Rejoice In The Lord Always

 

  Have you ever experienced one of those moments of utter disappointment, and you thought to yourself, "I really thought things would have turned out better." I wish I could say that thought was unfamiliar to me, but it has surfaced here and there throughout my life. I was counseling someone once, and I said, "If you put God first in your life, everything else will fall into place."  They looked me straight in the eye and said, "Yeah, look how that's worked out for you." Ouch.

  I am the first to admit that my life isn't perfect. But I am also the first to acknowledge that I could never have overcome my disappointments without trusting in God's love. I believe that's why the Beatitudes are such a breath of fresh air. Jesus reminds us that God is always with us. Even when we are struggling, God is doing something in our lives. The world may not see it, and we may not notice, but God's hand is holding us up, and His breath gives us the courage and strength to keep going.

  As I was headed for Mass today, one of my favorite Christian songs,  "Good God Almighty" by Crowder, came on. I smiled, turned up the volume, and sang as loudly as I could. I'll share a couple of lines so you get the idea:

  "Good God Almighty/ I hope you find me/ Praising Your name no matter what comes/ Cause I know where I"d be without mercy/ So I keep praising Your name at the top of my lungs." (song by Crowder 2021)

  Through the highs and definitely through the lows, keep praising God. Put God first, and everything else will fall into place.

-Susan

HI! What Are You Up To?

 

  I had a video call with my grandson the other day. As we talked, he grabbed the phone and ran all over his house, moving from one room to another, showing me his various toys, setups, and art projects.  He was very excited about everything he had been doing. I joked with my daughter, "Doesn't he ever get tired?" 

  "No," she replied, "He is constantly on the move."  

  Later, as I was praying, I was reminded of my interaction with my grandson.  It was so fun to see everything he was involved in that morning,  from his perspective.  This got me thinking...what if I could video call God? I wonder what incredible things I would see? And how different I would see them from God's perspective. I'm sure my mind could not even come close to grasping what God does in 10 minutes of His day. He touches the hearts and lives of everyone.  I can't even understand everything He is doing in just my life, let alone the whole world.

  Contemplating God and His goodness is a blessing. Mary is the perfect example of someone who spent her whole life reflecting on God's movement in her life. It would be wise to imitate Mary and ask for the grace to know God more deeply.

  I think it's incredible that when I settle into prayer, God encourages me to share everything about my day with Him. He is the Almighty, caring for millions, yet He listens to me because He is my Father. He listens to my needs, joys, sorrows, and confusion, and then asks me thought-provoking questions to guide me. (It's embarrassing to admit that sometimes I act as if I'm so busy that I might need to shorten my prayer time.)  

  God is so gracious and generous.  He is never stingy with His time or love. How lucky am I that even though God is always on the move, He never tires of spending time with me!

-Susan

Healing Is A Process

  

  I recently had a minor accident and cut my head as I fell to the ground. After visiting the emergency room, I was quickly stitched up and sent home to recover. My granddaughter came over a few days after the incident. She looked at my head, scrunched up her face, and said, "Oh, look at your cut!"

  "I'm sorry, honey, does it bother you?" I asked.

  She looked at it more closely for another minute and said, "No.  You're healing, and you're getting better." I smiled at what I thought was a very mature answer from a four-year-old.

  Since then, my stitches have been removed, and over time, my scar will become barely noticeable. This made me think about how quickly scars on our skin can heal compared to those on our hearts. I know I'm not alone. Most of our hearts have been scarred in one way or another. Sometimes they are caused by others, sometimes by our own mistakes, and sometimes by a chain of events completely out of our control. There is no special cream or medicine to take away the pain of these scars. They are only softened and healed through prayer.

  I am so grateful that God understands my pain.  He sits close to me, His arms wrapped around me, allowing me to cry, whine, or scream with anger. After I am exhausted from my pain, I lift my eyes to His face and beg for help. As I place all my trust in Him, I feel His peace and love flow through me.

  Recently,  I was wondering, "Lord, do all my scars bother you?"

  I felt Him pull me closer and whisper, "No, my child.  I love you. You are healing, and you're getting better."

-Susan

When Jesus Walks In

  

  I enjoy reading the Sunday Gospel to prepare for Mass. The Baptism of Jesus is one of my favorites!  I love all the imagery in this setting-the Spirit of God descending upon Jesus, the voice of God proclaiming His love for His Son, and Jesus blessing the waters of Baptism for all of us.  I have to admit, I also like the little interaction between John the Baptist and Jesus. John the Baptist is preaching and baptizing sinners. He fully understands his mission, and then... Jesus walks in. At first, John is reluctant to baptize Jesus. In John's eyes, this doesn't make sense, but Jesus reassures John to trust in God's Plan.

  How many times in my life have I had a similar conversation with Jesus?  "Jesus, is this really the Plan? I didn't see it going this way.  How is that supposed to work?  I don't really understand this." These questions rarely provide quick clarity. Instead, they often lead to more prayer, where I feel Jesus gently prompting my heart with the words, "Trust Me."

  As we pull out our new 2026 calendars to plan, remember that God also has plans for us. It might be wise to pray about these first.  It's okay to pencil in our own ideas, as long as we remember that some may need to be erased or adjusted by God's plan. It is through obedience and trust that the Spirit will come upon us and we will hear God's voice.

-Susan

Mary, Mother of God

 

  

  Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Honoring Mary and placing ourselves in her care is the perfect way to begin the new year.  Christ came into this world as a small baby dependent on the care and protection of Mary and Joseph.  Jesus chose them, and we should too!  Entrust yourself to Mary's care.  Put your faith in her hands.  Mary knows exactly how to take care of something this fragile and essential.  

  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us

-Susan 

A Son Is Given To Us

 

 

 I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas!  I love that Christmas is a whole season and not just a single day. I really enjoy the days after Christmas. All the busy, running around town is over, and the Christmas peace, which is what I truly wanted for Christmas, finds me. As I gaze upon my manger, I am so grateful that I opened the door to Mary and Joseph again this year.  They came and placed the Christ Child into my home. My heart overflows with joy and love. With Elizabeth I ponder the incredible blessing, “ And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me,” and share the Son of God with me?

 "For a child is born to us, a son given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful..." (Isaiah 9: 5-6). I hope you all continue to enjoy the blessings of this Christmas.

-Susan

The Letter Exchange (6): Christ Is Born!

 

(This Advent, we will prepare for the coming of the Christ Child through a series of fictional letters filled with hope, trust, and endless possibilities.)

Dear Elizabeth,

  My heart is bursting with joy! Dear cousin, the wait is finally over! The Messiah has been born! Rejoice in the goodness of the Lord! Sing praises to the Almighty! Jesus was born here in Bethlehem just as the prophet Micah predicted. My son Jesus is here! I can't wait for you, Zachariah, and John to meet him.  He is so beautiful. I wish to share with you the details of his birth.

 My labor began as we entered Bethlehem. Joseph was confident we would easily find a place to stay, but that was not the case.  The city was overcrowded because of the census. No one could make room for us until someone finally offered us the space where they kept the animals.  Joseph was beside himself, thinking his wife would have to give birth to the Messiah in a stable.  He wanted to keep looking, but  I told him we were out of time. I assured Joseph that this must be a part of God's Plan.

  We tried to tidy things up as best as we could, considering my condition. It was not anyone's ideal situation, but the Lord chose to enter into the poverty of this world so He could fill it with good things. As I lay on the stable's floor, I could hear angels singing outside. The light of a bright star hovered over the stable, dispelling the darkness. God's love filled the room as my son left my womb and took his first breath. I placed him on my chest and held him close to keep him warm. Joseph wrapped his arms around both of us, and we wept tears of joy. I will never forget that moment. After some time had passed, I swaddled him in the clothes I had prepared and placed him in a manger.  Joseph and I knelt beside him, adoring the miracle before us, and then joined the angels singing songs of praise.

  I'm not sure how long this adoration of the Lord had lasted when the shepherds appeared, asking to see the Savior.  They, too, had heard the angels singing and were told to search for him. I shared my son with them and watched their hearts and lives transform before me. Deep inside, I realized this is God's plan for me—not only to give birth to the Messiah but to share Him with everyone. When you gently place the beating heart of Jesus in someone's arms, they can never be the same. His love changes them. Their eyes open, and their ears become eager to hear God's voice. Let all who want to encounter the Lord come to me, and I will place Him in their lives forever!  

   Emmanuel is here! "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all you lands, serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful song.  Know that the Lord is God, he made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the flock he shepherds.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise.  Give thanks to him, bless his name, good indeed is the Lord, his mercy endures forever, his faithfulness lasts through every generation."

Love your cousin, 

Mary

-Susan