Sunday Wisdom

Jesus calls us to be united in our differences, to give hope to the world and offer peace to all we meet.

Peace is the treasure of treasures, the Pearl of Great Price, which Jesus purchased for all of us by dying on the cross. And just like Simon, Andrew, James and John, Jesus us is calling us to follow him in faith and in hope and to bring hope to those in need.

It won’t be easy and certainly there will be struggles and as the storms of life rage on, in the midst of it all, let us remember to thank God when things do not go our way because spiritual blessings are often wrapped in trials.

Let us trust and be confident as we continually strive to live in hope and be a beacon of peace for others.

Who is Jesus for you? 

What are you looking for?

What’s the goal of your life? 

Jesus invites each of us to “come and see” for ourselves that his word is true and everlasting.

“Come and see” is God’s invitation to grow closer to the one who created us. The one who loves us, regardless of how far we stray. and without his grace, mercy, and help we could not find him.

So allow yourself to be loved, to be accepted, to know that you are an important piece in the puzzle of life. Let us all grow in the knowledge of His love and truth and may the Holy Spirit set our hearts on fire to be Christ to all we meet.  For we are all His and we are all loved!

“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” ~Mark 1:7-11

Even Jesus needed to hear words of affirmation from his father. These were not empty words, they were loving and encouraging words that Jesus was giving glory to his father through his ministry. Regardless of our ministry, we all need to hear loving and kind words of encouragement . They keep us going, right?

I am not talking about empty compliments, but real and genuine words of affirmation. This is not always easy because we are busy people and sometimes the busy parts of our lives keep us from seeing opportunities to bless those in our presence. But here is some Good news. Our Heavenly Father is never too busy for us and we can stay connected to Him through daily prayer. We don’t even have to be particularly good at it, we just have to do it!

I know there are people in our lives who need encouragement. So let’s notice those around us and tell them how much they are appreciated! It might be the daily meal that is prepared for us, or a single random act of kindness, it could be someone’s generous spirit, or it could be that someone in our life just needs to know they are loved.

Every time we shine a light on the people of God’s kingdom, God blesses us with his loving grace and fills us up. So let God tell you that he loves you today and then go out and do the same thing for others.

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.