JML-PLOGS poetic commentary is below

Prologue: Finding Toffer

Link to full text PDF
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Typically, I bring out the Toffer stories during the season of Lent for the sake of irony. Who is Jesus and why would anyone wonder in a desert for 40 days (about 1 and a half months)? Similarly, who is Toffer and why can’t his friends contact him? I imagine that if the devil were to tempt me three times in a desert, I’d say something like, “I’m done, and I need a drink… can we just get this over with.” We must embrace the limitations of what we can control, while recognizing we all have elaborate lives mingling with each other.


In Micah 6:8 we are told what God requires of His own, “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” It is said that it is a mystical experience to see Christ in another person. In our modern world we process people through numerical data. We assign social security numbers and call each other with phone numbers. Artists create faceless images to convey a universal experience while most of us are unmoved or loathe being seen as similar to others.

We may question whether our life begins or ends with the balance in our bank account. We may question whether our life begins or ends with circumstances like education, natural disasters or disabilities or employment. We may question whether our life begins or ends with finding romance or going through a messy divorce. The truth is our lives are effervescent and ephemeral. The only constants in life are change and our need to adapt. There are so many elements that make up who we are that our quest to define ourselves with one identity is an omission of our entire identity.

The story of Finding Toffer is an evolving portrait-less illustration of current societal trends, environmental issues, and digital communication. There are three parts to this story: 1. There are text messages from unknown people that
are relatable, hilarious, and downright rude. 2. There is the backstory of the person who is supposed to be receiving these messages. 3. There is you, the viewer, choosing to dismiss or process the messages coming into your phone at all hours of the day and night.

Toffer, the main character, was created from text messages I received when I acquired a new “used” phone number in 2009. The information in the texts exposed the previous phone number owner’s personal life, digital identity, and corrupt societal norms. Naturally, I shared the texts on social media and Toffer took on a life of his own.

This story is loosely based on real events and real people. I really did receive a mysterious phone call from a nurse in Colorado offering me a bath on my 30th birthday. The person needing the bath was facing tremendous hardships in all areas of their life. The nurse and I were both befuddled by the phone number remaining in a current patient’s file while simultaneously being reassigned. The transfer of personal contacts and information via phone numbers being reassigned happens daily. It is enough confusion to question your own identity and wonder if you are more than “just another number” in an endless crowd.

The text messages that were sent seemed to reflect the life of someone dealing with unemployment and housing insecurity during the Great Recession. What is fiction is that the character, Toffer, was the only person residing in Mobile, Alabama. Toffer, was multiple people who lived all over the USA including California, Colorado, Georgia, and Baldwin County, Alabama. Toffer, is not a cover story for juicy local gossip. However, this story is relatable and may remind you of your own life or even a friend.

Over lent, I will post one text or group of texts a day plus some background information. This story unfolded over about three years and took me a while to process. You, the viewer, can participate in the painfully slow unraveling of this
story over 40 days (about 1 and a half months) of lent or read it all at once. The gift of letting the story unfold slowly over 40 days is allowing yourself the slowness of time with Christ in the desert for 40 days suffering and being tempted. However you choose to read this story, I hope the stark contrast
between the comedic texts and backstory serve as a muse to “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Toffer, is not meant to be the embodiment of the second Christ. Toffer, is just like every person in the world; he has a layered history and many facets to his life.


XOXO! JML

Blessed Conchita

“Become a saint … Fall in love with Jesus, give yourself to Jesus, and let yourself be done and undone by the One who loves you so much”

It is said that we do not choose saints, but they choose us. ~ Blessed Conchita

For 2024, I’m praying for the intercession of Blessed Conchita in my life. She’s a beautiful romantic. To put a disclaimer on how I found this Saint— I pulled her name out of basket. The priest said at the end of Mass— the quote above— “It is said that we do not choose saints, but they choose us.” As I walked out of the church, a few others said they got Blessed Conchita as their saint too. Cosmic— or ironic— either way, I’ve decided to roll with this Saint. She’s definitely relevant being from Mexico. She’s also a widow which fits the life of my favorite Saints. The Virgin Mary, Saint Monica, Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, and Saint Rita were all widows with kids. So, I’ll keep you posted on my journey with Blessed Conchita.

XOXO! JML

“Jesus once explained to Conchita, ‘There are souls, who through ordination receive a priestly anointing. However, there are … also priestly souls who do not have the dignity or ordination of a priest, yet have a priestly mission. They offer themselves united to me… these souls help the Church in a very powerful spiritual way. … You will be the mother of a great number of spiritual children, yet they will cost your heart the death of a thousand martyrs. Bring yourself as an offering for the priests. Unite your offering with my offering, to obtain graces for them’.” (p 28)

Blessed Conchita
opusangelorum.org/the-priesthood-accord…

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concepció…
This book list is curated to provide insight into the coincidences, parallels, and blatant facts of history repeating itself in current global affairs with religion, war, politics, drugs, farming, prostitution, romance and finding yourself despite it all.

Diary Of A Young Girl
Anne Frank
www.goodreads.com/book/show/48855.The_D…

Ways of Seeing
John Berger
www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/2784

The Last Barrier: A Journey into the Essence of Sufi Teachings
Reshad Feild
www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/437252

Mornings in Jenin: A Novel
Susan Abulhawa
www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/6692041

Death Comes For The Archbishop
Willa Cather
www.goodreads.com/book/show/545951.Deat…

The Good Earth
Pearl S. Buck
www.goodreads.com/book/show/1078.The_Go…

Crime And Punishment
Fyodor Dostoevsky
www.goodreads.com/book/show/7144.Crime_…

Saint Monica
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Monica

Saint Augustine
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hi…

The Life of Saint Monica
youtu.be/hkoM9KwqSIQ

LETS BRING PEACE EVERYDAY

Plog Post: Sunday, January 7, 2024