"Brothers and sisters: Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us."
Romans 5:5
Some days, we may not feel it, though; the reading should go on to say. Some days we just may feel disappointed, in ourselves and others. Our hearts may not feel the Holy Spirit present there and we may find it difficult to love others or ourselves. That's exactly where faith comes in. "Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1). We may not feel it, but it's there. God's infinite mercy and unconditional love for us are there. We can hang our hat on that. Today is All Souls Day and thinking about our loved ones can feel sad. Yesterday's All Saints Day can make us feel we are coming up short. We may well be, but the Good News is that God loves us even so. And God rejoices in our loved ones, perhaps gone from us, but present with God. And all will be well with all. And, if that doesn't make us happy, Halloween candy is 50% off! Love, heidi
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
What upholds our faith?
"When all around me seems to be falling apart, what upholds my faith and what gives me hope?"
Pray-As-You-Go, 10/31/2017
Yesterday, being a typical Monday, was frustrating. It seems like there are always new reporting requirements coming down from Boise and they seem nit-picking and overly time consuming. As the frustration piled up with those, I drove off to see a new client who recently and completely lost her vision. Despite our fumbling over the language barrier I could tell we were making exciting progress and, as I drove away, something became clear to me. God has placed me right where I belong, doing what I am to be doing. Sensing that upholds my faith and gives me hope, clearly. It doesn't make all the frustrations go away and the reporting stuff was still there at the office when I returned, but the sense of purposefulness in my life and work made it all more tolerable. Things do seem to be difficult all around me. But I cannot place my trust in institutions or government. My faith has to be in God, who has guided me exactly where I can serve God's people, using the gifts God has given me. In between answering the door for Trick-or-Treaters tonight, can we sit with this question and see where God leads us in our answers? It sure is a great question! Love, heidi
Pray-As-You-Go, 10/31/2017
Yesterday, being a typical Monday, was frustrating. It seems like there are always new reporting requirements coming down from Boise and they seem nit-picking and overly time consuming. As the frustration piled up with those, I drove off to see a new client who recently and completely lost her vision. Despite our fumbling over the language barrier I could tell we were making exciting progress and, as I drove away, something became clear to me. God has placed me right where I belong, doing what I am to be doing. Sensing that upholds my faith and gives me hope, clearly. It doesn't make all the frustrations go away and the reporting stuff was still there at the office when I returned, but the sense of purposefulness in my life and work made it all more tolerable. Things do seem to be difficult all around me. But I cannot place my trust in institutions or government. My faith has to be in God, who has guided me exactly where I can serve God's people, using the gifts God has given me. In between answering the door for Trick-or-Treaters tonight, can we sit with this question and see where God leads us in our answers? It sure is a great question! Love, heidi
Monday, October 30, 2017
Rejoice! For the right reasons...
"When (Jesus) said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him."
Luke 13:17
Pray-As-You-Go invites us to pray with this Gospel and consider who we identify with in the story. Are we the bent-over woman, cured by Jesus on the sabbath? Are we the leader of the synagogue, who calls Jesus out for curing on the sabbath (again!) Are we the stunned crowd, who witness a woman, disabled for years, rise up straight and glorify God? Oh, I found myself immediately. I am in the crowd, rejoicing, but for all the wrong reasons. I'm rejoicing, not because the woman is set free by Jesus. I'm rejoicing because the adversaries of Jesus are humiliated. Sad to say, Friends, I like it when the "bad guys" get their comeuppance. But that is the wrong reason to rejoice, certainly. It's highly dualistic for one thing. It separates Us from Them and divides, rather than unifies. Instead of rejoicing with the woman, who had so much reason to rejoice in her healing, I'm pointing a wagging finger at the adversaries. How do I know the guy didn't come around and say, "Nice healing, Jesus. Next time you could just do it on a Tuesday?" I know nothing of him and shouldn't judge him even though he is painted as the unenlightened in the story. The unenlightened are not my adversaries. The enlightened are not my "team." I need to rejoice in healing and unity and live my life accordingly. Love, heidi
Luke 13:17
Pray-As-You-Go invites us to pray with this Gospel and consider who we identify with in the story. Are we the bent-over woman, cured by Jesus on the sabbath? Are we the leader of the synagogue, who calls Jesus out for curing on the sabbath (again!) Are we the stunned crowd, who witness a woman, disabled for years, rise up straight and glorify God? Oh, I found myself immediately. I am in the crowd, rejoicing, but for all the wrong reasons. I'm rejoicing, not because the woman is set free by Jesus. I'm rejoicing because the adversaries of Jesus are humiliated. Sad to say, Friends, I like it when the "bad guys" get their comeuppance. But that is the wrong reason to rejoice, certainly. It's highly dualistic for one thing. It separates Us from Them and divides, rather than unifies. Instead of rejoicing with the woman, who had so much reason to rejoice in her healing, I'm pointing a wagging finger at the adversaries. How do I know the guy didn't come around and say, "Nice healing, Jesus. Next time you could just do it on a Tuesday?" I know nothing of him and shouldn't judge him even though he is painted as the unenlightened in the story. The unenlightened are not my adversaries. The enlightened are not my "team." I need to rejoice in healing and unity and live my life accordingly. Love, heidi
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Two wills, growing closer...
“God’s will for you is Godself. When you, in the freedom of your will, want nothing but what God wills—that is, you live by and for the ever-deepening consummation of this union in love—then these two wills are united in love.”
James Finley, Daily Meditation 10/12/17
It took me a few times reading this, and then a little while praying with it, before I said, Well, maybe. OK. I have always felt God appreciated my suggestions for how my life should unfold. I'm the one living this life, spinning around on this planet. But, as I’ve grown in faith, I can see two things: First, I recognize that the deepest desires of my heart were actually placed there by God. My desires for what I think may be my will, are actually God's will for me. God doesn't want us unhappy doing God's will! The second thing is that God has better ideas than I could even dream up. God has surprised me so many times, just by pulling a rabbit out of a hat. I’m awed by just the idea of wanting nothing but God’s will for my life, but, thankfully, as I grow spiritually, the two wills are closer than they may appear. Love, heidi
James Finley, Daily Meditation 10/12/17
It took me a few times reading this, and then a little while praying with it, before I said, Well, maybe. OK. I have always felt God appreciated my suggestions for how my life should unfold. I'm the one living this life, spinning around on this planet. But, as I’ve grown in faith, I can see two things: First, I recognize that the deepest desires of my heart were actually placed there by God. My desires for what I think may be my will, are actually God's will for me. God doesn't want us unhappy doing God's will! The second thing is that God has better ideas than I could even dream up. God has surprised me so many times, just by pulling a rabbit out of a hat. I’m awed by just the idea of wanting nothing but God’s will for my life, but, thankfully, as I grow spiritually, the two wills are closer than they may appear. Love, heidi
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Travel lightly...
"Lose your money for relative or friend; do not hide it under a stone to rot. Dispose of your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High, and that will profit you more than the gold. Store up almsgiving in your treasury, and it will save you from every evil."
Sirach 29:10-13
A wise friend pointed out that this seems to be our journey at this point in our lives. I sure feel the urge (a rather urgent urge, too) to let go of material possessions. Today's Gospel (Luke 12:35-38) has Jesus telling us to ready ourselves for the master's return. We sure don't want to be wrestling stuff out of the crawl space when that time comes, do we? We are asked to travel lightly on this planet; carry little and leave only footprints behind. And yet, the message of the commerce-driven world is "Buy, buy, buy!" Since I have been more and more aware of this recently, the ads I hear ring particularly objectionable. "You save 10% if you spend over $100!" Dearest God, forgive us! Help us to dispose of our treasure to benefit others. May our letting go fill the pockets of those in need. May we grow to share, not just from our surplus, but even what we're using right now. If I have two, help me to give one away...and, at that, help me to part with the one if someone else needs it. Love, heidi
Sirach 29:10-13
A wise friend pointed out that this seems to be our journey at this point in our lives. I sure feel the urge (a rather urgent urge, too) to let go of material possessions. Today's Gospel (Luke 12:35-38) has Jesus telling us to ready ourselves for the master's return. We sure don't want to be wrestling stuff out of the crawl space when that time comes, do we? We are asked to travel lightly on this planet; carry little and leave only footprints behind. And yet, the message of the commerce-driven world is "Buy, buy, buy!" Since I have been more and more aware of this recently, the ads I hear ring particularly objectionable. "You save 10% if you spend over $100!" Dearest God, forgive us! Help us to dispose of our treasure to benefit others. May our letting go fill the pockets of those in need. May we grow to share, not just from our surplus, but even what we're using right now. If I have two, help me to give one away...and, at that, help me to part with the one if someone else needs it. Love, heidi
Monday, October 23, 2017
Mind the gap!
"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."
Matthew 22:21
I usually just pay attention to the first part of Jesus' statement here--give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. But as I reflected on this Gospel, I paid more attention to the second part--about paying to God what belongs to God. I wondered, What belongs to God? What does God want from me? I've been getting rid of a lot of stuff lately; is that what God wants? My mother's china? In the Franciscan Way course I'm taking online the answer is spelled out beautifully. God desires that we see all living things with God's eyes of love. God wants us to close the gap between ourselves and all living things...we are all One. So when I revisited what God wants from me it was fairly clear, though not easy. God wants me to close the gap with others, especially those with whom I disagree or with whom I may struggle. I thought of that expression in the UK around the public trains, "Mind the gap!" I decided to make it a little mantra, reminding me that my differences with others are in my own mind. In God's eyes, we are all loved and treasured beyond our own imaginations. We are all creations of the Living God, who loves every cell ever created. Love, heidi
Matthew 22:21
I usually just pay attention to the first part of Jesus' statement here--give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. But as I reflected on this Gospel, I paid more attention to the second part--about paying to God what belongs to God. I wondered, What belongs to God? What does God want from me? I've been getting rid of a lot of stuff lately; is that what God wants? My mother's china? In the Franciscan Way course I'm taking online the answer is spelled out beautifully. God desires that we see all living things with God's eyes of love. God wants us to close the gap between ourselves and all living things...we are all One. So when I revisited what God wants from me it was fairly clear, though not easy. God wants me to close the gap with others, especially those with whom I disagree or with whom I may struggle. I thought of that expression in the UK around the public trains, "Mind the gap!" I decided to make it a little mantra, reminding me that my differences with others are in my own mind. In God's eyes, we are all loved and treasured beyond our own imaginations. We are all creations of the Living God, who loves every cell ever created. Love, heidi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)