Jonah, Jonah, Jonah

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the story of Jonah, because his behavior has lead  me to a greater understanding of You. In Jesus' name. Amen
I enjoy the story of Jonah every time I hear it.
I like Jonah. He's dumb about the ways of God, and I am too.
But I think this is a story more about the interaction between Jonah, a devout, stubborn, and a bit arrogant prophet, and God, than about the punishment of a city. Which is a wonderful way for us, the observers and readers, to see ourselves in Jonah.
God gives Jonah specific directions, "Set out for the great city^* of Nineveh, and preach against it; for their wickedness has come before me."
We too are given specific directions by God - the ten commandants - for example - about how to live our lives.
But what does Jonah do? "...Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish,^* away from the LORD. He went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went down in it to go with them to Tarshish, away from the LORD"

And we do that too, in our daily lives, we think, "Heck no! I'm not following God's way. I'm going to do what I want to do, when I want to do it, and how I want to do it. See ya God!"
But how does one escape from God? He created the universe! He knows where all the great hiding spaces are and where humans are likely to go!

God keeps after us, even when we think He's forgotten about us, and He certainly isn't going to abandon His mission with Jonah.
"The LORD, however, hurled a great wind upon the sea, and the storm was so great that the ship was about to break up."
The sailors were afraid, of course, and started praying to their Gods. “Come, let us cast lots to discover on whose account this evil has come to us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.^d"
Uh-oh, Jonah! This isn't going to end well for you!
And where was the man who was causing all this commotion and what was he doing???
Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, and lay there fast asleep.
Jonah did not care he might be endangering anyone else's life by his flagrant denial of doing God's will - he was taking care of himself. What storm? There was a storm?
Even the sailors know it is wrong to try and outrun God!
Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him, “How could you do such a thing!”
How often are we selfish and self-interested?
Lent is the time to examine our actions/attitudes and purge them, change them, ask for God's grace to help us with these changes.
Oh no! Jonah! There you go! Lose your balance did you?!

Jonah did say something wise, though,  and told the men,
“Pick me up and hurl me into the sea and then the sea will calm down for you. For I know that this great storm has come upon you because of me."
Jonah's conduct did cause the  sailors to pray, though, “Please, O LORD, do not let us perish for taking this man’s life; do not charge us with shedding innocent blood, for you, LORD, have accomplished what you desired.”
So that's good.

But what is this? But the LORD sent a great fish to swallow Jonah, and he remained in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.^a

3^* Out of my distress I called to the LORD,

and he answered me;

From the womb of Sheol^* I cried for help,

and you heard my voice.^b

4You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the sea,

and the flood enveloped me;

All your breakers and your billows

passed over me.^c

5Then I said, “I am banished from your sight!

How will I again look upon your holy temple?”^d

6The waters surged around me up to my neck;

the deep enveloped me;

seaweed wrapped around my head.^e

7I went down to the roots of the mountains;

to the land whose bars closed behind me forever,

But you brought my life up from the pit,

O LORD, my God.^f

8When I became faint,

I remembered the LORD;

My prayer came to you

in your holy temple.^g

9Those who worship worthless idols

abandon their hope for mercy.^h

10But I, with thankful voice,

will sacrifice to you;

What I have vowed I will pay:

deliverance is from the LORD.ⁱ

Jonah's prayer is understandable - he is in the belly of a whale afterall.
How often do we ask God for deliverance of problems we ourselves have created!
If only we would follow the Lord's precepts.
But pursuing God's way is not going to be easy - the important point to remember is we have God to help us!
He is the one who created The Way, and we need to allow Him to show us how to do what He wants.

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:2Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.3So Jonah set out for Nineveh, in accord with the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an awesomely great city; it took three days to walk through it.

onah began his journey through the city, and when he had gone only a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be overthrown,”5the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small,^* put on sackcloth.^a

6When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.7Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh:^* “By decree of the king and his nobles, no man or beast, no cattle or sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.

8Man and beast alike must be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; they all must turn from their evil way and from the violence of their hands.9^* Who knows? God may again repent and turn from his blazing wrath, so that we will not perish.”^b10When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil!

I like this image that even the animals are in sackcloth! LOL

Then we learn why Jonah didn't want to do God's will, “O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I fled at first toward Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, repenting of punishment.^a

He wanted the people of Nineveh to suffer, to die! And now Jonah says he'd rather die - from his anger with God! Some prophet Jonah is - not someone you'd want to defend you in court! Why would God even bother with someone like him? Because God knows how much Jonah needs God - just like all of us! In our ignorance, we need God. We want bad things to happen to those who harm us, but that's our way, that's not God's Way...

So now, LORD, please take my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.”^b

4But the LORD asked, “Are you right to be angry?”^*

5Jonah then left the city for a place to the east of it, where he built himself a hut and waited^* under it in the shade, to see what would happen to the city.6Then the LORD God provided a gourd plant.^* And when it grew up over Jonah’s head, giving shade that relieved him of any discomfort, Jonah was greatly delighted with the plant.7But the next morning at dawn God provided a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered.8And when the sun arose, God provided a scorching east wind; and the sun beat upon Jonah’s head till he became faint. Then he wished for death, saying, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

9But God said to Jonah, “Do you have a right to be angry over the gourd plant?” Jonah answered, “I have a right to be angry—angry enough to die.”10Then the LORD said, “You are concerned^* over the gourd plant which cost you no effort and which you did not grow; it came up in one night and in one night it perished.11And should I not be concerned over the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot know their right hand from their left, not to mention all the animals?”^*

The audacity of Jonah - the audacity of us! LOL

The translation explains this part of the scripture best:

A selfish Jonah bemoans his personal loss of a gourd plant for shade without any concern over the threat of loss of life to the Ninevites through the destruction of their city. If a solicitous God provided the plant for a prophet without the latter’s effort or merit, how much more is God disposed to show love and mercy toward all people, Jew and Gentile, when they repent of their sins and implore divine pardon. God’s care goes beyond human beings to all creation, as in Job 38.

The scripture ends with this conversation between Jonah and God, but I get the feeling the conversation between Jonah and God didn't end here. Jonah had much to learn - just like us - and God's going to need to be in constant contact with us and we with God, in order to know how to handle our lives.
We all have cell phones, are we ready to ACCEPT THE CALL from our God? I pray we are ready AND willing.

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

I like Yellow

Heavenly Father,
Continue guiding us on our journey to Easter. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Do you ever wonder if someone else's mistakes are God's way of keeping you from making those same mistakes? I do.
Take the following story as an example. A colleague is telling me about a younger man she dated.
Yes, he was quite a bit younger than me. I wouldn't have dated him if he hadn't been so persistent.
I finally said yes and we dated for two years. I even met his mom.

"I Am The Highway" by Audioslave

Pearls and swine bereft of me.

 Long and weary my road has been.

Oh? And how did that go?

She gave me a really weak handshake when we were introduced.
And we had nothing to talk about, but he wanted her to meet me.
I was really vulnerable at the time - I had just gotten a divorce; I needed someone and he was there.
He's living with his first girlfriend now, in California. But he still sends me texts, Lord knows for what reasons he does that; it's annoying. 

I was lost in the cities, alone in the hills.
No sorrow or pity for leaving, I feel, yeah.

She tells me this in her Texas drawl, dreamily remembering:

He liked looking at the stars, so I bought him a nice telescope.
He sent me a picture of the telescope, showing off some of the accessories he'd  bought for it.
Why? Why would he send me a photo like that?
Do you think his gf knows he texts me? Probably not.
When he left I told him I needed a man, not a boy.

I am not your rolling wheels – I am the highway.
I am not your carpet ride – I am the sky.

He also sent me this photo of him in a Mercedes (I look at the photo; he looks like Marc Antony, complete with dark sunglasses). I guess it's his car. I mean, why would he take a photo of himself in someone else's car? I shrug my shoulders.

Is the Mercedes supposed to tell me he's grown-up now? Geez.
And then there's the texts where he tells me he remembers how I felt and how wonderful I smelled...

Friends and liars don't wait for me,

'Cause I'll get on all by myself.

I always just listen because I think she's asking these questions to herself, and she just needs a witness to her thoughts (I'm the witness, lol). 

Besides, she's already made her own conclusions, regardless of my opinion.

I put millions of miles under my heels;
And still too close to you, I feel, yeah.

But I learned from her experience.

I see how things would have gone for my young Asian muse and myself. 
I think I would have been too embarrassed to meet my crush's mom! 
His mom and me are practically the same age! YIKES!
Even so, I'm happy for the memories of my interactions with November- that's the nickname I've given him. 

I am not your blowing wind – I am the lightning.

I am not your autumn moon – I am the night… the night.

November opened my eyes to the possibility of dating someone outside of my comfort zone, which has been mostly Caucasian men.  

I've finally learned it's okay to ask God for people, places, and situations to come into my life, so here's my latest prayer of supplication to God (besides the ones I ask for on behalf of family and friends): 
God, please bring the husband You have chosen for me into my life. 
If God's "chosen one for me," happens to be Asian, all the better. :0)

This is Hu Ge; he is Korean. ;0)

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

Ten Hands - Review of their Show on Jan 26th, 2014 @ the Kessler theatre in Dallas, Tx

Hello Heavenly Father,
Bless each and every pair of eyes reading this blog with your Peace. In Jesus' name. Amen
(as Carlton and I were waiting for the band to begin, I wrote the following 'notes' in my phone).
Ten Hands fans have changed from their college daze.
We're fatter, a little wiser, and more comfortable in our skin than in the days of our youth.
Most have hung on to their hippy clothes, long past the time they should, but all friendly.
People are impatiently waiting for the magic of the music.
I'm wondering if others are asking themselves,
"Will the music have the same effect on us as it in the old days of partying?"
We want the band to be what it was and more.
We want to re-live the happy times of college.
The show is sold-out, showing the nostalgia runs deep, ha ha.
Some in the crowd have been through their first marriages, at least.
Some are hitting on the same girls they did in college, only hoping to score this time.
The opening band is far too serious and rock-focused to enjoy.
My brother has found a college friend from the past.
Most have come in from Denton, never having been to the Kessler.
The city welcomes everyone's -  money, lol.
The crowd is getting bigger and people are filling up on drinks before the show.
The smell of alcohol is intoxicating and sickening.
Before the band took the stage, I walked to the end of the upper lip to 'reserve' my seat.
Paul Slavens comes out first, followed by the other members:
Steve Brand, the guitarist,
 the drummer (didn't recognize him),
unlike Mike Dillon, the percussionist, who is easily recognizable,
as well as Gary Muller, on chapman stick.
They open with the song, "Little Man in Your Head."
I don't know who was happier: Paul being among his musical pals once again;
or the crowd, hearing the progressive-funk band live again.
The Kessler was the perfect venue for this reunion: it had the same small, intimate feel of the clubs in Denton.
The Hands are as talented & entertaining as they were in the 90's.
I was only surprised they didn't play The Big One is Coming, but they did play many favs: Love is the Question, Say the Word, You are My Fix, Bushlock Sadie, Moses...
Mike Dillon's antics are still hilarious and he has always been an intuitive drummer,
hitting just the right sound to add the perfect filler.
Some of my photos from the show:

Mike Dillon's wizardry

Paul Slaven's banter 

all of us

Ten Hands gave the crowd what they came for: a lively and enjoyable evening with the past.

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

the plank in my own eye

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your daily blessings and guidance, always. In Jesus' name. Amen.
This past Saturday evening at mass I saw a friend that I haven't seen in awhile. I did not approach him to say hello, and I don't know if he saw me.
I left the sanctuary wondering why I didn't feel comfortable greeting him.
I was transported to a memory of being at a weekend retreat with him, some years ago. I was having lunch with him and another guy during the retreat.

For some reason our conversation turned to abortion issues.
At the time I was pro-choice, so I didn't add much to the dialogue between these two gentlemen, but I remember remarking to myself, "I know if I say I'm pro-choice, a whole different kind of exchange will transpire, and I'm not in the mood to defend my views - besides, these people don't want to know why I think the way I do; they will only set out to change my mind and get frustrated when they realize they can't move me from my thinking."
I resent being with a group of people who judge me by my politics. And now I dislike this behavior in myself toward others.

My then pro-choice stance would overshadow the person I was - someone trying to find God, someone trying to know Jesus better - and only be seen by people as "a pro-choice liberal," someone whose mind has to be changed, all the while dismissing me as a person.
When I ponder why I didn't say hello to my fellow Catholic, here's what I find:
I felt like this guy only sees me as a "pro-choice liberal."
And me only seeing him as a "Pro-life militant."

It's at this point I consider Jesus.

Jesus made it a point to be with every kind of person, befriend everyone, and his favorites, it seemed, were the biggest sinners of His time: tax collectors, prostitutes, adulterers...I think the list today would also include: gays, pro-choice advocates, agnostics, atheists...among others.
I am always in awe of Jesus, and how He is Love.
Nowhere in the bible is it written that while Jesus was among these sinners He argued with them.
The bible says He taught through parables, not through argumentative points, not through defensiveness.
He is always Loving and Gentle.
He accepts people as they are, where they are, and just loves them. The whole person matters, not just one's political view, or their sin.
He loves everyone.
He leads by example.
Even if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, or political views, make sure to address them privately.
And this is the important part, once you've mentioned to someone how they need to "return to God," leave them to God.
Keep them in your prayers, but be done with chastising them again.
Carry on with loving them and befriending them;
you will want to be there when this happens:

Jesus changes people; Jesus works through me in conjunction with the Holy Spirit to change people.
Me, on my own, will only alienate people, because I think I'm "right," and they are "left," which is incorrect.
I admit: I am completely guilty of judging people by their politics.
I am guilty of not loving people for who they are and where they are on their path to the Lord.
I will do better and I will say hello to you after mass, even if you don't see me first, lol.
As I have begun to realize more and more, God has me on a growth plan.
I am a slow learner, but He is a patient teacher.

BTW, my pro-choice stance was changed by a good friend handing me a book about one woman's journey from being pro-choice to pro-life. This friend didn't argue with me, or try changing my mind by force. He gave me a book and let God do the rest. We can all learn from this example. 

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

Final collage of 2013

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the year 2013 - for all it's foibles and perfection.

Thank you for the year 2014 - for all it's perfection and foibles. 

But most of all, thank you for always being here through 2013 and 2014.

Lord, we ask that you bless us with much love, happiness and health in the New Year. 

In Jesus' name. Amen.

Desde cuando! Nov's collage 2013

Hello!
Heavenly Father, thank you for always being by our sides, even when we think you have abandoned us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Okay, so I've had this collage ready since, you guessed it, November. For some reason my publisher (me) didn't publish it on time. But hey, it posted before the end of the year, so it's all good.

I am currently working on December's collage, and will post before the end of tomorrow, God willing. :0)

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." 

Mother Theresa

Oktober's treats 'n trix

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the health of my family and friends, and of myself. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

Oktober's collage is especially large and much more colorful than my other collages so far.

For some reason I am unaware of, I have been receiving the magazine's "Self," "Cosmopolitan," & "Redbook." I think they are a leftover from some order I made some darn where, lol...anywho, it has been fun cutting and tearing these >revistas< (what magazines are called in Spanish) and using them to describe my month. Esp "Cosmo," since I think that mag is just TRASH. There must not have been better choices of any kind for me to chose it, OR, I was relishing destroying it, LOL. Possibly both.

(btw, at the top of the collage I accidently cut-off what it says, "sweat like a pig, to look like a fox.")

 

The trix of this month were serious: Mamasita Sweet Potato had a stroke on 10/30/13. I got home that afternoon/evening and MSP was acting pretty confused and her face looked like it was sagging on one side. Her words were slurred as well. I thought she probably had a stroke, but she was refusing to go to the hospital. She called Carlton on the phone and immediately he could tell something was wrong as well.

He came over and for about 45 min, maybe longer, certainly felt longer, we tried to convince her to go to the hospital.. She was adamantly refusing. I think the HS began working, though, because then she told us she'd go to "PermaCare," but not the hospital. We agreed to take her. When she left the room to change, Carlton turned to me and said, "You know we're going to take her to the hospital, right?"

 

And that's what we did. She was furious when she realized where we were taking her. She stayed in the hospital for about 3 days and then was moved to a rehab center. She was in rehab about 4 days, working on her speech. Thanks be to God she is still mobile, and can move all of her limbs. She is continuing to work on her speech as you read this and she's getting better every day. She hadn't been taking her meds and the consequence of those actions were severe, but not too too damaging, PTL.

 

This stroke is a pivotal moment for me too: Mom is now more than enough for me to handle; she needs much more attention and care.

We've lived together for 10 years, and I'm in need of a break.

Carlton & I are in the midst of changing residences. He has a Nov 1st 2014 deadline to find a home - not an apt - and mom is to move in with him.

I may/may not sell my house this Spring, or in the Fall of next year. (still deciding; my house is a lot of room that I may not need once it's just Tobe's and me)(a duplex with a tiny yard would be a better fit - no lawn, please!) (but I do like my house...)

Ultimately, it's ALL in GOD's hands! Prayers for everyone!

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

09 2013

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for all you do for us. Continue to bless and guide us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

September  was the epitome of "wordle." LOL


"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

Has August come and gone already?!

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for anointing our lives with goodness. Prayers for those who have asked for my prayers, and for peace in Syria. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 

August has one of my favorite feast days in it: the Assumption of Mary, Aug 15th.
For my Protestant brothers and sisters, this is the day we Catholics believe Mary's earthly life ended, and when she was taken, body and soul, into Heaven. She didn't suffer through old age, or die; she was carried straight to Heaven. This is how special the Blessed Mother is in God's eyes.
I feel especially close to Mary since my father brought my mother a statue of the Blessed Mother when I was born; she sits in one corner of my bedroom. At the other corner in my room I have a framed picture of Mary with Jesus in her arms. She is my mother - she is our mother. :)

August rushed by me.

Time to return to work.
I felt anxious the week before the students arrived; this isn't uncommon for educators. We're as excited as the students are, lol.
During morning prayers I read the short biography of St Joan Antide-Thouret.
Her bishop asked her to take charge of a school. "At first she doubted her capacity for such a responsibility, but the bishop reassured her, "Courage, virtue, and trust in God are what are required, and it seems to me that you have these qualities." I felt as if God were speaking to me directly, and I was encouraged.
It was also within this month where the Lord began teaching me the understanding of the phrase, "Having faith in Christ."
I was talking to Jesus, like I usually do,
And I started thinking, "When will I really start having Faith in You?"
Jesus laughed beside me. I got the sense He's been waiting for me to ask myself this question.
"Ok, Jesus, what does it mean to Have Faith in You?"
"Well, when you are worried about something, say a prayer about your issue, handing the outcome to Me, then forget about it. Ask for My Grace to help you stop obsessing over the situation; I will take care of it. Faith means leaving your worry to me. You will know you have Faith when your thoughts are unoccupied with the issue. The "free time," the lack of worry creates allows you to concentrate on My Will in the Present Moment, which are the most important moments of your life."
Simple enough - when practiced often - and with God's grace, I'm getting better.

This month's collage is a collection of the above thoughts.

 

The top picture is a depiction of the story of Jesus walking into a town as a funeral procession is happening (Luke 7:11-15)NIV. Jesus learns that the only son of a mother, a widow, had died. Jesus feels pity for the woman, asks for the procession to stop. He raises the boy from the dead and gives him back to his mother. I love this story!

At the bottom of the collage is a picture of Jesus calling his mother to himself (the Assumption).

On the other side of the tree under the words "Blessed Among Us," is the title St. Augustine. I placed this there because the street parallel to my school is St. Augustine. :)

St. Augustine is the son of St. Monica. He was quite the hellion in his youth. He abandoned the faith his mother adored and threw himself into the world: drinking, drugs, sex. St. Monica continued to pray for his conversion, which eventually did happen. I feel like St Augustine guards our school. :)

 

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

 

Seventh month's collage, 2013

 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for always being in our lives - in the friends and family around us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

July had some high-highs, and some low-lows.

Thanks be to God, it ended on a positive, uplifting note.

My mom was in the hospital with kidney stones the latter part of the month; she had lithroscopy, shock waves essentially, to reduce the size of the stone, so it would be easy to pass.

In fact, mom was in the hospital on the same day she gave birth to me all these years later!

Mom's stone was 9 mm and I weighed 9 lbs, 9 oz, strange, right? 

Mamasita sweet potato had to endure pain worse than giving birth (I've been told)! Fortunately, the stone has passed; unfortunately, mom's pain didn't subside.

I took her to a gasterologist, and the doctor said she has diverticulitis; she's now taking antibiotics for it, and appears well on her way to recovery, though she still has some aches. Thank you to all those who have been praying for mom; please continue to pray for her continued health and well-being. Thank you,

God is good, all the time!

Also, my childhood friend drove 10 hours to spend time with me and to celebrate my birthday.

I am so blessed!

 



 

The photo of this month's collage wouldn't come out lighter - coincidence? There are no coincidences.

It was a dark month. 

 

Toward the bottom of the collage is the music sheet for the song, "We walk by Faith."

I drew an orange sun with red rays coming out of the center - this is on the lower right side of the collage.

I colored the rest of the background yellow.

 

The Good Samaritan was in the readings this month, and I must give a happy thank you shout out to my good friend R, for personifying a Good Samaritan toward me. May God bless her always.

 

There are three scenes I put on the collage just because I like the art.

The first one is above the orange-red sun, and it is a depiction of the scene of Mary, Martha, and Jesus. Mary sitting at Jesus' feet, and Martha getting food ready for Jesus and his companions to eat. Mary made the best choice, to sit at Jesus' feet.

The second picture is the angel of death at Passover.

The third one is towards the top right hand corner; Moses has his hands wrapped about the tablets, looking up at the pasted words, "July 2013."

 

Above the Good Samaritan depiction is a blessing for a sick person.

I dedicate this prayer to my sweet potato mamasita.:

Lord Jesus, our Saviour and our brother,

listen to our prayer and look with love on Mamasita sweet potato,

Visit her in this time of sickness,

and fill her with the gifts of your Spirit,

that she may have the courage to carry your cross

the strength to believe in your love,

and the faith to persevere in hope and prayer.

Restore her strength

and bring her back to full health.

Lord Jesus, unite our prayer to your own

and present it to God most high.

To God be glory and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

---Blessings and prayers for Home and Family

 

The scripture I hand-wrote in-between the pasted scriptures, is Philippians 4:9, "Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you."

One the upper right hand-side are scripture passages containing peace.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.

 

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

 

The silent sadness*

Heavenly Father,
This is the hope I have for my tears: that they may be united with Christ's suffering, and "for the sake of His sorrowful passion, (that God) have mercy on us & on the whole world," as the words of the Divine Mercy prayer implores our Lord and Savior.
I know too that the depth of one's sadness can also be a measure of one's capacity for joy.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

A tremendous heart-felt thank you to my friend Mary W.
I read her blog the other day; she spoke to the fear she had when her doctor told her there was a "thickness in one of her breasts," to which she later found out was nothing, PTL; but that experience, and how she expressed her fear, gives me the courage to put these words on my blog and be vulnerable to my readers.
So thank you Mary!
& to Mary, the Mother of our Savior, a very reverent thank you, because when she was told that a "sword would pierce her heart" for the suffering she was to receive on seeing her only Son crucified, she gave us a model of how to handle intense anguish - putting our faith in God's will.

The "lacerations" I feel from my depression* provide me with colossal more compassion for the legion of atrocities both in the world and on a local scale, than if I didn't suffer from the little d.
I'm less judgmental of others and more open to forgiveness.
I'm actually happier after walking through my winter.
I find I also understand the word Love - as a verb - better.

 

Never underestimate the power of agony.

 

Our world has a compulsion to feel better, happier, and offers a plethora of imbecilic things to satiate not only our insecurities, but all the dark places in our souls no one wants to talk about, or even acknowledge, and this is not the correct way to deal with our "sacred suffering!"

I'm warning you world, I do want to feel bad! LOL

Feeling bad puts feeling good in proper perspective.

Next time you feel yourself low, feel the low. Thank your emotion, learn from the emotion, and then cheer up again, as this is a temporary state of being.
If you feel yourself severely decumbent and for a longer than usual period of time, seek help, yes, but also feel the lowness. Seek to learn from the subjacent and don't be so quick to dismiss the lowering; if you cling to your torment you just might find some terrific insight about yourself, or the world around you, or draw yourself closer to Jesus.

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa

June 2013

 

Heavenly Father,

Bless all those traveling this summer with safe journeys to and from their destinations. May the souls of the 19 firefighters who perished in the wildfires in Arizona rest in peace. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 

 

June's collage came together smoothly and easily. 

June has been a month of...

REST.

Waking up at nine in the morning is such a luxury!

During the school year, I wake up at 5:30 a.m. to get ready to go to work.

Funny, during June, I don't even slightly wake up around the 5 - 6 a.m. hour, LOL.

I've given up trying to sleep until noon, like I did when I was in my late teens and early twenties; just doesn't happen anymore, I'm happy to say.

A few days after I was done with work, I realized how perfectly tired I was and how much downtime I required.

I want to learn how to swim! I've put this off for far too long..."Get hip," is a pun on swimming. The phrase "Pave the way to good health," = swimming.

The picture behind the cut-outs on the collage is a picture I drew of a sun rising/setting on the ocean. I crave the beach and pray I make it to warm waters sometime before August this year, preferably in Florida.

"See the signs," is a phrase that I've taken literally, because I have been looking for ''signals'' as a way of discerning God's will for my life, my relationships, career, love life...God does send signs - keep hope alive! Be sure you're alert to them, they are all around us. *Just as a silly example, there is a particular person's name I am praying for discernment on, and I saw a street with this name; I took this as notification that God is hearing my prayers.

In this particular collage, I did add some political words: DOMA - because of the Supreme Court's landmark ruling that marriages between people of the same sex are legal and binding. With a couple of caveats, of course; this is all good if  you live in a state that allows those unions. If you move from a state that recognizes same-sex marriages to a state that doesn't recognize your connection, you lose any benefits you may have had in the pro-same sex marriage state.

The other 'political' word: Mandela; he is in critical health right now with pneumonia. Everyone is praying he recover.

Then there's the tattle-tale: Snowden; he is currently residing in Russia's airport. His passport has been revoked, but Putin has refused to release him to the US. Without a passport Snowden can't travel to Ecuador, which is where he was heading. 

Snowden is a mixed bag of thoughts for me;

I think he thought he was doing a good thing by telling the citizens of the US that our government is spying on us;

but I think it was a terrible idea for him to leak US secrets about our allies and enemies.

This collage is longer than the others, and besides me writing in these political words at the top, I also have the phrase "Making a difference with students." Then there's this photo:

 

 which didn't come out as clear as I'd like, but hopefully you get the gist; there's an angel pointing at the person laying under a tree with one arm; the other arm is pointing away.

The biblical interpretation could be, "Get up and walk, your father has healed you," or "Be on your way, someone awaits you..." Holy words to be sure.

Now here's my interpretation: "Get up you lazy bum (meaning me) and stop wasting summer by doing nothing!"

With God's blessing, July is going to be a busy month! >wink<

 

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Theresa