DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR SO MUCH!

Well, another holiday weekend about gone and am I ever glad.  I never did care too much for Memorial Day which was called Decoration Day before.  It just never was my favorite time of the year.  Everyone was so somber and sad and I didn’t care much for that part.

My father was a printer at the local newspaper and there was a printer’s plot at the very old local cemetery.  So, every year, we had to attend this somber,  long memorial service for these dead printers.  The cemetery was so old that it had broken grave markers and everything smelled musty and moldy and old.  But my father was very respectful of those who had gone before him and so we went, like it or not.  And we better not have any other plans and we better not complain either.

Usually, it was humid and uncomfortable weather and we had to get all dressed up special for this occasion. That meant Sunday School clothes all the way.  And then we sat on these very old benches that had rusty spots on them.  The whole day was just difficult to deal with.  But we were brought up to always have good manners and be respectful and kind.  So we smiled nicely and spoke to all those older people that we saw once a year.

A Preacher would make a small sermon and say a few prayers.  And then came the really special treat of  a quartet that sang several songs.  They were usually much older people who could not carry a tune in a bucket and they certainly had no harmony between them.  But they had a juice harp to sound out the note and then they would all sing, sometimes together.  We sat glued to our seats, not daring to look at each other for fear we might have to laugh or cry, never sure of which it would be.

When it was all over, we had to stand around while our parents talked to all their old friends and visited for awhile.  However, I wouldn’t mind getting to do that one more time.  Might be fun to see all those people again and sure would be nice to see my parents again.

Miss them all. And all those like them who worked so hard every day to have a better life for everyone.  And all those who taught us children all the manners and niceties of life and reminded us to be ladies and gentlemen no matter the situation.

I know this holiday is for remembering all those who have fallen in the quest to save our country.  And I respect and honor that myself.  I miss a lot of that patriotism that was so prevalent in that day and time too.  I still honor the flag every day at my home.  And I truly respect all this country has stood for all the years.  I miss the moral fiber that always held everyone together, the honor for the parents and the respect for Almighty God and the other things that made us all one big family belonging to this wonderful country.  I remember it all very well.  And I miss all that, too.  I hope we can all get back to that very soon.

Happy Memorial Day!

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR MY FATHER

I grew up in this really great typical family.  There was a mother, father, grandmother, sister and brother.  We lived a perfectly normal life in the decade of the 1940′s.  Everyone was treated fairly, both in praise and in reprimands.  And I am so glad I was placed there by Almighty God because it couldn’t have been any better.

My father was always the last word on anything.  He was very fair and very kind and very strict.  But he always was striving to make people happy and to feel better about themselves.  We had this neighbor who was always talking about his ‘hogs head cheese’ that his family ate when he was growing up. My father had eaten some of that before, too, down in the country where it was made.  So he talked with the neighbor and they both agreed that cheese was just simply great.

Next month or so, the neighbor family invited us over for Sunday dinner. And guess what!  They served hogs head cheese, the real kind, made out of real hog’s heads. The neighbor had made a trip to the country just to get that for us.  We had been taught all our lives to be nice and complimentary and kind to anyone, so when it came time to eat that hogs head cheese, all us kids smiled and swallowed – really, really hard.  I remember my brother looked a little green, but he didn’t say so.  And it was all I could do to eat mine, especially thinking about those hog’s heads.  But we ate it and raved over how good it was.  My father was raving over it, too, complimenting the neighbor for such a wonderful treat.  But, oh boy, we were really glad to get back home so we could brush our teeth and say what we really thought about that hogs head cheese.

Another time, our Great Aunt Mary was coming for a visit.  I had never seen her before as it had been so long since she had visited.  She and her husband were driving from California just to see us.  She had helped in raising my father and so he was really excited about her visit.  He kept talking about how he wanted her to make some of that great chili she had made for him as a kid.  He kept saying it had big chunks of garlic in it and we would just love it.  Well, after visiting for a couple of days, Aunt Mary decided to make some of that chili that my father was just raving about.  You know, the one with the big chunks of garlic in it.

My father watched while she cooked and he was so anxious to taste.  That night  at dinner, we had garlic chili with a little meat thrown in for flavor.  It had so much garlic in it that it was all we could do to swallow it.  But we did.  And we all complimented Aunt Mary for such wonderful chili.  I can still taste that garlic every time I think about it.  But we were kind and thoughtful and smiled a lot even if we did smell sort of funny that evening.

It was truly a great family full of all the things that families did back then.  And lots of fun and happiness.  You might like to read a little more about this family of mine along with living history about what was really going on in the world around us.  My book IN THE 1940′S  tells all that.  The War was raging all over the world and we were living with the rationing and the allotment checks since my father went to War and the air raids and everything else that was going on.  It was a very interesting time and if you like my writing, you will really enjoy this book.

Each book only $10 plus $2 postage.  Send check or money order to BET   P.O. Box 2249   Benton, AR  72018    Thanks, Bet

 

OUR LADY OF FATIMA – PART 5

After the third apparition, the children talked often about seeing the poor souls crying out in Hell and prayed more for the salvation of souls. They were followed everywhere they went by people asking about the secret.  To avoid this, they went to their pastures over back roads and through deserted areas.  They longed to be left alone so they could pray even more.

Jacinta was particularly disturbed after seeing the suffering souls in Hell.  She prayed almost constantly. At one time, she saw a vision of the Pope kneeling before a table in a big house.  He was crying and holding his face in his hands.  Outside, some people were throwing stones at him and saying many ugly words.  Another time, she began to cry and asked Lucia if she could see the great number of people who were crying from lack of food.  And the Holy Father praying before the Immaculate Heart of Mary and all those praying with him.

Great numbers of people, even priests, began to visit the Cova and some wanted to see the children.  Most wanted to know the secret and would offer presents and special favors.  But the children never told the secret to anyone.  In fact, they would run and hide when they saw people coming.  This interfered with their daily lives.

Lucia’s family still ridiculed her often and now visitors tramped on their garden until all the plants were ruined.  Lucia could no longer watch the sheep and they had to sell them.  Her mother was particularly distressed.  One of the visitors said Lucia had taken a dollar from another visitor.  Lucia denied this but her mother thrashed her with a broomstick.  Too late, it was found that Jacinta was the one who was given a dollar.

Even newspaper reporters came to talk to the children.  The stories written later depicted the children as epileptic and victims of greed and fraud. This only served to further divide the community.

The Chief Magistrate of the County where Fatima is located was a man of great power.  He had been baptized as a Catholic but had left the Church to join the Masonic Lodge.  He then started his own Lodge and was its head.  He also published a newspaper which served to ridicule the Faith and the Catholic Chuch and its Priests.

Both fathers of the children had been summoned to appear before this Magistrate to answer for their stories.  Lucia’s father willingly took Lucia.  Jacinta and Francisco’s father refused to let them go. The Magistrate began to question Lucia but she remained quiet.  Her father answered that this was all women’s talk and was not to be believed. Jacinta and Francisco’s father spoke up and said he believed the children. The Magistrate warned Lucia that if he did not learn her secret, he would kill her.  And then they were dismissed.

Early morning of August 13th, the Magistrate came to Jacinta and Francisco’s house.  He said he wanted to see the miracle too.  He insisted on taking the children in his carriage.  On the way, they were to stop at the rectory so he could ask some questions.  Lucia was questioned by the Pastor, who now believed the apparitions not to be the work of the devil,  but invented stories.  When she would not disclose the secret, he accused her of spreading lies.

Now, the Magistrate kidnapped the children, putting them in his carriage and driving them to his house.  There, he locked them in a room and said they would never leave the room until they told him the secret.  However, his wife let them out of the room, gave them lunch and let them play with her children. Meanwhile, everyone became angry at the Magistrate over the kidnapping of the children.

At the Cova, the thunder sounded and then a flash was seen and there was a little bright cloud that appeared over the holmoak. It stayed a few minutes and then ascended towards Heaven.  At that time, everyone’s face seemed to glow in all the colors of the rainbow.  The tree leaves were replaced with flowers and the ground was in little squares of different colors as was all clothing. The lanterns hanging over the holy spot were of gold.  Next day, the Pastor wrote an apology for his unbelief.

 

OUR LADY OF FATIMA – PART FOUR

After the second apparition, the children endured much ridicule.  The next day they were to see the Pastor.  He questioned them independently.  Jacinta and Francisco were silent.  Lucia told some of the things the Lady had said.  His answer was that it was not possible for Our Lady to come from Heaven just to tell the children to say the Rosary. He said this could be a trick of the devil.  This caused Lucia much torment.  She even dreamed that the devil was laughing because he had tricked her.  She decided not to go to the Cova again.  Then, the day of the third apparition, she suddenly changed her mind.  The three children ran to the Cova in order to be there for Our Lady.

They were slowed by the crowd of people who were also going.  Jacina’s father who believed their story, ran after them to protect them from the crowds.  The children said the Rosary joined by the people in the crowd. Then Lucia stood up, looked to the East and cried out, ‘Our Lady is coming!’.  A small greyish cloud hovered over the holmoak.  The crowd was silent.  The Lady bent over the three children and engulfed them in her immense light.  Then Lucia spoke, ‘What do you want of me?’

‘I want you to return here on the thirteenth of next month,’ The Lady said. ‘Continue to say the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of The Rosary to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war; for she alone can save it.’

Lucia then asked the Lady, ‘Will you please tell us who you are and perform a miracle so that everyone will believe that you really appear to us?’

‘Continue to come here every month.  In October, I will say who I am and what I desire and I will perform a miracle all shall see so that they believe. ‘

Lucia asked about healing some.  The Lady said, ‘Some I will cure and others not.  As to the crippled boy, I will not cure him or take him out of his poverty, but he must say the Rosary every day with his family.’  Another, a sick person who wished to be taken to heaven,’He should not try to hurry things. I know well when I shall come for him.’

Lucia asked for the conversion of some people. The Lady recommended the saying of the Rosary.  She said, ‘Sacrifice yourselves for sinners; and say often, especially when you make some sacrifice:  My Jesus, it is for love of  You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for sins committed against The Immaculate Heart of Mary.’  She then opened her hands and the light seemed to penetrate the earth.  The children saw a sea of fire with devils and souls as of humans as transparent black or bronze embers floating in the fire with clouds of smoke rising; amidst wailing and cries of pain and despair.  They could tell the devils by their horrible and nauseous figures of animals, transparent as black coals in a fire.

The children cried out, ‘Oh…Our Lady’. Our Lady explained, ‘You have seen Hell – where the souls of poor sinners go.  To save them God wants to establish throughout the world the devotion to my Immaculate Heart.  If people will do what I will tell you, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace.  The war is going to end.’

‘But if they do not stop offendingGod, another and worse war will break out in the reign of Pius XI.  Whenyou see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that is the great sign that God gives you, that He is going to punish the world for its crimes by means of war, hunger, persecution of the Church and of the Holy Father.’

‘To forestall this, I shall come to ask the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.  If they heed my request, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace.  If not, she shall spread her errors throughout the world, promoting wars and persecutions of the Church; the good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated; in the end, my Immaculate Hdeart shall triumph.  The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, which will be converted, and some time of peace will be given to the world.  In Portugal, the dogma of the faith will be kept always. Do not tell this to anyone.  To Francisco, yes you may tell it.’

Lucia then asked, ‘Don’t you want anything else from me?’ ‘No, today I desire nothing else from you.’

Then Our Lady once more rose towards Heaven.

 

 

 

 

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR MOTHERS

I can never Thank God enough for the fact that I have such a wonderful family and can enjoy them all so much.  I am a very fortunate person.

When I was growing up, I never even liked kids at all.  They always just got in my way.  Never babysat except one time and went to sleep that one time and the people got furious with me.  Never did that dumb thing again. If I wanted to make money, I got other jobs besides watching kids.  That was really boring to me.

I was planning on having one of those careers that everyone talked about.  I was going to really have a great life ahead of me.  I was an excellent secretary of the day and could manage people and things very well.  Had a great job waiting for me the day I got out of high school.  I was on my way!

And then this guy came along and messed it all up for me.  I got married instead of a career.  Worked a few years and then started a family.  By that time, I was really ready.  Because of medical problems, I could not carry a child before this time.  So after surgeries, I was able at last to begin a family.  And boy, did we ever.  We had that first child and then a couple of years later, another one came along and then another year later, here came another one and then another year later, another was on the way.  I had 4 children and the oldest was 5.  Was I ever busy, too.  And loved every minute of it, every day, everything I did.

I thought the life of a stay at home wife and mother to be the best life possible. I had a lot of fun during those growing up years with my own preschool/kindergarten.  If I ever wanted to be important in my life, I certainly was now.  I could tell that because there was a constant, ‘Mom, Mom, Mom’ all day every day.

I learned how to cook to feed them all and I learned how to pinch that penny when there weren’t many of them to be had.  And I learned how to balance my time and how to organize everyone and how to keep them all healthy and reasonably happy. And after I learned some of that, here came some more of those same type children along the way.   We had a house full of fun and work and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

So glad that God gave me this life that I could never have imagined.  Never even crossed my mind that I would live this sort of a daily life.  How could I have possibly known what was best for me.  But God did.  And He put me right smack dab in the middle of it. And I am so glad and forever happy that He did.

Thank You Dear God for letting me be one of those Mothers.    Happy Mother’s Day everyone.  May God bless you as much as He has me.

 

STILL BEING GOOFY

I have a very sore arm and shoulder today.  I broke this shoulder several years ago and have pins and rods in it.  Usually it causes no trouble at all, but today, I am pretty sore.  I’m not sure if I should tell people I hurt it while playing tennis yesterday.   Or maybe I could say I was doing extreme Yoga.  Perhaps I could even say advanced Tai Chai.   I know, I could say I was playing tournament Volley Ball.

Who would know?

I really hate to say that I threw it out scratching my back.  Sounds sort of goofy.  Oh well, the usual.

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR FATIMA

I don’t know if you have ever heard of Fatima, Portugal.  The story of FAtima is a very interesting story and certainly relates to this time in history so thought you might like to read it over the next few days. I will write what I have room for each day until finished.

The story  begins in 1915 in the hamlet of Aljustrel outside the village of Fatima, Portugal.  At that time, an 8 year old child by the name of Lucia de Jesus dos Santos was playing with three of her friends when they noticed a sudden appearance of a cloud formed like a man.   They had just eaten their lunch and were saying the Rosary as they always did.  The figure they saw left a definite impression on their minds.  This bright white figure appered to them two more times.

A year later, Lucia was in the fields with her family’s sheep.  This time, her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marco were with her.  It began to rain and the children took refuge in a nearby cave.  Although the rain stopped, they spent the day playing in the cave.  They ate their lunch and said the Rosary as usual. After a short while, a strong wind blew and they looked to see what was happening.  Above the trees there was a light, whiter than snow which took on the form of a young man.  He approached the children and said: ‘Fear not!  I am the Angel of Peace.  Pray with me!’. The Angel then knelt on the ground and bowed very low.  The children imitated him and then the Angel prayed. ‘My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You.  I beg pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You.’  He said the prayer 3 times.  Then he told the children:  ’Pray this way. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.’  The Angel then disappeared.

The children felt the presence of God and  remained in the same position, repeating the prayer over and over. Later on, none of them spoke of the Angel feeling that it should be kept secret.  Eventually their lives returned to normal, watching their sheep and playing in the fields together.  When tired, they would rest at the well under the olive trees.  While resting one afternoon, the Angel appeared to them again saying ‘What are you doing?  Pray! Pray a great deal!  The hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy for you!  Offer unceasingly to the Most High prayers and sacrifices!’

Lucia  asked ‘how are we to sacrifice ourselves?’  The Angel answered: ‘Offer up everything within your power as a sacrifice to the Lord in an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended; and of supplication for the conversion of sinners.   Thus invoke peace upon our country.  I am her Guardian Angel; the Angel of Portugal.  Above all, accept and bear with submission the sufferings that the Lord may send you.’

Jacinta and Lucia heard his words.  Francisco saw the Angel and knew he was speaking but could not hear him.  All the children had a feeling of listlessness and could not speak, play or sing when they mentioned the Angel.  They said later the words of the Angel made them realize how much God loved them and wanted to be loved by them. After that, they offered up to God all sacrifices in their lives and spent hours bowed to the ground and repeating the prayer the Angel had taught them.

When almost Fall of the year, the three were watching their sheep. They finished saying the Rosary and the prayer the Angel had taught them when the Angel appeared again.  This time, he held a chalice in his hand. Above the chalice was a Host with drops of Blood falling from it into the chalice.  The Angel left the Host and chalice in the air and prostrated himself on the ground.  He prayed 3 times:’Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I adore You profoundly and I offer You the Most Precious Body,Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all tabernacles of the earth, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He Himself is offended.  And by the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.’

The Angel held the chalice and the Host and gave the Host to Lucia and contents of the chalice to Jacinta and Francisco.  ’Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men. Make reparation for their crimes and console your God.’ He prayed Most Holy Trinity prayer 3 times and then disappeared.

 

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR A SENSE OF HUMOR

This has not been an easy week, so much to do and my head full of problems and thoughts.  And so many errands to run and so many people to keep happy.  Don’t know that I am doing a very good job either.  But as always it will work out.  Always has, always will, I’m sure.  With God’s help, I keep telling myself that I can do anything, I can accomplish all this somehow.

And so when I got up this morning, I was already in the hole on my time.  Too much to do and too little time.  Hurrying to get ready to leave the house, I was lost in my thoughts of what all I had to do and how I was going to accomplish all.  Hurrying the kids along, I was getting irritated at everything and everyone.  Don’t need to start the day like that.  Never pays.  Lost in my thoughts as I brushed my teeth and combed my hair, I was surprised at one of the younger ones talking to me outside my bathroom door.

I opened the door and there she stood – with a Christmas sweatshirt on.  Looked beautiful as usual, but it really isn’t Christmas anymore.  That thought struck home and I began to laugh and then to laugh some more.  I could just imagine what everyone would think if she went out in that.  Oh well, such is life.  I convinced her that it wasn’t Christmas anymore and she needed to change her shirt.   She hurried to find another one.

But I am still laughing.  Dear God:  Thank YOU for a sense of humor.  I sure needed it today.  And it worked.  Have had a smile on my face ever since.  Thank YOU!

DEAR GOD: CAN YOU HEAR THE CHILDREN CRYING?

In this supposedly enlightened world of today, our poor children are crying and moaning and hurting.  Dear God:  Can You Hear The Children Crying?  I can.  I hear them over and over again constantly.  I see them on television and I read about them in the newspapers and I get gobs of mail every day telling me to listen to YOUR poor children.  As You have said, ‘whatever you do to the least of these, you do also unto Me.’  But those people are not listening to You anymore.  They think they are in charge of Your world.  And the children are crying. All the time.

There are those that are slaughtered in the wombs of their mothers.  The poor baby has no one else in this world to protect him. He is completely dependent upon his mother.  And who is she that she would deliberately destroy his life.  Surely, she cannot mean to do this.  Surely, she cannot intend to destroy the very basic being within her own body.  Do those poor children cry throughout eternity?  Do their mothers cry throughout all eternity?  The only animal that destroys their own is the Guppy that eats their babies.   Surely, we have not descended to that level.

I read of other atrocities against children every day, too.  Just today, I read of a child only 3 months old who already had broken ribs and a concussion from being thrown around or mistreated in some way.  Why on earth would any human being do that to a 3 month old child.  I certainly remember that babies cry and it is hard to listen to them sometimes.  But no right thinking adult would ever hurt a tiny child like that.

In another instance, a child had actually walked to school and when he arrived, his teacher noticed something wrong.  By that time, the flesh was  falling off his bones because he had been scalded in a tub of water.  Why would anyone ever think to do that to a small child.  Oh, Dear God:  Can You Hear The Children Crying?

And then there are those whose parents do not feed them nor care for them in any way.  Why is this?  Why in the world would anyone not feed their children.  All animals feed their offspring.  I see pictures in my mail and on the television and in the newspapers every day showing small children who need a good meal.  Most of them also need a good home. Why has this happened in our beloved Country.  The government is not supposed to be feeding them.  The schools are not supposed to be sending food home with them to tide them over the weekend until they can come back for a meal at school again.  What is wrong here.  Why are those parents not being made to take care of their own children.  Surely there is something akin to responsibility within their hearts, minds and souls.

Meanwhile, Dear God:  Can You Hear The Children Crying?  I can.  Please help them.  Please wake those parents up so they will start to take care of their very own children.  Please Dear God Help Them.  YOUR children are crying.

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR THE CHILD JESUS

There are so many things going on in my life right now.  Makes me almost overwhelmed so I try not to think about all the individual things and instead focus on the big picture and just know that I will do the best I can in my life every day.  And I also know that God is always with me and holds me by the hand and walks with me all the way.   So I try to remember to Trust in Jesus and get on with whatever needs to be done.

Right now, there are too many issues to even remember.  One family member having trouble with his eyesight. Several grandchildren graduating this spring and more in December.  And they are all going their separate ways and beginning their own lives.  Several of my families are on vacation or going on vacation or just coming home from vacation.  It is hard to remember who went where and when they went and when they are coming back.

And then we have weddings coming up and that calls for showers and presents and all that good stuff.  In between all that is Mother’s Day and more birthdays and lots of family together times.  I love those.  They are always such fun.  We all have a great sense of humor and use it to our best advantage.  It is always fun and lots of laughter.  And we truly love each other and it shows through on our every occasion to be together.  God has truly blessed me in this family.

Right now, there are a couple of medical issues going on in the family and those, too, will be addressed when it is time and we have to live through them.   Once again, I try to make myself Trust in Jesus and put my hand in His and walk with Him every step of my way.  Always something going on.  I just try to keep my head on straight and my memory intact  (and that ain’t easy to do sometimes).

Meanwhile, I have been praying just as hard and fast as I possibly can.  Need lots of prayers just to keep going some days.  But I will do just that.  No matter what comes down the pike.

One particular prayer that I meditate on is the Chaplet of the Infant Jesus.  This is just a small Rosary.  The first three prayers are said with one Our Father for the Infant Jesus, one for The Blessed Virgin Mary, and one for St. Joseph.  Then a Hail Mary prayer is said on each of 12 beads while meditating on Jesus’ life as a Child.  I say the first one while thinking of Mary sitting in a chair holding her Infant Son, the second also holding  the Child but he is about 2 years old now.  The third one of Jesus about the age of 3 kicking his feet on the chair while sitting with His Mother.  Then the fourth one with the Child Jesus fidgeting just a little more.  At age 5, He is standing beside the chair swinging on the arm;   age 6, He is walking away but looking back at His Mother.  Then age 7, He is walking further away and no longer looking back.  Age 8, He turns once again to look back and then age 9, He is at the top of a hill hurrying to see what is on the other side.  The other side is all downhill with 3 figures waiting for Him.  I assume this is The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The Child hurries down the hill towards them.  Now, I have no idea exactly where these pictures in my mind come from nor why I have them.  I just thoroughly enjoy the depictions while I meditate upon them and say those Hail Mary prayers.   And somehow, after I have been there and said those prayers, things are just a little bit better for me.

Years ago, when I was having some particularly awful difficulties an elderly lady at my parish church told me to pray to the Child Jesus.  She said that He would always answer my prayers.  I had a lot of occasions to do that and I always remembered her words.  And you know what – He really does answer those prayers over and over again.

So I am so grateful to pray to the Infant Child Jesus and to know that He does hear me.  Dear God:  Thank You for the Child Jesus.  What a blessing this is.