I've been twarted...have you?

Thwarted:   I have been thwarted,  I get thwarted just about every day...Don't you?  I wanted to be tall and slim, but I was thwarted.  I wanted to be highly intelligent or at least smart, but again I was outsmarted by Thwart.  I wanted to be "intense and deep" but Thwart said "no."  Instead I am just mediocer or thereabout.  Life is tough with friend Thwart lurking about.  It is a normal fact of life that you are going to get thwarted sometime by someone or something.  Yes, you too.  Don't tell me it isn't true, because if you dare dispute this I will tell Thwart on you; then you will get your thwarting, too.

Jesus was thwarted, too.  Every day, but he was above it and always out-thwarted his nemeses.  As He preached and went out to the people, He had no place to pillow His head  as the as the fox in dens and the birds of the air did(see Matt 8:20 and Luke 9:58), but slept wherever and whenever He could.  He was thwarted in rest and in prayer by friend and enemies alike.  He knew it would be so, but He continued on.  He knew that He would be betrayed...it was part of His Father's plan, yet He continued to preach and teach.  He didn't let Thwart deter Him or any of the daily niggley(I made a semi-new word) trials, bumps and bruises along the way.  He...Jesus...thwarted the real and present Thwart and He won, didn't He.  Yes, in the end Jesus defeated Thwart when He died on the cross.

Does that mean that Thwart is no longer a threat or hanging around...or just waiting for the opportune time to cause havoc, and chaos?  No, It means that we as people of God will have our own confutation with 'Ol Thwart as he will always be in our live to some degree or another.  He is sly and comes in many forms of disguise.  He can wear many mask, hats or identities.  Thwart can even come in the form of good, or  beneficial actions or intents.  Yes, to be thwarted is an everyday state of affairs for most of us.  We have all traveled this road...been there...done that...and continue to do so.

Thwart is not a word commonly used anymore.  It is almost archaic.  It 's meaning is pretty simple 'though.  It is to "prevent, to stop, to negate an action or thought."  There are less used definitions  and usages of the word, but you can find them in your dictionary. It is good to know a few archaic or old English words...makes the readers think that the writer might be half-way smart...but only half-way!

I think we are in our last gasp of summer and the weather people are calling this a "heat wave."  Actually this has been a mild season.  It has been much hotter and much more humid in the past.  I think we will have an early winter and a cold one at that.  Now the Old Farmer's Almanac is making the same prediction.  A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that the wild geese are flying south early and the flies and spiders or setting up housekeeping within my confines-perimeter.  Mother Nature speaks in her own indomitable voice and she has a big mouth.

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Cain slew his brother Able...don't you.

I was talking on the phone the other eve. with a friend.  She was telling me how she had not seen her brother for over twenty years.  That rang a bell for me as I have not seen or heard from my sister for just about an equal time.  It is her choice to disasocciate herself from family and friends.  I guess she is happy with her choice; I don't know.

It made me think.  Now...you know what happens when I get to thinking.  Smoke comes out my ears and my hair ignites...not really.  But...(never start a sentence with a "but" or an "and") but..I just wonder how many dysfucnctional families there are in the country...or any country.

Time, place and circumstances play havoc on the persona, or can cause mental, spiritual growth in the individual.  We are born with free will.  Generally we can make choices at what or who we become and are.  There are exceptions of course as no one that I know choices to be blind, deaf or have any physical debilitation.  Again..no one I know wants to be bound by these balls and chains of adversity.

Adversity, if unfettered and directed can become strength through the free will given to us to by God.   You can unbound from dysfunction if you make a choice through free will and and dysfunction can morph into grace.

Jealousy, selfishness, meanness, and a host of other personal traits can cause and perpetuate the dysfunctional family.  Parents, can give rise to "me" centered individuals instead of God centered social units and families.   Parents will say that they love their children equally and don't have favorites.  It is impossible because of our human nature, not to have a favorite son or daughter...unless there is only one.  So parents take care and don't show this trait to your children.  It will be hard not to do so, but if your able to be equal with all your progeny...you will win the battle...hopefully the war, against having a dysfunctional family.

I would like to see my sister again, but if not, it is her choice within her free will.  She has two grown sons that I have never seen.  I have heard that she also has a dysfunctional family.  I also hope that my friend gets to see and be with her own brother.  It isn't good  nor does God wants us...to carry our emotional baggage to the grave and beyond.  "What so ever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me."

Well, I have been busy running around here and there; to the Dr. and for Lab work and a repeat of the same.  No one gets older without a few glitches here and there.  I guess I should "kick the tires and have the oil changed" more often.

Tomorrow I will be over at the Little Sisters of the Poor.  A friend and I will start pricing stuff for the rummage sale.  I think the Sister can use any money they get for the benefit of the home and residents.  Most of the goods are donated so it is free and clear for the home.  I don't think Obama Care has helped any Catholic Hospital or Nursing Home.  Just wait Obama...someday you will get old and dependent, too.  Will the government or the Little Sisters be there to feed you, bath you, change your tidy whiteys, wipe your chin or sit with you as you prepare for that big "pie in the sky" bail out?   Noooo, I do wonder, though.

The End

 

Ohhhh, I thought I saw a guy in a red suit

lurking outside the Pearly Gates!

 

You did see that...right!!!  Hee Hee.



So...I forgot...am I in trouble?

Would you believe I just about forgot that this was my post night?  And now it is nearly midnight.  It has been a busy day and tomorrow will be nearly as busy.  I do have a post about half way written as I started it the other day.  I will try to get it posted into cyberspace tomorrow eve.

There isn't much to post anyway unless you are interested in my trips to the Dr. and to the lab, mass and stuff of the ordinary occurrences of life.  What!!  Not interested??  Your right...very boring stuff.

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The Assumption of Mary

Well, what do you know...it is Wednesday again...my new posting day.  Are you excited?  Well, why not?

Not much to say as it has been a slow, but "busy" week.  Which means that there were a bunch of humdrum things to do.  I am still doing some little clean-up jobs here and there.  Anyone that has ever had construction jobs done...no matter how small...knows what I mean.

Today I swallowed an ice cube.  It was cold all way down...brrrr.

Sunday as I was leaving for church a flock of wild geese flew over, heading south I presume.  Spiders are coming in like droves.   I will call them Spider Herds and one left me a personal calling card on my arm.  It made me "crazy" all week.  You wouldn't think a tiny, black spider could "leave a mark," but it did.  One of God's little creatures let me now it was here, but I sent it on its heavenly course.

With all this said, and the fact that we have had an unusually cool summer with lots of rain, it makes me think we are in for a cold winter.  Here, in the Ohio River Valley, August is usually a month of sweltering heat and high humidity.  Not so this year.  Look for your boots, snowshoes and shovels.

Yesterday I mowed the backyard, thinking that today I would take care of the front yard.  Today the mower will not start and is making a funny sound.  I think I need to put it on life support as it may be on its last gasp.  This is a big Troy mower; it is supposed to last forever!  I don't wanna buy a new mower!

Tomorrow is a Holy Day.  It is the Feast Day of Assumption Of the Blessed Mother.  I have a real affection for the Blessed Mother and pray the Rosary every day.  A lot of people have the wrong idea about the rosary and prayers to the Blessed  Mother.  We do not worship Mary, the Mother of Jesus, but we pay her homage and honor, as we would our own mothers.  We pray to give her just recognition, and ask for her intersession.  We would and do ask our earthly mothers for intersession when we say, "Mom, pray for me."
Christ gave his mother honor when He changed the water into wine at her request, and left her in the care of John.  In the Ten commandments it is clearly stated, "Honor your Mother and Father."  We do....or should.  We give Mary, the mother of God, the accolades she richly deserves.  Catholics do not "worship the Blessed Mother, but hold her in very high esteem.  The apostles did, too.

This afternoon I spotted a small lizard sunning itself on a warm concrete block.  I left it in peace as little lizards are good to have around.  They eat all the bad bugs that want to come in as the season slowly erodes an the summer sun beckons to the fall equinox...it's coming.  God bless all the creatures of the earth, great and small...except for spiders, that is.  Well, I guess there is a place for them, too.

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Freedom of MY religion

I have a Facebook account.  It helps me stay in contact with relatives and friends.  Also, I enjoy the recipes that are posted.  What I do not enjoy is the religious bullying.  There are those that condemn the Pope, the church in general, the teachings of the church, and ultimately...me.  I am a Catholic and will die a Catholic.  While I am aware there are problems within the church I am also aware that there are problems  in and abuses in other...mainstream denominations.  You just don't hear much about them.  When a priest or a religious sister makes a mistake or a grave sin..it becomes front page news.  Such problems or injustices to man, church and God should be newsworthy and addressed, but the media and many denominations are happy to sensationalize any and all, condemning out of hand.  Don't judge all by a few insidious members of ANY church or persuasion. One shoe does not fit all.

This nation was founded on the principles of FREEDOM OF RELIGION, FREEDOM Of THE PRESS, FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.  This country is under attack pertaining to all FOUR FREEDOMS.
If a nation can control its people through degeneration  and denial of these sacred precepts you might as well tear up the Constitution and declare it a military state.  Oh!  We are well on our way to becoming a welfare nation and dependent on the government in all phases of living.  Just leave my religion alone.  When a county has no core beliefs in basic fundamentals or the concept of good vs. evil it becomes a lost ship at sea with no compass to steer by.  My faith, my church, my religion, my core beliefs are my compass in this life and for the next.

Anyway I said I would let you know how the work went on the kitchen ceiling.  It is generally done, neat and clean.  I just need to clean up and recover the space, but I can now cook in the kitchen.  It will take me a little time to get things back in order, but I have the time and can be more selective of what I keep, give away or toss out. I slowed down on my work in the kitchen as my arm has been giving me fits all night long and into this day.  It is going to rain and my arm tells me so.  The weatherman says it will rain for the next several days and that there may be 4 to 5 inches of rain this week.  This time I believe the weatherman; my arm says he is probably right.

Now about my money diet.  I have had a few extra expenses due to home repairs, but I had already "budgeted" for the work ahead of time.  So I am keeping with my plan to live on less and do more with what I have.  Being able to cook in the kitchen again will help me stay on track, and hopefully nothing unusual will pop up and surprise me.

I just didn't want to get up this morning.  I wanted to stay in bed and just be lazy...I am good at being lazy.  I finally got up and made myself move.  I just made it in time for Mass.  Usually I like to stay after Mass for about 15 minutes or so and pray in solitude, but today I didn't.  I took a "fluid pill" late and you know how that "works!"  I had to hurry on home.  My bad...for getting up at the last minute and taking my medicine on the fly!

END