About discerning the important things in life

1. MAKING TIME FOR GOD 

God has made time for us. We need God in our lives. We must make time for God. 

 

2. MAKING TIME FOR OTHERS

 

We learn and receive more by caring about and for others. This we must seek to do.

3. MAKING TIME FOR OURSELVES

We must discern our potentials and seek to fulfil all which we feel called to be and do.

4. DISCERNING OUR PRIORITIES

We need to be aware of and prioritise all which we NEED to do.

5. DISCERNING WHAT WE NEED TO GIVE UP

We need to discern and remove what is 'over-filling' our lives and becoming a slavery.

I do know that this is all more easily said than done, especially by me!

A prayer about doing and saying things in the right way

Very often, in life,
it's not what we do, 
it's the way that we do it,
and it's not what we say, 
it's the way that we say it,
that causes offence to others.

Help us, dear Lord, 
to do what we do
and say what we say
in such a way
as not to cause offence.

And should we fail, 
help to be truly sorry,
and to say so, 
as graciously as possible.

About paradise

There is only one paradise,
and, no matter how many rainbows we chase,
we are not going to find it
this side of heaven.

This thought came into my head yesterday morning as I thought about one of our grandsons on his way back from Mexico, having had a wonderful holiday, though marred by 5 days of torrential rain.
It shouldn't happen, but it does. (Mind you, I heard from his mother tonight that it is the rainy season in Mexico!!)
There's always a rainy season somewhere on earth at any time, isn't there, both literal and metaphorical.

One thing about true love

True love cannot be vanquished.

About there only being 'one bread'

At Communion, we all receive the same simple host,
the true essence and presence of Jesus.

From the highest to the lowest in society,
(in the eyes of the world, that is),

from the richest to the poorest,
from the greatest to the least -

there is only 'one bread, one body',
given for us all.

How humbling, how beautiful is this.

About serving with joy

To work in the service of God 
is one of the greatest privileges of this life.

The following examples of, say, a huge fan being offered the chance to be the manager of his or her football team, or to be the PA of an idolised pop (or, in my case, opera) singer, would be a dream come true, and might explain how and why this could be true.

I have written before about having helped with the hymns at our local primary school for the past 20 years. Because I absolutely love it and believe it to be the best work I have ever done in my life, I have never begrudged a single moment spent on it.

So it is with serving God, for those who have had the gift of knowing the infinite love which God feels for each of us. It is no chore at all, rather as is the case for anyone who cares for a beloved poorly child or aged and ailing parent. Nothing is too much trouble.

As a line in a much-loved hymn says, "...then life shall be thy service, Lord, and death, the gate of heaven." This is on my funeral list!! I have no doubt of the promise even given my very flawed efforts. I am truly grateful for the desire to keep trying.

About God as the source of all love

God is the source of infinite, and yet, at the same time, utterly intimate, love.

God is the source and fountain of all love,
and it is this love
which is the energy 
which fires the universe.