Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday Dad  I love you, I hope your day is great and filled with laughter and hope all of your dreams come true. I hope that your day is wonderful and you have fun on your birthday. I love you dad and I know you love me. You're funny and kind and nice and hope it's a good birthday.

I know I haven't written in awhile but now I am writing again. Today I want to share some of my favorite songs and hopefully the songs that I share with you today will inspire you in some way or help you in some way. Here is the first song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Otg-5p7qug
Now here is the second video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuJWQzjfU3o Here is the third video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8 Here is the fourth video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a1WKcB7umU Here is the fifth video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NhHzTq5wQQ So these are just some videos I wanted to share with you tonight and I hope that you enjoy them and I can not wait to share something different tomorrow or on Wednesday, but whatever day I do decide to share with you, then I hope you're looking forward to it. I know I am looking forward to doing it on one of those days. I enjoy writing and doing posts like this because it makes me feel good and makes feel good knowing it might be helping someone else. So I hope you enjoy tonight's blog post and have a good rest of the evening.

Different Traditions that countries have for Halloween

Tonight I want to share different traditions that other countries have for Halloween. So here is the first country: In Ireland, which is considered to be where Halloween, the day is still celebrated much like it is in the United States. In rural areas, bonfires are lit as they were centuries ago, and all over the country, children get dressed up in costumes and spend the evening "trick-or-treating" in their neighborhoods. After trick-or-treating, most people attend parties with neighbors and friends. At the parties, many games are played, including "snap-apple," a game in which an apple on a string is tied to a doorframe or tree and players attempt to bite the hanging apple. In addition to bobbing for apples, parents often arrange treasure hunts, with candy or pastries as the "treasure." The Irish also play a card game where cards are laid face down on a table with candy or coins underneath them. When a child chooses a card, he receives whatever prize is found below it. A traditional food eaten on Halloween is barnbrack, a kind of fruitcake that can be bought in stores or baked at home. A muslin-wrapped treat is baked inside the cake that, it is said, can foretell the eater's future. If a ring is found, it means that the person will soon be wed; a piece of straw means that a prosperous year is on its way. Children are also known to play tricks on their neighbors, such as "knock-a-dolly," a prank in which children knock on the doors of their neighbors, but run away before the door is opened. Here is the second country: In Austria, some people will leave bread, water and a lighted lamp on the table before retiring on Halloween night. It was once believed that these would welcome the dead souls back to earth on a night that Austrians considered to be magical. Here is the third country:

The Belgians believe that it is unlucky for a black cat to cross one's path and also unlucky if it should enter a home or travel on a ship. The custom in Belgium on Halloween night is to light candles in memory of dead relatives. Here is the fourth country: Modern Halloween celebrations in Canada began with the arrival of Scottish and Irish immigrants in the 1800s. Jack O'Lanterns are carved and the festivities include parties, trick-or-treating and the decorating of homes with pumpkins and corn stalks. Here is the fifth country: In China, the Halloween festival is known as Teng Chieh. Food and water are placed in front of photographs of family members who have departed while bonfires and lanterns are lit in order to light the paths of the spirits as they travel the earth on Halloween night. Worshippers in Buddhist temples fashion "boats of the law" from paper, some of which are very large, which are then burned in the evening hours. The purpose of this custom is twofold: as a remembrance of the dead and in order to free the spirits of the "pretas" in order that they might ascend to heaven. "Pretas" are the spirits of those who died as a result of an accident or drowning and whose bodies were consequently never buried. The presence of "pretas" among the living is thought by the Chinese to be dangerous. Under the guidance of Buddhist temples, societies are formed to carry out ceremonies for the "pretas," which includes the lighting of lanterns. Monks are invited to recite sacred verses and offerings of fruit are presented. Here is the sixth country: In Czechoslovakia, chairs are placed by the fireside on Halloween night. There is one chair for each living family member and one for each family member's spirit. Here is the seventh country: While the Irish and Scots preferred turnips, English children made "punkies" out of large beets (which they call beetroots), upon which they carved a design of their choice. Then, they would carry their "punkies" through the streets while singing the "Punkie Night Song" as they knocked on doors and asked for money. Halloween became Guy Fawkes Night and moved a few days later - see the History of Halloween, but recently it has been celebrated on October 31, in addition to Guy Fawkes Night. In some rural areas, turnip lanterns were placed on gateposts to protect homes from the spirits who roamed on Halloween night. Another custom was to toss objects such as stones, vegetables and nuts into a bonfire to frighten away the spirits. These symbolic sacrifices were also used as fortune-telling tools. If a pebble thrown into the flames at night was no longer visible in the morning, then it was believed that the person who tossed the pebble would not survive another year. If nuts tossed into the fire by young lovers then exploded, it signified a quarrelsome marriage. For the most part however, the English ceased celebrating Halloween with the spread of Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation. Since followers of the new religion did not believe in Saints, they saw no reason to celebrate the Eve of All Saints' Day. However, in recent years, the American "trick or treating" custom, together with the donning of costumes for going door-to-door, has become a relatively popular pastime among English children at Halloween, although many of the adults (particularly the older generations) have little idea as to why they are being asked for sweets and are usually ill-prepared to accommodate their small and hopeful callers. Here is the eighth country: On the evening of November 5, bonfires are lit throughout England. Effigies are burned and fireworks are set off. Although it falls around the same time and has some similar traditions, this celebration has little to do with Halloween or the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The English, for the most part, stopped celebrating Halloween as Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation began to spread. It was on Halloween in 1517 that Martin Luther began to try to reform the Catholic Church. It ended in the formation of the Protestant Church, which didn't believe in saints. So they had no reason to celebrate the eve of All Saints' Day. However, a new autumn ritual did emerge. Guy Fawkes Day festivities were designed to commemorate the execution of a notorious English traitor, Guy Fawkes.  Without Saints, there would be no All Hallow's eve, no Halloween and no partying, so in Britain, when a a conspiracy to blow up the English Parliament and King James I in 1605 was foiled (for the whole story, click here!), this became a convenient means to solve two issues at once. The celebrations that people were accustomed to just moved to November 5 and became Guy Fawkes Day. Guy Fawkes was not-too-bright accomplice who became the fall 'guy"  (his name is also where we get the word "guy" from) in a Catholic plot to blow up the English Parliament, which at that time was Protestant. So, although technically, the celebration was to commemorate the failure of the plot, nonetheless, it was Halloween. Bonfires were lit across the country. People made lanterns from carved out turnips and children went begging for "a penny for the guy" (and they were to use the pennies to buy more wood for the bonfire upon which Guy Fawkes was to be burned alive. gruesome, huh?  I knew you'd like that. Here is the ninth country:

Unlike most nations of the world, Halloween is not celebrated by the French in order to honor the dead and departed ancestors. It is regarded as an "American" holiday in France and was virtually unknown in the country until around 1996. A combination of the French love of parties, fete's and costume events, and some simple crass commercialism has led to the rapid rise of the holiday in France. The French had been hearing about Halloween from foreign residents and tourists and in their English classes for years before the holiday ever showed its (masked) face in France. In 1982, the American Dream bar/restaurant in Paris began celebrating Halloween. At first it had to explain the holiday to each customer, but since about 1995, French customers have tended to be more and more familiar with Halloween. The Mask Museum in Saint-Hilaire-Saint Florent was opened by Cesar group in 1992, and the owners started working to expand Halloween in France the following year.
In 1996, the village of Saint Germain-en-Laye held a Halloween party on 24 October in the middle of the day, to give locals an idea of what it was all about. Meanwhile, companies like France Télécom, McDonald's, Disney, and Coca Cola began using pumpkins and other Halloween images and ideas in publicity campaigns. This simultaneously increased French people's knowledge about Halloween and made it seem like another imposition of American culture. How is Halloween celebrated in France?
Halloween in France is usually celebrated by costumed people of all ages going to parties at friends' homes, restaurants, bars, or clubs. The costumes themselves tend to be traditionally "scary" - mummies, ghosts, goblins, witches, and vampires - rather than the cute costumes like princesses, superheroes, and the cartoon character of the day which are popular in the US. Trick-or-treating is extremely rare; when it does exist, it is not from house-to-house, but from store-to-store.
Stores, malls, restaurants, offices, and homes decorate their windows; pastry and candy shops make up special desserts and candies; and many different kinds of companies use Halloween in their ads. Supermarkets sell pumpkins for jack-o'-lanterns and candy companies are now marketing candy in the traditional Halloween format: one big bag filled with lots of little packages, which may encourage trick-or-treating. Traditionally, pumpkins are not a popular food in France, so the high demand for jack-o'-lanterns during Halloween has been a boon for pumpkin growers. There is even a pumpkin patch at a farm outside of Paris where people can pick their own. Halloween in France is rather controversial, due to the perception of corporate and cultural influence, as well as the fact that it is not a typical French holiday and some people still don't understand what is being celebrated. Because Halloween is seen as an American celebration, some French people refuse to enjoy it, having decided to include it in their anti-American boycott. It's too early to tell whether Halloween will develop into a long-term tradition; once the novelty wears off, it may turn out to be just a fad. Tenth Country: In Germany, the people put away their knives on Halloween night. The reason for this is because they do not want to risk harm to (or from) the returning spirits. Eleventh Country:  The Halloween celebration in Hong Kong is known as "Yue Lan" (Festival of the Hungry Ghosts) and is a time when it is believed that spirits roam the world for twenty-four hours. Some people burn pictures of fruit or money at this time, believing these images would reach the spirit world and bring comfort to the ghosts. Fires are lit and food and gifts are offered to placate potentially angry ghosts who might be looking for revenge. Twelfth Country:
Japan does not celebrate a western-style Halloween. While most people here know a little about Halloween in the United States, with the costumes, parties, and trick-or-treating; very few know exactly when or how it's celebrated. The Japanese celebrate the "Obon Festival" (also known as "Matsuri" or "Urabon" and pronounced, "oh bone.) which is similar to Halloween festivities in that it is dedicated to the spirits of ancestors. Special foods are prepared and bright red lanterns are hung everywhere. Candles are lit and placed into lanterns which are then set afloat on rivers and seas. During the "Obon Festival," a fire is lit every night in order to show the ancestors where their families might be found. "Obon" is one of the two main occasions during the Japanese year when the dead are believed to return to their birthplaces. Traditionally, in rural areas where gravesites are in the neighborhood, the pathway from the graves to the home is swept clean, and a general house-cleaning is also done. Then, on the 13th, an altar is set up with various food offerings, and "welcoming fires" are set in front of the house and along the path to guide and welcome the spirits. People may even hire a priest to come and chant prayers. On the evening of the 15th "send-off fires" are lit, and the spirits return to their graves. People who spend o-bon away from their ancestral homes or live in the city usually just make a little token fire on their veranda or patio. Memorial stones are cleaned and community dances performed. The "Obon Festival" takes place during July or August. region, festivals, food booths, and bon dances can be found in the evening, with lots and lots of people enjoying themselves. Even those who don't observe the religious rite outlined above participate in the festivals. You used to see many people wearing a yukata, a lightweight cotton kimono, but these days you usually only see a few girls wearing them. Thirteenth Country: In Korea, the festival similar to Halloween is known as "Chusok." It is at this time that families thank their ancestors for the fruits of their labor. The family pays respect to these ancestors by visiting their tombs and making offerings of rice and fruits. The "Chusok" festival takes place in the month of August. Fourteenth Country:Among New World Spanish-speaking nations, particularly Mexico and Aztec-influenced Latin America, Halloween is known as "El Dia de los Muertos." the days of the dead, a three-day celebration that begins on the evening of October 31 and culminates on November 2.  This is an ancient festivity that has been transformed throughout the years. It was originally intended in prehistoric Mexico to celebrate children and the dead. Mexican families remember their dead and the continuity of life.  It is a joyous and happy holiday...a time to remember friends and family who have died. Officially commemorated on November 2 (All Souls' Day), the three-day celebration actually begins on the evening of October 31. Designed to honor the dead who are believed to return to their homes on Halloween, many families construct an altar in their home and decorate it with candy, flowers, photographs, fresh water and samples of the deceased's favorite foods and drinks. Frequently, a basin and towel are left out in order that the spirit can wash prior to indulging in the feast. Candles are incense are burned to help the departed find his or her way home. On November 2, relatives gather at the gravesite to picnic and reminisce. Relatives also tidy the gravesites of deceased family members, including snipping weeds, making repairs and painting. The grave is then adorned with flowers, wreaths or paper streamers. They bring picnics and sit around the grave sites sharing stories of the departed and feasting on foods such as spicy meat dishes, batter bread and lots of sweets; some shaped like skulls. The abundance of food, drink and good company creates a festive atmosphere along with recognizing the cycle of life by the interaction of the living with the dead. Some of these gatherings may even include tequila and a mariachi band although American Halloween customs are gradually taking over this celebration. In Mexico during the Autumn, countless numbers of Monarch butterflies return to the shelter of Mexico's oyamel fir trees. It was the belief of the Aztecs that these butterflies bore the spirits of dead ancestors. In the villages, parades are held. People dress as skeletons and dance in the streets. Often, a live person is placed inside a coffin which is then paraded through the streets while vendors toss fruit, flowers and candies into the casket. Home feast are held and loaves of bread, "Bread of the Dead" are given. Inside the loaves are sugar skeletons or other items of death motif. This gift is more prized if the skull or skeleton is embossed with ones own name. The families also attend candle lit ceremonies in church and offer prayers. The whole celebration is about life from beginning to end.  Last country: In Sweden, Halloween is known as "Alla Helgons Dag" and is celebrated from October 31 until November 6. As with many other holidays, "Alla Helgons Dag" has an eve which is either celebrated or becomes a shortened working day. The Friday prior to All Saint's Day is a short day for universities while school-age children are given a day of vacation. I found this on a website on Google and I found it interesting enough to share with you because I think it's interesting to learn about what different traditions, countries have. I hope that you will have learned something from this tonight. I can't wait to share something different with you tomorrow. I hope that everyone has had a good day. I hope this post will have educated you in some way, and may have helped you to learn something new about the different countries I posted and what their traditions are for Halloween. Well that's it for now, so I hope everyone has a great rest of the night. I hope everyone has a goodnight and I'll share more tomorrow.

 

 

 

Ways we can help and teach others about God

Today I just want to share a message and the message is this: We believe in what God teaches us, but there are others that don't believe in what we do. God is not dead, he's alive. Others who don't believe that, are the ones we should help because we don't know what they have gone through, that made them change their relationship with God. So today, I just want you to reflect and think of ways you can help someone have a relationship with God. I hope these posts have been helping you in some way. I can't wait to share something with you tomorrow that's new and different, but until then please enjoy today's post.

What it's like for me to have a blog and what is a blog

If someone were to ask me what it was like for me to have a blog, here's what I would tell them. I would tell them, it's nice that I started my blog a few years back and it's nice to know that I have a blog where people can just read it from all over the world. It also gives me a chance to express myself and it gives me a chance to write what I feel. It gives me a chance to also share with you what I want without having someone tell me what I should or should not write. Having a blog has helped me share things that I enjoy writing about. For example, writing about quotes or about Hydrocephalus. I want to continue to share new and different things with you each day. Now here is the one question, if I ever got asked the question and that is, what is a blog? A blog is something that people can create and write and express themselves. They can write about one thing and just stick with that topic and continue to write something new and different about that topic, or they can write something totally new and write about millions of other things. I think by me sharing and writing new and different things about my blog, makes my blog unique and I think it makes my writing unique and me unique. I enjoy writing and one day I hope to become an author and have one of my stories published. I hope that if I ever do get one of my stories published, or if I decide to self publish one of my own stories, then I hope people will like what I have written and enjoy reading the stories that I write. I can not wait to share more and more things with you tomorrow and each day, because I feel that it would be good for me to do a blog post each day, so that for the people who are reading it, will want to stay interested in what I am writing or sharing with all of you, for that day. I hope everyone has a great rest of the night, and I can not wait to share more with you for tomorrow, but until then please enjoy today's post.

Pastor Steven Furtick Quotes

Today I want to share some quotes I found on Google that are from Pastor Steven Furtick. If you want to change the direction of your life, change the declaration of your lips. You can't fulfill your calling in your comfort zone. God has already worked out what you're worried about. God can't redeem the regrets you don't release. These are just some quotes from him, there are others but I felt like these were the most important to me, that needed to be shared with you today. God always has a plan for us, and he will never leave us. He is there for us and helps us and he helps those in need. I want to share a scripture with you, it comes from Deuteronomy 31:8 which says: The Lord himself is who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Don't be afraid. Don't be discouraged.''  I hope that as you read today's post that it will help you or someone else. I hope that it will inspire you or someone else in someway. I hope that it will encourage you to tell others. I hope that as you continue to read these posts, they will inspire you and encourage you in some way. I hope that I can continue to keep doing posts that will encourage you more and more each day. I can not wait to share more tomorrow but until then please enjoy today's post. I'm glad that I get to share something new and different with you each day, because it makes me feel good. It makes me feel good that I might be helping someone or brightening up their day. So as you read today's post and think about what has been said, then I hope it encourages you to tell someone about what was said.

Quotes about God, a verse of scripture, and song

I want to share Quotes about God and I hope that as you read these quotes today that they will help you in someway. Faith tells me that no matter what lies ahead of me, God is already there. We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves us is never alone. God has no phone, but I talk to him. He has no Facebook, but he is still my friend. He does not have Twitter, but I still follow him. Trust God. I deserve nothing but God gives me everything. God's Math 1 cross, plus 3 nails, equals 4 given. Follow God, not people. Life is good because God is great. When it hurts run to God. God changed my life. Let God write your love story. God's help is only a prayer away. I did my best God did the rest. Tell God your 3 p's in life; problems, pressures, and plans and he will give you his three abc's answer to prayers, best favors, and courage to go on. God will never let us down because his love is unconditional. God is always there for you never doubt. Begin and end your day with a prayer. Have faith in God. I am a child of God. These are just some quotes that I thought I would share with you today. I hope these quotes will inspire you, encourage you, and help you. I hope that today's post will help you, and help someone else because you never know what day someone might have had. So I hope that these posts will help that person along with you. I can not wait to share more with you tomorrow but until then please enjoy today's post and enjoy the afternoon. I would like to share a verse of scripture with you. It's from the book of Romans chapter 5:8 which says: But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. So today as you read this post, and you think about everything that was said today, it is my hope that everyone who reads this post that they will feel encouraged and inspired to help someone who is having a bad day or just needs comfort. It is like I said earlier, I can not wait to share more with you tomorrow but until then please enjoy today's post. Alright, so here is the link to the song. I found this song on youtube. I feel like it's a good song and it's written by one of my favorite christian music artists. I'm sure many of you have heard of him. Or some of you may not, but his music is really good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlqH5-T9WtI I hope that you enjoy today's post of everything that was mentioned today. So hope everyone has a great and wonderful afternoon.

Inspirational Quotes

Hi everyone so yesterday I told you about the thirtieth day of Hydrocephalus Awareness Month, but right now I want to share some inspirational quotes I found on Google. Give God your weakness and he'll give you his strength. Every weakness you have is an opportunity for God to show his strength in your life. You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it. You didn't come this far to only come this far. Hope is the only thing stronger than fear. Never let go of your dreams. Everyday is a second chance.In the end, we only regret the chances we didn't take.Believe in yourself. Be the reason someone smiles today. You will never have this day again, so make it count. The sky is the limit. Inspire someone. The difference between who you are and what you want to be is what you do. You never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. Always remember you are braver than you believe stronger than you seem smarter than you think. Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody. It won't be easy but it'll be worth it. Mistakes are proof that you're trying. You can if you think you can. Be somebody no one thought you could be. Don't call it a dream call it a plan. Believe in yourself. Remind yourself that it's okay not to be perfect. When someone tells me no. It doesn't mean I can't do it. It just means I can't do it with them. Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow. I want to be your favorite hello and your hardest goodbye. So these are just some inspirational quotes that I thought I would share with you today since it is now October 1st. I feel like someone might needed an inspirational quote today. Or just needed something to make their day or make them smile. I hope everyone has a great rest of their evening and night. I hope that I continue to do more and more posts similar or different to what I have been doing. I hope that my posts have inspired or have helped you in someway. I hope that have helped someone else that might have had a hard day or rough day at school. I just hope that my posts have encouraged you in some way. I hope to have something new and different posted for all of you tomorrow. I can't wait to do something different and new tomorrow but until then please enjoy today's inspirational quotes and feel inspired by the quotes that I have found on Google tonight, and enjoy.