The video below is of a young lady who decided to audition for show America’s Got Talent. She wrote the song and sings it beautifully. Her words remind us we should all need to Be the Light.
The Layman’s Ten Commandment
These commandments seem quite simple yet how many of us can follow through with all of them. I hope you’ll take the time to consider the deeper meaning. These are inspiring words. I believe they can be of comfort or a motivation for anyone who chooses to live by them.
1. Prayer is not a “Spare Wheel” that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a “Steering Wheel” that directs the right path throughout your journey.
2. Why are a car’s Windshield so large and the Rear View Mirror so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE; so look ahead and move on.
3. Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes a few minutes to Burn, but it takes years to Write.
4. All things in life are Temporary. If things are Going Well, Enjoy It; they will not last forever. If things are Going Wrong, Don’t Worry; they will not last long either.
5.Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don’t forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!
6. Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, “Relax, sweetheart, it’s just a bend, not the end!
7. When GOD solves your problems, you have Faith in HIS Abilities; when GOD doesn’t solve your problemsHE has faith in YOUR Abilities.
8. A blind person asked St. Anthony: “Can there be anything worse than losing eyesight?” He replied: “Yes, losing your vision!”
9. When you Pray for Others, GodListens to you and blesses them, so sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.
10. WORRYING does not take away Tomorrow’s TROUBLES; it takes away Today‘sPeace.
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*****Originally I posted these Layman’s Commandments in 2014. Shocking to feel it’s still poignant today.
Manuel scurried, as he readied the room for the new priests arrival on Saturday, his limp more obvious when he was tired.
Recently, baffling thoughts had begun confusing him. There’d been five priests transferred from this parish. He wondered why.
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Lourdes worked tirelessly to prepare the special welcome dinner for the new priest. Her job security helped calm her concerns about her son, Manuel’s, future.
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Father Karavalez was reverent and handsome. The nuns giddily whispered about him.
He graciously accepted Manuel as his houseboy; one assigned to each priest.
Shortly after dinner, claiming exhaustion, he asked Manuel to assist him.
Venom flowed through her veins. Hate was a mild word for what she felt for him.
She had him taken to an institution. He would be there for life.
Her mother died shortly before he was placed there. Doctors said her frail body was from malnutrition and improper medical care. At 88, she needed home health care. Instead, her mentally challenged son was her only caretaker.
Why was she angry at him?
It helped soothe her guilt.
Banned from his mothers funeral by her, he raged. The perfect storm for him to be taken away.
Rain poured down. We were waiting on line to board the Staten Island ferry; a habitual Sunday routine. Usually, we’d go to the beach then visit, Mr. Frank. He was a Santero.
I was feeling car sick. My dad smoked Camels.The open windows would blow the smoke into the backseat.
I can remember the first time we were waiting to board. I had a panic attack and couldn’t stop crying. I thought we were going to drive into the ocean. I can’t swim.
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Santeria is a syncretistic Caribbean religion.
Santeria includes the worship of the Orisha — literally “head guardians,” and religious beliefs of the Yoruba and Bantu people in Southern Nigeria, Senegal and Guinea Coast. These are combined with elements of Roman Catholicism.
Arriving as slaves in the Caribbean, Santerians preserved the elements of their religion by equating each Orisha of their traditional religions with a corresponding christian saint. Many traditions, within the religion, recognize different equivalencies.
One common example includes:
Babalz Ayi became St. Lazarus (patron of the sick)
Shangs became St. Barbara (controls thunder, lightning, fire…)
Eleggua or Elegba became St. Anthony (controls roads, gates etc)
Obatala became Our Lady of Las Mercedes, and the Resurrected Christ (father of creation; source of spirituality)
Oggzn became St. Peter (patron of war)
Oshzn became Our Lady of Charity (controls money, sensuality…)
Many Santerian beliefs are not freely discussed outside of the faith. In addition, there are many religious leaders whose beliefs and practices differ significantly. information clickhere