I love Valentine's Day!  I love LOVE!  
I love red!  I love pink!  
I love flowers!  I love Jesus!  
I love my husband! 
I just love February...soooo I thought I'd share a sweet thought about God's love from Julian of Norwich, 14th century mystic, from her writings entitled, Revelations.  Julian lived during the time of the Black Death.  It is estimated the plague killed nearly one third of England in a single epidemic.  Her writings show a deep sensitivity to suffering and dying.  She received sixteen visions on the Passion of Christ and the Virgin Mary.



Would you like to know your Lord's meaning?
Okay, then know it well.
The Lord's meaning is love.

Love is his only meaning.
Who shows this to you? Love.
What did He show you? Love.
And why does He show it to you?
For love.
Stay in God's love then 
and you'll learn more 
about its unconditional, 
unending, joyful nature.
And you'll see for yourself,
all manner of things will be well.

From... 
incandescence:365 readings with women mystics   (A WONDERFUL book by the way!)
by Carmen Butcher

"The only ones among you
who will be really happy
are those who will have sought 
and found how to serve."
                   Albert Schweitzer

Everyday is a messenger of God. ~ Russian proverb

This morning I was getting ready for the day and was listening to Christian music.  I heard this song for the first time -Walking on the Stars. This song ROCKS!  Watch it on YouTube.

Group 1 Crew does a terrific job describing what life with God can be like... truly at times, our spiritual journey is so uplifting, consoling, and joyfilled, it is as if you are walking on the stars...

God loves us sooooooooooooooooo much and longs for us to reach out to Him.  Once we do, even in the slightest way, He rushes in and scoops us up and loves us to pieces. God loves you no matter where you are on life's journey!!!  Talk to Him!  It's not hard.  Just talk. Then look for Him in all that is good and lovely.  That's God!

My job transition continues and has been challenging as I try to grasp new concepts and learn how to handle a complicated schedule.  This job is multi-tasking at its finest, not to mention having to bend and flex!  

I HAVE to say here...I am in utter awe of the hospice team.  They are so devoted, commited, selfless, and very caring.  Our staff works in a hospice house or in the community and I have found them all to be people of tremendous compassion and integrity.  They inspire me daily...hourly!      (:o)

...last week, I did a very poor job of spending time with God and boy, did I notice the difference in my spirit, demeanor, ability to cope and my frustration level.  It was a bad week as far as my spiritual health goes.  

So I am back to my prayer schedule, coping much better with God's help and direction. When I found this song it really touched and inspired me.  Enjoy!

"Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. "    Romans 12:2

On January 20, the Obama administration decided to go forward with it's plan to force all Americans (including the Catholic Church) to pay for birth control, sterilization, and some abortion-inducing drugs.  

The following is from Catholicvote.com

"January 25 New York's Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan authored a blistering editorial in the Wall Street Journal in which he concluded;"

"This latest erosion of our first freedom should make all Americans pause.  When the government tampers with a freedom so fundamental to the life of our nation, one shudders to think what lies ahead."

The assault on our religious freedom may not come as a surprise to many of you. For years, hostile groups and some elected officials have been working to destroy the influence of the Church in America. For years they have flaunted our social teachings, insulted our clergy and hierarchy, and mocked our Pope. The attacks are endless. 

And now they want us to fund their agenda. 

NO WAY..."  

I want to share a quote from Pope John Paul II:
       
"Life is a talent entrusted to us so we can transform it and increase it, 
making it a gift to others.                                                                                         
No human is an iceberg drifting on the ocean of history.          
Each one of us belongs to a great family, 
in which we have our own place and our own role to play.        
Love opens eyes and hearts, 
enabling people to make that original and irreplaceable contribution which, 
together with the thousands of deeds of so many brothers and sisters,
often distant and unknown, 
converges to form the mosaic of charity
which can change the tide of history."

We must act now.  We are not a lone iceberg drifting in the sea of humanity.  We have a voice.  We must not allow the government to trample our right to religious freedom.  We must defend the most defenseless.  The right to life is the underpinning of our very existence, as is the right for a pharmacist to refuse to dispense an abortion-inducing drug, if doing so is against his religious beliefs.  

Please contact your elected officials as soon as possible with your concern and adamantly disapprove of the current administration's assault on our religious liberties.  

"... Each one of us belongs to a great family, in which we have our own place and our own role to play...(above)"
Pope John Paul II