Angels

There are many angels that we don't recognize as angels because they are sent to us to help us to grow spiritually.  Sometimes when we pray, God sends a human angel to answer our prayer. At some point, we have the opportunity to be someone else's angel. The key to recognizing this invitation is to keep our hearts and minds open to the needs of others 365 days if the year,  As we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of holidays, we sometimes forget the meaning behind the celebrations. It is the little things that can make the difference in someone's life.  The phone calls to check to see how someone is, shoveling snow for elderly or disabled neighbors, active listening and observation to focus on stated and unstated needs, sending a get well, bereavement or thinking of you card, welcoming a lonely person to family gatherings, noticing if someone is not doing regular activities and finding out why,  donating food, clothing, toys to individuals you know or don't know, donating your time and talents to others, giving an encouraging smile and hug as needed or sharing your love.  There is often no money involved in these gifts but money given from the heart can bring hope to those struggling financially.

Sometimes angels come to us in "Sheep's clothing".  I asked God for patience and I became the caregiver for my mother.  I have learned never to be in a hurry, to walk slowly and to listen to repetitious stories.  It wasn't how I envisioned to learn patience but it has been effective to an extent.  I am still learning from my "angel".  Quote:  "Put up willingly with the faults of others if you want others to put up with yours".  --St. John Bosco     God has a wonderful sense of humor!

Gifts of the heart

I remember the Christmas when my 2 year old daughter gave me a present.  It was a white sheet of paper with four crayon lines  !! !! I couldn't imagine what it was so I had the presence of mind to ask her to "tell me about your present".  She was so excited when she told me it was a picture of me.  After I looked at it I realized what it was.  She was obviously short and from her vantage point, I was eye level for her at my legs.  She had drawn two legs!  I laughed and hugged her and thanked her for my portrait.  It was the best portrait I have ever had since it was drawn with love. It is fun to look at the world through the eyes of another.  Sometimes gifts of the heart are unusual or strange at first. If we take the time to look at the thought behind the gift, we can see the love there.  So much of life is not in the usual, orchestrated, planned, scripted occurrences, but instead in the spontaneous and unexpected gifts of the self.  Accepting the unusual gift may be a little difficult as it is unexpected, but if we can live in the moment and look into the eyes of the giver, we can see and feel the love which is the best gift of all.  I hope that you have many gifts of the heart this year.  They can't be bought, only felt!  

You can't pray and worry at the same time!

Quote from an NFL player.  "You can't pray and worry at the same time!".  So much of life's happiness hinges on "being present at the moment".  That may include listening with full attention to each other instead of trying to text and listen at the same time or catch up on facebook, twitter etc. as we are communicating with others.  We miss so much of what is happening now in our lives.  We miss the opportunity to grow intellectually, psychologically and spiritually because we are always afraid of what is in our future or struggling with the past.  Living in the moment allows us to appreciate our lives, our family, our friends, our job and our faith.  I saw the most beautiful sunset yesterday and I took time to explore its beauty and live in that moment of beauty and wonder.  My grandchildren were over to help trim my Christmas tree and they were creative, excited and willing to help.  I took the time to enjoy the moment as they are growing up and won't have the same type of joy they have for Christmas this year at any other time.  These moments are precious and fleeting.  We can spend so much time worrying about everything being perfect, finding the ideal presents, decorating beautifully, cooking deliciously, wrapping with creativity, etc. that we forget Christmas is about spending time with special people in our lives.  We never know if we or they will be present next year.  They are here with us now and we can celebrate unique and wondrous moments with family and friends. The other concerns will be forgotten but the interaction with our loved ones will be remembered and cherished.

Be present when you pray and your worries will become just fleeting memories.  Faith and trust will take over and fill your heart with peace and love.  What better way to spend the holidays!  Remember the lonely people who no longer have involved or existing family but will love to enjoy time with you!  Happy holidays to friends of all faiths!

gifts of the heart

It's almost time for Christmas and the thought of gifts come to mind.  I have often felt the joy of gifts from the heart that have no monetary value but enormous emotional benefits.  We can get so hung up with "buying" gifts that we forget that the best gifts don't have price tags.  I have received gifts that were created by family or friends that I have saved for many years.  They have "sentimental" value because the person thought about me and personalized a special gift just for me.

I had to laugh at myself because I gave my sister two portraits of her and her husband made from the same photograph.  I forgot I had done the first painting years ago.  Fortunately it was the thought that counted!  She didn't make too much of my obviously bad memory and will have to suppress her laughter for many years to come.

Some gifts are hugs, telephone calls to check in or silly cards to make me laugh.  Sometimes it is a meal or leftovers so that I don't have to cook for one.  I know some folks give flowers or candy for every gift-giving opportunity. They are very wonderful for the person who enjoys flowers but not as appropriate for someone who loves a gift of time visiting, someone who takes time to fix something in the house or car, someone who is available when you need a friend to listen.  True gifts are voluntary and come from the heart.  Otherwise it is just "stuff".  I'm trying to downsize gifts that are not tailored to the needs of the recipient and make them more "user friendly".

If you don't have money for gifts, there are plenty of other ways to provide a unique and lovely gift of the heart!  Happy Thanksgiving!  Remember to gift the cooks for Thanksgiving with the clean-up crew!

A tribute to Evie

My granddaughter is 10 years old.  Her best friend Evie loved life, swim team, music, her family and her friends.  Evie also enjoyed overnights with her best friend and tackled life each day with fun and excitement.  Evie was with her family for 10 years and then she was gone.  She died suddenly with no warning or reason.  Evie was blessed with a deep faith, compassion for others, the love of a large family and many friends.  Although her life was short, she accomplished many things and affected many people. She had a huge impact on the world for someone so young.  I know that she will remain in the hearts of many people as they try to answer the question "Why?" I love my granddaughter and I am so sad that she has to deal with the death of her best friend, another child, at age 10.  Life is not predictable.  It is precious.  It is brief.  We have such a short time to have impact on those we love.

We don't always have tomorrow to say "I'm sorry" or "I love you".  We do have this moment in time to have positive, life-changing interactions with every person we come in contact with.  We can make a difference today as tomorrow is not promised.  The people in our lives are only lent to us by God and there are no guarantees how long we will have them.  It is enough that we have them now.  Don't wait to say "I love you" or "You are special to me" or "Thank you" or "I forgive you" or "You have made a difference in my life".  If someone dies, it is important to be able to have a good memory rather than that of an angry confrontation.  I think it would be wonderful if we remembered to forgive and move forward in a positive way as we all try to cope with the struggles in our lives.  No one is immune from life setbacks.  Everyone needs others for understanding, encouragement and help. We all need to have faith in God and each other.



  

Quote:  Fear is a pair of handcuffs on your soul.  Actress Fay Dunaway

I think there are many decisions governed first by fear and then eventually, hopefully, by common sense.  Fear is a natural response to a real threat to our lives, homes, jobs, and anything important to us. Fear can literally save our life or the life of our family or friends.  It can force us to leap forward to confront the impending disaster and find an escape route to minimize the threat or find a way to cope. It is nature's way to increase adrenaline to protect ourselves.

Fear can also be a response to an unknown, unidentified and terrifying specter of a perceived disastrous, impending doom.  The issue is that we are afraid of a concept that that is not real.  It takes common sense to investigate the fear and break it down into manageable facets that we can begin to determine if our initial response is based on reality.  Is it something we can deal with if we plan a coordinated systematic approach to minimize the impact of the possible disaster?  Is it, in fact, not a threat at all?  Is the adrenaline rush wasted and a detriment to our bodies and health?

Individuals can become overwhelmed with fears, real or imagined and become "paralyzed with fear" and have difficulty coping with daily life decisions.  Nations can become "paralyzed with fear" also and have difficulty coping with decision-making that can affect millions of people and multiple countries. 

We can become so fearful that we retreat from making decisions and allow the non-decision become the decision to let life make decisions for us.  We lose the control of our own destiny because we allow fear to keep us from trust and positive interactions.  Fear takes away our power to move forward and make awesome changes to make our personal world and THE world a better, more compassionate place.  

Fear can become the handcuffs on our collective souls.  Not if we don't let it.  Not if we trust God.

surgery

I recently was involved in a decision to have elective surgery for a hereditary condition.  It was difficult to think about having surgery at all. Surgery can have a negative or positive outcome depending on the circumstances.  Individuals may have reactions to anesthetic, develop infections, have significant pain, difficult recovery  and unknown issues that can even cause death.  However, it was a decision made to go forward without regret that included prayer and confidence in the physician.  I was blessed that the procedure and recovery are going well.  Facing surgery brings many emotions to the surface, fear, courage, despair, hope, vulnerability and faith in others, dependence on others and interdependence on internal strengths, inability to predict ability or inability to deal with pain.
I think of others who face many obstacles including multiple surgeries or uncomfortable medical interventions and I applaud their ongoing courage that occurs on a daily basis.  They are unsung heroes along with their devoted caregivers.  Life is never easy.  It can be totally overwhelming when we try to face challenges by ourselves.  Faith, Family and Friends are three of the greatest gifts that God gives us.  It is important that we look outside ourselves and notice the suffering of others.  I remember when I was a parent and I had four young children with chicken pox.  I happened to call a friend and she related her struggles when her six children had chicken pox.  I thought "If she could survive it, I could too".  No matter how difficult our lives are, there are others who are having a rougher time.  We can then put our issues in perspective and realize how blessed we are.  I am so appreciative of the help and support I have received.  I hope that in the future I can be available to help others.
For those experiencing grief especially during the holidays, you have my prayers and encouragement. I know that as God helps us in our daily lives, I know he is looking out for our deceased loved ones who are not physically here with us but remain buried deeply in our hearts and memories.
For service members away from family during the holidays, I thank you for your sacrifices and for your family and friends who share you with your country.