You Made Me Love You, I Didn't Want To Do It

You Made Me Love You, I Didn't Want To Do It

It’s was time. No it was s-e-v-e-r-e-l-y past due. I didn’t know if these poor little excuses for dining chairs would collapse the next time someone sat on them or what would happen. Occasionally, I would get this wild visual of an elephant standing on one foot on a toothpick, a rather fragile picture don’t you think. At night when we pushed the chairs close into the table, the back legs were bowed in or out, depending on which way the back of the chair was leaning. We lived that way for a r-e-a-l-l-y long time. Everyday we would find another screw on the area rug beneath the table. And everyday I would attempt to repair the chair. It got to be such a chore that I just finally started to toss the screws in the junk drawer. It’s by the grace of God that no one ever fell. We bought the set brand new and put it together ourselves (I know you’re thinking, gee whiz, do you think that’s the reason why they’re falling apart? Whatever!). It was a warm blond wood color and it worked well with our house décor. Actually it really didn’t, I think the reality was that the price worked well with our budget. Originally we had 6 six chairs, last month we were down to 3. One by one, they found their way to the center of the garage, the special place for our collection for our annual goodwill donation. Actually they didn’t find their way there, I carried them myself. Of course no one else in the house thought to take them to the garage. Even when I had one turned upside down on the floor in the middle of the family room, everyone just walked over or around it. It’s funny how something so out of place can become part of the everyday scenery.

We are a family of 5, actually 7 if you include the girls’ boyfriends, whom I consider part of the family. Most of the time there are just three of us at dinner anyway, the girls are always gone.
We hadn’t had company in quite some time and we were going to have a celebration for my daughter Stephanie’s graduation from MUD, make up designory school . Do you have a wedding, prom or quincenera coming up? If you are a director or producer, please let your people know about my people, oh, I mean about this girl, she’s f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s and would be a great addition to your movie set or shoot, makeupbysteph.h.@gmail.com (one’s got to take advantage of an audience –can’t blame a gal for trying).

Oh, okay, back to the party. As you know, as in all families, we all come in different weights and sizes and we have different ways of sitting on a chair. At this point our weight didn’t matter, what mattered is that you had to have great balance to sit on one of these chairs. None of us have the flattest abs (not by far), however, it takes great core strength to sit on these chairs for a meal, not to mention an evening of reading, socializing, or watching TV (if we sat on the couch we would be out in 10 minutes).

There was no way I was going to have company the next week and use this dining set, what if the chair legs busted or just fell apart. Oh how embarrassing would that be, not to mention dangerous. So Saturday came, and off we went to go furniture hunting. My husband and I must have gone to at least 5 different stores and warehouses. It seemed that most of the stores carried the same type of tables and chairs; the main difference was the price.

We decided to try one more store before heading home. We were close to buying a set that was similar to the one we had (cheap again) when saw the table and chairs that we both liked (did you guess – more expensive). It was cherry wood, looked a bit Asian, it came with 8 chairs and a large lazy Susan (is this how you spell that?). We had lots of time to go back and forth and weigh the pros and cons of this purchase. We decided that if the sales guy would come down significantly we would buy it, we hadn’t much money, we weren’t asking for too much, huh.

I was in a great mood that day and had my “I don’t care I don’t have to have it today” attitude on. Dave and I were actually having a good time shopping. Ross, the salesman finally approached us and asked if we were looking for something special. I said, “well, we are looking for this (the cherry wood) at that price (the cheap set again)”. He laughed at the absurdity of the statement. Dave and I kept going back to the cheap set making eyes at each other ready for the negotiating game to start. Ross walked back to the cherry wood. “Now Ross”, I finally said, “I know you are in business to make a profit, however, we can’t pay that price, but if you are willing to come down a bit, well . . .” “I can’t do that ma’am,” he said trying to sound forceful. “Okay”, I said. “Well, honey, let’s go home, I guess it’s just not meant for us to buy today.” One, two, three . . . (I counted) As we moved toward the exit, (now I know you are already guessing what was going to happen) Ross said, “well, $@#*% is the best I can do. Yes! I shouted inside my head! “Now, Ross, that price is a bit better but we still can’t afford that. I know he was quickly trying to figure out my type, serious, coy, a little flirty, but safe because honey is here (sometimes I am just hard to resist –a charmer of sorts– sorry honey if you’re reading this, but you know how the program works – I make the deals and you write the checks.) Ross’ head tilted back in defeat, his eyes closed for a brief moment, a shallow breath, and he said, “okay if you pay cash I won’t charge you tax”. I replied, “I suppose we can do that if it’s the best you can do, is it the best you can do Ross?” I laughed, he as you might imagine almost didn’t. I extended my hand, “you’ve got a deal”.

Feeling triumphant, we get to the desk where he would write up the invoice for our purchase. Now I knew that I didn’t have enough cash on me, I had only part of it. So Ross wrote up the purchase invoice, as I dug through my purse pretending to try and come up with more cash. I told him that I didn’t have a credit or atm card to pay the balance. Why did I do this, you ask? Well I had to be sure we were getting the best deal. I mean, I knew we were based on the prices from the other stores we had visited, but I wanted to see if he was willing to come down on the price just a little more. Times are tough, right? I told him I was going to have to go borrow money (that was a good tactic don’t you think? – the truth was I had to go to find an ATM machine). He didn’t bite with that story, so off we went and returned an hour later, they were just about to close when Ross saw us walking in he smiled, “I didn’t think you were coming back.”

We would be taking home a beautiful cherry wood table and 6 chairs. Ross quoted us a special price if we later purchased 2 more chairs (we wanted 2 more chairs but couldn’t afford them at that time). Just then his co-worker, perhaps business partner, addressed him in their other language, apparently they are bilingual. While Ross and his buddy went back and forth with words, he perused quickly the invoice, said something to Ross, and Ross didn’t look happy. The only thing we heard in English was this, “there goes our profit”.

Now cut to one month later, we were now in the position to buy 2 more chairs. I grabbed my cash and my husband and off we went to see our friend Ross, the real nice salesman.
We walked in and Ross just happened to be near the front door of the furniture showroom. His eyes widened when he saw us (I’m not sure if it was because he was pleasantly surprised or didn’t know what he might be in for (it could have been a combination of both – I can sometimes have that affect on people). I explained to Ross that we wanted to buy two more chairs and that we had cash. Oh, he was happy, this sale was a no brainer, easy, right? Wrong. We sat at the same table as before and Ross quickly wrote up the invoice, quoting a price much higher than before. Now Ross, “that is not what you quoted us on the day we made our purchase. My husband and I most definitely recall what you had quoted us on that day, two chairs for $^#@*, we’ve been talking about the amount all month long”. I said, “Ross, I can’t pay that. I came prepared to pay $^@#*, see here’s my money”, I flashed him my little wad of money. Suddenly, Ross’ co-worker or business partner was suddenly in sight, and he jumped in our conversation and said, “You should have bought the chairs a month ago.” I retorted lightly, “I would have if I could have afforded it then. But, I am here now, do you want my money today? If not, well, I’ll have to come back in 6 months. What’s it gonna be fellows, do you want a sale today or not?” So the bargaining began-Ross came down in price slightly, I came up a few dollars and we went back and forth until he squeezed just another $10 more than my original offer. “Thank you Lord”, I exclaimed out loud. Once again Ross addressed this fellow and the fellow again retorted, “fine, but there goes our profit.”

I think Ross was trying to do the right thing by honoring his word and I believe God softened his heart and worked on him both visits.

As we were headed out the door Dave and I noticed a beautiful porcelain statute of the last supper. The sign read, “not for sale”. Once the chairs were loaded into the truck, I asked Ross about the last supper piece, he said quickly “that is not for sale ma’am”. I got the feeling that he felt he had already been nice to me, didn’t know why he was, got in trouble twice, and his voice begged please don’t make me go through anymore.

I was reminded of this story today because I found a cute little stuffed dog I had bought for valentine’s day last year, it plays this great song and the lyrics today remind me of Ross, “You made me love you, I didn’t want to do it, I didn’t want to do it, you made me l-o-v-e you.” Lord, another blessing in this house, another man whose heart you have softened with love. Thank you.

Ross - I told you I'd tell 10 friends about you! You're the best!
HK Furniture Liquidator
20011 E. Walnut Dr. North
Walnut, CA 91789
(909) 444-8399

A Family's Prayer - Happy Birthday Sandra

A FAMILY'S PRAYER

Dear Lord Jesus,

You said, “in everything do to others,
as you would have them do to you.

May Ronnie, the head of this home,
Keep your law, the golden rule for his family.

As parents, may Ronnie and Sandra, teach confidence,
In the Lord Jesus Christ, for he will always provide.

Sandra, mother to her impressionable children,
teach about truthfulness and purity of heart.

Store only treasures of heaven and not of earth,
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Lord, teach your beautiful children, Natalie and Ronnie,
to love their enemies and pray for those who hurt them.

May this family know the rewards of forgiving,
And not let the sun go down on their anger.

Bless this family Lord, as they pray often together
For peace, joy, love, hope and thanksgiving.

Amen.

Love you all. Nina

Celebrate Easter Every Day Of The Year!

Celebrate Easter everyday of the Year!

. . . and the choir sang Ha-lle-lu-jah, Ha-lle-lu-jah, Halle-lu-jah, Halle-lu-jah, Ha-lle -lu-jah! What a Glorious Easter Sunday! It was absolutely a miraculous site. The weather was a God sent! The sky was decorated with billowy white clouds that seemed to contrast perfectly against the baby blue sky. Bright sunlight peeked through the clouds with unspoiled rays as if by the craft of an artist portrayed the resurrection, the rising of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Inside the church seemed especially majestic and alive. The bare wood cross was now draped with a radiant white cloth that told the passionate story of more than 2000 years ago. The pews were filled with worshipers sitting unusually close, elbows and shoulders gently touching, while the isles held the overflow of a mix of happy, rushed and slightly confused people. There were regular parishioners, church snowbirds (people who only come to church on Easter and Christmas) and welcomed visitors donning their Sunday best. Especially precious were the little girls’ dresses of light pastels, ruffles, curled hair neatly tied with delicate ribbons, and shiny white patent leather shoes. It was incredible to see at least three generations of families attending mass together, from grandparents to grandchildren, celebrating Easter, the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, Easter has come and gone right? We put the baskets and the bunnies away weeks ago. We ate the chocolate and have blemishes and packed on a few pounds to prove it. So, why are we talking about Easter now? Today marks the third Sunday of the church’s Easter Season. Technically, we have the opportunity to celebrate Easter every day at mass through the Eucharist, however the majority of church goers only attend mass on Sundays. Did you know that in the Catholic Church Easter Season lasts 50 days, beginning on Easter Day and ending on Pentecost.

Now let’s back up a little bit and talk about Lent. Lent, the 40 days before Easter Sunday, is a time when we are called to grow in our relationship with Jesus. That means being more spiritually aware of our tongue, actions, and our behavior. We are called to sacrifice (usually this means giving up some kind of food, or more times than not, we choose goodies that we typically over indulge in, and hope that we can lose a few pounds in the process).

Ways to keep these 40 days holy would be like attending stations of the cross on Fridays, saying the rosary daily in honor of Jesus’ Mother Mary or the divine mercy prayer, go to confession before Easter Sunday (Catholics are asked to receive the sacrament of reconciliation at least once a year), immerse yourself in Jesus’ resurrection each day at 3pm, which according to scripture was the time of His death. You could also give 15-30 minutes of each day (same time each day helps to make it a wonderful habit) and sit quietly in a special place in your home free of televisions, the radio, and conversation (which include complaining, gossiping and arguing). Light a candle, place a cross or statute on a small table, and open your bible, and perhaps keep a daily journal. You’ll be amazed at what you will learn and how quickly your heart can begin to be transformed. We can also attend church programs designed to help us in our relationship with Jesus, attend services during Holy Week, which include the Seven Last Words, the Passion, Good Friday and Holy Saturday services. Through this time we are preparing ourselves for the ultimate celebration of Easter Sunday.

So, each year, how serious have we been through the 40 days of Lenten sacrifice and reconciliation (confession). Let’s talk about the sacrifice part. Now brace yourself, I’m not talking about you, it’s those other people in the other parish, okay? (I borrowed that line from a priest I know – Fr. Lucio – hope you don’t mind). We are not strangers to hearing comments like, “Ugh, it was so hard not to eat chocolate because I gave it up for Lent. Actually I cheated a couple of times, but God will forgive me, right?” Or, “I lost 10 pounds because I gave up soda, but now two weeks later I’ve gained it back – I can’t live without my soda.” “When is this Lent thing going to be over, I don’t know what else to eat on Fridays, who ever came up with not eating meat on Fridays!” Hmmmm, ouch! Oh Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do. Jesus suffered for us through mockery and physical torture. He was bound, spat upon, struck, and slapped. He suffered grave humiliation. His hands and feet were nailed to a cross. His sides were lanced. He was scourged, and stripped of His clothes. He was repeatedly struck on the head with a reed, a crown of thorns. Jesus hung on a cross and waited for God’s hour of mercy. His love was so great for us that he withstood pain beyond our comprehension so that we may have eternal life. I think such an incredible gift deserves a little sacrifice in return. What do you think?

I’ve got some good news, great news, and f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s news! Let’s work on those other people and let’s start with some simple questions. I know you can’t wait!

Now the GOOD NEWS is I know there are millions of believers, we were all in Church on Easter Sunday. First question: Besides attending mass on Easter Sunday what are we doing the other 364 days of the year? Now don’t get me wrong there are many, many wonderful people who are devoted to going to mass, prayer, giving their time to charity, etc. The question more specifically should be, are we working for ourselves (e.g. recognition, selfishness) or for the Lord?

It’s not much of a stretch to say that from birth until the time we wouldn’t listen to our parents anymore we were taught about God, how to pray, about daily mass and church on Sundays , right from wrong, giving, forgiveness, and love. Then, again, perhaps some did not have that kind of an upbringing. Nonetheless, if we’ve known these values; then they are imprinted on our hearts. And when we fail (darn that devil), our failures (aka sins) tug at our consciousness (or should). Through practice we have learned to stifle our most basic foundation: love.
Now for a house or building to withstand let’s say an earthquake, it needs a good solid foundation, right? What is our personal foundation to fight destruction, evil, depression, poverty, job loss or loss of a home, loss of a loved one, the list goes on and on. On whom do we lean? Who do we trust? Where do we look for guidance? Relying on ourselves rather than God is an unconscious practice that has been made acceptable by society. We look to ourselves, to each other, to politicians, government, celebrities, and even bogus church leaders for guidance or we point fingers when we need a scapegoat for our inequities. But GUESS WHAT, you can change! Change starts with a simple genuine desire to be a better person. Reward comes when we are pleasing to God, when we love as Jesus loved. In church today the choir sang a song and a beautiful line hit home it said, “if you follow your shepherd, then a shepherd you‘ll be”. Jesus asked his Apostles to shepherd his sheep. We too must follow Jesus and shepherd his sheep. Your spouse, children, parents, friends, and strangers all need a good, no GREAT, example to follow, why not you! Take action a situation and a day at a time. Practice makes us better. Read your bible. Learn about the lessons of love, compassion, judging, idols, gossiping, deceiving, and selfishness.

The celebration of Easter can be celebrated in mass everyday. However, if you can’t go to church, bring God, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit into your life everyday, wherever you are.

Pray with me right now so that you may become a GREAT SHEPHERD. “Lord Jesus, I pray that through your grace I receive wisdom to hear and receive God’s word to guide me, open my heart so that it may offer great compassion to all, and allow my eyes to see God’s blessings for me that are abundant every day of my life. I asked this in your name, Jesus Christ. Amen.”

If you just prayed this prayer, you have taken your first step toward change. Hallelujah!

Living on Purpose

Living on Purpose

Everyday of our lives, and especially during the season of Lent, we are called to be mindful of many things. Lent, the 40 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter, is an ideal time to pursue personal reflection, repentance, and an opportunity to live with more clarity, purpose and passion in our faith.

This is a suitable time to contemplate where we are in our faith journey. Our life as we live it here on earth – is just that – a faith journey. When we consider how we came to be - the miracle of our birth, the creation of the earth, sky, stars, moon, planets, animals and trees – how can we be anything other than awe-inspired.

Let us not allow ourselves to be caught up in the menial or tremendous pressures of our times or surroundings. We can personally protest the negative influence the media may have over us and work to stay clear from less than worthy acquaintances or situations that can lead us astray.

As God’s children let us praise people rather than participate in degrading talk of others. We can extend our helpful and gifted hands to others who can use a friend, a supporter, a pal or ally. Above all let us love our neighbor. Every person deserves to be acknowledged, respected, and loved.

We have an opportunity today, and everyday, to make changes that can positively affect our lives and those around us. Our circumstances should be of little consequence. We may be young, old, married, alone, widowed, divorced, with family or friends, in prison, away in school or handicapped. Our circumstances may be that we are rich, spoiled, sufficiently independent or poor, gainfully employed or jobless. If we strip away all that ranks or complicates us, we are simply humans with the same opportunity to live a life that models Christ. We are without a doubt loved beyond measure by God and we are devoid of excuses for hindering the blessings He has waiting for each of us.

There are twenty four hours in each day to either waste or to use fruitfully. Let us pray each morning as we start our day to remain free from sin and to be a worthy servant for God. We must remember to accept God’s forgiveness when we’ve missed our step and avoid beating ourselves up over our shortcomings. Remaining faithful and practicing patience are virtues pleasing to God. God knows what we need and when we need it. He asks us to cast our cares upon Him so that we will be relieved of our worries and suffering. Isn’t it wonderful to know we have such a loving God.

Jesus suffered for us through mockery and physical torture. He was bound, spat upon, struck, and slapped. He suffered grave humiliation. His hands and feet were nailed to a cross. His sides were lanced. He was scourged, and stripped of His clothes. He was repeatedly struck on the head with a reed, a crown of thorns. Jesus hung on a cross and waited for God’s hour of mercy. His love was so great for us that he withstood pain beyond our comprehension so that we may have eternal life.

We must choose to live our lives on purpose. Being a God pleaser brings many rewards. We must slow down so that we will see God’s abundant blessings, they are everywhere. We have the chance to make our passage through this life unique and gratifying. What awaits us all is the reward of eternity. Choose to travel the road that leads to ultimate salvation.
May God bless you.
Yours in Christ, Cec

Birth and Baptismal Letter

Birth and Baptismal Letter

The blessed birth of your baby will begin a new chapter in your lives. As you wait for that blessed event you should begin to meditate and share with each other the values and morals you will instill in your child from birth and until God calls him or her.
As you discover each other during this time of anticipation and while you are active parents you will find that you may feel somewhat lost and uncertain about your capabilities or beliefs. Know this, without a doubt, God loves you unconditionally with all your gifts and faults. He will love your child with all his or her gifts and faults. He knows you will make mistakes, and you will fall, but the good news is that you know and believe that God loves you and wants only the best for you.

You both have parents, or guardians, who have raised you. They have done the best they can to teach, mold, prepare, love, discipline, and nurture you. You may not necessarily agree with what you’ve been taught, and sometimes you may wonder why you do the things you do. The reality is that you are a product of your environment, a product of the family and friends who have raised and influenced you. You will therefore take and begin to practice what has been instilled inside you and along the way realize what works best for you. New discoveries await you and you will learn that the decisions you make will have a life changing effect and impact on you, your baby, your family and your circle of friends.

The most valuable gift you can ever give yourselves and to your child or children, would be the gift to accept God in your life. What you teach and how you love each other must mirror the life that Jesus gave for us.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

We have God’s teachings bound in an extraordinary book called “The Bible”. This is your earthly “how to” book, about God’s promise to us all. It teaches us right from wrong, and just from unjust. The Bible gives us God’s morals and values, His rules and laws for living here on earth, and for entry into His kingdom that awaits us. God, through Jesus, gave gifts to his apostles to teach and to warn us about evil. God’s works, miracles, acts of mercy, and teachings have been recorded so that we could, without question or doubt, believe, live and love in the way that is pleasing to Him.

God gave to us two miracle births, that of Jesus and John the Baptist, that together worked to prepare us for the kingdom of heaven. John the Baptist baptized with water for repentance. He was to prepare the world and make ready the way for Jesus and the life to come. John baptized his cousin, Jesus, whose sole purpose was to live, teach, die and rise so that we may have eternal life.

Matthew 3:16
After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Just as God showed his glory and blessing to his Son, Jesus Christ, on His day of baptism, so will God do the same for us. Baptism is a sacrament of the church and is a sacred purification and welcoming into God’s presence which is beyond this world.

Design your life to live on purpose to please God. His plan is simple and is available to us all. Be a blessing to yourselves, children, family, friends, and yes, even strangers. Pray for God’s mercy and know that His heavenly kingdom awaits those who live by his word.
It would be an honor to God if you shared with each other and your family your views on your faith, your current knowledge, your lack of knowledge, and your intentions to study God’s word so that you may have for yourselves and your children all that God has promised you.
Pray that your hands be giving, your eyes be opened, and your heart be softened so that your life will be blessed abundantly. Treasure the rite of baptism as you receive this new beginning bequeathed you through the blessed miracle of the birth of your child.

Yours in Christ

Cec

A precious gift from You

Lord, you gave us the gift of Jesus;
in the form of an innocent baby.
And now you have blessed me;
with one of your own to look after.

I pray for your divine guidance;
Throughout this special journey.
For you have thought me capable;
of this extraordinary purpose.

I will place this child before you;
To receive the water and Spirit.
So that my child may be made holy;
And have eternal life with you.

Lord, bless me, and my family;
That we will be worthy models.
Able to shape, form, and develop;
a child that is pleasing to you.

Open my ears to hear you Lord;
Soften my heart to love as you do.
Bless my hands to embrace my child;
A precious gift from you.

Because You Believe - my song

BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE

Yesterday, I held you in my arms;
Perfect hands, your hair barely grown.
Even now, I worry about your needs;
And the mark you’ll leave in the world.

How much did I teach you, did I reach you;
Will you know what to do when it counts.

A kiss could fix it all, a smile can break down walls;
A kindness toward another could soften the hardest of hearts.
Show the greatest of mercies, live in the name of peace;
You know I have faith in these things, do them because you believe.

Now you’re grown, moving on your own;
Know I’m here, still in arms reach.
You’ll belong and your confidence is strong;
I know your eyes and feel sure inside.

I see Him in you, I did reach you;
You’ll know what to do when it counts.

A kiss could fix it all, a smile can break down walls;
A kindness toward another could soften the hardest of hearts.
Show the greatest of mercies, live in the name of peace;
I know you have faith in these things, and do them because you believe.

Inspired by the Beattitudes from the Bible

Written by Cecilia Holling 4/21/2009

There's a time for joy, a time for tears . . .

There’s a time for joy, a time for tears . . .

I’m feeling a bit melancholy this evening. We have a new licensed driver in the house and graduation day is coming soon for my youngest child, Dave. My son has become a wonderful young man. As a parent there comes a time when we are faced with a moment of true realization “it’s time to let them go”. The years go by so fast; it’s such a cliché, but true.
I’ve enjoyed being a parent even in times when my children have had a bout of difficult behavior, bad moods, scoldings, timeouts, even tantrums. At the end of the day, I’ve loved them the best way I knew how. I may not have always been right, but I was consistent and persistent about things that I believed in (sniff, sniff).

I was raised by wonderful parents (technically two sets of parents) who taught me so much. Although divorced and both remarried, they taught me and my sisters to love everyone. My parents and their spouses, believe it or not, were best friends. Through their example, they taught us to put everyone’s less than perfect history or character flaws to the wayside. Dating back to the Old Testament people of that time dealt with society pressures such as alcoholism, sexual abuse, sexuality issues, children born out of wedlock, divorces, adultery, the list can go on and on. Families today are not exempt from similar characters, whether it’s in the immediate family or friends of the family. We still love, still welcome all with open arms and always forgiveness.

I am blessed to still have my mother with me. And she is my dearest friend and confidant. I don’t get to see my mother too much we live a distance from each other. We talk on the phone mostly. But, the conversations we have are so deep and moving and many times I am drawn to sweet tears before we hang up. Our conversations have had and will continue to have a profound affect on my life. I love her dearly (I’m wiping tears from my eyes again). Through my mother I credit my love for God. She is a “God whisperer”. She may not speak straight out about God, but she alludes to Him loudly. My father . . . (sigh, breath deep)

we lost him four months ago. From him I saw the quality of a giver. Not necessarily monetary, but he gave of himself in charitable works and words. He kept people company and often spent time talking to the homeless and those who seemed to be friendless. A quality I find praiseworthy. And then there is Rod. Rod is my mother’s husband. Rod has had quite the challenging life. Things didn’t always go his way. What he taught me was that no matter what set backs you have experienced, you get up, dust yourself off and go at it again. He was always consistent with us, he always loved, even through times of trials and rejection. I love him for that. I pray for his health, dear Lord, may you spare him from his suffering. Lastly, there is Sandy, my Dad’s wife, now widow. Sandy is from Thailand. A very different woman, not a traditional Americanized woman. As I watched her while she was married to my father I saw love, dedication and devotion in a different way, in a different light. She loves with a different kind of passion. She’s a sensitive woman, has a good heart and her presence in the family is a testament to how wonderfully people from around the world can co-exist and love in harmony.

I don’t know at this point in my life what kinds of impressions, memories, traditions or attitudes that my children hold in their hearts and minds because of me and whom I am. I have that to look forward to. I imagine it will take the rest of my life with them to reveal some of their secrets, their likes and dislikes with respect to values, morals, religion, rearing, motivation, good memories, bad memories, disappointments and triumphs. (or they can make a comment on this blog, what a grand idea!!)

Now that my heart has been squished, squashed and squeezed, I’ll retire for this evening, actually morning. I believe it’s 12:45 a.m. now. I couldn’t finish until I wrote something for my children. “Because you Believe” – my song - I love you my babies!! Love Me

God of Joy and Peace (Morning Prayer)

God of Joy and Peace Be With Me
Morning Prayer

Lord you give to me a new day,
A clean slate free of sin.
With a rested body I rise,
I cast all my cares upon you.

I receive your gifts of joy and peace,
And all anxiety is gone.
Lord, guard my heart, control my tongue,
Bless my hands so all will honor you.

I’ll rejoice in you Lord always,
Your presence in me will be known.
Make me worthy of your praise,
God of joy and peace, be with me.

Inspired by Philippians 4:4-9 2/14/09
Written by Cecilia Holling

It's a Beautiful Morning!

It’s a beautiful morning . I think I’ll go outside for a while and just smile. Hmmmm, sounds like a song. If you are old enough you would know this beautiful song performed by The Rascals. I was first introduced to this song by my Dad. He loved this song. He played it often when we were young. It holds great memories for me. I imagine my sisters would say the same.
I found the song on the internet this morning, so I’m playing it. Sisters, if you’re tuned in, play the song while you read on. http://www.stinalisa.com/BeautifulMorning.html

I’ve been playing the song over and over for quite some time now. I don’t get tired of hearing the same song over and over. Singing along with the song I’ve got such a charge like electricity running through my body and my heart is pulsating wildly. Memories and music, they are wonderful.

I’ve had to stop from what I’ve been doing a few times this morning because my heart has decided to take several “bitter-sweet grieving moments”. From in the deep recesses of my memory I can see me and my sisters outside with our Dad while he puttered in his car. The song "It's a beautiful morning" seemed to fill the air. I don’t know if the song was playing on the big walnut cabinet hi-fi stereo from in the house or on the 8 track tape player in the car. He may have been washing the car or fixing it. Whatever he was doing, I’ve got this wonderful mental picture of my Dad. Back to present: Did you notice that I spoke of my Dad in the past tense. He passed away this past December. I don’t know when one gets used to saying, “He passed away.” :(

Although my Pop suffered from ailments, his death was sudden and really unexpected. To say that “I miss him so much” just does not express all that I feel in my heart. Right now my eyes are welled up with tears and my heart aches in an odd way. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I’ve never lost anyone so close. I’ve lost grandparents, but I was so young I don’t have any recollection of my emotions. The song “It’s a Beautiful Morning” is still playing right now. This morning it’s comforting and inspirational.

It’s now 7:50 am. I’ve decided to take a walk. How could I not, “the hook” as my father would say, has been in my head for about an hour now. I really enjoy taking an early morning walk when the world seems to be sleeping. Walking alone is great. You get to take advantage of quiet time, pray, hear the birds singing, look at the beautiful landscapes (you get great ideas for your own garden – I like to look at my garden, not work in it). But today, being alone doesn’t seem like such a good idea. I want to be with my family suddenly (I wonder why? Ha, ha). It’s such a beautiful Sunday morning someone needs to share it with me. I woke my oldest daughter, Missy, and asked her if she wanted to take her new dog for a walk. She hemmed and hawed and said yes! I did my best to not hear the “I’m too tired, I’m not in the mood, why are you asking me” tone. To my surprise she woke her sister Skoots and asked her to come along (I think it was more like if I’ve got to go, you are coming too). I just love my girls. By the way a little clarification may be necessary with respect to their names. Missy’s real name is Stephanie – Missy is a nickname from birth, given to her by her grandmother. Skoots real name is Jacqueline aka Scooter Pie when she was little, now shortened to Skoots – don’t know why I do that, they have such beautiful names.

Now these two girls they are not exercisers so I was bracing myself for . . . I don’t know, something. What should have taken a few minutes to brush teeth, change clothes, find their new tennis shoes from two Christmas’ ago, and put on some fashionable sunglasses took one hour and fifteen minutes to get out the door. Although they are 21 and 20 respectively, surprisingly there was no primping the face and hair involved. I’m not really sure what they did. I’m not complaining, just explaining. So, off we went. :)

The temperature outside today was expected to be 93 degrees, so the way I figure it, now that it was 9:15 a.m. it seemed hot enough to make toast outside. I grabbed a cold bottle of water, the dog’s small plastic bowl (this bowl looks very familiar, is this from my kitchen %#@!), plastic bags for the dog (just in case) and my camera (I just love my new camera – you see I use my Christmas gifts). We all head to the backyard, like a united dream team to get our fourth walker, Marley the “g-i-r-l” dog , who is being babysat by my husband (who wonderfully has taken a liking to the little pup).

Marley, just 11 weeks old, has literally taken over our lives and she doesn’t even live with us. She lives at Missy’s boyfriend’s house, who lives up the street from us. Everything is about the dog and they bring her to visit like a grandchild. We’ve got great stories, but the best story is the one about Marley being a boy, just until last week. I’ll have to save that story for another time. Back to the walk.

We are finally on our little walk through our neighborhood. It turned out to be a 45 minute walk, no big deal right? Actually it was a little more that just a walk through the neighborhood, we walked through the hills and heat with a pup that tires after 5 minutes investigating the backyard. Marley was doing real good, we were just into the first 25 minutes of the hike, I mean walk. The girls and I talked about different things, movies, shopping, work, school, boyfriends, you know the usual. It’s a good thing we had so much distraction that there wasn’t much complaining from the dream team. We stopped every now and then to give Marley some water (by the way we sipped sparingly wanting to save it for the dog). We were doing just fine as we approached the second half of our walk. It seemed we all realized at the same time that the incline was increasing as well as our own body temperature, our sweat glands and our thirst. Sweat was now dripping down our chests and foreheads and we suddenly wondered how the dog was feeling. Then we heard this little “yelp”! “Marley, come on pup, let’s go”, Stephanie said. Well, little Marley had had enough. Who knew that we shouldn’t have taken a little pup on such a vigorous walk, much less on a day when the temperature was expected above 93 degrees. Take a look at Marley’s picture. A photo is worth a thousand words (I'm new at this web-thing - I hope I can upload the picture).

We carried her pretty much the rest of the way. UP THE HILL ALL THE WAY HOME! It was tough enough for us to carry our own bodies, not to mention the added weight of the dog. We traded back and forth, laughing, taking pictures, and searched for shade whenever possible. We made it! THANK YOU LORD! IT’S A BEAUTIFUL MORNING. We have new memories (and yes, Marley was fine after some food, water and a nap). Who’s cooking breakfast?

You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm. -- Colette

Wake up with a smile and go after life . . . Live it, enjoy it, taste it, smell it, feel it. – Joe Knapp

GOOD DEED IDEAS

Take grandma to get her hair and nails done.

Children - make mom and dad breakfast on the weekend (cold cereal, toast, juice, flower from the garden, fruit and a love note - parents be sure to keep the fridge stocked).

Buy a small gift for someone (e.g. flowers, chocolate, gift certificate, calendar, statute, picture, lotto ticket) and leave it with their name, while not revealing the giver.

Visit a single friend. He or she can get pretty lonely. Their smile will be worth every minute spent!

Donate your time to charitable causes (e.g. Special Olympics, Cancer Runs, Church outreaches, retirement and convalescent homes, children's hospitals)

Quote: There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.
--John Andrew Holmes

POSITIVE QUOTES

Even if it's a little thing, do something for those
who have need of help, something for which you
get no pay but the privilege of doing it.
-- Albert Schweitzer



Find out how much God has given you and from it
take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.
--Saint Augustine



To feel sorry for the needy is not the mark of a
Christian -- to help them is.
--Frank A. Clark


It was only a sunny smile,
and little it cost in the giving.
But like morning light, it scattered
the night,
and made the day worth living.
--Anon

Those who fear the Lord do not disobey His words,
and those who love Him keep His ways.
Those who fear the Lord seek to please Him,
and those who love Him are filled with His law.
Those who fear the Lord prepare their hearts,
and humble themselves before Him.
Let us fall into the hands of the Lord,
but not into the hands of mortals;
for equal to His majesty is His mercy,
and equal to His name are His works.
Sirach 2.15-18

It is my joy to be pleasing to God and to serve His people. I will continue with my studies and writings and look forward to sharing in the hope of the world as we wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I praise you for your growing faith, time, support and trust in God.

Sincerely,

Cecilia Holling

Three Degrees of Mercy

The Lord commands us to exercise the three degrees of mercy. The first: the act of mercy, of whatever kind. The second: the word of mercy – if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words. The third: prayer – if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer. Oh, my Jesus, transform me into Yourself for You can do all things. Diary of Sister Faustina, (163).
You have the power to make a difference! May God bless you abundantly as you become a blessing to others. Yours in Christ,