Faith
Keeping Us Connected Yields Solutions
It has passed my mind several times in the last month that solutions come together when many people are affected. As a child, I watched my mom suffer from Lupus. She was vigilant about keeping connected with the skin doctor, monitoring herself, and taking time to rest each afternoon. She would say she was a guinea pig during the war to find solutions. Unfortunately some of the trials used on her actually did harm. I used to say that when someone famous had the disease, more research would be done to help find solutions. In the last 35 years since she died, I have seen more attention brought to this disease, although I am not sure there has been enough to temper the disease.
Text, write, or message to keep connected. You’ll help create solutions to daily problems. Remember to use the greatest wireless connection there is, namely to pray along the way!
Well with the many weather related problems like hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires, people rally around. People come together from other parts of the country to find remedies. Yesterday trucks from Com Ed were lined up from Illinois to go to the Florida area to help restore downed lines and help in restoring power. Many homes were effected by the horrific winds and damage due to Irma so the help will be good. The solution to many problems is in keeping connected.
On a humanitarian level, people are still helping send relief to the Houston, Texas area. Financial and material items certainly help to replace and rebuild homes & businesses, but the post traumatic stress on individuals will be significant. People deserve and will need attention long after the environment improves. These natural disasters have long term impacts on the pocketbook and patience, but natural disasters can also affect people for longer periods of time. We need to keep building relationships and contributing whatever we can to help one another. The smallest kindness can do so much. Listening to others share their stories is essential.
On the West Coast we are hearing of fires. I have a cousin in Oregon who told me last week they are still using masks, because of the air quality. With so many parts of the United States having problems, it is hard to know where to place your attention. The Power of Prayer helps us connect with others. It may seem like nothing is being done, when in fact we are sharing our passion and love for one another.
I have been involved in the online program called the Power of You with Mel Robbins. The group joins together on Facebook and supports one another as they proceed forward using Mel’s 5 Second Rule. (https://melrobbins.com/5-second-rule/) Staying connected with people who understand the principle she teaches has been empowering. I much rather be using a group like this rather than one created due to catastrophe. That is another reason that books and book studies are so good. They connect us and help us sort through our thinking.
The idea of being connected and unified is key to resolution. Scientists share their findings, teachers share their methods of teaching, and circumstances bind us together. Let us all use the greatest wireless connection there is, namely prayer to support and love one another. Have a great day and don’t forget to reach out to others. Begin with a smile!
Who is Your Caretaker?
Being the week before Mother’s Day I began to think of all the things my mother did and gave up for me. Her time to prepare my clothing, to set an example of how to be in relationship, and of course teaching me to learn the rules of how to be safe. She was with me most of the time when I was a toddler and in my formative years, because my dad had a late night shift with the United States Post Office in the City of Chicago. He would sleep mornings, run a few errands for my mom since she did not drive, and he’d be gone for the afternoon and evening. Mother liked being a homemaker and she took her job seriously. She was always cooking, cleaning, sewing, and walking with us.
I was also listening to the radio today and heard that the Bible contains 247 references to the Good Shepherd. That got me thinking about an experience I had in Ireland watching a Shepherd with his sheep. He was quite the caretaker making sure the animals were sheltered, protected in the fields from prey, and rounding them up after eating and exercise. The Good Shepherd is of course Our Lord who is vigilant and present for us at every turn. We go through our day often unaware of His presence just as we are often unaware of the caretakers who have watched over us. 
So when did you begin to care for yourself? Were you pretty independent by the age of 21? Are you still in need and appreciative of the shelter from a loved one now? It is often necessary because of finances, health, or circumstances that we are dependent on others at various times in our lives. That isn’t all bad because we are encouraged to rely on one another.
Having fun with one another is essential for good health and to keep a smile on our faces. Welcoming one another back into the fold when circumstances change is also essential. Look around today and reach out to family and friends.
Like the Good Shepherd and our parents, we are called to pass on what we have learned. We are expected to spread joy and love. We need to care for one another and prosper. Be excited for the advancements people make and encourage them. Have a good day! And don’t forget to thank your Mother this weekend. If possible be with her and give back a hug or two. You will be Blessed.
Hang on as we go through this week for more on reaching out to others. “Delight in Living!”
What Is Piling Up for You?
Well I thought this morning was no different from any other. It began with my taking Rosy outside. We usually go out the back door of the garage and while she is meandering around the yard, I check out the house, particularly after blustery weather. Today I had trouble opening the door. It turned out that the sandbox area that is surrounded by railroad ties had flowed into a 6 inch pile behind the door. Apparently the heavy rains had washed it around the railroad ties, blocking the door. So I got out the “kids” toy scoops and began to move the hill of sand. Probably would have been more functional to get a flat shovel and clean it up that way, but I didn’t realize how much sand had shifted; it was substantial. That line in the sand is where the gutters had overflowed. So what has overflowed in your life?
We consume ourselves with work to the point of being buried.
It made me think of all the things that pile up for us to do. The pile of papers that are receipts for Quicken always seem to be just a few, and then voila I have a major chore of putting them into the computer. Or the laundry seems to be just a few things and suddenly I have two loads. How does that happen?
Last night I was adding a few requests to my prayer list and I realize that has grown too. Too many people are sick or hurting. So “tell me something good” is going to be my mantra this week. We all need to refocus and eliminate the many piles we have accumulated. I declare that things are going to improve for all of us in our offices, homes, and cars. We are going to focus and clean things up. Why?
Well to begin with we all want to be successful. We want to succeed with a project or two. We are driven people who want the best for ourselves and all those we love. Life is too short to dwell on the negative. Although admittedly, we do want to still be realistic and acknowledge the pain, grief, and concerns around us. So let’s embrace this week boldly and in a spirit of cleaning up the things we can take care of and think of something good to share!
Here are a few to kick off the week:
- Today I overheard a small child of 2 declare to the world that his grandfather was his! He said, HE IS MINE! Too cute and ever so sweet.
- Then I had a friend text me that she had a new puppy. It is a source of hope and laughter for her.
- As people in the south parts of the United States recover from a tornado, the good news is no one was injured.
- And our family will be united for Mother’s Day in two weeks. Yes, great fun just to be all together and seeing one other!
Hope your week is filled with wonderful things to share. Look for the mini miracles; they are around!
Podcast 50-Embracing Change
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Happy Friday, I am your host Linda Gullo and this is Podcast #50. Welcome to Mini Miracles from Minor Moments where just a few tiny changes can make a big difference in your happiness.
This morning I was listening to Satellite radio and the guest was talking about a book he wrote on Ignatian Spirituality. It encourages a person to reflect on their day and search out things that have happened. It is used as a means of recognizing how God is present and working in our lives. It is a means of growing closer to God and seeing all the wonderful things coming our way. It also reminds us to be 
receptive of good things and aware of how we might be better to others.
Well this whole week has been a series of small incremental steps in getting projects done. I decided to share some of them with you as a means of allowing you to think about things happening in your own life.
Please listen and enjoy.
Recognizing One Another
Today as we extended the sign of peace to one another at church, I was surprised to find a friend of mine sitting across the aisle! I was immediately embraced and felt so good to see her. When you walk into your house, no doubt if you have a dog, it will be there at your feet wagging its tail and greeting you. Going to pick up the mail and finding a letter or card from a friend is always a great way to find joy in your day.
In a recent Mini Miracles from Minor Moment Podcast, a Business Acquaintance I have known for some 18 years talked about “RELATIONSHIPS.” People need people to get through their day. Whether we like someone or not, they are around us when we go into a store, at church, or at the local post office. People can make our day wonderful by returning a smile or simply by acknowledging our presence. Isn’t it great when someone recognizes you or even goes out of their way to help? I was at a store one day and dropped a few things while fumbling to hold onto my purse. Another person in line, bent over and handed my the coupon I had dropped. How very thoughtful they were to even notice my problem. That is just so kind in this day and age when everyone is in a hurry and almost ignorant of those around them. How affordable is it to give a few minutes of joy to another person?
How are you doing at recognizing other people? Do you remember their names or something special about them? Are you willing to go out of your way to help your neighbor? I love using Linked-In. It reminds us that people are celebrating work anniversaries and other accomplishments. It gives us an opportunity to write a note if we wish to do so.
Do you think social media is good at helping people feel recognized? Facebook “likes” have for some reason taken a back seat for me. It seems like a “cop out” when we don’t send the birthday card or make a more intentional effort to recognize others’ Birthdays. As much as we care about certain things, it is not meaningful to hit a like icon, as much as it is to go out of our way to actually connect with a person.
Please think about someone else today that could use a smile, a recognition, or a call. Make your time even more relevant today. Reach out and make their day a great one! Delight in Living!
It’s Mardi Gras
Well I have come to love the Liturgical Seasons. They help us enjoy different periods of time and remind us that life is indeed a journey. Some of these times include the more popular Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, and Eastertime. They help us embrace the seasons of our lifetime.
Today is a Day of Celebration among Christians called Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. People are closing down the last 2 weeks of Celebrating the arrival of the 3 Wise Men (celebrated in January) today with fun. In New Orleans there are Parades, colorful beads, costumes, and people dancing. Today is traditionally a day when people eat the rich foods of their ancestors.
Tomorrow is the beginning of the Lenten Season. It is Ash Wednesday when people recognize they were dust and will return to dust. Ash Wednesday and the Lenten Season have always been meaningful times for me. My parents set the example for us and I recall the damp, cold, days that often went past Easter. We received Ashes on our foreheads. The ashes are from the Palms of the past year (s) that parishioners bring back to their church to be burned. It is also a time of minimizing our desires. We offer prayers, sacrifices, and alms during the next 40 days.
Every year I focus on something different. One year I went to all my doctors appointments, saw my dentist, and took care of the things I had put off. Another year, I focused on doing things for others and reaching out. As a child, I gave up candy. Sometimes people take time away from television or their social media to pray more. Others visit their home bound friends and people in the hospital. One year, I used Fridays as a means of visiting churches and being more prayerful.
If you are one of those unfortunate people going through a painful time in your life, you may wish to offer it up for a special intention. God Bless everyone, as they walk their journey starting tomorrow. I hope this time enriches your life well.
In life our days turn into weeks, months, and years of opportunities. I love the symbols of the circle and wreaths so this one is now in the office to welcome in my patients and clients. Peace in your days!
But this period is a time of self reflection too. IF you are so inclined to honor these days, I wish you 40 days of insight, sacrifice, and self discipline. If you give up your daily latte, you may wish to donate the money you’ve saved to a charity. That is the “alms” part of doing without so someone may be enriched.
I recall one year that I kept changing my focus, but I got a lot out of the changes I made. It made me aware of all the things I could be doing to be a better person. Perhaps it is a time to sit quietly and stop the “horse race” that seems to be the way of today’s world.
Perhaps you have also thought this through and would like to send me your ideas? I am always appreciative of what other people enjoy doing. Have a great day today! Delight in Living!
As a College Student
As a college student, I spent a few years working at an artificial flower company during the summers. I saw that the flowers were being shipped into the United States from other locations. As they arrived into the warehouse, they’d be sorted, glued, and assembled into beautiful arrangements. Some of them were sorted, marked, and sold to dozens of big chain outlets. These would be comparable to the Walmart’s, Target’s, and Hobby Lobby’s of today.
It was a hot factory where people were thankful to have jobs. In the morning when I arrived, I punched into the company in that area of the building. I got to meet many hard working and lovely people. Already temperatures were soaring and hot at 7:30 in the morning. Do you work in a factory? What are the conditions of where you earn your living? Are the people pleasant or resentful and negative?
Each summer I worked there I had a different job in the offices. Creating billing, typing manifests, following up on orders, and working on an International Switchboard. I learned a lot there and grew. Jobs create opportunities for our mental well being and tech us to be relational. We don’t always make a monetary gain, but hopefully we benefit ourselves and other people. For me, it helped me pay for the next semester at school.
If you are in business, a wife working at home, or a student, chances are you are far from being self centered. We learn along the way that we are to live for others. Our happiness comes from doing things for other people and serving in our communities. And when we put ourselves in the shoes of others, we become more compassionate.
Lent is around the corner and a time to be more self sacrificing. It is a time to do more outside our comfort zone and to learn from our mistakes. May your flower arrangements become those of the living kind. Present bouquets of kindness during the next 40 days. It may mean keeping silent with criticisms. Or reaching out to those less fortunate even though you don’t want to do so.
Maybe it is time to take a personal inventory of what you are doing habitually. I hope to indulge less in the things I am tempted to do, like drinking diet coke or taking the car instead of walking.
Whatever you do decide, “Delight in Living” and share that with others.
Have You Ever?
Have you ever felt like you were in the midst of a puzzle? You were a piece in the middle of a bigger picture, but you couldn’t figure it out? Well you are part of a bigger picture.
You are important. You were put here to serve and to help others find their roles and identity too. We may feel like a dot when one looks at all the other people in your home, your community, or your state, but you hold a prominent place in life! I am convinced that we a
re here with an internal spirit of joy. We may never know why, but we are to forge ahead with conviction, and drive.
We are being nurtured and schooled from the time of our birth. Each person so unique and skilled in some area. Perhaps you are the comedian in your family? The class prodigy in school? The efficient worker at the company you created? Are you contributing to your community food pantry and helping to feed your neighbors? Are you the prayerful person who helps support others during their trials with medical issues, schooling, or decision making? Are you one of a large family? Or are you alone?
I am obviously a puzzle fan. I find great clarity in assembling something from a bunch of pieces. It is what I do for a living! I listen to stories and help people with their life’s direction. I help them sort out what is a priority at any given time and to put a healthy spin on it for them. I help them to re-frame the picture
In other words, what we have learned along the way, allows us to grow in that realm. I am not a linguist from I know a few people who excel in languages; they help others communicate. I know people who are excellent in math or science and see the world in numbers and disease control. Delight in whatever skills you possess. Use them and share the quality of life you have and seek with other people.
Look for the mini miracles around you, for the people who are nurturing you, and for the opportunities that keep presenting themselves.
How Did You Do That?
Well this morning I was walking into my office with my protein drink, which I always put in a fast food plastic cup. It was in temporarily tucked in between my body & my arm. I also had two bags on the same arm and keys in hand. I got through the two doors after negotiating the locks, alarm system, and suddenly felt the drink falling. I stood still and looked down.
It had fallen upside down into one of my cloth bags. It had not dumped. I literally said “Praise God”. What a gift from above! I would have had a big orange mess of froth and juice all over the place. Now that is a mini miracle. And it had not opened into the bag either or all my papers would have been doused. ! 
Next I went to return calls and had to check on something important for the office taxes. Wow, I got through right away and even had someone who knew the answer to my question. Mini Miracle 2 just played out.
Little victories in life help make us more tolerant and focused on the resolutions of other problems. Everyone reading this has had annoying things happen and when they do our dispositions are often turn grumpy.
As we enter into Mid-February, our days may be gloomy; the sunshine may be taking a vacation. It becomes harder to stay on task. Maintaining a good workout or any other New Year’s resolution might be harder to stick with each day. It is easy to get soured.
In the last few days, I have been praying for many people. 4 individuals dealing with cancer, 4 people with vision issues, young people struggling, and then a list of other concerns. I will look back months from now and see so many of these prayers were answered in wonderful ways that I wouldn’t have expected. I try to go back and highlight the blessings to remind myself how well things go when we pray believing.
Years ago when I taught High School Religion, I taught them that technique to illustrate that we are truly blessed in many ways. I am also very thankful when things are average. Average is good and reminds me how “off script” life can be when our health, jobs, and other variables go astray. When things do go wrong, offer prayers of gratitude for the things that haven’t changed. Graditude carries us forward & creates hope.
These may include: 1- Good prayerful friends to help power you forward. 2- A house to shelter you. 3- Family that is supportive. 4- Financial status to pay today’s bills. 5- A working car even if it is old that gets you around. 6- An education that no one can take from you. 7- Professional help like a doctor, counselor, CPA, or other person knowledgeable about the situation.
This list can go on, but you get the idea that there is always something to help keep us humble and thankful. I also like to think that when one is in the dumps, there is another person who isn’t in the dumps to help us out!
Have a great month my friends and forge onward. Look for the Mini Miracles!
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Watch Your Steps
Are you comfortable with stepping outside of your comfort zone? The practical side locks us into what is safe and easy. Think about your approach to seeing a new doctor, traveling to a new place, trying a new job, or learning a new profession.
Do you approach new things with fear and trepidation or joy and confidence? Where does your confidence come from? Do the people around you help or hinder you? Are you empowered from a deep faith? Are you secure in your own talents and education?
So much of how we approach life begins in the early years with our parents or care givers. We may start out adventuresome and get stymied along the way. Our genetic makeup certainly chimes in as to how we react. As adults we are often set in our ways and don’t branch out into new territories unless we are pushed. Some people feel they can go the road alone; they do not feel a community around them is a big help at all!
I watch a dog that resides across the street from us. He sits under the trees and looks like a statue as he keeps an eye on the squirrels above. He will keep watch fearlessly as if it is his duty. Unlike this dog, we are not all that patient. We do not see things clearly. We are not provided for with our housing and food, nor do we have a “dogs life” of leisure. Our goals need to be defined.
Pathways lead us to new and exciting places. Sometimes they are smooth and easy to navigate; other times they are merely places to step. Where they take us is unknown. As a child walking a mile to school each day, I’d play games hopping over the grooves, reading the engraved signatures of the cement company, or counting my steps. I knew the path took me to a destination. 
Life creates pathways we do not always appreciate. We forge ahead through obstacles like health issues or loss of family members. Our jobs are eliminated without sufficient warning causing us to panic. There are the unexpected expenses that come from hikes in taxes, cracked septic fields, broken appliances, or the medical costs of a broken leg.
The direction of where we step next becomes unknown. There are times when we feel ourselves going in circles. We do the same chores repeatedly, visit the same stores, make the same appointments and feel unappreciated. So, who can help you break the cycle of feeling this way? Or do you like the familiarity of routine too much to leave it? There is a good and bad side to everything!
Thanks to the windows of opportunity that come along the way, we are able to rebound. Recovery comes along with advancements in careers, money from inheritances, information from the internet, or a professional that can direct us into a new direction. Sometimes a prayer is answered in an unexpected way and the sun shines into our lives. Those times are so relished and we need to recognize them and give thanks. Those are among the mini miracles that come to us. Give thanks!
“Asking for help is wisdom, not weakness!” Knowing who and how to ask is a learned skill. We need to do that with prudence.