A review of the past

How much of this do you remember?




Before leaving 2009, consider the words of St. Jane de Chantal:

We are at the end of another year, a year which, like so many before it, is about to become the past. Time passes. The years come and go, and we, likewise, will pass and come to an end as well. We must make a strong and absolute resolution that, if Our Lord should grant us yet another year, we will make better use of it than those years that have come – and gone - before. Let us walk with a new step in God’s divine service and to our greater perfection. Let us take great courage to labor in earnest.

Please take this to heart. What is the point of beginning a new year if not to renew ourselves to the task at hand? Otherwise, we should not be astonished to find ourselves in the same place this time next year with little or nothing to show for it. I desire that this not happen to you; rather, consider how you make use of every day that God is pleased to give you. Let us embrace the responsibilities and challenges of life in the best way that we can; let us employ the time that God gives us with great care. While we hope in God’s divine compassion, may we also remember to do what is good.

So, then, let us begin this New Year in the name of our Lord. Let us recommit ourselves to serving God and one another faithfully, especially in small and simple ways. God wants only that which we can do, but that which we can do God clearly expects from us. Therefore, let us be diligent in giving our best to God, leaving the rest in the hands of God’s infinite mercy.

Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here. It’s the last one for 2009!

The last photo caption contest for the year!

Help us wrap us the year with a laugh by suggesting a caption for this photo using McLinky.






And here are the winners for last week's contest. The picture can be found here.

Sharing time, talent, and treasure

Have you read Matthew 25:31-46 recently? It’s the parable of the sheep and the goats, in which Jesus tells his followers that our eternal future is determined on the basis of our treatment of others. Read in particular verses 34-36

Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

In verses 41-46, Jesus goes further with his analogy:

Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.”

They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?”

He will reply, ”I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

During the coming year, I plan to take these words more seriously. In the days which remain in 2009, I plan to look at opportunities to use my time, talent, and treasure more effectively. In 2010, I plan to follow up on some of the opportunities I have to “feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, and visit those ill or in prison”.

If you’re like me, though, you may find it difficult to sift through the pleas for donations and the organizations requesting volunteers. Here are some possibilities you may wish to consider.

• Would you like to become an advocate for abused or neglected children? Click here.
• Another way to help kids is to sponsor a child through the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging.
• Or consider being a Big Brother / Big Sister.
• You’ve heard of Habitat for Humanity. Volunteer to help a needy family build a home. Click here.
• To do a quick search for volunteer opportunities in your zip code, click here.
• Want to know more about the charities you’re considering? Click here.
• Here’s a fun concept - Help Others by “paying it forward”.
• To learn how to make rosaries to send to those serving in the military, click here.
• One way to “visit those in prison” – check this site to learn how to send Christian literature to Catholic inmates.
• Here’s something easy – click the link on this site daily to feed the hungry.
• Another easy one. Click here to provide free mammograms to women in need.

How do you share your "time, talent, and treasure"? Can you offer other suggestions? Will you join with me in making a resolution to find more opportunities to “feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, and visit those ill or in prison”?

Remembering the Holy Innocents

Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry; and sending killed all the men children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

 - Matthew 2:16-18

Today we remember the innocent children slaughtered by Herod after he was warned by the Magi that the One born King of the Jews had been born. Herod wasn't about to allow this Child to get in his way. Innocent blood was spilled.

Today, let us remember the innocent lives of children who die unborn as a result of abortion, and those who die too young through abuse, starvation, natural disasters, or war.

One way to help is to support a child through Christian Foundation for Children and Aging”. Only 5.4% of monies donated to CFCA are used for fundraising or administrative costs. The remainder goes to support children in need.

Please consider sponsoring a child.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

Great Cowboy Quotes to help you start your week with a smile

1. Don't squat with your spurs on.
2. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
3. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier 'n puttin' it back in.
4. If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.
5. If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
6. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him...The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
7. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
8. There's two theories to arguin' with a woman. Neither one works.
9. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
10. Never slap a man who's chewin' tobacca.
11. It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.
12. Always drink upstream from the herd.
13. When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be surprised if they learn their lesson.
14. When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else.
15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.
16. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
17. There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.
18. The best way to have a quiche for dinner is to make it up and put it in the oven to bake at 325 degrees. Meanwhile, get out a large T-bone, grill it, and when it's done, eat it. As for the quiche, continue to let it bake, but otherwise ignore it.
19. Always take a good look at what you're about to eat. It's not so important to know what it is, but it's critical to know what it was.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

Spread hope around you.

Compose

Let Christ dwell within you, and having placed all your faith and trust in him, spread this hope around you. Make choices that demonstrate your faith. Show that you understand the risks of idolizing money, material goods, career and success, and do not allow yourselves to be attracted by these false illusions. Do not yield to the rationale of selfish interests. Cultivate love of neighbor and try to put yourselves and your human talents and professional abilities at the service of the common good and of truth, always prepared to “make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet 3:15). True Christians are never sad, even if they have to face trials of various kinds, because the presence of Jesus is the secret of their joy and peace.

- Pope Benedict XVI, in his address for World Youth Day, 2009

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

May the blessings of Christmas be with you and yours!

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christa the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

- Luke 2: 1-14

Anglican priest has a new commandment for the poor: Thou shalt shoplift.

Father Tim Jones, an Anglican priest who serves at St. Lawrence and St. Hilda in York, England, had some words of advice for the poor when he preached this past Sunday:

My advice, as a Christian priest, is to shoplift.I do not offer such advice because I think that stealing is a good thing, or because I think it is harmless, for it is neither.I would ask that they do not steal from small family businesses, but from large national businesses, knowing that the costs are ultimately passed on to the rest of us in the form of higher prices. I would ask them not to take any more than they need. I offer the advice with a heavy heart. Let my words not be misrepresented as a simplistic call for people to shoplift.

I suppose we should be grateful that Father Jones has, at least, offered this advice "with a heavy heart", since they clearly fly in the face of Christian doctrine. He doesn't seem to mind offering this advice particularly, though; rather, he blames society for creating a situation in which (he feels) it is necessary for him to offer this advice:

The observation that shoplifting is the best option that some people are left with is a grim indictment of who we are. Rather, this is a call for our society no longer to treat its most vulnerable people with indifference and contempt. When people are released from prison, or find themselves suddenly without work or family support, then to leave them for weeks with inadequate or clumsy social support is monumental, catastrophic folly. We create a situation which leaves some people little option but crime.

He goes on to offer an interesting rationale for suggesting that people shoplift. According to his logic, shoplifting will reduce more serious crime:

The strong temptation is to burgle or rob people - family, friends, neighbours, strangers. Others are tempted towards prostitution, a nightmare world of degradation and abuse for all concerned. Others are tempted towards suicide. Instead, I would rather that they shoplift.

The Anglican Archdeacon of York, the Venerable Richard Seed, said, didn't agree with Father Jones' advice, although he does soften his criticism a bit when he acknowledges that Jones might have a point (of sorts):

The Church of England does not advise anyone to shoplift, or break the law in any way. Father Tim Jones is raising important issues about the difficulties people face when benefits are not forthcoming, but shoplifting is not the way to overcome these difficulties.

I'm not quite as generous in my assessment of Father Jones' suggestion. To justify a "little" sin on the theory that it prevents a "bigger" sin is not an acceptable approach to leading life as a follower of Christ. If that sort of thinking is condoned by the church, we've slid so far down the slippery slope that we'll never be able to climb out of the pit.

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 Addendum:

This topic was discussed on a discussion board, and a number of people didn't find a lot to object to when they thought of a poor person shoplifting in order to put food on the table. One person mentioned that the Catholic catechism allows for this sort of theft in situations where other options have been tried without success. I looked up the section of the catechism that deals with this issue (2408). It says:

"The seventh commandment forbids theft, that is, usurping another's property against the reasonable will of the owner. There is no theft if consent can be presumed or if refusal is contrary to reason and the universal destination of goods. This is the case in obvious and urgent necessity when the only way to provide for immediate, essential needs (food, shelter, clothing...) is to put at one's disposal and use the property of others."

I can understand a priest offering absolution for a person who has committed theft under such circumstances. I cannot understand or condone a priest offering a suggestion that this is the appropriate way to handle such circumstances, however. It's one thing to forgive a sin, and quite another to advise another to commit one. And to do so from the pulpit is unacceptable in my opinion.

What do you think?

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

O Holy Night

We are drawing to the end of the Advent season. Tonight we look forward to the birth of our Lord: first commemorating his birth in Bethlehem, and next anticipating his birth anew in our hearts. I pray He will find a place to dwell there.

Merry Christmas!

A new photo caption contest

Can you think of a caption for this photo? Please use McLinky below to offer your suggestions. Winners will be announced next week.





And here are the winners for last week's contest, which you can find here.

Kindergarden Christmas Wisdom

I received this through email the other day. It's well worth sharing!!


Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience.

I had cut back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending.

Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old.

For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school"s Winter Pageant.

I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production, unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his Teacher, she assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation.

All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.

So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats.

As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.

Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer.

So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.

Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads.

Those in the front row- center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song.

As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."

The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down - totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W".

The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, as she stood tall, proudly holding her "W".

Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together.

A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen.

In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.

For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:

"C H R I S T W A S L O V E"

And, I believe, He still is. Amazed in His presence.... humbled by His love.

HAVE A BLESSED HOLIDAY SEASON

Merry Christmas Everyone!

A diary of love

In his address marking the start of Advent,
Pope Benedict XVI said:

It [Advent] is an invitation to understand that every event of the day is a gesture that God directs to us, sign of the care he has for each one of us. How many times God makes us perceive something of his love! To have, so to speak, an "interior diary" of this love would be a beautiful and salutary task for our life! Advent invites and stimulates us to contemplate the Lord who is present. Should not the certainty of his presence help us to see the world with different eyes? Should it not help us to see our whole existence as a "visit," as a way in which he can come to us and be close to us, in each situation?

The idea of keeping an "interior diary" of God's love is a good one, I think. If we were truly alert to signs of his love for us, the pages would fill to overflowing and spill into our lives!

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

This week's chuckle

In this life, I’m a woman.
In my next life, I’d like to come back as a bear.

When you’re a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for 6 months. I could deal with that.

Before you hibernate, you get to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that, too.

When you’re a girl bear, you get to bear your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you’re sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that.

If you’re a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them, too. I could deal with that.

If you’re a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat.

Yup!

I’m gonna be a bear!

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

Music as prayer

Bob Rice, a professor of catechetics at the Franciscan University of Steubenville has made a thought-provoking statement about the power of music to influence us:

Music is prayer. Either it's a prayer to God, or it's a prayer to something else. We might not think of listening to music as praying, but when a song is running through our minds, over and over again, we're meditating on it. It's making connections with different thoughts and emotions. It's either attracting us to God - to truth, beauty, and goodness - or it's distracting us from him.

It may be a bit startling to think of all music as a sort of prayer, but I have to agree with Professor Rice in his statement that music is capable of either drawing us to God or leading him away from him.

Several years ago, I felt like the atmosphere in our home was in need of a tune-up. I made a conscious effort to play music that conveyed a positive message, and over time, this had a positive effect on me. I don't know if others felt the change in themselves, but I know I responded better to the little daily annoyances that occur in any home. I think the same thing applies to the books we read, the movies we watch, and the other things we feed our spirits.

Rice doesn't condemn all secular music, and neither do I. But he suggests that we ask ourselves a few questions when we evaluate the music we listen to:

• What passions are being moved by this song?
• Am I being moved toward God or away from God?
• What's the message being presented?

He also suggests that parents evaluate the music their children listen to. Rather than banning whole genres of music, he suggests that parents ask children for copies of the music they listen to. After listening and printing out the lyrics of the music, open a dialogue, discussing what's good (and bad) about the words. He advises parents to challenge their children to look more deeply into the meaning of the music they hear.

This is good advice for all of us.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

Making sense of suffering

Yesterday I quoted the words of Takashi Nagai. I want to quote him one last time. Here he again addresses his children, but he speaks more about his understanding of the meaning of suffering in this passage.

Who among us hasn't wondered why a loving God allows his children to suffer? Haven't you ever wondered why it seems that life sometimes seems unfair? Read Nagai's explanation, and let me know what you think.

Soon you will be orphans and, willy-nilly, must climb a steep, rugged and lonely path. Your Christian faith will be no drug that anesthetizes pain. But I can assure you of this: your lonely path is precisely what God in his Providence has chosen, especially for you! Accept it as such and often ask him: How can I use this for your glory? This is no popular psychology, no clever method for shaking off the blues. No, it's the one authentic response to the mystery of life. When you are happy, accept that too as his Providence, and in prayer ask him to guard this happiness for his glory.

Sickness and trouble are not a sign that we are far from God or that he has rejected us... No, we don't believe in a God of small deeds who lets his favorites win lotteries and capriciously ignores the others. He is too great to act like that... He will always respond to real prayer, though!

You'll often see sick people, who know how to pray, getting better. That's not necessarily miraculous. It is often the natural result of living in the milieu of his peace and grace. I could be cured miraculously of leukemia, and that would be good. If I'm not cured, that's good, too, and it won't bother me a scrap. All that I am concerned about is what his plans are for me; the only life that interests me is one lived for him... one day at a time, supported by prayer.

God has never said you have to perform great deeds for your country and humanity to have lived well. Where would that leave all the sick people in the world? Look at me, for instance, needing to be assisted all the time. You wouldn't say that we sick and bedridden of the world are "useful"! But usefulness is not the point. Our lives are of great worth if we accept with good grace the situation Providence places us in and go on living lovingly. A sick person who has grasped this will live so full a life that there will be no room for morbid death wishes.

Some get themselves into a knot over the "unfairness" of God's Providence. Why are some people afflicted with low IQs, handicapped bodies, weak physiques, material poverty? I don't know , but I can assure you of this: if all of us accepts ourselves as we are, it is absolutely certain that a day will come when we can see how God's plans have been accomplished, and precisely through our weakness... Our talents and handicaps may differ greatly, but we are all equal in this: each of us is born to manifest God's glory, to know, love, and serve him here below, and share in his eternal life after death...

All of us will have to render an account of our lives when we die. God will not be interested in who or what we were. No, only in this: how did we live? That will be the sole matter for judgment... All will be judged by exactly the same measure: did we use our talents well and for his glory?

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Please visit Conversion Diary’s “7 Quick Takes”, and don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

A father writes to his children

Takashi Nagai was a Japanese physician and a pioneer in the field of radiology. In the early days of his field, little was known about the dangers of repeated exposure to radiation. He spent long hours xraying patients, teaching students in his Nagasaki hospital, and doing radiology research.

As a result of his exposure to high levels of radiation, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Shortly after his diagnosis, the atom bomb struck Nagasaki. His children had been staying with their grandparents some distance away and survived; his wife, however, was killed instantly.

The combined effects of his exposure to radiation through his work and the high doses of radiation from the atom bomb only served to fuel his leukemia. He spent the last years of his life bedridden and in tremendous pain. He wrote prolifically during this time. Nagai was a convert to Christianity, and his faith featured prominently in his writings. One of his books was later made into an award-winning film, The Bells of Nagasaki.

Nagai worried about his children growing up without mother or father. He decided to write down some of the things he felt were important so they could read it when they were old enough to understand. Here are some of his thoughts:

You are small children and have already lost your mother. That is an irreplaceable loss. A father's death is not anywhere near the loss of a mother. My death will leave you orphans, vulnerable and alone in the world. You will weep. Yes, you might even weep your hearts out, and that will be good - provided you weep before your Father in heaven. We have it on the authority of his Son, and I have expreienced the truth of it personally: "Happy are those who weep, for they shall be comforted."

...Right now, all I have to leave you in the way of possessions is this hut, Nyokodo. [Nyokodo was the name he had given his hut.] Ah! But Jesus tells us to love our eternal selves rather than our material possession.

Yes, each of us is a child of the heavenly Father! That gives us tremendous worth. Do you realize that you are of more worth in your Father's eyes than that beautiful bright star that keeps the earth alive, the sun? You are his very own son and daughter, and so are all the people around you. Love everyone and trust his Providence, and you will find peace. I have tried it and can assure you it is so.

I must be honest with you, my children. You will drink a bitter chalice as orphans. You will have to struggle against the temptation of resentment toward your school friends who have mother and father and against the subtle temptation of coldly resigning yourselves, with a mistaken sense of independence, to that dark and dismal unbelief called fatalism.

Don't live negatively by blind fate but live meaningfully and lovingly and experience the Father's personal Providence. He has asked the three of us to accept a bitter drink. This is our "way" to peace and to participation in his great plan, the one Jesus saw when he spoke of the lilies of the field and of the sparrows that are precious in the eyes of the Father.

As a doctor, I sometimes had to give bitter medicine. I didn't say: Poor child, suffering so! Let's give him some sweet juice! You understand that, don't you? We believe in a great God who doesn't dole out cheap syrup but gives us the cleansing, healing, nourishing waters of life. Sometimes they seem bitter because our taste is sick. But persevere! He is fitting us for eternal companionship with him and our loved ones in heaven.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

A new photo caption contest

Can you think of a caption for this picture? Use McLinky below to offer your suggestions.

Winners will be announced next week!





And here are the winners for last week's contest:

An Advent reflection.

Take time to watch this.

Snowman Humor

Which shall it be: pity or appreciation?

Some of you may have noticed that I provide a link to Altered on my sidebar. Its author, Jill Hollis, shares her journey with God as she deals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

In her circumstances, I think it would be easy to hold a “pity party”, but Jill doesn’t go there often. Sure, sometimes she writes of the losses she and her family face as this disease robs her of abilities that I tend to take for granted. And lately she has shown her frustration and, occasionally, her depression. But I'm often struck by her ability to be faithful and even grateful in the midst of it all.

ALS is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Gehrig was a much-loved player for the New York Yankees, retiring due to his illness after 14 seasons with the team. I’d heard that he had spoken to the crowd as he left the field for the last time, but I hadn’t seen or heard his speech until now. Take a moment to look at it:



In such circumstances, could I consider myself to be the luckiest woman on the face of the earth?

Could I do as Jill does and look forward to spending eternity with God… without shaking my fist at him in anger for what’s happening to me today?

Could I look at my circumstances and be grateful for my blessings?

Come to think of it… Remember when Jesus met with his disciples at the Last Supper? He knew that he would be leaving this place to face arrest, to be horribly mistreated, to suffer on the cross, and to die. Yet what did he do?

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

- Luke 22:14-19

Note those italicized words. He knew what was coming, yet even in the midst of this knowledge, he remained thankful.

I pray that I may be able to do the same.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

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"Merry Christmas!", and proud of it!

Do you get tired of "Happy Holidays" and want
the good old days of "Merry Christmas" to come back?

You're not alone!

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

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Start your week with a chuckle!

You Can Tell You're Getting Old When. . .

. . . Dialing long-distance wears you out.
. . . Your knees buckle, but your belt won't.
. . . Your back goes out more often than you do.
. . . You get winded playing games on the computer.
. . . You sit in a rocking chair and can't get it going.
. . . You sink your teeth into a steak and they stay there.
. . . A dripping faucet causes an uncontrollable bladder urge.
. . . Burning the "midnight oil" now means roughly at 8:00 PM.
. . . "25 Years Ago Today..." is your favorite part of the paper.
. . . Almost everything hurts and what doesn't hurt, doesn't work.
. . . The only "gleam in your eye" is the sun hitting your bifocals.
. . . You regret all those times in the past you resisted temptation.
. . . After painting the town red, you can no longer apply a 2nd coat.
. . . You turn out the light for economic reasons rather than romantic ones.
. . . Your pacemaker opens the garage door as you watch a girl walk by.
. . . You decide to procrastinate, and yet never quite get around to it.
. . . Your "little black book" contains way too many names ending in M.D.
. . . You feel like the morning after, yet you didn't have the night before.
. . . Growing old doesn't seem so bad now when you consider the alternative.
. . . You know all of the answers, but nobody asks you the questions anymore.
. . . There's too much room in the house & not enough in the medicine cabinet.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

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December 12, the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patron of the Americas

On December 9, 1531, Juan Diego, a recent convert to Catholicism, was walking to Mexico City to attend a Mass celebrating the Immaculate Conception. As he passed by Tepeyac Hill, he heard birds singing like a heavenly choir. As he looked to identify the source of the sound, he heard a young woman calling out to him with a term of endearment, “Juanito” (Little Juan). Reaching the top of the hill, he saw Mary clothed in light. She told him she wished him to carry a message to the Bishop of Mexico City, Fray Juan Zumarraga. The message was that she wanted a church to be built to reveal her Son and to hear the prayers of her spiritual children.

Juan Diego had to be persistent to secure a meeting with the bishop, and once they met, the bishop didn’t believe his story. Juan Diego was asked to return another day. In truth, the bishop was hoping that Juan Diego’s story might be an answer to his prayers. He had been praying on behalf of the Aztec people, recently defeated by the Spaniards.

Juan Diego returned to Tepeyac, where he asked Our Lady to find a messenger more worthy than he. He was reassured that he was to be her messenger, and returned to see the bishop. The bishop asked Juan Diego to return once again to Tepeyac and to request a sign that the woman he saw there was, indeed, Our Lady.

When Juan spoke to her once again, she asked him to return the following day. He returned to his home, where he found his uncle ill and near death. He stayed to care for his uncle and, when his uncle’s condition deteriorated further, rushed to find a priest to administer last rites.

As he journeyed, Juan Diego went around the back of Tepeyac Hill in order to avoid Our Lady. She met him there and told him not to worry, as his uncle had been healed. In addition, she asked Juan Diego to go to the top of the hill, where he would find flowers growing despite winter’s frost.

Juan Diego cut the flowers and gathered them in his tilma, or cloak. Our Lady arranged these flowers and rolled them up in the tilma, instructing Juan not to open it until he again met with the bishop. He obeyed these instructions, opening his tilma in the presence of the bishop only after revealing the details of his conversations with Our Lady.

When he opened his tilma, the flowers fell to the floor and, immediately afterwards, the people gathered there also fell to their knees. They were astounded to see that Our Lady’s image had appeared on Juan’s tilma. Bishop Juan Zumarrago promised to build the shrine Our Lady had requested. And within a short time after the completion of the shrine, over 6 million people converted to Christ.

Join in the celebration!

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

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Having fun raising breast cancer awareness

This is circulating as an email just now, and I'm including the text of the email so that you know the background of the video.

Looks like a fun way to raise funds for breast cancer awareness!

Our daughter-in-law, Emily (MacInnes) Somers, created, directed and choreographed this in Portland last week for her Medline glove division as a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. This was all her idea to help promote their new pink gloves. I don't know how she got so many employees, doctors and patients to participate, but it started to really catch on and they all had a lot of fun doing it.

When the video gets 1 million hits, Medline will be making a huge contribution to the hospital, as well as offering free mammograms for the community. Please check it out. It's an easy and great way to donate to a wonderful cause, and who hasn't been touched by breast cancer?



Another way to help can be found here; click the link daily, and site sponsors will provide free mammograms to women who might not be able to afford it otherwise.

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Don’t forget to visit 7 Quick Takes every Friday.
You can find it at Jen’s place, Conversion Diary.

And don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

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Faith at the front

Staff Sergeant Brian Craig was one of four soldiers trained to destroy rocket caches. In 2002, he was killed along with three other men from his explosives unit when a booby trap detonated. A few days after his death, a letter he had written was delivered to his parents. In it, he said, “It is strange that of all my experiences in life, here in Afghanistan I have really started to grow spiritually. Pray for me that I may be a good example of a man of Christ.”

Veteran Andrew Carroll founded The Legacy Project, whose aim is to preserve the letters written by soldiers. Carrol said, “What really happens is when you're in a war zone, your mind concentrates on what's truly meaningful and lasting in life. And what are those things? Faith and family. So it's not really a question that you're grasping onto something to help your own self-survival. It's that the mind and soul are clear and they see with greater insight and purity what's really meaningful in life."

Another organization, Ranger Rosary, seeks to strengthen the faith of soldiers by providing rosaries to servicement on active duty around the world. To date, they have sent more than 300,000 rosaries, which are distributed by chaplains to soldiers in the field.

The rosaries are made by an every-increasing number of volunteers. They are made of durable materials and packaged with a pamphlet on how to pray the Rosary as well as scapulars, Divine Mercy booklets, a Saint Michael the Archangel medal, and prayer cards.

If you are interested in becoming a Ranger Rosary volunteer, visit their website here. They may also be contacted by telephone at (410) 990-4100 extension 4714 or by email at rangerrosaryinc@verizon.net. Chaplains interested in requesting rosaries may send an email to juliewalton@comcast.net.

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Don’t forget to visit 7 Quick Takes every Friday.
You can find it at Jen’s place, Conversion Diary.

And don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

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Tiger's Tale

Once again, we find ourselves inundated with reports of the transgressions and indiscretions of a public figure. This time it's Tiger Woods, but that's just the most recent instance. We seem to have an insatiable appetite for scandal, and the media provides us with an almost constant supply.

I'm not quite sure why we find such stories so compelling. Is it because another person's failures make us feel better about our own? Does it somehow comfort us to see a successful person humiliated? Or is there something else going on here?

I admit that this sort of media frenzy makes me uncomfortable.

Perhaps it was the Tiger Woods media free-for-all that led Pope Benedict XVI to say these words:

The border between good and evil runs across everyone’s heart and none of us should feel entitled to judge others. Instead, each one of us must feel duty-bound to improve ourselves. Mass media make us feel like “spectators” as if evil only touched others and that certain things could not happen to us. Instead, we are all “actors” for better or worse, and our behaviour influences others.

I'm pretty sure that I can have a far more positive impact on those around me if I take charge of my own actions and behavior rather than those of others. I pray that God will help me to avoid the temptation to focus on others' faults while ignoring or minimizing my own.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

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A new photo caption contest

Calling all creative caption writers!

Here's a picture in dire need of a caption. Can you think of one?

Use McLinky below to offer your suggestions. Winners will be announced next week!







And here are last week's winners. To see the photo, go found here..

The number of my days

A member of our family died recently after a long and difficult battle. My father and I spent the 4 weeks preceding her death at the hospital with her. In such a circumstance, the physical needs of a loved one loom large. It would be all too easy to focus on the physical to the exclusion of both emotional and spiritual needs, but we tried to achieve the appropriate balance. Nevertheless, physical discomforts and failing body systems of necessity consume a large part of everyone’s attention at such times.

The hospital where her final days were spent was hours away from her home. After her death, we respected her wishes for cremation, which was performed in the town where she died. 4 days after her death, we received her ashes in a small box delivered by certified mail.

It’s a strange feeling to hold the remains of someone you love in one hand. I don’t think it’s possible to do so without thinking about the impermanence of our earthly life. For me, at least, it also caused me to reflect on life in general.

What is life?

When I die, what will I leave behind?

What will my legacy be?

And so, with David, I pray:

“Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days: let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath. Selah. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.”

- Psalm 39:4-7

Getting ready

Have you ever watched birds as they build a nest? It's a time of careful preparation.

Selecting the location for the nest is the first step. It's iimportant to find a place that is sheltered from the elements and which provides some protection from potential predators.

Next, the proper materials are selected. Sometimes it's possible to see a bird pick up and test one thing after another before finding the right "bit". And many "bits" must be found and interwoven with great care.

After this, the nest is lined to provide insulation and warmth during the period of incubation and the early days of the nestlings' lives.

Once the nest is prepared, there is a period of patient, expectant waiting for the eggs to hatch and bring forth new life. Each year, the time of preparation begins once again.

Just so, we are preparing for the arrival of Jesus during this Advent season. How do you prepare? Are you ready for the new life of Christ in your life? Do you have a favorite way to get ready for Christmas?

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

Mute Monks Sing

Creative Minority Report posted this, and it's too funny not to share!

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

Wrapping Presents With the Help of Your Cat

I'm thinking about starting a new tradition on this blog: starting the week with a smile. What do you think?

Here's this week's chuckle...



1. Clear large space on table for wrapping present.
2. Go to closet and collect bag in which present is contained, and close door.
3. Open door and remove cat from closet.
4. Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.
5. Go back and remove cat from cupboard.
6. Go to drawer, and collect transparent sticky tape, ribbons, scissors, labels etc.
7. Lay out presents and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be formed.
8. Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit and collect string.
9. Reopen drawer and re-remove cat.
10. Remove present from bag.
11. Remove cat from bag.
12. Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace present.
13. Lay out paper to enable cutting to size.
14. Try and smooth out paper, realize cat is underneath and remove cat.
15. Cut the paper to size, keeping the cutting line straight.
16. Throw away first sheet as cat chased the scissors, and tore the paper.
17. Cut second sheet of paper to size - by putting cat in the bag the present came in.
18. Place present on paper.
19. Lift up edges of paper to seal in present. Wonder why edges don't reach. Realize cat is between present and paper. Remove cat and retry.
20. Place object on paper, to hold in place, while cutting transparent sticky tape.
21. Spend 20 minutes carefully trying to remove transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors.
22. Seal paper with transparent sticky tape, making corners as neat as possible.
23. Look for roll of ribbon. Chase cat down hall in order to retrieve ribbon.
24. Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two-directional turn.
25. Re-roll ribbon and remove paper, which is now torn due to cat's enthusiastic ribbon chase.
26. Repeat steps 13-20 until you reach last sheet of paper.
27. Decide to skip steps 13-17, in order to save time and reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper. Retrieve old cardboard box, that is the right size for sheet of paper.
28. Put present in box, and tie down with string.
29. Remove string, open box and remove cat.
30. Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for lockable room.
31. Once inside lockable room, lock door and start to re-lay out packing materials.
32. Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close door and re-lock.
33. Repeat previous step as often as is necessary (until you can hear cries from cat outside door.)
34. Lay out last sheet of paper. (This will be difficult in the small area of the toilet, but do your best.)
35. Discover cat has already torn paper. Unlock door go out and hunt through various cupboards, looking for sheet of last year's paper. Remember that you haven't got any left because cat helped with wrapping last year.
36. Return to lockable room, lock door, and sit on toilet and try to make torn sheet of paper look presentable.
37. Seal box, wrap with paper and repair by very carefully sealing tears with transparent sticky tape. Tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst areas.
38. Label. Sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulate yourself on completing a difficult job.
39. Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed cat.
40. Spend 15 minutes looking for cat, before coming to obvious conclusion.
41. Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.
42. Retrieve all discarded sheets of wrapping paper. Feed cat. Return to lockable room for last attempt, making certain you are alone and the door is locked.
43. Find least torn and wrinkled sheets of paper. Attempt to use sheets of same pattern.
44. Vainly try and wrap present in patchwork of paper. Tie with now tattered ribbon and decorate with the now limp bows. Label and put present in bag, for fear of anyone seeing this disaster.
45. When giving the gift, smile sweetly at receiver's face, as they try and hide their contempt at being handed such a badly wrapped present.
46. Swear to yourself that next year, you will get the store to wrap the **** thing for you.
47. Smile smugly, knowing that the recipient could have received a cat!

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

Recognizing the Source of our blessings

In a recent homily at the start of Advent Pope Benedict XVI referred to keeping an interior diary of God's love. Along the same lines and in light of our recent Thanksgiving celebration, here is a quote to consider:

The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore.

Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwells in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

- Abraham Lincoln
October 3, 1863

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Head on over to Saturday Evening Blog Post.

Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

Abortion: a "sacred work"????

Pro-choice individuals are quick to come to the defense of abortion, but I must admit that this is the first time I've heard it called a "sacred work".




H/T to Creative Minority Report.

I had to double-check the definition of "sacred", and here's what I found in The Collaborative International Dictionary of English:

Sacred \Sa"cred\, adjective [Originally p. p. of OE. sacren to consecrate, F. sacrer, fr. L. sacrare, fr. sacer sacred, holy, cursed. Cf. {Consecrate}, {Execrate}, {Saint}, {Sexton}.]
1. Set apart by solemn religious ceremony; especially, in a good sense, made holy; set apart to religious use; consecrated; not profane or common; as, a sacred place; a sacred day; sacred service.
2. Relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular; religious; as, sacred history.
3. Designated or exalted by a divine sanction; possessing the highest title to obedience, honor, reverence, or veneration; entitled to extreme reverence; venerable.
4. Hence, not to be profaned or violated; inviolable.
5. Consecrated; dedicated; devoted; -- with to.
6. Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful.

Maybe abortion meets the sixth definition of "sacred" after all.

What do you think?

If you, too, consider yourself to be pro-life, consider signing the Manhattan Declaration. You can find more information about it here.

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

It's really NOT "just the same".

I participated in a conversation the other day that still nags at me. The conversation was between a minister and several close friends and family members of a woman who had recently died. They were planning her memorial service.

One of the friends mentioned that someone who was also friends of the family (and who belonged to the Baha'i faith) wanted to read a Baha'i prayer at the memorial service. "They're Christian, too," she said. "They don't believe in a triune God, but they believe in one God and in peace and love, just like we do."

The minister spoke up, saying, "But if they don't believe in Jesus, they're not Christian." She reminded the people gathered there that our belief in Christ is what distinguishes us from other faiths.

I've noticed a tendency lately to blur the lines between religions, to focus so much on our commonalities that we forget those things which make us unique from each other. In an effort to seek peace and reconciliation, it seems to me that we sometimes forget that it is important to stand firm on certain points.

My faith in Christ is one thing I hold fast to and don't apologize for.

What do you think? Am I being unduly "cranky"?

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Don’t forget to enter this week’s contest, found here.

A new photo caption contest. Have fun!

Here's the latest contest photo. What's your suggestion for a creative caption? Use McLinky below to offer your suggestions. Winners will be announced next week.

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And here are the winners for last week's contest, found here.:


Thanks for participating. I always enjoy reading your suggestions. So clever and creative!

Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?