Prayer of the Pious Union Of Saint Joseph for the Suffering and Dying

O,St Joseph,foster father of Jesus Christ and true spouse of the Virgin Mary,pray for us and for the suffering and dying of today. Amen

Sunday, 29 January 2012

Happy times with Geraint.

Today is Ger's birthday and I'm sharing happy times of which there are very, very many.

about 18 months old, fearless and cheeky! note the black stripe in his platinum blonde hair.
At a young age it was obvious what a charmer Ger was. Although he was harder work than his big brother Dafydd. All four of my children were born with what is usually referred too as 'a mop'of very dark hair,  Daf and Ger lost most of it in the first few months of life. Daf  gradually growing light brown hair but Geraint went almost bald except for one thick black lock  which remained in the platinum blonde hair  that grew when he was about 9 months old (just like his Daddy's was once too)'Gers Black Streak' used to get noticed by everyone.People used to say 'has he drawn on himself?' No one including hairdressers had ever seen anything like it.
It was a sort of birthmark a raised area of skin on his head with different hair from the rest, it was still there when he died but had gone grey,I remember him talking about it once with a mixture of pride and annoyance.

In the Cub Scouts he loved camping and activities.

Geraint collected foreign coins ( we still have them) ,stuff for his inventing boxes and scars and scabs. He used to spend hours remodelling his train set or building something out of Lego or meccano or all three at once.Or he would go on very long bike rides with Sheila his spaniel running along beside.He also spent many hours off  up the mountain or down by the river inventing long complicated games which his brothers and sister disrupted by literally losing the plot.

1999-2001
I spent years trying to get a decent picture of me with my four children, this one taken while Geoff was at work with the automatic setting on the camera isn't bad. Ger was usually the most co-operative one if he thought it was a genuine attempt, Daf was the one who pulled the silly face,Huw wouldn't co-operate and Rhiannon wouldn't let me do her hair, but this one no one played up.

Ger and Becky (second left)
Geoff and his brother David (grabbing Huw for a laugh!) Rhiannon and Dafydd

This one was taken in St Davids on a visit to Nanna and shows Ger at his babe magnet best.He was so sweet and friendly ,great sense of humour and good looking! Like all my children :)

01-11-2005
Our Silver Wedding Anniversary was celebrated with a Renewal of Vows and Blessing at St Roberts Church, as our original wedding was a civil ceremony I for one had hoped for a religious service for a long time.Daf gave me away, Ger was Best man, Rhiannon was Chief Bridesmaid and Huw escorted Nanna, along with Dafs partner Karen and her daughter Tanya-Marie (who were Matron of Honour and flower girl)Geoff's sister Gloria and one of her daughters were also there and afterwards we had a lovely time at the Great House in Laleston, champagne cutting a cake and a delicious evening meal.
Ger really was a great best man ,at one point while all of us were getting ready and  waiting for the limo ( yes we hired a stretch limo) I heard him giving his Dad a calm down pep talk! His speech at the hotel earned a round of applause too. From an early age he acted like someone older than his years, able to be very sincere and earnest. When he was canvassing for Plaid Cymru on the telephone in 1999 no-one had any idea they weren't talking to an adult.
He also worked for Domino's and McDonald's proving to be a trustworthy and able employee.He was offered management training and a store of his own, but he wanted to study computer aided design and get qualification's so he could work as an inventor and designer.
Geraint only lived on earth for 21 years, but he loved and was loved and shared so many happy times He flew to the USA, visited France, exhibited his own invention at the Royal Academy in London,went to Glastonbury Music Festival,One year he bashed his nose too many times to have another X-ray and he earned money at school by showing his friends the wire protruding from his damaged finger after micro surgery.He was an Altar server was confirmed into the Church and loved his pets almost as much as he loved his family.He had so many many friends who came to his funeral and gave him a really good send of afterwards at a pub, which he would have loved.He was always so good at social events!
Only 21 years? there are men in their 90's who haven't lived as much.
God Bless you my son, Pray for me  as I pray for you.
Our Golden Boy .Until we meet again.

Geraints Birthday

Happy Birthday

Caritas in Veritate: Faithful Helpers of God's Precious Infants at Maid...

Caritas in Veritate: Faithful Helpers of God's Precious Infants at Maid...: My friend Carole Smith who co-ordinates the prayer vigils outside the Marie Stopes abortion provider in Maidstone Kent sent me these phot...

Big Garden Birdwatch 2012

Ive just finished my hour 8-9 am 29-01-12 and only saw 4 species in my garden this year, 2 Robins, 3 Blackbirds 2 male 1 female a pair of collared doves and a wren.
Last year I recall a lot more and larger numbers, mind you my seed and nut feeders haven't been out this week as I've run out and being housebound not able to get any .I have asked family members to get them for me but they forgot! At least its not been snowing and I've been putting out bread and other odds and ends.Lots of glimpses of other types outside my garden though magpies, feral pigeon's and crows plus of course that ubiquitous grey squirrel
http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/
 
The garden seemed quite empty and bleak at first as I sat by the window mug of coffee in hand and the radio on for company.At that time of the morning on Radio 4 they broadcast a Church service, elim pentecostal flavour this morning and with respect for the varied audience it was a fairly quiet service and a short sermon! Very inspiring to hear prayers and praises and Bible readings while looking out at creation, or at least my little bit of it. The tiny bouncy, little wren busily hopping about in the trellis against the wall was a wonderful lesson in Gods providence.

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

St Dwynwens Day

St. Dwynwen's Day is celebrated on the 25th of January in Wales. Similar to what happens on Valentine's Day, Lovers often give each other cards and gifts on St. Dwynwen's Day.

Dwynwen is the patron saint of Welsh lovers and lived during the 5th century. She was said to be one of 24 children fathered by the then King of Wales, Brychan Brycheiniog. She was renowned to be both very lovely and very devout .

As the legend goes, Dwynwen fell in love with Maelon Dafodrill, and they wanted to marry, but her father refused consent due to arranging for Dwynwen to wed another suitor. In his anger about the rejection, Maelon raped and left Dwynwen.

Dwynwen's sadness impels her to console herself in the woods nearby. There she prays to God to rid her of her feelings for Maelon. Answering her prayers, an angel comes to Dwynwen in a dream, and gives her a potion to help her forget Maelon, and turn him into ice.

God then grants Dwynwen three requests. The first was to have Maelon thawed, the second was that God would look kindly on the hopes and dreams of true lovers, and her final request was that she was never to marry. Her wishes became true, and as thanks she devoted the remainder of her life to God.

Dwynwen then became a nun and she settled on Llanddwyn Island, which rests off the west coast of Anglesey. She died of natural causes around 460AD. The remains of the16th century Tudor church in Llanddwyn can be seen today although the site is attributed to that of the church founded by Dwynwen. The church and the nearby well has attracted pilgrimages by people over the centuries, particularly from young lovers seeking assurances of their future lives together.

The water of the well was said to be the home for a magical and sacred fish (or eel) whose behaviour and movement predicted the future for young lovers. Questions were asked of the fish and the answers were determined by the direction in which it moved. Women would test the faithfulness of their husbands by sprinkling breadcrumbs into the water and then placing a handkerchief on the surface. The husband would be deemed faithful if the fish disturbed the surface.

Recent years have seen an increase amongst Welsh people in the celebrating of St. Dwynwen's Day by exchanging cards and gifts such as lovespoons. Special events such as parties and concerts are also held on the 25th of January to signify a greater popularity of celebrating St. Dwynwen's Day amongst the Welsh