New Year, Old Crayons

Recently, I was helping clean out my grandmother's house. She passed away in 1995 and my uncle was living there until he passed last August. It's been about 16 years since I've spent any time in her house and being there for 3 days of cleaning, brought back a flood of memories. I spent many wonderful days and nights at her house as a child...doing as I pleased, because she let me do anything that wasn't too destructive and a few things that were!! She would let me sew all her washcloths together to make little purses, just for fun; and I suppose, she spent several minutes cutting them apart when I left. I was always welcome to make and create anything in her kitchen and one of the strongest memories is the aroma of her cooking. I miss her and my papa so much and being in their house without them, felt so sad. I found little evidence of my time there, except for a closet door with my autograph, and a box of crayons. The autograph was done with a marks-a-lot permanent marker, from which she saved me from an old-fashioned whoopin' from my mother! The box of crayons had long been forgotten, in a drawer in my papa's dresser. Seeing the crayons brought me back to my childhood immediately. I knew the box had last been touched by me, probably about 35 years ago. Crayola Crayons, in a little box, wrappers still intact. I inspected the crayons for wear and found that the colors I'm most fond of now, were the ones with the most wear. Purple, Green, Blue, and Red...they didn't have fancy names back then. Purple reminding me of family loyalty, and how the days of closeknit families are all but history. Green, reminding me of the once green pastures that surrounded her house and how the cattle would be grazing at dusk. Blue, to remind me of how I'm feeling as I clean out a lifetime of memories, and Red, that reminds me of our love for each other, and how nothing can take that from me! I so wish, I could spruce up that little house and bring it back to life and have my children experience those special times, when granny was in the kitchen and papa was in the yard, but I'll hold those moments, and that place in time, in my heart forever. As this new year begins, let's keep our families close and make special memories to treasure. So, here's to a box of crayons and my granny and papa! God bless us in 2012!

Keep on Dancing!!

Lady with a Baby...Make Room!

Once, there was a young lady with a baby and that baby was born in a barn in Bethlehem. Sometimes, it's hard to relate to a story that's so far removed from this day and time, but we have to remember that God isn't bound by time. So, we can think of that young lady as a weary traveler today, looking for a place to lay her head and deliver her young child. And we can think of that dirty barn as our heart. A place that's not perfect, but one that will give shelter. We're not always at our best and don't always do the right thing, but God can still find a place to rest in us. If we only open the door to our hearts, that sweet baby, our Savior can be born in us. I'm sure on that night over 2,000 years ago, the sounds of his cries and the warmth of the animal witnesses, made that barn come to life. He can do the same thing for you!! Let Jesus be born in your heart this Christmas and you can be filled with his grace forever!

Jesus, as we await your birth, may you prepare our heart's to receive and welcome you. Amen

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The 24 Hour Prayer

Being a Catholic Christian provides for such a wonderful and rich prayer life. We have so many varied ways to pray. We have all the rote prayers we've learned as a child, like The Lord's Prayer, which we affectionately call the Our Father, and the Hail Mary among many others. We have the beautiful meditation of the rosary, in which we join our Blessed Mother Mary, in recalling the life of Christ. We also have the spirit-driven, spontaneous prayer, in which I'm very fond. And of course, our ultimate prayer, is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, our highest form of worship. I feel so blessed to have so many opportunities to engage with our Heavenly Father.
One thing that often bothered me, was how to pray for family and friends in need. In my younger days, I would often agree to pray for someone and then soon forget, as I hurried through my day. I often felt like Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty, when he was listening to all the prayer requests in his head. As I matured in my prayer life, I started keeping a record of those who had asked for prayer and family members I knew were in need. I still keep that same prayer list today and refer to it several times a week and sometimes on a daily basis. But, with even more maturity, I've come to realize that my whole day, all 24 hours, is a prayer in itself. When this dawned on me, it was such a beautiful revelation from God. I like to think of it as The 24 Hour Prayer. It works so well, especially for a busy life, and I know most people are very busy. I can usually remember my morning and evening prayer without to much effort, but if my day is really busy, it's hard to squeeze in prayer time. Once your start the 24 Hour Prayer, it gets easier and easier and the Holy Spirit will prompt you with thoughts of those in need. The Lord will work with you, not against you. I may be driving to work and someone comes to mind and I'm able to quickly give a word of prayer for them, or I may be typing at my desk and remember to lift a prayer for a friend in need. When discussing the economic and job climate with a co-worker, I find myself quietly thanking God for my job. I've even prayed in the bathroom. Hey, you have to make use of your quiet time! When you don't have 30 minutes during the day to pray for all your family and friends at one time, you give over to your harried, fast-paced, day and incorporate these prayers throughout the day. I've found this 24 Hour Prayer very rewarding and less stressful. I'm sure as time passes, the Lord will reveal more ways that I can spend time with Him. I enourage you to try this method and see if it works in your life. And don't forget about yourself...God loves you and wants to hear your needs and praises of thanks too!

Keep on Dancing!!

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9/11 Revelation

After watching so many specials, and documentaries on 9/11 over the past few days, I was amazed by the international aspect of the city and the rebuilding process. I've always known that New York was a city of immigrants, but seeing the different and unusual names on the memorial was so beautiful and inspiring. I also watched a special about the reconstruction at the site over the past 10 years. As they featured certain members of the rebuilding team, from designers to welders, I was intrigued by the names of those involved. They were, Italian, Irish, Hispanic, Middle-Eastern, Asian, and Native American; a multicultural team, all working for one purpose. I asked myself one question; if all these different people can get along and live together in one country, or one city, why can't the world get along? All these people have one thing in common, they are Americans. We're a civilized nation, with a civilized government. Our ideals can be found in our Declaration, our Preamble, our Pledge, and our Constitution. Beautiful words that unite us as a people...One nation, Under God. Even in this upcoming election year, with people choosing sides, we can still have a civil discourse. We should be so proud to be Americans. We should be proud to live in this beautiful, civil, and free society. The greatest, idealistic, experiment ever undertaken. We are a republic!! This "war" with the world is a battle for freedom, and a battle between the civilized world and the uncivilized world. Every person or group of people that have ever attacked America, can be found to be uncivilized in some way. Their countries, their backgrounds, their families have been uncivilized, dysfunctional, immoral, and corrupt. Let us pray for a world where civilized people can come together to work out their differences and compromise for the sake of peace. The way I see it, if New York can do it, the world can too! God bless America!

Keep on Dancing!!

Feast of the Blessed Trinity-A Father's Day Prayer

Today is the Feast of the Blessed Trinity and it happens to also be Father's Day in the United States. It's fitting, that both celebrations fall on the same day. When I think of the word Father, Dad, or Daddy, so many things come to mind. Of course, there's the perfect father, but I think if we asked our earthly fathers if they were perfect, many would say they were far from it. Father is a word that can mean many different things for many people. If your father was absent or was never there for you, it can bring up feelings of sadness, anger, or disappointment. The feeling of what could have been, can be so painful. If your father tried to be the perfect husband and dad, then your memories may bring a smile to your face. Then, there are the many fathers in between, who just try to do their best everyday to provide for their children and families. No, most of our fathers aren't perfect, but most of them love us. They worry, and struggle with how they're going to take care of us and teach us all the things we need to know about life. They try to find their place in the family, and sometimes get lost behind mothers. They're in charge of the yucky stuff, like killing spiders and repairing the toliet. Sometimes they're the stern disciplinarian, and at other times, they're the place we land in times of trouble. They teach us about sports, but also learn how to tie bows. Being a father can be tough sometimes!! And if, we're truly blessed, then our earthly fathers take pride in modeling their lives after our Heavenly Father. When I think of the Blessed Trinity, I think of this beautiful mystery, 3 persons in 1 God. This is a truth that requires deep faith and a sense of wonder. Many fathers today could use the guidance of the Blessed Trinity to deepen their relationship with their children. Like the Heavenly Father, they've given us life and take pride in our accomplishments, but also discipline us and teach us when neccessary. Like the Son, they're there to save us and teach us how to treat others; and like the Spirit, they're there to guide us and lead us in the right direction. I would like to thank my earthly father for giving me life and being there for me, and while our path hasn't always been perfect or easy, I know he loves me. Thanks to my father-in-law, who gave me a wonderful husband and has always been kind to me. And my Godfather, who has loved me and my children as his own. And to my husband, who is a loving and caring father, who works long hours to provide for his family, and tries to be a good example to his children. I pray that the Blessed Trinity might protect and guide all fathers in every way.

Keep on Dancing!!

We're Making History, Today!

Last night I had the privilege and honor of attending a leadership program for high school students with my son. The venue was the historic and famous 16th St. Baptist Church in downtown Birmingham, AL. The church was the site of a bombing in September of 1963, in which 4 young girls lost their lives in the battle for justice and equality. I've always wanted to visit the church, especially after visiting the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and seeing the Spike Lee documentary, 4 Little Girls. The church was also the site for organizational gatherings by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. This beautiful church did not disappoint. I was so excited to be there and could feel the presence of so many who've gathered within it's walls. The pulpit, the pews, the lights, and the windows sent chills upon me and made the hair on my arm stand at attention. This church demands to be noticed.

The leadership talk for the evening was given by Birmingham legend, Dr. Odessa Woolfolk. She is primarily an educator, but has garnered numerous titles and awards, locally, nationally, and internationally. She was also the drivng force and first director of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. She spoke about developing leadership and her speaking style was dynamic, informative, and concise. She was very inspiring and lifted my spirit. She told me things I've heard before, but her eloquence was motivating. Her words were just what I needed to hear, to fulfill the many goals on my agenda this year.

Here's a few things I learned:
The qualities of a leader are, courage, self-confidence, but not arrogance, vision, energy, discipline, empathy, patience, quick-thinking, a belief in others, and the ability to communicate.

She said, leaders don't just grow up saying, "I want to be a great leader", they develop and hone their skills and talents. When a certain situation arises, they step forward, when they see their skills and talents will benefit others. This is the same thing that happened to Dr. King. He didn't plan on being a great leader, but a situation brought forth the need and his talents and skills were at the ready. He had the courage to use them and changed the course of history. As we were listening to the speakers for the evening, the sound of sirens could be heard in the distance, growing ever closer as they loudly passed the church building. I couldn't help but be reminded of another day of sirens...September 15, 1963. On this day, 4 young girls didn't ask to be leaders. They didn't ask to be martyrs for a cause. They didn't ask to die. They only wanted to be girls with the same opportunities as all free people.

We're all making history, today. When we're called upon to come forward and use our talents and skills to benefit others, will we be courageous?

Keep on Dancing!!