Authentic Christian

Friends of Faith:

After a homily almost 3 weeks ago, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to be an “Authentic Christian.”

“You have turned aside from the way, and have caused many to falter by your instruction; you have made void the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts. I, therefore, have made you contemptible and base before all the people, since you do not keep my ways, but show partiality in your decisions. Have we not all the one father? Has not the one God created us? Why then do we break faith with one another, violating the covenant of our fathers?” Mal 2: 8-10

What I realized is that with all of today’s propaganda (fake news, reality TV, the “need” for equality, and the definition of choice and the perception of what is “deserved”), an Authentic Christian is an extremely difficult level to achieve – because it’s more than just NOT being a hypocrite and knowing the truth – it’s about acting on the truth even when those actions are so extremely counter-cultural that it creates divisions and undeniable backlashes from the people we would  most expect to support us in the most difficult of situations (our family AND other Christians).

And unfortunately, breaking faith with one another, in today’s “equal” society is “okay,” because by cultural standards to be authentic means not conflicting with someone else’s beliefs so as not to hurt someone’s feelings – even if those feelings violate God’s commands.

And authentic Christian beliefs cross into every moral and character decision we make. Unfortunately, we see these decisions as being judgmental rather than a determination of God’s right from what is morally wrong. Authenticity is not about walking the middle ground, but rather about choosing the upper ground.

Recently, I read an email from a friend who was denied the right to be paid staff of a pro-life organization simply because she was Catholic. In fact, her motives were pure. And her desire to support pro-life objectives were as honest as any I could have imagined. In fact, she was so authentic in her desire to support the pro-life cause that despite their condescending language and misconceptions about her faith beliefs she continues to raise money and volunteer for the organization in a behind the scenes capacity.

So, while it’s difficult to perceive that any authentic Christian (and yes, Catholics are Christians) would deny another Christian the opportunity to support God’s greatest fundamental gift to each of us, life, her choice to continue to help the organization in lesser ways chose to focus on the real purpose of the organization instead of some man-made “rule” – a truly authentic Christian response.

“Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen.” Mt 1:23-4

We are all individuals, with individual talents. Yet, despite this Jesus formed only ONE Church and gave us two new commandments (to love God and each other).

Yet it’s interesting how, even as aspiring Christians, we seem to look more to our differences. And we certainly seem to have difficulty living up to those two simple commandments that require us to put God first and love each other unconditionally. Authenticity is a high and difficult moral code.

God help me to: “Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly, do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all.  If possible, on your part, live at peace with all.” Rm 12: 9-18. Amen.

And so, I’m back to where I started – being an authentic Christian. Trying to discern what’s right, what’s important and what’s really God’s will – while doing the right thing and being in the right place while still appreciating all the beauty and opportunities God has given us.

A perfect place for a Thanksgiving message to circle back to – giving THANKS for our blessings AND SHARING those blessings with our neighbors in love.

May your week be spent with those you love, sharing the gifts and talents God has given you.

Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer and if possible, live at peace with all. Be Authentic!

Blessings of Thanksgiving,

Charlotte

Monday Morning Reflection

Hungry for More

Friends of Faith:

Why is it that I can say I am hungry just 4 days after Thanksgiving? Well, I’m not hungry for food, I’m hungry for something even more basic than food – I’m hungry for God.

And my hunger goes beyond that – it is also a hunger to know that everyone else is fed, that everyone else has the opportunity to know and to feel his presence like I do.

The more I know about God, the more I want to be about God. And I want to give everyone else the same opportunity of knowing Gods’s love while having the ability to share truer knowledge and greater wisdom of His grace with others.

"Brothers and sisters: May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts,  to be blameless in holiness before our God and  Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God and as you are conducting yourselves you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.” 1 Thes 3:12-4:2

It’s a hunger that knows opportunity and impatience; love and intolerance; wisdom and shame. And it’s a hunger that makes me feel both sadness and find the joy of fulfillment. And I realized that I have to be willing to receive what he offers.

I am grateful that I am willing to receive education which the Church has so prudently discerned. Right now that education is from the Theology of the Body which is a part of St. Pat’s regular Date Night program. Last week, my weekly email from TOB said: “What would happen to marriages and families if everyone knew more about the Theology of the Body?”  The email made me want so much more for so many more marriages. And I feel a deep sadness for the destruction of marriage and families when God has provided us so much “education.” But the email also strengthened my commitment to continue to promote stronger marriages and the enrichment of families while continuing to learn Church teachings.

I am grateful that I have been willing to receive His gift of a business which provides a livelihood to both our family and to our employee’s families and also provides the opportunity to serve others so that they can fulfill their own talents. Specifically my tax service has allowed me to see the gratitude and generosity of others. 

And quite often I am shamed by my own desires for more “stuff” when there are so many out there who are able to witness peace and joy and while having so very little materially.

I am grateful for the freedom to openly worship and to write about my faith. I am saddened when I feel the hunger of those who want to know more but who are searching in “all the wrong places” or who don’t have a spouse or someone who is willing to share a faith journey with them. I know in my heart that I could do more in prayer and friendship.

I have been blessed to receive signs from God especially in times when my life included challenges or suffering. I hope that others will not have to suffer in order to have their eyes opened to Him. But I have also found some of my greatest joys in being able to witness others eyes opened in faith and strengthened by His presence.

Heavenly Father, In this Advent season as I wait and prepare for the celebration of the birth of Your Son, Jesus, may my hunger for You be filled with prayer and love. Give me the wisdom to discern the answers you are granting me so that I will not to be discouraged when human nature seeks materialism, accepts mediocrity, and gives in to being less. Give me instead a deeper desire to continue a quest for more: a greater understanding of your teachings and a more committed desire to serve others. Grant me tolerance, acceptance and patience so that I may serve You by being hungry to love more. Amen.

This is also a good time to say thank you to God for Stan and our 35 years of marriage and to the many who wished us a Happy Anniversary on Kristy’s Facebook post – it made me realize and reflect on the “more” of your friendship and just how much marriages and families touch one another.

He is willing to give more, if we are willing to receive more.

Be hungry for more. Pray More. Love More. Share More. Be More!

Blessings,

Charlotte

On Your Mark, Get Set, Get Ready

Friends of Faith:

Am I chosen OR am I ready to be chosen?

“I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the children of Israel.” Rv 7: 4

Many of us have read this passage and probably wondered like I have what I could possibly do to be a part of the “chosen” 144,000, knowing as I know myself that this number over the last 2015 years is minutely small – a sliver of all of the Christian people that have come and gone, and in humility, without trying to fool myself, honestly knowing that I am not even close to being or becoming holy enough to being ONE of only 144,000.

So why do I, and should we, continue to seek holiness, to be Christlike, and to live for God? Why do I continue to strive to achieve heaven when at times it can appear to be so unachievable? Why do I have hope? Because this verse is followed by this passage:

“After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed: “Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.” Rv 7: 9-14

God may have only “marked” 144,000 but he has left the door open for all those who in hope seek his mercy; for those who in perseverance and patience seek to know Him and to do His will; and for those who remain faithful to Him despite temptation, persecution, sufferings and sorrows.

This passage is not about a few, about being “gifted or chosen,” this passage is about being prepared, about hope and mercy and about a lifelong journey towards God. For only God will know whether I am ready and whether I have done what it is that he has called me to do. My job is to be willing and to be humbly ready to lay down my life for Him so that I never feel too “chosen” or so “privileged” that I fail to do the one and only job he calls me to do – to love everyone else as unconditionally as He loves me.

Lord, we are a people that long to see your face. Help me to be ready to do your will, to stand against evil and to desire what is not vain. Help me to seek to know and acknowledge all that I have been blessed with, to be in your presence every hour of every day, and to be ready when I am called. Thank you for your patience and your mercy. It is through my hope in you that I find peace and joy. To all may there be blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might to our God forever and ever. Amen. (From Ps 24)

So I strive to give up my prideful ways and my desire for earthly belongings and in humility to become “marked” by a ready willingness and an eternal hopefulness that through His grace and blessings I will be chosen BECAUSE I was ready AND willing to do His will: in love, with love, by love and for His love.

So on your mark, get set, get ready – Love – because God awaits,

Blessings,

Charlotte

Rejoice, Rejoice

Friends of Faith:

Rejoice, Rejoice!

If I think about Christmas the way the world has come to know it my first instinct is an anxiety attack. I have shopping to do, gifts to wrap, cards to write, cookies to bake, a tree to set up, a house to clean and the list goes on.

But if I think about Christmas with a sense of rejoicing in the reason for the season I turn to giving thanks for all of the gifts I have received, the greatest of which is Jesus himself.

“Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.” 1 Thes 5: 16

When I realize the true reason for Christmas and begin to rejoice in the reason for the season it is because I am giving thanks for the gifts of our health, a warm house, family and friends, a full cupboard, the opportunity of being able to go to church and the list goes on.

And instead of an anxiety attack I look forward in anticipation to a house full of kids and grandkids, singing Christmas carols, driving around to see the sparkling lights and the opportunity to see relatives and hear from friends that I don’t see or talk to often enough.

“My soul rejoices in my God. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked upon his lowly servant. …..My soul rejoices in my God. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.” Lk 1: 46-53

I think it is the very reason that I am hearing expressed more and more –“I wish we celebrated Christmas in the same way we celebrate Thanksgiving”….only the gift of ourselves, plenty of time to enjoy each others’company and most importantly truly rejoicing in thanksgiving for all what we have that is spiritually and emotionally lasting rather than material and fleeting.

The “ah ha” moment! To give thanks, rejoice, anticipate through the lens of Christ instead of through the lens of the world: in the wisdom of thanksgiving instead of the desires brought on by competition, comparison, and materialism.

How can I make Christmas be more like Thanksgiving? Yes, I still have to cook, but now it is a time of new and shared memories and a time to get in the way of all the other cooks.

How can I rejoice more, appreciate more and do less? What will I really give up if I just sit back and enjoy friends and family instead of trying to impress them with “perfect” gifts? When will we realize that we already have the perfect gift, each other—exactly what is realized when we express our desire to make Christmas more like Thanksgiving?

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel. Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice, rejoice, Thou wisdom from on high. Who order’est all things mightly, to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in the ways to go. O come, desire of nations, bind in one the hearts of all humankind; bid thou one sad divisions cease, and be thyself our Prince of Peace. Amen. (O Come, O Come Emmanuel)

In anticipation, in thanksgiving, in rejoicing for the season – May each of you find hope and seek peace, share joy and profess love as we await the coming of Christ.

Blessings,

Charlotte

www.morningreflection.blogspot.com

Blessed Are You

Friends of Faith:

Life as we know it here on earth is a constant battle between good and evil: of being challenged to use our gifts so that we can be made aware of the many blessings God gives us or to be tempted by societies promised pleasures which cause us to hide, miss or outright turn away from the peace and joy He promises.

That is why it is so appropriate to follow yesterday’s feast of Pentecost, the sending of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Church here on earth with today’s famous blessings of the challenges of the Sermon on the Mount passage.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.  He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Mt 5: 1-12

The fire used to symbolize the coming and the presence of the Spirit leads us by it’s light, moves us by it’s energy, melds and molds us into whatever shape we allow.

God wants us to accept the gifts of the Spirit:  wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord (wonder and awe) so that we can receive the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

In turn both the gifts and the fruits become our blessings when they are used to answer the call of His famous Sermon, the blessings of giving back the gifts and spreading the fruits to others through His Christian Church.

So blessed and loved are we all to be a part of His Church and a child of His through our Baptism.

Come Holy Spirit, Come. May we accept the gifts you present us and use them wisely for the benefit of others. Help us to allow others to see Christ through the fire you light in our hearts by the sending of Your Spirit. Thank you for the gift of your Church which becomes our family and community of support for our faith journey. Amen.

Blessed are you who believe. May your faith burn brightly for all to see,
Charlotte

First Credit

Friends of Faith:

Last week I wrote about being blessed, and with Thanksgiving just around the corner, it seemed somewhat natural to write about being thankful…

And then this article about the Illinois tornadoes caught my attention: the headline stated that the reason so few people were killed was that they were in church…..  but then it went on  to give credit to the “connectivity” of cell phones that provided instant messages during the service; to “forecasters” for predicting the path of the storm; and to the “technology” that is used in observing weather.

So the fact that most of the town’s people were attending church, in God’s presence and protected by God became merely a “setting,” a publicity stunt for the newspaper, rather than the heart of the story.

In fact, the media did not even mention God’s name. And when the final credits were given, despite the stories attention grabbing first line, “saved because of church,” NO credit was given to God!

No credit was given to THE GOD who has given us life, originally…THE God who saved our lives, mercifully… or even THE God who we would call on to protect us, eternally.

“One day he got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A squall blew over the lake, and they were taking in water and were in danger. They came and woke him saying, “Master, master, we are perishing!” He awakened, rebuked the wind and the waves, and they subsided and there was a calm. Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” But they were filled with awe and amazed and said to one another, “Who then is this, who commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey him?” Lk 8: 22-25

How big is my faith?

And does my faith remind me to give the first credit, where credit is due—to the Creator, to the Protector, to the Commander of life; by the amount of time, the amount of money, and the amount of effort I spend honoring and obeying him, or is God just an afterthought, a nicety, a convenience when I am in need?

Like the media do I have more faith and reliance on man’s technology and connectivity and give the credit to “man” instead of to the person to whom it is really due—to God?

Do I honor God by spending as much of my time in His house as I do honoring celebrities at houses built by man (entertainment venues)?

Do I use as many of my gifts to take care of God’s people (donations to charitable organizations which help widows, orphans, the homeless or the hungry) as I do rewarding  myself (shopping, vacations, entertainment, eating out)?

Do I set my alarm and mark off time on my calendar to celebrate God as I would to wake up for work or to plan for a vacation or to enjoy a night out with friends?

And is my freedom to worship God less important than, just as important, or more important than, the equality and the freedom to work, live, and play with whomever I want?

Heavenly Father, You are the Creator, the Lord, the Master and Majesty of all. You are the one who gave us the power to subdue Your earth (Gen 1: 28). Help us never to abuse the power you have given us. Help me to always remember to give First Credit where it is due by saying Thank You to You. Thank you for all I am, all that I have and all that you have blessed me to do for you. Amen.

Don’t make God an afterthought – give God the honor of the First Credit (thankfulness), the respect of obedience and profit of your first fruit.
Blessings,
Charlotte

Finding Blessings

Women of Faith:

As summer approaches, the grass turns green, and flowers appear where none existed before, are you in awe of all that God has created? Or are you so wrapped up in your daily duties that you miss the blessings of life?

Pope Francis spoke this week about the world’s worship of the “golden calf” – all that is material and how our wants and desires have become not just needs, but our expected necessities. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/speeches/2013/may/documents/papa-francesco_20130516_nuovi-ambasciatori_en.html

“Brothers and sisters: Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” Rm 8: 8-10

We have received many blessings. (Our spouses, our children, our friends, our homes, clean water, ABUNDANT food, clothing, shoes, purses, cars, silverware, toothpaste and even laundry soap.)

But do we give thanks for someone to love and for those who love us; for the freedom to attend church, school and to go shopping; for our own health or the health and ability of those who take care of us; for the opportunity to do or to receive something done for us (like fixing or taking us out to lunch, mowing the lawn or having it mowed for us, or having or working at a job that pays the mortgage); or for all of the pleasures that we have come to expect as necessary?

What everyday blessings are we expecting or taking for granted? What opportunities have become expectations?

God has created each of us in His image (the flesh), and in each of us the ability to accept, receive and recognize His gifts for His glory (the Spirit). The flesh is empty without His spirit.

If I use and abuse the flesh (the human, the material) without recognizing them as a blessing from God, then I will be hungry (empty, a shell) missing His Spirit. When I accept Him and use His blessings to affect others, in the Spirit, I become full, completed, and even more richly blessed.

Creator God! Jesus our brother! Life giving Spirit! For the many wonders of our lives, we bless your name, and find in turn, that we are blessed. Guide and strengthen each of us on life’s journey so that we may be the face and voice of Christ in the world. Give us the desire to bring your blessings into the places of our hearts and homes both now and tomorrow. Amen.

Take the opportunity to find His Spirit within you and give it to others!

Receive His blessing and go forth to be a blessing!

Charlotte

Our Christmas Prayer

Families of Faith:

Our family sends this prayer to each of you and to your families as we await the Light of the World, Jesus Christ Our Savior.

“Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, knowing, brothers loved by God, how you were chosen.” 1Thes 1:1-4

Come Holy Spirit and enrich our lives. We have all been called to this place, at this time, for Your purpose. Help us to accept Your call as did Mary and Joseph, in faith without knowing why they were chosen.

May we come to recognize you in our spouses, in our neighbors, and in those we do not yet know—because if we search, you are in each of us, manifested in the love we have for each other.

May we become more like You: unrecognizable by our humble faith and memorable because of our actions in love.

Our family thanks You for the richness of friends and the wealth of health. And we remember with love and thanksgiving all of those we have given back to you this year.

We thank you for the communities in which we live and work—Toledo, Dubuque and Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Avon/Gypsum, CO.

We thank you for the blessing of wonderful employees and loyal clientele at the places ==where we are so fortunate to gather daily amongst friends—USS Polaris, Upah Tax Service, Loras Seminary, North Tama and Eagle Valley Schools, HyVee,  and Coe College.

Our family asks for your continued blessings on Andy and his fellow seminarians as they discern Your call to their vocations. Guide the priests and all religious who serve them and us. May the leadership of the Church continue to guide all Christians to truth and to forming God’s promised Holy, Apostolic, and unified body of Christ.

We thank you and ask your blessings on the staff and volunteers that we have come to know through in any way at St. Patrick’s, Holy Cross, St. Mary’s and St. Pius churches; The Alexander House marriage enrichment ministry; and Bridgehaven Pregnancy Support Center.

We thank you for the gifts of Colby (4) and Karolina (2) who’s hugs, smiles, innocence, mischief and sweetness remind us constantly of the blessings of all children. May all parents and grandparents be guided in teaching their children to live in faith.

Our family asks for the protection of the tiny baby growing inside of Kristy. May Kristy and Tyler’s anticipation for new life, become contagious attitudes for new life throughout the world, so that the most innocent, the pre-born will be given the regard and blessing of Your most heavenly miracle, birth.

We ask your continued guidance on life’s coaches, especially Stan and myself, Andy, Sara and Luke, and Kristy & Tyler. Thank you for the blessings we have received through the couples, religious ed students, and athletes we coach and mentor. May every spouse, student and athlete become a large part of a much larger team. We praise each achievement and ask you to lead us to train others in Your Spirit, to a greater life challenge with a greater reward, heaven.

We pray for the protection of educators and students. May Sara, Luke and Tyler as educators and Andy, Sara and Kristy, as students, serve You in greater knowledge.

We pray for Your grace on families, especially in those families who’s spouses seek enrichment through Godly instruction. Open the lines of communication and give us the courage to serve each other, dying to self and living as Christ lived: suffering, forgiving unconditionally and finding joy and hope by trusting in God’s will. May these words guide us:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”  1 Cor 13: 4-8

“In God all things are possible.”

And when all is said and done, what truly matters is that “Thy Will Be Done.”

Thank you for granting me my prayer, the greatest gift on earth, our family to be together this Christmas –see the picture below.

May each of you be as blessed this Christmas as we have been. AMEN!!

Charlotte & Stan Upah; Andy Upah, Sara, Luke, Colby and Karolina Cross and Kristy, Tyler & Baby Staker

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Friends of Faith:

Happy Thanksgiving! This week we celebrate Thanksgiving, an “annual” cultural reminder to say THANK YOU for what God has given to us, for our earthly treasures.

But should our “attitude of gratitude” only be celebrated during this week of Thanksgiving?

And does our Thanksgiving only say thanks for “all that we have?” Or does our Spirit of Thanksgiving include “all that we are?”

“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”. Phil 4: 6-7

Does our thanksgiving acknowledge that as “imitators of Christ” (Eph 4) God will guard our hearts and minds so that we can BE the person God is calling us to be? Are we “without anxiety” because we are “in Thanksgiving?”

Does it feel right when we thank him for everything we are and everything we have because everything we have and are, and everything we do, honors of him?

“I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”1 Cor 1: 3-9

Thank you for reading God’s word in these reflections and for sharing them with your friends. But more importantly thank you for using this time to reflect and to become more like Christ himself, to become what God is calling you to be, so that we are firmly enriched by the Spirit and in the end we will be “irreproachable”  to God.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for being the ultimate hope and power in my life. Thank you for the many gifts and blessings found in the richness of friends and family.  May I graciously serve you by sharing my time and talents with them, and with those I don’t yet know, in an attitude of gratitude, knowing that everything I have is yours and that everything I have should rightly be given back to you. Amen.

And now, bless the God of all, who has done wondrous things on earth; Who fosters people's growth from their mother's womb, and fashions them according to his will! May he grant you joy of heart and may peace abide among you; May his goodness toward us endure in Israel to deliver us in our days. Sir 50: 22-24

I am thankful that God is in each of our lives for “he has done wondrous things on earth.” May you continue to find hope, peace and joy by fashioning yourself thru Him with an attitude of gratitude.

Make every day a day of Thanksgiving!

Blessings,

Charlotte

 

Count Your Blessings

Friends of Faith:

It is best in life to count our blessings, because from every pain or sorrow we have the choice whether to choose earthly hurt or heavenly peace.

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers. Does a spring gush forth from the same opening both pure and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can salt water yield fresh... Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace. James 3:10-13, 16-18

We have been blessed for the past 26 plus years to have in my mom’s life a friend and companion. Her husband, John, gave her joy by allowing her to fulfill her desires to travel across the country and by growing her groups of both family and friends. Their greatest joys together were the times any of us gathered in their home (especially the rare times it was the entire family) or that they visited in ours. She sacrificed much and in God’s time she has been richly blessed. She continues to teach us what it means to COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS by choosing to be blessed with love after love.

We have been blessed to receive another dad when tragedy could have caused “disorder.” And we have received the fruits of being blessed by a father’s guidance, wisdom and attention. We were blessed with the comfort and peace of knowing John was taking care of mom (and she, him). He was truly a blessing to our family.

Our children have been blessed to have a Grandpa and Great-grandpa. He shared his time and love of sports and fishing with them and looked forward to their visits and the opportunities to listen to their chatter. We count their blessings to have learned the gifts of kindness, gentleness and service from them.

There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces. A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. Ecc 3: 1-8

Heavenly Father, You have given us everything. Help me to choose to accept and count Your every blessing given to us, for only you know in what time we need each of your gifts. Thank you for the gift of John and all of our loved ones. May he and all the faithful departed rest in peace in the richness of your heavenly kingdom.  Amen.

www.hindthudekfuneralhomes.com (John Perkins 1933-2012)

Count Your Blessings,

Charlotte

The Kings Attitude, Look Up!

Women of Faith:
Happy New Year! This is a great time to resolve an "Attitude of the Kings.”

An attitude that looks up, not down; the attitude that we are not alone, that God is around us in the people around us.

An attitude that looks for the positives during negative times (the light in the darkness); the same wisdom that guided the Three Kings to follow the star to seek the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem.

And an attitude of thankfulness allowing us to look at our blessings, so that we can share them with others (and God, when loved ones leave us) just as the three Kings gave their gifts to Jesus; an attitude of gratitude.

The three wise men followed a star (God’s light) to find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes. They would have missed the star if they had not “looked up.” What difference would a positive attitude make in our life when things don’t go our way?

When the Kings looked up they saw a star put there to guide them on their journey. Who is being placed in our life here on earth to help guide us on our journey towards heaven? What sufferings are we being asked to bear so that our attitude towards life will change? A darkness so dark, that we will seek the brightest of lights, God’s light, instead of crying, whining or complaining?

God is the only one big enough, bright enough, comforting enough, to guide us out of the messes, struggles, or sorrows that have been placed in our life. Giving Him control and letting Him change us while we are suffering is to follow the light out of darkness.

The Kings were the leaders because they had the Wisdom to look up and seek God. Are we looking up for our wisdom? Or are we looking at what the world would say is right?

And the Kings presented gifts, given with gratitude, for they knew that they had reached their destination in Jesus. They gave back to Jesus. Do we “look out” for God’s other children? Or are we storing our blessings by using them to entertain ourselves and fulfill our own desires? Do we look up, give thanks and give back to God what He has given us; sharing our time, talent, or treasures with those who need lifted up in some way?

If we look up we will find God waiting to take control of our lives. If we look up we will see God ready to guide us on our journey. If we look up we will see that God has placed someone in our life to help make the journey easier. If we look up we will see that there is someone around us who needs our time and treasures more than we do.

Christmas is not over, Christmas has just begun.

The lights may have been taken off of our trees, but there is a much bigger light in our lives. The light of scripture is our guiding star and the light of the new born Christ and his church has been passed on to us through the generations to guide us on our life’s journey.

The gifts we received have been unwrapped and tucked away in closets. But we all have received gifts that need to continue to be given; gifts of our time and talents, gifts not material. Blessings given to us by God, are we wise enough to share them?

Dear God: Praise be the newborn son you “gifted” for me. Thank you for the Kings who you sent as a reminder that You are the One leading me on my own journey. Help me to keep a positive attitude even when things don’t seem to go my way. Keep reminding me that the only way I need to go is towards you, the worlds gifts don’t really matter. When I trip and stumble because I look down in sin or discouragement, help me to look up and accept your hand to get back up. Thank You for the blessings You have given me. Help me to have the wisdom of the Kings to give back all that I have been given in gratitude. Amen.

Look Up! And may the Christmas Spirit continue to lift you,
Blessings,
Charlotte

Thanksgiving Blessings

Women & Couples of Faith:

I wanted to again share with you this “unordinary” list of Thanks

I hope you all have your own “lists” to add not only on Thanksgiving Day, but on every other day for all that God has given us.

Dear God, Thank you for giving us your son here on earth to teach us the truths, to live and die for us.

Thank you for dying on the cross so that we may be forgiven for all of our “human” interpretations, sins, errors, actions, hypocrisies, and misunderstandings of your truth.

Thank you for giving us the sacrament of marriage to teach us how to be unselfish and to depend on our faith in you.

Thank you for the sufferings in my life that have brought you nearer to me and my family.

Thank you for teaching me to pray so that I can give you my burdens.

Thank you for putting me in a place here on earth where I am not prosecuted for speaking your name, but have the ability to spread your word/truth by my actions and speech.

Thank you for giving us friends who share our values/your truths and who are willing to inspire us with their wisdom.

Thank you for Your comfort when I am lonely or sad; Your hope, when I am discouraged; and Your peace, when I am worried.

Thank you for parents, grandparents and great grandparents (those older than us) who teach us love, perseverance and courage from days past.

Thank you for the hugs, smiles, and innocence of children and grandchildren, our own and those that are shared with us, for they are God’s greatest blessings and our future.

Thank you for the ability to share my bounty: time, talent and treasures, with those less fortunate.

Thank you for every moment here on earth I am given to spend with my loved ones.

Thank you for the time I was allowed to spend with the loved ones that have gone before me.

Thank you for giving me hope in the Word that by living as your servant and following your Truth I will reach your eternal kingdom in heaven. Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving and Thanks for Being Part of our Family and for Your Friendship—
Blessings,
Stan & Charlotte & family

Winners or Losers?

Women of Faith:
It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. The exception to this may be what I will call the ultimate game, the game of life. There, winning is heaven, and I don’t even want to think about losing.

Unfortunately, as I try not to judge, I fear that our society may be losing as I watch us accept sin as a norm. As I watch society try to put their “spin” on what the bible teaches. And as I watch people, who grew up in Christian homes, who know there is a God, who were taught about God from an early age, leave church, ignore the commandments, or worse yet, try to justify their sin/s.

I find comfort and hope by the outcome of a vote to “oust” judges who accept gay marriage as a right, and I find Hope in the prayers of the many who I know attend church regularly and who are unafraid to “speak” against sin and who volunteer in ministry in many forms.

I also find hope in seeing those who have the faith to accept their sufferings, knowing that Christ too suffered for us.

As the gospel said yesterday: Choose REPENTANCE, it is never too late. Lk 23:35-43 “Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us." The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

The second thief is the only person we know who has entered the kingdom of heaven with Jesus because of this passage. On the cross this thief asked for forgiveness, but just as importantly accepted that he was a sinner, that he deserved earthly punishment and that his only salvation was true faith in Jesus.

Are we like the first thief, expecting God to save us, even though we have no shame, guilt or repentance for our sins? Is our pride preventing us from acknowledging our sins and seeking forgiveness?

Or are we like the second thief who admits to our sins, accepts our burdens by sacrificing our life for God, receiving just punishment for our sins and most importantly receiving God’s promised forgiveness, healing and grace given to us when Jesus died on the cross?

The earlier we learn to be like the “accepting thief” the more happiness, joy and peace we can find in Christ’s forgiveness and ultimately our salvation. And the easier it will be to bear our burdens and sufferings because like the “Footprints in the Sand” we will be carried by Jesus through the toughest of times.

Dear God, I praise Your healing grace. I yearn for your forgiveness and love. Please help me to live each day as your servant, accepting my burdens, sacrificing my time and using the gifts you have given me wisely. Help me to be less self-serving, less judgmental and more hopeful with the grace of Your Spirit. Let me be a witness to Your goodness in faith, hope and love. I ask that you open the hearts of each person, family and friend, those that I know, and will come to know, those that I can in anyway help or touch, so that we will be better listeners and learners of Your word. And especially this Thanksgiving Week, Thank you for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, who has granted us eternal salvation. Amen.

Blessings and Thanksgiving for all of our faithful friends.
Charlotte, Stan and family