What is Our Christmas Present to Jesus?

By Author Unknown

When Jesus called that Christmas week I wasn't at my best,
And the house was much too cluttered to entertain a guest.
He seemed to notice everything: the cards still unaddressed,
The gifts piled high awaiting wraps, the baking and the rest.
His eyes fell on the evergreen and the presents 'neath the tree.
"It's My birthday that you celebrate - what are you giving Me?"

"What am I giving Him?" I thought. Ashamed, no words I found.
So many costly things I'd bought. He looked at me and frowned.
I prayed He'd let the question pass, but when He did persist,
I blurted out the truth at last, "You were not on my list."

Is Jesus on our list this Christmas? What special gift are we giving to Jesus this Christmas? We all know the pleasure of finding the right present for our husband and wife, for our children, a good friend, a parent, grandchildren. What special gift are we giving to Jesus this year to honor His birth? And what do we expect from God? God sent Jesus from heaven to earth to give us human beings what we really needed most in life: hearts filled with love.

That is the gift which Jesus expects, and that is what you and I need from God this Christmas - a heart filled with love. We have tons of wants. We are like children with a catalogue before Christmas, circling all our wants by the dozens. But we have one essential need: a heart filled with love. God wants to give each of us a heart filled with love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness on this Christmas and every day of our lives.

Geocaching

"Everything happens for a reason." -Unknown

I had never heard the word "geocaching" until yesterday (Saturday). Somehow I came across the word in an article and I looked it up online. Geocaching "is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by treasure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online" (from Geocaching.com website).

Although I had never run across this word "geocaching" before, I had heard of the concept. Actually, it was about a month ago...this idea "popped into my head" that it would be awesome to set up an online treasure hunt, where people could hide items and give clues to their whereabouts in an online forum or on a specific website. I distinctly remember having a very detailed vision of this idea - weighing both the positives and negatives of the whole concept.

When I first read about geocaching yesterday (Saturday), I told Mommy: "I just had this idea recently!"
She said, "You've never heard of it (geocaching)?"
I said, "No. Never!" (Honest to goodness.)
"It's been around for a while," she said.

I also showed the website to you after you asked what we were talking about. I told you it was about treasure hunts. You asked me if we could play "Treasure Hunt." So we went outside and hid various items from each other for the next hour or so...(this is still Saturday, by the way).

Today (Sunday) was difficult. Emma was up late into the night with a fever. Mommy and I were very tired and on edge. At one point, I stormed out of the house and went to my office to "finish some work" before Monday (i.e. I was acting like a child and running away from the situation). After about twenty minutes, I called Mommy to ask her a favor, and she said she was on her way to the library in the next town. This bothered me even more, and I started an argument that ended in her being really upset and hanging up on me.

At this point, I was so frustrated. But I knew that everything that was transpiring was rooted in my impatience and anger. So I jumped in my car and headed to the library, praying the whole way there that she would forgive me. When I reached town, you guys were not at the library. I finally found you at Papa and Jojo's. Mommy and I "kissed and made up" and we all headed to the library to return several books...

There is a playground at the library. You and I played on the slide and monkey bars for a while while Mommy held Emma and watched us. When Emma began crying, I offered to carry her for a while. I walked her over to a tree with some black "pea pods" that she liked, and then over to another interesting-looking tree. Attached to one of the branches was a small camouflage container. I wanted to open it immediately, but thought it might be something dangerous, so I handed Emma over to Mommy. Very slowly and carefully, I opened the container, and inside was a rolled-up note and a little green ring (kind of like Green Lantern's ring). I gave the ring to you and opened the note...

Can you guess what it was? Yes, a geocache!

There are no coincidences in life, son. Our Lord Jesus Christ works in wonderful and mysterious ways. I am so happy that we were able to find this "earthly" treasure today. Remember, however, that the greatest treasure is Christ's Love in our hearts. Cherish His Love and abide in Him.

I love you,

Daddy

My son, if you will receive my words
And treasure my commandments within you,
Make your ear attentive to wisdom,
Incline your heart to understanding;
For if you cry for discernment,
Lift your voice for understanding;
If you seek her as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures,
Then you will discern the fear of the LORD
And discover the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
-Proverbs 2:1-6 NASB

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 NASB

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." Matthew 13:44 NASB

And Jesus said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old." -Matthew 13:52 NASB

For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shown in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. -2 Corinthians 4:6-10 NASB

Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. -2 Timothy 1:14 NASB

Psalm 100

All Men Exhorted to Praise God. A Psalm for Thanksgiving.

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

Reconciliation

CLICK HERE to read a great interview about forgiveness and reconciliation with Abbott Matthew Leavy, abbott of St. Anselm Abbey in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Rain

It poured down rain all weekend. The long drought may finally have ended.

I watched you from the front door playing in the rain with the neighbor kids...running, laughing, jumping, splashing. You are so full of life and love. I am so blessed to have you in my life.

I love you,

Daddy

The Words of Jesus Christ

CLICK HERE to read all the spoken words of Jesus Christ from each of the four New Testament Gospel accounts.

The Imitation of Christ

By Thomas a Kempis

CLICK HERE to read it online.

Two Routes

Excerpt of comment by Neil Booth in "My Hidden Life" (on his blog site "Pass the Toast"):

"It seems to me that there are two routes open to us as Christians who want to live holy, God-pleasing lives. One is to draw up a set of rules for holy living (or borrow an existing set) and keep tweaking them and adding to them and refining them and above all making sure we don’t break them. But Paul says that that is going back into the slavery from [which] Christ has freed us! The second is to be so wrapped up in Jesus, so devoted to him, having our minds so set on him, that we just do what pleases God without there being any “must” or “musn’t” about our response to people, places, situations and circumstances. Sadly, however, because we find it difficult to enter and to maintain this oneness with Christ, we resort to the moral and ethical rule book to do by law what we should be doing out of love."

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." -Micah 6:8 NIV

Hidden Workers

By George Matheson

"John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true" (John 10:41)

You may be very discontented with yourself. You are no genius, have no brilliant gifts, and are inconspicuous for any special faculty. Mediocrity is the law of your existence. Your days are remarkable for nothing but sameness and insipidity. Yet you may live a great life. John did no miracle, but Jesus said that among those born of women there had not appeared a greater than he.

John's main business was to bear witness to the Light, and this may be yours and mine. John was content to be only a voice, if men would think of Christ.

Be willing to be only a voice, heard but not seen; a mirror whose surface is lost to view, because it reflects the dazzling glory of the sun; a breeze that springs up just before daylight, and says, "The dawn! the dawn!" and then dies away.

Do the commonest and smallest things as beneath His eye. If you must live with uncongenial people, set to their conquest by love. If you have made a great mistake in your life, do not let it becloud all of it; but, locking the secret in your breast, compel it to yield strength and sweetness.

We are doing more good than we know, sowing seeds, starting streamlets, giving men true thoughts of Christ, to which they will refer one day as the first things that started them thinking of Him; and, of my part, I shall be satisfied if no great mausoleum is raised over my grave, but that simple souls shall gather there when I am gone, and say, "He was a good man; he wrought no miracles, but he spake words about Christ, which led me to know Him for myself."

A Man Fell in a Hole

Prayer of Salvation

A prayer you may pray to invite Jesus to come into your heart:

Father God,I come to You just as I am. There is nothing I can do to earn salvation. I know that I am a sinner and I ask Your forgiveness. Wash me clean with the precious, life-giving blood of Jesus Christ, Your Son. I believe He took my sin upon Himself and died on the cross for me. And I believe that He was raised from the dead, giving me power over the enemy.I want to turn from my sins. I don't understand everything about being a Christian, but I invite You to come into my heart and life, and I ask for the powerful indwelling of Your Holy Spirit to guide and teach me. Jesus, I will trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You, Father, for Your gift of restoration and eternal life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, take the time to chat daily with the Lord - This is prayer. It doesn't have to be fancy - just from the heart!

Hebrews 12

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, "IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED." And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling." But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN." This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.

Thank You

By: Daddy

Thank You, Lord Jesus, thank You
Thank You, my Lord and King
Thank You, Lord Jesus, thank You
Thank You for everything

Praise You, Lord Jesus, praise You
Praise You, my Lord and King
Praise You, Lord Jesus, praise You
Praise You, O Lord, I sing

Love You, Lord Jesus, love You
Love You, my Lord and King
Love You, Lord Jesus, love You
Love You with all my being

Thank You, Lord Jesus, thank You
Thank You, my Lord and King
Thank You, Lord Jesus, thank You
Thank You for everything

The Fig Tree

Prayer for Change

When I look at myself
I do not like what I see
Let me focus on you, Lord
As you recreate me
Mold me in Your image
Shatter mine like glass
Make me something better
Let this come to pass
In Jesus' Name. Amen.

The Bread of Life

God Saves!

Psalm 107:1-22

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
for they had rebelled against the words of God
and despised the counsel of the Most High.
So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom
and broke away their chains.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,
for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.
Some became fools through their rebellious ways
and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
They loathed all food
and drew near the gates of death.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He sent forth his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men.
Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.

Abba, Father!

By Daddy

Only at His altar
May we be altered
Aligned with the Truth
Ushered into Life
The Way of Love and Light
When our hearts cry out
"Abba, Father!"
And He is All in all
As we are all in awe.

The Truth

Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find no guilt in Him." -John 18:37-38 NASB

As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." -John 8:30-32 NASB

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." -John 14:6

"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth." -John 17:17 NASB

"For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth." -2 Corinthians 13:8 NASB

...but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. -Ephesians 4:15-16 NASB

But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. -Ephesians 4:20-25 NASB

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth." -2 Thessalonians 2:13

The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. -2 Timothy 2:24-26 NASB

This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. -1 Timothy 2:3-6 NASB

Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior...-Titus 1:1-3

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. -1 Peter 1:22-23 NASB

Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. -2 Peter 1:12 NASB

I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. -1 John 2:21 NASB

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. -1 John 3:18-20 NASB

The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. -2 John 1:1-3 NASB

For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth. -3 John 1:7-8 NASB

When I Say "I Am a Christian"

By Carol Wimmer

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not shouting, "I've been saved!"
I'm whispering, "I get lost! That's why I chose this way"
When I say, "I am a Christian," I don't speak with human pride
I'm confessing that I stumble-needing God to be my guide
When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not trying to be strong
I'm professing that I'm weak and pray for strength to carry on
When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not bragging of success
I'm admitting that I've failed and cannot ever pay the debt
When I say, "I am a Christian," I don't think I know it all
I submit to my confusion asking humbly to be taught
When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not claiming to be perfect
My flaws are far too visible but God believes I'm worth it
When I say, "I am a Christian," I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartache which is why I seek His name
When I say, "I am a Christian," I do not wish to judge
I have no authority--I only know I'm loved

Holy is His Name

Love Prayer

Threnus Prayer of Saint Augustine

If we place before Thy eyes, O Lord, our misdeeds and the wounds we receive, the less we suffer and the greater we merit. We feel the punishment for sin, yet we do not shun our obstinacy in sinning. Our fragile nature is shattered by Thy scourges, yet our evil ways remain unchanged. The sick mind is wrenched and the stiff neck is not bent. Life sighs in pain and yet it does not amend itself. If Thou waiteth, we do not reform, if Thou punisheth, we do not last. When accused, we admit what we have done, yet when punished, we forget. If Thou punisheth, we make promises; if Thou holdeth back the sword, we do not carry out our promises. If Thou strike us, we cry out that Thou might spare us; if Thou sparest us, we again provoke Thee to strike us. If difficulties come, we ask for a time for repentance. If mercy comes to our aid, we abuse the patience which has spared us. Even when our wounds are scarcely healed, our ungrateful mind forgets. If Thou hearest us quickly, we become haughty from mercy. If Thou art slow, we complain out of impatience. We are willing to serve Thee because of what Thou hast done, yet we do not fear to neglect what Thou willst have us do. Thou hast, O Lord, we guilty who have confessed; be merciful, for Thou art kind and loving. We have known that, unless Thou forgiveth us, Thou shalt justly punish us. But with Thee is much pity and abundant forgiveness. Grant, without any merit on our part, what we ask, O Thou, who hast made from nothing those who ask Thee. Have mercy on us crying out to Thee, O Lord. May the voice of the faithful and of the tearful stir up Thy mercy. May that forgiveness not consider that we sin, while it reflects on the fact we ask. Since it is a great misery that we are accused, may the fact that we are miserable make Thy mercy be the greater. We beg Thy help, and before Thee we place the evils and sorrows of our crimes. By our prayers we look for Thy mercy, the very mercy which we have spurned by our sins. Raise us up in Thy mercy, O Lord our God, so that in the fellowship of salvation and the joy of charity, while we long to be saved, we may rejoice in the faith and peace of all the nations. Through Christ our Lord...

Dying to Self

By Author Unknown

When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting or hurt with the oversight, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ;

That is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence;

That is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did;

That is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, and offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God;

That is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown;

That is dying to self.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in desperate circumstances;

That is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit, inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart;

That is dying to self.

Un-adult-erated

Today you will be having your first tee-ball practice! We have been practicing your hitting for a few weeks now, and you are really doing well.

I have a quick story to tell you from Saturday...

You were hitting the ball from the tee in the front yard when, for some reason, you decided to switch from hitting right-handed to hitting left-handed. I did not tell you to do this, and you had never seen anyone do this before. On your own initiative, you began hitting the ball from the left side just as naturally as you do from the right side! Amazing.

It is so wonderful being a daddy. Every day I learn something new from you. Usually you think of parents teaching their children. I believe we learn so much more from them.

The presence of a heart, mind and soul un-adult-erated by the evils of this world brings light to those who are hurting. Even on my worst days, you bring me such joy.

I love you.

-Daddy

Practicing His Presence

Read and re-read this book (click for link)...

I love you.

-Daddy

Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

By Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

I give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, my person and my life, my actions, pains and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being other than to honor, love and glorify the Sacred Heart. This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him. I therefore take You, O Sacred Heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life and my sure refuge at the hour of death.

Be then, O Heart of Goodness, my justification before God the Father, and turn away from me the strokes of His righteous anger. O Heart of Love, I put all my confidence in You, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Your goodness and bounty.

Remove from me all that can displease You or resist Your holy will; let Your pure love imprint Your image so deeply upon my heart, that I shall never be able to forget You or to be separated from You.

May I obtain from all Your loving kindness the grace of having my name written in Your Heart, for in You I desire to place all my happiness and glory, living and dying in bondage to You.

Amen.

Guide Inside

Jesus said: "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." -John 14:15-21 NIV

Jesus was once asked by a teacher of the law: "...Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." -Mark 12:28-31 NIV

Let His Spirit always be your Guide. Love, obey and follow Him.

I love you.

-Daddy

Reverence

"Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, 'Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" -Matthew 19:13-14 NASB

You and Mommy and I were sitting in the den last evening just relaxing. I was on the computer, browsing the internet and thinking about things. I have been distracted lately and have been constantly contemplating the Lord in my mind...seeking His presence, asking His Holy Spirit for answers and how I need to change to be closer to Him.

As I was thinking about these things, you suddenly said the word "Reverence." Here is the conversation that followed to the very best of my recollection...

I said, "What?"
You said, "Reverence."
Mommy and I looked at each other , then back at you.
I said, "Where did you hear that word?"
You said, "Nowhere."
I said, "Why did you say that?"
Then smiling, you said, "I don't know."

I believe the Holy Spirit was telling me through you that I need to reverence God our Father more fully in my life. I think my communication with Him might have become too flippant and irreverent. Maybe it is because I have been dividing my attention too much (e.g. looking at the internet while also thinking about Him), so I have not been really hearing what He is trying to tell me. I think I might be talking too much, as well, and not giving Him an opportunity to get a word in edgewise. Am I afraid of what He might say?

I also had two dreams in the past week or so which were about: 1) being late for one of my high school baseball games and 2) missing the bus for one of my high school football games, because I was more worried about doing other things. I remember waking up after that second dream and specifically thinking that God is telling me that I do not have proper respect for authority, and that I have not excelled in many things because of a general lack of appeciation for the gifts and talents He has given me, as well as, a lack of respect for timeliness and detail.

Thank you for your part in helping to wake me up.

I love you.

-Daddy

*ADDENDUM* - 02/09/09

I "randomly" opened to the following passage in my Jerusalem Bible as you and Mommy and I were preparing to read last night:

"The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, these too He condemned and reduced to ashes; He destroyed them completely, as a warning to anybody lacking reverence in the future; He rescued Lot, however, a holy man who had been sickened by the shameless way in which these vile people behaved - for that holy man, living among them, was outraged in his good soul by the crimes that he saw and heard of every day. These are all examples of how the Lord can rescue the good from the ordeal, and hold the wicked for their punishment until the day of Judgement, especially those who are governed by their corrupt bodily desires and have no respect for authority." -2 Peter 2:6-10

Shocking Love

from the January 7, 2009 reflection in One Bread, One Body (Volume 25, Number 1)

"They were taken aback by these happenings." —Mark 6:51

"Throughout Epiphany week, God's word proclaims Jesus' mastery over creation. He can heal the sick (Monday), multiply food (Tuesday), and walk on the water (today) (Mk 6:48). These miracles show us Jesus' almighty power and how much He emptied Himself (Phil 2:7) when He became a helpless Infant. The all-powerful Creator of the world could not walk, talk, or roll over. The second Person of the blessed Trinity talked baby-talk, wet His diapers, and spit out His food. Almighty God weighed just a few pounds, shivered, cried, and nursed at His mother's breast.

The message of Christmas and God's incarnation is shocking. He Who created the billions of galaxies with billions of stars, Who created the countless creatures on this little planet, became completely dependent on His parents, just like us. It seems almost blasphemous to suggest that God became a weak human being. Yet He did, out of love for us, and amazingly, "we must have the same love for one another" (1 Jn 4:11). "If we love one another God dwells in us" (1 Jn 4:12). "God is Love, and he who abides in Love abides in God, and God in him" (1 Jn 4:16). The meaning of Christmas is shocking, but ultimately, it is love."