In this episode of Creative Engineering, Swag sets up two crushing lines for tuff and blackstone to gather the essential resources needed for the Netherite factory. Additionally, he performs some crucial upgrades to storage systems to prevent item overflow. Join him in the next episode as he completes the Netherite factory, producing that end-game material for the best gear and upgrades in the pack. Plus, get a sneak peek at the blocks for any future two-year anniversary celebrations for paid members before the season ends!
Intercessors of the Sick: Saints Who Answer the Call
In my last post on Friday, I talked about my accident and the injuries that I received from it, as well as the excellent care I received from the doctors and nurses at the Royal Alexandria Hospital. Since I am still suffering from a sore and stiff neck from said accident, I figured I would look up some saints to call on and decided to share my findings with you today.
The first saint I want to mention is Saint Ursicinus, who is the patron saint of stiff necks. He was a disciple who followed his abbot into exile from northern France in the seventh century. Here’s a prayer we can use to invoke his intercession:
O Holy Ursicinus, you who know the discomfort and pain of the body, be my swift intercessor. I ask for your prayers, particularly for the relief of this stiffness and soreness in my neck. Ease the tension, quiet the pain, and restore flexibility to my body, so that I may turn my attention fully to God’s will. Amen.
The next saint is St. Gemma Galgani, the patron saint of spinal pain. She developed spinal meningitis at age sixteen but was cured. She claimed it was due to her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She later died young of tuberculosis and was canonized by 1940, and was also declared a Virgin. Here’s a prayer for her intercession for those who are suffering any type of spinal pain:
Dear St. Gemma, you bore immense suffering in your body, yet your faith shone brighter than your pain. Look upon me now as I struggle with the persistent discomfort and stiffness. Through the merit of your own suffering, pray to the Lord to grant me strength, patience, and a miraculous lessening of my burden. Help me to use this cross of pain for the salvation of my soul. Amen.
The next person I am praying to for intercession is Blessed Michael McGivney. Although he is not yet officially a Saint, he was beatified in 2020 after a miracle was attributed to his intercession, and we pray that a second miracle will lead to his canonization. As the founder of the Knights of Columbus, he dedicated his life to practical charity, particularly supporting families who were suffering from the illness or death of a loved one. I call upon Blessed Michael McGivney not just for physical healing, but for the patience and courage needed to endure this lingering recovery.
Here is the prayer we can use to invoke his intercession and support his cause for sainthood:
God, our Father, protector of the poor and defender of the widow and orphan, you called your priest, Blessed Michael McGivney, to be an apostle of Christian family life and to lead the young to the generous service of their neighbor.
Through his intercession, I humbly ask for the favor of my own healing from this persistent neck stiffness and pain.
May the inspiration of your servant prompt us to greater confidence in your love, and we humbly ask that you glorify Blessed Michael McGivney on earth according to the design of your holy will, granting the miracle needed for his canonization. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The next saint I am seeking intercession from in heaven is Saint Luke, the Evangelist. Before he became an evangelist, he was a physician and is considered the patron saint of doctors and healing today. He also wrote two books of the Bible, the one named after him and the book of Acts. Both were letters to a friend of his, whom he was trying to persuade to become a believer in Jesus. No doubt he took the time to interview the people he wrote about as his physician training would have demanded of him, including Saint Paul, whom he travelled with.
Invocation to St. Luke the Evangelist: St. Luke, beloved physician and faithful Evangelist, I ask for your intercession on behalf of all healers and for my own recovery. Grant wisdom to those who offer me counsel and care, that they may rightly discern the path to my recovery. Pray for the healing of my injury, that I may experience the wholeness which Christ offers to all who seek Him.
Amen.
To round out my list of intercessors, I’m calling upon St. Raphael the Archangel. His name is derived from the Hebrew words Rafa (to heal) and El (God), meaning “God Heals” or “Divine Healer.” He is one of the three Archangels named in scripture and features prominently in the Book of Tobit, where he guides Tobias on a journey and brings about the healing of his father’s blindness. Today, he is widely regarded as the patron of travelers, the sick, and those seeking healing for any physical, mental, or spiritual ailment. Calling upon St. Raphael is a way of asking God Himself to oversee and complete my recovery.
Here is the prayer we can use to invoke his intercession:
Invocation to St. Raphael the Archangel: Holy Archangel Raphael, whose name means ‘God Heals,’ guide me on my journey to recovery. Send the light of heaven to banish all darkness of pain and despair. Guard me from discouragement and lead me to the means of grace that will bring about my restoration. Heal me, O Lord, through the prayers of your faithful Archangel, that I may serve You better.
Amen.
As I continue to cope with the stiffness and soreness in my neck, I find immense comfort in knowing that there are so many powerful intercessors ready to “answer the call.” I humbly ask that you keep me in your prayers, asking God, through the intercession of St. Ursicinus, St. Gemma Galgani, St. Luke, St. Raphael, or Blessed Michael McGivney, to bring about my full healing and recovery. More importantly, let my search be a reminder to all of us: if you or someone you know is suffering—whether from a debilitating injury, chronic pain, or a difficult diagnosis—take a moment to call upon one of these Heavenly advocates. May their prayers bring comfort, hope, and true healing to all who are unwell.
My Accident on Remembrance Day and It’s Aftermath
Hello everyone. I need to take a moment today to share a challenging experience I had recently. On Remembrance Day, I had an accident, and the immediate aftermath—and the recovery I’m going through now—has been tough. This story is ongoing, so if you could send some prayers or good thoughts my way, I would be incredibly grateful.
Just before noon that day, I decided to take a relaxing bath, as it was a holiday and I wasn’t rushing anywhere. I filled the tub with warm water, got in, and proceeded to bathe. When it was time to get out, I pulled the plug and stood up. Instantly, I felt light-headed, so I dropped down to my hands and knees to try and avoid fainting. I thought the feeling had passed and tried to stand up again, but that’s when I passed out and fell down hard.
A few seconds later, my eyes opened to a sickening sight: a large pool of blood on the floor. My head and neck were throbbing with pain. When I was finally able to get up and look into the mirror, I gasped. The left side of my face was coated in my own blood, and I had two visible gashes in my head—one right above my left eye, and another hidden higher up in my hair. Reaching up, I even pulled out a small clump of hair from the higher wound.
My next priority was cleanup. I turned on the water and used toilet paper to try and clean myself and the room as best as I could. I then got dressed, using a rag to stop some of the bleeding, and looked up transit directions to the nearest hospital: the Royal Alexandra on Kingway Avenue. With my keys, phone, and wallet, I began the painful walk to the bus stop. Along the way, strangers noticed my state and asked if I was alright, suggesting an ambulance after I told them what happened. I arrived at the Emergency room shortly before 1 PM.
It took about fifteen minutes for the triage nurse to see me. After asking me several questions and wrapping my head in gauze, I was directed to sit in the waiting area until a bed was ready. I was also informed that I’d be receiving a tetanus shot, since it had been over 20 years since my last one. I sat there, bored, for the next three hours. I passed the time occasionally reading on my phone and sending updates to my dad, supervisor, and boss. By 4 PM, my hunger became overwhelming—I hadn’t eaten since 5 AM—so I got directions to the Tim Hortons nearby. I bought myself a wrap and an orange juice and returned to the Emergency Room. I was lucky enough to finish eating just before a nurse came and finally escorted me out of the waiting area and to one of the beds inside the department.
Inside the department, the nurse asked me to change into a nightgown. I got onto the bed and was soon connected to the monitoring equipment and given a call bell. The waiting continued; about an hour later, I used the bell just to go to the washroom. Boredom was still a major factor, and I tried to conserve my phone’s battery since I’d forgotten my charger or power bank in the rush.
Soon after, a doctor-in-training assessed me. He asked for the gauze to be removed so that pictures could be taken of my two head gashes and then new gauze and wrappings (that were moistened in a saline solution) were applied. During the assessment, I was completely honest and did my best to follow his requests, supplying all the information I had—including what my smartwatch had recorded about my heart rate immediately after the fall.
Around 7:30 PM, the night nurse, who had replaced the daytime staff, brought me some applesauce with crushed Tylenol, which was a welcome relief. Shortly before that, I had finally received the tetanus shot. An hour and a half after eating, I was placed into a neck brace and then wheeled away to get a CT scan.
Around 11 PM, the doctor-in-training approached me and asked if I was ready for sutures, which I definitely was. He started with the gash above my left eye, which had narrowly missed my eyebrow. After applying freezing, he began closing the wound. He complimented me on taking it “like a trooper,” but being in the neck brace—and having a very stiff, sore neck—actually made it hard to move anyway! I barely felt most of the sutures, except for the ones closest to my nose, which he confirmed are typically not frozen due to potential complications.
Once his work on the first injury was approved by the attending ER doctor, he moved on to freeze and suture the upper wound. I was incredibly relieved when he mentioned that the membrane surrounding my skull had not been ruptured and wouldn’t require additional sutures!
Shortly after he finished, I got the best news of the night: my CT scans came back clean—no concussion from the accident! They immediately removed the neck brace. Shortly after midnight, I was discharged and sent home. I booked an Uber, got home, and finally went to bed.
Moving forward, I am scheduled to see my family doctor next Tuesday, the eighteenth, for a re-evaluation and possible suture removal. I also have to discuss the fainting episode with him, along with my other existing health issues. The most immediate challenge is the lingering physical aftermath: my neck is still stiff and sore, which is definitely affecting my quality of life. Simple tasks are suddenly harder—for example, I now have to kneel down just to access the freezer compartment in my fridge, and getting out of bed in the morning is much tougher. I’ve already taken Wednesday and Thursday off work, and may need today off as well, knowing that taking time away means I don’t earn money. If this accident leads to any long-term consequences, your support of me via my blog will become even more crucial going forward.
Finally, I am deeply grateful to the staff—the nurses and doctors—at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for their care and dedication during a long and stressful 13 hours in the ER. I would also like to thank all of my readers for their support going forwards.
Creative Engineering E47: Automating RF Power Plant Parts
In this episode of Creative Engineering, Swag builds a factory to produce essential items for the future RF Power Plant. He sets up a reggarfonite crafting line, a lava spouting line, and a sanding line to create items like lava quartz, polished lava quartz, and polished rose quartz. Don’t miss next week’s episode, where Swag automates netherite ingots without ever visiting the Nether!
Remember the Fallen: More than Just Warriors Who Fell
Tomorrow, our nation pauses to pay tribute to the men and women who paid the ultimate price in defense of our country. Yet, our obligation to them is not fully discharged by a moment of silence or a flag lowered to half-mast. To truly honor their sacrifice, we must ask the deeper question: what, precisely, did they die defending? It was not simply a government, a political party, or the momentary policies of the day. It was the enduring ideals of freedom in all its forms, respect, and dignity. This is where our vigilance begins, because as Benjamin Franklin famously warned: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” This truth has never been more relevant than it is today.
The ideals our veterans defended are often challenged today by actions justified in the name of security. We must distinguish between true vigilance and unwarranted government interference. Take, for instance, the alarming prospect of legislation granting a Minister the power to unilaterally and secretly cut off a citizen’s essential services, such as Internet access, without any requirement to inform them of the reason or provide judicial review. This is a profound overreach that undermines the fundamental principles of due process.
Our society has no place for kangaroo courts. The danger is not limited to historical totalitarian regimes; it also appears today in systems that bypass traditional judicial protection. Many argue that institutions like Human Rights Tribunals—which often operate without the strict rules of evidence, the right to silence, or the due process protections found in criminal and civil courts—function as modern-day kangaroo courts. We need only look to the Nazis’ so-called People’s Court (Volksgerichtshof)—a system where the verdict was predetermined, and the goal was political purge, not justice—to understand the ultimate threat of allowing executive power to bypass constitutional checks.
It is crucial to understand that defending these freedoms does not mean advocating for chaos. Free speech, for example, has always had recognized boundaries; it does not cover obscenity, incitement to violence, defamation, or other illegal content. Our system already possesses established legal mechanisms, involving law enforcement and the courts, to address these genuine threats. Trading the judicial process for the constitutional protections for a ‘so-called’ security that deserves neither our liberty nor our trust.
Tomorrow, as we pause to honor those who fell, let our remembrance be more than just a passive tribute. The deepest respect we can pay to those who sacrificed their lives is to become active, informed defenders of the ideals they secured for us: freedom, respect, and dignity. When governments trade due process for convenience, replacing traditional courts with secret executive powers or kangaroo courts, the battle to protect liberty continues. We must challenge the false promise of security that chips away at our rights. The fallen did their part; they paid the price of freedom. Now, it is our unending duty to ensure that their sacrifice remains meaningful by vigilantly protecting the foundational principles they died defending.
Creative Engineering E46: Building a Dairy & Bakery Factory
In this episode of Creative Engineering, Swag delivers on his promise from the previous episode by constructing a dairy and bakery combo factory. He automates the production of soymilk, soymilk bottles, sweet bread, flour, dough, and raw pasta, expanding his culinary options in the kitchen. Join Swag as he demonstrates how Create can make Farmer’s Delight easier and more enjoyable to play!
Edgar Allen Poe on Hope and Dreams
The ninety and nine are with dreams, content but the hope of the world made new, is the hundredth man who is grimly bent on making those dreams come true.
Edgar Allan Poe
Creative Engineering E45: Building a Portable Crafting Grid
In this Creative Engineering episode, Swag guides you through every step needed to create a portable crafting grid in Integrated Dynamics! From obtaining chorus fruit to linking the portable crafting grid to the network, you’ll learn how to set it up in your own world (perfect for players using this or a similar pack)! Stay tuned for the next episode, where things get tasty as Swag builds a dairy/bakery!
Episode 67: The End
In this final episode of A Few Moments with God, I share a personal, honest message about why the podcast is coming to a close. I want to thank you for listening and let you know that while the podcast ends, my faith will continue to influence my gaming videos and future content on Swagnilla Ice. For those with faith questions, I recommend checking out Father Casey Cole of Breaking In The Habit at https://www.youtube.com/breakinginthehabit
Got a question for everyone
I’ve got a quick question for everyone who watched my Creative Engineering series: What do you think of me using polished Blackstone for the roads? Either reply in the comments here after joining, or post your opinion in the YouTube comments of episodes 43 or 44. Thanks!