World Gratitude Day

   

World Gratitude Day

A strange concept,

being thankful around the globe

just one day a year

out of 365 days!

In the past,

I have written in my journal

five things for which 

I am appreciative on a daily basis.

However, I do see

the virtue of

proclaiming a World Gratitude Day…

clarifying to everyone,

that no matter our economic status, 

where we live, 

in what kind of abode in which we dwell, 

our outer shell's appearance, 

what religious faith we practice, 

each of us 

has reasons to be grateful.

In addition, I include a quote here

from my daily devotional,

the Magnificat:

“We who take access to words for granted 

should pause to be grateful to those 

who preserved the Gospel words 

so carefully

 and spread them to the utmost bounds of the world 

without benefit of the printing press 

or instantaneous media.”

~Magnificat: Saturday morning, September 21~

Mornings with Mary: My Journey

our angels dressed for their baptism:
Derek Hunter, Alison Blair, Charles Herbert II (aka Chip)

A reader commented on this post
about a possibility of a story.
So here it is.  I hope the reader
is not disappointed.

My searching for somewhere to worship God
began when I was in grade school.
I went to church with various friends.
I did not find my place till I was in junior high school.  
The name of the house of worship
was Avondale Methodist Church.
Sunday mornings I went to Sunday School,
then church, and come evening time, 
I attended MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship).
I was also active in the church choir.
Later, as an adult my momma reminded me that 
I had considered converting to Catholicism.  
But I had told her that it sounded too hard.
Oddly, I have no memory of this,
but there is no reason for her to tell me that
and it not be true.
This Methodist church continued
to be my home base
up through the time I was married.
Then my husband and I switched to the 
Methodist church that was close to our home, 
also it was his sister and brother-in-law's church.
We stayed there till our babies were born.
Still at age 2, our oldest and his siblings
were not baptized.  
Neither of us
wanted them to become
members of the Methodist church
because both of us
had become disappointed in the
lack of spiritual nourishment we needed.
In the meantime, we had become good friends
with a Catholic couple. I loved how
they interacted as a family-
prayer time, kindness, 
a general openness to loving others.
So I asked about taking instructions
in the Catholic faith. 
I was introduced to Father Grady, 
the assistant pastor of St. Mary Church.
Father Grady continued my instructions 
until he received a transfer to another parish.  
So that I could continue, 
he notified Father Schultz 
at St. Lawrence to instruct me.
So, even before I was baptized,
I started going to Mass.
(Instruction then was different.) 
The first time I went to Mass,
I felt as if I were home!
Even with not knowing Latin,
I was warmed by the essence
of what was taking place.
About a year later,
 Father Schultz baptized me.  
The following afternoon 
the assistant pastor baptized our three children.  
Their Godparents were our Catholic friends 
who started me on this road.  
My husband agreed that our children 
would be brought up Catholic.
So this church became our home parish 
until I started teaching at St. Mary in 1986.  
My conversion to the Catholic Faith 
began at St. Mary, 
continued at St. Lawrence
 and at this time, 
I have gone full-circle 
whereas St. Mary is my place of worship.  
And I am glad.

Our fourth child, born in 1970,
was baptized on Chip's birthday.

Pictured here is a pen and ink drawing

of St. Mary Church and other buildings

including our school campus.

done by an architect Mr. Tony Costello.

When the prints came out,

my student-teacher gifted me with it.

lovingly linked

to 

Rebecca's

Mornings with Mary

Sepia Saturday 194: Church

vintage shot of
St. Lawrence Catholic Church,
NOT taken by me!


This shot was by me
just this past spring.

This church first received me
 in baptism in 1963.
The following day our three children
ages 1, 2, and 3 years old
were baptized.
A year or two later
my mom was welcomed
into the Church.
Then when our fourth
child was born in 1970,
he was baptized here.

same shot as just above but SOOC

baptismal setting
of my four children and me
joyous occasions! 
linking with pleasure
to
Sepia Saturday

and Rebecca's wondrous blog
Haiku My Heart

Mornings with Mary: The Annunciation- Stained Glass Window

"Hail, Mary,"
Gabriel greets her.
She responds.

Her fearless reply,
founded in faith, piety
renders our Savior.

page, "Herod's Lament,"
meditation for Thursday,
cheered with a rainbow

linked with love

to Rebecca's 

Mornings with Mary

Quotography: Darkness

Photo snapped upon arrival
at church.  Torrential rain
accompanied by lightning
knocked out the power.
The traffic lights were out;
thankfully, people treated the intersections
like 4-way stop signs.

Upon entering church,
I found that we had no lights there either.

"It is better to light one candle
than to curse the darkness."
~Chinese proverb~

The Chinese proverb was used as
a motto by Father James Keller
founder of The Christophers.


linked to Kaylene's
Quotography

Mornings with Mary: Questioning

anguish festers internally

about answers to some of the questions

in the book (Wrapped Up: God's Ten Gifts for Women) 

we’re currently using in Bible Study,

making me hesitate to address them,

let alone share the answers with others.

Although it’s understood,  

(much like in programs as AA) 

what is spoken in our meetings 

goes no where outside the room 

in which we meet.

I know why and from whence

these reservations stem.

years ago I experienced

a betrayal by a friend,

who happened to be 

the mother of a student.

in addition,

in my childhood was

an unspoken but implied rule,

that prevented me 

from sharing about my family

and its inward secrets.

but if I choose not to ponder my failures,

how else will I ever move 

beyond this inability 

to feel loved and forgiven?

I now ask the Mother of our Lord

who encompasses all that is holy

to intercede for me

and bless me

with the knowledge of acceptance

that indeed I am loved,

therefore I am forgiven.

linking with love
to Rebecca's
Mornings with Mary