Renewal

On the eve of New Year 2015 and already my mind is racing ahead, wondering just how I can be renewed...

What does it mean?   How does one become a newer, better person?

Perhaps the answer lies in our ability to change and to welcome change.

In a way, it is simple because we are always changing.

There may have been a time when we felt able to do many things and almost willing to take on the challenge of changing the world, making it a better place for mankind.

However, reality slowly sinks in and one realises that we change our world by changing ourselves.

So, where does one begin?   

Is God inviting me to become a better person in some special way?

Of course, God works through the natural and if we have the gift of good friends, then that is a good place to start.  What does my friends say to me?  Is there a pattern evolving?

More especially, what is God whispering to me when I'm alone with Him, giving

time to prayer and meditation.

When we read the lives of the saints, we can see how diligent they were in finding out God's Will and following the inspirations of grace with honesty and buckets of good will.

Renewal will happen when I have the good will to follow the inspirations given to me by God. 

Give of my best...

The Christian-minded person is aware of the challenge of being the best that they can be. 

For me, this is often a difficulty when I become aware of how weak and imperfect I am.

How can a person aim at perfection and remain imperfect?

Perhaps the answer is more simple than we realise...

We are called to Love / to follow He who is LOVE.

This is where perfection is found, not in being strong and perfect, but in being a lover of goodness and beauty.

In the creative world we learn to open ourselves to creating beauty.

It might be in a Poem or a Painting or whatever talent a person might have.

Our Creator will inspire us.  We are asked to follow the inspirations we receive.

What a wonderful way to be the best that we can be.

Christmas

It's become a tradition for us to have our main Christmas meal on the eve of Christmas and we invite friends to come a share Christmas with us.

Our meal was splendid and each person contributed in their own way.

Joan decorated the table which is a work of art.  Gay added her creativity with lights.

Veronica and Michaela did us proud with food fit for royalty. 

We gladly ate and enjoyed each other's company.  Nothing special, yet everything was special.

I'm so proud of our community where simplicity is highlighted and each person is special.

Now, the rest of the community prepare for the traditional Christmas walk in Glendalough while I remain at home and nurse my cold.

God's compassionate nature is felt by all of us. No pressure to be more than we are, yet always invited to put love into all we do.

Oh Babe of Bethleham, fill my heart with love for you this silent Christmas night.

PEACE

Peace of mind is such a gift and can be ours if we choose to have it.

Perhaps what is most essential is how to protect and sustain our peaceful state.

What is it that causes us to lose our peace of mind?

The answer is found in our value system. 

If I value what people think of me, more than Truth, then I can so easily lose my peace of mind.

This could well be the price we are asked to pay.

Our Christian values teach us to believe that God is Truth.

When we are convinced of this simple truth, then we will be truthful.

We will be able and willing to put God first.

Our sense of Truth will protect us and we will have peace of mind.

HEALTH

To be in good health is such a bonus.

If we have been unwell for awhile, then the relief that follows brings great peace of mind and gratitude too.

There are so many ways to be in good health and perhaps the one that we might ignore most

is having a healthy mind.

We are created mind / body / spirit.  If our mind is unwell, then so is our body and spirit.

Perhaps an easy way to stay healthy is found in being positive-minded.

Challenges come in different forms and when we work at being positive, then we protect ourselves from becoming unhealthy.

Some say that laughter is a form of medicine. I well believe this.

Keep happy / keep healthy. 

God's Will

I became aware today of the importance of doing God's Will.
An event I had looked forward to was not to be.
I wasn't being asked to suffer much, just a little disappointment and yet it hurt a lot.
When God created each one of us, He had a special plan in mind in making us less perfect,
one could even say flawed.
Perhaps it's this very imperfection that causes us so much pain and also so many opportunities
to grow and develop our spiritual selves.
When we find ourselves weak and discouraged, then we have need to go to Him who comforts us.
God doesn't plan for us to suffer.  We cause our own suffering by the way we handle weakness.
The saints had the right idea, love God's Will then all will be well.

Being Creative...

A visit to the National Art Gallery was a highlight for me last Saturday.
I was attending the showing of eight short plays, each one inspired by a painting from the Gallery.
It made me realise how talented and creative we are as a nation.
The talented playwrights chose their paintings well. One example, the taking of Christ by
Caravaggio was splendidly played out by the actors, giving a modern version of betrayal.
Another, the seamstress was an acting marvel. Beth, played by Tara Maguire conjured up a whole vision of life as it was and can be with Dublin's poor.

.

Each Play, so well written and performed, has renewed my interest in playwriting
Ireland is noted for many things, perhaps not as saints and scholars nowadays, yet why not?
We have a creative wealth within us.  Let's explore and share our talents.

PRECIOUS TIME...

Time is so precious.  We can be with friends / be creative / be of a spiritual mind and value the opportunities that come our way, each day.

Sunday is a good day to become aware of the gift of time itself. 

We are not hampered by duties and work to be done, so we can relax and tune into the inspirations that are part of God's gift to us.

A good way to value time is to search for beauty.  

No matter where we are or who we are, there is a treasure of beauty to be found.

Seek and you will find.  

Let's make good use of the time we have because, as we are told,  we know not the day or the hour.

Precious time...

Power of Weakness

The power of weakness comes into its own when we feel vulnerable and unable to come up with answers or energy to face the future.

We are faced with just how weak we are and we may feel we cannot cope.

This wonderful world of ours teaches us to be strong and able for all challenges that come our way.

Yet, are we?

Do we sometimes find ourselves unable to manage the daily invitations to love and care for others?

Are we afraid of failure?

The power of weakness will teach us to let go and allow God to perform through us.

Weakness is a gift that reminds us of just how much God loves us and is constantly looking out for us and our better interest.

Value weakness and keep the door of Grace open. Let God be our Guide. 

Busy as a bee...

Preparation for the RDS Show takes place today and yet, work has been done for past weeks to prepare food stuffs etc.

Perhaps the best preparation is found in being ready, ourselves, to deal with all that might come our way.

People have needs and so to meet their needs depends on an open mind and generous spirit.

I'm as busy as a bee, yet am I ready to share and care with others?

Everyday we are invited to be a loving person.  What a wonderful way to meet life.

Keep trying...

Often the difference between success and failure is the ability to keep trying at what we are doing. Don't give up.

Perhaps it's in our nature to be impatient.  We want results now!

Real living has more to do with being able to live in the moment and yet continue to try, again and again.

To be creative requires this basic skill; this wonderful gift of believing in ourselves and also a firm belief in the inspirations that come our way.

For the spiritually-minded person, it is essential.  

We believe that God loves us and often have proof of that love, yet there can be times when we are left in the dark, so to speak.

We believe and yet our belief is tested because we don't have visible proof of this amazing love that guides and helps us to become our true self. 

We plod on and hope that our Compassionate Creator is with us and He is.

Proof comes when we are willing to continue to believe and keep trying...  Just keep trying.

Let there be light...

Coming into winter can be a time when we feel a loss of light.  We may have enjoyed going out in the evenings for a walk and watch the sun go down and enjoy the colours of the light on the sea.

A poetic time and yet, even when the winter darkness comes, we have a choice...

Let there be light!  

Let's find the light inside ourselves and those around us.

The inner light that shines out from a person of good will and positivity can be almost blinding.

Perhaps that's why the painters of old, the master painters like Rembrandt, show a light coming from the face of Christ and saintly people.

When a person is loving, they display the light coming from their soul. 

A simple smile can allow another person to view the light within us.

Let there be light!

Keep the Peace...

Peace of Mind is one of the best treasure we could possess.

When we are at peace with ourselves, and others, then all is well.

We have a certain insight into what is true and able to know what is false.

God loves us, just as we are, flaws and all.

If we can learn to love ourselves and others, just as we are, then we are at peace.

Treasure this wonderful gift of peace of mind.

Counting fingers...

While waiting for some time to board a plane, I got chatting to the family next to me. 

Their little girl held up three fingers, 'I'm three.'  

I congratulated her.

' How many are you?' she asked.

I was stuck.  How do you count on your fingers when you are OAP!

Although gently reminded by her father that it can be impolite to ask...  'Why?'

Why indeed.  

It made me realise how innocent and simple a child can be. Ask a question. Get an answer.

We bonded and I enjoyed all the questions she asked her parents and the challenges they had,

sometimes to explain...

'Why does it rain?'   'Why is the plane not coming?'  'What is lightening?' 

Perhaps if we can be as simple as a child and ask God to explain all the things we don't understand,

then answers would come, just like a Father with a child.

TRUST

When we know we can trust someone, then we can relax and feel comfortable in their company.

Perhaps this is the essence of friendship, to be able to trust another person; no doubts or suspicion of any kind.

It occurs to me that this is the way our relationship with God is meant to be, complete trust.

How does one achieve this?

We are fickle and uncertain at times and wonder if God is really listening to us.

Perhaps it ought to be the other way around, are we listening to God?

When we believe that we are loved, and God has proved His love for us more than any other person, then we know we have nothing to fear.

Listen to the Gentle Voice of God and respond with love.

Go Forward...

Life is such a wonderful gift. What a shame it would be, not to make the most of all that comes our way.

Perhaps what can help us most is to always go forward and not to look back.

The future is ours, a gift to be valued and treasured.

The past is gone. If it contains mistakes and failures, let them go.

Always go forward!

Keep trying...

Some days we are like a bright spark.  We jump out of bed, alive with life and ready to face a new wonderful day.
Some days we are not!
To be able to accept ourselves when the 'bright spark' is dimmed, is indeed wisdom.
God has instilled in each one of us the desire and the ability to grow, physically / mentally / spiritually.
The free will to respond to grace lies with us.
'We are the captain of our ship...'
Keep trying...

The Creative Mind

Within each one of us is the ability to be creative in ways that could even surprise us.

I went for a cycle this morning along the sea-front and stopped to watch the youngsters cycling and scooting at the play-centre.  One little chap could not have been more than two, yet he diligently dragged his little scooter up the hill. Surely this would be too much for him, but no.

He sat down on the scooter and with great gusto, rolled down the hill.

I thought he wouldn't be able to manage, yet this little chap had complete confidence that he could!

When we are creative, we allow ourselves to step outside the 'box'.

We learn to explore and become more than we are, even to ourselves.

It could well be that we link up with our Creator and therefore wisdom follows.

Can we be poets / writers / artists?  Only God knows.

Our creative mind will afford us the chance to give it a go!

Be Happy!

In this wonderful world of ours, we can meet with conflict especially in our dealings with other people and their dealings with us.

We can be surprised at things that are said without kindness, coming from those we love and who love us.  At times, we too are thoughtless and unkind.

The conflict is caused by human weakness.  

We see the world from our point of view and our friend is looking at things from their point of view...  not easy to work on reconciliation, yet essential for the sake of friendship. 

The rose is one of the most beautiful flowers that God has created, yet like us, the stem is full of thorns.

Choose to be happy and be quick to forgive.  

Creative Writing...

People sometimes ask me what is Creative Writing?

My general answer is the ability to express ourselves through words, in a creative manner.

There is a child inside each one of us that loves to express itself.

In the Wicklow Library last night, the Wicklow Writers launched their new Anthology of mixed writings.  Each member shared their creative talent through poems and stories and plays.

We feel duly proud of the book and received a wonderful response from friends and the community in general.  

Creative writing is a great way to express the 'inner' us.

Pen to Paper, let the words flow!

Living with Giants

I live in community with people who are interested in loving God and proving that love by the way they live.

They are committed to a positive life-style,  where the goodness of God is both valued and shared.

This is a huge plus for me.  When I am weak, I'm able to draw on their strength.  

Hopefully, I can repay this encouragement when I feel strong in my faith and belief in the goodness of God.

This positive atmosphere which is cherished by all of us, lends to a happy, balanced community.

Yet, still I feel as if I'm living with giants...

I'm constantly surprised by the amount of good will and encouragement that comes my way, just by being in the presence of these positive 'giants'. 

A Spiritual Life.

I was reading a little from 'The Devout Life' by St. Francis de Sales about living a spiritual life.

His encouragement is always easy to read and accept.

If we are discouraged, he says simply do something productive / be active.

We can feel tired or empty, yet it's only feelings.

This could also be a prompting to do something we enjoy doing. Then we become energised again and ready to step forward on the path of faith.

A spiritual life is a journey that leads us to God.

We become aware of being more than a material person. We have a soul that links us to the Divine.

Perhaps we already have a grounding in the spiritual life. Even so, renewal is always needed and advised.

We step forward on an invisible path, guided by our belief in the goodness of God.

Our soul is constantly yearning to be united with the Divine.  This is where our happiness lies.

Let's be open and ready to follow the daily inspirations that come our way.

Our goal is to develop a loving relationship with He who loves us.

CONTROL

To be a person who is in control of their life is something to admire and to aim for.

We might want to be the person who never puts a foot wrong / always says and does the right thing.

However, we are not perfect and to be able to accept our imperfections gracefully is what builds character.

Often we may know the right thing to do, yet our nature or passions won't allow us to obey that inner voice of good sense and reason...

 Why?

The answer lies in our inability to control ourselves and behave as an adult could and would. 

God knows the efforts we make / God knows the nature we have, so it would make good sense to allow God to guide us by listening to the inner voice within.

Take time out / reflect / listen / learn to be in control.

ENERGY

This wonderful world we live in is powered by energy of one kind or another.

Those who study geology and science can explain so much to us and yet we can be overpowered by the amount of knowledge pertaining to the universe.

Perhaps a simple way to understand energy is to study ourselves.

We are made up of both positive and negative energy and we choose all the time which energy we want to tap into and be effected by.

When I tap into the positive energy within, I'm transformed into an energetic and active person.

I become a positive-minded person, able to love and be loved.

If I tap into the negative energy within, then sorry to say, the opposite will happen.

We owe it to ourselves to live in a world full of positive energy and hope. 

The Gift of Life

Whenever we have challenges and perhaps pain, it can be a good time to take time out, reflect and value the gift of life.

We may not be able to always do what we desire / to follow our dreams, or even be honest enough to know what our real dreams are, yet we can always appreciate this wonderful gift of life.

We can look up at the stars at night / the sunshine in the morning time, or even rain.

A moment spent looking at a flower and admiring its beauty and colour and scent...

A walk along the pier and watch the strength of the sea and the splash of the waves... 

Meeting a friend / saying hello / enjoying a cup of tea / having a relaxing moment...

Most of our lives are created around little things / moments of enjoyment that help us to appreciate and value the gift of life.  Treasure it!

Passing on...

Just got word that a good friend's mother has died. May she rest in peace.

I sent my condolences via email, yet realised that there are so few words available to express sympathy.

The loss we feel when someone we love passes on is personal and private.

Each person has their way of grieving and it's so important to grieve and allow our soul to express the loss we feel inside.

This could be a good time to send blessings and pray that those who suffer loss will be supported by grace, and a circle of good friends too.

ENCOURAGEMENT

The word encouragement is what I want to write about and yet, the word discouragement keeps floating about in my head.

There is a dual link to these words, which are only words.  

The reality of how we feel is what leads us towards encouragement, or not.

I 'feel' good, therefore I am good...

I 'feel' bad, therefore I am bad..?

Feelings change as quickly as the weather in Ireland; sometimes, four seasons in one day.

Christ says, 'The Truth will set us free...'

The truth is found in how we want to be.  God focuses on our good-will.

This is the best way to encourage ourselves, and others.

Focus on the good-will we have.  Mistakes will be made. Regrets will come, yet encouragement will follow if and when we are honest about ourselves.

Nobody wants to be discouraged.  We all want to be happy and live a life filled with joy.

The answer lies in our good-will which allows God to step in and help us.

Encouragement comes easily when we know we have a helping hand, always.

HEALTHY LIFE

We have so much encouragement nowadays as regards living a healthy life.  The secret is to avail of the knowledge that comes our way, and what is most important, put it into practise.

I know there are good fats and bad fats etc.  Keeping a good check on my cholesterol  is of the utmost importance too.

So, we have knowledge, yet we also have appetites for tasty morsels of a sugary content...

Perhaps the best solution is to come to a happy compromise with ourselves.

Healthy food is essential to have a healthy mind and body.

Tasty morsels are treats for celebrating special occasions.

If we can be faithful to this, then we will have a healthy life.

Just a caution, however, how we think / our approach to life is of the utmost importance.

When I am positive in my approach to life, then ALL of me works towards keeping me healthy,

mind/body/spirit.

They say, a spiritually-minded person will find it easy to live a healthy life.

Lady's Day

Today, 15th August 2014 is the day we celebrate the Assumption of our Lady into Heaven.
A day when Mary left this earth to join her beloved Son.
Only a mother's heart can understand this blessed re-union of Mother and Son.
what is even more wonderful for us is the reality that Mary is our Mother too.
A little reflection today will help us to realise how powerful a gift this is, to have Mary as a caring
and loving person who wants to guide and help us on our journey through life.
How blessed we are.

Be kind...

Each day brings opportunities to practise our faith, our belief in the goodness of God.
'Love one another, as I have loved you'
Christ's message speaks volumes...
Do I?  Can I love to such an extent?
However I fail / fall short of such love, I can practise kindness.
Be kind...

Making room for God...

Making room for God in our lives is an important step towards living a healthy and happy life,
You could even say that our sanity depends on how much room we afford to our Creator and Lord.
It makes sense that we learn to give time to our belief that God is as a loving Father who cares for each one of us.
The more positive we are towards the truth that God loves us, the happier we become.
We then know that we are never alone.
We have a Powerful Protector who has promised to be with us, always.

Cork Retreat Getaway 2014

Today is preparation and packing day so Michaela and I can set off early on our journey to west Cork.  It's a long journey and please God, a pleasant one.
With my wrist out of action, all of the driving will be in Michaela's good hands.
I look forward to the challenge and the enjoyment of this wonderful Retreat, especially Douce Mountain Farm.
It will be a pleasure to meet up with Gerd and Renata and our fellow retreatants.
My love is with the Creative writing and will also enjoy Positive psychology sessions.
It's always a good thing to be challenged and I pray for the grace to play my part well.
Forward and upward!

PROGRESS

To make progress in what we do / whatever it is we have a passion for, takes patience and above all the ability to focus on what we want to achieve.

When we read the lives of the saints we can see just how focused they were on loving God.

No obstacle was too great; they willingly gave all that they had in the effort to prove their love for God and to respond to His love for them.

For some it meant sacrificing their lives.  This was done with a willing heart.

Most of us may not be asked to die for what we believe in, yet we are asked to give whole-heartedly to the call of grace.

Progress follows when we start again, each day and respond to God's love for us.

HAPPY ME!

Happy am I when I'm happy to be me.
It can happen that we spend a lot of our lives wanting to be someone else.
How silly can that be.
My happiness depends on being just who I am; no pretence / no guilt / no shame.
If simplicity is my gift and I want to be a rocket-scientist, then I'm robbed of happiness.
Whatever gift we have, cherish it and we will be able to say, Happy me!

LOVE WEAKNESS

Today was an especially hard day for me, and yet of my own doing.
There was a lot of things I wanted to do. However, my injured 'write' wrist made it almost impossible to do even the simplest tasks.  I felt useless and discouraged.
Why?
The answer came in a profound way, like an inner voice telling me that God loves me just as I am. What else matters.  The problem lay with me.  I didn't love myself just as I am.
To love weakness is the answer to all difficulties.
Perhaps tomorrow I may not be happy with someone else's weakness or inabilities.
The solution will be the same, love weakness.

POSITIVE SPIRIT

Nowadays a lot is said about being positive and having an optimistic outlook on life.
This is good advise because there is a hidden critic in each one of us that wants to point out all that is wrong in what we do and who we are etc.
Of course we are human and limited in many ways, yet it's our spirit that lifts us up and prompts us to become a better and more loving person.
We always have the choice to choose to be positive and make positive efforts to increase our happiness and self-worth.
What we focus on, we become.
Let's choose to have a positive spirit and make this world a better place for all of us.

BROKEN...

I was in shock...

One moment I was adventurous, climbing over steps into Inishere graveyard.  Without warning, I was struggling to keep my balance;  then the horrible, helpless feeling of falling backwards. 

Powerless to gain my balance, I landed with a thud onto the ground.

I lay there, bruised and in pain, knowing instantly that damage was done.

My vibrant spirit, full of longing to enjoy this lovely island, was crushed.

I was broken...

I wait with hope that time will mend my broken bones and teach me the value of being aware of just how frail we are.

Perhaps in my weakness I will find my strength, with God's help.

FAITH

The importance of Faith can be so under-estimated, especially in this busy world of ours.

For most of us, it is a busy world with so many demands made upon us.

Relationships are essential and also need time to develop as does our work-load, so it's easy to forget about using our Faith.

God has such an interest in us. We have His Love and Guidance just for the asking and yet we can forget to bring God into our lives / our decisions / even our worries and failures.

After all, God know of what we are made...  Our Creator is aware of how flawed we are and often unable to follow through with our best intentions.

When we use our Faith we open our hearts and minds to God's Love and Wisdom.  

Alone, we can become a victim of our own short-comings and lack of wisdom.

By using our Faith and turning our minds and hearts to God we become enlightened.

In a sense we become 'God-like'.

KEEP TRYING!

When we begin something new, we can be sure of many reasons coming to mind to encourage us to give up.  Ignore these silly thoughts and just keep trying.

Whatever it is that we want to do, go ahead and do it.

It may be a simple inspiration to go for a daily walk / swim / cycle, whatever it is, follow through and do it.

Perhaps at times we are inspired toward a more spiritual life.  We have a desire to be a better and more loving person.  Follow through and do it.

Our failures may be more than our successes, yet never mind.  What is most important is that we listen to the inspirations that come to us each day, follow through and with a glad heart DO it.

Make the effort and just keep on trying.  

SURPRISE

To be surprised is almost like a shock.

It's easy for us to be complacent and tied to certain rituals in what we do/ where we go etc.

That's why to be surprised by life can be a wonderful thing.

We wake up to a new day, yet already our daily programs have kicked in and we work to routine.

Then something happens.  It may be good or bad and we can be shocked by what is happening which is not according to our schedule, yet behind it all we are being surprised.

Hopefully most of our surprises will be of a good vein.  If not, we are put in a position where we have to deal with a new situation that we are not prepared for.

In one sense, ALL SURPRISES are good because they cause us to examine our lives and learn to open our minds and our hearts to what is new.

The saints tell us that God is behind all that happens to us.  Sometimes we are being pleasantly surprised, like a Father spoiling His child.

At other times, God is like a Teacher, guiding us to become a better and wiser person.

Let's welcome surprises.

The Value of Time

When we are scheduled to go somewhere at a specific time, then we can organise ourselves and be sure to be there on time.

Preparation is the key!

Find out what we need to bring with us, then give time to pack and be on our way in good time.

Today is a simple example, I have planned to meet someone and the journey will be by train.

Of course, the train will not wait for me if I am late.

Therefore, I am ready to go!

This can be a good example of life, where we are busy and taken up with so many things.

Yet, we are on a journey and when the 'call' comes, we must be ready to go.

What we bring with us and what state of mind we are in will depend on our preparations in life.

What a wonderful thing it will be to be ready to go and face God when our time comes.

GO with the FLOW

Our lives are constantly changing in so many ways that it can be hard to keep up with everything.

We get older and sometimes not so wiser.

Our bodies change. For some illness; for others, they might bemoan the loss of good looks etc.

Even our minds can age and it becomes difficult to be interested in learning new things.

So what can we do?

If we are wise enough 'to with the flow' and accept change as it happens.

Our belief in God teaches us to trust that God's Hand is behind all that happens to us.

Therefore, we can relax like a child and allow our Father to guide us and change us.

 To the positive mind, everything can be a lesson and way of learning how to love more.

Simply, go with the flow!

A Grateful Heart

It occurs to me that Gratitude is powerful; such a gift, and it is a gift.

We choose to be grateful and yet we need a helping hand to put gratitude first and foremost in our lives.

Perhaps what helps us most is a positive atmosphere.

When we are surrounded by positive-minded people, then it's becomes easy to see how much we receive and how grateful we can and ought to be.

Sometimes pain and weakness can be a hidden blessing, helping us to develop and grow and we discover how much we are protected by God's love for us.

Of course, just knowing that God loves us is enough to help us reach out and have a grateful heart.

Give God a chance!

 No matter how we feel, it is our choices that determine who we are and how we are.

It's so easy to be fooled by how we feel.  We may be on top of the world with excitement and be deflated two minutes later.  This is not reality, just feelings.

We could be sick / upset / discouraged / excited etc.  

All these emotions can cause us to behave in strange ways. 

The truth of who we are and how we are will depend on why we feel the way we do.

It's simple really.  We are just human and even the weather can have an effect on how we feel.

Prayer is a good way to deal with awkwardness.  Be guided by Truth and allow God to have  imput in our lives.  He's always interested in our happiness, more so even than we are.

Give God a chance!

Being Creative!

We all have the gift and ability to be creative.

We can add a personal imprint to what we do and what we believe in.

This unique quality that is inherent in each one of us cannot be denied. 

We may lose sight of our ability to be a creative person, yet even this denial cannot change the truth of this wonderful gift that lies in the heart of each one of us.

That's why it's so important to reach up to the unknown, as yet, and let this great gift of creativity come to life.

The Gospel tells us not to hide our Light...

Each soul is a light that can light up the world and dispel the darkness.

Let your light shine.  Be creative! 

STATE OF WEAKNESS

I woke up this morning with a head-cold.  Not a great start for all my many plans to catch up on work and creative projects etc.

Resting helped me in feeling better and more rest and relaxation helped with sanity and peace of mind.

Strange really, how a state of weakness can cause us to feel unbalanced and yet perhaps, it's only when we are able to face weakness that we become normal.

The gift of life is precious and all of us have limited time to make the most of our lives.

Good to remember that quality is superior to quantity.

Sometimes we almost run away with ourselves with all the ideas and things we want to do.

Yet, relax and reflect, even for a short time and sanity will be returned with interest.

A state of weakness will help us to re-evaluate our lives and become aware of what is most important in life,

simply enjoy ourselves.

LOVE

Life can be a busy place for most of us. 

There is so much to do and so much we want to do that time keeps running out.

Yet, this could be a fallacy on our part because life is given as a gift, an opportunity to grow in love.

When this is our main purpose in life then we are centered on what is most important, LOVE.

For the Christian-minded person, Love represents the Presence of God in our lives.

When we are focused on loving, we are focused on God.

We have the Power and Support of God in our lives.

There is no need to look at our short-comings.
We are free to become aware of God's Loving Presence in our lives and so develop into a loving, caring person.

Love is the answer to ALL!

RENEWAL

This week, Holy Week, is a good time for renewal.  

Many changes happen in our lives and it's good to be prepared to face the challenges whatever they might be.

As a child we are anxious to learn, to know, to do.  The world is an adventure, inviting us to reach out and become a part of all that surrounds us.

As we become older and perhaps a little wiser, we begin to learn a different way of life.

We are invited to go inward and renew ourselves in a more spiritual way.

The Passion of Christ is a time for looking at ourselves in relation to Love.  Here we have the Life of Christ, our Saviour, willing to give ALL that He is for us.

This kind of love is almost beyond our understanding. To love that much, knowing that we cannot and perhaps will not respond to God's love for us, teaches us what love is all about.

St. Therese put it in a very simple way...

     'To receive so much and to give so little is the martyrdom to which I succumb.'

She understood how much God loved her and did her best to respond to that Love.

We are invited to do the same and renew our lives, according to the Standard of Love.

TIME WELL SPENT

We know the value of time and often find ourselves trying to 'make' time for urgent jobs etc.

It's as if the hours slip away and we are nowhere near our projects end.

Perhaps it doesn't matter. 

The main interest in relation to time is knowing that we are putting love into who we are and what we do etc.

Sometimes playing a game of cards with a friend can mean more than working on a project that seems so important to us. 

The saints would remind us that what we do is meant to please God.

Time well spent is where God is present, guiding us in all we hope to do.

SUNSHINE and SHOWERS

Seems strange when one is in Gran Canary where sunshine can be taken for granted, to mention showers.

Yet there is an analogy attached to linking sunshine and showers.

Sunshine we love / Shower we may not love.

As in life, we love all the good things that spoil us and make us feel special.

Then a little pain of sorts comes our way and we may feel our world has crumbled to pieces.

Its great to be happy, yet also good to have things happen that make us sad.

This way we learn to balance our lives and our acceptance of life in general.

We become a more rounded person, able and also willing to carry our daily cross; small or big.

With Christian thinking we learn to see that the Cross is a sign of Hope.