Love is Giving AND Receiving

I hit the ground running – rather, driving to Tulsa on Friday for my Tulsa love fix – spending time with my dear mother-in-law, some of my friends from Hyde Park, my bestie - Sheila Michie, my godson and his family,and other precious friends from my home parish, Church OfThe Madalene, my Life Group sisters and my sweet great niece, Anna and my sis, Karen. Whew! I was able to pack a lot of love into these three days.

Adding to that mix, was attending Catholic Charities “Cooking Up Compassion” on Saturday night, where over a thousand guests were a part of this annual fundraiser night that brings hundreds of thousands of dollars into this most worthy organization that feeds the poor, provides dental care, education and immigration services, disaster relief services, takes care of unwed mothers, provides adoption opportunities to loving families and so much more – all done with such dignity and love by this caring community.

Adding to that mix, was attending Catholic Charities “Cooking Up Compassion” on Saturday night, where over a thousand guests were a part of this annual fundraiser night that brings hundreds of thousands of dollars into this most worthy organization that feeds the poor, provides dental care, education and immigration services, disaster relief services, takes care of unwed mothers, provides adoption opportunities to loving families and so much more – all done with such dignity and love by this caring community. It was a joy to be able to give along with others who have such deep appreciation for what Catholic Charities does for those in need, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. There were live auctions where we saw generosity go to a whole new level, especially when the top earning, auctioned item -- Fr Jack Gleason and Fr Gary Kastl will offer their culinary talents to create a 7-course feast for 12 people -- went for $24,000. Bishop David Konderla’s handmade and carved wooden bowl went for $5,500. Four Dallas Cowboy Tickets went for $5,000. An adorable Goldendoodle puppy went for $9,000. I’m sure it wasn’t the items, themselves, as much as it was the opportunity to make a difference in so many lives impacted by Catholic Charities.

Yes, love is giving and receiving. The rewards are so many when we make the effort to connect, remember the reasons why the people in our lives made such an impact on us. It's like a boomerang -- when we give love, it will come back to us. If we give joy, we'll receive back joy. Like this first photo of the little bird and his reflection, we should be a reflection of what we want to receive. If we want love, we give love. If we want truth, we need to be truthful. What we give out will come back to us. It's the law of reciprocity.

That LAW isn't new at all. It started with the greatest of all GIVERS when Jesus said, "Give......and it shall be given!" We've heard the words: "Serve....and you shall be served." "Love....and you shall be loved." "Be a friend.....and you shall have friends."

Zig Ziglar, a dear friend of ours, said, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." Smart and truly successful people get this. Most times we give..... with absolutely no expectation or desire to receive back.....but it's just those laws....God's Laws of Reciprocity.....YOU WILL RECEIVE, when your heart's attitude is to GIVE, SERVE and LOVE! REAL LIVING comes from a heart of giving!