Oh my Precious one! Going to Church with Precious Pearl

 

My Precious Pearl is indeed a very special person! I met Pearl many years ago when she became my volunteer driver.

We started with her accompanying me to medical appointments and soon we found ourselves being fast friends. Over the years, we have shared many restaurant lunches, I have played her piano at her home, and we have shared so much more.

Pearl is responsible for bringing me back to Church. She introduced me to Father Ron and to several other parishioners.  Going to Church with Pearl is one of the most special times for me.

Pearl is gentle, kind, generous, and so much more. I am just so fortunate that Jesus has brought her into my life.

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured for ever.

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Thank you Mary and Jesus forever: Lourdes forever

As I say to everyone:  If you truly believe that a visit to Lourdes will change you then you must visit Lourdes. But if you do not believe this then better not to waste time visiting this very treasured and holy shrine.

Jilla and I spent 3 very special days at Lourdes. I visited Saint Bernadette’s Church, some of the other churches on the compound, and drank and refreshed myself from the various fountains.

Jilla and I attended 2 outdoor masses and the highlight for me was when I received confession from one of the resident priests.

What an experience!  What a wonderful time to be treasured forever! Thank you Jilla for having accompanied me!

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
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My constant Mom! Mother Mary

She is the one that I constantly call on in good times and in bad times.  She is my constant companion and I am referring to the Mother of Jesus.

I know that we all have ones that we go to for better or worse but Mother Mary is my number one go to.

In times of uncertainty, I call on her.  In good times I share my news and at the end of the day I say good night to her before entering slumber land.

And I truly enjoyed my time in the garden of the Church of the Epiphany when Pearl and I sat quietly enjoying being close to Mother Mary’s statue.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly award-winning, sight-loss coach and accessibility advisor wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and  @author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at
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Forever in my memory! A visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima

This was my main reason for having visited Portugal at the end of May, 2022, and it is a visit that I shall never forget.  And why?  Because I had a very special encounter with Our Lady of Fatima!

For those who will understand and believe:  I traveled two hours to get to this very special and wonderful Shrine. I was just getting over a bout of the stomach flu but nothing was going to stop me on this day before I was scheduled to depart Portugal!

My wonderful cab driver drove me effortlessly to the Shrine and when we got there we walked around and then attended an outdoor Mass and it was while I was sitting quietly waiting for Mass to begin that I experienced my never-to-be-forgotten encounter with Our Lady of Fatima.

I felt someone put their arms around my shoulder and then bury their face in my hair.  The feeling was ever so gentle and lasted for a few seconds.  There was no special fragrance, just that someone was standing behind me with their arms around my shoulders and their face buried in my hair.

I checked with my cab driver to be sure that no one had physically done it but the entire experience did not dawn on me until I was back in the cab heading to the hotel.

My cab driver was simply wonderful.  She and I had a yummy Portuguese lunch on the way back to the hotel and she took me to a factory where I bought a Prayer Book of the Rosary for Mom, a ceramic ornament of Our Lady with the 3 Children, and a Portuguese ceramic doll.

What a wonderful trip and a memory forever! Thank you Jesus for having enabled me to visit this very special Shrine.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly sight-loss coach and accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight loss coach and author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan
and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

 

New techniques: Keeping up at Mass

After such a long time not having attended Mass, I now have to retrain myself as to when I sit, stand, and kneel.  It is getting better but as a blind/vision-impaired person, I need to ensure that I do all of these things at the right time.

So, I sit very close to my friend Pearl so that I can feel when she sits, stands, and kneels.  Pearl is also very good at telling me when to do so.  We have fun doing this and I am just so grateful to be attending Mass once more.

Thank you, Jesus, for having brought Pearl into my life!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly sight-loss coach and advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids, with their wide eyed smiles and infectious laughter, is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
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The Little Church

 

Ah, yes!  It's Christmas Eve and time for me to cherish my little church once more.  My precious little church with the Nativity scene.  Mary and Joseph holding the new born baby Jesus in their arms.  

Christmas would never be the same without my little church close to me.  My little church!  Special and precious!  This is where it all began so many years ago and where it will continue for eternity.  

The little church!  Memories of going with my parents, brothers, cousins, and granny to church on Christmas morning!  To listen to the story of Jesus's birth.  To visit the manger after mass, and to greet friends outside the doors of the church!  Memories for me to savour for the rest of my life!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all, a 2022 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.
Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!
Joyeux Noèl!
Feliz Navidad!
Buon Natale!
Happy Hanukkah!
Please take a moment to give the gift of accessibility to families with
children with a disability!
Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan

A treasured memory: Shopping for a Christmas Church

I have spent several moments over the last few years shopping for a Christmas Church, and finally!  I got my reward in December 2020!  I not only found a church, I bought one and was given a wonderful gift of another!

I found the first one at the Showcase store!  A lovely little church with the Nativity scene inside.  It lights up and it is very compact and lovely to the touch.  All I need to do is to turn it on, either through battery power or by plugging it in.

I was pleasantly surprised when I received my second church via a Christmas present from Sister Helen.  A true work of art!  A ceramic church built with Sister Helen's own hands!

This beautiful church has so much detail to it!  A red roof with a steeple! A white exterior, and inside?  Pews, the Nativity scene, doors and windows decorated with all kinds of Christmas things, steps with snow. In short: my dream come true! Thank you so much, Sister Helen!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly sight-loss coach and advisor, wishing you a terrific day!

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids, with their wide eyed smiles and infectious laughter, is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

The Little Church

Ah, yes! It's Christmas Day and time for me to cherish my little church once more. My precious little church with the Nativity scene. Mary and Joseph holding the new born Baby Jesus in their arms.

Christmas would never be the same without my little church close to me. My little church! Special and precious! This is where it all began so many years ago and where it will continue for eternity.

The little church! Memories of going with my parents, brothers, cousins, and Granny to church on Christmas morning!  To listen to the story of Jesus's birth. To visit the manger after mass, and to greet friends outside the doors of the church! Memories for me to savour for the rest of my life!

I'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! Happy holidays! But most of all! A 2021 that will bring us lots of blessings, good things, and hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Joyeux Noèl!

Feliz Navidad!

Buon Natale!

Happy Hanukkah!

Please take a moment to gift the accessibility to families with children with a disability!

Visit https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan

Will always be in my heart: The Liverpool Cathedral

The experience was deep, moving, touching, and most memorable and as I walked with Jilla and Angie through this enormous church, I knew that my beloved dad was right there with me!

I could feel him walking beside me. I could smell him, the fragrance of his Old Spice cologne wafting over me. At times I felt as if I could literally reach out and take his warm and comforting hand.

As I walked with Angie and Jilla I felt as if I was in another world, taking in the sounds of the Cathedral with its tolling bells, people laughing and kids running around.  Jilla described so many things to me and in one fleeting memorable moment I sat in one of the pews and said a silent prayer, thanking God for having brought me here.

Then Tom guided my hands over various murals that depicted various milestones of the Bible.

What an experience for me, forever engrained in my mind.

Thank you, God, for having allowed me to spend this precious Sunday at this Cathedral and thank you to everyone for having given me this rare chance to be here.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids, with their wide eyed smiles and infectious laughter, is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!

From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts! www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html

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Memories of good old England: Easter in England

Looking back on this particular time, I can honestly say that it was one of the finest experiences for me.  I had the opportunity to learn so much more about my religion.  I got to understand and learn so much more about the meaning of Good Friday and I was privileged to have been able to take part in those special Easter celebrations.

The nuns at the Grange were very kind to Celia and me.  They included us in all of their events and we were treated so very well.  It was a quiet time but I truly loved it and I am grateful for having had this opportunity.

The weather was a typical British springtime and the temps were just right. The birds were singing and the flowers smelled so heavenly.

We got more Easter eggs than we ever hoped for, from Uncle Lance and Georgie to Pat Quinn, Miss Chambers, and the nuns! I shall always remember!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
www.donnajodhan.com.

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

I shall always remember you: Oh my beloved church

You will forever remain in my heart and my mind!  You were the one that my parents took me to when I was growing up!  You were the one that stood tall and proud! You were the one that we went to every Sunday morning!

Oh, how I used to love to  listen to your bells, sit in your pews, and listen as the priest preached his weekly sermon.  The people around me were so very welcoming and accommodating.

That was my beloved Church, Sacred Heart!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
www.donnajodhan.com.

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Happy days! Remembering the seaside churches

The thing about these memories is that these were churches that practically stood at the edge of beaches.  They were all so very quaint and very special to me.

They were small churches filled with congregations that knew all of the prayers.  They knew all of the hymns and they were such friendly and faithful folks.

We, as a family, always sat closer to the middle of the church and we always sat together.  I sang along with the congregation and prayed as hard as they did.  I dutifully went with Mom to receive Holy Communion and I always felt that I had to do the best that I could when attending mass.

I could not see those around me but I was always comforted by their warmth and their welcoming manner.  I knew that more often than not they would probably give me more than a glance when they realized that I was vision-impaired but that was just fine with me.  It did not matter to me because I
had other priorities, like praying as hard as I could.

This was my childhood memory of those wonderful seaside churches, forever imprinted on my mind.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit 
www.donnajodhan.com.

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

My Prayer Book

I'll always remember my very first Prayer Book.  It was small but fat.  It contained several pages that were made of very fine paper and the edges of the pages were all trimmed in gold.  Of course, I could not read it because I was visually impaired but nevertheless my parents allowed me to take it to church in my little handbag. That was my Prayer Book, my perfect little Prayer Book in my perfect little handbag.

My handbag also contained a handkerchief and I was always so proud to take my perfect little Prayer Book to church in my perfect little handbag.  I made sure to not let it rub against anything, taking great care to ensure that it always stayed by my side.

I'll never know what happened to those two childhood treasures but I shall remember them forever.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit  jodhanmysterybook.club/about-the-author
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
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Trusting the one you walk with

I was reminded of this in June 2014 when I attended the funeral of my mom's cousin. There we were in the church and the ushers were seating us. One of them who I did not know came up to me and offered me his arm and as we walked he said, "'I guess that you have to trust the one you walk with, right?"

I did not think of it right away but upon further reflection I conceded that he was absolutely correct. I have to trust the one I walk with and it does not matter whether or not I know them. Scary you say? Only if you let it be so.

Come to think of it, is this not what we all do each time we fly? We have to trust the pilot who flies the plane and chances are that we would not even know them. The same holds for a bus driver, a cab driver, and anyone else who we need to trust whenever we drive or fly.

Trust for me is very important but there are times when I have to put my hesitation aside and go with the flow. I guess that this is so for all, if not most, of us who are blind.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
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and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

My childhood days at church

These are very priceless and precious memories that I have managed to carefully stow away in my memory bank. My parents took me to church every Sunday and along with my brothers, Robert and Jeffrey, our family would sit together in the pew and be a part of the Mass. In those days I could not really see too much around me so I had to depend on others to describe things to me. My mom was my eyes and ears in those days.

I did not have the luxury of a Braille prayer book in those days so I had to depend on my memory to help me keep up with the responses and my dad made sure that I knew them well. Then there were the days when I, along with my family, would go to church with my granny and cousins during vacation time. During the summer vacation at the beach and again at Christmas time.

I have to admit that going to church at Christmas time was always my favorite as I would use the descriptions from Mom and Granny along with my imagination to conjure up images of the Manger, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and a richly decorated church. Once or twice I was called upon to play the organ and oh, how I loved it all.

Yes! Memories of my childhood days at church, memories forever!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan.
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at
There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

At church

I have come to know when to stand, when to kneel, and when to sit, but I am always still very much afraid that I will stand when I am supposed to sit or kneel. So, what do I do?

I listen very carefully to what is going on around me. I sit very close to the one next to me, usually a family member, and I can tell when they stand, sit, or kneel. At Communion time I usually get assistance to receive my Communion.

When it comes to the sign of Peace, I usually turn to those beside me and to those behind and in front of me and put out my hand. Most times it works but there is the odd occasion when someone chooses not to shake hands and this is okay. The great thing for me is that I get a chance to be me.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and tell others about my blogs. Visit www.rnib.org to learn more.

Auntie, I don’t believe

A few months ago I was driving back from Church with my family, after having attended Christmas Mass, when my 11-year-old niece told me that she did not believe that I could not see. To say the least I was mildly surprised, but I soon got a very honest explanation.

Through the eyes of Faith Marie, her perception of a blind persons is someone who needs assistance to find their way, to pray at Church, to know what is around them, to do so much more. She is correct to a certain point but so many blind persons can do all of this plus much more. I often wonder what goes on in the minds of our kids and Faith Marie and I certainly had a very heart to heart conversation that day.

She asked me such questions as: How do I know where I am going? How do I go about geretting dressed? How do I know what is on my plate? How do I know what is going on in the news? Her questions were very constructive, honest, and she wanted to learn. In turn, I did my utmost to be as frank with her as I could.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and find out what our kids are thinking. Come visit me at www.sterlingcreations.ca.

Christmas is for Me

I have had the good fortune to enjoy many wonderful Christmases; with and without vision and it does not matter!  Christmas is for me.  The smells and the sounds, the laughter and the merry making. 

 

When I had enough sight, I used to enjoy going out to window shop.  To see the bright colorful lights, the flickering candles in the Church, Santa's bright red suit, and streets crowded with throngs of folks of all ages.  I also loved to smell the scent of rich pine, cakes and goodies baking in ovens, and taste the various Christmas foods and drinks.  I also loved to walk in the snow and watch those big white snowflakes race each other to the ground but most of all, I loved to ice skate around those huge outdoor rinks decorated with Christmas lights. 

 

That was then and this is now but not much has changed for me.  True it is that I can no longer see the flickering candles, the colorful Christmas lights, and the big fat snowflakes, but this does not prevent me from enjoying this special time of the year.  My sense of smell is still in tact along with my sense of taste and I use my memories of years gone by to help me along.  I focus on the times when I could see and inter mingle those memories with the now.  I am blessed!  I am lucky!  With or without sight, Christmas is for me!  I am a kid at heart, playing with my talking games, playing my electronic keyboard, and my Christmas CDs. 

 

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, Joyeux Noèl, and Feliz Navidad to you all!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan.  Will see you again in the New Year.