Share the Light of Christ

We, as Christians, are called to be lights in the darkness.

Sometimes, it feels as though the darkness that is raging in our culture and in the world, is engulfing us.  However, we must remember that through the power of the Holy Spirit, the light of Christ resides in our hearts and souls.  That light calls out to be shared with those who are living in the darkness.

Listen to the voice of God that is stirring your heart.  

There are people all around you that are suffering…all in different ways.  See and hear the struggles and despair of those that are in need of compassion, love and mercy.  Ask the Lord to direct you, so that you may know the needs of his children that he places on your path.  It may be a family member, a friend, or someone that you come across in your day to day routine.

Listen.

Listen to what souls are in need of. It may be that they just need a listening ear and heart. They may have a particular financial or material need that you can help with.  They may be hungering for encouragement regarding their faith. They may be in dire need of hope.

You may be their lifeline to Jesus.  Sometimes, a person needs to know that “somebody loves me” before they can accept that “God loves me.” 

Let’s take the time to really see and hear those around us.  Let’s love eachother and extend friendship and fellowship.

Let’s be that person who shares The Light of Christ.

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Hidden Things

As I make my way through Lent, my thoughts are drawn toward the light and mercy of Jesus.  What is hindering my relationship with Him…what is holding me back?

Fear is always what holds me back…but what is it that I am afraid of?

Maybe it is the unconscious fear of what lies within me.

I have always been the kind of person who prefers “controlled” light.  Curtains closed at the brightest times of the day, sheers that diffuse direct light, blinds raised and lowered to control exactly how much light enters the room.  All of that, because I do not want to see all the imperfection that is revealed when the sun shines through the windows unbridled.

I would rather live in my “happy place” where my home is just so, and everything is clean and tidy.

The light reveals stains on the couch, dust, and sometimes even cobwebs. It reveals the truth of reality.

I don’t want to acknowledge those hidden things…and would rather go through my life without seeing those things that I consider to be unattractive or damaged.  However, by always trying to camouflage  what is truly there, so much effort goes into the battle of constantly covering up the imperfections, that the issues are never resolved.

The issues, stains, imperfections and damage are always there. Some that we are aware of, and some that we are not.

When we make the choice to pull open the blinds of our heart, and invite Jesus to illuminate us, the Light reveals all…sins of our past and present, many that have remained buried, things that we never even remembered until revealed.  All of a sudden, we are made aware of how we have offended God in so many ways, and are reminded of the times we have hurt others or drew them into sin.  

The Light reveals truths that are unbearable to face…we can no longer camouflage the dirtiness of our souls.  This pure light forces us to face the truth of our unworthiness, and offers us a choice.

We can either acknowledge, confess and truly repent of our sins, which will free us to build a closer relationship with Christ in His mercy, or make the choice to continue living in darkness, which will keep us imprisoned.

I choose Christ. I choose mercy. And I choose the light of his love.

May God bless you during this Lenten Season.  Choose wisely.

 

All the Pieces

Today I completed a rather challenging 1000 piece puzzle.  It was especially fun for me to piece together this particular puzzle, because it pictures what I imagine as the epitome of a welcoming, vibrant autumn day.  And, I must add, autumn is my favorite season.

Working through the process of this puzzle got me to thinking…about life.

I can only speak from my own life experience, however, maybe you can relate.

When my puzzle arrived, the top of the box revealed the beautiful image of the finished product, and nestled inside, was a bag that contained all the pieces thrown together.

Isn’t that like life?

We were created by a loving God, who knew us before we were formed in the womb.  He knows the finished product of who we were created to be.  He knows the beauty of what we truly are.

The first thing I did to start my puzzle, was to dump out the pieces, turn them all over, and then separate the frame pieces from the rest.  Being a 1000 piece puzzle, this took considerable time.

We go through life unaware of the pieces that we are connecting together.  As we experience life as babies, toddlers, children, teenagers, and finally adults,  there comes a time when we realize that there is a heap of puzzle pieces of our life that we can’t find, or can’t figure out where they fit in.  We search and search to find the complete picture of who we are, however, there are many empty spaces, and from our perspective, we are incomplete and rather shabby.

We wonder if we will ever be whole.

Then the process of piecing the puzzle together starts to show the faint makings of what the final result will be.  Slowly, as each piece is found and added, we start to see glimmers of clues that pop up in different areas.

As we live our lives, our memories and our experiences fit together, and reveal snippets of who we are…or who we are becoming.  This often feels as though it will take forever, and there are many times we feel hopeless, and we get very impatient and frustrated.

We want to give up.  We are SO tempted to give in to despair and to JUST GIVE UP.  It is so hard to see the complete picture of who we are meant to be. After all, we are made in God’s image, right?  Why is it so hard to trust Him and have faith that it will all come together?

So, as I look at my completed, beautiful puzzle, I am reminded that God looks at us in that way.  He sees what we are meant to be.  He sees our purpose.  He sees our beauty…and only He knows all the pieces that will fit together in our lives to transform us and make us whole.

 

Only He can see the whole, complete picture.  It doesn’t matter that we can only see the partial image…we need only to trust Him.

Jesus, I trust in You!

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 

I am confident of this: that the one who began a good work in you will bring it to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

 

 

 

Where is God?

When something bad happens, especially when it’s something so shocking and painful that we can’t even comprehend the how and why, we tend to ask the big questions.  Why would God allow this to happen?  Where is God?

I can’t even attempt to answer those questions.  Only God knows why He allows evil, sickness, and pain to exist in our lives.  Sometimes, we may feel that if our faith is strong enough, if we just pray hard enough, we are ensured  a peaceful, happy, successful, and financially secure life, without ever experiencing pain.  We fall into the trap of praying for the specific want or need to be answered in a particular way, and forget to add the part that says “not my will, but yours be done”.

Lately, I’ve begun to realize what it means to truly trust Jesus.  It means to completely let go, and trust Him with your very life.  That no matter what happens, you trust that “all things work together for good for those that love Him”. Your trust in Jesus no longer hinges on whether or not you get the answer you want.  You trust Him and know that all things work toward your good, and also the good of His Kingdom!  We are all in this together, and all play an integral part of the beautiful tapestry He is weaving.  Only our Lord can see the complete, beautiful tapestry of His plan…we are only capable of seeing a veiled, partial view.

I always longed for a true relationship with Jesus.  In the past, I based the relationship on whether prayers were answered, and what God seemed to be “doing for me”.  It was almost as though if I did not get the results I anticipated, that either I wasn’t praying correctly, or God just wasn’t listening.

What I learned to ask myself is – what am I doing for the relationship?  I expect God to always be there for me.  Am I there for Him?  Am I meditating, spending alone time with my God and listening for His loving whispers? Do I align myself with Him, and make necessary adjustments or do I go about my life, making the excuse “that’s just the way I am”.  Do I stand on the Truth of His Word, or do I listen to the deceit and lies of satan…..through modern culture, political correctness, and the entertainment industry.  Do I make the effort to  choose what is most pleasing in God’s eyes, or do I make choices that are most offensive to the ONE who loves me perfectly and unconditionally?

We all have sin in our lives.  The closer we pull to Jesus, and allow the Holy Spirit to enter our hearts, we will notice subtle changes. It becomes easier to pull away from sins that were strongholds for so long.  When we struggle and fall, we look to Jesus to cover us with His forgiveness and grace.  Sometimes, we feel overwhelmed by the burden of a sin that is so strong within us, even after prayer, confession, and repentence, that the only thing we can do is totally surrender it to our Savior.  He is always there for us, loving us and waiting for us to let Him in.  What are we waiting for?

So my simple answer to the question “Where is God?”… He is all around us, and the most wonderful and joyful reality is that He is in each heart that invites Him in!

Luke 22:42  Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.

Romans 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

1 Corinthians 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Becoming Real

“Real isn’t how you are made,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.’

‘Does it hurt?’ asked the Rabbit.  

‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. ‘When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.’

‘Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,’ he asked, ‘or bit by bit?’

‘It doesn’t happen all at once,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
― Margery Williams Bianco, The Velveteen Rabbit

Wow, after all these years of reading this excerpt from “The Velveteen Rabbit,” my heart still fills up and overflows through my eyes.

This beautiful story was one of my favorites since I was a little girl.  My sister, Patti, used to read it to me over and over again.  Sometimes I have to wonder how much I understood…which words reached out and grabbed my child self…how much did I truly understand?

Sometimes we don’t need to understand.  Sometimes love touches us in ways we can never explain. 

This world that we live in, is always attempting to teach us that real love is easy, always sexy, and  beautiful…according to the “world’s” standards.

We are led to believe that we all need to be “sexy” and are bombarded with companies that want to fill that need.  With skin care, cosmetics, hair products, books, health drinks, drugs, clothes, plastic surgery…the list goes on and on.

We are also led to believe that the moment our marriage (or relationship) is no longer the way the world deems it should be, in order to be fulfilled and happy, we must leave that marriage.

Don’t believe the lie.

True love is not always pretty.  True love is not always “sexy.”  True love is not always easy.

However, true love touches us and fills us like nothing else.  It is the one thing that we are looking for and is always there right before our eyes.

We just need to open our eyes…

To see the beauty of a couple working through struggles that are piercing their hearts like daggers…but they refuse to give up on each other, or their marriage.

To see the beauty of a family, engulfed in pain and grief, surrounding their dying loved one with love, peace, and comfort. And to see the beauty of a soul detaching from this world, and being drawn to another.

To see the beauty of aging, and to realize that those “old” people we are seeing, and sometimes ignoring, have a lifetime of wisdom and experience that they could share with us…if we would just take the time to listen.

To see the beauty in those with open hearts, and no matter what they are experiencing in their own personal lives, always have the time to give something of what they have.

To see the beauty of suffering.  Yes…suffering will always exist in this world.  The beauty comes in uniting our suffering with Jesus on the cross, looking past the pain and hardship, and seeing Jesus through it all.

To not just focus on the risen Christ, but on the real love and suffering it took to get to that place.  Jesus did not save us by the “love” that the world teaches.  It was not pretty, or easy.

What it was…was REAL.

What Jesus gave us is everything.

Do we understand what “real” and true love really are?  Do we truly understand?

Real is the suffering, and the giving, that eventually show up as “most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby.”

“Once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

Being real doesn’t happen all at once.  “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.”

Being real is the day to day infusion of God’s love, and the openness to truth and mercy.

Let us all strive to be real. That is what the world truly needs.

Patti, Your Life is a Prayer

Today I am reblogging a post that I wrote about a very special lady. Patti is my sister, and I have been extremely blessed to have her in my life. Her life was never easy, however, that did not stop her from accomplishing great things. Through all her struggles, she has never lost her zest for life or her faith in God. Please read about her life as a quadriplegic, and how she touched so many lives.

somebodylovesmeblog

Patti at 12 years of age

This last weekend, I was blessed with some ‘one on one’ time with my oldest sister, Patti.  We usually get to visit only once or twice a year, being that she lives in Ohio, and I am in Virginia.  My mom has been living with my husband and me for over ten years now, so naturally all our visits with Patti are always together, as a family.

For some reason, I felt compelled to see my sister, and spend time with her alone.  There was no question in my mind…I needed her.  Just like I did throughout my childhood, and then as I grew to adulthood.

So, let me tell you a little about Patti.  She was a beautiful and feisty young girl, who now describes herself as a tomboy who loved climbing trees and neighborhood roofs.  To be honest, she was a little mischievous.

That very sweet and…

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We Must Seek Wisdom

My child, if you accept my words
    and treasure up my commandments within you,
 making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
 if you indeed cry out for insight,
    and raise your voice for understanding;
 if you seek it like silver,
    and search for it as for hidden treasures—
 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
 guarding the paths of justice
    and preserving the way of his faithful ones.  Proverbs 2:1-8

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we are living in deceptive, dark times.

There are many things that are happening in our country, in Christ’s Church, and in the whole world that our eyes, heart and conscience tell us are evil.  At the same time, the darkness is working through every nook and cranny of our culture, attempting to override reality and fill us with confusion, fear, bitterness, despair and a spirit of submission to the great lie of Satan.

Satan wants us to believe that all is lost. He wants us to believe that the government can solve all of our problems…that we don’t need Almighty God.

Satan wants us to submit to the confusion of our sexuality, and what marriage truly is.

Satan wants us to give up on the One True Catholic Church…because of the evil he has planted there through his infiltration.

Satan is working through the Covid19 virus…attempting to separate us from our family, friends, and our communal worship of the One True God.

Satan is working through lost souls that are attempting to spread their mental and spiritual anguish to all of us.

I am here today to remind you… the devil is a liar.  Do not give in to his deceptive tactics.  He is working under the false impression that he is winning the battle…and is not even hiding himself.  He is counting on the fact that we are not aware of The Truth…which is that Jesus is our Savior, and as long as we seek The Truth…which is God The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we are protected from Satan’s deception.

You see, Satan wants nothing more than YOUR SOUL with him in hell. Turn your eyes away from the lies and evil, and place your gaze and trust upon Jesus.

The evil is being revealed in more ways everyday, and through eyes that see, and ears that hear, we can discern who is a child of God, and who is a child of Satan.

Which are you?  It’s time for a choice.

Give yourself to Jesus…seek His wisdom and knowledge.  Ask for faith and eyes to see. Let the Lord know that you belong to Him, and invite Him to fill your heart and soul with His love.  When you do that, He will guide you to the ways you are meant to serve Him and His Kingdom.

We need to SEEK.  

Ask the Lord to lead you, and then look for the ways that He reaches out to you. When someone refers a book or podcast, take the time to read, watch or listen. (always use discernement regarding the source) Pray. Attend Mass in person. Receive the sacraments. Pray the Rosary…pray for our country, the world, the Church.  Pray for yourself, your spouse, your family and friends.  Pray for those in despair or under Satan’s spells of deceit and confusion. Pray for the Pope and for those in the religious life. (many leaders of the Church are deceived) Pray for our government and the conversion of sinners…especially those that are standing for issues that greatly offend Almighty God.

The time for complacency have come to an end.

Search for The Truth.  Give yourself to Jesus. Admit your weaknesses and sins.  Ask forgiveness and REPENT. Turn away from the sins that are keeping you from knowing the Truth.  Once you make the choice to seek God, you will never be the same.  You will KNOW Jesus, and you will carry Him in your heart and share Him with this sick, suffering world.

May God bless us and have mercy on us!

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 6:12 – For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

2 Corinthians  4:4 – In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Ephesians 6:11  – Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly

 

 

This Very Moment in Time

 

Each one of us was designed and created by God specifically to be in this world, this country, this state, this community, this family, at this very moment in time.

There is much havoc being wreaked all around us.  Many are terrorized by the thought of themselves or loved ones being infected with Covid 19, while others wrestle with the loss of freedoms regarding lockdown orders, business, school and Church closings, and mandatory masks.  As Americans, we are in the process of election fraud investigations and recounts, and many are anxiety ridden regarding the outcome of the election…which makes complete sense, being that the two candidates stand for agendas going in two completely different directions.

Whichever the outcome, there will most likely continue to be distrust and unrest.

When you look around, it’s hard not to see the lack of respect, integrity and civility that has taken to the airwaves and streets.  Walking through our communities, peering at each other over our Covid masks, it’s as though we don’t even see each other as people anymore…but more as walking germ spreaders.  Eyes are averted, so it is hard to connect with each other.

We are on high alert regarding the political leanings of those around us…many are extra sensitive and triggered by any spoken word that may be different from their belief system.

With all that is happening in our daily world, I believe that it is the time to take a step back.  Use this time to really listen to the ones around you on a daily basis. STOP listening to the news, social media and news sites…put those things on PAUSE.

Listen to your family, friends and loved ones.  Really hear what they are saying…reassure them that you love them and are there for them.  Find ways to connect.

Stop focussing on the overwhelming issues that are blazing now…trust that God is weaving the perfect outcome, through each one of us. (whether we are aware or not)

We each have a purpose.  Ask Our Lord to reveal that purpose to you…however, you are already IN that purpose.  There are those in your life that God entrusted to YOU.

Love those people.  Protect those people.  Guide those people.  See Jesus in them, and allow them to see Jesus in you.  

We are all in this together…that fact is clearly evident at this time in history.  As Catholics, as Christians, our purpose is to edify each other, pray for each other, and help each other on our journeys to heaven.

Take time to learn your faith, and develop your relationship with Jesus.  Live in Jesus, and invite Him to live within you.

The temptation is to give in to fear, remain isolated, or to lash out.  Ask Jesus to show you a different way…ask him to touch those around you with his love.  Ask him to work through you, even when you are at a loss of knowing what to do.

Remember, you are here at this very moment in time.  You are valuable, and you never know when someone’s life trajectory will be changed because you cared enough to reach out.  You being here RIGHT NOW is no accident.  

God created you for this moment!

Each and every circumstance of life right now is in his will.  It is either his will, or he has allowed a circumstance for a purpose we do not understand.  Trust in Him.  Do not trust feelings.  Trust in Him.  Do not trust manmade solutions. Trust in Him.  Do not trust political parties. Trust in Him. Do not trust everything that is being fed to you through news and social media. Trust in Him.

Learn to discern through His Catholic Church on Earth…through Scripture.

Stay close to Jesus.  Read His Holy Word…The Bible.  Attend Mass. Receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. Pray the Rosary. Pray for each other, The Church, America, and the world. Pray for eyes and hearts to be opened, and for conversions to Jesus.  Learn your faith.

Most important of all, love God and love each other.  For that is why we are here at this very moment.

 

 

 

 

As For Me and My House, We Will Serve The Lord

God Moment While in Prayer

^“if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  2 Chronicles 7:14

Our Lord is stamping my mind with this scripture.  I am seeing it repeatedly during the day, and the words are imprinting my soul with the desire to humble myself, seek the Lord through prayer, and repent.

Look around…truly SEE what is happening in our communities and on the news.  It isn’t pretty, and it isn’t godly.

What is happening is evil, and orchestrated by Satan himself.  Some of the upper echelon are the ones who are causing/controlling the chaos, confusion and evil on the streets.  Some of the foot soldiers are aware of the true purpose, and are intertwined with Satan and his agenda,  however, most are contributing to the cause without realizing it.  They are being used for evil because their eyes and hearts are closed to the Truth…which is Jesus.

The “cause” is confusion as to what is right and wrong…what is pleasing to God and what is offensive.  The cause is the dismantling of the nuclear, traditional family.  The cause is the march toward marxism/communism.  The cause is to create division…enough division to actually pit loved ones against each other. The  cause is to sacrifice the lives of unborn children, literally tearing them apart and killing them, as an offering to Satan.

The true cause is to obliterate the worship of the One True God…Jesus Christ and His One Church on Earth.

I have heard these words in the past but did not understand them, “True freedom is not the freedom to do whatever you want to do.  True freedom is the freedom to do what is right.”  

I am becoming aware of that meaning as people are being persecuted for stating their belief in Jesus, their defense of the unborn, their defense of traditional marriage, or their belief regarding two genders, male and female.

Due to so called Covid-19 restrictions, Catholics/Christians are being barred from their Churches, and barred from the sacraments, however, mobs are being allowed to wreak havoc all over our country. How is that logical???

Now is the time for humility. Now is the time for conversion of hearts and for repentance.  Now is the time for praying unceasingly.

NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE A CHOICE.

“And if you be unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:15

 

 

 

Rest in the Love of Jesus

There are many reasons that I could give to explain why I haven’t written a post for such a long time.  However, this is what sums it up:

The facade of my life that I unknowingly created in my own mind was demolished.  This devastated me, and I am still processing what it means to be me.

I thought that I dealt with each life event as they happened…but I didn’t, all the way back to my childhood.  What I did was put all of it on the back burner, thinking that I could go on with my life without actually feeling the pain, confusion, disappointment or anger that was simmering inside of me, just below the surface.  Because, I have so many wonderful blessings in my life…why couldn’t I just focus on those blessings?  What was wrong with me, what was that gnawing feeling down deep that there was more to me than I was willing to acknowledge?

The last few years were extremely difficult for me: 

My sons and their wives moved across country…something I never, ever envisioned happening to our family.

My mom passed away after living with my husband and me for over ten years.  The stress of being responsible for her health and happiness, and then sharing in her dying process through hospice in our home, was overwhelming.  As I started to grieve for her, I realized that I never truly grieved or faced the death of my father years ago. And both of those grief processes are very complicated.

Making the decision to move cross country to be near our new grandson, and my oldest son and daughter in law.  That meant leaving friends, family, and our beautiful home in Virginia.  Which also meant downsizing about 75 percent of our belongings, and moving into a much smaller condo in California.  As I sold and gave away so many things that had been a part of my life for so long, I kind of put blinders on, and pushed all my feelings to the side.  I did the exact same thing regarding my friends and family that I would be moving away from.  How else could I have made that move?  I literally numbed myself without even realizing it.

Then I started a job at an assisted living community.  I work reception, and have fallen in love with many of the residents and their families.  Although I love the people, and the relationships, something else started to happen to me.  I started suffering anxiety/panic attacks, and I did not understand why.

Evidently, God isn’t through with me yet.  More and more dark layers are being peeled away from my heart.  I am facing demons that have lied to me for many, many years.  And once again, Jesus is helping me to heal gently.  I want it all to be gone NOW, however, He knows the timing…He knows what remains hidden inside of me.

One of the reasons that I haven’t posted in such a long time, is that I don’t have all the answers.  However, I know now that it’s ok not to have the answers.  Jesus has been there each and every minute of my life. He knows The Truth…He knows my true soul and my true self.  My life is in His hands, and I trust where He is leading me.

He is there for all of us…in our joy, sadness, sin, anger, confusion, grief, and pain. When we truly accept that, we can stop trying to control everything and everyone in our lives, and we can rest in the love of Jesus.  And we will come closer and closer to understanding “what it means to be me.”