Father and Son

I took this picture. The lighting is kind of cool. Totally by accident. But it still captured my son and grandson in a beautiful moment.

Thankful for Blessings- Always Nice to Come Home

My blogging friend, Judy, has an inspiring blog, A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings. Join her every Wednesday in giving thanks for the many blessings we receive from God. Write a list of 5 blessings and then link to Judy's blog. Thanks, Judy, for helping me keep an "attitude of gratitude!" :)
Some of my blessings this week:
1. I am so thankful for the retreat that I made last week. Time alone, time in silence, time with God. Thank you, Lord.
2. I am so thankful for the weekend with my sons and daughter-in-law! My grandson is growing up before my eyes! It was a good way to come back to the "world" after my retreat. Thank you, Lord.
3. I am so thankful for some of today's technology - someone gave me a GPS and I used it to drive to the retreat center. Directed me straight there without any stress! And also my nookbook came in handy on my retreat. Plenty to read and less to pack! Thank you, Lord.
4. I am so thankful for candles. I love to light scented candles in the evening. Vanilla and apple are my favorites - this week! Thank you, Lord.
5. I am so thankful for my home. Coming home after my week away was such a blessing. It is always nice to come home. Thank you, Lord!
What were some of your blessings this week?

Noticing God

Notice. This seems to be the word of the week. It keeps popping up in my mind. Over and over.

Wake up and take notice. Notice God's presence and action in my life.

Anthony de Mello was fond of saying that we need to wake up. We need to stop sleeping through our lives. Grace is always with us, but we are not always aware.

We are often sleeping. (read on at CatholicMom.com)

God Changes Minds and Hearts

He said in reply, “I will not,” but afterwards he changed his mind and went. (Matthew 21:29)

Thank goodness our God give second chances. And more.

For years I said, “I will not.”

Well, I never actually said, “I will not.” More like – I am not ready or I am not sure or I think I will hang around the vineyard gate.

I liked God. I was pretty close to him when I was a child. But as I got older, other things took precedence.

I prayed to him once in awhile, when I needed something. But there was little worship. No daily prayer. No scripture.

Then I changed my mind.

I will always remember that day, sitting at Mass, with my husband and 2 little boys, suddenly knowing that it was time to commit. I wanted to become Catholic.

To me at the time, it seemed to come out of the blue. But looking back, I can see that there was a lot that happened that led up to that day.

I often feel sad about those days when I did not know God. When I did not worship God. When I did not make Him the Lord of my life.

But then I think about people like St. Augustine. Look at his late conversion and what became of him!

“Late have I loved you, O Beauty, ever ancient, ever new."

Look at Paul. Saint Paul.

Maybe some of us have to be later than others. And was I really late?

I have known God in some way all of my life. I have no doubt that he has always been with me. Even when I was avoiding him.

But it seems to me that my whole life has been headed in the same direction – towards God. I know I have made some detours, but God makes straight with crooked lines.

So here I am.

Was I late? Or was I on time?

Does it matter as long as I am with Him now?

God is still calling me into the vineyard. He is calling all of us - with ministries and sacrifices and the little everyday conversions that happen in our lives of faith.

I still avoid those things that scare me a little. I still often say No.

But I hang around that vineyard gate and then I change my mind again.

Praise our God of Second Chances.

Sunday Snippets - September 26

This is the weekly Catholic Carnival! Be sure to visit RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing and check out some posts from other bloggers participating in Sunday Snippets this week. Why not join us and share a blog post or two from last week?

Here are my contributions for this week:
1. God's Abundant Love
2. Sabbath Moments -Jesus in Our Midst

Sabbath Moments - Retreat Week

Sabbath moments are a way of taking time to rest in God, to enjoy God in silence or in nature. The word sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning "cease." And that is what we need to do sometimes, cease our activity and live in the moment and breathe in God.

I invite you to share your Sabbath moment(s) here on Saturdays. Be sure to sign into Mr. Linky below.
I have plenty of Sabbath moments to tell you about, but it would be too much in one post! My whole week was one BIG Sabbath moment as I went on a private retreat for 5 days! 5 grace-filled days! I kept a journal and hope to publish an eBook soon.
I went off to a retreat center that was situated on a river. I have been there a few times before and even though I try other places, I always come back to this one.
I spent the week in silence. I just loved it. I spoke only when I had to and when manners dictated it, but otherwise the only one I spoke to was God.
I visited the Blessed Sacrament a few times each day, as it was located right down the hall from my room. What a precious gift!
I sat by the river and watched the sun set and watched the ducks and other birds.
I read. I prayed. I wrote.
Mostly I listened. I listened to God as He guided me through the week, helping me to see what I needed to know and what I needed to change. And reminding me of how much He loved me.
What a joy and a blessing, to spend these days just hanging out with the Lord. No interruptions. No noise. No work. No expectations.
Just to “be.”

God's Abundant Love

[Or] am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous? (Matthew 20:15)

Some people have a hard time with this parable. On the surface, it seems so unfair that the landowner pays the workers who show up at the last minute the same as the ones who have been there all day.

But God does not think the way that we think.

“As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

This parable is not about fairness. This parable is about God's abundant love and and generosity.

And let’s not miss the good news in this story - we are ALL recipients of this love and generosity. All of us.

Where we make our mistake is thinking that we deserve heaven. We think we earn our way into heaven by being good.

Salvation is not earned. Salvation is not deserved. Salvation is a gift.

Sometimes I have heard people ask, what good is it for us to be faithful our whole lives if we can just make a deathbed confession and be saved?

I think of the parable of the Prodigal Son. The older brother asks his father the same kind of question. And I remember this beautiful statement made by the father -

Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

Those who come to the vineyard earlier have had a life filled with God’s love and graces.

St. Catherine of Siena said that "all the way to heaven is heaven."

I myself am a prodigal daughter returned. I only wish I had come home to the Father earlier.

Dear Lord, help me to pray for those who have not yet come to work at your vineyard. Help me to welcome all who come, early or late. Thank you, Lord, for all the graces you have given me, undeserved as they are. Amen.

Sunday Snippets - September 18

This is the weekly Catholic Carnival! Be sure to visit RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing and check out some posts from other bloggers participating in Sunday Snippets this week. Why not join us and share a blog post or two from last week?

Here are my contributions for this week:
1. Forgiving Heals
2. Take, Lord, and Receive
3. Adding My Two Cents

Sabbath Moments - Jesus in Our Midst

Sabbath moments are a way of taking time to rest in God, to enjoy God in silence or in nature. The word sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning "cease." And that is what we need to do sometimes, cease our activity and live in the moment and breathe in God.

I invite you to share your Sabbath moment(s) here on Saturdays. Be sure to sign into Mr. Linky below.
1. I saw an eagle! My husband and I were driving through our park. As we rounded one of the little lakes here, we saw an eagle sitting on the edge of the lake. I was flabbergasted!
I stopped the car, and got my phone camera ready and opened the door to get out. I was trying to move slowly and quietly, but it flew away! Darn!
I wished I had snapped a picture from inside the car, but watching it fly majestically away was just awesome! A Sabbath moment to be sure!
2. Spiritual direction is not only a gift for the directee, but the director as well. It is a sabbath moment itself as my directee tells me about the times he/she has seen God that month or shares his/her prayer life.
But also, I know God is present with us right there in our sessions. Faith tells us that. And Jesus tells us that - "for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20)
And sometimes, we experience God's presence in some of our sessions in a very strong way. A graced moment. A moment when I just know, I am supposed to be doing what I am doing. God has called me here. Thank you, Lord.

Adding My Two Cents

"A faith that supports itself by condemning others is itself condemned by the Gospel."

(Thomas Merton, Faith & Violence, 1968)

Well, this is not my two cents. It is actually Merton's two cents. :)

A blogging friend of mine has been writing posts lately about the infighting and condemning among some Catholic bloggers. I myself have also found this distressing. I really was not going to add anything to the discussion because I did not know what else to say.

Then I found this quote.

Enough said.

Thankful for Blessings- Inspiring & Fun, etc

My blogging friend, Judy, has an inspiring blog, A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings. Join her every Wednesday in giving thanks for the many blessings we receive from God. Write a list of 5 blessings and then link to Judy's blog. Thanks, Judy, for helping me keep an "attitude of gratitude!" :)
Some of my blessings this week:
1. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of humor which is so healing and fun!
2. Thank you, Lord, for the Catholic Church which is my "adopted" church, that has brought me much healing and love and the sacraments!
3. Thank  you, Lord, for books that inform and inspire and make us laugh!
4. Thank you, Lord, for my beloved husband, who is fun and spoils me and loves me and loves You too!
5. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your canonized saints who are such inspiring role models and teachers and grace-filled people!
Notice the common themes here? Fun and humor and inspiration and healing and love. I must be having a good week! :) God bless!

Take, Lord, and Receive

One of my favorite prayers is the prayer called Take, Lord and Receive by St. Ignatius. You may have heard of it or you pray it yourself. Here is a video of the prayer set to music that I found at IgnatianSpirituality.com along with tons of other resources on Ignatian spirituality and prayers.

Enjoy!

Forgiving Heals

Then Peter approaching asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-23)

Do you think God is trying to get our attention?

When I saw the readings this week, I could hardly believe it. On this day of all days, the Mass readings are all about forgiveness and compassion and mercy. On this day, the 10th anniversary of 9-11, Jesus gives us a strong message.

Not only must we forgive, but we must keep on forgiving!

So I find myself asking - Do I have to be forgiving today, Lord? Can't I wait until tomorrow?

But then I read the second reading - if we live, we live for the Lord. (Rom 14:8)

And I know in my heart of hearts, if I really want to live for the Lord, then I have to forgive.

I am no stranger to forgiving what seems to be impossible to forgive.
Forgiving my father - for sexually abusing me for years - has been a lifelong process more than a one-time event. I know it is through grace that I have been able to forgive him at all.

And what I have learned is that I have to make the decision first and then I need to ask Jesus to help me. And I may need to go through it many times. Maybe even 77 times.

It all comes down to one common denominator. We cannot do it alone. We need Jesus.

Isn't that what Jesus meant when he said he came to heal the sick? Was he talking about the flu? Or was he talking about those inner wounds that threaten to separate us from God? 

And wouldn't unforgiveness be one of those wounds?

Lord, you have my attention. Help me to forgive. Help me to know when I still have unforgiveness in my heart. Help us all to heal from loss and hurt and fear and prejudice. Heal the families and friends of those who died on 9-11. I love you, Lord. Help me to love like you love. Amen.

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Sunday Snippets - September 11

This is the weekly Catholic Carnival! Be sure to visit RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing and check out some posts from other bloggers participating in Sunday Snippets this week. Why not join us and share a blog post or two from last week?

Here are my contributions for this week:
1. Loving Our Neighbor
2. Thankful for Blessings - Back to Work
3. Tiber River Review - How to Simplify Your Life

Sabbath Moments - Rain and More Rain

Sabbath moments are a way of taking time to rest in God, to enjoy God in silence or in nature. The word sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning "cease." And that is what we need to do sometimes, cease our activity and live in the moment and breathe in God.

I invite you to share your Sabbath moment(s) here on Saturdays. Be sure to sign into Mr. Linky below.
1. Saw two rainbows in one day. In the morning, the sky ahead of me was black with storm clouds and a bright rainbow seemed to arch right over the road I was driving on. The colors were so bright.
Later, on my way home, there was a rainbow behind me! Rainbows are always a reminder of God's presence in my life.
2. So I guess it is obvious that we had a lot of rain this week - very unusual rain patterns for Florida. The swales on our church property were so full of water, they looked like little ponds. Many herons and egrets came to wade in the water. I kept waiting to see ducks but no such luck! It was great driving into the parking lot and seeing so much nature there.

3. Took some time in the middle of a long work day and went to the chapel to pray. Praying before the Blessed Sacrament brought me peace. My favorite sabbath moment!

Tiber River Review - How To Simplify Your Life

How to Simplify Your Life is an audio CD recording of a talk given by Jeff Cavins. He speaks on ways for us to slow down and relieve our everyday stress.

The CD is 75 minutes long. I listened to it in my car on my way back and forth to work. Both my husband and I enjoyed it immensely. It is one of those speeches I can listen to over and over and I keep learning something new every time.

Mr. Cavins used stories from his own life and scripture to help explain his thoughts on how we can simplify our iives. He explains the difference between what is important and what is urgent and how to prioritize our lives.

Mr. Cavins stated that the key to simplicity is not organization but relationship, especially our relationship with Jesus. Jesus needs to be number one in our lives. Time management is okay to use as long as we put Jesus first in our lives.

Jeff talked about how an orchestra placys beautiful music because it really only plays to an audience of one  - the conductor. The audience might as well not be there in the room at all. The muscians' eyes are all focused on just that one person.

Our lives will be a lot simpler if we too keep our eyes solely on the Master Conductor. Our lives will be filled with more music and peace, If we keep our eyes on number one - Jesus.

I highly recommend this audio CD by Jeff Cavins. If you are looking for ways to simplify your life, if you are looking to be inspired by a great speaker, if you are looking for ways to focus on our Master Conductor, be sure to get this audio recording.

You can purchase this CD here.

I wrote this review of How to Simplify Your Life for the free Catholic Book review program, created by Aquinas and More Catholic Goods, your source for Baptism Gifts and Oplatki Christmas Wafers.

Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.

I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

Thankful for Blessings - Back to Work

My blogging friend, Judy, has an inspiring blog, A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings. Join her every Wednesday in giving thanks for the many blessings we receive from God. Write a list of 5 blessings and then link to Judy's blog. Thanks, Judy, for helping me keep an "attitude of gratitude!" :)
Some of my blessings this week:
1. For my job, thank you Lord. Just went back to work after a 2 week vacation. I am so blessed to be working at my church and I am very grateful for my job.
2. My vacation, thank you Lord. So how many of you are wondering how long I am going to milk this vacation time? well, just until I go on retreat and then I will go on and on about that!
3. For books to read, thank you Lord. I got re-aquainted with "light" reading during my time off. I had become too busy to read just for the fun of it and if you are too busy to read, something has to change! It did. I hope.
4. For my hubby, who makes me laugh every single day, thank you Lord. What a gift laughter is. What a blessing my husband is.
5. For today, thank you Lord. For the rain, and for the laughter and for the gift of this day, thank you Lord.

Loving Our Neighbor

Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother." (Mt 18:15) 

This week’s gospel could be summed up easily – How to Live in Community.

Several years ago I stayed in a Benedictine monastery for about a month, attending spiritual direction school there. One of the first things my spiritual director told me in our first meeting was that monastery life was not as easy and peaceful as it might seem. “Let's face it, living in community is very difficult.”

So how do they get through it?

Prayer. Forgiveness. Love of neighbor.

So I guess if monks in a monastery have to struggle with community, then those of us in community at our churches and our neighborhoods and our families are going to struggle too.

And so how do we get through it?

Prayer. Forgiveness. Love of neighbor.

St. Benedict in his rule had a lot to say about how to live in community. Some of his (paraphrased) instructions include:

Show equal love to everyone.

Do not act in anger or nurse a grudge.

Express opinions with humility.

Welcome all guests as Christ.

I watched these monks during the month I was there and at subsequent visits. All of them, including the abbot, ate with us, waited on us, washed dishes, and when a flu virus spread throughout the community, they nursed each other and us as well.

If they were unhappy, we never saw it. I am sure it wasn’t easy and who knows what arguments and tension took place in the private monastic enclosure, but we experienced love not friction.

We saw humility not pride.

We saw Jesus.

Dear Lord, thank you for sending people into my life to show me your love and your presence. Please help me welcome all as Christ. Help me to do better in loving my neighbor. Teach me, Lord. Amen.

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Sunday Snippets - September 4

This is the weekly Catholic Carnival! Be sure to visit RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing and check out some posts from other bloggers participating in Sunday Snippets this week. Why not join us and share a blog post or two from last week?

Here are my contributions for this week:
1. The Cross is Part of the Story
2. A Walk on the Beach
3. Sabbath Moments - Vacation Time!

Sabbath Moments - Vacation Time!

Sabbath moments are a way of taking time to rest in God, to enjoy God in silence or in nature. The word sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning "cease." And that is what we need to do sometimes, cease our activity and live in the moment and breathe in God.

I invite you to share your Sabbath moment(s) here on Saturdays. Be sure to sign into Mr. Linky below.

1. Have you seen this post? I took a walk on the beach and it was such a beautiful sabbath moment. Just being there calms me down and makes me smile.
2. My middle-of-the-night hour of Eucharistic Adoration. Quiet. Peaceful. Sitting with Jesus - what a blessing.
3. 2 weeks of vacation was like one long sabbath moment. I was soooo lazy! We went away for a few days but spent the rest of the time, hanging out, sleeping late, reading. I really have to find time for more reading when I get back to work. I have not been doing much of it lately. Amazing how you get caught up in schedules and deadlines and such. Sometimes we just need to stop and look at our lives and see what we are doing and what we are NOT doing. Sabbath moments helps me do that.

A Walk on the Beach

I was on vacation. I heard the thunder and saw the gray clouds but decided it was a good day to go to the beach. Just for a walk. Made sense to me.

I made the short drive to my favorite parking lot right on the beach. The rain had stopped. Only a handful people were on the beach. Some were sitting in their chairs reading and some were walking. I decided to take a brisk walk for some exercise.

It was so pleasant walking. A nice breeze. No humidity. No crowds. Just me and the water and the sky and the seagulls. I like having the beach to myself, especially on days like this.

This was a perfect gray day. Everything was gray. The sky was gray. The water was gray. The sand was beige. A gray and beige day.

I was alone with my thoughts, in my one of favorite places. I pondered my writing. I wondered if I should have been writing more this week and then decided that vacation was meant for wasting time.

I felt like being silly and took a video of my feet in the water so I can look at it when I am somewhere else and wish I was at the beach.

I stood in the warm water, praising God for such a beautiful gray and beige day and such a beautiful scene and such a beautiful gift of life that he has given me.

I drove home and got in the door just as the thunder and lightning and rain started. I lit some candles and then sat and watched the rain. A peaceful morning. A great start to my day.

Good morning, Lord. Thank you for this day. Thanks for this life.