Dear Reader:

Whether you are still digging out from snow or pulling out your shorts and t-shirts… St. Patrick’s Day ☘️ is almost here! And you can always go green inside …if white dominates your outside surroundings. March has either gone extraordinarily warm – breaking records or extraordinarily cold – breaking records…depending on your location.

I actually thought ahead on the table centerpiece… when Brooke and I went to Beaufort a few weeks ago…we visited the Beaufort Restore. Someone was ready to get rid of their St Patrick’s Day paraphernalia while I wanted to acquire it for Lachlan’s birthday… who was and is the real treasure coming on St Patrick’s Day… almost 8 years ago! Hard to believe. (***I know what is at the end of the rainbow… my precious treasure- Lachlan! )

Last year… I spent hours researching St Patrick and realized …that even after separating the folklore and myth from reality… a movie should be made on St Patrick’s life because it would be an immediate block-buster!

Sneak Review… Marwyn Suceat ( Scottish name) was born in Great Britain ( Wales today) He was kidnapped at 16 by one of the notorious Irish raiding parties who made slaves of young teenagers -forced to risk their lives tending and protecting sheep and lambs from dangerous predators.

Patrick prayed for deliverance while his family , particularly his father, a man known for his strong faith, never gave up hope for his son’s return. Six years later Patrick courageously escaped and found his way home. The family was overjoyed… particularly when he decided to enter the priesthood.

But soon ” voices ” started coming to him…at night and in his dreams-relentless in its repetition. The ” voices” told him to return to Ireland … this time as a missionary. Can you imagine returning to the place of terror that held you captive all those years… to bring religion to people, like the Irish raiders, who murdered and captured young people… bonding them in slavery…but Patrick did just that…

Today he is known … as the Patron Saint of Ireland and is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival.

***To locate and read the entire story I wrote on St. Patrick last St Patrick’s Day… ( March 17, 2022) google ” The Amazing Story of St. Patrick” ( chapelofhopestories)

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day… Winnie the Pooh