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Personal Pondering
by Colleen Spiro
I have never been one to make New Year's Resolutions. I don't take them seriously enough. But this year I feel called to make one resolution and that is to put prayer first. I am going to put prayer at the top of the To-Do-List.
I feel like I have just been going through the motions lately. I am not putting God first everyday like I should. He is on the list everyday but not at the top. I just have been way too busy. Too busy for God. That is a problem.
Oh, I can convince myself that I am busy doing good things. Like writing about prayer. Like writing an online ezine called Prayerful Morsels. PRAYERFUL. Sigh.
But writing about prayer is not the same thing as praying. Not by a long shot. Neither is talking about prayer. Or thinking about prayer.
So I make this resolution in public, in front of all my subscribers to this email magazine. I resolve to put prayer first at the top of my To-Do-List. Going to be hard to not take this resolution seriously, wouldn't you say? |
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Prayer Bytes
by Colleen Spiro
There are many methods of prayer. We can pray the rosary and the Divine Mercy chaplet. We can meditate and do centering prayer. We can sing and we can journal.
But no matter what method of prayer we use, we all need to take some silent time with the Lord everyday. Time to ponder. Time to listen. We need to take a few minutes everyday in the midst of our busy world, and be still. Be still with the Lord.
The world is so noisy these days, and there are so many distractions. If we do not take time to listen, will we miss hearing God's voice speaking to our hearts?
Silence
I weave a silence on to my lips
I weave a silence into my mind
I weave a silence within my heart
I close my ears to distractions
I close my eyes to attractions
I close my heart to temptations Calm me O Lord as you stilled the storm
Still me O Lord, keep me from harm
Let all tumult within me cease
Enfold me Lord in your peace.
Celtic verses
(taken from The Fire of Silence and Stillness, Templegate Publishers, 1995) |
A Gratitude Journal
I am truly grateful for God's patience, waiting for me to return to Him with a willing heart and generous spirit. I am grateful for all the giving and forgiving people that God provided as sign posts on my journey to direct me in a loving way. With deepest gratitude, Helene Toczala
I am grateful to have my family who I know loves me, also my church family. Last week we received a bad ice storm. A huge tree fell on my deck in the back of my home. It had fallen on the roof but rolled onto the deck. I believe God had a hand in this being sure it didn't just land on the roof and do more harm to the house where I wouldn't be able to live in it. I believe he has a hand in a lot of things that happen. I was worried about not being able to buy everything that I wanted to for my family for Christmas, worrying about the money to be stretched out. I feel he gave me a jolt to remember that Christmas is actually about the birth of Jesus. My family loves me no matter what. I hope everyone I know and don't know has a beautiful holiday season - Carol Wentworth. (My daughter is Colleen Spiro.)
What are you grateful for today??? Is there something that you would like to thank God for and would like to share? Write to the Editor and put in the subject line - Gratitude. |
