"Manliness" by John Brooks

"Our first object in life should be, not to be farmers, lawyers, statesmen, clergymen, merchants, soldiers, but to be men, possessing more than mere craft-knowledge—having healthful, supple, strong, graceful bodies—minds which delight in observing, reading, thinking, criticizing— and hearts which love. . .Let us see: a man with an open, intuitive mind and heart is intelligent; he feels and acknowledges that his education is unfinished; he ever goes on improving and becoming more God-like; he has sympathy with all other souls. . .Every wise man keeps his mind and his heart open to the reception of truth, new thoughts and fresh loves;A man of decisiveness is a powerful man, and if he is wisely decisive, he is a thoughtful man, is respected, is useful, and is his own master. "

U2 Singer Bono's Ode to Mary: National Catholic Register

U2 Singer Bono's Ode to Mary: National Catholic Register

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Who knew you could do so much with Sheep...

The Bravery and Courage of War

The one "good" thing that comes from war is the possibility of bravery, courage, camaradarie , and fellowship that follows among the soldiers who fight side by side. None of this is more evident in the Band of Brother's Series. Those men from basic training to the end of the way sacrificed their lives for one another, their families back home, their country, and for peace. What they faced and what soldiers face is something people who do not experience war can never imagine and experience. We owe our soldiers the respect and honor they so rightly deserve for fighting to protect those who live in the country they serve. Here is to the men of the US Armed Forces and Thank-You.

Here's Your Sign...

Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King

Last Tuesday the much anticipated release of Dave Matthew's Band "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King" was out in stores. I, like many others, purchased the album on have my comments and review on it song by song:

1. "Grux" the opening song is an saxophone instrument remembering the late member LeRoi Moore-appropriate way to remember the man whose saxophone gave life to so many DMB songs

Comparable Song: "Kit Kat Jam" "American Baby Intro"

2. "Shake Me Like a Monkey"
Quotable Lyric: "Come on everybody make me lose my mind ,Everybody get together gonna make love shine"
This is one of the couple of fun, playful love type songs on the album; one of the many references to "monkeys" on the album;

Comparable Song: "Tripping Billies"

3. "Funny the Way it is"
Quotable Lyric: "Funny the way it is
Not right or wrong
On a soldier’s last breath
His baby’s being born"

This song cries "justice," the ironies of the world in which we live in -how one person is enjoying life, but at the expense of someone's' worries or troubles. I think it is a very moving song to listen to and makes people aware of the world we live in-which Dave himself is accustomed to doing in his songs.

Comparable Song: "Typical Situation" "Everybody Wake Up" "American Baby"

4. "Lying in the hands of God"
Quotable Lyric: "If you feel angels in your head
Teardrops of joy run down your face You will rise"

"I don’t know whether it’s a song about being lost or being out of your mind because you licked some cactus or swallowed some mushroom somewhere and turned your head upside down. It could be “Hey! (hey), You! (you), Get off of my cloud.” It could be a lot of things. I like songs that just create beautiful images and that’s why I don’t want to talk about the lyrics because I just think it’s perfect. Some of the songs have to be open."

Comparable Song: "Rhyme and Reason" "Warehouse"

5. "Why I Am" (my top 3 on the album)
"Quotable Lyric:One to make you smile
It's why I am still a stake in the wood pile
It's why I am still here dancing with the GrooGrux King"

Another tribute to Moore whose nickname was the "GrooGrux King;" another upbeat playful song that is catchy-a way for Dave to get out his multiple personalities...the imagination of an 8 year old wanting to be many things..."I really liked Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King because it sounds sort of like a fairytale, more like an old story."

Comparable Song: "Lie in Our Graves" "I Did It"

6. "Dive In"
Quotable Lyric: "Wake up sleepy head I think the sun's a little brighter today
Smile and watch the icicles melt away and see the water rising"

Kind of a "Carpe Diem" seize the day song, but at the time also realizing that the good times will end one day to take advantages of those good times...a hint of death in the song as well...the Chorus is definitely uplifitng mix of guitar and drums.

Comparable Song: "Raven" "Digging a Ditch"

7. "Spaceman"
Quotable Lyric "All the people are on parade
Thought I saw a spaceman trying to get laid
Doesn’t everyone deserve to have the good life"

This is a very interesting song lyrically...Dave goes in many directions here to keep the listener entertained on a path of some sort to figure out the meaning of the song-the banjo gives it a "Southern Cajun" feel that is present throughout the song-also hints at a playful love song...

Comparable Song "Rapunzel" "Hunger for the Great Light"

8. "Squirm"
Quotable Lyric "Above all things if kindness is your king
Then heaven will be yours before you meet your end"

"Dave: ““[New sax player] Jeff Coffin played an eastern scale thing, a beautiful solo, one of my favorite things on the record. ‘Squirm’ was written after Roi had passed on. Otherwise, every saxophone solo moment on the album is LeRoi. Carter had a drum groove that was pretty awesome but he originally did it over the top of this lilting, melancholy song. And I was like, ‘This drum groove is too good for this song! So I took that drum groove and wrote this new song over the top of it. That song is one of the most joyful songs on the record, if not the most joyful, just because I think it’s sort of “be yourself.” It’s a song about peace and about acknowledging those things we have in common. For me, I have the image of a convention hall, almost like some strange church, where you go to learn that you’re just a naked monkey! And it’s not the only simian-themed moment—I went monkey-crazy on this album. I may be the only monkey I know, but I tend to think that I’m not. I watched monkeys all my life and I don’t see that the difference is that remarkable. " Couldn't put it any better...

Comparable Song "Last Stop" -musically "Big Eyed Fish" "Warehouse"

9. "Alligator Pie (Cockadile)" (my top 3)
Quotable Lyric "Grace is all i'm asking
When will grace return
Remember how I feel in those days of the summertime
Then Stella smiled
Stella said daddy when you gonna put me in a song?"

Dave mentions his two girls, Grace and Stella, in this song which is another catchy upbeat song with a strong drumbeat and electric guitar, violin-DMB mixing it all together-that "Southern Cajun" feeling...searching for help and meaning...while Dave mixes in his "voice jams" into it to his jig that he does on stage...a fun song

Comparable Song "Grace is Gone"-lyrically "Ants Marching" - musically

10. "Seven"
Quotable Lyric "Mama told me boy someday a girl will take your mind
And then you'll know I never knew but I do now"

Another more "serious" love song with some inuendoes and insinuations in it to a love song...just gonna leave it at that

Comparable Song "Rapunzel" "Stand Up

11. "Time Bomb"
Quotable Lyric "No one would believe it
Except for all the people
Watching as you fly away"

A dark song searching for meaning and truth a mix of electric guitar-a more "rock" song than what listeners are accustomed to from DMB

Comparable Song: "What You Are" "Halloween"

12. "Baby Blue"
Quotable Lyric "Holding tight to the legs of all your angels
Goodbye my love into your blue eyes
In your blue world
You and me forever"

True Love song...it was as if Dave put lyrics to a poem...all that is needed to say

Comparable Song "Crash" "So Right" "Steady as We Go" "Lover Lay Down"

13. "You and Me" (my top 3)
Quotable Lyric: 'With eyes closed we're gonna spin through the stars
Our arms wide as the sky we're gonna ride the blue
All the way to the end of the world"

Another love song..very upbeat and playful-almost another version of stay lyrically and musically...just a great song to listen to as if you and your sweetheart are sitting out in a field on a blanket as if nothing else in the world matters...

Comparable Song "Stay" "When the World Ends" "Satellite"

Dave's Explanation of Songs from AntsMarching

Hope You enjoy the album as much as I do! "DMB's Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King debuts at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 with 424,000 copies sold in its first week of release"

An unexpected source of Courage and Manliness

This from The American Catholic, who I have found, has very interesting historical articles from important times and events and how Catholicism played a huge and oftentimes unexpected role...

"The men of the 5th Ranger Battalion could barely keep from laughing when they first saw their chaplain, Captain Joe Lacy, a week before D-Day. These were young men, in peak physical condition. Father Joe Lacy was old by Ranger standards, knocking on 40, overweight by at least 30 pounds, wearing thick glasses and short, 5 foot, six inches. He was described by one Ranger as “a small, fat old Irishman.” No way would he be able to keep up when they invaded France.

On the trip across the Channel to France, Chaplain Lacy told the men: “When you land on the beach and you get in there, I don’t want to see anybody kneeling down and praying. If I do I’m gonna come up and boot you in the tail. You leave the praying to me and you do the fighting.” A few of the men began to think that maybe this priest was tougher than he looked.

On June 6, 1944 at 7:30 AM, LCA 1377 landed the Rangers on Omaha Dog Green Beach, the first landing craft to land on that section of Omaha Beach. Father Lacy was the last man out just before an artillery shell hit the fantail. Everything was chaos with the beach being swept by German artillery and small arms fire. Wounded men were everywhere, both on the beach and in the water feebly trying to get to the beach. Father Lacy did not hesistate. With no thought for his own safety he waded into the water to pull men out of the ocean and onto the beach. He began treating the wounded on the beach and administering the Last Rites to those beyond human assistance. On a day when courage was not in short supply men took notice of this small fat priest who was doing his best under fire to save as many lives as he could. While his battalion led the way off Omaha Beach, Father Lacy continued to tend their wounded and the wounded of other units. For his actions that day Father Lacy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest decoration for valor, after the Medal of Honor, in the United States Army. "

Life Lessons

Good article in this week's Sports Illustrated written by Tony Dungy on Michael Vick. I am all for giving people second chances-God does (the power of Confession). If I was an owner of an NFL team or GM-I would still be hesitant of signing him. Mike and Mike brought up an interesting spin on this as well-how is it different for guys who are convicted of abuse or who have wedlock children any different? Granted what Vick did was on a major and publicized scale, but is it really all that different? The moral issue is the one that comes into affect here-how do you want to be viewed with the team's fans and the public-don't forget for whatever team takes a chance on Vick would have to deal with PETA (not many people would want to do that). It would be nice to see Vick get on with a team and turn his life around. Dungy makes some good points that can not only be applied to Vick, but to everyone and getting second chances in life as well-and we only have God to thank for all the second chances He gives us in life.

""What you learn in life is the same thing you learn in football," I told Michael, who was scheduled to be released from prison this Wednesday to serve the final two months of his 23-month sentence in home confinement. "You have losses, and you have to rebound from them. The key thing is, How do you bounce back from a defeat?"

Waymon Tisdale 1964-2009
"You don't change because things come in your life. You get better because things come in your life."

Carpenter back on the Mound

It was nice to see Chris Carpenter make a successful return last night from the DL and pitch 5 strong innings shutting the Small Bears down and leading the Redbirds to a 2-1 victory last night. Now let's not get too excited-it was only 5 innings and roughly 70 pitches, BUT it will hopefully provide some stability and if Wainwright is back to form then the pitching staff should look as formidable as it did the first month of the season.

"I know that if I'm healthy then my ability has a chance to come out, and I have a chance to give my team a chance to win," Carpenter said. "Unfortunately I haven't been healthy a whole lot. And that's all that concerns me." ..."My stuff has always been the same," Carpenter said. —To be honest, the biggest concern was if (the nerve) was going to have the ability to get strong and fire again. Fortunately, it has. It takes a lot of work. And I continue to do that in between starts and everything else. It's a never-ending process."...


As for the offense....all I can say is it will be nice to have Ludwick and Ankiel back in the line-up. It looks as if Rasmus is slowly turning the corner (he has a history for starting slow) and if Barston (Brian Barden/Joe Thurston) can get out of the rookie funk they are and at least bat .27o then the offense should start to produce.

"When people say, 'How is Albert (Pujols) a great player?' you give examples. When someone asks, 'How is Chris Carpenter a great pitcher?' you can use this as an example. You can't do what he did tonight unless you're great," La Russa said.

"If I prepare myself, my stuff is good and I'm going to get outs," Carpenter said. "That is a fact."..."He's the nastiest pitcher I've faced all year," said Cubs first baseman and cleanup hitter Derrek Lee....

Let's sweep those Small Bears tonight!

Congrats to Albert for being named the #1 player in MLB by Sporting News.

Technology and the "Fall of Communication"

Now, I am not going to go into a big rant about how Communication has changed over the years from Abraham to now where we have instant communication-texting, blogging (Yes, call me a hypocrite), and tweeting (not Tweety Bird), etc. With that said in a ways communication can enhance people's lives-making them easier and more efficient, but sometimes doing it the old fashioned way is the easiest and most efficient-like making a phone call, etc. Too make a long point short, as great as this new-wave of communication and technology is, it has also led to the lack of or downfall of simple speech, grammar, and communication of people. This article "Defining Discourse Down" points out the problem of communication and how he defines it as "Discourse" as we know what communication is today.

"When has any debate in the last 150 years evoked memories of Lincoln-Douglas? And how is Twitter versus America’s most remarkable letter-writing first family a fair fight?...It’s not that we are all suddenly morons. This is not going to be some elitist rant on “if only everyone could be smart like me and my friends.” Likewise, the problem is not the banality of the world around us. There is plenty to discuss, dissect, and disagree on. The problem is not even that television has robbed us of the ability to communicate in complete sentences (though it certainly hasn’t helped). The problem with our discourse—are you ready for this brilliant insight?—is that some people are jerks and some people are too nice...."

This is a very interesting read and makes some good points.

Nice to see the Cardinals actually get a lead and win the game last night. Pineioro hopefully showed the rest of the pitching staff, that when you don't walk batter and serve up meatballs, good things happen to pitchers-a complete game 9 IP, NO WALKS, 5 K's, and 17 groundball outs-a 4 pitch 4th inning, and retired the last 14 batters. Hopefully with Carpenter coming back tonight we can get the ship back sailing in the right direction-and with Ankiel coming back as well. Go get em Redbirds!

Some investing tips

If you had purchased $1000 of shares in Delta Airlines one year ago, you
will have $49.00 today.

If you had purchased $1000 of shares in AIG one year ago, you will have
$33.00 today.

If you had purchased $1000 of shares in Lehman Brothers one year ago,
you will have $0.00 today.

But---- if you had purchased $1000 worth of beer one year ago, drank all
the beer, then turned in the aluminum cans for recycling refund, you
will have received $214.00.

Based on the above, the best current investment plan is to drink heavily
& recycle.

It's called the 401-Keg.

Thoughts...

Then, I realized that this kind of thinking is Exactly, what has caused lot of the problems in our world today.

We try to keep God in church on Sunday morning....Maybe, Sunday night.

And, the unlikely event of a midweek service.

We do like to have Him around during sickness..... And, of course, at funerals.

However, we don't have time, or room, for Him during work or play....

Because.. That's the part of our lives we think.... We can, and should, handle on our own.

May God forgive me for ever thinking..

That there is a time or place where.

HE is not to be FIRST in my life.

We should always have time to remember all HE has done for us.

Yes, I do Love God.

HE is my source of existence and Savior.

He keeps me functioning each and every day.. Without Him, I will be nothing. But, with Christ, HE strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)

Easy vs. Hard

Why is it so hard to tell the truth but Yet so easy to tell a lie?

Why are we so sleepy in church but Right when the sermon is over we suddenly wake up?

Why is it so easy to delete a Godly e-mail, but yet we forward all of the nasty ones?

Of all the free gifts we may receive, Prayer is the very best one....

There are no costs, but wonderful rewards.... GOD BLESS!

Notes: Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell..

Isn't it funny how someone can say 'I believe in God' but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also 'believes' in God).

Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing?

Isn't it funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them

Isn't it funny how I can be more worried about what other people think of me than what God thinks of me.

A real player: Rick Ankiel

Rick Ankiel took a nasty spill into the outfield wall at Busch Stadium after making a magnificent catch Monday night against the Phillies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDlckYPRSAQ). Ankiel had to be carted off of the field on a stretcher and it did not look pretty. Ankiel left the stadium giving the fans and his teammates the thumbs up and was in good spirits at last nights game.

"Ankiel didn't shy away from watching the replays on television Monday night and Tuesday. "I watched it about 35 times," he said. "It was just like I imagined. It was scary to go through it."

But though Ankiel knew how the crash came out, he hardly could help but thank those lucky stars Tuesday night.

"Absolutely," Ankiel replied, when asked if he felt fortunate.

"I thought, 'This might be it.' I'm lucky to be walking today. Anything from here is a plus."

Not long after he was hurt, Ankiel was texting teammates, including right fielder Ryan Ludwick, from Missouri Baptist Hospital.

"He was hitting the right letters and making jokes," Ludwick said Tuesday..."

"He's already made a lot of good plays out there. It's pretty impressive for someone who's never played out there how quickly he's picked it up," Ludwick said. "He's Superman."

Well, not quite. But surviving that crash suggests that Ankiel must have some otherworldly power — because if his head had turned out as bent as his cap, he wouldn't have been reliving the moment Tuesday night."

From teammate Jason LaRue:
“The most significant part of what we all I saw, I think, is that it shows Ank doesn’t play with any fear of running into the wall. He’s going to make the play. He plays without fear. He’s a gamer.”

This is why Cardinal Fans love Rick Ankiel-he works hard, comes to the ballpark everyday, and gives it his all for his team. The man is a rare athlete being able to go from Major League Pitcher to a major impact Outfielder who reminds Cardinal Fans of all of those catches that Jim Edmonds made throughout his career. It is also nice to see that an athlete realizes the position he is and how lucky he is in a circumstance like this. Modern Athletes have the biggest egos and think they are above "normal people," but an incident like this reminds them of their "mortality." Nice to see that Ankiel realizes that and will still put forth the same effort the next game and the rest of the games he plays in his career. Get better Rick and help the Cardinals win!

Truly Adventurous

From Catholic Exchange:

Mark 4:19

And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

What makes life exciting? What really grabs your attention? Do you have a goal in your life that causes you to smile when you wake up in the morning? Is making money the most important thing in your life or knowing that you have changed lives for Christ? One evening in New York, Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple Computer entered into a discussion with John Sculley from the Pepsi Corporation. Jobs goal was to lure Sculley over to Apple. Sculley resisted and seemed to communicate that no amount of money would lure him over. Finally, Jobs said to Sculley, “Do you want to spend your life making sugared water, or do you want to help us change the world?’ Shortly after this conversation, John Sculley was hired as the new leader of Apple. What is exciting? To hear Jesus say, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

Pujols reaches a Milestone

Albert Pujols' seventh-inning grand salami yesterday led the Cardinals to an 8-2 victory over the Small Bears. It put him over the 1,000 RBI mark for his career and just further cementing his place as the best baseball player in the game...I would be very willing to say by the time he is done, he may be the best ever...

"I hit that ball really good, I'm not going to lie to you," Pujols said. "That's all I got. I hit that ball as good as you can hit a ball. I'm just blessed that I put a good swing on it."

Pujols followed Stan Musial, Enos Slaughter, Jim Bottomley, Rogers Hornsby and Ken Boyer to become the sixth player to reach 1,000 RBIs with the Cardinals. Saturday's slam moved him past Boyer into fifth place on the franchise's all-time RBI list.

"I think you understand you're in the presence of a once-in-a-lifetime kind of hitter," said shortstop Khalil Greene, who contributed a double to the Cardinals' three-run fourth inning against Cubs starter Sean Marshall. "Technically, I don't know if you could improve on anything in terms of balance, plate discipline, power ... everything. He's not just a dangerous hitter. He's phenomenal. There aren't too many guys who can take one pitch into the upper deck, then take a 0-2 slider the other way for a double down the line."

Reaching 1,000 RBIs in his 1,257th game, Pujols has turned the home stand into his personal turkey shoot. Admittedly out of sorts during the team's road trip to Phoenix and Chicago, Pujols returned home to make an adjustment he would not disclose. The essence is a recovered ability to punish pitches to all fields, as proved by an opposite-field home run Thursday and Saturday's line out to right field.

Pujols stands nine for 19 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in the stand, lifting his average from .298 to .348 after managing two extra-base hits and one RBI on the previous six-game road trip."

Cardinals in First Place

Manager Tony La Russa called him "the perfect player" after the game, and it was the offense he fueled that kept the Cardinals ahead in an imperfect game.

"There is nobody out there better," La Russa said. "He's in the (mold) of that generation like Mays, Musial, Aaron. He could hit in their league. He's one of the greatest."

"It's a big difference when everybody is right," Pujols said. "When Ludwick is swinging the bat great, Chris (Duncan), myself, Yadi (Molina), everybody needs to contribute. It's a whole-team effort. That's why I've got 21 RBIs. They're getting on base, and then I can get my pitch and do damage with it."


As teammate Skip Schumaker says, however, "Rick's the most incredible athlete I've ever seen, so nothing he does surprises me." Relative to his estimable predecessor as the Cardinals' center fielder, Ankiel liked the sound of "Edmonds-esque" when his play was compared to those made by Gold Glover Jim Edmonds.

"Ankiel-esque," the current center fielder said, smiling. "Oh ... I need one more?"


I think Ankiel's recent surge of power and play is the "Power of the 'Stache."

"Regardless, the Mustached American community applauds him and the Cardinals organization for its support of our people and we hope this is the beginning of a trend for the team.

Sadly -- and this is a little known but true fact -- Albert Pujols petitioned and was denied by Major League Baseball to shave his goatee into a true flavor saving mustache. MLB argued that as Pujols is already hitting .339 this season, adding a performance enhancing mustache would give him too much of an advantage and possibly endanger opposing National League pitchers."

Easter!

The Easter Season is upon us! It is a time of rejoice and happiness as Jesus has defeated sin and death from his resurrection from the cross.

Here is a insightful video into the portrayal of Jesus Christ in media through film.

Happy Easter!

100th Post!

This is my official "100th Post!!!" Am I an official Blogger now? Probably not because most of the things I put on here are random or just senseless ramblings, but to anyone who may actually read this, I hope you enjoy it and find it joyful to read.

Didn't think the National Championship game would be such a blowout. The Tar Heels only needed the first 10 minutes of the game and then it was over. Everytime Sparty made a mini-run, the Heels answered with Ty Lawson knifing through the lane, or Wayne Ellington hitting a silky smooth jump shot, or Danny Green doing the intangible, or Tyler Hansborough doing his Beaker Roy thing by rebounding and finding some way to get the ball in the basket. The Carolina Blue was a fun team to watch as they pushed the ball upcourt at will and put it to the Spartans for the 2nd time that season. Hats off to Tom Izzo though for getting his team there-they will be a force to be reckoned with next year.

The STL Cardinals welcomed Chris Carpenter back to the rotation yesterday after throwing 7 innings of 1 hit baseball (no earned runs and retiring 14 straight hitters at one point.)

"It was Chris Carpenter of old," pitching coach Dave Duncan said....Normalcy for Carpenter transforms the Cardinals' rotation into a potential monster...Emphasized Carpenter: "I said it two days ago, and it's been like this ever since I came here: I take the ball whatever the situation and I take it as long as I can until they take it from me. I don't make that choice." For a team that has missed him for most of two years, the choice is a welcome one. "

"It was fun to get out there and pitch, compete in a real game and give my team a chance to win," Carpenter said to the media that surrounded his clubhouse stall. "This was the first time in a long time I felt as good as I do now."All of the sudden, the Cardinals are a threat in the National League Central... Before Thursday, it was all on paper, or caught in a delicate cloud of ifs and maybes. Until now, it was pure supposition that Carpenter really would be as good as ever after all these exasperating delays, even if he did look so good in spring training."

Now here is what I don't understand...why weren't the Cardinals contenders before the season started. Sports Ilustrated picked them 3rd behind the small bears and the brewcrew-who have NO pitching. The Cardinals were in contention until the last month WITHOUT Carpenter; adding him and if he can give the Birds on the Bat 30 starts that will only make the small bears want to go into hibernation. I am still hesitant to say he is back to old from, but it sure did look like it yesterday...Here's to hoping that it can continue!

Good Friday is today and a time of reflection on the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ...this Holy Week I have been reflecting on how when we sin it makes the Cross that much heavier for Jesus. It is a great motivator to think that to carry my cross and to resist the temptation of sin, I can help lighten the load of the Cross on Jesus. Let us reflect on the Passion and all that Jesus went through on that horrid day of days to see in our lives where we can meet him at the Cross offering thanksgiving for His Sacrifice and where we can offer up our faults and shortcomings and ask to share in the Glory that is to come.

Baseball 2009

"Starter or not, Freese is ready for opening-day jitters."Something's wrong with you if you don't get those," he said.Ask the reigning league MVP."I always say there are three times that I get nervous in my career," first baseman Albert Pujols said. "One, is my first at-bat of spring training. Two, is my first at-bat opening day. And third is my first at-bat of the playoffs. If you don't have any pressure and you don't feel like you have that pressure, you aren't ready for the game." "

It's officially opening day (although the Braves did beat the Phillies last night) for Major League Baseball and here are my "expert" predictions.

AL East: Yankees

AL Central: Indians

AL West: Angels

AL Wild Card: Rays

AL MVP: Grady Sizemore or Josh Hamilton

AL Cy Young: CC Sabathia

NL East: NY Mets

NL Central: Cardinals

NL West: Dodgers

NL Wild Card: Phillies

NL MVP: Albert Pujols (David Wright 2nd)

NL Cy Young: Jake Peavy

World Series: Mets over the Rays

Listening to Mike and Mike this morning, I like Greeny picking the Cardinals to win the NL Central and Golic's pick for AL MVP and CY Young...

I know I drink the Cardinal Kool-Aid, but I still don't think enough people are giving them credit especially picking the Brewers to finish ahead of them-who do they have for pitching? If Carpenter stays healthy (I know that is a big if) and Wainwright gives them 30 starts-watch out small bears from the North Side.

NCAA National Championship Prediction: UNC 74 MSU 68

I would love to see MSU win though, I just think UNC will overmatch the Spartans. Tom Izzo is definitely top 3 coaches in the country.

Sports Happenings

The Final Four is set: Michigan St. vs. UConn; Villanova vs. North Carolina

Michigan St and Villinova, definitely personify the team that gets hot during the tourney or is playing their basketball at that time. The Spartans should show people the strength of the Big 10 that they can take down the "better" conference schools. Villanova plays with grit and heart led by Scotty Reynolds who could take over a game when he wants to, but doesn't need to because Villanova is a good team. Also, with this being Michigan St.'s 5th Final Four and should cement Tom Izzo's place as one of the top 3 or 4 coaches in the nation (Coach K, Roy Williams, Jim Calhoun, etc.). UCONN and UNC have done it very methodical and have won by their strengths-UNC pushing the ball led by Ty Lawson and UCONN being tough inside with the athletes out on the wings.

"By winning Sunday, the Spartans clinched a trip to the Final Four for Walton. Had they lost, he would have been the first player since Izzo took over the program in 1995 to spend his entire career in East Lansing and miss the Final Four." ""Now he can say that to every person." Walton said, "(He can) look them in the eyes and not have to say, 'There was one player I did not get (there).' He can say, 'I got every player to a Final Four that gave his all. If you come and work hard for me, do what you're supposed to do, we're going to get you to a Final Four.'" Walton, who didn't always understand why Izzo made practices so tough, offered his gratitude Sunday. "He probably wants more for me than I want for myself," Walton said. "I love him. I'm pretty sure he loves me the same.""

Championship game: Michigan St. vs. UNC in a rematch from UNC's pounding of Michigan St. at Ford Field in December
Prediction: Much the same except a much closer game with UNC getting it's second national championship in 5 years and capping off Tyler Hansborough's great college career.

This is official: Tiger Woods' knee is healthy and watch out after coming from 5 strokes behind to win the Bay Hill Invitational on Sunday. Woods birdied the 18th hole for the comeback victory.

Opening Day in MLB is less than a week away!

Faith is Caught as Much as Taught!

Faith is Caught as Much as Taught!

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Go Illini!

Nice little article on Jeff Jordan in the Post-Dispatch this morning...

"The 6-foot-1 guard arrived at Illinois two years ago as the country's most celebrated walk-on. He was more a conversation piece than an expected contributor. He now has the potential to be a factor in his biggest game.

Jordan played significant minutes off the bench in place of Chester Frazier at the Big Ten tournament and despite nominal statistics was considered a bright spot. With Frazier out of tonight's game, that role will be magnified.

"He was very positive in both games and gave us a great energy boost and defensive lift,'' coach Bruce Weber said. "He pushed the ball against Michigan and was in the game for most of our key run.''"

I can't wait for the Illini to take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers tonight in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. I have not seen one "college basketball expert" pick Illinois to win. I know this is that vaunted 5-12 seed pairing, but come on. I know WKentucky beat Louisvill, but that was EARLY in the season. Illinois pounded Missouri (early too I know), but Missouri is better than Western Kentucky and Illinois also beat Purdue TWICE, and won several Big 10 games on the road. I know they don't have Chester Frazier, who is the definition of a Fighting Illini, but give these guys some credit. Mike Davis was second team All Big 10 and one of the most improved players in the COUNTRY, Trent Meachem is a leader and a 3-point specialist. I think Coach Weber will have these Illini ready for tonight.

Prediction: Illinoi 68-Western Kentucky 56

"The Man in the Arena" Theodore Roosevelt

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Albert Pujols as the New Face of Baseball

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has a nice article on Albert Pujols today and how he has been clean (or so he hopes) while putting up the ridiculous numbers that he has in his career. With all the mess that has gone on this winter with A-Rod the steroids issue burst open once again. Here's to those who have stayed clean and to Albert Pujols for keeping in line with his beliefs.

"Pujols smiles when asked if he's up to the task suddenly put on his broad and muscular shoulders. "I have had a responsibility since I stepped into the big leagues, even before I put up the big numbers," Pujols said. "First of all I have a responsibility to represent God, which is who I play for, and my family and millions of fans back in St. Louis, and that means on and off the field. So I didn't have to wait eight years as a professional to deal with that responsibility. And I'm a big believer that God won't give you anything you aren't capable of handling. So if I am going to be in this position, He knows I can handle it."

He knows that he has to be different. He has to be The One they can trust. He has to be the man who breaks the cycle of shame and the credibility gap that has left a hole the size of the Grand Canyon in the baseball record books.

When you ask him about that burden, he barely blinks.

"Look, I can fool you guys a lot, but I can't fool God. I've said this before and I mean it. I am a big believer that anything you do in the dark is going to come out in the light, and I fear (God) too much to do anything to disappoint Him. You just keep playing because no matter what you do, people are going to still blame you, point fingers at you and it's guilt by association. I understand that we are living in a dark cloud right now, and that's pretty sad because I grew up loving this game and I still do.""

The Illini continued their winning ways last night defeating Minnesota 52-41 in one of the most physical games I have ever seen. They better be prepared to rebound on Sunday as the Seniors close out their careers at the Assembly Hall against Michigan St. Good Luck CJ, Calvin, Chester, and Trent!

U2 "Get on Your Boots"

March 3rd, 2009 "New Line on the Horizon"

Can't put it any better than a 12 year old

The Need for Confession

Benedict XVI reflected: "The sins we commit distance us from God, and, if they are not humbly confessed, trusting in the divine mercy, they will finally bring about the death of the soul. This miracle thus has powerful symbolic value.

"In the Sacrament of Penance Christ crucified and risen, through his ministers, purifies us with his infinite mercy, restores us to communion with the heavenly Father and our brothers, and makes a gift of his love, joy and peace to us."

"Dear brothers and sisters," he concluded, "let us invoke the Virgin Mary, whom God preserved from every stain of sin, that she help us to avoid sin and to have frequent recourse to the sacrament of confession, the sacrament of forgiveness, whose value and importance for our Christian life needs to be rediscovered today."

Kurt Warner: A Successful Humble Athlete

We all know the story: From Grocery Store to Super Bowl MVP.

"You know, the great thing about ‘the talk of your legacy’ is that it’s talk for everybody else. My bottom line is, I’m going to live every day like God has called me to live, I’m going to prepare every day on the football field like I always have, and that’s to be as great as I possibly can."

""You know, when it comes to faith, you believe what you believe. I believe in Jesus. It makes all the difference in my life. Everything I do, everywhere I go, I’m trying to live up to or to represent Jesus. Having the faith that I have, believing what I believe, it’s the first and foremost thing in my life. Why do I always bring it up when I’m in interviews or when you’re on a stage like the Super Bowl or the NFC Championship game? Because it’s the most important thing in my life. It’s just like anything."

Car Milestone and Recipes!

Well my car recently went over the century mark of 100,000 miles (well more than recently, probably around Christmas time). Hopefully it can last at least that many more miles longer and get me to where I am going.

I have recently been "experimenting" with my cooking and have come up with some very good recipes, of those I would like to share:

Sweet and Juicy Pork Chops and Potatoes

Ingredients:

3-4 Pork Chops (any cut you would like)

1-2 Sweet Potatoes

2 tbs Barbecue Seasoning

2 tbs Orange Juice

2 tbs Pineapple Juice

2 Tbs Brown Sugar

2 tbs EVOO

In a large pot pour in EVOO and put on stove on medium high and put Chops in until cooked on both sides.

Add Orange Juice and Pineapple Juice to the Pork chops

Cut Sweet Potatoes into chunks and add to the pork chops. Lower Heat to medium low and add brown sugar. Mix potatoes amidst the pork chops.

Cover pot with lid and let cook 30-45 minutes or until potatoes are soft and juicy!

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup fat free cottage cheese

1/2 cup oatmeal

1 egg

2 tbs of skim milk

1 tsp of cinnamon

1 pinch of honey

Topping

Yogurt and Jelly to cover Pancakes with

Combine all ingredients for Pancakes into Blender. Blend until a batter like substance is formed. Pour onto griddle or skillet to make Pancakes. Flip when bubbling and until brown on both sides.

Top pancakes with Yogurt and Jelly for a great nutritional Protein filled breakfast.

Protein Shake

5-6 Ice Cubes

1 Cup Chocolate Milk (1% or Fat Free)

2 tbs of skim Milk

1 Scoop Whey Protein Powder

1 tsp of Cinnamon

1 tbs of Peanut Butter

Pinch of Honey

1 Banana

In a Blender add Ice Cubes and crush only for a small amount of time. Add Cinnamon, Peanut Butter, and half of scoop of Whey Protein Powder. Pour in Chocolate Milk and add the rest of the scoop of Protein Powder; pour in Skim Milk and add Honey and Banana. Blend until consistency of a milkshake.

The Illini have a big Test Saturday against the Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers coming off a loss at Iowa will be playing hard and ready. Prediction: Illinois 64 Wisconsin 65!