What happened on my birthdate? Part I

Notable Birthdays for August 4

Those born on this date include:
- English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1792
- Scottish comedian Harry Lauder in 1870
- Queen Elizabeth, mother of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, in 1900
- Legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong in 1901
- Swedish architect Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving 100,000 Jews from the Nazis during World War II, in 1912
- Former UPI White House reporter Helen Thomas, in 1920 (age 86)
- Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 1929
- And actors Richard Belzer in 1944 (age 62) and Billy Bob Thornton in 1955 (age 51).

adapted from Arcamax

Meditation

Meditation - Trust in the Lord

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.

He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be astounded.
They will put their trust in the LORD.

Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD,
who have no confidence in the proud,
or in those who worship idols.

Psalm 40:1-4 NLT

Bible Verses

If you love Me... you'll obey Me

If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers.

He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land - your grain, new wine and oil--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.

Deuteronomy 7:12-13 NIV

______________

If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

John 13:14-17 NASB

______________

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 7:19-21 KJV

______________

A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

Proverbs 12:2,3 KJV

______________

Do not worry then, saying, "What will we eat?' or "What will we drink?' or "What will we wear for clothing?'

"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:31-34 NASB

______________

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

The Meaning of Peace

There was once a king who offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried.The king looked at all the pictures, but there were only two that he really liked, and he had to choose between them.One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for the peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.The second picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell, and in which lightening played.

Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.But when the king looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest.... a perfect picture of peace.Which of the pictures won the prize?The king chose the second picture.Do you know why?"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.

That is the real meaning of peace.

The Word Guy with Rob Kyff

This Column Is Just Dessert

Pop quiz! See whether you can select the correct word in each context:

1. At the end of the novel, the cruel villain got his just (deserts, desserts).
2. The two armadas engaged in a fierce (naval, navel) battle.
3. The threat of icebergs caused the ship to (shear, sheer) off course.
4. When the mayor announced the curfew, a loud (hew, hue) and cry arose from the crowd.
5. The stern teacher insisted that his students (toe, tow) the line.
6. The prosecutor portrayed the defendant as an (arrant, errant) liar.
7. Your figures don't seem to (gibe, jibe) with mine.
8. Tom's (principle, principal) concern was the enormous cost of the project.
9. Sally's friends considered her to be very (straight-laced, strait-laced).
10. Henry placed the golf trophy on his fireplace (mantel, mantle). ----

Answers:
1. deserts -- One meaning of "desert" is something deserved or merited. "Dessert" means sweet food eaten after a meal.
2. naval -- "Naval" means relating to ships or the Navy. "Navel" means the belly button.
3. sheer -- "Shear" means to cut through something as if with a sharp instrument. "Sheer" means to deviate from a course, swerve.
4. hue -- "Hew" means to cut down or shape. Today, "hue" means color, but an old meaning of "hue" -- outcry, uproar -- survives in the phrase "hue and cry."
5. toe (unless the teacher was ordering them to pull a rope) -- "Toe the line" means to adhere conscientiously to the rules. "Tow the line" means to haul a rope.
6. arrant -- "Arrant" means complete, thoroughgoing. "Errant" means roving, straying, wandering.
7. jibe -- "Jibe" means to be consistent with or in accord with. "Gibe" means a derisive remark or taunt.
8. principal -- "Principal" means chief or most important. "Principle" means a rule or standard. 9. strait-laced -- "Straight" means not bent, level, direct. "Strait" means tight, confining. 10. mantel -- A "mantel" is a shelf or other structure over or around a fireplace. A "mantle" is a cloak or something that covers, envelops or conceals.

Hello

Hi everyone!!! How are you doing?? Hope everything is doing fine especially to my friends in the web. Just to let you know that I'm still out of town. I will try to update my blog once I get home and maybe try to post some photos here.

Just sending my best regards!!! Enjoy the rest of your day!! Take care everybody!!

What's in A Name?

Names today are just labels. Parents give their children strange and unique names, names that the children later don't like to be called by. Nicknames often replace the given names to avoid using those embarrassing ones given at birth! And so we have many elderly men who are still called "Boy" and elderly matrons who are called "Baby".

During Jesus' time, a name expressed the child's future task in life. Today, the Church still urges Catholic parents to give their children the name of a saint. The life of this saint can become a model for the child. The child also has one to whom he can pray.
When Zechariah was told by Gabriel that he and his wife would have a son, he was told to name him John which means "God is gracious." John was to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah, telling them that God is gracious by sending the Savior. Mary and Joseph were also told to name their child Jesus which means "God saves." The name of Jesus contained the sole purpose for His birth: to save humankind.

The apostles first baptized and healed only in the name of Jesus. No wonder then that Jesus' name was soon considered to be holy and powerful. St. Paul wrote, "At the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father" (Philippians 2:10).

St. Ignatius of Loyola was very inspired by the name of Jesus that he named his congregation the Society of Jesus. And what great things the Jesuits have done and are still doing for the Church. We know that Pope John Paul II often uttered the phrase, "Praise be Jesus Christ!"

T h e "J e s u s Prayer" from the Eastern churches is a prayer where Jesus' name is uttered slowly while inhaling and exhaling. This prayer calms and unites us with our Savior.
We could be stronger in our spiritual life if we rely on the power of Jesus' name. Fr. Rudy Horst

Reflection Question:
Do I have the habit of using the name of Jesus in vain? Why do I not use the powerful name of Jesus more often as a prayer?

Praised be Jesus Christ! May we who honor the holy name of Jesus enjoy His friendship in this life and be filled with eternal joy in His kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You!

St. Genevieve, virgin, pray for us.

adapted from Kyregma