Poem 11/23/2011

Just a little whisper, silent as can be,

Came from the lips that no one could see.

There was no desire to listen, as this voice was not close by,

It came from a distant place that was missed by the naked eye.

It did not enter through the ears like noise so often will,

But instead went deep within, and the heart it did fill.

There was a strong desire to ignore it, and carry on with the day,

But the voice spoke again, saying, “I am here to stay.”

In an instant all was clear, this voice was from heaven above,

There was absolutely nothing to fear, but instead everything to love.

The voice is not always so subtle, but for sure out of sight,

It never leaves or misguides, but teaches wrong from right.

Indeed, what a blessing it is, to have this voice within,

To keep the paths of life straight, and help to avoid all sin.

You are what you eat

Well, that is debatable, but that is not what I am going to talk about.

Last night, I was reading 2 Mc 6:18-31, and it really got me thinking. Mind you, all this in my own personal interpretation and what it means to me.

Here was a man, Eleazar, who refused to eat the pork. He willing went to the torture chambers because he would rather die then give in -- for it was unlawful to eat the meat.

It was suggested that perhaps they serve him a meat of his choosing at this "unlawful ritual meal," and he just pretend that he was eating the pig for he was a close friend of the host. Still, Eleazar refused.

Eleazar's intentions were noble; he did not want to give the false impression that he was doing something unlawful just to save his own life. He did not want to cause others to sin by them also eating the meat and thinking that it was alright because he had done it first.

That. That part right there. Stop a moment and think: how many times do we cause our brother to sin? How many times do we do something to  please our friend, but the very action itself is unlawful to God? Sadly, looking back at my life, I can certainly see areas where these are most definitely true.

As scary as it sounds to the human mind, dying doesn't sound very pleasant-- even if we firmly believed that God was waiting for us with open arms on the other side.

Eleazar knew what God's laws were and he was willing to die in defense to it! He willingly submitted to the torture from man, knowing full well that he was going straight into his Heavenly Father's arms.

That was like a huge wake up call for me. It has challenged me to rethink what I am about to say or do. People are watching me. People are taking note of what I say and what I do. The last thing I want to happen is that some one sins because I made the choice to honor man over God and they thought since I compromised, then they can too. Ultimately, I need to live a Christ-filled life. Striving to live a life for God ultimately leads to me doing right and leading others to God; not the other way around.

So thus I continue to live my life with the intention of doing all that is pleasing to God. I am working towards having a sincere love for God and a hate for sin not only because it separates me from God, but mainly because God Himself hates sin.

I am not what I eat -- especially true if I don't eat it.


"Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble" (1 Corinthians 8:13).

Not the "Norm"

I want to be an exception to the norm.

In today's society, it is hard to stand up for my beliefs. Either hardly anyone today shares my beliefs, or it is just that everyone who does is like me: too afraid to speak up.

My thoughts and beliefs cannot be expressed unless they are "politically correct."

Our world is becoming so gray. There appears to be no "right from wrong." We strive so hard to make everyone feel welcome and make sure that everyone is treated equal. We loose sight of morally right and wrong. Does anyone still have morals and values in this day and age? I can see why people like things "black and white" because then there is a clear distinction between right and wrong.

I, either fortunately or unfortunately, see things in life as either a dark shade of gray, or off-white. I have "black and white standards" for my life, but I cannot honestly judge others based on my own personal morals.


But anywhoo, I strive to be the person that God wants me to be. I am not trying to fit a mold that society, or anyone else for that matter, thinks that I should be in. I say this day in and day out, and continue to say it: God is in complete control of my life!

Without God steering my ship, I have no idea where I would be in life. I was just talking with some amazing women of God last night and recounting how I used to flow with society and be quiet about God in my life. As one girl put it, "Whisper Christian."

Unfortunately, we are in a day and age where Church and State are separated. One of my professors told the class that she could make us leave if she (or a classmate) was offended by any one's religious practices. I still carry my Bible around campus when I can.

Though I have to say, it gets sticky: We are allowed freedom of religion, but as soon as someone is offended by something that someone says or does (whether directed at an individual or not) then it seems as though the standards change.


Jesus himself said that we will be persecuted because of Him! While as humans we do not want to undergo this, when we look at this from a spiritual standpoint, how beautiful is that? How beautiful is it to surrender our lives to God so much to the point that although we are outcasts, and frowned upon by others and talked about and laughed at and mocked and so so so much more, how amazingly beautiful it is to realize that God is protecting me and that I have GOD on my side!

"You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved" (Matthew 10:22).

Planting a small seedling of time for God and watching it grow!

Making time for God. It seems so simple! It seems so logical. But then why can it be so hard? Too often we get so caught up in trying to fit everything into the time that we are given, that we forget that we owe our very existence to God alone!

It has not been until recently that I have started making an effort to make time for God. By planting that very first seedling, more and and more time has seemed to "grow" from it! Now, in every "spare moment" that I find, I am spending it with the Lord! From Adoration, to Mass, to college group, to Bible Study, to reading the Bible and praying my Rosary, to just sitting quietly loving the Lord for all He is and for what he has done in my life!

Back in June, I was barely even meeting my Sunday obligation. I was still going to Church, but it was more like a "going because I had to, and thus let's get it over with." I complained that there was not enough time to do as much as I wanted to. I want to do so much more then time was allowing. All the while forgetting (or trying to ignore) God in my life. But all the while, God was there; God was calling me by name.

Living for God certainly did not come easy at first, and most certainly did not happen overnight. It started a little at a time and has blossomed into what it is today, and continues to grow into what God wills for me!

I highly encourage Bible reading. I had never picked up my Bible with such a sincere intent to read it until this past summer. And even then, it was like reading it maybe once a week, maybe two days in a row, and there were plenty of week long "dry streaks" where my Bible sat there collecting dust. But something was happening to me. I began reading it more and more. I could feel God working in me. I could see my life improving. I could see more trust and faith and reliance in God and less and less on things of this world! Happiness was, is, no longer found in material goods.


I look at where I am now, and wonder how I used to manage. I used to be miserable and long for things that I thought would make me happy. Oh how thankful I am where I am today and life is only going to get better with keeping my focus on God!

I want Christ to be within me. I want to radiate His light through me. I want to keep this focus on God! That is not to say that life is easy, but it sure is rewarding!

Every "bad day" is God breaking me and rebuilding me and shaping and forming me into something ever so beautiful! God is in control of my life. And it all began with me surrendering my life to Him- a little at a time. He should have always come first and foremost in my life, but unfortunately I got caught up in the ways of this world.

I have an app on my phone for "daily Mass readings" and there is a part that reflects upon one of the 2 to 3 readings. I almost always find them inspiring, and this one in particular has inspired this post, and I felt inclined to share the original source, seeing if I tried to take credit for something that is not mine, it would not get the point across as eloquently as Don does here. 


I wish these were my words because they are so beautiful, but all the credit goes to Don Schwager in response to Luke 17:7-10

Gospel
  Lk 17:7-10
Jesus said to the Apostles:
'Who among you would say to your servant
  who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field,
'Come here immediately and take your place at table?'
  Would he not rather say to him,
'Prepare something for me to eat.
  Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink.
  You may eat and drink when I am finished?'
  Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?
  So should it be with you.
  When you have done all you have been commanded, say,
'We are unprofitable servants;
  we have done what we were obliged to do.'


The Reflection:

"We are unworthy servants;
we have only done what was our duty"

Meditation:
"Are you ready to give the Lord your best, regardless
of what it might cost you? Perhaps we are like the laborer in Jesus' parable
who expected special  favor and reward for going the extra mile? How
unfair for the master to compel his servant to give more than what was
expected! Don't we love to assert our rights: "I will give only what is
required and no more!" But who can satisfy the claims of love? Jesus used
this parable of the dutiful servant to explain that we can never put God
in our debt or make the claim that God owes us something. We must regard
ourselves as God's servants, just as Jesus came "not to be served, but
to serve" (Matthew 20:28). Service of God and of neighbor is both a
voluntary or free act and a sacred duty. One can volunteer for service
or be compelled to do service for one's country or one's family when special
needs arise. Likewise, God expects us to give him the worship and praise
which is his due. And he gladly accepts the  free-will offering of
our lives to him and to his service. What makes our offering pleasing to
God is the love we express in the gift of self-giving. True love is sacrificial,
generous, and selfless.
How can we love others selflessly and unconditionally? Scripture tells
us that God himself is
love (1 John 4:16) because he is the author
of life and source of all relationships. He created us in love for love
and he fills our hearts with the boundless love that gives whatever is
good for the sake of another (Romans 5:5). If we love one another, God
abides in us and his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12). God honors
the faithful servant who loves and serves others generously. He is ever
ready to work in and through us for his glory. We must remember, however,
that God can never be indebted to us. We have no claim on him. His love
compels us to give him our best! And when we have done our best, we have
simply done our duty. We can never outmatch God in doing good and showing
love. God loves us without measure. Does the love of God compel you to
give your best?"

"Lord Jesus, fill my heart with love, gratitude and generosity. Make
me a faithful and zealous servant for you. May I generously pour out my
life in loving service for you and for others, just as you have so generously
poured yourself out in love for me."

What Soil am I?

After reading Matthew 13, I began to wonder what kind of soil I am. Jesus told this parable:

 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. ⁴ As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. ⁵ Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. ⁷ Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. ⁸ Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! ⁹ Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

At first, this parable can be confusing. How does scattered seed relate to the Kingdom of God? How can we relate to seeds? Fortunately, Jesus does not leave us hanging. He gives us a very clear explanation and from there we can reflect upon which seed we, ourselves, are.

¹⁸ “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: ¹⁹ The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. ²⁰ The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. ²¹ But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. ²² The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. ²³ The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

The seed is the Word of God. The Word of God is sown into the hearts of the people, and from these seeds are grown one’s desire to live a life for Christ. But we alone cannot take credit for this growth, for growth only comes from God. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7:

⁶ “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

God plants the seed (by using a close friend, song lyrics, a beautiful day, and the list goes on and on), and God allows the seed to take root and grow.

God has planted the seed within me. I want to be the good soil and produce a good harvest. I want the word of God to enter into my heart and change me into a woman of God who serves, honors and loves God all the days of my life! I pray that God works wonders through me and that His seed is being nourished well and that a great harvest will be produced!  

²³ "The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” That is the kind of soil I strive to be. I want the seed to fall upon good soil, ready to nourish it and give it a good, safe place to rest and grow!

Which soil are you?

Christ be our Light!

This is the day the Lord hath made, I am rejoicing and I am glad! Another beautiful November day! How abundantly blessed I am! God has been blessing me so richly and words cannot express the gratitude that is in my heart. Thank goodness God knows my heart!

How wonderful it is to live for God and let the light of Christ shine from the inside out! I long for others to experience this joy that burns within me and share in the peace and hope that comes alone with it!

How do we reach out to non-believers, or even believers that have not yet experienced this? I want to profess from mountain tops that God is the Lord of my life and then proceed to tell everything that has been going on in my life! But is that going to persuade others to turn to God? Probably not nearly as effectively as desired.  

One of the easiest ways for me to reach out to non-believers and share the light of Christ with them, is by letting Christ be my light and living my life as a living testimony to the Risen Christ! Lead by example. One can preach with words, but if someone is not ready to hear what is being said, then the words will not be heard.

At least for me, there is nothing more inspiring then seeing someone live a life for Christ and seeing the fruits of their labors.

That is not to say that life is easy, but it certainly is rewarding. Have faith and take a step towards God! Faith is taking the first step even when we cannot see the entire staircase!


"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).
 
"If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you" (Matthew 17:20).

What are you thankful for?

So, with this being November and Thanksgiving coming up here rather quickly, what are some things that you are thankful for?


1) I am thankful for having God ever so present in my life. I love it that I can turn to Him in all things and He is always there ready to help!

2) I am thankful for the opportunity to spend quality time with friends and family.

3) I am thankful for awesome friends whom I can talk to them about anything!

4) I am thankful for relationships so centered around Christ, that when trials arise, we know who to turn our focus back on to and where to draw our strength.

5) I am thankful for awesome Christian music that is always a comfort just when I need it.

6) I am thankful for a job that allows me to do my homework at work.

7) I am thankful for my dad for giving me a place to freely explore and discover on my own without fear of judgment.

8) I am thankful for children of all ages. Being able to spend time with them and love them for who they are is priceless!

9) I am thankful for my crockpot. So many yummy fall meals have been prepared in it thus far!

10) I am thankful for random phone calls that are intended to be a quick "hi" but turn into talking for hours on end.

11) I am thankful that I rely on God, and not on technology and the such -- for if that were the case, this would be one very unpleasant person.

12) I am thankful for living in Michigan!

13) I am thankful for Church!

14) I am thankful for the ability to work extremely well under immense pressure (yes, I s h o u l d be working on my paper that is due in 24 hours instead of blogging... lol)

15) I am thankful for clean, cool drinking water.

16) I am thankful for warm running water.

17) I am thankful for those people who come in my life for the sole purpose of teaching me a lesson, and then it is time to move on (but sad in a way too, but happy knowing that God used them in an incredible way in my life!).

18) I am happy that I get a semi-steady paycheck and can at least pay my bills on time.

19) I am thankful for my Bible and for all that God has revealed to me through it!

20) I am thankful for my car, for as reliable as it it. And for a garage that I can park in at night (so I don't have to scrape the windows at 7:10 in the morning when I am already running 10 minutes behind schedule)!

21) I am thankful that I am thankful for so many things!

22) I am thankful for my piano.

23) I am thankful for the opportunity to go to college.

24) I am thankful that I can blog and journal.

25) I am thankful that I am accepted for whom I am.

26) I am thankful that God loves me unconditionally.

27) I am thankful for where I am in life -- every aspect, despite some areas being more trying then others.

28) I am thankful that I am improving in my art class (and that my prof told me that she likes how "expressive" my value is in my drawing!!!)

29) I am thankful for beautiful fall colors, light breezes, and sunshine.

30) I am thankful for summer rainstorms and rainbows that follow!!

31) I am thankful for scarves!

32) I am thankful for mac and cheese.

33) I am thankful for my phone and other technical devices that I do use regularly (but can live without).

34). I am thankful for my dining room table.

35) I am thankful for self-sticking stamps.

36) I am thankful for heating pads that I can take to bed with me at night.

37) I am thankful for men who treat me as their sister in Christ, and whom I treat as a brother in Christ.

38) I am thankful for hope. I am thankful that I can have that hope in Christ to bless me indeed!

39) I am thankful for the stars! And the comfort that they bring when I look at them!

40) I am thankful for my background, for it has made me whom I am today!

41) I am thankful for the adventures that lie ahead on my journey through life.

42) I am thankful for Jesus, who died on the cross to save me.

43) I am thankful for life. (Any day above ground is a good day!)

44) I am thankful for everything else that I have not said yet.

45) I am thankful for Y O U who is currently reading this. God bless you richly!

46) I am thankful for open-minded people.

47) I am thankful for everyone in the medical field.

48) I am thankful for all my brothers and sisters in Christ.

49) I am thankful for those brief moments that I can spend with my Lord, my God in silence.

50) I am thankful that God knows the desires of my heart and will bless me with them if, and only if, He knows they will bring me closer to Him!

51) I am thankful to be thankful for the life that God has blessed me with! What a wonderful life I have!