For those who know and love this song. (HT: David French). Lyrics in English below.

A Ukrainian family sings “He Will Hold Me Fast.”

HT: @donald_clinepic.twitter.com/nd5g7RqQ9w

— Matt Smethurst (@MattSmethurst) February 25, 2022

When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast

I could never keep my hold
Through life’s fearful path
For my love is often cold
He must hold me fast

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

Those He saves are His delight
Christ will hold me fast
Precious in His holy sight
He will hold me fast

He’ll not let my soul be lost
His promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

For my life He bled and died
Christ will hold me fast
Justice has been satisfied
He will hold me fast

Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
Till our faith is turned to sight
When he comes at last

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast
He will hold me fast
For my Savior loves me so
He will hold me fast

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Ada Habershon / Matt Merker

We enjoy playing Pétanque, and I mow a playing area (“the pitch”) in the park directly behind our house. It’s easy to learn and we find that both adults and children enjoy it.

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Before: Shaggy Boy. After: Pretty Boi.

I understand why people might be cautious about receiving the vaccine, but I am convinced that it is quite safe – in fact far safer than not getting the vaccine. Here’s an article by CommonSpirit Health, the company I work for, addressing a number of misconceptions about the vaccine:

COVID-19 Vaccine Myths and Facts

Yesterday I drove over to St. Joseph Hospital to get my follow-up vaccine shot. I was first in line and got out in no time. I’ve heard that the side effects of the second shot can be a little worse, even though they are identical vaccinations. I felt fine yesterday, but last night I woke up feeling achy, much like having a very mild case of the flu, along with a very mild soreness at the site of the shot. I went back to sleep, and this morning I took some ibuprofen. I’d say I feel much better, just about back to normal.

I just want to let folks know that I have not had any serious side effects from my COVID-19 vaccination apart from a little soreness in my arm around the site where the vaccine was administered, and that was only the day after the shot.

Typically I avoid posting on political matters. I was not a “Never-Trump” person. I held my nose and voted for him in 2016. But by 2020 I knew that I could not vote for him (I ended up voting Libertarian). I have been appalled by his efforts to contest the election results. I believe that the 2019-20 impeachment proceedings were very much politically motivated, knowing that some Democrats had publicly announced their intention to impeach Trump before he had even been inaugurated. But his instigation of protestors plus his failure to quickly and decisively act and speak against yesterday’s mob violence at the Capitol is too much. I know, he will be out of office in a matter of weeks. But this is, to my mind, as well as to many Democrats and Republicans, both treasonous and a gross dereliction of duty, an impeachable offense that cannot be ignored. Congress must not just condemn his behavior, it must perform its constitutional duty to impeach the President and remove him from office.

I think the editorial below makes the case quite well:

Impeach Donald Trump, Remove Him, and Bar Him From Holding Office Ever Again

My employer, CommonSpirit Health, offered (but did not require) its employees the opportunity to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination. I drove over to the hospital early this morning, and fortunately the line wasn’t long at all. I will have to go back for the booster vaccine on February 2. In the meantime, I’ll let you know if I experience any adverse side effeccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Meet the newest member of the family: Jacksie, a 5-year old Yorkshire Terrier. He’s a really sweet dog, playful, but not out of control.