words to live by...

I found this sentence in Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking book very fitting for how I choose to go about with my life's journey. So, I found a photo from our family's trip to Wisconsin last summer and decided to add it to there.
The words seem easy enough to follow, right?!
God Bless!

population ?

 

Then Jesus said, "When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters, or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. "

Luke 14:12-14



 

How many times do I daily live in my own little world! I wake up and go about my day as if it is all about me.

 

 I get in the car and drive to where I need to be (even church) and have blinders on...not noticing everything else out there. Not noticing the other stuff that really matters! Well, I probably do this more than I even realize!!

 

In the above video by Matthew West I came to realize that so many times we (me) live in a world of just population ME! A world that is safe, secure, and just big enough for all the things that I need to do in the course of a (overly busy) day.

 My eyes are set on what "I" need to do, when it should rather be set on what "He" wants me to do.

 

I don't know what's best for me. I really don't.

 

How many times I forget that I am a character in someone else's story. Whether I know it or not!!

It may be that homeless man I see walking the cold street every time we are on our way to church.

It also may be that person in the checkout lane that only has one item, but I am in such a hurry that I don't let her go in front of me!

Maybe the child that is standing alone after soccer practice, in the cold, waiting for a parent to pick them up.

 

We never know what "story" the other people in our lives are living. Some of them just have a prettier "cover" than others, and we assume they are just fine, when really they are hurting.

 

Well I have realized it is now time to take those blinders off and scan around me to see the bigger picture... the grander plan.

 

It's NOT all about ME!

 

 

 

Omnia mea tua sunt (All that is mine is yours)

 

 





... a lesson

 

 

Two of my bestest friends and I had the great pleasure of attending a Matthew West concert last Friday. I can honestly say, this was the BEST concert that I have ever been to (and I have been to a LOT of concerts!)

What made it so special to me, other than being with dear Friends, was the important Christian messages that were presented to me. The feeling that all of us under that high school auditorium roof were like-minded enough to be there and feel the presence of Christ's Love!

Of all the highlights of the evening (and there were many!) one that struck a cord was when a young man, named Connor, came onto the stage. Matthew brought him out to "tell his story". Actually, Connor's story is what brought Matthew West to THAT particular city for a concert in the first place! THAT particular young man, Connor, is what inspired Matthew to write the song To Me.

My friend felt a personal tug to Connor's story and song, and wrote about it on her own blog, Notes From a Blessed Life.  I know we ALL have been in Geoffrey and Connor's shoes at one time or another in our own lives! I know I have!! These two young men ARE very special and will indeed change the world.

Stay STRONG!

do SOMETHING!

how big is your spoon?

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

~The Eighth Commandment from the Holy Bible

 

One of the reasons I started this blog was for all those times that I encounter random things throughout the course of my daily life (and there are A LOT of them!!) Things that kinda fall in place, even with out any help from me. They just kind of "show up" and take notice. Kinda like this morning!

 

I was on Pintrest, doing a search on recipes and I just randomly stumbled upon an interesting website. What makes this of great interest to me is that it fits just so nicely into what concerns I am currently having in my own life! The message that I received really hit it home and put a label on "those" people in my life.  The website was lesfemmes-thetruth. The article touches upon the subject of the eight commandment in the Bible and "pot stirring" (gossiping).

 

Just last night a neighbor of mine called to "pot stir" about a certain other neighbor. One that is less-than-adequate in her eyes! I selectively chose NOT to pick the phone up and listen to the "bubbling and boiling" of the pot on the stove! I knew what the "stew" was that was "cooking". I don't need to "taste" or even "look" at it. I could "smell" it! I have just recently learned that I DON'T have to join in the kitchen and hover over the "pot stirrer" anymore! I can let them claim the kitchen, while I choose to go into another room and use my time more wisely, (maybe by praying for the pot stirrer?).

 

 

 

what's your intent?

Philippians 2:2

Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

~ New American Standard Bible

Intent, according to the Merriam Webster online dictionary is- the state of mind with which an act is done.

When my two best friends and I get together a topic that we fairly often visit, time and time again, is the subject of friendship. We often try to decipher "relationships" in each of our own lives that we may be struggling to understand. We, for a time, have been trying to find a new word for those people in our lives that don't truly fit the "friend" mold, yet are a bit more than a simple acquaintance. It's tricky!

Not long ago I attended a Catholic conference in Illinois with the speaker being Michael Brown of Spiritdaily.  A whole range of current topics were addressed. He talked about what our mission in life should be. We touched on hard to grasp topics like the after-life and what is waiting for us there. Michael talked about the current state of the world and all the changes that are taking place on a religious front. What tied all these things together for me, and what I found to be a common thread in most of his talks, was the subjects of "unforgiveness" and "love" were repeated over, and over, and over again. He addressed these subjects together as in our own relationships that we have, whether they be family or in friendships, we have to learn to forgive and love those that we somehow can't. (no one said this was going to be EASY, though!

Michael suggested that we should "put a cross" between us and those "negative" relationships in our own lives. We need to pray for the "removal of layers" of hurt that others have caused us. Remove the pride that "they" hurt "me" SO badly! We need to forgive AND forget!  God wants us to love everyone. BUT, that doesn't mean to "excuse" everything!

{WHEW!! This really is HARD work!!}

Unforgiveness is the lack of forgiving. If we don't forgive, we are then held back- still attached. Darkness then finds a way to attach to that! By darkness I am referring to "the evil one" or the devil!!
Michael talked about the term "access points". What he means by that is areas of our lives that are weak. Areas of us that are are preoccupied with "other" things (anger, bitterness, negativity) and are easy targets for evil to enter.

This all brings me back to the word intent, as I first started talking about in this post. After the Catholic conference I began to get a clearer sense of those people in my life. People that I call friends and all those that I am still trying to find the right new word for! I began to focus my attention of what their intent was and what MY intent was! Was this a relationship that needed to continue? Does that other relationship need more work, maybe on MY end?

 I also did something dramatic. Actually VERY dramatic on my end! You see, after much thought, I realized that one of those "access points" in my life was actually right in front of me. It was preoccupying a large portion of my time. Time that I now chose to use for other purposes. That access point was Facebook! I had a deep tug in me to look closely at what purpose Facebook was providing me with. Whom was I in connection with that maybe I no longer needed to be. Was it a positive or negative outlet for me? Did I really need to see, hour by hour (and sometimes minute by minute) what certain people (friends as they call them on Facebook....even though "they" need the "other" word that I don't have for them yet) are doing? Sometimes making me feel jealous, angry, sad, etc...?!
I am in the process of removing myself from this outlet. Some of it has been easier than other parts. But, that is OK! It is a process and I am in the swing of it and, you know what? It feels WONDERFUL!!

powerful...

I hear this song by Matthew West on the radio on a daily basis. It's words really hit a nerve last week with me! I feel that this song is such a powerful motivator!

Enjoy!

a prayerful vote...

wake up, People!

Have you ever had one of those moments where you feel something click? Like you are witnessing something for the first time, even though you have been doing the same thing...over and over and over?
I had that experience just last week, and it was as I was reading People magazine of all things!
Let me explain...

A year or so ago, I got the opportunity to order some "free" magazines using unused airline miles that my husband had. I chose a few and was thrilled that People magazine was one of the choices! Wow! I always seem to be intrigued by the cover of it as I am in the check out lane at the grocery store. Now, I can get it sent to my house, weekly, for free!! Woo hoo!! This was to be my one "guilty pleasure" as they (whom ever THEY are) call it. I am not a huge TV watcher. I am not into all of those reality shows, gossip shows and "talkity-talk" shows. Soap opera's never appealed to me. I got my "dirt" from People.

Well, the magazines started to come. Every Friday I would find a fresh People in the mailbox. Full of juicy star gossip and chatter! Waiting for me to dive into.

 But, this is when the "click" occurred. This is when something odd happened! Something really "opened my eyes" as I really paged through that People magazine the last time I read it. I began to really notice the "other stuff".

I first noticed that the magazine was not just entering my mailbox each week, but was also entering my home each week as well. I also noticed that it was covered with not the most positive messages. An almost half-naked woman adored the cover of the last People magazine I received! Was this the message that a Christian Mama wanted to be sending her family? Her girls?? Herself???
The articles about teen moms, diet secrets of the stars and "this star that divorced that star", have jumped at me, hit me in the face and FINALLY woke me up! Enough is ENOUGH!!!
It also didn't help that there was 9 ads in the magazine for some type of medication. 1 cigarette ad and 1 ad for alcohol!! If that wasn't enough, there was also a VERY disturbing ad for a new cable show on TV. The ad depicted, what appeared to be Catholic priests and nuns, doing all sorts of "un-holy" things! This was TOO much! No more!

This is when the Bible verse 2 Corinthians 5:17 came to mind:

¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

I have "seen the light" and things are becoming VERY new to me!! I am ready to let the "old things pass away"!

At that point I put that People magazine promptly in the garbage can. I made a promise to myself that as each new one came in the mail each Friday I would do the same thing with them as well! You can imagine my surprise when last week Friday, as I opened my mailbox, I saw my People magazine sitting there...but this time it was not alone! For a "twin" had decided to join it this week! For now I am getting 2 instead of one! Hmmm... the devil ain't messin' with this Mama!!
 

Why Pray the Rosary? by Brother John Samaha, S.M.

As we enter October, the month of Mary and the Rosary, I found this story from Patti Maguire Armstrong very powerful! Enjoy...

Why Pray the Rosary? by Brother John Samaha, S.M.

More than a century ago a proud university student boarded a train in France and sat next to an older man who seemed to be a peasant of comfortable means. The brash student noticed that the older gentleman was slipping beads through his fingers. He was praying the rosary.

"Sir, do you still believe in such outdated things?" the student inquired.
"Yes, I do. Don't you?" the man responded. The student laughed and admitted, "I do not believe in such silly things. Take my advice. Throw the rosary out the window and learn what science has to say about it."

"Science? I do not understand this science. Perhaps you can explain it to me," the man said humbly, tears welling in his eyes.

The university student noticed that the man was deeply moved. To avoid hurting the older person's feelings, he said, "Please give me your address and I will send you some literature to explain the matter to you."

The man fumbled in the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out his business card. On reading the card, the student lowered his head in shame and was speechless. The card read: "Louis Pasteur, Director of the Institute of Scientific Research, Paris." The deluded student had encountered his country's leading chemist and the man who would give the world the scientific process that would bear his name--pasturization.

Editor's note: This story is part of the collection in the Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart.

a mission...

Just this past April I made a trip down to Texas to say goodbye to my dear Auntie Marie. She had  lived a full, hearty life. A life that was full of happiness, a caring heart  and a true dedication to her Catholic faith.
It was on this same trip down, however, that I had an experience that would forever touch me, on the inside, at the heart.
I met a very unexpected person on that trip, at my aunts funeral. Her name was Emma. She arrived at my aunts wake and somehow she was drawn to me! She insisted that she sit next to me. She made pleasant conversation with me. She made SURE that she handed me her handmade rosary at the end of a group recitation of the Rosary.
You see, Emma makes handmade rosaries. Her mission, she told me, was to hand them out to all those who needed (or wanted) one. She had even made enough that night to hand out to each person in attendance at my aunts wake. Enough for all of us to recite the Rosary, one of my Auntie Marie's favorite things to do!
After the set of prayers, Emma disappeared, quietly. One of the last things she said to me was, "please, pray for me and my 5 daughters!" Surely, I agreed that I would.

The next day was the funeral mass at the church. As I arrived and walked up to the church a cousin of mine eagerly made his way to me. In hand was a  large Ziploc bag. He told me that a lady had stopped by earlier, she had needed for me to have the bag and the contents in it. I looked over the bag and found that it was filled with more handmade rosaries and a large amount of information to make my own. Emma had left these items for me. For she felt in her heart that I would be a good candidate to pass this "mission" on to others as she had done for me!

I do keep Emma  and her family in my prayers. I also have started to make my own handmade rosaries to pass along.

If anyone is interested in a free handmade rosary, or if you know of someone that may be, please just email me at  junipercards@yahoo.com and I will get them to you at no charge.

                         Click on the rosary above for complete instructions on how to recite it.


God Bless!

miracle man

He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
Job 5:9

Doesn't it seem that when you least expect it, life can turn, shift, and twist, taking you completely off guard! One such time happened to me a year ago July. It was a time of sadness, pain, joy; and yet a true lesson in the gift of miracles.
 
The summer pretty much was a normal summer, that is until a call came one July morning. It was from my mom. She had called to let me know that my brother-in-law had been rushed to the hospital with a massive stroke. His condition was grave, his hope for survival was grim. My first reaction was pure shock! But, as I got off the phone with her I instantly felt what I needed to do. And this was to ask God, through prayer, to help my brother-in-law in this great time of need.
 

Miracles seldom occur in the lives of those who do not consider them possible.

                                                          -Neale Donald Walsch


The calls from mom kept coming pretty regularly that morning; filled with updates as to what was happening and what could not be done. In one recent call she had indicated that the stroke had been so severe that it had made him brain dead. He only had a 4% chance to live. He would not recover from this. Hope was draining.


                                              Don’t believe in miracles, depend on them.
                                                                      -Laurence J. Peter


I got going! I started to phone friends. I sent emails out. I asked for all I the people I could think of to pray. Pray for a miracle. Pray for my brother-in-law. Just pray!

          God opens ways where to human senses there is no way.

 Ask the help of your  higher power.

                                                                  Keep your faith.

                                                               - Catherine Ponder

A day later, with hope not looking up, and without much of a second thought, my family and I got in the car. We started to drive the hundreds of miles to Texas. We drove there anticipating an impending funeral. We drove down there in heavy prayer, wishes for a miracle, and much, MUCH, hope in our hearts. We would not give up, never!


And... little by little,


 mile by mile,


 as we got closer to their town the "miracles" had already began to occur. My brother-in-law began to make signs of life! His eyes opened up. He lifted a finger. He was still with us!!

            And Jesus beholding, said to them: With men this is impossible: but with 

 God all things are possible.

- Matthew 19:26

The day we arrived down at my sisters, he began to respond even more...one blink for yes...two blinks for no. He could speak with his eyes... an amazing thing to see.


When we visited him in the ICU he suddenly began to lift his hand, he had feeling in his feet!


The prayers continued and the miracles kept coming...


He began to move his neck. He began to try to talk!


Against all the doctors odds of hope and life. With a diagnoses of "brain dead" and "you should consider pulling him off life support". Through the power of prayer, never giving up hope, and the gift of God's miracles, my brother-in-law had beat ALL odds of being alive!

This past Christmas, my brother-in-law drove his family, all the way from Texas to the midwest for Christmas! Not even 6 months after his brush with fate, he is able to drive, talk, walk, LIVE! This truly was the greatest Christmas gift of them all!

Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, And looks to God alone; Laughs at impossibilities, And cries it shall be done.

- Charles Wesley

I truly believe that I have witnessed a miracle first hand. And, it wasn't just me! My family has witnessed that same miracle.

Never give up hope!

God can make things happen.

Pray and always believe!

Amen!! Amen!!



inspiring!

I just read an article about this woman's beautiful conversion back to her faith.  Truly inspiring!http://andamazinggrace.blogspot.com/2012/01/share.html?spref=bl

 

http://www.leahdarrow.com/

the first 12...

It is hard for me to believe that my oldest child will be turning 13 this year! Yikes, really? Already?? The thought of him becoming a teenager brings both an odd feeling of dred, and yet at the same time, a curious feeling of "bring it on!"

My life just seems to keep moving along at a constant speed of fast-forward lately. Where has the time gone? Wasn't I just changing diapers yesterday? But, as I slowly allow myself to creep ahead, I also have decided to take this time to look back on the past. That is, my past twelve years of me being a parent. That special gift God gave me of being Mom.

So many times I catch myself looking back at the "what-I-should-have's".. or the "why-didn't-I's" of the past. (Most often these occur in the middle of the night when I can't fall back asleep!) Too often I find that I can get caught in the negatives and wrong doings I have made. But, what I really should be doing is rejoicing in the positives! All of those accomplishments. The important milestones and wonderful achievements. All the mini-loving life lessons that I have nurtured in each of my three children. Yes. I am a good parent and darn it, I deserve to give myself some credit!

So after all this time, this is what I have learned (SO far). This is what I think is important. This is what I think will matter  most!

1. GFF. 

Nope, not BFF (best friends forever), GFF. It stands for God, family, friends. I had once heard this term and it really hit home. So I have tried to instill this in the "everyday living and thinking" of our kids. The order of priority, before anything else, is God first. After that, our family comes next and finally friends. Without God first, the other two would not even exist.

                          "Weave in faith and God will find the thread." ~Author Unknown

2. Yes, Birthdays DO matter.
Growing up, a chid may not remember what gifts they received for each birthday. What creates those memories are the feelings of "mattering" and being recognized on the day your precious self arrived on this Earth. God's special miracle was created and we should celebrate that, if nothing else. So pull out that cake mix and light up the candles. You are very worth celebrating!

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You." ~Dr. Seuss

                                              


3. Be a Nature Nut!
Even before our kids could walk on their own two feet they were introduced to the idea of nature. Whether it be a simple stroll around the block in the stroller on a fall day, or a random  hike through the woods to look for snakes, it was a natural rhythm for them. I used to express to the kids that we were "nature nuts" and had always hoped to create t-shirts fashioned with the title. Well, I haven't quite gotten around to that yet. But, our nature nutty-ness is still alive and active...even after all these years.

 "Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." 

                           ~Kahlil Gibran

4. Travel, travel, travel!
I will always remember my mom telling me what her dad would always say to her, "Travel. See as much as this world, that God created, as you can." Well, you don't have to twist my arm twice! I was born with the travel bug. It doesn't matter where or how I get there. It is just the pleasure of seeing a new sight, that is important to me . As a family we try to go somewhere, anywhere, every year. My thinking is that those sights, sounds, smells and tastes will weave a special spot in each of our kids souls and enliven their own travel bugs when they get out in the real world. Whether is be a well-thought out adventure or an impromptou Sunday drive, the idea is... just GO!

       " For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move." – Robert Louis Stevenson

5. Easy does it!

The point that I have STILL not fully gotten myself, is to not take life SO seriously.This is a hard one for me, but I am always working on improving myself...step by step, day by day. I guess, since I tend to take MY life so seriously, I tend to find that I expect that in my kids. Well, I really do see that there is value in the craziness..the sillyness...the down-right quirky events that shape each of us as God's special children. After all, none of us will ever be perfect. So, I need to take it easy on myself and in my children.

"Some days are simply meant for playing."

- Mary Anne Radmacher

6. Be happy.

Ever since my kids were little, I had only one simple rule for them to aquire, and that is to be happy. My thought is that if a person is truly happy, then anything in life will be possible. The right job will come your way. The right friends, spouse, life, will "correctly" form all around you. How many people in this world are truly happy? Sure, good grades and a well-mannered child is important, but, a happy child is most essential for me.

Smile.

Today would be a wonderful day not to take life so seriously.

Today may end up the way you prefer - and it may not.

Happiness is not about being a winner -

it's about being gentle with life -

being gentle with yourself.

- Jonathan Lockwood Huie



May 8th 2011

A First Communion Blessing

May you always feel

as close to Jesus

as you do today.

May you always

count on Him

to gently guide you

on your way.

May you always

trust in God

to answer every

single prayer.

May you always feel

Him blessing you

with tender, loving care.

 Congratulations, my darling daughter Aleksandra. What a joyful day it was.

how great thou art

Stanza 1:

O Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all

The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,

I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout

The universe displayed;

Stanza 2:


When through the woods


And forest glades I wander


I hear the birds


Sing sweetly in the trees;


When I look down


From lofty mountain grandeur


And hear the brook


And feel the gentle breeze;

Refrain:

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Stanza 3:


When Christ shall come,


With shouts of acclamation,


And take me home,


What joy shall fill my heart!


Then I shall bow


In humble adoration


And there proclaim,


"My God, how great Thou art!"

Refrain:

Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

walk to God

I found this story in the magazine my kids get called Take Out. It really has a lot of meaning.

                                                                      

 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

A man came to this teacher and said: "Teacher, when I was a child I felt very close to God. Now that I am older, it seems as if God has left me, or perhaps it is I who have left. In either case, I feel far away from God. I am not sure what to do."

The teacher answered him: "When you teach a child to walk, at first you stand very close. The child can only take one step, and then you must catch him. But, as he grows, you move farther and farther away, so that he can walk to you. God has not abandoned you. Like a good parent, God has moved farther away, but is still close by, waiting for you. Now you must learn to walk to God."

happy Mikuláš day!

St. Nicholas or Mikuláš (as we Czech. like to call him) is celebrated today for his feast day, December 6th.

I can still remember vividly how, as a child, we would put out our Christmas stockings by the fireplace on the night of December 5th. And, if we had been good, in the morning we would be rewarded with small trinkets and treats (mainly candy). If we had been a little naughty ( which was a YES!), we would be worried that maybe coal would appear instead, but small treats would still appear, with an occasional orange or other fruit.

Who was this Saint Nicholas you may ask? Well, Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God. When Nicholas later became a Bishop, his generosity continued, especially with children. He would do his kind deeds in secret so that no-one would know and he did not expect anything in return.

The tradition of Mikuláš has been passed down and continues 'til this day with my own children.

Just this morning, they rushed to there stockings to find what St. Nicholas had left them. It is a tradition that I will keep up and I can only hope that my children will too as they have families of their own.

For more wonderful information on the Origin of Santa, see here.

the Advent virus...

The Advent Virus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous via email

WARNING……WARNING: ADVENT VIRUSBe on the alert for symptoms of inner Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to this virus and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.Some signs and symptoms of The Advent Virus:-A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
-An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
-A loss of interest in judging other people.
-A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
-A loss of interest in conflict.
-A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)
-Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
-Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
-Frequent attacks of smiling.
-An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
-An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

Please send this warning out to all your friends. This virus can and has affected many systems. Some systems have been completely cleaned out because of it.

Happy Advent!

no one will ever know...

No One Will Ever Know

By Janet Seever

Karen, Judy, and I were the last ones back in the schoolroom after lunch. We put our metal lunch boxes on the shelf above the coat hooks, which were mostly empty. All of the other sixth graders were already outside, playing marbles or hopscotch or jumping rope, since it was a pleasant spring day.

"Look what I found this morning in the storage cupboard when I was getting out some art supplies for Mrs. Eiffler." With a conspiratorial grin on her face, Karen held up a wooden box filled with short pieces of chalk in every color of the rainbow.

"Wow! What fun it would be to write on the chalkboard while everyone is outside." Judy's eyes twinkled with anticipation.

"But Mrs. Eiffler doesn't want us writing on the chalkboard," I responded, already feeling guilty, although we had not yet done a thing.

"Don't be such a 'fraidy cat', Janet. No one will ever know," Karen, reaching into the box and drawing out a piece of chalk.

"Right. Everyone is outside, so we're safe. No one will tell on us." Judy was already drawing a house with sure strokes.

I reluctantly joined my friends in the artwork, wanting to be part of what was going on, but afraid of being caught. I knew well that we were breaking not one, but two class rules. The second rule was that no one was allowed to stay inside at noon without a written excuse from home if the weather was nice.

Trying various colors, we drew houses, trees and three-dimensional boxes. It was fun! All the time we were watching the clock, knowing that our fun would be over if anyone walked into the room.

Then Judy had an idea. "We're all right-handed. Let's see who can write their name the best using their left hand."

Judy and Karen picked up their chalk and started writing. I chose a white piece from the box and wrote my name. The handwriting was a bit shaky, but no one would doubt that it said "Janet."

I think Judy is the winner, "said Karen. "Hers is the best."

"We'd better get this board cleared off before Mrs. Eiffler comes back," said Judy, eying the clock. She picked up an eraser and began erasing our handiwork from the board.

Everything came off...but my name!

In disbelief, I looked at the chalk I held in my sweaty hand. On closer examination, it wasn't chalk at all. I had picked up a small piece of white color crayon which was mixed with the pieces of chalk.

My stomach churned and my knees felt weak. What would Mrs. Eiffler do with me?

My mother had a saying: "Fools names and fools faces always appear in public places." I never fully understood what it mean before. Now I did! I was a fool, and there was my name in crayon to prove it. And the teacher would be returning soon.

"Quick, let's get some wet paper towels," said Judy, springing into action.

After vigorous rubbing, my name still remained.

"I think I saw a can of cleanser by the sink in the coat room," I said as I raced to find it. Precious minutes were ticking away.

We rubbed and my name came off all right, but in the process of removing it, we left an abrasion on the chalkboard.

Listening for footsteps coming down the hall, we dried the scrubbed area as much as we could with more paper towels and fanned it with a book to remove every tell-tall trace of wetness.

We were just slipped into our desks as the bell rang and the other students began entering the room. The teacher in soon afterward.

Mrs. Eiffler never asked about the abrasion and maybe never noticed it. But I did. Every time I walked past the marred surface of the chalkboard, I remembered. Oh, how I remembered.

The lesson I learned that day is one I never forgot, even though over forty years have passed since the event. "No one will ever know" is never true. Even if no one else found out, Jesus knew and I knew. Sometimes living with a guilty conscience is punishment enough.