Bean Salad and First Grade Crap

Stories are important. And staying in one place is important too--so I can listen better. 

"Be still and know that I am God" is a Bible verse I've prayed daily for four years and I'm just starting to realize now how important it is.

When I am still, I am present. Then, I can more easily recognize tidbits of joy around me...

Like lying in a hammock today, and feeling like I was being held in the womb of creation! Or taking a bath, or making beautiful, gourmet bean salad. Or enjoying my first graders.

Here's some more life glitter:

I read Pope Francis' book The Joy of the Gospel in the bath. My bookmark fell out and got soaked. Ironically it was a picture of a swimmer for the verb game in my classroom and it said "swim" on it.

In car line conversation after school I asked my student, "What are your chickens' names?"

"I only know mine," he replied.

"What is it?" 

"Flapper II." 

"What happened to Flapper the first?" 

"He died." 

Oh yeah, how could I forget that he was eaten by wild animal? 

I shared the story at a party later that night; my friend said her husband babysat for kids whose hermit crabs were named "Smiley Face" and "Wizard."

Earlier that day my kids began to make scrapbooks of their first grade experiences. One child realized he needed a break before he was finished the last word of the title. 

He inadvertently forgot the "S" at the beginning of the word and stopped midway when he realized he needed to use the bathroom... "My First Grade Crap." There are so many ways this story could go... 

Just like the adventure of living in one place with Faith and the Holy Spirit...

Our Father

You know how so-and -so reminds you of so -and-so? Like kids and parents, friends and people that other acquaintances haven't met.

A baby's born and everybody wants to know who he resembles. A new person joins a community and those who met him tell others who he's like...

Humans seem to crave familiarity. Something I can relate to, shared interest or knowledge, a place of comfort.

You know Who Jesus reminds me of? His Father. 

Not only does He look like Him --"made in God's image;" He points me to Him-- "no one comes to the Father except through me;" and He is Him in some mysterious divine way-- "the Father and I are one."

Jesus, if I look at Your cross I will come to know the Father's love for me. 

Thank you for existing so I can seek familiarity with Your lovable face, and You can create a place in my heart for Our Father.

Biker for Jesus

A "Biker for Jesus" flashed me the peace sign after I cut him off on the road today.

At first the man shook his head back-and-forth in what I saw as annoyance. After I kept a good distance, he moved his head up-and-down as if he affirmed my new choice.

I wondered if that's how God looks at me: ready to forgive after I make a mistake.

Yes. God is just AND merciful.

The biker's presence was a real sign of God's love and a reminder for me to slow down and soak in it. Lord, keep nudging me to watch out for your mercy on the road of life.

Thank you for your love. Amen.

Fatted Calf

It's time to kill the fatted calf. My keys that were once lost have been found. Praise the Lord!

I was looking for my Miraculous Medal, which is also been lost for some weeks, when St. Anthony came through.

He did not give me what I was looking for at that moment, but he gave me something else that I was looking for.

I think God works that way too. I'm searching for one thing I think I need, but God is giving me something else I need in that moment. 

Lord, help me to remember to thank You when You answer my prayers in ways I do not expect. In Your creativity, You give me joy and reveal a plan for my good.

Thank you, Father. Though Mary. Amen.

 

Mercy

Mercy is another name for love. Love is another word for life.

I rode my bike nearly 20 miles after an intense Divine Mercy retreat this weekend. I wanted to make it to the end of the trail as a symbol for hope in my life – you can do it; you can make it to the end and then come back. Persevere in hope!

I passed the midway point and noticed that I was on the trail alone. I’ve ridden this path numerous times and always known the danger of riding alone, but the thought of threat was strong today. I imagined a bad man would see me alone and take advantage of the situation. Then I saw a bike without its rider propped on the fence.

I quickly looked around.

A child’s voice broke through my fear.

“Are you riding your bike?”

“Yea,” I reflexively replied, a bit defensive.

Once I realized it was a child who called me, I played in my mind with the other responses I could have given her.

“Hmm. I wonder how that got there?” “Did anyone put a bike under me?” “Is that what this looks like?” “A bike? Where?”

Then I looked up. The little girl stood at the top of the hill above me with her dad and brother.

“Hi down there!” she shouted.

“Hi up there!” I replied. Her dad laughed.

My fears evaporated. I was filled with delight and God’s love.

I had tried to pray to God the Father on my ride. It’s a difficult work for me. 

Then I thought that the little girl was Jesus to me. And she was with her Father. And the Father loved her, and they both loved me in that moment. The Holy Spirit took away my fear.

God sees me in the pit. He knows my fears, and my hopes and dreams, and my deep desire to know His personal love. So He breaks through.

“I see you down there,” He says to me playfully and seriously. “I’ve been there too. Remember when I was held in a pit before I died for you?”

"Let me stay with you. Let me be with you. Let me come to you."

"Then, let me move in you again. Let me cut the ropes of fear and deceit that bind you, and set you free."

I also thought about the glory of child-likeness. I was down and looked up to see a child. Humility, surrender. To become little again. Dependent on God. And then raised to glory. With freedom from fear and openness to love those who trod the path beneath me. 

The climb seems long before I would be able to share the joy of freedom with others who struggle.

But I have hope. There is Mercy. There is love. There is life.

Lord, heal me and lead me to forgiveness.

JESUS, I trust in you. FATHER, have mercy on me. HOLY SPIRIT help me to surrender. Through Mary. Amen.

Gratitude

I am grateful for the kids I teach. I am grateful for my job. I'm grateful for my life. I am grateful for friends. I'm grateful for humor. I am grateful for my family. I am grateful for people who love me. I am grateful for my Faith. I'm grateful for the chance to grow in love with God. 

I'm grateful for creativity and choices and  the need for total dependence on God and to see very little things in my life as great gifts.

My friend's daughter calls Parmesan cheese "snow."

We ran out of holy water in my classroom. One of my students suggested we bless each other without holy water and make a sign of the cross on each other's foreheads. Another of my students had a different idea. She had just come back from the bathroom, and thankfully had washed her hands well. 

"We could just use my wet sleeves," she suggested.

I am grateful that six of the chicks hatched (even after the trauma of a child having dropped one of the eggs and it smelling up my classroom--ironically we were also reading Charlotte's Web, and Templeton the rat had just received the dud egg from the goose...) I am grateful that chicks cheep inside their shells right before they hatch. What an awesome sound!

I am grateful that my kids wrote funny songs about Pennsylvania, since we're  learning about the states and that state doesn't have a state song.

Three fine specimens:

1. 

P, P, P Pennsylvania P, P, P Pennsylvania 

Go PA!

The capital is Harrisburg. It is the second state.

Boom!

2.

Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania I love you.

We like to go to the Franklin Institute.

We can watch the Flyers, Steelers, and Pittsburgh Penguins!

3.
Boo Pirates! 

Go Phillies! 

Pennsylvania rocks the country!

We are awesome!

We eat beef!

We love Pennsylvania!

We trust you!

We eat corn.

We fish for bass.

And I'm grateful that they made the coolest Easter vigil fire I've ever seen.

In process ...

Finished.

New Life

Last year was a very long, snowy, cold Canadian winter. I survived it with a scientific and logical mantra which I repeated from February until May: "Nothing can stop Spring from coming."

I thought of that mantra this year when Easter came. I am still a sinner. I did not live a perfect Lent. My heart is still filled with wounds that need to be healed. Yet Jesus died for me in the middle of it all. Today: "Nothing can stop Jesus from rising from the dead."

He did it. Jesus rose from the grave. Easter happened. It continues to unfold. Daily. In my life. Personally. He rose to give me hope, joy, peace and freedom. 

Jesus, your resurrection is not just Faith; it's a fact. There were witnesses. You have walked with me throughout my life. That is a fact too. And there are witnesses. Help me to remember that you're with me every day. When I forget, inspire my friends to remind me of my journey.

You are here. New life is reality. Nothing can stop Spring from coming. You made me for eternal happiness.

Thank you for Easter. Thank you for dying for me. Thank you for good friends.

Jesus I trust in you. Help me to live this mantra through winters and springs alike.