Reflections

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Several things have garnered my attention recently.

First, my son and daughter-in-law were evacuated from their home because of encroaching wildfires. We spent several anxious days waiting to hear if the house survived. Thank God, it did.

Thinking of their plight, I looked around my home. If I only had minutes to evacuate, what would I take with me? Clothes, old photos, important papers, and what else? We have some expensive art prints, my own paintings, and many collector’s items. We just purchased a new kitchen appliance, one I’ve wanted for a long time. It would be hard to leave it all behind.

My answer to this dilemma was in my devotions. The title in Good Morning, Lord by Joseph T. Sullivan: Can’t Live Without. “You can live without anything but God.”

Those simple words put everything into perspective.

My thoughts then fluttered to the violence occurring across our nation. I played out scenarios of what I would do or say to these hateful crowds. (If I dared.)

I wasn’t surprised when I opened my daily devotions in Living Faith. “How many times must I forgive my brother? Seventy times seven. Forgive, as you have been forgiven, free yourself from anguish.”

Rather than wishing revenge, what am I doing to help? Are my prayers enough? Should I become some sort of activist? But for which organization and where?

My morning devotions again told me the answer. The title in Our Daily Bread: Scaling. “Based on where you are, give generously.”

Don’t compare your giving to someone else’s. Give cheerfully where and how you can. Like rounding up my grocery tab to the nearest dollar and donating to the local food bank. Give a smaller amount to my church every Sunday rather than waiting to give a larger sum all at once. Help a neighbor without worrying about what they might do for me in return. Clean up after my husband without grumbling.

Most of all, I can pray for our country, my family, friends, and for those I disagree with. Not out of duty, but out of charity, love, hope, and faith.

“So faith, hope, love remain, these three, but the greatest of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13.

Thank you, Lord, for your guidance. You always know what I need at the exact moment I need it. Amen.

Vanity or a Call to Service?

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I read a beautiful story about a family called to feed and care for the local homeless. It pricked my conscious. Should I set aside my desires to write and paint and instead do more volunteer work? At my age, I don’t have the physical stamina to do both. Perhaps my writing and painting are vain things best put aside for the benefit of others.


Then, why would God give me the desire and the talent to pursue those activities if they had no value, did not provide any blessings?


I spent several days praying to know His will, vowing to follow wherever He sent me.


Today, in my devotional, Good Morning, Lord Joseph T. Sullivan wrote: “… Lord, inspire those who create beauty for us: the sculptor, the writer, the composer, the architect, the painter, the virtuoso… They can show us what you are like and render great service to us all.”

I had not considered my talents as a service.

Although I am not called to run a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen, I am still required to be generous for the poor, the homeless, and others in need where and when I can.

Freed from guilt, I can joyously use my talents to help others see the beauty in our world, pointing out rainbows where some only see mud.


Lord, inspire me to use the talents you have given me wisely and generously. Amen.

The Power of One

I’ve been on this merry-go-round many times, unable to come to terms with the needs of so many and my limited resources. I can’t seem to get passed the guilt of having so much while others have little, and yet what I have to share is barely a drop compared to the numbers of people needing help.

The old saying that charity begins at home means to start with my husband and family, and then spread out to others, but the number is so small. Is helping one person, or a few, enough?

As if in response to my question, this scripture verse flashed through my thoughts. “If a man has a hundred sheep, and one goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains and seek that which has gone astray?” Matthew 18:12.

Photo by Pexels from Pixabay

There is my answer. If God cares for enough for one to leave the rest and search for one lost soul, then yes, even just one matters.

That thought spiraled to the story of the starfish.

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf.

Then, smiling at the man, he said, “I made a difference for that one.”

Original story by Loren Eisley

The devil wants me to be overwhelmed with the sheer number of needy souls, stymied into inaction. He doesn’t want me to know that although I may not help thousands of souls like Mother Teresa, I can make a difference — even if it is just one.  

Thank you, Lord, for showing me the power of one. 

More Than One Kind of Charity

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During this season of Lent, the readings emphasize forgiveness, compassion, reconciliation, and charity. I feel chastised and convicted of not doing enough, especially charity. I worry about standing with the goats instead of the sheep at the Final Judgement.

My life hasn’t presented earth changing opportunities for charity. Now that my children are grown, should I be doing something else with my life? None of my talents lean toward the life style Mother Teresa led, and then what of my husband? He would not agree to sell everything we have, give it all to the poor, and become missionaries. Is that what God is asking of me?

What about the talents He gave me for painting and for writing? How can I use those to help the poor? Or can I?

My meditation in Living Faith this morning prompted a divine response to all my questions. Author Teri Milfek recalled an irate motorist behind her at a red light. The impatient driver blew his horn at the moment the light turned green. She was angry until she realized she had done the same thing to another driver. Where was her compassion?

How many times have I done something similar? Yet, how did this tie in with my desire to be more charitable?

God filled my heart with the answer. Charity isn’t just giving food, water, and alms. It is also charity in heart and mind, giving the benefit of the doubt, offering understanding rather than criticism, forgiving when we’d rather hold a grudge.

Every single moment of my life can be an act of charity. As Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Luke 6:45.

Praying for my enemies is an act of charity.

Smiling instead of growling at the impatient driver behind me at the red light is also an act of charity.

Watching the news and not thinking evil thoughts about those creating such discordance and suffering is an act of charity.

Offering money or food to a vagrant without judgement is an act of charity.

Offering my assistance at church for various projects is an act of charity.

Donating my paintings or giving them away, brightening someone’s life in a small way, is an act of charity.

Continuing to write my novels despite the lack of bucket loads of good reviews and sales is an act of charity.

Help me, Lord, to be more charitable from this day forward. Amen.

Logs, Splinters, and Nits

This morning while I was emptying the dishwasher, I grumbled. I was thankful my husband helped clean up the kitchen the night before, but he didn’t load it the way I prefer. For one instance, I want the knives pointing down, but he places them up. They are visible enough to avoid their points when I am unloading, but I still make the request that he load them my way, sometimes graciously, sometimes not.

Same in other situations. I appreciate his help, but it’s easy to find logs, splinters, and nits if things aren’t done according to my preference.

As I’ve aged I’ve gotten a little better at appreciating rather than complaining, especially after my brush with breast cancer, but I still slip up now and then and God lets me know, often immediately, as he did this morning.   

My first reading was from 1 Corinthians 13: 13: “And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.”

Charity in words, deeds — and thoughts, giving someone the benefit of the doubt, not judging motives or finding fault. 

In my devotion, Living Faith, Melanie Rigney stated, “Remember, God is God and we are his servants, not his judges.”

When things don’t go my way, or people act or do things different from what I think is proper and just, I’ll try to remember God has not appointed me judge over anyone, least of all Him. 

Your will, Lord, not mine. Amen.