Friday, November 11, 2011

Happy Veteran's Day! Happy Martinmas!

Daddy had the day off from work today!
I was in the kitchen making breakfast, luckily with my phone close at hand, when these two walked in.
Alison not quite ready to start the day but perfectly content to snuggle with daddy and daddy perfectly content to snuggle her.
 
Since Chris and I are both veterans we went to Chili's to get some free Veteran's Day food!
It was really good!

We had wanted to go to Balboa Park so Alison could do her lantern walk there but it took a bit longer at Chili's then we had expected so we did the next best thing, we went to play on the lovely green grass of the golf course behind our house.
Alison walking down the sidewalk with lantern holding daddy's hand
I wish you could see how pretty the lantern glowed with the little "real" LED candle inside

Happy Martinmas!


Before we headed out we read a short story of St. Martin:
(I did a little editing but I got the story from here)


St. Martin (The Martinmas Story)

Long ago their lived a good man named Martin. Even as a boy, he knew that one day he would serve in the military. His father was an important military officer. And, although he desired a more peaceful life, he knew that it was his duty to follow the life of this father. So, Martin joined the military, became an officer and eventually was assigned to garrison duty in the town of Amiens.

One bitterly cold winter evening, the young Martin rode through the gates of Amiens on his fine, proud horse. He was dressed in the regalia of his military unit: gleaming armor, a bright helmet and beautiful cloak lined with lambs wool. It was nearly freezing outside, but his thick cloak kept him warm.

As he approached the gates of the town, he saw a poor man, a beggar, dressed with clothes so ragged that he was practically bare. The man was shaking and blue with cold, but no one reached out to help him. People passed through the gates, looking straight ahead, so their eyes would not meet the poor, desperate man.

Martin, seeing this, was overcome with compassion. He rode straight to the poor man and took off his cloak. And with one stroke of his sword he tore the lovely mantle in two. He wrapped half of the cloak around the freezing man and the other half around his own shoulders.

The people nearby watched in amazement. To see a fine military officer do such a kind thing was unheard of and they were touched by the goodness that Martin showed.

That night, as Martin slept, he had a dream. A man appeared to him who looked familiar, it was Jesus! And he was wearing the half of the cloak Martin had given to the poor beggar. Martin saw in the eyes of Jesus the light of goodness which we each carry within us.

From that day on, Martin's life was changed forever. He left the military to become a monk and to live a life in service of others.


Sharing, Caring

Kind and True

St, Martin we Honor you.



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