Article by Mary Bea Sullivan
Let’s face it, fear, doom and gloom still seems to pervade our societal consciousness. Yes … we hear from the news pundits and Washington that the recession is over … but how can that be while we continue to lose jobs, unemployment is sky high, and Wall Street is rewards companies for “economizing” by further workforce reductions? Enough of my soapbox!
With the current state of things, what can we do to combat a case of the “Economic Blues”? As one who can be susceptible to this insidious disease, here are four incredible remedies that have helped …
Give Back
Find someone, or an organization we care about and offer our talents in a meaningful way. It’s amazing how healing it can be to “get outside ourselves.” Besides, we need to do something with all of that time we used to spend shopping.
Be Grateful
Count your blessings. Mom knew what she was talking about. Keep a gratitude journal by starting or ending your day making a list of people/places … anything for which you are grateful. Just last week I heard the story of a woman who found her way back from a deep depression, and one of the tools that helped her was grabbing a journal and writing about what was good in her life, before her feet even hit the floor. Read More »
Article by Mary Bea Sullivan
In her book, The Desert Mothers, Rev. Mary C. Earle quotes Amma Syncletica as saying, “Salvation is exactly this - the two-fold love of God and of our neighbor.”
Sounds familiar doesn’t it?
Many of us have heard or read Matthew 22:36-40 many times … “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and all the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Easy to read … not so easy to live. Read More »
Article by Judy Mosley
We knew they were coming. They’ve arrived at our address every year for the past five years. Their arrivals have always been expected. Yet every year, their arrival would cause both my husband and me grief and stressful frenzy. But not today. For the past year, we have been preparing for their coming.
So now, they are here, and we’re ready for them. They are our house tax bills.
Two years ago, as part of our Sunday school class, we went through a financial series using the resources of Dave Ramsey. My husband had a good job and we had been slowly letting go our material-for-pleasure mindset. But after this class, we decided to redefine everything when it came to money. And I can truthfully say that Dave Ramsey set us on a path of financial freedom that we had never experienced before. Read More »
Article by Mary Bea Sullivan
“… forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against … “ The whole “as we forgive those who trespass against us” deal can be like pushing a boulder uphill. Praying for forgiveness … piece of cake!
For most of us, when we feel resentment, it resides in our guts. We relive an unkind word … years of abuse … a missed opportunity to be supported … and our solar plexus tightens as if trying to protect us from the pain.
But the pain is there, as real as the air we breathe; yet sometimes, all we breath is our pain.
Small transgressions can be easy to forgive, especially when the other party sincerely seeks forgiveness. But the big ones … infidelity, a parent who seemed uninterested or uncaring, a trust shattered, a child who steals from her own mother … these can take years of hard work to move past. And if the one who hurt us shows no remorse, the challenge is even more difficult. Read More »
Article by Judy Mosley
“Good Night,”
“Sleep Tight,”
“Dream of bedbugs tonight!”
This is our nightly ritual. Every night before bed, my son and I quote this goodnight wish from Lion King 1 ½.
For me, this is a connection that I make with my son. Whether or not I like the movie is irrelevant. But what is important is that I can show my love for my son, by joining in his interests and what he likes to do. Quoting movie lines is one of them.
What is it that holds a relationship together? What are the things that really matter in a relationship? Many people begin a relationship because of a shared interest or common goal. But what happens if those interests change? Or … what if your own interests change, but the other persons do not? Should the relationship end? Or is life giving us another opportunity to rediscover and to keep connecting with the person that we love? Read More »
