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Be Joyful

Posted by eph21920 on June 27, 2016 in Death, Faith, Joy, Life

Today I read an article that described what a difference a smile can make. It brings joy to the one smiling and to those who encounter that person. My mom told me a long time ago, “Smile until 10:00 am and you will smile all day long.” I thought about that and realized how true it is. Sometimes I try to intentionally put a smile on my face. When I am out and about, I notice that people around me respond in a more positive way than when I am cranky. One of my mom’s friends recently passed away and as she wrote out the card yesterday, she said she remembers the woman always smiling. Later today, I read an article about an young Carmelite nun from Argentina who suffered tremendously for years with lung cancer, yet, “Those who saw her spoke of her face as showing peace and joy…” Her community told her story and posted some pictures of her beautiful, radiant face as she prepared to meet Jesus in death. It is a short life we have here and I hope to live it more joyfully.

I Found God today in a reminder of the power of being joyful.

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What Was Left Behind

Posted by eph21920 on June 27, 2016 in Answer, Connected, Faith, Family, Grateful, Prayer

The scripture readings at church today were focused on the idea of not looking back once you set your life to following God. In Luke 9:51-62, several people say that they will follow Jesus Christ, but first they have some other business they want to take care of. It may sound harsh, but Jesus tells them that if they look back to what they have left behind, they are not fit for the Kingdom of God. I found myself being able to relate to this. When I decided to move in with my parents to help them, I basically left a whole way of life in exchange for another. It has been difficult in some ways, but a blessing in others. When I look back with longing and sorrow for what I “left behind”, it simply becomes a distraction. I feel bad and can easily begin to regret my decision. However, when I remember the reason and circumstances for making the big change, things become more clear and calm. The choice was made over several months of prayer and meeting with a spiritual director. When I take one day at a time, enjoying each moment for what it is, and being grateful for the place I am, I can more easily connect with God’s love. Then, I can be more loving to those around me.

I Found God today in a pointed message from scripture.

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Another Celebration

Posted by eph21920 on June 25, 2016 in Family, Friends, Generosity, Happiness, Life, Past

Today my sisters and brother-in-law came over to the house to celebrate father’s day since we were all unable to get together last weekend. They got some Asian food and made my mom’s chop suey recipe, which is my dad’s favorite. Some of my sister’s friends stopped by for a little visit. It was her band mate from years ago and his wife. I hadn’t seen them in probably 20 years. It was great fun to see pictures of their children and to catch up with them. In some ways, everything changes and in others, everything stays the same. While they aged some of course, the core of who I remember them to be was pretty much the same. They are both very laid back and caring people. They adopted a young adult who is disabled as she was going to be placed in a care facility and they didn’t want that to happen to her. Just an example of their loving hearts. My parents enjoyed their visit. The dinner, thoughtful gifts, and homemade red velvet cake made my dad pretty happy. It was a good day.

I Found God today in the wonderful visit and once again celebrating my dad.

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Generosity

Posted by eph21920 on June 25, 2016 in Connected, Food, Generosity

This evening my sister told me that the company she works for sponsors and supports an emergency fund for the employees. It is sustained by contributions from workers to help one another in case of a financial crisis. Today the workplace cooked hot dogs for lunch. Employees could purchase them with all the money going into the fund. One employee went above and beyond. He purchased 10 whole chickens the day before, cooked them rotisserie style at his home, and brought them in to sell also. My sister said people were lined up early to get the delicious food. I thought the whole thing was so generous. The company is generous in supporting employees in financial crisis and spending time having events to keep the fund plentiful. The employees are generous in their financial support of one another. The gentleman who spent his own time and money to cook additional food for the lunch was particularly generous. It is refreshing to here good things that good people do all the time.

I Found God today in a generous business with generous employees.

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A Bedtime Prayer

Posted by eph21920 on June 23, 2016 in Connected, Faith, Pope, Prayer

As I was getting ready for bed tonight, I remembered I saw a video of Pope Francis talking about his bedtime prayer. He prays, “Lord, if you want, you can make me clean.” Then he prays 5 Our Fathers – 1 for each of the wounds Jesus suffered on the cross because Jesus cleansed us with His wounds. The Pope said that we can do the same thing in our own homes. It is very uplifting to think about praying the same words as the Pope at the same time and it would help to connect people together. I realize we all go to bed at different times, but if many people pray these words during several hours I think it would be very powerful as well. I love how Pope Francis can bring faith down to the simple things.

I Found God today praying a bedtime prayer with Pope Francis.

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Planning a Family Visit

Posted by eph21920 on June 22, 2016 in Baby, Family, Happiness, Travel

I have been trying to get a trip planned for weeks now. Today I finally made reservations. My son, his wife, and their 3 kids will be coming for a visit. I am so glad they were able to get it worked out. And I am super excited for my parents to meet their new great-granddaughter.

I Found God today planning a trip for my son and his family to make a visit.

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About Bono

Posted by eph21920 on June 21, 2016 in Faith, Humility, Jesus

Recently, I have been hearing the name “Bono” all over the place. My mom has been reading a book about President George W. Bush. The book describes how the President and Bono became friends as they were both committed to giving assistance to those suffering with AIDS – particularly those in Africa. In the past few days, I have seen other articles and videos about Bono, so I thought I better read more about him. I knew that he is Christian and had heard that some of the U2 band’s songs were faith based. The article I read included videos of Bono and the band quoting scripture and praising God at some of their concerts. At the end of one performance, Bono hangs a rosary over the microphone and as the spotlight illuminated the crucifix, Bono walks off the stage. The crowd continues to sing the lyrics to the song “40”, which is based on Psalm 40. The article also includes an interview with Bono where he is asked about his faith and who he thinks Jesus Christ is. Bono responds with, “Either Jesus is who He said He was, or He is a nutcase.” He said he cannot think that for over 2000 years, billions of people’s lives have been touched and changed by a nutcase. He has had struggles like everyone and admits his faults. But his commitment to his wife, family, and faith is encouraging. Bono’s story was inspiring and I think what touched me most is his humility despite his fame. You can find the article HERE. 

I Found God today by the inspiring story of faith from a humble super star.

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Father’s Weekend

Posted by eph21920 on June 20, 2016 in Family, Food, Happiness

We spent the weekend at the cabin for Father’s Day. That is where my dad loves to be. We had mini celebrations on each day. On Saturday, I made a terrific dinner as I knew we would be gone much of Sunday. We also worked on some projects he had been wanting to get done. On Sunday, we gave my dad some cards and gifts. I got him this funny card with a cartoon of a couple of guys looking over an abacus. The title was, “Early Tech Support”. The caption was one of the guys saying, “Have you tried to reboot it?” I knew my dad would appreciate it. What made it even funnier was that he spent the previous night trying to figure out why the internet kept going out. In the evening, we watched his choice of movie – Fiddler on the Roof. I had not seen that one in years. Of course, the movie is all about the father being a father. His daughters try desperately to find their way in life, but they go against what his ideas are for them. Regardless, he always shows compassion and support. He constantly works hard to provide for the family and makes decisions that he feels are in their best interest. We talked about how the movie setting was over 100 years ago, but the issues are very similar to what is going on in the world today. And I know my dad has many of the same characteristics as the main character. During the movie, we had lemon meringue pie that my mom got – one of my dad’s favorites. This morning I made homemade fresh blueberry compote to go along with our french toast. I guess to me, celebrating is very much about food. In any case, it was a terrific weekend that tuckered my dad out – but hopefully not too much.

I Found God today celebrating my father.

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Lessons From Workcamp

Posted by eph21920 on June 18, 2016 in Faith, Grateful, Knowledge, Past, Youth

I was busy today doing things around the house and helping my dad with home projects. At one point I looked in the mirror and realized that I was wearing one of my Workcamp t-shirts and sweatpants that I bought at the first Workcamp that I attended. I smiled. When I was a youth minister, I would coordinate the Workcamp trips and rally up to 60 youth and adults to spend a week working on homes of those who were unable to do so. Some of the residents were elderly, impoverished, or had physical limitations. I thought about the first Workcamp that I went to. I was terrified. I had no knowledge at all of anything that had to do with home improvements – and I was to help lead a group of teenagers. Seemed a little more than challenging. But after my first experience, I was sold. I saw what an impact those missions trips had on the teenagers, the adults, the residents, and the surrounding communities. Not only were people served by fixing up their homes, but everyone involved had a faith experience as well. It was life changing for many. I thought about one of the young adults that I know who is now working for the organization and prayed for her, her group, and all who are spending time serving others. I also recognized how much I learned about home improvements. Today I felt comfortable and confident working and helping my dad. I found one more reason to be grateful for those summer trips.

I Found God today being grateful for the lessons I learned from Workcamp.

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New Growth

Posted by eph21920 on June 17, 2016 in Connected, Creation, Faith, Life

My mom, dad, and I decided to go back up to the cabin today and get out of the heat. There was a lot of traffic and we seemed to have more stops than usual, but we finally made it. We noticed how green and lush the meadows were. From time to time we could see that they were dotted with yellow or purple flowers. When we got to the house, we saw several different bushes and wildflowers that had bloomed in just the few short days we were away. Some of the trees that had just started sprouting leaves were fully leafed out. The evergreens had sprouted new brightly colored shoots on the ends of their branches. There was fresh, rejuvenating life all around. My parents said it had been a few years since they had seen so much new growth. I thought about this for a while. The plants, flowers, and trees were somewhat stagnant for a while, growing a little but not really flourishing during the recent years of dryness. This year, they received lots of water as it has been very rainy – even snowy – the past few months. This was all the plants needed to revive. They seem to rejoice as they boldly display their bright colors, bringing joy to all who will notice. This in turn allows the animals and birds to thrive as well. As I pondered, I realized that my faith is very similar. There are times when I go through very dry spells and I don’t feel like I am making much progress at all. But the seed is still there, deep down inside. And when I receive the nourishment needed, my relationship with Christ blooms. I become more joyful and I am sure it can be noticed by those around me. That is when I feel I can be most helpful to others as well. And where do I get this nourishment? Sometimes a retreat, going to church, reading a book or scripture, meditating, or talking with a friend. Sometimes it comes from just being in nature.

I Found God today in the beauty of nature and realizing how much it teaches us about our own lives.

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