tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21888042467319747052009-12-21T23:39:05.419-05:00life, faith, overcomingMark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.caBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-20457579252100107872008-10-18T21:56:00.005-04:002008-10-18T22:17:14.722-04:00

I feel lousy right now, kind of in that all encompassing way commonly referred to as the Flu.On the rare occasion when I feel sick enough to climb into bed and stay there it occurs to me how profitable it is. I'm convinced that something happens spiritually to us when we're forced undercover. I believe God refines us. He works every so subtly, stripping away our "superman" complex, the one that

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-68454795300979122112008-10-15T09:41:00.001-04:002008-10-15T09:46:38.922-04:00

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-28634001054989262832008-10-15T09:15:00.008-04:002008-10-15T10:03:06.589-04:00

Things are moving. And not.The Lily project is stalled due to re-edits and the need for a firmer direction. Shooting the Matt Davis video this weekend. Stewart Financial, the presentation, went well; dynamic, powerful, fertile, smart ... expensive?I think they loved my efforts to really wind them out, but I have a feeling they don't like the price. They move a lot of dough these guys, but one

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-52976255938475966862008-09-09T08:34:00.002-04:002008-09-09T08:42:12.568-04:00

We have just about completed the video section of loveheals.TVIt's all good; my thanks to Dominika Dittwald for her tremendous gifts and to God for sending her my way. She frees me to dream. Next up is the Website, which is like already 3-weeks behind. I am so careful, which is really just prudence now that I know how simple it is to make any type of the usually wrong assumption. Go slow and get

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-87911677106664296762008-08-19T18:26:00.003-04:002008-09-09T08:31:54.775-04:00

Can't Give What You Don't Have, Pontiff RecallsUrges Christians to Stay Close to Holy SpiritBRESSANONE, Italy, AUG. 18, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI says that Christians have to stay close to the Holy Spirit if they want to be able to transmit him to others.The Pope affirmed this Aug. 6 when he met with priests, deacons and seminarians of the Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone and answered six

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-60388123369855897242008-08-18T22:33:00.007-04:002008-09-09T08:33:08.665-04:00

It's interesting how we moderate our expectations as we get older. Less is more, so to speak. How we learn to appreciate those golden moments when life stops being hard and just skates. Effortlessly. Not for long. Maybe just from here to there. Even for the tiniest while. Tomorrow I meet with a financial services company to talk about "YouTube"-ing them. I hardly see a fit, but the money could

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-53882055823853037932008-08-18T11:02:00.002-04:002008-08-18T11:09:25.762-04:00

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-20848417868030862382008-08-03T23:16:00.002-04:002008-08-03T23:33:51.667-04:00

Take heed not to meddle in things which do not concern you, nor even allow them to pass through your mind; for perhaps then you will be able to fulfil your own task. -- St. John of the Cross***With Marilyn and the kids away I have time for time. What a luxury to be able to work on work with the knowledge that I don't have to rush. I will never take for granted again "free time." It is a blessing

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-52592889580271963822008-08-03T22:53:00.006-04:002008-08-03T23:15:44.395-04:00

God is ready to heal those who sincerely wish to amend their lives, but cannot take pity on the obstinate sinner. The Lord pardons sins, but He cannot pardon those who are determined to offend Him. He who receives pardon is pardoned through the pure mercy of God, and they who are chastised, are justly punished. God is not obliged to wait for your repentance.-- St. Alphonsus Liguori***I find this

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-77370777425279700692008-07-15T17:25:00.004-04:002008-08-18T22:49:26.122-04:00

Wow, the summer is half over and that sucks! The kids have been at day-camp virtually every day and are off to Teopoli -- all of them!! -- for 12 days soon. Marilyn is leaving for Quebec a few days after. Leaving me here to work and generate the living income everyone needs to return to. Sweet kid:

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-81391464256926595502008-06-04T11:42:00.026-04:002008-07-03T08:57:56.966-04:00

Getting rich takes total dedication of will, not heart. Oligarchs and run of the mill up-and-comers drop just about every extra weight in order to travel light on their way up the wall of success. Contemporary relationships, being conveniently throwaway, like used Kleenex, fit the gameplan perfectly. The rich are dead in a way, more dead than they know (although they tend to look great!). The (bl

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-51579688682451891202008-06-03T18:24:00.012-04:002008-08-18T22:48:02.200-04:00

I'm going to be older than ever in just a few days. By now I think I thought I would have been very successful, leisurely awash in pet projects, dedicated to making life more interesting and hopefully better, generally speaking, for all concerned. Well, at least I stopped drinking. Things are probably better than they've been for a while. Sort of slightly coming together (finally maybe) although

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-83963338994496367212008-06-02T21:38:00.009-04:002008-07-03T09:43:07.619-04:00

I want to believe that everyone is, at some point, aware of the spiritual battles waging (raging) in and around us, for and against us. The world is filled with noxious fumes. Lying, cheating, betrayal, murder class for 10 year olds found on just about any video game. Neurotic teachers pushing unreasonable curriculums. Parents stressed beyond anything, giving their best to strangers and their

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-35744500193839905602008-02-26T19:10:00.006-05:002008-12-09T18:49:17.662-05:00

 for my favourite Saturday night group. something unexpected ; D

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-17923884676561047152008-02-18T18:43:00.015-05:002008-12-09T18:49:17.910-05:00

Here's a truth about me: I always, always want to do better. And I can feel this sense of drive & dis-satisfaction all the time if I allow myself to; which I don't, because then I would be pretty much disappointed 24-7.My faith keeps me chugging along (minus the booze). I can see in the daily struggle to be or do "more" that bigger stuff is being worked through the process of daily life,

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-12400494922233468392008-01-28T08:49:00.002-05:002008-12-09T18:49:18.368-05:00

God is love.It was the center of Sunday's Mass and homily message. We talked about it at Saturday evening's youth group. And I've been thinking about it a lot too.A lot-alot.Because, well ... God. Is. Love.He makes us in His image; His life, mixed with ours, courses through our veins. And I believe this love seeks to generate ever more of the same by reaching out through each of us to the world

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-517478012993993522008-01-20T11:02:00.002-05:002008-12-09T18:49:18.609-05:00

I want to be a house of light. I want God's light inside of me so that I, too, can be a light to the world.That's my only real ambition.But where will the light come from? Will God grant it freely or will I have to find it to acquire it? Or perhaps go begging with outstretched heart & hands? Whichever way, I am willing.I want to be a house of light so that everything I do tells others God's

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-76550576735663168542008-01-18T09:29:00.001-05:002008-12-09T18:49:18.795-05:00

We're born with it, this itch to do something, make something, invent something. Maybe it's cooking. Or building with Lego. Maybe it's singing songs no one else will hear. Maybe it's carefully planning a kind of spontaneous expression with paint, pencil, chalk, or chocolate. Or sitting at a piano, touching down different notes until they fall into pleasant form. Whatever it is we all have it in

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-9648261963751701652008-01-15T22:40:00.003-05:002008-12-09T18:49:18.819-05:00

Joan of Arc was maid [sorry, couldn't resist] to love God with her all; to drink of His surpassing love, while suffering greatly her yearning for deepening unity with He Who engulfs, refines, renews (and in Joan's case-- annihilates) so that she in her imperfection, and we in ours, may draw near.Her example (like those of many saints) points to vast landscapes of interior life God desires to open

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-62658907352691572852008-01-14T07:56:00.001-05:002008-12-09T18:49:19.008-05:00

There are a few basic precepts around how to reach God effectively, where the request for (re-)connection is less a demand for personal leverage (to be diplomatic) and more an appeal for reconciliation; less a form of trite manipulation on your terms, more a humble admittance of your own past wrong-doings on His. So the 'Up' button might better be called a 'Down' rope, to the extent that we get

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-71715898659622000252008-01-13T23:17:00.000-05:002008-12-09T18:49:19.153-05:00

I don't want to be one of those people who take forever to get to the punch-line; or like a soap-opera that moves ahead like a limping snail, drag out the climax forever.What I really want to do is just tell you what you need to do to get God's attention. Because it's what you and me and everybody else, more than anything, really wants to know. And once we leave aside the old "God isn't listening

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-32224781944225988662008-01-07T09:00:00.000-05:002008-12-09T18:49:19.435-05:00

The realization of needing or wanting to become "reset" must necessarily come with the humble understanding that on our own we tend to drift pretty far off-line from where we started.We get slimed or slime ourselves usually because we want to vest our personal interests in someone else's abilities, power or connectedness, hoping for success-by-extension (hitching your wagon to someone else's

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-7934598552194544822008-01-04T16:13:00.000-05:002008-12-09T18:49:19.739-05:00

... We have this somehow innate belief that the most difficult things in life can be turned around, with the right combination of helpful techniques (viz 'The Secret') in something akin to the wink of an eye.In a sense this is true. Yet only God can definitively accomplish it. Only He can rescue us from our lastest peril in something like miraculous time. In fact He does this regularly, though

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-8212477798132754362008-01-03T12:27:00.001-05:002008-12-09T18:49:19.868-05:00

Here is a Truth. It is one I have lived and continue to live when the worst parts of me (cue the flesh) override my undisputed, God-given, best sense (cue the Spirit).I hate to admit that I have this quandary more frequently than I like or should. But there it is. The unreconciled stuff, brought closer to the surface by God`s sanctifying blow-torch, just throbs, like a cartoon thumb, after so

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188804246731974705.post-50571727652390109632008-01-02T21:11:00.000-05:002008-12-09T18:49:19.996-05:00

Push reset. That's the way to undo all the goo. But the button isn't always so simple to find. To begin to find it, one must become honest, to the point of self-scrutiny (by that I don't mean merciless self-scrutiny or scrupulosity, that kind of personal assessment that just always only hurts, but the other kind that is a little more flexible and negotiable and forgiving, considering that we're

Mark Alfanomembertosmile@yahoo.ca0