A Little Light Humor...

A friend sent this to me and I laughed out loud! Please enjoy Emily's contribution to today's A Bit of the Blarney! (Please feel free to substitute brunette, redhead, or gray hair for the coworker. )

Sick Leave

I urgently needed a few days off work, but I knew the Boss would not allow me to take leave. I thought that maybe if I acted 'Crazy' he would tell me to take a few days off. So, I hung upside-down from the ceiling and made funny noises. My co-worker (who's blonde) asked me what I was doing. I told her that I was pretending to be a light bulb, so that the Boss might think I was 'Crazy' and give me a few days off . A few minutes later the Boss came into the office and asked, 'What on earth are you doing?'

I told him I was a light bulb .

He said, 'You are clearly stressed out. Go home and recuperate for a couple of days.'

I jumped down and walked out of the office.

When my co-worker (the blonde) followed me, the Boss asked her,'And where do you think you're going?! '

She said, 'I'm going home too. I can't work in the dark .'

~~~~~~~

Thanks be to God!

Who Are the Poor?

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
September, 2007

It is clear to me that we all are being called in one way or another to help the poor. As the ranks of the unemployed grow, as many have lost their homes, and those who need health care have difficulty affording it, I ask what am I to do? Where should I go to help?

Henri J. M. Nouwen in the book Bread for the Journey offers some assistance.

Going to the Margins of the Church

Those who are marginal in the world are central in the Church, and that is how it is supposed to be! Thus we are called as members of the church to keep going to the margins of our society. The homeless, the starving, parentless children, people with AIDS, or emotionally disturbed brothers and sisters--they require our first attention.

We can trust that when we reach out with all our energy to the margins of our society we will discover that petty disagreements, fruitless debates, and paralyzing rivalries will recede and gradually vanish. The Church will always be renewed when our attention shifts from ourselves to those who need our care. The blessing of Jesus always comes to us through the poor. The most remarkable experience of those who work with the poor is that, in the end the poor give more than they receive. They give food to us.

In other words I cannot be complacent. I cannot be idle. I have an obligation to care for the poor wherever I find them. Working in conjunction with the Church I should be able to be of some use.

Praying the Holy Spirit will guide me in the direction that I can be of most use. Pray for me!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God

Bad Haiku Friday

Good morning, I rise.
The sun is not shining, but...
It's raining outside!
(yeah!!)

~~~^j^~~~

Have a great day
and
Thanks Be to God!!!

Charity begins at home...

INDY at Sunrise
October, 2008

I am privileged to live in a place that has exquisite beauty. You live in a place wherever that may be with its own exquisite beauty. Why? Because God made it for our pleasure. Still there are those who live where we do who may not see this privilege because they only see the poverty and feel the hunger. They suffer from pain and no way to ease it. We are called to love. This is not a choice for those who claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We are not to spend our lives taking. We are to spend our lives giving. Why? Because he gave His ALL for us.

So please listen to the words of wisdom offered by Archabbot Lambert Reilly, O.S.B. in his book Latin Saying for Spiritual Growth.

Caritas prima sibi
("Charity is first to itself.")
John Wycliffe

~~~

Where does love begin?

The Scriptures offers the answer, simple and profound: "God is love" (1John 4:8).

God is the source of love. God's love surrounds us from our beginnings, offering us an embrace we are free to accept or reject, filling us with a peace we are free to keep for ourselves and to share.

And what then? God loves us, so whom must we love?

It's not enough to love in general or to profess love for people we never meet. We're called to love people, as they are unique and specific brothers and sisters.

The only place to begin, then is with those around us, as the common translation of this saying instructs: "Charity begins at home."

As with every other virtue, love takes practice. We learn how to love by taking small steps of kindness and sacrifice right where we are, with those closest to us. At home we develop this habit of love, so when we walk out the door into the business of our daily live, we bring God's love wherever we are and to whomever we chance to meet that day.

~~~~~~~

Why this call to love, yet again. It should be a constant call for us privileged enough to have the capacity to GIVE. Today I have heard that food pantries everywhere are having a difficult time feed the poor. It will only get worse before it gets better. We love our family enough to feed them in many ways. We feed with hugs, attention, and love that feeds the spirit and soul. But food for the body may be a commodity which we take for granted and because we have never really been hungry. I would, therefore, challenge anyone reading this to contribute to the local food pantry in your area. You need not take food to the pantry. Perhaps your church has a food drive or place to leave food donations. Even better!!! Send a check directly to the local food pantry so they can shop for their needs and supply what is most needed. Call the local St. Vincent de Paul. You know best!!

Right now my stomach is comfortably full. But out there are children and the elderly who are not as fortunate. Many homeless only have an occasional meal at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Please pray for them, yes, but also contribute to THEIR welfare in a concrete way. GIVE the love that begins at home to those in great need. Give as He gave...until it hurt!

~~~+~~~
For you all I say,
"Thanks be to God."

Canadian Fall

I'm back home from the wedding festivities and what a grand time we all had. There is nothing to compare with the gathering of family and friends on such an occasion. The sharing of love and hugs is the best gift one can receive.

I'm going to take some time to recuperate and gather my thoughts, but in the meantime I am offering these pictures that were sent to me as a gift. Enjoy!

Canadian Fall

FALL AT BUTCHART GARDENS , VICTORIA , B. C.,

CANADA

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE ANYTHING

COULD

BE THIS BEAUTIFUL..

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!