Ready to Die, Prepared to Live

I heard that or some form of that on a radio program last week, in essence it stated that "if you are ready to die then you are truly prepared to live.

I wonder if I am really prepared to die. I don't want to die and feel that I have much to do before I pass from this world. Are any of us really prepared to die? I know that the speaker was talking about a faith perspective, having made good ones relationship with God that life could truly be lived to the fullest no matter what even to the point of the advent of death.

If I am pursuing a full life of service to God and my fellow man/woman and child then in order to completely set aside that which hinders me and live fully, I must come to the place where I do not fear death or my absence from this world. I must look at my death in a different way.

I do look at death and mine in particular as different in some ways. I now need to decide if I want to live fully based on my beliefs and practice about death. 

More to come on this one, I think.

The big reveal for the week of Mar. 9/09

So sorry that this is so late. 

I have been swamped in the new gig and even with coming in almost 1 hr before starting time, I still have no time to complete the blog. I guess that I will either take a break(not very palatable) or do it(the blog) the night before which also cuts into the time I have planned for other things................tough life eh. This weeks choice was a trick, the album is brand new, completely obscure obviously, but certainly not old.

Here are your answers:

the name of the song: White as Snow

the name of the album: No line on the Horizon

The name of the band: U2

What city in Ireland they are from: Dublin

What city I was born in: Dublin (actually the suburb of Walkinstown)

I hope you had a great weekend. I am resting, well I will be. Slainte. And remember:

"It was a bold man who ate the first oyster"

The safety of anonymity

Those of you who read this blog know who I am.

I don't hide behind anonymity when I make my comments particularly about my concerns about the world. I am concerned about and for all people. I don't know who anonymous is, I have some ideas, but I'm not sure. If you are confused, read the "anonymous" comment to my Tuesday musings dated March 10/09.

I am so concerned about the state of the world. I don't care if it is because of "Lyme disease" or some graduated student in Germany or some "wanna be" police office that "murders" innocent people in Mississippi........................it is still wrong. Please challenge me on that one!

As a Christ follower, I am concerned for the sufferer of Lyme disease and any other disease. And to be really honest, I really struggle with the "concept" of "blaming" a disease for ones behaviour. Heaven knows that here in Elmira we have had our fill of disaster. If the defence of "disease" is used I will have significant difficulty in accepting it.

When are we going to accept that wrong is wrong? Or maybe that it what this is all about, situational ethics. It's ok for "anonymous" but not ok for me. If that is your position I am so sorely sad that I cannot appropriately describe the depth of my angst.  

Tuesday Musings (#26)

Good morning, it's Tuesday again. I have done something very different today. I have taken a day off. Actually I have taken some of the massive time in lieu my employer owes me so I can take my beloved to a specialist. It's still a day off, right?

I've been thinking about some of the evils in this world lately, there are lots of positives, but for some reason the really bad things have been brought to my attention and I want to do something about them. Even bringing them from my mind to the screen at least lets me get them "out". 

I read with great sadness about the Pastor Fred Winters from Maryville, Illinois who was assassinated/murdered/killed on Sunday as he was either preaching or preparing to preach in his church. I have said for many years now (and others agree) that we live in a "post christian" era. What I mean about this is that the value and impact that the "Christian" church has is diminished and in fact denigrated.

The Christian church needs to be known for what they are "caretakers of this world" not "wasters of the world resources" people who demonstrate the "love of Christ", not the "condemnation of people". People who are for "reaching out to others in love" not "saying things like: God hates you". By the way God does not Hate anyone, He says in His word that he loved the world so much he sent His son for us.

The church needs to stand up and say this is what we believe and I will die for my faith. I believe that there is one God, one saviour and one way to Heaven. It is those beliefs that are getting people killed right now. The world has lost it's respect for the church because the church has lost its' relevance. In addition, the church has swayed from it's true calling, the great commandments and the great commission, "love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind and love your neighbour as yourself and go into all the world and preach the gospel making disciples".

If we just got back to loving God(and knowing what that means), loving our neighbours (and knowing what than means) this world would be a different place. I fear that more and more, those who choose to live out that life will be persecuted for the faith because they do not fit into the world religion, a combination of humanism and atheism. 

We are not the answer, I did not come from either sludge or a monkey. I was created in His image and I choose to live out my life accordingly. I am looking forward to today and the future no matter what it holds, are you?

Happy Tuesday everyone      

Obscure lyric for the week of March 9/09

Wow, Monday already where did the weekend go? I rested a little, which I needed I read and got some extra sleep too. Nice to have the time to do that. Didn't get much reading or listening in, except during dinner and that's always a nice time. 

Welcome to the second stage of my journey through Ireland, I hope that you will enjoy the music, memories and challenges of the journey. Now that we're on secondary portion I hope that you will enjoy and get more out of my diverse second helpings. This week we're dealing with an Irish band. I have never owned any of their music, mind you I don't think I have any music of any "popular" Irish music. I guess I have (my beloved has) some Enya (who was born in Donegal) and some Loreena McKinnett(who is Canadian). However I'm writing about pop musicians, not traditional musicians.

The musicians I have chosen this week are pretty well known. They are not always well received and have probably mixed up most of us at some time during their career. They have been known for being both political and apolitical. Below you will find a portion of a relatively new song from them. I think this still fits the "obscure" feature of this blog. 

Where I came from there were no hills at all

The land was flat, the highways straight and wide

My brother and I would drive for hours

like years instead of days

I would like to know the following:

The name of the song:

The name of the album:

The name of the band:

What city in Ireland they are from:

What city I was born in:

Have a great week. Enjoy the continuing approaches of spring. While there is still snow and ice in the air, there is also warmth and new life. That is what spring is all about new life. Just on this weekend I marvelled at the sight of a flock of little chickadees swarming the berry tree next to my house. The desire for life and the joy that it brings is part of what spring is all about. I trust that you will marvel in the life awaiting you as you bid a much needed adieu to winter.

Hockeyville is finally over

That may sound like heresy from someone from Woolwich Township, but to be honest I don't care that Hockeyville 2009 is over and "we" didn't win. I am so glad that it is finally over. There was such an overarching feeling that everyone had to "buy" into this thing and to speak against it (there were a few brave souls) appeared to have been taken as a personal affront of enormous proportions.

Don't get me wrong, the extra money would have helped purchase some extras for the rink that hopefully the entire community would benefit from. I was quite fearful that when the NHL game came to town (and I like others predicted a Boston vs. Atlanta matchup, even though the area is populated with thousands of Leaf fans who would never get a chance to see their team play) that there would be no tickets for the many thousands who supported this bid but were not in the forefront or friends of same. Just to be clear, I was not planning on attending so don't go throwing sour grapes at me.  

I am no crazy hockey hater either. I served the community and Woolwich Minor Hockey for 8 years and 5 of those I was the Association President. I have two children both of whom played hockey here. I have been a fan for many years and in fact I remember watching my first hockey game on tv in the winter of 69/70 just after my family came to Canada. It's just that hockey, like other things has become an idol that is worshipped rather than a game that is enjoyed and my worship is dedicated towards someone much greater than a game.

I'm also not a grumpy old man with nothing better to do. I have priorities in life that do not involve things and I'm not interested in making a name for myself on the backs of others. My priorities are to serve God (He alone is the source of my worship), my family and my community and by doing so I will endeavour to improve the lot of my fellow man and woman.

If all the efforts expended over the last months on Hockeyville (not just here but across the country) were given to serve those who really need it then this world would be a better place. What will happen to the energy that is available? Will we put up signs that say stop the rapeand genocide in Darfur? I doubt it. Will we dress up mannequins on our front lawns to bring attention to the needs of starving children in all parts of the world? I doubt it. Will we do anything now that our efforts at getting another $100,00.00 for the rink have been thwarted? I doubt it. We will go back to our lives, sit in our fancy homes, watch hockey/NASCAR/baseball (you get the point) on our big screen tv's while the rest of the world starves and goes to Hell.

The greed of North American living has to stop.

One day there will be a reckoning.   

28 days to our 28th anniversary

In 28 days my beloved and I will celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary. When we reach twenty eight years it will be 336 months, 1455 weeks, 10, 184 days, 244,420 hours, 14665191 minutes and 879911424 seconds that we have been married.   

I have determined to take captive each second, minute, hour, day, week, month and year so that I can demonstrate to my beloved that I love her more and more as each second passes. I believe that the bible  tells me that I have the responsibility to "love" my wife and that means that I am to be patient, kind,  not envious, not boastful, not conceited, not rude, not selfish and not quick to take offense.

I strive to demonstrate that to my beloved. As we begin to celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary, I will take every day for 28 days before our anniversary and do something to show that I love her. Today, it's just a card, tomorrow a gift and for the remaining days I will present her with a small token of my love as a reminder that I love her.

"I am Yours Always in Love"  

The big reveal for the week of March 2/09

Happy Friday everyone and it's going to be 13 degrees(Canadian) today. I am so ready for warm(er) weather and the rest of the snow melting. Now don't go and think I have drank the Koolaid and believe that winter is over, it isn't. I'm taking advantage of every smidgen of sun and warmth that I can.

On to the big reveal. Not one guess this week,. I guess I started out hard on this one. Oy!(that's not Irish). Alright I promise to have something closer to ones knowledge for next week, good thing there are only 4 full weeks in March, I'll start the April theme on march 31. It is the "obscure" lyric for a reason though.

Here are you answers:

The writer: Elvis Costello (Declan Patrick MacManus)
The name of the song: Little Palaces
The name of the album: King of America
Where the artist was born: London, England (a trick question)

Famous musician he has co-written with: Paul McCartney



Have a great weekend. Enjoy your own little palace, hopefully your palace has nicer images than some of the things this song reminds us of. My weekend involves rest and bbq'ing and maybe some quite time with some great music. Most importantly tomorrow I begin to execute my plans for the celebration of my 28 years of marriage to my beloved. I'll write about my plans tomorrow so if you're interested, have a peek.

"every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity"

Tuesday Musings (#25)

Tomorrow is "army day" March 4Th. get it?

When I think of that play on words, I am reminded of two people in particular, one is no longer with is and the other is (thanks Chief). Years ago I called him Chief (and no it's not a derogatory term for a member of our first nations) when he was my boss and he began to call me Jimmy, as in the old Superman movies(or were they weekly episodes).

My memories of the people who have been instrumental in my personal and spiritual growth are amazing. I can think of so many people who have given so much of themselves to pour into me so that I could become the person that I am today. I am afraid to think what life would be like without these people. Some I see regularly, some I see annually, some I speak to online because we can never come up with a suitable date to gather our families together and some I see in person. Then there's my beloved who knows all about me(or just about all).

What's most interesting as I write this post is that there are very few people that I have regular contact with who have the depth of knowledge about me as do the ones that I rarely see. I wonder if I am holding back in my current friendships because I'm not sure that the relationship will be beneficial or is it due to a lack of trust? Why is it that men (I'm generalizing, and I think I'm correct) decline to develop deep relationships with other men? I accept that we have been created differently from women, but men (me) have needs to hear and be heard as well, don't we?

I recently spent some time (multiple meetings over two to three months) with a man who is old enough to be my father. It was so good to spend time with someone who listened, asked permission before dispensing advice and demonstrated that he heard me and that he truly cares about me. He has become my "Paul". In the new testament, Paul is a "mentor" to a younger man named Timothy and it is so nice to have someone trustworthy that I can go to and be listened to and heard.

To all my friends and you know who you are, thanks for everything that you have done for me over the years, I look forward to learning more from you as the years continue.

"Happy Tuesday Everyone"

Obscure lyric for the week of March 2, 2009

Monday is here, did you enjoy the sunshine on the weekend? I certainly did. I seem to feel so much better when the sun is shining. I rested and watched as the painters did their thing, I also enjoyed some great Italian food from Casa Rugantino. Consider that a plug (completely unpaid) for some of the best Italian food and family service in the region.

Welcome to March, and beware the ides of March too, especially if your name is Julius Caesar. We will celebrate St. Patrick's day this month, without green beer. I don't ever remember seeing green beer when I lived in Ireland. St. Patrick's day was a "holy" day and we went to mass and then to the Parade on O'Connell street. We wore shamrocks and other niceties but not like it's done in North America, I suppose I'm lamenting another holiday gone mad with commercialism.

Enough about that, you're here to hear some music, or at least read some until I find it on youtube. Here is this weeks choice. A great Irish (or is he, oops) singer, writer and musician, who has attracted the attention of many people including one with great gams. Here is a sample of some lyrics written and released in 1986.

That he twists with nicotine fingers

as he drops his cigarette ash

and someone comes and sweeps it up

and then he doffs his cap

I would like to know the following:

The writer:

The name of the song:

the name of the album:

Where this artist was born:

Which famous musician he has written multiple songs with:

Have a great week, enjoy the sunshine while it lasts. I hope you like my virtual musical trip to Ireland and elsewhere, I'll do my best not to make it too easy. I'll try to get some more hints(there are some in this post) on Wednesday.