Just Some Thoughts

Sometimes I really feel as though I do not belong on this planet.  All around me are images of what society deems necessary for success and happiness.  The images and subtle programming have affected me in different ways, however I do not accept society’s drone of what I should be or what I need to possess to be happy.  Most of it bores me.

We are surrounded with the temptation of artificial pleasure.  Pornography, gambling, plastic surgery for “perfection”, electronics, jewelry, luxury travel, trendy clothing, gluttonous food and drink, are all flashed before us.  “They” lead us to believe we need what they offer for our happiness.  It is a lie.  Make no mistake.  “They” lead us to believe we need it all so they can line “their” pockets.

We have allowed ourselves to be trapped in an artificial world, where happiness is unattainable.  In that world, happiness only comes when we attain the next thing “they” provide us.  That happiness is fleeting, and we are already craving the next pleasure fix.

It is time that we break free and really start to enjoy life for what it has to offer.

As the years fly by, I am learning that life is a process that  teaches us to love.  It is that plain and simple.  All of the situations and issues that we face are placed in our path for a reason.  God, in His infinite wisdom, is allowing us opportunity for growth.  We can choose to stop and question each situation, and try to learn the truth that He is placing in front of us, or we can complain, ignore, and forge ahead as usual, insuring that we will experience the same issue in the future.  You see, God will not give up on us.  He knows what is needed for each of us, and what will make our souls happy.

We tend to focus on meaningless glitz and pleasure.  It is impossible for those things to make us happy…for they are the illusions and diversions of satan.

The only true reality is the purity of Truth and Light.  The key to happiness and joy is our openness to the love of God.  Only when we connect with His love can we learn how to love each other.  That is where the joy starts!

Everyday as my husband and I commute to work together,  I am amazed at the wonder around us.  Every season has its own beauty.  Spring offers a new splash of  fresh color that awakens our sleeping spirits.  The wonderful aroma of honeysuckle is a pleasure that I savor.  Summer brings warmth, beauty, and energy.  It is wonderful to enjoy the comforting music of birds chirping   in the morning and crickets harmonizing at night.    Autumn is my special gift from God!  I am convinced that He created Fall just for me – the bright rays of the warming sun breaking through the crispness of the cool air, the magnificent colors that are spread out as a bouquet, the intense sense of family that Autumn brings to my spirit, brought to mind by the sight of pumpkins, fall flowers and the taste of sweet, crunchy apples.  For me, this is heaven on earth!  Then there is winter.  A time of hibernation and the perception  of death as we view the  bare twigs and branches that were covered with life only a few months before.

Right when we reach the point where we can no longer bear the stinging cold and isolation of winter, new life bursts forth again.  There is beauty to behold in each season.

Look around your little piece of the world.   Open your eyes to the wonder of nature, and enjoy the simple pleasure that will fill your heart, mind, and soul.  Learn to enjoy and show gratefulness in all the blessings you’ve been given.  All of the people in your life – your spouse, parents, children, relatives, friends, coworkers and all of the people you pass casually on a daily basis were placed in your life for a reason.  Look for ways to love them, and to see the goodness in them.  Sometimes love is not easy, and it’s not always easy to see the good.  That is because we are human and will never be perfect while we are on this earth.  But as we walk in the Light of the Lord, and praise and honor Him, we are preparing ourselves for the ultimate happiness that lies ahead for those who love Him.

For eyes have never seen, and ears have never heard, the wondrous things that God prepared  for those who love Him!!!

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~Selfless, Not Selfish~

What an eye opening reminder!

Peace of My Heart

I have a confession to make, the last couple of weeks I have been incredibly selfish.  I had completely shut my eyes to the needs of those around me and solely focused on that which affected me and my family.  I am ashamed to admit that I had the attitude of “what about me (us)?”

What about our financial needs?

What about my physical aches and pains?

What about my kids struggles?

And the worst of all, what about what I want?

The sad thing is that I didn’t even realize I had become so consumed with self until our Pastor prayed a prayer yesterday.  Now, I knew I wasn’t myself.  I had been feeling grumpy and agitated, impatient and just mean and I couldn’t figure out why.  Now I know, my focus was on my circumstances instead of on God.  I was behaving like a child with my hands…

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Reflection of Our Father

How many times have you thought that a friend or family member reminds you of his/her father?  It could be physical looks, gestures, mannerisms, or spirit.  Sometimes it is a quality that comes naturally, and sometimes it is one that is learned, either consciously or unconsciously.

I have heard it said that “You know what a person truly thinks of you by the way his/her children treat you.”  I have found this to be true in many cases throughout the years.

Wow…what a revelation for me!  That really makes me think about how we, as Christians, are perceived by others, and if our lives are a true reflection of the love our Father in Heaven has for all his children.  Do we treat each other with the tender love of God?

Although, being human, we can never be perfect, in what ways are we Christ like?  How do we remind people of our Heavenly Father?  Do we even realize the importance of our mission here on earth…to touch all those around us with Christ’s Love?  Hearts and souls are at stake.

Some things to think about, because we are being watched in our day to day lives…not just when we are at Mass or Church Services:

Do we live in constant fear, worry, jealousy, and/or bitterness, or are we filled with the Peace of Christ?

Do we accept our daily struggles and offer them to God, or do we constantly complain?

Do our daily decisions regarding what we allow into our hearts…as in magazines, books, games, movies, tv shows and music, glorify God?

Do we conduct ourselves with humility and modesty, in thought, word, dress, and action?

When we see someone in need, do we look away, or try to help in some way?

Do we avoid certain people because of what they look like, or because they are different from us?

In confrontational situations, do we respond with anger, or do we take a step back to think before speaking?

Do we ask for forgiveness from those we have hurt, and forgive those who have hurt us?

Do we avoid contact with neighbors, family or friends, or do we take the time to listen, and truly open our hearts to them?

Are we always open to sharing our blessings with those in need?

Are we eagerly listening for the whispers of the Holy Spirit to lead us, or are we blocking the will of God in our lives because we like things the way they are?

Father, we ask that you fill us with your Holy Spirit.  Please help us to love others as you love them.  Work through us, Lord, because on our own, we are nothing. Shine your light of love and peace in our hearts so it overflows to all those in need. We ask these things in the name of your son, Jesus.

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12  

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  1 John 4:18

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  1 Peter 4:8

 

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Your Place or Mine?

Do you live in bondage and fear, or are you free in Christ? The choice is yours…

Just Ask Tina

A while back, I’d heard about a comment made by a person who was feeling extremely discouraged about some pretty heavy duty things that were going on in his life. His comment was this –

“I don’t even feel like praying anymore because it seems like when I do, things just get worse.”

Having been through (and still going through) some pretty tough and challenging situations myself, I felt really badly for this guy.

As I sat pondering his words and, to tell you truth, identifying with them myself, I suddenly got a vision.

Yes, a vision. Hold on, now, go with me…

In my vision, I was in a house – my house – where I was busily going about my normal, daily routine of cleaning, tidying up, etc.

Nestled high up in a corner of the living room ceiling was a big hornet’s nest which had been there…

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True Love and Freedom

When praying this morning, I felt intense peace of the Holy Spirit, and then was overcome with a deep feeling of grief and sadness.  It was overwhelming.

Usually, the names or faces of those that need prayer appear to me.  Today, that was not the case.

There is either someone in my life right now that is in dire need of Christ’s healing love and forgiveness, or it was the despair of a multitude of souls in need of conversion and repentance.

The sadness and intensity of need filled my spirit with love and a strong desire to pray for them.

I meditated on the rosary, and asked the Lord to send His Holy Spirit to open hearts to His perfect love, and heal those most in need.  This world needs the saving grace of Jesus, and needs our prayers to touch them.  So many are floundering, confused, and miserable.

Not so long ago, I was one of those souls.

Dear Father, thank you for loving us always; especially for those times when we fall and ask for your forgiveness and peace. 

You are pure love and joy and our souls long to be in your presence;

Thank you for sending your Son in human form…that through His suffering, death and resurrection, we are set free. 

For true freedom is a heart joined with you, covered with the blood of Christ.  Help us to share your love and grace with those most in need. 

We pray for your protection and guidance, so that we may spread the Good News of the Gospel.

Inside Out

Last weekend, my husband and I took my mom to visit our relatives in Maryland.  We all had such a fun time together, just enjoying each other’s company and laughing a lot!

As usual, the food was delicious, and being that they live so close to the Chesapeake Bay, you know they picked up a bunch of steamed Maryland Blue Crabs.  All I can say about that is …YUM!

My cousin’s husband gave me some pointers on how to eat the crab, and I was armed with a mallet and a little sharp knife.  Although, I have to admit, my husband did most of the work for me, I proceeded to get down and dirty with those crabs, and it tasted like heaven!

On the way home, I noticed that I had cut my thumb…it was like a deep paper cut.  I hadn’t even noticed when the damage was done.  After a while, it started throbbing and hurting.  For the next few days, that little cut was annoyingly painful, and it didn’t seem to be healing.

It’s a week later, and I am noticing that it is healing from the inside out.  The cut is still opened on the surface, but I can feel a slight hardening around it, indicating the internal healing work that is occurring, and the pain has finally subsided.  I’m guessing all traces will be gone in a few days’ time.

Isn’t that the way sin works in our lives?  Sometimes, we fall into it without even realizing what is happening.  Satan is very deceiving, and can twist things around in our minds…holding us bound.  Then all of a sudden, we are made aware of the consequences of our sin, and the pain starts.

We pray,  and think we’ve given it to God, however the pain doesn’t subside, sometimes it even seems to get worse after prayer.

When we are sincere in our sorrow, have confessed our sin, and have repented, God will always work miracles in our hearts.  What I have noticed in my own life, is the Holy Spirit works deep in the layers of our hearts…most of the time, we aren’t even aware of the dark places that are being healed.  We focus our attention on what we can see and feel, and sometimes waiver in faith…and doubt that we are forgiven, and the Lord will heal us.

The Lord heals us from the inside out.

Our journey and timelines may be different from what we expect, however, according to His will, our hearts, minds and souls are being transformed.

As the transformation continues to change us, we will start to see the fruits of the spirit manifesting in our lives.  As we start to see evidence of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, we can rest assured that we are aligned with Jesus, and He is within us.

Thank you Jesus, for loving me; patiently healing all the dark places in my soul.  Please hold me in your light, and teach me to love you more perfectly, by showing me how to love others.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5:22-23

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.   2 Corinthians 3:18

Cleansing Waters

On days that seem “blah”, and times when I am feeling “stuck”, it always helps to list out some of the blessings in my life.

Today is one of those days.  I am looking out my window at work, and everything is SO grey.  There is a big black cloud hanging over the area, and I just want to say, “Go ahead and let it fall…just rain already!”  Maybe if it finally decides to rain, the sun will come back out!

But still, the dreariness remains, and the rain hasn’t started yet.

So I thought it would be a good time to make a list of some blessings…the rays of sunshine in my life.  Thinking of these things help me to  shine from the inside out….whether or not the sun is out!

Here we go with some of those blessings:

The love of Jesus in my heart (what else do I really need?)

I woke up today! (God is not done with me yet)

My wonderful husband, who is my biggest blessing on earth

Nice warm, cozy bed

Hot shower

Availability of clean water

Healthy foods…and unhealthy, but yummy desserts

Wonderful, beautiful family and friends

Good health

My job (also my husband’s job)

Ability to help some people in need

My sense of humor…always important to get me through the day!

The blessings of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste; so I can appreciate the world God placed me in!

Last but not least…the blessing of forgiveness.  No matter how many times I fall, the Lord is always right there with me, ready to shower me with the cleansing waters of forgiveness…so my soul can once again shine brightly with His rays of love and grace.

Help me Lord, to always have thankfulness in my heart for all the blessings you bestow on me – even the ones I do not see as blessings. The difficulties and struggles make me stronger and cause me to rely on You in a deeper way.  Help me to also remember all of your children around me, who are in need.  I ask that you fill my heart with love and compassion, and a spirit of giving, so my life can be a blessing to them.  Amen.

 

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;   Ephesians 5:20

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.  Acts 26:18

 

 

 

 

How the Poor Live

What does it mean to be richly blessed? Don’t miss this post…it will fill your heart.

Morning Story and Dilbert

One day, a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yeah,” said the son.

“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden, and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden, and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to…

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Shooting Stars and Miracles

Sometimes I am not sure who really does the most “teaching” in families…the parents or the children.

In my own family, I know that my two sons taught me some awesome truths.  They helped to stretch me out of the confined box I had unknowingly built myself into.  As all you parents will identify with, the love and connection that my husband and I felt for them was something that we never felt before.  However, even where there is great love, there is always more to learn about what love really is.

It feels like both yesterday and a lifetime ago, our family had the opportunity to camp out at a friend’s beautiful property, which included 110 acres of wooded land and a lake.  We had a wonderful time there…it was the kind of place that was so far away from city lights, that the night was intensely peaceful and black.  When you looked up, you could see a sky filled with beautiful stars.  It was breathtaking, and so peaceful.  It was like heaven; our family being together in that beautiful setting, just enjoying the stars and the sounds of crickets and frogs.

My youngest son, Michael, who was about 10 years old at the time, was excitedly telling me that he just saw some shooting stars.  I said, “Are you sure that’s what you saw?  Have you ever seen a shooting star before?”  He answered, “Mom, I see them all the time.”

I told him I never saw a shooting star.

That’s when he uttered words that stay with me to this day.  He said, “Mom, you never see them because you don’t look for them.”

And guess what happened.  I looked upwards, and I saw a shooting star!  My heart was amazed!  From the mouth of babes, a spiritual truth was revealed to me.

God is all around us.  He is in the air we breathe, the sun that shines on us, the flowers and trees, the oceans, the rain that falls from the sky, the sounds and beauty of the birds in the air and all the animals, the moon, planets  and stars in the sky.  He is in our children, spouses, parents, friends, relatives, neighbors, and all the people of the world.

The Lord’s Holy Spirit and his miracles are always around us…why don’t we see them?  Why do we think miracles do not exist on a daily basis?

Because we are not looking for them.

Today, when I was walking and praying with my Lord, He spoke to me.  He told me to always keep myself open to Him, and I will be amazed at what is revealed.  There will always be a new thing of beauty to see, there will always be a new beautiful song to hear, there will always be a new opportunity to love.  God’s creativity is endless.

Are you ready to really look for God all around you?  You will find Him everywhere…starting right in your own heart.

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?   Matthew 21:16

Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.   Isaiah 48:6

Thank You, Jesus

Thank you, Jesus, for giving up your life so that I can be saved.

Thank you for bearing the weight of my sins and my arrogant unbelief.

Thank you for suffering in my place.

Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to open my heart to your sweet love and peace…the only TRUE love and peace that exists.

Your love surrounds me with the gentleness of your Holy Spirit;

My soul constantly longs for communion with you; your presence is my joy.

I pray that you continue to bless me and continue to enlighten me in your ways;

Help me to find my true identity and purpose through you…for without you, I am an empty shell.

Please continue to reveal to me ways that I should reach out to those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, suffering, searching, devoid of faith, and in despair.

Help me to be a shining light of your enveloping love, always open to being a vessel of your will…for you to touch this world in need.

Help me to always pray for the conversion of souls for those in most need of your mercy;

Help me to love all people, especially  those who are the hardest to love…for their souls long to be free.

Thank you, Jesus.  Thank you!