Field Report #028

 

Good morning!

It's December 31st, 2022. What better way to end the old year than by setting goals for the new? 

Here are my three Rhythm of the Sword goals for the Year of our Lord 2023:

1. Pray 3,650 Psalms. It seems silly to set concrete numbers for prayer goals, as we should be praying without ceasing. But I do find that it helps me pray more often if I track these things. This would be about an 1,100-Psalm jump up from last year, and would earn me a coveted yet elusive Red Belt in the Rhythm of the Sword Belt System.
2. Go 350 Days with 0 Entertainment. This would be a 100-day or so improvement on last year, and certainly unprecedented in Rhythm of the Sword history. But if I can get in the habit of staying off the screen instead of constantly jumping on and off the train, this could be a year for big improvement. It would also earn the elusive Red Belt.
3. Perform 30,000 Burpees. This goal may be the biggest "stretch" goal of the three. In 2022 I performed fewer than 13,000 burpees. But with my increased daily mark of 100 and with good momentum right from the start, I know I could do it. This would, of course, also give me the Red Belt for burpees in Rhythm of the Sword.

I'm looking for a big push forward in all three categories. Honestly, I would also be reasonably happy with a Brown Belt for all three of them, as this would still constitute a significant improvement. But this is the time to buckle down and see how far I can go, and I am firmly convinced of the benefits of pursuing all three of these goals. It's almost a new Rhythm of the Sword year, and I'm excited to tackle it with discipline and consistency!

The Hunt for the "Perfect" Devotional Resource: Part 3

 

I've come to a decision on the eminently fascinating subject of choosing my next devotional resource: The Gideons New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs. Its chief advantages as I currently see them are as follows:

1. Size - Even more so than the pocket LSB, this is truly a pocket-sized book. It is unusual for resources advertised as "pocket-sized" to truly and comfortably fit in a man's pants pockets. But this publication does fit, and that gives it an immediate edge over most competitors. It expands the range of situations where you can quickly and easily have God's Word on hand. (And yes, I am aware of smartphones, but for me the distractions created by using them for devotional disciplines far outweigh the benefits.)
2. Books - There are several devotional Psalters available in the ESV, both from Crossway and from Concordia Publishing House. The Pocket LSB functions as a Psalter, in addition to having the text of all the hymns. But obviously your options are greatly expanded with the Proverbs and entire New Testament added. Yet it's still a small enough addition of Biblical books to keep the size under control, something that's extremely difficult to do when publishing the entire Bible. 
3. Translation - I am pretty well committed to the ESV for memorization and meditation purposes. So it works out very well that Gideons switched to the ESV after an agreement with Thomas Nelson (owners of NKJV) was not renewed. And not only do these Testaments use my translation of choice, but they have actually made some modifications to the ESV text, giving greater weight to readings from the Textus Receptus, which was the basis for the KJV. After some discussion with my father and research on the topic, I find this change rather appealing, since I have great respect for the KJV and think it's a good thing for a translation to lend more credence towards some of the older translation decisions. 

I'm excited to try this out. One of the first steps will be to see how much this resource will differ in texts that I've already learned by heart, and relearn them with any small modifications that are needed. I'll gladly take that over learning a whole new version, which I have zero interest in doing after already having to move from NKJV to NIV to ESV with my synod. And at this point, if the synod moves again, I don't see myself following, at least for memorization purposes.

Another step to take will be addressing the various aspects of the Gideons Testament that do not meet my wish list. Specifically:

1. The resource does not have the Psalms pointed for chanting.
2. The resource does not contain any hymns.
3. The resource does not contain Luther's Small Catechism.
4. The resource does not contain (or have extra space for) my personal devotional orders.
5. The resource does not contain various prayers for the Christian.

Regarding the first issue, I will either point the Psalms myself with pencil or pen, or just chant them with note-changes wherever they naturally make sense to me. As I have time and review or learn new Psalms, I can point them based on the LSB. But I'll start by chanting them without the pointing and see whether the pointing is really necessary at all.

Regarding the second through fifth issues, I need to find a way to neatly and professionally and permanently add some pages to the pocket Testament. I was able to successfully do this with my Pocket LSB by stapling and taping pages containing prayers, devotional orders, etc. I don't think I'll go with stapling this time, since the book is so small that staples would create more significant bumps in the pages. I probably won't put in the whole Catechism, since I don't tend to use it much while out and about, and when I'm at home I have plenty of other resources that contain the Catechism. But I could definitely see myself adding a few hymns, The Watchman's Prayer, one or two other selected prayers, and my Daily Office. Most likely this would be a scotch-taped construction, carefully sized and assembled to fit neatly into the existing binding. My estimate is an eight-page supplement, consisting of two pieces of paper each folded in half and double sided (2 x 2 x 2 = 8). 

With a little work, I think I could put something really neat and useful together.

One final area of concern is durability. I've never used a pocket Testament to the breaking point, but I can't imagine them lasting spectacularly long at their price point (free). I have also experienced the ease at which pages can get crumpled because of how this tiny book can fall to the bottom of bags and get mangled. I think the chief solution to this is simply to take very good care of the book. It's also good to know that these things are very easy to get my hands on at a very low price - and once I assemble the devotional supplement, I can easily print out new copies if I need to replace a Testament. This truly could be a lifetime solution at least until my eyes get too bad to read the tiny print. 

I'll end by mentioning the strong legacy that these Testaments bring to the table. The Gideons have been distributing the Word of God around the country and the world for decades now. It is true that the decision theology pushed into their publications is trash, and I'll be excited to cover it up with solid devotional material. But looking at the big picture, these are devotional resources that are sent out into the far reaches and darkest corners of the world, bringing the light of Jesus Christ to hundreds of millions of people. I would be honored to be a part of that good work, to learn the Word of God from this Testament and share it with my family and beyond.

No Calculator 4 Me

 

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The Hunt for the "Perfect" Devotional Resource: Part 2

I've written before about how the hunt for the perfect devotional resource can become an idol for me. I am encountering this struggle again as I settle into some long-term memory goals. In particular, I want to be able to just carry around one book that contains all my memory work, I want that book to be durable, portable, and aesthetically pleasing. So this is me thinking out loud through my desire for this perfect resource, even as I try to temper that with the knowledge that using the thing is so much more important than the thing itself.

Here's what the ideal resource contains / looks like for me:

• New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs in 2001 ESV
• The text of every hymn in the LSB, with extended texts from Walther's Hymnal substituted where each hymnal contains the same hymn
• Luther's Small Catechism
• Various prayers for the Christian
• Space to put in my own devotional orders
• Orders for Daily Prayer from the LSB
• Truly fits in the pocket
• High-quality, durable leather construction

This resource, of course, does not exist and never will. The question is, what is the closest I can get to it, and which of the desired characteristics should I prioritize?

I currently chiefly use the Pocket LSB. The issue here is that the LSB does not include the books of the New Testament that I am trying to study. Nor does it easily fit in most pockets. 

Another possibility is the Gideon's pocket Testament. This contains not only the Psalms but also the Proverbs and the New Testament. However, I would be missing out on having the hymns in my pocket, the Small Catechism, and the high-quality leather, since Gideon's is mass-producing these with the goal of affordability in large numbers for their ministry.

Yet another possibility is the upcoming release from ESV of a leather-bound book of Psalms, Proverbs, and New Testament. The weakness here is that it will not be pocket-sized.

Let's consider the deal-breakers for a resource that really will do everything I need:

• Psalms
• John
• Romans

Viewed this way, the Pocket LSB is excluded. I could do what I have done in the past, and tape books of the Bible from the Gideons into my LSB. But I did not enjoy the piecemeal nature of this, and rarely used these resources. Part of the key is that I really need to be able to enjoy and admire the thing, and if it feels trashy I am less likely to want to use it often. As silly as that seems, it really does help. So here are the front runners as I see it, with key disadvantages in parantheses:

• Pocket LSB (no New Testament)
• Gideons' Testament (Not high quality)
• ESV Testament in leather (not pocket-sized)
• ESV Testament in faux leather (not high quality)

I would say that with these factors, the ESV Testament (with Psalms and Proverbs) in leather is the front-runner. But if it's not pocket-sized, why not just get the whole Bible... and then what is the difference between the Bible and my devotional source. Do they need to be two different things? I think if all I carried around was a Bible, I would really miss the hymnody and prayers and writings that devotional use to help you engage with the text of Scripture.

Finally, another option I've considered is simply hand-writing in a Rite in the Rain book everything that I want, so it's all there. This is the least practical in terms of time but could result in getting exactly what I want, all in one place.

I will keep the blog posted with my ranting thoughts! Hopefully there will be some clarity on the topic for me soon.

Chia Grits: A Review

 

The Tarahumara people of the Copper Canyons in Mexico are familiar to anyone who has read the bestselling barefoot-running classic Born to Run. One of the "superfoods" mentioned as a staple of this people is the chia seed, which subsequently experienced a boom in popularity among healthy eaters in the United States.

I sat down this morning to a bowl of meditative and thoughtful excellence, also known as chia grits. This is a dish composed of the following ingredients:

• water
• dry milk
• chia seeds
• cardamom
• corn grits
• blueberries
• dried cranberries
• pomegranate seeds
• 2-5 year old honey

Upon beholding the dish, the consumer's first impression is: "that looks healthy". On one hand, such an impression is good, because if it looks healthy, it probably is healthy. On the other hand, if it looks healthy and is healthy, it unfortunately may also taste healthy.

But thankfully, this fear is unfounded when it comes to chia grits. Effectively and subtly sweetened by the inclusion of the fruits, the dish is a pleasure to the both the refined and plebeian palette. 

Here is a selection of quotes from our panel of reviewers, who shall remain anonymous:

• "The blueberries and pomegranate seeds are like bubbles of bursting flavor!" - IP
• "You just gotta get over the consistency first." - IP
• "I think that the chef has converted me over to grits" - OP (her bowl supplemented with maple syrup)
• "The chia seeds... it has a wiggle to it."  - PP
• "(confused face, but then wants more)" - EP
• "I think this is the food that Jabba the Hutt would eat." - TP
• "Is it there? Is it not there? It's not a gas, not a liquid, not a solid... what is it?" - TP

Final rating: 9/10

27 December - St. John, Apostle and Evangelist

 

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” John 1:51

Thank God for John the apostle! 

December 27th has taken on a special meaning for me as I begin to grow in appreciation for his Gospel and look to continue learning it. It is a day when Christians can look up to the faith of a magnificent saint, who so clearly, beautifully, and emphatically proclaimed the incarnation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

I also have the privilege of celebrating this day while reading Break Point by Dr. Silvester Krčméry, for whom the Gospel of John became a matter of life and death, sanity and insanity, as he fought to survive, keep his mind, and obey his conscience during long years of Soviet prison. 

On significant days like today, I have in the past sought to begin challenges or initiatives related to Rhythm of the Sword. I don't have any such plans for today, but certainly would like to renew and continue my focus on the three elements, and execute them well today while on vacation:

• 12 Psalms (Completed through the Rhythm of the Sword - Daily Office)
• 0 Entertainment (solo video and image)
• 100 Burpees

In addition to these, I'll continue reviewing John 1 and working on Psalm 37. For the New Year, some of my goals will be to learn

• John 2-3
• Romans 1
• Psalms 6-10
• Psalm 78
• Psalm 90
• Psalms 132-134

I am also thrilled today to have the elder member of Rhythm of the Sword begin the prayer of the Daily Office along with me! Things are gearing up heading into the New Year.

800m: I've tasted it, now I'm hungry.

 

I have watched athletes since I was a child. God forbid that I should idolize them, but a few have moved me to put my own body in motion.

As I write this post, there is snow outside here in Cleveland. Where I grew up near Chicago there was snow, too. If you grew up in Chicago, what were you thinking when you, like me, piled snow high in your backyard? Okay, you were going to sled down it, but what then? You were going to dive over it into the end zone just like … Walter Payton. And I did—a hundred times. I moved to Massachusetts, near Boston…need I say more?—I was moved to hike a mile in the winter with my basketball to the school court, shovel it off, and shoot the ball till my hands went numb. There is no need for me to state his name—you know who he is.

Likewise, I cannot get this man out of my mind. There is much for me to see in this particular run, and I will say no more than Rudisha never lost form. Yet he is not my favorite runner, however. My favorite runner is JAAN PIRN.

Today I ran my first 800m race ever—I wanted to move my body like Rudisha—who cares if I'm 59?—and Jaan understood. We went outside and raced around a block that Jaan had measured to be exactly … 800 m. He figured out the handicap and I started 36 sec. ahead of him. He passed me with 200 m to go. His form was good, and that was all I needed—keep that form and finish like Rudisha. My time was slow (4:11), but in my mind I was closer to two flat.

800m: Race Report #1

 

Today I had the pleasure of participating in an 800 meter race in the dead of night around a snow-covered block in Old Brooklyn. It was an age-graded competition, with the elder competitor receiving a 36-second head-start based on the ratio of world records between my age group and his own. In the end, I was able to win by a margin of 9 seconds as he completed his first ever 800-meter race at the age of 59.

Analysis #1: The Event

The 800 is a tough event. The cold air was tearing at our lungs, and it was a very difficult and invigorating experience. It's fast enough that you can't settle in and get comfortable, but long enough that it's not over fast.

Analysis #2: The Age-Adjustment

Age-grading works! We ended up with a pretty close race based on the system I used, and every subsequent race will allow me to further dial in the adjustment factor to make things as reasonable as possible in terms of making it a fair fight. I was not confident in the victory until about 15 seconds before the finish.

Analysis #3: The Course

This was a tough course. I am eager to take on the elder competitor again, but on a standard 400-meter track. Hopefully, over time, we will be able to experiment with hills, grass, track, light, dark, etc. It will also be interesting to see how much or how little the times vary based on the surface.

Field Report #027

 

Artwork: Nativity

Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas morning, Sunday, December 25th, 2022. 

I wanted to record a post here for history and posterity as we celebrate the Word become flesh for us.

I am working on Psalm 37 and made it through verse 20 this morning. Another 20 verses to go between now and December 31st. I've been trying to review the whole Psalm as often as I can, and that has helped in picking up verses more quickly.

Just in review mode on John 1; I'll hopefully work on it a couple times today.

I did my burpees and 0 entertainment the last 2 days, as well as Daily Office yesterday. Hoping to get a streak going starting with Christmas Eve on the burpees, Daily Office, and 0 Entertainment. Setting alarms throughout the day on my watch helped with the Daily Office. 

God be praised for descending from highest heaven to send us his own dear son, Jesus Christ, born to a virgin in Bethlehem.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

The Ending of the Year

 

Last-minute Christmas gifts are bought and wrapped. Family travels to its traditional destination, or else waits for relatives to arrive. Silent Night by candlelight rings out with heartfelt nostalgia in churches around the nation. Christmas dinner is enjoyed. Presents are opened. The magic fades, then is lit once more as the countdown to the New Year ticks down to zero. Happy New Year! Plans are drawn up, resolutions made, and hope kindled for a better future.

Eleven months later, the anticipation builds again. The hope, long since extinguished or dampened, now flares up again. Christmas and the New Year. Then another 365 days of vanity. Over and over, until you begin to stop and wonder - what's the point?

All is vanity.

All is vapor, mist, smoke, a striving after wind.

All will fade and crumble and die...

All but one thing.

VERBUM DOMINI MANET IN AETERNUM

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever. It really is all meaningless without our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh who dwelt among us. Christmas and the New Year will eventually become empty for you if they are built on nostalgia and unfounded hope (unless you are exceptionally good at lying to yourself).

But with Christ - crucified and risen from the dead - everything changes. Christmas is no longer meaninglessness through nostalgia, but rather the injection of meaning, of the eternal Word, into human flesh. In Jesus, there is a treasure that does not pass away. In Jesus, there are Words of power and promise that will not fade. In Jesus, the time spent with family, loving one another, takes on eternal value, as we strengthen and encourage one another toward the hard and narrow path. A path that, despite its difficulty, is the only path of peace and rest.

Silent night, holy night

Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face

 With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth

Jesus, Lord at thy birth

We can sing these words in the hope that they will rekindle a magical Christmas feeling that we imagine we once had. We can make a New Year's Resolution in the hope that it will finally be the life change that we desperately need. We sinners can gather each year with our sinful families in the hope that this year, it will finally be a perfect and merry Christmas.

Or we can sing these words in the hope that Jesus, our Lord, has made peace with us by is his redeeming grace. We can resolve every day to repent of our sin and trust in the Word of God, not our efforts, to sanctify us little by little. We sinners can gather each year with our sinful families and pour out the love of Christ with one another, standing firm against the evil age, even as we see things continue to crumble around us.

Let's build our Christmas and New Year on the firm conviction that The Word of the Lord Endures Forever. And only the Word of the Lord Endures Forever. Put Jesus at the center of Christmas. Put Jesus at the center of the New Year. Make a resolution, or don't, but don't buy into the roller coaster of failed efforts and personal achievement. This self-justification is sin, and sin is lawlessness, and the end of those shameful attempts at impressing God is only death. Christ be praised that he has washed away those filthy rags we constantly try to impress him with! 

You are free. Now, as a baptized Son of God, a chosen inheritor of the resurrection of the body, pursue Christian discipline. Take the Word of the Lord incredibly seriously, because it is the only thing that endures forever. By all means, use the new year as a reminder to refocus on the Word of God and prayer. But take comfort! You're not a Christian - or even a better Christian - because of your discipline. You are a Christian because of the blood of the Lamb, which has forgiven you all of your sins. You are a Christian because he has washed you in Holy Baptism. Now, at peace with God, you may follow him and cling to him and make the best use of the new year. Not to find the longed-for level of spiritual excellence, but that you may learn your poverty and once again humble yourself to trust in Christ alone. That you may embrace and find joy in your good and God-given identity (if I can combine a few metaphors here):

A crippled, rotten, dirty, helpless beggar, with lamp and oil ready, standing at watch and awaiting the return of the Bridegroom.

Field Report #026

 

Made it! I reached my goal today of learning the first chapter of the Gospel of  John by heart. I had been shooting to do it by the 15th (today) so it went to the wire, but we have success!

The test was a recitation for my wife, where I had to get the whole chapter correct, word for word, and notice and self-correct any mistakes that I might make.

It definitely worked better to focus on a singular task (this memory challenge) and not split my efforts in as many directions. The Watchman's Prayer and the Rhythm of the Sword - Daily Office were also key to the effort in keeping me on track to make progress with the passage.

Next up will be Psalm 37, which I need to get done by December 31st. The Psalms can be a little easier because of the use of song for memorization, which helps things stick more easily.

I'm really excited about John and looking forward to what's next. Chapter 2 has the wedding at Cana and Jesus cleansing the temple. Chapter 3 includes Jesus' famous encounter with Nicodemus. 

Finally, it's special to be able to do something that I know Silvester Krčméry was working on, too. He memorized the entire Gospel in preparation for imprisonment under Stalinist Russia, and it turned out to be a life-saving move. This Gospel is prison-tested and absolutely priceless for the Christian sojourner here on earth.

I will try to keep things updated with progress on Psalm 37! We are currently through verse 10.

Field Report #025

 

This is it - by the end of the day tomorrow I want to have John 1 memorized. I am currently through verse 42 (6:33 am). That means 9 verses between today and tomorrow. It's a large but doable amount if I dedicate enough focused time to it.

You really start to get a better appreciation for all the little gems hidden away in a chapter when it is repeated so often. A few that come to mind for me from John 1 are "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," "the Word became flesh," "who were born...of God," "the light shines...darkness has not overcome it," and "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."

Yesterday was a good reset in terms of Psalms and 0 Entertainment. No burpees, but I am far enough behind in work that it really wouldn't have been good to do burpees. I may be able to get a set in this evening. The Watchman's Prayer helped to refocus and keep things on track a couple times yesterday, and I plan to continue making use of it today.

God-willing we will have a report of success in John chapter 1 tomorrow!

The Hunt for the "Perfect" Devotional Resource

 

Trust me, I know and appreciate the appeal of a well-constructed devotional resource. I've already spent time on this blog discussing the merits of my favorite one. I've also spent a great deal of time constructing little devotional liturgies - sets of readings, prayers, and hymns (three things that are not mutually exclusive) for my personal use in day-to-day life. I've found the process of assembling these devotionals very engaging and fulfilling.

But I found that I would get into a loop of putting together what I was convinced would be the one set of prayers to rule them all, use it for maybe a day, then forget about it for a week until I spent an hour or two putting together the next one. I realized a little then, and am seeing more now, that the devil was using an incredibly sly trick: let me feel like I am spending time in God's Word, give a boost to my self-righteousness, but rarely actually turn to that Word that I spent so long preparing to use. 

I was (and often am) the boy who spends hours admiring a new toy sword without actually picking it up, or the boy who spends hours researching a life-changing methodology without taking more than a lazy step toward pursuing it. As opposed to being the man who would learn to swing the sword and actually take action to change his life.

All that to say, I'm giving up the hunt for the "perfect" devotional resource, a decision I know I will need to remind myself of sooner rather than later. This hunt can become an idol that stands in the way of the God that the resource is written to glorify. Instead, I will rejoice at the many and excellent resources I already have, and most importantly, I will use them. 

It's on my mind because I just assembled a new one last night, a blend of really beautiful and comforting texts to nourish the soul day in and day out, alternating between song and spoken word. The thing is, I know that within the week, I will find a flaw in it or think of some other text I would rather spend time meditating on. And instead of meditating on that other text, or continuing to use this one, I will be tempted to spend another couple hours crafting another "perfect" prayer liturgy... and the process repeats.

God's gifts are much too precious to spend time sifting through them with face averted like a picky child at the dinner table. We, like Martha of old, are stunningly good at doing anything and everything but hear the Word of God and pray. But the distractions of the world are not the daily bread of the watchmen on the heights.

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

The Watchman's Prayer

 

The Watchman’s Prayer

I am baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

LSB 434:1

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Psalm 130

Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.  Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. John 6:54-56

LSB 434:2

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:12-14

LSB 434:3

I am baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Field Report #024

 

"And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God." John 1:34

John came to prepare the way for Jesus. As Elijah was literally the forerunner for King Ahab, the new Elijah came as the forerunner for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to proclaim the news that the Messiah, the Son of God, in the fullness of time, had come.

We are getting close to the December 15th goal on John 1! I am through verse 39 now with around 2 mistakes, so it still needs a little cleanup. That means 12 more verses over the next few days to make it on time. It will be a push to the finish but it's still doable and the project has not derailed, thankfully.

I haven't been giving field updates as often on the actual elements of Rhythm of the Sword - Psalms, Burpees, and 0 Entertainment! So let's take a minute to do that:

Psalms - I am really trying to get into a habit with Rhythm of the Sword - Daily Office, which includes 12 Psalms a day. The last three days I have missed at least one of the Psalms, so once again I am trying to get them all in today. It's amazing how easily we drift from the one needful thing, as Martha did back in her day. So they are around every day without a doubt, but not with the regularity and consistency that I need.

Burpees - Burpees are probably the weakest link at the moment. I went three days with no burpees, and a few weeks with no burpees at all before those three days. I've been struggling to get into a morning routine where I can convince myself to go out and do the burpees, but not until today has it been really successful. I was able to put up 100 reps this morning, and hope to build that momentum into tomorrow morning, as well. I really need to start stringing together some 100-burpee days... then weeks... then months... then years.

0 Entertainment - The last four days of 0 Entertainment have been pretty good. The focus has not been stellar, but I am keeping things limited and not scrolling social media or going on a YouTube binge. I am shooting to keep dialing in the focus during screen time, but things haven't gone off the rails in a few days.

Watchmen on the Heights

Art by Emmanuel Bouley for the book Sandremonde (ed. Acte Sud)

"Wake, awake, for night is flying,"

The watchmen on the heights are crying"

From LSB 516:1 - Philipp Nicolai