The papaya wonder

I grew up on papaya and therefore have an eternal fondness for this fruit.  On researching its virtues, I was thrilled to learn the many health benefits it offers.  The knowledge has made me eternally grateful to my deceased parents for raising me on papayas.   

For those who are unfamiliar with papaya, let me quote the description provided by The George Mateljan Foundation (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=47): 

Deliciously sweet with musky undertones and a soft, butter-like consistency, it is no wonder the papaya was reputably called the "fruit of the angels" by Christopher Columbus. Once considered quite exotic, they can now be found in markets throughout the year. Although there is a slight seasonal peak in early summer and fall, papaya trees produce fruit year round.

Papayas are spherical or pear-shaped fruits that can be as long as 20 inches. The ones commonly found in the market usually average about 7 inches and weigh about one pound. Their flesh is a rich orange color with either yellow or pink hues. Inside the inner cavity of the fruit are black, round seeds encased in a gelatinous-like substance. Papaya's seeds are edible, although their peppery flavor is somewhat bitter. The fruit, as well as the other parts of the papaya tree, contain papain, an enzyme that helps digest proteins. This enzyme is especially concentrated in the fruit when it is unripe. Papain is extracted to make digestive enzyme dietary supplements and is also used as an ingredient in some chewing gums.

Papayas offer not only the luscious taste and sunlit color of the tropics, but are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients such as carotenes, vitamin C and flavonoids; the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; and the minerals, potassium and magnesium; and fiber. Together, these nutrients promote the health of the cardiovascular system and also provide protection against colon cancer. In addition, papaya contains the digestive enzyme, papain, which is used like bromelain, a similar enzyme found in pineapple, to treat sports injuries, other causes of trauma, and allergies.

According to the same source, papaya offers the following health benefits:

·    Heart disease protection

Papayas may be helpful for the prevention of are atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease.  Papayas are an excellent source of vitamin C as well as a good source of vitamin E and vitamin A (through their concentration of pro-vitamin A carotenoid phytonutrients), three very powerful antioxidants.

These nutrients help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. Only when cholesterol becomes oxidized is it able to stick to and build up in blood vessel walls, forming dangerous plaques that can eventually cause heart attacks or strokes. One way in which dietary vitamin E and vitamin C may exert this effect is through their suggested association with a compound called paraoxonase, an enzyme that inhibits LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol oxidation.

Papayas are also a good source of fiber, which has been shown to lower high cholesterol levels. The folic acid found in papayas is needed for the conversion of a substance called homocysteine into benign amino acids such as cysteine or methionine. If unconverted, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls and, if levels get too high, is considered a significant risk factor for a heart attack or stroke.

·    Digestive health

The nutrients in papaya have also been shown to be helpful in the prevention of colon cancer. Papaya's fiber is able to bind to cancer-causing toxins in the colon and keep them away from the healthy colon cells. In addition, papaya's folate, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E have each been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.

These nutrients provide synergistic protection for colon cells from free radical damage to their DNA. Increasing your intake of these nutrients by enjoying papaya is an especially good idea for individuals at risk of colon cancer.

·    Anti-inflammatory effects

Papaya contains several unique protein-digesting enzymes including papain and chymopapain. These enzymes have been shown to help lower inflammation and to improve healing from burns. In addition, the antioxidant nutrients found in papaya, including vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, are also very good at reducing inflammation. This may explain why people with diseases that are worsened by inflammation, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, find that the severity of their condition is reduced when they get more of these nutrients.

·    Immune support

Vitamin C and vitamin A, which is made in the body from the beta-carotene in papaya, are both needed for the proper function of a healthy immune system. Papaya may therefore be a healthy fruit choice for preventing such illnesses as recurrent ear infections, colds and flu.

·    Macular degeneration protection

Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily. In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants' consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss. While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease. Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but papaya can help you reach this goal. Add slices of fresh papaya to your morning cereal, lunch time yogurt or green salads. Cut a papaya in half and fill with cottage cheese, crab, shrimp or tuna salad. For an elegant meal, place slices of fresh papaya over any broiled fish.

·    Rheumatoid Arthritis protection

While one study suggests that high doses of supplemental vitamin C makes osteoarthritis, a type of degenerative arthritis that occurs with aging, worse in laboratory animals, another indicates that vitamin C-rich foods, such as papaya, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints.

The findings, presented in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases were drawn from a study of more than 20,000 subjects and focused on subjects who developed inflammatory polyarthritis and similar subjects who remained arthritis-free during the follow-up period. Subjects who consumed the lowest amounts of vitamin C-rich foods were more than three times more likely to develop arthritis than those who consumed the highest amounts.

·    Lung Health

If you or someone you love is a smoker, or if you are frequently exposed to secondhand smoke, then making vitamin A-rich foods, such as papaya, part of your healthy way of eating may save your life, suggests research conducted at Kansas State University.

While studying the relationship between vitamin A, lung inflammation, and emphysema, Richard Baybutt, associate professor of nutrition at Kansas State, made a surprising discovery: a common carcinogen in cigarette smoke, benzo(a)pyrene, induces vitamin A deficiency.

Baybutt's earlier research had shown that laboratory animals fed a vitamin A-deficient diet developed emphysema. His latest animal studies indicate that not only does the benzo(a)pyrene in cigarette smoke cause vitamin A deficiency, but that a diet rich in vitamin A can help counter this effect, thus greatly reducing emphysema.

Baybutt believes vitamin A's protective effects may help explain why some smokers do not develop emphysema. "There are a lot of people who live to be 90 years old and are smokers," he said. "Why? Probably because of their diet. The implications are that those who start smoking at an early age are more likely to become vitamin A deficient and develop complications associated with cancer and emphysema. And if they have a poor diet, forget it." If you or someone you love smokes, or if your work necessitates exposure to second hand smoke, protect yourself by making sure that at least one of the World's Healthiest Foods that are rich in vitamin A, such as papaya, is a daily part of your healthy way of eating.

I wish to thank The George Mateljan Foundation (http://www.whfoods.org/) for this awesome wealth of information.



Lost bag and a morning from hell

The day’s horoscope encouraged me to “Transform your life into an action movie with you as the star.”   It made me go…. Hmmmm. 

What happened that day was action-packed alright… that is, if you can consider chasing a bus as exciting activity.  You see, on the ride to the transfer station where I connect with the bus that drops me off my office, I left my carryall bag which contained my basic traveling essentials (umbrella, summer hat, Vitamin C supplements, cough drops plus the day’s brown bag for lunch).  I realized the missing bag half-way through the trip to work.  I’m the type who gets attached to my belongings and I know that if I didn’t do something to recover my stuff at that moment, my time at work would be… sheer hell.

So I hopped on the next train to return to my transfer station and stalked all the buses that took that morning route.  After two hours of looking like a desperate fool, I decided that it was time to go to the office.  I was very late for work as it was.  Fortunately, I had the good sense earlier to make a call to let someone know about what happened and to expect my tardy arrival.  I felt disappointed for the time wasted, but not defeated.  At least, I did the best I could to track the missing bag.

I called the Lost and Found section of the bus company and received the message that items lost that morning would be delivered to them after noon of the following day.  By then, my sandwiches would have already spoiled unless someone took the liberty of eating them.

The next day I called again and after what seemed like an eternity waiting for a live voice, I was told that the bag I described wasn’t turned in and I was advised to try again the following day.  It is now the third day since the bag was missing in action and I figured that if the bag hasn’t turned up yet, chances are, it never will.  A bus driver told me that they turn in the items left on their routes only if passengers who found those were honest enough to give them to the drivers.  If a passenger didn’t take an interest in my stuff, the driver would eventually find the bag on the seat where I had left it.

The moral lesson I gained from this episode:  When commuting via public transit, I must chain my belongings to my body.  It takes only a mere moment for attention to get diverted specially in the rushed commuting world.  Leaving anything on public transportation can take so much energy recovering it.  I’ve lost a pair of gold earrings on the bus before and what were the chances of getting them back?  Zero!  If the article is not of any monetary or sentimental value to me, the best action is to simply accept it as a lost cause and just chalk up the experience to the lack of human honesty.  These days, I, like everyone else, will be so very lucky to be the beneficiary of people’s kindness. 

Of colors and birthdays

I received this interesting e-mail, and after responding to a few questions, was I amazed!  My response analysis was right on target.  Whoever created this quiz is a genius!  Thank you!

If you have a moment, you might like to give it a shot. 

Meaning Of Color And Your Birthday

Don't cheat, if you are honest, this tells the truth. It's pretty good. Write your answers on a piece of paper, and NO cheating!! The answers are at the bottom. 

1.  Which is your favorite color out of: red , black , blue , green , or yellow?

2.  Your first initial?

3.  Your month of birth?

4.  Which color do you like more, black  or white?

5.  Name of a person of the same gender as yours.

6.  Your favorite number?

7.  Do you like Flying or Driving more?

8.  Do you like a lake or the ocean more?

9.  Write down a wish (a real one). When you're done, scroll down. (Don't cheat!)

 

  

Answers

1.  If you choose:

RED- You are alert and your life is full of love.
Black - You are conservative and aggressive. 
Green - Your soul is relaxed and you are laid back..  
Blue - You are spontaneous and love kisses and affection from the ones you love. Yellow - You are a very happy person and give good advice to those who are down.
2.  If your initial is:
A-K You have a lot of love and friendships in your life.
L-R You try to enjoy your life to the maximum & your love life is soon to blossom.
S-Z You like to help others and your future love life looks very good..

3.  If you were born in:
Jan-Mar: The year will go very well for you and you will discover that you fall in love with someone totally unexpected.
April-June: You will have a strong love relationship that will not last long but the memories will last forever.
July-Sept: You will have a great year and will experience a major life-changing experience for the good.
Oct-Dec: Your love life will not be great, but eventually you will find your soul mate.

4.  If you chose:
Black: Your life will take on a different direction, it will seem hard at the time but will be the best thing for you, and you will be glad for the change.
White: You will have a friend who completely confides in you and would do anything for you, but you may not realize it.

5. This person is your best friend.

6. This i s how many close friends you have in your lifetime.

7.  If you chose:
Flying: You like adventure.
Driving: You are a laid back person.

8.  If you chose:
Lake  : You are loyal to your friends and your lover and are very reserved.
Ocean: You are spontaneous and like to please people.

9. This wish will come true only if you send this to five people in one hour. Send it to ten people, and it will come true before your next birthday.

Prayers for those who are hitting financial rock bottom

These are extremely tough and trying economic times.  The gloomy views of growing unemployment, foreclosure signs and people setting up shop on strreet corners panhandling for their livelihood have succeeded in muralizing our tanking economy.

We may be living contented and happy lives in our comfort zones, but let’s not forget that there are many who aren’t as lucky.  Although we have a right to count life’s blessings, we also have the privilege of taking care of others through our spiritual assistance.

Below are prayers I found for those suffering from the burden of debts and financial hardship.  If our financial houses are solid, or we’re on our way to financial freedom, it gives us reason to pray for others who are swimming in the murky waters of helplessness.

We are blessed…. Let’s pray for the less fortunate others so that they may eventually enjoy the same blessing!

DEBT REMOVAL PRAYER

http://www.prayers-for-special-help.com/prayer-for-money.html

Lord, I confess I've made mistakes.
I have accumulated too much debt, and
now I can not imagine overcoming it
without your help.

Please Lord, I beg of you to intercede
on my behalf. Provide me with the financial
means to be able to breathe again.

Please forgive my sins, Lord. Walk with
me and help me to make the right decisions
throughout my life.
In your name I pray, Amen.

PRAYERS IN TIMES OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES

http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/financial-difficulties-prayers.html

(1)

Dear Lord,
Help me find firm ground in this shaky economy.
As I seek work and assistance,
Give me strength not to be anxious when I seem to be going nowhere;
Give me patience not to despair when things look bleak;
Give me serenity to know you are here with me, helping me to carry my crosses each day;
So that I may do Your will,
For the salvation of souls
And my Eternal Life.

(2)

Dear Lord,
In this time of uncertainty,
Be my rock in a world built on sand;
Be my oasis of grace and peace in a world of tension and turmoil;
Help me to carry my cross gracefully, as you did in Your Passion;
Help me to follow Your beam of light in the midst of this darkness;
Help me to see Your will in all things
And show others Your comfort and strength.

Keep me calm when tempers flare up;
Keep me sane in a crazy world;
Keep me focused on the houses in Heaven
rather than the houses of cards collapsing around me;
Keep my eyes focused on the prize of Heaven
and not lose hope in You in this world or in the world to come;
Make me compassionate in dealing with others;
Let me see my travails as carrying my cross and sharing in Your Passion, for the love of You and for the salvation of souls, including mine.
And may all my difficulties be ultimately for my good and Your glory. Amen.

Healing prayers for the people in our life

Being a Baby Boomer, I have had my share of depressing news about people in my life getting seriously ill, or worse, not beating death.

Not everyone is as lucky as my paternal grandpa who lived until 103 years old.  These days, people are prone to suffering from one kind of illness or another.  It's not fun for anyone who has been used to an active lifestyle!

Here are a couple of prayers I found that aid in the healing of those we love (http://www.prayers-for-special-help.com/Prayers-for-Healing.html).  Cheers to the power of prayers!

To Heal a Friend

Think, o God, of our friend who is ill,whom we now commend to Your compassionate regard.Comfort him upon his sickbed, and ease his suffering.We beg for deliverance, and submit that no healing is too hard for the Lord, if it be His will.

We therefore pray if it please You, that You bless our friend with Your loving care, renew his strength, and heal what ails him in Your loving name. Thank You, Lord.

Prayers for Healing a Loved One

All our times are in Thy hand.  All diseases come at Thy call, and go at Thy bidding.  Thou redeemest our life from destruction, and crownest us with loving kindness and tender mercies.  We bless Thee, that Thou hast heard prayer, and commanded deliverances for our friend and Thy servant, who has been under Thine afflicting hand.  He (or she) was brought low, but Thou hast helped him (her).  May he (she) not only live, but declare the works of the Lord!

As Thou hast delivered his eyes from tears, his feet from falling, and his soul from death, may he daily inquire:  What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me, and resolve to offer unto Thee the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and to call upon the name of the Lord.  May we ever remember that recovery is only a reprieve and that some day we will go to our rest in the Lord.  May we therefore secure the righteous path and live with eternity ever in our view.

Prayers for stroke victims

There might have been people in our lives who have succumbed to a stroke in the past.  We don’t need to feel helpless anymore because there is something we can do to alleviate their suffering.  Prayers! 

For our friends and family who could use our spiritual assistance, below is a prayer I found in http://www.beliefnet.com/Prayers/Multifaith/Illness/Prayer-For-Strength-After-A-Stroke.aspx.

Prayer for Strength After a Stroke

Have mercy, O loving God,
upon all who have suffered a stroke.
Remove the sudden fear that befalls them.
Endow them with courage in the struggle
to recover what has been lost.
Grant them strength and hope
to envision new days ahead
and a spirit of faith
to take the risk of living fully
once again.  Amen.

Prayer to St. Andrew Avellino - Patron for Stroke Victims (http://www.prayerflowers.com/prayergarden/index.php?topic=41.0)

St. Andrew we ask your intercession upon (name),

please pray that he/she heals quickly...his/her movements,

speech and that the doctors give him/her

the best medical care he/she can receive.

Flying Un-Super Girl

In the course of my surfing the Internet a couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon some interesting “levitated” self-taken snapshots of a photographer in Tokyo, Japan.  Her name is Natsumi Hayashi and a picture-of-the-day is found on her website www.yowayowacamera.com.  In all the photos, she seems to defy gravity by floating on air. 

This photographer makes use of backlight instead of direct light and collaborates with the human subjects if she’s doing a crowd shot.  Although the levitations look effortlessly easy, according to Hayashi, “Sometimes I need to jump more than 300 times to get the perfect shot.”  Talk of devotion to perfection!

Below are samples of her "flying episodes."  For more interesting photos, please visit her blog site www.yowayowacamera.com.  Enjoy the view…

photo credits: Natsumi Hayashi/ yowayowacamera.com

Customer (dis)service

I haven’t been mad in a while.  One day last week, I found a good excuse to get upset.  My movie rental company sent me Volume 4 of a four-volume TV series.  The problem was I didn’t get Volume 3 yet.  To add salt to the wound, Volume 2 was received before Volume 1 the week before!  Was the movie rental company suffering from service dyslexia or what!

I did what I try never to do.  Pick up the telephone and let them have it. I expected a series of rings and a long wait.  Fortunately, that didn’t happen.  Mike, who took my call was very polite, very cool and seemingly unperturbable.

He said:  “I can’t believe that happened.  Your queue must have listed Volume 4 before Volume 3 and that’s why you got Volume 4 first.”  Hmmm… the guy was obviously loyal to his employer and he showed it!

I said:  “No.  I always check my queue to make sure that everything’s right.  A mistake was made at your shipping end and I find it unacceptable.  Last week, I received Volume 2 before I could watch Volume 1.  Now I get the final episodes before I’ve watched what happened before.  It’s totally unacceptable!”  I silently wished that Mike could envision a female version of Donald Trump at the other end of the line… only with a better hairstyle.

The telephone contact ended with Mike repeatedly apologizing for the incident and giving the assurance that Volume 3 would be shipped out right away.  He made my day and made me wish that Customer Service Representatives in every company would have his customer-driven attitude and sound the way he did.  Unfortunately, most of the time customers get in contact with so-called “Customer Care” people who sound like they really would much rather be doing something else!

To company managers, even CEO’s:  Call your company once in a while to check on your Customer Service staff.  If you’re lucky, you might hear a smiling voice accompanied by a "I'm-genuinely-here-to-assist-you" kind of attitude.  If not, you just might get a rather rude awakening!

Prayers for healing

How often do we hear news that someone we know or a member of our family has fallen off the good health bandwagon?  We feel sad and wish that there’s something we could do to make them feel better.

More often than not, it is ourselves who fall ill.  We might feel too weak to ask for Divine assistance or might not find the words to send up for help.  For the prayer-stumped, or those who can't find the appropriate words to say, perhaps the following short prayers for personal healing (http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?s=19) can help.

PRAYERS FOR HEALING

(1)

Jesus, Master Physician of all times, Your Divinity did not require a Ph.D. Eagerly, You resurrected the dead, Restoring the health of the sick. Be it physical or spiritual torment, None were a great obstacle to You: For Your loving power is omnipotent. I ask for Your abounding healing love; Maintain my body and soul vigorous So I may fulfill my daily functions. The world will be conquered by You, All afflictions will be dissipated!

(2)

O God who are the only source of health and healing, the spirit of calm and the central peace of this universe, grant to me such a consciousness of your indwelling and surrounding presence that I may permit you to give me health and strength and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(3)

Lord, look upon me with eyes of mercy, may your healing hand rest upon me, may your lifegiving powers flow into every cell of my body and into the depths of my soul, cleansing, purifying, restoring me to wholeness and strength for service in your Kingdom. Amen.

(4)

Lord, You invite all who are burdened to come to you. Allow Your healing Hand to heal me. Touch my soul with Your compassion for others; touch my heart with Your courage and infinite Love for all; touch my mind with Your Wisdom, and may my mouth always proclaim Your praise. Teach me to reach out to You in all my needs, and help me to lead others to You by my example.
Most loving Heart of Jesus, bring me health in body and spirit that I may serve You with all my strength. Touch gently this life which you have created, now and forever.
Amen.

E-Mail quarantine

E-mails never cease to amaze me.  Every day when I check my cyber accounts, I find a variety of messages not only from family and friends.  Nowadays I have to deal with a nonstop flow of absolute nonsense bordering on… you guessed it right… SCAM.

It’s funny because complete strangers have sent me marriage proposals, inheritance notices, investment propositions and job offers.  Lesbians have e-mailed me for connections, stating that I was “the one” they’re looking for.  It’s all so flattering except for the fact that they have no idea what I look like nor do they know my gender preference.  At any rate, they’re barking up the wrong tree!

This sad situation brings me to the possible conclusion that the world is populated by too many lonely, desperate and inconsiderate people.  Worse, there seems to be an abundance of those whose full-time preoccupation is to propagate a scam, steal people’s identities and make money off innocent folks.

Spam e-mail is a vicious activity that I find very frustrating.  It succeeds only in littering people’s e-mail accounts, spreading trash in the electronic universe and contributing to cyber clutter.  Don’t people have anything better to do?  Are we so desperately unproductive as to stoop that low?

My “Do unto others” mindset is that I don’t do it to anyone so why is it being done to me?  I have enough clutter in my life to get rid off.  I don’t need all that cyber garbage to perpetually stress over!  The simple thing to do is to let the e-mail system filter out the trash, right?

Let me tell you something.  Many times in the past, I found legitimate e-mail messages in my Spam and Junk folders.  Fortunately, I fell into the habit of sifting through the garbage just in case.  Well, my proactive approach paid dividends because many times I found messages from long-time friends, schoolmates and long ago work associates sitting in that area!  Thank You, Jesus!

My BFF Josie once shared her disappointment when a former high school classmate never responded to her e-mail.  I told her that perhaps the message found its way into the “Thou Shalt Not Read”… I mean, junk... folder.  The woman the message was sent to was once a classmate of mine too and I couldn’t believe that she would ignore a message from an old friend. She is a school teacher which made the “hello-how-are-you” message oversight simply unbelievable.

My advice to everyone is to not totally ignore the spam quarantine of your cyber mailbox.  Who knows, there just might be a lovely surprise waiting to be found!

Browsing the future

Not too long ago, I posted “Reaping the havest”, not really expecting to get any feedback.  Was I pleasantly surprised when my brother sent me an e-mail informing me how the piece touched his core.  The story was a work of fiction, but it left a beautiful lesson that self sacrifice can bring an unexpected bountiful reward

When I started blogging right after Thanksgiving 2010, my primary purpose was (1) to share with my invisible audience my thoughts, idiosyncracies and ideas; and (2) to, hopefully, touch a nerve.  I figured that if I could move even one mind or, better yet, uplift a single spirit, my job was absolutely done!

In my blogging posts, I’ve always tried to maintain a positive energy (except when sharing news of a real life tragedy), trying my very best to stay away from the muddy waters of negativity.  Many years from now, I’d like to be able to look back and pat myself on the back for taking the high road.  The unfortunate truth is that there are many people out there who thrive on saying the ugliest of things and painting the darkest of pictures instead of taking the opportunity to sow seeds of optimism and kindness.

We have been blessed with the advantages of the world wide web to use for common goodness, not destruction.  The very sad reality is that many apparently disturbed minds utilize the power of the Internet to wreck havoc, even evil, wasting a precious opportunity to spread goodwill.  Perhaps it’s due to the absence of a God in their lives, and if that’s the case, we should lift them up in our prayers. 

If today is the last day of our life, and we have this final chance to leave a lasting impression, what would it be? 

Freeze that thought.

Appreciating the Fourth

Today is America’s Independence Day which, according to Wikipedia, is the 185^th day in the Gregorian calendar, the 186^th in leap years.  If you do the math, there are only 180 days remaining until we say, “Hello, 2012!”

Independence from what?  The Kingdom of Great Britain.  The Thirteen Colonies (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Providence, South Carolina and Virginia) declared their independence during the American Revolution and formed the United States of America. 

If those colonies didn’t do what they did, today’s citizens will still be British subjects paying allegiance to the Queen of England.  In addition, we’ll be speaking with an English accent!  What a lovely thought.

The Fourth of July is a national day and federal holiday in the United States because it commemorates the July 4, 1776 adoption of the Declaration of Independence.  Postal workers get to take a break from delivering mail and Corporate America takes a day off from the work grind to enjoy time with family and friends.

Americans celebrate this occasion big-time with ceremonies, parades, fireworks, picnics, barbecues, baseball games and family reunions.  Supermarkets are busy before this day as people buy choice cuts of meat to cook on the grill.  Fireworks are banned in many places, but that doesn’t stop folks who would like to celebrate with a bang.

Where I live, the weather forecast is extremely warm.  It augurs well for all kinds of outdoor celebrations.  I won’t go overboard expressing my holiday appreciation, but in my heart I’ll simply rejoice for what America means to me.

Thank you, Uncle Sam... and God bless America!



Sweet surrender

Was it my favorite therapist, Dr. Oprah Winfrey, or the Prosperity Minister (Joel Osteen) who taught me to surrender each challenge and every despair into the Hands of the Almighty Father?  From either one or both I learned that when burdens get too heavy to bear, the best way to confront the problem is to surrender the load to the Good Lord.

During the most painful phase in my life, I did just that.  Look where I am now!

Below is a prayer for people who want their Invisible Friend and Father to carry their unbearable hardships (http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/Abandonment.htm).

Prayer of Abandonment

Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures -
I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.

Charles de Foucauld



 

A Short Prayer

Lord help me

to remember
that nothing

is going to happen
to me today that You and I
together can't handle.

Amen.

Praying for a job

My friend who got laid off in 2009 hasn’t been lucky in finding employment.  I was in the same boat for two years seven years ago and I absolutely feel her pain.  There is nothing more depressing than not getting a regular paycheck and there are bills to pay.

If you are among humanity's unemployed, please keep the faith that someday soon you will be getting up in the morning to go to work.  If you remember to daily manifest yourself in that situation, it will become your exciting reality! 

Below is a Catholic prayer I found for people looking for jobs.
It might help to expedite your back-to-work journey.  Good luck and God’s blessings!



 A Prayer For Employment

God, our Father, I turn to you seeking your divine help and guidance as I look for suitable employment.

I need your wisdom to guide my footsteps along the right path, and to lead me to find the proper things to say and do in this quest. I wish to use the gifts and talents you have given me, but I need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment.

Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search, but rather grant me this favor I seek so that I may return to you with praise and thanksgiving for your gracious assistance.

Grant this through Christ, our Lord. 

Amen.

Hot and bothered

It is electric fan season in my house.

It would be awesome to have airconditioning relieve my body of Mother Nature’s heat, but when I ponder on the power consumption savings, the sheer thought cools me down.

Every year at this time my neighbors’ airconditioning units are humming with the birds.  Not this year, I’m afraid.  My neigbors aren’t just scrimping on the power usage, but perhaps being considerate of the global warming effects in our world.  Just thinking of the recent catastrophes in some places make me thankful that my home didn’t come with central airconditioning.  Not only have I saved on energy bills, but I feel proud that in my own little way, I am doing what I can for the Global Warming Guru’s (Al Gore’s) cause.

Come to think of it, fresh air is better than the cool breeze that comes out of a metal box.  The refreshing air from Mother Nature doesn’t come with chemical fluids that aren’t good for the human body.

Sure, the summer heat could cramp one’s style, but sweat coming out of the pores of the skin can be cleansing.  I don’t mind fanning myself when I feel the heat.  In fact, the act of fanning can be refreshing… both physically and mentally.  Not only is the hot and bothered body being relieved, the mental clutter in our head gets dissipated.  In Asian countries, women spend money on exotic-designed wooden fans as though they were a fashion accessory.  Then learning to open the fan with grace is in itself an art.  

However we prefer to spend handling the heat is anyone’s game.  Go around half-naked if you wish… spritz water on your face… carry a portable electric fan to cool your body… carry around pints of water to quench your thirst…stand a la Marilyn Monroe over a sprinkler… lay spread-eagled on the lawn.  It doesn’t matter.  Pretty soon the cold weather will be here and summer days will become a faint and distant memory.

For now, enjoy the summer.  Go outdoors and commune with Mother Nature.  Walk as though you're noticing the view for the first time.  Pause to smell a rose.  Try to find a butterfly.  Give a tree a hug.  Chirp with the birds.  Look up and say “Thank You” to the skies.  Chase a squirrel.  Outrun your dog.  Jog around the block and show off your spandex.  Bike some miles and be grateful for strong legs.

Chances are, the coming low temperatures will make you wish that the sunny sun came to stay.