fourth quarter

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)    That sav'd a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found,    Was blind, but now I see. 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,    And grace my fears reliev'd; How precious did that grace appear    The hour I first believ'd! Thro' many dangers, toils, and snares,    I have already come; 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,    And grace will lead me home. The Lord has promis'd good to me,    His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be    As long as life endures. Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,    And mortal life shall cease; I shall possess, within the veil,    A life of joy and peace. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,    The sun forbear to shine; But God, who call'd me here below,    Will be forever mine. John Newton,  Ol...

the bible tells us:  that we choose between good or evil (Matthew 7:11) that only God is good (Mark 10:18) that we will die (John 12:24)  that we will be judged (Matthew 7: 1-29) that we should bring our burdens to Jesus (Matthew 11: 28-30) that the righteous will go to heaven and the wicked will go to hell (Matthew 25:46) that righteousness comes through faith in Christ Jesus (Romans 3: 21-31) rom 3 23 field 1680x1050 | A desktop background made from Ro… | Flickr https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/ attribution: Patrick Slaven and flickr

when I lay alone at night in a dark room, I sometimes raise the blinds on the window. maybe, some day, I'll see the apocalypse.  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Castle_Bravo_007.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain attribution:  Federal government of the United States, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons why wouldn't I? after all, I grew up in the 1950s.

I used to refer to myself as a Catholic. These days I refer to myself as a Christian.  Why? It's a LONG story, but it's not really complicated. the shameful scandal in the catholic church, which I now realize, has been going on for my entire lifetime. the continuing failure of the higher-ups to fix the problem (1. apologize. 2. do everything possible for the victims. 3. make sure that it never happens again. 4. if it happens again, then repeat steps 1 thru 3.) the shameful disrespect ("...outrages, sacrileges, blasphemies and indifferences...") that exists in the sanctuaries of catholic churches today (people chattering out-loud before, during and after mass IN THE SANCTUARY  while others are trying to pray and worship, etc.). On one hand, it's difficult to separate myself from the church that I was baptized and educated in and followed for most of my adult life... but, on the other, it isn't.  I've gone back to the basics (1. I believe in God--Father, Son...