Comments on: Sunday, November 11, 2018 – Trust That God Will Provide

By: A

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 01:29:37 +0000

Joe, I warned Mary Ortwein about spreading such a message that leads to burnout, and she agreed with me. She pointed out that Mother Teresa’s order of nuns had built-in rest time! Mary said that she knew that there was something wrong with the busyness of her life when nuns had built-in rest time, and she didn’t.

Please, let’s not go overboard on the sacrifice. Please pay your bills and don’t give to charity, if you can’t afford to pay your bills. If you don’t pay your bills, YOU will be the charity case.

Please rest on the couch, because your family will not do well in seeing you cranky, grouchy, or downright angry, if you’re, as Joe put it, ” burning the candle at both ends.” Allow them to sacrifice some of their pleasures (stop watching mindless TV, surfing mindless Imternet sites, gossiping, and all sorts of other useless things), and pick up some of the slack, since you’re exhausted. Allow them to make dinner, clean up, take care of something. Point out how you’re exhausted, and you need their help. Allow them to grow through their own sacrifice.

Please, everybody, take care of yourselves. I learned this in a very bad way (not taking time to rest during pregnancy, which resulted in my baby being born in distress, and a very complicated labour and delivery. We are both fine, this was years ago, but I think some psychological issues still remain for my child from that lack of rest during my pregnancy).

As my huband puts it (I wish I had listened to him during my pregnancy): “don’t be a hero.”

God will help you, yes, but that exhaustion you’re feeling, or that stress, is a sign that He wants you to re-examine your life and stop whatever is causing it.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 00:41:42 +0000

Such a great way to let everyone know that most of us live in abundance and the “give till it hurts” theme never gets old. Thank you Joe

By: Shirley

Shirley — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 21:46:23 +0000

Thanks for this reflection Joe. A timely reminder to keep on giving. God Bless.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 15:36:32 +0000

The woman who shared her last meal with Elijah reminded me of something similar Mother Theresa witnessed. She said she had given rice to a woman who immediately shared it with her Muslim neighbour. Pure love in action. That is in stark contrast to Jesus’ condemnation of the scribes : they devour houses of widows! As Christmas approaches, there will be numerous requests from food banks, churches, charities that request donations of clothing, and gift boxes. And people give generously. Then it’s back to life as usual. I used to think why do we give so generously only at Christmas, why not all year round, then I see, hear of people doing just that. I remember eons ago a journalist doing research said it was those who had the least, gave the most ….. as little Timmy said “God bless us, everyone”

November 11: 100 years commemorating the end of WWI. LEST WE FORGET.

By: Leslie Judd

Leslie Judd — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 08:49:54 +0000

Joe, thanks for that reflection which certainly struck a nerve with me and many others, I’m sure. It’s a great test of anything “good” we do – did it “hurt” to do it? Was it really a sacrifice of our time or our resources? If we want to feel good about doing something good, we’ll feel even better about it, paradoxically, if it hurt to do it. You put your finger on something which is really core to our behaving as loving Christians: going the extra mile, stepping beyond our comfort zone to do good for others.

By: Chris Curley

Chris Curley — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 08:16:08 +0000

Thank you Joe, this is a particularly apt reminder for me, taking on a job for our parish that I don’t feel able for, don’t want to do, even while seeing the need. God bless.