It’s not scripture but it’s a powerful truth I seem to forget.  Sacrifice often takes a back seat to convenience and comfort.  We prefer easy, speedy and painless and then wonder why we don’t feel fulfilled.  The important stuff; the stuff that leaves us joyful and alive; that’s the stuff that involves love and requires sacrifice.

I’ve had several nudges lately that remind me how true this statement is.  We are called by the greatest commandment to love, and the truth is, we can’t follow that commandment without sacrifice. Sometimes that sacrifice is small, for instance, I loved being a teacher but spending time in the evenings and on weekends grading and planning was a sacrifice.  Other times the sacrifice is much bigger.  I hugged a good friend at her father’s wake this week and she lovingly told me she was so happy for her dad and found peace just thinking about him rejoicing and being free from pain. Her perspective and strength were inspiring but the sacrifice of that love will weigh heavy on her days for quite a while.

Sometimes the sacrifice needs to look like patience.  Sometimes it needs to sound like a swallowed opinion.  Sometimes it needs to appear to be sand slipping through our fingers as we let go of the past or of our own agenda.  Sacrifice is loving people exactly how they are and where they are.  Sometimes we’re called to love someone just by being present and there is sacrifice in keeping quiet and not trying to fix or change them.  The people who love us back make it easy to love but we’re also called to show Christ’s love to those who can give nothing in return and that is truly a sacrifice.

I think about all the times I’ve tried to find the perfect gift to show my love for someone. When I heard this line spoken by a movie character I realized I’ve been shopping the wrong way.  I suppose the more we love, the more we should be willing to sacrifice.  I loved my children but I’m not sure they always saw my carpool complaining as a loving sacrifice.  This simple little line can bleed into doing the laundry and helping with homework and holding the flashlight in the rain so Dave can figure out why the tractor is making a weird noise.  This kind of love happens in the middle of the night after a bad dream or at the end of the day when you want to tune out the world but someone you love just really wants to spill their heart.  

There have been times when I’ve wondered if all the sacrifice of a relationship was worth it or if it was really supposed to be so hard and one-sided, but as I’ve prayed with these words for a few weeks I realized I was looking at it out of balance.  Love and sacrifice aren’t always equal.  Sometimes we receive love far greater than we sacrifice and more often than not it is opposite.  We’re able to sacrifice and love others but at some point, we expect to receive love in return.  We want to feel there is something in it for us.  I forget that my call to love others isn’t to get something in return.  Love is so much bigger than all the warm fuzzy feelings.  Love is the duty of a disciples and the way to keep that in balance is to realize each person that crosses our path is there so I can show them the love of Christ.  It’s not about loving so I can get something back, it’s about loving so I can love Jesus himself.   When I look at Jesus on the cross, I find the truth because it reminds me that there is more love poured out on me than I could ever imagine.  I know I will never be called to love with a sacrifice anywhere near that magnitude but when I recall his sacrifice for me, it helps put my teeny little sacrifices for others in perspective.  Again, I remember it’s not about me at all!

A Seed To Plant:  Who can you love today?
Blessings on your day!

Did you ever noticed how many ways we identify and announce who we are, what we like and what we are involved in?  There are yard signs, t-shirts, hats and bumper stickers just to name a few.  These things send a message about who we support, who we connect with and who we like best.  I’ve been thinking about this for a few days and it all started at a Detroit Lions game.  The kids gave Dave the greatest Christmas gift ever and took the most loyal Lions fan I’ve ever known to his first game.  As we walked down the streets and into Ford Field I noticed that I was practically the only person there who wasn’t wearing Lions apparel which made me feel a little out of place. In a world that can seem to fuel division, it makes my heart happy to see simple things that can connect us.  Everyone in that stadium (except for a few Carolina Panther fans) were united by a common thing and seeing people laugh together, high five each other and celebrate was a fun thing to soak in. What started out as a Sunday NFL game has turned out to be a couple of  great lessons.

At the game Sunday I was interested in the back of the players jersey because I wanted to know their name.  I found myself wondering who they were, where did they grow up, where did they play college ball?  I wondered about the ones who never hit the field or had their name announced?  Then it hit me, it didn’t really matter because they all had the same name on the front of their jersey.  The morning after the game I came across this quote from author Jeff Cavins, “When you truly and humbly play for the name on the front of the jersey, people will remember the name on the back of the jersey.” That was lesson one.

Lesson two is still unfolding but it started with the question…whose jersey am I wearing?  I suppose we have many jerseys…teams, groups, clubs, companies but which one is most important…which one do we want to be identified with the most?  Of all the “jerseys” I could wear, most of them will cause a little good-hearted riff like the opening game of the NFL season when I wore my KC Chiefs shirt and Dave wore his Detroit Lions shirt. We wore them with pride and loyalty knowing in the end only one of us would be wearing the “right” one.  When I think about the quote from Jeff, I realize being a good disciple means I really do have to have one jersey that is way more important than all the others and that jersey can most certainly raise some eyebrows and for some, cause quite a riff but I need to ask myself if I’m a big enough fan to wear it for all to see.  If my jersey bears the name of Jesus on the front, do I play like I’m really on the team and am I playing for the name on the back or the name on the front? If that jersey is a symbol of my discipleship, how will I feel if I’m the only one wearing it or how would it feel if everyone was wearing it?  I’m not sure I’ll be able to look at jerseys quite the same way for a while…I’ll thank Jesus, Jeff Cavins and the Detroit Lions for that.

A Seed To Plant:  What jerseys do you wear?  What would it be like for you to wear the one for HIS team and how would that change things in your life?
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Blessings on your day!
 
 
 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Every marketing genius works their entire career in hopes of being the one who creates that slogan that catches everyones attention and makes their product a household name.  Some of those slogans stick for years.  I’m pretty sure I can still sing the McDonalds Big Mac song and I can still sing “I’d like to buy the world a Coke.”  We know how to “Just Do It”, “Have it your way.” and “Leave the light on.”  If only we could get the really important stuff in life to stick like a commercial.

I ‘m leading a retreat for 75 middle school kids today and one session is based on one of the most powerful slogans my disciple heart ever heard.  I saw it on a pack of scripture cards and it said, John 3:16…BE A WHOSOEVER! I had to think about it for a minute and then I just laughed.  It was a perfect one liner.  One of those statements that just sort of snaps you to attention.  The goal in this life is to live it in such a way we get to heaven.  The question then is, who gets to heaven.  The answer is right there in John 3:16; whosoever believes in God. I want to be a whosoever!  The beautiful part of this verse is that I have to realize being a whosoever is possible because of what God gave us through his Son, Jesus.  

It’s all here…the motive, the result and the promise.  A whosoever lives like they recognize and appreciate the gift of Jesus.  A whosoever realizes what they need to do and what the reward will be.  The whosoever knows the promise and tries to live like they believe it! A whosoever is who I want to be.  If I take control and forget to ask the Father for his plan, I’m not being a whosoever.  If I gossip and behave selfishly, I’m not a whosoever.  If I fumble my way through the day leaning on God’s guidance and believing in his power, then I’m on the road to being a whosoever.  I think I might be saying to myself, “That wasn’t very whosoeverish!”  Maybe it’s a slogan that just might help you point yourself in the right direction too.

A Seed To Plant:  Make a “Be a Whosoever” sign and stick it somewhere visible this week and see if it changes your thinking and your actions.​

Blessings on your day!

​Do you want to be well? John 5:6

50 years ago Burger King rolled out their ad campaign with a jingle that went, “Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce. Special orders don’t upset all we ask is that you let us serve it your way. Have it your way at Burger King.”  It may have been a genius way to sell the Whopper but it’s not exactly the motto for growing in holiness.  For some strange reason that jingle has been tumbling in my head and it struck me that sometimes I expect my relationship with Jesus to be just like ordering the perfect burger.  The truth is, I’m not always sure what it is I really think I want.

Someone recently pointed out that we have so many choices it can be really tough to figure out what we want most.  We seem to chase thing after thing.  We buy stuff and more stuff trying to figure out what that one thing really is.  How many times have we eaten four or five snacks before we really even figure out what we’re really hungry for?  I read a question not long ago that made me giggle and think.  The gentleman asked, “What do cats like most? Mice, right? So if mice is what the cat really wants why is cat food made from chicken, pork, beef, lamb and fish instead of mouse?  

I’ve given it a lot of thought and I think sometimes I don’t figure out what I really want because it’s easier to just try several options and complain when they aren’t what I really wanted than it is to really stop, pray and ponder what I want, examining all the consequences and unintended consequences that go with my choices.  Jesus’ question to the crippled man in Johns Gospel was a bit strange but it really digs down to a deeper level; a level I think I need to visit more often.  The lame man had been there on his mat crippled for decades.  Actually being healed would require responsibility and change for the man, after 38 years Jesus asked a very fair question. I’m sure it made the man wonder how much he really wanted the change that meant moving, pain, work and responsibility.  Jesus wanted to know if it was really worth it to him.

Blessed Santia Szymkowiak had the perfect answer to the question, “What do you want?”  She lived her entire life with one motto, “Jesus make me want whatever you want.”  She believed what Jesus wanted most for and from her was holiness.  I don’t know about you, but that isn’t my usual thought process, but it sure should be.  If I want what he wants then I can’t always have it my way.  If I do things his way, it means change and being uncomfortable; two things we don’t readily sign up for!  Burger King made a fortune off making customers feel like they could have anything they wanted and there was happiness because of it.  I guess that leads me to ask myself the big question; where do I want happiness; on earth so it can last about as long as that delicious burger or do I want the bliss for all of eternal life?  My way will be temporary, his way will be eternal.  It’s really what I want most but what am I willing to do; what changes am I willing to make in order to want what he wants?

A Seed To  Plant:  Make a list of all the things you want, and make a list of all the things you’re pouting about because they didn’t go  your way.  Pray with that list and ask God to show you what he wants for you.​

Blessings on your day!

…for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.  Luke 6:45

Now that’s an entire Holy Hour in ten words!  Even though my heart is buried deep within my chest, my mouth is its perfect reflection.  Sometimes that’s a great thing and sometimes not so much!  As I prayed with this Gospel, so filled with gems and treasures, I just kept coming back to this one line again and again.  The sad reality that washed over me was…sometimes my heart and words are judgmental and fickle. 

The Holy Spirit painfully allowed me to see that more often than I’d care to admit, my heart and words were different based on what the person I was speaking to would think of me.  I realized that sometimes my heart and words are more patient and kinder because I might get something in return.  That led me to discover and prayerfully confess that my heart wasn’t always full of his gigantic love for me.  If it was, the only thing that would come forth would be HIS love, HIS attitude and HIS words.  I am His creation but I don’t always bear good fruit and that stems from the gunk I let settle into my heart.
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If my mouth is complaining and judging and arguing and sassing, my heart needs a “Love of Jesus” refill that only comes in prayer. Keeping my heart right so my mouth follows requires desiring the holiness of myself and of others.  It also requires that I contemplate the fact that HIS is the only opinion of me that matters.  Praying on those truths should get my tree filled up with HIS good fruit.

A Seed To Plant:  Spend some time in prayer with this line and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the people and places that don’t always bring out the best of your heart and words.
 
 

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…Ecclesiastes 9:10

Anybody else have a thing or two that just isn’t getting done?  It’s crazy how I can look at a pile of papers or the ironing and acknowledge that it needs to be taken care of but yet day after day I can just keep looking at it and say, not yet…I’ll get to it!  Shoot, I’ve even been known to move the thing to another spot…not sure if I’m trying to justify that as “working on it” or if I’m just hoping it won’t nag at me in a different spot.  In the grand scheme of life I don’t suppose papers and clothes are a huge deal but I read a quote from St. Augustine that made me realize how many times I say “not yet” to God and that is a different thing entirely.

If you remember his story, St. Augustine was quite the colorful character.  His early life was about as far from sainthood as you could imagine.  His story offers plenty of “blush worthy” adventures but the Father doesn’t give up on anybody.  As St. Augustine was beginning to feel the pull of the Father’s unfathomable love, he was curious and longed for a life that was different but he is famously quoted as saying “Oh Lord, give me chastity and continence (self-restraint) but not yet.” When I first read this I thought, “geeze Augustine, are you in or are you out?”  No sooner had that thought tumbled through my brain than I thought, humm, “geeze Sheri, are you in or are you out?” Thump right to the nugget compliments of the Holy Spirit!  I surprise myself often at how quickly I can sum up somebody elses “stuff” before I clearly study my own!

This quote inspired me to make a list of the physical and more importantly the spiritual stuff I keep saying “not yet” to.  I think the Holy Spirit is just being bossy right now because the list is big!  I told Him in prayer that my paper was full but yet stuff still keeps poppin into my head.  As I was pouting about all the stuff on my spiritual “not yet” list in prayer the other day, this thought jumped right into my head…if any one of these things is getting in the way of my closeness to Christ, is it worth it? Uuuuh…NO it’s not so how do I tackle my “not yet” list.  As I looked over my list, I planned to begin with a couple of smaller ones…you know, just ease myself in but one stood out on the page like it was screaming at me and it’s a doozy.

I’m gonna spill something out right here…for more than forty years I’ve had a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with the scales.  Swimsuits and zippers are two of my greatest enemies!  I’ve gone from “not yet” to “all in” to “all out” more times than I can count.  I’ve been motivated by vanity, pride, and even a skewed notion that God would love me more the smaller the number.  There has been guilt, shame, embarrassment, disappointment and 32 dozen other ridiculous emotions and notions.  St. Augustine’s quote helped me realize it wasn’t about a size or a bag of Ruffles but a discovery of the root and God’s why.  Augustine’s journey points to the fact that our spiritual “not yet” is keeping us at arms length (or further) from the Father’s love. If we run to the “thing” instead of running to the Father or if we use a “thing” to fill us with joy, pleasure, fun or comfort it will never last and it will never offer the satisfaction we’re looking for…only He can do that. So the question is, how do I turn to Him “now” instead of “not yet”.  Here are some thoughts…

*Begin each morning with prayer asking specifically for help chipping away at ONE thing from your “not yet” list.

*Get to the root and know God’s why.

*Write down 3 things you are grateful for and focus on those things instead of focusing on how hard it’s gonna be to work on your thing.  It’s a little like how a mom mixes a toddlers medicine in with applesauce. One drowns out the other and makes it easier to swallow.

*Find people and resources that have tackled your same “not yet”.  As much as technology can be a pebble in my shoe, it’s a wonderful tool for finding stories and videos of people who have won the battle we’re beginning. Augustine had some big “not yet” things on his list and he sought help and support; same goes for us.

* “Not yet” happens with partial effort…”all in” requires first and foremost a desire to be closer to the one who loves us most…if you want that head into it will all your might?

*We can’t muscle our way through it…we have to ask for God’s Grace.  My Grandma Thelma used to use the phrase, “But only by the Grace of God” often and man was she spot on!  Good things, Godly things only happen because of His grace and it’s free…all we do is ask…there isn’t a punch card or a maximum amount. He gives it in ample supply because he wants us close and he wants us to move past “not yet”.  We just have to ask for the grace to be “all in” and want Him more than the thing we’re putting in between us.

*Hope…God can turn our “not yet” into “not ever again” even if we can’t imagine how.

A Seed To Plant:  Make your spiritual “not yet” list? After you make your list, sit for a few minutes and imagine what your life would be like if you didn’t have to devote thought and energy to those things again…and what would happen if we shifted all those minutes and all that energy to the Father?  How very different our days would be!
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Blessings on your day!
 
 

​For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate. Romans 7:15

We had a snap of cool summer weather a few weeks back so I made an industrial sized batch of chili. After it had cooled, I grabbed a glass measuring cup to scoop the chili into containers for the freezer.  It wasn’t a new task or one that required any kind of special skill but yet I managed to find myself in the middle of a disaster!  As I was getting ready to pour the first scoop into the bowl, my brain must have entered some kind of warped fog because I dumped out the chili before I even reached the counter top where the bowl was waiting.  In some bizarre turn of events, I found myself standing in a puddle of splattered chili.  It was on my feet, my pants, the floor, the rug the cupboard doors and many other tiny little spaces.  I’m still not sure how it happened but it took me thirty minutes to get everything cleaned up!  YUCK!

As I was scrubbing up the mess trying to figure out how I had managed to do something so crazy I thought of this verse from Romans.  Talk about an experience in not doing what I want and doing what I hate!   While I was doing clean up, I decided to think about the positives of the whole situation.  One of the tasks on my summer to do list that hadn’t been completed was to scrub all my kitchen cabinets so I got to take that off my list.  Another bonus was related to my kitchen rugs.  I have a habit of purchasing kitchen rugs with a bright pattern.  Make no mistake, that isn’t because I am a master designer with artsy flair, it simply means that kind of rug hides lots of spills and I don’t’ have to wash the rugs as often.  It was past time for a good rug washing and thanks to the chili event I had no choice.  The third positive thing that came from the disaster was probably the most important of all.  As I crawled around my kitchen scrubbing, I realized that I was on my knees; a good place to be and I had to slow down and focus on just one thing.  I don’t know about you but I’m not as good at either of those things as I should be.  I spend a big chunk of time each morning in prayer but I’m nestled into my comfy prayer chair with my coffee and it’s a very cozy way to begin my day. I’m tellin’ ya, being on my knees on that hard tile floor made prayer a different experience.  My mind didn’t wander like it does in comfy prayer; I was focused. 

I know for a fact that when St. Paul wrote this letter to the Romans, he wasn’t thinking about chili spills and scrub buckets but I do believe Scripture has a way of grabbing you right where you are.  Splattering chili was not what I had planned but as I crawled around scrubbing, I realized I focused on what I wanted, and on doing things with my own power far too much of the time.  We like things to go our way and according to our plan.  I think that is one of the ways sin sneaks in and takes over.  When I realize sin has gotten a hold of my attitude or my behavior, I find myself in the middle of something I hate.  I’d like to say that only happens once in a while but that wouldn’t be true!  It was great food for thought as I crawled around on my knees.  When I finished, I was determined to spend more time on my knees in focused prayer talking with my Father about all those things I hate doing that I need His help with.  I realized the truth of this verse is that unless I surrender everything to Him the cycle is just going to continue again and again.  Who knew a chili spill could contain such an important spiritual lesson!

A Seed To Plant:  Make a list of things you seem to do that you don’t want to do then hit your knees with that list and ask Sweet Jesus to help you make a change.

Blessings on your day!

 
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous but, on the inside, you filled with hypocrisy and evil doing. Matthew 23:28

Fancy Nancy is one of my favorite children’s book characters.  She’s over the top and can’t be outdone in the “Ooo-La-La department.”  She’s all about the “look” of things and as I read this line from Matthew’s Gospel I thought of a list of ways I’m like Fancy Nancy.  Although I love that book character being a Fancy Nancy Christian is probably not the direction I should be headed.

I spoke at a conference recently and as I was chatting with some folks after the talk one very blunt little lady asked a question that’s been bouncing around in my heart ever since.  She thanked me for the talk and spoke of ways she would carry it with her but then she asked, “Was this the real you or was this just for the stage?”  I swallowed and quickly said the Come Holy Spirit. Come Now. Come as you wish prayer before I spoke and then listened to the words that came from my mouth.  I replied to her question, or rather the Holy Spirit did with these words, “Oh gosh, I sure hope I am; I sure try to be but I guess that’s a question I’d really better to take to prayer and ask Jesus how to answer truthfully.”   Instead of being insulted or embarrassed, I saw it as an invitation to ask myself a hard question.

Since that big question is still sitting on my heart these words from St. Matthew’s Gospel, reminded me He wasn’t done teaching yet.  The line I chose from this Gospel is the softer verse.  The line before it Jesus uses the term “white washed tombs full of dead mans bones.”  That seemed a little harsh and then Fancy Nancy popped in my mind.  After a giggle, the connection made sense.  I do love Jesus and I do try to be joyful and humble but what about those times when I’m not.

Fancy Nancy is all about the look so the question is, do I worry about how I look to the world or how I look to the Father?

Fancy Nancy is all about the shock and awe so the question is, am I in awe because of all God does or is my focus simply on what He’s doing for me when it happens to match what I wanted?

Fancy Nancy is out to impress so that creates two questions.  Who am I trying to impress with my “holiness” and would living my faith look different if nobody was looking?

Fancy Nancy does everything for attention so I have to ask myself if where I sit, the books and stuff I carry into church with me or what I wear are all done with the right motivation.
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Fancy Nancy is light hearted, whimsical and always looking for more.  She has an aversion to the plain and simple. When I think about it, she is the opposite of what Jesus was speaking about in this Gospel. St. Matthew and Fancy Nancy have made me see the lady’s question with truthful eyes.  This unlikely duo has made me realize how often I need to stop and ask myself if what the world sees matches what Jesus sees.

A Seed To Plant:  Take some time to read chapter 23 of Matthews Gospel and ask the Lord to show you where He might be whispering a shift.
 
Blessings on your day!
 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding...  Proverbs 3:5

Trust can be a tricky thing.  We live in a world that promotes independence and self-sufficiency but we follow a God who promotes the opposite.  The world says “Grab it…take charge of it…look out for yourself…be great!” The Father who created us and adores us says “Let go…I have the plan…surrender to me and I will lead you to a life far more magnificent than you can fathom!”  When you actually read it on paper it makes the decision seem pretty simple but trusting Him can be tough.  We’re conditioned to muscle our way through and He wants to fight for us so each day needs to be an exercise in letting Him.

I’ve shared before that God and I have an agreement about my travel.  I ask Him to get me where I need to be on time because people and schedules are counting on me but I promise to surrender and let Him do anything He wants to with my trip home without complaint.  I offer any struggle or inconvenience that I might want to whine about for the people I just worked with and the people I love or who need prayers.  I started this deal with the Father for two reasons.  First, I know we can never get to heaven without some suffering and second, there are so many people who need prayer and offering up any of my inconvenience is a prayerful gift.  But there is also a third reason…I just get a kick out of seeing how fancy He is and how He shows His love and care for me when I do actually trust Him.  He’s done some pretty funny stuff on my trips home but last weekend He showed His fanciness in a giant way. 

As usual, I got to Oklahoma City with travel that was smooth as silk!  It was a spectacular weekend and I met some truly amazing faith filled people of all ages! The hospitality and friendly conversation absolutely filled my heart!  I got up at 3 am on Sunday to begin my journey home.  I had a 3:45 Uber to get me to the airport for a 5 am flight.  As I got in the elevator on the 14th floor, I wasn’t expecting any other passengers but the elevator stopped on floor 13 and two folks joined me.  As soon as the door closed the elevator took off like a rocket and stopped with a slam between floor 6 and 7.  The first thing I thought was…we’re ok…thank you Jesus!  The lady was struggling in a big way and as I was praying in my head and feeling complete peace it occurred to me that I should pray out-loud so the young couple could feel it too…and they did.  The second thing I thought was…oh no, the Uber is gonna leave because I’ll be late.  I just smiled to myself knowing God would find me a later flight.  Two firemen arrived and pried open the doors and lifted us out and I was rushing out the hotel door only to discover that the fire truck was blocking the Uber driver so he had to wait for me.  My TSA precheck status number arrived the day before I left on this trip so I was able to zip through security and make my flight.  I buckled up thinking how  many times He just takes care of every little thing. The TSA number wasn’t supposed to arrive until September but He knew I’d need it earlier…nobody was hurt in the elevator…the firemen arrived quickly…the young couple yelled from across the hotel foyer as I got in the Uber “Thank you for praying; we should start doing that!” He is always right there and when my eyes are on Him, I see what He’s doing along the way.  The only thing I might have to complain about is that my flight was so early Starbucks wasn’t even open!

Surrendering my travel is such a simple way to trust more plus it’s just plain funny to see all the ways He works.  When we were getting ready to land in Atlanta, the pilot announced that we would need to circle the airport again because the landing flap wasn’t working properly.  I decided to use that 20 minutes to pray a Rosary for everyone who is sick, struggling or starting a new school year…we touched down perfectly just as I finished the last prayer.  He’s just so fancy!  I’m not sure who needed that Rosary at that specific time but I know I wouldn’t have prayed it if we hadn’t heard that announcement.  I trust He did something lovely with those prayers.  I never get home on time or like my ticket says I will, but it sure makes great stories and gives me lots of chances to see where He’s working in my life. 
 
A Seed To Plant:  What can you surrender to the Lord that might help you grow in trust?
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Blessings on your day!

​The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5

“Being a Christian is a bit like getting involved in the stock market!”  What?  Those were the opening words of the homily at Mass recently and if I wasn’t paying complete attention before I heard those words I immediately snapped to attention!  Money and faith aren’t usually a great combination; one usually offers the other complications so I was curious to see where this line of thinking was headed

Here are a few of the great ideas that homily left on my heart.  When we make an investment in the stock market we aren’t guaranteed the return we expect.  We can’t predict with certainty what ride our investment will take.  All we know for certain is there will be times of highs and times of lows.  We also know that sinking money into the stock market is risky and you have to have a “stomach” for it.  If you plunk in your money expecting gain after gain after gain you will be disappointed, frustrated and maybe even a nervous wreck.  The seasoned investors know it’s about the long haul not the immediate return.  They know to keep their eyes on what’s to come and not panic at every down turn along the way.  The stock market takes faith, courage and trust that things will prosper in due time.  The most successful investors also know there are lots of adjustments along the way. They also know that if they handle themselves with patience, diligence and faith the rewards on their investment will be amazing.

Isn’t all that true of our Christian walk?  The most successful disciples aren’t afraid to make a sizeable investment; maybe even go “all in”. In our discipleship we know that the bigger the investment the bigger the return!  In our walk with Jesus there will be gains and losses, there will be highs and lows.  We need to keep our eyes on the end result…Heaven.  If things start to go sour in our lives like loss, disappointment, sufferings and struggles of all kinds and we just loose our nerve and pull out thinking God has let us down, we will miss the return on our investment.  Every time we trust and put our faith in the Father the return is far more plentiful than we can ever imagine.  Being a Christian takes some nerve and some patience and the realization that every day won’t be lovely and predictable but through all the highs and lows God is there and the return on our investment will be of immensely higher value than anything we will ever chuck into the stock market.  Thank you Bishop Cistone for a great image of discipleship. 

A Seed To Plant:  Take this analogy to prayer with you this week and see where God invites you to follow him.  By meditating on the parallels he may have some great things to reveal to you…I know he’s got things bubblin in my head and heart.

Blessings on your day!

It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratitude that makes us joyful. Brother David

It's funny how those two things go together!  I'm pretty sure Brother David's wisdom was lost on me for far too many years, but the older I get, the more the Father is helping me understand it.  This past month has been one long opportunity to practice both.  4 short weeks ago my grandbaby count jumped by one and my heart grew more than a dozen sizes.  The adventures of the last month have given me countless moments to be grateful and that gratitude has spawned a joy in my soul that is giant.  All of it has shown in loving color how God shows up in the smallest ways and does the biggest things.

 
I got to spend the first week of Dominic’s life with him.  I treasured my chance to take some middle of the night rocking shifts.  I don’t think I studied my own babies quite as much as I did that tiny little boy.  I’m so grateful for newborn snuggles.  As we rocked and sang, I realized how grateful I was for the chance to be helpful. Traveling the 500 miles back home at the end of that week really put a dent in my joy but God is so fancy that the very next day I had a visit with my other grandbabies, Lewis and Ella and my joy was back up to overflowing! 

This past weekend my heart felt a whole new kind of gratitude and I have to admit it caught me completely by surprise.  Dominic was baptized on Sunday so that meant another road trip to Missouri but this time we had two new travel buddies.  Our son Jason was the Godfather so he and little Lewis came along for the trip.  A 9 hour road trip with Lewis as my backseat buddy made it the absolute best trip ever.  He was a complete delight and what a treasure it was to have that much uninterrupted time with a grandchild.  I got out of the Buick in Shannon’s driveway thinking I was as joyful as I could ever be…but it got better!  I got to witness something I had never even considered.  As parents you love and support your kids and you pray that God will lead them to be great humans and I think he’s done just that with my three kids but when I watched my children love and play with and discuss each other’s children I’m not sure I can even find the words to describe how incredible that felt as a mom.  Seeing great humans raise great humans and knowing you had a little part in that is a gift!

When it was time to leave Missouri, my heart went back to that soggy place in double fashion.  I had to say goodbye to my Missouri loves and my Michigan loves.  I felt completely cheated because I didn’t get to ride back to Michigan in the back seat with Lewis.  I wanted another 9 hours with him but I needed to get to the airport and go to West Virginia.  Knowing that joy is not happiness but being completely in the “will of God”, I boarded my flight with a grateful heart because I had an opportunity to serve Catholic Schools.  Once again, I had that moment when I thought I was “giving and doing” something for God and He flipped that upside down in a quick second!  The people I worked with yesterday were warm and happy and truly dedicated to their vocation.  It was such a wonderful day.  Tomorrow, I get to spend the day with the other half of the Catholic Schools in northern West Virginia but today is a gap day and when I woke up this morning, I was a little sad that I wouldn’t be home tomorrow to spend the day watching Lewis and Ella like I usually do on Thursdays but God once again got all fancy and has provided me with a hotel courtyard with a water fall, a fire pit, some giant rocking chairs and work space.  And just to show off a little bit more, He’s arranged for me to be typing in the sunshine on a beautiful 70 degree, no humidity morning. 
 
The more grateful I am, the more I see how He’s using me, leading me and truly loving me.  I’m so happy that the Holy Spirit is helping me see the joy in following His plan even when it crashes like a wave against what I want.  As I wrap this up and get ready to post, I will slip inside the hotel and get another cup of delicious coffee that will be available all day long!  Thank you Jesus!!

A Seed To Plant:  Take some time to pray with the quote from Brother David and then make a list of things you are grateful for.  As you ponder that list, ask yourself how you saw God in the things on that list.
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Blessings on your day!
 

 
Just as weeds are collected and burned [up] with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. Matthew 13:40

When I was about 8, my parents were busy in our gigantic garden and I thought I’d be helpful while they were busy outside and take a stab at doing the laundry.  I’d seen mom do it a hundred times so I was sure I could do it…how hard could it be?  Eight-year-old overconfidence, cluelessness and an overflowing hamper of dirty laundry contained all the making for a complete disaster.  I knew the laundry needed to be divided into smaller piles but I didn’t understand the first thing about sorting, I simply divided it into smaller piles and started up the washer.  If you can imagine a mix and mess of pinks, reds and blues throughout all the laundry, I can assure you the outcome was worse than you imagined! The look of shock on my mom’s face was not due to a surprise task being done to say the least. Luckily, I hadn’t wrecked everything and we had a full box of Biz color bleach but I learned a gigantic lesson about the importance of proper sorting that afternoon. Each time I hear the Gospel stories about sorting the weeds and the wheat or God sorting the sheep and the goats I remember that sorting lesson from long ago.

I might not have understood the relevance of sorting the laundry when I was 8 but I often remind myself of the relevance of my words and actions when it comes to the “final sorting” done by my Heavenly Father.  The goats and the weeds are not what we’re aiming for!  I taught a family of lovely kids whose mom kissed them goodbye every morning and said “Don’t be a goat!”  What did she mean?  Goats and weeds represent the qualities that are the opposite of what Jesus showed us.  Goats are stubborn, independent, self-reliant and headstrong.  I act like a goat when I don’t rely on God and I try to muscle through everything with my own strength and my own plan.  He made us to depend on Him, to need Him, to follow Him instead of blazing our own trail.  The weeds are those plants that don’t bear fruit.  They add no value to the crop or the people who God created it for.  They snatch up the water and resources needed by the good stuff and their roots can anchor them deep.  Gosh, can I ever be weed-like but thankfully even in my greatest “weediness” God is merciful.  In the parable the weeds weren’t gathered up and destroyed immediately, they were given time.  The Father doesn’t yank us up and toss us to the side every time we become rooted in sin or involved it things that don’t allow the gifts and talents, He’s given us to benefit His creation.  Just like those weeds, He gives us time before the destruction in the end but I have to be mindful that I don’t know when my “sorting and harvest” will happen.

The sheep and the wheat are the model of good discipleship.  The sheep are trusting and follow the voice of their good shepherd.  They are dependent, obedient and loyal.  The world may say sheep are stupid just as the world sometimes says Christians are stupid for blindly following Jesus.  I guess it boils down to a big question.  Am I following what the world thinks or am I following the one headed in the direction of heaven?  The final sorting depends on how I answer that question. The wheat is a gift created to nourish, strengthen and delight. It is the example Jesus used to connect the physical gift with the spiritual gifts He gives us and we are meant to receive, enjoy and share them.
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So, what if you happen to love goats and you’re gluten intolerant? These sorting stories aren’t meant to bash goats and promote bigger bread consumption.  We probably all have some goat and weedy behaviors that we need to tune into before the final sorting.  I don’t know if goats can change but people can change and you don’t have to eat toast to get to heaven, the nourishing, strengthening wheat in your life is exactly what Scripture and the Sacraments are for.

A Seed to Plant:  In prayer this week, make a list of all the goat and weed-like attitudes and actions you’d like to ask the Father to help you sort out of your life.
 
Blessings on your day!
 
 

​The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life turning one from the snares of death.  Proverbs 14:27

Snakes, alligators and driving on narrow roads scare the snot out of me! I suppose we all have things that rattle us, some fears make sense and some seem pretty random but fear is something that probably touches us all.  I’ve been taught to be cautious about things like big bodies of water, storms, dark parking lots and fire but those aren’t terrifying to me like snakes and gators.  So where do fear, caution and fear of the Lord intersect?  Fear of the Lord is a gift of the Holy Spirit and it’s something I’ve been puddling around in my mind for most of the summer.  If it’s a gift, it must be important and I can be certain it is given to help us get to heaven so I figured I needed to know a little more.  I’m thinking maybe you’d like to know a little more too.

At first pondering, it seems a little contrary because if God is love and He created us out of love and His ambition is for us to become saints and live eternally with Him in heaven, why would we be afraid of someone who wanted something that awesome for us?  I had to take some time and dissect the word “fear” to really understand.  When I think of my fear of snakes, I know my reaction upon seeing one would be screaming, running and probably an overwhelming desire to set fire to the spot where I saw it.  I’m supposed to fear the Lord but that’s not the reaction He has in mind. I suppose my snake thing is probably more like terror than fear and that is not the kind of fear this gift of the Holy Spirit is leading me to. 

I came across this passage that really made sense to me, “When the bible refers to fear of the Lord, it means having a deep reverence, respect and awe for the power and authority of God. Rather than being afraid of God, a proper Fear of the Lord leads us to Love Him.”  With absolute certainty, God loves us and protects, defends, guides and adores us but sometimes people take that “The Father loves me” idea to the point that the Father can seem more like a buddy.  Scripture is crystal clear about the mercy, grace and compassion of the Father but His ways are not our ways nor will they ever be so thinking of Him as a fuzzy buddy isn’t in our best interest if sainthood is our mission.  The gift inspires us to approach the Father with awe and reverence and wonder not as equals or pals.  This gift reminds me that He has authority over me and His word is to be respected and honored.  That authority is exercised over me for my own good…it’s serious business and straying from the boundaries of His authority comes with consequence.  If I see Him as a buddy to be reasoned with I’m thinking about it all wrong and that isn’t going to end well for me at all!

The verse from Proverbs says this gift is life giving and helps us avoid the snares of death or in other words, fear of the Lord helps us attain life in heaven and avoid hell.  I’ve really had to do some praying about being respectful in my prayers, my mass participation and the ways the Gospel asks me to treat others.  It’s been pretty eye opening.  This gift reminds me that heaven isn’t a score card where I chalk up points for good or impressive behavior…there is no score; there is just love and respect and reverence are the greatest form of love I can offer the Father.  I heard Fr. Mike Schmitz talk about Fear of the Lord and I’m going to end with the way he summed up this great gift.  God is to be feared; or respected, revered and honored which is very different than being afraid or terrified of Him simply because we’re afraid we’ll go to hell if we tick Him off too many times.  He put it perfectly when he said, “Fear God out of love, don’t love God out of fear.”
 
A Seed To Plant:  Spend some time this week thinking about what Fear of the Lord looks like in your life.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you grow in this gift so you can grow in love.
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Blessings on your day!

Lord, you have probed me, you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. Psalm 139:1-2

How often do we sit still and contemplate the power of this verse?  We are loved and cherished by a God who knows everything about us because He loves us and wants to help steer us right back to Himself. He is consumed with constant thoughts about us; His creatures, but I wonder how much time we spend consumed with thoughts of Him?

Wednesdays in my classroom were called “What’s He doin Wednesdays” and students had a chance to share where they had seen Christ working in their lives.  The truth of the matter is, He’s constantly working in our lives but we just don’t always notice.  The whole point of this activity was to make us all more aware of the ways He is constantly leading, loving and directing our lives.  The fruit of this process is a greater recognition and appreciation for His constant presence in our days.  As I type, I’m looking across the room at a really giant “What’s He doin Wednesday.

I’m looking at my newest grandchild Dominic David. My heart was a little heavy about the arrival of this grandbaby because he’s 600 miles away and I was just so afraid I’d miss everything but God is so fancy he allowed him to be born in time for me to spend a week here in Missouri before I needed to get to Michigan to speak at a conference.  During labor, Shannon played the same Spotify Praise and Worship mix she listened to while she was pregnant and at the exact moment she gave the last push and Dominic came into the world the song “How Deep The Father’s Love” began to play.  It was like a giant exclamation point to the whole experience.  This just so happened to be the same song Shannon sang at her Grandma and Grandpa Wohlferts funerals. It was like God was whispering “I’m here…loving you through the struggles and the triumphs!”  I have heard Shannon sing that song at Adoration and Mass so many times I just couldn’t help but be reminded that He loves her more than I do and His love is much deeper and wider than the 600 miles that separate us.

Today, I got to go to Dominic’s one week checkup and Shannon said, “wait till you meet the nurse.”  I was blown away because nurse Janie was a carbon copy of my Aunt Mary.  Aunt Mary was my mom’s older sister and she holds a place in my heart I just can’t quite describe.  She was gentle, loving, generous and faithful.  Her legs were long and her steps were quick but she listened and connected like there was not a single other person on the planet when you chatted with her.  Nurse Janie was all of those things and she cooed,  giggled and loved on Dominic and Shannon like they were her own family.   I couldn’t believe God not only put this truly lovely woman in their life but he made her look, act, love and sound like someone who brings so much joy to my soul. 

Since I’ve been here, neighbors and friends have come to celebrate Dominic’s arrival and bring food and goodies and gifts.  This house has been a steady stream of friends and family who adore my grandson and his mom and dad.  Again and again, God has let me know how deep his love is for this little family and it wouldn’t matter if I was 6 or 600 miles away.  In a few days I will get on a plane and go home in awe of how tender and personal His love and care is for all of His children but for right now, I’ll take a turn in the wee hours of the night to rock my grandson while his mamma and daddy sleep and realize that as my heart nearly explodes with the love I have for this little human it doesn’t even come close to the depth of love the Father has for us.
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A Seed To Plant:  Where have you seen God working in your life.  Start making a list because this simple habit will reveal more than you can imagine.
Blessings on your day!
 

​Do not be afraid…1 Kings 17:13
 
The other night I was making dinner and I reached in the cupboard to grab the olive oil.  I pulled out the dark green bottle and began to pour, only to discover that instead of a stream of oil coming from the bottle all I was seeing was a few drips!  I immediately got frustrated at the inconvenience.  Instead of quickly finishing up, I had to go dig through the pantry and hopefully retrieve a full bottle.  After just a few seconds of looking and re-shuffling the pantry I found a full bottle and returned to my task.  As I stood there in my kitchen stirring I was wondering who it was who emptied the old one without replacing it and why couldn’t they have just taken a few more seconds to replace the bottle instead of leaving the work to me.  Then like a smack to the head, I remembered the story of the widow and Elijah from the Old Testament.
 
If you remember the story, Elijah shows up at this widow’s house during a time of famine and asks her for some water to drink and something to eat.  She looks at him and lets him know she’d love to help but can’t.  She honestly reports that she has only a bit of oil and a tiny bit of flour and she was getting ready to prepare the last of it for a meal for herself and her son…get this…and then they were going to  die because there was no more food.  Pause there for a minute…replay…I’m going to use the last drops of oil and spoons of flour to make a cake (yum ?) for us and then we will prepare to die.  Not, then I will go to the pantry and get more oil.  Not, then I will run to the store and buy more oil or go to the neighbor’s house and borrow more.  I will use what I have and that is the end of it all.  I can’t even imagine!
 
As I stood in my kitchen embarrassed about my little empty oil bottle tiff and the widows story I began to see things differently.  I glanced over at a full pantry.  Behind me was a full refrigerator and on the counter was a bowl of fruit all of which could probably feed a village in some places of the world and suddenly the word plenty was the only one I could think of.  I have plenty; plenty of food, plenty of money, plenty of clothes, plenty of EVERYTHING but yet I often focus on what I don’t have instead of what I have plenty of.  All of the sudden I felt pretty small, pretty foolish and pretty ungrateful.
 
The widow’s story continues when Elijah tells her to go ahead and make him some food and the Lord will take care of her and her son.  In an unbelievable act of faith she uses the rest of her resources to feed Elijah and as promised, her oil jug and her flour jar never ran dry.  The story is about so much more than kitchen staples!  God offers the same promise to us each and every day.  Just trust me, I will take care of you because I love you and I will reward your faithfulness.  The widow loved God more than she loved her stuff.  The widow was generous and trusting to an extreme; and her generosity and faithfulness were rewarded to an extreme.  It’s a story that offered me perspective and reflection.  It made me think about my own gratefulness and trust and generosity.  I can’t change all the crazy stuff going on in the world right now but I can’t help but think how much different things would be if we focused on a few of the widow’s lessons and figured out how to use them in our own life.
 
A Seed To Plant:  Read the story from 1Kings 17:7-16 and ask God to help you reflect on the story and show you how he wants you to draw closer to him.
 
Blessings on your day!

…for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.  Luke 6:45
 
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the way people speak to others.  I was noticing in the airport a couple of weeks ago how people just didn’t seem to hold back or temper their words with compassion or perspective.  And in His fanciness, the Father began to point me to words and scripture about my own tongue.  I had to laugh when I prayerfully began pondering my own word choices, I read this African Proverb: The tongue weighs so little but so few can seem to hold it. When I got done laughing I started reading in Luke’s Gospel and ran across the verse above.  Now that’s an entire Holy Hour in ten words!  Even though my heart is buried deep within my chest, my mouth is its perfect reflection.  Sometimes that’s a great thing and sometimes not so much!  As I prayed with this Gospel, so filled with gems and treasures, I just kept coming back to this one line again and again.  The sad reality that washed over me was…sometimes my heart and words are judgmental and fickle. 

The Holy Spirit painfully allowed me to see that more often than I’d care to admit, my heart and words were different based on what the person I was speaking to would think of me.  I realized that sometimes my heart and words are more patient and kinder because I might get something in return.  That led me to discover and prayerfully confess that my heart wasn’t always full of his gigantic love for me.  If it was, the only thing that would come forth would be HIS love, HIS attitude and HIS words.  I am His creation but I don’t always bear good fruit and that stems from the gunk I let settle into my heart.
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If my mouth is complaining and judging and arguing and sassing, my heart needs a “Love of Jesus” refill that only comes in prayer. Keeping my heart right so my mouth follows requires desiring the holiness of myself and of others.  It also requires that I contemplate the fact that HIS is the only opinion of me that matters.  Praying on those truths should get my tree filled up with HIS good fruit.
 
A Seed To Plant:  Spend some time in prayer with this line and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the people and places that don’t always bring out the best of your heart and words. Pray that the Father will give you the strength to hold your tongue.
 
 Blessings on your day!

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord…Jeremiah 29:11

I turned the page and I’m blazing into the next phase of this great life God is continuously unfolding before me.  At the beginning of this month, I became a retired teacher.  It was a decision that involved lots and lots of prayer and it was absolutely the most bittersweet thing I’ve ever done but there has been great peace.  I think the peace is a direct result of that 30 minutes for 30 days before Jesus last winter.  He has blessed me with contentment and is laying out the next leg of my service like a red carpet before me.  I have to trust Him with my whole heart because I truly left the best job on the planet, working with the most amazing group of teachers and staff in the most authentically Catholic school you could ever imagine.  Teaching at St. Mary is like working at a Catholic Disneyland and my heart aches a as I step away from my friends, the students and the families who have allowed me to be a part of their children’s lives. It absolutely was a spectacular experience and it will leave a hole!  To have been a part of something so wonderful, I am truly grateful to God and the community of St. Mary School.

Just as the thought of retirement was beginning to settle in, my ministry took me to Boise Idaho last weekend to lead a weekend retreat for the Deacons and their wives.  The Father showed up in such a powerful way there, that as I got on the plane to come home yesterday my heart was so full, I almost needed a second seat.  I marvel that of all the people walking on this planet, He chose me to do this work! As I was reveling at the way the Holy Spirit had been at work over the weekend the next series of events just made me laugh.  I have a deal with Him when I travel.  I give Him permission to do anything He wants to do with my return flight and I will be grateful and not complain one bit as long as He doesn’t mess with the front end of my travel and gets me where I need to be on time.  He took me up on it yesterday in a rather comical way.  I actually had a chance to fly standby on a 9 am flight instead of my 3pm flight and I was so excited…but then we boarded the early flight and spent 7 hours on and then many hours in the Minneapolis airport it so I got to Grand Rapids about midnight.  I just smiled, told him thank you and sat in my seat and watched 3 movies.  He truly is a God of surprises.

I’ve spent a lot of time since I decided to retire praying about what my goals during this next phase of life are.  I can absolutely say that being a grandma is priority number one!  I cherish every minute I get with my family.  Ministry and writing are the second thing that will be a big part of my days but I felt like I really needed a clear purpose. As I prayed and read, being open to His plan, it hit me right upside the head!  I was reading and these words mapped it out perfectly.  The goal of a life rooted in Christ is; Simply spend each day practicing being like Jesus. There ya go! I love that it said “practice” because being good at anything involves lots and lots of practice.  The very next day I read these words in another book on my table; “You will be able to enter Jesus to the extent you go outside of yourself.”

I remember wondering one day in the middle of the chaos of May; what will my days be like?  What will my routine look like? What do retired people usually do? Just as I was puddling these and other thoughts in my head, I read these words; “God is calling us to be unusual.” If we live the usual way, we do the same things, watch the same shows, cook the same meals, hang out with the same people, repeat the same activities, worry about the same things and think about the things we should do differently.  I guess now is the perfect time to make a list of the ways my days will be unusual!
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The final snippet He sent me in my prayer about this next adventure came after a few days of trying to be realistic with my plans and new schedule.  “Don’t worry about being realistic, NOTHING Jesus did was realistic, don’t be afraid to be, think and dream ridiculous!” So if the goal is to practice being like Jesus I’m plugging forward with a desire to get outside myself and my desires and plans in unusual and ridiculous ways.  I think that sounds like an excellent plan! As I was asking him to show me where to go and what to do, I came across these words of St. Catherine of Siena, “To the servant of God, every place is the right place and every time is the right time.”

A Seed To Plant:  Pick one of these quotes and jot it down and pray with it to see where the Holy Spirit might be inviting you to go and grow.

Blessings on your day!
 

​Happy are those who hear the word of the Lord and keep it.  Luke 11:28

Happiness is a curious thing!  Everybody seems to want it and one quick google search can reveal countless sites about how to get it.  I even discovered some “happiness retreats” where folks could go to find happiness.  In two days, for a mere $3,000 dollars (plus travel and accommodation expenses) you could be taught how to identify happiness and then seek happiness for yourself.  I found some pretty crazy stuff!  It all left me thinking…we make things so hard sometimes. This post is all about finding happiness and the good news is…it’s free!  Since the Father who created us and loves us is also the creator of happiness that seems like the logical place to start. Each letter of the word is a thought or action you can start right now to seek and feel happiness.

H: Holy is His name!  It sounds crazy but if you’re feeling worried or cranky or any other emotion that is soaking up your happy, put the attention where it should be; on Him.  Stop for a minute and say Holy is your name God, Jesus I trust you, Father I praise you, Mighty God I thank you.  You’ll be shocked at how fast your attention shifts from you to him and you feel a lightness come over you.

A: Attitude is the big thing!  There are always two ways to look at things; this hurts me or this helps me. Struggles and suffering make happiness tough to attain if we look at things the first way and it sucks us right in to the “woe is me” thinking that makes happiness impossible.  Instead realize that struggle and suffering are necessary for heaven and that God is more present in these times.  We also have to remember that tough things come and go, just like easy things; life is meant to be a cycle not a straight line.

P: Pray! (you saw that one comin didn’t you) Tell God you’re cranky and ask him to bring you through whatever it is that is making you feel unhappy.  He made you, he loves you and he truly wants his children to be happy.  Talk to him about it and ask him to show you what he’s trying to teach you in this situation.  If that seems too simple; give it a try and see for yourself.

P: Pass on some kindness and mercy.  I don’t think there is anything that will bring you out of a slump faster than doing something for someone else.  When you’re feeling grumpy or frustrated doing a good deed for another, especially the person who made you cranky is the farthest thing from your mind but purposefully thinking about the needs and happiness of another is a powerful thing.  The thing about happiness is it’s a bit contagious so start some and you’ll be surprised how quickly it lands back on you.

Y: You are HIS!  In the midst of all the things that are sucking away your happiness, remind yourself again and again that you belong to him!  Nothing is going to happen that doesn’t have a purpose according to his plan.  He will never leave you or forsake you or give you more than you can bear.  I mean really, we’re talking about the God who parted the Red Sea, helped Paul escape prison with a dozen guards watching over him and who fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. Surely you don’t think your unhappy situation is more than he can handle.  He can do anything, including take care of you, who he made perfectly and wonderfully!

Our happiness is rooted in the God who loves and teaches us constantly.  Sometimes his lessons come during tough times but the happiness rooted in him is the best kind!  So, pick a letter and go be happy!
 
A Seed To Plant: Write these thoughts down and put them somewhere you can grab it when you feel like you could use a little more happy in your day; then pick a letter and get started!

Blessings on your day!

“Lord you know everything; you know that I love you” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” John 21:17

Of all the things Jesus could have asked Peter to do, he was saddled with the task of feeding the sheep. This line jumped off the page for this part-time farmer's wife. I wondered if I were Peter, would I have questioned what He wanted the sheep to eat, what rations were appropriate, or what feeding schedule should be followed? As my mind got muddied in the practical, I realized it was more about loving, tending, and trusting than schedules and details.

Like Peter, we are called to feed His sheep. My sheep used to park their feet right under my dining room table and even when I was stressed and tired and my feeding efforts were met with curled up noses and mild protest, I was called to offer what they needed…out of love. Sometimes the sheep I’m called to feed are pre-teen students in flocks of thirty who take up a seat in my classroom. Sometimes the sheep fill the audience at a parish mission, event, or retreat the Father calls me to present. Sometimes the sheep are easy to feed and tend, like my husband or my grandson Lewis, the cutest sheep of them all. Each person He puts in my path is like a sheep that needs to be fed, tended, and cared about but I don’t always see it that way.
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If I’m being completely honest, some days I don’t really feel like feeding the sheep. Sometimes I’d prefer they just fed themselves and left me alone because sheep aren’t always grateful and they don’t always gobble up what I offer. Today's Gospel reminds me that doesn’t matter at all. What matters is that in feeding the sheep, I am loving Jesus, and that should always be a mission I’m signed up for.  If I want to properly adjust my servant’s heart, I suppose I should say; my good shepherd, wrap my sour heart in Your love and give me a heart for service. Help me recognize Your sheep in need and offer them a little of the love and compassion You offer me at every moment of the day.

A Seed To Plant:  Who are the sheep in your life that are hard to feed, and how can you change your mindset and heart to do it out of love for Jesus?

Blessings on your day!