Celtic Odyssey

Luke 6.27-38 (CEB; adapted) [1] 27 “But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on the cheek, offer the other one as well. If someone takes your coat, don’t withhold your shirt either. 30 Give to everyone who asks and don’t demand your things back from those who take them. 31 Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you. 32 “If you love those who love you, why should you be commended? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, why should you be commended? Even sinners do that. 34 If you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, why should you be commended? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to be paid back in full. 35 Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend expecting nothing in return. If you do, you will have a great reward. You’ll be acting the way children of the Most H...

Kramer’s Blend for Cary Grant History Al Kramer Kramer’s Pipe and Tobacco was established in 1949 by Tina and Allen (Al) Kramer in Beverly Hills just off Little Santa Monica Blvd. between Camden and Rodeo drives. Al built all the knotty pine fixtures in the shop, including a walk-in humidor. This was back in the heyday of Hollywood. Back then, Al could be seen hand blending his own tobaccos at the tobacco bar or repairing pipes and lighters in the front window. Their customers included Hollywood “royalty” — Marlene Dietrich, Cecil B. DeMille, Cary Grant, Danny Kaye, Tony Curtis, Fred MacMurray, Leonard Nimoy, and the list goes on and on! Personalized, hand blended tobaccos were something Al was famous for. As far as I can tell, it all started with Father Dempsey, a local Catholic priest who became good friends with Al after coming into the community (Fr. Dempsey served at the Church of the Good Shepherd just around the corner from the shop). Apparently, Fr. Dempsey told Al if...

Luke 6:17-26 (CEB; adapted) [1] 17 Jesus came down from the mountain with some of the disciples and stood on a large area of level ground. A great company of his disciples and a huge crowd of people from all around Judea and Jerusalem and the area around Tyre and Sidon joined him there. 18 They came to hear him teach and to be healed from their diseases, and those bothered by unclean spirits were healed. 19 The whole crowd wanted to touch him, because power was going out from him and he was healing everyone. 20 Jesus raised his eyes to his disciples and said: “Happy are you who are poor, because God’s kingdom is yours. 21 Happy are you who hunger now, because you will be satisfied. Happy are you who weep now, because you will laugh. 22 Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and condemn your name as evil because of me, the Human One. 23 Rejoice when that happens! Leap for joy because you have a great reward in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things t...