Catholics
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Thank you so much. I need to be a bit more grateful that I live alone, and am therefore less exposed to germs. And quit being paranoid about allergic problems. An itchy nose is nothing.
And thank you for staying around so long into recovery.
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we are all in this together.
Xx
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MC - I went to the children’s Mass at 4:00 today. Our church was packed to the rafters. Wish I had waited and gone with my husband at 7:00. I love Christmas music but they didn’t sing O Holy Night - my personal fav. We don’t have much of a choir anymore either unfortunately. We have had some choir members who had beautiful voices. I would have gone to midnight Mass but can’t stay awake for that anymore.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Diane
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A Happy and blessed Christmas to you Diana. I know exactly what you mean. I was on Family Mass Team duty for the nativity play at the Children's Mass. As this was my first year without Santa Claus visiting our house I was able to go back for the 9 pm and get "proper" mass
. We don't have midnight mass here anymore, but the local Anglican church has a beautiful midnight service. (That would be Episcopalian in U.S.) but like you, too late for me. My son usually attends that as well as 9 p.m. mass but unfortunately he is dripping with a cold this year so it seemed a better idea to stay away.XXX Susanna
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I wish all of you a blessed Christmas, and many blessings in the New Year.
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How are you faring MC?
Sending lots of love and prayers your way.
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My sis and bil are here doing some housework for me. They also brought cookies and lasagna. I am feeling shakey. Went to clinic and got some work done on right arm and shoulder.
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MC that is good that your family are helping you. Do take all the TLC you can get. XXX
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Happy Christmas to all! I love to read how you have spent these days. We had a wonderful celebration on Christmas eve, a beautiful dinner which we all helped prepare, carol singing (my sisters were very surprised when I brought out my guitar!), and midnight Mass. Christmas Day was quieter, though we did have lunch together, opened gifts and some of us watched a film in the evening. On Boxing Day four of us went to the beach (I'm sure all of you northern hemisphere folk can't comprehend beachgoing in December!). It was great weather though the water was very cold; I am a water nut but even as I was walking into the water I was thinking "oh my goodness, I'm crazy!" My hair afterwards looked like there'd been an explosion.
It was great to do some gentle swimming, but I think that and the activity I did the following day (transferring all my things from one room in our convent to another...took me six hours!) is taking its toll... I'm getting pain again so am sitting with ice.
I am going for my annual retreat on Monday. Feel free to send me any prayer intentions. You will all be in my heart!
MC, I especially hope you feel better, and that your sister is alright.
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mc..sorry to hear you are a bit under the weather. It is a horrible thing to have to go through. So glad you have support around you.
sparrowhawk..that sounds like a wonderful aussie christmas!
bravo re the guitar playing! Fantastic. Im sure the Sisters truly loved it.Yes..I wish you blessed peace and insight with your retreat.
I do have something I would like prayer help with. You see I lost my job due to a new program they introduced ...(mandatory...was denied exemption even though they knew my lymphedema issues) long story short, using the program caused new onset of lymphedema in my other arm and a few months later into my left chest wall as well. I am now medically unfit to work and awaiting a medical panel outcome for workcover payout.
I already had a previous medical panel decision overturned in the Supreme Court which was a miracle!
I was issued a new Medical Panel and new doctors.
The judge was amazing and really 'heard' my case...not with prejudice towards the insurance companies.
I had my day with the new panel before Christmas and it was extremely stressful.
I eexpect they will deliberating on it in the 1st weeks of New Year.
Please pray for me.
Love and blessings
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Astrid,
I pray that the medical panel gives you the benefit of the doubt.
McBaker,
Glad that your family is there for you. I did Taxol and Herceptin as well; this regimen can really be taxing.
Sparrowhawk,
Enjoy your retreat! I wish I could take a retreat, but it takes two parents to manage my kids.
I was in CT for Christmas, visiting my parents. My Dad's memory seems to be slipping, and my Mom is busy covering for him. She doesn't want to talk about it, but it can't be easy.
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Astrid, I will be praying that you get satisfaction on that legal issue.
I got a pulley and some rope, to make a device for improving my shoulder range of motion. Left shoulder has been having muscle impingement issues, right one is the mastectomy one, and a rotater cuff injury ten years ago.
My sister is limping a bit, but no pain. She is much happier with her knee taken care of. BIL is proud of his mother. She had brain cancer, like 45 years ago, has outlasted her husband, and is just now getting someone in to clean house twice a month. Last time I saw her she was looking much younger than 80 years old (my estimate).
Our other sister died in a very bad auto accident last spring. Her son unexpectedly flew from Texas to Wisconsin for Christmas. He is very deeply involved in campus ministry, and retreats, and he cooks for the staff. We are wondering where life will take him.
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Astrid, I will pray for your job situation...I hope something good comes out of it. I can see how it would be a stressful time for you.
ET, your parents are in my prayers, as are you! My congregation is dedicated to serving families, and we pray for families daily. I'm including your family in my intentions.
MC I'm glad you are on the road to improving motion. I'm so sorry your sister passed in such circumstances. Prayers for all your family, especially for your nephew.
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thankyou all for putting up prayers for my issue. I truly appreciate it. I will be keeping you all in mine as well.
Sparrow for a blessed retreat and good healing in your body.
MC for continued healing progress and safe passage through this part of your journey.
ET that you will be blessed with peace and opportunity for quiet contemplation time.
FF and every one here, may the Lord bless you abundantly.
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please add a special intention...
I'm getting married in seven weeks, to the absolute love of my life. 😍
Before anyone thinks I've left the convent.... I've been accepted for profession of vows! I am so excited/happy/overwhelmed... the bishop will celebrate Mass, which I really wasn't expecting and which is a huge honour for this simple girl.
This site and community has been such a help for me in understanding my health situation and in connecting with others. I particularly love this thread. I may not be around much in these weeks but you're always in my prayer.
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well that is glorious news sparrow! How wonderful. I am so happy for you. Of course I will add this special intention...that your divine marriage is filled with grace and covered with the Holy Spirit now and always.
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How awesome! A bride of Christ...what glories await you here and in eternity with your beloved!
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Sparrowhawk what joy! May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Astrid - placing your intentions before the Lord.
XXX
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Sparrowhawk, this is wonderful. To have the bishop there, too. Will we get pictures? Your marriage will bear many fruits, free of the obligations that tend to distract one from the final prize.
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How exciting, Sparrowhawk! Praying for a beautiful Mass, full of joy.
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Thank you, all! It's a wonderful time of stillness and joy as I wait.
The reality that in a very short time I will give myself to God is amazing. God has shown me such mercy to lead me to this life, to the way in which I can love Him and serve Him with all that I am. There are lots of things I don't do and do not worry about as a sister, but there are also many responsibilities and obligations. Sometimes friends and family have expressed a sense of dismay at my "sacrifice" of marriage and family, but I see that I can only give up something which I had already. If it was always God's desire that I become a sister, then nothing is lost and so much is gained not just for me, but hopefully for others.
I would love to send photos but am a bit wary of respecting the privacy of my sisters and my family. I will not post any photos on this thread, but can send you something if you like via private message. 😊
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yes please.
I would love to know how young you were when called, and how you were led to your particular Order. Either here or p.m.
I am amazed and in awe of those called by the Lord from a young age. There are many at the uni where I study. Some from religous families qnd some not. They just knew.Ps. No idea why my font size keeps changing!
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A little early for most of you but it sure is NYE here. Just went in to Melbourne for a lovely mass at St Francis church.
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Hello everyone, I hope you are all well.
We had a sad and traumatic end to the year as one of our beloved cats, only 5 years old, had a heart attack on Sat morning and had to be euthanased on the evening of New Years Eve. The options for helping a terminally ill animal are so much more limited than what a human (at least in the developed world) has, that in the end the decision to allow the vet to help him over the line was actually easy. It was literally that or several more hours pain and gasping for breath. I gave him back to God, however unwillingly, and thank God for the blessing he was in our lives, and that he is no longer suffering. We were also very blessed that it was the holidays, and I was able to be with him continuously and the vet who was on duty for the holiday period was exceptionally kind and dedicated.
Arthur is happier times.
On a nicer note, one of the tips from the Women's Retreat I attended was to ask the Holy Spirit for a Word for the New Year ahead, and to ask the Holy Spirit for a Saint for the New Year. You then pray particularly to your Saint and if you do not know much about them, learn about and from them. Really great tip.
One of the ways to pick a Saint is the online Saint generator!!
It is recommended to pray to the Holy Spirit before using.
In case of interest here is a link
http://saintsnamegenerator.com/
My Saint for the year is St. Maximilian Kolbe and I was so excited to get him. I really look forward to journeying with him and learning from him. He always seemed at a pinnacle of holiness. A man who has literally lived out Jesus words "greater love hath no man..." but already I am learning there is so much more to St. Maximilian.
XXX
Edited to add. Also recommended to celebrate your Saint's feast day in some way. XXX
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Feelingfeline,
Sorry to hear about Arthur. I'm glad you were able to be with him during his sudden illness. Thanks for the link to the saintsnamegenerator. I got St. Ignatius of Loyola! I'm pretty psyched because I've always been interested in his spiritual exercises.
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FF. You are such a lovely soul. Thankyou for the tips. I too am so sorry for your loss. Arthur looks so sweet in that photo. May he frolic happily in the fields of heavenly love, and may we all be reunited happily with the pets who went before us.
My beloved Katie Bell went a few years back. It has taken me a long time not to feel guilty as I had to decide for her when she should go. The vet said it was best. I had her home for another week before I took her back. I was thinking I might finally release her ashes from the little tin and plant flowers in the large garden pot she loved to bask in on sunny afternoons.
God Bless Our Beloved Pets.
Here is nativity I came across at a beautiful gothic church across town called St Mary's Star of the Sea. I had a giggle at the australiana theme...if you look closely in the outback tin sh3 there is a redbsck spider(oh dear Lord protect baby Jesus! No wonder it didn't happen in the aussie bush😊) and in this photo a little wallaby..( small kangaroo).
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