The Compassionate Crustacean

Considered by many to be preeminent, Cancers redemptive qualities include loyalty, kindness, inclusiveness, and tenacity.

The dual human nature of Cancer is demonstrated here in the shape of a crab, at home both in the deep and ashore. The Egyptians saw a sacred scarab in the stars here, which seemed to rise from waste and live forever. How does a prudent Christian reconcile the material grossness of this world with his eternal existence? With love of course! Cancers feel.

The Center of our Hearts and Minds is at home in the sign of the cold wet Crab. Its pearlescent light, ever changing, yet keeps regular the weeks of seasons, the cycle of years.

The Center of our Hearts and Minds is sensitive and must be protected, hence, we never touch with iron that part of the body then occupied by the moon. We don't die from having surgery on the breasts when the moon is in Cancer, but we don't heal quickly either.

The Apostolic link to Cancer lies in Simon the Zealot of course, whose intensity is legendary. The Hebrew Scripture links through Joseph, of the many blessings.

The natural scent of Cancer is lily of the valley, night blooming jasmine, pink rose, and ginger. Its metals are silver and aluminum. Most people will agree that the pearl and moonstone are remarkable gems, but the prudent Christian Cancer will choose the rose quartz. This stone promotes heart healing through positive self love, self esteem, self image and a good body image. It heals the emotional body and its heartaches, loneliness, inducing emotional release and clearing. It fosters acceptance, inner peace, forgiveness, and self forgiveness, soothing and easing fears and grief.

Cancers fabric is softest flannel or fleece.

Moon foods cheese, dairy products, sesame oil, candied ginger, melons of all kinds, and of course shellfish.

These associations give the prudent Christian Cancer a deeper insight into his nature and place in the world.

Your words of knowledge are, 'I am deeply concerned about everything.'

The garden of Cancer embraces the iris, jasmine, water lily, white rose, anise, sesame, coriander, ginger hyssop, lettuce, willow, and watercress. In the foreground must be a little white house, white seashells, moon snail shells, with a statue of the Blessed Mother holding the Holy Child is a fit centerpiece.

The most effective pilgrimage for a Cancer or anyone with a strong influx of the Heart and Mind influence would be to the Cathedral of St. James at Compostela in Spain.

The most effective shrine would be in a bathroom by the tub, or in the bathroom sink, also the shower; outside by a lake, river, a brook, and places where rushes or vegetables grow; anywhere in the kitchen; in the home itself which is ruled by Cancer; the stall of a sheepfold; in a tavern, hotel, motel, or boardinghouse; anywhere in the cellar, or a corner facing north in your own house. Dedicate the shrine in the key of G.

     The Sacred Tarot was used by the earliest Christians as a pictorial and mnemonic aid in absence of a cultured and ornate church. In the Rider Waite Tarot this is presented with clarity and precision. As such, the cards were never used for divination or game playing, but to explain, exhort, stimulate, and verify the life of the soul, chart its' progress through the shoals of life, and point is squarely and distinctly toward salvation through faith.
     Gradually, the various priesthoods came to the conclusion that anyone who could read, either the Scriptures or an artistic rendering, was a rival to their power. The cards came under a dark cloud.
     Today, we have come full circle in the realization that Truth does set us free, just as Christ Jesus promised it would. The ability to interpret the images is one akin to speaking in tongues; 'This rests entirely upon Nature; there is no accident. Every happening in the Universe is caused by pre:established laws.'
     It is therefore the gift of the Tarot 'to liberate us from the bonds of established doctrine...above all, they free faculties in us which are suppressed by conventions and daily routine.'
     No wonder the current church establishments will have nothing good to say of them!
     Many persons both in and out of the Christian fold read Tarot regularly, and we encourage you to give a second look to this method of communication with angelic and heavenly spirits.
     If you have an ear, hear.

Cancer in the Sacred Tarot

The Chariot fills the space of Cancer in card form in the Sacred Tarot.

The Chariot in this symbolic card demonstrates the spiritual paths offered to mankind, and the secrets one must discover within in order to traverse them. Among it's many mysteries, The Chariot reminds us of the riddle posed by the Sphynx, and it's answer.

The High Priestess encompasses the planetary influence of the sign Cancer as the moon, the source of the tides, both without and within. Life would not be possible without the moon or the sea.

The Priestess reminds us that matter everything in creation has gender, vibration, number, and spirit.

If you were born between July 15th and 25th...

then your indicator card is the 2 of cups in the Sacred Tarot.

This card is connected with the stars of the constellation of Ursa Minor, the little Bear, or Little Flock. These would be considered your Rising Stars to the Ancient astrologers.

In the Tarot, the 2 of cups signifies friendship, love, union of souls, and is one of the most blessed and fortunate cards in the entire deck. The Little Bear is the constellation of Polaris, the north star.

If you were born between July 25th and August 5th...

your pip card is the 3 of cups, your rising stars are those of Ursa Major, the Great Bear, or Greater Sheepfold.

The scene here is one of great celebration and joy.

or July 5th and 15th...

your card is the 4 of cups. Your stars are those of Argo the Barq, or Ship.

The 4 of cups reflects contemplation of life, direction, and the next course, which cannot be hurried.

Ernie Pyle

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Ernie Pyle on board the USS Cabot

Ernest Taylor Pyle (August 3, 1900 � April 18, 1945) was an American journalist who wrote as a roving correspondent for the Scripps Howard newspaper chain from 1935 until his death in combat during World War II. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1944. His articles, about the out-of-the-way places he visited and the people who lived there, were written in a folksy style, much like a personal letter to a friend. He enjoyed a following in some 300 newspapers.

 Early life and World War I

Pyle was born on a tenant farm near Dana, Indiana. When he was almost 18, he joined the United States Navy Reserve. World War I ended soon after, so Pyle served for only three months.

After the war, Pyle attended Indiana University, traveled to the Orient with his fraternity brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and edited the student newspaper.^[1] However, he didn't graduate and instead, with only a semester left at Indiana, he accepted a job at a paper in LaPorte, Indiana. He worked there for three months before moving to Washington, D.C. A tabloid newspaper, The Washington Daily News, founded in 1921, had hired Pyle as a reporter.^[2] All of the editors were young, including Editor-in-Chief John M. Gleissner (one of Warren G. Harding's drinking buddies); Lee G. Miller (author of An Ernie Pyle Album - Indiana to Ie Shima); Charles M. Egan, Willis "June" Thornton; and Paul McCrea.^[3] Pyle was named managing editor of the Washington Daily News and served in the post for three years, all the while fretting that he was unable to do any writing.

While in Washington, he met Geraldine "Jerry" Siebolds, his "fearful and troubled wife", with whom he carried on a tempestuous relationship. They were married in 1925. Jerry suffered from intermittent bouts of mental illness and alcoholism. Pyle described her as "desperate within herself since the day she was born".

In 1926, Pyle tired of work at a desk in the news room, quit his job, and with his wife headed out on the road to see America in a Ford roadster. The Pyles traveled more than 9,000 miles before Ernie returned to his job with the Daily News.^[2] In 1928, he became the country's first aviation columnist, a role he played for four years. Famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart summed it up: Any aviator who didn't know Pyle was a nobody.^[4] Pyle became managing editor of the Daily News in 1932.

The opportunity to return to writing came in 1934 after he spent time on a leisurely trip to California to recuperate from a severe bout of flu. Upon his return, it was suggested that he write some columns about his trip to fill in for the vacationing syndicated columnist Heywood Broun. The series of eleven columns was a hit. G.B. ("Deac") Parker, editor in chief of the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain, said he had found in Pyle's vacation articles "a Mark Twain quality that knocked my eye out". In 1935, Pyle was relieved of his duties as managing editor and began writing a national column for the Scripps-Howard Alliance group. He wandered around the country and the Americas in his car, writing columns about the unusual places and people he met in his ramblings. Select columns were later compiled and published in Home Country. Nevertheless, Pyle suffered from fits of deep depression, never satisfied with the quality of his writing.^[5] The daily column continued until 1942, after America's entry into the war.

 World War II

Ernie Pyle Memorial, Ie-shima Island, Okinawa, Japan

Following the entry of the U.S. into World War II, Pyle became a war correspondent, applying his intimate style to the war. Instead of the movements of armies or the activities of generals, Pyle generally wrote from the perspective of the common soldier, an approach that won him not only further popularity but also the Pulitzer Prize. Among his most widely read and reprinted columns is "The Death of Captain Waskow." His wartime writings are preserved in four books: Ernie Pyle In England, Here Is Your War, Brave Men, and Last Chapter.

After his return for a vacation, he wrote to his college roommate, Paige Cavanaugh: "Geraldine was drunk the afternoon I got home. From there she went on down. Went completely screwball. One night she tried the gas. Had to have a doctor." The two were divorced on April 14, 1942, and remarried by proxy while Pyle was in Africa on March 10, 1943.^[5] In 1944, he wrote a column urging that soldiers in combat get "fight pay" just as airmen were paid "flight pay." Congress passed a law authorizing $10 a month extra pay for combat infantrymen. The legislation was called "The Ernie Pyle bill."

He reported from the United States, Europe, Africa, and the Pacific. His reporting was interrupted several times by leaves to return home to care for Jerry while they were still married and to recuperate from the stresses of combat, including nearly being killed in the accidental bombing by the Army Air Forces at the onset of Operation Cobra near Saint-L� in Normandy in July 1944.^[6] Pyle publicly apologized to his readers in a column on September 5, 1944, that he had "lost track of the point of the war", and that another two weeks of coverage would have seen him hospitalized with a war neurosis. He hoped that a rest in his home in New Mexico would restore his vigor to go "warhorsing around the Pacific".^[7]

When Pyle decided to cover events in the Pacific, he butted heads with the U.S. Navy over its policy forbidding the use of the actual names of sailors in his reports and won an unsatisfying partial victory in that the ban was lifted only for him.^[8] His first cruise was aboard the aircraft carrier USS Cabot, in which he saw an "easy life" in comparison to the infantry in Europe,^[9] resulting in several unflattering portraits of the Navy.^[10] Pyle was soon criticized by fellow correspondents, newspaper editorials, and G.I.s for giving apparent short shrift to the difficulties of the war in the Pacific.^[11] During the tiff he admitted that his heart was with the infantrymen in Europe,^[8] but he persevered to report on their efforts during the invasion of Okinawa. He was noted for having premonitions of his own death and predicted before landing that he would not be alive a year hence.^[12]

On April 18, 1945, Pyle died on Ie Shima, an island off Okinawa Honto, after being hit by Japanese machine-gun fire.^[13] He was travelling in a jeep with Lieutenant Colonel Joseph B. Coolidge (commanding officer of the 305th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division) and three other men. The road, which ran parallel to the beach two or three hundred yards inland, had been cleared of mines, and hundreds of vehicles had driven over it. As the vehicle reached a road junction, an enemy machine gun located on a coral ridge about a third of a mile away began firing at them. The men stopped their vehicle and jumped into a ditch. Pyle and Coolidge raised their heads to look around for the others; when they spotted them, Pyle smiled and asked Coolidge "Are you all right?" Those were his last words. The machine gun began shooting again, and Pyle was struck in the left temple (however, the Ernie Pyle State Historic Site in Dana, Indiana, contains a telegram from the Government to Pyle's father stating Pyle was killed by a sniper).The colonel called for a medic, but none were present. It made no difference�Pyle had been killed instantly.

He was buried with his helmet on, laid to rest in a long row of graves among other soldiers, with an infantry private on one side and a combat engineer on the other. At the ten-minute service, the Navy, Marine Corps, and Army were all represented.^[5] Pyle was later reburied at the Army cemetery on Okinawa, then moved to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific located in Honolulu. When Okinawa was returned to Japanese control after the war, the Ernie Pyle monument was one of only three American memorials allowed to remain in place. Pyle was among the few American civilians killed during the war to be awarded the Purple Heart.

The Ernie Pyle Library in Albuquerque

 Honors, archives, and burial

Pyle's legacy is preserved at Indiana University, where he began his journalism training. The School of Journalism is housed in "Ernie Pyle Hall", and scholarships, established soon after his death, are still given to students who have ability in journalism, the promise of future success in the profession, and a military service record. A major initial contribution to the scholarships came from the proceeds of the world premiere of the film, The Story of G.I. Joe, which starred Burgess Meredith as Pyle.

Gravesite of Ernie Pyle in Hawaii

In 1947, his last home in Albuquerque, New Mexico was made into the first branch library of the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library System, named in honor of its famous occupant. Today, the Ernie Pyle Library houses a small collection of adult and children's books, as well as Pyle memorabilia and archives.^[14] The bulk of his archives, however, are at the Lilly Library at Indiana University; the Ernie Pyle State Historic Site at Dana, Indiana; and the Wisconsin State Historical Society. The Ernie Pyle State Historic Site in Dana, Indiana includes Pyle's boyhood home, fully restored. The site also features a World War II-era Quonset hut containing many of Pyle's army artifacts (including his Purple Heart), plus items donated by the people of the community where Pyle grew up.

Ernie Pyle shortly after his death

Pyle is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

A stone monument was erected on Ie Shima at the site where Pyle was killed. The monument has the form of a truncated pyramid echoing the truncated-triangle shape of the "Statue of Liberty" Division's insignia on the upper facade, with engraved text below: "At this spot the 77th Infantry Division lost a buddy, Ernie Pyle, 18 April 1945."^[15]

Pyle was depicted on a 16-cent United States postage stamp issued in 1971.^[16] Charles M. Schulz paid tribute to Pyle in the Peanuts comic strip for Veteran's day in 1997 and 1999. ^{[17] [18]}

[edit] Postmortem photo

In June 2008, 63 years after his death, a photo resurfaced,^[19] showing Pyle, shortly after his death.^[20] The photo, taken by Army photographer Alexander Roberts, was believed by AP archivists and a Pyle biographer to be heretofore unpublished, however, it was published at least twice: in the December 14, 1979 edition of the Burlington, North Carolina Daily Times-News and in the 1983 memoir, Buddy Ernie Pyle: World War II's Most Beloved Typewriter Soldier, by retired Army and AP photographer Rudy Faircloth.^[21]

 Quotations

Their life consisted wholly and solely of war, for they were and always had been front-line infantrymen. They survived because the fates were kind to them, certainly � but also because they had become hard and immensely wise in animal-like ways of self-preservation.

The best way I can describe this vast armada and the frantic urgency of the traffic is to suggest that you visualize New York city on its busiest day of the year and then just enlarge that scene until it takes in all the ocean the human eye can reach clear around the horizon and over the horizon. There are dozens of times that many.^[22]-On preparations to invade at Normandy

     The cups court is one of the most inventive, colorful, and rewarding suit to know and explore. They are usually the most exasperating, as these are the folks who honestly say a thing one hour, with the tears shining in their eyes, and the next hour have completely reversed their way of looking at things. The cups folk feel rather than think, and intuit rather than reason; such methods have decided advantages and rewards, but can easily drive their friends and associates to murder. You may identify undinely inclined by their birthdates being in a water sign, or them having water rising in their natal chart. They will be very fair in coloring, or lean toward the cool shades in flowing layers in dress. You may have met them in the height of summer, by the seashore, at the lake, definitely in a large group of people having a good time; most likely on vacation.   You may also identify as water court people anyone you have met in the rain, while swimming, at a museum, poetry recital, at a musical, at the theater, or at the party afterward.  They may be therapists, hair stylists, make up artists, modistes, or cosmetic surgeons, artists, couturiers, hair dressers, pastors and priests, movies stars and swimming instructors, as the water court loves to create order and beauty.

     Your cups friends will always have a comforting word, a way of making you see the bright side of the worst day, can buoy you up when you face the Titanic; just don't count on them being there for more than an hour or so, because, as noted, they change it all around again.

     The water element noted here is pretty, but fragile, and transient. The water court has that sense of fragility, of being here today and gone tomorrow, like the flowers, like the waves. They give excellent advise about psychology, other people and their motives, and what you can do to help yourself; but they themselves can never follow it.

      By and large, you will consider them your flakiest, most airy fairy or air headed associates, the most fun and the kindest, whom you love and cherish, but must protect from running with scissors.

    An person born in any water sign being Scorpio, Cancer, or Pisces will show as a member of the water court.

      The water sign man is cheerful, with excellent taste in color, clothing, food and wine.  He is a fair weather partner, understanding parent, soulful friend, and great dancer!

     The woman of water is sweet natured and kind, and will never say anything distressing to you.  Her taste in music, food, and entertainment are excellent, as is her personal style.  She is a devoted mother, kind hearted friend, spiteful enemy, and usually sympathetic.

      Music, art, and psychoanalysis are all Water issues!

     An invitation to a gathering or getaway, a love letter, or a note to mom telling her you are thinking of her, are all Cups news.

Joachim

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For other people of the same name, see Joachim (given name).

Saint Joachim
Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Virgin Mary
Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Confessor
Born	1st century BC
Died	unknown Jerusalem
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Orthodox Churches Anglican Communion Islam
Canonized	Pre-Congregation
Feast	July 26 (Anglican Communion), (Roman Catholicism); March 20 (General Roman Calendar, 1584-1738); Sunday after the Octave of the Assumption (General Roman Calendar, 1738-1913); August 16 (General Roman Calendar, 1913-1969)
Attributes	Lamb, doves, with Saint Anne or Mary
Patronage	Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, fathers, grandparents, Fasnia (Tenerife)

Saint Joachim ("he whom YHWH has set up", Hebrew: יְהוֹיָקִים Yəh�yāq�m, Greek Ἰωακείμ Iōāke�m) was the husband of Saint Anne and the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and therefore is ascribed the title of "forebearer of God", in the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican traditions. The story of SS. Joachim and Anne appears in the apocryphal Gospel of James.

The canonical Gospel accounts in the New Testament do not explicitly name either of Mary's parents, but some argue that the genealogy in Luke 3 is that of Mary rather than Joseph, thereby naming her father as Eli (Heli).^[1] Later traditions, however, specify that this Eli was a first cousin of Mary's father Joachim.^[2]

In the Protoevangelium of James, Joachim is described as a rich and pious man of the house of David who regularly gave to the poor and to the temple (synagogue) at Sepphoris.^[3] However, as his wife was barren, the high priest rejected Joachim and his sacrifice, as his wife's childlessness was interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure. Joachim consequently withdrew to the desert where he fasted and did penance for forty days. Angels then appeared to both Joachim and Anne to promise them a child. Joachim later returned to Jerusalem and embraced Anne at the city gate. The cycle of legends concerning SS. Joachim and Anne were included in the Golden Legend and remained popular in Christian art until the Council of Trent restricted the depiction of apocryphal events. Traditional depictions (vestibular statuary, etc) of St. Joachim show him bearing a shovel.

No liturgical celebration of Saint Joachim was included in the Tridentine Calendar. It was added to the General Roman Calendar in 1584, for celebration on March 20, the day after the feast day of Saint Joseph. In 1738 it was transferred to the Sunday after the Octave of the Assumption. As part of his effort to allow the liturgy of Sundays to be celebrated, Pope Pius X transferred it to August 16, the day after the feast day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, so that St. Joachim may be remembered in the celebration of her triumph.^[4] It was then celebrated as a Double of the 2nd Class, a rank that was changed in 1960 to that of 2nd Class Feast. In 1969 it was joined to that of Saint Anne, for celebration on July 26.^[5]

 In Islam

The House of Imran (Arabic: آل عمران) is the 3rd chapter of the Qur'an and contains two hundred verses. Imran is Arabic for the biblical figure Amram who is regarded as being the ancestor of Mary. This chapter is named after the family of Imran (Joachim) which includes; Imran (Arabic: عمران , Joachim), Hanna (Arabic: حنـّا , St. Ann), Maryam (Arabic: مريم, Mary) and Jesus (Arabic: عيسى , Jesus). The chapter is believed to have been revealed in Medina and is either the second or third in Medinan revelation. Almost all of it also belongs to the 3rd year of the Hijra. In this chapter the miraculous birth of Mary, St. John the Baptist and Jesus is mentioned. In this chapter mention is made of God having chosen Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham and the family of Imran over the Alamin (creation).

     Holy Scripture is full of warnings for us to take our dreams seriously; occasionally angels, or the Lord Himself, will speak to us in dreams. But all dreams are not the same.
     Most of our dreams are 'spiritual recycling' of our daily life and attitudes to wards it. This is how it should be! Frequently a minor flaw or petty problems will be presented along with perfect ready made solution in our nightly flights. 'God created sleep to this end only, that we should attain the insights we cannot comprehend when our soul is joined to the body,' quotes a wise rabbi of the old world.
     When the Lord speaks to us from heaven through our dreams, usually they have several things in common which are signals of His divine voice. 'My sheep know My voice,' He says, 'and they come when I call them.' One of these hallmarks is the sound of His voice, which some have likened to bells, chimes, the ocean, and the Music of the Spheres.
     Another sign is that the dream will appear in remarkable blazing color. Most ordinary dreams are strictly black and white.
     Religious figures, or archetypes, frequently appear in the Grand Dreams. It should come as no surprise for Moses to appear to devout Christians, of the Lord Himself to atheists. The Almighty once visited a client of a well known sage in Virginia dressed in a business suit and tie. The obvious message is that God is in charge, the real CEO.
     Suppose your dreams include being naked in public, is this a sign that you are secretly a lusty, Commandment-bending exhibitionist? No, more probably it indicates that you are anxious about appearing to be 'just like everyone else', or fear that you are lacking something important.
     Do you dream you are back in school, and either don't have your homework, or don't know the material for a test you are expected to take right then? Anxiety again, about not being prepared for life. The car you are in driving itself or driving wildly, a hill that keeps on getting steeper or higher, or water that rises higher or swifter, are all plain anxiety indicators.
     All this anxiety in our world is also the cause of much insomnia! If you are suffering from this lack of dreaming, first do try Valerian, hops, or skullcap, in capsules or tea. These are the most efficacious herbs, all-natural with no side effects, known. Chamomile or catnip tea before bed is soothing and calming to the nerves.
     Naturally, avoid caffeine and other stimulants, including exercise and exciting movies or activities, before bed.
     Most of all, make a regular habit of prayer, Psalm reading, and meditation at your bedside. Just keeping The Book on your nightstand can make you feel more at ease. Regular perusal and use of it can save your eternal life.

Send your dream to Danielle by emailing her at ChristianPsychics@hotmail.com, and write her name in the subject line. God Bless!

     The Lord God commanded us from Genesis on to have stewardship over the earth. He had us give each animal its own name.
We've been a little slipshod in our manners ever since!
     Please consider adopting a pet from the local Humane Society (HSUS.org or ASPCA.org), making a donation to Greenpeace (Greenpeace.com) or the Sea Shepherd Society (SeaShepherd.org), the National Geographic Society (NationalGeographic.com) or the Sierra Club (SierraClub.org).

     You can sponsor the pet of one of our soldiers overseas through Whisker City (WhiskerCity.com) or adopt a rescued pet from the Gulf storms through Noahs Wish (tinyurl.com). Our good deeds and charity adorn us as brides clothes in the eyes of God.

Godparenting

It is a known practice in the Orthodox Church that every person, child or adult, should have a godparent (sponsor) at the time that they enter into the faith through Holy Baptism and Chrismation. To be a godparent is at the same time a great honor and a tremendous responsibility. God asks each godparent to assist in leading souls along the narrow path which leads to the Kingdom of Heaven. For this reason the role of the godparent is not to be minimized or trivialized. It is in fact a role that is holy and needs to be taken seriously.

The task of steering a child along the narrow path, and bringing them up according to the law of God is perhaps the greatest of all things in life. St. Theophan the Recluse says that there is no holier act. What better thing can we offer our children than to lead them to our Lord and teach them to imitate Him in their life.

The challenge of raising up a child in the teachings of God is perhaps far greater today than ever before. We are contending against many negative influences that carry with them great appeal. Due to the fallen state that we are in, and the unhealed passions that remain within us, the things that are most harmful are the things that are most enticing. With the many obstacles and temptations, the parents along with the godparents, must help the precious souls entrusted to them through the course of life.

While it is an honor to be asked to be a godparent, one should make sure that the potential sponsor will be committed to the responsibility. The role must be honored and not taken lightly. Every godparent will be accountable to God as to whether or not he or she has fulfilled their duties. Prospective godparents must know their faith, or at least be in the process of learning their faith and be committed to a life in Christ. One problem today is that people who are called upon to be godparents do not know their faith and are not regular participants in the life of the Church. This is also true for some parents. Consequently a child who is baptized may never know anything about Jesus Christ and the Church.

In the early Church heavy emphasis was placed on the educating of the faithful and those who desired to come into the Christian faith. As Christianity spread in a pagan world, the need to teach individuals before their baptisms became crucial. The systematic instruction, which was a preparatory stage for baptism was and is called "catechism."

During catechism one learned the basic elements of the Christian faith and moral life. We see the importance of these teachings and the teachings themselves in the 4th Prebaptismal Catechesis of St. Cyril of Jerusalem. The candidate had to be introduced by one of the faithful, called anadochos, (the godparent to be) and be examined by the "doctors" (the Bishops) who were in charge of the catechumens, to ensure that clear spiritual motives led him to enter the Church. Other than in cases of urgency, baptism was not something that was rushed. Not only did the candidate need to understand the teachings of Christ and the Church, but he also had to be living by them.

The anadochos which means one who receives (the person out of the font), was responsible for the candidate and played a very important role during the process of his Catechesis and even after the candidate had been baptized. This obviously took place primarily with adult candidates or young people. However, as the faith spread and as entire families were coming into the Body of Christ, infant baptism became more the norm rather than the exception. With the emergence and common practice of infant baptism, the anadochos was called upon to be the spokesperson for the infant at their baptism.

The godparent, therefore, is the representative of the infant who is being admitted into the Church of Christ. He speaks for the infant and vows that he will do all he can to assure that the child will be a true soldier of Christ and a devoted member of His Church. He accepts the sacred responsibility of guiding the child into the understanding and practice of the teachings of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. The godparent makes a public profession of the Nicene Creed during the Baptism. Likewise, his renunciation of the devil is made on behalf of the candidate for Baptism. The godparent implicitly pledges himself to aid his godchild in whatever necessities that may arise, but most especially in the giving of a good Orthodox Christian example to the Godchild.

How should one go about choosing a Godparent?

1. Parents must exercise the greatest care in the selection of godparents for their children. Certainly they will never select atheists or agnostics, or persons who are lukewarm toward the Church. This would obviously defeat the purpose of having a godparent in terms of their role.

2. The Godparent must bring godliness and holiness to the child. Godparents are parents representing God or parents on God's behalf.

3. Parents should not choose godparents because they feel obligated, or because they think that if they don't ask a certain person or couple that they will be offended. Many, if not most situations, where people who have chosen someone to be a godparent out of guilt or obligation, end up being disastrous.

4. The faith of the godparent and their involvement within the sacramental life of the Church is crucial. The person who confesses Jesus Christ as His Lord cannot ignore and violate in word and deed this faith. How can he promise God that he will make certain that the child will grow to be a true follower of Christ, when he himself lives a life of unbelief and disobedience?

5. It goes without saying that the godparent must be an Orthodox person. How could someone who is not Orthodox provide the proper religious education, example and inspiration to his godchild? It should also be noted that an Orthodox Christian who has not had his or her marriage blessed in the Orthodox Church is excluded from exercising the privilege of serving as a godparent, because they are not considered to be in good standing with the Church.

6. The Church also cautions us to select a person who has reached the age of reason and moral responsibility (at least 12 years of age). It is also good to look for godparents outside of the family. In this way, the family grows and special bonds are created.

What are some other things that are expected of the Godparent?

1. It is a gross misunderstanding to think that the only duty of the godparent is to buy a new outfit and a cross for the infant. Certainly this is a beautiful tradition, but the emphasis must not be on the material but rather the spiritual. Many times people are so concerned with the clothing, the cross, the martyrika, (witness pins) and the luncheon afterwards, that they forget the magnitude and the awesomeness of the great mystery and the great gift of Holy Baptism. Both the parents and the godparents should be careful not to fall into this trap, but instead to keep their minds focused on the most important aspect and that is the baptism itself.

2. The godparent should make a faithful commitment to join the struggle with the parents, guided by the Church, to bring the infant carefully and prayerfully along the difficult road to Heaven.

3. After the baptismal service is finished, the godparent delivers the child into the arms of the mother in front of the congregation. As she receives the child, now baptized, sealed and illuminated, she kisses the hand of the godparent as a token of the spiritual relationship that is established between the godparent and the family. This is a Christian expression of gratitude and respect.

4. If the godparent lives in the same city, it is customary for the godparent to bring the infant (or accompany the newly illumined adult) to Holy Communion with the lit baptismal candle for the next three Sundays. After three Sunday's the candle is no longer used, but it is good for the godparent to take the child to communion each week.

5. A faithful godparent will make the effort to maintain close contact with their godchild, building up their relationship. The main focus, however, is the progress of the child in the knowledge and practice of the Christian life. He should at all times model a Christ-like example. For this reason it is important that the godparent stay on top of their own spiritual life. The godparent should pray, fast, read from Holy Scripture, and participate in the sacramental life of the Church. As they grow and mature in the faith, they will in turn be able to offer more and more to their godchild who has been entrusted to them. To neglect their own spiritual life is ultimately to neglect the spiritual life of their godchild.

6. Godparents are encouraged to call to remembrance the sacred and joyous moment of Baptism, which may be done by participating in "Godparents' Sunday", a National Observance by the Greek Orthodox Church in America.

7. Appropriate gift-giving honoring the occasion of the godchild's nameday, birthday or baptism day, could include such things as icons, a Bible, and religious books that will be helpful in building up the spiritual life of the child. These are the most important, but it is not wrong to give other things as well that the child would enjoy and make use of.

8. Most of all, the greatest duty of the godparent is to pray fervently for their godchild that God will always watch over them and guide them throughout his/her life. The Akathist to the Mother of God the Nurturer of Children could be read by the godparent and they could simply replace the word "child" with "godchild".

The role and responsibility of the Godparent can be summed up in the Divine Commandment that is read from the Holy Gospel at the service of Baptism. "Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." It is truly an honor to be called upon to be a godparent. May we all live a life close to the Church, seeking help from Christ, that we may fulfill our sacred duty as godparents in a way pleasing to God.

From the newsletter Agape published by St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Eugene, Oregon. Posted on July 4, 2006 with the kind permission of Fr. Timothy Pavlatos.

December 21, 2012.

What is destined to occur on this auspicious date? Everyone is giving the Winter Solstice of 2012 unprecedented attention. Some are expecting the end of the world, while others are saying business as usual, all the while realizing business hasn't been as usual for some time now. Is this the day that Jesus will return? Let's consider the whole picture before jumping to conclusions.   First, Jesus told us clearly and repeatedly that the day of His return was asecret known only to His Father. Jesus didn't know, or evince any curiosity, as to when His encore would occur. He promised it would happen, told us to live every day as if it were our last, and not to worry about the rest. Did He give us acode to find, a riddle to solve, a way to figure the date out? Since He didn't know the date, He left no clue to any method of discovery.   He did leave the injunction that there would be signs in the heavens thatwould precede His return. He likened these signs to birth pangs.  Thus the creators of the Mayan Long Count and Short Count calender, whichconcludes on the Winter Solstice of 2012, become involved in our theme.   (These ancient people knew Jesus as Quetzalcoatl, and identified Him correctly with the Morning Star.) Their assiduous sky watching and recording of incidents witnessed is phenomenal. They call the Galactic Dark Rift 'xibalba' which manyinterpret as Hell; others point out is properly translated as Birth Canal. On the Winter Solstice, December 21 of 2012, our sun will rise conjunct thedark Galactic Birth Canal, just at the mouth of the star sign Sagittarius. This canbe said to be the time of the beginning of the birth pangs.He also said, before He left this terrestrial earth to join His Father in Heaven,'this generation shall not pass away before these things come to pass.' So wehave the outside time frame of at least a generation from the Winter Solstice of 2012 before we have to organize for Him coming back in force to establish anearthly kingdom, of which there will be no end. How long is a generation?

Between 25 and 30 years, thereabouts. We have time to finish the harvest.

Need your natal or transit chart done for this year? Email us atChristianPsychics@hotmail.com with your birth info, or see How To Order page.  God Bless!

      You may meet the fire court in the spring, during a heat wave or a dry spell, in school, on a trip, on the Net,  at a sports event, especially a race; at a barbecue, a fire sale, in traffic, in transit, on the phone, or at a business meeting, or see their byline in a photojournal. They are clever and inventive and tell engaging stories, quick anecdotes, good bad jokes, and always have a smart comeback.

     You won't find more active, activating, inspiring, or tiring people than the court of fire. Their genius is expressed in acts of power or creations, inventions, strategies, polemics, formulas. They will never bore you, or consider your feelings or interests as opposed to theirs. Their intensity can be incandescent, beyond frightening, as can their loyalty to an underdog, an old friend, a fading ideal or tradition. A thwarted fire lover can go psycho most easily; he is also the one who will write the most moving spiritual poetry.

     Your fire friends will be the ones you instantly turn to in a crisis, the ones you can count on for courageous support, strong minded advise, and who will see you through an unpopular move or position. They are as ferociously honest as they are fiercely loyal, and will tell you the unpalatable truth without losing your respect or love. It is both dangerous and unwise to ignore or cross them.

     The fire folks are into travel and frequent changes of scene, love warm or outright hot weather, and don't mind flying, camping, roughing it. They are initiators, but may not stick around to see the thing through.

     In cases of physical description, the fire folks always look a little different; original, yes, but slightly foreign. Natural chameleons, they tend to disguise themselves to adapt to their surroundings, though their innate fire always shows through. Most fire sign women color their hair, even in youth; they are tastefully made up, but always so; the fire men are frequently too daring in their speech.

is competitive in work and play. She knows!  

This is the gal who can give you good advice in any situation.

     Wands issues revolve around communcation, its mediums and modes, the exchange of ideas of all kinds, invention, discovery and breakthrough, travel, world affairs, politics, liturature, everything current, including the latest fashion.

will always include quotations of those having their 15 minutes of fame now.
It may also come as a surprise.

    In many ways, the element of earth is the most important in any horoscope. At present, it is unpopular to be of earth, from earth, or remotely human; 'earth people!' will sneer the alien ET of movies or television, or astrologers, gurus, New Agers of all genres. Yet without a strong placement in the earth element, the natal horoscope of the most sensitive, spiritually gifted soul will flounder into madness. Earth people are strong, skeptical, rational, logical, handy and adaptable, sturdy survivors who can access other dimensions while cooking dinner in the forest for 22 girl scouts. They also wear name brands, are conscious of what you are driving, express greed as art form, and will not think twice about stealing your boyfriend, expecting you to thank them for exposing the cheap cheater to you. Earth, a bountiful, beautiful planet; earth, a rocky emptiness we long to leave behind. You will recognize earth people as the most plastic in Hollywood, who write the most moving scripts touching universal spiritual themes; those you meet in the late summer/early fall, harvest time, at a nursery for plants, at a utility or hardware shop, at a bank, or out doors, or just doing fun outdoor activities, hiking, camping, definitely spelunking. You meet them in the local Subway or at The Best Restaurant in Town. They are themselves excellent and inventive cooks, love to bake, organize, glam up and dress down, and call shabby chic 'somebody else's junk'; they may be thieves, but on a grand scale; they may drop names, but never tell a secret.

     The earth character is just paradoxical; angels wearing animal skins, PETA fanatics who would bash your brains out for wearing fur, and lobby for freedom of enterprise. What a people! What a place!

     Physically, they look indigenous to the region, or are natives. They have a typical Yankee face, or a local Yorkshire look, or, like successful homicidal maniacs, they look like everybody else.

     The Earth man is considerate of other peoples resources and their time.  His taste is sophisticated in public, his manner reserved, he is all about  business, and is always a devoted dad.  He can be a most formidable foe!  Don't provoke his anger unless you can play hard ball.   

is the woman wearing name brand designer clothes, driving the latest model SUV, who recylces everything and works two jobs plus is a full time mom. She can sense others needs, is warm hearted and kind, and frequently grants wishes!

Global warming, the environmental movement, and the sales at Lowes are all earth issues, which revolve around the archtype.

The children of earth are more likely to share their curds and whey with the spider than to run away from it. Most earth sign folks are deeply attached to the local fauna!

The Air court can be known by their panache, their flair for the original, and by the drama that they inspire in those around them. If you have a hidden fear, secret shame, guilty conscience, or extra toe, be sure an Air folk will find thee out! And they will tell everyone, as they talk incessantly. Curious, judgmental, adroit of intellect and body, graceful, elegant, malicious, criminal and just. The air court is always restless, having a sense of recklessness about them, and seldom do they count the consequences. Swords people speak incisively, display excellent judgment, and share keen insights.  By nature they are active, competitive, go-getters, achievers, and award winners. 

The trees here noted are sad cypress; the birds are black, the cherubs stone, and the butterflies are ideals only. Swords folks are sad as only realists can be sad. They deal with sorrow efficiently, but it has left its mark on their souls.

You may know the air court by having met them in the winter months, the rainy season, on a windy day, in an airplane, in the open air, at the airport, in court, at a sports event, or have seen them on TV.

By occupation they are most frequently in the military or police; often they may be 'on the air' or in show business, in computer software design, or any occupation which deals in the abstract; decision makers or arbitrators, judges or butchers or surgeons; they love to work with tools and the women are always on the cell phone, blackberry or iPod.

In cases of physical description, be guided by the imagery in your chosen deck and your intuitive capacities. Usually swords people are red to auburn haired, with medium coloring, with hazel or light eyed; this applied equally to Vikings and Africans.

     Any man born in an air sign is a King of Swords.
     He may also be someone who loves sailing, or who flies airplanes for fun, as these are a Swords orientations. 

      A king of Swords could be a man you met in the open air, at a sports arena or field, at a balloon exhibition, or an airport.
      His occupation may be that of surgeon, lawyer, or salesman.  He will display keen judgment of others capacities, be shrewd of speech, and look sharp.
     His temper could quickly and easily flare.

     The Queens of Swords are energetic, high maintenance friends, who are always on the phone, texting you a thousand messages, all of them full of fun and gossip.

     When you have a problem, they know ten other people who had the same thing happen, and can tell exactly what each person did that was different and which was the same.

     Swords women are fair weather friends, who show you exactly which way the wind blows.

     All air sign people tend to travel frequently.  They may be travel agents or pilots or stewardesses, or just be on the move a lot, or change jobs every two years. 

     They may be journalists, in the broadcast industry, or in politics.  They are always well groomed and dressed for the occasion, and can articulate well. 

     They negotiate.  Principle seldom gets in the way of the bottom line. 

     Air signs are risk takers.

     Geminis in particular are inquisitive, almost to the point of being nosy!

     The Page of Swords always brings news, especially news from far away places, and a change of scene.

     Physical activity is an air sign trait!                       

     Some think that air signs make the best spys and investigators.  Some also think Geminis are psychotic, but this is unfair.