This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Vincit qui se vincit" is a Latin phrase meaning "He conquers who conquers himself." Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God. "
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The Iceman Story
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Forge of Ages is a year-long journey through history's great physical archetypes. Each week focuses on one practical body principle, one nutrition lesson, and one spiritual virtue. The goal is not just fitness. The goal is readiness: becoming stronger, more capable, and more useful in service to faith, family, work, and community.
The Protective Body
The Viking taught us to move boldly. The Knight teaches us to carry responsibility.
Knights spent much of their lives under load. Armor, weapons, supplies, long marches, and daily duties demanded more than raw strength. Success belonged to the man who could remain capable when tired, burdened, and uncomfortable.
That lesson remains relevant today.
Real-world fitness isn't about impressing people at the gym. It's about carrying groceries without strain, climbing stairs confidently, hiking a trail, working in the yard, helping a friend move furniture, and finishing the day with energy still in reserve.
This week is about building useful strength.
BODY FOCUS
Strength Under Load
This week's objective is simple:
Become harder to wear down.
Training benefits:
Stronger legs
Better posture
Greater carrying capacity
Improved core stability
More energy for everyday tasks
The test is not what you can lift once.
The test is what you can still do after a long day.
TABLE FOCUS
Fuel for Duty
Skip fad diets and complicated rules.
Focus on eating in a way that supports tomorrow's work.
Breakfast
Eggs, toast, and fruit
Oatmeal with nuts and berries
Greek yogurt with banana
Lunch
Turkey sandwich and apple
Chicken salad and vegetables
Tuna wrap and fruit
Dinner
Chicken, rice, and vegetables
Chili with beans and salad
Salmon, potatoes, and broccoli
Beef stew and vegetables
The Knight's Rule
At most meals include:
✅ Protein ✅ Fruit or vegetable ✅ Quality carbohydrate ✅ Water
Eat to recover.
Eat to perform.
Eat to serve.
SPIRIT FOCUS
Protection
Strength reaches its highest purpose when it helps someone else.
Ask yourself:
Who benefits because I am stronger?
Prayer: Lord, make me strong enough to carry what You entrust to me.
THE WORKOUT
Tuesday — Strength & Carry
Warm-Up
Brisk walk (5 minutes)
Complete 3 Rounds
Bodyweight Squats × 10
Incline Pushups × 10
Resistance Band Rows × 15
Farmer Carry × 60 seconds
Rest 60 seconds between rounds.
Cool Down
Easy walk (5 minutes)
Total Time: 25–30 minutes
Thursday — Legs for Life
Walk 20–30 minutes.
Use hills, stairs, or trails whenever possible.
Every 5 minutes:
Bodyweight Squats × 10
Purpose: Build strong legs that will still be useful ten years from now.
Sunday — The Knight's Patrol
Walk 45–60 minutes at a comfortable pace.
Carry:
A small backpack, or
A water bottle
Focus on:
Tall posture
Relaxed shoulders
Steady breathing
This is not a race.
This is durability training.
RECOVERY
Three evenings this week:
Calf Stretch × 30 seconds
Hip Stretch × 30 seconds
Chest Stretch × 30 seconds
Repeat twice.
Five minutes total.
Consistency beats intensity.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Carry something every day.
Ideas:
Groceries
Case of water
Tool box
Laundry basket
Bag of birdseed
Yard supplies
Train useful strength.
THIS WEEK'S TAKEAWAY
Mind: Responsibility builds strength.
Body: Carry more.
Table: Fuel for tomorrow.
Spirit: Use your strength to lighten someone else's load.
Hold a door.
Carry a bag.
Fix something.
Offer help before you're asked.
The Viking asks:What lies beyond the horizon?
The Knight asks:Who can depend on me when I arrive?
Grace Force Podcast Episode 372 – Pope Leo: Is God Preparing Him for Something? features Fr. Richard Heilman, Doug Barry, and author Daniel O'Connor discussing whether Pope Leo XIV could be leading the Church into a significant historical moment. The discussion centers on the idea that certain popes have guided the Church through pivotal eras and that current turmoil in the Church, governments, and society may signal another such turning point. [usgraceforce.com]
CCC Theme: Confronting Evil in America
The podcast's approach appears rooted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) understanding of spiritual warfare. Key themes include:
Evil is not merely political or social but spiritual in nature. Christians must recognize that sin, deception, and the rejection of God have consequences for individuals and nations. [usgraceforce.com]
Catholics are called to respond not with fear but with faith, prayer, repentance, and conversion. The hosts emphasize being spiritually prepared for whatever God permits in history. [usgraceforce.com]
The Church's mission is to confront darkness through holiness rather than partisan politics alone. The podcast repeatedly frames current events as part of a larger battle for souls. [usgraceforce.com]
Prayer is presented as a primary weapon against evil, particularly the Rosary. The ministry highlights the "Combat Rosary" as a symbol of spiritual readiness and perseverance. [usgraceforce.com]
Americans are encouraged to become what the hosts call "spiritual warriors," resisting moral decline through prayer, sacramental life, courage, and fidelity to Christ. [usgraceforce.com]
In Light of the Catechism
The CCC teaches that Christians confront evil through:
Faith in Christ's victory over sin and death.
Frequent use of the sacraments.
Prayer and fasting.
Works of charity and justice.
Perseverance during trials.
The podcast applies these principles to present-day America, arguing that cultural confusion and moral challenges should be met with spiritual renewal rather than despair. [usgraceforce.com]
For a Catholic reader, the central takeaway is: prepare spiritually, stay faithful to Christ and the Church, pray the Rosary, and meet cultural darkness with holiness rather than panic.[usgraceforce.com]
Wed, Nov. 4 – First Wednesday & St. Charles Borromeo
Virtue:Pastoral Zeal & Steadfast Renewal
Cigar: Sumatra
Bourbon:Four Roses Small Batch
St. Charles Borromeo lived in an age when many complained about the condition of the Church, yet few were willing to sacrifice themselves for its renewal. Charles chose the harder path. Through prayer, discipline, charity, and personal sacrifice, he helped lead reform during one of the most difficult periods in Catholic history. He understood that lasting renewal does not begin in institutions but in souls. Before a parish, a nation, or a family can be strengthened, the individual heart must first be converted.
This lesson is echoed in the private revelations of St. Bridget concerning a religious brother's Particular Judgment. Though he had served God, he had often carried out his duties carelessly and without sufficient love. The Lord declared that even small derelictions of duty would not go unexamined. The vivid description of his suffering in Purgatory reminds us that negligence has consequences. God sees not only what we do, but how faithfully we do it.
The Venerable Agnes of Langeac often repeated: "Accursed be he that doth the work of God with negligence." Those words apply far beyond the sanctuary. They apply to prayer, work, family responsibilities, friendships, and every task entrusted to us. Holiness is rarely found in dramatic moments. More often it is forged through ordinary duties performed with extraordinary love.
Tonight, consider where neglect may have crept into your daily responsibilities. What has God asked of you that deserves greater attention, care, and zeal? Renewal begins there.
Smoke in this life, not the next.
BRINGING UP BABY—THE LIMITS OF CONTROL AND THE GIFT OF HUMBLE ADAPTABILITY
From Chaotic Romance to the Truth That Life Rarely Follows Our Plans (Based on Bringing Up Baby, 1938)
A Man Seeking Order in a World That Refuses to Cooperate
Before David Huxley finds himself chasing a leopard, losing a dinosaur bone, and becoming entangled with the unpredictable Susan Vance, he is much like every person carefully planning the future. He values order. He trusts preparation. He believes that enough organization can eliminate confusion and protect him from uncertainty.
Yet events quickly unravel his carefully arranged world. Every plan encounters an interruption. Every effort to maintain control produces new complications. What begins as inconvenience becomes comedy, but beneath the laughter lies a deeper truth about the human condition.
The film reveals a lesson that modern life often forgets. Planning matters. Responsibility matters. Prudence matters. Yet no amount of preparation can completely remove uncertainty. Life remains larger than our schedules, our expectations, and our calculations.
The danger is confusing control with wisdom. The lesson is that adaptability often becomes more valuable than rigid planning. The verdict is that happiness frequently arrives through the interruptions we never wanted rather than through the plans we carefully constructed.
Film Card — Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Bringing Up Baby • Screwball Comedy • 1h 42m
A mild-mannered paleontologist finds his carefully structured life overturned by an impulsive heiress, a missing dinosaur bone, and a tame leopard whose presence turns every situation into chaos.
Themes: Order & Chaos • Adaptability & Control • Love Through Uncertainty
Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Charles Ruggles, May Robson
Production: RKO Radio Pictures
Historical Frame: Late-Depression America, when audiences enjoyed lighthearted comedies that offered relief from economic worries and everyday pressures.
Production & Cultural Setting
Screwball Comedy: Fast-paced dialogue and outrageous situations allowed audiences to laugh at life's unpredictability.
Modern Independence: Susan represents a free-spirited personality that challenged traditional expectations.
Escapist Entertainment: Viewers enjoyed stories that transformed ordinary frustrations into comic adventures.
Moral Undercurrent: Human beings flourish not merely through planning but through learning to adapt with grace.
Story Summary
The Objective: David seeks to complete an important scientific project and secure his future.
The Disruption: Susan enters his life and unintentionally dismantles every carefully arranged plan.
The Escalation: Lost belongings, mistaken identities, and a leopard create increasingly absurd complications.
The Crisis: David's efforts to restore order only deepen the chaos.
The Discovery: He begins to recognize that life cannot be perfectly controlled.
The Resolution: Love, humility, and acceptance replace rigid certainty.
Moral & Spiritual Resonances
A. Prudence Is Not Control
Wise planning is valuable, but it cannot govern every circumstance.
B. Humility Accepts Limits
Human beings are not masters of every outcome.
C. Flexibility Is a Virtue
Adaptability helps navigate challenges that planning alone cannot solve.
D. Relationships Matter More Than Perfection
People are more important than projects, schedules, and ambitions.
E. Joy Often Arrives Unexpectedly
Many blessings come through interruptions rather than through ideal conditions.
Hospitality Pairing — Drawn From Fast-Paced Comedy and Elegant 1930s Charm
Food — Playful Yet Refined
Roast chicken with herbs
Buttered noodles
Fresh berry shortcake
Drink — Light and Sociable
A classic gin and lime
Sparkling lemonade
Fresh iced tea
Atmosphere — Laughter Rather Than Perfection
Old black-and-white films playing softly
Friends gathered without rigid schedules
Conversation that welcomes detours and unexpected stories
Personal Reflection
How much of my stress comes from demanding that life follow my plans?
Do I become frustrated when circumstances refuse to cooperate?
Am I open to blessings that arrive in unexpected forms?
Where do I need greater flexibility and humility?
Do I trust God only when events proceed according to schedule?
Planning matters.
But a perfectly organized calendar no more guarantees happiness than David's carefully assembled dinosaur skeleton guaranteed peace.
Wisdom grows when preparation is joined to humility, and when we learn to receive life's surprises with gratitude rather than resentment.
Tue, Nov 3 – Holy Face Rosary I: Gethsemane & Election Day
Virtue: Surrender, Prudence & Trust
Cigar: Connecticut Broadleaf
Bourbon: Old Forester 1920
Reflection: Where am I called to surrender control? How do I seek the common good without placing my hope in earthly power?
In Gethsemane, Our Lord entered the darkest hour of His earthly life. Knowing the suffering that lay ahead, He prayed, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me." Yet He immediately added the words that changed history: "Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done." Every disciple eventually stands in that garden. We all face moments when we must surrender our plans, fears, and desires to God's greater wisdom.
Election Day reminds us that citizenship carries moral responsibilities. Catholics are called to form their consciences, seek the common good, defend human dignity, and vote accordingly. How we vote matters because our choices are moral acts. They reflect what we believe about justice, truth, life, family, and the responsibilities we owe one another. In that sense, our decisions can affect our eternal destiny, not because politics saves us, but because every moral choice helps shape the soul we bring before God.
The Venerable Agnes of Langeac frequently repeated the warning: "Accursed be he that doth the work of God with negligence." After Sister Angelique's death, she appeared to Agnes from Purgatory and thanked her for constantly urging reverence and fervor. The lesson remains clear. Whether we pray, vote, work, or serve others, God asks for faithful hearts rather than careless participation.
Tonight's Connecticut Broadleaf and Old Forester 1920 invite steady reflection. Do your duty before God. Then leave the outcome in His hands.
Smoke in this life, not the next.
NOVEMBER 3 Tuesday
St. Hubert, patron of hunters-Election Day
Psalm 72, Verse 5
May they FEAR
you with the sun, and before the moon, through all generations.
This psalm is
all about the glory of Christ’s Holy Catholic Church, for the church defends
the oppressed among the people and seeks to save the children of the poor and
crush the oppressor; for it is our church that rescues the poor when they cry
out, and the oppressed who have no one to help. It is our church that shows
pity to the needy and the poor and saves the lives of the poor from extortion
and violence, for precious is their blood in His sight. Yes, the apostates of
the world mock us for our faith in a man that rose from the dead and in His
representative Peter; nevertheless, they shutter with fear before this church
in the miracle of the Sun in Fatima. Life is delightful to God and the Church.
To understand more fully
how to defend and protect human life, we must
first consider who we are, at the deepest level. God creates us in his image
and likeness, which means we are made to be in loving relationship with him.
The essence of our identity and worth, the source of our dignity, is that we
are loved by God: "We
are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father's love for us and our real capacity
to become the image of his Son." We are called to divine intimacy, true
communion with God, and we can grow in this closeness with him through daily
prayer, reading the Scriptures, and frequent participation in the sacraments,
especially Confession and the Eucharist.
Our Mission as Christians
The knowledge and
realization of how deeply we are loved by God elicits a response of love that
simultaneously draws us closer to God and, at the same time, impels us to share
his love with others and embracing a relationship with God means following in his
footsteps, wherever he may call. Just as Jesus invited St. Peter and St. Andrew
to become his disciples, he invites us to do the same: "Come after me, and
I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). Being a disciple of Jesus
naturally includes sharing the Gospel with others and inviting them into a
deeper relationship with God. As Christians, our identity and our mission are
two sides of the same coin; like the apostles, we are called to be missionary
disciples.
Missionary Discipleship
This doesn't necessarily
mean quitting our jobs or moving to foreign countries. For most of us, our
mission field is daily life: "Christ teaches us how to evangelize, how to
invite people into communion with him, and how to create a culture of witness:
namely, through love. A Christian life lived with charity and faith is the most
effective form of evangelization." The first step towards living this life
is allowing Jesus to meet and transform us daily. If we respond to his grace,
our lives will show we have something beyond what the world offers: we follow a
person whose love changes our lives, so we want others to also experience his
transforming love. When we live in union with God, open to his prompting, we're
more able to see the opportunities for witness and his guidance in responding
to these opportunities. We may fear doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong
thing, but we do not need to be afraid. Jesus promised his disciples, "I
am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
Identity Crisis
As a society and as
individuals, we often measure ourselves by false standards: by what and how
much we do, our successes or failures, how others treat us, the degree of our
pleasure or independence, etc. And when these changeable substitutes prove to
be insufficient, or when we are faced with challenges and suffering, we may
feel helpless, alone, or abandoned; we may be tempted to feel as though our
lives have decreased value or worth. But God's love—individual, real,
unchanging—is the true source of our worth, identity, and dignity. It really is
not a question of who we are, but rather whose we are. Because his
love will never change, nothing can reduce our God-given dignity, and nothing
can diminish the immeasurable worth of our lives.
Our Response
When someone is facing
great trials, we need to meet them where they are, walk with them on their
journey, intercede for them, and be open to sharing Christ's love however he
directs. When a woman becomes pregnant, and her boyfriend threatens to leave if
she continues the pregnancy, we need to lovingly walk with her. When family
members or friends become seriously ill, we need to assure them that God still
offers them something in this life, and they still have purpose. We need to
consistently be with them every step of the way. Sometimes our actions speak
for themselves; other times, words are needed. Whatever the situation, Jesus
knows how to speak to each person's heart; we simply need to follow where he
leads.
A Culture of Life
This is how we answer our
missionary call. This is how we build a culture of life, a culture that
joyfully proclaims the truth of God's love, purpose, and plan for each person.
Changing the culture is a process of conversion that begins in our own hearts
and includes a willingness to be instructed and a desire to be close to
Jesus—the source of joy and love. When we encounter Christ, experience his
love, and deepen our relationship with him, we become more aware of our own
worth and that of others. His love for each person is cause for great joy, and
growing understanding of this priceless treasure motivates us to share his love
with others. Our lives are often changed by the witness of others; so too,
others' lives may be changed by our witness and authentic friendship with them.
Let us go, therefore, and not be afraid. God is always with us.
Why should I fear evil days when my wicked
ensnarers ring me round?
Gemini’s
Take
Psalm
72 prophetically outlines the royal mission of Christ and His Church: to
shatter the oppressor, plead the cause of the defenseless, and declare that the
blood of the poor and forgotten is precious in the sight of God. On this
Election Day, that divine mandate directly challenges the civic conscience. In
our contemporary political landscape, the totalitarian impulse rarely arrives
wearing overt authoritarian insignia; instead, it re-emerges through polite
technocracy, utilitarian biopolitics, and an insidious culture of death that
measures human worth by economic utility, developmental perfection, or
electoral convenience. Against this covert tyranny, the Catechism of the
Catholic Church insists that the divine image is inviolable in every person
from conception to natural death (CCC 1700, 2258). Whenever a platform or
society treats the unborn as disposable, the infirm as an administrative
burden, or human rights as state-granted privileges, it succumbs to an apostasy
from truth where raw power replaces justice (CCC 2244, 2277). As voters enter
the ballot box, protecting the innocent must remain the non-negotiable
foundation of any legitimate authority.
The
conversion of Saint Hubert provides the operative blueprint for confronting
this concealed oppression at the polls. Pursuing his quarry in the dark
Ardennes forest, Hubert was halted by the luminous crucifix between the antlers
of a stag—commanding him to abandon worldly pursuit and the illusion of
autonomous dominion to embrace holy stewardship. Modern totalitarian structures
thrive on civic indifference, where voters succumb to partisan vanity, private
comfort, or economic self-interest while bureaucracies quietly strip dignity
from the vulnerable (CCC 1869, 1930). Confronting this requires a decisive metanoia:
transforming the ballot from an instrument of party loyalty into a tool of
moral defense. While co-responsibility for the common good makes political
participation a duty, civil authority remains strictly subordinate to the moral
law (CCC 2239–2240). Faithful citizenship demands that believers refuse
complicity with agendas contrary to the Gospel, recognizing that conscience
cannot be subordinated to party mandates (CCC 2242).
Ultimately,
authentic renewal begins by anchoring the social order in the reality that
human dignity rests in whose image we bear rather than what we produce (CCC
1889). Every vote cast with a well-formed conscience to defend the unborn,
uphold the dignity of the weak, protect the family, and resist institutional
overreach strikes at the brittle foundations of state idolatry. Just as the
Miracle of the Sun shattered secularist complacency, the Church’s unbending
witness unmasks the hollow promises of modern technocracy (CCC 2499). Grounded
in the sacraments and active charity, the Christian approaches the ballot box
with neither naive despair nor worldly triumphalism, knowing that no election
outcome can eclipse the enduring reign and sovereignty of the living God.
Late
in the eighth century, so runs the story, a hunter named Hubert, neither better
nor worse than he should have been, was tracking a stag through the forest of
the Ardennes. As he readied himself to shoot the animal with his arrow, he was
startled when the stag turned suddenly in its flight, and he saw between its
antlers a luminous cross. This experience caused Hubert to change his way of
life, and he never hunted again. Yet only a few centuries later he was known as
the patron of hunters, and is a saint greatly honored in France and Belgium.
Saint
Hubert lived a full life. He became bishop of Tongres and traveled through his
huge diocese on horseback and by boat, preaching and building churches to the
glory of God. He was the friend of the great of his day — Pepin of Heristal and
Charles Martel among them — and also of the poor. In particular his heart went
out to prisoners, and he would secretly place food for them before their
dungeon windows. As he died, he said to those about him, "Stretch the
pallium over my mouth for I am now going to give back to God the soul I
received from Him."
In
parts of France and Belgium there has long been a custom of holding stag hunts
on Saint Hubert's Day, and the hunters gather before the chase for Mass and the
blessing of men and horses and dogs. After the hunt is over, those taking part
gather for a bountiful breakfast consisting of fish, meat, salad, cheese, and
dessert. Naturally the meat is venison of some sort, and the salad may well be
one of dandelion greens.
Please pray for the soul of a great priest
and friend of mine who I had the pleasure of knowing while stationed in
Belgium-Father Paul Wolff as it was, he who introduced me to St. Hubert.
The Wolff of the Ardennes
Men are frequently blinded by fear and as a result often
harmed themselves. The grace of God gives confidence to see the right and to
stand when called. Father Paul was called to stand and became General Patton’s
guide during the “Battle of the Bulge” while he was still a teen. Father Paul
Wolff was 15 years old when he first joined the Belgium resistance during the
years of the Nazi occupation of World War II. He was the youngest member of the
Belgium resistance. Unfortunately, he and other members of his group were
captured and at 17 he was tortured, condemned to death and imprison in the Nazi
Prison in Liege, Belgium. There he languished yet his faith would not allow him
to lose all hope and the resistance still worked to get him and the others
(256) out. Part of the plan was to get a radio to the prisoners. To do this the
resistance secreted small parts of a crystal radio inside bars of soap. Interestingly
these were “Lever” brother bars of soap and were large about the size of a
brick. Father Paul related that during the Nazi occupation not all Jews were in
German prisons if they were of use to the Nazi’s. In this case the soap bars
were made by the Lever Jews, and the radio parts were easily hidden inside the
soap bars. Father Paul stated that when they received the soap, they then
washed their hands raw in wearing away the soap to get to the radio part. Then
after several bars they constructed the radio which was the Morse code type.
Father Paul typed in code in English which he spoke along with German and
French the words over and over “SOS SOS 256 prisoners in Liege prison condemned
to death SOS SOS.” They hoped someone would get the message and somehow, they
would be rescued. All they had was hope.
Father also related that it drove the Nazi’s crazy because
they intercepted the message but never suspected it was coming from the prison.
Father Paul said that in the cell they were in there was only one barred
window, but it was so high that to look out it required a person to stand on
the shoulders of a fellow prisoner. He further relayed that they when they
would see women that were friendly with the guards coming and going, they would
call them the nastiest things they could think of calling them. Yet one day
during an air raid while the guards were hiding as deep as they could go; one
of these young women (secret agent) came and taking the heel of her shoe wrote
on the pavement that during the air raid they are going to be rescued by
commandoes, and they were. Father Paul stated neither he nor the others ever
lost hope.
After his escape he went underground. He was a friend of
King Leopold III. He served as General Patton's Belgian guide during the battle
of the bulge.
December
24, 1944
Father Paul communicated to me the tale about the battle of
the bulge that has not been recorded in history. During WWII the US Army was
segregated and black men were not mixed with white men. Black men mostly served
in support roles such as transportation and as cooks, etc. During the Battle of
the Bulge’ Hitler sent in a special operations team to confuse and destroy the
American Army. It was composed of American NAZI’s and German’s, who spoke
perfect American slang, knew the culture, baseball stuff, etc. These Spec Ops
were equipped with American Uniforms and equipment that was captured by Gen.
Rommel from North Africa. Father Wolff was at a meeting with Gen. Patton,
Bradley, Eisenhower, and the English Gen. Montgomery in Luxembourg City on the
evening of Dec. 24th, 1944. The Generals were very excited and afraid because
of the effect these NAZI spec ops were having in the warzone and since they had
murdered many men. They did not know what to do. Patton, who was a visionary,
suddenly stood up and said, I know exactly what to do. From this time forward
nothing in the American Army will move without a black American in the group.
Patton knew there were no black NAZI’s. As a result, black units were moved
forward and integrated and as far as I know this was the first time in American
History since the Civil War. As a result, the NAZI spec ops team was
neutralized.
Elk hunters who want to
consistently harvest elk on public land need to be in top physical
condition. For those of you who have had success in the past, you know
that once your elk is on the ground, the real work begins. Typically, the most
physically demanding part of any elk hunt is carrying 70 to 100 pounds of elk
meat and gear out of the backcountry. Doing this multiple times in a short
period will truly test your physical limits. Bottom line: elk are massive
animals that live in rugged country – bring your “A” game and be ready for a
challenge!
I realize most of us don’t
have time to spend 2 hours in the gym every day getting ready to go on a fall
elk hunt. However, no matter where you are on the fitness spectrum, there is
always room for improvement, and it requires some dedication and determination
to get results. When I am out elk hunting, there is no greater sense of
accomplishment than spotting an elk or hearing a bull down in the bottom of a
deep canyon and knowing I can go after that elk with no physical reservations.
Basically, if I can see it or hear it, I can hunt it.
In this week’s feature
article, I would like to introduce you to a basic workout program that will
help you build both strength and endurance. I like this program because
it can be personalized based on your current strength and conditioning level and
can be done in less than an hour in the gym per workout. In other
words, I believe the results of this program will benefit both those who
regularly exercise and those who need to get started. Elk season is less than
six months away. It’s go time!
I have used this program
for 90 days and it works! The program requires you to work out three
times a week and focuses on only five lifts (Squats, Bench Press, Overhead
Press, Barbell Rows, and Dead Lifts). Because of the focus on strength and endurance,
all of these lifts are full body lifts meaning they focus on large, major
muscle groups rather than small isolation muscle groups. It is
recommended that these lifts be broken up into an A workout and a B Workout
(see chart below).
Workout A
Squat – 5X5
Bench Press – 5X5
Barbell Rows – 5X5
Workout B
Squat – 5X5
Overhead Press – 5X5
Deadlift* – 3X5
Since your legs will get
you in and out of the mountains, you will be doing squats for both
workouts. You will perform each of these lifts by doing 5 sets of 5 reps
except for the deadlift, which you will do 3 sets of 5 reps. If you’re new to
lifting, just start with the 45-pound bar. If you have experience lifting, 45
lbs may seem a little light. However, you will increase the weight by 5
lbs every time you complete your 5 sets of 5 reps. I recommend you start with
lower weight and make sure your form is correct before you get into the heavier
weights.
Remember that after you
complete all sets for a given workout, increase the weight by 5 lbs. for the
next workout. (This means adding 2 ½ lbs. to each side of the bar)
Technically you will be adding 10 lbs. per week when doing the same workout
twice in that week.
🦌 St. Hubert Day
Feast: 7-Course Meal
1. Hors d’oeuvre – Wild Mushroom Crostini
Sautéed mushrooms with garlic and thyme on toasted baguette slices. A
forest-floor welcome to the feast.
2. Potage – Cream of Leek
and Chicken Gratin with Bacon
Hearty and comforting, this soup from St-Hubert’s own archive evokes autumnal
warmth. (Search “Cream of Leek and Chicken Gratin”)
7. Digestif – Ice Cider
Pairing Guide
Finish with chilled ice cider or brandy infused with rosemary or thyme. A toast
to Hubert’s vision and the Eucharistic hunt.
Election
Day refers to the day on which general elections in the United States are held.
Presidential elections are held every 4 years, and the elected president
will then be sworn in and take office on January 20th, a day known as Inauguration Day.
Election Day is always held on the first Tuesday in November in the US.
Election Day Facts
& Quotes
Elections
held for federal offices only occur on even-numbered years.
There is no law in the Constitution or Federal
mandate which requires electorates to vote in accordance with the popular vote
of their state.
There are
538 Electoral College members. In order to win the vote for President of the
United States, a candidate must
obtain at least 270 of these votes.
Nobody
will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American
people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Let each
citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a
present or a compliment to please an individual--or at least that he ought not
so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human
society for which he is accountable to God and his country. - Samuel Adams, The
Writings of Samuel Adams, Harry Alonzo Cushing, editor (New York: G.P. Putnam's
Sons, 1907), Vol. IV, p. 256.
Election Day Top
Events and Things to Do
Register
to vote prior to Election Day.
Attend a
local polling place and cast your vote.
If voting
by absentee ballot or mail-in ballot, make sure it arrives on or before
Election Day.
Be
informed about the candidates and new amendments on the ballot before going to
the polling place.
Attend an
Election Day party.
2240 Submission to
authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory
to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend one's country:
Pay to all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are
due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to
whom honor is due.
[Christians] reside in their own nations, but as resident
aliens. They participate in all things as citizens and endure all things as
foreigners. . .. They obey the established laws and their way of life surpasses
the laws. . .. So noble is the position to which God has assigned them that
they are not allowed to desert it.
The
Apostle exhorts us to offer prayers and thanksgiving for kings and all who
exercise authority, "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly
and respectful in every way."
Remember the souls in
purgatory, especially politicians who are nearly there or someplace worse Joe
Biden Abortion King and Nancy Pelosi Abortion Queen
Lord,
have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy
Souls, Pray for us.
For the souls of our families We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of our friends, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of our enemies, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all pagans, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all priests, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all religious, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of the just, We pray Thee, O God.
For the souls of all sinners, We pray Thee, O God.
For the Holy Souls in Purgatory, We pray Thee, O God.
For those who have none to pray for them, We pray Thee, O God.
O almighty and eternal God, we beg Thee to have mercy on the Holy Souls in
Purgatory, especially those for whom we are bound to pray; and we ask Thee also
to listen to the prayers of the Blessed Souls in our behalf. Amen.
USA 70°F Pilgrimage
– Week 44 Guide
Dates:
November 3–November 9, 2025
Theme:
Communion and Coastal Clarity
Route:
Sonoita, AZ → Paso Robles → San Luis Obispo → Cambria
Style:
Coastal pilgrimage with vineyard stops, Marian devotion, and symbolic
thresholds
Climate
Alignment: Daily highs 72–76°F
Day 1 –Monday,
November 3
Route: Sonoita
→ Paso Robles (~750 miles)
Symbol: Long
Obedience
Ritual Prompt:
“Obedience is not speed—it is steady surrender.”
Drive west via
I-10 and CA-46
Optional
overnight in Tehachapi or Bakersfield
Evening
prayer: Psalm 121
Day 2 –Tuesday,
November 4
Location: Paso
Robles Vineyards
Symbol:
Fruitful Communion
Ritual Prompt:
“Communion is cultivated—through soil, patience, and shared table.”
Visit Tablas
Creek Vineyard or DAOU Vineyards
Optional: John
15 reflection (The Vine and the Branches)
Day 3 –Wednesday,
November 5
Route: Paso
Robles → San Luis Obispo (~30 miles)
Symbol:
Threshold of Clarity
Ritual Prompt:
“Clarity is not escape—it is arrival with open eyes.”
Visit Mission
San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Walk
the Railroad District Rosary Trail or San Luis Creek Trail
Day 4 –Thursday,
November 6
Location:
Montaña de Oro State Park
Symbol:
Coastal Mercy
Ritual Prompt:
“Mercy moves like tide—gentle, persistent, reshaping.”
Hike Bluff
Trail or visit Spooner’s Cove
Optional:
Leave a symbolic natural offering at the ocean overlook
Day 5 –Friday,
November 7
Location:
Cambria
Symbol: Marian
Shelter
Ritual Prompt:
“Mary shelters the weary—quietly, beautifully, without demand.”
Visit St.
Joseph’s Catholic Church
Walk the
Fiscalini Ranch Preserve coastal trail
Intentional
Act: Light a candle, share a quiet meal, offer hospitality to someone
overlooked
Day 6 –Saturday,
November 8
Location:
Cambria
Symbol: Cloud
of Witnesses
Ritual Prompt:
“The saints walk with us—visible in mercy, hidden in love.”
Morning
Rosary: Glorious Mysteries
Reflect on a
saint’s virtue: Saints & Blesseds Index
Optional:
Share a symbolic meal or seek a Eucharistic blessing
Day 7 –Sunday,
November 9
Location:
Departure or Eucharistic Sending Forth
Symbol:
Leaving the World Behind
Ritual Prompt:
“I remember. I release. I walk forward in radiant communion.”
Final walk
along Moonstone Beach Boardwalk
Read aloud
names of the departed and offer closing prayers
Write a
reflection: “What I carry forward from the saints and the sea”
HONEYMOON IN BALI — THE LIMITS OF POLITICAL PROMISES AND THE PURSUIT OF TRUE HAPPINESS From Island Romance to the Truth That No Election Can Guarantee a Honeymoon in Bali (Based on Honeymoon in Bali, 1939)
A Woman Searching for Happiness in Fortune, Romance, and Opportunity
Before Gail Allen finds herself caught between romance, exotic adventure, and the promise of life in a tropical paradise, she is much like every voter standing before a ballot box. She hopes for a better future. She seeks security, happiness, and fulfillment. She believes that the right choice may unlock a more desirable life. Yet as events unfold, she discovers that no decision, however important, can completely eliminate uncertainty.
The film reveals a truth that Election Day often obscures. Good choices matter. Wise decisions matter. Prudence matters. Yet no single choice guarantees happiness. The same is true in politics. A vote may influence the direction of a nation, but it cannot guarantee prosperity, harmony, or personal contentment.
The danger is expecting political victory to accomplish what only virtue can sustain. The lesson is that civic responsibility is important, but not all-powerful. The verdict is that a healthy nation depends less upon who occupies office than upon the character of the people who elect them.
Film Card — Honeymoon in Bali (1939)
Honeymoon in Bali • Romantic Comedy • 1h 25m
A successful businesswoman unexpectedly finds herself drawn toward romance and the promise of a dreamlike future, only to discover that happiness cannot be secured solely through favorable circumstances.
