Harden Not Your Hearts

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays. The sun rises and the sun goes down; then it presses on to the place where it rises. Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north, the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds. All rivers go to the sea, yet never does the sea become full. To the place where they go, the rivers keep on going. All speech is labored; there is nothing man can say. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor is the ear filled with hearing. What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun. Even the thing of which we say, "See, this is new!" has already existed in the ages that preceded us. There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them. I, Qoheleth, was king over Israel in Jerusalem, and I applied my mind to search and investigate in wisdom all things that are done under the sun. A thankless task God has appointed for men to be busied about. For in much wisdom there is much sorrow, and he who stores up knowledge stores up grief. - Ecclesiastes 1:1-18

What has come to pass has passed, what is to come will come. Nothing more do we know, nothing more should we know. We should never forget where our lives, our essence comes from. We are nothing but crude matter; it is only through Christ and His sacrificial love do we come to know the Father and through the Father have life.

Nothing more, nothing less. May God bless you with a wonderful week.

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. - Psalms 95:7-8

The Dreary Rains of February

The day has been a soaked one. The rain system of Californian Mudslide fame has decided to occupy Texas with its daylong drenching rains. So be it.

Despite the elements, I decided—rain or shine—that today I needed to get a haircut...2 months since my last. Heck, I'm a college student trying to save a couple bucks. So I decide upon myself to trek across campus in the never-ending rains, those dreary rains of February. I wasn't totally crazy. I did have my trusty 3-dollar black Wal-Mart umbrella with me, while almost getting blown away it it a couple times along the way.

Anyway, where was I? Oh, right...going across campus in the rain. By the time I reached the MSC (layperson's term: student center), I noticed a whole bunch of high school people. You know, munckins with big egos. Anyway, it turns out they were here for some sort of JROTC event or something with the Corps. We've been getting a lot more high school groups these days...the 'diversity' groups. Sbisa has been overrun with them around lunchtime. You can always recognize them...they're the ones that go straight for the pizza in the back. Never fails.

It's always so interesting to sit and watch the little buggers. Reminds me of how many years removed I am from their world...and how ever many more that I have left to be truly accepted as not just some "college kid." Those people irritate the hell out of me. Well, thankfully February is nearly over...maybe some sunshine is in store for Texas. Then again, maybe not.

Bon Mardi Gras Vous!

I'm sure that I butchered the title, but I figured if there was one day to do attempt it...and saying anything in French, it's today. It's supposed to be "Happy Mardi Gras to you," but the translation is up in the air. Take your best guess of what it really is. Anyway, if you don't know what today is, shame on you! You should get out more and head down to New Orleans (As the know-nothing Yankees pronounce it nu 'orl-y&nz or how it's supposed to be pronounced nu 'or-l&nz) for a good time and enjoy it...next year. After all Mardi Gras is now all but done. For a good Catholic interpretation of the holiday (where it first got started, after all) go to the web site AmericanCatholic.org for the down low on a decadent holiday that, in the words of Frank Davis, has become "Naturally N'Awlins."

Today, however auspicious here in College Station, has not served much to appease any such Carnival Time that has transpired the past month or so in my birthplace. No less, I have gotten into the Carnival mood for one day, albeit without king cake or much fanfare, but it has made me all the better. It's been bright today and better weather. And if there's only a few songs from home to console me in my time away. Merriment isn't bad in itself, rather the debauchery that has come to be emblematic of the proceedings down in the Crescent City have done a disservice to a fun, friendly, and perfectly wonderful holiday of parades, a little excessive feasting, and the enjoyment of great company.

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez, Y'all!