You know how you hate when professional athletes thank The Lord? That's how I hate when celebrities tell me to reduce my carbon footprint or when priests talk about social justice and socialism before an election. |
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Shut up
I smell prayer.
I moved to the basement for the summer to pray the office. Since coming home from the abbey, I've noticed the basement to smell like the abbey Church. Hmm... |
Tweet from TweetCaster
@wramier: A squirrel took off with a ripe tomato from my greenhouse, furry little b@$1@rd! |
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Fr. Daniel & Fr. Ted, Fr. Warren & Canon Michael, Fr. Andreas & Arch Deacon Tanya
St. Paul's writting, today's readings, talk about showing respect for the leaders of our faith and about continuous prayer. I always try to address priests as Father. I also try to pray the daily office. |
Rain
I like the rain. I've always liked the rain. It's peaceful. I miss the sea storms from down home. The water that brings life from above for the green things that grow and for all life. It parallels God. |
That's funny; I had a dream last night that I was going completly bald. There's hope for people who are balding yet.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
The Seed
When I was young and naive, I too was for treating everybody better, until I found out that it wasn't for me too. |
Friday, September 23, 2016
Oh My Dog
Why is it that every time my dog sees me at my back door, she runs to come inside and sits to wait for a treat? But, really, are we any different with God?
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| William Ramier Manufacturing Shokucho AISIN CANADA INC. Cell: 519-535-8027 |
Sing/Chant the Psalms
I love to sing the Psalms. I know I can't sing to save my life. But, I really enjoy it.
tagdemsrnera
I dreamt last night that I was renting a place off of my boss, which I bought from him, only to wake up to him installing a catwalk outside above the back yard fence. I learned that although I had bought the place, I guess it was only the first floor and basement-like a condo. He still owned the upstairs and was renting it out. I was interested in finding out the legalities of whether or not he could build the catwalk over my back yard. He told me that he was thinking of actually quitting his job and working construction full time with his friend who was working on the catwalk. Then, I discovered that there were two bathrooms in the basement, but the basement was connected to the basement of the house next door, and at least the house next door to that. There was a common room two houses down with a ton of people in it. But, right next door there were two female tenants who had to share the bathroom in my house--like right of way. I tried to explain that I would like to use one of my two bathrooms and they could use the other. They seemed quite upset by this. When I explained that I owned the house with the bathrooms, they seemed to deescalate. But, later they disappeared. I asked the people in the common room two houses down where they had went, but they had no idea. So, Freudians, what is up? Yesterday, before I came home from work and went to bed, I was passed up for a job at work in a different department and have one more interview looming on the horizon for a lateral transfer to yet another department. I'm sure that's what it is all about, with a dash of capitalism and a pinch of conservatism and a half a tea spoon of my a$$h01e next door neighbour. What do you think?
That Guy
I'm getting home so late from work that McDonald's is serving beeakfast. I've become that guy who I was talking about. Don't live to work. |
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Psalm 107 Part I
Psalm 107, written long before Jesus was born, speaks of those imprisoned in Hell, salvation, eternal life, and is full of messianic prophecy. It's as though it was written as an eye witness account of Jesus' life and ministry. Jesus said in the Gospel of John that people search the scriptures looking for eternal life, and that those very scriptures speak of Him. The Psalms are so full of messianic prophecy. I used to wonder how anybody who was Jewish could read Psalms 22 or the book of Isaiah and not believe in Christ. When people ask me for proof, or why I believe, I turn to the prophecies; I turn to the Psalms.
Cisalpine Gaul
It may not be very PC to say it but, sometimes I think that centurions who served in Gaul should not be made prefects in the home provinces or in Rome.
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| William Ramier Manufacturing Shokucho AISIN CANADA INC. Cell: 519-535-8027 |
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Pure Light
Looking at the moonlight reflecting off a window, I thought that it was so white. Compared to street lights, car lights, and othet lights, God's light is so much more pure than man's. This light shining in the darkness is pure. |
YOLO
The Psalm yesterday was 90. With two of my dad's friends passing away in the last month, I stopped and reflected on my own mortality. It all happens so fast. I have a kid in University. I can't believe it. I just finished college a few years ago. My college girlfriend and I are coming up on 20 years of marriage. My maternal grandfather said, "It's only been a day." He didn't make 70. It happens so fast. Life passes in a flash. Is there more? I believe Jesus. Regardless, we're only here once and then we're gone forever. Enjoy it. Take advantage. Love. |
Monday, September 19, 2016
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Derems
I had some strange dreams a few nights ago. I dreamt that I was in a barn or shed, being held by a cereal killer who was forcing me to play some game. I felt that I was going to be killed regardless of the outcome, and attacked him with an axe. I still remember chopping his head. Sorry for the graphic nature. Then, I was a battered wife. I tried to attack the guy beating me. Then I tried to involve somebody else to help me. They didn't want to be involved. Finally, I attacked him with a baseball bat with another man present, crossing the Rubicon and throwing my hat over the fence. Am I feeling trapped? |
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Dr. Who
The rector at St. Paul's Church is like Dr. Who. The rector changes but the position/role stays unchanged.
I really admire the basic dictatorship of China or whatever.
Sometimes I think that the liberals value their views--the only right way--more than democracy. The interruptions to their rule--due to loosing elections, the rule of law, due process, democracy, parliamentary protocols, question period, accountability, etc... all impede their desire to implement liberal social policy in a dictatorial manner. The people's right to choose this crap, or not to, is their right. Even the idea that if we slip it in and it is initially unpopular they will eventually come to accept it given time is no longer necessary with a dictatorship, something you can't do in an election year.
Sheep
Fr. Daniel said this morning that a sheep in trouble will not bleat because it is scared. I've never heard of this before. Whether or not it is true, we lost sheep never ask for help when we need it.
I don't think so Tim.
During the parliamentary gun debates in the 90s, a police bord representative juxtaposed the right of a person to be safe vs. the privilege to own firearms. This is a total liberal mentality, to pretend the other side of the argument doesn't exist and ignore it. First the right to bear arms is a natural right that we have only allowed our governments to restrict. Second, due to the right of a citizen to be safe, they need to be able to defend themselves. Self defense is a right. The shooters are always armed and the victims are not. That needs to change.
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Prayers of The People
Oh how I hate the prayers of the people, how the politics bleed into the text of the liturgy. We don't need to pray for more Tredeau peacekepper missions, for a chance to kill our troops with stupid ROEs. |
Gun Contral
The only way gun control will ever work is for all guns everywhere to be destroyed. And, that is impossible. Because it is impossible, people need to have access to arms. |
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Don't Worry
Luke 12:22-34 NIV
Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about…
Wramier@yahoo.com shared Luke 12:22-34 NIV with you from BibleGateway.com. To sign up for daily verses, devotions, and Bible readings from BibleGateway.com, click here.
Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about…
Wramier@yahoo.com shared Luke 12:22-34 NIV with you from BibleGateway.com. To sign up for daily verses, devotions, and Bible readings from BibleGateway.com, click here.
:)
I've sure thought a lot about him lately. And to think that Just War was what I liked most about his writings before last week. There's so much more.
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The Hand of God or The Still Small Voice
Reading Psalm 50 today, and seeing how it all ties in to the last few weeks, I have the feeling that I'm seeing the hand of God. Verse 5, He gathers His loyal followers whom are in a covenant with Him sealed in sacrifice struck me first. This verse predates The Crucifixion, so it is deep. All my sin was before me as I read through Psalm 50, verses 7-8 & 14-15 especially. Concrete heavy condemnation follows in verses 16-17 & 19-22. I have vows I have broken--not marriage vows (don't worry). I have not loved my neighbour or brother as myself. I thought about the Crowder video I watched before going to the monastery with Dr. Gary Wilson, about addiction. I thought about how St. Augustine was helpless to his depravity. I thought about the tie in there too. I thought about the recent rise in the number of posts on social media about the problem itself, something we don't talk about. I thought about the post from Crews, and how he speaks about the objectification of people, and even how he echos St. Paul telling us that our war is not against flesh and blood when he says that he's not fighting people but fighting the way we think. I thought about friends with addiction issues (drugs) and I thought about how the issue also ties in with sexuality, specifically homosexuality. Does it give one better insight into both? Could it be a thorn in the side? I even thought about Psalm 45 from the other day, how it smacked of the objectification of women. I've written before about Asmodeus. St. Augustine and Mary Howard were broken before they were given the strength they did not have themselves. Crews was at the end of the road and had to make a choice. I've asked, what if it is not destructive? What if it is not an addiction? Is this denial? Was I wrong to think some things harmless due to an particular understanding of Romans Ch 14? Obviously addiction is destructive. That makes it a sin. Like many sins in The Old Testament and Bible, they were sinful because they hurt you, God, or your neighbour. Still trying to figure out what all this means...
Divide
Riots in the streets, prominent role models becoming anti-nation, the rise of new violent interest groups, police being murdered, has having a Black President helped heal racial divide or has it become worse?
Friday, September 9, 2016
I've often thought that the stronger one's faith, the more that will be seen. So, then, the more one sees, the more one will see.
To he that has much, more will be given.
Points of interest from the movie The Gospel of John
- Miracle of water to wine--Jesus is the better wine saved for the end of the feast.
- Jesus has the right to judge because he is The Son of Man.
- They search the scriptures hoping to find eternal life and the scriptures speak of Jesus who is the source of all life.
- Jesus walking on the water--if it was anything like the cinematic portrayal--would have terrified me.
- The last day--those who eat His flesh and drink His blood will be raised up.
- Some moments in the cinematic portrayal of John's Gospel are extremely moving.
- The man whom was born blind was born blind so as to show the glory of God.
- Jesus went to many religious festivals.
- To what benefit of Jesus' would it be to incite the crowds against him?
- Jesus wept--the shortest verse in The Bible.
- Mary and Martha kill me.
- Jesus lamented the fact that people will not believe with signs.
- Sometimes you have to waste nard in pure acts of love.
- Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet.
44
Reading Psalm 44 today, verse six jumped out at me first, as a voice telling me that I can't defeat my sins on my own, much as St. Augustine learned. Most of the rest of the Psalm seemed to be speaking of The Holocaust.
St. Augustine Changed
When St. Augustine converted and turned his back on his depravity. It lends weight to the sin no more theory based on 1 John 3:6 unfortunately.
Communists!
Move over. Give bikes 1m. I share the road. We have to make it more safe for cyclists. No, get the fvc1 off of the road.
Zom'bay
Last night, I dreamt that it was the zombie apocalypse. I had a 30-30. I wad okay as I killed all the zombies that came for us with my 30-30. I had to look for more ammo though. Unlike the movies, the zombies starved and died off after they ran out of people to eat. Then, we were trying to survive in a post apocalyptic world. There were four of us living in an ruined apartment building. We thought we were the only people left. This guy in our group was out in the street and was robbed by a mauradering group of scavengers. I was watching from the apartment building. I went and got my rifle. I shot the gang leader. I woke up before I learned if we drove them off, merged with them, took over the group, killed them. Strange dream. |
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Baseball
| Baseball is not a distraction. No matter how passionate you are about your team, you don't hate anybody. Politics is real life. |
Thank you!
Thank you for your wonderful ministry of hospitality. Thank you especially to yourself, Fr. Jude, the Prior, and Br. Abraham for the social interaction and lively conversation. I have to add that I love the food. Does the Prior always cook? I will continue to keep the monks at St. Gregory's Abbey in my prayers. Cindy wishes me to extend her thanks as well. She really enjoyed the conversation, liked her time at abbey, and found it relaxing. Pax, Wm |
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Give a man a fish...
Ronald Reagan said it best when he explained that if liberal social programs worked so well, the number of people needing them should decrease every day.
Capitalism
Socialism in not the answer. It breeds poverty. The poor people in this country are far better off due to capitalism, and in a better position to be helped by those around them, than they are in any socialist state.
I'm a racist again?
A learned man said to me that if you disagree with the current President of the USA on a policy, that's okay. But, if you disagree with every one of his policies, that makes you a racist. He believes this. For me, this is just politics. As a conservative, I will disagree with all liberal policies. And, if a Chinese Canadian is elected leader of the Liberal Party and also Prime Minister of Canada, I will almost certainly disagree with every one of his polices. If this makes me racist against Chinese people, so be it. I'm a racist.
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Food
I always really enjoy the Prior's food, sharing in the monks' meals. Monday we had very tasty schnitzel and sweet potato fries for lunch and a pulled pork wrap for supper. Tuesday we had corn flakes and toast for breakfast, spicy chicken and pineapple over a bed or rice for lunch, and a chicken burger for supper. I left the abbey fed physically, spirituality, mentally, and emotionally. |
SGA
Day two at St. Gregory's Abbey begins. We did miss Matins and Lauds, arrived at the refectory for breakfast at 7ish, and are now waiting to the Eucharist at 8:15. I read after Pittance and then attended Sext. I eagerly anticipate Lunch. We had a very lively discussion with the Prior at Pittance and, I would be remiss if I didn't mention, a very enjoyable conversation yesterday at Tea with Br. Abraham. I made it to None after lunch. Tea was another good interaction with the monks, the last sadly. We attended Vespers and ate supper, packed up and headded home. I didn't get either bookk finished. I did enjoy what I read though. It was enlightening and meaningful. I was reassured and comforted by the idea expressed by the author of Letters From the Desert that the Church does not rest on my shoulders, and how freeing that is. I also was inspired and comforted by St. Augustine's struggles to the faiyh and how far off the path he was. It's 1:30AM now and I'm home. I didn't want to leave. |
Desert
God is a funny guy sometimes. I just wrote about being more charitable. I picked up a book, Lettets From The Desert I believe, from the library at St. Gregory's Abbey. It begins as the author recounts an act of uncharitableness involving a blanket and a vivid dream. I can sympathise with the writer regarding the dream, espicially after the one I had about Cindy and waking up to her being okay. To him, the dream about the desert rock crushing him was his pergitory for not sharing his extra blanket with a shivering man due to fear of the cold of the night. This relatively trivial act of uncharitableness--to me anyway--was to torment him for quiet some time. The idea that he didn't treat his neighbour as himself really haunted him. As an aside, I was surprised and delighted by the mid-twentieth century cultural view of a rifle as simply a tool as this monk carried it in the desert (and used it) as a necessity for his safety. Even his writing of it is seemless as he is not trying to justify having it to the reader. Anyway, this is a distraction to the author's point for me. How many times do we clutch things that we may need or even want when a brother needs it? We're all so guilty. Also, in my whirlwind trip to the abbey, I've been reading a short biography on St. Augustine. I was surprised by his early life and at the same time recognised his search for God and his duality. While his mind told him he was living an empty life of depravity, he was unable to change as he searched for truth. I hope to read more of both these books tomorrow. Tomorrow being our last day here, it may not happen. Last summer I came from Monday until Friday. It was hard but I was happy I did it. This year, I wanted to share it with Cindy. So, we both came down for two days. She did it for me, having little desire to be here herself; I think she is now enjoying it. We arrived before the Eucharist today, and attended that service, sleeping through Sext and napping again between None and Tea. Tomorrow is not looking promising for Matins and Lauds at this point and I am setting my alarm for six thirty for breakfast at seven. Enjoying everything except sleeping as we are on separate floors in the dormitory and I am restless. Pax, Wm |
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Thoughts that came to me or the Still Small Voice
Thoughts that came to me or the Still Small Voice which spoke to me during Morning Prayer today said a few things. A Freudian slip during the penitential prayer said that I need to focus more on being charitable to others. I was also mindful of how I fail to treat my neighbour as myself. Also, in the Psalms appointed for today, a few things jumped out at me: Do not heap contempt upon your neighbour; Do not give money in hope of gain; Do not take the names of strange gods upon your lips.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
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