Poem for Full Moon (January 6, 2023)

 from web posting at www.almanac.com (Old Farmer's Almanac)

The sunset embers smolder low,

The Moon climbs o'er the hill,

The peaks have caught the alpenglow,

The robin's song is still.

POEM by John L. Stoddard

Three dozen scientists expect that in next 5 years Great Salt Lake, UTAH, will disappear

CNN coverage

Scientists and conservationists have released a report ahead of the Utah

legislature begins a new term on the future of the inland body of water.

By 2024, without a dramatic increase of inflow, the Great

Salt Lake is set to disappear.

It has fallen to record low levels 2 years in a row.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/06/us/great-salt-lake-disappearing-drought-climate/index.html

Book and Baked good sale - basement

Saturday  Jan. 14, 2023

annual fundraiser for

New Journey UMC

302 Cedar Street, Niles MI 49120

phone 683-7250

9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

in final hour Noon til closing

Bag Sale with special price

for used books for all ages

Hunter Ice Festival (Jan. 13, 14, & 15, 2023) - Niles, MI 49120 Downtown annual Ice Carving

 two events -- additionally beyond Ice Carving competition and Hot Chocolate

New Journey UMC Basement Book Sale (used donated volumes & reading material)

Saturday Jan. 14 only 9 - 1 p.m. -- bag sale in final hour from 

noon til 1 p.m.

Shelf Life Bookstore -- Giant Sale all weekend

10 a.m. - 5 p.m. each day (Friday, Sat., Sunday)

Fourth Street location

Twelve to be honored today(Presidential Citizens Medal) - 2nd anniversary of Jan. 6 Insurrection

President Joe Biden will honor 12 with the Presidential Citizens medal at the

White House on Friday Jan. 6, 2023.

Eugene Goodman (Capitol Police Officer);

Michael Fanone (retired D.C. Police officer);

Caroline Edwards (Capitol Police officer);

posthumous recipient Brian Sicknick (Capitol police);

Election workers credited with having rejected efforts by the

twice-impeached, Former POTUS Tr#mp and his supporters

to overturn the 2020 election.

That group includes re-elected Michigan Secy. of State

Jocelyn Benson.

What Makes Michigan Strong? Art Contest entry 2023

 State of the State (Gov. Gretchen Whitmer)

Cover Page Contest (Jan. 2023)

students be as creative as possible

and are welcome to use crayon, marker, paint or other material.

Submit by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday Jan. 15, 2023.

https://somgovweb.state.mi.us/ArtContest

PBS youtube player for 3 - 5 a.m. Funeral of retired Pope Benedict XVI

 pbs.org/newshour/world/watch-live-pope-emeritus-benedict-xvis-funeral-at-stpeters-basilica

Click on hyperlink after 3 a.m. Thurs. Jan.5,2023.

It ended live coverage at 4:55.

Funeral Coverage (Vatican YouTube and FaceBook channels)

3:30 a.m. Eastern Time will be the live broadcast

of the Pope (retired) Benedict XVI at

St. Peter's Basilica Square, Vatican City.

Two channels are pre-announced:

VATICAN MEDIA Live YOUTUBE Channel

Vatican News Facebook Page.

CABLE channel = EWTN beginning at 3 a.m. Thursday Jan. 5, 2023.

The retired Pope died Dec. 31, 2022 at Mater Ecclesiae Monastery

that is in the Vatican City boundaries.

It ended at 5 a.m.

Fire and Ice event (Jan. 6, from 6 - 8 p.m.) - Fables Bookstore, Goshen Indiana

215 S. Main Street, Goshen, IN

Two local authors will sign their new books

Karen B. Kurtz - SOPHIA's GIFT (children's  YA Title)

Jamie Ward - 100 Things to Do in Indiana Before You Die (Adult readers)

Professional Ice Carvers will transform 300 and 600-lb. blocks of ice

into time-bound art while fire dancers light up the night sky.

Get your free marshmallow to roast over the toasty outdoor fires.

https://fablesbooks.com/events/21988

Telephone 574-534-1984

Email: fablesbooks@gmail.com

Grief Share - Wednesdays 5:45 p.m. (Calvary Baptist Ch. South Bend, IN)

 Find comfort and support at

Grief Share weekly

Jan. 11, 2023 to April 5

a 13-week support group/seminar.

For more info 574-272-8334

www.griefshare.org

Childcare provided.

Monthly grief group for Adults who have experienced death of signif. other

2nd Wednesday of months (Jan. - Dec.) from Noon to 1 p.m.

Where: Niles-Buchanan (Mich.) YMCA

sponsors are "Lori's Place" and the YMCA

https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/southwestern-medical-clinic/patient-resources/events/Detail/YMCA-Niles-Buchanan-Grief-Support-Group/19724090-2020-4952-b053-4b3ac7d99986/12-8-2021/

905 N. Front Street, Niles, MI 49120

Free of charge

Must RSVP by calling 269-683-2707 ahead of meeting

In-person group.

First meeting of 2023 will be Jan. 11, 2023 from 12 Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Room to be fixed each month to come this year.  Space is limited

Twelve of the 434 members of House of Representatives - no govt. previous experience

Youngest elected member of house is activist Maxwell Frost (D) of FLorida;

Successor to Jackie Walorski (2nd Cong. District, IN): Rudy Yakym

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2022/new-members-of-congress/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Historical Precedent - has failure to elect a Speaker of the House happened?

Last happened in 1923

Also happened in 1855

Electing a Speaker of the House (3rd in line for Presidential succession)

is a responsibility of a "new" Congress every 2 years following general election

result verification.

Online article for the NY Times by Brendan Buck

who worked for the previous two Speakers of the Republican party

(Boehner and Ryan).

Nine ballots were required in 1923; 156 ballots in 1856.

Dissident members of the House of Representatives believe a

weak Speaker would make them more powerful. In truth, it

would benefit no one.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/02/opinion/kevin-mccarthy-speaker-vote.html

Dense Fog Advisory (second day of New Year)

 Jan. 2, 2023

National Weather Service has issued a 

Dense Fog Advisory

2 p.m. - 10 p.m. Eastern for New Buffalo to St. Joseph, MI

EXTENDED until 1 p.m. for N. Indiana area

until 10 a.m. for the counties in MI 

Berrien, Branch, Cass, Hillsdale, St. Joseph.

Also across many N. Indiana counties;

Visibility one-quarter mile or less in dense fog.

Driving may be quite difficult and hazardous in

low-lying areas and across patches

where Fog has thickened.  Rain later

today and tomorrow's high temperature 

(record-setting) of 63 degrees F. may

change local overnight and morning conditions.

Winter Days

Potawatomi Zoo, South Bend, IN

Visit this winter -- starting next Saturday

Jan. 7 & Sunday 8 Jan.

also Jan. 21 & 22

Feb. 4,5 and 18, 19

March 4,5 and 18, 19

Details at potawatomizoo.org/ 

See for yourself how some of your favorite animals are doing!

Following Eucharistic celebration (5 Jan. 2023)

Thursday 5th of January, 2023

The Pope Emeritus who retired, Pope Benedict XVI

died at Mater Ecclesiae Monastery on Friday 12/30/2022

WHERE: St. Peter's Basilica

9:30 a.m. (Rome time zone) [ 3 - 5 a.m. Eastern Time ]

After the Funeral Mass celebrated by current Pope

Francis, there will be a Final Commendation and Valediction

of the retired/emeritus Pope and his burial will take place

in the Catacombs / Vatican Grottos.

expected to attend are 50,000 visitors to the capital of Italy

and to Vatican City

The U.S. ambassador to the Vatican is 

former Senator (IN) Joe Donnelly of Granger, IN

who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate after the election

of Joseph Biden (himself a practicing Catholic) in 2021.

This Month on the SEEKING FAITH & UNDERSTANDING blog (Googler) - January 2023

January 1, 2023 (Sunday) = 30 views and visits

2 January = 59

January 3, 2023 = 18

Jan. 4 = 39

Jan. 5 = 25 views and visits

Jan. 6 = 38

Jan. 7 = 10

Total for only 7 days of January 2023 = 220 views and visits

Happy New Year 2023

Salutations and Best Wishes for 

happy days, weeks, months to come!

May this be the best year of your life!