Saturday, March 17, 2012

Prayer of Saint Patrick

This prayer attributed to St. Patrick is one of my all-time favorites.  It's worthy of printing out and repeating all day... and today is the day to do it!

It's a quiet, calm prayer that helps center me.

Take a quiet moment and join with St. Patrick and me to pray together

.... breathe in with every line.. and FEEL Jesus all around you :-)


Prayer of Saint Patrick

Christ be with me, Christ within me,

Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me.


Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet, and in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

AMEN!

Happy St Patrick's Day, everyone!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Through the Looking Glass

One of my great challenges is to keep the right frame of mind.....

what is that?

well..... it's a little like Alice in the Looking Glass.

At first glance.... a change might be sad..... say, a loss of some kind.  A loss of something that brings you security....

..and you mourn.... and you rant and rave.... and you are left with nothing in your hands...

but if you look again....

You are left with endless possibilities....
the emptiness
the nothingness

is the potential of everything!


That which you lost.... once defined you....  secured you, yes.... but by the same token...

bound you
tied you
limited you.

Because of the loss....

you are free....

to start over
to re-create your life
to re-define yourself.

Frightening... absolutely

but exhilarating in a way..

May I never grow too old and tired to accept the challenge to change!



Dear God,

   I know that you are never the cause of sadness in my life.  You are the source of ultimate joy.  To be able to look at things another way.. that is your gift to me... the gift that sustains me, changes me, grows me.  I praise you for the challenges that come my way that help me become the person you want me to be.  And I ask you for the grace and strength to meet these life situations in the way you would want me to.

Amen.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Uncertain Future

Doesn't it seem that when all hope is lost.... several new paths open up?

Thing is.... at this moment I am not sure which is worse... NO options..... or several options that need to be decided right now!

When our financial situation fell apart in January.. things looked pretty bleak.  It took a lot of faith and strength and humor to keep my family moving forward.  (not to mention ME, but we won't go there just now!)

So a few things have come along and we are managing.. for now.

But in the last couple of days... more options have opened up.. requiring even MORE fortitude.  NONE of the choices have predictable endings.  ALL of the choices need to be made soon.  We have a few days to swim around in indecision.

I have no clue even how to advise.

What I do know is this:  God always helps us sort things out if we have faith.

And, whatever the decision... AND whatever the outcome.... we will be fine.

What I WISH is that the people around me had the same faith.


Dear God,

     Like so many of your children, we are facing a very uncertain path right now.  Looking toward a future we can not predict.  Trying to plan the "future" when getting through tomorrow looks dicey.  It's difficult to have faith that all will be well. 

     Please send your healing grace to all those reading here (oh.... and to my family who isn't :-)....  I ask for clarity of mind and purpose.... the strength and wisdom to support and advise...  and the peace not to look backward once choices are made!

     All praise and glory and thanks to you!

Amen..  



Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Covenant of Love

Covenant (defined by Merriam-Webster): a usually formal, solemn, and binding agreement

To me, a promise..... a contract...

Willingly entered with mutual respect and understanding

Love

plays a large part in this contract - covenant

Like a marriage, it must be love

NOT fear

that makes us WANT to comply

Fear cannot be the WHY of convenant-compliance





God,

you promised that you would be my parent.

And I promised I would be your child.

Like a child.... an 'oh so rebellious' child, I cannot keep a covenant with you out of fear.  I must test the boundaries.... but I come back to your law of love.

Like a parent.... an everlasting loving parent, you cannot keep a covenant with me out of anger.  You must extend your love to keep me close.

It takes both of us to keep this covenant, day in and day out.

Thank you, God, for opening each of my days with a promise to love me!


Friday, March 9, 2012

By Myself

Woo-hoo!!  I am so excited!  Look at what I did!

I know... it's great!

I am the best!  I am the coolest!  And I did it myself!

You ARE the best.... AND the coolest, for sure!

And I did it myself!

And you did a lot of it

Wait just a minute..... NO ONE was around to help me!  NO ONE came forward at all!  This is MY accomplishment!

You had no help at all?

Are you saying I didn't do it myself?

No, but I do think you might reconsider the thought that no one helped you....

Who was there, then?  Besides you, of course....

Of course.

Well?  Okay then.. I appreciate your help - but you already know that.  I'm just feeling quite accomplished right now.

I know you are grateful to me.  You do tell me all the time.  I appreciate that about you.

So what then?  Who else helped me?

Well, let me ask you.... do you live alone?

What kind of question is that?  You know I don't live alone.  I live with a husband, two sons and a bunch of 4-legged creatures.  But they didn't help me.

Do you have any friends?

Of course I have friends.... both close friends and acquaintances.  But they didn't help with this either.  What are you getting at?

Do you have any close communities of people?

A few.... different groups that I am a member of.... but I am telling you... NO ONE came forward to help.

So here is the thing... what DO these people do for you?

For me?  Well, they accept me - many of them.. and some of them love me...  I guess several are appreciative of me and the things I do.  BUT NO ONE helped me.

Did anybody have to move their needs over so you could do this thing?

What do you mean?

Well, like your husband... you have certain things you do for him.... did you skip some of those so you could do your thing?  

Well... yes, twice I asked him to just get leftovers so I could work on this project.,.. but that is no biggie.  He doesn't mind.

And, if I remember correctly, he offered to fix you something too, didn't he?

Okay - but I didn't want what he offered... does that count?

And your kids.... didn't they do a little extra too... so you could work on this project?

Just a few errands - but they're supposed to help!

I know.  What about your friends?  Did you tell anyone about this project?

A few of them....

And were they supportive of your work?

Yes, of course they were... but I still did it by myself!  Are you saying I didn't?

I don't think I said that.

What are you saying?  That I don't deserve the credit?

I didn't say that either.

But I'm not all by myself then.... is that it?  So I did it myself.... but the real question is: would I have been ABLE to do it by myself without these people that are around me NOT DOING my project?

Exactly.

So now I'm ungrateful?  That's weird.

Is it?

No, not really.  I DO deserve the credit.... but I DO need to remember that YOU connected all of us.  Without YOU and without each other, none of us can accomplish anything.... is that it?

**smile**

You know, God, sometimes talking to you is hard.

You know, Katy, sometimes talking to you is hard too.

Just don't stop, okay?

Back at you.


Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Sharing

I was reading a bit the other day about how important it is to share your gifts.

And I get it.

I love to share.... and I love to give.

But I got to thinking about WHAT I am sharing.

I do like to do for others...

But am I cheerful about it?

In my day to day, am I kind and cheerful

Or is my norm a little more grumbling.....

or perhaps a bit martyred even....

I mean, shouldn't these people I am giving to

understand that I COULD be somewhere else...

reading, or crocheting, or doing something more important to ME?

I don't want to be selfish - but I get into such bad habits that I don't even realize sometimes that I am grumbling.

Dear God,
  Help me to be careful in the way I do things.  I do want to give.  But I want to share my talents and energy in a cheerful way.  What use is my gift if I begrudge it?

And, mundane though it is, doing laundry, preparing meals, cleaning up after animals and people..... well, those ARE my daily GIFTS..... not chores - GIFTS!

Please help me go about these tasks so that my family feels loved....

Help me share a positive viewpoint and good attitude!


Amen

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Raindrops!

Stepping out into a fog-encased world this morning was a solitary experience

Not that I was alone... my pup was snuffling along beside me...

But the cotton batting surrounding us muffled other morning sounds

Except for raindrops....

Big fat raindrops

Plopping one by one

On me and around me

I thought of your blessings, Lord..

Falling on and around me

One by one

HEALTH.... plop!

FAMILY.... plop!

FRIENDS.... plop!

....and smaller ones that I take for granted....

Clothing.... plop!

Food... plop!

Internet... plop!

..and even more blessings fall that I don't take enough notice of...

random smiles.... plop!

budding flowers.... plop!

a stranger's miracle I am privileged to read about... plop!

Blessings and miracles all..... plop!

All around and on me in my quiet morning hour....

thank you, God!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Osprey

The other day

I watched an osprey.....

Battling the wind in the stormy weather

It was tossed back.... then straightened itself out

..and keep going...

Only to be whipped sideways... and thrown off kilter..

Righting itself again and regaining its course

Again and again.

But as I watched.... that magnificent creature never faltered.

It trusted in its wings, its instinct, its goal..

It never wavered..... it kept right on going!


Dear God.
            Help me trust!  I am not as fearless as your beautiful osprey.  I want to spread my wings.... and soar.... but I am weak on my own.  I want to be able to self-correct my course when life tosses me around a bit... but I am clueless without you.  I want to be able to fight back to keep flying where you want me to go.... but we both know I can't do it without you.  I know that you are always there for me.. but I am forgetful.   Please keep me mindful that YOU are that little lift that keeps my spirit strong!

Amen!