The winning patio, The Keys of the Kingdom, and the sabbatical is over.

"The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26, LSB)

So. It's been a month, eh?

I have to admit on this Memorial Day 2017 that the time has come to scratch the itch and end my posting sabbatical...

Since finishing the spring quarter and being a participant in that life-altering experience known as "Call Night" nearly a month ago, we've begun to map out our future-- well, at least the near future (over the next four months)-- as we look ahead to our next destination: Alamo, Texas. The summer is coming quickly! We need to find a house in Texas and I still have two courses to complete (well, three if I count Hebrew, which is really just an audit for my own edification), after which we'll be on the road again, southbound at last...

Since my last post, besides making it through the last quarter, not much has been happening on this end. I can report that after living in this complex for a year, our cat has finally figured out how to get from the back door to the front door by going around the building-- this morning I was looking through the front window for the paper (don't get me started on our 99% late delivery guy), and there he was; upon entering the place for the first time through the front door, he seemed surprised to find his food bowl. He really might be mentally retarded. I should also report that our patio (pictured) was declared the most beautiful in an impromptu contest and we won a $150 Kroger gift card. Other than mini-bingeing on Dark Shadows DVDs through Netflix (we've just passed the advent of Barnabas Collins), we're just layin' low until the pace picks up again in a week or so.

And one last item of business... I have a movie and accompanying novel (well, vice-versa, actually) to recommend. A couple of weeks ago, we were looking for a movie to watch one evening and I found The Keys of the Kingdom on Google Play, "A marvelous spectacle spanning six decades and two continents, The Keys of the Kingdom is the glorious epic that introduced audiences to screen newcomer Gregory Peck." It's Gregory Peck's first film (1944) and easily rivals his Oscar-winning performance in To Kill a Mockingbird (though he was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of Father Francis Chisholm). After watching the movie, which I'd never heard of before finding it on Google Play, I looked into the novel (of the same name) on which it is based and then Kindled it. The film is very good; however, the book is much better! (Similar to Silence the film and Silence the book, the latter and The Keys of the Kingdom being two of the best books I've ever read and both wonderful stories of suffering faith!)

Speaking of books, I've made added list of recent titles I've read and enjoyed (under Blog Archive), going back maybe a year and a half and in no particular order. The top title is what I'm currently reading (and still enjoying, otherwise it wouldn't be there).

Anyway. I'm back on the blog circuit (for now), so stay tuned. Until next time...

“Que Dios te bendiga y siempre te cuide;
que Dios te mire con agrado y te muestre su bondad;
que Dios te mire con agrado y te llene de paz”.

(trying to get ready for the Rio Grande Valley...this is the Spanish version of the Aaronic Blessing in Numbers 6:22-27...same as the English translation at top, which we Lutherans hear the pastor say in just about every worship service... There is much that can be said of the Aaronic blessing in the original Hebrew. If we were to remove the three instances of “the Lord” (Yahweh) in the blessing, we would be left with twelve words in the original language, an intentional reference to the twelve tribes of Israel. Furthermore, this threefold repetition of the name Yahweh is not required; one usage of God’s name would have sufficed...more here)

Oh yeah, one more thing. Take a moment to reflect on the thousands of men and women who died for our freedom. Reach out to a vet today. It's the right thing to do.

С Богом, ya'll!