I was delighted to be able to attend the National Ploughing at Ratheniska, Co.Laois yesterday. There was PLENTY of mud flowing in all directions. But once you were wearing wellingtons it was grand, the sun was shining and everyone had a great day.
On This Day
On September 21st 2016 a migrant boat carrying 450-600 people capsized off the Egyptian coast and only 163 rescued.
On September 21st 2016 three genetic studies published in “Nature” concluded that all non-Africans descended from one migration out of Africa 50-80,000 years ago
On September 21st 2022 Putin started recruiting between 300,000 and 1.2 million men to fight in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, prompting demonstrations around the country
Birthdays Today
Liam Gallagher (Rock Singer) is 51
Saint For Today
Today September 21st is Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist
Significance Of Today
Today is International Day of Peace. Since the 1982 the ringing of the Peace Bell on September 21st, at the United Nations HQ in New York, has been a day to both build and celebrate peace.
Interesting Quote for Today
“You don’t need to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” ~Martin Luther King Jr.
Refrigerated rubber bands last longer when a rubber band is placed inside the fridge. The polymers in the band will become more relaxed.
Thought For The Week
‘Buried deep within each of us is a spark of greatness, a spark that can be fanned into flames of passion and achievement. That spark is not outside of you, it is born deep within you.’ ~James A. Ray
Our ancestors going back thousands and thousands of years created the first fire by rubbing together pieces of flint stones to create sparks. The ability to create fire created warmth and possibility. In the years since we know how fire can be both beneficial but also destructive. This summer alone there seemed to be forest fires all over the world and in particular we saw the devastating fires that swept through Hawaii.
The image of a spark is full of meaning and with deep spiritual symbolism. When we say we have lost our spark for life we are in a very difficult situation, there is no energy flowing in us, we feel surrounded by darkness and find no motivation to do anything.
There are so many sparks we could talk about, a spark of kindness, of love, of support, of understanding, of comfort, of light, of hope, of meaning and so much more. The Divine spark within each of us is the ignition for every other spark. This Divine spark is unique and is not outside of us. It has been born deep within us. It is special; it is always there and can help rekindle the spark of life within us.
We pray today asking God to be our spark, to be the spark that fills us with hope, that gets us restarted and the one who gives us meaning and purpose. It’s about accepting our limitations, accepting that we can’t do everything but knowing that the little things we do each day are actually the most important of all. It’s about accepting the beautiful spark that is you.
The Thought For The Week is updated each Monday
