You are the giver of all good things. All good things are sent from heaven above, rain and sun, day and night, justice and righteousness, bread to the eater and seed to the sower, peace to the old, energy to the young, joy to the babes. We are takers, who take from you, day by day, daily bread, taking all we need as you supply, taking in gratitude and wonder and joy. And then taking more, taking more than we need, taking more than you give us, taking from our sisters and brothers, taking from the poor and the weak, taking because we are frightened, and so greedy, taking because we are anxious, and so fearful, Taking because we are driven, and so uncaring. Give us peace beyond our fear, and so end our greed. Give us well-being beyond our anxiety, and so end our fear. Give us abundance beyond our drivenness, and so end our uncaring. Turn our taking into giving … since we are in your giving image: Make us giving like you, giving gladly and not taking, giving … [Read more...]
February – The Month of Love – Quotes to Ponder
February - The Month of Love - Quotes to Ponder We turned the calendar this weekend (where did January go? In Ohio it's buried under snow!) and now enter the month of love. Though February is mostly know of love between people, I thought I'd share a few quotes about God's love for a midwinter pondering. Any fool can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count all the apples in one seed. ~Robert H. Schuller God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. ~St. Augustine “We should be astonished at the goodness of God, stunned that He should bother to call us by name, our mouths wide open at His love, bewildered that at this very moment we are standing on holy ground.” Brennan Manning “If you have never known the power of God's love, then maybe it is because you have never asked to know it - I mean really asked, expecting an answer.” Frederick Buechner There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved. It … [Read more...]
The Gift of Being Yourself – Quote of the Week – Frederick Buechner
Whatever you do with your life —whatever you end up achieving or not achieving— the great gift you have in you to give to the world is the gift of who you alone are; your way of seeing things, and saying things, and feeling about things, that is like nobody else’s. If so much as a single one of you were missing, there would be an empty place at the great feast of life that nobody else in all creation could fill. Frederick Buechner … [Read more...]
Providence – Quote of the Week – Paul Tillich
Providence is the faith that nothing can prevent us from fulfilling the ultimate meaning of our existence. Providence does not mean a divine planning by which everything is predetermined, as is an efficient machine. Rather, Providence means that there is a creative and saving possibility implied in every situation, which cannot be destroyed by any event. Paul Tillich What do you think of this quote? Could you write out a definition for this word? How does knowing we have a God of who controls all things help you live with courage? I love that last sentence. It gives me hope. Let's remember these words in dark difficult times. Here are few more quotes about this interesting word: The march of God's Providence is slow; it's the devil who always hurries. Russell Kirk ****** The thing about believing in God's providence is that our belief His providence exists is equally as important as our belief He will deliver on His promises. The act of believing in His promises aids … [Read more...]
Open the Book on the New Year – Quote of the Week
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 Lovejoy Pierce … [Read more...]
Christmas Quote of the Week – Wilda English
God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas, which is love; the radiance of Christmas, which is purity; the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice; the belief in Christmas, which is truth; the all of Christmas, which is Christ. --Wilda English … [Read more...]
Christmas Hush – Quote of the Week
Let's approach Christmas with an expectant hush Rather than a last minute rush. Anonymous … [Read more...]
The Gift of Waiting – Quote of the Week – Edward Hays
Having to wait on others, even to wait on God, is not fun. That's because we are in a hurry; to wait is to have our plans upset. But if God is life and the purpose of life is to find pleasure in God, then why can't there be fun in the action of waiting? Try it the next time you are called upon to wait for someone or something. Open up that gift of time and find the fun within.Edward Hays … [Read more...]