Kindness! Emerging new diseases make the headlines all the time. As a former public health official, I read about them, dissecting them like Abby Sciuto in the NCIS lab. Researchers have discover a new contagion and a surprising one too: KINDNESS. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego and Harvard found the first laboratory evidence that cooperative behavior is contagious and that it spreads from person to person to person. When people benefit from kindness they "pay it forward" by helping others, this creates a cascade of cooperation that influences dozens more. Kindness begats more kindness. Soon a domino effect erupts in which one person's generosity spreads first to three people and then to the nine people that those three people interact with in the future, and then to still other individuals in subsequent waves. “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” -Aesop The dance craze Zumba has really taken over … [Read more...]
I Need Help – What God Sized Dream?
We are still in the honeymoon era of New Year resolutions. I have some goals written for 2013 but haven’t hit the print button yet confirming their existence and launching their life.What is stopping me? Really it is a who. Who is stopping me? Holly Gerth is my obstacle Many of you know Holly as the blogger and co founder of (in)courage and active with DaySpring. I love her enthusiasm, warmth and friendliness. She has a great smile too.Yet she challenges me. She has invited us to say yes to a God sized Dream. She explains her project on her blog here. She writes: “This is an invitation to come alive and live the life you were designed to live. And when you do, you can’t help but encounter the wonder of God—those moments of spiritual awakening that make you long to know God more.”Ok so I revisited my goals and dreams and have discovered something I am not proud of: I think I can do them myself and God is on the sidelines. Yes some are lifelong dreams, but if I try hard enough, and … [Read more...]
The Magi – Lectio Divina
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the … [Read more...]
A New Year – A New Beginning – Henri Nouwen Quote
A new beginning! We must learn to live each day, each hour, yes, each minute as a new beginning, as a unique opportunity to make everything new. Imagine that we could live each moment as a moment pregnant with new life. Imagine that we could live each day as a day full of promises. Imagine that we could walk through the new year always listening to a voice saying to us: “I have a gift for you and can’t wait for you to see it! Imagine! — Henri Nouwen … [Read more...]
How to Count the Days of Our Lives or Making Each Day Count
One of my best friends, Esther, lived 99 1/2 years. I figured she saw more than 36,300 days in her life.She still makes me smile. She would tell me that all her friends had died and were in heaven. She decided they got tired of waiting for her to join them and since she hadn’t appeared up there yet, they assumed she went elsewhere. We would always laugh about that.She is counting days in heaven now.Why is it we need to lose a loved one, face a health threat, experience a tragedy to wake up and embrace life? In my quiet time lately with palms open upward, I cradle the fragile bubble of time. This image started when I realized over the holidays, that I have lived longer than both of my parents. I lost them both too young and with too many days left unspent.As of today, I have lived 22, 938 days.I don’t want to waste this precious gift of life.The other factor stirring my soul with the sweet appreciation of life is a new book by Robert D. Smith called, 20,000 Days and Counting: The … [Read more...]
2013 – New Beginnings – Live a Reflective Life
New Beginnings I love the fresh start of a new year. The exciting opportunities full of potential - I call it God’s adventure waiting for me. We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called “Opportunity” and its first chapter is New Year’s Day. Edith L. Pierce I will spend part of today prayerfully rereading my journal entries from 2012, summarizing highlights (events, quotes, images, experiences, verses, prayers). Ahh, new beginnings. Then I will write out my hopes and dreams and what I think I hear as God’s invitations for the coming year. When I revisit this list in 12 months, I always am surprised. Amazed at what God spoke to me in January that threaded its presence throughout the year. This process reminds once again to let go of the expectations I thought I had written so beautifully and perfected that never blossomed. After all God is in charge not me. And always surprised … [Read more...]
How to Grow in God’s Favor – Lectio Divina
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)Lord, today’s Old Testament reading told us that Samuel grew in your favor.Lord, today’s Gospel shared the story of Jesus’ spirit being nurtured through You.And Lord, today New … [Read more...]
What to Really Worry About – Quote of the Week
People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas. ~Author Unknown … [Read more...]