The Storms of Life

Jun 12 In touch daily devotion- in storms!

 

 
Psalm 119:71

Perhaps you’ve seen a TV show in which a distracted person is about to step in front of a moving vehicle. Then suddenly another character races onto the scene, tackling him to prevent a catastrophe. Stunned and indignant, the near-victim fumes and swats at his rescuer—that is, until realizing he has just been saved from a far worse outcome. What at first seemed like a bad thing turns out to be very good.
Storms in our life can at times serve a similar purpose. It’s easy to get so caught up in the daily grind or preoccupied with chasing a goal that we miss the good that the Lord has in mind to give us. When we’re this focused on our own desires, we also become more vulnerable to making choices that don’t align with His Word. (His Will! ) 
But wanting the best for His children, our heavenly Father will go to great lengths to make sure we are positioned for His blessing in our life. That’s when we may suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a storm—where life was once sunny, we are now faced with turmoil or even pain. Disappointment like that can catch us off guard and make us wonder, Why is God letting this happen to me? It just may be that He’s trying to protect us and draw us closer to Him.
Though the Lord sometimes allows storms in the form of problems and hardships, His goal isn’t ever to hurt you. If you’re going through a trial right now, God may be trying to draw your attention back to Him. It’s just possible He’s disrupting your  plans so He can implement His.

 

God’s Way, His Will..

Is the only thing worth doing
Is always the best thing

Is the only thing that works anyway

Is meek and gentle 

Is easy, and light 

And will bring rest to our souls. 

Love Vs Fear, Where is our Heart?

Two of the most basic human emotions are love and fear. In the way we respond to the people and situations in our life, we always have two choices: we can respond from a place of fear, or we can respond from a place of love.

And how often do we make decisions in life, based on fear? Fear that we’re not doing enough, fear of what others will think of us, fear of what we might miss out on, if we choose differently.

It’s the fears that hold us back, and so often we don’t even realize it. I have seen this play out so clearly in my own life. Here is a practical example:

–I’ve had a particularly long day with the kids, when my husband calls and tells me he’ll be late coming home today. In that moment, do I remain calm and patient with him, (it’s not his fault he can’t come home sooner), or instead does my fear of not getting a break soon anymore and the thought of having to deal with everything myself take over, and cause me to respond to him in a negative, rude or even critical manner?–

Very often, we respond to life and to others out of our own stresses, worries and anxieties, and when our thoughts are on ourselves in this way, we are much less likely to be kind in our interactions. So often we can snap in impatience and anger, all because we’re responding out of fear. But we always have the ability to choose how we respond to life, to others. We always have the choice to love.

Fear is the opposite of love, it leads us to focus on ourselves, our needs, our wants, to be cowered inward, and as a result it works to keep others out. But, perfect love casts out all fear.

Fear does not have to have the last word, we always have another choice. When I discovered how much truth there was to this it was eye opening. Now when my fears and worries threaten my peace, or my relationship with others, I’m learning to look for the path of love instead.

 

So I have a challenge for you: Think about the last misunderstanding you had with someone, did you respond out of love or fear? Take a moment and analyze the situation. What triggered your response? Should you react differently in the future?

I encourage you to start asking yourself regularly, especially with interactions with  others, am I responding to this person emotionally from a place of fear, or from a place of love?

Love, or fear. Only one can win. Choose love.

 

Hello Lent

This has been a Lent with a whole new element of penance, as I’ve never been in the last month of pregnancy during Lent before, and expecting a baby before Easter.

A few days in and I can clearly see, this year that perhaps the main sacrifice God really wants from me right now, is for me to willingly accept my suffering in whatever form it comes w this pregnancy, and later with labor and delivery. … ( I can’t offer what I don’t have, hence the acceptance part) . The time has come, instead of feeling sorry for myself, to humble myself and willingly offer this holy work to the Lord , ‘this too for love of You! ‘

As for the rest of my Lent, I had made a plan, but then a few days before Lent started, God decided to take over:

So I was praying the 3rd luminous rosary mystery, and this line really stood out: ‘The time has come, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent, and believe in the good news!’ Then I felt God saying: ‘this lent, the time is now. Turn away from all your wayward tendencies, these things that just don’t fill you, walk w Me instead, more and more, for as you journey closer w me these 40 days, I will strip you of these last few obstacles still holding you back and drawing you away. Come Easter, you will be new child, believe, My light is coming, quickly! Let go of your own plans, that I might plan your lent instead.’

Well, now He had my attention.

I already knew some of this, but I love how God just simplified everything, it doesn’t feel like a burden making sure I’m remembering what I need to be doing lol!

Sweets. The time has come. You will be strengthened like never before this lent, and Sundays will be a little taste of heaven.

Screens. That’s the other great distraction you are drawn to. The Facebook thing, as before. All social media. Let go of that pull, the world is not for you. PUT THE PHONE DOWN!

Charity- respect, gentleness, softer tones. PATIENCE. SERVE OTHERS ahead of yourself. Humble- before your family, and before Me.

Choose silence, this lent you are to grow greatly in silence. And Let go of control and choose My way and watch, watch what we can do together! You do not need anything extra to read, except the respect book, for that is a powerful tool. If I need you to read something I Myself will put it on your heart.

And write. Child I want you to continue to channel grace through that blog, as much as you can. Make this your prayer.

The fast I choose, is to free you. Free from sweets, and speaking. Learn to listen. Free from the pull of screens. And free from the doing, of ANYTHING that is outside of My will for you at that moment. Humbly choose My way.

And Fridays? Not what I want Lord, what do You want?

Fridays, your primary sacrifice, is to be tears. Return each Friday w fasting and mourning, over souls. I require no great penance, your heart is already there, all I ask for your Friday is that your heart would be completely united w Mine, in reparation for sinners. For souls. Allow yourself to cry, first over all of your own sins, over those of your household, and others…. then, cry over the sorrows, injustices, deceptions and lies, over the ugliness of sin, and over the world you live in, the world that I made. Cry, for souls, cry out for My mercy for them! I will surely hear and honour the gift of your heart!

So this has become my Lent this year, less sweets and screens, plus more silence, extra charity to my family, and extra humility… Especially when it comes to my suffering.

A few Lent Links:

Even if you do nothing else for Lent: http://dynamiccatholic.com/bestlentever/

http://catholicism.org/suggested-lenten-penances.html

http://www.christiethomaswriter.com/kids-ideas-blog/40-lent-ideas-kids/

http://callherhappy.com/40-lenten-activities-for-kids/

past lents:

2014

2013

2012

Dec 19/ Gold Nuggets, and what’s Really Important

Dec 17, 18,19

 

As parents we’re mining Gold Nuggets

Parenting pt 1- gold nuggets.   I’m living on a gold mine!!

These beautiful young boys and men… I have the greatest treasures ever, right under this roof!!

 

Sorry for:

angry voice <- control <- my plans…

At least I am getting to the root of these struggles…

 

 

Find the Way – Radio

God sent his Son at the very best time- roman law security, have 1 child and abort rest, an age of comfort but also when people were bored w the entertainment and unsatisfied w their life…

He calls us to rest in his Presence, rest in His peace… yet it’s hard to rest when we feel no peace… when instead there is crisis going on…

If the saviour already took care of your greatest need, can he not meet the rest???

The reality here is, everyone is waiting for something…  But in that place of waiting, of Wanting, so often we can miss the now because we’re too busy hoping for something different…

Cancer- waiting for the all clear, in such situations, God whispers:
***I’m there w you, you don’t need to be in a different place, you don’t have to change right now, because I am right w you right now… **

Our hope is in something more– that’s how we have peace!

Woman, her husband dying, in his final hours… – she said, ‘I don’t want to miss these moments’. 🙂 That’s faith, that’s peace w the now!!!

‘I try to practice this peace… whatever it is that’s going on, I try to say: ***Lord; You’ve got this!***’

 

 

Honest struggles that have been wearing me down:
I’m so tired, and sore…

I can’t clean my house,

Christmas is in a week,

I’m not getting the help I thought I could get, I have got some yes, but it’s just not enough 😦 ( to do the things I want, clutter etc that’s making me crazy)

The fact that the two of them are basically at an impasse and I can’t see how they can possibly come together again. I’m watching my family break apart.

And The worst thing is being so tired I can hardly function!
Lord, it hurts, it hurts so much…all the burdens are piling up and I just don’t know how I’m supposed to get through this week!

 

 

Dec 19

fresh Vision:

‘Remember, I want you to put your kids first, ahead of your own needs and wants… – try to work WITH them!’

And going to God!    don’t try to do today well ON YOUR OWN!

Focus on His Presence AS WELL AS just the next step ( and not my own needs) WITH kids!

and let Him work out our day etc AND be willing to let go if it’s not working as needed!

 

 

Significant moments from my dreams:

Time came to step into, something big- I felt hopelessly unready- ‘Jesus, You’ve got to help me! Jesus You’ve got to give me the strength to do/be what You need me to be!

A calling, a guest, a message- Jesus…
And these words of advice spoken right to me:

***You can destroy right now by knocking out little tasks, but you shatter the peace of the moment, and you miss the better things I have for you..***
****Forget about YOUR WILL! I want you to do MINE instead!! ******

You get your focus back on Me where it belongs. Forget about the house, let it go…

 

 

Clarity:

Of course… it makes sense things are suddenly so chaotic this close to Christmas!!!

‘The enemy will do anything to try to distract you from celebrating My birth and incarnation this weekend, this Christmas.. he will try to twist the circumstances that I give you (tired etc)’
Wherever you are, wage peace: ***Lord; You’ve got this!***
Just because you want to do it- or even feel you need to- doesn’t mean God wants you to— if God wants you to do something, He will move, it will just HAPPEN!!!

And it will happen in HIS TIMING! If it doesn’t happen RIGHT NOW, it’s NOT most IMPORTANT right now.

 

What is not important right now:

-The house

-The clutter

-Christmas photos and cards

-Reading my devotionals? Esp catching up!

-Finishing Mary stuff, even can wait till new year..

-The kids behaviour

-Worrying or focusing any more than prayers upon these concerns, weighing heavy on my heart

 

 

So what is?
-Christ and the real Christmas

-Our advent reading

-Things the kids want to do

-The Shepherds (advetnureing)

-Cling to your good habits: prayers, bible, quiet-1-1, offering, rosary, hour mercy, EXAMEN, laundry, dishes and food,
Helping those I can

-Friends, and family

 

 

Veggie tales Wisdom

‘I’m giving up! I didn’t think it would be so hard!’  (don’t give up!)

‘God blessed Patrick as he blessed the people he served’    When we’re doing something God wants us to do, we know He cares about whether we finish, so He will help us!

 

 

 

Commands of Love

Commands of Love

Dec 12 2016

From our Advent reading in the Greatest Gift:

God wrote His love right into the rock, ten times He wrote out how He would love you, speaking it to His people, like a man might speak to his bride at their wedding.

And this, this is what I hear him saying to me, to everyone:

God’s 10 love rules    ( breaking these breaks the relationship)

1. Here, I take you to be Mine, I am your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery: you will be the one I love more than anything, so have no other God’s before me, because I love you!
2. Speak my Name w love, as I speak yours. 
3. Keep the Sabbath- make time for me, then, and every day… 
4. Honour father and mother, I gave them to you out of love! Please honour that gift. 
5. This is a covenant, a love relationship between 2 people, I ask you to live as I do, not to murder, w hands or words, not to be unfaithful to another, ( all are my precious children). 
6. /7. Don’t take for yourself, trust Me and my Love enough to know and give what you really need! What’s best).
   
   8. Do not give false testimony, for you are Mine, you belong to love and love speaks Truth!

       9/10. Do not covet what I do not give to you, trust that I who love you SO, am taking   the  very best care of you, stop chasing after what you don’t need, even what could harm you and let Me care for my precious child!

 

And one more n the new covenant: Love your neighbour as yourself: be not proud, but humble, treating others as more important, than you, in everything. This is what love does. 

Excerpts from Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp.

 

Carols on my heart this year

Some beautiful carols, I had never paid much attention to before. And a couple brand new ones too.

I Heard the bells on Christmas Day
It came upon a midnight clear
Thou didst leave thy throne

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.

Refrain
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

And my favorite one, which I had never heard before:

Long long ago

Long ago in Bethlehem,
amidst the holy light
earth received her morning star,
on a  winter’s night
Long ago in Bethlehem,
Christ fulfilled God’s plan
In a lowly manger bed
God became a man

Can it be this baby
will for sin atone?
Can it be this manger bed
doth God enthrone?
Long, long ago, he came to Bethlehem

Long ago in Galilee
amidst the stormy chills
Jesus Lord of land and sea
whispered peace be still
Long ago in Galilee
blind were made to see
lame were made to walk again
sinners were set free

Lo the Prince of heaven,
left his throne above
mortal flesh rejected him
and scorned his love!

Long ago on Calvary
love and sorrow met
when the spotless Lamb of God
paid the sinner’s debt
Long ago on Calvary
Heaven bore my pain
when upon the cruel cross
Jesus Christ was slain

Once for all He suffered
nevermore to die
Now in Heaven’s majesty,
Christ reigns on high
Long, long ago, He died on Calvary

Long ago in Bethlehem,
Long ago in Galilee,
Long ago on Calvary
Jesus lived and died for me.