Friday, July 30, 2010

Dr. James Keith Hall - The Morning Sun Obituaries: Serving Clare, Gratiot and Isabella counties

It's been a week since the plane crash and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that he is gone. He is one of the finest people I've ever known. Seems like we've lost a lot of people like that in the last few years.

"May the angels welcome you to Paradise. May the martyrs greet you on your way. May you see the face of the Lord this day, Alleluia! Alleluia!"

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Word of the day:
Friday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (406-450)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 13:54-58.

He came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, "Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?" And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house." And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

I finished the inventory list for our October shows. It's so hard to predict what people will want. It never fails that the one thing I don't bring is the one thing that someone is looking for. Oh well, if I had left something else home, that would be the thing everyone wanted. I just have to load up the things I like and hope that others will like it too. Now that I have the lists finished, I will start loading the cart drawers. Thinking a season ahead always makes time speed by. Sigh!

Word of the day:
Saint Martha - Memorial
Today the Church celebrates : St. Martha - Memorial
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 11:19-27.

And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. (But) even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

First of all, Happy Birthday to my wonderful daughter-in-law, Kelli. I hope you have an awesome day.

Sighhhhhhhh - I do not do well with heat and humidity. We don't have air conditioning - except for one small unit in the front hall which cools the hallway, but not much else.

I've been working on Christmas stockings, and prayer quilts, but I can't be in the quilt room very long before I just can't take the heat. In another month, I start making the fudge for our fall craft shows. I'm pretty well caught up on soap. I do need to grunge some lamps and some jars.

Word of the day:
Wednesday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : Sts. Nazarius and Celsus, Martyrs (1st century), St. Victor, Pope and Martyr († 198)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 13:44-46.

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.

Monday, July 26, 2010

It's just another slow summer Monday. My little buddy Madison is here and making me laugh with her antics. First she found the newspaper and tore that up into pieces to hand to me. Then she brought me a big bottle of 7-up. Now she is making her scary face that her Grandpa Fockler taught her.

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Poor little Madison was sorely in need of a nap. She was a little cranky pants because she wouldn't take a nap this morning. She practically fell asleep in the high chair. I tried to do the Super Nanny thing of putting her on the couch and then putting her back on the couch when she got off the couch. After 30 rounds of this, I just picked her up and rocked her to sleep. She slept in Grandpa's chair for about an hour.  Only a baby could sleep like this. 

Word of the day:
Monday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : Sts. Joachim & Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary - memorial
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 13:31-35.

He proposed another parable to them. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the 'birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'" He spoke to them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened." All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation (of the world)."

Sunday, July 25, 2010

I have sadly neglected my blogs for the last couple of days. Part of this is due to being busy, but mostly it's because of all the tragedy in our area in the last few weeks. It culminated on Friday when a plane carrying 5 well-loved people in the community crashed over lake Michigan. I only knew one of them, but I knew OF the others. Dr. Hall was our family doctor. He retired recently from Family Practice. That actually meant that he went from working 80 hours plus a week to 50+ a week. He is (because I refuse to give up hope yet) one of the kindest and caring human beings I have ever known. I pray that all of the families involved in this tragedy find strength and courage to get through this awful time.

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In other news, the great dig has begun. Harold has broken ground on another of his lifelong dreams - a wood fired pizza oven. (We never hear about these lifelong dreams until about 5 minutes before he fulfills them.) I am attempting to upload a video, but our connection speed is that of a turtle this morning so we shall see.

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I had an interesting message from Facebook. It was from none other than the FLYLADY, Marla Cilley!!!! I had sent her a video of Madison dancing to a song written by her friend Eric Dodge. She messaged me to ask permission to share it with Eric and the world!!! Of course I wanted to say yes, but Madison is not my child so I told her I would check with Sam and Kelli.

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Word of the day:
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. James the Greater, Apostle - Feast
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11:1-13.

He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test." And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

Thursday, July 22, 2010

It's a Thursday. That is usually my errand day, but I decided to get caught up on some things. I've cleaned the kitchen, and I've cleaned out the guest room. Well, it's not clean, but it IS inhabitable and I need for it to be inhabitable this weekend. I did some work on the prayer quilt. Got a stocking made. Need to make some room sprays. The Christmas tree spray in the front bathroom - while nice - is definitely out of season.

Word of the day:
Saint Mary Magdalene - Memorial
Today the Church celebrates : St. Mary Magdalene - Memorial
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 20:1-2.11-18.

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and what he told her.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Wednesdays are catch-up days - catching up on the things I didn't get done on Mon and Tues. So, today I have bills, soapmaking, and jar candles. Yeah, I got a little behind.

Word of the day:
Wednesday of the Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and Doctor of the Church (1559-1619)

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear."

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

And here we have the groundbreaking for the new pizza oven.

Word of the day:
Tuesday of the Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Margaret of Antioch, Virgin and Martyr (3rd century), St. Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 12:46-50.

While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. (Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.") But he said in reply to the one who told him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Monday, July 19, 2010

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Word of the day:
Monday of the Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : Servant of God Francis Garces and Companions, Martyrs (c. 1781)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 12:38-42.

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Things have settled down quite a bit after the major upheaval of transition. I never do well with transitions, and if there is someone in the mix who likes to incite drama, I do worse. I tend to react before taking complete stock of the situation. But, happy to say, things seem to be getting much better. There are some feathers to smooth, but I think it will happen.

After Mass, Anna and Melisa grilled our dinner outside. We had hamburgers, grilled pineapple, seasoned zucchini, and grilled potatoes. It was yummo!!

This evening we went out with Sam, Kelli, and Madison and had ice cream. Madison is so funny. She likes to show off how well she is walking and then she makes these scary sounds and makes us laugh.


Word of the day:
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10:38-42.

As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

Saturday, July 17, 2010

The oppressive humidity seems to have lifted. Thanks be to God. I need to get moving. I have tons of stuff to do. This morning I received some very good news about a cottage industry bill that is being signed into law. Free enterprise - Good!!!
Word of the day:
Saturday of the Fifteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Alexius, Confessor (+404), Bl. Pavol Gojdič, Basilian Bishop and Martyr (1888+1960)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 12:14-21.

But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many (people) followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope."

Friday, July 16, 2010

I have been very lax about posting on this blog. It has been so darned humid that it takes all my energy just to get moving in the day. We have a fan in the basement that pulls up the cool air, and then we have a small room-sized air conditioner that cools the hallway and I pull that air in with another fan.

I have listed our stockings on Etsy and in a month and a half our ad will come out in Country Sampler. The downside to always thinking ahead to the next season is the perception that time is flying by. We have about half of our stockings ready. We have had some orders this summer which really surprises me.

Word of the day:
Friday of the Fifteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 12:1-8.

At that time Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath." He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath."

Monday, July 12, 2010

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Word of the day:
Monday of the Fifteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. John Gualbert, Abbot (99-1073)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 10:34-42.11:1.

Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man 'against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's enemies will be those of his household.' Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple--amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward." When Jesus finished giving these commands to his twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

My whole craft room smells like cinnamon. I've been filling cinnamon coasters and I spilled one. Even though I vacuumed it up, I can still smell it and I'm sitting in the kitchen. Good thing I like cinnamon. :)

Headin' to Ohio for the Dickman family reunion.

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Word of the day:
Saturday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : Sts. Rufina & Secunda, Virgins and Martyrs (3rd century)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 10:24-33.

No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter, Beeps . .  I mean, Melisa!  I hope she has a fabulous day!  Here is a video of her two little darlings.  This is why Grandmas laugh so much.

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Wednesday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Pantaenus, Father of the Church, (+ c. 216), Bl. María Romero Meneses (1902-1977)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 10:1-7.


Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, "Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

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Tuesday, July 6, 2010

This little peanut is getting very brave!

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Word of the Day:
Tuesday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Maria Goretti, Virgin and Martyr (1890-1902), St. Palladius, Bishop and Apostle of the Scots, (+ c. 450)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 9:32-38.

As they were going out, a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He drives out demons by the prince of demons." Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest."

Monday, July 5, 2010

Yesterday was a great Fourth. It was just Harold, Anna, and I. We grilled burgers and then went up to Mt. Pleasant to see the fireworks. There weren't nearly as many people there as last year. We couldn't have had a better spot if we had planned it. We were right in line with the bunkers. It was as if the show was just for us. It was quite a sight to see fireworks directly above our heads. They seemed to shower down on us. Other fireworks shows were going on in the distance and there was what seemed a rivalry between them all. It was great.

Tonight Clay and Claire are spending the night. We had all kinds of fun. First Grandpa popped popcorn and we watched Go, Diego, Go! and Dora. Then Clay said he wanted to watch the evening primroses open. After that he wanted to stargaze because he said the night stars are very beautiful. We tried to catch fireflies but they were too fast for us. It was a great night!

I finally found the video link!
Here is Madison walking.

This is her one year pic. I love it!!!

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Word of the day:
Monday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Priest (1502-1539)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 9:18-26.

While he was saying these things to them, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, "My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live." Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured." Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you." And from that hour the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.

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Saturday, July 3, 2010

The weather has been gorgeous the last few days. Not too hot, not too humid. There is a pesky rabbit that has been nibbling at Harold's ornamental cabbage. That critter's days are numbered. Sprayed everything with Sevin last night. I hope that takes care of the other varmints who have been making holes in the leaves of my plants.

The plan today is to bake some bread. I burned the last loaf so we shall see. The breadmaker has a funky burny smell. I'm hoping that it won't transfer to the bread.

Word of the day:
Saint Thomas, apostle - Feast
Today the Church celebrates : St. Thomas, Apostle -Feast
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 20:24-29.

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Thursday, July 1, 2010

It was an oddly unproductive day. Harold's cousin Bruce, who is also our neighbor, passed away the other evening. Tonight was his prayer service. He seemed much younger than the 71 years his obituary stated. He fought a 2 year battle with cancer. I guess you could say he won his battle since he was a man of faith. I couldn't look at Norma tonight because I would tear up. It's only in the last few months that you would see Norma without Bruce. Tomorrow is the funeral. It won't be easy for various reasons.

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Word of the day
Thursday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : Bl. Antonio Rosmini, Priest, Founder of the Institute of Charity (1797-1855), St. Gal, Bishop (c. 489-553)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 9:1-8.

He entered a boat, made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven." At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" --he then said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.