Gratitude...

At times I am embarrassed at work when someone says thank you to me for whatever it is they are grateful. But I am seldom taken by surprise as I was just the other day. I had just weighed this dear lady, who now needs the use of a walker, and we were going down the hall to the patient room. I told her you're welcome and then asked her why? She said it was because I said "follow me" not "walk this way." One seldom thinks about the words we use and how they might be understood by others. It was a lesson for me in kindness. She was grateful for my choice of words which to her allowed her to feel less handicapped. Perhaps, now I will be more thoughtful in my use of language in the care of my charges each day.

Cinquain on Kindness
Kindness
True charity
Given in tenderness
Virtue

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Thanks be to God!

Baking Wednesday...

There are two scrumptious recipes I am going to make today after I get home from work at noon...I've begun baking on Wednesday! I like to bake and so this is one day when I usually don't have any conflicts. Well, except for my visit with Sister Dorothy on the 1st Wednesday of each month about my travels on the "Road to Providence."

At any rate, here are two recipes I would like to share with you. The first comes from Father Schipp via my dear friend Karen. When he participates on a Cursillo team everyone anticipates this wonderful delight.

Picture by JustCallMeSassy

Peach Crunch Cake

PREHEAT Oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x11 dish with Pam. Pour in two regular cans of peach pie filling, covering the bottom of the dish. Coverthe peach pie filling with one box of yellow cake mix. Cut into slices 1 1/2 sticks of butter and place over top of cake mix, sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake for 45 minutes and serve warm with ice cream. A perfect and easy desert.

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The next comes from Cuisine Kathleen. The best Irish Soda Bread I've tasted and so easy to make!




Irish Soda Bread....Kathleen


4 C flour
1 t salt
4 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
3/4 C sugar
2 t caraway seed
1 C raisins
1 egg
1 t vanilla
2 C buttermilk
1/4 stick of soft butter

Sift dry ingredients. Mix in the seeds and raisins. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix.

Add beaten eggs and soft butter, mix

Put into 2 greased loaf pans, or 1 10 in round. Slit the top with a knife.

Bake at 350 about 30 to 35 for loaf pans, 50 for round.
Brush with butter or milk 10 min before removing from oven.
Check center to see if done, do no over bake..



Kathleen say, "I make mine in a stand mixer, and it can be easily doubled. [And] [y]ou
can omit the seeds.."

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For friend new and old who are wonderful cooks and who are willing to share their secrets

I say, "Thanks be to God!"

God's Self-revelation

The Self-revelation of God

The dialogue between God and humanity is the give-and-take of self-revelation and response. That's what's happening in every relationship, you can't understand the rules of prayer.
In prayer God is gradually disclosing himself, revealing herself. So revelation and faith are correlative. There cannot be faith without revelation. We cannot believe in a person who has not shared himself or herself with us. To the degree that person has shared with us, we can believe in that person.

It's the same way with God. When we waste time with the Lord and listen, we're allowing
God to reveal not information but Self. This is what's symbolized on the cross: God is totally disclosed, God is the totally given God. But it takes us a lot of scraping and converting to open ourselves up to that disclosure. If we are filled with ourselves, there is, quite simply, no room for the other, and surely not The Other.

excerpt from The Price of Peoplehood
Radical Grace, Daily Meditations
By Richard Rohr, O.F. M.

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And so it is, as I read this, thatmy prayertime this morning came to mind. Though I seemed focused on the prayers I was saying and the words upon which I was reflecting, I was doing all the talking...MY prayer should be, "Lord keep me QUIET." Perhaps my concern is that if I'm not talking, he won't be listening. Well, I couldn't be more WRONG. Can you sit and be quiet? Can you simply just SIT and be quiet. There are no lessons for this. There is no text with a lesson plan. I have to teach myself the art of QUIET! Will I ever learn!?! The funny thing is, only God will know!

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Thanks be to God!

The Simple Women's Daybook

It's been so long since I've done this I"m not sure how this will turn out...It requires some thought and reflection on what my week may be. so to begin.

After you visit here please visit Peggy at The Simple Woman and journey along the path of life we all share.

1. Outside my window...it's dark again. Last week the sun was rising, but today its will be coming up as I start for work.

2. I'm thinking...this week should be less demanding as I have fewer meeting to attend and less projects that require immediate attention.

3. I'm thankful for...having spent quality time with David and the rest of the Charlotte Kellers via the webcam. It's finally up and running again.

4. I'm wearing... robe and slippers.

5. From the Kitchen...Will come Tuna Helper, green beans and fruit for desert. Lent is a good time for reflecting on being satisfied. I need to remind myself the being full is not comfortable, but being satisfied is.

6. I am creating...the work of counted x-stitch Laura gave me to make for her birthday 3 yrs ago. I'm embarrassed! I think it's one I would not have chosen and it's hard to finish...But her birthday is in May and I am determined to finish it!

7. I am reading...Mother Theodore Guerin A Women for All Time by Penny Blaker Mitchell

8 . I'm hoping...we will have the opportunity to travel to INDY to see our granddaughter Kellie perform with her Winter Guard Unit from Memorial High School.

9. I am hearing...Duchess snoring. She is asleep on the floor next to my feet.

10. Around the house...It's decorated for St. Patrick's Day. Sure and won't that be a grand time.

11. Few plans for the rest of the week...Grouping with my Cursillo friends, baking some MORE Irish Soda Bread, preparing to spend time with family this weekend.

12. One of my favorite things is...Watching old Charlie Chan movies. Had time to do that this last weekend as I worked on the x-stitch. It was most relaxing.

13. Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

The Hope of Spring.

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Thanks be to God!

Time Change...

Twice a year I HAVE to change. I'm made to conform! And why? With all the things in the world that NEED to change, why can't I just leave the clock the way it is? Has it caused injury, defamed, maimed, or murdered? I guess that poor device could be accused of stealing and then after repenting returning what it stole months later, but then I become a co-conspirator. AND I'm not sure what was stolen is really replaced. This seems like such a "waste of time!"

Please use your time wisely today, because tomorrow you will have time you have to make up.
Have a grand weekend.

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Thanks be to God!

Visit World of Mothers for some time saving advise.

Jesus Is the Prayer

In the Season of Lent when we strive to offer more fruitful prayer, when we try to make our prayers more reverent and purposeful, I offer you this reflection by Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

In reality there is but one prayer, only one substantial prayer. Jesus Himself.

In your life Jesus comes as the Bread of Life to be eaten to be consumed by you. This is how He loves you. Then He comes as the hungry one, the Other, hoping to be fed with the bread of your life, with your heart by loving, your hands by serving.

Jesus has drawn us to be souls of prayer.

Jesus is our prayer, and He is also the answer to our prayer. He has chosen to be Himself in us the living song of love, praise, adoration, thanksgiving, intercession and reparation to the Father in the name of the whole creation (unpublished.).

Love: a Fruit Always In Season

Daily Meditation by Mother Terese

Edited by Dorothy S. Hunt

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Thanks be to God!

Amazing Grace

It seems I have meant to reflect this week on Grace. This is the second time it has been offered to me in as many days! Please enjoy this grace-filled music by Il Divo!

Amazing Grace

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Thanks be to God!!

Road to Providence

Saint Therese of Lisieux
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods

I am working on my next presentation to share with Sr. Dorothy and find it is difficult to grasp the words I am reading. So I took a break and visited Br. Charles at A Minor Friar. It will be well worth your time.

Have a grand day!

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Thanks be to God!

Grace

God's love is total, unconditional, absolute and forever. The state of grace--God's attiugde toward us--is eternal. We are the ones who change.

Sometimes we are able to believe that God loves us unconditionally, absolutely and forever. That's grace! And sometimes because we get down on ourselves, and carry guilt and fear and burdens, we are not able to believe that God loves us. Biblically, that's the greatest sin: not to believe the good news, not to accept the unconditional love of God. When we no longer believe God loves us, we can no longer love ourselves. We have to allow God to continually fill us. Then we find in our own lives the power to give love away.

Radical Grace, Daily Medications
by Richard Rohr, O.F.M.

So let it be for us this Lent, to accept that love, that grace. Spend time realizing that you have value not just to God alone. But because of his love, you have value to others. Share that giftedness! Share that wealth of love from God! Fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of God. YOU are GOOD! You have such value he was willing to die for you! To deny your goodness is to refuse the most valuable gift you can ever receive. Accept your holiness.

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Thanks be to God!

Prayer in the Restaraunt

Saying Grace In A Restaurant...

Last week, I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace.

As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good, God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and Justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job, and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."

"Really?" my son asked.

"Cross my heart," the man replied.

Then, in a theatrical whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment, and then did something I will remember the rest of my life.

He picked up his sundae and, without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already."

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If this doesn't bring tears to your eyes. Read it again! This is the essence of LENT from the heart of a child...I would challenge you to look for the Child of God in you today! I'm looking and hoping I recognize the opportunities !

To Jenny I say,"Thank you for thinking of me and sending this treasure to me." To everyone else have a grand day and:

Thanks be to God!!!