May 10, 2013

Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter

 

Reading 1 Acts 18:9-18

One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision,
“Do not be afraid.
Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.
No one will attack and harm you,
for I have many people in this city.”
He settled there for a year and a half
and taught the word of God among them.

But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,
the Jews rose up together against Paul
and brought him to the tribunal, saying,
“This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law.”
When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews,
“If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud,
I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews;
but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles
and your own law, see to it yourselves.
I do not wish to be a judge of such matters.”
And he drove them away from the tribunal.
They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official,
and beat him in full view of the tribunal.
But none of this was of concern to Gallio.

Paul remained for quite some time,
and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria,
together with Priscilla and Aquila.
At Cenchreae he had shaved his head because he had taken a vow.

 

 

 

Responsorial Psalm PS 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (8a) God is king of all the earth.

All you peoples, clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness,
For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome,
is the great king over all the earth.
R. God is king of all the earth.

He brings people under us;
nations under our feet.
He chooses for us our inheritance,
the glory of Jacob, whom he loves.
R. God is king of all the earth.

God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy;
the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.
Sing praise to God, sing praise;
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
R. God is king of all the earth.

 

 

 

Gospel Jn 16:20-23

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn,
while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”

 

So, Lent has made it's way for Easter!  We, the faithful have just celebrated the Holiest Week of our Church year.

Last night's Easter Vigil Mass so beautifully depicted the scripture readings from all the Prophets of centuries before Christ, predicting His coming, life, and Crucifixion, to a "T" 
Christ's new church is now over 2,000 years and still growing. 
As in His day, He was rejected and eventually, murdered for His proclamations, just as scriptures indicated.  All predictions have come to pass but one.  The final prediction will come to pass with His second coming to judge the living and the dead.  is our faith.

His beloved Apostles, most certainly did not understand what they were witnessing with their very own eyes.  Even after they witnessed His Crucifixion and found His tomb empty, there was doubt and confusion.  It still took His appearing to them over the next 40 days, wounds and all, eating and drinking with them to fully make them aware of what really had happened. 

 

Much of today's beliefs and understandings have resulted in denial and disbelief.  Much of the world is celebrating Easter today by watching their favorite movies, making special meals, recognizing meaningless traditions like the Easter Bunny, candy and colored eggs, without acknowledging the true meaning of the moment.  Still, the churches were packed to capacity for Holy Week, and many of the attendees, may not attend church on a regular basis.  The fact that they attended for Easter is still encouraging. 

 

There will always be hope that someone will be renewed in faith and seek God's mercy and forgiveness. 

God sent His only Son into the world to be flesh of human, and to sacrifice Himself for ransom for our sins.  We have the King of Servants, as an example to us, a role model to follow.  We all are sinners;  We stumble and fall, backslide, and hide, but we only need get back up, ask forgiveness, and know how much we are loved. 

 

 

 

 

Squirel proof Bird Feeding Station

A few years back, I took up feeding the birds in the backyard.  Soon after, I noticed the feeders empty, soon after I filled them.  I took up watch and soon learned that Squirrels too were getting more than there share. 
I saw an article on the Internet and thought I'd try out this guy's method of madness.  He suggested sinking a 6 inch diameter PVC pipe in the ground and mounting the feeder atop the pipe.  The 6" pipe, being smooth and too big around for the critters to hold on to, provides protection from the pesky Squirrels. 
I set off to Home Depot, in search of materials to build my project.  They did not carry the six inch PVC, but could order it for me.  They did carry 4' diameter PVC in 8 foot lengths.  They also had some sort of triple walled 4" pipe much like the PVC but not as rigid, for a fraction of the price.  I opted for the cheaper version. 
I dug a hole about 18" deep and sunk my pipe in the ground.  I believe I sawed off a foot or two, so that I could reach the top without a stool.  Using 3/4"  outdoor plywood, I cut a 24"diameter circle for the feeding platform.  The pipe did tend to flex some so I dropped a landscape timber in the pipe to provide more rigidity.  I painted the round platform Bright Gloss Orange, and used a Lag bolt to secure the platform to the top of the landscape timber.  I left it a bit loose, allowing the platform to swivel.  I mounted the top of a Shepherd's Hook on the platform to hold two hanging round feeders and a Suet cage.  I mounted two pins sticking up from the opposite side of the platform to mount a larger feeder with a spring loaded perch which drops down, cutting off the seed source, if a large bird lands on the perch.

Those piggy birds drop plenty of seed on the ground to feed the Squirels too. 

There's plenty for all.

I was anxious to see how the Squirels would do with the new arrangement, and soon after, I was watching when a Squirrel attempted climbing the pole but to no avail.  He kept backing up for a running start and scramble maybe halfway up the pole, only to slide back down.  Too funny!

The project was cheap.
$ 7.00 for the pipe
   2.97 for the Landscape Timber
  15.00 for the Plywood with leftover.
    2.00 Hardware
$ 26.97 total

How to make something work in lieu of replacement

Our latest Volvo, Hedwig, came with considerable amount of things not working.  We got her late Fall and I did my best to get things roadworthy for our harsh winters up here.  One problem's been two of the five lights in the rear tail light assembly would not light.  I'd be wiggling and twisting the bulb holder to make connection. 
Volvo came up with this flimsy circuit board to direct voltage to the rear lights.  The bulb for the running light and brake light was one of the offenders.  I found a small chunk of the circuit board gone for that particular bulb. 


I found a replacement circuit board on line, and ordered it.
When it arrived, I removed the tail light assembly, unhooked the circuit board wire harness and the ground wire, and brought it in to the bench.  I removed all the bulb holders and bulbs, a seal, and got a better look at the circuit board.  I got the old one off, and started to replace the new one.  At each bulb socket, the circuit board fitted over three small plastic pins to secure it.  When I got the the bulb socket for the rear light/brake light, I found that the pins were melted away, and the area under where the board overheated and burned.  When I got it back on the car, sure enough, my one bulb would not light, even with the new circuit board.  I got my test light out, and poked the wire harness till I located the running and brake lights.  Taking the bulb holder inside, I drilled smalls holes for soldering lead wires to the two tabs for each filament.  Back on the car, I cut the two wires back a few inches from the circuit board harness, and added my new lead wires and secured the connections with wire nuts.  Bingo, the lights all worked on the right rear side!  But not the left rear side!  I could force the light to work if I pushed the back of the bulb holder tabs.  I looked close at the left circuit board, and it looked old and cracked.  So, I repeated my process on the left side and now all the lights work great.  I reckon after 23 years, you gotta do something about those thin ole circuit boards.

As the Vatican scrambles to elect the next Pope, I am amazed but saddened at the public's reactions.  An Italian priest burns a photo of the Pope at Mass, declaring"He abandoned his flock."  This sort of action is not the work of God, but Satin.  A breach opens wider and the enemy takes aim and fires. 
First of all, only time will reveal why our Pope is retiring.  We really don't know the real reason our Holy Father is breaking with tradition.  Whatever the reason, the illustrious media is having a field day with all the sensationalism, and mark my words, most of what is reported is not true.  Journalism used to be an honorable vocation.  It was of the upmost importance that accurate information was reported.  But, like the morality of the entire country, truth has nothing to do with the news.  Sensationalism has taken precedence over morals.  I read remarks like "Catholics are an outdated social club, detached from reality."  That statement couldn't be farther from the truth!  The Catholic Church is standing by the truth and the word of God.  Nothing out dates the word of God. 
Our society has avelanched down Mt. Evil, and is picking up speed as it falls towards the abyss. 
Just like Sodom and Gomorrah, we are repeating history, and will perish.
As you all do your best to degrade our church, know that it is us "Whacky" Catholics that assemble daily to pray for our world, for an end to violence, and end to wars, and end to social injustice. 
It is us "Whacky" Catholics still preaching the word of the good news of the Gospel.
Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

The Beautiful Lenten Journey

                                                The Beautiful Lenten Journey

How can I describe the Lenten journey?  It's so many things, it's hard for me to explain.  It starts on Ash Wednesday, with the repentance reminder: "From dust I came and from dust I shall return."  It is our version of donning sack cloth with ashes as a symbol of our repentance for our sins.  The rest of the Lenten journey is all about Jesus, who born of the Virgin Mary under the power of the Holy Spirit becomes flesh and blood and enters the world, God's begotten son, to show us the way back to God, by sacrificing his precious blood for the forgiveness of our sins, creating the new and everlasting covenant and prepares the way for us to follow.  Our Lenten focus is on Jesus, as He declares his ministry, establishes His church, and continues on His journey to Calvary to be the Lamb of God. 
I try to imagine what must have going through His mind, knowing He was going to be betrayed, tried, and crucified.  I try to imagine even before His public ministry, in the desert with Satin, being tempted, without food for 40 days, and coming out, the victor. 
My sacrifices of fasting from meat and alcohol, during the season, attending daily Mass, praying the Holy Rosary, and reflecting the trials Jesus consumed for me. 
I am feeling the hunger, the longing for that hamburg or glass of wine, but at the same time, I am strengthened through prayer and supplication.  As I keep my eyes on the cross, I glean the perseverance to carry my little, almost insignificant cross as a sign of my hunger and thirst for my spiritual bread and wine. 
O my sweet Jesus, I promise to follow the narrow path of salvation, spreading the good news in your most Holy name to the best of my capabilities, knowing I will be lifted up by the Holy Spirit and fed with the hope of the fruits of Your promise.  I don't know the way but I know You will provide me with guidance, strength, and spirit.

REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND

I think to the most casual observer, it's safe to say that violent shooting sprees are pretty much the norm now, taking place daily.  For every life taken, it touches the lives of many many more people for life.  Folks on both sides of the weapons fence are passionate in their feelings of what should or should not take place to curb this violence.  Personally, I can't conceive of a viable solution to curb the violence, it has taken a form of independence of it's own. 
When our country was in it's infancy, our fore fathers documented a Constitution for us to live by and govern our country.  Everyone and their brother knows what the 2nd amendment stands for, the right to bear arms.  At that time, law enforcement was pretty much, every man for himself.  We had no police force, we were living in a wilderness once one left a town.  There were no "Supermarkets" to procure our food, and a weapon was vital to our survival.  After 237 years, one would think that our civilization has progressed beyond the point where a gun was an important thing to keep at hand.  We also were allotted the freedom to worship as we wished, without persecution.  I can only speak from a viewpoint of Christianity, when I proclaim one of the paramount commandments states "You shall not kill."  How did it get so distorted to say " You shall not kill except for self defense?"   I was not brought up in an environment where I learned that the 1st Commandment states: You shall love God above all other beings, with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, with all your strength.  It seems to me that if we followed that one commandment to the fullness, then we should have no need for the rest of the commandments whatsoever.  Despite our religious freedom, man has stepped in and overridden God's commandments.  Our society clearly allows for killing in self defense, divorce, and a general overall breakdown in our moral values.  We have been lulled into the complacency of ignoring the commandments and instead, modified our way of thinking to just the opposite.  We have become God, and God has taken a back seat in the life of our society.  The call of the flesh has overtaken the call to follow our God.  Not only is divorce elevated to a normal occurrence, we seldom even get married anymore, preferring to simply live in sin, and in many cases, having children out of wedlock, for our own pleasure in a non family environment.  The majority of our new generation comes from a single parent household.  It seems our values and what we used to call normal  has now been distorted and reversed.  We have turned from God, just like Sodom, Gomorrah, and Nineveh.  The prophet, Jonah, had a fairly simple task to go throughout the city of Nineveh and proclaim "In 40 days you will be destroyed.  Turn from your sins and repent."  God has since changed the rules.  He sent his own Son, Jesus, to take the form of humanity, and again proclaim "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand."  Not only was he crucified, but by the very group of people, awaiting their Messiah.  So while some still wait for the coming of the Messiah, he did come to warn us.  He proclaimed his return, not in 40 days or 400 days or 4000 days, but at a time unknown to all of us.  His message is clear and precise.  Repent and turn to God, for He will return at a time least expected, as a thief in the night, in an instant, and judge us.  Woe to our evil society, for we have learned nothing from history.  On that happy note, I say to all:  Banish guns forever."  Limiting who can procure and use guns will not solve anything.  Violence will never prevail against violence.  Make straight the path, prepare the way of the Lord.  Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

  

I just don't understand the logic with all the pro gun folks all "up at arms"  excuse the pun. 
I've never heard so many goofy arguments about it in my life.  What you are really fighting for is the right to bear arms, which to me translates the right to kill.  I'm not speaking of the evil one who murdered those poor people in Conn.  I'm talking about the responsible law abiding citizens that pack a gun.  What is your justification for that?  Oh, to protect your family, yourself, your home, and your property.  It's kinda scary thought for me to think that I am a minority, out in this dangerous world, in the midst of the majority of folks packing a gun.  It's even scarier to contemplate the fact that probably a good portion of the gun owners may not be all that competent in using the guns.  We see bad drivers every day and I'm sure that there are bad shooters too. I mean, most people drive the car every day.  Even after logging in thousands of miles yearly, we still have people that are bad drivers.  I seriously doubt the gun folks go to the target range daily.  What is the draw?  Do you crave the feeling of power from wielding that weapon?  Frankly, I wish not to be around those who need to feel more powerful than I. 

This is the real bottom line.  Today's world is evolving into an evil violent hell to abode in.  In part, I believe that this is due to people believing that they must arm themselves for protection by accumulating more and more powerful weapons, every man for himself, awaiting for someone to "Make my day."  Where does it all end?  The evil ones will always acquire the weapon that will shoot farther and longer.  You can't fight violence with violence.  It is impossible. 

I refuse to submit myself to the luck or skill of the draw.  Instead, I will gather my strength in the power of my Faith.  My Faith happens to include the first amendment, stronger than the second:  I am delivered from even the sting of death.  All I have to do is believe what has been passed down and written for 3,000 years.  One has already died for the salvation of my sins, so that I may attain eternal life.

Where in the Bible does it state that Mary, mother of Jesus is sinnless?

Where in the Bible does it say that Mary, mother of Jesus, is sinless? And if it is not in the Bible, why does the Catholic Church act like she is?

Catholics differ from some Christian Churches which accept the Scripture as the only source of God’s revelation. Catholics have a strong belief in the truth of Scripture, but we also believe in tradition as a way in which God continues to reveal truth to us. Tradition can include beliefs, customs, prayers, and worship, the teaching of popes, bishops, theologians and Church councils. It’s our process of continually reflecting on the way in which the Word of God encounters our own experience as a community of faith.

Catholic understanding is that tradition includes the Scripture, and began before the gospels and letters were written. We do believe that Scripture is a unique revelation from God and that the truths of tradition must always be tested and evaluated against the truths revealed in Scripture. They should not contradict Scripture. They should find their roots in Scripture.

The belief that Mary lived without sin from the moment of her conception springs from Church tradition. It evolved over a period of time, and was not formally defined as a teaching of the Church until 1854. It is not found explicitly in Scripture, but seems for Catholics to flow naturally from the testimony of Scripture that Mary was “full of grace” (Luke 1:28) and “blessed” (Luke 1:42).

In Catholic understanding the belief in Mary’s “immaculate conception” does not say so much about Mary as it is about Christ’s saving power. We believe that God created the human person to be in God’s own image. Grace is more original than sin. Our natural state was to be “full of grace.” Sin is our universal experience but it’s not what God intended for us in the past nor wants for us in the future. We are saved from sin through Christ. Mary’s being conceived without sin takes place in the context of the entire saving act of Christ. In being “full of grace” she is a model of what we human beings were intended to be and who we are redeemed to be through God’s saving power. She is the first sign of God’s victory over sin in Christ.

You also ask: “Why are Catholics who are baptized when they were infants, choose to lead unholy, even atheistic lives, die and then the priest at the funeral says they are going to heaven because they were baptized?”

The bishop of Rome, as head of the Catholic Church, sometimes declares certain people to be “saints” because they lived such exemplary and holy lives that we can believe with confidence that they are “with God in heaven.” Such a declaration only comes after a long investigation into the facts of that person’s life. The Catholic Church has never declared any deceased person to be “in hell.” Aside from this we don’t know and can’t presume the eternal state of any person who has died, although we believe that God desires all people to be with him in death as well as in life. Baptism does not automatically ensure that a person will go to heaven when he or she dies. We must try to live out our Baptism with lives of faith, hope and love.

The Catholic Church asks its members to pray for those who have died BECAUSE we know that we are all sinners, and even when we have tried to live a good life we can die short of the purity of heart that makes eternal life “with God” a reality. Yet we believe that God’s mercy is not thwarted by death and that God has the power to purify and transform the soul even after death so that it is fully open to participating in eternal life. Purgatory is not a place of “sentences”, like a prison, because it exists in eternity which is timeless.

We should certainly pray for the living as well, that they may accept God’s grace into their lives. 

Many people, Catholics included, wrongly believe that this dogma refers to the conception of Jesus Christ. But, in fact, the Immaculate Conception doctrine states that Mary, "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin." This meant that Mary herself was preserved from original sin, that she was born without a sin nature, and that she lived a sinless life.

There is no biblical support or scriptural basis for the Immaculate Conception of Mary doctrine. Mary, although favored of God, was an ordinary human being. According to Scripture, only Jesus Christ was immaculately conceived, born of a virgin, and born without sin. He was the only human being to live a sinless life.

Why do Catholics believe in the Immaculate Conception?

Simply put, Catholic teaching purports that in order for Jesus to have been born without sin, he would have to have been conceived within a sinless vessel. Catholics believe that if Mary had a sin nature when she conceived Jesus, then he would inherit this sin nature through her.

Arguments: For this doctrine to hold up, wouldn't Mary's mother have to be free from original sin also, else Mary would have inherited a sinful nature through her? Based on Scripture, the miracle of Jesus Christ's conception was that he alone was conceived as the only perfect and sinless one, because of his complete union with the divine nature of God.

The Assumption of Mary

The Assumption of Mary is a Roman Catholic doctrine, and to a lesser degree it is also taught by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Pope Pius XII proclaimed this doctrine on November 1, 1950 in his Munificentissimus Deus. This dogma states that the "Immaculate Virgin," the mother of Jesus, "after the completion of her earthly life was assumed body and soul into the glory of Heaven." This means that after her death, Mary was resurrected and taken up into heaven, body and soul. The doctrine further states that Mary was glorified in heaven and is "exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things."

There is no biblical support or scriptural basis for the Assumption of Mary doctrine. In fact, the Bible does not even record Mary's death.

More Misconceptions About Mary

Catholic Popes have referred to Mary as "co-redemptrix," "the gate of heaven," "Advocate," and "Mediatrix," ascribing to her a cooperative role in the work of salvation. It should be noted that the official Catholic stance is that Mary's elevated status "neither takes away from nor adds anything to the dignity and efficaciousness of Christ the one Mediator."

 

The adventures in Sven

Where do I begin with Sven?  Sven was my third Volvo, an orange 72 142 Coupe.  I was driving a very tired Chevy Vega at some point in my life, and one day I put the clutch pedal in and it broke away from the firewall, and that was the end of the evil Vega.

We already had Olga, our first Volvo as well as the Vega, so when the Vega went south, I started looking for a Volvo.  I saw Sven advertised in the newspaper for $ 500.00, back around 1990.  He was a 1972 142 coupe, two door four speed with electric overdrive, four wheel disk brakes, fuel injected, and in pretty good shape.  There was a catch, however;  Sven clunked when you shifted into the next gear.  The guy I bought it from said he'd driven it a long time with the clunk.  As it turned out, I drove it at least two years with the clunk, before I got it fixed.  The guy came down $ 10.00 on the price, and I paid him $ 490.00.

Sven ran great, and I barely did anything to it for a couple of years.  One day, I pulled off from a light, and feeling frisky, put the gas pedal to the floor, and hit second gear, when Sven shook his head, and gasped for air, and we drifted over to the side of the road.  I popped the bonnet, and looked about.  I popped the distributor cap and laughed.  There were points under the cap!  Burned to a crisp points, today.  I ripped some material off a matchbook, and stuck it under the actuator nub on the points to force them to open some.  I turned the key, and Sven started, but had little power.  I limped a little down the road and came to an auto parts store.  There, I got points, condenser, cap, roter, wires, plugs, and hand cleaner.  I limped home, about four miles.  Confident that to my casual observance, a tune up should take care of everything, I went to work.  Things changed quickly when I found all the slop in the distributor shaft.  Time for a beer and make a few calls.  While I was having the beer, I did locate a distributor at a junk yard, the next town over.  I brought my old one to make sure, and sure enough, it was a sure thing.  I went home with my new/old distributor, and went to work.  Things came to a screech when I discovered the hold down screw for the condenser was all buggered up.  I had to cut down a screw to fit and not interfere with the spin of the distributor.  Soon poured and roared into action! 


One night, very late and in a winter storm, no less, Sven cut right out and I had to push it to the side of the road with the aid of a passerby er.  Don't ask whey I did not flashlight or gloves, but I did not that night and I trudged through the blowing snow one block to an all night store where I got some cheap gloves and a cheap flashlight.  I had some cardboard in the trunk and spread it out under the rear of the car and crawled under with the flashlight.  The fuel pump was mounted outside the gas tank and I saw two wires going to it.  One wire was broke off the fuel pump.  I got up and from my tool box, got wire strippers and a cotter pin.  Back under, I stripped the broken wire bare at the end, and wrapped it to the eye of the cotter pin, then jammed the point of the cotter pin into the fuel pump connector.  I put the stuff in the trunk, and got in and said a prayer.  I turned the key and heard that familiar whine of the fuel pump, and knew it would start.  I drove home and to work the next day and left Sven at the shop next door for them to fix more "proper"

That's it for now.  Stay tuned for the continuing adventures of Sven, including the drive shaft breaking out of town, and more!

Last month, we got another used Volvo, a 1990 240 sedan.  Theresa wanted to pass her Hyundai off to her son, and we were under the gun to get another car soon.  There was this used Volvo at a Volvo garage, where I had some work done before.  The work was very good, the guy knows Volvos backwards and frontwards, so I made the mistake of assuming this used car was somewhat kept up.  As it turned out, the mechanics there, took turns driving it for the winter, and fixed nothing.

The first issue was the door locks were frozen on both front doors.  They advised me they had another set of locks for $ 50.00 more.  I got him to throw the locks in for nothing.  The day we got home with it, I attacked the door panel, and changed the drivers side lock. 
It seemed to all go OK, but the next day, as soon as we started the engine, the locks went crazy, going up and down on all the doors, forcing me to pull the fuse.  I also found the battery dead the first morning!  I went out and bought a new battery, and stuff to tune it up, gaskets to stop the oil leaking, and got dirty. 

The second day, it was raining hard when we got in to go out, and we found the windscreen leaking near the rear view mirror, forcing me to grab duct tape to administer a temporary repair.
Yesterday, being beautiful out, I changed the hoses, thermostat, and coolant.  The new thermostat failed to open, forcing me to take it apart again, make a mess, and install a second new thermostat. 
Then I moved on the the windscreen leak, and applied silicone sealer to suspected areas.  As it has not rained since then, the outcome of that repair is yet to verify.
Then, I figured I'd attack the door locks again.  After getting back inside the door and removing the wiring harness from the lock, I discovered all the wires bared about an inch from the connector!  About one foot down the harness, I found more bare wires.  I cut the harness apart and used shrink wrap to try to insulate the bare wires at the connector.  Then I stripped back and connected the other end of the harness, using wire nuts.  That's when I discovered that I could not orientate the wiring connector back around the lock cylinder.  I spent all afternoon and seemed to get nowhere.  Finally, I snipped away a portion of the connector on the one side, hoping to gain the room I needed to orientate the connector around the lock.  It only fits one way before it locks shut and tight.  My little snip worked and I finally got it back on the back of the lock.  By then, it was getting dark fast and I still had to put the door panel back.  I was tired and had to take it back apart three times before everything went back correctly.

The doors now all lock and unlock with the master door lock at the drivers door!  I could put the fuse back in regain the inside lights, clock and radio!
Theresa just called to inform me it all works great and she got to work without incident!
Good ole Hedwig!

Computer Maintenance for better performance

I see some folks are commenting on FaceBook about log on issues and slow running computers so I thought I'd pass on a few tips I've picked up along the way.  There are many things you can do to lighten the load on your CPU and pick up speed as when your computer was new.

Things I do daily:

1.  Clear the browsing history.  On the home page find the tool bar that looks like this:
File   Edit   Favorites   Tools   Help
Click on Tools and look for Delete Browsing History.  A window opens up showing several categories to check.  Check all the boxes Esp. Active X Filtering and protection Data.
Click Delete.  Some operating systems show a pop up window while deleting, while others do not.  If you see a window performing the delete, you will know it's completed when the window closes.  On Vista, you won't see anything while it's deleting, until it's done, then a box pops up telling you browsing history is complete.  If you brows a lot, do it daily.

2.  Disk Cleanup  Again, depending on your operating system, the procedure may vary.  When you click on Start, you may see procedures that you do frequently.  Look for Disk Cleanup.  A sure fire way is to click start and select control panel.  Look for System Maintenance and disk cleanup or free up disk space.  Some systems start the procedure right away, while others, you may have to give authorization by clicking continue, then clear C disk.  If you have not done it in a while, it will take some time while it looks about on your hard drive.  When you see a window open up showing the many categories of things to delete, click OK.  Then a box will open asking you to delete.  Click OK, and it should whisk away all files you don't need any longer.  When you browse, many temp files browsing cookies are picked up, as well as error dump files and more.  They will clog up things after a while, slowing your performance up.  I do it daily, but even once a week should help dramatically.

Periodic Maintenance:
Disk Defragmentation;  This maneuver, moves files around on your hard drive, compressing them, resulting in making more wiggle room on your hard drive.
Click on start menu, then Computer.Single click Local Disk C and look for properties (not system properties!)That opens a window to show you the pie shaped graph, indicating how much used and free space your hard drive has.  Click on Tools, opening up a window with different options.  Look for defragment now and click.  The analysis takes a while, so be patient!  Then a box opens showing how much space you will save by defragmenting.  If you gain no extra space, close out.  My Vista operating system is configured to perform defragmentation periodically, so I don't usually have to do this.

Updates:  I've heard the pros and cons from many experts that you should not get updates from Windows and Microsoft.  My theory?  The updates are configured to keep up with security breaches to stay ahead of hackers.  I highly recommend getting them.  Click on the start menu, then all programs.  Look for Windows Updates and click on it.  It automatically goes to the Windows web site and checks your system to see if any updates are in order. A window may open giving the option: Express or Custom.  Click Custom and it searches.  If it tells you high priority updates are available, click on install.  On the same web site, look for Microsoft Updates and do the same.  Also on the same site, you can configure your system to automatically get them.  Some updates are optional and you can pick and choose whether or not to get them.  For example, if an update is titled Fax and Modem update, and you do not use a fax, then you don't need that update.

ToolBars:  A good friend of mine who fixes computers professionally, told me he does not let them get downloaded and they use a lot of unnecessary energy.  They seem convenient, but I limit their use with a grain of salt.

Freeware:  Any downloads, whether drivers, widgets, etc.  are to be taken with suspicion.  Look carefully while installing new free software, for it will almost surely download malicious problems.  Get used to looking in Control Panel under uninstall programs and try to recognize all the programs you have.  After you download a new program, look in the control panel and make sure you are not getting more programs than you anticipated.  the real ugly ones can enbedd themselves deep and be difficult to remove!

Don't skimp on your antivirus protection.  You've heard the saying, "You get what you pay for" and it's true here.  I know there are some free ones, but I'd check into them carefully.  I've used McAfee for a few years now and it's worth every buck.

When you update your browser to the latest version, again, watch to make sure they are not dumping useless tool bars you don't need.  Learn how to customize your browser home page to utilize only what you use, not junk you don't, for things you seldom use can clog up your operating system before you know it!

Desktop Icons:  They can be convenient short cuts, but only keep the ones you use frequently.  Remember, if you delete a desk top icon, you are merely deleting the short cut, not the program entirely.

Backup Systems:  When i bought my computer five years ago, the configured backup was partitioned on the hard drive.  The main problem with it is, if your hard drive goes south, so does your backup system!  Your hard drive should really have no partitions.  Use an external hard drive for backup or even flash drives. They are cheap and come with an amazing amount of capacity now.  If you choose to back up on flash or pen drives, you will have to remember to do that on a regular basis, such as once a week.  You only need keep the latest back up.  Delete the outdated backup, then backup on the flash drive.

That should take care of many common problems that slow you down over time!

We Will Never Forget

We all know this iconic image.  Marking the anniversary of what we simply title "9/11" we again see the posters and banners proclaiming "We Will Never Forget" 

 

This same scenario has repeated itself countless times over the centuries since man has roamed the earth.  The repetition is bound to rear it's ugly head again and again, till there's nothing or nobody left to blow up. 

 

Here's another example of hatred at it's peak; a scene from one of the Nazi Death Camps.  Another "We Will Never Forget" tragedy. 

Hatred knows no boundry; It's part of human nature.  We were given a rule book to live by, but nobody bothers with it.  Our rules of life are so simple, yet seemingly impossible to obey. 

When a terrible tragedy occurs to a people, we are great at responding with patriotic fashion.  Our way of preserving the tragedy is to exercise the mentality of "We Will Never Forget", in order to keep the flame alive of the memory of the people lost in the initiation.

We have come to the conclusion that history repeats itself, yet we can't recognize the nucleus behind why.  The why is as simple and plain as the nose on our face.  We fail to "Forgive"  Forgiveness is one of the most complicated commandments to obey. 

 

Here's yet another example of hatred and evil at work;  The "Day of Infamy"  I know people to this day that still utter the phrase "We will Never Forget"  over that day and the war that was to end all wars.  The Great War.  What exactly was so great about it?  Was it because we all turned to and returned the violence with the same till our ennimies were defeated?

 

 

One last iconic image and I'm sure there are those to this day who still use the "We Will Never Forget" phrase in response to our very own Civil War.

It's OK to remember and honor the memory of those who were taken from us.  But until we can come to the realization that the evil will continue to perservere until we learn to "Forgive" the hatred will remain King of the Hill.

Eggplant Parm

We're enjoying our fresh produce out of our gardens and last night we had eggplant.
I started by making sauce. 

1 Onion chopped
3 cloves Garlic
Olive Oil not extra virgin
1 Qt jar of our fresh Tomato Puree
1 Sm can Paste
2 Carrots cut up
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 Cup fresh picked Basil
1/4 Cup fresh picked Parsley
Tbs Oregano (I only had dried)
1/4 Cup Red Wine
1 Cayenne Pepper chopped
1 Tsp each Salt & Pepper

Start by heating the Olive Oil in a med sauce pan.  Add Onion & Garlic.  Saute to golden.
Add Puree and Paste.  Once it just starts to boil, add the remaining ingredients.  Simmer over very low heat for at least two hours;  The longer, the better.

Now for the Eggplant, fresh picked from the garden.  Wash and slice thin.  I leave the skin on.  In one bowl, beat two eggs.  In another bowl, combine 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs (We like Whole Wheat Panko), 1/3 Cup Grated Romano/Parm Cheese, 1/2 Tsp Salt, Pepper, Cayenne Pepper.  I add other spices too sometimes such as Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cinnamon, use your imagination!

In a big fry pan, heat up Olive Oil (Not Extra Virgin, for it will burn)
Dip sliced Eggplant in egg, then the breadcrumb mix and into the fry pan.  Fry for about 2 minutes and turn when you see it golden brown underneath.  It frys fast.  Drain on paper towels.

I used a glass bread pan to make the cassorole.  Heat oven to 350.
Ladle some sauce on the bottom of the pan and place the eggplant in a single layer over the sauce.  Sprinkle grated cheese.  Continue with the next layers till the pan is almost to the top.  Leave some room for bubbling and bake for 45 minutes to one hour.

Enjoy with a green salad and glass of wine!

Kitty Adventures in our Gardens

We love our gardens and really enjoy creating an inviting environment for the wildlife in the city.
Between our three bird feeders and now with the big sunflowers in the gardens, the birds eat well.  The bees are very happy here with the inexhaustible variety of flowers to choose from, and let us not forget our buddies, the Butterflies.  Between the flowers and the veggies, fruits, and bushes, we've created a haven.





We also have a Momma feral cat residing back here for the last two years that we know of.

Here's our inside room mate, Angevine, who is soon to be two years old.  We brought her in after Momma Puddy left her in our back stoop.

  Here's Momma Puddy, this past May, under the bird bath. 


She's raising a litter of four kittens now, and we see them scampering about the gardens, now that they are older.

This morning, two were up on our back porch, napping and taking in the views!

2012 

2012                                                                    2012

 A recent FB post titled "Silly Christians" pokes fun at Christianity by outlining how our notable holidays were derived from pagan origins, like Christmas, Easter, etc.

 This was taken from an article titled: Wicans Tired of being Misrepresented.
While it is true, Christmas and Easter do fall on or near the Solstice and Equinox, the rest of the mocking post has nothing to do with Christianity whatsoever.
Neither do the Yuletide log, mistletoe, Christmas tree or Easter Bunny.  These non-Christian fundamentals are ingrained upon us over the centuries.
Let us get back to our so called pagan calendar.
It's safe to say today is August 26, 2012.
I think it's safe to say, 2012 dates back to our present timeline that the entire world tracks.
It's safe to say the the entire world is not Christian.
However, we still keep track of time that is relevant to the year our Lord was crucified.
My calendar is not pagan, it's Christian.
No body's misrepresenting paganism. 
Christianity, paganism;  we are free to believe in that which is paramount to us as humans.
It is true that as Christians, we walk by faith, not by sight.  We walk by faith in the belief that after over 2,000 years ago, God sent his Son to reside here to invite us into a relationship with Him.
It is our own free choice as to whether or not we wish to believe that Jesus Christ came to die for the salvation of our sins.  This belief carries the promise of everlasting life.  There are no impossible conditions related to this belief except to conduct ourselves in a manner that is prescribed by our Manual of Life, the Bible.  In brief, all we are asked to do is love and go out and pass the word on.
So, pagans, I ask you, what promise do your gods proclaim?

 

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So this morning, I happened to view the Stats of my Blogs.  Very cool, map of the world, indicating just where your blogs are being viewed, number of page views, etc. I maintain three Blogs: Buckyblublog, which contains posts of all natures. Daily Readings of Faith, where I post the daily Scripture Readings from the Catholic Missal along with  my Psalm Compostions, and as the Blogs states, I post it every day. And last but not least, I maintain a technical Blog: Repairs Rock, posting articles only about Stringed Instrument Repairs and Restoration. The stats for the three blogs are pretty amazing. Blog Title                         Number of Posts                      Number of Page Views Daily Readings                           291                                        1792 Buckyblublog                              168                                        3118 Repairs Rock                                 29                                        3637 A bit lopp-sided results between my Daily Readings of Faith and Repairs Rock. Just thought I'd share this!