Dan Morgan Straight Shooter

Prayer for Devon

Have confidence in God, paralleled that of King David, who wrote, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14). Because God is our “light,” “salvation,” and “stronghold” (v. 1), we can trust Him to offer hope amid darkness (v. 3), comfort us during our trials (v. 13), and secure us safely in “his dwelling” (v. 5).

My only real connection to my cousin Elena, on my mom’s side, was a visit to Puerto Rico when I flew there from New York City in 1998. I met a guy in line at Federal Express. He was packaging up flyers for a big rave party/concert in Puerto Rico. After a brief conversation and his encouragement, I decided to go. After a conversation with mom, she insisted I contact Elena.

I spent one night hanging out with son David, having drinks and a bite to eat and slept on their couch. The next morning I was off to the jungle with a rolling suitcase that contained a pup tent. ⛺️

From what I remember of the rave, we had to walk along a primitive trail to get to a clearing that was full of banners, basically bedsheets tied to the trees, and there was some cosmic lighting and four bands playing all night long, two nights. I took some weed with me and a dose of LSD that I didn’t dare do until the second night when I felt a little more comfortable.

I got some pretty neat pictures with my toy camera, but not much. It was quite an experience. I’ll never forget. Group showers were set up with women and mens areas “sort of” separated.

P.S. From Chris Stefanick...

In the parable of the wheat and weeds (Matthew 13:24-30), which Catholics around the world heard in yesterday’s Gospel, a man sows good seed in his field, but his enemy comes at night and sows weeds among the wheat. When the servants offer to pull the weeds, the master tells them to let both grow together until the harvest, so as not to uproot any wheat by accident, and then after harvest, separate them—burning the weeds and gathering the wheat into his barn. Jesus told his apostles that the field is the world where good and evil (the children of the kingdom and the children of the evil one) grow together until the end of time, when the angels will separate the righteous from the wicked at the final judgment.

Lots to take away from this one, but my takeaway is one of the most powerful and underrated words in the spiritual life: RELAX.

When we see the evils in the world, the conflict in our families, and the imperfections in our marriages, so often we can’t sit still. We want the wrong righted. We want the weeds gone. All of them! 

But what if they’re there for a reason? What if all the rubs and bumps and bruises we get from living in an imperfect world is a feature and not a flaw in God’s plan? What if the competing weeds are the very things that make the grains of wheat stronger and taller as they fight for their spot in the sun, and as they push their roots deeper as they compete for good soil? (That’s actually not far from how it works in nature—plants and trees really can grow taller under a little pressure.)

You’re not gonna get perfect in this life. Life is full of weeds. 

Family members will annoy you.

All marriage issues won’t be completely resolved.

And you’re gonna live in a world where the wicked and the holy live side by side….actually it’s worse: you’re even gonna pray in a church where the wicked and the holy sit side by side in pews. 

Of course we should work on healthy conflict, the healing of wounds, and all the rest. (And some weeds—like real abuse and serious sin—do have to be pulled. God isn’t asking us to sit still for those.) But don’t work at it all with the idea that we’re gonna grow old in a sterile field, thoroughly cleansed of every weed. They’ll always be there in this life. Jesus was clear on that point.

So maybe instead of expecting to successfully pull every weed out of life, we should ask the Master of the Harvest, “How do you want me to grow in the ground where I’m planted? How are you using the conflicts and discomforts to make me grow stronger—to make me more patient, humble, listening, and merciful?”

Because if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll see that the real divide between righteous and wicked isn’t “out there.” It’s in our own hearts.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Or, in the words of Solzhenitsyn, “the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.” Maybe that’s why God lets the fields of our lives—on this side of heaven—get sprinkled with weeds. It strengthens the wheat in us. 

So stop squirming so much and get used to the discomfort. RELAX in it, even. That prickly weed is part of the plan.

God bless you,

Chris Stefanick

“Come to Jesus”, Mindy Smith, Lyrics…

[Verse 1]

Oh, my baby, when you're older

Maybe then you'll understand

You have angels that dance around your shoulders

'Cause at times in life you need a loving hand

Oh, my baby, when you're prayin'

Leave your burden by my door

You have Jesus standing near your bedside

To keep you calm, keep you safe, away from harm

[Chorus]

Worry not, my daughters

Worry not, my sons

Child, when life don't seem worth livin'

Come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms

[Verse 2]

Oh, my baby, when you're cryin'

Never hide your face from me

I've conquered hell and driven out the demons

I have come with a light to set you free

[Chorus]

Worry not, my daughters

Worry not, my sons

Child, when life don't seem worth livin'

Come to Jesus, let Him hold you in His arms

{Bridge}

Oh, oh

Oh, oh

Yeah, yeah, yeah

[Verse 3]

Oh, my baby, when you're dying

Believe the healing of His hand

Here in Heaven we will wait for your arrival

Here in Heaven you will finally understand

Here in Heaven we will wait for your arrival

Here in Heaven you will finally understand

[Chorus]

Worry not, my daughters

Worry not, my sons

Child, when life don't seem worth livin'

We must obey Him to give Him the opportunity to manifest His wondrous love and power.

We should ask the Lord for obedient hearts, instead of our rebellious ones. We must stop “doing our own thing” and let it be done unto us according to God‘s will. (Lk 1:38)

Our privilege in our calling is to bring our hearts to the Lord, repent of our sins, and receive new, spiritual hearts from Him (Ez 36:26).

Bob Dylan risks a lot, here January 10, 1980, after release of a few religious albums, interesting concert and evangelist clips. 🙏

🤷‍♂️

"THE SPIRIT OF DETROIT”

THE INSCRIPTION ON THE SYMBOL WALL IS FROM II CORINTHIANS, 3:17 NOW THE LORD IS THAT SPIRIT AND WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY.

THE SCULPTURE BY MARSHALL FREDERICKS WAS DESIGNED TO CONTINUE THE THOUGHT CONVEYED BY THE INSCRIPTION AND REFLECTS IN ITS CONCEPTION THE SPIRIT UNDERLYING ALL HUMAN IDEALS 

THE RELATIONSHIP OF GOD TO MAN. THE MAIN FIGURE REPRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF MAN IN HIS LEET HAND HE HOLDS A SYMBOL OF GOD, AND IN HIS RIGHT HAND, A FAMILY GROUP: FATHER, MOTHER AND CHILD THE ARTIST EXPRESSES THE CONCEPT THAT GOD, THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF MAN, IS MANIFESTED IN THE FAMILY, THE NOBLEST HUMAN RELATIONSHIP.

Happy "Everyday" Annette ❤️

"Once you have found her, never let her go"

Some enchanted Evening Written and composed by Rodgers and Hammerstein for South Pacific. Sung here by Bob Dylan, 2015

Check out this scene from South Pacific!!

I discovered a few new Woke bul#*^t things about my Billy.

Losing interest fast!

Funny coincidence I saw a comment by her just yesterday then my reading this morning was a quote from Genesis…

Billie Eilish in Elle interview 4/26…

“You can love meat and you can love animals, but you cannot do both”

Genesis 1:29-31…

29-And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

30-And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

31-And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

St. Michael the Archangel, Cleveland - Fr. Mark Riley, Pastor

"Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

This is the absolute coolest thing I’ve ever created all by myself. I had to rent a lens from a local camera store, a few days in advance. Something told me to do it, God I think. I really wanted to photograph, and shoot video of these birds migrating. The ice, covering over 90% of Lake Erie this winter, set the stage for what unfolded before my very eyes on this February frigid weekend.

About the birds/ducks…

It has been almost 9 months, and all is going well. The road has been tough. My take-away. Day one, I could walk with a walker but 1%. by day 90 (3 months) 90%, with plenty of hard work, help from PT, Trust the process!

Navy SEALs Mantra...

"It seems counterintuitive. Slow, by definition, is not fast. So why should we believe otherwise?

The Navy SEALs consistently use the phrase “slow is smooth, smooth is fast” as part of the work they do, which often entails complex operations, incredible planning, and high-stress situations.

When so much is at stake, it is easier to understand why you would value smoothness over speed."

Cinco de Mayo

Today, on the Epiphany of the Lord, our God, Let us give thanks, for another Holy season gone by🙏❤️. Happy New Year 2024

Wamosaic - Original, one of a kind, art by Wesley A. Morgan - Follow Wes on Instagram - WAMOSAIC

Top to bottom. 

1) Flowers, 10″ wide x 15″ tall - $200

2) Flowers, 12″ wide x 17″ tall - $200

3) Flowers, 13″ wide x 16″ tall - $200

4) Flowers, 17″ wide x 12″ tall - (Sold)