~Living Faith~

Mark 5: 21-43

This is one of my favorite gospels....The hemorrhagic woman...the sense of touch ...and Faith.

This portion of Mark's gospel reminds me of the set of nested dolls I received as a gift once. Nested dolls are so neat and compact, the largest holding the next and so on until you get to the smallest doll. The first time I saw this nested concept I was impressed by the creativity.

In today's scripture we have the healing ministry of Jesus...the episode of the daughter of the official, Jairus...the hemorrhagic woman...and faith. All of this neatly nested together in a compact package for us.

The healing ministry of Jesus was now drawing large crowds. His physical safety was probably a concern for the apostles since crowds can be unpredictable. So as Jesus is walking close to the sea the synagogue official falls at his feet begging for the life of his twelve year old daughter. The child is close to death...Jesus is walking close to the sea. Jesus is the Living Water. Jesus is the giver of life.

As Jesus changes his path and accompanies Jairus, a woman approaches from behind. This woman has been bleeding for twelve years. She is unclean because of this bleeding and must stay separated from her community. Yesterday we saw Jesus deal with unclean spirits now it is an unclean woman. She knows that she should not make herself know so she comes from behind and reaches out quickly to touch only the hem of his cloak. Her intention was to touch him without being noticed and go off on her way before being spotted by anyone who knew her.

As she makes the contact with the cloak of Jesus she feels the power of his healing. He does not even physically touch her body, but she feels his healing energy. At the same time Jesus feels this healing energy drawn from his body. What a glorious exchange occurred between them within this pressing crowd.

We can truly encounter Jesus Christ in any situation...alone or in a crowd on the move.

The woman is compelled to reveal herself to Jesus who then praises her for her faith, "Daughter, your faith has saved you." Here is where we come to the inside, the smallest of the nested pieces...this conviction of faith.

We are told faith even the size of a mustard seed is can accomplish great things. The faith we see exhibited in this reading is bold, physical, and visible. The official falls down before Jesus at his feet begging for his daughter's life to be spared. The woman is not visible to Jesus, she is behind him. Her exercise of faith does not require that she be seen by Jesus. But Jesus wants to see this woman...he wants to see who has such great faith to believe in healing through an anonymous touch of his garment.

I invite you today to examine your faith. Is your faith like that of the official needing a face to face encounter with the Lord? Or is your faith like that of the suffering woman who quietly came from behind, unseen by the Lord? Whatever approach you make to the Lord it is the strength of your faith that is important.

Open up your nested dolls until you come to the one inside which holds your faith.

Of course this original picture is of Ukranian nested dolls.

I chose this kaleidoscope image bcause it shows concentric patterns with a clearly define center.

Draw strength from your inner faith. Let your faith guide your actions.



Desire to Live in Holiness

Mark 5:1-20

I find the end of today's gospel most intriguing. The man just released by the words of Jesus from 'legions' of demons wants to make a total change in his life. This man's healing has frightened those who witnessed the incident and they are urging him to leave. They are afraid...who has ever seen demons being driven into swine?

As Jesus is getting into the boat, the man pleads to remain with him. But Jesus, and this is the curious part to me, does not allow him to come aboard he boat. Instead Jesus tells him, "Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you."

The man did as was requested of him and just like the woman at the well when she returned to share her story about her encounter with Jesus; "...all were amazed."

So often in scripture we see Jesus approaching someone in need of his healing touch. In this case Jesus removed the legion of evil spirits with a few simple words. "Unclean spirit, come out of the man." Jesus if you will invited them to remove themselves of their own free will.

Jesus always knows what is best for us, his children. Of course swine being pork were already unclean in the eyes of the Jewish people. Much is recorded in the Old Testament Leviticus 11 and in Deuteronomy 14 about clean and unclean animals and foods.

The Israelites were to be pure and holy dedicated to the Lord and that included not eating certain unclean animals. I think Jesus, in curing this man, was saying I want you to be able to live a 'clean and holy' life.

I also believe there is a message for us about the manner in which we can become holy. In gratitude the healed man wanted to follow Jesus. He was willing to leave his family and his village because he was overflowing with joy by his restored peace.

But what does Jesus do instead of saying sure come along with us as a witness to what I can do? He instructs the man to remain there and to return to his family. His family had probably given up on ever being able to be reunited with him, because of the violent demons. Jesus wants this man to witness to those in his hometown...to those who knew him...to those who would be able to recognize the dramatic change.

What does this mean for us? I think that we are called to be holy within our everyday lives. We are called to holiness in gratitude for what God has done for each of us. Maybe we have not been cured of numerous demons, but we do have issues in our lives that keep us in invisible chains. Namely our own sinfulness.

We are being called to live a life of holiness. The requirement is to make the commitment to live in holiness. It does not requirement one to enter religious life. Jesus did not take the man into the boat to sail away instead he sent him into his own community to proclaim his healing...proclaiming his desire to live in holiness.

We can do likewise!

I chose this original image of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona because on a recent visit there I was captivated by the sense of holiness I experienced in that holy consecrated space.

This kaleidoscope image reflects the subtle beauty you can experience when you strive to live in holiness. All is more united together peacefully.

~Free of Anxieties~

1 Cor.7:32-35

Paul begins with these words that today were written just for me to read. “...I should like you to be free of anxieties.”

That sentence sounds great when you first read it, but in truth we can hardly be free of anxieties in today’s world. There are so many reasons for us to be anxious. Try as I might I cannot remain anxiety free. It is something I have struggled with throughout my life.

I can remember when my mother became ill and I made the decision to leave the convent I was anxious about where my life was headed. I had been out of the secular environment for many years. God led me to the University of Houston where I met my husband. I remember how worried and anxious we were when our first born child had life threatening medical issues. God led us to one of the most competent pediatric surgeon who saved his life. I remember facing the stressful decision of whether or not to retire. God gave me a penny by the side of my car door...reminding me of those tiny words inscribe on our coins...I God we Trust. I trusted God and he led me to found Faith Twins with my dearest friend.

Once again recently I am wrestling with anxiety over things in my life. Since the death of my friend I have had to accept that our beloved ministry of Faith Twins must change into what God wants it to become. I have a little glimpse of an idea but still the whole plan is not clear.

“I should like you to be free of anxieties.”

How I wish it were as easy as saying a few words and the feelings of anxiety would vanish as if by magic. Well as you know it is not that easy and furthermore, the brain releases a chemical called cortisol when we are under stress. Cortisol is literally deadly over long periods of exposure. The thing about cortisol is that once the brain releases it into your system it can take days for the effect to dissipate. Days not just minutes or hours, meaning that even if the perceived stress passes the cortisol is still circulating around in the body. When a person is under stress it interferes with many different cognitive skills. You are more apt to make mistakes or have impaired judgment. You are distracted more easily leading to the possibility of accidents. And many other ill effects.

I am describing all of this because while I want to be anxiety free and to totally trust in God and to believe that God makes good from all things sometimes life can be overwhelming.

Last Friday my husband’s employer made a decision to move all 600-700 of their cooperate positions to Dallas. Ugh! Our anxiety level is out of control the cortisol is trying

to consume us from the inside out.

What does God want us to do?

What is God trying to tell us?

How do we feel anything but dislike or stronger toward the person who made this decision?

How can I best support my husband?

What is best for our marriage?

Our lives are blowing in the winds of the unknown, where there are all sorts of perils.

My favorite scripture verse is Jer. 29:11

 “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you,

says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe!”  

Wow, I am finding it challenging at the moment to calmly embrace this verse. I must admit I am very resistant toward Dallas. I am a native Houstonian. I have lived here my whole, for the most part. I love my hometown. My husband has never had a job that even required travel. We have never had to live apart. But now we may be faced with him in Dallas and me in Houston. I am trying to see God’s plan for our welfare in this situation. In May we will be celebrating our 40^th anniversary, the twilight years of our marriage. Not a time when we want to relocate.

Right now I cannot see the gifts here because we do not seem to be standing on solid ground. So for us to be free from anxiety will take a heap of grace...and I consider myself to be fairly well in tune to hearing the voice of God and responding to the movement of the spirit.

I regularly pray to be open to the Holy Spirit.

So while I know God has a plan for us; I cannot see how the current situation will lead us to serve him more fully. I surrender to his will in my life and I pray for the strength I need for whatever lies ahead for us. I ask for you to please pray for us as we discern our near future.

Original photo: plums hanging on the tree.

I chose this image because while plums are typically a dark color fruit they are very sweet and juicy to the taste. even though things look dark to us right now I have to believe that something 'tasty and juicy' is hidden from our sight.

This kaleidoscope image captures for me the green of new life surrounding the dark unknown center.

"For I know well the plans I have in store for you..."

Change the Direction of Your Heart

2 Samuel 12: 1-7a, 10-17

Thomas Keating in Invitation to Love wrote this about the meaning of repent...

We come now to the heart of the problem of the human condition. Jesus addressed this problem head-on in the gospel. What was his first word when beginning his ministry? "Repent." To repent is not to take on afflictive penances like fasting, vigils, flagellation or whatever else appeals. It means to change the direction in which you are looking for happiness.

How profound to think about repentance from that perspective..."to change the direction in which you are looking for happiness."  Through a story told by Nathan David realizes that he must change the direction in which he is looking for happiness. He is filled with such remorse that he refuses to eat, clothes himself in sackcloth, and sleeps on the gound. While sacrificing those things that bring us comfort might appear to be repentent, the change must really occur within the heart.

Thus again today we have the well known Psalm 51. The emphasis today cuts right to the core...Create a clean heart in me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me." A clean heart, a heart that desires what is good and pure. A heart that puts love for God above personal pleasures ans satisfactions. The psalm goes on...Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me.

In order to change the direction of your heart it takes more than just saying the words. It takes a willingness to be on guard to be vigilant, to be aware of the former urgings of the heart. Praying while keeping in sight the large crucifix in our church is something that reminds me which direction love originates.

For God so loved the world...that he sent his only begotten son to be with us. David could not hold on to the image of the crucifix, but he did have the love of God in his heart. God sent Nathan to get the attention of David through a simple story.

Throughout the public life of Jesus he told stories, parables, as his primary method of teaching. People can relate to stories because we can visualize the events and our emotions follow accordingly.
So Nathan's story was visualized by David which ignited deep emotion within his heart.

What story or image helps you sustain your willingness to maintain a clean heart?

Original picture: A person with both arms stretched up to the sky.

I chose this image because humility and surrender lead us to true repentance.

This kaleidoscope image incorporates both the darkness of sin and the brightness of a clean heart.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. 

Your word is a light for my path.

 

~The Dark Side of Power~

2 Samuel 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17

Lust, Kidnapping, Rape, Deceit, Lies, Murder....

POWER....

Who are we talking about? No, it cannot be. We cannot be talking about the one anointed by God through Samuel. The one who repeatedly spared Saul's life. The one who killed the giant with a single stone. The composer of psalms of love. How can it be that today we are reading about the same person?

I think it can be summed up in one word and that is POWER. David, a brilliant leader, has been consumed by his position. No one person is more powerful than God; this is a fact.

When people come into positions of power all too often they lose sight of who they are. We see this all the time in various walks of life from politics and the cooperate to even among some who claim to be ministers.

When in a position of power you have been given a certain amount of control. In David's case he has control over entire armies of men who have pledged their loyalty to him. Men willing to lose their lives on his behalf.

If power corrupted David how can we expect to be exempt from the pitfalls of power?

If you are in a position of power you have a daunting task to stay focused and exercise wisdom in all your decisions. There used to be a little bracelet inscribed with the phrase "What would Jesus do?" I used to think it was a little corny in a way. If we would, however, all take those words more serious we might be blessed to live in a very different world.

David certainly had a relationship with God. He composed beautiful psalms of praise on his harp. But somewhere along the way he crossed to the 'dark side'. I do not think this reading was just about the lust he felt for Bathsheba in her beauty. It was his mind set of I can have anything I want including orchestrating the death of Uriah.

We can find hope in this story because if someone like David can fall to such depths and still be loved by God then we can turn to God too. We have a merciful and all powerful God.

Psalm 51:3

"Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;

in your abundant compassion blot out my offense."

This is the beginning of David's repentance. His Miserere. With help David is led to understand how serious his actions were. He could not hide behind the mask of his human power when faced with the boundless power of a merciful and forgiving God.

In the gospel excerpt from Matthew today we can also see an example of power...in this case the magnificent power of God. God uses his power to make evident his kingdom to us even through something as tiny as the mustard seed.

All too often we fool ourselves into thinking that power makes us more important than God. We pretend that we are invincible that nothing can touch us or that we have all of the answers. We assume that power gives us the 'right' to act in ways that are not at all of God.

Perhaps this is why we have the scripture from Isaiah 55: 8    

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." New Living Translation

Truly God's ways are far beyond anything we could imagine, but we can aspire to be a better person. Remembering when we are in a position of power we can act with God's ways in mind.

Power positions do not give us 'carte blanche' over others...

it is not 'anything goes' as long as it is my way.

David was intoxicated with his position of power...drunk on himself...his own desires.

What would Jesus do? is not such a corny phrase after all.

Original picture is of a wooden figure of a person slumped next to an hourglass. I chose this picture because power can take the natural life out of a person.

This kaleidoscope image if you look closely appears that the image is reflecting itself. When corrupted by power you see only the image of yourself..no one else matters...

it is all about the I.

"Take Care What You Hear"

Mark 4: 21-25

"For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible...nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears ought to hear..." and finally emphasizing..."Take care what you hear."

Yesterday we reflected on seeing in the true sense not only with our physical eyes. Today we have the Gospel of Mark also speaking to us about things becoming visible through the light. Could he be implying through the Light of Christ? For all things are visible with the Divine Light.

Mark, however, continues his instruction concerning our hearing. We were created by God with the gift of our senses. I have a difficult time what my life would be like without one of my senses. I have asked myself, If I had to freely give up one of my senses which one would it be. Well I admit I am selfish because for me the easiest sense to sacrifice would be my sense of taste.

I could not imagine not being able to see all of the wonders God has created for us. I definitely would be devastated to loose my hearing. If I could not hear just music alone I would be a very different person. I always hold in high admiration those who have lost their sight or hearing. Those I know have been given the grace to live full lives in spite of their loss.

Jesus tells his followers, that would be us, to 'take care what you hear'. I wonder how that might apply to us in today's environment? There are so many times I have had the television on and heard something I wish I had not. Until today I was conscious of what was entering into my ears, but now I want to be more discerning about what I choose to listen to. I want to hear about the good things happening in our world, I want to hear words of kindness, love, encouragement, and peace just to list a few.

So if that is what I want to hear I am then compelled to begin with myself. I certainly have the ability to thoughtfully choose my words before I speak. I also realize that I am not perfect and must decide to make this a priority for myself. I invite you to join me. Start with today, speak only kind words to others.

If we take care what we hear, what words are entering into our minds and hearts; we will be giving ourselves an enriched vocabulary from which to draw. You do not need a rich vocabulary to condemn and curse others.

"Take care what you hear" influences daily how you speak.  Words spoken as well as those heard linger within our soul.

Now I have left no time to share with you my thoughts on the lovely letter

Paul writes to his dear friend Timothy...2Tim. 1: 1-8

As I read Paul's words to his friend I was feeling the love he must have had for Timothy. Here are a few phrases that touched my heart...I remember you constantly in my prayers...I yearn to see you again...I recall your sincere faith...stir into flame the gift of God.

So much to contemplate in today's readings.

To you my readers; I give thanks to God and I do remember you in my prayers.



Original image: I chose this photo of a sunset because even though the sun has already set the sky fills with color for several more minutes. I chose this kaleidoscope image because the concentric design reminds me to be aware of what comes into my hears and what comes out of my mouth.

What we hear and speak flow together in continous ripples.

Blinded by the Light

Well as the saying goes...the best laid plans of mice and men...or something along those lines. Just got our power restored after hours without. Yeah!

Acts of the Apostles 22:3-16

Sometimes God does something extraordinary ot get your attention as in the case of St. Paul who's feast we celebrate today. I have always been able to get a picture in my mind of what this event must have been like. It is described so visually well. Paul going about his business of persecuting Christians is riding his horse feeling all pompous about himself. When "bam" out of nowhere he finds himself sprawled on the ground. The space around him is filled with a blinding light, so now he cannot see, followed by a faceless voice. This is a story we can visualize. Funny isn't it? Paul is blinded and we can see clearly.

Today if someone claims to hear voices our medical professionals prescribe drugs, but not in Paul's time. The voice of Jesus is heard by Paul...'Why are you persecuting me?'

Paul has to be shocked in order for God to get his attention. Hmmmm.

Paul has to be knocked down to the ground in order for him to hear the voice of God. Hmmmm.

Paul has to be blinded by light in order for God to lead him out of his darkness. Hmmmm.

Paul has to be led by another to have his sight restored. Hmmmm.

And finally Paul is baptized by water for the forgiveness of his sins. Hmmm.

Any messages here for us? I think so.

We often go about our daily lives as if we are in bumper cars. That is only responding when we are 'bumped' by another person or event in our life. We may not actively be persecuting others as Paul was, but we too need God to get our attention once in a while. It even happens to me occasionally when I am attending Mass. One idea or concept in the readings will 'ping' me right between the eyes.

People can be brought into the light out of their darkness through the support of their family and community. Our faithfulness to the promises of Christ can be the catalyst needed for helping others emerge from their darkness. We need one another.

When you are knocked down to the ground you have two choices; stay there and focus on the ground around you or look up and focus on how to get back on your feet.

Whenever I staff a retreat I pray that I will be open to how the Holy Spirit will use me.

I invite you to sit with the events of Paul's conversion and see how they connect with your life.
Answering the questions of when, where, how, why, and how.

I must close as my power fluctuates again threatening to shut me down.

The original picture: a cut crystal bottle.

I chose this photo because crystal captures and reflects light in a magnificant way.

This kaleidoscope image reflects the many facets of light surrounding us everyday.

Is God Present to You?

2 Samuel 12b-15, 17-19

We continue to be steeped in the Books of Samuel. There is much here we can harvest for reflection. When I first read today's reading I was not sure what I would write about. As I sat with this reading a while longer I was struck by some parallels to Palm Sunday. Yes I see a connection between the celebration in the City of David as he enters with the Ark of the Covenant and the entry of Jesus into the city on Palm Sunday. Both are surrounded with joyous celebration.

The Ark of the Covenant was only a container, but it held within things important and meaningful for the people of David. The Ark was carried by several servants high up on their shoulders. As they traveled all knew and could see that the Ark was with them. It was an outward sign of the presence of God. If God was with them they had a certain sense of confidence. 

There are many other references to the Ark in the Old Testament. God instructed Moses to build the Ark. The book of Exodus is filled with all the details about building the Ark, the dimensions as well as the materials to be used.(Ex. 25) This was a special structure that was to be with them as they went on their journeys. This gold laden box was believed to have powers so strong that they even carried it with them into battle. This Ark allowed them to have safe passage across the Jordan River.

Throughout the Bible the Ark has been reverenced, stolen, fought over, and ultimately lost. It's mysterious whereabouts has been part of myths and legends ever since. Remember the Indiana Jones movie? I am sure you do. Today people are still searching for the Ark.

The point is...the Ark was very important!

Three important things resided in the Ark:

1. The 10 commandment tablets given to Moses (laws), Exodus 25: 21-22
2. The reserved manna given to them by God (food)Exodus 16: 32-33
3. The budding rod of Aaron marking him as priestly.(symbol) Numbers 17: 16-26 

The Ark was always placed in the center of the camp where the glory cloud could be easily seen hovering above the mercy seat.

This is really fascinating, but back to the parallel with Palm Sunday. Right before the Passion we have this glorious entrance of Jesus into the city. There is singing and dancing. Everyone is celebrating; the holy one, the teacher, the healer is entering. Jesus is the ultimate container.

He holds within his person the salvation for all of humanity. He is carried upon a lowly humble donkey; unlike the golden Ark. He gives us his very own body and blood for the nourishment not of our bodies, but of our souls. He is the food for the journey leading us into eternity. Jesus comes not to abolish the old law, (Matt 5:17)  but to fulfill the new law. He gives us the greatest commandment... Love. Jesus is more than the bud on the rod of Aaron. Jesus dies and then rises from the dead. Jesus is the essence of Life itself.

While people still search for Jesus today.

We believe he is with us until the end of time.

(Matthew 28:20)

Original image: the 'Eye of God' taken through the Hubble telescope.

I chose this Kaleidoscope image because the presence of God in my life is sometimes bold andbrilliant; as well as hidden and obscure at times.

But he is always present.

Choose Life

Deuteronomy 30: 15-16, 19-20

(New Living Translation)

 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.  For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy."

Praying today for the unborn aborted children and their parents. It is with sadness that I pray today. I pray for those who made the choice to abort their unborn child. I do not know their reasons. I do not know their fears. I do not know their hearts. I do not in most cases know their names, but today I pray for them.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life."

As I sit in Adoration I hear the Rosary being led aloud in solemn respect for life. Prayers being lifted up for those who know not what they have done and prayers for those struggling with their decision. In my experience with women's retreats, sooner or later a woman must come to grips with her decision to terminate her pregnancy. Sometimes she was too young and her parents made the final decision for her...maybe even against her will.

At some point it no longer works to keep burying this horror deep inside. There is hope if you find yourself facing the reality of what you have done. I was fortunate to find out about Rachel's Vineyard.

www.rachelsvineyard.org  Rachel's Vineyard is the world's largest post abortive ministry.

I urge you to seek help if you are carrying the emotional and spiritual pain of abortion.

It is never too late to ask for forgiveness from God.

We have the most wonderful merciful forgiving God. There is nothing we have done including abortion that he will not forgive. He loves you and wants nothing more than to make you whole again. He wants nothing more than to remove the hidden shame from your heart. He wants nothing more than to care for you and to show you how to love yourself and your aborted child.

As I sit in Adoration a young mother comes to pray with her two young children. I sit not in seclusive silent soaking prayer, but rather amidst the joyful babbling of little children. It just seems as if God is saying this is why you are praying here this morning...for the tiny voices that were never to heard by their parents. It just seems fitting. I am sure some sitting here are annoyed and wish this mother would take her children elsewhere. I admire this mother for coming to pray when she could have just as easily stayed at home with her children. Perhaps she is thanking God for the gift of her children.

I cannot judge those who have committed abortion. I believe they need our love, care, and compassion. There but for the grace of God go I. I thank God for the gift of my own children.

I also pray today for those who are unable to conceive as they live with the reality in our society today of the disposable human life.

Original photo: Mother holding newborn in her hands.

This Kaleidoscope image captures for me the pure light and love of the child's soul.

Lifting up in prayer those who need it most!

What is Urgent in Your Life?

Jonah 3:1-5,10..."...Nineveh shall be destroyed..."

Psalm 25..."...Your ways, O Lord, make known to me..."

1 Cor. 7: 29-31..."...time is running out...the world in its present form is passing away."

Mark 1: 14-20... "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand.

Repent and believe in the gospel."

As I read these few words from today's readings I feel anxiety bubbling up inside. These words all seem to be laden with doom and gloom. It is only in the Psalm where I can find some comfort; asking for guidance from the wisdom of God.

The people of Nineveh were going about their normal tasks of living. They were oblivious to the impending destruction. The people of Paul's audience in Corinth were also no aware of how their world had deteriorated. In other words stop taking things for granted here in Corinth.

Jesus is baptized, driven into the desert to be tempted, John the Baptist is arrested. Jesus comes to Galilee proclaiming "...The kingdom of God is at hand...".

The timeline of our salvation was set into motion with urgency...'this is the time'...

If I don't take some kind of urgent action soon I am going to loose everything on my computer. Without boring you with the exact details I have literally used up all available space on my drive. I am in the process of making backup copies of all my files and especially my music, but it is unnerving to think if I save just one more file it could be laptop doomsday. I do feel a sense of urgency!

My favorite solution is to just buy a new computer with lots more memory...urgency dissolved. The people of Nineveh decided to fast and don sackcloth. The fishermen of Galilee left their boats and answered the call to follow Jesus.

Sometimes urgency is self inflicted by procrastinating. We have at times waited until the last minute to file our income taxes or meet some other approaching deadline. You may delay in taking care of your health until there is an urgent situation; like a heart attack or Type 2 diabetes.

No matter what our good intentions may be we are occasionally faced with something that is urgent.

"Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good?" 1 Peter 3:13

These words I am afraid would not have brought comfort to the prophet Jonah. The people of Nineveh only had 40 days to get their act together and be spared from destruction. If you knew that you only had 40 days to prevent imminent disaster what would you do?

Will there always be a tomorrow?

Original photo: gold fabric, cross, crown of thorns, and candle.

I chose this photo because urgent situations come with crosses to bear as well as light for the future.

Pay attention to what might be becoming urgent in your life. 

Beloved and Cherished

Samuel, the one who anointed Saul and David, is now dead. To escape Saul's insanity David flees to the land of the Philistines in refuge. Saul pursues David...visits a soothsayer...and learns of his fate  and of his son Jonathan's as the spirit of Samuel reveals it to him.  The sad story continues like a tragic series of falling dominoes until finally Saul and Jonathan are both killed.

David is now in mourning over the death of Saul and his son. David composes a beautiful elegy for them which he sings. Music brought comfort to Saul when David first came into his service. Now David sins to bring comfort to himself, "...Alas!...how can the warriors have fallen!"

It is striking that in spite of all the times Saul came after David he was still able to hold in his heart affection for him. "Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished...", verse 23.

Beloved and Cherished

Beloved and cherished are two of the most beautiful words to me. God calls Jesus his beloved son only twice; once at his baptism and again at the transfiguration. Beloved is a special term of endearment; it means dearly loved. How could David continue to think of Saul as beloved? This is some example of loving your enemies. We have difficulty loving those who reject us for whatever reason, but Saul was activiely trying to kill David.

It is unbelievable to me when a victim of a terrible crime can reach out to the person who harmed them. Without saying the words of forgiveness their actions speak for themselves. The Amish community come to mind first. After the murder of so many in their community. They did not want to harbor hatred in their hearts.

David shows forgiveness to Saul through this beautiful musical tribute. David had several opportunities to kill Saul and each time he turned and removed himself from the  situation.

David can inspire us to walk away from our enemies. David can inspire us to think differently about our enemies. I am not trying to pretend David was perfect because we know he has his flaws as well.

As a woman I want to feel cherished. Cherish means to hold dearly, to treat with affection and tenderness. When you cherish someone like a family member you can overlook all sorts of hurts.

Who do you cherish most in your life? Is it your spouse? Your children or grandchildren? Your friends? Some even cherish their home land.

For years songs have been written about the word Cherish. Kool and the Gang had a very popular song titled Cherish, before that the Association and more recently Madonna.

Beloved and Cherished together are the pillars of a lasting relationship. In David's case even if the person wants you dead.



Cherish Moments...Cherish Living

Original photo of a single white daisy.

This kaleidoscope image captures the pure beauty of being cherished and beloved.

                 

Close Encounters

 1Samuel 24:3-21

Today I am writing about 'close encounters', not of the third kind as in the science-fiction movie, but encounters with the Lord.

We hear in chapter 24 of Samuel, about David's 'close encounter' with Saul. Saul is once again obsessed with tracking down David and killing him.

Let's enter into the story where we discover that Saul has indeed found the hiding place of David. In a surprising turn of events, David chooses not to reveal his presence. Instead David quietly approaches hidden in the darkness of the cave to cut off the end of Saul's cloak...our first 'close encounter'.

David wants to prove to Saul that he was indeed close enough to kill him, but he does not commit the evil act. Through the grace of God David stops himself from this disaster. Later Saul, most touched with David's ability to hear the Lord and act accordingly, admits that he was wrong.

Now jump with me into the Gospel of Mark 5: 25-34. Here we have the well known story of the hemorrhagic woman. In this scene we have Jesus walking with a crowd of his followers. Hearing of his healing powers this woman who had been suffering for twelve years scrambles through the crowd to touch just the tip of his garment. She believes if she can just touch the bottom of his clothing she will be healed. Another 'close encounter'! this time we have a physical healing and Jesus feels his power being tapped into. Jesus immediately aks, 'Who has touched me?'

I am struck by the parallels in these two stories. The first is shrouded in darkness, covered in lies and secrecy. The garment is actually cut and the owner has no idea anything has happened. The crowd here is one of brutal physical strength...soldiers. The intent is to do evil.

The second 'close encounter' is in the daylight filled with faith and hope. The hem of the garment is only briefly touched as Jesus is walking in the crowd. This crowd is surrounding the goodness of God witnessing the healing touch of Jesus. Jesus, realizing what has happened with the touch confirms the womans faith. Jesus blesses her with the words of healing. What a beautiful 'close encounter'!

We too can experience a personal 'close encounter' with God. Each time we attend Mass and receive Eucharist we are having our very own personal 'close encounter'.

My question is are we like Saul unaware of the Lord's presence or are we like the Hemorrhagic Woman eager to be in the presence of the Lord? When we receive Eucharist we are truly having a real personal 'close encounter' with the Lord. He is touching us in the host we receive.

I invite you to joyfully believe that as you recieve the host Jesus desires to have this 'close encounter' with you. We come to the altar of the Lord admidst light and usually song. We do not come as David. We do not come as the bleeding woman. We come because we are children of God and we have been called ny name. We come because we believe in the power of his forgiveness and love.

Original image is of the sanctuary during the Easter season. I chose this image because it is the place where we have our 'close encounter' with God.

This kaleidoscope cpatures for me the light, darkness, and the intimacy of our

'close encounters'.

May you experience the touch of the Lord in your life.

Jealousy...the Disease

1 Samuel 18:6-9, 19: 1-7



The book of Samuel continues...This is better than any prime time drama. The plot thickens as today we see jealousy and death wishes unravel  in a few verses.
Saul is jealous of the attention the women are giving David as they sing and dance in celebration of his victory over Goliath. He, as their King, believes he is entitled to their highest praises and acknowledgment. Sound familiar?

We see here a common human short coming; we are constantly comparing ourselves to others. Saul is doing what comes naturally. Within families we even see jealousy among siblings. It is a common dilemma for parents to not show favoritism. Jealousy is usually fueled by fear of loss. The loss can either be perceived or real.

We all want the recognition we think we deserve. Sometimes we begin to spread false accusations others. Sometimes we try to minimize the accomplishments of our competition. When in reality it would be much better if we could support one another...building up the Body of Christ together. We are all one Body, one Body in Christ. Lyric from a great song taken out of scripture.

Back to our drama...Saul shares his death plan for David with his son Jonathan. Jonathan though has developed a fondness for David and now comes to his defense. That's what friends are for, right? Friends come to your aid. Friends stand by you.

Jonathan appeals to his father's better side, reminding him of how he really is pleased with David's service and devotion. We all benefit from friends who will speak on our behalf. This is a reminder to be vigilant as I speak about others. Am I building them up or am I contributing to their surmise?

I sometimes wish I could return to innocence of childhood. Jonathan is looking through the eyes of a child and can see that David is a good person. Jonathan is able to convince Saul to spare David's life.

We have stark contrast between this episode and the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. Judas was more than a friend of Jesus; he was one of the apostles. He was well aware of all that Jesus had done for others and yet he went forward with the ultimate betrayal. We can only guess as to what may have motivated Judas to betray Jesus.

So what can we do about jealousy in our own lives? Definitely food for thought. Recognize it, Admit it, Evacuate it from you life...

I recently read this by an American Science fiction writer, Robert Heinlein :

"Jealousy is a disease, love is a healthy condition. The immature mind often mistakes one for the other, or assumes that the greater the love the greater the jealousy....but in fact they are almost incompatible; one emotion hardly leaves room for the other. Both at once can produce unbearable turmoil."

Saul and Judas were both in great turmoil. Saul was given the blessing to listen to his son; Judas hastily separated and isolated himself from any hope.

I chose this original picture of a male peacock because of it's brilliant tail feathers.

This kaleidoscope image captures some of this brilliance.

What if the other birds were jealous of the peacock's feathers?

I pray for the grace to appreciate more sincerely.

  

Five Smooth Stones

1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51

Often when we are familiar with a story from the Bible we tend to not listen as we should. Today's story of David and Goliath is one such story. Even children can tell you all about how David slew the giant with only one stone from his sling shot.

Most kids today, however, have not ever seen a sling shot much less tried to use one and accurately hit a moving target.

Today I came to a new realization about this familiar story.

When David left Saul to battle this 'giant' he refused to take the common battle gear. David had faith that the Lord was with him. David, as we know, selected 5 smooth stones from his shepherd's bag. This is a great lesson...when you go into battle use what you are most familiar with, this is the best plan of action.

We are all faced with situations in our own lives where our faith is challenged. What do we take into the battle? Yes, sometimes it can be a battle. David bravely took 5 stones, to be on the safe side. If today you had to pick 5 statements or actions to defend your beliefs what would you chose?
That is what these stones represent for me today. It is an invitation to look at my individual beliefs. Would I be willing to fight for these beliefs? I honestly cannot say for sure.

What 5 things do I really believe?

I believe God is always with me and that I live and breathe and move through him.

I believe in the Trinity.

I believe in the power of God's love.

I believe in the Eucharist.

I believe all things are possible with him.

Pause here and reflect on your beliefs. Write them down; things written seem to carry more weight.

The story holds another detail I would like to address; the single blow...the stone embedded itself in his (Goliath's) brow. In listening to some conversion stories it always amazes me the number of times the conversion was a direct result of study...knowledge. The intellect was the instrument with which the Holy Spirit was able to reach the person's soul.

David stunned the giant...he did not play around he went straight to the intellect. Goliath had already won the battle in his own mind. He was not prepared for the action David took against him.

Goliath was suffering from a 'hardened heart'. David attacked his intellect instead.

When we are faced with defending our faith it may be wise to come prepared to use the dual approach...heart and mind or intellect. Appeal to the heart, while speaking with knowledge.

This original photo was of a stone path.

This kaliedoscope image represents to me how David, through one stone, found courage

to exercise his Faith in God.

May we too be blessed with such deep Faith.

The Lord Looks into the Heart

"How long will you grieve...?" 1Samuel 16:1

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path..." Psalm 119:105

"Not as man sees does God see...

the Lord looks into the heart." 1Samuel 16:7

The scriptures are so rich today I can only hope to skim the surface and invite you to return to them in your prayer time.

The story of Samuel continues...he is sad because Saul is not doing well he suffering from depression and can no longer be the King. Samuel must feel like he can fix this since he is anointed by God, but instead God says...move on...I have found another one whom I will anoint to be King.
Having dealt with depression in my own family I know how frustrating it can be; you want to make the person feel better.

Samuel, being a faithful servant does as the Lord asks and finally the seventh and youngest son of Jesse is summoned and anointed as the King. You see God had big plans for David. He was blessed with the gift of playing the harp.

It happens that one day Saul's servants speculate that music will soothe his soul. Music does indeed have healing qualities; more on that later. The Lord's plan begins to unfold; David comes to reside with Saul and plays beautiful music on his harp. Saul quickly becomes fond of David and allows him to remain in his service. We learn much more about David in subsequent verses.

This was young David's humble beginning. Samuel found David because he listened to the words of God, even though he was hesitant. When we listen and act on the word of God ; the path is illuminated for our every step. (Amy Grant sings a lovely song about verse 105 from Psalm 119 which you can find on youtube.)

Psalm 119, the longest of the psalms, dwells on the wonders of the word of God. I like to believe David composed the beautiful Book of Psalms while strumming on his harp. And if he did he most likely sang them to comfort Saul. Even if Saul did not understand the words the melodies would engulf and lift up his spirit.

How do you feel about God being able to look into your heart?

God led Samuel to David, because looking into the heart of David God saw a faithful servant.

God did have great plans for David, which are detailed for us in later chapters.

God has great plans for you too.

Are you willing to allow him to work in you...to use you in ways you never dreamed?

"...the Lord looks into the heart"

I chose this original photo of a solitary man walking on the sunlit path into the woods because when you allow God's word to light your path the possibilities are endless.

This Kaleidoscope image represents, to me, the infinite beauty of the soul as God sees it.

Rejoice and be glad for 'the Lord has done great things for us'. Ps. 126:3 

Trapped in the Old Wineskin

Mark 2: 18-22

"...no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather new wine is poured into fresh wineskins."

Well I have to admit when I first read these verses I am offended as I am getting up into the older segment of the population. Am I then to consider my self to be an old wineskin? A wineskin not worthy of new wine?

All joking aside the real issue in this chapter of Mark is the topic of fasting. Why or Why not? Obligation or not?

Once again we have the Pharisees trying to stir up trouble among the followers of Jesus. They try the same tactics a child may use with their parents. The child's argument may go something like...why does Johnny get to do ___, and I cannot? The Pharisees try to cause tension among the disciples. They try to make them believe that by not fasting as was customary they were doing something wrong. "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?"

Jesus responds with a reference to the wedding party where the guests would certainly not fast as long as they were with the bridegroom. Jesus is in effect saying this is one of those times when it is permissible to deviate from the norm. It is much like allowing your kids to stay up past their bedtime when their grandparents are visiting. When the grandparents leave things will return to normal; in bed at 8:30 pm. if that is the rule.

The Pharisees did not want things to change; and they certainly did not want Jesus to be the one instigating any changes. In reality the Pharisees felt very threatened by Jesus and all the he represented.

I do not think we are that different from the Pharisees. In many ways we do not like change either. Take a moment right now to think about the changes in your life that you do not like. I can think of many in my own life.

Fasting for that time period meant you did not eat anything not just meat. So you can imagine how grumpy some people were from not eating. Maybe that is the promary problem with the Pharisees; they were just hungry. I know when I am hungry I cannot even think straight; I get grouchy and short-tempered. (I am not trying to discuss the pros and cons of fasting here.)

Jesus was the new wineskin and the new wine the Pharisees were the old wineskins. They were blinded by their stict adherence to the old laws. They were unable to see any reason for not fasting. They could not rejoice in the Lord!

The original picture I chose for this kaleidoscope was of a bare winter tree,

because if we cannot change and move forward we will cease to grow;

we will remain as bare branches.

While I too am challenged by change I believe it is necessary.

May you find a way to embrace change in your life and see it as catalyst for growth.

Psalm 40 "Here am I , Lord; I come to do your will."

The perfect psalm to complement today's scripture from the first book of Samuel. For the second time since returning to ordinary time we have the familiar story of young Samuel and Eli.

Sleeping...waking

Listening...answering

Wise...novice

This scripture reminds us once again that God is persistent and patient. He keeps waking Samuel until finally Eli, in his wisdom, understands who is really calling Samuel.

Sometimes we all can benefit from a mentor or a spiritual director. Someone who perhaps is more intuned to the voice of God. Someone who can say to you, "Have you considered that God could be calling you?"

It is not enough to recognize the voice of the Lord. Your response is the important part. Samuel answers, "Speak, for you servant is listening." Samuel has no idea what the Lord has in mind for him.

It can be scary to allow the Lord to guide your life. Sometimes he leads you to places you would rather not go. Sometimes we choose to ignore the voice of the Lord even after we have heard.

That brings me back to psalm 40...I come to do your will. As Jesus goes about calling his apostles each in their own way proclaimed psalm 40...they got up and followed Jesus.

When you hear the voice of the Lord the least you can do is show up....

"Come, and you will see." John 1:39

This kaleidoscope image captures the spirit of hearing the voice of the Lord.

If you Come and See you will live in a better place.

The Light of Christ will fill your soul.



Living on the Edge

Mark 2: 13-27

Jesus calls the tax collector.

Jesus is walking along the sea...If you are walking along the sea you are at the edge of the water. Jesus was on the edge with his message too. He chose to preach a message of love, healing, and mercy. He chose to deliver this message to lepers, paralytics, prostitutes, and now tax collectors.
Tax collectors were not your most likely followers of Jesus. The tax collectors were considered by some to be in the the category of sinners.

Jesus was 'living on the edge'.

To live on the edge is an idiom which means to have a type of life in which

you are often involved in exciting or dangerous activities.

Jesus placed himself in exciting and dangerous situations throughout his public ministry. He was not fearful of confrontation. He was not concerned with what others thougth about his actions.

He was certainly aware as word spread to all of what he was saying and doing. He knew his personal safety was in jeopardy, but he kept calmly moving among the peoples. He was busy about his father's business....spreading love and compassion.

As Jesus walked along the edge of the sea he was able to see the solid land on one side and the fluid water on the other hand. On the edge he was part of both; he could see the contrast. He is always able to see the contrast between good and evil. He is able to see the contrast within a person's soul. He is able to see the contrast in what you say and in how you live your life.

He is able to see the contrast between what we appear to be and what we are really.

This can bring a certain amount of comfort...knowing that your intentions are clearly seen by God. Some choose to ignore or deny this quality about God.

We can live our life on the edge too...stand up for what you know to be truth...speak kindly of others...express appreciation for the small things in your life...love without boundaries.

I chose this image of a person walking on the beach in order to capture the contrast of land and sea.

This kaleidoscope image shows both edges along the hexagon and contrasting colors.



Astounded...Wonder and Awe

In today's scripture we have another recounting of the healing ministry of Jesus.
(Mark 1:40-45, 2:1-12)
Yesterday we saw him going out to the land of the lepers. Lepers, by necessity were set apart, out cast from the community at large. It was not a virtual separation it was very real and visible.

http://www.ucatholic.com/category/readings/
Here is a link to the daily readings I thought you might appreciate.

I can relate to this separation because when I was four I contracted polio and my parents were plunged into a place of separation. In that time the medical community was still trying to dertermine how one contracted polio. The friends of my family were acting out of fear; they did not want to risk being exposed to this crippling disease. It was difficult for my parents to give up some of their friendships.

With that background I can empathize with these diseased ridden lepers. It is particularly worth noting that Jesus went out to them; he sought them out for healing. While Jesus made himself available to the lepers we only see one seeking healing.

At this time Jesus was being sought after by the authorities, and yet he was willing to place himself in harms way through this healing. He admonishes the leper saying, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing..." The cleansing had to be verified before the leper could be accepted back into the commuity and more importantly before he could inter into the temple for worship.

Jesus 'remained in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.'

The very next chapter of Mark we encounter Jesus in a crowded room. News of his ability to heal is spreading. It is only natural to want to have your health restored, to be physically whole once again. The room was crowded and not all present had pure hearts. Not all present came to be healed some were there to trip up Jesus and criticize not only his actions, but also his intentions.

Some were filled with fear; fear for their own position in the community. Some came in judgment.

The crippled man on the mat was lowered down from the rooftop to be healed. All present "were astounded and glorified God, saying, We have never seen anything like this."

God wants to heal us, but more importantly he wants to astound us. God wants to overwhelm us with love, mercy, and healing. The dictionary includes 'shock with wonder or surprise' in defining astound. When we are astounded how can we resist giving glory to God?

There is a reason why the gifts of the Spirit include Wonder and Awe.

Butterflies represent the Wonder and Awe of God. The color green is about growth and healing.

The Listening Servant

Okay I have a confession to make....I am addicted to the Internet. I was not able to post yesterday due to our modem ceasing to work.

The scripture for yesterday was the beautiful story of young Samuel. So Hannah was indeed blessed with a son...Samuel. It seems she made sure to keep her promise to God and arranged for Samuel to reside in the temple with Eli. How convenient when you have promised to give your child back to God.

Samuel in his youth is unfamiliar with the voice of the Lord. While he is sleeping he mistakenly thinks that Eli is calling him. He has gotten used to being called by Eli. Eli is his teacher, Eli is his mentor in the ways of God.

God is patient with the young boy and calls him not once, but three times. God is often persistent when he calls us too. Through the wisdom and guidance of Eli Samuel answers the Lord with a most profound response.  "Speak Lord for your servant is listening." Those words are so meaningful to me. Whenever I am faced with discerning a choice in my life this short verse comes to mind.

Part of praying is being able to humbly and sincerely speak those same words to the Lord. Once I have committed to listening to the Lord the whole game changes and I become God's instrument. I accept his invitation to "Come follow me". Sometimes listening to the Lord can be challenging, because sometimes he calls you where you do not want to go. Other times I have been listening and God is silent. When God is silent I sometimes get frustrated and confused about where he wants me. It is hard to wait.

I pray that you may recognize the voice of the Lord in your life and that you will respond appropriately. The Lord used Eli to alert Samuel to the voice of God and God can also use people in your life in the same fashion...to help you discern the voice of the Lord.

When you listen to the Lord you are filled with the brilliance of Love.

This image was captured from a glass candle holder etched with the letters

L O V E.

Prayers of Hannah

The book of Samuel 1:9-20

We find Hannah distraught with being unable to conceive children. She goes to the temple to pray, which is admirable, but she is bitter. She prays 'weeping copiously'; not too surprising for a woman to be crying. Right? Then she makes a deal with God.

I used to watch a television show called Deal or No Deal. People on this show would make unbelievable choices always  motivated by the lure of making a better deal. May be some food for thought there.

So back to Hannah. She not only begs to conceive a son; she goes on to make promises on behalf of this son. Now I am the mother of two sons and if I even begin to try to tell them how to live their lives they would resist. I am not sure about making these kinds of bargains with God, especially when they go beyond yourself. While I certainly pray for my children; I do not think our prayers should be bargains. When we come to the Lord in prayer it is 'Deal or No Deal', but God is in control.

The best attitude for me is to pray that I will have the grace to accept God's answer, especially when it is contrary to what I want. But as we read on in the book of Samuel God does bless Hannah with a son. He does answer her prayers.

Hannah's prayer was 'prompted by her deep sorrow and misery'. St. Catherine of Sienna, a Doctor of the Church says, "...never let your soul give in to sadness or discouragement, for the devil would like nothing better." She warns us that these feelings tempt us to give up on God; even to stop praying in some cases.

I admire Hannah because she does take her sadness to God in her prayer.

"May the spoken words of my mouth, thoughts of my heart, win favor in your sight, O Lord."

(Ps. 19:15)

Let our prayers rise up to God like fragrant incense, carrying our sadness and disappointments to him. If you focus on the smoke from incense, it first rises filling, clouding the air for a moment and then it slowly disappears. This rising incense becomes one with the surrounding air leaving behind only it's fragrance as evidence of its presence. (More about the importance of fragrance another time.)

Hannah called out to the Lord in prayer and she was blessed by his answer...Samuel.

"Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense,

which are the prayers of the holy ones." (Revelation 5:8)

Music and incense, ambience for prayer.

I chose this original picture because it captured the incense smoke rising.

I am eager to be overshadowed with the fragrance of God.

The Beloved

Today's reading is the Baptism of the Lord. "After the Lord was baptized, the heavens were opened, and the Spirit descended upon him like a dove, and the voice of the Father thundered: This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Mt. 3: 16-17

The other time Jesus is referred to as the beloved was at the Transfiguration.
It is such an endearing statement...my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Every child longs to hear that they are loved by their parents. Many times, as parents we say words that do not project the emotional content. In some cases the words do not even match the emotion; they are simply empty words. The letters of the words are only outlined with nothing inside. Children have this uncanny ability to see through hollow words and often reject the person.

In this passage God saturates our senses with vivid details. Visually we can picture the clouds billowing apart swirling about until a clearing is revealed. We are given another more beautiful image in the Spirit descending like a dove. We can easily picture a beautiful white dove, wings outstretched, fluttering down upon Jesus. God gives us this image so that we have something tangible to identify the Spirit. God wants us to be able to accept what is taking place. He gave us eyes so that we can see and believe. sometimes the Spirit comes like a wind, but this time it is a dove.

...the voice of the Fathered thundered...thundered is such a powerful word. If you are intently watching a movie and all of a sudden there is a loud sound it is natural to be startled or even frightened. So when the invisible voice came unexpected and like thunder it must have made a huge impact.

I want to invite you to place yourself into this scene and confidently hear the Father speak these same words to you. This is my Beloved daughter/son (add your own name here too), in whom I am well pleased.

Isaiah records in chapter 42:1 the Lord saying, "Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whomI have put my spirit...". He continues in verses 6-7 with a beautiful image "I have grasped you by the hand". If we place our hand in the hand of the Father we will only want to do what pleases him as we walk together.

The original image was of a white dove amidst the clouds. I chose this kaleidoscope image because to me it captures the beauty of being a 'beloved' child of God's.

Walk hand in hand with the Lord.