Posts

Feeling Gloomy? (OGW, PODCAST, 052)

Do you ever feeling like you are living in a vacuum, where you are “walking in darkness” and gloom is casting a shadow over you? In today’s podcast I talk about Chapter 8-9 in the Old Testament Book of Isaiah which describes what happens to all of that darkness and gloom with the appearance of Jesus Christ. I hope you will visit me at janetcassidy.blubrry.net for a little encouragement.    Don’t forget to subscribe and share with a friend! Have a blessed day in God’s Word! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidy.blubrry.net

My 10 Year Plan: Writing Goals + Make the World Less Scary

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An important exercise that I have engaged in since I was in college was to sit for a few minutes with a cup of coffee and my journal, and make a 5 Year Plan.  I have specifically prayed about where exactly I hope to be in 10 years. At that time, in 2030, I will have two children in college, 5 kids at home, three will be teenagers and two will be pre-teens.  My mind is sorta blown when I think about that, but also, I have a lot of good hopes and good plans for my future. There is no question in my mind that my calling in life is to be a writer.  It is my passion. When I go to a bookstore and grab a cup of coffee, browsing and getting ideas and a pulse of the zeitgeist is possibly my favorite activity.  I come alive, time moves swiftly, and I have a million ideas of what I want to read and write next. My hope is to get a regular writing gig, hopefully with an online Catholic publication, write a nonfiction book and get it published, write a book of poetry, write a children's book

Unthinkable

In continuing in the same vein that I have written about over the last few days, I want to bring something else to your attention. In the latest edition of Columbia (January, 2020), the magazine put out by the Knights of Columbus, there is an editorial by Alton J. Pelowski (the editor of Columbia) about abortion.   A few lines in particular, in his editorial, stuck out for me. He said: “In the end, the heart of the abortion debate is deeper than a question of science (when life begins) or of law (a so-called right to abortion).   Rather, it is a question about the very nature of freedom, sexuality and what it means to be human.   An adequate response requires the proclamation of the Gospel of Life in word and deed . . . There is no greater just cause than building an authentic culture of life—and even when Roe is eventually overturned, our work will have only just begun.” Fascinating!   What a wonderful reminder that we must be careful not to have a limited view

Protect Others

Recently I wrote about my silly experience with Hulu and the need to protect ourselves from new age spiritualities that promise us an easy path to heaven. Well today I want to talk about the dignity of human life and our need to protect it at all costs. It is encouraging to see so many activities surrounding the big March for Life in Washington, D. C. on the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.   As I was looking over the schedule, it occurred to me that it stretches out for days.   This is significant because our concern about every human life should expand beyond just one day. And beyond abortion as well. I just finished a book by Samantha Power, a former United States Ambassador to the United Nations ( The Education of an Idealist.) It was a pretty hefty book—556 pages—and required a marathon reading session to complete it before it was due back to the library where it surely had a long waiting list. I mention it because when Power was young, she traveled the world

Avoiding People

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Protect Yourself

I swear I am really not stupid, but this is not evidenced by what happened recently. One of our daughters got me a firetv stick for Christmas, which gives us access to Hulu.   The other evening, as my husband and I sat down to resume a movie we had been watching on it, we couldn’t find it.   So we began searching. Not being super familiar with Hulu, it took a little exploring.   We couldn’t exactly remember the name of the movie we had been watching, so I started searching for movies that had some of the same words in the title. We came across one, but when we clicked on it, we discovered it was not the same movie.   In the process, I clicked on a little box right next to the movie box that asked if I wanted to watch it on Hulu Live TV.   Well, sure, I guess that must be where it was. Nope.   But here’s where it gets interesting.   I swear, I even pinky swear, with my husband as my witness, I never clicked on anything that accepted a subscription to Live TV.   I don’

'For those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.' Sunday Reflections, 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

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Neubrandenburg Caspar David Friedrich [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Mathew 4:12-23 [or 12-17] ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee.  He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,  so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,      on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness      have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death      light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ [As he walked by t

Why We Protect the Unborn: My Personal Story

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I am so glad that I was born prior to the Roe vs. Wade decision that made the right to abortion the law of the land. You see, I was born with severe clubbed feet. At birth, the doctors and nurses offered my mother their condolences, as they all thought I would never walk. They perceived me to be a burden to my parents. Had I been born a generation later, the doctors would have seen my deformity  in utero , and the option to abort would have been available to my mother. I am living proof as to why we should protect the unborn! Why We Should Protect the Unborn Had my mother aborted me, then I would not have been able to: Grow to my full potential Fall in love with my husband of the past 40 years Earn three degrees (BS in Management, MBA in Finance and a MA in Pastoral Theology) Become an adjunct professor, shaping minds for the future Become an author of a children’s book that teaches children the value of patience Share my talents with others Bring souls to Christ via th