What You Do?...

We do many things. I know it seems like an ever revolving good time camping, fishing and grandchildren escapade around here but there are actually things that we do to help people. We volunteer for St. Vincent de Paul which can be a full time job if you are carrying the on call phone and are often called to play music for funerals, weddings and Quinceaneras by our church family. Lately we have been handing out red cards. 

All people in the USA have rights and protections under the Constitution. You may have seen a TV show where they said, "innocent until proven guilty." It's true and the red cards give examples of how you can exercise your rights. They are not legal advice and for this it's advised you check with a trusted legal provider. 

In case you think this is some radical thing the Catholic Bishop of Tyler put of this letter and it's a document the Catholic Bishops of the United States are in agreement with as they support vulnerable migrant populations. As I am a member of the local Catholic Church I'm glad to see this. 

So far we are on our second box of cards well on the way to distributing close to 500 in the community. We give handfuls to friends and they spread out from there. 

If you need some red cards they can be ordered from a Union shop and you can also be supporting good jobs, wages and benefits or you can download a form and have your own printed in business card format   

You can also see me for a handful of red cards. 

All these things that we can do for our community, our church family or your friends might not seem like much but hopefully they will add up especially as everyone gets involved. 

 

  

  

Halloween, Marching Saints, Tuba, It's Some Kind of Doctrine...

 I don't think anyone has invited me to a good Halloween party in a long time. I'm talking about a party like the ones they used to have 45 years ago at that big old house out in Woden, Tx. There might be reasons for that lack of invitations and after all the house did burn down but it has not keep me from costuming. Maybe the last real Halloween party I was invited to was one I threw myself.  

Halloween is kind of a high holy day for us and I have written about all that stuff before. I asked Cathy to marry me this day. Granny Wallace was born on Halloween as was our daughter Rose, Cathy's brother John, cousin Tommy as well as several of our friends. 

Oct 31st this year as I was invited to zero parties but we did play at the Anticipatory Mass for Nov. 1st All Saints Day. Every year Cathy lets me play tuba for the Saints Go Marching In. Actually this year she also let me play tuba on "Dos Esta Aqui." I really appreciate my Pastor Father Denzil. He's unflappable when he comes into the church and sees a guy sitting there with a tuba. Instead of  being concerned that things are going to get out of hand Liturgically he says, "where's Mary with the drums?" I promise next year to work on adding a little more swing to Saints. 

This past weekend I played at another local church. The music was good, the people are my friends and I got to eat a good meal and socialize afterwards. 

I did see something yesterday that reminded me to forgive and keep my mouth shut which is what I did when the visiting pastor who gave the sermon got things all wrong about Catholics, Saints and relics. I mean there might have been some confusion a few hundred years ago on these subjects but failable human mortals who usually have more things in common than things different keep moving forward and trying to get things right. Who am I to get in a contest on who has said the right thing and the wrong thing. I might win. 

Just for the record, for All saints Day I'll borrow something my friend Deacon Gary whose birthday also happens to be on Halloween wrote:

Why do Catholics ask the saint to intercede for them? Isn’t this just a false doctrine created by man? Why would we ask a “dead” person to pray for us, instead of just asking God directly? Jesus is the only one who saves us, so why do Catholics do this?

Many non-Catholic Christians believe that it is wrong to pray to the saints, claiming that our prayers should be directed to God alone. True worship (as opposed to veneration or honor) does indeed belong to God alone, and we should never worship man or any other creature as we worship God. But while worship may take the form of prayer, as in the Mass and other liturgies of the Church, not all prayer is worship. When we pray to the saints, we’re simply asking them to help us, by praying to God on our behalf, or thanking them for having already done so.

Now some may take this as a grain of salt being that the good Deacon also thinks that the Dallas Cowboys are the best football team but anything you want to know about what a major faith or religion believes is on some kind of official website that just sits there ready to educate and inform with out making big headlines or lots of noise. Even if you are a non believer it will not hurt you to know stuff.

November is a month that the Catholic Community traditionally remembers those who have died. My mom has been gone three years this month. Undoubtedly she is a Saint in Heaven. My dad, a pretty good guy even though prone to occasionally do what we called "cussing and rarin" is probably in Heaven and who would not want a guy "cussin and rarin" on their behalf to the powers that be. Cathy's parents, Linda and Bill were people of faith and despite all Bill's banjo playing they did good things all their lives. There I said it. Banjo players are good people.

I didn't get invited to a party last night but I got away with playing tuba at Mass. With all that's going on in the world I think we should work on swinging our tunes a little more, getting Mary playing drums for Father D and find out why in the heck there is a town in east Texas named after the The Germanic chief god, distributor of talents and god of wisdom and war. 

 

  

Toughest Guy I Know...

It was a big weekend with Miguel's sister Crystal marrying Herbey. It was a great wedding, we played the music and a fine celebration of uniting the two families. The most outstanding event of the weekend to me was that Miguel Sr. walked his daughter down the isle and then danced with her at the reception afterwards. He's the toughest guy I know. 

If you are a long time blog reader or know the families involved you are familiar with the story. In 2013 Miguel Sr. had a minor stroke, spent a bit of time in rehab recovering and was almost ready to go home when he had a major stroke. When I say major I mean the kind that people do not recover from. 

After almost a year in hospitals and rehab facilities he came home. He's limited in mobility but has kept working and exercising each day. Most of you know I retired as a physical therapist assistant with experience in the neuro rehab field and I have seen steady incremental improvements that he has been able to achieve through his never quit, give up or lose faith attitude. Don Miguel described his daily routine to me this weekend and I doubt most of you do as much.    

Cathy says she is glad we were at the wedding rehearsal and found out he planned on walking his daughter down the isle. She said "I might have not been able to play the guitar for crying so hard at seeing this." As you see his wife Alejandra and family has stood by him the whole way. Miguel Sr. can even pitch in with some grandkid babysitting if everyone is fed and changed to set things up good.  

Father/Daughter dance makes it all worth it. 

Next time you think it's too hard, you want to quit and can't go on remind yourself to be like Don Miguel and get tough. You can make it.  

 

Where is Bob Dylan...

Miguel Sr. is better. While his condition after a stroke is still serious there are encouraging signs. He now opens his eyes, squeezes your hand, nods or blinks yes or no and he can find Bob Dylan. That means his sense of humor for a family joke is intact.

Somehow Miguel Jr. came to call his sister Selena Bob Dylan. Don't you call her Bob Dylan. She hates it. For that matter don't call me Bob Dylan either. I would hate it. Yesterday with the family around the hospital bed some one asked Miguel Sr. the family joke, "Where's Bob Dylan?" and he turned and looked right at Selena. 

Things are a bit better. Thanks for the prayers. They are working. 

The Christmas Possum and Other Stories...

Miguel Sr. is still in the hospital. He might look a little better today after his surgery yesterday but things are still very serious. Please pray for him. Even though he is sick and lies unknowing in a hospital bed for the time being life goes on around us. 

This morning I plunge through the door at 6am headed to work. On my door step doing it's best baby Jesus imitation is a possum in a wire cage.Instead of wrapped in swaddling clothes it's wrapped in a Dallas Cowboys blanket. It has this note:

Seems in the middle of the night at the Zamora home a very large possum in the attic crosses the pull down steps and the steps sink down to the the lower level, the people part of the house and expose possum to people. An hour long chase ensues, possum ends up wearing Mary's boots but Miguel nets possum like a Greek fisherman nets squid in the Aegean Sea. Possum ends up at my house. I am in a hurry, work awaits and I am busy there. No time for possum so I release him right there in the garage. Possum runs in flower bed and hides. Here's what hiding possum looks like:

Shortly we will be gathering for Christmas. We will draw names to see who brings the Christmas possum next year. 

As I mentioned I am busy at work. I will see patients at two different facilities both days this weekend.  Some one told me I would be bored with nursing home work. I'm not. There are plenty of challenges. Cathy is also working a 7 on 7 off at night and we have been passing each other in the doorway lately. That's ok. Work is a good thing. 

On the guitar making front I sold another guitar. It was the Big Ben can guitar. Use the blog search feature and you can find it. I have another very sweet one that I think is the best I have made. Pictures to come soon. 

Tomorrow is Selena, Miguel's sister's 14th birthday. Friend her on facebook. Maybe you will get invited to the big Quiencera to be held when she turns 15 next year. We will be playing the music for the Mass. 

So there you have it. All this uproar almost has me night screaming and I did not even relate the dream I had last night. It was a pretty good dream but a little strange and I'll save that for later. 

As I say, life goes on. I know this is mostly the stuff about me but I know it goes on around you also. 

Some Days You Never Want Them to End...

Then there are some days you are glad they ended. Here's a photo of Miguel Sr. with daughters Ashley and Selena from a beach trip we made a couple of years ago. It was a day that you would not ever want to end. 

Today is not so great. Miguel is in ICU after a third stroke and a surgery to relieve pressure on the brain. He is stable and we pray for the best. 

One thing that is the same today as the day we gathered at the beach is that family and friends are together. It's not been fun in the sun but that same love and hope for good things is what we share in our prayers for Miguel to heal and smile with us again.    

Prayers for Miguel...

Our friend Miguel Zamora, Mary's father in law, has had a second stroke. It has left him weaker than the first stoke but at the last news I had he is alert and recognizes people. He seems to be doing fair considering the seriousness of the situation.

Here's a photo from a 2012 beach trip of Miguel, his wife Alejandra, Cathy and their daughter Selena. 

Please keep this family in your prayers.  

How About a Prayer for Don Miguel...

Miguel Jr's dad, Don Miguel had a stroke last week. He is doing well and expects a full recovery but you guys remember him in your prayers. 

My Aunt Passes On...

My Aunt Aloise passed away last night. She was married to my Dad's oldest brother, Leonard. Please keep her family, daughter Sue, husband Duncan and kids, grand kids and other family in your prayers.

Sky Pictures...

What a weekend, very busy. I did not have my camera with me so I'll narrate it with some sky and field pictures Cathy made last week around the house that I think are pretty good.

Friday night I played harp with the Stone Wall Rockers for the Pink Pearl Pajama Party Benefit for the American Cancer Society. Next Stone Wall gig is a road trip to Longview on March 13th.


Saturday was the Humble Texas Taekwondo tournament. Got up at 4:30am to drive there. Mary placed 1st sparring, Morgan placed second in all categories, form, sparring and weapon, I placed second in form, third in sparring. Not bad for me considering the amount of time I have spent training lately. Most of the time I am teaching white, orange and yellow belts on Monday and Wednesday. I drill the fundementals, but not getting the cardio workout I need to really be competitive. On top of the competition I judged in several rings including a ring of tiny tigers which are 5 year olds. That was a first. I usually don't do tigers. I also forgot my camera which is why there are no TKD pictures, first time in nine years I have not taken a camera to a tournament.

But as life goes on with all this fun there is sadness. A guy I used to work with at the mill passed this weekend. Bob was an old biker dude and some times, back in the day when my hair was long people got us mixed up. They would ask me how the bike was or they would tell him how much they like what he played at church Sunday. He lived a few miles from here and when our kids were little they often played together. I'll keep his family in my prayers.

Hurricane Hot Outside...

O, Mary, Star of the Sea, Mother of God, we present ourselves in Thy sight in all humility to thank Thee for Thy maternal protection. We who are in constant danger from the perils of storms and flooding humbly thank Thee for Thy loving protection, which Thou hast shown our entire area these past years. We offer this through Jesus Christ, Your only Son who lives and reigns with one God forever and ever. Amen.

I'm getting ready for the Hurricane with a little prayer they say every Mass down at St Mary Star of the Sea, a little mission church on the West End of Galveston Island.

I bet you could call on those two guys standing behind Mary in the picture and they would help also

Goofy grad pictures...

Got these from a company that snapped shots as we walked across the stage. They want me to buy them.

Pose 1, if you can read the caption, shows me shaking hands with some one that never lectured in any of my classes, never had to hear me cry and help me wipe my tears or has any idea what night screaming is all about. Notice the tassel swinging out jauntily.

Pose 2 was found posted on one of those terrorist web sites that they use to whip other wise normal folks into a frenzy over one thing or another. I forget which side it was on. I was advertised as either the new secret weapon or the new secret weapon for the other side, I forget which they were claiming. Note the tassel. Stuck in my whiskers. I was aware of this at the time, all I could think was "blew that shot."

By the way, I scheduled my board exam. It's June 14th in Tyler at high noon. Don't worry, this is not an invite to be there, just keep me in your prayers that day.

Al Largent Passes away...

An old friend, Al Largent passed away yesterday. He leaves behind his wife, Madeline. They had been married 55 years I think is what she told me yesterday. I know in these days when relationships tend not to last too long sometimes, the divorce rate is 50% and people get married later in life some of us will miss out on this kind of commitment. I can only guess how much she will miss him.

I guess I have know the Largents most of my adult life. I went to school with their son, Mike. Al worked at the mill. Madeline worked at the credit union there and made me the first auto loan I ever had. Thanks a lot Madeline. I guess when Morgan was about 12 or so we began mowing and raking their yard, his first job. I continued to do this myself after he went to work at the TKD school and it gave me and the Largents many hours to visit. It was pretty easy to do this yard work as a little sideline while I worked shift work at the mill, but once I went back to school, attending classes in the day and working weekends there was just not enough hours to continue this. We would still see each other at various St Patrick activities and Madaline keeps up a lively email stream.

I'll be a pall bearer. funeral is Monday at 10. Please remember the family in your prayers.

On the Way...

A new family member, soon to be born, (well it's a while yet) to Cathy's sister Margaret and husband Kevin. An older you will get exclusive and here's the pictures.












This is 12 weeks. Cathy says this is a four D scan. Makes it look more like a baby than a bunch of aliens grappling around at the bottom of one of those holes I am always looking in.

So keep them in your prayers. They will need them most when those teenage years hit.