Author Archives: Patricia Ann

Giving Up

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Many people, as a form of penance, either fast or give up something meaningful during the Lenten season. Others take on a new ritual such as daily prayer, devotions, Bible reading…whatever…to develop a closer relationship with God. Either way, it is a forty day exercise and can be very satisfying or disappointing; like keeping or breaking a New Year’s resolution. In any case, it is meant to be a disciplinary and meaningful experience.

So what if we were to give up…let’s say… holding grudges, withholding our love, disrespect for friends or family, or people in general, and other things that are detrimental to good relationships and good living; give up these things instead of coffee, wine, or our favorite dessert.

What if we don’t believe in Lent, have a Spiritual background, or just can’t be bothered?

Sometimes giving up something can be a very positive experience despite the above criteria. Sometimes giving up something can add a whole new meaning to life…not just at Lent but forever.

Sometimes giving up “giving up” is also something to think about. Hmmm.

 

 

One Pair of Hands

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Every once in awhile a song comes along that can move us to tears…joyful or otherwise…in my opinion this is one of them. How fitting for this time of Lent. How wonderful to believe. Thank you, Jesus.

God is Where You Are

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Wherever we are in the world, there is a church. Whether you attend or don’t, enjoy your Sunday because God, being omnipresent, is not only in a church he is wherever you are. 

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11 (NIV)
Beautiful sunset over gothic church St. Peter and Paul in The Litice suburb of Pilsen. Aerial view to romantic citiscape in Czech Republic, Central Europe. HDR (warm filtered) photography.

Beautiful sunset over gothic church St. Peter and Paul in The Litice suburb of Pilsen. Aerial view to romantic citiscape in Czech Republic, Central Europe. HDR (warm filtered) photography.

Living With Pain

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Pain, whether physical, emotional or psychological, can be debilitating to those who suffer it constantly. Life is full of pain but there are ways of tolerating it or overcoming it, if not eliminating it completely. Below are a couple of prayers, quotes, scriptures, that I have found helpful over the years; especially The Great I Am prayer. Along with good medical treatment and continuous searching for cures, may the following be helpful to those who are in the grip of pain on a daily basis.

Prayer for pain to vanish

Dear God

I know only you can help this pain vanish away. I plead for peace and serenity as I fight off the pain I am feeling. Send your hand down to me and fill me with your strength. I cannot take this pain any longer without your help! Release me from this hold and restore me. I trust in You to give me the strength to get through this. I pray that the pain will be gone! It will not hold me down because I have the Lord on my side.

Amen

Jesus Christ, the Great I Am, have mercy on me. I have found this one-line prayer to be hugely beneficial when repeated several times in succession.

“It has been said, ‘time heals all wounds.’ I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.” ― Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. James 5:14 (NIV)…(I would add to the opening sentence, “or in pain?”)

There are many ways to deal with the pain in our lives and sometimes we just need to be made aware of the spiritual help that is available. Pills are good…Power is better. Be healed.

Photo de Cardinal Cottage.

 

A New Page in the Book of Life

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Each day is a new page in the book of life. Many words may appear on the page but only a few will be meaningful. There are so many instances in which we have to pick and choose our words in order to keep peace in a relationship, make the most of a bad situation, and use words of encouragement when needed. It is up to us how we are going to fill each new page so that any particular day in the book of our life will make a good read for us and those with whom we share our lives.

It is also good to not only write our daily page but to read the pages of others who have gone before us, such as Dr. Frederick “Fritz” Perls (1893-1970) who wrote this as perhaps one way of dealing with relationships strained to the limit:

I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,
And you are not in this world to live up to mine.
You are you, and I am I,
and if by chance we find each other, it’s beautiful.
If not, it can’t be helped.

And then there was this by American Theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971):

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

This one recently caught my eye in Harry Belafonte’s memoir, My Song:

“Not everyone can be who you want him or her to be.”

Whether we are writing our own page, or reading that of another, each new page in the book of life is a challenging experience. It should not only be written well, but lived well, and make good reading for all whose lives touch ours.

 

Who’s In Control?

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More of Matthew Kelly:

“God does not want to control you, or stifle you, or manipulate you, or force you to do anything you don’t want to do. Quite the opposite. God will let you do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it, with whomever you want to do it, and as often as you want to do it. When was the last time God stopped you from doing anything?”

Matthew Kelly
This quote begs to ask, “Then, what does God want?”

 

Take Time To Be Holy

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“Many people falsely believe that if you want to be holy, you are not allowed to enjoy life…Holiness brings us to life. It refines every human ability. Holiness doesn’t dampen our emotions; it elevates them. Those who respond to God’s call to holiness are the most joyful people in history. They have a richer, more abundant experience of life, and they love more deeply than most people can ever imagine. They enjoy life, all of life.”Matthew Kelly

Sunday Blessings