Comfort Blanket Helps Lead Loyola University to the Sweet Sixteen

Since I posted a few days ago about THE COMFORTER, I've had two more occasions to reinforce what I was saying. This was USA Today's headline on March 15th: “NCAA tournament 2018: Loyola-Chicago gets inspiration from 98-year-old nun”. Loyola was able to pull off the first upset of March Madness in dramatic fashion. The 98-year-old longtime nun and chaplain of Loyola University’s men’s basketball team sat at the corner of the basketball court as the jubilant players for Loyola-Chicago celebrated their 64-62 victory, upsetting Miami to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. If she wasn’t restricted to a wheelchair, Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt surely would have joined the fun. Sister Jean, the longtime team chaplain, could barely contain her own glee inside the American Airlines Center. “Thank God, thank God we did it,’’ she said at the end of the televised broadcast. “We just knew we would do this. Our team is so great and they don’t care who makes the points as long as we win the game."

The team's coach was quick to credit her: "Sister Jean is our team chaplain and she's our COMFORT BLANKET. She just has so much spirit. She's got an unbelievable energy level to her that I connect with." The coach added: "You know how much she's praying for you. You know how much she's doing for you and she means the world to this university and our team." I love that "Comfort Blanket" analogy. I'm quite certain Holy Spirit inside that beautiful woman is her "power source".

Since I posted a few days ago about THE COMFORTER, I've had two more occasions to reinforce what I was saying. This was USA Today's headline on March 15th: “NCAA tournament 2018: Loyola-Chicago gets inspiration from 98-year-old nun”. Loyola was able to pull off the first upset of March Madness in dramatic fashion. The 98-year-old longtime nun and chaplain of Loyola University’s men’s basketball team sat at the corner of the basketball court as the jubilant players for Loyola-Chicago celebrated their 64-62 victory, upsetting Miami to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. If she wasn’t restricted to a wheelchair, Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt surely would have joined the fun. Sister Jean, the longtime team chaplain, could barely contain her own glee inside the American Airlines Center. “Thank God, thank God we did it,’’ she said at the end of the televised broadcast. “We just knew we would do this. Our team is so great and they don’t care who makes the points as long as we win the game."

The team's coach was quick to credit her: "Sister Jean is our team chaplain and she's our COMFORT BLANKET. She just has so much spirit. She's got an unbelievable energy level to her that I connect with." The coach added: "You know how much she's praying for you. You know how much she's doing for you and she means the world to this university and our team." I love that "Comfort Blanket" analogy. I'm quite certain Holy Spirit inside that beautiful woman is her "power source".

When I read that headline and article, I remembered the question someone asked me, “I’m confused about the Holy Spirit. I hear people talking about it and it scares me.” I explained “Actually Holy Spirit isn’t an “it”. Holy Spirit is a person -- the 3rd person of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit was given to live inside of the life of a believer in Jesus Christ in order to produce God's character in the life of a believer in a way that we cannot do on our own. The Holy Spirit will build into our lives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Rather than TRYING to be loving, patient, kind, God asks us to rely on Him to produce those qualities in our lives. We are told as Christians to walk in the Spirit and be filled with the Spirit. I loved hearing about Loyola's COMFORT BLANKET. That precious nun is no doubt filled to overflowing with God’s Spirit which enables her to be that comfort blanket to others.

I saw another beautiful analogy of the Holy Spirit when I heard a young mom and a professional in the business world, give a beautiful but very emotional talk. As tears rolled down her face, I saw a lovely older woman go behind her and wrap her arms around her waist. The speaker calmed down, relaxed and carried on eloquently. That sweet older woman became her COMFORT BLANKET. That analogy spoke to me of how Holy Spirit is our COMFORT BLANKET. John 14:16-18 (Amplified Bible) says it so beautifully: "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener), to be with you forever -- the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come to you."

Maybe you need a COMFORT BLANKET sitting in your corner, cheering you on in the games of life that you're playing in. As a believer in Jesus Christ, professing Him as your Lord and Savior, He is in your corner in the person of the Holy Spirit Who lives in you and is there to be your Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor and Strengthener. Acknowledge His presence and experience His warm and cozy Blanket of Comfort.

My Comforter is One of my Favorite Things

My Comforter is One of my Favorite Things
My word of the day is COMFORTER: a thick bed covering that is filled with a soft light material; also someone who helps you to feel less worried, upset, frightened; someone who comforts you.

I do a lot of traveling and that means sleeping in beds that don’t compare to MY bed at home. When I get home to my bed and my sheets, my five pillows 😴 and my COMFORTER, I sleep with COMFORT. My sleeping “paraphernalia” includes a sheet under my blanket/comforter and a sheet over it. I started that when we stayed in hotels that their sheets were on that way, which meant that the blanket or comforter that is rarely washed, is never against our body or face. That “cleanliness” sleeping way became an almost must-have for me.

Bottom line, I’m more energetic and more alert when I’ve had a good night’s sleep. Our beds are where we begin and end the day, and where we spend nearly a third of our life. So why not make it the cleanest and most comfortable spot in our home?

Speaking of COMFORT and COMFORTER, there’s nothing like the comfort a mother can provide to a hurting or frightened child. Her love moves into action, not with explanations or reasoning, but with everything in her power to quiet, to COMFORT, and to reassure. Her arms embracing that sweet one, speak louder than any words the child could hear in that moment of fear or pain. Her voice is soothing and quieting, “Shhh, it’s okay…Mommy’s here. It’s okay.” Those gentle words bring the assurance that helps the child to believe, “It is okay because Mommy is here, and I am in her arms.”

We are God's children and He desires to be that COMFORTER and encourager to us. He is HERE -- right now! Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the COMFORTER will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." John 16:7. The COMFORTER is the precious Holy Spirit who lives in us as believers to provide that comfort that calms the storms in our lives.

The words in Psalm 46:10 are like the words of comfort from a caring mother to her fearful child: "Be still, and know that I am God". The language is simple and the words are few but they are words that tell us all we need to know to settle us, still our fears, quiet our hearts, and reassure us when we hear, “Shhh. Be still, calm down, release all your concerns, quiet your heart, it’s okay, I am here and you are safe in the shelter of My arms.”

TEAM-Work: Together Everyone Accomplishes More

I’m back in Austin with my two youngest grandsons who make for sweet times of board games, helping with homework, helping feed the animals and all the other shenanigans that works Nana’s brain AND body! LOL!

I was helping Bryson with his science homework which included the study of birds, and specifically, pelicans. Instead of working alone, I found out that pelicans work in teams which gives them a better chance at a good meal. As we read some of the characteristics of the pelicans, Bryson exclaimed: “Those pelicans are so annoying. They would not leave.” I knew what he was talking about. He remembered back to when he was just four years old and an invasion of pelicans overtook their boat, which was loaded with the fresh fish they had caught. See the photo here. Notice that Bryson wasn’t letting them boss him around, but those pelicans were there to support each other as a team. I like that. TEAM-work. Together Everyone Accomplishes More.....EXCEPT in the case of a very strong willed boy!!

This photo is one of my all-time favorites. You can tell this pelican was by no means the "boss" of Bryson and he showed it! LOL!

Maybe you've heard your kids or grandkids say "You're not the boss of me!" to a sibling or someone else. But have we ever made that statement to ourselves? Actually, we can, and we should.

”How often do we yield to temptations -- big and small? Instead of eating a few chips, we eat the whole bag. Instead of just a piece of chocolate cake, we go in for a second slice. Instead of walking away from listening to an obscene joke, we laugh with them all. Instead of changing the channel or walking out of a movie when the content is questionable and almost every other word is profane, we just sit there and take it in. Instead of eating nutritiously and getting exercise, we talk ourselves out of it. We then justify it all by saying "I just can't help myself!" But, in reality...we can. It's about Who the Greater One is that lives in us. The Holy Spirit knows what is best for us instead of letting our flesh be in control of us.

I daily desire to choose being on God's side -- endeavoring to be the conqueror over the tactics of the enemy. In fact, I think the most exciting journey in life is simply saying, "God, I want to change. I want to please You. I want to be more like you." I want YOU to be the boss of me.

The good news is this....it's not a process we have to conquer on our own. Our TEAM -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are with us to help us accomplish so much more than we could ever do on our own. God's Spirit in us is our Helper, our Guide, our Comforter and Partner in accomplishing whatever it is we may face. Very soon, we'll start to realize that we have some real authority because of our TEAM. When that happens, every time our flesh tempts us, all we have to do is speak Bryson's words to our flesh "You're not the boss of me!"

You're Not the Boss of Me!

Maybe you've heard your kids or grandkids say "You're not the boss of me!" to a sibling or someone else. But have we ever made that statement to ourselves? We can, and we should.

How often do we yield to temptations -- big and small? Instead of eating a few chips, we eat the whole bag; instead of just a piece of chocolate cake, we go in for a second slice; instead of walking away from listening to an obscene joke, we laugh with them all; instead of changing the channel or walking out of a movie when the content is questionable and almost every other word is profane, we just sit there and take it in; instead of eating nutritionally and getting exercise, we talk ourselves out of it. We then justify it all by saying "I just can't help myself!" But, in reality...we can. It's about letting our flesh be in control of us instead of choosing what Holy Spirit knows what is best for us. Flesh vs Spirit.

I enjoy being on the side of God and His Spirit -- trying to conquer things and not let the enemy rule me. In fact, I think the most exciting journey in life is simply saying, "God, I want to change. I want to please You. I want to be more like you."

And the good news -- it's not a process we have to conquer on our own. God's Spirit is our Helper, our Confidant, our Guide, our Comforter and great partner in accomplishing whatever it is we may face. When we think this way, we can break free from those things that have kept us from God's best. Very soon, we'll start to realize that we have some real authority in Christ. When that happens, every time our flesh tempts us, all we have to do is speak Bryson's words to our flesh "You're not the boss of me!"

Galatians 5:16–18 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would."