Tag Archives: frienship

Growing up real. MICHAEL KEATON

15 Thursday Jan 2015

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Love Your Children.

Growing up when I did in the good old USA.during the late 6O’ s and seventies was good because God blessed me with a good family and specifically a mom and dad who were very much in step when it came to parenting and they had a United front.

We as kids were not part of the adult conversation. There were parameters set where mom and dad talked and decisions were made and that was the end of that. As we got older, they would allow us to be part of the conversation on things related to our own life journeys. We were given the dignity of our decisions. My parents allowed us to wobble and fall down a little too. It was a process of maturing and we had to evaluate the pro’s and cons and what net effect or consequence of what our choices would have on our lives.

As, my wife and I have raised our kids I often reflect on and now appreciate more fully the true amount of love, work, prayer and financial investment it would take to get our children to be ready to greet this world. To be a solid person, one who is self sufficient but not self centered. One that is optimistic, and see’ s the hope in the situation. Good Godly people. Amen.

Now, there is no such thing as a perfect parent because we have our own stuff too . The stuff that matters the most to any kid is love. Next in my view is stability. Kids need to know there is a constant in their lives that they know whatever happens you have them in your corner to support and love them.

Two adults who create a family need to step up and give what they have been blessed with the best and give a child stability,love and knowledge of God. Amen.

Toby Mac family

Having said that parents in my point of view do not need to bail their children  out of every situation that they get into. My feeling is that we can try to help to guide them with  biblically correct ways to correct the situation. That way they learn and can grow from  it without it ruining their futures, self image  or the image of who they are before God.

God loves us all, he does lot love the sin. But, a honest heart felt repentance and confession of sins makes us new before God.

We as kids can feel frightened and feel instability in our lives .So long as we have stability that is in fact in place for us, we will be fine. In others words even me a 52 year old kid when my life flipped upside down almost 3 years ago my life was very unstable but what my parents instilled in me from my childhood has allowed me to acknowledged that the  instability exists but it did not shake my foundation. I owe my stability and feeling of love to my mom and dad , grandparents and countless others who have touched my life. They were and are God’s Blessings in my life. Amen.

My parents raised myself and my 4 siblings  in the time period that was Woodstock, free love, and anything goes. I remember my parents struggled to get us through that period without it changing who we were. The culture was so powerful and the images of the day were pretty jarring.

My wife and I have dealt with the same stuff with our kids only now the culture is so connected because of the technology. The crap comes at them non stop.

I am  grateful to God that my kids are almost there,they all are almost fully grown. That they know who they are, and are finding their own way. We guide and support them them but ultimately they have to pray on their decisions and make them on their own.

Being a parent is a true labor of love. They are part of us, they represent our personal best and perhaps our issues that we passed along. They carry our personal dreams for a beautiful ,peaceful and loving world with God as their father.

I saw this except from Michael Keaton on a news show today and felt very much in tune with his message. The message was old but it was made new. Love, sacrafice and devotion of parents.

REMEMBER, ALWAY BE GRATEFUL.  ITS NOT HAVING  WHAT YOU WANT, ITS WANTING WHAT YOU HAVE GOT. ( LYRICS FROM CHERYL CROW SOAKING UP THE SUN 🙂

Michael keaton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBLh8qrhkuQ

God Bless You,

Danny

Am I a clashing gong ?

10 Saturday Jan 2015

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Isaiah 29:13

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+29%3A13&version=NIV

That scripture was brought to me through prayer and came to me over the last 2or 3 weeks. I found it very powerful.

I was sitting in church 3 or so weeks ago and the mass began and ended. I was so detached from the entire mass. I honestly could not even tell you what the reading and homily were about. When I came across this scripture passage I recognized how true this scripture is

This passage is around 2,000 years old and the words apply to us all who are speaking the good news of God but often are not connected to him in that moment in a meaningful way.

I am convinced that no matter what faith you have or what faith you are raised in we need to be born again personally into the faith and relationship to God that our parents chose for us. Life is a personal journey. Just showing up on Sundays and putting in your weekly 1/2 hour does not make for a healthy personal relationship that will make you one with your  God.

Like the day when I was in church a few weeks ago and my mind bounced from one thing to the next, during the entire mass but when mass ended I spoke to my friends about God’s goodness and his  love for us. Does this mean that I am a clashing gong as the scripture said? I was speaking of God’s goodness yet was not in that moment mentally connected even during mass .

This question bothered me so much so I prayed a lot on it this is what I came up…

I think our personal relationships and fellowship are an intrical part of our faith. They help us to make and grow our connections with each other and God.

You know, life is short ( here) it seems to be going quickly. I have spent the last over  48 hours with a terrible head and chest cold. I spoke to my sister and said to her that last night I came down from my bedroom and was getting a sip of water and my wife was cleaning out draws etc. She asked if I wanted soup etc and I said no. Then turned and headed back to the bedroom. On my way out of the kitchen I said you know J, my live ended 3 years ago this coming March.  It was a truth buried deep inside me that finally found the light. I think father would say that it is a healing to get it out into the open. The words came out, I was not shocked by them, they did not devastate me. They were just there. The truth according to Danny

Billy Joel_ And say it ain’t so.

God Bless You,

Danny

Am I Leaning on Life too Much ?

08 Thursday Jan 2015

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That title seemed a little strange when I got it a while back, as a matter of fact I almost scratched the title idea on more than one occasion. Well it kept coming back to me. My life caught up to the meaning of this title of  am I leaning on this life too much? over the last month or so.

I have been trying to figure out what caused my blues lasts week. I am bouncing back and feel better thanks to God. I have been quiet with myself, not talking a whole lot, thinking praying and resting. The title was heaven sent for this exact moment.

I have had a lot going on here , you know life stuff. But I think the root of my problem has most recently been based in the fact that I am relying on my dream of what life would have been. I was expecting life to make me happy. I had such grand illusions most of which were not based in God but of this world. And, you know life has always appeared to me to be pretty darn happy. I have been very blessed nothing is perfect but it has been very beautiful. So, what has changed? By the grace of God I now understand.

Whats been eating me….

Guilt, lots and lots of it.

I have been carrying a whole lot of guilt , survivor guilt, guilt over the fact that I am not working, guilt that I cannot tend to household chores, Guilt that I am still not the physical man that God created me to be. I wrote a couple of blogs ago that I felt like it was a death of a dream for myself, my wife and my kids.

Grand Illusion-Styx [Lyrics]

My illness made me not as capable when my mom and family needed me most.

I have seen many who I was helping who were looking for a Miracle perish from cancer etc and stand at their wakes and funerals knowing that their loved ones are thinking why him and not mom or dad. Why didn’t God save them. There are so many different layers to this.

The bottom line…

I know what people think and I understand and comprehend where they are coming from. My sister took me to a medical appointment  around 4 months ago . The medical professional that I was meeting with was sitting behind her desk inputting my medical history and as she entered my personal information. This person was lovely but her personal  hurt was on the surface. When she heard my diagnosis and saw how I present she said, why didn’ t God save my parents they were really good. Why should I be spared death in this moment? God only knows. As we left the appointment that day I told my sister today was not about me, it is about her. I am always open to talk to everyone I meet so I understand where they are coming from.  I will answer just about any question thrown my way.

I sent an email to her the following day to thank her and to let her know that God did save her mom and dad. They were good prayerful people by her definition. 🙂 So thats my feeling. I have and will continue to tell everyone that I am here for the moment by the grace of God alone. For his reason and eventually I too will be called.

 

As far as family guilt goes, my family, wife, kids, brothers, sister mom and dad never said one disparaging word about my lack of ability to do and to be there.

I also know that the quilt lies with me. It’s my ego and vision of who I am that needs healing.  So, I now have the key to my issue, I need to love myself where I am at and not by the standard that does not exist.

No matter what happens in life we need to bend, change and except truely what the life situation we are in. There have been times where I wanted to scream and throw a fit over the frustration of it all. I thank God for my prayer life, family , and friends . They help to balance my life out.

At my lowest point while laying in my chair and in my bed, I actually told God just take me . I was not being mellow dramatic, I was just tired and resigned to whatever happened to me  but this voice in my head said this. Don’t give up. I was at my nieces wedding and it was beautiful. A song was played and my wife took my hand and said c’mon. I left the cane at the table and relied on her to get me to the dance floor. We slow danced for the first time in 3 years. In that moment I felt normal again, her eyes spoke the words in her heart and I felt and saw the beauty in that moment and in my life.

Don’t give up. . I heard those words gently through my brokenness.

We have such hope no matter what’s going on we need to put emotions aside and find God in our situations.

This song came to mind.

JOSH Groban   Don’t give up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS32wYHbsgA

St. Andre Bassette St. Raymond of Peñafort

07 Wednesday Jan 2015

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Yesterday was the feast day of St. Andre Bassette

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMCj5gFgX9Q

St. Raymond of Peñafort

Today is St. Raymond of Penaforts feast day

 

You know there are so many beautiful Saints and we look at their lives and what they gave out of love and service to God for our betterment.

Their torches stilll burn bright so that through the ages we can find the way to our God through their heavenly inspired gifts of their Spirits. Amen.

Van Morrison – Carrying A Torch

Panis Angelicus – King’s College, Cambridge    poor, humble ,servant song. 

God Bless You !

Danny

another hero. Stuart Scott

05 Monday Jan 2015

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It always seems that when we are preoccupied with our own stuff a hero comes along, and blazes the trail for us all. As I wrote yesterday on my blog that everyone in life has trying times and that  it is how we deal with that situation. No sooner did I post the blog yesterday that  I heard about Stewart Scott. It is how you live as he said. He too was living his Victory. God Bless him and may he rest in peace.

 

He is a hero because of the way he lived with his struggles.

Stuart Scott    very beautiful.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=K9cSX5XPY70

http://www.legacy.com/ns/obituary.aspx?n=stuart-scott&pid=173726463

God Bless You All ,

Danny

 

The Family Tree And The Many Leaves

03 Saturday Jan 2015

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As a follow up to my writing yesterday this was on my blog in the form of a draft for months just the words family tree with these song links were on that draft so I  will pray on it  and complete this writing. 🙂

Well, God picked a big topic out for  today’s blog. Lol  If God had asked me to write this ten years ago or so it would have been a nasty writing revealing anger, hurt and hate. We witnessed the very worst of some relatives and a friend and we had given all of them a lot of help in so many ways.

 

We will start with this song, like I said this blog was dropped in my draft folder months ago and it just sat . Here we go…

“Family” by Dolly Parton (with lyrics)

Okay, you just listened to Dolly patrons song. It has a great message and it is true on many levels. We all have had relationship issues with family and friends at some point in our lives. I once had an employee that I loved and trusted who was well paid and was treated like family.

This person was very cunning and phoney as it turns out. One thing that she would say is, Dan  nothing devastated you more than people. I always said, no people are good.  Little did I know what she was up to. She was stealing from the business in a big way not directly from the cash coffers so it took quite some time to figure out out the scheme and deception.

The bottom line is this I was pretty devastated by the betrayal that I felt. The money did not bother me as much as the personal betrayal did. I spoke words of truth to her and let her know the gig was up. She was an affluent women and you would never expect such a thing to happen. But what she did not have which I knew but did not want to admit to myself was  faith and a moral compass. She was a God less women who loved money , it was her God. You see, God had me witnessing to her she could not figure me out and came against my faith. But you know God was scaring her with powerful signs that she could not ignore. He was calling her to him. One time while in Lourdes France she was in a cathedral and the music was playing she was not a church goer but was checking out the architecture and decor. She was a pretty famous Boston designer during her life. Well, while sitting there God touched her in a way that brought tears to her eyes as she told me. I said its God , he is talking to you. She said no. She was following a different master and did not even realize it. She was not an evil person , she was an evil doer as it turns out because of her lack of knowledge for God. God had her in our lives for a reason it was not a great feeling being used like a sucker but we now realize that  this can happen in our lives. We also realized that we could forgive her and let it go. Remember God requires us to forgive our debtors or we will not be forgiven ours debts.

Fortunately for me, I had by this time evolved from a secular world Danny into a more Spiritually aware person trying to follow God and live by his commandments. So, I in time was able to forgive that person truely. I pray for her now and thats it. I do not have contact with her , she would be quite elderly by now whereas it has been some years since this situation happened.

You know people always tell you who they are by what they say for instance,

E would say all the time Nothing devestates you more than people, she was right she tought me that herself by her actions.

She also said, Money is not my God . And it was.

Finally, She would also say I am not jaded, but she was very jaded and impressed with her money and circle of friends, trips and 5 star accomedations.

I love her still and truely wish the best for her and know that God loves her the same as he loves me.

Matthew West – Family Tree (lyrics)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-opi1Qre8Cc

 

The other situation does refer to family. I will not get super specific but from distant relatives came a wave of crap that effected the entire family. My wife and i were the doers for them all and they became impossible. Things that I saw for years and would talk to my wife about all of a sudden became viscious. Their parents needed us to protect them it was horrible, my wife took care of her ageing relative and I was made personal health proxy for her elder relatives health. He was all mine, 3 trips to the nursing home a week to assure that he was well and being taken care of.

The one thing that we are so grateful for is that the court seeing the crap going on had asked us to become castodian of their assets , my wife and I said NO. We knew it would be a disaster. No matter what we did.

So we did the right thing . We did our parts .Our loved ones were content that we were by their sides even when they both went to God. They knew love, we had nothing Earthly to gain. The family ate each other up. They then threw sand in the air like children in a sand box trying to find peace in their decisions. God loves them too they are sinners like us all. When the elders left this world 13 years ago we began to pray for them and let them go off to live their lives.

Sometimes loving is hard. it is an act of will.

I/we love them, forgive them and wish them well but do not have contact with them.

Sometimes we need to stay away from those who habitually hurt us.

You see, we do not have the problem they do.

We all have these people that make you pull your hair out. But we do not have to allow that. Be loving and prayerful it is so much better for us . Its healthy.

This song is perfect for this topic :

God made us so strong too allow us to do what we needed to do for our loved ones.

No regrets!  Our lives are so peaceful now perhaps GOD granted me time here on Earth with my family because we sought to serve others. Only God knows. 🙂

P.S. it was 2:30 am this morning when I completed this blog entry. Well suddenly, I got the overwhelming feeling and I googled E name and her obituary popped up. She passed the end of November. I felt my heart tug. Again, God had issued at the right moment my marching orders to pray for her soul. So, at 3 a.m. this morning I prayed for her and her husband and offered my graces to God for their use. I told God of the good things she had done and told her again that I/we forgave her . So please pray for E and the repose of her soul. Amen. Thank you.

 

So, you see once again these blogs take a while to come together but God knows the whens and timing. He began this blog entry months ago, inspired the dialogue all day yesterday into the wee hours of the morning and then showed me why. He had called E to him and he inspired me to Google her name, I then felt called to pray out of love for her not out of anger. God healed me of that so very long ago. She was like me a sinner trying to navigate her life journey. I just had God with me at an early age which helped me due to my upbringing.

What we all need to do. We need to do the right thing and be Christ to oneanother even when being attacked. Hold the tongues and turn the other cheek.

What I Did For Love ~ Johnny Mathis (HD)

 

For E., I know she loved me and felt badly for what she had done even though she never admitted it. I knew her heart.

One day she came into work and said danny , i have a gift for you she was back from Rome and had been to the opera she was so struck by the opera and symphony that she had attended that she bought me the CD of some of the music. It was a special moment where God used music to bring us together. So, here it is, one of the songs.

Rest in Peace E.

Maria Callas: O Mio Babbino Caro (Gianni Schicci) Puccini

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v2jP7_OaMc

God Bless You .

Danny

God only knows. :)

02 Friday Jan 2015

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Hi all, as part of my little blog, one very important element that is regularly used through the guidance of Holy Spirit is music and video from many different genre’s.

As I work on my blog daily I go into a zone, prayer and talking to heaven. I will save phrases and titles that I receive and save them as ideas as they come to me. They generally inspire another topic choice or thought direction.

These phrases, words and inspirations can sit for a long time and all of a sudden they are in front of me again with a writing that correlates with the heading. I am never disappointed by what God reveals. One of the things that I do everyday after publishing a blog entry  is to go back to read them once again to see what was written the verbage, it’s spiritual nature and overall message. Anything that is on this blog must be natural, honest and not forced. Otherwise it is not for God’s Glory. Amen.

Once the writings are done the final step is to add the music, video and scripture.

The phrase during prayer that came as a title months ago that arrived again today was GOD ONLY KNOWS.

And today this piece of the blog arrived. Watch this link and I will wrap up this blog entry after you view. This song is very fun 🙂 it is also very true! …

God only knows.

 

There is no greater gift from God that touches us even while we are in our mothers wombs than sound, and music. It creates a connection with our mom’s , dad’s voices  and the sounds of the world. Songs are the glue that helps us to relate events and memories whether they are sad or happy and lock them up in away that they are ours forever. Part of our personal life tapestry.

Music can make us jump, dance, laugh and cry. When in school music can make you a band member creating enduring friendships.

Music regarding ones Faith will bring you closer to your God.

Music helps to soothe us and to express our emotions.

God gives us this special gift of the music through the Holy Spirit.

 

I believe music is given to us because it reminds us of where we are to go. The bible speaks of legions of angels singing and the angels all praising God at his throne through song.

This song is wonderful, the Spirit of God at work for sure.READ THE LYRICS GOD IN ACTION. 🙂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMBycZq66ks

God Bless You.

Danny

MY , HOW Time Flies …

31 Wednesday Dec 2014

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How the years roll. Growing up in my home was full of traditions. Their was a lot of joy in living. We lived very big in a little way. For example fresh off of our Christmas celebration we rolled on into New Year’s celebration back in the day it was a packed house with family, grandparents and a few of my parents friends. In later years some of my siblings and my friends would drop in too. My mother was always thrilled to see them and feed them as well. 🙂

Guy Lombardo was on television with his New Year’s Eve celebration. And all of the food, my mom made the best chicken wings. About 5 minutes before midnight and the countdown with the ball drop mom would crack open the cold duck champagne . Lol and e even us kiddies got a little sip.

I remember tears just before midnight as we were leaving  the loved ones who had passed before us that year and were never to see the new year. But tears were wiped away and joy filled the room as we ran around, shook hands and kissed cheeks.

They were wonderful days , my wife and I have tried to continue that tradition with our family too. After all, that’s what life is about love and connection.

So for my mom and grand parents and to all of your loved ones too that have passed. Looking back with your heart and remembering is always a good thing to do on the night .  So, this year as we come even closer to ushering in the New Year remember to bring your loved ones and friends forward with you 🙂 Take them with you in your heart. They are still with us.:)

Guy Lombardo Tribute.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=aHKCPorcBvk

Guy Lombardo’ s last News Years Eve celebration back in 1977.

This was what was on back in the day. It is very different than what is on the tv now.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=pL60HdslvOk

Epic Auld Lang Dune

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Q-ncPPArxEk

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=aSq1cez_flQ

God Bless You,

Danny

Two weekends ago part 2 with two awesome friends.

27 Saturday Dec 2014

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Well, where to start? I guess where I left off on my writing on December 22 nd.

On  Friday  Dec 12 my wife and I along with  our two youngest children boarded a bus for the Big Apple . We rolled into China town NY where we were greeted by our friend P who helped collect our luggage and my transport chair. Our friends from my writing on DEC 22 are now living in Manhattan. P told us that H was home getting dinner prepared for us, that it would be a quiet night . They felt I would be tired and needed the rest. And, I did. It was nice just being with them , breaking bread and talking. It was a special time. They said that we should get some rest because they had a busy day planned for us on Saturday. P said that they had hired a car for the day to take us around so that I / We could enjoy the visit.

Well, Saturday morning came and we woke to the smell of pancakes and coffee. H. was doing her morning prayer and P had done them and was going to run the East river I guess it was. Breakfast ended and we showered got ready and off we went as we exited their building we saw the limo  waiting. I / WE were overwhelmed. You see, they realized what I did not understand. I could no longer do NY in my current physical body. I get tired and phytigued pretty quickly. Stamina is building back slowly. P and H were also concerned about my welfare with the NY crowd they are indeed fast paced, impatient and like many places are not handicapped friendly. I would have been knocked over for sure.

We all got into the car and off we went all over the city. My kids and wife jumped in and out of the car  in China town and H showed the kids how to bartar the prices. Lol.

I was content sitting in the car watching them run around from store to store. P and I just talked, It was great just being with my friend.

You see, my friends from NY when they heard of my illness treated their 4-5 hour car trip from NY to see me here like no big deal. They have bent over backwards to be a light in our life. P would come up alone and take me out to lunch. He just sat with me to allow me to talk. He and H. are angels to us a gift from God. Amen.

We had lunch at a beautiful restaurant and then off to F.A.O Swartz to check it out . My kids  wanted to see and play their huge foot piano from the movie Big with Tom Hanks 🙂 .

P. Pushed me everywhere in my transport chair, we went to the Empire State Building and had a wonderful time.

We went after that to probably one of the finest steak  houses that I had ever been to and had dinner there as well. Next we were off to see a Night on the town a wonderful play on Broadway. It was very good, I told my family when we got home the set, the sound and the lighting tricked the mind you felt like you were watching a television show it was so clear on stage.

Finally back to the car and we made our way to Times Square . It was packed beyond belief we got out and I got into the transport chair and off we went into the crush of people to see the tree in Rockefeller Center. I had H in front of me, with her hand pulling my transport chair meanwhile P was behind my chair pushing and protecting , me , my wife was to my side as were my kids. H. Yelled, hold your bags to my wife and girls this is what they want, they’ll rob you.  With that my wife heard a noise and turned around. A young lady was almost robbed and turned around and pushed a man onto the concrete.

Perhaps H’ s yell and warning to my wife and daughters to watch out for pick pocketers  helped to heighten the young lady behind my wife’s awareness just in the nick of time to keep her from being robbed.  Only God knows.

We headed home and relaxed.H and P’ s home was beautiful like them, stylish not over done or fussy. They have a beautiful city view and you look at the new freedom tower.

The next morning Sunday we woke up Helen made breakfast once again and we were off to their home parish where P. serves as a Deacon. It is a beautiful old church. The mass was beautiful and I met a couple of the women who were praying for me during my battle so how cool is that! I got to hug them and thank them. 🙂

We then went to little Italy for lunch which was amazing and before we knew it we were getting on the bus bound for Boston.

I will conclude my writing on this soon.

The song below may feel heavy but it is not to me. It touches my heart and soul on different levels. Based on my diagnosis 3 years ago it was pretty much expected for me to leave this world. But praise God on Christmas night I drove over to Arlington with my wife and kids In my new, used giloppy 🙂  It was wonderful to drive, it was even better to see my dad and family. Another Christmas  Miracle. God’s doing it his way. Amen.

We are so grateful to God for our lives, family, and friends and thankyou for all of your prayers.

And, thankyou P and H for the hospitality and sacrafice in so many ways afforded us during our NY visit.

Michael W. Smith

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=I2uIIJathUI

God Bless You,

Danny