Ahh well, the car breaks down...

Jump into the car this morning to head off to work, turn the key in the ignition and nothing- zip, zilch, nada- kaput! Dang!!!
Had to wake up sweet daughter across town to come pick me up. She was there in less than 30 minutes. She is so dear. Was in a good mood and everything. *sigh* Life is good. Now, if my two older boys would just answer my calls....
Well, let's just hope it's only a bad battery. Can't afford anything else!

Catholic Answers Forums back up- finally!

The Catholic Answers Forums are back up, folks.

Apparently, unbeknownst to me, they have been down for three weeks. Wow, what a trial.
Jimmy Akins has the whole scoop here.

If you haven't been there, check them out, they are a great source of information.

Well, I am in for it, another season...

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I used to be a rabid NFL fan.
But this year I am not much into it.
But out of reflexive habit I signed up for my fantasy football league with the guys at work. And then I went and signed up in another league that I played in a couple years ago! What was I thinking?
Well, tomorrow is the first game of the season and I just ain't that fired up about it. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Alright, everybody is doing it, so...

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Now this is a Pope with style!

First night of RCIA

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Well, it wasn't so bad. My fear has left me. It has been replaced with a desire to form the souls of the attendees. I want to shape their prayer lives over the next few months. I am seeing a long term plan here coming together. I want them to leave this class with a well-developed prayer life.

I googled some material on prayer this afternoon and promptly forgot it at the printer here at the Internet cafe I inhabit. Doh! So, I had to wing it. Next week I will have handouts for everyone. Heh.

One problem, there are only about 20 attendees! I am so disappointed! We had 50-75 each of the last two years. I guess we didn't make the announcements at the right time. *sigh* Well, there nought to be done about it now. We'll just have to make this a quality year for RCIA since the quantity is lacking. Next year will be better!

I'm supposed to lead prayer at RCIA tonite.

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Well, I am sort of the official prayer man in our parish's RCIA. I'm kind of nervous....

I guess I could do some prep work....
Hmmm, I could google prayer, hmm, i dunno.

Well, gentle reader, please pray for me to channel the Holy Spirit tonight. May God bless all the RCIA classes starting this year.

Kind of going thru a YouTube thing

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Am I getting addicted to video blogging? Another malady to add to my repertoire?

Here is Lucy, a winsome aspiring actress trying to make it in Hollywood.

Lonely Man discovered Lonely Girl on YouTube

She's sweet, pure and innocent. And she likes to swim. Check out her video!

Labor Day happenings

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Well, we got a four day weekend at work for the holiday. Praise the Lord.

Sunday, Mark had a barbeque at his house for about 11 of us. Lots of grilled meat. I ate at least 5 drumsticks along with 2 or 3 sausages. I stuffed myself. It was good to catch up with friends....

Today, I ran over in the morning and woke up my youngest son, Joshua, and we went to Starbucks and then went to my place and played Texas Hold Em for about an hour. Then we went to Chili's for some appetizers. Then we headed up to Mt. Charleston.

We went to the Mt. Charleston Lodge and had dessert. It was packed! It was nice to be in temperatures around 70 degrees but we weren't much in the mood for the mountains, really. We did have a good talk about sexual relations with girls where I told him about my recent victories with celibacy.

We headed back to town and called his younger sister, Serenity. She was having lunch with her niece, Haylie. So they came over for more Texas Hold Em. We played for a couple of hours. Little Haylie is twelve and has the cutest poker face. Serenity bemoaned her travails over her latest boy interest while we proceeded to wipe out her poker chips. I pray for her in regards to relationships with boys.

It's been a fun Labor Day weekend and I got one more day left!

How was your Labor Day?

Speaking about Morning Prayer...

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.
This day was made by the Lord;
we rejoice and are glad.

O Lord, grant us salvation;
O Lord, grant success.
Blessed in the name of the Lord
is he who comes.
We bless you from the house of the Lord;
the Lord God is our light.

Go forward in procession with branches
even to the altar.
You are my God, I thank you.
My God, I praise you.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good;
foe his love endures for ever.


Lord God, maker of heaven and earth, and of all created things, you make your just ones holy and you justify sinners who confess your name. Hear us as we humbly pray to you: give us eternal joy with your saints.


I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees.

YouTube fun- One Crazy Cat

Speaking about Morning Prayer...

I call with all my heart; Lord, hear me,
I will keep your commands.
I call upon you, save me
and I will do your will.

I rise before dawn and cry for help,
I hope in your word,
My eyes watch through the night
to ponder your promise.

In your love hear my voice, O Lord;
I hope in your word.
My eyes watch through the night
to ponder your promise.

In your love hear my voice, O Lord;
give me life by your decrees.
Those who harm me unjustly draw near:
they are far from your law.

But you, O Lord, are close:
your commands are truth.
Long have I known that your will
is established for ever.


In your mercy you led the people you redeemed;
in your strength you guided them to your holy dwelling.


Be solicitous to make your call and election permanent, brothers; surely those who do so will never be lost. On the contrary, your entry into the everlasting kingbdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for.


I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge.
-I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge.
You are all I desire in the land of the living;
-for you are my refuge.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
-I cry to you, O Lord, for you are my refuge.


Lord, free us from the dark night of death.
Let the light of resurrection
dawn within our hearts
to bring us to the radiance of eternal life.

Follow up on coward's streak...

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Well, I got worked up over nothing.
I hemmed and I hawed. I procrastinated and writhed in inner agony, afraid my manager would give me a hard time to adjust my work schedule for RCIA. I plotted and strategized for the right time to approach her.
So, I bring it up today and quick as a flick she says, "Okay!" With nary a protest.
Sheesh, all that agonizing for nothing! Isn't that the way it is with many of our fears? What did that old man say, that he had many, many fears in his lifetime, most of which never happened?

Thanks for prayers, guys, you are the best.
So, RCIA, here I come!

Colbert is at it again... uncannily funny!

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Fellowship with Mark and Katie...

Mark fell in love with this incredible lady named Katie. Mark and I are very close. For a while, it seemed I was glued to his hip. He is my sponsor/godfather in the church, he is basically my spiritual advisor. He taught me how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the importance of Adoring the Lord before the Blessed Sacrament, he used to be my boss, we get together frequently. Now he is in love.
I used to wonder what would happen if he met a girl. I feared that I would feel estranged from him and would grieve losing part of our relationship. I thought that I would feel like a loser.
Far from it. I actually almost like spending time with the two of them together better than just him and I. That's how gracious this wonderful lady, Katie, is. She is very welcoming of my presence, not a hint of resentment over my place in Mark's life. She is always cheerful, always seeks my best and is always glad to see me. She is a woman of grace.

Woman of Grace

So, Mark and Katie and I are meeting Friday nights to go over The Purpose Driven Life. I know, it is a Protestant book and is kind of simplistic, but it does have a lot to offer. We will read a few chapters each week and discuss it at a local restaurant on Friday nights. We used to go out and eat after doing the Stations of the Cross on Friday nights during Lent. We really enjoyed our time together and have been talking about getting together again and now we are doing it. So, there is an added blessing to my blessed life. I get to fellowship weekly with Mark and Katie.

speaking about Morning Prayer...

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Have mercy on me, God, have mercy
for in you my soul has taken refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge
till the storms of destruction pass by.


Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
I will lavish choice portions upon the priests,
amd my people shall be filled with my blessing, says the Lord.


O God, we ponder your love
within your temple.
Your praise, O God, like your name
reaches to the ends of the earth.


Form the depths of my heart I cry to you; hear me, O Lord.
From the depths of my heart I cry to you; hear me, O Lord.
I will do what you desire,
-hear me, O Lord.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
-From the depths of my heart I cry to you; hear me, O Lord.


All powerful and ever-living God,
at morning, noon, and evening we pray:
cast out from our hearts the darkness of sin
and bring us to the light of your truth,
Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Just had to steal this...

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It's too beautiful and compelling, so I am borrowing this from A Catholic Mom In Hawaii.

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"Do you want the Lord to give you many graces? Visit Him often. Do you want Him to give you few graces? Visit Him rarely. Do you want the devil to attack you? Visit Jesus rarely in the Blessed Sacrament. Do you want him to flee from you? Visit Jesus often. Do you want to conquer the devil? Take refuge often at the feet of Jesus. Do you want to be conquered by the devil? Forget about visiting Jesus. My dear ones, the visit to the Blessed Sacrament is an extremely necessary way to conquer the devil. Therefore, go often to visit Jesus and the devil will not come out victorious against you."

- St. John Bosco

This says so much to me. I have received countless graces that have enveloped and enhanced my soul via Adoration of the Lord before the Blessed Sacrament. There is a peace in my soul regarding relationships with women that has never been there. There used to be a firestorm of passion and now there is a calm, placid lake. There is a sense of a new identity as if I had always been at peace with woman. I often think it odd that I had any other sentiment towards celibacy.

Please, gentle reader, go and spend an hour, a half an hour before the Lord adoring him in the Blessed Sacrament a few times a week.

Give it a month and then you, too, will see the outpouring of grace in your life in a very practical way.

I don't know why or how. I just know that it makes the Lord happy and then he begins to transform your life.

Take it from a man whose life has been changed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Ack! My cowards' streak....

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Folks, I need prayer.

I have to ask my boss for a work shedule change to accomodate my committment at RCIA which starts next week. Lately, when I have asked her for different favors related to Church activites she has been giving me a hard time. So, I have been procrastinating asking her to adjust my Wednesday work schedule where I need to take off an hour early.
The more I wait the higher the anxiety gets. It's driving me crazy. I debated internally all day long today about asking her and avoided it completely. But it's getting late and I need to take action.
So, pray that I get off my duff and just do it. And pray that the Lord will have her grant me favor.
Thanks in advance.

and now for Evening Prayer

The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?

When evil-doers draw near
to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes,
who stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me
my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me
even then would I trust.

There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savor the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.

For there he keeps me safe in his tent
in the day of evil.
He hides me in the shelter of his tent,
on a rock he sets me safe.

And now my head shall be raised
above my foes who surround me
and I shall offer within his tent
a sacrifice of joy.

I will sing and make music for the Lord.


O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
"Seek his face."

It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger;
you have been my help.

Do not abandon or forsake me,
O God my help!
Though father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.

Instruct me, Lord, in your way;
on an even path lead me.
When they lie in ambush protect me
from my enemy's greed.
False witnesses rise against me,
breathing out fury.

I am sure I shall see the Lord's goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!


Father, you protect and strengthen those who hope in you; you heard the cry of your Son and kept him safe in your tent in the day of evil. Grant that your servants who seek your face in times of trouble may see your goodness in the land of the living.


It pleased God to make absolute fulness reside in him and,
by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens,
making peace through the blood of his cross.


Act on this word. If all you do is listen to it, you are deceiving yourselves. There is, on the other hand, the man who peers into freedom's ideal law and abides by it. He is no forgetful listener, but one who carries out the law in practice. Blest will this man be in whatever he does.

Claim me once more as your own, Lord, and have mercy on me.
Claim me once more as your own, Lord, and have mercy on me.
Do not abandon me with the wicked;
have mercy on me.

Open wide the doors of your compassion to those who have died today,
-and in your mercy receive them into your kingdom.


Lord,
watch over us by day and by night.
In the midst of life's countless changes
strengthen us with your never-changing love.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.