Southward

The trip to Birmingham was pleasant.
As we drove through Kentucky the devastating ice storm's destructive work
could be clearly seen.
Trees broken all over the place.
It reminded me of the sight seen after a tornado goes through.
The bushy evergreens were bowed over from west to east
as if honoring our trip.

Somewhere we passed one of those 'Adult' stores.
And about 100 yards down the road was a big billboard
with the Ten Commandments on it.
Well, actually only the second tablet (last six commandments).
Sort of like, "Take one tablet and call me in the morning."

Since Christmas our granddaughter has gotten smarter.
(Hard to believe.)
Her hair is curlier and longer.
(Pictures later.)

*** ***

If you're worrying about spending a lot of time in purgatory,
take a look at the Vatican's website where there are some simple instructions
about how to obtain forgiveness of sins
and subtract time from your purgatorial stay.
See the instructions here.
(Notice the 'only one per day' caveat; wouldn't want to get
too much forgiveness in one day.)

'Purgatory' and the selling of indulgences was one of the issues that lit the fire of the Protestant Reformation. They're not selling indulgences anymore, but they're still handing them out when you perform certain religious rituals. It all sounds rather Medieval to me. If the Pope can hand out indulgences, why doesn't he just hand bunches out to everyone? It's like a mercy-dispensing-machine. It makes grace sound so mechanical. The Catholic Church sets itself up as the 'middle man' in the process of salvation. No wonder Luther and Calvin and Zwingle and Beza got so stirred up about the Church needing reform.