Fenia City Cathedral

Moderator: Community Team

User avatar
Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Today I would like to speak about the importance of keeping up our high standards. Of course it's easier to day, than to do in some cases, mainly when we are tired of the burdens of life. Still, giving our best always pays back. Here is a short story about this topic.



A carpenter who was nearing retirement told his boss that he was ready to end his career and spend his time with his wife and family. He would miss his work, but he felt it was time to spend his time with the people who were important to him.


His boss was saddened by this news, as this carpenter had been a good, reliable employee for many years. He asked the carpenter if he could do him a favor and build just one more house.


The carpenter reluctantly conceded, even though his passion for building had faded.


While he was building this last house, his normal work ethic faded and his efforts were mediocre, at best. He used inexpensive and inferior materials and cut corners wherever he could. It was a poor way to finish such a dedicated career that he once had.


When the carpenter was finished, his boss came to look at the house. He gave the key to the carpenter and said, “This house is my gift to you for all of the hard work you have done for me over the years.”


The carpenter was astonished.


What a generous gift this was to receive from his boss, but if he had known he was building a house for himself, he would have made his usual efforts to create a high-quality home.





Dear Brothers and Sisters, the same idea applies to how we build our lives. Every day offers an opportunity for us to put our best foot forward, yet we often do mediocre work, saving the more important things for “another” day. Then one day, we find ourselves shocked that our lives aren’t what we had hoped they would be. The “house” we built to live in has a lot of flaws due to a lack of effort.


However, you can’t go back and rebuild it in a day or two. As people say, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.” Your attitude and choices help build the life you will live tomorrow. Build carefully.



Blessings to you all.
Image
Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
User avatar
Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Today I would like to speak about special moments. What can be considered special moments? Someone's birthday, maybe? Or when we get a check of a greater amount of money? Or maybe something else?



Well, let me tell you a story.



One evening, after spending several days with his new wife, a man leaned over and whispered into her ear, “I love you.”



She smiled – and the man smiled back – and she said, “When I’m eighty years old and I’m thinking back on my entire life, I know I will remember this moment.”



A few minutes later, she drifted off to sleep. The man was left with the silence of the room and the soft sound of his wife’s breathing. He stayed awake, thinking about everything they had done together, from their first date to their first vacation together and ultimately to their big wedding. These were just some of the life choices that the couple had made together that had led to this very moment of silence in the presence of each other.



At one point, the man then realized that it didn’t matter what they had done or where they had gone. Nor did it matter where they were going.



The only thing that mattered was the serenity of that very moment.



Just being together. Breathing together. And resting together.



Dear Brothers and Sisters, we can’t let the clock, calendar, or pressure from external sources take over our lives and allow us to forget the fact that every moment of our lives is a gift and a miracle – no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it is. Being mindful in the special moments that you spend in the presence of the ones that you love are the moments that truly give your life meaning.



Blessings to you all.
Image
Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
User avatar
Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Today I would like to speak about words. We all know, what a huge impact words have on our lives. With words we can express our thoughts and our innermost feelings. However, words can be harmful, as well...



One night in July at an all-girls summer camp, the campers were gathered around in a circle for their nighttime devotions. The counselor asked if any of the girls wanted to share something that had happened that day that impacted them. One camper raised her hand and said a girl from another camp cabin had said something that hurt her feelings and she was really upset about it.



The camp counselor went to the bathroom to grab a tube of toothpaste. She took the tube and squeezed it just a bit so some toothpaste came out. She then tried to put the toothpaste back in the tube, but it just created a mess. Then she squeezed the tube even more, pushing more toothpaste out and creating even more of a mess, but none of it would go back into the tube.



The counselor then told the campers, “this toothpaste represents the words you speak. Once you say something that you want to take back, it’s impossible and it only creates a mess. Think before you speak, and make sure your words are going to good use before you let them out.”





Dear Sisters and Brothers, speaking is a fundamental social skill required for living a successful life. However, many are careless with their words, but they hold so much power. They can have a direct impact on the outcome of a situation, creating a helpful or hurtful reaction in our world. The problem is, once words come out of your mouth, no amount of “I’m sorrys” will make them go back in: blurting something out and then attempting to take it back is like shutting the gate after the horse has taken off.



Thinking before you speak allows you the time to consider the potential impact of your words. Be careful when choosing where and when you let your words out. You can easily hurt other people, and once you do, you can’t take it back.



Words define who we are by revealing our attitudes and character, giving people an indication of our intellect or ignorance. Stop for a minute before you speak and question yourself about why you’re saying what you are. Are you trying to relay information? Relate to someone else? Make sure you’re able to take responsibility for whatever you’re about to say.



Blessings to you all.
Image
Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
User avatar
Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Today I would like to talk about challenges. We all have to face some amount of challenge in our lives: some more and some less. And sometimes we tend to feel, that we struggle so much, that it might be nearly unbearable. What is the purpose of all this?



Well, here is a short story about this topic.



One day, a girl came upon a cocoon, and she could tell that a butterfly was trying to hatch. She waited and watched the butterfly struggle for hours to release itself from the tiny hole. All of a sudden, the butterfly stopped moving–it seemed to be stuck.



The girl then decided to help get the butterfly out. She went home to get a pair of scissors to cut open the cocoon. The butterfly was then easily able to escape, however, its body was swollen and its wings were underdeveloped.



The girl still thought she had done the butterfly a favor as she sat there waiting for its wings to grow in order to support its body. However, that wasn’t happening. The butterfly was unable to fly, and for the rest of its life, it could only move by crawling around with little wings and a large body.



Despite the girl’s good intentions, she didn’t understand that the restriction of the butterfly’s cocoon and the struggle the butterfly had to go through in order to escape served an important purpose. As butterflies emerge from tight cocoons, it forces fluid from their body into their wings to prepare them to be able to fly.





Dear Brothers and Sisters, the struggles that you face in life help you grow and get stronger. There is often a reason behind the requirement of doing hard work and being persistent. When enduring difficult times, you will develop the necessary strength that you’ll need in the future.



Without having any struggles, you won’t grow–which means it’s very important to take on personal challenges for yourself rather than relying on other people to always help you.



Blessings to you all.
Image
Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
User avatar
Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters,



For today I have chosen a topic which might arouse interest in many of you: seeking happiness. I think most of us would like to achieve happiness in our lives. The question is: how can we achieve it?



Well, let me share with you a story about this question.



Once upon a time a wise man gave a lecture about happiness. Many people attended the lecture, of course. At one point, the speaker told the group they were going to do an activity. He gave each attendee one balloon and told them to write their name on it. Then, the balloons were collected and moved into a very small room.



The participants were then asked to go into the other room and were given 2 minutes to find their balloon.



It was chaos. People were searching frantically for their balloon, pushing each other and running into one another while they grabbed a balloon, looked at it, and inevitably tossed it to the side. At the end of the 2 minutes, no one had found the balloon that had their name on it.



Then, the speaker asked the participants to go back in the room and pick up one balloon at random, look at the name, and return it to its owner. Within minutes, everyone had been reunited with their original balloon.



The speaker then told the group, “This is what it’s like when people are frantically searching for their own happiness in life. People push others aside to get the things that they want that they believe will bring them happiness. However, our happiness actually lies in helping other people and working together as a community.”



Dear Brothers and Sisters, you will get your happiness only if you help other people find theirs. As a wise man said once: “If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Helping others makes us happy because it gives us a sense of purpose. In fact, a study found that the more you help other people, the happier you will be. Help your fellow creatures find their happiness, and you will find yours with it.



Blessings to you all.
Image
Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
User avatar
Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



For today I have chosen a topic, which you might find interesting: wealth. Indeed, most of us would like to be wealthy, so that we don't have to worry about the material circumstances of our lives. But is it all, what wealth mean?


There was once a boy who was growing up in a very wealthy family. One day, his father decided to take him on a trip to show him how others lived who were less fortunate. His father’s goal was to help his son appreciate everything that he has been given in life.


The boy and his father pulled up to a farm where a very poor family lived. They spent several days on the farm, helping the family work for their food and take care of their land.


When they left the farm, his dad asked his son if he enjoyed their trip and if he had learned anything during the time they spent with this other family.


The boy quickly replied, “It was fantastic, that family is so lucky!”


Confused, his father asked what he meant by that.


The boy said, “Well, we only have one dog, but that family has four–and they have chickens! We have four people in our home, but they have 12! They have so many people to play with! We have a pool in our yard, but they have a river running through their property that is endless. We have lanterns outside so we can see at night, but they have the wide open sky and the beautiful stars to give them wonder and light. We have a patio, but they have the entire horizon to enjoy – they have endless fields to run around in and play. We have to go to the grocery store, but they are able to grow their own food. Our high fence protects our property and our family, but they don‘t need such a limiting structure, because their friends protect them.”


The father was speechless.


Finally, the boy added, “Thank you for showing me how rich people live, they’re so lucky.”



Dear Sisters and Brothers, true wealth and happiness aren’t measured by material belongings. Being around the people you love, enjoying the beautiful, natural environment, and having freedom are much more valuable.


A rich life can mean different things to different people. What are your values and priorities? If you have whatever is important to you, you can consider yourself to be wealthy.


Blessings to you all.
Image
Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
User avatar
Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Today I would like to speak about selflessness. What a wonderful trait selflessness is! What a respectable attitude it is, when a fellow creature shows self-sacrificing love to another one.

Yet, it's not easy to practice in the everydays. That's why it is so valuable.

Here is a story about selflessness.



There was once a little girl who desperately needed an emergency blood transfusion to save her life. Her only chance of surviving would be to get a transfusion from her younger brother, who had miraculously overcome the same disease she had, and therefore had antibodies in his blood that were needed to fight the illness.

The doctor explained to the little boy that it would save his sister’s life if he were to give her his blood. The boy hesitated for a moment before agreeing to give his blood if it would help his sister. At the age of 5, this was scary, but he would do anything to save his big sister’s life.

As the blood transfusion was happening, he lay next to his sister in the hospital and was overcome with happiness as he saw the color coming back to her cheeks. Then he looked up at the doctor and quietly asked, “When will I start to die?”

The boy had assumed that he was giving his life in order to save hers. The little boy’s parents were astonished over the misunderstanding that led the boy to think they were choosing his sister over him–and even more astonished that he had agreed to do so.

The doctor replied, explaining that he was not going to die, he was just going to allow his sister to live a long, healthy life alongside him.



Dear Sisters and Brothers, this is an example of extreme courage and self-sacrificing love from a young boy that we can all learn from. The love and care that he showed for his sister relays an inspiring message about selflessness. While we may not be faced with such a life or death decision, being selfless in general can help us connect with others, which is rewarding and fulfilling. Selflessness encourages you to act from your heart instead of your ego, and can help fill your life with joy and happiness.

Blessings to you all.
Image
Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
User avatar
Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Today I would like to speak about responsibility. We are all responsible for your deeds, and most of the times we are ready to accept it. There can be some cases, though, when it's not so easy.


One night, four students of the university stayed up late partying, even though they knew they had a test the next day. The next morning, they came up with a plan to get out of having to take their test.


Each student rolled around in dirt and then went to the professor’s office.


They told the professor that they had gotten a broken wheel to their cart the night before, and they spent the entire night pushing the cart back to the campus.


The professor listened, and to the students’ delight, he offered a retest three days later.


On the day of the test, the students went to the professor’s office. The professor put all four of the students in separate rooms to take the test. The students were okay with that because they had been given a chance to study.


The test had 2 questions:



1) Your Name __________ (1 Points)



2) Which wheel was broken? __________ (99 Points)




Front Right

Front Left

Back Right

Back Left



Dear Sisters and Brothers, aside from making wise decisions, you always need to take responsibility for your actions. This means not blaming other people for your mistakes, not complaining about the reality of the present moment, and not giving in to other people’s pressure.



Blessing to you all.
Image
Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
User avatar
Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Our topic for today is: telling the truth. We all know, how important honesty is. But in some cases it's equally important, how you present the truth. Here is a story about it.



Jupiter, the chief of gods, was getting married. He decided to celebrate the event by hosting a reception. He invited all the animals living on land and in water to attend the banquet.



All the animals came to attend the feast, but the tortoise didn't come. Jupiter was surprised at his absence.



After few days, Jupiter came across the tortoise and asked him, "Why didn't you attend the banquet held in honor of my marriage? Were you all right?"



The tortoise retorted, "I am a stay-at-home type of an animal and never care to attend petty affairs. Why should I trouble myself when there is no place like home?"



Though the tortoise said something very true, the way he said it was very hurting. Jupiter felt pinched and cursed the tortoise, "Now, you will always carry your home on your back and never be able to unload it."



Till today, every tortoise carries his home with him.





Dear Sisters and Brothers, always tell the truth, as it is important to be honest. But be aware of not to hurt the feelings of others in the meantime. Choose the way carefully and wisely to keep the appreciation of your friends and try not to hurt anyone.



Blessings to you all.
Image
Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
User avatar
Sendile
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2020 4:24 pm

Re: Fenia City Cathedral

Post by Sendile »

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith,



Today I would like to speak about a topic, which I have already spoken about previously: Greed. Indeed, we all know that this attribute can be dangerous for our relationships. Yet, greed can be even more harmful than we would actually think...


In Ancient Greece, there resided a very wealthy king, Midas. He had everything he could have ever asked for and more, along with a beautiful daughter whom he held dear to his heart, even more than his riches.


A day came where Silenus, a satyr loyal to the God of Wine and Celebration, Dionysus, passed out in Midas’ garden. Since Midas believed that satyrs brought him good luck, he went against the wishes of his family and let Silenus rest in his palace until he awoke again.


When Dionysus heard about Midas’ act of kindness towards his friend, he decided to grant the wealthy king a wish. Midas wished that anything he touches must turn to gold. Even though Dionysus was aware that this was a recipe for disaster, he granted the wish anyway. Midas was ecstatic – he went around touching the most random things in the garden and palace to turn them into gold. When he picked up an apple, it turned into a shiny gold apple. All the courtiers were very fascinated.


Midas had never been happier…in all his excitement, he hugged his daughter, forgetting that anything he touched would turn to gold! Hence, his daughter took the form of a lifeless, gold statue. Realizing what he had done, Midas ran to Dionysus and begged God to save his daughter. Complying with his wish, Dionysus saved his daughter and took away all of Midas’ powers too, claiming that it was for the best. Midas had learned his lesson and lived the rest of his days satisfied with what he had.


Dear Sisters and Brothers, through too much greed we can lose more, than we would think. We can lose even those, who are the most valuable, the most precious to us. Focus on those, whom you hold the dearest, give them as much love, as it's just possible, and don't desire too much in your life. Those, whom you love can give you the source of happiness and satisfaction.


Blessings to you all.
Image
Priestess * Lady of Nettlebane Tower * Baroness of Linbridge
Post Reply