Steeler Nation

With daily Steeler coverage in the local media leading up to the Super Bowl, it makes one want to know what it is that captivates such a large audience as Steeler Nation that is lacking from motivating Catholics in a such cause, especially since the anniversary of Roe v. Wade just passing again and such limited media coverage of the March on Washington. Is it the bandwagon effect that people jump on because the Steelers are perennial winners? What can be done to make the pro-life cause seem more winnable? Science has changed so much since that verdict, one would think that the ruling could be reversed today just like Plessy v. Ferguson was reversed in Brown v. the Board of Education because despite the theory that an unborn baby was not "alive" (just like separate schools for blacks and whites should be equal) it has been convincing shown that unborn babies do have all the characteristics that describe life (just like it became clear that separate schools were inherently unequal).

Who would want to live here?

It's below zero without the wind chill factor today. It's not supposed to get above freezing for a while. It's days like this that makes me wish I lived somewhere warmer, but this is where I live. This is where God wants me. Actually, it's all rather relative because who would want to live anywhere down here if you are hoping to live in Heaven some day. The best place down here pales in comparison to Heaven. While we are here, we should strive to bring a little bit of Heaven to Earth spiritually. While you are doing that, it couldn't hurt to bring a little bit of the Caribbean to where ever you are or whoever you are with. You've heard of Christmas in July. Have a Fourth of July in January in your shorts and tank-top with a cook in on a George Foreman Grill (that's not a product placement that I got paid to write...it's just those little things are really that great on a day like this).

Divine Guidance

I took a test recently that really seemed to stretch my memory and now that I have had a chance to look up a few of the answers that I made educated guesses or even hunches on, I am amazed at how many I got right. I can't take credit because I didn't have the time to put into studying the material that I usually do because of circumstances outside of my control: I had to pass the test by this date, so a decision could be made in-house without resorting to opening it up to the rest of district or outside of the district, where the superintendent would have more pull than the building principal. Our building runs a lot like a family. We may seem dysfunctional at times, but are all trying to do what is best for the students and each other. It's difficult not to put yourself into teaching and treat it as just another way to get a paycheck. It helps to be surrounded by such a strong support group and not a bunch of seemingly burned out teachers like other districts describe. We even have a men's bible study once a week that explores how scripture relates to our work. I know God wanted me to take this test...I hope that I correctly interpreted that he also wanted me to pass it because I really seemed to outdo myself. Either way, I don't need to know the future, and I am confident that I will do whatever I need to do next, once the results are in one way or another.

Shoot for the moon

I hope your expectations this year are as high as mine. At times I am disappointed that I don't always reach what others consider high expections. Perhaps I shouldn't say I really expect them of myself, but I believe they're realistic goals I should at least strive towards. Sometimes, even when I don't reach them, it leaves me higher than what I may have picked as more conservative expectations. As I (and maybe you) have heard said before: Shoot for the moon, and even if you don't make it, you end up with the stars. All things are possible with faith in God.