Photo was taken recently at Millstreet, Co.Cork (Irl)

This Golden Labrador gave me a lovely warm welcome on my recent walk. When the weather is dry and fine it is so good to get out on a winters day and feel the beauty of nature all around.

At this stage you will have noticed new changes to the website. There has been such positive feedback. Regular viewers have seen some big changes and new viewers are also pleased with the new layout.  The website was working on outdated software and it needed an upgrade and facelift to bring it up to the technology of 2022/23.

On This Day

On November 28th George Harrison, from the Beatles, died of cancer at the age of 58

Birthdays Today

Ed Harris (Actor) is 72

Aimee Garcia (Actress) is 44

Saint For Today

Feast day for November 28 is Saint Catherine Labouré

Significance Of Today

Today is Cyber Monday. Today is one of the busiest days for online shopping. For many it is seen as the last day to order something online and make sure you will get it before Christmas.

Interesting Quote For Today

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” ~Aristotle

Did You Know

Did you know Iceland grows 5cm every year because of its moving tectonic plates

Thought For The Week

You know that feeling of waiting for something or someone? It is a feeling of excitement or maybe anxiety. Waiting is not always seen as a good thing but it can be a time for growth. And so we enter into the season of waiting: Advent. ~Jane Mellett

The Late Late Toy Show was another huge success again last Friday with the Wizard of Oz theme. From the beautiful colourful opening piece and all the way through, the show was enjoyed by so many children and families. It is always one of the first indicators that Christmas is fast approaching. This week also marks the beginning of our journey through Advent and the spiritual countdown to Christmas. For many though it’s a word that doesn’t connect or has little to offer our daily journey.

Advent can be seen as a forced season upon us, to get us excited about the coming of Christmas. But there is nothing forced with Advent and its intention is to always remind us what Christmas is about. Its intention is to remind us that God is near us and in our midst. Advent reminds us that God is present in love, kindness, sharing, friendship and our support of each other.

But like anytime of the year, the weeks coming up to Christmas are especially busy. Busyness dulls our sense of God all around us, especially when it comes to love, kindness and so many other blessings that are important to us. Advent is a journey that priorities time for ourselves and gives us time to ask what the message of Christmas can mean for us.

I recently read a lovely piece of advice on our approach to Christmas. The writer suggested that for Advent, put aside an A4 sheet or a sheet with lines on it. Each line represents one day. On our journey through Advent we are invited to write just two things that we would like to give thanks for. Maybe it was something that happened during that day, maybe it was a gesture of kindness, maybe it was someone in your family or a stranger or maybe it was for the lovely sunrise or a sunset.

As only a few words will fit on each line, it is not going to take long. If we can then look at this sheet on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, our experience of Christmas will be completely different. Because in all that you have written down, it is there that you have found God present.

The Thought For The Week is updated each Monday