#c: deo strange

[chaosrisingverse]

AMADEO ‘DEO’ STRANGE, twenty one

ALIAS | Outré

FAMILY | Victor von Doom aka Doctor Doom (father), Kalmia von Doom (mother, deceased), Stephen Strange aka Doctor Strange (adoptive father), Clea Strange (adoptive mother / cousin), (siblings tba)

ENDGAME SHIP | Rocío Muñoz

ORIENTATION | bisexual, cis man

POWERS / ABILITIES / EQUIPMENT

POWERS | Hypnotism, Technopathy (via Psionics) Flames of Faltine, Magic, Sorcery (via Faltine/Dark Dimension Humanoid Hybrid and Human Physiology)

ABILITIES | Expert Occultist, Expert Strategist, Genius Level Intellect, Master Swordsman, Multilingual, Peak Human Conditioning, Skilled Martial Artist

EQUIPMENT | n / a

FACECLAIM | Luke Newton

PINTEREST | Deo

[theorist-influencer-untitled]

2.10.24 Saturday

12:09 am

I still have windblow... Weird! I'm on an "unplanned training" for the entire day...

I find it so weird! TL Krizzy just ordered a barge at the side... I feel weird and lowered.

I'm planning to resign and apply on other company or other account. I need money still, plus the account it will be until April. In a way it will end in a lil while....

I always feel low in call center... I feel irritated. Why, I feel that I can't beat it!

I still want and need money... I have to calm down...

Revo is not around... Chloe the other TL, is not around as well...

Aizzy is not really reacting on me but I pity her which I can't understand. Aside, from my own personal self-pity...

6:34 am

Thanks to TL Krizzy in a way for being crazy and nice... She is still nice for allowing us to file the special holiday today and for insisting that we should file it... Sweet in a way in spite of her craziness...

What else? Princess sent me a message on our TEAMS that the black american guy that I like was with them in prod C. The black american guy that I saw in the pantry. I asked what is he doing there? Princess said I think he is trainer.

I feel that I'm on a detention room for the whole day...

6:46 pm

OM was just there, just like a mushroom...

Ian and I are the only people on our line sitting arrangement. Ray is off today... Kaede still drinking his pick-up coffee every start of our shift. Lay was there, still nice and mysterious.

Yam was there but I'm not trusting her just like Prexel. Joms helped me on doing the filing of special holiday today. John was just quiet as always and buddy of Joms. Jay ( Jay is wearing black sweater hooded with a print of Beatles and why Beatles??? ) sitting beside Aizzy.

T the super healthy TL just peacefully sitting on her throne.

I barged with Fritz and V... V is a college graduate finished education but not yet a board passer. Young and fresh, young as 23.... I asked V if she is happy she said yeah! I'm ohkay, I've been here for a year.

8:20 am

I'm here in the house now... I need to clean, we don't have helpers now and we can't hire one...

One of my major complexities in LIFE!

We need to pay our electric, I can't share for now... My salary is small, I have my own personal expenses. WE NEED TO PAY OUR ELECTRIC...

8:30 pm

So,if I have a visitor I need them to have schedule here but probably a bf visitor who can help me on money these days or on my expenses here...

My call center salary is not enough to have a good life.

Someone who can accept me,my situation. Like for example on that cute black american man, I'm gonna tell him that we are facing a financial tight budgeting. I have to work coz I have my own personal expenses and I have a son-dog and that dog has a life. I share 1300 in pesoses for our gasul and sometimes my nana is requesting a money from me and to buy her some stuff. Of course she took care of me when I was lil girl. It is my responsibility as well to pay her back in a way... But my money is not enough. I'm giving a lotion or a deo on Uncle Jun for taking care of John when I'm not in the house. My lil favour from him.

I have a son-dog who I took care and still taking good care of him since he was 3 months old. He has maintenance just like a human kid.

I have my own personal needs as well... I'm not ready to shoulder other bills in the house but we need to pay it, of course no matter what happens... Like our electric bill...

I need to save for myself as well... Uncle DD is receiving the fundings from my adoptive parent's to pay the bills here but of course I'm trying to help but I can't cover for everything here. My salary is just small...

8:40 am

I don't know...I feel sleepy but I have to clean in a way... Poops are everywhere here in our living room, coz I can't hire a yaya to look after my son-dog when I'm away... If I have yaya then even if I'm not in the house someone will clean his poops. My nana is old for that and my Uncle Jun here is a lil strange, he doesn't want to clean the poops of John in the living room plus I think he is still sick now...

So, today probably I will do some general cleaning... I have no choice, I need to clean angels!!!

8:45 pm

Probably, I will buy whisky coke or Smirn Off while cleaning....Late afternoon, I have to clean our trash can and some floor mats of John, I have to wash it outside... This is my rest day here...

I still need to check some fan blade outside in a repair electronics shop, whatever....Coz it is cheaper though not my ideal life. Yeah! Yeah! It is a crack pot here... I want my bf2x visitor to accept this bitterish reality of my life here.

10:16 am

This Uncle DD will borrow a 20kilos dog food for Neko... Huh? I can only manage 2 kilos... But he needs to return it angels,coz I'm not that rich...

Thank God I'm able to buy new fan blade for 90 pesoses... Thank God! I'm a survivor....Good as brand new...

2:35 pm

Done, eating.... I still have windblow... Will still rest later afternoon, I need to clean outside our trash can. I feel bitterish .... I still feel fat and ugly... I need to diet correctly...

What will happen to me next week?

Hmm... One of the reasons of my troubled chats it was ohkay but they didn't take my rapport coz for them I was making a joke but I got it in Iqor, it was our training to make life funny.

In short I've mentioned on my chats that " I can no longer do some magic here coz you need to contact your state about this" or Yeah! I can downgrade you using my magic, in a snap of a finger". In Conduent they don't like it but in Iqor it is fine they wanted to make our client laugh but in Conduent they wanted to sound serious. TL told me to not do that dialogue anymore on my clients.

I'm thinking where to find my Daddy-bf the one who can take me as me...Who can swallow my situation in life. Someone who can have a tough tummy on me in spite of my negative situation.

I also wonder, where is Revo probably with Chloe but nobody can tell the truth behind every bathroom's scene.

I needed to do a ritual or someone I can call my bf2x to finally kick a negative force. Well, hoping to be with Daddy-Bf aside from I need help these days on money and how to have a good life much more than this... Relationship with someone is about talk if the situation is something serious.

It is just kinda hard for me to be with someone younger but I hope a younger soul is willing to be a companion in times that I needed someone, it should be platonic but probably beyond this coz of something deep that I'm asking from HIM, if ever a younger soul like Revo but it is not easy. If with Revo I want him to have a loving and tough heart but a willing heart and ready to give in and loose and let go... It is a weird relationship if ever if money will be involved...

I told Princess that I really like Daddy-bf the first time that I saw him entering the 5th floor pantry, wow! Who is this cute black american man?

That day when I saw a possible Daddy-bf he looks so cool that is there a cat walk here? Or probably checking something or looking for someone, I don't know but that night I just want him to see me... I wanted to measure how tall he is and I did... It was just a friendly and casual smile... WHO IS HE???

4:10 pm

In a lil while... The cleaning will start... WAITING FOR UNCLE DD's fundings for food and for some bills here.

I still need to keep a job... I wanted a nose perfection and my deep smile lines. I feel self-pity...I haven't seen the world... For 17 years they are smashing me... They repeated me but they changed me and that is super unfair for some fake relatives!

7:13 pm

I think there is bug or chair bugs not bed bugs in our chairs in Conduent office coz I got this 2 days ago. 2 days ago I suddenly felt a sting and itch at my back...

7:41 pm

I feel ugly when I have a bite on my skin coz I need to bleach it or use a kojic or carrot soap to whiten the bitten parts... I'm fading, I feel ugly!!!

8:01 pm

I'm worrying so much... What if Daddy-bf ( my black american man ) or Revo will be at my back and I'm on my sleeveless just like today and they will see this bitten part of bugs coming from Conduent.. I feel shy, I feel conscious... I feel ugly that I'm fading...

I need to revive my skin angels...

9pm

I still have windblow....Hmm... Why other people will say goodbye... Strange... I didn't do anything bad to harm them...

I'm gonna share something here, it is bad to spy on someone for the purpose of knowing things and harming the person.

[riverdamien]

The Bright Light!

The Bright Light!

"Candlemas!"

Luke 2

    Today is one of the most ancient of holy

Days: Candlemas-The Feast of the Presentation

of Jesus, commemorating Luke 2 when Joseph and

Mary brought their newborn son to the Temple in

Jerusalem. The purpose was Mary’s purification, a

cleansing ritual forty days after the birth of a son.

    Upon arriving at the temple they encountered Simeon

the Blind prophet, awaiting the Messiah. He took the child from them and proclaimed:

"My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel."

  The final movement in the arc of light is

Candlemas, when the entire world is set

ablaze with God’s manifestation of love.

    Today opens up a hope in the midst of all our contemporary news about death, deceit, and political rivalry. Today opens up hope in our own lives. 

     While we may not see the world "ablaze with God" entirely, it is ablaze as we each trust in that hope, as we each move out in love and hope in own woundedness.

    Sr. Thea Bowman once shared of her glimpses of the love for all in the Black journey out of slavery, and  continued journey into freedom.

    The Bible as always was used as a tool by the slave owners, quoting scripture to justify slavery, and yet the Holy Spirit lead those in slavery to see the Bible as a tool of liberation.

    In the same way the Holy Spirit is leading us to see God at work in the liberation of L/G/B/T/Q's and all people, regardless of spirituality, creed, ethnic background--God is love for all!

    In my own life, my experience as been that of the liberating God.

    When one looks back at their childhood, and infancy, one finds that it colors all of one's life, until one looks at it and put it into context and find healing. When that begins to happen one becomes the 'wounded' healer.

    I grew up in a small southern town, one that was segregated, homophobic, and deadly to anyone outside of their box of fundamentalism, whiteness, and sexuality.

    My childhood, adolescence was boxed in, I could never ever be myself Within me it created  immaturity, low-self-esteem, and fear; the one slowly dawning "light" in my life was feeling "my heart strangely warmed" at twelve and having as a pastor David Richardson and his wife Ruth, who were liberal. And from their love and teaching I navigated through the fundamentalism and homophobia the best I could. All churches were homophobic, there were no gay therapists or out gays.

    Overwhelmed by  my vocation I entered the ministry, seminary and ordination, tied in painful knots, and only until I decided to seek therapy too look at myself, and found myself in "reparative" therapy, and when that was not working to force me into a state hospital until "you see homosexuality as a sin," did the light begin, slowly, every so slowly enter my life and I ran away, to Hollywood, prostitution, a lawsuit against my denomination, another Master's, ever so slowly as the light dawned back into ministry and to San Francisco!

    Through the years from being crushed by homophobia,being homeless, and the struggles here on the street, having my son murdered, and constant judgment threats and criticism,I am a wounded healer. 

    I see every person as a child of God, and only God has the right to judge! I see my life has a piece of an old cypress tree, each wound, each hurt is chiseled into a beautiful scar.!

    The Jesus know, the Cosmic Jesus, the One who embraces all. The Jesus I know is the One who leads us into the a revelation of an a blazing God of Oneness, healing, and love!"

"I know that I have life

only insofar as I have love.

I have no love

except it come from thee!

Help me please to carry this candle against the wind.

-Wendell Berry

Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

-------------------------------------------------

Fr. C. River Damien Sims, sfw, D.Min., D.S.T.

P.O. Box 642656

San Francisco, CA 94164

www.temenos.org

415-305-2124

snap/chat: riodamien2

Mission in Life! (Revised January 1, 2024):

The best summary for my mission in life is found in the statement that:

"Obedience to Christ does not consist in

engaging in propaganda, nor in engaging in propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such away that's one's life would not make sense if God did not exist."

Being a 'living mystery' means to love 'to the point of folly, and in the words of Kawaga:

"I am a free lance tramp, a vagabond for Christ. I must go until Christ's work is done. I go like the wind."

========================

[stranger-who-writes-fiction]

Me, throughout the entirety of 6x05:

And I suppose I could just leave it there but NO, we’re doing a LIST. Of all the excellent things from “Prom Night!”

SPOILERS!

AV Club reviewer giving this episode the first ‘A’ of the season: :D

AV Club reviewer still insisting that “Midvale” was filler: D:<

Forever destined to disagree with the AV Club reviews in some way or another...

Okay, so! We begin with a very helpful reminder from Alex that things are different, in this Post-Crisis World!

(I mean, on the one hand, am I slightly distressed that key aspects of the Pilot and the WHOLE of “Midvale” are now gone, along with Earth-38? Yes. 

On the other, Kara remembers her lived-experiences of everything that had transpired in the Earth-38 timeline, so they still sorta happened and have informed her characterization. 

So...it’s fine. It’s fine. This is fine.)

I do love that, ‘Kara punched a meteorite out of the sky’ is now a Thing That Happened, though. 

(Well perhaps NOT ANYMORE but I’m getting ahead of myself.)

KENNY LIIIIIIIIIIIIIVES!!!!!

“Scooby-Duo” listen, as someone who has already imagined all these kiddos in Hanna-Barbera cartoon style, running around Midvale, solving crimes and saving the day, I loved this description.

Alex being like, ‘DO. NOT. SCREW UP. MY PAST.’ ahhhhh we love to see that scary Older Sibling energy on full display.

And then Brainy and Nia are off to the past!

The only thing that could’ve made the utterance of ‘totes’ worse would’ve been the addition of, ‘magotes’. Thank goodness they exercised restraint in the writers’ room.

FORTUNATELY the terrible ordeal of reliving dated slang is offset by some truly excellent lines and line-reads throughout the rest of the episode.

For instance! Loved Brainy’s, ‘the perfect optical illusion’ and ‘off the dash, please.’ So great.

Other honorable mentions: ‘Damn it, Mitch!’ ‘That’s a LOT of exposure’ and I forget the line itself but when Cat’s like, ‘normal town my a--’ and then the cut to commercial break AAAAAHHHHHH so good.

Okay, back to the episode, Nia and Brainy, on the Legion Cruiser, AND THEN!

AND THEN AND THEN AND THEN!

OUR KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDS!!!!!

I love them. It won’t happen, but gosh, I want a Midvale spin-off so bad. 

Like, the Crisis retcon made some space in the girls’ past for a spin-off to actually...kinda work. 

(But sustaining the premise across multiple episodes/seasons would be tricky and there would always be the threat of running up against like. The current show’s continuity.

But hey! They could just ignore it, I guess! That’s what the Superman show is doing!) *insert frowny emoji here* 

So the kids have gathered with Alex for milkshakes, which is delightful.

But ALL IS NOT WELL! As Alex reads about the ‘luckiest town’ and is like:

(Except with a lot more anxiety and frowning)

I feel as though we already knew Alex went to Stanford but I can’t remember if Kara’s (terrible) resume revealed that she went to National City University?

*Checks* Yes it did.

Another thing I LOVE is just. Alex as the Responsible One, whose anxiety is perpetually cranked to a 9.5, driving the Scooby-Duo around in the suburban mom van for super-ing jobs.

Also, ‘super-ing’ is an excellent verb, 15/10

Young Cat Grant! ....More on her later.

Nicole and Jesse did such a great job with the comedy in this episode--their initial attempt at a cover story/lie is so good. 

And the masterful transition into an actual good lie that Nia knew would win Kara over...VERY NICE.

Kara being so obviously thrilled that there are OTHER ALIENS! WITH POWERS! HERE, IN MIDVALE! RIGHT HERE!

Fandom has ruined the whole ‘Kara has golden retriever energy’ as is their way but I must say...very much getting ‘excited puppy energy’ here. 

Nia and Kara comparing powers was so CUUUUUUUUTE!!!!

As was the picture on Kenny’s desk of him and Kara. D’aaaawwww.

(But OH NO SADNESS...BECAUSE A BREAKUP IS IMMINENT.)

Okay in addition to all of the incredibly adorable content we also get lots of FAMILY FEEEEEEELINGS, which: Yes, good, yes.

But Eliza is only here as a PICTURE on Kara’s nightstand and a NAME on Alex’s badge, I am sad. :C

(Hope Helen Slater is in this last season at some point...need that soothing mom energy after all the Phantom Zone angst)

I think I’m out of order now but Kenny wanting to help Kara help people is just. The most adorable thing. 

Spoiler alert: I use the word ‘adorable’ a lot in this list. Sorry...but also not. 

The Brainy music when he’s in the school computer lab watching the printer is really great. I think we’ve heard it before, but it meshed so well with the whole vibe of both the character and the episode, just stood out nicely, I guess.

Okay, so. Do we think that Jesse could always do the baseball bat tricks, and the writers wrote it in, or do we think that he learned them for the show? My money is on the former.

Either way, very impressive.

And now for the truck situation! I kinda thought it would turn out that it was Cat’s doing, as she was trying to suss out the ‘super’, but nope, it was the blue dudes.

(Which makes more sense, since they have no qualms about endangering other people.)

And ON THAT NOTE, the blue guys! They are the perfect level of ridiculous, and they are wonderfully straightforward in ways that the Phantoms are not.

Also, I love that one of them is named Mitch?

Nia and Kara save the day!

After Kara busts the brakes and is like, ‘uhhh....they’re not working’

I noticed the Metropolis license plate and while yes it’s a little strange that plates are...apparently city-based in this corner of Earth Prime, stranger still is that Cat presumably drove clear across the country to check out this story. Right? Like, that’s the only way she has that plate out in Midvale?

Wait, wait. Totally forgot to mention Kara and Nia’s EXTREMELY OBVIOUS ‘don’t be suspicious’ sunglasses gambit at the Midvale College campus you absolute DORKS.

Right, so.

Remember those FAMILY FEELZ??? WELL!

We’ve got Nia’s call to her mom, which, oof. OOOOOF. 

And then we have even MORE FEELINGS aka: The garage talk.

Okay. OKAY. So even though I’m a little sad “Midvale” no longer occurred in Earth Prime’s timeline, I am fascinated by the ways this new series of events have impacted Alex, Kara, and their past. (Also thrilled that Kenny lives, natch). Alex’s resentment and the burden of ‘protect Kara, PROTECT KARA’ have been left to simmer while Kara’s determination to help people has led to some...earnest but slightly careless secret hero work. The building blocks of the conflict introduced in “Midvale” are still there so while it might at first seem a little...repetitive, for Alex to lay all this out to Kara, it’s really just the reveal of a new boiling point; a post-crisis update on the scene in Midvale where Alex is like, ‘I had two parents before you showed up.’

AAAAAAAAAHHHHH IT’S EMOTIONALLY DEVESTATING I LOVE IT. 

And then like. The new, but also not-new angle, of Alex leveraging her world-weariness against Kara’s youthful optimism/somewhat reckless desire to help, and then Kara throwing BACK that she’s explored other solar systems. 

The LAYERS.

Also that Alex is like, ‘we need weapons, let’s tell mom and also call the DEO,’ classic Alex.

The garage talk ends with Kara determined to come clean to Kenny...BUT OH NO, THE HERO HIDEOUT IS SO CUTE, AND KENNY IS SO DEAR. 

And the reveal that the almost-kiss in “Midvale” actually happened d’awwwww these kids. 

Like. I am legitimately torn, here. I totally understand and support Kara in being honest with Kenny about the whole college situation--but also GAH. KENNY IS SO NICE AND CUTE AND EARNEST. 

You know what ELSE is nice and cute and earnest?

Nia singing “9 to 5″ to Brainy to cope with stress and boost morale.

Heckin’ adorable, gosh.

Aaaaaand some other stuff occurred as the episode closed out but I don’t have them in my notes and BASICALLY I want the next hour like, now. Right now. Because this was WONDERFUL. FROM START TO FINISH.

So some Overall thoughts!

I said we’d get to Cat ‘CJ’ Grant later, so here we are: I...think I liked her? Overall? It was a performance that gradually won me over, is how I would describe it.

Absolutely wild that Cat built a media empire in a mere six years. 

Also her whole, ‘I am going to find this extraordinary being and name them and kick Lois Lane into the classifieds’...I mean she eventually gets two out of three, there.

As I already started to mention, sad that Eliza wasn’t here! But it makes sense, since a lot of this, Kara is trying to keep on the DL.

Obviously, I am ALWAYS down for these flashback situations with the young Danvers. But it was also nice to take a break from the Phantom stuff. The plot here is simple/streamlined in a way the Phantom stuff...isn’t. I love the emotional character stuff coming out of the Phantom Zone arc but wow, the Phantoms are just. Needlessly complicated. 

The little episode recap where Lena is explaining that Phantom Prime is like a bloodhound was like, ‘oh right, they do that too...in addition to all the other stuff that they apparently do.’

So, yes. Welcome change.

The change of scenery + type of action was nice too!

Though RIP to everyone’s hair, fighting against the moisture.

This episode also handled the Brainy/Nia relationship really well, IMO. Like, due to the whole, ‘trying to fit so much in, always’ approach to Supergirl episodes sometimes results in a bit of...one-sidedness, for various characters. Think for instance of Kelly needing to cheer everyone on in episode 2, but not having space for her own feelings/emotional needs in that episode.

I’ve felt that a bit with Brainy and Nia thus far--one will sort of take up more narrative space, so the relationship feels a little lopsided.

NOT SO HERE! They are both going through some stuff, they are both struggling to cope, they both come to rely on one another for help. 

YES. GOOD. YES!!!!

Something I’m loving about season 6 overall is that so far, it doesn’t feel like the plot is stepping on character development too much. Like, it still isn’t a perfect balance, and some episodes manage it better than others, but compared to season 5? Leaps and bounds.

Everything was so nicely tied together and the dialogue was witty, the humor was delightful, EVERYONE WAS ADORABLE AND EARNEST AND DID I MENTION ADORABLE?* but they never lost sight of the themes and emotional through-lines and GAAAAAHHHHHH MIDVALE EPISODES ARE THE BEEEEEESTTTTTTTTT!

*Okay Alex was mainly stressed out but that’s to be expected.

TL;DR - Best episode of the season thus far? Best episode of the season thus far. 

[black-dragon1998]

sick

part 5 of Out of the box way of starting a family.  part 1- part 2-part3-part 4

Lydia comes down with a fever.

like always thanks for reading.

Kara was woken up in the middle of the night by a soft whimpering coming from somewhere in the apartment. Her dazed state didn’t allow her to pinpoint the exact position. She turned on her back to listen more closely, in the process she jumbled Lena around a bit who was pressed to her front. Said person grumbled in displeasure for being woken up at this ungodly hour.

Lena could claim all she wanted that she didn’t need much sleep, but Kara had seen Lena plenty of times without her first cup of coffee. And let just keep it at that if she had heat vision Kara would be dead plenty of times.

“Kara?” a rough grumble came from beside the blond. Before she could answer another soft whimper came from the other room.

Not wanting to worry Lena; Kara just went to sit on the side of the bed.

“just going to check on Lydia really quickly.” She said before giving Lena a small kiss on the temple, Lena was still too tired to connect the dots. She just gave another grumble as affirmation and turned back around in the big bed.

 Standing in front of her daughter’s bedroom door she felled a cold air coming from underneath the door.

‘Strange’ Kara thought to herself, normally every place int the apartment was kept at the same temperature. Lena didn’t really like the cold, so it was usually kept at a steady 22°C.

Entering, Kara was med with a little frost cloud coming from the bed followed by a little sob. Rushing over to the bed, Kara saw a few tears slide over her daughter’s little face. Seeing her mother, she started to sob louder and reached out to her mother.

“oh, my poor baby.” Kara immediately started doting on her daughter as she picked her up in her arms. Instantly Lydia buried herself in Kara’s collar, only then did the older woman notices her shivering while her skin felled like it was burning up.

“Mama, tummy hurts head too.” Lydia sobbed. Kara quickly walked toward her own bedroom rubbing the little girls back in comfort. Hoping it would at least calm her down a bit.

“it’s going to be okay little girl; we are going to make it all better.”

   Lena woke up to what felled to be a motherly instinct, she was immediately sitting up when she heard her daughter sobs coming closer. Jumping off the moment Kara came in with a sobbing Lydia in her arms.

“what’s wrong?” She asked feeling Lydia’s flushed cheeks and being shocked at how warm she felled. At the same time, a shiver ran over her body.

Feeling her other mothers’ hand, Lydia started reaching out for her. Lena instantly engulfed her in a motherly hug and started rocking her back and forth to soothe her.

“I don’t know. I woke up to her little sobs and when I saw her, she was shivering and feeling all hot. She also told me her stomach and head hurt. I think she is running a fever.” Kara was at the start of a ramble when Lena cut her off.

“would you grab my tabled and the thermometer. I have some data from the DEO to compare her reading too.” Lena asked her girlfriend, not taking her eye’s off, of Lydia. Looking her over to make sure she didn’t see anything ells out of the ordinary.

Kara used her superspeed to get everything she thought she needed. She also added a small bottle of water and flicked on a little lamp, to make sure they could see something and to not hurt the little girls head. The bottle of water was unscrewed, and Kara helped Lydia drink from it. After she placed the thermometer against the little girl’s forehead.

the beep came fast, like anything made at L-Corp. Lena compared the number with her other test results and could at least conclude that her little girl had a pretty high fever.

“well, she has a pretty high fever even for being half Kryptonian. I can’t see anything other physically wrong with her.” Lena explained to Kara, sitting down with Lydia at the side of the bed. putting Lydia on one knee and slinging one arm around her so she would fall off and on the other placed the tablet to look over all the data again.

“so, what do we do now, take her to the hospital?” Kara asked, sitting next to Lena stroking Lydia’s sweaty hair.

The little girl had stopped sobbing, but a few tears were still falling down her cheeks. Being engulfed by her mothers sent was calming her down.

“I don’t think it’s that bad. Kids get sick Kara; it’s how they build up their immune system.” Kara didn’t look convinced and crossed her arms.

“how about we call Alex instead, she can check up on Lydia, so we don’t have to take her to the hospital.” Lena says putting away her tablet and picking up her phone. When she came back in her normal position Lydia started to sob and she looked paler than before.

“Mommy, my tummy doesn’t feel good.” Luckily Kara had good reflexes and took Lydia straight to the bathroom, she was hover over the toilet just in time.

Lydia threw up until there was nothing left in her stomach, while Kara tried to soothe her.

“it’s okay sweet girl.” Kara felled her heartbreak. She was the most powerful woman in the city and jet couldn’t do anything to help her daughter.

“mama make it stop.” Lydia cried.

“I wish I could sweetheart, but I promise we're going to make you feel better. Mommy is calling Aunt Alex and she will know what to do.”

 While Kara was with Lydia, Lena called Alex.

“Lena. What’s the problemµ?” Alex's voice sounded harsh from just waking up, and Lena felled a little bad from waking her up.

“Hey Alex, sorry for calling this early, but Lydia is running a fever and me and Kara don’t really know what to do.” Lena barely could contain her worry and started rambling, living with Kara for so long was rubbing off on her.

At the mention of her niece being sick, Alex was out off bed in an instant. Waking the woman sleeping neck to her. Alex told Lena she would be there in twenty so minutes.

 “babe? What’s the matter?” Sam asked when she saw Alex practically jumping inside her pants and shirt.

“Lena called, apparently Lydia is sick.” Alex explained not looking at her girlfriend.

Sam threw the covers off her and started searching for her own pants.

“I’m coming with you.”

 After hanging up the phone Lena went to the bathroom. Lydia was still hunched over the toilet, Kara holding her up because she was still too short to do it herself. The little girl looked much paler than her mother would have liked, even with her own complexion.

Walking closer Lena brushed a couple off hairs out of Lydia’s face.

“feeling a little better, darling?” Lena asked, looking at her daughter over with a critical eye.

After another couple of minutes, of nothing happening the three of them moved back to the bedroom. Making Lydia brush her teeth first and let her drink the rest of the water bottle.

 “Mommy I’m cold.” Lydia sobbed, snuggling closer into her mothers' embrace. It broke the young mother’s heart to hear her daughter hurt like this. Not being a doctor, Lena knew enough that she should try to cool of Lydia because she had a fever and not cover her in blankets.

“I know sweetheart, but you have a fever and we have to try and get it down. I’m sure once ant Alex is here, she will have something to make you feel better.” Lena kissed the side of Lydia’s head and quietly hushed her. She didn’t know how much her two-year-old understood of it, even if she was the smartest two-year-old that Lena had ever seen.

Lydia didn’t understand everything her mother said, but the promise that ant Alex was coming to make her feel better was southing. Hugged her brunet mother closer, while her other mother was rubbing her back. It was almost enough to lull her back to sleep if the ache in her head would just go away.

Lena was propped up against the headboard with her feet stretched out before her. She had Lydia tucked in her body, her little head resting on her shoulder. Beside them lay Kara, sideways rubbing Lydia’s little back, humming an old lullaby her mother used to sing to her when she was sick on Krypton.

When the doorbell rang, she got up and told Lena to stay with Lydia.

 Opening the door was a bit confused at seeing Sam.

“Sam? What are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you too, little Danvers.” Sam smirked as she walked past the confused woman.

“Sorry, I didn’t think Alex would wake you up at this hour, and what about Ruby?” Kara asked.

“Ruby is with a friend and I think we would stay at home when our favorite

niece is sick you got another thing coming.” The fierce determination shut up any further questions from Kara. She took a step back behind her sister as she pointed to the bedroom.

“there in the bedroom.”

when she thought Sam was out of earshot she turned to her sister.

“Your girlfriend is scary.” Kara breathed out under her breath so only Alex could hear it. Who couldn’t help but smile.

“Hot though. And I don’t think you can say much. that Luthor of yours is able to make a whole squat of DEO agents quiver in their boots with just one glare.” Alex fired back.

While the two Danvers sister were left to bicker, Sam found Lena rocking a half-asleep Lydia in her arms. Sam gave the young mother a reassuring smile.

“Hey Lena, how is our little warrior?” the older woman asked in a hushed tone.

“better than earlier. She has calmed down a bit. Still running a fever, I think. Can’t check because I’m too scared of waking her up.” Lena told Sam, her voice tired from lack of sleep.

“that’s good to hear. Alex will have a look at her, and I brought some child medicine I used to get for Ruby when she was little.” Sam reassured her friend as she laid a hand on the little girls back, her hand was instantly drenched.

Lena knew how it felled. Lydia was on her third outfit in thirty minutes. Her next option would probably be to put her in a cold bath, but she would only do that when woke up.

 Alex walked in and with a quick hello to Lena, she took out her stethoscope, own DEO tablet and the thermometer that was laying on the nightstand.

Like Lena said the little girl had a high fever. Luckily her lungs sounded clear and after quickly looking down her throat and ears those weren’t swollen, which was a good sign.

“well good news, it isn’t anything serious? Just a normal flew from what I can tell.” Alex reassured the new parents. Happy herself it wasn’t anything major.

“so, what do we do? Should we start antibiotics?” Kara wasn’t used to being sick, and the people around her hardly got sick, so she was still freaking out for a bit. Understanding her girlfriend Lena took Kara’s hand in hers and squeezed it reassuringly.

“that won’t help. Antibiotics only work on bacteria and most flews are viruses.” Lena explained to the confused alien, Kara seemed to get it and nodded.

Lydia seemed to rise from her sleep her fever sleep and started to sob again. Taking her over from Lena, Kara started rocking the little girl giving Lena a little break.

“I can give her something for the fever and stomachache.” Alex said taking a small bottle out of her bag, coming closer to Lydia and Kara.

She poured the right amount of liquid on a spoon and presented it to Lydia. Bad look for the two women, Lydia didn’t seem to like the change and started to struggle.

 In the meantime, they were watched by the two other women, who couldn’t help but chuckle as they watched their two girlfriends wrestle with a two-year-old.

“it’s funny knowing they take down aliens twice their size but can’t seem to be able to control a toddler.” Sam chuckled and Lena can’t help but laugh.

“I know how right, sometimes you think how they do it.”

A victory cry came from both woman when it seemed thy got to take the medicine.

“That is so Luthor stubbornness.” Alex exclaimed with a huff; Kara nodded in agreement.

Their smiles were short-lived when they turned around and were met with a double CEO glare. Lena razed one of her impeccable eyebrows.

“Said something darling?” Kara swallowed and took a couple of seconds to decide her next move.

“It was Alex!” Kara used semi superspeed to run into the bathroom with Lydia. Leaving her sister behind shocked, not believing she was ratted out and smiled meekly at her sister and best friend.

  It took little over half an hour for the medicine to work. Kara gave Lydia a cold bath in the meantime to cool her down a little and to get the clammy feeling off her skin. After that, they went back to the bedroom, where she was passed around to whatever mother she preferred at the time, which seemed to switch every five minutes. The decision was made for Sam and Alex to stay the night.

After the fever broke Lydia was left utterly exhausted and fell asleep in Kara’s arms, who just held her for the rest of the night.

The fever stayed for another two days, but steadily she was getting better. Both Kara and Lena stayed home for the next couple of days until she was all healed. At the end of the week, they had their energetic little girl back and missed over the past couple of days.

part 6

want to support me Buy me a Ko-fi

[nurknabo]

LINGVA LATINA PER SE ILLVSTRATA - CAPITVLVM DECIMVM

Ĉi tiu estas speciala afiŝo ĉar mi finfine atingis la ĉapitron 10!!

Mi tre feliĉas esti sukcesinta alveni ĉi tien, post tiel da laboro kaj studoj. Mi scias ke povas soni strange diri ĝin ĉar mi eĉ ne duonvoje tra la libro, sed ĝi ne signifas ke la progreso estas malgranda. Nun, al la 20!! Sed eble mi ankaŭ festos je la 5aj.

Nu, ni parolu pri la ĉapitro, kiun mi tre ŝatis. Bestiae et homines.

Resumo: Unue parolas pri bestoj kaj homoj, parolante ke aliaj havas piedojn, aliaj flugilojn kaj aliaj vostojn, ke ne ĉiuj povas flugi, ktp. Parolas pri dioj (jes, romaj dioj), kaj do venas la rakonto mem. Julia, Marko kaj Kinto estas en la ĝardeno. Julia ludas sole kun sia pilko kaj hundino, dum la du knaboj serĉas neston. Ili trovas. Kinto grimpas sur la arbon por vidi la neston pli bone. Tamen la branĉo sur kiu li staris estis tre maldika kaj finas rompiĝi. Kinto falas de la arbo kaj svenas. Marko, malespera, vokas sian patron, kiu venas, prenas Kinton senkonscian kaj alportas lin al lito. Finon.

La unua afero kion mi volas priparoli estas la zorgo de Marko. Ni vidis antaŭe ke li ne estas tre bona persono, kaj eĉ batis Julian. Kion oni povus atendi de li estus ke li, almenaŭ komence, ridus pri la falo de Kinto. Sed ĝin ne faris li. Li eĉ ploras dum li vokas sian patron, pensante ke Kinto mortis. Ĝi montras al ni ke li ŝatas sian fraton, kaj mi ankaŭ dirus ke li ankaŭ ŝatas Julian, malgraŭ ĉio.

Nun, ni parolu pri kio okazis ĉapitre.

La ŝanĝado de vortoj

Vidu ĝin:

Respektive singulara kaj plurala:

Leo - leones

Homo - homines

Pes - pedes

Kaj la listo ne finiĝas ĉi tie. Mi ne komprenas la ŝanĝon. Mi memoras la italan kiam mi vidas ĝin. Ekzemple, itale ni havas la verbon broccare (broki). Kiam ni konjugacias la verbon, ĝi estas:

Brocco

Brocchi

Brocca

...

Ĉiuj havas nur CC + finaĵo, sed do aperas CCH. Kial? C en la itala havas la sonon de K, sed, se ĝi estas sekvata de vokalo, havas sonon de Ĝ, kio ne kongruus kun la konjugacio. Sed CCH havas la sonon de K, pro tio estas uzata ĝi en la konjugacio, solvante la problemon.

La kial de la granda klarigo estis por diri ke eble ĝi estas la sama kialo kial vortoj en la latina ŝanĝiĝas, por konservi ĝian originalan prononcon/formon.

Tamen... mi honeste ne vidis kio estas konservita tie... La vorto «homo» laŭvorte povus esti deklinaciita kiel «homis, homibus» kaj ankoraŭ konservus «hom-». Nu, mi probable parolas sensencaĵon. Se ĝi ŝanĝiĝas, do estas kialo por tio. Mi ne vidas ĝin, sed ĝi estas tie.

Malgraŭ tio, ĝi ne estis problemo. Ĉio kion mi bezonis fari estis memori la malmultajn leterojn kiuj devas esti uzataj. Ĝi estis montrita lastaĉapitre, do mi ne havis malfacilon.

Passivum, sed cum infinitivo

La sakoj estas portataj sur la dorsoj de la servistoj = Sacci in umeris servorum portantur

La sakoj ne povas esti portataj sur la dorsoj de la servistoj = ?

La dua frazo ĝis tiam ne povus esti kompletigita de mi ĉar mi ne sciis. Sed ĉi ĉapitro instruis ĝuste ĉi tion, la pasiva formo:

«Sacci in umeris servorum portari non possunt.»

Kiel estas bone vidi la progreson, vidi ke pli kaj pli la eblo de skribi pli kompleksajn frazojn kreskas.

Nu, ne estas malfacile lerni ĝin. Sed io konfuzigis min. Mi rapide pensis ĉu ekzistus plurala formo de ĝi, same kiel okazas al la aktiva formo. Sed ne, ne ekzistas plurala formo, ial. Evidente ĝi estas bonega. Ju malpli da novaj vortoj, des pli bone. Mi jam vidis kompletan tabelon de verboj. Mi eĉ ne povas klarigi kiom da vortoj estis tie... Ili havas ŝablonon, kiel la tuta latina, sed la kvanto ne helpas... Nu, ĝi estas problemo por postaj ĉapitroj.

Dei (dioj)

Estas enkonduko al la dioj grekaj. Ĉu aŭ estus romaj? Nu, mi nomos ilin romaj dioj, ĉar mi jam vidis ke la nomoj de la romaj dioj samas kun la nomo de la planedoj. Ne Pozidono, sed Neptuno.

Nur ili ambaŭ aperas. Mi ne scias ĉu estos parolita pri la aliaj aŭ ne. Ne multe estas parolita pri ili ĉi tie. Pri Merkuro, ĝi diris ke li povas flugi pro siaj ŝuoj kaj kasko, kaj ke li estas sendisto de la dioj. Pri Neptuno, li povas spiri sub akvo.

Sed kio vere estis montrita ĉi ĉapitre estis la infinitivo en pasiva formo kaj infinitivo mem.

«Neptunus natare potest»

«Homines deos neque videre neque audire possunt»

«Dei ab hominibus neque videri neque audiri possunt»

La unua neregula verbo, krom «esti»

Same kiel la portugala, la hispana, kaj la itala (kaj certe aliaj latinaj lingvoj), la verbo «voli» estas neregula. Mi konsideras ĝin kiel la unua, ne la verbo «esse» ĉar ĉi verbo estas tre-tre baza.

Li volas = vult

Ili volas = volunt

Ne multe aferoj por paroli ĉi tie.

La granda kvanto de sinonimoj

Anstataŭ quia, nam kaj quod. Anstataŭ quoque, etiam. Anstataŭ cantare, canere. Anstataŭ et, -que. Kaj tiel plu. Sed ili estas nur sinonimoj, do ne ekzistas reala problemo, ĉu? Hmmm, ne. Mi priparolas la latinan ĉi tie. Mi certas ke, eble ne ĉiuj, sed multaj el ĉi sinonimoj ne signifas precize la samon. Bona ekzemplo estas quoque kaj etiam. Mi rapide guglis pri ili (ĉar ne ĉiam eblas kompreni ĉion libre) kaj mi vidis ke etiam signifas «eĉ». Et kaj -que, mi pensas ke ili estas du vortoj kun la sama signifo sed estas uzataj en malsamaj situacioj. Kiuj situacioj? Mi tute ne scias. La libro ne klarigas kaj mi ne sukcesis kompreni ĝin. La solvo estas gugli ankaŭ, sed mi ne faros ĝin nuntempe.

Sole la libro ne sufiĉas; lernante preter la libro

Profitante ke mi menciis ke mi guglis, mi diros ĉi tion. Malfeliĉe mi ne povos lerni ĉion nur legante la libron, ĉar foje ĝi montras novan vorton kaj aŭ mi ne komprenas la signifon de vorto, aŭ mi ne komprenas la uzon de vorto, ktp. Ĉar la libro ne ĉiam klarigas ĝin, kaj eĉ kiam klarigas, foje mi ne komprenas, mia sola solvo estas serĉi la respondon aliloke.

Mi uzas retejon kiu estas kvazaŭ vortaro kaj "verbaro". Ĝi montras ĉiujn deklinaciojn de vorto kaj ĉiuj konjugaciojn de verbo. Jen ĝi:

Mi aldonis ĝin al la hejma ekrano de mia poŝtelefono kaj ĝi fariĝis app. Ĝi multe utilas. Mi ne scias de kie ĝi prenis ke "la latina estas simpla" hahaha

Kaj "lernante preter la libro" estas ĉar mi komencos lerni vortojn kaj verbojn rete, ĉar, jes, la libro multe helpas kaj instruas, sed la procezo estas iomete malrapida. Ekzemple estas vortoj kiujn mi volas scii, kiel la baza verbo "scii", kaj en unua kaj dua persono singulara, kaj poste plurala. Mi ne kredas ke ĝi estas iri tro malproksime. Verboj latine havas ŝablonon en ĝia konjugacio.

Ne plu nur ablativo?

Ĉiam post «in» venas vorto en ablativa kazo, sed okazis io malsama:

«Quintus in arborem ascendit»

Akuzativa kazo. Kion mi pensas estas: ĝi memorigis min Esperanto. Esperante, kiam vi skribas ion rilatan al movo ien, vi uzas akuzativon. Eble latine vi devas uzi akuzativon ankaŭ kiam iu aŭ io moviĝas sur io. Kinto moviĝas sur arbo, do «arbo» devas esti en akuzativo.

La rakonto finiĝas kun Kinto sur lito. Kaj, donante intrigmalkaŝon de la sekva ĉapitro (ĉar mi ne rezistas kaj ĉiam vidas rapide kio estas sekve), en ĝi aperas kuracisto, kiu ekzamenas Kinton kaj faras procedon por provi plibonigi lin. Nu, mi pensas ke mi scias ke en kuraca ekzameno, eĉ la plej simpla, uzas vortojn kaj gramatikajn strukturojn pli kompleksajn, do nur per ĉi tio ni jam scias kio nin atendas.

Tiam finiĝas la ĉapitro! Mi ŝatis ĝin kaj ŝatis eĉ I ke mi transpasis la ĉapitron 10. Mi ne scias ĉu estas iu legante miajn afiŝojn pri Lingua Latina, aŭ ĉu estas iu legonta ĝin, sed, nu, se estas iu legante ĉi tiun, dankon al vi kiu akompanis min ĉi tien. Sed ne ĉesi nun! Mi ankoraŭ afiŝos pli.

Nun la frazo en la latina: in terra, aqua et caelo sunt bestiae. Non solum sunt bestiae in terra, sed quoque homines. In aqua Neptunus adest, sed non est humanus, sed deus, qui a hominibus et bestis neque audiri neque videri potest. Multae bestiae amicae hominum sunt. Canes et aves amici eorum sunt. Leones autem amici hominum non sunt, quia ferae sunt, et homines bestiasque edunt.

Bonege! Mi eĉ povas senti ke mi povas esprimi pli bone. Nu, jen la fino de la ĉapitro 10, kaj mi jam scias multe. Nun ni atendu kaj progresu ĝis la ĉapitro 20. Mi scivolas pri kia mi estos, kiom da aferoj mi scios tiutempe. Ĝis la revido!

[karadavers]

I’m actually wondering if Mon-El has been distant because he knew this would happen. And maybe he needed to be there at the DEO to bring Kara back. Like he knew this had to happen, but he could fix it. He just couldn’t tell her that. And this would be where the Legion comes in. B/c honestly too many things aren’t adding up ya know. And I REALLY don’t want to have to wait till the end of the season for them to reunite. It should be the day of the Valentine! Their anniversary 🤗

Imra was the one who seemed to know that was going to happen but if she knows maybe he does as well. The way she said “she’s going to be alright” and even smiled a little with no concern for her idol’s well-being was strange so maybe she knows she will be alright. That would explain how worried he was during the crossover as well since he was expecting this to happen. Maybe he couldn’t tell her because it could affect the future just like an anon has pointed out in another ask but still not cool.......... And I feel you, anon. I don’t think they will get back together on Valentine’s Day though but I expect that episode to be extra angsty since Kara will be reminded of their “anniversary”.

[darlingpetao3]

The Descendant Materialization (Barry Allen x Reader)

Rating: G

Summary: In a universe where you, the Reader, are National City’s very own Supergirl (and dating the ever-dashing Flash), a surprise arises when one of your descendants accidentally travels back in time to your present day…

Pow! Boom! Shazzam!

Ok, you really had to stop making sound effects in your head when tripping up and disarming criminals. But what you find especially amusing was how confident these bank robbers had seemed in the beginning. Even when you dropped down in front of them with your suit’s family emblem staring back at them, they simply laughed. As if being Supergirl didn’t mean anything to them.

Well, maybe if the citizens of National City didn’t give you such a girly superhero name they wouldn’t find you so funny.

Bam! Pew! Who’s laughing now, boys?

The man with the duffle bag full of cash grabs a civilian woman and points his gun at her.

“Careful, girl scout! Or the broad gets it!” You put your hands up as if to say, whoa now.

“Okay, okay. Relax, be cool,” you try to calm him down. “Just hand over the nice lady.”

“And you’ll let me run?”

“Sure.”

“Really?”

“Why not?”

“It’s just, that’s not really your thing.”

“Are we gonna talk about it all day or do you want to get a head start? Because you’ll need it.” Before the robber can think too much about it, he shoves the lady into you and makes a dash down the street. You know he won’t get very far.

Three… Two… One. A blur of red leaving yellow lighting trails darts by you, causing your hair to blow wildly. A smile curls on your lips. Taking a big leap, you land in front of the robber and his red-masked subduer.

“Well, Flash, fancy seeing you here,” you say in a voice coated with hints of an inside joke.

“Supergirl. What a pleasant surprise,” he replies. You look at the defeated crook.

“Told ya you’d need that head start.”

After the righteous takedown, you return home to your apartment in Midtown National City (in regular citizen clothes once again). Waiting in the elevator, you push your glasses up the bridge of your nose into place. When the elevator reaches your floor, you look down the hallway to see a male body leaning against your door checking his phone. You walk up to him and wrap your arms around him.

“Hi, Bare.” You kiss his cheek. He slides his phone into his back pocket and wraps you in his arms.

“Hey,” he grins. “You were great earlier.”

“Me? You’re the one who whizzed by and snatched the guy up!”

“But you giving him false hope of getting away? And saving that woman with your wit? Priceless!” You both laugh as you open the door to your loft apartment. Even though Barry has his own place on the other side of town, he still practically lives with you. Throwing yourself down on the couch, Barry follows suite and snuggles up next to you.

“I feel like I could eat the entirety of supplies from all the Big Belly Burgers in the city,” you say dramatically. Barry kisses the back of your head.

“I’ll go pick us up some grub,” he offers. “The usual?” You nod. “Be back in a flash!” Before you scoff at the bad pun, he has already returned with take-out bags.

“Barry!”

“What? That was funny.”

You seriously have the best boyfriend.

As Barry unpacks the food, his and your phone start going off. You answer yours as you drool over the fast food spread out in front of you.

“(Y/N), you gotta get down here.” It’s Winn. “There’s something you have to see.” His tone is strange. Not quite urgent, but sort of weirded out.

“Winn, what’s going on? Is there trouble?” You shoot a look to Barry, on the phone with who you’re assuming is Cisco. It sounds like they’re having a similar conversation.

“Not trouble…”

“We’re on our way.”

You fly at top speed to the DEO. What could it be now? Another alien attack? More high-priority superhumans on the loose? Whatever it was, you were ready.

You arrive at the building the exact second Barry does. Damn. You thought you had him beat this time. The DEO crew all stands in a huddle at the other end of the room. You stride over to them.

“Hey!” you call out to them. “What’s going on?” All heads turn at the sound of your voice.

“You’ll never guess. Like ever,” Winn teases.

“What was the call about?” Barry asks, very confused by all the secret keeping.

“Dude, I know it’s way too early, but congratulations,” Cisco says patting him on the back. Barry and you share a WTF? glance.

“What-?” The gang’s huddle opens up and reveals a beautiful long legged girl, possibly in her late teens. Long hair, bright eyes. And when she lays eyes on you and Barry, the girl’s face lights up like a Christmas tree. She walks up to both of you and wraps her arms around you in a big group hug. This pretty teen kind of looks familiar, but you don’t know why. Who is this? Should I know her?

“You both look so young!” she squeals with joy.

“Sorry, um, who might you be, exactly?” you ask her.

“I’m Ellie. Ellie Allen. Your daughter!”

Okay, maybe you weren’t ready. If your expression is anything like Barry’s, you’re wide-eyed and mouth left agape. You look around at your friends for help, an explanation. Anything.

“Dibs on godfather!” yells Cisco.

Winn argues, “Hey, so not fair!”

“What’s Back to the Future?”

“Oh my God!” Cisco shouts. “Barry, (Y/N), you’ve already officially failed at becoming parents.”

“I think what Cisco is trying to say, Ellie, is that it’s not good for someone to know too much about their future,” Barry tries to explain. “And, no offence, you might be that ‘too much.‘”

“I’m sorry, Dad,” she apologizes. Whoa. That was a shock to the system. “When I ended up here, I didn’t know what to do. But then when I learned what year it was, I remembered you guys telling me you used to work for the DEO together when you were younger. So I came here.”

J'onn steps in with the question, “And how exactly did you come to be here in this time?”

“Training exercise gone wrong, apparently. See, my teammate slash rival has teleportation powers and I guess when she blasted them at me she overshot by many years.”

“What kind of training exercise are we talking about?” you ask. Ellie looks at you with so much awe and love. It completely blows your mind how much she looks like both you and Barry at once. Ellie giggles.

“Oh! I guess you wouldn’t know, yet! Watch this!” In a split second your daughter has left and returned, having placed a single flower in everyone’s hair (except for J'onn, who had one in his shirt pocket). You are even more stunned.

“You’re a Speedster,” you remark.

“That’s right!” Ellie says brightly. “Just like my old man. But don’t worry Mom, I have some of your awesome powers, too.” Her eyes grow red and the beams of light melt a potted plant in half, creating a mess.

“Oops.”

“Clean up on aisle twelve!” Winn shouts enthusiastically.

“Yo, that’s dope,” Cisco admires.

“Anyway, as much as I’d like to live in this retro time, I need to get back. I just don’t know how to go about it…”

“I might know a guy,” Barry says. At that, you and him escort Ellie to the lower levels of the DEO where the company’s resident scientists, Harrison Wells and Caitlin Snow, run experiments, tests, and come up with new tech. The two heads in the room look up from their respective works.

“Barry, (Y/N),” Caitlin greets. “Who have you brought with you?”

“This is Ellie,” you introduce. “She’s our- our-”

“She’s our daughter,” Barry finishes. The room is silent.

“How is that possible?” Ellie goes on to fill Caitlin in on what happened. Harrison slowly approaches your daughter and extends a hand for her to shake.

“Harrison Wells. Pleasure to meet you, Ellie.” He examines her face, then Barry’s, then yours. “Truly remarkable,” he marvels at the time travelling anomaly that is your teenage daughter.

“We need to get her back to her time,” you say.

“Do you think you can help me?” Ellie asks. Harrison makes a thinking gesture with his index finger and thumb over his mouth.

“Absolutely,” he says. “But first, Miss Allen, if I have the permission of your parents, I’d like to run a few tests…”

For the next few days, the members of the DEO are bustling around with the new task of trying to send Ellie home. Especially Cisco, Caitlin, Wells, and Winn (or as you sometimes call them, C2W2). In the meantime, while the crew works on creating a sort of time portal, Ellie stays with you and Barry at your apartment. It is the most bizarre thing in the world to live with your daughter who isn’t technically even born yet. At first, it was awkward, no doubt. But after awhile, things started to smooth out. She really was an extraordinary girl. You and Barry were clearly going to be very lucky parents.

Towards the middle of the week, Ellie appears to be getting antsy, so you decide to take her along with you to CatCo. A sort of secret take-your-daughter-to-work-day, but of course, you introduce her as your cousin. You show her your latest article and she’s thrilled with your piece. She even mentions she has an interest in the field and was totally acing her writing class in school back in her time.

Atta girl!

After hearing about her CatCo experience with you, Barry wants in on the parent-daughter action and takes her to the National City Police Department to work a case the following day. You get to hear from Ellie later on about how cool it was surveying a crime scene.

“She’s got a great eye,” Barry praises.

“What a talent,” you agree. Ellie beams back at you both. But then her eyes flick to the TV and becomes distracted. What is she looking at…

It’s breaking news. A high-speed car chase on the freeway heading out of the city. Inside the vehicle? Thirty million dollars worth of jewelry. You and Barry stand up at the same time, tense.

“Ready to go, Bare?”

“Always.”

“I’m coming, too!” Ellie insists.

“No.” The word was said in unison.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” she protests.

“No, we’re not,” Barry says sternly. “You stay here.”

“Okay, well, I guess I’ll just…” Zip. She’s gone.

“Your daughter just disobeyed us!” you cry.

“Oh, so because she acted out, she’s my daughter,” Barry half jokes. “Let’s go.” Barry bolts away while you tear off your clothes to reveal your super-suit and fly out your window. Below you, Barry’s a red blur on the highway heading north-west. Keeping your top speed, you’re positive you can reach the speeding jewel thief before he reaches the city limits. Except… up ahead the police have the thief surrounded. He’s now in handcuffs! How-?

Ellie, that’s how.

You touch down on the ground just as she calls out to the thief, “Nice try, scumbag!” Barry shows up behind you and his hand finds your shoulder.

“She definitely picked up snarky comments and name-calling criminals from you.”

After about two weeks, you receive word that the DEO Labs team has finally finished the portal project. Something of this magnitude, you had expected it to take much longer than it did. Then again, the project was conducted by world genius Harrison Wells, so anything was possible with him at the helm. You knew Ellie had to get back home, but a part of you wished she wasn’t leaving already.

The portal hums the moment Cisco switches it on. Everyone groups together to say goodbye to your daughter, hugs and all. You hear Cisco reminding her to watch Spielberg’s time travelling adventure when she gets back. After Barry gets a little misty eyed saying his farewells, it’s your turn, and you hug Ellie tight in your arms. You aren’t sure what to say.

“Take care of yourself, my girl,” is what comes out.

“I will, Momma.” She lets go and addresses you and Barry one final time. “Dad, twelve year old me will beg for a puppy. All I ask is to just think about it. You have over twenty years to mull it over. And Mom- If, let’s just say, hypothetically in the future I happen to accidentally destroy your favourite vase. Go easy on me, please?” Ellie advances toward the portal, but not before giving the room a little wave.

“See you… later?” Her laugh that follows it almost makes you choke up.

You dreaded saying goodbye to Ellie. But you can’t wait to say hello to her again someday.

~

Anonymous Request: If you watch Supergirl and The Flash, would you mind doing an imagine where the reader is Supergirl and she and The Flash are a crime-fighting duo and are dating and know about each other’s secret identies, S.T.A.R. Labs doesn’t exist and Cisco, Caitlin, and Harrison Wells work with the DEO, and their daughter is a speedster from the future and she accidentally ran back in time while doing a training excerise with her team and the gang has to help her get back to her time?

[pamphletstoinspire]

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, - THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, FROM THE LATIN VULGATE BIBLE

Chapter 7

PREFACE.

St. Luke, who had published his gospel, wrote also a second volume, which, from the first ages, hath been called the Acts of the Apostles. Not that we can look upon this work, as a history of what was done by all the apostles, who were dispersed in different nations; but we have here a short view of the first establishment of the Christian Church, a small part of St. Peter's preaching and actions, set down in the first twelve chapters, and a more particular account of St. Paul's apostolical labours, in the following chapters, for about thirty years, till the year 63, and the 4th year of Nero, where these acts end.

Chapter 7

Stephen's speech before the council: his martyrdom.

1 Then the high priest said: Are these things so?

Notes & Commentary:

Ver. 1. Are these things so? The high priest speaks after this mild manner, being either terrified, or charmed with his angelical countenance. St. Stephen's design in this discourse, was to shew them, first, that he was falsely accused of speaking either against Moses, or the law, for which he shews so great a veneration. 2. He puts them in mind, that the true worship of God may subsist without a temple, as it did in the time of Abraham, and the patriarchs, before the law was given, or the temple built. 3. That as their forefathers had been rebellious to Moses, and disobedient to the prophets, whom they many times persecuted even to death, so they had lately resisted, persecuted, and crucified their Messias. (Witham)

2 He said: Ye men, brethren, and fathers, give ear. The God of glory appeared to our father, Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charan,

Ver. 2. No explanation given.

3 And said to him: Go forth out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I will shew thee.

Ver. 3. No explanation given.

4 Then he went out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charan. And from thence, after his father was dead, he removed him into this land, in which you now dwell.

Ver. 4. No explanation given.

5 And he gave him no inheritance in it, no not the pace of a foot: but he promised to give it him in possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child.

Ver. 5. Not the pace of a foot; not so much as a foot of land, that is, to dwell in, though he bought there a place to bury in. (Genesis xxiii. 9.) (Witham)

6 And God said to him: That his seed should sojourn in a strange country, and that they should bring them under bondage, and treat them ill for four hundred years:

Ver. 6. For four hundred years, counting from the birth of Isaac, which was twenty-five years after the call and promises made to Abraham. It is certain the Israelites were not four hundred years in Egypt. (Witham) --- Four hundred. These words are taken from the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, in which Moses mentions the same number of years. This calculation is made from the entry of Abraham into Chanaan, to the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt. Strictly, the Israelites did not remain in Egypt more than two hundred and fifteen years.

7 And the nation which they shall serve, I will judge, said the Lord: and after these things they shall go out, and shall serve me in this place.

Ver. 7. The nation which they shall serve, I will judge. The meaning is, that God would afflict the Egyptians with divers plagues, or visible punishments, before they dismissed the Israelites. (Witham)

8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so he begot Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day: and Isaac, Jacob: and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs.

Ver. 8. The covenant, or the testament, and alliance of circumcision, by which the Israelites should be known to be the elect people of God. (Witham) --- Literally, he gave them the alliance of circumcision; he made with him an alliance, of which circumcision was the seal. (Bible de Vence)

Note:

Ver. 8. Testamentum, ten diatheken. See Hebrews ix. 16.

9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: and God was with him.

Ver. 9. No explanation given.

10 And he delivered him out of all his tribulations: and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharao, king of Egypt, and he appointed him governor over Egypt, and over all his house.

Ver. 10. Gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharao. Some understand divine graces, and gifts of prophecy, and the like: others, that he made him find favour in the sight of king Pharao, who appointed him to be governor of Egypt. (Witham)

11 Now there came a famine over all Egypt, and Chanaan, and great tribulation: and our fathers found no food.

Ver. 11. No explanation given.

12 But when Jacob had heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent our fathers first:

Ver. 12. No explanation given.

13 And at the second time Joseph was known by his brethren, and his kindred was made known to Pharao.

Ver. 13. No explanation given.

14 And Joseph sending, called thither Jacob, his father, and all his kindred, seventy-five souls.

Ver. 14. No explanation given.

15 So Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, and our fathers.

Ver. 15. No explanation given.

16 And they were translated to Sichem, and were laid in the sepulchre, which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Hemor the son of Sichem.

Ver. 16. Which Abraham bought ... of the sons of Hemor, the son of Sichem. This purchase made by Abraham must be different from the purchase of a field made afterwards by Jacob. (Genesis xxxiii. 19.) See a Lapide, the author of the Analysis, dissert. 23. P. Alleman, &c. (Witham) --- Abraham bought. There must be an error of the copyist in this verse. Either the word Abraham ought to be omitted, or changed into Jacob. For it is plain, from Genesis xxxiii. 19. that the latter bought the land from the sons of Hemor. The Hebrew says, he bought it for one hundred kesitha, which some translate pieces of silver; others, lambs. As for Abraham, and Jacob, they were buried in the cavern of Mambre, which Abraham had purchased from the children of Heth. (Genesis xxiii.) (Calmet) --- It is supposed that originally the name of Jacob was given, abridged JAB, and that the first letter having disappeared, the two remaining letters were taken by misprision, for the abridgment of the name of Abraham. Hemor was the father of Sichem, and here the Greek text simply calls him Hemor of Sichem. (Bible de Vence)

17 And when the time of the promise drew near, which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and were multiplied in Egypt,

Ver. 17. No explanation given.

18 Till another king arose in Egypt who knew not Joseph.

Ver. 18. No explanation given.

19 The same dealing craftily with our race, afflicted our fathers, that they should expose their children, to the end they might not be kept alive.

Ver. 19. Dealing craftily, circumventing craftily, afflicting, and endeavouring to extirpate the race of the Israelites. (Witham)

20 At the same time was Moses born, and he was acceptable to God, and he was nourished three months in his father's house.

Ver. 20. Moses ... was acceptable to God. Greatly favoured both with gifts of nature and grace. Some expound it, was extremely fair or beautiful. (Witham)

Note:

Ver. 20. Gratus Deo, asteios to theo. Acceptable to God. It may also signify, beautiful in the sight of God, that is, in the style of the Scriptures, very beautiful.

21 But he being exposed, Pharao's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.

Ver. 21. Philo believes that the princess feigned him to be her own child; Moses denied that he was, and would not take advantage of this adoption. (Hebrews xi. 24.)

22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in his words, and in his deeds.

Ver. 22. In words and in deeds. Moses was persuasive and powerful in reasoning; but had an impediment in his speech, as we know from Exodus iv. 10. and vi. 12. He possessed, moreover, strength, energy, and grandeur, in his discourse. Of this we have abundant proofs in his books. He is inimitable in narrating, as often as he writes laws, composes canticles, or makes harangues. He is simple, clear, sublime, vehement, concise, prolix, and rapid, in turns, as the nature of his subject requires. He was likewise powerful in work. All his conduct was wise, virtuous, enlightened, as well in affairs of policy, as in war. He was an able captain, before he put himself at the head of the Israelites. (Calmet) --- Josephus assures us that he became a great conqueror.

23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.

Ver. 23. No explanation given.

24 And having seen one suffer an injury, he defended him: and striking the Egyptian, he avenged him who suffered the injury.

Ver. 24. No explanation given.

25 And he thought that his brethren understood that God, by his hand, would save them: but they understood it not.

Ver. 25. No explanation given.

26 And the next day he shewed himself to them when they were at strife: and would have reconciled them in peace, saying; Men, ye are brethren, why hurt ye one another?

Ver. 26. No explanation given.

27 But he that did the injury to his neighbour, thrust him away, saying: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us?

Ver. 27. No explanation given.

28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou didst yesterday kill the Egyptian?

Ver. 28. No explanation given.

29 And Moses fled upon this word: and became a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

Ver. 29. Moses fled upon this word; because he perceived the murder he had committed was become public, though he thought it to be secret. (Menochius) He fled, to avoid the anger of the king, into Madian, where during his sojourning, he had two sons of Sephora, whom he married there. (Bible de Vence) --- Moses of Moyses, in the Egyptian dialect, means, saved from water. He slew the Egyptian by particular inspiration of God, as a prelude to his delivering the people from oppression and bondage. (ver. 25. above) --- But such particular and extraordinary examples are not to be imitated. (Challoner) --- He was inspired to stand up, as the Egyptian law required, in defence of the innocent. (St. Thomas Aquinas, ii. 2. q. 60.)

30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the desert of Mount Sinai an Angel, in a flame of fire, in a bush.

Ver. 30. In a flame of fire, in a bush. Literally, in the fire of a flame of the bush. The sense must be, that the bush seemed on fire, and in a flame, and yet was not consumed. (Witham)

Note:

Ver. 30. In igne flammæ rubi, en phlogi puros batou. In flamma ignis rubi.

31 And Moses seeing it, wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to view it, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying;

Ver. 31. No explanation given.

32 I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses being terrified, durst not behold.

Ver. 32. No explanation given.

33 And the Lord said to him; Loose the shoes from off thy feet; for the place wherein thou standest, is holy ground.

Ver. 33. Loose the shoes. This was a method of testifying respect among the eastern nations. The Mahometans do not wear their shoes in their mosques. The Jewish priests served in the temple with their shoes off. The angel who appeared to Josue ordered him also to take off his shoes. (Josue v. 16.) If the apparition of an angel, or of God himself, could make the place and ground holy so as to deserve external signs of respect, and veneration from Moses; how much more the corporal birth, abode, and miracles of the Son of God in Jewry, and the blessed Sacrament, must make that country, and all Catholic chapels and altars, holy? Is it not then the height of blindness to tax with superstition, the reverence Christians pay to things or places, rendered holy by the presence, or wonderful operations of God.

34 Seeing, I have seen the affliction of my people, which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, and I will send thee into Egypt.

Ver. 34. No explanation given.

35 This Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who hath appointed thee prince and judge? him God sent prince and redeemer, by the hand of the Angel, who appeared to him in the bush.

Ver. 35. Moses, whom they refused. Literally, denied. So have you rejected, and denied Jesus, of whom Moses prophesied, when he said that God would raise up to them a prophet like to himself, and commanded them to hear him. (Witham) --- Redeemer. In the Greek Lutroten; Protestant version, Deliverer; though the learned Polus, in his Synopsis Criticorum, on this place, says, "that no greater injury is done to God, by calling Moses a Redeemer, in this place, than by calling him a Mediator, in Galatians iii. 19. He is called a Redeemer, says this learned Protestant commentator, in as much as he led forth, and preserved the people of God safe by the blood of a lamb, and thus exhibited a figure of the true redemption, through the blood of Christ." We all own that Jesus Christ, as having paid the ransom of our delivery with his own blood, is, strictly speaking, our only true Redeemer, and Advocate with his Father, who asks and obtains all things immediately by his own merit; but this does not exclude the prayers of the saints, both alive and dead. Did not the apostles pray for the people, and desire the people to pray for them? "Our Lord Jesus Christ still intercedes for us, and all the martyrs that are with him, pray for us: nor will their intercession cease, till we cease our groanings," says St. Augustine, in Ps. lxxxv. in fine.

36 He brought them out, doing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the desert for forty years.

Ver. 36. No explanation given.

37 This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel; A prophet will God raise up to you of your own brethren, as myself: him shall you hear.

Ver. 37. No explanation given.

38 This is he who was in the church in the wilderness, with the Angel, who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the words of life to give to us.

Ver. 38. This is he who was in the Church in the wilderness, after God had by him delivered their Fathers out of their slavery in Egypt. --- An angel spoke to him on Mount Sinai. By this St. Stephen owns that the law was given by an angel to Moses: and also shews how falsely he was accused to have spoken against Moses, or against the law.

Note:

Ver. 38. In the assembly. Literally, in Ecclesia, en te ekklesia.

39 Whom our fathers would not obey: but thrust him away, and in their hearts turned back into Egypt,

Ver. 39. Whom our Fathers would not obey, murmuring, and rebelling from time to time. And in their hearts turned back into Egypt, as they shewed, by wishing themselves there again. (Witham)

40 Saying to Aaron; Make us gods to go before us: for as to this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

Ver. 40. Saying to Aaron, make us gods: forcing him, in a manner, to make them the golden calf, while Moses was receiving the law from God. (Witham)

41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

Ver. 41. No explanation given.

42 And God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets; *Did you offer victims and sacrifices to me for forty years, in the desert, O house of Israel?

Ver. 42. And God turned. Turned as it were from them, punishing them, by permitting them to serve the host of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars. (Witham)

43 And you took unto you the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god, Rempham, figures which you made to adore them. And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

Ver. 43. And you, that is, your forefathers, took unto you the tabernacle of Moloch. He reproaches the Jews with their idolatry and worship of different false gods, from time to time, notwithstanding God's comminations by the prophets, of which he puts them in mind by these words, and I will translate you beyond Babylon. The prophet Amos, chap. v, ver. 27. out of whom St. Stephen takes this citation, says, beyond Damascus, but the sense is the same, being a prediction, that the ten tribes of Israel should be carried away captives beyond Damascus by the Assyrians, and even beyond Babylon into Media, Persia, &c. (Witham)

44 The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the desert, as God ordained for them, speaking to Moses that he should make it according to the form which he had seen.

Ver. 44. The tabernacle of the testimony, in which was the ark of the covenant, as they were made by Moses, which were moved from place to place with the Israelites in the wilderness; and which Jesus, or Josue, brought with the people, into the possessions of the Gentiles, that is, into the land of Chanaan, which had been before possessed by the Gentiles. --- This tabernacle, in which was kept the ark, remained with the Israelites till the time of David, or rather of Solomon, who built the temple. (Witham)

45 Which also our fathers receiving, brought in with Jesus, into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, until the days of David:

Ver. 45. No explanation given.

46 Who found grace before God, *and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

Ver. 46. No explanation given.

47 But Solomon built him a house.

Ver. 47. No explanation given.

48 Yet the most High dwelleth not in houses made by hands, as the prophet saith;

Ver. 48. But the most High dwelleth not in houses made by hands. God is every where, nor is his presence confined to the temple, which was already once destroyed; and what if it be destroyed again, as Christ foretold? God must still be adored, worshipped and served, as he was before the temple was first built, which was only by Solomon. (Witham) --- Dwelleth not in houses. That is, so as to stand in need of earthly dwellings, or to be contained or circumscribed by them. Though otherwise, by his immense divinity, he is in our houses, and every where else; and Christ in his humanity dwelt in houses: and is now on our altars. (Challoner) ---It is not so much for God, as for ourselves, that we build temples, and it is a pure effect of his goodness and mercy, that he permits us to build them to him. Places consecrated in a particular manner to his service, where he gives the most sensible marks of his presence, are of assistance to us, when we render our homage, address our vows, and offer our prayers to the Deity. St. Stephen's design in this part of his discourse, is to prove that the true religion may subsist without the temple; therefore, that he could not be guilty of blasphemy, supposing he had even used the words which the malice of the Jews put into his mouth, that Jesus of Nazareth would destroy this place. (Chap. vi. 14.)

49 Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool. What house will you build me, saith the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?

Ver. 49. No explanation given.

50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

Ver. 50. No explanation given.

51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do you also.

Ver. 51. Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart. St. Stephen, inspired by the Holy Ghost, knowing he should die a martyr, boldly reproaches them for persecuting the prophets, for putting to death the just one, that is, the Messias, foretold by the prophets. (Witham) --- Observe the holy indignation of St. Stephen at the obduracy of the incredulous Jews!

52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them who foretold of the coming of the Just One: of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers:

Ver. 52. No explanation given.

53 Who have received the law by the disposition of Angels, and have not kept it.

Ver. 53. No explanation given.

54 Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth at him.

Ver. 54. They were cut to the heart: exasperated even to rage and madness. See chap. v, ver. 33. gnashing their teeth with indignation. (Witham)

55 But he being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said: Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.

Ver. 55. This is the comfort of all martyrs. (Bristow) --- This the support of every Christian under the severest trials of either mind or body: this the sweetener of every burthen and cross.

56 And they crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and with one accord rushed violently upon him.

Ver. 56. Stopped their ears, crying out, blasphemy: and they stoned him to death. He praying for them, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, in imitation of his Lord and Master, our Saviour Christ. And reposed in the Lord. Literally, slept. In most Greek copies, are now wanting, in the Lord; but it is no doubt the sense. (Witham) --- Rushed in violently upon him. This proceeding, without any sentence, or form of law, was altogether irregular; and never used in the better times of the Jewish government. This was called, judgment of zeal, and only allowed in one instance, viz. when any one came to draw the people to idolatry. Afterwards, this kind of proceeding was extended to other crimes. See Deuteronomy xiii. 6; Numbers xxiv.[xxv.?]; 1 Machabees xi. 24.[ii. 24.?]; &c.

Note:

Ver. 56. Obdormivit in Domino, ekoimethe.

57 And casting him out the city, they stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul.

Ver. 57. No explanation given.

58 And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying; Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Ver. 58. Invoking. See with what arms St. Stephen defended himself against the fury of his enemies. He puts on charity for a breast-plate, and by that came off victorious. By his love of God, he resisted the enraged Jews; by the love he bore his neighbour, he prayed for those that stoned him. Through charity, he admonished them of their errors, in order to their amendment; through charity, he besought the divine goodness not to punish their crimes against him. Leaning on charity, he overcame the cruelty of Saul, and merited to have him a companion in heaven, who had been his chief persecutor on earth. (St. Fulgentius, Serm. de S. Steph.) - We here again see the powerful intercession of the saints; "for," says St. Augustine, "if Stephen had not thus prayed, the Church would not have to glory in a St. Paul. Si Stephanus non sic orasset, Ecclesia Paulum non haberet." (Serm. i. de S. Steph.)

59 And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, saying; Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord. And Saul was consenting to his death.

Ver. 59. No explanation given.

[suitailora]

“It’s so strange. I’ve never felt so peaceful, before.”

h/owl’s moving c/astle.  |  not accepting.

        there’s  something  almost  somber  in  the  words,  perhaps  not  entirely  in  tone,  but  in  implied  meaning.  he’s  good  at  reading  people,  or  at  least  he  likes  to  think  that  he  is,  and  what  he  catches  is  what  he  hears.  technically,  he’s  not  known  alex  long  ——  a  few  years,  lengthy  at  first  glance  but  really  a  mere  FRACTION  of  either  parties  lives,  but  what  he  does  know  doesn’t  have  him  doubting  her  statement  for  a  second.  she  has  rarely  seen  true  peace,  and  part  of  him,  one  he  won’t  vocalize,  sympathizes  with  it.  hell,  the  deo  on  its  own  is  also  a  foreigner  to  the  concept  of  peace,  it  seems,  and  it’s  only  taken  a  few  months  to  put  that  one  together.  “ yeah?  what’s  the  verdict,  is  it  a  winner? ”  words  of  his  own  are  kept  in  a  light  manner,  laced  with  careful  volume  and  intent.

[iamsuperconfused]

My first (published) fanfic

Here it is, my first fanfic! An idea that came over me while mulling over feelings about Kara and Alex post 2x15. I’ve tried to stick as close to the show as I could, but I think may have slipped into SuperCorp toward the end and a touch of Karamel at the start. (I don’t much care for it, but it’s currently in the show and I didn’t want to just ignore it) 

Without any further ado

Still waiting on AO3 and Fanfiction.net to let me post fics. (I didnt already have accounts)

The sunlight pours in from the many windows of her apartment, the brightness almost float her out of the bed as a waking reflex, Kara feels a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, holding her down in the bed and she can’t help but smile at Mon-El’s goofy sleeping face.  “He’s gotten sweeter” she thinks to herself, painting a quickly fading smile on her waking feature, she pry herself from his hold, one of the only hold in the world that could require her to actually make an effort to break and she stands up from the bed the bed rattles from it, she walks to the windows to stare at the sun.

“Rao’s beautif..oh…” her mind drench with a sea of sadness now and her stomach feels heavier than it should, her bleaker thoughts comes into her mind and she find herself missing Krypton dearly, Usually these thoughts she can drown by busying herself with her normal life but as she lost her job yesterday, barely any of the everyday stuff her mind usually conjure comes to her today; today is going to be a very bad day. She replays the words she said to Mon-El last night “Maybe having you and Supergirl’s enough…” and she shake her head, tears stinging at the corner of her eyes, she mumbles “So much for that”

She tears herself away from the window, grabbing her phone and peeking rapidly at the messages and alerts that piled up overnight, including a belated alert for a certain Kombucha lunch she missed and several text from James she does not want to read she set the phone down and start cooking an absurd stack of pancakes focusing on the task at hand “James & Lena must be so disappointed in me”, her hearing picking up Mon-El waking up finally distracting her from the sorrow in her chest, and coming to the kitchen almost immediately, going for the fridge to pour himself a glass of cold water from the pitcher, she feels his hand running up her spine from her lower back and rubbing her shoulders very softly and then a little kiss on her lips, she smiles for him and shivers,  immediately her mind goes to the kisses they shared last night, the potstickers he brought her and she feels a bit of relief there. “You’re making me feel a bit better this morning, thanks.” she turns around and smile when she sees his just-woke-up goofy face, shaking her head. “I’m going to be talking to my mom today, I might not come back here tonight” a swift run of her fingers on his cheek as he nods and mumble tiredly “fine let me know if you change plans”

After sharing the absurd stack of pancake with Mon-El and sharing a bit of laughter over the memories of how he used to eat pancakes a short while ago, Kara started to get ready for the day Mon-El went his way, heading out the door “I’m going to be at the bar tonight then, will probably spend the day there too, tell me if you need anything.” once the door was closed, Kara finished dressing up for the day, keeping her Supergirl suit under “just in case”. As she was going to cross the door, a pit of sorrow weighted in her chest and her eyes stung again a little bit, but she pressed on, heading out to the DEO at a rather slow pace, nobody expected her anywhere today and while alot of people would find a feeling of freedom in that, she felt only existential dread and sadness.

====================================================================

The walk through National City was a long one, her thoughts had swirled and took over her sense more than once, forcing her to stop walking a few times, discreetly wiping the tears at the corner of her eyes.. Kara Danvers was slowly approaching the DEO offices and the familiar area brought a bit of familiarity and her thoughts drifted back to reality, away from Krypton, away from the sadness that this earth brought her as well as she crossed the street, following the crowd of people, to get to the building, she couldn’t help but feel so disconnected from every one of them and her throat squeezed and her emotions rushed and swirled in her stomach.

Kara walked up toward the command center, accidentally bumping into other agent twice, she apologized a few times to each and most people around the room seemed to get that the Danver’s youngest was having a very bad day, especially when she stopped at Winn’s desk and her voice cracked when she spoke up “How’s Lyra” Winn smiled as he looked up from his screen and patted Kara on the shoulder. “Thank you for stopping that ship, Lyra’s doing great, though she’s a bit shaken, she’ll get better over time.” Kara frowned when she heard the reply and looked over at the various screens. Winn noticed something was off a bit “Are you okay there ?”

Just the questions weighted heavy on her mind, she couldn’t pretend, not to Winn, not right now. “No, I don’t feel okay, it’s ...one of those days.” making a little circle with her finger next to her head. He nodded and shot a quick message to Hank from his computer ::Hey, Boss, I think Kara might need a bit of cheering up, maybe a good word from the Space dad would help?::

It took all but a minute for J’onn to walk down the stairs from the lab area and heading toward the command center, a few of the other agents stopped him on his way to give him a report on various fallout from the events that happened last night, meanwhile, Winn was showing Kara some youtube videos of a few puppies playing together “Hey look, It’s a video of you trying to save the day!” a tiny smile on her face, which faded away quickly, thinking how she’d have gotten that video as a message on her skype if she had worked at CatCo today, Winn commented “Oh don’t look like that, I don’t have a video of a sad puppy.” Kara smiled a bit brighter at that “thanks.

Finally, the last son of Mars reached Winn’s desk and immediately he felt Kara’s sorrow around her and Winn’s worries over her, he felt the whole command center’s confusion about the mood, Usually Kara was very upbeat after a major victory like the one last night, he greeted her with a pat on the shoulder “Hey Kara, all of the prisoner from the ship were returned safe and they’re being watched now, they should be fine.” He could feel Kara’s anger rising when he talked and that got him to pay attention to her thoughts.

He saw flashes of her father, the color red and then a flash of a fight with her sister about his methods and how they disagreed on the results, another flash of her father, an image of the traumatized Aliens walking out of the ships and another flash of red, a quick swirl of imagery and sound from deeper, J’onn stopped peeking for a moment, getting dizzy from the intensity, his expression softened when he looked at Kara, she spoke to them both “I… can I speak with the both of you?”

A moment later, they both were in one of the side room where briefings often happened before and after missions, J’onn was seated, Winn remained standing and Kara was pacing the room. “I lost my job at CatCo…” Winn nodded “Yeah I heard from James, he wasn’t happy about it, the fight with Snapper was apparently scarier than Shivan shouting you out a window.”  Kara laughed a bit there, J’onn smiled a bit, but regained his contenance quickly, he felt Kara’s mind at this moment, fear and disappointment, sadness, shame. He spoke before she had to “The DEO can help you financially while you look for another job, no, I won’t say that to Alex.” Kara nod once “thanks for not letting me ask.”

Winn looked at his phone for a moment and then seemed to get a question on his mind “Hey so, I wanted to ask you, Kara, about last night?”  Kara seemed distracted and took a moment to realize she was being talked to, so J’onn asked the question he felt from Agent Schott’s mind “Yeah, how did you know where the launch was happening?” Immediately, Winn trying to lighten the mood looked to J’onn “Am I going to have to start wearing a tinfoil hat? Because that’s not a look I can rock”

Kara smiled again, which was the only reason J’onn did not glare at Winn, but she answered with both her mind and her words. “I asked Lena to help me, she found it and told me after two goon threw her off the balcony” the image J’onn saw matched her words, then he saw a flash of the medusa missile exploding, Lena’s smug smile to Lillian and a strange mix of feelings that he sensed in Alex not too long ago, J’onn chose silence for the moment, letting Winn add his little quick. “Look like I need to send a thank you note to a Luthor then, I’ll tag Maggie on that one too, I’m going to go do that.” Winn left the room,  leaving them both behind.

“Kara, It’s okay” He stood and walked to her, both of his heavy hand on her shoulders and looking into her eyes, she held up a hand for him to not talk anymore and he felt a strange warmth into her mind, thoughts about her father, anger and hurt and then images about him, “I’m hurt J’onn, really bad.” she fought tears “I don’t want to talk about him right now, but I want to say something to you” she poke at his chest. “Thank you for trying to protect Alex, thank you for understanding… thanks for being my space dad” her mind spoke a different word instead of ‘space’ and J’onn had to struggle not to let it show how close to tear he was and he pulled her into a hug “I know you heard that, please don’t tell Alex.” J’onn nod once. “You will need to speak with her” Kara interrupted “Not today, not about that, I need, I need some time.” J’onn nods once. “Go talk to Eliza, okay? I think you both might need to hear what the other have to say.”  Kara nodded once and shook “I’ll go as Supergirl I don’t think I could look at her otherwise..” he pat her back “We got this, we’ll call you for emergencies only, let the cop handle the robbers for once.” Kara left the room and smiles at him.

=====================================================================

Kara was near the window where Supergirl usually flew out of the DEO building and she was waiting for Eliza to pick up the phone, she hadn’t picked up on Eliza’s voice around the offices and the labs in the building and she feared that she may have gone back to her home out of town, After several attempt to call her, she finally managed to get an answer, the older woman sounded exhausted and a bit out of sort.

“I’m sorry I just woke up…” a soft pause where Kara can hear her mother move around a bit, she pictured her having slept on a couch or something. “What’s the matter Kara ? Alex’s usually the one to rapidfire call like that.” a touch of worry permeating her voice, Kara smiled a bit, hearing the voice. “I… Eliza, I really, really need to speak with you, alone.”  Kara was definitely no good at hiding her emotions from her earthly mother, and Eliza felt the voice of her younger daughter tremble. “I’m at my hotel room, you can drop in anytime.”

Kara spent a moment to switch into her Supergirl outfit and lifting from the ground, with the phone still in her hand. “I’ll be there shortly” as she closed the phone, she heard her mother attempting to ask a question, but she could answer it when she got there, the window opened to let Super girl fly out, as she flew, a text arrived on Winn’s phone, warning him of her whereabouts if anyone would look for her.  

A flash of red and blue darted between the buildings in National City,   flying over the traffic and causing a bit of cheers to follow around the city, Supergirl’s mind was as bad as Kara’s, only now she pictured the fight she had with Alex at her apartment, about J’onn ‘s test, she pictured the moment she finally stopped the ship from leaving the atmosphere, the silent moment of reconciliation with her sister and she found herself stopping, hovering above a building and wiping her eyes with her thumbs as her thought turned from Alex to Jeremiah, she managed to fly down to the hotel where her mother was staying when she was in town and she stepped on the balcony lightly, knocking on the door.

Eliza let out a little laugh at the knock from the Balcony door, she saw the cape first, the red fabric flowing in the wind, the blond hair matching the motions of the cape and the blue of the costume top, but barely two step later, Eliza’s already bruised heart squeezed, seeing the tears running from the hero’s eyes, she could already feel her daughter’s sadness as she opened the door. “Come in.” she said with the softest whisper she could do, grabbing at Supergirl’s shoulders and pulling her daughter into her arms, hugging her and immediately she could feel the pain coiled in her the hero’s heart. Supergirl couldn’t stop her crying, strong, pained and heaving sobs and Eliza could see her daughter’s arms folding on themselves, trying to avoid squeezing her to death, Eliza squeezed harder than she thought she could and let out a little sigh from the effort “Please don’t be mad” were the only words Supergirl could get out before take a step away from her mother.

Supergirl let herself fall to the ground on her knees and she looked at the floor of the hotel room, the storm in her chest was in full swing, a whirlwind of pain, sorrow and the weight of loneliness bearing onto her shoulders.  Eliza let her daughter go gently and quickly wiped the tears from her own eyes and she sat on the ground with her.  “I wouldn’t know what to be mad about Kara, I’m just sad to see you like this.” she run her fingers over her daughter’s face, which calmed Supergirl eventually, her breathing turning to a more normal level and finally theirs eyes met.  

“D-- Da…” she frowns as the word doesn’t work through her throat, her anger rising with each attempt to say it and she takes a moment to chose her words better. “Alex told me about Jeremiah, honey, I know what he did, I know what happened, we’ll find him again” Eliza spoke softly ignoring her own pain for the moment and Supergirl shook her head, her face distorted with anger and her hand curling into fists for just a short moment

Eliza understood right there and her own expression shifted from one of tenderness to a look of deep concern to her daughter, Supergirl spoke again. “I know there’s good in him, I know that he had good intention… but I… I can’t “ she couldn’t finish, her words melted back down her throat avoiding eye contact with her mother, Eliza spoke in her stead, her voice trembling too “You can’t forgive him… Because you feel that what he did against the other Aliens on earth, he did against you…” Supergirl nodded and seemed to look down at the floor, Eliza closed her eyes and her own tears fell down her cheek “Because it made you feel like an Alien and not like his daughter ?” Supergirl shrugs and doesn’t seem able to talk just yet, Eliza moves closer and waits for her to be able to speak. Soon, Supergirl’s words came, calmer than before.

“I always feel like an alien, even Clark’s more human than me… “ Eliza nodded, understanding where that notion came from, back from when Myriad took over the city’s mind including Superman when he came to help.  “Even Alex… Jeremiah’s life was more important than hundred of others to her… and that… hurts me” she wipes her eyes and she close her eyes.  “But her, I understand, I’ll…. I forgave her” she forces a smile and Eliza nodded “Everywhere I look, I feel alone… I’m with Mon-El… but he lost his world too, it’s just a reminder” she seem on the verge of crumbling again, Eliza hugs her daughter again, leaving a few things unspoken.  “I don’t have a job anymore to fool myself into feeling normal.” Eliza nodded and spoke gently “I heard about it, I think you did the right thing to warn them” Supergirl smiled a bit, though she wasn’t sure herself why.  

“I don’t have words to fix the situations for you, Kara, but I’m glad you chose to speak with me.” she removed a few strand of her daughter’s hair from her face, Supergirl voice shook but was a softer tone, her emotional storm subsided “So alone, my family from Krypton brought me nothing but pain since I came here, Clark is far awa and I feel like I’m slipping away from my earth family”” she hugs Eliza, her eyes staring at her mother, squeezing lightly, as if trying to keep Eliza from slipping away “I feel alone standing against what cadmus does...” Her previous conversation with J’onn came to mind and then, the familiar memory of Lena, the alarm for Kombucha she didn’t set on the right day and a strange peace over came the pain in her soul. “Even if I know I’m not”

“Kara, I love you, I can never understand how much pain or hardship the whole stars and this world has put on your shoulders, but I am proud to see you carry it.” Supergirl smiles and lower her head. “Strength doesn’t require you to feel strong, Kara, I’m glad you’re talking to me, I’m sorry Jeremiah hurt you like this and I understand your anger. You’re no less my daughter because of that.” Supergirl’s eyes waters up again and this time she nods. “Thank you mom, I want you to be my mom even when I’m supergirl” trying in her own fumbling way to say the same thing she said to J’onn earlier  

Supergirl stood up from the floor and helped her mother up, holding her in a hug “I need to I need to go visit... someone else.” Eliza smiles a bit and hug her. “At least stay for lunch?” Supergirl laughs a bit and acquiesce  “Yes mom., I’ll even warm it” making a gesture to her eyes.  Eliza smiles fondly and both of them decide to shut their phone off as they start to look over the hotel menu.

=====================================================================

The food was nice, but the company was definitely what was needed the most, Eliza and Supergirl had shared a good laugh over the staff bring their food being very excited by Supergirl surprise presence in the room, asking for a selfie with her and an autograph. When the both of them had finished eating, they shared one last hug and Supergirl flew out of the window, her phone in hand, working on a text. Supergirl felt much better after speaking with her mother, after expressing clearly what she had felt build up in her heart and her mind, the strange sorrowful weight upon her mind lessened, but still present. ::Hey Lena, Do you have about 10 minutes to talk with me today ? I got some things I absolutely need to tell you::

The text was sent out quickly and in the office of LCorp, the young CEO’s phone buzzed with a familiar jingle, Kara’s phone number was on the screen along with the start of the message. A small nervous laugh escaped Lena’s red-painted lips, she was scared after last night’s attack and now she was absolutely terrified that Kara was mad at her, she had heard about Kara Danvers being let go from CatCo, she paid attention to her friend’s business closely, afterall, when you only have one, you work to keep them and she fires a text back ::Of course, come in whenever you like::

Soon, Supergirl stood outside of LCorp, Floating above the building and staring down at it, using her X-ray vision to see the many people busying themselves around the building, smiling as she saw them all, working, struggling to make the world a place their CEO could be proud of and a warmth washed over Supergirl’s mind, she lowered herself slowly toward the balcony, her cape flowing wildly around her, her hair flawlessly dancing in the wind, as soon as she landed, Lena turned around with a curious gleam in her eyes and their gaze met each other’s, Supergirl walked through the glass window and greeted Lena with a little wave of her hand.  “Miss Luthor, I hope you’re doing okay?”

Lena saw the hero land onto her Balcony,  amused by the dramatic flair the woman showed at this particular moment, she quickly reached to pat the woman’s shoulder and smiles. “Thank you again for last night, Kara is dropping by anytime soon now” Supergirl puts both of her hand over her friend’s shoulders as gently as she could and smiles at Lena. “Miss Luthor, I’m glad you’re safe.” a gentle squeeze of Lena’s shoulders and she smiles. “I wanted to thank you for myself and for the people you allowed to save, more than once over.” she release Lena. “It’s twice now at least that you were the only person that stood between a terrible fate and the alien community here and anywhere else. You’re a hero Miss Luthor” a bit of tears in Supergirl’s eyes and she takes a deep breath, Lena is confused for a moment at the praise and for a moment, wonders what transpired last night for Supergirl to have said that.  

“Oh, a Luthor being called a Hero by Supergirl… I am astounded by the way things are working out.” her voice trembling a touch, but she was clearly joyful for the moment, Supergirl closes her eyes for a moment and set her hands onto her hips. “I’ve been wanting to let you in on a secret, Miss Luthor” Lena’s eyes lit up for a moment, a bit of tears stung at the corner, unsure. She takes Kara’s phone out from a hidden pocket of the suit and show it to Lena “Kara Danvers and I are the same person.”  her voice softening and her heart beating faster, fear of rejection perhaps?  

Lena’s eyes lit up and her expression wasn’t quite one of surprise, she had figured it out of course, the coincidences piling up were hard to ignore,  but she had chosen to go along with the charade, knowing how important the separation between the two could be, her smile matched the one she gave Kara when she understood that she was the one to flood her office with flowers.  Her eyes were watering, honored and touched by the fact that her only friend now trusted her enough to reveal herself, closing her eyes and letting the warmth inside of her grow, happy, for once in her life.

Supergirl smiles back, blushing a little bit and looking out the window casually. “I guess I’m not that good at hiding it” Lena shook her head. “Only when there’s constant coincidences, Though I admit it took me a while to understand you damaged my alien detecting device with your heat vision, I did knew it was you when you saved me from Metallo and mother, when you said “Kara Danvers believes in you”.” Lean spoke with a little playful smile, looking everywhere but at Kara. “It’s why I said Kara was my hero, because someone believing in me is absolutely heroic to me”  Kara gave a sad smile to Lena. “You saved a lot of my friends, you allowed me to save my sister and you overcame your family’s influence, you’re my hero too.” Lena wraps her arms around Kara’s shoulders, unable to look at her in the eyes and Supergirl wraps her cape around Lena protectively.  

[riverdamien]

Sloughing Towards Galilee#

"Sloughing Towards Galilee!"

Mark 16:7

But you must go and tell his disciples and Peter, "He is going ahead of you to Galilee; that is where you will see him, just as he told you." '

Recently I was looking for a piece on Epiphany and ran a cross-a post by the poet  David Whyte. The title  — “A Star for Navigation.” . The post was about finding one’s true work and vocation:

"Every work begins as an intimation and discovery. Like the first time as a child we walk to the edge of a Yorkshire field, glimpse a new horizon, and immediately want to go there. We do not know where the horizon will take us. We have a glimmering, an inclination, a notion that somehow we will find something beyond our present knowledge. . . Each of us, somewhere in the biography of our childhood, remembers a moment where we felt a portion of the world calling and beckoning to us."

It brought me back to the moment, at twelve years old, sitting around a campfire at "Arcadia" our United Methodist Church Camp on a warm summer's night, I felt my heart "strangely warmed" and I was grasped with the loving presence of Christ, a love that can not be explained, saying: "Preach the Gospel!" From that moment on I was compelled to pour all of my energy into that summons.

Christ was so real in those moments, and throughout my life in the good times and the bad, I never feel alone! 

Two of the greatest influences in my life  were a book by Taylor Caldwell, No One Hears But Him!,  in which she portrays God as One who simply "listens", and the sermon at my ordination by Bishop Robert Goodrich in which he told us, "You shall 'wait on tables' the rest of your lives."

In paraphrasing a title by Joan Didion, in the weeks ahead, looking towards our 30th anniversary celebration, October 4, 2024, I am going to write a couple a times a week on my attempt to be a "listener" on the street, "waiting on tables!" In attempting to follow Jesus I am "Sloughing towards Galilee," little by little.

I am giving out Christmas gifts through Epiphany, and several days ago one gentleman I encountered was "Jim,", around 40. He sat on the sidewalk, looking sad, and lonely, and as I knelt down and gave him his gift, his face simply lit up like the sun.

In listening he shared of being on the street for ten years, no family, feeling dejected, and never fitting in. Jim shared of not feeling safe in the shelters, and of being beaten, and hurt. I gave him some food, and with a smile on his face I moved on.

I am always asked "Why can't you do more?" And to myself I laugh, for through the years, and especially in these days of social media, my biggest support, help, and care came from simply being listened to, and sitting down having a meal with someone. "Listening" and sharing "Food" are great healers!

I invite you to join me in "Sloughing Towards Galilee," and to "listen" to my story, and those I "listen" to, simply listen without judgement, and see where you can "listen" to those around you. Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Fr. C. River Damien Sims, sfw, D.Min., D.S.T.

P.O. Box 642656

San Francisco, CA 94164

Snap Chat: "riodamien2"

pay pal can be found on www.temenos.org

415-305-2124

www.temenos.org

----------------------------------------------------

"Our life of grace and our life of the body goes on beautifully intermingled and harmonious. "All is grace," as the dying priest whispered to his friend in 'The Diary of a Country Priest." The Little Flower also said, "All is grace" (Dorothy Day).

Let Love Ache

Father, give me the courage to keep on loving.

when others keep on hurting.

help me to live an achy love, a gritty,

persistent and emptying love;

a love that’s not afraid to flow toward the other

who has little left to offer in return.

And may I tread faithfully with heaven

through the unfinished work that surrounds me.

[completetrashforyou]

Super(gay)Girl Review 2x12

Welcome back to the following installment of reviews on the gayest television show on the planet

LET’S GAY IT ON

1.  LENA AND KARA ARE ACTUAL GIRLFRIENDS

OH MY GOD??? DONUTS??? FLOWERS??? THE LACK OF HESITATION ON BOTH SIDES TO SAVE THE OTHER’S LIFE???

-this has officially been the best valentines day ever.

yes, I know I am not the one whom received an office full of flowers but this, Valentines Day 2017, is the happiest I’ve ever had because KARA DANVERS RECEIVED AN OFFICE FULL OF FLOWERS FROM LENA LUTHOR.

I MEAN, CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT HER COWORKERS WERE THINKING??? THEY PROBABLY SMIRKED AND ASSUMED IT WAS SOME GUY TRYING TO WOO HER BUT NO, IT WAS LENA. 

(we have a romantic in our hands oh my)

-EVEN AFTER WATCHING THE CCTV  FOOTAGE MAGGIE SHOWED OF LENA WITH KRYPTONITE, KARA STILL STOOD HER GROUND AND GRANTED HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN HERSELF AND SAY HER PIECE.

dead. metallo-level dead. 

I appreciate and loved that part so much. To witness Kara have so much faith in her surges me with hope and a really happy feeling. I can only imagine how Lena must feel to finally have someone look at her for her and not a tainted image of her family name.

Speaking of Lena...

Listen, this strong woman actually IMPRISONED her own mother after she nearly obliterated all the aliens. She grew to resent, but still secretly want, the woman she had no choice but to call her mother. Lena’s basically spent her entire life wiping her Lillian’s footsteps from ever affecting her own path and HERE SHE IS VISITING HER IN JAIL AFTER KARA SIMPLY TOLD HER “SHE IS STILL YOUR MOM”. ((whipped))

- “I spent most of my life wishing I could talk to people that are no longer here.”

There was a softness in Lena’s eyes when Kara said this (I melted). Her thought process must’ve been: wow, this person in front of me is my friend and she’s opening up to me about her tumultuous past is this real life(?)

SHE LOOKED SO GENUINELY TAKEN BY KARA’S EMOTIONS IT’S AS IF IT’S THE FIRST TIME SHE’S EVER WITNESSED SOMEBODY OPENING UP TO HER. MY PRECIOUS DONUT SO VULNERABLE AND IN LOVE.

-Lena crying out “DON’T HURT HER!” 

...she...she was on the verge of tears... so afraid for Supergirl’s life...that she actually forgot about her own life...her own HUMAN life...

I’m not even going to comment on that scene. I know y’all screamed your asses off like I did (I also laughed because how extra can she get lmfao)

-”That’s what friends are for”

I’m sorry but Kara is not subtle ONE BIT of how attracted she is to Lena.

Ladies, the fact that she had to justify that she’s doing it because she’s “a friend” I don’t know, six times in the entire episode, says enough. What a gay mess the Danvers’ sisters are. 

Can’t wait to see their mom’s reaction when she learns that both of her daughters, indeed, are too gay to function.

-that last scene

Not gonna lie, I got sort of nervous there. There are so many different ways to interpret the ominous music and the strange look in Lena’s eyes as she observed the white knight chess piece. All I’m going to say about this is: I hope she will sought to bring revenge to her mom and not actually JOIN her.

I mean, it’s entirely possible! HER MOM LITERALLY FLED TO SAVE HER OWN LIFE AND LEFT HER TO DIE ON THE FLOOR AFTER BEING KNOCKED OUT BY CYBORG HANK HENSHAW. IF IT WEREN’T FOR SUPERGIRL, SHE’D BE FRIED ALONG WITH METALLO 

2. Sanvers= A Couple That Needs To Be The Basis For LGBTQUI Relationships On TV

My honey’s, so happy and bashful and so fucking attractive when they work together holy shit.

At first, I didn’t really like how clipped that scene was of Alex introducing Maggie as her girlfriend. I wanted it to be longer, more profound (because Lord knows I would rather watch a 13 hour episode of Sanvers literally just playing board games and reading than see Mon-El and Kara spin around in circles at their pathetic excuse for a relationship).

But then, after pondering, I realized that again, the writers did justice to them. The whole nonchalant attitude, just congratulating Alex, hugging her, proceeding to play a game of pool, I l o v e d t h a t. Sexuality shouldn’t be the main focus or come as a shock anymore, its 2017 to all you closeminded fucktards, PEOPLE WILL LOVE PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT THEIR ORIENTATION OR LABEL. WE ARE ONLY LIVING THE FREEDOM WE WERE BORN WITH.

You know what I also loved? When J’onn said

“It wasn’t for me to say”

(or something like that) when they asked him why he didn��t say anything despite already knowing how head over heels Alex was (and is) for Maggie. It showed importance. How a person’s coming out journey and life journey in general is up to them. It’s in their control of who they want to reveal it to and when.

J’onn J’onzz, an actual space dad everyone wants to have.

3. SO, when do the ugly aliens take the coconut away and reveal his true identity because I’m sick of all this merry-go-round business.

It’s sad that Melissa has to adhere to reducing her beautiful character, Kara, to what’s happening with Mon-El. She herself said that she wanted Supergirl to be a show more about the journey for Kara as a person, no relationships attached. Less of that monochrome, typical crap you find on all other media.

I just find it ridiculous how, after Kara heard that he’s been blabbering on about her while on a date with a different girl, she’s just going to kiss him and neglect everything else that’s happened between them beforehand? The emotional roller coaster he put her through and IS STILL putting her through? SINCE WHEN WAS KARA THAT DISMISSIVE OF HER ACTIONS AND THE CONSEQUENCES THAT WOULD COME WITH THEM

I get he’s cute and all and the concept of the both of them getting together is somehow appealing because, naturally, Daxamites and Kryptonians hate each other, but I just don’t like it. It isn’t my overwhelming gayness for Supercorp that’s the cause of this opinion, trust me. It’s simply the message that the show want’s to represent and how they’re doing the complete opposite. 

Supergirl is a show of powerful women, not women whom constantly need a love interest to stay relevant and become “content” with their lives.

THE VERDICT

A SOLID 8/10.

The growth of Lena and Kara’s relationship was elaborated and portrayed so beautifully in this episode. I was entranced with the flashbacks of Lena’s past, giving us an understanding of why and how one could grow to hate so much the person they’re supposed to love unconditionally.

Not to mention how passionate the both of them (Kara and Lena) are for each other c:

I absolutely am not too keen about Kara and Mon-El. I think he should go back to where he came from or at least tell the truth about who he is already because Kara is just going to get hurt again and tbh, the girl needs a  donut break with her girlfriend hehe break from him (like why the hell was he even at the DEO the fuck). They’ve been hinting on Mon-El being more than what he presumes to be in the past few episodes right? When will they finally follow through with it so Kara and him can stop going to each other to discuss the same trucking issue every damn time.

To show some appreciation for the men in the show (not the immature douche bag who’s motto in life is ‘swipe right ‘till you find the right one), Winn is great as always, hilarious, but James and Kara’s scenes were winner for this episode too. They’re slowly making progress. Kara is slowly accepting that her best friend is as passionate about saving lives as she is, no matter how dangerous. And James is helping her to wrap her head around that by earning her trust. I missed them, glad to have them back.

As for Sanvers... well right now I’m just wondering when they’ll get married because matching leather jackets??? Playing pool with each other’s friends??? BINCH THEY’RE WORKING TOGETHER NOW, MAGGIE IS ALWAYS AT THE DEO HELPING THEM WITH THEIR CASES AND IM LIVINGGGGGGGGGGGG

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK, PLEASE?

[sueboohscorner]

#Supergirl 209 Recap "Supergirl Lives"

Though Supergirl will shortly comment on how prosaic it feels compared to her usual fare, the opening scene in which she takes down some jewel thieves is quite lovely. It’s a classic superhero moment, facing problems on a mortal scale, as opposed to cosmic. These particular jewel thieves are remarkably tough, though, and Guardian has the opportunity to pick up her slack.

Man, these are like the toughest basic criminals we’ve seen, though; they’re keeping both Supergirl and Guardian busy, so the third thief is getting away…and Guardian casually instructs Winn to handle this. This won’t go well. Winn has never shown any interest in fisticuffs, and he nearly gets himself killed when he immediately turns his back on the thief to celebrate having gotten one good shot in. 

The next day, both Kara and James descend on Snapper first thing, handing him their accounts of the great jewel thieves takedown. Kara still hasn’t the slightest clue that James is Guardian, because she totally underestimates him.

Snapper has no use for either of them. Strangely, though, a distraught civilian has wandered in and gotten all the way to the news room to ask for help locating her missing daughter (my super-suspension of disbelief and valiant plot-hole-filling say this woman must have a friend who works at Catco; the friend saw she was getting nowhere with the police and said, “I’ll get you in to see the bigwigs at my office. One of them is rumored to be a personal friend of Supergirl’s!”).

Obviously, Kara is all about rescuing the missing girl, and we’re off to the races! She arranges to meet up with Maggie at the alien bar to get whatever info the cops have (it’s not just this girl, Izzy, but a whole string of random, unexplained disappearances). Mon-El is also at the bar, and he decides this quest could be a great chance for some alone time with his crush.

Somehow, Winn is able to connect the missing persons to a clinic where they’d all had bloodwork done just before vanishing. (And yeah, I got nothing on this one. I mean, I accept that the DEO can circumvent HIPAA, but I don’t have any explanation for why a fake, evil clinic run by aliens is filing any sort of paperwork on the patients they never plan to let walk back out the door. This plot hole may be beyond my inestimable powers.) Kara and Mon-El go to the clinic to investigate, and genuine hilarity ensues as Mon-El attempts to blend in as a human. 

The creepy doctor shows them into a big room with an obviously alien device. It’s basically a stargate (this makes me inordinately happy–there’s not much in the world I love as much as Stargate SG-1). Kara and Mon-El start fighting back, which spooks Dr. Creeper, who dials out and leaps through. Kara instructs Mon-El to go get help from the DEO, and she follows Dr. Creeper. 

Oops! She’s gated to a planet with dun-dun-dun!, a red sun. And Mon-El disregards her instructions–he jumps through the gate to help. Now they’re both totally mortal, stranded on an alien planet, and with no reason to expect anyone will come to rescue them. This was not a well thought out plan. As we know from Stargate SG-1, matter can only travel one way through an active wormhole, so there’s no way Mon-El could leap back to Earth to get Alex and J’onn. They’d need a dial-home device, and they’d need to know how to use it.

Mon-El continues to be delightful, even under a red sun. He suggests they choose a path that doesn’t lead to “Murder Castle,” and gives this planet a Yelp rating of “one star.” They meet a native who appears to live as a hermit, and he identifies the planet by name; Mon-El recognizes Maldoria as “Slaver’s Moon.” It’s now clear to Supergirl what fate awaits the missing Earthlings: They will be sold into slavery and never return home. She and Mon-El can’t fight their way in to save the captives, so they get in the only way they can: surrender.

The captives are briefly excited to see Supergirl, but they lose hope when she admits she’s powerless here. Then, she goes into self-sacrifice mode, putting herself in harm’s way to protect them even if it kills her, and they are inspired to fight. With everyone fighting at once, they actually get the best of the couple of guards, Dr. Creeper, and Roulette (that bitch!).

Even then, Alex, Winn, and a team of agents have come through the stargate to save the day. Alex orders Winn to stay by the gate and figure out how to dial it up the moment they need it. For some reason, she doesn’t leave a single agent to watch his back. I mean, she had to drag him on this mission in the first place, because he got so spooked about getting hurt the other night…and she needs him working on his task, not being attacked from behind by an alien, which of course happens…but he wins the fight and gets the gate open, recovering his courage.

During the escape, Mon-El is recognized by an alien who shows him deference. This is bad, because the plot that will take Mon-El away from us is the plot I really don’t want to see proceed. Leave Mon-El in National City to keep being delightful! (Or…at least put Chris Wood on another show I love, because he’s awesome. It should be pretty easy; I watch nearly every show on The CW, so as long as he sticks with the best of all networks, I’ll keep enjoying his work for years to come.)

As they’re making their escape, the hermit alien joins them (sure hope he’s as nice as he seemed!), and Supergirl, replenished by a yellow sun grenade, blows up a slaver’s ship. It’s super rare that we get to see a superhero basically kill some bad guys, which is totally what just happened. She eyeblasted a spaceship right out of the sky, and I am so okay with that! I mean, they’re slavers, you know? Those dudes had it coming.

Back through the gate to Earth, Kara eyeblasts the dial-home device on our side. I kind of want to point out that the gate itself is still intact, and the DHD on the other side (and potentially numerous other locations) is functional. Anyone could come through this thing at any time, and all she did just now is make it harder for them to leave again when they do. Basic stargate 101 here, just sayin’.

In Alex and Maggie’s budding relationship, we got some ups and downs this week. Alex was freaking out over Kara’s disappearance, Maggie massively overreacted to Alex’s overreaction, and I’m not sure Maggie’s patient or compassionate enough to have this relationship. But I want Alex to be happy, so I’m keeping an open mind.

We end on mostly happy notes: Mon-El tells Kara he wants to be a superhero after all; Kara reunites Izzy with her mom; Snapper continues giving Kara the stink-eye right up until she leaves the room, but he smiles and mutters, “Attagirl, Danvers,” demonstrating he’s been pulling a Cat Grant on her after all; Winn and James are back on good terms, after Winn’s journey through the stargate and punching an alien. Of course, there had to be a dark final moment, too…the aliens hunting Mon-El now know he’s on Earth. They’re going to come and take away my favorite character soon, aren’t they?

I loved this week. Next year, when I get the Blu-ray set, I know this is one episode I’ll watch from time to time when I want to enjoy some Supergirl. It had big laughs, solid feels, and fun action. I hope Kevin Smith comes back to direct again soon.

Any theories on the future plot potential of this stargate we’ve now got lying around in a DEO basement (no doubt)? Or on the alien hermit’s potential to be A. completely forgotten, B. intermittently expository, C. secretly evil, or D. a major DC character in disguise?

[ambeann]

Lyrics CHEN – Make It Count [OST Touch Your Heart]

Lyrics CHEN – Make It Count [OST Touch Your Heart]

CHEN (EXO) – Make It Count Album: Touch Your Heart OST Part.1 Release Date: 2019-02-07 Genre: OST/Soundtrack Drama Language: Korean

Lirik Lagu CHEN – Make It Count [OST Touch Your Heart]

[HANGUL] time 시간은 기묘한 존재 지나간 후에야 oh 아쉬워하네 달콤한 꿈 눈뜨면 선명했다가도 이내 금세 또 아득해져 사라지네 la la 여기 너와 나 지금 이 순간 꼭 담아두려 해 내 맘 깊은 곳에 편하게 포개진 손의 감촉 오늘의 공기마저도 모두 기억해 너무 소중해 so make it count 오늘을 기억해줘요 옅은 바람과 꽃피우던 1분 1초를 make it count 그럼 난 영원해져요 모든 순간을 모아 그대에게 줄게요 la la la la 시간이 가도 la la la la 꼭 바래요 make it count 한가로운 오후에 벤치 위에 편하게 누워봐 무릎베개 늘어진 시간이 달콤하니까 여긴 중력이 딱 두 배니까 하루가 짧아 매일 그리움은 또 차올라 이대로 시간을 멈춰서 네 마음을 속삭여줘 so make it count 오늘을 기억해줘요 옅은 바람과 꽃피우던 1분 1초를 make it count 그럼 난 영원해져요 모든 순간을 모아 그대에게 줄게요 la la la la 겨울이 가고 눈 녹아내리듯 모든 게 아름다워지면 그때 꼭 다시 말해 줄게요 워 끝없는 시간을 함께해 babe 너 예쁘다 오늘따라 더 so make it count 오늘을 기억해줘요 옅은 바람과 꽃피우던 1분 1초를 make it count 그럼 난 영원해져요 모든 순간을 모아 그대에게 줄게요 오늘이 어제가 되어도 내 옆엔 너 꿈꾸던 날처럼 그리워할 틈도 없게 딱 붙어있어 언제나 그 옆을 지킬게 워 오늘이 어제가 되어도 내 옆엔 너 Ohoh 그리워할 틈도 없게 딱 붙어있어 꼭 바래요 make it count [ROMANIZATION] time siganeun gimyohan jonjae jinagan hueya oh aswiwohane dalkomhan kkum nuntteumyeon seonmyeonghaessdagado inae geumse tto adeukhaejyeo sarajine la la yeogi neowa na jigeum i sungan kkok damaduryeo hae nae mam gipeun gose pyeonhage pogaejin sonui gamchok oneurui gonggimajeodo modu gieokhae neomu sojunghae so make it count oneureul gieokhaejwoyo yeoteun baramgwa kkoccpiudeon 1bun 1choreul make it count geureom nan yeongwonhaejyeoyo modeun sunganeul moa geudaeege julgeyo la la la la sigani gado la la la la kkok baraeyo make it count hangaroun ohue benchi wie pyeonhage nuwobwa mureupbegae neureojin sigani dalkomhanikka yeogin jungryeogi ttak du baenikka haruga jjalpa maeil geuriumeun tto chaolla idaero siganeul meomchwoseo ne maeumeul soksagyeojwo so make it count oneureul gieokhaejwoyo yeoteun baramgwa kkoccpiudeon 1bun 1choreul make it count geureom nan yeongwonhaejyeoyo modeun sunganeul moa geudaeege julgeyo la la la la gyeouri gago nun noganaerideus modeun ge areumdawojimyeon geuttae kkok dasi malhae julgeyo wo kkeuteopsneun siganeul hamkkehae babe neo yeppeuda oneulttara deo so make it count oneureul gieokhaejwoyo yeoteun baramgwa kkoccpiudeon 1bun 1choreul make it count geureom nan yeongwonhaejyeoyo modeun sunganeul moa geudaeege julgeyo oneuri eojega doeeodo nae yeopen neo kkumkkudeon nalcheoreom geuriwohal teumdo eopsge ttak buteoisseo eonjena geu yeopeul jikilge wo oneuri eojega doeeodo nae yeopen neo Ohoh geuriwohal teumdo eopsge ttak buteoisseo kkok baraeyo make it count [ENGLISH TRANSLATION] Time is a strange thing Only after it passes You long for it A sweet dream When you open your eyes It may still be clear But soon, it gets far away and disappears lala You and I This moment right here I’m going to cherish it Deep in my heart The soft touch of your hand Even today’s air I’m gonna remember it all It’s so precious so make it count Remember this day When the gentle breeze blows and flowers bloom Each minute, each second, make it count Then I’ll be forever Gathering all the moments I’ll give it to you la la la la Even after time la la la la I really hope we make it count On a peaceful afternoon I’m laying on a bench, using your lap as a pillow This relaxed time is so sweet So the gravity is twice as strong here Each day feels so short Each day, longing rises again I wish I could stop time Whisper your heart to me so make it count Remember this day When the gentle breeze blows and flowers bloom Each minute, each second, make it count Then I’ll be forever Gathering all the moments I’ll give it to you la la la la Just like winter passes and snow melts When everything is so beautiful I’ll tell you once again Let’s be together in endless time, babe You’re so pretty Even moreso today so make it count Remember this day When the gentle breeze blows and flowers bloom Each minute, each second, make it count Then I’ll be forever Gathering all the moments I’ll give it to you Even when today becomes yesterday, you’re by my side Like the days I dreamed of Stick close to me so I can’t even miss you I’ll always protect you by your side Even when today becomes yesterday, you’re by my side Oh-oh- Stick close to me so I can’t even miss you I really hope we make it count Music Lyrics Lyrics, Korean Song, Kpop Song, Kpops Lyrics, Korean Lyrics from Lyrics CHEN – Make It Count [OST Touch Your Heart] http://sinkpop.blogspot.com/2019/02/lyrics-chen-make-it-count-ost-touch.html Korean Song Lyrics Kpop Artis Korean Boyband Korean Girlband from Blogger Lirik Lagu Korea Lyrics CHEN – Make It Count [OST Touch Your Heart] http://kpopslyric.blogspot.com/2019/02/lyrics-chen-make-it-count-ost-touch.html

[riverdamien]

Station 3: Stations of the Cross

Station 3: Jesus Falls the First Time-April 1, 2020

Journey with us in spirit on Good Friday, April 10 as we journey through the Tenderloin. The first two stations will be at City Hall, this station will be at the State Office Buidling.

            There are times when we are living in twilight, we live, yet our lives have changed. The past three weeks they have changed suddenly with social distancing, having to stay in  our homes, businesses shut down, fear of contacting a strange disease, fear of losing our housing, and fear of being on the streets without the benefit of social distancing, food, and care. The reality is things will never be the same gain. It is strange to walk in the midst of people wearing masks, some obviously fearful, and keeping a distance. Every store is closed, and you remember the meals and fellowship in the restaurants. We will never be the same. There is an impersonal-ism, distance, a feeling of just being an object. 

            When Jesus fell the first time, knowing that he was in the twilight of his life, he too knew that his life was ending, life was over. He too was living in fear.

            St. Maria Skobtosova speaks to my heart  in these words setting our priorities:

“At the Last Judgment I shall not be asked whether I was successful in my ascetic exercises, nor how many bows and prostrations I made. Instead I shall be asked, Did I feeed the hungry, clothe the naked, vist the sick and the prisoners.  In doing this “All will be well!”

We all fall, but like Jesus we can get up and face our fears and march forward, with these words from Winston Churchill: "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

( We received a flyer  about ways of dealing with losing financial support in your businesses etc. If you would like a copy send an email and we will forward it.)

Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

Station 3: Jesus Falls the First Time

    In your imagination can you see a friend, or yourself, fall to the ground?

The cross became too much for Jesus and he fell, powerless in the moment.

Jesus falls each day in the homeless who suffer from mental illness and drug

abuse.

    In San Francisco, the estimated statistics are that 37% suffer from

alcohol/drug abuse, and 35% from mental illness. It is difficult to separate

these two figures because they both play into each other.

    In the story of the Gerasenes demoniac from the book of Mark, we read:

“5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. [a] 2  And

when Jesus [b] had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the

tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3  He lived among the tombs. And no one

could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4  for he had often been bound

with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the

shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5  Night and day

among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting

himself with stones. 6  And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down

before him. 7  And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do

with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment

me.” 8  For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

9  And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion,

for we are many.” 10  And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the

country. 11  Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12  and they

begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13  So he gave them

permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd,

numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and

drowned in the sea.

14  The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came

to see what it was that had happened. 15  And they came to Jesus and saw the

demon-possessed [c] man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed

and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16  And those who had seen it

described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the

pigs. 17  And they began to beg Jesus [d] to depart from their region. 18  As he was

getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him

that he might be with him. 19  And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go

home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and

how he has had mercy on you.” 20  And he went away and began to proclaim in

the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

        This is the scene we see on the streets daily. Healing those who suffer from mental illness was a part of the ministry of Jesus. It should, by extension, be a part of our own. All of us have something to contribute, including those

without professional or pastoral expertise in mental health care. We do not have to be therapists, but we must be the face of Jesus.

    Mental illness has biological causes, but it also impacts one’s spiritual life: the ability to find meaning. We all have a role to play in helping others restore their confidence, find support, and rediscover their value.

     We all fail in our care of the mentally ill and addicted, but Father Henry Nouwen calls us in these words to get up and to love deeply:

“Do not hesitate to love and to love deeply. You might be afraid of the pain that deep love can cause. When those you love deeply reject you, leave you, or die, your heart will be broken. But that should not hold you back from loving deeply. The pain that comes from deep love makes your love even more fruitful. It is like a plow that breaks the ground to allow the seed to take root and grow into a strong plant.

Every time you experience the pain of rejection, absence, or death, you are faced with a choice. You can become bitter and decide not to love again, or you can stand straight in your pain and let the soil on which you stand become richer and more able to give life to new

seeds.”

    In the same way, we fail each time we criticize or condemn someone that we disagree with or simply do not like. Today it was announced that Rush Limbaugh has lung cancer, and many responses put forth have been to wish him much suffering and some death. Growing up we were friends with Mr. Limbaugh’s family; his granddad was a partner in a law firm with my best

friend’s dad. They are conservative, but very decent people. When my dad was dying from lung cancer himself, the Limbaugh family often gave my mother and me a place to stay.

Through the years I have received death threats, along with all sorts of painful “shit” said to me at first through the phone, then email, and now social media. For the most part, these come from people who do not know me.

Those words hurt and tear me apart. What I have learned through my experience, and the pain in the experience of others who have been hurt by the judgment of people, is that only in caring and loving each other can we truly find wholeness and happiness. Judgment belongs to God!

Stations of the Cross Exmin Style

Step 1: Choose a Station. Let’s say we’re focusing on Jesus taking up his Cross. You can read a passage from the Bible that correlates to that scene or simply picture an image in your mind. Then take a few deep breaths and ask God to help you quiet your head and open your heart. Often we only try to focus on getting rid of all the mental chatter inside of us, but it’s also important to place our attention on the waves of emotions and feelings inside us. Something in you might resist focusing—you may feel tired, nervous, or angry, but that’s okay. Allow yourself to find a level of openness that is true to you.

Step 2: Remind yourself that God is all around you. He’s inside you and outside you and his heart beats in yours. Try to feel that reality as best as you can. Then take the picture of Jesus carrying his Cross, and imagine placing the image inside you. Let it take root in you.

Step 3: Ask the Holy Spirit to rise up inside you and give you the wisdom to acknowledge God in your life. Ask the Spirit to help you meditate on the scene inside you. How do you think Jesus felt when this was happening? What was he thinking? What is your cross to bear? How heavy is it? How does it affect your relationship with God?

Step 4: Review your day. Where did your cross feel the heaviest today? Where did you encounter the cross on the shoulders of others at work, on the news, or in the streets? Where is God in these encounters? Ask God to make you more aware and compassionate of others and yourself.

Step 5: Give thanks to God for the opportunity to know Jesus better, and ask God to help you to become more aware of the crosses that everyone carries in life.

Image by Enrique López-Tamayo Bio

Dear Lord,

Help me keep my eyes on you. You are the incarnation of Divine Love, you are the expression of God’s infinite compassion, you are the visible manifestation of the Father’s holiness. You are beauty, goodness, gentleness, forgiveness, and mercy. In you all can be found. Outside of you nothing can be found. Why should I look elsewhere or go elsewhere? You have the words of eternal life, you are food and drink, you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. You are the light that shines in the darkness, the lamp on the lampstand, the house on the hilltop. You are the perfect Icon of God. In and through you I can see the Heavenly Father, and with you I can find my way to him. O Holy One, Beautiful One, Glorious One, be my Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Guide, my Consoler, my Comforter, my Hope, my Joy, and my Peace. To you I want to give all that I am. Let me be generous, not stingy or hesitant. Let me give you all—all that I have, think, do, and feel. It is yours, O Lord. Please accept it and make it fully your own.

Amen. Father Henri Nouwen