#love love love Jacob and matthews friendship

[slingshotsandrosarybeads]

Someone needs to take that slingshot away from Matthew . He’s a menace 🤣

[barzal-mat]

homesick

chapter one.

matthew tkachuk x ofc

synopsis: Matt and Lauren had known each other practically forever. They grew together, fell in love and then hockey moved him away, but feelings stayed the same. And now Matt is home for the summer, Lauren has a boyfriend and Matt is lost.

word count: 1k

warnings: none

authors note: This was originally a story with two NHL players, Matthew tkachuk and someone else. But that someone else ended up being a not so great person and I didn't want to sub in a new player. So, I've gonna full Thanos and reality is what I make it. Enter: the face of a frat boy, the kind eyes of a golden retriever and a heart of gold...until it isn't. Ladies and gentlemen, Tucker Williams.

Matthew Tkachuk had a reputation on the ice. Everyone knew it. He knew it. He was a pest. He was an asshole who always had something to say, and he fought. None of that really translated into real life, though. Only when it came to Lauren. He had threatened, taunted, and fought anyone and everyone for the safety and respect in regards to Lauren.

Matt and Lauren had known each other since diapers, the Tkachuk and Jacobs families were neighbors, and had kids around the same age. Some would say it was fate. The diapers turned into backpacks much too large for six year old bodies, and the pair grew even closer over sticky popsicle fingers and crayons tracing their ABC's in kindergarten. Matt and Lauren were best friends. Everyone knew it, teachers, parents, other kids. Where one went, the other wasn't far behind, Lauren with a smile and Matthew with a smirk.

They each had a front row seat to all of the milestones, failures and embarrassment the other faced. Lauren remembers vividly the first time Matt kissed a girl near the swing set. Matt cried. Matt also vividly remembers the first time a boy broke up with Lauren in middle school. Lauren didn't see Matt at school for the next three days until he returned with a smirk and the boy who broke her heart reappeared with a broken nose. Always the enforcer. Always the fighter. Always the protector.

High school changed things, as it always does. They were older. Wiser. Stupider.

Matt asked Lauren out a week before homecoming of their freshman year. She wore a pink dress, and Matt wore a pink tie while they ditched the dance early and went to McDonald's. Romance quickly followed for the next four years. They loved each other with every fiber of their being, for their relationship was built upon a friendship. Their love was only stronger. If you asked Keith Tkachuk, the pair would have been married by the time they graduated. And if you asked Matt, he already had a ring picked out. Keith helped him get it. It's still tucked away in Keith's safe to keep for his son.

But, there was also hockey. The thing Matt loved almost as much as he loved Lauren. Coming from the family he did and having the dad that he did, it was only natural that he followed in his father's footsteps. Same with his younger brother, Brady. Matt was good at hockey. Really good at it. So good that he left St. Louis at 18 to play in Canada.

Lauren had a life of college in front of her and Matt had a flourishing hockey career in front of him. They were 600 miles apart. And no matter how much love they had for one another, they broke up. It was a peaceful break up, void of bitter feelings or anger. They loved each other too much.

Five years later, they were 23. Lauren was still in St. Louis working in finance, and Matt was playing hockey for the Calgary Flames. Lauren had a boyfriend, who also played hockey. A defenceman for the St. Louis Blues. Matt was single. Never brought a girl home or talked about anyone at all. Brady used to chirp him endlessly about the lack of a girlfriend or even a hookup. Yet Matt never had anything to respond with. His eyes glazed over with emotion and Brady never taunted him again.

The Missouri sun was warm on Lauren's skin as she made her way up the sidewalk to the Tkachuk front door. It was a normal day in June for everyone else, but to her, it was the first day of summer. Both of the Tkachuk brothers were finally home.

She knocked against the red door, the same door she was pictured in front of for her first day of kindergarten. The boy pictured next to her opened the door, "Lauren!"

Lauren laughed as Matt lifted her from the ground as he hugged her. She could practically feel his smile against her hair. Matt sat the brunette down when the youngest Tkachuk shoved him out of the way. Taryn Tkachuk yearned for a big sister as the only girl in her family, and Lauren was that person. The two girls hugged briefly as Matt ushered them inside.

Chantal stood in the kitchen with Lauren's mother as they prepared a salad, Keith and Lauren's father were outside grilling, the smell wafting through the air, her stomach responding in hunger. The Tkachuk house was basically an extension to the Jacobs house. While Matt and Lauren were best friends, so were their parents. Keith and Chantal bonded with Kathrine and Robert over their children's friendship, good golf, great wine, excellent food and even better conversation.

The families took turns hosting dinner for the other since their oldest children were in preschool. The families were close. So close that even after Matt and Lauren broke up, they saw each other every summer. They would vacation together, spend summer evenings in St. Louis as they drove around, usually aimlessly as they talked about everything and nothing. To someone on the outside, it would appear that Matt and Lauren never broke up. But the name flashing on Lauren's phone brought Matt back down to reality. Brady, standing behind him, noticed the text notification and the way his brother's shoulders tensed.

Matt didn't like Tucker Williams. He didn't like him before he started dating Lauren. And he really doesn't like him now. Matt knew of his own reputation. People called him a rat, a pest. He knew it and acknowledged it. But what Tucker was, Matt thought was worse. He was a goon. He was there to hurt people. That was it. At least Matt had some integrity, he protected. He never hurt without reason. But, Tucker wasn't any of those things off the ice, so Lauren loved him. And seeing Tucker Williams' name on Lauren's phone stung in a way he couldn't quite describe.

Dinner was delicious, wine was continuously being poured, and Lauren felt warm and fuzzy as the families conversed around her. She always loved being with the Tkachuk family. She would visit weekly throughout the year. It didn't matter if Matt was home or if her parents were visiting or not. She would watch trashy reality TV with Chantal, talk about the latest Flames or Senators games with Keith, and spend nights gossiping and painting fingernails with Taryn. It was home.

Matt sat to her left, Brady on her right, and both she and the younger Tkachuk noticed the quietness of the older Tkachuk. Matt talked. A lot. And now he was quiet, which was very concerning. Lauren watched as he picked up his refilled wine glass and downed it in one go. He sat it down harshly, the glass colliding with the wood table loudly. Keith glanced away from Robert to look at his oldest after the clashing of the glass and wood, finding turmoil written all over his face and his hand twitching on the table as Lauren placed her hand next to it to grab her napkin. His son was still in love. And the ring his son bought her at eighteen was still upstairs, unbeknownst to her.

Matt didn't have time to dream about finding a girl who loved his family so much, and her family loved his family so much because he already had it. It's all he ever knew since the beginning. He never had the desire to find someone to spend the rest of his life with because she sat right next to him, talking with his mom, sister, and her mom over a new restaurant that opened last week and her father was chatting to Keith and Brady about golfing next week, Taryn floating in and out of each conversation. He had it all. Everything he could ever want. Except Lauren wasn't his wife. They weren't dating. She wasn't in Calgary with him. And she was with someone else.

After cleaning up the kitchen, Lauren made her way to the backyard where Matt and Brady were setting up the fire pit. Taryn had been begging for a family night with smores, and being the youngest and only girl of the Tkachuk household, she got what she wanted.

The fire crackled in front of them as Lauren leaned back in her patio chair, shuffling her feet uncomfortably as she was still in her heels from work. Matt's hand slid down her calves to bring her legs over his lap, dropping her shoes to the ground next to his chair, his fingers working at the overworked muscles in her feet. Lauren dropped her head back as the tension slowly left her body, she felt content. Matt never broke eye contact from Brady as he spoke, like this was the most natural thing in the world for him to be doing. Like it was second nature. Chantal didn't miss the pointed look Keith gave her as he watched his son with Lauren. Kathrine didn't miss the way Robert hid a smile at his daughter with Matt.

The sky got darker, the fire had burned out, and a chill was starting to settle into the air. Lauren was asleep in her chair, legs still comfortably resting in Matt's lap, his hands draped over them, keeping her warm. She still felt fuzzy, the wine still stuck with her, making her sleepy. She awoke to find all the chairs that were previously occupied empty, her and Matt the only ones still outside with the warm coals illinating them in an orange glow.

Matt noticed she was awake, speaking softly as his thumb rubbed circles into her skin, "Your parents went home, I told them I'd drive you back. Your mom took your car so it wouldn't be sitting out overnight."

Lauren brushed her hair back, feeling the warmth in her cheeks, "Yeah, driving would not be a good idea right now."

Matt chuckled next to her, slowly dropping her legs off of him, "Get your stuff, let's get you back before you turn into a pumpkin."

Lauren rolled her eyes and laughed as she met Matt's gaze, who stood in front of her with a calloused hand outstretched, "Can't I just stay here? I'll crash in the basement."

His voice was soft, wispy at the edges and barely above a whisper, "Yeah, you can stay. You can always stay."

Matt handed her extra blankets and a pillow as Lauren pulled out the sofa bed in the basement. She knew this house like the back of her hand and had spent more nights in high school sleeping on this exact bed rather than her own bed in her own home.

She thanked Matt for the items, laying them out and sitting on the bed, picking at the skin of her thumb, "Are you going to Brunski's party tomorrow?"

Aaron Brunson, nicknamed Brunksi from peewee hockey, was an old high-school friend and an employee of the St. Louis Blues. Matt had been invited to his party last week, unsure of whether he'd be attending or not. Aaron, being a Blues employee/friend with the players and most important of all, a Blues player being a boyfriend to the girl in front of him, meant Tucker would be there. And while because of Lauren, he'd always be civil, he didn't really want to be.

Lauren looked up at him through her lashes, her cheeks still pink from the wine, and Matt crumbled. He shrugged, "Yeah, I'm going. You?"

Lauren grinned, "Awesome! Yeah, Tucker and I are going."

Matt awkwardly shifted from foot to foot, his eyes downcast, "Cool, then I'll see you there."

He turned away without another word, climbing up the stairs until Lauren's voice stopped him, "Hey, Matt?"

His hand paused on the doorknob, chest tight, "Yeah?"

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Lauren."

[cursedvaultss]

HPHM OC Profile: Calliope Black

"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world."

Name: Calliope Antigone Black

Nicknames: Callie

Birthdate: October 31st, 1972

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio 

Blood Status: Pureblood 

Nationality: British

Sexuality: Bisexual

Callie is not the MC, she's just an OC that attends Hogwarts at the same time as Jacob's Sibling! She's open for friendships and rivalries, etc.

Physical Appearance

Hair: Dark brown

Eyes: Blue

Height: 1.60cm (5 ft 3½)

Weight: 53kg 

Skin Tone: Fair

Faceclaim: India Eisley

Background

Home: Raven Hall, a modest (by rich people standards) property owned by the Black family in rural England

Family

Mother: Cressida Black, née Rowle

Cressida is a Slytherin alumni. She works at the Wizengamot and leads a seemingly successful life. On the inside, she's struggling though. She's not happy with her life and her unhappiness is affecting her relationship with her daughter. She loves Callie but is misguided in her efforts to make her choices for her and attempt to keep her in line.

Father: Castor Black, the younger brother of Orion Black

Castor attended Hogwarts as a Slytherin. He's unlike most of his family members in that he is softer and less likely to spout blood-purist rhetoric. However, he is not close with his daughter and his marriage to Cressida is facing some difficulties. He has constantly lived in the shadow of his older brother and doesn't know how to stand up to him.

Uncle: Orion Black

Cousins: Sirius Black, Regulus Black, Bellatrix Lestrange, Andromeda Tonks, Narcissa Malfoy

Hogwarts

House: Ravenclaw (hat stall with Slytherin)

Career

11-17: Hogwarts Student 

17->: tbd

Personality & Attitude

Callie is the quiet sort who prefers the company of books to people. She doesn't go out of her way to make friends and can often seem cold or even rude to people who don't know her, but she's quite friendly once you manage to break through her surface. Deep down, she feels very alone due to her parents being distant and being an only child. She struggles with creating meaningful connections but craves them deeply.

She responds best to speaking of common interests, like books or music. She's a little bit clueless about the Muggle world and finds learning about Muggle culture fascinating. Callie is creative and sometimes scribbles poetry in the margins of her essays or in little notebooks. She doesn't have ambitions to become a poet as a fulltime job, though.

Priorities: Friends, gaining knowledge, independence

Strengths: Clever, works well under pressure, loyal to loved ones

Weaknesses: A bit of a loner, a penchant for melancholy, can come off as rude

Stressed: When dealing with her family or studying for exams 

Calm/Comforted: With her friends and in the library

Favorites

Colors: Black

Weather: Rain 

Hobbies: Reading, writing poetry, Wizard chess

Fashion: Business casual, blacks and grays, some grunge vibes

Relationships

Significant Other/Love Interest: Talbott Winger

Callie and Talbott have been house mates since year one, but they only really started to speak during year 4, when Callie got her pet owl Orpheus and started to spend time in the Owlery. They both enjoy a comfortable silence and the quiet comfort of each others' company.

The two started dating during year 6. They were together until graduation, after which they broke up for a while but reconnected during the Second Wizarding War. They married and have one daughter together.

Friends:

Talbott Winger

Badeea Ali

Murphy McNully

Matthew Luther by @hphmmatthewluther

Vienna Brokenshire, Jules Farrier, and Azariah Steele by @cursebreakerfarrier

Cato Reese by @catohphm

Eirlys Knell by @cursedlegacies

Dimitri and Skylar Di Angelo by @nicos-oc-hell

Caiden Solace by @camillejeaneshphm

Isabelle Dubois by @endlessly-cursed

Ruth Lyman, Huck Fitzgerald, Ryan, Cara, Sara, and Conor O'Donnell by @unfortunate-arrow

Marti Venturi by @smarti-at-smogwarts

OPEN FOR INTERACTION!

Rivals:

Merula Snyde (indirectly)

Children:

Thalia Winger

Talia was born in 1997. She's a Gryffindor and a Quidditch chaser.

Trivia

Callie likes to follow Quidditch although she doesn't talk about it because it clashes with her intellectual bookworm loner brand.

She has an owl called Orpheus

She has fond memories of her cousins Sirius and Regulus

[checkoutmybookshelf]

Cuz We Are Living in a Canadian World, and I am a Canadian Girl

This was not my first copy of the classic Canadian book about girlhood. It also wasn't my second, which got lost in a move, and it wasn't my third, which...crap, I have no idea what happened to it, but it is the copy that is currently on my bookshelf. I was given my first copy at age nine or so, sitting in my maternal grandfather's living room in Ontario. That side of the family was and still is absolutely obsessed with the Anne books. They talk about Gilbert Blythe the way 2000s girls talk about Edward Cullen and Jacob Black. I'm pretty sure I have heard my cousins use the phrase "I found my Gilbert" in relation to their significant others. Then of course we moved to Alaska and I was on my own to find the rest of the Anne books. But for today, let's talk Anne of Green Gables.

Everyone's favorite PEI orphan is an extremely well-known character at this point, between the books themselves and a myriad of film and television adaptations aimed at kids and adults. Anne studies and Girlhood Studies are pretty popular in Canadian higher ed institutions (I have a friend who was focusing on Anne for her graduate studies), and the idea of this redheaded girl who can see the magic in the world has been sticky since LM Montgomery published in 1908.

Aside from Anne seeing the magic in the world--which, wow do we need that vibe back in this, the year of our lord 2023--one of my favorite things about the first book in the series is that it has massive found family vibes and does not shy away from the importance and joy of female friendships. Like, for all the Anne and Gilbert vibes in popular culture, Anne and Gilbert don't become Anne and Gilbert until the end of book 3 of the series, arguably realistically book 4, and their relationship matures and expands in book 5. But in Anne of Green Gables, Gilbert is just an annoying boy who transforms into an academic rival after Anne sets a hard boundary by way of a slate to the head.

What's critical about this first book is that the key relationships Anne forms are with Diana, Marilla, and Matthew. She gets to be a girl and have fun and adventures with her new family, her best friend, and a pack of Avonlea girls. There is something so pure and comfortable and heartwarming about the community that Anne builds around herself. This is extra poignant when one grows up with this book and grows to understand the full context from which Anne comes. Marilla understands immediately that Anne's light was miraculous for continuing to shine despite the neglectful, possibly abusive situations she came from--even if Marilla then immediately clamps down on that feeling for another few chapters.

Anne gets to be a girl with friends and free time and a family that loves her. There is something quietly magical about that, and I think that has quite a lot to do with the book's ongoing popularity, even if the popular culture imagining of Anne has drifted some over the years. For all that Anne herself sees a world full of dryads, white ways of delight, and romance, the quiet joys of Avonlea life and an Avonlea childhood is the foundation for Anne's imagination to fly.

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for October 22, 2024

  Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 26:24-26 (KJV): 24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; 25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. 26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation. Proverbs 26:24-26 (AMP): 24 He who hates pretends with his lips but stores up deceit within himself. 25 When he speaks kindly, do not trust him, for seven abominations are in his heart. 26 Though his hatred covers itself with guile, his wickedness shall be shown openly before the assembly.

Thought for the Day

Verses 24-25 - Cunning people often practice guile; pretending to be friendly to those they hate to find a way to hurt them. There are many Biblical accounts of such deceit. Abel's murder probably is one of those, for Cain, after becoming angry, "...talked to Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him" (Genesis 4:8). Genesis 34 records the deceit enacted by Jacob's sons, who in vengeance for their sister Dinah, feigned friendship with Shechem and his family so that they could easily kill them.

We ought to be cautious in making new friends and should certainly beware if anyone who has previously hated us suddenly becomes friendly. Verse 25 says that there are seven abominations in the heart of one who poses as a friend. These abominations may be the ones listed in Proverbs 6:16-19: "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."

We will recall that Jesus said that he who hates anyone commits murder in his heart, and that he who looks at a woman with lust commits adultery in his heart. In the same way, these seven sins can be present in the hearts of those who pretend friendship. We should be careful to befriend only those of proven good character. This does not mean we are to shun people in the world, as we should witness to them through our godly actions, but we should not make friends with sinners.

Verse 26 - A cunning person may successfully conceal his hatred, but regardless of how many people he deceives, his wickedness will eventually be exposed. There may be a public exposure on earth or exposure before the church on Judgment Day, when Christ separates those who think themselves to be Christians from those who really are (Matthew 7:21-23). Sooner or later, sins concealed by guile will be revealed. "...Ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23b).

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, we are grateful that You are a merciful God and we appreciate Your love toward us when we fail You. Lord, set us free from any trace of guile, and forgive those who have used treacherous words against us. Lord, warn us when people are trying to deceive us with smooth words so that we are not tricked into any agreements that are not of You. Have mercy on those whose sins are exposed before all and cause their shame to turn them back to You in repentance. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. From: Steven P. Miller, @ParkermillerQ, gatekeeperwatchman.org  TM ‎Founder and Administrator of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups. #GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO.

[vanilla-ending]

Ultimate F/O Masterlist

Format: Name (Media) - Relationship - Tag

** **- Uncomfortable sharing

~~ ~~- Kin

!! !! - 18+ source material, minors don't interact

Divider credit

I'm putting in pretty much every character I've posted on this blog but may come back and delete the ones that were very shortly lived, for now here is my (mostly) cohesive list-

Main/Current Fixation F/Os:

~~**Peter Quill (Guardians of the Galaxy) - Familial (Father) - Legendary Star-Lord**~~

Guardians of the Galaxy (GotG) - Familial - Bunch of Losers

~~Wade Wilson (Deadpool) - Romantic - Merc with a Mouth~~

X-Men (X-Men: the animated series/X-Men ‘97) - Platonic/Familial - To Me My X-Men

Not fixated but still loved:

Remy “Gambit” LeBeau (X-Men/X-Men ‘97) - Romantic - House Always Wins

Engineer Mark (In Space with Markiplier) - Romantic - Don't Split Up

Mackenzie Paxon (ISWM) - Romantic? Platonic? - A Mack Guarantee!

~~Actor Mark (Who Killed Markiplier?)/Date Mark (A Date with Markiplier) - Romantic - Something Beautiful~~

Heist Mark (A Heist with Markiplier) - Romantic - Don't Split Up

Celine Doom/Whitacre (WKM?) - Romantic - With All My Heart

Celcionna F. Kelvina (ISWM) - Romantic - Think of the Colonists!

~~Fluttershy (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic) - Familial (Mother/Older Sister) - Kindness~~

Mane 6 (MLP:FiM) - Familial/Platonic - Elements of Harmony

Gamora Zen Whoberi Ben Titan (GotG) - Familial - Unspoken Thing

Rocket Raccoon (GotG) - Familial - Ain't No Thing Like Me

Puppet!Freddy, Foxy, Chica, Bonnie (Five Nights at Freddy's the Musical) - Familial (Children) - Time to Play

Mark Schmidt (FNaF the Musical) - Romantic - Surviving Five Nights

Matthew Afton/MadPat (FNaF the Musical) - Romantic - And You're the Victim

Nathan Fitzgerald (FNaF the Musical) - Platonic - Enjoy the Show

AJ (FNaF the Musical) - Platonic - Hey J!

Calculester Hewlett-Packard (Monster Prom) - Romantic - Love.EXE

Winnie the Pooh (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh) - Familial/Platonic - Chubby Little Cubby

Raggedy Ann (the doll/Raggedy Ann and Andy’s Musical Adventure) - Familial/Platonic - Just A Rag Dolly

Retired (little to no interest):

The Author/Host (Danger in Fiction) - Romantic - Stranger in Fiction

Jackieboy Man (The Somewhat-Incredible Jackieboy Man) - Romantic - Back in Action!

!! Lawrence Oleander (Boyfriend to Death 2) - Romantic - I Love the Curve of Your Spine !!

Chase Brody (Bro Average) - Romantic - Bro Average

Captain Magnum (AHWM) - Familial/Platonic - The Greatest Treasure

Silver Shepherd (Super Infidelity) - Romantic - Super Zero

Mori Annus (Unus Annus) - Romantic - Deity in White

Clint Barton (Avengers) - Romantic - Gosh I Love Arrows

Mundy/Sniper (Team Fortress 2) - Romantic - Be Polite Be Efficient

Wanda Maximoff AND Vision (Avengers: Age of Ultron - Wandavision) - Romantic - I Just Feel You

Mobius M. Mobius (Loki) - Romantic - For All Time Always

Loki Laufeyson (Thor) - Romantic - Glorious Purpose

Kraglin Obfonteri (GotG) - Romantic - Ravager Red

Makoto Naegi (Danganronpa) - Romantic - The Ultimate Hope

Monokuma (Danganronpa) - Platonic? - It's Punishment Time!

Mikan Tsumiki (Danganronpa) - Romantic - The Ultimate Nurse

Kiyotaka Ishimaru (Danganronpa) - Romantic? Platonic? - The Ultimate Moral Compass

Nagito Komaeda (Danganronpa 2) - Romantic - The Ultimate Lucky Student

Ayano/Yandereiplier (Yandere Sim) - Romantic - I Love Senpai

Freddy FazBear (Five Nights at Freddy's) - ROMANTIC?? - Bear Hugs

Illinois James (AHWM) - Romantic - An Adventure Sounds Lovely

Google Red (Google Gets an Upgrade) - Romantic - Secondary Objective

Yoshi (Mario) - Platonic - Soft Yarn Dino

Henrik Von Schneeplestein (The Jacksepticeye Power Hour) - Romantic - Ze Good Doctor

!! Jacob Alden (Lurking for Love) - Romantic - Your Secret Admirer !!

!! Mason Heiral (The Price of Flesh) - Romantic - You Visited the Cabin !!

!! Celia Lede (TPoF) - Romantic - You Were Cleaned Up !!

!! Strade (Boyfriend to Death) - Romantic - Strade Loved You Too Much !!

!! Ren Hana (BtD) - Romantic - Ren Ate Your Heart !!

[talknerdytome18]

𝙷𝚂𝙼𝚃𝙼𝚃𝚂 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝙽𝚎𝚠𝚜𝚒𝚎𝚜 ✨ 📰

In honour of Newsies being the musical done in Love, East High, I have decided to cast the characters in this show.

This cast list will only be using characters who haven't graduated so sorry EJ (still love ya)

Seb Matthew-Smith as Jack Kelly: JOE SERAFINI WOULD SLAY SANTA FE. Don't debate me on this casting choice because I personally believe that any role Jeremy Jordan has played should be played by Joe Serafini.

Ashlyn Caswell as Katherine Plumber: She's witty and values hard work. Julia Lester already has impeccable comedic timing and would nail Watch What Happens.

Ricky Bowen as Davey Jacobs: If Ricky can't play Jack, then he's playing Davey. Ricky's quite passionate like Davey and is always supportive towards his friends.

Big Red as Crutchie: THIS WOULD BE SO CUTE! He has the innocent charm like Crutchie and would bring everyone to tears with his rendition of Letter to the Refuge.

Kourtney Greene as Medda Larkin: THE ONLY PERSON WHO WOULD NAIL THAT'S RICH IS MISS KOURTNEY GREENE HERSELF. Kourtney has such a lively presence that is needed for Medda and is quite selfless like Medda.

Emmy as Les Jacobs: Gender swapped Les Jacobs is a must! Emmy is quite fearless and hilarious like Les. She's also the only character who is in the age range to play Les so yeah... also, Ricky and Emmy friendship since they'll be playing siblings.

Jet as Pulitzer: Hear me out? Jet has already played a villain before (Hans) and I think he would absolutely pull off Pulitzer. His rendition of Bottom Line would dominate the charts (literally).

Carlos Rodriguez as Racetrack: I'M DYING I'M DECEASED YES. The comedic timing would be IMPECCABLE and Carlos would have so much fun choreographing King of New York. NOT TO MENTION THE DANCING? He is one of the strongest dancers as according to his character... Racetrack is the perfect role for him in terms of comedic timing and dancing.

Gina Porter as Spot Conlon/Ensemble: Small role, but I don't really see Gina playing Katherine or Medda (However, she is playing Katherine in Love, East High). Gina does come off as quite intimidating like Spot at first but is later revealed to care about the people around her.

Mack Alana as Theodore Roosevelt: I don't know what to do with him lol. Besides, I don't think he'll want a big role since he's trying to get Mark & Spark rebooted anyways lol.

Dani as Hannah: Her acting skills need work so Hannah's a small enough role for her to work on her acting skills.

[lonelier-version-of-you]

I wanted to have my Casualty thoughts up by Sunday, so I'll type them out now! I think this has taken me long enough, haha.

So, I thought that overall, last week's ep was pretty good. Obviously, I felt Faith dragged it down, but I always feel she drags an ep down, so yeah. I also felt there wasn't enough Jacob but, again, I think I say that any week he's not the focus, lol. I love him a lot, okay?

I also thought the episode was a lot better than I'd assumed it would be, though I hope the show slows down on putting Jodie in traumatic situations after this - I feel like they've already put her through a lot without touching on how it's impacted her. It would be interesting to get some storylines about that now, instead of having even more things happen.

Regardless, the Max and Jodie stuff was very good! Anna Chell was as brilliant as ever, and I think this is Nigel Harman's best performance as Max yet. Not that he hasn't been great in other eps/storylines, but I thought he was particularly fantastic in this one. Max's worry and fear for Jodie felt so believeable, and it was wonderful seeing him be so caring for her - hopefully this can lead to them becoming closer and her realising that he does care, even if he might not be the best at showing it. The moment with her seeing him at his bedside was lovely.

Also, it seems we're getting more hints at Max having a mysterious past. I'm still very interested by that and I can't wait to see what comes of it, and how Jodie will react.

Cam standing up to Ryan was great, and I was cheering for him - at least until he brought up Ryan's fling with Jodie... I do like Cam, and I can totally get why he'd be upset and frustrated about Ryan and Jodie having a thing, given that he's considered Ryan a friend and he's in love with Jodie. But at the same time: it takes two to tango, Cam, and Jodie made that decision as much as Ryan did, she can do what she wants. I felt it was a bit possessive of Cam to talk about her in that way. Again, it makes me think of how Arthur was with Chantelle on Holby, and particularly how he told Chantelle she must have subconscious feelings for him because she kissed him once (or something like that, I don't remember the line atm).

But Arthur grew from that and moved on as a character, and I think/hope Cam will too. So this isn't a criticism of the ep or even of Cam as a character, only of Cam as a person.

I hate Faith Cadogan as much as ever, and a breakup for her and Iain can't come soon enough for me. The way she was manipulating him was so upsetting to me. I can't stand her. I don't want to say and won't say any more about this, I'm trying not to think about her too much.

Jaye Jacobs' acting when Donna got the phone call was great. She conveyed how scared Donna was for the safety of her coworkers so well. Jaye Jacobs is such a good actress in general, I can't wait for Donna to get a big storyline eventually.

Also, speaking of Donna, Dylan's reaction to how they wouldn't be driving to work together anymore was so cute. Their friendship is perfection.

I would've liked more patient storylines in the ep. I was also confused by how the patient storyline with Iain was handled - it was such a serious topic, but I felt like it was forgotten about after the first half. :/ I suppose at least Jacob got some screentime out of it. And oh well, next week we get an ep that seems to be almost entirely focused on patients, so I'm excited for that!

Paige and Sah kissed! I wonder where this will lead. I'm assuming it will turn into a love triangle with Teddy, Paige, and Sah, but I think it would be awesome for it to become a polyamory storyline. I don't want to get my hopes up too high though, because there have been other times I've hoped for/seen potential for a polyam relationship in the Holbyverse and felt sad when it didn't happen. (Ethan/Matthew/Fenisha comes to mind. I thought that was going to be a polyam storyline, but it wasn't.)

And now, like, everyone knows that Max is Jodie's father! I'm glad they had that happen in this ep, because I think if it had carried on longer it would've felt too long. I'm very excited to see how Jodie and Max cope with other people knowing, that could be very interesting.

Next week, we get the NHS anniversary ep! That looks great. And we'll get to see Eli from Holby again!! I'm so happy about that, I love Eli.

[psalmonesermons]

Walking in Integrity Part 1

Integrity is living with singleness of heart

A useful example to illustrate the idea of integrity is to consider a 30-mph speed limit sign. It is always 30 mph when you pass by it. It does not vary with the time of day, the weather or is altered by whether it is a rich or poor person who is driving past.

Can we say today that we handle God’s word in such a way, uninfluenced by our mood, our health or with respect to who it is the has done something contrary to God’s word?

Do we say, yes, it is wrong for others to do this, but I do allow myself to do it!

There is a great temptation for Christians to indulge themselves and their families or friends when we ought to be confronting the situation in love and humility.

Nathan the prophet displayed great wisdom and integrity when he confronted David with his sins of adultery and murder. He did not let David’s position as king or the fact that he might be killed, stop him from confronting David.

Would you be willing to risk your life as a matter of integrity?

or how about a friendship or relationship? or even your popularity?

Too often believers give tacit approval to open sin by saying nothing just in case they might ruffle a few feathers!

God does not want us to have two sets of rules or standards either for ourselves or our loved ones.

There have been times in my life that I have let the Lord down and have not walked blamelessly before Him, but I am convinced that it is His will that we adopt a lifestyle with a singleness of heart before Him that is a lifestyle of integrity.

Definition of Integrity: The state of being complete or undivided [1]. Terms which occur in parallel with integrity (Hebrew tom, tomim) suggest it has shades of meaning including:

righteousness (Ps. 7:8).

uprightness (Ps. 25:21).

without wavering (Ps. 26:1).[2]

blameless (Ps. 101:2).[3]

Examples of persons of integrity

Here are five examples of Old Testament characters who were designated persons of integrity:

Noah (Gen. 6:9)

Abraham (Gen. 17:1)

Jacob (Gen. 25:27)

Job (Job 1:1,8; 2:3)

David (1 Kings 9:4)

English translations frequently render the underlying Hebrew as perfect or blameless. Perhaps the inclusion of Jacob is surprising since he is also known for his deceit.[4] English translators describe Jacob as a plain (KJV), or a peaceful, or a quiet man in other translations.[5]

New Testament

In the New Testament, integrity occurs only at Titus 2:7 in reference to teaching [6]. The idea of singleness of heart or mind however is frequent: see also Matthew 5:8; 6:22; James 1:7-8; 4:8.

Walking in integrity sets an example.

Proverbs 20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

The bible says, ‘train up a child in the way to go and when he is old, he will not depart from it’. One of the most effective ways of training people is by example! The parent who says do as I say but does not do it themselves is likely to exasperate his children.

What a legacy it is for our children when they see us consistently applying God’s word and ways in our day to day lives. They are doubly blessed, to see our example and to be free from the consequences of our otherwise disobedience to God.

When we walk in integrity, we are an example to the whole church.

It is a sad thing to see when a new believer sees an experienced believer compromise on God’s word and then tries to justify it, thus setting a bad example for the new believer.

This scripture will also apply to our ‘spiritual’ children, those recent converts who will follow our example of walking in integrity.

Their Christian walk will be blessed by our example.

Psalm 101:2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

Amen

Personal Prayer

Footnotes

[1] Strong's Hebrew: 8537. תֹּם (tom) -- completeness, integrity, also part of the high priest's breastplate.

[2] Found in the NRSV, NASB, and NIV

[3] Found in NRSV in this verse the Hebrew uses tom twice, otherwise translated integrity.

[4] Jacob’s deceitfulness (Gen. 27:5-27; 30:37-43; 33:13-17).

[5] In various translations such as the NASB, NRSV, NIV, and REB.

[6] Found in translations such as the NRSV, NIV, and REB).

In Part 2 we consider how we can live our lives with integrity.

[allthegoodusernamesaretakenagain]

in my re-read of the curious minds I can’t HELP BUT BE IN LOVE with every singles characters relationship. LIKE ALL OF THEM. i love how zelda and link have taken time, a natural amount of time to start to bond with one another. i can already see how they will be SO CLOSE in the best way possible. reading this I have a newfound love for the platonic soulmate of them. like they idea they are just bound to each other without the pressure of romance. DONT GET ME WRONG I love me some zelink but this is good too.

And I got to say your Impa is my favourite impa im reading. she’s just so fun but also smart. her and quentin are so fucking good each chapter.

AND DONT GET ME STARTED ON QUENTIN AND LINK LIKE PLEASE THESE BABIES ARE GONNA BE SO IN LOVE AHHHHH.

Also Brinston siblings have my heart. I love the theme around them, the idea of growing apart and together again, of loving each other from afar and protection. The idea that they all care about one another so much. You write about this in such a way that I can feel it!!!

I love how you’re always re-reading my work that’s so lovely and sweet!!!

But thank you, when I said slow burn I meant it for ALL those characters. But I hope it will be more rewarding when we get there.

UGH yes, Platonic Soulmates Zelink is exactly the vibe I was going for. I in no way want to undermine how important these characters are too each other even if there isn’t any romance. Many Zelda and Link’s in the past haven’t necessarily had any romantic connection and a main theme in TCM is to promote the importance of friendship as well as romantic love.

Impa is one of my favourite characters to write, she’s so fun and like a breath of fresh air. I can’t wait to get a bit more into her character soon!

Link and Quentin are going to be unstoppable guys, the world needs to fear for that day.

I really do love how you, and others, love my original characters. Each Brinston siblings means so much to me. It’s a shame Clorissa had to be cut out of the memories so soon but alas that’s reality with siblings with such a big age difference. You see less of each other’s lives.

As a child of five myself, I find it very easy to write about them and how they care for one another. I’ve given my real siblings little cameos throughout the entire thing. Robyn and Jacob (Jakob in the fic) are my younger brother and sister’s names. I haven’t introduced Megan or Matthew yet but they will have a little pop up too. Just as a love note to the four kids who help me write the Brinstons.

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

THE ROOM NEXT DOOR (2024)

Starring Tilda Swinton, Julianne Moore, John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola, Juan Diego Botto, Melina Matthews, Raúl Arévalo, Victoria Luengo, Esther McGregor, Alex Høgh Andersen and Alvise Rigo.

Screenplay by Pedro Almodóvar.

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar.

Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. 107 minutes. Rated PG-13.

Screened at the 2024 Philadelphia Film Festival.

It’s hard to believe that in a career that has lasted about 50 years – one that has had many international successes in the last 35-40 of those years – that The Room Next Door is the first time that beloved Spanish writer/director Pedro Almodóvar has made a feature film in English.

It’s actually been a few years coming. A couple of years ago he was working on one called A Manual for Cleaning Women with Cate Blanchett, but he decided not to do that one eventually. He also did a couple of 30-minute English-language shorts, one with Room Next Door co-star Tilda Swinton called “The Human Voice” in 2020 and one with Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal called “Strange Way of Life” in 2023.

However, The Room Next Door is his first full-length film in English, but other than the language it does not stray all that far from the director’s general style and vision. This is particularly of his later more serious work, but it even has some of the off-kilter surrealism of his earlier films.

It’s not his best work, but it’s far from his worst either.

The Room Next Door is a film about death, but strangely it is rather hopeful in many ways. Yes, it is taking on a very contentious subject in euthanasia for terminal patients, but it is also about friendship and living life to its fullest.

And, not surprisingly, the acting by the leads is spectacular.

Adapted from Sigrid Nunez’s 2020 novel What Are You Going Through?, the story is actually mostly centered around a friend of a dying cancer patient, not the patient herself.

That friend is Ingrid (Moore), a writer who has recently returned from an extended stay in Europe and has authored a new book about her difficulties in dealing with death. While she is doing a book signing in Manhattan, she finds out that a former friend and colleague of hers – a war correspondent named Martha (Swinton) who she worked with years earlier when both were young – is in the hospital with cancer.

Although they hadn’t seen each other in years, Ingrid decides to go visit Martha. In upcoming weeks, as Martha is going through chemo and hoping for the best, their friendship rekindles. They end up spending a lot of time together, talking about their lives and loves and art and everything else.

Sadly, the chemo doesn’t work, and Martha learns that her cancer is terminal. She has a matter of months to live. She decides that she wants to take her death in her own hands – as she has done with her life all these years – and to go out on her own terms. She has gotten ahold of some black-market drugs, rented a huge home in the country, and wants to make something of a final vacation of the whole thing.

Then she asks Ingrid to come with her, to be there with her in the end. Ingrid, who has a fraught history with death (she wrote a whole book about it), is torn. She wants to be there for her friend, but at the same time she is not sure she is mentally up to the task. Of course, she ends up being there for her friend, who promises that they will try to have fun, and Ingrid will not have to be there for the last moments, she just needs to report the death.

It's a deep and kind of depressing storyline, but Almodóvar is able to infuse it with good times and humor. The upcoming death, while always in the background, is not the main thrust of The Room Next Door. It is more about the lives that led to it.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2024 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: December 18, 2024.

[pensbitchbiome]

finally got done with the series 🤸🏽

willy i dont find compelling in the slightest but his friendship with pasta, those videos of them as kids was adorable, those friendships feel so special sometimes when you know that no amount of time and distance will change your relationship with a person, you can pick up where you left off.

pasta and his daughter got me right in the feels, a sweet family. loved the 1080p shots of the game 7 win/loss. also the whole situation with the leafs and toronto media is just... yikes that locker room can turn rancid if not handled well

i dont think about the preds at all unless we're talking about roman josi's face card or them losing to the pens in 2017 lmao but yeah forsberg seems cool his whole ankle treatment was fascinating to watch.

trumpie jack eichel and the golden knights can swing for all i care. i will say though, vegas' whole approach to winning without giving a fuck about the players gave me bit of an ick and i dont know if its cuz im a pens fan and things work differently but yeah. i know its a business but at some point is it really though?

swaymans whole goalie warm up routine threw me off lol his dad is endearing as hell and it was really cool to see how he used his arbitration as motivation, i dont like the bruins one bit but i do respect that work ethic and just the overall culture they have there.

its fun to see the space matthews carved out for himself on the cats and the scenes of him driving his golf cart around and with his dad and brady cracked me up. he’s a good egg but such a shit stirrer lol

i cannot take jacob trouba seriously like yeah i like painting and trying to give other players brain damage so i just combine the two to make ✨ art ✨ get out of my face

gabe 🥹 it was good to hear how he thinks about the captaincy and his approach. his kids are adorable, his daughters favourite being the pens and him telling his son that his surgery scar is a shark attack ohhhh boy

cup or bust indeed ‼️ as much as i enjoyed watching the oilers lose this year for the sake of the drama, i do love mcdrai just for how much they remind me of sidgeno. also connors massive tv in front of his dining table watching the pens play? 10/10 set up no notes.

im obsessed with the HD multiple angle footage of the games, chucky’s belly slide save hit hard lol i replayed it a bunch and of course the win and really rubbing salt in the wound by giving connor the conn smythe and everyone debating about whether or not he should’ve gone back out, all while he’s sobbing in the locker room. oof.

overall really enjoyable it was fun. it’d be fun if it was like a series every few seasons but then again it might get repetitive and the novelty wears off and i doubt the guys who didn’t agree to it will agree in the future lol but again overall its good stuff.

[theprayerfulword]

September 11

Philippians 1:20 Paul wrote, “I eagerly expect and hope that I will . . . have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”

Psalm 10:14 You, O God, do see trouble and grief; You consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.

Matthew 10:19-20 When they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Exodus 33:15 Then Moses said to Him, 'If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.'

Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Psalm 37:7 Be still {and} rest in the Lord; wait for Him {and} patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.

May you not reject the mercy and grace of the Lord which sustain, strengthen and anoint you in His service, just as the gently flowing waters of Shiloh supply the service of the temple of God, lest you be swept away by the floodwaters of the enemy when they rise in the appointed time, covering and swirling across the land. Isaiah 8

May you be confident in the Lord, even as the principalities and powers raise the war cry and prepare for battle, devising their strategy, for since you trust in God, He will be with you and the enemy shall be shattered, their strategies thwarted, and their plans shall not stand. Isaiah 8

May you heed the strong warning of the Lord to avoid the ways of man's culture, and the practices of the godless society, lest you err by fearing what they fear and dreading what they dread, resisting what they resist and accepting what they accept, for the Lord Almighty is the One you are to fear and dread and regard as holy, running to Him as your sanctuary. Isaiah 8

May you wait for the Lord, who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob, and put your trust in Him. Isaiah 8

May you inquire of the living God Who is always true, seeking in His Word and hearing the testimony of His Spirit, for any sources which do not speak in agreement with His promises are drawing from death and have no light. Isaiah 8

May you rejoice when the Lord lifts the gloom of your humbling distress and honors you with the dawning light of His love, for where once you walked in the shadow of death He has increased your joy and shattered your yoke. Isaiah 9

May you hear the message which the Lord sends against Jacob and falls on Israel, and may you not respond with arrogance against His judgment and with pride in rebuilding what He has torn down, but in humility and meekness accept the Son Who is the Prince of Peace, reigning on the throne of David, establishing His kingdom in justice and righteousness, with no end to the increase of His government and peace from that time on and forever, for it will be accomplished by the zeal of the Lord Almighty. Isaiah 9

May you return to Him Who has struck you, seeking the Lord Almighty for mercy in repentance, while His hand is still upraised, for He will cut off both head and tail, high and low, in a single day, and those who misguide His people, as well as those who seek to go astray, speaking vileness and giving God no pleasure, will not know the mercy of God. Isaiah 9

Do not take stock of your resources, My child, but consider the riches I have blessed you with in the heavenlies. Do not evaluate your readiness for a task by what you hold in your hand, My love, but by the faithfulness of the One who has assigned you the task. Do not align yourself with the ways of the world, seeking its blessings and provision, for it rejects My truth. Do not cultivate the friendship of the masses by seeking the acceptance and support of men, for they resist My will. Consider the One who spread the heavens and set the foundation of the earth, maintaining the seasons and the covenant of day and night by the word of His power. Remember the wisdom that you have seen expressed in your life as He who is Lord of all has walked with you through the harsh times and brought you out safely. The one who has little power will seek to avoid the crisis, but the One with all power is able to walk with you in the midst of the fire, preventing even the aroma of smoke from touching you. He who works in his own name and relies on his own strength will fail and suffer shame in the sight of men. But by turning to Me, My protected one, and abiding in Me as I dwell in you, My vision will be what you see, My thoughts will be what you think, My heart will be what you feel. My wisdom will guide you and My anointing will cover you. I have no lack or shortcoming, and I know the ending even before the beginning arrives. There is no shadow of turning in Me, so you will not have any reason to suffer shame as you reside in My ways, though the enemy will try to suggest it to you. As you abide in My love, you can stride forth unbound by fear, even when the adversary whispers of it. Though you have walked in shame and fear in the past, you have become a new creation in Me, learning in My Word of My victory and being taught by My Spirit to be an overcomer. The ties to the old way of death are broken, and you have been raised to the new way of life in Christ by God. Rejoice in the newness of your life in Me, and be confident in the work I give you to do.

May you choose to speak only of the truth of God's glories and your weaknesses, that Christ's power, which matures when you are frail, may overshadow and dwell in you through all feebleness, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties, for when you are inadequate, then He is strong. 2 Corinthians 12

May you pray to God when your thoughts trouble you and the voice of the enemy and the stares of the wicked make you distraught by bringing down suffering upon you and reviling you in their anger, for He will not ignore your plea, but will hear and answer you. Psalm 55

May you know, and be confident with the assurance that, though your heart is in anguish and the terrors of death assail you with fear and trembling, besetting with overwhelming horror, making you seek flight to a deserted land, the Lord will confuse the wicked and confound their speech, bringing you to His shelter far from tempest and storm. Psalm 55

May you call to God evening, morning, and noon, for He hears your voice and saves you from distress, ransoming you unharmed from the battle waged against you, though many oppose you, for God Who is enthroned forever will hear them and afflict those who never change their ways because they have no fear of God. Psalm 55

May you cast your cares on the Lord, Who will never let the righteous fall, for He will sustain you even as He brings down the wicked into the pit of corruption, since you trust in Him. Psalm 55

May you be wise enough to not wear yourself out gathering material riches which sprout wings and fly away at a glance, but labor without ceasing to gain eternal wealth in heaven by doing the work of the Lord. Proverbs 23:4-5

[wolint]

PURSUE HOSPITALITY

PURSUE HOSPITALITY

Romans 12:13

 

Hospitality is not merely a gracious act: It is a necessity, as Hebrew 12:2 encourages us to do, for we don’t know when we’ll entertain Angels as Abraham did in Genesis 18.

The hospitality industry is a booming trade in every major city of the world especially now that people value their comfort and quality a lot, as much as they can afford but hospitality is still much more than these.

Although the word hospitality does not appear anywhere in the Old Testament, there are plenty of heart-warming stories of hospitality.

Hospitality in the ancient kingdoms of the Old Testament still goes on today in the Eastern culture largely due to their nomadic and desert existence.

In Arabic nations, a stranger can knock on your door, walk in without an invitation and be treated like a king for 72 hours before the host can ask any questions- strange, but stranger still is the fact that it is a cultural expectation of everyone; whilst they are in your home, you’re required to offer them food (whatever they like), a place to sleep, ( a guestroom, sofa, tent, or mat on the floor), they are allowed anywhere except the family sleeping quarters. 

We see this pattern with Abraham in Genesis 18:2, Lot in Genesis 19:2, Abraham’s servant in Genesis 24:22, Jacob, and many others.

We must show hospitality to anyone wherever possible as Christ expects us to in Matthew 25:35-36 and Matthew 10:42 even recommends a cup of cold water for refreshment. 

Pursuing hospitality is a necessary Christiane virtue. This exhortation might have originally been for the apostles, who were all itinerant ministers or Christians fleeing from persecution but it’s for us all.

This virtue is highly expected of Christians, especially ministers, who have the means of relieving brethren in distress, or helping the poor wherever they are found.

Hospitality is the duty of all believers and one of the characteristics of a godly fast according to Isaiah 58:7.

Jehovah’s witnesses’ strong community spirit reinforces the instruction to pursue hospitality; when they arrive at a new destination, the first thing they do is to find brethren that will host them until they move on. Perfect strangers taking perfect strangers as instructed in 1 Peter 4:9 and offering all the comfort of home because of their shared “religious beliefs.”

David made Saul’s grandson a permanent guest at the royal table because of his friendship with Jonathan in 2 Samuel 9:7.

Jesus practised what He preached in Mark 6:30; He preached hospitality by feeding the multitude, and His disciples in John 21:9-14.

The apostles received hospitality wherever they evangelised over the Roman empire seen in Acts 9:43, 10:5, 28:7.

We too must pursue hospitality. Sadly, it seems to be lacking today.

1 Timothy 3:2 says Christians must be hospitable. Do you share the little you have with your neighbours?

We must be willing to love strangers, be ready to receive them and share with the needy as seen in Act 2:42.

Open our doors and hearts to strangers for the opportunity of hosting angles and Jesus, according to Matthew 25:35-36. Let’s not forget or be unaware of our duty of love, compassion, and hospitality according to Hebrews 13:2.

Everything God gives is for the good and use of humanity, not to be squandered on selfish motivation. Pursue hospitality, you might host an Angel.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to cheerfully with those in need, and be hospitable to the strangers around me as much as I can in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Shalom

WOMEN OF LIGHT INT MIN.

[piouscatholic]

[Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 3: We need to be reborn to be saved]

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

[INVOCATION TO HOLY SPIRIT]

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

"O most holy and most adorable Spirit, let me hear your sweet and lovely voice.

I want to be like a light feather before you, so that your Spirit may take me where he wants me and that I may never put up the slightest resistance to him"

(Fr. François Libermann).

[INTRODUCTION]

May the Holy Spirit help us to understand God’s Word and profit from it.

Today we will meditate on two passages, one from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, the other from the Gospel of Saint John.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

INVOCATION TO HOLY SPIRIT

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

"O most holy and most adorable Spirit, let me hear your sweet and lovely voice. I want to be like a light feather before you, so that your Spirit may take me where he wants me and that I may never put up the slightest resistance to him" (Fr. François Libermann).

INTRODUCTION

May the Holy Spirit help us to understand God’s Word and profit from it. Today we will meditate on two passages, one from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, the other from the Gospel of Saint John.

Matthew’s Gospel begins with the genealogy of Jesus.

This long list of Christ's ancestors focuses mainly on the paternal lineage, with some exceptions.

We shortened the enumeration and skipped from verse 4 to verse 15, where the language suddenly changes, to announce the coming of Jesus into the world.

Joseph is not presented as the father, but as the husband of Mary, who is the Mother of God.

The other passage on which we will meditate is taken from the Gospel of Saint John and will help us to see who Jesus is and what He came in the world to do.

[God’s Word according to Saint Matthew (Mt 1: 1-4 & 15-16)]

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar.

Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab.

Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon…

Eliud the father of Eleazar.

Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.

Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.

(NABRE)

[God’s Word according to Saint John (Jn 1: 9-14)]

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him.

He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.

And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.

(NABRE)

[MEDITATION]

Jesus is one of us.

This genealogy is there to prove it.

He was born at the end of a long line of human generations, many who were sinners and some who were both sinners and righteous people.

The surprise comes at the end of the list, when we read that Jacob became the father of Joseph, who was the husband of Mary, and that of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.

The verse does not say who was the father of Jesus.

The passive voice (was born) indicates divine action, the same action announced by the angel Gabriel to Mary.

In his love, God loves mankind so much that he becomes one of us.

He wants to restore us to his friendship.

Another surprising fact in this passage is the abrupt ending of the paternal line and male offspring: Joseph does not have any children himself, Mary has only Jesus, and after Jesus the list goes no further.

In actual fact, Jesus introduces us to a new fruitfulness, the one that makes us children of God.

The Gospel of John explains: To those who receive Jesus, He gives the possibility of becoming children of God.

Of course, children continue to be born, but beyond their physical birth, they are also called to a spiritual second birth so they may become children of God.

The Church entrusts this mission to the child’s parents.

She also entrusts it to priests; through celibacy, she asks them to devote themselves totally to this mission of spiritual fatherhood.

[SILENT COMMUNION with God]

Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.

Teach me the true meaning of Life.

[THE PRAYER OF MARY-

The Magnificat]

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, / my spirit rejoices in God my Savior / for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. /

From this day all generations will call me blessed: / the Almighty has done great things for me, / and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him / in every generation.

/ He has shown the strength of his arm, / he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, / and has lifted up the lowly.

/ He has filled the hungry with good things, / and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel / for he remembered his promise of mercy, / the promise he made to our fathers, / to Abraham and his children forever.

(Lk 1: 46-55)

[PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT]

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, / That my thoughts may all be holy. /

Act in me, O Holy Spirit, / That my work, too, may be holy. /

Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, / That I love but what is holy. /

Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, / To defend all that is holy. /

Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, / That I always may be holy.

<Saint Augustine>

Let us pray for the Church, for the world, for our loved ones, for the people around us, and for ourselves.

Our Father, Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit…

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

© Marie de Nazareth 2023

Association Marie de Nazareth 75 rue de Lourmel 75015 Paris – France

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for the Day Devotional Scripture: Proverbs 26:24-26 (KJV):

24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;

25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation.

Proverbs 26:24-26 (AMP):

24 He who hates pretends with his lips but stores up deceit within himself.

25 When he speaks kindly, do not trust him, for seven abominations are in his heart.

26 Though his hatred covers itself with guile, his wickedness shall be shown openly before the assembly.

Thought for the Day

Verses 24-25 - Cunning people often practice guile; pretending to be friendly to those they hate to find a way to hurt them. There are many Biblical accounts of such deceit. Abel's murder probably is one of those, for Cain, after becoming angry, "...talked to Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose against Abel his brother, and slew him" (Genesis 4:8). Genesis 34 records the deceit enacted by Jacob's sons, who in vengeance for their sister Dinah, feigned friendship with Shechem and his family so that they could easily kill them.

We ought to be cautious in making new friends and should certainly beware if anyone who has previously hated us suddenly becomes friendly. Verse 25 says that there are seven abominations in the heart of one who poses as a friend. These abominations may be the ones listed in Proverbs 6:16-19: "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."

We will recall that Jesus said that he who hates anyone commits murder in his heart and that he who looks at a woman with lust commits adultery in his heart. In the same way, these seven sins can be present in the hearts of those who pretend friendship. We should be careful to befriend only those of proven good character. This does not mean we are to shun people in the world, as we should witness to them through our godly actions, but we should not make friends with sinners.

Verse 26 - A cunning person may successfully conceal his hatred, but regardless of how many people he deceives, his wickedness will eventually be exposed. There may be a public exposure on earth or exposure before the church on Judgment Day when Christ separates those who think themselves to be Christians from those who are (Matthew 7:21-23). Sooner or later, sins concealed by guile will be revealed. "...Ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23b).

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, we are grateful that You are a merciful God and we appreciate Your love toward us when we fail You. Lord, set us free from any trace of guile, and forgive those who have used treacherous words against us. Lord, warn us when people are trying to deceive us with smooth words so that we are not tricked into any agreements that are not of You. Have mercy on those whose sins are exposed before all and cause their shame to turn them back to You in repentance. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

From: Steven P. Miller @ParkermillerQ, GatekeeperWatchman.Org

Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups

Saturday, October 21, 2023, Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA.