the history of the world

It is 1:20 PM Monday afternoon here in Western Michigan. I am down in the lower level writing on my old lap top computer. I came down here to turn on this computer so it can warm up. I am really not in the mood to write. Also all my books that I have been reading are upstairs and I need them so as to write down the titles and authors of these books if I am to mention them in this blog entry. Of course who really cares to hear about my reading experiences because in the end no one can relate to the books I read. People in general walk in intellectual darkness/also spiritual darkness. People hate the Light.

I got up this morning around 7 o’clock AM. Carol was in her usual spot when I came upstairs to face my life in the world. This morning she met a friend for breakfast around 8 o’clock AM/she did not get home till 12:15 PM.

I spent the morning reading my books and writing in my paper diary. Usually during the afternoon hours I sit and doze-or wander-I did the dishes before coming down here.

I do have next to me a book I read last night before going to bed titled, ‘World: A Family History Of Humanity’ by Simon Sebag Montefiore.

I suppose I will close to drift. It is a hot dry day here in Western Michigan.

I mainly read today from this book, ‘Christian Faith & The Theological Life’ by Romanus Cessario, O.P..

the theological life is first of all a transformed life

It is 2:32 PM Sunday afternoon here in the state of Michigan. We live near Lake Michigan, but not on the Lake. One has been super rich to live on the Lakeshore. We live in town and not out in the country, we are townies.

I am tired so I better get cooking. I got up this morning around 7:15 AM. When I get up in the morning (gain a state of awareness) I look inside myself to see how I am feeling. Am I depressed or feeling OK? I suppose I woke up feeling OK since there was nothing going on today/no pressures to conform to the dead American world. I am not good at playing societal games. I am seeking the world to come. When I came upstairs Carol was about to get ready to meet the world/attend church. I made a pot of oatmeal for our morning meal. After breakfast Carol and I had devotions-prayed and Carol left for church around 8:40 AM (she got home around 12:45PM).

While Carol was gone I wrote in my paper diary and read. I also filmed a video for my Youtube channel this morning. This afternoon I have been writing in my paper diary and reading from a book titled, ‘Christian Faith & The Theological Life’ by Romanus Cessario, O.P..

Last night I read from a book titled, ‘A Radical History Of The World’ by Neil Faulkner (who is an historian and archaeologist).

It is a new week and it looks OK right now, but the future is always wrapped in darkness. What is important as we wait for Time to unfold is to be found in Christ Jesus united to Him by saving Faith.

I will close/it is this afternoon sunny and 82 degrees.

the theory of being

It is 2:31 PM Saturday afternoon here in Western Michigan. It is 77 degrees and partly sunny presently. Carol told me it has been predicted to get hot next week. Maybe this year we will have an Indian Summer.

I got up this morning around 7:15 AM. When I came upstairs Carol was on her cell phone texting someone. I spent the morning writing in my paper diary and reading from a new book titled, ‘Christian Faith & The Theological Life’ by Romanus Cessario, O.P..

Carol went grocery shopping this morning. It seems Carol is always grocery shopping but I am losing weight all the time. Weird. I hardly eat anything these days.

I did leave the house late this morning to visit the Bluestocking Book Shoppe and then Southside Goodwin Thrift Store. At Bluestocking I bought one used book for fifty cents titled, ‘Empire of Self: A Life of Gore Vidal’ biography by Jay Parini.

At our local Southside Goodwill Thrift Store I found these old used books-

‘The Dogs Of March’ A Novel by Ernest Hebret

‘Bech At Bay’ A Novel by John Updike

‘Sailing from Byzantium: How a Lost Empire Shaped the World’ history by Colin Wells

‘In Siberia’ travel writing by Colin Thubron

When I got home Ollie was here/Caleb dropped him off while he would be at a local Dart Tournament. Carol was mopping floors-in the mail I received a used book I had ordered titled, ‘A Radical History Of The World’ by Neil Faulkner.

I am tired so I will close to feel wasted. Tomorrow will be a Sunday.

crossing over

It is 1:33 PM Friday afternoon here in Western Michigan. It is 71 degrees and sunny today. It has been a long week! I need to start over. Start from the top.

I am not going to go into what Carol and I did today since I am too tired. We did leave this morning to visit thrift stores in search of Art work to fill a picture frame hanging over our fireplace/we found nothing/no Art but we did find used books to buy-here is a list of used books I bought today at different thrift stores-

‘The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology’ by Simon Winchester

‘Hellman and Hammett: The Legendary Passion of Lillian Hellman and Dashiell Hammett’ biography by Joan Mellen

‘Sons Of The Wilderness: John and William Conner’ biography by Charles N. Thompson

‘Crossing over where art and science meet’ Natural History by Stephen Jay Gould and Rosamond Wolff Purcell

‘City Of Secrets’ A Novel by Stewart O’Nan

‘Magic Seeds’ A Novel by V. S. Naipaul

‘Men And Angels’ A Novel by Mary Gordon

‘Propaganda’ Politics by Edward Bernays

‘Desertion’ A Novel by Abdulrazak Gurnah

‘The Grown-Ups’ A Novel by Victoria Glendinning

‘The Secret History Of The Atomic Bomb’ Edited by Anthony Cave Brown & Charles B. MacDonald

‘Fish Out Of Water: A Search for the Meaning of Life’ A Memoir by Eric Metaxas

‘Adlai Stevenson and the World: The Life Adlai E. Stevenson’ biography by John Bartlow Martin

So another day of our lives keeps flowing by. I will close to maybe mow our lawn front and back. Tomorrow will be a Saturday/coming to the end of another week.

• Current Mood:  tired

the house of the dead

It is 6:23 PM Thursday evening here in Western Michigan. It is 71 degrees and gray cold skies presently. We had a rain storm blow through this morning that broke off a branch of our mulberry tree that knocked out power in our area. The Holland PBS were here right away and it was fixed/power restored in an hour and a half. But I had to dragged a TON of tree branches to our street this afternoon, which was a killer. I am an old man and not some strong young man, so I really wore myself out today! We called a Tree Service and asked how much they would cost to have the tree branches hauled away and they wanted $700.00 dollars! Totally crazy amount of money for a few tree branches hauled to our street to be picked up by the City of Holland. It is crazy how much people charge for simple things like tree removable! Everybody is greedy and is out to rob you or take advantaged of you especially old people.

So most of the day I spent cleaning up our back yard. Did not get a chance to write or read today.

In the mail I received my Field Notes order, but no books. This morning I also did not get around to reading anything. But I did read some the ‘Introduction’ to a book I got for my birthday titled, ‘Wonder Confronts Certainty: Russian Writers on the Timeless Questions and Why Their Answers Matter’ by Gary Saul Morson. What I read in this, ‘Introduction’ blew me absolutely away! My mind is still digesting what I read today in this ‘Introduction’ written by Gary Saul Morson.

Last night I finally finished reading, ‘Midnight In The Century’ a novel by Victor Serge.

We were planning to go to a library used books sale this morning in Hudsonville, but we had that terrible thunder wind rain storm blow through which knocked out power on out street-plus no way was I going to go anywhere in a car with a thunder storm blowing-seeking destruction of Nature and Mankind.

I will close to recover from hauling tree branches all day. Tomorrow will be a Friday, it is predicted to be sunny.

For Sale

It is 2:30 PM Wednesday afternoon here in West Michigan. It is 75 degrees and sunny this afternoon.

I got up this morning around 7:15 AM. When I came upstairs Carol was getting ready to leave to have breakfast with a friend at 8:30 AM downtown. I made myself oatmeal for breakfast and before Carol left we had devotions.

While Carol as gone I wrote in my paper diary and read till she got back ‘The Love of Christ’ by Richard Sibbes.

Carol and I left around Noon to go buy bird seed, visit thrift stores in search of used books and then go out for lunch at Culver’s for hamburgers (a belated birthday celebration).

I found these used books at different thrift stores today-

‘Darkness Visible’ A Novel by William Golding

‘The Lives Of Rocks’ Stories by Rick Bass

‘Termination Shock’ A Novel by Neal Stephenson

In the mail today I received a used book I had ordered titled, ‘The Burning Of The World: A Memoir Of 1914’ by Bela Zombory-Moldovan Translated By Peter Zombory-Moldovan.

Yesterday these books were delivered to our house/UPS/US Mail/Amazon-

‘Interstate’ A Novel by Stephen Dixon

‘History And Revolution: Refuting Revisionism’ Edited by Mike Haynes & Jim Wolfreys

‘Life, Liberty, And Pursuit Of Happiness; Britain and the American Dream’ by Peter Moore

‘Wonder Confronts Certainty: Russian Writers on the Timeless Questions and Why Their Answers Matter’ by Gary Saul Morson

I suppose I will close to drift. One of our next door neighbors for the last 33 years old us Carol and I they were selling their house and moving into a condo. People come and go in this life. Children grow up and go away. Ones parents die and pets die. Nothing is permanent in this life. All that will last is ones faith in the Living Lord Jesus.

the fall of the Soviet Union

It is 2:50 PM Tuesday afternoon here in Western Michigan. It is a damp gray afternoon. It rained and stormed last night. Below me the computer warns me Pollen tomorrow.

I got up this morning around 6:15 AM. When I came upstairs Carol was messing with her cell phone and eating yogurt with blueberries.

I spent the morning writing in my paper diary and reading from a volume titled, ‘Theoretical-Practical Theology-Redemption in Christ’ Volume by Petrus Van Mastricht. I stopped reading around 11:21 AM due to being tired. Carol left this morning to interview an elderly couple that are members of her church/Carol writes up these membership interviews for her churches monthly Newsletter.

Carol got home around 12:41 PM and had lunch. Carol and I sat outside for awhile watching Holland City guys cut down a giant old tree that had rotted. I took pictures of the men cutting down the tree/actually it was one man with a couple chain saws cutting down this old tree/friend of humans and creatures/birds/squirrels/owls.

So the day goes by normal. In the mail this afternoon I received an used book I had ordered titled, ‘Interstate’ A Novel by Stephen Dixon. While I was watching from our driveway the destruction of our tree friend UPS delivered a book I had ordered from Verso titled, ‘History And Revolution: Refuting Revisionism’ Edited by Mike Haynes & Jim Wolfreys. Amazon is suppose to deliver sometime today two books I had ordered yesterday/birthday gifts from me.

Last night I mainly read late into the night, ‘Midnight In The Century’ A Novel by Victor Serge. This afternoon when not watching the destruction of Nature I have been reading, ‘Travellers Of The World Revolution-A Global History Of The Communist International’ by Brigitte Studer.

Yesterday evening Caleb, Emily, and Ollie their dog were here for a birthday meal.

Well I will close to drift. We are in the middle of the month. It will soon be over.

the main act of faith is to unite Christ and the believer together

It is 12:32 PM Monday afternoon here in Western Michigan. It is a cold day and it has been predicted to rain and thunder today.

I got up this morning around 6:50 AM. When I came upstairs Carol was leaving to have the oil changed in her car and then go grocery shopping. She left by my place in the dining room a birthday card and a candy bar Happy Birthday!

I spent the morning writing in my paper diary and reading from a book titled, ‘The Wells Of Salvation Opened’ by William Spurstowe.

Carol got home from her errands around 9:33 AM. Carol is right now preparing a Birthday Dinner for this evening. Caleb and Emily are coming over for the birthday meal/with Ollie their little dog. Josie and Cora are visiting with Emily’s parent’s this week up North.

This afternoon I have been just laying around listening to music and waiting to see what comes in the mail. I woke up four times during the night so I am kind of tired presently. I had this dream where I was completely naked in a mountain/barren rock surface stuck-trapped with no way down. I could look down this mountain a lush valley with a river of water flowing through it. But I was trapped forever and ever naked on this rock unable to go down to the river of water. In this dream I could feel the pain of the fear of God.

Last night I read late into the night, ‘Midnight In The Century’ A Novel by Victor Serge. I also read last night something I had been reading awhile back titled, ‘An Impatient Life: A Memoir’ by Daniel Bensaid.

Well, there not much else to report this afternoon. I will close to go do some errands.

cause Your face to shine

It is 1:42 PM Sunday afternoon here in West Michigan. It is mostly sunny and 77 degrees. I do not see any wild fires burning outside my window this afternoon.

I got up this morning around 7:15 AM. When I came upstairs Carol was getting ready for the day. I made a pot of oatmeal for breakfast for Carol and myself. After I ate my mush I wrote in my paper diary. Carol and I had devotions before she left for her church at 8:35 AM. I spent the morning writing in my paper diary, reading Denis The Carthusian on Psalm 80 and I filmed a video for my Youtube channel.

Carol got home from church around 12:05 PM. Carol and I ate lunch and talked. Carol is now taking a nap and I am writing in my online diaries. So goes by another day in my Life Span.

I do not know what I will do next to keep myself awake. I suppose I will close to read something. I already cleaned the kitchen and did a load of wash. I will soon put away my paper diary for the day.

Last night I mainly read till I went to bed, ‘Travellers of The World Revolution-A Global History of The Communist International’ by Brigitte Studer.

1 Awake, sweet gratitude, and sing
The ascended Savior’s love;
Sing how he lives to carry on
His people’s cause above.

2 With cries and tears he offered up
His humble suit below;
But with authority he asks,
Enthroned in glory now.

3 For all that come to God by him,
Salvation he demands;
Points to their names upon his breast,
And spreads his wounded hands.

4 His sweet atoning sacrifice
Gives sanction to his claim:
Father, I will that all my saints
Be with me where I am.

5 Eternal life, at his request,
To every saint is given;
Safety on earth, and, after death,
The plenitude of heaven.

6 Founded on right, thy prayer avails;
The Father smiles on thee;
And now thou in thy kingdom art,
Dear Lord, remember me.

the Flemish Anabaptists

It is 1:53 PM Saturday afternoon on a cloudy partly sunny day/it is 76 degrees. A nice day for beach ball.

I got up this morning around 6:15 AM. I woke up after having a dream where I was throwing rocks for prize money. When I came upstairs Carol was reading in our living room.

I had a normal morning. I wrote in my paper diary and read till Noon from a book titled, ‘Theoretical-Practical Theology-Redemption in Christ’ Volume 4 by Petrus Van Mastricht. This afternoon I have been basically doing nothing. I am tired as usual. Carol left this morning to do errands. She got back from her errands around 9:48 AM. She left this afternoon to do another errand. This day silently goes by.

Last night I read late into the night from two books-‘Goodbye, Eastern Europe-An Intimate History Of A Divided Land’ by Jacob Mikanowski and ‘Travellers Of The World Revolution-A Global History Of The Communist International’ by Brigitte Studer.

I do not know what I will read this afternoon since I am running on empty. Tomorrow will be a Sunday.