Lest you be sorry

My days are fading like an echo and 

I am nothing more than a lingering shadow. 

Death will come like a gust of wind and 

My candle will flicker, sputter, and die. 

My good intentions will follow me to the grave 

And lie down beside me, dust to to dust. 

Decay will eat my flesh and bones and 

Nothing will be left except buttons, zippers,

And a few seeds I have planted in others 

Who will carry on, by the grace of God, 

The work that I have sadly left undone.

Make peace with God now lest you be sorry.

Listen to your conscience for His instructions.

Humble yourself before Him. Hear His Word 

And banish sin from your repertoire.

Consider desires of the flesh as worthless. 

Let the will of God be your treasure. 

Look to heaven for help. Pray continuously. 

God walks the heavens on the rim of the sky. 

He will answer your prayers and light your path 

If you believe in Him and you repent.

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The Patron of Rascals

The Patron of Rascals is a lover of vice. He tells you that the scoundrel is quite a gentleman, if you will only give him a chance, and that while be admits that most things people say about him are true, he asserts there are other things untrue. "He is a witty fellow," for instance, "and a true friend and tactful," and he declares during his apology for him that he never met a more capable man. He shows his friendliness to him in his speech in the assembly, or as defendant in an action, and he is always telling the jury that it has nothing to do with the man, it is the case that is the point: "But the defendant, gentlemen, is the watch-dog of the state, he keeps a guard over evil-doers. We will have no one to be roused over public wrongs if we lose such men." Then he is certain to set up as a supporter of rascals and to form conspiracies in the courts for bad causes to get the verdict, and when he is on the jury he puts the worst construction on what the two parties say. In a word, the patronizing of rascals is sister to rascality itself, for very true are the words of the proverb "Like draws to Like."

From "The Characters of Theophrastus." -- Theophrastus was a Greek Philosopher, the successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school. He came to Athens at a young age and initially studied in Plato's school. After Plato's death, he attached himself to Aristotle. Born: 371 BC, Eresos, Greece.
Died: 287 BC, Athens, Greece.

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Please do the right thing.

Why does God allow bad things to happen? Why does He let tyrants rule? Read the fine print in His book about "being righteous." Righteous means knowing right from wrong and choosing to do the thing that is morally right and virtuous. What has been happening in this world? Wars are being started and fought for hegemony, prestige, and material gain. Iniquities and abominations of all kinds abound. Even little children are being torn from their mother's arms by complete strangers under the false authority of "the law" without discretion, empathy, or compassion. "But look," you say, "The law is the law and we are only human." Oh, are you sure about that? We, who claim to be good Christians, are we true children of God, or merely creatures of God and are twisting His Word to bolster our aims. Think about it, and then call on Him, and He will answer you from that point in your heart that we call a conscience. You can't escape him and you already know what He will say. But...believe it or not! You do have a choice and know that there are consequences. Please do the right thing.

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My morning Prayer

Father, I praise Thy Holy Name and I thank Thee
For everything Thou hast given me in the past,
And in the present and in the future hope of the Resurrection
And eternal unity with Thee, Thy Son Jesus Christ, Thy Holy Spirit,
The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Apostles, the Disciples,
The Saints, the Angels, the Holy Innocents and the Holy Martyrs
My parents, my siblings, my friends and relatives,
My ancestors and my progeny, and all of the faithful departed
Who have gone before to live and reign in eternal glory
With Jesus Christ according to His promise that if we love God
With our whole mind and our whole heart, and our whole soul
And if we love our neighbor as our self, we will be with Him forever.
Father please take away my sins and wipe away the
Stain of guilt from my soul, that I might be a true adopted son
Of God and come to you as a little child saying, "Abba, Father,"
And that I may talk to you face to face like a friend, as the
Scriptures tell us did Moses, Enoch, and others. Amen.

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