LIFE THOUGHTS: Hurting from an abortion? Call 877 HOPE 4 ME

My son's son ...

2011-10-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

Arrived October 2. He is beautiful ... I give thanks for his life, for his birth and for his parents being courageous enough, even though counseled to abort him, to ignore the doctor's advice and to bring him into this world.

The saying "like father like son" rings true with this pair...my son's mother was counseled to abort my son. She did not. He was born a mere 10 months after his brother. The mother of my grandson was also counseled to terminate the precious life that she held within her womb. She did not.

Abortion is never the answer to any pregnancy - whether a sibling is a mere ten months older than another, whether the parents are married, whether the child is wanted by his parents...

Each life is precious, unique and wonderfully made and today I give thanks in a very special way that abortion did not touch the life of my son and of his son. I pray that Vince Alexander will have sons, too. Hurray for LIFE!

I am a grandmother to a little boy!

2011-06-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

And this is what my little grandson looked like when he was wee tiny, at about three months old. Just amazing, current technology that permits us to look inside a woman's womb - a mother - and see her little one.

I am so grateful to God that Angie and Jesse have chosen life for this baby. I have four granddaughters, who are all a blessing to me, but this little guy is our first grandson.

To God be the glory, now and forever!

I was privileged to be able to fly

2011-01-27T19:01:00.000-08:00

I was privileged to be able to fly down to San Francisco (thank you Alaska Airlines mileage program) for the 8th annual Walk for Life West Coast.

The weather was absolutely fantastic - I lived in San Francisco for seven years in the 80's and never recall such gorgeous weather - thank you Lord!

There were between 40 and 50 THOUSAND of us who walked for LIFE! We walked from the Embarcadero (Justin Hermann Plaza) to the Marina Green, a two and a half mile walk...except for the end, which was a HIKE up and over a hill.

We were met, at the beginning of the walk, by protesters, who had bull horns and who yelled and screamed at us. They told us that we lied - that we did not care if women die...what a crock! I guess they do not understand that baby girls are being murdered by abortions ... and that women are hurt by abortions, the risks that the procedure has and sometimes, their abortions end in their own deaths...

We had people making obscene gestures to us - people harassing us ... and we kept marching. The protesters probably numbered one hundred or one hundred and fifty - it was hard to tell because we kept walking and I don't know how many marched along side of us -

It was interesting to see that these protesters, some of whom I photographed, did not walk the whole walk with us - they were only interested in protesting our right (and theirs) to assembly peacefully and to voice our desire to stop the holocaust of abortion, when the media was around.

The media ... ugh! I watched ABC local news that night and the report was that the marchers (us) were only 2,000 strong and we walked a mile. I know that my legs said that we walked the two and a half miles at a snails pace as there were so many of us...

I have lost so much respect for the news reporting in this country - they either ignore 100 thousand feet, walking for LIFE, or they misreport the walk altogether.

Liars, liars .. the lot of them.

Anali - I am glad you have written again

2011-01-13T12:54:00.000-08:00

I believe, due to the constraints of the written word, without body language and word intonation, that it is difficult, many times, to get across what a person is trying to explain, so I will try my best by answering your comment.

First - I apologize if you have been injured in any way by my postings. I am post abortive - I had an abortion 41 years ago this April. I lost my son at the gestational age of 16 weeks. I had a second trimester abortion in which I went into labor and my son's life was terminated.

I am pasting in your comment and will reply to your concerns.

Anonymous said...
Wow...
See what I mean?
I left a very honest, very sincere message on this blog and it got distorted into this post.

No. Children in Africa are as precisous as kids anywhere in this world.

Anali - you have made my point - the question was a rhetorical one - that means that of course, I know that children in every continent and nation are precious, created in the image and likeness of God. We, those who are living, have no right to decide that a child must be aborted because it is any less precious than any other person.

I said: People are never kind to anybody who had an abortion.

Anali - how have I been unkind?

THANK YOU for proving me right.
What an insult. And, here I ask the same question - how have I insulted you?

Selfrightiousness is so awful. I agree with you here - self righteousness is awful -

YET:
My questions did not get answered. You asked me if I would care for the children in Africa, if I would find homes for them, if I would feed them and educate them, and my answer was a definite ... YES! Please re-read my post to you.

Nobody cares for all these children in Africa. They are DYING from AIDS and other things. Anali, let us be honest with one another - there are many who do not care about children. HOWEVER, there are many who do care about children, not just those in Africa, a huge continent, but those specifically in South Africa, those who are dying of AIDS and other diseases. But to kill a child (abortion) before it is born does not solve the problem of when a child will die a death due to disease. Abortion, it seems to me, in your mind is a preemptive strike against how a child will die. For instance - if you think a child will suffer with HIV/AIDS, you kill it before it has a chance to breath its first breath.

There is still nobody taking care of them. Anali - be honest - although not every child's need is being met - there are people who do care for the children who are dying and who are in need of orphanages. Let me ask you - what are YOU doing - have you adopted children? Do you spend time in assisting those who are less fortunate than you?
How do I know?
I LIVE HERE!!!!
I SEE IT!

Wow.
What an awful blog this is.So judgemental. How am I being judgmental, Anali? I am stating facts.

And I live in South Africa. Camaroon is very far from where I live. If you recall, Anali, I asked you where in Africa you lived. I realize that Africa is a large continent. It was not until you left the comment I am replying to now that I had any information as to where in Africa you live. At this time, the only Rachel's Vineyard retreat is in Cameroon.

I leave you with this ... you told me if I told you I would find homes for those in your mind, unwanted children that you would "If you are willing to give me an unwavering and loud YES!!!! , I will start and anti-abortion campaign today. right here. Right now. Give me that yes, and I will give you my dedication."

Do you still stand by your word?

Anali - you do realize we are speaking about abortion - the killing of the most innocent among us - and I am so sorry that you lost your child to abortion ten years ago. To take the life, to be the person who decides that their child must die is not natural, not at all natural for any mother or father. When we abort our children, we break with all that we know is right and good. Many times, in order to make our decision to have aborted our child/ren, we justify it with rhetoric such as "there are too many children already" or "too many children are suffering" or "I cannot afford another child" or "my boyfriend will leave me if I have this baby" or other pressures.

It is my firm belief though, Anali, that mothers who have had abortion/s are hurting women. Women who know there is something wrong - and there is no amount of justification of our actions that makes the killing of our own child/ren right. When we permit our defenses to evaporate, when we admit that we, in our fear, in our righteousness, in our justifying our abortion/s were wrong, we can begin to find healing from the procedure that killed our child/ren.

Anali - that is what I am offering you - permission to acknowledge that abortion (any abortion) is always wrong, permission to know that you made a choice to abort your child, which was harmful to you and deadly to your child.

Permission too, to know that although you cannot go back and change the decision you made to abort your baby ten years ago, you can ask God to forgive you, to help you move forward and to be an anti-abortion advocate. In doing so, Anali, you will be sparing others from entering into the same deadly mistake that you and I both made many years ago. God Bless you

Random thoughts

2011-01-12T08:56:00.000-08:00

"I live in Africa" ... so, are children in Africa any less precious or created by God?

"I have seen child abuse" ... the ultimate child abuse is abortion - it ends in death 99 % of the time.

"If there was no other way ... " no other way? Abortion is NEVER the way.

"...rude doctor" ... most abortionist do not like performing abortions - they do not like women, no wonder they are rude - to kill is the ultimate rudeness.

"...cried all the way home" ... yes, that is generally what mothers do when their babies die - they cry.

There is hope and healing for those who have had abortions - for those in Africa - there is one Rachel's Vineyard healing retreat in Cameroon - here is the information:

Tiko, SWP Cameroon
Local Host: New Era Clinic
Contact: Mrs. Josephine Onuoha 237-984-4186 or joe_onuoha@yahoo.com
Note: Medical Officer: Dr. Onuoha Matthew 237 984 4186
New Era Clinic
P.O. Box 458
Tiko, SWP Cameroon, Africa
(237) 984 4186 (office)
(237) 335 14 82 (home)
(237) 335 13 06 (fax)
Spiritual Director: Rev. Fr. Lucus Ngwa

For a complete listing of all retreats and schedules, Rachel's Vineyard Retreats

A great comment from Anali!

2011-01-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

I was just mindlessly paging through some blogs, you know, clicking on the “next blog” option, when I came across this one. Abortion is always such a tricky subject, isn’t it? I mean, this is not a subject with grey areas. You are either a yes or a big no on this. Nothing in between. I am a Christian woman. I have a beautiful talented 20 year old son whom I love more than anything in this world. I have also had an abortion about 10 years ago. I remember taking the day off work and travelling to a city 4 hours drive from where I live. I remember the dress I wore. I remember the fear and the tears and the rudeness of the doctor. I remember crying all the way home. The pain. In my heart and in my womb. I also remember the relief. This is not the place or the time to try and sketch my situation. I realized a long time ago that people are not kind to anyone who had an abortion. They judge harshly. Yes. Taking a life was not up to me, was it? And I am sure, have I chosen to keep that baby, I would have, eventually coped. Sometimes we make decisions at a certain time because the fear of whatever is in our lives at that time is bigger than anything else. I would always try and talk somebody out of an abortion. But if there is no other way, I would also drive somebody to the clinic, hold her hand and support her all the way. Everybody does not deal with abortion the same way. I have seen too much of too much in my life to try and be anti-abortion. I have seen child abuse. I have seen unwanted hungry children turning to crime and murder. I live in Africa. You just tell me… Will you raise all those “unwanted” children? Will you give them homes, feed them, educate them? If you are willing to give me an unwavering and loud YES!!!! , I will start and anti-abortion campaign today. right here. Right now. Give me that yes, and I will give you my dedication. ~ Anali

Dear Anali - YES! I can give you an unwavering YES, I will give homes to your babies, educate your babies and permit them to live life, the life that God gave them.

I am sorry that you had an abortion - your child would be 10 years old now. If you did not want the child, I know of many people who would have taken your child in. I am a mother who has adopted three children and would welcome more children in our lives.

I am certain that your decision to abort your baby was based on fear. I do not condemn you for aborting your child, for I too, have had an abortion.

To say that you would take another woman to abort her baby is interesting. You cried all the way home from having had your abortion, you write, and yet, you want that for another woman? You want another woman to have the knowledge that she had a hand in the death of her child?

You write "unwanted" child? By whom is the child unwanted? Certainly, not by God, who is the creator of ALL life.

I am one hundred percent anti-abortion - I am against the killing of any human being - and most definitely against killing those who have done nothing wrong - have not had a trial or a jury decide their fate, except for the jury of their mother, father and doctor. Abortion is very unfair to the unborn -

I too have seen much ugliness in my lifetime - I have traveled and lived in many different countries and have seen suffering throughout the world. I have been to the continent of Africa, but only in the country of Kenya. I have seen poverty - but the greatest poverty is the poverty of believing that it is okay to kill your own baby.

I am glad you wrote - what nation in Africa do you live? Africa is such a large continent and has many diverse cultures in it. Please write again. God bless you -

Julie

2011-01-10T17:55:00.000-08:00

our nephew's wife Julie, has just been diagnosed with colon cancer, which, sadly, has already spread to her liver. Please pray for a miracle for this little family - they have a young son and daughter. Thank you -

Hail Mary, Full of Grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners, now
and at the hour of our death.

Mary, Mother of God, we ask you to pray with us for intercession for Julie and her health situation. Father of mercies, we trust in You, we know You have the bigger picture in mind, we ask for your mercy.

Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

Today begins the Christmas Season! I am so grateful that God became man, fully human, fully divine, to show us how much He loves us.

No greater love have I ever known than that of God's ... He has never disappointed me - He is my biggest cheerleader and He Adores me. He knows all my weaknesses and loves me in spite of myself. How cool is that?

Now, you might think that I have the wrong idea about God - but you would be wrong - I have the right idea about Him - after all, He gave us His only Begotten Son. His Son opened the gates of heaven for me.

AND - the best news is that you can insert your own name here - No greater love will you ever know ... He will never disappoint you...(although we may disappoint Him), He is your biggest cheerleader and He adores you. He knows all of your weaknesses and loves you in spite of yourself.

So permit yourself to be swaddled in His love and enjoy this wonderful season when we celebrate His birth!

Mr. Lloyd...

2010-12-09T16:18:00.000-08:00

Lloyd - I went to your site and my computer flashed a virus warning, so I clicked off of it.

I would like to read more about your thoughts about where babies, who are killed before they are born, go.

I pray that I you can take care of the virus so I can read your blog. Blessings to you -

Hannah has arrived!

2010-12-07T17:29:00.002-08:00

Praise God - baby Hannah arrived...she is large for being one month early - over six pounds. Thank you for your prayers on her behalf.

Pray

2010-12-06T22:21:00.001-08:00

please, for Sew, Baby Sew and Mr. Sew. Baby Sew seems to feel that she is ready to come into the world about a month early. Of course, there is anxiety, but we know God is in control and we ask His blessings on this early (maybe) arrival!

Thank you and Happy Feast of St. Nicholas!

Good morning!

2010-11-19T07:38:00.000-08:00

And thank you Lord for a safe delivery of Aislyn Kateri Watson. I am the confirmation sponsor of her mother and am praising God for the new little girl.

Abortion Groups NARAL, Planned Parenthood, Emily's List Dejected After Election | LifeNews.com

2010-11-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

Abortion Groups NARAL, Planned Parenthood, Emily's List Dejected After Election | LifeNews.com

Somehow, I cannot come up with words of sympathy for these groups - they target and kill innocent United States citizens...I am GLAD they are dejected - I hope they continue to be so dejected that they can no longer kill innocent babies.

Imagine

2010-10-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

This baby was ten weeks old - taken from its mother's cancerous womb. Look at its cute little fingers and arms, toes and legs - a little totally formed baby - and it is only ten weeks old. I am amazed that anyone can defend abortion after seeing this photo of, not a blob of tissue, but a living human being. TEN WEEKS...ten - that is only two missed menstrual cycles.

Imagine a world in which a baby in its mother's womb was safe...

We often think that abortion

2010-09-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

is between a woman and her doctor - at least that is what we have been told. But, what about the third person? The baby that the woman is carrying in her womb?

Here is Gianna Jessen, that "third person."

Listen to her while she talks about her experience of a saline abortion.

God's peace be with you all

Rest in Peace

2010-09-27T21:27:00.001-07:00

Father Dubay - a wonderful teacher and servant of God.

Read more about him here

Six weeks...

2010-09-25T22:13:00.001-07:00

and then some! I cannot believe it has been that long since I have posted - but there it is!

We had a wonderful time at my nephew's wedding last weekend. He married a beautiful woman and the two of them had their marriage blessed in my mother's church. Father Ernie, the officiant was wonderful in his pastoral counsel and homily. The bride and groom, having already married civilly back in April, were not so nervous this time around.

The reception afterwards was a nice family gathering with a few friends of the grooms from work. It has been eight years since I have seen some of my family and four since I have seen others so it was good to see them again.

Our summer has come to an end - officially, but today seemed like the beginning of summer with the temperature in the mid 70's, which got us energized - got my car washed and waxed - bedroom furniture rearranged and went to Mass.

Tonight after Mass we celebrated the feast day of San Lorenzo Ruiz, a Filipino martyr who was killed in Japan for refusing to denounce his faith. His quote was "If I had a thousand lives, I would give them all to God" ... read more about him here

Inspiring Catholics to Vote 2010

2010-08-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

Stairway to Heaven

2010-07-21T21:38:00.001-07:00

Please pray for the repose of my friend's father, Bill Garnier who passed away unexpectedly this afternoon at their home. Thank you.

Like I said ... living in the northwest

2010-07-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

can be wonderful! Today, just two short weeks before a trial, this good news came down - an about face by the state of Washington!

This is an enormous about-face for the State, which has for several years maintained that it had to restrict the religious freedoms of pharmacies and pharmacists in order to ensure patient access to the morning after pill. In its filing today, however, the State concedes that allowing pharmacists with conscientious objections to refer patients to other pharmacies "is a time-honored pharmacy practice" that is "often in the best interest of patients, pharmacies, and pharmacists" and "do[es] not pose a threat to timely access to lawfully prescribed medications." Based on the State's representations, the Plaintiffs have agreed to allow the trial to be postponed while the Washington State Board of Pharmacy undertakes its rule-making process. Washington State is capitulating less than a month after The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty helped Plaintiffs defeat Washington's motion for summary judgment.

Read more about it here

Living in the Northwest

2010-07-14T22:13:00.000-07:00

We love living in the northwest - especially during the summer months - being able to go outside in the morning and pick raspberries off of our raspberries canes...sneaking at least a handful of them into our mouths before they get into the container for our breakfasts ... watering early, early in the morning, watching the tide slowly recede from its night time high ... oh lovely northwest.

This evening the tide was so high that Gabe reasoned if one was standing on the Allyn Dock - about a mile from us, they would be parallel to the water - could be! It was a tremendously low tide today and a high tide this evening.

On Friday we will go and pick up my new to me car. I never thought I would be the owner of a Mercedes Benz, but there you have it - I am! It is a dream to drive and after driving so many cars over the last several months, I am glad I finally met my match or has my match met me?

All glory and honor to God!

2010-06-30T10:11:00.000-07:00

Thank you Lord, for beautiful, beautiful healing. Our retreat was splendid - there were marriages that were touched by your gentle hands - hearts mended and wounds bound. Praise you LORD God, Creator of heaven and earth.

Rachel's Vineyard Retreats

2010-06-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

are happening in western Washington and Oregon this weekend.

In Washington, we are expecting eleven retreatants - four men and seven women - there will be three couples on the retreat, which will be interesting.

One of the men is single and is coming by himself to the retreat for healing of his girlfriend's abortion of their child.

YES! Men do regret lost fatherhood - and so many times, men are not given an option of whether or not their child is permitted to be born. This is a tragedy.

Roe V Wade has damaged so many families - men are not permitted a voice in their child's life - such a sadness, such a travesty.

Please pray for us - that we will be instruments of God's mercy and love...for He loves us SO!

Parish Camp Out

2010-06-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

We are at the second annual parish camp out...more like rain out...but that is not stopping anyone from enjoying all there is to enjoy - dodge ball, soccer, baseball, swimming, eating, hanging out, crafts, eating, taking naps, catching up with people we have not seen since the last camp out, biking, oh and did I mention eating?

It is wonderful to see all the families with their children - a lot of babies have been born since the last summer camp out. The teenagers hang out in clusters ... renewing friendships and making new friends.

I have seen our sons a couple of times - generally at meal times, in the dining room -

The best part of the camp is that we are all a family of believers - a family that worships together, prays together and connects to one another through the grace of Jesus Christ. Mass at seven thirty this morning was full - thank you Lord for the gift of YOU!

Report Shows Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz Got $650 Million in Taxpayer Funds

2010-06-16T22:09:00.000-07:00

Six hundred fifty million dollars of tax payer dollars ... i.e. YOUR money goes to support Planned Deathhood ... what other non profit do you know of that is subsidized like this? And the more important question is ... WHY are we subsidizing this organization?

Report Shows Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz Got $650 Million in Taxpayer Funds

End abortion by 2020

2010-06-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

I have been accused of being narrow minded, a horrible scold - in part because I speak out against abortion and all of its horrors.

Those who know me know that I work with men and women who have had abortions - I see the devastation that abortion has wreaked in their lives. I know, first hand the devastation abortion brings. My son would have been 40 years old this September had he not been killed by abortion.

How many people are killed daily by abortion? 3,500 here in the United States. That is one abortion every 24 seconds. Note - I said how many people - for that is what happens when a baby is permitted to live - the baby grows up and become adults, people just like you and me. People who contribute (or not) to society - people who make a difference in our lives.

Thirty one percent of your tax dollars go to pay for abortions. Are you aware of this? No? Then perhaps it is time to get educated ... and it is way past time to end the killing of people here in the United States. People who have done nothing wrong - who are innocent - who deserve a chance to breathe their first breath.

Please watch this video - thank you!

2010-05-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

The Joy of the Lord is my strength Neh 8:10

Scratching my head

2010-05-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hos before embryos...

I just wonder how proud this young woman's father and mother are of her.

Imagine holding a sign saying that "hos" should come before babies. Yes, dear reader, that is what an embryo is...I won't go into what a "hos" is.

In the late fifties, early sixties, women decided that they were tired of being treated as maids. The medical community was fast at work in devising a revolution, known as the "pill".

The mid sixties onward began showing a different attitude about life by women. They were now freed up to be sexually active and as promiscuous as men without consequence (note here - the pill still carries risks of heart attack, stroke and even death)...women could be men and they could get all sorts of men to have carnal intimacy with them without the fear of the man fearing he would be tied down to a relationship.

Women do that kind of thing - they want to make all things possible for those around them and when the men were given the opportunity to be sexually active with a woman and not have to protect her or commit to her, well, he did what any man would do ... went for it.

Now we have women calling themselves "hos"...and sadly, that is what so many women are today - whores. They do not value themselves enough to respect their God given gift of sexuality. They do not understand the boundaries that they are ENTITLED to...no, instead they turn to places like Planned Deathhood, that tells them to go ahead, be a slut and enjoy having empty, meaningless sexual activity...for they (PD) is right there to get rid of the evidence when the ho becomes pregnant.

Oh Lord, forgive us....

2010-05-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all!!!

Deadly, deadly

2010-04-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

When we try to play at being God, we succeed at death...

"The Pill's Deadly Affair with HIV/AIDS | 2010 (v12)"

My favorite day...

2010-04-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

Wednesday! I get to go to Adoration .... what a blessing ...

On some Wednesdays, I go and stand outside the largest abortion provider in the United States and pray for the mothers, fathers and babies who enter into the building. I pray for their hearts, for their lives, for them to realize that aborting their babies is not the solution - indeed it is only the beginning to many more problems.

Adoration - to be able to sit at the feet of Our Lord, present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, reposed in the Tabernacle at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish - what a very great blessing...to be able to sit, be still and know God in such an intimate way is beyond words.

Today I pray in a special way for Ryan, who is graduating from Army boot camp, and for his family. Thank you Ryan, for serving our country. I pray for all those who are in service to our country and for their families.

Today I pray for all the mothers who feel they have no choice - that God will reveal to them that the choice is always available and it is HIM who loves us so!

God bless us all

2010-04-16T19:57:00.000-07:00

It's true - my grandma said that your mom and my mom are cousins!

And I am so glad we are!

Pope Benedict's Easter Vigil Sermon

2010-04-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

An ancient Jewish legend from the apocryphal book "The life of Adam and Eve" recounts that, in his final illness, Adam sent his son Seth together with Eve into the region of Paradise to fetch the oil of mercy, so that he could be anointed with it and healed. The two of them went in search of the tree of life, and after much praying and weeping on their part, the Archangel Michael appeared to them, and told them they would not obtain the oil of the tree of mercy and that Adam would have to die. Subsequently, Christian readers added a word of consolation to the Archangel’s message, to the effect that after 5,500 years the loving King, Christ, would come, the Son of God who would anoint all those who believe in him with the oil of his mercy. "The oil of mercy from eternity to eternity will be given to those who are reborn of water and the Holy Spirit. Then the Son of God, Christ, abounding in love, will descend into the depths of the earth and will lead your father into Paradise, to the tree of mercy." This legend lays bare the whole of humanity’s anguish at the destiny of illness, pain and death that has been imposed upon us. Man’s resistance to death becomes evident: somewhere – people have constantly thought – there must be some cure for death. Sooner or later it should be possible to find the remedy not only for this or that illness, but for our ultimate destiny – for death itself. Surely the medicine of immortality must exist. Today too, the search for a source of healing continues. Modern medical science strives, if not exactly to exclude death, at least to eliminate as many as possible of its causes, to postpone it further and further, to prolong life more and more. But let us reflect for a moment: what would it really be like if we were to succeed, perhaps not in excluding death totally, but in postponing it indefinitely, in reaching an age of several hundred years? Would that be a good thing? Humanity would become extraordinarily old, there would be no more room for youth. Capacity for innovation would die, and endless life would be no paradise, if anything a condemnation. The true cure for death must be different. It cannot lead simply to an indefinite prolongation of this current life. It would have to transform our lives from within. It would need to create a new life within us, truly fit for eternity: it would need to transform us in such a way as not to come to an end with death, but only then to begin in fullness. What is new and exciting in the Christian message, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, was and is that we are told: yes indeed, this cure for death, this true medicine of immortality, does exist. It has been found. It is within our reach. In baptism, this medicine is given to us. A new life begins in us, a life that matures in faith and is not extinguished by the death of the old life, but is only then fully revealed.

To this some, perhaps many, will respond: I certainly hear the message, but I lack faith. And even those who want to believe will ask: but is it really so? How are we to picture it to ourselves? How does this transformation of the old life come about, so as to give birth to the new life that knows no death? Once again, an ancient Jewish text can help us form an idea of the mysterious process that begins in us at baptism. There it is recounted how the patriarch Enoch was taken up to the throne of God. But he was filled with fear in the presence of the glorious angelic powers, and in his human weakness he could not contemplate the face of God. "Then God said to Michael," to quote from the book of Enoch, "‘Take Enoch and remove his earthly clothing. Anoint him with sweet oil and vest him in the robes of glory!’ And Michael took off my garments, anointed me with sweet oil, and this oil was more than a radiant light … its splendour was like the rays of the sun. When I looked at myself, I saw that I was like one of the glorious beings" (Ph. Rech, Inbild des Kosmos, II 524).

Precisely this – being reclothed in the new garment of God – is what happens in baptism, so the Christian faith tells us. To be sure, this changing of garments is something that continues for the whole of life. What happens in baptism is the beginning of a process that embraces the whole of our life – it makes us fit for eternity, in such a way that, robed in the garment of light of Jesus Christ, we can appear before the face of God and live with him for ever.

In the rite of baptism there are two elements in which this event is expressed and made visible in a way that demands commitment for the rest of our lives. There is first of all the rite of renunciation and the promises. In the early Church, the one to be baptized turned towards the west, the symbol of darkness, sunset, death and hence the dominion of sin. The one to be baptized turned in that direction and pronounced a threefold "no": to the devil, to his pomp and to sin. The strange word "pomp", that is to say the devil’s glamour, referred to the splendour of the ancient cult of the gods and of the ancient theatre, in which it was considered entertaining to watch people being torn limb from limb by wild beasts. What was being renounced was a type of culture that ensnared man in the adoration of power, in the world of greed, in lies, in cruelty. It was an act of liberation from the imposition of a form of life that was presented as pleasure and yet hastened the destruction of all that was best in man. This renunciation – albeit in less dramatic form – remains an essential part of baptism today. We remove the "old garments", which we cannot wear in God’s presence. Or better put: we begin to remove them. This renunciation is actually a promise in which we hold out our hand to Christ, so that he may guide us and reclothe us. What these "garments" are that we take off, what the promise is that we make, becomes clear when we see in the fifth chapter of the Letter to the Galatians what Paul calls "works of the flesh" – a term that refers precisely to the old garments that we remove. Paul designates them thus: "fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing and the like" (Gal 5:19ff.). These are the garments that we remove: the garments of death.

Then, in the practice of the early Church, the one to be baptized turned towards the east – the symbol of light, the symbol of the newly rising sun of history, the symbol of Christ. The candidate for baptism determines the new direction of his life: faith in the Trinitarian God to whom he entrusts himself. Thus it is God who clothes us in the garment of light, the garment of life. Paul calls these new "garments" "fruits of the spirit", and he describes them as follows: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal 5:22).

In the early Church, the candidate for baptism was then truly stripped of his garments. He descended into the baptismal font and was immersed three times – a symbol of death that expresses all the radicality of this removal and change of garments. His former death-bound life the candidate consigns to death with Christ, and he lets himself be drawn up by and with Christ into the new life that transforms him for eternity. Then, emerging from the waters of baptism the neophytes were clothed in the white garment, the garment of God’s light, and they received the lighted candle as a sign of the new life in the light that God himself had lit within them. They knew that they had received the medicine of immortality, which was fully realized at the moment of receiving holy communion. In this sacrament we receive the body of the risen Lord and we ourselves are drawn into this body, firmly held by the One who has conquered death and who carries us through death.

In the course of the centuries, the symbols were simplified, but the essential content of baptism has remained the same. It is no mere cleansing, still less is it a somewhat complicated initiation into a new association. It is death and resurrection, rebirth to new life.

Indeed, the cure for death does exist. Christ is the tree of life, once more within our reach. If we remain close to him, then we have life. Hence, during this night of resurrection, with all our hearts we shall sing the alleluia, the song of joy that has no need of words. Hence, Paul can say to the Philippians: "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice!" (Phil 4:4). Joy cannot be commanded. It can only be given. The risen Lord gives us joy: true life. We are already held for ever in the love of the One to whom all power in heaven and on earth has been given (cf. Mt 28:18). In this way, confident of being heard, we make our own the Church’s Prayer over the Gifts from the liturgy of this night: Accept the prayers and offerings of your people. With your help may this Easter mystery of our redemption bring to perfection the saving work you have begun in us. Amen.

Another news item not reported...

2010-04-02T17:37:00.000-07:00

Three women have already died at this location - so what is that again about abortions being legal and safe?

Riverside, CA (LifeNews.com) -- An ambulance appeared at the Riverside, California Planned Parenthood abortion business on Tuesday to transport a woman to a local hospital after a botched abortion. The Planned Parenthood in Riverside is the location where three women have already died from failed abortions.

Read more here

Another thing you probably won't read in mainstream media

2010-04-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

The National Broadcasting Corporation apologizes for their erroneous information...say what? NBC, CBS, CNN, ABC report things that are not true? Nah - it can't be so...

What NBC did was wrong - it said that Pope Benedict XVI was a child molester. They stated it as fact. Now, they are apologizing ... but have you heard that they have apologized or retracted their statement. Thought not...

Read more here

2010-04-01T14:32:00.001-07:00

Jesus, I unite my suffering with You.

Palm Sunday and hating

2010-03-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

I hate to say the words "Crucify Him!" during the readings at Mass on this day. I know that I crucify Our Lord often enough in my daily actions...but to have to say it out loud? NO!

I am so grateful for His Mercy, His Love and His Compassion.

Christ turned the other cheek, He did not defend Himself against his detractors. I try to follow His example in my life, albeit failing miserably at times.

I try to speak the truth when the truth is not popular. I try to live a life so that God can point to me and say "yah, that's my girl!" .. I try and with the help of His Grace, live a life that is full of love, forgiveness and compassion.

Mother Upset Seattle School Arranged her Daughter's Abortion Without Knowing

2010-03-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

As a tax payer in Washington State, a mother to three sons and a pro-life individual, I find this school system to be way off of its mark. I also find that Swedish Hospital is way off of its mark, too.

Unfortunately, this young fifteen year old will have to live with the knowledge for the rest of her life that she aborted her baby in an attempt, I am sure, to prevent her family from knowing about her pregnancy. This is just so sad.

I pray that this gal will be helped by compassionate people in the weeks and months to come - not by self serving groups, but by those who know how to help heal the trauma of abortion. I pray that she will not become a statistic of post abortion trauma - some of the symptoms including, reckless behavior, alcoholism, drug addiction, promiscuity, cutting, repeat abortions, among other things.

One question I have - who is the father? How old is he? Will he be charged with rape of a minor? Oh shoot - I guess those are tiny details that the state will overlook - after all, they usurped the parent's authority so why would they worry about the legality of whether a rape was committed or not . . .

Read more here -
Mother Upset Seattle School Arranged her Daughter's Abortion Without Knowing

Center for Disease Control...and things you won't read in the mainstream press

2010-03-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

Presented by the CDC concerning sexually active homosexual males ..."Their risk of HIV and syphilis infection is 40 times greater than that of men who do not practice homosexuality. The data, presented at the CDC's National STD Prevention Conference, finds that the rate of new HIV diagnoses among men who have sexual relations with men (MSM) is more than 44 times that of other men and more than 40 times that of women, a CDC press release reports.

Sadly our schools are still being targeted by Gay and Lesbian groups. These groups come in the guise of a support system for young boys and girls who may be confused about their gender identity - they may not fit in with their peers, but the gay and lesbian groups are more than willing to have them fit in, complete with sexual activity which is unhealthy and now, even the CDC is acknowledging this fact.

I pray for all those who struggle with same sex attraction. I pray that the authorities that run the schools will begin to understand that even though their intentions may be good, the end result is definitely not.

Click here for more information -

Pelosi Calls on Catholic Saint to Pass Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill, Flubs Date

2010-03-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

Nancy - if you want to play at being Catholic, at least get your saint's feast days right! Furthermore, no saint would go against God's will...remember Lucifer? Honest to Pete - one would almost think you were Catholic! (NOT)

Pelosi Calls on Catholic Saint to Pass Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill, Flubs Date

Go Governor Christie!!! Get the state out of our bedrooms!!

2010-03-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

Two years ago at the annual March for Life in Olympia, different pro-life legislators stood and spoke. During one of their speeches, one of the legislators said that we would be facing a lot of hard decisions due to lack of money. I yelled out

"DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD!"

The legislator stopped, looked at me and so I repeated "DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD!"

He stopped for a second or two and then returned to his canned speech.

The problem, dear readers, is that while states face massive cut backs for services due to the lack of taxes (hello? how about those 48 million citizens no longer with us due to abortion?) - no one has been willing to even look at cutting the sacred cow's funding.

The state has no business in the bedroom of the people...which translates into - the state has no business funding a private, [not] for profit (and boy do they make a profit!) agency, which is Planned Parenthood.

Read more about it here and please, dear Lord, let this be the beginning of the end of Planned Parenthood's sucking of the teat of the states' governments...i.e. your and my tax money.

The Breastplate of Saint Patrick...and a blessed day to you!

2010-03-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today through the strength of Christ with His Baptism,
through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial,
through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.

I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim
in obedience of Angels, in the service of the Archangels,
in hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets,
in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors,
in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of Heaven:
light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendour of Fire,
speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea,
stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.

I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me, God's shield to protect me,
God's host to secure me:
against snares of devils, against temptations of vices,
against inclinations of nature, against everyone who
shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.

I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils):
against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and my soul, against incantations of false prophets,
against black laws of heathenry,
against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry,
against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
against every knowledge that endangers man's body and soul.
Christ to protect me today
against poison, against burning,
against drowning, against wounding,
so that there may come abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ. May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.

Forty years ago, I was

2010-03-13T12:07:00.000-08:00

pregnant, scared and trying to ignore the fact that there was a life growing within me. I had regular ob/gyn appointments and he told me that I should be getting more calcium so that the baby's bones would be strong and my calcium would not be depleted.

I told this to a college buddy of mine and then next thing I knew, he came to our house (which I shared with three other women) with a case of milk, stolen off of a milk truck. The small milk cartons were the kind that are served in cafeterias. Not thinking of the morally reprehensible actions of this theft, my roommates and I were grateful and drank the milk.

I continued to go to classes and did not know what to do regarding my pregnancy - so pretty much ignored that I was with child.

Today, forty years later, I wish I had known that I could have reached out to a local church ... I don't think there were crisis pregnancy centers back then ... or to an adoption agency. I do remember just not feeling well and wishing that the pregnancy would somehow just go away - but alas, it did not...

Here is a clip about what might have been - unwanted: A Story about Choice

Jury Finds Michigan Man Guilty Who Shot Pro-Life Advocate Over Abortion Signs

2010-03-12T15:34:00.000-08:00

Now - just curious - how many of you heard about this on the national news? I sure did not...

It never ceases to amaze me that when a kook - pro-life or pro-abortion person - kills, the only press that seems to come out is when a pro-life person is the one doing the killing. Don't get me wrong here - I am against all killing, from conception to natural death.

Oh yes, I forgot - we have pro-abortion people killing every day - perhaps that is why this is no news ... or business as usual.

Read more here

Girl Scouts OK Pro-Abortion Planned Parenthood Sex Guide at United Nations Mtg

2010-03-11T16:03:00.000-08:00

Back in the day, I was a Girl Scout. Today, I am disgusted with this organization. They have capitulated to the thought that young girls should be indoctrinated by Planned Parenthood and are in bed with them.

Just a small bit here about this brochure entitled "Healthy, Happy and Hot" "The brochure, aimed at young people living with HIV, contains explicit and graphic details on sex, as well as the promotion of casual sex in many forms. The brochure claims, “Many people think sex is just about vaginal or anal intercourse… But, there are lots of different ways to have sex and lots of different types of sex. There is no right or wrong way to have sex. Just have fun, explore and be yourself!”

Read more here

and more ...

2010-03-06T12:12:00.001-08:00

and so exactly what did we do? We ripped out the old kitchen, moved the door going into the dining room, put in a pocket door, sold our kitchen table, refaced our dishwasher, moved that over to the wall and got a trim kit for our micro/convection oven and everything else we put in was new.

What I love most about the new kitchen - granite counter top - tops!

Roll out garbage drawer with two, not one but two, bins for garbage. Right next to the sink - to the right ... the drawer with the stripped towel on it. For now we use one for recycling and the other for garbage. I am amazed that we used one bin, one third of the size of one current bin for the last twenty years.

Roll out drawers in place of lower cabinets - all of my baking supplies in one place, no more bending over, pulling out and not being able to get back up again!

My new wall oven...it is a beaut!...complete with ball bearings in the racks so the racks come out nice and smoothly - it is a joy to bake again!

The new stove top - five burners...

Over all - a good kitchen to work in...a lot more counter space because we moved the sink over and yes, I almost forgot - a double sink! That after years after one, shallow single sink.

Hope you enjoyed the photos - as always cinnamon rolls and coffee are ready when ever you come!

the after almost done photos

2010-03-06T12:06:00.000-08:00

almost done...

2010-03-06T11:58:00.000-08:00

Our kitchen renovation began in February of 1990...yes - that is how long I have dreamed of a new kitchen in our nearly one hundred year old home. We have lived here for twenty years now and the physical kitchen renovation began in earnest this past October. So without further ado - some before and after photos for you!

Happy Birthday...96!

2010-03-06T09:55:00.001-08:00

My dad would have been 96 years old this day. He was a dad to five daughters and two sons. Today is "International Woman's Day" which I think it a fitting way to celebrate his birthday!

I continue to pray for the repose of my dad's soul - his name was Charlie Bennett - and if any of my readers would also like to pray for the repose of his soul, those prayers are more than welcome!!!

How to Go to Confession

2010-03-03T18:14:00.000-08:00

As I have written before, I love the sacrament of reconciliation. Here, very simply stated, is how to go to confession. If you are Catholic and have been away from this sacrament for too long (and you know how long too long is!), go - God is waiting! You will feel wonderful after going - I promise you!!!

If you are not Catholic, please consider learning more about the Church - we welcome everyone.

How to Go to Confession

A Prayer to Be Freed From the Seven Deadly Sins

2010-03-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

A Prayer to Be Freed From the Seven Deadly Sins

'who or what is hurting those in need of abortions"

2010-03-01T18:01:00.000-08:00

The title was from a recent ASK search that led the questioner to this blog.

I would like to address the question. First of all - "who is hurting those in need of abortion."

Would the answer be those pesky people outside of the abortion mill praying that a woman would understand that when she goes into have an abortion, her life will never, ever be the same? Is the "who" those who pray, off site, for women to come to understand that the life that she carries within her womb is sacred and her baby? Is the "who" those who understand that an abortion, once performed actually kills an innocent human being and that life can never be replicated?

I don't know "who" hurts a woman in need of an abortion...but I can tell you "what" hurts women who are in need of an abortion.

1) our nation hurts women who feel they need an abortion. The law tells them that is legal to kill their unborn baby...but the law does not quite put it in those words. It says that a woman has a right to terminate her pregnancy. Those words sound nice and tidy ... it does not have any morality linked to it.

2) our nation hurts women by telling them that since abortion is legal, you can get an abortion for any reason...you could be oh, say, mad at your boyfriend, you could get an abortion because you are starting to feel fat, you could get an abortion because you don't want people to know that you are being sexually active, you could get an abortion because you have a trip planned this summer and you cannot possibly be pregnant. Oh yes - these stories are not too far off the mark, dear reader.

3) if it is legal, then of course, it is "safe" ... well, no - any medical procedure has its risks - the biggest risk in an abortion is the life of the baby - an abortion is always deadly to a baby - the secondary risk is to the life of the mother. There have been many botched abortions resulting in maternal death.

4) the lies that we tell in our society are just that "lies" and that is the "what" that hurts those in "need of abortions."

There is NEVER, EVER, NEVER a need for an abortion. A woman's body is really amazing in that. If a baby dies while in her womb, most times a woman's body will begin to expel the dead baby. If the mother's body does not expel the dead baby, then certainly, medical intervention can and should be used. The baby, at this point is dead and it is NOT considered an abortion - induced or spontaneous at this point.

If a baby has fetal abnormalities - that baby is nonetheless, still a living human being, with all the rights of any other child. Unfortunately, our nation does not like the "untidy" or the "suffering" or the "messiness" of those who do not look like themselves and so we tell the mothers and fathers - kill your baby while you still can.

What kind of doctors, who are supposed to help to fix broken bodies, tell women to kill their own flesh and blood?

No - there is no one (who) hurting those in need of abortion. There is a lot of what in theory promoting abortions.

Bottom line - every abortion kills at least one innocent human being, it always injures the mother and the father and the extended family. Trust me, I know.

Who needs an abortion? No one ... please join me in prayer for those considering aborting their child and for those who have aborted their child. Thank you -

Excuse me, your slip is showing...

2010-02-28T16:42:00.001-08:00

So - on a retreat last weekend, I took a couple of minutes to go into the chapel and ready myself for the beginning of our Rachel's Vineyard retreat. Father John had just brought the Blessed Sacrament from his parish into the retreat house and then into the chapel and I decided to go in and say "hello" to Our Lord and Savior.

I knelt down in front of the tabernacle and started to rearrange my posture, starting first with slightly pulling up my skirt and rearranging the slip that was under it.

It hit me ... "your slip is showing in front of Jesus!" Immediately, I let my skirt drop to cover my slip.

I prayed and during my prayer, starting chuckling - - of course my slip shows in front of Jesus! He sees me warts, slip and all...and He loves me!

What a wonderful thought -

As I type

2010-02-24T22:39:00.000-08:00

our eldest son is readying himself to be deployed overseas. He will be gone for two years. The reality of the deployment, while known to us for several months, has not yet sunk in.

We were fortunate to have him be home here with us for a week - part of that time I was at a Rachel's Vineyard retreat and the other part of that time, he was out with friends.

We had a lovely family dinner last evening - and now, he is winging his way to an overseas assignment.

We are proud of our Marine. We are glad that he has decided to serve his country with honor and dignity.

Please pray for him and all others who are deployed and for their families. Truly, when one member of a family is in the military, all members have signed on...like it or not!

God Bless America and her troops.

Forty five million voices or forty five million who cannot speak?

2010-02-24T08:33:00.000-08:00

Recently I became aware of a website that wants women to write in about how their abortions were good. I have written to the website owners and pray that they will understand that for each woman writing in about how good her abortion was, there is a child whose voice will never be heard...no laughter, no tears, no joyful expressions...

If you are a woman who has had an abortion or a man who has had his child terminated by an abortion, please feel free to write to Kate and Jennifer. Please be respectful and mindful that perhaps Kate and Jennifer are also hurting from having had an abortion. Let us help them ...

Below is my letter to others in the post abortion healing ministries as well as my letter to Kate and Jennifer

___________________________________________________________________________

Dear Friends - recently I became aware of a new website called "45 Million Voices". This website promotes abortions and wants stories of those who have had abortions. Well, as you may know, I hate to leave a good challenge alone, so I decided to write about my abortion story (pasted below) and I was wondering if you could publicize the website to those who may also wish to write to Jennifer and Kate, owners of the website, with their abortion stories, so that Jennifer and Kate can hear the other voices - those who have been shut down. It is of note that they say they will not publish anyone's name who does not want their name published ... so much for taking away the shame.

Blessings - Lee Anne...who is also asking for prayers for Jennifer and Kate, that they would know healing and God's love.

My email to them follows: their email addresses are kate@45millionvoices.org and jennifer@45millionvoices.org

____________________________________________________________________________

"Dear Kate and Jennifer - first off, let me say that I think it is a good thing that you are trying to bring abortion out into the open. It has been shrouded in too much shame and secrecy for too many years, even since the Roe v Wade decision in 1973.

I remember a time when abortion was unthinkable - so unthinkable that I had not even heard the word. That was in 1970 and I was pregnant for the second time and I was seventeen years old. When my mother and father heard that I was pregnant, their solution for me was to have me abort my second conceived child.

I was grateful for their decision for many, many years. Then, one day I realized that my abortion did not help me - indeed, it injured me in many ways. One of the ways was the fact that my child, who had done nothing wrong, except be conceived out of wedlock, had been killed.

I realized that I was a mother - but not a mother to a living child; a mother to a dead baby.

It was a bleak time for me when I tried to make sense of why my child had been killed. I could not understand the pain I felt when I thought about an innocent baby, nestled under my heart and in my womb...a baby that had done no wrong, that baby that I had always wanted as a little girl, growing up and dreaming of becoming a mother...that baby was dead.

I had suicidal thoughts, a lot of alcohol and drug abuse, promiscuity and self abuse in the men that I chose to have in my life.

This, Kate and Jennifer is my abortion story - it is true - and it happened nearly 40 years ago...my child would have been 40 this September. But, instead, I have no child, no one on this earth that looks like me and it makes me sad.

I hope that you publish this in the fairness of being truthful about all abortion stories. Not every one who has an abortion thinks it is a good thing and I am one of those women.

I offer you two no politics .. no religious ideology - just the fact that my baby is dead by abortion...a biological fact of my life.

Thank you - Lee Anne ... and you may publish my name for I have no shame about having had an abortion that I regret."

The Baby Gianna Story Part 1

2010-02-22T20:50:00.000-08:00

This is a fascinating story of a journey of a little baby girl - from being nearly aborted to...well, read the story - it will bless you!

The Baby Gianna Story Part 1

Ash Wednesday ...

2010-02-17T08:44:00.000-08:00

The beginning of our liturgical calendar of fasting, alms giving and prayer. Last night I attended a Trinidine Mass - it was beautiful.

Because I did not have my reading glasses and could not follow along, I was able to concentrate solely on what was being done and Who was being made present, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today I begin fasting, more prayer and more alms giving. Today I chose to follow Christ more closely. I am excited as to what He will show me in our time together!

Saint Valentine's Day

2010-02-13T19:49:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, our two younger sons will be confirmed. They will (a bit of paraphrasing) "... receive the spiritual seal, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the Spirit of holy fear in God's presence.[They will] Guard what you [they]have received. God the Father will marked you[them] with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your heart." Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Fifteen years ago, both of them were baptized on the same day. Thus began their journey to this point in their faith walk. Following Christ as little children, they had a simple faith - love God, be good, obey your parents in the Lord and pray. As they grew, they learned that they were accountable for their actions. The list of simple faith grew - they learned to repent the wrong they had done, and to ask for forgiveness. They were given a second sacrament, the sacrament of reconciliation, that they could and do frequent. They then received their first Holy Communion - the Eucharist, the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ.

As they continued to grow, they learned that they had more responsibilities in their walk with God. For several months now, they have attended classes on top of attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation. They have been taught what it means to be a young person, taking on responsibility for their faith. Not their parents' faith or their grandparents' faith, but their own faith.

Our eldest younger son was not at all sure he wanted to attend confirmation classes, and he balked at the idea of going. We had discussions with him - we told him he did not need to continue going, but we would like him to attend a couple of sessions. He honored our request. He also continued attending classes.

Three weekends ago, they were on a confirmation retreat - by all reports, our eldest younger son was the most outspoken and the most well spoken (reported by several of the adults who were in attendance) about his faith. The adults sought me out to tell me how much he had impressed them. My response - thank you Jesus!

Tomorrow is a day that we celebrate a sentimental romantic saint's day ... it is also my birthday - this year, unlike any other birthday I have celebrated, will be the best birthday of my life. I thank you Lord for our two younger sons choosing You freely - choosing to be sealed "by the the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the Spirit of holy fear in God's presence."

2010-02-10T21:33:00.000-08:00

You - yes, I am talking to you - YOU ARE LOVED. Not because of what you have done or not done. Not because of what your standing in your community is or is not. Not because of how tall you are or are not.

YOU ARE LOVED with an everlasting love and that love is given freely by God, WHO is the one that loves you like all get out!

Embrace yourself in His Love - you have done nothing to earn it - you can do nothing to earn it - it is yours just because you are you and He loves you so...YOU ARE LOVED!

101 Girls Guide

2010-02-03T22:07:00.000-08:00

is a fascinating new look at looking at abortion. The author, Serena Gaefke, who left a comment on my blog, has taken four years in writing her book, which is 550 pages long. You may download the book, "101 Reasons Not to Have An Abortion: A Girl's Guide to Informed Choices." for free at the linked site.

I have been searching for her email without success - but Serena, if you are reading this, THANK YOU, for your hard work and a wonderfully written resource. May you be richly rewarded for your efforts.

Pray and don't worry...

2010-01-31T11:19:00.000-08:00

That was a saying of St. Pio - a wise, wise priest who spent untold hours in the confessional, bringing the sacrament of reconciliation to those who came to him, through the power vested in him by his priestly ordination.

So many people misunderstand the beautiful sacrament of reconciliation. It is, in my mind, the most beautiful of the sacraments. When we are estranged from a loved one, it hurts - we put up barriers, we pretend it does not matter, but deep inside, in our souls, we know that it is not healthy.

So too, when we turn our backs on God - when we do things that we know are not good for us - things that the world says are just fine, we may not be healthy in our relationship with God.

God loves us - for the very simple reason that He created us. We can do nothing to earn God's love - He is love - and we are God's beloved.

He hurts when we hurt - and when we separate ourselves from God in sin, He waits patiently for us to come to Him and repent of that sin. We feel better - God's opinion of us does not waiver - He still loves us ... and He forgives us our sinful ways when we come to Him.

When we go to the sacrament of reconciliation, we get out of our "comfort zone" - we actually have to examine our conscience, pray about what sins we need to confess - not ones that we necessarily want to confess, but need to confess, then get to the church, stand in line and wait our turn!

The waiting of our turn is a lesson in patience and humility. Of course, we always want things to go quickly in this hurry up society of ours and when we are waiting in line to go in and confess our sins to our priest who is acting on behalf of God, we learn the virtue of patience and humility, that yes, we are sinners and yes, we need God.

The movies tend to show a person going into the church, walking right into the confessional - no one waiting - and a priest of course, is always available. The penitent in the movies confesses one sin and the priest has a reaction that is Hollywood and not the reaction that a genuine priest has.

So - we go into the confessional, we tell the priest (Alter Christi) our sins and he may or may not ask us to explain further. He may discuss what we have brought to him in our confession. A good priest will give good direction, ask us to say the words of contrition and then by the power vested in him by God, will on behalf of the Church, absolve the penitent from their sins. Biblically, one can find this given to the early church, to the apostles ... John 20:23 "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." (King James Version).

A penance is given to the penitent ... prayers, an act of kindness, a meditation on how to avoid the near occasion of sin...many things can be given as penance.

So - at the end of the day, after a person receives the sacrament of reconciliation, that sacrament brings him closer to God because the barrier of sin is no longer there. That has been wiped away - the barrier.

The consequence of sin may still remain - but the barrier to which the penitent had that was blocking their site of God is gone.

And that is a good thing! So, back to "pray and don't worry" ... Saint Pio would tell his penitents this after a good reconciliation. I love that saying...that and, love God with all your heart, your soul and your mind!

What was that?

2010-01-27T21:37:00.001-08:00

I thought that the pro-choice people were all about women empowering themselves, making good life decisions and choices. I really thought that they wanted women to do what was best for themselves. But, here, in this story about an advertisement which will be aired on the Super Bowl, it seems that pro-choice means only one choice ... and that is NO ONE is ever permitted to say that not having an abortion equates a life time of life. Nope - not permitted.

Well, you know what? Men and women who have been involved in abortions are no longer content to sit on the side lines and be silent. No, women know better - especially women who have had abortions. Men know better - the fathers of the babies that have been aborted. The lie of abortion is that it is good for women and that it empowers women. It does no such thing.

Abortion, plain and simple, kills a human being. I am all for Tim Tebow and his mom to be able to speak the plain truth - and that truth is that Mrs. Tebow, against the advice of her doctors, decided not to kill her baby. Way to go!!!

Of course, the pro-'choice' folks are saying that the advertisement is wrong and should not be aired ... that 'it throws women under the bus' ... but do they ever stop to think about the little baby girl's arms and legs that they rip off her torso?

One would not be led to think so...

LIFE - what a beautiful choice! Thank you Mrs. Tebow!

Paris March for Life draws 25,000 participants :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

2010-01-19T11:01:00.000-08:00

Of course, I am sure you heard about this on the news last night - that people in France are opposed to abortion??? Check this out

Call it a pepper steak

2010-01-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

I have been having an on line conversation/debate with a professional person. This person is an RN and understands that abortion is the termination of life. This person who is intelligent, well written and Jewish, says that all life is sacred but a mother's life is more sacred than a child's life, using the adage that if a mother terminates her child's life, then she can have more children. (huh?)

This person also says that there are extenuating circumstances in which people find themselves in which may permit the termination of their child's life. I don't know what circumstances that is...I think the person is thinking along the lines of rape or incest or being too young, having an illness, or not wanting to have a child at this particular juncture in their life.

It has been an interesting discussion - I have been told that I am closed minded against abortion - yes...I definitely am that. I can not bring myself to say "hey! it is okay to kill this human being because x, y or z".

A friend wrote this on her blog the other day "If you think Truth demands my acceptance of its essence in order to exist then fine...look at your wrist watch, call it a pepper steak and take a bite."

I promptly told her I was going to steal it and she gave me permission and told me that the saying actually came from Father John Corapi. NOW! That is one priest you do not want to get into the 'abortion is okay' debate about!

I love Father Corapi - he, the former drug addict, homeless, God picked up off the street man who knows what life is all about and who preaches just fine!!!

Truth? Abortion is never okay - it is the taking of a human life and when we do that, we are playing at being God. That is just what satan, the fallen angel did...the outcome is not pretty...

This comes a little surprise

2010-01-15T19:41:00.000-08:00

although it is very sad for me to see that these children will suffer as a result of humans playing 'god'.

"Scientists have discovered that the DNA of babies conceived through IVF differs from that of other children, putting them at greater risk of diseases such as diabetes and obesity later in life." The rest of the article is here

Legal and safe?

2010-01-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

A 30 year old woman died as a result of a second trimester (fourth to sixth month) abortion procedure last July in California. I don't recall the media saying a word about it.

The good news is that the doctor who performed the death of her baby and caused the mother to die, too, has been censored by the courts and should not be practicing this type of butchery anymore.

Read more here

I wish the media would report on these horrendous deaths - just imagine, if they gave the numbers of abortions performed every day...nearly three thousand a day ...

In response to my last post, a reader asked ...

2010-01-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

I'm wondering if the Susan G Komen foundation will put out another statement concerning the breast cancer/abortion link.

http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/Content_Binaries/PlannedParenthoodStatement2009.pdf

I realize this was issued last March.

My answer:

Wouldn't that be "loverly?"

I do not think that this foundation has much interest in the truth...why do I write that? Because there is way too much money coming into them and if they were to tell people that there is a real concern that abortions and birth control are causing breast cancer AND if women stopped having abortions and stopped taking oral contraceptives, then the money would dry up.

Call me cynical, yes. I am a cynic when it comes to huge organizations that make their money off of other's tragedies. It is easy to get people riled up emotionally because of the death of a loved one and have them raise money for you...where DOES that money go?

Why hasn't the foundation accepted the latest breast cancer research no matter how small the connection might be? This research has been available for at least ten years now.

Here, I quote the article ... "we are assured that Planned Parenthood uses
these funds only for breast health education, screening and treatment programs"

That statement is akin to me saying 'Oh yes, I give to the Animal Cruelty Shelters but my money only goes to feed the dogs, not the cats...and none of the technicians that help the dogs help the cats...and oh yes, we make sure that ...'

Do you see any logic in that? Two Catholic ethicists have decided that the above scenario is just fine. The whole of Planned Deathhood is evil - the ideology behind it is evil and one is not permitted to cooperate with evil. Drs. Hamel and Panicola do not speak for the Church. They have their own private opinions, and to that they are entitled. Using them as the authority of the Catholic Church is wrong.

Don't hold your breath, friend - and thank you for posting! We can and always must pray...so don't give that up!!!

A new study ... from April 2009 and here it is January 2010...

2010-01-07T14:09:00.000-08:00

"An April 2009 study co-authored by a researcher who has previously denied an abortion-breast cancer link shows a statistically significant increase in breast cancer risk among women who have had abortions or who use oral contraceptives. The study by researchers including Jessica Dolle of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research contained a table reporting a statistically significant 40 percent risk increase for women who have had abortions.

According to the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer (CABC), the study listed abortion as among "known and suspected risk factors." Read more here

As I read this article, I found myself feeling extremely sad. For years, I have known that there is an abortion-breast cancer link as well as a contraception breast cancer link..."Researchers also found a significant link between the use of oral contraceptives and a particularly aggressive cancer known as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Brind said that according to the study, women who start oral contraceptives before the age of 18 multiply their risk of TNBC by 3.7 times. Those who were users of oral contraceptives within one to five years before the study showed a risk 4.2 times the average.

TNBC is associated with high mortality. Brind suggested that oral contraceptives may function not merely as a secondary carcinogen. Rather, the synthetic estrogen-progestin combination or its metabolic byproducts may be a primary cause of the cell mutations that lead to cancer formation."

I have had thyroid cancer, which I attribute to my abortion and I have had some fear regarding breast cancer due to my abortion AND to my usage of oral contraceptives. I had friends who used oral contraceptive from the time they were very young and I fear for their health now, too.

My sadness is not that this research is coming to light - my sadness is that there are those who continue to believe that Planned Deathhood is a great organization for giving out pills and condoms, performing abortions and devastating lives in the process.

I pray, I pray that one day Planned Deathhood will no longer be in business because they have already done so much harm.

Yes, I know one can get contraceptives from other sources - and abortions, too.

In earlier posts, I have brought up the breast cancer/abortion/oral contraception link and in conversations, I have also brought it up. I have felt like a voice crying out in the wilderness in this current sex crazed society of ours.

It gives me little consolation to know that a researcher from Fred Hutchinson (world renowned cancer institute in Seattle) has realized that my voice and the voices of others like me do know what we are talking about.

I have been challenged in my opinion about abortion because I am not a nurse or in the medical profession. One does not need to be in a medical profession to understand that the rise of breast cancer has correlated with the rise of abortions and taking of oral contraceptives.

Indeed - I think that not being in the medical profession has help me see what is very obvious without being blinded by professional arrogance and biased.

Defending Planned Deathhood -

2010-01-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

Below is an email conversation with a woman (her profession is a nurse, I found out) regarding planned deathhood. I have written in bold.

Well, I have to give your comment some thought. Abortions is not the only service that planned parenthood offers. This is true - they also provide sex education in the government run schools. They also offer counseling and other functions for the poor. What counseling do they offer the poor? What functions? You have to pay for service anywhere. Well, now, those on medical coupons cannot use them at planned parenthood, Susan. They have to pay for these services, i.e. birth control and counseling on a sliding scale. A pregnancy test cost $5.00 at planned parenthood. What they charge is not what would be charged elsewhere. The men and women who use their services have to pay cash - or credit card - planned parenthood does not take checks. The abortion issue is another subject and I don't believe that a service that is provided for the poor should be eliminated because of the abortion issue. What we are looking at here is a woman's right to choose - to kill her baby - what happens to her own body = no, it is not her body that she kills, it is a separate human being with its own dna and blood type.and not have that dictated to her by the government. I am not saying I am for abortion. I am not. how is it that you are not? But I am for the woman's right to choose.- to chose what? To kill her baby, according to you. In this thinking, I am not for drunk driving, but I think a woman should be able to drive while drunk...because it is her body. Women fought for their rights for too many years.what is right about killing her baby? If we take one right away, how long will it be before another right is eroded away? what about the right of the innocent female baby that is killed by abortion?Perhaps the education that can be given at planned parenthood has saved one child from having its life terminated or better yet, provided the necessary tools for a woman to not become pregnant in the first place if she does not want to be. Susan - the whole premises of planned parenthood is to rid the world of the undesirable. The founder of planned parenthood, Margaret Sanger did not think that the poor should have children and blacks and Jews should definitely not have children. She was, in part, a model for Hitler. Currently, one out of every two African American children are dismembered by abortion. One out of four children is killed by abortion. In Judaism we have a saying, "Save one life, you save the world". Well, then planned parenthood is at odds with the beautiful Jewish faith. For they kill life - they have nothing to do with birthing of human beings, but they have a lot to do with the dismembering of innocent humans. The other thing I believe we have to be careful of in this country is not to impose our belief systems on to others who feel differently than we do. If you follow this, then it is not within the lawmakers rights nor duties to have laws against drunk driving or wearing helmets when riding a motorcycle, and yet we have laws concerning those. That is why our forefathers thought it important to allow everyone to worship as they see fit. Yes, you are correct - the government may not tell us how to worship, but this has nothing to do with the right to life for an innocent babe in the womb. Science shows us that a baby of 21 days gestation has a heart beat. This is not religion, it is science. Even as I tell you I am not for abortion, there are times when it is warranted. Especially if it is to save the life of the mother. Please tell me one case when it is imperative for a woman to kill her child so that she may live. It still kills an innocent human being. But there again, the mother should have the right to choose -to kill her baby - if she wants to take that option. If Roe vs Wade were reversed we would just go back to the back alley abortions that killed thousands of women in the past.do you know that the numbers that were quoted in the Supreme Case were not true? They were inflated by thousands. You may wish to check out the author, and one of the founders of NARAL, Dr. Bernard Nathanson's story. In my previous practice what practice is this? I saw too many women who did not have the options for adequate education in regards to pregnancy, nutrition education, prenatal care, etc. - so, you, like Margaret Sanger (in her own words), agree that those who are uneducated should not have children - what would you say to a mother in India, Afghanistan, Equitorial Guinea? Should they not have children>Perhaps one area that might help is to break the welfare cycle and educate the poor (via school) you should look at TeenWire, which is planned parenthood's website for teens - it teaches them that multiple partners are okay - it teaches them about "fisting" and other sexual practices. so they stand a better chance of making a decent wage. So - you think that if a woman has a baby, she will automatically not be able to make a decent wage? Tell that to my friend who just graduated from the U of W with honors who is raising her son, now four, as a single mother. She is making a decent living AND refused to have the abortion the doctors tried to push on her. They need to make it less attractive to stay on welfare. I agree that welfare screening should be re-looked at - but please, there is little that is attractive about it.There is a time and place for everything. a time to kill a child when a woman is poor, uneducated or ????

Getting on to education - she laments that the cost of education is going higher...

This will make the rich richer, the poor poorer, and the middle class just another name for poor. Just a thought.If I am rich, that does not make another person poor - and on the same hand, if I am poor, that does not make you rich. This country has many resources. Killing of innocent human beings does not make us a good country - it simply makes us a morally corrupt country. And, the deliberate dismembering of a human being is not moral. No spin on that...here is a short you tube, called Silent Scream that you may be interested in watching -

Egyptian Woman Dies After Abortion to Save Her Life From Cervical Pregnancy

2010-01-04T18:18:00.000-08:00

Egyptian Woman Dies After Abortion to Save Her Life From Cervical Pregnancy

Wise words

2009-12-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

John 1:14

2009-12-24T21:58:00.000-08:00

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.

Merry Christmas to all!

Joy in the midst of our struggles

2009-12-23T21:41:00.000-08:00

"Even though we commit many faults through human weakness, we should not become upset. While detesting the fact that we have offended God, we can still experience a certain joy in humility and a kind of delight in our miseries. In the midst of all the occupations of each day, see to it that you do not become too absorbed in material things. Keep a tight grasp of Christ's hand. Whenever you find yourself with more than you can handle, do not panic, but look to Christ." (St. Frances de Sales)

Lord, I am grasping your hand tightly this day -

Interesting observation by two rock and roll/artist icons

2009-12-19T18:52:00.001-08:00

John Lennon and Yoko Ono on over population - I really like the way John answers Dick Caveat at the end

Sugar in his gravy

2009-12-19T12:06:00.000-08:00

Mel and I attended the memorial service for Ken Brown yesterday. His son, granddaughter and grandson gave moving tributes to him.

Ken was a bold man - bold in his faith - and his son, Rick spoke of the time that Ken decided the men who were at the annual camp for hunting, would say grace before eating their meals. So, he had all of those present hold hands, bow their heads and grace would be said. Rick wondered what it would have been like to have come across this camp site, and see all these hunters, holding hands and saying grace.

At Ken's insistence, these hunters were humbling themselves before God...

Ken also put sugar in his gravy - I do remember having meals that he cooked and they were always delicious, perhaps it was partly the sugar and partly the grace that we always said along side of Ken (although at his home, not out hunting).

In October of this year, I went and spent the day with Pat and Ken. Ken spoke fondly of a meal he had had here in our home - a very simple meal of tacos. For some reason, we added capers to the fixings along with the tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream and Ken loved it. He vowed after he got stronger, (he had already had his chemotherapy sessions and it was the first day of his radiation treatments) he would come over and we would have tacos again.

Although Ken will not be here for tacos with us - I will always think of him every time I eat a taco. . .and gravy and just perhaps, when I say grace and thanksgiving before a meal.

St. Ken, please do pray for us and with us!

In Virginia you can kill a baby if the umbilical cord is still attached to it and its mother...even if it is born alive!!!

2009-12-18T20:50:00.001-08:00

okay - so Virginia has a very strange law - it currently reads that a mother may kill her baby after she delivers it IF the umbilical cord is still attached to the baby and the mother. In other words - she can

Statement from State Senator Newman on killing of newborn | WSLS 10

www2.wsls.com

The statement begins

2009-12-14T14:15:00.001-08:00

May the soul of Ken Brown rest in peace and may perpetual light shine upon him.

For a Happy Death

2009-12-14T12:37:00.001-08:00

for my friend, Ken Brown. Ken is in the last stages of his life as I type. He is the father of four, husband of one, grandfather of four, great grandfather of five.

He is my dear friend Pat's, beloved. Please pray for Pat, Joe, Rick and their families as they walk through this very difficult time.

And, why might I ask for a Happy Death? We who are believers, as Ken is, believe that when we die, we will see the face of God and live. Those of us left behind here are sad, surely, but Ken will be able to see the face of God ... he will be happy.

Thank you - Lee Anne

Christianity is not what...

2009-12-11T16:52:00.000-08:00

Christianity is Christ.

It is Who we consume, it is Who consumes us. Christ tells us in John 6, the discourse of the Bread of Life, that unless we eat of His Body and drink of His Blood, we will not have life within us. It is not about a representation or symbol of His Body and His Blood -

God does not mince words - He has told us. It is our choice, because of the free will He gave us, to walk away as many did when they first heard His Words, or to stay and partake.

I choose to partake ...

I should not be amazed

2009-12-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

but I find that I am continually amazed at how Planned Deathhood comes up with new ways to make abortion "right."

In this article, Lila Rose explains how "The counselor claimed that the unborn child has "heart tones" but the heart beat comes "when the fetus is active in the uterus—can survive—which is about seventeen or eighteen weeks."

Of course, that is just plain nonsense ... a "heart tone"? Embryologist, researchers who study babies in the womb, all agree that a heart begins to beat around 21 days after conception. Of course, most women do not even know they are pregnant by that time, and so Planned Deathhood has to come up with new terminology. Do you have a heart tone or do you have a heart beat? I am willing to bet that if you are reading this, you have a heart beat. Further more, babies in the womb also have a heart beat,, not heart tones and way before seventeen or eighteen weeks of gestation. Planned Deathhood is just so wrong.

Satan is the author of deceit and lies. Planned Deathhood embraces his evil ways to destroy what God creates - human life - and they do it through lines such as "heart tones"...

Mr. Pastor? Mr. Minister? A rally sponsored by Planned Deathhood

2009-12-03T17:07:00.000-08:00

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- During the rally yesterday sponsored by the Planned Parenthood abortion business and other leading pro-abortion groups, Rev. Carlton Veazy told the small gathering of hardcore activists that abortion is a "God-given right." Veazy is the head of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.

You say abortion is a "God given right?" Well, yes it is, if you believe in free will, which is given to each of us by God.

If you are saying that God has given us the right to kill our babies but to know that it should NOT be done, then you may be on to something. But to imply that God gives us abortion as "a right" and that nothing it wrong with it, well, perhaps you should go back and read the Ten Commandments.

Read more here. I tell ya, Planned Parenthood really, really, r-e-a-c-h-e-s to make the dismembering of innocent babies an okay thing to do.

Mom and baby both die

2009-12-02T17:41:00.000-08:00

in a legal abortion ... sadly, this is not reported by the press very often, but legal abortions always kill an innocent human being and sometimes takes the mother out, too. Very sad - read more here

One of these things is not like the other

2009-12-02T09:19:00.001-08:00

I refuse to discuss, speak or engage

2009-12-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

on any issue that I don't want to!!!

I find this so true with people who are pro-abortion. They refuse to discuss that there is 1) a baby 2) abortion kills babies. Instead they refuse to answer questions, they refuse to engage in discussion and they refuse to speak on issues that pertain to woman's health.

Here, folks, once again, is Patrick Kennedy - a man who calls himself a Catholic but is no more a Catholic than I am a daisy.

When we die - and we all will - we will find that no matter how hard we tried to push death onto the most innocent, God will hold us accountable. I pity Patrick Kennedy - St. Patrick, pray for him!

Well - let me see...

2009-11-27T08:58:00.001-08:00

A woman desirous of obtaining an abortion pulls a knife on someone who is counseling her to keep her baby. This is probably a story you will not get through the main stream media, but you can read all about it here.

Planned Deathhood has decided to drop its case against Abby Johnson, their former clinic director. Smart people, Planned Deathhood - who knows what a court of law would turn up! Read about that here.

Let us pray for Bob Casey - democrat party - for he is attempting to remove abortion funding from the senate bill. More information here

There is so much to be thankful for - the least of which are our three sons - I am thankful that our eldest was able to spend Thanksgiving with his brother in California - thankful that our youngest two helped me with dinner - the eating part of it! - and the washing up.

Thank you Lord for all of your blessings - big and small

Uh Cecile???

2009-11-25T21:57:00.001-08:00

Planned Deathhood's president, Cecile has decided to tell those who subscribe to her politics, to bring up the topic of abortion at the Thanksgiving table. Now, should we be thankful for all the "rugrats" and "brats" that AREN'T sitting around the table thanks to abortion Cecile, which of course, has lined your pockets? Or should we be thankful that there are less of us to eat the turkey this Thanksgiving? I don't know about your household, but in mine, we will be praising God for another year of good life, another year of family and another year of enough food to eat...not about the killing of innocent human beings by abortions.

Here is a snippet of Ms. Richards' brainy idea...""If Uncle Bill wants to debate, here are a few points he will have a tough time responding to: Stupak amounts to nothing less than an unacceptable 'middle-class abortion ban,'" Planned Parenthood advises saying. "If this bill becomes law, millions of middle class women will be prohibited from buying, through the exchange, private insurance that covers abortion, a legal medical procedure."

The Planned Parenthood page urges activists to tell their family that some members of the House who supported the Stupak amendment are experiencing "buyer's remorse" and that "President Obama has indicated the Stupak goes too far."

In other words, Ms. Richards is concerned about her life style and her bottom line. If abortions drop, then Planned Deathhood will not make as much money and her salary may be in jeopardy. Imagine - a world in which children of "middle class women" welcomed babies instead of seeing them as a way for Planned Deathhood to make more money. Read more here

Oh Chris Matthews...

2009-11-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

Honest to Pete - Chris Matthews is a nutcase! He does not understand that the Bishop does indeed have authority to say who cannot and who can receive communion in the Roman Catholic Church. A bishop does not need to be a law maker, or even pretend to be - a bishop is charged with keeping the faithful on track and Bishop Tobin is doing a great job.

Read more in this article "Insulting Lecture"

A politician misrepresenting the facts...what is new?

2009-11-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.lifenews.com/state4590.html

Poor Patrick Kennedy - let us continue to pray for him -

I miss Pope John Paul II

2009-11-23T15:53:00.000-08:00

and I continue to love his writings - this one came to me today from Father Jim Northrop - a very wonderful priest in the Archdiocese of Seattle.

Intimacy With God

As he parted with the apostles on the eve of his Passion, Jesus said: “Anyone who loves me will be true to my word and my Father will love him; and we will come to him and make our dwelling place with him” (Jn 14:23). Just a few moments before being handed over to death he reveals the heights and depths of an immense love. He reveals to us the mystery of God’s indwelling presence. Yes, man is called to become a temple of the Blessed Trinity. What greater degree of communion with God could man ever aspire to?

What greater proof than this could God ever give us of is saving love? The God of all wants to enter into communion with man. All the age-old history of Christian mysticism, even with some of its most sublime expressions, can speak only imperfectly to us about the unutterable presence of God in our hearts.

from Breakfast with the Pope - Pope John Paul II

A good shepherd

2009-11-23T13:05:00.001-08:00

I am so impressed with Bishop Tobin. He has banned this Kennedy from partaking in communion not because the Church does not like Kennedy - but because Kennedy does not profess all that the Church teaches and holds true. Kennedy, can at any time, repent from his abortion promoting stance and be once again in full communion with Holy Mother Church after attending the sacrament of Reconciliation. I am in prayer for Patrick to do exactly that.

Now - for those of you who are not Catholic - please know that this does not mean that Kennedy is no longer Catholic. Please note too, that Kennedy and not the Church makes decisions for Kennedy's faith life. He may attend Mass (anyone is welcome) and he will receive graces from attending Mass. A Roman Catholic does NOT have to receive communion. A Roman Catholic is called to attend the sacrament of reconciliation once a year and to be in a state of grace so that they may receive communion.

As a Roman Catholic, it is my obligation to attend Mass on Sundays (or the Saturday vigil) and all holy days as well as frequent the sacrament of reconciliation. If Kennedy is doing that, kudos to him. I pray that he is.

Note in this article , that is was not Bishop Tobin who brought this issue to the public, it was none other than Patrick Kennedy. Perhaps he thinks he will influence the Church by taking this issue to the press, but unlike politics, the Church is not swayed by public opinion...thank God.

Please join me in praying for Patrick Kennedy, that he may be once again totally united with the Church.

check this out

2009-11-21T17:33:00.000-08:00

Live Rosary

Jehovah Witnesses

2009-11-20T11:32:00.001-08:00

I had another visit from the J.W.'s. Both of the women who came have been here before. April, a delightful woman, did most of the talking. She handed me a booklet about the 6 myths of Christianity - denied the divinity of Christ and declared herself a Christian.

When I asked her about the founding of their organization, she said "we don't gossip." I don't know what that meant as I was asking her how her organization was founded, who it was founded by and by what authority, but she said that to speak of it would be gossip.

She said that the Catholics added books to the bible. I told her that the canons of the bible were put together by the Catholic Church during the early church councils to defend against heresy. I challenged her to research the history, leaving out religion, as to when the bible canons were put together and by whom. I also challenged her to find out when the Catholics added the books to the bible, so that we could discuss it the next time she came.

She said I was "bold." I don't know why she decided I was bold - I was not the one who knocked on her door, came into her house and proclaimed to be a Christian while at the same time denying the Triune God. Perhaps I am bold in her mind because I do not follow the script she had.

I told her I would read her tract and so I shall. The myths according to the J.W. tracts are as follows 1) God approves of the use of images and icons in worship 2) Mary is the Mother of God 3) all good people go to heaven 4) God is a Trinity 5) The soul is immortal 6) the wicked suffer in hell.

The tract comes from flawed thought - and the flaw in the thinking is that their bible and their teachings are correct. It would be very easy to sit and refute, with scripture, all of the misconceptions in the tract, however that would be a lesson in futility as April and her companion Liz are not seeking what truth is. They have decided that their J.W. teachings are truth and they wish to enlighten me.

To that end, I shall be in prayer for them, because we all know that the truth of the living Triune God is the only truth by which all standards come.

I don't know when they will return to visit with me. But, I will, as always, invite them in to visit. Please keep them and all those who are bold, going from door to door, often times receiving great rejection, in prayer - that they would come to know God in His Fullness.

2009-11-19T20:09:00.000-08:00

Following Abby

2009-11-17T09:05:00.000-08:00

It comes as no surprise to those who know Planned Deathhood, that they are fearful - here is the latest on their tactics against a director who left their employment...

"Following her resignation, Johnson joined up with members of the Coalition of Life. Shortly after, Planned Parenthood's lawyers filed a restraining order against their former employee citing their concern that she would share confidential information about the clinic as well as its patients.

Johnson noted that Planned Parenthood's attempt was unsuccessful and that their claims “had no evidence.”"

Let me get this right...

2009-11-15T19:32:00.000-08:00

A woman decides that she must quit her job working at a Planned Deathhood center. She does so because she has seen an ultra sound abortion, in which she saw a baby fighting, literally, for its life during this procedure.

She and her family have been attending the Episcopal Church in her town. THEY HAVE REJECTED HER!!!

Wait - what is wrong with this picture?

Anyone?

Read more here . Oh and yes, the pastor at the church would not comment -

Rachel's Vineyard

2009-11-13T08:32:00.001-08:00

Dear readers, please pray for this weekend's retreat. We will be hosting twelve women this weekend. For more about Rachel's Vineyard and how it works, please go here - Rachel's Vineyard.

Thank you

What about this woman's choice?

2009-11-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

"After Abby Johnson resigned from her job as director of the Bryan/College Station Planned Parenthood and became pro-life, her former employer tried to keep her from speaking about the reason she left." source -

They even took her to court!!!

Could Planned Deathhood be worried that others who work for them understand that abortion is really and truly the dismembering of innocent human life? Why else would they try to stop this woman from her CHOICE to speak? After all - isn't the whole idea behind the ideology of abortion - choice?

I pray that Abby Johnson words will be heard loud and clear to all of those who work in the killing fields and that they too, would find the courage to walk away. Please pray with me...

waaa - waaa - waaa

2009-11-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

A three month old baby, safe within its mothers womb - yes Virginia, that is a real photo of a real baby

So - Planned Deathhood, who makes obscene amounts of money off of killing babies is worried? GOOD!!! They are worried that they will not get some of the money from the health care reform - but what about abortion is health CARE? Read more here

Happy 60th Birthday to my sister...Maggi

2009-11-10T09:59:00.000-08:00

I realized last evening that this year marks a significant year for my sister - today she turns sixty!

She is wished God's love and blessings -

Giving God Permission

2009-11-09T11:43:00.001-08:00

If you want a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, give God a blank check. Decide in your heart that you want whatever he wants for you, no matter what it is. Don’t put limits on him. Be willing to come out of your comfort zones and the grooves you’ve dug to ensure your safety, comfort, and security. Tell the Lord every morning that your life is his and that you give him permission to do with it whatever he wants. Then walk throughout your day with one ear turned toward the Spirit. Don’t leave the Spirit at home or in church. Be conscious of his presence; attempt to listen even amidst the noise and frantic pace of life. When you hear him, or sense his prompting or gentle nudge, act on it. Don’t hesitate, do what he wants you to do. If you do this consistently, the Spirit will become your intimate friend and he will make something beautiful out of your life.

Pope John Paul II told the whole Church as we entered the third millennium, that the Spirit is leading us to, “put out into the deep.” It’s time for the Church to leave the shallow end of the pool; the purposes of Christ and the power of the Spirit are being released in the deep end. It’s time for each one of us to dive into the deep water of the Spirit’s purpose and will for us.

When the Spirit Comes in Power - by Peter Herbeck p.148