January 28, 2009

Simple Devotion

The title of my post lets you know that I've joined the weekly devotional at The Simple Woman
blog. I feel as though I was led to this wonderful and humble site and that reading it will help me in my spiritual journey, so thank you, Peggy, for creating such a restful and inspiring haven for all of us to come to.

For Today...

Dear Lord,

I bring you my shortcomings... my impatience, my anger and resentment at times which I am trying so hard to overcome. I cannot hope to make a dent in these sins without your grace and your help which is always so freely given.....forgive me.

I bring you my worship and praise... for all of the blessings I receive day in and day out, many of which I don't always recognize or thank you for as I should.

I bring you my prayer... that I may be more loving and understanding toward those I love as well as those I don't care for. I also pray for my son's return to his family who love him so very much and miss him dreadfully.

You spoke to me...

Romans: 8:15
"For the spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God's children, and by the Spirit's power we cry out to God, "Father, my Father"!




January 09, 2009

My Patron Saint for 2009

St. John of Egypt
Feastday: March 27
394

One of the most famous early desert hermits, a noted prophet of his era. He was born in Lycopolis, modern Assiut, Egypt, and became a hermit at the age of twenty. He was walled up in a hermitage near Assiut, with a single window opening onto the public. There he preached to vast crowds each weekend. He predicted two military victories for Emperor Theodosius I, and they were proven accurate in 388 and 392. The cell in which John spent his life was discovered in 1925.


Many of you are familiar with Marianne's blog, The Patron Saint of the Year Ministry at which you can read many wonderful inspiring posts and can request a patron saint for the year. I did just that and the saint who chose me, is listed above with some information regarding his life. As Marianne mentions on her blog, if your saint is not well know, rejoice, because he or she has now chosen you to make themselves known and to intercede for you.

I looked up information on him but there's precious little to be had. I did smile however when I read that he was a hermit! My family members have accused me of being a hermit in this modern day and age, saying that I'm much too content to stay home and I need to get out more. When I was young my best friend Margie and I used to dream about growing up and getting an apartment together, getting wonderfully interesting jobs, but by and large, being hermits. Margie passed away at the very tender age of 48 and I miss her to this day.....who knows, perhaps she had a hand in nudging St. John of Egypt to be my patron saint for 2009.

Eternal rest grant unto her oh Lord, and may all the faithful
departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen


January 01, 2009

Happy New Year to All!

Here we are on the very first day of the very first 2009 that ever was or will be and isn't it exciting! I had a wonderful Christmas shared with my husband and our family which includes 5 grown kids and their spouses and our 3 grandchildren with a new one on the way in April, so we have much to be thankful for in our lives.

Sunday mass still hasn't been attended but I have hope that I will go back starting this Sunday and begin my year in the best way I can....sharing my time with the Lord who gave it to me in the first place, and receiving His grace and His body and blood (having gone to Confession, of course).

I reached out via the internet to a few devoted Catholic women who write for an online publication and their responses to me couldn't have been more helpful and full of caring and grace and after thinking about this I realized that even those responses were sent to me by Jesus who is calling me and never gives up on me.....thank you Jesus and thank you for a brand new year with no mistakes in it yet, during which I can begin again....such a gift from God.