Unsprung

Spring came a bit unsprung today, as we had freezing rain and snow here in Lynden. I'm not disheartened. March can snow it it wants, but winter really is over. Flowers have bloomed, the daylight lasts longer, and any snow is just winter slamming the door on its way out.

According to the Catholic Lectionary, tomorrow is Divine Mercy Sunday. You can't beat that with a stick, as my dad would say.

My dog came and put his paws on my lap to tell me that he'd appreciate my attention. I tried to take his picture, but the red-eye reducer in my flash made him back down.


I think he wants me to notice that it's past our usual bedtime. He knows our schedule and prefers to stick with it, especially agenda items that include food, walking, or a warm, comfy place for him to lie back and get a belly rub. Smart dog.

The Week Between

It is the week between winter and spring quarters at Whatcom Community College. It's nice not to have to drive back into Bellingham after coming home from work. One more quarter and (deo volente) I'll be finished with my paralegal certificate program. Spring quarter is 11 weeks long.

I started the program last summer, taking Business Law and Legal Terminology. In the fall, I took Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Real Estate Law, and Torts. In the winter quarter that I just finished, I took the Process of Litigation, Legal Research, and my Co-op, or internship. Next week, I'll start Law Office Procedures and Legal Interviewing and Investigating. That's two classes. One meets two nights, the other one. That's a slightly lighter load than the past two quarters, when I went to school four evenings each week. Once I started working, last November, that meant I drove to and from Bellingham twice a day four days, and once a day one day (as well as once on Sunday).

According to mapquest, it is 12.68 miles from my house to WCC, 15.35 from my house to where I work, and 14.88 miles from my house to my church. So Monday through Thursday the last two quarters I've been driving just a little over 56 miles a day. Now it will be Monday through Wednesday, I think, and just under 31 miles the other week days.

Quite a bit of my drive is the Hannegan Road, and it's pretty scenic, now that the sun is up by the time I make the drive. In the morning, I drive south and have Mt. Baker and the Twin Sisters on my left, with the sun coming up from behind them.

This is a picture my sister took of those mountains a couple years ago during the summer. Right now, they have more snow on them still.


This picture also is not taken from the Hannegan. If I recall correctly, we pulled onto a cross street from the Birch Bay-Lynden Road and she took the picture. But this is the general idea. Pretty, huh?

Easter. The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)


The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Matthew 28:5-8)


"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' " Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. (John 20:13b-18)

Holy Saturday

But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. (Luke 23:56b)

Good Friday

"The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!" Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard." Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him. (Mark 14:411b-46)

When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" But Pilate answered, "You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him." The Jews insisted, "We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God." When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. (John 19:5-9)

When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. (Luke 23:33)

Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. (Luke 23:50-54)

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. (Luke 23:55-56a)

Holy Week

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial." (John 12:3-7)

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:1-5)

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them. "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God." (Mark 14:22-15)

He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luke 22:41-44)

Palm Sunday

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, and now it is Holy Week.

Photo: Entry of Christ into Jerusalem. 14th Century Monastery of St Benedict, Subiaco.

When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘The master has need of them.’ Then he will send them at once.” This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Say to daughter Zion, “Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.” The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:1-11)

Cute puppy dog pictures

are always an acceptable blogging option, I should think. Why not? What could be more enjoyable than seeing how adorable my little dog is?

Sunset Blogevard

My school and work schedule keeps me from blogging much during the week but. . .

I promise you I'll never desert you again because after today's post I'll write another entry and another. You see, this is my life! It always will be! Nothing else! Just me, my blog, and those wonderful people out there in the dark!

All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.

The joy of cliches

We had this great spring-like weather the last week of February, then on the 29th the wind blew and it felt cold and rainy. I said to myself, "Well, maybe March is going to come in like a lion." That night when I talked to my folks, my dad said, "March is coming in like a lion."

When you're waiting for spring and the weather turns cold, it's consoling to know that for centuries people have observed that even when it's cold at the beginning of March, by the end spring generally does arrive. Generations have gone through the same experience, and they've passed down a proverb to keep your hopes of spring alive.

Anyway, it's not so bad in Western Washington. My neighbor's crocuses are already up and have purple blooms, and my dad has planted some marigolds out front that he got for his birthday. So already there are flowers. On TV this afternoon some reporter was blabbing on and on about the Ohio primaries, from Ohio, where apparently they are still knee deep in snow. So, quite apart from not wanting to hear a bunch of politicians gassing away, I'm glad not to be in Ohio.

No offense, Ohioans. You're the salt of the earth, and salt is great on snowy streets. But I'm just glad to see buds and blooms instead of piles of snow.