2023:
I’ve often used that saying, “God works in strange ways.” Today’s chalkboard makes fun of the old “Blessings are often disguised” quote.
I’m pretty sure God isn’t up in Heaven pushing buttons to shake things up.
Or is he?
“What are you up to today dad?”
“Well Jesus… I think I’m going to push the earthquake button for Chile today, following that up with more starvation in Burkina and I still have the Ukrainian War button on.”
“Sounds like a busy day dad. I probably shouldn’t bother you with small stuff.”
“What do you have for me Jesus? I can get to it when I’m done with this drought in Argentina.”
“Not a big deal, but that John Shepley kid wanted more green lights when he goes to work tomorrow.”
“You got to be shitting me Jesus? Green lights? Shepley has other concerns to pray for and he wants the light to be green at Mannheim road?”
“That’s what he prayed for and something about potholes in Cook County!”
“No green lights for John Shepley and in fact I’m going to push a button to overheat his radiator! I’m going to have his ex wife hound him and I’m going to give him arthritis!”
“Okay Dad, I’m sorry to bother you, but this kid does give Satan a tough time every chance he gets!”
“He does do that Jesus… Shepley loves to piss those pricks in hell off all the time…. Here is what I’ll do. I’ll skip the arthritis, the ex wife and the auto repairs.”
“That’s great dad, but how about the traffic lights on 31st street?”
“No Jesus… the lights are going to be red and I’m going to have a train stop him as well!”
“Why Dad?”
“Because he keeps blaming me for the Chicago Bears losing nine games in a row! I haven't controlled the NFL since they signed that big contract with Amazon!”
The point of the matter is maybe I need to stop asking for big favors. Maybe stop blaming heaven when shit hits the fan? Maybe I should thank heaven more often?
God doesn’t give a crap about the NFC Central standings. He doesn’t send blizzards though I’m sure he questions the “Dibs” theory on Chicago streets when there is a snowstorm.
This is why I’ve been praying to my mom and dad directly. They can filter the stupid shit I pray for and pass along the solid ones.
There are a couple things God sends us on a daily basis… the sunrise, the sunset and political commercials.
2022:
I learned of the passing of a great man on a snowy wintry Saturday afternoon.
So I thought it fitting to quote a line from a Robert Frost poem that pulls nature and death together.
I haven’t seen Steve Ahlrichs in probably 30 years. We graduated high school together. Though it’s been since the Reagan years that our paths crossed I always had good memories of him.
Facebook, the evil end of the world brought us back into contact. It has brought me back with many of my Indianapolis friends….. and that’s a good thing.
I’m not going into the details of who this guy turned out to be… let’s just say he continued to be a kind and gentle man. Just like the kid I met forty years ago at Dear Old Cathedral….
I just said yesterday on the Chalkboard that 2022 will bring the loss of loved ones… I didn’t think it would be so soon.
I’ll attach the whole poem below… a poem Steve and I read in John Young’s class many years ago.
Steve Ahlrichs
2021:
All the shits and giggles... all the champagne and confetti!
All put away!
Time to pull up your big boy and big girl pants and use what we learned in MMXX to defeat MMXXI!
2020:
When I walk on the trading floor today I will mark five decades of employment!
80’s, 90’s, 00’s, 10’s and now 20’s!
It’s been a lifelong run... I was just
A boy that knew it all and overnight I’m shaving my earlobes and plucking my nostrils!
Alright the parties are over and winter is here without the glow of a Christmas tree!
2018: So today is nine hours and thirteen minutes long! The last day of January will be 10 hours long! Days are getting longer!
