Good morning, Digital Neighbors! Happy Sunday, Friends & Refugees, Early Birds & Later Dayers, Conversants, Lurkers and Seekers, Misfits & Phamily, ADD Irregulars, WSN Aficionados and Crusty Curmudgeons!
Sunday is my favorite day. It ought to be, given the direction of my life, but I guess for some priests, preachers & ministers it might not be. If you don’t love who you are and what you do (most of the time), it is time to change what you are doing and who you are becoming. Some poor souls never seem to discern that or possess the courage to change it. They settle for less and receive even less than life has to offer. Poor discernment and lack of sustained effort have led many to settle for less, or not even bother to ask if there is a greater calling or deeper meaning in their lives, if there is something beyond brief emotional fulfillment or momentary distraction.
Worship for me is gratitude—gratitude for what I believe God has done, what He is currently doing in my life and what I believe He has promised for my future. I know God does not need my worship, does not gain anything from what I offer that He does not already possess in spades. He certainly does not need me or the halfhearted efforts and attempts I make at discipleship. As my parishioners have heard over the years, “no pedestals for the living.” Everyone is struggling with something, known or unknown to them in their pilgrimage of life. There is no perfection to be found on this side of the veil. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t appreciate, encourage and thank others for their efforts at virtue and service, but rather to humbly remember even the best of us are still marked by sin, selfishness and disordered desires. It is a lifetime of recovery
Gratitude changes everything for me; it is one of my favorite recurrent topics in my ramblings. I hope you have reasons for gratitude; if not, I hope you can discover something to prompt your gratitude. Begin the practice of recognition of the giftedness of life even if your life currently sucks. No sugarcoating, just a realization I have been given a seat at the table without ever having been asked. Happy Sunday, my digital neighbors.
OPEN HEARTS
They teach.
They guide.
They counsel.
They console.
They befriend.
They minister.
They lead.
They inspire.
Again and again
Each reprises
Just one lesson:
That we are valued,
That we are capable.
That is all.
That is everything.
DIANNE M. DEL GIORNO
Autumn bridge - Stocksnap - unattributed
Today marks the three hundred and thirtieth birthday of the Frenchman François-Marie Arouet, better known by his nom de plume, Voltaire (1694-1778).
Born into a bourgeois family during the reign of Louis XIV, the “Sun King” (r. 1643-1715), Voltaire suffered tragedy at a young age when his mother died. Never close with his father or brother, Voltaire exhibited a rebellious attitude toward authority from his youth. His brilliant mind was fostered in the care of the Society of Jesus, who introduced him to the joys of literature and theater. Despite his later criticisms against the Church, Voltaire, throughout his life, fondly recalled his dedicated Jesuit teachers.
Although he spent time as a civil servant in the French embassy to the Hague, Voltaire’s main love was writing—an endeavor where he excelled in various genres, including poetry, which led to his appointment as the royal court poet for King Louis XV. Widely recognized as one of the greatest French writers, and even hyperbolically referred to by ...
Padre - Tom Miller invites you to a Coffee Talk, Speakeasies, Schmoozes, Tea Times, Afterhours and other gatherings.
https://teams.live.com/meet/93792382189049?p=DiBHsYfuECPgDrG7vO
2026 Coffee Talk with the ADD Irregulars
Thursday, January 1, 2026
6:00 AM - 8:00 AM (CST)
Occurs every day starting 1/1 until 12/31/2027
Coffee Talk - Daily beginning at 6:00 AM Central Time Zone - USA
White Pilled Wednesday - A break from the heaviness of news and current events to focus upon things more personal & positive for the first hour of Coffee Talk.
Afternoon Chats - Most Tuesday, Friday & Sundays 2:00 PM Central
Other chats as posted in the community.
