A Message for All Mothers

 Pardon my ineptness.  I sometimes have trouble discerning which path I'm supposed to take, especially when the signals are in conflict.  Yesterday was one of those days.  I sense there was some supernatural interference in play.  Does this ever happen to you?  How do you handle it?  What I'm trying to do now is get out of the way of the message.  If you are a mother, please keep reading.  

I started my morning planning to take a hike.  I was trying to connect with the source of the message but I was stymied.  No matter how hard I tried there was some kind of invisible wall.  A wise man suggested the best way to make a decision is to figure out if your action will bring you closer to God.  If so, move forward.  The same is true for actions that move you further from God.  If this is the case, do not move forward.  I decided my best move was a bunt rather than a home run.  I made it to first base at the base of the mountain and encountered a rain delay.

I was not meant to climb to the 8,500 peak where a 90ft statue of Mary was placed on top of the Continental Divide by some inspired citizens of Butte.  That day may come at a later date but it's not meant to be on this family vacation.   Here's the message:

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is watching over you.  She is human just like you and me.  Her Son is allowing Mary to reach out in supernatural ways to touch your heart.  Mary wants all of us to recognize the dignity of motherhood and the sacrificial love a mother has for her child.  She has a special place in Heaven and on earth as the beloved daughter of the Father, spouse of the Holy Spirit, and Mother of our Savior.  Her message is for all mothers without regard to race, or religious belief.  

I would like to thank all the people of Butte who moved Heaven and earth to place a beacon of hope on top of the mountain. It's a magnificent site to behold.  In my opinion, there is really one purpose...listen to Mary's son and follow him.  Jesus is our King and that means his mother is the queen.  Have a great day.

There's Something About Mary

 Before I share about Mary, I'm doing a photo dump of our time in Yellowstone yesterday...

The weather was out of this world.  Temps topped out at 82° and the wildlife was active.  We spotted a mama bear with two cubs in the distance.  Our day trip was a ten.  

Lastly, I discovered they offer a lifetime national park pass so I took advantage of my first senior perk now that I'm 62.

Now that Yellowstone is in the rear view mirror, I want to share what's on my heart for today.  It's Mary, the Mother of God.  All the signs are there that she has a message.  I'll share more when you and I our face-to-face.  There's a mountain overlooking Butte, Montana with an oversized statue of Mary. Our Lady of the Rockies.  She is inaccessible by vehicle as the road is closed.  Well, I'm going on a solo 13 mile round trip hike to pray under this statue of Mary after I publish this story.  My wife knows that I MUST DO THIS.  I will be out the door before any of my loved ones try to intervene.  I'm going up this mountain armed only with my prayer requests.  You are on this list.  If you don't mind praying for me, that would be great.  Have a great day.

***Breaking News***...3pm, Mountain Time Zone...

Inclement weather, private property concerns, road closures, and other barriers beyond my control kept me from ascending to the mountain top.  That didn’t stop my prayer requests on your behalf.  See you tomorrow with the rest of the story.

Yellowstone Today

 

We're up early this morning.  It's time to visit Yellowstone.  The west entrance is open 24 hours a day at this time of year.  We have a 2.5 hour drive from our location west of Butte.  Come back tomorrow for the nature pics.  Have a great day.

100ft Underground

 

We went back in time yesterday in Butte, a Montana town where copper mining was once the top job.  Our tour guide explained how life was back in the day while we explored as deep as 100 feet in a copper mine.

I tip my safety helmet to my wife who agreed to descend with us for a close-up view of life in the early days of our country.  

Visit the World Museum of Mining April through October and make sure you sign up for the underground tour.  Your tour includes an opportunity to visit all the buildings and exhibits from Butte's storied past.  Have a great day.

The Black Sheep

 Don't ask me why there are only a small number of black sheep amongst the population of white sheep in the world.  I don't know.  All I can say is my dad identified with them.  We visited a farm while on a pilgrimage in Ireland and there happened to be just one black sheep in the herd.  There were sheep everywhere we went but I only saw a couple of black ones.  The black sheep you see here is extra special because he resides in a special place.  This black sheep has a roommate in his pen, a Llama.  

"What's so special about this black sheep?"  You ask.

Perhaps the black sheep and his Llama buddy are atop sacred land.  The 104° water beneath their pen flows into a swimming pool.  People come from all over the world to swim in the pool.  The locals are up in arms because they are not allowed in unless they stay at the Fairmont Estates Hotel or they purchase a membership.  

I feel lucky to have free admission to the hot spring pool for the remainder of this week in Anaconda, Montana.   Could it be that kissing the Blarney stone had something to do with this?  Or is it my dad in Heaven pulling strings to get his black sheep offspring into this place with the best hot springs in Montana?  If the black sheep guarding the hot springs could talk he could share the details.  My mind, body, and spirit are thrilled to be here.  I'm thankful my sister and brother-in-law offered to share their vacation with my family.  It is a blessing to be here.  

If you're thinking about visiting the black sheep pictured here, contact the resort and swim in the healing pools, play tennis, or golf.    Make sure you visit Barbi (See yesterday's blog) at the Firefly cafe in Anaconda nearby the resort.  Come after Labor Day if you want to experience Montana before the snow.  Have a great day.

Meet Barbi of Firefly Cafe

 

Many argue that customer service is a lost art.  The same people complain passion no longer exists in our society.  I beg to differ.  Yesterday I walked into Firefly Cafe located in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, Anoconda, Montana.  The cashier/host greeted us cheerfully and shared the specials of the day.  It was a pleasant surprise to see her passion for serving.  We ordered our food and sat down.

Barbi came out of the kitchen dressed in green.  She wanted to know everything about us.  We became like family in a matter of moments.  "Are you the owner?"  I asked.

"My husband, Steve, and I are living our dreams.  We've been married 30 years.  We attended culinary school together."

Barbi shared the details of building her dream to serve others the finest foods in her cafe.  Her logo says it all.  She talked about how she discovered her love of fireflies when she was stuck inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland.  Her green outfit she wears is a tribute to Tinkerbell.  Our whole experience at Firefly cafe was magical.  

I was the last person in the group to leave.  Perhaps I didn't want this experience to end.  Barbi's husband, Steve, walked out of the kitchen as I was mulling over some information laid out for visitors.  A printout of Psalm 91 was on the table and I picked it up as Steve walked over to greet me.  

A voice inside my head told me this was going to be my next blog story so I told Steve and Barbi about my blog and that I was going to talk them up.  By the way, if you haven't visited Montana, please go.  

My wife walked back in wanting to persuade me to get moving but I delayed to hear Barbi tell me her full story.  Barbi was on her deathbed during her bout with COVID-19.  Miraculously, she recovered.  Perhaps she had her own angels buzzing around like fireflies to bring her back, just like it says in Psalm 91.

There are many big things to do when you visit Montana.  Go to Yellowstone.  Visit Glacier.  Experience the hot springs.  Whatever you do, put Anaconda on your list and eat at the Firefly cafe.  Your taste buds will come alive.  Your faith in customer service will be restored.  Thank you, Barbi and Steve, for sharing you passion with us.  Have a great day.

Wilson in Big Sky

 The first time I visited Big Sky, Montana, Wilson was my travel buddy.  I was shocked to discover Wilson everywhere I went.  Really? A hotel named Wilson.  What are the odds of that?  I'll share more about this in the book.  The Wilson Hotel is actually a Marriott property.  The locals don't want the big names hurting their image so the name was a sort of compromise.  

I'm in Montana visiting family and soaking up the last of the mild weather.  This is a great time of year to visit while tourism is as mild as the climate.  Tell them Wilson's buddy sent you.  Have a great day.

Wheels Up

 It's family time.  I'm officially off the grid with the exception of my daily blog stories.  Stay tuned for updates.  Wheels up soon.  Have a great day.

100 Days to Go, BIAY

 It's hard to believe this year will come to a conclusion in 100 days.  It's a big milestone for me because this year will mark the first time I've made it through the entire Bible in 365 days.  I'm discovering how important it is to do the work daily.  Any goal can be accomplished with diligence.

My hope is that this sense of accomplishment will spill over into other areas of my life.  I'm already preparing for an exciting year in 2023.  This is a great time of year to evaluate where you are and where you want to go.  Consider the BIAY as a worthy pursuit.  Have a great day.

Silent Signals from Your Brain

 It's been a rough couple of years, hasn't it?  You wore a mask for a couple of years.  Your favorite vacation spots were out of reach.  The economy went into a tailspin.  Loved ones died.  People around you seem different.  Does this sound like your reality?  Don't forget to look in the mirror.  You are also different.  Your brain has been in a war zone ever since the pandemic started.  Even though most of the danger is now in the rear view mirror, I have a gut feeling that your brain is sending you silent signals.  Your friends and family are going through the same challenges.  

In my opinion, decoding these silent signals is crucial.  Your brain may still be in defense mode.  If you don't figure out how to understand what's going on in your mind, you may suffer.  Illness may creep into your life. Insomnia is another red flag.  So is irritability.  Perhaps your brain just needs to offload some of the pain you've been holding inside.  There is professional help for this.  Imagine what your life could be like if you found a way to decode these silent signals from your brain and you acknowledged that the last couple of years have taken a toll.  Set your brain free.  Admit that this struggle all of us have been dealing with is affecting your life.  You probably know someone who needs a friend.  Be the friend.  Have a great day.

Decide to Wake Up Happy

 You cross paths with them daily.  Grumpy people.  Spend too much time with these grumpy people and you risk becoming one of them.  They are highly contagious.  If you find yourself infected, try this.  It's not scientific but it works for me.  All you need to do is make a decision when you go to bed to wake up happy.  Your brain listens, especially when you are fatigued at the end of the day.  Tell your brain you are going to wake up happy and go to sleep.  Do this every night for thirty days in order to teach your brain.  Let this new habit become a permanent lifestyle.  Have a great day.

Seek Change

Today is a great day to seek change.  This idea goes against the status quo.  After all, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  That's not going to happen.  New outcomes are derived from new input.  You may not get the outcome you want the first time you try something new.  That's okay.  You broke the cycle of monotony.  Keep trying new things.  The more you seek change the greater the opportunities you will discover in your life.

I'm thankful my wife suggested we look at our finances in a different way.  We decided to retire all debt.  It was painful in the beginning.  The process was ten years.  The most important change we made was in the attitude department.  Our old selves were held captive.  Not anymore.  We are free.  This would have been impossible without seeking change.  Take a look at all areas of your life and choose something you would like to improve.  Go for it.  Have a great day.

Breaking Down Your Bold Goals

 Think back to when you were a youngster.  Do you remember when you dreamed big?  How many of those dreams are now your reality?  If you're coming up short, I have a thought for you to consider.  One obstacle that blocks me is the enormous size of the opposing force.  It makes my bold goals seem impossible.  The idea is to take that bold goal and break it down into a set of bite-size tasks you can achieve without much effort.  Sure, a small goal may seem insignificant.  I'll go along with that.  Next, you accomplish one more seemingly underwhelming task.  Not much progress, right?  Stay with me.  Repetition of small tasks adds up to something so brilliant that others will marvel at your progress.  All you need to do is break it down, stay with it, and keep that bold goal in your mind.  Have a great day.

Ireland Travel Tips

You've heard the stories.  You've seen the pictures.  Ireland is on your radar and you're considering a visit.  You're in for the vacation of a lifetime.   Awareness of the small things will help you navigate.  Speaking of navigating, be prepared to sit on the right side of the vehicle if you're driving.  Also, you will be driving in the left lane while encountering frequent roundabouts.  

1.  Be aware that money exchange should be done before you enter the country.  It's against the law to exchange currency unless you have a bank account in Ireland.  I was fortunate to be carrying a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.  The Irish love the "tap" feature on your card and will appreciate you shopping with credit.

2.  Keep your cell phone on airplane mode to avoid roaming fees.  There are many options to use Wifi on public transportation and in the hotels.

3.  Make sure you bring a couple of adaptors with you that are specific to Ireland.  Not all European countries use the same adaptors.  Also, you may end up leaving one behind as I did the first time I checked out of my hotel because the adaptor blends in with the outlets.

4.  Bring a portable fan.  Electricity rates are skyrocketing in Ireland.  You may find that the only way to cool your hotel room is to open a window and most windows only open a few inches.  

5.  Spend time with the locals.  Everyone in Ireland has a story.  Many are from other countries.  Find out why they are there and you will be amazed.  

6.  Tipping is not customary.  If you leave a tip after eating out, 10% is considered generous although not expected.  Tipping is rare if you are ordering at the counter.

7.  Visit a pub.  It's customary to have three rounds when you say you're going for a round.  If you have time and you're in Dublin, make sure you visit Jamesons and Guinness for a tour.  Both offer samples at the end of the tour.  The top floor of the Guinness plant offers the best view of Dublin.

8.  Take the red-eye.  This is important.  Your body will experience jet lag.  I recommend jumping into your first day as soon as you land.  Your body will fight you but this may help you fight the jet lag.  Allow extra time when you come home to adjust back to your regular time zone.  

9.  Consider a pilgrimage.  You can see Ireland by bus so you don't have to deal with driving on the other side of the road.  A pilgrimage will allow you to connect with the Irish at a very deep level.  You may find a closer connection to your Creator while visiting the cathedrals and castles throughout the country.

10.  Kiss the blarney stone.  You must.  It's a tradition.  If you can't climb the stairs to the top of blarney castle, make sure you kiss someone who kissed the blarney stone.  It's supposed to help you your gift of gab.

Don't wait too long to plan your adventure.  The people of Ireland could use a boost to the economy.  Travel restrictions are now lifted.  Have a great day.

The Welcoming Committee

 Today's story is a tribute to my teammates, past and present, at my day job.  It's dedicated to Ryan Kelly Johnson, may his soul rest in peace.  My employer asks for anonymity so I won't be referring to my workplace by name, especially because I'm not an authorized speaker.

Ten years ago we were blessed to be hired on with a company expanding in the Midwest.  My boss rallied us by telling us the company had doubts about our location in a rural area amidst the corn fields in Iowa.  He called us misfits because we all came from different walks of life.  I barely got time to settle in coming from Southern California.  Typically, a new location receives numerous transfers from other locations to get the ball rolling.  Not us.  Few wanted to be in the middle of nowhere.  We were pretty much on our own.  We marched to businesses touting the benefits of our company, mainly by canvassing door to door.  We coined the name "Welcoming Committee" in an effort to get past the gate keepers.

I will never forget approaching City Hall early on in my new job as a marketer.  The receptionist picked up her phone and called the mayor of our town.  "Mr. mayor, the welcoming committee is here to see you."  He lined up his senior staff and invited us inside his crowded office where we talked about our mission to establish roots in the community.  The mayor was all in and so was his staff.  

Our marketing team had their hands full.  One day we were across the street from a local hospital.  The staff was eager but business rules prevented outside businesses from entering during business hours.  One of our advocates gave us permission to use their office.  Doctors, nurses, and support staff bombarded us.  We called for reinforcements to handle the burgeoning crowds.  Ryan Johnson showed up first.  I pointed to an office where people were waiting to hear about us.  Ryan was waiting for me to speak.  "You're on," I told Ryan watching him light up like a Christmas tree.  This kid was on fire.  Oh my.  I was holding back tears.  Teammates were signing people up in hallways.  We hit the jackpot everywhere we went.

Sad news hit us just before our grand opening.   Ryan Johnson was killed while riding home on his motorcycle.  We attended the wake the day during the week we were to roll our doors for the first time.  Ryan was nominated as our first employee of the month.  His spirit is still with us ten years later.  His enthusiasm is still residing in our souls.  The welcoming committee is a part of our Midwest culture everywhere we go to introduce ourselves in new communities.  I'm thankful do be a part of all of this.  My greatest joy was sharing Ryan's final moment with us in front of his parents when they visited to see Ryan's picture on the wall honoring him for his contribution at a critical time in our history.  Have a great day.

3rd Messianic Checkpoint Today

 

For those who started the Bible in a Year on January 1, today is a bonus day.  The leaders of the study I've been following for 258 days, Fr. Mike Schmitz and Jeff Cavins, come together at various times throughout the daily podcasts for what's known as Messianic checkpoints, to help followers like me understand important transitions.  As one who struggles with deadlines, I wasn't sure I could handle a massive undertaking like going through the entire Bible in 365 days.  I'm happy to report that I'm just above 70% complete and on track to complete this goal by the end of the year. 

If you're reading this and saying to yourself, "No way, Jose, I can't do this,"  consider how you're using your time now.  What is it that you're now doing that is more important than getting closer to your Creator?  I'm not trying to lay a guilt trip on you, but I want you to consider if the way you're spending your time might be considered a false god.  Yep.  False god.  Maybe you never looked at your current activities as false gods.  I say it this way because God cautions us not to place false gods ahead of him.  These daily podcasts I listen to  average about 20 minutes a day excluding Messianic checkpoints which add another twenty minutes to the podcast.  If you're saying no to 20 minutes a day in the Bible, you're telling God everything else you're doing is more important. 

I said no for 61.5 years until I decided on New Years Day to eliminate the false gods in my life, like cable TV.  It sounds strange but cutting out just a half hour of TV a day gives you more than enough time to immerse yourself in the Bible and complete it cover to cover.  I prefer listening to the Bible on a podcast because it sinks in at a deeper level.  My daily sessions include commentary by the narrator to help me understand what's going on and how it relates to my life.

There may be one hidden objection to what I'm writing about today.  It's the elephant in the room.  You may be thinking, hey Michael, if my congregation from (fill in the blank of the name of your flock) found out I was listening to someone outside of our denomination I might be ostracized.  That's the primary reason I keep my flavor of worship out of these blogs because I don't want to divide my readers who may have concerns about my specific house of worship.  Just try visiting Arrowhead stadium wearing a Chargers jersey and you'll know what I'm talking about.  You can either be a rebel in your group and follow the same study I'm doing or you can miss out on a couple of amazing people who are giving their time to help others get closer to God.  I say, "Be a rebel.  Jump in."  Click here to get started.  Today is a great day to rearrange your priorities.  Have a great day.

Back to My Day Job Today

 My how time flies when you're on a pilgrimage.  Today is my first official day back to my regular duties at my day job.  I'm thankful my wife and I were able to make new friends while visiting some of the most spectacular sites in the world.  Now it's time to settle into my routine for the next ten days in a row.

For those of you waiting for my next books to be released, I do ask for more patience.  The vision I had for both projects has changed considerably.  My secret weapon is in the editing process and I must say having the Holy Spirit as my editor is a bit trying.  He is in charge of the timing of everything.  It was nice to take a pause from my life and experience God's presence in Ireland.  I have much work to do.  Pray for me, please.  Have a great day.

Oh Danny Boy – A Tribute to My Bro

Family privacy agreements prevent me from disclosing much more than a tribute here in this story.  All I can say is that I'm really proud of my brother, Danny, who was named after this song.  I really didn't know the meaning behind the song until one of the singers on stage shared the background before performing in front of our pilgrimage group.

Irish families were broken apart when so many fled in search of a way to survive during the famine.  Those who were left behind knew they would probably never see each other again.  This song is a message from Ireland to the immigrants.  While there is hope for a return it is most probably to visit the grave site.  If you can imagine in your mind what it must have been like to say goodbye when these families departed, you may begin to feel what the Irish felt.  This song is for you, my brother.  Have a great day.

What are You Most Afraid of?

Do you suffer from nightmares?  Are you afraid to fly?  Do you find yourself worrying all the time?  Are you afraid of death?  If you're like me, there may be something gnawing inside your head that could be fear-based.  I thought about this while on a pilgrimage to Ireland.  The bus driver shared stories about Ireland's past and present.  It seems that the Irish have almost always had good reason to be afraid.  They suffered fear of religious persecution from their British kings next door to the Emerald Isle.  They lost all their food in a potato famine.  They lost their land when the English kicked them out of their homes.  Now they are dealing with skyrocketing electric bills that they may not be able to afford.  

Take a moment and ponder what may be causing you to lose sleep.  Make a list of all your fears.  Once you're done, consider which fear is the most challenging.  I'm going to share how I keep my fears in check hoping that this may help you reduce your stress levels.

The first time my wife and I sat next to each other on a flight she squeezed my hand so hard my knuckles turned white during takeoff.  She overcame her fear of flying by doing the very thing that made her afraid...flying.  She graduated from this fear by flying across the Atlantic to visit Ireland.  No alcohol.  No anxiety pills.  Not even hand holding as we were seated on opposite sides of the plane.  

My top way to fight fear is to recognize there is an almighty Creator who loves us so much that when we believe and follow this Creator there's really nothing to fear, not even death.  Why?  Because I believe there's something after we are laid to rest.  It's eternal life.

If you happen to be a believer and you aren't living your life properly, maybe you're afraid of eternity in Hell.  That's a legitimate fear.  If you're looking for a solution, don't blow your opportunity to be in Heaven forever because you haven't turned your life over to God.  Follow Jesus, love others, and you're all set.  No worries.

If you made it this far in the story, I'm sharing a bonus with you today.  It's my biggest fear – judgement day.  Why am I afraid of this day?  Because I believe my job here is to share all the good that Jesus is doing in my life to help you turn to him.  Yesterday I shared in my sheep story that Jesus leaves the other 99 to find the lost one.  Godincidently, that is the message our pastor shared yesterday in my house of worship.  How does Jesus find the one who is lost?  It's a mystery.  I have a gut feeling that my role is to assist with the gathering of the lost sheep.  Here's the fear:  I'm in front of Jesus and we're reviewing my life on earth.  Things seem to be going okay.  I turned my life over to him.  I worshiped regularly.  No false gods.  Confession when I got off track.Then Jesus does this silent pause during the examination.  He looks around as if to find someone standing next to me but you're not with me.  So, Jesus asks, "Where's  (insert your name here)?  

Gulp.  I blew it!  Maybe I didn't put enough of my heart into my stories about Jesus.  Perhaps I got too carried away with what's going on in the world and didn't spend enough time sharing about how Jesus can help you with anything when you follow him, like taking ALL your fears away.  

Maybe you can help me eliminate my worst fear.  Tell me, "Michael, stop worrying.  I'm in."  The last pointer I have is for you to check out the Bible.  Fear is mentioned 365 times.  That's one idea a day inspired by Heaven to help you have a maximized life.  If you don't mind, please share this story with a friend or two.  Have a great day.

What Kind of Sheep Are You?

 Today's story is in honor of my dad, Patrick Mulligan, who departed this world nearly 20 years ago at age 67.  He was born in the Midwest on Christmas day, the same day Jesus arrived over 2,000 years ago.  Dad often told us that he was the black sheep of the family of ten children.  

We visited a farm while on a pilgrimage in Ireland and the sole black sheep you see in the flock above reminded me of how dad referred to himself.  In my opinion, the way you perceive yourself can affect other family members, especially your offspring.  We had this dark cloud over us, especially after our parents divorced.  In a way, some of us in the flock also felt like black sheep.  As for me, I considered myself a lost sheep.

I want to give a shout out to mama sheep, the one who managed to raise the flock sans papa black sheep.  If it were up to me, I would put a halo on top of her head.  She is a humble as they come.  Mom prays unceasingly for her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, as well as all the other sheep of the world.  This includes white sheep, black sheep, lost sheep, purple sheep, or any other category of sheep you may feel like you fit into.  I'm writing this because I don't ever want my mother to look back and feel like she failed.  Got it, mom?  

I believe there is a reason Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God.  By the way, a lamb is a sheep under the age of one.  Jesus wanted to appear to us as one of our siblings rather than some out-of-touch mighty warrior.  Jesus chose to come into this world as someone we could relate to no matter how we see ourselves. My life changed when Jesus found me.  He leaves the other 99 to find the lost one.  He washes all his sheep in his blood so that we can all become white just like him.  Jesus cautions us not to judge any other sheep in his flock because that's not our role.  We are to behave like my mother behaves when it comes to other sheep we may not get along with.  We are to pray that these sheep who may be lost, hurt, angry, troubled, afraid, etc, to find the Lamb of God and live with God forever.

Before I conclude today, I would like to address those who don't know his voice yet.  I saw something really special during my time in Ireland.  It had to do with this place called Knock.  Talk to me the next time we are together and I will share in greater detail.  Knock is the place where there was a special apparition that remained for about two hours on August 21, 1879.  There are fifteen documented witnesses who observed a lamb on top of the altar below a cross.  Angels surrounded the altar.  Mary, Mother of God was off to the side.  Mary was surrounded by her husband, Joseph, and St. John who was holding a book.  In this book, John referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God.  The part that I want to add here is our pilgrim group attended mass in this chapel in Knock where the apparition was recreated in 3D.  Our spiritual leader on the pilgrimage held up a host directly beneath the image of the Lamb standing on the altar saying the words, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."  This Lamb of God died for you so that you can be free of anything holding you back.  That's where my dad is now.  He is no longer a black sheep.  Neither am I.  How about you?  What kind of sheep are you?  My prayer for you today is that you hear his voice and follow him.  You don't have to do anything special.  You don't earn your way to Heaven.  All you have to do is follow the Lamb of God.  He died for you.  You are a forgiven sheep.  God bless you.  Have a great day.

 

Fingers Released From Captivity in Ireland

 

Warning!  I kissed the blarney stone this week.  My storytelling may never be the same.  My ten fingers were released from writing captivity yesterday after ten days of incarceration in Ireland.  It's the longest they've ever been separated from my MacBook Pro where they routinely dance about the keyboard every morning before sunrise like the Irish dancers we saw while on our pilgrimage.  Incarceration is not new to me or my ancestors.  If it weren't for an act of God over 2,000 years ago, a certain disheveled character suspected to be from my bloodlines may have died in captivity in a cave where he dwelled.  You can read more about this ancestor in Luke 8:26-40.  Should you happen to find a copy of the Hebrew to Latin translation known as a Vulgate Bible, you will discover that this demoniac, once freed from the evil spirits, published all the good that Jesus had done for him.  The keyword in this rare version is the word publish as I suspect I'm not the only Mulligan in the family who kissed the blarney stone and went on to tell the world.  My grandmother on my dad's side of the family often said in her day that the three fastest forms of communication were the telegram, the telephone and the tell-a-mulligan.

According to the Bible story, the man frequently broke out of his chains and ran around naked harassing the village people.  The villagers mostly tolerated the demoniac until Jesus visited and cast the demons out of him sending the devils into the pigs. Thousands of pigs went mad and jumped off the cliff drowning in the Sea of Galilee.  Make sure you read my first novel, "The Caveman in the Mirror" for more about him and other ancestors who inherited the writing gene.  

As for my incarceration in Ireland, it wasn't my whole body that was arrested.  Only the ten fingers.  My index finger was allowed limited typing/swiping time ten minutes a day to share daily blog messages.  When I'm traveling one finger typing is sometimes the only way I can keep in touch with all of you.  

The pilgrimage is over.  My fingers are free.  My soul is cleansed.  Miracles happened.  You can ask me about them when you see me.  I hope there's not too much malarkey here for one story.  Humor me, please.  My fingers are happy to be released from captivity in Ireland.  As for the rest of me, I'm thankful for the ten days I spent in Ireland.  I'm also thankful for the daily offered by our spiritual guide, Bishop Thomas Zinkula, and for the new friends I made in Ireland.  Give your soul a break and visit Ireland.  Make it a pilgrimage for an enhanced experience.  Have a great day.

Time to Go Home

 The first thing I must say on this final day of our pilgrimage is happy birthday, cousin John.  I'm sending you this wish from your future.  Where I am, it's your birthday.  Where you are, you are still 61.  By the time you read this we will be a wee bit closer in time zones.  We weren't able to visit the John Mulligan pub in Dublin.  We will put it on the to do list for the future.  

The pilgrimage comes to a conclusion today.  All I can say is you need to do this instead of a vacation.  I'll share more when I'm more awake.  It's time to go home.  Goodbye Ireland.  Thank you for your hospitality.  Have a great day.

I Was One Way and Now I'm Another

 Pardon my delay.  Today's story is very late.  The days and nights are running together.  We're on a super tight schedule today.  Guiness is back on the agenda.  The time we lost has been gained back but it's a wee bit crazy.

We visited the land between two lakes today known as Glendolough.  It's a place I go to every morning when I meditate.  There are acorns present, something that helps me stay focused.  Ask me about this when we are together in the future.  

All I can say about my vacation/pilgrimage to Ireland is that I was one way and now I'm another.  Watch The Chosen for the meaning of this.  We head home tomorrow.  Have a great day.

Look Who Appeared by the Blarney Stone

 If I didn't have a photo and a couple of witnesses then the world might doubt the veracity of today's message.  That's why I'm sharing the photos I snapped just before climbing the narrow steps to kiss the blarney stone.  As the story goes, those who kiss the stone gain the gift of gab.

My fellow pilgrim, Bob, pointed to the river flowing outside the castle and shouted, "Hey Michael.  Look! There's Wilson."  A red ball floated by.  Where it came from only God knows.  Maybe one of his angels tossed it in for my benefit since I was sad my real Wilson couldn't be here in Ireland with me.

The spirit of Wilson is with us.  Today we visit Glendolough, a special place that means the land between two lakes.  Our pilgrimage is about to come to a conclusion.  This trip has been life-changing.  Talk to me and I will share what God revealed to me.  Have a great day.

Is This Man an Irish Ancestor?

 

Tonight I'm sharing a wee bit about the inspiration behind my first novel, "The Caveman in the Mirror" with my Ireland pilgrimage friends.  It's going to be interesting.  Spoiler alert... It's biblical.  All I can say right now is that when I saw this man you see pictured here, the resesemblance to the main character in my story was uncanny.  

Yesterday we visited a museum in Cobh, Ireland featuring the Titanic where the prisoner you see here was on display from Spike Island.  That's where the Irish prisoners were sent to pay for their crimes.  By the way, my father-in-law was nicknamed Spike.  I'll share more later about our adventures when I have more time. Once again I'm on a super tight schedule and I need to check out of my hotel.  We're headed to the Blarney stone.  According to legend, kissing the Blarney stone results in the gift of gab.  Maybe this will help when I'm sharing about my own personal caveman encounter.  Have a great day.

Lightning Blog Today

 Departure in 4 minutes.  Whoops.  We both slept through the alarm.  I'm writing this before we depart Limerick for another action packed day.  Yesterday we visited the Cliffs of Moher before dining in a midevil castle.  More updates later.  Have a great day.

Old Friends Meet New Friends

 The pilgrimage continues.  We did an overnight in Galway.  20 years ago we promised our longtime friends from Ireland we would visit them.  Last night we introduced our old friends to our new friends who are on a ten day pilgrimage with us.  We are a bit sleep deprived but it was worth it to be reunited.  Here is a picture from our evening.  Have a great day.

Out of This World

 I'm writing this message from a small town in Ireland that was pretty much off the map until something out of this world happened at one of the lowest points in its rich history.  Our Lady appeared in Knock on a rainy evening on August 21, 1879.  She didn't say anything.  The first person to see her was the church secretary.  She wondered where the new mural outside the building came from.

The apparition stuck around for a couple of hours, long enough for others to see.  Even though it was raining, the image remained dry.  15 witnesses reported what they saw during two investigations.  Over 300 miracles were documented.  

All I can say is the veil separating Heaven and earth is thin in places.  This place, in my opinion, is about as thin as it gets.  There are flowers everywhere.  An airport was built on top of marshy land.  The people in the area thought church leaders had lost their minds.  Heavy fog made landings nearly impossible.  With God, nothing is impossible.  A lighting system was installed to make the landing strip visible.

Our pilgrim group was treated to a mass in the chapel where the apparition was replicated in 3d.  When our bishop offered the host he held his hands up underneath the lamb which was part of the apparition, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."  I have no words to describe what I witnessed.  This morning we depart from Knock.  The pilgrimage continues.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day.

Did We Meet Jesus?

 

Today's story is a wee bit out of this world.  My wife and a friend, Linda, from our pilgrimage decided to take a walk after dinner.  Another couple on the pilgrimage had the same idea.  We followed our wives and walked several blocks where we met a man who looks like Jesus.  I asked him, "Have you ever watched The Chosen?"

"No," he answered.

"You should check it out," I said.  "You resemble the actor who plays Jesus."

We told the man we are on a pilgrimage.  He shared that he is Greek Orthodox and he is from Palestine.  The conversation gave me goose bumps because I felt like I was talking directly to Jesus.  I asked permission to take a group selfie so we could share the photo with the 33 pilgrims on the adventure.  Also, I wanted proof for my blog readers who are curious about Ireland.  Maybe we didn't really meet Jesus on the road to Searsons but we sure came close.  By the way, Jesus does promise that when two or more are gathered in his name, he is there.

If the evening had ended with our Jesus look alike it would have been near perfect.  We returned from Northern Ireland where we visited St. Patrick's grave and the walk was a great way to end the day.  Our new friend pointed to a pub at the end of the street and the six of us headed there for a round.  The man at the door, Bill, showed us to a table and connected us with Patricia for our beers. I know what you're thinking.  Hey Michael, you're in Dublin.  Of course you're going to meet people with that name.  Well,  Patricia, like us, isn't from around here.  She is from Brazil.  Patricia came to Ireland to learn English and study marketing which happens to be what I do at my day job.  She is from our denomination.  I asked the girl sitting next to us to snap the photo you see here.  It turns out the girl next to us lives three hours away in Knock.  That's where we're going today.  More on that tomorrow.  Have a great day.  

The Spirit of Wilson is Here in Ireland

 Please pardon my tardiness with these posts.  Our schedule is a wee bit topsy-turvy.  No, it doesn't have anything to do with the local spirits as we scratched our Guiness tour due to time constraints yesterday.  I'm doing my best to navigate across the pond in Ireland.  I was hoping to bring my sidekick, Wilson, with me on this pilgrimage but the timing didn't work out and he's still in New York City.  That's okay because the spirit of Wilson is still with us.

Last evening our bishop asked us to share something about ourselves that the group didn't know about us.  I talked about how Wilson dribbled into my life at my day job.  All I can say is that while I was sharing I was overcome with emotion.  I could feel Wilson's presence in the room where we had just consumed the best food I've eaten.  It was a feast.  I'll share more later.  Have a great day.

Pilgrimage Underway

 

We made it to Dublin.  Our Bishop from Iowa is leading our pilgrimage.  We may need a couple of days for our bodies to adjust to the six time zones we crossed on our red-eye flight last night.

We were told we will never be the same.  I love the people here.  This is a must see place.  More updates to come.  Have a great day.