PRE - Just attended it from 22 - 25 July 10

Dear All

So sorry we couldn't attend the LC (again) on Sat. I had to attend the PRE (Parish Renewal Experience) sessions. I had attended it once before like 20+ years ago, and can't remember much about it except that I had attended it with my sis, and she practically did all the talking for us. Moral of the story....best to go for PRE with strangers! Never with spouse, family members or friends. You will be able to experience God's love more when you are able to share without reservations, as everything shared is PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL!

PRE started on Thur night at 7pm and lasted till......11pm!!

Next day, same thing. We were blessed that on the 2nd day, NO ONE DROPPED OUT!

Part of the PRE requirement is, you have to attend ALL SESSIONS, otherwise you can't continue with it. Hence, about 6 people couldn't make it on Sat and couldn't complete the PRE. Yes, it is that strict.

The session is led by the priest (lots of scripture readings & sharings...much like ME). It's like a booster shot for us catholics who think we are OK, to reconnect with our faith, with God and with our fellow men & women. It's like a retreat, where we do examination of ourselves and what scripture says, and allow the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts as we let ourselves fall freely and confidently into the bosom of the Lord and our fellow catholics. The more you let yourself go, the more you will experience the Love of God and the more you will benefit from the sessions. Being pragmatic me, I was so afraid to let go...but I guess, like Jonah who tried to run away from the Lord, the Lord always finds him!!

I can't really share much from the PRE as everything shared there is strictly not shareable!! I just can say, if you want to recharge your spiritually and see how you fit within the bigger picture of God's plan for us, go attend the PRE. Actually, it shouldn't be called PARISH but CATHOLIC Renewal Experience, as being catholic isn't parish based but it's a global thing.

Love

Theresa

Got another pet...Hammie the hamster

Dear All

As you know, we have returned Snowy to the rescuer as he is very aggressive. Bert later on bought 6 tiger oscar fish, not realising that they can grow to 6 inches in length to 1ft when fully grown. They were just 2.5cm long and in just 1 week, they grew about half cm!! As our tank was very small, we traded them for 4 goldfish.

Then Feli's classmate wanted to give away 7 new born hamsters. We were reluctant to take 1 as I personally had enough of pets. Bert solely cleans up the tank. As Tiffy can't celebrate Feli's birthday cos her cat teacher says everyone is to go for youth mass next week & her sis birthday was not a good enough reason to skip the mass, Tiffy decided to buy her a hamster, as she was badgering for one ever since her classmate told her all of them were already given away.

That's now we ended up at the Pet Lovers Centre getting the hamster, the cage and the whole works. I thought upkeep of hamsters were cheap...was I woefully wrong! My pockets were set back by $140+ and it could have been more, as I told the petshop guy I don't need this & this & that, otherwise it would have cost even more!!! I dare not think. And we were trying to go on an austerity drive having just been billed the Tioman trip of $1600 this month!! Gosh, hols are so expensive...no wonder we hardly go for one...our memory was just rudely jostled by the costs. Well, the austerity drive will have to wait till tomorrow. Meantime, Hammie (short for hamburger) was the darling star attraction at my mum's place this evening. We just bought him today on the way to her place. Even my bro came to look at him, and so did my dad as he passed by on his wheelchair. He's quite cute actually. He's a local white winter but is currently greyish with a white underbelly. He loves climbing up the tunnel to his "treetop" sandbath and scampering down again as fast as lightning! Hopefully he'll adjust well and live long. He's just 3 months and due to adjustment, has not eaten a morsel yet. Feli just wants to keep handling him, and both girls just love to watch him dashing around inquisitively in his cage.

Love Theresa