my first blog.

it was a bank holiday weekend here in ireland, so lazy days all round.
i had to go to the local shopping centre- which is huuuge, the biggest in ireland, just because i needed cat food,(i have 3 cats to care for- they give a lot of love back, well worth it) and the local store dosent do the brand they like and is very expensive for a very cheap brand.
otherwise, i never go near the place. i dont really enjoy shopping, altho i like to buy a treat or r 2 on ebay. little things. i buy my clothes in 2nd hand stores or ebay, rather than spend crazy amounts on new clothes..after a wash they are good as new, im not proud...friends give me clothes too, and vice versa- if they ont fit etc. (you know, we are to 'proud' and dont know our neighbours enough here to have garage sales. im a bit of an environmentalist too, which is why i think your american yard sales are great!

but it was a truly beautiful sunday, sunny and warm! god was smiling dwn on us, and yet people chose to drag themselves / & their partners/ children mindlessly looking at consumer goods- the place was packed and its huge.
i smoke, so after buying the cat food in the grocery- 'gourmet' brand lol, and the cat dry nuggets too, i went outside as i felt an attack - i dunno panic or just a feeling of sadness that all these people were spending a beautiful bank holiday shouting a each other, getting into debt, buying unnecessary junk... just thinking, what is this world coming too? you see, we are at the tail end of the celtic tiger, - a period of 10 years massive financial/economic boom. in 1995, it hit. then ireland, and dublin, as i knew it, changed. extortionate prices everywhere. designer handbags and shoes hit frumpy old aran knit clad girls! thats the way it was.

and i dont think it has helped us at all. theyre building mini skyskrapers out where i live now...

there is an oratory- small church, beside the blanchardstown centre, i have started popping in there every time im up. the brother - a franscsiscan (sp?) who runs it, ihave knwn him years, he was the chaplain to the rehab community i lived in from 93-95 although then i rejected jesus as my friend-then 15 yrs ago.

i lit candles and said prayers for all the family and friends who have died, at 25c a candle :-) I practically lit up the whole altar area.
i also lit candles for good intentions, that i would never have done. for ppl that i know who are ill or struggling, and even one for myslf.

i was lucky, fr, dan was in the back, so i was able to say a prayer quietly for each candle. it was such an oasis of peace and true reality, than the rushing and rowing and buying and noise just 5 meters away.

i found a few little tears running down my face, but i felt close to god, and i think they were tears of joy.
so i had a bit of a pray, and left feeking happy and joyful.
my local church is closed during the day- the one in my photos. mon-fri. this is kinda sad,
where i live, you are either rich or poor. my church is on the poor side, and they are afraid of breakins.
but now i know i can go to the oratory any time i like, and there is a catholic mass there at 4pm every sunday,
i will def start going there.

i added all friend requests, im sorry if i have not gotten back to you all over welcoming comments, but im a little overwhelmed, plus my internet service is intermittent- i need to get it fixed. its late now, 1.30am in the wee hours, so i can usually get a good line at this time.

im glad i found the site, truly, and im so glad i believe in god again, because its very despairing when you dont.
i usually have intrests in current affairs/debates- i think i began to believe in god and jesus christ when richard dawkins brought out his book- the god delusion... i read the first few pages n our local bookshop.
i think r dawkins is obv a very intelligent, and even an affable fellow. but why bring out a book that might crush the fragile inner faiths of some - and dismiss the strong faiths of others????
i did not read anymore of it, it was too depressing, and threw it back on the display like it had burned my hand.
and i'm seriously no angel. i just dont understand his 'logic'. i believe he has written other good books- such as the 'blind watchmaker' - but i cant comment having not read it.

god bless you all for welcoming me into your community.
anne marie


thank you jesus christ for dying for my sins.
thank you lord god in heaven, for protecting me today,let me be an instrument of your peace.
thank you mary, mother of god, you that gave your only son for all the sin in the world.
forgive me for my past, let me walk in the light of the lord
amen