Chad Is Not Enough

Had dinner with tim staples

2010-02-27T14:41:00.001-06:00

Had dinner with tim staples last night. No biggie.

Another Mantoloking Review

2009-08-19T09:28:00.001-05:00

From Kansas City's Ink

CD release show this Friday at Czar Bar, downtown KC.

I Just Need My Car

2009-08-09T15:57:00.000-05:00

See me in rockstar mode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB0JArXOBes

PresentMagazine.com Review - Mantoloking

2009-07-30T08:46:00.001-05:00

First review of our new album, Mantoloking.

I Tried Again

2009-07-10T15:51:00.003-05:00

For those who didn't know, I play in a band called The Sexy Accident. We just recorded a new album with producer Steve Fisk (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Screaming Trees) and we just released the first mp3 from it.

Hope you like it!
And old albums that I didn't play on can be downloaded for free at sexyaccident.com

Jesse Describes Our Upcoming Album

2009-07-02T08:29:00.000-05:00

http://www.jessekates.com/2009/07/mmmmmmastering.html

Reformation Meets Rome

2009-02-25T08:38:00.001-06:00

Check it out.

25 Random Things

2009-01-29T22:30:00.000-06:00

Alicia tagged me. And others have on facebook.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

I really enjoy splatstick gore comedy horror movies. Like Evil Dead 2 and Peter Jackson's Dead Alive.
I didn't start eating salad until about a year ago.
I'm a big Pixar fan and watch all their documentaries and director commentaries. The Incredibles is probably my favorite Pixar film thus far.
I have horrible thoughts. I'm thankful for the Church's teaching on sin and consent of the will.
I like my fruit very tarty and chilled.
When I sneeze, I often hold my nose with my hand and just sneeze out of my mouth. My wife thinks this is horribly disgusting.
My hands are very dry and cracked right now.
But I hate lotion.
My ideal vacation is either sitting around reading or downhill skiing.
I'm a big fan of both Michael Card and Nine Inch Nails.
I think I enjoy reading about classics more than reading the classics themselves.
I picked up The Davinci Code book-on-CD at the library the other day. I got about halfway through and don't see myself finishing it. The writing is just terrible.
I probably enjoy too much not being bothered by some things that really bother others.
I haven't worn my wedding ring in 8 months.
Leave-in conditioner is my secret formula.
I have fingernail clippers everywhere. Helps me not bite them.
I recently lost about 45 lbs.
I still have slight moobs, love handles, and a flabby gut. This is extremely depressing.
Doing HVAC work in an old house's crawl space is a true nightmare (which includes small animal skeletons).
I recently read two short books in preparation for their upcoming movie versions: the graphic novel Watchmen and Neil Gaiman's Coraline. I enjoyed both!
I love being a dad. I also miss hanging out with my best friends nearly every night.
I really like it when Brendan (3) gets up in the morning and eats breakfast with me before I leave. He says really cute things like "have a good day at wuk!" and tells me he loves me. Ditto, buddy. Ditto.
I say "niiiice" way too much. Both in sarcasm and not.
I've been serving (as a clerk/subdeacon or acolyte) for the Anglican Use of the Roman Rite for the past several months. I'm starting to get the hang of it, I hope. Maintaining that posture (hands together in front) really hurts my upper back by the end though.
I saved Latin. What did you ever do?

Video: Anglican Use in KC

2009-01-26T18:55:00.003-06:00

Chris over at LL has posted the video. I'm on the far left, with winter beard still intact:

Video: Anglican Use in KC

via Lost Lambs by Christopher on 1/26/09

Here is a short video clip of the Anglican Use liturgy at St. Therese in Kansas City Missouri.
The clip is part of the Roman Canon it appears the translation is in line with the wording / language of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer but of course made to conform to be in union with the Bishop of Rome.

Take a look /listen and as always comments are appreciated.

Here is the text of the canon that is being prayed in the video:

MOST MERCIFUL FATHER, we humbly pray thee, through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, and we ask, that thou accept and + bless these gifts, these presents, these holy and unspoiled sacrifices.

We offer them unto thee, first, for thy holy Catholic Church: that thou vouchsafe to keep it in peace, to guard, unite, and govern it throughout the whole world; together with thy servant N. our Pope, and N. our Bishop, and all the faithful guardians of the Catholic and Apostolic faith.

Remember, O Lord, thy servants and handmaids (N. and N.) and all who here around us stand, whose faith is known unto thee and their steadfastness manifest, on whose behalf we offer unto thee: or who themselves offer unto thee this sacrifice of praise, for themselves, and for all who are theirs: for the redemption of their souls, for the hope of their salvation and safety: and who offer their prayers unto thee, the eternal God, the living and true.

United in one communion, we venerate the memory, first, of the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord Jesus Christ, of Joseph her spouse; as also of thy blessed Apostles and Martyrs…

I Heart My Library

2009-01-21T09:53:00.001-06:00

I just go online, tell the thing what I want, then they email me when it arrives at my local branch. Too bad they don't ship to my house for free as well!!

1 Fire of mercy, heart of the Word : meditations on the Gospel according
to Saint Matthew / Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis ; foreword by Louis Bouyer.
Leiva-Merikakis, Erasmo, 1946-
call number:BS2575.4 .L34 1996 V.01 copy:1

2 The hidden manna : a theology of the Eucharist / James T. O'Connor.
O'Connor, James T. (James Thomas)
call number:BX2215.2 .027 2005 copy:1

3 Another sort of learning : selected contrary essays on the completion of
our knowing, or, how to finally acquire an education while still in
college, or anywhere else ... / James V. Schall.
Schall, James V.
call number:LB41 .S288 1988 copy:1

Happy Birthday Lillian!

2009-01-15T14:32:00.003-06:00

My daughter Lillian Audrey turned 1 on Dec 29th, 2008. I've been a terrible blogger lately, but thought I'd post a belated Happy Birthday post for her with before after pics!

Band Name Meme

2008-11-21T18:53:00.001-06:00

From the Whapsters:

Band Name: Random Wikipeda Link
Album Title: Random quote generator (take the last four words from the first quote on the page)
Album Art: Flickr Interesting Photo (pick one)

Mine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_Hall
http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/1055.html
http://www.flickr.com/nephotos/disymike/3034409026/sizes/o/

Crickets

2008-11-20T12:17:00.002-06:00

Long time, no updatey.

Lately I've been doing more short updates on my facebook page than using this blog. I haven't had anything substantial to write here, I guess. You're welcome to connect with me there.

Anywho, some brief updates:

FAM:

Lillian started walking.

Brendan is taking forever to potty train. We're talking months here.

Alicia's staying busy with the kids, her awesome craft projects, and delicious baking and meals.

Updates on these things on her blog.

FITNESSE:

I've lost only 1.5 lbs of fat in the last 11 weeks. I went from 13.6% body fat to 12.9%. Discouraging. I was focusing more on weightlifting strength with Stronglifts 5x5 program.

I really enjoy the basic, compound movements I've learned with Stronglifts. I think I'm going to cut a couple exercises, and focus on doing 5x10, with the first two sets being warm-up. I'm also going to do them in circuit to keep the heart rate up and get it done faster.

I was doing a little cardio the last 11 weeks. I'm going to try to go back to more running, which was pretty successful for my weight loss before.

I will also try to make the group "Boot Camp" workouts once or twice a week at my YMCA. These are pretty intense circuit training routines that nearly always make me want to puke and make me feel real skinny afterwards.

RELIGIOSO:

Nothing much new. Really enjoying Vicaire's biography of St. Dominic and Anne Rice's conversion memoirs.

My prayers are undisciplined and scattered. Help me believe another day is common. I still love the Mass. I thank God for the Our Father, Hail Mary and other pre-written prayers. When people put down set prayers it makes me really angry. How can they mock what is so helpful to me spiritually?

In only a few weeks we'll be doing a full Anglican Use Mass. I've been serving every third week for its Liturgy of the Word, carrying the processional cross, reading the epistle, etc. I consider it a great privilege. Unfortunately, my upper back starts hurting almost immediately as I begin. Maybe I need some better dress shoes? Are the hands in front throwing off my posture? Ah well, opportunity for redemptive suffering I suppose...

Happy Reformation Day Again

2008-10-31T11:40:00.001-05:00

With Luther another kind of division that had its roots in Augustine appeared in the Church. The split between Donatists and Catholics that rent the Church of his African homeland caused the great doctor of the Church to distinguish with a sharpness until then unknown between the theological greatness of the Church as a salvific reality and her empirical existence: many who seem to be in the Church are outside her; many who seem to be outside her are in her. The true Church is the number of the predestined who, on the one hand, transcend the visible Church while, on the other hand, the reprobate are present at her very center. For Augustine, it must be admitted, this concept had no adverse repercussions with regard to the value of the sacramental and apostolic structure of the Church and her tradition. But the great Western schism of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries had imbued it with a degree of realism that would have been inconceivable up to that time. For nearly half a century, the Church was split into two or three obediences that excommunicated one another, so that every Catholic lived under excommunication by one pope or another, and, in the last analysis, no one could saw with certainty which of the contenders had right on his side. The Church no longer offered certainty of salvation; she had become questionable in her whole objective form—the true Church, the true pledge of salvation, had to be sought outside the institution. It is against this background of a profoundly shaken ecclesial consciousness that we are to understand that Luther, in the conflict between his search for salvation and the tradition of the Church, ultimately came to experience the Church, not as the guarantor, but as the adversary of salvation.

- Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Principles of Catholic Theology: Building Stones for a Fundamental Theology, p. 196. (Emphasis mine.)

HT: Wei Hsien

Happy Reformation Day

2008-10-31T10:59:00.001-05:00

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

See the Show

2008-10-15T14:08:00.001-05:00

If you're in Kansas City, or you don't mind driving long distances for incredible rock shows, I hereby invite you to see me play guitar this Friday night at 10 pm at The Brick in Kansas City. I play 2nd guitar in the band I recently joined, The Sexy Accident. Bring yer earplugs.

And if you can't make it, could you spread the word by "becoming a fan" on Facebook!?

Thanks y'all.

Why aren't you catholic?

2008-10-13T18:00:00.002-05:00

Why Andrew ain't Catholic:

Why aren't you catholic?

. . .

In addition, I find in Catholicism, an unadulterated beauty that is sorely lacking among most protestants (with the possible exception of Anglicans and some of the strange high-church Methodists and Baptists with whom I've shared fellowship). Aquinas' vision of the soul's journey toward friendship with God (and, subsequently Bonaventure's vision of the soul's ascent) provide, for me, the most aesthetically pleasing understanding of the purpose of human toil within the bounds of the Church catholic.

. . .

audiobleg

2008-10-08T08:44:00.001-05:00

We'll be doing a decent amount of driving this coming holiday season. If anyone has audiobook CD or digital download they recommend that I can get here, could you let me know? I'm somewhat tired of podcasts (and already have a couple lifetimes-worth downloaded and waiting for me to listen to them), so I'd like to focus on audiobooks.

Richard has already recommended Three Cups of Tea and that's been put on hold.

zoo2

2008-10-05T23:58:00.001-05:00

At the Zoo with the Fam This Weekend

2008-10-05T23:58:00.000-05:00

Reading

2008-09-30T17:03:00.001-05:00

I've been getting a good deal of reading done on the bus lately, but unfortunately I've had a couple setbacks as well: 2 books I've had to put down for while because they are simply too over my head. Gilson's Spirit of Medieval Philosophy and Pieper's The Four Cardinal Virtues. They are both ones I hope to come back to.

Other books I have finished are Kenneth Miller's Only A Theory (3/4 stars), Heather King's Redeemed (4/4 stars), James Akin's The Salvation Controversy (3/4 stars, since most of this is available online), Pieper's Guide to Thomas Aquinas (4/4 stars), and Msgr. Ronald Knox's The Belief of Catholics (3/4 stars).

More Good Catholic Preachin'

2008-09-23T08:46:00.001-05:00

These aren't homilies, but extended, exegetical scripture studies:

http://www.atonementonline.com/podcasts/index.php

MS

2008-09-22T15:23:00.001-05:00

Where has Matthew Sweet been my whole power-pop-loving life!?! I've probably listened to "Sick of Myself" about 20 times this past weekend.

I Squat

2008-09-12T10:48:00.002-05:00

Therefore I hurt.

Language Warn!

Catholic Pacifism

2008-09-12T07:03:00.000-05:00

A friend asks: Where does the Catholic Church stand on non-violence and pacifism?

I answer,

It's an acceptable view and one that many in the Catholic Church
definitely lean toward, but the Church has always maintained both
the individual's and the state's right to use lethal force in
self-defense.

I then look for something to back this up:

From Mark Shea, with quote from the Catechism [emphasis mine]:

http://markshea.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html#930507617314591674

. . .

[We] discover in my comboxes somebody making the
astonishing assertion that pacifism is not consonant with Catholicism.

Sorry, but this astonishing assertion is just false. The Church does
not function according to the notion "that which is not forbidden is
compulsory." The fact that the majority of Catholics (including me)
hold to some form of Just War teaching does not mean that the minority
who embrace pacifism of "bad Catholics". On the contrary, it is
notable that before it even begins the discussion of Just War
doctrine, the Catechism prefaces the whole discussion with this:

2306 Those who renounce violence and bloodshed and, in order to
safeguard human rights, make use of those means of defense available
to the weakest, bear witness to evangelical charity, provided they do
so without harming the rights and obligations of other men and
societies. They bear legitimate witness to the gravity of the physical
and moral risks of recourse to violence, with all its destruction and
death.

Just war doctrine is, at its very best, a concession to human weakness
and sin. It is not a Catholic ideal, but simply a prudent attempt to
deal with the fact that we live in a fallen world. In other words, the
purpose of Just War teaching is to restrain and make it as difficult
as possible to go to war. It is not to provide us with some arbitrary
rules which, if lawyered correctly, allow us to pull out the stops and
start kicking ass with the enthusiastic support of the Blessed Trinity
on our side and anybody who fails to thrill to creative destruction as
a contemptible wimp. It is all too easy for us to forget that and to
speak of war as a positive good and to condemn pacifists as enemies of
that good. In fact, the tradition sees them as legitimate witnesses to
the higher good while not condemning the advocate of a truly just war.

. . .

Translated Freestyle Rap Battle

2008-09-12T07:02:00.001-05:00

HT: Johnny

Wire Art

2008-09-12T07:01:00.000-05:00

Like all White People, I love HBO's The Wire. Solid writing, engaging (and long!) storylines...

When I read about it or watch the creators talk about it, I can't get past how openly preachy they want the show to be. This season is going to address this issue and show how we as America are failing, etc. Most art that goes down this path ends up completely cornball. How they managed to avoid that is something all Christians involved in art would do well to consider.

Meet Me In St. Louis

2008-09-11T19:07:00.001-05:00

http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=32728792754

Diet Advice

2008-09-10T12:05:00.002-05:00

Now that I've lost over 40 lbs., I'm officially a diet expert. You may call me guru, if you like. Expect to see my skinny mug at your local B&N soon.

My advice? Spend some time seriously considering how you relate to food. When do you eat too much? When do you eat crap? Then ignore diets and tips that don't address your issues. One of my problems was snacking too much, too often, and/or too late at night. So, I generally ignored advice that encouraged eating 6-8 meals to keep metabolism going, etc. That can get pretty complicated and I felt the temptation to overeat would be too great. I also avoided plans that were too specific on what to eat and avoid. Much of the food I eat is graciously and deliciously prepared by my wife and I wanted to generally eat what was put before me, albeit in much smaller portions!

My plan ended up being very similar to what I later found in the No-S Diet, except I tried not to cheat at all, even on weekends. If you do cheat, only eat half of your cheat or just a bite. But tell yourself that was still a cheat and not to do it again, fat ass.

Make some strict rules for yourself and don't break them. Every day you keep them, which you will, make an X on the calendar.

What about exercise? If your exercise is easy and fun, it's probably not doing crap. Do something difficult that's known to get results. Learn how to do it correctly set some short goals and there's a good chance you'll enjoy it in time. I recommend Podrunner's First Day to 5k. I've gotten at least 3 people hooked on this. If you can only do stuff at home or the office, do pushups and squats, not crunches. If you have a treadmill or stationary bike or other cardio device, do High Intensity Intervals. The only way to read First Things and lose weight at the same time is on the porcelain throne, not the elliptical machine.

Deny yourself. Say no to yourself more than yes. If your tempted to say yes, distract yourself with something healthy like pounding a liter of water or going for a brisk walk to the nice bathrooms on the other side of your employer's campus.

Issues

2008-09-08T17:01:00.001-05:00

When discussing my conversion with the Yonke's, Erin asked me what, if any, major issues I had with Catholicism before I came into the Church. My recent radio interview didn't give much detail on this. And to be honest, it's hard for me to remember what the difficult things were. A lot of it really fell into place as I read the arguments.

But here are some that have come to mind after thinking back:

That in Catholicism the sacrament of marriage seemed "stronger" than most of the others. Why is that the case? Marriage is indissoluble. Once married, always married. But salvation seemed so easily lost! Apostasy always lurking around the corner! Always on the lookout for mortal sin...
I remember thinking at one point that the Marian dogmas, while certainly possible, were unnecessarily lifted above the category of pious opinions to de fide teachings. I think I'd heard some Orthodox folks make this case. Later on, I felt fairly comfortable with the Church's teaching authority, and could accept the Marian dogmas in good faith. But I still thought there was way too much devotion and much of it deserved criticism. I wondered out loud and online at the time if this were an acceptable position for a convert to hold.
There were some disciplinary things about the Church that just seemed overly legalistic. And the fact that these adjustable rules could be binding on the faithful, considered to be grave matter; this seemed just ridiculous and pharisaical.

This Past Weekend

2008-09-08T15:04:00.001-05:00

The Sexy Accident show at Cal's Bar in Chicago went really well. You've got to admire a club that advertises such choice quotes as:

"The lighting is terrible, the place smells like a giant ashtray and you can get PBR or Schlitz for $2...."

After, I drove to Aurora and stayed at the Yonke's. Matt and I were up to 3 AM or so discussing our conversion and sundry items over some satisfyingly tasty Jameson 18 Year Old whiskey.

After a hearty breakfast the following morning, I took a big breath of eastern air with that previously neglected other lung and worshiped at my first Divine Liturgy. Unfortunately, I had lost my voice the previous day and had little to add to the incredible singing besides good intentions.

Thanks again to Matt and Erin and Ambrose and Peter! And to my wonderful wife for supporting my rockstar illusions!

Heh

2008-09-08T14:35:00.001-05:00

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_TiQCJXpbKg

HT: Presentation Zen

Eat Your Heart Out, Marjoe

2008-09-04T09:41:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zALqMWimBbM

Running Update

2008-09-02T21:16:00.001-05:00

I tried a long run labor day morning and it was pretty depressing. I was shooting for 6-8 miles, with a slightly faster bpm than last time I tried something so long. Well, that slight change in tempo may have made all the difference, cause I got about 4 miles out and had to walk nearly the whole way home. It was mostly joint pain that did me in. Knees and hips. Maybe time for new shoes? Maybe slow down? We'll see how the next long run goes in a week or so. Until then, I think I'm going to work on speeding up my 5k time.

Fitness Update

2008-09-02T21:13:00.001-05:00

Weight loss has stalled the last couple weeks, hovering between 175 and 177 on my cheapo scale. That's a little depressing, but I'm not too worried yet, as some of that may be attributable to the weight training I've begun.

I'm over a week into Strong Lifts 5x5 beginner program. I really like it so far. It's heavy on the squats, which are pretty new to me, and challenging.

Tonight, I'm on week 2, Workout B. Here's what I did:

Squats
105 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5
105 x 5

Overhead Press
50 x 5
50 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5
55 x 5

Deadlift
115 x 5
125 x 5

Pull-ups
x 4
x 2
x 1

Assisted Pull-ups
100 (machine setting) x 7
90 x 7
80 x 7

It all felt pretty good. Last week, I wasn't able to do all my sets of squats with that weight, but I was able to this week. Score. That amount of pull-ups seems really lame, but hopefully if I persevere I can bring it up to less embarrassing number. When I first started dieting and exercising back in February of '08, I couldn't do one!

Chicago Weekend

2008-09-02T16:05:00.001-05:00

This weekend I'll be playing in Chicago with the band I'm in, The Sexy Accident.

My sister is planning on coming up from Normal, IL to see the show!

I'll also get to meet Matt & Erin Yonke in person and attended my first Divine Liturgy at their parish, St. George Byzantine Catholic Church. Good times will be had!

My Conversion Story on the Radio

2008-08-26T22:11:00.003-05:00

The good folks at The Catholic Channel and the Seize the Day program invited me to tell my conversion story live on the radio. It was a great time and the host, Gus LLoyd, was very professional.

I'm obviously not a pro at this, but if you're interested in listening the mp3 can be downloaded here.

Yearbooked Myself

2008-08-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

HT: Johnny

Confirmation Date Set for Candidates

2008-08-21T15:33:00.005-05:00

Fr. Ernie Davis writes concerning confirmation for those wishing to become Catholic in Kansas City, especially a group of former continuing Anglicans:

Bishop Finn will visit St. Therese Parish on December 10 at 7:00 p.m. to confirm those who participate in the preparation program beginning September 7. Sessions will be offered on Sunday mornings at 11:15. To participate in the program it is not necessary to be fully committed to confirmation in the Catholic Church. Nor is it necessary that a person have a background in the Anglican tradition. The curious are most welcome. Children and teens are welcome to participate along with their parents. You are invited to bring guests you think may be interested. If you have questions or need special consideration, please speak with Fr. Ernie Davis.

1. This will be a great opportunity for those wishing to know more about Catholicism, without pressure.
2. And at the same time experience a liturgical Use that is prayed in only a handful of parishes worldwide.
3. And it's a great opportunities for candidates to come into the church. A candidate is a baptized Christian seeking full communion with Mother Church. In most parishes, the candidates are lumped in with the catechumens, who are seeking baptism and the unchatechized Catholics, who are seeking some basic teaching.

Anglican Use Needs A Sacristan

2008-08-20T12:02:00.001-05:00

Fr. Ernie writes:

It would be very helpful to have a sacristan to take charge of helping locate, clean, polish, and assemble everything we will need for the liturgy. Then it would be a matter of preparation for each liturgy. So I really need someone who can train a team to work with him/her as we develop. The sacristan would be key to recognizing the things we don't have, or things that are in disrepair. He/she would have to be a diplomat to respect other members of the parish who prepare for a different distinct liturgy. He/she would almost have to be a bit antiquarian to get started, the kind of person who likes to find treasures in attics or yard sales, beginning with our own.

Great opportunity to be involved in something groundbreaking!

Sirius XM Radio Interview

2008-08-20T08:12:00.003-05:00

**Update** I was on the radio this morning. Gus Lloyd was a very professional host. I was much less articulate than I would've liked, but oh well. They should be sending me a CD of the recording so in a few days I'll have it up here in mp3 form.

For some reason, every time I give my conversion story, I mention dispensationalism, and am then asked, naturally, to give an explanation of what that means. I then really start stumbling over my words and not making any sense because I don't have a good summary of the movement in my head.

Tomorrow I will be on the radio!!

Date: Thursday August 21st 2008

Time: 7:30 am Eastern Time, live for about 15-20 minutes

Air Date: Live

Program Name: Seize the day

Topic: Conversion Corner- Your Journey to the Catholic Faith

Host: Gus Lloyd

Altar Man

2008-08-19T11:27:00.002-05:00

Tonight I begin training to serve at the altar for the upcoming Anglican Use liturgies in Kansas City. I'm incredibly excited!

UPDATE: Had my first training and it was great. For a while it will probably be just one server - me. I will lighting candles, bearing the cross for the procession, lectoring for the 2nd reading (NT), etc. I hope to order my cassock and surplice today! How sweet is that!?

Rejection

2008-08-19T09:56:00.001-05:00

So if a Baptist can reject Westminster and a Pentecostal can reject Dort, why can't a Mormon reject Nicaea or a J-Dub reject Chalcedon? - JJS

Great discussions continue apace at De Regnis Duobus...

Tonight

2008-08-17T22:22:00.002-05:00

Tonight I ran 8.26 miles at 148 BPM in approx. 1:40:10, making my average mile in 12.13 min. I wasn't going for speed at all and had plenty of energy really. But the joints and muscles were pretty sore and stiff by the end. The weather was perfect - cool and dry. My previous personal record, a week-and-a-half ago was about 6 miles.

Now This Is Good Preaching

2008-08-13T09:06:00.001-05:00

I think my protestant friends and family will appreciate this as well:

Freely ye have received, freely give - Dominican Preaching 11th Sunday OT (A)

Br. Anthony Giambrone, O.P., a Dominican transitional deacon at the Dominican House of Studies, preaches at St. Vincent Ferrer Church in NYC on June 15, 2008, the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A).

Why Fr. Ernie Davis Became Catholic

2008-08-12T12:56:00.002-05:00

People often ask, "Why did you become a Catholic?" My short answer is, "Because I finally realized I wasn't."

read the rest.

Anglican Use In Kansas City - Priest Blog and Another

2008-08-11T12:41:00.001-05:00

Fr. Ernie Davis, Pastoral Provision priest and help for the Anglican Use movement here in Kansas City writes:

Dear Folks: I have created my own blog and have asked Jude to make a link to the Our Lady of Hope blog. http://gospel-anglican.blogspot.com/ That way I can try to keep you all posted on our progress. Pray for God's direction and blessing on this huge endeavor! Use the Our Lady of Hope Novena!

The Anglican Use Society here in Kansas City, Our Lady of Hope Society, also has a blog here.

Ran my second 5k

2008-08-11T11:46:00.001-05:00

Ran my second 5k early Sunday morning. It was a big event and tons of fun. I was actually slower than my first one though. :( I felt great throughout...guess I shoulda just picked up the pace.

This morning I biked to work. I'm not sure when I left the house exactly, but I think it took me about 45 minutes. It was challenging! And I think I may need a different route. I took a bike/ped trail ("The Trolley Trail") most of the way, but it had way too many stop signs and probably too much meandering. I rode in work clothes -- business casual. My back got pretty sweaty but I didn't feel too gross otherwise. I wouldn't feel comfortable going straight to a meeting or anything, but I think this might work for cool mornings like I had today.

Don't Mess With teh Chad

2008-08-10T17:48:00.000-05:00

Weight

2008-08-08T11:47:00.001-05:00

So I've lost about 40 lbs. When I tell people I'm still planning on losing more, they act shocked and often say something like: "Oh no, don't lose any more. You look great right now. Any more will be too much!" Why do they say this? Are they just being nice? I'm not even at "healthy" BMI yet. Maybe I should just ask them why they think that, but I'm usually just hoping the very awkward conversation will end soon.

Almost Time For a Party Or Something

2008-08-07T11:14:00.007-05:00

Anglican Use in Kansas City - Presentation Schedule

2008-08-06T20:48:00.002-05:00

Presentation Schedule – St. Therese Little Flower Anglican Use Community Fall 2008

September 7

Topic: What is the Pastoral Provision?

Presenter: Fr. Ernie Davis, Pastor of St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church and former Episcopal Priest.

September 14

Topic: The Church, Authority, Pope, Bishops, and Magisterium

Presenter: Matt Teel, former Episcopal priest and professor of philosophy

September 21

Topic: Catholic Liturgy then and now

Presenter: Grayson Warren Brown – noted author, speaker, and performer

September 28

Topic: Believing with the Church

Presenter: Matt Teel – former Episcopal priest and philosophy professor

October 5

Topic: Mary and the Communion of Saints

Presenter: Bishop Raymond Boland, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph

October 12

Topic: Catholic Morality and Ethics

Presenter: Adrienne Doring – Respect Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph

October 19

Topic: The Catholic Vision of the Just Society

Presenter: TBA

October 26

Topic: Catholic Prayer and Spirituality

Presenter: Sr. Agnes Cousins, a Franciscan Sister of Loretto, Assistant director of catechesis and evangelization here in the Archdiocese of Kansas City, KS.

November 2

Topic: Becoming a Saint: Sin, Redemption, Forgiveness, Purgatory. The Hope of seeing God face to face.

Presenter: Jude A. Huntz, RCIA/Adult Education Coordinator St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish, Leawood, KS

November 9

Topic: Evangelization

Presenter: Rob Rodgers, Assistant Director of the Coming Home Network

November 16

Topic: Vision of the Our Lady of Hope Society

Presenter: Cristen Huntz, President of the Our Lady of Hope Society

November 23

Topic: Membership in the Local Church

Presenter: TBA

Reasons I Was Never a Big Fan of John Piper

2008-08-06T15:48:00.001-05:00

His delivery while speaking sounds way too forced. Too pleading. Too intentionally intentional.
His books are mediocre at best. Once you get his simple point for the chapter, the rest is usually pretty skim-worthy. (I've read 3, maybe 4 of his books).
His book critiquing NT Wright ended up being little more than a lame "Hey, you're not emphasizing certain aspects of things the way I think you should!"
Too much theological inbreeding. All his books and conferences are recommended by the same 5 guys and he does the same for them.

*ducks*

Consistency

2008-08-06T13:24:00.001-05:00

If anyone has some recommended reading on these subjects, I'd love to hear it. The following stream-of-consciousness post is very uninformed and most likely wrong (i.e. perfect for a blog).

Does a desire for consistency often lead to insanity?

I've wondered about this for a while, because it seems to me that most nut-jobs and conspiracy theorists openly speak of consistency as their defining and unique virtue.

For example Gerry Matatics, a former presbyterian minister turned Catholic turned Sedevacantist, considers himself a mere "Consistent Catholic" while espousing and promoting one of the most creative conspiracy theories around, namely that Benedict XVI and the last few predecessors are not true Popes and the true Catholic Church has gone completely underground.

Let's take insanity off the table. If we look at ideas on a spectrum, are those on the far right and far left the most consistent with their principles? It certainly seems that these fringes claim consistency for themselves, while considering all those between themselves and the opposite fringe as compromisers. Arguments between right and left tend to encourage the other to "go all the way" with their ideas. So pro-life folks wonder why pro-abortion folks don't just kill all unwanted people, no matter their age. And pro-choice folks wonder why anti-choice folks don't just stop all abortion doctors with necessary force in acts of righteous defense of the innocent. This is the basics of polarization, right?

So I often encounter those that are further out on the spectrum than I am, and while their position and arguments might seem more consistent, something often holds me back. At some point I have to say, "yeah I guess the dots connect, but that's just crazy and wrong."

Silence

2008-08-05T09:55:00.001-05:00

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

The Plymouth Brethren and Catholics have something really big in common. Both emphasize silence and meditation on the sacrifice of Christ as a regular part of worship.

I'll always be thankful for what some considered the "dead air" of our bible church's Breaking of Bread service. This time of quiet in preparation for communion made many folks uncomfortable. They would try to drum up more enthusiasm in the men to step up and share more. But that silence prepared me for what is now just a start (for me) of the beautiful path of devotion that Catholicism encourages, especially to the Cross of Christ and the Divine Mercy.

O Christ, let my greatest delight be to see You loved and Your praise and glory proclaimed, especially the honor of Your mercy. O Christ, let me glorify Your goodness and mercy to the last moment of my life, with every drop of my blood and every beat of my heart. Would that I be transformed into a hymn of adoration of You. When I find myself on my deathbed, may the last beat of my heart be a loving hymn glorifying Your unfathomable mercy. Amen. - St. Faustina Kowalska

I'm Going To Drop an FBOM

2008-08-01T08:34:00.001-05:00

Wikipedia says this in it's last paragraph on the book Foxe's Book of Martyrs:

The passionate intensity of the style and the vivid and picturesque dialogues made it very popular among all Protestant readers from the time of its first appearance, and it remained so among Puritan and Evangelical Anglican congregations until the nineteenth century.

This line comes from the The Catholic Encyclopedia's article on the subject, which was published in ~1917. The truth is, the book remains very popular among many evangelicals and fundamentalists today, often composing the primary, if not the only, source of some peoples' understanding of Church history.

However, fans of the work would do well to read David Zampino's review on Amazon from 2000:

The wise reader will put this book in its proper context. ., August 15, 2000

By David Zampino "21st Century Hobbit" (Delavan, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

. . but the anti-Catholic polemicists will ignore such proper scholarship.
As a non-Roman Catholic historian and theologian, I have seen far too many Protestant "apologists" (read, anti-Catholics) use Foxe's Book of Martyrs as a condemnation of 2000 years of Catholicism, or as a support for the Protestant Reformation, or any number of off-track purposes. This is not fair to either history, or Catholicism.
The Reformation in England was a bloody time. No reputable historian would doubt it. Foxe presents a tiny snapshot (more or less a decade) in which the Catholics (under the aptly named "Bloody" Mary I) executed a number of leading Protestant theologians and clergymen. This much is history. Incorporated with the history are the personal polemics of Foxe, which have little or nothing to do with the history of the times.
It's interesting to note that the Catholics could just as easily present their own book of martyrs, taken from pretty much the same time period, in order to justify denouncing Protestants! Henry VIII was just as unpleasant to Catholics as his daughter was to Protestants! And Elizabeth I executed as many Catholics as Mary I did Protestants.
None of this is intended to justify violence in the Name of God -- such is reprehensible no matter who participates in it. But both Catholics and Protestants have dirty hands, and finger pointing serves no purpose.
Consider this book in its context, but don't try to draw modern polemic conclusions from it.

Nurseries

2008-07-31T16:30:00.001-05:00

Why are Evangelical Protestant communities more likely to provide better nursery resources than a Catholic parish?

This is because the primary sacrament in these communities is the reception of propositional truth under the form of Preaching. Young children can be distractions, often making it virtually impossible to receive this sacrament fully.

However, in Catholic parishes, the primary sacrament is the Holy Eucharist, and it is rare that a young child will block its reception. Good luck hearing the homily, however.

St. Dominic and the Albigensians

2008-07-31T14:08:00.001-05:00

In Josef Pieper's Guide to Thomas Aquinas, he describes St. Dominic's response to the Albigensian movement. From what I understand, Dominic acknowledged many of their criticisms and sought to address them in his own order.

This paragraph and quote from Wikipedia explains the idea:

In 1208 Dominic encountered the papal legates returning in pomp to Rome, foiled in their attempt to crush the growing sect. To them he administered his famous rebuke: "It is not by the display of power and pomp, cavalcades of retainers, and richly-houseled palfreys, or by gorgeous apparel, that the heretics win proselytes; it is by zealous preaching, by apostolic humility, by austerity, by seeming, it is true, but by seeming holiness. Zeal must be met by zeal, humility by humility, false sanctity by real sanctity, preaching falsehood by preaching truth."

I enjoy Catholic apologetics, but I'm more interested in the heart changes behind apologetics. What makes someone first open to even considering Catholicism as remotely plausible? It's very unlikely that a Protestant will give Catholic arguments the time of day if every Catholic he's ever met has been apathetic, prideful, ignorant, and/or unholy. Which is exactly the case with so many encounters between the two groups today!

Here are two ways Protestants might start giving Catholic views a chance:

1. They meet a Catholic who seriously challenges their paradigm.
2. They begin to seriously doubt a doctrine unique to Protestantism.

Number 2 happened to me first and got me far enough where 1 wasn't as much of an issue.

Anglican Use in Kansas City Update

2008-07-30T22:01:00.002-05:00

Fr. Ernie Davis, a former Episcopalian priest received under the Pastoral Provision, is helping to facillate the reception of some local Anglicans into full communion. He sends this note:

St. Therese parish and our welcome to Episcopalians and Anglicans will be the topic of an interview to be broadcast September 8 at 4pm on KEXS Catholic Talk 1090. Spread the word.

Something About Myself I May Have Just Learned From Blog Reading

2008-07-25T22:53:00.001-05:00

I can be pretty curmudgeonly. But then I hear or read someone else acting like a curmudgeon. It doesn't usually confirm my beliefs, but has the opposite effect and makes me want to be positive, upbeat, and give people and ideas the benefit of the doubt.

Chad Is Old Enough

2008-07-25T15:19:00.001-05:00

Disturbing.

Fitness Update

2008-07-25T08:45:00.001-05:00

Last night ran 6 miles non-stop with no mp3 player. I think I fried both of ours (they were cheapos, but still) by running without a shirt and soaking them in sweat. If anyone has recommendation of some cheap ones on sale (< $30), let me know.

Weighed in this morning at 181. I had been hovering around 184 for the last month (which included a vacation with multiple Waffle House and Krystal stops), so it's nice to break that plateau.

Anglican Use In Kansas City?

2008-07-22T14:51:00.002-05:00

For those that don't know, what is Anglican Use?

This is gonna be sweet!

http://www.anglicanuse.org/olh.html
http://www.ourladyofhopesociety.org/

And from Fr. Bergman of the St. Thomas More Society:

. . .I received a call the same week from a fellow Pastoral Provision priest, Fr. Ernie Davis. Fr. Davis lives and serves in Kansas City, Missouri, where a group of Anglicans has recently requested to be reconciled to Mother Church, while retaining elements of their Anglican heritage that are consistent with Catholic faith and practice. That is, they have asked for the Anglican Use Mass. Fr. Davis, aware of what we have done here in Scranton, has asked that I come out to Kansas City to preach and make a presentation to help get this new Anglican Use community off the ground. For now, it looks like I'll make the trip out in the first week of October. Please keep this group and Fr. Davis in your prayers, and give thanks to God for the honor He has bestowed on us in allowing our Society to play a role in reconciling another group to the Holy See.

Gilson on Glory

2008-07-21T13:34:00.002-05:00

God creates, not that there may be witnesses to render Him His due glory, but beings who shall rejoice in it as He rejoices in it Himself and who, participating in His being, participate at the same time in His beatitude. It is not therefore for Himself, but for us, that God seeks His glory; it is not to gain it, for He possesses it already, nor to increase it, for already it is perfect, but to communicate it to us.

- Etienne Gilson (Spirit of Mediaeval Philosophy, 112)

Coming Soon From Amazon, etc.

2008-07-20T01:50:00.001-05:00

	1	"Love Alone Is Credible" Hans Urs von Balthasar; Paperback; $10.17 Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC
	1	"The Meaning of Tradition" Yves Congar; Paperback; $10.17 Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC
	1	"The Salvation Controversy" James Akin; Paperback; $10.36 Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC

	1	"First Glance At Thomas Aquinas: Philosophy" Ralph McInerny; Paperback; $4.35 Sold by: internationalbooks
	1	"Parenting With Grace: Catholic Parent's Guide to Raising Almost Perfect Kids" Gregory K. Popcak; Paperback; $1.74

Lillian at the Beach

2008-07-15T09:32:00.002-05:00

More here.

Viscosity of Warm Butter

2008-07-14T11:12:00.001-05:00

If you like funny things.

Random Updates

2008-07-11T11:12:00.001-05:00

Got back from a nice vacation in Florida this past Monday. Good times
on the beach and with the kids and my wife. Brendan loved the sand
and the ocean. He also had no fear making friends with kids and
adults that had cooler toys than he. He played with their sand toys,
their dogs, their bocci balls, their longboard skateboards. Lillian
was cute as always, but preferred to be left unstained by the sand and
water.

The last few days we were there, some good friends of ours who now
live in SC visited with us. I got to spend the late evenings with my
best friend, drinking beer, talking Catholicism, and visiting the
Waffle House at 2 AM. He wants to become a Catholic, but has some
hurdles like so many of us. Please keep him in your prayers.

Our beers for the weekend were:

1. Fosters - My wife got it for me at the grocery store in FL..
Hadn't had it in years. Decent.
2. Ice House - This is cheap, American lager. No it doesn't taste as
good as a German or Czech Pils, but for the price, it's one of my
favorite "compromise beers" for us poor folk. I used to get it fairly
regularly when I lived in Illinois and didn't feel like paying for
Warsteiner, etc. I haven't seen it here in KC, MO, so it's been a
while since I've had it. Enjoyed.
3. Samuel Smith - my friend recommended this on the final night when
we decided to each get a single, large bottle from those exotic racks.
Tasty!

I ate a lot of crap while on vacation, but didn't overdo it too badly.
I'm the same weight I was when I left. I did get 3 runs in, one of
which was barefoot on the beach, which did weird things to my feet,
ankle, and leg muscles.

Then yesterday, I ran Week 10 of podrunner's 8K series. I didn't
verify the distance, but it should be an approx. 5 miles, non-stop,
50-min run. I had some knee pain towards the end, but hopefully that
goes away as I get used to the distance.

I also found out that the Kansas City Kansas' diocese's young adults
group meets for ultimate frisbee every Monday at a nearby park, so I'm
looking forward to joining that. I haven't played a sport like that
in years. Good chance to try out this new body! lol. And to
challenge myself with something that isn't just plain endurance, but
requires bursts of speed, etc.

Chad In Florida - A Retrospective

2008-07-08T18:43:00.000-05:00

2006 Vacation:

2008 Vacation:

Met Jason from Per Christum

2008-06-30T18:08:00.002-05:00

Met Jason from our group blog, Per Christum near Huntsville, AL. Good times were had.

On vacation. Almost to jax,

2008-06-30T18:02:00.001-05:00

On vacation. Almost to jax, fl.

My Top 5 Favorite Albums 20 Years Ago

2008-06-27T16:29:00.001-05:00

Carman - The Champion
Carman - Live! Radically Saved
Steven Wiley - Rhythm and Poetry
Michael W. Smith - Eye to Eye
Kid's Praise 5: Psalty's Camping Adventure

Word I Hate:

2008-06-26T09:37:00.001-05:00

Shawl.

My boss is retiring tomorrow and a coworker has made her a "Prayer
Shawl" as a parting gift. The hospital's priest and chaplain is out
of town, so the coworker has asked us all to bless it together. =/

Trends

2008-06-24T16:04:00.001-05:00

I'm not really set on 160 as my goal. That's probably a little low. Though I have no idea what I'll look like if I reach it.

You can see that I've done pretty well in the past month, but the last two weeks have been kinda disappointing -- only 2 lbs. lost.

Book Updates

2008-06-24T08:24:00.000-05:00

I'm a few chapters into Gilson's Spirit of Mediaeval Philosphy. As much as I want to like it, I'm afraid it's above my paygrade. I think I need the For Dummies version first. The stuff about Being especially throws me for a loop. And I need many more word pictures and illustrations than Gilson provides! Maybe I just need to read some overviews of Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Bonaventure first. And maybe have some kind of philosophy Wiki on hand when I encounter concepts I'm not as familiar with as I need to be.

So this morning I took up Cardinal Schoenborn's Chance or Purpose? Creation, Evolution and a Rational Faith. Only slightly less cerebral and still probably not the best bus-riding material, but enjoyable so far.

Did I mention I finally finished Merton's Seven Storey Mountain? Finally! I bought that from HalfPrice Books like 2 years ago. Great stuff though! And I also read Brett Grainger's memoirs In the World but Not of It, where he talks about growing up Plymouth Brethren. Well-written and I could relate to much of it.

First 5k In the Bag

2008-06-21T16:36:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm sure you're all waiting with bated breath to find out how my first 5k went this morning!

It was a blast. It had a lot more hills than anything I had trained on, which made it pretty tough.

I actually would've come in 3rd in my age range, but no one told me at registration they had those shoe sensors I needed to put on. My race time was about 27:30. My parents, wife, and kids were there. They all made me a cool sign: "Chad's Number One (to us)." lol. I gave them all high-fives before crossing the finish line.

The main level of our house has a circuit: kitchen to living room to dining room to kitchen. Brendan ran around it about 10 times this afternoon and I'll go ahead and assume it's because he wants to be like Daddy.

First 5k Tomorrow!

2008-06-20T15:03:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow's the big day. I'm pretty pumped! I ran Monday and Tuesday, but have been resting since then. We'll see how that works out. My parents are in town, stopping by on their way to Lost Timber Bible Camp, so they'll get to see me run, which is great.

I finished the First Day to 5k Podrunner Intervals Podcast and have already started their next series, the Gateway to 8k. The first series took 9 weeks. The second takes 10 weeks, which seems too long to me. I think I should be able to increase my distance a lot faster than that, considering many marathon training schedules are only 16 weeks. So I'm going to move through the "weeks" on this 8k series quickly (there is one podcast for each week). I did Week 1 on Monday and Week 2 on Tuesday. Neither were killer so I'm gonna keep moving up.

I think I will make my next goal the Kansas City Half-Marathon in October.

The weight has been hanging around 186 for past week or so. Need to get back to strength training on my off-running days...

Only a couple minutes in and this is sehr gut.

2008-06-13T09:22:00.001-05:00

http://www.salvationhistory.com/library/audiobarron.cfm

Yum!

2008-06-12T10:00:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw_1CIwwEIA

HT: DH

Guitar Faces

2008-06-12T09:58:00.001-05:00

http://www.rollingstone.com/photos/gallery/20962966/the_field_guide_to_guitar_jam_face/photo/1

The Diet and Exercise Are Working

2008-06-11T16:12:00.001-05:00

Proof.

The Pentaquery

2008-06-11T09:19:00.001-05:00

The Rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions of a very intimate and creepily personal nature. Or not so creepy/personal.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Richard's Questions:
1. Boxers or briefs?
2. If you had to choose between having perpetual dandruff or dry skin for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
3. You live in a world without books. Now what?
4. Will you name your next male child after me?
5. How long until you're a permanent deacon?

My Answers:
1. Boxers, without a doubt. Let freedom ring.
2. Funny you should ask this, as I've had mild seborrheic dermatitis since HS and will probably have to manage it (with Rx's and variety of OTC meds) for the rest of my life. TMI, I know. I'd much rather have just dry skin.
3. If you mean just printed material, I think I'd be just fine. There's plenty of stuff online and in audio form. However, if you mean no extended work of writing has ever been produced, that's an interesting thought. Maybe God's written revelation would've come to us in Rap. Moby Dick was in fact a very long and boring sock puppet play.
4. Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't you ended your name with "III", as in "The Third"? Maybe we'll just call the next child The Third.
5. Many dioceses seem to start permanent diaconate training 4-5 years before the age of 35. Unfortunately, Kansas City - St. Joseph doesn't start training until 35. So my answer is an estimate of 13 years. But I think about it all the time.

Just My Personal Preference, Here

2008-06-10T09:57:00.001-05:00

I do like gregorian chant, but prefer my sacred music with harmonies and in my first language (though in "elevated" form). Good example of what I'm thinking of would be Tallis' If Ye Love Me. I could listen to or sing that for a few hours straight, definitely.

Meme

2008-06-09T15:15:00.001-05:00

Saw this in a couple places and decided to do it:

What time is your alarm clock set to? 6:15 AM. I used to snooze a lot. Most diet advice tells you not to weigh-in daily, but I say no. My morning weigh-in is my primary motivator to get up and not go back to sleep.

What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? Assuming they don't have anything freakishly wrong, face or hopefully, smile.

Do you think people talk about you behind your back? Of course.

What movie do you know every line to? Several, but the tops would be UHF and Waiting for Guffman.

What is your favorite movie? Probably Rushmore.

Is anyone in love with you? Yes, I certainly think so.

Do you sleep on your side, stomach or back? I usually start on my back. I create a dip in the center of my feather-pillow for my head, then the sides come up, covering my ears and supporting my head. Then one arm on forehead. Quite a setup, yes? Later on, I usually end up on my side.

Who was the last person to make you mad? The Boy when he licking holy cards and prayer booklets during Mass yesterday.

Are you a lover or a fighter? Probably not very good at either. I'm pretty wimpy. Overall, I try to be a nice guy, so let's say lover.

Are you a morning or evening person? Definitely evening. Mornings are for the bare necessities for me to get to work.

Are you a cuddler? Yes. Have you ever heard someone called an Angry Drunk? I'm a Cuddler Drunk.

Are you a perfectionist? Hardly ever. Maybe when assembling Target furniture.

Have you ever written a poem? I've written song lyrics. I don't think any of them are very good.

Do you have more guy or girl friends? guy.

How many tickets have you gotten? 2, I think.

Piercings? None.

Do you have a tattoo? Nope. I'd take a big, colorful face of The Tick on my back though.

Are you patient? I'm pretty slow myself, so I try to be.

Do you miss anyone right now? Yes. I miss my close friends, especially the times when we all lived in the same town and house.

Tea or coffee? Black Coffee. Unsweetened Ice Tea comes in second.

Regularly burn incense? No. I would use it for prayer, but my wife wouldn't enjoy it.

Ever been in love? OMG, yeah! LOl

Best room for a fireplace? Living room. Great for family gatherings.

What do you do when you're sad or upset? Sulk. Might clean or organize.

Afraid of heights? No.

Can you change the oil in your car? Yes.

Favorite flower? No opinion. Saying pionese makes me laugh though.

Favorite hangout? haven't found one in KC yet.

Middle name? Michael.

Most romantic sounding language? Quenya (High Elvish) <----dork

Ever been overseas? Yes. German, Austria, Czech Republic.

nice

2008-06-09T14:00:00.001-05:00

These talks by Fr. Augustine Di Noia, O.P. are pretty sweet. I'm listening to the one on the catechism right now. Maybe it's time to consider the Dominican Third Order. I know there is a group in town...

Fitness Update

2008-06-06T22:34:00.002-05:00

Tonight I ran a personal record of:

5.4461664 kilometers

The first half of the run, like usual, sucked big time. The second half was very enjoyable and felt like I could keep going forever. Will running always be like this, or is this a beginner phenomenon?

Weight is 189.

The Library: Blessing or Burden?

2008-06-06T22:33:00.001-05:00

Birthday

2008-06-05T15:45:00.001-05:00

Best birthday giveaway? Today I had a free New York Strip Steak meal with green beans, fries, and a cesar salad for free on Houlihan's tab. Free. You should sign up for their email club. Awesome. And free.

Ignatius

2008-06-04T09:01:00.001-05:00

In John Henry Newman's Essay On the Development of Christian Doctrine, he says that the letters of Ignatius were unknown during the Reformation. Does anyone have more info on this? Specifically, how do you think reformation difficulties might have progressed given different patristic sources being available?

Sermon Woes

2008-06-03T10:07:00.000-05:00

After becoming Catholic, I listened to a protestant sermon that has troubled my soul ever since. It was a guest speaker. The parts I remember was how he lamented that so few Christians, even conservative ones, understood The Gospel (i.e. baptistic Calvinism). He told a story about a nice old lady, lifelong Christian, who when asked about how she became a Christian, had the audacity to mention her baptism as something important to her. Sorry Grandma, eternal torment in hell now awaits you unless you quickly say something about Sola Fide!

He then told us that his homemade church meets during non-traditional times, so that on Sunday mornings they can go to mainline denominations and liberal congregations and try to spread the saving gospel of Pop-TULIP Calvinism. Feigning interest and hiding disdain during the services, they use the fellowship time afterwards to question and prod their unsuspecting hosts.

Even today when I think of this sermon, I get sick to my stomach.

2008-05-31T13:07:00.000-05:00

Yard Sale purchase. $1 well-spent.

Hoppy Birsday Tsu Me

2008-05-30T00:15:00.001-05:00

When I got home from work, Alicia surprised me with a Birthday meal and party! Several friends came. It was a mostly German affair, with cheese fondue, Vienerschnitzel, Spaetzle, Mushroom sauce, Bitburger & Becks Beers, some kind of German white wine, and homemade ice cream with Heath chips and Milka chocolate mixed in. Thanks babe, it was all delicious!

The diet pretty much went out the window for the evening. but this past week I've added arm and shoulder weight training on my running rest days and I did that tonight at about 10 pm.

Runner Chad

2008-05-19T18:57:00.001-05:00

Got some new duds that will help me run like way faster and longer. And some new shoes that will hopefully alleviate some of the really crap hip joint pain I've had since starting this hobby with very old shoes.

Unfortunately, that gut will probably be the last thing to go. :'(

My last run on Saturday was a 25-minute non-stop. It was actually manageable, which is good cause I have to do it tonight and two more times this week. I'm in the homestretch and my 5K is coming up on June 21st.

Went to Weekday Mass today for the first time in a while. I went even though I hadn't kept the fast and just didn't receive. I'm going to make it a point to go more often. I'd also like to get back into daily rosary and hitting the LOTH more often. Lately I've been feeling like I converted to lapsed Catholicism, just doing the minimum and not giving a hoot otherwise...

Eternal Security

2008-05-13T08:29:00.001-05:00

This comment thread for this post has an informative and irenic discussion concerning the Reformed doctrine of Eternal Security and the need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

The Lives of Others...

2008-05-09T14:27:00.001-05:00

...was a fantastic film.

My 20 minute run yesterday was killer, but I made it and no puking. I had a lot of energy once I got home after the run. Did some pushups (some with Brendan on my back...good pain) and found an i-beam in the basement I can probably do pullups on, though I'm terrible at those so far.

Anne Rice commented on my previous post! Wow. Hope to finish up Road to Cana this weekend. I'm terrible at writing book reviews, so I probably won't.

After that I need to finish up Merton's Seven Storey Mountain, which was my book of choice for my New York/Pope trip.

More Running Crap

2008-05-07T09:46:00.002-05:00

Last evening I did Podrunner's Couch-to-5k Week 5, Mix 2. This was a four minute walking warmup, 8 min run, 5 min walking break, then another 8 min run. It was pretty exhausting and sweat-inducing, but I made it. I did it on the way to our community association meeting at the nearby library. After the meeting, I ran the mile home, which I think took me about 3 Crunchy songs to accomplish. My body is hurtin today.

Tomorrow I'm doing Week 5, Mix 3, which is a non-stop 20 minute run.

Weight is 195.5.

And Ironman is a fantastic superhero movie.

Almost done with Anne Rice's Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana. Loving it.

The Whole Story

2008-05-06T20:36:00.003-05:00

Michael Spencer (the Internet Monk) reveals what he's been struggling with over the past year. I'm glad he wrote this, as it gives a lot of personal insight into how my parents probably feel about my move to Catholicism, since I am a preacher's kid.

The Whole Story: What's Been Happening At Our House
Update: And plenty of comments here.

Just after Good Friday, 2007, my wife Denise told me that God had told her to start going to the Roman Catholic church. At the time, we were worshiping with a group of Christians on campus called soli deo after being together in ministry in churches for more than 30 years.

I didn't react well to that announcement then, and I didn't react well for the last year.

Tomorrow, my wife Denise has her first class in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Sometime in 2009, she will become a Roman Catholic.

The Key Verse Tradition

2008-05-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

How do we interpret a large body of text, especially one that is written by multiple authors with a variety of perspectives with many things that seem to contradict? Have you ever talked to someone about a theological issue and you bring up a text of scripture that you feel fully supports your view? They might respond by even acknowledging your point, but then insisting there is another verse that either nuances or flatly contradicts your verse.

"Yes, it is true that James does say we are justified by works, but he can't mean justification before God because we must take into account Romans 3:22, etc."

This is a glimpse into the Key Verse tradition. It is very powerful.

It is an often completely unnoticed tendency to remember the Key Verses that support your views and use those to set up an interpretive grid through which you view the entire Bible. The Key Verse tradition is one utilized by evangelicals very often and with great success (see The Roman's Road, AWANA, 4 Spiritual Laws, John 3:16 signs, etc).

You think evangelicals memorize a ton of scripture?

Some do. But most, especially cradle evangelicals, have about 5-10 texts repeatedly reinforced throughout their lives. These they hide in their heart. These become their touchstones for their soteriology -- their understanding of salvation. It's somewhat like a child in a liturgical communion learning the Apostle's Creed.

Now Catholics do this as well. Or at least we try.

But when I see "Verse for the Week" in my local non-denominational, evangelical service bulletin or missionary newsletter, I think, "why this one, and not another?"

It's the Key Verse tradition.

Brendan's Third Bday

2008-05-03T14:25:00.001-05:00

Chad Is Not Enough

Had dinner with tim staples

Another Mantoloking Review

I Just Need My Car

PresentMagazine.com Review - Mantoloking

I Tried Again

Jesse Describes Our Upcoming Album

Reformation Meets Rome

25 Random Things

Video: Anglican Use in KC

Chris over at LL has posted the video. I'm on the far left, with winter beard still intact:

Video: Anglican Use in KC

I Heart My Library

Happy Birthday Lillian!

Band Name Meme

Crickets

Happy Reformation Day Again

Happy Reformation Day

See the Show

Why aren't you catholic?

Why aren't you catholic?

audiobleg

zoo2

At the Zoo with the Fam This Weekend

Reading

More Good Catholic Preachin'

MS

I Squat

Catholic Pacifism

Translated Freestyle Rap Battle

Wire Art

Meet Me In St. Louis

Diet Advice

Issues

This Past Weekend

Heh

Eat Your Heart Out, Marjoe

Running Update

Fitness Update

Chicago Weekend

My Conversion Story on the Radio

Yearbooked Myself

Confirmation Date Set for Candidates

Tags

Anglican Use Needs A Sacristan

Sirius XM Radio Interview

Altar Man

Rejection

Tonight

Now This Is Good Preaching

Freely ye have received, freely give - Dominican Preaching 11th Sunday OT (A)

Why Fr. Ernie Davis Became Catholic

Anglican Use In Kansas City - Priest Blog and Another

Ran my second 5k

Don't Mess With teh Chad

Weight

Almost Time For a Party Or Something

Anglican Use in Kansas City - Presentation Schedule

Reasons I Was Never a Big Fan of John Piper

Consistency

Silence

I'm Going To Drop an FBOM

Nurseries

St. Dominic and the Albigensians

Anglican Use in Kansas City Update

Something About Myself I May Have Just Learned From Blog Reading

Chad Is Old Enough

Fitness Update

Anglican Use In Kansas City?

Gilson on Glory

Coming Soon From Amazon, etc.

Lillian at the Beach

Viscosity of Warm Butter

Random Updates

Chad In Florida - A Retrospective

Met Jason from Per Christum

On vacation. Almost to jax,

My Top 5 Favorite Albums 20 Years Ago

Word I Hate:

Trends

The Whole Story: What's Been Happening At Our House
Update: And plenty of comments here.