Two Pictures from Grand Lodge

First the Commandery practicing the presentation of the flags.

Then H. Robert Wilson, Grand Master of the Iowa Prince Hall Masons addressing the Grand Lodge. Bob is one of the finest Masons I know.

And that is it. I only took a few pictures this week-end. One of Kurt at the restaurant and he had a funny look on his face so you aren't going to see that and I took a couple more of Bob but this was the best one. I don't know why I did not take more but that is the way it is. Just didn't feel like runing around taking pictures. There is nothing worse than sitting in a hot stuffy room listening to a business meeting. It is good to see the Brothers who were there but I did not sleep very well either night and except for a few conversations and some really nice meals (Not at Grand Lodge however, We cheated and went to a couple of pricey but very fine places to eat.) Thursday evening Kurt and I went to Blend which is a very nice fusion restaurant in downtown Cedar Rapids. I had a pork loin and Kurt had the chicken. He took pictures of the meals with his iPhone. Friday night Shane and Tim and I went to Matilda's which is a very nice steak house and I had a wonderful Fillet topped with crabmeat. For lunch on Friday Kurt, Kevin, Shane and I went to Hu Hutt, a Mongolian place and it was wonderful. I had been to one before and liked it.

Tomorrow I have an Eastern Star Home Board meeting in the morning and then in the afternoon I have a play at StageWest in Des Moines. This week I am going to spend a lot of time on the road. I go to Des Moines on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday as well as tomorrow. Life is a merry-go-round.

One more thing before I go. I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year.

L'SHANAH TOVAH TIKATEVU!
(Literal Hebrew to English Translation: May you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for a good year Meaning: This Rosh Hashanah greeting wishes others a good year and a good judgment by God.Note: This greeting is often shortened to Shanah Tovah (Good Year).)

Rosh Hashanah is the first of the High Holidays or Yamim Noraim ("Days of Awe"), or Asseret Yemei Teshuva (Ten Days of Repentance) which are days specifically set aside to focus on repentance that conclude with the holiday of Yom Kippur.
Rosh Hashanah is the start of the civil year in the Hebrew calendar (one of four "new year" observances that define various legal "years" for different purposes as explained in the Mishnah and Talmud). It is the new year for people, animals, and legal contracts. The Mishnah also sets this day aside as the new year for calculating calendar years and sabbatical (shmita) and jubilee (yovel) years. Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of man whereas five days earlier, on 25 of Elul, marks the first day of creation.
The Mishnah, the core text of Judaism's oral Torah, contains the first known reference to Rosh Hashanah as the "day of judgment." In the Talmud tractate on Rosh Hashanah it states that three books of account are opened on Rosh Hashanah, wherein the fate of the wicked, the righteous, and those of an intermediate class are recorded. The names of the righteous are immediately inscribed in the book of life, and they are sealed "to live." The middle class are allowed a respite of ten days, until Yom Kippur, to repent and become righteous; the wicked are "blotted out of the book of the living."

Thanks for stopping by, Hugs, j