Thank You Jesus Christ for Creating The Way of Your Word!
I'm so grateful to have this experience. I'm always so surprised by my opportunities and everything that happens to me each day. I'm listening to Fr. Gaitley speaking about his book the 33 Days to Morning Glory. Yea, I'm at Lisette's now where our group is deep into this book. I just got an invite to lunch with Dr Jim, so I am really surprised and exited about it all. And how Mary has been so strong and focused to bring us to Christ. And we can't plan things like this . . .
That’s What we have shared with you all the time. Accepting this gift we have for you. The cross you bear is more than you can write or share, and again you recognize how you can bring more light to those.Now the word before me is so strong and focused. I'm really challenged to know and share what is before me, as so much is here. You are always putting so much before me. I wonder about how I can honor all you share. And I guess speaking of this truth and passion is beautiful.
What else did you do?I started with morning mass, and then visited with Lisette, when I started this page. Then lunch with Jim was cool. Getting to know each more and speaking about church and our own growth. I told him about my experience with Dick in the morning. We both know Dick and share our growth and learning with him, so it was easy for us to speak about our own growth and challenges.
DAY 1: Prayerfully read the traditional translation of the Principle and Foundation that follows. Ask: How do I concretely praise, love, and serve God? What activities, people, or material things help me achieve this end?I see my primary task now in serving God is to write and share as much as possible. I have recognized this task before me for a really long time. It's interesting as it has come and gone as a priority. Children, wife and work have taken their place here over and over again. Now in my silence and privacy I have witnessed how much more important it has become for me to write and share. The discourse about Principle and Foundation speaks of "indifference" to health & sickness, wealth & poverty. I agree to being indifferent to the events of life, while being responsible for the gifts I have from God, really must include conscious choices to eat and work as necessary to sustain my good health and wealth. It would be disrespectful and disingenuous to become a glutton exploiting my health and wealth.
I readily accept what comes before me and honor everyone I meet, without priority or with indifference, but respect and acceptance. This can often be a challenge and I've been as focused as possible to do as best as I can. I know I've still not turned-on my server or have I explored other means of sharing and publishing. I wonder now if I have accepted what is easiest for me and not pushed into new areas as much as I should. I have been trying to do more at church and realize my own limitations.
What we are waiting for is the power and focus you are really capable of. You act and feel as a child so easily and have the ability to play into that. This truth and experience you carry and share is important.I get it and I stay in Your Word throughout my day! 5:57:57 12/14/2024 Like today the Exodus reading was clear and focused:
During his time among us, Jesus was very active and involved, full of wise words and good works, healing, initiating apostolic action, and carefully training his disciples. He loved the world deeply despite its corruption. However, he always viewed this world in light of where it was heading; his gaze was set on, “the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne” (Matthew 19:28). The throne Jesus speaks about is a symbol for the divine rule of God, that blessed time when everything on earth will conform to God’s will, and all death, sin, fear, and injustice will be banished.
Let us remember our true hope in God’s coming kingdom and ask God for a full measure of the joy that filled the heart of Christ, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2).
God is coming to save you, renewing the wilderness of your heart.
DAY 2: How have I been a good steward of the gifts God has given me, including created things, my talents, and my abilities? From my own experience, what gets in the way of my praising, loving, and serving God? How do the following influence my choices and actions: titles, honors, possessions, career, opinion of others, lifestyle? Be as concrete as possible.I get it, as I follow your Word! A few weeks ago when the crew were picking up all the brush outside from the hurricanes, I went and pulled out a big steel BBQ pit that my neighbor had out in his pile. Yes, that couldn't go with all the brush. It’s been out at the curb ever since. So today I went and measured it and then moved it to my tent space by my container. It was the right size to rebuild my composting corner to allow my mixer and all to work with the big old bath tub I had there.
Yes, creativity and talents recycling trash to make something work better. You see I got a big bunch of veggies this morning, I started my turkey soup and made my root veggie salad, and filled my sink with beautiful compost fixings. Yes, I have my steel mixer and drum the welder made for me, but that is great for mixing soil not chopping compost. So now with the steel BBQ pit holding up the steel bathtub, I can use my steel mixer to chop up stuff to put in to the plastic compost bin. I have three of the plastic city compost bins. I'm sure neighbors threw them in the trash. So now my new compost set-up is ready to rock and roll.
So I swallow my pride, and pickup trash to build another widget. My yard, house, and life is filled with them. I was thrilled at the farmers market today. Eva has dozens of plants out for sale now, and there is more and more yummy organics everywhere. It felt like home, even the music got me jamming a bit. I always feel like there is so much coming together here for me. Yesterday I went to pick-up a truck load of brush and as I drove out to venician isles I could see so much of the area had flooded. There were no sidewalks and I kept "seeing" the moving sidewalks taking all the flood waters away.
When loading the truck with Dr. Jim we even spoke about it and Addys said how her daughter was doing patent reviews. What? It was really inspiring to see my one contact with Dr Jim and Lisette would be with someone who needed and could understand some of my junk with Jesus. I've always wondered why I did certain things. Like rebuilding my compost seemed so far out there. And I guess not really, as I've done so many other things that just "showed-up" and walked through the process before me with complete
indifference.
indifference.
We have been doing this with you for a long time. Your ability to listen and follow is very significant. As you never required an angel or a burning bush. You have stepped into so much just naturally, trusting what was before you and allowing things to happen fearlessly. .
DAY 3: Read Exodus 3:1-15. Consider how God calls Moses to partner with God in the work of liberation: "I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt." Reflect on your own life: How have I partnered with God to help people, to build a more just and gentle world, to care for creation?I guess I have followed the Word most of my life! And of course I've been districted and confused plenty of times too. But I've seen over and over again that I always end up in the right place at the right time. It often happens that I'm totally clueless, and even scared or insecure about my next steps or place in the mix. But somehow I'm always getting ahead or doing something that seemingly no one else can do?!?
I do feel like I am being followed or watched all the time! And equally protected as well. I wanted to get my server on this weekend, but then discovered another website much the same as my own, sharing and disclosing something for everyone to learn and understand. I then realized there really are several that I know and reference often. So maybe my place and purpose here with this is something else.
This too has happened countless times. Where I work and focus on one thing and then discover it really is nothing about what I thought. Like I feel I've not done what I need to do but in fact my delay or distraction was critically important to allow me to be in the right place at the right time for something completely different than I was anticipating. Like now again, I'm really not convinced that I have any idea why I came to St. Pete in the first place. I feel I am in the right place all the time but still really have no clue. This morning, I realized it was only 10 days until Christmas and felt this time alone would be wonderful for me to get ready for whatever could be next.
DAY 4: Repetition. As you consider again Ignatius's Principle and Foundation, recall moments in your life when you felt in balance and times when you felt out of balance. In other words, recall times of great spiritual freedom and moments of spiritual chaos. Whom do you look up to as people living in spiritual freedom?I really have only met some women who seem spiritually free, like my mom and Joyce. Joyce was really a second mom for me. . . And they both recognized something in me, that I 'm still tying to understand. Then no one I ever met seemed to have more spiritual freedom than I do. It doesn't always feel like a gift as I've been in St. Pete for 5 full years, and I still wonder what I'm here for. It seems clear I belong here, as I've been gifted and graced all that need, whenever I need it. And the real chaos has only been a concern when I tried to do something or plan something on my own. I am in chaos whenever I get impatient and anxious about where I am and what I need to do or not do.
Maybe this is all about teaching you to wait and be patient: What do you think of that??I don’t know? I trust you Jesus, say what you would have me do, guide me and direct me to achieve as you require of me. .
DAY 5: In the light of your prayer over the past three days, write out the Principle and Foundation in your own words-that is, write out the mission statement that you want to govern your life. Or create an image reflecting your Principle and Foundation (see, for example, Jeremiah 17:5-11).
I do have my Exodus 90 Why Statement that I've updated and see most every day: To slowly listen and love God in joy, gratitude and Peace!
DAY 6
Read Philippians 4:11-13 ("I can do all things through him who strengthens me"). Continue working on your own Principle and Foundation . . .
I Love You Dearest Loving Lord Jesus Christ.
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