Posts
Claire’s Corner Try “Bagels & Bialy’s”
· Today in honor of the Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.
· Spirit hour: In honor of St. Paul have some St. Pauli Girl beer
· Carnival Time begins in Catholic Countries.
· Bucket Item trip: Hong Kong
· FEAST DAY go to Mass.
o Start your day by celebrating National Opposite Day: do things backward, wear clothes inside out, or eat dessert for breakfast. Then, dive into National Irish Coffee Day by making your own version using coffee, whiskey, sugar, and cream. Put on some Celtic tunes to set the vibe. For Burns Night, savor some haggis or vegetarian haggis, along with neeps and tatties. Write and recite poetry in a Scottish accent for added flair.
o National Florida Day calls for citrusy cocktails and a virtual visit to the Sunshine State’s stunning beaches. Whip up some fish tacos to honor National Fish Taco Day, and pair them with a zesty salsa. Celebrate St. Dwynwen’s Day by spreading love and kindness to those around you, perhaps by writing heartfelt letters or messages.
o Observe the Weather Day is perfect for stargazing, cloud watching, or simply stepping outside to feel the breeze. National Seed Swap Day encourages you to start a mini garden or exchange seeds with friends. On A Room of One’s Own Day, carve out space for yourself to read, create art, or simply relax.
o Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day is a great excuse to try your hand at quilting or sewing. Finally, honor National IV Nurse Day by expressing gratitude for healthcare workers or donating to a medical charity. End your day with a cozy quilt, a cup of herbal tea, and perhaps a reflective journal entry. Cheers to a day filled with whimsical celebrations!
· Plan winter fun:
o Soak in hot springs
o Hit the snow slopes
o Ride a snowmobile
o Go for a dog sled ride
o Ride a hot air balloon
· Today’s menu is from the State of Indiana.
o Irish Coffee
o Slow-Cooked Loaded Potato Soup
o Yellow Squash and Zucchini Casserole
o Bacon-Topped Meat Loaf
o Sugar Cream Pie
🌴 Around the World in Perfect Weather: Week 5
Bali, Indonesia — “Temple Waters & Tropical Stillness”
January 25–31, 2026
January is Bali’s warm, lush, green season — ideal for temples, waterfalls, rice terraces, and quiet spiritual reflection.
📍 Base: Ubud (Cultural & Spiritual Heart of Bali)
Ubud gives you temples, rice terraces, waterfalls, and daily Mass access — all within 20–40 minutes.
Jan 25 – Arrival in Bali (3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time)
• Flight: Perth → Denpasar (typical $180–$260 per person)
• Mass: St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Kuta – Sunday Mass at 6:00 PM
• Lodging: Alaya Resort Ubud (~$145/night)
• Meals: ~$55/day (Balinese curry + tropical fruit)
• Symbolic Act: Journal on “Crossing Thresholds” — entering a new cultural world with openness.
Jan 26 – Sacred Monkey Forest & Temple Walk (Monday)
• Visit: Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary – jungle paths + ancient temples
• Mass: St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Denpasar – Daily Mass at 6:00 PM
• Lodging: Alaya Resort Ubud (~$145/night)
• Meals: ~$55/day (Ubud café lunch + satay dinner)
• Tickets: ~$5 entry
• Symbolic Act: Reflect on “Harmony with Creation” amid the forest temples.
Jan 27 – Tegallalang Rice Terraces (Tuesday)
• Visit: Tegallalang Rice Terraces – iconic green terraces + ridge walk
• Mass: St. Joseph’s Denpasar – Daily Mass
• Lodging: Alaya Resort Ubud (~$145/night)
• Meals: ~$55/day (rice terrace café + Balinese grill)
• Symbolic Act: Write a reflection titled “Layers of Grace” inspired by the terraces.
Jan 28 – Waterfall Pilgrimage (Wednesday)
• Visit: Tegenungan Waterfall – powerful cascade + jungle pool
• Mass: St. Joseph’s Denpasar
• Lodging: Alaya Resort Ubud (~$145/night)
• Meals: ~$55/day
• Tickets: ~$2 entry
• Symbolic Act: Renew your baptismal identity by touching the waterfall mist.
Jan 29 – Tirta Empul Holy Springs (Thursday)
• Visit: Tirta Empul Temple – sacred purification pools
• Mass: St. Joseph’s Denpasar
• Lodging: Alaya Resort Ubud (~$145/night)
• Meals: ~$55/day
• Tickets: ~$3 entry
• Symbolic Act: Pray Psalm 51 quietly near the springs — “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Jan 30 – Mount Batur Sunrise (Friday)
• Visit: Mount Batur Sunrise Trek – volcanic summit at dawn
• Tour: Local guide ($45–$60)
• Mass: Evening Mass at St. Joseph’s Denpasar
• Lodging: Alaya Resort Ubud ($145/night)
• Meals: ~$60/day (post‑hike breakfast + Ubud dinner)
• Symbolic Act: Journal on “Rising with Christ” as the sun breaks over the caldera.
Jan 31 – Farewell to Bali (Saturday)
• Visit: Campuhan Ridge Walk – quiet morning ridge path
• Mass: Saturday Vigil at St. Joseph’s Denpasar
• Lodging: Alaya Resort Ubud (~$145/night)
• Meals: ~$55/day (farewell dinner with fresh coconut + grilled fish)
• Symbolic Act: Leave a written prayer of gratitude at the ridge overlook.
💰 Cost Snapshot (Jan 25–31 Bali Week)
Lodging (6 nights): ~$870
Meals (7 days): ~$385–$400
Tickets/Activities: ~$55–$70
Local Transport: ~$120–$150
Flight Perth → Bali: ~$180–$260 per person
Conversion
of St. Paul-Irish Coffee Day
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I FEAR? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?
This verse is and should be our declaration of faith. Let us commit it to memorization and repeat it to ourselves daily or when fear and doubt rears its ugly head within our depths. Doing this will help us trust the Lord and develop a true relationship of love with the Trinity through prayer. God will become our sanctuary, and we will be able to put away our fears and rest in the arms of God.
We will no longer have to pretend that we are not afraid for we will trust the Lord with our whole being offering our lives, families, time and treasure with total peace. We will be able to sleep and awaken easily. The old Navajo adage will no longer apply to us; you cannot wake a person who is pretending to be asleep; due to our faith in God.
Through our reliance in Him we will be able to say with King David, “I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted and wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:13-14).
Copilot’s Take
Confronting Evil Today — In the Light of Psalm 27
Evil
today rarely announces itself with horns and smoke. It moves through confusion,
discouragement, division, and the quiet corrosion of hope. It thrives wherever
people forget who they are and whom they belong to. Psalm 27 cuts straight
through that fog: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I
fear?” Light first, salvation second. God does not merely rescue—He
reveals.
The first confrontation with evil, then, is not outward but inward. It begins when we refuse to let fear narrate our lives. Fear shrinks the world. Fear distorts the face of the neighbor. Fear whispers that God is absent or slow or indifferent. But the psalmist answers fear with identity: “The LORD is my life’s refuge.” Evil cannot withstand a person who knows where he stands and whose he is.
Evil
also feeds on passivity. It wants people spiritually asleep—lulled by
distraction, numbed by outrage, or paralyzed by helplessness. The Navajo adage
speaks truth: you cannot wake a person who is pretending to be asleep.
But faith wakes us. Trust wakes us. Prayer wakes us. When we stand in the light
of God, we stop pretending. We become alert, steady, and ready.
And this is where the Epiphany season sharpens the point. Christ is revealed not as a distant idea but as a present King. His light exposes evil not to terrify us, but to free us from it. Evil loses its power when we refuse to mirror it—when we answer darkness with clarity, deceit with truth, contempt with dignity, chaos with peace, and fear with courage.
Confronting evil today does not require grand gestures. It requires fidelity. It requires the daily decision to stand in the light and refuse the scripts of despair. It requires the stouthearted waiting of Psalm 27: “I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living.” That is not naïve optimism. It is spiritual defiance.
To live this way is to become a sign—quiet, steady, unmistakable—that evil does not get the last word. God does.
ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[1]
CHAPTER II
DIES CHRISTI
The Day of the
Risen Lord
and of the Gift
of the Holy Spirit
The first day of
the week
1.
In
those early Christian times, the weekly rhythm of days was generally not part
of life in the regions where the Gospel spread, and the festive days of the
Greek and Roman calendars did not coincide with the Christian Sunday. For
Christians, therefore, it was very difficult to observe the Lord's Day on a set
day each week. This explains why the faithful had to gather before sunrise. Yet
fidelity to the weekly rhythm became the norm, since it was based upon the New
Testament and was tied to Old Testament revelation. This is eagerly underscored
by the Apologists and the Fathers of the Church in their writings and preaching
where, in speaking of the Paschal Mystery, they use the same Scriptural texts
which, according to the witness of Saint Luke (cf. 24:27, 44-47), the Risen
Christ himself would have explained to the disciples. In the light of these
texts, the celebration of the day of the Resurrection acquired a doctrinal and
symbolic value capable of expressing the entire Christian mystery in all its
newness.
Third
Sunday after Epiphany[2]
Under the traditional calendar the Church
Christ cures the Jewish leper and the Roman centurion's servant, calling both
Jew and Gentile to His flock.
THE Church, knowing that she cannot sufficiently love and praise God,
at the Introit of the Mass invites all angels to praise Him: Adore God, all you
His angels: Sion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Juda rejoiced. The
Lord hath reigned, let the earth rejoice, let many islands be glad (Ps. xcvi.).
Prayer.
Almighty and eternal God mercifully look upon our infirmities, and
extend the right hand of Thy majesty to help and defend us. Amen.
EPISTLE. Rom. xii. 16-21.
Brethren: Be not wise in your own conceits: to no man rendering evil
for evil: providing good things not only in the sight of God, but also in the
sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as in you, having peace with all
men. Not revenging yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath,
for it is written: Revenge to Me: I will repay, saith the Lord. But if thy
enemy be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him drink; for doing this
thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome by evil, but
overcome evil by good.
What is the meaning of the words, “Revenge to Me: I
will repay, saith the Lord”?
They mean that God alone has the right to revenge. “Are you impatient”,
says St. Ambrose, “then you will be conquered: but do you suffer in patience,
then you will be conqueror.”
What must we do, then, when our honor is attacked?
When an injury by others brings serious consequences upon us, it is not
only permissible, but even a duty, to defend our honor and good name. In
matters of less importance, we should leave our assailants to God, according to
the admonition of the Apostle.
Is it wrong to wish our neighbor the evil that he
wished us?
Certainly, for it is contrary to the law of God, Who commands us to
love our enemies, to do good to them that hate us, and pray for them that
persecute and calumniate us (Matt, v. 44; Luke vi. 35).
How are we to “heap coals of fire on the heads of our
enemies”?
When, according to the will of God, we render good for evil, thereby
confounding our enemies and causing them to burn with shame; St. Augustine
says: You will heap burning coals of love on his head, for nothing sooner
begets love than to meet one with love.
Prayer.
Enable me, O heavenly Father, so to follow these admonitions of St.
Paul in regard to the love of my enemies that I may be Thy child, Who makest
Thy sun to shine upon the evil and upon the good.
GOSPEL. Matthew
viii. 1-18
At that time, when
Jesus was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him: and
behold a leper came and adored Him, saying: Lord, if Thou wilt, thou canst make
me clean. And Jesus, stretching forth His hand, touched him, saying: I will. Be
thou made clean. And forthwith his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith to
him: See thou tell no man: but go show thyself to the priest and offer the gift
which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them. And when He had entered into
Capharnaum, there came to Him a centurion, beseeching Him, and saying: Lord, my
servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented. And Jesus
saith to him: I will come and heal him. And the centurion, making answer, said:
Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the
word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man subject to authority,
having under me soldiers; and I say to this: Go, and he goeth: and to another:
Come, and he cometh: and to my servant: Do this, and he doth it. And Jesus
hearing this, marveled: and said to them that followed Him: Amen I say to you,
I have not found so great faith in Israel. And I say to you that many shall
come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: but the children of the kingdom shall be
cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth. And Jesus said to the centurion: Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it
done to thee. And the servant was healed at the same hour.
Why did the leper
say to Jesus, “Lord, if Thou wilt, thou canst make me clean”?
Because he
believed Jesus to be the promised Messiah, Who, as true God, had the power to
heal him. When we pray, we must be careful not to prescribe to God what He
shall give us, but begin by saying, “If it be pleasing to Thee, and
advantageous to me, give me this or that grace.
Why did Jesus
stretch forth His hand and touch him?
So that he might
understand that his leprosy was to be healed. Let us also imitate the example
of Jesus by assisting each other in sickness, not shirking this work of charity
from aversion or excessive delicacy.
Why did Jesus say,
“I will, be thou made clean”?
To reveal His
almightiness, and to show that all things were subject to Him.
Why did Jesus say,
“See thou tell no man”?
To show His
modesty and humility, and to teach us, when we do good works, not to speak of
them, thus losing our reward (Matt. vi. 2, 3).
What does the
Savior mean by saying, Go show thyself to the priest?
1. Christ wished
to show His respect for the law of Moses, for lepers were required to show
themselves to the priests, who were to decide whether they were clean or not.
He also teaches us that priests should receive their proper respect.
2. He reminded him
who was cleansed to give thanks to God by offering the gift which Moses
commanded.
What does the
solicitude of the centurion teach us?
That masters and
mistresses should take care of their sick servants and do what they can to
restore them to health.
Why did Our Savior
say, I will come and heal him?
To show His
profound humility, for although He was God, and the Lord of lords, He did not
hesitate to visit a poor servant.
Why did the
centurion say, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof?
Out of humility,
for he acknowledged Jesus to be Almighty God.
What is the
meaning of the words, “That many shall come from the east and the west, and
shall sit down with Abraham”?
Christ meant that
many unbelievers shall receive the Gospel, and, living according to it, shall
thereby gain the kingdom of heaven, while the Jews, who were the chosen people
of God, shall, for their unbelief and sins, be cast out into the exterior darkness
that is, into the most excruciating pains of hell.
Feast of the
conversion of St. Paul[3]
St. Paul was born at Tarsus, Cilicia, of
Jewish parents who were descended from the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Roman
citizen from birth. To complete his schooling, St. Paul was sent to Jerusalem,
where he sat at the feet of the learned Gamaliel and was educated in the strict
observance of the ancestral Law. As a convinced and zealous Pharisee, he
returned to Tarsus before the public life of Christ in Palestine.
Sometime after the death of Our Lord, St.
Paul returned to Palestine. His profound conviction made his zeal develop to a
religious fanaticism against the infant Church. He took part in the stoning of
the first martyr, St. Stephen, and in the fierce persecution of the Christians
that followed. Entrusted with a formal mission from the high priest, he
departed for Damascus to arrest the Christians there and bring them bound to
Jerusalem. As he was nearing Damascus, about noon, a light from heaven suddenly
blazed round him. Jesus with His glorified body appeared to him and addressed
him, turning him away from his apparently successful career. An immediate
transformation was wrought in the soul of St. Paul. He was suddenly converted
to the Christian Faith. He was baptized, changed his name from Saul to Paul,
and began travelling and preaching the Faith. He was martyred as an Apostle in
Rome around 65 AD.
Feast of St. Paul
the Apostle[4]
THE history of this conversion is fully
given in the epistle taken from the Acts. The Introit of the Mass is as
follows: "I know Whom I have believed, and I am certain that He is able to
keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day, being a just judge.
Lord, Thou hast proved me and known me, Thou hast known my sitting down, and my
rising up."
Prayer.
O God, "Who didst teach the whole
world by the preaching of blessed Paul the apostle, grant us, we beseech Thee,
that we, who this day celebrate his conversion, may advance towards Thee by his
example. Amen.
Highlights and
Things to Do[5]:
- Visit this section on
Catholic Culture prepared for the Year of St. Paul in 2008.
- Read more on the Conversion of St. Paul:
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- Scott Hahn on the Conversion of St. Paul (and watch Scott Hahn –
Saint Paul: Persecutor to Apostle)
- Catholic Exchange: The Conversion of St. Paul and The Importance of the Conversion of St. Paul
- Many artists depicted the conversion of St. Paul.
One of the most popular paintings is by Caravaggio. There is
also the fresco by
Michelangelo that is very inspiring.
- The tomb of St. Paul is located in Basilica of
St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.
- See some food ideas on Catholic
Cuisine.
- One of the traditions attached to this feast is
found in rural England. Similar to the United States Groundhog Day
tradition, weather predictions included fine days predicting good
harvests, to clouds and mists foretelling pestilence and war in the coming
months.
Food[6]
Some ideas for honoring St. Paul on his conversion (also for June 29, Saints Peter and Paul):
- Incorporating
a horse in the celebration seems most obvious to me. This previous post
for Horseshoe Cookies for the
feast of St. Martin has loads of ideas for other horse themed foods. There
is also Podovy: St. Stephen's Horns which is a
filled bread in the shape of horseshoes. How about the Giddy-Up
Horse Cake from Kraft Foods?
- Roast beef
and horseradish, one of my favorite combinations would
make a nice main course. And how about Garlic Horseradish Mashed Potatoes?
- Don't forget
what we feed the horse! Perhaps a plate of crudités: maybe just
celery and carrot sticks with dip.
- St. Paul
followed the Jewish laws strictly, which would mean dietary laws, too.
This could be an opportunity to serve a Biblical Jewish meal.
Bible in a Year Day 207 The Lord Will Come
Fr. Mike points out the
passages that highlight the coming of God, and asks us to reflect on whether
our response is hope and excitement, or fear and dread. Today's readings are
Isaiah 34-36, Baruch 3-4, and Proverbs 11:21-24.
Irish Coffee Day[7]
1942 proved a fortuitous year for transatlantic
travelers wearied by the cold and damp conditions of an Irish winter. Thanks to
the innovative imagination of bartender Joe Sheridan, they were soon to have
their cockles delightfully warmed by an almost decadent blend of fine Irish
whiskey with the irresistible taste and aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
Combined with the subtle sweetness of brown sugar and sipped through the
luxurious density of whipped cream, it was a recipe that would become a global
hit that needed no specific weather conditions to be enjoyed.
Get
Creative with Irish Coffee
While the two most important ingredients are
listed in the name, it is also possible to make things much more interesting
with some unique ingredients added to the basic recipe. Try out one of these
modernized Irish Coffee ideas in celebration of the day:
·
The Blind Abbott. Start with cold brew coffee and 1 shot of Tullamore Dew Irish
Whiskey. Then intensify the coffee flavor even more by adding a half shot of
Galliano Ristretto, an espresso-based liqueur. Finish it off with some cinnamon
syrup and a few dashes of bitters, pour over ice and shake until frosty. Serve
topped with fresh, sweet, whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
·
Vintage Coffee Cocktail. Named after the Vintage Cocktail Club located in Dublin, Ireland,
this one is Dublin-ified with a bit of the city’s signature beer: Guinness.
Start by infusing Guinness with some malt extract and a vanilla bean pod over
heat. This combination is then whisked together with whipping cream and stirred
in with a shot of Paddy Old Irish Whiskey, a few shots of espresso, and a
teaspoon of light molasses. Top with a garnish of nutmeg sprinkling.
·
Gort’s Reprieve Irish Coffee. Featured at the Drink Well Bar in Austin, Texas, this unique
version of the drink is a fun departure from the original. Start with coffee
that has been freshly brewed in a French Press, then add in a shot of Irish
Whiskey and a half shot of amaro (Italian herbal bitters), a bit of simple
syrup and a few dashes of New Orleans coffee bitters. Top with whipped cream
and sprinkle on some spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice. Make it extra
special by adding chocolate covered espresso beans on top!
· Bailey’s Irish Cream Coffee. This recipe builds a sweeter, creamier, stronger drink (reminiscent of a dessert!) by starting with coffee and whiskey, then adding a shot of Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur and finishing it off with a dollop of sweet, whipped cream.
Daily
Devotions/Practices
·
Today's Fast: Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph
by joining them in fasting: The
sanctification of the Church Militant.
·
Litany of the Most Precious Blood
of Jesus
·
Offering to the
sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[2]Goffine’s
Devout Instructions, 1896.
[4]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[7]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/irish-coffee-day/
🎬 The Town Went Wild (1944)
Genre: Comedy–Romance
Director: Ralph Murphy
Stars: Freddie Bartholomew, Jill Browning, Jimmy Lydon, Edward Everett Horton
Running Time: 77 minutes
A lively small‑town farce with a surprisingly sharp moral core, The Town Went Wild blends screwball energy with a “switched‑at‑birth” crisis that turns young love into a comic near‑tragedy. Beneath the slapstick and shouting fathers lies a story about truth, identity, and the cost of stubborn pride.
📘 Clean Plot Summary
David Conway and Carol Harrison have grown up next door to each other while their fathers nursed a long‑standing feud. Despite the hostility, the two young people fall in love and decide to elope before David leaves for government engineering work in Alaska.
Their plan collapses when the Justice of the Peace informs them that state law requires three days of published marriage banns. When David retrieves his birth certificate to begin the process, he discovers a disaster:
he and Carol’s brother Bob were switched at birth during a fight between the fathers in the hospital.
This means:
- David is actually a Harrison
- Bob is actually a Conway
- Carol is about to marry her own brother
- And the penalty for such a marriage is 15 years in prison
The revelation sends both families — and eventually the entire town — into a frenzy of clerks, lawyers, accusations, and frantic attempts to untangle the truth before the young couple’s future is destroyed.
✝️ Catholic Moral & Devotional Reading
1. Truth Revealed in God’s Time
The film’s central crisis mirrors the biblical pattern: hidden truths eventually surface, not to shame but to set things right.
Truth is not always comfortable, but it is always liberating.
2. Feuds Blind Us to Reality
The fathers’ pride and stubbornness literally create the identity confusion.
Unreconciled sin always spills into the next generation — a theme that echoes throughout Scripture and your devotional work.
3. Love Must Be Ordered
David and Carol’s affection is sincere, but sincerity alone cannot override truth.
Catholic teaching insists that love must be rooted in reality, not sentiment or impulse.
4. Mercy Over Panic
While the town spirals into chaos, the Church’s approach to irregular situations is calm, patient, and restorative.
Mercy restores identity; panic only deepens confusion.
🍸 Hospitality Pairings
A film built on mistaken identity and frontier stubbornness deserves drinks and snacks that echo its themes with humor and symbolic depth.
Cocktail: The Switched‑at‑Birth Sour
A playful nod to the film’s premise.
- Whiskey
- Lemon
- Touch of sweet vermouth
- Shake and serve over ice
Symbolism:
Two families, two identities, shaken together until clarity emerges.
Cocktail: Prairie Leather
Inspired by the film’s comic moment when the father sniffs his son and asks if he’s wearing perfume, only to hear the proud reply:
“It’s cologne — Prairie Leather.”
A fictional 1940s cologne becomes a real frontier‑worthy drink.
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- 0.5 oz sweet vermouth
- 0.25 oz Cointreau
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Optional: small orange peel, expressed and discarded
Method
Stir with ice until cold and smooth.
Strain into a rocks glass over a single cube.
Symbolism
- Bourbon = the American prairie
- Vermouth = aged leather
- Cointreau = the glint of sun on a saddle
- Bitters = the dust of old feuds
A drink with backbone — just like the film’s young lovers.
Snack: Feuding Fathers Pretzel Knots
Soft pretzel knots with mustard.
- The knot = tangled identities
- The mustard = the sharpness of pride
- The warmth = reconciliation waiting to happen
🕯️ Devotional Reflection (Short, Blog‑Ready)
When we cling to old feuds, we lose sight of who we truly are. Pride tangles identities, confuses relationships, and blinds us to the good right in front of us. But when truth emerges — sometimes through comedy, sometimes through crisis — God invites us to step into the light with humility. Like David and Carol, we discover that love must be rooted in truth, and truth must be embraced with mercy.
