Posted 4-15-19 Happy Tax Day, all. I hope you caught my “sweet” tax day early post from a couple days ago. If not, here it is: Link. I was involved (personally) in team sports the first 18 years of life in one way or another. I was probably brought in utero to sporting events that…
Author: Mark Applegate
Hold Fast
Posted 4-14-19 Like they have many times in my last few years, a song by the Christian group Mercy Me has provided some salve on my soul. The song this time is one of their slightly older ones: Hold Fast Hold Fast To everyone who’s hurtingTo those who’ve had enoughTo all the undeservingThat should cover…
Not Much is Certain About Sweets
Fun/sad Mark Applegate fact: I have successfully lost over 100 pounds four times in my life. 50 pounds…probably a half dozen times too. If weight loss had a frequent flier program, I would be flying to the Canary freaking Islands by now…and first class at that. I have lost it on Atkins, Weight Watchers twice,…
Beating the East Wind
I am a huge fan of the BBC series Sherlock, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Mark Gatiss and Andrew Scott among an rambunctious, star-studded cast. In fact, a quick glance of the top of my desk will clearly reveal this love: “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be…
Opening Day
Posted 4-11-19 Today, April 11th, marks the home opener for the Springfield Cardinals minor league baseball team. This year’s lovable birds enter their home debut with a less than lovable 0-7 record, making me wonder what the “magic” number is (already) for them to be mathematically eliminated in the first half of the two-part season….
“O Holy Nights” to Come
Posted 4-10-19 Yes, I’m THAT guy. I am still listening to Christmas music on April 10th. My only wish is that Easter music was so widely created. (I do love several traditional Easter songs too, such as “He’s Alive”, “Because He Lives” and “He Arose” to name a few). It is amazing and it brings…
A Reminder to the Faithful
Matthew 6:25-34 Do Not Be Anxious 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow…
Rub Some Dirt on It!
Posted 4-8-19 According to the Detroit Free Press, rubbing dirt on wounds was first found in literature dating back…wait for it…to 3,000 BC! The article points out that according to the Biodesign Institute, that’s (3,000 BC) when “clay was listed in the ancient tablets of Nippur as a wound-healing medicament.” The institute also said that…
The Valley of Vision
Posted 4-7-19 Today in church the pastor at the church we visited quoted from one of the most amazing collections of prayers in history (in my humble opinion) called The Valley of Vision, edited by Arthur Bennett and published by Banner of Truth Trust. These prayers were gathered from outstanding pastors and are hundreds of…
Gonna Fly Now
Back and forth, the ever-popular hero takes hit after hit. Body blow, body blow, uppercut… and to the mat. Surely the hero is down now? Then the theme music (Gonna Fly Now) comes to mind. Mom is my Rocky Balboa. She has taken a beating by this stinkin’ disease and she is still fighting. Maybe…