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| Monday, 16-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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Max throws a party to honor Hilda's memory.
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| Sunday, 15-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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Pua Melia (Plumeria)
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Our plumeria "tree" abloom.
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A nature-made bouquet.
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Simple elegance.
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| Saturday, 14-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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The answer is "Yes" to requests to link, forward, download...
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Sunrise at Mt. Krisevac, Medjugorje, Bosnia-Hercegovina
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Photo: Mother Mary greets the new day in prayer at the base of the cross at the top of Mt. Krisevac at 5 am. With us gathered at her feet, she shared with us this spectacular view from that lofty vantage point on June 23, 2004 at our appointed hour. My husband and I arose at 1:30 am, walked from the vicinity of Apparition Hill to the base of Mt. Krisevac. We began our ascent up that steep and craggy mountain at 2 am. With our flashlights piercing the pitch-black darkness, we stopped at each of the 14 Stations of the Cross and said our prayers. We made it to the top easily by 5 am and kept our early morning appointment with Mary.
Greetings to you!
I received a constant flow of requests for permission to link to the page with the photos of Mary's Eyes and/or the Kravice Waterfalls. Others have asked if they can forward them on to their family and friends. Still others have requested permission to download and save the photos and print them for their personal use.
I wish I had more time in my day, as I would not be resorting to this group reply. The answer is "Yes, of course, go right ahead." The ONLY request is that should anyone make any money off the photos themselves, i.e., sell them, that they donate that exact amount to a charity.
Enjoy them and I pray that one day, you will see Medjugorje with your own eyes and feel its peace with your own heart (or once again, for those who have already been there).
This was a day of non-stop blessings for us -- first the falls, then the eyes of Mary. May the time you spend perusing the links or looking at the photos you've downloaded and printed be moments that are filled with blessings.
These are the individual URLS for the pages:
Kravice Falls, near Medjugorje, Bosnia-Hercegovina
URL: http://peacepilgrim.fotopages.com/?entry=187602
Miraculous Medjugorje, Bosnia-Hercegovina 2004 -The Eyes of Mary
URL: http://peacepilgrim.fotopages.com/?entry=187595
This morning I included the prayer group's e-mail comments into the comments section of the links, as they complete the experience of our day at the falls and later that day, when we saw her eyes in the clouds. For us, the icing of this cake has been the sharing this beautiful place -- Medjugorje -- with you.
As time permits, I will add more pictures and text of that trip.
With Aloha,
D (also known as Peace Pilgrim)
***
I "met" an extraordinary young man, Sean Patrick Bloomfield, on the Internet when I requested his DVD, Medjugorje for the New Millenium.
I remembered that it was because of him that I knew about the waterfalls, so last night, I e-mailed him to let him know that we had been there and share the pictures. This morning, he replied with this note:
Hi D,
Thank you very much for the follow-up email. I'm very happy to know that you had such a beautiful pilgrimage to Medjugorje. I looked through your photos and I really have to commend your fine photography skills. The photos around the falls are excellent... I look forward to seeing other photos of your trip.
I also checked out the photos of Mary's eyes in the clouds.
"Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us..."
I get dozens of people who send me photos of a cloud, tree and even cola bottle and tell me something miraculous is in it. Normally I find these to be
tricks of the eyes. However, I truly believe that your photo shows a miraculous image. It is really quite stunning! Did other people around you see it as well? I can distinctly see a part of Mary's face. I would
say it is definitely Our Lady trying to show all those pilgrims present that she is with them. I might be interested in showing the photo in my next video, or at least on my website, if you would allow me... I would give you full credit as photographer of course.
Lastly, thank you for the kind words about my video. Emails like yours give me added inspiration to work harder in spreading Our Lady's messages to the world.
Kind regards and God bless,
Sean
Queen of Peace Productions
http://www.medjugorje-online.com
***
My reply back:
Dearest Sean:
As for others seeing the cloud formation, it was brought to our attention by another California pilgrim, who is a physician. It was also seen by her sister, a school teacher, and her son, a college student. Of course, it was also seen by my husband, who is a scientist and college professor. I pointed it out to the sweet Croatian couple sitting next to us -- who spoke no English -- and they saw it too.
No doubt, anyone who happened to be looking up at that moment in time and at that spot -- and paying attention -- saw it. We ourselves would not have seen it, as I was busy looking about on ground level, had she not told us to look up. Two seconds after I snapped the picture, the cloud dispersed back into an amorphous shape.
As for using the picture in your next video or web site, go right ahead. No credit-giving is required -- or desired, as I adhere to what Jesus said, â??...when you give..., do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.â?? (Matthew 6:3), which I interpret as doing acts of goodness anonymously in the spirit of pleasing God, rather than for receiving recognition from humans.
Besides, all I did was reach into my bag, point, and shoot. There are no accidents. The Holy Family arranged for me to do so; the cloud was their creation. So, no permission is needed and credit is not due me at all.
If some kind of authorship or attribution is required, I often use my pen names: Author Unknown or Peace Pilgrim. Use those if you need to do so, although I personally think The Holy Spirit would be the most accurate attribution.
Via The Holy Spirit, I believe that this was a gift from Our Lady. And who -- in good conscience -- can turn around and take credit for another's gift? Not I.
The urge to share Mary's Eyes with my family and friends was so strong that I know the photos of them is meant to be shared to anyone who may enjoy seeing it or be inspired by it.
So, you and anyone else should feel free to disseminate it as far and wide as you wish. I think it would make her very happy if you did.
Doing so would make it not just a gift to me, but to all children. This is as it was intended, I believe, as we are ALL her children. And what does every mama teach her kid? Share nicely!
Besides, what child would not welcome seeing his or her mother's eyes up in the sky?
Thank you for your kind words, asking permission and offering full credit-giving for the photo. You are a most considerate person. If this is your modus operandi, you will do well in life.
In God's Light,
D
***
His immediate reply back (such is the wonders of the Internet!):
Thanks D,
I will post the photo in the Photo Gallery of http://www.medjugorje-online.com. I am confident that this photo will touch many people and will likely lead some on the path to conversion.
Kindest regards and God bless,
Sean
***
And within minutes, here it is:
http://www.medjugorje-online.com/gallery/view.php?photo_id=33&screen=0&cat_id=8&action=images
Will wonders never cease! By the way, to the religiously-squeamish (as I was), conversion doesn't mean conversion to a particular religion, but simply turning to God.
Baby steps, baby steps...
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| Friday, 13-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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Miraculous Medjugorje, Bosnia-Hercegovina 2004 -The Eyes of Mary
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Kravice Falls, Bosnia-Hercegovina, The Balkans
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D&T,spending a sunlit, refreshingly mist-filled day at the falls
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The 23rd Anniversary of Apparitions: Mary's Eyes in the Clouds
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Yesterday, at work, I promised my friend, Yvonne, that I would send her pictures of the cloud formation of Mary's eyes. I snapped these shots when we were in Bosnia-Hercegovina (formerly Yugoslavia), in June at the 23rd anniversary celebration of her appearances to six children in Medjugorje.
This morning, I fulfilled that promise. While downloading the pictures, I thought I'd post these, the first of my most favorite pictures of our trip, here for our family and friends as well. As soon as my life settles down more, I will return to post more pictures of that life-changing trip to Medjugorje, a place of indescribable peace, where Heaven (literally) meets Earth.
On our trip, we spent a glorious day at Kravice Falls, which second to the miracles of Medjugorje was a highlight of our trip. I first learned of the falls from Sean Patrick Bloomfield's DVD, MEDJUGORJE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM.
Today I "googled" this info on the falls and relived that memorable day in June:
"The most attractive landmark on Trebižat River is the Kravice Waterfalls, located 3 km downstream from Vitaljina, in Studenci near Ljubuškogi. The waterfalls are from 26 to 28 m high, with a lake below the falls of 120 m in radius. The calcium scale layer from the bottom to the top of the falls is covered by grass and moss. The falls are surrounded by hemp, figs and poplars. Kravice Falls, as a natural phenomenon, are under the protection of the state as a natural rarity."
---
"Kravice offers the traveler an immense and spectacular set of waterfalls. The waterfalls are situated in the Neretva Valley, which also hosts the Blagaj Castle, the village of Medjugorje, the village where in 1981 six children saw a vision of the Virgin Mary, & Jablanica Lake; all of which, are worth a visit or two."
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Kravice Water falls: A unique scenery where a river drops into a horseshoe-shaped canyon.
A trip to the waterfalls will be one of your vacation's absolute highlights. Apart from offering spectacular scenery, it's a great place to fish (especially for children with nets) and it's an even better place to swim.
The cold, clear water falls into a small valley. From noon onwards (when the sun gets hot) some of the water particles being hurtled into the air vaporize putting a lid of mist on top of the valley, making it a pleasant shade-like feeling to be there.
Getting tired of relaxing on the sandy beach? You can head out into the pool of water which is also covered by a sandy bottom. If you are up to it, you can swim across the pool (notice how the water gets colder and colder), climb the rocks and jump. This is what the local teenagers do to impress one another (and perhaps the girls as well).
There is also a restaurant where you can enjoy the view and relax by listening to the rumbling from the waterfalls.
---
I went to Medjugorje without any clearly apparent "reason." I was called. I went. Simple. I kept my expectations in check, although I'd read about the supernatural miracles of Medjugorje. I did not ask for signs. The clarity of Mary's call was enough for me.
Being non-Catholics, we knew we would be strangers in a strange land in more than one sense, and so we worked hard to prepare ourselves for the trip. We memorized the rosary and most of its prayers, researched the stories of the mysteries, and made practice runs to local parishes' masses.
Someone in the prayer group told me that when we give to Mary of Medjugorje -- I affectionately refer to her as MoM -- and Jesus, they give back more. On our last day in Medjugorje, they did just that as they gifted us with the most special of gifts. At the Anniversary mass, just at about the 6:40 pm time -- the time when Mary appears to the visionaries, a fellow California pilgrim who spotted us miraculously in that sea of 30,000+ people, ran over to us and pointed to the sky. We looked up to see the eyes of Mary looking right at us in the clouds.
"What a personalized gift...the eyes of Mary," we thought, as we work in a health profession that cares for ...eyes!
I quickly pulled out my camera and snapped that cloud formation. Besides our rosaries from Father Jozo, the pictures are among our most meaningful of our remembrances of our trip. I have since printed them out and Mary's benevolent eyes look at me from my desk. I am constantly reminded that she, who is also known as Our Lady and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is watching over us, protecting us as she always has, only I didn't know it, covering us with her blue mantle.
I am happy to share those pictures with you, so you too may have this reminder that the eyes of Mary are watching over you, too. Perhaps you will be inspired to go there, yourselves. I only learned of this place in March, when I "googled" Joseph (see previous entry), her earthly spouse. Her invitation to urgently go there was clear and forceful. I heeded her call...and am now doing what she asks.
What amazed me most then was that I, a non-Catholic, was being called by a benevolent Biblical personage that I only rarely gave thought to -- usually only at Christmas, and even then fleetingly, when I saw a nativity scene, or when I happened to hear the Beatle's song, LET IT BE. You know, the one that goes, "When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness, she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, "Let it be." Let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be..."
Since our trip, I think of her every day. And I am no longer amazed that she called me.
Her messages are ecumenical in nature, and the visionaries have pointed out that they are meant for people of all religions and all faiths, not just for Catholics. In the apparitions, Mary has stated that God loves all people; that His people, not God, made different religions and brought about division in the world.
MoM is non-exclusive, loving all her children, including an unbaptized heathen like me. Via the visionaries, she has said, "Dear children! You are all my children. I love you and intercede before God for you. Little children, pray."
Such amazing grace...
>> The answer is "Yes" to requests to link, forward, download...
>> For more recent Medjugorje 2006 entries, go to: Peace Pilgrim's Medjugorje Blog
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| Thursday, 12-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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Shabu-shabu!
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| Wednesday, 11-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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Best wishes to Tippy. She's off to school!
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| Sunday, 1-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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Kathy & Darryl
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| Sunday, 25-Jul-2004 00:00 |
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'Ukulele Festival, Waikiki Beach, O'ahu, Hawai`i, June 2004
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| Saturday, 17-Jul-2004 00:00 |
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Sue's Magnificent Maine Lobster Dinner
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Our 'ohana celebrates our 30th anniversary, Samara & Jonathan's.
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and Austin Kai's house.
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A gift, beautifully wrapped, flowers, cards, and lots of love.
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| Friday, 25-Jun-2004 00:00 |
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Kravice Falls, near Medjugorje, Bosnia-Hercegovina
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Kravice Waterfalls, Bosnia-Hercegovina, where...
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the serenity and splendor of nature's beauty meet.
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T at the top of the road that lead down to the waterfalls.
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Dear Family,
Mother Mary exhorts us at least ten times in her messages to go into nature, including these passages:
"Find peace in nature and you will discover God the Creator Whom you will be able to give thanks to for all creatures; then you will find joy in your heart." ~ Mother Mary, July 25, 2001
"Go into nature and look how nature is awakening and it will be a help to you to open your hearts to the love of God, the Creator." ~ Mother Mary, April 25, 1993
Before we left for Medjugorje, I learned about the existence of beautiful waterfalls nearby, on the other side of Mt. Krisevac (Cross Mountain). I put this at the top of my TO DO list.
I am a country girl at heart, and exposure to crowds for extended periods wear me out. The day came to take up Mary's invitation to find peace in nature. When I mentioned the falls and our desire to visit them to Ana, she quickly arranged for a taxi to take us to them and back.
Our first sight of the falls took our breaths away. They are stunning!
We were the first ones at the falls, except for a kind couple and their teen son who run the rustic restaurant at the foot of the falls. With gentle smiles and acknowledging nods and over demitasses of expresso, they quickly became our friends. Almost immediately, the restorative effect of the negative ions produced by the falling water took effect. We felt uplifted, body and soul.
With the river that runs from the falls as the backdrop, the personable young man entertained us with his fishing. With just a simple pole and line in hand, he pulled up fish after fish, each with a triumphant smile that went from ear to ear. Within a half hour, he had a tubful of fish, plenty for dinner that night and the next.
The summer's midday heat is searing in The Balkans. But no matter, as the water was invitingly cool. My husband plunged into the deep depths of the aqua pool beneath the falls, while I more gingerly waded the shallows of the pool, fed by freshets off to the side. The coolness of that mountain water was bracing and revivifying.
In the afternoon, under the shade of the covered patio, we basked in the mist of the waterfalls and read to our hearts' content. I read St. Augustine's CONFESSIONS, while my husband delved into Father Slavko's PRAY WITH THE HEART. Between pages, we peacefully and completely lost ourselves to contemplative reverie, as we dreamily gazed at the bounty of natural and verdant beauty that surrounded us.
Between chapters, we watched nuns dressed in their habits strolling along the banks, ice cream cones in hand. We enjoyed women walking with parasols and families picnicking on the riverbank, just like "the olden days." We took in eyefuls of sunbathing bodies of all shapes and colors. We stole glances at young lovers a-courting. We were delighted by the antics of ducks at the shoreline.
It was a day well spent in Bosnia-Hercegovina in this natural oasis. And just as Mary promised, we found our hearts opening and we drew closer to God. We felt at peace, grateful and joyful, all at the same time. She delivers...
Perhaps, by vicariously enjoying our day in pictures, you will be inspired to seek out these falls -- and Mary and Jesus in nature -- on your next trip or your first trip there.
>>For more information on Kravice Falls and for the Eyes of Mary, go to this journal entry:
Miraculous Medjugorje in Bosnia-Hercegovina, 2004 - The Eyes of Mary
>> For more recent Medjugorje 2006 entries, go to: Peace Pilgrim's Medjugorje Blog
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Love your work 
