St. Patrick's Day @ MindSay

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

My apologies to all of you who celebrated on Saturday, but I was busy with my birthday and couldn't be bothered with the holiday of a long-dead saint.

 

Out of curiousity, do any of you know why you celebrated St. Patrick's Day on Saturday? No, not because it is easier to get drunk and revel on a Saturday as opposed to a Monday. Actually, it is because March 17 is a Roman Catholic feast day. By order of the church, the celebration of a feast day cannot happen during Holy Week (which begins today). The last time this happened was in 1940, when the celebration was observed on April 3. Now, this year; the next time it will happen is 2160.

 

How about St. Patrick? What do you all know about him? As it turns out, he isn't even Irish. He was born in Britain sometime in the end of the 4th century. At the age of 16 he was captured as a slave and taken to Ireland to work. For six years he labored as a sheep herder, until he escaped back to Britain. Eventually, he felt a calling and returned to Ireland as a missionary and began teaching Christianity to the people. There are tons of legend and lore about him, one of the most common being the driving of the snakes out of Ireland. Historians seem to agree that this was not representative of actual snakes, but likely references the Druids and their religion, prevalent at the time. It is also said that he used the shamrock to teach Christianity by using the three leaves to represent the Holy Trinity.

 

Finally, let's talk about the green. Apparently, green is not at all the color that symbolizes St. Patrick. He is known for wearing blue and was always represented by the color. Sometime around 1750, the celebrations of the west bastardized the tradition and turned the color into green, which most people associate with Ireland.

 

There you have it, a brief tutorial in why people go out of their way to get drunk this time of year. Hooray for St. Patrick, the British-born, not-really-a-saint person, who may or may not have died on March 17 in either 461 or 493 A. D.

It's Saint Patrick Day and no I will not wear green. I will not wear green and show my support for a Holiday celebrated for the purpose of drunkedness. That's all it is today. Another excuse for people to go out and get plastered. Next week it'll be the same thing...

"Let's celebrate the Ressurection of Christ by getting drunk! Hoorah!"

Fools. Igornant fools who know or care nothing for the Word of God. Even those who claim Christianity will be out tonight engaged in sin and that will only serve as proof of the true nature of their salvation (or in this case, the lack there of).

Yes, it bothers me. It bothers me that our world is choking on sin yet they continue to shove more of it down their own throats. Fools. No I will not wear green and if anyone even thinks about pinching me they will received a sound bashing over the head with my Bible.

And what kind of question is this, really, people? "Would you even kiss a girl?"

I stared at my co-workers dumbfounded when they asked me this. They mock me. They really don't understand just who I am and who I serve. They honestly think I could give any other answer that what the Word of God says.

Ok, let visualize...under the very broad umbrella of "Sexual Immorality" you have many sins...fornication, adultery, incest, beastiality, porn, orgies, homosexuality...etc. etc. I kiss my sister because she's my sister but I do not lust after her. If I did that would be incest and homosexuality (Lev. 18 and Rom. 1).

Let's say I was drunk and someone double-dog-dared me to make out with a girl. To do so would demonstrate a lack of self-control...

"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God..." ~1 Thess 4:3-5

...and based on this particular text, one's salvation should be questioned. "Like the heathen, who do not know God." One should ask "Maybe I don't know God and that is why I do these things? Am I still under the bondage of sin and the devil? Does this mean I'm going to hell?"

DING DING DING! Tell them what they've won, Johnny! The Conviction of the Holy Spirit! No really it's a good thing, I promise. Conviction over our sinful ways is what leads us to repent of those sins and trust utterly in the work of Christ on the cross, whom without, yes, we all would be going to hell.

But back to the matter at hand. Drunkedness and lack of restraint/modesty/decency are different iniquities that can lead to sexual immorality. One may not have been burning with lust for the member of the same sex from the example above, however it is still sin because of the drunkedness.

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. " ~ Galatians 5:19-25

You asked the question. And there is my answer. How else would you people execpt me to respond but with the truth?

While I'm at it, there is another issue weighing on my mind... Thank you Jamie Lynn Spears and Miley Cyrus for being such wonderful role models for our nations youth. These two young ladies have now joined the ranks of "Barely Pubescent and Pregnant" celebrities that I, at one point in time, would have allowed my children to watch but not now. Not now that they proudly advertise "Sex before marriage is cool" and "Condoms are sooo lame."

And we wonder why our world is going to hell in a handbasket? Look at the role models for the next generation! Wake up people! Geez!

Ok... Rant over. No I will not wear green.

Ndosch
To live is Christ, to die is gain.
Phillipians 1:21

Here's to all my Irish friends -- happy you day.  I know that this day is traditionally to celebrate St. Patrick's feast day, but ever since the Irish immigrated to the U.S. and held the first St. Pat's day parade in Boston on 1737, it's been more of a celebration of the Irish.  So when I think green, I don't think of some Catholic saint said to drive out all the "snakes" (Pagans) from Ireland, I think more about the Irish people themselves, their history of struggles, and their triumphs over adversity.  So, my Irish friends, pat yourselves on the back and kiss yourselves for me!

As for my more personal traditions and recollections on this day, back in 1994-5 the UWSP Comic Art Society and I used to associate this day with our favorite writer, Patrick Rothfuss.  I've always considered him something of a leprechaun... or gnome.  Something to do with his fluffy auburn hair and beard. Oh, that and his name is Patrick.
Here's a tribute I did for his horoscope column way back when (you'll notice that my artwork since has changed, that's life for ya). Yeah, yeah, shameless plug for my old friend's book. If you haven't checked it out, go here.

Now celebrate St. Pat's in style!

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Ok this entry maybe a little long and go into all sorts of directions (I'm a little ADD today) so keep with me please.

First off, happy (early) St. Pactrick's Day. The one day of the year where everyone's Irish (but I actually am). I don't think I'm gonna be doing any celebrating though becasue I have stuff to do, you know, laundry and groceries and all that. Maybe I'll just have a beer  or two in honor of  all the good 'o' Irishmen.

At work,  I'm still at the station they demoted me to. I'm practicing my welding whenever I can so that I can get my old job back. I was making about five bucks more welding then I am now. But the plant is slowing down for a little while and one of the other plants in town (the company has like six) is being layed off.

Ok some of you may be wondering "what happened with me and Chelsea?". Well, the next day we texted a little and here's what was said:

Me: So I guess the cat's out of the bag now isn't it? That's what I get for finding smart women attracting

Chel: haha yea I guess so.

Me: I didn't expect anything to happen I just was sick of holding it in

Chel: well I hope now u at least have some closure to that and can find someone super duper awesome

Me:  ha ha yeah . I hope I just didn't make things too akward.

Chel: Ok no offense but I have known for like forever so things are totally that same for me probably even better since its out in the open now.

me: well good but I'm @ work and my breaks almost over

chel: k ttyl

Ok, so it's done and nothing happened and nothing (I think) changed. I'm not heartbroken or anything because I knew nothing could happen. If it had, awesome, but it is what it is.

Oh, I might be going to my folks for dinner tonight. And tomorrow I'm going to mass to see my cousins little girl, Rita, sing in a children's choir. For some reason my cousin's two kids, Rita age 9 and Thomas age 3, have decided to look up to me. Come on, I am so not a good role model. I mean I curse like a sailor, I'm a self-proclaimed ass hole, I drink and smoke. Come on, not role model material. Oh well, I guess it's kind of cool that they look up to me.

 

Mark