St Martin of Tours

Yesterday we ( a couple of visitors and I) had some wine in honour of St Martin of Tours.

Chardonnay. As you can see...

The kids and I had read about St Martin earlier in the day and thought his early military career fitting to discuss on Remembrance Day , when we remember not only the Armistice of World War 1 but also those who have died serving our country.

And woo hoo! I have received another blog award. From Grace. This award acknowledges the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day.

I love blogging; through blogging I have met many new friends, some of whom I have come to know in real life. I have connected with many others online. Their thoughts and experiences have influenced me, have helped me, have inspired me. I am often delightfully amazed to find that someone reads my blog, someone I don't yet know but someone I hope I will get to know, via comments or other blogs.

Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications said :

(The) Internet is "the Areopagus of our time, the instrument to spread the Christian message" ...."But it is necessary to educate in its use, as with every reality that surrounds us, the positive element is opposed to the negative, creating confusion and false values."

"Yes, God can be found on the network. And among the millions of people who surf the Internet every day, many may find words of hope, come across other cultural and spiritual experiences, bringing down ideological barriers to discover new horizons."

If "God continues to dialogue with humanity through the Church," then "the Church must assume her own responsibility vis-à-vis the new means of communication," the Vatican official said.To accomplish this, he continued, there must be "precise criteria of discernment and a pedagogical intention, so that both those who operate in the sector as well as those who use the network are able to choose with maturity in an ever broader context of information and disinformation." ZENIT 2005

I don't pretend to believe that my blog acts in lieu of a council of elders; nor placing me as the older woman described in Titus Chapter 2 * ~ the one who teaches others; or as a storyteller or an instrument, telling of faith and life to others. That is a pretty lofty task, I think. But blogging is a means of sharing and of communicating. For a people person like me, it is simply another way of keeping-in-touch. Of continuing education . And of being a life long learner.

And, okay. Maybe with an occasional pedagogical twist . ( I am a mother, teacher, homeschooler, Kumon Supervisor after all!).

So, fellow bloggers, I encourage you in your blogging adventures! lol! All the blogs I read are personal stories of values and faith. So, I award this blog award to all my blogging friends - those linked on the sidebar and those regular readers and bloggers. You know who you are!

The rules to follow are 1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his or her blog link.2) Pass the award to other 15 blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment.

But who could stop at 15??

* Titus Ch 2 ( from the Douay-Rheims) 1 But speak thou the things that become sound doctrine: 2 That the aged men be sober, chaste, prudent, sound in faith, in love, in patience. 3 The aged women, in like manner, in holy attire, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teaching well: 4 That they may teach the young women to be wise, to love their husbands, to love their children. 5 To be discreet, chaste, sober, having a care of the house, gentle, obedient to their husbands: that the word of God be not blasphemed. 6 Young men, in like manner, exhort that they be sober. 7 In all things show thyself an example of good works, in doctrine, in integrity, in gravity, 8 The sound word that can not be blamed: that he who is on the contrary part may be afraid, having no evil to say of us. 9 Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters: in all things pleasing, not gainsaying: 10 Not defrauding, but in all things showing good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. 11 For the grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men: 12 Instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly and justly and godly in this world, 13 Looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and might cleanse to himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works. 15 These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.