It’s another Wednesday for Saint Maria Faustina KoWalska (what else,)
with a brief reflection on the Divine Mercy of God!
Originally aired in 1965 by Paul Harvey (1918-2009.)
Somedays we look around us to see and hear what is happening in our communities, our country, our world and we can’t help but say…
“These are very sad times we are living in.”
And we wonder to ourselves,
“Are these the days predicted in Revelation?”
Jesus spoke to St. Faustina and asked her to write this:
“Write this: before I come as the Just Judge, I am coming first as the King of Mercy. Before the day of justice arrives, there will be given to people a sign in the heavens of this sort:
All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and there will be great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the cross will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and the feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last day.”
Paragraph/entry (83) in the Diary of Saint Faustina Maria Kowalska called “Divine Mercy In My Soul”
The Church prepares us for the end times.
Hatred never has the last word.
We already know the end of the story.
God will always win.
hugs n’ blessings to all those who refuse to eat from the apple & keep their eyes fixed on Christ.
Today the Newlyweds celebrated One Month of married-life together!
The new Mr. & Mrs.!May 7, 2016
One month!!!!!
How amazingly awesome is that?
If you are betrothed, do you remember that first month?
I remember the joy in making “our” bed each morning,
the delight in packing his lunch for the day,
and the decorating of our first home, trying to lovingly create our very own space.
Oh yeah, and the dinners that maybe weren’t turning out quite right just yet!
Good thing he liked Dinty Moore Stew over egg-noodles because
that was as gourmet as it got for awhile!
(Giggles…)
So much goes into the planning of a wedding day!
Do you remember what were your favorite things to plan?
These two young adults did a fabulous job planning & organizing what they desired their day to be and it was so much fun to be a small part of this.
In all the many months leading up to the Wedding Day we collected old trophies to refurbish for centerpieces, created table placards, shopped for not only a Wedding gown but interviewed dress-makers for the bridesmaids and created our very own Peep-Sculpture in leau of an Iced one…(because it’s always fun to be just a little different.)
What was the most unique thing you did for your wedding?
In an effort to share our own experiences & in hopes of inspiring you to take on your own creative challenges; I will be developing a mini-feature, on the 7th of every month for six-months, to recap some of the projects we took on all those months ago! And just like Helen & her cookie-feature I very muchlook forward to sharing these tips/experiences with you!
Won’t you please tell me some of your own too?
In honor of their ONE month marriage this first feature will contain the very first item they both decided was the TOP priority for both of them, which was the Church Service!
Where did you choose to be married?
They truly wanted this to be the high-light of their day and took great effort in pointing everything toward the Sacrament they were about to make. The readings and music for the ceremoney were all thoughtfully picked out. The people who were chosen to stand beside them and those they asked to fill particular roles were such very special choices; including every single cousin who partook in presenting the gifts at the altar! And what a special blessing it was to have eight priests, who are dear friends, partake in the celebrating of their Union!
What were the special choices you made for your ceremony?
The church was full that day!
They requested no flowers on the altar as they wanted the full focus on the beauty of the Church and the Sacrament; except for the presentation bouquet to be given during the honoring of the Blessed Mother, (which the bride asked to be large enough for Miss America to carry because she felt the title of ‘Mother of God’ is far more important!) However, there were beautiful bouquets for the bridesmaids, stunning boutineres for the groomsmen, and of the course the immediate family members as well. Not to mention the ‘surprise’ our daughter had orchestrated to duplicate my gardenia wedding bouquet, which I had carried down the same Church isle some thirty years earlier!
Did you have a favorite flower you included in your wedding bouquet?
(All the flowers were made by the fabulous flower designers at Allburn Florist!)
The groom and groomsmen wore handsome tailored tuxes selected through Men’s Warehouse which complemented the underlying theme of the wedding:
“All Things Black & Gold!”
Did you have any themes at your wedding?
The groomsmen (these are my two sons) wore gold ties &
the groom was in all black, (who can be seen here walking his lovely mother to her pew.)
The bride found a gown she adored for her bridesmaids to wear; however, quickly discovered the designer price of that particular gown was not a price she would ever ask her lovely ladies to pay!
So instead she interviewed various dress-makers until settling on one who could duplicate the same dress, yet would custom make each girl’s neckline to reflect their own individual tastes! The dresses were two-piece, a long black ball gown with pockets & gold sequin tops with six seperate necklines: Sweatheart, V-neck, Square, One Shoulder, Mock Turtle, and Off the Shoulder!
Did your bridesmaids love their gowns too?
(Check out those pockets!)
And the four adorable flowergirl dresses, with coordinating jackets & hair bows, completed the Black & Gold theme!
However, we were sad when the littlest of the four could not be a part of the special day.
Were you missing anyone special from your Wedding Day?
The little-ladies filled up the Church with “Oohs & Aaahs,”and complimented
the ring-bearers, who were each dressed in a different Pittsburgh Sports Team jersey depicting the date of the Wedding!
(See above.)
What were the “Oohs & Aaahs” at your ceremony?
The oldest of the three ring-bearers carried down the aisle with him, what would soon become the newly married Mr. & Mrs. Yatsko’s Family Bible! And with the rings placed on top he perfectly handed them off to the best-man as he reached the altar.
Do you have a family bible you use?
The Yatsko Family Bible
What about the bride’s dress????????????
Unexpectantly, the first gown our daughter tried on was…THEone she chose to wear for her Wedding Day! We went shopping on a “whim” when a couple of hours of unplanned free time, prior to a family event, popped-up during a visit home.
I didn’t even have any tissues with me!!!
But from the moment she put it on…she knew it was “her” Wedding gown.
Everything they had hoped & planned for from the Church Service
came together perfectly that day!
What was the ‘perfect moment’ on your Special day?
Ringing the Church bells together!!
It is so hard to believe it was one month ago already!
There were so many blessings which occurred on that day…
and in the many months ago of planning.
God only knows just how many more are yet to come in the months that lie ahead!
What blessings do you hope for in the upcoming months of your marriage?
hugs n’ blessings (and a prayer) especially for all newly married couples, as you navigate through the wonderful Sacrament of Matrimony!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please remind us to pray for each other often, and to be kind as we’re growing in grace.
Equip us to be the strength that we need, one for the other. May we serve to encourage as we fulfill our God-given roles; one a wise leader, and the other a compassionate help-mate. For your Word says, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a help-mate for him.”
Thank You for Your wonderful gift of a trustworthy companion and friend. Thank you also for the gift of marriage that we open each day.
In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
“And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” – Genesis 2:21-23, KJV _______________________________
“So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” – Genesis 2:21-23, NIV
God grant me a vacation to make bearable what I can’t change.
A friend to make it funny and
the wisdom to never get my knickers in a knot
because it solves nothing and
makes me walk funny!
you’re fun…not funny.
But, I am blessed!
Blessed, beyond measure!
And this past weekend,
more than anytime ever,
made me feel it..
from the
top of my head
to the
tips of my toes!
I recently reached the half-century mark and with some poking and prodding and heavy campaigning I acquiesced in allowing my family to host a”Toasting” Dinner Party (with my besties,) for my birthday.
(I do believe it was Cuppycake’s heavy sighs of, “You’re going to make me look bad,” that was the final offensive-tactic which did me in.)
And I must admit having my (recently expanded) family next to me, seeing all my dearest friends gathered around, listening to the hum of their conversations, the circling around a table eating family-style…all of this…brought me the GREATEST joy as I reached this mile-stone in my life!
Their meaningful hugs, tender words, and lively toasts will truly remain in my heart forever…
And even before the start of the evening
other dear-ones, both near & far, showered me with loving affection…
I pray one day they come to know just how much I needed
(without ever knowing)
their kind words,
their genuine support,
and
their undeserved love.
Such a beautiful Weekend…
A Texan friend of mine introduced me to a southern phrase once as she was discussing a young woman’s behaviour which was a bit unbecoming, “She’s too pretty to act ugly!” she said. I’ve often reflected on this and I do believe, as do others, that there is a culture of individuals; (unfortunately mostly woman,) who prefer to exploit the presummed flaws, unknown defects, and failings of another to exult themselves.
However, I can tell you every woman I was blessed to share my birthday weekend with is not one of them! They are kind, compassionate, strong, tender-hearted women who are always looking to strengthen those around them. And I am most definitely a better person because of their presence in my life.
They are the ones who have helped me to feel
courageous,
empowered,
stead-fast,
and
loved
especially when I have been the most vulnerable these past few years.
And because of this I wanted to honor them
so that they may always remember
they are truly…
(too pretty to act ugly!!)
(I HAVE THE BEST FRIENDS!!!)
hugs n’ blessings to all those who choose to be pretty!
(males included!)
and a few extra hugs to everyone who made me feel so special for my “5 perfect 10’s” birthday!
*to find out more about the (too pretty to act ugly) campaign please watch the video clip below and be sure to support other’s by choosing to be pretty!
“There are friends who bring ruin, but there are true friends more loyal than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24
hugsnblessings 