Probably True . . .

Locating the Divine Mystery

The true role of biblical and theological science is not to reduce, much less to destroy, the divine mystery in human life, but to locate it.

~ Father Cipriano Vagaggini, OSB

Prayer for a Friend

I would like to ask for prayer for a fraternity brother of mine from DePauw University. His name is Randy Bernier, and his 6 month battle with cancer is coming to a close.

His wife, Lynn, posted this on their family blog:

I am writing this entry with a huge heavy heart. For those of you who don't know, or those of you who have heard part of the story.

Randy suffered and massive stroke yesterday, with catastrophic hemmoraging to the left side of his brain. Apparently there was a massive tumor on the left side of his brain that burst and has bleed out in to the left side. Due the extreme severity
of the brian injury the doctors are unable to do anything for us, but make Randy
as comfortable as possible. I have been with him nonstop since this occurred
late yesterday afternoon. He has also been surrounded by his family and some of
the best friends that two people could ever ask for. His care has been moved to
Hospice and we are now going one hour at a time

Please say your prayers for our family.

Thank you all for praying for my friend.

Peace,

Mike

No Line On The Horizon

I skipped lunch today to zip to Wal Mart and pick up U2's latest album "No Line On The Horizon."

Been rockin' it all afternoon - it's got what you've come to expect from U2: Deep, thoughtful lyrics, classic Edge guitar, a probing spiritual bent voiced by Bono, all mixed in with some driving rock grooves and a bit of an attitude. Give it a listen, I think you'll dig it!

Snow Emergency

The county that I live in has declared a "snow emergency." The local newspaper had the announcement on its web site, which allows comments on the stories. Here are two such comments:

Mrs.WTuesday, January 27, 2009:
10:02 pm
After reading what WBIW.COM has written about
the weather, I think I should of bought more milk and
bread!

jlgaddisTuesday, January 27,
2009: 10:05 pm
Mrs.W said:After reading what WBIW.COM has
written about the weather, I think I should of bought more milk and
bread!
I should've bought more beer.

Gotta love the spirit of the people of Lawrence County!

Starbucks Pledge 5

Check out the new Starbucks movement: http://pledge5.starbucks.com/

Cracked Front View

I gotta be honest. I’d like a new vehicle. If not new, at least new to me. All of our vehicles have 100K miles, complete with rattles and knocks. I battle feeling second class when I take my kids and their friends somewhere. No DVD in the van. No new car smell. Only spilt coffee stains and dirty, sweaty sports gear. Sweet.

While I’d like a different vehicle, the reality is, like many folks caught in our economic funk, it just ain’t happenin’. So I’ve been kind of pouting about not having any money. Yada yada yada. Know what I mean?

And then on New Year’s Eve, someone politely threw a bottle at the windshield of my van, shattering the glass. It’s funny how my desires shifted. In the time it took for the spider web of cracks to run across my windshield, I found myself only wishing that I could get my old 146K mile “Adventure Wagon” put back together so it would be safe. Wishing for a cool ride was replaced by being thankful that I at least had a van that my family could fit into.

With the toss of a bottle, God taught me about contentment. May it be a lesson that stays with me as my old van carries the Collins’ to further adventures!

Meriwether Lewis and 2009

My friend, Todd Sellers, suggested that I read Undaunted Courage, which is the story of Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West. Anywho - I ran across a quote made by Lewis (including his miss-spellings) that I found challenging, especially as 2009 lies just a few days before us.

"This day I completed my thirty first year . . . I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the hapiness of the human race, or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence, and now soarly feel the want of that information which those hours would have given me had they been judiciously expended." He resolved: "In future, to live for mankind, as I have heretofore lived for myself."

It Was Not a Silent Night

May this song touch your soul this Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas!

Starbucks Church

What if . . . Starbucks took their marketing cues from the Church? Hmmm.



HT to Mark Waltz for posting/sharing the video.