Well, very few people in the world will even think about this, but today is the 400th birthday of Rembrandt, born on this day in 1606. A master painter, Rembrandt is known for his biblical paintings of both Old and New Testament biblical scenes, but he is also known for his incredible landscapes that seemed tormented by nature. Although this man was born to very well-to-do parents and was very successful within his life, he ended his life in abject poverty starting with bankruptcy in 1656 at the age of fifty. The pictures you see here are self portarits painted forty years apart. Rembrandt had five children but four of these children died in infancy or before reaching adulthood. One of the amazing things that this great artist developed in painting was the skill of "Chiaroscuro"-- that's an Italian word --it means the bold contrast between light and dark. My father was an amazing artist, himself and I write this because I know this information would interest him. Of course, knowing my dad he probably has had amazing conversations with every famous painter in heaven several times. Today is also the birthday of the great Itallian saint, Mother Cabrini who was the first Itallian -American saint and who with her Sisters of Charity established over 75 schools and orphanges in the new world. She was sent by the Pope here in the 1800's and persuaded a dubious archbishop that she could do what she set out to do. She obtained her first orphange by hitching a ride with a rich woman as she walked along a long stretch of highway on a very hot day! The woman asked her what she was doing out in the middle of nowhere in the heat and Mother Cabrini told the woman that she was looking for land sites but that she had experienced a dream to build an orphange in a open plot of land with a beautiful house that was already built. She then, and with sight unseen before that day described to the woman the very house that this rich patroness lived in right down to the brass doorknobs. Amazed the woman asked her for a drink from her canteen, the last water the good sister had and Mother Cabrini complied that she would "in the name of the Lord!" The grateful woman directed her driver to the very house that she owned and was now giving this house and property to the good sisters for their orphange. From that day forward when asked how she achieved her first stronghold in the United States Mother Cabrini would also say with "a dream, a prayer, and a drink in the name of the Lord!" Sure says a lot about having faith in difficult and diverse times. I think we all need to trust the Good Lord a whole lot more. There is a hidden blessing in everything he sends our way. And we need to do a little more for those who are without. I for one will take this new lesson to heart this very day. It's a grand lesson. You get what you give -- ten thousand fold! Well, the weatherman says it will reach 110 degress --today -- let's hope he's wrong! Bye for now!