A Reading

To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that Love is the reason for my existence, for God is Love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name.

If, therefore, I do anything or think anything or say anything or know anything that is not purely for the love of God, it cannot give me peace, or rest, or fulfillment, or joy.

To find love I must enter into the sanctuary where it is hidden, which is the mystery of God.

-Thomas Merton

Psalm

In the celebration of Lent, I have begun praying the hours with Thomas Merton. It has been some time since practicing this discipline and thus I am very excited to be practicing this kind of prayer again. In morning prayers today, Thomas wrote an incredibly beautiful psalm about God's love. Thought I would share it as a celebratory Ash Wednesday/First Day of Lent psalm.


The Lord God is present where the new day shines
in the moisture on the young grasses.
The Lord God is present where the small wildflowers
are known to him alone.
The Lord God passes suddenly, in the wind,
at the moment when night ebbs into the ground.
He Who is infinitely great has given o His Children
a share in his own innocence.
His alone is he gentlest of loves: whose pure flame
respects all things.
God, Who owns all things, leaves them all to themselves.
He never takes them for His own,
the way we take them for our own and destroy them.
He leaves them to themselves.
He keeps giving to them, giving them all that they are,
asking no thanks of them save hat they should receive
from Him
and be loved and nurtured by Him,
and that they should increase and multiply,
and so praise Him.
He saw that all things were good, and He did not enjoy
them.
He saw that all things were beautiful and he did not want
them.
His love is not like ours. His love is unpossessive.
His love is pure because it needs nothing.



I pray that today, you welcome the season of Lent with an expectant heart that waits on the Lord. The unpossessive lover and giver of all.

Grace and Peace.

Winter Twilight Zone

Where in the world are we?!
Sweet little Mertens woke up to 6+ inches of snow his morning.
Stepping outside, the silence is other-worldly and beautiful.

snowy paws

Happy Birthday Duke

Precious Duke,
Happy one year birthday with me and Ray.
I desperately waned a precious puppy, but your father is allergic.
We are certain God brought you to us . . . you without a home and being hypo-allergenic.
What a perfect fit for us!
We love you so much and are blessed by the joy your spirited personality brings to us every day.


The first day we met!


Looking like Trick-or-Treat

Happy Birthday mom and dad.


After climbing your first mountain.

Checking out the new camera.

loving the snow!

We love you, Duke!

Snow Day Sabbath

The Heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.
Psalm 19: 1-4

Today Ray and I are praising God for a beautiful and peaceful snow day sabbath.