“Animals are such agreeable friends—they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms” – George Eliot
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What a lazy Friday. I didn’t even poke my head outside until 7:45 pm when I decided to take a walk. The temp went from 90° at 6 down to 82° at 7:30 with a nice breeze. The birds were chirping, my friendly neighbor horse was out grazing, and the sun was setting. A perfect evening.
Last week I was talking to the cardinals. I’m learning to to talk to this guy now. Not sure what he or she is, but we had a nice conversation.
And a lovely sunset at the end of the day. Now, you can see why I’m inspired to walk every day and write poetry about the awesome sights and sounds on my way.
Gospel of 22nd March 2020 – John 9:1,6-9,13-17,34-38
As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. He spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man, and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (a name that means ‘sent’). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.
His neighbours and people who earlier had seen him begging said, ‘Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘Yes, it is the same one.’ Others said, ‘No, he only looks like him.’ The man himself said, ‘I am the man.’
They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man’s eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, ‘He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see.’ Then some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How could a sinner produce signs like this?’ And there was disagreement among them. So they spoke to the blind man again, ‘What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?’ ‘He is a prophet’ replied the man.
‘Are you trying to teach us,’ they replied ‘and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!’ And they drove him away.
Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him.
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My take on it… Wow! Even though Jesus performed a miracle and gave sight to a blind man, the Pharisees were on His case about not keeping the Sabbath. So, I guess you can’t perform miracles on the Sabbath? Even though these negative people didn’t believe, the blind man said, “Lord, I believe.” Sometimes it just takes one person at a time to see the light. The nay sayers and negative people will never see because they don’t want to, even when the truth is right there in front of them. Such is life.
So, after Mass, Helene and I stopped at McD for coffee. Our other third musketeer, Jerry, was out of town. After that, I called my old friend Miss Zelda. We’ve been trying to get together for lunch for weeks. Today was a perfect day for outside dining at Palio’s.
Hi, Miss Zelda. Lookin’ good.
After lunch, Miss Zelda asked if I had time to go over to Callaways to check out the flowers and shrubs. Everything was so beautiful, but pretty pricey. Personally, I don’t buy many flowers or plants because I have a black thumb, it green. My standard line is, “I can paint a flower, I just can’t grow a flower.”
Very pretty flowers.After I got home, I was exhausted for some reason. I took a two hour power nap and decided I better get out for a walk while it was still so lovely out. I’m not sure how many loops around the pond I made, but every time I checked my steps on my phone I thought, “I’ll just walk one more loop. I wanted to get at least 4K steps, then it was 5K, then I stopped checking and after a while, I walked a loop, sat to rest a minute, then walked another. I wanted to push myself. The sun was setting and was just too gorgeous to go back home. Maybe I could make it to 8K.Who would want to go inside when this was the view? Well, I outdid myself today. I’m very proud of my tenacity. But, I have a feeling I’ll be looking for the Tylenol before I go to bed. Well, worth it.
Jesus told his disciples a parable, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”
My take on it…. You can’t show someone else the right way when you are blind or have something in your own eye. Straighten up your own life before you start telling other people how to live. Basically, stop hanging around with the wrong people. They will lead you astray. Rotten trees or rotten people, they will only bear bad fruit. Associate with good honest people. If you get tangled up with some rotten folks…”Run Forrest, Run!”
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After Mass, we stopped for coffee, as usual. I didn’t need anything from the store, so I went right home. I made a few phone calls. I called my best friend from high school, Diane. Today is her birthday. We haven’t talked in a long time. I also called my other dear friend and old neighbor from the late 60’s, Shirley, another birthday friend.
I went for a lovely evening walk. The sunset is always beautiful.
Then, a nice FaceTime chat with the granddaughters.
“Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”
– Oscar Wilde
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Another lovely Sunday morning. A little cool, but not sock monkey hat cool.
Lent will soon be upon us, so this is a good time to think of what to give up or good works to do for these 40 days. I gave up ice cream once. Well, that was pretty tough. Won’t be doing that again.🤦♀️
Today’s Gospel was the very famous “turn the other cheek” story. (I have trouble with that, too….
Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged.Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”
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My take on it…
I’ve done a little reading up and research about this scripture passage, as this is a difficult one for me. But one thing I have surmised, the term “turn the other cheek” was explained as a metaphor for taking insults in stride, or not seeking revenge for a personal affront. And the pray for your enemies, well I get that. One must feel sorry for and pray for those evil doers. God will take care of them in the end.
I’ve commented on this passage before, and my quote is not quite as forgiving. “If a person strikes you on one cheek, offer the other as well. If he strikes you again, well, he better run like hell.” I truly believe that even God would not want us to be physically or verbally abused, and continue to accept more. (But, that’s just me.) And, I do pray for those who have wronged me because I think they are sick disgusting narcissistic idiots who need all the help they can get. (Did I say that out loud?)
After Mass, we stopped for our usual quick coffee. I forgot to get a picture of the 3 Amigos, but I remembered after Jerry left, so it’s just me and Helene.
A quick beverage then off to Tom Thumb to pick up our Sunday sale items. I just love a good sale.Another spectacular sunset. I didn’t even play with this or adjust. This is what my iPhone picked up in front of my house. Yowza! Then, my favorite way to end the day. FaceTime with my little girls.
Another lovely Sunday. I hope your day was lovely too.
Nice quote. I like to think that I do a little of both. When I paint or draw, I like to think that I’m telling a story. And when I write poetry, I hope it paints a story for the reader. I do not profess to be a master of either art form, but I do love dabbling in both.
Tonight, when I was walking in the glow of the evening sun, I was inspired to write a simple poem… a painting that speaks.
“with a little faith, people can fix things, and they truly can change, because at that moment, you could not believe otherwise.” ― Mitch Albom, Have a Little Faith: A True Story
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Another beautiful Sunday morning. I’m starting to wonder if each Sunday is really beautiful or it’s beautiful because I love Sunday? Oh… there’s a song in there. Actually a couple. I won’t go there…🎶
It was pretty chilly this morning, so I got to wear my sock monkey hat again. Yeah! I usually only get to wear it a couple of times a year. This winter the sock monkey hat is getting a workout.
Father Don liked the sock monkey hat, too.
We had a baptism during morning Mass. The cute little boy was not an infant and was of walking age, maybe about 1. He was doing pretty well until some guy sporting a long green dress started pouring water all over his head. Mitchell did not like that.
Today’s Gospel was the story of Jesus telling Simon and the others to go out in the deep waters to fish even though they had tried in vain earlier and the fishermen weren’t catching fish anywhere.
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
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My take on it…. even though Simon and the others doubted that there were any fish to be caught, they trusted Jesus and went out as He requested. Their faith was rewarded with more fish than they could handle. Then, Jesus was impressed by their faith and invited them to become “fisher of men.” They followed. Sometimes WE are called to have faith and just follow Him.
********* After Mass, Helene, Jerry and I stopped for our coffee/ hot chocolate ritual. When I got home, my cousin called me with the sad news that my sweet Auntie Paula passed away this morning. I was on the phone a couple of hours or more with family. Very sad.
I went for an evening walk. The temps were in the mid 50’s and most the snow was melted. My walks are a good time for reflection and meditation.
The beautiful sunset never disappoints.Then of course, another Sunday tradition. FaceTime with the granddaughters. They were finishing up dinner, and the little one was eating her frozen banana on a stick. (Hmmm… I wonder where she learned that little trick? 🤦♀️)
Thus was my Sunday. Life is good, and I am blessed. Happy Sunday, my friends.
An absolutely beautiful Sunday morning, sun shining, light jacket, and no sock monkey hat. I scurried off to church, lit my candle, ran over to catch the ladies to greet them after getting off the Chateau bus, and escorted Miss Vi to her seat.
You know what I love about our Catholic Mass and our church? I love the tradition, the beautiful reverent songs, but most of all, I love to see the young families, holding hands, smiling and participating. There was a family of six sitting a few rows in front of me. The three boys had bright red hair and the little girl had blond hair like mommy. They all sang along and recited all the memorized prayers. The littlest red-headed boy, who couldn’t be more than five or six years old, sang along and recited every prayer while mommy stroked his back and showed him how proud she was. Heck, I was proud of him, and I didn’t even know the family. Beautiful!
Today’s Gospel was the story of Jesus speaking in the synagogue, and was not warmly accepted, even threatened…
From the Gospel according to Luke Lk 4:21-30
Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.
My take on it… sometimes the people you are closest to will be the first to deny you and betray you and try to hurt you.
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After Mass, we stopped at McD for our ritual coffee and hot chocolate. Jerry, Helene, and I are the three after Mass amigos.
Later, Helene and I stopped at Tom Thumb to pick up a few things.
I did a few things at home, took some brownies over to my neighbors on either side, then went for a lovely evening walk.
Beautiful sunset.
Then the granddaughters made a FaceTime call. They were running around, and goofy, and silly. Mommy sent me a cute photo of them playing in the snow earlier in the afternoon.
“For what is the gift of the poet and the artist except to see the sights which others cannot see and hear the sounds that others cannot hear.”
~Quida
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It’s always fun to to see new sights and hear new sounds in new places. This is my first Christmas visiting the family in their new house, I didn’t make it last year because of the crazy Covid curse.
An evening walk strolling past the Northbrook City Hall.You can almost hear the cannon fire. We were playing guess the picture. This is the picture of Grandma’s brain. The girls decorating cookies. My evening sunset, walking with the dog.
“Never get tired of doing little things for others, sometimes those little things occupy the biggest parts of their hearts.” – Unknown
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Helene and I made our monthly visit to Holy Family School this afternoon. It’s always so uplifting to see those adorable little faces, and to know that our little contribution of snacks and drinks goes a long way to nourish the little ones.
Today we had a lot of apple juice, peanut butter and snacks to take over.We are always greeted with appreciation and smiles. Even under the masks, we can sense the smiling eyes. And Helene topped it off with a generous check. “Never get tired of doing little things for others, sometimes those little things occupy the biggest parts of their hearts.” – Unknown
We walked upstairs to say hi to Miss Sondra. The little ones were napping… or at least we’re supposed to be napping.
Helene and Miss Sondra. (We “BELIEVE “ too.)A few of little ones popped up to say hi and Happy Thanksgiving. Just seeing those adorable cherub faces and squeaky salutations would melt any heart. We love our little friends at Holy Family School.
After our brief visit, Helene and I stopped at One and Only Burger on Highway 5. After all, it is on the way home, and has the most incredible fresh French fries on the planet.
Oh man,… so good!
It was a good afternoon, filling our hearts and tummies.
I went for an evening walk right before sunset, and of course, I was greeted by another stunning sunset. Life is good.
Toni Andrukaitis 