Sunday Wisdom

We celebrated Christmas, the birth of our Lord just a week ago and now we enter into a New Year, with the hope of the Magi.  If we look closely we will find the light of our Savior and if we allow ourselves to enter into the light we just may find more peace and calm. 

When we work together, pray together, love one another and forgive each other, the light of Christ enters us and is dispelled out into the darkness.  One light can make a difference.  One candle can light our way, but the Lord asks us to unite with one another regardless of our race, religion or financial status to bring that light to all.  He wants us to put aside our selfishness and our prideful attitudes to shine just a bit more brightly. 

So join with the Magi and ask the Holy Spirit to keep purifying us as we strive to bring the light of love into our world.  When we all unite as one, our problems seem more manageable and our hearts are lifted because we know we do not have to go it alone.  The Lord is here for all of us and his Mercy is endless.  Be filled this day and this year with hope so that we can fill the world with His glory.

Today is the Feast of the Holy Family and what a great time to give thanks for our own families. Sure we have all had our share of happy and sad times, but I think that is what makes a family holy, the ability to offer love and understanding in good times and in bad.

Even the Holy Family had it’s share of struggles, but they never gave up. They had to deal with Herod’s jealous and murderous rage, the secret flight to Egypt, that could not have been easy, and the resettlement in Nazareth, away from family and friends! But again, they never gave up and they persevered in love.

No family is perfect and all families face hardships, but it is how we handle these things that make the difference. It is how we draw strength from our Heavenly Father that gets us through the tough times. So let us all pray to be more kind and loving this year. Let us practice that selfless love that bears all things, hopes all things and forgives all things.

And on this Feast of the Holy Family, let us pray for all families to be united God’s perfect love and give thanks for one another as we humbly accept the mercy of our Lord and pray for peace this coming year.

Have a Blessed Sunday, I hope you will stop back tomorrow for some more crafting fun!

Yes, it is almost Christmas! We have 4 days left to prepare our hearts, bake those cookies and wrap those present. Hopefully all of your shopping is finished! LOL

Today’s gospel reminds me of the excitement and anticipation Mary and Joseph must have experienced long ago that first Christmas, but it also makes me wonder if there was also nerviness and anxiety. One thing I am sure of and often take solace in, is Mary and her undying love for our Lord. I am often reminded of her obedience, gratitude and acceptance of all gifts, the good and the stressful.

As we wait to enter into the Christmas Season, no doubt this year will be filled with some stress and anxiety, but remember it can also be filled with HOPE! We place our hope in the Lord as we long for peace, justice and security. My prayer for all of you this Christmas Season is that your heart will be filled with HOPE!

I am blessed to have so many of you as my friends, and today, I thank God for each and everyone of you!

Today is the third Sunday of Advent and time to Rejoice! Christmas is almost here. If you are like me, then you love this time of year with all the glorious lights. It is also a time to reflect on God’s unconditional love. Mother Teresa describes it best:

“Whatever brings us true joy, whether the small joys of each day or the greatest joys in life, has its source in God, even if this does not seem immediately obvious. This is because God is a communion of eternal love, he is infinite joy that does not remain closed in on itself, but expands to embrace all whom God loves and who love him. God created us in his image out of love, in order to shower his love upon us and to fill us with his presence and grace.

God wants us to share in his own divine and eternal joy, and he helps us to see that the deepest meaning and value of our lives lie in being accepted, welcomed and loved by him. Whereas we sometimes find it hard to accept others, God offers us an unconditional acceptance which enables us to say: “I am loved; I have a place in the world and in history; I am personally loved by God. If God accepts me and loves me and I am sure of this, then I know clearly and with certainty that it is a good thing that I am alive”. ~Mother Teresa

Today we celebrate the second Sunday in Advent and the gospel reading is about John the Baptist.  Do you know what made John the Baptist truly great?  It was his humility and the way he pointed everyone to Jesus.

Sometimes one of our greatest human struggle is pride. We tend to be overly concerned about what others think of us and we begin to focus only on ourselves.  John the Baptist teaches humility by always focusing his attention on Jesus.

He knew who he was and whose he was, so humility was clearly found in his words and loving actions of placing the Lord first. Perhaps this Advent Season we can strive to be more like John and put others first. When we put others first, we put Christ first. 

“Deliver us, Lord, we pray from evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ”.

I hope you have a blessed week! Until next time,

Stamping Hugs and Blessings,
Renae

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent calls us to seek, to trust, and to rest in the peace, hope, joy, and love that is Jesus.
It challenges us to be watchful and alert! It is important to be watchful for and alert to the people who need encouragement, support, kindness, respect.

Advent is also a season of waiting….waiting in in hope for the many graces of this season.  May your season be filled with the wonder and awe of the Lord’s unconditional love and mercy.

Stamping Hugs and Blessings,
Renae

Today’s gospel is a parable that emphasizes the connection between seeing a need and acting on it. The kingdom of heaven shows up where we least expect it.

This parable is not about what is going to happen in the future, but about opening our eyes to see the presence of Jesus. It is about us seeing the needs of others and responding. If I turn away from my brothers and sisters in need, I am turning away from Jesus. 

Let’s turn to Mother Teresa for her insights on helping others. “Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work. We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.

Lord, help us all to recognize those around us who are in need and to respond with love, compassion and mercy.

God has given each of us a wide variety of gifts and talents and today’s gospel is a clear message that the Lord expects us to use these gifts to serve others and do our part to build up the Kingdom of heaven.

It is not acceptable to waste our gifts by putting them on a shelf, allowing fear to stop us from doing our part within our own communities of faith and beyond. It is not important to have all the gifts and talents, or to compare our gifts to others, but it is important to do our best to use the gifts God has given us.

How will you share your gifts and talents with others this week?  Perhaps we can begin with thanking God for our gifts and finding ways to show a bit more kindness to others.  I know if I am blessed enough to reach heaven, I want to hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” 

Have a blessed day!

The priest who married my husband and I became a very dear friend to us.  Years ago he developed pancreatic cancer and while he was suffering taught us many valuable lessons about living in the present moment.

I remember asking him if he was anxious or worried about dying and he replied, “Not as long as I remain in the present moment.”  He went on to explain that staying focused on the here and now brought him peace, but when he stepped outside the present moment he began to worry about the many friends and family members he would be leaving behind.  Staying in the present moment and be ready for the Lord to move freely is something Fr. Ed lived out daily. 

How is the Lord moving in your life?  Are you opened to being blessed at any given moment?  I know I often allow myself to be too busy and while many times I am busy doing good things, still I am distracted from the present moment and miss opportunities for grace to move freely in my life. 

The past is the past and when we continue to look back, we are no longer able to move forward. However, be careful not to move too far forward. Living in the future only invites fear, worry and anxiety. We must try not to be obsessed with the things we cannot control.  The future is not hear yet so why worry about something that may never happen. Right? Easier said that done!

Fears or worries about the future only causes undue stress and with all that is happening in our world, it is easy to give into fear. So let us seek to live in the present moment, where there is peace, and strive to remain open to the Grace and Mercy the Lord offers us all. Today, I am asking for the intercession of my dear friend Fr. Ed Schramm to bless all who read this message.  Jesus I trust in you.

Have a blessed day,
Renae

Today, as we celebrate and rejoice in the holy memory of our glorious saints of God, let us ask them all for their intercessions.  We also ask our blessed Mother Mary to intercede for us and store our world to health and peace.  

Asking the saints to intercede for us is no different than asking a friend for prayers.  We all have the potential to be saints, perhaps not famous and remembered by everyone, but certainly by those whose lives we have touched. After all if we can ask those still living on this earth to pray for us, how much more powerful would it be to ask those whom have already touched the face of God.

So on this day, let us thank the Lord for our friends and family members, both living and transformed to intercede for us. Let us strive to live holy and meaningful lives to bring about peace on earth.  O holy Saints, our inspiration of hope, pray for us!

“Nothing great is ever achieved without enduring much.” St. Catherine of Siena

Thanks for stopping by, tomorrow…..more crafting and card ideas. Stamping Hugs and Blessings, Renae