Our True Colors!

We are in the process of painting our living/dining area a new color...a peaceful pastel blue/green.  Paint is a great way to mask problem areas although fortunately, our walls are in good shape.  It is also a quick and easy way to bring new color into our lives! What were formerly our bland, off white walls are now vibrant with color. It is amazing how good it makes everything else in the room appear!  Suddenly, the same furnishings take on a new appearance!
Our lives are often like the rooms in our homes.  We may not be painting ourselves, but we put on an exterior that often hides the interior to make it "look better."  Have you ever known someone who is constantly engaged in "good works" but who is also constantly irritable and complaining? They are supposedly doing good deeds but they are frustrated? Not enough hours in the day? Too much traffic? Their kids are interfering with their "good" works? Or have you known someone who goes to daily Mass and appears to be the "perfect" Christian? Yet, none of us are perfect and once the person leaves the church, self-centered behavior develops, constant criticism of others, gossip....not the life that one would guess.  We all too often paint ourselves to look good to those around us and are satisfied when we know we have succeeded.  But what did Christ say? Jesus tells us that it is not our outward appearance that will be judged.  God knows all our thoughts.  God knows if an act of kindness is done out of mercy or to give him glory and he knows if an act of kindness was done "to look good" to others. God knows our hearts and minds.....the very depth of our soul.  It is only natural to want the respect of those around us....but rather than living our lives to earn the respect of others....wouldn't it be more satisfying to live our lives to give glory to God in all things? If we live our lives with our hearts focused on God, we will do all things "perfectly" in God's eyes....we will have Godly "self-respect" and that can only lead to respect from others. Father, we offer you our thoughts and deeds this day. We ask that you grant us your gift of the Holy Spirit, to strengthen us and to fill us with your love so that all our words, our thoughts and actions give you all honor and glory. Help us to focus on you.....to love you above all things!  Amen.  (Jan Nichols)

Manners

This past weekend I went camping with my kids, and a group of single parents friends.  I share my campsite with two others parents. They had one child each one, and there were four years old. On Saturday in the morning one of the little one ask his mom something to eat.  He said “please mommy” then he said “thank you mommy” I heard that, and in some way I was amaze how a little cutie four years old boy have better manners than much of the adults that I know (including me!).

That make me think that we should start practicing to be good to each other, but more teach our kids, and is not only our own kids, I mean nieces, nephews, students, cousins, even adults around us.  I only know one way to teach, be you the example to follow.  You can make the difference in kids and adult with just been the right example.

God give us His example.  He was a man here in earth teaching us what is right and what is wrong.  He gives us with His own examples how to treat others even the “others” that we don’t like too much.  All we have to do is follow Jesus example of life. I know, I know it is hard!!! But worth trying, right???

Proverbs 22:6

⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go,
even when he is old he will not depart from it.


Big Hug!
MRM!!!

First Impression...

Have you ever have a wrong first impression from someone that after you talk, and meet that impression change? That happened to me more that I would like. Last year, I met a woman which I thought I would not get along with her, and also, did not like her too much, even though she did not give me too much reason for it. Today, I like her a lot, she is a very sweet person who I love hug a lot because she make me feels like I am hugging my mom. She is a wonderful woman looking for her right path in live like most of us.

Also, I have an impression for couple of years of another woman who I thought was the perfect woman with the perfect family who have everything. I thought of her as a not reachable person. Today, I know her, she is not perfect at all, and even that my first impression was wrong, I considered her one if my best friends, one of my guides, and an inspiration of hope.

Sometimes, the first impression it is not what it counts like a lot of people think. Sometimes we need to give the chance to know someone to have a true impression. We need not to be judgemental with others. We really don't know what good that person can do in our life, and the good thing we can learn from them. It is time to love each other as Jesus lives His life, and teach us. Also, is the first and most important of His request for us.


Mark 12:29-31

29 Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Forgiving Me…

Yesterday, I was in a meeting with my CRHP group, and we were discussing the forgive topic.  Forgive is a delicate subject that always make think what if… or should I try harder? Or I truly forgive him/her? Sometimes, we need to forgive our-self to be able to forgive others.

God ask us to love Him over everything, and love each other like we love our-self. Do you love your-self? Do you forgive your-self? Do you think that you can love someone else if you don’t love your-self? Can you forgive somebody else if you don’t forgive your-self?  Trying to forgive someone without forgiving your-self it’s like give a check without having money in the account.

It is time that we start looking what is bothering us and is giving rounds and rounds in our minds and hearts and let it go.  That will help us to forgive our-self and be able to forgive others. I know that could be very difficult and even take few days, months or even years but if we start today forgiving our-self we will close to the goal.

Ephesians 4:31-32

³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Taking a Break...

Have you ever see how a single leaf falls from a tree? Have you heard the “silence” of the woods? Have you see how the water runs in a river? Have you notice all the different colors of the fall leafs and their shapes? Have you explore the pretty colors of the rocks? All this and more was what I experience this past incredible weekend. 

For the first time I went backpacking with a small group of adventurous people to hike in to the mountains to find incredible water falls. Walking at my very slow pace, I could notice all the different colors and shapes of the leaves, the silence of the nature, the wonderful and incredible hand of God in this planet.

In our busy lives we don’t notice all this things that make us be closer to God, and appreciate in a different way the nature, and be more conscious of take care of what He give us. Some times we get so blind, and overwhelm with our work, or chores or problems that if we just take some time off of all those things, we might see things from another perspective, and have better answer, strength, and patience to keep on.

There is so much to appreciate and enjoy out there, all you have to do is get out and leave everything behind, I am 100% sure that when you come back all you problems, chore, and everything else will be there waiting for you. The only difference will be the way in how you see them after your “retreat” for a little while. 

Isaiah 40:22

²² It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.


Big Hug!
MRM!!!

MRM