Daughter Pleads For Patience From Nursing Home Workers

I Read this which was sent to Dear Abby. Touching and so true, everyone could always be a little more patient.

DEAR ABBY: My elderly mother was recently placed in a nursing/rehabilitation facility. After several months of observation, I would like to offer an open letter to those who work in such places.

“Dear Caretaker,

“It is true I have grown older. My body won’t do what it used to do. My eyes aren’t as bright, and sometimes I have trouble finding the right words. But I do have a name, and it’s not ‘Honey’ or ‘Sweetie.’ I have experienced much, and I have learned much. Your history books are my personal history. There is a lot I could teach you.

“You don’t have to shout; I will tell you if I can’t hear you. I have known great love and great tragedy in the years I have spent on this earth. I have spent decades learning to take care of myself, and it’s hard having to rely on others.

“I need your help, but please don’t talk to me as if I were a 2-year-old or a puppy. I’m too polite to say so, but I see when you roll your eyes or heave a sigh that says you’d rather be anywhere else but with me. These are my final years, and I’ve worked a lifetime to get here. Give me the dignity I deserve. All too soon, you will want the same.” — DAUGHTER IN ANDERSON, IND

All Hallow’s Eve: Catholics/Christians reclaiming Halloween.

Every year, a debate rages among Catholics and other Christians: Is Halloween a satanic holiday or merely a secular one? Should Catholic children dress up like ghosts and goblins? Is it good for children to be scared? Lost in the debate is the history of Halloween, which, far from being a pagan religious event, is actually a Christian celebration that’s almost 1,300 years old.

“Halloween” is a name that means nothing by itself. It is a contraction of “All Hallows Eve,” and it designates the vigil of All Hallows Day, more commonly known today as All Saints Day. (“Hallow,” as a noun, is an old English word for saint. As a verb, it means to make something holy or to honor it as holy.) All Saints Day, November 1, is a Holy Day of Obligation, and both the feast and the vigil have been celebrated since the early eighth century, when they were instituted by Pope Gregory III in Rome. (A century later, they were extended to the Church at large by Pope Gregory IV.)

 

Ironically, one of the most popular Christian alternatives to celebrating Halloween is a secular “Harvest Festival,” which has more in common with the Celtic Samhain than it does with the Catholic All Saints Day. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating the harvest, but there’s no need to strip such a celebration of connections with the Christian liturgical calendar.

Another popular Catholic alternative is an All Saints Party, usually held on Halloween and featuring costumes (of saints rather than ghouls) and candy. At best, though, this is an attempt to Christianize an already Christian holiday.

Parents are in the best position to decide whether their children can participate safely in Halloween activities, and, in today’s world, it’s understandable that many choose to err on the side of caution. One concern that’s often overblown, however, is the effect that fright might have on children. Some children, of course, are very sensitive, but most love scaring others and being scared themselves (within limits, of course). Any parent knows that the “Boo!” is usually followed by laughter, not only from the child doing the scaring, but from the one being scared. Halloween provides a structured environment for fear.

In the end, the choice is yours to make as a parent. If you choose, as my wife and I do, to let your children participate in Halloween, simply stress the need for physical safety (including checking over their candy when they return home), and explain the Christian origins of Halloween to your children. Before you send them off trick-or-treating, recite together the Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel, and explain that, as Catholics, we believe in the reality of evil. Tie the vigil explicitly to the Feast of All Saints, and explain to your children why we celebrate that feast, so that they won’t view All Saints Day as “the boring day when we have to go to church before we can eat some more candy.”

Let’s reclaim Halloween for Christians, by returning to its roots in the Catholic Church!

 

Enjoy the treats, All Hallows Eve parties, prayers, and remember to pray for the Poor Souls!

Update on My uncles condition, thanks for all the prayers!

11-6-13 My uncle was transported (finally) back in state and is at an inpatient rehabilitation center about 45 minutes away which is better than several long hours, we are able to see him everyday now. 🙂
He is getting so much better and is regaining slowly the usuage of his left arm/leg. His physical theapy is going great and he is on solid foods again. So thankful for the answered prayers of mine, my family members, and all of you! After the two mini strokes and massive stroke and his brain swelling, they say it’s a miracle he survived and won’t have any lasting damage. I am so thankful he is with us and for all of my family and friends. All of the thanks and glory to God. And thankful he wasn’t at his house alone when it initally happened. Thanks everyone!

10-11-13 Thanks for all the prayers everyone for my Uncle Bradford, here is an update on how he is doing:

After he has been hospitalized for suffering 2 mini strokes followed by a massive stroke the doctors said it was a miracle that he did not lose any memory or have any speech problems or brain damage. He has feeling on his left side but can not move it yet, other than that nothing else was harmed. He is in physical therapy on the way to recovery. Thanks so much everyone for the prayers, God bless!

We need Saints….

I saw this on wordpress, love it and wanted to share. It came from http://justacatholicgirl.wordpress.com

“We need saints without cassocks, without veils – we need saints with jeans and tennis shoes. We need saints that go to the movies that listen to music, that hang out with their friends. We need saints that place God in first place ahead of succeeding in any career. We need saints that look for time to pray every day and who know how to be in love with purity, chastity and all good things. We need saints – saints for the 21st century with a spirituality appropriate to our new time. We need saints that have a commitment to helping the poor and to make the needed social change.

We need saints to live in the world, to sanctify the world and to not be afraid of living in the world by their presence in it. We need saints that drink Coca-Cola, that eat hot dogs, that surf the internet and that listen to their iPods. We need saints that love the Eucharist, that are not afraid or embarrassed to eat a pizza or drink a beer with their friends. We need saints who love the movies, dance, sports, theater. We need saints that are open sociable normal happy companions. we need saints who are in this world and who know how to enjoy the best in this world without being callous or mundane. We need saints.”

You can totally tell my sister is the biggest 1D fan…this was her birthday today!

Communion on the Moon

A great article from Marvin Olasky at WorldMag.com
July 26, 2013 

Reposted by Kirk Cameron

 

 

Pardon me, please, if you’re familiar with this terrific story, but I never  knew it: Former astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin celebrated the Lord’s Supper on  the moon 44 years ago, on July 20.

Aldrin was an elder at Webster Presbyterian Church near Houston. According to  London’s Daily Mail, a Presbyterian General Assembly gave Aldrin  permission to administer communion to himself on the moon, using a small plastic  container of wine and some bread.

Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon, but he did not want to  participate. Aldrin, who followed Armstrong out of the lunar module, poured the  wine into a chalice, saying later, “It was interesting to think that the very  first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the first food eaten there, were  communion elements.”

Read more: http://kirkcameron.com/2013/07/communion-on-the-moon/#ixzz2aPRsNa3z

Pardon me, please, if you’re familiar with this terrific story, but I never  knew it: Former astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin celebrated the Lord’s Supper on  the moon 44 years ago, on July 20.

Aldrin was an elder at Webster Presbyterian Church near Houston. According to  London’s Daily Mail, a Presbyterian General Assembly gave Aldrin  permission to administer communion to himself on the moon, using a small plastic  container of wine and some bread.

Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon, but he did not want to  participate. Aldrin, who followed Armstrong out of the lunar module, poured the  wine into a chalice, saying later, “It was interesting to think that the very  first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the first food eaten there, were  communion elements.”

 

 

 

 

Love this! Remember it all! >> 50 Things That Look Just Like Your Childhood

http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/things-that-look-just-like-childhood

Why ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Has the Most Successful TV Teen Cast Ever

originally posted at http://tv.yahoo.com/news/why–dawson-s-creek–has-the-most-successful-tv-teen-cast-ever-214326474.html

It’s been 10 years since Joey chose Pacey, since Jen passed away, since Dawson made a TV show about them all — since “Dawson’s Creek” wrapped everything up in a satisfying, sentimental bow.

If the 2003 series finale, a flash-forward that let the teens of Capeside grow up and make adult decisions, has held up well — except to those still aggrieved that Joey didn’t choose Dawson — then so has its cast.

James Van Der Beek, the Spielberg-aspiring Dawson Leery, just wrapped up a fine, ironic turn as uber-James Van Der Beek on “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.” Joshua Jackson, the cougar-admiring, ultimately steadfast Pacey Witter, will never want for an invite to Comic-Con thanks to the recently concluded cult favorite “Fringe.” Michelle Williams, the tragic Jen Lindley, is a three-time Oscar nominee (“Brokeback Mountain,” “Blue Valentine,” “My Week With Marilyn”). Katie Holmes, our dear Joey Potter, has starred in film (“Batman Begins”), on Broadway (“Dead Accounts”) and, yes, in a six-year marriage to Tom Cruise. (And, yes, Williams had a child with the late Heath Ledger.)

Friends, subscribers, brothers and sisters… please take but a few moments of your time and read this.

Friends, subscribers, brothers and sisters… please take but a few moments of your time and read this. Give what you can when you can….
My dear friend Lisa has a blog, if you go to it and hit donate and make any monatary donation I will appreciate it and I know she will also. Lisa is a single, disabled mom to four kids. She is so caring and kind, and all donations help feed her and her kids, and help them pay the bills, etc. So please, let’s share this via Twitter (or whatever social site you are on) and email and give, even if just small amounts. It would really help them get by. Thank you so much, God bless. Info is below.

http://www.lisagraas.com/blog/

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=luVfhbdqLoGPcaTpgDCS70mmqBnMNj74SKlrJkv1gk2Ki3SE8HIiZMuN9f4&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d14f86393d55a810282b64afed84968ec

Cleveland Kidnap Victim Wants to Reunite With Son Conceived in Gang Rape ( Article by Lisa Graas)

Kidnap and rape victim Amanda Berry is a recent high-profile example of a woman’s love for a child conceived in rape. Her fellow kidnap and rape victim, Michelle Knight, is reportedly another example. Michelle’s brother Freddie tells the New York Daily News that Michelle wants to be reunited with the son she had before she was abducted by Castro. He was born after Michelle was gang-raped by boys at school prior to her abduction.

“She was a delightful girl, outgoing,” Deborah Knight, 62, told the Daily News. “She was very helpful. We just had a lot of fun together.”

But all that changed when three classmates “grabbed her by the arm and raped her at the school,” the great-aunt said. “That’s how she had Joey.” […]

[…] “She was, like, ‘Give me a hug,’” her brother said. “She was so freaking happy. I gave her a hug, but I couldn’t give her a bear hug because of all the things that happened to her.”

Freddie Knight said his sister has said little about her years in Castro’s prison. “She was just happy to see me,” her brother said.

After enduring so much torment, cruelty and isolation, Knight is now eager to make up for the decade she lost, and wants her son, who is 13, back.

How could any woman possibly want to carry to term, give birth to, and parent a child conceived in rape? We hear this question all the time on political soapboxes. It is a mantra that hurts women, because it rejects the idea that women will naturally love their children regardless of the circumstances of their conception.

In the real world, we see many examples of mothers desiring a loving, protective relationship with their children conceived in rape that is consistent with all that we treasure about motherhood. Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight are two shining examples of this. Society’s rejection of such children can cause many children, and their mothers, to fall through the cracks. This is what happened to Michelle.

Michelle Knight was brutalized long before she was kidnapped by Ariel Castro. First, she was brutalized by being gang-raped by boys at school. Then she was brutalized when authorities stripped away from her the child she had conceived as a result of that rape. There are indications that this action by authorities was taken at the urging of family members who would not support Michelle in caring for the child. Michelle is now reluctant to reunite with some in her family, reportedly because of a custody dispute she had with her family prior to her abduction.

It was after she was gang-raped and her child was taken from her that Michelle was abducted and brutalized by Castro. This included his murdering five children she conceived as a result of his raping her repeatedly. Michelle’s life, then, has been mostly made up of people robbing her of her most precious treasures: the treasure of herself and the treasure of her children. The boys from school who gang-raped her robbed her of herself. The community, including possibly her own family, robbed her of a relationship with her child. Since it is now clear that Michelle’s brutalization began long before Castro entered her life, we would all do well to understand the community’s role in that part of Michelle’s tragedy, just as we are trying to understand how we can do more as a community to recognize that our own neighbors can be people like Ariel Castro.

Few among us would not recognize that healing for Michelle will come partly through being reunited with the child who was taken from her against her will. Reaching out and supporting Michelle now is an opportunity, then, for societal healing. Community support for her now will help to make up for the community support that was lacking for her when her child was taken from her.

Our learning to understand, as a society, that it is natural for Michelle to desire a relationship with her child conceived in rape is an important part of healing for Michelle and others like her. Women like Michelle fall through the cracks that we fashion with our pickaxes in the law when we say that abortion should be an option for raped women “because it’s natural for a woman not to desire that child.” We have failed as a society to understand that it is natural for Michelle to desire that relationship. Attitudes like this bring about the lack of support that resulted in Michelle’s child being taken from her. It is time for us to heal the cracks that women like Michelle, and their children, fall through – cracks that are made by those who advocate for abortion in cases of rape.

Michelle Knight, as Amanda Berry, teaches us a great lesson about children conceived in rape. Such children are a balm on the wounds of their mothers, not a blight. We need to support women who conceive children as a result of rape by responding with love for both them and their children. We need to let them, and all women, know that the love that they have for these children is natural and, as such, can be healing for them in the process of healing from rape.

The reality of motherhood, that motherhood itself is a treasure in and of itself, is something that we all need to stand ready to embrace in our families and in our communities, especially when the tragedy of rape occurs. When we preach violence as a response to violence, women like Michelle become brutalized – first by the rape, and then by the rejection of her natural desire to have a relationship with her child. Just as the community participated in the brutalization of Michelle Knight by taking her child from her, the community participates daily in the brutalization of other women like her because their children conceived in rape are treated under the law as non-persons who have no inherent right to exist.

If it is true that Michelle Knight wants to be reunited with her son, then we all need to come together in supporting her in that, as a community, for her sake and for the sake of her child. Just as Amanda’s story teaches us that children conceived in rape can be a source of hope that inspires mothers to persevere, Michelle’s story teaches us that community support for women who conceive children as a result of rape should always be an important part of our efforts to bring healing to women who are victims of the violence of rape. It is only in understanding the dignity and value of all women and their children that society can experience healing from violence against women. If our society’s answer to these women is that they are disordered in some way if they love these children and desire a relationship with them, we fail them as we failed Michelle.

By Lisa Graas
Posted at