Hello, and God bless us everyone!
Here it is, Christmas time again. It`s Christmas eve, and the cats are at their shenanigans again. Looks like Greta's getting a lump of coal for Christmas. Again.
The snow has fallen a few inches over the last couple of days now. The houses are warmly covered in rolling white blankets and lit with lights of all bright colours and decorations, like the stars in their constellations, all proclaiming the advent of the One, whom by grace was given to us, and was, and is, and will be the best and greatest gift ever given.
I celebrate the 5th Christmas with my darling (the 3rd as my wife) and we are in awe of life's blessings. It's the 4th without my Dad and the 2nd without my Mom. They are missed everyday, but at Christmas their absence is especially poignant.
But, pain truly also is a sweetener. It's not something that I myself ever want to prescribe, but when given by the hands of the benevolent Lord, its aftertaste certainly does leave a blessed edge.
Recently, for a month's ragged edge, I was given the task of dealing with major pain, again. A slightly compressed disc or lesion on a disc in my neck (still waiting on my MRI appointment to find out exactly) was pressing on my brachial nerve which runs down from the neck and branches out through the shoulder and further throughout the arm, back, and chest. It was some of the strongest pain I've ever had to deal with in my life. Top 3.
(Oh my! The Toy Symphony! One of the most exquisite pieces of music ever written! And at Christmas time just rapturous! We listened to it as a family every Christmas for all of my life.)
Ah yes, where was I? Waiting for my vodka & butter ripple schnapps to "louche". While I went I was finding the glass which I'll use for my absinthe. It's the French brand, Absenthe, but still I dearly look forward to it. Its louche from milky colour to green is apparently 5 of 5 stars. My wife bought me a 55 dollar bottle from the local and well-run Manitoba Liquor Mart. It is imported from France but made with "petite wormwood" and though not quite as distinctive an absinthe in the style of its pre-ban French ancestor, does still contain thujone, and is apparently a nice introduction to the realm of the Green Faery. The countdown is on for me - New Year's Eve is my night to open the bottle and imbibe the blessings. My eagerness grows each day.
Ah yes, but where was I before that? I've put Coldplay on now, they're so clean, every note is clear and beautiful.
Oh yes, Top 3. Well... let me just say I've got a dual passport and one of them is in the realm of pain. Since I've been 12 and the accident in which a car crushed my leg between itself and a fire hydrant on a city corner. The pains I've had to endure, throughout, without, full-out, still out, and long endure, and intensely, and unrelentingly, they have honed for me things and ways and glories that bade me always into either the light of grace or joy, which I try to strive toward each moment of my life. Such a wondrous tutor I've been assigned. I learn always every day. I'm not going to dissertate on the whole subject, I mention it to get to my larger point. Bear with me if you will. Cuz here we're gonna try to go...
Pain gives you focus. You learn humility. You learn grace. You learn patience. You learn love. You seek God and the truth. Things cut deeply, but they become polished on the inside, like smoothing out the etchings on fine crystal and it's clarities and intricacies and they reflect inside all the light you see into a beautiful, colourful, true prism of seeing more.
But the only one I trust with my pain is the Saviour Lord. And my wife. (And I trusted my parents with it too before they passed away). She has been a saint through my recent bout. It was crazy. All she had to deal with. Every moment for her was in a minor chord. Let me just say it was my heart that went out to her. Seeing me in unrelenting pain, day after night after day, was difficult for her, even when I tried to not complain about the difficulty I`d been given.
Severe pain is a strange and awesome realm to visit. It is frightening also. As a child and teenager, the hope of escaping its grasp was strong, and gave comfort. My Dad used to tell me that he knew it wouldn`t help much in the moment, but to remember the words of General Douglas MacArthur and say, "This too shall pass." It did help in the future though, as I looked back, and forward again.
But as an adult, and when no longer the majority of life is there to look upon, that hope is harder to find. Faith is tested as prayers seem unanswered. But they are not unanswered. Pain asks you to pray longer and harder, and begs you to remember so that your suffering is not in vain. It is so simple in its prime message, to count and remember and think of and be thankful for all the true blessings that Good Providence has bestowed upon you. Once realized, the intricacies of this message are then scribed very personally upon the inner workings of your being, and they will guide you forward into bigger, deeper and even more blessed realms, like grace, and forgiveness, and joy, and appreciation.
All the pains, remarkable, as well as prosaic, now have become dance partners in my life who, when they take hold, embrace, and twirl me into a kaleidoscope of inner workings, that faith and foundation utilize to etch further polished and crystalline designs upon my inner workings and my outer vision.
Blessings they truly are (though the absence of their presence is never missed, but when they do come, a reluctant sigh bids them cheers, though also a Godspeed in their leaving). Moments are truer, futures clearer, and joys more guaranteed.
Best, simplest, deepest put, as I can: it is grace earned, and grace learned.
And with that, I give you my humble blessings, and cheers, sincerely, and enthusiastically.
I'm in a good place. Hallelujah to blessings.
************
And let`s try to remember that Christmas has 12 days, the 1st one is on the 25th, when our Alpha Omega was born, and culminates with Epiphany, when the wise men came to discover and proclaim the arrival of The Lord, Christ, and Messiah.
See, on Christmas Day, we`ve still got 11 more days of yuletide Christmas blessings to enjoy and send!
Cheers, and God bless us everyone!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Fun Times @ Ace of Spades HQ
Hello from the frozen Canadian climes this cold December's evening!
Just wanted to let all o' y'all know that there's some fun time of at Ace of Spades (I mean there usually is, it's a great blog and one of my favourite sites).
But Ace posted a blog that was admonishing his posters to not indulge in off-colour jokes that his gay, lesbian, and non-white friends would find offensive.
This seemed to irk some posters, and a veritable flurry of posting began.
Well, let me say no more, it's almost at 4000 as we speak. Go on and have a visit, see what all the fuss is aboot!
http://minx.cc/?post=295629
Cheers
Just wanted to let all o' y'all know that there's some fun time of at Ace of Spades (I mean there usually is, it's a great blog and one of my favourite sites).
But Ace posted a blog that was admonishing his posters to not indulge in off-colour jokes that his gay, lesbian, and non-white friends would find offensive.
This seemed to irk some posters, and a veritable flurry of posting began.
Well, let me say no more, it's almost at 4000 as we speak. Go on and have a visit, see what all the fuss is aboot!
http://minx.cc/?post=295629
Cheers
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Hello from November!
Well hello! It's been a while since I've said hello here. So blessings be with you.
It's been a good weekend. But recently there's been kind of weird shit in life, y'know on the outside, socially, in society, in the world.
Like the whole H1N1 thing. That's become a big deal everywhere this year, eh?
But our fact is, we'll get the vaccine ourselves. I trust our Canadian government more than the U.S. government. Not implicitly, but more.
Especially since we've had a Conservative party in power for the last few years. God bless Canada. And God bless Israel. God bless the U.S.A. 'cuz they sure need it. A Muslim Marxist in power. Wow. They actually did gone and done it.
Canada's different though, eh. It has to do with the cold methinks, seriously. And that we're not fucking Europeans either. But them folks with fucked up ideas about... well... everything. Them and their crescent moon shit. Look into the details of that shite. Heh, shite. Double entandre there.
But yes, it's been a strange summer and autumn. Some difficulties along the way. But the Lord blesses and supports with each and every step.
Hey, so my wife and I met this guy today. He was of Quebec French background. Born, raised, and still having a house in Montreal, he was. A trucker though, so he didn't spend much time there. His Dad was an old school Frenchman, having emigrated from France, after living through the Nazi occupation of France during WWII.
My point? Hmmm. Let's find a couple, eh?
~ In building a defense, don't be as stupid as to expect to ward off your defenses from a Maginot line and allow yourself to be flanked by your enemy.
~ Don't let a culture subjugate your own
~ Your enemy is your fucking enemy. We serve the Lord eternally, and "the battle" never ends. Don't expect him to have changed since 1200 years ago just 'cuz his face has changed a little. His overall actions and words will indicate his heart and intent. That's fucking true for drunks in a bar wanting to borrow money or score some pussy or get into a fight, and it's true for peoples and nations who wanna fucking prison rape you but they're not big enough to force it out of you (or into you as it were) at once so they just wear you down with threats and promises of violence and getting their convict buddies or gang-bangers to help them in their violation of you, but they can and do nonetheless.
Yeah so fuck them fuckers. And God bless them too, in our prayers, 'cuz that's what our Lord asked us to do. Do you know how the Christian Golden Rule is different than all other cultures Golden Rule? Jesus asks His followers to have you do as you'd like others to do to you. Not the other fucking way, where you do as has been done to you.
The biggest protector of freedom and peace in the world? Why that would be the U.S. Armed Forces, who incidentally, is comprised, percentage wise, of mostly Southern whites. That's the Southern culture, to stand up for, and protect, the freedoms of love, light, and truth.
God bless the South. And Israel. And Canada.
It's been a good weekend. But recently there's been kind of weird shit in life, y'know on the outside, socially, in society, in the world.
Like the whole H1N1 thing. That's become a big deal everywhere this year, eh?
But our fact is, we'll get the vaccine ourselves. I trust our Canadian government more than the U.S. government. Not implicitly, but more.
Especially since we've had a Conservative party in power for the last few years. God bless Canada. And God bless Israel. God bless the U.S.A. 'cuz they sure need it. A Muslim Marxist in power. Wow. They actually did gone and done it.
Canada's different though, eh. It has to do with the cold methinks, seriously. And that we're not fucking Europeans either. But them folks with fucked up ideas about... well... everything. Them and their crescent moon shit. Look into the details of that shite. Heh, shite. Double entandre there.
But yes, it's been a strange summer and autumn. Some difficulties along the way. But the Lord blesses and supports with each and every step.
Hey, so my wife and I met this guy today. He was of Quebec French background. Born, raised, and still having a house in Montreal, he was. A trucker though, so he didn't spend much time there. His Dad was an old school Frenchman, having emigrated from France, after living through the Nazi occupation of France during WWII.
My point? Hmmm. Let's find a couple, eh?
~ In building a defense, don't be as stupid as to expect to ward off your defenses from a Maginot line and allow yourself to be flanked by your enemy.
~ Don't let a culture subjugate your own
~ Your enemy is your fucking enemy. We serve the Lord eternally, and "the battle" never ends. Don't expect him to have changed since 1200 years ago just 'cuz his face has changed a little. His overall actions and words will indicate his heart and intent. That's fucking true for drunks in a bar wanting to borrow money or score some pussy or get into a fight, and it's true for peoples and nations who wanna fucking prison rape you but they're not big enough to force it out of you (or into you as it were) at once so they just wear you down with threats and promises of violence and getting their convict buddies or gang-bangers to help them in their violation of you, but they can and do nonetheless.
Yeah so fuck them fuckers. And God bless them too, in our prayers, 'cuz that's what our Lord asked us to do. Do you know how the Christian Golden Rule is different than all other cultures Golden Rule? Jesus asks His followers to have you do as you'd like others to do to you. Not the other fucking way, where you do as has been done to you.
The biggest protector of freedom and peace in the world? Why that would be the U.S. Armed Forces, who incidentally, is comprised, percentage wise, of mostly Southern whites. That's the Southern culture, to stand up for, and protect, the freedoms of love, light, and truth.
God bless the South. And Israel. And Canada.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Mazel Tov!
Well cheers, me hearteys.
I've just been too busy at work, and home, to lately give my salutations to any readers, and stumblers, who happen across this little place of ours.
But I'll raise my glass (or can of Carling at least) a few times tonight as I celebrate overcoming a few minor difficulties along this path we cleave, and in anticipation of a big event tomorrow (that is, Saturday the 22nd).
My challenge tonight shall then be to not get too fucked up, in order to be in fighting shape and game face for a fuckuva party as our (my darling wife and me) best couple friends, Karen & Adam, are finally getting married tomorrow after being together for almost 7 years. (This also is the weekend before my wife's and my coming 2nd anniversary on Tuesday, the 25th.)
All our friends are going to be there. Oh my, some blessed people will be gathered together in joy tomorrow. And then we're gonna get drunk! Hah, to quote Ricky from the Trailer Park Boys, "Gonna get drunk and stoned with my family and friends!"
My best man at my wedding, and elsewhere, is coming from outta town, and spending the night at our place, (in his tent in our backyard, cuz he's very allergic to cats and we've got teh 3 indoor kittehs,) and he hasn't got drunk at a social in years, not even ours, (cuz he was the signor of the liquor permit, and wanted to take his "responsibles" seriously and not get drunk during the event), and I'm gonna fucking spend money which is cool cuz I remember what is what like for our social and wedding two years ago, and how people gave of themselves and how it was a blessing to us.
And it's so blessed to how I've known Karen for years and how I'm finally going to be giving her away (Mazel Tov!) after all I've seen her through, and I'm so immensely happy and proud of her and her excellent man, and how he was just the shining knight she needed, and he's a good man and they are perfect for each other.
And I would dance with my Mom (if she hadn't passed away last year), and drink with my Dad (if he hadn't passed away three years ago), and laugh and be proud of who we are and from where we've come and how our ancestors made this country what it is.
But, I shall celebrate for them!
~~~ (Mazel Tov!) ~~~
(Major tip o' the hat to a song for our weekend, by the Black Eyed Peas, "I've Gotta Feeling", and of course, forever, Galatians 3:29, "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.')
God bless Israel, and God bless us everyone, and the God bless the U.S. Constitution.
Cheers!
I've just been too busy at work, and home, to lately give my salutations to any readers, and stumblers, who happen across this little place of ours.
But I'll raise my glass (or can of Carling at least) a few times tonight as I celebrate overcoming a few minor difficulties along this path we cleave, and in anticipation of a big event tomorrow (that is, Saturday the 22nd).
My challenge tonight shall then be to not get too fucked up, in order to be in fighting shape and game face for a fuckuva party as our (my darling wife and me) best couple friends, Karen & Adam, are finally getting married tomorrow after being together for almost 7 years. (This also is the weekend before my wife's and my coming 2nd anniversary on Tuesday, the 25th.)
All our friends are going to be there. Oh my, some blessed people will be gathered together in joy tomorrow. And then we're gonna get drunk! Hah, to quote Ricky from the Trailer Park Boys, "Gonna get drunk and stoned with my family and friends!"
My best man at my wedding, and elsewhere, is coming from outta town, and spending the night at our place, (in his tent in our backyard, cuz he's very allergic to cats and we've got teh 3 indoor kittehs,) and he hasn't got drunk at a social in years, not even ours, (cuz he was the signor of the liquor permit, and wanted to take his "responsibles" seriously and not get drunk during the event), and I'm gonna fucking spend money which is cool cuz I remember what is what like for our social and wedding two years ago, and how people gave of themselves and how it was a blessing to us.
And it's so blessed to how I've known Karen for years and how I'm finally going to be giving her away (Mazel Tov!) after all I've seen her through, and I'm so immensely happy and proud of her and her excellent man, and how he was just the shining knight she needed, and he's a good man and they are perfect for each other.
And I would dance with my Mom (if she hadn't passed away last year), and drink with my Dad (if he hadn't passed away three years ago), and laugh and be proud of who we are and from where we've come and how our ancestors made this country what it is.
But, I shall celebrate for them!
~~~ (Mazel Tov!) ~~~
(Major tip o' the hat to a song for our weekend, by the Black Eyed Peas, "I've Gotta Feeling", and of course, forever, Galatians 3:29, "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.')
God bless Israel, and God bless us everyone, and the God bless the U.S. Constitution.
Cheers!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
A little time travelling...
Ah, that hearkens me back to the day...
Days when I smoked some mighty fine hashish. There was more hash back then than there was pot. Ah, those young, carefree (except for the weights of worlds discovered and trudged and sweltered through), stoned, drunken days - growing still, roots, taking hold throughout my community where I was born and raised (and still live), no seeking fortunes in yonder hinterlands, but the depths of land and country, raised living, seeing, the Creation surrounding all around me in every waking hour.
And I shall post this as a piece of a larger entry, that is some of these summer words, where I can breathe the comfort of a warm August's night.
Cheers, oh yes, cheers! Despots shall not hold sway over our freedom. North America is uniquely blessed, and never its twain shall be met...
God bless us everyone!
Days when I smoked some mighty fine hashish. There was more hash back then than there was pot. Ah, those young, carefree (except for the weights of worlds discovered and trudged and sweltered through), stoned, drunken days - growing still, roots, taking hold throughout my community where I was born and raised (and still live), no seeking fortunes in yonder hinterlands, but the depths of land and country, raised living, seeing, the Creation surrounding all around me in every waking hour.
And I shall post this as a piece of a larger entry, that is some of these summer words, where I can breathe the comfort of a warm August's night.
Cheers, oh yes, cheers! Despots shall not hold sway over our freedom. North America is uniquely blessed, and never its twain shall be met...
God bless us everyone!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Festive weekend
Wow, what a weekend! Partying Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night! A quick recap, to be expounded upon as whimsy decrees...
Partied till 4:30 on Friday night, to reluctantly get up at 8:30 in the morning for the town's yearly festival parade. It was great. I wore my "Ricky outfit" and my Drunkard's fez. Beer in the Canadian beer-wrap, you could still see the blue & yellow top of my beer can. My awesome boss came up to me, (you see, he's a fellow drinker, and appreciates that I also imbibe in the blessed nectars), points at my drink, and with a wink in his voice says to me, "Is that an iced tea?" "Yeah, it sure is!" I wink back at him and we both laugh. He goes back to his wife and he musta said something like, "I asked him if that was an iced tea!" She smiles and they both share the laugh too, as I smile back at them.
Just one of those little blessed moments that fill life, if you just let them in. That's the shit I'm talking about right there. It encapsulates so much good. The spirit of free-enterprise is strong with us and the company, and the importance of service. Freedom of business enterprise: he's my boss in a terrifically-run company who care and tend their employees, knowing the value of them. And they are successful and growing, despite even the apparent shitty economy. And every employee feels happy to work for the company.
My review of him as a boss is, "outstanding".
(to be continued...)
Partied till 4:30 on Friday night, to reluctantly get up at 8:30 in the morning for the town's yearly festival parade. It was great. I wore my "Ricky outfit" and my Drunkard's fez. Beer in the Canadian beer-wrap, you could still see the blue & yellow top of my beer can. My awesome boss came up to me, (you see, he's a fellow drinker, and appreciates that I also imbibe in the blessed nectars), points at my drink, and with a wink in his voice says to me, "Is that an iced tea?" "Yeah, it sure is!" I wink back at him and we both laugh. He goes back to his wife and he musta said something like, "I asked him if that was an iced tea!" She smiles and they both share the laugh too, as I smile back at them.
Just one of those little blessed moments that fill life, if you just let them in. That's the shit I'm talking about right there. It encapsulates so much good. The spirit of free-enterprise is strong with us and the company, and the importance of service. Freedom of business enterprise: he's my boss in a terrifically-run company who care and tend their employees, knowing the value of them. And they are successful and growing, despite even the apparent shitty economy. And every employee feels happy to work for the company.
My review of him as a boss is, "outstanding".
(to be continued...)
Friday, July 10, 2009
Happy, tired, blessed Friday night
All right, "Here, we, go."
Been a little while since I've been here too (just wrote that in a post over at the Modern Drunkard Forum). I seem to spend alot of time over at Ace of Spades, but they're having server issues tonight and comments are unable to be left or even accessed, which is cool, actually, as that has opened up a few other things for me. Nice.
I've got our holiday playlist from last week going, Bob Marley right now, and I'm just not in the mood for politics. My "ADD" (I'm not ADD really, just a short attention span "I have this condition..." and something my wife and I like to joke about) is in a funny kinda dance with a week long lack of sleep tonight. (Finally I found a period!)
Okay, so yes, life is good and God is great. I have a bit of a propensity to concern myself too much with details, one of the reasons that my Friday night drunkening is so valuable to me. It allows my worries about all those little nags of life, dandelions on the lawn, for instance, literally and figuratively, to be cast by the wayside. And I sincerely thank the Lord for those Good Creatures He's given us to help along our paths. Drink and plant and herb, I am grateful for them all.
My darling wife and I went out on a date earlier tonight, and we saw Public Enemies. I liked it. Not a perfect movie, but it brought some interesting and relevant history to our fore.
"Okay, I'm good for awhile... A little while." ~ Crystal on holiday at the campsite (heh heh, that was one of our ongoing jokes for a while. As is the "here we go" thing.
And there I've gone. I am all dressed up with no place to go and no one to see me. I'm wearing my white Zoot suit that I bought and wore for my wedding. Except with my favourite shiny black shirt, plus black-tassled, red Modern Drunkard fez.
Heh, all right. Ace got his comments going again.
Went for a bike ride with a beer to visit my beautiful wife at her work. I woulda taped it all, but I had a beer in my one hand most of the trip.
two cans in my hand, i go to meet the bong I left for me on my front step...
...and come back with a bottle and shot glass of put-me-finally-into-sleep...
or push into round two...
Been a little while since I've been here too (just wrote that in a post over at the Modern Drunkard Forum). I seem to spend alot of time over at Ace of Spades, but they're having server issues tonight and comments are unable to be left or even accessed, which is cool, actually, as that has opened up a few other things for me. Nice.
I've got our holiday playlist from last week going, Bob Marley right now, and I'm just not in the mood for politics. My "ADD" (I'm not ADD really, just a short attention span "I have this condition..." and something my wife and I like to joke about) is in a funny kinda dance with a week long lack of sleep tonight. (Finally I found a period!)
Okay, so yes, life is good and God is great. I have a bit of a propensity to concern myself too much with details, one of the reasons that my Friday night drunkening is so valuable to me. It allows my worries about all those little nags of life, dandelions on the lawn, for instance, literally and figuratively, to be cast by the wayside. And I sincerely thank the Lord for those Good Creatures He's given us to help along our paths. Drink and plant and herb, I am grateful for them all.
My darling wife and I went out on a date earlier tonight, and we saw Public Enemies. I liked it. Not a perfect movie, but it brought some interesting and relevant history to our fore.
"Okay, I'm good for awhile... A little while." ~ Crystal on holiday at the campsite (heh heh, that was one of our ongoing jokes for a while. As is the "here we go" thing.
And there I've gone. I am all dressed up with no place to go and no one to see me. I'm wearing my white Zoot suit that I bought and wore for my wedding. Except with my favourite shiny black shirt, plus black-tassled, red Modern Drunkard fez.
Heh, all right. Ace got his comments going again.
Went for a bike ride with a beer to visit my beautiful wife at her work. I woulda taped it all, but I had a beer in my one hand most of the trip.
two cans in my hand, i go to meet the bong I left for me on my front step...
...and come back with a bottle and shot glass of put-me-finally-into-sleep...
or push into round two...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)