It's all about balance...

Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Heaven, God was missing for 6 days.

Eventually, Michael, the archangel found him resting on the 7th day. He inquired of God, "Where have you been?"

God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downward through the clouds. "I've put LIFE on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance."

"Balance?", inquired Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing to different parts of Earth. "For example, Northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while Southern Europe is gong to be poor, the Middle East over there will be a hot spot."

"Over there, I've placed a continent of white people and over there is a continent of black people"

God continued, pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot and arid, while this one will be very cold and covered with ice."

The archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a beautiful land in the center of a large mass. "What is that one?"

"Ah" , said God.

"That is Oklahoma, the most glorious place on Earth. There's beautiful lakes, rivers, and streams, and prairie. The people from Oklahoma are going to be modest, intelligent and humorous, and they are going to be found traveling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hard-working and high achieving and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace."

"I'm also going to give them a super human football team which will be admired and feared by all who come across them."

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then proclaimed, "What about balance, God? You said there will always be balance."

God replied wisely, "Wait until you see the land of loud-mouth morons I'm putting next to them."

"I will call it TEXAS"

There's only 1 Oklahoma!

Saturday marks the start of the Oklahoma football season as the #8 Oklahoma Sooners take on the Mean Green of the University of North Texas at 7pm eastern on Fox Sports.

Now, the Mean Green may not be much of a test for OU, but there's still a lot to learn about this year's Sooner team. Most importantly, it will be interesting how the new starting quarterback, Sam Bradford, will do.

I CAN NOT wait for 7pm Saturday night! It's a little weird living in New York state and being in an area where college football just doesn't seem to be important in the general culture as it was in the South where I grew up. I mention football to someone and all I normally get is a blank stare...WTF?

Anyway, in honor of Saturday's kick off here's some history and great videos for your (and my) enjoyment!

The #1 Program of the modern era:

Oklahoma is the winningest program in what is widely considered the modern era of college football. OU has the most victories and best winning percentage of any team since the end of World War II.

The Sooners have earned seven AP National Championships in that span and are recognized by the NCAA for 16 titles (source). OU has spent more weeks ranked in the top five (342) of the poll than any other team and is tied with Notre Dame for most weeks ranked No. 1 (95). The AP poll began in 1936.

Victories, 1946-2006:

1. Oklahoma: 524

2. Alabama: 492

Winning Percentage, 1946-2006:

1. Oklahoma: .761 (524-160-13)

2. Ohio State: .743 (484-160-20)

Weeks Ranked Top 5 in AP Poll:

1. Oklahoma: 341

2. Nebraska: 294

Weeks Ranked #1 in AP Poll:

1 tie. Oklahoma & Notre Dame: 95

3. Ohio State: 88

2000

1985 - 1975 - 1974

1956 - 1055 - 1950

And finally, two great highlight videos (first is a general highlight, the second video is a highlight video from the 2000 National Championship season and gives me goosebumps every time I watch it!

Thanks Be to God and BOOMER SOONER!

I miss Oklahoma...

Yes, there are times when I miss Oklahoma soooo much! While I was living there, I never thought I'd miss the place so much. I'm not a real fan of the climate or the geography, as varied as it is, but I absolutely fell in love with the people.

Oklahomans may just be the best people on the planet! Everyone there welcomed me with open arms, supported me when I was down and generally made my life worth living.

You've probably seen the news about the storms that have been pummeling Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas...some of you may be wading through them. While my heart breaks for the people who've been affected, I know they'll rebound just as strong as they were prior to the flooding and they'll make life better...that's just the kind of people they are!

My friend Diana sent me these pictures of Turner Falls, located in southern Oklahoma near Ardmore.

before the rains

and

after the rains

And unless you're from Oklahoma, you have no idea how seriously Oklahomans take the weather. I used to complain constantly that the tv weathermen in Oklahoma would interrupt any tv show, even the Super Bowl or Billy Graham, to let you know it was raining 300 miles from you! But, I have to admit, I kinda miss Rick Mitchell, Mike Morgan, and especially Gary England. Even Jon Stewart and The Daily Show (via Melessa) have found the glory that is Gary England...

And what's even better is that KWTV 9 and Gary England, while finding Stewart's bit funny, DEFENDED the commercial (watch the following to the end)! Too funny!

Thanks Be to God and God Bless Oklahoma!

OU teaches it all...

They teach everything at the University of Oklahoma!

Here's a video of a class at OU being taught about Powwow culture!

The 93rd Annual

OU Spring Contest Powwow

April 21, 2007

Lloyd Noble Center

2pm Gourd Dancing

5pm Supper

8pm Grand Entry

for more information: 405-325-1468

And here's a slide show from the opening of American Indian Heritage Month at OU!


OU American Indian links:

University Offices & Departments:

• Native American Studies Program
• Office of American Indian Student Life

Student Groups:

• American Indian Student Association
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society
• American Indian Law Review
• American Indian Student Social Work Association
• Gamma Delta Pi: American Indian Sorority
• Native American Law Student Association
• Native American Journalist Association
• Native American Women and Others for Multicultural Preservation
• Society of Native American Gentlemen/Sigma Nu Alpha Gamma: Native American Brotherhood

OU NDNs...Wee-Cha!

Oklahoma's newest Catholic Church...

Marietta, Oklahoma is the site of the newest Catholic Church in the State of Oklahoma and the first Catholic Church in Love County!

Here's the story:

Marietta's Faithful Dedicate New Church
Story Courtesy: The Sooner Catholic
Author: Eileen Dugan
Photographer: Mauro Yanez

Marietta, Oklahoma — Faithful Catholics in the area crowded into the new Good Shepherd Church for its dedication and the consecration of its altar on Dec. 2. Many more waited outside for their chance to view the first Catholic church ever built in Love County. Archbishop Eusebius Beltran, in his dedication homily, told the congregation, “The presence of this church building in Marietta will be a sign of faith for all people of this area. You, the members of this parish, are living signs of faith. It is your obligation to go out and bring back fallen away or lapsed Catholics and to invite and welcome your neighbors and friends and all people. Bring them to your beautiful church where they can learn about God and His goodness and His love.”

The archbishop served as principal celebrant and was joined by Fathers Thomas O’Toole, Juan Manual Guerrero, John Vrana, Louis Lamb, Stephen Bird, Donald Wolf and Robert Wood.

A mission of Saint Mary’s Church in Ardmore, where Father O’Toole serves as pastor and Father Guerrero as associate pastor, Good Shepherd has been a dream for many for numerous years. Father Vrana and Father Lamb are former pastors of Saint Mary’s, but it was Father Ernest Flusche, another former pastor, most credit with planting the idea of a new church in Marietta. Father Flusche, unable to attend the dedication Mass, started the mission in 1993, because “there was nothing in Marietta for the Catholic people”.

Now with the dedication of the new church, Father Flusche said, “I think it is historic for the Church of Oklahoma that one more county has a significant Catholic presence in the community.”

The largely Hispanic congregation in Marietta, working along side Father Guerrero, was successful in raising much of the money needed to build the new church. Father Flusche also helped with the fundraising, writing letters to all the pastors in the Archdiocese and asking them to contribute.

Father Flusche’s solicitations and the money raised by Father Guerreo and Good Shepherd’s parishioners, together with that pledged by the Archdiocese, paid for the construction of the new Good Shepherd Church.

A Spanish-mission style, Good Shepherd is adorned with a number of exquisitely designed stained-glass windows. These amazing windows were originally part of the chapel in the Marland Mansion in Ponca City. Before the wrecking ball demolished the historic structure, these windows were carefully removed from their frames, loaded onto a truck, and driven to Marietta. There, they were stored until they could be reconstructed and worked into the walls of the new Good Shepherd Church.

The largest of these windows, “Jesus, the Resurrected Christ”, is positioned over the altar of the church. Along the north and south walls, 14 smaller windows of stained glass depict the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, seven on each side. Father Flusche said these windows appear more like mosaics than traditional stained-glass because of the faceted cut of the glass. The effect of the sunlight filtering through the unusually cut, colored glass is breathtaking.

The late Archbishop Charles A. Salatka had once suggested that when a Catholic church was eventually built in Marietta it might be dedicated to Mary, Mother of Divine Love because Marietta means “Little Mary” and the town of Marietta is in Love County.

Another beautiful stained-glassed window depicts the Blessed Virgin. It was created by J. Francisco Guerrero in Guadalajara, Mexico. He personally brought it from Mexico to Marietta as his gift to the Good Shepherd congregation. Guerrero also provided the initial plans for the church. Francisco Gurerrero is Father Guerrero’s brother.

Father Juan Guerrero, assigned to Marietta, celebrated his 25th anniversary to the priesthood on September 30 of this year. This important mile stone, plus the dedication of Good Shepherd Church have, for Father Guerrero, made 2006 “my best year from God”.

He described the enthusiasm of his congregation for the new church as “amazing. “There were tears of happiness on their faces, and they were very grateful to have a church,” Father Guerrero said. “Now we need to work hard to build the ‘Church Alive’.

“Our dream was to build a temple [church] to God’s glory where we could have our faith,” Father said. “Jesus’ dream is to make our people into the Church Alive. The Church is not only the material building; for Jesus, the Church is also the fraternity among the people.

“Everyone is doing all they can to get more people involved in the lay ministry of the Church: hospitality, lectors, altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, keeping up the church building, and helping the poor. We want to help Jesus’ dream come true, by serving the Church and each other. This is our faith, our commitment as Christians,” Father Guerrero said.

Father Guerrero said several years before the demolition of the Marland Mansion, from where the stained glassed windows came, he had had an opportunity to pray in the chapel there. “It was very awesome to see the stained-glass,” Father Guerrero said he recalls. “I was praying there and said to God, ‘If I build a church some day, I would like to have beautiful stained-glass in it like this.’”

Father Guerrero said he believes his prayer was answered. Apparently, so too were the prayers of many others in Love County.

Left: Fr. Guerrero (L) and Archbishop Beltran (R) pray at the altar of Good Shepherd Church.

Link: Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

Thanks Be to God and Boomer Sooner!
11th day of Christmastide,
and Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Congrats Boise State!

OMG! This was one of the best football games I've ever witnessed!

I'm not even all that upset about my beloved Oklahoma Sooners losing the game.

Boise State EARNED this win!

Congratulations Broncos!

Boise State University Broncos

2006 WAC Champions

2007 Fiesta Bowl Champions

13-0

As soon as I can find the final 2 point conversion play on Youtube I'll post it...it was amazing! A well-earned victory!

Again, Congratulations Broncos!

Let''s go bowling!

We're just over 24 hours away from the kick off of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, a BCS bowl, pitting perennial powerhouse University of Oklahoma Sooners (school site, athletics site) against the upstart Boise State Broncos (school site, athletics site).

Oklahoma is the #1 college football program of the modern era (proof here) and Boise State has been a rapidly rising program over the past few years (story here).

This game should be bloody awesome!

Catch the 2007 Fiesta Bowl

at

8pm (EST) on Fox!

Oh, and lest we forget...H.H. Pope Benedict XVI is a Sooner fan (story here)!

Thanks Be to God and Boomer Sooner!

7th Day of Christmastide,

and Feast of Pope St. Sylvester I

Requiescat in Pace...

Requiescat in Pace

President Gerald R. Ford, Jr.

1913-2006

President Ford during

a spring 1976 campaign trip to Oklahoma City (hat tip):

"It's good to be in the great state of Oklahoma,

the home of Will Rogers

who never met a man he didn't like,

and the Oklahoma Sooners

who never met a team they couldn't beat."

~~~

Catholic Prayer for the dead:

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May the souls of the faithful departed

through the mercy of God rest in peace.

Amen +++

Thanks Be to God!
Day 3 of Christmastide