Happy Easter:

*****

He is Risen

This has  been a wonderful Lenten season.

Yesterday was a touching day filled with words of inspiration.

 We honored the Cross,

Received  the Eucharist,

Followed the Stations of the Cross, 

Recited the Mercy Chaplet...

My fast this year was from television and not food.

What a great feeling celebrating Easter this year.

 It made

a difference that I participated and stayed conscience of those 40 days.

~Happy Easter to all Christians~

Declutter and renewal:

The Cystic Fibrosis Group sends me a postcard that says when they will drive by my house.

On that day I attach the lime green postcard to my bags and they take them about 8 am.

This makes it much easier to give donations because not only do they pick up, they give you a good enough notice (about one week) and it works for me.

Today was a good day to downsize again.

I have things I have been holding onto in my closet just because...

I put them on for the last time and then thought about someone having them and smiled. I don't need of every color or size. I have purchased new shoes that feel good in 

the store and I get ready to wear them something pinches, etc. 4 new ad 4 used pairs tossed in a bag.

So I guess I ended up with a wheelbarrow full.

That's all I can think of !!! Still having trouble transferring new pictures

from my Iphone. Guess I'll go into the shop tomorrow and get the answers.

It's not so hard to do Holy Week when I know the outcome...

That Christ rose from the dead

The Resurrection

The Ascension

The descent of the Holy Spirit

Thank you....thank you.

A Catholic Kind of Day:

*****
This evening I attended the Stations of the Cross held
at St. Josephs Catholic Community in Capitola, California.
It was very impressive.
 The young pre-teen group called the "Edge" silhouetted  all 14 stations
 and read and we
 sang and prayed together.
It was very beautiful and memorable as families came together.

This was the culmination of my day after meeting this morning with a renew group and
doing the readings for Sunday and having a discussion.
This afternoon I spent one hour in Adoration and also recited the Rosary.
This evening the Italian Federation put on their famous Fish fry in the Church hall
which was also very well attended.
What a nice day !

I am ready for the weekend and thinking about dear St. Patrick and
finishing up the Novena to St. Joseph...our patron and protector.

Come  Home!

Pope Francis:

*****

I am having trouble transferring any new pictures I have taken so I can't put POPE FRANCIS here and I really wanted to have his picture front and center. So happy about our new pope.

Novena to St.Joseph:

*****

Good St. Joseph,

husband of Mary and guardian of Jesus,

we ask you to be our guide and guardian as well.

Help us to seek God's will so that we may be a people 

after God's own heart.

Bless and inspire parents and grandparents,

and guide their efforts to help their children

to live by the gospel.

Be a special companion to widows and widowers

and single people, especially single parents.

As you provided for the Holy Family,

provide for those seeking a job, a place to live,

or help in any crisis they may be experiencing.

Be powerfully present with the sick and the dying.

Help us with our special needs...

(pause to silently call them to mind)

This parish needs your special blessing so that 

we can recognize how God is calling us and how we are gifted,

enabling us to grow in our ministry

of worship and service.

You put your entire life at God's disposal;

help us to follow your example

with the same generosity and joy.

May we one day join you and your blessed Mary

in praising Jesus forever and ever. Amen

Religon:

*****

 Sometimes I think religion is selected on a "feel good" basis.

I am so grateful for the beautiful structure of the Catholic Church.

It is a very exciting time for millions of us today as the Cardinals gathered in secret.

Soon we will have another successor to St. Peter. God loves us sooo much.

The least we can do...the very least is to spend one hour a week at a church.

Time Change:

Spring Forward...

So, how are you doing?  Any stories to tell?
Time change affects people differently.
I'm still working on it today.

Dogs on a Leash:

     I left a meeting this morning in Capitola and drove down a different street than usual. A woman ran along side the curb in the street. She was very pretty and wore a cream colored cable knit sweater with long pants because it was still chilly. When I glanced in my rear view mirror I spotted a large white dog that looked like a pit bull, and another large dog and a smaller one...all of them off leash run into the street from a house. The bulldog went straight for her butt and grabbed at her with his face. She stopped dead in her tracks and he lunged again. She spun around with her hands in the air.
     I slammed my car in reverse until I could get to her and yelled,"get into my car!" She jumped into the back seat and was visibly terrified. She reached for me with a trembling hand. She said, "thank you," several times and was nearly in tears.
     A middle-aged woman, barefoot in pajama bottoms and a sweater came out of the house screaming at the dogs who paid no attention to her. She yelled that she was sooo sorry... unaware of the trauma inflicted on this woman.We watched her collect them as they scuffled with difficulty. 
     When my passenger calmed down she stepped out of the car.The owner and the victim were talking when I left. This could have been avoided as could many incidences if only rules were obeyed. They were made for a reason. And You are not privileged!
                 PLEASE OBEY RULES!

writing prompt:

Your Cross:

Writing about difficulties seems to be easier than writing about the good

things that happen in your life. Since this is the Lenten Season we reflect on the cross that Jesus 

carried for the love of all of us. 

We all have a cross to bear or crosses to bear. So what is yours?

Can you write it, reflect on it and offer it in reparation for OUR sins.  

 With the increase in crimes, it is difficult for some to even  read the newspaper.

If you are changing anything about yourself...your are on a journey. 

Keep Christ in mind. He is the lover of your soul.

There will be such joy for us at Easter.

Book Clubs of America:

"Under My Roof is a brave, compelling and necessary story of one
mother's attempt to protect her daughter in an era before there was real help available. We have very few accounts of incest from the perspective of the other, and Emalou King has given us a heartbreakingly  honest book that takes us through the suffering and into healing. This story will be supportive for all mothers whose children have been abused, their mothers, and it should be required reading for every professional who works with families in which incest has taken place."

   ~Ellen Bass, Author of  "The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse" (Harper-Collins 1983) co-authored with Laura Davis; and  "The Human Line" (Cooper Canyon Press 2007); Mules of Love (BOA, 2002) which won the Lambda Literary Award; Featured on the March/April 2011 cover of the American Poetry Review.

Book Clubs of America:

   Foreword

______________________________________________________________________________

In more than one way, Under My Roof reminds me of a mystery novel. The memoir begins like innumerable accounts of dating, romance and eventual marriage in America. The only hint of trouble to come is dislike of Emma's parents for Ray, their soon to be son-in-law, a not unheard of response. As the story unfolds there are more intimations of trouble to come-drunkenness, a terrible accident but nothing to prepare us for the scene revealing a heartbreaking and most heinous evil  We see this family develop through the eyes of the mother.We feel with her an unease with the moods, anger and drinking of her spouse. Routine and apparent normalcy keep the family going, just as it does in our own lives. Ray has some likable but strange parents-another tiny hint of the horror to come? -and his faults, but nothing indicative of molestation,. Would to God molesters appeared as criminals they are! Alas, they look like regular guys. Like the clever murderer at the center of a mystery, Ray manages to disguise his methods of manipulation in pursuit of his perversion.  

     If we can believe the astounding number of children now being molested- most of them victimized by members of their own families- this book is both necessary and, to use a strange word, comforting. Under My Roof  is necessary because it teaches us how insidious and damaging molestation is and how relentless and devious the familial perpetrator can be. The memoir is comforting because Emma is so much like ourselves, raising her kids, struggling with her husband's apparent weaknesses but understandably missing 

what he took such pains to hide.     

     Under My Roof  is also comforting in that abuse and it's attendant agony and pain do not have to have the last word. Faith in God contributes to the healing, which begins slowly and wonderfully to unfold.

     Parents, teenagers, teachers, clergy, counselors and people in law enforcement would surely benefit from reading this book. Conversational in style, Under My Roof gets under the skin as well as startling and moving the heart. I found Emma's story gripping and the book difficult to put down. I hope and pray Under My Roof has a wide readership.

Fr. Patrick J. Dooling

Diocese of Monterey, California

available: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3129533

The Bigger Picture:

The King was in the Counting House 

Counting all his money...

This is NOT the puzzle I was working on...

Which was my very favorite as a little kid.

I decided to put a puzzle together

called Midnight Snack. It was a man  and a dog looking into the refrigerator.

I guess I thought one of the pieces would be the orange juice instead of having 30 little pieces....

The whole day flew by as I concentrated and stood in my kitchen for eight hours

mesmerized,  hooked on getting it going. It was so difficult because the pieces actually fit great in so many spots. only they

were in the wrong place and it didn't make sense. What did I know?

 I learned another Lenten God lesson...

Unless I have the BIG picture (and only God does) 

 I tried hard to make it go MY own way. 

I thought something fit but as I continued 

working the picture didn't make sense.

 I dedicated another 4 hours to straining my neck,

 opened up the box, scooped the remaining 300 pieces

 back into the box, folded up the poster and made better use of my time! 

What some people will  do so they don't have to start working on their taxes!

Food for Thought:

 

A converted Anglican said that when someone leaves their church the people respond with

that's really too bad for the CHURCH but when someone leaves the Catholic

church the people's response is...it's too bad for that PERSON.

 Taken from a radio program 1240 am

Thank You Pope Benedict XVI:

writing prompt:

Lent 2013:

2007 Pope Benedict xvi

I love television. But, I am NOT watching TV  during Lent.

I am tuned to  Immaculate Heart Radio...the best in Catholic radio.

You can Google ihradio and find out where you can listen to it in your area.

It's filled with good ideas and enriching wisdom and nourishment.

I am also praying more and reading spiritual books.

Hope you have a  chance to get closer to God during this season.

 What have you been doing?

I am praying specifically for the falsely imprisoned and their family members.

If you have a little self denial you will get a  boost and no longer
feel so sluggish.  Remember we did this when we were children. We "gave up" something. It's only for 40 days. You can do it.

Sacrifice is the real test of love.

You will be renewed and it will be good for the whole church. 

Effects of Trauma on Children:

Effects of trauma on children:

Mood Changes

Headaches

Stomachaches

Tiredness

Withdrawing

Crying for no reason

Sudden change in school performance

No longer experiencing joy in previously loved activities

If you think that your child has been abused follow up with a call to the 

Survivors Healing Center and ask questions to get more of the particulars.

831-423-7601

Talk to a professional

Stop the Silence

********

Stop the silence!

The predator is telling you lies.

Tell someone what is happening.

Then tell someone else what is happening.

And don't stop talking until the abuse stops.

There is help available.

If you don't believe it then show up in Watsonville, California and watch the parade of people who
walk to stop the silence on April 6...all people who will advocate for you, help you get the help you need.
They will protect you. There;s a chance you will see someone else you already know that has gotten help.

See you there.

Stop the Violence:

*****
STOP THE VIOLENCE!

What a great turn out  in  Santa Cruz for the one billion rising.
The music, the dancing and high energy for safety.

So what did you do on St. Valentine's Day?
I got a telephone call from an old college sweetheart!
That was fun.

I was helped by a neighbor man in my kitchen today...
wonderful guy who will be missed when he moves away soon.


When you see the man standing at the corner with a sign
asking for work or money...if you are not going to give him
any money, glance at him and recognize him. If you smiled, you made him feel like a person. Feeling invisible is painful.

One Billion Rising to Stop the Violence

*****

Happy Valentines Day!
Let us all be filled with love for everything good.

The Lenten journey has now began after a  day
of complete fast and abstinence.
Ashes on our forehead a humble reminder to be penitent.
It is always a fresh start.

This evening in Santa Cruz and across the countries of the world
there will be hopefully one billion people rising up against the violence
perpetrated on women and children. Let's help by either joining in the festivities or praying for the success of this venture.

Some of the donations received will go to the Survivor's Healing Center.
So this is a gentle reminder that when you purchase
"Under My Roof~ A Mother's Story of the  Heinous Crime of Incest" the royalties are given to the Survivor's Healing Center.

If you listen to Immaculate Heart Radio every day during the 40 days of lent you will be nourished, your questions will be answered and you will be changed. Here is this area it is 1240 am.  You can google IHRADIO and find out where you can listen in your own area.

God Bless You.

Pray privately, almsgive secretly and look good while fasting!

Mardi Gras

Today is Mardi Gras or

Shrove Tuesday

The day before Ash Wednesday which is...

 the beginning of Lent.

                           A new beginning.
If you have made a New Years resolution and were unable to keep it this is a good time for a re-start. I have made a plan to blog daily my Lenten journey for the next 40 days here.  If you are interested in reading it then please sign up on my blog site. Put your email address down and become a follower. I also welcome feedback or sharing from your own experience.

http://emalouking@blogspot.com 

God bless you on your journey. What will you be doing during this penitent season?  I will share my plan tomorrow after I have received my ashes.

 Our Christian community shared celebrations and welcomed everyone during the year. The Episcopal church served pancakes, the Catholics had a Roast Beef dinner but sometimes it was ham or fish, the Lutheran church had Lefse and Lutefisk  while corn beef and cabbage was served by the Methodist Church.

All Christians believe in the trinity. There are three persons in One Divine God. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.Do you belong to a Christian community?

Come Home:

*****
WELCOME

St. Joseph's in Capitola welcomes you to attend Mass.
You do not have to be Catholic to come and hear the word of God.
You can show up because you are curious, or down trodden or
exploring religions or maybe you just want to come HOME again.


The season of Lent is not that far off.
Someone always says, "it may be your last so make it your best!"
And by the way,  YOU are welcome in all Catholic churches.
Come back home!
We miss you.

How to Television :

*****

In the last 24 hours watching television I have been shown how to make
a deadly weapon out of a disposable coffee lid  and how to rip off gift cards and make hundreds of dollars.
REALLY?


SHAME ON YOU!

Hunker Down:

*****
Time to order the book
sit on the couch
get a blanket
a cup of hot tea
and get lost...
today.

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3129533