But a Worm

February 3, 2022.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Who am I to thee draw nigh?
and who am I that thou wouldst die?

Snow Clouds for Children on a January Dawn

February 1, 2022.Reading time 8 minutes.

There could be snow later, and that would be nice
Children can grow up here and never see snow
Today they might go out and play in it
While we old folks tut-tut, “You’ll catch your death…”

First Responders: Gifts of Service

January 28, 2022.Reading time 5 minutes.

Many of our first responders are volunteers, and so in addition to their support-the-family jobs they also serve the community on their own time and often at their own expense. We need them.

Faithful Friday: Jim Elliot

January 28, 2022.Reading time 2 minutes.

#FaithfulFriday
Philip James “Jim” Elliot was born in Portland, Oregon in 1927 to two loving parents Clara and Fred. Fred was a traveling preacher with the Plymouth Brethren movement. From a young age, Jim professed Christ as his savior.

Guilt

January 27, 2022.Reading time less than 1 minute.

What have mine hands wrought? Light away and darkness brought? Am I become mad? Alack, mine hands are red clad?

Who Betrayed Anne Frank?

January 25, 2022.Reading time less than 1 minute.

A spokesman for the F.B.I. /
Notes that Jewish hostages were taken…

Faithful Friday: Thomas Aquinas

January 21, 2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

St. Thomas became a prolific theological writer, famously dictating his thoughts for different works to multiple secretaries simultaneously… His seminal work is the Summa Theologica (or Summa Theologiae), a massive multi-volume explanation and defense of all of the beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church.

Norm Macdonald, Literary Critic

January 20, 2022.Reading time 5 minutes.

If you’ve seen me since the middle of September, it is a near certainty that I have asked you, “Have you seen the moth joke?” and then—regardless of your answer—proceeded to whip out my phone and play you a clip of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien from 2009.

A Boredom-and-Onions Reflection on Enjoying Life

January 19, 2022.Reading time 10 minutes.

A meal is a social activity, the society of which is preserved today only rarely for meetings at restaurants. This socialization should not be limited to only the eating of food, however, but should also be connected to its preparation.

Butch and Sundance: The Latest Remake

January 17, 2022.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Well, now, Butch and Sundance (I’ll tell you no lies) /
Stop the U.P. right in its trackages…

A Street Called Parallel

January 15, 2022.Reading time less than 1 minute.

When I was a girl, in small-town America, /
There was a street called Parallel, /
Where we Protestants ran alongside the /
Catholics – an historical microcosm of /
Our ancestral nations.

Faithful Friday: St. Agnes

January 14, 2022.Reading time 2 minutes.

Saint Agnes was a Roman martyr from the times of the early persecutions of the Church whose exact time period is unknown, though she may have died in 304. While her exact story is also unclear, tradition holds that Agnes professed herself to be married to Jesus and would accept no other husband.

New Year, Now What?

January 13, 2022.Reading time 5 minutes.

Yes, the day we have assigned to be New Year’s Day may be arbitrary, but what it represents is not. There is a reason why new beginnings, fresh starts, and—yes—resolutions dominate our minds as each year draws to a close…

A Time Capsule for our Noblest Soldier

January 11, 2022.Reading time less than 1 minute.

If there must be time capsules buried beneath /
Statues of bold men wearing uniforms /
As a remembrance of man’s noblest ideals /
Let us have one for dear ol’ Sergeant Schultz

A Lutheran Case for Infant Baptism

January 8, 2022.Reading time 17 minutes.

Contrary to popular belief amongst credo-baptists, paedobaptism (infant baptism) is found in Holy Writ…

Faithful Friday: The Magi

January 7, 2022.Reading time 1 minute.

Little indeed is known for sure about the magi who visited the child Jesus, bringing Him gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew is the only Gospel writer to mention them, detailing their visit in the second chapter of his gospel. Matthew does not call them kings, but ‘magi’ or ‘wise men’.

The Christmas Witch

January 6, 2022.Reading time 27 minutes.

‘Twas the week after Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring. That would be me, the sleeping creature. Everyone else was stirring. Anyway, the sound of my cell phone going to town interrupted my slumber.

We’ll Write a New Idyll This Year

January 4, 2022.Reading time 1 minute.

Janus faces both ways, and so do we /
A last, lingering look at the year that was /
And then a turn to the year we must meet /
Marching to it through Janus Pater’s doors

Heavenly Hosts

January 1, 2022.Reading time 5 minutes.

Angels of God, oh glorious host /
Protect those who need you most /
Guide and teach us ever this day /
And keep all of our temptations at bay.

Faithful Friday: Mary, Mother of God

December 31, 2021.Reading time 8 minutes.

During the octave of the birth of Jesus, I think it is fitting that we look at His mother, particularly today, on the eve of one of her feasts in the Catholic Church. Today, let’s simply take a look at the Gospels.