AS WE FORGIVE . . . or not?

Bob Ricci shared a beautiful request this morning asking us to walk in total forgiveness and not carry a grudge. Since many of us, as Catholics, say the Our Father at least once every day, I wanted to share this helpful "hint!"

I have, finally at 80, learned to say the OUR FATHER in front of my mirror, first thing in the AM (while my hot water boils) just so I can watch my eyes when I pray and, I do it so, when I come to the "forgive us our trespasses AS WE FORGIVE those who trespass against us" I look deeply to see if I have not forgiven - because I can do it that minute or I can stop with the prayer. Two choices.

The same at Mass and at night when I finish the day with the same prayer. Nothing has helped me more because I cannot say that prayer to the end without forgiving. Without carrying a grudge!!! It took me too long to learn this but, the peace in my life, since I have learned to stop at that part of the OUR FATHER, IS AMAZING. Forgiveness is a choice.

Coffee has never tasted so good as that cup I have after prayer. I also do 1 Hail Mary and Psalm 23 where I relish the verse, 3 He restores my soul. * He leads me in paths of righteousness* for His name's sake. (I am fully aware then that I am an agent for my Lord and what I do is for His name's sake!) Oh, my! About the time I reach "my cup overflows." my water is done and I find myself at AMEN

KING SIZE BED - Ready For The Baby Jesus

As a former protestant and a strong believer (teacher) I did honor Mary and called her Blessed, as she had said we all would,  in the Word in Luke,  when she sang the Magnificat in Luke 1: 46* And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, 47* and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. . . " 

Also, she had carried GOD in her womb for 9 months - so I could see how she might have the light in a halo. Someone had said she should not look different. When I asked my friend if she had carried GOD in her womb for 9 months, did she think even she might look "different"?  She had no more to say. 

Another friend, a Catholic, though not as strong at the time,  reminded me that she had once said something negative about the Blessed Mother BUT I, far from being Catholic at all,  corrected her by saying, "You are talking about the Mother of my Lord." She later became devout and guess who was my sponsor? You got it right the first time. 

All of what we need to know is so in the Word about the Mother of the Lord. Sadly, many miss this and yet any Mother of a child can so easily identify with her. I think sometimes, just as those who resent the Heavenly Father, may have had a bad relationship with their own Daddy,  those who rebuke the Blessed Mother, may have had a bad relationship with their own Mother. 

GOD bless them all as they are missing such a wonderful gift . . . the Mother of Christ who he gave to us, at the Cross, His own Blessed Mother, the Blessed Mother of All.

I always think of the place HE left and the love that was there - yet HE came and it was cold and dirty and even before HE was born HE was hated and wanted dead. None of it makes sense - and the Father sending HIM off to be mistreated and unloved and - oh, but wait! HE gave HIM the Blessed Virgin and Joseph and all of us who one day would love HIM Eternally.  GOD knows what HE's about. 

Sharing a Little of my Life 

I have been interested to read how people are dealing with this tragedy of last Friday. I think we all are so emotionally involved. I told our five sons, who were here last night, that my Mother-Me was so hurting last Friday, I wanted to gather these huge older men (now they are) and have them all with me so I knew they were okay. I wanted to cry and hug them. I did call them and said a few desperate words. Last night we sat in the loft - some on the floor - eating pizza and talked about how we all had lived a long time now and had no terrible thing like last Friday happen to us. We were so grateful for the grandchildren and the great grands now - and how our family has been so safe thus far. We had ideas how to "never let this happen again" and we all talked at once and interrupted each other with our ideas. Ideas a million but all thinking clearly and bringing our best thoughts to the room. Redesigning the schools. That in itself was a full evening. 

Then all broke loose as they opened a 55" TV and began to move furniture chests in our bedroom, hanging the new TV on the wall. Using a laser beam to make it even! Ideas a million (again) but all thinking clearly and bringing their best thoughts to the table and the room. Cleaning up all the time - moving furniture, rehanging wreaths, filling in holes from a thermostat, putting in new wall switches (they are great!) and doing everything to put things back - they are such fun to watch. All so talented and so gifted with ideas. It was a perfect evening for me - my favorite thing - to be there with them and watch these 5 from my womb. Ralston and I talked later - he loved it because their Angels came, of course, and they have lived together for years in the past. 

Ralston says they turned out very, very well and I reminded him they all came from God thru me and he reminded me, "I know that - I was there!"

Us Two

Us Two

Wherever I am, there's always Pooh,

There's always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
"Where are you going today?" says Pooh:
"Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too.
Let's go together," says Pooh, says he.
"Let's go together," says Pooh.

"What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh.
("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.)
"I think it ought to be twenty-two."
"Just what I think myself," said Pooh.
"It wasn't an easy sum to do,
But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what it is," said Pooh.

"Let's look for dragons," I said to Pooh.
"Yes, let's," said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few-
"Yes, those are dragons all right," said Pooh.
"As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That's what they are," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what they are," said Pooh.

"Let's frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh.
"That's right," said Pooh to Me.
"I'm not afraid," I said to Pooh,

And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo!
Silly old dragons!"- and off they flew.

"I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he,
"I'm never afraid with you."

So wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
"What would I do?" I said to Pooh,
"If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True,
It isn't much fun for One, but Two,
Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. "That's how it is," says Pooh. 

Alan Alexander Milne