Nightmares and Missing Childhood

Have you ever had a nightmare?


Ever had a nightmare that changed the course of your day or actions?   I have.  The wicked dream came about 8 years ago and I can recall it vividly.  The scene was this:  the sky was gray and cloudy as I stood by the busy four-lane highway near my hometown.  I knew the road, could see the familiar intersection about 100 yards away from where I stood.  And there, beside the cold hard road were my small children, at 3 and 7 years old.  They were hand in hand, with their backs to me, walking slowly away, on the shoulder of that busy roadway.  I was fear-stricken, screaming at them to come to me!  But they never turned around, never gave any indication that they could hear me at all.  I felt panicked because I couldn't move to shield them from harm... it was awful, just watching them go.  I woke from that awful scene with a start, breathing heavy and feeling my heart race.

Photo found on flickr, by TTVo

It was a nightmare with purpose.  I know this because it brought an awakening to me, making me realize that I was not being fully present for my children.  Disengaging from them in favor of 'me time'.


I was spending too much time and energy online, having discovered what I thought was an antidote for being a lonely stay-at-home mom, seeking intellectual stimulation via Christian message/debate forums.   It was easy to justify this because, after all, I was studying God's Word and meeting new christian friends.  But it wasn't balanced and I know I made mistakes during those early years with my eyes fixed upon a screen while my children needed my attention.  Reading this post today, How to Miss A Childhood, brought me round immediately to sharing this with you.


Please take heed.  If any of you out there know more about your friends' facebook status than what your child discovered or accomplished today, unplug.  You'll never get these years back.  Examine, too, what your justifications are.  Is x really more important than nurturing your gift from God?  Our children are treasures that come with an awesome responsibility.  They're looking to you for guidance, for companionship, protection and love.  Don't sacrifice that.... for anything.

Disfiguring the Beauty of My Mind

Very soon most of my Christian friends will be celebrating Easter, our Risen Savior and all that is renewing and hopeful about this time of year.  For us Orthodox Christians, our Lenten journey goes a bit further, since we celebrate the glory of Christ’s Resurrection a week from Sunday, on April 15th.   

This year, as in years past, I have read portions of The Canon of St. Andrew to accompany my walk through Great Lent.  Some of the pages are worn and dog-eared, marking the passages that strike a chord deep within.  A few of these I’m sharing here because maybe they’ll touch you, too.  These portions may be even more meaningful to me now since I’m also reading Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives about the life and teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica:

I have cared only for the outward adornment, and neglected that which is within--the tabernacle fashioned by God.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

With my lustful desires I have formed within myself the deformity of the passions and disfigured the beauty of my mind.   

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

I have discolored with the passions the first beauty of the image, O Savior.  But seek me, as once Thou hast sought the lost coin, and find me.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Melancholy, by Alphonse Mucha

Such a poignant reminder of how beautifully we are created in the image of God and the extent to which sin disfigures us.  It’s so easy to read and so difficult to recognize the battlefield of the mind.  To be fully aware that our thoughts have origin and that we can choose which thoughts to entertain and which ones to discard immediately.  How often do I jump on that worn-out path of negative thinking only to see it materialize in disharmony around me.  

If I wish for peace, contentment and fellowship with those about me, it begins by shutting the door of my tabernacle to sinful thoughts --  the sugar-coated ones that encourage pride, anger, jealousy, revenge and greed.  Only when that door is barred against the snares our enemy sets before us can peace, understanding and love make entry.

I wish all of you a blessed Easter;  May God hold you in the palm of His hand, granting you strength & victory on that internal battlefield.

Grief, Brokenness, and... Parades?

In the days since Izzy’s passing to heaven, our lives have been overwhelmed with blessings!  Yes, you read that right.  Our friend, Joe Quigley, the founder of Timmy’s Fund, told us those weeks ago:  Get ready and hold on, because the blessings are gonna flow!  He was spot on.

It happens every day that someone will tell me, or other family member, what an inspiration Izzy’s life has been to them, or that they were moved toward God at her service.  On some days I’ve melted into tears to witness the hand of God at work, being moved beyond words in knowing that our amazing God uses broken vessels to proclaim His perfect glory!   Some time ago, a friend wrote an insightful post titled, How deep the wound -- how much deeper the healing, and I’ve come to embrace this phrase and Truth wholeheartedly.  There is so much I have to say on the topic of pain and joy, but I’ll save that for next time.  For now, I want to share a very joyful moment or two.

The photos below depict just one of those abundant blessings:  Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School wanted to do something special for my sister and family.  They gathered the students outdoors on a brisk spring day to release pink and purple balloons in memory of Izzy and to present a loving gift:  an adorable dogwood tree for the McManaway family to plant in their yard.  I love trees as gifts because they continue to bless others as they grow.  They provide not just the memory of that love shared, but cool shade on hot summer days (perfect for selling lemonade under!), fun in climbing sturdy limbs and in the case of dogwoods in particular, the joy in watching birds nest among the leaves and dine on their autumn berries.  Yes, a delightful gift indeed.  Our heartfelt thanks to all those at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School.

Releasing balloons at the school

Sis, giving and receiving hugs from the students

My sister,  ...a beautiful woman of God

Jenny with the new dogwood tree

Kind people ask how my sister, Jenny, and her family are doing.  They’re doing all right, they really are.  Everyone experiences and works through grief differently and I admire how my sister and brother-in-law take each day at a time,  allowing themselves time to be alone as well as embracing their friends and meeting life head-on.

They’ve been working in the yard, going to birthday parties and events at school,... then there’s softball and homework and the thoroughly enjoyable parade we held in front of their house yesterday evening.  I might show you those photos, too, if I weren’t such an incompetent smart phone user.  If you saw those pictures, you’d see my two nieces and daughter dressed in fancy attire with theater masks boasting tall feathers affixed to the top, batons and parasol in hand, all the while, pulling the youngest in a red wagon and dancing down the street.  For my own part, I followed along on my bicycle and nearly fell off from laughing so hard.  I’m in favor of having a parade at least once a week!

As always, THANK YOU for your prayers.  God hears, He answers and He sustains through His amazing grace.

To God be the glory for all things †

Abandoning Your Inheritance

Why do people, and women in particular, consume chemical laden, twisted plastic when they are given pure, refined, gold?

It’s the question I’m pondering today after reading about Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James, a first-time author and mom of two.  Apparently this new hit about bondage, sadism and masochism is flying off the bookshelves.  Reports of how this tale about sex slavery and pornography say it is adding spark to “everyone’s marriage”.  What a sham.

This book has sold 250,000 copies and flew directly to the number one spot on the NY Times bestseller list for fiction.  Interesting how the number one spot in the non-fiction section is The Vow, by Kim and Krickitt Caarpenter, don’t you think?  A book about everything twisted in sex and relationships contrasted against a tale about the virtue of love and loyalty? Hmm.  Good food for thought there.

It’s been a good reminder to me this morning that we live in such a sex-starved culture.  Yes, starved, as in completely deprived of nutrition, to the point of not recognizing that trash is being consumed, mistaken for filet mignon.  

Wake up women!

You’ve been given an inheritance of gold, of purity ...yes, of love and sex and everything this is beautiful about it.  Throw off the idea you may have that Christian love & marriage is oppressive or all about resentful servitude, or martyrdom.  You couldn’t be more wrong.  God intends the absolute BEST for you in every aspect of your life.  Even in relationships, in marriage and in the ultimate expression of love with your husband.  That bond as God intended is golden, pure, honest, beautiful, exhilarating, and completely fulfilling. It is a gift of God. Inasmuch as you can be stimulated and carried away in fantasy by images of bondage, sadism and masochism, know that you are in the firm grip of the enemy.  An enemy who seeks your destruction in every regard.   Those words and expressions of such a twisting of love and sex will NEVER be beneficial to a healthy  marriage.  Healthy marriages reach every aspect of your being, in body, mind and spirit. Healthy marriages call forth all the beauty that is within you.

Your inheritance is GOLD;  please don’t abandon it.

                                           †   †   †

*More thoughts on marriage and pornography... Memory of Eden

Good-bye to Izzy

Izabella "Izzy" Blaine McManaway

2007 ~ 2012

Isaiah 11:6  

She led many to Christ!

She is the child that made people say, “Keep Smilin’” because of her beautiful spirit and unwavering determination to live life to the fullest.  She touched and inspired thousands, as evidenced by the stacks of mail she received every day for weeks over the 2011 Christmas holiday and the continuous stream of well-wishers and visitors.  Izabella “Izzy” Blaine McManaway, of Fayetteville, WV, would have turned 5 years old on March 12, 2012.  She     passed on to the Kingdom of Heaven on February 22, 2012 after a lengthy battle with rhabdomyosarcoma.

She would not wish you sadness, but rather to celebrate her brief, yet fulfilled life.  Remember her words, just a day after surgery to amputate her left leg: “If I cry and don’t smile, then the devil will be happy.  So I’m gonna smile.”  Izzy would want you to remember her smile and laughter and how beautiful she looked in her cheerleading uniform as she cheered for the Pirates at Fayetteville and the Patriots at Mt. View Christian School.  She would want you to know how it pleased her to paint the toenails on her artificial foot and how she learned to ride her bicycle with her new leg; how she never gave up the enjoyment of life just because of cancer.

Izzy leaves behind a strong and faithful family: her loving parents, Corey & Jenny McManaway and her two beloved older sisters, Zavery and Zoe McManaway;  Great-grandparents, Nancy Barnett of Middlesboro, KY and Hazel Hannigan of Oak Hill, WV. Grandparents, Terry & Connie McManaway of Oak Hill, WV and Dale & Linda Clonch of Fayetteville, WV, as well as many cousins, aunts and uncles who adore her.  Izzy says good-bye to two special friends, Kerrisyn Feazell and Trace Crumb, and the loving church family at Fayetteville Baptist.  She also leaves behind 3 faithful pets, two dogs and a kitten who rarely left her side:  Charlie the Faithful Protector, Trixie the Clown and Smokey the Curious.  Perhaps she will greet another favorite in heaven, her Aunt Amy’s horse, Jack, whom she loved to visit at the farm.  

Izzy would like for you to know of the things she loved most in this life, aside from her parents and sisters.  Things like 4-wheelin’ with her cousin, Ben, jumping on the trampoline with numerous friends, playing with her baby doll, Elizabeth Sally, listening to Justin Bieber’s music, swimming at her grandparent’s pool and having popsicles in the warm sunshine afterwards.   She loved shopping, especially for purses and carried all the essentials in them. You know, like full sized liquid hand soap, lotions with sparkle, hand sanitizer in various scents, lip balms of every color and crayons.  She was always ready to go to Crossroads Mall to get a cookie from the Great American Cookie Co. or to Wal Mart to greet most of Fayetteville. 

Izzy endeared many people to her through her gorgeous smile, her faithfulness to God, and her zest for life.  Although very young, she was a spiritual giant and prayed often and at length for other friends and family right up until the end.  Through her struggle, many souls have come to know Christ, as this was her purpose on earth. (Is 11:6) Her time with us may have ended but her life is not over because Christ has defeated death and love is eternal.  She completed her earthly purpose in just under five short years.  May we all take heed of St. Matthew 18:3 that implores us to become like little children in our faith and relationship with Christ so that we shall see the Kingdom of God, for that is where this beautiful child now resides.

Special services to celebrate her life will be held at Grace Baptist Church in Fayetteville, WV beginning at 11:00 am, ceremony begins at 1:00 pm. on Monday, February 27, 2012.  Private graveside services will be held at a later time.  To help celebrate her beautiful life, think about wearing her favorite colors, pink and purple, to the service.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to Timmy’s Fund, a nonprofit organization that helps families with children at WVU Children's Hospital.  Timmy's Fund has been very instrumental in supporting the McManaway Family not only financially, but emotionally and spiritually as well;  thank you Joe & Tara Quigley:  www.timmysfund.org 

Dodd-Payne-Hess Funeral Home is handling all arrangements and online condolences may be left here or at www.doddpaynehessfuneralhome.com 

A special thank you to Dr. Paul and the wonderful team of physicians and nurses at WVU Children’s Hospital who demonstrated skill and professionalism and even more importantly, generosity, patience, understanding and genuine love.  This team of healthcare providers went above and beyond the call and they are most appreciated.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for Izzy and expressed your concern in numerous ways; by your prayers God continues to sustain Izzy’s family with grace and peace that passes all understanding.  

Kudos to Kylie!

I now have one more name to add to the short list: Kylie Bisutti.  In case you missed it, this beautiful young lady is even more gorgeous on the inside:  a woman standing in an international spotlight choosing to go against the stream and glorify God.  She has relinquished her contract with Victoria’s Secret because her career in modeling lingerie clashes with her Christian convictions to honor her husband with her body.  In at least one interview, she cited a poignant encounter with her 8 year old cousin as a turning point.  Kylie said her little cousin was watching her put on make-up and fix her hair one day and was admiring her.  The little one then remarked, "I think I'll stop eating so I can look like you.." and it broke Kylie's heart because she didn't want her little cousin to think this was the way to be beautiful.

God’s blessings to you, Kylie.  By the enormous strength you’re displaying, you will be influencing MORE young ladies to seek true beauty and worth in God’s sight.  What you’re doing now takes more guts, more hard work and endurance than winning that lucrative contract to wear the wings.

Case in point, dealing with this chaff: The Blemish. This anonymous writer for the Blemish is a prime example of a priest of the church of secular humanism.  Out of one side of his mouth, these liberal types will praise the famous who, under fire, will ‘buck the norm’ and come out about their homosexuality, and out of the other side, will tar and feather someone like Kylie for ‘bucking the norm’ for taking an unpopular stance because of Christ.   Your article embodies the hypocrisy of your ilk, being willing to consume women as a commodity for your insatiable pleasure.   I’d say, deep down, far removed from any news or web print, you men would be overwhelmed and humbled to experience the kind of devotion, love and honor that Kylie is showing to her husband in front of the world.

Kylie, may God grant you & your husband many, many joyful years.  You are an inspiration to millions!

  

Praying to the Saints

Since I’m thinking of St. Kendeas today, it’s probably a good time to share some thoughts on another Orthodox practice that leaves Protestants scratching their heads.  Why do they do that?  Don’t they know we can speak directly to God without going through any intercessors?

Well, yes, we do know that.  We pray to God directly all the time:  Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner... among other prayers.  Like Protestants, we also ask our church family, friends, or other christians to remember our loved ones in prayer circles.  Why do we ALL do that?  Why do we ask others to pray for us if we alone can speak directly to God?   1 Timothy 2 speaks to this.  St. Paul urges that “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Jesus Christ.”  

Just as we ask our loved ones on earth to pray for us, so too, do we ask the prayers of the saints, who are alive in Christ, members of the Church Triumphant (2 Corinthians 5:8 says when we are absent in the body, we are then present with the Lord.)  Death is no defeat for the Christian! Why would Christians stop praying for one another because they have crossed over to the Kingdom of Heaven?  Jesus is there interceding for us (Romans 8:34) and Revelation 5 tells us of the prayers of the saints in heaven.  

It’s really as simple as that.  

Back to St. Kendeas.  He is a little known saint from the small island of Cyprus, although that may be changing in America thanks to Chrissi Hart.  She is the author of Under the Grapevine:  A Miracle by Saint Kendeas of Cyprus.   In her book, she recounts the true story of how her grandmother was helped and healed by God through this Wonder-Working Saint.  It is a beautiful story and I encourage you to add this title to your bookshelf.  My children love the story and so do I.    I think of St. Kendeas and ask his prayers for my niece because I know he has care for the little ones, for those who are ill and love Jesus Christ.  

Icon of St. Kendeas, Wonder-Working Saint of Cyprus
(lived between the 7th and 10th century)

Troparion (a special hymn composed for this saint on his feast day - Oct. 6)

Having hallowed through struggles the Jordan wilderness and the island of Cyprus,  You shone out upon all through remarkable battles as a fixed star.  

Therefore, having seen the fullness of your wonders, O God-bearing Kendeas, we lift our voices:  

Glory to You, O Christ, through him who extols.  

Glory to You through him who magnifies.  

Glory to the One who through you heals illnesses for all.

A Blessed St. Brigid's Day to you!

St. Brigid is my patron and I've made quite a few entries about her and her cross made of rushes, as seen in the icon at left.  You can check the links listed at the bottom of this entry, on the sidebar, or type in "St. Brigid" in the search bar at upper left.   Typically the children and I weave these crosses out of pipe cleaners and share them, but this year there's no time.  Too many school projects due at week's end and we've been nursing colds and sore throats as well.  Here is a link to my favorite icon of St. Brigid,  one of several in our home.  I'll be cooking our traditional menu to celebrate this 5th century Celtic saint this evening:  Boxty pancakes, Spring Herb Quiche and Beacan Bruith with black Irish tea.  May your table be blessed with plenty and may generosity overtake your heart! 

Why I Gave Up Being Pope

The short answer is:  it leads to chaos and I’m searching for peace and strength.  For the longer reply, read on.

Recently a video titled "Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus" made the rounds in my circle of Facebook peeps and then a reply by my friend, Fr. Andrew, came down the pike and the comments and feedback exploded. See the video and Fr. Andrew's reply here.

Wow!  Many a feather are ruffled when it comes to talk about Jesus and “organized religion”.  The creator of the video, Jefferson Bethke, laments the disparity he sees between the two, in popular rap style which apparently made thousands swoon.  I might be content to let sleeping dogs lie on this one if it weren’t for the fact that I’m gearing up to write posts bridging the gap, albeit simply, between Protestantism and Orthodoxy.  The fact is, the friction illustrated by the video and subsequent response in blog posts and comments is a perfect starting point for my next series.

Why do so many see Jesus Christ as opposed to “organized religion”?  Why are some content to leave all that church stuff behind and forge onward with Jesus in one hand and the Bible in the other?  God has given me intellect, you might say, and that is enough to read and apply His Word to my life.  It’s just me ‘n Jesus and that’s all I really need.

Except for the fact there’s always that niggling little thing in Scripture that’s not quite understood...not quite clear.  And so, we’ll seek either one of several paths:  read commentaries to gain understanding, ask a pastor or other trusted, knowledgeable individual, or maybe peruse other verses believing that all Scripture is interpreted by other Scripture. Oh, I nearly forgot that other path:  toss it out.

That’s the jewel, or the abyss depending on your perspective, of American Protestantism and it’s one of the major reasons why I left the Protestant realm and found a hospital for my soul in the Orthodox Church.

Let me explain that a little further.  If you’re a serious student of God’s Word and honest, you’ll know that all things written there are not crystal clear.  Some verses need explaining, require context and an understanding of the language. Inevitably, there needs to be something else with which to understand Scripture.  Otherwise the Ethiopian eunuch would not have asked for understanding of the Scripture he read (Acts 8:26-40). When you take in the landscape of American christian organizations you can see the essence of this Scriptural conundrum;  we have literally thousands of Protestant denominations.  Why?  Because each leader of each congregation says, essentially, “I have the answers.  I have the proper interpretation and understanding of Scripture.  I have the Holy Spirit that leads me into understanding.  I am Pope;  I get to decide.”  You see where I’m going with this?  If all these pastors have the “correct” lens with which to view Scripture, how can they all be TRUE?  Is the Holy Spirit divided?  And what happens when my church has a division?  How do I know which leader’s viewpoint and congregation is the one to follow?  aagghh... it’s up to me to arbitrate Truth; that’s so much pressure!

For many years I followed a variety of those aforementioned paths when I encountered something from the Bible I didn’t quite understand. Or, more importantly, I sought for wisdom when my own denomination (American Baptist) was taking a turn in the theology they had held since their inception.  If Jesus Christ is unchanging, (Hebrews 13:8), how can the teachings of Christ change?  Our culture evolves but Christ does not.  Praise God!  he is the same yesterday, today and forever...It is only in this way that we have a foundation at all; Truth is what holds the world.

When I discovered that this church - this body of believers- existed who held onto Truth since the day of the apostles, who held onto the traditions of the faith, whether by word or epistle (2 Thess. 2:15), I knew I was home.  After a tiring journey of much debate, theological posturing and apathy, it felt good to rest in the arms of the Church.  I am not the arbitrator of Truth.  Truth IS,  whether I acknowledge it or not... just as the world is round whether people living on it recognize it or not.  It’s unchanging and fixed.  Hallelujah! I don’t have to be Pope!

Now FreeThinkers invariably say, ‘Fine.  You’ve simply forfeited your right to think for yourself by resting in those boundaries set forth by the Church.’  I disagree.  I see it more like using my freethinking- freewill - abilities to craft a raft with which to abandon survival mode and float down the river toward civilization.  I have found that Rock that informs and nourishes my entire being.

What I find humorous about the atheists and agnostics is the fact that they refuse to ask certain questions.  But of course, they have to, in order to maintain the finesse of their lightweight paradigm.  A paradigm that never investigates its own foundation because they know it’s detrimental to do so.  Asking about origins is fruitless to them who have a great faith in the things that are; exonerating the leaf to be free of the tree.  Origins don’t matter to those whose existence is based upon reason, logic and empirical proofs.  It’s really not so humorous, but rather sad.  I think people who hail free thinking often have ailing spirits, as they are rarely nourished.  How can one nurture what they don’t know to exist?

Church as Hospital

In the video by Bethke, he says that church should be a hospital and I agree.  I take it from his angry approach, however, that he didn’t experience it this way.  How dismal and misguided is it to say you love the Bridegroom but hate the Bride?

When I began attending the Orthodox Church in 2004, it was, in every instance, a hospital for my soul.  A non-Orthodox person once described an Orthodox worship service as “listening to the sounds of God”  and I can relate to that.  The sounds you hear in an Orthodox service are otherworldly... the English and Arabic chanting, the bells, the censor, the prayers of the people, the out-of-view choir all add a beautiful dimension to worshipping God.  

It’s a mystery how God ministered to my soul during those early years in the Orthodox Church.  I might say it was in the lighting of candles or smelling that heavenly incense...or the kindness of an elderly gentleman who shared his antidoron (blessed bread) with me during a particularly deep valley in my life.  Maybe it was the homily and hearing the words of God being read...maybe it was the reality of what ‘sacred’ truly means.  Maybe it was the beauty and thoughtfulness provoked by the numerous icons.  I can more easily define what it wasn’t.

It was not the friendliness or the social aspect of church at all; indeed, I deliberately avoided this.  It wasn’t the books I read from the church library or the sweets offered at coffee hour or the numerous children’s programs and opportunities.  No, it was none of that.  It was something intangible, yet profoundly palpable because my soul experienced healing through Divine Liturgy at the Orthodox Church. A peace and stability was evident there. Worship through all my senses was present there.  Worship with my mind, body and spirit was present there...

God touched me and lifted my spirit through Orthodox worship...it really was -and is- as simple as that.

Praise Him who bestows grace upon His unworthy servants!

Lesson on Love and Letting Go

Hand woven crosses in our prayer corner

Fr. David, in his final podcast from Afghanistan, enunciated clearly something I’ve thought of writing about for some time:  lessons on love and letting go.   It’s been a painful life lesson, but a necessary one in my spiritual growth and so, I’m thankful for it.  Perhaps now that some time has passed and my perspective is better, it’s worth sharing.

I have learned, in a very intense way, over the past 5 years that I do not love others as I should.  Christ tells us to love others as ourself and to even love our enemies.  But what does that mean exactly?  How easy it is to love those who love us back... and how difficult is it to love those who do not love us in return.  I am speaking of relationships and friendships in particular.  I’m talking about how good it is to share our life with one we trust and confide in, the joy that comes with being understood and nurtured by others’ words and actions.  And the pain that comes when all that ends...abruptly and without explanation.    Maybe you’ve been there. 

Listening to Fr. David this morning and analyzing the events in my own life, I feel as though this lesson has come full circle for me.  I pray it’s one I don’t forget and choose rather to learn from it and grow because of the wisdom within.   In my experience, I learned that I was loving other people, but with strings attached.  I wanted something in return, I wanted to have my needs met, too.  My need for companionship and being heard.  And when they weren’t, I felt hurt and disappointed...and even angry.  And it made me question the motives of my heart: Did I really love and care about this person at all?  Or was it a purely selfish relationship?  Caring just enough so that my own needs were met?

I realized that our feelings can be deceptive and that sometimes God crosses our paths with others for a very specific purpose.  If we have our eyes fixed upon that, upon Him, then we are less deceived by the ever changing currents of our hearts.   When we truly love another person, as Christ intends, there are no strings attached.  It’s selfless and kind...generous and peaceable....expecting nothing in return.  How many of us truly love like that?  I want to love like that...but I know it’s attainable only by the grace of God.  I’m not equipped for it, as I am a very weak vessel.  Through Christ, though, all things are possible.  I have realized the peace that comes on the other side of pain, the clarity that comes with wisdom and of love born from the eternal source of love, Christ Jesus our God.

This lesson, too, has deepened my love for the Prayer of St. Francis, whereby I am encouraged to seek to console rather than being consoled, to understand rather than to be understood.  It’s complete selflessness.  It's loving fully, but lightly...being willing to share and give and comfort and then let go.  It’s having your cup filled with the grace of God so that you have something to give another, not wanting nor expecting anything in return.  

Izzy's Christmas

Keep on Smilin'!
Izzy, Christmas 2011

What a fun time we all had this past Christmas!  Thanks to ALL of you out there across the globe who took the time to send a happy Christmas greeting to Izzy and her family!  As you may have read here previously, Izzy never actually made a request for a million Christmas cards, but she has enjoyed receiving them nonetheless.  We didn’t make an official count, but the cards came in by the thousands.  Our family divided them up between 3 households in order to open them all before Valentine’s Day.

Izzy especially loved the ones that had an animal on the card and we all enjoyed the handmade creations, ornaments, bracelets and other crafts.  A lady sent in one with a photo of her pet duck and her story and this made Izzy smile BIG : D  Other folks drew pictures or made puzzles for Izzy, sent coloring sheets and cards that played music...some sent money or gift cards or candy...the list of colorful creations and warm wishes seems almost endless!  

hand drawn creation

handmade card

Many schools sent stacks of cards and I was touched by the sentiments expressed by children.  Reading through those leaves no doubt as to why Christ says we must become as children or we’ll never enter heaven.  The faith and joy revealed through their words is incredibly uplifting and I know we’ll read these again and again through the years.    Of the relatively small portion of cards that my mom went through, over 20 states were represented as well as numerous countries, including Germany, Ireland, Korea, France, Israel, Afghanistan and Thailand.  She received warm wishes from a few famous people too, such as our former governor, now US Senator, Joe Manchin, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Justin Beiber and several women vying for Miss USA.   

Thanks again, for taking the time to bring cheer not only to Izzy, but the entire family. 

Izzy and her Uncle Will putting make-up on her doll

Izzy with her big sister on Christmas Eve 2011

Smokey...the new kitten at Izzy's house

In other news, our family celebrated Christmas like always, with a large gathering including lots of food, toys and laughter.  Even though I was disappointed not to have a white Christmas, the mild weather did allow us to visit the ice arena where Izzy put on ice skates for the first time....

Izzy at the ice arena over Christmas holiday 2011 

There’s nothing this kid can’t do ; ‘ )  

As always, we ask for your prayers above all else and wish everyone a very happy and healthy 2012!

Glory to God for all things †