St. Nicholas Day

I received thank you's from my children for the gifts 'St. Nicholas' sent this year-the usual entertainment DVD, caramel corn, and ornament. When I was a child I put my shoe in the front hall on the night of Dec. 5 in hopes St.  Nicholas would drop by and fill it with treats. Even in grade school I remember the hallway full of shoes and a treat or two for every student. I read the happy letter of my grandchildren baking cookies and jumping up and down in anticipation as they left their shoes out on the night of the 5th. Tuesday morning there were great cheers for the ornaments of the year (missing tooth, cowgirl for a birthday theme,  T for turkey because of  a special Thanksgiving activity and enthusiasm) and little candies. I have also enclosed Fontanini figures in my St. Nicholas package to build up their nativity scene. This year the 7 year old had a camel for the kings, and there were flying angels for the girls and the two-year old got King Herod to much laughter. What??? Villains are the best characters! My grandchildren are growing up in a very traditional Catholic household. Santa Claus is not part of their December celebrations. I am grateful the Catholic upbringing I had can provide a continued joyful tradition of the original St. Nicholas for these little ones. And so is my daughter. Thank you to my Mom for trekking Catholic so that my daughter and I can bring this to the next generation.

Anniversary Celebration

Today marks five years that I have professed as a Third Order Carmelite. I remember the great joy I had at the day of my profession. There were a few others at this daily Mass who celebrated with me. They commented on my happiness. I still feel it, this joy, this rightness of my calling to the lay religious life. There is peace and confidence in following the will of God. Why is it I drag my feet in doing some of the other things He asks of me? I know better, yet, like St. Paul, 'I do the very thing I do not want to do.' Ah, I am learning, too slowly, to more than want, but to be willing to do His will. I live the joy in many ways. May I strive to live it in all ways.

Reflection

I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you. --Phil 1:3, 4
It is a joy for me to pray for the people on my prayer lists. It is good for me to pray for others, for those outside of my family, and to see prayer in the big picture of the world. It is good for me to trust in God, lifting people up, placing them mentally before the Throne of God. Because I do this with others I can more readily accept this Trust in God attitude for myself; letting go and letting God. Talking to Him I am letting Him have this 'whatever'. And, with practice,  I find I am ready to accept His answer. I have to listen to this answer, though. I can hand over my concern and say, "Here you go, Lord, it's Yours." But I tend to leave it there in His hands and go on with my life, instead of waiting a bit and listening to what God is saying beyond the first response of 'Thank You.' I turn away too quickly, I think, because I think there is nothing I can do, want to do, or want to be told to do. Maybe God's response to this place in my journey is Job's Bible verse for me right now: At least listen to my words....

Read on a church marquee

What if God is waiting for a sign from you?

A Shower of Roses

I am a long time member of The Light Weigh, a spiritual weight loss and spiritual growth program. During part of our 12 week sessions we pray a novena to St. Therese of Liseaux. The copy of the novena that is provided to us includes a request for Therese to show us roses each day as a sign she is listening to us. I have seen roses in gardens, in bouquets, and on glassware, but the best was yesterday's manifestation. Late in the evening my husband was decorating a tree and I was wrapping up St. Nicholas gifts to send  to the post office. We had an Elvis Christmas CD on the player and I heard him singing a song about Roses. The chorus repeated that word over and over and that was how it got my attention. St. Therese and Elvis! What a duet!

Offering Up Joys

If our sacrifices captivate Jesus, so do our joys; but our happiness must not be self-centered. We must offer to our Spouse the little joys that He sows along the way of life in order to take our hearts and lift them up to Himself--St. Therese of the Child Jesus.
This was the devotional reading for December 2. As a cradle Catholic I have long memories of 'offering it up' reinforced by grade and high school nuns and members of my family. But I only remember offerings of sacrifice usually wrapped in begrudging reluctance. This concept of offering joy is a gift to me. Yesterday I was walking the dog and heard a flock of birds in the sky. They were flying high and I did not recognize the call. They were white and could have been snow geese or even swans flying fast with the rays of dawn reflected on their breasts. I have never seen this in real-life before. I am sure I was standing with my mouth open gazing at the heavens. This is a gift of Great Joy I offer to my God.

'At least listen to my words...'

My job title is Information Specialist. People call and I answer their questions or direct them to others . My coworker received a call yesterday. I could tell from his side of the conversation that he was trying to answer the person on the other end of the line but was repeatedly interrupted. He kept trying to answer, but from experience we knew that the answer wasn't the one wanted and therefore it wasn't being heard. I need to pay attention to how I approach the answers I receive from my prayers and conversation with God .