Let Something New Renew You
While reading a historical fiction book, the thought occurred to me that I could write something like that. Now, I’ve written dozens of nonfiction books but never a novel. For me this would be a novel experience! (Sorry, couldn’t resist that pun.) But could I do it? As I plunged into the project, I discovered that it was exhilarating. I would become so wrapped up in the imagined people and events that when I “came to” I didn’t know if it was morning, afternoon, or night. I managed to finish the novel last week, in time for entering a contest with a January 31 deadline. This contest had 600-plus entries last year, so the odds are against me. Yet even if I don’t win, even if the book never gets published, the process was worth it. (more…)
Absentminded or Mindful?
The other day as I was backing out of the driveway to go to church, my purse was missing. I parked, went into the house, and looked for the purse with no luck. Then I remembered that on the way to car I dumped some recyclables into the bin. Sure enough, when I lifted the lid, there was my purse on the bottom of the green container, which is almost as tall as I am. I jerked the bin out of the ice, tilted it onto the ground, and crawled in to retrieve my purse, hoping the neighbor wasn’t watching. This incident made me realize that I need to pay more attention to what I am doing. (more…)
Be Renewed in the New Year
As we put up new calendars, once again we glibly wish everyone, “Happy New Year!” But what does this mean? Here is one way to open up that expression. Consider it my prayer for blessings on you!
Best wishes for a fresh new year of your life. During 2013 may you . . .
reconnect with old friends and make some new friends
break some bad habits and form some good ones
get out of a rut and aim for the stars
listen to God in your heart and speak about him to others
stop wasting time and make every moment count
turn crosses into stepping stones
forgive hurts and ask pardon of others
dispose of unused clothes and clutter and buy something you need
feed the hungry and eat healthy yourself
avoid conflict and create peace
lose a distasteful job and take up a new hobby
surprise others and be surprised by them
love and be loved.
All of these things will make for a truly “happy” new year! (They may also help you decide on your new year’s resolutions.)
What would you add to the list?
Stars Above! Christmas Lights.
Last Thursday night I ventured out into the cold to view the meteor shower. During the half hour I spent with eyes glued to the sky I sighted two shooting stars. Then I went inside and saw one more on the Internet, thanks to the live camera NASA had set up in Alabama. I’m glad I took the time to do this, not only because of the meteors, but because I hadn’t seen the night sky for awhile. My old friends Orion and Cassiopeia were still there. I was reminded of the time I traveled across Texas one night on unlit country roads. I was totally amazed by the thousands of twinkling stars thickly filling the sky layer upon layer. Did you know that Psalm 8 is called the astronomer’s psalm? It expresses my feelings perfectly: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established;/what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?”
Stars play important roles in Scripture. God directed Abraham to look at the starlit sky and know that his descendants would be as many. One descendant would be the superstar Jesus. He is called the bright morning star, or daystar, (Revelation 22:16), which could refer to the sun or the planet Venus because it shines right before sunrise and heralds daybreak. There is the star that led the magi to Jesus similar to the way the north star guides sailors to safe harbors. Then too Scripture says, “Those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.” (Daniel 12:3) And in the Book of Revelation the woman, who is interpreted to be the Blessed Virgin Mary, wears a crown of twelve stars.
Jesus the Son of God, is like the sun, our closest star which rises each day and gives us life with its energy, light, and warmth. This is why on December 21, the darkest day of the year, we pray the following O-Antiphon:
- O Morning Star,
- splendor of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
- Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
How will you shine like a star today?
God Really Does Answer Prayers
Did you ever pray incessantly for something, and it seems that God doesn’t hear you? You wonder if maybe he doesn’t like you! Jesus did encourage us to ask, to seek, to knock and our Father will give us what we ask him for. Surely Jesus wasn’t fibbing. Why then do our pleas sometimes apparently fall on deaf ears? In teaching about prayer, I tell my students that God always answers, but it may be in several ways besides “Yes.” Take the example of the Israelites’ request for a Messiah. In this case, God answered, “Wait awhile.” Patience and perseverance were required. Many centuries passed before the Christ was sent to save us. And he came in a way far beyond what people had hoped for: God himself in the flesh. (more…)
