​I remember a stage in my early teenage years when my bedroom frequently looked as if there had been an explosion of some sort, and it drove my mom nuts!  One Saturday morning I “cleaned” my room, and she made it crystal clear that it did not meet her standards.  I had cleared a straight path from my bed to the door and quoted a version of these very words from Johns Gospel and showed her how I had clearly made “a straight way for the Lord”.  She assured me he was going to need a much wider path.

My mom’s assurance is true today!  I realize I don’t always make the path to my heart straight or wide.  I need to give God room to come into my heart and do his mighty works of mercy.  I have all kinds of things in the way that make His way tricky to maneuver. I make Him wind his way around jealousy and pride and selfishness.  The path hooks to the left when I toss in impatience and judgmental thinking.  The way really goes sideways when control, bitterness and gossip get tossed into the mix.

Today we find ourselves in the beginning part of our Lenten path, so I ask…how’s it going so far?  Do a quick survey of your travels so far and ponder the “give ups” and the “do extras” you plotted out on Ash Wednesday. Discipline and sacrifice are so good for us but be sure to ask yourself if the things you planned are designed to help you grow in holiness or are they things you’re going to pick right back up after Easter?  What about giving up things that really change our path?  The virtues offer a true depth to Lent for example, a reading about HONESTY popped up in my reading last week so I asked myself the question; how hard would it be to give up lying, fibbing or embellishing for Lent; and could that change us?  I shared that thought with some teenagers the other day and they responded with a resounding “YES, AND that would be harder than giving up candy or phone time!”

Making straight the way of the Lord means keeping my eyes on Him.  When my eyes are on Him and I’m preparing for Him to work in my life I discover I’m moving in a straight and forward direction.  He is the constant, the guide that straightens my way every time I re-adjust my focus on His way and not my own.  Perhaps as we continue on our Lenen path  we can pray for the Holy Spirit to help us identify the road blocks and detours that are in our path and we let that become a re-route or re-focus this Lent.

A Seed To Plant:  What clogs or kinks the path between Jesus and your heart?  Spend some time in prayer asking the Lord to straighten and widen the way to His love and mercy.  Loving Father, help me prepare a path to my heart that leads me straight to you.

​Blessings on your day!

​Welcome to Lent!  I feel embarrassingly blessed as we head into this season of penance and sacrifice because as I type, it’s late Tuesday night and I’m joyfully taking my shift with my teeny brand-new granddaughter Paisley.  I’m truly steeped in the opposite of penance and sacrifice…I’m actually knee deep in blissful happiness as I study tiny toes and lips and fingers.  I suppose it’s all a great reminder that as we begin Lent, we should be mindful that the root of it all is love.  We use this season to pull away from ourselves and our desires for comfort and convenience in order to make room for Jesus.  The end result of a Lent well lived is more focus on HIM and less focus on me.
One of the great ways we can love Jesus more deeply is to recognize his presence in our days. Perhaps that’s the best way to spend our Lenten days…looking for him; searching for the holy moments that flood our days.  Those moments are so easy to find as I snuggle up with this ten-pound bundle of new life but I wonder about the days ahead when things are challenging and dreary and frustrating…Lent is a great time to thank him for all those times and remember he’s there too. 
Love requires sacrifice…always!  As you make your way through Ash Wednesday 2025, ask Jesus for the grace to make this the Lent that your sacrifices and penances will be offered with such great love you won’t want Lent to end.  It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it and the joy of Easter will be overwhelming.  Today is the day to ask the question, “Do I want to be the same on Easter Sunday as I am on Ash Wednesday?” 
 
A Seed To Plant:  How can you grow in love this Lenten season?
Blessings on your day
 

​Every now and again I feel like I’ve “got it all together.”  My prayer life seems to be in order, I’m knee deep in loving and helping and serving and I can get a little “inflated”.  I should know by now that is the time when he’s gonna grab me with a lesson.  The story in this post isn’t mine.  I don’t know who wrote it but it fell into my lap and I really believe it was God saying…hey Sheri…what about this? Read this and see what I might be asking you to work on.  It’s about relationships, not just rules and procedures.  Being a disciple is tough work.  This story left me examining my heart in a giant way.  I think that’s something he likes us to do.  Maybe this story will hit you as hard as it did me.

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a highchair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, 'Hi.' He pounded his fat baby hands on the highchair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment.  I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty, and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map.  We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists.. 'Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,' the man said to Erik. My husband and I exchanged looks, 'What do we do?’ Erik continued to laugh and answer, ‘Hi.' Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, 'Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek- a-boo.’ Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.

We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. 'Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,' I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's 'pick-me-up' position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, 'You take care of this baby.’ Somehow, I managed, 'I will,' from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, 'God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift.’ I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, 'My God, my God, forgive me.’ I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not.. I felt it was God asking, 'Are you willing to share your son for a moment?' when He shared His for all eternity. How did God feel when he put his baby in our arms 2000 years ago. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, 'To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children.’ If this has blessed you, please bless others by sending it on. Sometimes, it takes a child to remind us of what is really important. We must always remember who we are, where we came from and, most importantly, how we feel about others. The clothes on your back or the car that you drive or the house that you live in does not define you at all; it is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you are.

A Seed to Plant: Read the story more than once…get past the whole stranger holding your baby thing and really feel what the message of the story is.​

Blessings on your day!

Growing up, we had a neighbor who was one of the dearest, sweetest souls God sent to earth.  We loved her so much that my brothers and I called her Grandma Marge.  We weren’t related to her, but we sure were connected at the heart.  Grandma Marge knew heartache, she knew injustice and she knew sadness.  She also knew and loved the Lord so what bubbled from her soul was joy and laughter and a wisdom that could see right through you.  She lived a wee bit more than a century and that keen wit, sweet heart and wisdom shined like a light right to the end.  Grandma Marge was a master at noticing and teaching my brothers and I lessons with very few words.

Grandma Marge was one of the few people who knew that chocolate and coconut are my favorite flavors ever.  I didn’t tell her it was my favorite but she always had candy when we stopped by for a visit and I guess she noticed that was the kind I always picked.  I remember one day my mom sent my little brother and I over to her house to borrow some eggs.  Of course, we sat down for a great visit and the candy bowl was out on the table.  I remember that there were circus peanuts and candied orange slices (BLECK!!!) and one of the chocolate coconut candies.  I figured I was safe because my brother loved both of those awful orange candies but for some bazaar reason, he ate the one I wanted.  I didn’t say a word and remember politely telling Grandma I wasn’t hungry.  I didn’t think any more about it and after our visit she handed us the bag with the container of eggs, and we headed home.  Not long after we got home, my mom called me into the kitchen to help fix supper and she told me to look in the bag from Grandma Marge.  In the bottom of the bag there was a little brown sack with a note and 3 chocolate coconut candies.  The note said, “I’m not the only one who notices when you do a good thing. Love, Grandma Marge”  

Her note seems to scream a very relevant thought right about now.  I’m sure I’m not the only one who has felt the division and craziness in our country and I’m also sure I’m not the only one who has felt sick to my stomach and cried and prayed sometimes feeling numb with disbelief and dismay.  We’ve absolutely been called to fall to our knees and pray but I’ve been feeling like it’s just not enough.  I’ve been wondering how to make our nation collectively take a deep breath and begin again honestly, kindly, prayerfully and justly.  Late last week I asked God, what in the heck can I do?  As I sat quietly waiting for a nudge or a thought my mind went racing back to that note from Grandma Marge. We’re being called to do the next right thing in the eyes of the Father…that’s it!
​
I can’t control a single person.  I have no influence over anyone in power.  I am not eloquent and persuasive.  All I can do is share God’s truth and slather everything in prayer, but I was feeling so inadequate until her note reminded me of the truth.  God notices when you do a good thing.  God sees his faithful, especially amongst a sea of unfaithfulness.  Thank goodness we aren’t judged in groups or by city, state or nation.  He sees us each as his beautiful child and he will notice our deeds and actions.  That note from several decades ago brought me peace in my turmoil.  I pondered all of it for a few days and wondered if being faithful myself was enough, and, as usual, God gave me a wink of encouragement.  I was listening to a teaching about the book of Judges which is a story of one destructive, bloody, devastating battle after another and the speaker reminded the listeners that God recognizes the faithful in all times and circumstances.  Grandma Marge was right, she wasn’t the only one who noticed things.

A Seed To Plant:  Write the words BE FAITHFUL on some sticky notes or cards and scatter them as a reminder that our job on this earth no matter what the chaos around us is pretty simple!​

Blessings on your day!

This Friday marks my second Valentines Day without a stack of paper cards and candy from a room full of kids and I kind of miss it.  With the little lovelies it was so fun to see their sweet handwriting spawl all over that tiny card trying to fit all the letters.  With the middle lovelies it was entertaining to watch the pre-teen awkwardness as they handed out their heart shaped cards and treats to everyone in the class.  Opening those cards and treats always filled the room with giggles and a sweet kindness and I miss that.  Love, friendship, kindness and fun are the themes of the day and when you think about it, those are gifts the Lord gives freely and longs for us to embrace.  I came across some pretty funny and brutally honest elementary school Valentine messages online and thought I’d share them and encourage us to think of them in terms of our faith and the Father’s love.
**Valentines Day is cool, you are too, you can be better, but I still love you.  I know this has got to be the message Jesus wants to send me on a regular basis!
**Dear Valentine, I want to inform you I kind of love you.  Don’t laugh, I’m serious.  Sometimes in the middle of our mess, we find it hard to feel lovable but He’s there…every minute of every day not just “kind of” loving us but completely loving us…and He’s serious about that!
**Dear Valentine, I love you sometimes!  I think some days that’s exactly what my faith life looks like.  I don’t trust as big and hope as hard and love as completely as I should when things get tricky and this message made me realize it just might look like I only really love Him sometimes.  I’ll need to work on this one!
**Happy Valentines Day Teacher, you are the 2nd best teacher ever! This one made me really stop and wonder how many times I put God’s love in 2nd place behind my own wishes, plans or desires.
**Dear Valentine, You are lucky you are alive. Gosh, I sure am!  While this simple message seems a little harsh and maybe even threatening, I had to laugh because it’s so true and I’m not sure I thank the Father often enough for the gift of being alive.
**Will you be my Valentine YES or NO.  Reply: Not right now, I have somebody else but ask me again in a week or two and I might say yes then. This screams…until I get tired of the way things are and then I’ll give you a try.  Lord, please help me be a committed disciple.
**Love is like when you’re missing some teeth, and you smile anyway because you know your people will love you back no matter what you look like. Now that’s true love!  It doesn’t matter what we’re missing or what we’re in the middle of or what kind of craziness is happening, He still loves us bigger than we can imagine.
**If you wanna catch a Valentine, just shake your hips and hope for the bests. O good golly I’m really glad hip shaking isn’t part of the recipe for being loved by the Father although Scripture does say “dance before the Lord with all your might” so I’m going to have to ponder this one!
 
A Seed To Plant:  Spend some time this week soaking in the Father’s love…google Scriptures about God’s love and sit with some that touch your heart.  Take the time to give out some Valentine messages or treats just for fun as a way to pass the Father’s love for you on to someone else.
​
Blessings on your day!
 
 

​As I head into the second month with my word CONTENT,  I’m amazed at how many times and places I need that word.  I realize there are way too many times I try to craft things myself and try to fold up God’s plan to make it fit in my spaces.  The thing I wasn’t expecting with this simple word was the way it causes me to slow down and really look around.  If I’m going to be joyful and content where I am, I have to find out where that is.  I have to slow down and see what he’s doing around me and quit trying to squirm out of the things I didn’t plan, didn’t want or don’t enjoy so much!  I sometimes get wiggly and restless and hear my mom’s voice saying, “Just simmer down, this will probably be good for you if you keep your eyes open and your mouth shut”!
 
I walked into a department store dressing room last weekend with some dresses draped over my arm.  I didn’t leave with a new dress, but I left with a lesson.  There was a lady in the dressing room beside me who was also looking for a new dress and she had drug in more than a dozen choices and they all shared a similar quality…they were the wrong size. As I was leaving, she stopped me and asked if I might have a minute to help her.  She said each of the dresses she had selected seemed to have a faulty zipper and she wanted me to help her get them zipped up so she could pick one.  As I struggled to tug up the zippers one after the other just didn’t fit so I asked her if she’d let me go out and choose a couple for her to try.  She was completely frustrated, and tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she agreed.  I quickly grabbed a couple of dresses in a different size and brought them back to the dressing room.  I heard her laugh as she came out with the first one all zipped up and she looked lovely.  She ended up buying both of the dresses that zipped and left all the others behind.  We had a great talk about trying to fit into things and places that just weren’t made for us.
 
I drove home that afternoon without a new dress but happy that a sweet lady whose name I don’t even know went home with two.  I was very content to ponder the lesson that unfolded in the dressing room of a JCPenney department store.  You see, it may have started with dresses, but the lesson goes so much deeper.  I realized how often I try to squeeze or bust my way into something that isn’t for me.  I try to wiggle things around and make them fit to my liking or plan.  I’m content to shove myself into the familiar rather than “size up”.  Like the maidens who tried to squish their foot into a glass slipper that didn’t fit in Cinderella, I go through life trying to force things to fit together my way.  The two new dresses and the glass slipper fit the right lady because they were the ones that were meant for it.  When we rest where our feet are, the Lord will always bless us with just the right things, but we have to be willing to let him offer us what fits perfectly.  Sometimes situations can seem tight and scratchy or big and bulky but if we ask for the grace to wait contently, he will, in his perfect time present us with something far more lovely, comfortable and perfectly detailed. 
 
Saturday night I went to a fancy party in an old dress from the back of my closet and I knew it wasn’t the prettiest dress or the smallest dress or the fanciest dress, but it was a perfect fit and God gave me the grace to feel comfortable and content…and I thanked him for that!
 
A Seed To Plant:  Spend some time in prayer thinking about the places and situations that aren’t a good fit and ask God to help you figure out how to “size up” according to his plan.
 
Blessings on your day!

I used to love watching shows about pioneers.  I thought the whole covered wagon, cornbread baking, sod busting thing was great.  I sometimes daydreamed about being a pioneer woman and thought about the excitement of such a new adventure.  I also thought the long skirts would be a great idea to cover up my pudgy legs.  Then I became a wife and mother and realized how hard things can be even in this modern world with machines and apps for everything, so I figured the whole pioneer woman gig was out of the question.  Or was it?
​
Now, one thing is for sure, I will never travel the frontier in a covered wagon, nor will I likely ever bust sod and use it for a roof but the whole new adventure thing might not be such a bad idea. I got to thinking one day that maybe being a pioneer could mean something different than the prairie.  Fr. Pierre de Chardin once wrote, “We are called to be pioneers; pioneers who stand on the edge of great beginnings, of unseen futures.  Pioneers filled with unwarranted confidence that visions give.”  Maybe I could be that kind of pioneer; I don’t think it comes with a long skirt and wide brimmed hat, but the new adventure part is the same.

I think the key word in Fr. Pierre’s quote was vision.  I can set goals or make resolutions; I can even pick a word for the year but to have a vision is something big.  I think our desire to be logical and systematic makes it difficult to be a pioneer.  When you really think about it, pioneers set off on adventures that didn’t seem safe, logical or systematic at all.  They really had to trust.  Some of the best things in life happen with that kind of start.  Look at Mary and Elizabeth…neither of them was the common candidate for motherhood.  Elizabeth was too old, and Mary was too young and not even married yet but they trusted, followed and radically changed the world. If we wait until everything is in order to make a new beginning, we’ll likely never get started on the journey.
What is your vision?  What do you see within yourself that could use a new beginning?  Be a pioneer and set out to find that new place or thing.  Be a pioneer for peace, patience, mercy or trust.  Blaze a trail so bold others can’t help but follow!  Can you make a plan to bring the hopeful newness of life to your heart, your home, workplace or community?  Great things have to start somewhere…go ahead…YOU be the pioneer!  What new beginning are you going to pioneer?  Think big…think mighty…think Godly but mostly think about the needs of others and the mercy of God.  If you need someone to join your wagon train just let me know!

A Seed To Plant:  Dear Lord, give me the strength to bust out of my comfortable-ness and be a pioneer of something really important to you.​

Blessings on your day!

As much as I might want to grumble about technology from time to time, I marvel at the way I can find inspiration and information almost instantly.  Not long ago a lady asked me, exactly how to get closer to Christ, and I offered some thoughts, but I spent the next many days pondering that question and hoping I answered it in a helpful way.  I decided to prepare a better answer because it was such a good question.  As I was thinking and praying about it, thanks to technology, I stumbled across a homily on YouTube offered by a priest whose name I can’t even remember, giving a homily about this exact question.  He was referencing something written by C.S. Lewis that offered 7 things to quit to grow in Christ and I was intrigued by the idea of quitting something rather than starting something and found it all too good not to share.
​
Number one:  Quit all the things that don’t bear positive fruit and that add zero value to life. Quit the things that don’t feed your spirit and that suck your strength. 
Number two: Quit hanging out with people who bring you down.  Choose to spend time with people who will challenge you and walk with you as you strive to be better, holier and more focused on the Lord.
Number three:  Quit judging and criticizing other people and things.  Not everything happens when and how you want it but if God is your focus the noise of the world and the actions of others become less and less important.
Number four:  Quit magnifying what’s going wrong in the world. You can choose to magnify problems or magnify God…choose wisely.
Number five:  Quit overdoing it…even the good stuff.  Still, simple, quiet and humble are the focus points for keeping your balance.
Number six:  Quit trying to please people.  If your focus and energy are all wrapped up in trying to win the approval of the world, that takes the first spot in your life.  Work on pleasing God and quit making pleasing people your mission.
Number seven:  Quit overthinking everything.  Trust him…give things to him and know he has more knowledge, wisdom, power and love than we can fathom, and he works for our good using people, graces and circumstances we couldn’t possibly know about…let God do his job.

Isn’t it a huge relief to know he’s not asking us to buy more books, do more stuff, create or begin giant things to grow closer.  These seven things to quit are crystal clear and require no extra things…simply re-ordering our days with a clear focus.

A Seed To Plant:  Pray with the list for a few days and see which ones the Lord might really be calling you to focus on and ask him to show you how to start quitting.

Blessings on your day!

We are about halfway through the first month of the new year and I hope it’s been a happy beginning.  I picked up an old practice this January and prayed for a “word” for the year.  I hadn’t done it for a few years and thought it might be fun to see what the Lord put on my heart.  The word that stuck like glue was CONTENT.  I’ve had a couple weeks to settle in with the word and I find it brings me lots of peace.  I have come across a few things lately that seem to confirm the peace and joy that comes with being content.  It is my hope that this might be a word the Lord whispers to you too.

*Lord…am I doing my faith right, am I holy enough or a good enough disciple?  The reply came in these words:  What you love, you spend time with and what you spend time with becomes what you love most.  It’s not about a list of tasks or hoops to jump through to please him…it’s about spending time in prayer, in his word and in constant conversation with him asking for guidance and grace and that is enough.

*What are my priorities?  Is Jesus like my second kidney?  It’s nice to have and I value it greatly, but do I really need it?  Lord, help me make you my priority and be content with the fact that I need to be quiet and still and everything else will follow according to your plan. 

*Jesus…do I live like you are an accessory or a necessity?  In my contentment help me claim and cling to you like the air I breathe.

*Lord draw me so close to you I become lost in your shadow.  Help me be content to walk in your shadow instead of being seen and praised by the world.

*Humbly be where he puts you and know you’re there for a reason even if it’s a place of struggle.  Contentment creates humility.  At the Last Supper Jesus ministered with tenderness and peace.  If I were hours from death, would I be washing feet or expecting to be pampered?  Would I have been comforting and loving others or expecting them to do that for me?  Lord, help me be still and content so I can participate in whatever you’re doing.

Lord help me be content with the things I have instead of wanting more.  Help me be content with where I am instead of trying to get somewhere better.  Help me be content with the blessings and shadows dotting my life instead of wanting to trade for someone else’s life that looks easier or fancier.  Help me be content with serving and meeting other peoples needs and wants instead of my own.  Lord help me be content being  LESS so you can be MORE. 
 
A Seed To Plant: How content are you?  Ask the Lord to show you where you need to be still and content so you can live John 3:30.
 
Blessings on your day!
 

​Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord.  Hebrews 12:14

I suppose most of us have a list.  Some call it a bucket list; others may call it a list of short- and long-term goal and for others is may simply be a wish list to keep tucked in the drawer or in the back of your mind. Whatever you call it, I have something we should add.  This particular item should not only be added to the long term, someday list but also to the task list we make each day.  It’s so important it just can’t wait another day, and we must get into the practice of giving it specific attention.  What is it, you might be wondering…

We need to be holy.  Holiness isn’t just something for sweet old ladies or monks and nuns who spend their days in silent contemplative prayer.  Holiness is something for each of us…today…every day.  It’s something to become and it’s something to talk about.  I just pulled a Christmas gift from a few years ago off my shelf to give it a new look.  It was a book by Matthew Kelly called The Biggest Lie In The History Of Christianity. It’s a great read, easy read, and an important read.  One of the sections that grabbed my attention was the chapter when he spoke about being holy.  Somewhere pop culture snuck in, and we became afraid to let our desire to be holy show or grow. 

I would like to share one simple and powerful strategy he laid out for each of us that can help us embrace and grow our holy.  He suggests not re-vamping our entire life and running off to a convent or monastery, but rather to have a “Holy Moment” today.  He describes that as a moment when you silently stop and do one thing God is guiding you to do.  It might be a moment of silent prayer when you’re prompted to be still.  It might be a simple action or reaction that is inspired by God and not by our desires.  It’s just a moment when we stop, shut up and let God be in charge of us.  It might mean not snapping back or acting with mercy instead of judgement.  It might mean calmly letting someone cut in front of us without getting into a huff; realizing there may be an important reason that driver is in such a hurry.  Mr. Kelly suggests that if we strive for just one holy moment a day, we may soon discover that we have several and when we begin to include them in our days we begin to see God working in our days and before we know it there are dozens of holy moments each day and then change really begins to happen.  Just a moment, that’s how it starts.  That’s how we begin to grow in holiness and that is exactly what God has planned for us to be.

We are usually on the lookout  for big, fancy and often complicated stuff to make our life better but  let’s start with the simple fact that being holy should be the number one thing on our to-do list and let today be the day you strive for your first Holy Moment!

A Seed To Plant:  Ask God to lead you to a holy moment today.  Share it with someone and pass on the holy moment challenge.​

Blessings on your day!

The wait is almost over, I hope it’s been a prayerful and peaceful Advent!  Twice in the last few days these words from the Prophet Isaiah have hit my heart.  It makes me wonder how often we ask and look for signs.  For the most part I think we ask out of faith.  Many of us look for or pray for signs so we can feel guided or assured but I suppose sometimes in our frustration and disappointment we can get a little crazy with our demand for a sign.  I’ve never asked him for something outrageous like a banner flying behind an airplane with the answer to my question, but I am guilty of asking for signs because I’m low on trust.

I think the problem with asking for signs is that we’ve already been given so many.  I have to imagine God in heaven doing a face palm when we ask for a sign and wondering how many more times he has to dazzle us before we just shut up and trust.  When you read this entire passage, Isaiah predicted the sign with remarkable, dramatic detail; Virgin birth and a baby name decades and decades in advance…now that’s a sign!  When we trace back the story of God’s love, it’s easy to see time and time again he’s been showing us some pretty spectacular signs of his endless love for his people.

Todays post includes a Christmas present.  The link below will take you to a video by the Skit Guys that is a 3-minute wonder to behold.  It’s a gem I stumbled on while searching YouTube and every time I used to play it for the Middle Lovelies they ask to watch it again and again to see all the signs and stories unfold.  Each of the events are a sign of His wonder and love.  When I really think about it, he’s already given me far more signs than I’ll ever need.  I guess I just need a reminder from time to time.  Perhaps I’ll work on asking for fewer signs and aim for greater appreciation of the ones that he’s already shown.

I’d like to wish all of you a beautiful and blessed Christmas! Please know of my Christmas prayers for all of you.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLcTLCCpI5A&t=5s

A Seed To Plant:  Take three minutes and watch this beautiful video.​

Blessings on your day!

I love the season of Advent because it gives me a chance to practice waiting and longing.  To be honest, I’m not so whippy at either one of those things so I always welcome this season and try my best to embrace the opportunity to slow down and wait well.  By the time we get a wee bit past the halfway point I feel the rushing and busy noise step up the pace.  Thank goodness for that pink candle that is a lovely reminder that the PERSON I’ve been preparing for is almost here.

I heard a priest mention one time that Advent is the season given to us…and I have no idea what he said next because I had failed to realize what a gift this season is.  It’s so easy to begin the season strong and then get swept away as Advent morphs into pre-Christmas stuff but I’ve prayed with those words and realized Advent is a gift that renews itself every morning for nearly a month and whether it’s the first day or the middle of the third week, the invitation for slowing down, pondering and longing was given to me so the simple act of thinking of those words puts my  mind in a different place and makes me grateful.  We aren’t given this season to be perfect, we are given this season to remind and encourage and prepare.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote about Advent as preparation for the three comings of Christ. The celebration of Jesus the baby, Jesus the judge in the second coming and Jesus in the third or middle coming as he comes to us each day.  I love pondering this third coming and it helps me be where my feet are.  Sometimes we get swept away in thinking about what’s been or what’s coming and forget Jesus is right here with us…where we are right now, in the mess, in the noise, in the string of stuff that makes up our days.  Whether it’s the beginning, middle or the tail end of Advent what if we pondered this each time our thoughts drifted away from the season?   As a little Advent re-focus for all of us to ponder, here are the 5 P’s of a great Advent day (notice I said day…don’t worry about the whole season…just this day).
Purpose…remember we’re not preparing for a holiday…we’re preparing for a PERSON.  Ponder this as you think of all the reasons you’re grateful for his love and his presence in your life.
Peace…find a few minutes each day away from the noise just to think about Jesus and his enormous love.  I might suggest heading to the laundry room to find your peace because nobody usually follows you there.
Plan…make that big ole to-do list but offer it to the Father asking him to be the manager of your time and tasks.  Ask him to control the tempo of the day in order to show you how he’s leading you and asking you to love and serve him and others.
Patience…this one will require surrender instead of control.  Each time you feel the rush and the pace pick up just close your eyes and lift your hands palms up and ask Jesus to take whatever burden or bother is wrinkling your peace and testing your patience.
Presence…be where your feet are!  There are things to start and things to finish but Jesus is with us in this moment…is there room for him?  When we joyfully still ourselves, he will open our eyes to his wonder and the gift will be peace, contentment and grace.
​ 
A Seed To Plant: Write down the 5 P’s and put them in a visible spot so you can practice them each of the remaining days of this beautiful season.
 
Blessings on your day!
 
 
 
 

​When the Christmas decorations come up from the basement each December there are a few things I unpack first; the really special things.  The first is the handmade Nativity Stable my father-in-law made, the second is the needlepoint stockings with the kids names Dave’s sister Jan made and the third is much less sentimental but still a personal favorite; the movie Elf.  Quite a contrast I know but there is a good reason.  When I take out the first two my heart is touched!  I think of the time and love that went into the creation of the stockings and stable and I re-play Christmas past.  When the movie comes out, I laugh; plain and simple…it just makes me laugh!  It’s always good to laugh but this time of year it’s even more important to balance the hectic days with some spirit lifting laughter.

One of the things I love most about the main character; Buddy the Elf, is his contagious enthusiasm and cheerfulness.  Granted, he’s a bit over the top but he just seems to roll with life, finding the good in everything and every person, including angry Taxi drivers and mean raccoons!  He finds great pleasure in simple things like revolving doors, paper snowflakes and maple syrup.  He works hard, doesn’t complain, tries his best to please everyone, compliments easily and speaks the truth always. He is good, kind, friendly and sincerely thoughtful and sweet.  I think the world could use a lot more Buddy’s! The one thing though that really makes Buddy unique is his passion for Santa.  One of my favorite scenes is when the store manager announces that Santa will be arriving the next day and Buddy jumps and claps and screams “I know him, I know him!”  He immediately recognized the Santa that arrives the next day as an imposter.  Right away he saw him and said, “That’s not him, I know him and that’s not him.”

When you think about it Buddy and a great Advent share some connections. In the movie, Buddy stayed up all night preparing the toy department for the arrival of his favorite guest; the guest he knew intimately.  Buddy nearly jumped out of his elf tights with excitement when he found out he’d be seeing his friend.  He loudly demonstrated passion, happiness, excitement, and unmeasurable pleasure at the mere mention of his friend’s name.  What if the movie was called “Jesus” and we were the main character?  What would our reaction to our friend be?  Would there be jumping, clapping or unmeasurable joy and excitement at the mention of his name? Would we stay up all night making the perfect preparations for our special guest or would we just try to make time when we could squeeze in a minute or two here and there? Do we know him intimately or are we sometimes tricked or have our focus diverted from the ways Jesus is present to us each day?  

Sometimes we do the same thing over and over and wonder why it didn’t turn out differently.  Maybe that describes your Advent but not to worry…we’re just getting started.  There is great value to looking at something familiar with a completely new perspective.  Maybe it’s time to think like Buddy the Elf.  Maybe it’s time this Advent to imitate his enthusiasm.  Maybe it’s time to put away doubt and skepticism and look with eyes and hearts of hope, joy and thoughtfulness.  Maybe it’s time to imagine ourselves standing at the Nativity scene with contagious enthusiasm because he came…the savior came…to see me…to live for me…to die for me…to bring me the gift of salvation! Maybe our goal this Advent is to expect and anticipate Jesus with the same excitement Buddy had for Santa.

A Seed To Plant:  Watch Elf, or at least a YouTube clip from the movie and see it through the lens of you and Jesus then make a plan for how you will imitate Buddy’s enthusiasm during this last week of Advent.​

Blessings on your day!

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow here are some thoughts on thankfulness. There are two really important words in this short verse from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, peace and thankful.  A focus on both of those words will help calm down the worry.   Gratitude is powerful and not only does it do wonders for our own troubled heart, but it’s also a beautiful gift to everyone else.  Here is an interesting thing I learned about being thankful. Recent MRI studies have mapped the gratitude circuitry in the brain, which activates a sense of reward, fairness, and decision-making—all aspects that help facilitate survival.  In case you might be looking for ways to ramp up the gratitude here are a few tips to help you sprinkle a little more thankfulness in your day.
​
*Make it a habit at least once a day to say out-loud three things you are grateful for.

*End your day by jotting down a few things from the day that you are thankful for.  I often tell the story of how my mom had a practice of doing exactly this very thing.  It was her belief that if the last thing on your mind before sleep was something you were thankful for instead of something you were worried about, you’d sleep better and wake up more positive.

*Tell at least two people a day thank you!  Make it specific if you really want to brighten someone’s day and spread a little joy.  

*Make sure your thank-yous outnumber your complaints.*Check your perspective, if you’re having trouble thinking of something to be grateful for, check out the situation of those around you and that might help you see your situation through a different lens.

*Volunteer…Jesus wasn’t kidding with the whole “serve others” thing.  Turns out, it’s a great boost for our gratitude and our happiness.

*Notice and appreciate the little things. I was in the middle of a train-wreck of a day not long ago and a little boy with Downs Syndrome walked up to me in the store and gave me a carnation.  He said, “You look like you need something pretty and a hug.”  In that one split second my attitude completely changed.  

*Be with the people you love.  Make sure you surround yourself with people who lift you up, make you laugh and bring you joy.

*Find some gratitude scriptures you can call on when you’re feeling a little worried and wilted.  God’s word is always true and always meant to bring good.

We worship freely, we have all we need to eat, we have shelter, we have transportation and people who care about us.  Those things alone make us some of the richest people in the world.  I don’t know about you, but I think I should sit down and make a list of those and the hundred other things I probably take for granted and add them to my gratitude list.  Sounds like a great way to chase the blues away.

A Seed To Plant:  Spend some time working on your gratitude list and then find a few great scripture verses about gratitude you can use when the worry gets heavy on your heart.​

Blessings on your day!

​I’ve chatted with several people lately who have shared that their schedules were pretty nutty!  In case that’s you, I hope todays post touches your heart and brings a splash of hope and comfort to your busy days.  During the busy seasons, remember to take your to-do list to prayer each morning and know God will organize it all for his glory even if we’re feeling a little overwhelmed.  While I was knee deep in a busy stress season recently, I was working my way through the tasks, and I was encouraged when I remembered back to swimming lessons when I was a little girl. Just for the record, I HATED swimming lessons.  I remember the required trip into the deep end and that feeling of complete helplessness when I realized my feet couldn’t touch the bottom and I had nothing to grab on to.  The instructor would yell, relax, close your mouth and tip your head back so the water won’t go up your nose. I didn’t enjoy anything about that feeling.

If that feeling is familiar here is another little tidbit I learned in swim lessons that just might help.   When you close your mouth and tip your head back so you can breathe, you are automatically looking up.  Quietly looking up is always a good idea and it’s a practice that can offer not only survival, but surprisingly, great joy!  Sometimes we cram way too much into our weeks but as the waters rise, keep asking God to keep you from drowning.  Not only will he answer, but he will bless you with lots of little surprises along the way. He will arrange every detail, every timetable and every event.  Things may not be completed as early or fast as we want but it all gets finished.  He provides help when we don’t expect it, laughter when we most need it and great friends along the way.  Sometimes he even arranges great parking when we peel into the parking lot at the last minute.  If we let go of the control and the expectations we will see him guiding and loving us through even the busiest days.

 Sometimes we have to reach out and ask for help and we might have to eat left-overs a few times or pull something “not so dirty” out of the hamper but it all falls in place when we make him the boss of our busyness. I’m in awe of the way God can swoop in and put things in order if we just close our mouth, tip our head back and look up to the giver of life and the master of all time and tasks.  Perhaps I should try that more often!

A Seed To Plant: Tip your head back, close your mouth and look up to the giver of life and enjoy your day!​

Blessings on your day!

These words were a part of last Sundays first reading, and they are stuck to my heart like Velcro!  The noise this verse was making in my head really picked up volume when I threw a little hissy fit because I was making cinnamon rolls to take to a friend and realized the brown sugar container was almost empty.  You simply can’t make a batch of proper cinnamon rolls with just a sprinkle of brown sugar for heavens sake!  As I spit and sputtered around the kitchen trying to figure out who to call to borrow sugar, I was frustrated about the inconvenient task of getting enough to finish before the dough was ruined.  It was a silly thing to get flustered about but right in the middle of my dramatic grumbling, something prompted me to look on the pantry shelf above the canisters and low and behold…there was a full unopened bag.  Once the convenient solution to the problem appeared, I began to feel ridiculous as the words of the widow in the Scripture Reading came to mind.

Nobody was going to die or even notice if the cinnamon rolls weren’t made the usual way.  There was no consequence that warranted me getting all flustered.  If I’m being totally honest, I actually found not one, but two bags of unopened brown sugar on that top shelf…and then I felt really silly, and   my heart was wide open for the lesson to come.  As I stood there rolling and cutting dough, I realized the lesson wasn’t about organization or brown sugar at all,  but about the widows lesson of trust and enough.

The poor widow wasn’t being dramatic, that was her reality, and she had embraced it and stated it to Elijah plainly.  It was all she had yet she shared it with him knowing the direness of her situation would arrive even sooner.  As I puddle that through my thoughts, I realize how much excess I have…how much extra I think I need and I had to ask myself why?  Why did I have two full bags of brown sugar?  Did I need them, would we suffer peril if I ran out?  I stood there looking into my pantry realizing how much we have but yet I still had that flustered feeling when I thought I was almost out of something.  Boy, do I have a lot to learn from that widow.  I began to wonder about the security I feel when there is “extra” and I noticed so many places I seem to have “extra extra!”  Is my hope and trust in the pantry, or the closet or the garage?  Do I put faith in the security of my excess or in provider of the abundance?  I have a lot of wonders.  I don’t think the Lord wants me to quit going to Kroger until my pantry and fridge are completely empty but even if I did, I wouldn’t be in the same boat as the widow.  I realized I trust my planning and bargain shopping skills to offer a bit of security and I knew I was being invited to shift those things to a trust in God’s Providence.
​
I’m not the widow and I don’t think that’s what Jesus is asking me to be, but he did stir in my heart a desire to trust him more and to grow in generosity.  He isn’t asking me to empty my house of everything but oil and flour, but he is inviting me to look at what I might be clinging to for security and take a peek at all the things I keep around “just in case” that I could share with others.  Mostly, he’s asking me to pray long and hard about the word “enough” when it comes to the things of the world because I think sometimes, they litter the path to him.  Ultimately, he’s reminding me that he loves me just like he loved that widow and her son and he will always make sure I have more than enough of the things that really matter when I seek him first.
 
A Seed To Plant:  Join me this week in taking an honest look at what we have, what we need and what we can let go of to make more room for the Father. 

Blessings on your day!
 

​As I type and upload this post it’s late on election night and I think the whole country will fall asleep with a mind full of wonders.  There are hearts that are troubled, worried and hopeful tonight.  No matter what the news will be, we can be sure that the Father has us tucked tightly and safely in His abiding love and protection.  As I pondered just how close to us the Father is, I remembered a trip a couple of months ago that routed me through the Dallas Ft. Worth airport on a Friday evening which was a crazy adventure to say the least.  It was a stormy night which added delightfully to the chaos and lots of delayed flights added to the crowd.  I had to board a tram to connect to another terminal and when I got on, it was full but not packed but as the tram approached the second stop that began to change.  Each stop added another glob of passengers, and I got packed tighter and tighter toward the middle of the tram car.  Everyone was laughing about it which was great but at one point I had to turn my head sideways in order to breathe because my face was pressed tightly into the back of a tall gentleman in a tailored suit who would probably not have appreciated me breathing on his fabric.  I remember getting off at my stop thinking; Phew! I don’t think I’ve ever been packed so tightly against that many people in my life!

Today’s quote from St. Catherine of Siena reminded me of that tram trip in Dallas.  It also reminded me of a line from Psalm 139, I will hem you in behind and before with my hand upon your shoulder.  God desires to be that close to us; as close as water to a fish and as close as the people in the tram car.  Isn’t it funny though that sometimes we think he’s so far away?  If that’s how we feel, then the ten-million-dollar question becomes; is he far from me or am I far from him? 

I am a visual person.  I learn much better by demonstration and touching than reading so when I came across this quote it made Gods desire to be with me so visual and so clear.  I don’t know about you, but I’ll take the blame for all the bad geography!  You can’t get much closer than water to a fish or being hemmed in from before and behind so if God’s not close it’s because I’m in the wrong place. If I don’t feel him close it isn’t because he’s taken a lunch break, it’s because I’m not on the path he led me to. If I can’t feel him when I reach out it isn’t because he’s not there; it’s because I’m reaching for something that isn’t mine to have. I suppose before I again question his nearness to me, I’d better make sure I’m in the right spot…on my knees with my arms stretched out toward him asking for a rescue and a re-start.  He doesn’t want to be a Father who loves me from a distance; fish and water are pretty close, and he wants to be even closer than that to me.  Come on God…I give you permission to invade ALL my space!

A Seed To Plant:  Find a picture of a fish and put it somewhere visible to remind yourself how close God is to you then while he’s right there, go ahead and ask him to guide and help you!

Blessings on your day!

Last week I had a really cool opportunity.  The local middle school had an assembly planned and a few days before the event, the speaker they had booked hit a snag and couldn’t come so I got to swoop in as backup.  It was the best afternoon because the kids and staff at PW are great and because the topic was so important.   The theme of the assembly was kindness, empathy and being amazing humans.  As I planned for the event it occurred to me that October is the month the church sets aside to “respect life”.  We are reminded during this beautiful month to think about life in all its ages and stages and realize each of us is a precious child of God. Many of us are very passionate about protecting the unborn and we will fight like mama bears if we find out someone is mistreating the elderly.  Those are causes we pray and fight for in many ways but what about respecting the life we are surrounded by every day.  How are we at respecting our neighbors and co-workers and those folks who annoy us?  October is a call to think about the way we respect ALL life.   The lessons last Friday were for middle school students in a public school and they received it well  but today I thought I’d offer each of you a similar lesson rooted in the Gospel.

Each of us was created in the Image and Likeness of God.  I used to teach the first graders that meant when God made us, he put a little piece of himself in our heart, so he was always a part of us.  If we realize God is a part of everyone we meet, and all his children are precious, we realize when we disrespect or hurt someone, we are also offending the Creator.  Most would agree that is a very bad idea! Here are four things we can do to respect each other.
​
K - Know that each and every person was created and is precious to the Creator.  Saying or doing hurtful things to others hurts the Creator.

I - Invite and include others.  We love to get invited to parties and weddings and celebrations but   inviting others to sit with us, eat with us, pray with us or spend time with us makes them feel noticed and valued.

N - Notice the people around you.  Notice if someone is sad or lonely or hurting. We weren’t made to be alone in this world, we were made for community, and we all need to know we matter, so be on the lookout for the people who need a little friendship.

D - Decide to show everyone the mercy and love Jesus did.  We decide dozens of things every morning why not add this important decision to the list.

When we put all four of these actions in motion, our hearts will change.  We were created for life and good.  When we hurt or disrespect others we aren’t choosing life.  Life is full of enough difficulties and frustrations; we should be about the business of making life a little easier for those we share our days with. The lesson is simple but powerful, perhaps you can add a simple thing to your days.

A Seed To Plan:  Pick one of the four ideas and put it in motion today.​

Blessings on your day!

​Ugh…it’s election season and it’s getting so close it’s hard to stay out of the way of the slinging mud!  I think this season bothers me so much because much of the conversation is about the mistakes, shortfalls and perceived weaknesses of another person.  I get it, I really do…it’s about convincing and quite honestly, the bad stuff gets peoples attention.  For as much as I hate all the negative, the arguing and the difficulty actually sifting out the truth, there is one good thing about this season; it forces me to ponder and pray about what I really believe.  

Our morals and our beliefs absolutely come into play during an election season and it’s often something people twist and attack.  Christianity just isn’t “cool” according to some and it is brushed away and trivialized like the stuff fairy tales are made of.  I can get a little huffy when faith is dismissed as a part of the leadership equation because it’s hinged to everything.  When I read these words from the late Justice Scalia, I realized it was ok to be offended and suffer as so many dismiss Jesus and his teaching.  It made me realize I put too much stock in what the world thinks and it’s ok if the world thinks I’m foolish for believing the way I do. I guess being a fool for Christ is the best kind of foolish there is.

It’s so easy to get overwhelmed with that “hell in a hand basket” feeling as the election draws closer and recently I had a some conversations with some folks who were definitely overwhelmed.  In his great timing, someone shared this quote and as I passed it along; we all felt some peace and balance. One presidential candidate  isn’t going to fix  America.  People are.  Read to your kids.  Show them how to find joy in work.  Teach them what respect and kindness is.  No politician will ever do that.  It’s not the government’s job to teach people how to be happy.  I wish I could re-write it and add Pray with your kids. Believe in and trust the one who is the author of happiness and the one who is greatness Himself.  America will be great when we remember to live the Gospel.

I suppose the other thing that really bugs me about this season is my intense dislike for conflict!  Christians are often under attack during this season and accused of being old-fashioned, narrow minded and judgmental.  Those words are hard to hear but maybe they’re true.  If keeping up with the times means ditching the Gospel than I think I’ll be old-fashioned.  I can’t count the times in the last couple of weeks I’ve heard someone say, “You need to be more open-minded.”  It was usually in the context of accepting something contrary to Christian beliefs and again, just because God communicates in crazy ways, I saw a quote from G.K. Chesterton that said, “Do not be so open-minded that your brains fall out.”  It made me laugh because it just put things in perspective.  

As God’s children we can use this season for good.  We can use it as a chance to ponder what we believe and how our actions back those beliefs.  We can use this time to pray for those who are running for office and those who are doing the voting.  We can also use this time to realize that God is the winner…the power…the authority…the everything, and make sure we’re hitched to his wagon!

A Seed To Plant:  Just for one day, every time you see a campaign sign or hear a political ad, say a prayer for God’s blessing on our country.  For extra credit, do it for a week!

Blessings on your day.

October is so full of changes and new things.  Everything from the temperature to the color to the things we eat and wear and do changes!  October is the month we watched the Detroit Tigers surprise us as they changed from a struggling team to the one that fought their way to the Post Season and then we changed our focus to the Detroit Lions who after decades of struggle have become such a powerful and fun team to watch.  October reminds me that things are supposed to evolve and change and march forward including our walk with the Lord.  We are reminded that our mission on earth is heaven and that requires growing in holiness.

Holiness doesn’t mean perfection, that’s for God alone and we aren’t him.  Holiness doesn’t mean we don’t sin and never turn away from the Father’s love.  Holiness means moving forward…toward God’s perfect plan for our life.  We don’t have to save a country, feed a village or build an orphanage to be holy, we have to seek God, love God and trust God a little more today than we did yesterday.  Here is a little list of things we can do to help us grow in holiness each day.

*Before you even get out of bed, tell God thank you for something.
*Look people in the eye…really see them in such a way they know they’ve been seen, and they matter.  As you look at them, ask Jesus to help you see them with his eyes.
*Listen more than you talk.
*Don’t be afraid to say great, powerful things like; I don’t know and I’m sorry, please forgive me and how can I pray for you.
*When you wake up, ask God for the plan of the day before you map it all out yourself.
*Say a prayer for every person, event and circumstance that bugs you and then tell God thank you for it. Do these two things before you speak or respond so mercy and gratitude have a chance to swoop into your heart and take the place of criticism or negative responses.
*Don’t brag or point things out that will shine the light on you and the things you’ve done.  When we are humble God brings the acknowledgement and appreciation that truly touches our heart in the way no human praise can.
*Show love and respect to at least one person each day you find difficult to love or to someone who can offer nothing in return. Doing it anonymously adds a fun twist.
*At the end of the day chat with God about the days blessings, sorrows and point out to him at least one place you saw him working in your life.
​
Doing even a few of these things will create a beautiful change in us.  It might not be as evident at first as the changes we saw as the Lions beat the Cowboys last Sunday but the change is so much more profound and essential than the silly things we focus on from day to day.  Go ahead…change some of this stuff and watch your holiness grow.
 
A Seed To Plant:  Pray with the list and pick a couple to focus on in the days and weeks ahead.  When you’ve mastered one, add another because growing in holiness requires a constant change and forward motion.

Blessings on your day!