Nostalgia: 1982: My Plans for You are Peace...and NOT Disaster

Friday, September 22, 2006 "My Plans for you are Peace...and NOT disaster; When you call on me...I will answer you." This is one of the bible readings that Don Sheehan had us read as business owners back in 1982. The point for us at that time was the providence of God in our lives, and the dire consequences for us personally if we did not believe that we could and would be survivors. The more I reflected on this saying over the years, the more I reflected in the sense of "Peace" that my father had in his life, and how he achieved it facing the difficulties he did. He faced Parkinsons with courage and grace. It was pretty stunning in retrospect. Rather than focusing on the duplicity, difficulty or just plain evil in the world I found it helpful to review my dad's way of finding peace and trying to do likewise.

Tales From Normal, Mn.----FICTION: Good Kids Don't Chalk Sidewalks: Tales From Normal, Mn.: FICTION

Tales From Normal, Mn.----FICTION: Good Kids Don't Chalk Sidewalks: Tales From Normal, Mn.: FICTION

Tales From Normal, Mn.----FICTION: Rifle Association Says they can Save Us: Tales From Normal, Mn.: FICTION

Tales From Normal, Mn.----FICTION: Rifle Association Says they can Save Us: Tales From Normal, Mn.: FICTION

Sermon of the Week: Fr. Kevin Dooley: Sept 14, 2008

Fr. Kevin Dooley: St. Paul's Church: The Religion of Fear vs. the Religion of Love; Why the message of threats might work, but is not what God calls us to.

Tales From Normal, Mn.----FICTION: Rich Might Leave Town, or Country--Locals Rejoice: Tales From Normal, Mn.: FICTION

Tales From Normal, Mn.----FICTION: Rich Might Leave Town, or Country--Locals Rejoice: Tales From Normal, Mn.: FICTION

Nostalgia:2007: Welcome Failure: Failure is the Breakfast of Champions

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2007 Chinese Fortune Cookie Corner: "Welcome Failure: Failure is the Breakfast of Champions"---a true story Yesterday I had to take my youngest to Janesville for a driver education road lesson. Before the lesson, we had a little time together for her to shop and then to share a bit of Chinese at the Food Court. I have a habit of opening the fortune cookie first--- before the meal. The Fortune Cookie read: " Welcome Failure: Failure is the Breakfast of Champions." I have mentioned in an earlier post, that over thirty years ago, right after a fortune cookie that read, "Not Now, but Soon," I had received a layoff from an employer. Ever since, I have paid strict attention to those fortune cookies. That being said, I wish they were more precise. The vagueness in unnerving. Relax. The driving lesson went fine. I think the Chinese were directing the fortune cookie towards those who did not know that the world of school and life are different. Nobody gets 99.992% success all the time and still ranks at the median of the class. Most folks are blessed with enough failures so they have a balanced view of their strengths and weaknesses. Or at least the whims of the world. After reflection, I feel pretty confident that I have had enough failures thank you. I do not need any more. Then again, maybe the Chinese fortune cookie WAS talking about that planning commission meeting last week---what a devastating failure in the unanimous defeat of the efforts of the community of the 4th Ward to prevent the bar on Exchange Street. Was that what the cookie was talking about? We will never know for sure. The Observer still recommends that this specific fortune cookie be eliminated from the mix till it can be more specific. I hope the Chinese Observer is taking notes. Posted by Evansville Observer at 10:09 AM Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook

Audio; Communion Hymn: " The Treasure"

Audio: Musical Bonus; Guitar Unplugged: "The Treasure."

Memories of Don Sheehan and "Value Investing"

Don Sheehan, a superstar salesman who used to do Dale Carnegie seminars nationwide, used to spend quite a bit of time on teaching sales pros what to concentrate on and what to ignore. To make a point, I remember him whipping off his belt---quite startling in a room packed with people---and then asking everyone to guess what they thought his belt was worth. He then reminded them that he was well travelled---- France, Germany, New York, and San Francisco, and that to remember that this belt was genuine cowhide with a premium belt buckle. He went around the room and asked each person what the belt was worth. The price variation was pretty wide. From $3.99 to $25. "Well," he said, "I bought it at K-Mart just down the street in Richfield. It cost $4.99." We were really shocked. "People are always guessing what you paid for things. It is really none of their business. Let em guess. There is a difference between what you pay for things, and what they are worth. Never forget it." I never have. Thanks Don.

Nostalgia: Audio: Fr. Kevin Dooley: July 19, 2009

Audio; Sermon of the Week: Fr. Kevin Dooley, St. Paul's Church: July 19, 2009----"What is "Want"?

Back to the 50's: Waiting for President Kennedy

Remember 1950? I have been trying to refresh my memories lately and have been listening to all the old Buddy Holly songs, Elvis, Ricky Nelson etc. But that was after the conversation of 1950 when the troops were coming home from the Korean War---folks were frustrated a little at the slow transition to peacetime employment. I remember the call, and the tears of joy when my dad was coming back from Korea. He was born in 1912, one of many older troops, who at 40 were beginning their peace lives. As a young boy just listening in, I remember the election where Jack Kennedy said he could "get this country moving again". What did that mean? In a nutshell, it had been ten years of adjustment from war to peace. And it would be five years till the 1965 Ford Mustang. So what? Pencil in 10 to 15 years from the time the boys come home from Afganistan as the time when we will adjust to a peace economy. Start when the troops are all home. Adjusting to peace is painful. Are YOU tough enough?

Sermon of the Week: Fr. Kevin Dooley: Sept 14, 2008

Fr. Kevin Dooley: St. Paul's Church: The Religion of Fear vs. the Religion of Love; Why the message of threats might work, but is not what God calls us to.

A Little note about Flogging; Tales From Normal, Mn.: FICTION

Visiting Bearded Monk says flogging is essential to becoming one with the divine: Tales From Normal, Mn.; FICTION Well it has been pretty shocking....today in Normal, Mn. at the Church of the Perpetual Fishermen, a traveling missionary, and some have speculated frustrated by the small collection gathered to support his intense mission, said as he left the small church in this small fishing community, that some of the wayward really did need a flogging every so often just to really experience the full bliss of the Lord....and yes the little old ladies just smiled quietly as they left from Church....it seemed to have brought back memories of their youth when they had learned of such talk as being typical of the "Spanish Inquisition" monks and such....Anyway, they just smiled and moved away from Church, and determined not to enter again and pledge their donations till that missionary had left the state.

2008: Nostalgia: Third Sunday of Lent

Fr. Kevin Dooley: On the Woman at the Well; The Living Water

"All the Clergy are Married in Normal, Mn.: FICTION

All the Clergy are Married in Normal, Mn.: FICTION Well it's spring, and now that the frozen tundra has warmed up, it is time for me to get back up to the cabin in Normal, Mn., the small fishing village near Garrison where I get away from the wild and crazy politics in Wisconsin, and settle in to some peaceful walleye fishing and such, and start each day off at Betty Lou's Cafe, where all the coffee is double strong black, and in a tall blue Minnesota Vikings mug, which are in short supply because Betty Lou is unsure whether the Vikings are going to stay in Minnesota, so the mugs are available for sale, but for $19.95 as a tourist item.....but I digress. I stopped in last Sunday at the Church of the Perpetual Fisherman, and chatted with the resident pastor, who travels between three parishes in Northern Minnesota, but makes his home in Normal, MN with his wife and 3 children...yes he is married, and in fact, he is my hero, along with all of Christ's apostles who were ALL married. Ah if only we could purify the Church and take it back to the days when the focus was on reaching out to spread the WORD rather than whether the proper response is "With your Spirit" or the more correct Hebrew version....." But I digress....and ALL the nuns in Normal, Mn. are Married too....that's the way it always has been in Normal, Mn...Where the nuns have been involved in teaching and such....

2010: Audio; Easter Sunday; Fr. Kevin Dooley; St. Paul's

2010: Audio; Sermon of the Week; Easter Sunday; St. Paul's Church; Evansville, Wi: Fr. Kevin Dooley.

Audio; Communion Hymn: " The Treasure"

Audio: Musical Bonus; Guitar Unplugged: "The Treasure."

Spread the Light: Tales from Normal, Mn.; FICTION

Spread the Light Liturgy Still will be held in Normal, Mn.: FICTION Recently in the frozen tundra, some sensitive congregations of the faithful have been concerned about the Holy Saturday liturgy in that while all those members of the Congregation of the Faithful are spreading the light in the pews, there is..well...some...smoke that is being inhaled...and it might be bad for ones health.... I just got the text from Normal, Mn. Church of the Holy Faithful, that the traditional service of the "Lights" will be held on Saturday night this week, and not withstanding the squimishness of certain Christian sects that are worried about a little smoke, the Light of Christ well be spread as in the traditional liturgy, before the environmental progressives got involved in liturgical development. There is limited seating so arrive early. Lumen Christi

2008: Video: St. Paul's: Graduation Day:

2008: Fr. Kevin Dooley: On "Graduation"

2008: Nostalgia: Third Sunday of Lent

Fr. Kevin Dooley: On the Woman at the Well; The Living Water

Signs for the Ages: "Soglin for Mayor; Nixon's a Crook":

If you walked down State Street in Madison in 1970..and gazed to the right, you would have seen two large signs on the buildings....one proclaimed "Soglin for Mayor" and the second sign on a different building...."Nixon's A Crook". This week without fanfare, Paul Soglin had hip surgery...and someone replaced him at the helm. Paul became mayor again recently and addressed the Edgewater...the Library...the Overture..and the budget for the city of Madison....and he did again what the citizens of Madison have COUNTED on him to do....come thru for them.... Best wishes on a speedy recovery, Paul Soglin. After all these years....we are still counting on you...