Free-for-All Friday: Special THU Edition

Countdown Continues + Crickets + G.O.M.E.R. 

If my numbers are correct, there are 44 days until the Hill Sister Summer 2018 Bash. I can almost smell the fragrance of fou-fou coffee stirring me awake on a crisp, MN morning.

G.O.M.E.R. * Returns

* Grumpy Old Men & Their Elucidating Rants

Norfolk Daily News (5/30):  "Bullhorn used after church nixes speeches. A Kentucky high school valedictorian used a bullhorn to give his graduation speech about the power of students to change the world after a Catholic diocese said he couldn't make the speech during commencement. With students & relatives watching, Christian Bales gave his speech outside following Holy Cross High School's graduation ceremony FRI in Covington in northern Kentucky . . . Diocese of Covington spokesman Tim Fitzgerald told news outlets the speeches were not submitted on time, & upon review 'were political & inconsistent w/the teaching of the Catholic Church' . . . 
          "Bales declared that young people are 'finished being complacent' & have a voice in shaping the world. 'There's a misguided notion that wisdom is directly proportional to age, but we're disproving that daily,' he said. 'Sometimes the wisest are the youngest in our lives, the ones who haven't yet been desensitized to the atrocities of our world. Therefore, we young people must be the educators . . . " COMMENT:  But wisdom IS directly proportional to age, Christian. And young people are only going to be the educators of those adults who are too lazy to impart their wisdom to the youth.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Norfolk Daily News (5/18):  "Iowa woman starts cricket farm. Iowa farm kids joining the family business have been adding livestock to boost income opportunities for decades. Pigs. Cattle. Dairy cows. Sheep. Shelby Smith has chosen a chirpier path--crickets . . . 
          "After harvesting the crickets, Smith dry-roasts them & either seasons them to eat whole or grinds them into a protein powder. Smith uses the powder to make protein balls. She likes one w/nuts, dates & spices for breakfast. But she also makes chocolate sea salt, raspberry, apple pie & coconut chocolate chip bites. And she's developed maple cinnamon, ranch & fiesta-flavors to season whole crickets."  COMMENT:  There is no place like Iowa.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

RENEWERS OF SOCIETY

“Live as people who are free . . . living as servants of God”. 1 Peter 2:16

“Jesus left behind a trail of healing a trail of people freed from the bondage & tombs of life. Those who follow Jesus continue to leave such a trail in those places where they work:  a trail where people are more free & alive because a follower of Jesus has passed by.”  At the Crossroads: Devotions for Lent, by David Kehret, Creative Communications for the Parish, 2016.

Special WED Edition of Free-for-All Friday

Memorial Weekend Odyssey + Whimsical Weather + Good Character

Apologies to my plethora of blog followers . . . We left for the Twin Cities last THU 5/24. I inadvertently left my laptop on the dining room table, so I was unable to entertain & inform you with daily posts throughout the long weekend. Fortunately for you, I kept extensive notes of our . . . 

Memorial Weekend Odyssey

. . . and here they are.

THU 5/24:  We barely dodged a major t-storm as we arrived at Nathan & Laura's just after 9:00p. When we left Norfolk the temp was in the 90s. When we got to Eagan, the temp had dropped into the 60s. [There is no place like MN.]

FRI 5/25:  Record-breaking heat. We took care of our 2-yr-old grandson Calvin while Nathan & Laura were at work. He kept us thoroughly entertained w/his antics & comments. Example:  ME:  Calvin, would you like to play in your sandbox? CALVIN:  Of course.

SAT 5/26:  More record-breaking heat. Calvin kept us thoroughly entertained w/his antics & comments. We took care of him while Nathan & Laura ran a 5K. I got some walking in at that park. I made a solo trip to the Mall of America in order to get the rest of my walking in. I enjoyed a free cookie.

SUN 5/27:  More record-breaking heat. Calvin kept us thoroughly entertained w/his antics & comments. We all traveled to the M.O.A. I got my walking in.

MON 5/28:  Calvin kept us thoroughly entertained w/his antics & comments. We traveled from Eagan to Lakefield, MN, where we visited my Uncle Royce & cousins Dan & Elizabeth. Then we spent the night in Okoboji, IA.

TUE 5/29:  We did some sight-seeing around Lake Okoboji, including visits to Arnold's Park, the Gardner cabin, the site of my grandpa's Dairy Sweet (no longer there), my grandparents' former house in Wahpeton, just up the street from Miller's Bay, & the Walther League (Camp Okoboji) camp. Then we traveled to Mapleton, IA, for a tour of Mission Central.

WHIMSICAL WEATHER

We left Mission Central at 3:00p & headed home. When we left Mapleton, IA, the temp was around 86 degrees. We drove into a thunderstorm, & between Mapleton & west of Decatur, NE, where we crossed the Missouri River, the temp dropped to 62 degrees. That was a temp change of 26 degrees in a little over 30 miles & one hour. There is no place like Nebraska! 

Thought for Today:  Fame vs. Character

Norfolk Daily News (5/21), column by Lori Borgman.  "We are all wooed by the allure of fame these days. The varied possibilities of fame are the opioids of social media--follow me, friend me, like me, share my post, retweet my tweet. We are nearly desperate for fame . . . Character is rarely circumstantial & not subject to the whims of others. Character is built w/self-discipline, a willingness to learn from difficulties & humility. Character grows internally & needs no applause.
          "Fame depends on people looking. Character is who you are when no one is looking. Fame is often laced w/an inherent jealousy, a constant, low-grade anxiety that the clock is ticking, fear that someone better to please the crowd is closing in from behind.
          "Character is marked by contentment & generosity. There is satisfaction that comes w/the reward of accomplishment, but at the same time, good character willingly holds the door for others also hoping to achieve . . . 
          "The best way to build a better world is to build character, the kind that runs deep & can carry you through life's storms. Build character w/prudence, courage, justice, & fortitude. Build character by respecting yourself & respecting others, because we have all been made in the image of God. Build character w/faith, hope & love."

Sister Bash Update + Good Government + Disturbing Parrot

Sister Bash 2018:  Countdown Continues

According to the calculations of the LCSBLCT *, 52 days remain until the 2018 Hill Sister Summer Bash at David & Carmen's Chateau on beautiful Little Island Lake near Nevis, MN.
The LCSBLCT has also painstakingly researched the Top-Ranked Eating Establishments in Park Rapids, according to Trip Advisor. Sisters & Camp Followers are encouraged to go online & further research these options, thereby avoiding a plethora of aimless chit-chat over where to eat out.

• Hilltop Inn Restaurant *****
• Necce's Ristorante ****1/2
• The Good Life Cafe ****1/2
• Great Northern Cafe ****1/2
• Bella Cafe ****1/2
• Zhateau Zorbaz ****1/2
• Minnesota Fountain ****1/2

* Leckband Cornhusker State Blog Consulting Team

Thought for Today:  Thank God for Good Government

"Living in the broken world that we do, we observe that a government is never all good. While we can influence our government to be better, we know that the ultimate root of all problems is our sin-filled world. There is no political solution to this problem. Only Jesus can & does wipe away our sin & bring ultimate peace."  Portals of Prayer, May 21, 2010

Criminal Minds

Norfolk Daily News (5/18):  "Parrot disturbance. Police were called to investigate a domestic disturbance in a southern German town--& found a man arguing with a parrot. A resident in Loerrach, near the Swiss border, called the emergency number to report his concerns about loud shouting from a next-door apartment that had been going on for some time.
          "Officers sent to the scene found there was a loud argument going on--but it was between a 22-year-old man & a parrot. The man told them he had been annoyed with the bird, which belonged to his girlfriend. The parrot responded to being shouted at with loud noises of its own. Police said it couldn't speak but could bark like a dog. Since no one was hurt, the officers left."  COMMENT:  I thought this might be of special interest to John & Lori.

Dept. of Shameless Joke Stealing

NDN late laughs (5/18):  "A CO woman was given an apple on her flight home from Paris. She put it in her bag as a snack for later & forgot about it, & now she's facing a $500 fine for not declaring it at customs. I'd be suspicious of this woman, too. I mean, who eats an apple at the airport when there's a Cinnabon right there?" (The Late Late Show w/James Corden) 

Harmless Crocs + Harmless Prank + Harmless Remark

THOUGHT FOR TODAY:  HOPES & DISAPPOINTMENTS

“Love bears all thing, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Cor. 13:7

“The love of Christ revealed in His life & upon the cross becomes a deep well for us to tap into & bring its power into our lives. Such love becomes our power to bear disappointment, to believe that God remains faithful, to continue in hope rather than despair, & to endure rather than be crushed.”  At the Crossroads: Devotions for Lent, by David Kehret, Creative Communications for the Parish, 2016.

There Is No Place Like . . . Florida

Norfolk Daily News (5/18):  "On a whim, a (St. Petersburg, FL) high school senior asked the Crocs shoe company to supply its foam shoes for her & all of her female classmates to wear to graduation, & the company said OK--if her request could get 2,018 retweets. Sarah Agee said she & other classmates were concerned about wearing high heels, so she suggested Crocs. 

          Agee tweeted Crocs, asking how many retweets it would take to send white shoes for Seminole High School's graduation. The response:  2018--obviously. Crocs chief marketing officer Terence Reilly said when they got the retweets, they shipped the shoes. Agee & her friends crossed the stage WED wearing the Crocs. Agee said she learned, 'It can't hurt to ask.'"  COMMENT:  My sister-in-law lives in St. Petersburg.

Criminal Minds

NDN (5/17):  "Police praise Wisconsin students for prank that was just an illusion. Police had praise for students who created an illusion for a senior class prank that appeared to show a car crashed into the principal's office. Students at Cumberland HS in WS used a junk car, some bricks, some tape & a black tarp to make it look like the car had crashed into their school.

          Police arrived on the scene only to realize it wasn't really a wreck. The Cumberland Police Dept. wrote on Facebook that it was 'one of the best senior pranks." COMMENT:  One of the funniest senior pranks I ever read about involved students letting two pigs loose in their school building. They marked one pig #2 & the other one #3. *
* As a former school administrator, I can neither encourage nor discourage such wanton acts of prank. 

Political Potpourri 

Omaha World Herald (5/18):  "Animals:  President Donald Trump drew criticism after referring to some people who cross the border illegally as 'animals.' Trump's remark WED was in response to a comment about MS-13 gang members. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said THU that Trump was 'very clearly referring' to the MS-13 & said:  'I don't think the term that the president used was strong enough.' Tump said he'd use the term again."  COMMENT:  DT is nothing if not intemperate in his comments, but Trump's enemies might have problems coming up with a different label for these violent, murderous gang members. 

          For the record, I've cut back on my political commentary. Politics in general demoralizes me more than ever. However, had a certain other fearless leader used the same terminology, I wonder who would have objected?

SUN 5/20  RESOLVED CONTRADICTIONS

“But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him.” Psalm 4:3

“This is a great miracle, that the same person is God & man, dead & alive, mortal & immortal, & almost every contradiction is here resolved in Christ.”  Martin Luther Psalm by Psalm, Concordia Publishing House, 2017.

MY THOUGHTS

If Jesus was not God & man, how could He die to win forgiveness for us? How could He be resurrected from the dead--a sure promise of our own resurrection? And if He is not now alive, how can He hear when we call to Him?