HELP!!!

Photo by Wataro Goro

A couple of weeks ago I was tagged for the "I've got the urge" MEME. Darned if I can remember who tagged me or what the rules are. NOW I have the "urge" to do it and the "urge" to find it and don't know where to begin. Again I am humbled. Yes, I should have written it down at the time, but who would have guessed I'd lose it. Can anyone help? Thank you!

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And Thanks be to God!

Take a trip...

Camille Pisarro (1830-1903)

I just visited A world of beauty and found that her daughter is having a photo exhibition. The pictures are really very good. Just stop in and say "Hello." I did and I had a grand time. It's a great way to spend your time...Just relaxing, meandering among the pictures and enjoying the giftedness of our neighbors.

Maybe visit your local art museum. Spend the time walking through the galleries. The beauty, quiet and serenity can be most refreshing. Enjoy!!!

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Thanks be to God!

"Have faith in me"

Sedilia
photo by Lawrence,OP

Today's reflective reading in Magnificat is another call for us to trust. It is a testament to our humanity that we must be reminded over and over again to "have faith." In today's Gospel (John 14: 1:12) we are reminded that even Jesus' closest followers still had to be reminded, even while He was among them.

As a result of our creation, God assumes certain all-important claims to our allegiance. He is our origin; he is our supreme good, our monarch, and our absolute sovereign; he is our ruler, our protector, and our defender; he is our judge.

Let us adore and praise God in all these divine aspects. Let us rejoice that he is so great, that he possesses countless perfections, and has so much power over all his creatures who are dependent upon him in so many varied ways. Let us also rejoice that we belong to him by so many claims to our allegiance and that he vouchsafes to exercise all these rights in our regard. It is a marvelous advantage, a great glory and a singular honor for us to have an origin so noble, an end so exalted, a center so divine, a supreme good so bountiful and provident, a prototype so perfect, a king so powerful, a ruler and protector so prudent and strong, a judge so just and equitable, and a God so great so admirable and so good...

As our end, center, element and supreme good, he calls and attracts us to himself continually, saying: "Come to me all you who labor and are burdened: and I will refresh you" (Mt 11:28). If there is a secret virtue in the center of a stone, in the element of the fish, and in the sphere of fire, which so strongly attracts them, how much stronger is the virtue of our true center, our true element and our real sphere, which is God? How is it, then, that we allow ourselves to be so little attracted to him? Certainly, we must believe that we offer very great resisitance and that there must be a terrible weight of sin within us to resist such powerful attraction. O my sovereigh End, by Divine Center, attract, me draw me completely to you, and do not allow me to oppose your power in any way. (Saint John Eudes)

Saint John Eudes (+1680) was largely responsible for initiating and popularizing devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

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Thanks be to God!

Aside: Please note I have added "Catholic Trivia" to the side bar. I found the game we played with the children when they were younger. It is suprisingly educational and amazing how much there is to learn in "trivia." I hope you will enjoy this "corner."

Romantic Dinner...

My garden looks better with wine....
Originally uploaded by 1bluecanoe

Setting: Kitchen Table

Menu: Chicken and Dumplings

Wine: Riesling (suitable for fruit and cheese)

Attire: Dockers and Sweats

He says, "The wine and dumplings are good. It's good that we don't have to impress anyone."
~~~
To that I say, "Thanks be to God in His goodness for my Best Friend!"


^j^

The Earthquaked.

Yes, indeed it did. At 4:30 this morning our house seemed to be "bouncing". Though not the first time we had experienced the earth move, it is still daunting. Not even a picture was es cue. And as it is said to have been a 5.4 quake, all is well here.

They say there were 6 aftershocks but I only felt one. I had taken one of our patients to the room and I was interviewing him when we felt the aftershock...This evening we are behaving as if nothing had happened. Perhaps that is because we were spared any of the damage and tragedy that often accompanies many earthquakes. We are grateful to all family and friends who have called and inquired about us.

***^j^***
Certainly we are all grateful and we say,
"Thanks be to God!"

Interesting things to know...

Bananas
Originally uploaded by Dr. GORI ( PJr.)

My friend, Dolores, sent this to me. I wanted to share it with you all. It is pretty interesting and fun.

Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little 'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

Add cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat the eggs. To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream.

For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simple chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream.

Reheat Pizza: Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heatto med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs: Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting: When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

Reheating Refrigerated Bread: To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture is 2%.

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Thanks be to God!!

100th Anniversary of St. Philip Neri in Pictures

Proclaim with me the greatness of Yahweh,
together let us extol his name.
I seek Yahweh, and he answers me
and frees me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:3-4
The New Jerusalem Bible

The University of Notre Dame Handbell and Celebration Choirs as they prepare for the concert.












The glory of the Easter celebration continues as we begin our worship together.









Father Jason visits with his family after Mass.

Father Tim, Christel and Dennis Butrum, and Kay and Allen Hagemeier. Friends for many years.

Ron speaks with Nina Marczak, the church historian and Frank.

Father Jason sends us forth with his blessing.
A grand day was had by all, to be sure.







~~~^j^~~~

Ron and I would personally like to thank Father Jason and the Family of St. Philip Neri for their hospitality, generosity, and love. You truly are wonderful and we are proud to call you Family. May God bless you in His generosity for another 100 years!!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

St. Philip Neri Cathlic Church

Our Family spent 20 years as members of this community. They were baptized, made their First Communion, were Confirmed and were married.

Yesterday Ron and I went "home" for this family reunion. You see, the people of this community really are family. When our immediate family was in Colorado and Texas, and when visits with them were rare. These dear people were there with love and assistance to nurture and care us.

Going "home" yesterday was a real thrill. We had gone back on a few occasions the last 10 years, but yesterday it was as if we never gone away. We felt welcome, so welcome. And so we hugged and laughed and shared our stories. We celebrated Mass and shared a meal. And all was well.

For all these people and the significant role they play in my Journey. I say, "Thanks be to God!!"

(Photos to follow.)

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 Week Ends...

with a most wonderful surprise!!!

Let the same mind be in you that was in
Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death
even death on a cross.
~Philippians 2:5-8~

Today, what a surprise and blessing for Ron and me. Shannon is state-side to renew her visa so that she can continue her work in China. We really didn't think we would have a chance to visit with her as her visit here is very short. But, you know, I believe in miracles...Meeting her and her mother, Colleen, in the parking lot at Schnucks was absolutely that for me. Like a child at Christmas surprised by the wonder of the gifts, so was I at seeing her. I could only greet her with hugs and joy!!!

Shannon has a most infectious smile that lifts your spirits. She emanates love, compassion and grace. And when she speaks of the children she cares for, one can only believe that the love they are given is tender and warm. There is a sincere desire in her to do the will of God where she is and that is caring for these children who are at risk.

My dear friends, my hope is that you have model of Christ, like Shannon, who can motivate you to submit your will to the will of God, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today I feel rejuvenated. And since the beginning of this week, there have been many moments in which I have felt the presence of Christ. Now, it seems He is calling me to serve, perhaps in ways I have not served before. Please pray I will hear the call as his will, and not MY egos will to serve.

+++

For all his gifts to me, I say,
"Thanks be to God"