I’m Back — And the Journey Has Been Long

Where It Began: A Young Mind on Its Own Path

At eighteen years old, voter registration was made as a Democrat. Then, in the twenties, the Peace and Freedom Party took hold — a young, pliable mind eagerly absorbing ideologies that felt like liberation. The ideas ran deep, branching out and taking root. It was a mind with God pushed to the shadows, charting its own course.

Looking back, it is clear now what was not clear then: there was a gift to influence others, and it was being used to plant seeds of toxic ideology that had already taken hold from within. Women’s rights — and all the agenda that came with it — felt like the whole truth. No one was going to dictate the terms of that life. Self was at the center. The views settled in comfortably, and they held sway. There was anger underneath it all — though the source of it was never quite clear.

“There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” — Proverbs 14:12 (cf. Proverbs 16:25)

The Republican Party: The Enemy, or So It Seemed

As far as the world was concerned at the time, the Republican Party was the enemy — a party that hated minorities and existed only for the wealthy. That view was not an isolated one. The entire family were registered Democrats; the thinking moved in one direction, shared and unquestioned. It was the same manna, laced with relativism, passed from one generation to the next.

There was a portrait of President Kennedy hanging in the living room — a kind of household icon. He was the family’s ideal. Our mother loved him and taught the children to respect and honor the Commander in Chief. President Kennedy will always hold a special place in the heart.

Mothers Do Know Best

Our mother was, until her final days, a political force in her own quiet way — always exercising her right to vote. That lesson was instilled in all of her children and has never been forgotten. She was a patriot. She always rooted for the underdog. Her dedication to making her voice heard was something to be honored — and it still is

The Transition

When Two Worlds Collide

Imagine moving from the Peace and Freedom Party directly into life as a Born-Again Christian — and eventually into the Catholic Church. That is precisely the journey taken. It was a paradox, and two powerful forces collided head-on. Only one could win.

During those formative years at Biola University, the Word of God was taking hold of the heart, and anger could no longer find a foothold surrounded by so much peace. The growth in belief surpassed everything else; nothing mattered more than pleasing God. Life was finally on track. This gradual, gentle transformation brought a new way of seeing — understanding the meaning of life, the purpose behind one’s very existence, and recognizing that God Himself had chosen Mike as a helpmate, all part of a divine plan. As the will was surrendered to God, the mind began to mature and grasp what was truly expected of a faithful Christian.

President Trump

A Vote Cast with Purpose

A vote was cast for this man because it was clear he would make changes. Not everyone will agree with the pace at which he has moved — but the reality is that he has only four years to address what has accumulated over many more. As always, the commitment remains the same: to pray that God guides President Trump in every decision.

Immigration

A Prayer for the Stranger

There is a genuine and sincere prayer held for all undocumented immigrants who have lived in this country for years — those who are law-abiding, God-fearing, and good people. A humane system that offers them a legitimate path to citizenship is not only reasonable but necessary. At the same time, a real question deserves an honest answer: Why are protesters flying the flags of other nations? It is difficult to imagine that approach helping the cause — and it is reasonable to suspect that many of these demonstrations are organized by American citizens rather than by undocumented individuals themselves. Regardless of where one stands politically, immigration must be handled with humanity, order, and justice.

What Scripture Says

Matthew 3:12 (NABRE): “His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The discrimination between the good and the bad is compared to the procedure by which a farmer separates wheat and chaff. The winnowing fan was a forklike shovel with which the threshed wheat was thrown into the air. The kernels fell to the ground; the light chaff, blown off by the wind, was gathered and burned up.

It is a powerful image — and an honest one. A nation, like a threshing floor, cannot simply absorb everything without discernment. There are many American citizens in genuine need; it is not unjust to insist that those who come do so through a lawful and orderly process. The solution is not cruelty — it is clarity. And the work of finding that balance belongs to those who were elected to do exactly that. May they be held to it.

A Soul on the Hill

A True Story of Faith, Love, and the Mercy That Awaits

I. The Man Who Had Everything

He was successful in business and in life, blessed with great wealth that took a lifetime to achieve — but he did not know God.

His wife of over 40 years served God as a Catholic and remained steadfast in her belief.

Together they built their dream home high on a hill, overlooking the rest of the world. They planned to spend the rest of their lives there.

II. A Covenant Renewed

With his deep love for his wife, a celebration was planned to renew their wedding vows. A priest from out of town did the officiating.

The man liked the godly priest and welcomed him into his home.

III. The Enemy Arrives

Shortly after the celebration came startling news — the man had cancer. A bad type of cancer.

The family did all they could and agreed to an aggressive treatment. Things seemed to look better for a short while, but the malignancy came back with a vengeance, attacking his body without mercy.

IV. A Community on Its Knees

At our Bible study, one of the ladies shared his plight, and we prayed — because he did not know God.

Every week came a new report on the man’s condition, and it was always despairing news. We prayed special graces for his wife and their children — but most of all, for him to turn to God.

V. The Brave Fight

The man fought bravely and honorably.

But it was not to be.

The Man Who Found God at the Eleventh Hour

A Story of Mercy, Homecoming, and the Grace That Never Gives Up

VI. The Farewell

Last week, funeral services were held for the man who did not know God.

His children shared heart-rending stories about their loving father. His beautiful, poised granddaughter spoke eloquently about her grandfather and the love they shared.

The loving wife — left numb by his absence — never gave up on him. She had always been the family’s silent spiritual backbone.

VII. The Priest Returns

At the memorial, the same priest who had renewed their wedding vows now stood to eulogize the man.

A bond had formed between them. And in his final days, the man had called upon that priest — not for comfort alone, but for something far greater.

VIII. The Question That Changes Everything

The man asked the priest one question:

“Is it too late for me to know God?”

The priest answered: “No.”

IX. Mercy Came to Save Him

The priest shared how a man given so much — and who gave so much of himself to those he loved — was ultimately met by the mercy of God.

His gentleness. His free will. His final turning.

These were the threads that led him home.

X. The Missing Link

The parable that unlocked it all was the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard — Matthew 20:1–16.

The priest connected the parable directly to the man’s life — reminding those gathered that it was a year of mercy, and that God Himself had orchestrated the vow renewal celebration, gathering loved ones close, because He already knew the man’s time was short.

The Lord had gone out at the eleventh hour — and found His worker.

XI. The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

Matthew 20:1–7

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

He went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.

Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour and did likewise.

And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'”

The man on the hill who built everything — who overlooked the world from his dream home — was himself never overlooked by God. Even at the eleventh hour, the Landowner came looking.

XII. The Hours of a Life

The hours of the workday are not arbitrary — they map the stages of a human life.

Morning workers. Midday workers. Evening workers.

Each one called by the same Landowner. Each one welcomed into the same vineyard — Christ’s own — where souls harvest much fruit for God before the sun sets on their earthly lives.

It does not matter whether the conversion comes early or late. The gift waiting at the end of the day is the same: generous, unearned, and eternal.

XIII. A Beautiful End

What a beautiful end to the story of this man.

The prayers of his family — and of strangers on their knees who never even knew his name — carried him to the threshold. And he walked through.

He will forever be remembered not as the man who did not know God, but as the man who walked into the arms of God.

Yes — that is how easy our Maker makes it for us.

XIV. A Servant’s Farewell

Written with love, offered in hope, and left as a lamp for anyone who stumbles across these words:

May every soul who reads this story recognize the Landowner’s voice — and know that the vineyard gate is never closed while there is still breath.

A faithful servant of the Most High, praying for all who find their way here.

When the Cloud Comes: Fighting Through Depression with Faith

The Battle Is Real

Even after attending Mass today, a dark cloud wanted to keep me company. These spirits are real, and if you do not know how to pray against them, they will keep you from doing God’s work. I pressed forward to rid myself of this depression — I prayed for others, answered a few emails, and watched my youngest grandchild for a few hours. He insisted on playing hide and seek.

A Steadfast Walk, but a Mortal One

My walk with the Lord is steadfast, and I live to serve Him — but I am still a mere mortal, subject to the attacks of the enemy. By 1:30 PM, my plans for the day were still far from complete. I reached for flavored potato chips to push through, but that never works.

The Turning Point

Finally, I made my way to the treadmill, and the movement stirred my endorphins. I prayed the Rosary, and suddenly that looming cloud disappeared. It is a mind game with the devil — and he has one assignment: to steal, to slaughter, and to destroy (John 10:10).

You Are Not Alone: Finding Victory Over Depression

The Enemy’s Tactics

Please know that you are not alone when you suffer from depression. This is normal, especially when you come down from a spiritual high. The enemy is always nearby as a constant reminder of our shortcomings — but he is a liar, and we must put him in his place.

A Short, Simple Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank You and praise You for all that You are doing in my life. I know that this spirit of depression is not from You. Lord, please help me get through my day in victory, and allow Your Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts. I empty my heart, mind, and spirit, and ask that You, Lord, fill me with Your perfect love. Your Word says, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Thank You, Jesus!

To get back into the spirit of God the pictures of our recent trip reminded me of how greatly we were all used.