You're Kidding!
Ring, ring... Hello. This is Ray from Alaska Marine in Seattle. We have a delivery here for Casa de Santa Maria marked Mother Mary Sculpture. When will you be picking it up?
"You're kidding! We didn't even know it was on the way! That's great — but this is not good"
No,not kidding, I'm serious. It's a crate that weighs 1,150 pounds and I need to know when you'll be picking it up!
"You're kidding! Actually, we have no way to pick it up!"
You're kidding! We can't hold it here indefinitely!
And so continued the saga of the center piece of Casa de Santa Maria's Mary's Garden. That conversation took place just a week ago, and we're so pleased to let you know that delivery arrangement were made, with our Native-American sculpture of Mother Mary now safely resting in Monte Vista, Colorado, just 58 miles from the Casa.
Excitedly, Susan and I visited Monte Vista Machine Tool Company yesterday to oversee the uncrating of the sculpture. We were overwhelmed at the look and the energy, feeling the finished product was well worth the two year delay beyond the promised delivery date.
When placed in the center of Mary's Garden (by the end of this month). this ten and a half foot, 750 pound original sculpture carved from the sacred western red cedar tree will act as a welcoming beacon to those who visit Casa de Santa Maria for generations to come.
Our gratitude to those contributors who have made the sculpture a reality. ($11,900 for the carving and freight.) If you feel led, we can now use your help to cover the installation of the sculpture and the surrounding star-shaped decorative flower boxes. (An estimated $5,200).
www.casadesantamaria.org/donate
Our belief is, this major milestone will act as a catalyst for more rapid growth of the non-denominational healing oasis, Casa de Santa Maria. Thanks to all who have contributed their prayers, financial support, and other forms of encouragement to the creation of the Casa. Your love helps us feel not alone! No kidding!
To view Mother Mary's uncrating on YouTube… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_CsuvArjuA
A Message From Mother Mary |

Greetings My Beloved Ones...
We are moving into a moment in time where all things are possible.
Where you can dream the world of peace and harmony and love.
We are moving into a moment in time where pain and suffering can be but a distant memory, forgotten and unimagined.
We are moving into a moment in time where each one of you come to know who you are. Where the unveiling happens in the twinkling of an eye. Where truth is revealed.
We are moving into a time where Spirit will merge with matter.We are moving into a time where you will achieve Union with God.
My dear children, Open your hearts to receive this moment in time of awakening to your true selves. For in it you will find the home you have been looking for. You will find the love you have been looking for.
The peace you have been looking for.
That one moment in time is now…
Mother Mary
Through her messenger
Susan Sanderford
May, 2008
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| Ya Gotta Laugh |
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A new pastor was visiting the homes of his parishioners. At one house, from the movement of the upstairs curtain, it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated Knocks at the door.
Frustrated, he took out a business card and wrote 'Revelation 3:20' on the Back of it and stuck it in the door. ("Behold, I stand at the door and knock!") |
When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card Had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, "Genesis 3:10.'
Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of Laughter.
Genesis 3:10 reads, 'I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked.' |
| Making A Difference |
| Come with me to a third grade classroom..... There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives. |
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The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, 'Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat.'
He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.
As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water and colored marbles. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap.
The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, 'Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!'
Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that would have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie.
She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. You've done enough, you klutz!'
Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, 'You did that on purpose, didn't you?' Susie whispers back, 'I wet my pants once too.'
May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good...
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| Lori Saw An Opportunity |
This is my wee precious friend, Edith, who I adopted a few yrs ago. Sadly, she is now in spirit and I miss her very much.
I first met Edith at the assisted living home where my ex' husband was placed due to dementia. Edith immediately captured my heart, bless her xoxoxo
Apparently she had a stroke at some point which made it very difficult to understand her speech, took me some time to be able to sort out what she was saying. One day she said "I got nobody, no Ma, no Pa" and had such sad sad look in her eyes....I told her "Edith, you have someone now cuz I am adopting you".....she smiled and her eyes just twinkled when I told her that. She had been married once, no kids, and told me her husband was abusive to her, sigh...she wasn't kidding when she said she had "nobody"...
I would go there with my Grandma most every Sunday to visit my ex' husband and little Edith. Edith would hear our voice and come RUSHING out from her room full of smiles and yell Grandmaaaaaaaaaaaaa to my (((((Gram)))))))). She used a walker to get around but woahhhhhhhhhh ahahaa, she was fastttttttttttttttt, always scared me how fast she went down the ramp when I took her outside to sit with us. lol
I do think Edith had a "crush" on my ex, hehehehee, she was always looking out for him and holding his hand and had the look of "love" in her eyes when she looked at him, hehee, I used to tease her bout this. She didn't care bout the age difference between them, hahahha
Edith was taken to the hospital for heart problems and I went to see her. It was on a Sunday the last time I saw her. She seemed fine and was giving the nurse a hard time but in a funny way...he had to clear her lungs and she pointed her finger at him and in her wee little voice said "gooooooooo home" and laughed, ahahahaa
I did not know that would be the last time I would see my precious little ((Edith)). She passed the very next day (a shock to me as she seemed OK when I visited her)....I did not even know of her passing until a week later and was shocked. My last memory of her is how she held my hand soooooooo tightly that day in hospital, like she didn't want to let go of me, sniff sniff....and had such a look of love in her eyes as she looked at me. My daughter was with me that day and she held my daughters hand tightly as well. Edith KNEW how much we loved her. And we knew how much she loved us too.

RIP my sweet little friend ((((((((((((Edith))))))))))))) my life was definitely enriched and blessed having known this sweet little angel. I miss her Soooo much. Got teary-eyed writing this thinking of all the special moments I had with this dear lady.
Hugs,
Lori
Thanks Lori, for sharing Edith, and yourself. You are a great teacher of love and caring.You give us something to think about. Perhaps visiting a local home for the aging and adopting someone who, in their twilight, feels like a stray with no one who cares. |
| Church Pew |
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One Sunday morning the pastor noticed little Alex standing in the foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with names with small American flags mounted on either side. |
The seven year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly, 'Good morning Alex. ''Good morning 'Pastor, what is this?' he asked the pastor.
The pastor said, 'Well, son, it's a memorial plaque to all the young men and women who died in the Service.' Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque.
Finally, little Alex's voice, barely audible and trembling with fear, he asked, ''Which service Pastor, the 9:30 or the 11:00?" |
| Our Opportunity To Help |
We recently received word that a dear friend was struggling in this difficult economy. Kathryne-Alexis has devoted her adult life to bringing beauty and healing to the earth and inhabitants thereof.
If you feel inclined, visit her website. Susan and I have benefited from the beauty and power of her creations of flower essences, crystal light essences and Aroma Essense Sprays... You will benefit too. Please visit her sight at: http://www.gaiasown.com |
Remember.....
Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than
standing in your garage makes you a car.
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Visit susan@susansanderford.com |