Joyful Words Blog
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.
– Psalm 119:105
– Psalm 119:105
I have some dear friends going through some tough times right now and this old post just jumped out at me so I thought I'd post it again because St. James always tells the truth!
Consider it all joy, my brothers when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3 Consider trials JOY? What was St. James thinking when he wrote this? Upon first glance at this verse we might be tempted to wonder if the beloved Saint put in a few too many prayerful “all-nighters” because surely he wasn’t serious about feeling joyful when the washer breaks, someone you love gets sick, the fuel pump on the car goes out or the sweet teenager in your home eats the last piece of peach pie you were hiding…I mean saving, in the back of the fridge! Joy…I don’t think so! And what about the really big stuff like losing your job or serious illness, surely, he couldn’t have meant those things could bring joy. I suppose we could sit down and make a list of all the trials that have happened upon us in the past month and we would be overcome with many emotions, none of which would be joy! The real meat of this verse is the part that explains what we can get in exchange for our trials…stronger faith and perseverance. Do you remember when you were young and you went home from school and complained about that boy who pulled your pigtails or the girl who annoyingly pointed out your every move to the teacher? The standard reply from home went something like this, “Well honey, if they didn’t like you they wouldn’t tease you.” This verse has a little bit of that flavor to it don’t ya think! God promised that we would have trouble…it is a guarantee, not a possibility. Even though we’ve read those words more than once, trials still seem to catch us by surprise. We sometimes even cop an attitude and think, “What, me…why me Lord? What have I done to deserve this difficulty?” We might even get really sassy and say, “Oh, pardon me Father, but you’ve made a mistake, I’ve already had 8 serious trials this month, I believe this current dilemma belongs to the neighbor or even better, the guy who cut me off in traffic this morning!” The simple truth is, if He didn’t love us, He wouldn’t give us trials at all. Each difficulty or disappointment that knocks on our front door or barges right into our day is an opportunity to grow in trust or compassion or patience. When we throw up our hands in despair and say, “Ok God, I don’t know how to do this…I don’t think I’m strong enough for this, please guide me and guard me and love me through it!” we will grow in faith and perseverance plus we will be blessed with grace and mercy. I think what St. James was teaching us is that any time we surrender to the holy power of God, that’s joyful, and the blessing is more strength, more grace and more faith for the next thing! It seems strange to thank God for the lousy stuff but that is what we are called to do. We need to act like we are completely aware that He is about to do a might work through that trial if we would just stand back and let Him take us through it. A Seed To Plant: The next time a trial comes your way, stop and thank God for it and ask Him to show you the joy in the situation. We’d love to hear your stories! Blessings on your day!
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For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. Isaiah 55:8
Happy Easter! As we revel in the amazement of Easter Sunday this verse from the Prophet Isaiah speaks great truth! None of us could have planned the events of Holy Week…but God could. I realize the truth in this verse when my thoughts ramble off into the back 40 during prayer and the things I’m thinking are definitely not His thoughts and sometimes, my ways are so NOT His ways! Why do we do that…when we know we shouldn’t speak words to others we wouldn’t speak directly to Him and we know His way and His plan trump ours EVERY time? Yet we keep runnin around sayin stuff we shouldn’t say and doin stuff that our stubborn nature tells us is easier! I guess it all leads me back to the truth…I’m just a big ole sinner who needs the love and mercy of a Gracious God because I sure can’t get it right without Him! Maybe that’s the whole point! Not long ago I heard a priest teach a simple prayer during his homily. Here it is, “Thank You God, Your will be done!” Even I can remember that one! Seems simple and easy and makes sense...until you begin to think about when you should say it! It’s going to be easy to say that little prayer when I get a good parking spot, or when something good happens. The tricky part is when the yucky stuff happens. Fr. Gordon used the examples, when you loose your keys in the snow, “Thank you God, Your will be done.” Or when you loose your cell phone, “Thank you God, Your will be done…now I have more time to talk to You.” Seven little words that can change everything! I think we can get so busy we forget to have that ongoing dialogue with Our Father, maybe lost keys and slow traffic and broken mower belts really are a tiny nudge inviting us to speak with Him. Disappointments are a great place to plug in this prayer! When things don’t go the way we plan, we can get pretty down. I remember not getting a teaching job I wanted so badly! I prayed, I researched, I practiced interviewing I did everything to prepare yet despite my best efforts, the interview committee picked someone else! I was so disappointed! I called my mom in tears and she listened to me blubber on and on and when I was finished, she softly said, “It wasn’t your job to get!” I remembered that conversation clear as a bell in church as Fr. Gordon was talking about that very simple little prayer and on the drive home, Isaiah’s words chimed in and I was overwhelmed with the power of God’s plan. It hit me that if I had gotten that teaching job, I would not have gone to K-State, I would not have found out about the job opening with the State Department of Education in Michigan, I would not have moved here, met and married Dave Wohlfert, had three wonderful children and my life would NOT be any of the terrific things it is right now! Thank you God, Your will be done! And it was done…with amazing attention to detail I might add! It’s surprising what seven little words can stir up! God always knows what He’s doing. We have to thank Him especially when things don’t go our way. I don’t know about you but sometimes I forget that part. The harder something is, the bigger our thank you should be! He blesses us through good and happy things and He blesses us BIGGER through the difficult, disappointing and heartbreaking! We tend to see what’s good for us; He sees what’s good for ALL of His children. We have to remember we aren’t the only ones He has to care for. Our disappointment is most likely someone else’s blessing…we can stamp our feet like a spoiled impatient toddler or we can use that time for some of the greatest prayer and fortifying ever. He doesn’t withhold things to make us squirm, He waits for the perfect time and the perfect place and the perfect peace…all He asks is that we thank Him and ask Him to show us His way while we wait on His perfect timing. His ways, His words…yeah, it makes sense since we are His children! A seed to plant: Write this little prayer down and stick it somewhere so you’ll remember to pray it often. Thank you God, Your will be done! Blessings on your day! Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8
Happy Holy Week! This is the most powerful week in the life of a Christian. It’s a week to pause, ponder and pray. I’d like everyone reading this post to take some time to stop in their tracks and soak in the beauty, sorrow, sacrifice and magnificence of this week. Imagine for a few minutes what it would be like if Holy Week were made into a motion picture; I know Mel Gibson kind of already did that but think of it in your own mind and your first task is to cast yourself in one of the roles. I’m going to assume none of us would cast ourselves in the role of Jesus, so I’ve listed some of the other characters for you to select from. So…climb up in the director’s chair and see where you fit best. John – beloved, loyal friend…the only Apostle to travel to Calvary and weep at the feet of the crucified Christ…generous even to the point of taking the mother of Christ into his home; must be fearless enough to walk beside Jesus as he carries his cross and tender enough to comfort and console His mother in her unspeakable grief and agony. Peter – strong, faithful follower…until put to the test…must be willing to seek with all your heart the forgiveness and mercy of the loving Jesus after you deny him not once but three times. Apostles – must be willing to abandon all of your possessions to follow a man named Jesus who you don’t always understand…must make a commitment to tell His story with enormous passion for the rest of your days…must be able to live with the guilt of falling asleep and running away to hide during the very hours your love, prayers and support are needed most. Judas – must have serious issues with priorities and loyalties…demonstrate in living color how wealth and power can blind good judgment and destroy truth. Simon of Cyrene - strong, compassionate and helpful spirit…must be willing to help another of God’s children with absolutely no regard to personal cost or gain. Veronica – courageous, tender and loving, yet brave in the face of tremendous personal danger…must be willing to act spontaneously with unsurmountable compassion being your only motive. Mary – unfathomable obedience and absolute reliance on the strength of God the Father…complete surrender of every joy and every sorrow…flawless, sinless and utterly selfless even to the point of unthinkable personal grief and torment inflicted on a mothers heart. Pontius Pilate - curious, conflicted and controlled by circumstances of politics and position…must feel deeply but lack the confidence and security to properly act on your beliefs. Claudia – (wife of Pilate) must be open to the promptings and stirrings of God in your life and possess the personal confidence and conviction to share those stirrings and promptings without reservation even if others don’t respond in the manner you know is right. Chief priests and leaders – cowardly, deceitful and dishonest…must prize authority, power and vanity over all things…must be willing to hush or squash all things that might interfere with personal security and position…must have a great ability to distort or ignore the truth in the name of personal security and achievement. The Crowd – must be willing to go with the flow…acceptant of popular opinion and able to be swept up in the culture no matter the consequence of your actions…must be unwilling to form, voice or defend a clear sense of right, wrong, truth or justice. So…which part fits best? If you’re like me, as you study the list you can see yourself in lots of roles…but that isn’t a positive thing. The roles I desire most seem to be the places where I give my most lack-luster performances and as much as I look hatefully upon some of the characters, I sometimes see myself in their role. This week isn’t as much a “reliving” of an event as it is a “reflection” on their power to transform us into Christians, who love more tenderly, appreciate more deeply, sacrifice more obediently and repent more wholeheartedly. It’s a week to be drawn in by the overwhelming and overpowering love of the Savior who endured all of this for US while contemplating the reality of the fact that our sins did this to Him. It’s not a regular week, it has a title for a reason, make it your mission this week to live like you know this week is different, it’s Holy! A Seed To Plant: Make a plan right this minute for the way your actions and behaviors will make this week different. Decide what to put aside this week, what to pick up this week and include plans for reading the Gospel accounts of this week. Blessings on your day! “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart…”Joel 2:12
Here we are, right in the middle of Lent. For some of us it has been a blessed, fruitful, prayerful many days of walking with the Lord. For some of us, we might be wrestling with an “oh shoot” moment as we look back on the plans we made three weeks ago because the actions haven’t quite matched the plans. The good news…Jesus loves you no matter how your plans have played out. Don’t look at it as being stuck in the middle, look at it as a chance to “pour it on” and finish the second half strong. The Father knows the intent of our heart so if you need it…get your engine started without comparing your Lent to anybody else’s…it’s just yours and yours alone. Chat with Jesus about it, not your neighbor. Whether you are looking at a re-start today or a new challenge to add to your Lenten practices here are some things to ponder and pray about. Lent is a beautifully personal season in our life as disciples. The readings and practices are steeped in rich opportunities to grow closer to Jesus and cooperate more fully with his plan for us. If we think of all the things in a week that grab our time and attention, living out our sainthood should claim spot number one…talk about a worthwhile focus for the second three weeks of Lent. Take some time to be still for a bit and take a look at the first half of your Lent. Make a list of the things you’ve done well and another list of the places you might like to focus. Discipline, stillness, servant heartedness and prayerfulness don’t come at the snap of a finger; they take effort, mindfulness and discipline. Jot down the activities that make up a “usual” day and see where you’re spending your time. As you prayerfully muster up the grit to dive in, here are some thoughts that might guide your prayers and your actions. **Do not practice what you do not want to become. **How your practice is how you’ll perform. **Repeated actions are amplified over time. **Busy and productive are often very different things…which are you? **We can do things right but sometimes not do the right thing. The ultimate truth about Lent is that it’s not about what you do for Jesus, it’s about what you let him do for you. Things like surrender, trust and stillness are what Jesus is inviting us to and they are infinitely more transformative than giving up wine or chocolate. As you head into the second wave of Lent, start with them and see where he leads you and what he brings to your heart on Easter Sunday. A Seed To Plant: Make those lists mentioned in the post and pick one of the thoughts that hit your heart and let them be your guide as you begin this third week of Lent. Blessings on your day! The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him. Habakkuk 3:19
I absolutely love sports movies! It’s kinda funny that a sports movie will always be my first pick because I have not one athletic bone in my body. I love it when the underdog wins, the hopeless find hope and the least expected turns out to be the most amazing. I have pulled four of my favorite quotes from 3 great movies for today’s post and added a twist as if they were each spoken to us by Jesus Himself. It’s ok to think about what you want to do until it’s time to do what you’re meant to do. (The Rookie) If Jesus said that to us, I think He’d follow it up with “so put your plans and your dreams at the foot of my cross and I’ll take it from there. Oh, and by the way, I’ll come up with something WAYYYY better for you than you’d ever dream up yourself. Wait for it….Wait for it!” You’ve taught me to judge a man by the soul of him, rather than the look of him. (Remember the Titans) That’s Jesus talking… but all too often way too many of us still haven’t learned that lesson. It’s easy to see this quote in terms of race but I think it’s much bigger than that. What about seeing the soul of a homeless person or a person lost in alcoholism or someone struggling with anger or mental illness? It’s not always easy to see beyond the first look sometimes but we’re supposed to. When I told you not to get your hopes up, that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to. (Invincible) One of the things that really hurts my heart is when I visit with someone who has no hope. It hurts my heart even more when I see a person smash someone else’s hope. Hope is a very powerful thing and it can make amazing things happen. Hope is a grace and it’s freely given to each of us but we have to make sure we know that putting our hope in Christ is what we need to do. When we tell someone not to get their hopes up, we seem to be trying to protect them but I suppose Jesus would remind us to say instead, put your hope in Me because I have only the best for you….I will give you far more than you could hope for. Sometimes bad things happen for no particular reason at all. (Remember the Titans) I see two big lessons of faith in this line. Lesson one, don't try to blame everything on something or someone and don’t try to explain, justify or second guess God’s motives because He sees our whole life, not just one event. Lesson two, no particular reason you can see or understand at this moment, but give Him time, He will reveal the reason and He will bring blessing and goodness because of it. I suppose it’s also helpful to remember that sometimes the lesson and the blessing are meant for someone else and it just comes through us and our circumstance. I sort of figure watching sports movies is a faith experience when you realize that one of the ways God reveals himself to us is through others. Sometimes those others are actors and script writers that unknowingly put a powerful message about discipleship into the movie. Whatever your favorite movies are…listen again and see if there just might be a message to help you follow Jesus a little closer. A Seed To Plant: Think of a line from one of your favorite movies that has meaning and enforces a Gospel teaching in your life. If you have time, share it with us in the comment section so we can be inspired as well. Blessings on your day! …then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Proverbs 3:10
It was one of those mornings! The kind where the minutes evaporate and the tasks multiply! I was rushing and trying to do some things two handed in the kitchen. I was pouring coffee with my right hand and rinsing dishes in the sink with my left. I guess I was focusing too hard on my left hand and didn’t notice my coffee pouring right hand was working overtime. Before I realized what had happened I literally had a “hot mess” on my hands which led to some mopping and re-brewing that weren’t in the morning plan. It seems that even when the coffee mug reached it’s maximum capacity, I kept pouring…and pouring…and pouring. The hot deliciousness from my coffee pot silently cascaded over the rim of the mug all over the counter and down the cabinet onto the kitchen floor. Just a word of warning; don’t try to wipe up freshly brewed hot coffee with paper towel until it’s had a wee bit of time to cool off. I’m not sure I remember what had me so distracted that morning but I sure can tell you what happened after the mess was cleaned up. After brewing more coffee, I took my mug to the prayer chair and just took a few peaceful breaths before I cracked open one of my daily prayer books. I opened to the days page and I was astounded at the story that greeted me. Two things before I share the story; yes, I nearly spit out my sip of fresh delicious coffee as I started to read and yes, I realize you just can’t make this stuff up! Here’s what I read. There was a university professor who went searching for the meaning of life. After several years and several miles, he came to the hut of a particularly holy hermit and asked to be enlightened. The holy man invited the visitor into his humble dwelling and began to serve him tea. He filled the professor’s cup and then kept on pouring so that the tea was soon dripping onto the floor. The professor watched until he could no longer restrain himself. “Stop! It’s full. No more will go in.” “Like this cup”, said the hermit, “you are full of your own opinions, preconceptions, and ideas. How can I teach you unless you first empty your cup?” Thank you Fr. Wharton for peeking into my day and smacking me upside the head! I’ve spent the last several days pondering what ’s in my cup. I’ve come to the conclusion that my cup is full of good stuff but it’s stuff I put there. I’m really good at filling my cup with things I think God would like but I have to pray and ponder a bit to make sure they really are the things he wants in my cup. I guess the only way to be sure is to dump out the cup and start over. I have to figure out how to empty myself and let him do the filling. It doesn’t really matter how I want to serve him, what matters is that I serve him the way he wants me too. I have never heard the “voice” of God; you know like a Morgan Freeman kind of voice but I sure know he’s sending a message and last week he sent it with the delicious smell of coffee. I know one thing for certain; God went to great lengths to get my attention so I think I’ll give this more thought and prayer and let you know what I come up with. A Seed To Plant: What’s filling your cup? Is there room for Him? Blessings on your day! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34
Did you ever trade something from your lunch box when you were a kid? I remember trying to trade tuna salad on Friday’s but it never worked. Apples and oranges never seemed to give me much negotiation power either. I do remember the day I made the trade of the decade. On that memorable day mom put 2 fresh Chocolate Chip cookies in my lunch and I was able to trade them for a Twinkie! I was so thrilled and I couldn’t believe the kid fell for those homemade cookies while I walked away with that little package of golden deliciousness. I’d never had a Twinkie but they were store made; something we didn’t have at our house so I was sure they must be amazing! I took a bite and I was instantly disappointed but I didn’t let on! As the afternoon wore on I learned a valuable lesson about assuming things were better just because they looked fancy, expensive and well presented. That was the last time I ever made a lunch trade and I never told my mom what I’d done because I thought it would hurt her feelings. I also learned that day that homemade by hands that love you trumps everything so be very careful about the value of what you’re trading! Since the disappointing Twinkie trade of the 70’s, I’ve become a much more skilled trader; I’m pretty good at not winding up with unwanted stuff. Recently I learned from a good friend that sometimes you actually can trade away negative things. I have some jealousy I’d like to get rid of but it isn’t one of those things somebody else wants so it often just sits around my heart and stinks things up. It causes me to judge and envy and resent sometimes. None of those things are attractive, productive or “disciple-ish” but I didn’t know what to do with it. That’s where my friend came to the rescue. She had one simple idea from a favorite Pastor and she gladly shared (not traded) the advice with me. She said that jealousy could be traded away to the Father who loved me with all His heart. The trade was simple; give him all my jealousy…in exchange for gratefulness. It was that simple! The pastor told her that the bigger jealousy is the smaller our gratefulness is so you trade one for the other. I’ve been working with my new trade and it’s true. If I’m jealous about someone else’s stuff or opportunities then I’m not being grateful for my own. If I’m busy comparing my situation, bank balance or work load with the next person’s I’m not being grateful for all the blessings God has given me. When you look at it that way I realize how absolutely and completely LUCKY I am and that there isn’t one single thing in my life I’d trade for a fancier, more expensive, newer, and flashier ANYTHING! Grateful is way better than jealous. Reminds me of how much better mom’s cookies were than that stupid Twinkie. I may not have marble countertops but I have an awesome husband who is my rock. I may not have a dream vacation to take but I have three kids and a room full of middle lovelies that are greater than I ever dreamed. I may not have a closet filled with fancy clothes but my body is wrapped with little people hugs and the joy and love of a building full of kids each and every day. I may not have treasures to be sold but I have freedom, love, faith and a life I get to share with friends, family and a community I love. Jealous…that’s as crazy as a Twinkie snagged in a bad trade! A Seed To Plant: Start a list of things you are grateful for! Include it all, big stuff, small stuff and everything in between. Keep the list handy and add to it every time you think of something and use it to help you trade the negative things; the things that pull us away from the love of the Father. Blessings on your day! Speak Lord, your servant is listening. Samuel 3:9
I am 20 days into my 30 minutes for 30 days challenge and every day there is a little something that settles into my mind or heart. Along with those four lines; wreck me, break me, change me, draw me tight I often find myself asking, “Lord, what was I born to do?” That seems like a strange question for someone my age but it’s been a good one to ponder. I haven’t had that experience of hearing the voice of God speak like James Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman but he’s sent me some thoughts through the most random places. I thought I’d share three of my favorites. One day I was thinking about heaven and what was truly required to get there. I realized that sometimes I have a “minimum requirement” way of thinking. I know we’re all busy and we’re encouraged to live our best life but I spent some time asking the questions in my mind and heart. Less than an hour after leaving church I came across this quote that seemed pretty direct. “ We often hear life is short better enjoy it. But how about eternity is long better prepare for it.” That advanced my thoughts beyond minimum requirements. A couple of days later I was feeling like I should be “doing” something during these 30 minutes. I should be reading Scripture or praying or studying or pouring out my heart to the Lord. I was having a hard time just being still and listening. I actually left the church that day saying, “Lord if this is really what I’m supposed to be doing I need you to let me know that you want me to keep it up.” I came home, opened up my computer and came across this quote from Fulton Sheen. “Most commit the same mistake with God they commit with their friends; they do all the talking.” That was pretty clear so I absolutely went back the next day! The third very vivid way He made his point came after three days of wrestling with the “break me” part of my prayer. I asked Him to show me all the things that I needed Him to break away from my heart and my habits. He showed me a whole list of things and I began to justify and realized this was going to take a lot of work, prayer and discipline on my part. I thought about changes but they were small because I didn’t want to get too uncomfortable. I didn’t want to make things too hard and I was all about the small steps approach. I knew this part of the prayer would take a whole lot of work and again I began to justify and ask the question, “Ok God, seriously, that isn’t that bad right?” The very next day this is what I came across while working on a retreat I will be giving in a couple of weeks. “Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sins, they just want to be saved from the penalty of their sins.” I think I’m going to have to turn up the heat! He's making it pretty clear that He’s listening…now to get down to the business of putting his direction into action. A Seed To Plant: Be intentional in your prayer this week and spend more time asking God a question and then really being quiet to hear the answer. Blessings on your day! Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2
It started with a story that just took root in my heart. It was a story about a criminal who admittedly deserved his life sentence. His heart was hard but after decades in prison and the unrivaled power and mercy of Jesus, he changed. In his 70’s after over fifty years behind bars, he met a man who had something he had never seen and desperately wanted for himself. The younger man was unjustly sent to prison for financial crimes. He was a fall guy and certainly no danger to society but he chose to embrace the sentence as an opportunity to examine his life, his gifts and his service to the Lord. He spent hundreds and hundreds of hours in the prison chapel adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and it transformed him to a man of joy, gratitude, contentment and humility. The older prisoner recognized the young man was different and he wanted what he had. The younger man told him he needed to spend 1 hour a day in Adoration for 30 straight days. He was to take no bible, rosary, prayer book or music. It was to simply be a time of emptying and listening. On the 30th day he experienced a transformation that was dramatic and complete. The priest who shared the story then challenged everyone listening to commit to 30 minutes a day for 30 days. The whole story just sat there for nearly six weeks before I finally decided to accept the challenge. I decided to wait for the New Year but then I got busy and by the time I finally got myself to the church to do the first day it was already January the 6th. I started my time feeling bad about taking so long to get started but then I realized that it was the feast of the Epiphany which means “a sudden striking revelation.” Knowing God’s timing is always perfect I began to realize the next 30 days were going to be anything but ordinary. The act of walking into church for 30 minutes without anything to pray with or guide my thoughts was pretty strange at first but has become a source of peace and freedom. I love that there is nothing expected or required or prescribed. I just show up to listen and be His. There is a prayer I began to pray in October and to be honest it was just 4 thoughts that came from different places that landed in one prayer. It actually took weeks to say those four lines and really mean them. They were a little terrifying at first but now they are as automatic as drawing breath and they are the lines I repeat several times as I quiet myself each time I sit before Jesus. The lines are “Wreck me. Break me. Change me. Draw me tight.” I don’t know where the Lord will lead me as I finish out my 30 days but he is moving and working in my heart in powerful ways. Next week I’ll share a little more about those 4 lines but this week I just wanted to encourage all of you to consider this challenge too. We spend so much time planning what we will do, how we’ll act, what we’ll change and add but the power of the transformation of the two prisoners in the story was not “doing” but rather “letting” Jesus do the work. I heard Catholic speaker Mark Hart once say that prayer doesn’t change our relationship with Jesus, prayer IS our relationship with Jesus. I’m finding that listening, emptying and offering for 30 minutes is very powerful prayer. Maybe you’ll be like me and take a while to think it over and let it sit on your heart but if you really want to be His, this seems like a pretty great place to start. A Seed To Plant: Prayerfully ponder this challenge. Do you want to be transformed? Blessings on your day! Your light must shine before others that they may see the good that you do and give glory to God. Matthew 5:16
Have you ever been in the dark…I mean REALLY dark…the kind of dark where you can’t even see the hand in front of your face? That’s certainly not a place I like to be! My older brother used to think it was hilarious to walk by my room and flip off the lights leaving me in the dark. I always hated that, which is probably why he did it so often! That darkness always caught me by surprise and the instant absence of light made me feel a second of panic. We were all created in the Image and Likeness of God, which means His light, is a part of each of us. It was a gift given free of charge just for being created by a loving Father. Our end of the deal is to share that light with others. This crazy world we live in has no shortage of dark places, people and situations. I don’t’ think we can wish them or even pray them all away but we sure can let our light shine on them. What does your light look like? Maybe you’ve never really even given it much thought. Well, there’s no time like the present to tumble that thought around in your head for a while. Maybe your light is the gift of patience, understanding or compassion. Maybe you’re that person who can offer wise counsel, prayer or laughter. You might even be that person who can fix something, cook something or help arrange and organize something. Sometimes our light dispels someone else’s darkness and we don’t even realize it. If you aren’t sure what your gifts are, ask those close to you. God makes no mistakes when He arranges our days and the people that cross our path. We have dozens of chances to share our light every day. It could be through a polite gesture like holding open a door or by listening intently as people speak to us. Even something as simple as a warm smile can shine light into someone’s dark day. God made each of us to be something wonderful. We are the ones who settle for mediocrity and keep our light hidden from those who might need it. We get one pass through this earthly life and it should be our mission to leave a bright mark! Some days I feel like my older brother turned off the lights and I’d like to scream, “Hey, we need a little more light please!” Perhaps, if enough of us woke up every day with a desire to live these words from St. Matthew, it might get so bright everyone could see their way to Christ. A seed to plant: Make a list of your gifts…ask for help if you need to. Pick one or two things from your list and decide to use that gift to shine your light into someone else’s darkness Blessings on your day! So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Happy New Year! For the past several years I have written my first post of the year about my “word for the year” but the Holy Spirit has led me in a different direction this year. The past couple months have been weeks of quiet thinking and pondering. Instead of a word, I was led to some questions. The questions many days have left me silent and I think that’s exactly what the purpose was. A new year is usually filled with lists and plans and desires and I usually used my “word” to craft the me I was hoping to become. The questions are inviting me deeper, they are inviting me to lighten the grip I have on things that make me comfortable and they are inviting me to trust and love in bigger ways than I know how. Maybe some of the questions will help you see where God is calling you to walk a little closer with Him this year too. *Who is Jesus? It’s two very different things to know about Jesus and to truly KNOW Jesus. To truly know Jesus we have to change our lives. What is he asking me to change? I can’t claim to know and love and follow him and be stuck in habits, attitudes and thoughts that are not His. *Do I love Him enough to invite Him to change everything in my life if it’s keeping me at a distance from Him? Do I have the courage to say “Wreck me Lord?” Do I really trust Him enough to go all in, hands up surrendered and willing to let Him break away all of the parts of me that keep me from Him? *Do I give Him the “first fruits” of my day without exception? Is His opinion of me the one that matters most? *Do I realize He’s asking me to be completely dependent? He’s asking me to give him my will, my way and my time. In our dependence we rest in Him, find peace and learn to trust. *Do I realize that trust is the antidote to fear and worry…courage is not. How quickly do I turn to Jesus with a heart full of trust? *Do I try to fix things or trust in God’s response to the things I offer Him in prayer? Those are some of the questions that have come to my heart the last several weeks. There aren’t quick fixes or easy solutions to any of them but they all require a prayerful, quiet pondering and they will all lead to change…which I suppose is the whole point. As we begin this new year, what is the Father asking you? A Seed To Plant: Spend some quiet time with these questions and see if the Lord might be inviting you to sit and pray with one or two. Blessings on your day! On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples…Isaiah 25:6
It seems like several of the daily Scripture readings so far this Advent have made mention of mountains. I’ve been tumbling that in my head and when I walked through the living room and heard a commercial with Julie Andrew’s voice singing Climb Every Mountain I knew I’d better sit down and give all this mountain stuff some prayerful thought. I grabbed a cup of coffee and asked God to make sense of the whole mountain thing for me and to be honest I just couldn’t get settled in. I was restless and had too much on my mind to really focus on prayer so I asked God to show me what it was all about. Still, I couldn’t settle myself for productive prayer because there were just too many tasks on my mind. I asked him to show me and invite me back to stillness when he thought I was ready. I did a few things from my to-do list. No, wait… I have to be honest; I picked the three or four quickest and easiest things on my list so I could feel superficially successful and productive. I even did something that wasn’t on my list then quickly wrote it down just so I could cross it off. Then I decided to get to the task I LEAST wanted to do. I grabbed my book bag and set out to grade papers and update the grading website. As I reached into my bag to pull out the papers that needed attention I laughed out loud again because what I slammed down on the counter was a MOUNTAIN of papers. Now, please don’t call my principal and have me fired for delinquent grading! Feeling completely overwhelmed, I decided maybe I should do the second least favorite job on my list; sort my “speaker shelf” (let’s be honest…shelves) in the office. Again, I was facing a MOUNTAIN of files books and materials. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry I walked out of the office through the living room and paused to see what Dave was watching on TV and no lie, it was a show about MOUNTAIN climbing. It became abundantly clear! I needed to climb my mountains. Advent is the Church season that calls us to pause and prepare. We need to force ourselves to still our hearts and ponder the magnificence that will be upon us in a few short days. I think that’s where the mountain thing comes in. Each of those tasks I was trying to avoid seemed like a mountain that would require huge time, stillness and discipline. Entering grades and sorting files are not activities that can be done while watching TV or chatting with friends or doing anything fun so I suppose that makes them perfect Advent task; tasks that require stillness and focus. God is so smart isn’t he! It’s time to wrap up this post because I have to shift from Joyful Words to my own little mountain of stuff. Before I dive in, I’ll make another cup of coffee and ask God to accept my paper mountain climb as a loving offering to him. I’ll ask him to help me use the time to think prayerful thoughts and ponder the beautiful plan he had for our salvation as I patiently and lovingly tackle the mountain set before me! One last thought…what’s your mountain made of? Laundry? Homework? Cleaning? Email replies? Whatever it’s made of, remember Isaiah’s words; On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all his people. Phew! A Seed To Plant: Pick a mountain, ask God to help you climb it prayerfully and with your mind focused on the miracle of salvation that started with a beautiful baby boy! Blessings on your day! While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6-7
When I was in the second grade I remember giving my mom the “gift of all time”, or so I thought. We had a mantle above the gas fireplace in our living room and each December that became the perfect spot for the Nativity set. Putting out the little statues was always mom’s job…nobody else got to help, we just watched her unwrap each piece from the newspaper and shoe box that was its home for most of the year. I’m sure they were made out of simple ceramics but she handled them as if they were made of priceless crystal. I remember her always holding Mary a little longer than the others. I told myself that when I got big I would ask her why…but I never really got the chance to ask that question. Now that I’m a mother, I think I understand. Early that second grade December, my brother Jim got a pair of new shoes because he was growing so fast his toes just wouldn’t fit into his school shoes any more. We went to Kinney’s shoe store and all their shoes came in brown boxes. As we rode home from Topeka looking at the beautiful Christmas lights I remember spying that brown shoe box on Jim’s lap thinking I had the absolute perfect gift idea. You see, that Nativity set my mom loved so much had no stable and I was convinced that I could turn that brown shoe box into a magnificent stable! The next afternoon I set to work. I wasn’t sure how that shoe box would be transformed but I knew my first step was to make the gray inside of the box brown like wood. It was a little trickier than I had imagined. Coloring the inside a shoe box carefully and in all one direction was hard. Now, before I tell the rest of the story I just need to interject one important detail…I’m not very artistic or crafty so the transfer of the image in my head to an actual stable took some VERY wrong turns! Turning the box lid into a roof was a disaster. I used so much glue and tape trying to get it to stay up that that shoe box weighed about five pounds. One failed attempt actually involved trying to attach real tree bark to the roof to try to cover up all my other mistakes . After several afternoons I finally got a finished product that would stand up with the strategic placement of two nice sized rocks in the back corners. I was so proud! I was also amazed that I had done the whole project by myself without anybody knowing a thing. I’m sure my mom was in the kitchen thanking God for my new found love of library books…NOT! The afternoon I finished, Jim and dad were out in the garage so it was the perfect time to present mom with her gift. I’m not gonna lie…it was an awful looking sight but it was a mess I felt so proud of. Mom looked at it and then looked at me and just wrapped me in her arms. I remember sitting down to the table with her to stare at it and she just scooped me up on her lap. The crazy looking thing barely even stood up but I told her I thought with the rocks and maybe some extra tape we would have no problem propping it up. As I sat there on her lap, my brother Jim and my dad walked into the kitchen. Jim had something behind his back and he was smiling so big it made us all excited. Without even recognizing the “stable” on the table he pulled the gift from behind his back. He and dad had built a stable, a real stable out of real wood for mom’s beautiful Nativity statues. Looking back at that afternoon I wouldn’t have wanted to be my mom for all the money in the world! Before I knew it, both of us were on her lap and she was just hugging both our necks. After a few minutes the boys were off to clean up the garage and I just sat with mom and her two stables. Dad and Jim had been able to create out of simple wood scraps a stable that looked exactly like the one I had seen in my mind. She kissed my forehead and said, “I am so lucky! I went from no stable to two stables all in one afternoon. Now I have a place to lay Baby Jesus.” That’s it…that’s all she said…that’s all I needed to hear. A place for Baby Jesus to rest! I remember thinking that someone as important as the Son of God, even if only duplicated in plaster, needed the best place possible to rest His head. Mom left both stables there on the table and went about her chores. I just sat there looking at them and I realized the power of her simple words. He would want the best…even from me, as an eight year old. I took my stable to my room and put it under my bed, where it stayed for years. Several years later I pulled it out at Christmas time and mom and I had a great laugh at my creation. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that Christmas humility lesson. Jim could have easily pointed out how much better his was and mom could have certainly pointed out the flaws in my stable but they both loved me enough to let me figure out how to be humble on my own terms. They both left this earth way earlier than I wanted them to, but I thank God every day for the lessons they taught me…even the ones made out of a cardboard shoe box. A Seed To Plant: Sit for a few quiet minutes in front of a Nativity scene this week and ask God to reveal one simple thing you can do to make your heart the perfect place for Baby Jesus to rest. Blessings on your day! He must increase, I must decrease. John 3:30
I love to cook and my kitchen is my happy place. I’m not much of a recipe follower, I tend to use them as suggestions instead of instructions so I can get pretty creative with substitutions. Occasionally, the result of my creative swap teeters on the edge of disaster! A recent such disaster got me to thinking about the swaps that I should consider in my discipleship. Since Christmas is near and I want to give the Baby King the gift of a better me, I decided I should make a few substitutions in my daily faith life. *I need to swap the word BUT for the word BECAUSE. All too often I find myself saying things like “It’s ok BUT…” or “I’d like that BUT…” The BUT automatically shifts my focus to what’s wrong or negative. BECAUSE would help me find the positive. “I enjoyed that BECAUSE…” or ‘I’d be happy to do that BECAUSE…” *I need to swap my words for HIS Word. If I spent more time quietly soaking up His Word instead of flapping my lips or chatting it up on social media, that would be a super power swap for my soul! My words sure aren’t going to make the world better but HIS will! *I need to swap thinking about doing things with actually doing them! Procrastination can often be disguised as “planning” or “organizing” when in my case, it’s actually just plain ole puttering around and dragging my feet instead of just gettin to the task! I can’t even imagine how many more good discipley things I could do with all those minutes I waste. *I need to swap reactin for pondering. I can be way too snappy with my actions and reactions. I’m a problem solver and sometimes I just spring into action and try to get all the wrinkles smoothed out whether I’m the best person for the job or not. I need to spend some time prayerfully pondering and giving God a chance to do things his way. *I need to swap why me for why not me! It’s ok if I work extra sometimes. It’s ok if someone makes more money than me. It’s ok if folks don’t notice all the things I do. It’s ok if someone else gets the attention, reward or surprise. I need to stop thinking about what I think I deserve or have earned and learn to celebrate the joys, successes and good fortune of others. I need to remind myself that all the things I do are for his glory and not mine! It’s just five little swaps but I have a feeling the final product will be a great improvement! As we wrap up the last few days of Advent and finish getting our hearts ready, I think I’ll focus on swapping out some junk and make some room for him. A Seed To Plant: Pick one of these swaps or think up some of your own and put them in action these last few days of Advent. Blessings on your day! Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
If you were to give yourself a score between 1 and 10; 10 being awesome, how would you score yourself at waiting? Are you patient, still and peaceful as you wait or are you fidgety, anxious and impatient? What would you think if I told you I was going to give you a free trip to sit in a waiting room? I’m not sure how many would find that much of a trip at all but maybe it could be if we took a different look at waiting and the things that can happen to us while we wait. One December many years ago I remember sitting in waiting rooms at Mayo Clinic with Mom for an entire week. I am reminded of a simple blessing of all that waiting each year when I put up our Nativity set. As we waited and waited, I began to visit with people who were also waiting and there was one particular couple from Wisconsin that made the waiting so much better. Throughout the week he would whittle little pieces of wood and she would card wool from the sheep they raised. On the last day we were at the clinic they told Dad and me they would be praying for us and they handed each of us a set of nativity animals made from the wood he had carved and whittled and the wool she had carded. Each year as I unpack them I pray for that couple and remember the gift of their talent and their friendship and prayers during a time of frustrated waiting. They were our Mayo clinic blessing; a waiting blessing. I think we’re all waiting for something. What are you waiting for? Maybe you’re waiting for a new job, or a headache to go away. Perhaps your wait is more serious like waiting for a baby, for test results, a lost love to return or for a diagnosis. Perhaps you’re waiting for someone to get car keys so you don’t have so much carpooling to do or for a little one to finally sleep through the night or master the art of potty training. Many are waiting for a blanket of sadness, grief or loneliness to be lifted from their heavy heart. We spend months just waiting for something to start and something to stop so something else can start. The honest truth is, many of us are simply waiting on God to organize our life just the way we’ve been planning it; just waiting for him to do his job the way we’d like it. Since we spend so much time waiting, the kind of waiter we are matters. The prophet Isaiah promised that those who waited on the Lord would have their strength renewed. I could use a little of that! The fruit of waiting patiently is peace. That peace gives way to humility and docility. What if we invited God into our waiting? What if we offered him the seat right next to us? Through that attitude of humility and docility that comes with peace, we might begin to realize that the job we’ve been waiting for might not be ours at all; maybe it’s the perfect job for someone else. What if that person we’ve been waiting to love us is meant to love somebody else because God has someone chosen that will love us far more than the person we had in mind ever could. What if healing meant making our soul healthier than our body so we could enjoy eternity with Jesus instead of spending more years on earth? What if we became so good at waiting we grew in humility to such a point we rejoiced when others got something and we forgot we were even waiting in the first place? What if we realized all of the waiting we do has a great purpose; one we usually can’t see. Not to worry, God can see it and someday we’ll figure it out and realize when we patiently wait for him to bring everything to complete perfection, we are blessed with something so much better than we even hoped for! Isaiah said that we would not grow weary or faint. How can that be? Worrying and waiting is exhausting, everybody knows that. Well, here’s a news flash, waiting is supposed to be an inactive thing so we shouldn’t be worn out. If we are waiting right we are in peace, letting time pass with contentment knowing God has it all under control. Instead we get worn out because we fight and squirm and wrestle with God’s plan confident he’s forgotten, or misunderstood our needs. Advent seems to be a great time to practice our waiting! Ready…set…wait! A Seed To Plant: What are you waiting for? Make a list and ask God to take your worries and “waiting for’s” and exchange them for peace and patience. Blessings on your day! …In this world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world. John 16:33
When the “three little Wohlferts” were all in school full time, I went back to school and turned my Kansas secondary teaching certificate into a Michigan elementary teaching certificate. Some days have been WAY more amazing than I ever expected and other days, not what I expected at all! My first teaching partner taught me more about being a good elementary teacher during the first semester than I learned in all my years of college! She loved her job, she was GREAT at her job and she had an amazing ability to draw the best from each student and “get the job done”. She affectionately referred to me as “Pollyanna.” I will admit I am like that Disney movie character because I usually live in my little bubble and always think things are going to be just fine, and just as lovely as I see them in my mind. Sometimes life takes a turn from the way I picture it in my mind and Pollyanna gets her britches in a twist! The older I get, the more I am reminded that life is about balance. If we go through life expecting things to always be happy or right or good, there will be trouble and we will get frustrated. As I look back at the twists and turns in my life, I realize it was the times when stuff I didn’t expect landed in my lap, that I grew and changed and deepened my trust in God the most. We tend to get a little hung-up on good stuff. When things are good and happy we expect them to stay that way and then when the unexpected happens we can feel a little like we’ve been punished or abandoned by the Father who is supposed to love us. As a society, we can be pretty “all or nothing” in our thinking. We forget that nothing is meant to be permanent…not happiness and certainly not sorrow. God works through both the good times and the tough times. We can be assured of His blessings and His love always! He did not SUGGEST there MIGHT be trouble. He didn’t say PERHAPS on the 3rd Thursday of July there is a CHANCE you will have trouble…no…He flat out promised that trouble WILL HAPPEN. So why are we so puzzled and pouty when it does? I think it’s mostly because we weren’t expecting it. Each time I come through troubles, I feel stronger and more peaceful. The greatest thing trouble does for me is make me realize compared to most other folks…I’ve got NOTHIN! It makes me realize I have so much to be thankful for and so many reasons to praise His Holy Name! I read a little slogan on a billboard not long ago that fits perfectly. The sign said, DON’T LET YOUR TROUBLES GET YOU DOWN, REMEMBER YOU CAN’T USE AN EGG UNLESS IT’S BROKEN. Maybe it’s the Pollyanna in me, but I believe even in my biggest troubles, I can look back and truly see the hand of God guiding and protecting me. Nothing is without reason…and we may not always like the reason but it is exactly in those situations I just have to sigh, shrug my shoulders and say…this must be something I need for heaven! Life is full of things I didn’t expect. I didn’t expect to move to Michigan, I didn’t expect to teach elementary school and I certainly didn’t expect to be a writer! I wasn’t expecting to get grey hair, have nine pairs of reading glasses and have every dessert I ate show up on my hips! However in each of those unexpected events, there have been great blessings. The thing we forget…we are not going to be judged on what we expected, but rather on how we managed the unexpected. A Seed To Plant: Look back on two of your biggest troubles. Write down the blessings you can identify as a result of those troubles; how did you grow, change or deepen your Faith. Blessings on your day! God is closer to us than water is to a fish. St. Catherine of Siena
A few weeks ago I was flying home and my travels took me through the Dallas Ft. Worth airport on a Saturday 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! Get out there and bring your joy! Pope Francis
How simple is that! When Pope Francis spoke these words he was talking about our work as disciples of Jesus. He went on to say, “If we are full of Christian joy then we should let our faces know it.” I love that image. So many times I muddle my way through the day trying to be a good disciple and I get tangled up in the “work” of it all and miss the “joy” of it all! Nobody will ever be inspired by a grump! Who would ever want to be a disciple if all they ever hear is how much work it is, how many committees you have to serve on and how much time it’s going to take. If that’s all I knew of Jesus and discipleship I would probably run as fast as I could in the opposite direction. Our job as disciples is to bring people to Christ not scare them away or point out how hard we work to be one. People want to be drawn to Christ not dragged so I suppose it is a good idea every now and again to see if our attitude is one that is drawing, dragging or scaring away. I guess the even bigger question to ask myself is; would I want to follow me and get involved? Pope Francis is an inspiration to all Christians because he is a living, breathing demonstration of joy, love, kindness and humility found only in the heart of a servant of the Lord. He makes us want to follow! I was reminded of a story I heard about a little girl who got in line and followed the kids who were leaving school to go to Religious Ed. A few weeks later the teacher realized the little girl wasn’t Catholic and asked her why she was going along each week. Her response was awesome. She smiled at the teacher and said, “I just wanted to go where they were going and learn what they were learning because when they come back to school they are so happy!” Out of the mouths of babes! It made me stop and ask myself, when was the last time I came out of church and others could see the joy and the happiness bubblin out of me? Jesus hasn’t changed…he is and was and always will be so that led me to the conclusion that it was me who wasn’t always bringing my joy; not him! It doesn’t matter what the sermon is like or the music is like or the way the sanctuary is decorated. The joy of Jesus and discipleship lies in the love he has for us, the mercy he shows us and the grace he freely gives us. I just need to act like it! So…pew potatoes unite…let’s get out there and spread the word and bring our joy! A Seed To Plant: Before you go to church this Sunday, ask God to reveal three things to you that will bring you joy and then take it out the door when you leave and share it. Blessings on your day! The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye…Genesis 2:9
October is absolutely my very favorite month of the year. I love the change in temperatures, colors, foods and clothes. We celebrate some of my favorite events in October but what I love most are the trees. Some trees are so intense with yellows, oranges and reds they look like they’re plugged in. As I was driving a couple hours to a speaking job last weekend it was sunny and warm and I just soaked in all the color and beauty. Once I got home, it occurred to me that I take trees for granted the other eleven months out of the year. That thought hovered with me for a few days and I’ve heard three cool tree stories in the past couple of days so I figured that means a message for all of us. Lesson 1: Trees change, the color changes, the shape changes, the size changes; everything about them changes from season to season. None of those changes are permanent. Some stages are a whole lot more appealing than others for sure. I suppose life is like that. There are times when our lives are bright and brilliant and others when things seem dull and unattractive. Each of the stages come and go, one follows the other and the old makes way for the new. I’m sure the tree doesn’t pout when it’s beautiful colored leaves fall to the ground for us to tromp on; it’s just the ebb and flow. Each stage and each change offers something new and different. Just like the leaves that don’t stay but for a season, our highs aren’t meant to stay forever and neither are our lows. God is right there in both teaching, loving and then moving us along. Lesson 2: Storms deepens the roots. Trees have a way of adapting to conditions. Storms of life will come and go so being firmly anchored is a means of survival. Tree roots sink deeper into the ground for life-giving nutrients and we need to anchor deeply in our faith and trust in the Lord so we can be nourished by his life-giving grace and mercy. Being rooted in our faith is what allows us to survive the storms and tough spots in life. Strong roots make us steady as the world around us changes. Lesson 3: Destruction often ushers in new life. The cones on some pine trees are only opened by the flash heat of a forrest fire. The intense heat causes the cone to open up and spill it’s seeds so new life can be spread by gravity and wind. We often look at destruction as life damaging and not as life giving. Sometimes being completely disappointed or devastated is what it takes for us to surrender our own plans and let the love of God guide us to new life. I guess October trees aren’t just beautiful to look at, they have lessons to offer as well. The next time I’m smack dab in the middle of something stormy and hard I’ll remind myself that I’m working on my roots. The next time I watch my well thought out plans go up in smoke, I’ll remind myself to watch for the seeds of new life around me and I will certainly be reminded that sometimes my life might look like a bunch of bare branches but something good will pop out soon. Thank you God for some beautiful trees and some great lessons. A Seed To Plant: Pick one of the lessons and ask God to show you how he might be inviting you to apply it to your life this season. Blessings on your day! Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23
All too often we look in a mirror and think things like, I wish my legs were longer or my nose was smaller. Maybe we notice our eyes or shoulders and don’t even get me started on the hips and thighs! We’re pretty quick to point out which body parts we would like to change but when was the last time you looked in a mirror and recited the list of body parts we really do like? A good friend shared a story with me this week that really made me stop and think about the best body part of all. My friend and her kindergarten son were outside playing catch with a football. She threw a pass that slipped through his little hands and thunked him square in the chest. His reply was priceless. He grabbed his chest, looked at his mom and said, “Mom, you hit me right where Jesus lives.” Not quite comprehending what he said she asked him to say it again and he matter of factly looked her in the eyes and said, “Yeah mom, you hit me in the heart, you know, right where Jesus lives!” Out of the mouths of babes! His comment just melted my heart! Every time I saw this little guy walking through the halls the rest of the week I just smiled and thought, now there’s a kid who has learned something really important! He also made me realize how important our heart is. It’s far more than a blood pumping, life sustaining organ, it’s the home of Jesus and I should probably give it a little more thought and honor! So, what is my heart like? Is it a suitable home for the Son of God? Is it tender and open or is it cold and guarded? I suppose if I paid a little more attention to the importance of that body part everyone might benefit. How’s your heart? Does it give Jesus a great place to hang out or could it use a little re-modeling? It stands to reason that if Jesus goes into our heart and dwells there, the feelings, emotions and actions it stimulates should mirror the one who dwells there. A Seed To Plant: Take some time in prayer today to examine your heart. Can people tell who lives there? Blessings on your day! |
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Sheri's writing can also be found at Faith Catholic Publications and on CatholicMom.com
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