"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." Saint Francis De Sales

Friday, April 27, 2018

Sunset, Ricky & Piper Bill




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A farewell sunset to Corolla Light, North Carolina.
I took this photo on the last evening of our trip.


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A true sign of spring is when our dogwood is in full bloom.


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Tony, Pam and I watched Casablanca last week. The rental hose we stayed in had a beautiful theatre room complete with a projection screen and surround sound. 
My favorite line, spoken by Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) ……

“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine…”

An excellent movie shared with exceptional friends.


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Todd completed an addition to his British unit, Piper Bill Millin.

Some historical information on the real Bill Millin over at Scotsman.Com. 


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This is the tune "Highland Laddie," that Piper Bill Millin played on the beach in Normandy.


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“It is, I think, that we are all so alone in what lies deepest in our souls, so unable to find the words, and perhaps the courage to speak with unlocked hearts, that we don't know at all that it is the same with others.”  Sheldon Vanauken

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Willie Nelson & Ray Charles - "Seven Spanish Angels"


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Go over to "This Ain't the Lyceum," where Kelly is hosting more takes

Friday, April 20, 2018

A Rule, Fish & "Mbube"




One of our granddaughters is Gluten Intolerant. At the time we were made aware of this, Dee checked to verify that our Church had gluten-free hosts. In the process of getting the host set aside for out granddaughter we learned that there is a ban on gluten-free hosts

“The detailed guidelines are needed, according to Cardinal Robert Sarah of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, as Eucharist bread and wine are widely available for sale nowadays, “even over the Internet.”

”Bread and wafers used in the sacrament “must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition,” the letter reads. “Hosts that are completely gluten-free are invalid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist.”

The letter adds that “low-gluten hosts (partially gluten-free) are valid” for communion use, provided they have “sufficient amount of gluten to obtain the confection of bread” and follow other rules for Eucharist bread.

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We are enjoying the Outer Banks this week. Saturday evening we attended Mass at Holy Redeemer Church. Father John gave a beautiful Homily and introduced us to a new term, “Got Fish?” 

Sunday’s Gospel, Luke 24:35-48, is Jesus appearing to the disciples,

"Why are you troubled?
And why do questions arise in your hearts?
Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones
as you can see I have."
And as he said this,
he showed them his hands and his feet.
While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed,
he asked them, "Have you anything here to eat?"
They gave him a piece of baked fish; 
he took it and ate it in front of them.”

“Got Fish?”

A reminder to the disciples to remember what He told them before He was raised. 

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Monday morning, looking out from the back of our “bay side” beach home.



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Last week, Kelly posted her guide for “caring for my middle aged self.” I’m a wee bit beyond middle age, but I’ve realized that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind and a joyful heart. Exercise, eating healthy, daily prayers, proper sleep and hobbies are my tools. They are all intertwined and work together. It is important to maintain an even distribution of each. Too much of one or the other can throw off the balance required to maintain a healthy harmony of body and soul.

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Please pray for my sister Kim and her husband Frank. He is recovering from a heart by-pass operation.

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I did some research on the song, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” and found an article about the writer of the original song and how it gained the popularity most of us know about. It is an interesting story about Solomon Linda, from the Zulu region of South Africa. 

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Happy Hippo - “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”


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Go over to "This Ain't the Lyceum," where Kelly is hosting more takes

Friday, April 6, 2018

Clueless, A Cross & A Ruse




Peter Berghout had an interesting observation of Mary Magdalene and her encounter with the “Risen Jesus.”

“ … despite John’s faith, as some commenters note, the Beloved Disciple has "no narrative impact” because, in John’s Gospel, he does not communicate his discovery to others. His coming to believe affects no other character in the account.

Rather, its Mary Magdalene, who was also a devoted disciple, and who was even delivered from demonic possession by Jesus (Luke 8:2), and she was also at the Cross with John—she has the biggest “narrative impact” although she was also the most clueless on the first Easter morning!
Why is that?
Maybe it is because the clueless in you honors the clueless in me.”

Mr. Berghout then provides an “action” for us.

“Whether one believes nothing yet or has come to a partial understanding, believing is a process of uncovering errors and weaknesses and coming to a deeper, more authentic relationship with Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God.”

Amen.

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There is a cross that stands in Prince George County, Maryland. It is a monument that has been standing for over 90 years. There are 49 names at the base of the cross. They are names of veterans who died fighting in World War I. Along with the names are the words:

 “Valor,
Endurance,
Courage,
Devotion.”

It is called the “Peace Cross.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, in an 8  to 6 vote, are “saying that the cross is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.”
(Their interpretation of the law, perhaps not unlike the Pharisees of Roman times.)

When I look at the photo below, I see a cross, and a symbol of the “freedom of religion” that those veterans fought for. Why should it be taken away from them?


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Last week I was concerned that one of the local squirrels, (Sciurus carolinensis) was getting closer to getting at the bird feed. This was an apparent ruse on his part. The objective was the suet. Dee managed to catch the culprit feasting on the delectable winter feed.



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"If Spring came but once in a century, instead of once a year, or burst forth with the sound of an earthquake, and not in silence, what wonder and expectation there would be in all hearts to behold the miraculous change!  But now the silent succession suggests nothing but necessity.  To most men only the cessation of the miracle would be miraculous and the perpetual exercise of God's power seems less wonderful than its withdrawal would be."
-  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow   

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Jabberwocky
- Lewis Clark

"Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought —
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

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Everly Brothers- “Let It Be Me”


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Go over to "This Ain't the Lyceum," where Kelly is hosting more takes