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Showing posts from March, 2018

A TOXIC LIFE

We have all known people, organizations, and even churches that are nothing but negative and hateful. We all have times of feeling negative for a bit. This is sometimes brought on by reading websites of both sides of the political spectrum and the venomous comments people leave, oh my! There are times when this is brought on by too much regular bad and depressing news on TV, radio, and print. Reading people's social media rants with thirty posts and tweets from other negative sources plastered on their Wall or Tweet Board to supposedly warn us of all the evil... "give me those ruby slippers and your little dog Toto too!" Sometimes this is brought on when we encounter people face to face and hear their toxic world and life view spit out all over us. We walk away feeling depressed and anxious... "lions and tigers and bears oh my!" So we put on our rose-colored glasses and all is well, right? Do we allow the oxidation of our souls by the world? See no evil, hear

THE SPIRITUAL IN FEEDING THE BIRDS

The other day I was pouring bird seed into the bird feeder in the backyard of the Monastery and I then poured fresh water in the bird bath. I walked onto the deck and turned around and watched as a few timid sparrows started to land and eat their lunch. I felt like St. Francis of Assisi and then I felt the Holy Spirit's presence as I thought this is my area on earth to tend the garden. I felt it was my small way of helping my Heavenly Father look after the feathery creatures of this planet. My Dad used to tell me I would be the next Billy Graham (no pressure there!) but I have found what Mother Teresa said is so true at least in my life, " Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”   I have not done anything for the whole world to know who Richard Fleming Stutz is but within my reach, I have tried to love in my limited way as Christ did. I am humbled to realize that the Creator of the whole world does love me and knows me which in the end