Life In Tejas

Divine Office

2012-01-19T09:20:00.000-06:00

Wildlife summer 2011

2011-06-23T21:52:00.000-05:00

There has been a dry spell this spring. I guess it is bringing the animals in looking for water. I saw a doe in the front yard yesterday morning, and this morning I saw a wild turkey on the way to work. This evening I saw a squirrel and rabbits in the yard. I am tempted to put out food for them, but if I do that once, I have to do it from now on. Probably best not to start.

Four Myths about the Crusades

2011-04-16T10:11:00.000-05:00

A good article. Good read. Four Myths about the Crusades

The list of 150 bloggers invited to attend in person the meeting at the Vatican

2011-04-16T09:57:00.000-05:00

This is a hall of fame, can you imagine the honor of being invited to the Vatican. The list of 150 bloggers invited to attend in person the meeting at the Vatican

Life Cycles

2011-02-05T09:15:00.002-06:00

Rabbi Jeff Goldwasser in his new blog "Rebjeff: A blog about Jewish Joy", http://www.rebjeff.com/1/post/2011/02/first-post.html, mentions that a congregation needs life cycle events for healthy growth. Not an exact quote. I think that Christians need to pay attention to this. I don't think that the protestant domination's quite grasp this concept. I do believe that Catholics in countries other than the United States understand it. I think that Catholics in the United States are complacent. No one is being martyred. Being a Catholic requires no hardship, it's kinda like a big social club. Shake hands during the sign of peace, but don't speak to each other outside of the church. Being a Roman Catholic is not being a member of a secret society. It never has been, it is a call for conversion, a turning away from sin, and to strive for holiness. It is time to draw a line in the sand, and to step forward, form communities, evangelize the places in your life, your workplace, your recreations, your shopping. Now, today, is the time to become active, to develop a Catholic culture that is worthy of admiration. Make being a Catholic the very fiber of your being. Start now, this instant.

Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic, A Review.

2011-02-04T13:13:00.001-06:00

This morning I finished reading "Life Without Limits", (Inspiration for a Ridiculusly Good Life), written by Nick Nujicic. Life Without Limits is a very inspiring book. Nick was born with arms and legs, but not without attitude. Life Without Limits is about his life and how he overcame problems and issues in his life. Nick is now an evangelist, and a motivational speaker, he has given talks all over the world. Life Without Limits gave me a peek into Nick's life, and I was impressed. Life Without Limits is a great book, a Christian book, and I think a good book to give to new believers. Life Without Limits wold be a good book to be in anyone's personal library. I wish that when scripture was quoted, that the scripture reference had been included. Everyone has problems, everyone has to deal with their problems. You can deal with your problems in a negative way or in a positive way. There are realistic guidelines on how to be positive. Life Without Limits is an easy read, it took me only about three or four evenings after work to read it. When I rate a book, I am very conservative, I rated the book a "4". Other people would have probably given the book a "5". Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group, Blogging for Books, sent me a free copy of Life Without Limits to review.

Book Review: Unearthing Your Ten Talents

2011-01-03T14:56:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I finished reading "Unearthing Your Ten Talents: A Thomistic Guide to Spiritual Growth" written by Kevin Vost. This book requires more than one reading. The first time you read it is just to become familiar with it's contents. The second time you read it, get out your notepad, highlighters and colored pencils. I believe this book will be a constant reference for anyone interested in spiritual growth. It doesn't just explain the virtues. It gives them a more in depth meaning that I had not been aware of in the past. The virtues are not redefined, but their meanings are so much deeper than I had ever realized. Mr. Vost proceeds to define the virtues in a whole new way, and then breaks them down into their componets with explanations. It took me quite a while to read this book. I had to really exercise my mental muscles. Once I had read a chapter, I had to stop and think about what I had read, review what I had read, and decide how to apply what I had read to my spiritual growth. I found I had plenty of areas that needed reevaluating, even areas in my life that I had thought I had taken authority over. This book is an occasion of learning and growing. It will be in my backpack for quite a while, my copy will eventually be highlighted and underlined, with notes in the margins. Don't all good books end up this way? Sophia Intitute Press sent me a free copy of this book for me to review. Mr. Vost has also written a book on memory, I have a copy, I will dust it off, and read it. He has also written a book about physical fitness. Understand one thing, I am not an authority in knowledge and learning, I am simply an ignorant redneck hick that has been impressed by a good book.

Awakening, A review.

2010-11-15T18:17:00.003-06:00

"Awakening" is a book by Claudia Cangilla McAdam. The book is published by Imagio/Catholic Fiction, which is the fiction division of Sophia Institute Press. Sophia Institute Press publishes quality Catholic books. Calaudia Cangilla McAdam writes children's books. I would not have purchased this book if I had seen it in a bookstore. The cover reminds of those Christian almost romance novels for young girls that I see in bookstores. This book is probably written for teen and pre-teen groups of young people. It is not the type of book I read. Sophia Institute sent me a free copy to review. I thought, "why not", I have yet to be disappointed with one of their books. I started the book Saturday morning, it was a rainy day, and finished it Sunday evening. It was not a long read. I enjoyed the book. A young person, Ronni, is transported to Jerusalem, the Wednesday after Palm Sunday. Her friends and relatives are followers of Jesus. She is able to see historic events unfolding before her eyes. It is a very interesting book. It made me think of those events and to wonder how I would have reacted if I were able to go back in time. It is a good read and I would recommend the book.Sophia Institute Press sent me a complimentary copy of this book for me to review.

A review of "Bleeder"

2010-11-09T21:40:00.002-06:00

I recently read "Bleeder", a mystery novel by John Desjarlais. It is Catholic fiction. It was published by Imagio, which is a fiction division of Sophia Institute Press. In the past I have always been well pleased with any of the books I have purchased from Sophia Institute Press. "Bleeder" was not an exception to this rule. The author is John Desjarlais. This is his third book. The first two were "Relics" and "The Throne of Tara". "Bleeder" is a murder mystery with a mostly Catholic setting. Most of the characters were Catholic, except the main character, Reed Stubblefield. Reed is recovering from a shooting at a college, where he is a professor, and uses MAO inhibitors for depression, which cause him to have a restricted diet. He moves to his brother's cabin in the woods near a small town to write a book while he is recovering from the shooting, and the death of his wife by cancer. The local town has a priest with a reputation for being a healer and a stigmatist. The priest is murdered and Reed is the prime suspect, the story is his investigation of the murder to try to clear his name. "Bleeder" is a good book. I do not write reviews with spoilers. I am glad I read it. I will watch for his future works. Aristotle is quoted many times, and I am now interested in reading Aristotle's works. Sophia Institute Press sent me a complimentary copy of this book for me to review.

The Journey of Faith

2010-10-31T11:37:00.002-05:00

I recently read "The Journey of Faith" by Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R., (Franiscan Friars of the Renewal. I have been inspired by every book, I have read by Fr. Groeschel, and "The Journey of Faith" is no exception. I think it is a good book. I especially liked Appendix B, Credo of the People of God, Proclaimed by His Holiness, Pope Paul VI, on June 30, 1968. It is like a mini-catechism of the Catholic Church. I plan to print it and keep it in my bible for frequent reference.

The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal are a fine example for any Christian, Catholic or not, and are doing a great work in the service of our Lord. This is spam, pure and simple, but please send them a donation of any amount, because you can be sure the money will be going towards forwarding the Lord's work in this vale of tears.

Send your donation to:

Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R.
Box 55
Larchmont, NY 10538

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Peace be with you.

Marquis

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Journey of Faith - How to Deepen Your Faith in and be sure to check out their great selection of baptism gifts while you are there.

http://www.catholiccompany.com/

http://www.catholiccompany.com/Journey-Faith-How-to-Deepen-Your-Faith-God-p1033524/

2010-08-07T23:44:00.002-05:00

Tonight I finished reading "Hitler, the War, and the Pope" by Ronald J. Rychlak. Since World War II, there are claims that Pope Pius XII worked with or helped the Nazis. I doubted this the first time I heard it. Now after reading the book, I am very certain, that those who claim Pius XII was a Nazi sympathizer are liars. Mr. Rychlak has written a very good book with solid evidence that Pius XII was a good and holy man. This book should be in every Catholic library, public or private. When I was reading the book, I was amazed at the attention to detail. "Hitler, the War, and the Pope" is a very good history of those dark and evil days. Pius XII was a very impressive human who when faced with evil stepped forward, and has given everyone an example of good, right, and holy behavior. Pius XII was indeed worthy of the title, "Holy Father".

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Hitler, the War, and Pope, Revised and Expanded and be sure to check out their great selection of Mary statues while you are there.

http://www.catholiccompany.com/

http://www.catholiccompany.com/Hitler-War-Pope-Revised-Expanded-p1111435/

Memorial Day

2010-05-30T17:36:00.002-05:00

Taking a lazy day off. It was fifth Sunday at Siloam Baptist Church, there was an excellent potluck. My selections were pinto beans, spaghetti, baked potatoes with cheese, a chocolate brownie, and two chocolate chip cookies. All were cooked by people who knew what they were doing. You cannot buy food that good in a restaurant.
The new study guide came in, it will be for 1, 2 Corinthians. I have two sets of commentaries, one is the Daily Study Bible by Barclay and the other is the Navarre Bible Commentary, I hope to immerse in all things Corinthian. June will start next Tuesday. Time to reflect on my resolutions for June. Earlier this week because of my very sinful nature, as a penance, I have chosen to not read any secular books. I dearly love to read Science Fiction and Alternate History. I hope to read mainly the Holy Scriptures, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and holy books, but mainly concentrating on the Bible and the Catechism.
All Veterans need to be respected and honored. Thank someone for having served or for serving.

Friday before Pentecost

2010-05-21T21:03:00.002-05:00

Sunday evening I will change Easter to Ordinary time. This Easter season, I was able to pray Morning prayer more than ever before. Usually I let the Liturgy of the Hours lag, and then when Easter comes, I dust that book off, and begin to pray. After a few weeks of flipping, my personal laziness and confusion about the order of the prayers, I quit. I have been blessed with more helps than I have had in the past. I use three sources, http://www.stfrancisdesales.com/, http://www.liturgyofthehours.org/, and http://www.classicalliberalarts.com/. The first has a weekly guide you may print. The second has a monthly guide for Morning and Evening prayer. Classical Liberal Arts offers an opportunity to sign up for a weekly email with a printable guide for all the prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours for a week. Another handy site is http://divineoffice.org/. They offer many helps for the Divine Office. There is a site I really like, www.ebreviary.com. If you can afford their modest fee, their subscription is worth every cent. I used to download a weeks worth of prayers and load it on my bebook book reader, it worked great, but I dropped it, and it will be a while before I can send it back for repairs. I highly reccomend the four volume set, buy it even if you have to hock something to get it. If the four volume set is beyond your means, at least buy Christian Prayer, it has Morning and Evening Prayer. I think all Catholics should start praying the Liturgy of the Hours. It won't be easy but it will be worth it.

Peace

Marquis

Saturday May 15, 2010

2010-05-15T09:14:00.002-05:00

I plan to start reading the Introduction to the Devout Life with others at this site, http://thedevoutlife.blogspot.com/, there is a study guide to download. I look forward to the reading and studying. I read the first chapter earlier this week and I have major room for improvement. I try very hard to be holy and pious, then I look back and reflect and realize that I have been headblind. Hopefully this reading will help that flaw.
The Catawba trees are blooming here. When I was young my grandfather Fate would pick the caterpillars from the Catawba trees to use as fish bait. He would put them in fruit jars with leaves and keep them in the icebox. The worms in the cool would go dormant. I remember many times opening the icebox for a glass of tea, and seeing a jar full of worms. The trees in my yard do not have the "Catawba worms". A neighbor a few miles from here, was selling Catawba worms for bait. I was tempted to buy some to put on my trees, but decided not to, that would be messing with the natural way of things, and I wouldn't want to start a mini-ecological disaster. I am not certain, but I think the Catawba trees are named for an Indian tribe that was wiped out by the diseases the Europeans brought to America. The good Lord willing, I hope to take a few photos of the blossoms and post them.

Reading The Introduction to the Devout Life

2010-05-13T20:46:00.001-05:00

Ok, trying again, let us see if it works this time.

2010-05-13T20:42:00.001-05:00

I plan to try to read the Introduction to the Devout Life.

I am so new at this link posting and blogging.

Easter Resolutions

2010-04-04T22:11:00.003-05:00

Here are my Easter resolutions:

1. Pray the Divine Office more often.
2. Pray the Rosary daily.
3. Start praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
4. Try to sanctify work. ("Friends of God" by St. Josemaria Escriva)
5. Learn more about love.

Peace Marquis

Musings

2010-03-03T21:42:00.002-06:00

I was reading a real blog, the blogger was a young lady, she is in a remote area of Haiti, a volunteer, working with the Sisters of Charity. I have a confession to make. I admire her. Instead of just thinking, she is doing. May the Lord richly bless her.

Reflections

2010-02-22T19:55:00.002-06:00

Since Ash Wednesday, I have been trying to pray the Morning and Evening prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours. It comes as a surprise to me. This Lent, I decided to not make any grand intentions, I thought I would find something small and not significant to do. It is like coming home. I find a joy in it, that I never knew before. I have had a copy of the four volume set for quite a few years. Once every year, I will dust it off, and try the prayers. This time, I started without any pressure to perform. Could it mean I am maturing in my golden years? The good Lord only knows. If you have ever thought about praying the Divine Office, I say do so. Even one prayer a day, but start somewhere. You will be glad you did.

Peace

Marquis

A nice sunny day.

2010-01-31T14:50:00.006-06:00

It is a nice sunny day. The temperature is about 40 deg f. I am still happy that the big storm of last week passed to the north. There is plenty of water on the ground, we need a few days of sun to dry everything out, I am beginning to get antsy about starting yardwork. Our worst winter days are yet to come, in February and March. I saw one of our cats, Bijou, looking out the window, meowing quietly. When I looked into the yard there were crows. When I was a child crows would get in your garden and try to eat newly planted seeds. When a pasture was mowed they would show up to eat the insects and lizards. Now days crows have become mini-buzzards, eating carrion from from roadkill. Crows are tribal, they fly in flocks, and the flocks will have scouts in the front, to the sides, and in the rear, in true Rogers Rangers tradition. It is hard for me to take photos of crows, because they are very wary of humans. I would have taken more photos, but a squirrel came down out of a tree and scared them off. This is one of the things I love about living in a rural area, the fact that I get to see wildlife.

Lazy Winter Day

2010-01-30T12:25:00.002-06:00

The temperature is about 30 deg f, there was a little sleet on our cars as I looked out this morning, I am so glad we have been spared the ice and snow that have shut down Oklahoma City and Little Rock.
I have spent most of the morning suscribing on iTunes to spiritual classics by Librivox. I have no idea when I will have the time to listen to them. Hmmm, maybe instead of reading secular things for diversion at work, during my lunch, thank you, I should listen to the words of Chesterton or Belloc?
One of the blogs of note was about a young woman, Amy, age sixteen, who is sailing by herself around the world, she is from California. This amazes me to no end. When I was sixteen, I was working part time, going to highschool, and ready to leave home for the world. What also amazed me is that there is another young woman, Jessica, from Australia, who is also sailing around the world alone. So now, I have two people to add to my prayer list. I pray the good Lord watches over them.

Telford In The Morning

2010-01-26T07:52:00.002-06:00

When driving down 98 near the Telford Unit, you always have to be
careful, because the employees will almost always run the stop sign
and pull in front of you. There is no predicting when this will
happen. The speed limit at that spot is 65 mph at night, and 70 mph
during the day. No matter, day or night it is hard to shut down when
they pull out in front of you doing 30 mph after they have run the
stop sign. Are Telford Unit Employees given a special dispensation to
enable them to run stop signs?
New vehicles come equipped with fog lights, it is annoying to meet
vehicles with their fog lights on, when there is no fog. I do wish
there were fog light police.

Non nobis

2010-01-24T20:06:00.002-06:00

Non nobis, non nobis, Domine
Sed nomini tuo da gloriam.
Not to us, not to us, o Lord,
But to your name give glory.

Sunday Morning

2010-01-24T13:09:00.003-06:00

It is a sunny day. Rain has been forecast for Thursday. The driveway is still wet from the rain yesterday. I have been having bouts with depression in the mornings. I am fine when I get up but by about 9 to 10 a.m., I am in full depression mode. After lunch I am usually fine for the rest of the day. I wonder if it is dietary? What am I eating or failing to eat that may be causing this?
Today is the Sunday for my wife to cook sausage and biscuits for Cowboy Church. There was drama again with the coffee machine. Last week the old coffee machine quit working, this week the new coffee machine did not work properly. I am sure it will be fixed by next Sunday, which is the fifth Sunday of the month. I like Fifth Sunday, because I love to eat and on Fifth Sunday there is a potluck dinner after the regular church service. (For people not from the rural south, dinner = lunch, supper = dinner, we dine at noon, and sup at dusk.)

Various things

2010-01-23T20:24:00.004-06:00

I had a nice day. We went into Texarkana and bought a couple of tires for my wifes car. We ate dinner at the Asian Buffet, I like this resturant very much. Then we went to Target for a few baby clothes and a little bit of groceries, cheese and milk. Then on to Home Depot, where I bought a new limb trimmer. It was made by Fiskars. I am very pleased with everything Fiskars makes, I hope to add more of their tools to my small collection as I am able to afford them. One day I hope to retire to full time yardwork, in my own yard. For supper we had saltinas, a bolivian dish, like a pot pie, but in no way like a pot pie, it is a totally bolivian dish. I am learning that I like bolivian food. Also we had handmade tamales from Mt. Pleasant.
Tomorrow is Sunday, and I am thinking of my resolutions for the week. My yearly resolutions rarely last more than a week if that long, so I am trying weekly resolutions. I keep reading about spiritual growth involving a personal rule of life. This is something I need to look into. Some of my weekly resolutions are:
1. Pray the morning offering when I put on my scapular each morning.
2. Pray the rosary at least once a day.
3. Spend time blogging or journaling once each day.
4. Take one photo of something each day and post it somewhere.
5. Read the bible and the catechism each day.
6. Pray the prayer of St. Jude many times each day.
7. Pray constantly, especially if I catch myself thinking unkind thoughts about anyone, I plan to turn those thoughts into prayer about that person.
8. Eat like a grown up, not a human waste disposal.
9. Look into starting the Liturgy of the hours again.
10. Donate my soda pop allowance to something worthwhile.
11. When I wake up in the still of the early morning, pray until I fall back to sleep.
12. Limit my time on the internet, and what time spent there only for positive things. Facebook is a new facination for me, I have rules for that:
A. Have as friends only those who are kinfolk and friends or people who will enhance my spiritual growth, for example, priests, Catholic authors or bloggers.
B. Never add someone as a friend just to meet requirements for the games on facebook.
C. To never mindlessly add people because they request it.

Enough for now.

Please pray for me.

Shotgun House

2010-01-16T20:57:00.003-06:00

I wonder if anyone knows or has lived in a shotgun house. When I was young, my father, my brother, and I lived in a shotgun house. It is called that because the rooms in the house are in a straight line and if you were at one end of the house and shot a shotgun, the pellets would go through all the rooms of the house and hit the other end of the house. This house had a kitchen at one end, the bedroom was in the middle room, and I can't remember what was in the third room. The bedroom had two full size beds that were about 2-1/2 or 3 feet apart. I do not remember anything else in the room. It was in the rural south and people visited and spent the night. The house had no television or porch.
The house was about 50 feet from an Assembly of God church, back then we called it the holiness church. I remember we used to sit outside and watch the church services. Unlike our church, the holiness church had music, they had a piano, and someone usually brought a guitar. To this day, one of my favorite hymns is "I'll Fly Away".
The next house in line from ours was an old aluminum trailer house that had a shed over it and a small porch in front of it. I was never inside but I am willing to bet that it was smaller than our house. I remember the night it burnt to the ground. The next house had two rooms. We lived in that house also. Oh, neither house had plumbing, we carried all the water we used, it came from a well in front of the store. I don't remember the toilet for the shotgun house, but I do remember the two-holer for the two room house. It was near a plum thicket. It was not an orchard, it was a thicket. There was a garden in the pasture, it had a fence around it to keep out the livestock. I do not ever remember eating anything from that garden.
I do not know why I had this memory in my mind. In the last two days, I finished the two secular books I was reading, and now is time for me to start reading books that promote spiritual growth, are written by a saint, or are either the bible or the catechism.
Haiti has had a terrible earthquake. Haiti is a terrible country. It would probably be better, if we went there and rebuilt the whole country, from the ground up. The people there are suffering, and with the earthquake they are suffering even more. I will pray for them when I pray. I feel bad that I have not already been praying for them.
For me growing old has not caused an increase in wisdom, it makes me realize that I have been and still am a fool. As a person matures, they should put away foolish and prideful things. I didn't do that, now it seems as if I have jumped off the cliff of maturity and all at once, I have to suck it up, and be an adult and a Christian. It would have been a lot easier if I had, had the sense enough to do this in a gradual process, instead of the spiritual roller coaster I feel I am on now. I thank God that I have been realizing that there are numerous areas that I need to improve. So now with the grace of God, let the work begin.

2010-01-09T17:02:00.001-06:00

I can now blog using my cell phone

Tigers vs Pirates

2010-01-05T21:59:00.002-06:00

I came home after work, fed the dogs, counted the cats and headed to Mt Pleasant to watch the Lady Tigers play basketball. After a nice supper at Burger King, I met my beautiful wife at the highschool gym and watched the Lady Tigers play the Lady Pirates from Pine Tree. The final score was the Lady Tigers 48 and the Lady Pirates 34, it was a good game.
Cold weather is predicted for the rest of the week, I hope the predictions are wrong. I don't drive well on ice and snow. O well tis all in God's hands. I was able to pray the Rosary two times today, on the way to and from work. I often think the reason my drive to work is so long, is to give me the chance to pray.

Winter Weather

2010-01-04T20:14:00.002-06:00

This morning there was ice on the overpass over I-30 at New Boston, Texas. Scared me to no end. Near the roadside park on Highway 8 there was also a patch of ice. The bridge over Red River had been sanded by Arkansas' highway department, I think there was a little gravel in their mix. Oh well, it was better than no sand at all.

First Work Day of 2010

2010-01-04T20:10:00.003-06:00

Today was not that bad. Thank you, Lord, for a good day at work. My goal for this week is to exchange worry for prayer. When I catch myself worrying about something, I am going to stop, say a Hail Mary, or another warm up prayer, and then pray about the thing that is worrying me.

Copied from another blog.

2009-10-25T17:03:00.001-05:00

The Simpsons

Homer: Oh, everything's too damned expensive these days. Like this Bible. It cost 15 bucks! And talk about a preachy book! Everybody's a sinner! Except this guy.

Bible and Catechism in one year.

2009-10-16T08:38:00.002-05:00

I am going to try to read the Holy Scriptures and the Catechism in one year. The Journey Home network has an excellent leaflet that is a good help, it is a daily check list of daily readings. The Catechism is an excellent reference. I think everyone should have a copy. It is worth spending time in daily study.

Resisting Temptation

2009-10-10T20:14:00.002-05:00

I wish I was able to resist temptation better than I do at this time. I usually fall when I become overconfident and or prideful. I have a copy of the Rule of St. Benedict and a copy of The Jerusalem Community Rule of Life tucked into my bible cover. I need to read them more often, especially the sections on Humility. All I know to do when I fail to resist temptation, is to pray, pray, and then pray. I try to think back and remember when I entered into the occasion of sin, so that I will be able to try to avoid it, during my next bout with temptation. One thing I am certain of, is that my sinful behavior is my own problem, I can not transfer it, or blame someone else for it. My sinful behavior is usually caused by my selfishness and immaturity. I own it, no way to sugar coat it.

Pray for me.

Vow of Silence

2009-09-12T20:37:00.002-05:00

I need to learn to curb my tongue. Not having control of my tongue gets me in all kinds of trouble. There is a chapter in "The Jerusalem Community Rule of Life" about Silence, I need to study it in depth and apply it to my life.

Labor Day Weekend 2009

2009-09-06T20:25:00.002-05:00

This has been the best birthday, I have ever enjoyed. Friday night we went into Mt. Pleasant. We ate supper at the Dynasty Buffet, it was as good, it usually is. Later we went to the high school and watched the Tigers play the Leopards. It was a good game. The Band, the Cheer Squad, the Tiger Dolls, and the Drill Team all did an excellent job.
Saturday my Uncle came up from Dallas, we met him and his wife in Texarkana at IHOP for breakfast. IHOP understands food. Later we went to Central Mall and looked around for a while. While my wife was having her haircut, I went looking for the bookstore. Either the bookstore was gone or I simply couldn't find it. Later on we drove over to Books-A-Million, while my wife was grading papers, I read a book on my BeBook ebook reader, and shopped for at books. I found a sci-fi book in the $3.00 pile and a new paperback by S.M. Stirling, "The Scourge of God". It is one of the books in his "Dies the Fire" series. I have been reading his books. I think he is an excellent writer. In the future I hope to find some of the books in his "Island in the Sea of Time" series. We spent a good 5 or 6 hours there. Then we went over to the Asian Buffet which is near Sam's. To me it is the best resturant in Texarkana.
This Sunday my wife made sausage and bisquits for Cowboy Church. After church we went to El Inca in New Boston, ate lunch, and then went to Wal-Mart for our weekly groceries. My wife is good company, she is the main ingredient in the quality of my life. She has made this my best birthday ever. I thank God for her presence in my life constantly.
Instead of New Year's Resolutions, I made new resolutions on the first of the month. Here are a few of my resolutions.
1. Read and study the Bible.
2. Read and study the CCC.
3. Pray constantly: during the week I pray the Rosary on the way to work. I hope to start praying the Liturgy of the Hours on a daily basis. My subscription to ebreviary.com and my birthday present of a BeBook, with make this a reality. Now I need to actually pray the LOTH, no excuses now.
4. Take custody of my senses: to use none of them in a sinful way.
5. Control my temper and my tongue.
6. I hope to not read as much seculat things and have the bulk of my reading to be holy things that are profitable for my salvation and according to the will of God.

Pray for me.

Peace

Marquis

New Month Resolutions

2009-08-01T18:40:00.004-05:00

On the first of the month I like to make new resolutions: here they are in no particular order.

1. Pray the Liturgy of the Hours on a regular basis.
2. To eat right.
3. To control my tongue.
4. To control my temper.
5. Read the Bible daily.
6. Read the Catechism daily.
7. Somehow learn Lectio Divina and practice it.
8. Surrender all to God. I can't do it by myself.
9. To put away my foolish pride and try to develop humility.

If by some miracle of God, I am able to accomplish one of these resolutions, I will be a better person.

So as it is written, so let it be done.

Peace

Marquis

Rain in July

2009-07-02T20:21:00.002-05:00

It rained here in Northeast Texas, I wonder if the old wise tale will be true and we will get two weeks of rain this month.

For my birthday, I am to get a e-book reader. I chose the Bebook reader. If my scheme works, I will be able to download the Liturgy of the Hours from Ebreviary.com and load it onto my ebook reader, thus eliminating my never ending confusion about the proper way to pray the LOTH. I wonder why I didn't think of it earlier.

New SpringWidget

2009-05-16T11:58:00.001-05:00

Get this widget!

Stations of the Cross

2009-04-12T20:27:00.004-05:00

Good Friday, St. Michael's Church at Mount Pleasant, Texas had a living Stations of the Cross. It was in Spanish, which I don't speak. It was awesome, I was moved by the presentation.

I hope St. Michael's does this every year from now on.

Peace

Marquis

Virginia is for Tow Trucks

2009-03-23T13:20:00.003-05:00

There is an organized scam in Virginia. Tow truck drivers, the police, and apartment managers are all involved. In Virginia, on the Coast in Newport News, Virginia Beach, and other places, if you park in an apartment complex, if you are visiting a friend, and park in guest parking, your car will be towed. I would suggest that if you do have to park in one of these places in Virginia, that you not leave your car unattended or one of these legal thieves will steal your car. This is an organized scam and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. Even if a practice is legal, that does not make it ethical or moral. One thing I can do is to boycott any town that allows this practice. I can buy nothing from these towns, nor will I recommend that anyone visit them. So I suggest that if you are thinking about going to Virginia on vacation, pass. Go somewhere else. There are plenty of honest places to enjoy. Do not visit or stay in such a place like Virginia that supports oppressors.

Uncertain

2009-02-10T22:18:00.002-06:00

I am in a spiritual desert. I have absolutely no spiritual growth, and I have no idea how to proceed. I am totally clueless. If I were a holy person, I would think I was in the Dark Night of the Soul, but that is not the case. All I know to do is to pray the Rosary. Tomorrow I will try to start the Liturgy of the Hours.

Sin In My Life

2009-01-22T20:25:00.004-06:00

I have a firm grasp of the obvious.
The following comments are obvious to all.
Sin is personal.
Sin is evil.
When I sin I separate myself from God.
When I sin, it is like dropping a pebble in a puddle.
It causes ripples.
My sin affects those in my life.
My sinful deeds can potentially hurt others.
It can hurt those most who are nearest and dearest to me.
Should I need another reason to not sin?
When I sin, I confess to God, and God forgives me.
Even though God has forgiven me, God's justice requires Temporal Punishment due to sin.
I will suffer in this life for my sin, even though God loves me and forgives me.
A mature person should avoid sin and occasions of sin.
No one is perfect, when I fall in my struggle against sin, I get up, dust myself off, and continue my walk with God.

My Rosaries

2008-12-15T18:24:00.004-06:00

I was reading another blog and saw a neat thing, a posting of favorite rosaries. Well here are my favorite rosaries, I hardly ever go anywhere without them.

This rosary I carry in my left front pants pocket, I bought the cord rosary in Wichita at one of the yearly Midwest Catholic Conferences, I changed the Crucifix and added a medal of St Benedict, I received from St Merinad Archabbey. I use this rosary when I am in a church alone.

If you see me praying the rosary in public, this mission rosary is the one I am likely to be using. I carry it in my right rear pants pocket, and it is my favorite. I used to make mission rosaries, and the first time I prayed the rosary was using a mission rosary.

I am a Redneck by nature, but am Roman Catholic by the grace of God. I love pocket t-shirts and always wear one instead of a regular t-shirt. This rosary is in the t-shirt pocket. I usually use this rosary when I am in bed at night before I go to sleep, I bought it from the Missouri Province of the Jesuits, it is a good well made rosary.

I have been reading "Rosary: Mysteries, Meditations, and the Telling of the Beads" by Kevin Orlin Johnson. Ph.D. It says that even though the Divine Office was prayed, people also prayed the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I was looking in our library this morning and found a copy that I thought had either been lost in a fire or when we moved to Texas. I plan to start this devotion along with the Liturgy of the Hours. As a novice at the LOTH, I have to constantly remind myself to pray it and not to merely read it. Hopefully with experience will come spiritual growth.

I finished a science fiction book last night and have decided to try to not read any books that are not beneficial for my spiritual growth until after the first of the year. I found "The Shoes of the Fisherman" by Morris West in the library also, this book may be questionable as an aid to growth, but I am going to start reading it for my recreational reading.

Pray for me.

Marquis

Hmmm

2008-12-03T20:42:00.001-06:00

CCC 116 Vocab

2008-12-03T19:59:00.003-06:00

Exegesis: ex·ege·sis (ek′sə jē′sis), noun pl. exegeses -·ses′ (-sēz′), explanation, critical analysis, or interpretation of a word, literary passage, etc., esp. in the Bible

CCC 82 Vocab

2008-12-03T19:53:00.001-06:00

Ecclesial: ec·cle·sial (e klē′zē əl, i-), adjective, of or pertaining to a church

Chabad and Bombay

2008-11-30T15:10:00.004-06:00

Jewish people are our elder brothers and sisters in the faith. God has a covenant with Abraham. God will bless those who bless the jews, and he will curse those who curse the jews.

Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing.
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.'
Gen 12:4 So Abram went, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him; and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. (JPS)

There exists in this vale of tears, a fine jewish organization called, Chabad, they among other things publish a weekly e-magazine that everyone seeking spiritual growth should read. In Bombay these two representatives of this organization were killed simply because they were jews, no other reason, none whatsoever.

Their names were Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife, Rivka Holtzberg.

Remember them.

Peace

Marquis

(For the poor quality of this post I apologize, for the content, I do not apologize.)

CCC Vocab Words

2008-11-30T14:34:00.004-06:00

I have started reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This time around I am reading slowly. I am looking up the words I don't understand and writing the definition in the margin.

CCC 37, Abnegation: verb (used with object), -gat⋅ed, -gat⋅ing.
1.
to refuse or deny oneself (some rights, conveniences, etc.); reject; renounce.
2.
to relinquish; give up.

Origin: 1650–60; < L abnegātus denied (ptp. of abnegāre).

CCC 53, Pedagogy: noun, plural -gies.
1.
the function or work of a teacher; teaching.
2.
the art or science of teaching; education; instructional methods.

CCC 55 Solicitude: noun
1.
the state of being solicitous; anxiety or concern.
2.
solicitudes, causes of anxiety or care.
3.
an attitude expressing excessive attentiveness: to show great solicitude about his wife's health.

Origin: 1375–1425; late ME < L sollicitūdō uneasiness of mind, deriv. of sollicitus agitated.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

It looks as if it will be a slow read, for someone as ignorant and uneducated as I.

Lectio Divina

2008-11-29T13:36:00.002-06:00

Here is a simple instruction of Lectio Divina:

The first step is: Lectio - Read a short passage of scripture two or three times out loud.

The second step is: Meditatio - Meditate or ponder on what you read. Meditation is like a cow chewing the cud. She will chew, swallow, and bring it back up later to chew on it some more.

The third step is: Oratio - Praying the scripture back to the Lord. The Bible is filled with God's promises to us. When we pray what He said, He will do it. It is His Word!

The fourth step is: Contemplatio - This is contemplating (not meditation). When you sit on a hillside and look at the reflection of a sunset on a lake you are contemplating. You are just enjoying it. Take time to contemplate on the experience you are having through what you read and learned.

I don't know if this is right or correct; I plan to read more on the subject and attempt to learn the correct and right process.

I do believe Lectio Divina is an essential tool for spiritual growth.

LOTH Vol I

2008-11-28T21:09:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow at evening prayer I will start with Volume 1. I look forward to the prayers of Advent and Christmas.

Please pray for all the people who were hurt or killed this weekend in Bombay by the agents of Satan.

CCC 1809

2008-11-25T21:41:00.002-06:00

I was reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church and came across this at the tail end of 1809. It has been a favorite passage of mine. I know you all are familiar with it, but for some reason it sings to my heart.

"To live well is nothing other than to love God with all one's heart, with all one's soul and with all one's efforts; from this it comes about that love is kept whole and uncorrupted (through temperance). No misfortune can disturb it (and this is fortitude). It obeys only [God] (and this is justice), and is careful in discerning things, so as not to be surprised by deceit or trickery (and this is prudence). CCC1809"

I hope to add regular reading of the Holy Scriptures and of the CCC, to my daily devotions. I pray that the Good Lord allows me to develop my good intention into a regular habit.

2008-11-21T10:56:00.003-06:00

I am home sick with a cold. These versions of the divine mercy chaplet give me comfort.

I also like the chanted version.

Peace

Marquis

What I am reading.

2008-11-19T18:04:00.006-06:00

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, I am reading this for fun. It is one of my wife's and it looks interesting. I have read another book by Barbara Kingsolver called Prodigal Summer, I thought it was decent.

Rosary Mysteries, Meditations, and the Telling of the Beads by Kevin Orlin Johnson, Ph.D. This is an excellent book, everyone who prays the rosary should have a copy of this book. I read it a few years ago and took it down to re-read. I am reading it slowly and looking up all references on the internet.

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis. I have almost read this book, I have had it for years and never had read it. Now I understand why is it the most published or sold book after the Holy Bible. I highly recommend it, but get the copy published by Catholic Book Publishing.

Deep Conversion Deep Prayer by Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M. This is an excellent book, I have read about half of it, and I think I need to read more books by Fr. Dubay. There is an excellent series of talks he does about St. John of the Cross currently available for download for free at www.ewtn.com

I have downloaded it and put in on my ipod.

Enough for now.

Peace be with you.

Marquis

2008-11-17T21:42:00.002-06:00

Saturday Thoughts

2008-11-01T13:38:00.003-05:00

Here lately, I have been able to pray Morning and Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. It has been a blessing in my life. I have been suspecting that my spiritual life is very shallow. Praying the prayer of the Church is helping me. It is a practice I hope to develop into a daily habit.
A few months ago, I started praying the Rosary on the way to work. I have been praying the Rosary off and on, on the way home from work, this has been helpful to my growth.
I read a blog entry about a personal rule of life. I think this is something I need to pursue. For me it would be a series of daily devotions and spiritual exercises. It will be something I need to work on.
There is a Jewish website, www.chabad.org, that has a weekly online magazine, I would like to reccomend it to everyone. I think it would be valuable for anyone seeking spiritual growth to read. It is refreshing to read another point of view.
If something is different, that does not make it bad or evil, it's just different.

Faith makes all things possible,
Love makes all things easy,
Hope makes all things work.

Liturgy of the Hours

2008-09-26T21:20:00.002-05:00

I have decided to start praying the Divine Office again. I will attempt to pray Morning and Evening prayer. I am not a perfect person, so I will not do the prayers on a daily basis, but I intend to try. I feel that it will be well worth the effort.
I have a long drive into work and am able to pray the Rosary on the way to work and on the way home. I feel that it helps me start my day in a good and positive way. For years I have had a spirit of bitterness, I find that prayer is a great way to resist falling into that negative aspect of my life, and is a part of my journey towards being a positive good Christian.

Sheath for Fiskars Brush Axe

2008-08-03T19:22:00.008-05:00

My project for a while is to make a sheath for my Fiskars Brush Axe. As you know a knife has a sheath and a sword has a scabbard. Fiskars also makes the brush axe for Gerber. Gerber's product has an all black handle. I prefer the Fiskars, because the handle is black with an orange tip. It is handier for me to find when I am using it for clearing or cleaning around the house. One of the reasons I want to make a sheath is that the one that comes with the fiskars has a suitcase like handle. It is also a good project to keep me busy. One of my goals is to make the sheath using materials that are free or are very nearly free.

I was able to get this shipping crate from work, I plan to use it for the material to make my sheath.

Here is the crate partially disassembled, I had to quit because of the extreme heat today in Northeast Texas. Redneck rule of life: If it is too hot to work, it too hot to play. Be very careful during the high heat of summer. Time your exposure to the heat, drink plenty of water, and take frequent breaks. It is very easy for the heat to slip up on you and cause a heat stroke. Oh, and when using any kind of tool always wear safety glasses. The good Lord only gave you two eyes, protect them.

Here are the nails I was able to salvage from the crate. They will go into a can for use later around the house. Yes, I know I can buy them very cheaply, but being frugal and reusing items is part of this project. Like most poor people, raised in the rural south, for quite a while I thought that all nails were bent, and they came rusty in a Folgers coffee can.

I shouldn't have to say this but: Always clean up after you are through. It is an essential part of any work you do.

Another Redneck Rule of Life: Happy wife, happy life. Clean up your messes. Your wife is your partner not your maid. (I didn't come up with the Happy wife rule, I saw in on a Gaither DVD, it was either the one made in Canada or the Toronto DVD.)

My wife is a blessing from God. I hope for her to never think that I don't appreciate or love her. I tell her on a daily basis. We are both Christians, and we pray together.

Ok, enough for now, I will post later as the project progesses. Sorry for the quality of this post, I am new at blogging.

Have a great day. May the good Lord richly bless you.

Marquis

P.S. (Read the scriptures, start right now, read for at least 15 minutes, you will be so glad you did. A note on translations: Read the translation that makes you grow closer to God.) mac

Yardwork

2008-07-12T19:30:00.007-05:00

Today I worked in the yard trimming trees. This tree was growing near an old well, and I was concerned that it would break the curb. So I cut it down.

The second photo is how the well looked after the clean up, be easier to mow around. I had been wanting to cut that tree for a while now, it was a sweet gum tree which as far as I am concerned is a weed.

Now the undergrowth under this tree needed cleaning up.

I have no idea what this bush is, but it was in the way. It needed triming up. It is probably also a huge weed, I have yet to see it bloom.

Now this is how it looks all cleaned up. -------------------->

Here are some of my tools for yardwork, if you notice you will see that most of the tools are made by Fiskars. I am hooked on their tools they are all quality. I hope to buy more in the future.

Fourth of July in Bald Knob, Arkansas

2008-07-05T17:12:00.003-05:00

My wife and I went with my Uncle and His wife to Bald Knob, Arkansas for the Fourth of July. We went to a Penecostal Church for their Fellowship Friday. There was plenty of good food. I believe the people there are good, sincere, Christians. If you are ever up that way you should stop in and visit with them. It was the first time I had been to a Penecostal service. I did enjoy the fellowship and preaching. There were pastors from Penecostal Churches from all around the area. Their first friday meetings rotate from church to church. The next fellowship meeting in Bald Knob will be in about four months.

Peace

Marquis

Sunday Message

2008-06-01T14:33:00.002-05:00

The Sunday message today was good, the theme of the mesage was "Confess, Yield, Serve.
The key verse seemed to be Romans 6:11.

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord (KJV)

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as (being) dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus. (NAB)

So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus (NLT)

Confess, Yield, Serve will be my keywords this week.

People are always making New Year's Resolutions, I suggest that a person carries it a step further, why not make Resolutions at the first of the month?

That being said, my resolutions for the month of June 2008 are:

1. Pray constantly.
2. Study the Scriptures.
3. Confess my sins.
4. Quit my cycle of sin, repent, confess.... to try to quit sinning; I will choose one glaring flaw and work on it.

My hope is that every one who reads this is blessed.

ADONAI bless thee, and keep thee: ADONAI make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: ADONAI lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6:24-26 (IAV)

Duty, Honor, and Loyalty

2008-05-31T11:31:00.002-05:00

I believe that there are a few things that a person needs in his life to have a fuller life.

Duty: something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation

Honor: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions

Loyalty:
1.
the state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations.
2.
faithful adherence to a sovereign, government, leader, cause, etc.

http://dictionary.reference.com/

Visit to Miami

2008-05-18T15:42:00.003-05:00

I went to Miami last weekend to watch my wife's daughter graduate from U of Miami. We stayed in a condo in a building called Blue. The view was great. I could have sit there for a week looking out the windows.
The graduation was nice the guest speaker was Angela Lansbury. They hooded her and made her a Doctor of something.
After the graduation we went to a Cuban Restaurant Coral Gables called Sergios, it was great. The food was good, it was inexpensive and the portions were large. I love to eat and they brought more food than I can eat, which is rare.
The next day we went to Coconut Grove and ate lunch at a Restaurant called Tu Tu Tango, the food was good. That part of town has artists and studios displaying great art. There is a Episcopal Church there that has a small gallery in the back of the grounds which has really great religious icons.
In Miami, there is a section of town called the Design District and on the second Saturday of the month, they have the galleries open late at night. There are bands on the streets playing music. The art is awesome, had I an unlimited budget, I would have bought a truckload of it, it was that good. I would reccomend it to anyone, you don't have to like art to enjoy the experience.
Later that night we went to Tobacco Junction in downtown Miami it is on one of the 7th streets. The food there is excellent, I had chicken wings, they were huge, and the sause was great, lots of flavor, but without the heat of too many spices to ruin the taste. There was a live band. It played Raggae music. I am an ignorant redneck hick, but that music was good. I don't remember but I think the name of the band was Jaffe.
Sunday morning we went and walked on the beach at South Beach, I did like walking on the beach looking for rocks and seashells.
I may never go back to Miami, but I did enjoy the visit.

Evidence of Excellence

2008-05-03T07:44:00.002-05:00

If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? If you were found in your car unconscious, would those who found know you were a Christian? If, there were a major disaster and your body was found years later, would they know you were a Christian?
Wear a Cross or Crucifix. Carry your bible with you wherever you go. Keep your prayer cards and medals with you. You never know when you step outside your door, it may be the last time you are there....

1 Corinthians Chapter 1

2008-05-01T22:00:00.002-05:00

I plan to start studying the book of 1 Corinthians during the Month of May. I am new at this, so it will be a new experience for me. I plan all month to read 1 Corinthians, and attempt to do a detailed bible study. I also plan to log my progress, if any, in a journal. Your prayers will be greatly appreciated.

Reading Science Fiction

2008-05-01T21:45:00.002-05:00

I have been reading a trilogy by S.M. Stirling, "Dies the Fire", "The Protector's War", and "Meeting at Corvallis". They are books about alternate history. I have read "Dies the Fire" and "The Protector's War", and I am on page 139 of "Meeting at Corvallis". The first book, so far is the best. The action seems to bog down in the second book. I usually don't start reading a series, because sometimes, I am compelled to read the whole series. One thing to note about the books is that they explain in way too much detail, Wicca and it's pantheon of Gods. They are almost like a prayerbook to strange deities that I don't care to read about. I certainly don't care to read the prayers to them. I don't believe that Wicca is the Old Religion, I think it is a bunch of made up and fabricated lies, by New Agers, designed to lure people away from the True Religion, Christianity. I do not recommend the books.

Celebration at Church

2008-03-09T15:38:00.002-05:00

Today at church we celebrated the pastor's tenth year serving at the church. There was a shared meal after services. Those ladies are all excellent cooks. I love to eat. (I once thought "buffet" was the french word for food.)
A sad but happy note: Saturday as a week ago, there was a Christian youth rally at the local high school. At that rally young adults made decisions for Christ. Last Friday started with cold rain mixed with snow, as I was driving to work I met a volunteer firetruck headed to a fire. Today I found out that one of the young adults that decided to live for Christ, had been called home to be with the Lord. The firetruck I saw, was headed to that home.
If you are thinking about living with Christ in your life, today, right now, is the time to start. We have no idea when the good Lord is going to call us home. Please make a decision now, do not wait until later, you may not have a later.
Two bible study links: the first is for e-Sword, it is a free download, and there are free modules to download to enhance it. It is a pretty awesome program. http://www.e-sword.net/
The second is an bible study tool, I think it is really good also, it is an online only source, it has twenty five different versions of the bible available and is pretty handy. http://bible.christianity.com/

Enough for now.
May God bless you all.
Marquis

Cowboy Church

2007-12-09T11:45:00.000-06:00

Siloam Baptist Church near Simms, has a cowboy church. It starts at 8:30 a.m. The members there are very welcoming. I especially enjoy the music. There are some really talented musicans and singers who lead the praise. The songs are songs that I used to hear growing up in rural Oklahoma. I do like to hear those songs. They are the type of song that promote spiritual growth and they cause for me, what I call a "memory cascade", I can hear the songs and remember good old times with family and friends that have, some of them, gone on to be with the Lord.

Ramdom Thoughts on Sunday

2007-10-21T11:03:00.000-05:00

On Sunday we usually go to church, but Liz is sick, a sore throat and chest congestion. I am watching a movie and she is grading papers. The cats, Nate and Callie are in her lap. I can hear the pups out in their kennel. They went over to the neighbor's. We bought fencing materials this weekend. I have to put up a fence to keep them away from the dirt road that is near our home. Their mother was hit by a car just barely after she weaned them. It is amazing how attached I was to her, I still miss that dog. Her name was "Dog". She left us with eight puppies, we have been able to give away three of them. We have become reconciled to the fact that we now have five pups to care for. The are good dogs, full of love and energy. Their names are Red, Daisy, Jackie, Suzie Q, and Homer. Someone abandoned "Dog" on our doorstep. Nate was a almost feral cat living near our apartment in Arkansas, before we moved here to paradise in Texas. I found Callie down by the road near our mailbox last Wednesday. She is barely weaned, a very small kitten with plenty of attitude.