International Day of Blasphemy

Yes, you read the title right. Today is the first International Day of Blasphemy, complete with art exhibits and a contest.

How far will people push God?

I was able to find Prayers of Reparation for Blasphemy, that I thought I would share with you all. I encourage you to pray them, as well as pray for the conversion and repentance of all those who are involved with this.


Golden Arrow

May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most mysterious and unutterable Name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in heaven on earth and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ in the most Holy Sacrament of the altar.
Imprimatur - T. J. Toolen, Archbishop of Mobile-Birm

Praise to the Holy Name of Jesus

May the Holy Name of Jesus be infinitely blessed!
May the Holy Name of Jesus be infinitely blessed!
May the Holy Name of Jesus be infinitely blessed!
May the Holy Name of Jesus be infinitely blessed!
May the Holy Name of Jesus be infinitely blessed!


Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy throne of mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to Thee.

The more Thy mysteries are blasphemed, the more firmly we shall believe them, O Sacred Heart of Jesus!

The more impiety endeavors to extinguish our hope of immortality, the more we shall trust in Thy Heart, sole Hope of mankind!

The more hearts resist Thy Divine attractions, the more we shall love Thee, O infinitely amiable Heart of Jesus!

The more unbelief attacks Thy Divinity, the more humbly and profoundly we shall adore It, O Divine Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy holy laws are transgressed and ignored, the more we shall delight to observe them, O most holy Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy Sacraments are despised and abandoned, the more frequently we shall receive them with love and reverence, O most generous Heart of Jesus!

The more the imitation of Thy virtues is neglected and forgotten, the more we shall endeavor to practice them, O Heart, model of every virtue!

The more the devil labors to destroy souls, the more we shall be inflamed with desire to save them, O Heart of Jesus, zealous Lover of souls!

The more sin and impurity destroy the image of God in man, the more we shall try by purity of life to be a living temple of the Holy Spirit, O Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy Holy Church is despised, the more we shall endeavor to be her faithful children, O Sweet Heart of Jesus!

The more Thy Vicar on earth is persecuted, the more will we honor him as the infallible head of Thy Holy Church, show our fidelity and pray for him, O kingly Heart of Jesus!

O Sacred Heart, through Thy powerful grace, may we become Thy apostles in the midst of a corrupted world, and be Thy crown in the kingdom of Heaven. Amen.

Nihil Obstat - John J. Clifford, S.J. Censor Liborum
Imprimatur - + Samuel A. Stritch, December 17, 1943 Archbishop of Chicago.

September 29th

Today I am leaving Avallone for Alqualonde where I shall be staying for a year to advance in my studies and learn more of the history of Middle Earth. I shall miss my family, but they have promised to visit often. And I am sure my dear friends will not allow me to be lonely too often!

This last week has been quite a lovely one, and I shall remember it for a while. Before I leave for Alqualonde, I shall finish it off with a picnic. Today is the day that Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond and Galdriel left Middle Earth for Valinor. We shall be meeting with Elrond and Galadriel (how exciting!) for a little feast in celebration.

It is a bit of a bittersweet day, happy for me, because that is when I met them all, a bit sad for them, because they left many good friends behind. I have planned a song for our event, which I think fits well for all of us as we continue on.

Namarie!

September 28th

My friends and I all came up with captions for the paintings I mentioned a few entries ago. I picked my favorites from among my friend's suggestions, and then wrote down some of my own. Enjoy!



Mine: Sam: You can keep standing there forever, the door is NEVER going to move.

Anonymous: Frodo: They closed the shoe store. Sam: So much for new shoes.



Mine: These gates are off limit's to enemies of Sauron? I'm terribly sorry, I didn't know. If I see one I shall inform you immediately.

Remmirath: *shakes head* I can't believe Sauron sent his Orcs in first, Trolls are SUCH a better idea!!


Mine: Pippin: Oh say can you seee.....
Merry: Er, well, I think I can.

Anonymous: Pippin: "How many time do I have to say it. If you can't even see the back of my head then you really do need glasses."


Mine: Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf watch with thinly veiled frustration as Merry attempts to do the YMCA, again.

Anonymous: Aragorn with a fake smile clenched on his face: 'I wish Legolas would take off his elf pajamas!'


Mine: Gandalf experiences mixed emotions as he realizes that it's not a Balrog following them, it's the cab driver he "neglected" to tip in Hollin.

Remmirath: Gandalf: Would you look at that!! Fireworks are just as pretty in Moria as they are in the Shire
Pippin: I think Gandalf's finally lost it!! That is definitely a Balrog!!


Mine: A wedding, I love weddings! Drinks all around!

Yaviel: I just found the perfect match for Frodo!

September 26th

Today Frodo, Sam, Legolas, Gimli and I went out on a lovely sail on my little ship. We crossed the Bay of Eldamar to Alqualonde on Valinor. I know my mother worries sometimes that I don't have many friends of my own age amoung the elves, but I just love hearing about the War of the Ring! The adventures they all had! They are all so brave. And thankfully they all have good memories and can tell me all about it. Sometimes it is as if I am really there.

Anyhow, we had a lovely time walking around Alqualonde and then climbing the hills outside the city. As usual, my friends made me sing a song for them. I don't mind, I enjoy singing. Today I sang a song called "Going Home", it makes me think of the War of the Ring.

September 25th

Today I was searching through the documents in the library when I came across two beautiful prayers. The manuscript was old and faded, but and though I could not see who they were written by, I could see that a person named Tolkien translated them into elvish. It's is very odd... here they are below.

Átaremma

Átaremma i ëa han ëa · Our father who art in heaven, na airë esselyana aire esselya · hallowed be thy name, aranielya na tuluva · thy kingdom come, na carë indómelya cemendë tambë Erumandë : thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven ámen anta síra ilaurëa massamma · Give us this day our daily bread, ar ámen apsenë úcaremmar sív' emmë apsenet tien i úcarer emmen. and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Álamë tulya úsahtienna mal ámë etelehta ulcullo : And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

násië - Amen.

Aia María

Aia María quanta Eruanno
Hail Mary full of grace,
i Héru as elyë
the Lord is with thee.
aistana elyë imíca nísi
Blessed art thou among women
ar aistana i yávë mónalyo Yésus
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Airë María Eruo ontaril
Holy Mary mother of God,
á hyamë rámen úcarindor
pray for us sinners
sí ar lúmessë ya firuvammë
now and in the hour of our death.
násië
Amen.

September 24th

As part of my studies, I am reading about the history of the elves in the Encyclopedia of Arda. Today my studies are on the Teleri, to whom I belong. I have copied down part of the selection in my journal, as a handwriting exercise. I will have perfect handwriting that Gandalf can't critique!

A name for the Teleri, the third of the three clans of the Elves that made the Great Journey from Cuiviénen. This clan of the Elves was 'third' in that it was the last of the three to set out on the Journey. This tardiness was no doubt in part due to the size of the clan: it had a far greater populace than either the Vanyar or the Noldor, and it took two lords, the brothers Elwë and Olwë, to organise its people.

As well as being slower on the road than the other clans, groups of the Teleri fell away from the main Journey more than once. This happened most famously in the area later known as the Vales of Anduin, where an Elf named Lenwë led away a great part of the clan to found the people known as the Nandor.

The people of the Third Clan travelled so slowly that by the time they had crossed Beleriand and reached its western coasts, the Vanyar and the Noldor had already gone ahead across the Great Sea. While his people waited in Middle-earth, Elwë became lost, and many of his people set about searching for him. Others became pupils of the Maia Ossë, and decided to settle on the coasts of Beleriand. So, when Ulmo returned across the Great Sea years later to transport the Teleri to Aman, many of them remained behind. Most important of these were the followers of Elwë, the people who would become known as the Sindar.

Meanwhile the remainder of the Third Clan - a far smaller group than had originally set out from Cuiviénen - remained for a long time on the Isle of Eressëa in the Bay of Eldamar. They were taught ship-building by Ossë, and led by Olwë they sailed across the Bay to reach the shores of Aman at last.

September 23rd

Today I was looking through the paintings that Frodo and Legolas have done of their adventure during the War of the Ring. Who knew that two so skilled with a blade could also be so skilled with a brush! We were laughing over some of them and decided to come up with captions. I am copying the paintings here, so that anyone who reads my journal sometime in the future can come up captions of their own!

(In other words, leave your captions in the comment box! I'll post the best/favorite at the end of the week.)

All photos from http://www.moraya.net/lotr/main.php

Aur Onned Meren Bilbo and Frodo!

The celebration was wonderful! We had a wonderfully huge birthday cake and many delicious dishes to go with it. Quite naturally, Bilbo recited his speech, which I have copied down here in my book.



My dear people,
My dear Bagginses and Boffins, and my dear Tooks and Brandybucks, and Grubbs, and Chubbs, and Burowses, and Hornblowers, and Blogers, Bracegirdles, Goodbodies, Brockhouses and Proudfoots! Also my good Sackville-Bagginses that I welcome back at last to Bag End. Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday: I am eleventy-one today! I hope you are all enjoying yourselves as much as I am.
I shall not keep you for long. I have called you all together for a Purpose. Indeed, for Three Purposes! First of all, to tell you that I am immensely fond of you all, and that eleventy-one years is too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits. I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve!
Secondly, to celebrate my birthday. I should say: OUR birthday. For it is, of course, also the birthday of my heir and nephew, Frodo! He comes of age and into his inheritence today. Together we score one hundred and fourty-four. Your numbers were chosen to fit this remarkable total: One Gross, if I may use the expression.
It is also, if I may be allowed to refer to ancient history, the anniversary of my arrival by barrel at Esgaroth on the Long Lake; though the fact that it was my birthday slipped my memory on that occasion. I was only fifty-one then, and birthdays did not seem so important. The banquet was very splendid, however, though I had a bad cold at the time, I remember, and could only say "thag you very buch". I now repeat it more correctly" Thank you very much for coming to my little party".
Thirdly and finally, I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT. I regret to announce that - though, as I said, eleventy-one years is far too short a time to spend among you - this is the END. I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOOD-BYE!

And would you know it, Bilbo actually disappeared! He showed up later on, but he wouldn't breathe a word as to how he did it. Gandalf doesn't look a bit concerned by the whole matter, so I suspect he was in on it. Ah well, I shall get it out of one or the both of them someday.

September 22nd

My father recently gave me this journal to write down my thoughts and record what my friends tell me of the War of the Ring. I believe I shall start by introducing myself.

Silmarien eneth nin. My name is Silmarien. I am an elven princess. My mother's kin are the Teleri, of those who never left the Undying Lands. My father however, is one of the Sindar, returned to Tol Eressea from living in The Greenwood. I have never seen Middle Earth, but I have heard much about it and the War of the Ring from both my father, as well as my friends who were there and took part in it. I am quite lucky to have such honored friends!

There is Gandalf, the Wizard


Frodo, the Ringbearer


Samwise Gamgee, also a Ringbearer

Legolas Greenleaf
Gimli the Dwarf


and dear old "Uncle" Bilbo, as he is referred to by all of us.


In fact, it is Bilbo's birthday today, and Frodo's as well. I must leave now for the little celebration that we are holding for them. Now doubt Bilbo will recite his speech for us. He'd disappear too, if he could.

Frodo also has another reason to celebrate today, today is the day that Sam sailed from Middle-Earth several years ago to come to Valinor. I think Sam misses his wife Rosie sometimes, but he is happy here, as are we all.

I am glad those portraits I painted of my friends turned out - those Manwe knows how hard it was to get certain people to sit still long enough!

But here I go rambling, and this only my first entry! I really must stop now, if I'm to make it to the celebration in time. Be assured, I shall fill you in on all the details later!

Namarie!

LOTR Blog Week Banners

I made a few banners for the week, and thought i would share them with you. Enjoy!

Announcing the First Ever Lord of the Rings Blog Week!

Attention all Elves, Dwarves and Hobbits! Starting on September 22nd, we shall be hosting the first ever Lord of the Rings Blog Week!

Last year, Vicki , Lizzy/Hannah, and myself came up with the idea (due to being very into Pirates of the Caribbean at the time) to have a Pirate blog week to commemorate the five year anniversary of Pirates of the Caribbean coming to theaters. This year we did the same thing, and while planning, decided it would be fun to do a Lord of the Rings Blog week to commemorate Frodo and Bilbo's birthday. (The 22nd).

So we would like to invite anyone who is a fan of The Lord of the Rings to join in!!! What it involves:

A) You give your blog a new look, which means changing the background, the colors, and title if you wish.

B) Every day do at least one post on something Tolkien-ish, such as last year we did caption contests, video clips of the movie, stories that we wrote, ect.

C) Last but not least, give your self a Lord of the Rings name! You may choose a character from the movies, or simply create your own LotR name.

If you are going to be participating, please leave a comment, with your name, to let me know and i'll put your name and a link on my sidebar when the time comes!

5 Quick Takes Saturday - Vol 19

~ 1 ~

I found this lovely article on Lily Maiden's blog and thought i would share it with you.

n 1984, a video called The Silent Scream helped change the way people think about the unborn child. The footage of an actual abortion and the fetus’s reaction reminded us that abortion involves the death of a real person.

A recent bit of footage has similar potential, only it couldn’t be more different from The Silent Scream.

The footage was part of a recent PBS special, The Music Instinct: Science & Song. The program was an exploration of, among other things, music’s “biological, emotional and psychological impact on humans.”

Part of this “exploration” included how music affects babies. If we are, as some scientists believe, “wired for music,” then babies are ideal test subjects since their reactions are, by definition, instinctual.

Part of this research involved the effect of music on fetuses. While we knew that mothers often sing to their unborn children, we weren’t sure that the unborn child could hear them.

We are now. Read the rest here.

~ 2 ~

While on the subject of music, i found this gorgeous version of Pachelbel's Canon on YouTube today, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. It's really something!




~ 3 ~

More music, this one sad news. Jon Schmidt won't be able to sell "Love Story meets Viva la Vida". Coldplay wouldn't give permission, so no song! Jon Schmidt did redo the song, so now it's just "Love Story meets Love Story". It's pretty good and i like it, though i still like Viva better.




~ 4 ~

This does not have to do with music; movies instead. Danny just started a blog for his film endeavor titled "A Crusader's Tale". It's looking pretty nice!

http://melstudio.blogspot.com/

~ 5 ~

In case you still haven't done this yet, go and vote for The Bible on the "What Would You Take With You" poll. You have until the 20th to vote and get everyone else you know to vote as well!

http://www.sonypictures.net/movies/2012/preservationlist/

Show those executives what you care about!

Many thanks to Elenatintil for bringing this to my attention!

Apparently to increase awareness and excitement for their new film "2012" - involving the end of the world - Sony is doing a poll titled "What Would You Take With You In 2012"?

Well, as far as books go, Twilight and Harry Potter outrank the BIBLE! Even The Lord of the Rings does. (But just barely.)

Something needs to be done about this. I ask you all to go right now and vote on that poll - putting The Bible as your first pick. No personal information is needed, so you have no excuse.

http://www.sonypictures.net/movies/2012/preservationlist/

A Lovely Night

The other evening, my family and i were wonderfully fortunate to be able to attend A CIVIL WAR BALL!!!! It was simply lovely - the weather was absolutely perfect and i was able to wear the skirt i'd been working on and finished that day. (Thank you Saint Ann!)

We got to the battlefield just in time for the candlelight tour, which was quite fascinating and informative. Because it was dark out, we were able to see just how far the flames can shoot out from a cannon. (If your wondering how far... at least 4 feet.)

The dance itself was just lovely. We met up with some friends, met new people and danced a lot! I realized later... this was the first dance (other than the Daddy-Daughter Ball) that i've ever been to! That was the first time i'd ever danced with a guy... and the first time a guy had ever asked me to dance! So what if there was only one guy that was anywhere close to my age. *cough* I danced with him twice. (Hee hee, and got to use my southern drawl - he was a Confederate.) All my partners were very nice. =)

The dances - period to the Civil War - were quite fun as well. I hope i'll be able to remember some of them and teach them to the homeschooling group. (We only know the Virginia Reel. =P )

We didn't take any pictures from the ball, (too dark. =P ) but here are some of my sisters and i and my outfit!

Our period no smiling photograph.

Me as a fainting southern belle. ;)

HOOPSKIRTS ROCK!

Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

Litany of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows

by Pope Pius VII

V. Lord, have mercy on us.
R. Christ, have mercy on us.
V. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
R. Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of the Crucified, [etc.]
Sorrowful Mother
Mournful Mother
Sighing Mother
Afflicted Mother
Foresaken Mother
Desolate Mother
Mother most sad
Mother set around with anguish
Mother overwhelmed by grief
Mother transfixed by a sword
Mother crucified in thy heart
Mother bereaved of thy Son
Sighing Dove
Mother of Dolors
Fount of tears
Sea of bitterness
Field of tribulation
Mass of suffering
Mirror of patience
Rock of constancy
Remedy in perplexity
Joy of the afflicted
Ark of the desolate
Refuge of the abandoned
Shiled of the oppressed
Conqueror of the incredulous
Solace of the wretched
Medicine of the sick
Help of the faint
Strength of the weak
Protectress of those who fight
Haven of the shipwrecked
Calmer of tempests
Companion of the sorrowful
Retreat of those who groan
Terror of the treacherous
Standard-bearer of the Martyrs
Treasure of the Faithful
Light of Confessors
Pearl of Virgins
Comfort of Widows
Joy of all Saints
Queen of thy Servants
Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled

V. Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

The Lord of the Rings Could Have Been Much Shorter...

9/11

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

What ever to do with intellectual four year olds?

Today, i should like to inform all older siblings of younger siblings who don't realize this yet, younger siblings can and will pick up and remember just about anything you do! That includes the movies you watch and the conversations you have. For example...



My four year old brother is a major Phantom of the Opera fan. Yes, he is 4!!!! He knows some of the words to the song "The Phantom of the Opera" (and can be occasionally heard singing "the phantom of the opera is there, inside your mind!"). Once when i was at home babysitting him, i asked him what movie he wanted to watch. To which he replied "Thomas! No, i want to watch the Phantom of the Opera!" Imagine, a little boy who would pass up Thomas the Tank Engine for the Phantom of the Opera. Oh dear.

Then today - prompted by my sister and i remarking over a PotO themed cake we saw yesterday at the Fair - he comes out with "I want a PotO cake for my birthday! I want the boat and the phantom and a paddle". Yaviel (the cake decorator in training) replied "Don't you think that is a bit much?" My bro's response "No it isn't! It's only three things!"

Later on in the conversation, he corrected Yaviel - who was in error - as to the correct number, shape and color of the Phantom's masks. He also informed us that he wanted to get a mirror.

"Why?" we asked.

Mr. Phantom of the Opera responded with... "So i can smash them when i'm angry!"

*cough*

He has now dubbed himself "The Phantom of the Opera", pointing to the PotO pictures on the screensaver saying "That's me!", and has decreed that we shall perform a play of the PotO, in which he shall star as the Phantom. (He already has found himself a costume.)

And so my dear readers who are older siblings who don't realize yet that their younger siblings can and will take in everything you do... consider yourself forewarned!

(But you do have to admit, it's terribly cute!)

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

Happy Birthday, Mamma Mary!

Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

With Love,