Our Lady of Guadalupe

On our way home  from the grocery store today we ran in to the  procession of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I am  Catholic but I did not know much about this part of our church. I had to look it up and was amazed about the history of this part.



Our Lady of Guadalupe
Mesoamerica, the New World, 1521: The capital city of the Aztec empire falls under the Spanish forces. Less than 20 years later, 9 million of the inhabitants of the land, who professed for centuries a polytheistic and human sacrificing religion, are converted to Christianity. What happened in those times that produced such an incredible and historically unprecedented conversion?

In 1531 a "Lady from Heaven" appeared to a humble Native American at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of what is now Mexico City.

She identified herself as the ever virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God for whom we live, of the Creator of all things, Lord of heaven and the earth.

She made a request for a church to be built on the site, and submitted her wish to the local Bishop. When the Bishop hesitated, and requested her for a sign, the Mother of God obeyed without delay or question to the Church's local Bishop, and sent her native messenger to the top of the hill in mid-December to gather an assortment of roses for the Bishop.

After complying to the Bishop's request for a sign, She also left for us an image of herself imprinted miraculously on the native's tilma, a poor quality cactus-cloth, which should have deteriorated in 20 years but shows no sign of decay 479 years later and still defies all scientific explanations of its origin.

It apparently even reflects in Her eyes what was in front of her in 1531.

Her message of love and compassion, and her universal promise of help and protection to all mankind, as well as the story of the apparitions, are described in the "Nican Mopohua", a 16th century document written in the native Nahuatl language.

There is reason to believe that at Tepeyac Mary came in her glorified body, and her actual physical hands rearranged the roses in Juan Diego’s tilma, which makes this apparition very special.

An incredible list of miracles, cures and interventions are attributed to Her. Yearly, between 18 - 20 million pilgrims visit the Basilica, making it Christianity's most visited sanctuary.

Altogether 25 popes have officially honored Our Lady of Guadalupe. His Holiness John Paul II visited her Sanctuary four times: on his first apostolic trip outside Rome as Pope in 1979, and again in 1990, 1999 and 2002.

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on December 12th. In 1999, Pope John Paul II, in his homily from the Solemn Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, during his third visit to the sanctuary, declared the date of December the 12th as a Liturgical Holy Day for the whole continent.

During the same visit Pope John Paul II entrusted the cause of life to her loving protection, and placed under her motherly care the innocent lives of children, especially those who are in danger of not being born.









2011 Sunday at home

I love cold rainy Sundays in December. Christmas music is playing and some of us watching football.  Then preparing an Italian dinner together. Garlic and basil in the air and fireplace going. What a relaxing day after a long and hard week.  


Chopping done!


2011 Wild Game Dinner

What a wonderful turn out. Thanks to every one.








2011 Wild Game Dinner

 Busy week in Graham Texas. We had the Christmas Parade and Stroll this past Thursday and tonight is the 9th annual Rotary Club of Graham's Wild Game Dinner. There is going to be a live auction, silent auction, raffle, games and  live entertainment. Do not to forget a all the  food!!!

2011 Parade

2011 Graham Christmas Parade


Just when you wonder why you live in a small town something happens and you know why. This Thursday was the Christmas Parade and it was just wonderful. I do believe that all of Graham and surrounding towns came to watch the parade and most of the stores were open and had snacks and wassell for the customers. Life is great in Graham Texas!!





                                                             Click here for GHS Band



  


2011 Thanksgiving

                                            Hope every one had a great Thanksgiving.

Famous Turkey made it again this year.



We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Love being with family. 

Bathroom Redesign

Before!!


Design on the walls

Painting


DONE!!!

Yea!!

2011 Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is almost here. Time to pull out the apron and start cooking. We are going to be a small group this year. My thought was to cut down on the cooking a bit. Whose favorite do you leave out? So here we go again; We are making it all!!! Leftovers until Christmas.

The day before we make the desserts.



Fruit salad  - done

German Cheesecake - done
 Snacks before dinner tonight. Then the Shish-kabobs.


LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE: Week before Thankgiving

LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE: Week before Thankgiving: Last week should have been an easy week for fun and relaxing. Well that did not work out as I thought. Just when you think every thin...

Week before Thankgiving




Last week should have been an easy week for fun and relaxing. Well that did not work out as I thought. Just when you think every thing is going to be easy....


                                                              
 Steve went goose hunting near Haskel Texas. Digging a hole to hide in and setting up decoy geese all around. Then in the early morning in cold weather waiting for the Geese to arrive and shoot them down. Sounds like a lot of work to me. Looking at the pictures I think every one had a good time.

My idea was to redo the bathroom while I have the time.Simple task I thought. Plan A did not workout. So I had yo go to plan B and that took twice as long. After two long days I was finally done.

So much for relaxing days.

Bathroom pictures coming soon.

Sausage Fest

What a day. Everything was great.


To go tent.


Bulk sale tent

Inside group picture



Outside group picture

Time to start cooking



Looking good!!



Almost there

Time to decorate. Everything looks beautiful.














New Hall

Setting up table and chairs that arrived just in time.









Meanwhile others chopping wood for the grills.