Sunrise

When the sun rises

There is glory in all creation

Speculation entices

To spend the day in appreciation

My goodness, it's been ages since I sat down with my computer to compose a post.  No excuses.  Just lazy I guess.  You'd think after all these years I'd have a lot to say.  Well, the truth is, I don't  have a lot to say.  LIfe is good.  Now I hope to share at times how good it is to me.  As the sunrise above attests, it is beautiful and it is appreciated!

So, until tomorrow, I say:

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Cathy

 

Dependency

There are those times

When one must rely on help

Thanks be for that help

~~~~~~~

For the last several weeks I've been incapcitated.  It was elective surgery on my foot and I  had to stay in bed for two weeks.  Darned if that isn't really hard!  But now I'm up and at 'em.  

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!

Cathy

~~~~~~~

Reflect seriously on what you desire to do; above all 

pray much that our dear Lord may make known 

to you what he wishes you to do.

Saint Mother Theodore Guerin

 

Please visit recuerda mi corazon for Haiku My Heart. There is always more beautiful words  there to enchant and encourage!!!

Ramblings

I love walking in the early morning.  It is generally quiet and it's much cooler.  I'm get impatient for it to cool off in the evening for a walk so I just walk in the morning.  

Last week one of my early morning walks was foggy and just the right temperature for an energizing walk.  It was so foggy you couldn't see the opposite bank of the Ohio.

This morning was different.  The sun was trying to rise through the clouds and it was gloriously cool.  The humidity was low for this time of the year and I was in heaven.  

The sun's trying to peek through the clouds.

The flora was flaunting its beauty!

 

And even on the best of days there are those who just cannot help but defy ther rules.  Right now it has just begun to rain.  It looks like my heavenly walk ended just in time.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Cathy

Please join me for Mosaic Monday, image-in-ing, and Our World Tuesday.

Joy of Saint Nicholas Haiku

Today I join Meri for Share the Joy Thursday.   For I believe we need to find it in my life every day no matter the realities in which we live.  God is Good in so many ways even in times of trial.

Joy comes in many forms.

And this day has the potential of
being just as grand as

celebrating with Saint Nicholas
the love of God in the Incarnation.

I must be open to it!

~~~~~~~~~~

Good Saint Nicholas

Most generous follower

Model of giving

Good Saint Nicholas

 He teaches humility

Heed his example

~~~^j^~~~

So it is that we are called to follow the Savior in HUMILITY and LOVE for all.  And Saint Nicholas lived his life in such a way that we might know that it is possible even today to be giving and loving as our Savior and Lord has taught us to be.

*

***

*****

*******

|

~~~~~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

Cathy

Please visit Rebecca at recuerda mi corazon for Haiku My Heart. There is always more beautiful words  there to enchant and encourage!!! 

I'm also joining Lou Ceel at Haiku Friday.  Come play with words.  It's such a joy!!!

Lesson Well Learned

It's been a long time since I've reflected on the words of Amy Welborn in her Catholic Woman's Book of Days. As I read today's reflection I thought how appropriate it is that I am reading this today! Tomorrow we leave for Atlanta for the wedding of Jimmy and Kelly. I have gifts wrapped to deliver to those unable to share Christmas with us this year. I have boxes and boxes of decorations, food, dishes, et. al. I have cheese balls to make and pies to fix...My head is in a spin and I've totally lost my appetite! (This happens when I am stressed.) So here is the lesson offered me!

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The
Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends
of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His
understanding is unsearchable. He give power to
the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
~Isaiah 40: 28-29~
~*~

This time of year can be exhausting, especially for the lone ranger like me, who, in her heart, doesn't' thing that anyone else can really do anything right and has some sort of weird pride in pulling celebrations together solely on her own power.

How silly. How prideful. How exhausting.

It's not just true of holiday doings; it's true for the rest of life. Asking for help isn't on anyone's list of sins, as far as I know while pride is on the top of most of them.

~*~

Lord, there are part of my life in which I need help.
Dispel my pride, and strengthen me to see help when I need it.

~*~

So there you have it in a nutshell! This is me and I must stop making myself sick by thinking I can do this and pull it off! Silly me!!!!! You know she's right! It is exhausting when I am prideful...So, there will be help for me on Friday when I am setting up for the rehearsal dinner. I will take suggestions and gladly accept them. Yes, indeed!!!!! I will not allow my pride to ruin a perfectly wonderful day!!!!! God will provide! It's time I started acting like I believe that. Don't you think?

*
*~*
*~*~*
*~*~*~*
\_/
~~~~~
Thanks be to God!!!!!

Road to Providence

This is the day the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad.
Psalm 118: 24

On the eve of my commitment to the Sisters of Providence I would ask for your prayers. Tomorrow is the day I am accepted as an Associate of the Sisters of Providence. Pray that I will be worthy of this honor.

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God!!!

Picture Puzzle Day

Quebec City
June, 2000

Truly a lovely city!!! What struck me most about the city was the language. French is a lovely language. I am sorry to say I have never mastered any language well, not even English, but hearing the French language spoken was like music. The shop keepers do very nicely helping the tourist. But the most difficult thing for me on the trip was to walk into a book store and find NO books written in English. I had to confront my own "American Pride" that day and turn it from "How dare they not have any books written in English" to "Thanks be to God for the diversity!" It was a real education!!

~~~^j^~~~
Again I say,
"Thanks be to God."

Here is the link to JigZone so you can create and submit your puzzle. And Mr. Linky is available below for you convenience so we can enjoy your puzzle.

You are invited to leave a comment, too. Please join in the fun!!! I can hardly wait to put YOUR puzzles together!

Extreme Humility

Icon - Extreme Humility
Originally uploaded by Ian.Climacus

Last night I was brought to humility again. Yes, my pride got in the way and I tripped over it.

I was a meeting of the team for Christ Renews His Parish. The meeting was nearly over. We had gone over the menu, discussed timing and for some unknown reason (Known only to God) I reread the letter I had posted on Sunday to those who would be participating. I had patted myself on the back for doing it so well, and I was so pleased with myself that I just had to boast about it earlier. Well, imagine my chagrin when I read the dates and they were incorrect!!!!!

Everyone was so kind, understanding, really compassionate. I was sooooo HUMILIATED!!!! Yes, a lesson to be learned again!!! I have been grounded. And God is good. It isn't something that cannot be fixed. The new letters are ready and will be posted this morning on my way to work!!!!!

To all on the committee I wish to say!!!! Thank you for your love and understanding!!! Even today's quote was meant for me. God is GOOD!

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God!

Icon - Extreme Humility
Originally uploaded by Ian.Climacus

Humility

by Paul Cezanne

Walk Humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8 (NRSV)

Paul Cezanne ranks among the world's greatest artists. Yet he painted for 30 years before receiving any recognition. When an art dealer finally discovered him and exhibited his painting in Paris, Cezanne was overwhelmed. Entering the exhibition with his son, he could not believe what he saw.

"Look!" he said to his son, "I can't believe it! They've even framed my paintings!"

***

The true way to humility is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is.

Phillips Brooks

(Reflection from Mission 2000, Praying Scripture in a Contemporary Way)

~~~~~

This is a tremendous reflection. I am reminded frequently and often not to be too proud.
For pride is the antithesis of humility. I once had a conversation about the sin of pride with one of our parish priests many years ago. I was bemoaning the fact that it is hard to be humble. I didn't know what to say to someone who had praised me. I told him that I just said it was nothing because I didn't want to seem too proud.

He explained to me that what I had displayed instead of humility was false pride. He said humility is accepting recognition with simple gratitude (Thank You) and giving credit to those who assisted (Thanks be to God.) Saying it was "nothing" was denying the workI had done and the talent and gifts I had been given. He said that humility should not be boasting, just simple recognition on the part of the recipient. After that it was easier for me to ground myself. And gratitude comes easier when I don't have to bear the burden of pride by myself.

And so I want to share with you a person, who in my young life, was a model of humility. My dad's cousin was a social worker for the Denver Public Schools. For years she would made home visits and counsel the kids and families at risk. Every year at Christmas she would receive gifts from the children and every year she would personally write thank you notes and mail them to their homes. I told her once that I was really proud to be her cousin because of all the good work she did to help these children. I told her she showed me how important it was to care for others. What she said still rings true and should ring true in all our lives.

"I couldn't do any of it without the grace of God. I am frightened every day when I go to work. He gives me the strength to do it."

~~~^j^~~~
And so I say,
"Thanks be to God!"

Thanks and Gratitude...

I am humbled to find that there are two who think I deserve this gift. So I say thank you to Esther at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii and Tracy at A Catholic Mom in Minnesota.

“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

So I offer this award to:

A Catholic Notebook

Are We There Yet

Eileen on Him...At least I try!!

ROYALTYLADY

Sailing by Starlight

~~A Truckers Wife~

The Dutchess

Sonflower

As Mom would say, "And one to grow on..."

Catholic Teacher's Musings

God bless you all. There are so many of you that brighten my day, lift my spirits, and challenge my humanity. Thank you very much, each and every one of you!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Premio Dardos

I'm privileged to have been awarded this award by Marie at View From The Pews and Esther at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii. To them I offer my sincere thanks, for these are two grand ladies. This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day. Both Blogs truly exemplify these values!

The rules to follow are :1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to other 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment.
Remember to contact each of them to let them know they have been chosen for this award. (Sorry, but I may not have the time to do this).

This is the difficult part. Not giving 15 but finding 15 who have not already been gifted with this award. So, I will do my best.

This I Do
Made for Joy
Eileen on Him...At least I try!
Unexpected Journey
Tea Time With Melody
Sonflower
Musing at 85
Are We There Yet

The Best Nest
Catholic Teacher Musings

Christ's Rose
The Dutchess
~~A Trucker's Wife~~
A Catholic Notebook
Decrease to Increase

Congratulations to you all!

~~~+~~~
Thanks be to God for both Marie and Esther. And Easter
who earlier granted me the Hot Blog Award I also
say Thank You! I credited her sister Esther for
that one...I have found "humility" to be my friend
and companion this week.

Again!!! Thanks be to God!!!

The Power Prayer

Next week the topic for RCIA is prayer. I'll be presenting the lesson. It is interesting, just as I was about to begin, that I was guided to this particular homily by St. Clement of Alexandria in the book Living the Mysteries: A Guide for Unfinished Christians by Scott Hahn and Mike Aquilina. I must say that I am not really comfortable witnessing about prayer or even explaining what it is, as sometimes I'm not sure I can even say I know how to pray. This is a gift, I know, for why else would I be given this challenge. With all those who daily pray, how do you teach someone to pray, or even adequately explain what praying is?

Well, here is a partial answer given to the neophytes entrusted to St. Clement.

The Power of Prayer

Prayer doen't change God. He is enchanging and unchangeable. But it does change us, making us more like Him, and thus more able to accept His will, whatever it may be. Prayer makes us radiate goodness.

On the face of Moses there settles a kind of glorified hue, because of his righteous conduct and his constant conversation with God who spoke to him. So, too, a divine power of goodness clings to the righteous soul in contemplation, in prophecy, and in the act of governing. It impresses on the soul a kind of intellectual radiance, like a ray of the sun, as a visible sight of righteousness. It unites the soul with light, through unbroken love, which is God-bearing and borne by God. This is how someone who knows God grows in likeness to God the Savior, as far as human nature may, since he becomes perfect "as your heavenly Father is perfect"(Mt 4:48).

~~~~~~~

There follows these instructions by the authors.

~~~~~~~

Take It to Prayer

A divine power of goodness clings to the righteous soul in contemplation.

"If. . .the Israelites could not look at Moses' face because of its brightness, fading as this was, will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended with greater Splendor?" (2 Cor 3:7-8). "All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image of glory to glory" (2 Cor 3:18 NAB).

Apply It to Your Life

Schedule Time for prayer each day. Make it the most important appointment on your calendar. Stick to it.

~~~~~+~~~~~

And so there you have it. A short lesson in prayer. I'm still struggling with my prayer life. I don't know how to listen. My prayer is "Teach me to be QUIET!" Now I also pray that in the next several days the Holy Spirit will guide me to a lesson that will aid those who are seeking answers might be encouraged to amplify their prayer life.

Pray for ME!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

St. Therese of the Little Flower of Jesus

When it's your one of your namesakes feast day you find ways to celebrate. And so it is today, I celebrate the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux. First, I give thanks to my parents for choosing the name of a saint who truly is an example of determination and humility. And thanks be to God for her glorious creation!

Today I offer as I do every month the newsletter from China Little Flower. Shannon offers these words of Scripture for our reflection as we share in the work of the abandoned and neglected little ones.

Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." -Mt 19:14

Finally in the words of this dear follower of the Christ Child we hear...

Even a little child can scatter flowers, to scent the throne room with their fragrance; even a little child can sing in its shrill treble, the great canticle of Love. That will be my life: to scatter flowers~~to miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word, always doing the tiniest things right and doing it for love.

~~ St. Therese of Lisieux~

~

So, today, on this feast of the Little Flower, do some tiny things that will make a difference!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Thanks for the Generous Gift...

It is with humility that I accept this award. It has been offered to me by two very good and dedicated blogging friends. I thank Kimberly at Our God Is an Awesome God and Lisa at Unexpected Journey.

I think these awards though gratifying to me instill in me the obligation to continue to be the best and most responsible member of the blogging community I can be. With every privilege there is obligation. I truly believe that. I hope you will all hold me to that. My sincerest thanks to these two gracious ladies as "humility" continues to be my by-word this week!


I will pass this award on to:

1. Bia at La Dolce Vita: The Sweet Life With Three Sons

2. Suzy at Made for Joy

3. Autumnrose at Christ's Rose

4. Jackie Parkes at catholicmomof10revisited

5. The Dutchess

~~~~~^j^~~~~~

To all at Blarney Corner
and everyone else that has
touched my life here, I say,
"THANKS BE TO GOD!!!"

Reconciliation

Chalice
Originally uploaded by geerlingguy

I had just visited Suzy at Sailing by Starlight tonight before evening Mass. I was struck by the clarity of the words written and how important it was for me again to focus on grooming my inner self. It's not for me to worry about how I appear on the outside. But it is important for me to concern myself with the "me-within."

Much to my delight, or chagrin depending on how YOU might look at it, in today's Gospel Jesus speaks directly to us and the "me-within." Listen.

"Woe to you...hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside [you] are full of plunder and self-indulgence...Cleanse
first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean."
(Matthew 23)

That's me. Goodness knows I should go to confession more frequently. But excuses arise all the time. Tonight I was spoken to again in the Words of Our Lord. Cleanse yourself in the graces of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. "Cleanse the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean." Amen!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

One of the Deadly Sins...

Well, in the last several weeks I have been traveling from blog to blog enjoying all these wonderful homes...I must say I was "envious" of the beauty I have been finding in these places. So in my desire to be "beautiful " too, I sought a way to transfer the blog I had to a new template. I did what I could to transfer my insignificant information into the new template only to find that when I clicked "OK" I lost all my side bar information. Envy does reek havoc!

I have done my best to replicate the side bar, but you know I'm not just sure what all was there. So, if you don't see yourself at "Blarney Corner" right now that doesn't mean you will not return. I've just misplaced you.

You know the funny thing I realized about all this is that AGAIN the "grass is not always greener on the other side."

I do want to thank you all who have told me how much you like the new look. I really appreciate it. It was fun and I didn't lose anything. (I'd already lost it! HEHEHE!)

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

Aside: Picture is of grand-daughter, Ainsley, last summer in MT. She's peeking through a hole in the fence to watch the kids next door bounce on the trampoline. Kids are so darling and innocent!

A Public Apology...

This morning because of irresponsibility I left a lector to read without letting him know I would not be there. Why? Simple. I didn't check the schedule. In all my ramblings the last two days, about how I feel the "call", I think I got a simple but BOLD answer from Our Lord. "Cathy, do what I have called you to do already. "

This is most humbling, for even as I write this, Bernie is doing both readings this morning. And it's not because he cannot do them that I bear this humiliation. It's because I was not responsible. It's because I left him wondering without the courtesy of a call or explanation. Yes, this has happened to me on more than one occasion by others, but that doesn't excuse my lack of integrity or even simply LOOKING at the ministers schedule last night...So, God has said to me in a way most revealing today, "Cathy, if I want you to enter into another "Place" I will call you in MY good time."

And so I say, "Bernie, I am sorry for leaving you to take the responsibilities as lector without the courtesies that this position implies." Now, to phone Bernie and apologize to him.

***+***

To Ron, who called this to my attention,
Thank you and thanks be to God!

The Christmas Pageant

My husband and I had been happily married for five years but hadn't been blessed with a baby. I decided to do some serious praying and promised God that if he would give us a child, I would be a perfect mother, love it with all my heart and raise it with His word as my guide.

God answered my prayers and blessed us with a son. The next year God blessed us with another son. The following year, He blessed us with yet another son. The year after that we were blessed with a daughter. My husband thought we'd been blessed right into poverty. We now had four children, and
the oldest was only four years old.

I learned never to ask God for anything unless I meant it. As a minister once told me, "If you pray for rain, make sure you carry an umbrella." I began reading a few verses of the Bible to the children each day as they lay in their cribs. I was off to a good start. God had entrusted me with four children and I didn't want to disappoint Him.

I tried to be patient the day the children smashed two dozen eggs on the kitchen floor searching for baby chicks. I tried to be understanding... when they started a hotel for homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took me nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs. When my daughter poured ketchup all over herself and rolled up in a blanket to see how it felt to be a hot dog, I tried to see the humor rather than the mess.

In spite of changing over twenty-five thousand diapers, never eating a hot meal and never sleeping for more than thirty minutes at a time, I still thank God daily for my children. While I couldn't keep my promise to be a perfect mother - I didn't even come close...I did keep my promise to raise them in the Word of God.

I knew I was missing the mark just a little when I told my daughter we were going to church to worship God, and she wanted to bring a bar of soap along to "wash up" Jesus, too. Something was lost in the translation when I explained that God gave us everlasting life, and my son thought it was generous of God to give us his "last wife."

My proudest moment came during the children's Christmas pageant. My daughter was playing Mary, two of my sons were shepherds and my youngest son was a wise man. This was their moment to shine. My five-year-old shepherd had practiced his line, "We found the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes." But he was nervous and said, "The baby was wrapped in w rinkled clothes." My four-year-old "Mary" said, "That's not 'wrinkled clothes,' silly. That's dirty, rotten clothes." A wrestling match broke out between Mary and the shepherd and was stopped by an angel, who bent her halo and lost her left wing. I slouched a little lower in my seat when Mary dropped the doll representing Baby Jesus, and it bounced down the aisle crying, "Mama-mama." Mary grabbed the doll, wrapped it back up and held it tightly as the wise men arrived. My other son stepped forward wearing a bathrobe and a paper crown, knelt at the manger and announced, "We are the three wise men, and we are bringing gifts of gold, common sense and fur." The congregation dissolved into laughter, and the pageant got a standing ovation.

"I've never enjoyed a Christmas program as much as this one," laughed the pastor, wiping tears from his eyes. "For the rest of my life,I'll never hear the Christmas story with out thinking of gold, common sense and fur." "My children are my pride and my joy and my greatest blessing," I said as I dug through my purse for an aspirin.

*
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***
****
*****
*
*
~~~~~~~

It is with gratitude that I thank Ron's cousin, Catherine, for sending me this in the form of an email. The author is anonymous to me at this time, but she has a wonderful way of putting into words the "Life and Times of Motherhood" in a simple yet moving manner.

I recall the time two of the boys, and I'm not sure which, and it's not important anyway, first served Mass TOGETHER. As always the Kellers were sitting in the front of the church so we have no idea how the rest of the congregation was reacting. I only know that I wanted to disappear, when neither boy could decide who was going to ring the bells at consecration. The bells were rung by BOTH as they fought for superiority. The problem was easily solved after Mass when they were instructed to decide before Mass who was to ring the bells. Our children are not only a constant source of joy, but also an endless cause for humility when our PRIDE gets in the way.

**********

Peace, Joy, and Thanks be to God!!!

Immunization for the flu.

The other day a young father brought in his sons for their annual flu vaccinations. Both boys, followed by Dad, walked up to me. The three year old smiled and boldly proclaimed, "This shot isn't gonna hurt!" His six year old brother, on the other hand, said, "I cried in the van on the way here." When it came time to have the injection the three year old stepped up and sat on the table, but as I approached him with the shot he squealed and began to cry loudly until I had finished. The six year old, though, sat on the table and got his injection quietly, with just the glimmer of one small tear running down his cheek.

I was really touched by this experience! You see we have a lot to learn from our children. They are very much as we are. Some of us who are bold cover our fear with a facade of bravery, consternation, and assertiveness. Others of us, admit the fear, but work none-the-less as hard as we can to overcome the fear and move onward, even if it's with one glistening tear running down our cheek. A real lesson in humility!

And again in this journey of mine, children are my best and favorite teacher.

~*~*~*~*
Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth...
Seek justice, seek humility;
perhaps you may be sheltered
on the day of the Lord's anger.
Zeph 2:3

***

And I bet you all thought I was going to give you a "medical hint" for the day. Well, the truth is, it wouldn't hurt you to get a flu shot if you work in the service sector or have chronic medical conditions that diminish your ability to fight off the infection.

OH, both boys were sent home with 2 (not 1) but 2 suckers.

~*~*~*~*~*~
Thanks be to GOD!