Friendship...

Ten years. Yes, ten years. Can you believe it? We have met for breakfast once a month for ten years. The friendship began in the clinic at which we worked. As we went our separate ways, Lisa to dialysis, Rhonda to OB, I stayed, we chose to stay in touch over breakfast. It's worked. We have grown in compassion, thoughtfulness, humor and sincere concern for one another. I don't know where the last 10 years have gone. We are wiser...so we think. We are more beautiful...so we think. Our lives are fuller...so we think. Our laughter is more contagious and are tears more sincere. We are sisters. Amazing!!!

Friend ship
Loving, caring
Requires give and take
Heart and mind unified
Companion.

It's truly a grand day! I'm wishing you the same!

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Thanks be to God!

Join GoPoem at Weaving the Hours It's an opportunity to share your gifts with others and meet new friends.

It's Friday!!!

To all my friends I offer you a cup of coffee and an apple danish. Then it's off we go on the adventure offered us this day. God Bless!

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And thanks be to God!

Friendship Blessing

May you be blessed with good friends.
may you learn to be a good friend to yourself.
May be be able to journey to that place in your soul where
there is great love, warmth, feeling and forgiveness.
May this change you.
May it transfigure that which is negative, distant or cold
in you.
May you be brought in to the real passion, kinship, and
affinity of belonging.
May you treasure your friends.
May you be good to them and may you be there for them;
may they bring you all the blessings, challenges, truth
and light that you need for your journey.
May you never be isolated.
May you always be in the gentle nest of belonging with your
anam cara.

Text from Anam Cara, A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O'Donohue

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Thanks be to God!

IMPORTANT RECALL NOTICE

The Maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured,regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.

This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.

This defect has been technically termed:"Subsequential Internal Non-Morality", or more commonly known as S.I.N.,as it is primarily expressed.

Some other symptoms include:

1. Loss of direction

2. Foul vocal emissions

3. Amnesia of origin

4. Lack of peace and joy

5. Selfish or violent behavior

6. Depression or confusion in the mental component

7. Fearfulness

8. Idolatry

9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, isproviding factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this SIN defect. The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required. The number to call for repair in all areas is:

P-R-A-Y-E-R.

Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, intothe heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:

1. Love

2. Joy

3. Peace

4. Patience

5. Kindness

6. Goodness

7. Faithfulness

8. Gentleness

9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Believers' InstructionsBefore Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit beingpermanently impounded.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility.

Thank you for your attention!

God

Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recallnotice and you may contact the Father any time by "kneemail".

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I can only add, Thanks be to God!!

(This was sent to me by a friend. Please feel free to share it wherever and whenever you can!)

The Prince of Peace Award

I have been privileged to receive this gift from Marie and Ginny at View From The Pews. A treasure for me and a reminder that Christmas is Christ. I have been gone long enough with the problems I have had with the computer that I don't know who has received this and who has not. So it is that I offer this award in the spirit of Christ's love to all who have touched my life in so many wonderful ways since I started A Bit of the Blarney.

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Thanks be to God!

Friend of the Soul

I have been trying to find a way to explain what the process of becoming an Associate of the Sisters of Providence is like and having a companion on the journey. Now I have only been on this journey for a short 4 weeks. This morning, however, I have found the most beautiful answer. The journey is made with a companion, a friend, who will journey and share the process with you. She will guide and advise.

My answer came in the the guise of a book suggested to me some months ago by Ann at Prayer, Poetry and Praise. But of course I only just picked it up to read it. So, if you will allow him, John O'Donohue will explain in the most beautiful of words what a "companion" is.

In Celtic tradition, there is a beautiful understanding of love and friendship. One of the fascinating ideas here is the idea of soul-love; the old Gaelic term for this is anam cara. Anam is the Gaelic word for soul and cara is the word for friend. So anam cara in the Celtic world was the "soul friend." In the early Celtic church, person who acted as a teacher, companion, or spiritual guide was called an anam cara. It originally referred to someone to whom you confess, revealing the hidden intimacies of your life. ...This friendship was an act of recognition and belonging. When you had an anam cara your friendship cut across all convention, morality, and category. You were joined in the ancient and eternal way with the "friend of your soul."

In everyone's life, there is great need for an anam cara, a soul friend. In this love, you are understood and you are without mask or pretension. The superficial and functional lies and half-truths of social acquaintance fall away, you can be as you really are. Love allows understanding to dawn, and understanding is precious. Where you are understood, you are at home. Anam Cara, A Book of Celtic Wisdom, by John O'Donohue, pg. 13-14.

Sister Dorothy has been my anam cara for a long time. But now there is a beautiful way of expressing it. Let it also be said that I find that after 40 years I can call Ron, my anam cara. For he was that before those who were to follow. I can say that my life has been blessed with a number of anam cara, but until today I had not had it so beautifully expressed to me.

So, to Ann I say thank you! Now that I have begun the book, I will surely finish it. To everyone, I wish you all the love of your anam cara.

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Thanks be to God!

(My friend above is fondly named Father Thomas Daniel)

Give this heart to everyone you care about including me if you care. Try to collect 5. Its not easy. I may not be the most important person in your LIFE. I just hope that when you hear my name you smile and say, THAT'S MY FRIEND!

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Know that for all of you I say,
"Thanks be to God!"

A Grand Weekend (Part I)

I had a wonderful day at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Autumn at "The Woods" is really beautiful. Orientation went well and Sister Dorothy and I had a grand visit. She continues her work with the poor in West Terre Haute as well as her prison ministry.

Mass that morning was truly grand as the congregation prayed for candidates and companions alike as we begin this year long journey towards my becoming an associate of the Sisters of Providence. It will be a challenging journey, but not one I take alone.

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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

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

It's Gold...

The Dutchess has honored me by awarding me the GOLD. Her site is delight to visit. She has such wonderful pictures and poetry. It's a lovely world to visit in which our imaginations are allowed to run wild. Please drop and visit her and see if what I say isn't true. Thank you most sincerely, Dutchess.

Since I was privileged to receive this award, there are also responsibilities that come with it. One must share the "wealth." Please visit these friends, too. And so I begin...

Laura at Exuberance
Kelly at Musings
Angie at Sonflower
Tracy at A Catholic Mom in Minnesota
Laura at Catholic Teacher's Musings

The Blogging Friends Forever Rules are:

1. Only five people allowed.
2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog.
3. One has to be someone new, or recently new to your blog, or live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to whoever gave you the 'Blogging Friends Forever' award

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For Family and Friends,
Thanks Be to God

A Bit of the Blarney: The Gift of Friendship

From A Bit of the Blarney

I just got off the phone with my dear friend, Martha. We chatted for over an hour. Yes, over an hour. Martha now lives in New Jersey and so these chats are cherished. The only thing missing was the cup of tea and the kitchen table.

Then last week I spoke with another of my dearest "sisters." She's having extensive nasal surgery tomorrow (please pray for her). And like always we laughed and talked and talked and laughed. Yes, and she now lives in Texas. So I revisited a post I wrote over a year ago The Gift of Friendship and thought I would share it again. You see, now many of you have become visitors to THIS front porch and you are all very special to me.

So, I say good week to you all and drop in any time!! You are all most welcome!!!

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Thanks be to God!!!

What are friends for?

Could not resist putting this on the blog...My friend, Margaret, sent this to me and now I offer it to you. Everyone have a GRAND Weekend!

'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

GOOD DAY TO ALL MY 'NUTTY' FRIENDS

Have a fabulous STRESS FREE day!!!!

Thanks Be to God!!

The Wonders of God's Hand

From the ice storm in February,

to the snow we that was sent our way yesterday,

I find that two Friends have sent me "spring flowers".

Esther at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii and Marie from A View From the Pews have graciously given me this great friend award. I have met some tremendous people since I started this adventure nearly a year ago. I have been affirmed, guided, educated and I have laughed along the way! Thanks so much to you all. But I would like to add a special thank you to my daughter-in-law Kelly at Musings, for assisting me in starting this effort and would like to offer this award to her first. Thank you, Kelly, for your example and grace, sense of humor and gift for writing. As for those other gifted and talented friends I would like to add these who have shared much with me in friendship.

Oh, And...This
Episcopollyanna
Psalm.Poem
Eileen on Him...At Least, I Try!
...UKOK's Place...
Are We There Yet
Christ's Rose
Contemplative Haven asylum for your refugee soul
La Dolce Vita: The Good Life with Three Sons
And one for good measure!
Mommy of Four

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Thanks be to God!!

Must add an addendum: While visiting UKOK I found that she had gifted me as well with these lovely flowers so to her I say, "Many Thanks!"

Again, I have been remiss...

Both Esther of A Catholic Mom in Hawaii and Lisa at
Are We There Yet have honored be in different ways. First Esther bestowed on me the honor of The Bloggers of the World award some days ago. This new and coveted award! I have been asked to bestow this on 10 others. And so I will do my best.

1. This I Do. Mike in England
2. Sailing by Starlight. Though she will be not be posting until after Easter.
3. Beyond Horizons3. Pia in Italy.
4. What I Choose Today... From Colorado
5. Are We There Yet. Another Colorado site I love to visit
6. Budapest Daily Photo. Brings beauty into my life.
7. Norwich Daily Photo. Brought me my first crocus of the year.
8. Prayer Poetry and Praise. Brings me serenity and oft times inner peace.
9. Contemplative Haven, asylum for a refugee soul. Brings me to reflection.
10. A crocus in the valley. Though she too will be on sabbatical until after Easter as well.

Now Lisa from Are We There Yet tagged me for The Saint MEME. I have enjoyed this one because it caused me to contemplate more deeply the lives of those saints I do admire. Thank you, Lisa.

1. First saints you met. Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Therese of Liseux .

2. Favorite saints. St. Therese, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Theresa of Avila.

3. Patron saint for the year. St. Stanislaus Kostka

4. Favorite book by a saint. Interior Castle by St. Theresa of Avila

5. Saint book you are reading now. The Kings Good Servant, But God's First (St. Thomas More)

6. Favorite movie about a saint. Thomas A Beckett

7. Favorite autobiography/biography of a saint. The Story of A Soul by St. Therese

8. Favorite novel/book of a Saint. Mother Theodore Guerin, A Woman For Our Time

9. Saint (besides your favorites) you'd want to meet. St. Padre Pio, St. Thomas More, St. Maximilian Kolb.

10. Saints you look to for help. St. Anthony, St. Padre Pio, St. Francis Xavier Cabrini

11. Favorite saint quotes. ""Love is a debt you owe to everyone." St. Catherine of Siena; "We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast, and our trust fixed firmly on God." St Francis de Sales

12. Favorite holy card(s).


13. Favorite story about a saint. About St. Patrick as he drove the snakes out of Ireland.

14. If you could go anywhere on pilgrimage to what saints homeland, where would it be. Ireland and all it's saints.

15. any Blessed or Venerable you would like to become canonized. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I will tag:
1. Ukok's Place
2. Mommy of Four
3. Grandma's Musings
4. And anyone in my Group on Tuesday night.

My thanks to all who have challenged me to grow and improve who I am, as Matthew Kelly would say, "A better-version-of-myself."

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Again I say, "Thanks be to God!"

Washing Dishes...

The other night Ron and I were privileged to help serve dinner to a group of people at church. It was a special occasion of some kind. Don't know what it was for, and that is not important. What struck me about the evening was the joy I felt being with the people who were serving as well. While helping to wash the dishes (for 50 people) I was reminded of those times I was closest to my family. Those times were when we were doing the mundane, seemingly unglamorous tasks.

Every year at this time I take a great deal of pleasure in remembering family gatherings in which the most important time for me as a "female" child was to be allowed to help clear the dishes and help wash them with the Aunt and my mother. Why? Because I could hear all those wonderful tales of other family gatherings that they could weave, I'm sure embellish, (which I have NEVER been prone to do) about their childhoods and the memories they shared of past gatherings.

I learned in serving the rewards are great...even if your hands become as prunes or the dish towel is so wet is has little value in drying. The value is in the giving and the treasure you give is the one of self.

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For family and friends and the privilege of serving I say,
"Thanks be to God."

My Partner Moves On...

"May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed."

Psalm 20:4

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Today my partner and friend, for the last 7 years, leaves to pursue her dream. Tricia will start the completion of her nursing degree. She now has to be a full-time student which means she has to leave us at the office. Tricia has become a dear friend, a prized sounding board, and companion on the journey. Tricia and I work as a team. We always know what has to be done and we do it. It is the kind of teamwork that requires no "assigned jobs". It just got done. I will soooooo miss that.

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Tricia is a gifted and talented young lady with tremendous potential. She is a loving mother whose sons one day will know and realize her devotion to them. She is a wife who knows the value of compromise. All this and more, she knows and values the presence of God in her life.

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And so it is with mixed feelings, Tricia, that I wish you success and know we will be seeing each other soon over breakfast to share our friendship.

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Finally, I think this best describes Tricia and me.

Laughter.
The joy of sharing
the same sense of humor.
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Knowledge.
Separate and shared.
Yours, mine, ours.
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Support.
Always there when needed
to back each other up.
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Friendship.
One of God's best gifts.

(Conover)

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Thanks Be to God!

My Dear Friend Is At Peace.

Margaret Stepenson Wallace

September 21, 1931-April 6, 2007

Last night we shared in Margaret memorial service. There was singing and family tales and beautiful scripture readings. I particularly enjoyed "Swing \Low Sweet Chariot." Today though was her final farewell. The funeral Mass was really beautiful. I am reminded of the Lady and Gentleman who first asked Ron and me to help with the Couple's Night Out by helping to serve the dinner. Then followed the Christ Child Ball for the Right to Life. The weekends we work at Mother Teresa's. The week we spent on the road with Margaret and Bill to and from Quebec...Laugh and then laugh so hard you cried. My goodness how I will miss her...especially on those Tuesday nights when we gathered to pray and share our week's experiences in our attempt to be faithful followers of Christ. She is an example to me, much as my mother is, a model of perseverance and faith. Thank you, Margaret!

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Thanks be to God!