Psalm 63 - Comfort and Assurance in God’s Presence

A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.

1O God, you are my God, I seek you,
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4So I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
5My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
6when I think of you on my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
8My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
9But those who seek to destroy my life
shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10they shall be given over to the power of the sword,
they shall be prey for jackals.
11But the king shall rejoice in God;
all who swear by him shall exult,
for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

God works in an amazing ways...Chris Tomlin-Indescribable

I heard this song for the first time today and there is a line that says...

"You see the depths of my heart and you love me the same...You are amazing God."

This line really struck me because the Lord has really showered his blessings on me this month and I am ever so thankful for his generosity, provision, and the fact that He seems ever present and near to me right now. He answered not only my prayers but the prayers of others as well. The testimony of God's faithfulness is abounding. But, I know my heart is so deceitful and wicked and yet He has done great things despite me! Thank GOD for grace and mercy. As I heard the readings during mass last Saturday I was again dumbfounded at the realization that I've only applied God to the financial part of my life. For one this is the security, and maybe because I know He is the only one that can see me through this New Year. I know He is big enough to provide money and that is NO BIG DEAL TO HIM! His streets are paved with GOLD! But the fact is I can't see past my own needs. I want to start really praying for others, giving to others, blessing others the way I have been blessed. Being sensitive to how the Lord wants other to see His love thru my deeds and just by believing that He will provide, I can vow that He doesn’t give you what you want but He always gives you what you need.

It is all thanks to Him that next week I will be starting a new adventure In Nicosia Cyprus. A new job, new amazing colleagues, better working hours and a much better wage then I used to get in the last 5 years. It all thanks to Him that He made me meet an amazing girl who loves me and I’m sure I’m gonna miss while I’m away but she knows that what I’m doing is what has been planned for me. It is all thanks to Him that I have true friend who come running to me when all I takes me is just an sms… your love is indescribable and uncontainable Lord. I never find the right words and enough words to thank you for all that you do to me. Thank you so much for loving me... the following is a an amazing song written and sung by Chris Tomlin...enjoy, it is too intense and meaning to let it go by without enjoying the tune, his amazing voice but most important listen carefully to the lyrics

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untamable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful, untamable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untamable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
INCOMPARABLE, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

How to stay young...

HOW TO STAY YOUNG ... ...

1. Throw out non-essential numbers.
This includes age, weight, and height.
Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay them.

2. Keep only cheerful friends.
The grouches pull you down.
(Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!)



3. Keep learning:
Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever.
Never let the brain get idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop."
And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!

4. Enjoy the simple things


5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with her/ him !


6. The tears happen:
Endure, grieve, and move on.
The only person who is with us our entire life, is our self.
LIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love:
Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.
Your home is your refuge.


8 Cherish your health:
If it is good, preserve it.
If it is unstable, improve it.
If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips.
Take a trip to the mall, even to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.


10. Tell the people you love, that you love them - at every opportunity.




share this with someone.

Inhobbok...

www.skenemalta.com - skene@skenemalta.com

Inhobbok

SKENE is performing the original play, INĦOBBOK, by Fr. John Abela ofm during Holy Week 2008 at Metanoia Theatre (Luqa). Fr. John wrote his first “passion play” way back in 1982 and he always did it with a difference. Year in year out, Fr. John has been giving us "passion plays" with a difference. He looks at the Passion of the Lord delving into the "here and now" of the event. Again INĦOBBOK goes beyond the traditional idea of a Passion Play. It's as if you are making an act of faith without which the event itself will be meaningless".

The event is always the same one which took place way back in Jerusalem at the time of Pontius Pilate but the aim of these plays remains that of helping the audience to "stop and think" to "stop and remember" to "stop and be there". We might call it an act of faith even if faith does not need to be the dominant key! The story behind “INHOBBOK” has been transposed to an undisclosed location. It is not tied down to Jerusalem as the focal geographical point. The Cross above rises also above other hills or mountains, in squares or houses.

“Love is in the air” went a famous song. And sure enough “love” is one of the most used/abused words in our dictionaries. And the phrase “I love you” (Inħobbok) is echoed throughout the world. Here certianly lies the originality of the play with a simple plot involving traditional and modern characters.

SKENE members have been working on this production for some time now. The technical crew too has been involved in this preparation and they are almost "set to go"! We also introduced some structural changes on stage to help us work better. The ball has been rolling for some time now and we are looking forward to bring this curtain up

The whole cast/crew will be made up of about 50 persons to create a spectacle worthy of the story it represents. Among the leading roles we find Andrè Penza, Mark Mifsud, Veronica Farrugia, Frida Cauchi, Sarah Lee Zammit, Eleanor Cassar, Raymond Darmanin, Brian Galea, Olivia Anne, Chris Penza, Jonathan McKay, Sandro Farrugia supported by a group of “special extras”. Technical setting is entrusted to Sergio Costa, lighting to Charlo Galea, sound to Josef Farrugia while Marvic Massa will be our stage manager! There is also another strong backstage crew already working for this production.

INHOBBOK will be performed on Saturday 15th, Sunday 16th, Wednesday 19th, Sunday 23rd March at 7.30pm. Booking is open. 21806712. The price is: adults €6, children €3.

Mind

Mind:

The mind is a powerful force, behind the creation of all of our
experiences. It can be a powerful tool, or a stealth weapon. Our
minds are constantly at work, and our subconscious mind is able to be
programmed and reprogrammed, often without our direct conscious
knowledge of the process. When we hear the inner critic, we are
witnessing one example of a powerful way the mind can manipulate and
undermine us. This is because the subconscious mind does not
discriminate, it repeats what it is fed, and eventually we begin to
live according to these beliefs. Consciously changing our thought
processes through practices such as affirmations, meditation, and
other tools that quiet the mind and shift our perspective, is
liberating and empowering. We learn to control our lives through a
deep connection with our inner world, rather than letting
circumstances control us.

A good mind should never be left to its own devices. Learning and re-
learning means progress, consciously working with the power of the
mind to create new perspectives enriches life experience, inspires
creativity, and boosts confidence. When we respect and nourish the
mind, our thought processes will nourish the soul.

The mind is its own place, and in itself,
can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven.
~John Milton

27th February- Archbishop of Malta Pawlu Cremona prays at mosque in message of dialogue

Archbishop Paul Cremona and Imam Mohamed El Sadi face Mecca as they pray together at the Corradino Mosque, sending a message on the importance of dialogue among faiths.

The importance of inter-religious dialogue was yesterday highlighted by Malta's Archbishop who prayed side by side with the Muslim Imam at the Corradino Mosque.

Standing barefoot in the carpeted Mosque, Archbishop Paul Cremona and Imam Mohamed El Sadi faced Mecca when they immersed themselves in a few moments of silent prayer.

"Dialogue between different religions is very important," Mgr Cremona said during the first official visit of a Catholic Archbishop to the Muslim place of worship and neighbouring Islamic Centre and Mariam al Batool School.

On his arrival Mgr Cremona was greeted by the Imam, Islamic Centre director Wagdi Nashnosh,
school principal Maria Camilleri, Libyan ambassador to Malta Saad El Shalmani as well as
benefactors and staff members.

After a brief stop at the Mosque, where Mgr Cremona was also shown the Koran, he visited the
various classrooms where enthusiastic students of various ages greeted him with a choir-like
"Good morning". The younger students sang nursery rhymes in English and Arabic to the Archbishop who reacted with his trademark beaming smile.

He then visited the computer room where students delivered a presentation on different religions.

Next, Mgr Cremona was shown into the school hall where a choir of boys and girls sang songs in
English, Maltese and Arabic. One particular song aimed to tell the truth about Islam as
students sang: "Islam is all about peace. Terrorism it doesn't teach".

School principal Ms Camilleri explained how the school was set up 10 years ago after the Imam
felt there was a need for a school that catered for Muslim students.

The mixed school, that has about 180 students throughout kindergarten, primary and secondary
school, teaches the Maltese curriculum with the exception that Islam is taught during religion
class and students are also taught Arabic.

She noted that the setting up of the school was a "unique project" as Catholic and Muslim
teachers worked together with Muslim students and taught and exercised dialogue and respect
towards the different religions.

During a brief address Mgr Cremona thanked the children for their "beautiful songs" and said he
was thankful for the opportunity to visit the centre.

He pointed out that the harmony through which Catholic teachers and Muslims worked at the
school "should be an example to the whole world" adding that dialogue between different
religions was very important.

Mr Nashnosh said that the Archbishop's visit emphasised the mutual genuine will of both sides
to enhance and strengthen the relations between the followers of Islam and Christianity.

"Today we confirm our will to strengthen the relations with the Catholic Church and to enhance
dialogue and cooperation with it in different social and human spheres for the common good," he said.

Photo: Matthew Mirabelli.

A simple powerful prayer...

Saint Theresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you...

May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

Power

Power is a force that is often misperceived. Our true power lies
within us at our source, and is not dependent on argument, or
subjecting ones will onto another. True power comes from a place of
peace and gentleness. All of us have power beyond measure; it is what
we choose to do with it that determines its value.

True power is non-imposing; it does not make demands, or encourage
fear. True power comes from a peaceful place, deep within the soul.
The truly powerful spend their lives seeking their source,
learning to embrace this spiritual energy of God with humility and respect.
True power is not lively; those in possession of it often don't
realize they are using it. On the other hand, those who
seek power by the wrong methods are often led into chaos. Many times
they drag others around them down with them. When we do
the right thing as opposed to the easiest or most self-serving thing,
we become the living examples of true power, the only genuine power
that exists.

Invit...

love one another

"Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." (Romans 13:8).

Many people demonstrate that their need to win when trying to resolve conflicts with others
is greater than their regard for relationships. Why is winning so important to us?

Why must we always be right? The person who is driven to win, to be right, or to be first is insecure. Insecure people are driven to perform.

Security comes from relationships, not achievements. A secure person is a person who is comfortable with himself and others. It is easy to communicate with a secure person, but you often end up clashing with a driven person. Would you rather be a lover or an achiever? Which would you prefer your spouse,
children, coworkers and friends to be?

Relationships are more important than achievements to God. Jesus declared that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love people (Matthew 22:36-40).

The purpose of the Word of God is to govern relationships with God and man. If our achievements in life don't enhance our relationships with God, our spouse and children, and others, then we are not fulfilling God's commandments.

Is there ever a time when we need to assert ourselves in conflicts? Yes, we need to stand our ground on moral issues. But we never have the right to violate the fruit of the Spirit in doing so. If what you do can't be done in love and self-control, then maybe it is better left undone and remember your authority does not increase with the volume of your voice. When you resort to shouting in conflict, you are reacting in the flesh. You have lost control of the only person you can control: yourself!!!

Gracious Lord, help me today to love people and use things, and not to love things and use people!!

Patience

Patience asks us to take it easy and go with the flow. Often when
we feel we are losing control of a situation, or when there are
hidden fears we have surrounding it, we become impatient, nervous, or
suffer the effects of stress. We find ourselves railing against the
natural flow of life. Sometimes in the midst of apparent
upheaval, it's difficult to realize that everything is going to work
out for the highest good without added struggle.

Patience is a blend of faith, hope, and release. It is a practice, not
always something that comes naturally. It comes from being able to
find a place of peace, deep inside yourself, where hope resides. In
this place you touch that inner knowing where you are unaffected by
external situations.

Impatience is a fear based behaviour pattern and drains a lot of
energy that could be put into constructive action. Remember to be
kind to yourself, and honour the personal power that you have to deal
with your life's circumstances from a place of calm, rather than a
place of chaos.

"Daddy's Hands" by Holly Dunn

I remember Daddy´s hands, folded silently in prayer.
And reaching out to hold me, when I had a nightmare.
You could read quite a story, in the callouses and lines.
Years of work and worry had left their mark behind.
I remember Daddy´s hands, how they held my Mama tight,
And patted my back, for something done right.
There are things that I´ve forgotten, that I loved about the man,
But I´ll always remember the love in Daddy´s hands.

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy´s hands.

I remember Daddy´s hands, working 'til they bled.
Sacrificed unselfishly, just to keep us all fed.
If I could do things over, I´d live my life again.
And never take for granted the love in Daddy´s hands.

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy´s hands.

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love

In Daddy´s hands.

A MINDOPENER by Rick Mathes...

The Muslim religion is the fastest growing religion per capita in
the United States, especially in the minority races!!!

Last month I attended my annual training session that's required for
maintaining my state prison security clearance. During the training
session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the
Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths, who explained each of
their beliefs.
I was particularly interested in what the Islamic Imam had to say.
The Imam gave a great presentation of the basics of Islam, complete
with a video. After the presentations, time was provided for
questions and answers.
When it was my turn, I directed my question to the Imam and asked:
'Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that most Imams
and clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad [Holy war] against
the infidels of the world and, that by killing an infidel, (which is
a command to all Muslims) they are assured of a place in heaven. If
that's the case, can you give me the definition of an infidel?'
There was no disagreement with my statements and, without
hesitation, he replied, 'Non-believers!'
I responded, 'So, let me make sure I have this straight. All
followers of Allah have been commanded to kill everyone who is not
of your faith so they can have a place in heaven. Is that correct?'
The expression on his face changed from one of authority and command
to that of 'a little boy who had just been caught with his hand in
the cookie jar.'
He sheepishly replied, 'Yes.'
I then stated, 'Well sir, I have a real problem trying to imagine
Pope Benedict commanding all Catholics to kill those of your faith
or Dr. Charles Stanley ordering all Protestants to do the same in
order to guarantee them a place in heaven!'
The Imam was speechless!
I continued, 'I also have problem with being your 'friend' when you
and your brother clerics are telling your followers to kill me! Let
me ask you a question. Would you rather have your Allah, who tells
you to kill me in order for you to go to heaven, or my Jesus who
tells me to love you because I am going to heaven and He wants you
to be there with me?'
You could have heard a pin drop as the Imam hung his head .
Needless to say, the organizers and/or promoters of the
'Diversification' training seminar were not happy with Rick's way of
dealing with the Islamic Imam and exposing the truth about the
Muslims' beliefs.
In twenty years there will be enough Muslim voters in the U.S. to
elect the President! I think everyone in the U.S. should be
required to read this, but with our liberal justice system, liberal
media and the ACLU, there is no way this will be widely publicized.
The most puzzling thing to me is... once Islam takes over, there
will no longer be a liberal media or an ACLU, or a liberal justice
system. So in effect, they are slitting their own throats by not
publicizing this.

Pass this message to all the people you know. At least that is one thing we
can all do.

This is a true story and the author, Rick Mathes, is a well-known
leader in prison ministry.
The man who walks with God always gets to his destination.

Views on Ageing...

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about ageing that you think in fractions.

'How old are you? I'm four and a half!'You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life!?You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony.YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there.Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you? EACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You?MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME?21, TURN?30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST 92.'

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!'
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!?


HOW TO STAY YOUNG?

1.Throw out nonessential numbers.This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them.'

2.Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3.Keep learning.Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4.Enjoy the simple things.

5.Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6.The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7.Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.Your home is your refuge.

8.Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9.Don't take guilt trips.Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10.Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,but by the moments that take our breath away.

What is a Soul Mate?

Finding true, soulful love is not a destination, its a journey. A real and lasting relationship with a spiritual soul mate requires inner work and outer preparation. But what is really a "soul mate" ? What does the term mean in an age of online dating and a fast-paced life? the following are definitions that I came across online which reveal the true depth and complexity of love, as well as its simple beauty.


Soul Mates Complement Each Other

You must have compatible ideas on the nature of God

You don't have to like the same comedians, but you have to understand each other's humor.

You may give to different charities, but you have to share a generosity of spirit.

One can be Felix and one can be Oscar, but you both better be on the same page when it comes to running the household moneywise.

The man doesn't have to be Brad Pitt and the woman doesn't have to be Angelina Jolie, but the man needs to see his soulmate as HIS Angelina Jolie and the woman needs to see her soulmate as HER Brad Pitt.

Most of all, you have to feel a connection -- a connection so strong that you say, "This may be the most remarkable person I have ever met in my life." Where you look forward just as much to conversations and activities out of bed as the other way around (although you want both).

And where it's a connection that defies time -- that you know you may raise a family together and will definitely grow old together, and the prospect excites you rather than scares you.

Soul Mates Come from God
God is my soul mate. God plays the music and calls the dances. I'm dancing to God's tune. I can feel God's rhythm in my feet and the way the bass line resonates in my core. Now, I have a dance card. Right now, I can't read the names, but I have one. God filled it out with men who would make good parteners for me. If a dancer who is not listed tries to dance with me, we won't dance well because we are not suited. The men on the card will do well because God thinks that we would do well. Not that we would be flashy, but that we would enjoy dancing together. We would make that joyful noise.


Soul Mates Have a Different Kind of Love
I believe a soul mate is not necessarily a love interest. A soulmate is someone that will mirror you, show you everything that is holding you back...a person who will bring you to your own attention so you can change your life.

A true soul mate is probably the most important person you will ever meet. They will come into your life to reveal another layer of yourself to you



Soul Mates Navigate Differences
I think soulmates can navigate differences. It isn't the least bit important that they agree on anything but that they can still love, respect, and yes, even appreciate the differences of each other. I have come to the conclusion that differences never matter, it is what you do with those differences that matters. It is the differences of other people that cause us to grow. Differences also smooth out the edges on our own personalities. A good relationship changes people for the better or rather facilitates an evolution that is both spiritual and personality wise. It is the whole grain of sand/pearl thing.

Soul Mates Feel Like 'Home'

I don't think that a soul mate can't be defined by gender. I see it as a connection that defies explanation. Where you can look at each other and no words need to be exchanged. I am cur rently in a relationship with my soul mate. There is no other feeling like it. The connection is physical, emotional, spiritual, and any other "al" tha t is possible. It just feels like "home". And I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.



Soul Mates Learn from Each Other

My soul mate is someone who walks beside me not in front, because I may not follow. He's someone who listens when I speak and speaks while I listen. He supports me physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially if I let him. He doesn't have to agree with me but be on my side (watch my back while I watch his). Someone who doesn't execute authority over me, because only my Creator has that right, but someone who accepts me as the person I am. I was created in the Creator's image, not anyone else's. My soul mate knows this and accepts it, he walks a mile in my moccasins, then we discuss what has been learned.

11th February - Psalm 98: 'Make a Joyful Noise'

O sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
have gotten him victory.
The LORD has made known his victory;
he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD.

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of the LORD, for he is coming
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

Mildew and Vanilla

For me, true bliss is a place where a shelf is full of well-worn paperback books.
By Ptolemy Tompkins







The Winged Life
by Ptolemy Tompkins

I like books. Not just reading them, but the things themselves. I grew up in the 70s, and the older I get, the more I find myself picking up copies of books that date from back then--paperbacks mostly--in used bookstores or at rummage sales.

Some of these purchases can be rationalized. This might come in handy at some point, I’ll say to myself as I lay down two dollars for a copy of some novel or nonfiction book that I know won’t really ever come in handy at all. The truth is I just like the feel--the atmosphere--of the thing. I have, for example, at least three different editions of Herman Hesse’s famously hard-to-get-into novel "The Glass Bead Game." The first copy I bought for the perfectly sensible reason that I still, at some point in my life, intended to try to read it. The second copy? Well, I just liked it. It was the old Bantam paperback edition that I used to see on countless peoples’ shelves back when I was a kid and a teenager. The pages had yellowed around the edges in that particular kind of way that Bantam paperbacks--as opposed to, say, Dell or Ballantine paperbacks--do. And when I held it up to my face and flipped the pages, it had that smell that so many paperbacks from back then have--vaguely like vanilla, with a faint touch of the mildew it no doubt picked up over the course of decades in someone’s attic or summer house.

How could I not buy it?

My third copy of "The Glass Bead Game"? Another Bantam edition, but an older one, in which the yellowing process was further along, and the smell of vanilla was more pronounced. This one, in addition, had only cost a quarter, so I really had no choice but to buy it as well. Who was to say? Maybe when I did finally get around to reading the book I’d like it so much that I’d want to pass one or two of my copies along. Now I had them, just in case I did.

On one level, of course, all of this is very easy to explain. It’s another case of that mild psychological malady that Pierre Teilhard de Chardin called “collectionism” which so many people suffer from, and which I wrote about in a previous post about the knick-knacks I have on my desk at work.

But on another level it’s more complicated than that. Why? Because while books are objects, and as such are similar to the stamps, coins, salt-and-pepper shakers, and various and sundry other mundane items that different people like to collect, on another level they’re not like those objects at all. They are--to state the matter simply--special. All books, even the silliest and most ephemeral, have something slightly otherworldly about them, because the book is the single most central and important tool for the conveyance of the transcendent in the history of the world. No other human invention stands at the intersection of the visible and the invisible, the worldly and the more-than-worldly, in the way that the book does. It is from books that all of us first learned--at an age so early that most of us don’t remember it--that life has holes in it: openings that lead up and out to other places, other realities.

A friend of mine who likes to read aloud to her young daughter recently noticed her looking at her in puzzlement one night, as she lay in bed engrossed in a book.

“What are you doing?” her daughter asked.

“I’m reading,” her mother answered.

The girl burst into laughter. “Then why,” she asked, “aren’t you saying anything?”

When I heard that story from my friend, I caught, for a moment, a vague memory of just how astonishing it had been to me when I’d first discovered for myself, at age five or so, what reading really was. For me, from then on, that initial penetration into the invisible world-above-the-world would always be associated with the feel--and the smell--of a concrete, actual book in my hand. This very physical item would become my ultimate symbol of the fact that there is more-- much more--to life than what we can see or feel on the surface.

As a writer and editor, I spend a great deal of my time these days dealing with electronic texts of one kind or another. From the pieces that I write and edit at my computer, to the endless emails I send and receive, to the articles by other people that I read online or send to the printer to take home in my briefcase, I now live in large part in a world of pages that certainly aren’t yellow around the edges, and most of the time aren’t even printed on paper at all.

That’s all fine and good, and convenient in all kinds of ways. It may even be that when I finally get around to reading "The Glass Bead Game" there will be some super-searchable, hyper-footnoted e-version that’s so full of extras and conveniences that I’ll have to take advantage of it. But no computer or iBook or any other such disembodied form of transmitting the written word will ever, for me, completely take the place of those plain, humble, yet endlessly mysterious objects that lie stacked up on my shelves.

For me, the world-above-the-world will always smell faintly of mildew and vanilla.

Ptolemy Tompkins is a Senior Editor at Angels on Earth Magazine.

'Mildew and Vanilla' by Ptolemy Tompkins is original content featured on Angelsonearth.com. Copyright 2008 by Guideposts, Carmel, New York 10512. All rights reserved.

6th February 2008 - Ash Wednesday

Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.
-Andrew Murray-

Jesus Fasts for 40 Days, 40 Nights Matthew 4:1-11

The Temptation of Jesus

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,

‘One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Frederica Mathewes-Green
Frederica Mathewes-Green shares why she fasts for Lent
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.’ ”

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Live Beyond the Reach of Any Dark Thought

The Secret of Success without Stress


It is possible for us to learn to attract success, instead of trying to chase it down through years of toil, disappointment, and heartache. So how do we do it? How do we learn to attract the success we want instead of letting the desire for the objects of success push us around from problem to problem?

The answer is simple: We begin to doubt what compromises us.

This means that we will no longer automatically obey those conditioned, negative inner voices that continuously comment on us and the world around us. Instead, we begin to doubt stress when it tells us we have to rush through our day. We begin to doubt fearful thoughts when they tell us we need to worry. We begin to doubt feelings of greed and inadequacy that bully us around by telling us that who we are isn't enough.

The reason that beginning to doubt our negative states is such a great key along the path to gaining our heart's true wish, is that this action separates our true self -- who we really are -- from whatever dark thought or feeling happens to be passing through us in the moment. We realize that we don't have to listen to dark thoughts and feelings; instead we understand that there is a choice, whenever we remember it, to not sacrifice happiness now for a future happy time that may never come!

One specific technique you can use to begin doubting these dark states is to ask yourself this question whenever you find yourself trying to overcome any person or situation that stands in the way of winning some imagined future success: "What would happen right now if I were to want what life wants, instead of wanting what I want?" This may sound like a strange idea at first because we are so used to trying to get hold of what we want. But, when we begin to experiment with the power contained in this question, we realize that this simple action has the power to raise the level of our entire life!

Everyone wonders whether or not there is one great secret for truly successful living. There is. And it is not a secret. It has been quietly, steadily telling itself right in front of us all along. We just couldn't hear it over the clatter and chatter of our own secret demands. Listen quietly for a moment: everything can change right now. Learning to hear this supreme secret is no more difficult than choosing whether to swim against a current or to let it carry you safely to the shore. Let it speak its wisdom to that secret part of you that can not only hear what it is saying but that is, in reality, it’s very voice. Listen to it now. It is saying, "Want what life wants." Think about it. Locked within these four simple words is the secret of an uncompromising power for effortless living -- a new kind of power that never fails to place you on the winning side of any situation. Why? Because when you want what life wants, your wish is for life itself.

Your progress toward becoming free of stress will be even surer if you always remember the following: If any want is the source of anxiety or sorrow, that want is yours and not lives. Never accept the presence of any mental or emotional suffering as necessary, no matter how much importance these impostors lend to a particularly pressing want. By refusing their dark presence, you make space for the present moment to give you its indefinable presence. This is where the life that you want -- and that wants you -- is waiting.

Let life bring you itself. Welcome it. Discover how, at each instant, it is new, full, untouched and undiminished by any moment before it. To enter into this deeper relationship with life is to give yourself the greatest of gifts. Want what life wants, and discover the true heart of real and lasting success.
Guy Finley

3rd February 2008...

Feed on Christ, and then go and live your life, and it is Christ in you that lives your life, that helps the poor, that tells the truth, that fights the battle, and that wins the crown.
-Philips Brooks-
Today's Bible Reading -Lift the Veil from Your Minds- 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses’ face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside, how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, much more does the ministry of justification abound in glory! Indeed, what once had glory has lost its glory because of the greater glory; for if what was set aside came through glory, much more has the permanent come in glory!

Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

2nd February 2008...

A life of faith…enables us to see God in everything and it holds the mind in a state of readiness for whatever may be His will.

-Francois Fenelon-

Today's Bible Reading-Do Not Eat Bread That Perishes-John 6:16-27

Jesus Walks on the Water

When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”