How Do We Pray?-Carmel Retreat

In order to gain a richer experience of deep and inward prayer, we need to recognise 'worldliness' and how much it has entered our hearts and souls. This means turning a ruthless eye within our soul and understand the intent that drives us either towards God or in the opposite direction from The Divine.

We have to unlearn what the world has taught us. Words such as self esteem, self empowerment and a sense of self fulfillment lead us into becoming selfish beings intent on getting our own way at any cost. We must learn to replace these words with selflessness, self abnegation and surrender.

There must be an understanding of new age 'spirituality' and mature spirituality. The New Age ideology of sprituality is based on feeding one's Ego and is entirely centred on the Self which makes it self centred. Whereas we learn with the Spirit of Carmel one learns to forget oneself and instead raises the inner soul towards God and learn to love God for who He is, totally loveable and to be aware of God's true Majesty.

In prayer we open ourselves to God, who then gradually with our cooperation transforms us into a reflection of Himself. It is through this transforming love we are then willing to serve, are capable of compassion and solidarity to those who are suffering.

God is a dangerous Lover of our souls, as once we have allowed God entry, we change and not God. It calls us to go beyond our limited self and embrace the 'unknowing'. It involves times of crisis, of helplessness, of powerlessness as we allow God to Purify our souls at the deepest level. Just as boiling oil if spilt on the skin will burn, so our souls under the Fire of God's Love will burn within each of us. During this process we will become less self-centred and more open to the Gift of God, who conforms us in His Image. We will then learn to see life with God's eye and to recognise the woundedness of those around us and our own incompleteness as we stand spiritually naked before our Majestic God.

This is the most dangerous time as all the feelings that gave us such comfort will now leave us and we then become vulnerable and powerless. It is here that rather than continuing in the Holocaust of God's consuming Love we draw back and embrace the 'feelings' that give us a transitory feeling of 'safeness'. When we draw back we then attempt to have one foot in the 'spiritual' life and the other in the 'worldly' life, as if both could co-exist within our souls.

We are called to decide, whether we wish to walk with our Lord or walk away from Him. God with infinite tenderness allows us this choice as we like children will run towards Him and just as quickly we run from Him. We must recognise that God does not remove Himself from us, we have moved away from His Gracious Love and like a loving father our God awaits our return with open arms.

It is God who initiates and ignites a fire in our hearts for Him. It is the Divine Invitation to Union with our Beloved, even though we are fickle lovers our God is not. This does not mean we sit back and allow God to do all the work within our own souls as if we were puppets with no free will. It calls for us to be committed and to live the Word of God in our daily lives. Not as an abstract ideology, but as the Living Word, the Spirit of God. The Word must take root in our hearts and be on our lips, as we allow the Indwelling Spirit to lead us on this journey. Through the fiery furnace of God's Encompassing Love we like Mary learn to ponder all things in our heart.

Prayer does not mean we must think much, but to love much. That is the essence of prayer. It is the call to enter into the desert...

Saint Quote-St. John of the Cross

"He who interrupts the course of his spiritual exercises and prayer is like a man who allows a bird to escape from his hand; he can hardly catch it again."

~St. John of the Cross

'Yoof Liturgy'-What About The Rest of Us?

Autumnrose has touched on a very important topic on her blog. Is the Catholic Church solely focussing on the 'yoof' and if so where does that leave those who are more mature? Read Autumnrose piece by clicking here.

Where Do You Want To Be?

Where Do You Want To Be

In darkness we fight fear

In Light we find Truth

In Darkness we find sorrow

In Light we find joy

In darkness we find death

In Light we find Life

In darkness we find evil

In Light we find goodness

In darkness we find condemnation

In Light we find Salvation

In darkness we find Satan

In light we find God

Where do YOU want to be,

In darkness or in Light???

His Healing Love

When you’re lonely and sad, Jesus loves you.
When your heart has been broken, He cares.
When you’ve sinned and you ask, He’ll forgive you.
Every burden He carries and shares.

When you lean upon Him, He’ll uphold you.
Every prayer that you utter, He’ll hear.
When you ask Him for strength, He’ll sustain you.
For He knows every sorrow and tear.

Jesus feels all the hurt that you suffer;
For He suffered, and agonized too.
He was succored with Heavenly solace,
And He offers that solace to you.


Through the long, lonely nights He’ll be with you;
You’re His child, and He calls you His own.
Through the hard, bitter days He will hold you.
For you don’t have to bear it alone.

Put your trust in the God of all comfort.
Lay your problems all down at His feet.
And His peace that is past understanding,
Will bring healing, and make you complete.

Memos from your child

Don't spoil me. I know quite well I shouldn't have all I ask for. I'm only testing you.

Don't be afraid to be firm with me. I prefer it. It makes me secure.

Don't let me form bad habits. I have to rely on you to detect them in the early stages.

Don't make me feel smaller than I really am. It only makes me behave stupidly.

Don't correct me in front of people if you can help it. I'll take much more notice if you talk to me in private.

Don't protect me from consequences. I need to learn the painful way sometimes.

Don't make me feel my mistakes are sins. It upsets my sense of values.

Don't be upset when I say "I hate you". It is not you I hate, but your power to thwart me.

Don't take too much notice of my small ailments. Sometimes they get the attention I need.

Don't nag - if you do, I'll have to protect myself by appearing deaf.

Don't make rash promises. I feel badly let down when these promises are broken.

Don't forget I can't explain myself as well as I would like to. This is why I am not always very accurate.

Don't tax my honesty too much. I'm easily frightened into telling lies.

Don't be inconsistent. It completely confuses me and makes me lose my faith in you.

Don't put me off when I ask questions. If you do, you'll find I stop asking and seek information elsewhere.

Don't tell me my fears are silly. They are terribly real to me.

Don't ever suggest that you are perfect or infallible. It gives me to great a shock when I find out your are neither.

Don't ever think it's beneath your dignity to apologize to me. An honest apology makes me surprisingly warm towards you.

Don't forget how quickly I am growing up. It must be hard to keep pace with me, but please try.

"Train up a child in the way he is to go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it"

....Proverbs 22:6

Rules for being human

You will receive a body.
You may like it or hate it,
but it's yours to keep
for the entire period.

You will learn lessons.
You are enrolled in a full-time,
informal school called life.
There are no mistakes, only lessons.

Growth is a process of trial, error
and experimentation.
The "failed" experiments are as much
a part of the process as the experiments
that ultimately "work".

Lessons are repeated until they are learned.
A lesson will be presented to you in various forms
until you have learned it.
When you have learned it,
you can go on to the next lesson.

Learning lessons does not end.
There is no part of life that doesn't
contain it's lessons.
If you're alive,
there are still lessons to be learned.

"There" is no better than "here".
When your "there" has become "here",
you will simply obtain another "there"
that will again look better than "here".

Other people are merely mirrors of you.
You can not love or hate something
about another person unless it reflects to you
something you love or hate about yourself.

What you make of your life is up to you.
You have all the tools and resources you need.
What you do with them is up to you.
The choice is yours.

It's In The Valleys I Grow

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,

Full of sorrow, trouble and woe

It's then I have to remember

That it's in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top

And never experienced pain,

I would never appreciate God's love

And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn

And my growth is very slow,

Sometimes I need the mountain tops,

But it's in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand

Why things happen as they do,

But I am very sure of one thing.

My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing

When I picture Christ on the cross

He went through the valley of death;

His victory was Satan's loss.

Forgive me Lord, for complaining

When I'm feeling so very low.

Just give me a gentle reminder

That it's in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord

And use my life each day

To share your love with others

And help them find their way.

Thank you for valleys, Lord

For this one thing I know

The mountain tops are glorious

But it's in the valleys I grow!

Food For Thought

If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that He has great designs for you, and that He certainly intends to make you a saint. And if you wish to become a great saint, entreat Him yourself to give you much opportunity for suffering; for there is no wood better to kindle the fire of holy love than the wood of the cross, which Christ used for His own great sacrifice of boundless charity. --- St. Ignatius of Loyola


A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle. --- Benjamin Franklin


Finding the places within that illness cannot reach, and learning to honor them, can help transform the bed of thorns that is illness. ---Floyd Skloot


If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; If
we had not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ---Anne Bradstreet



The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart and head and hands. --- Robert M. Pirsig


Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. --- Anthony J. D'Angelo


Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burdens behind us. ---Samuel Smiles


What we see depends mainly on what we look for. ---John Lubbock


In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. --- Blessed Mother Teresa


What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. ---Ralph Waldo Emerson

If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain;If I can ease one life the aching, or cool the pain,Or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain. ---Emily Dickinson

We are each of us angels with only one wing, And we can only fly by embracing each other. ---Luciano Decrescenzo

Often we have no time for our friends but all the time in the world for our enemies. ---Leon Uris

I shall pass this way but once. Therefore, any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again. -- William Penn

The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own. ---Benjamin Disraeli

Seeking The Unkown God-Carmel Journey

Don't we all experience times where we attend Mass in a spirit of distraction? The Readings go over our heads and the Priest's homilies are ignored as our mind wanders in all directions. We are essentially going through the motions without it affecting our hearts in any way.

Such was the case with that great Doctor of the Church Teresa of Avila. We tend to think that things came easily to this mystic of the Carmelite Order, yet Teresa spent over 20 years in this state of 'going through the motions'.

Before the Reform of Carmel the convents were so relaxed that visitors could arrive at any time. There was also a pecking order where those who were from wealthier families were served by their fellow Sisters whose birth were of more humble origins. Things were so bad that though Teresa and her fellow Sisters prayed their minds and hearts were elsewhere. God had become a cold statue, a thing of admiration without actually becoming too close. Are we also at this stage? Where we put God at a distance lest He ask too much of us?

Isnt it a case at times that God appears to be so far away, too far away and though we long for Him, still we cannot reach Him? Yet the hunger and longing for God is there within our souls, but far too often we look for God in the wrong places. Just as Teresa did before us, we wander through the spiritual landscape like orphans searching for a sense of belonging.

I think I can say with some degree of accuracy that many of us long for a deeper relationship, even a yearning to love and grasp that which is beyond our 'knowing' and that is God. We fight and struggle so much in order to feel close to God that in the end more often than not we are left in deep frustration and a sense of failure.

Perhaps things would be clearer if we could understand that which we seek, to love God with all our heart, mind and soul. In order to do that we must recognise the false idols that come between our love of God and our love of self. This comes through self knowledge.

Without even realising it we settle for the comfortable, the ordinary and to be as one with everyone. By doing this we fail to realise by becoming as everyone we lose ourselves and sustitute a 'god' for God. This will only lead us away from God and into dysfunction and disordered love as we place our security on the opinion of others. No longer are we living to please God, we are instead living to please people. By placing this 'god' above God, we easily become disappointed, discontented and enslaved by our neediness to feel loved for ourselves alone.

Just like St. Teresa we need to recognise our own disordered love and then open our souls to the Eye of God which will then purify our souls from its overt attatchment to people and objects.

What Teresa of Avila teaches us is to not settle for the mediocrity of life. To allow ourselves to be disturbed. To be passionate in our love for God and to remain faithful as our souls undergo purification which is painful.

Do we seek a 'god' or do we seek God? The God who transforms, heals, liberates and enlivens us. The God who invites us into relationship with Himself or do we wish to remain comfortable? What St. Teresa teaches us is that one cannot live both. You cannot halfway love God, it is either all or nothing.

St. Teresa of Avila after suffering 20 years of aridity chose God with a passion. Who do you choose?

Saint Quote-St. Teresa of Avila-Carmelite

We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can - namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us.

~St. Teresa of Avila

Laughter IS The Best Medicine LOL

LOL it's a case of TGIF. Have a great day and a good laugh!

Saint Quote-Bl. Titus Brandsma-Carmelite

They who want to win the world for Christ must have the courage to come into conflict with it.

~Blessed Titus Brandsma

Are Men Getting A Raw Deal?

When the 'feminists revolution' hit society it was like a nuclear explosion. What was before was no longer now. Everything had changed including women's attitudes to traditional roles, but where did that leave men?

During the years radical feminists have portrayed men as lying, cheating brutes intent on keeping women 'in their place'. Because of this false impression women's personalities took on an almost masculine exterior, gone was any sign of femininity.

During the generations things calmed down. Some famous feminists even re-canted their previous positions, but did things improve for men?

In a recent article by Christine Whelan, she has espoused a theory that men are no longer seen as brutes but as idiots. This is shown on TV programes such as 'The Simpsons', 'Everybody Loves Raymond', 'The King of Queens' etc. These TV shows portray women as smart and sassy while the men are dim witted fools. After reading her article I admit there is validation for Ms Whelan's theory.

I remember in particlar a reality TV where women were encouraged to treat and train their husbands as they would their pet dogs. I only watched it once in that I personally found it demeaning to ALL men. Though the show was meant to be tongue in cheek humour, I failed to laugh once.

Do women really want their husbands to be lap dogs, begging their wives for a 'treat'(sex) and if the husband behaves well she will be agreeable to accommodate her husbands 'needs'? This whole idea demeans the role of marriage. Sex should never be used as a weapon in the marital bed.

Society and the media seemed to have gone from one extreme to another. First men were male chauvinist pigs now they are portrayed as morons who cant count to ten nor pronounce their A B C's.

Did the feminists movement die down or did it just change coats?

Saint Quote-St Edith Stein-Carmelite

As for what concerns our relations with our fellow men, the anguish in our neighbor's soul must break all precept. All that we do is a means to an end, but love is an end in itself, because God is love.

~ St. Edith Stein

Carmel Retreat-The Beginning

The beginning of what would become known as The Carmelites began in Israel on Mount Carmel. It started with a common rule but no real guidelines. Unlike other Religious Orders The Carmelites had no real founder such as the Dominicans and Franciscans etc. The men who began to live this austere way of life were former Crusaders who became disillusioned and so turned their back on the world and embraced God in the unknown.

These first Carmelites followed the spirit of Elijah the Prophet as they sequestered themselves away in their mountain retreat, Mt. Carmel. The men also had a particular devotion to Our Lady as the Mother of God and as their own Mother.

It wasn't until about 1210, that the hermits approached Albert who was Patriarch of Jerusalem. The hermits wished to attain some type of Rule so that their community could live within these guidelines approved by the Church. Albert then formulated a Rule of life which won the approval of Pope Honorius in 1226. The Carmelites chose as their motto "I am filled with zeal for the Lord, the God of Hosts."

Once the Carmelites began in Europe the structure embraced by the first hermits on Mt. Carmel were relaxed. The Rule almost became extinct as many Carmelites allowed worldliness to intrude into their Convents. It was not until St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross began their reforms that the Carmelites returned to their beginnings the original Spirit in which it had begun.

Though Saint Teresa and John of the Cross took the Order back to their origins not all the Carmelites wished to return to an austere Rule of life. Therefore the Reforms began by Teresa and John became known as the Discacled Carmelites(shoeless one's).

The Reforms were designed as such.

1: A return to God and to love Him for His own sake and not for what one can gain. To recognise one's nothingness before the Creator of all.

2: To conform themselves through prayer and contemplation into living receptacle's of God Himself. To live in Holy Obedience and thereby denying their own will for God's Will in their lives.

3: To dedicate themselves to prayer in order for the Salvation of all and finally to attain Union with God through Holy Obedience and self denial.

St. Teresa of Avila described prayer as, ' nothing but friendly and frequent solitary converse with Him, who, we know, loves us'. St. Teresa teaches us that prayer should not be used as an escape from the trials which face us all, but rather as a relationship where we conform ourselves to the Will of God just as Jesus Christ Teaches us through His Word.

Prayer is truly the heart and core of the Carmelite Rule, and it is this that has helped the Rule maintain its direction and discipline throughout the generations.

An Open Letter from Satan to The Faithless

Dear Comfort Christians,

I write this letter to cheer you on. There is nothing I like better than a comfortable Christian. Jesus called them the lukewarm, but I call them my special children.

In order for evil to have full reign, one must do and say nothing, I say this so that you may remain in your comfort zone. I would not dream of disturbing you, lest I wake your conscience...better a sleeping conscience than an active one.

Please do not pray, it will only confuse your thoughts. Rely instead on your logic, the Catholic Church calls this 'relativism'. They can be so negative. I call it freedom of thought. If God really exists then let Him prove it to YOU. Why should you be bullied into believing in 'good'? That is for weak and insipid minds. If you wish to get ahead do whatever you have to do... don't worry about the consequences, after all I didn't!

Also, do not read the Bible. It will mislead you and will cause you to think twice about your actions, whereas I encourage you to do what makes you feel good. You may read books which are blasphemous. I encourage you all to read the Gnostic gospels, after all I am the author of those books! You may also read anything with any adult content. It is a free world and you should be free to express yourself and read whatever you like, with me there are NO limits!

Please vote for politicians who run on a Pro-Choice platform. After all, it was I who propagated the thought that women are responsible for their own bodies. The Senators who legislate for abortion are my politicians, are they not doing my will?

Feel free to express yourselves in profane and vulgar language. Once again its called freedom of expression. Why should you be bound by scruples? I'm not! Don't allow the Church to hinder your inner spirit with such talk as modesty or courtesy. I am here to free you from all your inhibitions. In this sphere it truly is a case of do as I do, and speak as I speak.

I wish to emphasise that there is no truth, but your truth. I will empower you to become your true selves. Nothing is out of bounds, and if something makes you feel good, then do it... that's my motto...'if it feels good then do it'. Don't listen to the Church who have outlawed such behaviour as active homosexuality, adultery, lying, fornication, pornography and promiscuity. Who is the Church to tell you what you can and cannot do, are you not adult enough to decide for yourselves? If you follow me I will let you do anything you like with no consequences. That is such an old fashioned word, don't let it bother you, I don't!

There is one word that I truly wish for you all to understand and that is toleration. My special followers must be tolerant of everybody no matter their lifestyle. Surely by now we can choose what lifestyle we wish to live! After all this is the twenty first century, not the dark ages! I wish for you to tolerate and promote same sex marriages, pro-choice, pornography, narcotics, recreational sex and euthanasia . Out with the old is what I say!

In order for me to succeed Christians MUST remain asleep! I cannot work in a soul that is prayerful, or a soul that reads the Bible, nor can I truly work within a soul that partakes of the Church's Sacraments. So please STOP doing the above. It brings me much pain and gnashing of teeth. Instead embrace every new idea and trend. Don't go to Church, sleep in after all it was a hectic week, I will understand. One more thing, whatever you do, do NOT pray the Rosary, this particular prayer truly disgusts me!

When you talk with others, please make sure that your conversations are full of malice, after all malice is merely the truth with fangs. Feel free to gossip, even psychologists say that gossip is healthy. If someone hates you, hate them back! Remember hate is good, hate is freeing....it got me kicked out of Heaven.

Now remember this one thing I don't exist, Satan, Lucifer, the devil, the father of lies and all those other names just forget them.....I don't exist. I must go and roam the world now there are far too many Christians I must seduce.There truly is no rest for the wicked!

Seeya in Hell

Satan (PS: Would I lie to you?)!

No Converts Please We're Catholics

When I write a piece I try to be general and inclusive of most Catholic beliefs and Traditions. In this case though I can't mainly because I can't speak for other Parishes. I can only speak about my former Parish and the experiences that I and some other converts were subjected too.

Like many Parishes I went through the RCIA. During the first meeting a woman stormed in and thumped the table where we were all seated. This angry lady then went on to say that ALL converts were ingrates and that because we were NOT born Catholic we would never be accepted as such.

What I didnt know then, and came to understand over the years, is that this lady was correct, she simply vocalised what many within my Catholic 'community' were thinking but were to frightened to say.

Things became so ugly in the RCIA that I chose instead to learn the Catholic Faith by a most holy Passionist Priest in Adelaide over a period of a year. Once the year had been completed I was Confirmed into the Catholic Church. What a wonderful experience, I was finally Catholic, or was I?

During my time at this particular Parish, I watched over the years as many converts were received into the Church and yet within 6 months all the Catholic converts had left the parish. I brought this fact up at a Parish Council meeting and was told to go and see these 'people' for myself, so I did.

What I found when interviewing these wonderful converts is that many felt unwelcomed and isolated. They all said that noone within the Parish sat next to them during Mass, and once Mass was completed none of the Catholics would speak to them. When I asked if they thought of approaching some of their fellow Catholics many replied that they did and found that the people they approached simply talked around them and never involved them into their conversations. There were also many of my fellow converts who through illness had been unable to attend Mass, they felt very hurt that not one Catholic had enqired after them not even their Sponsors.

The one common ground they all shared though was that after being away from Mass for several months ALL these converts received was a letter reminding them to keep up their donations!

I know that some cradle Catholics find converts irritating and at times we are. We love our Faith, we want to know more about it, we are in affect excited by The Traditions and beliefs of the Catholic Church and long to know even more. Is it the fault of the convert that many cradle Catholics do not know or understand the meaning of many of their Traditions?

Another angst is that converts are 'know it alls' and tend to preach AT their fellow cradle Catholics. This seems to occur when many cradle Catholics deviate away from Catholic Teachings. What cradle Catholics don't understand is that by expressing opinions which are not inline with Church Teaching they are confusing the converts who have only just learnt what Catholics believe and why.

For an example from my own experience I was told by a Catholic Priest that Jesus had only ONE nature, and that was human nature and that Jesus did not have a Divine Nature. Huh? I was taught differently by the Passionist Priest, that Jesus had both Human and Divine Nature. Another Priest described the Eucharist as 'just a biscuit'. Again huh? I was taught that the Eucharist IS the Body and Blood of our Lord. Once again a Priest instructed me that I did not have to genuflect before the Tabernacle in that 'nothing was really IN there'. Excuse me? I was taught that the Tabernacle contained the Eucharist which is the Body and Blood of our Lord and so due Reverence is obligatory. Am I wrong?

I know at times converts can be over zealous I know I was very much within that sphere. I had fallen inlove with the Divine Mercy as revealed to St. Faustina. I personally bought tracts, booklets and pamphlets detailing the Divine Mercy Chaplet and God's Mercy, through my love for this devotion I then handed out these booklets and pamphlets to my fellow catholic parishioners. Then oneday a friend approached and asked me to stop, she told me that I was making many of my fellow Catholics uncomfortable. I must have looked dumbfounded for she went on to say, " the Catholics here only want to go to Mass, they dont want to know Jesus". I was stunned to say the least!

After persevering in this Parish for over 10 years I left. A new Priest had come in and decided that he is 'Jesus' and so the Church did not need a Crucifix. The Crucifix now sits in the Sacristy gathering dust. The new Nun had renamed God 'Sophia' and only referred to God as 'goddess'.

I can say that not one convert goes to this parish. I was the last convert standing and now even I left. Where is the victory for cradle Catholics? If they continue this snubbing of converts what will the future hold for all Catholics?

Even in this blogging sphere I have been referred to as a 'neo catholic' I had to look that up on google as I had never heard of it before. I was also accused of saying that another 'catholic' was a 'rad trad?' I had no idea what that meant either and once again looked it up on google. I have never met a 'radical traditionalist'. Was the name calling necessary because the person realised that I was a convert? How uncharitable!

I now attend Catholic Mass at a Church which is a 40 minute drive away. I can say though just like my fellow converts of my previous parish the only letter I received from them was one to remind me to keep up with my donation. How insulting they don't want us 'converts' but they DO want our money!

I hope that other Parishes will be more open to converts and more patient. There will be some who upon reading this will say smugly to themselves, 'well their faith couldn't have been THAT great if they left'. And they would be correct. A convert does not have the strength to withstand a hurricane of indifference and total snubbing, they will break under such pressure.

Upon reading this ask yourself, when was the last time you spoke to a convert or invited them to your home?

I do hope though that what I and others experienced in this Parish is a one off. I would hate to think that others also have gone through this same experience? How does your Parish treat Converts?

Prayer for Those Searching

Merciful Lord, who prayed that there be one flock and one shepherd,

I ask the light of faith

for those who are related to me

and do not know You in Your Eucharistic Presence.

Give them the joy of Your protecting presence.

Bring them into the one fold

of which You are the master and Lord.

Forgive them their sins and teach them the way of repentance.

In the end bring them into the larger circle of Your family,

to God our Father,

to Mary our Mother,

and to You our beloved Brother.

Amen.

Classic-I Love Lucy-The Chocolate Factory

Can anyone every forget that wonderful show 'I Love Lucy'? This is a classic scene and one where I still roar with laughter no matter how many times I see it. Enjoy!

Saint Quote - Blessed Mother Angela Truszkowska

Help all without discrimination, friend and foe alike. Everyone is our neighbor.

~Blessed Mother Angela Truszkowska

Mary Magdalene-The Woman & Saint

For many years the life of Mary Magdalene within the Gospels seemed to have got lost in translation through peoples misinterpretation of this womans most singular personality and love for Jesus her Lord.

The misunderstanding seems to have occured when Pope Gregory the Great proclaimed that Mary Magdalene was the 'sinful woman' who annointed Jesus feet. Since then many have assumed that Mary Magdalene was the 'sinful woman' and also a 'prostitute' both these claims are erroneous.

If anything Mary of Magdala was a woman of strength and indepedent means, this allowed her to rebel against the strictures of her times. Like many women with strong characters she would have been rejected by the elite in her own society. As she lived brazenly and openly but also with great inner loneliness which no amount of money nor dissolute company could assuage. Though Mary would have probably shown a bravado to the outside world, within her own soul she was tormented day and night, where was her release? Who could save one such as she?

The meeting between Jesus and Mary would change her life forever when He delivered her from the seven demons who had tormented her spirit for many years. For when Jesus healed Mary He also started a revolution of love within the soul of Mary. A flame that burned with zealous love for the Truth espoused by Jesus, the Promised Messiah.

This would alter Mary Magadelene's entire being, she had gone from living a worldly life to the exact opposite as she embraced a life of chastity, humility and hope.

Because Mary Magdalene was independently wealthy this also helped Jesus and his Apostles to continue His Ministry. As Mary offered her support both spiritually and monetary.

In the end Mary was a woman of fierce courage, and like the Mother of Jesus she too stood beneath the Cross with John as the other Disciples scattered in fear.

What we learn from the life of Mary Magdalene is that we too have the same hope only found through the saving Grace of our Lord and Saviour. Just like Mary we too can learn of the Mercy and Love of God as He accepts all into His Kingdom who repent and ammend their lives. No matter how grave the sin, our Merciful Lord will forgive each one of us when we repent and through the Sacraments of the Church we like Mary will find our home, in the Heart of Jesus Christ Himself.

Miss Potter-A Review

Last weekend I watched the movie 'Miss Potter' starring Renee Zellweger and Ewen McGregor. I highly recommend it and enjoyed it enormously so much so that I intend to buy the DVD for my own movie library.

It is refreshing in that there are no hidden skeletons and also no besmirching of Beatrix Potter character. Instead it is a lyrical journey of this womans remarkable life and her determination to have her books published. This was at a time when women of means did not work but Beatrix was no ordinary woman.

I wont spoil the film for those who have not seen it, suffice to say that it is children friendly and a great treat for those looking for some magic in their lives.

Inspirational Quote- Bishop Fulton Sheen

Leisure is a form of silence, not noiselessness.

It is the silence of contemplation such as occurs

when we let our minds rest on a rosebud,

a child at play, a Divine mystery, or a waterfall.

~ Bishop Fulton Sheen

What's The Deal With Harry Potter?

A private correspondence between the then Cardinal Ratzinger and Gabriele Kuby, a Bavarian-based Roman Catholic sociologist, has brought to light the Popes opinion on the impact of the Harry Potter phenomenon upon our youth. It seems incredible that sales of this book have sky rocketed and that children with the consent of their parents are willing to sleep overnight outside book stores so as to be the first to buy the latest episode in this 'cult' fiction.

The questions we need to ask are these: 1. Are these books dangerous to young minds? 2. Do these books promote wizardry? 3. Do they open our youth to the prospects of searching the occult as if it were a 'cool' idea which may lead them to experiment with powers over and above their maturity or ability to control? 4. In short, is 'Harry Potter' an open door way to making the occult acceptable?

What may appear as harmless can have devastating affects if children are being seduced into alternative 'religions' of the 'new age', or indeed if they begin openly experimenting with the occult i.e.,: Ouija boards, seances, casting spells, voodoo dolls and other forms of the supernatural. If this is so, then it is the responsibility of the parents to protect their children from this form of seduction whether it be in books or films.

When The Church makes a statement or even if it is a private discourse between two people who are well respected in matters of Doctrine, when Cardinal Ratzinger who was then Prefect for the Doctrine of The Faith, and Ms. Kuby find these books to be having an adverse affect on our youth, do we casually dismiss their grounded advice in preference to what the media is espousing, as if the media had somehow become 'credible' over and above Cardinal Ratzinger?

Charles Colson has also made some valid points on his piece on the craze for Harry Potter books. Are children reading such classics as 'The Lord of the Rings' and the 'Narnia Chronicles'?

Personally, I have not read nor seen any of the Harry Potter books or movies and was wondering what do parents think of this phenomenon created by J.K Rowling?

As faith filled Catholics do we take note of our erstwhile leaders when they speak out or are we listening to the liberal media, as the 'frenzy' for the latest 'Harry Potter' books hits the stands?

Saint Quote-Saint Raphael Kalinowski

God refuses only the person who does not admit his own weakness; He sends away only the unhappy proud person. You must "hold him" well and strongly, with a poor spirit, with a poor heart, with a life entirely poor...The life of a soul who seeks true happiness clearly and indisputably depends on this: that those who seek their joy in God are the ones who give joy to God.

~Saint Raphael Kalinowski

Words That Should Exist

Accordinated (adj.) - Being able to drive and refold a road map at the same time.

Aquadextrous (adj.) - Possessing the ability to turn the bathtub tap on and off with your toes.

Aqualibrium (n.) - The point where the stream of drinking fountain water is at its perfect height, thus relieving the drinker from (a) having to suck the nozzle, or (b) squirting her(him)self in the eye (or ear).

Arachnoleptic fit (n.) - The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

Beelzebug (n.) - Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at 3 in the morning and cannot be cast out.

Burgarcide (n.) - When a hamburger can't take any more torture and hurls itself through the grill into the coals.

Buzzacks (n.) - People in phone marts who walk around picking up display phones and listening for dial tones even when they know the phones are not connected.

Carpetuation (n.) - The act, when vacuuming, of running over a string or a piece of lint at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting it back down to give the vacuum one more chance.

Caterpallor (n.) - The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

Cheedle (n.) - The residue left on your fingers after eating Cheetos or any cheese snack.

Choconiverous (n.) - Used to describe a person who bites the head off a chocolate Easter bunny first.

Decaflon (n.) - The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

Deodorend (n.) - The last 1/2 inch of a stick or gel deodorant that won't push up, making the tube good only for underarm lacerations.

Disconfect (v.) - To sterilize the piece of confection (lolly) you dropped on the floor by blowing on it, assuming this will somehow 'remove' all the germs.

Elbonics (n.) - The actions of two people maneuvering for one armrest in a movie theater.

Elecelleration (n.) - The mistaken notion that the more you press an elevator button the faster it will arrive.

Extraterrestaurant (n.) - An eating place where you feel you've been abducted and experimented upon. Also known as an E-T-ry.

Frust (n.) - The small line of debris that refuses to be swept onto the dust pan and keeps backing a person across the room until he finally decides to give up and sweep it under the rug.

Grantartica (n.) - The cold, isolated place where art companies dwell without funding.

Intaxication (n.) - Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

Kawashocky (v.) - Pulling into what you thought was an empty parking space, only to discover a motorcycle is parked there.

Kinstirpation (n.) - A painful inability to move relatives who come to visit.

Lullabuoy (n.) - An idea that keeps floating into your head and prevents you from drifting off to sleep.

Mowmuffins (n.) - The accumulated clumps of dried grass on the underside of the lawn mower.

Nocturnuggets (n.) - The deposits you have to rub out of your eyes every morning after a good night's sleep.

Pajangle (v) - Waking up to find your pajamas have turned 180 degrees around while you were sleeping.

Phonesia (n.) - The affliction of dialing a phone number and forgetting whom you were calling just as they answer.

Prestofrigeration (v.) - When searching for a snack, this is the act of returning to the refrigerator time and again in hopes something new will have materialized.

Pupkus (n.) - The moist residue left on a window after a dog presses its nose to it.

Scribbobics (v.) - Warm up exercises to get the ink in a pen flowing.

Slackjam (v.) - The act of being stuck in your trousers while trying to remove them without taking off your shoes.

Snackmosphere (n.) - The empty yet explosive layer of air at the top of a bag of potato chips or other snackage.

Spudrubble (n.) - The unclaimed fries that have fallen to the bottom of the fast food sack.

Telecrastination (n.) - The act of always letting the phone ring at least twice before you pick it up, even when you're only six inches away.

Zipcuffed (n.) - Trapped in your trousers due to a faulty zipper.

Coming TV Shows

Television shows that may be appearing soon as a result of the electronic and computer age.

Modem, She Wrote: Each week, our intrepid detective tries to solve the ultimate mystery: why her modem won't ever connect at 56k.

Micro-CHiPs: Ponch and Jon now patrol the Information Superhighway.

Carly's Angels: Chief exec Carly Fiorina instructs her team of three vixen market analysts on how to prop up HP's sagging stock price.

Hawaii 6.0: An upgraded version of the classic series. Steve McGarrett goes surfing for bad guys online. Book em Dono!

T.J. Hacker: A retired cop, with an uncanny resemblance to James T. Kirk, takes up computer hacking to track down the miscreants who canceled his TV show.

The Excel Files: Inexplicable things are happening to the data in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. Can this puzzle be solved? The truth is out there.

The AOL-Team: Each week, AOL, Time Warner, Netscape, and Mr. T unite to promote corporate mergers and make the world safe for capitalism.

Magnum, PC: This series about a crime-solving personal computer that goes by the code name Deep Blue is based in beautiful Hawaii. Season finale cliff-hanger: Will Deep Blue be seduced by the wily charms of the Texas Instruments Speak 'n' Spell?

The Incredible Bulk: The exciting adventures of Windows, which just keeps growing and growing.

Call me Snappy LOL

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."

Don't Look Back

As you travel through life there are always those times when decisions just have to be made, when the choices are hard and solutions seem scarce and the rain seems to soak your parade!

There are some situations where all you can do is to simply let go and move on, gather courage together and choose a direction that carries you toward a new dawn. So pack up your troubles and take a step forward. The process of change can be tough. But think about all the excitement ahead, if you can be stalwart enough!

There could be adventures you never imagined just waiting around the next bend and wishes and dreams just about to come true in ways you can't yet comprehend!

Perhaps you'll find friendships that spring from new interests, as you challenge your status quo and learn there are so many options in life, and so many ways you can grow! Perhaps you'll go places you never expected and see things that you've never seen, or travel to fabulous, faraway worlds and wonderful spots in between!

Perhaps you'll find warmth, affection and caring, a "somebody special" who's there to help you stay centered and listen with interest to stories and feelings you share. Perhaps you'll find comfort in knowing your friends are supportive of all that you do and believe that whatever decisions you make, they'll be the right choices for you!

So keep putting one foot in front of the other and taking your life day by day. There's a brighter tomorrow that's just down the road. Don't look back, you're not going that way!

My all in all

I fall...

Lord Jesus lift me

I stumble to my knees

I fear...

Lord Jesus help me

Come put my mind at ease

I sin...

Lord Jesus cleanse me

Come purify my soul

I stray...

Lord Jesus guide me

That I may reach my goal

I cry...

Lord Jesus hold me

Within your arms and when

I fail...

Lord Jesus break me

Then build me up again

You Are Loved - Don't Give Up

This is one of my favourite songs, love his music but this song really speaks to me. This goes out to each and everyone of you'll. Everyone needs to hear this so from me to you courtesy of Josh, YOU are LOVED!!!

A Woman and Femininity- Two different things

There is nothing demeaning about being feminine, it is the hallmark of being a lady. Any woman CAN be a lady. It's mostly in your mind and heart. The feminist movement has fueled everything from murderous abortions to godless homosexuality. Feminism is rebellion against God!

Being a woman and being feminine are two different things. A woman is a girl who has reached a certain age. A feminine woman is a girl who has finally matured as an adult. We consider a girl to have reached womanhood when she begins her menstrual cycle. That could occur as early as pre-teen to make her ready for child bearing. But that does not mean she has reached full maturity as a person who is ready to be a wife or mother.

Some women never reach the level of maturity that is expected of them as functioning adults. They may be physically mature but have not grown up mentally, socially or spiritually. Their relationships and life ambitions are shallow and often hostile. Their interpretation of "femininity" is most often focused on beauty and social graces rather than on the qualities of mind, heart and soul. A woman who struggles with her true femininity does not make a good prospect for marriage. She is self centered, self serving and defensive. She is constantly trying to prove herself, goes to exaggerated extremes to look and act her best while neglecting her mind, her attitudes and her womanly graces.

The problem of growing into true feminine maturity is difficult and hindered for most girls. Parents and society are more concerned with looks and popularity of females than with character and morals. The emphasis of training for young girls is on clothes, makeup and hairdo's and there is nothing wrong with looking your best. But the message to young girls is that their greatest quality is their "sexuality". Personality and disposition are secondary, and most often avoided while the emphasis remains on looks, outward appearances.

Females are portrayed as "sex objects" in advertising, entertainment and in the minds of immature boys and men. Sexual abuse is the result of seeing a woman as nothing more than an object of pleasure rather than as a God created person to be respected.Femininity and sexuality are opposites. A woman who portrays herself as a sex object by the way she dresses and acts is far from being feminine.

Femininity expresses the deeper things of life like being sensitive to the needs of others, of knowing how to share genuine love, to be self-giving and understanding. A truly feminine woman wants to be needed, to be understood, to be respected and to be treated as a worthwhile human being.

A feminine woman is not threatened by the different roles of men and women. She is not trying to be "equal" to the male in the sense that she must perform as he does. She recognizes the God-given differences, that neither man nor woman is inferior but that both have a distinct calling and purpose.

Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

It was at Carmel that the prophet Elijah in 9th cent. B.C. challenged the followers of Baal to a contest to establish the supremacy of the God of the Israelites over their god. As the result of this encounter, Carmel became recognized as a holy place where God met His people. Situated between Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, Carmel, during the crusades of the Middle Ages, became a place of retreat for hermits who took up residence in the many caves in the area.

Later, in the 13th century, A.D., these hermits joined together to form a community which came to be known as the Carmelites. The Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Simon Stock on Sunday, 16 July, 1251 in answer to his appeal for help for his oppressed order. She appeared to him with a scapular in her hand and said: "Take, beloved son this scapular of thy order as a badge of my confraternity and for thee and all Carmelites a special sign of grace; whoever dies in this garment, will not suffer everlasting fire. It is the sign of salvation, a safeguard in dangers, a pledge of peace and of the covenant".

In the years following, their rule was modified to enable them to engage in a more active apostolate, and the Order spread to Europe. A separate Order for Women was established. The Carmelites have produced some of the great mystics of the Church. St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross and, of course, in more modern times, St. Therese of Lisieux are among the more illustrious. The Carmelites have promoted the devotion to the Scapular.

This meeting of God with His people in Biblical times at Carmel foreshadowed the time when God, in the person of Christ, would again meet his people as Leader and Saviour. This meeting is foretold in the first reading of today's Mass - "for I am coming to dwell in the middle of you". This would happen with the co-operation of Mary. Hence her song of praise and thanksgiving in the Responsorial Psalm.

In the gospel of today's Mass we see this meeting of God with his people unfolding and not without difficulty. As was to be expected, he was not welcomed with open arms by everyone. It is on record how his fellow townspeople at Nazareth ran him out of town. After hearing him teach in their synagogue, they became enraged and hustled him out of town. It was then that Jesus had complained that no prophet is ever accepted by his own people! He wept over Jerusalem because she had refused to welcome him.

But it was not only the people who were uncertain about him. His own family - explain use of "brothers and sisters"- also opposed him. It is one of the great human tragedies in Jesus' life that his nearest and dearest did not understand him. St. John in his gospel records -"Not even his brothers had faith in him"(Jn 7:5) St. Mark tells us that when Jesus set out on his public mission, they tried to restrain him because they were convinced that he was out of his mind! (Mk 3:21)

And, again, today's reading would seem to indicate another crisis. Whilst speaking to the people his family sends a message - we need to talk! Knowing what was on their mind, Jesus turns the occasion into an opportunity to let it be known that his mission is bigger than family. He belongs to all who hear his word and accept it.

There are times, too, when, in terms of our Christian commitment we must assess out loyalties. We still encounter examples of people wishing to follow their consciences and being opposed by those nearest and dearest to them. Not only do they meet with opposition, but open hostility is shown. It is an unfortunate fact that sometimes a person's blood relations are the ones who understand least, proving that real understanding more easily exists between those who share a common ideal and work together for that goal.

There is little on record about Mary's reaction to Jesus' attitudes in these family encounters. But actions speak louder than words. She was always there to encourage and to comfort. No doubt that same comfort and encouragement is available to those who, today , encounter opposition in their efforts to serve Christ.

That is why we pray today that the "prayers of the Virgin Mary protect us and help us to reach Christ her Son". Amen

WASTE NOT - WANT NOT

A song is never wasted,

If it's sung into the air,

It can reach many people,

It can go anywhere.

If it's a song of praise and joy,

That comes from deep within,

Be it loudly sung or gently hummed,

It then becomes a hymn.

A poem is never wasted,

If it's written from the heart,

True, it may expose the poet,

And reveal his inner part.

But it can provide for others,

Thoughts or words they'd like to say,

Release something deep inside them,

And soothe them on their way.

A prayer is never wasted,

Though replies aren't quickly seen,

God answers when He's ready,

In manners that He deems.

Prayers may be prayed with others,

Or whispered all alone,

Their style doesn't matter,

Nor their volume nor their tone.

And love is never wasted,

Though it may not be returned,

Better to have loved and lost,

Than not give love a turn.

To love one another,

Is the greatest of God's laws,

And it is His plan for man,

Regardless of man's flaws.

Songs, poems, prayers, or love,

None are wasted - no, not one,

Not all are printed or recorded,

And some are left undone.

But of all these fine expressions,

By far, love is the best,

No way can it be wasted,

It is the basis for the rest.

Everyone should have this list

If you feel far away from God, guess who moved?

Fear knocked. Faith answered. No one was there.

What you are is God's gift to you. What you become is your gift to God.

I am God's melody of life and He sings His song through me.

We can never really go where God is not, and where He is, all is well.

No matter what is happening in your life, know that God is waiting for you with open arms.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

Do your best and then sleep in peace. God is awake.

God has a purpose and plan for me that no one else can fulfill.

The will of God will never take you to where the grace of God willnot protect you.

We are responsible for the effort, not the outcome.

We set the sail; God makes the wind.

Begin to weave and God will give you the thread.

Sometimes when God says "no", it's because He has something better in store for you.

The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us.

Prayer: don't bother to give God instructions, just report for duty.

It's my business to do God's business and it's His business to take care of my business.

Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm.

How come you're always running around looking for God? He's not lost.

In the mood to dance!!

I really love music but I really really love music that just makes you get up and dance! This is one of my all time favourite groups. The combination of all the instruments and the voices, yea its in my blood but its really good music.



And I mean Glenn Miller !!! I'm always In the mood for Glenn Miller!

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something.

For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations.

Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge.

Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary.

It means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those

who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles

and they can become your blessings.

Single...not sad, empty and alone

Why is it that when you tell someone you are single you get the ‘I’m so sorry to hear that’ and the ‘pity look’? It’s as if there is something wrong with being single almost as if it’s a curse. Who says single has to mean sad, empty and alone?

Yes it’s true that some singles put their focus on the fact that they are single and end up unhappy, dissatisfied and looking for meaning in their lives. Many even wait until they are in a relationship to live the kind of life they want and do the things they love to do. Life happens now, today, and is not a dress rehearsal for when you have a relationship. When you want to participate in life, but stop yourself because you are single, you stifle your spirit. You accumulate resentments for your single hood at the universe and at the opposite sex, because not being in a relationship stops you from living your chosen life.

The first step to being single and happy is to be happy with you. If you are happy with who you are then it won’t matter what other people say or think. Being single can be lonely at times but it does not mean that I am alone. And on those rainy days thank God that I have loving and supportive people in my life. I’m not afraid to do my favorite activities by myself. People sometimes wonder what’s wrong with me, how can I go to the movies or to the beach by myself. I mean why not, do I have to wait until I’m in a relationship to enjoy the things I love and to enjoy life and be happy? Nay I say!

My being single is not some sort of a punishment from God because of some sin of mine. I’m not an incomplete being, I’m not lacking because I’m single. For me, when I focus on a ‘sense of lack’ in my life, I feel as though I am carrying a void, a hollow that I sometimes think may never be filled. Being married is no guarantee for that emptiness to be filled, having a spouse does not equal happiness. Expecting a spouse to fill a void and make you happy is setting oneself up for unhappiness and placing some high and unfair expectations on the spouse.

Don’t get me wrong, not a day goes by without me thinking I want to be a wife and mother, marriage and children are a natural longing but I was not made to be broken and only made whole in marriage. My heart and my being were made to expand to fit the love that will fill them. What I have to be is open and willing to complement my future husband and be complemented by him, like a lock and key. It will require a sense of vulnerability, allowing him to become a part of me and let myself be a part of him. This however does not require me to walk around with an empty storage cabin for my spouse there is room enough for him, there is love enough for him.

I have to live life today and now, love the people in my life today and now. Borrowing the words of St. Francis, it is in giving that we receive. For me to hold back on living and loving would be a loss to me and for others for I would never know how much of anything I have unless I give it away. I have to be generous in everything. How would I know what real love is unless I love? How would I know what it means to live unless I live?

So yes I am single, I’m not being punished, I’m not sad, empty, lacking or alone. I live and I love and it is not just as a means of finding a mate. I am grateful for all I have, not bitter about what I don't have and where I am and where I am going. I know that God has a plan for me and in His perfect timing all will fall into place. So I will continue to live, love and laugh today, now, and every day. Carpe Diem!

The Things That Count

Count your garden by the flowers,

never by the leaves that fall.

Count your days by garden hours,

don't remember clouds at all.

Count your nights by stars, not shadows.

Count your years with smiles, not tears.

Count your blessing, not your troubles.

Count your age by friends, not by years.

Miracles are Everywhere

Miracles are not only

ecstatic visions or holy interventions

visited upon the chosen few.

Every moment we are alive

is full of reasons to sing

out in joyful gratitude.

Every breath we are given

is a reminder that

the glory of life is at hand.

In the people we love,

in the beauty of nature,

in the golden sun

that rises each morning -

miracles are everywhere.

A PRAYER FOR THE CHILDREN

We pray for the Children

who sneak Popsicle's before supper,

who erase holes in math workbooks,

who can never find their shoes.

And we pray for those

who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,

who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,

who never "counted potatoes,"

who are born in places where we wouldn't be caught dead,

who never go to the circus,

who live in an X-rated world.

We pray for children

who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,

who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.

And we pray for those

who never get dessert,

who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,

who watch their parents watch them die,

who can't find any bread to steal,

who don't have any rooms to clean up,

whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,

whose monsters are real.

We pray for children

who spend all their allowance before Tuesday,

who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,

who like ghost stories,

who shove dirty clothes under the bed,

who never rinse out the tub,

who get visits from the tooth fairy,

who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool,

who squirm in church and scream in the phone,

whose tears we sometimes laugh at and

whose smiles can make us cry.

And we pray for those

whose nightmares come in the daytime,

who will eat anything,

who have never seen a dentist,

who aren't spoiled by anybody,

who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,

who live and move, but have no being.

We pray for children

who want to be carried and for those who must,

who we never give up on

and for those who don't get a second chance.

For those we smother and . . .

for those who will grab the hand of anybody kind enough to offer it.

Amen