Wednesday Reading

Exodus 39-40.
Mark 3.


Can someone 'splain how one could want transparency of our government, and yet be against the release of this potentially explosive memo we keep hearing about on the news?

Tuesday Reading

Exodus 37-38.
Mark 2.

"What about love?
What about God?
What about holiness?
What about mercy, compassion and selflessness?"

Another of my favorites.  They really don't stop coming on this here album.  The transition into Mind's Eye is awesome also.

Monday Reading

Exodus 34-36.
Mark 1.


"What's going on inside of me
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicion
That I'm still a man in need of a savior..."

Mentioning Michael Tait the other day reminded me of a couple of my favorite DC Talk songs.  The first one here today.   What an amazing "album" Jesus Freak was.  Every song a winner.



By the way, the "We Believe" from last week did not include all lyrics, so I prefer this longer version below.

Weekend Reading

Exodus 28-33.
Matthew 27-28.


Exodus 32:24 always cracks me up.  So completely ludicrous and yet something we are all capable of doing.

The only people who could possibly think that explanation could really happen would be evolutionists.  Because crap making itself randomly is their driving philosophy.  Way to go with these types of explanations, evolution fan!

Thursday and Friday Reading

Exodus 22-27.
Matthew 25-26.


Crazy busy so missed yesterday's post.

Which is too bad.  I've really enjoyed the past 3 1/2 weeks.

Anyway, did you ever wonder what it would have been like at Mt. Sinai?  The ground trembling, the smoke and the fire and the lightning and thunder and the voice of God Almighty.  Makes you realize what you really are.

Wednesday Reading

Exodus 19-21.
Matthew 24.


I really like this song.  It's actually one of my favorites.

I have always liked Michael Tait from his DC Talk days.  He does a great job with this simple song, a simple declaration/creed.

I have always liked simplicity.  Especially my little noggin.

Tuesday Reading And More Songs

Exodus 16-18.
Matthew 23.


Sometimes a song just grabs you.  That's all I can say about this one.  Just makes one smile.  And may it be so.

Monday Reading

Exodus 13-15.
Matthew 22.


I haven't been the biggest enthusiast of contemporary Christian music.  You have to be careful with the message and theology it promotes.

However, I have found some tunes I really like during my hiatus, so I will post some of these as the year goes on.

I have also found some good country tunes I'll post as well.

By the way, I didn't start this post with the intention to plug Pandora, but I am plugging it right now.

Anyway, I don't keep up with the artists and don't know much about them.  I just like this tune and what it has to say, especially when you feel beat down.



More to come...

Weekend Reading And NFL Conference Championships

Exodus 7-12.
Matthew 20-21.


Only one out of four of the remaining contenders for the NFL title have ever won a Super Bowl.

Which ordinarily would be good odds for another team to get out of NFL hell.  And make for an interesting post-season.

Except this year, one out of 4 teams are a serious threat to win it, and that would be New England, the team that has won more than their fair share.

I'll pose the question again that I had previously- who in their right mind thinks anyone except the Patriots will win the Super Bowl?

Which kind of makes this year uninteresting to say the least.

That said, I do find Philadelphia-Minnesota a little intriguing.  I wouldn't mind seeing Minnesota return to the Super Bowl.  After all, it's been 41 years since that happened.

Minnesota has been locked in a tie with Buffalo for most Super Bowl losses without a win.  This could be the year that tie gets busted and the Vikings retake the lead.

At least it would give an interesting storyline to this year's game.

But it won't happen.

I have Philadelphia and New England today.

By the way, speaking of NFL hell, no one will escape this year, even though it is the best chance of that happening since the Seahawks did it last.

Which means the following list remains the same:
Philadelphia, Minnesota, Detroit, Carolina, Atlanta, Arizona, Buffalo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Houston and San Diego.  Never won.

Which is still quite the list considering the Super Bowl is over 50 years old.  Thirteen out of thirty two teams?  Wow.

Of that list, four have never even been to the Super Bowl.  I'll give a pass to Houston since they are still a young franchise.  But what's up with the other three?

Worst division?  The AFC South.  Three out of the four teams have never won.

And there is no division in which all teams have won a Super Bowl.  That list could change if Philadelphia pulls off a miracle.  Which won't happen.

Anyway, I expect this whole thing to end uninterestingly.  What else can I do today...?

Thursday And Friday Reading And Comments

Exodus 1-6.
Matthew 18-19.


Comments are working again!  Both Barb and I were able to successfully comment on Wednesday's post.

What a relief.  And congratulations to Barb for solving the ridiculously hard questions I had asked.  Good job.

Wednesday Reading

Genesis 49-50.
Matthew 17.


So we're 17 days into the new year, and I have had no takers to answer my question in my new year's post.

Here's another clue:

So what is this?

Tuesday Reading

Genesis 46-48.
Matthew 16.


I think I might have posted this song a lifetime ago.  Or maybe not quite that long.

For whatever reason, I was hearing this song in my head all day, but I couldn't get the words right.  How exactly one does this, I don't know, but the mind has a way of filling in the blanks.

Anyway, it's impossible not to be in a good mood after listening to this.

And in my book, anyone who has the word "banjer" in their vocabulary belongs in the Right Honourable category of life.

"I likes the ol pianer, I likes the fiddle too, 

The guitar makes the music awful sweet.
But when I pick the banjer, my heart is mighty free
The banjer am the instrument for me!

Well, let me hear the banjo,
I like that good ol' five string melody
It makes me feel so happy, my hearts so light and free,
The banjo am the instrument for me.

Well I used to court the ladies, and flog the ol' banjo
They gathered round me happy as can be
That's why the children like me, when things told me so
The banjo am the instrument for me.

Well, let me hear the banjo,
I like that good ol' five string melody
It makes me feel so happy, my hearts so light and free,
The banjo am the instrument for me.

Now I'm old and feeble, grand children by the score, 
Every night they set upon my knee,
That’s when I scoot 'em over just to make a little room,
Cause the banjo am the instrument for me.

Well, let me hear the banjo,
I like that good ol' five string melody
Well it makes me feel so happy, my hearts so light and free,
The banjo am the instrument for me."

Monday Reading And The Dick Van Dyke Show

Genesis 43-45.
Matthew 15.


I posted last week on the loss of Dick Van Dyke Show characters.

One of the things that always intrigued me about that show was that it was at the end of the black and white era of TV.  So, no episodes were ever in color.

I always considered the show a little mysterious for that reason.  I had no idea what color the living room was, the kitchen was, the bedroom, the office, the clothes they wore...you get the picture.

And it bugged me.  I have know idea why. 

I really became a little obsessed over this when I was in high school in the late '70s.  I was a big fan of the show, and watched reruns at least daily. 

This is going to sound weird, but it got to the point where I would dream about the show being in color!  You know, the "lost episode" type of thing.

Then I'd wake up, be disappointed, and go back to my wondering.

Amazingly, during that time period, I was able to find a few color photos of the cast in books I checked out from the library.  Believe it or not, the first color photo I saw was in a book on TV Guide covers.

Bingo!  There they were- Rob and Laura Petrie in living color!  I even found a color cover photo with Rob, Laura and Alan.

That satisfied my curiosity for awhile, and would just have to do for then.

A few years later, in the early 80s, I heard (probably on Entertainment Tonight, I used to watch that a lot back then) about the new computer colorization that was occurring with some old movies.  I think Laurel and Hardy was one of them. 

So of course, my mind went immediately to the Dick Van Dyke Show.  When would they get around to colorizing the program I always wanted to see in color?

Well, the answer seemed to be "never".  Because it didn't happen.

So then, this thing called the internet became a hit.  So I'd search for color pictures of the Dick Van Dyke Show.

As you can see, I found some.  Wow.  So cool.  And as the years went on, I found more and more.

Imagine my surprise when I found out in 2016 they were finally going to colorize some DVDS episodes.

And imagine my extreme disappointment when I missed the broadcast and forgot to record it.

Two years in a row.

After decades of waiting for this very thing to happen, I felt like George Constanza- "Lord of the Idiots".

Thankfully, I was able to view 2 episodes this year online.

So now, after 40 years, I've finally seen the show in color. 

It was actually the only thing on my bucket list, so now I may die in peace.

Hey, what can I say?  I'm easily entertained.

Weekend Reading

Genesis 37-42.
Matthew 13-14.


So, who's playing this weekend?

I was 2-2 in my NFL picks last weekend.  For me that is outstanding.  The Rams and Chiefs did not escape my jinx, but somehow the Saints and Jaguars did.

I really don't even know who is playing who this weekend.  Because it doesn't matter.

I've already decided that the Vikings and Eagles are winning, and the Patriots and Steelers are winning.  Which of those teams the Jags, Saints, Falcons and Titans are playing is completely irrelevant.

Right?

I mean, how could I go wrong here?

By the way, does anybody reading this not think the Patriots will win it all again?

Friday Reading And Where Are You All?

Genesis 34-36.
Matthew 12.


OK.  I feel like going all Bluto on everyone.

A few days ago I implored those of you who used to blog to get back in the game.

Well, I have yet to see a peep or hear any action.

HEEEY!  What's this lyin' around crap!

Over?  Did you say over?  Nothing is over until we decide it is!  Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?  No!  Well it ain't over now!  'Cause when the goin' get's tough...the tough get goin'.

WHO'S WITH ME?

LET'S GO!  Come on!   AAAAAH!

Whatever happened to the old Lutheran Bloggers Alliance I used to know?  How about all you Cardinals bloggers?

Where's the spirit?  Where's the guts?  Huh?

This could be the greatest time of our lives?  But noooo!  We're gonna let it be the worst.

"Oooh, we're afraid to blog with you, Scottius, we might get in trouble!"

Well, I'm not going to take this.  Nooo!  Not me!

We need to go all out.  What this situation requires, is that a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part...and we're just the fools to do it.

So come on...LET'S DO IT!!!

Thursday Reading And A Family Resemblence?

Genesis 31-33.
Matthew 11.


It must have been fate that yesterday I watched one of my favorite movie scenes on the same day that Viva El Birdos made a post about Willie McGee's California Gumbo recipe.

Because I finally saw it.  For the first time in my life I saw it.

What I am about to point out may have been obvious to you, but I never realized it.

At the end of For A Few Dollars More, the colonel gets his chimes back off the dead body of Indio.  And Clint Eastwood's man with no name utters "Seems to be a family resemblance."

And then I saw this picture of Willie McGee and it all fell into place.

Willie McGee and Lee Van Cleef were definitely separated at birth.

Don't you agree?


By the way, I can't leave this post without embedding that scene.  With the possible exception of the ending of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, this has to be the greatest ending to any western ever made.

The music.  The dialogue.  The expressions.  It's an absolute genius work of art.  And now I'll enjoy it even more knowing it has Willie McGee's brother in it, too.

Wednesday Reading

Genesis 28-30.
Matthew 10.


As a huge Dick Van Dyke Show fan, I couldn't let this go too long.  It has not been a good couple of weeks.

First it was Sally Rogers.

Then it was Stacey Petrie.

They once had had a "practice date".  It's wild that later they died within 8 days of each other.

Who's left? 

Just Rob and Alan, I think. Well, and Ritchie.

Tuesday Reading

Genesis 25-27.
Matthew 9.


The mind wanders sometimes. 

And in my wandering, I have figured out that either: a) Time really does not exist, or b) We live in multiple infinities.

Because each second is composed of subunits of time, 1/8, 1/100, 1/1000 of a second, etc., then, because of the infinity of numbers, there are an infinite number of subunits.  So each second must pass through an infinite number of subunits. 

But if there are an infinite number of subunits, one would never reach the end of a single second, and therefore it would never end.  Each would be eternal.

Meaning in the time it took to read the paragraphs above, you have lived perhaps 30 eternities.

So time could not possibly be a real concept.

Or...you are very freaking old, daddy-o.

Day Eight Reading And I Promise This Counting Thing Is Going To End Soon

Mainly because my memory ain't so good no more.

Genesis 22-24.
Matthew 8.


Today is Bruce Sutter's 65th birthday.  Happy Birthday!

I previously posted that Game 7 of the 1982 World Series would be the one game I would attend if I could.  Sutter finished up that series, pitching the last two innings.

So in honor, here again is Game 7.  The Sutter part starts at 2:22:36.

Please also note Dick Enberg's call of the critical 6th inning beginning at 1:27:52.  RIP Dick.

Weekend One Reading

Genesis 16-21.
Matthew 6-7.


NFL playoffs start today.  I continue to pick winners of games, straight up. 

As before, the last two years of my hiatus I played ESPN's NFL Pigskin Pick'em.  I finished this year in the 85th percentile.

Last year was my best year ever, finishing in the 99th percentile.  That will probably be my forever high-water mark.

With playoff games, however, I am usually a disaster.

I've got the Chiefs and Rams today.

I've got the Jaguars and Saints tomorrow.

Sorry KC, LA, Jax and NO.

Day Five

Genesis 13-15.
Matthew 5.


So Barb The Evil Genius is back posting again as well.

Who else out there is ready to jump start their blog again?  It feels good to shake out the cobwebs and start getting your creative parts going again.

Remember all those great blogs?  I even wrote a song about us back in the day.

Where did all the great Lutheran bloggers go?  It's time for a comeback.

Kind of like when leather-faced and semi-dried out rockers reunite and go back on tour.  Yep, that could be us.  That SHOULD be us.

Except as a group we're probably better looking.

"Right...uuhhh...what?"

What do you say?

Lucy?
Angus?

Day 4 Reading- HELP!

Genesis 10-12.
Matthew 4.


So my blog has a place to comment.  But you either need a microscope, or an advanced degree in computer science, to figure out how to make comments show up.

I'm seeing the comments only because they get emailed to me.  I have replied but, again, I don't know if I'm the only one that can see those too. 

I can't figure out how to make them appear on the site.  Anybody know what the deal is?

 Help Mr. Wizard!

Reading Day Three

Genesis 7-9.
Matthew 3.


Haven't been to see the Ark Encounter yet.  But is definitely on the agenda for 2018.  Loved the Creation Museum when we visited 5 years ago.

I am anticipating it being so big as to be breathtaking. 

Kind of like when we stopped here for a couple of hours one day.

OK, it won't be this spectacular, but I still hope I am not disappointed.

Day Two Reading

Genesis 4-6.
Matthew 2.

So the last time I posted about Bible reading was when I decided to do one chapter a day back in January 2014.

So I did that.  It took me until December 2016 to read from Genesis to Revelation.

And that was accomplished by "cheating" during the Psalms, when I read five Psalms a day instead of one.  Otherwise it would have taken me over 3 years.

I have read through the Bible many different ways, the most common being the format I am doing again this year.  But I can honestly say, I will never do the one chapter a day thing again. 

Because I'm now of an age that I'd be afraid the next time I'd embark on that adventure, I may not live to see the ending.

By the way, I updated my blog look.  I like it.  For now.

Good Morning- Day One

Happy New Year!

Just so you know, I am still breathing.  At least at this moment as I am typing. 

I guess that could change at any time, so giving you that update probably is meaningless except in the moment I am typing it.

At any rate, I have had many wonderful, and not so wonderful, adventures since the last time I checked in.  Hard to believe it has been over a year and a half.

I'm looking over my blog, and it definitely needs an update in its look.  Bleccchhh!

The first thing I had to do to start posting again was remember how to sign in to Blogger.  Which took me only 2 tries.  Quite shocking, considering how many passwords I have had to change in the past year and a half.

And to my eye, Google has changed some features since I was last writing a post.

I need to update my settings, as my email has changed.  So if anyone has commented, I haven't known about it because I didn't get notified.  Sorry about that.

However, at first glance, the only comment I see from my last post is from some poor lonely soul giving a link to amateur porn.

I tried writing something snappy about that fact in this post, but no matter what I wrote it sounded like a double entendre.  So we'll just leave that one alone.

It's a brand new year, so I've decided to post more this year.

Let's see now...how do I embed a video?  Looks vaguely familiar...but what about that smiley face dude, what is that for?  How long has that been on here?

And page break?  What is that? 

Quotations at the header?  Why is there a quotation mark?  "I just used quotation marks" and didn't use that thing.

Oh.  Now I get it.

What does "remove formatting" do?  Never mind, I'd rather not know.  Let me get a few successful posts back under my belt before I try something that ambitious.

Not much has happened since I last checked in.  The Cubs finally won a World Series, Donald Trump was elected president, nuclear war is eminent.  The unfathomable corruption of our government is being finally exposed...

I think the lack of topics to write about was the main reason for my lack of writing.  Talk about boring.

So what brought be back?

It wasn't embarrassment.  I've been embarrassed at my lack of posting for awhile and that didn't do it.

It wasn't that I have more time.  I don't really.

It wasn't because I wanted to get back on a reading schedule.  Although I had no schedule and no plan for 2017.

It wasn't because I wanted to get back on an exercise schedule.  Although my daily routine turned into a weekly one in 2017.

And it wasn't the obvious lack of interesting material the past 18 months, as I've already noted.

Nope.

It was this:

Something I don't think I have ever posted about.  But was as big a part, or even bigger a part, of my growing up as the Cardinals were. 

So I want to put down my memories before they are gone.  And I've uncovered some great stuff on the internet to help me.

And if anyone knows what this is, leave a comment.  More to come.

Anyway, I'm going to go back on a reading and exercise schedule today as well.

Today is Genesis 1-3 and Matthew 1.  Want to read along?

Or a better question...is anybody still out there?