He AND They Get Sweeter as the Days Go By

An old gospel song went like this: "He gets sweeter as the days go by; He gets sweeter as the moments fly; His love is richer, deeper, fuller, sweeter. Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by." Seriously, the older I get and the closer I've become with my Lord, the sweeter and more peaceful is my journey. I'm consistently drawn to His Light. I'll be honest with you -- I'm so happy that the dark side of October 31st is over. Bring on the bright Light of Christ! Talking, walking and living in the Light is my number one priority. The more familiar I've become with THE LIGHT, the more I shun darkness of any kind!

Yesterday, November 1st (BTW – Happy November!!) was All Saints Day when we focused on saints. This tradition began in AD 609 and encourages us to remember and emulate our heroes of faith. So many devoted their lives to God and were Light-bearers of Christ. Many were martyred for their faith.

Today, November 2nd, is All Souls’ Day. Both of these days touch me so much -- two beautiful days of celebration. Those of us who have a relationship with Jesus Christ, look at death as leaving our “temporary” home on earth to go to our home sweet, eternal home in heaven. There are many who consider death an unpleasant topic and don’t even want to discuss the subject. But, my sweet mother-in-law gets it because she keeps saying "I want to go home!" She knows the joys that await her.

Here’s the positive way of looking at death. This earth has been our internship for heaven. It's the "holding room" for the ride of our life. You and I, and everyone we love will eventually die so then death had better be our friend and not our enemy. All Saints Day and All Souls Day offer us a wonderful, consoling and beautiful way of looking at death. On All Saints Day, we celebrate the glory of the saints in heaven. The Church teaches that everyone in heaven is a saint. There are many men and women, who are canonized (official) saints, and a special day is assigned to them. On All Saints Day, we celebrate everyone in heaven. Think of our loved ones who have died and gone to heaven. This is a chance for us to be happy for, and with them. They have no pain, no frustration, and all they know is absolute, complete peace and happiness because they are in the presence of God. We rejoice with them!

On All Souls Day, we acknowledge our loved ones who died and we embrace our memories with them and the great hope of meeting up with them in heaven. On this day, I purposely recall my precious grandmother who introduced me to my future husband, my firey-preacher grandfather, my angel mom, and wonderful dad, my beloved husband and so many others who influenced and impacted my life. On this day I get to admit that I miss them and I’m not even ashamed to shed a few tears for them. After all, Jesus wept over the death of His friend, Lazarus. I don’t shed tears because I lack faith or because my faith is weak. I shed tears because I miss them. It's okay. It's just temporary for me because I carry on with the joy of seeing them one day soon! I continue to let Jesus make sense of it all for me! How about you?

Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are

Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are
I sent that message to my best friend yesterday. She has a busy life and so do I, but we do our best to stay connected. I forgot they were away in a remote location without cell, so no wonder I was saying "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Those words are actually from one of my earliest memories, playing “Hide and Seek”. Now, my fondest memories are playing it with children and grandchildren.

My memory of playing the game was the nervousness that would build as the “it” person started counting. I’d run looking for the spot that would conceal me perfectly. Sometimes I’d peek around the corner to see if the “it” person was anywhere near and, oh, that feeling when the “it” person was only a few feet away. My heart would beat faster. Every-so-often I’d get fortunate. They’d keep going, and I’d breathe a quiet sigh of relief. As I stood or crouched there, I would listen for the words I longed to hear -- the words I knew meant the game was over. “Come out! Come out! Wherever you are!” When I heard that phrase I knew my hiding place had been successful!

Our Hide and Seek games don't always stay in our childhood or always stay so fun and innocent. I remember David and how often he was hiding from his enemies. When he wrote Psalm 31, things weren't going well for him. He was tired, weak, and hurting. His enemies were chasing him, and his friends had let him down. His life was at risk but he was not defenseless. He knew that God was the best source of safety and that a right relationship with Him was the wisest defense strategy. That’s where he found his security. Just as a small child finds hope in calling out for his older brother when threatened by a bully, David called on the name of the Lord. Because he was living in fellowship with Him, he hid in the security of the One who had helped him so many times before.

I remember the one thing that could ruin a good game of Hide and Seek. It was the cheater who peeked while they counted. They always knew where everyone was hiding and was quick to find them. Well, that’s the enemy of our souls who cheats and wants to destroy us. It is the cheater who makes us go into hiding when things don't go our way and life gets difficult But where we hide can make all the difference. Often, we hide by becoming reclusive – staying away from fellowship and friendship with others. We may hide in regret for mistakes we’ve made. But today, it's time to stop playing those games and "Come out. Come out. Wherever you are."

The cheater-enemy has been caught so we don’t have to stay in hiding places any longer. The Psalmist said, “You are my hiding place." (Psalm 32:7) "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High (Psalm 91:1) -- NOT he who dwells in the closet of negativity and doubt, but in the shelter of the Most High where we abide under the shelter of the Almighty and we find our strength and hope in Him. David knew where his hiding place was. Are we as quick to seek that same security? God was a sure hiding place for David, and He is also the One we hide in and cling to for our protection. Safety is not found in the absence of danger but in the presence of God.

Laying Up Treasures in Heaven

Yesterday, we attended my grandson's "matriculation" ceremony.
I asked, “What does matriculation mean?” Maybe you’d like to know the answer, too! Matriculation is the admission to a group, particularly a school. After some IQ-testing, my grandson passed the exams and was admitted (matriculated) to Regents School of Austin, and yesterday, his dad, mom and I attended the matriculation (orientation) ceremony. At that ceremony for middle school: 7th and 8th graders, I saw things around the gymnasium that gave me the Nana-kind-of-warm-fuzzy-feelings. It started with this scripture boldly displayed on the wall: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23)

Then I saw the Latin words, “Coram Deo”, also boldly displayed and I, not being the sharpest tool in the “Latin” toolbox, had to look it up. The phrase, “Coram Deo” means: “in the presence of God" which means living in the presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory of God.” Indeed, I sensed that true Presence when we heard the Head of the School of Logic's (that’s the “middle school”) address to us. His message impressed upon us how important it is to get our priorities right.

He read from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:19-21” “Do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth where moths and rust can destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But keep on storing up treasures for yourselves in heaven, because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

He gave a compelling address to start this school year out with "first things first" in terms of putting our greatest attention on the greatest ONE! He said: “I am trying to impress upon us to make sure we’re treasuring the right thing and that we are setting our affections in the right direction. This year we’re encouraging each other to train our affections and to re-orient our mindsets. What does “orient mean”? “Orient” has to do with direction. “Orient” comes from “oriental” – the East. To “orient ourselves” is to turn in the direction of the East. The sun comes up in the East. Christ is referred to as the “orient” the East, the light of the world. We have the opportunity to help each other to correctly “orient” our lives, our affections and, most importantly, to store up our treasures (our minds, will and emotions) toward Jesus. He is the right direction. How often is our cell phone and what’s on its screen “our treasure”? When Jesus said to Martha "Mary has chosen the right thing", it was because she was facing Jesus and directing her attention to Him. If our treasure is Jesus, then our heart is with Him and our attention is on Him.

I must tell you, I went to that “matriculation”/orientation ceremony and found out what matriculation meant and to be that Nana in the audience who was oohing, aahing and taking photos of her handsome grandson in his tie (required for chapel every Monday), white shirt and khaki slacks. Perhaps I was laying up some treasures on earth, but before I left that ceremony, I got the message that was meant for all of us. To purposefully make my mission laying up treasures in heaven and to face in the right direction – the direction of Jesus where I am more like Mary – doing the right thing instead of my usual hanging out with Martha where busyness and striving is my way-of-life, way too often!

He Calls You To Be Faithful

Day 173 of Photo Inspirations -- God Called Us to Be Faithful
I just returned home from an amazing ACTS Retreat in Luther, OK.  No words can describe the undeniable presence of God that we experienced in all the intricacies of the retreat.  We just knew God's love, peace, and joy was all in each of us as "sisters" and in the one man that was there with us. Father Jack Gleason.  Words he spoke to us are still with me.

He shared, that has a young priest in Rome, he sensed God's desire was for him was the go to a small convent each day to celebrate mass for the nuns there.    Saying "yes" meant certain daily sacrifices. He was taken back when he heard that their masses were at 5:30 am in the morning.  In addition, he didn't have a car and it was a 45-minute walk to get there.  Morning after morning, he took that journey across Rome.  Did he ever wish that he hadn't made such a commitment?  Yes, he did.  But he faithfully continued on day after day.

Then, one day, he showed up at the convent, and there were many cars there.  He didn't know what that meant.  He went in and asked "What's going on?"  They said, "Oh, you didn't hear?  Mother Teresa is with us today."  She was there to serve her fellow sisters and to speak encouragement to them.  In Father Jack's brief conversation with her, she looked at him and said, "God doesn't call you to be successful.  He calls you to be faithful."

Those were words that affirmed Father Jack's commitment to these precious women of God who find ways to be faithful to their calling and to their God every single day.  Success to them is being faithful.   When Father Jack offered himself to serving, goodness was yielded and an exceptional gift was given to him.  We all should keep in mind this marvel.  Some folks think that faithfulness means being the next Mother Teresa in order to do anything for God.  But, they miss the simple openings of the heart that could be just what God is asking from them.  

The enormity of this unassuming nun from India was in her deeds. Everybody respected her persevering work in the restoration of poor people. Mother Teresa had tremendous affection and empathy for all living creatures. She was a lady of character that committed her life to help others.

Father Jack's faithfulness to his "call", opened the door for him to meet a living saint.  Hearing his story, made me very aware of the nudges I've received and let them go because of time restraints or busyness or attitude or "it's just too difficult".  On the other hand, I think about those times when I did say "YES", that I reaped incredible rewards that came as surprises or applause from heaven.  I can only imagine that God has a truckload of blessings ready to be dumped on our lives -- if but only we are FAITHFUL to His still small voice that says "Call that homebound friend; take a meal to a neighbor; take someone to a doctor appointment; volunteer at the Food Bank; start a Bible Study; pray; give out of your abundance."  God doesn't call us to be successful; He calls us to be faithful!