blessings – Page 168 – hugsnblessings

Whispers.

Published on November 5, 2015May 12, 2016 by Dawn Marie9 Comments

Today is 3hugs&blessings Thursday and I can bearly stand it!

I love pausing in my week, on THIS day (before I am engulfed in all the plans for the Weekend) to reflect on the things I have scooped into the “grateful pile.” This Thursday of Thankfulness has developed in a twist-over-a-twirl way.

Spending a little time devoted to ‘blog-reading’ via The Reader, I discovered what a vanilla-esque life I live compared to the vibrant lives I was discovering, through the various posts in the que. By the time my reading had completed I pushed back, palms against the temples, to rub away the gloom! I had become grumbly-grumpy and not being fond of the agitation that was clump-lumping together I collected myself, my plaid-fall coat, my award-winning (best golden-retriever in the Universe) dog, Helen, and went for a walk.

Three steps away from the driveway and the thorn-in-my brain, agitating thought, became clear; “I live a small life.”

“Humph!”

I haven’t been to the Rain Forests of Zimbabwe.

I haven’t inoculated babies in Berma.

And I’ve never been commissioned (or been brave enough) to do a chalk-drawing in the middle of the streets of Chicago!

So what’s there to be grateful for???? My ‘pile of gratitude’ suddenly seemed sadly insignificant.

“Oh, Bother!”

With each step I began listing in my head the things I had collected in this weeks pile, in hopes of extracting 3 at least ‘medium-than-life’ things I would lift up in Thanksgiving. Before I realized it…I had walked over four blocks, across 3, back another four toward my home. As I walked around the final bend to approach our driveway Helen & I came to an abrupt halt when I recognized I had walked this entire distance without a single pause in my mental accounting of blessings, over the course of this one week! I Giggled as I walked up the driveway, bent down to unleash Helen, then paused to whisper in her ear…

“We may have a small life compared to most Helen, but it certainly is bountiful!

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

For These hugs n’ 3 blessings I give Thanks!

*The women I shared a lunch with, the women I prayed with, and a God who brought us all together.

*All the beautiful spaces & places & people from our hometown who have been so wonderful to work with in the planning of our daughter & future son-in-law’s wedding.

*The forever gift my grandmother gave me when she taught me how to crochet, and the joy of now crocheting items for our grand-daughter!

whispering 3hugs&blessings to you, in whatever you do too!

Beautiful morning light!

Published on November 2, 2015February 8, 2017 by Dawn Marie2 Comments

“Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.”

Psalm 1:1-2

hugs n’ blessings given from morning till night!

It’s just Different, that’s all!

Published on November 1, 2015November 2, 2015 by Dawn MarieLeave a comment

Today is November 1st and not only is it the beginning of the NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) but it is also…

All Saints Day in our Catholic Faith!!

(All Saints’ Day is also commemorated by members of the Eastern Orthodox Church as well as some protestant churches, such as Anglican, Lutheran and Anglican churches.)

Saints [N]: The word “saint” is derived from a Greek verb (hagiazo [aJgiavzw]) whose basic meaning is “to set apart, ” “sanctify, ” or “make holy.”

All Saints’ Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on November 1. The day is dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven. Holy day customs vary around the world.

In the United States, the day before is Halloween and is usually celebrated by dressing in costumes while children go door-to-door, “trick-or-treating”; which is soliciting candy from their neighbors.

Our pastor, Fr. Larry Richards, reminded us in our Weekly Parish Bulletin, “There is only one tragedy – not to be a Saint! Each of us are called to be Saints. This should be our number one goal in life… Being a saint is NOT just for the “spiritual super heroes” it is for all of us!

To be Saints means that we become people of love! People who love God above all things created. This means that we have a daily committed prayer life. That means that we build our day around God, not try to fit God into our day. We also must be people who love others as Jesus commanded us – by giving up our lives for them each day, by putting them first.”

In the Roman Catholic Church, the next day, All Souls’ Day, specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Catholics celebrate All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual communion between those in the state of grace who have died and are either being purified in purgatory or are in heaven (the ‘church penitent’ and the ‘church triumphant’, respectively), and the ‘church militant’ who are the living. Other Christian traditions define, remember and respond to the saints in different ways.