CONCEPTION TO BIRTH

“If you want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it. “ – Mother Teresa

This clip you are about to view, was put together by a scientist named Alexander Tsiaras.  I do not know if this man was a man of faith before he made this video, but surely he must be now that he has seen with his own eyes the glory of creation.  Only God could have masterminded such a beautiful and perfect way to create life.  I think you will be amazed at the strides science has made in enabling mankind to view this great mystery of creation.  Please click on the picture below to view the short video titled “Conception to Birth”.

N.B. The picture in the top left corner is of a 28 week old baby in utero.  The picture directly above is of an 8 week old baby in utero. Notice the 8 week old baby has its mouth open, and just above the mouth you can make out the nose and eyes.

THE MANHATTAN DECLARATION

“Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.” – Bernard Baruch

The following is an email I received from The Manhattan Declaration.

“Cardinal Dolan, one of the original signers of the Manhattan Declaration, has, acting on behalf of the US council of Catholic Bishops,  officially rejected President Obama’s so-called “compromise” concerning the outrageous attempt to force religious institutions to purchase insurance covering abortion-inducing drugs, contraception, and sterilization. Dolan has also signed one of our most recent and powerful statements in opposition, which you will find on this website. This issue has unfortunately become a major campaign debate. I say unfortunately, because this should not be a partisan fight. This is a battle over our most fundamental freedom: freedom of religion. And it’s also a battle over the Constitution–whether Congress can allow government agencies to legislate. It’s a battle that is going to be fought out on Capitol Hill and in the courts. We stress that this is not a political question. This is not the Obama Administration vs. the Church. This is a question of whether the Constitution will be respected and the first liberty protected, or whether the bureaucrats will be allowed to make a decision that will override our religious liberties. Congress would never mandate religious organizations to violate their faith. But in passing the Affordable Health Care Act, Congress in essence delegated its legislative authority to federal agencies—staffed by unelected political appointees. We want to do our level best to keep this from becoming a partisan issue, and we want to argue always on the high ground, protecting the Constitution and respecting freedom of conscience. It’s at the heart of liberty. When this is lost, all liberty is gone. The official position of the Bishops’ Conference signals that no compromise could succeed. Every single Christian, regardless of denomination or church affiliation, has to take the same stand. We would be eager to know if there are groups and associations in your community you can speak with; if you will talk to your pastor about preaching on this; if you would be willing to go to other people in your community and get them to sign the Manhattan Declaration. The most powerful weapon we have at this particular time is people power. We need 1 million people to sign the Manhattan Declaration. It will let people know we are not going to be rolled over and we are not going to quit fighting. Can you help us? It’s up to us—every one of us—to vigorously defend life, marriage, and religious liberty. God bless you, The Manhattan Declaration” _________________________________________________________ Friday is your LAST CHANCE to SIGN AND SHARE THE PETITION to the President! The Manhattan Declaration is a non-partisan statement of conscience in defense of human life, traditional marriage and religious freedom.   Click  “The Manhattan Declaration”  to view their webpage and sign the petition. Don’t be one of the millions who stand by and watch this happen, be the one to ask “WHY”!

CARDINAL GEORGE: NO CATHOLIC HOSPITALS IN 2 YEARS UNLESS HHS MANDATE IS RESCINDED

“If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because He Himself is the way.” – Thomas Aquinas

Warning that the Church is being “despoiled of her institutions” as “freedom of conscience and of religion become a memory from a happier past,” Cardinal Francis George of Chicago observes that “the Catholic Church in the United States is being told she must ‘give up’ her health care institutions, her universities and many of her social service organizations.”… Click HERE to read the rest of the story.

SIX THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE HHS MANDATE

“A just laicism allows religious freedom. The state does not impose religion but rather gives space to religions with a responsibility toward civil society, and therefore it allows these religions to be factors in building up society.” –
Joseph Ratzinger – a.k.a.  Pope Benedict XVI

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offers the following clarifications regarding the Health and Human Services regulations on mandatory coverage of contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs.

1. The mandate does not exempt Catholic charities, schools, universities, or hospitals. These institutions are vital to the mission of the Church, but HHS does not deem them “religious employers” worthy of conscience protection, because they do not “serve primarily persons who share their religious tenets.” HHS denies these organizations religious freedom precisely because their purpose is to serve the common good of society—a purpose that government should encourage, not punish.

2. The mandate forces these institutions and others, against their conscience, to pay for things they consider immoral. Under the mandate, the government forces religious insurers to write policies that violate their beliefs; forces religious employers and schools to sponsor and subsidize coverage that violates their beliefs; and forces religious employees and students to purchase coverage that violates their beliefs.

3. The mandate forces coverage of sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs and devices as well as contraception. Though commonly called the “contraceptive mandate,” HHS’s mandate also forces employers to sponsor and subsidize coverage of sterilization. And by including all drugs approved by the FDA for use as contraceptives, the HHS mandate includes drugs that can induce abortion, such as “Ella,” a close cousin of the abortion pill RU-486.

4. Catholics of all political persuasions are unified in their opposition to the mandate. Catholics who have long supported this Administration and its healthcare policies have publicly criticized HHS’s decision, including columnists E.J. Dionne, Mark Shields, and Michael Sean Winters; college presidents Father John Jenkins and Arturo Chavez; and Daughter of Charity Sister Carol Keehan, president and chief executive officer of the Catholic Health Association of the United States.

5. Many other religious and secular people and groups have spoken out strongly against the mandate. Many recognize this as an assault on the broader principle of religious liberty, even if they disagree with the Church on the underlying moral question. For example, Protestant Christian, Orthodox Christian, and Orthodox Jewish groups–none of which oppose contraception—have issued statements against the HHS’s decision. The Washington Post, USA Today, N.Y. Daily News, Detroit News, and other  secular outlets, columnists, and bloggers have editorialized against it.

6. The federal mandate is much stricter than existing state mandates. HHS chose the narrowest state-level religious exemption as the model for its own. That exemption was drafted by the ACLU and exists in only 3 states (New York, California, Oregon). Even without a religious exemption, religious employers can already avoid the contraceptive mandates in 28 states by self-insuring their prescription drug coverage, dropping that coverage altogether, or opting for regulation under a federal law (ERISA) that pre-empts state law. The HHS mandate closes off all these avenues of relief.

Additional information on the U.S. Catholic bishops’ stance on religious liberty, conscience protection and the HHS ruling regarding mandatory coverage of contraceptives, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs is available at http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/conscience-protection/index.cfm.

HEALING THE FAMILY TREE

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”– Thomas Aquinas

This post is very different from anything I’ve posted so far, but it is something I’ve been thinking about and praying about for the past two weeks. I feel I have received answers to some of my prayers, but they are in God’s way, not mine. Sometimes that can be difficult to accept, but it must always be God’s will and God’s way, not yours or mine.

Last week our church had a mission with a priest from California – Fr. Mike Barry.  The whole mission was about Healing the Family Tree. For those of you who are not familiar with this concept, take your bible out and turn to Exodus 20:5 or Exodus 34:7 and/or Deut 5:9.  If you read those verses you will realize that sin and problems pass through generations.  If you go to Genesis 31:19, or Genesis 34:35 and /or Hosea 4:17 you will read that sin can skip a generation.  To see how sin can travel through generations go to Mt 23:29-36.

The talk on the first night brought up questions for us to ponder such as:

• Were there/are there members who have been/are cut off?
• Are there family secrets that disable truth-telling?
• Are there rules and forms of acting in the family that interfere with the freedom to be mature?
• Is there a history of mental illness or emotional difficulties that influence family life?
• What major events marked the family’s history, such as war, natural disaster, ethnic strife, economic loss?
• Are there miscarriages, still-born babies or abortions that haven’t been resolved?

Father Barry also talked about the obstacles to healing which would encompass things such as:

• Un-forgiveness
• sin

Thoughts such as:

• God wouldn’t hear my prayers
• I’m not holy enough

Of course, it goes without saying that the starting point to healing your family tree is Jesus. Oh, I’m sure there are some people out there that will say this is bunk and try to prove with science that sin can’t pass from generation to generation.  Unfortunately it can and the mind can cause the body to become ill. What you think, can and does have an effect on your body.

Some plain and simple facts are that every family is in need of healing – families have gifts, talents and accomplishments, but they also have sin, shame and disgrace. You don’t have to live with these burdens from the past, but healing is a process.  Healing has to do with your/my relationship with the Lord, in my heart, in my mind, in my body and in the Body of Christ.

The process of healing life’s hurts begins with leading our hurts out of forgetfulness and into consciousness – opening up to Jesus.

Take a look at your ancestors.  Do you have destructive patterns of behavior that you can also see in your relatives?  If so, you should pray for your ancestors as well as yourself.

Following is a list of possible patterns your should look for in your family tree and yourself.

• Broken Relationships (divorce, loners, homosexuality, adultery, family members not speaking to each other etc.)
• Sexual Excesses (molestation, abuse, adultery, etc.)
• Violent Behavior (wife/husband beating, family anger, hate, excessive fighting)
• Addictions (alcoholic, pornography, gambling, overeating, other)
• Deception (lies in the family over serious things such as land, property, money secrets, shame etc.)
• Deaths (violent, sudden, accidental, suicidal, un-mourned deaths, war deaths, other)
• Abortions (miscarriages)
• Curses or false vows and promises
• Occult (witchcraft, black magic, Ouija boards, horoscopes, curanderos, other)
• Secrets
• Predominant diseases

Next ask yourself some of the following questions and answer them honestly:

• What emotional or personal unease or problems do you have?
• Do these involve a beloved person with whom you now have a wounded relationship?
• Do these involve a trauma you experienced?
• Are there patterns of failure in dealing with others, significant relationships, employment?…………..Do these patterns exist in the immediate family or the family history?

• Do you cultivate big or little addictions in order to cope?
• Do you feel bondage?
• Has there been sexual, physical or verbal abuse, acting out or mis-conduct?…………….Of which you are the victim or have perpetrated to some degree or the other?……Are there any patterns of this in the family and the family history? ………..Are any of these associated with acts you carried out or behaviors you exhibited?
• Do you know of stories or anecdotes in your family history that reveal where the past family problems or behaviors of significant people introduced difficulties still being worked out in the present.

Whew – pretty heavy stuff and not so easy to think about is it?  The process itself goes like this

• develop a personal history
• make a road map of your family’s history to the best of your memory – a genogram is a great tool for this, or you can go on-line and download a family tree outline to put your family members on.
• search and locate significant patterns in your family’s history – a pattern is a condition that has recurred three or four times
• Go to confession then
• Bring these patterns to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

God himself promised us generational healing.  If you don’t think that is true, just get your bible again and go to: Jer. 31:29-30. Ezekiel 18:1-3, Is 61:4. or 1Cor. 15:32.  To know how God did it and healed the generations, go to the following books of the bible: Lev 28:39-40, Jn 6:25-28, Mt. 27:51-54, 1Cor 15:6 and Romans 8:36-38.

Healing your family tree can take more than one time.  Some  patterns may be healed immediately, while other may take longer. There trick is to never give up on yourself or God.

I did ask for a lot from the priest who gave the mission and from God.  I believe he did answer one of my prayers by opening up an opportunity for me.  I have been with RE/MAX for 7 years and they have been 7 good years. I made friends there and learned a lot.  Our broker was an excellent mentor. Unfortunately, over the last three years I had quite a few setbacks and now the economy has sunk even lower than last year.  I was fretting what to do, and prayed for a sign – should I stay with RE/MAX in spite of the fees, should I go to another real estate company or should I get out of real estate altogether. I prayed and prayed and on Friday, as I was going to the last evening of the mission, a broker from another company called me to ask me to come on board.  I had my husband in the car, so I asked if he could call back the next day.  He said yes, but I didn’t hear from him until Monday. When he did call I was very happy and he offered me an excellent split and was willing to help me learn the platform he provides his agents.

In spite of this good news I was hesitant because leaving RE/MAX meant leaving my comfort zone and starting all over again.  Finally on Tuesday, I told my RE/MAX broker the news and he was very gracious and understanding.   Some of my co-workers had watery eyes and they all gave me hugs and words of encouragement.  I was told I could come back anytime – but that will be very difficult to do.  By Friday I was completely moved out, turned in my key and headed for home with tears in my eyes.  Seven years of files and books, seven years of stuff, seven years of building relationships and now I was leaving it all behind.

I can tell you this much, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders by not having to come up with the corporate and desk fees and I am already getting leads with his new system. This to me, was the answer to one of my most important prayers.  What direction my life was going to take now?

One of my religious education teachers heard Father Mike Barry was coming back to Florida in the fall.  He will be in the Tampa area – near where my daughter lives.  I will be going back and hopefully take my daughter with me.  Our family tree still has some bent branches that need to be straightened out and I for one am looking forward to more healing.

WINNER OF THE GOOD MORNING AMERICA BIG BRIGHT HOLIDAY LIGHTS SHOWDOWN!

“Belief creates the actual fact.” – William James 

This is a wonderful mix of Christmas and patriotism.  I just heard about this and thought there might be others who didn’t see this worthwhile display.  Thought  I’d pass it along.

The home of Derek and Courtney Whitis in South Wood, which has been drawing spectators to its colorful and musical light display for weeks, has won the Good Morning America Big Bright Holiday Lights showdown contest.

Selected from three national finalists, the best house was determined by votes on the show’s mobile app and Facebook page.

Their patriotic display in the 3600 block of Mossy Creek Lane has more than 100,000 LED lights and is the highlight of the neighborhood.The visual display is accompanied by a four-minute soundtrack that plays a portion of the song for each branch of the military.

Click on the arrow below to view the YouTube video of their Christmas display.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

“The way to see by Faith, is to shut the Eye of Reason” – Benjamin Franklin

The Nativity Scene below was erected in a church yard.

During  the night some friends of mine came across this scene, took a picture and sent it to me.

An abandoned dog was  looking for a comfortable, protected place to sleep. He chose baby Jesus as his place of comfort.  It seems no one had the heart to send him away,  so he was there all night.

If only we could all have the good sense of this dog and rest in Jesus’ arms for comfort and protection, after all, Jesus is the “Good Shepherd” and will never lead us astray.

Speaking of shepherds – that is the type of dog that sought comfort in the crèche.

JUST CALL ME JOB!

“Human beings must be known to be loved; but Divine beings must be loved to be known.” – Blaise Pascal

On my last post, I wanted to rant about how I’m beginning to feel like Job of the Old Testament. Instead I went on about Fifi, I guess I needed to.

Back to my original topic:  Job was a good and righteous man, pleasing to God. One day Satan told God the only reason Job was so good was because God protected him. The devil asked God to remove his protection from Job and let me have at him.  “Then you’ll see he will curse and blaspheme you like all the others”, said the devil to God.  So God said “go ahead, do what you wish, just don’t hurt Job”.  At that point the devil took away all of Job’s livestock – which was as numerous as the stars, as well as the people who tended his livestock, and his ten (10) children and the home they were feasting in.  Finding this out,  Job tore his cloths, cut his hair and responded while prostrate on the ground: “Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back again.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21-22)

Well, I certainly haven’t lost as much as Job, but to have so many losses in one month, not to mention the loss from earlier this year is quite enough.  I am looking forward to 2012 and hoping it is a much better year.

I have read that if there is hope to save a sinner, God will send him chastisements: “For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth; and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” (Hebrews 12:6) “O how good and sweet is thy spirit, O lord, in all things! And therefore thou chastisest them that err, by little and little: and admonishest them, and speakest to them, concerning the things wherein they offend: that leaving their wickedness, they may believe in thee, O Lord.” (Wisdom 12:1-2).

I have recently read in the book “Dogma of Hell” that many saints say that if a mortal sinner is prospering and doing well and living relatively free of troubles, he has been abandoned by God and that God is allowing him some pleasures while in this life, because that person is going to spend eternity in Hell.

I will take this as my chastisement and try to mend my ways. I just feel bad for my animals, especially Louie, who will be an only dog and so lonely for Fifi when she passes.

HE IS RISEN!

I  have created a virtual tour of sorts but I can’t seem to insert it into my blog.   I haven’t got that figured out yet but I have inserted the link below.  Please click on the link for my Easter wishes to you.

http://www.realestateshows.com/flyer.php?id=568979

WERE YOU THERE, WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD?

Yesterday, from 3:00 until 4:00 in the afternoon, I attended the Good Friday service.  It is always a very moving experience for me.  The choir sings with such emotion, it is so beautiful.  The most touching part for me is the traditional veneration of the cross.  I just can’t keep it together during that time.  It is so very overwhelming for me, I get an up close view of Jesus’ bloody corpus on the cross and it just makes me cry.  Every year I tell myself – this year, I won’t cry, but I  just can’t help myself.   Jesus died on the cross for everyone’s sins!