Jesus and Alfred E. Newman were right!

Just in the past week, two folks have spoken to me about worry. Worry is an extremely powerful emotion. It is very easy for us to allow it to consume our every thought. The very idea that two different people, from two very different parts of my life, could have the same worry......that their loved ones were worrying too much, is proof that worry is a powerful force.
Some people actually describe themselves or others as "worriers" I grew up as a very worrying type of person. My mother used to tell me not to be such a "worrywart" (whatever that was?). And, I have worked at doing just that. These days, I don't worry so much.
Some where, along my life journey, I figured out that worrying was a fairly useless activity. My mother used to say to me...."Is this thing that you are worrying about, whatever mistake you have made, whatever stupid words you said.......is it going to make any difference one hundred years from now?"
No, of course not.
Worrying doesn't help a thing, and even God doesn't want us to worry. He tells us, in the New Testament, not once, but twice, to stop worrying.  Look up what he says in Matthew 6:27, and Luke 12:25. He must have known how important it is to not waste our time worrying, to have said it twice!
Worrying makes us fearful. Don't spend your time worrying. Worrying never cured cancer. Worrying never gives anyone happiness, wealth or fame. It only keeps us from living a full and meaningful life.
So stop worrying....or at least try let go of a few of your worries and fears. You are worrying us.

Good Lord. Why do we continue to worry? We are not Faith Full. We have very little Faith. We haven't learned to turn things over to you. We are slow to realize that you will be here with us, no matter what happens.
Show us how to increase our Faith. Release us from worry.

One More Time.....

Let's talk about longevity. It is the 19th of March, and it just happens to be the day that the swallows traditionally return to Capistrano. Actually, they return to the Mission San Juan, in the city of Capistrano, in southern California.
The mission birds are returning from their nests in the Southern Hemisphere, to California, where they will spend the Spring and Summer. They have been returning on March the nineteenth, since Spanish Colonial times, in the California Territory.
The city of Capistrano has a big celebration every year, on the anniversary of the swallows return. It includes a sidewalk fair, a parade and lots of festivities. The Mission Docents march in the parade. Horses prance and bands play. A great time is had by everyone who joins in the celebration.
The swallows have never failed to arrive.
There is, no doubt, a scientific reason why the birds faithfully follow the tradition. But, I don't really need to know why they continue to come. I just feel comforted that they keep returning year after year.
Maybe they don't want to miss the parade!

(Happy Birthday, to my favorite sister and favorite docent.)

Dear Lord, You are ever faithful...just like the swallows. We don't need to know why you are always here for us. We should just accept that you just are. Your loving care surrounds us, for ever.
Thank you for our many blessings.

Trust Me!

We come to that time of year, slightly before St. Patrick's Day (March 17th), Easter (never before March 22nd) and Tax Day (April 15th), when the infamous Ides of March occurs. For my readers who didn't have to memorize Brutus' speech from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar", the Ides is actually the 15th day of any month. However, Caesar was murdered on the 15th of March, so that's the only Ides, anyone every talks about.
Caesar was warned, you know. "Beware" Watch out for that day! Of course, his "friends" ended up killing him him....stabbed him, according to first hand reports (did you like that pun???) around thirty times.
The moral in this story just has to be.... be careful in whom you put your trust.
We are in the midst of a campaign for President of the United States. Missouri holds its Primary this Tuesday......the Ides of March. I'm not sure I trust anyone candidate enough to cast my vote for him.

Great God: I trust you. "Trust and Obey, for there's no other way." When everyone else fails us, you will always be there. Help us to be discerning and wise. Direct our minds and bodies to do your will.

Take your place, please.

Our Kindergartener in the house has recently informed us that we now have assigned seats at the kitchen table. Who knew? The 6 year old has assigned herself a seat at one end of the table, grandpa is to be seated at the other end. Little sister, grandma and dad will now occupy the side chairs.
I am relieved to know that we are all aware of the whereabouts of our designated spots. From now on, there will be no switching of places.
Place is important to all of us. Regardless of how "free spirited" we claim to be, we all know our place. For example, don't you regularly sleep on one side of your bed. (Certainly, if you're sleeping alone, this doesn't apply.) Most folks sit in the same pew, if not the same seat, every time they attend church. How about where you store your silverware? Spoons in the spoon slot. Forks in another. Knives belong in yet another place. When you go to a movie theater, don't you always try to head to the row where you sat the last time? It's where you are most comfortable. It's your place!
We all have our feel-right places, from your favorite chair in the living room to your preferred spot in a restaurant booth.
Familiarity breeds security.

Great God. We know that our place is ultimately with You. On our journey through life, be our guide and deliverer. Help us to find our proper place in your world.