The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

Music- what a powerful instrument, what a mighty weapon!

One of the greatest things in human life is the ability to make plans. Even if they never come true-the joy of anticipating is irrevocably yours. That way one can live many more than just one life.

We are not poor. We just don't have any money!

Our age has become so mechanical that this has also affected our recreation. People have gotten used to sitting down and watching a movie, a ball game, a television set. It may be good once in a while, but it certainly is not good all the time. Our own faculties, our imagination, our memory, the ability to do things with our mind and our hands–they need to be exercised. If we become too passive, we get dissatisfied.

We learned the shocking truth that "home" isn't necessarily a certain spot on earth. It must be a place where you can "feel" at home, which means "free" to us.

Love is an excellent thing and a very great blessing, indeed. It makes every difficulty easy. It bears a burden without being weighted, and renders sweet all that is bitter. Love knows no limits, feels no burden, thinks nothing of troubles, attempts more than it is able, because it believes that it may and can do all things; for this reason it is able to do all, performing much where he who does not love fails and falls. Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Like a living flame, a burning torch, it tends upward and passes unharmed through every obstacle.” Whatever faults may be committed, big or small, whatever clouds may pile up on the horizon, dark and threatening, love will overcome all.

A family which sings together, plays together, and prays together usually stays together.

No work, as long as it is decent, can ever disgrace anybody.

The room was bathed in that mild, golden light, which only one source can give – wax candles; but wax candles on Christmas, for on no other day of the year do they radiate such penetrating happiness and peace. It must be that through all the centuries, the light on Christmas Eve borrows its shine from the Star of Bethlehem, which witnessed the first Christmas message of peace to men of good will.

Only one thing at a time can be the Will of God. If He wants us to act in a certain way, He has to help us with the obstacles.. He always does - we can count on it.

Many years later, I happened to learn about planned parenthood and birth control to guard against unwanted children. I must say, Barbara, who we now had to call Johannes, had not been exactly planned for that very moment, and as far as being wanted is concerned, I would've gladly said many times, "Oh, won't you please be so kind as to wait for just six months." Yes, many times on the flight, on the boat, on the bus, on the stage. But thousands of years ago, God assured us – it's in the Book – "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways." So if there's any planning to be done, why don't we let Him do it? Looking back now, I know that He chose the only right moment for Johannes' arrival.

Oh God, we cry unto Thee, In the Name of Jesus, Through the Blood of Jesus, Through the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Most wonderfully Thou canst help us. Holy God, Holy, strong God, Holy, immortal God, Have mercy on us!

if one doesn’t have a character like Abraham Lincoln or Joan of Arc, a diet simply disintegrates into eating exactly what you want to eat, but with a bad conscience.

IT WILL BE very interesting one day to follow the pattern of our life as it is spread out like a beautiful tapestry. As long as we live here we see only the reverse side of the weaving, and very often the pattern, with its threads running wildly, doesn’t seem to make sense. Some day, however, we shall understand. In looking back over the years we can discover how a red thread goes through the pattern of our life: the Will of God.

Her whole bearing breathed refinement and reminded me of lavender.

Oh, time and again, Mrs. Drinker told me that one had to have a doctor and one had to go to a hospital to have a baby. I was finally persuaded to make one concession: the doctor. But go to a hospital--that was ridiculous. Why? What for? I wasn't sick. In Europe you went to a hospital when you were dangerously sick, and many people died there, but babies were born at home. Would they in the hospital allow my husband to sit at my bed-side? Could I hold his hand, look into his eyes? Could my family be in the next room, singing and praying? The answer to all these questions was “nо." All right, that settled it. I tried to explain that a baby had to be born into a home, received by loving hands, not into a hospital, surrounded by ghostly-looking doctors and masked nurses, into the atmosphere of sterilizers and antiseptics. That's why I would ask the doctor to come to our house.

There we experienced in our own life what other people’s trust does to you. It releases new powers; new depths in your soul open, hitherto unknown to yourself. It sharpens your will and fixes it on the goal—it helps you to do the impossible. That’s the way God works with us. He always gives us another chance. Why do people use this magic wand so little? It would transform this world into a paradise. Communism would not be a threat, and United Nations would not be needed. The brotherhood of man would be lived, not just talked about.

These are the fine roots of the tree whose poisonous fruits are gossip and slander.

hall as big as the main waiting room in Grand Central Station.

The excitement of the first Sunday in Advent had hardly died down when the sixth of December came around, one of the most momentous days for all houses where little children lived. On the vigil of this day Saint Nikolaus comes down to earth to visit all the little ones. Saint Nikolaus was a saintly bishop of the fourth century, and being always very kind and helpful to children and young people, God granted that every year on his feastday he might come down to the children. He comes dressed in his Bishop’s vestments, with a mitre on his head and his Bishop’s staff in his hand. He is followed, however, by the Krampus, an ugly, black little devil with a long, red tongue, a pair of horns, and a long tail. When Saint Nikolaus enters a house, he finds the whole family assembled, waiting for him, and the parents greet him devoutly. Then he asks the children questions from their catechism. He has them repeat a prayer or sing a song. He seems to know everything, all the dark spots of the past year, as you can see from his admonishing words. All the good children are given a sack with apples and nuts, prunes and figs, and the most delicious, heavenly sweets. Bad children, however, must promise very hard to change their life. Otherwise, the Krampus will take them along, and he is grunting already and rattling his heavy chain. But the Holy Bishop won’t ever let him touch a child. He believes the tearful eyes and stammered promises, but it may happen that, instead of a sweet bag, you get a switch. That will be put up in a conspicuous place and will look very symbolic of a child’s behavior.

We have now the precious opportunity to find out for ourselves whether the words we have heard and read so often can be taken literally: 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added until you'.

In Poland, Italy, some valleys of Austria, and especially the Balkan countries, the fast is most conscientiously observed. One meal a day only, and no animal products: no meat, no fish, no eggs, butter, cheese, or milk.