I’ve read and pondered many thoughts on “time” over the years. From saints and sinners, we have come to understand that “time is fleeting”…… “Art is long, and time is fleeting, and our hearts, though stout and brave, still like muffled drums, are beating. Funeral marches to the grave.” (Longfellow. A Psalm of Life) While I can … Continue reading “Time Is Fleeting” →

It’s easy to blame others for your woes. “You know, if I didn’t get the short end of the stick all the time, I would have done better …. if that mean teacher hadn’t given me that F…. if that coach had given me a fair shake….if that priest was a better preacher…. if my … Continue reading “Taking Responsibility” →

Originally Posted May 22, 2020 Why do we feel so busy? With no definite plans outside the house during the quarantine, it seems like we should be bored to tears… but I know I’m not. Most people I talk to are busy. I’m actually very busy. I know, it sounds crazy. I’m essentially retired, and … Continue reading “Why Are We So Busy ?” →

Originally Posted May 21, 2020 As I think back, I don’t remember much about Jesus rejoicing and getting really excited. Based on how some of my early teachers taught, I always thought the instruction you would receive coming into his presence was “shut up, sit down, and no fooling around”. Certainly he was always very … Continue reading “Did Jesus Ever Get Excited?” →

Recently I was sharing about Pope John Paul II’s morning prayer. It’s a great prayer that he was taught by his father and said all his life. The last part of the prayer is  “ Holy Spirit,  help me to begin, continue, and finish my work well, Amen.”  Let’s ponder that for a moment. We really do … Continue reading “Do Our Work Well” →

It’s been a busy summer. After hibernating for the past year due to the pandemic, we are pretty much on the move again. You may recall that a few weeks ago we did a two week road trip to the Midwest… into Michigan, Indiana, and Tennessee to visit family and attend a wedding. Once recovered, … Continue reading “Nail In The Tire Of My Life” →

My sister was an accomplished pianist. One day I asked her teach me how to play.  She began to demonstrate a few things, but I would quickly interrupt with” okay, I got it, I got it…let me try…” After this went on for awhile, she said, “that’s enough…enough is enough…”  As I recalled that memory recently, … Continue reading “The Quick Fix” →

I just read that Thomas Moore coined the term “a penny for your thoughts” in his 1522 book “Four Last Things”. Basically it means, “What’s on your mind?” I was wondering how this term ended up in a book about the “Four Last Things”. Hmmmmm.  "What's On Your Mind" As a reminder, the “Four Last Things” are death, judgement, … Continue reading “Penny For Your Thoughts” →

Remember Mayor Ed Koch of New York and his standard line “How’m I Doing?” He wanted to know what people thought… how was he doing as mayor? He must have done pretty well for he served three terms. "Mayor Koch" So, how do you know if you’re doing well? In various jobs and situations, the owner or … Continue reading “How’m I Doing?” →

Originally Posted May 20, 2020 As the kids were riding their bikes, you could hear the chatter.. remember “don’t go above the white line”. The white line was like the Berlin Wall…you did not pass the white line or you were in trouble. It was painted across the top of our street to remind the … Continue reading “The White Line” →