Tis the Season

Wow ~ This year has flown by for me. The advent season starts already tomorrow and Christmas will be here soon and then a new year.

I need to say that I got up to go shopping at 3:30am on Black Friday. Most of the people I came in contact with were very nice. Everyone is just looking to make Christmas special and save some money at the same time.

I don't like shopping with crowds like that though. It is very hard to move. Fortunately, I didn't need much and was lucky to get what I wanted to get.

I try to have all the bustle over when Advent starts so that I can enjoy this season and enjoy preparing for the birthday of our Lord.

It is important to remember that is what it is ~ it is the Birthday of Jesus. I love the saying; "Jesus is the Reason for the Season".

I like the old, traditional candy canes because they have meaning. My children have always wanted to get the different color and tasting candy canes, I let them on occasion, but I tend to make sure that they know the story of the candy cane and why the red striped ones are important to me. Here is the story:

A Candy Maker’s Witness ~ (found online)

"A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas candy cane. He incorporated several symbol for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.
He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus; and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the church and firmness of the promises of God.
The candy maker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the “Good Shepherd” with which he reaches down into the world.
Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ.
In years to come the candy became known only as a candy cane – a meaningless decoration. But the meaning is still there for those who know. I pray that this symbol will again be used to witness TO THE WONDER OF JESUS AND HIS GREAT LOVE that came down at Christmas."

I also like to say "Merry Christmas" and not "Happy Holidays". Christmas is why it is a holiday!

Medjugorje - Our Lady's November 25, 2009 Message‏

Message of November 25, 2009

"Dear children! In this time of grace I call you all to renew prayer in your families. Prepare yourselves with joy for the coming of Jesus. Little children, may your hearts be pure and pleasing, so that love and warmth may flow through you into every heart that is far from His love. Little children, be my extended hands, hands of love for all those who have become lost, who have no more faith and hope. Thank you for having responded to my call."

The Start of Advent

Advent starts this Sunday, November 29th.

My daughter found a website with Christmas Carols:
http://christmassongbook.net/

I am a catechist and so many of the children I teach don't know the traditional Christmas Carols. We need to bring back this tradition and incorporate new Christmas music as well.

The true meaning of Christmas gets lost in the Black Friday fliers and trying to decide the perfect Christmas gift for family and friends.

Last year as some of my gifts to family and friends, we gave the gift of food to the poor and fruit trees to the poor. It is a gift that you give to someone and they understand the true meaning. The trees and food went to people living in poverty, but the gift of the gift went to my family and friends.

Set up a family advent wreath and set aside time each week to meditate and pray.

Have a Blessed Advent Season!

Ten Commandment Judge

I got this in a forward and checked it's origins. UrbanLegends says that it is Moore's poetry style and that he did write a portion of it. Anyway, it is a good poem and I wanted to share it.

Click on the title link to see Judge Roy Moore speaking on morality.

Here is the song "In God We Still Trust", which was written and dedicated to Judge Roy Moore, see the video here: (I have this song in another post also.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHJlEuImnbE&feature=fvw

Below is the email:

The following is a poem written by Judge Roy Moore from Alabama ...

Judge Moore was sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has been stripped of his judgeship and now they are trying to strip his right to practice law in Alabama.

The judge's poem sums it up quite well.

America the beautiful,or so you used to be.
Land of the Pilgrims' pride;I'm glad they'll never see.
Babies piled in dumpsters,Abortion on demand,
Oh, sweet land of liberty;
your house is on the sand.
Our children wander aimlessly
poisoned by cocaine
choosing to indulge their lusts,
when God has said abstain
From sea to shining sea,
our Nation turns away
From the teaching of God's love
and a need to always pray
We've kept God in our temples,
how callous we have grown.
When earth is but His footstool,
and Heaven is His throne.
We've voted in a government that's rotting at the core,
Appointing Godless Judges;
who throw reason out the door,
Too soft to place a killer in a well deserved tomb,
But brave enough to kill a baby before he leaves the womb.
You think that God's not angry,
that our land's a moral slum?
How much longer will He wait before His judgment comes?
How are we to face our God,
from Whom we cannot hide?
What then is left for us to do,
but stem this evil tide?
If we who are His children,will humbly turn and pray;
Seek His holy face and mend our evil way:
Then God will hear from Heaven;
and forgive us of our sins,
He'll heal our sickly land and those who live within.
But, America the Beautiful,If you don't -
then you will see,
A sad but Holy God with draw
His hand from Thee.
~~Judge Roy Moore~~


Thank you God for giving us the courage and strength to stand up for what is right even when it means we will be ridiculed and despised - just like Jesus Christ. Amen.

Meet Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Meet Mother Teresa in a special way.

Mother Teresa was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1996 and given the title
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yFzCBIK-PY&feature=PlayList&p=B4EB6B76B8D68079&index=16&playnext=2&playnext_from=PL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqS-vJzId1E&feature=PlayList&p=B4EB6B76B8D68079&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=15

A small woman that did great things for love with the grace of God!

Mother Teresa, Pray for us!

The Incorruptibles

"Incorruptibility is the property of a body — usually a human body — that does not decompose after death. Such a body is sometimes referred to as incorrupt or incorruptible.

The incorruptibles are the handful of catholic saints who died throughout the years, yet their bodies, or parts of their dead bodies, will not decay or surrender to decomposition as a normal body would.

Incorruptibles - These type of preserved bodies started being discovered back in the early centuries after Christ, though surprisingly, they do not fall into either the accidental or deliberate preservation."

These are videos of some of the beautiful incorruptibles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7uPLx8PM8c&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi9_sASaMd8&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdU9SMNfodM&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ2eKC2q4VE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p87sWL4Zh7o&NR=1

St. Therese

Saint Theresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, Dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

Love and Serve

Life is precious. We are all on earth for a reason. It took me many years of trying to figure out why God allowed us to be born because we are sinners. Then one day I figured it out. We are here to love and serve God and others.

We have a choice to love and serve and we have a choice to do wrong, to sin. God has given us the gift of free will.

Free will is our freedom to make choices. We can choose good or we can choose bad. Our bad choices are sins. We use our conscience and the Holy Spirit to guide us to make good decisions.

Things in life may come up that we need to make hard decisions about. It is not easy to make the right choice when it means pain for you or someone else, but in the long run, if you pray and let the Holy Spirit guide you, your decision will be a just one.

Try to avoid letting other people guide your decisions. Don't do something that you feel is wrong, just because "everyone else is doing it". That doesn't make it right - it just gives you an excuse to feel better about a bad decision.

Holy Spirit, Guide us in making good choices and just decisions in our lives. Give us the strength to do what is right. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Troubled Times

This is a time of trouble for so many people. People are suffering for so many reasons. You may not even know someone is suffering when you see them.

Help out in any way you can. Be there if someone wants to talk ~ a friendly ear goes a long way, no matter what the person is suffering from. Be a friend, even if you don't know the person.

Comfort the suffering.

Dear God,
Listen to the cries of your suffering souls. Guide us to find comfort. Amen.

Live Like You are Dying

Our Priests homily today was very good and I wanted to share it with you.
He talked about end times and how we should all live like we are dying.

We should live our lives in a way that we don't worry about it being our last day alive and that we will be prepared for our death.

We are all dying from the time of our conception. It is inevitable, but we can choose how we live so that when we die, we are prepared for our life after.

Pray, Hope and Don't Worry

We have all thought about our time situation and it seems there is never enough time.

God has a plan for all of us. He knows in what direction he wants us to move and if the direction that I want isn't the direction that He wants, He will win. I will figure out, at some point, why.

It is important for all of us to remember, as Padre Pio always said, pray, hope and don't worry.

We need to pray for what we need and hope that all is well and don't worry, because worrying doesn't make any difference at all.

Do your best, because then you will have no regrets. If you have done your best, it is out of your hands and in the hands of our Lord.

Dear God,
Give us what we need and help us to cope.
Watch over those less fortunate and guide us all.
Amen.

Angels Among Us

You never know who needs you and who looks to you for inspiration. Things that you think are little acts of kindness can be a huge gift to people that are in need.

Always try to be looking to see what you can do for others but also, be aware of what you do, because you could be helping someone and not even know it. Try to live like Jesus and Mary lived. Be kind and loving to everyone.

God doesn't always send angels ~ he uses us.

Open your hearts and eyes to see where you can make a difference.

One Day at a Time

Having people in my family that have addictions and working in a treatment facility, "one day at a time" always meant taking the circumstances in life in stride to keep straight.

"One day at a time" has new meaning to me now. I need this in my life so much right now and it has nothing to do with addiction for me but just for hope.

We can't go back to days past and we can't change things, we need to look forward and focus on the present and pray and hope for the best.

"One day at a time sweet Jesus, that's all I'm asking from you. Show me the way to do every day what I have to do. Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine."

I found myself singing that song on my way home today and I hadn't heard it in years - the radio was off and I was singing away!

God sends us things we need and I needed that song today ~
Thank you God.

Pain, Suffering, Healing

So many of us have pain of some sort and we are suffering. We are also trying to find ways to heal. It may be someone in a crisis, someone with a disease or illness, or someone that is hurt.

It all works the same way; we have pain, we suffer and we try to heal.

I pray that all of us that are suffering right now, find that healing we so need or desire. For those that cannot find healing, may the strength of God be with you!

God Bless all the people that are in pain and suffering. Grant us healing, both spiritual and physical, if it be your will. Amen.

Clay Balls

(I have some wonderful friends and this is a forward again ~ worth sharing, enjoy!)


Rise above the rest...Stand for what you believe in...Be true to yourself and others
Jeremiah 29:11

Clay Balls

A man was exploring caves by the Seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.

They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him. As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock . Inside was a beautiful, precious stone! Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.

Then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it. We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

I am so blessed by the gems of friendship I have with you. Thank you for looking beyond my clay vessel.

APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE THING YOU HAVE, ESPECIALLY YOUR FRIENDS! LIFE IS TOO SHORT AND FRIENDS ARE TOO FEW!

Be Thankful You Have a Job

I just read an article about the annoying people in the work place. Grow up. We are about to lose our business and people are ranting about not liking the people they work with. Be thankful you have a job at all!

I also hear so much on TV about what people should do to get their loss in the stock market back. Be thankful you didn't lose everything because some people didn't have money in the stock market and lost their only income and their homes. Stop complaining, it doesn't do any good.

There are so many people without jobs in this economic disaster that don't want to hear people complain about the job they hold or the money they lost. Stop complaining. Pray for the people who are looking for work and would gladly sit next to an annoying person just to get paid to be able to pay the rent or the house payment or just put food in their families stomachs.

Look at the blessings in your life and just be thankful!

Dear God, Help all the people that have no work, help them cope and lead them in the right direction for the next steps. Help the people that still have work to share what they can with others that are struggling. Teach us to open our eyes and our ears to see and hear the suffering around us and not complain about our minor injustices.
I ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord. Amen

A Lot of Work, But a Great Blessing

As 3 of my grandchildren leave this morning from a stay of 6 days, I start cleaning up my kitchen after packing them up and scurrying them off with their dad, I see little "angel prints" on my mirror.

I had been thinking of how much work they where and glad I had my husband and daughters to help all week. I am going to be at my office playing catch up all day from the missed days last week.

I can hardly remember raising my 7, and I know they must have been just as much work. My youngest is 12, so she isn't work anymore, but rather a helper.

After bustling with them last week and being tired because 2 of them were sick and one was up all night on Friday night, I can sit back now and see what a great blessing those little ones are.

I knew they are blessings, but when they leave, I see it even more. By noon today I will miss them and want to see them again!

Thank you God for giving me the "angel prints" on my mirror and thank you for Blessing our family with joy and happiness. Amen.

A Victory for Life

The pro-life Democrats and Republicans took a stand for the sanctity of life by passing the Stupak-Ellsworth-Pitts-Kaptur-Dahlkemper-Lipinski-Smith Amendment on a vote of 240 to 194. This amendment prohibits the use of federal dollars to fund abortion in health care.

This victory is a step toward a future where both political parties defend Life.

But one victory does not mean the battle is won.
(quoted from Americans United for Life Action Media Alert)

Keep praying for the unborn and our elderly so that we can stop abortion and keep our elderly safe and respect all life.

Dear God, Thank you for softening the hearts of the people that make these decisions. Keep softening their hearts so that abortion is declared illegal.
Amen.

Decisions, Decisions....

We are always looking to make decisions. We need to always look to our conscience to make sure that our decisions are moral and ethically based and not for some other reason, such as financially based or to show face.

If we have a hard decision to make, we should pray for guidance to make the right moral decision.

Sometimes God is silent in these times and I need to listen with my heart. God teaches us the best lessons in His silence.

Speak For Those That Cannot!

A leader in the Planned Parenthood organization has resigned after watching an ultra sound of an abortion procedure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lkXzN1dnAY

It is very important to listen to what theprolifeguy says as he commentates this video. I have done research on this and it is very true that these aborted fetuses are harvested. Harvesting infants that have been aborted is in demand. Sometimes it is a leg for research or other organs. NOW - WHY research on something that is considered "not a baby"? They research with these aborted infants because they need human tissue to get accurate tests results.... to ultimately SAVE LIVES! What a terrible chain of events. Even worse is the use of these aborted infants in "beauty" treatments. Also that aborted fetus material is being put into vaccines!


Like I have said before, if people are educated and actually see an abortion being done, most would agree that abortion is not alright. There are plenty of videos available on numerous websites to see an actual abortion happening, it is just a matter of getting people to watch them. If they did, they would be ashamed.

Please research harvesting of aborted infant parts. Don't take my word for it, research it and get angry about it and DO something about it. Make your voice heard for all the infants that can't make their voices heard.

It is bad enough that these infants are being murdered - but the use of the dead fetus parts is another atrocity on human life.


Abortionists make money on abortions and they make money on the sale of fetus parts (many circumstances - on the black market). I wonder if this is political or all for money? AT THE COST OF HUMAN LIFE!

I posted a video on facebook of Gianna Jessen and her miraculous life after being aborted and someone commented on the post. "Isn't if funny that the only people who support abortion are alive." That states it quite clearly. What would they feel like if their mother had chosen to have them aborted? Many would claim that they wouldn't know any different. Easy to say when you are alive!


Dear God,
Forgive us for allowing this to happen in our lifetime.
Give us courage and strength to make the right decisions when it comes to voting for lawmakers that can change these things.
Blessed Mary and all the Saints, please pray for Mercy on us.
Amen.

Staying Focused

I am trying to stay focused on God and understanding why things happen. I am getting pulled in so many directions right now and I am trying to figure out which way to go. I am confused and hurting.

I teach the second grade tonight and it is such a blessing. It forces me to find my way back. It reminds me of what is more important. I love to see the eager faces of those 8 year olds' ~ so anxious to learn about God and the Sacraments. Teaching keeps me grounded.

Dear God, Help me find the direction that you are sending me. Amen.

Different Drug Problem....

(email forward with a great message - AND it didn't hurt us a bit!)

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a meth amphetamine lab had been found in an old farm house in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, ''Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?''

I replied: ''But I did have a drug problem when I wuz a kid growing up on the farm.'' I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.

I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profane four letter word. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's fields.

I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline or chop some fire wood. If my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the wood shed.

Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin, and if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America might be a better place today.

Gianna Jessen

Here is more information on the incredible survivor of abortion, Gianna Jessen. She is here because the abortionist that worked at the clinic that she was born at, was not on duty or he would have left her to die. The nurse on duty as she was aborted called an ambulance and she was rescued.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgd6tvLub9E&NR=1

What has our world come to that we murder children?

Don't allow abortion to become a form of birth control!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTB1-TtwWdQ&NR=1&feature=fvwp
A side effect from not considering a still born baby - a baby:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzy5s6nIg98&feature=related


" God is using Gianna to remind the world that each human being is precious to Him. It is beautiful to see the strength of the love of Jesus, which he has poured into her heart. My prayer for Gianna, and for all who listen to her, is that this message of God's love will put an end to abortion with the power of love."
- Mother Teresa


All aborted children, rest in peace.

Saint Gianna, Patron Pro Life Saint, pray for us!

Dear God, Forgive us. Amen.

Medjugorje Message

Message of October 25, 2009 to Marija

"Dear children! Also today I bring you my blessing, I bless you all and I call you to grow on this way, which God has begun through me for your salvation. Pray, fast and joyfully witness your faith, little children, and may your heart always be filled with prayer. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Message of November 02, 2009 to Mirjana

"Dear children, Also today I am among you to point you to the way that will help you to come to know God's love, the love of God Who permitted you to call Him Father and to perceive Him as Father. I ask of you to sincerely look into your hearts and to see how much you love Him. Is He the last to be loved? Surrounded by material goods, how many times have you betrayed, denied and forgotten Him? My children, do not deceive yourselves with wordly goods. Think of your soul because it is more important than the body, cleanse it. Invoke the Father, He is waiting for you. Come back to Him. I am with you because He, in His mercy, sends me. Thank you."

To see more, click the links on the left called "Medjugorje Message".

Help Stop Abortion NOW

"A nation that kills its own children is a nation without hope." Pope John Paul II


The number of innocents killed EVERY DAY by abortion is overwhelming!

It is up to us to have our voices heard and stop funding of abortion in the Government Health Care Proposal that will be voted on soon! Time is running out. We need to make our voices heard and let our law makers know that we do not accept funding for abortion or for that matter, we don't want abortion legal. We need to make sure that every person that votes for the health care reform knows how we feel! They need to know that we feel abortion is MURDER. Plain and true - it is the taking of a human life.

Who are we to think that it is alright to destroy life! IT IS NEVER RIGHT TO DESTROY HUMAN LIFE!
Watch this video to the end:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Pla_MQNfQ0&feature=related
Here is the website of the woman burned alive in her mothers womb and survived:
http://www.giannajessen.com/EPK/bio.html
and President Obama's opinion on Ms. Jessen: http://www.traditionalvalues.org/read/3423/obama-disses-botched-abortion-survivor-gianna-jessen/
Ms. Jessen songs: http://www.giannajessen.com/

Our country has elected a president that is pro-death and he has made it very clear by telling people that he would never force his daughters to be punished with a baby.

He also told Planned Parenthood that the first thing he would do in office is to sign FOCA... Freedom of Choice Act.
WATCH him say it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSsFzue-V-I&feature=related

Please watch this video and pass it on and on and on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_VC1o2ntm8&feature=related

Contact your legislators and let them know how you feel. Write letters to the editor. Do what ever it takes to let people know that it is not right to end a life through abortion.

If you are reading this, you have access to the Internet and can find out who to contact to let them know how you feel! Do it now!

These two are extremely graphic videos and only adults watch - please:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2dcWSRF-fc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFVYislRVgI&feature=related

If everyone sees the truth - the truth will set them free!
The truth is that this is death.


Dear God,
Forgive us for this lack of respect for human life, for creation.
Forgive us for allowing our culture to think it is alright to have sexual relations without accepting the fact that a sexual relationship is for creation and love.
Lord, please soften the hearts of the people that make the decisions of what is legal and not legal. Soften their hearts so they have the strength to speak up for the unborn and aged.
Please God, give us the courage to vote for people who will protect life instead of fixing our pocket books.
I am asking the ever Virgin Mary, to pray for us so that we can be forgiven. Amen.

St. Gianna, Pray for us!
http://www.saintgianna.org/