bit chilly with the wind. It won’t be long now until we will be storing our fall jackets in lieu of our winter coats. "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!" (Psalm 107:1).
October 26, 2017
As usual, I play a tune in the background as I begin penning a journal entry, today it’s, Say Something. Was out and about, but couldn’t find any resistance bands at a reasonable price. Guess I’ll have to make do with what I have at hand. Two of the bands are torn now, but I was able to save the one today by knotting it. But the trip out, wasn’t a total bust, we also needed a new toaster. My understanding is they normally last about six to eight years. After thirty three years, we finally got around to buying our third, two slice toaster, talk about a kitchen appliances that last. Unbelievable, we brought our new toaster for twenty dollars, from Bath and Beyond and I found it hard to believe that they had toasters there that cost anywhere between twenty to five hundred dollars. With a $20 machine, I can make toast, bagels, eggos waffles and pop-tarts. I suppose I can make the exact same things with a five hundred dollar machine with all the bells and whistles, but I can’t think of any performance improvement or any added features that could possibly justify me paying a penny more. I like my oven toaster, but don’t make use of it much. When the kids were home, they love making toasted subs sandwiches and reheating their pizzas with it. I saw another gem in our worship folder for Reformation Sunday - Legend has it that in an argument with a cardinal, Napoleon pointed out that he had the power to destroy the church. “Your majesty,” the cardinal replied, 'we, the clergy, have done our best to destroy the church for the last eighteen hundred years. We have not succeeded, and neither will you.' Rod Dreher, The Benedict Option, p. 49. . The Lutheran Church liturgical color for the day is red. I assume the red is martyr represents the Holy Spirit and the Martyrs of the Christian Church. Regardless, it is a sad day and I have mixed feeling on and think purple, for sorrowful repentance for the sin of breaking up the visible expression of the Una Sancta and join Christ in his high priestly prayer that his disciples be one.
October 22-25, 2017
We were out of town the last three days and I can’t believe I packed my laptop but forgot to bring it along. But that turned out to be an unexpected blessing for me. I became somewhat of a fall retreat for me away all the busyness. The only television I watched was on Monday, two hours of Dancing with the stars. I was wowed by, Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas Argentine tango — Sci-fi. I always find it fascinating that ladies can dance with high heel shoes. Actually, I’m perplexed what in world makes a women wear high heels at all. I was just chillin to Emerson, Lake and Palmer – From the Beginning, just before I starting penning. The music was awesome and the pairing of it with the full screen HD trippy space video, made it complete. I was musing about the joy of having your children around every now and then. Lo and behold, Alex came home for a visit, so the killed the fat and fried up a really nice porterhouse steak and boiled some baby Dutch yellow potatoes. I think Yukon Gold taste better. Once upon I time I made cevapcici and Andrea really like it. I was surprise that she made a special request for it out of nowhere. The first time I had them was at a family gathering and gave it a go ever since. Funny, that this skinless Italian sausage is not actually Italian but Serbian. Sunday was the most special day, getting to see all my family. I especially like getting to play with Isaac the entire three days. I call it a retreat, because we were indoors the entire time and just looking out the window every now and then at the rain. But today’s cool brisk sunny day was a welcomed sight. I started to pen; it was hard to believe how green the grass looked in the backyard was while having my morning coffee, but then again, over eight percent of the trees still have tons of green leaves on them. The days are noticeable short and a reminder those cold harsh dark days ahead awaits us. I got back to my exercises but am going to change it up with an emphasis more on the cardiovascular exercises. Was musing about the need for the possible need of the curbing the tongue in the mist of some who are calling for the need of a conversation on various issues the face America, beit on religion, guns, death penalty, illegal immigration, abortion, politics, etc. The list of, I can’t believe you feel that way, seem endless. Everyone knows the both sides of the debatable issues and has heard it all, thinking they are correct in their stance. Is it wrong of me to think that it is just a waste of time to try to persuade someone with an opposing view and will just leads to ill feelings? I’m actually blown away by extreme views from the far right and fat left. Surprise, surprise, Jennifer came home in the middle of the week, so I took out the last package of porterhouse of steak and fried up that bad boy. Not sure why she came home, but was nice to see briefly before see went up to her room to study. After dinner, I watched, Logan. I was super good, but a little surprise by some of the violent scenes by …
October 21, 2017
Rats, I don’t know what’s going on with Excel. It stops letting me use my 2007 version and kept directing me to activate a free 2016 online browser version that requires a login. I can’t even open it to see the various spreadsheets. I decide to just use Words and inserted tables and then saved it as a .rtf file. I track what I eat and check off the list of daily exercises. So I’ll be doing my weigh ins moving forward on Saturday mornings. I did all the cooking today, just to learn that Jennifer is not going back to school until tomorrow. I made hot dog fried rice, curry chicken, and chicken lettuce wrap for her to take back with her to school. On top of that, I made pork chops for lunch and stir fried beef with rice noodles (chow fun) for dinner. I think that Chow fun has to be among the ultimate Chinese comfort food of all time along with dim sum. I just remembered that jean mentioned Sarah Schumacher was getting married yesterday, in my joy; I looked up Sarah and Tim’s wedding website. As a side note, how about this love song from the past, Roberta Flack - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Come on Larry, get back on track, focus. It’s amazing how fast kids grow up. I was surprise what see looks like all grown up, I would of not recognized her if I saw her in person. May the Lord bless the young couple’s gift of marriage abundantly in love, joy and happiness. Amen. I was reading, The Marriage Icon, and continue to believe that through this sacrament, they become living icons of the church. There is nothing quite like the Liturgical Wedding Mass which enlightens the Christian life where mutual promise of love and faithfulness is coupled with the paschal mystery with the Holy Spirit poured out anew so that in their circumstances of married life can view each other as a icon of God. I haven’t watched, The Voice this season, but had the Battle Rounds in the background doing my exercises and while penning. Albeit, not much into country music, I did enjoy listening to, Ashley Levin vs. Casi Joy: "How Blue". It is interesting that I noticed that giving up watching and reading the news has made me so much happier. So much of the news has become irreverent, I really don’t care what professional athletes or Hollywood celebrities have to say in there ranting. The think that the news nowadays is delivered in a toxic manner has become so biased and intentionally attempts to influence and hinders one’s ability to think clearly and deeply. How did I get off tract thinking about the news? Oh yeah, got on the internet, silly me. I was doing so good (?), then I fell back to my old Adam, pointing out the flaws, weaknesses, and failures of the news media. Best to end the day right; thanks be to God for the graces of the day and in repentant prayer, Gracious Heaven Father, God of God, Light of Light, forgive the sins I have committed this day in or thought word, deed. Deliver me from all my vain thoughts and from my evil desires. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, now and forever. Amen.
October 20, 2017
Awesome day to out and about running errands and more grocery shopping. We learned Jennifer is coming home for the weekend again, so more groceries are needed. Nice to have at least one of the kids around. Oh yeah, learned the Alex won't be needing to go back to the Philippians for a while. Not sure how he feels about it. I'm not sure why, and don't really care. I rather he be here state side, instead of traveling overseas. It was a blessing to come across Jean at the grocery store. We haven’t seen her in a long while and did a little catching up. Pneumonia becomes more common in older adults and is very dangerous if left untreated. Prayers for Jean’s mom for health, comfort and recovery. I have been musing on people’s character in general for a very long time. Seems, if one speaks well of person, the response usually is, “thank you for the kind words.” And the other side of that is, when cautioning or admonishing, the response usually is, “Why are you so judgmental?” Many people often claim that only God knows what is in another's person heart, but I'm not so sure about that. In my mind, a good and noble person's heart is revealed by the kind words that come from their mouth. Jesus said, "You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:34-37). I think that one can measure a person's character by their speech. Of course we all sin in thoughts, words and deeds, but when person a degenerate heart will more often than not speak caustically harsh, negatively, or even put forth slanderous words as oppose to more often than not the gentle, gracious and kind helpful words of a virtuous heart. Wow, have to pause for a minute and pen, Bill Joel – New York State of Mind, before I lose the link, incredible. Let us take caution, because our heart is perhaps the most deceitful thing Satan exploits. Heavenly Father, author of truth, grant us your Holy Spirit, that we may change our ways and guard our lips, move us away from our careless word toward comforting, encouraging, and helpful words. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. It was a dinner and a movie night. Watch the Star Wars, Rogue One. I liked the movie and was action filled, but if kind of had a different kind of feel to it. Today was the first attempt at making chicken lettuce wraps and it was good enough that Jennifer asked me make some more tomorrow to take back to school with her tomorrow, but to make it a little less salty. I agree, the dish could do with less soy sauce and oyster sauce. Hopefully my second go at with will prove successful. Talking about food, I hope I don’t come across a pig out day this week, because I got two days in that are way below my average daily goal. For sure, Thanksgiving will be a day of feasting, but am not planning to eat myself into a food coma. Sad, see what hunger does to a man, he begins to talk about a meal reprieve a month away. Anyway, got a bunch of DVD from the library and will stop penning now and make it a double feature night with, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage.
October 19, 2017
Lord, have mercy, my sinuses. The day wasn’t off to a very good start. I knew last week’s weigh in was too good to be so. I think the big lost from last week was of the low amount of calories from the day before and … I honestly don’t know what else to do now. I guess I can look at it a gaining back a half of a pound this week or look at it as losing a pound in the last two weeks. How do people go on a diet going beyond five hundred calories less without feeling hungry is beyond me. I can only try to stick to my slow plan of eating reasonable portion according to the formula off five hundred calories less than what is suppose to be what is required to maintain given weight for a given sex, age, height and physical activity. Of course I convinced that the conventional wisdom of decreasing your calories intake or increasing your expenditure by five hundred calories a day will yield a weigh loss of one pound in a week. That was happening for a while but I am now clueless to why the slower progress has come about. I’d be lost, if it weren’t for my nasal spray to combat my seasonal allergies. Oh my, wouldn’t you know it, It’s been a while and I tend to look at headlines one or two time a week now just to see what is going on. I had to look past all the slamming on Trump this and Trump that news, and came across, FBI Operation Cross Country XI, a nationwide effort focusing on underage human sex trafficking. I was dismayed when President and CEO, John Clark of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children said, “Child sex trafficking is happening in every community across America.” Unbelievable, 84 children rescued and 120 traffickers arrested between. I saw no mention of the arresting of sex offenders in the article. That’s enough news for one day albeit was actually news. For no particular reason, I treated myself to an almond roca cookie. Fifty calories in the tiny little cookies, almost makes it sinful to indulge. Musing more on this poor miserable sinner saint’s life in thoughts, words and deeds and noting how short I fall in the glory of God, even more realizing my lack of participation in the mysterious gift of grace found in his cross. From time to time, I use Latin phases to characterize profound descriptive phases, but find Luther’s German phrase die verloren Liebe to best used to exemplify the kind of love God has for our sinful and undeserving world as a “lost love” poured as immeasurable grace upon grace upon us all, even those who at the end of the day reject it. As a Christians we are to take on his identify as little christs, loving of neighbors as ourselves. “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15:). Lord, you are the bread of life. Keep me mindful all my sins that I can go humbly as a beggar before other beggars showing them where to get the bread that sustains us. Amen.
October 18, 2017
Funny, normally my journal entries don’t take much time, since my writing is a stream of conscience penning of whatever comes to mind. But I just delete everything I previous penned, because it was more of a rant being said then being something of substance or usefulness. I think that I was moving away from just touching on the day and life of this poor miserable sinner, in the face of God. I penned about discerning about differentiating usefulness of being well informed and gossiping, moved in a story telling narrative that raised red flag in itself so, here we are. I was musing on Reformation 500. Wow, has it been half a century since the Augustinian monk nailed topics for debate on the doors of the Wittenburg Church in Germany. I think that the denouncement of the selling indulgences was perhaps the most troubling topic worth debating over at the time of the reformation in its call for repentance. Once upon a time I started to read the, Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, but needless to say, I lost interest in it early on. I have my opinions about many the reformers including Martin Luther, but think it best to keep them to myself. Because of the legacy of the Reformation, every time Reformation Sunday comes about nowadays I think about both the liturgical colors red and purple. Red, because of the work of the Holy Spirit that led to the reformation and to remember all the bloodshed among Christians martyrs and to call in prayer for the Holy Spirit to call us to our own repentance, which then brings me to think of liturgical color purple, the color of sorrow and repentance. Sorrow in that the church catholic has splinter into seemingly countless fractions with many, let’s just say unrecognizable. Let’s us therefore pray for discernment and graciously strive for unity and love with all that know Christ as we join Jesus in his priestly prayer that we be one.
October 17, 2017
Halloween is just weeks away and with that in mind I began musing about 1 Samuel 28. Saul’s digression into seeking the medium of En-dor brought him no joy, no reassurance and indeed no benefit at all but only further despair and then finally badly wounded in battle took his own life. I always become anxious this time of year. What a mixed bag of observances that take place, with Christian prayer vigils and fasting. O LORD our God, increase, we pray thee, and multiply upon us the gifts of thy grace: that we, who do prevent the glorious festival of all thy Saints, may of thee be enabled joyfully to follow them in all virtuous and godly living. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Then there are the neighbors with their yard macabre decorations, sigh … I don’t mind the trick-or-treating and guising and don't feel like a hypocrite passing out candy, but still find it creepy when parents dress their little pre toddlers as witches. It's ready on the parent/person that make the day what it is and just enjoy the donning of imaginative costumes.
October 16, 2017
I was looking back at some of my journal entries when I first started penning my stream of conscience journal entries back in the summer of 2009. They were much shorter, or should I say less winded. I decided to look out of curiosity at the stats and to my surprise I’m still getting hits from around the world. Guessing they are people stumbling upon the pages for one reason or another. I know a few of my friends visit my blog(?) from time to time. The reason I was surprise was because I use to get a lots of hits daily because I use to read and post comments on various Christian blogs and am guessing folks were curious who larryluder was, but I haven’t done that in quite some time. Fawn has a facebook page that the kids set up for her a while back, but I know she never got around to posting anything in it. I know she enjoys looking what friends share about what is going on in their life with pictures and words. I’m not sure I have anything of value, or even a compelling story to share that may resonate with friends and family. What I pen in my journal started partly a therapeutic stream of stream of conscience writing of how I see the world around me as “Simul Iustus et Peccator”. I think there are times when my scathing pen regretfully spared no punches, when my lips should be praising the Lord, and relent such on sinful activities. Interestingly, I should be exuberant today with the sun shining brightly in a cloudless sky, especially after all the gloomy wet weather we have been having. Autumn should be an awesome time and the farmers are gathering in the harvest. Instead, I find myself in the eighth chapter in the book of Jeremiah, musing over the prophet’s grieving for his people. “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved” (Jeremiah 8:20). Rob made a packaged vegetarian starter meal that I thought of it as a snack, but eating two of them bad boys was a ton of calories and was quite filling. I’d like to believe I am a discerning, but guess I lose all credibility in saying to my surprise that the Chipotle Black Bean Crumbles over tostadas and soft flour tortilla with lettuce, taco sauce and Thousand Island dressing was tasty. Every once in a while I take time to watch TED, “ideas worth watching”, tonight I watched TEDx: Michael Jr., which then lead me to, Thou Shall Laugh, funny. I use to think comedians were …, well let’s just say, I have a different outlook now. Thanks be to God for his blessings which allows us to embrace with humor the mysterious beauty in our humanity through Christ our Lord. Amen.
October 15, 2017
Hard night to try to catch some zzz’s with all the ongoing thunderous torrential downpour. Court sleep was a challenging task and was lazily dragging my feet about all day. I am thrilled that the rain has finally come to an end and the forecast calls for dry weather the remainder of the week. Hopefully the flooded area in town will soon recede. Interestingly, I fried up the bacon. It’s been a very long while since I ate bacon. Funny, when the word bacon invoked, I automatically think about, The God Whisperers. It’s been a while since I visited the self-proclaimed Manly Doctors of Divinity and looks like they haven’t done a podcast in over a year. I listened to their last episode 329 Ditched, posted on 08-24-2016. Love God, love your neighbor. Amen. I thought their teaching on, The Parable of the Good Samaritan, was quite good. Well my baby went back to school and I already miss her. Clearly, there is a big difference in the joy found in Christ between parenting and grandparenting. I only got to play with Isaac briefly and was hoping the squats I’ve been doing would have been more beneficial. I’m still having a difficulty lifting him from the ground and will have to give the exercises more time. As much as I love Andrea and Rob, there is something about Isaac that just makes you love them to death. And I’m not sure why, could be because, “Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers” (Proverbs 17:6). As I wear my crown, I hope I’ve been in some way a blessing to my children bringing them up in Christ. In the quiet, I took out the dvd westerns collection and watched, An Adventure with Audubon. Well, that another one down and 591 western television episodes to go. At this rate, I’ll most likely drop before seeing them all. I was looking at the episode guide and albeit there are many familiar tv series, there are many I have no recollection of, but who knows. I think I move away from, The Adventures of Jim Bowie, for now and will venture those for now. As night draws near, remember me also O Lord, show me mercy to me according to your great love. Amen.
October 14, 2017
Woke to the thunderous roar and torrential rain as well as to the ongoing joy that Jennifer coming home last night. Fawn went out with the ladies to their, annual benefit luncheon and fashion show. Glad to see had fun and made it back safely with the flooded road in the area. My poor sump pump got a real good workout all day long. In a way, I was so glad that she was out and about and afforded me a little time with Jennifer over lunch. I made us steamed tilapia. I wish we had more time together, but at the same time glad she continues to apply herself to the stringent study required of her. Lord, all knowledge leads to you. In your wisdom and love, grant Jennifer the grace to put her knowledge to use in mercy and love, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in praise. Amen. I began musing about duty bounded Christian parenting during their children’s wonder years. I’ve seen quite a mix bag of parenting from different walks of life, ranging from surrendering their duties to the public school to deliberately teaching their children to hate. Even as Cub Scout leader, we would jokingly call BSA, baby sitters of America. Similarly I've also seen Christian parents think that they have done their duty to raise Christian children if they just their children to church and send them to catechism class. I started to pen a creepy gossip story to make a point, but decided it best to let it be and not touch upon sometime that that wasn’t beneficial. I have more than a few do over I’d wish were possible in my own dark closet. By nature, as sinful beings, we can only confess our sinful short comings and repent of them until the next we fall short. I thought the movie, The Mummy, was really good. I thought the 1999 version was pretty good. Talk about a do over, I wish I didn’t take Alex to theater to see that bad boy, it scare the blank out of him. He was only nine or ten at the time. It must be me, the movie had a lot of bad reviews, but I liked it. What not to like about a movie with Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe? Sigh, … it’s only a reboot entertaining creature feature movie, for Pete’s sake. I learned a new few things today. It’s hard to believe and is somewhat surprising after all these years; I never heard the word ambigram before. I came about the word when reading about the distress signal S.O.S. I knew it was palindrome, but it also being an ambigram makes real good sense visually from above. Funny that SOS not even an acronym, but is effectively used with clarity as a universal audio and visual distress signal. Anyway, looks like we’ll be going to bed the same way we woke, to the thunderous roar and the ongoing heavy rain as well as with the joyful gladness that our baby is staying the night. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow."
October 13, 2017
It was really late last night when we got back home and I didn’t really get to muse over the day rejoicing in the Lord over the blessing of the day while penning the journal entry. For example, I could have shared my joy of the gift of hearing. And even the gift of sight. Being blessed with eyeglass and hearing aids, I’m able to hear and see quite well. One familiar quotation on hearing is by Ralph G Nichols, “The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.” Perhaps lesser known is from Holy Scripture, "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near" (Revelation 1:3). The reality is, the list of blessing is endless, and our Lord showers us with blessings upon blessings. In our gratefulness we pray, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3). Or I could of talk about hospitality; I remember a truth Fr Dr Genig once said, “The Holy Eucharist is the most hospitable place we can ever imagine.” As Eucharistic Christians, we need to keep coming back to the Eucharist and be driven by this sacrament. I looked at the news this morning just to learn the results of last night baseball game. The Chicago Cubs held on and won the game nine - eight. Betting Nancy is happy. She has been a Cubs fan forever. She was the only openly person from the south side I ever knew that is a Cub fan until I met Bret a few years back at work. We literally live a mile from Sox park. Funny, I just remember being on a little league team in Armour Square Park and only playing in one game before my parents thought it was dangerously a bad idea and I went back to playing the evermore infamous Chicago 16” softball. Anyway, look like the POTUS and the Obama Iran Deal is dominating the news. I watched Present Trump address that called out many of Iran's ongoing problematic non peaceful endeavors. My prayers are for Congress and that something good is going to come about with the POTUS not recertifying Iran's compliance. I think President Trump's addresses and tone is very reassuring and will wait a few days to hear the concerns from the left and from the right. I’m sure it will a given that the left will be shamelessly attacking Trump as did the left did Obama when he was president. I think the Obama deal with Iran echoes the Clinton deal North Korea in many ways. North Korea is now setting off nuclear bomb left and right and have to wonder if Iran with be doing the same in a matter of time. I know that means that I must think that Iran is most likely not trustworthy, but what does the shouts of Iranian hardliners, Death to America" mean to you? I agree with Senator Cotton, “When someone chants, 'Yes, certainly, death to America,' we should take him at his word, and we shouldn’t put him on the path to a nuclear bomb”. We need to be concern about both these country, are they or are they not axis of evil? Wow, looks like acting Secretary Eric Hargan of the Department of Health and Human Services announced yesterday, "We will discontinue these payments immediately". I wonder what that will mean with Obamacare open enrollment to begin, November 1st. I’m an advocate for universal healthcare, but clearly that will not be happening anytime soon. I had to go out and mow the lawn today because there is a ninety percent chance of thunderstorms tomorrow. It was just as well, it gave me a chance of working off some of the extra calories from last night’s pizza. It rained the last two days and I was still able to move the grass all the way back to the fence in the backyard, so I guess the plan worked to keep the water from the neighbor’s yard to flow into mine and into drainage system like it is suppose to. Curbside leaf pickup is scheduled for this upcoming week so I raked the little that was on the grass. I was told that they start the pick up early because the city need time to stop early enough to have time to switch the equipment over to snow blade before a winter storm. It doesn’t bother me anymore, because I take the remaining leaves now and throw them along the back fence. I doubt that I go and buy more gas this year for the lawn mower. There is still enough gas to munch the leaves I am planning throw in the backyard that falls or is blown onto my front yard after the last leave curbside pickup. And will just mow the grass until whatever remaining gas is used up. Got to stop and start cooking, it's a dinner and a movie night. Will be making steamed spare ribs with black bean sauce, talk about comfort food to go with, The Mummy (2017), love Tom Cruise movies.
October 12, 2017
Crazy, to my complete surprise, I lost one and four tenths of a pound this week. Calorieswise, I only average about sixty calories less than what the formula calls for, but I did add squats to my routine. Albeit getting much easier do now, it’s not ease to increase the number of reps in a given set. I’m up to three sets of fourteen. I’ll just have to see how I fare next week before jumping to any conclusions or a happy dance. Well actually I am thrilled that I am physically feeling much better than I have been for years. We went to the Audiologist to get my six month check up and hearing check and cleaned. I’ve had the hearing aids for five years now. I probably asked the most my most rhetorical question ever, “Where are we going to eat lunch?” We did lunch at Yu’s Bistro and got the port and bamboo shoots. Then we went about town running errands. I’m not a sports fan, but we went to my sister’s house and joined my brother Bill to watch the MLB Cubs vs. Nationals. I was there to spend time with my siblings and mostly for the pizza. The game was supposed to be over by ten, so they say. Like any other professional sport, I never fail to fall asleep on the couch during the game. LOL, true to tradition, I fell asleep by the third ending. Fawn woke me at eleven o’clock and it was only the seventh ending with the Chicago up nine – seven.
October 11, 2017
The day was filled with a gloom and doom kind of look about it. I don’t really care about rain, but I suppose it is much needed. I got up early and was able to add a few extra reps to a few of the sets. It is clear to me that it is impossible to spot reducing a specific area. My stubborn belly and underarm fat can attest to that, just have to at it and am sure the problem area will eventual dissipate. I’ve notice that doing squats are getting a little easier to do now, that’s a good thing. I didn’t fare well on Sunday with my calorie intake when Anna brought over Popeye’s fried chicken when were watching Victoria. I had to eat light today to bring my average calories per day in line. I wonder if that will have an effect on the weigh in tomorrow morning. I listened to Pastor Buchs’ praiseworthy bible study this week. Thanks be to God for our most learned teachers of Christ.
October 10, 2017
Talk about a senile, I called my grandson Isaac, Zachery. Isaac is six months old and Zach is six years old, sad. He looks smart with the new helmet he got Friday. The cranial helmet therapy is suppose to take anywhere from four to six months, so it looks like another two to four months to go. So much for tummy time, Isaac is able to move about by slithering, rolling, and crawling. Glad that pillows are still a challenging obstacle for him. It looks a long way off that the autumn leaves would fall, leaving me with in the miseries of my seasonal allergies. Thanks be to God for fluticasone propionate nasal spray. When thumbing through the channel, I actually stopped when I came across the show, The View, when I saw the banner, Eric Reid Speaks Out About Taking a Kneel Live on ‘The View’. Albeit made no sense to me what he was saying, Eric Reid was able to articulate his reasoning behind the “protest” to bring about awareness around what our country face. His comment about Vice President Pence partaking in systematic oppression is too far out there to merit any consideration. If I’m not mistaken, the players that are taking a knee during the nation anthem are protesting systemic oppression against people of color, police brutality, and the criminal justice system. There is no doubt in my mind there is room for improvement in all these area, but that does change the fact that there actions are disrespectful. I think the players are refuse to acknowledge that is so and in their denial are staying the course. I started to say that I’m limited on what on commenting on what is going on in world because I’ve purposely curb watching the news, but I think most of the media limit themselves also. It could be my imagination, but it seems to be mostly ongoing mean spirited stories commenting on Trump this or Trump that. There is so much disheartening news with what is going on in the world, there is a great need to retreat to the comforting of our Lord's word to quiet my mind in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving for the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. Having dinner with Andrea and Rob with the little guy now sitting upright at the table just brings about great joy. It's times like this that are the extraordinary joyful blessings that we seek and are found in Christ.
October 9, 2017
It’s the second Monday of October, Columbus Day! In recent years, the holiday has been under contention. Columbus Day was a big deal growing up in the south side of Chicago, in Bridgeport-Chinatown. Back then, the neighborhood was mostly Irish and Italian and the schools taught that Christopher Columbus was this wonderful hero. But now we come to learn of his controversial brutal interactions with indigenous Americans that involved enslavement. No doubt, if we were likewise scrutinized, we would not fare well either. Sin is perhaps the most dreadful experience in our sanctified life. In our Coram deo, we can only repent and join Saint Paul in crying out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Romans (7:24) and then carry on with the sad truth of our sinful nature saying, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin” Romans (7:25). It was dinner and a movie, pork chops and green beans, and Megan Leavey. Lord God, Almighty Father, creator of mankind and author of peace, as we are ever mindful of the cost paid for the liberty we possess, we ask you to bless the members of our armed forces. Give them courage, hope and strength. May they ever experience your firm support, gentle love and compassionate healing. Be their power and protector, leading them from darkness to light. To you be all glory, honor and praise, now and forever. Amen.
October 8, 2017
I couldn’t believe it, Victoria was wide awake five in the morning and stayed that way the whole time. Talk about a kid that could give the Energizer Bunny a run for the money. We watched her until about two o’clock and she was still good to go. Fawn made the pasta sauce and I boiled the farfalle and linguine pasta. The day was long and tiring and was only able to get in a small fraction of my daily exercises. That was pretty much the whole day. Gracious Heavenly Father, grant me your Holy Spirit that I may strength my faith and increase my love for my neighbor, especially for those in my care. Amen.
October 7, 2017
I wished I’d started doing squats earlier. With all my huffing and puffing, I think it is a really good and much needed exercise for me. It should be safe for me to do three sets and just adding one to each set until I get up to three sets of twenty. I guess the resistance bands don’t last forever; one of them broke this morning. Fawn went grocery shopping this morning and came home with five good size fuzzy melons, so I took out our largest heavy duty stainless steel pot. We had soup for lunch and dinner, it was that good. Made a couple of pork chops and a nice twelve ounce Black Angus rib eye steak for Jennifer, I think that made her feel pretty special. We were thrilled that she joined us for evening Mass and brought a friend. I’m not sure if it’s his first time in a Lutheran Mass, but I believe the kindest act of love to one’s neighbor is to invite them church. We pray for persecuted Christian as a community during Mass and more often than not I am clueless to the countries they reside in and look up the country using the online Encyclopedia Britannica. I looked up Bahrain and Mauritania to get some sense of the brothers and sisters we are praying for. Anyway, off to bed. We have to wake by 4 a.m. have a date to watch Victoria.
October 6, 2017
“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways” (Psalm 139:1-3). I was surprised that my shoulder was only a little sore and stiff from this year’s flu shot. I’m glad I added a few minutes back to the elliptical as well doing squats now. I was able to do thirty of them easily today. The goal is to work up to sixty of them daily without weights for now. We went to pick up Alex at the O’Hare and I was glad the flight arrived early and we were able to beat the rush hour traffic. We stop by Fabulous Noodles for a bite and Alex shared his experience with us. Hmm, looks like he’ll be going back to the Philippians in three week for another three week stint, he seems to be enjoying the business trips there. Solo traveling isn’t for me; I think special moments seeing and experiencing new things ought to be shared with people close to you, but that’s just me I suppose. Just sitting alone in a diner for a meal and alone in at nights in a hotel isn’t for me. Often I think of my Coram deo. God knows everything about me and yet he still loves me. May his deep love guide my every word and deed. Amen.
October 5, 2017
The plan was to consume one hundred less calories a day than last week, but that didn’t come to past and only loss two tenth of a pound this week. Ouch, don’t know why flu shots are so painful. It becomes an annual ritual with my arm always becoming sore and stiff after getting one of those bad boys. I called the doctor’s this morning and was surprised I could get in for one this morning, so I rushed through my morning exercises and worked up a sweat. I was pretty sure the resistance exercises with the bands and weights wouldn’t fly after taking a flu shot. Every time we go toward route 59 we like to stop by Yu’s Bistro for their pork with bamboo shoots lunch special. We are only able to eat half of it and take box the leftovers to enjoy the next day. Of course, being near the Fox Valley Mall, do a mall walk, especially being in the 80’s. I made the mistake of turning on the car radio. No doubt listening to the news is bad for my health. Politics never change Congressman Gutierrez of Chicago is a typical “windy” politician that bellows hot air. I remember in college, my intro to political science professor discussing the gap between black leaders and their constituents. Nowadays, it’s very telling hen President Trump's approval rating is higher than Congress, Schumer, Pelosi, Ryan, McConnell. Got home and hopped on the elliptical and upped it from ten to twelve minutes. Because of my persistent belly fat and having a hard time picking up Isaac from the ground, I thought I’d start off doing a modest thirty squats. Sadly, I was only able to do two sets of ten. I’ll just have to continue doing them and adding more squats as I become fit. We went to watch Zach and Victoria while they went to their parent teacher conference. Looks like we’ll be watching our nephew and niece again early Sunday morning, while Carl runs the Chicago Marathon. Got a call from Alex and he’s homeward bound. Heavenly Father, through dear son Jesus Christ, protect all who travels from every danger, especially my son Alex. Let your holy angel be with them and bring them safely to their journey's end. Amen.
October 4, 2017
Is retired life about being an on call babysitter? LOL, just kidding. We love watching our grandchild Isaac and niece Victoria. We spent the morning watch Victoria. I think the kid is a riot, hilariously saying and doing the darndest things. Helping out watching young family members is such a blessing. How can they not? Surly children are a gift for God. "Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate" (Psalm 127:3-5). After doing my exercises, I spent most of the remainder of the day just relaxing. This evening I chilled to Eric Clapton. To this day I still enjoy listening to oldies like, Sunshine of Your Love, White Room and Layla.
October 3, 2017
Today was a very good day. I purposely avoid the watching television and stayed away from the online news. Sometimes one just gets media burnout. One just can’t seem to be able to stay informed without getting the news in an unethical bias agenda attached to it. At times the commentaries are so far … I just shank my head a say, “really?” Even when I am watching network show a new alert come on and the yapping experience becomes very unpleasant. Back to why it was a very good day. Albeit, was mostly cloudy day, from time the sun popped out and with it, brought a sweet glimmer of joy. "Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun" (Ecclesiastes 11:7). My joy and gladness is found in Christ, reminding me that Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John8:12). We were blessed with spending another day watching over Isaac. We rejoice in the wonderful job Andrea and Rob are doing in nurturing him. It’s not clear to me it women are more nurturing than men, but Fawn is much better at it than I am. Yet another gem found in the margins of last Sunday’s worship folder. I was struck by Saint Bede’s commentary on the Psalms in his, Commentary on the Seven Catholic Epistles, “If any oppressive sorrow has come upon you […] pray with psalms to the Lord lest the sadness of the world which is death swallow you up; drive destructive sickness of grief from your heart by the frequent sweetness of the psalms.” I was struck by how timeless the psalms really are, giving voice to the medieval Doctor of the Church and for all believers who are held down by their fears and troubles. Truly the psalms mirror our lives. Oh heck, too good not to post and share in Larry’s World.
October 2, 2017
Was thinking that it was going to be one thing bad or another is happening somewhere in the world, or it will was just going to be another day of media slam on FEMA and on the POTUS with Puerto Rico or on the NFL anthem protest, was going to be the headline news, so I just sat and enjoy my morning in the silence and then started on part of daily exercise in before turning on the news. Sure enough, yet another tragic event, over night there was a mass shooting in Las Vegas where a lone gunman pained bullets down on a crowd of people injuring and killing a host of people. President addresses the nation follow the attack, offer our Lord’s comfort reminding us that, "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). Isaac, Isaac, Isaac, the little man is now six months old and is noticeably babbling a lot now and is able to sit up. He mastered rolling and is kind of able to sit up and is moving on to lunging and attempting to crawl. The boy began solid several weeks back with cereal, peas and carrots. That was really noticeable, let’s just say stuffing my nose was needed when duty called. So much for me just playing with and spoiling my grandson. I love him so much. Got around to watching a few episodes of the Jim Bowie series, so now it’s five hundred and ninety two more to go. I can see why I loved these show as a kid with all the good feeling heroics adventures of a rewritten reality of a man with more than a few character flaws. The history I was taught as a child never mentions his role in slavery. A wise man once told me the opposite of loving someone is using someone. I guess those who can over look what I am not able to, could call Jim Bowie as we are taught, a bonafide American hero.
October 1, 2017
Up early and most of the exercises done before going to Mass. Wow, 54 °F, pretty chilly going out the door even with a light jacket. There is so much to bring to God with all our petitions along with our prayers of thanksgiving that an hour just doesn't to be enough time. II could be wrong, but I think I'm like the average Americans with have had little to no interest in geography. Today I learned a little about Comoros and Kazakhstan and joined in our corporate prayers for the persecuted Church. We stayed a little after Mass in the commons and talked to friend as well as met a few new people. I was confronted later in the day with what I wrote in my journal about the NFL protest during the National Anthem. Strange that host of other topics got into the mix that had nothing to do with my opinion that the taking to kneel in protest was disrespectful. My father served in the Army Air Force and my brother Dan served in the Army and I was taught at an early age to respectfully standing face the flag with my hand over my heart during the national anthem. In my mind, anything short of that by an able body person is a sign of disrespect, period. Trying to bringing in Donald Trump or Black Lives Matters, has nothing to do the flag and the national anthem, those are separate issues. It’s just my opinion kneeling during the national anthem is an unacceptable way to draw attention to whatever the protest is actually about. One thing we agree about is that no one is talking about what the protest is about, but rather is talking about whether or not the protesters are going out of the way to be disrespectful and just provoking anger or not instead. I felt good getting in the remainder of my exercises in when we got home. Prayers were requested as I moved onward reflecting on what drives a married couple separate, infidelity comes to mine, as well as one or both spouses are not Christians. Strippers at a bachelor party are a telling sign that is often ignored. In his apostolic exhortation, Familliars Consortio, Pope John II wrote, "By virtue of the sacramentality of their marriage, spouses are bound to one another in the most profoundly indissoluble manner. Their belonging to each other is the real representation, by means of the sacramental sign, of the very relationship of Christ with the Church." I suppose a civil marriage like any other marriage, the couple are in love with each other. Most commonly there is contract and a ceremony, marking the important date in their lives together. But for the Christian, the Sacrament of Marriage, in his Wedding Mass, God blesses the couple evermore showering them with the sanctifying grace needed to fulfill the duties of marriage.
September 30, 2017
Good thing I enjoy cooking. Went on a cooking marathon; oatmeal, French toast, egg omelets, fried rice, streamed tilapia, stir fried green beans and garlic with carrots and onions. Hmm, Fawn made her most outstanding pasta meat sauce; I can’t say enough good things about how pleasing it is to the palate. Some would say it’s just wrong to fusion food the spaghetti with brioche, but I liked it. Mucho calories and not to mention the carbs. So sad how seemingly small my portion was. The temptation was to go for seconds, but “a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.” Well not do, in this case. But a fine meal to close yet another month. Funny how a childhood counting the months with your knuckle/groove MacGuyver tip, sticks with you. I'm not sure, but I think someone will be finally moving in the house behind us. It’s been empty for several years now. It is so sad to see politicians at it in a middle of a crisis. Judging from what I can tell, the mayor Cruz of San Juan and Congress Gutierrez are posturing and President Trump is helping the situation with his tweeting slam, but would add, the POTUS will never get a fair break with the bias liberal media. I should be musing on Holy Scripture with verses pertaining to being thankful in all circumstances and having a grateful heart, but the quote, “life is tough, but is tougher when you’re stupid.” I’m sure Mayor Cruz is frustrated, because all efforts will fall short of the needed, but to slash out at folk’s efforts bring about disaster relief, is seemingly ungrateful. For sure Trump will call it like he sees it, criticizing the Mayor for her “poor leadership.” Guys, please just work together and stay focus on the needed. Any way off to bed early again, in hopes of getting back to being able to get back to the daily exercises before going to morning Mass.
September 29, 2017
I went to bed early thinking I could use a good night’s rest. I woke this morning feeling stiff as a board. The fluticasone propionate nasal spray was working fine until I sneezed and … it’s not clear to me if I have seasonal allergies, but I have severe issues in the spring and fall. No fun getting back out completing the needed. With Fawn help, we were as able to lay the concrete edger and the five cubic yard of pea gravel half way through the noon hour. Twenty pavers was enough but didn’t come close to the needed with the pea gravel. Fawn wanted to do the other side of the front so we went back to Menards and got another four and a half cubic yard of gravel, three cubic feet to complete the original project and one and a half cubic feet to just cover the top of the other side to make both side look fresh. This time I got smart and remembered to put on the lifting waist brace, duh. The hedge cut back so far looks sad, but am prayerfully hoping they will be awesome by late spring. I’m not a fan of taking hot showers, but it seems to be the only way to loosen up and bring relief to my sore muscles. The plan earlier in the week to go to the Men’s Steak Fry, but I kind of knew that wasn’t going to happen last night and was sure that was going to happen toward the end of the day’s work that being sore and tire, wouldn’t be very good company. It was just as well I forgot to weigh in yesterday, zero weight loss. Clearly, the calorie counting formula I’ve been using is off and I reached another plateau. The plan now is to reduce my average calories intake by another one hundred calories. Prayers for the unemployed and under employed, especially for our friend Angelica. Well it time to take a hit of nasal spray and go to bed early again and rest this weary body.
September 28, 2017
Going to make this quick, because I’m too bushed. Start the day with the usual oatmeal to go with my morning coffee. Then it was off to work on the front yard project. The chain saw wasn’t effective on the hedge, so I had to manual cut it back with a lopper and a pruner, with was able to use the chain saw on a few of the thicker branches. It took me the entire morning just to get about ¾ of the trimming done. I was stiff by then, but I was rewarded with a piece of fried chicken. Fawn bought a new garage door opener keypad, so I took a break and did the easy install. I waited a couple hours before going back out to finish off the remainder of hedge. So much for thinking I could the needed in one day. Just going to kick back and rest up the remainder of the evening. Hopefully, I can get the front yard project done tomorrow morning.
September 27, 2017
Did a little a little yard work up front trimming back a few of the bushes in the cool of the morning, before heading out to run a few errands. We decided on the whim to stop off at Menards and brought the needed for a small landscaping project we have been contemplating on doing. Not sure of the needed but bought twenty 3.5”x11” concrete edger and fivecubic feet of pea gravel, hope that will be enough. Bill stopped by and dropped off his chain saw. Since the forecast is in the 70s and no chance of rain for the next five days, the plan is to do a sever prune on the hedge first thing in the morning. I’ve seen video of hard fall pruning that have shrubs bounces back the following year. I’ve cut back our hedge back about twenty percent once upon a time and it came back. Jennifer swore it would surly die back then. Fawn thinks I’m going to push my luck, but I said that if it dies, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world and we can do something entirely different out front in the spring. Tax reform is making the news; I live in the failed state of Illinois, so I’m entitled to not be optimistic. I can’t think of a time when Illinois didn’t raise the state taxes when the federal taxes were lowered. Illinois love to spend money they don’t have and the state’s debt continue to increase. Better get off this depressing topic before I work myself into a frenzy and start praying for those in authority.
September 26, 2017
Incredibly, today was the seventh day in a row with record high breaking temperatures all in the 90s, thanks be to God we will getting some succor tomorrow, now forecast to be in the 70s. Cool, literally. Isaac has out grown helmet, and got fitted for a new one today, poor boy. Albeit it does somewhat, I am surprised it doesn’t bother him having it on 95% of the time as one would think it would. Because I don’t see him daily, the progress is really noticeable from week to week. My understanding is that it is normal to keep adjusting the helmet every week for four to six months. Afterward, we went to Olive Garden to do lunch. I love their pasta fagioli soup and had the spaghetti with meat sauce.
September 25, 2017
Heaven, jalapeno bagel with veggie cream cheese, to go with my morning coffee. Some days, oatmeal just doesn’t seem to cut it. I learned of a letter of filial correction to Pope Francis for “propagating heresy” Roman Catholic scholars on, Pastoral Meanderings, today. After a short muse, I decided to download Pope Francis post apostolic exhortation, Amoris laetitia, and will heed his warning not to rush through the text and to consider the text patiently and carefully. Always have to mention the bundle of joy found in our grandson, Isaac. We went to Penn Station and tried out their Philadelphia cheesesteak provolone and Reuben, both were tasty, but for me the Potbelly signature sandwich, A Wreck ®, still rules. In our corporate prayers we prayed for the persecuted Christians in Djibouti. Of course I was clueless where Djibouti was, so I Google mapped it and learned it was on the Horn of Africa.
September 24, 2017
I barely finished my morning coffee before I heard the crack of the whip, wapush! Anyway, made pork chops, Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, stir fried green beans, fried rice, Italian sausages, and ground beef with peas. Gotrdun. Then I finally got to nuke my leftover burrito for lunch. Then it was time to getting around to exercising. Talk about lame, I went on a virtual run on the Great Wall of China. I was already on the elliptical and didn’t want to get off and stop so I just resorted to true grit. Got to roll my eyes and don’t care to listen to why the NFL took to the knee and just say, “How disrespectful.” Whatever the reason, they need to go about it in a different way. I have no idea who Arian Foster, but wow, he somehow compares kneeling for flag during anthem to kneeling in church. Really Arian? Why am I wasting my time on this anyway? Kudos to Alejandro Villanueva, God bless you and thank you for your service. I finished the six episodes of Annie Oakley. Looks like, The Adventures of Jim Bowie, is next up.
September 23, 2017
Perfect, overall, I feel much better with the forty minutes exercise routine. Normally, I listen to music while on the elliptical, but time to time, I do a Youtube virtual. Today, I was in Paris France. I noticed that the time flies by faster while doing the tour. I only do a ten minutes cardio on the elliptical nowadays, on top of the forty physical toning. I limit myself to the set of five, ten and fifteen pound dumb bells and use resistant bands. I remember when I injured my shoulder and lifting the three to five pound dumb bells was truly a challenge during physical therapy. Sigh, of all the days to pick to do the crucial task of chalking around the exterior of the house in preparation of winter. It wasn’t fun to scrape off the old chalk. Some was too stubborn, so I chalk over the old. Hope I don’t regret that call. It’s nearing the end of September, right? Makes sense to do the needed at this time. Crazy that it is so hot and muggy and that we will have wait to mid week before we see succor in the 80s that in itself is insane. Decided to go to Mass tonight as well as out to dinner afterwards. I petition for Alex’s safety and left all my anxieties at the altar before the Lord. Congratulations to the Buchs on the birth of son, I think pastor said Judah. Dinner wasn’t all that at Burrito Parrilla Mexicana, and it was the first time they disappointed us. The restaurant was packed solid on a Saturday night with only one server, need I say more? We stopped at Marino’s and at Jewels for groceries for tomorrows cooking madness for microwavable prepare meals for my little girls. We were looking at Alex’s Facebook, looks like he is out and about enjoying his weekend, good for him.
September 22, 2017
Fawn went out for breakfast with the ladies to celebrate Anna’s birthday. I didn’t want to go through the trouble of making oatmeal for one, so I changed it up and had some focaccia bread with my morning coffee. Angelo Caputo’s simple makes the best focaccia bread ever. There is something to be said about sipping on a nice hot coffee with warm bread in the quiet. It didn’t take long before my sinful mind began to work, even in praying this morning’s psalm. “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!” (Psalm 95:1). My capacities to criticize others are boundless and have been critical, even here in my journal of contemporary worship music. My motivation behind such criticism is the desire to see our praise reflect upon the character and good works of God, not ours, fill our souls with his divine truth. But now I am rethinking the way I go about it may be counterproductive. It is clear to me now and am thankful how my pastor has handled my emails whenever I critiqued the artistic and theological merits of certain hymns. Of course, at times there will always be hymns with more doctrinal integrity then others but that doesn't give me the right rain on my fellow parishioners who only desire to sing joyful praises unto the Lord in song. I took a quantum leap on the elliptical, listening to Grand Funk Railroad. I only been to a handful of concerts back in the day, that is why I remember seeing Grand Funk Railroad live at the Aragon Ballroom. It was a strange time in my life. I took a muse on healthcare, since the Graham-Cassidy GOP healthcare proposal is up for a consideration vote again. One thing for sure is that the Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable. I remain steadfast that it is best, we have a single payer healthcare system, but I don’t see that happening in my lifetime and as for the State of Illinois being able to manage allocated healthcare grant, is so laughable, it put me in tears.
September 21, 2017
I don’t know why I was expecting anything different on this morning’s weigh in, down another four tenths. Strange, slowly, but surly. Basically, the portions are just fine and equivalent to just not eating seconds. I suppose I can go back to the physical therapy type exercises I was doing last year and get back to the pound a week loss, but I don’t see that happening. I’m OK with calories counting and getting in my daily lighter routine. I’m not concern about my weight as much as that much as losing the stubborn belly fat. I think I’m doing everything right and fat can’t targeted, guess I need to be more patient. Think I need to be more faithful to doing the daily exercise, so I reduced the number of repetitions to do the full gamut in 40 minutes, so that that I’d be more inclined not to miss. So much for the string of 80s, we were out and about and the temperature insanely soared to a hot and muggy 94 °F. So now the forecast is a string of mid 90s. It is late September, right? According to the article, Pope Francis acknowledges Catholic Church's bad practices during the sex abuse crisis, Pope Francis said that, “Pedophilia is a sickness […] Today one repents, moves on, we forgive him, then two years later he relapses. We need to get it in our heads that it’s a sickness.” A sickness, really? I was stunned to learn that, “the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has included pedophilia in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders since 1968.” According to sexologist Ray Blanchard, PhD, adjunct psychiatry professor at the University of Toronto, “People do not choose to be attracted to children or adults any more than they choose to be attracted to males or females.” I’m not sure I buy that, but concur with him in, "If there is any choice in the situation, it is in how pedophiles manage their lives once they become fully aware of the direction of their sexual interests and the societal prohibitions against expressing them." I’ve been waiting for some time now for this dinner and a movie night, beef and bitter melon and Wonder Women, both were most excellent. We got a video call from Alex, what a nice way to close the day. Thank you Heavenly Father for blessings of the day, for your faithfulness. I praise you Holy Name in Christ Jesus. Amen. Amen. Amen.
September 20, 2017
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Was musing on, President Trump UN Address. One has to watch and listen to the entire speech to discern over what was said without the media’s bias. I think the breakdown from the left and from the right are both so corrupt, making it somewhat impossible for informed and thoughtful prayers. Lord, may your wisdom and righteousness to be evident in our global policies and leaders. Hard to believe, around this time of year as a child, I still remember the Cuban Missile Crisis with nearby reachable nuclear weapons treating our homeland. Now 55 years later, we face the same threat from across the Pacific Ocean. Lord, have mercy. Was looking at this upcoming weeks worship folder and was thrilled from the get go. Prelude to worship was Ave Verum Corpus – “Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary: You truly suffered and were sacrificed on the cross for the sake of man. From whose pierced flank flowed water and blood: Be a foretaste for us in the trial of death.”
September 19, 2017
I am not a Matt Lauer fan. It could be me, but I think he has dramatically changed in recent years and has become very syndical in his speech and mannerism. I was listening to a Today Show Bill O’Reilly Interview. I have no interest in speculating about his guilt or innocence of sexual harassment in the work place, and was pondering on what Bill said about men like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. He claims most people don’t know who these men were and what they did. I don’t know if that is true or not, but according to history; do know these men owned slaves at one time or another. I don’t see the connection between, renaming schools with these men name, as an attempt to rewrite history. Where these men white supremacists or advocating white supremacy? Highly doubtful, but for sure, they were men who beyond failed to love his neighbors. I personally would like to see schools named after the various saints. I love watching Isaac a couple times a week, well having Isaac around and playing with him is a more accurate; Fawn does the bulk of the needed. Thanks be to God for women and the nurturing love they selflessly bring to the family structure. It’s a struggle and have to pause be take in all the blessings of day in the mist of all the brokenness in our troubled world. "For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol" (Psalm 86:13).
September 16-18, 2017
It was a super busy weekend and wasn’t able to get to my laptop. Saturday was the Wedding at the Chicago Athletic Association. Albeit, born and raised in Chicago, there is little good I can say about the town because of the out of control crime that plagues that city. It’s always a nerve wracking drive in and out. It’s not clear to me why so many weddings are being held as indoors and outdoors venues. . I know it’s just me, and by far favor a full blast Wedding Mass, in his sanctuary. I suppose every one celebrates this special day differently. I have to say, the recent restoration of the magnificent ball room overlooking Millennium Park and Lake Michigan is stunningly grand. It was yet another day in the 80s. With a forecasted continued string of 80s forecasted for the entire upcoming week, clearly summer won’t give up without a fight. Happy haircut, Alex gave me a really nice barber shop quality haircut. With a razor shave, if I may say so myself, I clean up pretty good. We drove Alex to the airport yesterday morning then stopped off and picked up a few grocery items on the way back. Then began cooking up a storm, beef boy choy and pan fried Cantonese noodles, ginger beef, teriyaki salmon, stuffing and French toast, to bring up to baby girl. Today was a fun day, playing with Isaac. It was dinner and a movie, starting with Fawn’s spaghetti and finally getting around to breaking open the, Definitive TV Westerns Collection – 600 Television Episodes, and watched Annie Oakley, Annie and the Chinese Puzzle, one down and 599 more shows to go. Life is good.
September 15, 2017
Penning early and have to make it quick, its movie night, Kong: Skull Island. I’m surprised that I failed to mention the mesmerizing beautiful autumn colors yesterday, because like today, it cause me to pause and to begin musing on how change is inedible and that there is beauty that can be found in all seasons. Where did the summer go? There was great joy this morning, as I learned that a Robert E. Lee statue has been removed from the public square, this time in Dallas Texas. It’s happening slowly, but surly. I concur with Mark Zuckerberg, “It’s a disgrace that we still need to say that neo-Nazis and white supremacists are wrong — as if this is somehow not obvious." I take no pleasure in continually penning about the Confederate flag and monuments, but it is the hard work and heart work of just what Christians do in removing idols. One only has to look at the ugly rage that the protesters Charlottesville and elsewhere displayed. It is clear sign to me that the Confederacy had become an idol to them. We went out to Yorkville to have lunch with Jim and Mary at the Joyce Lee China Buffet. Good thing we were out and about most of the day and did a lot of walking, because that second helping of salmon was quite filling.
September 14, 2017
Life is good, I weighted in four tenth of a less than last week. Albeit, a super slow process, it is good to remain on a downward trend of losing weight without experiencing hunger. Talk about a skinny kid, back in high school I was 140 pounds with a 31 inch waist. Nowadays, I’d be tickled pink if I could slip into 34 inch pants. My waist has reduced; it is far from where it needs to be. Clearly, the battle of the bulge is insanely tough battle that will require more physical exercise to render a noticeable yield. The day started out looking like gloom and doom, but it didn’t take long for it to turn for the most part seemingly cloudless. We went to the mall for a brand new tie and to pick up meds that Sam’s Club didn’t have yesterday. When we are out toward the Fox Valley Mall, we tend to like doing lunch at Yu’s Bristol. We’re out that way maybe twice a month and order the same thing every time, pork with bamboo shoots. Its one dish, I wish I knew how to stir fry the dish. Too bad, surprisingly, all the instructional how2 videos on YouTube were not impressive. Since Alex will be traveling as part of his position regularly, we got him a nice travel duffle bag for his own. He stopped by to pick up the bag and took mama out to dinner. I didn’t go because still had leftover to eat for dinner. He’ll be fly back to the Philippians for another three week business trip. This time he will be doing a couple hour stay over in Japan. That will be a new experience for him. Looks like the next continuous battle over Confederate monuments will be in Richmond Virginia. It just blows my mind how folk are just lying to themselves in saying these symbols are by no means racist, of course they are, these men fought for a evil and destructive cause. Confederate symbols simply cannot be detached from the white-supremacist, pro-slavery doctrine of the Confederacy. Awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, teach us your ways, that we may love one another, through Christ our Lord, Amen.
September 13, 2017
Jamming to Runaround Sue. Amazing, talk about a procrastinator. I have three suits in my closet. The last suit I brought was for a job interview almost eleven years ago. I started my exercising and losing weight last fall, and it was clear I loss quite a bit of weight as the suit was clearly too big for me. The funny thing was I then dug out the grey suit I bought just to wear as a usher at Bethany, thinking it had to of been smaller. Low and behold, it was humongous, even larger by far. That had to have been my peak weight gain. Luckily, way in the back of the closet was a suit from back in the early days. I’m thinking it was a suit that Fawn’s parents bought me as a wedding gift. It’s a little snug, but very doable, and I’m good to go for my niece’s upcoming wedding. Yikes, one of the tires was low on air that was cause by an embedded nail. We took the car in to the dealer to patch the tire. We in were in and out in less than an hour. I’m stunned the new car dealer mechanics are still on strike. Since we were near the Sam’s Club, we picked up some flank steak. I sliced the bad boy up and made beef tomato pepper over rice, had to fight off the urge for a second helping. Albeit not a Friday the 13th, the thought of one came across my mind. As a child, I grew up surrounded by friends and family members were very superstitious. It was especially hard to deal with the elders without being disrespectful of them and their beliefs. Oddly enough, how we learn at a young age that Friday the 13th is supposed to be unlucky and begin looking for evidence that the legend is true. If we think about it evidence isn't hard to come by, of course, because bad things, big and small, happen all the time. If you're looking for bad luck on Friday the 13th, you will more than likely probably find it. Luck is success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions. I’m not sure if I would go as far as to say being superstitious is idolatry, but we are to, “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7). We are to place other faith in Christ alone. Starting to ponder about the party celebration that will be following the upcoming wedding, can’t wait to do the Breakdown and the Funky Chicken. LOL, just kidding. Anyway, a fun way to close the day pondering on old school throwbacks as well as the throwbacks from generation to generation.
September 12, 2017
Listening to, Harry Styles – Sign of the Times. Interestingly, but not surprising, that I am discovering singers that I never heard of and their songs. I guess, I live in my own world. Strangely enough, a world I call, Larry’s World. According to Rolling Stone, 'Sign of the Times' came from 'This isn't the first time we've been in a hard time, and it's not going to be the last time.' The song is written from a point of view as if a mother was giving birth to a child and there's a complication. The mother is told, 'The child is fine, but you're not going to make it.' The mother has five minutes to tell the child, 'Go forth and conquer.'" I think Harry Styles is quite an accomplished singer songwriter. One can’t help but to mention the drop dead gorgeous day we were blessed with. While playing with Isaac, I realized that I have forgotten and had had to relearn the lyric to nursery rhythms like, This Old Man. Funny, how I was lucky enough to only recall only the first verse of most of them. I’m not a profession sports fans my any means, but was wowed by the Rams punter, Johnny Hekker incredible punt against the Colts on Week 1, in the NFL highlights. It was dinner and a movie, ½ a grilled chicken burrito from Burrito Parrilla Mexicana and Going in Style, I thought both were good. I got my sights set on tomorrow and looking forward to enjoying the other half of the burrito.
September 11, 2017
Sixteen years later, I sadly I still am filled with mixed emotions comes to pass on 9/11. I entirely avoided the news today, because I didn’t want to listen to the personal opinions of the bias media. Sad how we can’t get the news without getting one or more of the news casters snarly opinion tossed into the mix. Most merciful and loving God, teach us to see the frailty, beauty and value of human life in light of this tragedy, that we may love you and one another, through Christ our Lord, amen. I think about the evil that was unleashed on our nation that day as we mourned the 3,000 lives lost along with nearly twice as many wounded. It creeps me out how some people are against extreme vetting to protect our nation and how some people even advocate open borders. I think about the LCMS, and letting bygones be bygones on this day also, but hypocritically am not able to. I actually brief left the LCMS, but came to realize that the church is perfect because Christ is perfect. I thank God for his grace, leading my family to his hilltop, found at Saint John Wheaton, for his most learned teachers and a loving and Eucharistic community. Where else can you learn that “the opposite of loving someone is using someone”? Anyway, there is no way around prayer being as being the highest form of worship. I suppose that I could continue penning a public admonishment, but it would be just like shouting from the mountain top to death ears.
September 10, 2017
So good to see Andrea and Rob at Mass this morning and then getting to play with Isaac. Wow, talk about feeling the love, Rob give thoughtful gift, The Definitive TV Western Collection. It has 600 television episodes. As much as I love watching westerns, I doubt I could watch them all within in year without binge watching them every now and then. I'm guessing I'll take me a couple years to go through the collection. For sure, it will bring back many childhood memories of days past. Albeit, the Reverend Dr. Kleinig has been in our prayers for comfort, health, recovery, I just learned from Dave that it was because he had bypass surgery. After reading an article by Anna Mussmann, Banning Civil War Re-Enactments Will Increase Ignorance Prejudice, I spent a little musing about civil war reenactments. I’m not a fan of Civil War Re-enactment, and never gave it much thought. In fact, Naper Settlement hosts an annual Civil War Days. I’ve looked at videos of the events in years past and look like participants just are having fun making a lot of noise. Nowadays, while the iron is hot, I wonder why about the people who choose to don a confederate uniform. Is it possible that they attempting to fantasize about living in a bygone world of white supremacy? I just don’t know, but just to be clear, for sure there are those who wave the Confederate flag don the Confederate uniform as with the Nazi flag and Nazi uniform with hateful pride. Anyway, back to good thoughts, playing, Thinking Out Loud, my niece Natalie and David's will be dancing their first dance to the song. We can hardly wait till the big day come about, thanking God for the sacrament of Holy Marriage.
September 9, 2017
Got to the fried rice and steamed ribs this morning and had time to make steamed tilapia also before we made the food drop at the dorm. But not before enjoying a Mariano’s roast beef sandwich that Fawn put together along with one of her toss salad. So what is it about her salads that made it so special? Perhaps it’s all the little things she put in it that makes my food palate. Couldn’t have been better timed, we were just leaving our ever so brief visit and we got a text for a little more help. Last time we made 200 pieces of earl grey caramels, this time it was 200 pieces of pumpkin spike caramels. All I did was cut a roll of parchment paper into six hundred 4 ½” x 3” pieces for the wrappers. So now, only 200 pieces of homemade walnut caramels remain. While the ladies did the needed, I made laid out a dream come true spread like hot dog heaven, Chicago style hot dogs. Once again, family chipping in and then sitting around together around the dinner table, love it. The days just seem too short and the time just flies by.
September 8, 2017
I had stained glass still on my mind this morning and was musing about the beautiful Bethany stained glass written by my friend Dave. Hmm, now I can’t recall why I took the beautiful “window to heaven” down now. I’m guessing it’s stored in the basement. It was another cooking day of premade meals for my baby girl to nuke. We are glad that her school is not that far and that we can drop off a decent meal for her every now and then. It was like being in the kitchen of a restaurant with a lot of things going on. We began with spaghetti. While mama was making her infamous pasta sauce, I was breaking the noodle and getting them ready to boil. Yes, I said breaking them in half. Growing up, I noticed that most Asians would never consider breaking the noodles and would cook and eat their noodles superstitiously long as to have long life. Interestingly, what is now Chinatown was once mostly an Italian neighborhood would also consider breaking the long noodle a culinary crime, but would only say, “Noodles should never be broken and should be wrap around your fork.” For me, it’s no big deal and just easier to cook in the pot when broken. Next, was oven baked barbeque chicken, using Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauce. I boiled Yukon Gold Potatoes to go with the chicken. Some would consider that yet another crime, but I think baking them and then reheating later doesn’t taste very good. I wasn’t able to get to the steamed ribs with blacked beans and garlic sauce as well as to the fried rice, which will have to wait until tomorrow early morning. But the cooking wasn’t done, because we went to my sister’s house again to help out with making caramel candies as party favors for the upcoming wedding. While the ladies were wrapping the homemade candies and what nots, I made dinner. I kept it simple, Teriyaki flank steak tacos. What was nice was, my niece Melissa flew in from California also. What a great time as God continues to shower us with his gifts upon gifts.
September 7, 2017
It was only wishful thinking to drop a pound. I only dropped another four tenths, just like last week. I realize now that the amount of physical exercise and cardio is nowhere near what I was doing before. The good thing is though, by monitoring my calorie intake, I’m still able to loss weigh, albeit at a slower pace. Guess now, is will I be still content with such a slow progress. I do know, I don’t want to go back to putting in an hour and half of daily exercising. I have been putting aside the duty of replacing the garage door sensors for quite so time, shamefully longer than I care to admit. It was a nice cool autumn like day that required a light jacket to be out and about. Since it wasn’t muggy or anything, I went to Home Depot and got the Chamberlain capable part with brackets and did the needed. Amazingly, it was four dollars cheaper than the Craftsman sensors without brackets. And to top it off, the design of the Chamberlain brackets are far superior to the original Craftsman bracket design. Albeit the job was a small one, I still feel a sense of accomplishment. Clearly, I enjoy working with my hands, too bad I was never fast enough to earn a living in the crafts. More rhetoric flying back and forth after the proposed new sanctions, I hope and pray that the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in his assessment, that the North Korea crisis will not escalate into a large-scale conflict involving nuclear weapons and is predicting that common sense would prevail. The Washington National Cathedral announced it’s decision to remove two stained glass windows honoring Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson noting that they, “are not only inconsistent with our current mission to serve as a house of prayer for all people, but also a barrier to our important work on racial justice and racial reconciliation ... their association with racial oppression, human subjugation and white supremacy does not belong in the sacred fabric of this Cathedral.” One has to wonder why these repugnant windows were allowed to be installed as sacred art in the house of God in the first place. Funny thing about stained glass, back in college, in a art appreciation class, I learned that stained glass is unique in that it is the only art form that relies entirely on natural daylight or artificial light passing through the glass, while other art form are designed to be seen by reflected light. Since then, I never thought too much about them, until my son Alex was earning his Cub Scout Merit Badge. This was when I first met Rev. Terry McReynolds who worked with Alex on his God and Me Workbook. He spent a great deal of time with Alex. One meeting we spent a few hours touring on the glass window of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church with him. We were so fascinated on how the windows were composed of so many small pieces of colored glass that fit together to form images much like an icon to be read, which tells the story of salvation history, using biblical scenes from the Old and New Testaments. It was a proud moment for him to earn his “God and Me” pin. Our niece Natalie flew in from California last night, so we went over to visit and with a Chinese takeout from Gong Ho. We order a variety of dishes, but the General fish was by far my favorite. Albeit, we didn’t kill a fat cow, there is anything like joyfully celebrating over a meal together. Originally, I wanted to go out and eat, but once again, Fawn was right. The meal with conversation and laughter at the dinner table was much better in a busy and noisy restaurant.
September 6, 2017
Oh my, not good, Hurricane Irma is forecast to be a move up the middle of Florida as Category 5 storm this weekend, continued prayers for those harm’s way in her ‘potentially catastrophic’ path. Thanks be to God for the ability look ahead and prep for major storms. Many are mostly not admit in this time of crisis, their gratefulness, that the impact of Harvey and Irma on them is only the highly noticeable rising cost of gasoline. Looks like the Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi weighted in stating, "President Trump's decision to end DACA should break the hearts and offend the morals of all who believe in justice and human dignity". I’ll have to disagree with the lady from California and concur with the urging of the POTUS that Congress needs to get to work on a legislative solution to replace the, perhaps unconstitutional, executive order of DACA. Instead of bashing the President, I actually believe he is doing the Dreamers, some would call a favor. It’s now up to the Congress to do the right thing by the Dreamers. Just had to talk about, if I may say so myself, one of the tastiest beef and bitter melon dish ever I made for dinner. My average calorie count for the week is very close to that last week, so I’m expecting similar results. It is suppose to yield a one pound loss, but I’m not going to hold my breath. We are not wealthy by any means, but do own my own home and am hopeful that the federal death tax be repealed. I never gave it any thought until my siblings and I became heirs of our parent’s home. Now that I am at or nearing the season myself, I hate the unjust tax even more. There is nothing quite as infuriating as taxing you to death and then tax you on top of that after you die. Come, Lord Jesus.
September 5, 2017
I’ve been musing about prayer and my prayer life. A few days ago, was a National Day of Prayer for the Victims of Hurricane Harvey and for our National Response and Recovery Efforts t, in which President Trump urged Americans of all faiths and religious traditions and backgrounds to offer prayers. In my musing, the question becomes, does God answers the prayers of those who reject him? I suppose in his sovereignty, it may be possible, I just don’t know. But do know that, "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:11-12). This led me to reflect on the need and call of some to join and gather in the public square for inter-faith prayers. I find this to be problematic, because prayer is a form of worship and any participation in the mixture of truth with falsehood would be offensive and insulting to our Lord and Savior Jesus. Today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration has terminated the DACA program and return the rule of law. I've always have been for comprehensive legal immigration and against illegal immigration. However, I have mixed feeling on the "Dreamers", but it looks like the current administration made the tough call. I wouldn't go as far as Senator Schumer calling the decision "heartless", I don’t call enforcing the rule of just and orderly laws heartless. It’s up to Congress and think that perhaps this may ultimately be best, because it allows for time for congress to work together for a long-term solution to address the uncertainty of children brought to this country through no fault of their own. I am prayerfully optimistic that if our law makers set aside their seemingly petty differences and work together, seeking God’s will, they will do the right thing by the “Dreamers.” I think the gentleman from New York needs reflect on the needed and do something about it, instead of just yapping. There is a reason that this President has a low approval rating and that Congress and the Senate approval rating is even lower.
September 4, 2017
Been dwelling on Kim Jong-un and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea’s nuclear weapons capabilities. Several days back, I began musing on the God’s unknown fixed times and seasons, and perhaps, on what could be the end of the world as we know it. The atomic bombs that ended WWII, were dropped on Hiroshima "Little Boy" and Nagasaki "Fat Man," were the only two nuclear weapons ever used in warfare, prayers that it stays that way. What is even scarier is, in 1961, "Tsar Bomba", is the largest nuclear ever detonated, that insanely produced a 50 megaton blast. To put things in perspective, "Little Boy", produced a 15 kiloton blast that was able to level an entire city. Yesterday, the DPRK, detonated a hydrogen nuclear weapon yielding a100 kiloton blast. I can only come to the conclusion, there are evil intentions that motivate this ungodly endeavor and join reasonable people in condemning this action. I believe that instead of being a productive nation, they choose to use their military capabilities for extortion. Prayers, for world leaders, to seek God’s wisdom in dealing with this insane situation, especially for Kim Jong-un, that the Holy Spirit pierces what appears to be a hardened heart, and submit to God’s sovereign authority. Often times as one thing lead to another, I began to ponder on certain areas in my life where my heart remains hard toward God. It is hard to admit that, at times, one’s own heart can be insensitive and unyielding. But it is at these very moments; one can seek forgiveness, repent and return to the open arms of the Lord. Labor Day, I remember a time when this day was a grand celebration, especially is manufacturing town like Aurora was, once upon a time. Prayers, that manufacturing will return and the, “Made in America”, label will be seen across our great nation again. Amen. I rolled my eyes and start penning about the NFL Cleveland Brown players who are a kneeling during the National Anthem, but deleted it and thought these players disrespect were not worthy to be included in intended American conversation. What a summer holiday without grilling up a couple of burgers? I cooked up some additional ready meals , beef with snow peas over Cantonese pan fried noodles, a couple of pork chops, stir fried green beans and carrots and dropped them off for Jennifer on the way up to visit Andrea, Rob and Isaac, love spending time with our grandson.
September 3, 2017
Beautiful Mass, I rejoice in the progress of Vicar Ralston and for the blessing of sacramental preaching. Today was the first time I heard him deliver a sermon. Awesome, sounded like a seasoned pastor. I am reminded that ultimately our salvation comes from the cross. I always look forward to praying the collect in the liturgy. Today we prayed, “Almighty God, whose beloved Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption. Give us courage, we to take up our cross and follow Him where He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, out Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.” I’m mentioning this prayer because finally noticed and was struck by the structure of the ancient collects and how they are a worthy prayer model for our public or daily private prayers. The prayers begin by invoking the name of God and then proceed with a doctrinal truth about God's nature as the basis for the prayer. Then present our petition followed by our aspiration and then close by remembering the role of Christ as our mediator.
September 2, 2017
I must have been energized this morning, normally I take a day or two to mow the grass. Today, I gotrdun and then some. I also did the weed whacking and gave the front a manicure with the edger. The joy of the day was Alex came home for a visit. We’re thrilled, by the grace of God; he has grown to be a fine young man. Look back over the years as a parent, I found it more than loving, correcting, supporting, cheering them on, it was and continues to be a big part of our prayer life. We pray with bent knees asking God to bless them and keep them safe as well as to strengthen them to thrive in this world we find ourselves living in. I especially think that Aaron’s “Priestly Blessing” is a great prayer to pray for our children and grandchildren. "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.
September 1, 2017
Continued prayers for His grace and mercy in the Harvey catastrophic aftermath, as well as prayers for those in imminent danger as the Category 3 Hurricane Irma continues to intensify and makes her way across the Atlantic Ocean toward the United States. We went to IKEA to purchase a drawer unit for the foyer. Can’t fail to mention we split usual out of this world delicious Swedish meatballs lunch plate and a side dish of macaroni cheese while shopping there. Of course we did the entire store maze walk and browse. It was another beautiful day so I didn’t unpackage the drawer unit. Instead I did outside work that I’ve been putting off for quite some time. I mixed the concrete and repaired the chipped corner on the foundation. There was plenty of leftover concrete, so I patched some of the cracked sidewalk. I thought the job to dig out and replace a small piece of plastic landscaping edging was going to bad news, but it turned out to be a piece of cake. The last outdoor incandescent light bulb finally burned out and I replace it with a daylight LED bulb and now the front of my house is well lit. I probably should of just replaced it long ago, because the LED would of paid for itself and then some. Hurray, it was a no cooking day, dinner was at the Patio. Hmm, we shared the baby back ribs and bbq chicken combo. Hard to believe I was still able to stay under the calorie count. Why thumbing through the channels, I made the mistake of stopping and briefly watching CNN. Don Lemon, please stop telling me what you think and just report the news. I’ve come to the conclusion the both CNN and Fox News are two sides of the same funky coin. I learned that Alex will be going on a business trip again, back to the Philippines. I hate it when ever my children travel. How does one stay safe in an unsafe world?
August 31, 2017
Counting calorie clearly not a science. Well, at least it is not for me. I only managed to lose four tenths of a pound this week. Guessing, it’s still better than not losing any and worst yet gaining back. We’ll have to see how I fair next week. I see in that unsigned quarterback, Colin Kaepernick is in the sports segment of the news again alluding that he is not being picked up by a team in need, has to do with his national anthem protest. I think it is admirable that he is speaking out against racial inequality, but do not share his disrespect to the American flag. I think many people want a conversation about racism, but personal I think the only way to end racism in America is to stop talking about race. In my mind, hyphenated Americans are not Americans at all. A little over 100 years ago, President Theodore Roosevelt said, “There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.” It was true back then, and is still true today. I was looking at the videos of U.S., Japanese and South Korean warplanes carrying out exercises in a show of force against North Korea. One thing led to another and I ended up looking at footage of the first atomic bomb test. I was struck by the name of the Manhattan Project test site, “Trinity” and became curious what inspired the name. The inspiration had something to with the, “Holy Sonnets” written by John Donne. The crazy thing is, Project Director Oppenheimer when asked, said, "Why I chose the name is not clear, but I know what thoughts were in my mind. There is a poem of John Donne, written just before his death, which I know and love. From it a quotation: "As West and East / In all flatt Maps—and I am one—are one, / So death doth touch the Resurrection." That still does not make a Trinity, but in another, better known devotional poem Donne opens, 'Batter my heart, three person'd God;—.'" Rightly, or wrongly, the United States dropped, “Little Boy”, uranium-based bomb on Hiroshima and three days later dropped the larger, “Fat Boy, plutonium-fueled bomb on Nagasaki. Fawn borrowed from the library the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from La La Land. We spent the day with my brother Bill and sister Nancy. Exciting times ahead as my sister’s little girl, Natalie, wedding day is only a few weeks away. On well, another month has come and gone and all my neighbors have been in good cheer about the awesome weather we have been having lately. Today was a nice day with a cool breezy. I have to believe, in the beginning, the Garden of Eden must have been this way, 72 degrees Fahrenheit with 49 percent humidity. Thanks be to God for the joy of the day. Amen.
August 30, 2017
It was too beautiful of a day not to be out and about. We spent the entire day doing just that. We ran a few errands and then went to Geneva Commons and enjoy the day. We really enjoy splitting, in my opinion, one of best sandwich ever, the Potbelly Wreck. Listening to beautifully sung covers by Christina Grimmie, “I Dreamed A Dream”, “In Christ Alone” and “O Holy Night”. It’s such a tragedy that she was horrifically killed and at such an early age. First saw her on, The Voice Blind Auditions, singing “Wrecking Ball”.
August 29, 2017
I just noticed how long winded I was yesterday. The only thing exciting today was Isaac was a super hungry boy today, and we were a little nervous we would run out of milk. Decide to go out and do Mexican for dinner at Burrito Parrilla Mexicana. So glad that is so nearby. It’s rare to change it up, but I went for their grilled chicken burrito. It was awesome, huge and delicious. I was only able to finish half of it, so I’m in for treat again tomorrow. Not much of a Ed Sheeran fan, but do like, Thinking Out Loud. Lord grant all in authority your wisdom that they will make wise, cooperative and compassionate decisions during these uncertain times. Amen.
August 28, 2017
Oh my, nearing the end of yet another month. Unbelievable, one has to wonder, what is the motivation to erect a small new confederate monument yesterday in Alabama on private land? Especially, amid a time when many confederate monuments are coming down. I keep my mind open, but have yet to hear a reasonable apology as to why these monuments should remain standing. But until a time when I am likewise persuaded, I can’t make it any clearer than to say that the Confederate States of America was a fundamentally evil and to honor such a heritage is morally reprehensible and noxious, period. My mother’s side of the family is from Savannah, Georgia and takes great pride in many wonderful things about their southern heritage, but the confederacy is not one of them. The reality is, the entire United at the time when it condoned and perpetrated the institution of slavery. At first glance, some comparatively see the Confederate flag as no difference between the Nazis swastika, but I think there is a huge difference between slave owners and Nazis. The Nazis were motivated by a pathological hatred of the Jews, while the slave owners and traders were motivated by greed, not racial hatred. Interesting, how is it possible that a Confederate flag and a Nazis flag is allowed to flown in this country, when so many American lives were lost to those who fought against our nation under those banners? I’m not a MTV VMA fan, but was pleased to see headlining the short but powerful speech given by Reverend Robert E. Lee IV, calling out what he calls, “America’s Original Sin.” Rev. Lee denounced racism and everything his ancestor stood for, noting “We have made my ancestor an idol of white supremacy, racism and hate.” This was music to my ears, especially pales in comparison to the POTUS’s series of tweets, “Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You........can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish! Also......the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!” I finished my second deuterocanonical book, Ecclesiasticus. I find both books Tobit and Sirach interesting, but questionable. Verse like, "For almsgiving delivers from death, and it will purge away every sin. Those who perform deeds of charity and of righteousness will have fullness of life" (Tobit 12:9 RSV) and "Water extinguishes a blazing fire: so almsgiving atones for sin" (Ecclesiasticus 3:30 RSV). Albeit, I do believe good works are necessary for salvation. When seeking wisdom and understanding of spiritual manners, we realize it is God who does the verb, and the good works are actually fruits of faith in Christ alone. We prayerfully seek the wisdom from above, "so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). We got some rain today, but I’m finding it difficult and am reluctant to call it torrential at this time, with what is now being billed as a 500 year flood event. Surprisingly, the sound of rain is relaxing, Soft Jazz “Rain”. If it wasn’t for the privilege of watching over and babysitting my grandchild, the day would have been a bust. Isaac Daniel, what an awesome name for a awesome little boy. Perhaps I should of focus on penning about him and the joy he brings about from the get go. The plan is to listen to Pastor Buchs - Sunday’s Sermon Twelfth Week after Pentecost before calling it a day.
August 27, 2017
It don’t get much better than being seated on the sanctuary and assisting. “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:17). It is amazing to so close to the altar during Mass and singing the hymn of the day, We Praise You and Acknowledge You. I’m taking a new perspective on NFL football and now think of it as a great time to take a nap. With all the news about the torrential rain and flooding in Texas, I starting thinking about CCR, Have You Ever Seen the Rain and Who Stop the Rain. Funny thing, I'm sure there are tons of song about rain, but I can't let it roll on without the Temptations, I wish It Would Rain.
August 26, 2017
Got to make it quick, because I need to get up early to altar assist, so one quick song, La La Means I Love You, and a short journal entry. Cooked up a few dish for Jennifer and drove to campus for a short visit. All she had in the dorm were a few croissants and muffins. Not going to lament over the brief light drizzle we got while out and about today. It was a super busy, but still managed to get my exercises in except for the elliptical.
August 25, 2017
I changed it up this morning. Instead of listening to music while on the elliptical, I view a virtual run and found it exhilarating. Fawn was out and about most of the day. She went out with the ladies to do lunch and came home late afternoon with a bunch of groceries. Déjà vu, guess I’m cooking a bunch of prepared meals for Jennifer again this week. Dim sum literally means, “touch the heart”, indeed that is what our new neighbors did when they brought over a plate of homemade Shrimp Dumplings and Shanghai Soup Dumplings. We are thrilled to have them as our neighbors. We are blessed with good neighbors on both sides, may we likewise be a good neighbor and a blessing to them. Looks like the hurricane is growing into a powerful Category 3 and perhaps may even turn into a Category 4 major storm, prayers for those in harm’s way as the tropical storm approaches landfall. Not good. Lord, have mercy.
August 24, 2017
Whoo hoo, I haven’t said that in a while, in regards to weight loss. It was amazing to get on the scale and to see a little over a three pound less. The numbers were reminiscent of the initial loss when I started monitoring my calorie intake last time. I think getting back to a regular exercise routine was very helpful as well as the bag of baby carrots I ate for snacks this past week. Interesting how I love chomping down on carrot sticks and whittled down carrots. The plan was to do lunch at Yu’s Bristol with Norma but she was under the weather and opted out. It’s Norma’s favorite Chinese restaurant. Albeit, we’re not particularly fans of Jiangnan cuisine, we do love their pork with bamboo shoot off their lunch menu, because it comes with soup, egg roll and fried rice, all for a whopping $5.95. We decided to eat there anyway, because we already planned to go out that way to the Sam’s Club as well as to Garden fresh. Great that the portions are huge enough to have leftovers to take home! Like most Americans, we eat Chinese food from Canton, Hunan and Szechuan and total ignore the rest of China. Believe it or not, I favor Americanized Chinese dishes, and enjoy ordering Chinese from places like Panda Express. It was yet another day in the 70s and it is my understanding it will stay as is for the remainder of the week. How awesome is that? The gas prices sky rocket back up to $2.499 a gallon, guessing it is because Harvey is moving across the Gulf. Was reading Psalm 141, and then thought about days past and evening prayers, Let My Prayer Rise Before You. Lord, keep us safe this night, Secure from all our fears; May angels guard us while we sleep, Till morning light appears. Amen.
August 23, 2017
It was a rather nice cool early autumn like day. Albeit, I mowed the grass in the morning, I still worked up a sweat. I started commenting on what I read so far in the deuterocannoncal book of Ecclesiasticus, but choose to delete it, because I felt I am not learned enough to comment on some of the verves I found questionable. With all this stupid media Trump this and Trump that, I got distracted and shut down on what was going on in this broken world. I was wondering what ever happened to the Taylor Force Act. I was happy to learn that it finally passed the Senate early in the month. Unbelievable, it passed committee 17-4. The four Democrats on the committee who voted against the bill were Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.), Chris Murphy (Conn.), Tom Udall (N.M.), and Jeff Merkley (Ore.). I was fascinated by the totally bizarre reasoning behind Why Sen. Booker’s voted against the Taylor Force Act. What gives, that makes funding terrorist OK? At least the top democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer announced he would cosponsor the Taylor Force Act, which will like insure passage likely when the full senate vote take place later in the year. I was so glad to come across these two songs to end the day with, Love Can Make You Happy, by Mercy and, The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack.
August 22, 2017
I thought it was going to be another gloom and doom looking day, but hurray, the sun broke out mid morning to a perfect mix of sunshine and clouds. What a bundle of joy, I got to play briefly with Isaac. I swear the kid feels like he’s 25 pounds or more, but my understanding is that he is only 18 pounds. I went to CSPAN to watch the Trump Rally in Phoenix. I can’t stand watching and listening to anything CNN or FOX News has to say about the POTUS. Basically it was a waste of time for me, because it was classic Trump and just a reiteration of his campaign promises and an attack on what he calls the fake media. From what I can tell, his supporters with chants, want him to “Build the wall” and “Drain the swamp.”
August 21, 2017
I broke away from the tradition oatmeal breakfast this morning, because I couldn’t resist the focaccia bread that what crying out, calling me by name, “Eat me.” OK, so I exaggerated. Surprisingly, the delicious bread is only 120 calories and is 40 calories less than the oatmeal. I’m sure I need to avoid habitual eating it as a regular morning stable. The day’s Great American Eclipse was uneventful here with the overcastted sky and the darkness was relatively unnoticeable, but we did watch the event briefly on TV. Closing the day listening to Simon and Garfunkel, Sound of Silence and Scarborough Fair. I was musing about the network news media and wonder if they are relevant anymore. I for one have given up them for anything of substance. Lord have Mercy, grant us thy Holy Spirit that we may learn to love thee.
August 20, 2017
One of my favor singers grow up was Neil Young singing his song, Old Man, interestingly now I’m that old man I was musing about back then and how about, Heart of Gold. I swear, when I kick back at the end of the day and listen to these old tunes, it just makes the day complete. It was dinner and a movie, made Italian sausage and bow tie pasta, and watched Kingdom of Heaven.
August 19, 2017
Wow, how cool, Andrea came by for a brief visit this morning with Isaac, while Rob went to orientation at Concordia Chicago. He’s going back to school on the weekends for his Masters. Was a cooking fool again, making Jennifer meals for the week and dropping it off on campus, before going to evening Mass. I couldn’t believe the size of the dorm rooms, huge. I like the stillness of Saturday evenings and we got to chat with Vicar Ralston, it was good to get a little more acquainted with the fine young man. Hard to believe the gas price dropped today to $2.179. Watched the Blue Devils 2017 “Metamorph” Championship Finals Run and can see why they took the DCI Gold! Sexagenarians like me use to think we were pretty good back in the day, but the drum corps performances nowadays are off the chart.
August 18, 2017
I like winding down with music in the evening and usually play a few tunes while penning journal entries, today its, David Bowie and Gail Ann Dorsey - Under Pressure. It was only a modest 8:00 minute go on the elliptical, it was a start back on it none the less. Albeit a slow process, I rejoice and am hearing good news of the removal of and offensive pro slavery icon of Justice Roger B. Taney from the Maryland State House grounds. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said it best, “While we cannot hide from our history — nor should we — the time has come to make clear the difference between properly acknowledging our past and glorifying the darkest chapters of our history”. Wow, Missouri Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal unapologetically posted, "I hope Trump is assassinated." Prayers for all in authority that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, that is godly and dignified and in every way God pleasing. The Dred Scott, 7-2 Supreme Court ruling has to be one of the worst court decision where Chief Justice Taney wrote, “… that the Negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for his benefit.”
August 17, 2017
I was motivated and today was my second day back to exercising. I did slightly kick it up a notch. It is so sad where I am again and will slowly have to work my way up where my sluggishness is abated. Clearly, just walking is not enough exercise and am back to doing a few resistance band and light weights exercises. Regrettably, I totally stopped using the elliptical and will need to start that back up again tomorrow. Hmm, I think the POTUS is misguided in tweeting, “Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments.” The POTUS need to realize that confederate symbols only keep the hateful division alive and not only need to be removed, but be destroyed. Was chillin this evening listening to Alice Fredenham, Coconut Grove, I Only Have Eyes For You, My Funny Valentine.
August 16, 2017
It’s been about eight weeks since I stop tracking my calorie intake and daily exercise routine. I’m starting to feel sluggish and took a peek on the scale and have gained back a little over two pounds, so I decided it was time to go back to tracking calories again and set the same modest goal of shedding a pound a week but will happily settle for any lose. I started this morning on warm up exercises and with again work up to a reasonable daily routine. Four confederate monuments went down in Baltimore overnight, good start on the needed. Too bad the reason the monuments came down wasn’t because they were repugnant. These monuments are sadly not reminders of the historical evils in our country, but were erected as celebratory symbols of glory and honor. The question to ask is, were the actions of the confederacy in any way extemporary in bringing forth glory and honor to Christ the King? OK, enough of this, everyone knows the difference between right and wrong. Thanks be to God for the gift of knowing one's own sins. The plan was to make something for Jennifer, but since Fawn was going to visit her mom, I made a pot of fuzzy melon soup and we brought some to my mother-in-law. Thanks be to God, she appears to be in good spirit and health. I met up with Tony at Jason’s Deli for dinner. I worked up a taste for their Ruben but mistakenly order a Corn beef sandwich on rye. It wasn’t the end of the world and actually tasted pretty good. The highlight was the half sandwich can with a delicious chicken pot pie soup. Thanks be to God, his mother, Cassie is doing well and will have a follow-up MRI in six months. We enjoy talking about theology and he inquired about my friend who I was glad to inform him that the good doctor is now ordained into the sacred priesthood. There was a lot I didn’t realize about being a Byzantine Catholic and the Byzantine rite of the Catholic Church.
August 15, 2017
The good news is people are contemplating the removal of confederate monuments, the bad news is others are resisting it. Well, Donald Trump made a good point today, but is wrong about a monument going down has anything to do with changing history and the culture of the time. I now realize that albeit, we have come a long way, I totally missed where we are as a nation. It is stunning how many confederate monuments remain across our country. It goes even deeper for me. Many people rightly call Adolf Hitler a monster and would not consider honoring such a man. Strange how we honor Presidents many of our founding fathers who owned human beings and forced them into a life of slavery. The more I reflect on the issue at hand, the clearer it becomes, how rooted white supremacy is, twelve presidents were slave owners. I’m calling a spade a spade; those who participated in such an evil practice did so by choice and cannot be over looked. I’ve heard people say people like me who want to take down confederate monuments want to erase history. That is so far from the truth. How does one confront one’s own sins and repent of them, if one can’t even face up to the realities of this broken world? This is about idols and turning away from evil and toward what is good. I was frustrated and stupid today over a silly thing and feel awful about my less the fatherly behavior, mean and ornery cuss is a more accurate description of what went down. There was a power failure in Jennifer's dorm and some of the food I prepare for her this week went bad. I regret my bad disposition and said terrible things to my daughter that was really out of her control. I was able to make her a meal for today to take back. Thinking I can shop and tomorrow and whip up a few dishes and bring it to campus for the remainder of the week. Andrea brought Isaac down and Alex came for a visit also.
August 14, 2017
Watched the 2017 Drum Corps International World Championships on YouTube. I really enjoyed watching two local favorites, The Phantom Regiment (9th place) from Rockford and The Cavaliers (4th place) from Chicago. The high octane performances brought back memories of old time comraderies as well as rivalries of days past. I use to play French horn with the Nisei Ambassadors back in the day. I have fond memories as a youth, so much that Fawn and I went to a reunion. I love listening to percussions and it doesn’t get much better than Phantom Regiment Drumline.
August 13, 2017
I can never fully express the joy of assisting at the altar. I was in the commons and commented on the Charlottesville protest that was surly going to erupt with violence. I was surprised and spent a good part of the day musing one of the unexpected view about the removal of Robert E. Lee statue, cautioning about attempting to erase history. Some who defend the monuments say that they weren’t white supremacists, and that the monuments are about soldiers and their sacrifice and valor. I’m sure that there are some people whose ancestors were slave owners who fought for the Confederacy and take neither pride in that nor am ashamed of it noting that, “They were men of their time and place. But this is our time, and our place.” In my mind, he was a man who fought to the bitter end to destroy the country. When I see the graven images, I think about the golden calf and about the men who erect them in the first place. Regardless of the reasons for wanting to preserve confederate monuments, the protester’s hateful rhetoric and for not taking down the Robert E. Lee monument and intentional ill deeds were clear.
August 12, 2017
Sigh, racism rears its ugly head every time a confederate symbols are removed. I think it is a good thing that confederate symbols solidifies racism and day’s words and deed, reinforces that my claim. “White lives matter”? It is crystal clear to me now that this chant is just as bad as, “Black lives matter.” Today's deadly display of hatred and vile racist bigotry in Charlottesville, Virginia causes one to pause for self evaluation and to discern over instructions in righteousness. Saint Paul instructs us, "Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." (I Thessalonians 5:21-22). Saint Paul then continues on bestowing the blessing, "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it" (v. 23-24). Discerning over what is good and what is evil requires judgment with a pure heart. One has to wonder about people would hold to the confederacy is part of their heritage. Celebrating such a heritage, that in itself is very telling. One only has to look at, The Declaration of Causes of Seceding States, in their own words; the various states make the defense of slavery a clear objective. It must be me, because I find the New York senator, Chuck Schumer very annoying. After President Trump strongly condemns "all that hate stands for" after white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, he tweets, “Of course we condemn ALL that hate stands for. Until @POTUS specifically condemns alt-right action in Charlottesville, he hasnt done his job.” Guessing his job is to only attack President Trump, no matter what, even with absurd rhetoric if need be. It does not surprise me that the media moved away from what is happening in Charlottesville to what Trump said or not said. I was looking over our worship folder in preparation for tomorrow morning’s Mass and was taken by surprise by the prelude, Shall We Gather Around the River. I’ve only heard this old hymn employed in old western movies! “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1).
August 11, 2017
Was cooking up a storm today making meals for Jennifer. Made Cantonese pan fried to go with beef and bok choy and snow peas, spare ribs with bell pepper and black bean and garlic sauce, and beef mao pao tofu. I’ve notice that I’m not able to whip up individual dishes from start to finish in 30 minutes or less anymore and am becoming more leisurely and enjoying the culinary art in what I am doing. We were supposed to go out tonight, but Fawn decided to do the laundry instead and LOL, Alex got wind of all the food I was cooking up and made his way over for a dinner/visit. The delivery guy installed our new dryer. I like going to CityGate Grille whenever our friends, Zazz Jazz perform there. Don’t get much better than that on a weekend night out on the town with friends and listening to jazz. Oh well, next time. Well, albeit adults, spending time with your two younger children who are a joy that never gets old. Thanks be to God, for his gift.
August 10, 2017
Despite a strike, we took our car in for the needed oil change. It’s unbelievable that I had to schedule an appointment for that. For me, the mechanics are doing what they feel they need to do and on the same token, I need to do what I need to do to keep up with the necessary maintenance. I hope this dispute will be resolved soon; it won’t be very good if major mechanical repairs become necessary. There is no doubt that the rift between the US and North Korea has escalated to where North Korea is a real threat and should be view as our adversary. I think that our democrats as well as republicans leaders need to pipe down and set their differences aside and pull together as a nation and support the president. Listening to rhetoric from the far left and far right has been very taxing. Today’s prayer goes beyond prayers for the persecuted church in North Korea. It wasn’t dinner and movie, but rather a NFL pre-season game. Hmm, chicken paprikash with potatoes and rice. Naturally, we watch the Bronco Bear game. I am surprise that I enjoyed and sat through the entire game.
August 9, 2017
The plan was to edge the lawn around the sidewalk out front, but the hedge was screaming trim me. I was surprise I took the time and opted to use a hand pruner to cut the hedge of using a hedge trimmer. I was zoned out in the mundane and barely gotrdun before the sun was in my face. I ate a light breakfast and lunch because I was still sluggish from over indulging last night. I shamelessly ate two drumsticks, a wing and a thigh, as well as sampled a portion of all the trimmings. I haven’t eaten like that in a long while and was surprise I didn’t go into a food comma. I was thrilled the repairman was able to fix the washer for a reasonable cost, but it was too costly to repair and the recommendation was to buy a new dryer. Ouch, we painfully ended up buying a Whirlpool 7.0 cu. ft. high-efficiency gas dryer. It was quite a bit more costly for the high-efficiency model, but the energy star machine supposedly will more than pay for itself over time. I guess thinking green should be the motivator but saving money and sweet is see a product labeled, “Build with American Pride and designed, engineered and assembled in the U.S.A.”
August 8, 2017
It was pretty much just an ordinary day. We were glad Mary and Jim called and invited us to join our friends out for dinner. It was friend chicken night with salad and all the trimmings, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, baked beans, and dinner rolls. For me, sharing a table with friends is more than just eating delicious food to sustain us, I gather with my friends around a table for the purpose of enjoying a meal as both a gift and a means of grace. We sit for hours just enjoying each other company.
August 7, 2017
Incredible day to be out and about. It was mixed with good mix of clouds (low 70s) and sunshine (mid 70s), how awesome is that in early August. Good new that all my meds are doing their intended and that I can reduce my B12 vitamin supplement to every other day now. I wasn’t thrilled when the nearby Sam’s Club closed in Woodridge. I hate driving in the cross town traffic to get to the one town. What added to the frustration was that the staff isn’t as friendly either and will need to go back another day because they didn’t have a 90 day supply of the needed. We also have to wait for the approval of price matching on one of the prescription. Hopefully, we will get to know the staff and get better service in the future. It was so nice out, I walked around the strip mall. It was the first time I walked in a Tuesday Morning, home good store. We called and scheduled the Maytag repair man to come out later in the week. Sigh, one thing after another, the basement dehumidifier frosted up. Hopefully, I can see what the issue is tomorrow, after the unit de-ices. Got an email prayer request from my friend Tony and was sadden to learn that his mother has three benign brain tumors. But the price prognosis is excellent on the type of tumor she has is a good thing.
August 6, 2017
A little slow getting up this morning, good thing there is a late morning Mass. Sweet, we witness and celebrated Reagan Daisy’s infant baptism. We stopped off at H-Mart on the way and shopped for Asian vegetable, on the way home. I normally sit in the car and wait while Fawn does the shopping there, but it’s been a while since we shopped there and have forgotten how one instantly get smacked in the face with the pungent fish smell that seemly singes the lungs. I would never buy any seafood from this store; no way could it possibly be fresh. But I will say that the fresh vegetables looked pretty good. I reflected on Moses’ poignant prayer to God on behalf of sinners and how much more we are blessed with, when we are dancing around our golden calves, we have Christ’s intercessory prayer on our behalf on the cross, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” I also mused on the Gregorian offertory, Precatus est Moyses, and think find the final verse problematic.
August 5, 2017
I did manage to cut the grass early this morning when the temperature was down. I didn’t notice how humid it was until mid way through the needed. I seem to talk about tending to the lawn most of the time I do outdoor chores. I’m guessing because I really hate working up a sweat, but after a nice cool shower, all is well and a restored joyful demeanor. I’m not sure why, but joy at times doesn’t come naturally for me. One of the most defining characteristic of a Christian’s life should be joy, but I often forget what I have and I forget what the center of my joy is and am failing in my remembrance of all that Christ has done for me. I still wish we didn’t move away from singing the offertory song, Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God, from Mass. I really like my new laptop and having cable modem high speed internet. What a joy it is to be able to download and store a bunch of ephotos of my grandson.
August 4, 2017
The torrential rain last night cool things down to a much welcomed spring like day. Too bad the grass to too wet to cut, I would have love to do that needed in the cool. We have been having issues on and off with our washing machine for some time as well as with the gas dryer so we went and looked at new washers and dryers. We were stunned how much they cost now because of the governmental regulations put into the design of machines. I went home and googled about these new machines and it didn’t surprise me to see so many complaints about this and that breaking down. I think we’ll to call the repairman and hopefully he’ll be able to do the needed to getr back into tiptop shape. Well my little girl filled her car and moved back to school today. It’s tough not to hold her tightly, because she is the last one leaving the nest.
August 3, 2017
With an untrustworthy news media, I don’t know what to make of President Trump denying he ever called the White House a dump. Anyway, the reporter didn’t name his hear say gossip of the both plausible or could be easily be just another relentless media spin/outright fabrication as well. I really need to refrain from commenting or criticizing on such reported matters having to do with the POTUS moving forward. I went to get an oil change and was clueless that cars mechanics in the metro area have been on strike since Tuesday. Well the trip was a total bust, we went to the nearby emission testing center and passed. Now I need to only get the license plate sticker before the end of the month. There was a sign as well as flyers at the emission testing center noting sticker renewals are available on site. Too bad the service charge was $7.50. I’m a third way into the book of Sirach. Albeit, I am coming across a lot of noteworthy wisdom on proper behavior so far, I think the reader needs to take care in musing over the reason for good works. I’m not qualified to speak on righteousness other than to say where I am in my infant understanding on justification. In my Coram deo, I believe that my righteousness before God comes from faith and not from one’s own merits, because our good works are imperfect and tainted by our sinful desires and motivations. The prophet Isaiah colorfully said that, “all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.” I think we can be humble or we can boost I think at times, people misunderstand the notion of good work works are necessary for salvation. Yet, for me, it is clear in, The Final Judgement that good works are important indeed necessary for salvation. It is worth noting that the little I do only comes from the work of the Holy Spirit within me. It is by grace that God finds our good works pleasing because our good works falls short of the glory of God.
August 2, 2017
Sigh, President Trump just can’t refrain from speaking his mind. I suppose a man rich as him can call the WH a “dump.” What a degression from, “I would maybe touch it up a little bit…the White House is a special place.” I think that perhaps not as bad as the Mitt Rommey’s “47 percent” comment, but it is very telling none the less. I’m like most people who complain about our economy and calling it a financial crisis. But the hilarious comedian, Daliso Chaponda, put it into perspective. This led me to reflect how I give my mouth free reign to evil. “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” (Psalm 141:3). It is times like this when I can see and reflect a few of many shortcomings and join the psalmist in praying the Psalm of Repentance. Again I pray, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."
August 1, 2017
Amazing that it is already August. My baby will be moving back to school on Friday and class will begin next Monday. Her educational journey is a long one and prayers she will continue to do well and gain the knowledge and the necessary skills for her vocation that she may serve the Lord. Every now and then I read from one of the Apocrypha/Deuterocanonical books. I’ve started my first reading of the book of Sirach this morning and had a hard time putting it down and am finding it to be a very worthy read so far. One of my all time classic comfort food is a creamy chicken ala king, but no one but me likes it. My family thinks it’s a heart attack waiting to happen so I need make it. Very few singers are able to out sing as well or better than the original artist, but … well you be the judge, If I Were a Boy – Jane Zhang. Her voice is much better the song Dust My Shoulder Off, but with that said, I did enjoy the Music Video. I’m a fan, right up there with Adele?
July 31, 2017
I had the sign that read 93 days of summer in the back of my mind for several weeks now and finally got around to looking it up on internet. It caught my attention because I always assumed that the seasonal equinoxes and solstices divided the year into four equal parts. According to Professor Jay Pasachoff of Williams College, spring, lasts 92 days, 19 hours; summer 93 days, 15 hours; autumn, 89 days, 20 hours; winter, 89 days, zero hours. I’m terrible in science and only now know it has something to do with the mostly having to do with the tilting of the planet and also has something with the distance of planet from the sun on its annual obit. Interestingly enough the earth is closest to the sun in spring and fall. So the fun fact is that the tilt on the earth is more important than the distant from the sun. Nice, Andrea, Rob and Isaac came down for a visit. We went to the Cheesecake Factory to do lunch. Talk about a serious eat, I ordered the Classic Burger. It was a gigantic 10 oz. charbroiled chop house burger. Even half a sandwich was too much indulgence for a single seating. I should of look closely at the menu and wish I knew ahead of time that they offer sugar free low carb cheesecakes. Oh well, next time. I watched a Frank Sinatra western, Johnny Concho. I pause at end of the month most of the time, because it always comes about so fast and is a reminder of how fast time pasts. “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).
July 30, 2017
Was musing on evangelism and how difficult it is to be effect when we fail to abstain and conduct ourselves honorably. When we fail to glorify the Christ in us through of behaviors, we fail to bring love, joy and peace to lives of all the people around us. Saint Paul advises us to keep in step with the spirit and not to gratify desires of the flesh and noting, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:22-23). Watch a little YouTube and was by a mesmerizing voice.
July 29, 2017
Chip, chip, what a nice job, if I may say so myself. Got up super early and worked the garage door trim. I was able to do a super job on it, because there was no time constraint on the job other than to beat the sun to the noon hour since the front of my house face directly west. I took my time and did the job right by wire brushing and sanding. I also remove the old and re-chalk the trim, sweet. I normally use interior/exterior paint, but this time I use exterior paint and what a different in the viscosity. Sad, it took me about three and an half hour to complete the simple job. Clearly, I won’t be able to earn a living in the trades. Crazy, I came across an article, Study disproves the Bible's suggestion that the ancient Canaanites were wiped out. After reading the article, it led me to wonder what the author’s intentions were or motives were for writing the inaccurate and/or misleading article.
July 28, 2017
Considering it’s still July, I think it was a super day weather wise with a perfect mix of sun and cloud. Albeit, briefly climbed into the upper 70s, it was mostly in the low and mid 70s. I am most thankful for days like this where the temperature and humidity is ideal for humans. I’m glad that John McCain killed the GOP’s ‘skinny repeal’ health care bill because it offered no solutions that would reform the health care system and make it more affordable. I still hope see a single payer healthcare system, medicare for all. The New York Post headline read, Ice arrests nearly 100 illegal NYC immigrants. I was amazed that, “Eighty-two of the arrestees have rap sheets for crimes such as DUI, drug trafficking, assault, drug possession and fraud. Fifteen have pending charges and 37 have final orders of removal.” My initial thought was I don’t think there has been a sweeping raid since the beginning of the year in the Chicagoland area and think we are way overdue for one. Wonder why the police don’t go after these criminals? I look at these statistics because I think Chicago is beyond being in crisis mode. Jennifer does volunteer work in the city and I’m against it and pray for her safety every time she go in. In my mind, it’s should be in the list of dangerous places to volunteer in the world. I’m glad she is only schedule one more time before going back to school. Not sure what that says about me, but I don’t like being in or passing through neighborhoods with a potentially high safety risk.
July 27, 2017
It been a long time since I couldn’t fall asleep as soon as I hit the bed, so I went down and flipped through the channels last night hoping to find something to watch. I came across a show called, I am Jazz, think it had would have something to do with jazz music, but it was a reality show that had to do with the life of a transgender teenager. It comes at a interesting time for me, because I know little to nothing about transgender, and yesterday the POTUS tweeted, “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow..........Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming.....victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you”. Déjà , it was another hot and muggy morning. Déjà , it was another hot and muggy morning. I couldn’t let it go another day, so I brave the morning with the weed whacker and gotrdun. I also took out the ladder and did the gutters, because I noticed it overflowing the other day. I really hate the neighbor’s tree that I cut back every year. That bad boy looks like it’s going to die each year, but seems to be able to hang on for whatever reason. The branches grow so fast back over my house by this time every year, but most of the leaves seem to die and fall onto my house and driveway. What a mess sweeping it every week. It is strange to see a dead tree that doesn’t know it is dead.
July 26, 2017
Hard to believe I stepped out in to a morning sauna and turned right back in. My friend Jesse tells me he loves going to the sauna at the Eola Fitness Center and swears by it as being beneficial to his overall health. The closest thing to a sauna for me was taking a hot shower in the morning when my shoulder was sore and stiff when I injured my right shoulder and had to work on strengthening the regaining the range of motion. I like to flash back every now and then, today, it was with Lady. I like what Dennis Deyoung did with this trademark Styx song.
July 25, 2017
Had to do a twelve hour overnight fast last for my blood work this morning. All that really requires is a last breakfast. Prayers for good test results. I managed to mow the grass before it warmed up. All that remains is to do is to do the weed whacking. That can wait until the cool of the day tomorrow. I still have a list of 2dos that I brought the needed for the projects and have yet to begin as well as more 2dos down the pipe. My excuse is I really don’t like the heat and hate working in it. It is hard to believe that once upon a time I loved the summer time, so how did that changed over the years? Enough dwelling on the Summertime Blues. I gave the pan seared salmon another go. This time I use a teriyaki marinade and the dish was plate licking good!
July 24, 2017
Now that’s what I’m talking about, Isaac brought his parents down for a visit. I love playing with my grandson, he so big. It will be interesting to find out how much he weighs. Not only do we get to bless our children, we get to bless our grandchild now. Chilled to, Piece by Piece. I like Kelly Clarkson but how can one not listen to Adele, Someone Like You? Thanks be to God for the blessings of the day.
July 23, 2017
Beautiful, we celebrated the Feast of Magdalene. During the gospel reading according to Saint John, the twentieth chapter, on the resurrection and Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene; I was struck by, “Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher)”. In our disappointments, it is comforting to know we have God who is near and calls us by our name. I’m not too much on the proverbs, but did reflect on today’s Old Testament reading, The Women Who Fears the Lord. Every time when the congregation sings, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, I pause and become distracted. That hymn has always been a problematic prayer hymn for me. At least it not saying, Jesus is a Friend of Mine, which is even more problematic. Can’t fail to mention that most of the day was sunny and really muggy, but that didn’t stop us from being out and about. Then out of nowhere, the sky darkens, and with a loud roaring thunder clap, the torrential rain mixed with hail came down with a vengeance for about an hour. Then just as unexpectedly, the sky cleared and the sun shined brightly and the rain did provide the much needed succor from the heat. But I am concern about flooding rains. Made it home safely and was glad to see the sump working. It’s on my 2do list and I keep saying that I really need to replace the old 1/3 hp sump with a new ½ hp one. It’s hard to believe the jury rig job I did in the spring is still holding up. LOL, I actually used a coat hanger and some duct tape. First time I made pan seared salmon, it wasn’t restaurant quality and I think Gordon Ramsay would be all in my face, but I think it was OK just the same. For sure, baking a salmon is much simpler. I enjoy watching a lot of different cooking shows on the Food Network and find it interesting that many of the chefs are precise chefs while I tend to use a up to you recipe with some of this and some of that.
July 22, 2017
I was a little worried, thinking I configure something wrong that caused my browser to snail load pages. But I mistakenly connected to the internet using the 5G band which my laptop network card does not support. Fawn and I took a trip back into memory lane. We took a drive out to the Louis Joliet Mall this afternoon. I’m glad it’s an indoor mall, especially with the enduring heat wave we have been experiencing. We haven’t been there for many years, mostly likely not since the kids were small. We still hold on to many fond memories of our children as if it was just yesterday. This made me more nostalgic than usual and I began reflecting back on my own childhood and how awesome my parents were. Now I’m wondering what memories our children will hold on. I often joke to young couples with young children about not blinking, because they grow up so fast. The reality is, life/time does go by fast. In prayer, the psalmist reminds us, “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!"
July 21, 2017
Woke this morning full of joy and embraced God’s plan for the day, which included a dinner celebration at Fabulous Noodles. Happy Birthday Alex! We had a relaxing dinner and got to here all about Alex’s trip to the Philippians. I’m glad everything worked out for him. With so much leftovers, it looks like I won’t need to cook for a day or so. When I heard thunder and when it rains like this for so many days and when some of the nearby burbs flood, I can’t help but to think of Noah and his family singing, Rain, Rain Go Away.
July 20, 2017
Talk about yet another hot day, my eyeglass kept fogging up every time I stepped out. I’m not sure exactly what I heard on the radio, but I think it had something to do life and celebrating small victories. Then lo and behold, later in the day, I took a peek at the upcoming worship folder for, The Feast of Mary Magdalene, and was struck by a quotable quote, “To celebrate the Eucharist and to live a Eucharistic life has everything to do with gratitude. Living Eucharistically is living life as a gift, a gift for which one is grateful.” Several weeks ago, I decided not to track my calories intake and do weigh-ins just to see how I would fare. I got on the scale this morning and had mixed feelings. The good news is, I’m not gaining weight back and the bad news is, I’m not losing any either, because I still need to drop about ten pounds or so.
July 19, 2017
What a contrasting day, I can hear and feel the vibrating loud thunderclaps and it’s raining cats and dogs now. Prays against flooding. Much like last year, it seems we are getting so rain. Early morning was awesome, it was nice and cool and made for a pleasant walk at the Bolingbrook Promenade. By the noon hour, the temps soared into the mid 90s. Then a mix of clouds moved in that offered the occasional shade but little to no relief to the muggy heat. The brief late afternoon shower offered no succor either and only added to the already high humidity. It is days like this that I thank God for air conditioning.
July 18, 2017
Although I know quite a bit about networking in general, I know so little about network security. I spent a lot of time today learning about how to implement it in my home network. With all this talk about hackers and what not nowadays, I find the topic fascinating. Marlyn brought over a really nice gift for Isaac from the trip to Hawaii. It was a really nice. The kid will surely be dapper in his new infant aloha shirt set. It was a very nice day, mostly because I stayed busy enough to avoid reading or listening to the news. I have no doubt in my mind the political rhetoric grows uglier by the day.
July 17, 2017
Morning joy, it don’t get much better than reading a email filled with good news from a friend. I learned this morning from that by the grace and mercy of our Lord, Dr Genig was ordained into the sacred priesthood. Had a busy day, found a two year internet commitment deal with Comcast that I couldn’t pass up and is significantly faster and cheaper than DSL. So we did the research and opted to buy a compatible cable modem and router rather than renting a gateway from Comcast. So we sign up for the deal and went to Target and bought a cable modem and then to Fry’s Electronics to buy a wireless router. It took me a little while to read and grasp the hardware and installation procedure as well as working with the network provider to activate the equipment, but we gotrdun. I’m thrilled not to see any buffering what so ever. Anyway, enough brain exercise and am calling it a day.
July 16, 2017
What a beautiful day. Albeit, all days are beautiful, they just seem to be exceptional on the Lord’s Day. I had the pleasure of assisting at the altar and sat up close and stared transfixed to the mysteries of a small mesmerisng crucifix on the altar. Great joy having my entire family at worship and seeing Andrea, Rob and Isaac come to Eucharist and blessings and Our Lord’s Table. Great idea to celebrate after Mass, Fawn and Alex’s birthday at MingHin, now we have days of dim sum left over in the refrigerator. It’s been a very long time since I’ve taken a midday nap; guessing the overindulgence put me in a food comma for a few hours. Fawn and I suffered through the punishing move, Silence. I say it is up there with another Jesuit movie, The Mission. Missionary movies like these are not like or dislike kinds of movies, but are movies one experience and live with.
July 15, 2017
“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:11-12). Thanks be to God, who offers us his love through the use of his angels to guard us in all our ways. We were up before the crack of dawn to pick up my son at the airport. We’re thrilled to welcome our son back. Funny thing, Alex got his passport over nine years ago and never got to use it until now. His plan back college was to do international studies in Italy but that didn’t come to pass. I started to criticize … but … My prayers are for jobs for our people and that we become a nation of sheeps. I was talking to my daughter who visited a “church” near their home. I was surprised she did that, because we had many discussions about non sacramental churches and church bodies that believe in the inerrancy of the bible among other things, especially when I was troubled by what was going on in the parish and the synod we were worshipping at, once upon a time. I wonder about church bodies that have a problem with the inerrancy of the bible, what do they set their belief on? The reality is that the bible, the word of God, has a problem with them. With them, Jesus said, "Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: 'You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’" (Matthew 13:14-15).Yet another blessing, we went to Jim and Mary’s backyard barbeque, where we ate as much meat as we desire according to the blessing of the Lord our God have given us. I started to pen the final blessing of the day was stopping off on the way home for our six year old nephew’s birthday cake, but God showers us with boundless blessings. My final thought for the day is on God’s ongoing blessings that he longs to give us, for "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Laminations 3:22-23).
July 14, 2017
What a nice day to be out and about. As the saying goes, “It’s a beautiful day to wake up and see a beautiful day!” All glory to God Alone. I’ll take days in the 70s anytime, especially in mid July. Like most women, Fawn loves to shop, so off we went to the outlet mall. I really enjoy walking around the mall, because it is so big and is well maintained. It became clear to me I don’t shop often enough. I went in a few of the stores and thought even with all the mark downs, things were expensive. It cracks me up whenever I sign like, “up to 70% off entire store.” No time to yap, got to get up early tomorrow morning, with a big day ahead of me.
July 13, 2017
Albeit, we got rain yesterday, it wasn’t the ongoing onslaught that the northern burbs got. It really paid off doing the prior flood plain research. My baby was really worried about the workout their sump pump got. I love the modern technology that allows for instant videos. Albeit not the same as being there, I do get to see my grandson in a way the bring great joy that otherwise wouldn’t have been blessed with. Today was yet another one of those, I never knew that day. It is the first time I heard of a Turritopsis dohrnii, also known as an immortal jellyfish because they are capable of reverting back to an immature stage in case they are injured, sick, or dying by a process called transdifferentiation. Immortality is defined as the ability to live forever; eternal life. Of course, these jellyfish are not immortal, because they do get eaten. I believe Saint Paul’s words on, Mystery and Victory, when it comes to the subject of immortality. May we receive eternal life and a victorious faith in a life after death though Christ our Lord. Amen.
July 12, 2017
There was a gloom and doom sky this morning and the news media wasn’t much different with Trump this and Trump that. Flipping through the channels I caught part of a show called, The View. Stunning that a talk show that just freely piles on of the POTUS’s character. I find the rhetoric interesting in that the president attracts this level of criticism from the left and at the same time is silence on the character of their leaders. For sure, President Trump has his flaws, as we all do, but I wonder if his critics ever look in the mirror and self reflect. I feel much like Saint Paul and feel I fail in the flesh. I start to say more often than not, but the truth is I completely fail to thought, word and deed. One thing for sure, people change. In our new life in Christ, we are to, “… put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). We often speak in the terms of being brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus said, “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:50). I think, if we can just keep our eyes on the prize and focus our efforts in doing the will of God, we will be journeying in the right direction on the narrow path back to Eden.
July 11, 2017
Hmm, it’s been a while since I did repairs on our Maytag gas dryer. I’m pretty sure the motor start capacitor went bad. I had to hold the door open, press the start button and give the drum some help to get it to start spinning for the first load, but the second load worked just fine, so I’m guessing it will only be a matter of time before I need to replace the part. I made plain congee and steamed tilapia, but was surprised that my mother-in-law was still restricted to a liquid diet. I don’t know why I don’t make steamed tilapia more often; it is a real tasty dish that is so flavorful. When I first began penning my journal entries, I worried about possible harm that I may bring about to reader who may stumble upon this site and continue to pray, "Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel" (PS 69:6).
July 10, 2017
Whoa, hit with an unexpected air conditioning repair bill. Prior to today, it was always a routine tune up cleaning twice a year and filter replacement. We lucked out this morning, when the severe torrential rain storm paused long enough for the service technician to do the needed, just in time for the heat and high humidity we are experiencing. Time sure do fly, it only seemed like it was only a few years ago that we had the eleven year old furnace and air conditioner installed. Thanks be to God, my mother-in-law’s surgery went well. Prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving and prayers for comfort and a speedy recovery. I think praying back God's words to God cures the soul, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though hits waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling ... The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress" (Psalm 46:1-3, 7).
July 9, 2017
I’ve been humming our worship hymn of the day, Jesus Shall Reign most of the day. I’m clueless to what Duke Street is, but enjoyed their recording of, Jesus Shall Reign. I think is an amazing missionary hymn that envisions a day when Christ would reign over the world. We are called to love and care for our neighbors. I believe God calls few to be missionaries to make Christ known to the work, but we need to ask ourselves individually, what Christ is calling us to do. In our congressional prayers today, we prayed for the persecuted Christians in the Philippians. It is very telling, when the Philippians is the 4th largest Christian country in the world, with 85% of Filipinos being Christians. I thought of Alex and his safety, because he was asked to stay there for an addition week. In reading Romans, I was struck by, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin” (Romans 7:24,25) and by, “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace” (Romans 11:6).I tend to believe that we are not saved by faith alone, but grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ. I often think about faith and good works, but perhaps it better to think of it as God calls us to live our lives together and show acts of mercy sharing in God’s kindness. Happy hair cut. I probably should getrdun more often, because I always feel so much more better afterwards. Our neighbors are back from their trip to Hawaii. Their daughter Nicole has been there for a year as a intern and they just hired her on as a regular employee.
July 8, 2017
Managed to cut the grass early this morning. There is no such thing as in the cool of the day this time of year. I’m not sure it my idea about bagging the clipping and laying it along the back fence is keeping the water from soaking the back portion of the yard or if it is the heat that is evaporating the water. Anyway, I’ve noticed that I can mow the yard in one sweep the last few times. I was glad to see mother-in-law in good spirit today. I read an article about, States with the most foreclosed homes in the nation and was surprised that Illinois wasn’t the state with the most foreclosed home, ranking 5th in the nation (1 in every 91). What better way of winding down then to be out on the town with friends listening to a jazz combo? The plan was to leave early because we have to get up early tomorrow morning, but we ended up staying till the band finished playing.
July 7, 2017
Normally, I don’t care too much for the rain, but today it along with the grey overcast provided the much needed succor from the heat. My mother-in-law was hospitalized this today pending surgery in a few days. Prayers for divine healing, rejoicing in that should God, the source of all good things, work through his appointed. We steadfastly look to God to bring healing in this situation that maybe seemingly deemed hopeless by some.
July 6, 2017
It was yet another crazy hot day. We went out in the cool on the day for a walk in the Bolingbrook Promenade. It was funny how we tended to stay on the south and east side of the street in the shade as much as possible. It didn’t take long before the temps soar to the mid 80’s and for the humidity to set in. so we finished off our walk in the IKEA. Every time I’m in that store, I think about being in a maze. I just knew we would work up an appetite. We always split the Swedish meatball. Hard to believe we get free coffee and able eat lunch for a whooping five bucks. We then stopped by Home Depot on the way back to have spare fuses on hand for the air conditioner. Wow, a package of two cost $11.94. Would you know it, the air conditioner blew another fuse. Good thing I brought two packages. We have a routine maintenance package twice for the air conditioner/furnace and they scheduled for Monday the 10th. We screwed up and should of have them come out early June. I’m sure the condenser coils need to be cleaned. Shame on the House for overriding Governor Rauner’s budget veto. Come on man, reform is needed. How does one pray for leaders like these …. ? As Christians, we are not given the option of letting our disagreement with those in authority to prevent us from praying for them. Perhaps I should complain less and pray more, giving thanks in all circumstances. Thank you Lord for this day, bless our leader and their families and grant them wisdom.
July 5, 2017
Dang, couldn’t put off some of the needed and did what I could in the coo of the day which was in the low 80s. I manage to give a manicure to the grass. I finally broke open the box to the new weed whacker a brought a few weeks back. Funny, how I take pride on a well groomed lawn. Wouldn’t you know it, The air conditioner when down a after I showered and in the middle of lunch. Good thing all I had to do was to swap out the outdoor buss fuses in the safety junction box. Sigh, I’m with Governor Rauner and urge the House legislators not to override the budget veto I agree that just keep raising taxes with not fix the spending problem. I blame both political parties, Democrats for running the city and state into the ground and Republicans who have given in, balanced budget please.
July 4, 2017
Talk about a steamy day, it called for an mid day shower, after being out and about in the cool of the day. I wanted to hide in the house afterward, but was dragged out to ride with Fawn to Plainfield to drop off the trap we borrowed from Bob. I can’t believe that we didn’t to that earlier or just wait for another day. I’m eight chapters into Leviticus and my head is becoming numb. I decided to wait until I first take Dr Kleinig’s Leviticus course, The Holiness of God in Sacrificial Worship in Leviticus, later in the year. For now, I’ll just carry on with other books in the bible. "May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right." - - Peter Marshall
July 3, 2017
It’s late, but I just have to recount the blessings of the day. It was déjà vu, Fawn and I spent the day with my siblings, Nancy and Bill. I can’t believe how time flies when we are together. Like last time a short visit turns out to be an all day thing with eating out for lunch and dinner and sharing past and present joys. Often times, I want to move out of Illinois. There is no attempt by the political divide to work together here for benefit of the citizens and often times the solution is increase taxes. I am reminded, “Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes” (Psalm 36:1). Not a good way to end the day with this thought in mind and will revert back to the thoughts of the blessing of family. I understand why Fawn wants to stay here with family. I can hear the fireworks being set off, hope that will subside soon.
July 1-2, 2017
Yesterday was a busy day and left no time to pen a journal entry. It was an outstanding day with friends and family. Plenty of food a good conversation to the somewhat late evening. I think the best dish was tomato beef over pan fried noodles, that went fast. Funny how I paused, which went fast would most likely be grammatical correct, but what the heck, this is stream of consciousness writing. I think it is a form of talking to one’s self. We met the new vicar, wow how the year by so quickly. I was reminded the other day by all the venomous rhetoric from both the political left and right our need to pray prayers like, Guide My Tongue, Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich, Prayers by the Lake, p 138. This year more so then in previous, because of the political climate, I tend to muse on whether or not the Revolutionary War between the thirteen colonies and England was a violation of Romans 13, around the 4th of July. God bless America and save our state, literally. Illinois in financial crisis and our elected officials remain in financially incompetent. I’m not sure if financially incompetent is the correct term to use, perhaps fiscally irresponsible is a better suited description. But with that said, I remain profoundly grateful for the freedoms we have in this country and embrace God’s goodness in our native land. Hooray for the red, white and blue. Mmm, Rainer’s cherries, delicious. Once is a great while we can find them in a grocery store on sale. We got these sweet bad boys for $2.99 a pound at Mariano’s. We usually walk pass them because the norm they usually go for about eight dollars per pound. The cherries paired well with the sandwiches Fawn made with the roast beef we got from the deli at Mariano’s, I love eating deli fresh cold cuts.
June 30, 2017
It's the end of yet another month and it looks like the 4th of July weekend has already begun. Families were out and about, clearly a lot of folks taken the day off work to make it a long holiday weekend. I was outside rolling out the long extension cord for the vacuum cleaner and setting up the water hose so Jennifer could wash the cars and clean the car floors mats. I saw our new neighbors parents weeding the front yard using a hammer and a screw driver, so I let them borrow my extended fishtail weeder. I don’t think they can speak English, but I saw grandma’s smile and said, “Xièxiè.” Thank you is one of the few mandarin words I know. I went in the house, got on YouTube, and try to learn to say, you’re welcome. LOL, after five minutes or so, I gave up. I think I could say it correctly, but after a few minutes, I would forget ho to how to say it correctly. Those tones are a tongue twisting killer, oh well. So what in the world is going on between President Trump and MSNBS’s Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough? It appears that the fear of God is missing, because there seems like there are personal attacks and wicked nonsense spoken from both sides. Never having seen the show and I could be wrong, but I’m guessing the Morning Joe Show is some kind of first thing in the morning, frenzy name calling hate and bash Trump program for immature audience that gets off on that kind of drama and the President is responds hitting back as he always seem to do when someone hits him. I sometime think he goes too far when he hits back and I tend to agree that the way he publicly responds to evil tongue like this on twitter is beneath the dignity of the presidency. I don’t know what I would do, if I was in his shoes and all these mean people with a platform, just keep attacking, but responses like this isn’t remotely close to being Chistlike. I think we can all stand to be more Christlike in our thoughts, words and deeds in the service of our neighbors.
June 29, 2017
Got a call from Alex early this morning and looks like his business trip is going well. He has been super busy working long hours and is getting the needed done, good for him. Since we were up early, we went to the Sam’s Club on Route 59 across town. Albeit, this Sam’s club in town, it’s takes almost twice long to get to the one in town then the one in Woodridge, because of the horrid amount of traffic and also with the added summer road construction going on in that part of town. Black Angus flank steak was on sale. I also brought a 25# bag of Jasmine rice. It usually last about 6 months, because we eat it something over rice or fried rice at least two to three times a week. And cook meals for the kids every now and then. This weekend, we’ll be entertaining, so the plan is to be stir fry Chinese. We went to the Oriental Market and got two pounds of noodles so I can make a dish with Cantonese pan fried noodles. Another request was beef and rice noodles and then and third a fusion food entrée, hot dog fried rice. LOL, I remember when I first made that dish, there was no meat in the refrigerator and the kids were small and liked hot dogs, so what heck, I gave it a go and it was a hit with the kids. I was reflecting on how we begin Confession and Absolution each week during Liturgy. The pastor begins, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). The congregation responses, "But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). I find it amazing how we delude ourselves into thinking that we have not sinned against God. Worst yet, I was struck when Saint John continues , "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (1 John 1:10)
June 28, 2017
The rain filled day couldn't spoil day's joy. Soo and Eddie came into town yesterday. Funny, Fawn’s mom seems to only like to eat at the House of Emperor Restaurant, so we did lunch there. I was thrilled to get an email from an old friend who was so mindful of me. I thank God for family and friends. One on my favor Catholic prayer is, “Blessed are You, loving Father, For all your gifts to us. Blessed are You for giving us family and friends To be with us in times of joy and sorrow, To help us in days of need, And to rejoice with us in moments of celebration..”
June 27, 2017
It was real nice day to outdoors. Fawn and Jennifer cleaned the cars while I trimmed back the hedge and bushes. Albeit, I still just used a hand pruner, I just quickly gave them a once over. Now that I’m without the workplace stress, I don’t need that particular slow therapeutic outlet. With that said though, there remains a sense of satisfaction once the pruning is done. The haircut just makes a world of difference. Rain is forecast for the next three days, but the weekend promises to be beautiful and just in time to borrow my brother's edger again give the grass a manicure again. LOL, at myself on how out dated I am. The other day I thought we were talking to Alex on Skype, when in fact we were on FaceTime.
June 26, 2017
It was a great day for the nation and a great day for me. Fawn and I spent the entire day visiting with my sister Nancy and later in the evening we were joined by my brother Bill. The plan in the morning was to go to Sam’s Club in hope of big time mark downs, but only a few items were. It’s terrible that the store is closing, mainly because 140 jobs on gone from the area and less competition usually mean high prices. Anyway, it was great because we got to spend the day yapping with my siblings. Nationally, SCOTUS give gives light to the travel ban, there was no reason not to implement extreme vetting prior to allowing folk into the country. I personally would like to see this cautionary step to all people entering.
June 25, 2017
Yes, now that’s what I’m talking about. Was up early, pre dawn and turned on the tv to a news channel and they were talking about summer fun and beach toys for the kids, made in the USA, music to my ears. Good thing there is no bad seat in the nave. I’m not sure if it because the pews are curve. People must be come earlier nowadays, because we still get to Mass about 10 – 15 minutes before it starts and we end up in the back pews. It’s amazing how many people we still don’t know. We met Mo today, and he has been worshipping in our parish for six months now. Thrilled that Alex safely arrived in the Philippines, love Skype. Illinois remains in a financial crisis without a balance budget and still have a spending problem. I think it’s way pass time for both Michael Madigan and Rahm Emanuel have to go. It was dinner and a movie night, Swedish meatball, mashed potatoes and gravy and musical film La La Land. Dinner was delicious and the movie was good. But for all the hype and accolades, I was expecting a lot more from the musical but thought the movie story was very good. Oh no, I found out that the Sam’s Club in Woodridge is permanently closing at the end of the month.
June 24, 2017
Can’t remember the last time I went to bed before 9 o’clock, but I had to last night. The morning started off with a hearty breakfast. I ate the chicken fried steak and pancakes with my morning coffee. I got up at 3:30 this morning and left the house by a quarter after four to drive Alex to the O’Hare. Sure, he of took a limo, but we wanted to give him a send off. Alex’s been on many business trips before, but we were apprehensive, because this was his first overseas one. I think there is something innate about worrying about your children, even if they are adults. Well at least he made it to LAX ok got on his exchange flight there to the Philippines. He should be there sometime tomorrow morning before noon. It was nice and cool this morning and I was able to mow the grass front and back in the upper 60s. I went and bought a new Black and Decker weed whacker from Lowes. The old one plastic housing cracked. The one thing bad about plastic material is it degrades over time and become brittle. I’m jubilated the weather is forecasted highs in the 70s for the next four days with little chance of showers. Healthcare is in the news and looks like the reform battle is about to begin. I fully agree that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable and that something needs to be done. With that said, I still don’t see how anything other than a single insurance based universal plan can remain affordable over time because insurance companies are for profit driven corporations. My birthday was earlier this month and I got a lot of f new clothe for presents and I feel pretty good today, because the shirts were XL and were too big. I felt pretty good about exchanging them for L. I’m reminded by Saint Basil the Great that all my XXL shirts belong to the poor.
June 23, 2017
After reading 1 Corinthians 15, I began musing on the miracle of the Resurrection of Christ. This single miracle is embedded in the hearts of every Christian until his second coming. Interesting, that obviously in all Saint Paul's teaching, the central point of importance was the cross, for he profess to knowing nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified and emphasizes that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, but then goes on to say one striking important truth, "And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14). I was struck by and posted, Condemned to Immortality. Fawn, Alex and I went to Baker's Square for dinner and had the 4 Square breakfast. Funny how one has the urge for a hearty enough for dinner. It is one of my favorite selections when we eat out. Hmm, not to mention, Fawn and Alex had pie for dessert. I ordered a fifth item, country fried steak to take home with the pancakes I never got to. I normally get the strawberry crepes instead of the pancakes but I would of eaten that and would of stuffed myself. I'm looking forward to eating the country fried steak first thing in the morning, it is in my list of ultimate comfort foods.
June 22, 2017
No doubt about it, summer is here, as temps soar to the mid 90s today. I thought about not tracking my calories so closely anymore and just weigh myself a few times a week, but maybe it’s too soon to do just that. I feel pretty good about my weight, but wish my waist was firmer. I’ve started doing a few simple abs exercises because I think it’s time to focus on the fat rolls and flabby skin on the abdomen. It is intuitive to think one can target fat loss, but it is my understanding that spot reduction is impossible, but it doesn’t hurt to strengthen the abdominal muscles a little without injuring oneself. I took time to look at our worship folder for the third Sunday after Pentecost. In the margins, Hermann Sasse spoke about the inconceivable on the Lord’s Day, yet it happens in some parishes. Alex and Fawn are going up to visit Andrea, Rob and the baby tomorrow as well as shopping for odds and end at the Gurnee mall since Alex is leaving this weekend on a two week business trip to the . I enjoy cooking, so I never mind cooking meal requests. Prayers for safe travel and successful business trip. Personally, I’ve been on more business trips then I care for, but like John Wayne said, “A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.” I made them steamed tilapia, mao pao tofu and fusion food, hot dog ketchup fried rice to bring with them. I don’t know about Rand Paul, I’m for universal health care for Americans and don’t think highly about the likes of him.
June 21, 2017
Joy comes with the morning, and so it was this morning on the first day of summer. Albeit, made it to 80 °F on a mostly sunny day, there was enough shade from occasional cloud. We went about taking care of business during the morning and share an order of chicken teriyaki at the mall. It was so nice out we decided to go to downtown Naperville for a walk, but there was so many people and cars all about that the quaint small town look just wasn’t coming through, so we went to the Riverwalk. It was still a little busy, with school out and summer vacations. The Riverwalk wasn’t real peaceful, but we were blessed with and enjoy the sound of babies and happy children. I think the best time to be about is in the morning. Fawn mentioned that 17 year old Riverwalk Carillon Tower had costly structural issues, what ashamed. The city could fix and maintain the tower as is for $3 million; fix and enclose the base to help prevent future corrosion for $3.75 million; maintain the structure for a while and then tear it down later for $1.6 million; or just tear it down immediately for $660,000. In my mind, it’s a no brainer, like a used car, there is a point when to cut one losses. I think the bells are nice, but it’s not as though they are the church bells of Jerusalem. We watch our niece Victoria for a couple hours, what a bundle of joy. She’s walking now and eating solids.
June 20, 2017
I was reading a article relating to H1B visas. Albeit it, President Trump’s America First agenda regarding curbing H1B visas is a step in the right direction, I think a single H1B visa remains a slap in the face of American workers. We got a heavy downpour most of the afternoon, but the time indoors was not a total bust. Believe it or not, I watched an informative three hour video on church growth, Church of Tares: Purpose Driven, Seeker Sensitive, Church Growth & New World Order. Interesting, once again, money can't buy you love, as shown in the Georgia 6th district.
June 19, 2017
The spring is nearing the end and we are nearing the summer solstice. I never thought of the longest day as the sun being stopped in the sky, but I can see how they could have been seemingly perceived. The short brief downpour reminded me of Florida like weather, where the rain clouds move in and out quickly. I give up, too cheap to buy smart phone service and getting too many costly unsolicited text messages on my prepaid flip phone, so I decided to block all incoming text messages.
June 18, 2017
What a way to start the day, got an email from Andrea with a collage attached wish me a happy father’s day. We went mall walking at Yorktown after Mass and then Alex took us to lunch at Fabulous Noodles. I changed it up with shrimp egg foo young. I love Chinese American Food. Guessing that’s I really like eating at Panda Express from time to time. People always talk about authentic ethnic food, beit Italian, Chinese, Mexican or Indian, but I tend to like the Americanization of ethnic food better the most, but not all ethic food. Dinner was awesome. Fawn brought beautiful, huge an inch thick steak, that was a one day sale for Father’s Day yesterday for $4.99 per pound. Albeit the bad boy was a USDA Choice T-Bone, it looked like it was porterhouse and tasted like it was a black angus! It wasn’t really a dinner; Fawn was in the other room while I watch Winchester ’73. I don’t really know why I still like watching old westerns, for sure as a kid; I loved TV westerns like, Cisco Kid, Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, Death Valley Days, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Rawhide, Maverick, Big Valley, The Virginian, Laramie, Gene Autry, and Branded. LOL, the list can go on and on making a game of it with countless, oh yeahs.
June 17, 2017
It’s hard to believe that once upon a time I loved the summer season. That is no longer true, the heat is too much for me. I only managed to mow the grass in the front and side of the house as well as do the needed weed whacking for the front and side before surrendering to the heat and humidity. It’s clear to me not much has changed from the far left or the far right this week, both remain merciless. But I will say the left seems to display their anger more violently as well as vocally. What is with the Alexandria gunman, James Hodgkinson? Prayers for health and recovery for Congressman Scalise and Officer Griner and Bailey. I’m all for legal immigration, but am against people here illegally. That is a red flag for me, when people over stay there visas and disregard people waiting to be welcomed. I don’t know what the answer is for the dreamers, but know it is never a good thing to separate family. President Trump campaign pledge was to deport all illegal immigrates and build a border wall. Seems like Ann Coulter has grown impatient with the president and tweeted, "Anyone in a Southwestern state who strolls to the border & drops a brick will have done more to build the wall than @realDonaldTrump." I just wish everyone just focus on the economy and creating jobs. As far as immigration is concern, the highest priority is ridding the H1B visas program and putting Americans workers back to work. Recent news about Cuba and recent rhetoric about Russia brings back junior high memories about the cold war. I watch, Secrets of the Dead: The Man Who Saved the World. We celebrated my mother-in-law’s birthday with dinner at her favorite Chinese restaurant, House of Emperor. Glad we made it home, just before the heavy downpour came about.
June 14-16, 2017
Not sure why, must be getting lazy these summer days. Guess I don’t have much to say anymore and have not been penning journal entries. I made concerted effort to eat a lot less to get the needed average calories down and praise be to God I was able to meet my goal. Albeit, glad to do so, I feel foolish to traumatize my body with less than thousand calories for two days in a row. Father’s Day is just around the corner and “The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!” (Proverbs 20:7). My siblings and I were blessed with loving parents. Saw another Christ in everyone and posted in Larry’s World as a Christ in Need.
June 13, 2017
It was fried chicken night with friends at the social club. This is not going to be a good week for any weight loss and had a poor showing the past three days and will most likely just maintain. I was stunned that dark clouds appeared and torrential rains suddenly came about as we were driving on the road. Within a matter of about 15 minutes, the rain halted and gave way back to sunshine, amazing. The temps were in the 90s and the ground dried in a very short time. I was happy to see Fawn handled the driving like a pro. What a joy to come across the jazz singer Mandy Harvey performing at the Kennedy Center. Wow, she is amazing at so many levels. Clearly, she is a women with no barriers. Definitely, a nice way to bring the day to a close.
June 12, 2017
Andrea and Rob came down for a visit and I got to hold my grandson Isaac. Clearly, I don't get see him often enough. He gotten so much bigger. We made a day of it with our neighbor Marlyn and their daughter Ashley with their one month old Emma. Funny seeing the two childhood friends all grown up now and with their own children. Monday is rib night at Portello’s and what made it even sweeter is that even though was my birthday was last week and I still got my free birthday cake. In my foolishness, I ate a half slab, but did avoid the sides.
June 11, 2017
Reminded this morning that we are to, “Bear with one another in love and charity. Be humble, be patient, be selfless, be as one. There is one body, there is one spirit, there is one hope to which we are called. We are all to come to unity, in our faith and knowledge of the Son of God, until we become perfected in the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4. Full blast worship doesn’t get better feast days. We celebrate the Feast of the Holy Trinity. It could be my imagination, but it seems like there are always more parishioners attending Mass on the liturgy of the Trinity than on non feast days. Albeit, we arrive to worship early, we ended up sitting in back section of the nave. Funny, how we habitually tend to sit in a certain area. I’m glad we sat where we did and got to speak to friends for a while rather than just offering salutations. In my mind, I think that the mystery of the Holy Trinity could perhaps be the greatest dogma of the Christian faith. Interesting, that prior to the Arian Heresy, no special feast was celebrated in honor of this mystery. Righty, Pope Alexander II noted everyday of the liturgical year was devoted to the honor and adoration of the Sacred Trinity. Once again I was struck by note in the margins of the worship folder and posted in Larry’s Word. After Mass, Jennifer invited us to MingHin Cuisine for dim sum. It was a nice gesture, but I couldn’t let her pay for the meal. Albeit it she does OK as tennis instructor at the Park District and at the Tennis Club, she is racking up a lot of school expensive that I’m not able to help with the cost of grad school even if wanted to. Just so happen, I’m reading Matthew 25 today and it happen to finally dawn on me about the sheep on the right, "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’" (Matthew 25:37-40). Indeed, Jesus is not teaching righteousness by faith and works on the coming judgment, but is saying those who are truly sheep will have done the things that are right, and they will inherit eternal life because they are already his and those who don’t are the goats on the left and will be judged by that law and be damned. Albeit, the fruits of faith, how is this not, good works are necessary for salvation?
June 10, 2017
It was super day starting with breakfast at Baker’s Square with my siblings Bill and Nancy. Fawn and I love the Four Square Breakfast. Nowadays, it’s easily enough for two meals and is hard to believe I ate that much routinely in a single seating. Afterward, I walked around the strip mall in the shade and albeit, already in the mid 80s well before the noon hour, the summer breeze and low humidity made it a pleasant walk. I was looking at an online BMI Calculator. And looks like I need to be add 160 pounds to be within the healthy weight range. I’m feeling pretty good that I am approaching that weight lost milestone. I don’t know how people can go a diet that loses two or more pounds a week. My journey is a much slow one. It was hard enough to just cut back 500 calories to lose a pound in the beginning, but I’m use to the portions and am making better choices. I think the best thing I did was starting a food journal on an Excel spreadsheet. More joy, dinner was at Fawn sister’s Jean home, shredded pork tacos. Talk about struggling not to overindulge. Funny how I’m proud I managed limit myself to two, very telling.
June 8-9, 2017
Happy anniversary, married to my darling wife for 33 years! I’m betting I said it time and time again, that it only seemed like yesterday. But the reality is the years just go by so fast and my kids are all grown up. Yesterday was a do nothing day just watching the former FBI Director James Comey testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee. It was full of unexpected surprises, betting even to the POTUS. The weigh in was good and loss yet another pound. So it looks like the calorie counting is an effective way to lose weight for me. It was already in the mid 70s by nine o’clock and the temps since the forecast promised summer like temps in the 90s over the weekend, I decided to give the grass the once over even though it didn’t look like it needed it. But that was one of the problems I had before; I use to wait until it was too late and regretted it, but not this time with the rain and all this evening. Hopefully I will remain more disciplined nowadays and do things in good order. It all starts with making the bed first thing in the morning. I'm disappointed that some CEOs will not be attending the WH tech summit. Tesla after the president decided to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement. I'm all for American jobs for Americans and for improving our economy and think some are misguided in their well intentions. The Paris Climate Agreement was a bad deal and so burdensome for American. All countries, in fact all people are to choose life and care for all God's creation. Let's not reward those who abuse and pollute the land and let us each as appointed stewards of God’s creation, do their part.
June 7, 2017
I could have easily predicted that I’d be sore and stiff this morning. I had to neglect getting on the elliptical as well as do most of my exercises and opted just to walk on the beautiful spring day. I learned something about blame from a highly unlikely source. It’s best not to make excuses, minimize or fix blame elsewhere and just own up to things.
June 6, 2017
Hard to believe it took me all day to do a single project. I had to remove all the brick I had at the base of the deck and then put on wire mesh all around and then put the brick back. I actually wouldn’t of finished the job if Fawn didn’t help with putting all the brick back. Clearly, I couldn’t earn a living doing any type of trade job.
June 5, 2017
We got up early and went to Edwards Hospital for a screening test and thanks be to God for the good test results. I got plenty of exercise doing the stairs and walking around the hospital. I never realized just how big the hospital complex is. Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29). Interesting question Jesus posed to doubting Thomas and more interesting is the statement that followed. Jews demand signs and gentiles look for wisdom. I wonder if we are the blessed ones who believe but have not seen Jesus in the flesh. After all, Christ is in everyone and perhaps not the same Jesus that Saint Thomas and the disciples saw after the resurrection, but we do see Jesus revealed through the lives of all believers called to little christs and a sign of hope for those who struggle to believe. “Lord, I believe, help me with my unbelief.”
June 4, 2017
It was a hot and humid summer like day for sure, but it started really out nice at around the perfect temp and humidity. I loved how the Saint John Kantorei sang Come, Oh Holy Ghost and just had to post the Pentecostal lyrics. Wow, had it been that long since I posted God’s oracles on Blogspot? After Mass we went to the Home Depot and bought a new garden hose, because I was tire of rolling the one hose I have back and forth and will just leave the old one in the back. I just realized that the old hose is as old as house! Funny thing is that we stopped Burrito Parrilla Mexicana for a quick bite since they open at 10 o’clock. I looked at their breakfast section menu, but was clueless, since the menu items in that section was in Spanish. The only thing I know is a breakfast burrito from McDonalds. I always just get a grilled chicken taco, but decided to add a side of rice.
June 3, 2017
Guess it’s still OK to say I cut the grass in the back yard in the cool of the day. I started my yard work at nine o’clock and the temp was already in the mid 70s. I had to weed whack twice to get the tall grass along the fence and house and was sweating profusely by the time I was done with the needed. It’s not the healthiest, but the leftover fish and fries made for a delicious lunch. Hide indoors the rest of the day and made it a dinner and a movie night. I made Fawn beef with tofu and mao po tofu for myself and watched an old John Wayne western classic, The Searchers. Naturally, Fawn just rolled her eyes.
June 2, 2017
Interesting, I thought I’d do another weigh in and was glad to see I was a half pound lighter than yesterday. The annual yard brush collection for our block is this upcoming week, so we were up super early to do some yard work in the cool of the day. Betting my neighbors love the sound of a lawn mower at 7am, but guess most folks are up, since it is a weekday. We dragged all the branches from the evergreen shrub I stored in the back yard to curb. But that was only the beginning of all the fun. I trimmed back the next door neighbor’s wild shrub that grows over my fence and dragged the branches. Oh, that reminds me; I met my new neighbors that just started to move in. Hopefully, this nice young family with two kids will be cooperative and will be attentive to the needed. The back side house has been empty for over two years now, but the grass get cut every other week or so. I had to cut back the maple tree branches every year and drag those branches to the curb as well. Hard I worked from 7 to 11 and had to stop because it was warming up quickly. I still haven’t got around to doing the much needed weed whacking along the fence, but the plan to hit that and mow the grass in the back yard tomorrow. No rain is in the forecast, so I’ll be able to get it all done without worrying about the bottom portion of the yard. Nice night out with friends, we went out a Friday night fish fry at the Phoenix Club. I was glad the fish fry was not all you can eat, but was a limited menu selection. I order the fish platter and ate half the plate and boxed the leftover, because it came with a salad buffet. We’ve eaten there on nights when they had taco, pork chops and burgers, fried chicken, and every time the food was really good and reasonably priced with all the trimmings. It was pretty cool when Jim pulled up with his Corvette with all the bells and whistles. Even if I could afford a car like that, I could not see myself in a car that low to the ground. The coolest car I ever owned was a all black 1979 Ford Bronco Ranger XLT 4x4. Back in the day, I thought it was pretty cool picking Miss Fawn up in it for a date. Funny, back then I had toy like that and a motorcycle. I couldn’t believe I had to sell the Bronco because Fawn did want to learn to drive a stick. I was just thinking, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24). Anyway, easy to rejoice and glad on days like today.
June 1, 2017
Hmm, was disappointed from the get go. I should of loss some weight. Not only didn’t I lose any weight this week, I gained two tenth of a pound. Clearly, I underestimated the calorie count on the holiday weekend. But hey, it’s a new day and a new month, so I didn’t dwell on and let the disappointment distract me and will continue with my calorie counting. Or is my disappointment why I’m annoyed at all the unsolicited calls I keep getting. I’m days away from having this phone for a year and have blocked 120 numbers, ridiculous. Should have done the outdoor work in the cool of the day, but did it mid afternoon in the mid 80s. Didn’t feel like cooking dinner afterwards, so we got a Chinese carryout, egg rolls and egg foo young, best decision of the day, joy to the eyes and palate.
May 31, 2017
Crazy, that I thought it couldn’t get better than yesterday, for a weekday. Today was ten folds better, Fawn, Jennifer and I went to visit Andrea, Rob and Isaac. Holding the little guy was truly a blessing. Funny, the last time, he slept most of the time and cried when he wanted something. Today he was awake and full of smiles and babbling. While gazing at Isaac in my arm, I am reminded how astounding it is that the Word became flesh and was not only vulnerable as any baby, but also poor and on the run. Talk about taking on the worst the world has to offer from the get go, we weren’t done with him. Even after his passion, the world still despises him. Yet even before time, he loved us and continues to do so until the end of ages.
May 30, 2017
What an amazingly relaxing day and listen to several Adele concerts on YouTube, Adele (North Sea Jazz Concert 2009) and Adele (Live at The Tabernacle). Had fun teaching Jennifer how to stir fry Pork Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce. I was reading a few of my Random Thoughts of a Lutheran and began musing again on, Christ in Everyone and our call to be holy. God said, “Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.” To be holy means to be set apart for God. We are called to live and act in such a way that our neighbors will catch a glimmer God's presents.
May 26-29, 2017
Obvious I've been on hiatus from entering journal entries during this holiday weekend. I’ll do my best to recap the weekend. Jennifer came back from her road trip with friends, thanks be to God for her safe travel. Chicken thighs were on sale at Mariano’s so I bought the big package of eight and made pot of paprika chicken and potatoes then portioned them, one thigh and two potato halves froze them like TV dinners. Clearly, I wasn’t able to hold back on feasting on Saturday’s wedding shower celebration at my sister Nancy’s home. After all, once upon a time, my brother-in-law was a profession chef and cooked the entire feast. It could have been like thanksgiving but I drank a lot of water to help curb my sinful gluttony. The family and friends were filled with joy for my niece Natalie and David. It was truly a blessing good to see my nieces and nephews and their children. There nothing quite like celebrating life with one’s family. I couldn’t believe the conversation went on from about noon to the wee hours. I did manage to cut the grass in the back yard before going to the barbecue at Fawn’s brother, Carl’s home with her siblings, relatives and friends on Sunday to welcome in the summer. Interestingly that the celebration had a different feel, it is always good to celebrate whatever with close friends and family. Albeit, I did stuff my face for two days, I did manage to stay under 2,000 calories both days. I don’t expect to lose a pound this week, but still do expect some small loss, if my estimated calorie count what somewhat accurate. The plan was to go about with the weed whacker in the cool of the day, but I got to the front with the electric edger and spraying the yard with Triazicide before the heat and humidity came about, perhaps I’ll be able to tend to it tomorrow. Once upon a time in a far away land, I remember querying after a Thanking Service and the singing of a patriotic song was, “why is there an American flag in the nave?” The astonishing response was, “Well it is in back and actually of the nave.” Any congregation can do whatever they want and it is just my own opinion, but in my mind, we gather to hear God’s Word, call upon him in prayer and praise, and to receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship. The church is catholic and draped is in liturgical colors and not in the red, white and blue. With that said, I do believe we should pray for service men and women in our congregations, those in authority and for the just cause to triumph over the evil one in our cooperate prayers. I am grateful for the sacrifice men and women who have given their life in service of our nation. I am also grateful for the veterans, especially my father and brother and for the men and women in active service. I love America and am patriot praying, “God bless America.” Yet I have trouble honoring and saying, “God bless President Trump.” It is stunning how polar our country still is. I think sadly, in part because of the contentious liberal media leading on the vitriol and venom. It is best to pray that God blesses our president that our Lord help him to govern wisely, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all goodness and holiness. Sadly enough, it would be just as difficult if Hilary Clinton would have won and is leading our country. "Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!" (Psalm 79:9).
May 25, 2017
I can’t believe I have critters tearing up my front stoop, so I nailed on a wire mesh to the front stoop, it isn’t pretty, but it’ll have to do for the time being. Love Windows 10 so far, went to the folder where I stored all the pictures I downloaded yesterday and with the picture tool, clicked on manage and then slide show, voila! Can’t get any more intuitive then that. I was surprise, after losing one and a half pounds this week; I had to motive myself to get on the elliptical but finally did manage to do so. Titus was a easy read, Titus was only three chapters long. Not much has changed, as it was back then, world was influencing the church instead of the church influencing the world. People professed to be Christian, but were reflecting the attitudes of the world around. However, I am encouraged, as I ponder on Paul's epistle to Titus. It wasn’t always so, but I’m now basking in the sound doctrine of God, called us to be saints, to be members of the Body of Christ, as these early Christians were called to be. May we in our hour be steadfast.
May 24, 2017
One thing good about this cloudy and cool weather we are having is that I can to some outside work with getting over heated. I laid the reminding nine bags of pea gravel, 4.5 cubic ft. last year; I would have been huffing and puffing, gasping for air. So, I guess all the daily cardio and strength building exercises are beginning to pay off. I gave up doing on ten pound overhead press and only doing five pounds for a while now and my shoulders are no longer sore. I’m expecting another good week and hoping for losing over a pound, because there are several celebrations this Memorial Day weekend. I downloaded and enjoyed the newborn photos of Isaac from the cloud. It is hard to believe all the free unlimited memory that available for storing data. In fact I stunned that my laptop has a two terabyte internal hard drive. I remember a time when each bit was important.
May 23, 2017
I normally don’t comment on terrorism and suppose that I could comment on the savagery of terrorist groups like al Qaeda and ISIS, and hate groups, or even angry destructive people that take to the street, but lend my prayers that the seemly new normal or new world disorder would subside. I’m not sure why I am so fascinated by the upcoming meeting between President Trump and Pope Francis. Strange that both of them have been taking potshots at each other on twitter and will now soon meet for the first time in person. Nice that Alex stopped by to visit on his way home from work, not to mention with a Chinese carryout for dinner! Fried rice, empress chicken and pot stickers, good stuff. Some people are sadden by the closing of Ringling Bros. Circus, but I'm indifferent. The closest thing to a real circus was going on a school field trip to Bozo Circus.
May 22, 2017
We spent the morning watching Victoria again. I am surprise she is not walking yet, because she spends a lot of time standing assisted. I’m so tempted to work with her on taking her first steps, but think that joy is reserved for the parents. Her babbling cracks me up, funny how she attempts to communicate making funny little noises and sound. Wish I could spend as much time with my grandson Isaac as I do with my niece Victoria. It was a gorgeous day in the low 70s, so I worked on the front yard, cutting the grass, and ranking out the helicopter seeds, from that huge maple tree across the tree. Guessing this weekend I’ll be getting those whirlybirds out of my rain gutters. It’s never any fun pruning back the thorny barberry shrub, but I gotrdun. Interesting, when it come that bush, I always seem to think about, The Parable of the Sower and The Purpose of the Parable. For years, I was much like the Ethiopian Eunuch not understanding what I was reading and in need of someone to guide me. I was failing to think things out or think them through and lacked spiritual depth. I thank God for my most learned teachers at Saint John, who have taught me to how to mediate and muse on spiritual matters, and to push myself to explore the fringes evermore embracing all that is within Christendom.
May 21, 2017
Wow, I must of really tire. Albeit, yesterday was along day and I woke pre dawn yesterday, I more than made up for it with a more than a full night’s rest. After four months in Trump’s presidency, I still contend America had to choose between two poor choices to lead this country. I grow so weary of all the crap the media is dishing out and the created discourse between those in authorities, but continue to pray for them as I pray for myself, that they grow in Christ, always seeking wisdom and guidance from above. Was musing on the implications of Jesus teaches us to how to pray to God and with the same intimacy he has, by addressing God as Father.
May 20, 2017
I really hate all this nasty weather, enough with this rain already. Up early and drove Jennifer to meet up her friends. Looks like they are winding down for a week from a tough school year with a road trip to Nashville and New Orleans. Hmm, comfort food, paprika chicken with potatoes, oh so good. I brought a bag of shelled peanuts the other day and broke that bad boy open today. Man O man, peanuts are like jays potatoes chips, you can’t stop eating ‘em. Jesus, said, "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:26). Today's gospel reading Jesus assures us that God knows and cares about all of our needs and reminds us of our inherent worth in God’s eyes. The temperature finally warmed up to the mid 60s in the late afternoon, so we decided to go to evening anticipated Mass. Some days one just can wait to go up the mountain and hear him say he loves us.
May 19, 2017
One could had easily prophesied that I was going to pen, “What a difference a day make.” Crazy, I was just thinking yesterday how rare it is to enjoy and sunny summerlike breezy in the 80s with low humidity. Today was a wet gloom and doom day that was downright cold in the 50s. I’m among the least disciplined when it comes to fasting, prayers and bible studying; today I remembered to make fish. I was never certain if I ever read the entire bible, so I made the reading tracker about a week or so back and noticed that I’m more disciplined in my scriptural reading. I have no recollection of ever reading or studying the epistle of Philemon. One can easily see Christian love in this letter and how the gospel transforms relationships, appealing to ones love for Christ, as Christ love us. One has to wonder how 17 centuries later, slavery and the violence toward slaves still existed in a nation that some say was supposedly founded under Christian principles. Albeit, I’ve read different accounts on fish and Fridays, it is not clear about it being a mandate. All I know is, oddly enough, it is inadvertently a helpful aide memoire remembrance of Christ for me. We had fun watching Victoria for a few hours. The kid is a riot. I played blocked with her and think I had more fun than her. I would line up the blocks and she would knock them down scattering them all over laughing. Standing up solidly now and look just days away from taking her first steps.
May 18, 2017
Not quite a pound, but I’ll take it. Albeit not 100%, I’m glad to see my brother in up and that the swelling has went down a lot. Thanks be to God for modern medicine. Sorted through some old clothe as we are reminded by Saint Basil the Great, in his scriptural wisdom, that we are thieves, holding back what belongs to poor.
May 17, 2017
Ouch, my brother had a pseudogout attack. Poor guy, I can testify to how excruciating pain it is, because I similarly had a gout attack many years ago. I drove him to Advocate Dreyer – Fox Valley. It was my first time there and was surprise how efficient the walk-in immediate care was. I was stupid to suggest eating at Portello’s afterwards. I ate their entire 701 calories Italian sausage sandwich. Perhaps not all that healthy, I do love their food and normally just eat half a sandwich. It is definitely not a place to dine while dieting. The price I had to pay was two Clementine oranges for dinner. Thrilled that Mary is graduating high school today, hoped the evening commencement ceremony was over before the high winds and possible storm weather moves in on what was mostly a warm and bright sunny day. I was looking at photos of Andrea, Rob and Isaac stored in the cloud that Jean took, a think she did a nice job. I love the pics where the Isaac was awake and had his eyes fully open.
May 16, 2017
Funny, not too long ago, I was debating whether or not to turn back on the heat. Last night I was debating whether or not to turn on the air conditioner. I wasn’t going to, until I went up to bed and then immediately turned right back down to do so. Whoo hoo, my hearing aid came in. It need a new receiver, the audiologist programmed the bad boy and it’s working just fine. Yummy, I finally got my mao poa tofu to taste just the way I like it. As I was reading the Ascension icon and was pondering on why we stand gazing up at heaven, I began thinking about last Sunday when we were talking to Dave about the 40th day of Easter and how few churches celebrate Ascension on Thursday. However, I suppose we still do celebrate Ascension on the 7th Sunday of Easter that brought Jesus to his rightful place in heaven and anticipate the sending of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if kI go, I will send him to you" (John 16:7). At first glance, it is hard to imagine Jesus’ physical departure as being to our advantage, his Ascension was necessary and a wonderful gift.
May 15, 2017
I woke this morning in the still of the night, hours before dawn. I guess that what happens when to go to bed super early. One thing I noticed now that I’ve been retired now for about a year is that I am more relaxed than ever and have the time to enjoy read. I even improved health wise; I’m no longer stressed out for 40 to 60 hours sitting behind a desk in the workplace and am routinely getting in and hour or so of exercise daily. In the cool of the morning, I cut back the 8 inch evergreen bush stump as much as possible with the chain saw of the evergreen bush and rightful worked up an appetite. Fawn and I met up with Norma to do lunch and some catching up at, Yu’s Bristol, good food and great conversation. Then it was running here and there doing errands. Instead of importing my old homepage, I had some fun exercising the old noggin creating a new whimsical html file to use as a homepage.
May 14, 2017
Several days ago, I was ranting about the below the normal temps we have been having for a while and now the weather has been perfect for two days now. LOL, I’ll most lightly will be complaining how warm it is, because the next four days is forecasted to be in the 80s. Like always serving at the altar was a joy. Interestingly, there is something to be said about Mother’s Day and attendance at Mass. Ashley and Perry stopped by for a visit with their newborn baby girl, Emma and shared in their joy.
May 13, 2017
It was an awesome day of thanksgiving. First thing this morning we went to Sam’ Club and Fawn bought me a Dell Windows 10 machine! I always thought that my next laptop would be a MAC and that I would ever buy another laptop with Windows on it, but the Dell was so reasonably priced. I spent the day playing with my new toy. Needless to say that is by far a better machine than the XP. I was thrilled that MS Office 2007 installed without a hitch. Sweet, much easier to zoom and enter my journal entries moving forward.
May 12, 2017
Weatherwise, I think days like today are days that God intended. I was able to cut all the grass except for the last five feet or so, because it was just too wet. I think I’m finally wising up a little today and just moderately do projects instead of spazzing. LOL, if I can only get Fawn on the same page now. Alex took the day off and took mom out for dim sum and I had no problem in graciously accepting their tidbit bag of a piece of this and a piece of that. I looked up the calories for each item, 2 shui mai (70), 1 rice noodle roll (65), ½ turnip cake (63), and fried taro (122), a whooping total of 390 calories for a less than filling meal, but hmm, delicious. The Bakers Square Chose 4 Breakfast we ate last week was 686 calories, which pale to the calorie count for average dim sum in one sitting of 868 calories. So much for doing chores in moderation, after the treat, we went to the back yard and were surprise to see a dead chipmunk in the trap we set last night, we were expecting a catch a live squirrel, now wondering why it died. We reset the trap to see if more critters will be going under the deck. What the heck, I cleaned two tricycles yesterday and they looked to be in pretty good shape, but Fawn decided today to put them curbside for the taking. Been listening to Zazz Jazz while penning this journal entry, hard to believe how talented the group is. Talk about being modest, I had no idea until I saw them live at CityGate Grille about a month back.
May 11, 2017
Well, well, good for me, counting calories worked again for me this week. I loss a whooping pound and a half! I was outside only briefly to weed whack the grass around the tree in the curbside parkway and mailbox. I was reflecting more on Genesis 1 and creation was struck by the last verse, “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Imagine that, just a few verses prior, to think that we are the apex of God’s creation, fashioned in the very image and likeness of God, wow. While always falling short of the glory of God, but beholding his glory, we have the hope that comes from the Holy Spirit of being transformed into the same image from one degree to another.
May 10, 2017
Sold, now that’s what I’m talking about, temps in the low seventies, about time. Good for me, I got ambitious on my own accord and fell the two tree trunks in front of house. I started to cut back the stump, but ran out of oil for the chain saw. I also use my brother’s electric powered edger and the lawn manicure looked a zillion times better than it ever did before, so much for how nice it looked using a weed whacker. What a waste of time and space saving our kid’s tricycles and first bicycles for the grand kids. They were in such bad shape we ended up putting them curbside for anyone’s taking. Lo and behold, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. No kidding, within an hour all four of them were gone. It will be interesting tomorrow, to see if this calorie counting still hold true like last week. What else to one do indoors on a heavy pouring rain day, to take out all those game pieces and play the Jewel Osco Monopoly Collect & Win? A sure sign I’m old, what’s next, bingo? Albiet, I've read every book in the, I don't know if I ever read every single verse in it. I made a speadsheet with all the books and chapters, including the Deuterocanonical books and just check off the chapters as I go. God willing, guessing in a few years I will know. I picked Genesis 1 just to mark off a chapter on my list. Reflecting on God’s presence in the creation of the heavens and earth and how God saw it was not only good, but very good after each act of creation! Since we are made in his image and likeness, it’s not hard to see why God gave us dominion over his creation. I don’t know if it is because of my age, I often think about a mattered life, but I know that I am becoming increasingly aware that our special place in creation that gives us a unique dignity and worth. We are given the responsibility to care for creation to his glory, evermore giving God praise and thanks.
May 9, 2017
I’m not much on rainy days and often complain about them, but today is not one of those days because all that yard work has been killing me. I woke this morning with both sore and stuff arms and shoulders. It’s nice to be able to just relax without having to tackle the “to do list”. Albeit it we were out about returning unused material in the cool, I enjoyed the slowness of day. Why are we regularly still 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the norm? All I know is that the cold we are experiencing has something to do with the polar vortex. Sad, I’ve been drinking hot tea all day just to keep warm. I’m stubborn and refuse to turn back on the furnace when it is already nearing mid May. I even made tomorrow’s oatmeal just to warm up the house a little.
May 8, 2017
Christ has arisen! He is risen indeed, alleluia. I woke up humming yesterday’s hymn of the day, Christ Has Risen, Alleluia. Funny, every time how I hear this Easter hymn, I think about Cantor Magness and his conga drum. I’m not much on praise type songs like this during worship, but the church is catholic, and Christ did conquer death with his death and the song is filled with many bible passages filled with joy and the mystery of how God has chosen to save us. I bet some were in African a parish can truly do this hymn justice. Finished laying the paver around the deck and used three of bags of pea gravel. Sigh, talk about a growing list of to dos. I already have a back log of to dos and now we just bought 20 feet of lawn and garden edging for area that have been damaged as well as 60 feet of wire mesh.
May 7, 2017
I was wowed by the prelude, Sing Alleluia. I love it and think the parishioners do too whenever the Saint John Kantorei sing, because our voices become emboldened. Sweet reminder on, Sign of the Cross, in the worship folder: When making the Sign of the Cross, therefore, we confess three great mysteries: the Trinity, the Passion, and the remission of sins - St Francis de Sales. Talk about yet another day of outdoor labor. We stopped at Menards on the way home and picked up twelve bags of pea gravel, 6 cu ft total, because today was the last day it was on sale. Normally it is $3.74 a bag and it was on sale for $1.99 a bag! We did have time to lay the gravel because we had to meet up Al and Helen and worked on Bill’s back yard. I was dying and left after putting in three hours there, besides I had to get home and whip up several dishes for Jennifer to take back to school. Pan fried eggs on rice with oyster sauce, chicken and potatoes with paprika sauce, and teriyaki chicken. We have been at our current parish for nine years now and thank God for Fr Bruzek who has been compassionately serving our Lord faithfully. I think it is his 20th anniversary at Saint John. Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum - The Word of the Lord Endures Forever.
May 6, 2017
A killer day doing a total of about eight hours of outdoor manual labor. It started with cutting the grass and trimming back the branch neighbor’s neglected tree away from my garage. Then Fawn and I repaired one of the down sprouts before taking a short lunch break. We then popped a few of the board off the deck and did some repairs. Then Fawn got ambitious again and we started to place pavers around the base of the deck. I’m guessing once that is done, we’ll be washing the deck and staining it. I’m actually more interested in getting the out front trunks cut down and laid along the fence, because the back was muddy as heck after the rain we got last night. I was too tired to cook so we got a Chinese carry out from Lucky Wok. We split an egg roll and the spareribs with black bean and garlic sauce over rice special, good eating.
May 5, 2017
We were up early and went to watch Victoria for a couple hours this morning while Sandy did something at school with Zach. What a bundle of joy. She starting to stand and will be walking soon. LOL, she cracks me up. If you line little toys up she races to them just to knock them over and scatter them. When sandy got back, Fawn and I went to Bakers Square for their Four Square breakfast. I calculate it to be a delicious whopping 682 calories meal. Fawn and I got ambitious and cut off all the branches off the 15’ tall evergreen scrub in front of our house with a branch lopper. We’ll need to borrow my brother Bill’s electric chain saw because the two trunks are about a 4-5 inch diameter. The plan is to lay them in the back yard along the bottom end fence. I’ll need to cut back next door’s tree away from my garage tomorrow. I end up doing cutting it back every year for them because they don’t seem to care. It’s hard to believe someone would buy the house next door for the insane asking price. But if someone does buy it, hopefully they will not neglect the needed and tend to the outdoor property maintenance. I know I’m ranting a lot and can surly improve so that I can reflect God’s goodness to others.
May 4, 2017
Sweet, dropped slightly under a pound as expected. Was up and about early and stayed up late last night at the Rush Copley ER and ended up eating two extra times. What is with all this rain and colder the normal weather? I thought being 10 degrees cooler below the normal was bad enough, but it’ll be about twenty below the normal the next few days and still have rain in the forecast. I saw the pictures of Naperville Riverwalk Flooding, but never to the point where it overflowed and was closed. We were out only to move the trash containers back from the curb and to inspect the house exterior, but it was just too cool to do the needed yard work, but Fawn came up with some big plans for this weekend. Made a pot of fuzzy melon soup for an early lunch and for Fawn to take to her mother. I shouldn’t of but did and celebrated and had a slide 120 calorie piece of focaccia mini roll up bread from Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Market with my soup. LOL, talk about fusion food that just doesn’t work but are fantastic by them self.
May 3, 2017
What a long super busy day it was yesterday. We were up a at 4 a.m. and was out the door by 5:30 to beat the rush hour traffic going up to visit Andrea, Rob and Isaac. Made fried rice, bitter melon beef and cut up a nice size water melon. We were listening to some chants and was blessed with Open to Me the Doors of Repentance. On the way home we got a call from Fawn’s sister Jean that their mother was on transport to the hospital with abdominal pain. I can’t imagine what it is like living with colostomy bag. They gave her pain killers and antibiotics and are keeping her over night.
May 2, 2017
Had a super busy day busy. Went to the doctor’s office for a follow up and thanks be to God for the good the good test results. I’m doing the happy dance because my numbers continue to improve and am requiring a dosage reduction on my meds. Between one of my hearing aid nor working and sounds being muffled by my allergies, I’ve learned to appreciate all the help I can get. Because my prescription strength over the counter antihistamine doesn’t seem to be working now, my doctor prescribed a fluticasone propionate nasal spray. Prayerfully, I’ll soon get some relief. Then we went to visit my Audiologist in hopes that the one hearing aid was only in need of a minor repair, but that wasn’t the case. It needed to be sent out for a new receiver, unbelievable $325. Then we went grocery shopping for this and that. The plan is to cook several of Andrea’s favorite dishes. Anyway, tomorrow will be another big day.
May 1, 2017
I decided to eliminate a few of the strength building exercises as well as reduced the number of reps in a set on the remaining exercises and use the time to focus more on the cardio. After my workout, we finished off the melon soup and then went out and about town most of the day and end up at Burrito Parrilla Mexicana in Plainfield for tacos. Wondering when the rain is going to let up. Well, at least it made it into the 50s and did see glimmer of sunlight between the shattered rainfall.
April 30, 2017
Interesting, last week we celebrated our parish 150th anniversary and it anything but Low Sunday. It only came to mind because there were noticeably fewer people attending mass than normal. The ongoing cold rain wasn’t helping for sure. Thanks be to God I’ve recovered from the dreariness of the past few days. We stopped by H Mart on the way home and bought five good size fuzzy melons that made for a most wonderful soup for lunch that warmed up the soul and home, literally. The day got even better, the lite lunch was rewarded with Fawn’s pasta sauce over Farfalle noodles. It is yet, another way to warm up the house in my, perhaps futile attempt to not having to turn on the gas furnace this year until autumn. I browned the ground beef for her sauce and it was still very good, but it isn’t quite the same as browning Italian sausage, is it now? I was thrilled not having to go out in the cold to make a last minute grocery run. What is it with this being in damp weather in the 40s the past three days, anyway? April/May showers for May flowers I get, I even get cool weather now and then this time of year, but this cold is downright ornery. Farfalle noodles is the closest thing to a butterfly were gonna see for a while, but for now, I’ll just ponder on God’s creation found in the majestically beautiful monarch butterfly and God’s glory, at the close of of yet another month.
April 29, 2017
I’m back, and feel much better. So I started back with a very light strength and cardio workout. I’ve heard many times, no pain no gain, but it seems almost every time I kick it up a notch, I injure myself. So I opt for a more modest approach. I read more about exercising and losing weight. It’s interesting how little I know about the subject or was previously willing to apply without becoming a health nut. I added a new column to my excel spreadsheet that will be extremely helpful with the macro =product (current weight cell * 12)-500. The reason for my weight loss plateaus is very clear now. I only good news is, according to this formula, if I ate on average 1,800 calories a day, I will eventually get down to my goal of 150 pounds. I was 140 in high school. I stayed indoors on this cold damp day. I really don't care for gloom and doom days when the rain just don't let up for even a moment. I was so bored; I finally got around to hooking up a digital antenna to one of kid room. I got rid of the cable boxes in the kid’s room last fall when the kid moved out. Comcast charge six a piece for them, insane. Anyway, I was stunned and pleasantly surprised how well it worked and was able to get so many digital stations. Now I’m contemplating finding alternative ways if I could get rid of Comcast altogether. I never understood why Fawn had to have cable TV, especially now since the kids are all but moved out.
April 28, 2017
Feeling a little better today, but stay indoors and continued resting. One thing about being under the weather is the not being hungry; the bad part is not getting my exercises in. Yesterday, I only 881 calories, but did much better at 1202. Talk about my craziness in a attempt to try to find something good about being under the weather. Hopefully, I'll be up and about tomorrow. Oh brother, I hope it is just Trump talk, surly the Democratic Party can do better than Elizabeth Warren for 2020. Bad enough this time around having to choose between Clinton and Trump. Enough about down the road politics, we have our hand full praying for the seemingly polarized elected officials currently governing us.
April 27, 2017
Woke this morning under the weather. The plan is to drink plenty of fluid and just stay in bed. Lost just a tad over a pound for the last two weeks, but by counting calories now, it all goes well, should be dropping a pound a week if the numbers play out accordingly.
April 26, 2017
It is good to know the amount calories in the individual food items I eat so that way I can tally up the calories consumed as I go and adjust accordingly the portions. It seems to work fine and ended the day consuming 1,531 calories. A White House tax plan outline was rolled out today as the biggest tax cut ever in the U.S. history. I am encouraged that the tax reform is geared for economic growth and American jobs. I’m don’t think individuals in Illinois will benefit from the federal personal income tax cuts, because I can already see it being absorbed by a state income tax increase. I really wish the consciously dysfunctional city of Chicago was in Indiana. The democrats always bring up the deficit when it come to tax cuts, but fail to do so when it comes to spending and vice versa for the republicans. One thing for sure, one can’t afford to pay taxes without a job. Prayers for the dignity in work be restored in our nation. It was troubling even before job went offshore was the culture of expecting to give more and more to employers to a determent of life that surly outside of God’s plan for the family. I better stop penning and working myself into a frenzy.
April 25, 2017
I decided to start tracking what I eat and count the calories to get a feel of my calorie intake. After dinner, I looked up calories for each item and was stunned when I tallied up 1,689 calories. Hmm, according to most articles, a healthy lose weight diet is about 1,500 calories. It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories (avg. 500 calories a day) to lose one pound per week. I can see now why I’m struggling and not meeting my weight loss goal. The good thing ii that my calorie intake for the day is still less than the calories needed to maintain your weight (current weight x 12). This will be interesting, I hope by beginning to see what I eat daily and tracking the calories, it will lead to healthier balanced diet and a continued weight loss. What a joy to listen again to Sunday's Sermon by the Reverend Dr Just. I don't have the words that can properly express my gratitude of being taught by "most learned teachers of Christ", like the Rev Dr Just, the Rev Dr Bruzek and the Rev Dr Kleinig at Saint John not to mention Pastor Nelson and Pastor Buchs. There even something that could be said for, about how the building even teaches.
April 24, 2017
Great to be reenergized this morning and back to exercises. One of the issues is avoiding a government shutdown (what ever that is?) this week. Seems that the building of a southern border wall is somehow playing a big part of it. I actually don’t get it, because it is a wall and fencing currently there. From what I can tell though is there are areas that aren’t doing the intended and/or need mending to keep illegal entries to our country. The best analogy I think is, we have fencing around their property and lock on secure entry to our homes and all are welcome to ring the door bell. It will be interesting to see if our elected officials can work together to govern our nation. It is my hope and prayer that they prayerfully seek to do God’s will. Several things always come to mind on Holocaust Remembrance Day, for sure what we do and allow to happen in our brokenness. I can never get the images and stories out my mind from the Holocaust class I took back in college. Because on my upbringing, I also spend so time on the less told story in remembrance of the Rape of Nanjing.
April 23, 2017
"if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:3-5). I didn’t want to wait until the end of the day to pen my journal entry. What a great day it was from the get go. Albeit, much like on any given Sunday we gathered around the Eucharist this morning’s Mass was exceptionally beautiful in that we were rejoicing to the fact today is the most important day of Isaac’s life, period. It was also special, to have friends and family join us in worship. Because some were unchurched, my prayers are that the gospel message was heard. I once thought I sat in Lutheran pews for 16 years without hearing the gospel, but the reality is that I was most likely sitting in the pews not listening. The other day, I briefly mused on a mattered life. Today, our parish celebrated its 150th anniversary. Image that, my grandchild reminded me that, we continually are united together from generation to generation, to be counted as living stones to build up the body of Christ. What a joy it is to be reminded of how large and solidly strong spiritually house we are blessed with for all to find comfort and peace resting in His love. As I looked through the photos of our parish 150 history, I thought about our call to endurance to run the race before us. How can my family not continue to grow in faith surround by his most learned teachers of Christ and by a great cloud of witnesses to cheer us on? The other day at the Easter Vigil, I was encouraged by strong men of faith beside me as well as by the hungry look of the catechumens being confirmed and by the aroma of the sweet fragrant of the Holy Spirit upon them.
April 22, 2017
Gone a few days and was away from my ancient XP laptop and DSL, but hey, good enough of a machine for all I do nowadays is look up a few things on the internet and pen journal entries. I don’t think frugal, just practical. I think things like iPads, smart phones are nice to have, but too costly for my needs. I still use a prepaid flip phone. Had a busy morning mowing the lawn, it take a while to do needed bagging the clippings and pouring it along the back fence perimeter. Then I sprayed the grass with Weed Stop. Albeit, I still have Triazicide granules left from last year, I decided to spray the Triazicide along perimeter of the house up to five feet away. I’m get to rest of the yard next with the granules using a spreader. Being away, I didn’t do my exercises the last three days and went light today only doing a few of the exercises. The plan is to go back at it on Monday. Need to somehow be re-motivated. Was thinking about the Easter Vigil where we were reminded when we are each incorporated into the life of Christ through our baptism as well as being called through our confirmation, to recognize and celebrate the gifts that God has given us through the grace of the Holy Spirit which allows us to participate more fully in the life of Christ. The is something to be said of the Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling of Holy Water: May the Lord our God bless the water he has created and be sprinkled on us as a memorial of our baptism and may he help us by his grace to remain faithful to the spirit we have received. Amen. We went to CityGate Grille for a night out. It’s been a long while since we did a night out on the town, dinner with live music, jazz. It’s the first time we ever went there and it was nice to have a $10 off printable online coupon for simply registering on their website. I’m impressed, I knew my friend Ken played a saxophone, but had no idea that he played it professionally in a group called Zazz. All these years, I thought he did it for kicks as an outlet. Well, it is for kicks with him being a medical doctor. Nice being a radiologist and do gigs around his schedule.
April 19, 2017
We were up and out the door pre dawn to beat the morning traffic to watch Isaac to give Andrea a chance to catch up some much needed rest/sleep. We left back around 8:30 and it was smooth sailing back too. Last night over burgers, Jim began talking about Maundy Thursdays and expressed his joy partaking in communion twice in one week. I told him that Saint had the Divine Service every day except Monday and that I working up at Hoffman Estates, it made for a great way to start the day. I wish there was parish in town that actually offer the Eucharist daily. I started musing about Mass and how we weekly gather around the Eucharist proclaiming the death of our Lord and our belief that he will come again. In our Lord’s words: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples and said: "Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me." In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them saying: "Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." I believe the more we partake in the Eucharist the more we will be nourished, strengthen and transformed in our joyful hope as we wait for the coming of his kingdom. I exciting look at this coming weeks worship folder because our grandson, Isaac Daniel will be baptize along with Enzo August and Penelope Jane. It's going to be a whole lot of love.
April 18, 2017
Woke yet to the beautiful day fully rested. Clearly, getting a full night’s rest is the way to go. The new plan is to slightly curb my strength building exercises and do a little more cardio. I think this with improve my overall health and will most likely accelerate weight loss. It is good that I’m able to do twenty minutes on the elliptical without huffing and puffing and able to get my heart rate back down within a few minutes or so. One of the first news blurt I heard this morning was, Chelsea Clinton voiced her opinion defending the high cost of keeping the President’s family safe in her response to a tweet by journalist Yashar Ali that said: "Some say Trump kids shouldn't have Secret Service." Yet another new low for the lowly bias news media, why would someone even think and say something like that? It is a reminder of how toxic our tongue can be. May we all daily, with the help of the Holy Spirit, take a moment or two to exam our own humanity. To be perfect in every way in Christ Jesus is to be human. Hopefully I have transformed in some little way for undergoing the minor practice of fasting, increase prayer and self examination during this Lenten season. Albeit still muddy, I finished mowing the back 10 feet of the back yard. I wished I wore some disposable nitrile gloves; it took forever to scrub the dirt out from my finger nails. We went out for dinner with Jim and Mary at the Phoenix Club. Great 1/2 pound juicy outdoor charcoal grilled hamburgers with French fries and coleslaw for only five bucks. Nice that that have Styrofoam containers available that you can to put your leftovers in. Anyway, off to bed early, with a big day ahead of me tomorrow.
April 17, 2017
Woke to the beautiful day fully rested. I don’t know why I don’t make it a point to get a full night’s rest all the time. I always wondered about the day of (supposedly?) solemn remembrance of Christ’s death and resurrection, Easter/Bright Monday. Hmm, the annual white house lawn egg-roll, what is that all about? Don’t know if there is any connection to Easter, but there is an “easter bunny”, but it looks like a spring activity that is a lot of fun for kids though. Cute, saw a dapper snap of Isaac dressed up for his 1st Easter. Initially, I was discouraged by the photos of anti-Trump protesters clash with Trump supporters at Berkeley. But there were glimmers of hope as there were also photos of folks appearing engaged in seeming peaceful conversations, a lesson for us all, and some of our outright belligerent political leaders from the extreme right and extreme left in need of our prayers. Years ago when asked if he believed in God, Donald Trump response was, “Yes I believe in God. I just think there was to be something far greater than us.” I think his faith is growing and for the sake of the world, pray that it continues to do so. I read an encouraging Tibet about President Trump’s faith. In a recent Christian Broadcasting Network interview, talked about his thoughts on prayer stating that, “I’ve always felt the need to pray …The office is so powerful that you need God even more because your decisions are no longer, 'Gee I'm going to build a building in New York.' ... These are questions of massive, life-and-death." With only the two of us hard to believe, I’m missing my Adele 25 CD which I run on elliptical. I’m clueless to who’s, The Police, CD I popped in the player. I only song I recognized on the CD was Every Breath You Take, but then again the only other song I know by them is Roxanne. I think Sting singing voice is actually quite good, but … Made fusion food, corn tortillas stuffed with chicken, rice and hot Italian giardiniera for lunch. Strange, I always seem to love to jot down interesting food made that leave a lingering tasty impression. Funny, how that reminded me about a friend who joked about reading what cookin’ in my world, literally. Was catching up on old friend via Easter Greetings the other day and got a reply back from Norma. Back in December she had acute appendicitis and suffered a heart attack on the operating table. She’s OK now and just finished two months of cardio therapy. Prayers for her continued good health and ongoing recovery.
April 16, 2017
Christ is risen, alleluia! Was briefly musing on, from paganism to Christian traditions, to the modern day interpretations and evolution of easter bunnies, eggs, toys and candy in a fancy basket, and Easter Brunch. The bunny is clearly a recognizable symbol of fertility, but it isn’t clear to me why some cultures taken this to be a Christian symbol without any specific interpretation. Eggs on the other hand traditional symbolizes rebirth. I treasure many fond memories as child of my mother taking hard boiling eggs or slightly pricking a small hole to the shell, and decorate them with us. Giving red colored eggs to children on their birthday is a dated Chinese tradition. For Christians, the shell is a reminder of the tomb from which our Lord is risen and the meat of the egg the resurrected life and the hope that is within us. Don’t know if it is just a coincidence, but I heard that eggs are sold by the dozen to represent the twelve disciples. I’m suspect things like hollowed out plastic egg and treasure hunts, candies and easter brunches are commercialize holiday endeavors much like Christmas, where the pagans and the politically correct say, “Happy Holidays.” Regardless, we carry on, growing in the loving rest and peace of the one true God, as we celebrate Pascha, the feast of feasts. After learning about the North Korea failed missile test, I started musing about what I call rouge nations, especially the ones with or near having nuclear weapons. Thanks be to God, beyond all our foolishness, calamities and brokenness, having faith on this Easter Day, there is life, there is joy in our Coram deo. We give you thanks, great God, for the hope we have in Jesus, who died but is risen and rules over all. We praise you for his presence with us. Because he lives, we look for eternal life, knowing that nothing past, present or yet to come can separate us from your great love made known Jesus Christ out Lord.
April 15, 2017
Wow, it was 63 ◦F and woke up this morning and looked out the window during my morning coffee and saw a beautiful sun filled sky. I’m glad the sun is beginning to rise slightly toward the southeast. The adjacent house just northeast has, believe it or not, not three, but has at least three dozen tall thirty year old trees. I remember when the house was built and the folks planted all those tree, insane. Anyway, looked at the forecast and was surprised to learn how warm it was going to get. I temp made it to about eighty degrees Fahrenheit. I had no excuse, so I got in my exercises early and then mowed the grass and tended to a little yard work. But the chores for the day ended up being more than I expected. I needed gasoline for the lawn mowers, but the Explore didn’t start because it just sat on the driveway for some time and I neglected to keep a charge on the battery. So I spent some time charging the battery and filling the tires with air. I was able to get to all the grass except of the bottom five feet or so because the grass was too wet. I always complain about it but do nothing about it. Think I’ll start bagging the grass clippings and toss it toward the back and see if it will compose over time and rise the back up. I think even composing the autumn leaves may help. Guessing it can’t hurt to give it a try this year. The hardest part was raking out the leaves that blew over from next door. I can't believe they don't seem to care about their yard. After finishing up the yard work, I finally got around to and changed out the big exterior winter sump pump hose to the normal hose. Then we worked on organizing all the clutter in the garage and throwing out away some more junk. We cleaned out the garage once this year already, so where did all this junk come from? Anyway worked all the way the last minute and we barely had time to shower and get ready to go to the Easter Vigil. I think it is one of the most beautiful Masses there is. It was a late dinner, bone-in ribeye steaks, cook to perfection. I just got a call from my friend Tim and I haven't heard from him in over a year. I pretty late now so I'm going to wrap up the journal entry. He is havig a hard time finding work around here so to cut his losses, he sold his house, packed up and moved to Virginia. This is the second family I personally know that said they couldn't afford to live in Illinois.
April 14, 2017
Was musing on how people get to the point where the taking of a life comes so easy and seemingly for some without remorse. I think is hard to take a personal stance one way or the other capital punishment , other than then it is in accord to Holy Scripture. However, I do not feel conscience bound to support the death penalty and favor life imprisonment without any chance of parole. With that said, interestingly, I felt indifferent when Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death, but prayed today, that the seven people slated to face lethal injection before the end of the month, be speared and be moved by the Holy Spirit to come to faith and I did the same for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. John 19 was a slow and painful read that leaves me horrified and left with a shameful feeling and well as a understanding of the injustices and betrayals we are capable of. I mused on the words of Jesus from the cross as recorded in the Holy Gospel according St Luke the twenty third chapter and was struck by: (v.34) “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” The “them” could be a host of different people for a host of reasons, but I include myself for my sins that cause Christ to love me the way he did and by (v.43) "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” As faith rose in the soul of beggar on the cross, he blurted out his appeal, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." It was a plea that did not fall on deaf ears and gives us hope that no one is beyond the hope of redemption while their soul still lingers some fear of God. Time for dinner and movie, Black Angus sirloin steak and the movie Loving.
April 13, 2017
A little shy of a pound, but I’ll take it, considering I ate a fried chicken dinner with all the trimming the other day. It was such a nice day to be out and about, so we made a special trip out to the county supervisor of assessment office. It could be just me, but I don’t place much trust in our postal system. Musing Holy Thursday also known as Maundy Thursday, Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" (John 13:34). Lord, grace me with what I lack to be like thee in the world. Amen. In regards to President Trump’s plan to fight ISIS, he said, “I would bomb the shit out of them.” Whoa, he dropped a Massive Ordinance Air Blast (MOAB) non nuclear bomb on an Islamic State complex in Afghanistan. Hard to believe that a 21,600 pound non nuclear bomb that can create a 300 meter crater and will vaporize anyone within the one mile radius of the blast site is not the largest bomb in the U.S. arsenal. Clearly, there isn't a rock the bad guys can hide under I’m not sure why this bomb is called the mother of all bombs, when we have yet a bigger, 30,000 pound, Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP) non nuclear bomb. A lot happened this holy day and thought about musing on what went on in the upper room, but reflected on many of the things that happen in the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus’ soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death instead. I could not even image what it would feel like to know the horrific death you would soon be facing next day by taking on all the sins of the world.
April 12, 2017
Great way to start the day, got and email shout out from Fr Buchs. It's a nice feeling to know that he is mindful of us from time to time and remain subject under his care. Fawn and Aunt Sandy wet up to visit and meet baby Isaac. Andrea requested a recession delicious comfort food, hamburger and peas over spaghetti noodles. I made the dish first thing in the morning, so that the dish can be refrigerated and cool for transportation. Musing Holy Wednesday, Mary anoints Jesus at Bethay, "Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume" (John 12:3). What a remarkable example to all of us. Interestingly, Judas rebuked Mary for wasting the oil, but Jesus silenced him saying ,“Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial” (John 12:7). Only Jesus truly understood that in the days ahead that e would be arrested, tried, and crucified. I have to believe that the fragrance of the oil clung with Jesus’ skin throughout his horrific ordeal and as the nails pierce his feet and am sure that she had no idea that she would be the first to anoint the Son of God as he transitioned from being their teacher to becoming the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world. Strange thing is that in these final days of Holy Week, is that when reading the bible after all these years and knowing ahead of time what is going to happen, that I am seeing things in a different light. Perhaps this is because I reflect more and am continuing to grow in faith. It is striking to know things ahead of time. For example, Jesus knew ahead of time not only that he was going to be arrested, tried, and crucified. He knew that Judas was going to betray him. When I think about the band of apostles, two of them stand out, Judas the one who betrayed and Peter the one The craziest thing about Judas was his unbelief that Jesus was the Messiah until it was too late and at the point of no return. Not only did he see all the miracles and signs, but was called out ahead of time with the dipping and handing of the bread. I thank God that we are reconciled to him through himself by his own merits on the cross. When contemplating on band of apostles, two of them, Judas ad Peter stand out in regards to repentance and returning to our merciful God. Judas and his irreconcilable unbelief that Jesus is the Christ that at the end the one who betrays Jesus and this, his final sin was at the point of no return and only a regret. Peter, and his confession the rock in which the church was build upon, often messes up and denied the Lord. The point being that all our foolish sins are afforded like Peter, serves as a point on repentance and return. Like the Ten Virgin, we must be vigilantly be on the watch.
April 11, 2017
Just got back, it was fried chicken night with friends, so we brave the cold. Felt pretty good from the get go this morning, with the much needed full night’s sleep. For the longest while, I would go to bed early and get up early. But lately, I would go to bed later than the norm, yet still get up early. Last night was the best, going to bed early and getting in all my Zs. Good thing I got all my exercise in. Musing Holy Tuesday on Jesus’ parable of the Ten Virgins and of the importance of remaining watchfully prepared for the Sign of Man and for Christ’s glorious return as to not be among the heedless unrepentant locked out from the wedding party. I had somewhat of a busy pen than normal last night and remembered hearing Amazing Grace in the background, with Fawn watching Dancing with the stars and decided to watch it performance on YouTube. I don’t really favor this particular song one way or another and personally see as being outside the Lutheran hymnal tradition that is overdone and do not particularly care for it in the Divine Service because it lack theological value and substitute personal experiences for gospel truths. I really don’t know if I am right or wrong about this song’s place in worship, but a lot of people love this song for sure and seemingly relate to and are emotionally moved by it. Getting back to the interesting conversation we had sitting around table after dinner was about Holy Week Services. Our friends belong to a LCMS in Montgomery. It became clear to me their services is far from being high church because their pastor don't even have liturgical vestments and when I described our Divine Service to them, basically they said we held a catholic Mass. I’m sure they were implying the big “C”, but I’ll take that as a being complimentary even though they added they wouldn’t care services like that. In the past, I’ve heard out parish referred to the Catholic Church on steroids, if only that were true. I will say, I know of no other hilltop I’d rather have my family wait on then Saint John. Come Lord Jesus.
April 10, 2017
The original plan called for more resistance and less repetitions so that I wouldn’t be spending so much time exercising. That didn’t work out very well, causing my weight loss to plateau. This week I kicked it up a notch and now am doing extended exercises with the increased resistance and am expect to carry on with my weight loss goal, we’ll see. At least there was no sign of soreness this morning. Albeit, my right arm and shoulder is dominant and has much improved, it’s hard to believe after all these months of physical therapy exercises, my left arm remains noticeably stronger than my right arm. Perhaps it is because I am equally doing my workouts with both of them. I recall once upon a time the observation, just because it is written down, doesn’t make it true. Talk about a wandering mind, just start thing about the song, As Time Goes By, that has nothing to do with the muse, but as time goes by, we do occasionally have misremembering of facts or events. It’s not clear to me if my journey to faith is actually the same road back to Eden. I tend to think of the road back to Eden as a narrow path and the road to faith as infinitely wide that is cluttered with many obstacles, many which are self imposed. I use to think of the bible that way and would say to myself, “the inerrant word of god, really?” The Gospel according to John stood out in this regard, in which St John noted, "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:30-31). I especially thought of the Old Testament writing as fictional stories or at best an alternate reality. But as Fr. Gening once said, reality is reality, in response to what some called perception is reality. When I was first drinking milk as a recent convert a Christian friend of mine asked me what I thought about some of the bible stories found in the Torah. My response was that Jesus didn’t seem to have a problem with them. In my mind, it’s bad enough all the dogmatic schisms, the bible must be the inerrant word of God, otherwise any piece mealing or adding to, we do forms new religion and is outside the catholic church. Lord, have mercy and grant us your Holy Spirit, that we may practice apologetics and reason together. Today is Monday of Holy Week and one day after his triumph entry, Jesus cleanses the temple; “And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. [13] He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21: 12-13). Lord, reveal to us where we fall short and have failed you as a parish. Amen. I was all over the place on this gloomy looking day I was thinking about the conversation I had with Morey at Gino’s East. He thought I lived in Wheaton, because he attended Andrea’s wedding and assumed asking if we lived nearby and told him I lived in Naperville. He then asked why we go so far to attend worship. I told him I rather not get into specifics and said that there was numerous things led me to become critical and caused me to lose the joy of my salvation. Anyway, that led me to begin musing about David thirsting for God wilderness of Judah longing to worship God in his sanctuary. Whoa, time for me to put down the pen, I need to go to bed early, a big day ahead of me tomorrow.
April 9, 2017
Prayers for the persecuted church and for the souls of the martyred, the first thing I saw on the morning news was that ISIS claimed responsibility for fatal bomb attacks on two Coptic churches in Egypt. In our outcry for justice, we must also muse on mercy, on the forgiveness of sins as well as on the wrath of God, because none of us are exempt from God’s judgment on their own merits, beit the victim or the victimizer. We often can readily see the mean spiritedness of others, but fail to see the evil within ourselves, St Augustine’s prayer remains in my mind. I woke up with a sign of relief that I wasn’t soar all over, but could tell that I did push a little more on the daily exercises and needed to turn up the hot water a tad for the morning shower. We celebrated Carl’s 50th birthday as well as Ken’s 56th birthday at Gino’s East. I think their pizza is OK, but judging by the number of people in the restaurant, for sure, a lot of folks think more highly of it then I do. I love being able to go out and spend time with friends.
April 8, 2017
Just had to start my entry with how beautiful of a day it was. The weather was cooperating and I was at peace. Our Lord blesses the food that stays us and the rest that eases us. If only I would allow and just receive the grace upon grace he showers us daily with. Outside the Church and her sacraments, perhaps the pouring out of the Holy Spirit is among our most treasured gift. I pondered Coram deo and how I could continue to grow in faith and service. God says through Joel, “Then afterward I will pour out my spirit upon all mankind. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28). My friend Dennis once told me no pain no gain. I’m not fond of pain, but after reassessing the needed to press forward, I’ve slightly increased the number of repetitions in a set as the resistance of few of my daily exercises and am hopeful. I’m not expecting an avalanche, but am expecting some kind of result for the extra effort. It’s not clear to me if it a good thing or not yet, but I had to ice my right shoulder after the conditioning exercises followed by a hot shower. We decided to go the evening because tomorrow Fawn will be going to Ashley’s baby shower. Holy smoke, literally; I haven’t seen so much smoke filling the sanctuary since it was consecrated. I was struck by the final Prayer as You Go, “Give Yourself to me, my God; restore Yourself to me. I show you my love, but if it is too little, give me strength to love you more. […] All I know is this: that unless You are with me, and not ony beside me but in my very self, for there is nothing but evil; and whatever riches I have, unless they are my God, they are only poverty. Amen." It was a nice night, so we went out for a couple tacos and a walk in the mall after the Divine Service.
April 7, 2017
I woke up this morning to the news about the terrorist car attack in Sweden. Poignantly, something like this came as no surprise to me. Prayers for the injured that they may be healed, for the faithful departed for the promised heavenly conciliation of joy and their family the light of God’s peace. I was struck this morning by parts of Trump’s statement on Syria, may God’s wisdom guide his presidency. For no particular reason, instead of praying the Stations of the Cross, I changed it up by prayer chanting, The Great Litany. Perhaps it is because we are in dire need of God’s mercy and protection. The other day I request warmer weather, looks like that request will be honored this weekend. Woo hoo, if I could do a cartwheel, I would.
April 6, 2017
It didn’t surprise me, but it looks like I hit another weight loss plateau. Sigh … so why won’t that scale budge? Of course that is a rhetorical question, I’ll need to either increase your physical activity or decrease the calories you eat. After reassessment, I’m scraping the notion of less repetitions and the keep the same with the increased band resistance intact and add additional time on the elliptical with a short second session. I saw an article that pointed to Brandi Benner’s Facebook, that made my day. We even got to see the sun ever now and then. The trees are starting to bud and the grass is green as can be. All we need now is for it to warm up to spring like temperatures. Made the ultimate comfort food, stir fried beef with yu choy over Cantonese pan fried noodles for dinner. I don’t know if I should be surprised or not that President Trump order a military strike against Syria with 50 – 60 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Wow, looks like they don’t fool around when sending a message.
April 5, 2017
I stayed indoors on this gloomy rain filled day. I found several new exercises on the internet that I added to my exercise routine that I hope will help me lose the underarm flab. The past few days have been ridiculous; I’ve gotten so many unsolicited phone calls to the point beyond annoyance and wanted to cuss them out. Seems all I can do is just block the number against future calls. I listened to Sunday’s sermon and reflected on it with a repent heart and with compassion towards the passion of our Lord mixed with the anticipation of Easter joy.
April 4, 2017
It was Taco Tuesday and socializing with friends, otherwise it would have been a boring day. The day’s smallest thank you is, thanks be to God for Taco Tuesday and for the company of friends. A seemingly small but nonetheless habitual sin reared its ugly head again today, to which I thank our most merciful God for the gift of forgiveness.
April 3, 2017
Wow, the date is set for Isaac’s baptism and it couldn’t be on a better date with multiple baptisms on the 150th Parish Anniversary Celebration! Make no bones about it - it will be the most important day of his life. My strength building exercises have been going well and are getting easier to do so I upped the resistance band a little and reduced the number of repetitions. That is sweet; because that reduces the time it takes to do all the sets. Seems a early for strawberries, but they are abundantly available. I simply love fresh strawberries with vanilla yogurt. I suppose I should be musing on the passion of our Lord, but I was reading the, Road to Emmaus, icon and found myself pondering the mysteries of the Eucharist and the table with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. "When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight" (Luke 24:30-31). How can one’s eye not be opened to real presences? I must be simple, because I only find "transubstantiation" and "consubstantiation" and all attempts by the church to explain what happens and when it happens only confusing. It’s a mystery, it’s the very body and very blood because Jesus says it is, and just leave it at that. Well, well, the gospel always does lead us back to our baptism and/or the foot of the cross and the forgiveness of sins.
April 2, 2017
I never get tire of saying how stunningly beautiful it is to serve and be seated so close to the altar, what a privilege. I'm encouraged, one of the elders noticed that I lost some weight. It's coming off way slower than I'd like, but at least it's coming off. After Mass, we went to Yorktown Mall and got a shopping out of the way and then stopped at the Burrito Parrilla Mexicana in town. Believe it or not, it was the first time I had grilled chicken tacos, outstanding. The remainder of the day was one of those stay indoors and pray the Stations of the Cross.
April 1, 2017
I use to hate days like days today as a kid and beyond and thought people were idiots, on days like April Fools, Halloween, Friday the Thirteenth, and etc. Nowadays, I realize it was just the company I was keeping. Then I started thinking about,"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Really? This kind of reminds me about bosses in general, when asked to do the impossible. All we can do is our best. Hard to believe, but it’s a timeless truth that he loves us just as we are. I’m not much on “I” hymnodies, but “Just As I am” was one on my sister’s, now in glory, favorite hymn. I found an interesting Bill & Gloria Gaither – Just As I AM video. The eye opener is found is in the astounding high priestly prayer where Jesus asks his Father to unify us so, “that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23). In my mind, there is no greater love. Laughing at myself because I just came back after laying down in bed and just had log back in because I failed to pen down what an exceptionally beautiful day it was. How beautiful? Sunny and 72 degrees Fahrenheit baby.
March 31, 2017
It was a joyful day filled with loving business, we went up to Greyslake to help Andrea and Rob welcome Isaac to his new home.
March 29-30, 2017
"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers" (Proverbs 17:6). Gone most of the day yesterday and was at the hospital visiting Andrea, Rob and Isaac Daniel! Yep, my baby bore a baby boy. I much as I loved holding my grand nieces, it’s not quite the same as holding your grandchild in your arms. One thing that hasn’t changed over the years, I don’t like changing diapers. Over the years, I reflected on many verses as a father, but today’s verse brings added sense of a mattered life finding a crown and honor in grandchildren. My prayer is that we have not only raised children that love and fear God, but have raised them to raise their children in the faith. I use to sleep through just about anything, but the last to thunder storm accompanied with torrential rain woke me up in the middle of the night. It’s a good thing I can fall back to sleep. Don’t know what to say about this morning’s weigh in like last week, it was another poor showing, but a modest lost none the less again. I don’t want to force myself to go on an actual diet to get to my desire weight at a desired pace and prefer it to be a life style. I think that diets only lead back to a weight gain once off of it and will need to think this over. For the time being I’ll just keep up with the cardio on the elliptical as well as strength building exercises using resistance bands and dumb bells. Thanks be to God for my Wife, children and a grandchild.
March 28, 2017
Went out to Babies “R” Us and Buy Buy Baby to get Ashley a baby shower gift. Funny how Andrea and her grew up together and are both are now is having their first child. Crazy beer enthusiast, my brother-in-law sent a text about Parabola 2017 was released a few days ago and to be on the lookout for it. LOL, was confused, thinking math and finding the vertex of a parabola. Goes to show, how little I know about beer. We were close to the Binney’s in Plainfield so we stopped in and low and behold the Firestone Walker Russian Imperial Stout Beer was just coming off the truck into the store. We were limited to four 12 oz bottles between the both of us. Crazy, $10.99 plus tax per bottle. It was a dinner and a movie night so I tried something quick and new lentil and rice tacos, courtesy of Hillbilly Housewife, tasty. I knew somewhere down the line I’d be making lentil as a meatless meal during the season of Lent. Everything teaches even lentil in the bible story Esau Sells His Birthright as well as the encouragement given to the Hebrews by Saint Paul, not to be weary. Anyway, time to watch, Gone Baby Gone.
March 27, 2017
There I go again, yesterday I was ranting about those in authority in a time when our prayers for them are most needed. I'm glad I was well enough today to get to all my much needed exercises; I really don’t like to miss doing them whenever possible. Most of the time I roll my eyes whenever I pass a church banner because most of them are appear to be outreach marketing tools, but perhaps I shouldn’t. I often pass the banner in front of Margret Mary with the words “Forgiven” and “Gratitude” without giving them much thought. It dawned on me that forgiveness is perhaps the most visible sign of the God the Father’s love and that the Gospel is completely marked by the essence of a love that points to the forgiveness revealed in his son Jesus. Imagine a love that even at the last moment of his earthly life while being nailed to the cross, Jesus spoke words of forgiveness saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). The deepest source of gratitude within me is the knowledge that God has forgiven our sins. After his death and resurrection Jesus said to his apostles, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46-47). What do you know, everything teaches.
March 26, 2017
I stay home all day in the house in my pajamas not feeling all that, and had a real bad day musing about the inability of either of the two parties to govern our country. I was never much on politics, but it seems to dominate the news nowadays. I am clueless if the American Health Care Act would have been better for Americans than the Affordable Health Care Act, but for sure, the Affordable Health Care Act was anything but affordable. Looks like President is moving on now with the federal budget. I saw a budget bill talking point with Chuck Schumer of a government shutdown, “If Republicans insist on inserting poison pill riders such as defunding Planned Parenthood,…” One has to ask, why is it so important to fund this organization that it is worth a government shutdown? I can think of a lot of things I would admire folks for championing, this is not one of them. One thing that is really getting old is how not only how much politicians disagree with each other, they do it indignantly. I was musing about evil and evildoers and musing about in Jesus’ own words, "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” It is with this Lenten understanding that we must anew our lives to the Gospel, or be eternally lost.
March 25, 2017
Had a real good night sleep, I went to bed early and woke at the normal. It must have been from all the fresh air and additional walking on top of the time elliptical and daily exercises. The plan was to go to Fabulous Noodles for lunch to celebrate Jennifer’s belated birthday, but we got a carryout instead and drove it up to Grayslake. It was nice that Jennifer wanted her sister to join in on the celebration. Hard to believe my baby is going to have a baby in a week or so. How can one not ponder with all their heart and not marvel as I pray Psalm139, for my daughter and for the precious baby growing in her womb? I learned an interesting tidbit as a child, according to Chinese tradition your age is a year older. The logic is because you were in your mother's womb for almost a year and by the time you are born, you should already be one year old. Another word, traditionally Chinese believe that life begins at conception. As a child I was taught that, guessing China has digressed a long way from that. Enough of that, an am going to bed feeling so blessed to have had this wonderful day. It doesn’t get better than being ale to celebrate life with family. Thank you Lord.
March 24, 2017
I was glad to be out and about for a little while midday, in what I would describe as an unbelievable summer like day just wearing a tee shirt and a pair of shorts. Can you believe it actually hit 82 ◦F for a short while? For no particular reason, I broke away from my traditional oatmeal this morning and had raisin toast with my morning coffee. Funny, how the bread led me to ponder on the mysteries of the real presence of our Lord in the Eucharist and how each time I end up thinking about my side of the family, who are Evangelicals, would dispute the doctrine as being unbiblical. And that, when presented with Jesus’ own words found in the bible they would speak of symbolism. I find it interesting that liturgical parishes gather around the Holy Eucharist weekly partaking in the very body and blood while others less often just as being a symbolic remembrance. I know I need to still drop about twenty more pounds and have significantly strengthen both my upper body strength, but am wondering when a toner look will come about and mm a little concerned about the dimpled looking skin starting to crop up here and there and will need to do some research on the subject. Looks like the all talk no action Republican promised new lower cost and improved healthcare act failed to even come to a vote. How pathetic is that? It’s no wonder Congress has a lower approval rating than Trump. Looking at the latest FAV/UNFAV Suffolk Poll: Pence 47/35, Trump 45/47, GOP 37/48, media 37/50, Dem 36/52, Hillary 35/55, and Congress 26/52. Hmm, why is Hillary in the mix? I think the Afford Care Act is not affordable and can’t see how any form of insurance base plan can be. I much prefer to see universal healthcare. I heard rumbling, guessing rain will be following soon.
March 23, 2017
The morning started out a great cup Dunkin’ Donuts. I don’t know who bought the pound bag, but I sure glad they did. I’ve been drinking Maxell House for a while and have forgotten what a great cup of coffee really tastes like. I didn’t fare well on this morning’s weigh in, but did continue to lose weight. Clearly, it was the portion size as well as all those carbs from eating corn beef sandwiches all week. I remain optimistic and deem a concerted effort to regulate what and how much I eat is called for this week. I was flipping through the channels and heard, “Evil walks the earth.” No doubt about its existence. I comment was made with the story about the car/knife attack in London. I don’t know what can be done to prevent such seemingly common attacks. I join the palmist in his prayer for delivery from evil doers, Palms 140. Jesus Begins his ministry in Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, "and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). In reflecting on my own journey back to Eden, I find the road is indeed very hard and narrow. Without Jesus as a road map, I surly lose my way.
March 22, 2017
Hmm, the first day of spring was two days ago, I always thought the seasons officially changes on the between the 21st and the 22nd. I’m a big fan of the spring time warmth, so brig it on. Well, it didn’t happen today, it only stayed in the thirties. The good news is it’s supposed to climb up to the lower seventies by Friday! Today is my baby’s birthday, but she’s nowhere to be found L. Clueless what is what is going on with health care, guessing it is the same within congress. The democrats don’t want to participate with it’s formation and the republicans can’t even agree among themselves, sad. Tomorrow will be an interesting day. Lord, have mercy.
March 21, 2017
Refreshed, up early and energized to start the morning exercises from the get go. I really want to have a positive outlook and do as Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). It is times like this when seeing through the lens of Christ; we realize that our world perceptions aren’t necessarily reality. I hope I’m wrong about our political leaders and continue to pray for them and for our nation and God's will.
March 20, 2017
I woke to a heavy rain storm in the middle of the night, it is a good thing I can go back to sleep just like that. It was boring and somewhat a total unproductive day. I made the mistake of watching the news and got was annoyed at listening to Chuck Schumer, yet another spin nut job. One has to wonder how politicians like him get elected. Outside of doing my regular exercises I kicked back and relaxed, but not before breaking the boredom meditating most learned articles written by my friend, Fr Deacon Dr. Genig, posted on the St. Innocent of Irkutsk Orthodox Church website.
March 19, 2017
Up early and start boiling the water for the corn beef so it will be nice and tender. I decided to cook both briskets since both Alex and Jennifer was around and that there would been plenty of leftovers. This is the time of year to boil instead of bake, because it warms up and humidifies the house. But this time I did both. First, I simmer the corn beef for three hours, then I brushed on barbeque sauce and tossed it in the oven for about an hour at 350 ◦F. We loved it and this won’t be the last time I’ll be doing that. I’m glad I have/take the time to ponder on things nowadays and am appreciating the need to slow down and balance one’s life. Even something like simply slow cooking a piece of meat, I began to realize that Saint Patrick Day is a lot more than corn beef, it’s also about the venerating the saints in their glory and thanking God for them and their examples of living a life in holiest. I read a quote in the margins of the worship folder last night about people and don’t know the context in which the gifted Russian author, Leo Tolstoy said, "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." One thing for sure, is that, who we are matters and not looking the furthest away from ourselves and trying to change others and never self-reflecting is not a good thing. Better to be a light in the world by always living prayerfully and carefully seeking the kingdom of God. It was dinner and a movie; you guessed it, bbq corn beef sandwiches. We watched, Manchester by the Sea. Fawn liked the movie, but I don’t know what to make of it. The movie had to do with death and human suffering. To put it mildly, I didn’t care much for the characters moral choices and constant use of profanity, which why I was surprised when I heard, “You know, we’re Christian too, right?” when referring to their Catholicism.
March 18, 2017
There was no doubt about that it was going to be a salad for lunch day and shrimp dumping soup for dinner kind of day, with that big dinner we had last night. Since we were in the Wheaton area, we went to evening Mass. I was surprised to learn that our parish will be celebrating its 150th Anniversary next month, I had no idea. Lord, give me courage and humility so that I may confess my most grievous sins clearly and completely so that I may be cleansed and restored to your heart. Amen.
March 17, 2017
"Beannachtaà na Féile Pádraig dhuit!" “Go mbeannaà Dia dhuit.” I surprised myself with the wearing of the green today. I actually went out and about wearing a green sweatshirt. Albeit, not my finest green, it was green none the less. I goggle and was surprise to learn about, why the color green, in relationship to Irish history. Surprise, surprise, the saint of the day is Saint Patrick. I read a fitting Lenten quote, "And there the Lord opened my mind to an awareness of my unbelief, in order that, even so late, I might remember my transgressions and turn with all my heart to the Lord my God, who had regard for my insignificance and pitied my youth and ignorance." – Saint Patrick. One would think the gang would go out and eat something with an Irish flair, but we went to dine Joyce Lee. So much for pubbing and dancing a gleeful jig or two. Believe it or not, as a teenager, I was run over by a bus on this date, one just doesn’t forget a traumatic experience like that.
March 16, 2017
I had a good feeling about this morning’s weigh in, I lost about a pound and a half and was doing the happy dance. We’re almost half way into this Lenten season and I think it is beginning to get really strange. Perhaps it is because I’m viewing Lent as an emotional compression of all the recollection of my experiences off the road back to Eden. It makes sense that the further I am along the journey, the more and more of I recognize the depths of my own sinfulness, or am I just deceiving myself? The fact remains; I am a poor miserable sinner that beggar on bent knees asking for his mercy. My pray that I am growing and with the help of the Holy Spirit, will continue to grow in Christ. What the heck, ants already? I was totally taken by surprise that I have to lay the ant traps in the house this early in the year. Guessing I’ll have to go out and buy something to this weekend to put down the needed around the perimeter of the exterior of the house to keep the ants away. It could be me, and it may still be early to predict what the two parties can accomplish bilaterally, but I’m becoming less hopeful as I listen to the pettiness and squabbling in DC. Prayers for government officials to seek the ways of righteousness, justice and mercy and to lead with honesty and integrity.
March 15, 2017
Was up early and got Fawn’s blood work done first thing in the morning. Since Sam’s Club and Walmart were just down the road, we decided to go there and got some of the shopping out of the way. I was in no mood to go out and about again and brave the cold; it was only in the teens. Here I am just sitting indoors sipping on a hot cup of milk tea and looking out the window musing and making an early journal entry. I so chary of my complaining abound about the weather this Lenten. I’m basically a one season guy, just loving late spring when the temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit with 49 percent humidity. I’ve said it more than once, anything plus or minus that is extreme weather conditions for me. Betting many like me are complaining about the weather today, but sadly by doing so, we are in reality, murmuring against God, and his goodness and wisdom. William Law said, "He who complains of the weather, complains of the God who ordained the weather!" I weird thing is, I’ve seen so much harm caused by what the world calls natural disasters on TV and the only one I seen the aftermath of personally was in 1990 when a EF-5 tornado struck our neighboring town of Plainfield killing 29 people. Alex lives in Plainfield now and I often pray for him and his safety. Sometimes the story of the suffering of Job comes to mine when I muse about tornadoes which I am guessing is a whirlwind. I believe God does control the weather and that his ultimate purpose is to be trusted. We are to rejoice in all circumstances and praise God who uses the weather for his glory and our sanctification. The plan is eat just one thin slice of pork chop and a small portion of stuffing is for dinner, because tomorrow will be must do weigh in or I’ll be up the creek, because last week I didn’t meet my goal. I'm not anxious, and should have a good showing, because I had a pretty good workout today and ate very reasonable all week.
March 14, 2017
Just finished dinner and waiting for Fawn to watch Hacksaw Ridge, I’m surprise to see her get this movie. I loved watching WWII movies with my dad back in the day. I’ll pen as much as I can about the day until then. We are less than a week away from the first day of spring and perhaps the end of my grumblings about the cold and late winter cold and snow. Without much reflection, it is clear that my murmuring is a sign of my sinful lack of humility. Saint Paul instructs us to, "Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:14-15). Prayers that I’d grow to be more than a small dim flicker of light in the darkness. Time to get into the spring cleaning mode, so I went and got rid binders upon binders of reference and technical documentation. In one of the box was a State of Confession DVD, which I didn’t watch, but did play in the background while going through and tossing away this and that. Man oh Man, Crisis in LCMS, is an understatement. No wonder why my family briefly left LCMS to worship at a WELS church. Eventually, our Lord returned the joy of our salvation and led us where we needed to be, Saint John, Wheaton. Once again, I went on a rant and ended up deleting it, realizing that it is best leave it be and just rejoice on the hilltop of our Lord. Prayers for the many pastors who left in good conscience to remain faithful in their most noble vocation. We’ve been eating a lot of fish lately, it was so again tonight. LOL, was thinking we could have been chomping on fried chicken with friends at the Phoenix Club in Aurora. Fawn was born in Canada but her family moved to Aurora when she was five. I was born and raised in Chicago and moved to Aurora for work at Fermilab. My cousin knew Fawn’s family and introduced me to Fawn; from there on it was history.
March 13, 2017
It comes as no surprise, as amazing as it each individual snow flake is, I really don’t much care for it. We got about an inch and a half of light snow and it was easy enough to tend to the needed. But I’m not looking forward to the expected forecasted three to six more inches of it tomorrow. Lord, have mercy. Sigh, the nerve of a neighbor who lives around the corner. She walks her dog daily without a bag and scoop. We seen a few times not picking up after her dog does its business. Fawn was cleaning the front room and saw them on grass and opened the front door and told her nicely that she should pick up after the dog. She claimed she always does. Fawn told her that was not true called her out on it and ask to see her bag and scoop. The lady shamelessly went on her way without responding. No alternate facts here. Aah, dinner and a movie, I just tossed in a few breaded fish fillets in the oven that made for a tasty sandwich and watch, The Magnificent Seven (2016). I really love watch westerns. Not taking anything away from, The Magnificent Seven (1960) version, but this was much better. We were supposed to meet our group of friends tomorrow for dinner, but Fawn has blood work on Wednesday. Just as well, I have little will power when it comes to fried chicken night. We’re expecting more snow tomorrow; hopefully we get little to none. I had a good workout today, between the indoor and outdoor workout and will be stunned if I didn’t meet my weight loss goal for the week.
March 12, 2017
Musing on our redemption through the blood of Christ and why did God require a blood sacrifice for sin? I’ll try my hand at jumping around with my own version of systematic theology first noting, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). That is why I think it ties in with , "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life" (Leviticus 17:11). Pondering on the passion of our Lord, It’s very telling when Saint Paul proclaimed, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). So we learned that no ifs or buts, the penalty for sins are death. Blood is what keeps us alive so that is something not to be taken lightly. I think the gravity of the way Christ was crucified lends toward the severity and graveness of our sins and to the cost for our redemption. Saint Paul reminds us, "how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God" (Hebrews 9:14).
March 11, 2017
Alex stopped by for a visit. Well, not exactly, I woke up late and Fawn was gone and the car was still in the garage. Guessing Alex and her had something going on this morning. After lunch he helped Fawn do something with her Mac before going about his way, so much for leftover fish. I don’t much about Mac except that they seem to be a lot more intuitive to use. LOL, I’m so cheap, all I use nowadays is an old XP laptop that is an Alex hand me down, but it’s all the machine I need to read mail and enter my journal entries and a few what nots. I was never much on conspiracy theories, but now I’m even at a point where I would not reject the possibility of some form of a deep state. For sure there are individuals within the government that is undermining the Trump administration and doing what it can to impede any implementation of its initiatives. The weather is messed up, we have been spoiled most of the winter and now sprig is right around the corner and the temps are more than ten degrees below the norm high is 47◦ F for the month of March and the forecast is calling for less than a inch of snow on Monday. Again this Lenten season still has a different feel about it. I think yesterday hit it on the spot, there is “condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. So regardless of what we painfully discover about the depths of our sinfulness there is no condemnation, only forgiveness. I pray with the psalmist, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24). Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). This is not an easy thing to do; Lord, call us to be a person of faith, hope and love. Grant unto me your Holy Spirit, our divine guide and strength. Amen.
March 10, 2017
I was energized this morning and went diligently tending to the morning exercises. I wanted to start doing squats, but did far fewer then intended. It's just as well, I'd probably find a way to inure myself doing them. I was musing more about Adam and Eve. Well, it started with thoughts about shame and regrets over sins I committed in the past. It is a comforting to know that in the mist of leftover feelings of shame and regret, that living our life in the spirit, we are justified and that, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Because we are forgiven, we are to put behind the shame and regret and press forward on our journey back to Eden. I place no blame on Adam and Eve for spoiling the perfect creation, because I’m sure I would have one way or another, been deceived into bringing forth sin into the world. The mystery remains, being made in the image and likeness of God, being perfect, in a perfect world, in perfect communion with God, why we choose to sin? It looks like we’ll be changing over to daylight savings time this weekend. Funny how no amount of adjusting the time will bring more sunlight in a day. We enjoy a little over 15 hours of sunlight on the summer solstice and frown on only getting on about 9 hours of daylight on the winter solstice. The plan was to eat baked flounder today, but there was still so much Green bean and cabbage that it will just have to wait another day.
March 9, 2017
We were out the door first thing in the morning, Fawn had an appointment for x-rays at the orthodontist. It was real close to the Geneva Commons strip mall, so Fawn did a little shopping while I tended to walking up and down the strip mall like a sentry guarding the mall and was able to get in my ten thousand steps. I needed to do the ten thousand steps to get back on track, because I only managed to lose a half a pound. Taco night definitely didn’t help the cause, but any lost is a good thing and so be it, because I think going out and spending time with friends is good for the human spirit. Hmm, we are or we were made in the image and likeness of God? Like Adam and Eve we fail to be Christ like who is the perfect image of God. I think to be human is to be perfect. The Trinity is an image of a communal God who chooses to e with us and to live Coram deo calls us be right with God and with our neighbors.
March 8, 2017
I was clueless that we were going to spend the day babysitting our niece Victoria. Well, at lease Fawn was, I just play with her every now and Fawn tended to the needed whenever the call came. Albeit, we spent the entire day there, I did get to do most of my exercises but had to restore to doing some isometrics. Seem like it was only yesterday we were talking about Saint Patrick’s Day, and here we are with it just around the corner again. We decided to make surprise Carl and Sandy with a corn beef and cabbage dinner. I think corn bee taste a zillion times better from the oven, but the last couple times I just boiled the entire meal. Besides, we didn’t want to make a mess o their kitchen. No wonder why we stopped at the Sam’s Club to pick up three packages of corn beef. Normally, we buy two packages around this time of year. So one down and two to go.
March 7, 2017
Kaboom, woke in the middle of the night to a torrential downpour and a loud thunder clap that shook the house. Normally, I’m the one that came obliviously sleep through a train wreck, but Fawn was out cold, and clueless to the stormy weather this time around. It took a while for it to come out, but the sun did make an appearance most of the day. I spent a little time musing about, "but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15). In my mind, Jesus Christ and him crucified must be the proclaimed gospel message. In his, What About… The Gospel, Dr. Berry said, “We cannot really understand how good the message of the Gospel is until we understand how bad our situation is without it. We are poor miserable sinners.” The good news is, God became one of us and died for our trespasses as a free gift, purely because of his love for us. I use to tell of how I sat in Lutheran pews for many years, I’m guessing about 16, without hearing the Gospel. It most likely I did, but just wasn’t listening. In my Lenten reflection today, I thought about what I said about the need for feeling guilt. We must be on guard against Satan in our remorseful guilt that tempts us to believing that Christ could no longer forgive us. No well, Jesus said, " Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” for they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit” (Mark 3:28-30). It is clear; the only unpardonable sin is continued unbelief. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” It was Taco Tuesday at the Phoenix Club. I especially love their taco salad. Good thing I’m back doing my strength and cardio exercises again. I doubt if we’ll join the club, but love it when we get invited to join our small group of friends who are members of the social club, for dinner and fun conversation. Joyfully being with friends is an awesome way to end the day.
March 6, 2017
Just as I expected it would be, yet another gloomy looking day, oh well. I’m starting to realize the strangeness in the joy and happiness that I’m feeling this year that is not being overshadowed by silence or sadness in Lent. As I reviewed and contemplated on the Stations of the Cross, I became evermore grateful how in the season of Lent, our Lord Jesus Christ on the he was betrayed, instituted the Eucharist and to all the events leading up to him crucified so that we may be saved. It’s no wonder; that I acknowledge my guilt and penitence by emulating the symbolic penance of the pelican’s gestures in the liturgy. It could be me, but it seems like we have been desensitized and that guilt seems to have left our society as a legitimate emotion and is explained away as by the world as a mistake of crossing the line of acceptable behavior. We are not even a week into examining ourselves in the light of Christ. Some have said that Lent is a time for honest and deep reflection, but I would add that the joy of knowing in our confession that we are reconciled with God and are called to a life of forgiveness and repentance. Domine, Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa, propitius esto mihi peccatori.
March 5, 2017
I was immediate struck by the liturgical color of purple singing, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, during the Entrance Procession. In today’s Gospel reading, after forty days and forty nights of fasting a hungry Jesus said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). The devil foolishly tempts our physical hunger and forgets above about our spiritual hunger. Fasting is a interesting part of Lent, in our physical we are reminded of hunger for the word of God and satisfied in the partaking of the heavenly banquet of the Lord’s Supper. It was the second time, Fawn and I went to the Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill. We went there a year ago about the same time on a Sunday afternoon to see and support our friend Anna play the drums with a local cover band put together just to have a single day fun playing garage band rock. She gotten a lot better and all those drum lessons are really beginning to showing. It was great time being out with friends and I’m glad we are doing a lot more of that nowadays. The weather was mild a hovering around 60 degrees, so I took out the hedge trimmer and trimmed back the evergreen hedges. Hopefully I didn’t take them back too far. Believe it or not, I normally use a hand pruner as a form of pruning therapy.
March 4, 2017
God is good, we only got a overnight light dusting of snow again that melted away in the direct sunlight. Bill and I didn’t make it to breakfast, so we spent a few hours looking around at Outdoor World Bolingbrook Promenade and did a late lunch there. Initially, I thought the menu price was a tad pricy, but I was stunned at the huge plate of food. Who eat like that? I had the remainder of my fish and chip order for dinner. I thank God that I got the time to spend with older brother. LOL, the refrigerator was pretty much empty and had to make a tomato beef over rice dish for her when she got back. I was looking at our worship folder for tomorrow’s Mass and saw we will be singing the Post Communion Canticle, Nunc Dimittis and began realizing how paradoxical both the expectant season of Lent and Advent are. During Lent, we anticipate both the death and resurrection of Jesus and during Advent we anticipate both the birth and death of Jesus.
March 3, 2017
Yesterdays light overnight dusting was more welcomed then the expected one inch expected overnight accumulation we are going to get. Clearly, my moaning is a sign that we have been super spoiled thus far this winter season. At least it will be in the 40s tomorrow and the snow is expected to melt. Never mind the cold, enjoyed the sunshine and am thrilled to see the days getting noticeably longer. I’ve been cooking this and that most of the day for Fawn and Alex to take up to Grayslake tomorrow when the go up for a visit. It Friday and even made made pan fried tilapia. So much remains to do moving in and getting ready for the new baby. As I listen to the ongoing relentlessness of the extreme pettiness of Politicians, I become more skeptical of what to expect. I want to have high hopes for a better and more affordable health care system, but don’t see how the cost will go down and stay down with it being insurance based. The other thing being talked about is lower taxes, but sadly I live in Illinois, and the last federal taxes went down, the state taxed went up. I think Illinois is so dysfunctional and can’t even have a balanced budget. Guess for now, its ongoing prayers for those in authority and a wait and see. The season of Lent is strangely different for me this year. I feel a need to dwell on joy rather than on traditionally remembering our sins and that we are but dust and to dust we shall return. Focusing on our sins is anything but pleasant. To reflect honestly on our icon which we are seeking to restore and to become the icon we are called to be in the world, living out the gospel message in thought, word and deed. I love praying the psalms, and one of my frequent prayer is, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:10-12). I believe the Lord creates in us a new heart each and every time we give a earnest confession of our sinfulness. In his parable of the lost coin, Jesus assures us, “there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). So joy it is, joy in our renewal in knowing that our sins are forgiven and that we are right with God through the shed blood of Christ our Lord.
March 2, 2017
Dang, it was a cold day; it started out with a light dusting of snow. I was disappointed on my weigh in this morning. I’ve gained back more than a few pounds. Well, at least I’m bench mark and off and running on my weight loss journey again. I only did ten minutes on the elliptical and the plan is to add a minute back a day until I can do twenty minutes on it again. My goal is to modestly lose the same previously modest goal of a pound a week. Hard to believe that I gained that I gained back slightly over two pounds in that short of time because I stopped using the elliptical. Whoo hoo, slowly but surely, I was able to do ten pound overhead shoulder presses with my right arm now. Hard to believe I’m going to be a first time grandpa soon and began musing about family legacies and how we are called as parents to intentionally pass a legacy that will make the wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, else the broken world will pass along its own legacy brokenness. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7). Dinner and a movie night and had on, Mr. Church. It’s been a while since I made oven bake drumsticks with Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce. Both the movie and chicken was good. Got a called from my brother Bill to do breakfast this weekend, great way to end the day.
March 1, 2017
Today is the first day of Lent. Albeit, I think Ash Wednesday is a good traditional practice of the western church, for no particular reason, I did not observe the day with the imposition of ashes and have not begun any form of fasting yet. However, I did spend much of the pondering our Lord’s Passion and then went into a tangent musing that spring is not quite in air, my thoughts are, “The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land” (Song of Solomon 2:12). The returning of the chirping sound of birds ever since I got my hearing aid often comes to mind this time of year, a reminder of the blessing of faith which comes from hearing the word of God, the Holy Spirit, the Turtledove. LOL, at my own stream of conscience penning of paragraph long, run on sentences. I know my friend is working on an important art work I believe will be an icon of Saint John the Evangelist. Ever since moving our family to the hilltop of Saint John Evangelical Church, Wheaton, I learned read and appreciate the heavenly window of reality depicted in the biblical scenes of many icons. Interestingly I’ve read many icons of the Mother of God, but have only read very few icons of just the Holy Apostles. My favorite icons of Saint John are depictions of him as “the Theologian”. I’ve always wondered about but never asked why our parish was named Saint John, but did learned it was after in honor of Saint John the Apostle, Evangelist and Theologian and not Saint John, the Baptist. I was really curious of Saint John because of Church tradition, writings and icons of him being boiled I oil. I have no reason to doubt the creditability of the second century theologian Tertullian’s miraculous account of Saint John being thrown alive into a cauldron of boiling oil before the Porta Latina at Rome and survived. As I began exploring the life of Saint John and learned more about him, I thanked God for his beloved disciple who stood faithfully by him and not forsaking him at the foot of the cross when our Lord and Savior made him the guardian of his mother. Indeed, we have been blessed by many Saints who are worthy of imitating, that have gone before us. Everything teaches, even the symbolic statuettes on the lectern to which Saint Irenaeus associated the four gospel and their writers. Albeit, each of these symbols focuses on the particular theme of each Gospel, only in reflection of all four Gospels do we begin to embrace and adore the mysteries of the word made flesh. Hmm, my baby made carrot cupcakes. Too bad I only dare sample a small bite. I think it’s great that she can make it from scratch, but I it is so much easier to just use a mix and less of a mess to clean up. I doubt if one can save any money doing it from scratch. I guess it’s up to the passion of the baker because both are moist and fluffy and delicious.
February 28, 2017
Up early and went in for my blood work first thing I the morning. In and out just like that, nice being first with an appointment. Albeit, has been intermittently drizzling and at times working its way up to a severe thunderous down pouring under a dreary grey sky. But I’ll take the less then perfect day’s mildness in the low 60 degrees warmth on the last day of February any day. We ran a few errands and then went to the mall. It’s been a while since I mall walked. So few folks are out and about this morning that I have to wonder how department stores are able survive the .poor economy. There were noticeably a lot more people at the Walmart. We relaxed last night watch, The Voice. It was the bomb from the get go with Joshua Hunter singing, Sexual Healing. Man, I love R&B/Soul. Tonight it was more of the same from the get go on, The Voice with Autumn Tuner singing, Last Dance. I also liked Lauren Duski, You Were Meant for Me. I don’t think President Trump said anything new that he hasn’t already said in his joint session of congress address, but his tone is noticeably much softer.
February 27, 2017
Decided today was a good day to tend again to the neglected discipline of exercising and strength building. Albeit, I regained my full range of motion in my right shoulder, I am only able to do an 8 pound overhead shoulder press. The heaviest dumb bell pair I have is 15 pounds. Since I am able to press that with my left arm, it is my goal to do that also with my right arm. I’ll baseline my weight on Thursday, and hopefully I didn’t gain any from where I left off. The goal will be the snail pace of a half pound a week, but that worked out well before. Don’t know if you can rightly call it a fish taco, but I found a left over steamed fish fillet in the refrigerator and tossed it in a flour tortilla, slashed on some hot sauce, pretty tasty. When I was a young man, I drank tons of coffee, having a cup at the table and pouring the remainder in a large thermos to take to work and in the summer months, I loved making iced coffee. Nowadays, I love both hot and cold coffee as well as hot and cold tea, but limit myself to one or two cups of coffee a day with one cup in the morning being the norm. I love drinking trying different teas with no particular favorite. I find it strange that green tea and black tea come from the same plant but taste so vastly different. Made a pot of fuzzy melon soup. It kind of creepy peeling a hairy gourd, but it’s very light and deliciously refreshing. God is near, is a timely reflection. I have blood work tomorrow and place my trust in the Lord for, “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you and will never leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Prayers for good test results.
February 26, 2017
Jennifer wanted to visit Andrea and Rob and to see their new home. Albeit a guest, they put her to work unpacking boxes books and shelving them. LOL, she even ended up making croissant and sandwiches for us for dinner. But we did have a good time sitting around the dinner table enjoying the gift of family.
February 25, 2017
I suppose, if it must snow, I’m all for the non-accumulating picturesque snow flurries we got this morning. It is nice to have my baby back home for a week. Decided to made a special dish, beef with bok choy over Cantonese pan fried noodles. It is arguably the ultimate comfort food of choice. At least it is between that and beef chow funn in my household. Both are time consuming to make, but oh so good. For dinner we had steamed tilapia. I’m trying to eat more fish now, especially with the season of Lent just being about. We celebrated Transfiguration Sunday today. What a beautiful full blast Mass. The music doesn’t get must better than both, We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God and Beautiful Savior. Funny how one thing leads to another and so on. Now that Jenifer is back home from school for a week. We had an interesting talk about the saints. We talked about how we prayerful intercede for one another and how we ask others to pray for us. One would think I would have my prayer life routinely organized by now. I often try to remember to pray for my pastors and their family and include Doctor Kleinig, Just and Genig. My family and I continue to grow in Christ, as these most learned teachers of Christ continue to grow.
February 24, 2017
I watch President Trump speech at C-PAC and does side with conservative values, but it seem more to be on projecting populous and nationalism. I could be wrong, but now thirty something odd days in Anti-Trump protests seems fruitless to me, but the protesters themselves seems to be determined to carry-on. In my mind political action is found in the vote, because the now President Trump is just doing his best to fulfill his campaign promises. We went out with our friends all the way out to Yorkville for dinner at Joyce Lee. This is the third time we went out with them, and it seem like they go out at least once or twice a week. We always have a great time and spent at least two hours enjoying the food and conversation, but told them we love dinning with them once or twice a month because I can’t be eating out like that all the time. I just don’t have the will power to hold back my portions. I think they like places that have a buffet and can sit down and relax without feel like having to eat get out and make room for others. After dinner we went to the Super Target. Fawn did her shopping and I just wandered around the super large store getting my walk in.
February 23, 2017
I thought it was cold when the temp dropped 10 degrees from yesterday into the mid 50s when I set out to this afternoon to Home Depot. I found the door sweep but didn’t find the charcoal range hood filter. Talk about a sudden turn in the weather, tit dropped another 10 degrees and the mid 40s seemed to me like the dead of winter. I guess that what happens when we have been blessed so long to the point when even above normal weather feels unbearable. Well, at least the door sweep installed. I googled and found the needed filter at Lowes. So that will a simple replacement project for another day. Dinner was chicken with paprika sauce and potatoes. It doesn’t get much better than that. Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts which are about to recieve from thy bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
February 22, 2017
No complains about the weather. It has been unbelievably remarkable; one would swear this past week was in May. Went out and about town looking for a new mattress and box spring set and ended up buying a Serta Trescott. It was getting late so we stopped by Lucky Wok for a Chinese carryout. Egg rolls and shrimp egg foo young, good stuff. Stayed up late to wake my daughter up to do an all nighter. She still have two more days finals to take this week. Watch the the DNC chair debate as well as Hannity at C-PAC. Believe or not I never ever heard of C-PAC before today. Even more surprising is that I learned it's an annual event.
February 21, 2017
It was refreshing to learn today, that the first lady had the courage and tenacity to lead the Lord’s Prayer before a watching world, at the Trump rally in Florida over the weekend. May the Holy Spirit live in the heart of all nations every knee bow before him. I’m neither a Democrat nor am I a Republican perhaps that is why I am skeptical about either party’s direction. The petty act of spite between the two and their mercilessness spirit of the antichrist ways about them just shamelessly comes about. There is hope in learning that the President does ask the Lord for wisdom and knowledge. May he truly be God’s servant for our good. And may we rest in the comfort and hope in our Lord in the brokenness as we journey back to Eden. Since I on the subject of the President and since he has been office for a moth now, I was trying to grade him, but don’t have much to go on, on the things of importance for me. Most the news on him has been in my opinion …. It’s still too early to see how he is doing on the, American jobs for American workers front. On creating new jobs and bringing back jobs to America I give him a good score on effort, but I can’t even tell what he is doing about H-1B visas, if anything. Immigration is of interest to me, other than homeland security, but the news seems to be about the deportation on illegal criminal immigrants. I see law and order as a good thing though. The weather was awesome again today, so I was outside charging up the car battery on my back up beater and fill the tires up with air. It’s amazing, that I find fulfillment nowadays at accomplishing even the simplest of tasks.
February 20, 2017
Spent the entire day at Andrea and Rob’s helping unpacking stuff and putting more baby stuff together. Then made the meal there; pan fried pork chop! I really like their home, because there is plenty of sunlight throughout the entire house. Unbelievable, it was in the upper 60s again, and we had all the windows opened, the weather was that good. Thanks be to God, for his mercy endures forever.
February 18-19, 2017
We got home way too late last night to even consider reflect on a awesome day with yet another exceptionally beautiful. We went up to Grayslake to visit and help Andrea and Rob move. All I did was work on setting up the baby’s stuff. Interesting, I found that all the manuals, outside the parts list were mostly pictorially visual assembly instructions and worked out really great. I really enjoy working with my hands and couldn’t believe how fast the day passed. What a joy it was yesterday, to have spent the entire day rejoicing in the blessings of the day in rest, being showered with all the Lord does for us. This morning was extra special for me. I was privileged to serve as an altar assistant and be seated near the altar. The beauty of the Liturgy is so breathe taking when one is so up close that all of one’s senses are fully engaged. I saw in the margin of today’s worship folder: "Here, then, let the hungry Christ be fed; let the thirsty Christ be given a drink; let the naked Christ be clothed; let the stranger Christ be sheltered; let the sick Christ be visited." – Saint Augustine; and thought of Matthew 25 and of Christ in everyone. It’s not secret I love listening to the sound of drum riffs every now and then, today I was grooving to Funk Drummer. It's been a beautiful day and thank the Lord for the joy he brings to my life.
February 17, 2017
I was flipping through the stations and pause for a moment when I came across Joel Osteen, and wouldn’t you know it, the first thing I heard was him asking people to just say, “Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins come into my heart and I will make you my Lord and Savior”. This is quite different from Lutheran Theology, where God is the verb and acts like Jesus. Even in our belief we cry out to Jesus, “I believe, help me with my unbelief!” How can one not mention the beautiful spring like weather we’re having. It made up to a new record high of 68◦F for today and the weathers promises to be mild for most of the upcoming week. I was so glad to be out and about shopping for the needed. Hmm… Fawn made an outstanding multi-meat sandwich for lunch. It wasn’t quite a Dagwood, but it was big enough for me to turn down a scoop of Jewel American potato salad. LOL, I made chicken tenderloin with paprika sauce over rice but it all ended up as meals for Jennifer to take back with her to school for her weekend meals. I normally make it with chicken thighs and potatoes, but the tenderloins are much healthier and there were potatoes to be found. It was dinner and a movie night and I ended up making beef with tomatoes and we watch, Trance. I thought it was an adult thriller with a lot of twists. I think it was good enough to do without nudity and violence.
February 16, 2017
We went out to lunch yesterday and had an interesting conversation. My sides of the family are evangelicals and I have a difficult time understanding them. Anyway, Donald Trump and politics worked its way into the conversation and had to do with Paula White leading him to accept a relationship with Jesus Christ. Taking any credit for one’s conversion is so problematic that I am dumbfounded at how steadfast they are in the belief that a person becomes a Christian by making a “decision for Christ” and that is an act of the will. In my mind this is so far from recognizing the fullness and beauty of his gift of faith given to us by grace through the work of the Holy Spirit. Aah, just humming, Beautiful Savior. With that being said, it is not enough to make a profession of faith, nor is it enough to believe. We must also walk right in our journey back to Eden with the right mindset. As pilgrims, I think it is express best in the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Coram deo is about first recognizing we are nothing but poor miserable sinners, repenting of our sinful ways and then rejoicing in our promised forgiveness. Evermore free from the bondage of sins, we able to serve one another in love. It was a dinner and a movie night and made a simple stir fry, beef with snow peas, mushrooms and onions. We watched, The Accountant. It didn’t come close to what I thought the movie was going to be about, but guess that it was a sorta OK action movie if you like to watch shoot’m ups.
February 15, 2017
Albeit, I talk about the weather a lot, I know so little about it. I think that ideal ambient year round temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit with 49 percent humidity and anything that deviate ten more than 10 degrees from that are extreme weather conditions. Clearly, living in the Midwest is not ideal most of the year for me. I did not see the 20 degrees temperature coming. How did I miss seeing that in the forecast? Now I’m really looking forward to doing the happy dance in the weekend weather, supposedly I the 60s. I turned o the news today to watch the news conference following the White House meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump and thought what was a lot of encouraging things being said. I been trying to watch the news on different networks and should of known not to be surprise at that commentary immediately following the broadcast. Not that I was not expecting a liberal news attack, I was surprised it was a cry babying melt down over not being selected to ask to question over smaller news organizations they admittedly called friendly to Trump. Prayers for God’s mercy and that his will be done.
February 14, 2017
Happy Valentine’s Day! Undoubtedly, it is an exceptionally popular day to show love and affection. We watched Victoria for a few hours today so that Sandy could go to the school to help with Zack’s class Valentine party. Like with many other days of memory, we celebrated without any talk about of the saint and exchange our well wishes in a secular way, but being born of God, Christians are called to express his sacred heart in our own lives by loving one another as he loves us, each and every day, full blast. Not sure why the GOP leadership held a news conference on C-SPAN, where the leaders stepped up to podium expressing their position on why ObamaCare needed to be repealed and replace, because I don’t think anything new was being said that haven’t been said already. Albeit not being universal healthcare, but another insurance base healthcare plan, my prayers is that this new plan will indeed be a better as well as a more affordable quality healthcare plan. It’s hard to believe that an insurance based plan can remain affordable over time. Insurance companies are in it to make money. We met up with Jim and Mary again at the Phoenix Club for a nice night out with great conversation and dinner. It's our second time there with a group of eight friends and welcome us to join with them.
February 13, 2017
I was stunned yesterday and only thought the person either misspoke about ECLA or was expressing her own unlearned understanding of her church doctrine when speaking about the Eucharist. Without wanting to go into details, the statement made to a Catholic was that, “Lutherans don’t believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.” I did some research today and the kindest way to put my findings is to say that I learned that the ELCA, while adaging the Lord’s Supper is the body and blood of Christ, it also grants as valid other views which deny the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament. It must be me, because I can’t believe even after how Jesus painful makes clear his literal intentions in the sixth chapter of Saint John gospel exposition, that he is the living bread of life that we are to feed upon. He could not have been more explicit and reaffirmed again and again what he literally meant. And besides, for me, when God says, “I AM”, he is, period. I wonder about many mysteries but it’s no wonder why Adele killed it at the Grammy. Had an exceptional relaxing evening watching a YouTube video, Adele at New York City, wow.
February 12, 2017
First baby shower ever and hopefully the last one I’ll ever have to attend. Don’t know when it came about when men started getting invited or even start attending one. Times have changed; I guess I’m old and critical, because some of younger generation seemed to enjoy participating in the party games and what not. I did enjoy seeing and spending time my sister Nancy and my sister-in-law. Loved playing with my two nieces kids and was teased about prepping to be a grandpa. It was exceptionally that Fawn’s sister and my niece Melissa would fly I just for the weekend to join in the celebration. There was plenty of food and albeit the fried chicken was store bought, everything else was prepared with love. I could believe it, the cupcakes Bob made and the watermelon bassinet Alex made looked amazing.
February 11, 2017
For one reason or another, I often muse about the weather. I mostly have been taking for granted just how mild this winter has been as a whole. The norm for this time of the year is 35◦F and the temps have been around the mid 40s. I took notice today because it was in the mid 50s today and the forecast calls to climb up next weekend to the lower 60s, insane. While we joyfully anticipate the good weather forecasted to come our way, the NE is bracing itself for yet another foot of snow. It put me in good spirit and we took the car to self car wash for the much need bath to get the road salt off. The headline read, “Hundred arrested in ICE raids.” I am indifferent to the deportation of illegal immigrates in general as well as to the building of a southern border wall but can’t help but to wonder what hardships lead so many people not to simply just get in line to apply to our welcoming country like the good folks before them.
February 10, 2017
Like most, when we think about the universe, we tend to look outwardly at God’s glory. Musing on the last day of creation and taking an inwardly look at imago Dei and what it means to be human. In our self reflection, we are able to God’s voice speaking to us, rather the hearing the noise of the world and in our hardened hearts and plead with bent knees for our Lord to “Create within me clean heart.” It’s been three weeks now since Donald Trump’s inauguration and still see the samosamo Republicans and Democrats rhetoric and sometime futile shenanigans. I just delete what thought about their behavior and will just say that it is unbecoming of the office they hold. They really need to press on with tending to the business of the people. The priority issues in my mind are the economy, terrorism and healthcare
February 9, 2017
I really enjoyed my morning coffee today while looking out the window at a bright sunny day. Hearing the news about the snowstorm that northeast and am thankful not to have to be dealing with that. I started to pray for my fellow Americans but pause and instead for all people in their hardships.
February 8, 2017
I was elated this morning to learn that Intel is investing $7B in American innovation and jobs in Arizona. With so many people still unemployed, I can’t help but to wonder if we issue more work visas and allow more immigrants into the country than there are available job. Looked out the window while sipping on my morning coffee and enjoyed the snow flurries, a clear reminder we are only in midwinter. I not much on snow blizzards, but can deal with the occasional snow flurry and see God’s morning glory. Only a magnificent God, Creator of all things, would take the time to uniquely design each individual ice crystal and then blesses us by orchestrating them where and when to fall for our benefit. For me, I pondered this blessing that revealed our own profound uniqueness in that we are created in his image. Joy.
February 7, 2017
Woke this morning to the sound of thunder and the heavy pouring rain. It is remarkable that we continue to have a mild winter. Am thankful to God, we have yet to see the chilling cold foot deep winter snowstorm that normally plagues the Midwest. The entire morning grey skies retained a depressing gloom and doom likeness throughout most of the day, if fact it seems to have been like that most of the winter thus far. Admittedly, it is extremely rare of me to have an original thought. Thankfully, I have access to a source of so many learned teachers though writings and people I know. Sadly, there are more instants I care for that I had to have to unlearn that turned out to be not so good teachings. Interestingly enough, I think they most were taught with good intentions for our benefit. We were invited to the Phoenix Club in Aurora by our friend Jim and Mary and was joined with their friends Ted and Mary. This was the first time we were at a social club and we had good and relaxing evening over dinner and interesting conversation.
February 5-6, 2017
Wow, don’t know where to begin. Guess I’ll start with saying the Lady Gaga halftime show. I’m not a fan, but think she has a lot of energy, sings really well and puts o a pretty spectacular show. It’s a tribute to Tom Brady to hear all his teammates speak so high of his work ethic and team leadership. What stood out was the ongoing echoing, “With Tom Brady, all things are possible.” I agree with that, with regards to football. Prior to the fourth quarter, I was drowning my disbelief by was stuffing my face with three delicious pork tacos, while watching the massacre. I was aware of the Patriot’s ability to orchestrate fourth quarter comebacks, but a 28-3 comeback would be seemingly impossible. Yet the final score was 34-28 with the Vince Lombardi trophy going to New England. For no particular reason, when I saw some of the Patriot players kiss the trophy, I thought of pax. I always thought most of the Super Bowl commercials were funny and very creative, this year didn’t disappoint. I thought all the different Humpty Dumpty Turbo Tax ads were hilarious. I dated myself, because I was the only one that got Mercedes-Benz “Easy Driver” commercial with Peter Fonda. This led me on a journey back to the day playing oldies like, Born to be Wild and In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. I’m now able to do easily lift the five pound dumb bell over my head with my right arm shoulder lift, so I started to incorporate the eight pound lift into my strength building exercise routine. Hard to believe my underarm is still so flabby. My left knee is still soar and stiff, and enough to keep me reluctant to start using the elliptical again just yet. The plan is start my back on my weight loss initiative at the beginning of March with the same goal of one pound a week. I still weigh myself every week and am able to maintain and not gain, which is good, but I really need to drop at least another twenty pound or so.
February 4, 2017
Since Jennifer’s home this weekend, I changed it up this morning and made French toast. Well, it was only upon her request I did so. The norm has been hot piping hot oatmeal with flax seed for some time now and prior to that cold cereal. I’m glad I live away from all the noise of protesters that are not able to articulate a piercing moral appeal, because these protests are all about disruption for the sake of disruption and the issue at hand fades away to where the protesters becomes the issue at hand instead. Was musing a little about church, as a small child I went to a evangelical church with all my siblings. Interesting that I was the only one of the siblings that wasn’t baptized when it came to the age and time the evangelicals called for one to make a decision to accept Christ. It was a few years after that I just stop attending worship services and going to church all together. As an adult I started going to church again with wife who I was dating at the time and just sat in Lutheran pews for well over sixteen years before receiving the gift of baptism by grace. Thanks be to God who saves us according to his own mercy. As the years gone by, I began to realize how perfect the church really is and now no longer allow our imperfections to disturb the resting place in which a state of grace dwells. We got creative for lunch today, between Fawn’s awesome salad and me tossing in some grilled chipped flank steak that was marinade in teriyaki sauce, outstanding if I may say so myself. I have to say, steamed tilapia was the highlight of a day! It’s a simple recipe that is so delicious and healthy. Surly, tomorrow’s food will be anything close to resembling a choice, I already saw potato chips and soda pop I the grocery bag earlier.
February 3, 2017
For no particular reason, I feel very upbeat and patriotic. Needless to say, as an American, I acknowledge God providence and am grateful for his benefits. Albeit, I don’t know much about either of the two teams that are going to play in the Super Bowl this weekend, I’m actually excited about the game. I’ll be rooting for both teams to make the big plays and score high and yet keep it close throughout the game. But hope the New England Patriots prevail, only because Andrea has been a Patriot fan for a very long time and a win would make her happy. She mostly likely is hoping for a one sided blowout favoring New England. The truth of the matter is I don’t know much about the NFL anymore. I don’t even know the names of very many quarterbacks. I’m only excited to be with friends and family and do enjoy watching post season action. The house next door has been empty since last summer and looks like it is finally up for sale.
February 1, 2017
Was saddened by the state of union and was reluctant to pen anything at all today. How disappointing it is to elected officials behaving the way they are and not carrying on the business of the people. Post election stress disorder, really? Two weeks in and anarchy is taken to street and some people are freaking out. Why is the American flag being burned? What happened to peaceful protesting? There wasn't a protest at UC Berkley, it was a self defeating riot where criminals took to the street destroying other people's stuff that overshadows and diminishes any protest message. I viewed it as being counterproductive and shamefully yet another missed opportunity for both sides to voice their views. I think, without faith, it would be difficult to unbelievers to believe in the goodness of God when there is so much evil in the world. We have no one to blame except ourselves, because each of our sinful thought, word and deed contribute to the evil in the world. I am most thankful for God’s desire for us to come to repentance, found in his patient and rich mercy. Help us, O Lord!
January 31, 2017
Was comforted this morning with the reminder that, God promises will be with us always, to the end of ages. It has become so annoying to keep on seeing the dishonest spin by the news media and politicians alike from both parties. After changing the stations server times, once again I had to turn off the television. I should of just watch the announcement of the Supreme Court Justice pick and just left it at that. I'm always reflect a little and can't get over how fast times really fly by every time the end of month rolls by.
January 30, 2017
Albeit brief, this morning’s sunshine and an afternoon wink did bring about joy as I got to see it singing praises to the one God, creator of all. Yet, as I look around I see a broken and unstable world where violent and not peace is becoming somewhat a normalcy in these troubled times in many communities. What is with Starbuck’s CEO Howard Schultz to hire 10,000 Refugees? Seems to me he is going out of his way to anger people in their time of need. I’m pretty sure plenty of Americans are out of work and need jobs. I can see why this has prompted a boycott against the franchise. I would join it on boycott and am all for putting Americans to work, but I haven’t brought a cup expensive coffee in many years. I mostly make my own coffee and drink it at home. And need be, put it a thermos or occasionally enjoy a cup from McDonalds or Dunkin Donuts. Funny thing when eating the leftover chicken from yesterday for lunch today, I had know idea what capers were and was brushing the sprinkled capers off the chicken and sauce thinking they were some sort of peppercorn in the dimly restaurant lighting. I looked at capers closely and decided to get it a go and found out they are very tasty pickled plant buds and was a big contributor to what made the chicken tastes so good.
January 29, 2017
I was ask if I was to television on to hear the news this morning and I said no and began musing again on the bias and opinionated shows being pawned off as news. It dawned on me that all I’ve been watching for some time now are portrayals the now President dominating the airwaves of most broadcasters completely portraying Trump as a villain or other broadcasters portraying him as being messianic and will clean up the mess they perceive left by eight years of Obama and his administration. I went on a rant penning about the two political parties on pro choice and anti abortion and how neither are pro life, but deleted it and opted to pray for wisdom for public officials. It’s yet another overcast day without the sun. I Googled and found, according to Kelly Bauer, “It's been a gloomy month for Chicago, which has had only five — maybe six — days with sun this January.” Currently, I’m taking 2,000 IUs of vitamin D3 supplement. We went out to dinner to celebrate Sandy’s birthday at Buca di Beppo. It was the first time I ate there and was not impressed by the décor and thought the entrees were pricey. It was only four I o’clock and the place was packed, good thing we had dinner reservations. Although it was very crowded and busy, I thought the waitress was friendly and the service was excellent. I had the Chicken Saltimbocca, and thought it very good. Not to take anything away, I just think there are several other restaurants we could of ate at and enjoyed more if we are going to spend that kind of money, but I'm guessing that's where the birthday girl likes to eat. It is truly a blessing to be out and about and celebrate. Even Alex came and joined in. I thank God we're able to spend time with our children at least once or twice a month.
January 28, 2017
Like it or not, we live in interesting times, so they say. There has been seasons in the past when I thought the same and will most likely again in the future. I've come to the same conclusion. Saint Paul instructs us to, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17,18).
January 27, 2017
Funny, last night we went out for dinner with friends at Patio. I missed the part went all the ladies made plans to go shopping at Woodfield Mall early this morning. Anyway, as much as I like musing about the joy found in the Eucharist, there is also connection with blessings at a meal table like last night, when four families can get together every now and then to break and simply enjoy each other company. It comes as no surprise to me that God has a way of showing up at a table and reveals him grace and goodness.
January 26, 2017
Hmm, when was the last time we saw the sun? The temps were at about the norm and the brief snow flurry was a reminder its winter. So far we have escaped the harsh winter blizzards we are accustom to, but I’m sure it’s just around the horizon. Haven’t been on the elliptical nor have I been doing my exercises, since I sprained my leg. I’m able to go up and down the stairs now without wearing a knee brace, so that’s a good thing. The bad thing about being old is how long it takes to physically heal. Since I able to move about, I started to walk in place a little and started doing a few of the strength building exercises, including lifting a five pound dumb bell over my head. I know five pounds don’t seem much but it wasn’t that long ago that I found a two and three pound weight challenging. Anyway, it feels good to be back on an exercise regiment again. I’m sure I won’t be foolish and push too hard this time around. Was looking at our worship folder and found a timely gem in the margins and published it in Larry’s World. I am always amazed at the learned writings of the early church fathers
January 25, 2017
Woke up this morning and the first thing was about a tweet from the President about saying: “If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible "carnage" going on, […] I will send in the Feds.” I think the mayor and police superintendent’s response is very encouraging. But, I’m confused about what send in the Feds actually means as I continue rolling my eyes about the President’s use of Twitter tweeting. Spicer cleared that up in the White House press conference “send in the feds” as allocating federal resources via the U.S. Attorney’s office to Chicago to help combat crime. I was a little surprised at the Rev. Jackson’s tweet response: “We need a plan, not a threat. We need jobs, not jails. #Chicago”. I agree with jobs, but with all due respect, but don’t understand keeping jails off the table. I doubt if victim families would agree with Rev. Jackson. More than anything I think our persistent prayers are needed. I’m all for the policy of stop and frisk of known gang members. Prayers against violence for our cities; may all who carry the rod of wickedness come to love and fear the Lord and give new life I him. Amen. In his, State of the State address, Gov. Rauner acknowledges Illinois faces “significant challenges.” I think those challenges, is an understatement, and will remain for some time because our state elected officials can’t even come up with a balance budget, let alone come up with a plan to pay down its huge burdensome financial debt. I was struck by the motto, “Nothing stops a bullet like a job” and learned about Homeboy Industries, a nonprofit gang rehabilitation program founded and operated by a Jesuit priest, Fr Boyle. I watch the video, Compassion and Kinship: Fr Gregory Boyle at TEDxCone, and said to myself, wouldn’t it be nice to have program like that.
January 24, 2017
The good news is the temperature continue to be above the norm and the not as good news is the grey skies continue overhead also. Hearing the temps will drop to the norm of 30 ◦F in a day or so. I have learned through the years of penning journal entries the daily experiences in my world goes much deeper than the words I am able to piece together and convey, but I just continue to pen anyway and strive to share what it means to a poor miserable sinner like me who God implores to know him. I find it amazing that as poor and as miserable as my sins are, as a child of God tying to live a life of Coram deo, they are forgiven. It remembered how refreshing it was as a catechumen at Saint John to learn about the Ten Commandments as, the 10 words or utterance from the perspective of a loving father. Fr Bruzek uses the example of parents telling their children not to touch a hot stove or not to play with matches. This makes it a whole lot easier to not just try to conform to the law but to also love the law. The psalmist said it best, “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8).
January 23, 2017
This year is not off to a good start for residence living in Chicago. Shootings and homicides are both higher than start of violence last year. There have been at least 228 people were shot and at least 42 homicides as on this morning, according to the Chicago Tribune. Lord, grant us a peaceful world and an end to violence. Amen. I had difficulty hearing and understanding Bishop Lytkins’ sermon on the Second Sunday of Epiphany. So happy it was posted, addressing omnipresent/omniscient and the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. When the Bishop interjected humor in his sermon it reminded me of once upon a time I mused about whether or not it was appropriate thing to do and discovered that Christ himself seem to not be above using humor in his teachings.
January 22, 2017
We got to Mass super early and I got to read most of the gems found in margins of our worship folder. I love the prayers on the front welcome page and found this today’s published prayer exceptional. Look upon us Lord, hear and enlighten us. Show us your very self, take pity on our efforts ad strivings toward you, for we have no strength without you. – St. Anselm of Canterbury, Proslogion. Thanks be to God, who provides us nourishment for our journey back to Eden from the two tables at Mass, “the table of the Word” and “the table of the Eucharist.” I found the commentary, From the Spiritual Counsels of the Blessed Elder Anthony of Russia, spot on, “A person watches the news, even the Orthodox news, and it seems to him to be something necessary and useful, at any rate, not harmful. But the actual news occupies only a small portion of the time. The rest is an analysis of what happened, that is, a view of what happened which must be formed by those watching. And the view of the customers is that which is given by those who control the given information...From this, from the hypnotic effect of the television program, a person loses his ability of thinking for himself, of thoughtfully perceiving the events that are happening, and finally, of forming his own world-view.” I think this is especially true when watching CNN or Fox News. The spent the day watching the NFC and AFC Championship game and thought, with the watching the two blowouts exceptionally boring. The only thing I enjoyed was the flame broiled hamburger and French fries we got to snack on while watching the game, but I’m sure Andrea, who has been a long time Patriot fans, is thrilled to see her team go the Super Bowl again. I don’t know about football to make any kind analysis of the two teams, but will most likely be watching Super Bowl LI and rooting for the Patriots, only because somehow my daughter illogically(?) identifies with that team. As a kid and as a young man I did the same for the Chicago Bears and then lost interest in routinely watching professional sports and seem to watch ad somewhat enjoy watching championship games toward the end of the season.
January 21, 2017
Woke to uttering beautiful day. The sun was starting to rise and the temp was already at 50◦F. I dropped Fawn at Sandy’s early this morning and the ladies continue planning and working on Andrea’s baby shower. Since it was so nice out, I raked the leaves that that blown on my front lawn and I surprised at at the passive aggressive thoughts that I harbor. It was so strange ranking the leaves as if it was an autumn day. I’m still wowed to have been outdoors in the low 60s, so crazy warm. I have high hopes I am really looking forward to seeing the product label, Made in USA”, again in the near future. Only God know the affliction of one’s heart, it was disappointing to see that some democratic elected officials still spinning(?), more like outright lying and the bias news partnering. I think there is more than enough legitimate concerns about President Trump to protest about. Bearing false witness is a sin against the eighth commandment. Lord, have mercy. Lead us to love your laws and edify us grow and advance in your wisdom and grace. Amen. I just deleted two thirds of what I penned, rephrased it and then deleted that. I glad I took to penning stream of consciously because I am learning so much about myself and that penning some things in my journal entries are best left unsaid.
January 20, 2017
My eyes was glued o the television all day watch all the Inauguration Day activities, most notably the peaceful transfer of power. With the exception of a few, seems like most folks get it. It’s not clear to me what protesters turned rioters are trying to accomplish. Bringing anger to the street is ever a good thing. It does a disservice to those who are trying to articulate their area of concern and their lawlessness have stolen the voices of the peaceful protesters. I was among those who thought that Donald Trump didn’t stand a chance of even becoming the nominee of the Republican Party during the primaries, amazing. As expected, people walked away with different takes from his inaugural address. I was encouraged and pleasantly surprised to hear Psalm 133:1 quoted. It’s not my place to question his faith and will continue to pray as Saint Paul urges us to do in, 1 Timothy 2. Was it my imagination? The newly elected President sounded like a populist admonishing the Washington establishment. As I saw former President Obama leaving I saluted and am thankful for the Affordable Care Act. Albeit, far from being anything close to universal health care, it is a step in the right direction for the caring of all citizens. I take President Trump word that he has a better plan to improve on that, but am skeptical of the republicans. I don’t trust the republicans to even tighten up the H-1B program, let alone eliminate it. Prayerful, I am wrong about them. It is hard to say what they will do. Both parties have been do nothings for its people for so long. Hopefully this will be a new day for the American people under the 45th president. How is that for optimism? May our leader seek and be guided by the Holy Spirit. Almost forgot to mention the awesome salad Fawn made. Mine are never as creative as hers, so I hope she'll make salad more often. I think I'll have it for lunch more often and for sure it should help with the waistline. Sunday was the first time in two months since I assisted at the altar, and it was a good feeling to robe up and not worry about popping buttons.
January 19, 2017
Hmm, not good, gained back two tenth of a pound. It is clear to me now, how I got so big in the first place. There is no way in the world I am eating too much. My portions are small and I am making healthy choices. It is because of the lack of doing cardiovascular exercises. I’ve been off the elliptical because I injured my knee a couple of weeks ago. I thought for sure I would be back by now and would not be needing the assistance of a knee brace when up moving for long periods. Let’s see what I can do about somehow working up a sweat this week. When I first read: “When a child is born, parents are overcome with the beauty and joy of new life. They discover a depth of love that they never knew existed - a love that consumes their entire being. This is but a fraction of the love God has for us and of the love we should have for God in return. When we realize how much God loves us, we can be free to love others in return.”, I immediately thought of my Andrea. How could I not then recognize what I felt at the time of her birth was only a fraction of the depth of God’s love for us? Indeed, it was something I never felt before and recognize in these latter days. I’m stunned at a number of pardons that President Obama, but then again that is true of those on President before him. One in particular is that of the commuting of the sentence of Army Private Manning and am flabbergasted at the level of compassion afforded to someone that has put lives at risk. What is going on? Surly, I must be entirely missing the point, right? Prayers for health and recovery for former President George Bush 41 and former first lady Barbara Bush. This was the first time I watched the ever watched the laying of the wreath ceremony at Arlington for the Presidential Inauguration. One can’t help but to reflect on what family members, love ones and those unknown to us, who have bravely done and also to those who are now servicing this country in our armed services, thanks be to God. I think Trump made a lot of campaign promises, some I like while others I make my eyes flutter. I’d be thrilled if the President elect can make good on the promise of bringing back and creating new jobs. Prayers for a peaceful transition of powers and that the new administration will seek the wisdom from above.
January 18, 2017
Out and about this morning and picked up my new pair of glasses that were treated with a anti-reflective coating. Hated the added cost, but the night driving glare from oncoming headlights was starting to become somewhat bothersome. Funny, how we sometime have a tendency to look back at our life with mixed emotions and ahead toward the future with great anticipation. Looking back in my early life I amazed at the numerous bad choices made with an astonishing lack of discernment. In these latter days, I often ponder on the wisdom of discernment. Not growing up in Christ as a young man, I was clueless to the notion of possessing the ability to discern what is best. Wisdom from above teaches that good Christian discernment means for us to place ourselves wholly in our Triune God’s hand. Albeit, I think there is nothing wrong with going to our friends or consulting experts for advice to help us make a decision, the bottom line is that these are merely human opinions. If we truly want to discern what is best, we need to prayerfully seek the Lord’s guidance. “Thy will be done.” Not ours. Amen.
January 17, 2017
Finding it amazing that the grass is still green ad is refusing to go dormant. I’ve started noticing that the past few winters. I am total confused and know of no premise to which people are able to question or undermine the legitimacy of the President-elect. I could be wrong, but it seems the way some folks are decrying racism appear to be very racist in tone themselves. I have no doubt, thanks be to God, that race relations have greatly improved over my lifespan. In my mind, there is always room for improvement. It starts with repentance. I truly wish the Inauguration Day ceremonies were already done with. Perhaps then, all this foolishness and hateful rhetoric from both sides will be done with. “For God alone, O my soul, waits in silence; for my hope is from him” (Psalm 62:5).
January 16, 2017
Up early and spread deicer on the sidewalk and driveway before heading out for my blood work. The roadways were really slick so I drove slowly on the side roads as much as possible. We got in less than an hour and already needed to spend out more deicer. I can see why there were so many accidents on the highways shown on the news last night. Away, the leftover soup from the restaurant hit the spot. Hard to believe that the temperature promises to be unseasonably warm for the remainder of the week. It’s too bad that the ESV legacy bible is no longer available online. Am I imaging that they have just taken two steps backward? I liked the legacy better than the previous ESV version and now this new makeover version seems to be even worse than that one. Was looking at a YouTube video of a portion of the liturgy at St. Andrey’s parish of Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church, The Day of Reformation, and heard, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, sung in Russian. Aah, beautiful, then listened to: A mighty Fortress is Our God. It was my baby girl’s birthday, and we had a nice chat on the phone. Andrea and Rob will behold a child, gift of the lord, this spring as well as other gift abound, joy.
January 15, 2017
Got to church earlier than expected, mainly because Alex drove. I normally take me about 25 to 30 minutes to get to Wheaton. Wheaton is only about ten miles away, but there are so many traffic lights. But it was one of those days when Alex managed us there under 20 this because all the lights lined up green for him and no freight train. I almost seem like a feast day with so many worshipers attending Mass. We did a little shopping afterward and then did lunch at Fabulous Noodles. I like the soup at Fab and without a doubt beats Noodle & Company hands down. Last weekend I injured my knee and stayed in bed and started watching the NFL playoffs. I just watch a great game between Dallas and Green Bay and at halftime penning this journal of the Pittsburgh and Kansas City game. Funny, not being a fan and rooting for any time in particular or knowing what to expect.
January 14, 2017
There was plenty of sauce left for the chicken but we had to make do without the potatoes. I think the dish is just as inviting over rice. LOL, Alex came home to visit just when I finished boiling the meat. I believe like the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that nonviolent protest is the most effective weapon against a racist and unjust society. The problem I see is many protesters are angry and are bringing their anger to the street in nonproductive ways. It is clearly not helpful to see a burning American flag and the waving of a foreign flag by protesters to people who are rallying behind the mantra, ‘Make America Great Again’. Musing on our sanctified walk, and came across a noteworthy quote, “True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice that produces beggars needs restructuring.” – Martin Luther King Jr. Prayers for needy people and for an inclusive restructuring. I read a recent article on Fortune.com, Congress Already Looking at Tightening H-1B Immigration. Albeit, I think any curbing is a step in the right direction, I think a temporary ban is the best way to get Americans back into the work force. I can remember the awful feeling seeing folks lose their job when their work went offshore, but it was ten folds more hurtful to see H-1B workers in your face, hired for jobs many Americans are capable of filling. I never cared for Hilary Clinton or for Donald Trump, but I guess there is no need to dwell on Clinton anymore. I’ve even come to terms that Trump will become our 45th President and will pray for him as I have done for those before him and leave all skepticism behind. One thing for sure, when it comes to creating and bringing back jobs, he is focus and no one can argue about his results so far and he is off to a good start, even for he is sworn into office.
January 13, 2017
Looks likes it’s been a busy week for Sandy and Carl, we spent the day watching Victoria and Zack. I was impressed how well he was able to read and write. Apparently, the schools are kicking it up another notch. He had math and Spanish homework. Hmm, was toggling between Fox News and CNN, when will I learn not to OD on the two spin channels? Last year was sure and interesting political year and for sure and one awaits us. Inauguration Day Celebration is less than a week away and I think the far left will surely be protesting and demonstrating their disapproval(?) of the election results. Prayers the day of peaceful transition of power will proceed without lawless incidents and that the laws of the land will reflect the will of God. Chicken thighs were still on sale for a buck a pound at Mariono's, so I brought another package of 10 thighs.
January 12, 2017
This morning’s weigh result was the same as last week. I didn’t expect in loss because I wasn’t on the elliptical all week. I’m doing much better going up and down steps now. I was a little concern, because I’m scheduled to be an altar assistant this weekend, but I should be up to the task by then. I was looking over this week’s worship folder and was immediately struck by, “When your hate starts to feel like love, it’s time to do some soul-searching” - Elizabeth Scalia. I think this is happening in our emotionally charge political scene today where we may be confusing the real choice of to love or to hate. I sometimes wonder what is going on in the minds of Politians and the protesters who take to the street against them. I’m not a Paul Ryan fan, but I think he was very tactful in the town hall meeting. I guess it is a wait and see. I’m thrilled that plan is to move funding from Planned Parenthood to federal community health centers for women healthcare services. The funny thing is I didn’t know what a dab was and how it related to Cam Newton and Paul Ryan and had to search for it on the internet. Continue prayers for those in authority to seek the wisdom from above. I also noticed that Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin will be preaching. Aah, paprika chicken thighs and potatoes, now that’s what I’m talking about. Some would say that fried chicken is the ultimate comfort food and would not get an argument from me. I simply love chicken this and chicken that.
January 11, 2017
What a super long day, we spent the day babysitting our niece Victoria. Well, actually Fawn did all the work and helped out as a distraction whenever it came time for a diaper change. I brought back many fond childrearing memories and thanked God for my wife and the joyous mother of my three children. Was able to move about without wearing a brace, but still needed it for going up and down the stairway.
January 10, 2017
Unbelievable, woke this morning to the sound of the pouring rain in January. It is truly a blessing that the temps are above freezing this time of year. My understanding it will be in the 40s again tomorrow before dipping back to the big freeze. I’ve been on my back most of the time the past three days, but up today with the help of a knee brace and went to the ophthalmologist. The good news is that my eyes are healthy and there are no eye related problems related to my diabetes. I made myself a spring mix salad. Albeit was not as fancy as Fawn would have made it, I think I did a pretty good job. I read a great article from Harvard Medical School on a safe and successful strength training program and will be altering what I doing moving forward. I just watched President Obama’s Farewell speech. It was a reminder that just only ten days from President elect Trump will be inaugurated the 45th President of our country. Prayers for him and his family, as he leads this nation for the next four years. May he seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I’m an advocate and am for universal healthcare, so I think that the Affordable Care Act was a great achievement, but I’m guessing that will soon be repealed. So what will it be replaced with? I thought as a whole the farewell speech was an emotional heartfelt speech for him. Wow, eight years. I find it very difficult to believe in the two parties, because of their extreme rhetoric that leaves me asking at times, really? But have to believe in America and will continue praying for those in authority.
January 7, 2017
So much for kicking it up a notch, I woke up this morning with symptoms of a knee sprain.
January 6, 2017
Aah, the first day of Epiphany and the beginning of a most beautiful and miraculous feast with our Lord bathing in the river Jordon. I’m so glad the sun came out so brightly this morning. It was so helpful, as from time to time, I would pause from my morning coffee and escape the darkness of winter and simple rest in the Lord and declaring my faith, my God praying the Nicene Creed. Interesting, how ironically distracting it is for me to pray, "I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church" instead of, "I believe in the one holy Catholic Church", like everyone else does and use a small "c" if it is that bothersome. Sigh, are we that stupid? Was looking at our worship folder in order to prepare to celebrate, The Baptism of Our Lord, and was struck by the clarity of a reading in the margins with so few words and decided to post it in Larry’s World and was evermore am prayerful knowing that, “Jesus calls us out of the darkness into the light. Washed clean by the waters of baptism, let us pray that we may live the life to which he has called us.” I wasn’t working up enough sweat or breathing hard any more doing 20 minutes interval training on the elliptical anymore, so I decided to set a new goal of eventually two 30 minutes daily by adding 30 seconds a day until that goal is reached, like last time. I kicked it up a notch and pushed harder doing two 20:30 sessions
January 5, 2017
I was surprise during the weigh in this morning, because I managed to still drop 1.2 pounds this week despite being a New Year’s Eve party. The problem though is that I didn’t fare well last week. Well, not going to dwell on that and just carry on with the program. So yesterday, I thought it was cold. Today redefined the word cold. We started out the door this morning in the single digit. I had an appointment for my annual eye exam. The good news is, still no change in my prescription, but it time to see an ophthalmologist to baseline my age related cataract. Of all days, I can’t believe Fawn wanted to go to the Oakbrook outdoor mall. The good news is we stopped by Fabulous Noodles on the way home and got large bowls of piping hot noodle soup. Just prior to penning today’s journal entry, I was musing about the winding down of our fervent celebration of this Christmastide not only for our sake, but for the sake of the world. May we share the light we have come to know and love. “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (Corinthians 4:5-6).
January 4, 2017
Dang, it was deceptively cold out this morning. The sun was shining bright is a cloudless sky, but the temps were in the low teens and quite a contrast to yesterday’s dreary drizzle. Despite being so cold, the sunlight was a pick me upper and my soul was rejoicing in the Lord. I was completely surprise, as I was expecting to be super soar. That has been the norm and the strength training days. Was musing on the fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It is truly easy to recite this very petition by hard, but much more difficult to do it by heart. At first glance, we may see this as a suggestion rather than a condition for being right with God and our neighbors. I looked at Luther’s Small Catechism in the Book of Concord and found his durst but somewhat good, “What does this mean?” on this petition, but think the drawn out contemplations found in the Large Catechism are much more insightful. I will giving some thought to New Year’s resolutions in general, and am doubtful that I ever committed to a good and firm resolution. However, I do think that our well intentions do have their merits. Saint Paul encourages us to keep in step with the spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25). I think by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our intentions, we receive the gifts of a newly created clean and compassionately loving heart as well as a joyful and energetic yet peaceful wellness that is rested in the Lord. Warmed up and humidified the house by making steamed tilapia for dinner. I really love cooking this simple yet delicious dish. There is very little prep work as well as clean up too!
January 3, 2017
Two days of light rain in January, how cool is that? But I’m hearing the temps will drastically plummet overnight. Albeit, we are to rejoice in the day the Lord has made, it is especially easy to do when family is around. Andrea and Rob came down this morning to spend the day, but had to head back early to beat the evening rush hour traffic. I was happy and grateful for the quality time with both of them. In our Christmas reflection, we talked about WWJD. We came to the conclusion, that we can’t do what Jesus do and can only try to it. Jesus tells us to love one another. Did I say rush hour earlier? We have more like rush hours here in the morning and evening. Years ago the big joke was that Chicagoland only has two seasons, winter and construction. Nowadays, it seems to be work construction year round. Anyway, made my baby bitter melon beef over linguine noodles. I was wondering if would get my exercises done today, because I failed to do so yesterday. Now I'm off a day when I'm suppose to do strength training this week, Oh well. But now I get to reflect and continue to celebrate the feast days of this Christmas season. As I pause amidst the celebration and look around I’ve notice that I am failing to recognize the Christ in everyone, especially in the least privileged among us, the homeless. How can there possibly be such a thing as hunger and homelessness in a nation like America? I’m glad we have an annual event every year called Christmas sharing at out parish. We gather new and slightly worn clothing, new and slightly use toys and games, as well as non perishable food all year round and distribute it to those in need. Otherwise, what would we be doing? My prayer as I wait in silence and hope, comes from the Advent hymn, O Come, Divine Messiah, “O come, divine Messiah; the world in silence waits the day when hope shall sing its triumph, and sadness flee away.”
January 2, 2017
Up early and we got ambitious and took apart the clothes dryer and cleaned out all the lint that was in air duct vent. I’m so glad we took the time to do the much needed. There was more lint in the dryer than I anticipated. Thanks be to God for helpful and talented folks for posting their How2 Youtube videos. We were able to do the entire job in about an hour and a half. It was nice of Jean to invite us over for Congee. For some reason, she made a huge pot, so we also got to take some home! I was happy when I got back an email reply from my old office mate for many years, that all is well with him and his family. I thought of him and his family during Sunday’s Mass when I saw the Hebrew transliteration of the Aaronic Blessing in our worship folder, and reached out to him with well wishes.
January 1, 2017
LOL, one would think after all these years, I would be able to add a new page and edit the site layout without giving it much thought. It took a few minutes, but I gotrdun. We celebrated New Year’s Eve way pass my normal bed time at Ken and Anna’s home last night. Well, it was New Year’s Day in New York when we left. Anyway, this led to an epic battle this morning at St. Pillow and Sheets, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, the saints prevailed and we made it to celebrate early Mass. It was interesting last night, when asked about what was my New Year resolution, I had none to offer, since I didn’t give it any thought as of yet. I guess I may spend some time later in the week and muse on some of weakness and resolve on something agreeable with God for Christ’s sake. I was thinking about this morning’s Mass celebrating the Circumcision and the Name of Jesus and prayed, “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!” (Psalm 115:1).
