Smoldering Wick

Last Wednesday I wore a green bow tie with white polka dots to work. In a moment of objectivity, as I was tying my favorite new tie that morning, I realized that it was perhaps a strange fashion statement for a northwoodsman to make, but we Hurtubises have always done our best to cut a fine figure and one must bear the old ancestral mantle as best one can. My late grandfather Jim, after whom our second son James is proudly named, was always a very snappy dresser -- nothing too fancy, just nicely put together and dapper. As I picked out a shirt and tie that morning I thought of him. When the green bowtie caught my eye I thought of an iconic picture of him as a young man -- maybe at his wedding -- looking like a Golden Age of Hollywood movie star in a white tuxedo jacket with a bowtie. In the end, as I weighed the green and white polka dots against my other bowtie options, it was a theological reason that swayed me. Last week was the first week of 'Ordinary Time', which i...

So, I have two liberal arts degrees. One is in a dead language and the other is in things divine and supernatural. Needless to say, for me the old adage ringeth true: there is no trouble like car trouble. On Saturday we were due to take a 75 minute drive south to visit family for a late Christmas celebration. The night before we were out much later than we've ever been since the advent of James Henry -- 9pm! We had an awesome evening with the Anchored in Christ Catholic young adults group in the Rice Lake area. And as we rolled into the driveway we praised God for the gifts of new friends and a stellar community of wonderful young Catholic disciples. As our tongues confessed that Jesus was Lord -- and a good Lord at that -- my eyes saw the low engine oil light flicker on and my prayer plummeted from praise to petition as my heart fell from grateful to ungrateful at light speed -- "low engine oil light" speed. For those of you that don't know me, one of my many...

A very Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you, my dear reader! Sorry about that five year gap in posts. Like old friends, let's forgot how bad we both were at keeping in touch and pick up where we left off, shall we? Good. I had my monthly appointment with my spiritual director (Fr. SD) today. We talked over the phone instead of in person since a scheduling conflict came up; it was a slightly different dynamic -- it felt easier to hide -- but we still had a typically fruitful conversation. Fr. SD and I have been meeting monthly since October and I can genuinely say that it's been nothing short of life-changing. I've lost something like 35 pounds, my prayer life is more consistent and fruitful than it's been in years, I'm a better dad and husband and I've grown in other areas as well. I can't recommend consistent spiritual direction with a good director highly enough! Thanks again, Fr. SD! We talked about goals for 2018 and categorized them under our...