I have spoken these words while I am here with you. The Father is sending a great Helper, the Holy Spirit, in My name to teach you everything and to remind you of all I have said to you. My peace is the legacy I leave to you. I don’t give gifts like those of this world. Do not let your heart be troubled or fearful. You were listening when I said, “I will go away, but I will also return to be with you.” If you love Me, celebrate the fact that I am going to be with the Father because He is far greater than I am. I have told you all these things in advance so that your faith will grow as these things come to pass.John 14: 25-29 (The Voice)I have told you all these things in advance so that your faith will growI thought I would dutifully pray about Your great Helper, the Holy Spirit.I should write inspirational words of You always being with us.My ego properly makes notes of Your love and legacy of peace.But other words leap into my heart today, Lord.Jesus said, “Your faith will … [Read more...]
You Are More Beautiful Than You Think – Quote (Video) of the Week
I watched this video this week and just had to share it. Amazing how we see ourselves so harshly while others see us in a gentler, brighter light.Please take a few minutes to watch it, listen to their voices, ponder its impact and give yourself permission to feel beautifulI praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Wonderful are your works;my soul knows it very well...~ Psalm 139:14 ~ … [Read more...]
Springtime Squatters
We traveled last week and discovered with joy New Mexico. What a wonderful trip. Returning home to the crazy routines of daily life, we soon realized that uninvited squatters had taken over our backyard. Yes two robins built a nest in the short time we were gone, claiming the top ledge of the outside speakers for our music. I am sure they thought this was a quiet place with no visitors since there wasn’t any movement in the house for a week. Their twiggy nursery is located near my office window. Mrs. Robin keeps an eye on me but if I linger by the window too long watching her, she flies off to the nearby fence. I fretted that my activity would scare her from keeping those blue eggs warm, so slowly pass that window without sudden movements. I am pretty certain she thinks we are the squatters. We’ve decided to keep the music off so the noise doesn’t startle the little ones. I smile, as I know it won’t be long until I will see them feeding the babies and all too soon … [Read more...]
Sitting is my Only Option
I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. Psalm 27:4 (The Message) His feet. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet. After her brother Lazarus died, she “came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet.” (John 11: 32) Mary sat at Jesus’ feet while Martha fussed getting things ready. Jesus said Mary chose the better part. (Luke 10) Mary anointed Jesus’ feet in preparation for the passover, His Passover. (John 12) These verses called to me on my silent retreat this year. The invitation was clear to me: I was to sit at Jesus’ feet. I couldn’t deny it, so I literally sat on the floor off and on during that weekend. Now I am not as young as I used to be. I sat on pillows, leaned on cushions, and rested against the side of the bed. I dragged a chair over to place in front on me, imagining … [Read more...]
Standing At God’s Doorway – Lectio Divina
Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. Selah Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one. Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. Psalm 84: 8-12 (NIV)I would rather be a doorkeeper. I wonder what it would be like to be God’s doorkeeper.To see all who comes and goes.What they look like and what they carry to God?I wonder if God’s doorkeeper ever puts her ear against the door and quietly eavesdrops.Does she peek in?Does she ever enter herself?Does God even see her standing there?Lord, at times I am your doorkeeper.I stand half way, on the threshold of fully committing to you.One foot in. One foot turned away, set to run back to my … [Read more...]
Teach Me to Listen Prayer – Quote of the Week
Teach me to listen, O God,To those nearest me,My family, my friends my co-workers,Help me to be aware that No matter what words I hear,The message is“Accept the person I am. Listen to me.”Teach me to listen, my caring God,To those far from me –The whisper of the hopeless,The plea of the forgotten,The cry of the anguished.Teach me to listen, O God my Mother,To myself.Help me to be less afraidTo trust the voice inside –In the deepest part of meTeach me to listen, Holy Spirit,For your voice-In busyness and in boredom,In certainty and in doubt, In noise and in silence.Teach me, Lord, to listen. Amen - adapted from St Ignatius by John Veltri SJ … [Read more...]
Companions for the Journey
I love this painting of the Emmaus Road. Two friends walking together down the path of life with Jesus beside them. I have blogged about Emmaus Road impact on my spiritual walk before such on this link. Who is companioning you on your journey? Some will answer that question by saying Jesus is their companion. Others will reply besides Jesus, they share their faith stories with family and friends. In addition, others grow by speaking with a spiritual director. In my program to become a spiritual director we had the assignment to pick someone from history, a spiritual giant, to study with for two years. There is so much we can learn from studying others who came before us. I am not a fan of the word “spiritual giants” since these people are humans with weaknesses, difficulties and even poor decision making. Saints were not super humans, but in reality they were flawed and sinful just like us. But somehow they kept running that race; their lives reflect what we … [Read more...]
Word for the Year vs. Word for Life
“Stretch” is my word for the year. After prayerfully discovering that somewhat frightening word, I am finding its thread though my days. But I have also found a word for my life. I call it my core word, one that describes a basic essence of my being. Nurture. “Nurture” bubbles up from my soul. Core words describe a movement, an identity, and something deep within our DNA that drives all of our passions and needs. We spend a lifetime searching for these core words and it is an adventure to explore and discover them. In 2009 I finally was able to put a label a deep part of my center, where God’s fingerprints first formed my spirit: nurture. As a young child I knew I wanted to be a writer. As a daughter of a physician, I was often asked, “Do you want to be nurse when you grow up?” “No!” I would emphatically say with a stomp of my foot. When I was 16, I heard God clearly calling me to be a nurse and I have never regretted following that vocation. I buried my first call to … [Read more...]