Tag Archives: Hope

Memorial Judy 2022

Indiana Shooting Hoops

When I was a teenager I used to shoot baskets on the play ground across the street from St Joseph grade school ion Mishawaka. Indiana the Hoosier Hysteria State, it was in my soul. I was a really good shooter. Won many games of 21 and “HORSE”. One day an older kid showed up on the playground to shoot baskets. I discovered he was pretty darn good at shooting hoops. As we played games I became frustrated because he could shoot as well as I did but just a bit better. Gosh darn it he would win. He lived in the house on the alley next to the play ground. I new John because we both had paper routes and paper routes teach work ethics. Later in life I would find this fellow John would find his way back into my life.

The Home Town Alley:

On this same alley lived another kid. His name was Orville McIntyre. His father was killed in World War II. We used to play a lot of hoops games during the summer months. Later during the school year he told me was working as a skate boy at the Bock Roller rink and wanted me to come with him. One day while we were shooting hoops, Judy Hartman walked down the alley to her home on another corner of the alley. Following her was another younger girl. Orville told me she was a daughter of the Bock’s Roller rink. Oh my what lies ahead?

Bock’s Roller Rink / Music Dance:


Somehow I managed to find my way to Bock’s Roller Rink. This is where I first encountered Judy Bock. She was an excellent skater, in fact far far better than that. She skated with a graceful flow and powerful. In those days the rink had an organist in the evenings. During each evening they had special couple dance skates. I still remember the Waltz and the Fox Trot. Every once in a while Fred Back would skate with his daughters. It was just beautiful. I can still see them. Yea Fred had another daughter. Her name was Lynn. We managed to become boy friend and girl friend. Everyone in the rink knew when we had a spiff. Lynn would sit in a corner of the rink and not skate. Oh boy am I in trouble now.

Life’s Rocky Road Fast Forward:

Fast forward, Judy gets married and before long she has her first child – Kim. Somebody put rocks in the road? I don’t know what happened but just it happened and divorce followed.
After high school and a couple years in college I joined the air force. After being assigned my first station I returned home and in January of 1966 we were married. Funny how things occur.

Military Service – Air Force and He’s Back:

While I was busy playing Air Force duties this guy John (from shooting basketballs) somehow came onto the seen without my knowledge. The next thing I know Judy and John are getting hitched in May 1966. Later another baby shows up – she is named Kelly.

A True Art Form handed Down:

I can still remember the the grace of flow of Judy’s skating – I observed a kind of sparkle that radiated from her as I observed Judy skate. Oh Yes, I saw it in Judy’s kids. But so much more than that. I see it today in Kim and Kelly’s kids – the grand kids and great grand kids. It is the sparkle of new life sparkle that is enhanced by surviving a struggle and a trip through the valleys of tears. It is a sparkle that shines ever more brightly where the one who discovers it finds strength, courage and yes grace that can only be found after surviving life’s trials. Abundant blessing if one can only open the spiritual door.

Catholic – A Call to Service – ND Hats:


I am a Roman Catholic and was Ordained a Deacon in 1995. Funny how John who shot baskets with me on the play ground across the street from St. Joseph School eventually went to work for the Sisters on the Hill in Mishawaka. And then he became an regular usher at the University of Notre Dame. Is he Catholic? Do you know catholic means universal? John would send me Notre Dame baseball hats – really nice hats. He may not know it but I wore those hats until my wife secretly threw them out.

Spiritual One Flesh – the Family:


Things one remembers! Judy and John were the symbol of the “one flesh” found in the book of Genesis. Their children are gifts of new life and they themselves have created renewed life. Precious beyond imagination are those lives. Sparkle is the word I use. Yes I see sparkle – in the midst of the sparkle I see Hope beyond imagination. It is a spiritual thing that requires eyes and ears that have traveled troubled rocky roads to the depths of ones bones where one finally encounters gifts and talents hidden from the view of human eyes and ears.

To be Born Again – Death necessary to birth New Life:

To be born again one must die. Death is not an end! A grain of wheat must be crushed and broken before it become flour and only then has the potential to birth the bread of life. A grape must be crushed and broken as well to give up the precious juices with the potential to become the finest of wines to drink. Both must die in order to birth abundant New Life.

Crushed and Broken Open the Hidden Door:


Life is about small deaths necessary to create the potential for new life and life ever lasting. Hidden in the story of life are crushing memories and moments necessary to open the only doors where one can discover talents and gifts planted and hidden in the beginning.

Tears – the Water of Baptism – Cleaning ones soul – Rejoice:

Tears are a sign of being born again where the waters of baptism wash our spirits clean to refresh our souls preparing us to continue the journey on the road to new life. As hard as it is this day might be! Rejoice and be Glad

Death Opens the Doorway that sets one free:

Death can not swallow up Life. Death can only set one free to soar on the wings of dove.

Yes, no matter your struggle, God really does love you!

To Lily and Molly:

Merry Christmas 2021:

I wish you a very Merry Christmas December 25, 2021 and a Happy and prosperous New Year 2022 with new adventures in growing into young women!

Hope Came into the World During the Longest Night:

In every life time darkness invades life from time to time. Hope always shines forth in the midst of darkness. This Hope can lie hidden for years! Love is communicated through the gift of Free Will we call choice. The great difficulty for humans is the freedom and willingness to be open and actually begin to search for the spirit of Hope buried in the crucifixion story. Love is communicated by surrender to the spirit of Truth. Truth serves as a mirror and one can not escape the image of the one looking back. Humanity choose to crucify the one who came to testify to the Truth.

May Almighty God Bless you both.

The Need for the Unspoken Word:

I am an Old man on the mend! Took on task of replacing floor boards on 18’ trailer. Lots twisting, pulling, lifting and wiggles to get those boards free. Leaped up on the trailer to find the bolts still holding! Old man twisted left leg – oh oh! Pain overtook the day – kneeling and praying Lord have mercy on this old man who hasn’t bought into = on sneaky aging! Now what am I gonna do???

Can’t put weight on that leg and in the middle of part done mess! Well one advantage an old man has – is go slow – think every movement through – go slow – don’t be in a hurry – got all day – we can do this!

Memory of an Old Man who did What by himself?:

It helped that I remembered my dad move a double garage all by himself and connected it to his house in his sixties! Leverage is an old man’s friend – just need to think how to use it. Lean on stuff to ease the weight – got the lose boards off so I could drive home and begin “RICE”.

Sitting in my chair, watching TV, leg lifted with Ice under knee, blanket on so I don’t freeze haha! Picked up knee compact will put it on after minimum 30 minutes On ice! Was able to almost walk normally late yesterday! Just have to remember I am old and go slow giving my body time to heal! And give thanks for what my dad taught me without ever saying a word! You can move mountains if you open your mind avoiding those who seek to lock you up in doubt and dependence!

What a way to start the New Year!
Ham pulled, PCL strained, aches and pains smothered by hope the Good Lord already gave me what I need to continue this adventure another day and eventually get those new trailer boards installed!

Thanks to my dad who suffered with early Parkinson’s – I have a vision to sustain hope even when I am down!

No politician can do this for me! Yep, thanks dad! I still remember him climbing the steps to St. Joe Church in Mishawaka, Indiana – there was something at the top of those steps worth every single step!

So I ask? – who gave you a treasure without speaking a word?

Happy new Year – Hope is birthed again! May the one and only God Bless You!

Aunt Hope

I had an Aunt Hope! She had seven children – I lost count because I left home. She was a wise woman and really knew where “Hope” resides. She was Christian and Catholic – obviously she had a bunch of beautiful children. Hope knew where hope lives! It lives in the spirit of truth, revealed in the life of the one who came at Christmas. Hope can abound in each and every person willing to open themselves to the risk of loving others.

Those searching for hope – please search your heart for the doorway placed there at birth! You will know it when you find it – it looks like a mirror reflecting the image of God and can only be detected in the twinkle of ones eye when they have found it!

God’s Timing is Perfect

God has perfect timing. Sometimes we humans just can’t seem to get it. In history we humans have encountered all sorts of tragic events and division often from within. Perhaps in God’s plan founded upon free will, we have to learn the lesson God teaches again every generation because the young must learn these lessons for themselves. We humans turn away from God and into ourselves and things get worse. We turn back to God and things get better. Perhaps God gave us president Obama to wake up some and Trump to wake up others. Do you suppose he wants us ALL to wake up and answer the most basic question – are we still capable of loving one another? And who among us is willing to pay the cost Jesus Christ knew he had to pay to teach a hard hearted and stiffed necked people? There is always hope and light if we learn to look in the right place! Love one another as I loved you!

The Story of the Vision 2

Hidden in the Story <—> Stealth War

February 18, 2011 — Often in life we humans can not see what is right in front of our noses or hear the sounds crying out to be heard by our ears!

I wonder if anyone could see all of the symbology that was hidden in the story of the iDove and the iDeacon? In fact I can tell you the iDeacon could not see the fulness of the story of what was revealed in the that beautiful spring morning. The discovery of the “Truth” hidden in the story was to come only in time!

The “Already and the Not Yet” – Say What?

The iDeacon was amazed to discover he didn’t know what he already knew! It is a kind of example of the “Already” but “Not Yet”! Often our spirits already know what our conscious minds can not articulate.

The Kingdom of Heaven that is “Already” in 2011 but also the promised perfected Kingdom “Not Yet”.

One can’t get to the concept of Kingdom “Not Yet” without first traveling through the Kingdom “Already”. After Jesus was baptized by the John the Baptist in the Jordan river, upon coming out of the river a dove descended over him and Jesus said “the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” – acknowledging the “Already” exists.

Some may be wondering — What chew talking about – have you lost it????

When I was a boy, I lived in the second largest Belgium settlement in the USA. The national sport in Belgium is racing pigeons. The west end of my home town is where the Belgium’s settled and it seems every 10th house had a pigeon loft in the back yard when I was a boy.

About 3 PM every afternoon when the men came home from work at the Ball Band factory, the Belgium air force (homing pigeons) were let out to exercise. These pigeons would circle and circle around the home loft for 30 minutes to an hour each evening or until the fancier called then in by whistling or shaking the feed can.

I used to ride my bike through the alleys of the west end looking for pigeon lofts. Then one day my dad asked me if I wanted some pigeons. Razing and racing homing pigeons entered my blood stream and I began a journey to learn more than I could articulate would only discover years later that which I had come to already know.

The Power of Ten:

Do you know how many primary flight features a racing pigeon has? These are the features that propel the pigeon through the air. They rotate as the air passes through which propels them forward and creates a distinct sound like a wish. In fact it catches your attention when a flock of homing pigeons pass over head. You can tell the velocity of flight by the intensity of the sound.

Oh yea! You want to know how many primary flight features a racing pigeons has. They have ten. Now why would that fact be symbolic. It’s the number ten from ancient times that has been passed on from generation to generation that keeps one on the straight and narrow. It is in following this ten that can save ones life from destruction. It is this power of ten that can propel one at the speed necessary to escape the enemy that threatens ones life.

Remember, we are speaking of the hidden symbol buried in the story of the iDove! And the iDove is the symbol of the Spirit of God and the spirit of ones soul for each is created in the image of God! Could it be the Ten commandments provide humanity with most basic and necessary principles to be digested and understood? Could they contain the secret principles that when followed will lead one to encounter life, find liberty and the path that leads to happiness? And in the end opens the doorway to save ones soul from the evil one and find one standing at heavens door?

The Power of Twelve:

To be continued …..

The Words of Hope & The Signs in the Midst of Chaos! 12/02/2012

December 2, 2012  1st Sunday of Advent

In today’s scripture readings the church is encouraging us to on alert, awake and ready.  We are to be aware and prepared for the Day of the Lord.

We are being asked and encouraged to look for signs.  Let me ask what signs are we watching and waiting for??  Well what signs are we looking for?

Have we noticed on this very day the nations on earth appear to be in dismay!  Just a month ago a historic terrible inland frontal storm merged with a fast moving tropical storm full of blowing wind and a raging seas which overwhelmed the land.  Homes and neighborhoods were destroyed and great cities brought to their knees.

Our nation is facing an economic fiscal cliff the size of which I doubt the very best economist can fully discern.  The language of economic deception is constantly being perfected.  One can find themselves overwhelmed with so many simultaneous signs in surrounding us this day.  Is this the time?  Are we living in the Day of Lord?

Listen to the words of hope,  Jeremiah speaks to the people Israel during a troubled times.  An invasion was coming.  The people would be lead into captivity and slavery.  Yet knowing exile was not far off Jeremiah assured the people Israel God would keep his promises in good times and bad.

The Day of the Lord:

The Day of the Lord – it is the Day we are hoping and longing for, a day of salvation, the day of our redemption.

We should never doubt the world is working overtime to distract us and convince us!  The world teaches our salvation is to be found through the portal of a new secular progressive agenda!  It is  reaping the benefits of advanced technologies and imaging that deflect and remove our focus from the spirit of truth into a sphere of rationalization, relativism and self gratification which distorts spiritual truth.

Beware:

Beware your hearts not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of life.  Scripture is warning us about our spiritual welfare being subverted by human condition which seeks to play god.

What is the portal to eternal life we should be looking for?  Where do we look, Where will we find it?  Who can help us find it?

Clues Present:

Here are some clues.  Yep, things are a mess in our nation and in the world.  It is happening right now today and if this nation does not turn back to godly ways scripture suggest it may well get much much worse.

What are we to do?  Stand erect and raise your headsDo not be fooled by the world!  The truth is the truth always and one who thirsts and long for the truth will seek and find it!  The truth is not found in the new portal of technology or progressivism.  The truth will be found by those who are vigilant at all times with an awareness the world seeks to distract with the lures of indulgence, drunkenness and caring about the false reality invading the world.

Be vigilant at all times, do not let your guard down.  And pray and pray and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations wishing to engulf your soul.

Do not let the words carousing and drunkenness be confined or limited to bar hopping and boos.  Carousing and drunkenness are any activities that subject one rationalization – I can still  to here my catholic grade school nun teach us about the word rationalization.  It is a word that describes the process of circumventing the truth with untrue.  It seeks to avert a confrontation with the truth and affirm a self serving point of view.

Do You Hear What I Hear? Hope while 20 Little Lambs are Laid to Rest

4th Sunday of Advent December 23, 2012

Micah was last of the four prophets of the 8th century BCE.  He was called to address the people during dark times.  Times were bad, very bad.  The people had been lead into captivity and slavery.  The future looked bleak and hope seemed to have vanished.  The People were distressed and questioning.  They are surrounded by signs darkness and loss.

20 little lambs and six shepherds laid to rest out in a field.  I ask want is it,  we want most for Christmas?  Hug your children moms, dads, grandmas & grandpas.  Children hug them back!

Modern Danger on all sides:

Danger surrounded them on all sides.  The Assyrian’s armies of Tiglathpilser III had conquered Damascus and Samaria.  Sennacherib was occupying part of coastal region and menacing Moresheth.   Micah knew the people had long ago chosen to reject God.  For not only was the threat external but the prophets, priests and judges had long been accepting bribes.

Micah witnessed the wickedness of leaders political and spiritual.  Princes and merchants were cheating and robbing the poor and humble, esp. women and children.   Priests, prophets and leaders were adapting words to create images the people wanted to hear.   Their leaders mislead the people to swap what was evil for good.  The Lord must have looked away and abandoned them to their plight.

Poor little suffering small inconsequential town.  Taken into captivity, families separated, children from parents, parents from grand parents, spouse from spouse.  There was no where to turn?

Micah was thrust into the stark reality that dreams and images of hope had been shattered with darkness closing in from all sides.  For an ancient story, a promise of hope, had been buried into his heart and the time had come for it to leap into Micah’s mouth and his breath of light escaped into the dark air with a message of hope and peace desperately needed.

A message of hope and peace is as desperately needed in today’s world as when I was becoming a young man in 1962 during the Cuban Missile crises.

‘Said the night wind – to the little lamb:’  ‘Do you see what I see?’ “

 ‘Way up in the sky – little lamb,’ ‘Do you see what I see?’  A star, a star Dancing in the night,  With a tail as big as a kite.

Bethlehem, Ephrathah the city of David.  Too small to be included among the clans of Judah, from you shall come for me the ruler, origin of old, from ancient times. The Promise of Hope!

The message of an infant – a Promised King.

When a virgin will give birth and He shall stand firm and shepherd, with that shall reach to the ends of the earth, shall be peace.

Two Women with Child:

Two women with child brought together, participating in God’s ancient promise.  Filled with the Good News and the Holy Spirit, a fourteen year old virgin girl makes haste to journey by herself to share the song in her heart to be shared with her beloved relative Elizabeth, who the Angel Gabriel had told her of.

Elizabeth’s baby stirred in her womb for joy, (the spirit in John recognized the song in her heart was joy at being in the presence of Jesus, the son of God).  Elizabeth too was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out, “Blessed are you Mary, who trusted in the word of the Lord”.  Each woman was filled with a song of the miracle within.  One far too old and one a virgin young and pure willing to say yes I will do your will.

Do you Hear what I hear:

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy:  Do you hear what I hear?  Ringing thru the sky shepherd boy,  Do you hear what I hear?  A song, a song High above the tree, |: With a voice as big as the sea. 😐

end

The Child, the Child, – sleeping in the night  He will bring us – goodness and light  He will bring us – goodness and light