Traditions

Happy Thanksgiving!
To all of my readers, I wish blessed Thanksgiving day. May it be filled with good food and even better company. Its a shame that much of our American culture pushes us through thing great day in order to get us to focus on, not Christmas itself, but rather on Christmas shopping. However, I will save that topic for another blog post.
Today I will focus on my Thanksgiving traditions and travels. I grew up on a home with very few holiday traditions. However, I married into a family who is really quite big on said traditions, and I must say, I love it. So, when the news came my wife and boys would be joining my In-laws in spending the Thanksgiving, long weekend at a house rented out in Carmel I have to admit I was hesitant. Now, I have absolutely have nothing against the city of Carmel, Ca. If i had to choose of cities to spend time in Carmel is at thr top of my list, but I digress to my original point, breaking otraditionon. I was even more so perturbed after finding out we would be trading turkey with all the fixings for tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. In was very much looking forward to mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls and cranberry sauce, but they were not to be. My heart ached.
Believe it or not, this is a positive posting. Fore, I would still be bumming myself out about traditions had it not been for the biggest tradition of all, which, thanks be to God, we were able to keep to this year. Having the entire family together is the only thing we really need to celebrate any holiday.
Now on to Christmas. ;)

Blessing,
Michael

Ketchup?

  The glue that holds a family together is a mysterious red substance known as ketchup. From the traditional French-fry to the base of more complex bar-b-que sauces, ketchup can be paired with almost any kind of food; almost. So, when my brilliantly tasteful wife came home from the grocery store with a bag of ketchup flavored potato chips you would think I would be chomping at the bit to try them. After all, I have been known to top my morning eggs with a squirt of ketchup every now and then. However, the thought of biting into crispy ketchup somehow didn't appeal to me. Don’t get me wrong, I was willing to give them a shot, just to be fair.
To be honest, when it comes to food, I’m not hesitant to try anything at least once, maybe twice …just to be sure. This is why I’m a little rounder than I was back in high school. Everything my wife puts on the table in front of me gets eaten. The real problem is my Cyndi is truly a master chef and EVERYTHING she prepares can lead to a wonderful show of culinary magic for the human pallet.

So, of course I had to take a hand full of these new fandangle chips for a taste-drive. My opinion; well, they taste like ketchup, and for a short while I was against trying any more. My wife was very adamant in stating she would in fact be buying more of these chips because she and the boys liked them so much. The real question was could I grow to enjoy them. After all, I would like to join in the snacking fun everyone else in the house was experiencing. The outcome came to be I too have come to crave my ketchup potato chips.

What was it that finally won me over and made a Ketchup chip fan out of this cynic; an appeal to the child within me and the innocent logic he posses. The simple idea that ketchup and French fries are great together, and a bit of ketchup on top of some mashed potatoes is fabulous. Potatoes and ketchup are naturally made for one another. So, let’s hear it for ketchup, and for the love of my life, my wife not the ketchup, who, as usual, knows me better than I know myself sometimes.

Ketchup chips; go figure. What are next, mustard flavored hotdog buns? …Wait, I thought of it first. Where’s a patent when you need one?



Blessings,
Mike Salinas

Creating Memories

 My beautiful wife, our two boys, and I have spent this past weekend at a breathtaking Catholic Engaged Encounter convention in Reno, NV jammed packed with fabulous guest speakers. It was there that we met Jason and Kim Kotecki, one of the most inspiring Catholic couples in active ministry. I had first met Jason just about six years ago at a local Catholic business professionals breakfast where he was a much anticipated guest. It was then that I first was diagnosed with "Adultits (TM)". Want to find out more about my diagnosis, you must visit http://www.kimandjason.com/. In short, the cure for my condition is ice cream...for dinner. Who am I to argue with the experts? 

  So there my family and I were making the long drive home back to the Central Valley after a great weekend with the hours slowly ticking away when finally the need for gas and food had arrived; time for some much needed medication, of the cold and creamy nature. It has to be understood that the four of us were most certainly hungry, and so much would have been just tasty, but none more tasty then ice cream. Our boys LOVED every bite, especially after knowing this was not an everyday thing, (although it may have to be, we'll see. I'll let you know). For about a half an hour that parlor enjoyed the company of four kids rather than two adults with two children. To top it all off, we each ate out of each others waffle cone bowls.
  I'm not cured, but I'm certainly not planning on missing any doses of childhood and opportunities to create memories for my children, and my beautiful wife.

  So, just today, the family and I were shopping for groceries when my six year old son told a complete stranger that he and his family had had ice cream for dinner the night before. I didn't get any look of horror from the stranger, nor even one of disappointment. Instead I received a laugh and a "way to go, dad. Keep up the good work". I plan on doing just that.

Blessings,
Michael

Fathers from The Father

Another Father's Day has come and gone.  How many...interesting...ties have we in our collection now?

  Now, I know this past Sunday was The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, but in the secular world we all must live in Father's Day is far more publicized. With that said, no matter how we choose to look at it, secularly or ecclesialy, it all begins with The Father.

  Of course I can't help but think a little more of my own father during this time of year. It also helps that dad's birthday happens to fall on the day after Father's Day.  This makes gift buying all the more do-able.  Think of it this way.  If your birthday fell on December 26th you could get a nice gadget on Christmas day and the batteries to operate said gadget the next day.  These two days just go hand in hand in my opinion.  But, enough about me. Lets get back dear old dad.

 My pop has always been there for me, defending me when certain situations required it. English was not his first language, but you wouldn't know it if you spoke to him today. In fact, I once won an award in high school in which I was to give a speech in appreciation of it. Due to a prior engagement, I was unable to receive the award myself. Of my mom (a Texas born girl) and my dad, it was my padre who spoke on my behalf. Ad to the fact that the ceremony was televised on local television and I'd say my dad has a pretty solid pair.

  Or perhaps it's something more. Maybe my dad, who is much more comfortable speaking on the topic of car parts then anything else, sees it as simply his fatherly duty to support any of his boys in any way he is called to, even if that includes public speaking, which normally is not one of his strong suits.

  Perhaps a father has an inate  sense  pride in the accomplishments of their children, especially when those accomplishments aid the lives of others. This inherent ability to step beyond one's perceptive skills can only be gift from The Almighty. It may even be a way in which we can experience God's love for us; see the His face in our lives here on earth. What father doesn't want the best for their children? What father doesn't strive to make the lives of their children a step or two above their own?  To all of those fathers, including my own, I say a heartfelt thank you and may every day be your day,even as you strive to make it ours.  May our heavenly father bless you as you bless us.

Blessings,
Michael

Cake Pop Penance

  As I have expressed in previous posting, I am a Confession junky. I don't go crying to a priest over every little thing I do wrong, however, more often than not the real need arises to take advantage of this God-given sacrament. Such a need surfaced recently and there I found myself laying all of sins out on the table for Fr. Friendly. He always seems to know how to pull out the really faults in my actions and aids me in making a true confession.

  At last the time came for Father to give me absolution, and I was prepared for a few decades of the rosary to be in my very near future, which is usually the case. However, on this particular day Fr. Friendly asked me to further reflect on what was discussed in my confession. Fr. asked me to set time aside that evening to contemplate my many God-given gifts and blessings and truly give thank to our Lord for all of them. Simple enough, right? Except for the fact that I had promised my lovely wife I would help her decorate the massive amount of cake pops she had baked and was preparing to deliver to her students and fellow co-workers the very next day. My evening was already planned. I was going to be up late sticking candy eyeballs onto cake lions. Would I really have the quality time to reflect on my blessings while trying not to ruin the miniature confectionery masterpieces my amazing wife had spent the last two evening perfecting?

  It was no mere accident that many of the Gospel passages we know so well involve food in one form or another. From the multiplication of the loaves and fish to the beautiful Eucharist itself, we are a people who find peace and understanding with one another and with our God by way of the meals we share.

  So, it should come as no surprise that I would find very little difficulty of completing my penance by way of cake pop decorating. After all, the majority of my gifts and blessings are under the roof of my home. So, there I was gluing the chocolate chip mane onto the head of a lion that was closer to being eaten then being completely decorated, praying. There I was thanking God out loud in front of my wife for my wife. Thanking my God for our children and our health. Giving thanks for my home and my job which, of course, are also both God given. It felt very good to pray this way, and I'm sure my wife felt good in hearing me proclaim out loud that she is a blessing to me.

Blessings,
Michael

Penitencia de modo Pastel

  Como lo he expresado en anterior reseña, yo soy un adicto a la Confesión. Yo no voy a llorar a un sacerdote en cada pequeña cosa que he hecho mal, sin embargo, más a menudo entonces no surge la necesidad real de tomar ventaja de este sacramento, Dios nos ha dado. Esa necesidad surgió hace poco y no me encontré por la que se todos los pecados sobre la mesa para el padre. Amigable. Siempre parece saber cómo tirar las faltas en realidad en mis acciones y me ayudas a hacer una verdadera confesión.

  Por fin llegó el momento para el Padre que me dé la absolución, y yo estaba preparado para unas cuantas décadas del rosario para estar en mi futuro muy cercano, que suele ser el caso. Sin embargo, en este día en particular el Padre Amable me pidió que reflexionara sobre lo que se discutió en mi confesión. El Padre me pidió que reserve tiempo de la noche a contemplar mis muchos dones dados por Dios y la bendición y dar gracias en verdad a nuestro Señor por todos ellos. Bastante simple, ¿verdad? Excepto por el hecho de que yo le había prometido a mi bella esposa que le ayudara a decorar la enorme cantidad de torta aparece ella había preparado y se disponía a entregar a sus alumnos y compañeros de trabajo al día siguiente. Mi noche ya estaba prevista. Yo iba a ser tarde pegando ojos dulces en los leones pastel. Sería realmente tienen la calidad de tiempo para reflexionar sobre mis bendiciones mientras trata de no arruinar las obras maestras en miniatura de confitería mi maravillosa esposa habían pasado las dos últimas noches perfeccionando?

  No fue una mera casualidad que muchos de los pasajes del Evangelio que tan bien conocemos relación con los alimentos de una forma u otra. De la multiplicación de los panes y los peces a la Eucaristía bella en sí, somos un pueblo que encuentran la paz y el entendimiento entre ellos y con nuestro Dios por medio de las comidas que compartimos.

  Por lo tanto, no debería ser una sorpresa que iba a encontrar muy poca dificultad de completar mi penitencia por medio de decoración de pasteles. Después de todo, la mayoría de mis dones y bendiciones están bajo el techo de mi casa. Por lo tanto, allí estaba yo pegando la melena de chispas de chocolate en la cabeza de un león que estaba más cerca de ser comido después de ser completamente decorados, rezando. Allí estaba yo dando gracias a Dios en voz alta delante de mi esposa para mi esposa. Gracias a mi Dios por nuestros hijos y nuestra salud. Dar gracias por mi casa y mi trabajo que, por supuesto, son también los dos, dado por Dios. Se sentía muy bien a rezar de esta manera, y estoy seguro de que mi esposa se sintió bien en la audición me proclamar en voz alta que es una bendición para mí.

Bendiciones,
Miguél

Want to know more?

  I recently earned my Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries. I am very anxious and motivated to share my work, perhaps even post certain sections of my thesis. However, I will only do so if my readers would be interested. So, if it at all seems interesting to you, comments on this short post and I will respond accordingly.  By the way, my thesis is on the establishment of a Spanish marriage preparation ministry in my city. Let me know if you want to hear more my precious few followers.

Blessings,
Mike