Yellow Blog Journalism

My 101st Week

I'm at the end of my 101^st week, and just a few weeks away from my 2^nd blue chip. The world has changed for me, in most ways for the better, and other ways, I have alot to work on. There is plenty of closet cleaning to do. My first year, I spent the first ten months cleaning out the largest debris from past mistakes.  After that, I started to move toward learning how to live in new ways. The biggest project that I've been working on has been learning how to pray. You've seen parts of that journey along the way, others have been private and kept out of view. Mostly I've been hiding my failings in this area. My progress has been uneven. I'm going to keep working on it. If I can't make daily progress, then I need to be able to claim at least daily participation. No one bats .1000, but I need to be more willing to swing the bat, even if I can't get on base every time.

This next year, I'm hoping to become someone more transparent. I want to be able to talk more freely about my struggles and victories, about grace and redemption, not just on a spiritual plane, but how it works itself out in my day to day walk. I hope that by the end of the year I'm playing that shell game of 'bondage of self' far less often.

This is a process, and it's a process that is built upon a lifetime of small battles, not every one a victory, that shape character. If i'm wise and if I want to see any progress at all, I'll remember that the most important thing of all, the thing that holds the whole world in place is prayer, constant and fervant or even tepid and rote, so long as I give all I have.

God, I offer myself to Thee--to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life.

May I do Thy will always!

My Job Search

While Big Daddy EMS is a nice place to be, people wise, I'm getting a bit nervous about the condition of the equipment that I'm issued each shift. I've had three trucks break down in five shifts, during my check off found that my monitor/aed had no batteries and lost three partners in one way or another. Its been a long December, and now I'm looking out the door, thinking that I should move on to greener pastures. I've got my sights zeroed in on one particular service, but to get there I need to learn the territory. I don't have the time on hand right now to go mercenary and just drive around that county in my time off with a map book, learning the roads. Since I can't do that, I'm going to apply today to a second service, one that runs the same territory, but on a purely non-emergency basis.

Until then, I'm going to approach my shifts at BDEMS with a sense of trepidation. Much care needs to be taken when you don't trust the equipment that they have given you. Its too bad, though, I really do like most of the people that I've been working with. I'd rather stay, but this is a place that I need to leave, and quickly.

His First Christmas II

His First Christmas

HIS Birth

 1 And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. 2 This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, 5 To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.

6 And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock. 9 And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. 10 And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people:

11 For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will. 15 And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed to us.

16 And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child. 18 And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

My Heartwarming Photographs of Christmas Terror

Merry Christmas!

Our Seventh "O"

Our Fifth "O"

Our Fourth "O"

"O key of David and scepter of Israel, what you open no one else can close again; what you close no one can open. O come to lead the captive from prison; free those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death."

O' Antiphons~December 20
by Catholique_Apostilic

Our Third "O"

O Radix Jesse

The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil. The exact origin of the “O Antiphons” is not known. Boethius (c. 480-524) made a slight reference to them, thereby suggesting their presence at that time. At the Benedictine abbey of Fleury (now Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire), these antiphons were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome.