Surprised

Veiled Magnificence
I was recently struck by the reality of how our decisions can impact those around us.

On my way home from work yesterday, Dave's mom called to see if I could help her get Dan and his car home to Detroit. Dan recently had surgery on his shoulder and it would not have been prudent for him to drive. Happy to have a way to support them, yet a little anxious about how I was going to get my household chores done, I arrived home to let the kids know I would be heading right back out. I was greeted with a pleasant surprise! Tony and Jacquie had taken it upon themselves to declutter and clean the main floor, their own bedrooms, and some other areas of the house. Because of their actions, I was able to peacefully help Dan and Mom, and even enjoy their company a bit longer than I otherwise would have, and still make it home in time for dinner.

Each day, we are invited to love. The daily, seemingly insignificant choices that we each make to follow through with an impulse of generosity or compassion, or to listen and respond to the still, small voice that inspires us to take an action of love, are the threads which are used to weave beautiful coverings of mercy, uniting humanity into brotherhood.

Dan, Mom, Tony, Jacquie, myself, (and I'm sure others known to God alone), were encouraged, built up, and blessed by the choices each of us made that day. Writing this helps me to remember that no act of charity is useless. By the grace of God alone, will every thought and action be an additional thread in the beautiful comforter of mercy.

Is it really July?

Growing Older
I am still amazed. It is actually July of 2008. I will be turning 50 this year, and can hardly believe it! Inside, I still feel like "me". Somehow I thought my personality would change with age, or that I would become less of the "me" that I always knew and more of a stranger to myself. I don't know why I thought that, but I have to tell you that it is incredibly fun to age, and still be "me!"

Of course on the flip side of this, it is incredibly daunting to realize that I am still "me." Although I'm comforted by the security of being myself, I'm a little bummed about the insecurities that still assail me and apparently will continue! The temptations I struggle with seem to be always with me, like a "thorn in my side." But I will press on, because I know that God is merciful, just, and just plain --- love. Now how can I complain about that???