Simon is ailing again...

Friday, "Simon" went on the Fritz again. Have had the chance to use the computer at work...Miss sharing with all of you, but has offered me a chance to reflect and accomplish some tasks I have postponed. If I don't get him home before Christmas, please know I am thinking about all of you and your families and wishing you all the Blessing that Christ our Savior can offer!

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Thanks be to God!!!

The First Christmas Gift!!

My goodenss! I am receiving treasures untold this year! From me to you as it came to me! Thank you, Kay!

The First Christmas Gift!

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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!)

Marie Antoinette Award

Tracy at a Catholic Mom in Minnesota has graciously offered me this award. If the picture appears different than on other blogs it's because that one apparently is not one of Marie. It struck me as odd that Marie Antoinette should be chosen as the cause for an award so I did do some research. It is intended for those who are deemed "real" in who they are. And so I am honored. I am to pass this award on to 7 other bloggers who exhibit this quality in their blog. Well I will do my best! And thank you Miss Tracy for this opportunity!

1. Bia

2. Melody

3. Linda

4. SuzyQ

5. Lisa

6.Kathleen

7. Kimberly

My best to everyone and may you all have a wonderful day.

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Thanks be to God!

O Antiphons

Today's instruction in The Little Blue Book is about the O Antiphons. I'll let it speak for itself. and when you are finished here please visit Lisa at Unexpected Journey as she also has a wonderful post regarding them as well.

The Divine Office made use of Psalms and other Scripture passages over and
over on a regular rotation. Over the years, the practice developed of
praying an "antiphon" before and after each Psalm and canticle. This is
the sentence or two from Scripture which "frames" the fixed text. The
antiphons vary with the feast or season, and each one colors the fixed text with
a different accent.

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On this day during Advent the O Antiphons begin and will continure through Christmas Eve.

The particular antiphon for the day can be found in two places:

*It is part of the Alleluia verse for the Liturgy of the day.

*In the evening, it is placed before the Magnificat at Vespers for the Liturgy of the Hours.

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The Advent antiphons are call the "O Antiphons" because each day's antiphon begins with and "O"...O Wisdom, O Key of David, O Flower of Jesse"s stem...

The Little Blue Book

Advent and Christmas Seasons

2008-2009

I am always amazed how much more I still must learn about my faith and the beauty it has to offer us daily as we journey on this pilgrimage.

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Thanks be to God!

A Visit With St. Paul

I have neglected my reading of the reflections on St. Paul. Thought today I would begin again and try to be more diligent. Only time will tell. The message of hope in this reflection is one I feel compelled to share because, although, every year this season brings us most vividly to the Hope we all have in a bright future, this year seems to demand Hope be a part of who we are. It is imperative the we manifest this hope in all we do and say and live. Please "listen" to Sister Mary Thomas Noble, O.P. from Praying With Saint Paul.

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O Blessed Hope!

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"We await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of
the great God and of our savior Jesus Crist, who gave himself
for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for
himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good."

(Ti 2: 13-14)

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What part does hope play in my life? Do I hope mainly for things or for people? Or do I hope for events? As a child I once hoped for a rubber ball with all my heart. It was exactlly the size I wanted and had swirls of colors on it, all the right colors. I showed it to my mother in the store. It cost twenty-five cents. She pointed out to me several bigger, better balls, but I couln't have cared less. I knew what I wanted. No other ball would do. When I tore the wrappings off the little rubber ball on the morning of my eighth birthday and tossed them on the breadfast table, I know an unadulterated and absolute content such as I have rarely experienced since I dashed outdoors with my sister before school and threw it, threw it, threw it back and forth across our front lawn in a kind of ecstasy. Hope fulfilled! Such a small hope, just my size. God would like to stretch our longing hearts to hold much more, even himself. Will we let him do it? "We await the blessed hope..." Do we? "...the appearance of the glory of the great God, and of our Savior Jesus Christ..." How high do we set our sights? Do we have hopes to match God's hopes for us? His is a radiant hope. There is glory ahead for us, there is deliverance, there is an indescribable purity to be achieved only through his blood. Each one of us would be totally, uniquely his, were he to have his hopes fulfilled. Our sights would be set on doing "what is good" beyond all our wildest imaginings, empowered as we should be as "his people." His hopes for us will lift us to the blessed vision of himself. Where he will hold us, and we shall not fall.

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O God, stretch my heart wide with blessed hope, to hold the all that you would give me--your very self!

I find as I reflect on this that my hope and expectation are pretty limited. Perhaps I fear that my hopeful expectations will not be realized and disappointment will insue. The lesson for me is to have high expectations. If the results seem less, they are better than none at all and if they are greater than hope for what joy I can experience. I should be hope-filled, not just hopeful.

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Thanks be to God!

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!

The Season of Thanks

Many moons ago, before Simon became ill, I was offered the opportunity to share with you six reasons I am happy. Now with his return I can reply. Thank you Esther for this opportunity.


According to the rules, I have to post six things that make me really happy ... and pass it on to give six more people a reason to be thankful!


1. My husband, Ron and, 40 years of marriage, and this my birthday, 62 years. (I know that's really 3).

2. My five children and 9 grandchildren

3. An occupation in nursing that gives me the opportunity to serve

4. A Parish family that gives love and support at every opportunity.

5. Good friends

6. Having the freedom to love and worship God and share my Catholic faith with others.



I have tagged:

1. Kelly

2. Laura A

3. Laura

4. Suz

5. Yvette

6. Tracy

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For you all, I say,

"Thanks be to God!"

G K Chesterton

G K Chesterton
Originally uploaded by raymaclean

My favorite book at Christmas time is Advent and Christmas, Wisdom from G. K. Chesterton. published by Ligouri Press.

Today's reflection is:

The Camel and the Needle

I know that the most modern manufacture has been
really occupied in trying to produce and abnormally large needle. I know that
the most recent biologists have been chiefly anxious to discover a very small
camel. But is we diminish the camel to his smallest, or open the eye of the
needle to its largest--if, in short we assume the words of Christ to have ment
the very least that they could mean, His words must at the vers least mean
this--that rich men are not very likely to be morally trustworthy--There is one
thing that Christ and all the Christian saints have said with a sory of savage
monotony. They have said simly that to be rich is to be in peculiar danber of
moral wreck.

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of Go!" And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one nother, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus look at them and said, "for
mortals it is impossible, not for God; for god all things are
possible."

Mark 10:23-27

Prayer

Jesus, you spoke hard words about the rich yourn ruler. We
confess that we are too much like him; together we form a camel train grudging
toward the tiniest needle, its speck of an eye. How can we hope to pass
through into the kidom of God? We rely on oyou, god for the Impossible,
and not ourselves. Make us into what you would have us be.

Advent Action

Once when she was asked how much money a person should give away,
Mother Teresa answered that we should give until it hurts--and then give some
more. You can imagine what a camel would feel like trying to squeeze
through the eye of the needle. Perhaps our giving should create
commensurate pain. Take a moment and think about the charitable giving
that you have done this year. What more can you give away even after it
hurts you?

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Enough said!

Thanks be to God!!

It's Great To Be Back...

photo by OldTasty

but tomorrow we are gone for the weekend again. Off to INDY to visit and go to the Children's Museum at Christmas! It always a grand place to go. I have to tell you that the glass ceiling as above is just as beautiful as the picture. I am really looking forward to seeing all the Christmas docorations!!! Will be back in the groove soon and will share the trip with you!

I'm so glad Simon is home because now I can travel the world and visit. Missed you all! Will chat soon! I have some catching up to do!!

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Thanks be to God!