14th February

It’s Valentine’s Day!!!!

Let me introduce myself. My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius at all, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings.

Claudius wanted to have big armed forces. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius angry or better… furious! So what happened? He had an unwise and crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was nasty and cruel. I thought it was ridiculous! I certainly wasn't going to support that decree!

By the way, did I mention that I was a priest? One of my favourite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies (secretly, of course). It was really quite stimulating and exciting! Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself... We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers.

One night, we did indeed hear footsteps. It was creepy! Thank God the couple I was marrying runaway in time. I was caught. (Not quite as light on my feet as I used to be, I guess.) I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment and sentence was death.

I really tried to stay positive and cheerful… but do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love and friendship.

One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits and emotional state up. She agreed that I did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. On the day I was to die, I left my friend a little note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine."

I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day. It was written on the day I died, February 14, 269 A.D. Now, every year on this day, people remember me. But most importantly, they think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh, because they know that love can't be beaten!Celebrate it!

Don’t let it end!

27th January

It's Chocolate Cake Day !!!

When : Always January 27th

In my research I did not discover the foundation of this day. Maybe it was a baker, perhaps it was a food company… Most likely it was a chocolate cake eater!

If you have any information about this holiday, please let me know!

Chocolate Cake Day is a chocolate lover’s pleasure and a day, of course, to eat cake.

On this day, a white or yellow cake will not do at all! Nor will part chocolate or part white will meet requirements… It must be chocolate, all chocolate! You can make milk chocolate, dark chocolate, fudge, or any other type of chocolate cake.

The only allusion to Chocolate Day it’s just cards and calendar websites. This might lead you to conclude that this is a day for (and by) the cards companies. ;)

But we know it better - this day is for you, and all chocolate lovers!

There are three objectives of Chocolate Cake Day: To bake a chocolate cake, to decorate a chocolate cake and to eat a chocolate cake. Of course, if you are to busy to bake or decorate a cake, then just eating a chocolate cake will certainly do!

Hey, it's Chocolate Cake Day! The perfect time to pamper yourself and your cute loved ones!!!

16th January 2009 - Religious Freedom Day

16th January

Religious Freedom Day

But Not For Everyone...

Today is National Religious Freedom Day in the United States, an event that celebrates one of the most cherished freedoms in EUA. It was on this day, January 16, in 1786 that the Virginia State Assembly adopted Thomas Jefferson's famous Virginia Stature for Religious Freedom. This landmark legislation became the foundation for the freedom of religion granted under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The freedom of religious expression in the U.S. has remained unshaken for 221 years, and it has been the inspiration for religious liberty around the globe.

The goal of Religious Freedom Day is to promote and protect students' religious expression rights by informing educators, parents, and students about these liberties.

The White House issued this proclamation:

Quote:

Religious Freedom Day, 2009 A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

Religious freedom is the foundation of a healthy and hopeful society. On Religious Freedom Day, we recognize the importance of the 1786 passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. We also celebrate the first liberties enshrined in our Constitution's Bill of Rights, which guarantee the free exercise of religion for all Americans and prohibit an establishment of religion.

Our Nation was founded by people seeking haven from religious persecution, and the religious liberty they found here remains one of this land's greatest blessings. As Americans, we believe that all people have inherent dignity and worth. Though we may profess different creeds and worship in different manners and places, we respect each other's humanity and expression of faith. People with diverse views can practice their faiths here while living together in peace and harmony, carrying on our Nation's noble tradition of religious freedom.

The United States also stands with religious dissidents and believers from around the globe who practice their faith peacefully. Freedom is not a grant of government or a right for Americans alone; it is the birthright of every man, woman, and child throughout the world. No human freedom is more fundamental than the right to worship in accordance with one's conscience.

Religious Freedom Day is an opportunity to celebrate our legacy of religious liberty, foster a culture of tolerance and peace, and renew commitments to ensure that every person on Earth can enjoy these basic human rights.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 16, 2009, as Religious Freedom Day. I call on all Americans to reflect on the great blessing of religious liberty, endeavor to preserve this freedom for future generations, and commemorate this day with appropriate events and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
GEORGE W. BUSH

Unquote
(Courtesy: The White House / Washington)

Personally, I don’t think that President Bush is the right one to talk about culture of tolerance and peace…

Let freedom ring!!!

I wish you a pleasant Religious Freedom Day!

Ana

Season's Greetings Dec/Jan

Season’s Greetings !!!!!

With Christmas and New Year just about the corner, it's the time of the year to be cheerful and merry. Celebrate the warmth of the season and multiply the happiness around. It’s also time for Holiday Thank You! Be grateful for the gifts that your friends/ family/ loved ones have given you. Thank them for making your Holiday Season a great one!

Around the world, holiday greetings are a selection of greetings that are often spoken with good intentions to strangers, family, friends, or other people during the months of December and January.

Holidays with greetings include Christmas, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Ramadan (which falls at a different time each year; every year it goes back a month) and recently, Kwanzaa. Some greetings are more prevalent than others, depending on the cultural and religious status of any given area.

Typically, a greeting consists of the word "Happy" followed by the holiday, such as "Happy New Year", although the phrase "Merry Christmas" is a notable exception.

The tradition of sending Christmas cards originated in the mid-1800s when a few people began to design handmade cards to send to family and friends. A man named John Calcott Horsely is credited as being the first to actually print Christmas cards. The card depicted a family enjoying the holiday, with scenes of people performing acts of charity. The card was inscribed: "Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to You".

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Wise new Year!

Eid Al-Adha / 8th December

Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى) or the Festival of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims and Druze worldwide in commemoration of the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah (God). The devil tempted Ibrahim by saying he should disobey Allah and spare his son. As Ibrahim was about to kill his son, Allah intervened: instead Allah provided a lamb as the sacrifice. This is why today all over the world Muslims who have the means to, sacrifice an animal, as a reminder of Ibrahim's obedience to Allah. The meat is then shared out with family and friends, as well as the poorer members of the community (Islam names Ishmael as the son who was to be sacrificed, whereas the Judeo-Christian name Isaac).
Eid al-Adha is one of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from the Quran.
Eid ul-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for two to three days or more depending on the country. Eid ul-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

I wish you a very Happy Eid (عيد مبارك Eid mubarak) !!

Thanksgiving / Advent - 27Nov/21Dec

It's Advent!!! For a few its Thanksgiving!

So fill your heart and spirit with tenderness, warmth and love.

Advent (from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming") is a season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus, in other words, the period immediately before Christmas.

Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the second coming. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting that Christians today endure as they await the second coming of Christ.

(source: Wikipedia)

Celebrating Advent

Advent is one of the few Christian festivals that can be experimented in the home as well as in the church. In its association with Christmas, Advent is a natural time to engage kids in actions at home that openly connect with devotion at church. At home an Advent wreath is often placed on the dining table and the candles lighted at meals, with Scripture readings preceding the lighting of the candles, especially on Sunday. A new candle is lighted each Sunday during the four weeks, and then the same candles are lighted each meal during the week. In this environment, it provides the chance for family affection and prayer collectively, and helps teach the Faith to children, especially if they are involved in reading the daily Scriptures.

An Advent Reflection

"It is truly a humbling experience to read back through the Old Testament and see how fragile and imperfect all the "heroes" actually are. Abraham, the coward who cannot believe the promise. Jacob, the cheat who struggles with everybody. Joseph, the immature and arrogant teen. Moses, the impatient murderer who cannot wait for God. Gideon, the cowardly Baal-worshipper. Samson, the womanizing drunk. David, the power abusing adulterer. Solomon, the unwise wise man. Hezekiah, the reforming king who could not quite go far enough. And finally, a very young Jewish girl from a small village in a remote corner of a great empire.

It never ceases to amaze me why God could not have chosen "better" people to do His work in the world. Yet if God can use them, and reveal Himself through them in such amazing ways, it means that He might be able to use me, inadequate, and unwise, and too often lacking in faith that I am. And it means that I need to be careful that I do not in my own self-righteousness put limits on what God can do with the most unlikely of people in the most unlikely of circumstances. I think that is part of the wonder of the Advent Season. "

(Courtesy:Dennis Bratcher )

I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving / Advent!

Ana

World Hello Day

World Hello Day

Every year, November 21 is World Hello Day. They say one of the goals is to say hello to ten people on the day. By greeting others, the message is for world leaders to use communication rather than force to settle and mend conflicts.

This event started in 1973 to react to the conflict between Egypt and Israel. Since then, World Hello Day has been pragmatic and is celebrated in 180 countries by politicians, religious leaders and celebrities. Folks around the world use the time of World Hello Day as a chance to convey their concern for world harmony.

This day it is also an opportunity to celebrate world language learning with our friends and family. Psssst Psssst ... Of course this celebration shouldn’t stop in November.

Why don’t we start and learn how to say “Hello”, “Peace” or “Welcome” in other languages??

I will help you right now (please correct me if am wrong):

English: Hello
Portuguese: Olá

Swahili: Jambo

German: Guten Tag

Hawaiian: Aloha
Arabic (formal): Al-salam-aleikum
Arabic (lebanese): Marhaba

Hebrew: Shalom

Japanese: Konichiwa

Chinese: Wei

French: Bonjour

Spanish: Hola

Russian: Privet

Dutch: Dag

Australian: G'Day

Many people have written about World Hello Day to United Nations: Am leaving here what President Ronald Reagan wrote:
quote
“Peace begins in the human heart when selfishness and fear are replaced by charity and hope. In reaching out to others in friendship, you spread the spirit that is the foundation for peace within the home, the community, the nation and the world.
May you receive the same friendship you offer, and may God bless you and all whose lives you touch.
Unquote

Have a friendly and pleasant World Hello Day!!!

WORLD KINDNESS DAY – 13th November

"One kind word can warm three winter months"

Japanese Proverb

The date decreed for World Kindness Day is 13th November. The opening day of the first World Kindness Movement® conference was in 1988. This conference brought the signatories of the ‘declaration of kindness’ of the World Kindness Movement together in 1997.

The intention of World Kindness Day is to look ahead of ourselves, ahead of the boundaries of our country, ahead of our culture, our race, our religion; we are citizens of the world! We must understand that if progress is to be made in human relations, if we are to accomplish the goal of peaceful coexistence, we must focus on what we have in common. When we find likenesses we begin to experience sympathy. While we may believe that people from other cultures are ‘different’ when we compare them with our own habits and beliefs, it doesn’t mean that we are any better than they are. When we become friends with someone from a different culture we find out that despite some obvious differences, there are many similarities.

What is an Act of Kindness?
An act of kindness is an unplanned gesture of goodwill towards someone or something - our fellow humans, the animal kingdom, and the empire of nature. Kind expressions and deeds come from a state of generosity, generated by a core response deep within all of us. When we carry out an act of kindness it is a message from one heart to another, an act of love, an unspoken "I care" declaration.

So... Lets be kind!

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart.

Helen Keller

Kindness is the light that dissolves all walls between sould, families and nations.

Paramahansa Yogananda

"Forget Me Not" Day

When is it?
Always November 10th
"Forget-Me-Not" Day is a day to remember family, friends and dear ones.
Lets use this day to get in touch with family, friends and loved ones, especially those who we haven't seen in a while. You don't want them to forget you, do you??

(In the 15th century in Germany, it was supposed that the wearers of the flower would not be forgotten by their lovers.
Legend has it that in medieval times, a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river. He picked a posy of flowers, but because of the weight of his armour, he fell into the river. As he was drowning he threw the posy to his loved one and shouted "Forget-me-not". This is a flower connected with romance and tragic fate. It was often worn by ladies as a sign of faithfulness and enduring love.
It is also told in pious legend that the Christ Child was sitting on Mary's lap one day and said that he wished that future generations could see her eyes. He touched her eyes and then waved his hand over the ground and blue forget-me-nots appeared, hence the name forget-me-not.
source: wikipedia)