Giving

Pay it forward, dear friend...and reap the countless rewards!

http://www.dailygood.org/story/439/miserable-and-magical-a-graduation-speech-for-paradoxical-times-nipun-mehta/

Aching

Mother Teresa is reported to have said that suffering is permitted by God for our good and the good of all humanity.  So, I accept it, and I will look for ways to help others today.

Take a look around you.  If there is someone nearby, chances are good that he/she is also suffering in some way.  Your sufferings may be smaller or larger than his/hers, but they give you a common bond.  Don't go it alone.  Find a way to bear it together.  Shy. (like me)?  Even offering a smile may brighten their day.  We'll do this together, dear reader.  You're not alone.

Building

Despite thunderstorms, I plan to go out late this morning and help build community by supporting Global MS Day at my neighborhood frozen yogurt shop.

How can you help build your community?

Poem

(hardly worth the title...)

While postponing writing my blog,
I found within me an invincible frog.
But I'll never write anything as good as "The Road Not Taken"
Unless I keep embracing Jesus Forsaken.

In Debt!

I'm indebtted to hundreds of people:  my parents, my extended family, my friends, my teachers, my husband, and even my son.  Why my son?  Because without him, I would have missed so many joys.  But, I'm also in debt to perfect strangers.  Whether I encountered them in person or by phone, letter, or e-mail, God was in each of them.  They presented me with an opportunity to give my best and, more importantly, to love as I have been loved.

I don't want to know how many times I failed them!  Now that I'm more mindful, I can only hope that my successes can someday outweight those failures.  And those people who failed to see God in me?  I humbly and sincerely forgive them.  Lord, please forgive me my debts, as I forgive my debtors.

Dear reader, consider trying to see the people in your life with new eyes.  See each one as a unique and precious gift, as God in a very clever disguise.  Then, do your best to love them.  Even if all you have to give someone is a smile, give it with love.  I'm doing so with you...

Facing the Dragon

Yesterday's scripture readings were perfect, especially the Old Testament.  I saw them rather late in the day, but they encouraged me, and I'm rereading them today.  Sirach (2:1-11) cautions anyone who comes to serve the Lord to "prepare yourself for trials."  It goes on, giving sound advice about withstanding them--being steadfast and patient, trusting in God and His mercy.  

The psalmist says, "Commit your life to the Lord and He will help you."  It takes perseverence, a lot of prayer, and the support of family and friends, but dragons can be defeated.  But, there's more:  "Take delight in the Lord, and he will grant you your heart's requests."   I have to admit that, since my conversion, God has given me more than I ever dreamed possible.  My writing career is a little different than I imagined; still it gives me so much joy.

Last, in the Gospel, Jesus says that whoever would be the greatest must be the servant of all.  It's so very difficult to set aside our own agenda, our egos and desires.  But, each time we fail, we can start again.  Smack that dragon!  Show God our commitment to serve Him and each other by beginning anew.  Wherever you are, dear reader, if you're striving, know that I am too.  We can do it together.

Gift

Love is an unselfish gift.  Think about it.  Is Love that asks for anything in return really love?  Does Love expect a return?  It may invite, but in a whisper.  We must be still, silence our egos, our racing brains and our hectic schedules to hear it.  Let's keep our eyes, ears and hearts open today in order to experience all the ways in which Love gives to us and invites us.

Also praying for everyone in Oklahoma, and looking for concrete ways to help.  Have a blessed day, dear reader.

Next Steps

Yesterday, the dragon spawned some paragraphs in my brain.  Last night, when I couldn't sleep, I typed up most of them, but left at a place where I knew what would come next.

Today I consulted my doctor again (second time in a single year) about insomnia.  When it visits only occasionally, insomnia is a writer's friend.  When it shows up night after night, it's a stalker.  It steals your mind and sometimes your body throughout the entire day.  My prescription will be ready later.  Meanwhile...

I've written something--a journal, short stories, poems--for as long as I can remember.  I know that my desire to write, and especially to write for children, developed because my mom read to me.  It started out as bribery:  late in my high chair days, I wouldn't eat, and my "Italian" mom (obsessed with my eating, of course) made me an offer I couldn't--and didn't--refuse; she would read me a story, if I would eat.  I guess you could say that stories fed my body, mind and soul.  Later, I loved to read and went to the library as often as I could...or ran down to the Bookmobile that stopped on the corner of our street once a week.  (If you know what a bookmobile is, you're probably around my age.)  I still love reading, and writing.

Now I have a new purpose, especially for the writing:  to serve Love (God) and to communicate His love to my audience.  He has allowed me to do that in very blatant ways, so far.  What I'd like to do next is see if we can do it with a little more subtlety...  Meanwhile, I'm going ahead to give to others today by truly listening, by sharing ideas or an experience, and by making other's burdens my own--always prudently, of course.

If you are burdened in any way, be assured of my prayers for you, dear reader.  May you know God's immense love for you today, and every day.

My Dragon

is my greatest difficulty/challenge, and also my greatest opportunity.  I'm thankful that it's here, staring me in the face, but...it must be slain (overcome).  I know that I can't do it alone, so I beg God's help and your prayers, dear readers.  May I do His will and not my own in everything, especially with the dragon.

If you're facing your own dragon, know that in my heart, I stand at your side, armed and ready...

Hitting Delete

Decided to delete my previous post--too personal, and I want to share this blog on my social media.  Some of the folks that I mentioned yesterday probably would not have appreciated or been comfortable with what I wrote.

So, what will this blog be about?  I need a theme.  Perhaps writing with love for Love, and for the love of writing.  That would be personal, I think, but without divulging things that are too sensitive, intimate or private.  We'll see how it goes.

Thank you, dear readers, for your patience with me and my "process."  Have a blessed day.

Hello World!

Hello, out there!  I'm an author, but this is my first real attempt at blogging.  My goal is to contribute something interesting, thought-provoking, inspiring and/or helpful each time I post.  (God help me!) 

I'll start with something simple, a brief movie review.  Keep in mind that I'm not a critic, just a movie-lover, and these opinions are strictly my own.  I mean no offense to anyone, and feel free to disagree.

I saw "The Great Gatsby" yesterday. I'd give it an A- for being very true to the novel, for cinematography, casting, direction, costumes, etc. The performances were riveting. Just one problem, very distracting at times:  bits of hip-hop/rap music...in a period piece! Honestly, would someone who wanted to watch this movie also be interested in that type of music? The chances seem pretty remote. I wish that they had stuck with the music of the era, even if tinny.

My second realization about this story is the similarlity in theme to Bronte's Wuthering Heights.   I read Gatsby in high school, Wuthering Heights a few years later in college, and didn't make the connection then.  But memory served me yesterday:  both are about men who amass a fortune for the woman that they love, only to find that she has married someone else.  Both works end tragically and with death, although Daisy survives, unlike Catherine.  Of course, Daisy is "dead" to Jay Gatsby in a way.  I wonder if she was just too weak and frightened to leave her husband, preferring familiar pain to the promise of the romantic unknown.

Then, there were my other spiritual/religious thoughts, spurred by Gatsby saying to her, "I did all of this for you."   Forgive me if those are not the exact words, but you get the idea.  He had created everything for her, as God has created and done everything for us.  Am I weak and frightened?  Yes.  Probably even worse than Daisy, who "smashed things up," as Fitzgerald said.  But, I want to love God back, to make some sort of return--no matter how flawed or puny--for everything that He has given me and done for me, and continues to give and do for me.  I'm dependent on Him for my every breath.  I hope that I have trillions more of them left to me, because I need to improve in so many ways...

Have a blessed day, all.