Step back

 This morning’s swim presented a good reminder: When you’re in the light, it is sometimes hard to appreciate it. You got to step back, and take in all the beauty you’ve been given.

Just something I wanted to remember.  Words and photo belong to my son. 

It's so true though.  Sometimes we have to step back to see things from another perspective.  There are times to be in the thick of it and concentrate on the micro-particles - but we can sometimes benefit greatly by looking at the bigger picture.  

Until next time, kellie 

Grace in the mess ~ A journal entry

Good afternoon dear friends.  I hope all is well with your soul.  Here's a little snapshot of the goings on (or lack of) here at Terra Dulcis this fine Sunday afternoon.  It is the feast of Corpus Christi.  (The actual feast is the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, but it was celebrated at Mass today.)  We were blessed to have a short procession of the Most Blessed Sacrament through the Church today as well.   

Currently I'm listening to:  

**the click of keys; 

**the blowing of the cool air coming from the AC unit (it's getting a little muggy today);

 **and --------- well, that's it.  I'm sitting in the living room with only the outside light pouring into the front door.  Allie's sleeping on the cool tile at the entryway, her favorite spot.  A few minutes ago, she was snoring her head off, but has since woke up, shifted her position and is dozing off again.  

Wearing:  

** long jean shorts and a really pretty dark blue dressy blouse which I wore this morning. I do hate to say it, but blue really is my color.  My eyes generally turn whatever color of blue I'm wearing and just pop!

Praying for:

** just about everything - but specifically I just finished the 30 days of prayer challenge for my husband.  It was both challenging and wonderful!

** a friend whose cancer is becoming more aggressive

** the priests who celebrate the TLM / EF (traditional Latin Mass) at our parish, and our Deacon.  They are extraordinary men and we are so grateful for their dedication to their vocations and our Latin Mass community.  The Deacon also preaches sermons and prepares our youth for the Sacraments.  We are having Confirmation at our parish in August.  I'm so grateful for both our clergy and our amazing Parish families.  

** All of mine and my husband's siblings.  We have both lost siblings over the last several years - so I'm praying for both the living and the dead.  We miss the presence of Pam, Robert, Jack, Frances and Baron among us.  I pray for my 3 sisters who have lost their husbands, and my sister whose husband is ill.  

** My children (5), their spouses (3 are married), my 14 grands.  I pray they stay strong and faithful as the world around us becomes more and more challenging.  

** Prayers of overwhelming gratitude for a private intention.  

Pondering:  

** all the above; the future; some possible changes in the near future

** this world is not our home, but is but a journey to our true home

Current project:

I've always got something in the basket by my mama-bear chair.  Normally, I don't like this much color change (every row!!) but I do love how this easy and fast pattern works up.  

What's cooking?

**Well, tonight I'm doing good ole' fashioned burgers on the grill.  I do love cooking outside, although I really love it when one of the guys does the grilling for me.  Then, I'll pop some french fries in the NuWave air fryer I recently got at a yard sale.  I'm lovin' that thing!  It made the best darn cherry pie I've ever had in my life.  Where has this thing been all my life!  

** the rest of the week?  eh...... we'll just have to see.  

Looking forward: 

**See above (*) a private intention; 

**getting in some swim time with my BFFs this summer.  One friend and I rock the BeeGees and do water aerobics to the music.  She does laps and I dog paddle from one end to the other.  The crazy thing is I've been in the water all my adult life, but I really don't know how to actually swim.  Not SWIM, swim. 

** Family visiting this summer.  There is a distinct possibility all children and grands will be here at the same time.  This has never happened.  I'm being cautiously optimistic...

That will be one shin-dig and lots and lots of pictures will be absolutely obligatory. 

Well, there are pups to feed and preparations to be made for getting back to work tomorrow.  And I've gotta get that grill ready for some grub. 

Until next time ~ Toto corde meo (with all my heart) 💖

kellie

Panem nostrum

 

Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. 

                                               Give us this day, our daily bread.   

That line stuck me yesterday at Mass. I know that sounds ridiculous.  It isn't the first time I've heard it! I call it Divine inspiration - and of course, it was the great Feast of Pentecost.  I also call it a moment of clarity.  I've been having those lately, thanks be to God.  

It's a reminder to me to not get too far ahead of myself.  I'm a worrier by nature.  My sister and I joke we worry enough for the rest of the family.  If you want something worried about, we'll add it to our list to free up your day!  But all joking aside, worrying gets you no where!  "Pray, hope and don't worry" St. Padre Pio reminds us.  

I have come to the realization that 'daily bread' isn't just the food we eat.  It isn't just that we have food - we need food to live of course.  These words taught to us by our Blessed Lord Himself are reinforcing to us (daily) that He will provide.  In fact, we must remember this is the ONLY prayer Jesus taught us during his ministry to be prayed by all the faithful.  It isn't a very wordy prayer, but is it ever packed with meaning.......every line.  Every. Word.  His Word.  

Our daily bread means that for this very day our thoughts may be peaceful.

Our daily bread means that for this very day our anxieties and fears may be calmed. 

Our daily bread means that for this very day our faith remains strong.

Our daily bread means that for this very day we may manfully endure any discomfort, pain or inconvenience for Jesus's sake.

Our daily bread means that for this very day we may forgive others and ask to be forgiven of our shortcomings. 

Our daily bread means that for this very day we need to feed our intellect and soul with God's holy word and prayer.  

And most importantly, Our daily bread means that when we can, we should receive the Most Blessed Sacrament in Holy Communion.  It is our spiritual food which our souls need for nourishment and grace.  

Being mindful to pray for our daily bread doesn't mean we don't think about tomorrow.  Of course we are mindful always of tomorrow.  But tomorrow isn't here....today.  Today we only have this very day.  

Remember, Christian Soul 

Remember, Christian soul, that thou has this day, and every day of thy life: God to glorify.
Jesus to imitate.
A soul to save.
A body to mortify.
Sins to repent of.
Virtues to acquire.
Hell to avoid.
Heaven to gain.
Eternity to prepare for.
Time to profit by.
Neighbors to edify.
The world to despise.
Devils to combat.
Passions to subdue.
Death, perhaps, to suffer.
Judgment to undergo.

This is the day the Lord hath made ~ let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Until next time, Be the Light!  Kellie

I almost missed it .....

It was one of those posts you might just scroll over quickly and miss.  But something brought me back to it.  Not 'something' in fact.  Divine intervention might be more correct.  

             'Pick someone and pray for them for 30 days.' 

Easy peasy, right?  I mean, say a prayer for someone for 30 days and you don't even have to tell them about it.  Just pray.  It sounded like an easy enough suggestion.  So I liked the post and silently committed my decision to do just that. 

But, I'm getting a little ahead of myself for a minute.  Let me explain.  Boy, this is kind of hard.  It's embarrassing.  Ok, just out with it.  Like ripping off the band-aid.  I have a hard time at private prayer sometimes.  There.  It's said. I mean, I'm great when it comes to praying with others, like the rosary with Tommy or at Mass.  But at home at private prayer, sometimes I can't stay focused.  I'm easily distracted and my mind has way too many tabs open at the same time.  Or I'm constantly making lists of tomorrow's demands while trying to prioritize their importance.  

It's probably not just me.  And I don't like this about myself at all.   However, that innocent suggestion couldn't have been more perfectly placed in my path.   Of course I have prayed my entire adult life.  There have been seasons of progress and seasons of regression as well.  But once I had set my mind to praying for a specific person -- and made the commitment for 30 days --it has begun to allow me to focus in a way I haven't been able to for a long time.  

It's almost as if I feel that if I slack off, it isn't fair to my 'person'.  And while it is anonymously, I feel a sense of obligation to the person and to God to finish what I started.  The need----the drive---- to begin the prayers each day is so uplifting and comforting.  And while I originally just planned to say a few memorized prayers, I've begun offering a holy hour for their intentions, bringing in some of my older prayer books, even singing hymns.  

It wasn't too long ago, this problem of distraction was even brought up in confession.  And what Father replied was very encouraging.  He said we all get distracted, even him!  But he also said we are somewhat like the animal tethered to a post.  He might go in circles, but he will never wander off.  In prayer, we might circle the post we're tethered to, but if we keep circling we won't wander too far away.  We'll always return to prayer, our tether.  It might come in dribs and drabbles, but eventually we'll return.  

Who knew a little post on face-book could give me just the incentive I needed to start this journey.  I needed a new perspective, to look at prayer for the complete benefit of someone other than myself and my needs.  I'm grateful for this change of perspective at this particular time.  I look forward to the next few weeks and have a feeling I might just be picking a 2nd person and start it all over again.  Praise God.  

Until next time, Kellie   

 

 

Porch sittin'

 

Who else loves just sittin' out on the porch?  Not being on your phone, not on laptop.  Just sittin'. 

It's good to sit quietly occasionally and just ponder.  Ponderin' can take some time, so don't rush it. 

Make it a point to do a little porch sittin' and ponderin' on a regular basis.  It's the best minutes of the day; and never a waste of time. 

Live fully, forgive when you need to and be at peace.  Until next time.  Kellie

 

Dear **, 

It's me.  We haven't really spoken in a while.  At least not like we should.  There's been something I've been stewing over for a few years now.  I should have just come to you; but as time progressed, it became easier to become further and further away from that.  And of course, the more time that had passed, the more difficult talking about it became.  

But isn't that the way it goes?  Like confession ~ it IS good for the soul, but the longer you put it off the easier it becomes to put it off.   I'm not advocating that, obviously!   Last year I became sadly aware of the fact that we can wait until it's too late to try and make up for lost time.  I tragically lost a friend with whom I had lost contact for many years and I'll never be able to remedy that.  Maybe that experience is one of the reasons I've been rethinking this with you. 

You may not even remember the 'event' that prompted my feelings.  That's ok.  You may not even have been aware at the time that it was really very wrong.  My anger at the time was justified, but what isn't justified is my hiding it away in a part of my heart and letting it destroy a little piece of the puzzle that makes up the bigger picture of our lives.  

Maybe you noticed my distance at times.  Maybe not.  I'm not really sure.  But recent months and events have prompted me to take stock in myself and ask if there were any unresolved issues.  And of course, 'this' came up front and center.  I still haven't actually confronted you as of this post.  But someday soon, I will.  I don't want to wait until it's too late.  I don't want any regrets.  And I don't want you to have any either.  It is not my wish to hurt your feelings either by bringing up the past.  Hopefully, that will be evident.  

All I wish for you is a good life here on earth and eternal life for eternity.  I think that's the ultimate thing we can wish for anyone.  Ever.  We'll talk soon.  Just writing this has begun a process that has been a long time in the making for me.  Peace be to you and to your spirit. 

Kellie 

                      This is the state of my mental health some days.  What say you?

Do you write yourself reminder notes around the house, or is it just me??  You know there's a story here!  Let's just say there have been consequences to my action, or lack thereof in the past.  Lessons have been learned.  

👵  What can I say?  Take care until next time, Kellie