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The father of our nation knew how to throw a Christmas party. I’m talking thousands of pounds of bacon, gallons of homemade rye whiskey, a massive “great cake” and what he called an “attack of Christmas pies.” Everyone got four days off to celebrate at his Mount Vernon plantation and while there was no regular scheduled appearance by Santa, there was at least one recorded visit by a camel. But the abundant Christmas feasts of Washington’s later years were preceded by some years that were lean on Christmas cheer. When young George was 8 years old in 1740, his home...

The Real Thanksgiving Story In the middle of December 1620 the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, leaving behind the sinfulness of the “old world” to make a “new Jerusalem” in America. Three years later, in November 1623, they had a great feast thanking God for getting them through an earlier famine, and now for a bountiful crop. What had created the earlier famine and then the bountiful crops? The story is told in the diary of Governor Bradford, who was one of the elders of that early Puritan colony. At first, they decided to turn their back on all the...

ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN—Authorities in Uzbekistan are, apparently, unwilling to give love a chance. The Russian news agency RIA-Novosti cited several local media in the Central Asian nation reporting Tuesday that Uzbekistan has cancelled concerts and other events for Valentine’s Day. Instead, residents in the capital of Tashkent can enjoy readings of poems by Mughal emperor Babur, who died in the 16th century. The unofficial ban on romance-related festivities echoes long-standing antagonism in Uzbekistan toward the holiday. Last year, the Turkistan newspaper described Valentine’s Day as the work of “forces with evil goals bent on putting an end to national values.” Although...

Pope John Paul II is seen in a promotional image for the Polish-produced documentary, "John Paul II: I Kept Looking For You." Pope Benedict XVI, who watched the film April 9 at the Vatican, called his predecessor "a great contemplative and a great apostle." (CNS/ARTRAMA) By Cindy WoodenCatholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The feast day of Blessed John Paul II will be marked Oct. 22 each year in Rome and the dioceses of Poland. When the Vatican made the announcement April 11, it also said Catholics throughout the world will have a year to celebrate a Mass...

A New Jersey woman who hopes to become the fattest woman in the world got 30,000 calories closer to her 1,000lb goal with a festive feast that could have fed dozens of revellers. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1341683/Donna-Simpsons-feast-The-30-000-calorie-Christmas-feast-eaten-worlds-fattest-mum-ONE-hour-sitting.html#ixzz19QRqI3nn

Link only - Obamas visit troops at Hawaii base's Christmas feast

The Hidden Truth About Halloween: Behind the Mask Does the Bible have anything to say about the strange customs surrounding Halloween? In fact, it does—and none of it is good.While God's Holy Days in the Bible celebrate the role of Jesus Christ in bringing mankind to salvation in the eternal family of God (as explained in the following article and our free booklet God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind), Halloween is a celebration of the opposite—of demonism, witchcraft, death and evil spirits.God's Word makes it clear that no one should dare entertain witchcraft or act...

September 14, 2009                                 Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel Reading 1Nm 21:4b-9 With their patience worn out by the journey,the people complained against God and Moses,“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,where there is no food or water?We are disgusted with this wretched food!” In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,which bit the people so that many of them died.Then the people came to Moses and said,“We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.Pray the...

Mr. Ali Jadaan, a local contractor in Scania, Iraq, welcomed members of the Oregon Army National Guard into his home recently for a pre-Ramadan feast. Photo by Spc. Anita VanderMolen, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team. SCANIA — Ali Jadaan, a local shaykh and contractor here, recently hosted members of the Oregon National Guard for a pre-Ramadan feast prepared by his family. "There was a lot of food, a lot of variety," said Capt. Charles Ellis, Alpha Company, 2-162 Infantry. "It was definitely harvest time with all the fresh fruit there. It was very nice."The guests enjoyed chicken and rice, meat...

[Vanity introduction: Mother Eugenia Ravasio found a cure for Leprosy. How? That is unknown. But she had no background that would have given her the knowledge to do this. She copied messages from "God the Father" as a mystic. In this message, God the Father is asking for a special Feast Day. Only God the Father does not have a Feast Day in the Catholic Church.] ... July 1, 1932: Feast of the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. TO THE POPE » I turn to you, My beloved son, My Vicar, before all others, to place this work...

my couisn was murdered by obamas pals bill ayers and his naty wife bernadine dorhn. where the justice in electing their pal??

The Birth of the Virgin Mary - Esteban Murillo (Louvre, Paris)   Thy birth, O Virgin Mother of God, heralded joy to all the world. For from thou hast risen the Sun of justice, Christ our God. Destroying the curse, He gave blessing; and damning death, He bestowed on us life everlasting. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. For from thou hast risen of Sun of justice, Christ our God. ­ from The Divine Office - Matins (Morning Prayer)The Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been celebrated in...

(The following is excerpted from Dom Prosper Guéranger's entry in The Liturgical Year for 26 July in Volume XIII of the 1983 Marian House edition of the English translation by the Benedictines of Stanbrook.) "While the Church on earth inaugurates these days by adorning herself with Peter's chains [August 1 is also the Feast of St. Peter's Chains] as with a precious jewel, a constellation of seven stars appears for the third time in the heavens. The seven brothers Machabees preceded the sons of [St.] Symphorosa and Felicitas in the bloodstained arena; they followed divine Wisdom even before she...

ROME - For presidents and premiers at summits, delicacies washed down by fine wines are all part of the agenda. But the puff pastries with corn and mozzarella, pasta with pumpkin and shrimp, and rolls of thinly sliced veal served up Tuesday at a U.N. conference on fighting hunger were a contrast to bleak accounts of starving people around the world. The menu was in French but the fare was strictly Italian, served in a dining room at the headquarters of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. The repast was accompanied by a chilled white wine from Orvieto in the...

COMBAT OUTPOST CLEARY — Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, attended an Iraqi holiday feast at the home of the head sheik of the Mada’in Qada, Sheik Nouri, Dec. 27, in Al Ja’ara. Before the feast, leaders of the Concerned Local Citizens program, Iraqi security forces, 1-15 Infantry Regiment, and village leaders held a meeting to discuss future operations and progress Ja’ara and the surrounding areas. “We specifically talked about recent incidents in the Al Bawi and Wardyah areas,” said Capt. Stephen Hemmann, Des Peres, La. Native and executive officer of Company B, 1-15 Inf. Regt. While the...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2007 – In an effort to lift spirits and say “thank you” during the holiday season, 10 area chefs presented recovering servicemembers and their families with a mouth-watering meal last night. Army Staff Sgt. Mia Sidlasky receives a bowl of stew during the fifth annual Virginia Ann Wiedmaier Holiday Dinner prepared by local chefs for injured troops and their families at the Mologne House Hotel at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Dec. 2, 2007. Sidlasky is recovering from a broken back and internal injuries she suffered in July 2006 in Iraq. Photo by...

The Biblical Map to Jesus Christs Return Maps show the way from where you are to your final destination. The Bible provides the only spiritual map to our ultimate destiny. Doesn’t it make good sense to plan your life's journey by learning how to read the genuine biblical map? by Jerold Aust You and I may take ordinary road maps for granted, but the history of mapmaking shows that ancient peoples carefully relied on their relatively primitive maps. Noted author and professor John Noble Wilford wrote: "Before Europeans reached the Pacific, the Marshall Islanders were making stick charts. Sticks were...

On one occasion, I heard these words: My daughter, tell the whole world about My Inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.* [our emphasis] On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are...

I'm trying to find a scripture where ... either Jesus or someone else in the Bible... was called to eat at a feast. He got into a discussion with someone ... who wanted to invite a servant from another room into the feast hall to dine with them. If my memory serves me well, Jesus or the disciple ask the other person, "Know you not that, in his land, it is a sin for him to eat with a Jew", (or us). My memory may be playing tricks with me. (Old age)

Lt. Col. Thomas Bischof (left), Multi-National Division-Baghdad Provost Marshal, serves food to Soldiers as they celebrate Thanksgiving at Camp Liberty. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. William Hatton. CAMP LIBERTY -- This wasnÂ’t GrandmaÂ’s house, but the table was full of people. They came from over the river and through woods, did route clearing, stood guard and made it in for a traditional meal. Far from home, Soldiers of the Multi-National Division-Baghdad spent Thanksgiving with each other, rather than their families. This is not a new experience for some soldiers. Sgt. John Eldridge, 372nd Military Police Battalion, 89th MP Brigade, is...