Walking through the snow
In a winter wonderland we go
Near to our hearts are family and friends
Treetops look so pure and white
Even in the dark our hearts are light
Rudolph and Frosty we watch on T.V.
Time to slow down for time goes so fast
I really wish that I could make the moment last
Memories of joy and laughter: good times in the year
Evening sky is crystal clear

Wisdom is a gift from God perhaps it is the Holy Spirit. It leads us down the correct path and guides our steps if we would listen to wisdom and prudence. Reflection of this passage to me parallels somewhat, in the Catholic Tradition, Mary's prayer and life.

"Reflecting on these things and considering them in my heart" (v. 17) At the birth of Jesus in Luke 2: 19-20 "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart".

"Now, I was a well-favored child, and I came by a noble nature; or rather, being noble, I attained an unblemished body". (v. 19-20) By grace and the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived and Mary, herself, was immaculate (free from sin). When the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear a son, and she is troubled, he says "do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God" (Luke 1: 30-31) it is the gift of God the Holy Spirit without which this would have been impossible.

Mary "sought the Lord and prayed with all her heart" (v. 21) what we know to be the Magnificat in the Catholic Tradition. "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day, all generations will call me blessed for the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name..." (Luke 1: 46-49)

Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit. Thank you for your wisdom, prudence, and your love. We give you thanks and praise, for you have blessed us and we are "Highly Favored". Help us to be truly wise and may we always be mindful and appreciative of the gift that you have given each of us. You were and you are the spotless lamb, the unblemished sacrifice to atone for our sins and unite us to yourself once more. By your grace, Oh Lord, help us to grow in holiness that we would be ever more in communion with you and with each other. Amen.

With Great Power...

As humans we have so much potential
We are frail, sinful, and can harm our fellow man
I beg you Lord to remember that we can also do so much good
Especially when we come together under a common cause
We have such great capacity and power to do good or evil
With great power comes great responsibility
Help us please to act accordingly
Help us to use our great power wisely and for the good of others
I pray for an open and honest communication
And for productive positive debate and conversation
We bicker and argue and fight
Over who is wrong and who is right
Who is better, who is worse, who is for
Who is against; the rest, we ignore
It is an art that few remember
And fewer still can do with success
In a culture challenged in many respects
Society says we must die or conform
The old ways are gone and this is the norm

... Comes Great Responsibility

But I say we challenge our culture
We must die to ourselves and be transformed
Cling to our anchor to weather the storm
We must stand upon the firm foundation
Of our fellowship and our shared faith
And bear well the slings and arrows of life
With the armor of hope and the countenance of Grace
We have been given great power:
It is our responsibility, our duty, to share it and spread it
We were not given a spirit of timidity and fear
We were given a spirit of love and boldness and courage
Each must do their part in their way where they are and how they can
To live out the Gospel in word and deed and to show love to their fellow man
The stakes have never been higher
When not just lives, but souls, are on the line
We have the power to truly inspire
And help others to glimpse the wholly divine
For, one day, we may look upon the face of God
And walk through the streets where angels have trod

How glorious this creature you have made
Not one more precious or more fair
Made with love her skin her body and her hair
Through sin and in our fall
We have marred the divine scene our hearts are scarred
Now we look at beauty only on the surface
Fail to see what is just inside
Mind and heart within mortal flesh hide
We look now, but Lord we fail to see
The true value of this stunning beauty
There is more to her than meet the eye
A mystery in an enigma in a sigh
Thank you Lord for this special gift
The flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone
Created specially so we would not be alone
Not a thing not an object but a partner companion
To love and to cherish to have and to hold
To talk and to listen and together grow old
In your love Oh Lord grant me your sight
To look upon women in a more holy light

Won't you meet me by the tree of life
Won't you join me under its leafy boughs
Won't you sit with me in its pleasant shade
For the creatures of the earth, it does provide
Shade and shelter, food, and more beside

Won't you be with me at the cross of Christ
Won't you gaze upon his bloodstained brow
Won't you feel the weight of what love paid
It was for your sake that He bled and died
So he could welcome you with arms open wide

Won't you meet me where Heaven meets Earth
Won't you join me where they become one
Won't you come with me to the higher plane
And join me in entering the most holy place
If you look closely, you may even see His face

Won't you see with me how much you're worth
Won't you find with me all that love has done
Won't you have faith in what you can't explain
Of deep peace, true joy, and amazing grace
A sense of a strong and tender, warm embrace

So, if you'll follow, I'd like to take you
To a place beyond your wildest dreams
We all have doubts and questions too
Just be open to God's golden gleams

Sometimes what you say is hard to swallow
And there are days when it is all I can do to follow
The way you walk is never easy and rarely pleasant
And sometimes it feels like you’re not present
But through it all I know that you are there
In spite of it all you still love and still care
Lord you have the words of Spirit and Life
You spoke into the darkness and created the light
We will walk by faith; in your promises we believe
And so it is in the Eucharist that we receive
The body and blood of Christ crucified
Through this love and sacrifice, we are truly alive
Consume my heart with love for you
I feel in my heart what I know to be true
By the Sacred mystery this miracle of love
I have your life within me: Heaven’s gift from above
Lord you have the words of life eternally
You became a prisoner so I could be free
I never could repay you for this second chance
You looked at me with more than a passing glance
By your grace I live my life in a way I hope will show
The change in me and how I hope to grow
Where else could we go? To whom else could we look
Where one so great came down and in our form took
So we might see and come to understand
What it means to love and lend a hand
Can we believe in something greater than ourselves
Don the cloak of humility and put pride upon the shelves
Lord you are the way that leads us to the father
You are the shepherd and you are the potter
Lord you are the truth in a world of lies and deception
The banquet is prepared for the wedding reception
Lord you are the life that shines in me today
And though sometimes it’s hard my faith in you will stay

Lord, guide my hands to do your will. Fill my mind with your wisdom, my soul with your perfect peace, and my heart with your eternal love. Let my life and all that I do be an offering: pleasing to you and a blessing unto others. Send your Holy Spirit upon me to fill me and to seep into every fiber of my being. Help me to open myself more fully so that I might be able to listen and respond. Help me to surrender my will and my control so I can more readily serve you and my fellow man.

The Lord God is worthy to be praised
Strong and mighty for all of my days
Lifted high above the earth
He died so we could see what we're worth
Jesus friend of sinners the lost and the shamed
Jesus healer of our ills breaker of our chains
Saved us by his mighty hand
But we are sinking rapidly in shifting sand
Full of compassion and rich is his love
His kindness endures and mercy rains from above
When we are lost and confused he carries us back
In the pasture of the Lord there is nothing that we lack
Green are the fields upon which we rest
The pure spring water is simply the best
The sun rises and bathes us with light
We are precious in his sight
He guides us through the valleys by his staff and rod
In the darkness we will not fear for the shepherd is our God

Would I know You if You sat across from me on the bus?

Would I know You if I bumped into you on the street?

Would I see Your face in that of a ragged homeless man?

Would I recognize You in the teen mother taking shelter from the rain?

Could I know You in the condemned prisoner’s eyes?

Could I see You when helping someone who dropped their groceries?

Or letting someone go before me in line?

Would someone see You if I did those things?

Would Your light shine through for others to see?

The reason the world does not know You

Is because it does not know love and You are love!

Would I know you in Your many forms?

Would I take action and help You?

If I was that way would someone take the time to care?

Would I be welcoming and would they be understanding?

Lord help me to truly understand and respond appropriately to the needs of others

And may all hearts be open and welcoming as we come closer

To each other and to You.


AMEN!

If you saw all of me what would you say how would you feel
Some days it’s just a nightmare, but some days it seems all too real
I’m not as good as I’d like to be or how I might appear
If I’m not careful darkness creeps in and fills me with fear
It is a heavy thick blanket oppressing the light
It upsets me and I feel contrite

If you knew the secrets that dwell in the dark
And touched the faded scars that have made their mark
If you knew my sins and the things I’ve done wrong
Even though the difference between good and bad I’ve known all along
Could you know all of this and still choose to stay
Would it change anything would it turn you away?

There are memories I’d rather not relive
And sometimes I still find it hard to forgive
I have been at fault and I have failed before
Turned my back ran away or slammed the door
Could you go on with this knowing?
Would you still be okay if all of me was showing?

I am broken I am bruised may be down but I’m not out
While I have seen my share of troubles my spirit remains stout
My record isn’t spotless but I’ll often fight tooth and nail
My days are an adventure and my life a storied tale
I ask: when all is said and done
What will be your answer, could you be the one

I have wandered far and wide
I have shared laughter I’ve hung my head and cried
I have been in beautiful harmony and at times in discord
I have been despised sometimes and others I was adored
All this and more is part of who I am
A surprising lot in common with a little lamb

Prone to stray and get separated from the flock
Lost afraid and in trouble I find myself secured upon the rock
I know the voice of the one who leads me and who cares
He loves me still even when my soul is laid bare
Will you take me as I am and love me just the same?
This too I do for you to live as your love deserves: this will be my aim

The same hands that bear the scars
Created heaven and earth and the stars
The same brow that bore the thorns
The crown of glory now adorns
The same heart that was pierced and broken
Now beats within us, finally awoken
The same man we crucified
Has been raised and glorified
He takes us in and loves us
Gives us purpose and focus
He teaches us to learn and improve
To listen and allow the spirit to move
God can take our wounds and make it
Something holy and even sacred
So, remember the wounds and the lessons
And even broken things become blessings

This man he is writing, writing in the sand
But the what and the why, I cannot understand
They condemn me and he bends down in the dirt,
Does he even care that I'm going to be hurt?
"Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone"
I look around and not one rock has been thrown
Once more he gets down and starts to write
I can't explain it, but somehow I feel like I'll be alright
One by one they start to leave, their stones left untouched
Stopped by a man whose only response was writing in the dust.
The elders leave first, and slowly, each go home
Until it is He and I standing there all alone.
What could he write that caused them to leave?
Here was a story none could explain and few could believe
He rose, turned to me, and said:
"Where are they who would have you dead?"
"They are left. They are no longer here"
The wind came and whatever he wrote had disappeared
"They do not condemn you. Neither, my child, do I.
Go now and sin no more in the grace of the Most High"
This man has given me a new life, a second chance
The man who looks at me with such a loving glance
I know not what he wrote or why he even cared
But from a stranger's kindness, my life was spared
So here I stand this day, this very moment
To witness to the power of atonement
So let me live as his word commands
And pay the price that true love demands
The wisdom of a stranger's writings in the sand

Here we are again just me and you
Sitting here showered with a love so true
Let’s be personal it’s time we got real
Sometimes I gotta cry a little so I can heal
But you know me full and love me still
You are by my side now and you always will
You stir in my heart a new song
A melody you put on my lips
I know that here and now is where I belong
In the Eucharist where Heaven and Earth kiss
You and me we’re a miracle a thing so divine
That to me you would say “I love you and you are mine”
It’s so hard to imagine it any other way
I want you I need you a part of every day
In your presence troubles vanish and worries melt
In their stead deep joy and perfect peace are felt
This time it is personal it’s how it has to be
Because our relationship is between you and me

You are an angel sent from heaven to us
You are a gift for which we are grateful and by which we're blessed
There is a purpose a plan a place just for you
The world had a need and from the beginning God knew
The perfect time the perfect family to raise you as their own
To look back ta amazing to see how much you've grown
From the little baby girl to the young woman you are today
For all the missions throughout time and for you I dare to pray
That you would know God's providence and provision
The Lord provided us with you and now to the world given
By your love and your light to you they shall be drawn
Hold them close and take them in let them hear your heartsong
You are a gift from heaven sent down upon the earth
To show every man woman and child what a human life is worth
For this and many other reasons I think of you at night
And ask the Lord to hold you close and keep you always in his sight.

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes to see
How many great things you are doing in me
The sign of faith, the sign of peace, the sign of the cross
They all point me to a final destination
Like guideposts to give me direction
You are a sign for you have Christ within you
The work that you do, the success that you have
Jesus is the source of your many blessings
The one who gives and takes away
Be a sign for others and point the way to Him
Let your transformation be witness to the love
All the God given gifts that he meant for us to use
But whether you exercise the is for you to choose
I pray that my gifts would not so much reflect me
Not I, but Christ that lives within me
That these writings would point to God
To his love, his mercy, his goodness
You are a gift God gave to the whole human race
You have the chance to make this world a better place
"Do what is necessary, then do what is possible
And before long you will find you are doing the impossible"
Do your best let God do the rest and then don't stress it
Even in the smallest things do it with love and humility
And I promise it is something that even the blind can see
You and I are signs of God's love and faithfulness
Let them see his light reflected in your eyes
And to all who see you, bear no false disguise
You may be a miracle someone desperately needs
Be the blessed sign that points to the divine
The seeds of faith and grace
Have now been sown
Their one and only encounter with God
May have been you, with God, alone

May your lives be the Star; constant and bright
Leading others to Christ in the darkest night
May your lives be the Sign; pointing the way
Every hour, every minute, every second of the day

Amen

You are loved far beyond measure
You are the Father's greatest treasure
More beautiful than diamonds, more precious by far
In His loving eyes, you outshine the brightest star
The world rates your value with fancy graphs and charts
But God looks deeper into your very heart of hearts
He has loved you from before time ever began
He has carved you into the palm of his hand
You may be small; you may be weak or insecure
But all that He sees instead is a loving heart so pure
He sees someone He can use, someone He can build
A masterpiece in the hands of a master so skilled
He thinks the world of you: in fact, He gave you the world
Lean into the wind and fly on wings of hope unfurled
If you ever doubt my love look upon that cross which I, dying, lay
I poured out my heart, my love, my life for you that fateful day
Not even death would keep me from loving you
The only thing I ask is that you love me too
I love you for always, I love you forever
And I hope one day we will be together
But for now, just know, I am always very near
When you kneel to pray you will find me here
I am close as your heartbeat, your very next breath
My love will follow you beyond life to life eternal after death
I love you; I love you; I love you. I love you and you are mine
And by this wondrous love you will be, for the world, a living sign

You are my fortress Lord I run to you
In the shadow of your wings I am renewed
You are my shield Oh God my protector in the fight
In my deepest darkness you are most brilliant light
You are my stronghold I feel safe when you are around
I will trust in you and sing your goodness as the trumpets sound
You are my strong tower firm when I would so soon crumble
You are the safe place when lightning flashes and thunder rumbles
You are my refuge I run to you in times of desperate need
Your sacrifice took my chains so I could be freed
You are my shelter in the storms the wind and the rain
You are comfort when my life seems only pain
You are my sanctuary my place of perfect peace and rest
Help me when I struggle with knowing you know what’s best
You are my strength when I am drained and weak
You are light and hope when life is looking bleak
You are my help when I fall down and healer when I hurt
You aren’t worried about a little dirt
You are my sword my weapon against the powers of the dark
You are perfect and good and the contrast is stark
You are my King you are the ruler and I wish to serve
Give me the strength to do your will and not lose my nerve
You are my One you are my God I yearn to know you more
All this time it was you that I was really looking for
You are my life you are breath fill me with Lord with your spirit
And grant me the peace, silence, and grace to, in the silence, hear it
You are my direction the light unto my path and a lamp before me to guide
You are the way when I am lost you lead me your face from me do not hide
You are my all my everything you God make me whole
Create in me a clean heart Oh God and purify this fallen soul
You are my portion my provision and I am replete
Lost in the desert place you are my soul’s retreat
You are my redeemer my savior my and how could it be
That knowing all you do, you still would die for me
You are my friend my rock and my hope and joy and love
And for that I am grateful eternally as the Lord looks down from above

You call me to yourself, come follow and believe
Cast off your old ways and seek me with all you are
You call me to the unknown with only faith that you are there
I hear you calling in the night “Awake, sleeper; and rise”
“Here I am Lord” I say as I yawn and rub my eyes
I call you my child, I call you my sheep
I watch over always, never slumber nor sleep
I call you to go out and spread the good news
Fear not, I equip those whom I choose
Heal the sick and love the unloved
Let all people know that they are beloved
I call you by name I hold you in my hand
Have faith, and believe in what I have planned
You call me to walk, leave it all and follow you
I want to but it scares me, it’s true
Still you call me without ceasing
To surrender and by releasing
I find a peace I’ve never known before
A peace that comes only from the Lord
I call you into prayer and out to action
To learn the Spirituality of Subtraction
As I empty myself I am able to be filled
With Christ and what he has willed
The less of me the more you are
When I forget, remind me that you’re the star
You have given me everything so everything is yours
I am nothing without you: you are my everything
You gave me life and the ability to laugh and dance and sing
So for you I’ll laugh and sing and dance
To my last breath I’ll praise you at every chance
You call me for more; for a greater mission
And I could know if I would listen
“So here I am Lord, speak to me
My ears to hear and my eyes to see”

You know my thoughts before I speak
You have the answers that I seek
You know my wants and all my needs
And so, my God, hear me please.
I cannot see your plan or reason,
But in my smallness, I keep believing
You can and do use everything
So, I place at your feet my humble offering.
In your kindness, hear me Lord
In your mercy, answer my prayer.
Nothing is impossible for you
Miracles happen before my eyes
And still, your will be done Lord,
On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give me, every day, your word and your life.
Take not your spirit from me.
Sustain me in body, mind, and soul
That I may love you with all that I am.
Help me be forgiving and loving,
Help me to strive toward
The love and forgiveness I first was shown.
You know me and love me completely
Oh, perfect love in one Holy Trinity.
Through Your Mother; Channel of Grace
Who knows best what needs we face
I place this prayer in her Holy Hands
To distribute Grace as your will commands.
Now, I resolve to surrender to your will
To do what I ought and simply be still.

Amen

You Lead Me Still

When the sun is at my front and the wind at my back
When all is calm and lovely and there is nothing that I lack
When we treat each other with love and respect
Everyone is care for and there is no more neglect

You led me then you lead me still
Lord lead me now somehow I know you will
Live in me and give me the grace I need for the mission
Lord warm me conform me open my ears to listen

When the enemy surrounds me and my back's against the wall
I place my trust in you I don't have to fear at all
When the storms are raging and I'm blinded by the spray
I think of you and find the strength to say

You led me then you lead me still
Lord lead me now somehow I know you will
Lord take me remake me help me speak what's true
Lord grow me and show me how to point to you

I'm standing on the front lines in a holy battleground
A war for the heart of man with victims all around
It rages always without end both day and night
In the darkness all I am is a small ray of light

You led me then you lead me still
Lord lead me now somehow I know you will
Lord hold me enfold me keep me safe from harm
Lord send me defend me hold me in your arms

Throughout my life you were always leading me
All of this seems very clear to see
In sun and rain in joy and pain you were always right beside
Your word is a lamp to my feet and on the path you guide

So Lord right now please hear my prayer
You know I am earnest, my soul is laid bare:
You led me then you lead me still
Lord lead me now somehow I know you will

Your love is a song and you sing it over me
A rich and full harmony, a simple sweet melody
Beautiful and haunting at turns trembling and enthralled
Something deep inside answers as if called

Your love is a flowing complex dance
Inviting me into a divine romance
It moves and draws me and I’m carried away
To a place so incredible I want to always stay

Your love is a poem so sublimely written
I drink deep the words and am hopelessly smitten
Every thought every line meticulously selected
Just for me and it is why I am so strongly affected

Your love is a masterpiece painted on the canvass of my heart
From what I saw as junk you created a work of art
Your love find the hidden beauty and brings it to the front
The change is real there are no illusions no little stunt

Your love is a story quite masterfully told
From the annals of history and saints of old
It is living and dynamic yet ever constant and true
And it details the adventures of me and of you

Your love is beauty it is pure it is grand
Indescribable and so hard to fully understand
Your love is life itself by it I am sustained
I take comfort that when all else fails your love has remained

Lord God, Father of Life and Love, whose word is Truth and Peace, who bestows on us, in his greatness, an abundance of Grace and Mercy; hear my prayer. I love you, I adore you, I honor you; for, in you, all good things have and find their source, their fullness and perfection. How is it that in all the vast universe you, my God, should want me? You do not need me. You want me. I need you Lord. Without your Living Spirit I could not breathe. Without your blood your very life, sustaining me; my heart would not beat. Without you constantly thinking of me, I would cease to exist at all. You do not need me Lord, but you want me. You want me with you, you want me close to your side, you want me to sit with you because you love me. I am important to you, and you want me, and, for now, that's all that really matters. You desire me, you seek me, you wait for me, you want me. I run from you, I hide from you, I betray you, I deny you. Still, you pursue me, you catch me, you hold me, you love me. Through it all, you still want me. Help me want you as much as I need you. Help me need you as much as you want me. Amen