Emails and Me

Nuvola-like mail internet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Email can be a powerful tool for communication, or a major distraction.  As a person who has over 300 unread emails in her “daily” mailbox I personally consider emails a burdensome necessity to everyday life.  Scanning the new arrivals I quickly open those of importance and glide right past the ones marked with “fwd” or “hi” or “just seeing how you are”…BUSY, I think to myself…too busy to even hit delete.

This explains why I am a person with over 300 unread emails in her mailbox.

But there are moments when I pause and consider the person who wanted to send me an email marked “fwd: Christians” in the subject line.  Something about seeing Christians in an email makes me want to read what other Christians are hoping to convey to one another.  Last week I was not disappointed.

A very dear friend forwarded along an email from another friend (yes, one of those double fwd emails we all receive) and because Nora is like me when it comes to opening and responding to emails my curiosity was aroused.  I was not disappointed.  Below is the email message I received:

                                              A Christian

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas . Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.  As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, ‘You’d better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.’ Then he thought, ‘Oh, forget it, it’s only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a ‘gift from God’ and keep quiet.’ 

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, ‘Here, you gave me too much change …’

The driver, with a smile, replied, ‘Aren’t you the new preacher in town?

‘Yes’ he replied.

‘Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I’ll see you at church on Sunday.’

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, ‘Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.’

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard — and remember — You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself ‘Christian.’

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits..
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. 

                                                            (author unknown)

 May we never be too busy, too tired, or too overwhelmed to remember every moment our lives is to be spent honoring and spreading the Love that is Christ.

Who Are You?

Do you know who you are?

I do – and it has nothing to do with my height, my intellect, or my achievements. My perception is not rooted in my hair color, my weight, or my financial statements. It isn’t even based on my family genetics, makeup, or community standing.  Three words can sum up my perception of myself:

I am a back-pew person.

I am most comfortable in the back pew of not only my Church, but any Church. When visiting different churches I always seem to migrate to the back pews for Mass.   I am happiest there, and as a result, I feel more involved.

I am what I am…a back-pew person.

I can hear everything, see everything, and sing with abandon…or not even open the hymnal. No thoughts of whether or not my hair in the back is tangled or disorganized.  No worries if my coat is hanging correctly, or if I have something stuck on the back of my pants.  Collar sticking up?  Shirt not ironed? Old pants that have probably seen better days? Totally irrelevant to why I am there.  I can observe without being seen. I like that.

When I mentioned this to my mother and asked her what she was, she just laughed and said she was a middle pew person.  Being in the back doesn’t afford her the luxury of being surrounded by people of the same faith; having people who believe as she does both in front and behind  gives her comfort.  She enjoys the community-feel of being in the middle – and at her age she doesn’t care about what her backside looks like either.  Plus, an advantage of being a middle pew person is the fact that if my father falls asleep during the sermon she can nudge him before the priest sees (or hears) him, not to mention she has the advantage of observing the young children’s antics during Mass. So for them, being middle-pew people is a win/win.

Then I asked my mom what she considered the personalities of front pew people.  These are the ones who are truly into observing all the details of every Mass.  They are the Eucharistic Ministers, the active participants with duties to uphold.  Front pew people are also the very infirm who cannot see or hear as well as they used to and being in the front pew gives them greater comfort.  Front pew people are also those with very young children; the actions of the priest keep young people focused and less likely to fidget.  And then you have those who sit in the front pew so the priest knows they are actually there.

Of course there are times when I have been a front pew person.  On my wedding day, on my children’s Baptism Day, First Communion Days, and on those days when we had to say goodbye to loved ones at their Funeral Mass…those are all front-pew days.  Happy moments and sad moments – at some point we all have to be front pew people.  And, likewise, there are times when we will be middle-pew people…part of the crowd, surrounded by others.

But for me, at this time of my life, the back pew is still the best seat in the house.

 

Pews (Photo credit: Etsy Ketsy)

A Christian Woman’s Answer to Jay-Z

http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0

As a 50-something, I have never liked nor listened to rap. I confess my ears cannot seem to grasp the fast paced lyrics, which probably explains why rap is popular with the younger generation – their parents can’t understand what is being said and therefore censoring is more difficult. But, here is a rap-style lyric that was performed by a Christian performer, created to teach what is truly important: God, Faith, and Family.

Everything else, in the end, pales by comparison.

Just One Hug a Day

Please take time to watch this video, profiled on MSN.

Tim’s Place

A childhood friend of mine posted this video on Facebook with the caption “Be Still My Heart”  I could not resist.

You see, Tim has Downs Syndrome.  More importantly, Tim owns a restaurant in Alburquerque New Mexico, and it is a popular gathering place for the locals.  Being in the restaurant business has been his dream since he was 14 yrs old, and today at 26 yrs old his dream has come true.  His parents say Tim is an inspiration to all who meet him.  I believe his parents are an inspiration to all of us as well.

I know, after watching this video, Tim will end up placed in your hearts too… further proof that Our Father in Heaven knew exactly what He was doing when He created each one of us; when He wrote our names in the palm of His Hands.  Just ask any one of the over 32000 customers who have received a hug from Tim.  You see, they are keeping count!

Related articles

• Man With Down Syndrome Owns Restaurant, Specializes in Serving Up Hugs (jezebel.com)
• Tim’s Place Albuquerque: Service With A Smile (presurfer.blogspot.com)

Yes America, There Really Are Good People!

“A few weeks ago, a 93-year-old WWII vet in Fort Wayne collapsed from fatigue while clearing snow from his driveway. After this week’s heavy snow, four firemen who had come to the man’s aid returned to his home — to shovel his driveway.”  (courtesy of Facebook)

Yes, there are great men and women in our country.  Yes, there are great men and women who care about others and do what they can to help a person in need.  Yes, there are great men and women who  do what they can to make the world a little bit better one day at a time.

And that is the measure by which we need to live.  As Christ admonished us all: “Love one another as I have loved you”.

Nothing else matters.

Lost something?

Today we celebrate the feast day of a man who for my family is indispensable. In fact, the older my family becomes, the more we need him around.

Eyeglasses all of a sudden AWOL from one’s nightstand, coffee cups  no longer where we left them, car keys mysteriously missing from  their hook, an expense check I know I put in the cupboard for safe keeping is no longer there, or the almost daily search for the missing purse - life would not be manageable without St. Anthony of Padua.

Saint Anthony (Photo credit: elycefeliz)

And he has yet to let me down. I know exactly who to ask for help when a certain watch isn’t found for a few days or the necklace  that I know I put somewhere safe but then can’t seem to remember where to find the safe place.  My family  heard this prayer recited so often in fact when they were growing up they would start humming the lead in to the Ghostbusters theme song and say  ”Hey Mom, who you gunna call? Saint Anthony!”  And then they would join me is saying the simple, yet effective, prayer.

“St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please come around, my ________ is lost, and it needs to be found”.  (And we all know to thank him when it is found!)

Over the years, I have learned to be patient. Although the lost item is usually found in a relatively short period of time, there have been instances where it has taken him a tad longer.  Some things just are better at hiding than others.

Everything is Local

Picking up our paper today, I remembered Tip O’Neil’s favorite saying about politics: “in politics, everything is local”. This is also true of almost everything.

• One town thirty miles away is in the midst of a teacher’s strike – but it does not affect me.
• The city of Cleveland is in the midst of trying to mitigate the effects of a police chase which ended in the deaths of two people – but it does not affect me.
• On the east coast, people are battling the effects of yet another storm – but it does not affect me.
• Mt Etna erupting, tour directors being furloughed, the queen of England hospitalized – none of these affect me.

Most of our days are full of responsibilities to family, job, neighborhood and all the people who count on us. Personally, I cannot even finish everything I set out to do, let alone have time to become involved in everything I read in the papers, see on the television, or hear on the radio. There truly are not enough hours in the day to do so.

Everything we do is truly local.

• I choose to become involved in our neighborhood activities because I care about my neighbors and enjoy the time we spend together.
• I choose to participate in my Church because I enjoy the people and appreciate their insight.
• I choose to organize my cupboards and closets because I am calmer when everything is in its place.
• I choose to vocalize my opinions concerning politics, religion, financial issues, family problems because I know I have something positive to contribute.

We all have something positive to contribute…even if it is only in our homes, neighborhoods, or cities.   We may not have the power of politicians to change the world, but we do have the power to make a difference in our tiny slice of the world.  If we can make a difference in our small slice of the world, have we not made a difference in the world itself?

 

 

 

I Agree With Peter

Today’s Lenten reflection concerned the one saint who I feel bests understands the human condition…St. Peter!  He felt all the human weaknesses, and often expressed himself in ways that I can readily understand.  He was tired so he slept,  even though Our Lord asked him to stay awake.  He was scared of being singled out, so he denied knowing the Son of God.  He was hungry and he complained.  And when he went up the mountain with Jesus and saw the Transfiguration he said “It is good to be here”.

I agree with Peter.  It is good we are here, today, at this point in our lives.  Each one of us has had trials, each one of us has suffered.  Each one of us has, at some point in our lives, experienced hurt through physical pain, emotional upheaval, and spiritual numbness. St. Peter understands.

And each one of us is exactly where we are supposed to be, according to His will. We would not be the person we are unless we traveled the road He paved individually for each one of us.

Like Peter, we all get tired.  I get tired of defending my Church and my faith from the ridicule and derision of others.  I get tired of listening to comedians joke about our faith by poking fun at our traditions.  Just this week they joked about the shoes of our now-retired Pope, the Christmas/Easter Catholics, and the Cardinal’s robes.  Would Peter laugh along with the crowd if he were in the audience?  I believe he would, because I have laughed along with the crowd  so I wouldn’t stand out or be told I have no sense of humor.  (I have a great sense of humor by the way)

I have also walked away from those who  demean my Church because at times I just didn’t want to “get into it”.  I was worried I would be the one they ridiculed. Or I was worried I couldn’t counter their complaints about my Church without losing my temper (yes, I do have a temper too)  In other words, I was afraid.  St. Peter understands.

And then there are the times I have been insecure.  Can I do this Lord?  Are you sure I’m the right person for the job? Don’t you think she is the better person? I really feel I’m going to mess the whole thing up Lord.  I am not that good, truly you should know that Lord. (Have I mentioned I love Reconciliation?)

St. Peter has been there.  St. Peter has felt unworthy and afraid.  St. Peter has seen it all, done it all, and felt it all.  He is the go-to-saint for all of my insecurities because he understands the human condition so well.

And yet, in spite of all of his imperfections, Jesus handed the keys of our Church to his safekeeping.

St. Peter said it best, after being on the mountain with Christ,

Statue of st. Peter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“…it is good to be here“.

As long as You remain close by my side Lord…it certainly is!

Grazie Mille Papa

It has been amazing watching history in the making today.  Our Pope teaches all, by his actions, Christ‘s admonition, ”As I do, so must you do”. Our now-retired Pope has taught us all humility.

Christ could have had the world at his feet, but he chose to die for us instead.  His Kingdom is not of this world, and our reward for following Him is not of this world either. The trappings of power hold no sway over our beloved Papa.   He chose The Church over his position.

Wouldn’t it be nice if others who hold great power learned when it was time to step aside for the greater good?

Grazie mille Papa.  Thanks very much Papa.  You will remain in all of our prayers.

 

 

 

Related articles

• Viva il Papa!!! (illuminati360.wordpress.com)

 

Silence – a Precursor to Peace.

Driving home from New England yesterday I was once again afforded the opportunity for silence.

Silence has always been, for me, an essential ingredient for balance.  I am happy when there is a lack of auditory distraction;  I hear myself think better in silence. For me,  sitting by the window on a sunny day and hearing absolutely nothing is paradise!  No dryer spinning, no furnace kicking on, no refrigerator hum, no cell-phone beeping, and especially no television blaring.

Silence helps me focus.

But as is always the case with life, my family’s life patterns have been altered and silence is not readily available.  So the drive home was a chance to turn off the radio, concentrate on  traffic and just take in the beauty of the countryside. The New York turnpike is one long winding road, with  mountains in the eastern part,  farmland in the western end, and the beauty of the Lake to the north.  I have traveled this road often these past four years and am always excited when I discover something new.  When you take  time to see beyond  mile markers and rest area signs you see  horses covered in wool blankets, the lonely loon sitting on top of a boulder in the nature preserve, and the small homes nestled in the crevices of distant valleys.

I need a dose of silence every day.

It affords me the opportunity to truly hear and see what God has planned for me. His plan may include, as it did today, the cheerful greeting of a Macy’s clerk who I seem to see every time I shop…which is not often…but who always greets me like a long-lost friend.  It may include the sound of the first bird of spring chirping on the deck, reminding me to fill the feeder.  Or, the silence can allow me to have quiet conversations with Our Lord while doing the dishes, the laundry, or changing the beds. As I go about my day I need quiet to hear God’s answer when I  ask Him “What is next Lord”?, or  ”What do you want me to do about this Lord?” or even a simple “Thanks Lord”.

Silence helps to keep me peaceful and grounded.  And in the world we live in today – taking the time to enjoy silence should not be considered a  luxury, but a necessity.

Silence – A Fable (Photo credit: thepeachmartini)