Absence Make The Heart Grow Fonder

I didn’t realize how much I would miss my wife until she was gone. The saying about “absence makes the heart grow fonder” is apparently true. The mind is a funny thing. Looking back…I tend to remember all the good times and suppress any unpleasant memories. As I recall the best times, it makes my heart long for her return even more. Maybe it’s just self-interest on my part, but I can’t get her out my head…I keep thinking of all the wonder and intimate time we’ve had together. I miss the comfort of knowing she is in the next room. I miss her not being in the same house. I miss her touch.

I support my wife and her choice to care for her aging mother because I love them both. It’s a small sacrifice I make…sharing her…for a much more noble cause than my selfishness.

As time goes on I become fonder
Of her because she is over yonder
It is no stretch why I wonder
Why my heart does not wander.

Thank you, Jesus, for such a wife
Not to mention my undeserved life
Please forgive the occasional strife
But, the missing her cuts like a knife.

Amen

Strange Excitement

The same strange excitement comes over me when I think about going to pick up my date, my girlfriend. The same girl, the same house, her mother’s house where I picked her up over 44 years ago for our first date. This time I will drive 500 miles to get there not the 50 blocks I drove from college dorm to her mothers house. It takes me back to my younger more foolish days when I did not realize what a blessing I had in her and her mother. But thanks to divine providence she has been my best friend, my teacher, girlfriend, and my wife all this time.

Thank you, Lord Jesus for putting her and her mom in my life.
Amen

About Confession

Dear God,
As you know, in the past I have a hard time with confession but I see that you are fixing that problem. In your infinite wisdom and twisted sense of humor, you have allowed the devil a bit more leeway and therefore it seems that I have picked up the pace on my sinning. Due to your grace alone...the up side is that I have apparently matured spiritually. I no longer rationalize my actions like I used to, I know it is a sin right up front and realize that I will have to go stand in line with all the other sinners waiting my turn in the box. Sucking up my pride is a big issue with me but I know I must…I know I must “fess up”. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for all your help, but…it’s OK if you ease up on the temptations now.

Thanks

Your not so faithful servant,
Me

These are a few of my favorite things

I don’t mean: “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens,
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things”

No…these are a few of my favorite sins…that’s what I am referring to. This Sunday’s sermon cut a little too close to the bone. The gospel reading was from Mathew 5:17-37.
“……. it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. 
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with brother
will be liable to judgment; ……. ‘You fool,’
will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
 ……………….. “You have heard that it was said, 
You shall not commit adultery. 
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. “……. you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow. 
But I say to you, do not swear at all;
not by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;
nor by Jerusalem,….
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”
Father talked about what we allow to go on in our heads, sometimes we do not want to let these thoughts go. We don’t want to get over them. We enjoy playing them over and over in our head. He talked about how sometimes we enjoy being angry and carrying a grudge. I gave some thought to the part about “but I say to you, anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” But we do have a choice. We can choose what we want to think about. Displacing bad thoughts with good thoughts…substituting prayer for lustful looks would be a more prudent action than spending an eternity in Gehenna. So, let my “yes” mean “yes” and my “no” mean “no”. I pray, Lord Jesus, that this be so. Let Your words be the “Sound of Music” in my head.

Dear Lord, I am tired of the same old rerun.
Help me “move on” to something more fun.
Fill my heart with nothing but grace.
Take my head to a better place.

It’s not enough to abstain from the action,
But give no thought to the evil attraction.
Your words in scripture You do not mince.
So, please guide my thoughts now and hence.

Amen