I lift my eyes unto the hills. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever. Psalm 121 -Mountain Theme -Different size options available -Frame not included -Instant download high resolution option

The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty. Exodus 34:6-7 “Well, you say, but though God is able to help me, I fear that God is not willing to help me, and therefore I am discouraged. But be of good comfort, says the Lord, for my name is Merciful, and therefore I am willing to help you. But you say, though the Lord is willing to help me, yet...

More chaos from my brain, bon appetit Eowyn Merry Frodo Pippin Legolas Boromir Gimli Aragorn Sam Gandalf

Free and Funny Confession Ecard: Lord, grant me the serenity to accept stupid people the way they are, courage to maintain self-control, and wisdom to know if I act on it, I will go to jail! Create and send your own custom Confession ecard.

Some #LloJavi doodles... I JUST HAD TO GET THIS OFF MY CHEST, I LOVE THEM #TGED

Knock knock knock Answering the door, you are greeted by two individuals wearing yarmulkas, a Star of David and holding a Bible. “Hello,” they say, “ Can we tell you about the Old Testament?” If this has ever happened to you please stop reading this blog right now, and immediately contact your local Rabbi; they’ll tell you they weren’t Jewish. In fact, I’ll kiss your big left toe if there are members of the tribe coming door to door to convert you to Judaism. We don’t, to put it simply, roll like that. Judaism is not a proselytizing religion. In fact, most people aren’t aware one can even convert to Judaism. There are no Bema calls during prayer services asking non- Jews to accept HaShem into their hearts. We don’t leave pamphlets on windshields and I’ve never seen a Jew witnessing to a gentile about how giving up bacon changed their life; at least not in a good way. We refrain from actively seeking converts because, stay with me, ….you don’t have to be Jewish. You’re ok in the faith you're in. We don’t care. In fact, traditionally, a potential convert is turned away three times by the Rabbi before they are accepted for conversion. Actually turned away. Just let that sink in for a moment. (chirping crickets) Now this is not to say we don’t want you. To the contrary, converts in Judaism hold a special place in both the metaphorical heart of G-d and to the Jewish people. Mostly because we chose Judaism, we chose to accept all 613 mitzvah’s, we chose to cast our lot in with a people who are, let’s be honest, persona non grata, in a large part of the world. That takes chutzpah. It also takes time. On average (depending on the flavor of Judaism you’re converting into) it takes about a year and a half. A year of study, a year to go through all of the holidays, a year of being accepted by a community and deciding if you want to be part of a people. At the end you go to the Beit Din (a panel of three Rabbi’s who are going to ask a lot of questions about why you want to be Jewish), then to the mikvah for immersion in a tub that renders one ritually clean. Then it’s mazel tovs all around, welcome to the tribe and would you like a bagel? It’s a beautiful and life changing process. And it’s not for everybody. But that’s ok. It’s ok, because we don’t believe non-Jews are going to burn in hell when they die, or that gentiles are horrible people or any other ridiculous arguments that are flouting around out there. In fact, there is a strongly held belief found in the Talmud that is just the opposite. All righteous people, of all faiths, have a place in the world to come. So that’s why. You’re a good person? Wonderful, save me a seat. It’s that concept that removes a lot of the incentive that drives other faiths to actively seek converts. There is no Jewish Hell we need to save all gentiles from and vice versa there is no exclusive Jewish Heaven we need to convert you to so you can join. You’re ok. I’m ok. Now if only everybody thought that way…imagine the world we would live in.

From The Lion King to The Lord of the Rings, every great story features characters that experience sadness. Grief is a natural part of the human condition, and learning to write sadness believably is an integral part of developing a fleshed-out character. Like anger, which we discussed previously, sadness often falls prey to melodrama. A better understanding of sadness—its causes and symptoms—can help writers (like you) develop sadness in a character without resorting to unrealistic melodrama. So, in today’s post, let’s talk about: What causes sadness Physical signs of sadness Internal sensations of sadness Mental responses to sadness Cues of long-term sadness Signs of suppressed sadness What is Sadness? From a psychological perspective, sadness is a natural response to something that often seems beyond the individual’s control. Feelings of helplessness produce sadness, for example. People who believe that they are at a disadvantage, who have suffered a loss, or who feel overwhelmed by life and the situations around them are going to experience sadness as a result. These all stem from a loss of control and/or a situation or emotion that seems beyond an individual’s control. Feelings of hopelessness and instability result, and sadness forms. Loss is perhaps the most common trigger of sadness, whether that be the loss of something tangible like property, treasure, money, or a loved one; or something more psychological, such as comfort, stability, or control. These losses can be further agitated if they are accompanied by feelings of helplessness. If the sadness becomes especially severe, it may transform into depression. As I recently discussed as a part of my Character Development using the 5 Stages of Grief article, sadness in this case is marked by a harsh realization of reality. When first confronted by something sad, depending upon the severity, some characters may unconsciously choose to deny that the cause of the sadness exists. Once the reality of the situation sinks in, sadness (or depression) comes to the forefront. In this moment, the sadness is a mental, conscious realization that something truly has happened to cause the sadness, and that the sadness is real. In this way, sadness is very much a reminder of reality—a reminder that suffering and pain exist. Physical Signs of Sadness Sadness overwhelms and exhausts the body, often leaving distinguishable traces of weariness, fatigue, and an unconscious (or conscious) desire to escape the cause of the sadness and be alone. Many of these physical symptoms involve shrinking the body in an attempt to make one’s self look smaller. These might include hunching the shoulders, bowing the spine, ducking the head downward, hugging the knees, or drawing the limbs close to the body. Characters who experience sadness are likely to hide their faces, or keep their faces turned away from others around them. This is often because they don’t want anyone to know of their inner feelings, see their pain, or possibly notice the tears in their eyes. In addition, the character may perform unconscious rituals during times of sadness, such as touching mementos of loved ones, muttering a prayer to themselves, or rubbing at spots on their body that “hurt”—usually the heart or chest area. Characters overwhelmed by sadness are able to focus on little else. If they aren’t able to find isolation away from others, then those around them will likely pick up on physical manifestations of sadness—a listless gaze, a monotonous voice, a tendency to respond slowly, and a magnetic-like desire to stare at the floor (or in another downward direction, such as at the hands or knees). The important thing to remember about “physical symptoms” is that the sad character is unlikely to realize they are exhibiting a majority of the symptoms. These are signs that usually go observed by outsiders, alone, though the sad character may consciously be aware of some things—a desire to be alone or to process dialogue slowly, for example. Internal Sensations of Sadness The internal sensations are those that the sad character is completely aware of. These signs may go completely unrecognized (or at least, unobserved) by onlookers. Internal sensations are still completely physiological (or pertaining to the physical body), and are not to be confused with mental responses, which we’ll address next. As we’ve already mentioned, exhaustion is a large part of sadness. Internal pressures and agitations, especially in the throat, eyes, and heart are very common. The character’s throat my feel tight, for example, or their chest might ache from uneven breathing or strain. Mental Responses to Sadness Unlike anger, which often causes agitation to stimuli, sadness often results in a dampening of sensitivity to stimuli. When a character is sad, they usually want to be alone. If they can’t physically be isolated from those around them, the character will mentally isolate themselves with their sadness and the stimuli that caused it. For this reason, characters experiencing sadness are unable to focus on what lies directly in front of them. Conversations become difficult to follow, responses and mental processing slows to a crawl, and the sadness at the heart of the character’s problem consumes every ounce of the character’s gray matter. Their minds become focused on the sadness—unable to see past it, in fact—and they often develop tunnel vision of the future, seeing it as hopeless. Some characters—the less introverted ones—may seek consolation with the outside world. They don’t want to hold the sadness within them and try to find an outlet for it. This includes: conversing with trusted friends, visiting counselors, or even seeking escape through television, drinking, sleeping, or absorbing themselves in a favorite hobby. Cues of Long-Term Sadness Sadness is marked by a sensation, much like a wave of unhappiness that washes over the character. If these waves continue to crash on the character, the sadness may escalate to depression—a long term, severe sadness, marked by loss of appetite, sleeping disturbances, disinterest in hobbies and daily life, and self-neglect. Even if the sadness does not escalate this severely, sadness that goes on for several hours or days can reveal similar symptoms. A continuously tear-stained face, wet eyes, un-even breathing, excessive sighing, and expressions of hopelessness are all signs of sadness that has been dragged past its initial “first wave” or feeling of sadness. Cues of Suppressed Sadness Depending on the character’s disposition (and the situation), he or she may try to hide or suppress their sadness. This means that they try to hold it in for a variety of reasons—to save face, to be “brave” for others, to attempt to “force” themselves to recover, to avoid getting attention from others, or even to try and erase any evidence of the stimuli that caused the sadness. Characters trying to suppress sadness will do two prominent things: (1) seek isolation and (2) hide their faces and emotions. Seeking isolation is typically the preferred method for suppressing sadness, as it’s simply easier. However, characters forced to be around others—and who can’t find physical isolation—will do their best to avert (or cover) their faces from others in order to hide any traces of sadness or simply avoid conversation and attention (in many cultures, making eye-contact is an invitation to speak to another person). In order to gain moments of respite, the character may use the bathroom frequently, go on long car-rides, or distract themselves with busy-work, food and drink, or reading, in order to appear busy to those around them. Sadness is a difficult emotion to contain. It flows out in the form of tears, a shaking voice, broken (or tense) posture, mental sluggishness, fidgeting, and listlessness. Because of this, it’s incredibly difficult to disguise and can easily be read on the face or in the heaviness of the character’s movement. Those trying to hide or suppress their sadness do so by hiding the tell-tale facial expressions and removing themselves from the presence of others. A Final Note on Sadness In my recent article about Character Development and Anger, I discussed the fact that anger often falls victim to melodrama in character-based writing. Sadness also falls into this trap, perhaps even more so. For this reason, it’s vital that your sadness be balanced by realism and humanity. Pay close attention to what causes the sadness (the stimulus) and how long the character has been enduring it. Sadness is marked by realization of a loss or hopeless situation; it’s a strong emotion that springs from an acknowledgement of reality. Traumatic incidents are often first characterized by the character denying the existence of the stimulus, only to later recognize it, unconsciously label it for what it is, and respond with feelings of sadness. By now, you’ve probably picked up the fact that sadness is a process. If the character responds instantaneously—and dramatically—to a stimulus, then you might want to take another look at your scene. It’s highly possible that your character is acting out of melodrama. Sadness is a gradual realization, and it’s often characterized by a need to hide one’s emotions, not express them to everyone nearby (unless, of course, it is in the personality of your character to do so). One way to cut back on melodrama is to condense moments of sadness as much as possible. Rather than spend a whole chapter detailing the effects of a stimulus on a sad character, abridge it to a paragraph or two (or a page or two). Highlight the most powerful, important points of the stimulus, how it causes the character to grieve, and what reactions the character puts into motion as a result. When dealing with sadness, less is more. A simple, meaningful paragraph or scene can mean a lot more than an entire chapter dedicated to tears and internal monologue. For more information about writing sadness and other character emotions, I highly recommend The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi. The lists and charts in this article are all adapted from that book. All rights reserved. You may also like: The Psychology of Writing: Character Development and Anger The Psychology of Writing: Character Development and the 5 Stages of Grief 7 Ways to Disguise a “Didn't-See-It-Coming” Plot Twist 5 Tips for Writing Chair-Gripping Suspense 5 Tips for Writing Action-Packed Fight Scenes

Part 1 ( Previous / Next ) ye... They both dead... Poor Aziraphale died while Crowley was talking to him. Please go help support me on > Patreon < so you can help me be able to make more of these i…

1. Polite Expressions Leviticus 19:32 You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. Being polite is a matter of etiquette; it…

People have heard of and can recall the seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices and cardinal sins. But, so often we cannot name the virtues which help us overcome these sins! Rather than focusing on the sins which bog down our spiritual life, turn your eyes to the virtues which can help break the bonds of sin. The Catholic Church has distinctive categories of virtues. The 7 heavenly virtues, also called the Capital virtues, contrary virtues, heavenly virtues, are the virtues which overcome the 7 deadly sins: lust, greed, envy, anger, pride, and sloth. Chastity overcomes the sin of lust. Everyone could use more chastity in a world that is constantly displaying sexual images. The Catholic Bible tells us that our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit. The virtue of Chastity can help calm our lustful desire for sexual acts and restrain our wandering eyes. Generosity overcomes the sin of greed. Our lives can be filled with a yearning for material goods. Material objects can block our vision of Christ who told us to give to the poor. This means not only do we give what we have in “excess” but to surrender all of our time, money, and spiritual gifts to those in need. Temperance overcomes the sin of gluttony. Gluttony wants us to give into our self gratification for eating and drinking, among other things. Temperance is our ability to control ourselves and these desires. We may fall into the trap of self indulgence but during these times we can call upon the virtue of moderation. Kindness overcomes the sin of envy. Our love for someone should be without bias or spite. God blesses each of us in different ways. Envy will cause a rift in your relationship with God and others. Look upon your life with positivity rather than counting the ways God “hasn’t” blessed you. Meekness overcomes the sin of anger. Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the world”. When He was confronted by angry crowds who wanted to torture and kill him, he prayed for them. How often do we become upset and consumed by trivial matters? Use Christ as your model, control your anger and resentment and cultivate patience through this virtue. Humility overcomes the sin of pride. God humbles the proud and exalts the humble! Pride is the devil’s sin, and just like him Satan wants us to hold ourselves up as gods. Everything we have is from God, and everything we do is derived from the gifts he has given us. By being modest we can turn outwards and lift up those around us. Diligence overcomes the sin of sloth. The virtue of diligence aids us in fulfilling our duties and cultivating a strong work ethic. Sloth draws us in to be lazy in all aspects of our life, physical and spiritual. We should develop our talents and gifts rather than keeping them wrapped up in sloth All other sins stem from 1 or more of these deadly sins. By praying for these 7 heavenly virtues we can keep each of these sins from creeping into our lives. Start praying for these virtues daily to help defeat Satan and these vices. Swap out your 7 deadly sins for these 7 heavenly virtues! For more information on the virtues and vices refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.