Celebrating the Sabbath:The Southern Sunday Seven

(Smile! God's doing wonderful things in your life! Just you wait and see...)

Hi Friends...

I had you going didn't I? And now a month later from my last post, I'm back again. How's your Lent going? Fruitful I hope. It's funny, but it seems some Lents really feel like 'Lent' and others, well not so much ( I think it has a lot to do with me and how disciplined I am). Anyways, I figured I would share with you 7 tools that God is allowing me to grow deeper through prayer during this season:

#1). David Crowder: How He Loves Us
I'm not sure if you have ever heard this song, but if not, take a listen. It's funny how quickly I can forget how much God loves me. Sometimes I find it's very easy to feel it and at other times I struggle with forgetting how abundant His love truly is, and think other things can fill this void--ugh original sin. But then again, He always is so good with giving me a reality check and bring me back to reality;)


#2). Hind's Feet on High Places by:Hannah Hurnard
It seriously feels like someone took my life and created an allegory out of it (well parts of my life and parts of the book). When I was last home, this book was lent to me by two of the most remarkable friends I have ever known. No lie, they themselves have been tried by the storms of life and just amaze me with the witness they set to the world. In no way do my struggles compare to theirs, but if you have ever struggled with sacrificing your wants/desires for God's will to be done...READ IT!!! Seriously. Plus!!!! Jesus is referred to as the Shepherd, and you know sister loves her Shepherd!!

#3). The Rosary.
We grew up praying the rosary. And sad to say, we couldn't say it fast enough, so we could turn on TGIF and eat our pizza on selected Friday nights. In high school, I would pray it on occasion, and in particular with my sister in the mornings on our way to school or work and most memorably, the two days I worked at detassling corn I prayed about 4 rosaries a day because the corn rows were so long (SHOUT OUT MIDWEST and yes I only lasted 2 days!!). In college, however things changed and I just started praying it more than I ever had which was probably twice-four times a week. Running before classes, going on rosary walks, praying them with friends, praying them before choir, etc. After college is when it hit me and began going in spurts of praying daily rosaries, but would somehow always miss a day, and forget all about it together. Anyways (I'm making my point, I promise), a few years back one of my aunts gave me this book on Marian apparitions and for about a week I would come home for lunch and devour the book until it was time to go back to work. And the message, the Rosary is a power tool. So pray it. Pray it when you don't know what to say, pray it when you don't know what to do, pray it just because, and you will see the graces fall abundantly from Heaven. 'Cause you know there's nothing more that our Blessed Momma wants then for her children to come to know her son.

#4). Silence.
I know. I know. But seriously, I somehow got in the habit of listening to music 24/7 right before Lent, and it was funny because I felt like I was in a funk and things were just a mess. And then once Lent hit, silence found me, and there was that peace that I knew. Don't get me wrong God speaks a lot to me through music, but if I don't have quiet time to process and listen, then I'm a lost lamb--no lie. And so it is in the quiet, that I can feel the presence of God through the sun shining on my face or the quietness of being still, or whatever. But silence, yes silence does my heart good.

#5). Fabulous conversations with my sisters.
You heard it once, you'll hear it now, and this won't be the last time I'll say it. But I love my sisters beyond no end. It's true and I miss them that much too! Whether it's the occasional text, short conversation, or long chat--I love talking to these fabulous women beyond all measure. In fact recently one of my sisters and I had a conversation on seeing the presence of God all around us--especially in little ones. I will go to the grave saying that kids are far more spiritually in tune with God than the majority of adults will ever be. I mean if you think about it, they just believe God will do what He says He will and no questions, no doubts, no explanation needed. My sister shared with me a conversation about "What will Jesus look like in Heaven? A baby, a boy, or a man like Daddy" which was sparked (unsolicited-mind you) by my inquisitive 4 year old nephew. Now my Sister, a wise and beautiful Momma, asked in return, "What do you want Jesus to look like in Heaven?" My 5yr. old niece responded "A baby so I can carry Him around" my 4 yr. old nephew responded "a boy, so we can play together" and my 2 yr. old nephew who wanted to also get in on the action said "a man like Daddy so He can carry me around." Moral of the story, I need to become more childlike in understanding God. If you were to say those answers to an adult they could go on and on about the possibilities of Jesus being all 3 ages in Heaven, but to these sweet little pumpkins, they KNEW that God is limitless and EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. I think a lot of times things become complicated in our lives because we put limits on God. Can you imagine a world where everyone sees God as a little one does? Let's start doing this, okay?

#6). The Bible.
The Word of God. Amen. Seriously. Do you ever get passages stuck in your head, and strike your heart so profoundly. Here's one that's been with me for the last few days:

²⁴ “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. ²⁵ I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. ²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. ²⁸ Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. " -Ezekiel 36:24-28

#7). The Eucharist & Adoration.
For those who believe no explanation is needed. For those who do not believe, not explanation is possible.

Have a beautiful week! And remember, every Good Friday has an Easter Sunday...(sometimes it just lapse a few years)!