Last year I shared 10 Thanksgiving quotes and found a few more this year to share with you. The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. ~H.U. Westermayer Blessings are oftentimes not valued till they are gone. - Thomas Fuller Gratitude is the memory of the heart. - Massieu Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melody Beattie “When you drink the water, remember the well.” Chinese proverb "Gratitude is the sign of noble souls." Aesop “Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now.” A. W. Tozer You say grace before meals. All … [Read more...]
What’s Really Holding Me Back? – When Little Things Block Our Path
"So aggravating when just a little something holds back something big!" Wise words from my friend Karen. I whined in my email to her about my recent irritating refrigerator saga. Little did I know that an appliance would remind me of a spiritual lesson. How Little Things Start to Grow The quest for a new refrigerator began quite innocently with the arrival of a postcard from our local energy company. They would reimburse us $50 to remove an older power-sucking refrigerator and replace it with an energy saving one. I wasn't happy with my present refrigerator - the ice-maker barely worked, the motor ran almost continually, and I never did like the narrow side-by-side storage. I dreamed about one of those French door styles and fancy bottom freezer. As my hubby and I discussed making the switch, I experienced more than one moment of thankfulness - to be living in a era where electricity provided a cold place for food storage, to live in a country where choices abounded in styles … [Read more...]
Doing What is Right – Lectio Divina
"Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right."2 Thessalonians 3: 13Doing what is right.Lord I get lazy.I let excuses, fatigue, hurt feelings block what you call me to do.Doing what is right is a path sometimes hard to see; other times difficult to transverse.It is easier to stay secure in my own setting, to vegetate in front of the television or computer screen, to snuggle hidden under the comforter of my ego than to venture out.Thinking only of myself, I justify my reaction.Instead - you call me to do what is right.To go out on a cold winter night to go to the funeral home.To make an extra dinner for the recovering friend.To send that handwritten note to my older relative.To smile, listen, forgive when I'd rather sulk, stew and pout.We live in a fallen world, Lord and doing right can be dangerous, painful and downright frightening.Give me the courage to hear your will.Grant me the wisdom to follow you and love whomever you place before me.Untie my tightly wrapped ego … [Read more...]
Prayer – Quote of the Week by David Steindl-Rast
“Source of all blessings, you bless us with memory — that sacred ingathering of the past into the present that allows us to recognize faces, learn poems by heart, find our way back when we are lost, and bring forth old and new from its nearly inexhaustible store. May I know what to forgive and forget and what to retain and treasure, keeping in mind the smallest kindness shown to me and spreading its ripples for a long time.” — Br. David Steindl-Rast … [Read more...]
Paradoxical Lessons from David and Goliath – Underdogs, Misfits and Giants – Book Review
Dr, Bob Moorehead wrote an essay about paradox. Here is part of his quote: "The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness...We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, buthave trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outerspace but not inner space..."A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself or a situation, which seems to defy logic. We assume the bigger and better prepared Goliath could easily defeat young, inexperienced David - but the opposite happened. The title of the newest book by Malcolm Gladwell … [Read more...]
Spiritual Lesson from a Wind Farm
Our eyes can deceive us. We think we know what is going on. We assume we know the full story. We take for granted what we are seeing is what actually is occurring. The eyes of our heart can trick us too. This is one lesson that wind turbines taught me this week. On our way to Columbus we pass a huge wind farm. More than 100 of these giants take over the landscape on both sides of the road. I am glad I am the passenger and not the driver last week as I couldn't take my eyes from their graceful dance and twirling. "I would think they would turn quicker in this strong of a wind," I said to my hubby. "They spin and rotate at such a leisurely pace." Be mindful of your "wonderings"- often God uses them as lessons. "I wonder how fast they really spin?" I knew immediately I would have to look up this fact. Any ideas on how fast the tips of these giants really turn? I was shocked. Of course it depends on the size, location and speed of the wind, but … [Read more...]
Give Thanks to God – Lectio Divina
"But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord."2 Thessalonians 2: 13Give Thanks to God for you.Lord, today I thank you for the ones reading these words.Thank you for calling them beloved and opening your heart to adopt them as your children.Thank you for loaning these kindred spirits to me to accompany me on this path of life.I am so grateful for the friends I have met in person and for the friends you have introduced me to through these words.They are blessings to me. These special people of yours have encouraged me, supported me and stretched my faith.Too often I forget to say thank you to you, Lord, for the gift of friendship.Companions made even more precious by sharing faith stories, praying through struggles and cheering each other onward on our journey.My heart swells with gratitude to you for these gifts.Friends, near and far, bounded together in a circle of love, all held in your hand of grace.Thank you, dear Lord for my brothers and … [Read more...]
Playing My Part – Quote of the Week by Richard Rohr
Our ordinary lives are given an extraordinary significance when we accept that our lives are about something much larger, our pain is a participation in the redemptive suffering of God, our creativity is the very passion of God for the world. No longer do we need to self-validate, self-congratulate or self-doubt--our place in the cosmos is assured. I do not need to be the whole play or even understand the full script. It is enough to know that I have been chosen to be one actor on the stage. I need only play my part as well as I can. Richard Rohr … [Read more...]