Chaplainmike

iMonk Classic: A Note to Weed-Eaters

Our school has a student work program, and one of the most popular jobs is working on the yard crew. Our boys love to work with the tractors, mowers and weed-eaters. Especially weed-eaters. It’s a certain sign of spring when I hear the yard crew outside the window of my house, and I can hearContinue reading “iMonk Classic: A Note to Weed-Eaters”

Back to School “Time”?

One of my friends, a school administrator, says it’s an adult decision, and that there is no empirical evidence that it actually helps students. What’s that? Going back to school earlier and getting on a “balanced” schedule (some call it “year-round” school). That’s what the school systems are going to where I live. It meansContinue reading “Back to School “Time”?”

Eagle Update: 8/19/12

From Dee at Wartburg Watch at 6pm this evening: Eagle will be discharged tomorrow on IV antibiotics and wound care to be delivered by the Visiting Nurses. He will need help with housework and meals so he is looking into getting some extra help. Please keep him in your prayers.

A Few Baseball Laughs

Since baseball has come up in our conversations the past couple of days, I thought maybe we could lighten things up a little this afternoon with a few of my favorite baseball anecdotes and quotes. I’ll start with a personal favorite. When I was a young adult living in New England, Jon Miller became theContinue reading “A Few Baseball Laughs”

Psunday Psalms: Psalms 1-2 Together

Psunday Psalms Devotional Thoughts on the Psalms * * * Psalm 2 “But I have installed My king on Zion, my holy mountain!” …Happy are all who take refuge in Him. – Psalm 2:6-9, 12, Tanakh (JPS) * * * Psalms 1-2 go together, and serve to introduce the Book of Psalms. The simplest way ofContinue reading “Psunday Psalms: Psalms 1-2 Together”

iMonk Classic: All to no end…save beauty, the eternal

The crowd at the ball game is moved uniformly by a spirit of uselessness which delights them, all the exciting detail of the chase and the escape, the error the flash of genius, all to no end save beauty the eternal – -William Carlos Williams, “The Crowd At The Baseball Game” * * * MondayContinue reading “iMonk Classic: All to no end…save beauty, the eternal”

Saturday Ramblings 8.18.12

Welcome to the very tired edition of Saturday Ramblings, the time of week when we sweep up after ourselves here at the iMonastery. Why am I so tired? Well, I’ve been working a new job, one that doesn’t see me to my humble abode until after ten each night. But more than that, this hasContinue reading “Saturday Ramblings 8.18.12”

I Believe in the Death Penalty (in Baseball)

Warning: this post is devoid of grace. If I were Major League Baseball’s commissioner, anyone caught using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) would be banned from the game for life. Period. Last week, Melky Cabrera, the San Francisco Giants’ left fielder (the position formerly played by Barry Bonds, king of the Steroids Era), was given a fiftyContinue reading “I Believe in the Death Penalty (in Baseball)”

All Spirituality Is Local

Reading Romans (2) All Spirituality Is Local “I’m longing to see you! I want to share with you some spiritual blessing to give you strength; that is, I want to encourage you, and be encouraged by you, in the faith you and I share.” – Romans 1:11-12, Kingdom NT * * * For years, IContinue reading “All Spirituality Is Local”

IM Review: The Voice

In my fair city, Tulsa, Oklahoma, we see two types of buildings pop up with regularity: banks and churches. With each announcement of a new bank or a new church, we ask ourselves, “Do we really need another bank/church in Tulsa?” Yet it seems we do, for new ones are announced almost weekly. And soContinue reading “IM Review: The Voice”