 Who anticipated the pandemic and everything connected to it? I am guessing that the owners of the "Ever Open Cafe" never anticipated putting a "Closed" sign on their billboard.
Sacred Scripture is forthright about the topic of death. Spend time today meditating upon Matthew 24:36. If God calls you home today, are you prepared?
0 Comments
 We are at the beginning of Advent. Will you be closer to God at the end of Advent when all four candles are lit on the wreath?
Has there been a pendulum shift in teaching and preaching through the years? Have we abandoned fire and brimstone preaching for a more gentle approach in which we focus on mercy almost exclusively? Is there a healthy middle ground between the two approaches? How would we label the approach of Jesus when he used descriptors such as: *Brood of Vipers *Hypocrites *White-washed Tombs *Better to have a millstone tied around your neck and be tossed into the sea rather than lead one of these little ones astray. That does not seem real gentle. Could it be that we need to hear it pretty bluntly from time to time? When I was younger there was more emphasis placed on the four last things: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. When was the last time you heard these topics being preached from the pulpit? We are all going to die at some point. We will be judged, and we will spend eternity in either heaven or hell. We ignore these topics at our own peril. Today, I invite you to meditate upon the fact that you will die at some point. The First Letter of John in the New Testament would be a good reference point for today's reflection. Specifically, I would recommend 1 John 3:14 as a starting point.  This book has had a major impact on my life. I have taken some topics from the book to guide us along our Advent journey.
On this First Sunday of Advent I invite you to meditate upon: THE SHORTNESS OF LIFE. Refer to Sacred Scripture to begin your meditation. Matthew 10:39  I took these photos on November 24, 2019. I was captivated by the image then, and I still marvel at it today. This was in Council Bluffs, Iowa near the river looking toward Omaha, Nebraska. It is entitled, "Looking Up."  You can learn more about the 33 foot tall humanoid on numerous websites.
 This past week marked the three year anniversary of when my family visited Daufuskie Island. Since temperatures were in the teens this morning when I went to work, I thought I would reflect upon warmer times. Yes, I miss the heat and humidity of the south. I will always be grateful for the time I spent on Hilton head Island, South Carolina.  This was taken from Daufuskie Island looking back toward Hilton Head Island.  We did have a bit of the Wyoming wind from time to time.  The sunset boat ride back to Hilton Head Island was gorgeous. May you find God's peace in your heart wherever you are today!  What a great day yesterday in Douglas, Wyoming! Many thanks to the pastor, DRE, and parishioners who welcomed me so warmly. It was my first trip up I-25 north of Cheyenne in over three years. It was appropriate that the first electronic billboard of the Wyoming Department of Transportation would say, "Extreme blowover risk. Closed to light and high profile vehicles. Wind gusts of 65 + mph." Oh. Now I remember why I wanted to move to a less harsh climate.  It is never difficult in Wyoming to get a good photo of the flags sticking straight out. These flags at one of the rest areas gives you a glimpse into the windy driving conditions of the day.  When I was preaching a parish mission at St. James in early December of 2017, I helped shovel snow off of the sidewalks to get ready for one of the evenings. Thankfully, we did not have to do that this time. After the evening Mass yesterday, the moon was right over the cross on the church. I wish I would have had a good camera with me to capture the image more clearly.  I am grateful for these opportunities to lead retreats and days of recollection. I am always enriched and inspired after being with God's people at these types of gatherings. Once again, thank you to everyone at St. James. A tip of the hat to each of you.   I only had to walk down the hallway to present this Certificate of Appreciation to retired Colonel Rod Hottle. I am grateful for his service in the United States Air Force, and for his continued service at United Way of Laramie County as the Community Impact Coordinator.
Rod is the point person in guiding our efforts to build a strong coalition among a multitude of nonprofit agencies throughout Laramie County. His team researches organizations who request funding from United Way. If an agency receives funding from our local United Way, they are required to have goals and benchmarks in place to assess outcomes that are in line with our endeavors to build a stronger community in the specific areas of better health, a solid education for all children, and financial stability among each household. It is because of this thorough vetting process that the community can be assured that every dollar is being used wisely and morally as we enhance the lives of Laramie County residents who are in need. Today, I give a tip of the hat to Colonel Rod Hottle and to all military veterans. Thank you for your service to our country!  I had responsibilities at church yesterday which lasted until a little after 1:00 pm. It was about 1:30 pm when I arrived home. I grabbed a bite to eat and prepared myself to spend the rest of the afternoon doing little or nothing. As I got my feet propped up and made myself comfortable, I heard the question, "Should we take a ride somewhere?" Usually, when we can't decide where to go, we drive by Horsetooth Reservoir and on to Estes Park. The pattern continued yesterday. The time change gave us even less daylight for our late day start. We ventured about five miles into Rocky Mountain National Park (pictured above) before turning around and heading back to Estes Park. It was very pretty being there at dusk. I captured the last bit of sunset before we made the journey back home.  I hope each and every one of you have a tremendously blessed week!
 I had the pleasure of visiting with Christy and Sarah yesterday at the Cheyenne Depot Museum. Christy is the Executive Director and Sarah is the Curator. It was informative to learn about the many events that take place at the Depot during the course of a year.  This morning I visited Magic City Enterprises. Here is my story about that visit. The month of November seems to automatically generate thoughts of gratitude. As the executive director for United Way of Laramie County, I would like to use this month to build hope, spread joy, and express gratitude for the goodness of people. Our team will be surprising folks out in the community throughout the month with unexpected visits and gifts. While each of us will experience challenges of one kind or another in daily life, we will also experience many joys in overcoming these challenges. Magic City Enterprises (MCE) is a place where that joy of overcoming obstacles is seen time and time again. Jeff Gardner, President & CEO, states the following about Magic City Enterprises on the MCE website: “We have supported people with disabilities to live successfully in the Cheyenne area since 1971, and we look forward to continuing that mission for many years to come!” They are doing some amazing work. I had the pleasure of serving on one of the boards connected to Magic City Enterprises for quite a few years when my family lived here previously. It was a privilege to do so. Thus, I decided that today would be a good time to make a surprise visit back and give a gift to the first person we encountered. That person happened to be the receptionist, Susan Lewis. She has been working for MCE about three years. I presented her with a small gift from all of us at United Way of Laramie County to express our gratitude for her role at MCE. I asked if we could take a photo together, and she graciously agreed. I also had the pleasure of visiting with Nancy Gordy while we there. She was always a huge help to our board when I was there with Pro Homes, Inc. Her role as Administration and Property Manager was vital to our success as a board as we worked to provide suitable housing for the clients. The dedication and commitment of the administration and the staff of Magic City Enterprises is a blessing to our community. A tip of the hat today to all of the clients, supporters, staff, and administrators at Magic City Enterprises. This is just the beginning of our adventures. Where will we go next? I am not sure, but we will continue our endeavors to build hope, spread joy and express gratitude!  This afternoon I attended the open house at TBC Mfg. Inc. This is a family business that recently moved to Wyoming from Colorado. The tour was fascinating. My dad was a machinist at Union Electric (now Ameren) for many years. He has been deceased for over 27 years now, but I wish he could see the technology in use today. He would be amazed at what the computerized machines can do.  The open house was well-attended. Madison (pictured above) was a great tour guide. I sensed a spark of enthusiasm from her when she talked about the manufacturing processes. Her grandfather , Samuel B. McGuire, lives on through his family. Finally, I made a visit to the funeral home to pay my respects to the family of Deacon Alan Lancaster. I was assigned to the Cathedral of St. Mary when I moved to Cheyenne in 2009. Deacon Alan was serving the cathedral as well. He has quite a life story. I invite you to read his obituary. www.schradercares.com/obituary/DeaconAlan-Lancaster What did you do today to make the world a better place? Do you have a plan for tomorrow? |
AuthorThis is my personal blog. The opinions expressed are those of Deacon Vernon and the blog's readers. This site operates independently and is not affiliated with any other entity. The information I provide is on an "as-is" basis. I make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information on this blog. I will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information. Furthermore, I will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use. |
RSS Feed
