G.K. Chesterton on Christmas
Tweet ThisThere fared a mother driven forth
Out of an inn to roam;
In the place where she was homeless
All men are at home.
The crazy stable close at hand,
With shaking timber and shifting sand,
Grew a stronger thing to abide and stand
Than the square stones of Rome.
For men are homesick in their homes,
And strangers under the sun,
And they lay their heads in a foreign land
Whenever the day is done.
Here we have battle and blazing eyes,
And chance and honour and high surprise,
But our homes are under miraculous skies
Where the yule tale was begun.
A child in a foul stable,
Where the beasts feed and foam;
Only where He was homeless
Are you and I at home;
We have hands that fashion and heads that know,
But our hearts we lost---how long ago!
In a place no chart nor ship can show
Under the sky's dome.
This world is wild as an old wife's tale,
And strange the plain things are,
The earth is enough and the air is enough
For our wonder and our war;
But our rest is as far as the fire-drake swings
And our peace is put in impossible things
Where clashed and thundered unthinkable wings
Round an incredible star.
To an open house in the evening
Home shall all men come,
To an older place than Eden
And a taller town than Rome.
To the end of the way of the wandering star,
To the things that cannot be and that are,
To the place where God was homeless
And all men are at home.
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Kids say the bestest things
Tweet This"No, we don't leave Santa milk. We leave Santa coffee. Actually, mochas."
- Thomas (3) to Aunt Jenn as they bake cookies upstairs just now
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Cinderella Story
Tweet Thisestly, it's pretty much a shame that my fantasy football team won our league. A shame, because I know the other guys were actually trying and my team went 1-12 during the regular season.
The "Granite Steelers" actually owe it to one of two things:
(1) the two trades Klaustermeier (whose team came in 2nd) suggested to me two weeks ago, imploring me to actually make an effort to take the fantasy league seriously
or (2) Karma, given the layoffs at Granite City Steel. Something had to uphold the "Granite Steelers" honor, and it might as well have been my fledgling little team in a league of six contenders.
Here's hoping I don't get booted from the league before next year over this.
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99 Things Meme
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Ran across this today, and while I'm usually not too keen on forwarded emails or fill-in-the-blank participatory online memes, this one was pretty cool. Exciting that I've already done 57% of the things on the list. And only 12% are things that I haven't yet done, but would like to do. So I'm faring pretty well on the "check off the things you want to do in life" list.
Here's the key:
Things you've already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font
1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland/world.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill. (I work at places that call them "personal" days for a reason.)
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37.Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo's David in person.
41. Sung Karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone's life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
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Surprise “Act of Kindness”
Tweet ThisWe received quite a surprise in the mail today - in the midst of the daily Christmas cards, there was one that came with no return address that was thicker and heavier than the rest.
When I opened it, I was surprised to find the card signed simply by "Act of Kindness", a Blockbuster Video gift card and a Papa Johns Pizza gift card, and a typed note that reads:
Michael and Suzanne,
During the Christmas season so many in need receive what they need. So many during the Christmas season are deserving but don't always receive. This Christmas season, we feel you deserve something for all that you unselfishly do all year long. Take the enclosed gifts and enjoy them because you DESERVE it.
From: An act of kindness!
What a wonderful and pleasant surprise! It really made the rest of my day, and made us both feel really good. It's truly something in the spirit of the Christmas season that's worth passing along. So first off, if the person (or persons) who did this for us reads this, a special THANK YOU to you! Your "act of kindness" meant a ton and will be passed forward in another (similar) form to someone else.
It's driving Suzanne crazy that she can't figure out who it's from... and it's driving me crazy that in our desire to "repay the gift forward" we might just unknowingly send something to the person that sent this to us.
If you'd also like to send one along to someone unsuspecting, check out pictures of the execution below:


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Grin and Pall Bear It
Tweet ThisSome things just bring a smile to your face, even on the coldest day of the year, five days before the shortest day of the year, after a couple days of ice and snow and freezing drizzle...

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The Proposal: 5 Years Hence
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It's hard to believe that as we celebrated Gaudete Sunday yesterday (December 14), we were also celebrating the Guadete Sunday that fell on December 14 five years ago, when I proposed to Suzanne before the 10 PM Mass at SLU College Church.
Five years ago this morning, we were a newly-engaged couple, starting to make phone calls to line up our church, a hall, a caterer, and all of those little details that newly-engaged couples work on.
Read both of our stories (written at the time) about the proposal here.
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Join the Conspiracy
Tweet ThisFound this via Maggi Dawn:
Join the Advent Conspiracy.
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