Monday, February 17, 2014

Thank You...


It's still awards season in the blog world.  I suppose it always is, as long as someone has been kind enough to pass along such treasures as the Semper Fidelis Award.  Thank you, Anabelle at Written by the Finger of God, for nominating The Breadbox Letters for this!

But alas.  It seems this blog does not technically qualify.  Intrigued by the words 'may you never howl alone,' I checked on the award, and from what I can tell it's for Word Press blogs.  Which The Breadbox Letters is not.  However, I hope no one minds if I slip a teeny picture of the award on this teeny post, along with a teeny bit of information about ... well, about never going it alone.

Semper Fidelis is Latin for always faithful.  Wolves are used to exemplify this (here) because they have strong links with their pack.  Put simply: they need one another.

A quick look at blogs listed under 'we have mail' on my sidebar will reveal a number of bloggers whose companionship I 'need.'   There is quite a variety.  Homeschoolers, crafters, prayer-sharers, apologists, priests, cooks, poets, nuns, grandparents, painters, photographers, and a few who cause their readers to laugh out loud.  Different ages, personalities, writing styles; yes, it's a remarkable mix.  But all have the same core goal.

Sainthood.  

'The most wonderful thing about the saints, after their dissimilarity, is their similarity, which is a golden chain binding them all together.  In the Calendar of saints we find all sorts and conditions of men: all trades and professions, from the tramp to the king, from the former wanton to the virgin, from the child to the centenarian.  Some particular vice, or tendency to vice, had to be overcome by nearly all of them.  But when all is said and done, the bedrock principle underlying each life is an intense, personal love of God, showing itself outwardly in sanctity of life, and in zeal to bring souls to Him.  To get to Heaven each of us must be a saint...

'The saint is one who makes Christ his Friend, Confidant and Companion; who walks arm-in-arm with Christ through life; who makes God's opinion his opinion, God's laws his laws, God's judgments his judgments, God's will his will...

'Is this easy?  By no means.  Try it for awhile, and see what daily, hourly repression of self it implies; what stabs of self-love and self-esteem, what patience and sweetness with others.'  (from Fervorinos From the Lips of the Master, compiled by a Religious, Pelligrini, Australia, 1940, pp. 339-341)

I thank God for the faithful bloggers who help me on the path to heaven.

And I thank God for the saints who have already made it Home.  They are the ones who inspire and pray for us as we continue to stumble along. 

If I were able to accept this award, I'd pass it on to some of my friends the saints.  I would link to their stories and their writings.  So thank you, Francis de Sales, Jane de Chantal, Margaret Mary, Faustina, Teresa of Avila, Paul of the Cross, Therese of Lisieux, John of the Cross, Bernard of Clairvaux, Francis of Assisi, the writers of the Gospels (and dear Sts. Peter and Paul), and all saints of Heaven.  Thank you for your prayer, your witness, and for the writings you have left us (and we all know you're the primary writers of this blog, so this one's definitely for you).   

I've only mentioned a handful of your number, but you are our Heavenly family.  You are our 'pack.' 

Thank you that we need not walk alone.

Painting:  James Sant, A Thorn amidst the Roses 1887

8 comments:

  1. Gosh! I love how you put these words together in this post, fitting it perfectly together to create a powerful image of the 'pack'.

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  2. And what a pack we have in heaven and here on earth! I am so grateful you are a part of the pack!! Your wonderful blogs and book and paintings you share uplift my days in myriad ways. God Bless you always! Here's to howling together....

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  3. We are so blessed to be part of this "pack", Nancy. Thank you for your beautiful words and linking us up with "a golden chain" to these saints! I unite my thanksgiving for this "pack" with yours!

    It's nice to have friends to "howl" with :)

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    1. Thank you ALL, Patty and Mary and "Mad Eyed Monk" (smile ;) )! Yes, indeed we are blessed to be part of this pack. Here's to howling together, indeed. God is gooOOOOOood! :)

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    2. Nice howl, Nancy :) Not sure I can beat that! Have a gooOOOOOOOOood night!

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  4. Thank you Holy Spirit for all you have done for us. Holy Spirit, you who solve thy problems, you who light all roads so that I may obtain my goals. You who give us the divine gift to forgive and forget all evils against us and in all instances of my life you are with me. I want in this short prayer to thank you for all things and to confirm once again that in spite of all material illusions, I wish to be with you in eternal glory, thank you for your mercy toward me and mine. Thank you also St. Joseph, your prayer seldom if ever fails.

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