Soul Scribe

Life sometimes takes you down lonely country roads on unexpected side trips. You feel comfortable where you are, or at least somewhat secure – and then you hit the ruts in the dirt road.

This is where I’ve been since late last May. For the months of May and June, it was like an avalanche pushed me off-course and left me there – one thing after another leading me farther down a narrow stretch of back roads.

I’m just now finding my way back to the main road.

Even though I was lost on an unexpected detour, I wasn’t alone. God was there with me, coaching gently from the seat next to me.

As a result of this detour, I’ve experienced a lot of pain, hurt, fear, loneliness and hard times. But I’ve also encountered many compassionate moments, bright spots and love from my inner circle.

I made it through, because I allowed God to share my burdens. To some extent, only God knows how difficult this struggle was and how hard it was for me. I didn’t close myself off from Him – I let God in and He encouraged me to have faith.

Sometimes, I only shared my pain with God. I didn’t have words to tell my friends and family. And sometimes, other people were living their lives, while I struggled just to survive. They don’t see you, or you don’t see them, except every now and then.

But God is always there. He’s never too busy or off in His own bubble. He’s always present, even if it’s just to sit with you and cry.

Let’s be clear. Where I was before this side trip, wasn’t the ideal. Far from it. It was okay. I needed better than okay, and I knew that. I just didn’t know okay had to stop immediately.

It also doesn’t mean that everything now is rosy. It’s just a better place than I was before, and that is something I come to see more and more each day.

I have many exciting things blossoming, and many wonders to share through this blog.

One last thing. If you’re lost on a detour, turn to God.

He’s there. Always. No matter where you are or where you’ve been – God will drive with you whether you’re on-course or off-roading.

Trust God.

Life hits rough patches for all of us.

When the road turns rough, faith is crucial.  It’s also doubly hard.  When so many things are up in the air, it’s hard to leave things in God’s hand.

Someone reminded me recently of what I already know.  He said “no problem is too great for God.”

Sometimes, you need to hear things you already know.  It keeps you on the path.

And it reminds you that despite all the roughness, there are still bright moments to cherish.

Time is a transient thing.  It slips by quickly unnoticed until days, weeks, months have melted away.

Time in a crisis is even more fleeting.

I find myself starting again in more ways than one.  But isn’t that what life and faith are all about?  A journey of stops and starts, speed bumps and long stretches?

Dream Over

That was the headline for a story on Susan Boyle, the contestant who caught the attention of the world in Britain’s TV talent show – Britain’s Got Talent.  She wasn’t your average – wait, she was your average-looking singer.  She wasn’t this polished, made-up and groomed mega-star like Beyoncé – or whatever she’s calling herself now.

She was a normal person with a God-given talent for singing.  Everyone wrote her off based on her appearance until she started to sing.

Now, I’m a huge reality show fan.  One thing you learn from watching reality TV is that the outer package doesn’t always tell the truth about what’s on the inside.

There’s plenty of great-looking people that I wouldn’t want to be around for one minute.  They need to spend just as much time grooming the inside as they do the outer beauty.

You can’t judge any book by its cover – because you have to ponder the words inside before you know the story.

Just because Susan didn’t win, doesn’t mean her dream is over.  Her dream is using her talent.  And she wants to continue to do just that.  So often nowadays, we must put another down to raise up ourselves.  Susan didn’t win – therefore she lost.  She has no worth.

It’s just not good enough anymore to be talented.  One has to be THE NEXT BIG THING or your dream is over.  It’s not okay to be good and to use your talent in the world.

The pressure that people put on Susan Boyle is unreasonable.  This is an amateur talent contest – she’s not a professional yet.  What about the growth she’s experienced as a singer?

Her voice is extraordinary.  I hope she holds onto that and doesn’t let anyone take away what God gave her – a voice to sing with.

Sing and continue to dream, Susan.  God hears you even when others do not.

No one is really happy merely because he has what he wants, but only if he wants things he ought to want.

St. Augustine

God calls us to lead lives of holiness.  Jesus gave the most perfect example with his own life.  But he gave us other examples of holiness in his own mother, the Virgin Mary, and the saints.

Saints are people to whom we can relate, essentially role models for the faithful.  Saints do not forget those of us on Earth.  They follow Jesus’ commandment to “love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:39) even after death.  In following this, saints pray intensely for those of us on Earth.  And thank goodness, because we really need it!

While we ask saints for help, it is by God that our prayers are answered.  Saints help us at the request of Jesus and through God’s power.  When you pray to a saint, you’re not worshiping that saint.  You’re asking for the saint to pray for you and ask God to help you.

God is the one acting in our lives, not the saints.  They’re just the messengers showing us the way to reach the Lord.

We get so caught up in the nitty gritty of rules and judgments that we forget.

 It’s not about the rules.

It’s about how you treat people.  It’s about finding that person in the corner and finding out who they are.  It’s walking the talk and how you live each day.  What kind of good did you do today?

You can be the most conscientious follower of religious practices and still not be who God wants you to be.

Don’t get me wrong.  Religion is important, but it’s not for show or the motions.  You’ve got to live it, not just attend it.

Religion is making our path to a relationship with God, as individuals and also community.  Everyday religion requires commitment that less and less people have time for nowadays.

We marginalize people for many reasons – they look different; they act different; they live different; they don’t look, act or live how we want them to live.  We forget that some people are even there.

Open your eyes and see all those around you as God does.  God sees each of us.  He really sees – not just the surface, but deep down into the soul.

If we really look at one another and see, we can make a difference.

Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what it wants.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta