Drawn, not driven...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence, rely not..."

Proverbs 3:5

 

I mentioned the other day that I am taking a Hospice volunteer class, this week and next.  It has been truly wonderful but I confess to you, I don't know exactly why I'm taking it,  other than I felt drawn to it.  I'm not sure why God has beckoned me to this, but I'm gradually learning not to question these things. I will just to go along and, someday, it may be clearer.  I've learned through reading "Inner Compass" by Margaret Silf, that God draws us into things God wants us to do.  Other things, we may feel driven to do, for ourselves, out of guilt or others may drive us to do them.  But, when we feel a gentle beckoning, an innermost desire, a wee little nudge--that is God.  God may not give us the reason right away, for why we are to do things. But, we can rest assured that there is a reason and God will fill us in eventually.  This weekend, as we embark on Holy Week, let's spend some time in silence, just listening to God's still, small voice.  Let's open our hearts to any beckoning, any desire we may feel drawn to do. Let's prepare to walk with Jesus during Holy Week.  Love, heidi

Our Divine pedigree

 "May your home always be too small to hold all your friends. God is good, but never dance in a small boat."
~Irish blessing
 

Blessings on your St. Patrick's Day!  Although we always celebrated like Irishmen, I wasn't aware of any REAL Irish relatives until about 20 years ago.  I learned, through a distant relative who had done some family history, that my great-grandmother was Ellen McKiernan who came to this country as a ten year old, from Ireland!  Begorrah, that was good news!  I knew there had to be some green blood in me somehow! And, just as exciting as it was to find out I'm Irish, it's exciting when we realize that we have a Divine inheritance as well. We are sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters in Christ and that is a pretty powerful pedigree, isn't it? So, let's raise a glass today to our Irish ancestors and friends, such a rich part of the immigrant fabric of our country. Let's raise a glass to St. Patrick, bishop of Ireland whose feast is today. And let's raise a glass, thanking God that we are family...the family of God. And be careful while dancing in the boat...Love, heidi

More life to come...

"...and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

John 8:32

 

I was thinking this morning about what that freedom is exactly.  What does that freedom look like in our daily, work-a-day lives? It seems so out-there to be free.  We are tied to our jobs, responsibilities, cares of this world.  What does the freedom Jesus speaks of mean to us?  I think it means that we have the freedom to know there is more than just this world.  There is a hope of something else, something better.  That doesn't mean that we waste our time in this life looking forward to what's to come, but that we use this time wisely, learning to love, helping each other with compassion.  I'm taking a wonderful course to be a hospice volunteer and someone asked last night how hospice workers deal with the inevitable sadness of losing a patient they have grown to love.  The answer in my mind was clear--there is comfort in knowing the person is now free.  They are free of the pain and difficulties of this world and are enjoying that Somewhere Better.  Jesus gives us that freedom to learn and enjoy our time on this earth, but there is also an assurance of more...more life and love to come and more life and love to enjoy.  And that is the truth setting me free this day, how about you?  Love, heidi

Nor do I condemn you...

"Nor do I condemn you..."

John 8:11

 

Jesus tells the woman caught in adultery that he is not condemning her. He has told those who were condemning her that the one who is sinless should throw the first stone at her and they all drift away, fittingly. This Gospel, to me, always speaks of the death penalty and the fact that we should not take the life of another human being in the name of our little human "justice." Only God can give and take life. But it also goes further, as Jesus tends to do, and tells us that we should never condemn each other.  It's another way Jesus tells us not to judge each other.  Jesus does not condemn this woman, who was caught in the act of wrong-doing (no mention of her paramour, of course). So, even as someone sins, as we all do, we are not to condemn each other. We are to leave such judgments to God and the true justice that only God can give. Today, as we go about the last week before Holy Week, let's be aware of the many times per day we are tempted to condemn others.  And let this scripture remind us not to.  Love, heidi