Via de Cristo!

 

Good New Via de Cristo Weekend #53 will be 10 - 13 October 2013, at Bethel Lutheran Church, 26400 Little Mack, St Clair Shores MI 48081.
Please pray that the hearts of the Participants would be open to God's grace and love during these three days.

Marvelous Monday!!

We were blessed in southeastern lower Michigan with a warm, sunny weekend yet again!
The beauteous thing about this time of year is that even though it gets warm during the day and the sun beats down on my vinyl drivers seat in my Ranger and when I get in after work I let out a pathetic yelp as the fabric of my shirt pulls up and hot vinyl meets lower back, the nights are still cool!! And I do not mean cool as in hip or awesome. I mean temps down into the 50s (or even 60s, as is predicted for the first part of this week), wet grass and car windows in the morning, along with the sun that makes it tough to drive in the morning.

MSU opens up NEXT FRIDAY against Western Michigan and, although I am a WMU alumnus, I'm rooting for that elusive perfect season and BSC Championship! (http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/msu-m-footbl-body.html)

We had our GNVDC #53 first team meeting this past Saturday - great group of guys who I'm looking forward to getting to know. The weekend is 10-13 October in St. Clair Shores; we are in prayer for the Participants, that their heart would be open to God's grace throughout these three days. (http://gnvdc.org/)

The bedroom/bathroom/closet project is coming along well, albeit not as fast as my beautiful wife would have it. I'm moving from the bathroom into the bedroom: painting walls, trimming in natural pine, fixing up the sub-floor and installing carpet.(photos to come)

Our beloved Tigers just completed a five game home series with Kansas City and are in first place, 7 games up on Cleveland and 8.5 up on KC. They have the best record in the AL and only Atlanta in the NL has a better win percentage. This has not been the case in recent Tigers-history; they've always been fighting for a wild card spot and just happy to be in the playoffs, if they got there. This year, they're fighting for home field advantage throughout the playoffs (World Series home field has already been provided by the American League sluggers in the All-Star Game!).
Miggy is five homers behind Chris Davis in Baltimore and his numbers are better than last years MVP/Triple Crown season. It's a great time to be a fan, Mario Impemba notwithstanding. (tigers.com)

LGDT!!

Put the phone away

Ponder, if you will

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1g3Y2y89EU&utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer689c6&utm_medium=twitter

Wonderful Wednesday!!

Sunny and 56 degrees on this summer/fall morning!!! Low lazy cumulus clouds drifting through the blue blue sky... Football time! Cool nights, the smell of wood fire in the air, folks wearing sleeves and pants, ... is that one of many adults I hear warning Ralphie that he'll shoot his eye out?!?
But i do get carried away...

Our first meeting for the GNVDC Men's Fall #53 is this weekend, Sierra the Malamute (below) gets her rabies shot and registration tomorrow, Moni's flying to Wyoming to see the grandbabies in a couple weeks,

two nephews of our have purchased new football cleats moved into their respective dorms (Brett M at Adrian College [go 'Dogs!] and Kenny attempting to walk-on at Alabama [roll Tide!]), and we are shifting the dinner paradigm from 'on the grill' to 'in the crock pot' (It must be pointed out here that this, in and of itself, is not a true indicator of season. I love to grill all year round, as long as i can shovel our Michigan snow off the grill cover. My beautiful wife would make beef, carrots, and potatoes in the crock pot twice a week if I let her.)

One thing that still yells 'Summer!' is the color. Green leaves, oh so green; yes living, breathing stomata-green leaves everywhere!! My wife said she saw some hints of fall colors as she drove south earlier in the week and the burning bushes in our yard are showing shades of that defining brick-red, but still the vast bulk of the foliage remains vividly green.

Dear Philip Douglas Coke,

You are a nice person but please don't take the baseball from Jimmy Smokes anymore.

OK?

Thanks.

... And then the Week

And so to work after a productive weekend...it is raining here in Livingston County, MI. I started some of the finish work in the back bathroom and am ready to finally tackle the adjoining bedroom. Need to update sub-floor, remove old trim, paint all walls and ceiling, add new moldings/trim out windows, install carpet and padding. It's going to be so homey back there after all these months (two years!!) of just using the room for storage and the cat litter. Praise God for providing the wisdom, motivation, and materials!
Tonight the Home Depot for some more bathroom trim (five outer corner moldings and one inner corner, and ceiling trim). Tigers at 8:10 in Chicago and leftovers for dinner.

Guide me, Father, through my work at work and my work at home; empower me with Your Spirit so that I would make decisions that please you. Be with Moni's mom today while she undergoes all these tests.

Thank You LORD.
 

Enter the Weekend!

It was a tough week here in Whitmore Lake, Michigan: stomach flu, extreme tension in the office, ran out of cat food, the Tigers sweep of the Indians in Cleveland... i'm thankful it's finally Friday and I do indeed thank God!

Lord of lords,
Thank You for bringing us through another work week. Thank You for meeting all our needs: physical, financial, spiritual, emotional. Thank You for the weekend that we are entering into right now - please guide us to use our time wisely and our resources for Your greater glory. Help me to be intentional regarding the project I'm finishing up in the back bedroom; give me wisdom and vision to accomplish this. Bind us together with ties that cannot be broken: a chord of three strands is strong!!!
We love You, Father; we praise You; we bless You, we worship You, we glorify You. 
Bring me back to my processor chair on Monday morning with renewed vigour to serve as You lead me. 
Bless also the new cursillistas from LVCCM #80; bless them and protect them from the evil one. 
Thank You, Lord, for Your goodness.
Amen

Happy Birthday Little Brother!

G Bro and his main man Joshua

Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now

Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now
 Our hearts in true devotion bow.
Your Spirit send with light divine,
And let your truth within us shine.

Unseal our lips to sing your praise
In endless hymns through all our days;
Increase our faith and light our minds;
And set us free from doubt that blinds.

Then shall we join the hosts that cry,
"O holy, holy Lord Most High!"
And in the light of that blest place
We then shall see you face to face.

All glory to the Father, Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One!
To you, O blessed Trinity,
Be praise throughout eternity!

Hymn # 201 from Lutheran Worship
Author: Cantionale Germanicum
Tune: Herr Jesu Christ, Dich Zu Uns Wend
1^st Published in: 1648

What an Awesome God we serve!

No Run DMC rhyme this; more like Garrison Keillor on a Saturday afternoon ...


They showed up early Thursday night
The look upon the faces: fright!
Sung to, clapped for, and herded in
'Please sit down, we will now begin'

Silence now, let's go to bed
Questioning thoughts within their heads
Morning chapel, the Chicken song
Will the line for breakfast be very long?

Sing a song, hear a talk
Take some notes, take a walk
Good food, nice people, this could be cool
'Be on time' was the only rule

Share your poster with group
Tortilla wrap, potato soup
The Last Supper came, then sang the gals
Attempts to hide tears from pals

Lots of hugs and laughs and smiles
With God convicting all the while
Long days, good talk, and lemonade
Bathroom breaks and friendships made

Notes from loved ones warmed the heart
New crosses define the role, the part
Before we go, we sing and pray
With tons of people - what the hay!?!

We take our flowers,give hugs of love
Then, thanking God in heav'n above
For all the blessings of the day;
We leave the Weekend, and start 4th Day

Graces of God, big ones and small
Enable, empower the Good in us all
Study, Action and Piety
The three-legged stool: stability!

  GOD LOVES YOU AND SO DO I!!

In His Time...

In His time, in His time
He makes all things beautiful in His time

LORD please show me every day
As You're teaching me the way
That You do just what You say 
In Your time.

In Your wisdom, guide and protect us as we walk hand in hand with Jesus
Strengthen us, fill us with Your Spirit so full that we would only seek to serve You, in all we do.

Glory to God in the highest!!

 

 

God Loves You and So Do I!!

The LVCCM #80 Men's weekend starts tomorrow and i'm quite excited to see what crazy things the Holy Spirit will be doing in the hearts of His pilgrims. Please join us in prayer - that the candidates would be open and receptive to the Cursilo method and God's graces. Thank you and God bless!

Come Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of Your faithful
And kindle in us the fire of your love. Sen forth Your Spirit
And we shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.

Oh God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructs the hearts of the faithful,
Grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise
And ever rejoice in His consolations. 

Through Christ our Lord, 
Amen

Good night

George Winston The Holly and The Ivy right now, actually his entire December album is running on Youtube whilest I apologise (not '...you shoot me in a dream, you better wake up and apologise', but defense of the faith apologies), tweet, and in general, wind down before bed.

Father,
Thank You for teaching me so much to-day
Thank You for loving me so much that You won't let me stay stuck in my mediocrity 
Grant us rest of mind and body tonight, and bring us to the morning refreshed and ready to serve
May our expressions of love be rooted in Christ Jesus, and performed that You would be glorified.
All praise to You, honor and praise and worship.
Amen

 

Praise God - He is Worthy!

The day begins with the cool 'football weather' temps. The morning birds, drawn to break their fast with sunflower seeds and gather in the dappled willows, I can hear as they join in the song of all Creation. The hummer wth the red neck-tie even squeaks and tweets in between tiny sips of sugar water.

I hear the faint rumble of the trucks on the pavement far away
They're going to their destination, they won't bother me to-day

 In His mercy, God has allowed me another day in paradise, another morning filled with quiet song before the duties of the day become the focus. 

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the word

 

Consider this, if you will

What is love? 
 
Love is the free self-giving of the heart.

To have a heart full of love means to be so pleased with something that one emerges from oneself and devotes oneself to it. A musician can devote himself to a masterpiece. A kindergarten teacher can be there wholeheartedly for her charges. In every friendship there is love. The most beautiful form of love on earth, however, is the love between man and woman, in which two people give themselves to each other forever. All human love is an image of divine love, in which all love is at home. Love is the inmost being of the Triune God. In God there is continual exchange and perpetual self-giving. Through the overflowing of divine love, we participate in the eternal love of God. The more a person loves, the more he resembles God. Love should influence the whole life of a person, but it is realized with particular depth and symbolism when man and woman love one another in marriage and become “one flesh” (Gen 2:24).


Reprinted from Catechism in a Year (http://www.flocknote.com/catechism)

Recipe #4

This is almost too simple to call it a real 'recipe' but I so thoroughly enjoyed this last night (and again to-day for lunch) that I'm actually typing it out...

I started with about 2 pounds of chicken breasts from my local market. I was on the way home from work last night and I knew we had a big salad that I could add some grilled chicken to. I didn't want to wait for a marinade to work on the meat so I seasoned them and just let them rest at room temp until the coals were ready. I used a generous dousing of Private Selections garlic/black pepper grinder that i bought from Kroger, and rosemary that i harvested about two weeks ago, let dry for about a week, then placed in my spice jars from the dollar store. I don't use a thermometer normally for chicken, but I cooked these six breasts over direct heat for about a half hour total. I moved to the second shelf (bun warmer) rack as the skin was getting browned sufficiently and these were still quite juicy.

If you're a 'list' person and don't need the commentary, here's the bare-bones recipe:

Bone-in chicken breasts
Fresh ground pepper and garlic
Dried rosemary

Grill for 15 minutes direct then flip once. Cook to 160 degrees. Let chicken rest under tented tin foil for a couple minutes. Eat.

{What follows is my narrative on seasoning meat and fish for grilling:}

For years, I would use salt, pepper, and seasoning salt (Lawrey's) and garlic salt to season everything. There was nothing else (unless I was making spaghetti, and I used 'Italian Seasoning').
Salt became a public enemy so I deleted it and changed the garlic salt to garlic powder. 
Then, as I matured as a cooker, I discovered herbs and fresh garlic, wonder of wonders!
Now, I grow and cook with sage, parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, chives, and dill.
The dill and chives give that perfect flavor to my potato salad, and I use the basil for amazing bruschetta. The sage I use mostly at Thanksgiving time for the bird and also in my stuffing.
And, to my wife's dismay, I like to experiment alot!

Almighty Father~
Please forgive my hypocrisy, my Holy Joe attitude, my vain attempts at seeking glory, when You and You alone deserve all the glory. Touch my heart with your perfect hand, remove the sin-blackened self-stain there and infuse Your Spirit to rule and reign there. 
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Please melt me, LORD, no matter how much I scream or resist; HAVE YOUR WAY WITH ME!
I don't want to run my way any more.
I want Your way: Truth and Life.
I want YOU, more of YOU.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit - Amen

 

LVCCM #80

Midland, Michigan's Trinity Lutheran Church will host the upcoming cursillo weekends sponsored by the Lutheran Via de Cristo of Central Michigan (lvccm.org). The men's weekend is 1 - 4 August, 2013 and I am blessed to be sitting at the Table of Muchacho! An entire host of characters (and I mean characters!), including Mark, Chuck, George, Dave, and Murphy, will be joining me as we serve these candidates on their 3-day pilgrimage. Please pray for these brothers, that our LORD would speak to us in new and wonderful ways, while changing our hearts - all for His glory!!

'All in color, and so must all love be of every bright color to make my heart cry'

Monday Morning Offering

King of Creation,
We offer you all the joys, hardships, trials, and triumphs of this day. We seek Your guidance through every decision, we call upon Your good Spirit to live and love through us.
I pray this morning for my beautiful bride; that You would keep her safe, cool, and hydrated in this Michigan heat to-day.
I pray for all our family members in the various states they live in; that You would be with them in every circumstance. Protect them, keep them safe, bring them closer to You.
I pray for the candidates who will encounter You on LVCCM #80. Prepare their hearts for Your message, protect their families in their absence, and bring each one into a closer walk with You.
Father, so many of us can talk about spiritual things: Jesus, trust, Your will, Your plan, ... but sometimes we have a hard time actually living out our faith. In those times, Lord, grant us extra graces to over come our self-ishness, and the wiles of the enemy. 
Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Amen
 

Even though I don't conciously do so,

I keep records of my moods, my temperamental tastes, my passing fancies - with 'bookmarks' and 'favorites'.

In the Firefox browser i am currently typing in, I am able to see a collection of snapshots from the various phases i've gone through for the last year at work. The prayer sites, the FHA sites, the music videos, the market indexes, the underwriting guidelines, ... each group sums up what I thought was so important at that particular time in my life.

And so it is with Mozilla at home: music, sports, movies, scripture, church calendar, hummingbird habits, the best soil for my basil, msu football, ...
Almost as revealing as a diary, it is.