The Catholic Prayer Book, Book Review

When given the opportunity to review The Catholic Prayer Book I jumped on the occasion. This large print edition offered by The Catholic Store certainly is the best! Compiled by Msgr. Michael Buckley and with forewords by both Cardinal O'Connor (Archbishop of New York) and Cardinal Basil Hume (Archbishop of Westminster) it inspires Christians of every denomination through the Holy Spirit, not just Catholics, to pray.

Praying is essential to everyone who truly believes and absolutely necessary for life. Catholics prayer books have been throughout centuries treasured possessions usually given at special occasions such as first communion, confirmation and marriage.

Many changes have occurred in the World and in the Church reflecting a need for all Christians, individuals and groups alike to reach out to one and other and pray.

The Catholic Prayer book provides us with old and new prayers, both liturgical and sacramental and devotional meditations. An excellent prayerbook the Catholic Prayer book is bound to become a favourite for each of us in our daily devotions.
Its inspirational format will lead Catholics in prayers whilst introducing Christians everywhere to the many facets of our beliefs.

I recommend the large print edition to anyone who reaches out to their prayer book nightly (so much easier once you take off your glasses...) but especially for the elderly as we all remember the very small print of our personal prayer books!


I gave it a 4 stars rating!

The Catholic Company

I received this book free from the Catholic Store as part of their Blogger Review program.I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Time out, photos worth a thousand words, and the sea

Everyone needs some time out, a little bit of freedom, relaxation and some 'me' time...This was such a week and at the suggestion of a good friend I joined her on a little sight seeing trip. The promise of a view of the ocean from our room sandy beaches, a beautiful harbour and relaxation...

When she mentioned the possibility to visit the tallest lighthouse in the State I started packing!
In fact at 107' tall and situated at 123' above sea level this was my first visit to a lighthouse.

And now for 135 steps to the top...
Truly we skipped that part but the lighthouse keeper was a great source of local information so we felt we did not miss anything.
The one thing we made sure we would not allow ourselves to forgo seeing was the Fresnel lens, made in France and shipped to the US in the mid-19th Century in molasses! The latter we understood to prevent the lenses to be damaged during transport.

And what a wonderful sight! These lens consisted of concentric rings of glasses prisms, in fact 1,176 prisms and 24 bull's eyes. This particular type of lens will project a beam to a distance of 26 miles.
As a signal to ships at sea, the eight foot high, two tons lens rotated completely every four minutes on its four ton pedestal and produced a white flash seen every ten seconds.

On the 31st of December 1891 the lighthouse was illuminated for the first time and remained in action until 1968!

Whilst the lenses rotated we noticed shadows on the far wall and I was very glad my little camera produced a good photo!


And so we came home with lots of souvenirs, a bit of sand in our sandals and content...We saw the sun rise and set on the ocean, we heard the foghorns in the distance...

As a teenager I remember wishing to live in a lighthouse or on a barge...I have now visited a lighthouse and I also remember the many barges on the canal behind my house...Oh the dreams...Until the next time!

Dreaming a whole new world with CSN.Stores

If you consider I am just beginning to get used to the idea of buying online you will be surprised to hear how excited I was when CSN.com recently gave me the opportunity to check out their 200+stores and post reviews on my blog.

Perhaps I am still of the old school but I like to physically go to a store site and browse through the displays (yes, I still like to carry a basket and stroll through the market!) Thus it took some adjusting but I learned to surf the web for a specific item and I soon discovered what a great resource the internet was.

Then I found CSN.com...

Needless to say with so many sites to choose from, I decided to look for one particular kitchen item only to remember I had always wanted such and such for the bedroom and this would be lovely on the patio, and...well I am not called Noelle the dreamer for nothing! Oh the dreams...

But first I checked all my favourite Cookware.com, one of the many stores which are part of of CSN network and I found my Corelle dishes:
Simple and elegant for every occasion, easy to clean and very compact to store. Cookware.com offers a very competitive price in many of the items I checked but in this particular instance beat the competitor! You guessed it, I bought mine from a large Department store a while back... On this site I also spotted the following matching set of bowls:
And because I love baking I also noticed the perfect kneading board (I am writing Santa after this):
This was the also the best price I found for this item! Since I was getting acquainted with the many stores I went a step further and checked their telescopes because my husband is dreaming of a larger one than his older 4" Celestron NexStar. Again I was surprised to see how competitive their prices are. Perhaps one day we could look into this particular one with its 6" Schmidt-cassegrain Celestron NexStar 6SE Computerized Telescope - 11068Since we live by the ocean we could not resist checking also the following, someting we both would like to acquire!
But most important to me was finding our the charitable contributions these many stores sites are actually giving! I think if you are like me it makes it that much more special to purchase from a site and it definitively gave me a good feeling.

http://www.csnstores.com/csngivesback.asp The three-mile walk around the River was attended by over 35 CSN Stores employees. With the contributions from coworkers and a matching donation from CSN Stores, these Boston walkers raised more than $7,000 for the March of Dimes for example and this is only one of the many charities they contribute to. And so, dreaming on, I think I might just like to buy online after all...

http://http//www.csnstores.com/

The soul of C.S. Lewis, a Tyndale Book review

Written and edited by Wayne Martindale, Jerry Root and Linda Washington, the Soul of C. S. Lewis is an amazing book reflecting the wonderful world of fiction and non fiction work which inspired so many readers!

I will admit to being a fan albeit sometimes a confused one when confronted with C.S. Lewis's ideas of fictional life versus real life. In this book each of the 26 stories discussed by the authors/editors describes life as we know it, dreams of Heavenly life and C.S. Lewis wonderful creation of fictional characters which has fascinated generations of young readers around the world.

Chapters discussed also contains excerpts of the author's books as well as ten related meditations for each one, inspiring us to deeper understanding of the relationship between our lives and others surrounding us. This is truly a challenge to know God in a much more meaningful way.
A well written and inspiring book, the soul of C.S. Lewis is an excellent addition to your Christian library!

I give it 4 stars!

Also from Wayne Martindale:

I received this book from Tyndale house Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Turkish yarn, Ebru needles and knitting for charities

My parcel arrived, safely delivered by a kind neighbour to our island home and I wanted to share it with you!

Made in Turkey, these "Ebru" needles are handmade following centuries old craftsmanship. Just the feel of these knitting needles allows you to understand the time and care given to each pair by these Turkish artisans.
These beautiful knitting needles are the perfect heirloom item to pass on to generation of knitters!
Since I personally knit for little Angels http://heavenlyangelsinneed.com/ I decided to order size #5 Ebru needles and also to try their "Sifa" yarn http://www.theknitbox.com/ . Sifa yarn is 100 % cotton all natural and ionized with 5% silver, and best of all it is said to have healing properties!

The best part of Internet shopping around the world is the opportunity to make friends! I have discovered the pleasure of meeting so many special women whom like Figi the owner of the Knit Box have a mission. It makes shopping that much more special!

The Knit Box will be at I-Knit Weekender 10-11 September 2010!
( just in case you are lucky enough to be in the neighbourhood!)
http://www.theknitbox.com/
http://www.iknit.org.uk/index.html

Note: Federal regulations requires me to remind you this post is reflecting nothing but my opinion and is NOT a paid advertising!

Corgis and other faerie tales

Okay, Corgis are supposed to like water so what happened here? Since McIntosh is not fond of water either, I could not resist sharing this photo. Absolutely funny!

Welsh legends tell us that the Faeries use Corgis to pull their carriages or as mounts for them to ride into battle. Look carefully, you can still see the marks of the faerie saddle on their shoulders. As time went by, they learned to help their humans watch over their cattle, a task to become a responsibility for their descendants for the centuries to follow.
Someone also told me Corgis were brought over with Flemish weavers, who settled in Pembrokeshire, South Wales in the 12th century, and bred with the local cattle dogs. I like that idea!

As to the origin of its name, since it combines the Welsh word "cor" meaning "to watch over or gather" with "gi", a form of the Welsh word for dog it would seem logical.

"Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of England, is a longtime Pembroke fancier. In 1933 her father, then the Duke of York (later King GeorgeVI), purchased a Pembroke puppy named Rozavel Golden Eagle as a playmate for his daughters Elizabeth and Margaret. Queen Elizabeth's interest in the breed has continued throughout her life, and several lovely Pembroke Corgis still grace Buckingham Palace".

And if anyone wishes to see my favourite Corgi author, please check Tasha Tudor's site! You will fell in love with these wonderful little dogs!

This is McIntosh and mine favourite story of course...and we just dream...

http://www.tashatudorandfamily.com/who-is-tasha-tudor.html

Note: All the above mentions are my own opinion and I was not remunerated in any way for expressing it!

Thoughts of Soldiers, Christmas and Freedom

I pray for hope I pray for peace
I pray for unity between you and me
I pray the heavens will open some day
All of God's people will look up and say,
Deep in the heart of a war,
God heard a Soldier's Prayer.

A Soldiers Prayer:
I signed a piece of paper.
I took an oath as well
I promised to protect
MY COUNTRY...Tis a mission
I can't fail!
I have banded with my comrades
So together, strong, we stand,
In defense of this GREAT NATION
Of this bright and promised land.


So, I will gladly do my duty
And if I must give my all
My prayer will be....those left behind
Will continue to STAND TALL


To fight for PEACE and FREEDOM
To proctect SWEET LIBERTY
I pray, Dear Father,
that you grant this humble
SOLDIERS PLEA

Today is a good day: We are FREE. Today is a good day: We are ALIVE. Today is a good day: This is our LAND. Today is a good day: God is with us ALWAYS!

To all Soldiers, lest they might think they are forgotten...

As my family and I sat with a 30 years veteran I thought of all those soldiers he trained, the many he brought home. the ones who might not have made it... The men who followed him, the people who stood by him, his wife, his children... A true Soldier, a brave man...

I thought of Soldiers, Christmas and Freedom...and cherished dreams...
The following poem has s special place in my heart...

Christmas Poem

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,

AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,

NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,

ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,

A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,

I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING SILENT, ALONE,

CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,

NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?

CURLED UP ON A PONCHO THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,

OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,

AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,

BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,

ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,

I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,

"SANTA DON'T CRY THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,

MY LIFE IS MY GOD MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,

I COULDN'T CONTROL IT I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS SO SILENT AND STILL

AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,

THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOUR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,

WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

And for my best Friend,

The Silent Ranks

I wear no uniforms, no blues or army greens.
But I am in the military in the ranks rarely seen.
I have no rank upon my shoulders. salutes I do not give.
But the military world is the place where I live.

I'm not in the chain of command, orders I do not get.
But my husband is the one who does, this I cannot forget.
I'm not the ones who fires the weapon, who puts my life on the line.
But my job is just as tough. I am the one that's left behind.

My husband is a patriot, a brave prideful man
and the call to serve his country, not all can understand.
Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep this country free.
My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me.

I love the man I married. Soldiering is his life.
But I stand among the silent ranks known as the Military Wife.

Thank you!