Do this and Life will fall into place - Purpose /w Fr Josiah Trenham

Tuesday, April 4, 2023 

CHRISTIANITY / PURPOSE

This is an absolutely outstanding conversation between two orthodox Christians: Paul Robson interviews Fr Josiah Trenham.   They discuss what is the true purpose of man, and how to achieve it.  

What makes this conversation so interesting is how Fr Josiah speaks with such incredible bluntness about Christianity and living a life of faith.  It is incredibly rare to find a man of this level of wisdom!   

I don't want to say very much about this conversation in my description, because it's such a joy to listen to.   So listen to it!   I give this video my highest recommendation.   You will be greatly blessed listening to it.  

TRACKPLAN: The IMPROVED Unhinged and Horizontal

Monday, April 3, 2023

MODEL RAILROADING / N SCALE / TRACKPLANS

Back in the early days of N-scale model railroading, the Atlas Model Railroad Company came out with a book of track plans for their new line of N-scale track and trains.   One of those track plans was called "The Unhinged and Horizontal", so-called because the base board for this track plan was a hollow-core door!  A typical 4 x 8 sheet of plywood from the lumber yard was often chose to setup one's very first model railroad in HO scale.  But for the smaller N scale trains, the preferred base board for starting a small layout was a hollow-core door, usually measuring 30" x 80".

I did an internet search for this track plan, and found an improved version created by a guy named Mike.  He has an entire page on his website dedicated to N-scale track plans of all shapes and sizes.   And yes, this layout, much like the original, is designed to fit on a hollow-core door.   

If I were to buy all the Atlas track I would need to create this layout, along with additional electrical components to wire it for operation, it would easily set me back $800 USD.  Even small model railroads can be incredibly expensive.  And that price does not include any trains, buildings, scenery or even the door from the lumber yard.   

I just happen to have a hollow core door in my possession that I'm just using as a utility table, setup on a couple of saw horses.   I also happen to have a small collection of N scale trains!   So I was thinking about building this layout, to give my trains a place to run.

Here's a link to Mike's N-scale layout designs:  Cke1st's Trackplans Page

NEW BOOK: Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Equipment, 1883-2004

Monday, April 3, 2023 

BOOKS / RAILROADS / DULUTH, MISSABE & IRON RANGE

Just got this book last week from Perry's Hobbies in Morgan, Minnesota.   For a book about ore cars, it's one of the most beautiful books I've ever owned.  The paper quality and the binding are first rate.   

I bought it for my continued research into the railroads of northern Minnesota.  Northern Minnesota is the home of the "iron range", one of the richest iron ore deposits in America.   Iron ore is a very heavy ore, so to move the ore to the steel mills that need it, several railroads were built to serve the mines in the area.  

Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Equipment, 1883-2004
by Daniel P. Holbrook
published by Signature Press
ISBN: 978-1-930013-41-4

Sadly, this book is no longer in print, and Signature Press is out of business.    

Talking Heads - Girlfriend Is Better

Monday, April 3, 2023 

MUSIC / NEW WAVE / THE TALKING HEADS

A clip from the greatest concert film ever made: "Stop Making Sense".   This may be the most iconic song of the entire movie, as the lead singer, David Byrne, dons his famous "Big Suit" for this number.   David Byrne was, and still is, a mad genius.   

Talking Heads - Life During Wartime

Monday, April 3, 2023 

MUSIC / NEW WAVE / THE TALKING HEADS

Need some music to get your booty moving?  There's literally nothing better than "Life During Wartime" by the Talking Heads.   This will get your booty groovin' in no time!   This video is a clip from the greatest concert movie ever filmed: 1984's "Stop Making Sense".   

The actual concert in the film took place in December of 1983 in Los Angeles, and the film was released in '84.    

SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL POVERTY

Sunday, April 2, 2023 

CHRISTIANITY / SALVATION

Is taking care of the poor an important part of our salvation?  Charles J. Chaput argues that it is.  

From the book "Strangers in a Strange Land" by Charles J. Chaput:

In our own time we tend to distinguish between spiritual and material poverty.  But in the Bible, these concepts are tightly linked!  The rich have wealth, but they become overly proud and ignore or oppress others.  They use their money to buy influence and exploit the needy.  They forget their dependence on God.  The poor man, by contrast, is always reminded of his dependence.  He will be humble and trust in the Lord.  

We see this clearly in Jesus' parable of Lazarus and the rich man.  The rich man had elegant clothes and ate sumptuously.  But he ignored Lazarus, who sat right at this gate, covered in sores that the dogs licked.  Every time he entered or left his house the rich man would pass Lazarus, yet he did nothing to ease his needs.  When the rich man died, he ended up in Hades.  Now he suffered, while Lazarus sat in the bosom of Abraham.  

The story underscores a simple fact: If we don't love the poor, we will go to hell.  If we let our possessions blind us to our dependence on God, we will go to hell.   If we let food and clothes and all the other distractions of modern life keep us from seeing the needs of our neighbors, we will go to hell.  

We might assume that Scripture condemns the wealthy.  But that's not the case.  As the early Church Fathers noted, the Lazarus parable is really a tale of two rich men: an unnamed callous one, and the patriarch Abraham.  Abraham was a rich man who never forgot his dependence on God.  Whereas the wealthy sinner let Lazarus wallow in squalor, Abraham welcome the three strangers with rich food.  Abraham was generous and shared his abundance, always remembering that everything he owned was a gift from God.  The lesson is obvious: Possession is really about service.  When it's not, we become slaves to our goods instead of living in a culture of interior freedom."

Strangers in a Strange Land
by Charles J. Chaput
published by St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 978-1-250-15962-5 (trade paperback)
pg 170-171