THE COST!

In the prayer by St. Francis, 'to toil and not to seek for rest...' we are encouraged not to count the cost.

Everything we do will cost us something. This is a good thing as often we need to put value on what we do. The best way to do that is to pay a price for what we are receiving.

Some time ago I bought a pair of runners at the princely cost of €5 (sale price). They are so comfortable. Yet, there is a thought inside of me which says they are perhaps bad for my feet, because they cost so little.

If I had paid more, I would value them more. Such is human reasoning...

Then we look at the life of Christ and the awful price He paid for our redemption. That He values us so much, He was and is willing to suffer for you and me.

Christ paid the ultimate price. Was the cost too much?

What am I willing to pay? Is there a price tag on my happiness?

SURRENDER TO LOVE

The whole idea of surrendering ourselves is not one that would appeal to the average person.

We are created to develop and expand ourselves, to use the God-given gifts we have and to become the best that we can be.

So, it might seem a contradiction to consider the idea of handing ourselves over to another.

Will we become less? Are we denying ourselves ? Moving away from our true identity?

The answer is a simple one.

When we surrender to love, we become more than we could ever imagine ourselves to be.

We are given the identity of He who is Love. We become free, unhindered by fears and desires that can hold us back.

The person who surrenders to love becomes LOVE!

LISTEN TO YOUR HEART!

It can be easy to listen to what comes into our minds; ideas / opinions / desires / judgements etc. We realise we are an individual person, unique in many ways.

When it comes to listening to our hearts, this may not be so easy.

The heart encourages us to love / to care / to share, and definitely not to judge others in any way.

A person who listens to their heart will be open to the needs of others. And, open to their own special needs. Such a person will be truly individual / truly themselves.

Of course, most of us are a mixture of both.

We long to love / we need to love, yet may fluctuate between our head and our heart.

It comes down to the choices we make, to be a positive-minded person, able and willing to put love first, and listen to our hearts.

WORK WELL!

Today was an interesting day for me as regards work.

I had allocated a certain amount of time to paint, wall painting. Mundane, and one could say not very creative.

I was wrong.

Perhaps all work is of a creative nature, depending on the disposition of the worker.

I set up to do a good job; applied masking tape to ensure the paint went where it should and not on the floor and ceiling.

My goal was to work as fast as I could, then I would be free to get on with my creative life.

Almost too late, I realised there was no way I could 'hurry' the job.

What seemed a small area, grew larger as my hand became tired and my limbs ached.

After two hours, even super-food would not be enough to keep me going. A rest was needed.

And, as I sat and enjoyed a cuppa, it dawned on me that my approach to the job was incorrect.

Manual work is another form of creative work. How we apply ourselves will determine how much enjoyment we receive.

The creative person is able to find fun in all they do.

So, tomorrow, when I pick up my painting 'tools' I will allow the 'artist within' to work on the job, and enjoy it.

IN GOOD COMPANY!

Our peace of mind depends on the company we keep.

Good friends encourage us to see God's loving Hand in all that happens to us. They are positive-minded people who face us with the truth of how much God truly loves us.

Then, there are others who act as friends, yet fail to see the Hand of God when difficulties come.

If we truly value our peace of mind, then do not label these people as friends.

A friend is one who cares for your spiritual well-being.

And, if we are to be friends with others, then we too must value the best in others and be a source of encouragement at all times.

Sometimes, the good company we seek is not to be found in ourselves. We all have a tendency to negativity, so be careful. Our own mind can be our enemy.

Look for a good friend who will blast us with positive thoughts and aspirations, then peace will return and all will be well.

Be in good company at all times!

COURAGE

Courage is found in our ability to face our weaknesses.

We all have weaknesses, of one kind or another. Some we know and hopefully work at to make ourselves a better person.

Yet, there are weaknesses that we are unaware of.

It's possible we have an inkling of flaws in our personalities and relationships, yet a lot of the time we don't want to know. We are content to live within our comfort zone and do not want to be disturbed.

Disturbed we will be, as long as God loves us. These daily/weekly inconveniences are simply invitations for us to develop into a better, more loving person.

This is where COURAGE comes in. We can moan and complain, OR we can thank God and face the challenge of the moment, trusting that God is with us.

Courage is another word for Faith in the goodness of God.