My Slow Takes (Vol. 97)

1. There are times when I receive an email that asks me to forward it to a number of my friends after I finish reading it. I am told that good things will result as a reward for my fulfillment of this duty. If I fail to comply I may be un-American, unfriendly, non-religious or be visited by three spirits the night I delete the received email. Email myths is the term I use to refer to these annoyances. My friends and family know that I don’t respond to these types of emails. However, they still arrive in my inbox and I continue to read and delete.

“Your DailyTripod, Delighted When They Heard” touches on the subject to religious emails. It is nice to know that I am not alone.

“There is a prevalence of messages that people send out which basically say repost this or you don’t love Jesus.  I just have to wonder if Jesus really cares about what is on Facebook or if he would rather we get off our computers and go out into the world and do the works?  So I am going to sign off, not post the message and head to do some volunteering this weekend.  And no…I am not going to send that message to 25 friends or post it on Facebook or re-tweet it on Twitter. De colores!”

2. The Central Virginia Cursillo Women’s Weekend started May 16. Their “Fourth Day” is Sunday, May 19. Please pray for the candidates and team members.

3. The following, from "Your Daily Tripod, Bear Witness," has a beautiful reflection that is perfect for the Women’s Weekend.

“On the weekend, we make ample use of prayer partners.  Teams use prayer-partners to get to know each other in formation.  We have prayer-partners in the community offering “Palanca” for the candidates and the team.  We have members of the community providing hands-on service to the weekend.  We have a prayer clock where we can be assured that members of the extended community are praying for the weekend around-the-clock. 
As the weekend progresses, another feature which becomes evident to the candidates is that every time a member of the team gets up to “bear witness” in the model of St. Paul, another member of the team disappears.  It will be revealed that this member is up in the chapel praying for the brother/sister who is delivering the witness talk.
Jesus reveals in John 17 that he is our eternal prayer-partner in two complementary manners.  First the Father is in Him and He is in us.  Second we are in Him and Jesus is in the Father. This unity is what we achieve on a weekend between the team in formation, then between the team and candidates and then between the weekend and the community.  This is most powerfully expressed in the Palanca notes and other actions and prayers that take place before, during and after the weekend.”

4. This seasons final episode of NCIS aired this week. The “bad guy” was Richard Parsons, a DOD IG Investigator. He was after Gibbs but failed. The bad news is that I get this “gut” feeling he’s still going to be around.

The ending scene provided something to think about. It should be an interesting new series next season.

5. My neighbor has Pittsburgh signs on his lawn promoting his confidence that they will win the Stanley Cup. With my teams out, I’m not sure who to cheer for. Maybe I’ll wait until we get to the final paring.

6. The Cicada’s are out and making a complete nuisance of themselves. They are making their typical loud noise and seem to be everywhere. Some interesting information on them at Wikipedia.

7. Hug your children today, hug your husband, hug your wife, hug someone close to you. No special reason, just a beautiful thing to do.

Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.

My Slow Takes (Vol. 96)

1. Dee and I went to Buffalo, New York for her Uncle Tony’s funeral. His oldest son Tony read a beautiful eulogy and captured his Dad’s love of life and faith in God. While we were there we stayed with Dee’s cousin David, Uncle Tony’s youngest son. The photo below is of me standing in front of the outside kitchen and bar. This is a relaxing place to watch football games on Sunday afternoon.

2. Our church group traveled to tour Historic Oak Ridge Estate and taste some wine at Veritas Winery. Both are located in Nelson County, Virginia just south of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was a gorgeous day and we learned some interesting facts about the Estate and wine making.

The Chapel

The Old Oak Tree

Looking out over the winery

3. Last weekend was the annual Town Point Virginia Wine Festival. It is held on the water front in downtown Norfolk. A beautiful setting with over 30 Virginia wineries, plenty of live music and food. Our friend Pam has a vendor tent where she sells her hand painted wine glasses. Dee and I worked with her husband Tony and her sister Beth. Although it didn’t seem like work as we laughed and enjoyed the festivities. 

Pam's tent, complete with Pam, Beth, a customer and Tony.

Pam's "Sea Shell" wine glasses.

4. This week has more photos than I usually post, but I wanted to share them. The following are rain drops using a sophisticated digital camera. They were taken after a rain shower. I don’t know where they originated from. A friend of mind sent them by email to me. It shows God’s beauty and His love of this earth.

5. The following is from Melanie Rigney at “Your Daily Tripod.” Please take time to read the entire blog.

“Millions, maybe billions of words have been written about the dogma of the Holy Trinity, about how Christians believe in one God existing in three persons, distinct in their origin and yet one God. The Fourth Council of the Lateran would put it this way: “It is the Father who generates, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds.”

6. The “Flawed Disciple” is still writing and provides and interesting outlook on Heaven.

"There are a number of instances throughout the Bible when we are encouraged to not be afraid. And of course being afraid is a natural (human) reaction when we are confronted with the supernatural...or as Rudolf Otto aptly described it, "the wholly other.""

My outlook is that I am not afraid, just not in a hurry. 

7. Wednesday, May 8 was our 42nd wedding anniversary. It's amazing that she has kept me around so long.

Me and my Earth Angel, Dee

Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.

My Slow Takes (Vol. 95)

1. Welcome back Jennifer. You are blessed with many friends. Through their prayers and God's love, you and your family are healthy and together.

2. Tuck at Denbigh Church wrote the following that made me think. If we just show our faith in the daily things we do others will see. Some will agree with us and some will not. But if we can touch just one person and bring them closer to God, we have accomplished a beautiful deed.

"Peter put it like this in 1 Peter 2:12--

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

If your faith in God makes you a better friend, a better co-worker, a better family person, a better neighbor, a better person, then people will listen when you talk about it. But if faith doesn't have any real impact on your life in any visible way, then why would they want to listen to you talk about it? The greatest argument for the truthfulness of the faith is the lives of people who take it seriously! Otherwise the world will continue to be blind to the power of Jesus."

3. Friendship is a wonderful blessing from God and He has blessed me with many. Beth DeCristofaro shred her experience with a friend in Tuesday's blog. My friends, my Brothers-in-Christ, those who are true friends have always been there when I needed them. Thank you Lord for this gift of friendship. 

"Have you ever experienced the solidity that comes with having a friend who has your back?  In grade school and into high school, Tece, was smarter and braver than I was but she was my friend and I could confide in her with utmost confidence that she would never gossip or turn on me.  In college, when I was certain that I was in over my head, Paul listened to me voice my academic worries and my dismay with the dating scene.  He was the brother with a strong back.  And I have been blessed with a husband who is a true friend and confident as well as several other sisters whose mutual trust sharing our deepest hopes, concerns and issues ground me and raise me up when the daily grind threatens to pulverize me.

Meditate on Jesus’ words in the Gospel and remove the plugs from our ears and the plank from our eyes.  Give thanks to the Shepherd who is holds us night and day because of His love for us.   Say a prayer of thanks for true friends."

4. These figures represent Lee’s Legion from the American Revolution, 1776. They are converted Old Glory Colonial Dragoons. I painted them for the southern campaign where it was most effective against the British. The Legion was at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. It served with Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter in various missions in South Carolina. Henry Lee, aka "Light-Horse Harry," has always been one of my favorite heroes of the American Revolution.

5. Our statute of St. Francis surrounded by flowers that Dee planted this week.

6. Dee's Uncle Tony joined our Father this week. He was 91 years old and a veteran of World War II. He welcomed me into his family and always made me feel loved. We enjoyed wine together and Sunday afternoon football, especially the Buffalo Bills. He brought love and laughter to our family and we will miss him.

7. We are getting quotes for replacement windows for our home. The current windows are the original wood windows and are about 18 years old. We are looking at the new vinyl energy efficient replacements. Hopefully not too expensive. 

Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.