​The week following Easter we read about the Apostles seeing Jesus and not recognizing him, but when they finally did, oh how they rejoiced.  It’s funny to me that I can be just like them…he can be working right in the center of my life, and I can be too busy or too stubborn to notice him.  A month ago, we rushed home to be with my dad, and I had a long car ride to pray about the hospice decisions and events that lay ahead and my prayer again and again was, “Lord, let me see you!  Keep my eyes open because I know you’ll guide us through everything.”  I didn’t pray this because I doubted HIM, I prayed it because I didn’t want to get tangled up in my grief and worry and miss his work.  To say that he was fancy is a magnificent understatement and seeing him made me rejoice!  It’s taken a few weeks to pull this together, but I’d like to share just a few ways he made his love so easy to see!
*I saw the Lord as I had the chance to talk with dad, tell him what a great dad he was and how much I loved him on the Tuesday night we arrived in Kansas, by Wednesday he was no longer coherent.
*My Uncle Art was the voice of God’s peace and strength as he walked me through all the important things to know in the final days.  He has been a Hospice volunteer for decades and I will be forever grateful for his love, support and guidance.  His best advice, get a priest to anoint him and offer the Final Blessing as soon as you can because he can still hear and the prayers are so beautiful.
*Following that phone call, I called the priest who was away for the day but then, a nurse came in and told us she knew another priest she could call.  In rural NE Kansas this was no small thing, but God really got fancy because not only did he send a priest very quickly, but this priest happened to be a very dear friend of my dad’s.  Fr. William brought the Lord’s grace, humor and love and dad knew he was there.  Dad reached for Fr. Williams hand as he said goodbye and blessed him for his journey home…he knew!
*We saw him organize detail after detail. The Hospice house we wanted was full but had a bed open on the day we needed it. Every nurse, doctor and therapist who had worked with dad during his several stays at the tiny hospital came to say goodbye and shared stories about his faith, humor and strength. The Lord let me see the ways my dad lived the Gospel as visitor after visitor came to share the story of how his life had touched theirs and say goodbye.
*As his death grew closer, my daughter texted me that it was almost time to celebrate Grandpas 4th Birthday and I was enormously comforted by that reminder of Mother Olga’s teaching at the beginning of Lent…shortly after that text, someone brought cookies to the room and I thought…look at that, a birthday treat!
*On the morning dad died I was sitting in the quiet room with him typing his obituary and I typed the words, “he died surrounded by family” and I closed my laptop and said, “Lord please make that true!”  Shortly before he died, his two brothers, his sister and his sister-in law came to join us and a room full of family surrounded him and watched and prayed as his body was draped proudly in an American flag and he left the building.
*Dave and I led the Rosary at the Wake, and I wanted to pray joyfully and gratefully in front of that packed funeral chapel and not cry so God sent my grandbabies to sit in the front row and their whispers and wiggles and giggles reminded me that life has beautiful bookends.
*I saw his comfort as I looked behind us on the 35-mile drive from the church to the cemetery and saw more than a mile of cars following in the procession and then I saw him truly work a loaves and fishes event at the funeral luncheon.  I had guessed maybe 100 people would join us, but we exceeded that number greatly, yet the food never ran out. After that meal as I sat with cousins and aunts and uncles from many different states and laughed and cried about the family with us and the family cheering us home, I felt his comfort.
* In the days that followed as we cleaned out the house, there were people who stopped by to help, a friend who just happened to have a dumpster delivered, folks who brought food and neighbors who stopped to share stories, laughter and tears.  And his kindness and compassion are still showing up as people send cards and texts and prayers.
 
I saw him at every turn, and I rejoice that he has shown so much love and compassion.  I’m so very grateful one simple prayer and one mighty Father allowed my eyes to see His Glory instead of my grief.
 
A Seed To Plant:  In his funeral homily Fr. William said the biggest thing my dad taught him was that Life is meant to be lived for others. Perhaps we can all give that some thought and prayer, it sure served Mike McClaskey and all the lives he touched very well!
 

​During the days since Easter I have been spending some time reading the story.  As I was reading in the last chapter of Matthew’s gospel I got to verse 11 and wanted to yell, “Liar, Liar pants on fire!”  It’s hard to believe the enemies of Jesus even tried to lie about something as astounding and beautiful as the resurrection.  As I continued to read all I could think was Wow…talk about an action-packed story!  This short Gospel has it all, epic drama, suspense, grief, jubilation, surprise, deceit, bribery and a splendid victorious hero! It’s a story of loyalty, love, dishonesty and the ultimate triumph of truth!  Truth is a beautiful thing and we serve the God of truth.

Growing up the thing my dad held in highest regard was telling the truth, he considered truthfulness to be the most accurate mirror of a person’s character.  He would often tell my brothers and me that one lie always ties itself to another and before long you could find yourself lying when the truth would fit better.  That’s exactly what happened to the chief priests.  How could anybody believe a small group of sorrowful and brokenhearted men appeared in the dark, rolled away an enormous stone and snuck off with Jesus’ body all without waking the team of soldiers assigned to guard the tomb?  As Christians we know the truth fits better!

Sometimes Christ speaks truth to us and in our hearts, we can be a little like the chief priests.  Sometimes God’s truth is tough, especially when living it requires difficult change.  The laws and truths of our faith are clear and often difficult to follow and we try to wriggle our way around them.  Thank goodness we are loved by an Amazing Father who says to us, just as he said to the Mary’s in the garden that morning, “Do not be afraid.”  He wants to lead us lovingly to his truth…his whole truth which offers the promise of eternal salvation.

A Seed To Plant:  What are some truths you are struggling with?  The Mary’s in this Gospel were fearful and overjoyed. In prayer today, ask God to guide you through the fear and lead you to the great joy and freedom found only through living completely in his truth.

Blessings on your day!

​Welcome to Holy Week!  My favorite Liturgy of the week is Holy Thursday.  I love this day of Holy Week because it’s the peace before the mayhem!  I don’t like movies or shows that contain suspense or peril.  I love stories of laughter and triumph of the underdog, so I suppose that’s why I love Holy Thursday.  None of the bad stuff has happened yet.  The betrayal, the brutality the deceit and evil…it’s not here yet.  The Last Supper is about Jesus teaching, giving, tending and building up.  

One of the most tender moments in the story of Holy Thursday night is the washing of the feet.  I like to ponder the tenderness and gentleness Jesus showed each of his beloved apostles.  I’ll bet he didn’t rush.  I’ll bet he didn’t see how many extra feet he could wash during his allowed feet washing time block and he probably looked at each of his followers in the eye and focused completely on them when it was their turn.  He was slow and deliberate in the way he served.

It’s unlikely that I will literally be washing anyone’s feet in the near future, but this is a call to service not a call to feet.  Many times a day we have the opportunity to lovingly serve Jesus by serving someone who crosses our path.  What if I lovingly folded my family’s laundry and packed their lunches while praying for them.  What if I touched my husband’s hand lovingly as I handed him his toast and thermos of hot coffee and told him I love him deliberately, lovingly while looking at him intently.  What if I tried to do my tasks of loving service to my family slowly, deliberately and intentionally instead of trying to fly through the day and get a hundred things done.  I think he’s calling us to a “way” of service not just the “task” of service.

As you puddle your way through this Holy Thursday, take some time to consider the lessons Jesus left us with and don’t be afraid to say, Lord please help me see the difference between doing jobs and offering loving service in your name.  Equip me this day with the gentleness and compassion to serve others in your name just like you demonstrated on this Holy Thursday night so many years ago.

A Seed To Plant: Do I need to do more serving or do I need to look at my life and find more Christ-like ways to fulfill the service opportunities I already have?​

Blessings on your day!

Please pardon the two week silence!  There is a story to tell...a story of new life, hope, grief and great joy but I'm not quite ready to pull the whole story together just yet.  The amazing man I called my dad died on the 13th so the past few weeks have been a blur.  God has been so fancy, mighty, merciful and busy through it all and I can't wait to share all of it with you but I need to catch my breath.

Stay tuned...Holy Week will be the perfect time to tell the story but for now...I'm sitting still thinking back on all he has done.

​Blessings on your day!

​It was on page 35 of the Sears Christmas Toy Catalog and I had it circled, folded and flagged with a yellow yarn bookmark. I was 8 and I had my heart set on that Barbie Dream House.  I had a spot all picked out in my tiny little bedroom to put it and all I could think about was the hours of fun I would have playing with that perfect gift.  Knowing how much I wanted it and knowing how far it was out of our family budget my mom, loving, explained to me before Christmas that I would need to choose something else to wish for because it just wasn’t possible.  She didn’t use many words, just a few lovingly spoken.  She knew I would just need time to be disappointed and then life would move on.  After a few hours she helped me move past the sting.  She came into the kitchen with a giant box, some fabric, supplies and a giant smile.  We proceeded to sit together at the kitchen table for the afternoon and create a homemade Barbie Dream House complete with furniture and curtains in the windows.  When we were finished, she put it in my room and said she hoped I’d remember it as a lesson on setting my heart on things that were more important than shiny stuff. 

This verse from Deuteronomy reminds me of that beautiful afternoon and the love that spilled from a mothers heart.  I stopped to realize that if my mom could love me that much, and her love is only a sliver of the love our Father has for us; I think I’m underestimating some things.  You know, I have no idea what I asked for that Christmas because whatever it was, it paled dramatically in comparison to the doll house mom and I made that winter afternoon.  I suppose God tries to show me that truth a dozen times a week and I’m so focused on what I have MY heart set on that I forget that HE has his heart set on ME!  What could I possibly want more than that.  

We are busy, we are smart, we are involved, we are parents, children, teachers, farmers and dozens of other things.  We fuss about getting ahead and doing better, making more money and achieving success and titles.  We are so many things, but I give so little thought to the fact that above all the other stuff; I am CHOSEN!  Not just chosen for the team or the part or the position but for HIM…HE chose US!  I don’t know about you but that kind of makes my heart skip a beat when I think about it.  We’re not some random clump of cells that was spun into existence by a nameless, faceless creator…We were chosen, created and KNIT in our mothers womb perfectly and lovingly.  How’s that for an antidote to not feeling very important.  We matter because we’re his!  

God's participation in our life didn’t end with our creation.  Once we were created and born into earthly life the relationship didn’t end…he has his heart set on us!  He wants us, he desires our happiness and our relationship with him.  That all seems a pretty small thing for him to ask.  He isn’t asking us to swim the ocean or climb Mr. Everest to prove we love him, he simply wants our time, our love and our attention.  He asks that we show his love to others, speak to him daily in prayer and live as if we realize how adored we are by the one who created us.  

I’m way older than 8 but when I read this verse, I think I know what my mom really meant.  She showed me what was more important than shiny new things; she showed me that love, communication, generosity and the gift of simple time were the things to set our heart on.  God is asking the same thing.  As we head into the third week of lent, it seems like the perfect time to think about the things we have our heart set on.

A Seed To Plant:  What are three things you can do this week to “choose God” and set your heart on him?​

Blessings on your day!

​February is a big birthday month in our family.  4 of the six grandkids have February birthdays so last week the Missouri grandkids were visiting, and we celebrated our 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-year-olds.  I can’t quite explain how it felt to look at those adorable faces lined up at the table with their cakes or the feeling of explosive love and joy that hit me like a wave, but I know that night will sit on my heart for a long time.  The emotion of that evening caught me by surprise as I sat right in the middle of so much blessing and grace. As I crawled in bed that night thanking God for all of it, I think he wanted to say, “Didn’t see that comin did ya!”  I laid there a long while thinking of all the times and places he shows up and does something so marvelous and so unexpected…why would I ever think I could out-plan him?
 
After the party dust settled and the house got quiet again, I just kept thinking about birthdays, wishing I’d done a better job celebrating them for my own children, realizing I should be better about remembering birthdays and even thought about approaching my own birthday with more gratitude.  The thoughts continued and then Saturday while listening to the Hallow app, birthdays suddenly took on a whole new meaning.  The app featured an interview with an absolutely delightful woman named Mother Olga.  The last two posts have referenced her seven-word prayer but the opportunity to “meet” her through a video interview was such a gift.  Among many completely cool things that interview touched on, Mother Olga shared that we all have four birthdays. God’s timing once again hit me like a ton of bricks!    The first is our birth in our mother’s womb at the moment of conception. The second birthday is the day we are born into the world.  The third birthday is our Baptism, when we are born into the family of Christ, and our fourth birthday is the day we are born into eternal life. That fourth birthday really gave me something to think about.  Preparation for that day is the culmination of hundreds of little actions and changes and re-routes but none of them are done solo…he’s right there with us!
 
After listening to Mother Olga, I came across some words from the wonderful Fr. Mike Schmitz and he said in a very animated voice, “The purpose of Lent is to prepare us for death…death to our selfish desires and our self-centered plans and it is in that death that we prepare for eternal life.”  It’s crazy how God used the enormous love I have for my family and led me through a birthday celebration to an important lesson.  No celebration on earth can come even close to a moment in heaven and that birthday celebration we had last week for those little people I adore won’t come close to the celebration that awaits us on our fourth birthday.  He absolutely led me full circle with love and joy and hope.  We don’t know when we’ll celebrate our fourth birthday but today is the perfect day to begin getting ready!
A Seed To Plant:  Spend some time thinking and praying about Mother Olgas birthday idea and ask the Father how he can guide your Lent to prepare for the fourth birthday.
 
Blessings on your day!

​It’s in a mother’s nature to want people to like, enjoy and accept her children.  I never kissed my kids goodbye in the morning and sweetly said, “Bye honey, I hope you get rejected today, love ya!” Maybe I should have.  Even as adults we seek acceptance, we want to fit in and be liked by our peers, but we have to be cautious that those offering acceptance are also those who will lead us closer to Christ. 
Today is Ash Wednesday and here we are toe to toe with the season meant to change us!  Fr. Mark Toups issued a great challenge when he said, “this lent, if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got”.  He challenges us to focus on what the Father would like to do for us this lent instead of getting caught up in what we’re doing for him.  He simply wants us to be still and clear away the things that stand between us.  A good way to shift our focus is Mother Olgas 7 Words, Lord, Empty Me, Fill Me, Use Me.  Another way we can use this lent to really change is to think about the Father and the world a little differently and be willing to risk a little rejection.

What would our earthly life be like if we lived each day realizing the acceptance of our Heavenly Father is the only nod of approval necessary?  Jesus’ message in this parable is crystal clear, live a life acceptable to God and you will bear great fruit; get tangled up in approval of man and you will most certainly lose your way.  Living as a light of Christ is not for sissies and it may cause us to be rejected by those who aren’t as committed to holiness but in that rejection, we are in good company and at that very moment we may be completely open to the work of Christ and become the cornerstone of something he’s building around us.    In quiet prayer ask God to reveal to your heart all those people you are seeking approval from.  What makes their approval important, and will it bring you closer to Christ and allow you to bear great fruit? Remember, rejection by the world can be exactly what leads us to joyful acceptance by the Father.

A Seed To Plant:  Take these words to prayer with you this week…Loving Father, help me to live each day seeking your approval.  Allow me to be a cornerstone in your good works even if it means being rejected.  Comfort me in my disappointment and strengthen me in my journey toward greater holiness. ​

Blessings on your day!
 

​It’s almost time my friends…lent is one week away so it’s time to start thinking about the season designed to help us grow in holiness!  Today I offer a few questions to think on and pray with in these next few days.  The questions will help process a very simple 7 Word prayer compliments of the amazing Mother Olga and help us draw into a powerful Lent. Spend some time with these words and let the Holy Spirit help you discover what this Lent will look like for you.
Lord, Empty me.  Fill me.  Use me.

*What are the habits and behaviors or sins I seem to “go back to” even though I try to avoid or change them.  Lord, empty me of these things and fill me with your grace.

*In times of stress or frustration, what do I turn to for consolation?  Is it prayer, snacks, the screen or something else? Lord, fill me with your consolation and a desire to turn to you first.

*If Jesus took human form and spent the day with me, what would he notice or encourage me to do differently? Lord, how would you like to use me?

*When I hear the word “Sacrifice” what comes to mind?  Lord, fill me with a desire to sacrifice joyfully out of love for you.

*On a scale of 1 to 10 how comfortable is my life and how important is comfort and convenience to me? Lord, how are you calling me to step out into the deep and be a little uncomfortable in order to love and serve you more.

Lent isn’t meant to be a time of torture but giving up beach swimming for Lent in Michigan isn’t really going to develop much holiness.  As with all things, balance is key.  Lent is a time for God to exalt you.  The sacrifices we make are supposed to help us grow closer to God and that isn’t always easy work.  The work of holiness can be really hard, and it requires change and that often means being uncomfortable and inconvenienced, so as we ponder this 7 Word prayer and these questions let’s pray that the Father will help us discover the ways he’s inviting us to humble ourselves before him and be touched by the power of his mighty hand. In the words of Mr. Mark Toups, if you continue to do what you’ve always done during Lent, you may find yourself no different on Easter Sunday than you were on Ash Wednesday.  The pursuit of heaven requires forward motion…Lord, get me movin this Lent!

A Seed To Plant:  Take Mother Olga’s 7 Words and these questions to prayer and jot down what he puts on your heart so we can take a look at them on Monday and form a Lenten plan.​

Blessings on your day!

​I have a plant in my living room that I love.  The leaves are wide and deep green. I have absolutely no idea what kind of plant it is; all I know is it’s pretty and easy to take care of and it sends a clear signal when it needs my attention.  When I forget to water it, the leaves and stems bend clear down and lay flat on the table but once I water it, it perks straight back up and looks beautiful within an hour.  As I was reading this passage from Sirach, all I could think about was that plant.

The water on that plant in my living room creates life and beauty and I can see it happening right before my very eyes.  As I listened to these words and thought of my plant, I realized that my choices affect my soul just like water affects that plant.  Sometimes I accidentally neglect the plant, but a wee bit of time and attention brings it right back to life and restores its beauty.  I think that’s what God’s mercy does for our weary, soggy, limp souls.  The water is the fruit of our prayer and his amazing grace.  As I sat thinking about it, there are so many choices  I make that deprive my soul of the life, beauty and brilliant joy just like my neglectful watering habits affect my pretty plant.

I began to wonder what choices I make that lead to the serious wilting of my relationship with the Father.  My first smug thought was, I don’t make any decisions that are death, I’m much more of a chose life person!  As he always does when I think I’m all that and a holy bag of chips, he humbles me and what came next was a rapid-fire list of behaviors, attitudes and actions that lead slowly to destruction.  He reminded me that each time I look at someone in judgement, thinking of myself as happier, more prayerful or more put together, my soul wilts.  I realized that every time I choose to participate in a conversation that isn’t kind or charitable, my soul wilts.  Every time I run to the comfort of food instead of running to the comfort of his love, I wilt a little.  Every time I watch or read or listen to something that opposes his truth or purity or goodness, I wilt a little.  Each time I snap back at someone or make snap decisions about how someone drives or dresses or behaves, my soul wilts a little.  All of these situations may seem pretty innocent or human or even acceptable in themselves but in reality, the little things add up to become big and the choice is ours to make.  I’ve been lucky that every time I’ve seen my plant drooping, I’ve been able to water it and bring it back but one of these times I might neglect it too long and it won’t perk back up.  Thank goodness God’s mercy is more reliable than my plant care skills!  It’s never too late to turn back to him but as the Priest mentioned in his homily, there are always consequences!

With life there is abundant joy and mercy and grace.  With death there is sadness, stress, destruction and separation.  Each of those little decisions I make that are not life giving come with a consequence that is uncomfortable and undesirable.  I’m sure I’ve blamed God for not listening or helping me out of a rough patch but as I think about it, those are probably times when I’m stuck in the yuck of consequences that are a direct result of those little soul wilting choices. When it all boils down to the bottom of the pot, the truth is, we have free will and the choices are truly all ours to make.  That means that the consequences are also truly ours as well; we chose them.  I decided that was a pretty tough truth!  This reading is about more than heaven and hell, it’s about today and tomorrow and the hundreds of todays and tomorrows that lead us into eternity.  I think today is the day to start thinking more about the life and death of my choices.  I’m thankful for a great message from Scripture and the beautiful visual aid that sits in my living room.

A Seed To Plant:  Ask the Father to help you think about your choices pick out the ones that are reaping life and the ones that are wilting your soul.​

Blessings on your day!

​I was traveling recently and the hotel stay required a several floor elevator ride. Every time I got in it, I was the only passenger so there was nothing to distract me which would have been nice because all 4 walls of the elevator were mirrors.  Each time I glanced up to see which floor I was on, all I saw was my reflection.  Each time I caught a glimpse of myself, I thought of this question from John’s gospel.   The questions asked of John go from WHAT are you to WHO are you.  The first question seems a bit strange don’t you think?  But when we take a good look at our discipleship, that question becomes very important.  

If someone asks “who are you” I might be quick to respond with things like, Shannon’s mom, Dave’s wife, Lewis’ grandma or Tina’s friend.  I tend to focus on what I do, to describe who I am. But if someone asks “what are you” it causes me to look at my vocation.  What am I? I am God’s daughter.  I am a Saint in the making.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am a living example of God’s love for all his children.  In all honesty, living my “what” needs some work!  There are times when I think about the person asking and wonder “what do they want me to be?”  The problem with that kind of thinking is there is really only one opinion that matters and that isn’t always the one I seek first.  

John was very honest and direct.  He did not pretend to be someone or something he wasn’t.  There is certainly a lesson there for me.   This Gospel is the perfect reminder that what I really am, is HIS! I don’t have to pretend to be who or what the world would find impressive.  Today is the day to speak the truth like John and realize what I am; God’s Beloved Daughter, and that is absolutely more than enough.

A Seed To Plant:  What are you? Take a few minutes to make that list, looking through the Fathers eyes.​

Blessings on your day!

God has created so many people who are wise and smart and talented, and their gifts are meant to guide and inspire us. I have a journal where I write down wise words and great thoughts from people or reading or scripture that teach me something and touch my heart.  Every once in a while, I’ll read through the journal and see what jumps out at me.  It’s funny how things I completely forgot about grab my attention.   Today I thought I’d share some nuggets from wise and holy people hoping they might grab your attention too.
 
*In a world where we’re busy making noise and making a name, St. Paul reminded the Thessalonians to make it their mission to lead a quiet life.  Since the place we’ll find God is in the quiet, it seems like pretty wise advice.

*Famous theologian and priest Henry Nouwen sat down one afternoon with Mother Teresa seeking her wisdom.  He asked her how to grow in holiness and her reply was simple, “Enjoy an hour each day with the Lord and don’t to what you know is wrong.”  I suppose it doesn’t get much clearer than that does it!

*Scripture and saints are constantly reminding us to pray often.  Something changes when we pray and it isn’t always our circumstances, sometimes it’s our disposition and our willingness to give God control.  I suppose my response should be Lord, help me pray for what YOU want and not what I want. 

*The clay doesn’t tell the potter what to make, the clay waits to be molded and fashioned into the masterpiece the potter plans.  Lord, help me remember I’m a lump of clay desperately waiting for you to turn me into something wonderful that brings you glory.

*Is your faith your priority or your hobby?

*Focus and pray hard about telling the truth.  There are two reasons we lie to each other, the first is to get something we don’t deserve and the second is to get out of something we do deserve.  Lord, help me desire an honest, humble heart.

*Whatever behavior we choose, we become stronger in.  If we choose to worry, we become stronger worriers.  If we choose to complain, we become expert complainers.  Focus on the opposite behavior.  The opposite of worry is trust.  The opposite of complaining is praise.  Praise is not a denial of pain it’s a decision to trust in the suffering.
 
A Seed To Plant: Choose one of the ideas that hit your heart and sit with it in prayer this week.
​
Blessings on your day!

​I began my teaching career in junior high.  That was an adventure to say the least!  I have been asked many times how I became a motivational speaker and my answer is always the same, “If you can teach junior high, you can do ANYTHING!”  I will forever be a more patient, joyful, compassionate and understanding person because of the time I spent in the presence of those wonderful little hormonal and emotional time-bombs!  One of the things I remember hearing daily among the kids at that age was the phrase, “No offense but…” I tried and tried and tried to help them understand that if they had to begin the conversation with those words, it was indeed GOING to be offensive.

Have you noticed how often people “water down” the truth and their own personal convictions in the name of “not offending” anyone.  Sometimes we dance around the truth so many times we don’t even remember what it was!  We worry about offending the political and religious ideas and beliefs of people we have never met.  We worry about offending adults, children, governments, institutions and people half way around the world but yet we don’t always think hard enough about offending the very God who loves us, protects us and breathed us into being. 

In a sermon a while back our pastor shared a comment he had heard at a retreat.  He said the speaker had told them that “The Gospel can be offensive.”  What? I had to chew on that one a few weeks before it became clear.  When we look at the Gospels as our directive for living instead of merely a set of suggestions, they can be offensive, especially if we’re living only bits and pieces of the Gospel message.  Every time we live in a way that opposes the teachings of Jesus, we offend God.  I think He must be offended on a regular basis.  We live in a society that will spend hundreds of dollars to “re-word” a statement or document so it doesn’t offend someone but yet our behaviors offend the Almighty on a regular basis and we don’t seem to give it due notice.  I have to pause a bit and ask myself how offended God is when I think judgmental thoughts about one of His beloved children.  I have to wonder how offended He is each time I choose to spend time on the screen, instead of on my knees.  I wonder if He is offended by popular music, the garbage on television or the books that depict characters and plots that do anything but uphold the Gospel message.  I really wonder if the thing that offends Him the most is the way our society has become completely immune to it all.

If Jesus came to live in our home for a day, would we feel the need to change the channel on the TV or hide the book we were reading.  I wonder if Jesus would say, “I wish you’d worry more about offending my Father in Heaven and worry less about offending people of this world.”   If trying our hardest to avoid offending God became the mission of every Christian, I think we’d be amazed at the dramatic change that would occur in our world.  So… go ahead and read the Gospels and be offended…that’s where He begins to speak to our heart.

A seed to plant:  Draw one of the four names from a hat, Matthew, Mark, Luke or John…read that Gospel slowly and carefully over the next few days…ask God to offend you and then slather you with His Grace so you can make a change.

Blessings on your day!

Happy New Year!  It’s the season of new stuff!  New calendars, new snow, new ideas, new practices and hopefully NEW HOPE!  I love the feeling of a fresh beginning and an opportunity to move forward whether that’s in our faith life, our health or our habits.  The key for me is to be reasonable and logical.  The smart behavior folks will tell us to take small steps that are measurable and attainable…but I usually don’t listen to them and wind up creating a maze of steps and processes that are ineffective and exhausting…maybe that’s just me!
As I was sitting in Mass thinking about where the Lord might be directing my focus, I listened to a reading I’ve heard dozens of times and heard something in a completely new way.  The reading was about the Wise Men but the words “they were warned in a dream to return another way”.  The words “another way” just kept playing on repeat in my mind.  It’s funny because when I thought about all the “things” I thought I needed to do as 2026 began I realized I was essentially making the same list as I have for decades!  The list was based on me trying to solve problems…problems that matter to me, not necessarily to God.  I’m not sure if God will love me more if I loose twenty pounds, I’m not sure God will love me more if I actually get the Rosary said every single day without fail and I’m not sure God will love me more if I actually get in 10,000 steps every day.  Those and a dozen other silly things are what clog up my January every year so the words “another way” were delightful. 
I’m not sure what “another way” looks like?  It seems refreshing but at the same time it’s a little scary because it might be something really hard or something I fail at in splashing style!  What if another way requires me to give up something I don’t want to let go of?  What if another way looks nothing like the plans I have mapped out?  As I let all this run through my mind, feeling that I was behind because it was past New Year's Day, I came across these words from St. Faustina, A humble soul does not trust itself, but places all its confidence in God.  Perfect words at the perfect time.  The first thing I need to find another way to work on is humility and the second is trust in the Father.  As I tossed my plans in the recycle bin, I felt a wave of peace and I’m getting more and more excited to see what returning to the Father another way looks like.  I have watched him move mountains and organize situations I thought were impossible in just the first few days of January so I can’t wait to see what he has in store.  The best part…I just have to show up, follow along and ask him again and again to point the way.
 
A Seed To Plant: Prayerfully ask the Father if he might be trying to show you another way.

Blessings on your day!

Happy New Years Eve!  Today is the best day to take a look back and say thank you for the blessings and graces of 2025 and look forward to the plans God has for our 2026.  As we focus on resolutions I’d like to offer just one choice that can have a magnificent impact on the new year that awaits.  There is a phrase I heard from a man who survived a catastrophic accident and with the help of God recovered both his body and his soul.  He realized he had a choice, each morning; he could choose to rise and SHINE or rise and WHINE.  I’ve been repeating that in my head for several days and I think it’s gonna be my New Year resolution!  But I have a question that I’m wondering if others have too.  What if life is particularly tricky and staying in bed on a cold gray morning makes it extra hard to rise and SHINE?  In case you might have that same question, here are a few things that might help.

*Rise and SHINE starts before you fall asleep.  End your day by jotting down (or at least saying out loud) three things that happened during the day that were good, happy or you are thankful for…ya know…three places you saw God in your day.  If you fall asleep with positive things on your mind, you sleep better and wake up better.

*Before the RISE part, make sure you invite God into the day you are about to rise and greet.  Give him permission to be in charge and promise to take the back seat and let him drive.  

*Sleep!  Getting up when you’re exhausted is tough let alone trying to get up when you haven’t been under the covers long enough makes it extra tough.  When we get busy or life gets crazy the first thing to go is sleep and that is a terrible plan.  30 minutes of screen time traded for 30 minutes of sleep makes a giant difference.

*End the day with a chat with the Father thanking him for all the grace, mercy and blessings he showered you with throughout the day and then call to mind all the places you fell a little short, asking for his forgiveness.  Those simple steps will lead you to so much good.  
I read this passage not long ago and it seems the perfect way to end this the year, offering some wisdom that we might need to assist in or RISING and SHINING.
Every morning we arise afresh in Christ our light.  Ancient Christian writers warn against “morning demons”: yesterday’s worries and grievances returning to poison the new day. 
I suppose recognizing and naming those morning demons is important but the more important thing to do is ask Christ our light to overpower them so we can shine HIS light through our words, attitude and actions.

A Seed To Plant: As we greet a new year, ponder these thoughts and ask the Lord if this just might be where he’s inviting you to focus.​

Blessings on your day and Happy New Year!

​Happy Christmas Eve!  So how was your Advent?  I hope you were able to make a little room in your heart and get ready for the wee Baby Jesus!  What, you didn’t have an hour of uninterrupted silent prayer each day?  What do you mean, you felt frazzled and stressed instead of calm and prayerful?  Are you kidding, you don’t really feel all that much different than you did the first Sunday of Advent?

Welcome to the club!  Believe me, I get it!  How many times did your kids get the flu or did auto or home repair bills catch you by surprise?  How many Christmas programs did you squeeze in between working late, eating too much sugar and going to 45 school events since Advent began?  Isn’t it funny how we begin Advent with such high hopes to be calm and enjoy and wait and prepare but we end up rattled, exhausted, low on money and wishing Advent came AFTER Christmas when we had more time to focus on it!  The good news is we still have a few hours!  Think of this post as an Advent Sprint Finish how-to!

First of all, I’d be willing to bet that your Advent had more shining moments than you realize. Take a few minutes of still and quiet today and reflect on the last three weeks.  Did you pray a little more?  Were you a little more mindful of the needs of others?  Did you do something to take care of the struggling, the hungry or the needy during Advent?  Maybe you read or listened to something good for your soul or paid a little more attention to the homily or the Scripture Readings.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you call to mind the little ways you opened your heart to prepare.  You may not string it all together, but he certainly does.

Just because Advent is a whole season, it’s still just a window of time made up of smaller moments.  Loving the Lord and growing in Discipleship isn’t all or nothing!  It’s about chunks of times when we take little steps forward.  My tall sons can get across a room faster than I can with their long legs, but it doesn’t mean their trip is better, it just means they traveled a little differently than me.  Don’t let Advent guilt skulk into your heart today…its’ Christmas Eve and a miracle is about to take place.  It’s the eve of the night of Wonder and Awe!  It’s the night we celebrate the beginning of God’s humanity.  It’s the night that we remember how powerfully God showed his love for us.  He reached down and put his son in the arms of a teenage girl so we could join him in heaven as saints!  There is no room for guilt or worry or feelings of unworthiness today!  We’ve got a party to get ready for!  

Company comes often and sometimes I’m ready for them.  Sometimes I have plenty of time to prepare and put flowers and homemade goodies on my guest’s bed side table. Those are the times everything is scrubbed and shiny and all the favorite foods are prepared.  Other times, I have from the time a guest pulls into the driveway and makes it to the front door to get ready.  Either way, I love having guests and the quality of my preparation has very little to do with the beauty of the visit.  You may have had a great Advent getting ready or you may be doing “Newborn King Prep” at warped speed today but either way, Jesus is coming  and he’s gonna be awesome regardless of what we’ve done.  At this point, the most important task is all that remains…. OPEN THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART AND LET HIM IN!​

Merry Christmas My Friends!

Molly was her name.  She was plastic, had fuzzy brown hair and eyelids that opened and closed when I put her down or picked her up.  I would rock her, cuddle her and carry her everywhere. Molly the dolly, made me realize how much I wanted to be a mother; it was my biggest prayer.  After my first child, my prayer changed.  From that point, until this very day, I have prayed daily for the same thing; Lord, whatever it takes for the sanctification of my children (and now my grandchildren) please do it.  That can be a scary prayer, but as I pray it, I remember that he loves my kids and grandkids more than I do and that brings great peace!  

As I read this Gospel I am struck by two verses; He will be great & you have found favor with God.  As parents, we worry and wonder about our children; have we loved them enough, taught them enough, instilled enough faith; so, imagine the stunning relief if you heard a messenger of God, say about your child, “He will be great.”  What would that sigh of relief even sound like if we knew for sure that our children would achieve greatness in the eyes of God? And what would we do with all the minutes we spend thinking about their holiness and happiness? At first, the two verses seemed separate, but then the Holy Spirit helped me see that if desiring and praying for our children and grandchildren’s holiness is a top priority, then we’re doing exactly what God asked us to do when he placed that little human our life.  

As we wind down to the final days of Advent we continue to prepare to celebrate the birth of God’s Son.  Our Nativity scenes are up, and the focal point is the Baby Jesus.  God chose to send the Savior as a baby because he knew he would be loved, accepted and adored.  Nobody is afraid of or threatened by a cute little baby.  We find babies lovable and perfect.  As we get our hearts ready, we would do well to ponder the ways God finds us lovable, perfect and would like to come into our lives and make us great.  He wants to bring us his peace in this busy time.  He wants to remind us how much he loves us.  I think I’ll take a lesson from Molly the Dolly and lay down so my eyes shut, and my fuzzy brown hair hits the pillow and just be still while I ponder all the ways God finds favor with his children and tries to help them be great. 

A Seed To Plant: How would you like to invite Jesus into your life to help you grow in the greatness the Father has planned for you?​

Blessings on your day!

​Things can get pretty crazy this time of year.  It's such a joyous time when you've got a minute to stop and think about it; but finding a minute to stop and think can be a bit of a challenge. When I was a kid if I was sassy my mom made you stand in a corner. I think that's a lost form of discipline today but I'm not sure it was such a bad idea.  The premise behind it made sense...you're upset, saying things you don't mean to, so go face the wall and take a breath where there are no distractions and stand still to calm down. There are definitely days I sort of wish someone would send me to go stand in the corner! I could use a few minutes to be still without distractions and calm down. The truth is, we don't really need a corner to do that, but we do need to make a real effort to be still.  Satan loves to use busyness and noise to dilute our focus. 

Everybody loves babies, they're so cute and sweet and innocent and this time of year the image of the Baby Jesus fills our eyes and warms our hearts. It's hard to compete with a baby for attention so Satan has to pull out his big guns this time of year.  Don't let him get you!  Be still for a minute and imagine the manger that Mary and Joseph tenderly laid Jesus in.  See the fresh straw, imagine the stable and the animals and the chilly night air; throw yourself right into the story.  Be still and just soak in the events of that night. It's a bit like a spiritual standing in the corner.

We have a choice; we can get lost in the chaos or pause at the manger and spend a few minutes a day getting ready for a love so overwhelming it's hard to imagine. So, in the Advent days leading up to Christmas, be still and know that the manger is more than a Christmas decoration.  

A Seed To Plant:  Take a few minutes each day between now and Christmas and gaze at a picture or image of the Christ Child and ponder the greatness of that night...your day will be changed!

Blessings on your day! 

Welcome to Advent which is my favorite season of the church year.  It’s like a lovely “begin again” button that the Father sends us each year.  It’s a wee bit ironic that we are called to pause, ponder, begin again and patiently wait during this season and it just so happens to land right in what many consider to be the most crazy, busy month of the year.  That isn’t a mistake…it’s an invitation to yield our minutes to him.  The new church year begins with an invitation to wait, surrender and be still which for many of us are habits that could use a little work. 

Advent is our invitation to slow down, be still and prepare for the wonder and awe of Jesus coming to earth.  It’s our invitation to consider the three comings of Christ…his coming as a baby on Christmas, his coming as Judge at the end of time and his coming into our lives each and every day.  Our speedy, noisy human nature often resists this invitation and all too often, we respond to this invitation with one or more of the Three W’s. When we accept God’s invitation to slow down, quiet down, wait and reflect, we can get caught up in WORRY, WHINING or WONDERING.

If we get stuck in worry, that means as we work to still and quiet our minds, we begin to worry that God won’t follow our instructions, that he will miss some important details or he will be so busy with someone else’s stuff he won’t take care of ours.  If we get stuck in whining, we’re focused on all the things that aren’t the way we wanted or planned, and we can get wound up in comparing and complaining.  Our focus shifts from his plan for us to his plan for others and we slip right down that slope of jealousy, impatience and pride.  If we get stuck wondering, we can get all tangled up in doubt, frustration and cynical thinking. 

The three W’s are a lousy addition to our Advent waiting and they don’t do a darn thing to help us prepare for the Savior of the World so in order to wait well during this holy season and truly allow Jesus to change us and draw us closer, we have to be about the business of rooting out these nasty little W’s.  Advent is a great time to ask the Holy Spirit to make us vividly aware of all the times our mind drifts to the W’s and give him permission to bring us back to the peace, hope and joy this season is intended to foster in our soul.

A Seed To Plant: Commit to fifteen minutes of stillness and quiet every day this Advent and be ready to ask the Holy Spirit to chase away those pesky W’s.
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Blessings on your day!

I love everything about Thanksgiving!  I love the food, the weather, the decorations the spirit…all of it! There is an anticipation that comes with the last weeks of November and all the things that are just around the corner.  As I prepared my list of things I’m thankful for this year, I decided that I needed to show how thankful I was rather than just think about it. 
After some prayerful thought, here’s what I came up with.
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*I’m thankful for my family.  I will show them how thankful I am by using patient and kind words when I’m stressed or rushed.  I will also be sure I make them something or do something for them they enjoy.

*I’m thankful for the freedom and the desire I have to praise God.  I’ll show my thankfulness by spending extra time each morning praying for people who need to feel the love, mercy, healing and grace of the Father.

 *I’m thankful for the food I have in abundance.  I’ll show my thankfulness by sharing my abundance with the local food pantry and by eating a little less each day and offering that sacrifice prayerfully for those who go to bed hungry.

*I’m thankful for my warm cozy home.  I will show my thankfulness by contributing to a charity that helps the homeless.

 *I’m thankful for my clothes.  I’ll show my thankfulness by cleaning out the closets and donating clothes, shoes and coats to organizations who can use my excess to combat someone else’s need.

*I’m thankful for my arms and legs.  I’ll show my thankfulness by doing more to act as Christ’s hands and feet on earth…even when I’m tired or impatient or when it’s not convenient.

 *I’m thankful to be able to do work I love in retirement. I’ll show my thankfulness by remembering to pray for those who are unemployed or underemployed.

 *I’m thankful for the gifts and talents God has given me.  I’ll show my thankfulness by always trying to use those gifts and talents humbly to further God’s kingdom.

I am so thankful for the rich and abundant blessings God has chosen to give me; now I better get to work so I can show Him how grateful I am.

A Seed To Plant: As you make a list of all the things you’re thankful for
this year, make up your own list of ways to demonstrate your gratefulness.

Blessings on your day…and Happy Thanksgiving!

This one line from a bible story I’d heard dozens of times never even registered with me…it was almost as if I’d never even heard this part of the story until one Sunday Fr. Mike Schmitz unpacked this one little piece in such a powerful way it changed the way I look at everything.  The story of course is the one where Naaman, a commander in the Syrian army visited the Prophet Elisha to be cured of leprosy.  He was so grateful to Elisha for the healing he tried to give him all kinds of fancy gifts.  Elisha of course wouldn’t accept them because he knew the healing hadn’t come from him but rather the power of the Almighty God.  Once Naaman wrapped is mind around this, he made an odd request…two mule loads of dirt to take with him.  The reason he wanted the earth is a lesson for every heart that is trying to grow in holiness.

Naaman wanted the dirt so he could take it back to his homeland and put an altar of worship on it so he could praise and thank the God who granted his healing.  The Almighty God we worship was foreign to him and he didn’t ever want to forget, and he knew the earth would forever connect him to the place he met God and experienced his power.  He not only wanted to remember the goodness of God he wanted to share it with everyone who didn’t know.  Naaman, the man who didn’t know God, loved, appreciated, shared and worshiped him in a way that grabs our attention. 

The whole story made me think about all the times God has done magnificent things in my life and I just seem to “move on”.  Oh, I’m really grateful for a while but I need to channel my inner Naaman and stand on the blessing with gratitude and share the story so I won’t forget and others can experience his powerful love.  I think I need some mule loads of earth to stand on because the minute something tough, rotten or scary bumps into my days his past works and mighty love seem to fade from my memory leaving me tangled in the mess.  As we head into Thanksgiving, Advent and the busy month of December, it’s easy to get distracted from the good he’s done and focus on the busyness and stress, so we need to create our own mule load of earth to stand on so we don’t loose sight of what God’s done in our life. I decided to make a highlight reel of amazing things he’s done for me this fall that can serve as my mule loads of earth.

*A precious new grandson who only had to spend a few days in the NICU instead of a few weeks.
*Watching my 87-yr old dad who experienced another fall, break, double surgery and dependence on a walker, find mobility and work his way to walking with just a cane.
*Experiencing the joy of two young couples who battled infertility welcome babies into their homes.
*Eighteen hours of road time with my Missouri grandkids and their mama.
*Many hours of “cousin fun” with the grandkids.
*An amazing surprise, last minute trip to work with a parish in Alaska.  The trip included a house, car two days of play time along with the speaking and retreat work PLUS, just because He is so fancy…the cheapest tickets to Anchorage you could imagine which meant Dave and I got to take a bucket list trip! AND the people of St. Andrew Parish in Eagle River Alaska were an incredible joy to be with!  I saw God so clearly in the beauty of Alaska and in his children who lived there.  I was so honored to see what he’s doing in this small place, and I was drawn to tears at Mass when the 23 people planning to join the church at Easter were introduced.  I wish I had brought home some dirt from that beautiful place!

I’m going to hold on to these things along with the hundreds of other things he’s done to make me grateful and not just ponder them but share them as a sign of his love and care!

A Seed To Plant:  Make your list of places you’ve seen God working in your life and fix them in your mind as Naaman’s mule loads of earth to worship on…and make sure you share at least one of them with someone!
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Blessings on your day!