Beholding the Beauty

I have a confession to make. I haven't been reading my Bible much this week. So, I finally had some free time today, and sat down to read my daily Psalms. When I'm following my plan, it goes like this: at least 5 Psalms a day and 1 Proverbs a day. If I have additional time, some part of the Old Testament, usually one of the Prophets. (I typically tend to read the New Testament separately from my planned time.) If I stick to this plan, it gets me through the Psalms and Proverbs every month. (5 psalms x30 days = all 150 psalms/month. 1 chapter/day in Proverbs = all 31 chapters/month.) So today being the 26th, 26x5 = 130, so I sat down to read Ps. 126-130. I love the Scriptures. So often they say exactly what I need to read at the time. And this was the case today. Earlier this week, I recently came to the monumental conclusion that all I want in life is to be a true and good Husband and (if possible) father — "hearth and home," as my Mom so succinctly put it in...

"Color" warning: there are a couple of words in here that some might find taboo, or offensive. I have included them on purpose, and chosen them carefully. If you don't like it, tough. You have been warned. :) ------ I recently posted on FaceBook that I "want to be Tom Bombadil". I think that deserves an explanation. Yesterday, I had a conversation with a very wise friend, who confirmed what several others have told me recently: I need(ed) to figure out who I am and what I want to do with my life. Now, I know who I am -- I'm a wretch, inexplicably given mercy by God and being led to salvation. This is very bewildering to me. There are a couple of things I truly regret in my life -- sins against others for which I've since repented in many tears, but which still sting my soul when I ponder them (one very recent, the other half my life ago: you each know who you are). There are a whole lot more things that I've screwed up honestly, and taken a less...

I just read this article on "Original Sin According to St. Paul," which, in it's conclusion, has these powerful thoughts (emphases in original): Both Roman scholastics and Protestants are undeniably heretical in their doctrines of grace and ecclesiology simply because they do not see any longer that salvation is only the union of man with the life of God in the body of Christ, where the devil is being ontologically and really destroyed in the life of love. Outside of the life of unity with each other and Christ in the sacramental life of corporate love there is no salvation, because the devil is still ruling the world through the consequences of death and corruption. Extra-sacramental organizations, such as the papacy, cannot be fostered off as the essence of Christianity because they are clearly under the influence of worldly considerations and do not have as their sole aim the life of selfless love. In Western Christianity, the dogmas of the Church have become the obj...

NOTE: This post is somewhat personal, but it's a personal blog, so what the hay. If you don't want to see the personal side of me, close the tab/window, and wait for my next post(s). Here goes! *holds breath and dives in* -------------------- I recently wondered (via my status update on Facebook), if I will ever be "normal." Let me explain. You see, as far as I know, most guys actually know how to be good friends with females their own age, without getting delusions of grandeur and romance about these friendships. By which I mean getting a crush on Every. Single. 1 One. 2 Most guys. Not me. Uh-uh. No, yours truly has to run his heart through the meat grinder for each one before anything resembling a normal friendship with them happens. *facepalm* Thankfully, there's usually someone whom I can get to slap me real hard (either literally or metaphorically) and snap me out of it. Not always, though. 3 And even when there is, it doesn't always "sti...