John 3:16

I'm told that in the lives of the parents, the birth of a baby is a most wonderful event. As an uncle, I have not witnessed an actual birth take place but I have held and gazed upon two babes after their deliveries into the world. Yesterday, January 31, 2009, the newest edition to our family was born. Entering the hospital room where the young babe was birthed, I gathered beside the other family members and observed the baby girl swaddled in a hospital blanket. The babe was precious--the babe is precious. Her presence brought back distant memories from four years ago, when my first niece was born. Every feature of the babe's healthy little body was tiny. When it was my opportunity to hold her, I introduced myself to her and welcomed her into the world. Later, yesterday evening, the Bible verse from the gospel of John concerning everlasting life was on my mind. From time to time as adults, we forget how to live because we are fixed in certain routines of our daily existence. Not all people have the chance to hold a newborn in their arms, but having experienced this opportunity twice, I would add that the chance to hold a newborn is like pausing to smell the roses. Yes, whether we observe a newborn babe or stop to smell the roses, these experiences are the scent of everlasting life.

Number Forty-Four

Around noon today, and once again, the sun befriended humans... Yes, the January sunshine felt warmer... For obvious reasons during the past eight years, the sun was reluctant to shine; however, to a planet recently smitten with hope, the audacious sunshine was vivid, eloquent, and sincere, and full of promise... In a fervent exchange of happiness, the sun greeted millions of people who instantly reflected the personalized warmth that the sun's energy produced back upon the sun... Moments such as these are rare, but when moments like these occur, there are reasons to believe that prayers are answered... And today, prayers were answered... Yet, the correspondence does not have to end so suddenly, for a solemn Thank You prayer immediately shall be signed, sealed, and delivered... A toast to democracy!

True North

The other night, I calibrated my literary compass for the New Year. I reread Jack London's short story, "To Build A Fire." What a great story? The stubborn man who thinks too much. The gray coated wolf dog that accompanies the stubborn man to the very end. Instincts vs. Naivete. A consistent temperature of one hundred and seventy five degrees below zero along the dark hair line trail. Yeah, this chechaquo has a snowball for the old timer of Sulpher Creek-- right between the eyes, Grandpappy Winter. Ya Old Coot!

Happy New Year's 2009

This is the one bowl worth watching this holiday weekend--dubbed the bowl of bowls, The Paceri Nenas Bowl is the dish to dive into after declaring that major resolution, which a person will keep all year long... Happy New Year... May you have a fine 2009!