I guess that is how it actually works out . . .

One of our pastors gave an insightful sermon on Sunday. He said what if armed gunmen broke into our Mass and ordered all those who believed in God to move to the right and those who did not to stand over to the left. He said that, naturally, everyone in attendance would go to the right because why else would we be there on a Sunday. However, what would happen once the gunmen elaborated and said, "You do know that all of you who stand on the right are going to be killed because you believe in God?" Our priest ventured that there would be some people who would move to the left and tell themselves that God knew they believed in Him and would understand their reasoning and excuses for getting themselves out of harm's way.

It reminds me of how so many Catholics voted in 2008 and still plan to vote the same way in 2012. In spite of everything pointing to the fact that our current administration is adamantly in favor of big government control and abortion, they justify that these wrongs won't affect the ultimate right. I'm not sure how they reason this as abortion rights are directly in opposition to the right to life. They probably believe that life begins at conception and know that they wouldn't condone an abortion yet they worship their political party over their Faith and Religion.

It will be interesting to see how many people will stand to the right and fight for their religious convictions come November 2012 and how many will justify voting for another four years of tyranny and deceit. I actually had a relative taunt me with, "I guess my vote is going to counteract your vote come November!" I have to wonder how she can vote for someone who is trying to take away our religious rights, raise our taxes for personal agendas, and take away the freedom of life from the unborn. She seemed so proud of this. I guess she, like Madame Peolosi keep their religion where it belongs . . . on Sunday and uses the other six days of the weeks to condone evil and sin.

We have a lot of praying to do between now and election day. Just remember the words of Our Lady of Guadeloupe:

“Hear me and understand well, my son the least, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.” ~Our Lady of Guadalupe

Really Easy Pickle Relish . .

Don't have time to fuss yet want to put something unique and homemade on your holiday table? Not enough time to run to the store for what you actually want for you hamburgers and hot dogs? Most of us probably already have these items in the cupboard so with some slicing and dicing, it is possible to have fun in the kitchen and impress!

Really Easy Pickle Relish
1 cup diced dill pickles
1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup  sweet mustard or Dijon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoon cider vinegar

Combine all the ingredients in the morning, place in a serving dish or jar and serve that evening. This is an item that needs to be kept refrigerated and will stay fresh for approximately a month . . . if it lasts that long!

Pickle Relish . . . not from a jar!

My husband's garden is growing by leaps and bounds and he has discovered that one can plant too many cucumbers! I'm thinking that homemade pickle relish for the Fourth of July (or any day, for that matter!) would be a nice surpise and a treat. It's on my schedule for today and wanted to share it here.

Homemade Pickle Relish
2 cups finely minced cucumber
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons powdered mustard (I like the hot Chinese variety)
1 teaspooncornstarch dissolved in 1 teaspoon water

Toss cucumber and onion with 1 teaspoon of salt in a sieve set over a bowl and drain 3 hours. Discard liquid from bowl. Wrap cucumber and onion in a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Bring vinegar, sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then boil until reduced to about ½ cup. Add cucumber-onion mixture and simmer, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in the mustard. Stir cornstarch mixture, then stir into relish. Simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer relish to a jar or bowl and chill, uncovered, until cold.

Keep relish refrigerated. It should last approximately a month.

Freedom of Religion

It is a fundamental human right, a privilege of nature, that every man should worship according to his own convictions: one man's religion neither harms nor helps another man. It . . . is certainly no part of religion to compel religion.

Tertullian: To Scapula, 2. (Proconsul of Afrida.) ( 35d. century)