Tomorrow is Good Friday and....

I wanted to share this beautiful prayer with you.

O Jesus, Who by reason of Thy burning love for us
hast willed to be crucified
and to shed Thy Most Precious Blood
for the redemption and salvation of our souls,
look down upon us here gathered together
in remembrance of Thy most sorrowful Passion and Death,
fully trusting in Thy mercy;
cleanse us from sin by Thy grace,
sanctify our toil,
give unto us and unto all those who are dear to us our
daily bread,
sweeten our sufferings,
bless our families,
and to the nations so sorely afflicted,
grant Thy peace,
which is the only true peace,
so that by obeying Thy commandments
we may come at last to the glory of heaven.

Amen. (http://catholic.org)

An Art Break

Please watch this video and support them either financially or in prayer. God bless.

http://littlesistersofthepoorbaltimore.org/

My Christmas Prayer

Lord, in this holy season of  prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us: for shining star and angel's song, for infant's cry in lowly manger. We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child. We behold His glory, and are bathed in its radiance.

Be with us as we sing the ironies of Christmas, the incomprehensible comprehended, the poetry made hard fact, the helpless Babe who cracks the world asunder. We kneel before you shepherds, innkeepers, wisemen. Help us to rise bigger than we are. Amen. ~ Http://www.catholic.org
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To my Friends and Family, this Christmas and New Year, may God bless you with health, prosperity & happiness. I am thankful for each and every one of you. You have all touched my life in some way or another and make my life richer & fuller.  I treasure your friendship and love.

Giving Thanks.....

Today I have so much for which to thank God:

• My family: husband Glenn of 34 years, children Joe and Jackie, Mom and Dad, my brother Joe & all my extended family like my awesome cousins. I am also so fortunate to have an adorable little 4 year old grandson, Mason, who is the light of my life.

• My friends. Some are long time friends back to my school days. Others I've met through work, church or hatting or painting.  Then there are the virtual friends that I've met online through Etsy teams, Ebay, Facebook, or Twitter and never met face to face but I feel as if I've know them for years and have become an important part of my life.

• For retirement and the ability to enjoy life and to be available to help my elderly parents.  

• My health. I'm so grateful that I have been for the most part had a healthy life. 

•  Laughter. Thanks go up also for the fact that most of my life has been filled with lots of laughter. You know what they say about a spoonful of sugar!

• Creation & Nature. I'm always in awe of God whether it's a landscape view, a bug on a flower or a beautiful sunset.

• But my biggest thanks would be for LIFE. Thank you God for putting me on this Earth so that I am able to enjoy all these things and those who are important to me.

And so today I pray:

Father in Heaven, Creator of all and source of all goodness and love, please look kindly upon us and receive our heartfelt gratitude in this time of giving thanks.

Thank you for all the graces and blessings. You have bestowed upon us, spiritual and temporal: our faith and religious heritage. Our food and shelter, our health, the love we have for one another, our family and friends.

Dear Father, in Your infinite generosity, please grant us continued graces and blessings throughout the coming year.

This we ask in the Name of Jesus, Your Son and our Brother. Amen.

Prayer...On Schedule?

Watercolor ACEO

Father Carl always tells us we need to be more disciplined in our prayer. He says we should pray every morning and every night. I can do the morning thing. Every day before my feet hit the floor  "Thank you  God for another day of life and my blessings."

At night I'm not so disciplined. Sometimes I remember sometimes not. I feel bad about that but I think I make up for it during the day.  How much prayer is enough or is there never enough.  St. Paul  does say  pray unceasingly.  But he doesn't say we should be on a schedule.

Sometimes I think I do pray unceasingly. My day is one giant prayer. An ambulance goes by "Dear God please let that person be okay". A fire engine goes by "Please Lord let the firemen contain the fire and spare the people involved." On seeing a wild bunny in the yard, "Lord thank you for the animals." When the news says someone died, "God please forgive their sins and give them eternal life...give their family & friends strength". When my kids travel, "Thank you God that they made it safely." I hear someone needs surgery, "Lord get them through it okay and guide the hands of their surgeon."   When it's a nice day, "Thank you God for this beautiful day...thank you that I am able to be retired and enjoy it."  I could go on and on.

 It seems my day is always full of prayer.  But I'm not doing the night time thing. I end up going up to bed to watch a little TV and bingo, I'm out like a light.  I have to work on this evening prayer thing!

Prayer and Rain

Yesterday was the National Day of Prayer. As I reflect on it and all the prayers I said yesterday through out the day for others and especially my Dad....this song is my prayer for yesterday, for today, for tomorrow.

If you've never heard it, you need to take a minute. Life is tough, no doubt about it.  There's a lot of rain in one's life...I certainly have my share with my parents and their health. But I learned along time ago, that in all the bad, you need to give praise for the good that comes out of it. I am so thankful that I have God in my corner. I don't know how those who do not believe in God make it through the thunderstorms of life. For me, He has always been there for me. Even at my lowest times, I am never alone. He is always with me.

I am sincerely thankful for that. I hope if you don't know God or if you've been away from God for whatever reason, that you come back to him. His arms are always opened wide and waiting.

Moment of Thankfulness

"give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Inspite of the personal nightmare of the week, I have so much to be thankful for:
1) That my Dad is still with me.

2) That there was no fluid around the heart.3) That the heart had no blockages and that the bypass graphs were working great.
4) That there was no significant fluid around the lungs.
5) That all the hospital staff at both hospitals were so caring, loving and highly competent.

6) That the doctors could control this with medication.
7) That my brother was here the whole week to help and support me.
8) That the horrible cold I had over the past couple of weeks was gone this week.
9) That Dad's doctor is on the ball and takes no chances.
10) That again, I was able to learn the lesson that it's in God's time not mine.
11) For the intercessory prayers of  the Blessed Mother and St. John Newman.

12) And finally, for all the wonderful friends and family who prayed for him and gave us love and support