Blogs take me places I would never go. Like on a family gathering with the Pioneer Woman.
My family gatherings don't look like this:
Today bloggers are uniting and posting for global human rights.
Everyone should have the right to freedom of religion.
~~ Pope Benedict XVl
In the past year the authorities have targeted large-scale religious meetings. In Hebei province, home to a large concentration of Catholics, officials sought out priests clandestinely performing masses for large numbers of believers. Bishop Jia Zhiguo was detained for refusing to keep underground Catholic activities discreet.Click here for the full article.
Today for Watercooler Wednesday, I steal, er, pay homage to one of my favorite blogs The Doctor Is In. Dr Bob quotes Bono. Bono and Dr Bob...great words.
It’s a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the Universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma. . . .You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics—in physical laws—every action is met by an equal or an opposite one. It’s clear to me that Karma is at the very heart of the Universe. I’m absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “as you reap, so will you sow” stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff. . . .
I’d be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. I’d be in deep sh-t. It doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity.
I love the idea that God says: Look, you cretins, there are certain results to the way we are, to selfishness, and there’s mortality as part of your very sinful nature, and let’s face it, you’re not living a very good life, are you? There are consequences to actions. The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled… It’s not our own good works that get us through the gates of Heaven.
God’s a very funny guy sometimes, and uses rather peculiar mouthpieces — which gives me great hope indeed.
I found a Yorkie running in the traffic and I can't open the door!
Someone at church asked me if I had a knee replacement. She asked where my cane went??? Was I healed or something?
Yea, I guess you could say that. I had prayed to find my pathway to healing. The answer came 4 years later when the new girl at work asked if I had ever tried going off gluten. I didn't even know what gluten was.
In the meantime, I had been taking some great supplements and going to physical rehab which helped and gave me some improvement. But the pain and swelling in my joints never went away completely. And at my very worst, I had rented a wheelchair.
I hadn't expected that removing wheat, rye, oats(some can tolerate oats but not me) and barley from my diet would change my life. But it has. I've had a few setbacks. Like when I realized that I was bathing in wheat filled shampoo, lotion and hair styling products. And the unexpected GLUTENATION from cross contact. I sometimes wonder what good is gluten if so many are allergic?!
This post is not meant to give you any in-depth info about going gluten free. Just do a search and you'll find lots of great blogs and sites for that. I am mainly proclaiming here that living gluten free can feel mighty good, so don't be afraid to try it, especially if you've tried other things and you're desperate like I was. Here's my story in more detail.
I feel good and have hope for continued improvement. And it's all because of one person who said:Have you ever tried giving up gluten?
This post is part of Works for Me Wednesday...but for today it's What doesn't work!
Past...
I've mentioned the 23rd Psalm in a few posts. It was my late husband John's favorite scripture and lifeline. When he passed I found those prayer cards everywhere. So when I hear those words, I think of him in a special way.
Present...
This is a blog about the words that change me. Words have power. And the 23rd Psalm says exactly what I believe about God and His purpose in my life.
So a few weeks ago, when this Psalm happened to be in the readings at church I could feel a tear gliding down my cheek.
Those words. They speak to my heart. I feel them deeply. This is some of what they mean to me:
Abundance. Protection. Comfort. Purpose. Mercy. Eternity. Love.
And then I saw her. The woman in front of me wiping tears from her eyes too. Her young daughter grabbed her arm and whispered "What's wrong momma? What's wrong?". She just shook her head.
Nothing. Nothing is wrong.
It's just those words.
Future...
I never forced my daughter to visit her dad's grave. And so when she finally went this year she was a little shocked to see my name on the headstone too. What can I say. They said it was cheaper and easier to do it all at once while they had the stone in the shop. And when I had to chose the words there was no question. Under our names, under the words Father and Mother, the cities of our birth, the dates...
MAY 2008
That Christians may use literature, art and the media to greater advantage to favour a culture which defends and promotes the values of the human person
~~The Pope's prayer intention for May
