Thank you God, when my pockets are empty and when they are filled...

As this year concludes at the end of day, I thank God for all the times my pockets were empty and when they were full. I did not differentiate my love of God when I was at my lowest or thank him more when things went my way. To do so would be defining my love of him in a temporal means. No God is always loved by me no matter the events that occur. I trust that he will see me through the hardest times and share with me the good times. As I look back on the years that have past in my life I can see it was the hardest times that offered me the greatest opportunities to grow as a person and to learn to be compassionate towards others. This past year was filled with great joy and great pain, with laughter and tears and all these things I shared with my best friend, (God). I have seen family members and friends die this year and others born, and I know that God is in charge of this all. Yes he blessed those who came to this earth to begin a new life and blessed those who returned to him after theirs had ended.

I do not know what this new year will bring if I will stand with pockets empty or full, if I will live or die. In the end, it does not matter to me for there is someone greater who watches over me and you. In him we live, move, have our beginning, in him is my faith and trust for the rest of this day and the new year ahead.

I offer a prayer for the end of this day...the end of this year... a special prayer from one very special....

Dear God,

I want to thank you for what you have already done.

I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the kids are asleep and the house is quiet, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed, I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive and I made it through the day's difficulties.

I am thanking you for I have walked around the obstacles. I am thanking for I have the ability to be better and do better for I can love..

And most of all I am thanking you for not giving up on me, even when I did so....

Bravo New York Times and reporter John Tierney

My hat is also off to the Psychological Bulletin with their soon to be released article on religion and spirituality. First for Mr. Tierney's article in the New York Times Science section, December 30, 2008, titled, Findings: For Good Self Control. Try getting Religious About It... Mr. Tierney speaks to the fact that if you want to keep your New Year's resolutions maybe you should try religion and spirituality as a means for learning self control for keeping your resolutions. Mr. Tierney article is very well written and comprehensive on the subject matter I refer you to it. I also refer you to a soon to be released study on religion that will be the Psychological Bulletin after a 8 decade study on religion and belief and the benefits.

I have a family member who is a psychiatrist and he tells me that the AMA now has protocols for incorporating spirituality into counseling, a big right on to them as well...

So if you want to stay current in the New Year ahead, get with the program, get out there and find God... he is easy to locate ... if you need assistance, email me and tell me your locale and I will forward a place you can go to, or better yet open your heart to God and he will lead you personally...

Time is running out

It is true there is only two days left to this year.... not all will make it and see the New Year... some will leave time as we know and enter into eternity.... Many are talking about how they will spend New Year's Eve... forgetting that some may not see it... At the risk of sounding like a downer it is true, time is really running out. "Reality shows" are really big, people love to watch them, so here is a "reality check".... The time of salvation and forgiveness for you, is not in the future, not in one day or two, it is right now, grab a hold of it while you can.

People do not want to hear about their own demise, yet they are fascinated with the "Second Coming" or the year 2012 (said predicated to usher in the end of the world)... Disaster films and TV shows are very popular about the Wrath of God to come, the destruction of the world... I find this illogical, to think of such yet not to think of ones own immortality in the here and now. What motivates a person to think destruction in the future and not care about the present condition of themselves? Those who are preoccupied with the "Second Coming" or any other coming signs, do you not know that this coming of God is not for salvation but for judgement. You need to get right with God in the now and get right with your fellow brothers and sisters here on earth and be of love to all. You cannot say you love God and not neighbor, no matter who they are. To say you love God and not your fellow man is not going to fly with God...

Yes indeed, tick- tock, tick- tock, time is running out....

Save the last dance for me

This past weekend I attended a wedding. The event was a joy filled magical affair, my "hat" is off to the family who planned this wedding and I rejoice with the couple who were married on this day.

There was dancing, laughter and conversation shared at the reception, meeting new people and reconnecting with those I have not seen in many years. There was also a high level of spirituality present at this wedding, not the kind that many associate with being "spiritual". Unfortunately many think to be spiritual you have to behave in a certain way or dress in a certain fashion. This might be true but not in the manner thought, ones behavior should always be of caring, loving and mercy to all. One should always dress themselves in forgiveness to others and never place on yourself garments of judgement towards others. I have learned in life with most people... what you see is not what you get. ... with this statement I would like to "tell a story" of a classic misjudgment of others upon someone..

It involves someone who has died...

During this man's life, I will call him, "Bill", people in his family came down hard on him. They with reason, for he manifested in his life alcoholism and when he drank he was a nasty drunk, an abusive man to say the least. His wife was the object of this abuse many times, so the family took her side always when it came to this man. Now this woman predeceased her husband and he lived for another 3 years, in said time I got to know Bill on a level that I never knew him before. Bill shared very intimate and detailed accounts of his life, from his time as a youth, to his time in the navy to his married and family life. I learned of the deep and personal traumas this man went through in life how they affected his thinking, how he was molded by past trauma and events that were out of his control. He spoke about his relationships with his dad and his mom, he spoke of his own father being an drunk and his own traumas with his mom. Bill also had a chemical imbalance that manifested in his being bi-polar, and this was not picked up until his later years. So when one took into consideration all Bill went through in life one could see why he drank so much as a younger man it was his means of coping with events that he could not deal with on any other level. For underneath this man's "personal issues" there lived a good and honorable man, sharing and caring for those around him whom he loved. I knew this man my entire life, yet it was not until his last years did I understand that I never really knew him, I knew his behavior prior not him... I will always consider myself to be graced and gifted to know Bill for the man he really was before he died. This is why I think his wife stayed with him, I think she saw beyond the behavior to the man within...

And I believe this is what God does with us all, he sees beyond the "human behavior" to the man/woman within and this is who he deals with. We are all weak in the flesh for reasons within each and everyone of us and by being predisposed to said by sinful natures. I believe on the day Bill died he went right to heaven, our merciful God looked into the heart of Bill and saw all his kindness and charity given to others and welcomed him with open arms.

Yet anyone who judged Bill on a "human standard" would find that hard to believe and this is why I thank God for being the Savior and not allowing any one of us at the end of the day (our lives) to be judge over us... for no one but God sees into the heart.

So at this reception there was a lot of "human behavior", on face value maybe some looked less then "spiritual"... on a level of God I am sure he delighted in all his people and laughed and danced with them...

And speaking of dancing the Bride and Groom requested that the last song played at their reception be "Save the last dance for me"... I thought this a really good song choice, so much so that after the reception, prior to going home I went to the Chapel. There I spent time with Jesus in the tabernacle for he is the one I seek to have the last dance with here on earth and then to dance throughout all eternity with... So, yes Jesus on this night and all nights I saved the last dance for you...

G.P.S.

I have been doing some holiday traveling to visit family and friends also to attend different social affairs. While I do not own one, those who I travel with do, that being a GPS, (global positioning satellite) ... My friend has one of these devices that is built into the car, one family member has a portable GPS. . These are very handy devices you just type in your destination and then let the GPS take over, it gives you a map plus it "speaks" to you, as where to turn, etc.

Being that I am basically a big time screw up in most things, even with the GPS on I get lost. Especially if it is dark or if there is traffic, being that I am dyslexic there have been times that I confuse my left from my right or the numbers that I am looking for I "reverse", them ... So even with this modern marvel of navigation I can still manage to get myself lost.

When you do get "lost" or make a wrong turn with a GPS... a "voice" will come on and say the following... "recalculating"... yes this lovely voice compensates for my screw ups on the road and tells me how to make it better, to get back on the right road to get to my destination.

Upon thinking about this GPS at the Chapel.... I have come to the following conclusion.... God is a GPS of sorts....

Yes, Jesus said there is no one who is without sin, his rhetoric is more lofty then mine, I using the modern vernacular, (we are all screw- ups). Even when we have a "spiritual or faith based GPS" we still can get lost on the road of life and God in his mercy "recalculates our path", if we would just listen to his voice, (that small still voice within), like we do with the "voice within the GPS". We could all arrive at our destination, which, is "home", not the white picket fence home here on earth, the "real home" with God.

So dear God, please keep that GPS of yours charged and guide me with it, and recalculate my path when I go astray.... and for me GPS...stands for GOD PLEASE SAVE me, I am a screw up... I am always getting lost...

One last thing, there are times a GPS in the car can lose the satellite connection, such as when you are under a bridge...The "voice in the GPS" will then say, "lost satellite connection".. This is never so with God's "GPS" he never loses track of you and your position in life. So do not worry if you find yourself within a dark tunnel as you travel through life, God knows where you are and he will get you out of it...

Too many toys

On Christmas Day I visited with very young family members. One of my favorite, a 2 year old little boy. Now this little guy usually finds delight in talking with me and playing with me, and I with him... Yet on this day, Christmas, I became a non-entity to him, he preferring to play with all his new toys. Then I called two other, "favorite little children" in my life, on the telephone. They usually speak to me readily on the phone, yet on this day, they refused to speak to me preferring to play with their "new toys"... They were to "busy and to distracted" to do anything but play with toys.... Now as an adult I understood this, it was Christmas and children get distracted by their new toys... But I have to say it did hurt my heart a little, these little children are very much loved by me and I enjoy speaking with them and playing with them...

.......Which, made me think of God and all of us...

We for the most part, throughout our lives, are like these little children on Christmas Day, playing with all "our toys" and refusing to interact with those around us, especially those who love us. None more so then God, yes we are all so distracted by "toys/things" of the world, we become self absorbed, self centered creating our own little world... where everything is "Ours" and we have no need to interact. We forget that playing is much more fun when you have others to play with, toys/things are made more special when shared. And it is most fun to share with God, who gave you everything in this world, for he can show you how to use these gifts correctly. There are many among us who have genuine gifts that go unused or kept to themselves and not share. So take all those "toys/things" given to you in life and share them, and most importantly share yourself with God and others, for you are the best gift given!

A Song for Siggy

I spoke with Siggy's mom and she was going to remember Siggy in a very special way on this the 1st anniversary of her death. Laurence is going to start a tradition for Siggy and I think it is beautiful so I ask all who may read this blog to join us. This being a "song for Siggy" to be sung every year on the anniversary of her death, the song her mom picked is Silent Night... Siggy was blessed to have a mom with deep faith and her faith allows her now to sing on the anniversary of her daughter's death. A song that embraces the God/man come to earth to save us all. Laurence knows because of this event in history, her daughter was saved and resides now in heaven. Siggy was not saved from the horrible events that happened here on earth to her last year, but she was saved in the only way that matters in the end, for she will live eternally now, not subject to drunk drivers, disease, or any other pain and suffering here on earth. No Siggy is in a place that is safe and free from sorrow... and truly this is a reason to sing... for we must love each other enough ... so when we lose a loved one to death, we too will sing for them... that they are finally safe... they are home where no pain can touch them ever again...

I am posting a link so you can hear Silent Night and sing along... the rendition is by Sarah McLachlan.... if you cannot pick up the link.. do a google search...type in youtube...Sarah McLachlan, Silent Night... then open link, listen and sing !!! Sing for Siggy and sing for us all!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmwGHAyw6gM&feature=PlayList&p=a268eoe4fe295632&index=85

In closing I do ask for your prayers... for the man who killed Siggy, his first name is Timothy. He died as well at the scene, I am sure he did not start off his day thinking that he was going to kill himself and our beloved Siggy, yet even if he did, he is still a child of God. Even the most wretched, the most misguided among us here on earth are still children of God. They would not exist if God did not allow it... we are called to love... even when it is the hardest thing to do... and the Siggy I knew and loved would ask for forgiveness for Timothy... As I do now and ask you to join me, not only for Timothy, but for all who have harmed you and your loved ones.... pray as such ..."Father forgive them for they know not what they do"...

Beloved Siggy

This post is for "Siggy", she who was killed by a drunk driver last year, at 8 minutes after midnight on this day. Siggy a child of hope, promise and deep faith. So many things were taken away from a family who loved her so on this day last year. Yet so many things were given Siggy on this day. She was given her reward, her purpose of birth here on earth, that being, one day to go back to her father in heaven. God Bless you dear Siggy on this day, this day when salvation was born on earth. Today over 2,000 years ago began a journey for a God/man come to earth to restore mankind to their God. Last year began a journey for you Siggy, a journey into eternity, there you are in perfection. Here on earth you could only be offered struggle as life presented itself. Where you are now you are given love, peace and joy... for this I thank God...

On this day, I say thank you God for sharing, Siggy with us. She was never really ours, she was always yours; in your kindness you chose to share this beautiful child of yours. I do not curse you that she is gone, I thank you for the time spent with her. Even if it was just a moment of time with her, I would not have given it up. As sad as it is on this day to think of her, I would not change a moment with her nor ask you to change her destiny. I know dear God, that you always work for the good of each soul. You are always good, Father and nothing bad is sent from heaven. We are to always remember that this is not our home, our home is with you. Siggy is home for Christmas this year and we here on earth are still trying to get there. So Siggy save a spot at the table for us all, and Happy Birthday; no longer a celebration for you here on earth, but we will remember you here this Saturday.

For all of those who are missing a loved one this Christmas due to death. Remember they are home and one day you will be home as well... Hang onto the the little baby born in a manger today... he knows the way home... follow him he'll walk you right up to the front door...

A poem for Siggy's mom on this first Christmas in heaven for Siggy

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below, with tiny lights like heaven's stars reflecting on the snow. The sight is so spectacular! Please wipe away the tears, for I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear, but the sounds of music cannot compare with the Christmas choir up here. I have no words to tell you, for it is beyond description to hear the angels sing. I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart, But I am not so far away, We really are not apart...

God Bless you Laurence... in the great loss of Siggy, I have found in you and your family amazing graces and faith. You are graced and loved from above and here within my heart.

Legends

They say that most legends are born from a truth... so I will give you a few legends and you decide if they are truth... it has been said by wise men of old the night the Savior was born amazing things were beheld...

1) that all of the trees, bushes and flowers surrounding the birth, blossomed and bloomed to render him glory.

2) all the wells filled with water for a moment turned into wine of the finest kind.

3) heaven could be heard in songs that filled the air.

4) the animals themselves began to speak and praise God in his glory.

5) the hour was midnight when he arrived, the same time legend says that God walk in the garden with Adam and Eve..... Now this same God was to begin his walk on earth... to walk with each one of us... (and that is a truth you can stand by as well as walk with all your life)...

The Night Before Christmas

Here is a new poem to read to your children on this the night before Christmas... read this poem to the same "beat/rhythm" you would read the poem the night before Christmas:

Santa's Prayer on Christmas Eve

...............................................

The sleigh was all packed, the reindeer were fed,

But Santa still knelt beside of the bed.

"Dear Father," he prayed be with me tonight

There is much work to do and my schedule is tight.

I will visit each household before the first light,

I'll cover the world and all in one night.

To get in the house is the difficult part,

So I'll slide down the chimney of each child's heart.

My sack will hold toys to grant all their wishes.

The supply will be endless like the loaves and the fishes.

I will fill all the stockings and not leave a track.

I'll eat every cookie that is left for my snack.

I can do all these things Lord, only through You,

I just need your blessings then it's easy to do.

All this is to honor the birth of the One

That was sent to redeem us, Your Most Holy Son.

So to all of my friends, least Your glory I rob,

Please Lord, remind them who gave me this job!!!

And to all, "I" say, Merry Christmas and to all a good-night

Happy Hanukkah

I celebrate many of the Jewish holidays in my home and today being the start of Hanukkah, I wish all a Happy Hanukkah... the festival of lights... as I light the first candle on the menorah...

A Christmas song's true meaning

Many of the songs sung at Christmas time have nothing to do with Christ they are very secular as not to offend anyone... A strange concept to me since the word Christmas means, Christ Mass. But here is one I share, that seems to be very secular but is not. The song was written by someone with deep faith, yet they had to hide it for they were being persecuted in their native country being Catholic. I will share the meaning behind it:

The Twelve Days of Christmas:

The partridge in the pear tree is Jesus Christ

The Two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments

The three French hens stand for faith, hope and love

The four calling birds are the four gospels

The five golden rings are the Torah, the first five books of the Bible

The six geese a laying are the six days of creation

The seven swans a swimming are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit

The eight maids a milking are the eight beatitudes

The nine ladies dancing are the fruits of the Holy Spirit

The ten lords a leading are the 10 commandments

The eleven pipers stand for the eleven faithful apostles

The twelve drummers drumming are the twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed...

I bet this song takes on a whole new meaning for you and now when you sing it remember this "new meaning"....

Signs

I hear about many "signs" from God, in all faiths. The church that I attend though, believes that signs are not important or necessary. Only the revelation of Jesus Christ is, in the incarnation and the Gospels, (this I totally believe). Many people of my church do not know this or at least they do not "appear" to know this, for they go from one apparition site to another. Or worse many feel the need to go back to the same "apparition sites" over and over again. Is it not the same God in every place, in every church? Is there a lesser or greater God, only manifesting power in one area or geographic location? I learned in school if you need to repeat the same message again and again you are not learning it, once learned you do not have to go back and repeat the process. Sure there are refresher courses when learning, but to go back four or more times to hear the same message, there is something wrong there. Once you learn something you are to assimilate it into your environment. The truth being that even if the church approves an "apparition" or messages from God via private revelation, the faithful do not have to believe it to be true. It does not become a doctrine of faith, mandatory of belief in it. No, one only needs to believe in the Savior to be saved, not private revelation. Actually it could be harmful to you, if you get fixated upon it and not go to the Savior. In regards to signs, everyone is waiting for that one big sign to be sent by God. Well he already sent that sign, and we will soon be celebrating the birthday of the one who was that big sign to us all. Yet that does not seem good enough for many for they follow "signs" of people, be they a "visionary" or a "mystic" such as myself... You need neither, in fact be weary of such, such people should constantly be pointing you to your Savior no one else, especially not themselves. Yet still at the end of the day you do not need them.

And let the truth be told, God is giving everyone, "signs", in the everyday, take time to see them all around you. See them in the opportunities to serve others, to love. See them in the smiles given to you and those you give to others. See them in the eyes and hearts of those you love. See them in every thing on the planet, if it is not going well or looking good, see it as a "sign" of how you can do something to make it better.

I think it is good for people to share with others their touches of God in their lives it helps all of us, it lifts our faith and hope for the future. But do not hold anyone or anything higher then God. Do not wait for a "sign" from God... try something new; why not try being a "sign"... so when people look at your life they say...wow, I see God on that one, what a sign of love and mercy they are... NOW that is a SIGN... Don't wait for the "signs" that are predicated to come in the future, don't look to those who have "received" these messages or visions as "rock stars" of sorts, they are not.

So why do I blog and speak of my encounters with God, because I like talking about my best friend. Just the way I speak about my family and "other friends", I like to talk about my best friend who happens to be God. I also like hearing about this best friend of mine, so I encourage others to tell me their stories and encounters with God. This is with all faiths not just the one I am walking with on earth, God is not limited in any manner, he loves us all. Also to let those who might not have a best friend know that they do in God. He just loves us all and wants to relate to us all. So avoid the rush, do not delay that "sign" in your life... listen, believe, trust, love and have faith and you will, "hear and see" God too.

When you take a drivers test you need to learn what all the signs on the road mean in order to pass the test. Some of these signs are actually warnings; not to take this route for there is danger ahead. Yet when you do "real time" driving on the road, you can come across road signs that have been vandalized, spray painted over and you can not read the sign or it is saying something untrue. So it is best to commit to memory basic driving rules. This is true with some of the "signs, allegedly coming from God" they might have been vandalized trying to confuse you as you drive through this life. So commit to memory the only one you need, God; not someone else telling you about a sign to come.... And the biggest sign ever is, God loves you.... for you are a marvel of love, you move, you breath, you laugh, you cry... who else could do that for you except God?... a clear sign if ever I saw one...

Do not be afraid

I think of my father on this day, it would have been his birthday. He celebrates not years anymore but eternity. I also think of his father my grandfather. I never knew my grandfather he died prior to my birth, yet I know stories of him and most not flattering. My grandfather was a "god fearing man", or so they say. He was a "strict" catholic so much so that many of his children left the faith and hate to even speak of God. Yes, my grandfather taught about the wrath of God and how people will be thrown into the fires of hell. My grandfather used God as a "weapon" so to say, threatening his children if they did not do this, or that, God would punish them and cause them harm. Some of the punishments I heard my grandfather leveled on his family was to make his children kneel for hours, forcing them to do so while they "prayed". My grandfather also refused to let my grandmother have her teeth fixed, giving the money to a church instead. Hence my father, spoke or taught his children nothing of God, (it is clear my grandfather knew nothing of God). As St. Paul said, (I paraphrase here), you can pray all the days of your life and "do" things in the "name of God", but if you do not love you have done nothing. Or when Jesus said there will be those who come to him and say I did this in "your name" and Jesus will reply to them, get away from me, for I/you, never knew, you/me. I understand now why my father did not teach his children about God, in essence his father the "strict, good Catholic" stole the spirituality of his children from God. A sad story to say the least, and this sad story I heard before from many people who had, "strict, good religious" when they were in school, the ones that would rap their knuckles if they misbehaved or told them God was "displeased with them", or they were going to go to hell, if they did not change...Many of these people left the faith, some not even believing in God anymore. When a child is traumatized this experience usually carries over into adulthood. So many of these people who were told of a wrathful God, who hits them (such as the religious) or punishes such as my grandfather did, want nothing to do with God. So these "good Christians" due harm to God by taking away his children from him.

..... To all of these people of all faiths I say to you, that is not God, never was, those actions and thoughts were of misguided people, who did not know God themselves. I say to all who have left their faiths, come back, come back to God.... he loves you and misses you... rise above the pain given you and go to the one who can heal you. Do not blame God for the actions of man and do not become like them by thinking like them; that God is hateful and vengeful, he is not, he seeks to restore you, not destroy you.....

As a parent what would really tick me off was when someone told me how to raise my kids, my thought was back off my kids and me, pal, worry about yourself and your own household and I will take care of my own kids! I can only imagine what God must think when these "good Christians" or any faith/religion, does such things to his children, and tells them how he will punish them. It is not their business and they should never tell another that God will hurt them or punish them. Nor should they under any circumstance cause anyone pain, hurt or suffering at their hands, that is not only UN-Godly, it is criminal.

Why do I think of these things now, for this still goes on with many "good, strict" Christians and other religions. I had one such encounter with one this evening while at prayer, while in a church sitting before the Tabernacle, someone actually disturbed me in prayer to tell me I do not pray correctly. I have been told such things before that I am either to strict, or to liberal. I have been told I will burn in hell, or I am a agent of Satan, some have told me that I am a Saint an angel on earth.

We all need to stop judging each other be it in the positive or the negative, and forcing our "ways" on others. No one knows the heart of an individual or their intentions... Do not label anyone a sinner, since we all are, do not label anyone a saint here on earth, since no one is. Try to act in a saintly way and love without condition or expectation. If someone is not like you, still love them, if you only love those who are like you and act like you, I would dare to say that shows you love, yourself more for you are responding to them being like you. God likes personality and he is inclusive, we are all his children. So stop trying to be a parent to God's children, and see them as your brothers and sisters and love them as such, least you become the subject of the wrath you scare others with.

We live in a time of love, another word for salvation, Jesus did not come to judge the world but to save it. So step back from judging others and get with the program, the Divine program and get out there and save people through your love. You want to be like God, you'll have to die loving others then, not judging them and telling them about the wrath of God or hitting them and abusing them...

There is a side to God, that deals with wrath and justice, but that is not the side you can take a role in, you can not judge, least you be judge, you can not inflict wrath upon another in any way or you shall receive it. You are called to love, be charitable, be merciful and forgiving... so these things can be given to you.

By the nature of God he knows all things, sees all things, he does not need you to define him and who can do so; who can understand the mysteries that are God. He is working in every one on this planet in some way, respect their personal dignity and where they are. God has a plan an agenda for everyone, do not place your personal one on someone else. For we all think as man does not as God, we are finite in our thoughts, prone to ego. Truly let go , let God...

And be not afraid...

"Amelia"

I do not write much about my "locutions", I do try to make them known though, they are cloaked within the stories written in this blog. Yet some are so touching to me I believe they deserve direct mentioning. Such as the "Amelia" one. Over many months now, Jesus has spoken to me about "baseball", yes baseball. I am not a fan of baseball or any sport yet I have "heard" messages about baseball. What I have learned from these messages is the need to "step up to the plate" and do the right thing, even if you strike out, keep your eye on the ball and keep swinging. And if you should be graced enough to hit the ball, run the bases, bring it home. That you need to "play" the game and the game is a team sport. By playing the game I mean, do not talk the game but get in there and play it. You know, one hears a lot of talk about the hungry, the homeless, the down and out, but who is in the game helping these people. We are called to be players, not observers, there are no home runs unless you are up at bat, you are in the game. You cannot play the game of baseball alone you need a team and the team has to be like minded. There are rules and regulations within the game of baseball, such as there are with God, his being love, mercy, forgiveness, and charity.

So why the title "Amelia".... this is why...last Saturday while at Mass, the priest mentioned that there would be a funeral for a woman named, Amelia on Monday. The priest went on to say she had no family and that it would be nice to pray for this soul. Upon his saying this I decided I would attend Amelia's funeral Mass on Monday. Over the weekend I did what many are doing this time of year, shopping for Christmas gifts (there are 4 very young children in the family so I spent some time in a toy store), in addition to spending time with family. During my time at the Chapel in the evening though, Jesus once again spoke to me about baseball... This I thought odd for it is not baseball season and the thoughts of baseball were far from my mind, usually not there even during baseball season!

I did go to Amelia's funeral on Monday and once again, Jesus spoke to me about baseball and he smiled while he spoke of this. Yet this time I "saw" him at a baseball game, in a stadium, a filled stadium and he was with a woman unknown to me. I could "hear" the crowd, I could smell the peanuts in the air, hot dogs, everything that one would associate with a baseball game I either heard, saw or smelled it was very vivid. Now since I was at a funeral, I thought to myself, okay this time you really lost it. Here I was sitting in a church suppose to be praying for the deceased woman and I am mentally and somehow spiritually at a baseball game!!!

Soon it was time for the priest to deliver the homily at the funeral mass of Amelia and I could not believe what I was hearing... This priest said that the day before he went to the funeral home to visit with Amelia's friends and pray for Amelia. Now this priest never met Amelia, and he said the following; that he was surprised to see what Amelia was being buried in, a Baseball uniform... now as soon as I heard this my total focus was on this thought. A baseball uniform!!! This woman died at 82 years old and she is buried in a baseball uniform. For the rest of the Mass my thoughts were on this.

After the Mass concluded, Amelia's closest friends eulogised her and they spoke of her great love of baseball... calling her the biggest Yankee fan ever! That those who knew her, knew enough not to call her during a game, or if you visited her during a game you better be quite, sit and watch the game with her. That her greatest delight was to go to a baseball game. They also spoke of the fact that Amelia was a nurse and how many people she helped during her life; the woman who was doing the speaking actually said, if not for Amelia she would be dead, for Amelia was present at her birth and she had stopped breathing and it was Amelia who did mouth to mouth to start her breathing again.

So then I thought back to Jesus speaking to me about baseball this past weekend, he was letting me know about Amelia and that she was a player for his team, by her helping others. And as her reward, he came for her and took her to her favorite place, a stadium to "see" a baseball game.

That is the best statement I can give each and every one of you. That is how personalized you are to God, that he knows every thing about you... and to Amelia a piece of heaven would be going to a baseball game and God through Jesus provided this for her, as his thank you to her, for a game well played here on earth. Yes I think Amelia was not just an observer of the game on earth she was an all-star player on God's team... I end this with song lyrics for Amelia

Take me out to the ball game

Take me out to the crowd

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack

I don't care if I ever get back

Let me root,root, root for the home team

If they don't win it is a shame

For it is one, two , three strikes your out

At the old ball game

Yes indeed Amelia was a player, she rooted for the home team with her acts of love, kindness and mercy. Amelia stepped up to the plate in life, she kept her eye on the ball and hit it out of the ball park.

We are all like Amelia, the game will end for us one day as well.... when that happens what will be your sates... you will have a history of home runs or strike outs?

Excuse me I have to put on my baseball cap now and get into the game...

He was in no way a "wimp"

For those who think Jesus was a strict traditionalist do not know the historical Jesus. He was a God/man who was looked upon as being a rebel, breaking rules and traditions of the time. He was the first to tell the people of the "religion" that he called his own on earth, that their rules were breaking the spirit of the people they were suppose to help. Jesus was the one who healed on a day labeled "Holy" and no work should be done... I believe Jesus would be doing the same thing today, "breaking" the rules many Churches place upon people that cause them to leave their "religion" for the burdens placed upon them. Jesus spoke of those in power causing others to bend to the letter of the law, and not letting them know the heart of the law, which is love and mercy. He was totally inclusive attracting men and women, young and old.

Jesus also had no problem calling a fraud a fraud, or someone coming as a religious person, a "white washed tomb", if they used their religion for a power base and control of people. There was no hiding of sin with Jesus, no "rule or law" that said one must keep some one's sin a secret. To the contrary Jesus went out of his way to call people into the light with their sin, in the hopes that they would stop sinning and repent. So when any religion, corporation, government or person keeps sinful acts a secret or hides them under the guise that to make them public would hurt the people, it is a lie, they worry more about their own power and credibility then to hurt the people. It is worst to hide sin from others then to step up to the plate and say hey, we messed up. People have a right to know the truth, they possess dignity as people of God to be told the truth. And hey, they are going to find out one day any way when it is the general judgement when the sins of everyone are revealed. So beat the rush and tell the truth now.... for the truth will set you free... and it is what Jesus did he set everyone free and he always told the truth, no secrets with him... So tell it like it is...tell the truth...

Our Lady of Guadalupe

When my phone alarm went off this morning at 2:30 am I was disorientated thinking that someone was calling me with an emergency. Waking from the fog of sleep, I soon realized that I set the alarm to go to church this morning at 4 am. When driving to the church, the roads were wet and it was pouring rain, my car being the only one on the road. I thought what am I doing who is going to be there so early, no one is even up yet! When I got closer to the church, I started to see people walking in the rain, many without umbrellas. Soon I arrived at the church and found that the parking was limited, there were many cars there. After parking I walked into the church. As soon as I opened the doors the sound of trumpets , guitars and singing filled the air. I saw that the pews were filled with people, young people, babies, families, old people. The church was filled with a "presence", the presence of love you could reach out and touch it.

This was the celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Being that I have gone to this church prior and worked with a group of Spanish speaking people in this church, I recognized that most of the people were of Mexican decent and many not, "documented". Now the usual word one hears on the radio or super conservative TV shows is these are the "illegals"... The ones, the predominate "talking heads of the media", call the blight of this country. These same "talking heads" also usually call themselves God fearing and believing people, yet they rip into a whole nation of people with their hatred and fear mongering that these "illegals" are taking away jobs and menacing society with crimes committed. Now granted, I am sure there is a percentage of those coming into the Country in this manner that are undesirable, as there is a percentage of "Americans" that are undesirable and living here.

Yet to call someone illegal, denotes criminal activities. I upon working with these people have heard many stories as to why they come to the United States, from poverty, to finding hope in a land that their own Country cannot offer them. I never heard them say anything against America or its native people, they so much want to be like the "Americans". When someone wants to be like you it is not a threat, it is a compliment, that you are a goal to be reached, not something to destroy. No, I choose to call these people "undocumented" not "illegals", for they are not coming as criminals, they are coming to be better, to have better, they are coming with hope and faith that life can offer, more then that, which they leave. In essence they are saying to each and everyone of us, please help me, for you are looked upon as being good and honorable by us, in you we see hope. Yet many instead of reaching out a hand to help another; choose to smack it down and call them names. In doing so they, those who are doing the name calling, the smacking down, they are the "illegals" for they are breaking the law of God and that is love. You are to love your neighbor as yourself, you cannot say you love God and hate your neighbor, for if you do so you are a liar. Not only are you an "illegal" in breaking the law of love, you, bear false witness to God by saying you love him and worship him, when you hate your neighbor at the same time.

So on this day, early in the morning I am treated by God to spend time with my brothers and sisters from Mexico as they show their love of God and his mother in song and praise. I sit in the back of the church and I watch these people of faith and my eyes fill with tears and I say a silent prayer for forgiveness for all the times in my life I was a "talking head" judging others who were not like me, shooting them down verbally, diminishing them in my thoughts , words and deeds. I am feeling deep sorrow and pain, for when I did these things to the least of my brothers and sisters, I did so to God and how ashamed I am. With these thoughts a little child dressed in Native Mexican clothing smiles at me, as if to say I know what you are thinking and I love you, sing with me now and forget the past and lets move forward with love. I smile back at her and start to sing and I am humbled to be in a church filled with those labeled "illegals" ... These are the people that may not be the "rightful heirs" to the country I call mine, but they are the "rightful heirs" to the Kingdom of God, by their love. Maybe one day they will be in heaven and those who condemn them now will be asked to leave the Kingdom of God, for they are truly "illegals" not knowing how to love and this is an offense in heaven that will bar you for all eternity in the Native land of God.

Facts about the tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Many know of the amazing and mysterious facts surrounding the Shroud of Turin, but not many know of the ones surrounding the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.. The image is on the tilma of the man who saw her Juan Diego. A few facts are:

1) the tilma is made of woven grass fibers, having a life expectancy of 75 years, yet the tilma is over 460 years old and still in good condition. To this day there is and was no protective covering placed upon the tilma itself.

2) During the turmoil in Mexico in the 1930's someone placed a bomb in a vase of flowers before the tilma. It exploded, the force of the bomb was so great that 6 foot brass candlesticks and a 6 foot crucifix on the altar melted completely backwards, yet the tilma was not harmed in any manner.

3) the eyes on the tilma, in the the 1970's, an opthamologist testified that when he looks into the eyes of the image on the tilma with his instruments, he sees what he would normally see looking into human eyes of a living person. Just as what a "live" person is looking at it is reflected in their eyes, reflected in the eye of the image on the tilma, are those who have been identified as the people the Virgin would have been looking at in the room at the moment the tilma was unfolded and the image appeared.

4)the veil and the crown.... Computer studies of the arrangement of stars on the veil show they are in the exact configurations of the constellations that were visible in the night sky of what is now Mexico City the day of the apparition. The entire geographical topography of Mexico has been identified in the shadow of her garments. Another significance of the stars on the veil has to do with the Indians worship of the stars. By wearing them , she signals to them that she is more powerful than the many stars they worship. The golden flowers on her garment are signs and symbols of her special election in God, the golden flowers symbolizing grace.

5)the one she worships... The beautiful lady on the image is not God. Her hands are folded in prayer and her head is bowed in reverence to the One greater than she, the invisible Lord and God and Creator of the world.

6) the rays she stands before.... There are 144 rays. She appears surrounded by rays of the sun while hiding the sun itself. This told the Indians who worshipped the sun that she was more powerful than the sun.....Could the 144 rays, have a connection to the number 144,000, referred to in the Apocalypse?

7) the facial features on the face... The face of the Virgin Mary's on the tilma is a composition of all races. Each of the races can find something of their own in her image. She is for all races all people.

.....................the list of such facts as the above are numerous I give you just a sampling here, there have been books written about the tilma, some even calling the tilma a "Gospel" of sorts for contained within it is an entire message of the mighty works of God.

So remember, you "talking heads" that criticize the people who walked in the rain on this day to give praise to God through the woman whose image is on the tilma, remember who her Son is, and when you judge others and refuse to help them and love them... just remember the power of the Son of this woman, who appears in the tilma, he who could do such marvels.... Remember and repent, learn to love and act in love....

Prayer and fasting

There is great power in prayer and fasting. First to pray is to show faith in God, you cannot pray if you do not believe you are communicating with God. To fast is to choose the things of spirit instead of the things of the flesh.

There is reference upon reference to the power of fasting in the Bible, when the apostles complained to Jesus that they could not cast out a demon, Jesus responded you need to pray and fast to do such. It is not just Christianity that knows of the power of fasting our brothers and sisters of other faiths know this as well, such as the Jews. Even stories of Gandhi when he wanted England to leave India he fasted for this intention and history shows what Gandhi was able to do with the power of fasting. I have met a couple of exorcists for the Catholic church and when they do an exorcism they fast for a period of time before hand, to add to the power of their prayers. Prophets in the old testament were called to tell people to repent of their sins, to pray and fast that God might spare them.

There are many "apparitions" going on throughout the world today some I believe some not so much.. but this is not for me to decide, for as Jesus said if they are not against us, they are for us ... so I say what ever produces fruit and brings people back to God is a good thing. There is one active apparition site that I do believe and that is Medugorje, for there the call to prayer and fasting is a constant, as is the call not to judge other faiths...that division among faiths and people is not a thing of God but of men, that we are all, no matter what we are called, children of God these things I believe to be true.

Fasting can stop a natural occurrence from happening, change a situation, prayer is heightened by fasting, prayers are answered faster, and the consciousness of a person is elevated to things of God. These things I know for I have witnessed them first hand...

We must all pray more and fast and offer up to God things that are not pleasant to us.

As corny as this may sound we need to be like the movie, "Oh God" the George Burns movie, where the little girl makes a poster with the saying..."Think God"... that is what we all need to do... think God... prayer will help you do this... fasting will help you do this... and when you do this God can help you... he can help us all.

Hope and Faith

Life is hard, really hard. Many are in a dark tunnel, financially, emotionally and health wise. It seems over the last few days that I have been receiving more telephone calls and hearing more stories of those who just do not know how they are going to make it through their problems. They are worried about keeping their homes, they are worried about meeting their bills, they are worried about their children, their marriages are in trouble... it goes on and on. And this is just in my locale, globally the issues are bigger. There are people starving throughout the world, there is social injustice throughout the world, there is pain and suffering in mass within this Country I call my own and in all other countries.

And here I am writing on this blog saying to you, hang on, have faith, have hope. I can imagine that many of you are thinking, what a Pollyanna, she needs to get her head out of the sand and get into the real world. Is faith going to keep a roof over my head, is hope going to feed my family or cure my disease... I say to you my head is in the real world for I too wonder, if I will be homeless, if I will be without basic needs met, will I be able to have health care. For you see, I do not have a home, I too am without employment and I am without medical insurance. So I am just like many of you, not knowing what will happen to me. I am not walking in assurance that things will be okay , I am walking in faith and hope that God knows where I am and that he will provide. I need to supply God with the faith and hope in him that no matter what, I am going to trust him, no matter how dark it seems, I need to remember God is the light that can get me through. I do have examples of God being able to do amazing things with people, I will share some of my personal experiences of the power of God.

On May 6, 1990, a 30 month fast began for me, eating nothing just drinking water, juice and coffee in the morning. Since I am a Catholic people think this was a "Eucharist fast" ...it was not, it was not that lofty. Yet on some level it was more profound. For a "Eucharist fast", is an isolating concept, saying that only the Catholic through receiving the Eucharist can be given such a grace. Although I have great devotion to the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. God is bigger then any thought process of man, and God works in and through all people. We need to stop placing God in a box and believing he can only act in a manner acceptable within our own belief system or thought processes. No the nature of the word, God, denotes Almighty power not subject to the will of man or the thoughts of man. The fast that I was placed on so many years ago was to show me on a personal level that God can do anything, maintain life in any manner he sees fit even allowing a body (a carbon based unit such as myself to survive without substance)...

What I was taught on a spiritual level at that time, was that there is much in the way of greed in this world, there is not a fair and equitable distribution of that, which is conducive to life for all. That this greed is what is causing famine, and mass suffering and pain in the world. That in the hearts and minds of those who are in "power" on earth and I mean on earth for their power is but smoke and mirrors to the real power that exists that created us and this planet. Commodities, services and other resources are being held back by those who want personal wealth and power.

My fast of years ago taught me on a personal level that a lot less is needed for people to survive and live; that the expression, live simply so others may simply live is true. Does a person really need two , three or more houses when there are so many that are homeless. Does a person need to have three gourmet meals or more a day,(my fasting for nearly three years without any food, showed me the answer to that is no), when there are people starving, going through garbage dumps looking for food. Those who say they are pro-life, do they not understand that this includes, making sure that people are fed, clothed and housed, do these same people understand that health care should not be a privilege, but a right, by the mere fact that people have worth within life itself, not in the ability to pay to be cared for. Also do we really need to build bigger and better buildings of worship in any faith, when we are allowing the temples of God, "people" to go without. How does this make sense to any faith? To raise high a structure of wood and steel and not help the structure of life itself, the struggling individual. For the Christian who believes that Jesus died for us, how can they not see, he died for people not structures or personal wealth. For those outside of Christianity who say they believe in God, can they not see, that God does not need a building or "real estate" to demonstrate his Power, he is of endless capacity not in need of us making things for him or claiming land in his name. He is in need of us loving each other, nothing more.

I have also been "given" other times when I was placed upon a fast, as to why these things are given to me and how I survive them I do not know, other then God is in charge. When the powerful think their deeds are going unnoticed, they are wrong, what is done in the shadows of mankind are being seen by the Divine for in him there is no darkness all is revealed. Such people are like wild horses that God is allowing to run for now, but there will come a time that God will throw the rope around them and they will be brought before him.

What I urge all to do is to pray, no matter your faith or lack thereof, pray not just for your needs but for the needs of us all. We are sorely lacking in love, mercy, hope and faith. I would ask that everyone at least one day a week fast... This can be from food or anything that you like or want to do, just do it for one day a week, instead of satisfying your personal want or desire such as food or whatever, offer it to God as a prayer that he helps us all and this planet. For times are really bad, they truly are, but we as children of one God can go as a "family" to our God and ask him to help us... the choice is yours/ours... Especially for those who are not affected by the stresses and pains in the world now, at the end of the day, (the end of our lives or within our lifetime), we will all be placed on the scales of justice. Try to even out the scale by being merciful and helping those in need, to whom much is given much will be expected...

Language

I never had the "facility" to learn a foreign language, a trait most in my family have, they picking up languages easily and completely. For me, English seems my one and only means of verbal communication and with this I struggle.

Several months ago I pondered language and its variations throughout the world, I did this pondering in church and I "heard", Jesus speak to me... My first reaction to this "voice"was in "real time", when Jesus walked upon earth he spoke Aramaic...yet I "hear" him not in that language... then I thought what language am I hearing him in? And then I realized that I am not "hearing" him in a language per say... I am translating the "language Jesus speaks to me", in my mind into English and this is what I understand... now I know that sounds confusing.... But when Jesus, "speaks" to me I am not hearing with my ears I am hearing in my whole being... Then my mind in a split second translates this "bodily communication" into thought; words that I speak and that is English. I once asked Jesus what language are you speaking to me in? For I do not hear with my ears, yet I am perceiving a voice , words, hence I am understanding your communication to me in my native language... As if I were listening to a foreign language and I had the instant capacity to translate what was said to me within in my mind. That I actually was "thinking" that foreign language, even though I did not know it.

Yet the communication from Jesus is so rapid, there really is no time in the mind to translate, it just is and I understand it... So again I asked Jesus what language are you speaking to me in?

Jesus responded to this question with the following... "I am speaking to you in the language of love".... That made me even more curious, for I thought that love was or is a feeling not a language a communication.... Then I thought of the locutions there is joy, there is quickening of spirit, happiness, and overwhelming feeling of lightness and taking all of that into consideration, I would call that love. There is also a stillness in the mind, where you blank out everything around you, yet your are aware of the nosies around you, like background music during the main event, which, is the locution, yet you are totally focused on the locution. There have been times though that no sound other then the locution can be heard, nothing as if the locution originated within a vacuum.

On one occasion Jesus, asked if I wanted to learn the language of love. I said yes and he taught me on a very small scale for a brief time. The language of love is spoken from the heart and the mind, the "feeling" is from the heart, the "unconditional" comes from the mind, (thoughts), that no matter what I am going to love from the heart... No matter what I am thinking about with a certain situation or event I am going to love from the heart and not place negative or harmful thoughts on anyone or anything I am going to rise above "me" and lay down my personal opinions/will and choose to love...Choose to extend mercy instead of judgement... The language of love is very hard to master... To master it you have to think in the language, you can not translate it first, it has to be fluent and natural. Even if you do not speak the native tongue of someone, they will understand if you speak to them in the language of love. Jesus comes to people in love, we live in the time of salvation, salvation being the highest form of the language of love.

This past weekend I was gifted to be able to speak the language of love... I spoke for three nights during a nine day novena honoring, Our Lady Of Guadalupe. There were only Spanish speaking people there, I do not speak Spanish. Yet on each night with the help of a translator and the love these people have for God. I was able through the works of the Holy Spirit reach the people on a level I usually cannot even do in my native tongue. There was a river of grace flowing back and forth between these beautiful people and myself... And I remembered the lessons Jesus taught me in the past, reach out to everyone in love, no matter their language, their race, their faith, their gender, speak to all in the language of love and then you will be communicating as a child of God. So I thank God, for letting me "speak" to my brothers and sisters in a manner not of the voice, but of the heart... To let them know I love them, I may not understand you , but that is okay, I love you and with love we will come to understand each other. Fear not differences, that other people have, love enough, care enough to reach out to them where ever they are in life. Fear is useless, fear causes division seek to understand, lay down your own preferences in life, extent and expand your heart. "Exercise" your heart with love, build that muscle, that virtue, by exercising it everyday, every moment with love. Pump yourself up with mercy, understanding and compassion.

Santa Claus

Santa Claus, not his "real name", did you know he was a real guy, not like the one who is envisioned now to all. His real name is Nickolas and he lived in real time. He being a very generous man with a big heart for children. I mention him today for it is his feast day. St. Nickolas' first miracle was for a family whose daughter wanted to get married but there was no dowry to pay for her to be married. St. Nickolas in his kindness and generosity, gave the money to the family so this woman could have her wedding. Doing so in secret, legend being that he saw an open window in the house and he threw a bag of coins into the house, through this opened window. So not only did St. Nickolas give from his heart to help another he did so in secret, not taking credit nor getting puffed up within himself that he helped another. No the humble, ever kind man called Nickolas, gave from the heart without wanting recognition or even a thank you, he knew that the real thank you, was for God. For although it was Nickolas throwing the bag of gold coins into the window of that house, it was God who provided the gold for Nickolas, you see all things are of God.

The lesson here if you are in the position to help another, do so with generosity and do not think, how good you are to share your wealth, it is not your wealth, it is God's grace to you. It is also God's test to you, for to whom much is given, much is expected, one day you will have to account for all you have been given in life. This world is not a place to collect and store personal wealth, power and position, this world is a place to be tested in how much you love, share and show compassion. I refer you to the story in the Bible about the three men that were given money and the one who did not invest it wisely. This is also a story of where your heart is; is where your treasure will be. Your "personal wealth" cannot get you into heaven, you cannot pay for entry there. But there is a price, a free will offering from the heart, it is called love...

Nickolas knew this, so his life was dedicated to helping others and sharing his wealth... and of course our God will never be outdone, so in Nickolas doing this for others, he was never without abundance himself all the more for him to share with others.

........Sorry... but I have to go now, I am going to see "Santa Claus" this morning with a 2 year old family member and his 3 month old brother. We are looking forward to this meeting, I am very much so for the spirit of St. Nickolas will be there, the love and laughter of children as well, which, is the presence of God...

God's advisor

Yesterday while power walking, (something I try to do everyday), I thought about my prayer life. Upon thinking of this I thought for the most part I have tried to be God's advisor. With such prayers as, well God if you do this, then this will happen, and God if you only did it this way things would be better. Or my 'regular" prayer, so God if you only would do this for me, I can do this, and if you do this for so and so their life would be better.

So you see I have been God's advisor for sometime, constantly telling him, how and why he should be doing things, with myself, others and all creation.

That is until this evening I listened to a tape about the universe, the number of known galaxies, the number of stars known, etc.... they being in the billions... then I heard how fast light speed is and how far away light years are. Then I thought, in the beginning, God called light out of darkness, just by calling it... so in essence God spoke faster then"light speed"....

For upon his saying "light" all was lit so there was no travel time; it just was. Then I thought of our planet, just this planet never mind all the other galaxies, etc., and we only know a limited amount of these, yet God created it all..... So I am thinking that I need to resign my position as "advisor of God", for I am not qualified to even speak in his presence never mind try to advise him on what he should be doing with my life or any others..... So they next time you think you should be giving God advice ... think of Creation and think to yourself am I qualified to advise such an awesome God ... we all need to allow God to advise us and guide us, not the other way around..

And hey, you want to talk about power walking... the ultimate power walker is Jesus, doing so on his walk to Calvary, now that was the POWER WALK of a lifetime. One that gave us all back our "life" and we are now in the "time" of "salvation" because of this God/man's "exercising" his might and power to redeem and save all of us...

A willingness to be misunderstood, maybe even disliked

In all of the writings presented on this blog, there is a representation of two things, my spirituality and my personality. God is working through us all, each and every one of us has a purpose in being here on this planet or we would not be in existence. I believe that every day is a struggle for us all or at least it should be to try and determine, why are we here... The greatest among us to the smallest, within you there is a Divine plan. We see each other and the world through human eyes, so what we think the plan is, many times is not. The best plans ever created are the simplest, this I believe to be so with God, it is the simplest among us that glorify God the most. This has logic to me, when I think of God..... For, when I stand outside in the evening and stare at the sky, I see the lights of the stars, planets and moon above, I realize that within my vision is only the smallest fraction of what is "out there". That there is so much more I cannot see. I realize that one Creator did all of this and he is still creating in parts unknown to us, and those known, as in a child in the womb.

I see that I have been given a sense of awe and faith in the Creator, a relationship with him in a manner that I can relate too.

I also see that as a personality I can be a snit, I can be short tempered and lacking in tolerance on some issues.... that is the me part of who I am.... not the God part of me and who he wants me to be...

We all have a me part inside and a God part inside... these "two within" are in struggle. When we are able to control the me in us and show the God in us to others, we are loving, we are walking in the Divine design for our lives.

So I apologize to all, for all the times I showed my, me side, in these writings... you do not need to know me, you need to know God. He will never fail you, he will never hurt you, he will always love you... Rise above human thought and perceptions and just love, through all things love. As a human, love is not easy, we have been given the wrong definition of it and we get confused as to what love is. Love is a choice and it not an easy one for the most part. To love is to be a servant to the needs of others. I will use here a twist on words spoken by President John F. Kennedy... when he said.. "Ask not what your Country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your Country"... love is... "Love is not what someone can do for you, but what you can do for someone"....

So with my words I take the chance of being misunderstood or disliked... that is okay, as long as I brought it home to you that you are loved by a God who never misunderstands you and never dislikes you.

P.P.

Okay, I am going to give up something of myself here as a kid I had a few nicknames given me one being, P.P.. I now think of these initials and I think of our planet as being P.P. (the perfect place)... It is perfect in every manner to maintain life as we know it. To think that this could have been done randomly, is truly "magical thinking". One would have to believe that every single thing on the planet down to its molecular structure was by random coincidence without any outside influence upon it. Yet these same people who believe this say that those who have a belief system in God are closed minded because they refuse to believe in the nature of science. Such people call the "religious" individual ignorant in the ways of science and knowledge... to these people I say okay if you have the answers to creation, then please while I wait can you make a tree for me out of nothing, or maybe can you create a solar system.... How about calling light out of darkness as God did in the 33 psalm, he doing so not by work, or his hands, but just by the power of his word. So please prove your theory, for is it not true to have a scientific theory you have to be able to duplicate the theory again and again... so please duplicate the universe or at least one star, or even just a blade of grass, but do it from nothing just your spoken word....

I have been really thinking of the greatest of God and how he is truly beyond our ability to understand or even wrap our mind around the smallest detail of him, he is so much more then that which, we think or even can imagine. We think Lord and Savior, Creator... HE IS MORE, MORE, MORE... endlessly more.

I think back on September 10th of this year, that was the day the CERN collider was fired up for the first time.... this was not the first one to do so there was one in Long Island I believe...a secret project for a while or maybe just one that was not given any attention... but the CERN collider was given much in the way of press...

There was a lot of negative press and fears that this collider when started would create a black hole and destroy the world... that did not happen..

But there was a black hole created on that day, not in the manner expected but within the hearts of men that cheered this project on. The reason this project is going on is to find how the Universe was started, with statements such as how did the big bang occur and hence the creation of the universe. They even have a name for it, they are looking for the "God particle"... they have equations and theoretical physics to back up their belief system, assured that they are going to find this God particle and unlock the mysteries of God. And then they will be just like God...knowing his secrets... So where have I heard this before, oh yes the Bible... First in the garden of Eden when the serpent told Eve, eat this and you will be like God... Then this story in the Bible, called the Tower of Babel when man attempted to reach to heaven and capture some of God's power.

Foolish man never takes the lessons of the past to heart, that is why he is destined to repeat them... The smartest among you is nothing to the intelligence that created the universe you seek to unravel...

We want to have God's knowledge and power but not his love, and law. We chase the miracles of life not the Creator of life, himself. We strut our stuff for all to see how brilliant we are... but are we? Just what would we do with the knowledge they seek , go out and create our own universe, just to show God we know the answer and take this God we can do it as well...

The experiment done on that day set me back into the world in which, I was spawned so to say, (a pun for Darwin believers). These comments come from one who knows now that, they are not from primordial slime, a random act of nature but from a Creative design, set in place by the Creator.

I was raised to hold high knowledge and education, but these knees will not kneel before the altar of science anymore, nor will I genuflect before knowledge, (or the lack thereof) ,of man. These knees are kneeling before truth now an altar of absolute, not an art form created by man for their own amusement. If science is truth why is it always changing, why does it need to evolve? Truth stands in a place without beginning and without end, it just is, no need to adjust it, fine tune it or add to it... that is the nature of truth. If you are calling something a "truth" it does not need defense of your argument, it does not need proof, it is all of that within itself, if indeed it is truth... Which, makes me think, when people say they have to defend their faith, I ask why? If it is truth; true faith, it has legs of its own to stand on it does not need you to stabilize it in any manner...

I am very weary of "elitists" be they academic or religious; academics or pseudo-intellectuals that spend their lives inside an equation or classroom trying to figure out their egos for the most part. I understand self discovery but this is not what they do, ... and here I will be blunt... they academically masturbate over us all... they are so insecure on some level knowing they do not have the answers, they attempted to kick down the structure of God to make up for their own inadequacy... such is a fool's game... (as the saying goes your arms are too short to box with God)... I add so why do you even enter the ring? In doing so you soil us all, you defeat us all, because of your status among men, they look up to you for their answers instead of lifting their minds and eyes to God. You create false idols, you make, yourselves to be gods for the weak, the struggling, and the unsophisticated. Yours is a game of smoke and mirrors, not truth. Truth is simple, truth is for the masses not just the learner... behold the little child, behold the truth... Such is the structure of God, such is the, "God Particle"...

It seems to me that there are two "Adams" in the world, the "original one" who was kicked out of the Garden and the new one (Our Savior)...

The old one, this Adam still wants to mess with Eden, still thinks he knows better then God, still wants to be his own creator. This Adam has even abandon his wife wanting not to be married to Eve any more but he wants to wed Evil. He wants this woman who offers him the mysteries of God if he will only lay with her and take on her agenda (not God's). She is a beautiful woman Evil, offering the man pleasure and delights unknown to him, be careful Adam, she is a Dominatrix. She is in your life not to add to it but to shame you, which, is what a Dominatrix does, she is the one with the whip in her hand, and the chains that bind you.

If she should talk you into marrying her Adam, at your wedding, I will stand up and say I object to this marriage for I am in this world and this marriage is not of God. No this marriage does not represent me and what we were created to be...stop the wedding... For they will be honeymooning on my God given planet... they will exposing their error to mankind, masking it as truth...stop the wedding... there is another bridegroom, another Adam, who is worthy and he will marry Eve (his church, his people), not Evil...

I think we as a people have been sent two wedding invitations, one is to attend the first Adam's wedding, when he weds Evil and the second being the one to attend the new Adam's wedding when he marries his Bride (us).

Please, RSVP, the wedding you wish to attend, do so through your heart. Wedding gifts are already being accepted, here are some of the gifts on the "gift registry" 1) love...2) mercy...3) works of charity...4) forgiveness to others and yourself...5) trust...6) kindness....

See you at the wedding...

Advent

So many people in the United States are really ticked off at the government for the bail outs that were given to big corporations and more are planned. It always seems that the "little guy" , the man in the streets never gets cut a break, where is their bail out? Who is going to help them in all their concerns, sorrows and losses? Where are they going to find the money to get out of their personal debt?..... Well don't worry today is the first day of Advent.... Advent being God's bail out plan for us all.... in 25 days, the God/man will arrive with every one's bail out, he will pay off every one's debt, no need to stress or worry this God/man has you covered... Pray, hope and don't worry... worry is useless what is needed is faith and trust... Those being the deposit slips for the bail out.. you can meet your benefactor, on Christmas Day, he is located in a stable, you can find it by the star shinning above it...

"Black Friday"

Word usage and the way God thinks as compared to man. In the US today it is called "Black Friday". On first blush this brings to mind a picture of despair, black denoting suffering or sorrow of some sort. Yet black Friday as it is used on this day in the US, should maybe be called, greed Friday, for today is the day that all merchants wish to change the "color" of their "books" (sales of their products), from "red ink" not making money, to "black ink"... being in the money. The day is used to sell products for "Christmas"... interesting concept, that I can not appreciate as having anything to do with Christmas. As Christmas is the birth of Christ, the birth of salvation I do not see how mankind has progressed, or (digressed), to seeing this day or any day, when one thinks of the birth of Christ as a day to sell products.

"Black Friday", in the life of a merchant, (I use this term broadly for usually it is a large corporation, not an individual), is the day that they seek to clear the books, make their year end quota, the real meaning of Christmas being the furthest thing from their mind. Christmas is a money maker for them and they seize the day, so to say.

Christmas has turned into a money making machine so many cottage industries have sprung up throughout modern history, using the theme of "Christmas giving", decorations and cheer... This is a "high pressure Holiday' for many, actually for all, for who can measure up to the expectation of gifts, entertaining, etc... Depression is rampant during this time of year as is suicide... One can hardly find a "true meaning for Christmas" anymore... Christmas is suppose to be simple and small, like the simple place Christ was born in and his smallness as a baby...

My hat is off though for many minds are turned to the homeless and less fortunate this time of year... but in many it is usually a one shot deal and forgetting about these people for the rest of the year...

So please give the gift that lasts, that does not have to be returned for "size"... give the gift of love, for that was the gift that was given to us all on December 25th... budget your time and money throughout the year on giving the gift of love to others.

Remember December 25 is not your birthday, it is his, gift him not yourselves, he already did that by his birth... start a new tradition with you and yours pick another day to gift each other, try it everyday in small ways... And give the gift of love for that special day called Christmas Day, give it everyday.

One last thought how would you like if someone "hijacked" your birthday!

Maybe you can celebrate "Santa Claus" on his feast day which, is December 6th or gift each other on January 6th the feast of the Three Kings and give the "newborn King" his due, keep his birthday "commercial free"... look to him, not the gifts under the tree on December 25th.

In Thanksgiving

Everyday but especially on this day in the United States I give thanks, first and always to God, for the Eucharist, which means Thanksgiving. I give thanks for everything, for all things of Creation work for the good for those who love God. There is nothing we have family, friends, food, homes, etc that was not given to us by God's grace.

I started the day at church, a beautiful event of song and praising God. I also volunteered at a home for the aged, what a grace and blessing this was to me. Visiting people, hearing their individual stories, some broke my heart and some warmed my heart, but all filled my heart with love. Mighty love for in their faces, I saw our God's face. Especially with the ones no came to visit or the ones who had so much pain in their lives that when they spoke tears came out of their eyes. Each person there was like a song and they gracious sang it to me, the songs of their lives on earth. I listen carefully to each note hit by them and followed the melody and rhythm ... their tempo changed for each stanza sung. I was captivated by the tunes I realized that we are a rhapsody, a concert before the Lord, our lives being our instruments. The ones to whom I spoke with who had great faith in life were the ones whose songs were sung in perfect pitch even when they came to the low notes in life, they were able to maintain their song without a crack or flat note. To them all, (as I would do at a concert), I stand up and say BRAVO, well done, they all deserve a standing ovation...

On this day I met a woman who is blind and she taught to me to see clearer with eyes of faith. I met a woman who was raped and forced to marry the man who did this to her, she was married for 45 years and he cheated on her the whole time he was alive; she told me she never forgave him or learned to love him. Going on to say but she always knew God loved her and so she always gave her problems and inability to forgive to God. This woman taught me God's mighty power to carry you through deep darkness in life. I met another who just wanted me to hold her hand and sit next to her for awhile, which taught me we need to lend a hand to others. I met a man who was a childhood friend of Frank Sinatra and this taught me the value of friendship, for Mr. Sinatra always kept up his friendship with this man. I learned the joy in doing what you like to do, in the jokes and laughter shared with the people who worked at this facility.

And I learned as I always do when you reach out to help someone else, it always ends up that they have helped you more, for on this day I left this nursing home with joy and gratitude in my heart to God for allowing me the grace to be with his people, my brothers and sisters in the kingdom of God.

And I end with this final comment which, is always a true statement... "God will never be outdone"... As the residents of this home were eating I sat at the table of one who no came to visit, to keep her company. Half way through the meal she told me she was of Native American Indian descent. Upon hearing this I said ,Wow, this is like the first Thanksgiving I am being honored to sit with a Native American ... so on this day I was given the fellowship of a "real" American, an original, just like history tells us was done at the beginning of this country. To top that off as everyone in the room was eating outside the window a wild turkey walked by and everyone laughed and cheered this turkey on for making it through the day... Which, upon further thought is a good prayer for me... please Dear God, just let this turkey (me) make it through the day...