Princess Diana-Her Troubled Life-Conclusion

What haunted Diana throughout her life was the knowledge that at one time she did stand a chance of winning the heart of her husband. Though Diana gained a Title it was Camilla who kept the Prince's heart and Diana became an inconvenient woman at the centre of this royal ménage a trios! An arrangement which unsettled the young Princess as she tried using all the wrong weapons to win the heart of her husband who in the end had come to resent her.

As Princess Diana gained the love and adulation of the world, she lost the love that mattered most to her, her errant and unfaithful husband.

As we have learnt Princess Diana was no angel, but neither was she a monster, she made her own mistakes within her empty marriage. But though these mistakes harmed her deeply she was not as has been reported, mentally unstable. There are no records of mental disturbance in her youth or her work as a nanny before she married into the Royal family.

The life of Princess Diana proved that though the institution of the Monarchy has lasted hundreds of years, the lifestyle of what was acceptable to the Edwardians, would not be acceptable in the twenty first century. In that modern women including Princesses wanted more than an empty title. They need a fulfilling role in life and a supportive partner. Princess Diana also forgot what the role of the Princess of Wales entailed and that was 'To Serve' the nation and support the Monarchy. Not as the 'star of the show' but as a working member of the Royal family.

None can truly lay all the blame at the Prince's door for the failure in their marriage. He could not guess that Lady Diana was emotionally needy, and highly strung. Or that she would suffer from bulimia/nervosa, both became victims of this insidious illness. Prince Charles had been spoilt by the accruements of Royalty where his every wish was guaranteed to be granted. A wife is not an extension of a coterie of staff, therefore compromise should have been reached between both husband and wife.

Though Charles and Diana entered the marriage with high ideals and expectations of each other, both would find themselves disappointed. For from the beginning of their relationship Lady Diana had led Charles to believe that she loved country pursuits and all that goes with it, hunting, fishing and shooting. And Prince Charles from the beginning had no intention of giving up the real love of his life, which was Camilla Parker Bowles.

So in truth both couples entered the marriage with a lie. Which would then be followed by deceit, betrayal and infidelities on both sides. This would have devastating consequences for their marriage and also the Monarchy.

Princess Diana was a very young 19 when she married her Prince. While Charles was a sophisticated and worldly man of the world who had always kept Camilla as his mistress. This would have brought untold humiliation to the young Princess in that all her inner circle knew about the affair including members of the Royal family who not only encouraged it they openly supported Charles dalliance with Camilla.

It is reasonable to say that Princess Diana felt and was indeed betrayed by many members of the Royal family. And even her own family failed to give her the support she needed, as her brother refused to house Diana on his estate at Althorp, which she would have used as a sanctuary against the ever prying press. A fact that Earl Spencer conveniently forgot as he gave his eulogy at her funeral.

The marriage may have stood a chance if Princess Diana had made some concessions to Prince Charles love of the outdoors and the country scene rather than try and bully him into becoming a 'city slicker'. But Prince Charles also should have made his own sacrifices that of letting go of his long-term relationship with Camilla. But as it is neither side would compromise, this led to their downfall, as their marriage disintegrated into press fodder.

Neither Charles or Diana had the capacity to look beyond the confines of their own internal warfare and recognise the consequences of their behaviour to their boys and to the Nation. Both failed in their duty. A closer look at recent history may have helped them both. When during the darkest pages of English history, King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth with steeliness of heart and soul, strengthened the people of Britain to face their foe, Nazi Germany with fierce courage. The late King and Queen put duty above their own personal needs including their safety. Charles and Diana were unable to follow the lead of the Princes's Grandparents.

After her divorce from Prince Charles, Diana felt that she would be free, but was she? Princess Diana had learnt to manipulate the press without understanding that she was holding the tail of a tiger which would eventually turn and devour her.

Much has been said about Princess Diana and her love life and there has been speculation that Diana had finally met a man who loved her in Dodi Fayed, but did he?

It is a known fact that Dodi Fayed was already engaged when he met Diana at the contrivance of his father Mohammed al Fayed. Dodi very quickly dumped his fiance as he trailed after the Princess at his fathers insistance. During this time Princess Diana was hurting badly over yet another failed romance this time with the heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.

There has been much speculation over the romance between Dodi and Diana is their some validity to the rumours of an engagement?

If Princess Diana truly loved Dodi then surely she would have wanted it to remain quiet and private. How many photo's exist of Diana with Hasnat Khan? None!

Princess Diana was not a stupid woman and she would have been well aware of the machinations of Mohammed al Fayed. A man who had been involved in political intrigues in the very seat of British Power The Tory Government. It was the scandal involving various Tory politicians in the 'cash for favours' which opened the door for Tony Blair's, Labour victory. If Henri Paul was a spy for MI6 it was to spy on his boss and not the Princess. Was Dodi the love of Diana's life? By all accounts, no. The man that captured her heart was always her ex-husband The Prince of Wales.

The mercurial, sensitive, loving, volatile, compassionate, contrary and yet luminous woman that was Diana who longed to be loved. Sadly she was not to find this love that she so desperately sought, as her life ended so tragically in the city of love, Paris.

Diana a woman who lived to love and be loved was to die literally of a broken heart.

Princess Diana-Her Troubled Life-Part 1

What was it about Princess Diana that touched so many hearts and led to a well pool of grief when she died so tragically at only 36 years of age?

Was it that she lived her life so publicly giving the illusion of being able to see within her soul? Yet her friends say she could be secretive.

Some say it was her air of innocence and vulnerability which made both men and women wish to protect her from life’s hurts. Yet her friends and family say she could be manipulative to a high degree.

From the beginning of the romance between Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer the question needs to be asked, did Diana love Charles the man? A man who was haunted by his childhood, who had been severely bullied at school and was still full of insecurities about himself and his role in life? Or did she love the Title and the fact that it would put the Spencer dynasty in the history books.

Princess Diana upon marrying Prince Charles found herself plunged into a very sophisticated world of which she had no means of coping. For unlike Prince Charles or his then mistress Mrs. Camilla Parker Bowles, both of whom were in their 30's and had lived life to the full. Princess Diana was a very young and naive 19 years old when she became engaged to the Prince.

Princess Diana described herself many times as 'a lamb being led to the slaughter' but was she entirely unkowing of the hold Camilla Parker Bowles still held over Charles? Before her engagement was announced the newspapers ran a headline which screamed ' A Blonde on the Train with Prince Charles'. This was in November 1980 before she became engaged to the Prince. Tina Brown in her book speculates that the blonde was Diana herself, hence Diana never mentions this incident in any books or interviews. This is difficult to believe in that Prince Charles was not wildly in love with the then Lady Diana why would he take the risk? Why the silence from Diana? If Princess Diana had acknowledged that she knew the 'blonde' was not herself then would she not lose her 'victim status'?

Was Lady Diana as trapped by her circumstance as the Prince himself? Neither being able to stop the train wreck which their marriage would become. Lady Diana Spencer belonged to a Noble Aristocratic family, which had served the Monarchy for many generations. Her own maternal Grandmother was Lady Ruth Fermoy who was Lady in Waiting to the Queen Mother. If Lady Diana had dumped Prince Charles a scandal would have ensued, something the Spencer family would do anything to avoid.

So the young Lady Diana Spencer married her Prince. Though the world wanted this marriage of Prince Charles to his young bride to be a modern romance that could have set the world on fire. Instead it blazed as an inferno within the marriage itself which would consume and destroy it.

The first salvo was fired by the Prince Charles 'set' when in a popular magazine Princess Diana was described as a 'bully' as 'hysterical' and was 'controlling and manipulative'. The story made the claim that it was Diana and not Charles who was destroying their marriage by her volatile and unpredictable behavior towards her beleaguered and confused husband. Many papers also ran with this story and described Princess Diana as a 'mad woman bent on destroying her marriage', and as 'the mouse that roared'. So was it unpredictable that Princess Diana would be smart enough to know where the leaks of her private life were coming from?

So began the 'War of the Wales' which played out in every tabloid newspaper, magazines and television documentaries. What was left untold were the casualities of this 'war'. The children of Prince Charles and Diana and the Parker Bowles children.

Princess Diana to her credit refused to be 'managed' by the Palace machinery. Unlike other members of the Royal family who stood back from the crowds and proffered their gloved hands for a handshake. Diana launched herself into the crowds, she hugged the children and disabled, shook hands with AID's sufferers and visited people who were on the outskirts of acceptable society. Diana was about to become 'The People's Princess'.

Part two will be concluded tomorrow

Home Economics a Lost Art?

Over at Alexandra's blog there is a recipe for good old fashioned apple cake. It got me thinking that there is so little knowledge being passed down to the next generation of how to keep a home with frugal but comforting housekeeping tips.

I spent a few years working for a Catholic charity and I know for a fact that many young people do not know how to cook. Many in fact live on fast foods without ever going near a stove.

I remember one woman in particular who had 6 children. The mother in question phoned for assistance and when I visited her I found that her crisis was that she had no money to buy Mcdonalds for her family. I am not joking this is a true story.

When I asked her had she thought about making some stew for her large family she looked at me quizzically and asked, 'what is stew?'

The knowledge of how to keep and maintain a wholesome and healthy lifestyle is slowly being eroded by our fast food generation.

Have any of you ladies thought to hold Home Economics in your community to try and teach young Mothers the art of home-making?

I hope you will consider it as it is very much needed.

Art For Blasphemous Sake!

I am tired of these so called 'artistes' that deliberately set out to upset Christians. They do this by painting provocative portraits or other means of 'artistic expressions' in a blasphemous manner.

Jesus is now portrayed as Osama bin Laden, there is a statue of our Lady dressed in a Burqa and another statue of our Lady with a condom over it! I could go on with this disgusting display of Anti-Christian bile!

What has me incensed is that these very same 'artistes' would NOT dare display Mohammed in the same manner. Why? Because the radical Islamists would have them on a hit list such as Salman Rushdie. No art gallery or museum would show it either. Again why? Because their galleries and museums would be blown up!

Cardinal George Pell said the works demonstrate that some contemporary art is "tedious and trivial". So say we all!

I am tired of this Anti-Christian bias. Are you?

Sleaze TV a Turn Off!

Are you all as tired of 'sleaze TV' as much as I am? Now there is a new TV show called 'Californication' going by the promo it is a 'sizzling hot TV programme with spice and shock value'. That translates to; it is full of profanities and vulgar nudity, where sex is the name of the game.

What I find most offensive is that the CEO's of the Television stations TRY and convince us that they are catering to our needs and wants. Oh please spare me the LIES! They are not catering to a taste but are trying to create a need for even more sex and violent TV shows. Enough is Enough!

The TV shows that rate the best are drama's such as Law & Order, comedies & documentaries. What concerns me though is that many parents allow their small children to stay up all hours and watch what they want. This is not good news for the family unit.

As for me I never watch these salacious and sleazy TV programs. Some of us can see beyond the 'hype' and know trash when we see it.

Do you turn off the sleaze as much as I do? What are your favourite TV programes?

The Superwoman Theory

From almost every medium, including the TV, radio, magazines etc, women are being encouraged even at times to being bullied back into the work force. As governments try and make the work place 'children friendly'. Do we really want our children to be raised in our place of work? Or in child care facilities by strangers?

The feminist agenda would have all women believe that to stay at home means you have negated your calling in life by living as a doormat to your husband and family. These same feminists would have all women believe that 'they can have it all' but let us take a closer look at these feminists. Many who are either editors, reporters or authors employ mainly women to do THEIR housework for them. It would be beneath them to do their own cleaning and cooking. They also either send their children off to wealthy boarding schools or employ nannies to take care of their little one's. These same feminists then make it almost a crime to be stay at home Moms.

So as they sit and scribble in their editorials that women can become 'superwoman' who is looking after THEIR children? It is very easy for these feminists who may earn in the region of six figured sums to insist that ALL women must work outside the home so as to be considered productive to society. Who made these rules?

The big lie is that for many women who do go out to work, they are not earning six figured sums nor do they have secretaries or cleaners to help them live a comfortable lifestyle. The truth is, that many working moms are employed in factories or shopping centres, where the money is deplorable and the job itself is mundane and boring and that is without counting the stress factor.

Then unlike the famous feminists these hard working moms then go home to face more work, a house to clean, meals to cook, laundry to be done and the list goes on, many are lucky to be in bed by midnight. When you add the stress factor of dealing with irritable children, a tired husband the situation can become intolerable for all. If this is the reality then why do the feminists not report on that particular fact, or don't they care about the women they are supposedly liberating?

At times some moms do have to work and are able to incorporate a happy work environment and a happy and content home life, but these women are in the minority. Many working moms are tired. They are on their feet for up to 16-18 hours a day both at work and at home, is it any wonder that many working moms feel unappreciated? Which invariably leads to discontentment, but rather than leave their place of work before the rot sets in, oftentimes it is too late and it is the marriage that suffers when working moms through sheer frustration give up on their marriages.

It is the woman who is the nurturer in the family and it is the woman who is also the helpmate to her husband. What she cannot be is all things to all people it is physically and emotionally impossible and also exhaustive, is it any wonder that the divorce rate has sky rocketed over the generations? As the late Pope John Paul II said, "Motherhood is sometimes presented as something backward or as a limitation of a woman's freedom, thus distorting its true nature and dignity. Children are presented not as what they are-a great gift of God-but rather as something to be defended against."

In order for women to truly feel empowered they need to embrace who they are and not be force fed by those who dictate who they should be. In reality it is the mother who is the heart of the home, and the father is the head of the home and the children of the marital union are blessings from a loving God. This is how God ordained the family unit. Unfortunately for the feminists God didn't consult them when defining the Holy Sacrament of Marriage through the Catholic Church.

Laughter IS The Best Medicine LOL

ENVY

At the heart of all those who envy another is laziness. Whether it be physical or spiritual laziness the outcome is the same as envy enters the soul and steals it away from God.

There is no such thing as spiritual envy. One can have a holy admiration for anothers virtuous life but that is not the same as envying another for their gifts.

The soul that allows envy to eat away at its centre is driven by sheer laziness. The very thing they envy they can also attain if they open their hearts and allow God to penetrate into their very depths. This calls for self sacrifice something that the envious person does not wish to do. It also requires hard work as we allow God to weed our souls from every form of selfishness and petty grievances.

When we allow a spirit of envy to enter our hearts we have immediately closed off and thwarted any attempts by the Holy Spirit to fill us with His Gifts. The envious heart is one of denying God His proper place to remain in the centre of our hearts. The person who is full of envy has replaced God with an inordinate love of themselves before all others.

Envy is like a creeping cancer as the eyes of the envious watch their prey with the eyes of a hawk and the heart of a vulture. It is willing to tear the person they envy into a thousand pieces whether by slander or calumny the envious person has no principles as it hones in on its victim.

The real tragedy with a soul that is eaten up with the envying of others is that it fails to act on the Gifts it has been given from Above. This leads to an unhealthy and ultimately disastrous spiritual life. The focus of the envious soul remains fixed on itself and by implication they will denounce all who they perceive as better than themselves.

The child of envy is spite as with little acts of slander they try and destroy a person for simply being themselves. These envious hearts take no joy in anothers prosperity instead their hearts grow ever more envious. Neither do they receive any joy from their own successes as with brooding heart and burning eyes they wrongly believe that nothing they can do or achieve can compare to the person they envy.

It is a gruesome form of disordered love as their hearts churn within them over the sucesses of another.

When we love correctly we understand that there is nothing to envy. As the creator of all good things has God as its Source and not itself. This is the heart of a healthy spiritual being who is inlove with this Awesome God and gives all praise to God on High for all that happens to it whether it be good or bad.

Greece is Burning

The one thing we fear most here in South Australia is fire. Please pray for the people of Greece and ask if donations are being accepted.

Desperate Greek villages encircled by flames have appealed for help as strong winds continue to fan the fires.

"The fire is just outside our village. Absolutely nothing has been done. We are on our own," a desperate resident of Frixa village in the hardest hit southern Peloponnese region told Antenna TV.

To read more please CLICK HERE.

Of Dogs & Babies

Most people are now aware of the incredible cruely that QB Michael Vick unleashed on the dogs he used and abused for dog fighting. For all dog lovers it is a heinous act and one deserving of punishment.

Charles Colson brings up a good point. While the world is outraged and politicians are speaking out about this terrible behaviour, yet when it comes to abortion the silence is quite deafening.

To read this informative article please CLICK HERE.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I wrote this piece 2 years ago and thought I would reprise it due to the news of Mother Teresa's aridity of soul. It is long but I don't apologise. I hope you will read it. Thankyou.

Agnes Bojaxhiu, was born in the city of Skopje, no one could have known then that a truly remarkable woman was born to this century. A woman who would lead the way in the revolution of love in a world grown weary of it.

None could have predicted the enormous impact this one woman had on the world. Where Presidents would tremble at her words, where Queens would honour her with titles and awards and a nation would grant her the title of Peacemaker, in a world torn apart by war. Mother Teresa herself took no note of the titles, benefits or other worldly accruements which came her way. Instead, she embraced the lowly, the impoverished and the diseased. Not only did she embrace them, she lived with them as one of them, for to Mother Teresa they were the face of Christ in the poorest of disguises.

To the abandoned, Mother Teresa was their refuge. To the forgotten, Mother Teresa remembered them, to the diseased ravaged Mother Teresa was their step to dignity. To the wealthy Mother Teresa was their bane, to the powerful Mother Teresa was their conscience, to the despots Mother Teresa was to be feared.

One can only imagine the inner turmoil that Sister Teresa felt when upon leaving on a spiritual retreat, this remarkable Sister felt 'the call within a call'. Then in absolute obedience she acted upon Jesus calling her to be with Him in the service of the poorest of the poor. But this action like many more cost Sister Teresa, and she mourned deeply for the life she was to leave behind, she would miss her beloved students, her fellow Religious Sisters and Priests. The pain of loss was real and deep.

So upon gaining her Superiors permission Sister Teresa left her beloved convent, where her future had been secure into the maelstrom of noise, smells, filth, tears, rage and violence which was the streets of Calcutta. All Sister Teresa had was the 'Divine inspirations' from her beloved Spouse Jesus to "Come be My light". Though Mother Teresa took these words seriously, how could she, one woman alone succeed amidst such squalor? These thoughts tormented the young Mother Teresa as she tried to cope with such a change in her circumstances, where there was no longer a schedule of religious life to follow. How was she to begin such a massive Order when all around her everyone was destitute and diseased? The thoughts swirled in her mind...how? How? How?

To these questions came....silence! How Mother Teresa must have longed for the security she had left behind, where everything was clean and orderly. Here she was in an inhospitable landscape to serve the poor, who were diseased, smelly, ungrateful, unhappy, and suspicious of this woman who was dressed in a blue and white Sari, who called herself Mother Teresa. Just as Mother Teresa had her doubts so too did the people she had come to serve, who was this woman in the sari? What was her 'real' motive? Was this woman mad? Did she not realise that there were murderers in the streets who would think nothing of killing a 'Religious' for they had no respect for anyone.

The driving force that drove Mother Teresa was her love of God and the sufferings of Christ which she recognised in the poorest of the poor. But was her love returned? For in the soul of this devout nun lay such a barren landscape of no consolation that it tore at her heart ripping it to shreds as she endured the 'dark night of the soul'. Though Mother Teresa spent many hours in prayer, it felt as if her prayers were going into the air unheard and unloved. Her every effort unappreciated by the one she so loved with all her heart and soul…why? Why such silence?

What Mother Teresa was experiencing was an aridity of soul that only a few Saints have passed through. Let us not gloss over the enormity of the desolation that Mother Teresa felt within her soul as she worked and gave assistance to the poor and desolate. For the love that Mother Teresa gave to those who needed it, she herself felt her love was not returned. Through the long nights of despair where her soul was deluged with doubts, not one word from her Divine Spouse. Total and gut wrenching...silence.

Mother Teresa worked from sun rise to long into the night as she helped those around her. There were no clinical conditions as found in western countries. Here Mother Teresa picked up the elderly who had been abandoned in garbage dumps, and would sit and pick out the maggots that had infested the skin, the skin of those unwashed and unloved. She held dying babies in her arms who never had the chance to learn to smile, they too were abandoned to their fate, unloved and unwanted. Everywhere Mother Teresa looked was the ugliness of life at its most desperate and at the end of a long and arduous day where she had kissed and prayed for the dying, comforted the sick who would not last the night and held the children who did not recognise what it is to be cuddled. Mother Teresa turned to prayer to find no solace as her mind took in the sights and the affliction of all around her. How could this woman continue?

What kept Mother Teresa going was her love for God, for she loved God not for what He could give her, but how she could serve Him. Mother Teresa lived out the true meaning of love in all its rawness, for love is not about gaining but in giving. True love is to empty oneself for the love of others and not count the cost. It is to give when the well is dry, it is to share while your own soul feels it's own bareness. It is to give the very essence of yourself without holding back. It is to love with a passion that defies all logic. It is to love unto madness.

While her own spirit was undergoing its annihilation. Mother Teresa continued to love the unloved, irrespective of her own agonies, her own pain and her own loneliness. She would become the voice of the voiceless, the empowerment of the powerless, the conscience of the immoral and the indictment of the pro choice movement! Where others turned away, Mother Teresa embraced the ugliness that surrounded her. Where others compromised the truth, Mother Teresa stood firm. Where some conditioned their love, Mother Teresa gave her love without need of a receipt.

This woman of God would not turn away from the weak and the weary, the sorrowful and the diseased, the people who make us all uncomfortable. Mother Teresa was not a bystander of life, but instead leapt into life with all its ugliness, rawness and humiliations. For at the core of Mother Teresa's life were the words uttered by Christ Crucified.....'I THIRST'.

It is in Mother Teresa we see what we are all capable of and fail to do. One can no longer say, they cannot help the whole world, Mother Teresa showed us how. We can no longer stay silent on issues integral to our Faith where the unborn are murdered daily, where prisoners are executed in civilized countries. Where children die of hunger and thirst as we water our gardens and throw away our left overs. Mother Teresa spoke up, she stood firm, she condemned the slaughter of the innocents, spoke out against the death sentence and she fed and gave water to the hungry and the thirsty.

Even though we all love, admire and revere this phenomenal woman of God. In the inner depths of our heart do we say, 'thank God it was not me that God called?'

As Eternity echoes with the words...."I Thirst"...

Five Saints To Dinner

I would invite :

Saint Teresa of the Andes

Saint Therese of Lisieux

Saint Bernadette
Saint Francis of Assisi
Saint Josephine Bakhita.

I would have a big outdoor BBQ, Ginny style- can you say fiesta!!!

I would do chicken, lamb and baby back ribs.

On the side, corn on the cob, platano frito (fried plantains),



fried yuca,

coleslaw and tater salad.

And for dessert, homemade triple chocolate fudge cake with creamy chocolate fudge frosting and homemade coconut ice cream made in a manual ice-cream churn- real ice-cream.

Disturb Us O Lord

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life!!

Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wilder seas
Where storm will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push us in the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
This we ask in the name of our
Captain, who is Jesus Christ.

Amen.

The Pit

A man fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out.

A subjective person came along and said, "I feel for you down there."

An objective person walked by and said, "It's logical that someone would fall down there."

A Pharisee said, "Only bad people fall into pits."

A mathematician calculated how he fell into the pit.

A news reporter wanted the exclusive story on the pit.

An IRS agent asked if he was paying taxes on the pit.

A self-pitying person said, "You haven't seen anything until you've seen my pit!"

A fire-and-brimstone preacher said, "You deserve your pit."

A Christian Scientist said, "The pit is just in your mind."

A psychologist noted, "Your mother and father are to blame for your being in that pit."

A self-esteem therapist said, "Believe in yourself and you can get out of that pit."

An optimist said, "Things could get worse."

A pessimist claimed, "Things WILL get worse."

Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit.

Five Saints to Dinner Meme

1: Blessed Mary MacKillop

I would buy a vegemite and cheese scroll and warm it in the microwave. Serve it with a cold glass of beer(not fosters!). For dessert I would make a strawberry pavlova. Hey what can I say, Mary is Australian.

2: St. Faustina (she is my Patron Saint)

I would make an egg and bacon pie served with salad and a cold glass of soda. For dessert I would make St. Faustina some lamingtons with clotted cream.

3: St. Thomas More

I would make a beef roast with roast taters and vegies. Served with a chilled glass of beer(note the above-NO Aussies like fosters). For dessert I would make chocolate pudding served with cream.

4: Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity

I would make roast chicken with mashed taters and steamed vegies. For dessert I would make all fruits pavlova.

5: St. Thomas Aquinas

I would serve roast lamb with garlic and rosemary with roast taters and vegies. For dessert I would make steamed pudding and custard.

I would then ask St. Thomas to translate ALL his works into Australian in order for me to understand it. You know the Summa Thumma big words thingy. G'day mate, what more can I say? lol.

Pssstttt Only last year I BLEW up our stove LOL. So I will keep the cooking nice and safe.

Little Johnny

Mrs Smith sat at the kitchen table thinking what else she could do to help her son Johnny. Johnny had been having problems with his school work particularly math. His parent's had moved him from school to school and nothing seemed to be working.A friend of the family suggested they send Johnny to St Mary's Academy. Little Johnny was enrolled at St Mary's Academy. After his first day Johnny came straight home told his mom good afternoon and headed straight for his room to do his homework and study. He came down for dinner and as soon as he was finished he went straight back to his room to continue his studies.This went on for one month. Johnny brought home his report card and handed it to his mom and headed straight to his room to continue with his studies. Mrs Smith opened up the report and to her amazement Johnny had gotten straight A's and an A+ in math. She just had to find out what was different about this school. She went up to little Johnny's room and there he was at his desk doing his work.

"Johnny I am so very proud of you son.I have noticed how hard you have been working,every evening going straight to your room to study and I want to know what is different about this school."

Johnny looked up at her "Well mom, the first day I reached I was taken down this hall and there at the end was this huge plus sign with a guy nailed onto it.That's when I knew these nuns were not kidding around!!!!!!"

One

It only takes...


One Smile

to make someone feel special.

It only takes...

One Second

to offer kindness to someone who needs it.

It only takes...

One Laugh

to lift the spirits of a friend.

It only takes...

One Person

to make a difference in this world.

The Ant Principle

I personally do NOT like ants. I don’t like the way they feel when they are on you, definitely don’t like how it feels when they bite you, don’t like seeing them inside around food or anything like that, just makes my blood crawl. ‘Shudders.’

My dad has this ant farm and it’s pretty interesting to look at cause well the ants are in a glass case away from moi. You see them burrowing and see when the queen lays her eggs and all that. Today I was outside with my dog and while sitting on the grass I noticed this trail of ants on the walkway. Trust me they were not close enough to me to make me high tail it from where I was.

For some reason I became enthralled watching these ants in their natural habitat. These little creatures opened my eyes and made me realize we humans can really learn a thing or two from them.

• It is self-motivated and highly industrialized. The ant doesn't need another to make sure it gets its work done.
  
  
• It is prudent- it collects its food in the proper seasons.
  
  
• It is fond of its young, and takes care of them.
  
  
• It has foresight for others and shows kindness. Not once did an ant walk over another, if an ant was in its path it stopped and let the other ant pass or went around the ant, never trampled over it.
  
  
• It works quietly without show and until the work is done. In this, it teaches us perseverance.
  
  
• It works in cooperation and organization with others. In union there is indeed strength.
  
  
• It knows its job and does it. The ant has initiative, that wonderful virtue of resourcefulness that knows the how and when.
  
  

Isn’t it amazing how even the smallest creatures can teach us such great lessons? We humans can learn diligence, how to recognize opportunities, and individual initiative from the ant.

"As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me." (John 9:4).

Notice the word we. The foreseeing person is a foregoing person. Sometimes we have to forego, or sacrifice, a pleasure today so we can realize a goal tomorrow. This is true in both the spiritual and material realm.

Stephen Vincent Benet said: "The ant finds kingdoms in a foot of ground." Perhaps this says to us that, even in our small area of life, we can find our sphere of contentment! Each of us has our own job to do in our sphere, responsibilities which we can't hand over to others. Rest is a reward after we have done our job.

If the farmer rested because it was cold or windy, when he should be sowing and plowing, few of us would eat. God does help those who help themselves but even the starving must walk to the table! Of course if they are crippled, we help them. After major surgery, the doctor forces the patient to get up and walk. If the patient lay there until he or she felt like getting up, the person may never do so. Sometimes we must force ourselves to get going in life.

"Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest." Proverbs 6:6-9.

Think about it…

Feast of the Queenship of Mary Our Mother

Today we celebrate the Blessed Mother as Our Queen. From the moment of her "yes" at the Annunciation, the Holy Spirit has been her Spouse, thus we can call her our Queen. As our Queen Mother, she intercedes for us to the King whenever we ask her to -- because she loves us dearly, each of us, very dearly.

Mary, Queen of Heaven, give me your heart, so beautiful, so pure, so Immaculate, so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life, love Him and serve Him in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor.

Let me live within your heart and there receive a share of your own love for Jesus, for the Church and for all people. Give me some measure of your own humility and surrender to the will of the Father. May Jesus take on flesh in me.

Like you, I want to be a spouse of the Holy Spirit, docile to His gentlest inspiration and join you in signing a Magnificat for all eternity. Oh my soul magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoice in God my Saviour!

Totus Tuus, Maria ! I belong to you. I want to be …..

All YES

Only YES

Always YES

Amen

A Daily Prayer

Oh help me, Lord, to grow each day
In such an even, balanced way
That a rich glory may shine through
Each word and deed I do for you.
Give me a love that reaches others
Never minding race and colors.
Grant me patience to be kind
To each living thing I find.


Help me, Lord, to understand
And reach out a ready hand.
As I strive to be well-groomed,
May my SOUL be also pruned.
Cut the branches that won't bear.
Make my countenance more fair.
Speak through me to those in need
Use me, Lord, their souls to feed.


Dear Lord, when I press my Will,
With new wine, my spirit fill.
Help me not to go astray
But ever to Thy bosom stay.
Use my lips and use my mind
All of me that You can find.
Use me to show forth Your glory,
Ever speaking forth the story.


Just USE me, Father, is my prayer
As I daily breathe earth's air.
May we soon commune again.

Amen

The Butterfly

A man found a cocoon for a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and could go no farther.

The man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. Something was strange. The butterfly had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened. In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and deformed wings. It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the small opening of the cocoon are God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through all our life without any obstacles, that would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Not only that, we could never fly!

Demystifying Mysticism

A mystic is not someone who walks around with their head in the clouds, thinking profound thoughts 24 hours a day or who has lost touch with the world around them, that is not true mysticism that is simple day dreaming. Some of the greatest Mystics in the Catholic Church were very practical people, they were not fanciful and given to whimsy. St. Teresa of Avila could never be described as whimsical or fanciful this was a Saint who very much had her feet planted firmly on the ground.

St. Teresa was a very practical woman, who needed to travel long distances to make sure her Order was maintaining it's spiritual integrity and to encourage her fellow Sisters. This strong willed Saint also had to deal with the residing Priests and Bishops of each Dioceses, which took a lot of skill in the diplomatic area of respecting and being obedient to those in positions of authority. Teresa was a steely woman of immense courage and intellect, one could never term such a woman as 'fanciful' or given over to day dreams.

A true mystic is not one who becomes so coldly distant to those around them that their very persona is chilling and icy, that is not ascetics it is quietism, which the Church repudiates. A mystic is a soul who is passionately in love with God, and is not afraid to express this Divine Passion to all they meet. They are also not caught up in the daily travails of inconveniences but instead see beyond the complaint to the blessing that God is teaching them. Mystics are those who live in the present moment they do not pine for yesterday's or tomorrow's.

The person who has surrendered themselves to God, and live fully present to the Divine do so by way of the Cross. But what sets the mystic aside from others is that the true Mystic does not run away from their cross but fully embrace it without allowing the taint of bitterness to corrupt or impede God's fiery holocaust of their imperfections. In affect they do not allow their emotions to lead them astray when situations can become fraught and difficult, nor do they grow faint and lose faith when God hides His Holy Presence from them. The Mystic instead waits upon God with trust and Confidence not in their own goodness, but in God's Goodness and Divine Love.

From their own sufferings the mystic learns compassion, faithfulness and empathy for those who also struggle on their faith journey. They also have been freed from running with their emotions to a more disciplined lifestyle of prayer, solitude and openness to those who suffer, in full knowledge of the purgative pain of learning the truth about oneself. God will reveal our hidden wounds and bear our own souls to an inner scrutiny that is excruciating as the Divine cleanses us of our imperfections and impediments that stand in the way of God's Grace.

The true Mystic has a vibrant and joyous personality. They live lives of great passion for love of God alone, for they do not depend on the world to give them validation, but instead rely on God solely. This does not make them unaware of their immediate surroundings but instead leads them to a deeper discourse with the Divine, as they intercede for those who are in need, and for the salvation of souls.

The soul that is in love with God is a soul that journey's forth boldly but with utmost humility in full awareness as to what they have received from God. They go forth with the innate responsibility to speak God's Truth without artifice. They exude an inner vitality and beauty though they may not have the requirements of superficial 'prettiness', but their spirit enlivens their face which brings forth vivacity in their expressions. Their personality is such that they draw people to them or they drive people away from them, not because they are fearsome, but because corruption cannot stand in the presence of that which has been purified by God.

But the most important component of any Mystic is a good sense of humour. The ascetic may walk around with long and gloomy faces, but not the Mystic, whose whole soul illuminates the indwelling Spirit and has gained the ability to laugh at the ridiculous without losing decorum.

Though many of our great Mystics encountered divine visions, revelations and mystical union with God, still their souls spent more time in aridity than they did in the mystical realm of the supernatural elements of mysticism.

In short those who live a mystical life are those who no longer focus on the ego but are fully alive to the present and the opportunities that present itself in their day to day lives. They face life in all practicality whether it be fortuitous or in adversity. Their beliefs are not shaken, as they combine prayer with a life of action, and walk with confidence and humility of what they have been given and by whom....from a loving God.

Big is Beautiful-Our Sister Blog

Ginny and I have started a new venture with our blog 'Big is Beautiful'. This particular blog will deal mainly with women issues that affect one's faith and inner happiness.

We will focus on uplifting women in their daily struggles, while focussing on health issues without judgement.

We were created by a loving God to love one another irrespective of size. Let us begin. CLICK HERE to view our new sister blog.

Understanding Suicide

Ron Rolheiser has written an excellent piece about why many people are driven to take their own lives. It is a compassionate look towards those who suffer severe depression on a daily basis.

It is an excellent piece and I hope many will read it and grow in their understanding of depression. Simply CLICK HERE.

The Mystic Path

There have been many Great Mystics in The Catholic Church, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Catherine of Sienna, Francis of Assisi to name but a few.

But what exactly is Mysticism?

A mystic is someone who feels a longing for God, a great thirst within their souls which cannot be quenched. It is not a case of looking for God, but of God touching the soul with the spark of The Divine, which then ignites a holocaust within the soul of the recipient. This does not mean that one's soul is annihilated but that the Ego is annihilated, for God does not kill the soul but consumes the soul in the purifying furnace of His Love.

It is a dark journey that God invites the soul, where a blanket of immense blackness envelops the soul. As all light disappears the soul feels itself abandoned by its one true love, God. It is a searing of the intellect in that all worldly consolations are removed. As God readies the soul for Himself to make a home within the person. It is the wooing of the Divine to His beloved. Therefore the person is no longer interested in the superficial, nor can it be appeased by the artificial, for once the soul has been ignited by the Divine, all else pales and there is no substitute.

This is a painful and at times an excruciating experience for those who are called to a higher degree of perfection, than most. Often times, the person mistakes this call as a punishment or a chastisement, and in confusion the person returns to the consolations of the world. This does not make God love the soul less, but it does reveal that it is the person in question who is lacking in spiritual maturity and also in trust.

It is a Divine call which few can endure, for it seeks to purify the soul without destroying it. To embrace the uniqueness of the individual without crushing it. To extinguish the element of self love and replace it with the Divine. Even though a person cannot enter nor become divinized, a spark of the Divine Love which penetrates to the depths of the soul will purify it from all worldly love. This is done in order for the soul to be in the Presence of the Triune Spirit, which seeks to inhabit the soul of the loved by The Beloved.

In effect it is an intimate touch of The Creator to the created. The Divine Spark which when felt in all its Purity and intensity will change the person forever, and from which there is no cure nor is a cure sought. As the deer panteth after the water so the soul thirsts for God with a longing that only God Himself can appease.

What It's Really All About

Drusilla on her blog Heirs in Hope has begun a good reflection on the single life. Here is an excerpt.

"In answer to my question this morning about the thoughts that filled my mind and the sobbing and tears, I found myself face to face with white hot terror and thinking, Nobody wants me! It’s an old fear that is particularly healed in the experiences of community, of the Body of Christ which saturate my life today."

Read the rest by clicking here.

Spirit of Courage

We are all called to Mission that is to proclaim the Good News to all we meet. Not in a confrontational manner but to display the fruits of the Spirit so that all may see God working within your soul.

Many tend to think that evangelizing our Faith is the priority of our Priests and Religious and the missionaries sent out to far of lands. We forget that there is a responsibility for each of us to give the reasons for our joy.

But in order for us to spread the Good News, we must also live it. To speak one thing and live another is to dishonour God and your calling, which will bring discredit not only to yourself but to all your brothers and sisters in Christ. So in order to be effective Christian examples we need to embrace and live obediently to what God teaches us through The Word and the Teachings of our Church. This can only be achieved if we partake of the Sacraments of the Church with fidelity in full knowlege of our own human frailities.

We have a responsibility to live fruitful lives of piety and obedience to one's station in life. We are the face of Christ to all we meet in our communities and also within our families. Saint Francis of Assisi also warns us in our Christian walk, "It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching....Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."

As Christians we are called to be holy examples with a human face of the joy that we have received from God and then to live this Grace within our daily lives. This is not to say we will not make mistakes, indeed we shall make mistakes but it should make us compassionate to others as fellow travelers on an often perplexing path. But we must also learn that in order to live our Faith effectively we must embrace and speak Gods Truth, which takes courage. For we must never capitulate our beliefs in order to go along with the pervading and corrupting influences of society, just so that we wont be thought 'judgemental'.

When we look at the lives of the Saints we can see that, our Saints were made of steely material. They were tough people who lived lives of extraordinary love and compassion without compromising the Truth of God's Word or the Teachings of the Church. They were not wishy washy in order to attain friends, they stood firm on the Truth alone sometimes at the cost of their lives. Why do we think less is expected of each of us?

We are full of admiration when we look at the courage displayed by our greatest Saints. They displayed their heroic virtues which they lived unashamedly. These heroic figures were not afraid of name calling or threats to their lives; they were not swayed by the latest 'fad' or another way of 'enlightened thinking'. For these courageous people held the pearl of great price and they made no concessions to 'worldly ways', but instead loved God which expressed itself in charity to all they met. As St, Francis once again says, "While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart." When we look to Jesus and the Saints without the sentimentality that sometimes pervades our thinking we realise that the Saints were made of stern stuff. These heroic Saints ran the good race and kept the faith, are you doing the same?

In order to be courageous and speak God's Truth unflinchingly we must understand that we are not placed on this earth to be amenable to every pervading fad or thought. As Christians we must not be fainthearted but instead to stand on Truth alone, lest we find ourselves living...a lie.

Notes On a Scandal-A Review

Judi Dench gives a rivetting performance as Barbara Covett. The malicious and acerbic teacher of a London school, who rules her students with a heart of ice.

The story of the film revolves around Barbara's warped and cynical view of life which touches every facet of her enclosed world and colours the life of those who come into contact with her.

Cate Blanchett plays the whimsical yet manipulavite Sheba Hart. A woman who feels that her life has become to pedestrian and longs for excitement this comes in the shape of her student Andrew Simpson. One is left to wonder who seduced who?

The underlying theme is Barbara's growing obsession for the beautiful Sheba and the betrayal she feels when Sheba fails to meet Barbara's litmus test of perfection.

Through Barbara's acidic wit we see the foibles and failures of her victims and yet Barbara fails to recognise that it is envy that is the driving force of her embittered heart.

The movie reaches towards its climax as Barbara's hold over Sheba tightens and the twisted love Barbara feels for Sheba remains unspoken between the two of them.

There are no heroes in this complex story of human nature with a twist. The only sympathy I felt went to the deceived husband and the betrayal of Sheba's family.

It is an excellent movie starring two great actors of this century Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett.

Spirit of Meekness

We live in a world where achieving 'things' is paramount and rising to the top of the success ladder is applauded, no matter how ruthlessly it was gained or at what cost to the soul. Still many long for the riches and power which the world offers, but this is gained at the expense of the happiness and tranquility we all long for but find impossible to maintain.

In order to find this inner peace and joy we need to embrace a spirit of meekness, but in order to do that we must also understand what meekness essentially is. Many have the mistaken belief that meekness is weakness whereas nothing could be further from the truth. To restrain the worst side of our natures takes a great deal of strength and it is those who have embraced meekness that have also gained control of their tempers and practices self control in all area's of life.

Meekness is also allowing ourselves to listen and hear the indwelling Spirit rather than begin rambling dialogues with God. That is the difference between the meek and a person still driven by it's Egocentric self.

A meek person thinks only of Godly things and lays it's confidence in the Goodness of God for Himself alone, and not for what it can acquire for itself. For the meek heart is not driven by the ego but is led on the pathways of peace towards all. This requires strength of character, a strong resolve not to allow itself to leave the Presence of God or become engrossed in worldly pursuits. But neither is meekness an airy fairy way of existing, for those who live the spirit of meekness also practice the corporal works of mercy and a deep prayer life from which it gains its spiritual strength. A meek spirit thinks not of itself or tries to make itself the centre of attention instead it seeks to alleviate the sufferings of those who need a kind word and encouragement to face another day.

Even when unjustly accused the meek of heart pay no heed to rumours or the discontent of others but seeks instead to offer up their pains and sufferings for others. In the knowledge that we only become discontented and offended when we have placed worldly considerations on what others may think of us instead of maintaining our peace if our conscience is clear before God.

It is when we submit in all obedience to God that the sting of adverse opinion loses its ability to hurt or affect our peace of heart. We learn that a heart that is easily offended is a soul still struggling with pride and fearful of the opinions of its contemporaries. Indeed at times those who see a meek spirit will attempt to disturb it by false allegations and innuendo.

When we live to serve God we let go of our need to please people in order to gain their praises which is a form of pride. We instead serve people for love of God, that is the deciding difference which lay at the heart of our motivations.

God can see into our hearts and knows for what reasons we do things. So if the motivating force is the approval and praise of man God then distances Himself as the soul loses it's focus on God and becomes self absorbed. If the soul is attentive to our Lord it will notice the distance and through prayer and the Sacraments of the Church, their relationship with God will be restored, through God's Grace. For the meek of heart know that in and of itself it has nothing to offer apart from what it has received from God, for all is Gift.

The person who lives in meekness is in direct contrast to those who have embraced the worldly way. For the worldly way seeks to satisfy self at any opportunity and at any price as they focus on their self importance and impose their self will onto others who are weaker than themselves. That is not love, it is manipulation.

A meek heart simply acknowledges it's littleness to the Living God and with self knowledge accredits all its good thoughts, intentions and deeds to the Almighty who is the Source of Love and Wisdom. And by a life of prayer and study of the Scriptures it grows in love as God teaches the soul its own nothingness, and then raises the soul to Himself not because it is worthy but because God is Love and all Powerful.

A meek heart seeks after God and lives to do the Will of the Father as did our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves.For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Saint Quote: St. Vincent de Paul

However great the work that God may achieve by an individual, he must not indulge in self-satisfaction. He ought rather to be all the more humbled, seeing himself merely as a tool which God has made use of.

~St Vincent de Paul

When Your Home Is Your Prison

Over at Marie Cecile blog she brought up an interesting topic about reorganization that got me thinking. What comes first to many of us, a home that is spotless at all times? Or a lived in home where people feel comfortable?

As you all know I have had a bad dose of flu this past week or so and have basically ignored the housework in favour of bed rest. You guessed it. Yesterday we had a visitor and the house was a mess any other time and the house would have been OK with its cosy lived in look. Why is it that people seem to choose our 'bad housework days' to pay us a visit?

You know the old saying 'cleanliness is next to Godliness' there is also the opposite when many women and men turn cleanliness into obsession.

As I commented to Marie Cecile on her blog. I remember two ladies who were obsessed with cleanliness. One lady had a velvet lounge suite which was her pride and joy the problem was she couldnt stand anyone to actually sit on it. Once when a group of us descended on her we all sat on her lounge suite, while she sat on the edge of her own chair I could tell that something wasn't right. It was only when one of our friends got up that I discovered what it was, the lady of the house immediately ran over and began brushing down the lounge so that it all looked 'perfect'. This knowledge then had me in a lather wondering if I was messing up her perfect lounge. I ended up sitting on some cushions on the floor as did the rest of my friends while we were waiting for her kids to get ready to go out.

Another time many years later I visited a friend at her home. All went well until my friend discovered her husband had taken one of her magazines from its rack, this sent her berserk. My friend then yelled at her husband and ran around the house looking for this particular magazine. Eventually she found it and then proceeded to place the magazine in alphabetical order. As she ran around fussing over this one magazine I then noted how perfect her house was. There wasn't a sign of dust or anything out of place. Her house was a showcase home. It made me and my other friends too scared to move in case we 'upset' or moved something that would annoy her.

What I discovered was that these ladies had created 'chains' they did not enjoy their homes they had made themselves prisoners of it.

When it comes to your own homes do you keep it absolutely perfect or does your home have a cosy lived in feel?

If you do keep a cosy, lived in home do you encounter criticism from others?

As for me am I the only one who seems to get visitors on the days when the housework has NOT been done? Heehee!

Along The Way

Don't undermine your worth by

comparing yourself to others.

It is because we are different that each

of us is special.

Don't set your goals by what other people

deem important.

Only you know what is best for you.

Don't take for granted the things closest

to your heart.

Cling to them as you would your life,

for without them, life is meaningless.

Don't let life slip through your fingers

by living in the past, or for the future.

By living life one day at a time,

you live ALL the days of your life.

Don't give up when you still have

something to give.

Nothing is really over until

the moment you stop trying.

Don't be afraid to admit that you are

less than perfect.

It is this fragile thread that binds

us to each other.

Don't be afraid to encounter risks.

It is by taking chances that we learn

to be brave.

Don't shut love out of your life by saying

it is impossible to find.

The quickest way to receive love

is to give love.

The fastest way to lose love

is to hold it too tightly...

and the best way to keep love

is to give it wings.

Don't dismiss your dreams.

To be without dreams is to be without hope.

To be without hope is to be without purpose.

Don't run through life so FAST that you forget

not only where you have been....

but, also where you are going.

Life is not a race...but...a journey

to be savored each step of the way.

Just What The Doctor Ordered - A Dose Of Laughter

Mother Mouse was crossing the street with her three little children. She got about halfway across the road when she spotted a cat, crouched and ready to pounce upon them. The cat and Mother Mouse eyeballed each other for two or three minutes. Finally, Mother Mouse opened her mouth and let out an enormous "WOOF." The cat quickly scurried away.

Mother Mouse turned to her three little ones and said, "NOW do you see the advantage of a second language?"

The story of Adam and Eve was being carefully explained in the children's Sunday School class. Following the story, the children were asked to draw some picture that would illustrate the story. Little Bobby was most interested and drew a picture of a car with three people in it. In the front seat, behind the wheel was a man and in the back seat, a man and a woman.

The teacher was at a loss to understand how this illustrated the lesson of Adam and Eve. But little Bobby was prompt with his explanation. "Why, this is God driving Adam and Eve out of the garden!"

A doctor, a civil engineer, and a computer scientist were arguing about what was the oldest profession in the world. The doctor remarked, 'Well, in the Bible it says that God created Eve from a rib taken from Adam. This clearly required surgery, so I can rightly claim that mine is the oldest profession in the world.'

The civil engineer interrupted and said, 'But even earlier in the book of Genesis, it states that God created the order of the heavens and the earth from out of the chaos. This was the first and certainly the most spectacular application of civil engineering. Therefore, fair doctor, you are wrong, mine is the oldest profession in the world.'

The computer scientist leaned back in his chair, smiled and said confidently, 'Ah, but who do you think created the chaos?'

One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.

The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost."

God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this? Let's say we have a man-making contest." To which the scientist replied, "Okay, great!" But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."

The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.

God looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"

Love Is...

Love is the best thing in the world

...And the thing that lives longest.

Love isn't something to be taken for granted

...It's something to be nurtured,

And cared for and caressed.

Love can last forever

...If you want it to.

Love isn't tough and tentative .

..It's wonderful and gentle and tender.

Love is mysterious

...But it asks that you keep no secrets.

Love is blind

...But it asks that you see how happy it can make you.

Love is more like a flower than a tree

...The wrong things can hurt it so easily.

But the right things can make it more beautiful

Than anything else your life has ever know.

Love is...

Slow to suspect

... Quick to trust.

Slow to condemn

... Quick to justify.

Slow to offend

... Quick to defend.

Slow to reprimand

... Quick to forbear.

Slow to belittle

...Quick to appreciate.

Slow to demand

... Quick to give.

Slow to provoke

... Quick to conciliate.

Slow to hinder

... Quick to help.

Slow to resent

... Quick to forgive.