Oh, I Went To A Garden Party
They came from across the country and even from another hemisphere, and what a good time was had by all.
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As we gathered around in Mary's Garden, Father Tony Blount blessed our totem carving of Mother Mary and shared a powerfull message of unconditional love and dedication at the non-denominational A lovely man with a beautiful heart, Father Tony is associated with Our Lady of the Holy Trinity in Saint Joseph Parrish, Capulin, Colorado. Thanks father Tony for loving our Casa helpers. Lunch (With Father Tony) followed at Café Rosa Mystica in San Luis. |
We present the hard working Casa de Santa Maria garden crew; Left to Right; Robin Divine and Mark Barnard, Louisville, Kentucky. Michile Busacca, Vero Beach, Florida, Franca Lee, San Luis, Colorado, Milt Sanderford, San Luis, Sarah Nagel, Parker. Colorado, Kerry Chutter, Brisbane, Australia, Scott Tinker, Parker, Colorado. Not pictured, Susan Sanderford, San Luis, Colorado, (Behind the camera), Charity Romero, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Lisa Baca, Santa Fe, New Mexico. A Honey Baked Ham Buffet followed at the Sanderford's home in Knotts Landing. |
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The Casa rented the local art center as our special after hours meeting place. Pictured is local sensational vocal artist Katey Sleeveless who impressed our group with her unique and exceptional song styling. Picadilly Pizza & Pepsi preceeded the entertainment protion of the program. Yes, as you've noticed, we did enjoy good food during our first annual Casa Garden Party. |
A dramatic photo of our Casa de Santa Maria's Mary's Garden centerpiece, Native-American Lee Wallace's totem carving of Mother Mary. So many of the photos taken of the statue to date have shown what seems to be an energy emitting from or around the carving. Notice the golden mist. The photo was taken by Robin Divine of Louisville, Kentucky. |
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With ideally overcast weather, three of our Garden Party members digging out Tumbleweed roots. (Sarah Nagel, Kerry Chutter, Susan Sanderford.) Well, one digging, one watching, and one scanning the sky for UFO's. |
In addition to the magnificent San Luis |
A Message from Mother Mary
My dearest children…
Turmoil comes and turmoil goes.
The ups and downs of life are growth periods
showing you how to weather any storm.
Do not be afraid when life does not flow as expected,
but embrace the experiences of life
knowing there will be periods of rest, as-well-as upheavel.
My dear children,
you are loved through every experience you encounter.
Rest in the knowledge that love does not change.
It is safe and secure, embracing life as it is.
You will survive every fearful situation you face in life — even death.
Laughter will always return, Peace will always return.
Hope will always return.
Love is forever.
Mother Mary
October 25, 2008
Listen to some of the best advice you'll likely hear all week!
If you can't change what seems to be a negative in your life, fully embrace it as a positive teaching experience that will eventually turn out to your advantage. You don't have to like it, but accept what is! Your other option is to resist the lesson -- leading you into a fear and pain mentality.
Your choice! Live in fear and pain, or accept the fact that the Creator knows what's best and everything will eventually work to your advantage. This applies to a worldwide financial crisis, a troubled relationship, loss of job, separation by death, a shattered dream, a child taking the wrong path, and on and on!
Susan and I could write a book about our early life-trials that kept us in turmoil, and our emotions in fear and pain. My, how that all changed when we finally surrendered to the accepting what is philosophy. We enjoy sharing the New Years Eve story that occured after we started living the -- no matter how bleak, it will all turn out well approach.
It was New Years Eve 1999. Spirit asked us to move to Sedona months prior, little or no money in our bank account and an automobile that was scheduled for the junk pile. Do you remember the pervasive fear of a possible financial catastrophy when computers were about to shift from the 1900's to the new milenium?
The question was, would the banking records be thrown into disarray, with most of us losing what money we had. Well, we had to laugh at that fear! On that New Years Eve, a count and recount of our total cash on hand AND money in the bank, showed a total of $7.56.
We joked that if the computers broke down as the clock struck midnight, we didn't have to worry about losing our fortune. Seven dollars and fifty-six cents to our name, with the rent due in four days. Time to panic? No way! We accepted that whatever was ahead, it would be a positive learning lesson for us, and we would accept that lesson with faith, trust and joy in our hearts.
At seven p.m. our friend Cindy phoned. "Want to celebrate with Chinese?" Wondering how much Chinese food $7.56 would buy, we said we'd call her right back! As we scoured the sofa and chairs, dresser drawers, and under the car seats, we came up with another $3.11.
"Yep, we can go Cindy!"
We met our mortage payment that following week and haven't missed paying a bill since!
If you can't change what seems to be a negative in your life, fully embrace it as a positive teaching experience that will eventually turn out to your advantage. You don't have to like it, but accept what is! Your other option is to resist the lesson -- leading you into a fear and pain mentality.
Worry and fear is wasted, emotionally draining, and self defeating energy. Chose faith that all will work out for the good.
It's amazing but true -- "When you Change the way you Look at Things, The Things you Look at Change"...
Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. As we grow older, it's important to keep mentally alert. If you don't use it, you lose it!
Below is a very private way to gauge your loss or non-loss of intelligence. Take the test presented here to determine if you're losing it or not. The spaces below are so you don't see the answers until you've made your answer.
OK, relax, clear your mind and begin.
1. What do you put in a toaster?
Answer: 'bread.' If you said 'toast,' give up now and do something else.
Try not to hurt yourself. If you said, bread, go to Question 2.
2. Say 'silk ' five times. Now spell 'silk.' What do cows drink?
Answer: Cows drink water. If you said 'milk,' don't attempt the next question. Your brain is over-stressed and may even overheat. Content yourself with reading a more appropriate literature such as Auto World. However, if you said 'water', proceed to question 3.
3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a green house made from?
Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If your answer was 'green bricks,' why are you still reading these??? If you said 'glass,' go on to Question 4.
4. It's twenty years ago, and a plane is flying at 20,000 feet over Germany (If you will recall, Germany at the time was politically divided into West Germany and East Germany). Anyway, during the flight, two engines fail. The pilot, realizing that the last remaining engine is also failing, decides on a crash landing procedure. Unfortunately the engine fails before he can do so and the plane fatally crashes smack in the middle of 'no man's land' between East Germany and West Germany. Where would you bury the survivors? East Germany, West Germany, or no man's land'?
Answer: You don't bury survivors.
If you said ANYTHING else, you're a dunce and you must stop. If you said, 'You don't bury survivors', proceed to the next question.
5. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales. In London , 17 people get on the bus. In Reading, six people get off the bus and nine people get on. In Swenson, two people get off and four get on. In Cardiff , 11 people get off and 16 people get on. In Swansea , three people get off and five people get on. In Carmarthen, six people get off and three get on. You then arrive at Milford Haven.
What was the name of the bus driver?
Answer: Oh, for crying out loud!
Don't you remember your own name? It was YOU!!
PS: 95% of people fail most of the questions!!
Incidentally, some older people develop symptoms that look like dementia but are the result of taking medicines that don't work well together. You may be able to avoid this problem by making sure your doctor knows about all medicines-both prescription and over-the-counter-and all vitamin, herbal, and dietary supplements you take.
Please Remember Don In Your Prayers
Don White, our wonderful friend and member of the Casa de Santa Maria Board of Directors, underwent unanticipated open heart surgery yesterday morning. A triple bypass.
If attitude has any bearing on rercovery, he'll be up and dancing soon. Let's add our prayers to Don's good attitude to seal the deal. Also remember Nina, Don's wife. Since Don doesn't make for an ideal patient, Nina will need strength, energy, and a ton of patience.
(It just won't look good if Nina winds up booping him on the head -- at least not this soon after Open Heart!)
The Casa de Santa Maria is a not-for-profit organization and currently exempt under
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All donations are tax deductible and may be sent to:
Casa de Santa Maria • P.O. Box 64 • San Luis, CO 81152
Email: casadesantamaria@mac.com
Please feel free to share the Casa Newsletter, website or Mother Mary's Messages with others!