Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A quote from Pope John Paul II
Christ himself carried a burden, and his burden--the cross--was made heavier by the sins of us all. But Christ did not avoid the cross; he accepted it and carried it willingly. Moreover, he now stands beside those weighed down by trial and persecution, remaining beside them to the end. It is for all people and with all people that he carries the cross to Calvary, and it is there that for all of us he is nailed to his cross. He dies the death of a criminal, the most humiliating death known to the world at that time. That is why to those in our own century who carry terrible burdens he is able to say: "Come to me! I am your Brother in suffering. There is no humiliation or bitterness which I do not know!"
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Sunday, December 05, 2010
What is Prayer?
It is commonly held to be a conversation. In a conversation, there are always an "I" and a "thou" or "you". In this case the Thou is used with a capital T. If at first the "I" seems to be the most important element in prayer, prayer teaches us that the situation is different. The "Thou" is more important because our prayer begins with God.
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Saturday, December 04, 2010
Ultimate Toddy for a cold
So, I've got another crappy cold. Got overtired last week, got run down, you know. COLD..........
Yesterday, day 2 of the cold, I chopped up some ginger root, about the size of half my thumb. I got that boiling in some water, added a bunch of cinnamon, 1 Tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 cloves, 1 teabag black tea, 2 jiggers whiskey, 1/3 fresh squeezed lemon juice and let that bad boy simmer for a while.
While it simmered, I took advantage of the steam from the pan and covered my head with a towel and breathed in the steam and vapors. Nice. The ginger and whiskey vapors went right to work on my head.
I ended up drinking the better part of my teapot of the wonderful stuff!
Cold go away yet? No, but I was only seeking relief from the sneezy, coughy, temple pounding, throat burning ..........I could go on forever, but, try the toddy!
Yesterday, day 2 of the cold, I chopped up some ginger root, about the size of half my thumb. I got that boiling in some water, added a bunch of cinnamon, 1 Tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 cloves, 1 teabag black tea, 2 jiggers whiskey, 1/3 fresh squeezed lemon juice and let that bad boy simmer for a while.
While it simmered, I took advantage of the steam from the pan and covered my head with a towel and breathed in the steam and vapors. Nice. The ginger and whiskey vapors went right to work on my head.
I ended up drinking the better part of my teapot of the wonderful stuff!
Cold go away yet? No, but I was only seeking relief from the sneezy, coughy, temple pounding, throat burning ..........I could go on forever, but, try the toddy!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Killer Meatloaf with twice baked taters and green beans
Killer Meatloaf with
Twice baked potatoes,
Green Beans with honey roasted peanuts and Caraway,
Garlic Sticks
The Meatloaf
2 ½ lbs ground beef
1 onion chopped fine
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup oats
2 tbs pepper
Salt to taste
1 can cream of celery soup (Don’t add the water)
1 hot pepper
Well, there’s the list; throw them together. Once you add the soup, it’s a sticky mess till it’s mixed together! It did not fit into the usual bread loaf pan; I put it in a longer cake dish. Bake about 1 ¼- 1 ½ hours at 350
The Potatoes
Wash and cut potatoes in small pieces and boil till tender. Drain water, return to bowl, mash, adding butter, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. I always leave the skins on! Place in bread loaf pan, sprinkle shredded Romano cheese on top and bake with meatloaf, an hour or so at 350
The Green Beans
I used frozen French cut beans and steamed them for 3-4 minutes. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil, garlic, crushed fine, the beans, ¼ cup honey roasted peanuts chopped and mashed in bowl, and lastly, sprinkle a tbsp or so, caraway. Stir fry a few minutes, blending everything.
The Garlic bread
I had some day old whole wheat bread and thought I’d jazz it up. I cut thick slices, cutting the slices into 2 ½ inch strips. I had seeped crushed garlic in olive oil, and placing the bread on a baking sheet, I spread liberally, my garlic/oil mix over the top and threw in the same oven with my meatloaf and potatoes, baking the bread at 350, almost ½ hour.
I enjoyed that dinner to the max!
Twice baked potatoes,
Green Beans with honey roasted peanuts and Caraway,
Garlic Sticks
The Meatloaf
2 ½ lbs ground beef
1 onion chopped fine
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup oats
2 tbs pepper
Salt to taste
1 can cream of celery soup (Don’t add the water)
1 hot pepper
Well, there’s the list; throw them together. Once you add the soup, it’s a sticky mess till it’s mixed together! It did not fit into the usual bread loaf pan; I put it in a longer cake dish. Bake about 1 ¼- 1 ½ hours at 350
The Potatoes
Wash and cut potatoes in small pieces and boil till tender. Drain water, return to bowl, mash, adding butter, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. I always leave the skins on! Place in bread loaf pan, sprinkle shredded Romano cheese on top and bake with meatloaf, an hour or so at 350
The Green Beans
I used frozen French cut beans and steamed them for 3-4 minutes. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil, garlic, crushed fine, the beans, ¼ cup honey roasted peanuts chopped and mashed in bowl, and lastly, sprinkle a tbsp or so, caraway. Stir fry a few minutes, blending everything.
The Garlic bread
I had some day old whole wheat bread and thought I’d jazz it up. I cut thick slices, cutting the slices into 2 ½ inch strips. I had seeped crushed garlic in olive oil, and placing the bread on a baking sheet, I spread liberally, my garlic/oil mix over the top and threw in the same oven with my meatloaf and potatoes, baking the bread at 350, almost ½ hour.
I enjoyed that dinner to the max!
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Buckybob's Stir Fry Extravaganza!
Buckybob’s Stir fry Extravaganza!
Carrots, sliced thin like French Frys
Potatoes, sliced thin like French Frys
Get the above steaming for bout ½ hour
Slice up water chestnuts, lots of garlic, one big onion
Some French Green Beans
Chicken Breast (already cooked)
Get your fry pan ready with olive oil, or canola, brown the onion, garlic water chestnuts while adding some Sweet&Sour dipping sauce, horseradish, some cranberry sauce, and Chinese Mustard.
Add all the rest of the stuff, season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and stir fry together for a few minutes.
Carrots, sliced thin like French Frys
Potatoes, sliced thin like French Frys
Get the above steaming for bout ½ hour
Slice up water chestnuts, lots of garlic, one big onion
Some French Green Beans
Chicken Breast (already cooked)
Get your fry pan ready with olive oil, or canola, brown the onion, garlic water chestnuts while adding some Sweet&Sour dipping sauce, horseradish, some cranberry sauce, and Chinese Mustard.
Add all the rest of the stuff, season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and stir fry together for a few minutes.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Buckybob's Rye-Wheat Rolls
BUCKYBOB’S RYE-WHEAT ROLLS
Got about four hours to bake? I made these tasty treats last night.
2 ½-3 cups warm water
1 ½ TBS yeast
1 TS salt
½ cup corn meal soaked in warm water a bit
2 Cups rye flour
2-2 ½ Cups wheat flour
1/8 Cup molasses
1 TBS coco
¼ Cup honey
1 TBS anise
Combine yeast, water, salt, molasses, honey, coco, and corn meal . Start adding the flours, bout ½ cups at a time and mix. Add anise. Add and mix with big wood spoon till you can no longer add any more flour. Dust a kneading area with flour and turn the mixture out of the bowl and start to knead. Add flour over and under the dough as it gets too sticky to handle. Knead dough at least ten minutes or more. When the dough is tacky but not too sticky, the kneading is most likely complete. Grease a large bowl, place dough in, cover with towel, and place in warm area to rise. Allow about 2 hours to rise. Back out on floured board, punch down and spread out on the board like pizza dough. Grease lightly, a cookie sheet, sprinkle some corn meal on sheet and coat lightly. Cut from the dough, and form your rolls, place on cookie sheet. It’s OK if the rolls touch each other. Cover again with the towel and back to the warm rise area. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to rise, heat the oven to 400. Bake for 10 minutes, reduce oven to 350 and bake remaining 45-50 minutes.
You should have produced crusty bottoms and tops, soft and chewy bread inside.
Don't just stand and stare; eat up!
Got about four hours to bake? I made these tasty treats last night.
2 ½-3 cups warm water
1 ½ TBS yeast
1 TS salt
½ cup corn meal soaked in warm water a bit
2 Cups rye flour
2-2 ½ Cups wheat flour
1/8 Cup molasses
1 TBS coco
¼ Cup honey
1 TBS anise
Combine yeast, water, salt, molasses, honey, coco, and corn meal . Start adding the flours, bout ½ cups at a time and mix. Add anise. Add and mix with big wood spoon till you can no longer add any more flour. Dust a kneading area with flour and turn the mixture out of the bowl and start to knead. Add flour over and under the dough as it gets too sticky to handle. Knead dough at least ten minutes or more. When the dough is tacky but not too sticky, the kneading is most likely complete. Grease a large bowl, place dough in, cover with towel, and place in warm area to rise. Allow about 2 hours to rise. Back out on floured board, punch down and spread out on the board like pizza dough. Grease lightly, a cookie sheet, sprinkle some corn meal on sheet and coat lightly. Cut from the dough, and form your rolls, place on cookie sheet. It’s OK if the rolls touch each other. Cover again with the towel and back to the warm rise area. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to rise, heat the oven to 400. Bake for 10 minutes, reduce oven to 350 and bake remaining 45-50 minutes.
You should have produced crusty bottoms and tops, soft and chewy bread inside.
Don't just stand and stare; eat up!
Wonders never cease
Good morning, Rochester, NY
Just a quick update on my life.
I am no longer doing guitar repairs at Echo Tone Music. The closed minded owner went crazy when he found out I was advertising to do repairs in my home shop as well. Keeping in mind, I have no store front, no real advertising, and expect very little return for my efforts, the store owner still went nuts about it. The truth of the matter is, I was not doing a ton of repairs at his store and only was trying to add a few more bucks per week to my income. Maybe I shot myself in the foot by even trying to add more customers to my repair slate, but now it seems this music store shot themselves just below the belt area with their actions. If I loose $60.00 of income in a week or so, the store will forfeit $ 160.00 in repairs not done, plus the loss of a qualified tech. This all could have been resolved and smoothed over if the store owner had just called me and spoke to me without going postal on me with e-mails, threatening me with Federal Trade Com. copyright breech, bashing me in my own blog and on Cragslist.
So, I am planning a new web site to cater to my guitar repairs, my music compositions, my gigs and my impact in the Rochester NY area. I am sorry for all the customers who bring back their instruments to the store for future work, for now I won't be there. As far as I can tell, and I realize there are most likely a few customers not happy with my work and did not inform me, I am at 100% satisfaction with the majority of the work I completed. So, with the help of some small adds, I must rely on word of mouth by those familiar with my work to keep the repairs and restorations coming in. At the moment, I have a very old Bauer Mandolin to resotre and a vintage Kay banjo from the early 60's to work on.
REPAIRS ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!
Just a quick update on my life.
I am no longer doing guitar repairs at Echo Tone Music. The closed minded owner went crazy when he found out I was advertising to do repairs in my home shop as well. Keeping in mind, I have no store front, no real advertising, and expect very little return for my efforts, the store owner still went nuts about it. The truth of the matter is, I was not doing a ton of repairs at his store and only was trying to add a few more bucks per week to my income. Maybe I shot myself in the foot by even trying to add more customers to my repair slate, but now it seems this music store shot themselves just below the belt area with their actions. If I loose $60.00 of income in a week or so, the store will forfeit $ 160.00 in repairs not done, plus the loss of a qualified tech. This all could have been resolved and smoothed over if the store owner had just called me and spoke to me without going postal on me with e-mails, threatening me with Federal Trade Com. copyright breech, bashing me in my own blog and on Cragslist.
So, I am planning a new web site to cater to my guitar repairs, my music compositions, my gigs and my impact in the Rochester NY area. I am sorry for all the customers who bring back their instruments to the store for future work, for now I won't be there. As far as I can tell, and I realize there are most likely a few customers not happy with my work and did not inform me, I am at 100% satisfaction with the majority of the work I completed. So, with the help of some small adds, I must rely on word of mouth by those familiar with my work to keep the repairs and restorations coming in. At the moment, I have a very old Bauer Mandolin to resotre and a vintage Kay banjo from the early 60's to work on.
REPAIRS ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The dangerous streets of Rochester, NY
I read in the news about the 14 year old kid who rode his bike through street traffic and was hit by an emergency police car call. It happened in an inner city neighborhood. The black community is up in arms over the accident, and claiming wrong doing on the police.
The real fact of the matter is pedestrians, bikers, skate boarders, for the most part do not obey the rules of the road. We all are aware the law states pedestrians have the right of way. They really ought to re-word that statement because the pedestrians are actually stepping out in the path of cars all the time, taking advantage of the right of way clause.
I live in the city and drive through the city daily and people do just step out in front of me. Yesterday, I was making a turn onto a street and a young girl on her cell phone, sashayed out in front of the path of my car. She took her sweet time crossing the street causing traffic behind me to honk their horns. I threw my hands up in an impatient gesture to her and she took her defensive posture, waving her arms and throwing me the finger. This is a daily occurrence, not merely occasional.
Two weeks ago, another 14 year old was hit on his skateboard in the street, in the dark, wearing dark clothes, again, believing he had the right of way. He is dead regardless of who's fault it was but the operator of the car was not held responsible.
They really should start giving tickets out to the pedestrians for making illegal crossings against the traffic. Almost nobody takes heed to the cross walk signs; they just walk out there like they are invincible. When I cross a street, I am watching the traffic, and do not waste any time getting to the other side. I don't care who's fault it is; if I get hit by a moving car, chances are high that I am going to be seriously hurt or killed.
My prayer today is that people wake up to the consequences of their idiotic actions.
The real fact of the matter is pedestrians, bikers, skate boarders, for the most part do not obey the rules of the road. We all are aware the law states pedestrians have the right of way. They really ought to re-word that statement because the pedestrians are actually stepping out in the path of cars all the time, taking advantage of the right of way clause.
I live in the city and drive through the city daily and people do just step out in front of me. Yesterday, I was making a turn onto a street and a young girl on her cell phone, sashayed out in front of the path of my car. She took her sweet time crossing the street causing traffic behind me to honk their horns. I threw my hands up in an impatient gesture to her and she took her defensive posture, waving her arms and throwing me the finger. This is a daily occurrence, not merely occasional.
Two weeks ago, another 14 year old was hit on his skateboard in the street, in the dark, wearing dark clothes, again, believing he had the right of way. He is dead regardless of who's fault it was but the operator of the car was not held responsible.
They really should start giving tickets out to the pedestrians for making illegal crossings against the traffic. Almost nobody takes heed to the cross walk signs; they just walk out there like they are invincible. When I cross a street, I am watching the traffic, and do not waste any time getting to the other side. I don't care who's fault it is; if I get hit by a moving car, chances are high that I am going to be seriously hurt or killed.
My prayer today is that people wake up to the consequences of their idiotic actions.
Monday, October 18, 2010
What is a Catholic
A friend on Facebook just posted the question: What is a Catholic/ Is a Catholic a Christian? Questions like this have divided the Christian world for years. They say politics and religion should not be brought up in conversation for there is always division.
Where does one start to believe what is authentic or not? I was raised a Catholic, but did not attend church most of my life. As a teen, I attended a Methodist church with my sister and brother in law, but mostly to sing in the choir and socialize. As a young adult, I sent my children to a Catholic school in Virginia to keep them from being bussed to the inner city public schools. As an older adult, I began attending the Catholic church again, but as a member of the worship team band. There, things slowly began to take place in my numskull. I began to realize that God was speaking to me if I took the time to listen. My daily life problems (which were many) began to diminish in intensity by allowing God to take most of the burden on His shoulders.
Back to the question Is a Catholic a Christian? Again, I am slow on the up-take so to speak, but it is my understanding that Christianity started with Jesus Christ, who came to earth, the Son of Man, to die for the forgiveness and salvation of mankind's sins. His immediate followers took the preaching throughout the world. Jesus appointed Peter to be the rock of the church foundation and gave him the keys to heaven. Peter went on to be the first of many Popes. The Pope is the supreme human living leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Wouldn't that make a Catholic a Christian?
Jesus calls us believers to go out into the world and spread the "Good News". Why is there so much division over religion and Christianity? As Christians, we are not doing the right thing by creating divisions among the Christian religions. Jesus taught that a house (meaning the church) divided among itself will not stand. I originally believed Abe Lincoln said that first, but he was talking about our young nation and was quoting bible scripture.
If we spent more time adhering to the word of God, aspiring to do as Jesus asks of us, and less time creating all the division and strife between the Christian religions, would not the world be a better place for the advancement of all Christian alike?
Where does one start to believe what is authentic or not? I was raised a Catholic, but did not attend church most of my life. As a teen, I attended a Methodist church with my sister and brother in law, but mostly to sing in the choir and socialize. As a young adult, I sent my children to a Catholic school in Virginia to keep them from being bussed to the inner city public schools. As an older adult, I began attending the Catholic church again, but as a member of the worship team band. There, things slowly began to take place in my numskull. I began to realize that God was speaking to me if I took the time to listen. My daily life problems (which were many) began to diminish in intensity by allowing God to take most of the burden on His shoulders.Back to the question Is a Catholic a Christian? Again, I am slow on the up-take so to speak, but it is my understanding that Christianity started with Jesus Christ, who came to earth, the Son of Man, to die for the forgiveness and salvation of mankind's sins. His immediate followers took the preaching throughout the world. Jesus appointed Peter to be the rock of the church foundation and gave him the keys to heaven. Peter went on to be the first of many Popes. The Pope is the supreme human living leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Wouldn't that make a Catholic a Christian?
Jesus calls us believers to go out into the world and spread the "Good News". Why is there so much division over religion and Christianity? As Christians, we are not doing the right thing by creating divisions among the Christian religions. Jesus taught that a house (meaning the church) divided among itself will not stand. I originally believed Abe Lincoln said that first, but he was talking about our young nation and was quoting bible scripture.
If we spent more time adhering to the word of God, aspiring to do as Jesus asks of us, and less time creating all the division and strife between the Christian religions, would not the world be a better place for the advancement of all Christian alike?
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Happy Belly Roast Chicken
Happy Belly Roast Chicken
Take a roasting chicken, wash, place in a roasting pan with some olive oil in the bottom. Cut up potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic. Place around the chick in the pan. Cut up more onion, and a lemon. Place inside the bird, salt & pepper, drizzle some olive oil over everything and bake at 350. After an hour or so, add a can of peas to the frey, and continue to roast till everything’s brown and done! Let cool a bit, cut up, and pig out!
Take a roasting chicken, wash, place in a roasting pan with some olive oil in the bottom. Cut up potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic. Place around the chick in the pan. Cut up more onion, and a lemon. Place inside the bird, salt & pepper, drizzle some olive oil over everything and bake at 350. After an hour or so, add a can of peas to the frey, and continue to roast till everything’s brown and done! Let cool a bit, cut up, and pig out!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Living with less is more
I am not writing today out of envy to those who make the big bucks, but to mention a few of the things I do to get through this life, spending less and keeping happy.
1. I have no credit cards. I have managed to live without that weight around my neck for the last twelve or so years and have gotten along just fine without them.
2. I have no car payment. I've had many cars over the last forty-four years and have had one car payment in my life. In 1975, I borrowed $ 1000.00 to buy a 71 VW camper. All the rest of my cars were bought outright. When one vehicle tells me it's tired, I start saving and planning for the next one. I have never paid more then $ 2000.00 for a used car. The majority of the cars I have bought were about $1000. The 89 Volvo I am driving now, I paid $ 1200.00 about six years ago.
3. Garage sales can supply many great things at a fraction of the cost of new. Three years ago, I got a beautiful sofa for $ 20.00 in perfect shape, fitting into the perfect space in the living room, and even matching the existing rug! My entire stereo system, I bought used: Bang & Olsen speakers $ 40.00 Kenwood receiver $ 20.00 Teac direct drive turntable $ 35.00. Stunning dinning room chairs (one, hand painted and priceless to me) $100.00
4. Thrift stores such as Goodwill, etc. are great values also. I have gotten pants, dress coats, coffee percolaters, wine glasses, paintings and more for a pittence.
5. I'm not too proud to stop at the curb and pick up a thing or two. Some of the prizes were a violin (which I fixed and sold for a profit), several beautiful paintings, a rattan love seat which I patched up has lasted for over three years and now ready to go back out on the curb again. I love finding odd hunks of wood/lumber left on the curb from someone's project leftovers. Wood is very expensive at the lumber yards or hardware stores.
6. Make something into something else. I salvaged a CD rack for the 1/2 inch dowling to repair furniture joints, cut into molding, etc. A roll about dishwasher, no longer working is stowage cupboard in the kitchen and shelf for the microwave and toaster.
These are but a few examples of how to save big, stretch the ole dollar, and allow one to keep a few bucks in the pocket to treat the family out to dinner on special nights, buy a bottle of good wine and much more. Almost all of my musical instruments, I have aquired used, saved a bundle and gotten a higher quality than if bought new. Almost never buy a new book; people give them away, libraries have sales, and the book shelves are full in my house.
Many go out and spend to find happiness or to quelch their bordome. Since I stopped watching TV & going to the movies years ago, I find I have more time to read, write (like now!)learn how to fix things and most of all compose my music. Everybody is not a musician or composer, but I truly believe God gives everyone something that they do better than anyone else. Everyone has a special gift and it's up to each and everyone to find it and enjoy it.
God Bless
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Food Critic Instal. 2
Friday, Theresa and I usually go out for dinner, fish fry for the most part, but not always! One of my favorite places is Antonetta's Italian Restaurant 1160 Jay St. on the west side of Rochester. It's only open for dinner on Friday nights and during the week for lunch.
I usually aspire to try new dishes at restaurants, but it's hard at Antonetta's. It's hard to get past the sauce here. It brings back the memories of my mother's kitchen. Anyways, I almost always get the spaghetti and meatballs; it's that good! Last night was no exception. Theresa decided on the triple Parm plate: Veal, Chicken and Eggplant.
The place is old fashioned Italian decor; intimate, with tables with the red and white checked tablecloths, photos of Frank Sinatra on the walls of the back dinning room, and sports pics on the walls of the front room. The setting is intimate and the clientele, a mix of nuns, police, blue collar workers, families, all coming back for the best Italian eating in New York State.
Theresa licked her plate clean, while I left a small amount of sauce on my plate. I just simply could not eat another bite! A small salad, the house Chianti, and nice crunchy Italian bread rounds out the meal. I have never been able to eat desert, my tum tum too full!
The place is almost always packed; lunch or Friday dinner. One will never be disappointed with their meal, and oh yea, at a very modest price! This is the place to go for the best food in town; bring an appetite!
I usually aspire to try new dishes at restaurants, but it's hard at Antonetta's. It's hard to get past the sauce here. It brings back the memories of my mother's kitchen. Anyways, I almost always get the spaghetti and meatballs; it's that good! Last night was no exception. Theresa decided on the triple Parm plate: Veal, Chicken and Eggplant.
The place is old fashioned Italian decor; intimate, with tables with the red and white checked tablecloths, photos of Frank Sinatra on the walls of the back dinning room, and sports pics on the walls of the front room. The setting is intimate and the clientele, a mix of nuns, police, blue collar workers, families, all coming back for the best Italian eating in New York State.
Theresa licked her plate clean, while I left a small amount of sauce on my plate. I just simply could not eat another bite! A small salad, the house Chianti, and nice crunchy Italian bread rounds out the meal. I have never been able to eat desert, my tum tum too full!
The place is almost always packed; lunch or Friday dinner. One will never be disappointed with their meal, and oh yea, at a very modest price! This is the place to go for the best food in town; bring an appetite!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Cor:12
September 15, 2010
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
Reading 11 Cor 12:31-13:13
Brothers and sisters:
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.
But I shall show you a still more excellent way.
If I speak in human and angelic tongues
but do not have love,
I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy
and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;
if I have all faith so as to move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast
but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, love is not pompous,
it is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
Reading 11 Cor 12:31-13:13
Brothers and sisters:
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.
But I shall show you a still more excellent way.
If I speak in human and angelic tongues
but do not have love,
I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy
and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;
if I have all faith so as to move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast
but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, love is not pompous,
it is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
Monday, September 13, 2010
The case of the fickle bulb failure
Most of you know I drive an old 89 Volvo. Well, the brake light went out on the right rear side. There is removable panel in the back to get to the bulbs. The bulb holder is removable by turning the holder counter-clockwise. The whole holder comes out so you can change the bulb easily. Re-assembly is in reverse order and the three bulb connections line up with three stationary points on the light assembly. Well, now that the car is 21 years old, the three stationary fingers that make the connections are worn out and one even broke away. I modified the assembly by removing the bulb holder, drilling small holes in the connection tabs, soldering three wires to the tabs, covering with shrink wrap, and crimping male spade connectors on the other end of the wire I just soldered. I removed the stationary connection tabs on the light assembly, and plugged my new wires into the original with the spade connectors, replaced the bulb connector. Hmm, with the stationary tabs removed from the light assembly, the bulb holder would not fit tight in the light assembly. A small block of wood with some duct tape wrapped a few times around it, fit behind the bulb holder and wedged it in the light assembly neat as neat. To change the bulb, I only need to pull out my block wedge, remove the bulb holder from the light, and pull it out from the compartment. I made sure my new soldered wires were long enough to pull the bulb holder out far enough to change the bulb. Cops love to pull ya over for a stupid light out! Long live Gustoff, the Volvo!
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
That's Right, Pass the Blame
I read this morning where BP, the oil giant is blubbering about how the giant mishap is not all their fault. That's as non relevant as a ship captain sinking his ship and saying "I'm not to blame; I did not build the ship.!"
It does not take rocket science reasoning to figure out many things fell into a sequence in order for the accident to occur. What bothers me is the irrelevancy that their statement does to my intelligence. Because of their "oopps," that incident and many others are pushing our beautiful earth over Niagara Falls in a tuna can.
Lets see how fast we can destroy our planet. We are cutting down and ruining almost all of our tropical forests, blasting away our mountain tops to get to coal faster, polluting our oceans and sucking the crude oil out of the earth's crust, eliminating our wild lands in the name of settlement, and who is profiting from all this? Why big corporations, of course!
There really will never be an end to the folly. Power is perverse and corrupted. Power controls the entire world, elects the leaders who will make the laws to benefit the power that is destroying our entire world.
I wonder if God ever gets a stiff neck from shaking His head at our maliciousness.
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Food Critic
OK, I'm a breakfast person for my mostly two meals a day. Today, Saturday, Theresa was with her son, getting him settled in his dorm to start his first semester of St John Fisher College, so I decided to go out to breakfast than do some chores at home while she was gone.
I usually go to a great all day/night diner in Rochester but today for time and distance sake, I decided on somewhere a bit closer. I picked Jim's Restaurant on Main St. I have had not too good luck there twice before but I figured, it's gotta be better today! The other two bad times was just a quirk.
I went in and over to the counter. The waitress came right up and asked if I wanted coffee. "Yes, please" I replied. She brought over a cup and pot of coffee, filled the cup, walked away to some other customer and plopped it down. She came back, smiled, and took some other customer's orders, stopped back by and said "I'll bee right with you." Then she proceeded to take more orders from others, and came back by and said something, I did not understand, than went to yet other customers, leaving me sitting there still without coffee. I waited there, trying to be patient for a few more minutes, observing her going by me several more times. I got up and walked out. Three strikes and they're out.
Double thumbs down to Jim's Restaurant, Main St Rochester.
I got in the car and drove the extra distance to my usual diner, Gittzie's on Monroe Av. and enjoyed my western omelet. By the way, I got my coffee, right away, and was served the wonderful omlette in less time than I waited for my coffee at Jim's.
I highly recommend Gittzie's if anyone is ever in Rochester!
I usually go to a great all day/night diner in Rochester but today for time and distance sake, I decided on somewhere a bit closer. I picked Jim's Restaurant on Main St. I have had not too good luck there twice before but I figured, it's gotta be better today! The other two bad times was just a quirk.
I went in and over to the counter. The waitress came right up and asked if I wanted coffee. "Yes, please" I replied. She brought over a cup and pot of coffee, filled the cup, walked away to some other customer and plopped it down. She came back, smiled, and took some other customer's orders, stopped back by and said "I'll bee right with you." Then she proceeded to take more orders from others, and came back by and said something, I did not understand, than went to yet other customers, leaving me sitting there still without coffee. I waited there, trying to be patient for a few more minutes, observing her going by me several more times. I got up and walked out. Three strikes and they're out.
Double thumbs down to Jim's Restaurant, Main St Rochester.
I got in the car and drove the extra distance to my usual diner, Gittzie's on Monroe Av. and enjoyed my western omelet. By the way, I got my coffee, right away, and was served the wonderful omlette in less time than I waited for my coffee at Jim's.
I highly recommend Gittzie's if anyone is ever in Rochester!
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Thank you, God for making me an un-educated plough boy
Sept.2, 2010
I read in the news today, oh boy! Stephen Hawking says there did not need to be a God to create the universe. "Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing."
Just a quick refresher on Stephen Hawking; He has been the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, the same post held by Isac Newton.
OK, how can I, little ole me, question the mind of a world class genius? I have often noticed that some of the most intelligent people I have encountered, did not believe in God. Math was my worst subject. I must trust those with bigger brains to do the "Math." I have heard arguments against Mr Hawking's statements.
Our entire universe set up could not have been created from nothing. Everything about it hangs on precision movement, alignment, and yes, gravity. If we did not have other planets revolving around the sun in those particular orbits, or if our axis was not just so, or if any one of millions of things was not just so, we would not be here. Nuff said bout that.
As to the bible argument, if Genesis is not correct, then why is it that all the other books in the bible are credible? There were many prophets that foretold of Jesus's coming hundreds and hundreds of years before Him with surprising accuracy. All of the predictions so far in time were dead on, therefore, why then should I not believe the predictions yet to be fulfilled? It seems so strange that the bible would start right out being inaccurate.
Back to the question of why the most intelligent people (I've run across) find it so hard to believe in what I seem to see as plain as the nose of my face?
I read in the news today, oh boy! Stephen Hawking says there did not need to be a God to create the universe. "Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing."
Just a quick refresher on Stephen Hawking; He has been the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, the same post held by Isac Newton.
OK, how can I, little ole me, question the mind of a world class genius? I have often noticed that some of the most intelligent people I have encountered, did not believe in God. Math was my worst subject. I must trust those with bigger brains to do the "Math." I have heard arguments against Mr Hawking's statements.
Our entire universe set up could not have been created from nothing. Everything about it hangs on precision movement, alignment, and yes, gravity. If we did not have other planets revolving around the sun in those particular orbits, or if our axis was not just so, or if any one of millions of things was not just so, we would not be here. Nuff said bout that.
As to the bible argument, if Genesis is not correct, then why is it that all the other books in the bible are credible? There were many prophets that foretold of Jesus's coming hundreds and hundreds of years before Him with surprising accuracy. All of the predictions so far in time were dead on, therefore, why then should I not believe the predictions yet to be fulfilled? It seems so strange that the bible would start right out being inaccurate.
Back to the question of why the most intelligent people (I've run across) find it so hard to believe in what I seem to see as plain as the nose of my face?
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Danger in taking things out of context
Going to church does not make one a Christian any more than standing in the garage makes you a car. I see this posted on Face Book by many lately. I guess what they are really saying is, just because one goes to church, it does not necessarily mean that they go out into the world a lead a pious life. But back to the original statement; I sorta have a problem with that. Going to church can make you a better Christian. If one attends church time and time again, yet goes out feeling no different than when they came in, that individual is only there in body, not spirit. Even then, God can make changes in one's spirit, small though they may be, that can lead to bigger changes in one's mind and soul, later.
I do not go into a garage and pray to be transformed into a car. I do go to church and pray for the forgiveness of my sins, I pray for the petitions of those in need, I pray for my own guidance, and thank God for filling me with the holy spirit, thank Him for my blessings and my suffering. I listen to the daily readings and homilies and reflect on how they apply to me today. I go to church for my daily bread. When the priest holds the host up high and says "This is the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world." my spirit is lifted up high, knowing I am receiving Jesus, body and blood, into my body, into my soul, into my spirit.
So, I don't intend to be incarnated into a car today, but I have faith and hope that by going to church today, I will be a Christian who will go out into the world and spread the good news.
I do not go into a garage and pray to be transformed into a car. I do go to church and pray for the forgiveness of my sins, I pray for the petitions of those in need, I pray for my own guidance, and thank God for filling me with the holy spirit, thank Him for my blessings and my suffering. I listen to the daily readings and homilies and reflect on how they apply to me today. I go to church for my daily bread. When the priest holds the host up high and says "This is the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world." my spirit is lifted up high, knowing I am receiving Jesus, body and blood, into my body, into my soul, into my spirit.
So, I don't intend to be incarnated into a car today, but I have faith and hope that by going to church today, I will be a Christian who will go out into the world and spread the good news.
Monday, August 02, 2010
People never cease to amaze me!
I have a neighbor who is a Jehovah's Witness. Once in a while, out in the yard, he will engage me in religious conversation. He knows I am Catholic and go to Mass pretty much daily. He knows my faith is strong. Still, at times, he will "test" my knowledge for whatever reasons. The last time we spoke, I let him rile me some. He kept asking me questions about the Catholic faith as if to show that we were not worshiping the true and proper God. He asked if they teach the bible at Mass. I informed him that, no, they did not; however, I explained that we have four scripture readings: one from the old testament, a Psalm, one from the new testament, and finally the priest gave one from the Gospel. The readings all linked to the thyme of the day, the homily tied the readings all together in one easy to understand daily devotional. He huffed and retorted, "If you do not have bible teaching at the service, why then go to church?" All the while, he cited bible scripture, verse and paragraph. I advised him that I had read the bible once and constantly read from it but did not have all the reading memorized. He was all the time, making a mockery of our practices; wearing the cross around our neck was considered idol worship, daily communion was only to fool us into thinking we were being saved and other smug comments about our Catholic faith. He could not understand why we hold the cross in such high regard. He corrected me on several points I made, making me look a bit foolish.
The bottom line, I tried to tell him was, our knowledge of the scripture was not half as important as our personal relationship with God. Yes, my eyes are on the cross above the alter, much of the Mass, but in my view, whatever brings us closer to Jesus, is doing what is right. After all, it is all about Jesus Christ, who came to die for our sins. We are sinners and I need the close context of daily Mass to keep me on the right path, which is only to easy to stray from.
Why this neighbor is trying so hard to prove me wrong, is nothing short of evil in my mind. I never once questioned his religion. To me, if you are Christian, it will show through in your daily life, how we treat one another, what we do to help each other, and love. Sure, I will still read the bible at my pace, but more important, I will worship my God with all my heart, soul, mind, and body. If we all did that, our earth would be an entirely differnt world.
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