Easter Vigil

For the past 5 or 6 years, my wife and I have participated in the Easter Vigil at our church. From Good Friday night, after the chancel area is cleared of all paraments...all of them—it's a very striking setting—until early Easter Sunday morning, people sign up for times ranging from a half-hour to a couple hours when they sit, alone, in the sanctuary to meditate, read, pray, or whatever they like in that very quiet, stark place. Just one person is always present during those 36 or so hours.

This year, during my own hour early Saturday morning, I found myself thinking about Christ's time on the cross, especially that moment when He cried out, "Eloi Eloi Lama Sabachthani" ("My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"). To me, this illustrates the true depth of Jesus' suffering. I find it hard to fathom the total isolation and depth of solitude He must have been experiencing at that moment. As God, He completed the necessary task to give me, and you, the means of salvation, but had to do it totally, completely alone. Amazing.

To Believe

I received this link via email and could not, unfortunately, find a way to embed the video. I guarantee you won't be disappointed by taking the time to follow this link and ponder the message during the next 5 minutes of your day:

Outstanding Voice, Outstanding Message

Oh, from the mouths of babes, as the saying goes...

I know, I know, its an Imagine, Kumbaya, We are the World kind of thing, but we can dream once in a while, can't we?

Speaking of dreams, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck once said,

There are many ways of breaking a heart. Stories were full of hearts broken by love, but what really broke a heart was taking away its dream—whatever that dream might be.

How true. Dream on...

Easy Street, Finally

My dear cousin and bird-of-a-feather, Charlie Smith, contacted me yesterday with astounding news:  he was one of just three people holding the winning numbers in the Mega Jackpot Lotto Drawing!!! He wanted to let me know that, as so much more than a cousin to him, he would be sending $5 million my way as soon as all the legal wrangling was worked out. This is his way of showing appreciation for our friendship over the years.

How cool is THAT???

Needless to say, chances are I'll be making even fewer posts to this ol' blog than done previously. I mean how much time will I have between those private jet trips to "the islands" or relaxing by the pool at our hideaway in the south of France? Not likely that this will blog be my first priority, that's for sure.

So thank you loyal readers; it's been real, but it's time to move on and enjoy the good things.

Eagle Owl Slo-Mo

This, to me anyway, is a very cool piece of super slow-motion videography.

Check it out:



Now, just to show you where an old guy's "head" goes from time to time, I must say that this reminds me of the old Last Great Act of Defiance cartoon/poster from a few years ago. It depicted an eagle, talons extended and wings outstretched much like this owl, bearing down on a defenseless mouse.

The little mouse, seeing no way out, realizing all was lost, simply did what he felt would be his final action before sure death:  he's shown facing the eagle straight on and extending a very meaningful digit of his right hand/paw/foot.

You get the idea. When all is surely lost...take your best shot!

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Finally

I see a few of my loyal "tuner-inners" have been stopping by the blog now and then and I do appreciate that. My apologies for taking the last month off, so to speak. Unfortunately, it's taking me a while to realize the advice given me by an old friend and mentor really does matter: Upon learning of my retirement, he said I must learn to say "NO". 

Strange, how the unretired folks seem to believe a retiree, or even a semi-retiree like myself must have lots and lots of free time that can be used to _______________ (fill in the blank). I'm here to confirm that it just isn't so.  Over the past four or five weeks I've said "sure, why not" too many times and found myself short of the time, energy and ambition needed to post to this ol' blog.  

Now, here's my pledge to say No more often where necessary and Yes more often to the things that are most important to me. Sound arrogant? I disagree; I've worked for it, I deserve it, and I'm going to do it!

p.s. thanks, Clay; you're still teaching me after all these years. 

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NJ Flags at Half Mast for Houston?

Let me be succinct:  WTF?

Gov. Christie's order thoroughly disgusts me. This clearly illustrates one more way in which the misdirected worship of entertainment and sports standouts is turning the minds of this nation into mush. Flying U.S. flags at half staff is an honor for fallen military heroes and important statesmen—deceased U.S. Presidents and the like. To bestow this honor upon a famous entertainer waters down and degrades the purpose of this show of respect.

Poor decision, Governor.

Earth from Mars

While looking through the many images sent back to us from one of our space probes, I came across this image that really struck me. I believe it clearly illustrates our true proportion in relation to the universe out there.

This must be the epitome of the "You are Here" locators:

Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/Texas A&M

This is the first image ever taken of Earth from the surface of a planet beyond the Moon. It was taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit one hour before sunrise on the 63rd Martian day, or sol, of its mission. (March 8, 2004)
The image is a mosaic of images taken by the rover's navigation camera showing a broad view of the sky, and an image taken by the rover's panoramic camera of Earth. The contrast in the panoramic camera image was increased two times to make Earth easier to see.The inset shows a combination of four panoramic camera images zoomed in on Earth. The arrow points to Earth. Earth was too faint to be detected in images taken with the panoramic camera's color filters.

Pretty incredible, don't you agree? The surface of Mars shown at the bottom foreground is just amazing. Recall this image the next time you think we are the king of the universe.