Friday, October 31, 2008

4 Days until Election Day!

Pray, pray, pray! Pray that no matter what the outcome of the election that our prayers do not cease! Pray that we will continually renew our fight for the rights of those affected by abortion - the unborn, the mother, the father, the world! Pray that we lift up those government leaders making big (or little) decisions, laws, bills, etc. that will affect our lives - may we lift them all up in prayer a little everyday. Pray that we all crawl, run, walk, scratch, and fight our way back to putting God first and prominently in our lives - let's do it now! NOW!
Pray, pray, pray!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Patriotic Rosary - 5 Days until Election Day!

I am copying a great Rosary to say to prepare for the election. Well, it might be a good one to say daily forever! I'm posting it below:

Patriotic Rosary

Before each prayer, offer the following intentions:

Apostle's Creed - for the conversion of our Nation's Capital

Our Father - for the Holy Father

Three Hail Mary's - for Bishops, Priests, & religious

Glory Be - for the conversion of our country

First Mystery:

Our Father - for the Presidency of the United States of America

Before each of the 10 Hail Mary's - "We plead the Blood of Jesus over (state) and every soul in that state" - AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA

Glory Be - for the conversion of our country

Second Mystery:

Our Father - For the Supreme Court of the United States of America

Before each of the 10 Hail Mary's - "We plead the Blood of Jesus over (state) and every soul in that state" - HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD

Glory Be - for the conversion of our country

Third Mystery:

Our Father - for the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America

Before each of the 10 Hail Mary's - "We plead the Blood of Jesus over (state) and every soul in that state" - MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ

Glory Be - for the conversion of our country

Fourth Mystery:

Our Father - For the office of the Governors of the United States of America

Before each of the 10 Hail Mary's - "We plead the Blood of Jesus over (state) and every soul in that state" - NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC

Glory Be - for the conversion of our country

Fifth Mystery:

Our Father - For all County and Municipal Offices of the United States of America

Before each of the 10 Hail Mary's - "We plead the Blood of Jesus over (state) and every soul in that state" - SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

Glory Be - for the conversion of our country

By the time you have completed 5 decades, you will have prayed for every soul in the nation.

MEDITATIONS:

First Mystery: "No one can rejoice more than I do at every step the people of this great country take to preserve the Union, establish good order and government, and to render the nation happy at home and respectable abroad. No country upon earth ever had it more in its power to attain these blessings than United America. Wondrously strange then, and much to be regretted indeed would it be, were we to neglect the means, and to depart from the road which Providence has pointed us, so plainly; I cannot believe it will ever come to pass. The Great Governor of the Universe has led us too long and too far on the road to happiness and glory, to forsake us In the midst of it. By folly and improper conduct, proceeding from a variety of causes, we may now and then get bewildered, but I hope and trust that there is good sense and virtue enough left to recover the right path before we shall be entirely lost." -George Washington, June 29, 1788

Second Mystery: "It may be the will of Heaven that America shall suffer calamities still more wasting and distresses yet more dreadful. If this is to be the case it will have this good effect, at least: it will inspire us with many virtues, which we have not, and correct many errors, follies, and vices, which threaten to disturb, dishonor, and destroy us. The furnace of affliction produces refinement, in states as well as individuals. And the new governments we are assuming, in every part, will require a purification from our vices, and an augmentation of our virtues or there will be no blessings... but I must submit all my hopes and fears to an overruling Providence; in which, unfashionable as the faith may be, I firmly believe." -John Adams, July 3, 1776

Third Mystery: "Review the great scenes of history: you will find mankind has Always been obliged to pay bear for the blessings they enjoyed... The struggles of a great people have almost always ended in the Establishment of liberty... Such a people are spoken of with admiration by all futures ages...." "Their souls glow with gratitude for the virtue and self-denial of their forefathers. They consider them as patterns for their own conduct on similar occasions and are continually pointing them out to the reverence and imitation of their children. These are the glorious effects of patriotism and virtue. These are the rewards annexed to the faithful discharge of that great and honorable duty, fidelity to our country... I pray to God that the fair character I have described may be that of America to the latest ages." James Iredell, May 1, 1778

Fourth Mystery: "To the kindly influence of Christianity we owe that degree of civil freedom, and political and social happiness which mankind now enjoy. In proportion as the genuine effects of Christianity are diminished in any nation, either through unbelief, or the corruption of its doctrines, or the neglect of its institutions; in the same proportion will the people of that nation recede from the blessings of genuine freedom, and approximate the miseries of complete despotism." " All efforts to destroy the foundations of our holy religion, ultimately tend to the subversion also of political freedom and happiness." "Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government, and all the blessings which flow from them, must fall with them." Jedediah Morse, 1799

Fifth Mystery: "Soldiers! Let us humble ourselves before the Lord, Our God, asking through Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, beseeching the aid of the God of our forefathers in the defense of our homes and our liberties, thanking Him for His past blessings, and imploring their continuance upon our cause and our people." "Knowing that intercessory prayer is our mightiest weapon and the supreme call for all Christians today, I pleadingly urge our people everywhere to pray. Believing that prayer is the greatest contribution that our people can make in this critical hour, I humbly urge that we take time to pray-to really pray." "Let there be prayer at sunup, at sundown, at midnight - all through the day. Let us pray for our children, our youth, our aged, our pastors, our homes, Let us pray for the churches." "let us pray for ourselves, that we may not lose the word 'concern' out of our Christian vocabulary. Let us pray for our nation. Let us pray for those who have known Jesus Christ and His Redeeming love, for moral forces everywhere, for our national leaders. Let prayer be our passion. Let prayer be our practice." General Robert E. Lee, 1863

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Please Pray for the Election - 6 Days Left!

Please continue to pray for the outcome of the upcoming election. I am praying for the defeat of Sen. Obama - I don't think that anyone is shocked by this revelation! I truly fear for what his administration will do to this country. If there is a Democrat majority in Congress and a Democrat in the White House, nothing but liberal ideology will be passed - this means the dreaded Freedom of Choice Act will pass (it is a horribly named bill which makes abortion more accessible, allows minors to obtain abortions without their parents consent, does not provide medical care for infants born alive as a result of a botched abortion, and more)
Please familiarize yourselves with the platforms of both candidates. It is not enough to say "I'm sick of Pres. Bush so I'm voting for Sen. Obama!" It is not enough to read the Bishop's guide for "responsible voting" and then justifying your supporting a candidate that is most radically pro-abortion! You need to read what their actual positions are on abortion - by the way, please, please do not think that abortion cannot be overturned! God is amazing and if we fight for the unborn and those under-represented, anything can happen! Please read about the candidates real plan for the safety of our great nation, read about their plans - long term - for the state of our economy, read about their health care and tax cut plans. Not only read them find out what it means for the greater good and for you and for your neighbor and for your fellow Church-goer.
I'm frightened by Sen. Obama, I really am! He will usher in a ideology which supports the culture of death - abortion and infanticide! It's shameful! For those that point to the war in Iraq as an equal "atrocity" to abortion, that is smoke and mirrors and we must pray for peace but war is sometimes necessary. Really read biblical stories on war, read encyclicals, books, articles to familiarize yourselves with the proper knowledge you need to make an informed decision. It is not enough to see a commercial, a rally, an interview and call yourselves informed.
Most of all, pray for this election. God's will is going to prevail no matter who wins this election. He gives us free will to make our paths in life but, ultimately, it will be His will that leads us.
I have been doing a Rosary Novena for the upcoming election - we are on day 4 but it's never to late to begin dedicating some part of your prayers to the upcoming election. I love doing Rosary novenas because I am talking to Our Heavenly Mother and asking Her to protect us and by doing this, I'm talking to my Father in Heaven. I know that I could directly go to God, and I do, but sometimes it's nice to go to "Mommy" or "Gospa" and she kisses our boo-boos and says "I'll talk to your Father" I just love thinking about the Blessed Mother this way as well as God in this way too. It is probably because I have such great parents on earth so they paved the way for me to be able to see Our Lady and God the Father in a more tangible way! A little shout out to my mom and dad!
If you are interested in doing a Rosary novena there are many resources to join one -I am doing one with a group from this site www.tlmmichiana.blogspot.com (I have this site linked from my site so you can click on it on the right) Really, any good Christian prayers offered up for the election are good - it's a personal decision, I was just sharing with you my form of prayer during this election time!

PS. The 40 Days for Life Campaign is still going on at the Women's Pavilion on Ironwood Circle off of Ironwood in South Bend! Heck, I'm going to continue my prayerful vigil even after the 40 Days campaign is over and the election has been decided! I want that place shut down and I'm storming Heaven to do my part!!!

Keep Praying - 6 Days Until the Election!

I am posting this email that has been circulating around the Internet. I don't know who Mark Gregg (he even may be a made up person) but I love what is stated, I only wish that I could write this well! Again, I know, I'm cheating by "stealing" other's writings and postings but until this election is over, I can't concentrate on anything else.

Dear Mr. Obama,
It is October 1st, 2008. My name is Mark Gregg. I am a 50 something conservative white male. I have
followed your campaign closely, including the speeches you and others made at the democratic national convention. I am respectfully providing you with seven simple (probably shallow) reasons why I could never vote
for you. I believe my opinion is shared by many people. While there may not be quite enough to prevent you from becoming president of this nation, I do think there is an awakening to the fact th at you are not a (the) messiah
that the media and liberal Hollywood entertainers are trying to portray you.

1. I hear your mantra of change, change,change. Yet, you picked a long term, liberal, insider (Joe Biden) to be your
running mate. This is NOT change. It is a move that hypocritically refutes the very thing you supposedly stand for. Your campaign then slammed McCain for picking Sarah Palin, apparently, because she is NOT a
insider. She is a maverick who cleaned-up 's quagmire of political scandals. Which way is it, Barack? Is it okay for you to pick a insider under the mantra of 'change', but not okay for John McCain to pick a smart, aggressive,
reformer?

2. You have the single most liberal voting record in the senate. This indicates to me and others like me that you may very well be an angry black man seeking to punish our country for sins of a different generation. I am not racist. I have some biases just like you and every other human alive. Unlike the democratic party who claims to be for the minority (but their record heavily refutes this), I will give any person who truly needs help, help. I married a 'minority' girl 35 years ago (she is Hispanic) and have seen the evils of prejudice first hand. However, I have also seen my wife and my children and others in her family throw off the veil of self imposed prejudicial bondage and move ahead. They love our country and do not view themselves any different than I view myself as a citizen of this country. Your lovely wife so disappointed people like me during this campaign when she stated it was the first time she had ever been proud of this country. She apparently never
noticed the massive aid we give dozens of other countries. She apparently never noticed the sacrifice of literally millions of veterans who helped make this country a free nation and helped liberate other nations from brutal dictators such as Adolf Hitler. She apparently does not remember that she attended ivy league universities with scholarship money that ultimately (at least some of it) was paid for by our taxes. This troubles me more than you
know. She is an angry black woman who appears to not like her country very much. I don't want her representing me to the rest of the world.

3. You claim Christianity but apparently do not realize that the Bible teaches that he who does not work, does not eat. The Bible does not say or even suggest that he who CANNOT work, should not eat. Yet, your liberal policies reward people who are capable of working, but choose to not do so. This bothers me. I know that if you are elected our taxes will spiral upwards. You should heed the words of Winston Churchill: 'We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle..' If I like anything about you, it is your campaign promise to balance the federal budget. Unfortunately, we have heard this a huge number of times from a number of different politicians and we realize that when you energize the very liberal Nancy Pelosi, Robert Byrd, Ted Kennedy, Barney Frank, etc, etc, and the many other democrats like them, a balanced budget will never, ever happen on your watch.

4. During your question and answer session with Rick Warren of Saddleback Church your answer concerning the question of where does life begin, stunned me: 'Above your pay grade?' Does this mean when something bad happens as President of this nation that you are going to look at your salary to determine if you can respond? I am sorry, but this was the most serious gaffe I have seen you make. Frankly, it shows me that you are pandering in the most obvious manner. You will choose your words not from your heart, but from an agenda that I believe is still hidden from the American people.

5. If anything stands out about you it is probably your appeasement mentality. In this era of rampant, radical Islamic extremism and with the latest stunt pulled by the re-energized Russian government, I am not sure appeasement is healthy. I again revert to the words of Winston Churchill: 'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.'

6. You and your party tacitly believe that a 13 or 14 year old girl must have the parents' approval to have the school nurse provide them with a Tylenol when they have a headache at school. Yet, this same girl can become pregnant and the school can skirt her off to a clinic and abort the child in her body without the parents knowing or being notified. This scares the hell out of me. You have two little girls. Would you be upset if this happened to them and you were not informed? Then why do you stand for this? It makes no sense to me.

7. My seventh and final point (for now) is your supporters. I have watched the Hollywood entertainers who support you, systematically embrace Hugo Chavez of and others like him. I see the continuous smut and garbage produced by , the very people who promote you the most vigorously. It is not a positive point to me and others like me to see these over-paid, bizarre, poor examples of human existence fawn over you and push you and your liberal agenda as hard as they do. The way I see it; When the devil is for you, we should question whether or not we should be against you.

In closing, I just want you to know that you scare me. I cannot vote for you. It is not because of your skin color. It is because these items I've listed and many, many others like them. Do not claim that my dislike for you is race based. It is because I do not feel you have the best interests of this nation at heart.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Novena for the Election - 8 days!!!

A Call for a Rosary Novena
By Fr. John Corapi


Among the most important titles we have in the Catholic Church
for the Blessed Virgin Mary are Our Lady of Victory and Our Lady of the Rosary. These titles can be traced back to one of the most decisive times in the history of the world and Christendom. The Battle of Lepanto took place on October 7 (date of feast of Our Lady of Rosary), 1571. This proved to be the most crucial battle for the Christian forces against the radical Muslim navy of Turkey. Pope Pius V led a procession around St. Peter's Square in Vatican City praying the Rosary. He showed true pastoral leadership in recognizing the danger posed to Christendom by the radical Muslim forces,
and in using the means necessary to defeat it. Spiritual battles require spiritual weapons, and this more than anything was a battle that had its origins in the spiritual order—a true battle between good and evil.

Today we have a similar spiritual battle in progress—a battle between the forces of good and evil, light and darkness, truth and lies, life and death. If we do not soon stop the genocide of abortion in the United States, we shall run the course of all those that prove by their actions that they are enemies of God—total collapse, economic, social, and national. The moral demise of a nation results in the ultimate demise of a nation.

God is not a disinterested spectator to the affairs of man. Life begins at conception.
This is an unalterable formal teaching of the Catholic Church. If you do not accept this you are a heretic in plain English. A single abortion is homicide. The more than 48,000,000 abortions since Roe v. Wade in the United States constitute genocide by definition. The group singled out for death—unwanted, unborn children.

No other issue, not all other issues taken together, can constitute a proportionate reason for voting for candidates that intend to preserve and defend this holocaust of innocent human life that is abortion.

I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary
to Our Lady of Victory between October 27th and Election Day, November 4th.

Pray that God's will be done and the most innocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society that is abortion. No woman, and no man, has the right to choose to murder an innocent human being.
May God grant us the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and counsel to form our conscience in accordance with authentic Catholic teaching, and then vote that well-formed Catholic conscience.

A Quick Thought

This little quote is from St. Faustina's diary - it's amazing and beautiful:

Thank You, Jesus, for everything, because it is not the greatness of the works, but the greatness of the effort that will be rewarded. What is done out of love is not small, O my Jesus, for Your eyes see everything (Diary, 1310).

† I want to plunge myself in thanksgiving before the Majesty of God and to continue in this prayer of thanksgiving for seven days and seven nights; and although I will outwardly carry out all my duties, my spirit will nonetheless stand continually before the Lord, and all my exercises will be imbued with the spirit of thanksgiving (Diary, 1367).

† Jesus I trust in You †

Friday, October 24, 2008

The Bridge

I am posting this video that I saw about 3 months ago - it is a little lengthy but very powerful. I know that this is cheating on my posting but there have been too many things going on to dedicate my time to a really good post - but I'm writing stuff.


Friday, October 17, 2008

More Reflections on a Birthday

Today, my first born son is 18 years old. There are many days that it seems as though it never happened. For this, I am sad but I am also thankful that God gave me this grace to move on in my life knowing that my child has a wonderful new family and that God is watching over them. God has given me His permission to focus on my life with the comfort that God's there and all is well. Then there are days that I swear that I can smell his hair and that I can feel his heart beating against my chest as I say goodbye for the last time. I can still feel how unbelievably sad I was when I rode the elevator for the last time. Yet, through it all, I felt and I feel God's presence and His compassion and His love for me. It is because of this compassion and love that I was gifted the opportunity to have Murphy and Briege and Keagan. His sustaining love enabled me to open myself up to the wonders of life as a wife and as a mother. What an amazing gift the Father has given to me! This chapter in the book of suffering has taught me so much about forgiveness, about true love, about self-less courage, about submission to God's Will and its fruits, and also about the joys that inevitably come after the scars of the suffering have healed. It's a wonder to behold how much He loves us to make this possible. I thank God everyday for my 18 year old Joseph. I pray that we will be reunited one day and that he will meet his siblings who have all learned about their special family member within the last two years. If he chooses not to seek us out, I pray for him anyway and I know that God's hands are on his heart and that he will, somehow, know of my love for him.
Happy 18th Birthday Joseph Kelly!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Friday, October 10, 2008

Thoughts on a Birthday


I have been having trouble finding anything of "worth" to post. Then I remembered that this blog is for me! It is to work through the frustrations of life; the happiness and joys of life; the struggles of life. Sometimes it's just the everyday struggles in life that tell the story and not the huge "look at me" moments. This seems to be a common thread in most of my thoughts and in my writings. Trying to find my worth is woven throughout my life. Having the best birthday for my kids is my latest trial. It is so insignificant in the grand scheme of things but, at the time, huge for my kids. Birthdays have always overwhelmed me! I'm still trying to figure out why it is that they conjure up such anxiety for me. It's not that my childhood birthday parties weren't fun or fulfilling because they were. I had many parties where it was just my family and I having dinner and singing happy birthday to my sister and I (I'm a twin after all!) I remember, fondly, the times that we would get to be the center of attention and we got to decide what's for dinner and what kind of cake that we got - it was awesome!
Hmmm...I wonder if it's the whole attention thing that has me "stuck." As a mother, I tend to put myself last or, at least, second (or third or fourth) It has been many years where my birthday meant that I was going to be spoiled and indulged - well, maybe not indulged but at least humored. As an adult, we are expected to kind of put our selfish wants behind us to make room for our children's needs or the needs of our spouses. That, then, puts the huge burden of fulfilling all of those childhood memories on our loved ones and that is a big shoe to fill.
As I think more on this birthday "thing" I got going on, I am reminded of perhaps the most poignant gift that I have received, Murphy! My 11 year old son was gifted to me just after midnight on my birthday. The back story of his birth on my birthday is a miraculous confirmation of God's love for me. In 1990, I was a freshman at Purdue University and was dating a guy - so not my type but that was what appealed to me for some reason - and I got pregnant. It was shortly after my second semester (naturally, it was after the deadline for tuition reimbursement!) and I came home to my loving parents that forgave me and loved me through the mess. As my pregnancy progressed, I went in for an ultrasound where the doctor informed me that my due date was October 11th - my birthday! I had been planning to place for adoption and I was thrown for a loop when I saw the due date! How on earth could I go through with an adoption with a baby born on my birthday? So, right then and there, I made a little deal with God (isn't that funny how we do that?) If I had the baby on my due date, I would know that I was to keep the baby and if I had the baby on another day, I would know that it was in God's Will that I place for adoption. Well, I had my little boy on October 17th - side note: my jersey number all through high school was always #17 (just a little tidbit) He was beautiful and I loved him instantly but I knew that he was not mine to keep - God had another plan for me. It was very painful but very peaceful at the same time. I signed the papers a week later and began to pick up the pieces of my life by transferring to the University of Saint Francis on a volleyball and softball scholarship. In 1996, I married my husband Bill and in 1997 I got pregnant with our first child. My due date was October 9th (another October birth) and yet, I gave birth to Joseph Murphy on my birthday October 11th! It was as if God had confirmed our "deal" by gifting me my son on my birthday just as we had agreed upon back in 1990 when I placed my first son for adoption.
So, as I work through this aversion I have to my own birthday, I am reminded everyday of the gift that God has given me in my sons and my daughter. Someday, I hope to be reunited with the beautiful boy that I placed for adoption. It is wonderful how God works if we let Him! Now, I just need to remember to LET HIM WORK!
Happy Birthday Murphy - Happy Birthday Kerry!!! I love you both as big as the sky or as the Irish say "Bi da kye!"

Tuesday, October 7, 2008


A little obnoxious of me but I am very proud of my kids and when I can get video of them doing great things - I'm gonna post it! They are great kids every day but I don't get it on video. So here is Murphy running for a 65 yard touchdown! Unfortunately their uniforms look similar to USC but despite that - Run Murphy Run!!!