At the End of the Old Year, a New Beginning for Me...

As 2016 wanes and 2017 begins,

the time has come to choose a new patron saint for the year,

actually,

to have the saint choose you.

Jennifer Fulweiler

developed and posted a

Saint's Name Generator

online

which makes this an easy task to accomplish.

Use the link.

Click on the button.

No need to enter your personal information.

Simply click that button

and

follow the directions.

It takes less than one minute.

Last year,

the saint who chose me was

St. Mary of Cleophas.

She was one of the women who stayed with Jesus 

as He hung on the cross and died.

This year,

the saint who chose me was St. Brigid of Ireland.  I'm going to enjoy getting to know her.

After your saint chooses you,

add your saint's name in the comments section using the hashtag

#saintname 

followed by your saint's name.

#saintnameStBrigidofIreland.

As the year wanes, the new year brings uncertainty.

Trust that God will send you the perfect saint to help you through the year.

Ending the Week With Thanksgiving and Praise

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace."

John 1: 16 

1) The Falls were beautiful.  The weather was cool and crisp.  It was a nice walk.

2) Fred, the cat, has allowed me to cuddle with him, especially when he jumps up on my mouse pad and purrs.

3) Getting ready for knee surgery on Monday.  That's a good thing.

"Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!I will praise the Lord as long as I live;    I will sing praises to my God all my life long."
Psalm 146:1-2

A Blog Post Can Remind Again: Please pray for the Souls in Purgatory

Eternal Father,

we offer You the most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son,

Jesus,

in union with all of the Masses said throughout the world today,

in reparation for sins, 

for the Holy Souls in Purgatory,

for sinners everywhere,

for sinners in the Universal Church,

those within my own home,

and

within my family.

Amen.

A Blog Post Can be Meditative

At the end of the day,

He's still there,

waiting for us,

ready to cover us in 

His Most Precious Blood

poured out of His Body

for love of us.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

John 3:16

Aren't Animals Amazing?

Aren't animals amazing? They live in the moment, without fear or anxiety, and even though this election has been the most turbulent and dramatic one that I can remember in all of my life, they are both sleeping peacefully, passing gassssssss, and wondering when their next meal will be served to them by me, one of their humans who has been awake since a jolt at 3:30 AM from my phone telling me that we have a new president elect.

Dear God, make me more like these creatures you have entrusted to my care. Open my eyes to learn to trust in You, and You alone.
Give me humility so that I might learn to submit to Your Most Holy Will. Help me to see the hurt and pain of those who so incredibly committed themselves to the other candidate so that I might be a source of Your Mercy and Kindness. Lord, help me to be a source of Your Love for all. Amen.

A Blog Post Can Be a Reminder to Vote and a Prayer

A Blog Post Can Be a Reminder to Pray: Join me in prayer this week

My Prayer Intentions for the Week

Sunday:  Peace in our World.                All the souls in Purgatory.

Monday: That we might become instruments of peace. 
The souls of those dearest to us.

Tuesday:  Peace in our Country
The souls of peacemakers in Purgatory.

Wednesday: Peace in the hearts of those who do not yet know God's love.
The souls of those who did not know God's love on earth.

 

Thursday: Peace in our families.
The souls of our family members who are still in Purgatory.

Friday: Peace in our hearts and souls.
The souls of those who have no one to pray for them.

Saturday: Peace in our Church communities
The souls of our priests and our consecrated religious women who gave their lives to God.

A Blog Post Can Be a Reminder

A Blog Post Can Be: Ending the Week in Thanksgiving and Praise

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace."

John 1: 16 

1) The election is only a few days away.  We need to pray for our country.

2) The weather here has been amazing!

Our highs are in the 50's, 60's, 

and 70's.

3) We are encouraged to pray for the souls in Purgatory.  I am very happy that so many souls are completing their time in Purgatory with our help.

 

 

 

 

"Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!I will praise the Lord as long as I live;    I will sing praises to my God all my life long."
Psalm 146:1-2

A Blog Post Can Be a List: 10 Reasons to Pray for Peace

1) We live in a very troubled world.

2) There is very little peace.

3) The election of our leaders has brought out the worst in many people.

4) Nations are warring against nations.

5) Personal peace is absent in many people.

6) What which is wrong has become that which is right, and the soul is at war with itself.

7) The loss of God in our world has deprived us of the peace only He can give.

8) Many people do not yet know the love of God.  

9) Abortion has destroyed our peace whether we realize it or not.

10) Our Lady has asked up to pray for peace. 

A Blog Post Can be Worth Repeating: No Rose Without A Thorn: An Exercise in Imaginative Prayer

Have you ever reached into a bush to cut a rose and found yourself clutched by a thorn.

Ouch!

We sought to capture the beauty of a rose in our hands and found the pain of the thorn.

I had to smile at this thought.

Suddenly, I heard waves hitting the shore, and I smelt the salt of the lake and the fish that were caught and being hauled to the shore.

In the distance, men were working on a boat, mending nets and cleaning fish.

They talked among themselves.

In the distance they saw a man walking towards them.

They knew Him and greeted Him with joy.

Jesus smiled and greeted them.

"God bless you.  I hope your catch was good."  Simon answered, "More than enough for the week!"

Simon and his brother looked at each other.  Their father heard the exchange and came over from the boat.  He was ready to yell and keep them working, then Jesus smiled at him.

He said to his sons, "Come.  Follow Me, and I'll make you fishers of men."

Simon and his brother looked at each other.  They dropped the nets they were holding leaving their father at the edge of the lake staring at them.

They left with the Master who said to them.

"Come.  We're going to a wedding first."  He knew what they were thinking as they walked.  "You can bathe in the waters before we reach the wedding."

They simply nodded and followed Jesus.

Jesus began to teach them.  He started to tell them about the Love of the Father for them.  They only looked at each other.  They knew they had to follow Him

They had no idea of how long it took to reach the wedding.  They were enraptured with what Jesus said, but they were also confused.  Jesus was telling them to love their enemies.

Simon quipped, "I think our father is upset.  Do we have to love him when he's upset?"

Jesus smiled.  "What do you think?"

The wedding feast was going on when they arrived.  The food smelled amazing, and they were all hungry.  The Mother of Jesus greeted them at the wedding.  She had them sit down in a quiet place, away from the crowd, so they could eat.  She brought them bread, grapes, cheese, olives and some water.  There was no wine. 

Simon saw a glint in the eye of Jesus as Mary came over to Him.  She said to Jesus, "They have no wine."  Jesus smiled in spite of himself.  "What am i supposed to do, Woman?  My time has not yet come."

Simon gasped slightly at this.  He wasn't sure he'd have had the courage to say this to his mother.

Mary just smiled and turned to the waiters.  She said, "Do whatever He tells you."

Jesus smiled and shook His head slightly.  They realized He could not say no to His Mother.

The air was hot, and they were wishing for some wine.  They could only watch in awe as the servants worked hard to fill the six huge jars with water.  When they finished, they returned to Jesus.  He smiled at His Mother.  He looked at Simon and his brother.

Quietly Jesus said, "Take the wine to the head waiter to taste. "  Then Jesus reached out to His mother.  She held His hand.  "Thank You," she whispered quietly.

There was a bit of stirring as the head waiter pulled the groom back to the area where Jesus was.

He was scolding the groom.  "Most people serve the good wine at the start of the party, but you have saved the best for last."  The groom simply didn't know what to say.  He tasted the wine, and he smiled.  Then he ran back to the party.  The waiter had had enough.  He had the servants take the jars to the guests and begin to serve them.

Mary brought Jesus and His friends some wine.  Simon almost choked because he had never tasted such good wine.

The servants, knowing what had happened, came back to Jesus and began to worship Him.

Jesus blessed the servants, and He sent them to serve the guests.  He cautioned them to be quiet about what they had seen.

Simon could not believe what he had seen, but he knew his life would be forever tied into the life of Jesus.

A Blog Post Can be Another Reminder to Pray for the Dead

In November, the Church reminds us to pray for the dead.

Most of us know someone who has died,

if not, 

think of all the people who die in wars, car crashes, airplane accidents, acts of terrorism.

Each one of us will die.

We can only hope that someone will pray for us when we die.

When we stand before the Throne of God for judgment,

our time of merit has ended.

We now live in eternity.

Heaven

Hell

Purgatory.

These are where we will live when we die

Purgatory is God's gift to His Children.

In Purgatory, we know that, one day, we will be with God.

We know that hell cannot touch us, and that when our souls are purified,

we will join the other saints in heaven.

Even if we are not canonized, we are saints when we enter heaven.

We need to pray for souls daily so that hell will not be their destiny.

Oh, My Jesus, forgive us our sins.  Save us from the Fires of hell.  Lead all souls to heaven,

especially those who are in most need of Thy Mercy.

 The angel at Fatima taught the children this prayer:

My God, I adore, I hope, and I love You!

I beg pardon for those who do not believe, nor adore, nor hope, nor love You.

These prayers help to save the souls of the living.

Purgatory, though painful, is a place of love and joy.

Praying for the souls helps to release them from their sufferings.

Pray daily.

Offer Masses for the souls.

Pray the St. Gertrude Prayer. 

It's said to release 1,000 souls everytime it's prayed.

Oh, My God, I offer you the Most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son Jesus, 

in union with all of the Masses said throughout the world, 

in reparation for sins,

for the Holy Souls in Purgatory,

for sinners everywhere,

sinners in the universal Church,

those within my own home,

and

within my family.

Amen.

All Praise and Honor be to the Precious Blood of Jesus, for it wrought our salvation and our redemption.

Amen.

A Blog Can Be a Celebration of A Special Feast Day: All Saints Day

God is good.

We have our saints in heaven, 

and

today we celebrate all the saints in heaven,

both the 

named 

and

unnamed saints!

Did you know that

if

you go to heaven,

YOU

ARE

A 

SAINT?

You might not be 

cannonized,

but you are a saint in heaven.

So, today, let us praise God and thank Him for His gifts to us of both 

Purgatory,

which will purify us so that we can become a saint,

and 

Heaven,

where we will be a saint.

Happy All Saints Day!

 

A Blog Post Can Be a Series about The Women of My Church: Maureen of Kato, Prayer Warrior

I've written about Maureen before.

(Maureen before.  This is not her real name.)

Maureen, like St. Joan of Arc, is a warrior, a prayer warrior.

Maureen leads the battle to defeat 

satan and his wiles,

through prayer.

There are those of us,

which is most of the population of the world,

who are in her daily prayers.

There are those of us, who, when difficulties and challenges arise,

and, we ask Maureen for prayers,

she tells us,

"I've already got you covered."

Our priests are covered in her prayers, daily, if not hourly.

Prayers for the sick and the dying are daily.

I can only guess how many souls Maureen has helped to release from Purgatory.

There is no need, great or small, that is not covered in her daily prayers.

Maureen spends many blessed hours in adoration before Our Lord interceding  for her loved ones and the rest of the world.

God smiles when Maureen whispers His Holy Name.

St. Joan once said of her mission in life,

"I am not afraid.  I was born to do this."

 Maureen once told me, "We all have our jobs.  Prayer is my job, and this is why I was born."

Sound familiar?

I told you Maureen was a warrior.

St. Joan of Arc, protect and defend God's blessing to us,

Maureen, our prayer warrior.

 

A Blog Post Can be a Reminder from God, a Truth

A Blog Post Can be a Prayer

Lord, Even a thistle bears fruit.  

When I am a thistle, sharp with others and stuck on something unkind,

forgive me and remind me that 

I am not the center of the world.

Remind me that I must love my neighbor as I love myself.

In spite of my shortcomings,

let me bear fruit.

I give myself to You.

Do with me as You choose.

A Blog Post Can be : Ending the Week with Thanksgiving and Praise

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace."

John 1: 16 

1) We can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.  The double digit number of days until our election are almost over!

(I wish that our candidates would get along a well as Marvin and Pixie do)

2) Autumn has settled into our area.  Leaves are being picked up by the city.  One of our trees still has leaves.  I don't know when those leaves will fall.  That's okay.  They will protect the grass from the snow.

3) We have had a very warm autumn.

That has been nice.

"Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!I will praise the Lord as long as I live;    I will sing praises to my God all my life long."
Psalm 146:1-2

 

Message to Marija for the World on October 25, 2016

Message, 25. October 2016
 

“Dear children! Today I am calling you: pray for peace. Leave selfishness and live the messages which I am giving you. Without them, you cannot change your life. By living prayer, you will have peace. By living in peace, you will feel the need to witness, because you will discover God whom you now feel to be far away. Therefore, little children, pray, pray, pray and permit God to enter into your hearts. Return to fasting and confession so as to overcome the evil in you and around you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Harken to Our Lady's request and 

Pray

for 

Peace.

Worth Repeating: Imagine

Imagine a place you’ve never seen before, a place you might not have believed was real.  A place covered in a mist so thick that you cannot see your hands or your feet, yet, it’s solid and real.  Imagine a place of great suffering, filled with the cries of longing, moaning, and groaning, but a place of incredible joy!  Imagine a place where, before you entered,  you had seen the Face of God, and now, your longing for God causes such great pain, you fear your heart will break.  Imagine a place where the pain is so great, you know that if the skin was burned off your body, leaving only raw nerves exposed to the air, you would feel less pain.  Imagine a place where a fire burns so coldly that the pain caused to your body by a hot flame would be a welcome respite.

The time for merit is over when we die.  We know that God is a God of great Mercy.  What we often forget is that God is a God of Justice, too.  Justice must be met by each of us in our judgment.  One of the gifts of God’s Mercy, in the expiation of our sins, is Purgatory.  Purgatory is a place of final cleansing for our souls, so that one day, when we have paid our debt to our merciful and loving God, we will meet Him face to face, never again fearing Hell, but knowing that we are safe and in Paradise.  satan is no longer a threat to our immortal souls.  We rejoice!

The souls in Purgatory cannot help themselves.  They are completely dependent on the mercy of God and on our prayers and sacrifices on their behalf.  Masses said for the souls bring them great relief.  The Mass can also shorten the time of the souls in Purgatory, and it can bring about their release.  The souls have no recourse except to stay in Purgatory until their debt is paid or to depend on us, the living, for relief and release. 

While in Purgatory the souls can pray for their loved ones (which are all people) on earth.  They can pray for their intentions.  They cannot pray for themselves.  The souls become wonderful intercessors while they are cleansed of their sins in Purgatory, and they do so with great joy!  They are saved.  They know this, but they also know that they must make up for what evil they did on earth.  (Sin is evil.)

Their pain is nearly unbearable, but the pain must be borne by the souls who were not purified on earth.  The souls rejoice because they have been saved from hell.  They know that because of God’s love for all, they are in Purgatory.  They know that the pain they feel is great, but it will lead to great joy when they see God in His Glory!

The souls also pray for those who intercede for them on earth.  They do this with great joy, in spite of their great pain.  The souls in Purgatory can be your intercessors while they are there.  When they reach heaven, they do not forget you.  They continue to pray and intercede for you.  In heaven, they are more powerful than they were on earth.  Ask the souls for help.  Trust them. They will do their best for you.  They will love you with incredible love because you helped them.

The souls in Purgatory are so dear to me.  They have helped me.  They have prayed for me.  They have brought about great spiritual healing for me.  Pray for them daily.  They can only love now.  They are full of love, but they suffer in ways greater than we can imagine, and they do so with great love and joy. 

Help them. 
Have masses said for them.
Offer your masses for them.
Pray the St. Gertrude prayer daily.  It is said to release 1,000 souls each time it is prayed.  Yes, there are a lot of souls in Purgatory!

Eternal Father,
I offer you the Most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus,
in union with all the Masses offered today,
for the Holy Souls in Purgatory,
for sinners everywhere,
for sinners in the Universal Church,
those within my own home and within my family.
Amen.

Pray a rosary, daily, for the souls.
Offer a fast up for them.
Give up that candy bar for the souls.
Give up that immoral TV show for the souls.

Continue to pray for your loved ones who have gone before you.  They might not be out of Purgatory yet. 

As Our Lady says, “Pray, Pray, Pray.”

The Souls will love you for it.  One day, if you aren’t ready to enter heaven yet, and you aren’t hell bound, then you will find yourself in the mist of purgatory suffering willingly for your sins.  Joy will fill your heart!  You will welcome any help you can get from the souls on earth.  Pray now!  You will have intercessors in heaven to help you reach Paradise! They will greet you at the door of heaven, and join you at the Throne of God when you behold His face.  

As St. Paul says,
“Pray without ceasing.”
Remember the Souls when you do!

A Blog Post Can Be an Important Question?

The bigger question is:

Is this Good for Your Soul?

You have to make that decision.

God gave us the gift of free Will.

We can choose to sin or not.

The phrase

"Nasty Woman"

is currently a popular and, supposedly,

empowering phrase in this election.

Certain women would like for us to be 

Nasty Women

with pride.  

What would Jesus want us to do?

How would the Mother of God act in this situation?

Proverbs 31: 25-31 tells us:

Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come. 

 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 

 She looks well to the ways of her household,
    and does not eat the bread of idleness. 

 Her children rise up and call her happy;
    her husband too, and he praises her: 

 “Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.” 

 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 

 Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the city gates.

The eyes of the Lord are more important.

Stand before the Cross of the Crucified.

Will you be the

Nasty Woman

or

the Woman who laughs at things to come?

 

 

A Blog Post can be: A website You Might Not Know Exists

I had forgotten about this site until a friend asked me about praying for the souls of non Catholics.

Of course, Purgatory is a gift to both Catholic and non-Catholics alike from God.

Our choices are Heaven, hell, and Purgatory.

In hell, there is no hope.

In heaven there is the fulfillment of hope and love.

In Purgatory, 

there is hope.

When a soul is judged and found to be imperfect,

the soul is sent to Purgatory for cleansing.

The soul is saved.

Mystics of the Church have told us that there is great suffering in Purgatory, but the souls cannot help themselves.  They can only pray for others.  Then cannot pray for themselves.  Only we can pray for their release.    Our time on earth is a time of merit for us.  We can pray for ourselves and ask others to pray for us.  In Purgatory, especially many of our non Catholic brethren whose faith does not understand Purgatory, are many forgotten souls.  There is no one to pray for them.  However,  there is a site where you can enter the names of the living and dead, and they will receive the benefits of the adorers and Perpetual Masses that are offered by the site owner.

It's called

THE PURGATORY PROJECT.

You can enter the names of anyone living or dead, and they will received the benefit of great prayers.

Enter your name.

That is important, especially, in our day and age when so many have not yet come to know the love of God.

We always want prayers, especially if there is great suffering involved.

Enter names.

You can do this anonymously or register your entry with your name.

The choice is yours.

When you think of a name, write that name down, and enter more than one at a time, or enter only one at a time.

It is so easy.

The souls need us.

Pray for them!

Pray!

Eternal Father, I offer You the Most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus, in union with all of the Masses said throughout the world.  In reparation for sins, for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those within my own home and within my family.  Amen.

Ending (And Beginning) the Week with Praise

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace."

John 1: 16 

1) The words, "No Greater Love" bring me to tears.

2) The colors hidden in the leaves are peaking now as the the trees' cycle of life slows down.

3) The closer we get to the election, the more grateful I am.

"Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!I will praise the Lord as long as I live;    I will sing praises to my God all my life long."
Psalm 146:1-2

 

A Blog Can be A Testimony of Truth and Life

I am one of those mothers whose life was at risk during my last pregnancy. I was told the longer I carried, the higher the risk of losing my  life. If a woman learned of a risk late term, the solution is delivery of a viable baby, not abortion. I carried my baby to 30 weeks, and he and I survived. Who is to say my life was any more valuable than his? If anything the argument could be made as his mother, it would fall on my shoulders to protect him, even with my life. It seem backwards for a child to sacrifice for the parent.

I struggled to have my children, and losing my twin preemies makes one understand how precious life is.  This topic gets me riled up because we didn't know if I could have a child.  I have a friend who actually asked me to take her to an abortion clinic.  I was outraged. I tried so hard to have a baby, and we looked at adoption. With my child,  the doctors told me I had to have him to save myself.  I fought with them, insisted on steroid shots to help mature his lungs.  I was in ICU with Hellp syndrome and was told the only cure was to have the baby.  I denied consent.  I ended up having an emergency c-section. On my way into surgery,  I prayed for God to take me and save my son. I felt this warm feeling engulf me and knew God was taking control.  I cry when I tell the story.  I have felt God bless me and my son.

A Blog Can Be a Saintly Quote

A Blog Can Be Worth Repeating: Pray for Life

A Blog can be a Phrase...

God will NEVER stop loving YOU!

A Blog Can Be One Word. Grow Closer To God and...

Enfing the Week With Thanksgiving and Praise

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace."

John 1: 16 

1) There was a crack of lightning and the boom of thunder.  I didn't know we had a storm on the way, but this is a way to say good bye to fall.

2) Making soap has been a blessing to me.  I'm getting ready for winter by making soap rich in emollients.

Making soap is a gift from God.

 

3) Pixie had a great birthday.  She had a taco and a cupcake.  She was very happy!

 

 

 

 

"Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!I will praise the Lord as long as I live;    I will sing praises to my God all my life long."
Psalm 146:1-2

 

God Shows His Sense of Humor Again

I've always had a thing about angels.

I've prayed to God.

"Lord, I'd love to see an angel, a real angel.  How about it?  Will you let me see an angel?"

Today, I was driving home from morning Mass.

I saw a strange looking cloud hanging down.  It was the only one in the sky.

I took pictures of it when I came to a stop sign.

In the first photo,

do you see the angel beginning to form?

The second photo shows the angel,

wings and all.

At the bottom of the cloud, I see a dove.

Is that the Holy Spirit?

The angel seems to be riding on the dove's back.

Yes, I think God has a fun sense of humor, 

but

I'd still rather see a real angel,

a beautiful being of light.

I guess I'll have to wait.

Worth Repeating: My Feet Are Cold!!!!!

My Feet Are Cold!

Offer it up.

My shoes are uncomfortable.

Offer it up.

The old lady right in front of me just did something she can’t hear, and it smells.

Offer it up.

The homily is too long.

Offer it up.

The songs are too high to sing at Mass.

Offer it up.

My kids feet stink!

Offer it up.

It’s too hot outside.

Offer it up.

I ordered a choco-mocha latte and got a diet coke instead.

Offer it up.

I’ve waited over half and hour for the doctor.

Offer it up.

The sun is too bright.

Offer it up.

I’m so hungry!

Offer it up.

I’m too cold.

Offer it up.

My Heart is broken.

Offer it up.

I have a fever.

Offer it up.

That car cut me off.

Offer it up.

(See a trend here?)

Offer it up.


Why do we “offer it up?”

We offer our sufferings to God because our suffering is never wasted or meaningless when we join our sufferings to those of the Jesus on the cross for the salvation of sinners, the atonement of sins, or the forgiveness of sins.
We may also offer our sufferings for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for the sick and suffering, or for  special intentions.
You may also offer up your sufferings and ask Jesus to do with our sufferings as He chooses.

So, the next time you stub your toe, run late for a meeting,

OFFER IT UP!
Your prayers and offerings are never wasted.

Taste and See: Experiencing God with Our Senses: The Sense of Sight

One night, I woke up, and I couldn't see.  I don't know what happened, but for a few minutes I had no sense of sight.

The room was dark, of course, but there were night lights in the hall.

I couldn't see.

Then, as quickly as it happened, my vision returned.

My breathing returned to normal and the panic subsided.

4 AM is early, but I was awake.

As I lay there, aware that today would be a very long day,

I pondered this God given gift of sight.

Other than those few minutes, I have never been without sight.

I've never had to use a cane to find my way across the street.

I've never had to hide my eyes because they were disfigured. 

I've never had to wonder if I would trip on something I couldn't see.

Sight has been a gift.

I am able to read by sight.

I am able to make crafts using my sight.

I can cook and read recipes because I have the gift of sight.

I might need glasses, but my sight is corrected to 20/20.

If I use my sight, I can see a flower blooming in a garden.

If I use my sight, I can see the rain falling.

If I use my sight, I can see a tomato that is ripe.

If I use my sight, I can see the priest as he consecrates the Host.

If I use my sight, I can drive to Church without having to ask someone to take me.

Of course, we cannot see God with our earthly eyes, 

but

we can experience Him through our senses.

With my gift of sight, I can see the sun rise or set.

With my gift of sight, I can see my children.

With my gift of sight, I can see a smile on an aging face.

With my gift of sight, I can see my home.

With my gift of sight, I can experience God in what I see.

 

God's Love Language In My Garden

God found me in the garden, and He spoke to me in His Language of Love.

How does God speak to you?

Message From Our Lady of Medjugorje to Mirjana: 10/2/16

Dear children, the Holy Spirit, according to the Heavenly Father, made me the mother – the mother of Jesus – and by this alone, also your mother.

That is why I am coming to hear you, that I may open my motherly arms to you; to give you my heart and to call you to remain with me, because from the top of the cross my Son entrusted you to me. 

Unfortunately, many of my children have not come to know the love of my Son; many of them do not want to come to know Him.

Oh, my children, how much bad is done by those who must see or interpret in order to come to believe. That is why, you, my children, my apostles, in the silence of your heart, listen to the voice of my Son, so that your heart may be His home, that it may not be dark and sad, but that it may be illuminated with the light of my Son.

Seek hope with faith, because faith is the life of the soul. Anew I am calling you: pray, pray to live faith in humility, in spiritual peace, and illuminated by the light. My children, do not strive to comprehend everything immediately, because I also did not comprehend everything immediately; but I loved, and I believed in the divine words which my Son spoke – He who was the first light and the beginning of redemption.

Apostles of my love – you who pray, sacrifice yourselves, love and do not judge – you go and spread the truth, the words of my Son, the Gospel, because you are the living Gospel; you are the rays of the light of my Son. My Son and I will be with you to encourage you and to test you. My children, always implore the blessing of those, and only of those whose hands have been blessed by my Son, of your shepherds. Thank you.”

---

Say Hello to your Mother. Pray the Rosary today!

A single Rosary takes only 

20 minutes to pray.

If you don't have time for a full

Rosary,

say a decade.

Here's a link on how to say the Rosary.

Click

HERE

for more information on the Rosary.

I'd write more, but it's time for my rosary.

Confession: God's Balm for the Soul...5 Reasons to go today

It's good for you.

You feel better when you confess.

Through the priest, God forgives you your sins.

Your sins are forgotten.

God rejoices when you return.

Oh, My God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins because they have offended You, My God,

Who are all good and worthy of all my love.

I firmly resolve with the help of Your grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin.

Amen.

 

Ending the Week In Thanksgiving and Praise

From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace."

John 1: 16 

1) I've been blessed to see God working in my son's life, and for this I am very grateful.

2) Yesterday, God worked in my life.

3) The harvest is almost finished, but God blessed us with a bountiful harvest from the garden.

"Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!I will praise the Lord as long as I live;    I will sing praises to my God all my life long."
Psalm 146:1-2

5 Prayers to Pray When You Don't Have the Time

Jesus.
 A single word prayer that can and should be uttered daily remembering the power and the sacredness of His Holy Name.  Pray the Holy Name of Jesus when you drive to work.  Utter His holy name as you fall into sleep.  Say His name, reverently 300 times a day.  You will grow closer to God.
 

Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.

 In this simple prayer, we acknowledge that we are subject to God, and we acknowledge that we are sinful.  We ask Jesus, the Second Person of the Divine Trinity, to have mercy on us.

Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins.  Save us from the fires of hell.

Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

This prayer is known as the Fatima Prayer.  It was given to the children by the angel of Fatima.

We should pray this prayer daily for the forgiveness of sins and to ask for God's mercy on our world.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

With this prayer, we pray for the Souls in Purgatory who can no longer help themselves.

The Souls suffer greatly in Purgatory as they are cleansed of the stains of sin and their attachments to earth.  They crave the Presence of God, and this craving is said to be intense.  One cannot be in the Presence of God unless we are purified for He is all Holy.  Purgatory is a gift from God to His Children who do not die in a state of purity. 

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love entrusts you here.  Ever this day/night be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide.  Amen.

God has given each of us a guardian angel.  This angel, a magnificent being of light, who loves us with intense, pure love, is given to us, by God, from the moment of conception to moment we die.  Our angel loves, guides and protects through life, yet, does not interfere with our gift of free will, nor does our angel interfere with the Will of God, and at times, must step back to allow God's Will to transpire in difficult times.  Saint Padre Pio advised his spiritual children to have a good relationship with their guardian angels.  He reminded them that their guardians prayed continuously for them and offered the prayers of those for whom they cared to God.  

 

Worth Repeating: When We Die

  Our hearts stop beating.  Our lungs no longer fill with air.  Our bodies cease to function.  Our immortal souls are released from our bodies.  We enter into eternal life, and our souls leave our physical bodies.  We only take with us, that which we are.
 
Reports from those who have returned include tunnels through which the soul flies at speeds unknown on earth.  Lights are brighter than any here.  Colors are vibrant and living.  Colors that have never been seen are visible to the soul who has left the body.
 
Family and friends who have died come to greet the newly dead.  Many times, souls are sent back because it’s not their time.  Others are given the choice to return to their bodies or not.  Visions of a “being of light” are often reported.  Many identify this being as Jesus, Love personified.
 
Life reviews, with the full knowledge of how one’s actions on earth affected ourselves and others, take place in front of Eternal Love.  Great sorrow or joy can be felt by the soul as the consequences of our actions are seen and felt.  All is truth, but truth with great love. 
 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that when we die our souls are separated from our bodies and we stand in judgment by God.  We are then sent to Heaven, hell or purgatory.
    Yes, Heaven is real.
    Yes, hell is real.
    Yes, Purgatory is real. 
 
Heaven or hell.  This is what we choose when we live.  God is Love, but the choices we make will affect our life after death.  The gift of free will is given to us by Our Loving God.  We either choose God or not.   Sin is grave, but with true repentance God will forgive even the most vile sinner. 
 
Since only the purified, the unblemished, can enter heaven, most need to spend time in Purgatory to cleanse the soul.  All will be known, and all will be truth.  As painful as it will be to know that we are not ready to be with God, we will also know that  God awaits us with open, loving arms. Our sins have consequences for us, and Purgatory is a place to purify our souls before we join the Great I AM in heaven. How great and painful is the longing for God by the soul in Purgatory!   What a blessing from our loving God! 
 
Once in Purgatory, the deceased cannot pray for themselves.  It is our duty, as members of our Church, to pray for all of our beloved, and not so beloved dead, that their time in Purgatory may be lessened.  How grateful are the souls who are released through our prayers!  When in heaven they become our intercessors!  They will come to greet us when we enter the Kingdom of God!  It is our duty to pray each day for these beloved souls of God!  How grateful is our Heavenly King when we do so. 
 
The St. Gertrude prayer is said to release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time that it is recited. 

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your Divine Son, Jesus, in union with all of the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home and within my family.  Amen.
    Sadly, beyond a divide through which no soul can cross, is hell.  Hell is eternal torment from which there is no escape.  Hell never ceases.  Once condemned to hell, the soul cannot leave.  The torment and pain continue through eternity.  Hell exists where God’s love cannot.  Hell is a choice.  The consequence of unrepentant sinner is hell.
    Our Lady, in all of her apparitions, asks us to pray for souls to be saved.  She gave this prayer to us at Fatima.  She has asked us to pray frequently so that more souls will come to God and be saved.

Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins.  Save us from the fires of hell.  Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy Mercy.

This is the prayer recited between decades of the Rosary.  You will save souls, and these souls will love you for this gift!  We never know whom we will help to save.  The souls you save might be those people whom you love.  

Heaven is a choice.  God. Love.  Eternal joy.  The Hope of all Mankind.
Pray.

“But it is as written:  What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
1 Corinthians: 9

Pray for the dead daily.
Pray for those you love and for those whom you don't love.
Pray for sinners daily.
We are all sinners.
Pray that all souls will enter into the joy of eternal life.
Jesus tells us,
"My grace is sufficient unto you."
Pray that those who reject His Graces and Love will be converted and souls will be saved.
Pray!
Pray!
Pray!

The Monarchs and Life into Death into Life

I took this picture of the caterpillars on September 26.  In some areas of the country, there would be no problem.  Here, in southern Minnesota,   I wonder if it is too late for these beautiful creatures to turn into butterflies before the first frost.

The butterfly migration has already begun.

Last week, there were many butterflies fluttering around.  This week, I've only seen one or two monarchs. 

I don't know if these guys will make it, but if they do, I applaud them, and I thank God for the gift of these beautiful creatures.

The analogy of the caterpillar  turning into a butterfly is a comparison of death into life.

As Catholics, we believe that when we die, our immortal soul lives on into eternity.  Our life, which was our time of merit, our time to get to know God,  to love Him and serve Him, ends, and we face God for an accounting of our life.  At that moment, we know our fate:  Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory.

Few souls go directly to heaven.  The ones who go directly to heaven, are the souls who were purified, tested, and tried in life, and overcame their times of tribulation loving God and serving Him with joy.  

The souls who go to hell are the souls who have no love for God.  They served other gods in their lives.  Money, sex, power were their gods, even if they considered themselves good people.  Their service was to themselves and not to God.  They sinned and refused to repent.  They did it "their way."  There is no room in hell for God or for love.  Hell is real, and souls do go there.  Where as heaven is love, hell is no love.  Hell is emptiness and pain.  God does not go there.  God separated heaven and hell with a chasm and souls cannot cross that chasm.

Hell is not where I want to be.

Souls can be saved, even some of the greatest sinners can be saved with prayer.

Oh, My Jesus, forgive us our sins.  Save us from the Fires of Hell.  Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy Mercy.

Pray and know that you are helping to save souls.

The rest of the souls go to Purgatory.  Purgatory is a place of final purgation where souls who died before they were purified before they die.  Most souls find themselves in Purgatory and are grateful to God.  We must be pure to enter heaven.  Purgatory is God's gift to us so that this can happen, and souls suffer greatly in Purgatory.  They cannot pray for themselves, they can only pray for others and repent.  When they are purified, they enter into paradise, but that can take a very long time.  We are the only ones who can help them by our prayers, offering Masses for them, offering our joys and sufferings for them...This prayer written by St. Gertrude is said to release 1,000 souls each time it's prayed.

Eternal Father, I offer you the most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus, in union with all of the Masses said throughout the world, in reparation for sins, for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those within my own home, and within my family.  Amen.

All Praise and honor be to the Precious blood of Jesus, for it wrought our salvation and our redemption. Amen.

So pray, that like these little monarchs, it's not too late for your immortal soul or the souls of others.  Pray that your time on earth will be judged a time of merit and not loss.  

God wants all of His Children with Him in Paradise.

We were redeemed by Jesus, but The Father gave us free will.

We can choose to be holy or not.

God does not force holiness on His children.

Redemption is the gift.

What we do with that gift is up to us.

Pray daily for the salvation of souls.

Pray daily for the salvation of your soul.

Pray for the souls in Purgatory.

With prayer, we will be using one of God's gifts to us.

We will be drawing closer to Him and growing in holiness.

Amen.

Allelujiah.