A full cup

God fills
our cup full
and running over,
not so
we can boast
or measure,
but so
we can spill over
into the lives of
others. S. Dyer (devozine)

The imagery struck me. Have you ever filled a bucket full of water full to overflowing? The water rushes over the sides not in precise measured amounts and you cannot control where it goes. It splashes wherever it wants. If we allow God to fill our cup to overflowing, think of the lives we will touch, lives beyond our control. How many others can we reach and refresh with God's life giving love?

Bible and Science

We are surrounded by people who are constantly trying to reconcile the Bible and science. You will hear (or may ask) questions especially about the beginning of the world, the great flood, the plagues in Egypt and on and on. Where does the Bible tell us about dinosaurs? To the best of my knowledge, the word dinosaur isn't in there (unless they are the behemoths listed in the OT).  Did they exist? Obviously so, their bones are everywhere but on what day were they created? Were they created at a later time? Why did God allow them to die out? My question to you is...what does it matter?

The writers of the Old Testament weren't really concerned about the "how" of creation. Their concern was mainly with the "who" and "why"..."who" set everything in motion and "why" do we exist? These were (and are) the important questions. The technical explanations didn't matter to them nearly as much as describing the relationship between the Creator and the created.

Scientists will never know the answers to all of life's questions and what they believe to be true today could very well change next week. Their study is like a puzzle without all the pieces; the picture is constantly changing.  I am often fascinated by what science has to offer and what they can tell us about this wonderful creation we live on...earth. I can learn, understand and grow in the knowledge of the natural world because I am sure that the Truth learned from studying God's word is just that, Truth. It may not spell out the answers to a biology quiz but it gives me all I need to know to be in relationship with you and my Creator.

It's called being a Mom...

Read a wonderful article that all mothers should read. We tend to forget that we're not perfect, we're Mom's...and we are just the mother our children need.

I can say this because my children are grown. And even though I know I made plenty of mistakes while raising them, they always knew they were loved, they always knew they were first in our hearts, they STILL know that there is a place in this world where they can come...for love, for comfort, for encouragement, for fun. I can also say this because God has given us the opportunity to raise our grandson...and yes, the world does revolve around him. And while his mom and his uncle think that we've lost our minds because we're not the same parents we were to them, they don't realize that each child is different. His needs are not the same as theirs were...and we have experience we didn't have with them. To realize, that despite what society would tell us, the most important job (if you want to call it that) we have at this moment, is to raise him the best we know how.


Somehow in the mixed up media world we've got these thoughts of moms being perfect. Society doesn't give us a break. I mean read this article in the New York Times about the pressure on moms to look a certain way after they give birth. And then? Then we're to be ultra creative, crafty, humorous, happy, chipper, up before dawn, to sleep after dark, with our sinks shined, and the laundry folded, and tomorrow's breakfast in the crockpot, with tomorrow's dinner - pulled from our once-a-month cooking thawing in the fridge, while we work out for 20 minutes on odd days and 40 minutes on even days, and our hair is always done, we're makeup ready, our fridges are stocked, and the craft closet bursting with ideas for that quick perfect afternoon art project that we'll place on our recycled wood and mod podged adorned hand painted chalkboard.

Read the rest here...You may never have been a mom...but you have been a child.

The same blogger wrote this too...

The Boss

A story from the heart:


"To say that my grandmother was the dominant force in my life only begins to describe the role she's played and her impact on me. Despite standing all of 4-foot-7, she was a force of nature. Even more, though, she was a force of faith, and her story – no lie, the stuff of legend – shines as proof of the power and richness that can only be born from a pure, committed love of God and the rest. As she always urged me in her inimitable immigrant’s “broke English,” yet with a pride that broke any language barrier, “Rocky, you write my book. It be better than the Bible.”

A beautiful letter to a beloved grandmother, read the rest:
 Whispers in the Loggia

Hildegard and the Trinity

I recently read an article about Hildegard of Bingen. She was a 12^th century whose gifts included being a writer, composer, Christian mystic (person knowledgeable of aspects beyond normal human perception) and Benedictine Abbess. She will soon be designated as a “Doctor of the Church”, which means her writings will be officially endorsed by the Catholic Church.

She had numerous visions over her lifetime but one in particular is especially helpful in understanding the concept of the Trinity.

One of her visions depicts Christ as a sapphire blue figure, standing in the midst of two circles: one golden-colored, its diameter just about the same length as Christ's height; the other, larger one a lighter color, surrounding and enfolding the smaller figure. These circles, in turn, are surrounded by a blue background and a framework of floral designs. This striking image, according to Hildegard, is not just of Christ, but indeed is a vision of the Holy Trinity.
"This is the perception of God's mysteries . . . that bright light bathes the whole of the glowing fire, and the glowing fire bathes the bright light; and the bright light and the glowing fire pour over the whole human figure, so that the three are one light in one power of potential." So writes Hildegard of her vision. In short, the largest circle represents light—the light of God. The inner circle signifies the fire of the Holy Spirit. And of course, the figure, washed in a rich, watery blue, is Christ; not a lonely, bereft Christ but rather, Christ embedded in the fire of the Spirit and the light of the Creator.

 ...Somehow, in our time, Hildegard has been "reinterpreted" by the Vatican to be deemed worthy of the title Doctor of the Church. But I think Hildegard's true worth remains not in her theology but in her visions, her music, her art. It is as a contemplative that Hildegard's most singular, creative, and innovative gifts can be found. The sapphire Christ, surrounded by luminous circles of fire and light, will show us the way.

St. Monica

You may not have heard of her, but you've surely heard of her son...

St. Monica was born in the African city of Tegaste, of Christian parents.  She was married at an early age to a pagan, Patricius, and had three children, the oldest of whom was the great Doctor of the Church, Saint Augustine of Hippo.  The household was thoroughly Roman by language, culture and persuasion.  Despite Monica’s own Christianity, her children were not baptized in the faith, although their childhood was suffused by it due to Monica’s devotion and influence.

  

Monica’s life was a difficult one.  She patiently suffered through the dissolute life of her husband and abuse from her mother-in-law.  Yet, her piety and patient charity won the conversion of her husband Patricius one year before his death, and the conversion of his mother as well.

  

Her son Augustine was of great concern to Monica.  At the age of 19 he rejected his mother’s faith. His mother followed him to various places and he was finally able to resolve his doubts about Christianity and was baptized during the Easter celebrations of his thirty-third year of life.  Monica’s long years of prayer had thus been answered and she died in-route to her home, in the port city of Ostia, in October 387, the year of Augustine’s baptism into Catholicism.

 

 St. Monica is honored as a model for virtuous Christian mothers.  She is the patron saint of ecclesiastical societies of mothers, of women, and of all mothers.  Since 1430 her relics have been venerated in the Arrouaise Augustine monastery in the city of Rome, in the Church of San Agostino.  Her feast day is celebrated universally on 27 August.

One of those people...

You know who I'm talking about...at least I hope your church has at least one among your congregation. One who makes your day brighter, just because you've been in her presence. Always has a smile on her face, a smile that encompasses her entire face. Descriptive words that come to mind...friendly, helpful, loving, creative...and a WONDERFUL cook!

There's an old saying that "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree". Last weekend she went back to her hometown to be a part of the community honoring her father...

a playground! Built in one day! What a lovely way to remember an obviously lovely man!

Don't they look like they're all having a blast?