Children Have No Voice

It's been a while since posting on this blog. Due to a situation with our grandchild, we are finding children truly have no voice. I am reminded of Matthew 18:6 where Our Lord says it would be better to have a millstone tied around one's neck and cast into the ocean than to scandalize one of these little ones. I'm paraphrasing, but if you're familiar with the chapter and verse, you are aware of this saying. We are leaving all to Our Lord. JMJ

I've also been praying the Surrender Novena found at the link below:

The Surrender Novena: Let Jesus Take Care of Everything (catholicexchange.com)

I hope this prayer will help others as well.

Simple Charm

"The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent or the daisy of its simple charm." St. Therese of Lisieux

We all belong in God's garden!

This is the Day

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his mercy endures forever. Psalm 118:1

Quote on "Value"

Saw this on Blue Bloods.  I'm not sure if I have it right but it was something like, "You know the price of everything but the value of nothing."  It was said by the character on the show named Danny. 

It just struck me, because I know a woman who used to tell you the price of everything.  She did come from a poor background, and I think that is why she was so caught up in the price of things.
However, I do believe she knew true value when it came to relationships.

The funny thing is she didn't hoard anything.  Once she told my mother to go look in a drawer for a quilt.  My mother had to open every drawer until she found it.  She told me the only thing in the chest was the quilt.  This lady was known to give things away.

So the above quote doesn't apply to her, but it does apply to so many.  If you were the last person on earth, things wouldn't mean much.  You would have nobody to impress but most importantly nobody to share it with.  

The Desire for God

The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for.”
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, NO. 27


From this Lenten journey with http://dynamiccatholic.com/ 

What are your thorns?

Today during prayer time I was focusing on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  My gaze moved from His heart to His hands.  For some reason, I kept coming back to that crown of thorns around His heart.  My mind's eye saw the crown squeezing this Heart that beats for us.  He took our ills upon Himself. 

Ususally I identify with Mary at the foot of the cross.  How she must have wanted to take the pain.  The love of a parent enduring the pain of a child is a cross in itself.  But this time I couldn't dwell on that thought.  The thorns on His head, the nails in His flesh and His pierced side presented a physical pain He chose to bear...not to mention the wounds we never see in art.  But this is when I realized Jesus bore the same pain Mary bore at the foot of the cross.  He had to experience her cross too so He could help her carry it.  He took all of us unto Himself.  How our betrayals, denying, doubts and more gripped His heart.  However, that very heart loved us to His death.   That very heart still beats with love for us each day.  What are your thorns? What makes up your cross?  Have you betrayed or been betrayed?  Have you harmed another or been harmed?  Have you neglected or been neglected?  These questions can go on and on.  When we hurt others we are hurting Christ.  He did not know sin but took ours upon Himself.  When others hurt us, He understands.  He was innocent of all the charges, but He still received punishment. 

This is why a cross with Christ is too much to bear.  He has shown us that, with Him, we can get up again and again.  He has shown us when the cross comes to us, we can go through it.  This is how He has loved us to death.  The difference is when He took the cross darkness was all that greeted Him.  For us, he went forward alone so we wouldn't have to ever be alone.  He is the light in our darkness.   He has loves us to death by bringing us to life.

Lord may we carry our cross with you, and when we see others struggling with their cross, help us to be the "Simon" in their life. 

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, may the whole world burn with love for you! Amen

Missing Ren

Fourteen years ago, our former neighbor’s husband died.  Her students, at the time, decided she didn’t need to come home to an empty house.  So they gave her a miniature dachshund puppy and named her Ren.  I’ll never forget seeing her hold that small brown love with dark puddles for eyes.

At the same time our son decided we had to have a small black kitten.  He knew if he brought it home I wouldn’t be able to say no.  My husband and I always said we didn’t like cats.  This one fit in the palm of my hand.  His mother had died, and he was bottled raised.

When my neighbor retired she began to travel a good bit.  We had the pleasure of taking care of her sweet Ren.  That puppy and our kitten played like there was no tomorrow.   They wrestled and tumbled all over the house.  They were crazy about each other.

We eventually moved and shortly after the move our black cat died from cancer.  But we continued to watch little Ren when her “mama” travelled.  We had another black cat, and she never understood why he wouldn’t play with her.  She climbed the cat tree in hopes he would be her friend.  It never happened so she resigned herself to playing with our outside dogs and barking at anything that was on the other side of the fence.  When she barked it sounded like, “beeeyurk.”

Not too long ago Ren had a seizure at her house.  Then she had one the last time we kept her.  But she recovered quickly both times.  Recently she did it again and didn’t recover.  The Vet said he thought she had a brain tumor.

Today Ren’s mama called to say she took her to the Vet, and held her as she slipped away.  And though I’ve already cried because I knew it was coming, I am crying again.  I am one of those who believe that love remains for eternity.  The sweet spirits we get to hug and pet stay with us because of love.  And I want to believe that somewhere a little black cat and a sweet wiener dog are playing and resting side by side…forever in our hearts.