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 todayÂ
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!! Â 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, Â 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 ).
What resounds in my heart today, is how fragile we all are. I have never really discussed on my blog as a guy what my diagnosis with a terminal cancer had meant in that moment to me, my family, my parents, siblings and my friends.
This could be a long writing but I will break it into peices over a period of time. Upon receiving the news about my friend Paul yesterday it was so close to home for me that when in prayer last night , I had his whole family unit and friends in my large web of thoughts and prayer.My wife and I met Paul and Linda 20 years ago and were neighbors for 10 years and have remained friends since our move to a different home in town.
I know what I felt like after I was diagnosed personally and I felt like I had let my family down. I wrote once that to me, Â I felt that I was my wifes knight in shining armour and had fallen off the horse. I felt that I had failed my wife and family. I really beat myself up for a while over this.. My wife did not feel that way. And, as I grew in my awareness of what this situation truely was and where God was in it. I realized that what happened to me was not of my doing it is a condition that God had never intended for us either.
If you have read my blog you would know that God made it clear to myself and doctors through the Holy Spirit that …. I had cancer, cancer was not of God and that I do not own this cancer. And, I never did.
Well,
That goes for my friend Paul and you all as well. We are all the same in God’s eye’s. He loves us all so much ! cancer and evil is not of God, period !
But, he will get us through , Amen !
You know,  recently ( two weeks ago) , my wife and I were sitting in the family room here and she reminded me of how Paul and Linda had come to visit one night after my diagnosis and Paul had to get me out of the sofa, I was so weak.  I remember being stuck and not being able to get up and out of it. We are all our brothers keepers. For anyone who is currently not well, think positive thoughts, trust in God and expect healing.Pray and visit healing services too. God answers all prayers. Look for the angels in your life. I have too many angels in my life to count. Thank you God ! 🙂 xo
Remember to laugh always no matter what !
I will continue on this topic shortly. Hope abounds !!!!!!
Tamela Mann  Take Me To the King.
Kick Cancer in the Butt! Pray for a Cure ! There is nothing that he cannot do !
In my last writing on Sept 13th I was sharing the story of two very special people really. The relationship that my mom and Mary had was what legends should be made from. Everyday hero’s, if you will. Both my mom and Mary were suffering in their own ways and both became such witnesses to what success ( Victory ) in God is all about. Mary was kind like my nephew from yesterdays writing. A Special person too:)  Just beautiful. And my mom was beautifully heroic in her life. She always carried her cross) just like Jesus. When her physical body was going in for a crash, her faith was so well developed because of prayer that she was able to reach out of the wreckage of her body, beyond her pain and touch Mary’s life in a profound way. She was God strong and everybody witnessed it and we are all better for having experienced it. Every cloud no matter how dark has its silver lining. Mary is a special gift from God to the world and My mom offered up her sufferings to God for his  purposes and for Mary. Also during their stay together in that room at Spauling, Mary gave my mom a purpose, and Mary gave my mom a vision of what a real angel is.
My mom did everything that medical science said she could not do, but God, told her that she would. After leaving here home in early May she returned home 2 days before Thanksgiving.
She hosted all 25 or so of her family for coffee and desserts on Thanksgiving night. She sat at that table in her diningroom looking beautiful as usual in her Fuscia, silk blouse. God is so very good. She survived and did very well for over two years after that day too.
I will continue writing on my mom shortly, but in the meantime. 🙂 Mary to this day is home with her sister Dotty and Elizabeth who helps with her care. Her baby Michelle is well and my sister hunted down new clothes to fit her doll. And they had a birthday party for Mary at some point too. She was as my mom would say tickled pink. 🙂
Now to Georgie, Georgie was Mary’s special friend that Dotty would bring in to the rehab. You to see, Mary’s Georgie is a stuffed animal fashioned after curious George a monkey. Dotty would announce to Mary look who ‘s come to visit from home! Marys would be so excited to see him, Dotty would say Georgie has been getting into everything. 🙂 Mary would say Georgie you have been naughty? And hug him. Her world was beautiful in that regard, God had been given her wonderful family to support her and great medical care. Something we should all be grateful for.  Curious George was one of the books that Dotty and the Spaulding staff would read to Mary every night. Very beautiful.
One important thing that came to me as I ate my 1/’2 sandwich for lunch on Monday was a conversation that  I had with an older friend of mine years back. She was a walker. She walked 365 day’s a year with a friend who was committed to doing it with her.
She had various illnesses that were possible if not probable of effecting her due to genetics. He physician told her to use it or she could  lose it. He was speaking about her body. I can attest to that point as I sat here side lined with this cancer that I have never owned.
The bottom line is this according to her doctor, and I agree 100%, once the legs go then the rest of the body follows.
When cancer took my left side. I went from 150 miles per hour to 5 miles an hour physically. When my legs could not walk , my arms did not move involuntarily either, my lungs shrunk from sitting and my bodies energy withered too. When we walk, all of our muscles are involved stomach, back, legs, arms, chest, buttocks, heart and lungs included. Your mind is renewed by what it is sensing in smell, sight and sound it is a win, win for life. Your mind and Spirit can connect easily.
What I did have was God’s Peace, Faith and the knowledge that when this curtain falls on my life here that Act two with God and Jesus Christ will be absolutely Beautiful and will never end. Being united with all who have gone before me, including my pets. Love just does not die, thats my belief anyway. Last but not least, God gave me the Holy Spirit and the will to see things in my life through a magnificent prism. I love my wife, children, family and friends so much that my desire to live and conquer my  adversities to be physically whole once again is as large as a mountain. I can see it. .  My goal makes life, a sheer joy. If I get an inch forward , I will stretch that gain to  a mile. It is very simple. I can only imagine what God could use me for if He blesses me with my physical healing that I see.. God has already peirced my heart, humbled my life and has grown me in relationship with him. Its the same for you all too 🙂 The Holy Spirit has transformed and renewed my mind and has convicted me of my sins and any of the the crap that was in my life. That stuff was left on the confessional room floor. So in life bring the stuff to God and he will heal that wound. I have said it before yet, I feel once again compelled to write these words so, I would love to live and be here to love and support my wife, to love my kids and witness who they grow to become, weddings grandchildren the works but none of us truely knows what God’s plan is.  So, I take comfort in knowing that I am doing everything in my power now to faciltate that desire to happen. But, I also am grateful to know that should God call me to him then he knows the reason, and I believe that I will still be with my loved ones and friends, watching over them and perhaps in my purified state having accounted for my lifes errors To God . My prayers will be even more valuable for my loved ones and all of you 🙂
So, Sitting down constantly was not an option. By Gods grace, I fought to my feet and dragged my left side up and down the stairs with me. I began to try and empty the dishwasher and vaccuum the hard woods on the 1st floor. If I have a little energy I try to expell it and to cause my body to have to rise to the occasion and make more energy, I made a roasted chicken dinner for my family complete with vegetables that hit the kitchen floor. Too heavy for one hand, but I was hours in the kitchen doing what I used to do cooking and it was a labor of love. We all had a wonderful dinner too 🙂 What they did not know, did not kill them:) Everyone was raving about it. I must keep that recipe! LOl.  I began to walk the track when someone can drive me down and be with me, a safety net. I must say the first time I looked at the 1/4 mile track I almost stayed in the car. Question?, what if I in that moment I had said no, I can’t do it ? I probably never would have walked. I have walked two laps now which is 1/2 mile so again, my legs were moving my arms were moving and my lungs were talking deep breathes because I was winded. What a wonderful feeling that is. I have been taking it to the limits because God has called me to be bigger than myself! He has called me to be God strong for everyone. If I can do this, then you can too. 🙂
Below is a photo of myself and brother in law at the relay for life, Cancer walk this past May 2014. I walked the survivor lap with my brother in law C, he is another one of my hero’s 🙂 Oh BTW, I am on the left, no wheelchair, no walker, no 4 prong cane. God wants the best for all of us !!!!  Amen !
I am on the road to recovery and like I said it is a long and winding road, I have my family and friends who see me in the down moments that I may have and  they give me a kind word or a  slap on the rear end LOL and I am back in the saddle again. So we are all helping oneanother 🙂
The Eagles  Take it to the limit! I am always running back to God !
God adores us All, Don’t leave him standing there !!
Believe in the Miracle that you are and see the the day of endless possibilties that lies ahead !
Even if you move one inch further on your road  today  then you are gaining your Victory through God. Amen !!
The Long and Winding road  The Beatles
Gene Autry. Back In The Saddle Once Again 🙂  Try not to smile, I double Dare You !!!
There are so many things in life that I do not know. I have prayed on this and I have finally decided to post this account. I promised myself that when I began this blog that I would be truthful and honest in every account that is placed here.
Because of my upbringing, Mediums etc were not part of my everyday life. I discussed this from time with people from my own faith also when I was younger, Â I spoke to a priest. The explanation that I was given at that time by the priest was that first of all not all so called Spiritual gifts are from God. I do believe that . There is a whole lot of deception from the devil out there who wants to confuse us. Lead us from salvation.
I was taught by my tradition the Roman Catholic faith  that the focus is on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, which I do personally believe. But, having said that since my writings for the church, my writtings under the heading of love letters from God and finally this blog. I have had so many experiences in the Spiritual rhealm as well as dreams and visions. The constants in my life in my visions  and dreams are God, Jesus Christ, and The Blessed Mother.
So, I take very seriously anything that I write of or speak about in regards to Heaven.. I pray on everything because my soul is on the line. I believe that whole heartily.
This next account is the truth and I need to share…
Around three months ago I came in the door from physical therapy and came back to my chair to sit down. The phone rang and my God mother was on the phone she said, Hi danny , are you sitting down ? I said what else do I do? Â and we laughed. She said, I know how you feel about these things but, Â It is just so amazing.
I said , what?
She said that two of her grandchildren and one of their childhood friends decided one night that they would go see a medium for fun. My aunt acknowlodged the fact she too did not feel comfortable or called to see one either.
So anyways, they picked up the phonebook and found one. They booked the appointment. Let me state for the record that I have never met her grandchildren nor their friend.
So, they went off to see this man, I do not know his name, I never felt compelled to ask. Her grandchildren and their friend are probably juniors or seniors in high school I am guessing.
The man greeted them and told eachone things that he could never be able to know. Things about events when they were small accidents etc. They were shocked to here about events that they had nearly forgotten about.
He then said who has the older women like your grandmothers age that recently passed away? My aunts two grand daughters said oh, I think my Nana’s sister passed away a few months ago. That was my mom Roberta.
He then said and who Is the male attached to her that has brain cancer? they said I think her son does ( me ).
He then said please let him know that St. Raphael is holding and protecting him.
I have told you all that my whole family prays to St. Raphael and uses the Blessed oil that we received from the healing ministry at St. Josephs.
So, I took that as a  direct message from God. it was very comforting for me to hear. But again, I never felt compelled to call this man directy either. Gods got this situation, and thats all that really matters to me.
There are as I said before, Â things that are not good for us spiritually. And, My family experienced them back when I was in my eary 20’s. So I do not dabble inthings that I do not understand. We are all better off, If we don’t. I will discuss what happened on this blog when the time is right.
During my mothers hospitalization at Spaulding Cambridge in the ventilator unit she was very sick, very weak and  slept a whole lot.  Remember, her prognosis was not good. My mom did not have a private room and I think it was a great thing for my mother and for her roomate Mary.
You see my mothers roomate Mary was not wanted in any other persons room in that unit. She was put in my mothers room because she was loud at times and dilsruptive to her roomates and the staff.
My mom was pretty much sleeping at first so they figured my mother would not be affected by Mary’s outbursts etc. God had a purpose for this situation and my mom was selected in this time to witness Christ and unconditional love to so many in that hospital during this time. And she was! My mother listened to the daily goings on in that room with Mary and  My mom continued to get  stronger by the day. When my mom was weined from the ventilator and was able to speak once again as I wrote in my last blog. At this point my mother looked like she was a Miracle that was on the road to a recovery, and she was. Right away the staff said, I am sorry to my mom,  Mary has her moments. We will try and find her a new room, she is hard to place with others. My mother said don’t be silly, its fine. Due to Mary’s health condition it can be 24 hours of non stop action. The staff one after another came in and thanked my mother, my mom just felt that Mary was an angel, and just needed a calm reassuring hand. It was scary for Mary being there alone with all the machines, noises etc.
You see, Mary is a beautiful women in her late 50’s I am guessing and she is very bright. Something happened at her birth and her brain was deprived of oxygen and she was like a child from that point. This was prior to my cancer diagnosis so, I was able to be there daily too. My dad was there every morning and stayed until late afternoon with my mom and we (her children and family) coodinated so we would all be there at different times. Well, my mom would be helping from her bed fordging a relationship with Mary. Mary is just a beautiful person who would get upset and did not always have an ability to understand. I looked at her and saw a beautiful child there in that bed. Innocent and she needed to rely on everyone to survive. She too was on a ventilator off and on depending on her respritory needs. She had her older sister Dotty coming in daily, late in the day and would read Mary her childrens books, help her with some private care issues etc. Mary loves all her old movies and watched them all the time the sound of music, Judy Garland etc. Mary was living in the past speaking about her mom and dad who were her life.They both passed when they were in their 90’s. Mary has an identical twin who is healthy.
My mom , dad and family grew very tight bonds with Mary and her family. My mom would get Mary to talk, calm her down and help the staff to work with her when she was having a bad day. My mom prayed and talked about Jesus with her. When Mary’s sister Dotty could not come and Mary was waiting She had a private nurse Elizabeth come in . Elizabeth had helped and assisted her over the years at her home too. She is family to Mary:) She too would be praying with Mary, just beautiful.A gift to Mary and I believe Mary is a gift to her too.
Mary had her baby ( a doll) named Michelle. She had a toy baby bottle and she would be feeding that doll burping it and the doll slept with Mary every night. Mary would tell the baby its okay and she would tell my mom that Michelle was crying.  My mom was involved when Mary was in a bad place my mom would end up feeding the doll and burping the doll, it made Mary so happy. My mom had such compassion for  Mary and she loved her. My dad was there all the time so he could see her struggling, trying to eat. The staff was helping but she did not want them for whatever reason so my dad would say Mary, would you like me to help ? She would say yes, and my dad would help to cut things up etc. The staff was so happy to see Mary content and it really helped to calm the unit down.  There is a saying, If you cannot do something nice then donot do anything at all. Service to others is an honor as far as I am concerned. It is not alway’s easy but there is nothing more rewarding.
I will continue with this shortly,
God Bless You,
Danny
A dedication to all the special needs kids around the world.
Just a quick blog, I am sitting here at home all by my onesies, and was thinking about my blog. I have had so many conversations over the last two years about documenting this journey. What I get now more than ever is just how much people are enjoying the witness of my journey and that of my family. Its causing my family to re-live certain events that were tramatic in that day and I guess this journey,of hearing it and reading about it in this manner will bring more closure and healing to us all.
My intent for this blog is very simple, I want to help even just one person. We are all the same to God precious. This blog is his victory story. To everything there is a purpose.
The byrds
When it comes down to it, by the grace of God all that we have in the life really is eachother, and that is really the most important thing anyway. Material stuff is really so unimportant. We need to celebrate and support oneanother. Amen.
Just Danny Speaks 