“I trust God to keep me because He’s kept me.” ~Shaun Groves
The Gift of a Tuesday Evening
20 Sep 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspiration, Lessons
On very, very rare occasions, I will unexpectedly end up with an unplanned evening all to myself. Oh, how I love those rare occasions!
Tuesday night was one of those nights. The monthly meeting that I was supposed to have that night was postponed. I had nothing else on my calendar. It is a little sad just how excited I became over the fact that I had an entire evening in front of me with no obligations.
It turned out to be the best night of the month….well, so far anyway.
What was so great about it? Nothing in particular. It was just a nice change of pace to have a night to do what I wanted without any other obligations. I was able to do things I wanted.
Like cook dinner at a reasonable hour of the night. I tried a new recipe suggested by my mom. Shrimp foil packets. Oh. My. Goodness. So good and so easy. It may become a regular on my menu list.
What did I do with my evening after cooking a simple, but delicious, dinner? I sat down with my Bible and my journal. Oh, how I needed to seek Refuge that I had been lacking lately.
The thing is, the devil has had a much too comfortable and permanent place in my mind lately. Satan’s voice has been overwhelming and relentless. I needed a night of filling my mind and heart with reminders from the Voice of Truth.
So, I sat down with a list of Scripture that I had been collecting over the past few weeks. Scripture sent to me by friends. Verses that others had mentioned on their blogs. Passages that I know by memory, but don’t always choose to remember. I looked up each Scripture and wrote it down in my journal. I’m a visual learner, so writing things down helps me to remember them better. So filling page, after page, after page in my journal with the Word of God was the best way I could think of to drown out the evil voice that had taken up residence in my head. As I filled page after page, the evil voice got smaller and God’s voice got bigger.
Oh, how I needed the reminders that I am seen as beautiful. That I am relentlessly, purely, completely, inexorably, unconditionally loved. That I am worthy and wanted. That I matter. That those other voices are wrong about me. That I am more than my mistakes and sins. That, even though I am a mess and screw up everyday, I am also forgiven everyday.
Because I know I am not the only one who needs those reminders at times, here are a few of the Scriptures that especially spoke to me and my battered heart…
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.” ~1 Corinthians 15:10
“Be still before the Lord; wait for him” ~Psalm 37:7
“Therefore, do now throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense.” ~Hebrews 10:35
“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light.” ~Micah 7:8
“Because you are precious in my eyes and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you and nations in exchange for your life.” ~Isaiah 43:4
“The Lord will fight for you; you have only to keep still.” ~Exodus 14:14
“For I have loved you with an everlasting love” ~Jeremiah 31:3
“For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” ~1 Samuel 16:7
“‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” ~Isaiah 54:10
I cannot tell you the relief I felt as I took each passage to heart. There are not words to describe the good it did my heart to be reminded of those promises.
Lord, thank you for the gift of a Tuesday evening spent alone with You. Thank You for your timeless, permanent reminders that I am indeed loved and cherished. Forgive me for not believing Your Truth as I should.”
Wise Words Wednesday: Fierce Love
19 Sep 2012 Leave a comment
“His love is not flimsy or self-serving; it is fierce. This love is the most important thing about you; it changes you and will change everything!” ~Elyse M Fitzpatrick
Tuesday Tunes: Ike Ndolo
18 Sep 2012 Leave a comment
Oh. My. Word.
I cannot remember a time in my music-loving life that I have listened to a cd as close to non-stop as possible for three continuous weeks. Seriously, when I have had music on, it is the only thing I have listened to. This cd is that good.
What cd am I talking about? The newest release from Ike Ndolo entitled “Rivers.”
Technically, the cd was released last week. However, when Ike and his band came to play at a youth event a few weeks ago, he gifted me with an advance copy. I cannot find words to adequately describe this music.
Right now, you can only get the cd, whether a digital or hard copy, at Ike’s website. Please support him. You will not be disappointed.
Side note: I had typed up this short blog post last night and scheduled it to post today. Not five minutes later, I saw a tweet from Ike. He and his band are on tour right now. Last night their trailer with all their equipment was broken into. The thieves took all of Ike’s clothes and his guitar player’s only guitar. I am so bummed for them. Say a prayer and maybe buy two cd’s now.
I’m A Brat
17 Sep 2012 Leave a comment
in Lessons
Lately, my quiet time with the Lord has consisted of four books.
“Every Day is a Gift” from the Catholic Book Publishing Company
“Streams in the Desert” by L.B. Cowman
“The Word Among Us”
And, obviously, the Bible, where I read the readings for that day’s daily Mass.
The Word Among Us offers a reflection on one of the daily readings, usually the Gospel reading. Today’s Gospel reading came from Luke 7:1-10. The line that the reflection was on? “He deserves to have you do this for him.” (Luke 7:4)
The reflection talked about how, when the centurion realized how his messengers had conveyed his request, he quickly worked to make an important correction.
What struck me, though, is how often my hypocrisy comes out. Seriously, I looked back over journals and saw the same thing over and over. Me telling God that I know how unworthy I am, yet trying to justify to Him why I deserved whatever I was asking for. Talk about a blow to the gut.
It literally took my breath away for a minute to realize how prideful I am and how much of a spoiled brat I am. And, being me, I dwelt on it All. Day. Long.
Last November, the Catholic Church changed some parts of the Mass so that they would be a more accurate translation from the original Latin, and so that they would be a more accurate quote from the Bible. Most of the changes didn’t bother me, other than having to relearn what I’ve known for 30+ years. But there was one part that did bother me.
Before receiving communion, this exchange (for lack of a better term) would take place…
Priest (while holding up the body & blood of Christ): “This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper.”
Congregation: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.”
Now, it is…
Priest (while holding up the body & blood of Christ): “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.”
Congregation: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
That was the single change that I didn’t like because, to me, it made it less personal. And then I read today’s Gospel reading and reflection.
Maybe that’s the whole thing. I was making it too personal. I was justifying my “needs” and “demands” because they were personal. I need to focus less on me and more on Him. Less on what I deserve, and more on what He can do with a single word. Less on what I think I need and more on just letting Him heal my soul.
My biggest justification with God is usually something along the lines of it being what is good for me. The last paragraph of the reflection and closing prayer may need to take up permanent residence on my bathroom mirror as a reminder to me.
“So open the door of your heart to the Lord today. Don’t think you have to limit yourself to asking Jesus to do something good for you. Instead, linger in his presence, and ask him to reveal his heart to you more fully. Let him speak words that heal your heart and soul!
Lord, I am amazed that you want to unite yourself with me. Since we are under the same roof, I want to dwell in your love today.”
Amen. Amen.
(On a totally random note, I had to laugh at myself because I just happen to have an old Sacramentary (the book of prayers, etc. the priest used to use) sitting on my table. It was handy when looking up the old prayer. Only a nerdy Catholic girl like me.)
Goodbye Summer
04 Sep 2012 Leave a comment
I cannot tell you how excited I was about a long, holiday weekend. Oh. My. Word. Multiple days with nothing really planned? Yes, please.
Multiple days with nothing really planned right before the fall craziness starts? Heck, yes!
The weekend turned out nothing like I expected, but I loved every minute.
Friday night, two friends and I went to the local high school football game. I live in the land of Friday Night Lights. Literally. The book was written about the town that is 20 miles up the road. It was just a fun, relaxing night.
Saturday, I caught up on some stuff around the apartment. Then I was blown off by the friend I was supposed to hang out with. Instead of going to the movies, I ended up spending most of the day on my living room floor with my journal and bible. I also did some reading, which was very relaxing.
Sunday I went for a run and then finished the book I was reading. It was generally a pretty lazy day. Sunday evening I went to Mass and then to dinner with a friend. Then she came over to my apartment and we chatted until about 11:00 when she went home.
Monday I slept in. Oh, how glorious to not wake up to an alarm. About 11:30, I received a text from a friend asking what I was doing. My response was, “Absolutely nothing.” She then invited me to “play for the day.” We ran around town doing some errands, dreaming of how we would decorate a house in Pier One, and taking pictures with her niece’s Flat Stanleyette. (That’s what her niece named her.) We also put together a care package for one of the teens who recently started college. That included writing Scripture, song lyrics, and quotes in a journal to encourage her. I won’t mention how many of those Scripture also were noted on my phone so I can add them to my own journal.
I also learned how to make homemade Bailey’s. So good. But it will not be so good for my waistline, that’s for sure.
I can’t think of a better end to summer than a relaxed weekend with friends. I am so blessed.
So Completely 