"O Come O Come Emanuel" (Cotton Pickin Kids)

ME?!? I ALREADY AM HUMBLE!!!!!!

 Where in my life am I being called to practice more humility?

... I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to Your word. 

Advent Stations - The Third Station: The Angelic Announcement, from The Magnificat© Advent Companion 2021

 

Third Station – The Angelic Announcement to Manoah and His Wife

 Old Testament Scripture: Judges 13:2-7, 24

There was a certain man from Zorah, of the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren and had borne no children. An angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Though you are barren and have no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son. Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean. As for the son you will conceive and bear, no razor shall touch his head, for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb. It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines.”

The woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me; he had the appearance of an angel of God, terrible indeed. I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name. But he said to me, ‘You will be with child and will bear a son. So take neither wine nor strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy shall be consecrated to God from the womb, until the day of his death.’”

 The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The boy grew up and the LORD blessed him.

 Meditation

The Lord prepared the way, moment by moment, for the coming of the Messiah, in “the fullness of time” (Gal 4:4). Manoah and his wife, as well as Zechariah and Elizabeth, reveal that God can bring life out of apparent lifelessness – human weakness and insufficiency are not obstacles to the power of His promises. The strength of Samson foretells the even greater strength of Jesus, and the preaching of John the Baptist sets the stage for the Word himself to speak. Samson used his strength to defeat his physical captors, in one time and one place. John the Baptist preached a baptism of repentance and preparation, but one that did not itself take away sin. Jesus Christ, into Whom we are baptized, destroys the ultimate captor in every age – sin and death. Jesus bears salvation in His very self. In the third Advent station we glorify God, infinite and all-powerful, Who became small and weak that we might be strong.

 New Testament Scripture: Luke 1:5-17

 In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest name Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. The, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angle of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him Joh. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of [the] Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”

Prayer

 

All-powerful Father, you prove over and over again that human insufficiency, human barrenness, will not stand in the way of your plan. You reveal to us the source of true strength, true power: Jesus, the Savior, Give us the grace to remain firmly united to Him, never seeking the solutions to our problems outside of His love. We desire to live every day of our life devoted to Him. May sin and the fear of death never bind us, never keep us from the freedom you promise. And may the grace of our baptism flower into the life of glory with You and all the saints. We ask this through Christ our merciful Lord. Amen.

Another great prayer I need to pray every hour of every day from Loyola Press

 

Jesus, help me to seek others who inspire and promote conversation and action inspired by the Good News, but also allow me to understand those people who do not support my personal beliefs and help those who struggle to believe themselves.

 

The LORD is my Shepherd - Living a Full Life from Loyola Press

 God, help me to offer You prayers of gratitude for the beautiful life You have gifted me instead of consuming our conversations with prayers of want.

 

Advent Stations - Second Station - from The Magnificat© Advent Companion 2021

 

The Covenant Begins

 Old Testament Scripture: Genesis 18:9-11; 21:1-3

 “Where is your wife, Sarah?” they asked him. “There in the tent,” he replied. One of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son.” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, just behind him.

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years, and Sarah had stopped having her menstrual periods. The LORD took note of Sarah as he had said he would; the LORD did for her as he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time that God had stated. Abraham gave the name Isaac to this son of his whom Sarah bore him.

 Meditation:

 We all desire to have an effect on the world, to make it a better place, or to leave some mark by which we may be remembered. The desire of Abraham and Sarah for a child, for a son, was even more than that – it was a desire to cooperate with God’s creative order in the generation of a new human life, a person who would share their life and come to know and love God. When they had almost given up hope, the Lord surprised them, the Lord fulfilled this desire. In our own life, sin creates a barrenness of soul, it keeps our actions from being truly fruitful and meritorious in God’s eyes. However, God is not deterred, for He would not have permitted the Fall without a loving plan to draw good out of the ensuing brokenness and to give us the Savior, in Whom we receive eternal life. In the second Advent station, we look to God as the source of all life. We place our trust in Him, for we are children of His promise.

 New Testament Scripture: Romans 9:1-9

 I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kin according to the flesh. They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Messiah. God who is over all be blessed forever. Amen.

But it is not that the word of God has failed. For not all who are of Israel are Israel, nor are they all children of Abraham because they are his descendants; but “It is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. For this is the wording of the promise, “About this time I shall return and Sarah will have a son.”

 

Prayer: Almighty God, Lord of all life: You fulfilled the longing of Abraham and Sarah, blessing them with new life. You revealed Your Name to their descendants, making of them a people to be Your own. By sending Your own Son to become man, You gave us the One with the Name above every other name, the great and powerful Name which saves. May all people, by joining in the worship of Your holy Church, come to know and revere the Name of Jesus and receive all that You have promised. We ask this in union with the Word made flesh. Amen.

 
 
O come, O come, great Lord of might
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times did give the Law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice, rejoice!
Emanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

The Three Little Pigs

Jack Arthur Hansel and Gretel long version

Advent Stations - First Station - from The Magnificat© Advent Companion 2021

The Creation of Adam and Eve

 Old Testament Scripture - Genesis 1:26-28

Then God said: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.'

God created man in His image; in the divine image He created him; male and female He created them.

God blessed them, saying: 'Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the ari, and all the living things that move on the earth.'

Meditation: Creation is something only God can do. no other being, not even the highest angel, can bring something out of nothing. God created the world and crowned it with human live out of His own infinite goodness; He was not looking to acquire something but only to give something: His life, his beatitude, his love. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, believed the devil's lie and turned away from the One Who already wanted them to be 'like gods', and the One Who had made them in his own image. An out of fear and shame they hid from the Very One Who forgives, the One Who says, 'Behold, I make all things new.'  But God writes straight with crooked lines: 'O truly necessary sin of Adam, destroyed completely by the Death of Christ! O happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!' (Easter Exsultet). This first Advent station directs us to glorify God for the wonderful gift of existence, and even more so for our redemption, for we are made new by Jesus Christ, the new Adam, born of Mary, the new Eve.

New Testament Scripture - Revelation 21:1-5

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be His people and God Himself will always be with them [as their God]. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain. [for] the old order has passed away.'

The One who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' Then He said, 'Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.'

Prayer: Heavenly Father, when Your Son became Man, you mad it possible for us to enjoy a destiny even greater that the earthly paradise, for you call us to eternal life with you in heaven as your sons and daughters. May we always stay free from discouragement and shame by remaining close to You. We pray especially that husbands and wives, and all who are preparing for marriage, will persevere in their Christian vocation to become and raise saints together. Give them the grace to manifest to the world the love between Christ and Church. And may we all persevere in Your grace so that we will reach our eternal home, our eternal family with the blessed in heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O come, thou Wisdom born in heaven's height
Come peacefully, Thy people set aright,

To us the path of knowledge show

And help us in that way to go

Rejoice, rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
 
 
 
 
 

Recipe #7: First Snow of the Season Chili

 At the prodding of my beautiful wife, and instead of the spaghetti I so wanted to make, allow me to present another version of one of our favorite winter classics. 

Into the 7 quart Crock Pot, go:

1/2 large carrot shredded

1 large white onion diced

1 green bell pepper diced

1/2 of a beefsteak tomato diced

3 cloves garlic minced

1 can Brooks Mild Chili Beans

1 can Kroger White Beans

1 can Kroger White Corn

1/4 oz can of Kroger tomato sauce

12 oz Miller Lite

2 cups of chicken broth, from a box

1 pretty good squirt of tomato paste

several dashes of Worcestershire sauce

1 squirt Dijon mustard

2 bone-in pork chops, cooked, seasoned, and diced into bite-size chunks

1 pound 80/20 ground beef, fully cooked and seasoned

1/2 pound pork sausage, freshly ground from our local Polly Market and fully cooked in a skillet

Seasoning: chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, paprika, garlic powder, ground black pepper

After the meat is cooked, everything goes into the slow cooker on high for the better part of the day for fullest amalgamation of flavors. At least three to four hours, and then turn it down to low for as long as you want to keep it warm. I add a couple of sliced chilis in mine when it's time to have a bowl, along with a small dollop of sour cream. Enjoy with your favorite cheese and bread.

 

 

Boccherini- (Master and Commander)

Don't Forget Your Old Shipmate - Master and Commander: The Far Side Of T...

#6 Michigan vs #8 Michigan State Highlights | College Football Week 9 | ...

PAUL BUNYON STAYS IN EAST LANSING!

 I'll say the exact same thing I said last year: once again, Sparty has over-achieved. 

Unbelievable the drama in this one, and I will not try to sum it up or make sense of it. I can only attest to the facts that I removed my brother's Spartan hat birthday gift from my noggin at halftime, and then prayed a rosary for our coaches and team members, and then quickly devoured a 64 ounce bag of Lays Cheddar potato chips. I cried every time Walker scored, and just now finished a deck-to-deck conversation with my Spartan neighbor. God is good, and we will praise His Name forever!

For the record, Michigan had drives of 22 yards, 55 yards, 54 yards, and 57 yards that ended in field goals. 

What Christmas is All About - A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Do you not just love little Linus here?? 

October 1993

 Watching Michigan at Wisconsin from 30 October 1993, and I couldn't remember the name of the Michigan quarterback in that game (Todd Collins). I began thinking back on what was going on in my life back then...

I think I had removed myself from television altogether by this point, so I surely wasn't watching too many games. I remember a conversation with my brother at about that time in my life, he told me that it was ok to watch college football - God told him so. Well, almost 30 years later, I am still taking that advice.

In the fall of 1993, I had just begun my first year teaching at the West Highland Christian Academy in Milford: advanced algebra, 'senior' math, boy's Bible, biology (the one I struggled most with), chemistry, and earth science - with those adorable 7th and 8th graders (the one I enjoyed the most :-). After school coaching for the winter season probably had not started yet, but oh was that to be an experience! 

I had been out of school for six years, living in Cousin Bob's 400 sf cottage on Bitten Lake in Hartland MI. The home had an upstairs with a shower and a huge closet; there was a front room on the main floor with nice windows that I had my desk in - for studying and correspondence. The sitting room had a fireplace, built-in wooden book cases, and French doors out to a screened-in patio partly over-looking the lake down the tree covered hill. 

I had made friends with many of the local kids in the neighborhood, and I remember many friendly snowball fights there. I did not eat the pears from the seven or eight trees on the property, and I did not fish the lake very often. I wrote music, and smoked cigarettes, and prepped nightly for my six classes. I remember being jealous of my cousin who taught AP Chemistry five hours a day in a big public school district. :-)

 

Recipe #4: Gameday Chili

 It has been a while since we had any version of chili in the Baldner home; with to-day's drippy 50's and college football the agenda, I thought it high time. The local Polly Market has these pork 'tenderloins' marked down to $2.49 a pound, but they're really two loins together mushed inside the plastic packaging to make it look like a tenderloin you could slice into chops, etc. I quartered lengthwise one of the loins and then diced it into bite size chunks, then marinated it over night in soy sauce and garlic. Oh how those two enhance the flavor of my favorite cut of protein! The last of our sweet bell peppers and a few slices of homegrown chilis round out this comfort food favorite.

To-day's ingredients:

1 lb 83% ground turkey

1 lb diced pork loin

2 small yellow onions diced

1 sweet bell pepper diced

several slices of pickled jalapeno, sans seeds

10 oz Miller Lite

1 ear of Bently Lake Farms sweet corn

1 can Kroger diced tomatoes

I can Kroger no salt black beans - rinsed and drained

1 can Brooks mild chili beans

1 squeeze of tomato paste

1 squirt yellow mustard

several dashes of Worcestershire

I started by cooking the meat, and adding to the crock pot on high everything else. I chose to not add any further seasoning to this batch, so the flavor of the meat and vegetables would be the focus.

 

I let it cook on high starting at about 9:00. Around 10 brought the first hints of that early melded flavor. By 12:30 I had to have a small bowl. Between the hours of 1 and 3 I put a good dent in the quantity. Pretty darn good.

While the chili was cooking, I warmed up the kitchen by baking a couple of our favorite baguette loafs. 

Praise be to God!

Do You Hear What I Hear

Lincoln Logs better than Legos

My neighbor is playing Jimmi Hendrix really loudly and that is an anomaly around here (the loud part, Hendrix not withstanding). I have been coming up with topics to write about of late and have not set down and done anything about it. Shame on me. It is high time.

Some folks in the neighborhood were selling Lincoln Logs for $5 and it triggered memories aplenty. I remember making cabins with windows and a sturdy green-planked roof with those - I loved how easily they would stack and fit together. These days, as I am morbidly obese and infirm, I only watch YouTube videos of Dave and Brooke doing this for real - they actually live in the homes they build - and long for the freedom and gonads to do just that. 

We have been blessed with hummingbirds galore these past few weeks, all frolicking around and drinking from our lone feeder. Male chasing male, female scolding female, one male doing the solo pirate mating dance, OH, we are seldom without our small winged chattering friends - praise be to God the Creator of all that is beautiful!

Earlier this afternoon I had my second follow-up visit with the wound and trauma folks at St Joseph in Ann Arbor. I received high marks for the daily care (thank you, Monica ;-) and for the healing progress. No more visits are necessary, they say; they do want to see a photo of the wound in two weeks. I am encouraged by the progress, and know that I must do my part to reduce the swelling in both legs.

I deposited two pounds of moth balls under our home near the bedroom, in hopes of repelling the obnoxiously loud rodent that frequents there. The naphthalene seems to have kept them out from under the bedroom, but I still hear them northward - under the second bedroom. I will order more come payday, and we will see if they are totally repelled. I have no idea what they (he/she/it) are doing, but it sounds like a morse code ticker immediately under the house. Obnoxious at 2:30 am, when I am typically trying to discern whether Lieutenant  Kendrick is showing any signs of remorse while perguring himself.

Sweetie is with Pops tonight; I have uploaded the documents requested to apply for financial aid for my recent three day 55k hospital bill. God, please provide, in Your mercy.

I have been so blessed to be able to pray daily (most days) the rosary, asking for intercession for all our family, friends, and neighbors. God is good - and I know He hears our prayers.

All in the family, Archie on Religion

Indigo Girls - 1989-08-31 Uptown Lounge, Athens, GA, USA ('Kid Fears' wi...

Pitch Perfect - Barden Bellas Final Performance (HD)

Pitch Perfect | clip - The Bellas remix Just the Way You Are

LEA MICHELE - 'AULD LANG SYNE' (NEW YEAR'S EVE)

Friday the 9th

 To-day's question of the day: Is my experience of God based more on knowing or on feeling? How might I begin to merge the two?

Wow! Two for one. Question!Question!, if you will. 

...I don't think I can offer a short answer for these. I don't even know if I can put into words an answer of any length at all... Am I making this deeper than it is??

I know, objectively, that God is. He is the First Cause. Everything that we know as 'the world' or 'the universe' was put into existence by Him. He was not created, His triune nature is unfathomable. He is. He was, and He is to come. There are none like Him. 

With respect to feelings, I must say I am cautious here. I know we are endowed with emotions and to try and separate us from these would be folly. But the emotions are not indicators of quantities of grace bestowed by God. We don't feel the best, when God is gracing us the most. It doesn't work like that. 

Feelings can be indicators of spiritual growth and even possession by the Spirit, but they aren't necessarily. Even when I feel that I deserve the weeping and gnashing of teeth Christ describes, I know objectively that I am a child of His, and He is waiting lovingly for me in the Sacraments - like the father of the son gone wild. But because I know this, it doesn't mean I will feel elated, or 'spirit-filled' or even joyful. 

To begin to merge the two, I must not be a slave to my emotions. I must remember what I know, and in the end, remember what I believe. He wants to commune with me much more than I could ever imagine wanting anything. I need to remember this. I need to remember who I am in Him, no matter how I feel.

To God be the glory.

Friday the 2nd of July 2021 - Called to Communion on EWTN

 

David Anders, worth heeding

https://www.ewtn.com/radio/podcasts/called-to-communion-~BT

 This guy told me his American Flags were stolen from his truck in South Lyon. Fuck the left. Fuck you Biden.

I give you now ... Peter, Paul, and Mary

Father's Day Stuffed Pork Loin

 I was blessed to be able to share this meal with mom and dad and my second favorite sister, who all live in Westland. It turned out sooo good, God be praised, and we all ate well.

4.5# Pork loin, butterflied and pounded senselessly

1/2 cup of bacon small pieces

8 oz mushrooms ruff chopped

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 bag of ruff chopped spinach

fresh parsley, rosemary, and thyme

3 oz cream cheese.

Cook the bacon

Add the mushrooms and onion

Add the herbs and spinach until it wilts. Remove from the fire and add cream cheese.

Butterfly the loin, cover it with plastic wrap, and beat it with the ugly stick

Smear on the stuffing; roll it and tie it up. An alternative is to wrap the loin in bacon slices. Mmm- mmmmm

You want the center to get up to 145 F before you take it off the grill; and then let it rest. I'd say it took overall about an hour, with indirect heat, and I used apple smoking chips for flavor. 

Thank You, Father, for providing us good food to share yestreday; we are so blessed! 

Thank You for a wonderful time with family; we are so blessed!

There is no god like You!

 A bit of reminiscing, as I put the finishing touches on Pops birthday tune...

Moni and I would do the prep work for the big family get-togethers at the lake back when we lived there; and then the folks would start showing up. When the Sanderson vehicle arrived, I would wait to see Brett Michael jump out and run full speed toward me. I'd go toward him then drop to my knees when we were close. He'd jump full speed into my arms. 'I love you little mister' I'd say; he'd reply 'I love you big mister' (ala Veggie Tales :-)

Thank you, Father, for those times ... 

 Just a quick post of what's been going on...

We are thankful we were able to stock up on our plant food, suet, and safflower seeds for the birds God blesses us with. The House Sparrow babies are getting large and I am hoping to catch them fly the coop to-day, if it pleases the LORD. We have paint ready for the deck and planter boxes, and the rearranging of the shade sale will be forthcoming. Burgers and dogs on the grill later to-day, hoping for a strong showing from my final starting pitcher facing the Tigers. Moni got some cute little red potatoes so maybe our first salad of the summer later as well. I am roughly halfway through That Hideous Strength and the plot is indeed beginning to thicken. Linda Ronstadt's biography is next. 

The weed killer from several years ago I've decided is no good, so we bought a fresh batch. For the myriad of poison ivy et al that have all but choked out our beautiful dappled willows.

I took a Fisherman's Friends tune and turned it into a birthday song for Pops about his Lakehouse and the blessing it has been to four generations now. 

I found a good pizza dough variation that gives a bit more air to the crust, and I will try it next time in my 'Detroit style' za. 

Forgive us, LORD, when we laugh like Abram and Sarai, at what You plan to do. Give us the grace to trust in You, Your Word, and Your Spirit as He guides us in all ways. Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. We surrender all to You; we give You dominion over all our relationships and comings and goings. In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; amen.

Fisherman's Friends Return

God's Well-tended Flock

From Loyola Press; today's retreat  

https://www.loyolapress.com/retreats/gods-well-tended-flock/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Your+3-Minute+Retreat+for++TODAY&utm_campaign=3-Minute+Retreat+Master+Template&vgo_ee=s7JCAbQkz9eBQRKOEJ1%2FewA3SuMkJhmkGexv49sZvNU%3D

Psalm 95:7

For this is our God,whose people we are, God's well-tended flock.Oh, that today you would hear his voice.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, leads us safely to the Father. With so many voices vying for our attention, hearing God's voice can be a challenge. We see Jesus' obedience to his parents, his faithfulness to the Ten Commandments, and his acceptance of his Father's will. Jesus leads us on a path to salvation. When we follow Jesus, we come to know more fully God's love for us. This, in turn, frees us to be more like Jesus.

In my day-to-day life what voices compete with the voice of Jesus the Good Shepherd?

How can I respond to those other voices?

(Speak to Jesus, using this prayer or one of your own.)

Good Shepherd of my life, lead me from death into life.

Amen.

 From my daily Loyola Press retreat: https://www.loyolapress.com/retreats/celebrating-eucharist/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Your+3-Minute+Retreat+for++TODAY&utm_campaign=3-Minute+Retreat+Master+Template&vgo_ee=s7JCAbQkz9eBQRKOEJ1%2FewA3SuMkJhmkGexv49sZvNU%3D

A Reflection by Pope Francis

It is not creativity, however pastoral it may be, or meetings or planning that ensures our fruitfulness, even if these are greatly helpful. But what ensures our fruitfulness is our being faithful to Jesus, who says insistently: “Abide in me and I in you” (John 15:4). And we know well what that means: to contemplate him, to worship him, to embrace him, in our daily encounter with him in the Eucharist, in our life of prayer, in our moments of adoration; it means to recognize him present and to embrace him in those most in need. “Being with” Christ does not mean isolating ourselves from others. Rather, it is a “being with” in order to go forth and encounter others.

---

Pope Francis

Pope Francis is the first Jesuit Pope, the first pope from the Americas, and his papacy is defined by his emphasis on mercy, service, and humility.

Port Isaac’s Fisherman’s Friends - Cousin Jack, Drunken Sailor, South Au...

 0859    Plop down in the chair, out of breath. I do have my mc coffee though. It is raining and 44 degrees. LORD, let me remember Who I serve and Who made me to be who I am, and the reason I am who I am. Thank You.

0915    Nothing urgently pressing for this morning, and the boss isn't here. I will play KISS loudly.

0916    I spoke too soon. I must play KISS not-so-loudly :)

0940    Had to pee

1015    I'm falling back into old habits. I have no web connection

1034    I am watching live cam streams from the ISS over North Atlantic

1155    Now I have The Reluctant Stowaway playing in the background

1410     Now listening to David Anders live on EWTN

1634    Now Mary Ann by Fisherman's Friends

Fisherman's Friends - Mary Anne

Man on Fire ...that was a smirk....

Fisherman's Friends - Sloop John B (Live at Cambridge Folk Festival 2011)

Bible Studies with Dave - John Mark

 I've been reading through the Acts of the Apostles, and wanted to finalise some notes I had been making (mostly mental) on people and places, and incorporate some of what I remember Chuck Swindoll telling me decades ago about John Mark. 

As far as we know, Mark the Evangelist never met Jesus the Christ in person. But he did spend much time with St Peter; in fact many believe his Gospel account has as a primary source Peter himself. 

At the time of Dr Luke's writing his two volume set of Luke/Acts, Mark's mother Mary had been hosting prayer meetings in her home for some time. Peter, after escaping from prison in Acts 12, heads to that home to let the brothers know he is alive and well. Later in that same chapter, Mark leaves with Barnabas and Saul on their next missionary trip, acting as a sort of scribe. For some reason though, Mark leaves the two senior apologists at Perga, and returns to Jerusalem.

As a result, Paul was steadfast in his rejection of John Mark for the next missionary journey. This caused Barnabas to take cousin Mark with him to Cyprus, while Paul took Silas to Derbe and Lystra.

Paul mentions John Mark at the end of his letter to the Colossians, including greetings from him, Justus, Epaphras, and Aristarchus.

Paul's final remarks in Philemon include greetings from Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, "my co-workers."

According to Tradition, John Mark was the first Bishop of the Church in Alexandria.

Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends - "Brightly Beams/Pull for the Shore"

Ruby Soho

Ring of Fire

Ball and Chain

Story of My Life

The State Of Massachusetts

Dropkick Murphys - I'm Shipping Up To Boston ..with lyrics

The Worst Day Since Yesterday

Sloop John Baldner

Singing after the last day of filming of the Fisherman's Friends Film

Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies (Official Video)

Dropkick Murphys - "Rose Tattoo" (Video)

Friday

 Interesting morning so far... woke up early and shared some conversation with my sweetie before braving the 42 degree windy rain Friday morning commute. Weird dreams for both of us, but mine I think were due to the Buddy's pizza I had on the brain as I drifted off last night.

Getting close to end of day and it has been a pretty crazy Friday. 

In the absence of Survivor, our LORD took me on a wonderful adventure

 I've been going through a time of spiritual uneasiness, with many contributing factors. I will save the discussion of those factors and their effects for another post. To-day at work I had to stop what I was doing a couple of times to ask for the grace to continue. I heard it over and over: 'You have no idea what I have in store for you.'

God is good, and He knows exactly what I need, and when I need it - praise His name!

I was mindlessly driving  home after five of the clock (not unlike the time I entered into a non-binding union with the lady from Downriver whose suv I sent spinning when she blew through the stop sign at Strawberry Lake Rd and Hamburg Rd) when there appeared a young man walking northward on Whitmore Lake Road right before Wynans. I passed him heading home southward; judging by the expression on his face, he didn't seem in discomfort or distress, but his pace was hurried and deliberate. Definitely not an evening power walk though, so my spirit was troubled. I only managed to get a quarter mile or so past before I turned around and headed back north to offer a ride. He was still walking on the right side of the road, and the guy behind me was turning left, so I was comfortable slowing, and then with the window down: 'Can I give you a ride somewhere?'

My appearance seemed to startle him, but he quite anxiously told me he was going south, 'anywhere south'. I said 'Well get in', not discerning yet that he wasn't walking south. I think he was blessed to be able to vent; about a divorce and property lost and violence and drinking - before it clicked in my pea brain that we were headed north. I told him this, and he mumbled something about a gps and stupid phone and we did a little hoorahing at the Lee Road roundabout and at long last accessed the ramp to US-23 south. (If you are not familiar with the Lee Road roundabout, you are most probably not from Livingston County, and that is all there is to it). 

I am not in the least bit uncomfortable picking up strangers ion my vehicle and helping them get closer to their destination. In fact, a couple years ago I picked up a kid hitching at that same roundabout; he was headed to Ann Arbor to panhandle on the highway. To-day, though, Will was headed down to Illinois to spend some time with his brother and clear his head of recent events. I knew I couldn't have gotten him all that way, but I wanted to put at least a good bit of scenery in his rear view before dark. We chatted and shared stories and the drive to Napoleon in Ohio went pretty quick. I bought him a quick burger, game him my cross and a couple bucks for the travels and he texted me so I'd have his number.

Nice kid, I wish him all the best; I have added him to my morning prayer list. 

The drive home was uneventful. In fact, from the State line to Ann Arbor, I passed very few vehicles. As I neared the now familiar territory, I thought of Saline Rd Buddy's only briefly - once the cold sweats past I was fine into the last quarter hour of my three hour journey. 

I have never every given someone a ride and regretted it. The most rewarding ones are when I go out of the way to help someone get somewhere. I know what it's like, as I told Will, to be stuck somewhere and need a lift, or a tow, or a hand out of a snowbank. I thank our Father in heaven for the chance (that I could have very easily missed) to pay it forward just a bit. 

The Big Lebowski Jesus Scene (HD 720p)

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RUN DMC - Mary, Mary (Video)

The Monkees - Mary Mary 1967

The Monkees - She

The Monkees Valerie (HQ Audio)

World Without End

a rhyme

 covid covid kiss my ass

take your fearmongering and facemasks and shove them up your ass

biden and all you stupid fucks supporting them kiss my ass

take your government control and freebies and shove them up your ass

Heart - Alone (Official Music Video)

Green Day - Basket Case [Official Music Video]

Fun Boy Three - Our Lips Are Sealed

The Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed (Official Music Video)

catch the spirit

 This got me thinking back to high school, when I worked at Little Caesars on Grand River and Warwick in Detroit. This was a restaurant, a 'parlour' - we served a full menu along with beer and wine, and of course the 'Pizza Pizza'. This song was popular in the summer of '81, when I graduated, and worked many long summer days making pizza trying save money for college. (I did not save much, but that story is told in another tale.) 

I worked with several friends from school, and we got along well with the crew from Redford and Cooley. We joked and laughed and threw doughballs at the appropriate times and seasoned each others break-time personal pizza with hot pepper flakes, but we were all good at getting a quality product to the dazzling urbanite consumers. 

We sang this song with the radio (we had no piped in satellite music back then - it was an actual plugged in device that picked up electronic signals via frequency modulation and converted it into Rush; and Styx, and The Police, and The Cars, and The Who, and Led Zeppelin, and Cheap Trick and Kiss :-)  what you say about this company is what you say about society.

 

We are experiencing the most wonderful evening conditions these last couple of days. Right now at about an hour before dusk, there is not much of a breeze and the air temp is about 60 degrees Fahrenheit. I have already after work paid some bills, made some donations, and purchased goods via Amazon. What a phenom that has become! So simple and convenient.

Our weekend excursion to Livonia was a complete bust, other than the triumphant ending at Taco Bell and Buddy's - what a combination! Our drive home was enjoyed in a carb-induced fog. But our stimulus is arrived and therefore we'll be putting our kitchen floor in and trimming out the rest of the kitchen/hallway. An exciting time here, to be sure.

Work sucks, I know.

Special teams go with Farmer Fran do some laps.

For Moni's birthday we celebrated with a carry out from Dragon Court. It had been a long while and we were more than ready. The phone call to order reminded me of some picture dialogue from a few years back:

 From St. Ignatius:

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O lord, I return it. All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and Thy grace, for this is sufficient for me.

Happy Easter from Loyola Press

 —Excerpted from "Six Characteristics of Ignatian Courage" by Lisa Kelly

Courage is birthed in encounter with the other.

The things we do to put ourselves out there and get recognition for ourselves are at best gutsy; only our reputation and ego are on the line. But when we move beyond our comfort zone of individualism to encounter another, seeing the needs of others and realizing we have the potential to sustain them in some way, true courage is born.

Buddy's

 Best pizza in the universe.

Fast forward to 6MARCH2021, in the thick of the chinavirus scare... we were shopping at Ollies in Ypsi this morning and I noticed we were done by 10:30 on a Saturday. I saw we only needed a half hour to kill, so we made our way over to the Ann Arbor Buddy's and ordered one to go. Large Super is now called 8 square 6 Mile. Whatever you call it, oh my buds are spewing forth saliva at the thought! So many places serving pizza in 2021: traditional, 'NY style', round, square, 'deep dish', 'Detroit style', cheese crust, carmelised cheese, blah blah blah. There is no pie comparable to Buddy's. Period. (Or, we used to say 'word'.) 

Original - tastes like it did when friends and I used to hang out on Plymouth Road at the Livonia Buddy's in the early 90's, and not at all unlike the ones Dad used to bring home from Conant and 6 when we were little tykes in the early 70's. 

Ollies was fun with my bride, but thank you to Buddy's for making our trip to Washtenaw County a 10+ on this cool sunny spring day!

Arts and Faith: Second Sunday of Lent, Cycle B

Zuccarelli’s “Landscape with the Transfiguration of Christ”

Pitch Perfect 2 Snoop Dogg singing scene

Reggie

Is This Country Song Racist? - Key & Peele

 

 

 

Johnny Cash Reads The Bible: John Chapter 17

Listen to how JC raises his voice in the climax of this wonderful chapter.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

LIVE: PRESIDENT TRUMP FAREWELL ADDRESS TO THE NATION 1/19/21

[Family Guy] The Rose - driving song

Recipe # 217: Chicken Alfredo Lower Michigan Style

 Wednesday night, no Survivor, and I wanted to try something new in the kitchen. I had some boneless chicken fingers ready in the fridge, and a half pint of mushrooms screaming 'EAT US!'.

1.5# 3” boneless chicken cutlets

2 tbs EVOO

1 small white onion rough chopped

seasoned with garlic power, ground black pepper, and garden herbs

½ c butter

1 ½ cups heavy whip cream

2 tbs minced garlic

8 oz sliced mushrooms

¼ tsp ground pepper

2 cups Parmesan cheese

4 oz wheat linquine

2 quart water for boiling.

I cooked the seasoned chicken in my favorite T-fal skillet until they were all 150+ and set them aside.

I started the noodles – these only need 7 minutes at a roll for al dente.

Next, in my Cooks Essentials stainless 12 inch pan, I started the sauce: first the butter and cream until the butter melted, along with the sliced mushrooms and garlic. I added a bit of ground pepper here as well.

A couple minutes on a medium fire and then I added the Parmesan cheese. This, I must add, made the dish taste a bit more salty than we would have liked; as I used the processed Parmesan you sprinkle on spaghetti.

I then added the cooked chicken and let it all simmer for a couple minutes, until the chicken was good and hot again.

Over the noodles, this chicken and sauce mixture is true comfort food; desirous on this the 13^th of January in mid-latitudes Northern hemisphere. I am headed back for a second low-fat, low-carb, low salt bowl; I am only sorry I took no photos.

May our LORD bless you and keep you steadfast in His peace and joy; alleluia!

Musings on the possible thoughts of Judas Iscariot, based on the text of Sacred Scripture's Gospel of St Matthew.

More teaching, more stories, more parable, more teaching, foolish virgins, bury the talent, sheep and goats, …

At Bethany, what a waste of resources!

I will use my talents to serve the Priests. 'What would you give me if I hand Him over to you?'

The price of a slave.

I will bide my time.

Evening at the Passover meal.'One of you will betray me.'

Might He possibly know? Have I been spied upon and found out?!?

'Surely it is not I, Lord?, surely it is not I?' they all repeat.

'The one who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one...'

…?

To appear chaste: 'Surely it is not I, Rabbi?'

'You have said so.'

…

'You have said so'?? I 'have said so'?? No I haven't really said so; I was merely asking, not unlike all the others...

And now He appears almost kingly, priestly; yet still with great humility. He blesses the bread, breaks it, and offers it to each of us: 'Take and eat, this is my body.'

'This is my body'?? What would Moses, or the priests have to say about such verbiage during this sacred meal?? Does He not blaspheme?!? What can it mean??

And yet, still He continues with the chalice:'Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.'

FFS can we just sing a hymn and be done?!?Nobody knows what He is talking about, and some are already beginning to nod off!

Finally, the Meal is finished, and we head toward the Mount of Olives.

Yet He continues this incessant prophetic babbling: 'This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written:

“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed”;

but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.'

Thinking back, I do believe that my faith has been shaken for some time now...

But hoi! Hear Peter: 'Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be.'

Bumbling arrogant fisherman: 'Mine will never be'!

Ha, and His reply? 'Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times.'

Still holding on to his zeal and fidelity, Peter retorts, 'Even though I should have to die with You, I will not deny You.'

'Nor I, Lord.', 'Nor I, Lord.' echo the rest (who aren't yet sleeping)...

The master went on with the others to Gethsemane, I quietly left and found a small angry crowd gathering outside of the temple. The chief priests and elders were there reminding the fake witnesses what to say, and passing out clubs. At the appointed time, I led the throng back to Gethsemane, looking for the One I was to betray with a kiss.

There He is: 'Hail, Rabbi!'; and then the kiss.

There was no affection in my kiss, although, somehow, I wanted there to be.

His next words haunted me afterward – not just the words, but the manner in which they were spoken: with a knowing peace that passes all understanding: 'Friend, do what you have come for.'

I did not have time then to mull on any of this: at this point there was a brief skirmish, and those with clubs and torches laid hands on Him. In response, one of His faithful companions drew a sword, and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear.

Again, His reply was baffling: 'Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you not think that I cannot call upon my Father and He will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?'

'Twelve legions of angels'? Who could ever claim this type of authority?

…

Have I made a mistake??

But He continued, ' Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize Me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest Me. But all this has come to pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.'

We all forsook Him then. We all ran and hid – some far, some not so far; some fearful of local jurisdictions and temporal retribution, but others, mainly myself, now fearful of having committed far worse transgression: betrayal of the Son of God.

He was sent to Caiaphas, where more false witnesses accused Him.

Why did they need false witnesses?

Surely this Man has committed grievous blasphemy and deserves death!! Surely!!! 

(Though it would ease my conscience, but I begin to think it may not be true.)

He was abused, and did not retort. He was jeered and slapped and punched and spit upon... must it be this way?

In the morning, the entire council convened one last time with one purpose: to make sure this Man was condemned to death.

…

My heart is heavy, and I cannot bear it. In His last words to me, He called me 'friend'. Knowing my purpose, and knowing His plight, still He called me 'friend'.

Even then.

My heart is heavy, and I cannot bear it. Could I ever make recompense? Could I ever un-do what I have done?!?

How could I make recompense?!? How might I repent??

…

Perhaps I will find the chief priests and elders, and return their money; … and my heart will not have this guilt to bear. My heart will not be heavy, even though I know I still have played a major part in this Man's demise. The price of a slave will be returned, and I will no longer be their slave!

I will no longer cry out inside begging for forgiveness. Yes...

'I have sinned in betraying innocent blood'

'What is that to us? Look to it yourself.'

I probably could have predicted that. They care not, as long as this Man is done away with.

I tossed the bag of silver into the temple and left. But the sorrow and grief remain – there is no solace, there is no repose.

What have I done?!?

There is no solace, there is no repose.

My heart is heavy, and I cannot bear it...

Lost In Space - Dr. Smith lets The Keeper's monsters go!!

'I will need time to study the controls'

Recipe # 3: New Years Backstrap

 

This dish is made possible by my buddy Doug's venison and a variation on a recipe from Malcolm Reed (https://howtobbqright.com/).

1 # thick sliced bacon

1 venison backstrap

1/3 of a brick of cream cheese

1/2 of a small white onion diced

1/2 of a green pepper diced

4 oz mushroom diced

tbs dried parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

I started by adding the vegetables and herbs to the softened cream cheese and combining well. With a sharp knife I butterflied the loin making a pocket for the stuffing. 

The cream cheese mixture goes in the pocket, and then the bacon wraps up the meat into a nice package. 

I kept the grilling temperature up between 350 and 400 and let the meat cook indirectly for about thirty minutes. The air temperature was right at 30 and we had freezing rain/snow/sleet falling throughout the cooking process, but our proven Char-Griller was up to the task. 

The bacon was cooked but not crispy, and the internal meat temp got right up to 130 - good for medium rare.

I let the meat rest under foil for about twenty minutes, then sliced between the bacon for perfect little stuffed steaks. The result was the absolute best loin I've ever cooked. Moist and tender, the cream cheese and bacon stuffing complemented the meat flavor so that there was not even a hint of the gamey taste so many folks lament. Melt in your mouth goodness. 

Thank You, Father, for another wonderful meal. Thank You for always providing more than we could ever need - You are indeed benevolent! All glory and honor and praise to You - eternal Father, Son, and Spirit!