Our world wants us to fear….everything. I wear a hat everyday that says, “I will not comply”.

In the front of our church:

Out walking in the world. Even on a dreary looking day, you can find an inspiring scene!

Looks like the beavers ran into something they couldn’t handle!

Met a few others out for a walk on the trail, with their little buddy.

Cool! A snow rope!

Had freezing fog for the last few days, which makes for some interesting looking trees!

And of course, it’s that time of year! Ice Fishing!

Our “deer” friends out playing in the woods.

Wintery family walk.

There is no “New Normal”. People are still people, despite what the “news” or government says. I spent a little time walking around photographing happy people, doing happy things.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. Never give up being truly human!

Jesus said, “Fear not! I have overcome the world.”

It’s so easy to feel frustrated and powerless in this time of “crisis”. The world seems to be flying apart, out of control, exploding before our eyes. We anxiously and desperately look for a way to fix it, convince people of the fallacy of the fear that is everywhere. And we just can’t see a way out of it. There seems to be no hope.

This “control” we seek of our world, is a fallacy itself. The truth is, we have no control over the world, never have. We plan and plan and plan, only to see it all go down the tube. We see the overwhelming “power” of politicians, media, TV; and we feel totally incapable of fighting it.

Well, the truth is, we ARE totally incapable of controlling the world. The control we thought we had of our lives has always been a delusion.

The control of life is not our place. Really, only God has control. The “power”, “influence”, and “control” that people think they have……is nothing. In Scripture is the story that Jesus told of the man who decided to pull down his barn to build a bigger one. Then he would be “safe” and secure. The Lord then said what a fool he was. He didn’t know that his life would end that very night.

In this season of Advent, we read about Mary. This little girl, probably in her early to mid teens, was nothing as our world judges worth. She lived in a little shack in Nazareth, betrothed to a poor carpenter, going about her daily life of household chores, possibly working in the garden. She had no ability at all to change the world around her, seemingly destined to an obscure life of a peasant.

Then……the Angel Gabriel appeared to her, saying “Hail, full of Grace”. And the entire universe was changed forever by her simple words: “Let it be to me according to your word”.

Silly humans. Why are we anxious?

“I have said this to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”

John 16: 25ff

Yes yes yes, fear fear fear, the sky is falling. Such is the only and constant message of the “news media”. They have as their only goal; to make us terrified at all times. It increases the ratings, you see.

The truth is, the world is just as beautiful as always. Silly humans, falling for the deceptions of the evil one. As our pastor recently said: “Christ is the king, king of the universe, king of life, king of covid!”

Walking to town to get my mail this morning, looking to the left, God gave me this!

It’s amazing what a simple iPhone camera can do! I used an app called “ProCamera” to take full control of the iPhone. For you photo nerds: Shutter speed 1/4367 sec, ISO 20, f/1.8.

First week of Advent, 2020!

From the “Rotary Lights” display in LaCrosse, Wisconsin:

Out walking a local trail. Looks like it’s a popular dog walking area!

All kinds of interesting stuff along the trail.

“The LORD’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all its peoples.
It is HE who set it on the seas;
on the waters HE made it firm.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
who desires not worthless things,
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor”

Psalm 24

So, what are we to make of the situation in this world? Corruption
is everywhere, in every institution; in government, in business, even
in the church. The temptation is to despair, to wash our hands of it
all and walk away. I certainly want to. I see no hope at all, in Man….

But….as the Psalm says, the world belongs to the Lord. And Jesus
himself said, “Fear not, I have overcome the world”.

My pastor’s sermon Sunday had a good point: God allows horrendously
evil things to happen sometimes. But He always has a reason and knows what He’s doing. And the point that really stuck with me in the sermon was, God allowed the most evil thing possible to happen, the crucifixion of Jesus.
Evil had apparently won. But this allowed the most wonderful thing that could even happen, the redemption of mankind at the Resurrection!

“I have overcome the world!”

One thing is needed…..Prayer.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at our church.

“Stairway to Heaven” Just a cement staircase near the Fire Station in our town.

November temperatures have been in the 70’s all week. Just had to take some long rides on the motorcycle!

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵ He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.”

John 12:24ff

The harvest is underway in Minnesota!

“O Lord our God, you are worthy
to receive glory and honor and power.

For you have created all things;
by your will they came to be and were made”

Revelation 4

Summer is over, fall is here, winter is coming. But the changes are wonder itself!

Taking one of our last motorcycle trips before the snow comes.

Breakfast in the wilderness!