Hope

Copied from Vinita Hampton Wright, an author and editor at Loyola Press:
http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/24783/how-does-hope-shape-us?utm_source=SacredAdvent&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20161130&utm_campaign=Advent2016

A driving dynamic of Advent is hope. If we had nothing to hope for, there would be no point to this season. The original hope was for a child to be born who would bring justice and peace to the world and who would heal the rift between humanity and God. But that larger hope is filled with smaller ones—daily hopes that can shape us as people.

Some hopes will shape our relationships. The Christ Child grew to be a man who embodied forgiveness and generosity. A life of hope sees the good in others, is patient with their shortcomings, and tenaciously envisions them at their best.

Some hopes will shape our life work. The promised Messiah proclaimed God’s realm of justice and mercy. No matter what jobs we do or work positions we hold, as hopeful people we maintain fairness and integrity as short-term and long-term goals. We make our work matter for the common good.

Some hopes will shape our character. Jesus exemplified hope that cultivates true interior freedom. A hopeful person cannot continue in anxiety, grasping, need for control, and habitual anger.

How is hope visible in your life? Where has it faded?

My Sobriety Experiment Day 2

No extra cash until payday so no biggie

:-)

God is good

Thanksgiving was a special day at mom and dad's with all my sisters kids there and my brother and his boy also came in from Urbana. We ate and sang and played Scattergories and laughed much.

TerrificTuesday

The radio in our office at work is struggling these days to play something clear and listenable, but I have found an almost crystal clear W-4 country station for our 9-5 listening pleasure.

Working on Bradville, McMinor, Balsner, Wilhurtz, Robertland, HannaBarbara, Hartz, and O'Tipsy. LeFarnsworth we are hoping we can finish up soon.

Have not heard from Amanda at CVS about my part time gig - kind of hoping I don't until after Thanksgiving weekend anyway. We have no television so I watched 1951 Scrooge last night and still cried when the reformed title character repented to his overjoyed nephews wife. Good stuff.

I am thankful for my job.

David! Are you listening?!?!?!

The Lord took his wounds with him to eternity. He is a wounded God; He let himself be injured through his love for us. His wounds are a sign that he understands and allows himself to be wounded out of love for us. These wounds of his: how tangible they are to us in the history of our time! Indeed, time and again, he allows himself to be wounded for our sake. What certainty of his mercy, what consolation do his wounds mean for us! ... And what a duty they are for us, the duty to allow ourselves in turn to be wounded for him!

 

 

—  Pope Benedict XVI, Homily on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 15, 2007

David, are you listening???

We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty. 

- St. Teresa of Calcutta

Great Weekend!

I have not been keeping up on any journaling of late; here begins my attempt at rectification.

This past work week was warm and sunny with cool nights but the ominous news loomed heavy on our hearts: snow storm this weekend! Friday was absolutely gorgeous near 70 (keep in mind this is 18th November near the 42 parallel of North latitude!) but the forecast was for snow (big snow) on Saturday pm with strong winds. What we did not expect was the storm that approached quickly that night - while watching the Wings ( I think, or maybe it was A Cookie Christmas on Hallmark) they showed a severe thunderstorm watch for our county. I quickly accessed the local radar as the winds started picking up and beheld a thin red frontal line moving west to east the entire length of the State about a mile away. As i ran outside to close the Grape windows in nothing but my shorts (it was real warm remember, AND i think we had a fire lit inside), I began to hear the distinct pinging of hail on metal siding and vehicles; in an instant my bare back confirmed this meteorological phenomenon. God be praised we did not lose power - although our brother-in-law did only a couple miles away - and the temperatures began dropping.
The wind has been howling and gusting ever since then, but it did not stop us from putting up some nice white lights around the deck railing last night during the Michigan victory over Indiana.

Mom has again invited all of us over for Thanksgiving and brother Gary will be in town for the weekend! I'll bring cranberries (Simple and Amazing, according to the online post), pickles (experimentally hot with jalapenos from the garden), stuffing (a variation of Claire Robinson's Thanksgiving 5 Ingredient Fix menu item), a song (written 'specially for the occasion) and possibly a pumpkin cheesecake (thanks to our briefly turning in to The Pioneer Woman yestreday morning and hearing the voice of God speak to me on this subject).

I think

11-11, from my daily flip calendar

To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything He has given us - and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence a gift of grace.

~Thomas Merton

In this Jubilee Year of Mercy

A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold & more just.

 ~ Pope Francis

Mild, so mild; sunny and clear with stars and sunshine and beautiful color in southeast Lower Michigan. We bought Kingsford applewood briquettes instead of a roast for the crock pot.

Friday Fast

Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works.
If you see a poor man, take pity on him.
If you see a friend being honored, do not envy him.

Do not let only your mouth fast,
but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands
and all the members of our bodies.

Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice.
Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin.
Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful.
Let the ear fast, by not listening to evil talk and gossip.
Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism.

For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes, 

but bite and devour our brothers and sisters?

May He who came to the world to save sinners, strengthen us to complete the fast with humility! Have mercy on us and save us. 

 

 

 

 

 

- St. John Chrysostom

Jesus is happy to come with us, as truth is happy to be spoken, as life to be lived, as light to be lit, as love is to be loved, as joy to be given, as peace to be spread.  I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, he can work through anyone.

 – St. Francis of Assisi