It seems that life can be like a roller coaster…. slowly climbing endless hills and then the invigorating and exciting thrills of racing down them ….  many ups and downs.  Another analogy of life can be found in the game of golf. I’ve been trudging thru the golf courses of America off and on since I … Continue reading “The Ups & Downs Of Life” →

“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.” (John 16:12-15)  In today’s reading from John 16, we get another glimpse of God’s “precise love” for us and our own “vulnerabilities”. Jesus doesn’t just dump everything on our head, telling us to ”shape up or ship out”. His intention is for us … Continue reading “Are You Ready ?” →

I know I’m a bit late with this, but “Happy Mother’s day”. I really enjoyed Mother’s Day this year watching motherhood be celebrated. There are 10 mothers in our immediate family… my  wife Judy, 7 daughters, and 2 daughters-in-law. They are mothers to a combined 50 children and grandchildren. They are each extraordinary and  wonderful mothers and … Continue reading “Happy Mothers Day” →

The “signature product” from my work shop is a Christmas Nativity Stable. I’ve been making them for more than 20 years and often given them as a wedding gift. I patterned it after one made by Judy’s Uncle. As I get older, the challenge of making them increases…..what I used to do a bit more … Continue reading “Thanks For The Help” →

I felt like a light bulb went off in my head this morning, having to do with the  “pruning and discipline of the Lord”. Recognizing the Lord’s hand in your life can make all the difference in the world.   In the Mass readings recently, we’ve been hearing a lot about how the Lord prunes those whom … Continue reading “ Getting A Raw Deal ???” →

Originally Posted April 23, 2020 Perspective is “having a sense of proportion, knowing the relative importance of things”. It helps you navigate thru problems and life, especially in making decisions, in knowing what’s important and what’s not. It helps you know when to “go back to the drawing board and when to pull the plug”.  … Continue reading “Houston, We Have A Problem” →

Originally Posted April 21, 2020 I saw an article recently that probed whether people want to know the future. “For nearly every question, the majority of participants said they wouldn't want to know the answer. The issues ranged from serious to mundane and included when they or their partner would die, what they would die … Continue reading “Knowing The Future” →

I read something in the Magnificat today that struck a cord with me ….. “ In a culture that values autonomy  and self-reliance, we sometimes imagine that we can only call on our own personal strength to shoulder the burden of those we care for and to face our own difficulties. .” (Magnificat: 5-6-21) To be … Continue reading “Do I Trust God” →

“Boy oh boy, do I ever miss the good ole days”. You seem to hear that when things are not going well, and usually from older people…like me.  “Harry, this sure isn’t like the good ole days ….  remember when you could get a gallon of gas for 25 cents and people’s word was their bond. Why … Continue reading “ The Good Ole Days” →

When trouble would announce itself at our door, my mother would frequently say “we live in the valley of tears”. She certainly suffered enough during her lifetime to validate that statement. It seems that everyday, I hear of good friends experiencing some renewed suffering… a reoccurrence of cancer,  the loss of a job, the death of … Continue reading “Don’t Be A Puddleglum” →