Hates em. My left hand has a finger that cramps up so bad it's a screaming pain, to move it, after I have been keyboarding awhile. You would think something arthritic would get looser and better, with use, but this gets worse. My middle finger has received shots for trigger finger. Now, it appears to just be inflamed, with arthritis.
Then, there's the floater, in my left eye, that tends to get better with less staring at computer screens, and worse with more of that. Sensible people do what is sensible. Apparently, I am very slow at sensible, because here I sit banging away, with that painful finger, knowing I will want to cut it off, by nightfall, for having done that.
Most of us make our living, banging away on keyboards. I did so, for about 12 years and before that used my hands for sorting, lifting, sifting types of activity. The demands and pace of keyboarding heavy positions at work places are very rough on fingers and wrist despite any efforts at ergonomic consideration, for employees.
Just to save myself that screaming pain, at night time, I am considering getting myself off the net, permanently, or at least until I can afford to have this finger amputated. I'm kidding about the amputation, though I think that would be less painfull.
Still planning to take off and go north, next year, if at all possible. My desire to do so, grows by the day. Come January, I will begin the process of preparing my condominium for sale. Hopefully, I get enough out of it to pay off my debt to the point that I can afford nice living quarters up north. Whatever I do up there, rent or own, I will do it as inexpensively as possible, because my living environment is not first on my list of things that have to be perfect. That life amenity should be adequate for my needs and clean and warm, and then comes everything else I want out of life.
Made up my mind, not to seek employment, while still in Madison, and, instead, concentrate on the sale of this Madison home, so I can be on my way ASAP up to the northland from which I came. It has changed drastically, to the point that it seems like an alien land, however, much more family is there than here and I can always come visit those here, for special occassions, as does my ex, who lives in the northland.
There are friends there, that are good as gold, and whole families of folk I belong to up there, that I will be very much blessed to be back around, once again. I escaped unemployment when I came down here. Now, I am retired, pretty much and desire to be in familiar places, among familiar folk, though a lot of it has, due to much development and construction, become like a foreign land to me.
At least that decision is made. The computer thing will probably take some more nights of screaming and crying as quietly as possible, in pain, before I get it that, this too, I can do without. Perhaps I will see more of family, and hear by phone more or snail mail, once I am no longer electronically connected. Better I amputate internet, than my middle left finger, me thinks. Wonder how much pain it will take to get me off this electronic habit of mine?
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
It's Not Easy Being Green
It's tough being a person with a rock solid conscience, in a world that refuses to have one. Been dealing with hackers and burglars. My computer was trashed, and much to my dismay, so was my storage unit, with all my games and songs on it. Lucky for me, my i phone is a storage unit for all my songs, and itunes is charging for downloads, I just found out, so I am better off out of there, for good.
Tried to play Cityville a bit ago. I've reisnstalled all my software, but so far my security has already detected 2 spywares and a trojan. It's a very sad world these days. It seems people don't hesitate to trash anything, without a cause, including your reputation. Then they turn around and use your trashed reputation as an excuse for already having trashed everything else, in your life.
Glad I am not any of those people and don't think like that or do like that. I've got my own faults to work out, but I have never lacked integrity, even when it hurt to be honest and even when it was down right dangerous to be honest.
He will see me through, no matter how much damage the enemy can convince these fools to do for him, against me. God will see me through the worst the devil can pitch at me. I love Him so, for being so careful of my fragile self.
Still on my way Home and having a great time, spending more time, with Him. Don't mind the company of saints and angels either. Good thing, since there are a lot of them up Home.
Tried to play Cityville a bit ago. I've reisnstalled all my software, but so far my security has already detected 2 spywares and a trojan. It's a very sad world these days. It seems people don't hesitate to trash anything, without a cause, including your reputation. Then they turn around and use your trashed reputation as an excuse for already having trashed everything else, in your life.
Glad I am not any of those people and don't think like that or do like that. I've got my own faults to work out, but I have never lacked integrity, even when it hurt to be honest and even when it was down right dangerous to be honest.
He will see me through, no matter how much damage the enemy can convince these fools to do for him, against me. God will see me through the worst the devil can pitch at me. I love Him so, for being so careful of my fragile self.
Still on my way Home and having a great time, spending more time, with Him. Don't mind the company of saints and angels either. Good thing, since there are a lot of them up Home.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Housekeeping Under Way
My life is becoming what it is meant to be and I am getting to where I want to be, in my present circumstances. We can't go back and make different decisions than were made in our youth. However, we can take a look at where we are now, where we want to be and what we want our lives to mean and be about, and bloom where we are planted. We have that option, and I have already taken that option, and reordered my days, accordingly.
There will be less of out here, or, possibly, none of out here. I have yet to make that decisions, and I see now that the decision hasn't quite yet been made for me. It turns out Windows expects me to buy an upgrade to keep this old machine of mine running. I don't want to have to buy anything, in order to accomplish that.
For years, I have been on and off the internet, toying with not being modern, and getting back to basics, from time to time, only to get sucked back into it by the facts of this world's communication and social structure that seems to require us to be out here, just to stay in the social loop, even with family.
I can't seem to make up my mind about it. The availability of resources out here is also a big draw, both in media and research, so it's going to be a tough thing to sever, from my life. It may be that I need to take a year or two off, only, just to bring my physical presence to where I want it.
I once thought I needed to live in my Madison world and my Neenah world both, then discovered that those in Madison, don't plan to stay in Madison, long term, so there is no point to keeping a residence here, and moving back home, to Neenah, PERIOD, would make more sence.
It feels unsettled, as long as I am in Madison, on my way to being in Neenah, at some point, so I am trying to accelerate that process, and be home soonest. Wish me well on that, because I have to wrap things up here, by selling my home, and that requires preparing it to sell, and then finding a buyer for it that will pay me what it's worth, so I can get back home, where I belong and want to be.
Meanwhile, spiritually, I have already brought myself, with God's good grace, back to where I belong and want to be. He has been so good and gracious to me, to show me myself, as I truly am and help me understand where I need to be, to be in His will, for my life. He has also waited, very patiently, for me to figure all that out.
Physically, not being where I want to be, is taking a toll on me, emotionally. My heart longs so to have it all accomplished, but it will have to take the time that it takes, to get the job done right, and leave me, in a good place to keep on as I have now begun, spiritually.
Now I am also on my way home, as well as on my way Home, and that is a great relief. God grant wings to my plans and get me home soon, with a safe take off, and a safe landing, as well, on both journeys home.
He's a good God. You can trust Him with all you have, and trust Him with all you are, as well.
There will be less of out here, or, possibly, none of out here. I have yet to make that decisions, and I see now that the decision hasn't quite yet been made for me. It turns out Windows expects me to buy an upgrade to keep this old machine of mine running. I don't want to have to buy anything, in order to accomplish that.
For years, I have been on and off the internet, toying with not being modern, and getting back to basics, from time to time, only to get sucked back into it by the facts of this world's communication and social structure that seems to require us to be out here, just to stay in the social loop, even with family.
I can't seem to make up my mind about it. The availability of resources out here is also a big draw, both in media and research, so it's going to be a tough thing to sever, from my life. It may be that I need to take a year or two off, only, just to bring my physical presence to where I want it.
I once thought I needed to live in my Madison world and my Neenah world both, then discovered that those in Madison, don't plan to stay in Madison, long term, so there is no point to keeping a residence here, and moving back home, to Neenah, PERIOD, would make more sence.
It feels unsettled, as long as I am in Madison, on my way to being in Neenah, at some point, so I am trying to accelerate that process, and be home soonest. Wish me well on that, because I have to wrap things up here, by selling my home, and that requires preparing it to sell, and then finding a buyer for it that will pay me what it's worth, so I can get back home, where I belong and want to be.
Meanwhile, spiritually, I have already brought myself, with God's good grace, back to where I belong and want to be. He has been so good and gracious to me, to show me myself, as I truly am and help me understand where I need to be, to be in His will, for my life. He has also waited, very patiently, for me to figure all that out.
Physically, not being where I want to be, is taking a toll on me, emotionally. My heart longs so to have it all accomplished, but it will have to take the time that it takes, to get the job done right, and leave me, in a good place to keep on as I have now begun, spiritually.
Now I am also on my way home, as well as on my way Home, and that is a great relief. God grant wings to my plans and get me home soon, with a safe take off, and a safe landing, as well, on both journeys home.
He's a good God. You can trust Him with all you have, and trust Him with all you are, as well.
The Blessing
There is something new, in my life, and it is the blessing of austerity and simplicity. If I disappear from out here, know that I do so willingly. My life is becoming more and more simple and my time is being spent with increasing awareness of what God needs me to be doing with it, and how He can work through me.
My computer has been hacked, and I can restore it, without 1 document, that I may or may not need, depending on what I decide about certain aspects of my future. Because I am becoming content in Him, and in little else, I am seriously considering not using internet anymore, by choice.
So, if I disappear out here, it will be because I value and use my time differently. The only reason I would want to keep this service is to have access to on line services and to enjoy on demand Christian and Catholic television offerings and study materials of various sorts.
That, and I enjoy keeping in touch with my family out here. This may be goodbye. My computer has been hacked to an almost unusable state of disrepair and my storage divice is destroyed as well, so, if I reinstall, it will be without a lot of stored data files, I needed for taxes etc.
I am making up my mind about the internet, within the next couple of days. It's a tough decision, because my only contact, with a lot of you, is in here.
Current phone 608-772-7988. Address 545 D'Onofrio Drive, Unit 6, Madison, WI 53719. email, if and when I ever get to look at it. kkraus417@gmail.com.
This is, possibly, a good bye. I don't know, if it is or not.
My computer has been hacked, and I can restore it, without 1 document, that I may or may not need, depending on what I decide about certain aspects of my future. Because I am becoming content in Him, and in little else, I am seriously considering not using internet anymore, by choice.
So, if I disappear out here, it will be because I value and use my time differently. The only reason I would want to keep this service is to have access to on line services and to enjoy on demand Christian and Catholic television offerings and study materials of various sorts.
That, and I enjoy keeping in touch with my family out here. This may be goodbye. My computer has been hacked to an almost unusable state of disrepair and my storage divice is destroyed as well, so, if I reinstall, it will be without a lot of stored data files, I needed for taxes etc.
I am making up my mind about the internet, within the next couple of days. It's a tough decision, because my only contact, with a lot of you, is in here.
Current phone 608-772-7988. Address 545 D'Onofrio Drive, Unit 6, Madison, WI 53719. email, if and when I ever get to look at it. kkraus417@gmail.com.
This is, possibly, a good bye. I don't know, if it is or not.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Blooming Where I Am Planted
While I may not, at this point in life, be where I belong or want to be, I am able, in retirement to take on devotional levels of commitment that I could not, while I was working, and am determined to do so, with my whole heart and soul. Giving myself over to His will, in every possible way, will make my remaining years sacrificial and beneficial for the Kingdom. That much I now can do.
Had I gone the way He showed me, in the beginning of my life, I would have fewer regrets and more satisfaction out of life now. Spending all of my time looking back, instead of forward would only waste more of the time I could be spending with Him and in Him.
At this stage of life, my will is a lot more stubborn than it once would have been, however. It will be a tough battle over my will and my ways, as opposed to His will and His ways. In the end, with His graces flowing to me, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, He will triumph in me, and He and I will be on my journey Home, together. This is my hope and my prayer, for my future.
Peace,
I am on my way Home. Home is where my heart is. I couldn't ask for better company, on that journey, than Jesus, God my Father and the Holy Spirit.
Had I gone the way He showed me, in the beginning of my life, I would have fewer regrets and more satisfaction out of life now. Spending all of my time looking back, instead of forward would only waste more of the time I could be spending with Him and in Him.
At this stage of life, my will is a lot more stubborn than it once would have been, however. It will be a tough battle over my will and my ways, as opposed to His will and His ways. In the end, with His graces flowing to me, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, He will triumph in me, and He and I will be on my journey Home, together. This is my hope and my prayer, for my future.
Peace,
I am on my way Home. Home is where my heart is. I couldn't ask for better company, on that journey, than Jesus, God my Father and the Holy Spirit.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
It's a Sweet, Sweet Life
When God is the center, and life is about Him and not so much about you, it's sweet. There are many things coming to my life, soon, that will make it even sweeter. Having recently discovered that I had lost my way a bit, by straying into doctrines that are not quite correct, and others that are very much in error, I am now returned to where I belong. A brief adventure into that territory of the errors, today, left me wondering why I ever wandered that direction, in the first place. With the exception of, that it was all the Christian viewing I had available, for many years, and that this station had been, without my permission, thrust upon me, in replacement of one that actually had programming other than preachers on it, I have little or no excuse.
EWTN became a requirement of my viewing, after I experienced Relevant Radio, for awhile. My Catholicness became very clear to me. Along with discovering that some Christians, though they say otherwise, really don't have any use for Catholics, and have, mostly, misinformation concerning Catholicism to base their intolerances on, the exposure to Catholic media, and weariness with anti-Catholic lies and liars, I found my way home, to the Catholic Church, in my heart, which is where I was straying. Physically, I have never made the move away from Catholicism, but spiritually I was wandering into Protestant beliefs.
Had my dearest friend not mentioned, that she had stopped listening to Protestant media, because she had found herself straying, I would not, probably, have noticed that I too was being pulled away from Catholic doctrine into a very loose fitting Protestantism. I can never pour myself into that mold. Everything beyond orthodox types of Protestantism now scare me a whole lot. If the only one a pastor is answering to, theologically, is himself, I am even more wary.
It is also dangerous to get your theology from television minstries, especially those personalities who run the networks. They are on top of the food chain, in minstry and tend to be answering to no one in particular, also. The whole experience has left me seriously worried for souls caught up in fringe congregations with no one to guide them but one pastor, and for those guided soley by media ministries of dubious denominational ties and theological training. Some of these people have never seen the inside of a seminary of any denominations, and some of the seminaries, from what I've heard on Christian media, are teaching error.
While I've heard every variation of theological view and a wide range from God is all about Love and won't send anyone to Hell, to God will send everyone to hell that can't live a perfect life in His Grace, and a whole lot of variations in between, I find myself still "working out my own salvation in fear and trembling" to a great degree.
He doesn't appear to me, as many claim, nor take me on trips to Heaven, nor speak to me audibly, nor am I visited by saints or angels. My hands have yet to touch anyone in healing, including myself. He guides me to wise medical advice instead. He speaks quietly in my heart. He doesn't predict future events, nor set the dates and times, nor appear to me and speak to me in dreams. My life and my faith are completely ordinary, and my past spiritual life has been an on again off again effort to pursue holiness.
Every beginning I make ends unceremoniously. I don't speak words of knowledge, that I can be sure of, nor healing words to others. My prayer life is quite ordinary and not even consistant. Still, I aspire to achieve holiness, as best I can, as I continue my journey Home. Home is in Heaven, and there I desire to be, when I am finally called.
This year ends, like all the others, with hope for better holiness to spring out of this very mortal and imperfect soul. My desire for Him, so far, has cut things out of my life, that do not please Him. Now I would like, now that all that can be cut, has been cut, to start adding things into my life that are devotional, inspiring and useful to the Kingdom.
What I want to accomplish, next year, the year 2012, in which many are predicting that the end will come, is to actually begin and not stop ingloriously a lifestyle that turns to Him in prayer, in thought, in work, in deeds, in devotion, in body, mind and spirit, and, especially in works of mercy towards souls through prayer, giving, and sacrifice. What this lazy soul needs is to be less lazy, in His service, and get on with the business of walking that journey Home, via the Way of My Crosses, in this life. I need to pick up my crosses, instead of leaving them lay there. I need to turn my face to His. I need to give up my life, and take up His.
Had I chosen the path to religious vocation, many years ago, I would not be so lost in myself now, and would, instead, be completely lost in Him, which is where I truly desire to be. I know now, why monks and nuns choose to live in monastaries, away from this world's distractions. He alone is worthy of our full attention. He alone is worth giving up everything else for. Nothing we could desire is more valuable than He is. What a fool I was to turn to anything or anyone else to satisfy that thirst and hunger.
There are things I may still let go of, that are part of this world. It's unfortunate, that to do so, I have to cut myself off from family and friends as well. That's because internet seems to have replaced paper and pen, and only the telephone keeps us in touch otherwise these days. Still, He is calling me to Him, in ways that tempt me to leave everything and everyone else behind, in pursuit of His company. It feels selfish and unfaithful to be holding on to even these last few things.
It's the final "last things" I should concern myself with more than any thing I might let go of, in embracing Him entirely, and allowing Him to embrace me, entirely. Pray for me. I am not where I want to be, nor is it someplace I can now go. Also I am not where I belong. The journey has become hard, not because I am over committed to Him, but because I am tugged on, from behind and I seek to reach Him with all of my heart and soul, instead of remain at this distance, for lack of the strength to cut the ties to those worldly attractions that still hold me a captive, in this world.
EWTN became a requirement of my viewing, after I experienced Relevant Radio, for awhile. My Catholicness became very clear to me. Along with discovering that some Christians, though they say otherwise, really don't have any use for Catholics, and have, mostly, misinformation concerning Catholicism to base their intolerances on, the exposure to Catholic media, and weariness with anti-Catholic lies and liars, I found my way home, to the Catholic Church, in my heart, which is where I was straying. Physically, I have never made the move away from Catholicism, but spiritually I was wandering into Protestant beliefs.
Had my dearest friend not mentioned, that she had stopped listening to Protestant media, because she had found herself straying, I would not, probably, have noticed that I too was being pulled away from Catholic doctrine into a very loose fitting Protestantism. I can never pour myself into that mold. Everything beyond orthodox types of Protestantism now scare me a whole lot. If the only one a pastor is answering to, theologically, is himself, I am even more wary.
It is also dangerous to get your theology from television minstries, especially those personalities who run the networks. They are on top of the food chain, in minstry and tend to be answering to no one in particular, also. The whole experience has left me seriously worried for souls caught up in fringe congregations with no one to guide them but one pastor, and for those guided soley by media ministries of dubious denominational ties and theological training. Some of these people have never seen the inside of a seminary of any denominations, and some of the seminaries, from what I've heard on Christian media, are teaching error.
While I've heard every variation of theological view and a wide range from God is all about Love and won't send anyone to Hell, to God will send everyone to hell that can't live a perfect life in His Grace, and a whole lot of variations in between, I find myself still "working out my own salvation in fear and trembling" to a great degree.
He doesn't appear to me, as many claim, nor take me on trips to Heaven, nor speak to me audibly, nor am I visited by saints or angels. My hands have yet to touch anyone in healing, including myself. He guides me to wise medical advice instead. He speaks quietly in my heart. He doesn't predict future events, nor set the dates and times, nor appear to me and speak to me in dreams. My life and my faith are completely ordinary, and my past spiritual life has been an on again off again effort to pursue holiness.
Every beginning I make ends unceremoniously. I don't speak words of knowledge, that I can be sure of, nor healing words to others. My prayer life is quite ordinary and not even consistant. Still, I aspire to achieve holiness, as best I can, as I continue my journey Home. Home is in Heaven, and there I desire to be, when I am finally called.
This year ends, like all the others, with hope for better holiness to spring out of this very mortal and imperfect soul. My desire for Him, so far, has cut things out of my life, that do not please Him. Now I would like, now that all that can be cut, has been cut, to start adding things into my life that are devotional, inspiring and useful to the Kingdom.
What I want to accomplish, next year, the year 2012, in which many are predicting that the end will come, is to actually begin and not stop ingloriously a lifestyle that turns to Him in prayer, in thought, in work, in deeds, in devotion, in body, mind and spirit, and, especially in works of mercy towards souls through prayer, giving, and sacrifice. What this lazy soul needs is to be less lazy, in His service, and get on with the business of walking that journey Home, via the Way of My Crosses, in this life. I need to pick up my crosses, instead of leaving them lay there. I need to turn my face to His. I need to give up my life, and take up His.
Had I chosen the path to religious vocation, many years ago, I would not be so lost in myself now, and would, instead, be completely lost in Him, which is where I truly desire to be. I know now, why monks and nuns choose to live in monastaries, away from this world's distractions. He alone is worthy of our full attention. He alone is worth giving up everything else for. Nothing we could desire is more valuable than He is. What a fool I was to turn to anything or anyone else to satisfy that thirst and hunger.
There are things I may still let go of, that are part of this world. It's unfortunate, that to do so, I have to cut myself off from family and friends as well. That's because internet seems to have replaced paper and pen, and only the telephone keeps us in touch otherwise these days. Still, He is calling me to Him, in ways that tempt me to leave everything and everyone else behind, in pursuit of His company. It feels selfish and unfaithful to be holding on to even these last few things.
It's the final "last things" I should concern myself with more than any thing I might let go of, in embracing Him entirely, and allowing Him to embrace me, entirely. Pray for me. I am not where I want to be, nor is it someplace I can now go. Also I am not where I belong. The journey has become hard, not because I am over committed to Him, but because I am tugged on, from behind and I seek to reach Him with all of my heart and soul, instead of remain at this distance, for lack of the strength to cut the ties to those worldly attractions that still hold me a captive, in this world.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The Mighty One of Israel
During this morning's rest from illness, these things came to my heart to share:
God is almighty, not your government, your family, your mate, your political system or party, your employer, your paycheck, your bank account, your home, your wallet, your philosophy, your profession, your skills, your talents, your body, your personality, your beauty. Only God is almighty, and only He can save you, even from yourself.
God had the first Word. He is the Word. God will have the last Word.
How we ever come to any other conclusions in life, I don't understand.
God is almighty, not your government, your family, your mate, your political system or party, your employer, your paycheck, your bank account, your home, your wallet, your philosophy, your profession, your skills, your talents, your body, your personality, your beauty. Only God is almighty, and only He can save you, even from yourself.
God had the first Word. He is the Word. God will have the last Word.
How we ever come to any other conclusions in life, I don't understand.
Friday, December 9, 2011
We Have Been Robbed
When this world took over our soul's formation and guidance, we were robbed of the great grace of true faith. Today I am hearing countless testimonies from historical figures like Bishop Sheen and modern day priests like Father Casey,, who teaches on EWTN these days, reminding me of how much has been lost to this world's view of the faith and practice of the faith that used to be the standard of holiness and faith in my dear Catholic faith.
Bishop Sheen had said that truth is truth, even if no one believes it and he also said that the opposite is true, that what is false is still false, even if everyone believes it. We have been peppered in this amoral world we now live in with countless excuses to turn away from true faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, Savior, King and truely God. That Jesus was God, is God and will always be God, and will judge us based on our actual commitment to Him as Lord and Savior, and our actual belief in Him and our living out of that commitment, and not just the words we proclaim with our mouths is a fact.
Many have been sucked into the vacuum, that has become a holding tank, between earth and Hell for souls that will never see God again, once they leave this life and pass through judgement into eternal damnation. That vacuum sucks in those deceived by relativism, secularism, liberalism, the world's current lack of an accurate moral compass and other heritical apostacies, with all this world's intellectual, convenient, and attractive excuses for believing in a dumbed down form of faith and the practice of that faith.
It's easy to see, when you look at the current world culture why Catholics, en mass are leaving the Catholic Church for other denominations or non denominational sects that require less of a commitment in faith to doctrines that, if we believe in them, change every aspect of our lives into one long prayer and sacrifice of self to God, in the manner of the saints. We are all called to be saints. We don't all answer the call. I heard it recently said, by a priest, that "only saints go to Heaven".
There's another reason, other than a lesser commitment to holiness and a striving after sainthood that Catholics leave the faith. That is that the church itself has not uninformly remained committed to the true faith in doctrinal beliefs, and Biblical belief in Christ as God, in the miraculous nature of what He did. Some even depart from belief in such basic beliefs as the resurrection, from the dead, of Christ.
Personally, I have heard homilies done by priests so liberal and dummed down in their theology that I wanted to get up and walk out. If I were not tied there by the desire to receive the Eucharist, I would have done so on many occassions.
I've seen people walk out when the priest was stating things that, though doctrinally correct, and required for belief by Catholics, were not popular in this world's viewpoint. But then, their liberalism,doesn't accept the real presence of Christ, in the Eucharist either, so it was easy to walk away, for them.
I still know the Eucharist to be the body and blood of Christ, because Jesus said it was His body and blood, and I believe what Jesus Christ said is the absolute truth, for all time.. He is actually God, who came to earth, born of Mary, a virgin, and of Holy Spirit, who overshadowed her. He did not lie to us, and could not, as He is Truth itself, as much as He is Love and is Wisdom and all other things that are good.
The Truth of the faith is Jesus Christ and the fruit of Holy Spirit, in our lives, will clearly be visible in how we live our lives separate from anything fallen in the culture we inhabit. We will go to our deaths, if need be, to proclaim the Gospel truth openly and publicly. We will not be one of those of whom it is often said, that if they were put on trial for being a Christian could not be convicted of it, for lack of evidence.
I've got the Stations of the Cross on. It just came to me that Jesus was beaten into a very unattractive state, at the end of His life among us. His attractiveness as the babe in the manger, as the healer and wise teacher in his earthly ministry, now was no longer visible in His aspect. He became the Jesus of suffering, rejection, sorrow and trial that is not so attractive. We want the baby and the teacher, in this world, without the suffering and sacrifice. We don't want to take up our crosses and follow Him into that part of what faith demands is unattractive from this world's viewpoint.
How can we follow Him into the Garden of His Agony and then fall asleep and then abandon Him and deny the now disfugered unattractive Him, in our faith while He goes on to suffer and die. Jesus Himself told us that He was the Way, Truth and Life. In death to this world, we come to life in Him. We need to take the whole journey, the one that goes through the cross, or we cannot reach the destination we truly desire.
Now I am exorted by Him to follow Him into His suffering, and put to death those things that are not right in my life, all the more devotedly. The Way, as it was once called, is not any easy, casual, worldly one. It is an embracing of all that Jesus was, all that Jesus said and all that Jesus did, even to the point that we are, like Him, willing to die horribly.
It was said, today, that all you need do in this world to be considered intolerant, and predjudiced, is accurately quote the Bible passages that speak against the sin that is so prevalent and popular, in this present age. We have been robbed of holiness. Many of us, myself included, have opened the door for the thieves and let them into our lives, by things we have read, watched, listened to, and otherwise participated in, that we full well knew were sinful, by Biblical standards.
We are cautioned that, yes we can live by our conscience, but that conscience needs to be a well-formed conscience. Without a well-formed conscience, someone may come along and rob you of eternal life. That is the ultimate tragedy of this liberal culture, that so many are following ill-formed, under catechized consciences, both thiers and others into Hell. Even some of those trusted with the leading of the sheep, are leading those sheep along a path to spiritual destruction.
Dear God, help us all to know, love, follow, understand, hear, and obey You and not be lead astray by things that only pretend to be of You. Even the demons believe. Let us believe rightly, discern rightly and have mercy on us, when we come into your presence to be judged by You. Keep our feet steady on that rough, rocky and narrow path, until that day.
I am on my way Home. Home is where my heart is. He has it. Why would it be anywhere else?
Bishop Sheen had said that truth is truth, even if no one believes it and he also said that the opposite is true, that what is false is still false, even if everyone believes it. We have been peppered in this amoral world we now live in with countless excuses to turn away from true faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, Savior, King and truely God. That Jesus was God, is God and will always be God, and will judge us based on our actual commitment to Him as Lord and Savior, and our actual belief in Him and our living out of that commitment, and not just the words we proclaim with our mouths is a fact.
Many have been sucked into the vacuum, that has become a holding tank, between earth and Hell for souls that will never see God again, once they leave this life and pass through judgement into eternal damnation. That vacuum sucks in those deceived by relativism, secularism, liberalism, the world's current lack of an accurate moral compass and other heritical apostacies, with all this world's intellectual, convenient, and attractive excuses for believing in a dumbed down form of faith and the practice of that faith.
It's easy to see, when you look at the current world culture why Catholics, en mass are leaving the Catholic Church for other denominations or non denominational sects that require less of a commitment in faith to doctrines that, if we believe in them, change every aspect of our lives into one long prayer and sacrifice of self to God, in the manner of the saints. We are all called to be saints. We don't all answer the call. I heard it recently said, by a priest, that "only saints go to Heaven".
There's another reason, other than a lesser commitment to holiness and a striving after sainthood that Catholics leave the faith. That is that the church itself has not uninformly remained committed to the true faith in doctrinal beliefs, and Biblical belief in Christ as God, in the miraculous nature of what He did. Some even depart from belief in such basic beliefs as the resurrection, from the dead, of Christ.
Personally, I have heard homilies done by priests so liberal and dummed down in their theology that I wanted to get up and walk out. If I were not tied there by the desire to receive the Eucharist, I would have done so on many occassions.
I've seen people walk out when the priest was stating things that, though doctrinally correct, and required for belief by Catholics, were not popular in this world's viewpoint. But then, their liberalism,doesn't accept the real presence of Christ, in the Eucharist either, so it was easy to walk away, for them.
I still know the Eucharist to be the body and blood of Christ, because Jesus said it was His body and blood, and I believe what Jesus Christ said is the absolute truth, for all time.. He is actually God, who came to earth, born of Mary, a virgin, and of Holy Spirit, who overshadowed her. He did not lie to us, and could not, as He is Truth itself, as much as He is Love and is Wisdom and all other things that are good.
The Truth of the faith is Jesus Christ and the fruit of Holy Spirit, in our lives, will clearly be visible in how we live our lives separate from anything fallen in the culture we inhabit. We will go to our deaths, if need be, to proclaim the Gospel truth openly and publicly. We will not be one of those of whom it is often said, that if they were put on trial for being a Christian could not be convicted of it, for lack of evidence.
I've got the Stations of the Cross on. It just came to me that Jesus was beaten into a very unattractive state, at the end of His life among us. His attractiveness as the babe in the manger, as the healer and wise teacher in his earthly ministry, now was no longer visible in His aspect. He became the Jesus of suffering, rejection, sorrow and trial that is not so attractive. We want the baby and the teacher, in this world, without the suffering and sacrifice. We don't want to take up our crosses and follow Him into that part of what faith demands is unattractive from this world's viewpoint.
How can we follow Him into the Garden of His Agony and then fall asleep and then abandon Him and deny the now disfugered unattractive Him, in our faith while He goes on to suffer and die. Jesus Himself told us that He was the Way, Truth and Life. In death to this world, we come to life in Him. We need to take the whole journey, the one that goes through the cross, or we cannot reach the destination we truly desire.
Now I am exorted by Him to follow Him into His suffering, and put to death those things that are not right in my life, all the more devotedly. The Way, as it was once called, is not any easy, casual, worldly one. It is an embracing of all that Jesus was, all that Jesus said and all that Jesus did, even to the point that we are, like Him, willing to die horribly.
It was said, today, that all you need do in this world to be considered intolerant, and predjudiced, is accurately quote the Bible passages that speak against the sin that is so prevalent and popular, in this present age. We have been robbed of holiness. Many of us, myself included, have opened the door for the thieves and let them into our lives, by things we have read, watched, listened to, and otherwise participated in, that we full well knew were sinful, by Biblical standards.
We are cautioned that, yes we can live by our conscience, but that conscience needs to be a well-formed conscience. Without a well-formed conscience, someone may come along and rob you of eternal life. That is the ultimate tragedy of this liberal culture, that so many are following ill-formed, under catechized consciences, both thiers and others into Hell. Even some of those trusted with the leading of the sheep, are leading those sheep along a path to spiritual destruction.
Dear God, help us all to know, love, follow, understand, hear, and obey You and not be lead astray by things that only pretend to be of You. Even the demons believe. Let us believe rightly, discern rightly and have mercy on us, when we come into your presence to be judged by You. Keep our feet steady on that rough, rocky and narrow path, until that day.
I am on my way Home. Home is where my heart is. He has it. Why would it be anywhere else?
Thursday, December 8, 2011
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception. What Exactly is That About?
It's about our Blessed Mother, the mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The doctrine says that she was conceived withoutl sin. She was the product of the natural union between a man and a woman, her parents. However God, who chose her from the beginning, to be the mother of our Lord, preserved her, from the moment of conception, from the stain of original sin, through His divine grace. God personally intervened to prepare her to be the perfect vessel to bring our Saviour, Jesus Christ, into the world. He was conceived through an overshadowing, of Mary, by the Holy Spirit. The Immaculate Conception is a required belief for Catholics, along with the Virgin Birth.
The homily, at the feast day mass of The Immcaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation for Catholics, was about her obedience to God, which is exactly the opposite of Adam and Eve's disobedience. Through her obedience in every aspect to God, she gave us a holy example to follow. She raised the bar for human kind, by a great deal. I left mass with a renewed respect for Mary and for the Catholic faith, with all it's honor to Mary, as the Mother of God, whom Jesus Christ her son was.
While I have always known that the Immaculate Conception refered to Mary's conception and not Jesus' conception, I recently discovered that our Protestant brothers and sisters don't always know that. There was one who tried to refute the Immaculate Conception, who did not know that, as far as I could tell. Had he known, I am convinced he would have probably had even more trouble with it, than he seemed to be having already, as a doctrine.
The homily, at the feast day mass of The Immcaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation for Catholics, was about her obedience to God, which is exactly the opposite of Adam and Eve's disobedience. Through her obedience in every aspect to God, she gave us a holy example to follow. She raised the bar for human kind, by a great deal. I left mass with a renewed respect for Mary and for the Catholic faith, with all it's honor to Mary, as the Mother of God, whom Jesus Christ her son was.
While I have always known that the Immaculate Conception refered to Mary's conception and not Jesus' conception, I recently discovered that our Protestant brothers and sisters don't always know that. There was one who tried to refute the Immaculate Conception, who did not know that, as far as I could tell. Had he known, I am convinced he would have probably had even more trouble with it, than he seemed to be having already, as a doctrine.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Back Again
Had to change providers, because I ended my on line experience with the phone company and now have my internet on my notebook computer again. Without all that telephone expense, I decided I could budget in some internet and basic cable TV. So, I now get my EWTN and Daystar on my TV, and I can get the rest of it on line, with the option to run my computer, on my TV, by moving the modem, so I can watch all my TV, on the big screen.
I don't use wireless connections, because they tend to get interfered with, in this neighborhood, by the free wireless, offered by the condo association and their wireless isn't good enough to run free TV off of. I'd be hogging it big time, if I did that.
Listening to some wonderful native american flute playing, at the installation service of a new North Dakota Bishop. He's already a Bishop and is greeting well wishers right now. Native drums were playing earlier. They played something to honor the new Bishop. It was a rare treat for me. I enjoyed this programming very much.
TV won't be restricted to Daystar now. I can see all my favorites on TBN's many networks and several others that offer streaming Television live and/or on demand. Love the price, at this point. Hope it stays down.
My journey will be greatly aided, now that I can get Catholic TV, EWTN and many audio stations for Catholics, along with all the many and varied Christian offerings. There are some ministries I thoroughly enjoy, because of their Biblical soundness. That's the standard I use to decide whether I view a ministry's offerings or not.
A second criteria is how well they play with others. That means I care whether they are bashing on other denominations or traditions or not, and it doesn't matter to me which denomination or religion they bash. Recently, I've had great grace given to me and guidance in that those things that were theologically unhealthy for me were clearly revealed. I praise God for that.
Christianity is a pretty much all the same and all theologically sound, with the exception of those sects and cults that see others as lost, simply because they don't agree with every theological tenet of their particular interpretation of parts of the Bible. If they aren't reading all of it, and aren't considering all of it, in their interpretations, I have a problem with that. If I hear anything that can not be verified as historical of theological fact, I move on, and hope to have the grace to do so more immediately and obediently than I have in the past.
I am seriously concerned for any persons, considering themselves Christian, who are not with a major, orthodox, denomination. Anyone who is not, is best cautioned not to drink the Kool Aid. And, while I believe we should make every effort to understand and be kind to others of different traditions and religions, including Islamic, Bhuddist, and Hindu, we are not supposed to be practicing those other traditions and relgions as part of our Christian faith.
Jesus told us clearly, that He is the only way to the Father. We need to take God at His Word. As for Mary, I honor her and seek her intercession, along with that of the saints, but she is not an object of worship in the Catholic Church anymore than in any other Christian Church. She deserves the honor of a Queen Mother, as Jesus is King, after all, and she is His mother, and ours.
My assumption is never that any soul is bound for Hell, but I am aware of those things that the Bible teaches are a path to that destruction. We don't as Catholics consider a soul lost, because that person is not Catholic. We don't presume to judge, because judgement is God's alone, and we are by our humaness, not qualified to judge another human being, not even Judas Iscariot, according to one priest I heard recently.
Since God has yet to vacate the judgement seat and put out a notice that He needs someone more wise and all knowing that Himself, to judge mankind as a whole or individually, I am hereby resigning from my own judgement seat, and, along with obedience issues I still have to work on, going to work on not looking down my nose in judgement of others.
That doesn't mean that I will spend my time watching amoral sources of entertainment and filling my head, heart and soul full of trash. What goes in, after all, is what will come out.
He guides me well. My fasts have been long and strict and have actually slowed my weight loss and diabetic control, but they have been well worth it and I feel greatly blessed in Wisdom and Understanding and His Grace.
I am on my way Home. Home is still where my heart is.
I don't use wireless connections, because they tend to get interfered with, in this neighborhood, by the free wireless, offered by the condo association and their wireless isn't good enough to run free TV off of. I'd be hogging it big time, if I did that.
Listening to some wonderful native american flute playing, at the installation service of a new North Dakota Bishop. He's already a Bishop and is greeting well wishers right now. Native drums were playing earlier. They played something to honor the new Bishop. It was a rare treat for me. I enjoyed this programming very much.
TV won't be restricted to Daystar now. I can see all my favorites on TBN's many networks and several others that offer streaming Television live and/or on demand. Love the price, at this point. Hope it stays down.
My journey will be greatly aided, now that I can get Catholic TV, EWTN and many audio stations for Catholics, along with all the many and varied Christian offerings. There are some ministries I thoroughly enjoy, because of their Biblical soundness. That's the standard I use to decide whether I view a ministry's offerings or not.
A second criteria is how well they play with others. That means I care whether they are bashing on other denominations or traditions or not, and it doesn't matter to me which denomination or religion they bash. Recently, I've had great grace given to me and guidance in that those things that were theologically unhealthy for me were clearly revealed. I praise God for that.
Christianity is a pretty much all the same and all theologically sound, with the exception of those sects and cults that see others as lost, simply because they don't agree with every theological tenet of their particular interpretation of parts of the Bible. If they aren't reading all of it, and aren't considering all of it, in their interpretations, I have a problem with that. If I hear anything that can not be verified as historical of theological fact, I move on, and hope to have the grace to do so more immediately and obediently than I have in the past.
I am seriously concerned for any persons, considering themselves Christian, who are not with a major, orthodox, denomination. Anyone who is not, is best cautioned not to drink the Kool Aid. And, while I believe we should make every effort to understand and be kind to others of different traditions and religions, including Islamic, Bhuddist, and Hindu, we are not supposed to be practicing those other traditions and relgions as part of our Christian faith.
Jesus told us clearly, that He is the only way to the Father. We need to take God at His Word. As for Mary, I honor her and seek her intercession, along with that of the saints, but she is not an object of worship in the Catholic Church anymore than in any other Christian Church. She deserves the honor of a Queen Mother, as Jesus is King, after all, and she is His mother, and ours.
My assumption is never that any soul is bound for Hell, but I am aware of those things that the Bible teaches are a path to that destruction. We don't as Catholics consider a soul lost, because that person is not Catholic. We don't presume to judge, because judgement is God's alone, and we are by our humaness, not qualified to judge another human being, not even Judas Iscariot, according to one priest I heard recently.
Since God has yet to vacate the judgement seat and put out a notice that He needs someone more wise and all knowing that Himself, to judge mankind as a whole or individually, I am hereby resigning from my own judgement seat, and, along with obedience issues I still have to work on, going to work on not looking down my nose in judgement of others.
That doesn't mean that I will spend my time watching amoral sources of entertainment and filling my head, heart and soul full of trash. What goes in, after all, is what will come out.
He guides me well. My fasts have been long and strict and have actually slowed my weight loss and diabetic control, but they have been well worth it and I feel greatly blessed in Wisdom and Understanding and His Grace.
I am on my way Home. Home is still where my heart is.
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