Food and Poison

“No matter how good food is, if poison is mixed with it, it may cause the death of him who eats it. 

So it is with conversation. 

A single bad word, an evil action, an unbecoming joke, 

is often enough to harm one or more young listeners, 

and may later cause them to lose God's grace.”  

 

 

- St. John Bosco

St. Ephrem of Syria

Virtues are formed by prayer.

...

Prayer preserves self-control.

Prayer suppresses anger.

Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.

Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, 

and raises man to Heaven.

Mm mmmmm mmm

"To sing is to pray twice."

 

 

 

- St. Alphonsus Liguori

Oh Yes

"Just as water extinguishes a fire, so love wipes away sin."  

- St. John of God

Yes

“I sought to hear the voice of God and climbed the topmost steeple, 

But God declared: 'Go down again — I dwell among the people.'" 

– Cardinal John Henry Newman

Keep Looking Up

Occasionally I enjoy a romp on the roof of Coney Joes outside the back door of our upper office. This afternoon, I was treated to a pretty well defined roll cloud stretching across Livingston County.

Dappled Willows and Dahlia

Sunday Drive

I took a little solo sight-seeing trip this morning, south but mostly west and then back (coming north and then east) until I arrived back at our sub.

I started driving along the west edge of Whitmore Lake going south, and stopped for a cold driving beverage at Speedway at 6 Mile and US 23.

From there I headed back across the expressway and then south on Whitmore Lake Road, throwing into the ditch the majority of the shitty cardboard buy one slice and get one free Speedway "pizza".

Just south of North Territorial Road I passed Alexanders farm market, where they sell produce, flowers, shrubs, trees, and many other things. Across to the left side is Tractor Supply, where I used to buy dog food and still like to get bird seed and cowboy hats.

About a mile south is Old St. Patrick Catholic Church, old indeed and proud, and with old wooden pews so close together I barely fit.

St Pats in on the corner of Whitmore Lake Road and W Northfield Church Road, and I have never traveled the latter so westward I began.

There were horses and farm fields, farm houses and brand new ugly brick mansions with no porch and long driveways. I followed Northfield Church Road until it turned into Jennings Road going north. I took the first left I could - intent on staying on the Great West Road - which was Farrell Road, and which went west about a half mile then angled to the right about 30 degrees north of west for another mile. 

The stopsign there was Webster Church Road, which made sense because the nice folks of Webster United Church of Christ were hustling and bustling right there with a huge outdoor event.

Farther west on Farrell, I passed the Cottonwood Barn, and farm fields and cool homes.

 After about three miles due West, I ran into Zeeb Road, and had to go north for about a half mile, where Gregory Road welcomed me back into the westerly direction.

I went past Cobblestone Farms and said hello to the horses, horses, horses, ...

Gregory Road did not take me to Gregory like I thought it would, but dead-ended at Huron River Drive, which is paved and lined, which pretty much ended my scenic route. I took this north to North Territorial Road and hung a right there into even more traffic and motorcycles aplenty.

I stopped at CJ's Party Store and Disc Golf Paradise for a cold beverage for the last couple of miles home.

It was a beautiful morning for a Sunday drive and I was thankful I had very few people behind me in a hurry.