Inspiring Quote for November 9th, 2014: Faith

   “Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you; all is very, very well. Do this in complete faith and confidence.”

― Pope John Paul II 

Inspiring Quote for September 29th, 2014: Love

   “It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start.”

― Mother Teresa

Inspiring Quote for September 25th, 2014: Persistence

   “Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.”

― Charles F. Kettering 

SYMBOLON: THE CATHOLIC FAITH EXPLAINED

Inspiring Quote for September 23rd, 2014: Aging

   “It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.”

― Gabriel Garcia Marquez 

Inspiring Quote for September 22nd, 2014: Lessons

   “Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed passage with you?”

― Walt Whitman

Dear coffee...

My dearest Java,

How do I love thee?  Thou art black and beautiful, so I love thee with Biblical words.  Thou are good with half-and-half, cream, milk, sugar, honey, maple syrup, maple sugar, agave nectar, or coconut cream, so thou art good mixed.  More than all of these, I love thee straight, as long as the barista is good, the roaster is good, and the beans are good.  If not, thou needest a little decking out with the aforementioned accessories.

However, my dearest one, here is where I must introduce a strain into our relationship.  This past week, as we gained more and more exclusivity, I realized that I need to introduce a third person into our relationship.  Now, I love monogamy; I think you know this.  But, in the interest of not crashing or dying, I think our relationship has to be polygamous.  I need to spend more time with my old flame.  She's also dark and luxurious; her name is Sleep.  When I fold into her arms, nothing else matters.  She's fantastic in her time, as you are fantastic in yours.

I have found that on occasion I can substitute you for her.  This often comes at a price that I am willing to pay.  However, it is not often the case that I can substitute her for you.  This means that I do value you as an individual, and that I am not giving you up.  Your soda cousins aren't quite as effective as you are, so you will always be my first love.  Your energy-drink cousins are just crazy; I prefer to spend my time with you rather than them; there's no telling what they will ask me to do.  I will also admit to spending time with your far-distant cousins which promise zen and harmony, but they did nothing for me.  I also love your sister, tea, but she requires a much more tender preparation, so we don't hang out much.

Anyway, I just thought that I needed to define how we stand after this past week of frequent use.

Love always,
Anthony

Inspiring Quote for August 30th, 2014: Tact

   “Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip.”

― Winston Churchill

Inspiring Quote for July 22nd, 2014

   “Blessed is the servant who loves his brother as much when he is sick and useless as when he is well and can be of service to him. And blessed is he who loves his brother as well when he is afar off as when he is by his side, and who would say nothing behind his back he might not, in love, say before his face.”

― St. Francis of Assisi 

Inspiring Quote for July 20th, 2014: Future

   “Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you.”

― Jim Rohn 

Inspiring Quote for July 19th, 2014: Happiness

   “Every day we have plenty of opportunities to get angry, stressed or offended. But what you're doing when you indulge these negative emotions is giving something outside yourself power over your happiness. You can choose to not let little things upset you.”

― Joel Osteen 

Inspiring Quote for July 12th, 2014: Tears

   “There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.”

― Washington Irving

Inspiring Quote for July 11th, 2014: Willpower

   “Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt or fear.”

― Dan Millman

Inspiring Quote for July 9th, 2014: Greatness

   “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

― Mark Twain

Inspiring Quote for July 3rd, 2014: Family

  “The great danger for family life, in the midst of any society whose idols are pleasure, comfort and independence, lies in the fact that people close their hearts and become selfish.”

― Pope John Paul II 

First recording posted

I sang this for the first Mass of Fr. Daniel Heenan on Sunday, June 25.  I enjoyed it immensely, especially because it is so simple, so I recorded all three parts in Audacity, and posted it on Soundcloud.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
   

Comments and critiques are certainly welcome.  I am always looking for ways to improve.

Inspiring Quote for June 20th, 2014: Adversity

   “All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

― Walt Disney

Inspiring Quote for June 15th, 2014: Fathers

   “Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice.”

― Charles F. Kettering

Inspiring Quote for May 12th, 2014: Attitude

   “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.”

― Khalil Gibran

Inspiring Quote for May 11th, 2014

   “If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been.”

― Robert Brault