This is the party!!
When everything is enough
I am convinced that one of the most powerful things we can say is “Thank you, God — this is enough.” I’m also convinced that no sentence scares the enemy more.
The enemy’s game is to get us to focus on perceived lack in our lives, the places we don’t feel like we have enough. The minute we realize that God has given us everything (and, in fact, He’s given to us in abundance, far more than anything we could’ve asked for or deserved) the enemy loses.
I can think of no season more apt for this reflection. I can’t help myself from looking around right now and thinking I want more, more, more. Yes, I have a pretty dress I could wear to that party but what if I bought a new one? Yes, I have earrings but I really would love to buy those ones! Sure, I know I committed to this party, but what if I go to this party and then that party, then I have two parties (even though it’s a bit disrespectful for me to bail on my first host when I told her I’d come months ago). More, more, more.
I am not dismissing the importance of desire, which God uses as a primary means for teaching us to follow the prompting of the Spirit. Our desires can point us closer to God, and as He fulfills them, they can bring us great joy. But there’s a difference between recognizing our desires as good and entrusting them to God while being grateful for all the ways He’s already provided, and ignoring His providence because we’re grumpy about an unmet desire.
A few weeks ago, a friend told me that it’s not good etiquette to wear a watch with a tuxedo. The reason? We wear a watch to make sure that we’re on time, that we’re not late to the “next thing.” But if you’re wearing a tuxedo, chances are that you’ve arrived at the main event. A watch is simply not necessary, because you are at the party!!! You have nowhere better to be.
As we dress up for the celebrations of this season, as we put on our best clothes, can we trust that this is the party? That God wants us right here, right now. We can take off the pesky watch! Let’s embrace the abundance that God is providing here and now, for our good.
In Christ,
Jane
What I’m loving lately
Snow run!!
My run club meets on Friday mornings, and this past Friday there was a sprinkle of snow which was MAGICAL! I love a little snow run.
I had never seen this movie, but this weekend I enjoyed such a cozy movie night and absolutely LOVED it. It has everything — music, romance, fun costumes, and holiday cheer. So fun, so sweet, and good. It’s free on Amazon Prime. I highly recommend it!
Sandy’s Advent Playlist
My friend Sandy makes BANGER playlists for different liturgical seasons, this is what she’s made for Advent this year and I cannot gatekeep - it’s fantastic! And a great way to try and sprinkle in a little Advent music with the Christmas music (I’m not anti-Christmas music, Lauren Daigle’s Behold album is also on repeat!!)
Hope in God’s steadfast promises
I loved this reflection I read this week:
Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a man of realistic hope. After a talk laying out a Scriptural vision of unity and peace for the world, he was challenged by colleagues: “That’s a wonderful vision of things, but suppose we blow up the world with a nuclear bomb: what happens to your vision?” “That would set things back millions of years,” de Chardin replied, “but this will still come to fruition, not because I say so or because the facts right now indicate that it will, but because God promised it and the resurrection of Jesus has shown he delivers on his promise.”
Advent calls us to hope. Yet, are there times when we doubt, mistrust, or even despair? Do we give up because we think that suffering, an injustice, an evil is so much bigger than anything we can do to turn it around? Even though we are certainly called to do our part, authentic hope lies not in us but in the steadfastness of God’s promises.
Fr. Mike coming in hot
I thought this was SO good!! And connects to this week’s reflection too :)
100 Solidcore classes
This weekend, I celebrated my 100th Solidcore class! I love this workout and I’m so proud of myself for sticking it out through 100 (very hard) classes. I find when I get to class first thing in the morning, I feel a whole lot stronger and braver all day! It reminds me that the things we do physically impact our mental and spiritual state, and I think (and hope) these classes help me train my will to do more good, hard, challenging things.
Prayer intentions
For my parents on pilgrimage in Rome this week!
For a friend who just got engaged!
For a special intention