Jesus is the reason for the season.

So I look at the Navitiy my mom painted when I was in my womb.  As I gaze in wonder of something so beautiful while moving past the Nativity itself into the bliss my mothers fingers must have felt as she built her first family Tradition.  She must have felt as the Apostles had after Pentecost.  The beauty that must have rained down on her hands as the love from I Am into flesh of our world.  The Word made into Flesh.  I can't even imagine the love of the Trinity which is the beauty of life, God.

This Christmas, I pray for the longing of our Savior.  And to be satisfied, while realizing, that the birth of the Son of Man may bring peace, love and shed Light in our darkness.

May God Bless us, everyone.

RJ Salewicz II

O' Christmas Tree 2010

iPhone Pic HDR on

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner.

 

Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ του Θεού, ελέησόν με τον αμαρτωλόν.

 

In the past, these words would be hard for me to say, but I find the need to say them daily while I was going through trials and tribulation. Once things started going in a direction I liked, I found myself wandering from this daily practice and my daily rosary.

Now, I find myself at a cross road again in my life and shamefully I am crawling back to the daily exercises that delivered me into the feeling of Grace. I say shamefully because I stopped this daily practice. I know God knows that I would wander from his flock from time to time, but my heart does not want to. I can't help to think that the cross roads I face would be easier as well the decisions I have to make would be simpler to make, if I would stay within his flock.

What makes us wander? This is the question I think we have to add to our daily devotion. Its not enough to just realize where I have failed or fallen short and ask for forgiveness. The last part of the Act of Contrition says we will amend our life and avoid the near occasion of sin. But is avoiding enough? I feel that we as human suffering from the human condition of selfishness, desires and wants should as, what made me wonder from His flock and expose ourselves to the wolves of the human condition.

Today, I ask this of myself and ask for our Lords forgiveness in straying:

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner.

Is Advent the Christmas Season?

 

I think there is a lot of confusion in what Advent is.  A lot of people (and yes even Catholics) feel and think that Advent is just the start of the Christmas season.  It’s the time to get your shopping on, start listening to your favorite Christmas music, and of course all those holiday parties.  But the Christmas season does not start until after the first Christmas Mass (Christmas Eve Mass) is celebrated and goes on till the "Octave of Epiphany”, which is January 14th.

So, what is Advent then if it’s not the start of the Christmas season?

Advent is the season of preparation.   It is not unlike Lent.  It’s a time to prepare ourselves for the coming of our Lord, Jesus.  Originally Advent was 40 days just like Lent but has been shorten to 4 weeks, but still symbolizes the same thing.  It’s a time of preparing our hearts so we are ready to accept God's ultimate love, His Incarnation.  When you think about it, it’s not a time of running around and being merry.  As we do before Mass, we most evaluate our hearts, thoughts and actions before we confront our Lord and Savior and Advent is that time.

One of the most important parts of Advent is reconciliation.  Most parishes will hold a reconciliation service.  Sometimes the Archdiocese will pick one parish and have several priests available.  This is an incredible gift that has been given to us by our Lord, one that we should look forward to.  It is an amazing experience to enter into Christmas with a clean heart.  It’s hard to be a Scrooge during the Advent and Christmas season after you have experienced the grace of forgiveness with Jesus Christ.

I strongly urge us all to look into our hearts and use this Advent season to remove the heavy chains and weights that have been holding our souls down through out the year; so we can experience the true meaning of Christmas and greet our Lord and Savior with the faith, love and hope of a child.

Blessings in Christ,

RJ

Transparent iPhone 4

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Sorry about the smudges, I was eating a subway sandwich when I had this ideal.

iPhone 4S announced on TUAW for Verizon only!!!

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Finally iPhone is coming to the big red, Verizon!  Is that a stylus I see?  Looks oddly like the Apple Newton.

Ha! Nope cool yourself, sorry had to poke fun at this but TAUW posted a blog on Charles Mangin turning an Apple Newton into an iPhone case.  So no its not an iPhone 4S for Verzion.  Dang would that not be one bulky phone? Anyways, scoot on over to TAUW to read the story!

Sufjan Sevens breaks silence after 5 years with new EP "All Delighted People"

I was so excited this morning when I logged into Emusic and saw there was a new EP from one of my favorite indie song writer and musician Sufjan Stevens called "All Delighted People".  I am a little bummed that we are not getting a new album in his ambitious endeavor of recording an album for all 50 states.  He has done Michigan, Illinois and thats it. I was hoping Indiana was next!  His Christmas album Songs for Christmas has become my all time favorite Christmas album.  Its very seldom you run across a singer song writer with popularity that sings his Christian faith in his songs.

The new EP is everything you would want from Sufjan.  There are two versions of  "All Delighted People", one labeled (Original Version) and another (Classic Rock Version).  The original version reminds me a lot of  "Songs for Christmas"  same melancholy melodic droning melodies entwining between each other and plays for an impressive eleven minutes.  The second version is still very beautiful but a bit more upbeat with horns, its not really a classic rock sound by any means and has his twangy banjo in the background (which I just love).  With only one pass through the EP so far there is one line that has stuck out to me from the title track " Hello darkness my old friend. Ive come to strangle you in spite of what you like" gives me an image of St. Michael battling evil.  The ending solo in the classic rock version of "All Delighted People"  is beautifully disjointed with a tinge of Spoon and Flaming Lips.  Just pure beauty to my ears

I highly recommend giving this EP a spin.  I am looking forward to giving this EP a proper spin with headphones

Peace and Love!

Haven't posted for awhile. Thought I would post a pic of my bass amp. Playing Casslers in Fishers, IN tonight with NeXus.