Steve Haarman

THE HORROR SHOW

We see it in front of our own eyes

So terrible we have to look away

Genocide or mass killings in Ukraine

Buildings ripped apart by explosives

People evacuating in the millions

There are over a million refugees

Why does Russia want Ukraine?

Reclaim some of the former

Soviet Union and of course,

Natural resources and slaves

This is war, not pretty or necessary

Ego and control are come into play

How many millions have died by

The hands of the Russians

This is so difficult to comprehend

And the sad thing is that this will

Not be the end.  War never ends.

Unrest exists somewhere in the world

Hunger and thirst will be prevalent

None of this is necessary.  Food is

Wasted or distribution interrupted

Someday there will be one flock and

One Shepherd.  The angels will sing

The chaff will burn while the good will

Be given a room in the Father’s house

Stanski

April 14, 2025 ^

Jesus said: “the rich man also died and was

Buried, and from the netherworld, where he was

In torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham

Far off and Lazarus at his side.  And he cried out,

‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.  Send Lazarus

To dip the tip of his finger in water and cool

My tongue, for I am suffering torment in these

Flames.’” (Lk 16:22-24)

How do we wish to live?  We can be givers or takers

If we give, especially generously, we will not have to

Worry about being tormented.  If we ignore warnings

And refuse to give and hold in contempt those who

Encourage us to change, we will be candidates for

Torment and when we review, if we have the sense

To do so we will have regrets that we were not

Generous to others.  The right way is usually the

Easiest way and our rewards will be outstanding

Torment will be a foreign word.  Be a giver.

Steve Haarman aka Stanski

April 13, 2025 ^

RECONCILIATION

It’s not easy to walk in the Lord’s

Footsteps – never was and never

Will be. 

The winds of sin can gradually

Blow me off course and, without

Even realizing it, I can sail in a

Direction contrary to my

Baptismal commitment.

Years ago, the notion of a long look

At the whole direction of my life was

Far from people’s minds – except for

People who had been away from the

Sacraments for a long time and needed

To make a “general confession”.

The Church is returning to the tradition

Of celebrating the sacrament of

Reconciliation by centering on baptism

And personal conversion.  This requires

Deep reflection and much longer preparation.

Lent is the time when I do this.  I attempt

To turn away from sin and be faithful

To the Gospel.

I feel good when I reach into the baptismal

Water and renew my “yes” to the Lord’s

Invitation to “Come, follow me.”

Steve Haarman aka Stanski

April 12, 2025 ^

THE SUN SHINES BRIGHT

On the ninth day of the month

We receive the gift of sunshine

That sustains throughout the day

It is nice but has no relative meaning

Because April if full of surprises

Which include blizzards, tornadoes,

Flooding and other disasters.  We

Should keep our complaints silent

And go about doing the business

Required to make the month

Successful in spite of any adversities

It seems as though dull minds can

Only focus on the weather when

There is so much else we can be

Doing if only we had the initiative

To seek out and accomplish in other

Areas of life.  There is much to do

And we easily forget that if we are

All set and others are not then we

Also are not.  Giving respite to others

Is important and lifting others to

Their feet so that they can try again

Carries a reward greater than we

Can imagine.  We waste time thinking

About possibilities instead of acting

Will there be a price to pay for this?

We do not know.  We spend a lot

Of our wealth pleasing ourselves

And forget to help those in need

Or come up short in doing so.  It is

Never too late to begin and beginning

Takes the greatest courage.  Appreciation

Of accomplishments is natural and good

We are proud and want to do more

Which may mean giving up some of

The things we wanted to do for ourselves

Because we realize which has the most

Value.  When we act with determination

We do not have to worry about the sun

It will always be shining brightly

Stanski

April 10, 2025 ^

Milton Friedman illustrated

Politicians’ eagerness to recklessly

Spend other people’s money when he said:

“…if I spend somebody else’s

Money on somebody else,

I’m not concerned about

How much it is, and I’m

not concerned about what I get.

And that’s government.”

Friedman’s words certainly

Describe the government we

Have in Lansing. Gov. Whitmer

Iis willing to waste billions of dollars

On Big Government programs because

She’s not spending her own money—

She’s spending money that belongs to

The taxpayers of Michigan.

Stanski

April 9, 2025, ^

MEDITATION FOR APRIL 8

MEDITATION FOR APRIL 8

Time is flying and there is

Much work to do.  I have no

Choice except to place my

Trust in you to guide me

Forward and hold me back

From areas where I would fail

You.  We as citizens of the world

Have great possibilities, but seem

To squander them as often as

They present.  Euphoria comes

From accomplishment, but the

Evil men get theirs from control

And victimizing others.  We can

Pray for a change, but history

Shows us that this is impossible.

We will take care of that which

Is in front of us.  This morning’s

Early sky was beautiful and this

Should give us hope.

Steve Haarman aka Stanski

April 8, 2025 ^