On the Inside; On the Outside


 
Sep 19 2013
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Make a Choice

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2chairsWhen tenor Luciano Pavarotti was a boy, his father, a baker, introduced him to the wonders of song. He urged him to work very hard to develop his voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in Pavarotti’s hometown of Modena, Italy, took him as a pupil. He also enrolled in a teachers’ college. On graduating, Pavarotti asked his father, “Shall I be a teacher or a singer?” “Luciano”, his father replied, “if you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose one chair.” 

Life is full of choices. Every day we are invited to choose. We choose what we are going to eat, what we are going to wear, how we are going to act, what we are going to do, and where we are going to go.  Read More

Sep 06 2013
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The Power of the Power

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power outletIt’s Thursday morning: I’m working from home as I always do. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I’m on the telephone with a very important customer. Suddenly, the lights begin flashing, my computer monitor flickers and goes black, the lights go out, and my telephone disconnects. Yes, we just took another power hit. (This has been a frequent occurrence lately, primarily due to some road construction that is happening at the end of our block.) So I quickly grab my mobile phone and redial the customer. I was saved by technology after technology nearly did me in. And that got me thinking. Read More

Aug 29 2013
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Blameless in Holiness

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john-the-baptistWith today being the Memorial of The Passion of St. John the Baptist, the line that always comes to mind from him is, “He must increase while I must decrease.” This has got to be my favorite quote because it always reminds me that it’s never about me, but it’s always about God. (And that is also a great way to pray!)

However, St. Paul prays to the Thessalonians (3:7-13), “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all…to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father.” Read More

Aug 26 2013
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Dog Days of Summer

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As we enter the final week of August (which is going to be a hot one in this neck of the woods), I wanted to pass along this posting from a friend of mine, Fr. Tom Zelinski from the St. Anthony Spirituality Center in Marathon, Wisconsin (http://sarcenter.com/).  He truly captures the “heated” topic of the Dog Days of Summer. 

This time of year is often referred to as “dog days.” I have been thinking about dogs, whatever the weather might be. Dogs have certain qualities about them that are quite appealing, when they are not suffering from particular doggie neuroses and other troubles.  Read More

Aug 18 2013
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Fire Changes Everything!

Posted by | Discipleship | 3 Comments
bpr.berkeley.edu

Reference: bpr.berkeley.edu

In the summer of 1988, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming caught on fire. The fires began in June and continued to burn until November. In the end, 1.2 million acres were scorched, leaving the impression that the world’s first national park had been destroyed. But the doom and gloom prophesies about the destruction of Yellowstone proved to be wrong. What many failed to understand was that fire, even a fire of this magnitude, was necessary to maintain the overall health of Yellowstone’s ecosystem. The Lodgepole pine tree pine cones are sealed with a waxy resin, and only open once temperatures reach above 113 degrees. In other words, the trees need the heat of those fires in order to reproduce. The 1988 fires undeniably changed everything about Yellowstone’s landscape, but it didn’t destroy the park. Read More

Aug 14 2013
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The Gift of Relationships

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Last evening, I had an opportunity to get together with a friend for dinner. This may not seem like a big deal, but it really is. With my schedule, I really don’t get out socially very often. So when an opportunity like this comes about, I do not take it lightly. Especially when this friend is venturing out and beginning a new phase of his life.  Read More

Aug 07 2013
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The New “Me”

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There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting. ~Buddha

It’s funny how the voice of the Lord is heard in different ways by different people. But what’s most important is that we are able to actually “hear” that voice, and act on it. 

Over the past several months, I have been moving toward following that voice. So far, I have avoided the mistake of not starting. That is why that you are viewing this blog on my new website. I took that leap of faith in following my calling to go out and become “available” to the world. It was a calling to go out and evangelize by using my God-given gifts to serve the Lord by serving others. It is an opportunity to share my stories, songs, and teachings with my fellow Catholic-Christians.  Read More

Aug 01 2013
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Pitching a Tent

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tenderfootI can remember going camping a lot when my boys were young. It was always good family time, except for pitching the tent. When the boys were small, they weren’t much help, so my wife and I were left setting up the tent by ourselves. As the boys got older, everyone was able to pitch in to help. Read More

Jul 28 2013
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It’s All About Showing Up

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I spent the day on Saturday with about 800 teens from across the Midwest as we celebrated World Youth Day Chicago – A Midwest Celebration. It was an amazing day filled with energy, faith, and prayer. I was so blessed to have been able to be the emcee and give a workshop to such wonderful, faith-filled teens. The young church is certainly a powerful force! Read More

Jul 17 2013
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It’s Almost Time!!!

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“When you are through changing, you are through.” ~Bruce Barton

All of us will experience change at multiple points in our lives. Often times, those changes are not welcomed. But I am a firm believer that change needs to occur, whether we want it to – or not. Change is necessary for us to experience new things, new ventures, new opportunities, new outlooks, new growth and new visions. If we continue to live our lives within our daily routines, we almost certainly will lose our perspective on where we are and not push ourselves to blossom and grow. Read More