First, change must start with me...

How? Because every time I think about change, I think about the world. Then God says, my beloved, if you start seeing the change in you, so will the world.

"Here I Am"

Here I am, send me!

My, my, how many times have God heard that phrase, from the mouth of his children. I know that I have announced my claim to those precious words frequently. However, it goes more like this: Here I am Lord, send me, the next day: Okay Lord, Here I am send me and the next day: I am really ready now Lord, Here I am or is it Here I am Lord, send me. God is very loving, peaceful and graceful, because I am still on this planet witnessing to his Holy Name. I know that his seat has very deep marks each time he hears those words coming from my mouth, that he fills my spirit with his glory, just to shut me up.

However, continuing on to other truths, at some point in our life, we do reach Isaiah coined expression of “Here I am”. To get to that destination, we have to travel an unknown path, to “Here I am” then God puts us on a straight and narrow path to the Kingdom of God. Yes, we will wonder off, but that is in our nature and we will recognize signs that will informed us, we traveled this road before. It’s the same path that has gotten us to the “Here I am” versus the road to the Kingdom of God. Amazingly, we tend to want to stay on that back road, because we feel safe and we recognized previous engagements in our lives. Although, we know we need to move on, this road can lead us into dark remotes areas of our lives and we will never see what is on the other side. Therefore, we send out a long distance cry, “Here I am Lord, send me” and just as quickly as we were diverted off course, we have found ourselves back on track, towards the Kingdom of God.

I know that our repetitions in prayer may seem as a hindrance to God, that is a very false statement and if we believe that God is to busy for us, we are denying his unconditional love and grace inside our hearts. I speak from experience, I am writing this post, announcing those very words: Here I am Lord, send me. 

The Cup

 I listen to President Obama's speech last night on the War in Syria and I notice this fine print of communication. While everyone is advocating the communication we should instill into our congressional leaders, our government had successfully use an old technique from ancient times called "Art of Persuasion. The truth is, our government wants war, regardless if it's limited (another persuasive argument). Just like Pontius Pilate cleaned his hand of Jesus Christ blood, our government are cleaning their hands of this "strife" and allowing the liability to lie on the people of this nation. Regardless, of our stance in this Syrian conflict, I really don't know which choice is right or wrong. I only hope that the will of God, is the decision that we make. Sometimes in life we can make a difference and there are times, we have to allow the difference to be the choice of our lives. How do we begin to implement that process? I don't know, my only response is through prayer.

The Parking Meter.

This is the question that Jesus ask the three, Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,during his time of prayer, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? (Matthew 26:40) This same question is what Jesus ask of us, because it's hard to spend one hour when our standard of living is costly. A quarter is useless to us monetarily, however, a hour is priceless. A hour Jesus, are you serious? Yes, he is very serious and we should take that question to heart. Because a hour with Jesus Christ, is like adding money to a parking meter, it adds more time to our own life and well being. I love the fact that I cannot quote scripture, at a drop of a dime. I remember the verse, however, I was not sure who the other disciples were with Peter, nor the exact book or chapter. I google it, and to my surprise, it was not the top ten hits. However, I found many other links to this one hour demeanor. I have another blog that I was going to publish this mystery of an hour, but as I read an article, which I will share with you shortly, something caught my eye: "Once you place some mystery of grace before the eyes of your heart, then you apply it to your own life in some trouble or weakness, then you apply this mystery to some gift of God's goodness you have received either in yourself, from another, or from him." I stop in my tracks, God was talking to me at this very moment. I began to read this over and over again and I remember a recent transition in my own life, John 4:10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. I am going to stop right here and share this wonderful article for you to read.  In the meantime, I am going to go and feed the parking meter.

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0866.htm

Enjoy!

NORTHWEST CATHOLIC

September 2013 edition of Northwest Catholic, is a great way to kick off the first edition of this magazine. This magazine touch every part of my soul and heart. Surprising, there were articles, about married couples and family ties that I found to nurture my own life. I love the idea of "Entering the school of discernment", "Faith on the ferry" and "How Do I Go To Confession?". Well the confession portion may take a while, I always thought I would bored the priest that he would need confession. However, I have had my moments this year and have plenty to confess. Does confessing to God count? Anyway, reading this new magazine, really gave me a jump start to re-enter back to the Catholic Church. I have my moments, where I need some downtime and want to walk alone, but Jesus opponent is willing and waiting for a sheep to leave its fold and divert it attention down a dark path. Every article in this magazine spoke to my heart, with Jesus being the leaf of it's pages, asking me to return back to the flock.

Thank You Northwest Catholic and it's contributors.

Unconditional Love Corner

Wow, a lot has happen since I blogged in February. It's seems like a decade, where it's only been a few months. I cannot even begin to explain what has been going on in my life these last few months. However, I can sum it up in two words: Unconditional Love- I have had my world turn upside down and God himself has imprinted those two special words on my heart. I wake up with those words overshadowing my being and soul and spirit. They are very powerful, the best description for unconditional love is that it cleanses your soul. There are sayings that says, "my slate is clean", where I have said those words and nothing that I have every experience before has clean my slate except the words of unconditional love.

Those two special words is all I think about. What is this unconditional love? The first thing that comes to mind is a new born baby, the smell of a new car, your first home or residence and doing something that you love doing and able to make a decent income. However, a new born baby that has enter the world, will be the best description. Therefore God's version of unconditional love is being born again. The slate is really clean and he begins to "recondition-restore" what has been missing since our own birth into this world. I can go on and on, but truthfully, I would be just babbling! So I leave you with these questions:

What does unconditional love really means?
How do you apply it to your daily life?
How does the occupants of earth become one under this halo of unconditional love?
What does unconditional love looks like?
How do we communicate and interface with one another?
When did humans first learn about unconditional love?
At what point in our lives, did we lose this powerful gift of unconditional love?
Last but not least, how do we restore this God given gift of unconditional love?

There are so many questions and I am sure so many answers, however, I know there could only be one solution. Therefore, I set out on a journey to reveal the curtain of unconditional love, which I know will lead in the outstretch arms of Jesus Christ.

The Mystery of Love- A beautiful thing about being Roman Catholic

It's been a while since I've been here, but that is what happens. Life comes interrupting, challenges follows and then stuff just comes to a halt. The good news, I can always return where I left off and the door is always open. That is one of the great things about being Roman Catholic, there are so many saints, ancestors, history and love that no matter where I wonder, there is Jesus Christ arms spread wide and the voice calling out from the mist, Here I Am. I love his voice, the peace, grace and overwhelming of love that pours from him like rivers overflowing rivers. It's the most beautiful scene and the feeling inside is intoxicated. Love, a powerful source, something you cannot purchase nor sell, but when your faith is strong in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit over powers you and then God takes his reign on his throne inside your heart. It's the most amazing experience ever known to humankind, because that is the Love that God prevails. Who knows, maybe one day as we all wonder along life's path, a stranger will appear and it will be yours truly, Jesus Christ.