New Year's Eve 2014

CHAMPAGNE & GRATITUDE

Small literary journals and faith-filled publications are
mostly a labor of love--for editors and contributors.
On this last day of 2014, I wish to send out a shout
of appreciation to some careful, caring editors: 

Martin Lammon

Rosemary Deen            

Megan Jones

Jacque Day

Phoebe Bosche

Lois Dorschel

Christopher Heffron

Anthony Harris

Rose Marie Berger

Becca J.R. Lachman

Br. Paul Quenon

Cynthia Brackett Vincent

Virginia Howard 

Anna Leahy

Florence Homolka

Julie Wakeman-Linn

Bronwen McShea

You might want to check out these publications:

Arts and Letters, Thema, Perceptions, Sojourners,

Section8, Commonweal, Healing Muse, Camas,

The Potomac Review, Broad River Review,

Owen Wister Review, Raven Chronicles,

Lalitamba, Off The Coast, Ellipsis, New Madrid,

St. Anthony Messenger, The Aurorean, TAB, and

Stone Highway.

Blessings to all in 2015

 

Monday, December 29th 2014

ATTITUDE

Sometimes our face betrays our attitude, 

other times it is our voice or posture.

Do you ever watch these indicators before

approaching someone new?

Maybe there is a lady who is waiting in a 

line next to you. Maybe she is holding a

small dog and you catch the eye twinkle in 

that small furry face. 

You and the lady begin a conversation. 

Amen. . .  

and thanks be to God for all His creatures,

which lead us to Love.

Christmas 2014

O Holy Night . . . 

For the Christian world this is the night that
Love and Hope entered our weary world.

Love has a way of spreading good will to all--no matter

their belief. And so tonight is about Love.

May we all feel it wherever we are. 

Merry Christmas!

Saturday 12-6-14

TREES

Maybe you will agree that it is time for a poem. . .

Today we celebrate the birthday of a poet who

made trees the center of his much quoted poem: 

TREES

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast; 

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray; 

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair; 

Upon whose bosom snow has lain; 
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree. 

                              Joyce Kilmer

                                  © Poetry

                                       August 1913

Thanksgiving 2014

Make us truly grateful . . . 

The List:

________________

________________

________________

And God Bless those thoughtful people 

who speak their gratitude

with flowers.

November 23, 2014

Feast of Christ The King

To set our hearts and minds in a place to celebrate

 this special day, here is something beautiful for

contemplation (with thanks to Vance Perry):

How Great Thou Art - HD - Barbershop Multitrack - YouTube

“In the twilight of life we will be judged on our love for, closeness to and tenderness towards our brothers and sisters.  Upon this will depend our entry into, or exclusion from, the kingdom of God . . .”
                                                    -Pope Francis                                                       Nov 23, 2014

The King of the Universe comes to meet us. . . 

even when we are stalled in downtown traffic. 

We need only let Him into the flow.

November 18th 2014

ORANGE

Have you been out and about looking for

items to complete your Thanksgiving Day

meal?

Yes . . . then this won't come as a surprise:

Our time of year to give thanks has

been usurped by the commercial call

of black Friday. 

Before grace and blessings shared, before

turkey and pumpkin pie, we are overtaken

with ads.

To everything there is a season. . .

So here's to orange.

                 Bravo to the creative hands 

                 that produced this unique

                 pumpkin face. (No name was

                 given.) Congratulations!

And from long ago . . .

Apples Fall, But Oranges

This is fall.

I would like to write

A poem about apples.

Jonathans, Romans, and Gravensteins.

Only apples can only be apples.

But those oranges

In the next rack – oh orange:

Sunset

Bonnet in the rain

Flowered hillside

Work crew on a crane.

So many things

Without a proper name.

Orange, hurray!

You take my teeth and tongue

To say.

                            -Kathleen Gunton

©1983 The Christian Science Monitor

Peace & Blessings To All