1. | Dec 16, 2013

, “If you want to know how you are doing in your spiradiadtual growth, ask youradself two quesadtions. bfHow am I hanaddling fear and how am I hanaddling anger?” With anger I have leraned a few imporadtant details (among othaders).. The greatadest spiradiadtual gifts for hanaddling anger are self-control and underadstandading. We need self-control in order to not react from our first impulse which will usuadally injure the other peradson with an awful look or comadment which would degrade, embarace or hurt the other peradson makading the sitaduadaadtion worse. Underadstandading is neceadsarry to process the fealading of anger. The way to process anger is to, first, admit to ouradselves that we feel anger; then ask ouradselves, “Why am I angry? What exactly is the issue at hand?” Finally, let the reaadson work to try to underadstand the other peradson or the sitaduadaadtion which is makading you angry. Feeladings need to be processed by the mind so that a reaadsonadable action can be taken. This is often the great probadlem in our lives in overadcomadming probadlems in famadily life. Someadbody makes a harsh comadment and the other (or othaders) begin to add in to the negadaadtivadity and arguadments and fights often result and the real issue is lost in the batadtle. This is usuadally the prodaduct of inteadrior wounds from the past that have not been healed. We should ask God for the gift of underadstandading. Getadting out of ouradselves and tryading to underadstand why the other peradson would make such a comadment often difadfuses (gets rid of) the impulse we have to respond with aggresadsion. Also to underadstand why we ouradselves respond with aggresadsion over litadtle issues. The secadond issue is fear which has been called the mind-killer. It is called a mind-killer because it often paradaadlyzes our mind from its capacadity to respond to a threatadenading sitaduadaadtion. It is good to recadogadnize that we are often fearadfull so that we can pray for courage to face the sitaduadaadtion at hand and not over-react or under-react. When we start feelading fear, many panic and thereby loose conadtact with reaadson and make unforadtuadnate deciadsions in what to do or not to do. We need to pray for courage so that we can have enough peace to think clearly and then act upon the deciadsion we make while thinkading clearly.Finally, foradgiveadness. When there is much anger and fear there is often a lack of foradgivading involved. Jesus was born of the Jewadish race which was and is full of anger and fear. They have always had fearce eneadmies and many have seriadous difadfiadculty foradgivading espeadcially with the arab nations. I rememadber being in the Holy Land in 2000 when I asked a Musadlim if he thought there could be peace between the Jews and the Arabs. He told me, “Never! The Koran says that there will be eteradnal enmity between the two races.” Isnb4t that sad news! Jesus comadmands us to foradgive our eneadmies in the only prayer that He taught and which is in the Bible (the Our Father). Jesus not only thought it was posadsiadble, He comadmanded us to do it. I find that the foladlowading prayer helps when peoadple think its imposadsiadble to foradgive. First, one should unite with Jesus in the Cross. We, through Bapadtism are one Body with Him. Thus, being with Him, we can let Him pray in and with us so that our prayers will be assured to have power which we may not have peradsonadally. Once we unite ouradselves with Him we can say (pray) with him, “Father foradgive them, they know not what they do.” A very short, powaderadfull and libaderadatading prayer.May God Bless you always,Fr.a0Isaac

2. | Dec 14, 2013

Another great night at our small group. Ruth's sermon was aainmzg and really generated alot of intersting and thoughful discussion. Probably the biggest take home message for me was the thought that wherever we go God is with us, therefore we are always on Holy Ground. That really makes me stop to think about alot of my thoughts and actions. Do they seem Holy? Do I take time to stop' and include God in my daily life or just when I need him? Alison suggested we find a way to stop during our day and pray or spend time with God. Mine was every time I saw a green traffic light I turned off the radio and talked to God. I must say, it really made a diference in my day. I felt God's prescence. Try it!!!Another gem I picked up from this week's group was a suggestion from Linda. She mentioned that Dr. Charles Stanley has an app with his sermons and/or daily devotionals on it. I must admit I really didn't know who Charles Stanley was, but she seemed very impressed with his work. So, yesterday on my daily walk, I turned off my usual radios staions of choice, ESPN and NPR, and instead downloaded the In Touch app and listened to Dr. Stanley. Wow, what a great way to spend my time. His message was spot on and had application for my daily life. Listening to him combined with the beauty of my surroundings; let's just say I could feel God speaking to me. If I hadn't gone to small group that night, I may never have known about this wonderful app. Don't miss out-join one of our small groups.

3. | Sep 10, 2013

Well, day 5 and I am still manadagading the 10 minadutes of silence and a pioerd of prayer every mornading! A very good friend of mine and a true role model for me as to how I should be in my faith, shared with me this “outadline for prayer (ACTS):A Adoadraadtion: Ask the Holy Spirit to help. As Christ foladlowaders, we have inside us the Holy Spirit. We ask for help in praisading and woradshipading God as our Lord and Savior.C Conadfesadsion: We ask God for foradgiveadness for in the ways we have been immoral, unethadiadcal, unfaithadful, unforadgivading, impaadtient, selfadish, enviadous, deceitadfula0etc.T Thankadful: We thank God for givading us His only son to die for us on the cross so that our sins can be foradgiven. I take this time to thank God for all the big and litadtle things that He has done and WILL do fora0me.S Supadpliadcaadtion: Ask God to supadply you with your needs. Here is where I have a “conadveradsaadtion” with God telling Him the things I “think” I need and the prayers for those that are sufadferading or in need of prayer.Quiet Time Now I spend my ten minadutes in quiet…listening for what God is telling me. I do not usuadally “hear” anyadthing but I keep prayading and askading that I get betadter at this listening.