From this article - freebeacon.com/issues/menendez-calls-chain-migration-obscene-dehumanizing-term-month-after-using-it - comes the sad news that we, human beings, are hypocrites:
I didn't put this on the "Get Your Political Opinions 4.0" page because today is Ash Wednesday and it's the beginning of Lent. Jesus spent his time on Earth with the hypocrites. See the connection?
Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Thursday, November 2, 2017
A Bit Longer than Lent
So many hopefully great movies will be released in the next 44 days!
In chronological order, I am excited to see "Thor: Ragnorak" in the theater.
A couple of weeks later, the "Justice League" movie opens on November 15th! AWESOME Sauce!
And then we get to the big one. Every time I see any trailer for "The Last Jedi," whether it is the first or fiftieth time, my heart swells in anticipation. Of the three in this post, I fully admit that "The Last Jedi" has caused me the most excitement. I won't be a 'crazy Star Wars fan' who camps outside the theater on opening day, but before it leaves the theater, I will see it. The movie opens on December 15, 2017, a short 44 days from now.
I was anxious to listen to what Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, has to say.
I'm pretty sure I've used the fact that a movie opens around 40 days from the day I posted in other posts, but if the religious analogy works, work it! <grin>
In chronological order, I am excited to see "Thor: Ragnorak" in the theater.
A couple of weeks later, the "Justice League" movie opens on November 15th! AWESOME Sauce!
And then we get to the big one. Every time I see any trailer for "The Last Jedi," whether it is the first or fiftieth time, my heart swells in anticipation. Of the three in this post, I fully admit that "The Last Jedi" has caused me the most excitement. I won't be a 'crazy Star Wars fan' who camps outside the theater on opening day, but before it leaves the theater, I will see it. The movie opens on December 15, 2017, a short 44 days from now.
I was anxious to listen to what Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, has to say.
I'm pretty sure I've used the fact that a movie opens around 40 days from the day I posted in other posts, but if the religious analogy works, work it! <grin>
Monday, March 20, 2017
Spring Break 2017 - A Recap and News
This was taken as we passed through Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, 3/15/2017, en route to the Twin Cities & the Mall of America.
Spring Break 2017 was great. Spent time with family in the car. Played a game where one person names a band and the next person names a band that ends with the previous band so if Person A says, "KISS," Person B could say, "Shinedown," and Person C could say "Nazareth." It was surprising how many band names Alex and Megan knew. Karen didn't play because she didn't think she would know many bands but she did.
On the way back from the Twin Cities, there was a stop at Karen's brother's band's gig at Lofty's. It was a big place. We left Waterloo ~10:30 and arrived home around midnight.
As for this blog, the Inbox is flooded with emails. There are 789 unread emails and 286 of them are in the Inbox, which means I need new rules in Outlook to handle those 286 emails and to move them to specific folders. As the 789 unread emails are reduced, I am sure there will be multiple posts on this blog.
There is one more thing to note about Spring Break 2017. Cell phone ceased working and went into a reboot cycle. After a trip to US Cellular, then to Digital Docs, and a phone call to LG technical support, the cell phone is going to Fort Worth, TX, later today for motherboard repairs that will take 7-9 days. As noted previously, not using a cell phone was given up for Lent - it's like God is telling me that's a good idea. A ballpark 'return to me' date is the Friday prior to Palm Sunday. That is okay...
From a year ago...
Time flies...
Spring Break 2017 was great. Spent time with family in the car. Played a game where one person names a band and the next person names a band that ends with the previous band so if Person A says, "KISS," Person B could say, "Shinedown," and Person C could say "Nazareth." It was surprising how many band names Alex and Megan knew. Karen didn't play because she didn't think she would know many bands but she did.
On the way back from the Twin Cities, there was a stop at Karen's brother's band's gig at Lofty's. It was a big place. We left Waterloo ~10:30 and arrived home around midnight.
As for this blog, the Inbox is flooded with emails. There are 789 unread emails and 286 of them are in the Inbox, which means I need new rules in Outlook to handle those 286 emails and to move them to specific folders. As the 789 unread emails are reduced, I am sure there will be multiple posts on this blog.
There is one more thing to note about Spring Break 2017. Cell phone ceased working and went into a reboot cycle. After a trip to US Cellular, then to Digital Docs, and a phone call to LG technical support, the cell phone is going to Fort Worth, TX, later today for motherboard repairs that will take 7-9 days. As noted previously, not using a cell phone was given up for Lent - it's like God is telling me that's a good idea. A ballpark 'return to me' date is the Friday prior to Palm Sunday. That is okay...
From a year ago...
Time flies...
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Silence for 47 Days
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday which means, yes, another Lenten season is upon us. I am trying something new. I have turned off my cell phone and will leave it off until Easter Monday. Yes, I realize you may have no idea if that is a "big" deal or not, but yeah, it kind of is, to me. I have been told I am on my cell phone "too much" and so, I think, turning it off for Lent is a good thing. In fact, I know it's a good thing because, in comparison, I know that I will not look at it during the workday. I also know that I will not have the temptation to look at it for updates about sports, entertainment, or political news when I could be spending that time with my undivided attention focused on my family.
I am not a holier than thou kind of guy, but I did have a revelation last night. After Karen, Alex, and I attended 6 PM Mass for Ash Wednesday (I played drums), we went to Culver's for supper. When I went to get ketchup, after giving Alex his drink cup, I noticed the people in the booths as I walked by. Families, couples - it didn't matter who it was - all had their cell phones out. In one booth, Person A was showing Person B something on Person A's cell phone; in another, a dad and two teenagers all had their cell phones out. Again, I'm not holier than thou, preaching "all cell phones are inherently evil" and "what has our society become when we'd rather look at a cell phone than each other" to anyone reading this.
But it did make me pause.
And think.
Not using my cell phone for 47 days (Wednesday, March 1, through Monday, April 16) is something I can do. In the BIG picture, Jesus was tempted by the devil for 40 days. He was told, every day, by Satan, that he could 'get out' of his torture by committing a sin and putting another God before 'the REAL God' but Jesus didn't. I'm certainly not Jesus - not in any shape or form, but the suffering Jesus went through for me and the fact that he died to take away my sins puts a silent cell phone into perspective.
At least for me.
I liked today's Thought for the Day (source:https://www.thoughtfortoday.org.uk/on-becoming-tolerant/)
I am not a holier than thou kind of guy, but I did have a revelation last night. After Karen, Alex, and I attended 6 PM Mass for Ash Wednesday (I played drums), we went to Culver's for supper. When I went to get ketchup, after giving Alex his drink cup, I noticed the people in the booths as I walked by. Families, couples - it didn't matter who it was - all had their cell phones out. In one booth, Person A was showing Person B something on Person A's cell phone; in another, a dad and two teenagers all had their cell phones out. Again, I'm not holier than thou, preaching "all cell phones are inherently evil" and "what has our society become when we'd rather look at a cell phone than each other" to anyone reading this.
But it did make me pause.
And think.
Not using my cell phone for 47 days (Wednesday, March 1, through Monday, April 16) is something I can do. In the BIG picture, Jesus was tempted by the devil for 40 days. He was told, every day, by Satan, that he could 'get out' of his torture by committing a sin and putting another God before 'the REAL God' but Jesus didn't. I'm certainly not Jesus - not in any shape or form, but the suffering Jesus went through for me and the fact that he died to take away my sins puts a silent cell phone into perspective.
At least for me.
I liked today's Thought for the Day (source:https://www.thoughtfortoday.org.uk/on-becoming-tolerant/)
When someone disbelieves us, we usually argue back and try to prove our point. Yet we find that the more we talk, the less people listen. Unable to convince them, we end up frustrated.
Instead, when someone challenges my words, I should think about whether they might be right. Rather than stubbornly clinging to my point of view, I could embrace this as an opportunity to learn. Even if I am correct in my thinking, if I become able to understand someone else’s point of view without getting angry or refusing to listen, I become tolerant.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
My Plan for Lent
Just for the record, today, 2/28/20117, is the last day I'm going to use my cell phone until 4/17/2017 (Easter Monday). Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and so, for Lent, the phone is being shut off and put aside. Time I would have spent looking at political stories (even for this blog) or Metallica stories are going to be pushed out of my spare time. Some people give up chocolate - yeah, that's never worked for me - or caffeine - again, that's never worked for me - but I remember Karen saying last year that this year I should give up my cell phone. I've pondered the idea and think it's a great & fantastic idea.
Thus, I'm in.
Plus, when I think about how much my cell phone will 'light up' on that Monday and the number of text messages & emails that will appear, plus the notifications for my apps, such as youtube.com, Crooks & Liars, and Bleacher Report, it kind of makes me excited. I'm still giving up my cell phone as a gesture of what Christ went through during his 40 days in the dessert - I'm not being selfish - but that's just the way my mind works.
Thus, I'm in.
Plus, when I think about how much my cell phone will 'light up' on that Monday and the number of text messages & emails that will appear, plus the notifications for my apps, such as youtube.com, Crooks & Liars, and Bleacher Report, it kind of makes me excited. I'm still giving up my cell phone as a gesture of what Christ went through during his 40 days in the dessert - I'm not being selfish - but that's just the way my mind works.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Beyond the Resurrection
Jesus rose from the dead today! It is a great day for me to know that Jesus, who had died just three days earlier for *me* and my sins, came back from the dead to fulfill the path that God had set up for him. Jesus was human. That's the thing. Jesus was a political figure who was seen as a troublemaker and as someone who was seen as an instigator of rising up the people against the Romans. He spoke in parables and in ways that his followers really didn't understand. The gospels? Written a long time after his death. I always find that fascinating. I also have heard about the gospel of Judas that was not included in the Bible. I digress. The fact remains that Jesus died for me. Me. And you, of course. But he DIED for me. He said, "I love you so much that I am going to do the ultimate thing I can do and DIE for you." Wow.
That fact floors me every time I think about it. I heard about it at Holy Thursday Mass and I thought about it as I sat in Holy Saturday night Mass. Now, Lent is over and it is my hope to live every day as I did during Lent - reminded of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for ME. And you, of course.
That fact floors me every time I think about it. I heard about it at Holy Thursday Mass and I thought about it as I sat in Holy Saturday night Mass. Now, Lent is over and it is my hope to live every day as I did during Lent - reminded of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for ME. And you, of course.
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