Be hospitable!

"And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart."

Luke 2:19

 

I am still reflecting on the many beautiful lessons I have learned throughout this amazing Season! During our Christmas homily, we learned that we must make room for Jesus in the "inn" of our own hearts.  Then, on the Feast of the Holy Family, we learned that, in addition to making room, we must nourish the Jesus within.  It's not enough just to make room, we must nourish and be hospitable to Jesus, just as we are hospitable to guests in our homes.  I thought about this quite a bit and came up with ways we can be hospitable to Jesus, our most Precious Guest.  First, we need to spend time with Jesus.  We don't invite people over to our homes and then ignore them by watching TV or playing on the computer do we?  Let's try to spend quality time by giving full attention to Jesus in prayer each day.  Second, we need to learn about our Guest so we can converse more easily.  We can do this by reading Jesus' own words in the Gospels and other spiritual writings.  Let's strive to get to know Jesus better by studying what he said.  And finally, (I love lessons in threes, don't you?)  when Jesus tells us to do something, let's do it!  When we invite someone in and they have good, practical suggestions for us, we pay attention to them.  Jesus gives us all we need to know to live doing God's will.  Let's try to do it!  So, to sum it all up:  we invite Jesus in, we make room for Jesus in our lives, and we are hospitable hosts, loving and learning from our Guest.  Sounds easy, right?  Love, heidi

Sing a NEW song!

"Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all you lands."

Psalm 96:1

 

I'm not big on New Year's resolutions...they usually end up being discarded by mid-January (with the exception of my resolution to be better about recycling in 2006, which I am still keeping!) But, I do love that starting-over feeling of a brand new year and the idea of trying to improve something. In reflecting on this, as I look ahead, I came up with three things to work on throughout the new year.  First of all, I will try to live more simply.  I know, I know, I've said that before! But this time, I may inch forward a bit more.  The less I have, the less I have to keep track of and think about.  "Tis a gift to be simple..." Will try to do better in '14.  Second, I want to be more giving.  This goes hand-in-hand with the first one.  The more simply I live, the more I can share with others.  Pope Francis is such an inspiration in urging us to share with the poor and those who have so much less.  Nothing is really just ours...it is only ours to share.  And finally, I desire to be more devoted to prayer, study and just spending time with Jesus.  It is so important to me to spend time in solitude and silence, but I can get so distracted and some of that valuable time gets frittered away.  So there you have it...with the grace of God, 2014 will be a year of simplicity, sharing with others and devotion to Jesus.  What new song will you be singing in 2014?  Love, heidi

Oh, several people have asked to see a picture of the quilt from yesterday's Daily...just scroll down to yesterday's post!

An Advent gift

"And be thankful."

Colossians 3:15

 

I can finally share my most precious Advent blessing, now that the gift has been given!  My dear friend Nancy suggested I make a tee shirt quilt for daughter Sam...out of all the old tee shirts she left behind.  There was a drawer-full of tee shirts from blind camp, deanery camp, even from working at Kohl's those many years.  There were plenty of tee shirts that had never made it to Boise in four years.  They were basically discarded in the drawer.  Nancy was patient and generous with her help, since I don't sew and knew nothing of how to turn these rejected shirts into something precious.  And I truly believe God helped too.  Whenever I messed up a shirt and needed another one, there was another in the drawer!  The result was a quilt and Sam said she remembered each shirt, each event, or time in her life. How fun!  The lesson for me, throughout Advent and the time spent working on this quilt was this:  Nothing is discarded by God.  No matter what, God can turn anything, seemingly unwanted, into something lovely.  And second, God uses our human hands to do it.  No matter how unskilled we are--God still uses our inept hands to make something beautiful out of something discarded. There are no rejects in God's world...we all have the potential and the ability to love and be loved.  Isn't that a magnificent Advent gift?  Blessings on your continued Christmas celebration! Love, heidi

Make room!

"She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

Luke 2:7

 

We had a wonderful homily on Christmas about making room for Jesus in our own personal "inn." And, I am here to say, that making room for Jesus--even a tiny little space--will change our lives...for the better.  There were a couple of instances over the last several days when I felt one way, and, thankfully was able to act another, thanks to Jesus residing in my inn.  Making room for Jesus can help us to act less selfishly, more thoughtfully.  Making room for Jesus can help us to get over silly annoyances and make more room for kindness.  Making room for Jesus can help us decide to choose the better part, instead of sitting back and letting others do everything.  So, let's spend some time thinking about how we can make room for Jesus in the "inns" of our own hearts.  And then, watch out!  We will be changed...for the better!  Continued blessings on your Christmas!  Love, heidi

Come, already!

"We are always the 'stable' into which the Christ is born anew. All we can really do is keep our stable honest and humble, and the Christ will surely be born."

Fr. Richard Rohr, "Preparing for Christmas with Richard Rohr"

 

As it happens most every year, on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, I sat in church and thought, "Come, Already!"  I'm done with the waiting, the anticipating, the preparing.  Come! And be quick about it! After reading this, I can kind of see why this impatience has taken me over.  My stable is ready.  All it needs now is an occupant.  It seems like after the kids arrive I get caught up in all the fun and festivities and my Advent reading may get shoved to the end of the day, if done at all.  I hope to carve out a bit of time these next days to read and reflect and keep my stable tidy.  I hope you can all do the same!  For now, I wish you all the love of the Christ child and the happiest of Christmases!  Prepare your stable and then be prepared to open it eagerly to the treasured Guest who is coming! Love, heidi

Carrying the Savior

"And, behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God."

Luke 1:36

 

Back in 2006, there was a movie called "The Nativity Story."  It was a beautiful little movie that told the story of Joseph and Mary, and there was one scene that has stuck with me all these years since.  Mary had heard the angel tell her about Elizabeth's pregnancy, as in this scripture, as well as her own pregnancy.  Mary hastens to Elizabeth's home, a journey of several days. When she calls out to Elizabeth and Elizabeth turns around to face her, Mary's eyes go wide with awe.  You could see on her face..."it's true!"  What was true about Elizabeth's pregnancy must mean that what the angel said about Mary is true, too.  I felt that Mary realized, only at that instant, that she was carrying the Savior, as the angel foretold.  It was a stunning scene--it makes me teary just thinking about it!  Today, let's think about how, sometimes, we need validation that WE are carrying the Savior to others. How will we do this today?  How can we show others that Jesus resides in our world? Love, heidi