Tag: faith

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All I Want For Christmas…

Daily writing prompt
What is the greatest gift someone could give you?
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This is a tough question for me to answer. My mom bemoans the fact that she can no longer afford to buy me gifts, but that doesn’t bother me. I get very few gifts any more, and that’s fine, because I’m trying to downsize and gifts would just clutter up my already messy space.

A co-worker gave me a wonderful gift right before Christmas–a plateful of fudge and peanut brittle exactly the way my mom used to make it. I get nostalgic this time of year for the candy and baked goods that were so much a part of my family’s Christmas tradition. I don’t have the recipes–not that I could make peanut brittle anyway–and my mom is in assisted living, so she no longer makes any of those goods.

But the greatest gifts I’m getting these days are words of wisdom. So much of that comes from my blogging buddies, and I thank you for those thoughts. You may not be aware of the good that comes from sharing your life experience, but it’s there.

Then there are the gifts God gives us, sometimes in small measure, sometimes larger. This morning in church I was overwhelmed with the idea that I was created in the image of God, that God created me to be who I am. More than that, I felt a conviction that my parents were chosen for me, faults and all. I struggle with so much pain from my childhood and even my relationship with my parents as an adult, but perhaps that was all part of God’s plan for me. That’s pretty basic stuff for a lot of people of faith, and it’s not a new thought for me, but there was a wave of conviction I haven’t felt before.

I attend an Episcopal church, and I’m fortunate to have a priest who emphasizes God’s profound love for us despite our failings. We can fall again and again and God simply doesn’t go away. I find myself failing, but I know there is hope for the future.

I guess that’s the greatest gift anyone can give me, unwavering love despite my worst behavior.

Image Credits: Peace on Earth © cartoon-IT–stock.adobe.com; Fudge © olyina–stock.adobe.com; Family © GarkushaArt–stock.adobe.com

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I Had It All Worked Out…

Man plans. God laughs.

While I’ve always somewhat dismissed the above saying–I don’t believe God laughs and it’s a bit offensive to my faith–I do get the point. For the last couple of years I’ve been making plans to retire. Now it seems those plans may not come about as quickly as I’d hoped.

It was difficult for me to get up this morning, the Monday after daylight saving time started. It’s always a challenge to get out of bed on Mondays, in part because I let myself sleep in on the weekend against all expert advice, and in part because I just don’t want to go to work. In the past I’ve been able to say, okay, just x number of months left before you can retire. Now the time has stretched out considerably longer than a mere count of months.

I’m also concerned because I can no longer afford to visit my mom in Minneapolis. She’s getting older and I know I could lose her at any time. Don’t get me wrong, she’s not in failing health per se, but it is a struggle for her to walk very far. Plus, her memory is spotty. My plans after retirement include moving to Minneapolis myself, but of course that’s looking like it will take a little longer than expected as well.

However, I refuse to give in to the frustration of dashed hopes. I can be stubborn and I’ll put that quality to good use in this situation. Perhaps there is a strong reason things aren’t rolling out as I’d hoped. I guess I may never know about that for sure, but I do believe God is in control. My faith is getting stronger. That’s due in part to a renewed commitment to pray and read the Bible (don’t worry, I’m not going to preach) as well as a priest at my Episcopalian church who speaks to our relationship with God and his nature. It’s uplifting, something I haven’t experienced in church as often as I’d like.

So, I’m going to keep on planning, adjusting my ideas to each new factor that affects my decision. Until I hit my target, this woman plans, and no one laughs.

Image Credits: Target (header) © alexdndz–stock.adobe.com; Stubborn Fox © Jean–stock.adobe.com

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Trust but Verify

Today while waiting for my lunch hour to arrive, a little hungry, a little cranky, I heard my co-worker Anna take a call from her daughter. Here’s what Anna said:

“You’re kidding! Where are you?”

“No, stay where you and do what they tell you to do.”

“I’ll stay on the phone with you.”

My antenna was up. I was afraid it might be what so many parents–and others without children–fear: a shooter on campus. It turned out I was close in what I’d been thinking. There’d been no gunfire, but police confiscated a gun from a student who’d brought it to school and was showing it to friends. He’d made no threats. He just was stupid about show-and-tell.

Anna, my co-worker, was calm throughout the entire conversation. Fortunately it didn’t take long for things to cool down, although students were told to stay in place for awhile after they’d arrested the boy. That got her daughter agitated, but Anna assured her there are procedures in place and while we may not understand them, we need to follow them.

Procedures in place. How many times have we questioned those in authority about one thing or the other, simply because we didn’t understand the whys of what they were doing? Or maybe we don’t question them per se, but get frightened because something seems to be taking too long.

Doctors order tests with certain symptoms simply to rule things out, but they’re also protecting themselves. What if they didn’t check it out and it resulted in lifelong consequences, or even death, for a patient? Yes, the tests can be expensive, but I don’t believe the doctors are doing it to make money. I believe they’re covering their you-know-whats, emotionally and financially. And it’s the responsible thing to do.

It pays to question those in authority if we’re wondering what’s going on rather than surmise what they’re doing. A lot of people would prefer to gossip and moan instead of getting the truth. Don’t be one of them. Trust those who have proven themselves worth of that trust, and ask questions when you can about why they do what they do.

And pray that your school campuses are safe. Procedures can save lives.

Image Credits: Woman on phone © Malik/peopleimages.com–stock.adobe.com; Doctor/Patient © sebra–stock.adobe.com

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The Wisdom of Walter

It’s been a tough week for several of my friends, and it’s hard to say how things are going to fall out for some of them. It’s a scary world when the future is uncertain. But Walter says, take it one day at a time. Don’t worry about tomorrow, today has enough troubles of its own. Pray. And when things get really rough, give your kitty a hug.

Image Credits: Cesar Cat © Belinda O, Paws in Heart, © bigstockphoto.com, Heart in Paws © Reiu–stock.adobe.com

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Fate, Faith and Consequences

AdobeStock_10518335 pngA few years ago I was struck down, metaphorically speaking, by circumstances I felt were outside of my control. I’ve since realized I do have a lot more say in what happens to me, but at the time, I was easily controlled by people in authority or even just people with a lot more self-confidence. I was too nice, too eager to please.

I’m still a nice person, but I don’t sacrifice my own self-worth for others any more. It’s been a difficult journey. At the time this all happened, others told me there was a reason for my suffering and eventually I would understand why I had to go through all of it. To this day, I resent hearing that. Yes, I learned some valuable lessons. But that doesn’t justify the actions of others, nor does it make sense of what happened.

I believe there are consequences to our actions, and not just for ourselves. What we do can help or hurt others, just as what they do can affect our lives. I also believe in God, and I believe he can bring about change in our lives that we didn’t expect or don’t deserve. But I don’t believe he intends for us to suffer. Man has free will, and that brings me back to this: consequences. We are responsible to ourselves and others. Just don’t expect others to always treat you as you deserve to be treated.

Blonde woman standing alone in a studioLife can be difficult, but it also can be joyous. Most of the time we land somewhere in between. Right now, life is good for me. There are struggles, but I have the support of family and friends. I know the path I need to take to solve some of my problems, although that doesn’t always mean I do what I’m supposed to. The consequences are mostly mine to bear, and for that I’m grateful. I don’t want others to have their happiness depend on me.

Do I believe in fate? I believe good and bad comes into everyone’s life. I believe in luck. I believe in perseverance. I believe in myself. And that’s as much as I know on the topic, so I’m sticking with that.

Image Credits: Sad Woman © Ella–stock.adobe.com; Confident Woman © Jacob Lund–stock.adobe.com; Winding Road © tarasov_vl–stock.adobe.com