Hunger

The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.

- Mother Teresa

Why is it more difficult to remove a hunger for love than the hunger for bread?  Is this why world-wide programs are spending much money and time filling the bellies of those in poverty instead of satisfying the empty hearts and souls?....because it is easier?  A hunger for love is having a strong desire or craving for an intense feeling of deep affection while having a hunger for food is having a strong physical need to feed the body of nourishment.  Love is just as much as a requirement for surviving this harsh world as food.  There are studies which show how babies who were fed with physical nourishment eventually perished, because they were starved of love and nurturing.  What is the point of feeding a stomach if the heart is neglected?

Why is so difficult to love others?  We are called to love in deed and truth (1 John 3:18), so how hard is it to actively listening; give a hug; write a thoughtful note to a friend; buy a coffee for a stranger; give an honest opinion; bring joy to others; live with patience and gentleness; hope for family; pray for friends; forgive a sinner; rejoice in others' accomplishments; and trust?  Loving in deed and truth doesn't take a financial donation either although it might require a sacrifice of time and talent.  Maybe that's the key. Fulfilling a hunger of love within someone else takes a real sacrifice of one-self, and that is were the difficulty lies.

May the grace to love my family, friends, and strangers continue to develop.

May I never give up on loving others no matter how difficult.
Mother Teresa, pray for me.

- little petunia

Solitudine

Language has created the word loneliness to express the pain of being alone,
and the word solitude to express the glory of being alone.

- Paul Tillich

 

On the western edge of a wild flower prairie field, there is a homestead of a retired teacher. It is a picturesque scene.  A small welcoming white-washed house with a huge front porch housing rockers and a swing. There is a backdrop of olive and cypress trees which offer protection and privacy; and within the grove of trees is a brisk refreshing stony creek which winds through the property.  South of the house is a garden which was always in production of life-giving nourishment.  Walking around the homestead, one can sense the amount of love nurtured into the property.

In this home, a lifetime was spent raising children and grandchildren; and developing a knack for dishing love to all who came to call.  The home was filled at different times with family and friends gathered together for holidays, milestone events, summer vacation morning coffee, or Sunday afternoon meals. There were book club meetings, bible studies, prayer meetings, and weekly Nertz card games held in the quaint great room at the front of the house. Music which was a part of every event provided a kindly greeting as one approached the home and spirited a cheerful atmosphere.  Anyone who visited the homestead always departed with a nourished soul filled with love of the highest order. 

No one left the homestead feeling lonely, so how could the retired teacher live such a long love filled life with an emptiness to her soul? As her granddaughter read the secret diary which she found accidentally the day of her wake, tears filled her eyes as she grasped the deep meaning to her grandmother's words.  Even though her dear grandmother had enjoyed the solitude of the homestead, she liked the hustle bustle of a noise filled home, so had become the queen hostess of the county.........yet.....

there were times when her grandmother's soul ached with loneliness.  She read how her grandmother always felt something was missing from her heart. She had written a quote of Vincent Van Gogh's about how one may have a blazing hearth in one's soul, and yet on one ever comes to sit by it. Could it be that despite all of the love that had been provided by her grandmother that she hadn't received deep soulful love in return.  Without meaning to.....had most people who had come and gone from the homestead taken and not given? How sad that such a loving woman could pass from this world with a soul having the poverty of loneliness.

All life runs on the flux of energy in and out of chemical reactions.  If incoming energy is lacking, then the output will eventually slow down and become less efficient.  Love is the fuel to one's soul.  It provides the energy required to deal with life's details.....the ups and the downs.  If love isn't returned to one's soul as much as it is given, then even the most heart-felt soul will begin to feel as dry as a well. This dryness is loneliness.  Remember to send love out into the world as often as you receive it to continue the cycle of love.  Love should flow in and out of our souls at heart-felt levels of equilibrium just as sunlight continuously drives the chemical reaction of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis produces the life giving food for plants like love is the food for our souls.  

The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.  

- Mother Teresa of Calcutta

 May my soul continue to send love out into the world to refresh the love reserves in friend and foes.

May my soul not feel the affects of loneliness one day.

St. Francis de Sales pray for all spiritual friendships.

St. Theresa the little flower, pray for the poverty of loneliness to be wiped clean from this world.

St. Florian, pray for the protection of all emergency responders and firefighters.
St. Pio, pray for the faith of my family and friends.

- little petunia

La Montagnas

The waters gradually fell until the tenth month when, on the first day of the tenth month,
the mountain tops appeared.   
- Genesis 8

Many years ago, we took a family trip to Colorado to visit with some dear friends, and the image of the rising massive mountains in front of a beautiful setting sun while driving west out highway 70 is ingrained in my file of inspiring memories. It is an image of hope which I bring out when times get tough, and I need a reminder of God's power and peace. La montagnas are my New Jerusalem where God's purpose for my life becomes clear once more.  It doesn't matter which mountain range.  They all speak to my soul. 

The formation of mountain ranges involve mighty forces and enormous amounts of energy through the crashing of Earth's tectonic plates or sliding and uplifting of Earth's blocks along fault lines.  The power involved is unimaginable, but we get a glimpse at times when we feel the ground shake under our feet. To me this power represents only a fraction of God's power in our lives, and many days go by without us even acknowledging His presence. Boy, aren't we giving God honor when we feel the ground shake or experience any tragedy, loss, or other negative experience in our lives. Why can we not recognize his daily presence in our lives? What keeps us from praising His power? I suppose if I had a mountain in my backyard, then I would have an obvious reminder of God's constant influence in my life's tribulations, calm waters, and joyful moments......but unfortunately, I don't.  In the midst of my busy exhausting work and home life, I have had to make praising God's providential presence in my life a habit every morning.....slowly it has become an overwhelming endearing part of my heart....my soul. I am absolutely humbled by the power of His providential presence.

 

"I shall be with you," God said, "and this is the sign by which you will know that I was the one who sent you. After you have led the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain."   - Exodus 3..... During good times...when you reached the summit of your challenge....your mountain....which you had been struggling with the climb...., it is easy to worship God....but how about praising Him during the climb...or when you haven't left the valley of doldrums and blues?  

What are you supposed to do once you reach to the peak of your la montagna?  You should do several things. You should praise Him with your heart, soul, and mind for helping you reach the peak safe and sound. "Exalt Yahweh our God, bow down at his holy mountain; holy is Yahweh our God!" - Psalm 99 ....You should take the opportunity to rest with God. Quietly communicating your love and appreciation allowing Him to restore you. Jesus did this numerous times while he was preaching and teaching with his disciples.  You should also listen to God's Word for guidance in the direction down the mountain. Unfortunately, you are not meant to remain on the peak of la montagna. The peaks are times for exhilarating joy and praise, but that is not our sole purpose for our paths. It seems God's plans are worked out and delivered through our travels in the valleys....along the plateaus.....and up our ascents of the summits.

Now it happened in those days that he went onto the mountain to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. - Luke 6 ..........
To me, prayer is a necessity at all times along my travels of my path, but the most exhilarating time for prayer is at the peak of a mountain.....in peaceful communion with God. It refreshes and revives my soul, but since I don't have a mountain in my back yard and I haven't made it to a peak very often, I find myself pulling out my inspirational memory of the Rockies to meditate in my mind's eye.  It helps me catch my breath for next leg of the path.

We all have peaks and valleys during our life times. No two peaks or valleys are alike for each of us are unique in our being, purpose, and experiences. If you compare the world-wide mountain ranges, then you would find none of them are like....oh, how they were formed is very similar, but the beautiful end results are so unique....each landscape of magnificent inspiration. That's we are supposed to be to each other.....magnificent inspiration....helping each other climb out of our valleys to the the next plateau....to the next peak of a mountain.  

St. Raphael, guide me through my valleys to the peaks of la montagna.

St. Francis de Sales, pray for my honorable intentions in my state of life.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for my family.
St. Florian, pray for the safety of all fire and emergency responders.
Many heart felt thanks to those inspirational friends in my life who encourage and support my climb up the summit of my la montagna.

- little petunia

Esausto!

Have you ever run of gas when you are already late for a meeting?  Have you ever run of funds while Christmas shopping and you still have several more gifts to purchase for family members?  Have you ever attempted to communicate something to someone for the umpteenth time, and it seems that they never hear you?  How many days have you attempted to start a day with a positive grateful feeling and then in a wink of an eye some unexpected drama brings you down leaving you with a feeling of being smothered?  Have you ever organized yourself and the details of your life to only be dumped on with more unexpected responsibilities, and then not given any more time to accomplish the tasks leaving you with a feeling of swirling down a toilet bowel?  Do you have people in your life who you can not figure out how to please?  Do you give 100% at everything you do, but still don't seem to receive respect?  Have you ever attempted to change your lifestyle by becoming physically fit; but then the weight doesn't seem to fall off, and you don't seem to experience the higher level of energy which others promise that you will achieve?  As more and more of these types of experiences occur, the more spent you may feel.  This is EXHAUSTION.

Exhaustion is a huge problem for many people. It means to be drained of strength or energy; being worn out; or fatigued greatly. Exhausted human beings feel used up and completely consumed. They feel like a pile of ashes in a fire place. Being exhausted can include the consumption of your emotional and mental states along with your physical energy.  Emotional and mental exhaustion can be due to some physical ailment or deficiency, but is the stress of being emotionally and mentally exhausted affecting your physical state? .........It's like which comes first?........
the chicken or the egg?

An old Irish Proverb recommends that the best doctor cure for what ails ya is a good laugh and a long sleep.  I find this to be true, but only temporarily.  If the elements which are inducing exhaustion remain in your environment, then the cycle will continue. You will continue to go around in circles till you are all used up.  Somehow, a balance needs to be achieved......a balance between the stressors in your life and how you handle the stressors.

B.K.S. Iyengar, a yoga instructor and philosopher, states that your health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind, and spirit, and adds that when you are free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.  If exhaustion remains for long period time, then one's quality of health and life could reduce to microscopic proportions.  It is imperative that a change occurs in order to balance your emotions, mental state, and physical being. How do you change? How do change the direction which you are traveling?  How do open the gates of life for your soul?  I don't have the answers, but my studies have taught me that through time spent in prayer and meditation, God will lead you to those gates if you listen and watch for his winks. Have I eliminated my exhaustion? No. I am better at changing my ways.....I am better at adapting, but till my environment changes, I am stuck in a vicious cycle of exhaustion.....so I continue with my regiment of eating properly; regular exercise; prayer and meditation; and finding time for more laughs and naps.  

There is a Buddist saying which states that if we are facing in the right direction, then all we have to do is keep walking.  Well, what if you don't have the stamina to take one more step?  Or what if that next step feels like it may lead you off of a cliff? How do you know if you are in the right direction? I suppose if the path which you are on doesn't seem like dire straits, then you are probably on the right path. The right path shouldn't make you feel like you are in a maze with no exit leading to high anxiety.  One thing that I have learned as of late is that if you accept your current path as the path which God's desires for you then peace finds you. You can always make a prayer request for a different path, but sometimes the request is left unanswered....so we think.  Thinking that your life should be different than what God allows can produce exhausting feelings of doubt and sadness.

 With all due respect, I apologize for any overwhelming negativity in my writing today, but it is an effect of exhaustion.  On a happy note, I want to add a comment by Persius, a Roman poet.  He stated many centuries ago that you conquer what you endure........so hang in there and don't give up.  Look at the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals
.........Their story this past baseball season involved many exhausting hurdles over and over again.....With positive changes, lots of hope, and a steady dose of humility, they endured against all odds to win the World Series.  Your happy miraculous ending is right in front of you.....just allow God to lead you and accept whatever He sends your way.....the good, the bad, the ugly....or the wonderful!  If you accept whatever God sends your way, then you will always be happy with what is going on in your life.  Sound easy?

Well.....remember the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals' greatest achievement this year was earned through lots of hard work........

.....practice, practice, and practice. Albert Pujols wasn't born swinging the bat in the way he does and Yadier Molina wasn't born with a catcher's instinct and rocket arm.  They've endured, persevered, and practiced.....gaining increased skill with each throw and swing......so don't give up! If David Freese had given up on baseball, then he would never had earned two MVP's this year. 

The amazing thing thing about exhaustion is that it can lead to joy! .....When I looked at the faces of the Cardinal players at the end of game 7, I saw joy and exhilaration. After all of the physical and mental toll on their bodies over the past month of postseason games, they were on top of the world. They were floating on clouds last night and that's where I want to be.....I am looking forward to when all of my exhaustion leads me to that cloud of joy! I expect miracles in my life, so the joy must be delivered for Psalm 65 states that His miracles bring shouts of joy to the gateways of morning and evening.

May St. Raphael lead me through my exhaustion to accepting a path of peace and exhilarating joy!
St. Francis de Sales, pray for my honorable abilities with my state in life.
Blessed Mother Teresa, pray for my soulful intentions.
St. Florian, pray for the safety of fire and emergency responders.

- little petunia   

 

Stranezze

Life can have long casual bends in the road....and other times, life can have unexpected dangerous turns that cause reflection on whether you on the right road.  Are these dangerous turns warning signs or winks of detours?  I don't know the answer, but I certainly believe that any dangerous weird turns in the road are cause for reflection and meditation.  Don't ignore the signs. Things happen for a reason. Take the signs and turns seriously. Use the signs to fulfill your purpose in life.  Don't waste your time on the road of life. You might miss an important exit if you aren't paying attention.

The purpose of life is a life of purpose.
- Robert Byrne

May my guardian angels help me recognize the sign posts of my life. - little petunia

Boomerangs

Coming down from the up of a retreat experience.....I find that life is hard.....A physical property which can be an attribute to some pieces of matter.....but I find hardness to be misgiving......devouring.....consuming. Hardness is a force that rarely changes course.....forcing you to bend to the ways of the world. Is there a way to survive the ravages of the stubborn hard properties of this world?  Those of you who have lived lives full of challenging spouses, children, careers, and other relationships know that sometimes you get to a point where you have to choose to sink or swim........you pack and run.......or your life will make the choice for you.

My life has taken me down a white rapids course where I chose to swim, but recently, I have been experiencing this all consuming feeling of drowning in currents which were out of my control and I began to sink.  My recent retreat enlightened me to the purpose of my life.....which is about letting go.....letting the currents carry me to living for others.  Prayerful methods led me to the acknowledgment that a property of my life is to be a life line for others to keep them from sinking.  God is calling me back to intercessory prayer and love.

What a surprise it was for me to hear through my meditation that as I was sinking.......drowning........that God wants me to save others from the hard perils of their lives.  I accepted this challenge with joy.  There is nothing more joyful than to realize your purpose in this world!   As this morning presented a harsh, hard eye-opening experience, a dear friend reminded me of the truth of the matter and as I was feeling the strong drowning currents of my situation, my friend's words pulled me to the surface of the wake of the white rapids.....and saved me from the perils of my thoughts and melodramatic emotions.  God used a friend whom I had been praying for a while........to save me......The words shared where life-saving.

So like a boomer-rang..........prayers and love sent out through faith will come back to you ten-fold.  It has better returns than our current economy. Soften the properties of this hard world with a few kind loving prayers and words for the people in your life. No other investment can compare.

Che Dio le grazie caduta su di voi.........dear friend.

St. Francis de Sales, pray us.
St. Theresa the little flower, pray for us.
St. Raphael, pray for us.
St. Michael, pray for us.
St. Florian, pray for all emergency responders.
Spirit of Jesus, come into our souls.

-little petunia

What really matters?

     As the hours tick away during a work day, we can spend a lot of time controlling....influencing what happens in order to receive the desired results of our efforts.  We set goals.....check off those tasks which were achieved and put off those which were not achieved till another day. Do all of our efforts and goal setting help us to arrive at the destination we really want......the destination of our heart's desire?  Does all of it really matter even when we achieve the last goal on our list at the end of the day? Will our heart's desire be fulfilled?

     What really matters?   If the Law of Conservation of Matter states that all matter is conserved....it is neither created nor destroyed...only changes form, then it would seem that the items on our goal list which seem to matter today may not be of concern tomorrow......because they just keep changing form.  If so....then is our goal list really that important?....Does it really matter?.....I think a goal list would matter if it is in alignment with our heart's desire.  So what is your heart's desire?  My heart's desire is to live and love confidently with a peaceful and happy soul.....through raising my family, teaching, writing, and painting. There was a time when I desired to be "Teacher of the Year", but that isn't the recognition which motivates me anymore.  I want to be successful with anything that I do.....but I desire spiritual successes.....not ones of this world, so I rely on spiritual wisdom and guidance to determine what really matters on my goal list.

     
     In 1 Chronicles 27: 17-18, King David states, "Knowing, my God, how you examine our motives and how you delight in integrity, with integrity of motive I have willingly given all this and have been overjoyed to see your people, now present here, willingly offering their gifts to you.  Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel our ancestors, watch over this for ever, shape the purpose of your people's heart and direct their hearts to you."
....So.....Is your heart's desire aligned with God's purpose for you?  I believe that you can desire to have a certain purpose in life, but if it is not aligned with God's plans, then you will continue to go around in circles till your goals lead you down the path of God's check list.  When your heart's desire is also God's purpose for you, then you will experience success and achieve your goal list.  The psalmist prayed in Psalm 20:4,  "May He grant you your heart's desire and crown all your plans with success!".  Being successful matters.  Success can bring about confidence and happiness which can lead to more successes towards God's glory.  

 

      Prayer and meditation can clue you in on God's purpose for you within your heart's desire.  He will lead you if you ask, look, and listen. Pay attention for the clues around you and in His word. His inspiration is all around.  Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:3-5). Allow God to conserve what matters and transform your goal list. With your commitment to His check list, you will achieve what matters, but remember that sometimes God's wisdom may not allow you to attain certain goals which you would prefer. Trust in Him.

May I listen to God's wisdom; and trust in His guidance for what really matters.  St. Raphael, pray for me. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for me.
St. Theresa the little flower, pray for me.
St. Peregrine, pray for my family and friends.
St. Florian, pray and protect firefighters.
St. Michael, pray and protect my family and friends.

- little petunia

Honorable Memories

Today is the anniversary of a day of adversity....a day with honorable memories.  This is a difficult topic to write about because it involves sorrow and loss.  Sorrow produces different types of responses from those who experience it.  This morning, while watching the family members at the 9/11 dedication speak the names of those who died ten years ago, it is clear that sorrow remains close to the surface of their hearts.  From personal experience, sorrow never really goes away, but the grief from losing a loved one can subside if we let it go. In the book of Sirach (chapter 30), wisdom is expressed, "Give your cares the slip, console your heart, chase sorrow far away; for sorrow has been the ruin of many, and is no use to anybody."  From Jeremiah (chapter 8), it is described how incurable sorrow can overtake a heart and cause it to fail. 

No matter how our loved ones died.....I do not believe that our loved ones who remain with us in spirit desire for our hearts....our spirits.... to fail.  In honorable memory, our souls need to carry on with positive uplifting hope and faith. The void in our hearts which is created from the loss of a loved one can be filled with LOVE.  We need to allow the people around us to love us.  We need to reach out even though we are not in the mood, and love others through charity, compassion, and understanding.  To fill real deep holes of sorrow in your heart....the kind of sorrow that injures your soul..., try loving your enemy....your adversary...It is not an easy thing to do, but forgiveness is a powerful healing tool of love.

These words are written with great respect.  I do not pretend to have the answers to sorrow's calling, but I do send my love out to those who suffer from a loss. My prayers go out to anyone who has experienced a death of a loved one.  May the honorable memories of our loved ones inspire our souls to carry on with love, hope, and faith.  May our actions of love smother others' actions of intolerable hate.  May terrorism and violence (actions and words) be one day extinguished from this world.  May LOVE and FORGIVENESS reign in all of our hearts and souls.  May St. Florian's prayers keep all fire fighters safe as they  fight fires, and may St. Michael protect all First Responders.

St. Raphael guide us through our endeavors of healing and love. Grazie to those who instinctively and courageously give their lives for others. You are loved.   - little petunia

Sorrow's Bane - Ed Schmidt

Love is the one thing
That keeps our spirits whole
When Sorrow comes a knocking
With hurts that touch our soul

When our world falls around us
Darkness fills our dreams
It’s love that lifts our spirits
Bridging Sorrow's streams

Love calls us from the brink
Of being swallowed by the stream
Dispels depression
And warms us in it’s gleam
 

Love helps us through the horror
Of love lost or led astray
Through mans trespass
Or angels spirit them away

Love comes to give us comfort
And wipe away the tears
Love will shield our spirits
When Sorrow's shadow nears

Love’s light whisper
Will stifle Sorrow's gain
In life’s losses
Love is Sorrow’s bane 

Reference: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/sorrow-s-bane/

Happiness

The amount of happiness that you have depends
on the amount of freedom you have in your heart. 

- Thich Nhat Hanh 

Happiness.....Sometimes it seems like such a vague word. Sometimes it seems to be unattainable. There are different levels of happiness....There is contentment which is a peaceful happiness and bliss which is extreme delight. Felicity is a formal type of fortunate happiness. Basically, happiness is being in a state of pleasure. Can this state be maintained every second of the day? According to Thich Nhat Hanh, it all depends on how much your soul is liberated from this world -how much freedom that you have in your heart.  

 From my experience, a soulful freedom is attained from letting go of worldly goals and expectations and just be....Accepting who you are.....and just being yourself as you were meant to be as a creation of God who is LOVE. St. Francis de Sales said it the best, "Don’t waste your time dreaming of being someone else. Don’t try to be someone else. Work and pray at being yourself. Be who you are, where you are. Concentrate on the little everyday problems and pains that beset you. Reserve your best efforts; expend your spiritual energy on what is right before you. This is what God asks of you. Listen closely. This is very important – and very misunderstood – for we all prefer to do what is to our personal liking. Very few of us choose duty first, or the will of God. Don’t cultivate someone else’s garden. Grow where you are planted.” This means that we are to LOVE where we are planted.

 To attain happiness, we need to LOVE in extreme measures like God which involves charity. When LOVE is so perfect that it moves us to do good carefully, frequently, and readily, then it is called devotion.  St. Francis de Sales states that we are called to be devout, and I believe that when we can be devout in a low-key focused manner, then we will attain extreme freedom in our hearts.  We will feel whole and fulfilled....blissful contentment...every second of the day.

As a side note, I want to describe how honored and amazed I am to know a few people who humbly demonstrate extraordinary devotion to not only their loved ones, but to strangers.  Their acts of love are inspiring, and their imperfect cultivated gardens supply my soul with nourishment and happiness.


May I daily remember to bloom patiently in order to spread the seeds of love while cultivating my garden. St. Raphael, guide my cultivation to happiness. 

Soul's Longing

As the Deer panteth for the Water   by  Martin Nystrom

As the deer panteth for the water,

So my soul longeth after thee.

You alone are my hearts desire,

And I long to worship thee.

 

     "A river flowed from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided to make four streams." - Genesis 2. How sweet is the sound of a trickling stream or the falling of rain drops on a window pane!  Water is a simple substance, yet it is required for sustaining all life on Earth.  One molecule of water is made up two atoms of hydrogen bonded to one atom of oxygen.  The structure and shape of this magnificent molecule provides the mechanism, matrix, and stored energy essential for moving molecules in and out of life forms supplying a pathway for life to grow, develop and transform. Think how sweetly the Holy Spirit could do the same for our souls. Just as the deer instinctively searches for quenching water sources, our souls are longing for a source to quench its thirst. Instead of lapping up the refreshing power of the Holy Spirit, we reach out to worldly things to supply nourishment to our souls. If we would only search our hearts for truth, then we would sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in close proximity to our true desires. Our pathways of worship would be transformed to support the growth and development of our souls. 

You alone are my strength my shield,

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my hearts desire,

And I long to worship thee.

 

     It is a known fact that humans can survive for almost a month without eating, but we will perish without water in three to five days.  This is due to our bodies being made up of about 70% water. This large amount of water is needed to maintain our bodies' temperature, breathing, digestion of food, and lubrication of moving joints.  Non-contaminated water can also support metabolism, circulation, and immune function.  Our immune systems protect us from pathogens, toxins, and parasites which invade to breakdown our defenses and cause disease.  The Holy Spirit is our shield of protection for our souls by inspiring behavior and choices which enrich our communication skills with the Heavenly Father.  Unhealthy negative energy is transformed to uplifting positive energy through reactions of love. Our souls yield to the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit which circulates supportive thoughts and emotions which makes our mind and bodies stronger. 

You’re my friend and You are my brother,

Even though you are a king.

I love you more than any other,

So much more than anything.

While we drink our eight glasses of water a day, we should remember to invite and allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse our souls. The status of our total health depends on the interconnections of our mind, body, and soul.  If the connections between these three components break down, then the natural healing power of our bodies will weaken.  Health and strength comes from our minds, bodies, and souls being able to communicate healing elements to one another.  We should choose to rely on the steadfast healing love of the King and give thanks at each sunset for the constant dependable flow of the Holy Spirit. "For I am the Lord, I do not change...." - Malachi 3:6.

 "For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds, " says the Lord. 
- Jeremiah 30:17

 

 "O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You have healed me." 
- Psalm 30:2

 

May I always long for the healing power of the Holy Spirit. St. Raphael pray for us.
- little petunia

Disappointment

    

     The sunrise hasn't occurred  yet, but I anxiously peer out the bathroom window to see if the street is covered with a thick layer of fallen snow.  Even as a teacher, I wait with anticipation for the first winter snow which will bring the first snow day of the school year.  Snow days are glorious moments of reprieve from a long second semester of teaching......But as I blink for the third time, my shoulders droop as I sigh heavily with disappointment. The streets are only lightly dusted. School will be in session. Better luck next time.

 

      Disappointment.  Big word. Big meaning. Big emotion. Big responses. Disappointments are feelings of dissatisfaction.  Expectations were not realized.....were not experienced.  In addition, other feelings can come to the surface....pain, sadness, loneliness, disapproval, disbelief, devastation, despair, and bitterness. Disappointment only leads to a yarn ball of wound up negative emotion and energy. It happens. You can't get away from it. Disappointments are always lurking around the next bend, but you don't need to follow them down the road of misery. This road of misery is a long and winding road of wallering in the muck. Sometimes you can sink in the muck, so don't even go down that road.

 

     After ten years of hopefully.....patiently waiting for a third child, we learned after twelve weeks of pregnancy that we lost the child whom is affectionately called, Josie Blix which means "God will add joy".  It was the most enormous disappointment that I had ever experienced.  The pain and sorrow cut such a deep crevice in my heart that I couldn't find my way out. I was in shock.  I was numb. A smile may have appeared on my face, but my heart was crying buckets of tears. My feet kept moving forward one step at a time, but my mind wanted to run backwards. I was sinking in the muck even though I was holding onto the foot of Jesus' cross.

 

The principles of living greatly include the capacity to face trouble with courage,
disappointment with cheerfulness, and trial with humility.
- Thomas S. Monson

 

    Just when you think that God has forsaken.....forgotten you, He delivers in a big way....in a way that you can't even imagine.  About five months later.........God blessed us with an unexpected pregnancy.  GOD WILL ADD JOY!  To repeat what a dear friend reiterates - GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME! - Allowing my faith to keep me afloat.....holding on tight......gave me relief while living in the crevice of despair.  The experience taught me that there are no expectations as valuable as the works, plans, and guidance of our magnificent Trinity.....Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Perseverance through the difficult pregnancy and delivery of our third child showed me that we need to rest in his arms and follow His lead. Our only expectations should be His glory.....Our daughter's birth was an unforgettable adventure, and she daily lives the virtue of patient perseverance.  God's strength, love, and light shines through her. She brings joy to all whom she meets.  She bloomed the day she was born while I began a new season.

 

She said, 'My lord, I hope you will always look on me with favour! You have comforted and encouraged me, though I am not even the equal of one of your work-women.' 

- Book of Ruth, chapter 2

 

 

    There have been other disappointments over the years.  If allowed to...disappointments can add up like a pile of boulders, then one day, the boulders will come crashing down and the devastation can be overflowing.  The effects can ripple out like shock waves causing havoc with close loved ones. Disappointments can be a domino effect.  When an expectation doesn't turn out as planned, let it go. Accept it, then give it to God.  Allow Him to do his work.  Our expectations can bind the flow of Holy Spirit in our lives.  It's one thing to communicate our expectations......likes and dislikes....to God, but then we should sit back and watch the "meraviglioso" plans which He has for us. Allow the positive energy of hope to flow.

If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.
- Henry David Thoreau

 

     We will be delivered from our disappointments by not placing such high value on our expectations and trusting.  Making plans for our daily lives is practical and functional, but don't get hung up when things do not go as planned, or the people in your life do not behave according to your plans. Your plans.....your likes......your dislikes..... may not be the same as others in your life.  Communicate your feelings...express your disappointment, but it is more important to express your love.  Love should be our greatest expectation for ourselves and for the people whom God has placed in our lives.  Don't let your momentary negative feelings devastate others.  Give your disappointment to God and allow Him to guide you to the proper loving response.  Love will fill that hole left behind by disappointment. 

 

Blood of Christ, inebriate me!
Inebriate me with Your Love,
that I may be absorbed in Your interests and Your Will.
Absorbed so as to be unmindful of my ills and petty cares.
Unmindful of weariness and pain,
heartache, and disappointment.
Heedless of the lash of cruel words,
and patient under wrongs.

Amen.

May God's wisdom and St. Raphael always guide me through my moments of disappointment.
- little petunia

Late Bloomers

       The morning barely has light for the mother birds outside to begin searching for the early worm, and I am peering into a magnified mirror to allow myself to put on my face.....as I am looking at myself in a looking glass in my mid-life timeless age, I recollect my mother affectionately calling me a late-bloomer so many yearnful years ago.  What the heck is a late-bloomer?  It reminds me of a rose that is late in blooming during the hot summer months.....aching to show its beauty off....yet struggling to arch its petals in a graceful display.....Why does there have to be a struggle to bloom?

      If you consider the science behind the Fibonacci number system and the arrangement of petals and leaves on plants, then you would think that blooming would be an orderly and easy occurrence, but as we all know it is not.....Despite all odds, a clover will develop with four leaves. Four is not a Fibonacci number.  What seems to go against the order of nature occurs and thrives. I like that idea. How many of us feel like we don't fit in and struggle to find our place in nature? Well, we are as natural as those who do easily find their place, bloom, and thrive.  

       Roses are one my favorite blooms.  They represent a variety of characteristics which most of us dream of acquiring or achieving like joy, gentleness, happiness, gratitude, friendship, enthusiasm, grace, purity, and love, The wild Woods rose whose scientific name is Rosa woodsii inspires me the most.  It thrives in a variety of settings from moderate shade to full sun and can be found on prairies, plateaus, dry slopes, open woods, ravines, and thickets.  In the midst of a harsh environment, a wild rose bush will take root in rocky soil to grow into a graceful gentle display of color amongst the duller grays and browns of its surroundings.  The blooming petals becoming splashes of hopeful life.

     Each of the five petals represent the high virtues required to attain life in one's own soul.  To me the petals around the carpel represent faith, hope, love, humility, and patience.  The delicate petals attract important elements to the carpel....elements which are required to produce new life within a rose. Just think what the world would be like if we allowed our souls to bloom.....opening wide to not only display these virtues but also to attract other souls to bring new life to our world. What a joyful thought!  Isaiah said it best in 35:1...."The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose."

      In the midst of adversity, late-bloomers should be the most magnificent of displays of virtue for as we persevere through our struggles, our petals of virtue slowly develop to become beautiful attractions. Blooming late is as much a natural blessing as those who were graced with blooming early.  With effective spiritual and mental training, we can learn to overcome our adversities and transform them into stepping stones to greater achievement. Our struggles become the thickets which support our stretch and bloom away from mediocrity.  

Freesia

    We each have our own time to bloom.  Just as the different species of flowers bloom during different seasons, we each have our own season.  Be patient and loving with yourself.  Find a bloom which represents your soul's calling and allow it to inspire you.  Other blooms which inspire me are freesias (spirited), violets (faithfulness), petunias (perseverance), wisteria (steadfast), and zinnias (thoughts of friends).  Their color, shape, and gracefulness remind me that my time to bloom is never over. Blooming is a cycle that perpetuates through life.........if we gently prune back the pain, sorrow, disappointments, and sin.  Hope will grow with each new blooming season.  Your growing hope will inspire others to bloom.

"I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys." 
- Song of Solomon 2:1

May you gently bloom over many seasons.
Salute!, little petunia

"The Earth laughs in flowers." 
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Amore

 Amore..........Love.........What is it? 

     Many people have opinions about love.  The scientist, Albert Einstein, once stated that gravity was not responsible for people falling in love, but then R. Buckminster Fuller, the engineer and humanitarian, claimed that love is metaphyscial gravity.  Others claim that love is related to nature.  Victor Hugo, a literary politician, stated that love is the honey made from flowers.  Kahlil Gibran, a Lebanese poet, related love to the blossoms and fruit produced by trees.  Relating to art, Voltaire, a French writer, described love as being a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination.  Thomas Carlyle, a Scottish historian and philosopher, wrote that a loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge. Even children have their own thoughts about love.  A five year old girl admitted that she thought love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken; and a four year old boy described love to be when you smile even though you're really tired.

     Grammatically, love is both a noun and a verb.  Love is a tangible emotion. It is something which we can hold. It is something which we should give away.  Love is action.  It inspires.  It warms the soul.  According to a well-used college dictionary/thesaurus, LOVE is........ 

• tender
• passionate
• deep
• affectionate
• desiring
• profound
• a term of endearment
• devoting
• a fondness
• reverent
• respectful
• adoring
• steadfast
• loyal
• intense
• enduring
• patient
• persistent
• consistent
• calming
• fulfilling
• exhilarating
• motivating
• natural
• a feeling
• an addiction
• a chemical response
• attracting
• a gift
• infinite
• giving
• friendly
• inspiring
• pleasuring
• sacrificing
• timeless
• romantic
• a grace
• intimate
• joyful
• sexual
• relating
• satisfying
• hopeful
• yearning
• changing
• courageous
• supporting
• familiar
• irresistable
• forgiving
• worldly
• energetic
• communication
• unselfish
• honest
• ethical
• charitable
• merciful

     Can LOVE really be all of the above all of the time in every situation for every person? ......Of course not.....but is love more than sex and romance?......YES!.......Meditate on the above words and pay attention to the ones which have had meaning for you.  Open yourself to learning and experiencing love in ways you may never have dreamed possible.  Think about loving others besides your significant other and your mother. What does it feel like to love your enemy?  

     To me, LOVE is simplicity.  Love simply shared will be simply received.  No expectations....no matter who the recipient of our love
...friend or foe........spouse or sister........Leo Buscaglia, a teacher and author, said it simply......."We don't love to be loved; we love to love."  We must also LOVE ourselves to truly love others. Dr. Wayne Dyer, describes how we can not give what we do not have.  LOVE is food for the soul, and I agree with St. Augustine for he wrote that LOVE is the beauty of the soul.

LOVE is meraviglioso!

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart.
It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
- Judy Garland