APRIL - 2009

APRIL SHOWERS

Life is not a highway strewn with flowers,

Still it holds a goodly share of bliss,

When the sun gives way to April showers,

Here is the point you should never miss.

Though April showers may come your way,

They bring the flowers that bloom in May.

So if it's raining, have no regrets,

Because it isn't raining rain,

you know, (It's raining violets,)

And where you see clouds upon the hills,

You soon will see crowds of daffodils,

So keep on looking for a blue bird,

And list'ning for his song,

Whenever April showers come along.

APRIL CALENDAR

APRIL 1ST APRIL FOOL’S DAY

APRIL 3RD CAMPING SEASON BEGINS

APRIL 4TH OUR FAMILY EASTER CELEBRATION

APRIL 5TH PALM SUNDAY

APRIL 7 DINO BOY’S BD

APRIL 9TH THE FULL WILD GOOSE MOON

PASSOVER

APRIL 10TH GOOD FRIDAY

April 12th GD#1’S BD

APRIL 12TH EASTER SUNDAY

APRIL 15 DS#2’S BD

INCOME TAX DUE

APRIL 17TH MA'S VACATION DAY

April 19 Both of my Sisters’ BDs

22 EARTH DAY

24 ARBOR DAY

APRIL 30TH Our Sunshine Boy’s BD

APRIL FOOL

As a rule man’s a fool, always
Wanting what it’s not. When it’s hot
He wants it cool, when its cool
He wants it hot.

My Birthday - March 8th, 2009

CELEBRATING ANOTHER YEAR OF BLESSINGS

Every day we are given the opportunity to remake ourselves and to remake this world. No matter what our age we have the potential to grow and learn and change. No matter what our age, we have the potential to give and teach and enlighten.
Never stop making birthday wishes


MY BIRTHDAY PRAYER

I don’t want to grow old God. I don’t want any part of it. But since I have no power to stop the clock, my prayer is this: Let me age with grace.

Show me the way, God. Be with me. Grant health to my body and clarity to my mind. Give me strength. Help me to overcome my vanity. Teach me to combat self-pity. Don’t allow me to become set in my ways. Shield me from isolation and from loneliness.

May the love of my family and friends be my reward for all the struggles of my youth.Let all the blessings of age emanate from me. Let wisdom flow from my mouth, let compassion flow from my heart, let acts of kindness flow from my arms, let faith flow from my soul, let joy shine forth from my eyes.

Amen

MARCH - 2009

MARCH

1 First Sunday of Lent
7 Ma’s Birthday celebration with the ’babe’s
8 Second Sunday of Lent
8 Ma’s Birthday
8 Daylight Savings Time Begins – set clocks ahead 1 hour
14 DDIL#6’s Birthday
15 IDES OF MARCH – the Buzzards return to Hinckley, Ohio
15 Third Sunday of Lent
17 ST. PATRICK’S DAY
19 Swallows arrive at the Mission of San Juan Capistrano, CA after 6000 mile journey
20 FIRST DAY OF SPRING!
22 Fourth Sunday of Lent
27 DS#4 AND HIS WIFE’S ANNIVERSARY
29 Fifth Sunday of Lent

March roars in like a lion so fierce,

the wind so cold, it seems to pierce.

The month rolls on and Spring draws near,

and March goes out like a lamb so dear

February 25th, 2009 - Lent Begins

Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance.
A season for reflection and taking stock.

It's spring-cleaning for the soul!

first step to clearing my heart and mind of clutter,

I arrange a quiet prayer corner in which to talk to God. I find a suitable place in my home and stock it with a Bible, a notebook, pens. When we take time for God, we are refueled

clearing my surroundings of clutter
If the only meaning of life was food, clothes or work, how meaningless it would be. Lent is a wonderful time to remind myself that God’s presence is what gives life meaning.

Clearing the clutter out of my work life

In a culture where what we do is valued above who we are, listening to God is sadly neglected. I will pray about the excess doing; about busy-ness, stress, and workaholism



Clearing Unforgiveness from my heart

If I am unwilling to forgive, this acts like a dam that blocks the flow of God’s grace. I will take time to consider whether there is anyone whom I need to forgive

Cleaning the clutter of worry from my mind
I pray that I will trust God no matter what

Decluttering my relationship with God
I will pray for patience and the willingness to wait

In the early days of the Church lent was a preparatory time for Easter when the faithful rededicated themselves and where converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism.

We imitate the 40 days of Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for 40 days.

Carnival and Mardi Gras - February 23rd and 24th

Carnival begins February 23rd this year. It is the two days before Ash Wednesday. Carnival includes Fasching, the Feast of Fools. Monday, the 23rd, is known as Shrove Monday, also called Rose Monday, the Monday before Lent. The word "shrove" comes from "shrive," meaning "the confessions of sins" -- something done in preparation for Lent

The word carnival comes from the Latin words meaning farewell to meat

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras" means "Fat Tuesday."

For Christians, Mardi Gras is the last day to indulge before Ash Wednesday, which starts the sober weeks of fasting that come with Lent. Mardi Gras was formally known as Shrove Tuesday. Mardi Gras is a traditional holiday celebrated in many of the southern states of the USA, the most famous which takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Mardi Gras came to New Orleans in 1699 when early explorers celebrated this French Holiday on the banks of the Mississippi River. Today people celebrate with parades and masquerade balls where they dress up in costumes. The official colors for Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold.

In 1872 Rex, the King of Carnival, chose these colors to stand for the following: Purple stands for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.

VALENTINES DAY 2009

VALENTINES DAY is more than hearts and flowers.

Maybe this Holiday exists to beat the Winter Blues…

The lives of the saints are an important part of our heritage; their stories tell us who we are and how we're expected to behave. February 14 feast actually commemorated two Valentines: the first a beloved Christian priest rounded up in Claudius the Goth's persecution (269 A.D.) and beheaded outside Rome; the other a bishop of Terni, about 60 miles from Rome, beheaded in another purge a few years later

Maybe we can come up with some ideas for rescuing Valentine from the candy counter and Patrick from behind the bar. this is exactly what the saints are supposed to do—lead us to God

One website cites the legend of Charles, duke of Orleans, as the person who sent the first Valentine card to his wife in 1415 while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Luckily, the duke was eventually freed and lived to celebrate Valentine's Day with his wife for many decades.

The secret marriage story is often cited as the credible start of Valentine's Day.
Legend has it that Valentine was a third-century priest in Rome who defied Emperor Claudius II's decision to outlaw marriage for young men. Claudius believed single men were better soldiers. Valentine believed the decree to be unjust and married couples in secret ceremonies. When the practice was discovered, Valentine was put to death.

Another legend contends that Valentine actually sent the first valentine greeting himself from prison. Valentine was said to have fallen in love with a young girl, perhaps his jailer's daughter, when she visited him during his captivity. It is alleged that before Valentine was executed, he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine," the expression commonly used in Valentine cards today

St. Valentine no longer has anything to do with Valentine’s Day.
Take a moment to think about why Americans now spend more than a billion dollars on this mid-February day of love

Love doesn’t exactly have much to do with the money we spend trying to express it

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Happy Valentines Day!

February 2009

The February born will find

Sincerity and peace of mind;

Freedom from passion and from care,

If they the Pearl (also green Amethyst) will wear

FEBRUARY

2 Ground Hogs’ Day
8 Spring Begins in Florida Everglades

and moves steadily northward at 15 miles per day
9 Full ‘Snow’ Moon
11 Swallows leave Goya, Argentina on 6000 mile

flight to San Juan Capistrano, CA
12 Lincoln’s Birthday
14 Valentines Day
16 Presidents’ Day
19 Prince Charming’s Birthday
22 Washington’s Birthday
25 Ash Wednesday (Lent Begins)

Every gardener knows that under the

cloak of winter lies a miracle ...

a seed waiting to sprout,

a bulb opening to the light,

a bud straining to unfurl.

And the anticipation nurtures our dream.

Barbara Winkler