The work after Medjugorje

There has been much talk about Medjugorje lately, thankfully all positive. I have no doubt as to it's authenticity, because of how my life has been touched and dramatically changed by the events there. However, there is another side not often spoken about, the challenge of living the 'messages.' Going to Medjugorje in the first place involves many facets.
Bottom line I believe one inwardly just responds to the invitation by "Our Lady" and we categorize that invitation in many ways, curiosity, a friend talked you into it, one wants a spiritual/physical healing, chasing a miracle, a vacation, OK it's a pilgrimage. What ever the reason, it becomes evident, once that first step off the bus is taken. And it's not long before the little town of tears begins to flush out the real reason you're there.
Be it a joyful or real cathartic experience, upon returning home the real challenge of Medjugorje begins, living the messages. In my case the closer I try to get to Jesus, the greater the attacks can be. After, ( in my case several visits to Medjugorje and years later) I'm understanding the need for greater humility, greater prayer, greater rejection of worldly things, and it's not easy, in fact it can be like having a second full time job. If there is one level of satisfaction I've achieved, it was learning less is definitely more!
In the realm of other positive fallout from my experiences there, when you apply the messages in your daily life, and honestly try to live the message of agape, Our Lady is definitely there at your side. In fact, the whole heavenly court is there to assist you. I can't begin to account for the number of times I have received divine intervention whenever I have requested it. And it is about faith, total faith, that you are being heard up there.
One problem is, we are a want it now generation. While patience may be a virtue, it must become a part of us. Developing that patience habit has to be part of the holy work ethic we strive to obtain, because it takes time to truly understand how the Author of all we need works. When we surrender, and allow Jesus to do his will in us, then the fruits of Medjugorje really become evident. Making the investment of time, energy, and money to get there, will only show a return when we come home if one is willing to do the work of truly living the messages.

Deacon Toby Gaines

No coincience, part II
Call it irony that the week after SB777 is signed into effect in California fire devastates California. A sign of the times? Wrath of God?

It is no coincidence!
The talking chair is rocked off it's rocker at the speed at which the week after the Governor of California signs into effect SB777 which eliminates form the public school lexicon, "mom & dad, husband & wife, male & female" fire causes a million people to evacuate. Environmentalist are up in arms, houses and businesses destroyed, and Nero fiddles while Rome burns.
No one absolutely no one wants to hear God is angry.
As California goes, so goes the rest of the country. We have allowed the final defilement of the family, the core of existence by which God has said go therefore and make disciples. The core of existence by which God looks for holy people, the debasement of love thy neighbor. The crushing of family values and moral order. Disciples of the Anti-Christ are rising out of the ashes of the tragedy of this bill.
Have we become so callous to the divine will? All you have to do is watch Jay Leno interview the people on the street to see how tragic the commoner is, how far they have fallen into the morass of stupidity. They know nothing, much less the historical figure of Jesus. They can not read the paper much less the tea leaves or the signs of the times.
I'm torn apart at the ignorance and arrogance of our society that despises God in the public square. If we continue down this path, no one will be able to put one foot in front of the other with out stumbling into the abyss of chaos. The smoke from the fires in California, is the smoke of darkness snuffing out the light of Divine common sense.

And then there was Noah...

The talking chair ask: What is 'live" spelled backwards? We'll start here. The question was posed, how could (life) as we know it now, begin with just two people? Then the population of the time was wiped out by the great flood. And, it started over. But, as Noah was building the ark, his neighbors were partying and laughing asking, what are you doing Noah, why are you building that big boat? "The world is about to be destroyed," it started to rain, and rain, and rain and the people continued to party. The good times were more important than than the issue of sinfulness that plagued the land.
After the great flood, God said, I gave Noah the rainbow sign, no more water, fire next time!
The times in which we now live, are the most reprehensible in history. The offenses before God are more prolific, base, degenerate and cry for justice before the throne of His majesty.
You may think this just another Christian Conservative rant, but the time of Noah is once again upon us.
If you are a realist, and can put aside the I know what I need, what's best for me factor, and contemplate for a moment, eh, what if I'm wrong about this life; heaven, hell, and all this stuff, consider this thought, just what is Eternity? What does Eternity mean?
Take your time, ponder a little...
Unlike going to Disney World and deciding which hotel you're going to stay at, we are given two choices about where we will stay in Eternity. Knowing our limited mental capacity for making decisions, and He especially knows how we are about asking for directions God makes it easy for us by limiting our choices to two.
Now some of us 'consider' more carefully than others. We survive or don't survive by the choices we make, we make it or don't make it by the choices we make. Same theory applies to where we spend Eternity. We either take the boat, or we don't. Ironically, many of our ancestors came to this country seeking a better life by boat. Others were forced to come by boat, but getting here by boat was the common denominator.
When you look at the ceiling of many churches they are designed in the form of a boat. that design is not by chance. Churches are considered the ark of salvation.
Some will row with one oar in the water, other will speed by, some will set sail and where they land, they land. Many will say they can't swim and won't go near the water. Others will just wait for Noah, they would rather dine with the captain any way. The quest for Noah was purely about trust and faith, the quest for us is about belief or unbelief.
From the talking chair: Permission to come aboard!

End Times

The talking chair, has been rocking over the mood of many Christians concerned with the end times, and chastisements, as America appears to be moving toward stepping into a new sand box, Iran. This is quick sand! There is prophecy abound as sages expound on the global messages reportedly from God and His saints on the fate of the world.
Cautiously those who discern these words of warning, are abuzz with the explosion of these revelations; warning that man's sinfulness, and turning from God, will exact His Justice soon! From around the world these visionaries are proclaiming, get prepared and stay prepared! Of course there are any number of naysayers who disclaim these heavenly words of doom and gloom.
What evil lurks, in the hearts and minds of men? The Shadow knows. However, I'm not relying on the Shadow for answers here. What present day indicators would possibly foretell this pending catastrophe, what are the signs of the times? Global Warming of course. The weather is the culprit. Time is moving faster than ever. Man is setting the stage, and writing the script, in preparation for the anti-Christ.
Perhaps.
In one divine revelation (approved by the Catholic Church) to St. Birgitta (Bridget) of Sweden in the 17Th Century; the Lord told her, "as man becomes more sinful, the greater the need will be for medicines to combat the physical ills of mankind."
If one subscribes to this thinking alone, with the vast development of new medicines in the 20Th Century we're a pretty sick bunch spiritually & physically. An answer? A bell ringing thought if nothing else. Iran is running TV programming in preparation for the return of the 'Mahdi,'
while Christians else where speak of the coming of the anti-Christ. Hardly collusion of thought.
From wars and rumors of wars, to talk of papal assassination, there is a steady drumbeat of evil perversion afoot.
Nature is indeed confused. Hundreds of birds around the world, just falling from mid air, for no discovered reason as yet. Fish dying in record accounts, mutated animals showing up in the most unlikely locales. Mad cow disease. bird flu. Viral flu outbreaks in epidemic fashion closing schools across the plain states. Earthquakes, unprecedented storms, and the speculation of cause continues...
Is God angry, would you be if you were he, with the state of the world? When some one shuts the door in your face, or abruptly hangs up on you, are you ticked? Interesting fodder for the hired guns of the world. Then again, every one wants spiritual gun control, especially for those who shoot from the hip.
Is there a solution, and would you employ it if there was one? I would think no one would volunteer to face Divine retribution. It's easier to just take a wait and see, I'm from Missouri attitude. Unlike the Y2 scare, this has far more reaching implications, should there be any truth to these seers.
The talking chair wonders...

Funeral Attitudes or the new exit strategy

The talking chair wonders: Have you ever really thought about funerals, sound a bit morbid? Remember the last funeral you attended? Quiet, somber, did it really represent the person you knew? Isn't it time to change the out look or the look in general around funerals, and have you noticed any new trends at the funeral home, picture boards, videos, etc.?
Recently in Pittsburgh, PA a die hard Steeler football fan was displayed sitting in a chair, dressed in "Steeler" garb with a video loop running on a TV screen with what else? Steeler football. Now this may seem wild and crazy, but, it did represent the true spirit of the individual as he lived. Nothing wrong with that.
But how far can we go characterizing one's life in death? Where ever the bank account will take us. More and more accross the country we're seeing event planners plotting out elaborate exit strategies for individuals who want their last hours on this planet to be well, different.
Funerals are for the living, paying those last "respects" on those lying before us in those steel or wooden boxes moulded in cookie cutter fashion, are taking on a new direction.
I'm all for the box em rebellion, new style caskets, in vivid colors, and materials like flexiglass or totally 'green' materials.
Freezing or the new cryo phase I don't think, dying is cold enough, and about cremation, why pay for a burning when you might get a free one down below? You might be saving some bucks, but saving one's soul is far more important isn't it? Just in case.
It's in my will that the funeral director doesn't cut my suit down the back to get it on and make it fit, I don't want to get up on Judgement Day with my butt hanging out. As for the ladies, well we won't go there! And, for those in the XX category hopefully death takes a few pounds off. Well there may not be a lot to think about, but there's enough to think about if an exit strategy is important to you. Beyond the boneyard, from the talking chair, until next time, let no man write your epitaph!

Up in Smoke, why cigars?

The talking chair was wondering just how many thoughts, desires, ideas of the genius, discussion of kings and presidents, have gone up in smoke as the cigar burns. From the high brow to the low, from the Churchill to the little bent stogie, a lot of thought, attitude, and temptation has gone the way of fresh air. While the trend to ban smoking is ever popular these days the 'ttc' is concerned that we will lose the cloud of wisdom that is necessary for man's survival if there is no more cigar smoke.
Imagine Winston Churchill or Groucho, or the "Coz," oh god himself George Burns with out their hand rolled sticks of wisdom. Cuba would be a lost land in the sea despite Castro without his precious 'Havanna'. The thought of JFK sorting out the Bay of Pigs issue over of all things a Havanna cigar. Even cigars make strange bed fellows.
Golf, that outlet for the million dollar deal, would be just another walk in the park without that shared rolled leaf. That export of the Dominican Republic or some other exotic land that caters to the hand rolled element of God's creation, leaf power pure and natural; is indeed man's staple, a friend he can light up and throw away. Just blowing smoke. The ability of man to think and smoke, must not be bannished. Hear all! "The cigar smoker's motto: "We like to see the air we're breathing!" the mantra of those who encircle the modern ash tray.
Diametric to popular belief, the rite of passage from just thought to the bounds of wisdom can not be crossed with out the beloved cigar. Remember those days when grandpa listening to the radio lit his cigar as the game went into extra innings? It never hurt anyone then, and one could always count on grandpa's wisdom when an answer was needed...And, one could counter that as the 'massa' stood on the porch of the plantation, lit his favorite 'hand rolled' and looked over the lower forty, the runaway could be in for much trouble.
A varied and storied past the beloved stogie has had. Those of us old enough to remember the wooden Indian standing as a prop, with a bunch of cigars in his hand was always a source of detestability. Will we be doomed to repeat history, those of us who employ this crutch of philosophic insight? Rise oh smoke like incense to the heights of the heavens, take those thoughts of knowledge to the clouds of understanding...Until next time with the talking chair, the cigar continues to burn!