7 Quick Takes This Week: Finding God in the Everyday

--- 1 ---

From the photos I post on Facebook, most people have come to believe that Pixie is always laying down.  

Remember, she's a former racing greyhound who is now a therapy dog.  She's done her share of running! 

Today, I posted this photo of Pixie as we were taking our morning walk.  

Now, there are believers out there now.

She really does stand and walk or trot.

This makes me think of how blessed we are  by Jesus to have not seen him and yet, we believe.

"Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

John 20:29

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 I joined a charm exchange sponsored by

Jennifer Cameron.

We each send in 11 charms.

Jennifer  puts together packages of 10 charms and sends them to each person who entered the exchange.

The 11th charm is auctioned off with all the proceeds going to benefit

Beads of Courage. 

This the button that was designed for the exchange. 

(Beads of Courage is an organization that helps children with serious illnesses tell their stories with beads.) 

"Jesus said, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Matthew 19: 14 

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Due to a serious illness in the family,

and I would ask for your prayers,

we have been spending a lot of time in the clinic of the hospital.

I have been so touched by the kindness and compassion of those who serve there.

As hurried and busy as everyone is,

from the doctors to the those who clean and sweep,

I have seen and felt their compassion toward those who are ill and their families.

Thank you, Sweet Jesus, Divine Healer, for this gift.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy."

Matthew 5: 7 

--- 4 ---

 Yesterday was the Feast of our Guardian Angels.  I find it AMAZING that God loves us to much that He has given us our own spiritual being to love us, to protect us, and guide us in our ways.

I am anxious to see my guardian angel.  I'm sure he will have gray hair from all the stress that he had to endure protecting me, guarding me, and guiding me.

Thank You, Lord, for this gift of my own angel!

"For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways."
Psalm 91:11 

--- 5 ---

I was very blessed to win a scholarship to an online class that teaches how to make those very special and beautiful beads out of polymer clay.

These are just a couple of the beads that I have made.

Research taught me that

St. Luke is the patron saint of artists, 

and

St. Catherine of Bologna is the patron saint of 

art. 

 I love to invoke the patron saints!
Never forget the
Holy Spirit, though.
He is the inspiration.


Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
    we are the clay, and you are our potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64: 8 

 --- 6 ---

I met a woman of great faith in a thrift store.

She stopped me and we began to talk. 

She told me that her apartment building was being demolished and that she was going to a hotel to live.

She told me that God was on her side and that she wasn't afraid.

She said, "God is there.  It's all in His Hands." 

She said that we all have to be tested.

She told me, "You're being tested right now."

How she knew that I don't know.

She told me how she had been raped by a man, but he didn't kill her, even though he was wanted for murder.

She invoked God as she was being violated.

She told me, "Stay strong.  You're being tested.

I'm being tested again."

In spite of her trials, she was joyful!

I think I met a saint yesterday!

"Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."

James 1:12

--- 7 ---

 October celebrates the
Respect for Life Program
initiated by the
Council of Catholic Bishops

Our culture has forgotten that the gift of life is a
Gift from God
at any stage in a human being's developmen.

October also celebrates the feast day of
Our Lady of the Rosary
on October 7th.

Pray a Rosary daily for peace and the Respect for Life campaign.



"For it was you who formed my inward parts;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
     
Wonderful are your works,
that I know very well.    My 
frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.  

Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
    all the days that were formed for me,
    when none of them as yet existed. "
Psalm 139: 13-16


May Peace and Love be ever yours!
See you next week!


For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Healing and Forgiveness

Forgive and You Shall be Forgiven
Forgive us our trespasses AS WE FORGIVE those who trespass against us

"Seek and you shall find,
Ask and it shall be given to you." Matthew 7:7

Forgiveness is not for wimps.  Forgiveness takes courage and strength.  Forgiveness means letting go of a pain, an injury, or a hurt and allowing God to heal your brokenness. 

Forgiveness begins in the mind.  In order to forgive, we must make a conscious decision to forgive.    We must say, "Lord, God, I forgive."  With this decision, we begin the process of healing.   Each act of forgiveness begins with a decision to let go of the pain, and allow God room to work in our souls so that we might be healed.  The decision to forgive is an open invitation to God to work with us to being us peace and healing.  We still might be angry when we make the decision to forgive, but as we let go of each layer of pain, we begin to feel the love of God growing in our souls and peace becomes a flower bud ready to burst from within.

Healing is a process, and each layer of pain must be peeled away for healing to be complete.  Think of how you healed as a child when you skinned your knee.  The pain was very sharp in the beginning, especially when the injury was exposed to the fresh, clean air.  The nerves are raw because they are not protected.  The pain is sharp and the knee is tender.  Ointments are poured over the wound to help the healing process.  Then as healing takes place, there is less pain and tenderness.  One day we realize that a protective scab has been formed over the wound, but now it is gone and the wound is healed.  There is no more pain. 

The wounds in our souls are the same.  Often, a wound has been nursed for a long time so an infection has grown in the wound.  As with every infection, there is pus in the wound.  That pus (the anger) must be released. This is painful because the wound must be lanced.  (When we make the decision to forgive, we are lancing the wound.)  As the pus drains, we feel relief in the wound.  Then the healing ointment of God's love is applied to the infection.  On our part, we need to ask for these healing graces through prayer and repentance.  The layers must be peeled off from the wound, and raw nerves are exposed to the fresh air.  Sometimes, there are only a few layers to peel off.  Often times, there are many layers to peel.  Eventually, as scabs form and fall off the wound, the pain is gone.  The anger we used to feel does not exist.  This process all began with the decision to forgive.  The graces of God flowed from our minds to our hearts.  Forgiveness manifested itself in the healing of our pain. 

Many times, we think that it will be impossible to forgive a grievous hurt.  We know that we must forgive to heal our souls, but the pain is throbbing.  We must make the decision to forgive, then let God take over.  Once we have made room in our souls for him to work, then we have begun the process of forgiveness.  God, the divine healer, will do the rest. 

Lord Jesus, Son of the Father and Mary, I am sorry because I have not forgiven.  I know that we when we pray the Our Father we ask the Father to forgive us AS WE FORGIVE others.  I am having a difficult time forgiving this injury.  I ask You, Jesus, the Divine Healer, to work in my soul.  I make the decision now to forgive the person who inflicted this grievous hurt on me.  I ask You to forgive them.  I ask You to help me forgive them.  I am weak, Lord, but You are strong.  You are My God, My Lord, and my Savior.  Thank You for Your help.  I want to forgive, and I ask to be forgiven.  Praise You, Heavenly Father.  Praise You, Divine Son.  Praise You, Holy Spirit. 
Amen.