Even the Smallest

The Woodland Orchids that dot our property are mere inches tall.  These tiny flowers blanket the lawn in a delicate show of white. Look closely and see the detailed veins.
These flowers are tough.  Surviving the trampling of careless human and animal footfalls, below freezing night temperatures and the over-saturated spring soil, they greet the day and bring amazement and joy.

If a tiny plant like this can go on every day despite adversity, surely we can also survive the little mishaps that crop up along our journey.

Listening

I listened to a friend yesterday.  I have known this gentleman for about a year, but over this time, with each encounter, I am more amazed by the depth of this soul and the breadth of his experience.

His life has not been easy: early physical abuse, violence, family disputes, and the misuse of substances leading to near-death and a deformity in this arm.

Many of these experiences contributed to his substance misuse and addiction. But it was his journey of recovery that has brought him to a great self awareness. He recognizes that he would not be the person that he is today, if he had not had the experiences that he lived.

These days he freely gives his time to help others understand his life journey in an effort to help the loved ones of those involved with drugs and alcohol abuse and to try to prevent others from misusing substances because this behaviour may lead to addiction.

At the heart of his recovery, he freely admits, is a new found love of God and Jesus. He admits that he used  substances was in an effort to fill a need that is now filled by God.

His life journey has been a difficult one...how fortunate for those of us who understand the power of God without risking our lives and our families first.

You Never Know

A big surprise awaited me at work over the past few days.

You see, my day job is to raise awareness of the issues surround the misuse of drugs and alcohol. However, over the years, I have come to recognize that many people use substances because they are covering up how they feel about themselves (usually as a result of how others have treated them). In the health care field we often talk about marginalized people - folks pushed to the edges of society. Many of these people use substances.

Yesterday, I was called into the office of our Director. This doesn't happen very often. He and the senior management team wanted to offer me a part time position looking into how marginalization and other health inequities impact the health of people. During the other part of my time I would continue with some of my work in awareness raising around substances. This is the perfect marriage of two issues I care very passionately about.

Most days I go about my job quietly trying to get the most out of every minute. Rarely am I aware that others are watching. In my personal life I am active in causes that deal with issues of poverty, homelessness and marginalization.

This new assignment is a dream come true for me. My passions will now be applied synergistically in my work world. I can't help but know that even though my director made this offer, it was the hand of my Higher Power who made it happen.

Trust

For a bird, the only good means of escape from danger is to fly. For anything to confine those wings is to introduce vulnerability.

This is what makes this new baby so wonderfully different. He willingly and eagerly lays on his back and totally trusts that his humans will protect him. If he is on your shirt and your hand is near, he will roll himself into your hand. He happily plays with his balls or other toys while on his back.

This display of trust is unparalleled with other experiences that we have had with birds.

What could you do with your life if you trusted absolutely that you are where you should be, doing what you should be doing and saying exactly what you were meant to say, all in the name of the Father with trust that His Spirit is guiding everything you do? Can you give up control,place yourself into the hands of the creator and allow yourself to be that vulnerable?

On Being Human

I am human. I was born this way. My loving God made me this way. He expects nothing more from me, than for me, to be human.

Too often, we humans hide behind guilt and fear born of a need to appear perfect. Those feelings drive many into lives of deceit, which further drives them into cover-up situations and more deceit.

For today, I will live within my humanity. I will accept my failings and learn to embrace these because this is how my God wants me to be.

Practice Makes Fun

My daughter had her first soccer practice with a new team today, as the coach.

Throughout my coaching career, I tried to make practices fun and entertaining and told the children that it was their job to entertain me during games. Imagine my delight today when parents, as they left practice, remarked that this was going to be a good year, because that first practice was 'fun'.

Think of how our God must feel when we act in Christian ways. True to His parenting nature, can you picture God smiling when we mimic Him and extend love and peace to others in this world?

Ask It Well

While I am not suggesting that you should smoke, this story, found on the net, offers a very valuable lesson:

Two monks were praying, walking and talking as they do all day long. The junior monk said to the senior monk. "I'm surprised you're allowed to smoke while walking around and praying here in the monastery my dear brother. When I joined the monastery I asked our Head Monk about smoking and his answer was a resounding no. How come you are able to smoke with no problem? The senior monk smiled and said, "Am I right to assume, my dear brother, that you asked the Head Monk whether it was alright for you to smoke while praying? "Yes," said the junior monk. "I asked him whether it was alright for me to smoke while praying, and he looked at me disapprovingly and said, "Of course not. I'm surprised you would even ask."

"Ah!," exclaimed the senior monk. "You didn't know how to ask my dear brother. It all depends on how you put it. When I joined the monastery, I too asked the Head Monk about smoking, but in a slightly different manner. I asked him: "Dear Master, Is it alright for me to pray while smoking?" And he said, "But of course my son. You can pray anytime."

In asking questions, as well as in all other aspects of communication, it's not what you say that counts, but how you say it.

In the Garden

I love to grow herbs. These aromatic plants bring various shades of green, white or purple to my garden while filling the air some of the most soothing scents that I can imagine.

The flavours that these herbs add to my cooking in soups, salads and breads lend a gourmet appeal to the most ordinary of dishes.

This weekend, I planted rosemary, thyme, oregano, five types of basils, curry, coriander and others in a garden plot and many planters around my house. By supper, some of these herbs had already found there way into my food.

This should prove to be an aromatic and tasty summer ahead.

When the Going Gets Tough

Too often when things get difficult and life presents with endless obstacles we, in our human nature, tend to believe that we alone are the cause of our difficulties and we alone can find solutions to those problems.

At other times, some of us become so overwhelmed by our problems that we feel we cannot go on.

Some of us turn to various means of escape from our concerns found in a bottle or in the pharmacy.

Today, as I took this photo, I was reminded of the flaw in this thinking. If this Columbine can survive, grow on mere rock, and produce such beauty, can I also bloom where I am planted?

Just as God gave this plant the nutrients, the water and the light that it needed to over come harsh conditions, He has also given me all that I need. When the going gets tough, I must remember to use what God has given me and this person will get going... with God.

Divine Friendship

A short while ago a friend wrote the words "infinite grace of divine friendship."

I still live in this idea. What a gift of grace it is to know that our Father, a parent, a protector, a guide, the Creator, the giver of life, the one who sent His Son to His people and His Spirit for His people, would also offer us the gift of His divine friendship.

This gift of friendship is like many friendships, offering support in bad times and sharing in the good times. You do not need to repay a friend for a favour, or use words to express your feelings. Like a good friend our Lord is always there.

What infinite grace this divine friendship brings!

Once Again Proud

Several months ago my daughter was in a car crash on icy roads that have left their mark on her confidence behind the wheel.

This evening, she drove that road again, for the second time since the collision. She drove faster, with more confidence and this time no tears. We talked about the fear, how repeating the experience increased confidence and very valuable life lessons drawn from this incident.

Perhaps, it is exactly for these reasons - to learn these lessons - that our Lord puts difficult times in each of our lives. He doesn't intend for life to be hard, but for life to be a series of lessons from which we grow in love, in trust and in confidence that our Lord is always there with us.

Peepers Calling

Driving along Northern roads at this time of year after the sun sets, the ear is greeted by the noisy chirping of the Spring Peeper.

This tiny frog makes it home in swamps and bogs. Each night, in an effort to attract a mate, these little creatures try to out-do each other by creating the loudest noise. The chorus of mate-seekers is both musical and inspiring. A spring time mating ritual to be share with anyone willing to listen.

Isn't it marvelous that we do not need to make loud noise to capture the ear of our God. The faintest whisper is heard as clearly as the most deafening blast. All it takes is a prayer.

Question

On this evening of preparation, the mother of one of our little ones approached me to ask a question as posed earlier by her son...

"Adam and Eve were the first humans....right? Adam and Eve had three sons, Cain, Abel and Seth...right? But then the bible says Cain and Abel had children. If Adam and Eve were the first humans, where did those women come from?"

A Little Perspective

At a gathering to prepare our youth to receive the sacrament of Eucharist for the first time, we asked, "What do we believe in?"

The answers came fast and furious, "We believe in love", "In Peace", "In our parents", "In our teachers". With time and coaxing some children replied, "In God, In Jesus, In the Holy Spirit, In the Virgin Mary, In the Communion of Saints, The Forgiveness of Sins and Life Ever Lasting." These last responses are the tenants of my Faith. As one who teach our faith to little ones, it was disappointing to see parents needing to reference their books to give clues to their children. Parents are the first and most important teachers to our children...what are these parents teaching their children about Roman Catholicism?

On the other hand, our pastor, in his blog focused on those accurate responses and this opportunity to deepen faith.

Its all in the perspective, I suppose.

Without Song

There are times when the familiar is unexpectedly absent and this absence highlights just how important that 'thing' is.

Such was the case today when the organist was not able to attend Mass. Without an organ, the choir did not form. Without a choir, the assembly did not sing. Despite the Priest's phenomenal singing voice and his attempts to lead, those assembled for worship did not engage in that unifying form of prayer - the hymn.
It was a quiet but respectful service.
Maybe tomorrow joyful song will once again fill our Church.

Incredible Compassion

Over the past year I completed a distance education course about Liturgy from St. Francis Xavier University. Through online learning and discussion with classmates across Canada we shared thoughts, ideas, plans and Parish activities. This was a learning experience I would happily recommend to everyone.
It was during my study time in this course that my mother ended her earthly journey.
Although this course came to an end in February, today I received a Mother's Day wish from a classmate. In an act of human compassion, she remembered that this would be my first Mother's Day without the physical presence of my mom. Her words were simple, but heart-felt and truely very appreciated.
I can only hope that one day, I too will remember extend such compassion, such love, to others who have experienced loss.
Thank you Shari, you have made this day so much easier, just knowing that my grief is shared.

Marriage?

Today we were talking about Sacraments with the children who are preparing to receive the Eucharist for the first time.

When asked, "What is marriage?" one quick little friend replied, "It is when two people have a child."

Fur vs Feathers

Fur vs feathers.
Teeth vs beak.
Hops vs flight.

On the surface these friends have little in common. The bunny has lived with us for over three years now. He quietly goes about his day, enjoying human company, cuddles and carrots. The bird a newer member of this household. spending his days playing, eating and calling for friends.
Our new little friend has claimed older friend as his own. The bird will cuddle next to the bunny, nuzzling closer and deeper into bunny's fur. If bunny moves, bird moves.
Despite obvious differences this friendship grows.

Imagine if we each take a little time to get to know someone who we feel is obviously different. What similarities will we find? What friendship will bloom?

Details of Love

That God so loves a plant to give it delicate colour and details....imagine how great his love for each of us!

A World of Meaning

A hug. A simple embrace. But it meant the world to me.

Last weekend, a little girl, whom I have grown to love was lost. Happily by Monday evening she was found again.

Today, this little one greeted me with a hug. She is a very loving child and hugs are normally given freely, but today, this hug meant the world. A chance to hold her, to share a very close space, to know that once again, she is safe.

A simple hug...but a world of meaning.