Why?

After almost 38 years of marriage why is it true love seems more in bloom than before?
And then there is the thought~ what we know about love is so small when we thought we knew it all.

Life is too short.

What A Gift ~ A Good Life

I have been pondering the word good as it applies to people and to lives...

Goodness matters.  Why improve on that?  Why expect more?  

The Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition translates St. Mark 10:18 as:

"And Jesus said to him, 'Why callest thou me good? None is good but one, that is God.'"

How could we be better than good?  

Reviewing Catholic Radio...

I posted a desire to hear the name of Jesus more often on Catholic Radio here.

So this week I was pleased, no that is not exactly right. It was the joy of the Holy Spirit filling me! Now that's the correct way to say it! Such joy swelled up and I laughed and shouted praises as I listened. The radio host spoke of Jesus, His life in His Church, the Gospel of salvation and that the social gospel of good works comes as a response to the change within the heart. Good works are not an equal to that great Gospel of Salvation the host and guest agreed.

Oh, and then there is the cry of the Church to call us all to follow the example of the Saints, and live such holy lives that we will touch our world with the Gospel once again.  The good news of life everlasting and the salvation of God given as a gift, free and offered to all ---- The New Evangelism of our Dear Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

Such delights as this make glad the hearts of the faithful.

Choices

A movie poster from the first film of The Lord of The Rings hangs on a wall in our home.  It is matted and appropriately framed with a Celtic design. An inset in the matting displays the words of Gandalf, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time we are given." Reading this I ponder my own decisions.

Then I remember two scriptural admonitions: Choose this day whom you will serve and the question Jesus often asked,"What do you want me to do for you?"

We sometimes come to this point in our conversation with our Lord, blurt out a wish, or a need, or a plaintive, "I don't know. I need my life fixed. Please help!" Sometimes we know what we want, and we ask. Or we have thought through our request and answer, "Thy will be done." Sometimes we don't have any conversation at all. We trust His watch care, His will working out within our lives, and we push on doing what we know or feel is the right thing to do.

I don't have any answers. I have experienced all of the above.

Life is made of little decisions.  God help us to make the ones that please Him.

A Favorite Song

 Holiness, by Don Francisco was a favorite song of mine years ago.  Its message is timeless...

Joy & Action

Each day when I open my email I react like my four-year-old self waiting for the mailman to bring my  cereal box-top ordered toy. Ah, the longing for joy or delight is a constant companion for me during the rainy months here in the North West.

Today that was my attitude until a thought dropped into my heart...why not send joy to others? So off go the e-cards a positive response to my ennui.

Little Question

How come I want to give up, go with the flow, follow blindly not thinking, seek pleasure and comfort?

The Bride Groom calls: Hold On! Stand Firm! Seek Truth! Exercise Rational Thought! Turn From Self Pleasing! Put On The Armor of a Soldier!

How come indeed...I cry Mercy! Help Me!

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

I am delighted to be a part of a wonderful group of writers hosted by This That and the Other Thing.  I wrote about St. Paul and Pope Paul VI this week.

Remembering Dei Verbum

I was reading through St. Paul's letter to St. Timothy when I chanced to read, "Take as your norm the sound words..." (NAB). Another translation reads: "Hold fast the pattern of sound words..."(NKJV). And yet another, "Retain the standard of sound words..." (NASB). St. Paul encouraged the young Timothy to clearly focus on what he had learned from study of Holy Scripture and from the words of Christ that Paul had shared with him.

I thought of the Vatican II Encyclical, “Word Of God” (Dei Verbum), that amazing call by Pope Paul VI to renewed study of Holy Scripture. And so, in my quiet time with the Lord I pondered the gift of Christ, the precious Word of God, and my need to read more of God's Word. The exhortation of St. Paul echoing in the words of Pope Paul VI rang true for me:

But in order to keep the Gospel forever whole and alive within the Church, the Apostles left bishops as their successors, "handing over" to them "the authority to teach in their own place."(3) This sacred tradition, therefore, and Sacred Scripture of both the Old and New Testaments are like a mirror in which the pilgrim Church on earth looks at God, from whom she has received everything, until she is brought finally to see Him as He is, face to face (see 1 John 3:2).

The Quality of Mercy~

God is merciful. God working through His Son is merciful.
Let all of us that call ourselves Church cooperate with our merciful Father
in all our words, deeds and thoughts.

Thank You Jesus for Earnest Requests...

Not being an expert quilter I've never thought of myself as a teacher of the skill.  I can't make those amazing quilt tops that dazzle the eye and win blue ribbons.  I've never attempted curves and angles all neatly arranged and stitched so intricately.  Many of my seams wobble and I cringe when I think about how my binding sometimes falls off with use. Still I love to make warm quilts with pretty colors. My family seems to like them.  It's a great arrangement.

Last month a friend asked me to teach her how to quilt. "Me?" I thought.  But she was so earnest that I agreed.  We selected a pattern, material and I showed her how to prepare and cut out her quilt. I did for her what a friend did for me in the past...I taught her what I knew.

And she has made a beautiful quilt!

Cyndi's Quilt

How Quickly Life Moves

I'm working my way through piles and piles of memories; thirty years of things. Treasures once too dear to part with are now forgotten and unwanted. It has been a journey back into my young adulthood and into the lives of our offspring. I have handled: letters, school papers, toys, clothes, bags of stones or shells, diplomas, caps and gowns, trinkets and office supplies, photos, base balls, soft balls, computer programs, and books.

Lots of books have filled up my give away bags. Clothes washed and dried are designated as reuse or repurpose. Some things are ruined by mold or other events as to make them useless, some are going to the local thrift shop.  And a mound of paper is growing in the recycle bin. I've repacked the rest.

Yesterday my emotions of longing and loss ran away with my heart. It happened as I remembered the bright eyes and quick little hands that made these lifeless things real and full of unlimited tomorrows.
Today I'm full of clarity and propose to finish the task; remove the damaged and unneeded, salvage and save what is wanted or will be, and pack away the treasures.

One day these riches will spark recognition and memories will flood my adult children with long ago dreams and activities of childhood. The memory of our family will be there too.


Why else repack?

Courage is Needed

We need to let Christ update His Church and that begins with us as individuals. Wherever we find ourselves in Christ's Mystical Body we need to personally renew our relationship with the Savior and ask for Joy... His Joy!

Time to Wonder

In the chaotic days of summer and fall around our home -- chaotic because in Western Washington the only outside work that gets done gets done when the sun shines -- it has been a busy few weeks of planting, painting, cleaning and digging. The yearly sorting and cleaning of the storage shed and, well, the news that as I have gotten older I have developed some sensitivities to foods and additives . . .  leading to another round of tests and seeking answers . . . It's been a long few months.

Now it may seem this is a bad thing...but it is a wonderful opportunity to change. And since Christians look at -- or are encouraged to look at -- all things as part of the Father's Plan...at this time I can say this surely is just perfect timing.  I have had to delete many foods from my diet.  I am learning to enjoy new ones and I am growing in appreciation for the many varieties of grains and foods enjoyed by multiple cultures.  

Although Goat's milk is still a challenge.

But since I titled this a "Time to Wonder"...Here is the link.  Enjoy!

Fear, Pain, Grief, Loss ~ A Mother Weeps

                                                         

                                               "Were You There At The Cross?"  by Nancy Maffeo

From the newly published book Learning To Lean by Richard Maffeo 

Final Authority

When was the last time I was reminded: At the end of my life I will need to give an account of what I have done?   

~This morning!

Oh, how precious are the feet of those that bring the Gospel!

Puzzling?

I wonder why all Christians don't make the sign of the cross? Its iconicity is so ancient and deliberately Christian.

I Will Rejoice

When I hear a message like this preached...when I receive a jolt of true compassion and love through the reproof of my sinful heart...then I know I am indeed loved by the most Blessed Trinity!

Longing To Be One Body

Wondering why the Church, that is the Mystical Body of Christ here on earth, often forgets we have the same Father? As a Protestant Christian I prayed to my Father in Heaven,  as a Catholic Christian I pray to my Father in heaven. It was at His call I moved from one part of Christ's Body to another.  When I did  His love for me did not change.  He is a constant, true, faithful, loving and welcoming Father.  He wants me to be like Him. I am to be a constant, true, faithful, loving and welcoming daughter... And most times I want what He wants.
Father help me to want what you want all the time.

How Great A Foundation

Why do we Catholics seem to find the Protestant belief of sola scriptura (only scripture) so abhorrent that we respond by acting as if there is for us non scriptura (no scripture)?  What might happen to our hearts if we followed the lead of our Pope Benedict XVI?  What a gift of grace might we be to the world?

Listening With Longing

I tuned into my local Catholic radio station to listen to one of the national programs from a popular Catholic broadcaster. And suddenly I was longing to hear about Christ. Not about doctrine, forms of worship or how important it is to have more knowledge of The Church. Oh, why could they not mention His name?  When the conversation turned to St. Aquinus' vision and his realization that the Suma was nothing compared with meeting the Sacred Heart of Christ, why couldn't the speakers spend a little time talking about Jesus? I am longing to hear of you Jesus on Catholic radio.

Puzzling?

Wonder why all Christians don't make the sign of the cross?

Let Your Light Shine

Jesus is the light of the world living in us.  Blessed Holy Spirit teach me to let Jesus shine through my life.

Thinking About Unity

This is a portion of a letter the author is graciously allowing me to post here, " I have found my prayers for the church shifting over the last few years. I used to pray fervently and specifically for unity. Recently, my prayers have been that we would love God, listen to God's call and serve God's people in all places. I think I trust that if God's will is for unity and God's call is to unity, then our prayers to hear and to do God's call will bring us into fuller unity. "

Welcome The Children

From Father Brown comes a wonderful and informative blog. I hope you will have time to read his post and be reminded of the Love of Our Father and His welcome.

United In Christ

This is the time of year the Church sets aside time to pray for unity.  Many Christian traditions are praying. In remarks on January 18th, the first day of prayer, Pope "Benedict XVI also pointed out that 'lack of unity among Christians hinders the effective announcement of the Gospel and endangers our credibility', but noted that, 'as far as the fundamental truths of the faith are concerned, there is far more that unites us than divides us. ... This is a great challenge for the new evangelisation, which will be more fruitful if all Christians together announce the truth of the Gospel and Jesus Christ, and give a joint response to the spiritual thirst of our times'."


Since Jesus calls us to explore what unties us more than what binds us to our preferred pattern of division, perhaps we could each consider--- to what or to whom we are truly bound.


                                                          Is it Christ?  Is it division?




                                   "Eternal Wound" ...in the side of our Lord.

                                         

Forgive, Forget, Find Freedom

I am reminded that few of us focus on the future and leave the past.  What if we did?