The beautiful lone cottonwood tree at Ruth and Paul's is starting to show it's fall colors in the setting sun... and the two smiling little ones add to its splendor.
Sharing our struggles as a family reminds us each day that through our crosses/hardships we are made better, kinder, more humble, loving, generous, compassionate, less selfish or self-centered, and just plain better Christian people and children! Once again we are reminded that through the Cross we find the ability to die to self so that The Holy Spirit may come and dwell in us and bring us to LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT!
A wonderful photo from Michigan - where my heart is captured and held captive by its beauty and memories of Family weeks shared!
Today in the Gospel, Jesus asks us firmly to "listen to His Words." There are many ways to do this, and many ways not to do this. May we turn off a lot of the noise in our lives and listen to HIM! Our attention is grabbed by pain and suffering, and that is necessary to pull us back to our knees.
The story of Job - the first reading at mass these days is a firm reminder of how a life of wine and roses is not to be expected or even hoped for. We are to embrace our Most Cherished Cross and accept our death of selfishness and self-pity! I do fall into this too easily - "Poor me." Where does it get me but all bound up in my own misery and unable to reach out to those around me - most especially those in my domestic Church/family- the ones that I treat the worst and am supposed to love the most!
Another Michigan fall picture shared...
Lord, I am needing to be reminded this day of how I am weak and need you. I am a lonely mess of self-pity if I allow myself to think - "Poor me." Instead I should be saying - "Yes, I am nothing without YOU and I am here to take the gifts you give me and share them with great JOY with those the closest to me in my domestic Church/family. I deserve nothing better than to die to self so that you may live and do your healing and ministering through me this day. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
This is the beauty I am blessed with in my day to day world!
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"Have you entered into the sources of the sea, or walked about in the depths of the abyss? Have the gates of death been shown to you, or have you seen the gates of darkness? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness, That you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths? " God to Job and to me... reminding me that I am nothing without God!
Beauty on the farm...
The afters - Broken Hallelujah
So blessed by the Truth that dwells in these words this day and always!
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