Taking A Walk

On my commute to work this morning, I was drving along a pretty busy street and as I hit the stoplight, I noticed a small child and his father walking along the grass near the road. As I looked in the rearview mirror, I noticed the way they were walking side by side and the child was going on and on about something that seemed oh so important to him as he related it to his father. His father was listening attentively to this child. I also noticed how the father although listening and paying attention to his son, was also looking back every so often as he kept his eye on the traffic and ensuring their safety as they continued walking along the grass by the road.

I started to think of how protective, caring and aware this father was with his son. His son, I am sure was oblivious to the dangers of walking on the side of such a busy street as his dad was there right by him and he TRUSTED his father to protect him from any harm. The last thing from his mind was being hit by a car, he as more intent on talking to his father. What innocent trust he placed in his father, as they walked side by side. It was really so endearing.


As the light turned green, and I continued to drive, I immediately thought of God and how we need to keep close to him as we walk the "side roads" of life. This life is inundated with dangers that can come out of anywhere at anytime. But if we stay close to our Father we will be out of harms way. I also thought about how our conversation with our Lord and Father should be continuous as we walk along that we must keep those modes of communication open at all times.

I once read in St. Faustina's Diary of the Divne Mercy, that one time Jesus asked her how her day was, she answered "You know how my day went Jesus, you know everything!!" and Jesus replied "Yes, I do, but I want to hear YOU tell me about your day". In other words, Jesus wants to hear from us, he wants us to talk to Him as he keeps us company and is side by side with us as we are walking our path. We need to keep the lines of communication open with our father and acknoweldge his existence, His love, His amazing mercy.

Yes, we know there is a God, we know what he did for us out of love, we know we can count on Him for everything...but have you talked to Him with your whole heart? Have you told him your thoughts about your day, your fears, your anxieties, your excitement, your dreams, your hopes? Even though He already knows, it's important we build that relationship with Him, and give Him thanks every minute you you get the chance. He wants to hear from us, He waits for us in Adoration, He lives in us through the Eucharist, He is right there, so close to us, right side by side with us....do you keep Him company as He keeps you company? He pours out his Love to you, what do you give back?

Amazing Love, Amazing grace, Amazing sacrifice, for us. All for us....do you walk in silence by our Lord? Or do you tell Him how much you love him every waking minute of your own life? Talk to Him, it's the LEAST you can do.



May God's peace, love, mercy and amazing grace be bestowed on all of us and may we know how to be grateful for such an amazing gift.

Pax
Maria :)

Unanswered Prayers

It is very typical to hear people ask "Why doesn't God answer my prayers?". When ever I hear someone say that I always reflect on a thought. God does answer all prayers. He knows our hearts and knows what is best for us. He answers us in His own timing and in His own way. It is important to know that we don't get what we want in this life, we get what we need. If you offer up your will to God then you also get what you want. You get what you want because it's in line with what God wills for you. The salvation of your sou is the important thing here.

Imagine this:

You are in the kitchen with a most innocent and adorable child who has asked you to make them a sandwich. He asks for a specific kind of sandwich and you know that the child deserves a better kind so you tell him to sit down and you turn to start making this sandwich. You put all the fixing into it, make it to his liking, with ingredients that are healthy and wholesome and good and not to mention delicious. Now you have prepared this sandwich on a most beautiful plate with some chips, I mean it's all decked and you KNOW this child is going absolutely love this lunch because it is no longer just a sandwich you've gone all out. You turn to give it to this most precious child and as you turn.....

this child is holding an enormous butcher knife in his hands. He has gotten a hold of this knife and is holding it really close to himself. What do you do? do you tell the child to go ahead and eat this lunch you have prepared as he holds this knife that could harm him or others and let him eat while you go about your business?

OR

Do you put the plate down and run to him to remove this knife that can harm him and others?

I think any parent, any person would do everything in their power to take the knife away make sure the child is safe, and then sit him down to eat his delicious meal. Wouldn't you agree?

That is how our Lord and Father is with us. We ask for something and God does us one better and it may or may not coincide with what you asked for because God is preparing you the best answer you could ever imagine! But what happens is that the state of our souls are in peril and in danger from our sins. God is going to save us first from damnation before He gives us those things we are requesting. He is going to run to us so that we may repent, and remove ourselves from danger and sin. He cares FIRST about our salvation and nothing else. He wants us to enjoy things as well but he must first remove the "knives" we hold up to our souls and to other souls. We belong to God and are meant to be with Him for all eternity!!

When I don't receive something that I pray for, and rarely do I ask for much because I know God will give me what He wills. But when I do and I don't get my request I know it's because I am not ready to receive what I am asking for or God has something way better for me in store. Our duty, is to wait patiently and be grateful to the fact that we have a most merciful and loving Father who does everything for the salvation of our souls. He gave us the most precious gift we could ever need and that was His Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What more could I possibly ask for?

I need patience, perseverance, faith, courage, hope and above all LOVE in my soul and those things are things I KNOW God will provide and those are the things we need to ask for. In the end it will be you and Him. I pray that we all ask for the things that matter the most and that we look deep within to see if we too are holding a knife and are in danger. And even most important are we allowing our Father to remove these dangers by following His will.

Pax
Maria

Dissection of A Soul

When I see people around me, all I see are souls. Oh the soul!! So unique, we cannot recreate the body or the soul. We have what we are given and we should always continually look for ways to perfect them both. But sadly enough, the soul more than often, is left behind while we tend to those things that satisfy the desires of the flesh. Our poor neglected soul. She longs for God and we keep her away by selfish impulses of the flesh. What to do?

We are in a spiritual sense fighting for the salvation of our own souls and must remember that we are trying to maintain a steady course "home". We cannot look at this world as it is. We must look beyond what the eyes see and go DEEP within ourselves. Find your soul, reach out to her, get her out of the mud she is stuck in. Pull her out!!! Bring her up for air and nurture her. GIVE HER GOD!!!! Clean her from the sin she has been lying under and give her to Jesus. COMPLETELY. Let her see the light and love that fuels her and gives her new and eternal LIFE. Don't keep her away from Her Creator. We were made to love God and God alone. The soul belongs to God. We own nothing, and we owe everything to our God for all is His creation. All is His.

Our bodies, our miserable bodies how I loathe the body, the flesh. Selfish that it is, thinking always on a quick fix to quench the thirst of being needed. What do we need?? We have God. He is everything we need. He provides only the best quality maintenance for our souls. How easy it is for us to tell God what works best for us. How incredibly ignorant. Really. It's as if we tell God "You know what God? I got it from here. I know you want me to do it this way but I got it from here.. I know what I'm doing." Does that not seem odd to you? Telling God "you have your life under control?" Kind of ridiculous when you think about it really.

Yet that is what we do when we don't conform to His will. When we take our souls away from His sight by sinning. When we choose darkness over light. The enemy's lying to our Fathers TRUTH. Our souls will be what stands before our just Father. Eternally made, our souls, will have to agree with all that is laid before her when our judgement day comes. Because what will be laid out before her will be the truth of all actions she has done by her own free will. Let's hope we have united our free will with that of what God wills for us to do daily.

Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Mother, intercede for us that we may ask for the Holy Spirit to guide us and that we may continually seek that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be deep within our souls bringing them home to our loving Father for ALL eternity!!

Pax
Maria :)

Changing Over A New Leaf

I was sitting outside enjoying a most beautiful autumn day. Sun is out, skies are blue and no clouds in site. As I was looking at the trees I noticed how all the leaves have turned to their orange and yellow colors. And I could feel a gentle breeze making these leaves fall one by one. I was mesmerized by these leaves in its full colorful splendor as they fell and leaving the branch bare. I immediately thought of how God also sends a gentle breeze in our souls and allows everything that needs to fall away simply fall. How we are left bare for the winter as we prepare in anxiousness for spring when once again we flourish with new growth.

Letting go of all the things that we have held on to and has produced anxiety, distress and despair. We simply stand there in our essence and allow God to gently strip away that burden KNOWING that He will give us new life in Christ. That we are taken care of leaf by leaf, worry by worry. We are in good hands, the hands of our Creator, our Father our EVERYTHING.

My hear and soul is overjoyed with love and gratitude to God in knowing that such a small tree that I am in on this planet and yet he prunes me and takes care of me in every detail. How can I not love Him? How can I not give thanks and praise to such a wonderful God. Moments like these I feel a surge of love that I cannot explain. A love that as flawed and imperfect as it is is overflowing within me. I want to just give it to all who come my way and even go out of my way to give it. I have this treasure of emotion that I want to share even if it involves suffering. Even if it means rejection, or apprehension on the part of others who do not feel this way.

Nothing this world could give me could ever mean more than this love, this wanting to give my soul to God to use as He so chooses. I have seen the miracles in my life, the paths of others crossing mine and knowing that God has orchestrated it all for His divine plan and will. So as autumn is here and the leaves are changing over and falling away, I remember how I too need to prepare for my own winter. Where I take all that has happened so far this year and keep the good and let God's gentle breeze remove the things I need not carry with me in my heart. Leaving more room in my soul to give to him and dedicate to serving Him.

All glory, honor and praise is yours Almighty Father for ever and ever. Amen.

Love,
Maria :)

Leave It To A Good Book.......

i have started to revisit a book I had read a few years back The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis. I tell you, it is imperative to seriously look within our souls and pluck out our distorted attachments to creatures and things that we have in this world. It is not a bad thing to love others and serve them but to be fully involved with them and forget your own soul's salvation...now that is not good. I am redirecting my focus, my desires, my soul, my heart and most importantly..my will to that of God's will for me.

This book always has brought such a sense of logic and understanding that goes straight to my heart and soul. How can I even doubt what God is asking of me? Why the confusion? It is spelled out so clearly everywhere I turn to, in all I read and all I feel when I am deep prayer. I realize that our existence here on this planet is limited and short. We must focus on the higher meaning of it all-on the Kingdom of God. We must be looking to the salvation of our souls and those of others. Not that we have anything to do with that directly as we are just creatures here but through God's grace we can do it. I am just so incredibly blessed to be a Roman Catholic and have over 2000 years of tradition infused into my heart to guide me. I cannot see where I could go elsewhere and get this peace and reassurance. Ours is the one true faith.

Every day I offer my will to the Lord. I know NOT what I need or want. How can I even fix my mind to ask God for anything when I know nothing and deserve nothing? I rather Him guide me where He needs me not where I feel I need to go. My heart loves, it's alive, it wants to give to others. I cannot stop that, nor do I want to. There are enough creatures on this earth who do not believe, or want to feel, or share or give...so I am here for those who need it the most as God sees fit. Nothing is mine, I own nothing, I am nothing in myself. I have no control and no desire to have control all I want is God's will to be done in my life..for Him always.

God is our Loving Father but also just. I cannot let my pride get in the way of fulfilling His will. I must be able to stand before Him and let it be clear and evident that in my lifetime here I have done everything to do His will. There are no excuses to be had when you are being judged...no alibi's, etc. I pray for God' s mercy on all of my sins. For I have offended Him time and time again. I pray that our Blessed Virgin Mary and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may be on either side of me as my advocates when I face my Father. I depend on God's mercy and love. nothing or no one here on earth will save me. Only God's grace and Mercy on my eternal soul.


Maria :)

Leaving It All In God's Hands

Very recently I went through a situation that could have made me lose all hope in human kindness. It hurts when people lose sight of what is important and shut those who care about them out. It's hard not to take it personally. I feel as a Catholic, that we are called to bring our love and light to all those around us. Jesus asks us to do just that. When you bring that love to someone who's heart is closed it is incredibly difficult to understand why. It's amazing how skeptical people have become to human kindness and the origin thereof. I can't explain why I love people or why I want to bring this love to them, I just do. I believe that God would want it no other way.

I can't change those who do not see the need of this in their lives. As much as I want to show them a new perspective on what love is and love of neighbor is, I just can't force it on anyone either. What I have learned or seen is that God in His love and mercy has sustained me in perfect tact from this new realization I have recently encountered. Left to my self I would have taken this very hard and would have been crushed. I think I have learned not to see people in such a way that I remember always that they too have flaws and things that need to be worked out in their souls.

Not only that, but here recently God has put some very wonderful souls in my life who live the Catholic faith quite like I do! It helps to know that I am not alone with not only how I feel towards by fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, but also in my beliefs regarding our duty as Catholics. In the end, if I just leave it to God. If I leave it all to Him, with my whole heart and soul, then I know that I will be ok. I will find peace, hope and love in my heart at all times. We cannot depend on others to bring us that happiness, it comes only from God. i have learned a lot about my heart, strength, friendship,love,sacrifice,and the human nature of it all.

I am so incredibly blessed to have a loving Father who at all times knows what I need and takes care of me. No matter what I have gone through, I will love just the same. That love is in me and I cannot put it away. We are called to love no matter how many times we are pushed away.

Pax
Maria :)

Thought of the Day

As I prepare for Mass, I was thinking of how absolutely beautiful and wonderful, amazing and glorious our Lord is. I mean He has everything in perfect check. I am in awe that I have been given such a wonderful chance to live and to have God as my ROCK. Even when things get tough and my heart and soul start to feel a little distressed. I pray to God and it's as if He couples me in His loving hands and protects me of any harm. I feel such a peace this morning. I can only attribute it to our Lord. No worldly thing can ever bring me this sense of serenity. The Blessed Virgin Mary has me within in her Love and I am grateful. I am loved for all time, for ever, for all eternity. What more can I ask for? How can I NOT share this with others?

Pax,
Maria :)

Amazing Grace

Today was an amazing day for me. Nothing major happened but I met with my Spiritual Director this morning and what a session! I truly am so incredibly blessed and I can only thank God for His love and how He just continually puts people in my life who show me "the way" to peace within. My goal in life is to be a counselor to others who need to find their direction, so going to this morning and receiving such beautiful insight on my own life makes me only want to achieve that goal even more. There is something so therapeutic about just "letting it all go". To really take an deep look into your thought process, the state of your soul, the movements of your spirit and how it connects to God in just everything that surrounds us. I find such joy and peace in sharing my life with others who really know how to let go as well and exchange uplifting and motivating words to one another. I firmly believe that God is Love. He is our just Father as well but even in His justice He does it out of Love.

Today was a miracle in a sense that I was able to be a part of God's Will for me and recognize that moment in it's full splendor. Nothing remains a huge question mark. It's now all about completing sentences. I've always been afraid of "blanks" in my life and feeling this need to fill them all in and most of the time my "answers" to these blanks have been wrong wrong wrong!! Why? because I am not supposed to fill them in! :) The blanks are there to be filled by God at His time and with His will. I tell you, I learn more and more about myself and of life and God every day. I pray daily that God will guide me and show me the way.

I found encouragement, hope, faith, love, compassion, knowledge, insight and understanding today in God working through my spiritual director this morning. I am so blessed. So loved. For a moment there i could feel my light dimming, not too much but still dimming and today it's as if a new flame full of light has come within me to light the way. God is good. Even in the aridity of my souls journey, God quenches my thirst right at the right time. How can I not love my God? our God!!!!

Pax
Maria :)

How True....

I have to go through this Dale Carnegie training for work. It's basically on how to build effective and positive relationships with people overall but of course gearing it to the business world. I have to read this HUGE book :) along w/the training. So I figured, OK let's do this. So I started reading and much to my surprise it is really an awesome book! Just simply talks about how to approach people and how we need to think of others needs first to get what we need too. Anyway, I ran across this quote while I was reading that I just had to share:

"It is the individual who is not interested in his fellow men who has the greatest difficulties in life and provides the greatest injury to others. It is from among such individuals that all human failures spring" Afred Adler (Viennese psychologist)

How very very true. I always find that those who are unable or unwilling to be interested in the simple needs of others tend to have a tumultuous life themselves. It must be so hard to live in that kind of mind frame. Detached and set aside from the rest in a nice little secluded cubby hole where nothing and no one can touch you. It just has to be so lonely there. I try to understand how others can show no interest in others, and show concern or affection but I just can't justify it. Especially if they are Christian. I never understood how someone who loves God, understands that Jesus came to show us the way in LOVE, how still people can hate or feel nothing for others. I think it's a human thing as far as not wanting to care because it makes us vulnerable to getting hurt. But imagine if you put yourself out there and you realize it's worth it after all! That there are others who will care back!

But I know that God works His ways in others in His own timing, in His own way, in His own infinite wisdom. I cannot judge anyone all I can do is care for them just the same and hope that they too come to the same realization that I did many years ago. That Love is the answer and God calls us all to love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Pax
Maria :)

Need I Say More?

This is today's daily bible reading. I just am in awe of how perfect this covers what we ought to do. I just had to post it, love is the answer...it ALWAYS is. How great is our God indeed!!

Pax
Maria :)

Luke 6:27-38

"‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.

30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.

31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

37 ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven;

38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’"

Happy Go Lucky....Not So Much

I sometimes, well, very often give off the impression to others that I am Miss "happy go lucky" what in incredible misperception of me they have. Do not get me wrong, I am joyful for the most part. I know that my faith and God sustain me in this joy for if it were left to me I would feel as if I were a complete failure. I know that I am nothing without God and the wonderful gifts he gives me through His grace. Am I happy? No. And this is not necessarily a bad thing. Happiness in this world for me, is unattainable, there lies the real facade. Things of this world do not make me happy...at all. I enjoy many things this world has in the form of our wonderful planet and the many treasures it possesses. But as far as things of this world, the material aspect of it all, I have never been attracted to this part of life. I am rather simple when it comes to what makes me happy here. There are certain things that bring me great bouts of joy, such as looking at the stars and being part of this infinite universe of ours. I also find joy in walking, I could with for ever. I love nature and the beauty it offers.

I am reading this very "easy read" book called Guidance to Heaven By: Cardinal Giovanni Bona.
It is an amazing book. Very short in legnth but very powerful in content. It just breaks it all down for you and really brings the message home regarding how uncertain it ALL is here on Earth. That we need to really fine tune our stay here and how we deal with our vices and our way of looking at the state of our souls. It's message conveys a solitary feel. It really focuses on letting it all fall away. Do not get attached to anything here for nothing is really ours. How very true. I find myself attached to people for the most part. Not in a needy sense but more of a concerned sense. I am always concerned that others are "ok" and there really is no need for that concern on my part because that worry, concern or care will not change them or the situations that will occur in their lives.

I realize in reading this book and even while reading Self Abandonment to the Divine Providence that I need to strip myself of all that is of this world. I need to really wrap my mind around the idea that I am to do God's will as He sees fit not as I want it to be done. That things that do not occur are out of my control and that I HAVE to be ok with it. I have somehow lost sight of my solitary side. There was a time when I once would completely retreat from everything and everyone iwthout thinking twice. But now, somehow I'm back into the personal attachments with people. Don't get me wrong, helping others is what I know I must do, through God's direction. I also don't believe in the extremes such as shutting myself in a room and not socializing as I am not helping anyone that way (unless I am in complete deep contemplative prayer for others). But I also don't feel I need to be out and about all day either. I must find a balance in there somewhere.

If people really knew me. They would see a very contemplative person. Sure I have a smile for all to see and that is genuine for sure. As I feel God's presence in my life always and I can't help but to smile. But deep within I also carry the burdens of caring so much for others and their "issues" are on my mind as well. If I see sin, or a misguided soul, I feel sad as well. I feel guilty at times when I am having a good time knowing that others are not. What should I be so happy about? Have I checked in w/the state of my soul? Should I rejoice when I become lukewarm, or I neglect to do things for God through sacrifice? Is it really complete? my souls joy? no it is not.

I feel for others because that is how God made me. I can't help that. I can try to see how others may treat me and say "wow what a jerk" or "why did they have to do/say that to hurt me?" but as that initial "sting" is felt in my heart I also feel an overwhelming amount of love and urge to forgive and pray for them. why? because deep down I know they too struggle with the state of their souls. I know that when someone is mean it's because they know no better and its a defense mechanism. It's much easier to resent than to forgive but to forgive is a truly incredible thing to feel and experience.

It is easy at times to think about the su ffering of this world and get caught up in the negativity. But that is where my faith kicks in. that is where my love of others says to just hold on and have faith in the good others possess. I don't delude myself and live in a world where I feel everyone is happy and as long as i pretend to be happy then all will be fine. NO way. I am very realistic. the thing is, that although things look dim at times I know that God gives us strength and He has something in store for everyone in His Mercy and that is always going to be something good.

All I know is that I need to get back to basics again. I need space to infuse myself with love, peace, humility, courage, faith and perserverance. I cannot acheive this by surrounding myself with insignificant distractions. I need to hear God's voice clearly n my heart. I just feel He is saying so much and I can't really hear him. How awful is that? You see? and there you have it. Happy for what? I can't even take time out to listen to God. Pathetic I am, this is true. But I won't give up. I will keep coming to Him time and time again until I get this right. Here goes antoher go....


Maria L(

The Heart Feels It All

Sometimes I don't know if it is a blessing to be given a heart that feels it ALL. I have no idea why I just take on every one's heartaches or discouragements and then in turn try to make it "all better" for them in any way possible. I feel as of God has blessed me with the char ism of giving. I truly believe that. But it is so hard for me to see those suffering around me and not feel that suffering right along with them. I wonder if God wants me to be of service to them or just to suffer along with them spiritually as to alleviate some of that suffering by sharing their pain through prayer. I pray incessantly for them and for the return of their joy and peace of heart yet it's just inundates me at times. I find refuge in God and his Love for me. I ask daily for his strength and that the Holy Spirit may illuminate my soul. I need to know, I guess, that by praying for these souls that I am doing something good for them even if they shut me out.



I try so hard to share the love within with others in form of verbal communication but if that door is shut then I can't enter other than with profound prayer and contemplative mental prayer. Does anyone know what I am talking about???? sometimes I want to scream that out at the top of my lungs!!! Do my words not make sense? is it really that foreign of a concept or idea for others to understand that Love is something that is to be shared?. The only comfort I find these days is that of our what our great saints left behind. Their writings, their feelings, their despair, their confusion and their enlightenment when they left themselves completely open to the Diving Providence, the divine action of God. It's as if i speak another language and they are the only ones who understand. I am NO saint or mystic by any means. but i understand what they are saying when they speak in terms of the soul and how she speaks to God and NEEDS God. I see souls all around me. The problem is that i see my own soul and I wonder what state she is really in. Is she sustained in grace? Am i dong what i can to nourish her to lead her "home"? Does she really assimilate what God is telling her and how to go forward?




Ah, the benefits of solitude. I have enclosed myself in a shell of spiritualism of deep reflection of what I am to do and how to focus on God's will yet in that protective layer of God's Love I still find it to be a great need of mine to worry, be concerned, love and reach out to those who are lost or overwhelmed. My heart feels it all. Not because I dictate it to, but rather by a much more greater force that leads my heart to others. In a world overcome by darkness, sin and doubt I find my small flickering light to be fragile. Overtaken by those around me who draw from the light yet I go to my Father to get more direction. Am I to serve others? absolutely.

I read recently n a small book by St. Jose Maria Escriva The Forge "you must place love, where there is no love to OBTAIN love". How true that is. I had to read that several times. you cannot obtain love if you do not do your part- is how i took it. you must plant the seed, tend to it, and care for it to watch it flourish and grow. Love is the answer to all of life's questions. In other words, having God within, love at it's purest is the only way to get attain that love within to share with others. And as fragile as I feel now, and as alone in my mind thoughts as I feel right now, I have to have faith that God is fueling my heart to love more and to give more. I truly feel our hearts were created to love God first and to serve him through serving others with that same love filled heart.

Maria :)

NEVER LET GO

NEVER LET GO
by: THE DAVID CROWDER BAND

When clouds veil sun
And disaster comes
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
When waters rise
And hope takes flight

Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Ever faithful
Ever true
You I know

You never let go
You never let go
You never let go
You never let go

When clouds brought rain And disaster came
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
When waters rose
And hope had flown

Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul Overflows
Oh, what love, oh, what love
Oh, my soul
Fills hope

Perfect love that never lets go
Oh, what love, oh, what love Oh, what love, oh, what love

In joy and pain
In sun and rain
You?re the same
Oh, You never let go

I heard this song many times before but this time, today and this past few weeks it has touched my heart profoundly because I really can identify w/the lyrics. I really know that God never lets go. EVER. He is forever loyal and forever in love with us. What an amazing love story the one between us and the Creator. If only we could see how He sustains us even when we turn away from Him. All He wants is us to "come home" to be aware of His love and mercy. I love this song. The lyrics just match how I feel to a T. Just had to share.

:) Maria

Our Father

I came across this video on another blog and I just had to put it on mine. What an incredible message this sends out. It is amazing how I can see our God so patiently hearing us ask the same questions over and over because we just don't understand and yet He never gets angry by our need to repeatedly ask Him the same questions over and over. God just answers us each time and with an unmeasurable amount of love he answers us over and over.

Amazing. What a powerful video. If it does not move you then I have no idea what would. Incredible message of patience and of love. Love is truly slow to anger, and patient and kind. Love never fails. Even with those who push me away I still care about them because love is not something you turn off or walk away from. Love is not something you shut out. Love is something you take your time with and you accept all the shortcomings a person may have. This video made me think of God as our Father and how PERFECT He is and how incredibly selfish and impatient we are with each other and with God .

This is fitting for me particularly because I have been dealing with the anger and discontentment of others here recently and although I understand the "root" of where the anger comes from, I don't understand why the loss of joy. It saddens me to see that especially in the ones I truly care about. Anger is such a negative emotion to have within. It saddens me because when we have anger or hate in our hearts, we can't let God in. I can only pray for their inner peace and the return of their joy back into their hearts. ;)



Maria :)

Peace! Be Still!

I've had quite the week, I must say. But even so, I have been able to maintain my focus on God-only because of His Grace. I have seen for myself that when I set my sights on Him that I cannot fail. I was speaking to a friend of mine today about how incredible it is that God sustains us in His Love and Mercy at all times. We were discussing how if we had to handle difficult situations on our own, completely alone that the concentration of despair in our souls would be so great that we would surely die. It may seem a bit dramatic but I believe this to be true. Think about it. If we were left to our own devices, our own incredibly small and closed minds to deal with situations that were out of our control with absolutely NO hope or faith, I truly think we would just go insane. I cannot fathom a life without God in it. I believe that hope carries us farther than anything else aside from faith of course.

We just tend to see only the things that are right in front of us and we lose sight of the fact that God sees the bigger picture. He sees ALL. Oh how foolish I have been in becoming so anxious over things when I know God takes care of me always in His Love. Once again, I have to refer back to my distrust. How easy it is to see the storm beating against my boat and wake Jesus up to only have Him tell me to "Peace! be still" followed by "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" . Why do I worry when I know Jesus is in my heart and soul? This is why I say, if I did not have God, I would be completely lost. So lost, that I would wither away and perish.

In prayer tonight, I realized that my inner peace has been disrupted by my own insecurity and distrust. I have so much work to do within myself. I am but a true disaster area but I know that even though I am imperfect that God continually wants me to be open to Him and so to bring His love to others. Although I had a hard week, I cannot just stop being me and stop loving others. I must press on and I will do just that only because God gives me the strength to continue forward. What an amazing thing it is to have a Creator who loves us so very much. I am truly blessed in every sense of the word. To God be the Glory now and forever.

Maria :)

Restless Heart

“Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; All thing pass; God never changes. Patience attains All that it strives for. He who has God Finds he lacks nothing:God alone suffices.” St. Teresa De Avila

There is a reason why I find this quote to be one of my absolute favorites. Today I kept thinking about this very quote over and over again. Especially where she says "God alone suffices". What is it about that one part of the quote that is so incredibly hard for us to truly comprehend?

Why do I NOT trust continually in the Lord? I KNOW deep within that God loves me, that ANYTHING he brings into my life whether it be difficult or easy is all part of his plan for me and it's all out of Love. I am just trying to figure out what I need to do right now. I know what my heart is telling me and I listen to what my mind is telling me and they just don't want to agree!!!! Which one is the right choice? God gave us intellect to think things through yet He fills my heart with such love that it makes it hard for me to think! Do I follow my heart? or do I follow my brain? Which one is God telling me to use right now? because they just don't match and they are equally as convincing.

Today has been a tough day, I will not lie. But,I am so blessed to have a few very good friends that I can let my guard down with and be at my most vulnerable state ever. I am thankful to God that I have these individuals in my life at this precise moment to illuminate me and pray for me. I love them so very much and God puts that love right there before me in form of friendships to help me through. I have NO doubts about that. But even with this, I am still at a crossroads as they are not able to make decisions for me and ultimately I must decide.




I pray God illuminates my heart, the the Blessed Virgin Mary carry me through the night as I think about this. I know what I have to do, I just can't figure out why I don't execute that decision....this my friends, is the dilemma as ridiculous as it may seem.

“Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.” -Pope John Paul II



Pax
Maria :)

Adoration-Your Will Be Done.

I very recently started to go to my parish to attend Adoration. I have to say, it is an amazing experience to sit there with the Blessed Sacrament, our Lord and Savior Jesus and just open my heart to Him. I found myself begging Him to just inundate my soul with love, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, clarity, and deep humility. I felt such an immense joy within my soul tonight just knowing that God was truly with me. I had such a revelation tonight as well. All of this time, I kept saying, "I just don't know what God's will is for me!" How wrong I truly was. I actually felt it deep within my heart what God is asking of me. Amazing. I am in awe of his grace, love and mercy towards us. I felt such a peace tonight that I just am still amazed by how wonderful God is. How much He loves us!!




A few years ago, a priest I absolutely respected and admired gave me some advice when I was telling him about my constant struggle to find God's will in my life. He told me to pray every day without ceasing that God would show me His will and then he added, "once you know His Will, be PREPARED to do it". And that is where I am tonight. i KNOW God's will, and have known for a long time but I kept finding distractions in people, events and situations. All of which deterred me from executing God's will in my life. I knew that doing God's will would be an enormous and personal step in my life yet out of pure cowardice, I veiled my eyes with things and people that are not permanent fixtures in my life. I tried to make them permanent but again, this was out of fear of having to face what I needed to do, what God calls me to do in this life.



I knelt there infront of our Savior tonight and I knew in my heart, like i have NEVER felt before a direct command to serve and to love in my full capacity. I have been blessed with so much goodness in my heart and yet i use it on those who do not want it. There are so many who need what I have and I realized that today. I have decided to accept and embrace my future and what God wants me to do. I truly believe that it is those things that cause the most fear in doing, that are true callings for us to depend and ask God for his strength to get through it. It's when you are looking into the mouth of a lion that you realize that it's all a mirage of sorts. You have to push through that initial fear and you will find that there was nothing to it. How much time I have wasted. My Lord, forgive me.




I look forward to going to Adoration for the rest of my life. I cannot fathom a life without God, without my faith, my religion, my family, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is not of this world we should focus, rather on the next. On our crowns and eternal salvation and of being able to be with God for all eternity, adoring him with all the angels and saints for his unmeasurable mercy on our souls. What love, what an amazing love we have at our disposal every single day from our Creator. Us, such measly creatures that we are, yet we are so loved beyond our imagination!! I can only hope and pray that in God's mercy and love I will find a way to do His will as perfectly as He deserves. I am at peace. Truly I am.

Maria :)

In A Spanish Kind of Mood

Esta vez quiero escribir en Español. creo que pierdo tanto tiempo en cosas que no significan nada para mi que se me olvida lo muy importante que son las cosas mas sencillas de este mundo. Habia un momento en mi vida que pense que todo lo que era importante estaba basado en lo que yo vi que tenia importancia. No pude ver a los demas. No deje entrar al Amor, a Dios. Que egoista he sido. Algunas veces reflejo en mi vida y todo lo que he pasado y me como podria haberme ahorrado tanto dolor y tristeza. Tantas cosas que ahora veo como tanto tiempo perdido. Lo bueno es que con Dios y orando puedo rectificar lo que he hecho mal. Tengo una oportunidad nueva de seguir adelante. Mi fe esta creciendo cada dia mas y mas. Y de eso estoy profundamente agradecida para toda la vida.





Veo la vida con ojos de creyente, de hija de Dios, con amor. Si aun tengo mis faltas y tengo muchisimo que aun aprender y hacer en esta vida para ayudar a los demas, pero lo mas importante es reconocer que tengo que seguir en el buen camino. No hay Amor mas grande que la de Dios. Estoy agradecida por todas la bendiciones que se han presentado en mi vida gracias a nuestro Padre y Señor.





Como he perdido mi tiempo en sueños que no eran ni buenos para mi ni para mi espiritu/alma. Me he quitado lo que me tenia ciega tantos años. Con fe todo se puede. con la gracia de Dios todo se alcanza. Tenemos que ser persistentes y siempre tener un amor tan grande en nuestros corazones. Que hipocrita soy a veces, hoy mismo tuve tanto rencor hacia una persona que me intento herir y ahora hablo de amor. Ves? Como somos los hombres. Diciendo una cosa y haciendo otra. El pecado es parte de nuestras vidas, si. Pero, no quiere decir que tenemos que pecar porque podemos. tenemos que ser fuertes hacia los ataques del enemigo. Un enemigo que nos odia.



Nos tenemos que acercar a Dios e intentar ser mejores cada dia. Rezo para que Dios me ilumine la vida. Que me enseñe la manera verdadera de ser y amar a mi projimo. Esto me tomara toda una vida de perfeccionar. Y aun asi, seria muy dificil lograrlo, PERO tenemos que intentar y nunca dejar de intentarlo. No? Yo pienso que si. Con Dios TODO se puede.

Maria :)

Giving It All Away

Sometimes it amazes me to see how people react to acts of kindness directed towards them. I am by nature a giving person. This is something God has blessed me with. I don't think twice about giving something to someone for NO reason other than just a feeling of wanting to give. I especially know it's important to give to those who cannot give back. The true gift of giving is from the heart. It saddens me to see that at times when I do this, people tend to be skeptical or feel the need to give back by obligation. It saddens me because they don't see that the act of giving is one that comes from Love, from God. It has not payback attached to it. There is nothing to return other than give to someone else the way you have been given something too. Sort of like paying it forward.





If we just paid attention to the needs of others and not just our own, how wonderful life would be. To see a person light up when you give them a sincere thank you, or a heart warming hello. To ask them bow they are and truly care. Giving is more than just giving materially, it's an act of selfless love to another person that comes in many forms. Something you say to someone today could be the ONE thing they needed to hear or needed to feel. Imagine the possibilities!! To bring joy and love to those around you. I truly love the feeling I get from giving. And it's not a "Oh look at me, I'm Miss nice person and I want others to like me!" it's more of a "Wow, God is truly working His love though me to bring a certain joy to another one of His children, another soul."




Incredible. We are all instruments of God's Love. To be used any way He feels necessary. Yet, some of us close ourselves to this opportunity of being vessels for God and His mercy. But regardless of that fact, I will continue to give to my hearts content because I know that it comes from a good place, it comes from our Lord, Our God, our Father. How can I refuse such a task?

:) Maria

These past few days have been incredible for me in a very deep and spiritual way. I have realized that although I that I had a good grip on my life I really was living a dream of sorts. I have so much work to do within myself. I had to totally surrender my whole being to God and just tell Him "You take everything that I have within me, everything that I am...just take it please". I have not felt this way in a very long time. I got so lukewarm and so used to my life that I forgot that every day should be a constant desire to do more. To give more, to pray more, to realize what God has given me and wants me to do. I got comfortable and that is a very very dangerous place to be. Right where the enemy wants you. I need to revamp my life, my focus, my mind, my soul, everything that I have I need to just hand it over to only one thing and that is giving glory to God always.




Every breath is a gift. Every thing in life is a blessing. I have to put my talents into practice. I have to take the wonderful things that God has given me as a person here on Earth and share them with as many people as I can. In my heart I know God loves me and I know he wants the best for me. I have to trust in Him and ONLY Him. I have misplaced my happiness on people, things, ideas, fantasies, you name it. I've put my sense of fulfillment in things that fade and not in God's infinite wisdom, love and mercy. We should be trying to better ourselves and others constantly. I need that freedom of the chains that hold me down. I am my worst enemy. I let the myself be told that I can't offer much and yet I have so much to offer through God's love and grace.





I love my faith, being Catholic. I love knowing that I have wonderful saints to look up to that I can follow and try to imitate to the best of my ability. I have a loving God, and loving Savior and the Holy Spirit to guide me through everything. What more could I want? I need nothing more. I so desperately need peace within. I need to feel that longing in my heart for God. That love and passion that fuels my soul. I have been putting out the flames in my own selfish and worldly needs. I need to rekindle that fire. I have to place my complete trust in God. I can only hope and pray that I will given the chance to do God's will here and that when I am face to face with my maker, my Father, that He will be pleased with what I have done with all the gifts He has given me. Right now....I haven't even scratched the surface and that thought in itself scares me to the core. The time is NOW, the moment is here...it's time to act and to love.

Maria ;)

Figuring It All Out

Why is it that right when you think you have an answer, a HUGE change occurs and it's back to the drawing board? :) I'm not complaining as I know that things don't stay the same and that life is anything but consistent. God works in mysterious ways. Slowly those mysteries unveil themselves and I find myself thinking. Sometimes I feel I am always just thinking. My issue is acting. Something about the word "action" that paralyzes me. I am a go getter but when it comes to making big decisions in my personal life, I just freeze. Go figure. :)

I feel as if things shift and things twist and turn so that I can catch up or get with the program yet I just watch the time go by. Guilt is something I need to overcome somehow in the sense that I feel guilty for not doing anything. I feel like I always have to be doing something. Rest is not an option. But when you really think about it, it IS an option and one we should take advantage of. Who am I think that my life is that busy or chaotic. Then comes pride. Wow. :)




Eventually I'll get it. Patience is a virtue indeed. I need to be patient with myself. Easier said than done I believe. But time is all I have and God willing, I will be able to figure it all out eventually or at least be OK with not being able to figure anything out. :) Ah, the complexities of life. So ridiculous, even blogging about it seems idiotic. ;)

God is good, and I know He is overseeing it all. I trust Him and only Him. There is nothing more I need but to trust in Him and give Love at all times to all who come my way.

Maria :)

All Aboard! Moving Along.......

It's funny how we sometimes just wait for things to happen and not lift a finger to MAKE it happen. I am guilty as charged. Today I realized that in my own mind I have fabricated a situation that I was sure would materialize if I were just patient. I was wrong. I admit it :) But in that realization I also found a sense of peace in knowing I no longer would continue on in this dream like state. That I need to act, move forward and see things for what they are.

I have been delaying on making a decision that I need to make for the past 8 years. I was waiting for all the pieces to fit to make that decision. Why do we wait for the "perfect" moment to do things? Why do we delay the decisions that are so important and find ways to procrastinate? Not all people do this, I know. But I do. ;)



My brother once gave me a very interesting piece of advice, something that has been in the back of my head for quite some time. and that was "get on the train and then look for your seat". In other words don't think about the seat you are going to sit in before you get on the train. The thing here is to DO IT..get on that train. If you don't then you will be left behind and that train will have left you there. In a very real way this made sense to me.

I need to get on my train. I need to move on. I'll worry about the seating once I'm on it. I know that God wants me to act. He wants me to just do something so He can work through me. I know that where I am at now is NOT the answer. I have been so incredibly blessed beyond belief these past few years and in I just feel that I need to do something through actions to show my gratitude for the gifts God has bestowed on me.

Life is good. Love is amazing. Inner Joy is precious. Knowing that God loves me is something that keeps me going day in and day out. I just need to move on. I need to get it together and with God's help and grace I KNOW I'll be fine.

Maria :)

Gone Fishin'

Today I went fishing for the first time on a boat. WOW. It was a perfect day!! I usually hike around the lake I was fishing in so to see it's beauty from a boat was amazing. I absolutely loved fishing. At first I was afraid of how i would feel with catching fish and essentially killing them. But once I caught one that fear went away.

Sitting on the lake in a boat and concentrating on my fishing pole was so relaxing. Time just flew by and I thought of nothing that really mattered. I just sat there in peace. I love hobbies that create a sense of serenity within me. Fishing is one of those hobbies/sports. Wow.



It wasn't the ocean, but it was a very big lake indeed. It was the sound of the water and the glimmering waves that made me think of my beloved ocean. I have a new found respect for lakes. I cannot wait to get out there and kayak, canoe, and fish again!!

I had an incredibly great day. Thank God. Once again seeing nature in it's full splendor just makes me thank God and realize what an amazing planet God has given us to enjoy.

Maria :)

Letting Go

It is truly amazing to me how much God truly loves us. It's one thing to "know" this and another to "feel" it. Today I realized that no matter how hard I try to fit a round peg into a square hole, I am NOT and NEVER will be in control of anything. I had to let go of an idea today that I have been nurturing in vain for a long time.

It's funny how the mind works, how we convince ourselves of what is good for us and what we "need". We know NOTHING of the sort. We are truly so blinded by our wants and needs that we forget that God is the only one who know what we need. PERIOD.

Yes I trust in God and sometimes that trust is somewhat distorted by my own selfish and ignorant thoughts of what I want in my life. Things I want to happen. Then get discouraged when they don't. Hmmmm....here's a thought: maybe it doesn't happen because it's just NOT meant to be? I mean...maybe? Hello?!?! Believe it or not I just now got that. A rude awakening but a wonderful revelation indeed.



I am thankful for the things that God has given me AND taken away. In hindsight I know that what He has given me has been a blessing and what He has taken away has only paved the way for MORE blessings. Out of Love. Because God loves us SO much. We don't even have a inkling of how much He loves us. Mainly because we are too busy with what we feel we need and want.

It unnerves me to see people who complain or hate God for things that happen to them and say God doesn't love me. How much "love" have you given Him? This blog is about letting go. Let go of your selfishness and petty thoughts. Let go of your egotistical attitude. Let go of your old self. Let go of your past. Let go of the hate, the resentment, the anger. Let go of it all and ONLY take in God. Take Him in with your whole heart and TRUST in Him.

The minute you trust in Him, you know and understand that He loves you and wants the best for you always.

Just let it go.

Maria :)

The Beach

I sometimes miss the beach so much it's hard not to even write about it. It is truly one of God's amazing creations that I miss the most. Waking up and going to the beach early in the morning with no one around and just walking. I would think of everything and give it all away to the waves as if they took my worries with them. I would collect sand dollars by the dozen on each walk and once I even saw a dolphin! You just can't make a more perfect morning as one spent on the beach. You feel God's presence everywhere around you.

The waves serenade you into a long meditative state in which you figure out all of the world's biggest problems and come up with brilliant solutions to your own. It's as if you step into a magical place and the infinite sea makes you feel so amazingly small. I believe we should all feel this way. Small that is. We are so tiny, living in a tiny world with our tiny issues. Yet we as egotistical beings make them all so enormous and complex.



I sometimes feel that way especially now that I am away from the ocean. I need that sense of feeling small again. That the ridiculous issues I feel are so very pressing, may become small again. Not that our problems are not something we should care about. I'm really just referring to how we deal or perceive them, I suppose.

I miss the beach, the ocean , the sun rising and setting on such beauty. But I do have my memories of what it was like to walk every morning on the beach before going to work. That feeling can never be taken away. Just like the presence of God can never be taken away, it's up to us to preserve it all within and never lose sight of what really matters in the end.

Maria :)

St. Thomas More

I had to take my car to get serviced today. It was a five hour ordeal so I made sure to take some books with me to of course pass the time. I just so happened to pick up my book by St. Thomas More The Last Four Things. What an amazing book indeed. It basically covers the last four things to keep in mind as we live our lives. Those being death, judgement, pain and joy. I made it fifty pages in and was completely consumed as I read every page!

It was also very eye opening. I really started to think about life. How short it really is and what truly matters in our lives. The importance of how we live our lives and how we carry ourselves. We preoccupy ourselves with such ridiculous issues. We get angry, envious, and upset with things that should not matter whatsoever. Yet we do. We forget that our lives are on a spiritual realm. That there is a very real possibility that we may at die at any given point in time.




I read more about St. Thomas More when I got home and looked him up as I have become an instant fan of his witty writing. He is so easy to understand and just so absolutely logical in thinking. I would quote so many things from this book but they are too many as everything he was saying touching something that I could apply to my own life.

It just really was a wake up call for me. I have been feeling on the verge of lukewarmness lately. Almost on autopilot yet when reading this book I got the "jolt" I needed. Now I just need to fuel that spark. The last thing I want to EVER become is complacent in my knowledge of what God wants us to do while we live here on Earth. So it' s back to the drawing board ;)

Maria :)

Patience Is Truly A Virtue

This whole week I have been tested. My patience mainly. There are things that I wanted to do that just have not occurred in the way I wanted them to happen. I have learned over time that to attain a virtue, one must be faced with the opposite of the virtue.
Therefore, we cannot expect to receive the virtue of patience merely by asking for it. We attain it by being tested with those things that will bring about that specific virtue. Which in my case is patience!

I know that God's will is what needs to prevail in my life so that His will be done in me. I know nothing of God's "master" plan for me. But I DO know that whatever it is He feels I need to happen in my life is what He knows to be best for me. I will not complain about things not going my way as I know that I am to be patient as God is patient with me. Because Love is God and God is Love and in His love and mercy He shows me his infinite goodness. Even in the time I am the most confused by what goes on in my life, I KNOW that God has it under control.



Trust is by far one of the hardest things to do with people, situations and with God. But I trust in my Lord, I trust in Him who is good and right. How can I not? I have seen the power of His love work miracles in my life and I will attest to this for the rest of my days.

Patience is something I need to perfect. This week has been a training camp ground for me. :) But I know when all is said and done, and when I look at the outcome of these trials, I will see a plan unfold so perfect that it could not have been devised by any one other than our Father, our God.

Maria :)

Reality Check

I remember as a kid, picking up dandelions that had converted into puffy little flowers and blowing them into the Spring air.....I would do this of course, prior to making my wish. As we all know we can make wishes on many things (shooting stars and birthday candles to name a few) but this one as a young kid was by far the most alluring.

Now that I have grown up I see that there is no such thing as a "wish" and that now I see it as a prayer given to our Father. I may wish certain things would occur in my life (or not occur for that matter), but all in all once I recognize that God's will is what needs to happen, then it doesn't seem that unfair.

I used to live in a fantasy world where I figured I was in control. That I set the rules and I broke the rules as I wished....not so much. I was NEVER in control except in control of my own selfish will to do wrong and to sin at my heart's content. The reality of it all is that God is in control and it is imperative we seek His will in our lives so that we are balanced and humbled.




If we seen the good in our lives and within ourselves. If we love others and love God with all our hearts then we just can't go wrong. I am but a weak, selfish, measly, sinful creature but when infused with God's love and grace....I am His child, I am loved and I am strengthened in His Love for me. How can my heart and soul NOT rejoice at this thought. How can I not give God thanksgiving for all the things He has given me AND taken away??

It baffles my mind to think that we are humans can be so selfish and ignorant to think that WE know is best for us. We have not a clue. What we do have that is truly ours, is our will. And that will that God has given me out of love, I give back to Him out of love because He knows what my soul needs to be saved and to be reunited with Him for all eternity.

And in the end, when this world ends, because it will.....what will really matter is just that...the state of our souls and where they will spend eternity. That to me, is my reality.

Maria :)

Peace Within

I sometimes wish I could just drop everything and go into the most deepest silence and just pray. Just talk to God. Just sit there and listen in silence. I want to just run away from it all and just give it all to Him. The whole idea of just praying non stop for people all around the world really appeals to me. It is not for everyone, I know. I don't even know if I would really have what it takes to just pray incessantly. I know that in my mind I want to do as much as I can to help others, and prayer is so powerful when aiding our brothers and sisters.

I am conflicted in the sense that although nothing in this world is worth giving up my faith, I still feel attached to people. This attachment of sorts, impedes me from truly dropping everything and becoming a nun for example. But our great saints had parents, families and friends and yet they left it all behind. Am I called to do the same?




I ponder this a lot. Or maybe my wanting to escape is just that, and escapade of sorts. Am I turning to seclusion because I do not want to deal with the realities of life? Or am I really called to solitary life in prayer? Find God's will in my life has been truly difficult. At those moments I feel I "have it", I really don't. I do have faith though. That I do have. :)

A priest once told me that I just need to get out there and do something! If it doesn't work out then move on to the next thing! I'm starting to think I need to follow through on that advice. The amount of time wondering if I am truly fulfilling God's plan for me has consumed me, it's time for action now. It's time to really start putting the love I feel for others into action. God willing, I will do just that.


Maria :)

It's All In The Details

I love to hike and walk in the outdoors, that is no secret from those who know me well. One of the things I absolutely love is just the way the sun shines and the breeze keeps you cool as you just gaze at all the beautiful details that God has taken the time to create for our viewing pleasure. I really miss the beach. I miss waking up at 6 in the morning and walking all along the beach as the sun would rise and the waters would soothe my soul. Where else can you see such amazing beauty? The ocean fascinates me completely.



It could be the just the fact that the ocean is so grand. You just are consumed by it's beauty, the smell, the sound of the waves and the way the light shimmers off the water. I do miss the beach very much so. Everything in nature amazes me. When you think of our planet and how much life is on it! Look at the other planets in our galaxy, they are all dead or uninhabitable. Earth is brimming with color, with life, with God's love all over it because He created it for us!



We take the sunrise and sunsets for granted. The sun in itself is spectacular! I guess because I am into astronomy I tend to see things on such a larger scale and see us as so small...because we are. We are honestly floating in the universe on a galaxy among the stars and other galaxies and we still find time to worry about things that are not important and feel all big and important...we need to realize who's in control here...who we are and grateful we should be for EVERY living breathing breath we take day in and day out...I thank God for His Love and His gifts. Truly I do.


Maria :)

I Owe Everything To You Lord Jesus

This Palm Sunday I have been reflecting a lot on our Lord Jesus and his sufferings for us. For the forgiveness of our sins and of what it means to truly love someone unconditionally as our God loves us. It amazes me to the core of my being on how people can complain about petty issues they have in their lives. How they wallow in self pity and blame God for their sorrows. Have we not seen the face of suffering, love and sacrifice which should in turn lead us to want to know and love God? Do we not see the sacrifice our Lord has given to us? That we complain about is NOTHING compared to what Jesus went through for US to save our souls?

Is really anything in our lives here on earth even worth wanting so badly that we forget the importance of our souls' final destination? I apply this to myself as well, I reflect on the things I wish would happen, things I hope will happen and things I may complain that don't happen. Really? Am I that ignorant to what lies in front of me? Am I that blind to see that I am no one to ask God to give me anything but what He desires to give me (and take from me) for the good of my own soul?




I just can't look at Jesus on the cross and not feel ashamed of my ridiculous complaints when He was nailed to a cross and ridiculed for acting out the ONLY true and real act of Love that has ever existed.....and all for us. Ungrateful and miserable creatures that we are....yet in this smallness of an existence, I feel grateful for His love, His sacrifice, His mercy and grace. As Easter approaches and we will rejoice in His glorious resurrection, I give thanks to our God for His love and for His unmeasurable love he has for us......To God be the Glory, now and forever. Amen.


Maria

The True Art Of Friendship

To be a friend is someone who is going to love you and accept you unconditionally. A person you know you can depend on through thick and thin. It's amazing to me what I considered to be friendship to what i know now to actually mean to be a friend and have a true friend.

I don't look to have many friends as I know that to find a true friend takes time and dedication and I would like to give each on of my friends that time and attention. I cannot imagine a life full of people I would call friends just to say I had them. I know that in my select group of friends, I have friends for life. Friends who love me and will be there for me through thick and thin.




I feel the friendship should be a complete selfless act of love that you exchange w/another person. Finding commonalities and exploring life together. It's picking one up when they are feeling down and admitting when one is feeling down to have the other pick them up. It's not about material gain or social status, it's about love. I love my friends, even they are few. I love them because they know me for who I was, who I am and who I want to be. They accept me as I accept them, in love.

"Friends always show their love. What are brothers for if not to share troubles?"- Proverbs 17:17

"Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers."
- Proverbs 18:24

"Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is as new wine; when it is old, thou shall drink it with pleasure."
- Sirach 9:10

"An honest answer is the sign of true friendship."
- Proverbs 24:26