And we are his salt and light to each other . Amen.
Listen to the words and realize that there are people who struggle with their faith and belief that there is God waiting to meet us when he calls us. So, we need to shine his light on others and speak about his love for them .
You know, I went to church this past weekend and I saw an older gentleman that I know there. He leaned into me and said there is a person that keeps confronting me on faith based stuff and God. This man was stressed out he could barely stand he is very handicapped. I said B, Do not worry, I made this mistake years back too I said. You cannot save anyone, only God can. We are called to live our lives in a way that people will want to say what do you have, That I don’t?
I told him if this non believer is coming after you then that is not God, if this person has a Spirit of Opression then that too is from a different master. I said to B, do not give your peace up, don’t respond to the attacks, pray for this person. Not because you feel your right or better but because he is lost. Amen.
Why he confided in me in that moment only God knows. The bottom line is that I am proud that he trusted me enough to come to me. These are situations that we all face. It is life. Because B came to me with this issue before mass, I was able to pray for them both so it made that Holy mass even more special. Amen.
England Dan and John Ford Coley . Love is the answer
I am over the cold that I had so, I went to Dana Farber today for my scan to check for bats ( tumors) in my belfrey as I say. I rolled out of bed at 5 am and was there for my blood draw and they inserted a port that I needed fom my scan as well.
I went to the scan and It went well. Dana Farber is one of the most effiectly run Hospitals that I have ever seen.
I went next to see my doctor. Dr. R walked in smiled and we shook hands he said, well how are you feeling? I said never better. he smiled and Dr. R said that my scan looked perfect still so he was very happy. I thanked him and said God’s got it,and he used you in this process too. 🙂 I love the guy and his Nurse S, they are God in action. We share a brotherly love. What a beautiful gift that is.
God knows this but I will state for the record now, God…
You Are My, All And All.
Thank you Jesus with lyrics. Hillsong
For All My Doctor’s at Lahey Burlington, Harvard Vanguard, Dana Farber and all of their staff too ! For Winchester Orthopedic Plus and their whole staff You are all God’s Miracle workers. 🙂
This song is for you all.! What could expect from Me LOL Just smile and know that I and many others thank God for you and pray for you all daily . Amen !
Love, Danny and family
THIS , will Put A Smile on Your Faces !!!! God Bless You All 🙂
Let me just say I was not thinking of this song I haven’t heard it since I was maybe a ten year old boy when I driving around with my mom and dad. I know my mom liked it. It came out of the blue in fragments to my mind, just a few words with a beat. The song popped up in my head and up out of my chair I went to my computer and I found it. God does work in mysterious ways 🙂 Today I was talking to a childhood friend from Florida Billy. God joined our lives and our personal psalm #139 back in kindergarden he was my first friend there. We have been connected since that day. It is funny, I remember the first day I walked home from school with him, the school was a half block away from my home so my mom would come out onto the walkway and watch me come down the street. This day she was also weeding the front flower bed. In this moment , I am thinking how it really is miraculous indeed that my memory remains so vivid even through this Gleo’s attack on me. But again, thats God. I will pick up with more on Bill in the not too distant future. He is an amazing man.
For this moment let me say this , Life can be tough but It is not tragic. And, oddly enough even great things can become problems to us. Its how our emotions are running in any given moment. Thats why emotions need to be controlled, another free will choice ! Even in the perfection of a Miracle I can find the imperfection. Thats why I need to be aware of that aspect of my thinking and I need to cut that thought off at the pass.
I am a Miracle and yet have more physical hurtles yet to jump. I generally say so what to that fact but, I do have moments that I say I cannot stand this. I am grateful and yet frustrated. My body holds my mind back back from going and doing. Only prayer to my Lord and Heaven restores me.
Another thing about a Miracle in my feelings anyway and based on my life, is that I just want to be normal to others, that I blend in . I have been so many places where people will see me at a function, grad party, restaurant and do a double take shocked to see me. They cannot believe its me or how I look. For a while in my home parish some people would part like the red sea to allow me passage to a seat. Some actually said Its a honor and God would have me stop and say, thankyou, and I am only a person like you and God loves us all the same. I then thank them for their prayers. I am not a matyr by any standard, it takes courage to be one of those. God gave me an easy pass for the moment.
God called me in this moment to witness and inside my head sometimes I am that little kid pouting and stamping my foot. Part of me wants to say this right now, How dare I feel this way! But you know, I am human and God knows my short comings and knows my gripes etc. He loves me anyway, he knows my heart and he is merciful. He loves you all too. 🙂
Finally, here is the song that I spoke of above, and we sometimes feel like this in our lives but the reality is that we do not have to live with this as our personal anthem. Life is good, Life is worth living 🙂 Amen.
And the after life when this side show ends, it is so much better. !
I am going to touch on the first time I remember crashing my life/boat/car onto the rocks/into the tree. My family alway’s reminds me of this event. 🙂
I wrote in a earlier blog about our free will choices that we make can potentially make us crash our lives onto the rocks. Well, in this next account I really did it.
Patience is a virtue that I am still learning but at the age of around 6, I did not possess any at all. I frankly did not care and for good reason!! 🙂 I had a orange and green plastic boat that I was determined on christening it in a tub of water.
Well you see , back in the day like 1968 for boys, boats, planes, little green army men and live turtles ruled the day.
I wanted to get my boat into water and make it float. So……
I did what every kid would do and went in to the kitchen where my mom was with my grandmother, siblings and a few cousins. My grandmother and mother were hemming pants etc, I was driving them crazy so my mom scolded me and I and was told this is not the time! Go play for a few minutes with the other kids.Well, Bozo and Willie Whistle was not working for me! Ready for a flashback ? LOL
Willy Whistle Show
Bozo the Big Top.
I hatched a better plan 🙂 So I thought.
And being the good boy that I was, I weeped and left them alone. I snuck out of the house and got into my mothers pontiac safari station wagon, it was very new. It was also turquoise in color . Man, it was the cat’s meow ! lol
It was similar to the picture below.
So any ways, Just danny got scolded for being impatient so, I got out of their hair and got into my moms car.
Well, I climbed into my families dream boat /car with my boat in hand and my voyage began. I started to pretend I was floating my boat. I decided to climb into the back seat where I belonged ! For gosh sakes I am only a kid. 🙂 Then the un thinkable happened. I caught the silver gear shift with my foot and away I went down the driveway it was a hilly one too and my grandmother was holding on for dear life to the outside of the car door as was my mother screaming. Fortunately for me there was a really big tree across the street that stopped my boat. My mom took me out crying and said don’t you ever do this again. She hugged me and then I got punished. I deserved it too. We were instructed never to leave that house. I unlocked the door and snuck out of house. The car talgate was damaged but thank God , my Grandmother, Mom, siblings or cousins did not get hurt. My mother and grandmother where so attentive to all of us always. Having 4 kids of my own and working opposite schedules than my wife, there were moments I am sure the angels watched over my kids when I was on duty. My mom had a way of controlling here temper she would take your arm and look into your eyes and you knew, you learned. She was a treasure to our family. Still is for that matter and she is watching over my family for sure.
God was there that day and his angels protected us all. As a final thought. When the car was stopped by the tree I fell over and landed on the back floor. I am not certain what happened to that toy boat. 🙂
I had already posted my daily post today. I was praying and refecting on those who are sick in my life and their needs.The memory of this song came to me and I got up to get some chicken broth for lunch. Why, I need to tell you that I really don’t know lol but, thats okay. 🙂 So, I sat down and put the computer on and I had received an email as a reminder and invite to a meeting of people living with Chronic desease etc. A support group, I have gone once before. It was such an inspirational experience for me. My faith was built by each and everyone that was present that evening in that room. Their are no victims or Matyrs present there either. They are God’s children and Jesus Christ has already won that war for us. We Already have Victory Through Christ, Jesus. They are people loving and caring for eachother and carrying one anothers crosses through prayer. It lightens their loads and burdens ultimately building their faith. A strong foundation!. Its simple and not dramatic. Its LOVE.
I mentioned in my blog last Friday I believe that it was that that I could not go to Dana Farber this past Monday. I saw my primary on Monday instead and I have a cold that got pretty heavy. So,I am just riding it out and I will go To Dana next week for the scan . It will happen at God’s appointed time. That, I do know.
It was no coincidence that God brought me to this song today it is for this moment. So turn up the volume of your speakers and go full screen. Let the Spirit of God heal you in this moment . AMEN!
Please pray today
For : Paul S and his family
for Anne K and her family
for Jenn C and her family
For All of Our Hospitals, medical doctors, nurses, support , Physical therapists and scientists
For the group of those from my parish living with cancer and other chronic illnesses.
For all of the sick in this world, all of those in pain and despair. For world peace and peoples hearts and souls to turn back to Jesus Christ/ God in this moment. Amen.
Greet The Day, no matter what is going on and kick it!! We are alive in Christ ! Amen
In the video below ……………………………
We can do anything !!!!! God is here !!!!!! Nuns found Emmanuel and his brother in a park in Iraq. They were in a box left to die, In a war zone and the nuns saved them. They were then adopted by their mom who is Australian and she is clearly an angel ! God Bless Them All !
Emmanuel is his name. In Hebrew the meaning of the name Emmanuel is: God with us.
Do not give negative thoughts a moment, like the next song says…. Beautiful.
God calls us all to service. Each one of us lives to help and make life better for the next one. When we are young our minds wander and we think and sometimes worry what we are going to do when we get older? What will I be? And then there is the little voice that becomes the Big voice as we grow with faith with our God. The Holy Spirit calls us to descern what our destiny will be.
For Me, I remember being between 7 and nine years old and got the interior question, should I be a priest ? My dad and mom thought that it would be great, they said just think about it Dan, and I did. My mom had at least 3 or so counsins who were dedicated to the Lord and were nuns. They would come by to visit our home and my mom so they were very real to us. We saw the person and the nun. Nuns were people too. 🙂
I remember going up to the beach and they were there on the sand sitting with their parents etc. It was a beautiful time. I just never envisioned them on a beach and yet they were. 🙂 lol What a revelation to a kid. LOl
Having gone through the Catholic school system in the Late 60’s and 70’s I remember the nuns. Sisters of Saint Joseph taught us at St. Agnes. it was around the time of Vatican Two and the changes were happening in the church. The nuns were changing their habits. 🙂 Literally.
We had some of the sisters in the traditional long black habbits with the bright white bibs. And other sisters wearing the newer habits with the small head piece.
The habits changed but their love,devotion, and care for us their children did not. The school staff was at least 90% religious with a few lay teachers but even those lay teachers were so dedicated to their faith as well. It was a very Holy environment. It was strict and there were rules and consequences for us all.
The Parish priests made it their business to get to the school and would make their presence known. It was a big deal for us kids for them to come by. ( thats a future writing ).
Every morning the nuns would come out of the convent and would enter the school together and open their classrooms.
When the bell rang in the school yard, Everyone formed lines and each child orderly followed their teacher in lines of 2 and quietly followed them into the school.
I had a problem with the quiet part 🙂 lol. I got detention a lot. I cleaned a whole lot of chaulk boards and erasers. The nuns had no problem staying late to allow their students to learn the boundaries and decipline. They did not have a job, they had a ministry. They were God’s brides and they were doing the most important job in society helping to grow future leaders of the church and society.
I could go on and on. I miss the nuns , I miss the huge May Processions. I miss the faithful packing the church. So many changes but is all change good ? I do not think so.
I remember all the nuns in church all the time it was a special time.
And yet, The nuns took vows of poverty, chastity etc. They were servants of God.
You know I hear all the time to pray for the religious life vocations. Which makes me want to ask this, Did God stop calling people to religious life ? I do not think so. I think society is not listening? What use to be a noble and proud service for God is now some how uncool? Only God knows the reason for this taking place.
Well, for me at the age of nine or so the voice of priesthood quieted in my head. As I grew in years I just knew that I was not cut from that cloth to be a priest. To be a great priest you need to be there 24 hours a day and need to be very strong in faith to fight the barrage of stuff being put upon you. I was not that person and God led me to my beautiful wife so, I know that God did not intend me for that special service. He expected me to pray and think about the invite though. I was intended to be a son,husband, dad and friend. My own life ministry I guess we can call it 🙂 You have one too. 🙂
When I see the culture laughing and making jokes about these special people it comes from one place. evil. Making fun of a servent who is given their lives to Honor God is not funny. It is in this case ……..
A song came back to me today and I went in search of it and tried to find what the meaning of the song was. I remember being in grade school and this song was very popular. It was in regards to St. Michael the Archangel. God and his angels are with us constantly. This song is the part of the rich fabric of my Catholic upbringing.
And, I loved the nuns too. A writing for another day.
The highwaymen Michael Row Your Boat Ashore.
By Kim Ruehl
History of “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”
“Michael Row the Boat Ashore” is an old American folk song that hails from the slave era, and became a popular anthem during the civil rights movement. Its existence was first noted in the early 1860s, although the song itself is probably much older. The song was noted in letters between teachers and abolitionists, who heard it while on St. Helena Island in South Carolina.
“Michael Row the Boat Ashore” Lyrics
Most people nowadays probably only know the refrain from this traditional song, which repeats “Michael row the boat ashore, Hallelujah” twice. The full song, however, talks about crossing the River Jordan, and Michael is the archangel Michael. While there are many versions of the song—due to the fact that it was passed down orally for a long time before being recorded—the lyrics basically talk about finding God and one’s family on the other side of the river in the promised land:O the Lord he plant his garden there.
He raise the fruit for you to eat.
He that eat shall never die.
When the river overflow.
Pete Seeger has noted that, since the song was found in the islands off South Carolina, it may be indicative of a work song that the slaves sung as they were rowing to the mainland. In the more mainstream version recorded by Seeger (purchase/download), he sings also of the familial calls of the song:
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Sister help to trim the sail, hallelujah
Who has recorded “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”?
Several popular versions of “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” have been recorded through the years. In addition to Pete Seeger’s version, the song has also been recorded by Harry Belafonte ( purchase/download ), Peter, Paul and Mary (purchase/download ) and the Nields ( purchase/download ).
Life is not a cake walk and we have to see the positive in it and not allow ourselves to become down and put out in any way shape or form. No Way ! God calls us all to Victory through him.
News Boys Stay Strong.
I just had to cancel my Dana Farber appointment for tomorrow because I not only have a recurring sciatic nerve condition that has been with me for at least 4-5 weeks now, but I also had a tooth extracted and its effects are lingering. The final piece was a sore throat that started Saturday a post nasal drip arrived and finally the cough.So, tomorrow I will not go for a scan but will see my Regular doctor for a sick call.
This is just lifes twists and turns and a reminder that we need to hang tough and be flexable. My family is disappointed because they kind of count the days to my scans. And my wife has altered her work schedule yet again.
As part of my last writing on 9-15 about the effects that I feel that my illness has had on my life and those that are part of it is.
There are so many guy things I used to do, husband things, dad things etc. You will understand what I am saying. My wife, kids and family have had to assume so many of my responsibilities .
But I am not allowing this to change my mind set. Not one bit. I am kicking this life in the butt and finding out the new person that God is creating in me. Amen !
For my beautiful bride 🙂 xox
Love never fails.
My wife does not complain too much even though she is tired alot. She just does what needs to get done.
God gave me his peace but he not only made me a witness to everyone of what he can do but more importantly God has opened my eyes to witness everyone in my life to see what true love is and what true sacrafice are all about. Starting with my wife, children, family and all of friends from so many areas of my life some have been friends for decades now. The type of friend you pick up the phone and talk to and it could be years and that does not matter, time collapses back and we are in the moment. Now, that is a gift !
This week my wife had to go places on her own. Church, grad party etc. I find myself all the time just saying , go and have fun. I want her to, but I also know that she is longing too for the good old days when being spontaneous and in the moment were the norm..
As far as the scan goes, I am not worried. I would prefer to go tomorrow but, obviously that is not God’s plan. So, we will see what is in store for the day.
The wedding vows my wife and I took over 28 years ago are being lived everyday by us here. Because God is here with us. God’s love is perfect. As difficult as it can be in our lives in any given moment , life is still very beautiful.
Love is….
It boils down to this today at Casa del Danny 🙂
I look as my medical circumstances today as a challenge that will in Gods time be straightened out. My wife feels that way as well . My doctor has told us that if the cancer was to re-e·merge that I would know it. And asside from the throat, mouth and my back I feel great !! 🙂 LOl Aint life beautiful. 🙂
Lets have some fun 🙂 My wife loved this song, when were younger.
Just Danny Speaks 