If you’re dealing with a handyman, you’re dealing with someone who has only his own reputation to maintain.  If you’re dealing with a company, there are many reputations at stake.   But sometimes the job you want done is too small for a company.  Then you have to find an honest man.

You bargain with a single product of Western Civilization, which is better than other parts of the world, but not dependable enough to risk more than a few hundred dollars. So you lose.  You try another handyman.

Astronomers, in mapping out a galaxy’s rotation curve, have noticed that the curve indicates that the galaxy shows more weight (matter) than is visible.  This solid matter keeps the galaxy together through gravity.  But the matter is invisible.

Also called dark matter, it is a sign that God is comfortable with things that are invisible (angels, demons, apparitions of the Blessed Mother).  Prepare yourself to enter such a world until the last day.  Doesn’t sound at all dull, right?

It must have been past Easter time, because the leaves were on the big Sycamore by the parking lot entrance to Phil’s Restaurant, where a couple stood under the tree with a hand-scrawled sign, “Can’t pay the rent.”  They had a baby with them.

I stopped the car and got out to talk with them.  They seemed to be communicating the truth.  My bank was just around the corner at that time, under the railroad trestle to the next two stop lights.  I withdrew a small amount and came back and handed it to them.

I don’t know if it helped, but I never saw them again.  In this life we meet people and we never know what effect we have on them, good or bad.

There’s a balsam fir tree, a wreath for the door, and pine needle garlands for the fence–all from earlier, non-Christian sources.  But they’ve been assimilated.  The author of life does not object to the Christians adopting neutral icons for their purposes.  The end is worthy.

What about our ways?  Are we adapting to our new-found heavenly riches?  A promise of eternal life?  The happiness of the blessed?  How do you pay for that?

Of all the good things the Lord provides, there is nothing like a freshly made omelet.   My wife usually adds a strawberry preserve in the fold, and that makes it outrageous.  It can be had here in Western Civilization, one of the advantages of living in this part of the globe.

You need fresh eggs, a bowl to mix them in, a little milk to give it consistency and a frying pan with a non-stick surface and a source of heat.  Butter will make it a non-stick surface.  Cook until the surface is solid, slide onto a plate, and fold over the strawberry preserve.

When you eat it, make a resolution to contribute to one of the charities that relieve world hunger.