Hope and Peace

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 1 Peter 3:10-14

A simple prayer:

Have mercy upon those to whom God has sent the bitter trial of separation from those they love!

Have mercy on that loneliness of heart, so full of sadness, so crushing, sometimes full of terror!

Have mercy upon those struggling against the difficulties of life, and faint with discouragement!

Have mercy on those whom fortune favors, whom the world fascinates, and who are free from care!

Have mercy on those to whom Thou hast given great tenderness of heart, great sensitiveness!

Have mercy on those who cease to love us, and never may they know the pain they cause!

Have mercy on those who have gradually withdrawn from Holy Communion and Prayer, and losing peace within, weep, yet dare not return to Thee!

Have mercy on all we love; make them holy even through suffering! if ever they estrange themselves from Thee, take, oh, take all my joys, and decoy them with the pleasures back again to Thee!

Have mercy on those who weep, those who pray, those who know not how to pray!

To all, O Jesus, grant Hope and Peace!

Pure of Heart

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. "
Matthew 5: 3-9

And from that old French Book of Devotions:
Oh! if you could only witness the terrible struggles passing in the heart of that friend whose vivacity annoys you, whose fickleness provokes you, whose faults sometimes even make you blush....

Oh! if you saw the tears that are shed in secret, the vexation felt against self (perhaps on your account), you would indeed pity them. Love them! make allowances for them! never let them feel that you know their failings.

To make any one believe himself good, is to help him almost in spite of self to become so.

Letting Love Abound

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God" Philippians 1:9-11

The work of the Sower is given to each of us in this world, and we fall short of our duty when we let those with whom we are brought in contact leave us without having given them a kind thought or pious impression.

Nothing is so sad as the cry, "I am useless!" Happily none need ever be so.

A kind word, a gentle act, a modest demeanor, a loving smile, are as so many seeds that we can scatter every moment of our lives, and which will always spring up and bear fruit.

Happy are those who have many around them ... they are rich in opportunities, and may sow plenteously.

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ" Philippians 1:27

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Holding forth the word of life" Philippians" 2: 13-16

Fitness and Self Esteem For Our Daughters

Children and adolescents often have multiple motives for playing organized sports. "Having fun" rated as the most important motive for both boys and girls. Other primary reasons that children play organized sports typically include improving skills, being with friends, becoming physically fit, liking the challenges and experiencing success (Weiss & Petlichkoff, 1989). A recent diverse, nationwide survey of ten thousand boys and girls ages ten to 18 found that when asked about their reasons for playing their best school sport, girls rated “to have fun” first, followed by “to stay in shape,” “to get exercise” and “to improve skills” as their next most important reasons (Ewing & Seefeldt, 1989).

“The Wilson Report: Moms, Dads, Daughters and Sports” (1988) also found that girls who participate in sports most often report fun as their major motive, with physical, health and social factors frequently mentioned. The majority of motives cited, and certainly the most important motives, are intrinsic or internally-based, rather than extrinsic or externally-based. Only limited research is available on motives for exercise, as opposed to competitive sport involvement, in youngsters (Rowland, 1990), though one study of junior high-school students revealed that girls exercised primarily because they wanted to look better whereas boys wanted to have fun!

The primary reason girls engaged in physical activity was to have fun, followed by positive health benefits. Numerous studies have found a positive relationship between physical activity and self-esteem. Girls who felt most confident about themselves and their abilities were more likely to participate in physical activities at higher levels than girls who felt less confident. Younger girls derived positive self- esteem through challenge, achievement in sports, risk-taking experiences and skill development, while older girls cited these sources of self-esteem as well as gaining esteem from the approval of others and through a belief that girls are capable of playing sports well.

Exercise programs, particularly weight and strength training, can enhance the self-concepts of adolescent female participants as well (Gill, 1993). For example, Brown and Harrison (1986) found that participation in a 12-week program of weight training significantly enhanced self-concept in both younger and older girls and women.

Another study examined the use of competitive and cooperative physical fitness programs with high-school girls (Marsh & Peart, 1988). Both the competitive and cooperative programs resulted in enhanced physical fitness; however, the cooperative program enhanced physical ability self-concept and physical appearance self-concept, while the competitive program lowered them. The competitiveness of physical education programs was one of the more negative aspects of the experience for girls. Girls just want to have fun!

Do Some Good

"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him" 1 Corinthians 9

A young girl, in one of those moments when the heart seems to overflow with devotion, wrote thus in her journal: "If I dared, I would ask God why I am placed in the world; what have I to do? I know not; my days are idly spent, and I do not even regret them.... If I might but do some good to myself or another, if only for the short space of a minute in each day!." A few days later, when in a calmer mood she re-read these lines, she added, "Why, nothing is easier! I have but to give a cup of cold water to one of Christ's little ones."

Even less than that: a word of advice; something lent to another; a little vexation patiently borne; a prayer for a friend offered to God; the fault or thoughtlessness of another repaired without his knowledge—God will recompense it all a thousand-fold!

Random Acts of Kindness

What useful lessons can we share with our most cherished little loved ones?

A kind word, a gentle act, a modest demeanor, a loving smile, are as so many seeds of kindness and love that we can scatter every moment of our lives. Seeds which will always spring up and bear fruit.

Through our own actions and behavior, we might show them to be good-natured, kind and sharing, keep a cheerful expression. Try to please, to console, to amuse, to bestow, to thank, to help others. Try to do some good to the souls of others! An earnest word, some encouragement, a prayer softly breathed.

"For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?"
1 Peter 3:10-13

"And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4: 8-10

“children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.”—1 John 3:18

"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." Benjamin Franklin

For more ideas please check out Random Acts of Kindness.

Encourage Healthy Habits

The look of fear in her eyes and on their faces was undeniable. Their son had just been carried off the field on a stretcher. As they loaded him into the ambulance the parents hastened their step.

Their teenage son had just taken a nasty fall on the football field. He didn't get up when the rest of the young men did. Every parents worst nightmare.

More than half of the 7 million sports and recreation-related injuries that occur each year are sustained by youth between ages 5 and 24. Thankfully, there are steps that we parents can take to help make sure our children stay safe on the field, the court, or wherever they play or participate in sports and recreation activities.


When children play sports, encourage - even demand they use protective gear, such as helmets, wrist guards and knee and elbow pads—in addition to any other sports gear appropriate to their sport. Further, during informal recreation activities children should also always wear helmets when recommended, especially during activities such as in-line skating and biking.

Make sure they use the right stuff. Be sure that sports protective equipment is maintained correctly and is in good condition—for example, without missing or broken buckles or compressed or worn padding. Poor fitting equipment may be uncomfortable and may not offer proper protection.

Practice makes perfect. Have children learn and practice skill sets relevant to their chosen activity. For example, appropriate tackling technique is important in preventing injuries in football. Proper form can play a role in preventing injuries during baseball, softball, and many other sports. Also, encourage sufficient warm-up and cool-down time before and after the big game - or even. Staying fit and being in good condition can help protect participants from injury.

Pay attention to temperature. Allow time for child athletes to gradually adjust to hot or humid environments to prevent heat-related injuries or illness. Parents and coaches should pay close attention to make sure that players are hydrated and appropriately dressed.

Practice what you preach. Be a good role model. Communicate positive messages about safety and serve as role models for safe behavior, including a wearing helmet and following the rules.

Maybe if we encourage healthy fitness habits - our children will grow into healthy young adults!