Pope's Twitter

Pope Benedict the 16th steps down as of 2pm EST today. (Thats 8pm Rome time- Feb 28)

Here are the final words on his twitter:  @Pontifex - Feb 27

"If only everyone could experience the joy of being Christian,
being loved by God who gave his Son for us!"

Source: https://twitter.com/Pontifex

Some really insightful Twitter posts as well since the beginning of 2013!!!

Thought Id re-tweet them for you, as the "pope emeritus" (Latin for retired pope) twitter account will be inactive until a new pope is chosen, which their aiming to be before Easter Sunday. Hope this provides you with some inspiration. (see tweets below)

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Jan 1 -  May Our Lord bless you and watch over you in the new year.

 

Jan 2-When we entrust ourselves to the Lord completely, everything changes. We are children of a Father who loves us, and never leaves us.

 

Jan 6 - The Wise Men followed the star and reached Jesus, the great light that illuminates all of humanity.

 

Jan 9- Following Christ’s example, we have to learn to give ourselves completely. Anything else is not enough.

 

Jan 13- In this Year of Faith, may every Christian rediscover the beauty of being reborn in the love of God and living as his true children.

 

What happens in Baptism? We become united forever with Jesus, to be born again to a new life.

 

Jan 16- If we have love for our neighbor, we will find the face of Christ in the poor, the weak, the sick and the suffering.

 

Jan 20- What does the Lord ask of us as we work for Christian unity? To pray constantly, do justice, love goodness, and walk humbly with Him.

 

Jan 23- Many false idols are held up today. For Christians to be faithful, they can’t be afraid to go against the current.

 

Jan 25- I join all those marching for life from afar, and pray that political leaders will protect the unborn and promote a culture of life.

 

Jan 27 - What does Sunday, the day of the Lord, mean for us? It is a day for rest and for family, but first of all a day for Him.

 

Feb 6 - Everything is a gift from God: it is only by recognizing this crucial dependence on the Creator that we will find freedom and peace.

 

Feb 10- We must trust in the mighty power of God’s mercy. We are all sinners, but His grace transforms us and makes us new.

 

Feb 13- During the season of Lent which begins today, we renew our commitment to the path of conversion, making more room for God in our lives.

 

Feb 17 - Lent is a favourable time in which to rediscover faith in God as the foundation of our lives and of the Church’s life

 

Feb 24 - In these momentous days, I ask you to pray for me and for the Church.

 

 

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If you ever had the chance to log onto the Pope's twitter account, as inspiring as these twitter posts are, unfortunately there is another side to the story.

 

If you click on "expand" and read the comments and tweets from those who viewed them.... Id say 99% of responses to these inspirational Christian posts were cruel and demeaning, mocking the words.

 

It really felt sad... knowing that behind the inspiration being provided, those who did not believe took to twitter to make fun of these words/truths.  

It reminds us of John 15 in the bible:  Jesus says... "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: They hated me without reason.’

 

Makes me think... being a Christian has a lot of pressures from the outside world, but we cant lose faith or our love for God because of it.  

 

Being a leader who loves Jesus, probably has more pressures than the average person. No matter what Christian denomination the leader is from.

 

My prayer as the pope steps down today, is that any seeds of faith for Jesus- that were planted in his time of leadership, will resonate with those who heard those words. I pray that Benedict will know and genuinely feel that Christ's love and truth is stronger than any mocking words that may have been placed on his twitter, or said against him - and that everyone who wrote someting demeaning would experience Gods love in their life in some concrete way.

And I pray for his health, of course.

 

I also pray that the new leader they choose by Easter Sunday, is someone who genuinely loves God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. And someone who can make a difference. Amen. :)

 

 

 

 

 

Music Producer makes techno music with Vegetables & Fruits

Lunchbox Surprise Notes Ideas

If once in a while you like to surprise your loved ones by writing an "I Love You" note and packing it in their lunchbox (my mom used to do that all the time when I was a student... I love you too mom!!!)-  Here are 5 new creative ideas to keep the surpise fresh:

1. Write a Trivia Question on the note (answer on the back)
2. Slip in a gift card to a coffee/ice cream shop nearby their work/school
3. Write a compliment about the person on the note
4. Write a funny joke
5. Try slipping in a photo of you & them

It keeps things original!  Hope you get a surprise in your lunch box soon!

Switchfoot's Making a Movie!

For the past year, the band Switchfoot has been working on a movie.
It's a project that they've been dreaming about for a long time - a documentary on Switchfoot: music, surfing, and the journey of their past eight records together. It's called "Fading West". No release date yet, but certainly a film I'd love to watch!

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZqLS5r5tiE

Happy Valentines Week!

What does the Bible say about Love? Its a fantastic definition!

1 Corinthians 13 New International Version (NIV)

 

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is Love.



 

My favorite story about Starfish

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his journal writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a someone moving. He began to walk faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.
As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?"
The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean."
"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"
"The sun is up, and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."
"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"
The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."