A Prayer for the Journey

An Irish prayer said softly under the breath when setting out on a journey

Bless to me, 0 God,

The earth beneath my foot,
Bless to me, 0 God,
The path whereon I go;
Bless to me, 0 God,
The thing of my desire;
Thou Evermore of evermore,
Bless Thou to me my rest.
Bless to me the thing
Whereon is set my mind,
Bless to me the thing
Whereon is set my love;
Bless to me the thing
Whereon is set my hope;
0 Thou King of kings
Bless Thou to me mine eye!

This week my wife will be traveling Tuesday to our home in North Carolina.
.

Something I Was Musing

See the man with the stage fright?
Just standing up there to give it all his might
He got caught in the spotlight
But when we get to the end /
He wants to start all over again
He wants to try it once again /
Please don't make him stop
Let him take it from the top /
Let him start all over again

-- The Band / Stage Fright --

Something to Consider:

"Be nice to people on your way up because you'll meet them on your way down."
Jimmy Durante

The irony of my current employment as a manual laborer is that my boss was once a student in my sixth grade class.
My workout program is progressing nicely at what affectionately is called Randy’s Heath and Fitness Program at the Blue Fin Gym. Each day we work all the muscle groups through various repetitions and the use of free weights. Often we work in tandem with another member of the workout club. And, of course, safety is important so often we are spotting each other during the many acrobatic maneuvers that are part of Randy’s specialized fitness program.

"Always be nice to your children because they are the ones who will choose your rest home."
Phyllis Diller

We Were Made for War - part 2

Every story has a villain:
Little Red Riding Hood had the wolf,
Dorothy had to face the wicked witch,
Neo battles the powerful agents to release the captives of the Matrix,
Frodo is hunted by the black riders,
Beowulf kills the monster Grendal, and then must fight Gendal’s Mother
Saint George slays the dragon,
the children who stumble into Narania are called by Aslan to battle the white witch and her armies
so that Narnia could be free.
Every story has a villain because the true story of which you are a part has an enemy. Life is very confusing if you do not take into account that there is a villain. We live in a world at war. We have an enemy who is trying to steal our freedom, kill our heart, steal our life.
The glory of God is man fully alive and to live in ignorance of spiritual warfare is most foolish.
This is an area we often neglect in the church today.

It’s like
walking through
downtown Miami at night
waving your wallet above your head.

To live in ignorance of the battle that is present in most dangerous and naïve.

It’s like
swimming with the sharks
dressed like a wounded seal
covered in fresh blood.

We don’t get to escape spiritual warfare simply because you choose not to believe it exists.

An Experiment into the Mind

Carefully follow the instructions below I will attempt to read your mind and tell you your answer:

• Think of a number between 2 and 9

• Multiply the number by 9

• Add the two digits together

• Subtract 5 from the number you now have

• Convert the number into a letter -
• 1 = a
• 2 = b
• 3 = c
• etc
  

• Think of a European Country starting with that letter

• Now think of the second letter of that country

• Think of an animal that starts with that letter

(This must be an animal - not a bird - so if you are thinking of an eagle think again!)

• What colour is your animal?

• Now concentrate carefully on your answers

Check below to see if I have read your mind.......





--------------------------------------------------------
What you are thinking..........?????????
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You are thinking of a grey elephant that comes from Denmark.

So how did I do??

A Life In Your Hands

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn;
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight;
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy;
If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty;
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient;
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence;
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate;
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice;
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith;
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself;
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.

Dorothy Law Holte

Prayer

Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life, and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.
Come, Flame of divine love, and burn up the
thorns of my sins, kindling my heart with the
flame of thy love.
Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart
and reign there.
For thou alone art my King and my Lord.

ST. DIMITRI OF RASTOV

"Oh, help and bother!"

"Oh, help!" said Pooh.
"I'd better go back." "Oh, bother!" said Pooh.
"I shall have to go on." "I can't do either!" said Pooh.
"Oh, help and bother!"

Lately my community has been impacted and is discussing topics brought up by Pete Scazzero pastor of New Life Fellowship located in Queens, New York. He has written Emotionally Healthy Church and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Additionally, he has series on the topic of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality on the church web site. LINK
His past two messages have used a metaphor of a wall that will appear in the path of our journey that we must choose to go through.

I am reminded of the above quote by Pooh. So many decide to not do either.

My Daily Goal

"I try to make everybody's day a little more surreal."
-- Calvin of Calvin & Hobbes

I accomplished this today. Frank, who works on the construction job where I am spending my retirement mentioned in passing that it has been decided that I am “whacked”.
If you understand that drugs and alcohol are the path to construction you will understand the enigma of a 52 year old school headmaster stripping forms and tying steel. (Not to mention lifting and carrying 150 cement blocks onto the second floor slab 15 minutes before quitting time – but I digress)

Nevertheless it is a job that pays well and allows me to come and go as I please. (And I get the strangest looks from people who know what I am doing.)

Old Age Is Fierce

Many years ago I heard this from older construction workers when I was just a young buck. Now that I am returning to day labor as a form carpenter at 52 years of age I have come to understand.
After spending the past four weeks in North Carolina (without computer access) I am becoming reaquainted with various blogs and my typical internet information fix.

Anyway, staying with the theme a few thoughts on aging:

Signs that you are getting old:

• Everything hurts and what doesn't hurt, doesn't work.
• In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.
• It takes a couple of tries to get over a speed bump.
• It takes longer to rest than it did to get tired.
• It takes twice as long to look half as good.
• No one expects you to run into a burning building.
• People call at 9 p.m. and ask, "Did I wake you?"
• People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.
• The clothes you've put away until they come back in style... come back in style.
• The twinkle in your eye is only the reflection of the sun on your bifocals.
• There's nothing left to learn the hard way.
• Things you buy now won't wear out.
• When getting lucky means you find your car in the parking lot.
• When happy hour is a nap.

A Prayer of St. Patrick

For Protection and Enlightment

May the strength of God pilot us
May the power of God preserve us
May the wisdom of God instruct us
May the hand of God protect us
May the way of God direct us
May the shield of God defend us
May the hosts of God protect us
Now and always