Your Choice for Eternity

Christmastide is the perfect time to reflect on where we are in our relationship with Jesus.  The celebration of Advent, the preparations for Christmas Day, are all in the past.  The gifts, parties, baking, and  “glitz” of the season…that could be overwhelming for some…have been replaced with a quietness of spirit.  At least, there is a “quest” for quietness…maybe not fully attained yet!

Jesus is Love and Pure Joy! He loves us in a way that is incomprehensible to us.  He knows us perfectly…knows the struggles within us, and the reasons for those struggles…even when we don’t have a clue of what lies inside of our hearts.

This morning, I was looking through old family and friends photos, and I was reminded of so many blessings throughout the years.  Especially through the “in the trenches” days of early marriage and raising our sons.  During that time, it was clearly a “day to day” learning process, although I didn’t realize that at the time, I just trudged through each day’s events.   I didn’t realize that Jesus was right there with me, as I struggled through the haze of the personal inner struggles that I was beginning to work through.  All I knew at the time, was that I loved my husband and sons more than I could even understand.  I wanted what was best for them in this life.

I did not understand that my role as a wife and mother wasn’t necessarily to work toward their happiness in THIS LIFE…my role was to help them and guide them toward their eternal happiness.

Maybe that’s where we become confused when our life doesn’t go as planned…and sometimes our prayers are not answered in the way we expect them to be.  Only God knows what we truly need to prepare our souls for Eternal Life…with Him.  He showers us with blessings each and everyday.  Sometimes those blessings come disguised as difficulties, struggles and suffering.  We are constantly being given opportunities to turn our gaze away from the material world, and instead, look to Him.

Trust Him, who created you lovingly, and knows you inside and out.  Trust Him, and the Church He has gifted us with…and do all you can to know, love and serve Him in this fleeting world, so that you will be will be with Him…in the presence of Perfect Love and Joy…for all Eternity.

Think carefully about your choices in this life, because they will affect your most important relationship…which is with your Creator and your Savior.

So, during this time of peacefulness and meditation, remember this one thing:

The only thing you take to eternity is your relationship with God.  Everything in your life should tend to that relationship.  

 

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Christmas Time

Rejoice, for a child is born for us.  Isaiah 9:6

I would like to share something special that I read before Mass this morning.   This is a gift that I am sharing with you…Merry Christmas!

 

Dearly beloved, today our Savior is born; let us rejoice.  Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life.  The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness.  No one is shut out from this joy; all share the same reason for rejoicing.  Our Lord, victor over sin and death, finding no one free from sin, came to free us all…

 

Christian, remember your dignity, and now that you share in God’s own nature, do not return by sin to your former base condition.  Bear in mind who is your head and of whose body you are a member.  Do not forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of God’s kingdom.  Saint Leo the Great

May God bless you and keep you in His loving care!  With much love, Bernadette

 

 

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.

 

The Reverence and Beauty of Worship

When I was a very young child, I experienced the beauty of the Traditional Catholic Latin Mass, and continued to remember all that was a part of that beauty throughout my life.

 

As the years went by, I missed the reverence of worship in the Mass, and some things that were being done at Masses did not sit right in my soul.  I did not understand how all of what I was seeing in different parishes were allowed to be inserted into The Holy Mass.  It was very confusing and troubling.

This Taylor Marshall podcast explains what has changed in the Holy Sacrifice of The Mass, and reminds us of the true reason for the Holy Mass and the Sacraments. I learned much from this interview, and pray that you might listen.  May God bless you and keep you in his care.

 

Look for the Pattern

Today, I came across this post that I wrote years ago, reminding me of God’s Love and Providence.  Know that He is there, especially when we are not aware of His Presence in our lives.  I hope these words touch your heart.

Ok, I have to admit, I absolutely love playing a popular online word scramble game.  The kind that shows a bunch of letters, and you have to find all the words that can be made out of those letters.  If you don’t find the big word that uses ALL the letters, you lose.

When playing this game, I learned that the key is moving the letters around until you can find a pattern.  Sometimes it is easy to spot the word, and it is a familiar one.  Other times, if you just keep looking for a pattern and try it out, the word is eventually found.

Many times I never even heard of the word that is revealed to me.  I just had to trust the logic of the letters.

While playing the other day, the thought hit me that our lives are like the word scramble game.

For me, so many years of my life were a scramble, and I could not see any purpose or connection of one day to the next.  I was floundering.  The mixed messages from life experiences, peer pressure, inner turmoil and what I was hearing at school and Church, were scrambling my ability to see, think, hear and know what the Truth was.

My day to day existence was more or less just hanging on to the belief that there IS a God, and He says that He loves me.  I prayed, attended Church, and even was very involved with our Church Community, however, inside, I was struggling.

In those years, there were joyful moments with my husband, family, and friends, especially once my sons were born.  However, there was always a deep pain and longing inside my heart and soul.  I did not know where that darkness and pain was coming from, and I couldn’t understand why God wasn’t making it go away.  I could not see where He was working in my life.

Much like the scrambled letters in my word game.

Faith, spiritual growth, and the eventual opening of my heart to the Love of Jesus, has been a long process.  For so many years I have been only looking for the familiar patterns in my life, thinking I would be able to figure things out and heal myself with self-help books and visits to therapists.  Yes, progress was made, and I was enlightened one small step at a time.  But I knew something was missing.

Then, my journey took a sharp, unexpected turn.  I began to meditate on the life of Jesus through praying the rosary.  (something I never believed in before)  I meditated on the pure trusting spirit and humility of the Mother of Jesus, and how much God the Father trusted His Son to her loving care.  I realized that since God is my Father, and Jesus is His Son, then Jesus is my brother….that would make Mary my mother.  A loving mother that wants only good for my life.  A mother who is constantly praying, interceding and leading me toward her Son. The more I prayed, the closer my relationship formed with Jesus, my Savior.  I finally began to understand, that although I always believed that Jesus is the Son of God, I did not have a relationship with Him.  I didn’t know Him.

Through the Holy Spirit, I was lead to pray in faith, and to read spiritual books instead of “self help” ones.  I was being enlightened to READ AND TRUST the Bible, instead of trusting the scrambled so called “wisdom” of the world.

My foundation is now a firm one, and my eyes, ears and heart are being opened, a little at a time.

My journey with Jesus is just beginning.  There are many dark places in my soul that I trust that the Holy Spirit is working on right at this moment.  Many events that have occurred that have been scrambled from my comprehension…

In the past, I thought God wasn’t answering my prayers, because I asked Him to reveal things relating to my memories, and it didn’t seem as though He was allowing that to happen.  I felt like I had a steel trap door that was blocking me from seeing things that would help me to progress in my spiritual/emotional well-being.  I thought these things because I was unable to see the truth and the pattern of my journey. In order to do that, I had to look at my life through different eyes….see through the “scramble” and start to move the events around, seeing the patterns emerge…

because the patterns/evidence of Christ in my life were there, and the answers were there, all along. 

You see, the key to understanding, in faith, that God is always with you and working His wonderful plan for your life, is like finding the big word, using all the letters, in the word scramble game.  If you don’t find that word, you lose the round, and have to start over.

If you don’t put your faith in Jesus, you will flounder because you will not be able to see His work in your life, and will not see the pattern of your life.

Now, when I look at my life, I can see the pattern… the fingerprint of God.  He was there all along.  He was there loving me tenderly when I was afraid, lonely, suffering, and living in spiritual darkness.  He was there when I reached for help.  He was there when I prayed, even when I did not fully believe.  He was there when I demanded that He heal my heart…when in selfishness and despair I wanted certain people in my life to “disappear”.  He was there when I hurt the ones I loved the most.  He was there in my dreams, revealing bits and pieces of the source of my pain…ever so gently.

The Lord desires for us to be happy, living in His Presence.  The  mission of our life will be revealed to us…just be ready…expect the unexpected.   You will not find Truth and Peace  in the world’s scramble .  You will find it in the revelation of God’s love for you and the special place you hold in His Kingdom.

Never give up…always look for the ways the Lord is leading you.  He will speak to you in ways you do not expect.   But He is always there.

May you be blessed in the total peace and love of our Savior.

Inspiration and Wisdom

Each and everyday I hear and see the misery that many people are experiencing due to a myriad of reasons.  In my life, there have been many periods of confusion, darkness, and despair.  When a person is engulfed in that muck, (which is truly the deception of Satan) it is difficult for them to see an answer.  It is difficult for them to even believe there is an answer.

The answer is, and always was…God.  He is right there for all of us, and reaches out to us in so many ways.  The problem is, we feel empty and helpless, refusing to take that first step that will lead to joy and true peace in our hearts.  We tend to see the thought of growth in our faith, or even personal growth, as overwhelming, so we just continue to wallow in our own misery and pain.

Lent is just around the corner.  Make a choice to take the tiniest step…I promise it will only take a few minutes of your day.  However, as I have found, those few minutes might just take a hold of your heart, mind and soul.  It just might give you a flicker of hope.

Maybe it’s time to take that step.

Little habits added to our day, can lead to changes in our thinking, our faith life, and our life in general.

Through my Church, I have found this book of 365 Days of Inspiration The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen, which helps me to  think about what is truly important in life.

Today’s thought/February 26:  “…The closer we live to God, the closer we are bound to our neighbor; the farther we are fom God, the farther we are from one another…”  Wow, maybe that is the reason for the anger, vitriol, and division that we are seeing around us.

Maybe, to make a difference in this world, and to be truly happy, we should be seeking the God who is patiently waiting for us to invite Him in.

May God bless you and keep you in His care!

 

 

 

 

 

Beloved Daughter

Over the last few days, I have been reading the stories of women that were actually told that they were ugly when they were young.  It is so evil and sad that any person would spew those lies to a child or young woman.  It is devastating.

I feel compelled to share this post from a few years ago with you:

Today I am especially feeling the loving touch of the Holy Spirit through my whole being.  And through that Spirit, I am being led to share some loving words from our Heavenly Father.  This is a love letter to you, His precious daughter. 

Beautiful one, this is for you:

When you look in the mirror, what do you see?  Do you pick apart each facet of your physical body, and compare yourself to other women?  Do you feel inadequate or inferior; sometimes even feeling as though you are hideous in one way or another?  Do you sometimes feel ugly inside, like if people really knew you, they would realize how ugly you truly are?

The next time you look into the mirror, I want you to try something different.

I want you to see yourself through MY Eyes.

You were loved long before you were formed in your mother’s womb.  Each detail of what makes you “you” is like a brushstroke on the canvas of a great masterpiece. You were bathed in my loving light as you developed and grew in exactly the way you were meant to.  You are my special and lovely jewel.

You are beloved.

When you were born, heaven rejoiced!  Such a beautiful, sweet baby you were, my daughter.  Did you know the angels held you, and you were comforted by the tender love of Jesus?  In your helplessness and vulnerability, you were being loved and carried by a power so loving and beautiful, that sometimes you couldn’t help but smile or sigh.  Such an exquisitely beautiful baby you were!

As a little girl, you grew and brought me such joy.  Your zest for life, and your amusing antics.  The way your hair caught the light when you were playing gleefully, or the way it matted up after your nap.  Your beautiful innocence was shown through your bright, clear eyes.  Those eyes that touched me deeply because they showed the honesty of what was inside your heart.

Then you grew, and ready or not, you were a teenager!  I know those were difficult and confusing years for you.  I was right there with you, through everything.  When you were trying to fit in, and not seeing or feeling your true worth, you sometimes wondered where I was.  There were times when you were hurting, confused and lonely. I was there, holding you in my arms, and loving you, even when you did not feel me with you.  You were a beautiful bouquet of so many special characteristics that are yours and yours alone.

You didn’t see it at the time, however, all of what you were then was evidence of the beauty that was already a part of you, deeply rooted in your heart and the love I have always had for you.   That beauty was about to spill over, illuminating your physical being…laying the foundation  of the woman you are now.

What do I see when I look at you?

I see a beautiful woman of strength and character.  You have enjoyed many happy moments in your life, and also suffered through deep pain and anguish.  You have felt so weak and powerless at times…that is exactly when I carried you through.  If only you can fully realize that every single detail of you is beautiful and deeply loved.  You were not meant to be anything else.  You were created simply to be YOU.

Do not look to the world to see your true beauty, for the world’s view is veiled and tainted.

Look to Me.

Let go, and allow yourself to rest in my peace and love.  Submit yourself to me…all of who you are.  All of your strengths and weaknesses.  Your joys, your sorrows.  Your accomplishments, your failures.  Trust me – I will work all of the brush strokes of your life into the great masterpiece of my Divine Plan.

You are my beloved daughter, sparkling with a beauty more dazzling than the most precious gem imaginable.

You are loved.

Always,

Your Heavenly Father

 

 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.   Psalm 139:14

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.  Jeremiah 1:5

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.   1 Peter 3:3-4

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A Different Kind of Illumination

It was always my belief that as my relationship with Jesus grew,  and my understanding of The Catholic Faith became stronger, that somehow my mind and soul would become enlightened, and I would be infused with deep spiritual truths and secrets that were not available to everyone.

I was waiting for the illumination of truth that was outside of myself…kind of like waiting for the universe to open to me and for “magic” to happen.

In reality, something very different is happening.  The more I learn and grow, and the more I pray, a different illumination is taking place that I never expected…even though I actually prayed for it.

I prayed that The Holy Spirit would shine light into the darkness that exists in my soul, and draw the unknown dark areas out, that I may be healed and filled more fully with his Presence.  When I prayed those requests, I am not sure I even thought about how this would happen…how God would heal me.

I put my trust in the healing power of Jesus, and asked Him to work in me and through me.

The illumination that is occurring is not enlightening me with unknown secrets that will magically make things better.  It is not an easy or instantaneous fix.

What I am experiencing, is the revelation, one by one, of forgotten sins.  Ways that I offended God, ways that I hurt other people. Past sins that were committed due to my lack of faith, and also due to my weaknesses and bad choices.   And also sins that I am guilty of now, and how those sins have hurt and are still hurting those that I love.

What is being illuminated, is how I have sinned against God in so many ways, and how I am not worthy.  

Through this difficult process, I  feel guilty, ashamed, horrified, helpless, vulnerable, and very small. I wonder how Jesus could still love me, through all of that muck.

And then I remember… Jesus never left me.  He was always right there, suffering alongside me, through all the pain I went through… even though I found many ways of pulling away from him or keeping him at arms length.

As I am convicted of sin after sin, I am extremely grateful for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  That through my confession, Jesus himself forgives me through the Priest who is my confessor, and I am given grace through that sacrament.

If there are dark areas that you are struggling with, know that Jesus is right there with you, waiting for you to acknowledge them.  Trust in Jesus, and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation that he gifted you with in His Holy Catholic Church.  Reach out for the graces and peace that await you.

He loves you and is waiting for you…don’t keep him waiting too long.

 

For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light.  Luke 8:17

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

 

 

A Box of Treasures

Yesterday, something rare happened here in San Luis Obispo, CA.  It was overcast…no sun at all, and lightly rained all day.  We desperately need the precipitation, so it was a very good thing!

The peaceful sound of the rain, and the cooler temperature brought calm to my spirit, and I decided to use this cozy time indoors to go through my box of old greeting cards.

Do you save greeting cards, notes, and letters that are sent to your family?  I always have, because I treasure all of them.

When we made our big move from the East Coast to the West Coast, I needed to do some major downsizing.  This was a painful process for me.  Layer by layer, I was able to sell, donate or give away more than half of our possessions.  It wasn’t easy, and I had a huge job ahead of me when I went through my cards and all the papers/drawings from my two sons that I had saved.  I managed to dwindle it all down to one box…which I haven’t gone through until yesterday.

Now I know that some of you completely understand what I am talking about, and some of you just can’t understand why greeting cards or letters from years ago would be so treasured.  Some people believe that cards are a waste of money and meaningless, and others believe that cards are a waste of resource and bad for the planet.

I believe that cards and letters can be life changing and sometimes even life savers. 

There is a specialness about receiving personal cards, notes, or letters, whether it be through the Post Office or personally delivered.  There is the immediate feeling of happiness in knowing that someone is thinking of us, and the anticipation while opening.

Any greeting is wonderful and appreciated…whether it is an email, text, or a card or letter.  However, a physical card that has been lovingly made or chosen for the recipient…or a letter written and actually signed by the giver…becomes a treasure. 

Those treasures actually touched the senders’ hands and remain a tangible reminder of their love and concern for us. 

I consider a box of old greeting cards and letters to be quite like a diary.

It is a timeline of a life.

When my mom passed away, I had the privilege of going through her cards…she kept EVERYTHING!  I learned so much about her and my dad, as I read all of the cards and letters that she had kept through the years.  The ones that really touched my heart were the sympathy cards she received from so many when my dad passed away.  I felt a reverence as I read each and every card and letter that she had kept.  I kept only a few, however, felt that I respected her memory by reading about her life through the words of concern and love from those who loved her.

Yesterday turned out to be an enlightening day for me.  I reread all of the sympathy cards sent to me after my mother’s death.  When first received they were comforting, however, at that time I was kind of going through life in auto-pilot.  Yesterday, the pouring out of love and condolences from friends and family’s correspondence, literally warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes.

Sometimes it is easy to forget the great love that is present in our lives…there is so much darkness in the world.  These little, tangible reminders re-ignite the flicker of light and love in our hearts.

There were cards over the years from my friends, family, and husband that fill my heart just thinking about them.  Old love letters from my hubby before we were married…and then personal notes and cards from him that document our growth as a couple. Wow!

Cards and notes from my mom and dad, and my mother in law, in their handwriting that I will never be able to see from them again.  Words of love, appreciation, gratefulness, and wit, from my sons through the years.

You can’t put a price tag on those things, and the memories and feelings they evoke.

I have also saved thank you notes.  You know, when I feel the call to send a note or card to someone, or gift them in a particular way, I just send the love, and then put it out of my mind.  Reading the thank you notes helped me to remember all the times that God has led me to send a gift, letter, or card, only to find out that it was a time when they truly needed to know someone was thinking of them.

Isn’t God amazing?  And isn’t it amazing to be blessed with the opportunity to become a vessel that He works through to touch someone in our lives?

We are all interconnected in and through Jesus.  We are all parts of the same body…the Body of Christ.

It is a privilege to reach out to others, and a blessing when others reach out to us.  That privilege and blessing has One Source…Our Loving God.  May we always be open to His Presence, Love and Mercy.

 

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.”    Romans 12:9-16

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.  1 Peter 4:8

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Could I Know?

While the New Year is waiting to be discovered in a few days, my mind is being drawn to the unfolding of this past year and all the years preceding it.  

How many times do we ask ourselves where God is in our lives, and what difference can we possibly make in the lives of those around us or in the world?

Looking at things day to day, it is difficult to see where Divine Intervention may be at work…much as it is difficult to see the subtle physical changes in the ones we see every day.  From one day to the next, we do not really see faces and bodies change.  It is in the looking back that we can see the change from one year to the next.

Sometimes, it is only in the looking back that opens our eyes to where the Lord has worked in our lives.  In ways that seemed to be insignificant at the time…the Lord worked through our faith steps and our choices, to create something of great value and beauty.  A beauty that He already knew was there…and was weaving a masterpiece, behind the scenes, to reveal that loveliness to us.

We live our lives day to day, making the small and huge decisions that are set in front of us.  Those choices create realities in our lives…positive and negative.

However, even the decisions we’ve made that weren’t the best, could be used by God for good.  For He is always seeking ways to draw us to Himself.  Our sins and bad choices, could be a vessel of good, when we repent and ask the Lord to work through us to touch others in His Love.

I have been thinking a lot about some decisions that I have made throughout the years…and how God worked His love and mercy through them.  Sometimes, in ways that I could never even fathom.

How could I have known:

That my mother’s decision to make a call to an old friend regarding a job for my seventeen year old self, and my decision to apply for that position, would lead me to meeting my future husband, and two of my best friends.  Being that the job was in a restaurant, and I was a waitress, there were many things I learned…such as responsibility, humility, and the faint beginnings of “people skills.”

That my decision to date a boy, (my future husband,)  versus a boyfriend that I had held onto in my heart for a few years, would lead me to an amazingly wonderful man, and to the loving marriage that we are now blessed with.  That one decision, led to our two sons, their wives, and now…grandchildren.  There were twists and turns, however, God was always there, working our daily choices into something beautiful.

That the decision to attend a “Christ Renews His Parish” renewal weekend at our Church, would open my heart to the Love of Jesus, and place me on the path to a real relationship with Him.  The Lord used my tiny step in faith on that weekend, to change me from believing there is a God (in my head) to knowing there is a God. (in my heart)  A HUGE difference in my life.  An even bigger difference once Joe (my husband) made his own decision to attend the men’s weekend!

That the decision to join a Multi Level Marketing Company, would open me up to great personal growth.  Slowly, but surely, I learned to truly listen to the needs of those around me, and learned that integrity and authenticity were crucial in Christian life.  I also was guided into public speaking…one of my hugest fears.  There were times where I spoke to an audience of over a thousand people.  And I enjoyed it, because I was sharing about something I believed in, and sharing my heart.  Looking back now, I see how the Lord used that business to teach me the foundation of getting to know my true self.

That the decision to bring my mother to live with us after my dad passed away, would lead me to knowing love in a way I never could have planned on my own.  That the daily ups and downs, and also the little tidbits that I would learn about my mother, would lead me to know her in a way that I never did while growing up.  And then to be the one that God chose to care for her during her end of life.  The perfect love that permeated the room around my mom during her last days with us on this earth, has never left me.  It was tangible…I could literally feel the presence of The Holy Spirit, and also knew that she was experiencing heaven before she passed away.

That the decision to considerably downsize our belongings, and move across the country to CA near our son and daughter in law, would lead us to the incredible experience and privilege of being a part of their lives…a part of our grandson’s life.  And now, our younger son and his wife are expecting our first granddaughter, and we are much closer than we were to their home in Denver, where hopefully  we will be a part of her life as well.  That move also brought us to new friends, and new ways to serve God by being His vessel.

None of these decisions and their consequences along the way were easy, and the changes orchestrated by God sometimes took longer than I would have planned for myself.  However, the Lord is weaving a masterpiece that includes much more than me.  We are all connected, as the Body of Christ, and there are consequences to our actions that affect others, in a direction that we are unable to see.

I have learned to trust in the Lord with all of my heart, instead of just focusing on myself.  Because…And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28  

 All things work together, for those that love Him…even when we sin and our choices are not the best.  That is when He is working the closest in our lives.

May the Lord open your eyes to the ways he has worked in your life through the choices you have made, and may He carry you in His love, wisdom, peace and mercy throughout the New Year!