What Should Come First?
What’s at the very center of your life?
You know what most people say, right?
Family.
Hands down.
Me too.
Cheryl and Chapin.
Yet it is Jesus that allows this miracle, of Family and Love, to bloom.
So do we, or should we, put Jesus before or after Family?
Today we have a Guest Blogger, a nine-year old third-grader from Orlando, Florida.
He doesn’t blog for the same reasons most people do. He blogs because his Dad makes encourages him.
Ladies and Gentlemen, if you can spare two more minutes, I give you Chapin Noel. Take it away Chapin:
HI! Me again!
Or should I say, Me again?
Anywho, I’m going to be a guest blogger again. (and please go on my site too!)
Also, I bet the name is a dead giveaway: what DOES easter mean to you?
My thoughts about easter are the facts which we have to face: it’s not all about what we traditionally do:
It’s about Jesus. And I know that tons of people around the world take it for granted. But some people believe. And I know, I just know, that at least one person is inventing something more to easter that he/she/it thinks will make him/her/it happy.
But that person is wrong. Sure, it will make them happy, but that’s not what it’s about. It’s about giving, being with family, and especially Jesus. Giving food to the poor, charity, and all the good things that we can do to make the world better. Not economically, not by recycling, but by spirituality
note: Please come to my website too! (It’s a pretty cool blog for a third grader) I hope you put this blog post to good use. and (as I always end my blogs) bye! 
Began Blogging In 2nd Grade
This Was For You
“One of the great dichotomies we face is that because our lives are so complicated, we don’t have time for ourselves. And at the same time, we often keep our lives so complicated, so we don’t have to address some of our inner issues.” — Living The Simple Life
Good Friday and Easter are almost here.
Are you ready?
Does it cross you mind all year long?
What if it did?
A Broken Back, A Broken Soul
And so is every other day.
Today’s preparations include the usual:
We leave in less than an hour, and by 9:00AM, I’ll be standing in front of nearly 1,500 Parishioners at Holy Family Catholic Church.
As a Lector (reader), I will speak God’s Holy Word to them. It’s over in less than two minutes.
It may be the only scripture they hear all week.
Can you comprehend this?
All week.
This is all they’ll get.
Sunday is what you make it.
And so is every moment of every day.
Life Can Grind Us Down, Or Polish Us
“Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.
Into your hands, I commend my spirit.”
Got your final breathes ready?
There is no disrespect for Jesus here, so please don’t let this blog title be construed for anything other than for what it was intended.
Everybody's In Sales
Ever heard the phrase, “Everybody is in sales”?
Disagree if you’d like, but ignoring this fact does not change it – everybody is in sales. Period.
Sales is the transfer of enthusiasm.
If you want to “sell” others (aka evangelization), you should be filled with enthusiasm yourself.
Your personal enthusiasm is your greatest “sales tool” for Christian life, and the biggest reason people don’t want to buy.
The Road To Easter
Ash Wednesday and Lent.
Happens year after year around this time.
How many of us forgot?
How many of us didn’t forget, but were simply “going through the motions”?
Easter is the most important day in the life of a Christian.
Christmas is critical, but loses all meaning without Easter.
You have thought of that, right?
The Ride Is For Life
“Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being “in love” which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.”
-St. Augustine
How does St Augustine’s definition compare with your definition of Love?
Life and love are never easy. Everything requires work. Hard work.
Today’s a new day, a fresh opportunity. Do what you do – with Love.
Or, you could opt to do the opposite. But don’t complain if your results are not what you hope or wish for.
Hard work is the only way.
Our beloved Canine son, Carter, our 11-year old Yellow Lab, is very sick.
What started a few weeks ago, appearing to be the a routine distraction from food – a neighbor’s pet in heat – has manifested itself into complications we may not recover from. Cancer.
While our hearts are breaking, they are not completely shattered. Big difference.
We have no regrets with Carter. We have given and received all there is and was, to give and receive.
Peace and blessings. Faith, Hope and Love.
Life. Death.
Trust in the Lord with all our heart, all our mind, and all our strength.
And then cry like a baby, until we can no longer stay awake.