thehereandafter

As Christians, we have heard over and over how special each and every one of us are. How God himself choose us, has a plan for us, and gave his life for us. Yet, we are human, and at times, can't help but judge our worth by looking at the lives and talents of others. Sometimes I feel that I have no purpose in life, that I have not accomplished anything that is of any importance. Oh, I know that I have been a stay-at-home mother and wife and that is important, but what have I REALLY DONE?! Having the world swirl around me, I begin to doubt that God is using me...after all I don't have a degree, little less a masters, I don't have a career outside my home (I always have to remind everyone that being a full-time wife and mother is a career) or even a home business that brings in a paycheck, I am not up to receive any awards, and I am not a facilitator or leader for any groups, studies, or projects. All these things are accomplishments to be proud of and very good...I'm jus...

Two days ago someone told me about a conversation they had with a friend. She told me that religion came up in the conversation and how badly their talk went. They are both committed Christians and very close friends. The person I was talking to told me that, with that person, she will probably not broach that subject again. I then shared this conversation with my daughter and the first words she uttered were that you should never bring up religion with your friends. She has decided, from experience, talking about your faith with friends only causes problems. And they weren't even talking about different religions...they were discussing their christian faith. This isn't the first time I have heard this. Have others of you had this experience? What is the world is wrong with us as Christians that we can't talk about what should be our heart and soul? And especially with friends who are other believers? What is wrong with our brotherhood/sisterhood in Christ if we can't...

Last month was the 3 rd year anniversary of my daughter’s near fatal accident. The healing physically, mentally and spiritually for all of us continues and each day is more precious than the last. There are still some days my memories are so vivid that I feel like the accident and the prayers that were so desperately prayed happened just yesterday. The desire for my daughter’s life and her healing were all consuming, just as they would be for any parent. As I go back over the urgent prayers, the all-consuming desire for my daughter to live, and the pleading with the doctors to do all they could, I now rejoice in not just her life but her healing.   I know, also, that God is rejoicing in her healing…God rejoices when any of his children are healed! Our Lord wants each and every person, young or old to be healed, to be whole, and to be able to praise him just as I do now. ““ You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your...

On Epiphany Sunday, our pastor brought some thoughts to mind that I would like to add my thoughts to and share with you.  This post is a culmination of my thoughts and his thoughts. All too often, especially in this day and age, during the Christmas season we want everything to look perfect and easy. Our houses are beautifully decorated, we offer guests plates of delicious Martha Stewart's best home baked cookies, and we spend a fortune on packaging gifts to give to our family and friends. A lot of time, effort, and stress goes into these things behind the scenes. Another things that is prominent during the Christmas season is the Nativity scenes. Now think a minute....have you ever seen a Nativity scene with a big pile of cow manure in it? Don't laugh! How about hay stuck together and smelling of urine? Have you ever seen the costumes of the wise men tattered and dirty? How about the costumes of Mary and Joseph? Have you ever seen any Nativity scene that was anything e...

Sunday in Mass we sung a hymn that got me to thinking . Part of t he words are as follows: As with joyful steps they sped To that lowly manager bed, There to bend the knee before Christ whom heaven and earth adore; So may we with hurried pace Run to seek your throne of grace.  The words that stood out to me were the words "joyful steps they sped" and "may we with hurried pace run to see your throne of grace".  During this Christmas season, not only for me but probably for most of you, there was a lot of "speeding steps".  During the month of December we have a lot to pack in...Christmas shopping, parties, trips to the post office, extra church activities like live nativities, school activities, Christmas plays and concerts, trips to see Santa Claus, hay rides and Christmas lights to see, just to name a few. We run ourselves ragged trying to fit into our lives everything that the season offers .  Look to the second to the last and last lines..."s...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I have started on my list.(not necessarily in this order)...lose some weight, eat better, pray more, spend more time with family, save some money, call my big sister more often, be more patient, get more rest, only say postive things... Most of us during the new year make a list, either on paper or mentally, of all the things we want to do differently in the coming year. There is something about a starting a new year...it is like the slate is wiped clean and it gives us renewed hope for a better year ahead. We make all kinds of well meaning promises but if you are like me, those promises don't last too long! I try hard, I really do. Little by little I break those well meaning promises. Life seems to get busy and most of the things I promised myself I would change go by the wayside. Do you find the same thing happening to you? As I was thinking about the new year and making some promises to myself, I got to thinking about the promises that don't get broken ye...

This was the best Christmas ever!   And if the family, fellowship, gifts, food, and fun wasn’t enough God blessed us with a measurable snowfall all day Sunday.   The Barnes’ estate looked beautiful dressed in a fresh blanket of snow white. Of course, we took all the pictures…Amanda, I, my nephew and niece, their sweet babies…and we can’t forget Cooper, our dog. This morning I took Cooper for his morning walk and we took a different route. We walked through the snow back in the woods. The woods, with it’s carpet of white, lumps of snow hanging to all the branches overhead, and the sprinkle of snow that falls from the heavens as the wind blows is a perfect picture only our Creator can paint. As we walked peacefully, engulfed in white I couldn’t help but be reminded again about the season we are celebrating. An innocence baby being born eventually shedding his blood for us so that we can become as white as snow…” Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”...