Sarejevo, 100 Years On

Contemporary article from the Library of Congress archive of the New York Tribune:

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1914-06-29/ed-1/seq-1.jp2

In Flanders Fields -- WWI 100 years on

On this day 100 years ago, with the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip, an inevitable (as it appeared at the time) chain of events was set into motion, leading to "The Great War" or "The War to End All Wars."  The world hadn't yet lost its certain belief in the nobility of armed conflict when these haunting words were penned by Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae in 1915.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

      Between the crosses, row on row,

   That mark our place; and in the sky

   The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

   Loved and were loved, and now we lie

         In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

   The torch; be yours to hold it high.

   If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

         In Flanders fields.

Sunday Quick Takes

What has two thumbs and walked out of the Publix singing the descant  part two "Have you never been mellow?"

Yeah, this girl.

Raking up the infuriating cypress branch leavings is a great way to be forced to focus on spiritual metaphors. Our first parents were put in a garden, and I don't think they were merely put there to wander amidst the greenery. Adam tended the garden… It is the same jobthat God  assigned him when he was forced to leave Eden. I wonder how much of the cycle of life Adam and Eve saw before they left Paradise. Did they see renewal and resurgence? Where there periods of dormancy? Where there fall colors and shedding of leaves?

The hard work wasn't the curse… But being forced to rely on it for a livelihood was.

When Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to us, he said "I will not leave you comfortless. I will send a comforter, the Holy Spirit…"However, and I believe this may be an original thought to me, he did not say "The Spirit will make you comfortable."

Like the Proverbs 31 woman, today I "considered a [dishwasher], and bought it."  Unlike her, I had the Consumer Reports ratings available to me.

Headed into another slammed up week. I already know I cannot get everything done, but I have to get so many things done in the next two days that I am quite concerned.

First up, now that Windows has opened on the laptop, is to finish my nurse practitioner certification self-assessment test. Let's hear it for pediatric rashes!

Trying again

This time with two-step sign-in for my accounts.  

Let's hope this stops the drug ads.

Frustration with random posts, ill-intentioned people

Let's hope that this PW change (which I couldn't do from the Blogger app, btw) gets rid of random mercenary posts from this blog. 

Announcement of Easter and the Moveable Feasts

For 2014, Dioceses with the Ascension Celebrated on Sunday

Know, dear brothers and sisters, that, as we have rejoiced at the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, so by leave of God’s mercy we announce to you also the joy of his Resurrection, who is our Saviour. 

On the Fifth day of March will fall Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of the fast of the most sacred Lenten season. 

On the Twentieth day of April you will celebrate with Joy Easter Day, the Paschal feast of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

On the First day of June will be the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

On the Eighth day of June the feast of Pentecost. 

On the Twenty-Second day of June, the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. 

On the Thirtieth day of November the First Sunday of Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honour and glory for ever and ever. 

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Lovely old tradition.  It's also easy to imagine having all of the weekly announcements chanted to this tune (quite similar to the Exultet.)