In our opening we first discussed those who dissent in the Church and therefore hurt the body of Christ which is each of us. United we can accomplish great things and perhaps bring a new wave of people to the Church. Divided we will fail as we cannot fight among ourselves and reach out effectively to others.
The second area of Garbage in Garbage out occurs slowly you have 12 years to spot it and what it does to your child and to millions of Children nationally. Schools are in my humble opinion the worst spreaders of Garbage we face. Now this is not to say there are no good teachers there are. But most have become powerless in a system that demands they teach a skills test and that is it. Here in Texas having spoke to many teachers they are deeply upset that they are forced by the government to teach all year for a test called (TAKS) that determines if your child passes on to the level. It was supposed to improve education, but all it has done is leave a bunch of young adults counting on their finger unless the register tells them what change to give.
It in my opinion is the bastion of the Devil. Our children are forced to watch the President make a half political speech on television and forced to learn to respect all peoples (which is good) unless such people have anything to do with the "G" word. Nope no God or Jesus Christ allowed. The very principles our nation's beginnings are wrapped within the loving arms of God and Christ. We must recognize Kwanzaa,Ramadan and Hanukkah but Christmas is not Christmas it is the holidays the holiday season. We cannot even have Christ in our celebration of our saviors birth.
Discipline is nonexistent in the schools as the students run the schools and know there is nothing the school district will do because of lawsuits by parents who are that in name only. The language used in school is horrible and worse it is now used in the open against anybody who does something they do not like. This language is so horrible a sailor would almost cry at what he saw. 13 to 15 years old and parents take no action as they push through a crowd of the elderly and speak words that are so horrible the disrespect drips from them. Another proud achievements learned in school. Cell phones,texting and drugs are all areas of deep study by our young. Then we have specialization oh yes we do, it is called. sexting,cell phone recording of beat downs and of course forced prostitution as a way to pay for drugs they now are dependant on. From every corner we are allowing a minority liberal association and atheists to push God out of this country forever, They try so hard that now "God bless America only shows up on the side of our coins and no where on Federal land. How much longer can we say with a ounce of truth "God bless America".
We have lost our God as a nation and our pride for what she once was. Don't think so? Go to a baseball game and see how many stand for our National Anthem. We spend 14 billion dollars a year on everything from Dog foods, dogie jackets, dog snow shoes, to scratch posts and toys for any other kind of pet. Yet in the West Texas area alone it is estimated that 2 out of 3 kids go to bed hungry in just this part of the nation and in this speck of the world.This did not count the areas in Mexico where the drug wars make many more kids go to bed hungry. We have Cell Phones, texting, video conferencing. talking clown heads that take our lunch orders and televisions tell us where to find love and scrubbing bubble foot washers. And finally the intranet where 69% of the pages are dedicated to pornography, putting child pornography at anybodies finger tips. And there are millions more others who are looking at this stuff than any amount of Priests pointed out by the enemies of the Catholic Church or have we forgotten Swaggart.Oral Roberts and so many others that preach their own wealth by telling those who listen if you give me 500 dollars God will bless you with 3500 dollars. Religious leaders are men not perfect they have no super powers only what God has granted them. and nobody has a right to paint a label on an entire Church body for the sins of the few.
This is by far the largest Garbage in file you children must deal with because added to the above we have peer pressure and changes in the body due to hormones and the transference from child to adult. The question is how do we replace some of this garbage. Allot depends on what your situation is. If you are home during the day and retired try home schooling where you can place God back on top at school and not have anyone say no. You can teach the basics like you were taught. English,reading,math and science as well as citizenship. You control the discipline as well as the language used and can teach good ole fashioned respect for the elderly as well as for their God and Country. If time fails you try a good Catholic church or one that teaches your faith. If money fails you there is always ways that can help you out such as economic discounts and work study things. Where you could clean up the school a night or two and this pays part of your tuition. Third both you and your kids need to get into Church pray together discuss together and shut down the boob tube awhile you might find you like it better. Serve God and do his will as a family. Feed the poor,clothe the poor or just hand a bottle of super cold water on a hot day. Tell others God bless you, some will say nothing but still you have asked for a blessing upon them and it is there. Many are thankful for the blessing and offer one back. What a wonderful gift to give somebody.
Finally just be a DAD or a Mom and listen and be there. Rebuke sin with love and gentleness because they have not learned many of the way that the enemy throws sin at you. The best part you don't have to be perfect to any of this. All you must do is love you children. Show them the correct path to follow so they never walk of the path or deny God and you have given them the greatest gift of love there is. A chance to be a servant to God and by his mercies and graces they may share eternity with Jesus. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He rose to give us all eternal life. Can you do less for your own kids. Part III next
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
What goes in comes out. Part 1
I have began allot of thought lately concerning what computer geeks use to say junk in junk out. First let me apologize for being away from the blog for those who do not know of did not read the story I suffer from extreme depression as well as stress,anxiety and PTSD. So there are days when I just do not get to my computer due to this condition. However with the last of the disability battles winding up there will be more time.
Junk in junk out was a term used by computer geeks to denote that whatever info you put into a computer the same will come out. Bad date gives you bad data. If you put good data you get good data back. A man who's books I love reading Archbishop Fulton J Sheen would I am sure have a witty way of putting it but even as I watch his TV program Life is Worth Living he states the same thing just as the Bible states you can't put a bunch garbage into yourself and maintain a truly Christian spirit as sooner or later the garbage you put in will come spilling out.
This rule applies to any part of your life. The Body of Christ (the church) must support each other as well as our Priests and Nuns all the way to the Holy Father any detraction from this can cause division within the Body which is a case for serious sin. When you enter as a member of the Body of Christ as part of the Roman Catholic Church it is a take all or none proposition. You must follow the Holy Father and the teachings of the Church completely and to treat your Church like a Cafeteria line where you can pick what you like in the Canon Law and disregard what you do not like. In every Church no matter what faith there is one. The one who liked the last Priest better and complains this one is too new or speaks more on sin and Hell than on little fluffy bunnies that come out in the night to magically do your laundry for you. Most of the time he.she is listened to quietly and gets a nod of the head as the victim tries to make their getaway. The question arises should he/she be rebuked? In full honesty I would pull the person to the side and point out the folly in a Brotherly way. This is not done with a I am better than you attitude or a self-righteous attitude. However any act that injures the Body of Christ injures all as we all make up the Body.
The theory that any one of us as members of The One True Church. As members of the Body of Christ. God's one true Church has a right to accept what teaching they want to follow and disregard any that we do not like we can just throw it away is a bit ludicrous. Are we putting ourselves above God? Do we know so much more than God that we know better than he who gave us the Church what the Dogma or Canon laws must be. I pray that we never do such a heresy but sadly it is all to common today as many Catholics continue to murder children through abortion or contraceptives. And please do not let the word contraceptive fool you. It still kills the life that was created bu use of spermicide and other sources. Either way abortion is caused there is no difference. I can tell you through self examination that self-justification for sin is our favorite excuse it also places a large shadow upon our ability to see our own faults and a magnifying glass to see others faults. Once I got by this self justification stuff I am almost convinced that if I am lucky enough to make Purgatory I will be the last one out.
I also note that many people in their attempt to seek religious education keep on confusing themselves however slightly by reading religious studies books from both the Catholic and the Evangelical sides of the issues. This has created almost a mini following throughout the church of what some term Charismatic Catholics. If you are one of these I am going to upset you by telling you there is no such animal. This is a attempt to combine Pentecostal beliefs with Catholics. So lets not mix oil and water because in that mix Our Holy Mother is lost along with all the saints. While not trying to smear any religion it should be stated that anybody who believes one visit to the alter to accept Christ into your life takes care of all sins and guarantees heaven. is living in fantasy land as such a contention cannot be biblical proven. So if you are there and see my buddy Daffy Duck day hello for me.
Part 2 tomorrow
God keep you and bless you
Junk in junk out was a term used by computer geeks to denote that whatever info you put into a computer the same will come out. Bad date gives you bad data. If you put good data you get good data back. A man who's books I love reading Archbishop Fulton J Sheen would I am sure have a witty way of putting it but even as I watch his TV program Life is Worth Living he states the same thing just as the Bible states you can't put a bunch garbage into yourself and maintain a truly Christian spirit as sooner or later the garbage you put in will come spilling out.
This rule applies to any part of your life. The Body of Christ (the church) must support each other as well as our Priests and Nuns all the way to the Holy Father any detraction from this can cause division within the Body which is a case for serious sin. When you enter as a member of the Body of Christ as part of the Roman Catholic Church it is a take all or none proposition. You must follow the Holy Father and the teachings of the Church completely and to treat your Church like a Cafeteria line where you can pick what you like in the Canon Law and disregard what you do not like. In every Church no matter what faith there is one. The one who liked the last Priest better and complains this one is too new or speaks more on sin and Hell than on little fluffy bunnies that come out in the night to magically do your laundry for you. Most of the time he.she is listened to quietly and gets a nod of the head as the victim tries to make their getaway. The question arises should he/she be rebuked? In full honesty I would pull the person to the side and point out the folly in a Brotherly way. This is not done with a I am better than you attitude or a self-righteous attitude. However any act that injures the Body of Christ injures all as we all make up the Body.
The theory that any one of us as members of The One True Church. As members of the Body of Christ. God's one true Church has a right to accept what teaching they want to follow and disregard any that we do not like we can just throw it away is a bit ludicrous. Are we putting ourselves above God? Do we know so much more than God that we know better than he who gave us the Church what the Dogma or Canon laws must be. I pray that we never do such a heresy but sadly it is all to common today as many Catholics continue to murder children through abortion or contraceptives. And please do not let the word contraceptive fool you. It still kills the life that was created bu use of spermicide and other sources. Either way abortion is caused there is no difference. I can tell you through self examination that self-justification for sin is our favorite excuse it also places a large shadow upon our ability to see our own faults and a magnifying glass to see others faults. Once I got by this self justification stuff I am almost convinced that if I am lucky enough to make Purgatory I will be the last one out.
I also note that many people in their attempt to seek religious education keep on confusing themselves however slightly by reading religious studies books from both the Catholic and the Evangelical sides of the issues. This has created almost a mini following throughout the church of what some term Charismatic Catholics. If you are one of these I am going to upset you by telling you there is no such animal. This is a attempt to combine Pentecostal beliefs with Catholics. So lets not mix oil and water because in that mix Our Holy Mother is lost along with all the saints. While not trying to smear any religion it should be stated that anybody who believes one visit to the alter to accept Christ into your life takes care of all sins and guarantees heaven. is living in fantasy land as such a contention cannot be biblical proven. So if you are there and see my buddy Daffy Duck day hello for me.
Part 2 tomorrow
God keep you and bless you
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Where's the love??
Not more than three weeks ago the Dodgers and Giants played a three game series in Los Angelas. If it had been a normal event I would have said so what as when it comes to sports my interest rates are near the level 0f studying pond scum. What did get my attention is that it seems three Dodger fans jumped a Giants fan and almost killed him. His future progress is up to God at this point, Today during a preseason football game with San Francisco and the Oakland Raiders three were wound one fighting for his life right now after being seriously beaten in a bathroom. The second man was shot in the stomach 3 or 4 times as he drove his vehicle to a gate and collapsed trying to get help. The third was in serious condition.
A new term has entered our vocabulary where "beat downs" has became a hot item on the list for young teens to do. These are usually race related and people are picked by their skin color and nothing else. It usually involves 5 kids beating one child within a inch of their lives, This has now become such a issue cities like Chicago,Newark.Philadelphia and Miami. Now there are some who will say "so what it is inner-city and the victims are white while the attackers are black. But shake this out of your head it does not matter who is beating up who what matters is that such a thing happens. This kind of hate seems to be ruling our nation and yet out of all the options we have hatred is our least desirable.
Our Public School system is nearly devoid of any type of discipline. Our children run around in High School exposed to drugs,pre-marital sex, Teachers protected by a system of makes those who have tenure almost impossible to fire. Teachers that because of interference no longer cares about his and her job. Evolution and science are the classes of today as any mention of God or Jesus must not be used to avoid offending atheists or Muslims. Not to mention that now we need classes to help us realize that not are Muslims are bad, I believe a four year old student could figure out on his own. Our youngest children in public schools are given books like Bobby has two daddies and Mary has two Mommies. We do not allow Christ or God onto schools yet we acknowledge Kwanzaa, Black history month and Mexican America awareness month. In other words instead of teaching that we are all God's children.
Our nation has never been so divided and frightened at the same time as people are loosing thousands in retirement funds and many wonder if their is going to anything left for those who are retiring. Politicians are withholding funds to make the Government work.at the expense of the peoples interests rather than helping them. Every political party wants to make a statement as to how their plan to fix the economy is better than the other guys. Meanwhile people who can least afford higher costs are faced with food rates up 26% higher than last year and fuel that has hovered from 3.25 to 5.00 per gallon. This means making a job search almost impossible. The math is simple if you are trying to hang on to your house and car and feed your family very little is left for Gas.
People are pulling their kids out of public school system by the drove full and more and more people has lost all faith in anything Government or even each other. We are suspicious and mistrusting of anybody who comes into our area. On top of this instead of sending tractors and seed and fertilizers to help nations we assist to eat and help their medical people to end disease and inoculate people against sicknesses. Instead of this we send corrupt governments who deny food to their people and to let those of a wrong religion starve to death. We also give them birth control to stop the rise in their populations and our world is not even near of running out of space. So as a Government we allow our nation to suply7 ways for people to be starved and murdered and many more to die of disease and to top it all off we give them a way to kill their children.
What in the world could be going on that a world that only 50 or 60 years ago could rely on his neighbor to help raise a barn or just to fix a car. We treated our elderly with respect for the wisdom they had and paid homage to our veterans. and called our land blessed by God.. Perhaps there lies the problem to all the issues of society. We have watched a minority group of people work very hard at removing God from every coroner of our lives. They got it out of school and government buildings and has even moved it off the top of our coins to the sides of them. Our President does not salute the flag of our nation.
his cross to know that everything will be great.
Gob Bless
A new term has entered our vocabulary where "beat downs" has became a hot item on the list for young teens to do. These are usually race related and people are picked by their skin color and nothing else. It usually involves 5 kids beating one child within a inch of their lives, This has now become such a issue cities like Chicago,Newark.Philadelphia and Miami. Now there are some who will say "so what it is inner-city and the victims are white while the attackers are black. But shake this out of your head it does not matter who is beating up who what matters is that such a thing happens. This kind of hate seems to be ruling our nation and yet out of all the options we have hatred is our least desirable.
Our Public School system is nearly devoid of any type of discipline. Our children run around in High School exposed to drugs,pre-marital sex, Teachers protected by a system of makes those who have tenure almost impossible to fire. Teachers that because of interference no longer cares about his and her job. Evolution and science are the classes of today as any mention of God or Jesus must not be used to avoid offending atheists or Muslims. Not to mention that now we need classes to help us realize that not are Muslims are bad, I believe a four year old student could figure out on his own. Our youngest children in public schools are given books like Bobby has two daddies and Mary has two Mommies. We do not allow Christ or God onto schools yet we acknowledge Kwanzaa, Black history month and Mexican America awareness month. In other words instead of teaching that we are all God's children.
Our nation has never been so divided and frightened at the same time as people are loosing thousands in retirement funds and many wonder if their is going to anything left for those who are retiring. Politicians are withholding funds to make the Government work.at the expense of the peoples interests rather than helping them. Every political party wants to make a statement as to how their plan to fix the economy is better than the other guys. Meanwhile people who can least afford higher costs are faced with food rates up 26% higher than last year and fuel that has hovered from 3.25 to 5.00 per gallon. This means making a job search almost impossible. The math is simple if you are trying to hang on to your house and car and feed your family very little is left for Gas.
People are pulling their kids out of public school system by the drove full and more and more people has lost all faith in anything Government or even each other. We are suspicious and mistrusting of anybody who comes into our area. On top of this instead of sending tractors and seed and fertilizers to help nations we assist to eat and help their medical people to end disease and inoculate people against sicknesses. Instead of this we send corrupt governments who deny food to their people and to let those of a wrong religion starve to death. We also give them birth control to stop the rise in their populations and our world is not even near of running out of space. So as a Government we allow our nation to suply7 ways for people to be starved and murdered and many more to die of disease and to top it all off we give them a way to kill their children.
What in the world could be going on that a world that only 50 or 60 years ago could rely on his neighbor to help raise a barn or just to fix a car. We treated our elderly with respect for the wisdom they had and paid homage to our veterans. and called our land blessed by God.. Perhaps there lies the problem to all the issues of society. We have watched a minority group of people work very hard at removing God from every coroner of our lives. They got it out of school and government buildings and has even moved it off the top of our coins to the sides of them. Our President does not salute the flag of our nation.
his cross to know that everything will be great.
Gob Bless
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Part II
It seems if we read long enough there are so many rules that it would be moronic to say we all lived by every rule and were correct to the letter of what Jesus set before us as rules. But this is the whole point we can't do it all correctly so we must rely on the mercy as well as the graces of our Lord's love. As it is stated in the Bible how the body does what we do not want it to do and does not do what it should. So we are all given to sin on occasion and we all slip.fall and slide away. We have free will given to us by God that sometimes keeps us in line or when we make a poorer judgement even if it is made with the best of intentions. The key is that God is with us everywhere we are never alone and we have the wonderful Mass of reconciliation to give us new starts with Jesus.
The mercy and graces from Jesus is endless and beyond our ability to understand let alone explain. The only way not to receive these gifts is to turn your back and deny God or the Holy spirit or Christ himself. Even then as the prodigal son when he comes to himself he seeks to return. So we have to wonder what do we have to do to get the "gold ring we seek". Remember ST. Padre Pio and St. Therese "little flower" neither of them travelled any appreciable mileage from their home areas. Neither had millions to house and feed the poor, nor they people of many words. God had never demanded these things from them. So what did they do so different. They first were totally committed to Christ, they prayed at all time and whatever they were asked to do it was done with humility and quietly so no man could bring them praise. They lived simply and not with the many distractions today "television game systems PS3 etc, MP3 players and such, It is no matter that we cannot devote a day let alone a hour to spend in prayer and worship. But we can set down a time for prayer and mediation to God our Father. Even a hour a day is better than nothing before God.
As stated earlier we swing for the bleachers trying to always to hit that home run so we can let the world see out actions without us having to say a word. However while we do this it is easily spotted as a pride that screams look what I did. So what to do ? We are shown by both St. Padre Pio and ST. Therese they had three thing Total concentration,constant prayer and the (what I call the little way) you see somebody without a coat, give it to them,see somebody hungry share your food, and if you see somebody thirsty, give then water. By doing the small things God will increase all things and in his time slowly increase your role in your mission assigned by God for you.
Until later God Bless
The mercy and graces from Jesus is endless and beyond our ability to understand let alone explain. The only way not to receive these gifts is to turn your back and deny God or the Holy spirit or Christ himself. Even then as the prodigal son when he comes to himself he seeks to return. So we have to wonder what do we have to do to get the "gold ring we seek". Remember ST. Padre Pio and St. Therese "little flower" neither of them travelled any appreciable mileage from their home areas. Neither had millions to house and feed the poor, nor they people of many words. God had never demanded these things from them. So what did they do so different. They first were totally committed to Christ, they prayed at all time and whatever they were asked to do it was done with humility and quietly so no man could bring them praise. They lived simply and not with the many distractions today "television game systems PS3 etc, MP3 players and such, It is no matter that we cannot devote a day let alone a hour to spend in prayer and worship. But we can set down a time for prayer and mediation to God our Father. Even a hour a day is better than nothing before God.
As stated earlier we swing for the bleachers trying to always to hit that home run so we can let the world see out actions without us having to say a word. However while we do this it is easily spotted as a pride that screams look what I did. So what to do ? We are shown by both St. Padre Pio and ST. Therese they had three thing Total concentration,constant prayer and the (what I call the little way) you see somebody without a coat, give it to them,see somebody hungry share your food, and if you see somebody thirsty, give then water. By doing the small things God will increase all things and in his time slowly increase your role in your mission assigned by God for you.
Until later God Bless
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Following God's directions one persons opinion Part I
I have had the pleasure of reading allot of books recently that introduced several points of view that I had never taken into consideration. The Authors of these books were Padre Pio, Archbishop Sheen and St. Therese of Lisieux. These were greats in my opinion on the church and gave us such examples that by their examples we to could be called Blessed or Saint. In my small but growing library I have 27 books on my Kindle and another 47 on my shelf I was astounded to see one thing. While many of these books were are on defending the faith. I found almost just as many on getting to know God and how to pray to God and what scarf to fling around to get God's attention. I really believe that this is common for many new Catholics and those who have been away from the Church for years.
While reading several books it finally struck me like a lightning bolt. I don't have to wave a scarf around and I don't do anything to get God's attention through Christ I already have it. Yes sin does separate us but if we reconcile our sins and are ashamed of them God is merciful enough and graciousness enough to take us back. Jesus came to give us life not a horrible end time judgement where he sends everybody to a cruel fate. Are there rules sure we know them as the Ten Commandments and almost as fast as we can list them some 4,000 Catholics have broken one of them. If we add all the other faiths to this list it would be in the high billions. So how did the people who authored these books get to such a admired state in the Catholic Church. Padre Pio never travelled farther that 45 miles from his Monastery and yet was so loved that a riot in sued when it was determined to move him (The decision was reversed). Archbishop Sheen was a defender of the faith beyond all measure. yet was gifted with such wit and stories he could hold the attention of millions and spread the word of God to many. St. Theresa (little flower) never left her covenant and showed her strategy of the little things could become great. She was named a Doctor of the Church and never had any deep training in Catholic Biblical studies.
All of these three had one thing in common deep humility and a simple faith. Padre Pio doubted his own salvation and used to put a chemical in his fellow Brothers pipes to that would make them sneeze when they lighted them for a evening smoke. So he was a simple man of simple needs was humble before all yet loved God to the fullest. The others also had a very humble outlook upon themselves and loved God and their fellow man beyond measure. All of these people had one other thing in common. They wanted only to serve God and their fellow man and prayed for many they did not know. Another common thing between them was that God chose them they did not strive by any means to get to where they ended. All the saints carried this with them as we can see in the Bible God did not go to Paul who was on the road going to Jerusalem to persecute believers. God did not do as Bill Cosby suggests call him and then he asks if he is on Candid Camera. He didn't give him a slide show and then say "hey how bout signing with the team guy ! What do you say. He stated I am God why do you persecute my people and then blinded him so he would learn the real truth and not that of the Pharisees. He won't do it for you either. If he chooses you you are in for very very great suffering and affliction just look at Padre Pio's word on this. To him it was so severe he could barely stand it. When asked if he would go through all the pain and suffering again knowing now how horrible it was. He said without pause yes because he wanted to serve Christ in what ever way God provided him.
In our lives we tend to think of God as a trophy something to be achieved instead of received as a gift of love. Once we win our trophy we put it into our show case and show it off until we get board of it then we tuck it away in a closet in our lives. We have a strong desire to swing for the fences and hit a home run. So we try to do the same with our faith we want to accomplish great things not just small things. We want others to see what we have done and admire our efforts. As a society it is hard to imagine how we got to this point. In Ephesians it states if you do not take care of your family Christ is not in you and it would have been better if you had never knew him yet there are thousands of people who actually avoid this requirement of the law. There are millions of self justifications for this everything from well she doesn't let me see the kid to I can't afford the payments. Yet it is just a simple matter of going in to the Child Support Office and requesting a reconfiguration of our Child Support commitments. The support will drop if you can't keep making these payments. So simple but so rarely done.
I will finish this tomorrow in Part II
While reading several books it finally struck me like a lightning bolt. I don't have to wave a scarf around and I don't do anything to get God's attention through Christ I already have it. Yes sin does separate us but if we reconcile our sins and are ashamed of them God is merciful enough and graciousness enough to take us back. Jesus came to give us life not a horrible end time judgement where he sends everybody to a cruel fate. Are there rules sure we know them as the Ten Commandments and almost as fast as we can list them some 4,000 Catholics have broken one of them. If we add all the other faiths to this list it would be in the high billions. So how did the people who authored these books get to such a admired state in the Catholic Church. Padre Pio never travelled farther that 45 miles from his Monastery and yet was so loved that a riot in sued when it was determined to move him (The decision was reversed). Archbishop Sheen was a defender of the faith beyond all measure. yet was gifted with such wit and stories he could hold the attention of millions and spread the word of God to many. St. Theresa (little flower) never left her covenant and showed her strategy of the little things could become great. She was named a Doctor of the Church and never had any deep training in Catholic Biblical studies.
All of these three had one thing in common deep humility and a simple faith. Padre Pio doubted his own salvation and used to put a chemical in his fellow Brothers pipes to that would make them sneeze when they lighted them for a evening smoke. So he was a simple man of simple needs was humble before all yet loved God to the fullest. The others also had a very humble outlook upon themselves and loved God and their fellow man beyond measure. All of these people had one other thing in common. They wanted only to serve God and their fellow man and prayed for many they did not know. Another common thing between them was that God chose them they did not strive by any means to get to where they ended. All the saints carried this with them as we can see in the Bible God did not go to Paul who was on the road going to Jerusalem to persecute believers. God did not do as Bill Cosby suggests call him and then he asks if he is on Candid Camera. He didn't give him a slide show and then say "hey how bout signing with the team guy ! What do you say. He stated I am God why do you persecute my people and then blinded him so he would learn the real truth and not that of the Pharisees. He won't do it for you either. If he chooses you you are in for very very great suffering and affliction just look at Padre Pio's word on this. To him it was so severe he could barely stand it. When asked if he would go through all the pain and suffering again knowing now how horrible it was. He said without pause yes because he wanted to serve Christ in what ever way God provided him.
In our lives we tend to think of God as a trophy something to be achieved instead of received as a gift of love. Once we win our trophy we put it into our show case and show it off until we get board of it then we tuck it away in a closet in our lives. We have a strong desire to swing for the fences and hit a home run. So we try to do the same with our faith we want to accomplish great things not just small things. We want others to see what we have done and admire our efforts. As a society it is hard to imagine how we got to this point. In Ephesians it states if you do not take care of your family Christ is not in you and it would have been better if you had never knew him yet there are thousands of people who actually avoid this requirement of the law. There are millions of self justifications for this everything from well she doesn't let me see the kid to I can't afford the payments. Yet it is just a simple matter of going in to the Child Support Office and requesting a reconfiguration of our Child Support commitments. The support will drop if you can't keep making these payments. So simple but so rarely done.
I will finish this tomorrow in Part II
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Two weeks with a terminally ill parent a few do and dont's and a look back too
Vacation schedules are tough and very exciting. You begin to imagine being at your destination and what it will be like there. About two and a half weeks ago I was in just the same position. My event was coupled with a heart rendering as I was once again going to see my Father who is terminally ill with cancer. I realize that a funeral is a celebration of ones leaving this World of hatred, deceit and the attacks by the evil one at every turn. So why do we cry at funerals? It is out of the selfish desire to have our loved one back? Or could it be as a result of guilt that you did not do enough for this person while they were on Earth? As we try to become close to Christ are we doing it at the cost of others.
This was my second trip to my Fathers area and I was taken aback by his thinness as well as his unsteady walk as well as his memory which was exceptionally poor. We went to a salad bar restaurant and instead of getting a salad he went to a taco bar, of course he had to be told and turned around. When you see this thing happening (I am his only child) it is shocking to see the body literally attacked by this condition.
Like I said it was my second trip in two months because we last trip had to leave a child behind to see after our house and our six puppy dogs. This trip was to get the one who stayed home last time a chance to see his Grand Father before he passes from this world to the next. However this trip was extra special in that my son and his wife flew in from Alaska with their two month old daughter Shaylynn. It was the first chance I and my wife got to see our Grand Child and the first and likely last look at his Great Grand Daughter. He was just as happy that the kids joined the Catholic faith and he got to see his Great Grand Daughter Baptised. My wife and I were selected to be God Parents but I asked the honor to be given to my Father. He would be a God Parent to his own Grand Daughter. This perhaps was the most significant time of his life. His entire family from Son to Great Grand Daughter were now members of the body of Christ (Catholic Church) a desire above all for him.
I was listed as a second God Father on the certificate to assume my Father's place when his last day has come. However somehow I just knew this would be the last time I would get to see him alive as I feel that his work here on Earth has just been completed in his eyes. My Father expressed so many regrets from the time he was raising me. I assured him that he was a Great Father and had nothing to be sorry for. My Mother abandoned me at 2 years old on my Grand Mother's doorstep. I was malnourished to the point of having fainting spells from the lack of nutrition in my body. I do not blame my Mother she gave me birth however she was in this condition at 19 and could not handle it. She was alone her husband serving in Vietnam and knew if she did not give me up either her or I would die. It was a sacrifice of love. My Grand Mother took me in and by the time I was six she was Mom to me and I grew very close to her and I loved her very much. My Father came home in 1968 with a condition that disabled him completely. He had to move to Colorado to be near a VA Center and so I was placed in the home of my Uncle Ken and Aunt Maxine now. They are both gone but I loved the a great deal also.
Finally my Father was well enough to get a home for us to live as well as get married again. This was a hard time for me as I went from only child to one of 9 children. This was perhaps the most terrible time of my life. My Father began to heavily drink and he became at time violent with my step mother and the fight would be in front of us kids most times. They would eventually make up but I paid the cost of the fight as my step mother was very abusive to her kids anything was in play be it electric cords,boards with nails or even dishes. I still bare a scar from where she shattered a Pyrex cake pan over my head. To describe this time was awful and we will leave it at that as that when step mother was mad at me it turned into a game of dog pile as ever step brother or sister jumped in.
They finally got a annulment and went their separate ways. After this point we were back in with my Grand Mother but for a very short time. My Father finally bought a house of our own. The drinking issue was still there however and would not go away until well after I joined the US Army.
One night on my 15 birthday he called me into the kitchen and poured two shots. He "Well you are now a man and what you do is up to you as that we are no longer a Father/Son team. We are just to bachelor"s "batching it". He said the only thing you must do is graduate high school and beyond that it is all on you. My Father was not one to say I love you or good job, But he would praise me through the roof. At about 19 I joined the Army and spent 13 years of happiness in the military, however as time went by and world events changed I was no longer needed by the military and sent packing home in 1992 along with almost 99 percent of the other NCO's with me.
The rest of my life was both good and bad and I existed on the edge of self-destruction for many years. I had no back up plan in place. I was in El Paso Texas with 4 kids and a minimum wage job as 80 percent of these people spoke Spanish and I did not. So as you can see was he perfect no, did he do the best he could yes. That is what God asks of us to do our best. We can never be perfect all we can do is try as Paul wrote "Oh curse this body that does what it should not but does not do what it should" He was saying do the best you can and Jesus is there no matter what. I spent allot of time with my Dad telling him he was a good Father and I did not want him to carry any regrets when it was his time to go home. That statement in my hearts of hearts was true and I regretted nothing nor held anger for anything he ever did. He was my Father and was my guide. I love him like no other and know that when he comes to Jesus he will allow him to go on because in his weakest time he offered up his pain to the Church and accomplished his mission. He had saved the souls of his entire family and brought everybody back to the Body of Christ. Who would not love such a hero as that?
As a last listing for today's issue I would like to point out some things to see in Denver or New Mexico that are neat and sharp. The first is a salute out to our Border Patrol People as they guard the borders of this nation with their lives at steak most of the time.
Next friendliest hotel staff in Denver has to bet the Super 8 on 120th blvd they are helpful and courteous in a time when much of this is forgotten.
Best Lunch spot in Denver A Taste of Philly 92nd Ave and Washington.
Best dinner Joe's Crab Shack on Melody Dr.
Don't miss this! The Mother Xavier Cabrini shrine outside of Denver. 320 steps to get to the top (if you have mobility issues stop by the souvenir shop and they will give you a key that allows you to drive to the top. This is a glorious and beautiful site and should not be missed.
To All God Bless and see you here tomorrow by the mercy of God.
Best Hotel in Albuquerque NM the Studio 6 on Osuna St. great place close to attractions and are priced very very low. Three nights cost me around 106 dollars (would have been less if I booked early) Has two beds a fridge,stove top,dishes and not too bad of a cable TV line up.
Best Breakfast spot in Alb the Cracker Barrel just plain old good food with down home prices.
A return to serious just a sec here.
If you have a loved one that is dying do to a long illness remember tell them you love them and the were the best (whatever they were to you) in the world. If they express sadness over what they should have done and express regrets. Tell them they have nothing to be ashamed of. Remember somebody going to their world after this deserve to do so without any bad memories or doubts along the way
Even if you hate them make peace let them enter the kingdom of God with no hatred pointed their way. If you can't do at least that for somebody you hate then Christ is not in you despite what you may think.
Most people do not want to hear sympathy or your stories about how you know whats coming because your uncle died of it.
They want to die a good Catholic death...give it to them. And perhaps never forget a remembrance Mass as I intend to place a third relic in his pocket just before he dies. I realize it does no good but perhaps when he get there and looks down upon it on his lifeless body he will know that somebody loved him enough for two lifetimes together.
This was my second trip to my Fathers area and I was taken aback by his thinness as well as his unsteady walk as well as his memory which was exceptionally poor. We went to a salad bar restaurant and instead of getting a salad he went to a taco bar, of course he had to be told and turned around. When you see this thing happening (I am his only child) it is shocking to see the body literally attacked by this condition.
Like I said it was my second trip in two months because we last trip had to leave a child behind to see after our house and our six puppy dogs. This trip was to get the one who stayed home last time a chance to see his Grand Father before he passes from this world to the next. However this trip was extra special in that my son and his wife flew in from Alaska with their two month old daughter Shaylynn. It was the first chance I and my wife got to see our Grand Child and the first and likely last look at his Great Grand Daughter. He was just as happy that the kids joined the Catholic faith and he got to see his Great Grand Daughter Baptised. My wife and I were selected to be God Parents but I asked the honor to be given to my Father. He would be a God Parent to his own Grand Daughter. This perhaps was the most significant time of his life. His entire family from Son to Great Grand Daughter were now members of the body of Christ (Catholic Church) a desire above all for him.
I was listed as a second God Father on the certificate to assume my Father's place when his last day has come. However somehow I just knew this would be the last time I would get to see him alive as I feel that his work here on Earth has just been completed in his eyes. My Father expressed so many regrets from the time he was raising me. I assured him that he was a Great Father and had nothing to be sorry for. My Mother abandoned me at 2 years old on my Grand Mother's doorstep. I was malnourished to the point of having fainting spells from the lack of nutrition in my body. I do not blame my Mother she gave me birth however she was in this condition at 19 and could not handle it. She was alone her husband serving in Vietnam and knew if she did not give me up either her or I would die. It was a sacrifice of love. My Grand Mother took me in and by the time I was six she was Mom to me and I grew very close to her and I loved her very much. My Father came home in 1968 with a condition that disabled him completely. He had to move to Colorado to be near a VA Center and so I was placed in the home of my Uncle Ken and Aunt Maxine now. They are both gone but I loved the a great deal also.
Finally my Father was well enough to get a home for us to live as well as get married again. This was a hard time for me as I went from only child to one of 9 children. This was perhaps the most terrible time of my life. My Father began to heavily drink and he became at time violent with my step mother and the fight would be in front of us kids most times. They would eventually make up but I paid the cost of the fight as my step mother was very abusive to her kids anything was in play be it electric cords,boards with nails or even dishes. I still bare a scar from where she shattered a Pyrex cake pan over my head. To describe this time was awful and we will leave it at that as that when step mother was mad at me it turned into a game of dog pile as ever step brother or sister jumped in.
They finally got a annulment and went their separate ways. After this point we were back in with my Grand Mother but for a very short time. My Father finally bought a house of our own. The drinking issue was still there however and would not go away until well after I joined the US Army.
One night on my 15 birthday he called me into the kitchen and poured two shots. He "Well you are now a man and what you do is up to you as that we are no longer a Father/Son team. We are just to bachelor"s "batching it". He said the only thing you must do is graduate high school and beyond that it is all on you. My Father was not one to say I love you or good job, But he would praise me through the roof. At about 19 I joined the Army and spent 13 years of happiness in the military, however as time went by and world events changed I was no longer needed by the military and sent packing home in 1992 along with almost 99 percent of the other NCO's with me.
The rest of my life was both good and bad and I existed on the edge of self-destruction for many years. I had no back up plan in place. I was in El Paso Texas with 4 kids and a minimum wage job as 80 percent of these people spoke Spanish and I did not. So as you can see was he perfect no, did he do the best he could yes. That is what God asks of us to do our best. We can never be perfect all we can do is try as Paul wrote "Oh curse this body that does what it should not but does not do what it should" He was saying do the best you can and Jesus is there no matter what. I spent allot of time with my Dad telling him he was a good Father and I did not want him to carry any regrets when it was his time to go home. That statement in my hearts of hearts was true and I regretted nothing nor held anger for anything he ever did. He was my Father and was my guide. I love him like no other and know that when he comes to Jesus he will allow him to go on because in his weakest time he offered up his pain to the Church and accomplished his mission. He had saved the souls of his entire family and brought everybody back to the Body of Christ. Who would not love such a hero as that?
As a last listing for today's issue I would like to point out some things to see in Denver or New Mexico that are neat and sharp. The first is a salute out to our Border Patrol People as they guard the borders of this nation with their lives at steak most of the time.
Next friendliest hotel staff in Denver has to bet the Super 8 on 120th blvd they are helpful and courteous in a time when much of this is forgotten.
Best Lunch spot in Denver A Taste of Philly 92nd Ave and Washington.
Best dinner Joe's Crab Shack on Melody Dr.
Don't miss this! The Mother Xavier Cabrini shrine outside of Denver. 320 steps to get to the top (if you have mobility issues stop by the souvenir shop and they will give you a key that allows you to drive to the top. This is a glorious and beautiful site and should not be missed.
To All God Bless and see you here tomorrow by the mercy of God.
Best Hotel in Albuquerque NM the Studio 6 on Osuna St. great place close to attractions and are priced very very low. Three nights cost me around 106 dollars (would have been less if I booked early) Has two beds a fridge,stove top,dishes and not too bad of a cable TV line up.
Best Breakfast spot in Alb the Cracker Barrel just plain old good food with down home prices.
A return to serious just a sec here.
If you have a loved one that is dying do to a long illness remember tell them you love them and the were the best (whatever they were to you) in the world. If they express sadness over what they should have done and express regrets. Tell them they have nothing to be ashamed of. Remember somebody going to their world after this deserve to do so without any bad memories or doubts along the way
Even if you hate them make peace let them enter the kingdom of God with no hatred pointed their way. If you can't do at least that for somebody you hate then Christ is not in you despite what you may think.
Most people do not want to hear sympathy or your stories about how you know whats coming because your uncle died of it.
They want to die a good Catholic death...give it to them. And perhaps never forget a remembrance Mass as I intend to place a third relic in his pocket just before he dies. I realize it does no good but perhaps when he get there and looks down upon it on his lifeless body he will know that somebody loved him enough for two lifetimes together.
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