The gift of love, something you can’t buy, something you choose to embrace, something that is free to all, yet is underutilized by many of us. Love, prayer, and gratitude guide my journey and strengthen my relationship with Jesus. Once I expanded my capacity to love I found peace in all areas of my life. When you live life with love in your heart you have compassion for all. Frustration, anger, and stress over daily life disappear and peace takes center stage. It is a gift that is affordable to all. A gift that changed my thought process and…
Among all the holiday distractions, it is a challenge to stay focused on the true reason for the celebration. As I move through the season I make an effort to find ways to capture the meaning while experiencing the fun and avoiding the frustration. My favorite way to celebrate the season is by sharing love. I find that it is often unexpected and very much appreciated. Spreading love and joy to others is something that I like to do all year, but Christmas seems to open the door for more opportunities to be a bright light to others. Some of…
Over the last few months, I have learned a great deal about compassion. I have always known the importance and I’ve always had it in my heart, but when pushed to my limit, am I able to find compassion? While I was reading The Book Of JOY, by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, there was one concept that continued to be forefront in my mind. It was a description of how the Dalai Lama gave people his complete attention by locking hands with the individual and looking into their eyes with kindness. His genuine compassion made people feel at…
I can’t answer why we suffer or why some suffer and some seem to move through life spared by significant suffering. But here are a few of my thoughts on the topic, none of which have been dreamed up by me, but rather things I have learned through others. We really don’t know who is suffering in this world. Someone very special to me would say, “We all have a cane, mine is just visible to others.” My mind always moved immediately to a friend of mine who was physically in a very frail condition. She had severe…
Family, a melting pot of different personalities with some common core. It is not easy to define family. It is my hope that unity, love, and forgiveness are part of the equation. My family has been an important part of my life. Second only to my faith. When I was young, we had a large extended family with lots of uncles, aunts, and cousins. I thought it was normal to have family in and out of the house weekly if not daily. Long ago I remember a neighbor telling us our family always looks like we are having fun, they…
It is one of those days where I am off focus. I drift and find myself unable to hear the words that I know are there for me to convey. I get restless and a bit frustrated as the time gets later and later. Thinking to myself, why can I not focus? I take a moment to pray and trust in Jesus. Whenever I feel a bit off I know that I have shifted and taken back control. When Jesus is in control, my whole being is at peace. When I allow frustration to surface, I know that I need…
I often need to remember how simple it is to give my worries to Jesus. Daily I give away the small stuff, but then the bigger worries creep in and make life challenging. The bigger worries make me feel tired and stressed, and even start to develop pain throughout my body. Why do I put up with all that when I can rely on Jesus? Sometimes it takes weighing us down in worry to remember he is on our side and there for us. Recently I allowed my thoughts to wonder and imagine all the things that could go wrong…
The irony of doing the right thing is that there is no sure way of knowing that you are approaching the situation correctly. There are, however, indicators that things are moving in the right direction and guidelines for us to follow. Deep down, I think many of us know when we have crossed that line. When I am on the wrong track, I always pray for guidance on how to make things right and how not to do the same thing again! Normally, asking for forgiveness is part of the equation. Throughout The Bible, Jesus gives us guidelines and examples…
How many times do I jump to conclusions before I know the facts? Way too many, particularly in my mind. Thankfully, most of the time my better judgment stops me from speaking out loud. Typically I rebound and re-assess the situation in my mind. However, my first reaction when something comes at me unknowingly is to react. I have patience, but when caught off guard I am not always as gracious as I would like. The good news is I quickly rebound, reevaluate the situation, and pray for forgiveness and guidance. It doesn’t matter whether I was right…
This past week I went to an orientation for The Power of Joy an organization inspired by The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams. I am completely on board with living a life of joy and spreading joy. Personally, my joy stems from my faith. At first, my interest was piqued by social media. The Power of Joy caught my attention because I strongly believe when we redefine love our perspective changes and opens up a world of peace, unity, and so much more. If your heart is open to love and serve those…