Kitty Kat Wake Up

I felt like I needed a laugh today. It's been a long week for me. Maybe you have had a long week too and just need to laugh for a minute. Laughter is good medicine. I love this video. I have three cats. And sometimes I feel like this guy in the video!

Rite of Sending at the Cathedral

Today was the rite of sending for Catechumens and Candidates for RCIA. It was a beautiful day. And a beautiful ceremony for everyone. There was Catechumens and Candidates from all over the diocese there. It was a packed house today. The singing was just beautiful.  Then they called my name to go up the he bishop. My husband had to push me up there in the wheel chair so he got to go with me up to the bishop. My sponsor was also with me walking beside me with her hand on my left shoulder.  I got to met and  hug the bishop. Then he blessed me and prayed for healing for my foot. I was't expecting him to pray for  the healing of my foot. Then there was a time of adoration. It was a beautiful moment. Afterwards there was a reception for us. I was able to take a picture with the bishop. Then we ate and had good fellowship with some friends. It was just a great service.

How God Heals

Sirach 38:1-14
Sickness and Medicine
1 Give doctors the honor they deserve, for the Lord gave them their work to do.
2 Their skill came from the Most High, and kings reward them for it.
3 Their knowledge gives them a position of importance, and powerful people hold them in high regard.
4 The Lord created medicines from the earth, and a sensible person will not hesitate to use them.
5 Didn't a tree once make bitter water fit to drink, so that the Lord's power might be known?
6 He gave medical knowledge to human beings, so that we would praise him for the miracles he performs.
7-8 The druggist mixes these medicines, and the doctor will use them to cure diseases and ease pain. There is no end to the activities of the Lord, who gives health to the people of the world.
9 My child, when you get sick, don't ignore it. Pray to the Lord, and he will make you well.
10 Confess all your sins and determine that in the future you will live a righteous life.
11 Offer incense and a grain offering, as fine as you can afford.
12 Then call the doctor for the Lord created him and keep him at your side; you need him.
13 There are times when you have to depend on his skill.
14 The doctor's prayer is that the Lord will make him able to ease his patient's pain and make them well again.

Tell it all to God

Last night I was so frustrated. I was frustrated with everything. With my foot and everyone around me. So I got my journal out and I just poured my heart out to God about everything. I asked Him to forgive me for complaining to Him but I needed to get it out. And then this morning I received this devotional in my email about "Tell it all to God." And this was the scripture in the devotional "Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. —Psalm 62:8." So I know now that God does want us to pour our hearts out to Him. It has just been really frustrating with my foot the way it is. Not being able to do things on my own. And other things in my life right now. Sometimes life is just plain frustrating! And after I had written in my journal I put my mp3 player on and listened to Matt Redman's song Facedown. And for about an hour I listened to Matt Redman and worshiped God. Quietly. I just wanted things to be quiet. I have just felt a lot of noise around me recently. I wanted some peace and quiet. And the only way it seemed I could get that was to put my mp3 player on and tune out the world. And just worship God. And I felt so much better after that. At that moment when I started to worship I could feel His presence. It is quite wonderful when you are in His presence. And I felt so much peace at that moment. This also reminded me of Isaiah 26:3" You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
So I don't think I started Lent out right. But I felt like God was telling me just turn everything over to Him. And it seemed like God did not mind me telling him all my frustrations. I think He wants us to. When I got the devotional it just spoke volumes to me. That God really does care about our problems and frustrations and He wants us to tell Him about them. He wants to be kind to us and comfort us in our lives that are so full of stress. But I think I am going to have to work on the list I posted below for Lent.   Here is the link to the devotional it you would like to read it. www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2010/02/18/devotion.aspx

Lent

I attend a women's bible study on Tuesday's night's. And last night they had a list out for things to give up for Lent. I thought it was a pretty good list. And I thought I would share it.

1. Give up bitterness; turn to forgiveness
2. Give up hatred; return good for evil
3. Give up negativism; be positive
4. Give up complaining; be grateful
5. Give up pessimism; be an optimist
6. Give up harsh judgements; think kindly thoughts
7. Give up discouragement; be full of Hope
8. Give up anger; be more patient
9. Give up pettiness; be more easy going
10. Give up gloom; enjoy the beauty around you
11. Give up jealousy; pray for trust
12. Give up gossiping; control your thoughts and words
13. Give up sin; turn to virtue

Night before last I was praying. I was writing my prayer's down in my prayer journal. Lately I have been having trouble finding words to praise God with. In my prayer journal it has tabs for praise, admit and confessing sins, your requests, thanksgiving, listening, messages, old and new testament scriptures that speak to you and a place for proverbs. It is a great prayer book. It keeps me on track.  Anyway, so the last few day I have been going to the Psalms for words to praise God with. And I try to find the words that really describe how I am feeling at the time. I have a copy of The Message Bible. I love how the message puts the scriptures. So night before last night my eyes fell upon Psalm 119:65-80.

65-72 Be good to your servant, God;
be as good as your Word.
Train me in good common sense;
I'm thoroughly committed to living your way.
Before I learned to answer you, I wandered all over the place,
but now I'm in step with your Word.
You are good, and the source of good;
train me in your goodness.
The godless spread lies about me,
but I focus my attention on what you are saying;
They're bland as a bucket of lard,
while I dance to the tune of your revelation.
My troubles turned out all for the best—
they forced me to learn from your textbook.
Truth from your mouth means more to me
than striking it rich in a gold mine.
73-80 With your very own hands you formed me;

now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you.

When they see me waiting, expecting your Word,

those who fear you will take heart and be glad.

I can see now, God, that your decisions are right;

your testing has taught me what's true and right.

Oh, love me—and right now!—hold me tight!

just the way you promised.
Now comfort me so I can live, really live;
your revelation is the tune I dance to.
Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds;
they tried to sell me a bill of goods,
but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel.
Let those who fear you turn to me
for evidence of your wise guidance.
And let me live whole and holy, soul and body,
so I can always walk with my head held high.

What it said really spoke to me. And yesterday I was reading my Magnificat. When I came to the reading in Psalms it was the same Psalm I had prayed the night before. In the Magnificat the reading was Psalm 119:67,68,71,72,75,76.

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I hold to your promise.
68 You are good and bountiful; teach me your statutes.
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes.
72 The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
75 I know, O Lord, that your ordinances are just, and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 Let your kindness comfort me according to your promise to you servants.

I had to read it again to make sure I was reading this correctly. I could not believe I was reading the same thing I had prayed the night before. God is so good. What I thought was my own thoughts was actually the Holy Spirit guiding me to this scripture. God knew that this would be my devotional reading the next day. And He wanted to speak somthing to me. It spoke volumes to me. It spoke to me because I have been though so much with my back injury in 2005, my recent heart procedure, my foot surgery, and I have dealt with migraines for about 12 years. All these afflictions have caused me to seek God. After the back injury is when I really started seeking after God. Had it not been for all these afflictions I am not sure I would have sought after God the way I have the past five years. So I know God is trying to tell me something with these scriptures. God simply amazes me. And I love Him so much. He amazes me with how much He loves me. And how much He desires a relationship with me. God knows our hearts and He knows what we pray. He knows everything about us. He knows us better than we know ourselves.