Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
A heart-warming story proving that good deeds will always be rewarded
Once, a young woman decided to grow a cactus at home. For four years, it sat forlornly on the windowsill, showing no signs of growth or vitality whatsoever, and then suddenly one day came a surprise: the woman noticed that it had begun to blossom at a healthy pace. ’I wonder why everyone thinks I’m a spiteful heartless witch,’ the woman thought to herself. ’That can’t be true — plants don’t blossom if the owner is heartless and spiteful.’
Absorbed in the delightful thought that her cactus was now blooming, the woman accidentally stepped on a gloomy-looking man’s foot in the subway. When he complained, she didn’t start screaming at him with a look profound offence on her face, as she usually did: Instead, she just smiled and said:
’Don’t be angry with me, please. I had nothing to hold on to and I slipped; step on my foot too, if you like, and we’ll call it even.’
The gloomy man swallowed the insults he had been about to hurl at her. Slightly later, after he’d gotten off at his stop and was buying a newspaper, instead of being rude to the sales assistant who gave him the wrong change the man said:
’No big deal. Just count it out one more time; I’m no good at maths early in the morning either.’
The sales assistant hadn’t expect that kind of patient response. Feeling warm inside, she spontaneously gave two old magazines and a pile of old newspapers to an elderly gentleman for free. He was a regular customer at the shop, who really liked to read all the news, but could only afford to purchase one cheap newspaper every day. Surely, the remainders were supposed to be written off, but there is always a way to get around rules.
The happy old man went home with an armful of newspapers and magazines. When he met his upstairs neighbour, he didn’t make his customary complaints as he was prone to do (’Your child stamps like an elephant and stops me from getting any rest; you should bring her up better’, and so on). Instead, he just looked at her and said almost in a daze:
’You daughter is growing up so fast. I can’t figure out whether she looks like you or her father, but she will definitely be a beautiful young lady.’
The old man’s neighbour, somewhat confused but oddly pleased, then walked her child to kindergarten before going to her work. And instead of shouting at a muddle-head granny who had made an appointment with the doctor for the previous day but had only turned up the next, she said to her:
’Don’t worry about it, my dear! Sometimes I forget to do things, too. Wait here a minute, and I’ll will check with the doctor to see whether he can talk to you today.’
Having managed to see the doctor, the old lady didn’t make any demands for treatment which would cure her ailments straight away, or threaten to go to the authorities if the hospital staff didn’t do what she said, as she had done in the past. Instead, she just sighed and said: ’I haven’t lost my mind completely just yet, and I understand that you cannot cure my old age. I’m sorry, doctor, that I bother you so often.’
Later, on his way home, the doctor recalled the meeting he had had with the old lady and began to feel sorry for her. Suddenly, he realised that life was passing by so fast amid all the usual mundane bustle, and, inspired by this thought, stopped by the nearest supermarket, bought a bunch of flowers, a beautifully decorated cake with cream, and drove in the opposite direction to home. He drove up to a nondescript apartment block, went up to the third floor, and knocked on the door. It was opened by a young woman.
’I’ve just been thinking — why on Earth do we feel the need to cut ourselves from others and live in our own separate worlds without concern for anyone else? I’ve bought you a cake, but I accidentally put my bag on top of it, so it’s a bit crushed. But it doesn’t matter, as it won’t affect the taste, anyway. I bought you some flowers as well, but they also got a bit crushed by my bag as well. But maybe they can be straightened out again?’
’Of course they will,’ the woman said, ’we’ll bring them back to life. I have some news, by the way. Can you imagine — I woke up this morning, looked over at the window, and saw that my cactus had blossomed. Take a look!’
3 Ways To Use Your Rosary (Hint: It’s Not a Necklace)
You probably have a rosary lying around your house somewhere. Maybe you received it as a Confirmation gift or picked one up when the sweet old lady was passing them out at church, but you don’t really know what to do with it.
If you remember praying the rosary as a kid as something that took a long time and was really boring, we encourage you to give it another try. (Click here for information from Lighthouse Catholic Media on how to pray a traditional rosary. )
However, we realize that it takes some time to sit down and pray the rosary. Here are three other ways to use your rosary to pray that take a little less time. Try incorporating one into your prayer time today.
1. Chaplet of Divine Mercy
©Pixabay.com
Opening Prayer: You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!
Begin the Chaplet with the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Apostles’ Creed. Then, on the large bead before each decade pray:
“Oh, what great graces I will grant to souls who say this Chaplet. Write down these words, my daughter. Speak to the world about My mercy; let all mankind recognize my unfathomable mercy.” – Jesus speaking to St. Faustina (Diary, 848)
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son,Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world”.
On the ten Hail Mary beads of each decade, say: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion,have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Concluding prayer: Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One,have mercy on us and on the whole world.(repeat three times)
Optional Closing Prayer: Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
2. Chaplet of the Adorable Sacrament
© Aleteia Image Department/flickr.com
Opening Prayer: Begin with an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Pray the following on the Our Father beads: Lord Jesus, I offer You my sorrow for the many sacrileges committed against You and the indifference shown You in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Then on the Hail Mary beads pray: Jesus, I adore You in the most Blessed Sacrament.
Closing Prayer: Holy Mother Mary, please present this prayer to your Son, Jesus, and bring consolation to His Sacred Heart. Please give Him my thanks for His divine presence in the Blessed Sacrament. He has treated us with mercy and love by staying with us. May my life be my thanksgiving prayer to Him. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.
3. Chaplet of St. Gertrude
© “Saint Gertrude by Miguel Cabrera”
Opening Prayer: Beginning at the Cross, pray the Apostles’ Creed. This is followed by Our Father, three Hail Marys and a Glory Be.
Saint Gertrude was told by Our Lord that each time the prayers of this Chaplet are said, 1,000 souls are released from Purgatory.
Starting on the Medal and then on the 4 large beads between each decade pray the Our Father.
On each of the Hail Mary beads, say the following prayer: Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home, and within my family. Amen
At the end of each set, say the following prayers: Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,open the hearts and minds of sinners to the truth and light of God, the Father. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for the conversion of sinners and the world. Also pray a Glory Be.
There are so many wonderful promises to those who pray these Chaplets. It is time to dig up your rosary, find a peaceful place, and begin to pray in a way that will allow you to grow deeper in your faith.
(Note: Due to the title of this post, many have questioned if it is appropriate to wear a rosary as a necklace. Though there seems to be no official Church statement regarding this, Canon 1171 of the Code of Canon Law says : “Sacred objects, set aside for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated with reverence. They are not to be made over to secular or inappropriate use, even though they may belong to private persons.” Through this statement, we can infer that wearing a rosary simply as a fashion statement or piece of jewelry should not be done. However, if you wear a rosary as a way to express your faith or a reminder to pray, with the intent to honor God through Mary then it is acceptable. My Saint My Hero offers both rosaries and Chaplet bracelets that are beautiful reminders to pray and honor God throughout your day.)
Source: CatholicLink
11 tricks to get the perfect hairstyle
Sometimes, even the smallest thing can prevent your hair from looking as perfect as you want it. A single hair sticking out or lying askew can be really annoying. Everything, of course, depends on the technique you use and the style you want.
To make sure you never have another bad hair day, here are 11 simple but really effective tricks to get the perfect hairstyle.
Getting the perfect hair bun
You can sculpt a truly perfect hair bun if you make use of a sock when you’re twisting it into position.
How to get the perfect curls
Try this method if your hair never stays curled for long. Twist a lock of hair into a curl, wrap it in silver foil, then grip it together using curling tongs. Now they’ll last for ages!
Using salt water
Curly locks often look a bit of a mess by the middle of the day, but if you try to sort them out with a comb, you can lose your curls entirely. You can use salt water to keep your hair in place. Mix one teaspoon of sea salt with 0.5 litres of mineral water, then pour the mixture into a jar with a sprayer. Salt helps to fix curls in place and creates a ’wet hair’ effect.
Using a headband
You can fix up your long hair stylishly using a headband before putting in another accessory. True, it’s not always easy to use this if you have long hair. But if you pull most of your hair together with a headband first, anything else you want to do will become a lot easier.
Getting the ’thick hair’ look
Apply eye shadow of the same colour as your hair on the area you want to appear thicker.
Raise up your ponytail
Use a couple of hairpins to keep a high ponytail in place and prevent it drooping down forlornly.
How to make a ponytail longer
If you want to make your ponytail appear longer, just make two ponytails instead of one. Make one closer to the top of your head and the second one further down.
Get rid of rebellious hairs
If you find that your hair is often ruined by unruly strands coming out of place, try this trick: apply some hair spray, and then smooth your hair down using a mascara brush. This will help bring frizzy hair under control without making it sticky. An alternative here is to put some hair spray on the mascara brush itself.
Get curls without curlers
Here’s a simple way to make your hair curly and then go to sleep without worrying about having to do it all again in the morning: simply tuck your hair into a hair band at night.
How to use a hairpin correctly
Turns out I’ve been using them wrong my whole life!
Natural curls quickly
Simply braid your hair (but without fastening it together), then use curling tongs.
Using spiral hairpins
If you have straight or very unruly hair, use spiral hairpins instead of the usual straight ones (you have to screw them into your hair). They’ll keep your hair in place until sunset.
A bow-tie ponytail
This is a great way to wear a ponytail in a way which will attract attention. Just don’t forget to smooth unruly hairs down.
15 astonishingly beautiful ideas for your next manicure
A French-style manicure will never go out of fashion, since it suits absolutely any outfit or style you go for. What few people know is just how many different options are available here which you can try out.
Bright Side selected 15 of the most astonishingly beautiful French-style manicure designs. We’re convinced that there’s at least one here to suit everyone’s tastes. We love them all!
1. Mirror nails
2. Polka-dot
3. Subtle gold
4. Golden glitter
5. Gorgeous red and black
6. A glossy and matte combination
9. Black French tips
10. Add some silver
11. Geometric French design
12. Black and white
13. Another geometric style
14. A white stripe
15. Wine and gold
Quotations from The New Virtues (Fulton Sheen)
"Though men failed in this crisis (of Calvary) there is no instance of a single woman failing. In the four trials the voice heard in Christ's defense was that of a woman, Claudia Procul, the wife of Pontius Pilate...On Calvary it is woman who is fearless, for there are several of them at the foot of the Cross. Magdalene, among them as usual, is prostrate.
But there is one whose courage and devotion was so remarkable that the Evangelist who was there indicated the detail that she was “standing.” That woman was the mother of the man on the central cross. Our Blessed Lord willed her presence there. Since he was the second Adam undoing the sin of the first, Mary would be the new Eve proclaiming the new race of the redeemed.”
- Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The New Virtues)
12 food products which you never knew you could make better
It’s a fact that you can always improve on the way you prepare and cook food — and impress your friends and loved ones along the way. We’ve gathered together 12 examples of food products which you never knew you could make better.
- Make some deep incisions on a potato, without slicing it into separate segments. Fill the spaces in between with cheese, sauce, bacon, or any other product of your choice. Then bake in the oven. Yum!
- When cooking sausages, impale them on skewers and then cut open in such a way as to form a spiral pattern. Then place them under the grill. That way they’ll not only be tasty, but look appetising when served.
- Make incisions in a loaf of bread to form a ’lattice’ pattern. Place slices of cheese as well as some herbs and/or spices in the gaps between the sections. Bake in the oven. You’ll end up with a delicious loaf of cheesy bread which goes well with plenty of meals, or simply works on its own as a snack.
- A waffle-maker can be used not only to make waffles. You can also used it to heat up pizza — this time giving it a more original appearance.
- You can also use it to make great potato pancakes.
- Grind up some chocolate cookies, place them in an ice cube, tray and pour in some milk. Place the tray in the freezer. Use them when you want a refreshing drink with a little extra sweetness.
- The best way ever discovered to make a sandwich:
- Cut some puff pastry into squares, cover each with some Nutella and pieces of chopped marshmallow. Fold over in the form of triangles and bake. You’ll end up with the best dessert roll you’ve ever eaten!
- Skewer slices of sausage with uncooked spaghetti, then boil. The result is amazing!
- How to make a delightful sweet pastry in the form of a ’braid’:
- You can eat mini-pancakes like you would a lollipop. In fact, using this method is easier if you want to cover them in honey or anything else.
- Grind down some porridge oats and whisk them together with eggs. Submerge some slices of bread in the mixture and toast them. Delicious!
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