Shrines on New Years Eve

 

After reading LL's reflection on Guan Gong, it struck me that 1: I do not have a shrine or even a statue of the Chinese God of War but 2: I do have a shrine. It's just above my desk, aka "kitchen counter" and consists of a flag, crucifix and an Our Lady of Walsingham prayer card.

Not very warlike perhaps but appropriate for a padre, I think. That said, pistols, kukris, assorted bay'nets and knives have been known to find their way onto the multifunctional worksurface of the office, ahem, kitchen.

Dog

Speaking of which, many clergy keep something called "office hours." Off they drive to their churches, sit at a desk from 9-5 and then go home to their place in the suburbs. Almost as though they've taken "middle management" as some kind of beastly model or paradigm for ministry.

Never done such a thing, with one notable exception I've always lived next to the church. On the job which isn't a job but a way of life. That this has been in rural Texas for over a decade is providential, God has been very kind.

Just some trucks

This in mind, may He give us all every blessing from the beyond reckoning abundance of His grace in the coming year. More on that later, in the meanwhile, happy, almost, New Year. And pray for the repose of the soul of Benedict XVI, an exemplary servant of God.

Your Old Pal,

LSP

Country Life In Texas

Country life in Texas is usually, for me, all about shooting, riding, fishing and a bit of hunting but this summer's been different.

It's been about getting a young 'un enrolled in High School, into the football team and its preseason workouts, getting his vaccinations up to date, finding employment for the fellow, you can't be hanging around here all day in bed and if you do you've got another think coming type of thing.

And generally readjusting to being a full-time parent again after many years. To say nothing of recovering from a rib injury, which puts a damper on the sporting life. 

So there's not been much getting out in the field, apart from walking Blue Aggressor through packs of stray dogs to the local pick 'n steal, but that's not to say the operation has ground to a halt, far from it. Also, one of the Missions was dealt a bad blow in the sudden loss of its Senior Warden, a fine Christian lady. May she rest in peace. 

And there you have it, a fascinating snapshot into the vagaries of LSPland and I tell you this. I'd rather be wrangling with all of it in the country than in one of our dismally failed, social experiment urban hellholes.

I file this exciting report under Country Life In Texas. 

God bless you and God bless Texas,

LSP

Ecumenical Dialogue

Several of us were invited on a trail ride by one of the local Baptist churches, and off we went, after Mass.

The cavalry lined up for a photo while I was waiting for a trailer and a horse. Then we said a pre-ride prayer, hats off, and rode out.

A lot of the ride was through woods and the horses kicked up a storm of dust, which I found adventurous, in a Riders of Dune kind of way. But once out of the woods there was plenty of room and I went up and down the line of "follow my leader" riders. Sometimes at a gallop, sometimes not.

Dune

Bad form? I don't think so, but you don't want to get too carried away and run out and start a stampede. Fun for some, not for others.

Then, after a couple of hours, the ecumenical ride was over and we loaded the horses back into the trailers.

Don't be a Pathetic Lib Dupe Stooge of the NWO

I enjoyed everything about this experience, and it'll come in handy when civilization comes crashing down and you can't use your car anymore. Then the horse will rule.

God bless,

LSP

Snap Back to Reality

Some people, from England, feel that I've lived in Texas for too long and have lost touch with reality.

some kind of hat

That's absurd. You can't live too long in Texas.

put the guns in the truck, LSP

It has trucks.

defend that laptop!

It has guns.

just taking it easy in the arena

It has horses.

Sounds pretty real to me.

In nanny state England you can't even own a pistol.

Just sayin',

LSP