Honored and Humbled...

I have been both honored and humbled by Lisa at Are We There Yet who offered me the opportunity to participate in the Queen of All Things Meme. This is a difficult task, as unlike other memes that ask me to tell you something about myself, I must offer you something quite different. I must share with you what makes me special, and without sounding as if I am boasting. And so it is with much humility that I offer you my list of seven. First, here are the the rules.

Rules:
1. List Seven Things That Make You Awe-Summm!
2. Pass the award on to seven bloggers you read religiously.
3. Tag those seven bloggers.

Cathy's Wall of Honor:

1. I am a good public speaker. I spoke at my high school graduation and have been called upon to speak before groups and I find it a pleasure to do so.

2. I was a den mother in Cub Scouts for 10 years.

3. I am my children's and grandchildren's most enthusiastic supporter. (After Marianne had graduated high school, we went to a basketball game, I was told I was missed because the mother's section needed my enthusiasm...Marianne always thought I was TOO enthusiastic! If you polled the rest of the kids they would tell you the same!)

4. Baking bread is a gift I learned from my mother and Great-aunt Ida. I do love to bake bread and sweet rolls. Just don't have as much time to do it right now.

5. Photography is a passion. I love to take pictures!!! God has created such beautiful art I just have to acquire it!

6. I am most happy with my faith community and endeavor to contribute time and talent as well as treasure as often as I can.

7. Finally, I am a compassionate nurse. I love the people for which I care, and I think they all know I enjoy my work.

*******

Now the difficult task of offering this Meme to others. I would gladly have given this to all I know. But what follows is only a preview of all the grand women out there who have much to offer us all!

1. Tracy at A Catholic Mom in Minnesota.

2. Esther at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii.

3. Theresa at Aussie Coffee Shop.

4. Abbey at Abbey's Road.

5. Yvette at A Journey Through His Garden.

6. Bernie at On My Own.

7. Jennifer at My Chocolate Heart.

And one for good measure!

Eileen at Umma's World.

Thank you again, Lisa!!! This was grand! Please all who visit here visit with these ladies as well! They are grand company!

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God!

Resting Today, But Still Working

By Mary Engelbreit

As I am recuperating from most busy day at work yesterday, I would guide you to two post I found this morning to be most refreshing. The first is SuzyQ's Sailing by Starlight. The other is quietly beckoning at The Duchess.

Have a grand day, All

~~~^j^~~~
And thanks be to God!

Praise God!

After a Stupendous Sunday, it is a wonderful time to take time to offer praise and thanksgiving for all the gifts we are given. Please journey to Jennifer's Chocolate Heart and share in the "praise."

And so I praise God for:

1. Cool breezes, sunshine and flowers.

2. Cleansing rain that has nourished the beautiful flowers.

3. Family outings, shopping with Laura, Kellie and Neil for Mariannes baby shower.

4. The harness for Duchess' seat in the car when we travel to Atlanta in two weeks. She seems to take to it well as long as she's not left in it in the car.

5. Chicken fried steak. What a tasty dish with fresh ripe tomatoes and mashed potatoes and gravy.

6. Mass and communion with parish family and the community shared after.

7. A baby afghan, nearly complete!

~~~^j^~~~
For these and all His gifts
I say, "Thanks be to God!"

End of the Weekend Humor!!

Enough Said!!!!!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

Sensational Saturday~

Glorious, yes it is! Sensational! It's the 1st of August in Indiana and the sky is clear and the air cool! Sensational! Today is a day to glory in the goodness of God!

Today is the day I cultivate family! How? Well, shopping for Marianne's baby shower with Laura and Kellie, because I can.

I'll pay the bills with a smile, because I can!

I'll dust and clean with a song, because I can!

If you wish to share your Sensational Saturday, please do!!!! All are welcome! Enter have a seat and enjoy the conversation!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

The Gift of Humor...

Forgetter Be Forgotten?
My forgetter's getting better,
But my rememberer is broke
To you that may seem funny
But, to me, that is no joke

For when I'm 'here' I'm wondering
If I really should be 'there'
And, when I try to think it through,
I haven't got a prayer!
Oft times I walk into a room,
Say 'what am I here for?'
I wrack my brain, but all in vain!
A zero, is my score.
At times I put something away
Where it is safe, but, Gee!
The person it is safest from
Is, generally, me!

When shopping I may see someone,
Say 'Hi' and have a chat,
Then, when the person walks away
I ask myself, 'who the hell was that?'
Yes, my forgetter's getting better
While my rememberer is broke,
And it's driving me plumb crazy
And that isn't any joke.
CAN YOU RELATE???

~~~~~~

I certainly can relate...I offer this in lieu of Bad Haiku Friday! It is much too funny to ignore. Please enjoy~~And Thank You to Margaret for sending it!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Road to Providence

As I have journeyed on The Road to Providence these many months, I have arrived at the point of drafting my Commitment. The lesson in the chapter before drafting the commitment is about Mission and Ministry. Seemingly simple words, they ask the question, "What is my mission and to whom do I minister?" Then as always, I seem to be guided by the Holy Spirit to a place of explanation.

Putting Our Temperaments
in the Service of God

Our temperaments--whether flamboyant, phlegmatic, introverted, or extroverted--are quite permanent fixtures of our personalities. Still, the way we "use"our temperaments on a daily basis can vary greatly. When we are attentive to the Spirit of God withing us, we will gradually learn to put our temperaments in the service of a virtuous life. Then flamboyance give great zeal for the Kingdom, phlegmatism, helps to keep an even keel in times of crisis, introversion deepens the contemplative side , and extroversion encourages creative ministry.

Let's live with our temperaments as with gifts that help us deepen our spiritual lives.

Bread for the Journey
by Henri J. M. Nouwen

So I reflect on my mission and ministry, as we all must. And when I reflect, I see that none of this is possible with a commitment to service to others. As Christ served those is his midst while he was physically here among us, he taught us and urged us to do the same.

Who do I serve? To whom do I minister? Do I use my gifts and talent to be an example of service to others? Do I serve in joy or in anger and frustration? In other words, am I a true servant? These are question I will ponder as I compose my commitment letter.

And so I pray:

Lord, I want to be where I can make a
difference, where I can spice up another
person's life by bringing him or her the good
new of your love and justice.

Help me discover all the gifts you have
graced me with so that I can help turn this
world around--starting with my own life!
Show me how to keep fresh in your commit-
ment to serve you each day. Amen (pg 1330)

The Catholic Youth Bible
New American Bible

Please pray for me as I pray for you!

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God!!!

Reflection on Motherhood

I feel I need to make up for my inability to upload pics to go with my previous post (though I don't know how to do that as I see them when I open the blog...[shrug]). So here goes!!!!

A Possible Career Indicator

"...Children's clever imaginations often lead them into actions and antics that may give parents an indication of their future career choice. For example, one woman years ago overheard her young son and daughter playing in the backyard, digging trenches and building forts to guard against an attack by imaginary enemy agents called 'the diarrheas.' Her son is now an engineer, and the daughter is enrolled in medical school."

Excerpt from Humor Me, I'm Your Mother!
by Barbara Johnson

Hope this makes you smile. It did me when I read it. Any career indicators you all might want to share?

A quick one for me...My oldest daughter loved to color and by the age of three I could sit her at the table with crayons and coloring book and she would color until I had cleaned nearly all the house. She is now teaching art to high school students. She loves to spend hours scrap-booking, sewing, and photography.

My best to all!

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God!

Male or Female

Male or Female? You might not have known this, but a lot of non-living objects are actually either male or female. Here are some examples:

	FREEZER BAGS: They are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.
	PHOTOCOPIERS: These are female, because once turned off; it takes a while to warm them up again. They are an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can also wreak havoc if you push the wrong Buttons.
	TIRES: Tires are male, because they go bald easily and are often over inflated
	HOT AIR BALLOONS: Also a male object, because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under [them]!
	SPONGES: These are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water.
	WEB PAGES: Female, because they're constantly being looked at and frequently getting hit on.
	TRAINS: Definitely male, because they always use the same old lines for picking up people..
	EGG TIMERS: Egg timers are female because, over time, all the weight shifts to the bottom.
	HAMMERS: Male, because in the last 5000 years, they've hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.
	THE REMOTE CONTROL: Female. Ha! You probably thought it would be male, but consider this: It easily gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying

Are you laughing?!?!?! Good! Now have a wonderful day!

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to Emily for the smiles!
and
Thanks be to God!!

So SORRY the pics didin't come through! Cathy

Rare Picture!

Sent to me today, I just had to share with one and all! Absolutely incredible!!! Another reason to Praise God!

A picture began circulating in November. It should be 'The Picture of the Year,' or perhaps, 'Picture of the Decade.' It won't be. In fact, unless you obtained a copy of the US paper which published it, you probably would never have seen it.
The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner.
The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta. She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb.

During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr.Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed hand through the incision n and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger... Dr. Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.

The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity... The editors titled the picture, 'Hand of Hope.' The text explaining the picture begins, 'The tiny hand of 21-week- old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life.

Little Samuel's mother said they “wept for days” when they saw the picture. She said, “The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person.” Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percent successful...

Now see the actual picture, and it is awesome...incredible....and hey, pass it on. The world needs to see this one!




Don't tell me our God isn't an awesome God!!!!!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!

EDITORIAL COMMENT: This article and picture was the subject of a Snope search. All of the above did, indeed, happen except apparently the fetus reaching for and grasping the surgeon's hand. Of course the mother had probably had a spinal or general anesthesia and that, too, would have affected the "baby." I see that this really makes no difference, for if this is all true and the baby was carried to term, delivered and was healthy, in December of 1999, then Samuel will be 10 years old this year. I say again, thanks be to God! Incredible!!!! Cathy