SO HERE COMES 2011!!!

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New Year's eve is like every other night;

there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights.

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Hamilton Wright Mabie

American Writer, 1845-1916

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The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year.

It is that we should have a new soul.

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G.K. Chesterton

English Novelist, Essayist, and Poet, 1874-1936

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PRAYER AND DECISION-MAKING

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I pray today for people

faced with difficult decisions:

decisions which will seriously affect

their lives and the lives of their loved ones:

decisions about jobs,

about their marriage,

about where to live,

about money.

I pray for those who can see no way

through their problems:

for whom it is all too much.

Help them to see that you,

who control the universe,

are in control of their lives too.

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From Further Everyday Prayers

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PRAYER BEFORE AN IMPORTANT DECISION

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Lord, Almighty God,
source of light, truth, and eternal goodness,
transform this present moment
into an hour of vision and inspiration.
Help me to find wisdom;
shed light on my thoughts.
May my aspirations come true
through righteous and good deeds.
Give me the strength to concentrate,
to think objectively,
and to see clearly.
Shed your light on me so that I may see
which decision to make.
Help me, O my Eternal God,
to avoid vanity and pride,
and thus be able to make worthy decisions
as a true child of yours.

Amen.
*

From the Ithaca College website, which has

a select number of prayers for various occasions -

good stuff...see it here:

http://www.ithaca.edu/sacl/catholic/prayers/decision/

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BE A JACK OF TWO-OR-THREE TRADES

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It is not enough to train men for work;

in a complex society there must also be provided efficient methods of place finding. Before training citizens in the highly specialized techniques of earning a living, they should be trained in one or more methods of commonplace labor, trades or callings which could be utilized when they were transiently unemployed in their specialized work. No civilization can survive the long-time harboring of large classes of unemployed. In time, even the best of citizens will become distorted and demoralized by accepting support from the public treasury. Even private charity becomes pernicious when long extended to able-bodied citizens.
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From THE URANTIA BOOK, III, 81, 11

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CHRISTMAS DAY

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CHRISTMAS DAY 2011 is here:

http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-day.html
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THE END OF ADVENT

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Day 24 of THE ADVENT SERIES 2011,
The End of Advent, is up:
http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/end-of-advent-2011.html

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GOOD KING WENCESLAS

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Day 23 of THE ADVENT SERIES 2011 is up:

http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/good-king-wenceslas.html
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FROM BETHLEHEM TO GOLGATHA

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 Day 22 of THE ADVENT SERIES 2011 is up:

http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/from-bethlehem-to-golgatha.html

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THE WINTER SOLSTICE

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Day 21 of THE ADVENT SERIES 2011 -

THE WINTER SOLSTICE -

can be viewed here:
http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/winter-solstice.html

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THE JEWS OF JESUS' TIME

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Day 20 of THE ADVENT SERIES 2011 is up:

http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/jews-of-jesus-time.html

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ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

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Day 19 of THE ADVENT SERIES 2011 is here:

http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/angels-from-on-high.html
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THE FINAL WEEK OF WAITING

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Day 18 of the 2011 ADVENT SERIES -
 THE FINAL WEEK OF WAITING, is up:http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/final-week-of-waiting.html

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CHRISTMAS THROUGH INDIAN EYES

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Day 17 of THE ADVENT SERIES 2011 -

CHRISTMAS THROUGH INDIAN EYES, is

to be seen here:
http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-through-indian-eyes.html

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THE TIME OF NO ROOM

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Day 16 - 2011 - THE TIME OF NO ROOM, with an

essay for the season by Thomas Merton is up:
http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/time-of-no-room.html

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THE CENTRAL PLOT OF CHRISTMAS

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Day 15  has been changed in the 2011 Advent Series to

MATERIALISM & CHRISTMAS - THE SECULAR &

THE SACRED.  Check it here:

 http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/materialism-christmas-secular-sacred.html

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JOSEPH'S DREAM

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Day 14 of the 2011 Advent Series -
 JOSEPH'S DREAM, is up:

http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/josephs-dream.html

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THE BELLS OF CHRISTMAS

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Day 13 of THE ADVENT SERIES 2011 is ringing. Go here:
http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/bells-of-christmas.html
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OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

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For Day 12 of THE ADVENT SERIES 2011, click aqui:

http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/our-lady-of-guadalupe.html

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THE MAGI ARE MOVING

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 Day 11 of the 2011 Advent Series -
 THE MAGI ARE MOVING, is up:

http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/magi-are-moving.html

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JOHN THE BAPTIST

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Day 10 for 2011 - JOHN THE BAPTIST, is up.

See it here:
http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/john-baptist.html
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CHRISTMAS CARDS, HEROD, AND MORE

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Day 9 of THE ADVENT SERIES 2011 is up:
http://maninthemaze.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-cards-herod-and-more.html
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