Glimpses of God: Seeing God in Everyday Life

By Cookie Magee, DMin

Glimpses of God are opportunities to recognize, with greater clarity, the presence of God in the various places, people, events, circumstances, objects, and languages of our daily life. I offer them to you as an opportunity to reflect on how much God is a part of your life, and how He has chosen to be in relationship with you, how you have chosen to be in relationship with Him, and how through this relationship, you become one of His greatest Glimpses. They are glimpses because we can miss them if we are not paying attention. If we open our heart to His love, our ears to hear his gentle whisper, our eyes to see His light, our hands to feel His hand in ours, and our feet to walk with Him, then we are growing in our relationship with our God and exuding His presence in a clear and vibrant way. I believe that it is in and through this relationship that we are able to recognize His invitation to be a Glimpse to others on our life. I believe it is then that we see more clearly His presence within ourselves. As we recognize His presence within ourselves, and strive to see it more readily in others, then we grow not only in love with our God, self, and others, we are filled with a deeper peace, a greater joy, and a sense of being beloved. If we are open to sharing these gifts with others, then we too are being a Glimpse of God to those in our family, our neighborhood, our community, our society, our church, our friends, those we encounter on a daily basis and even the stranger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685173340

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Glimpses of God

Seeing God in Everyday Life

Cookie Magee, DMin

ISBN 978-1-68517-333-3 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68517-334-0 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Cookie Magee, DMin

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

IN AND THROUGH HIS CREATURES

Chickens

The Bunny Rabbit

The Parakeet or Bungie

The Fish Tank

Monkey Rodeo

A Hawk, a Rabbit, and our Golden Retriever

How Do We Approach Life's Challenges? Ask Sadie, Piper, and Clover

The Spirituality of a Duck

I Got Screamed at by a Duck

IN THE UNEXPECTED

Distractions

The Seven Dwarves

The Diamonds in Our Life

Snowman, Snow People

The Doorknob

The Jigsaw Puzzle

The Various Ladders in Our life

The Doorposts and Lintels of Life

The Love of Christ Present in a Rose

Can You Find Him in Your Wallet?

Photographs

Mother Nature

IN MOTION

The Car

A Broken-Down Car

Modes of Disney Transportation

Spirituality of a Car in Motion

Spirituality of Various Modes of Transportation

Walking with Saint Peter on His Journey of Personal Conversion and Self-Discovery

Glimpse of God: What is Summer For?

DURING THE PANDEMIC

We Are Stronger Than and We Will Conquer the Coronavirus

The Power of Love

Be Not Afraid

Seek Shelter in the Lord

A Most Memorable Memorial Day Weekend

The Cross of the Pandemic

DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASONS

The Spirituality of the Easter Basket

Christmas in July

Giving Thanks

The Spirituality of Decorating a Christmas Tree

Inspired

Keeping Christ in Christmas

Spirituality of Gifting

Living Christmas

IN AND THROUGH OUR PAIN

Our Cross Can Be Our Teacher

CANCER and the BIG C's

The Cataracts of Our Heart and Spirit

The Celebration of the Cross

Brokenness

The Beauty and Life Found in Cemeteries

IN OUR SELF AND OTHERS AS HIS BELOVED

You Are beyond Ordinary; You Are Extraordinary

The Rainbow of Friendship

The Gift of Friendship

It Is YOU!!

The Book of Your Life

Fun Activities That Can Describe Your Spiritual Personality

The Gateways of Our Life

IN AND THROUGH THE ORDINARY

Antiquing

Bank Transactions with God as the Bank Teller

Spirituality of the Supermarket

Footwear Spirituality

Spirituality of Comfy Clothes Materials

Spirituality of Comfy Clothes

Our Calendar

The Gift of Waiting

IN OUR HEART AND THROUGH OUR SENSES of Taste, Smell, Hear, See, Touch, Speak

It Is What It Is

I Got Your Back

Recognizing God with Our Senses

The Weather Conditions of Our Spiritual Life

Miracles

Spiritual Surgery

The Patient Patient: From Complaint to Prayer

The Spirituality of Conversation

The Spirituality of Walking a Dog

The Open House of Our Heart, Memories, and Spirit

Compliments from God

Holy Grounds

Sunroom Where I AM Dwells

IN AND THROUGH INDIVIDUALS

Our Beloved Saint Francis

Angels in Disguise

What It Means to Be Angels in Disguise

Saints That Walk with Us

A Great Photographer

Big Fish in a Little Pond: Our Spiritual SEALS

The Spirituality of My Ears, Nose, and Throat as seen in my ENT

Our Veterinarians and How Their Clients Can Help Form Our Spirituality

A Warm Welcome to the Stranger as Christ Welcomes Us

A Visiting Nurse That Exudes Healing, Compassion, and Understanding

Acknowledgments

About the Author

The weekly Glimpses of God are opportunities to recognize, with greater clarity, the presence of God in the various places, people, events, situations, and circumstances of your daily life. I offer them to you as an opportunity to reflect on how much God, as you understand Him, is a part of your life, how He chooses to use you and how you have chosen Him. They are glimpses because we can miss them if we are not paying attention. But if we open our heart to His love, our ears to hear His gentle voice, our eyes to see His light, our hands to feel His hand in ours, and if we are open to share these gifts with others, then we too are being a Glimpse of God to those in our family, community, neighborhood, church, and world. I hope that you enjoy not only the Glimpse but also the daily reflections.

CATEGORY I

IN AND THROUGH HIS CREATURES

NOAH AND HIS ARK

Chickens

Jesus said, Come follow me. Who was He referring to? All of God's creatures or just the humans Are you too chicken" to heed His call or will you have the courage to follow? John and I went out to the chicken coop on the Amish farm we stayed at this week. Once the chickens saw us coming, they formed a group and followed the leader to come and meet us.

With that, I had to research chickens so that I could learn about their behavior. This is what I found out.

I hope that some of these surprising facts about chickens will make this Glimpse unique, but relational, God inspired and thought provoking, and Sister Mary Teresa approved.

A little background… John and I are staying on an Amish working farm in Lancaster this week for vacation, and this is just one of the many Glimpses of God that came through this week. Come follow Me this week and look at how much you have in common with the chicken, but how much more God has given you to rise above the chicken.

SUNDAY: Chickens can distinguish among more than one hundred faces of people and species.

We humans can distinguish so much. We can choose to separate what we see or bring things together. When we differentiate or separate people, events, or situations, we can do so out of love, compassion, caution, or bitterness. When we choose to separate people, events, or situations we do so to protect others or our self, or distance our self from others so that we do not get hurt. When we see a man coming that has a gun and we go the other way, we do so for self-protection. We also see a man that is homeless, and we also go the other way. Why? It is usually out of fear or ignorance, judgement, or ego.

When Christ calls us to follow Him, He calls us to be like Him and not choose the human weaknesses of holding grudges, being afraid, our own personal ego, or holding onto bitterness and resentment, but rather being a person of compassion, love, empathy and understanding. Unlike chickens who only differentiate people and species, we have the capability to break down walls, bringing the diversity of what we see together so that we can learn from each other and grow in love as God's beloved children, all created in His image, loved unconditionally and His greatest creation. We all are equal, walking on the same holy ground that we call earth.

For today, walk with the chickens and strive not to judge others, but rather accept all others as God's gift to you so that you can stretch your heart and expand your horizons.

MONDAY: Chickens have full color vision just like we do.

Having full color vision is such a gift that God eagerly waits for us to use, why? Because things are not just black and white. When we fail to see things in the kaleidoscope of color that God provides, we are limiting our self, not only in the experience, but also God's invitation to us to see as He sees. When we choose to have tunnel vision or only see things as we think they are or should be, then we are missing out on a great, colorful, and enriching experience. Chickens have the gift of full color vision, and they use it, and they are God's chickens, but what can they teach us?

As Jesus calls us to come and follow Him, He calls us to see things with an open mind, heart and spirit. When we choose to see things such as personal life experiences, people, and other events, as He does, we don't just see them in black and white, but we see them intertwined with the colors of life, joy, peace, harmony, compassion, mercy, and reconciliation. What are those colors?

Red can be for the heart that beats, blue can be for the cleansing waters of baptism, green can be for the hope that lies within, yellow can be for the sunrise and the sunsets of our life that bring us to each new and exciting day, purple can be for the reconciliations that occur in our life, and white can be for the newness of life that God has in store for each one of His children. The page is new, ready, and open for God to write his love story about us, on. So…can you see that chickens have the gift and can teach us that things are not just black and white, but are rich in color and beauty?

For today, open your eyes to see the kaleidoscope of the colors of your life that God has ready to show you.

TUESDAY: Chickens have pain receptors that enable them to feel pain and distress.

Chickens like humans have pain receptors and can feel pain as we do, yet many people don't realize that as these little creatures that are used to produce food for our table, how we treat them to obtain what we want, is a second thought. BUT they hurt, they feel pain and cannot take pain medicine.

We as humans inflict pain on others when we want something, or feel the need to get even, or need to make another feel less than God has created them to feel. We cause pain, we are killing each other over some very needless, idiotic, selfish reasons. We hurt one another because we feel that we have been disrespected or wronged in some way. We, as a society, are not seeking peace through dialogue, but rather revenge through taking another's life. We are causing pain for others by the way we talk about others, the way we gossip, the way we make others feel less than human, the way we judge another, the way we look down because of another's social status, and in all of these ways of destruction, those on whom we inflict pain, are not able to relieve their pain by taking a pain pill, because the pain is a deeper pain, a pain that infects not only the body, but the mind, heart, spirit and soul, and it is a pain that only God and an open heart of humanity, can heal.

For today, pray for those who are in pain; physical, emotional, spiritual or psychological pain, because of anything that you have said or done, consciously or unconsciously, that God may use you as His instrument of healing, reconciliation, love, compassion, acceptance, empathy and love so that they can live with a renewed sense of life and love.

WEDNESDAY: Chickens dream like we do, and they love to play and run, jump, and sunbathe when they have the chance.

What is it to dream? To be asleep and have different scenes enter your mind and very being for the short time that you are in a deep sleep. I often say that dreams are God's way of communicating with us because it is the only time that our mouths stay shut and we can't argue with Him, but we can only listen and maybe recall when we awake. We can also dream about what we would like to be doing or places that we like to go. When we dream with a vision it is a gift that enables us to hold onto hope and think beyond what is.

Chickens can remind us of how to have fun and be a big kid without worrying about what others think. God has a sense of humor, why don't most of us? We take life so seriously that we fail to have fun, experience joy, and let the inner child that lies within, come out.

When we fail to see the joy and beauty in life, we fail to see the big picture that God has created for us. Our big picture is different than the next persons, even if the next person is our parent, sibling, friend, or a stranger. God has a plan for each of us and it is as individual as each person. If you feel the desire to run and jump and lay on the grass in the sunlight, then instead of denying the desire, acknowledge it and be grateful for it. We can't all go around laying on the grass, or jumping up and down, but we can allow the desire and the joy that brings forth that desire to penetrate to the core of our being and rejoice with God that you can dream, dance and celebrate life.

For today, even if you can't run and jump or lay in the grass, acknowledge the desire, and relish the reality that God has blessed you with a deep join that comes forth from within.

THURSDAY: Chickens know who's boss; they form social orders known as pecking orders and all chickens know their place on the ladder.

As we grow and mature, we learn who is the boss and where we stand: at home, at school and at work.

We hopefully realize that the boss deserves our respect and cooperation. Chickens know this and within their pecking order, they do not overstep their bounds or get out of order. If we as humans were to take our cue off of the chickens, children would be more respectful and obedient of their parents, siblings would get along and not be in bitter rivalry with each other, colleagues would not be seeking to walk over each other but rather work with each other to build up each other, we would be in dialogue with the stranger and not judgment because of our differences, love would win over hate, and peace would triumph over war.

The pecking order of the followers of Christ is simple; there is none. What is required of us is that we love one another and show that love in all that we say and do, in and through our actions, prayers and attitudes. We are all God's beloved children, all equal and all walking on God's holy ground.

There is only one boss or voice that we should follow and that is Jesus'. He has given us Church leaders to guide us, but we, in all good conscience, must follow the one whose voice speaks the truth, gives us light and shows us the way to eternal life.

For today, listen to whose voice you follow and decide if it is of Jesus, our one true shepherd or is it of one who has taken his place. If it is not the Lord, pray to turn your ears to Him and turn away from the temporary replacement.

FRIDAY: They can navigate using the sun, which helps then find food, water, and even know what time it is.

We can learn from the chickens, our sun, our light, is Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus Christ gives our life direction, is our moral compass and shows us the way that we should go. Christ feeds us with His very own Body and Blood, in the real presence every time we participate at Mass. His body sustains, nurtures, and feeds us, His blood satisfies our thirst to be the body of Christ in all that we do, and hydrates our spirit so that we don't suffer burnout or spiritual dryness. The chickens can teach us a lot especially when we feel empty or dry, because it is then that we know it is time to turn to Him so that He can fill us with His grace and satisfy our deepest longings.

For today, ask God to satisfy your hunger for a greater love, more patience and compassion and quench or smother any thirst that you have toward being bitter or holding onto a grudge, turning to sin and not seeking the grace to overcome the temptation to sin.

SATURDAY: Chickens are adorable.

Although chickens might be adorable, we humans, God's greatest creation are not only adorable, but affectionally cherished and adored by God. As God's beloved sons and daughters, we are unconditionally loved, adored, and cherished by Him. Are the chickens adored by God? I believe that God adores and cherishes all of His creation because as our creator and God, He saw that all He created was very good. The difference between us and the chickens, and indeed all of the creatures that fly, crawl and hover, is that they don't have a free will and can't choose to follow God and live the good news.

Jesus gave us the commandments of love, and as His followers, we are called to live in love; it is our choice to do so or not. God always loves us and will always be there for us when we walk with Him and when we choose not to. He is there to lift us up, brush us off, bring us back, embrace us, dry our tears, raise us up, encourage and support us and forgive us when we fail or fall short. He cherishes us when we choose to say yes, and He cherishes us even when we say no. God has great respect for us and for the choices that we make. He will never go against our free will but will also never abandon us when our will and His do not necessarily meet. It is in all this that He is devoted to us and finds us most adorable or able to be adored

How can God not adore you. HE respects you, loves you unconditionally, created you in His likeness and image, has called you by name. and even knit you in your mother's womb (Psalm 139).

There is no other person like you, nor will there be another you. You are one of a kind. There is no heart like yours, no soul like yours, no mind that works like yours. God created you individually and uniquely out of complete love. God creates only good and only out of love.

For today, look at how adored you are by God, and utter a prayer of thanks that the chickens reminded you of that great and awesome truth.

The Bunny Rabbit

Early the other morning when John and I were leaving the house, in our neighbor's front yard, we saw three little baby cotton tail bunny rabbits chasing each other in a very playful and joyful way. I stood in amazement and gratitude as I realized God was showing me how to enjoy each moment of the day without allowing the concerns that lie ahead to take away from the joy that is right in front of me. It was a great beginning as I prepared to go to daily Mass.

Around our house, and especially in our back yard, the bunny rabbits have many hiding places and often come out of them to find food, get some fresh air, and stretch their legs. They like to take chances with, and tease Clover. When Clover was young, she would try to chase them and to this day, she never had a chance to catch them, even though they knew that they still teased her into playing catch me if you can. Today, there are times when they have sympathy for Clover. They just sit there and wait to see if Clover will move. When she is too tired to move, she will just look at them, they in turn look at her and it seems like they wish each other a good day and go their separate ways. BUT there are times when Clover wants to play. The rabbit will sit in front of the back door and wait until Clover sees it. When she does and we open the door, let the games begin… Clover leaps off the deck, the rabbit runs, Clover runs after the rabbit, the rabbit runs faster, they do about two laps around the yard, and then you will see the rabbit run under the shed, and Clover come to a quick halt. She then goes on the deck and lays down in complete exhaustion.

All of God's creatures are a beauty to behold. Rabbits are especially a beauty to behold in an instant, because of their long ears that tug your heart strings and their cute little cotton tails. They are gentle loving creatures.

How are rabbits a glimpse of God? I believe that all of God's creatures, both human and animal, are glimpses of His presence to those who open their minds, hearts, and spirits to seeing Him in them. I also believe that for those who cast their eyes upon God's creatures with an openness to seeing God's presence within them, will always be blessed by seeing God.

This glimpse is for Sister Stephanie who loves rabbits. As I prayed over this glimpse and read up on rabbits, I learned a lot about them and thought that you would be interested in what makes them such an amazing creature.

A baby rabbit is called a kitten. A mature female rabbit is a doe, a mature male is a buck.

A group of rabbits is known as a colony or nest. A group of rabbits produced from a single mating is referred to as a litter. The female rabbit can have up to twelve to thirteen kits in one litter.

Rabbits groom themselves, like cats, throughout the day by licking their fur and paws.

Rabbits have 360-degree vision, which allows them to see what is coming from behind and the sides without turning their heads. They have an exceedingly small blind spot directly in front of their face.

Their long ears, as cute as they are, not only provide great hearing but also are a cooling agent for them. They can rotate their ear 270-degrees allowing them to detect any threats that might be approaching from up close to two miles away.

Their legs make them good jumpers, great for evading their predators in a hurry.

Despite popular beliefs and pictures, rabbits cannot live on carrots, nor is it recommended, perhaps occasionally as a treat. They prefer greens like weeds, grass, and clover. Since carrots are high in sugar, they can contribute to tooth decay in rabbits.

Rabbits are hard to catch, ask Clover, because they run in a zigzag pattern which makes them hard to target, and they can run as fast as 18 mph.

They get bored in the same environment, so they benefit from change in scenery, but not too much since they need to be familiar with their surroundings if they are to escape from a predator.

They dig special complex tunnel systems called warrens with special rooms made for nesting and sleeping as well as multiple entrances that allow the rabbit to escape in a pinch if needed.

The rabbit is a lot like the human in that they mirror some of the same needs, characteristics, and behaviors.

As you begin a new week, may the rabbit help you to reflect on the love that God has for you, and how He shows you His love as you behold the beauty of the rabbit.

SUNDAY: R—Rousing

Rabbits Binky when they are happy. Binky is when they jump in the air, twist their body, and kick their feet out. How do you show that you are happy? Do you smile? Greet others with joy? If you could imagine yourself doing a happy dance, a Binky what would it look like? Would you kick up your feet, or jump in the air? Would you clap and sing for joy? Can you imagine how happy God is with you and how He does his own happy dance? What do you think it looks like? With a great imagination, but more importantly faith and trust in God and His love for you, I see God singing and dancing with the angels. I see him embracing you as if you were slow dancing to a waltz. A song or melody where you can listen to Him tell you how happy He is with you, how loved you are, and encouraging you to go on despite the difficulties that you are facing. Does God jump in the air and twist His body? Yes, every time that you behold His creature Binky, I know that as their creator, they reflect the joy and happiness that God has and wants for all His creatures.

Let your imagination go and try to see God singing and dancing with you. What is your favorite song? Will you let Him lead?

My prayer: Lord, help me to sing and dance with the joy in my heart that you have placed and continue to nurture and expand.

MONDAY: A—Affectionate

Rabbits show affection with licks and nibbles. They show their affection by grooming, a gentle nuzzle, lick and nibble. When they do this, they are showing you that they love and care for you.

How do you show affection? Is it hard to show affection or is it easy? Do you show it out of love? or just to be seen? How do you show God affection? We can show Him affection by the way we show it to others especially those for which it is hard, and not reciprocated.

We can't give Him licks and nibbles, but we can give Him our hearts and the love that we have. We can approach our prayer time with great anticipation, joy, and happiness. We can embrace our encounter with God and not run away from it.

Rabbits show their affection by grooming and nuzzling up to their owner. God shows us His deep affection by giving us His grace so that we can be the best person that He created us to be and have the potential to become. We can keep our hearts, spirits and souls groomed, cleaned and sin free by maintaining a deep personal prayer life, being an active participant at Mass, receiving the sacraments of the Church, by dying to self so as to live for Christ, by being compassionate and merciful and helping those in need, especially the stranger and those hard to nuzzle up to in our family, community, church and workplace.

The Eucharist is God's hug around our heart, the gentle breeze is His kiss on our cheeks, the wind on our back is God's pat on the back supporting all that we do, the gentle rain is God crying with us as we mourn, and the snow is God giving us a blanket of love to cover up that which is in our past to show us that we are forgiven and need to go forward renewed and reconciled.

My prayer: Lord, help me to show and receive affection as a gift and grace from you, and not just a public act to display.

TUESDAY: B—Belonging

What or who do you belong to? Where does your identity come from? There is our family that we belong to, churches that we are members of, a religious community that we are a professed member of, and communities that we are a member of. It is not in what we do or say or our job that give us our identity. Our greatest identity comes from being a child of God and a follower of Christ His Son.

It does not matter what we do, or who we are on the social ladder, but rather how we loved God, others and our self, and how we served our God and built His kingdom here on earth.

Without human interaction, rabbits can become lonely and depressed. They need to be held and feel like that they are loved and do not like being left alone for long periods of time. I believe that signs of affection and interaction remind us that we are cared for and loved. Without human affection, we can become hard of heart. When we are without human interaction, we can feel depressed, all alone and unloved. God does not want that for us. He wants us to know without a doubt that He loves us unconditionally, and that He is always with us no matter what. We all need quite time, stress free time, time in prayer, time to refocus and be renewed in body, mind, and spirit. God does not leave us alone nor does He want us to leave Him alone. He knows our hearts better than we know them our self, and it is that knowledge and love that He calls us to interact with Him and trust in His promise that He will always be with us, that He will never leave or forsake us. We belong to Him, we are His. We are His greatest creation and sign of His presence here on earth.

My Prayer: Lord, help me to remember that my greatest identity comes from being your beloved son or daughter.

WEDNESDAY: B—Bountiful

Rabbits are a symbol of prosperity, abundance, and fertility. Prosperity is a sign of blessing from God. Abundance is an overflowing fullness and fertility is bearing fruit with fertile soil. Jesus suffered and died that we may inherit eternal life. Only through, with and in Him can we experience true happiness and peace in this lifetime. Our foundation is Christ. We can choose to make our foundation strong through prayer, by receiving the Sacraments and the reading of Sacred Scripture, or we can or allow it to become weak. We are prosperous in that God's graces are overflowing. Our abundance is the overflowing love that comes from God for us and that we share with others. Our fertility lies is the ability to build the kingdom of God here on earth, one prayer, one act of love and mercy at a time.

My Prayer: Lord, help me to recognize that it is only in you and through you that I am prosperous in your graces and desire to love others as you have loved me and to build your kingdom here on earth.

THURSDAY: I—Independent

Rabbits are independent, loyal, playful, lovable, social creatures that can survive in the wild, but would make an excellent domestic family pet in a loving household.

It is nice to be independent. When young adults are venturing out on their own for the first time, they think that they are now independent. They think that independence means that they don't have to listen to anyone, they can come and go as they want, that they can do what they want when they want without the rules of home to follow them. Yet true spiritual independence means the opposite, I believe it means that we can be on our own knowing that we need God, others, and our self to keep our feet on the right path, to keep our hearts open and our minds clear. If we think that we do not need others, we have no one to be loyal to, no one to receive love from or show love for, no one to cry with or shed tears of joy with. God calls us each by name and we are one of a kind. We can stand on our own knowing that when we fall, we will always fall into God's loving embrace.

My Prayer: Lord, strengthen me with your grace so that my sense of spiritual independence grows and my desire to be on my own and do things on my own, is lessened.

FRIDAY: T—Trainable

Rabbits know their name when called and respond to it.

Good for them. Now if we as humans, all believed that God calls us by name, that we are His beloved children and not a random act of creation, how much more loving would we be toward our self, others and God. God formed us in the womb and gave us our name. We are not accidents. Although rabbits are trainable and respond to their name, we are not God's robots. We are His children and He gently and not forcefully, calls us to follow Him.

Yet as a rabbit wants to follow the voice of their owner, we too want to follow that voice of our shepherd, Jesus Christ. So, we are not too different from the rabbit in our need to be led in the right direction, hear the voice of the one who loves us, and follow that voice so that we don't get lost.

My prayer: Lord, open my ears so that I may hear and listen to your voice and not the voices or the noises of those who try to take me, misdirect me on another path.

SATURDAY: S—Sorrowing

Rabbits shed tears when they are sad, suffering, or ill.

I would melt if I saw or heard a rabbit cry. It would break my heart to know that this vulnerable and helpless creature was suffering. How much more does God's heart break when He sees us, His vulnerable, weak creatures suffer? God cries with us. He cries when we cry and when we are suffering. When we can't seem to shed a tear, He cries even more because He knows the depth and extent of the pain that we are feeling inside. Can you see God crying as you cry or cannot seem to cry? Do you know that the pain you are experiencing, He is also experiencing and is crying even more? Tears are very healing and cathartic. By shedding the tears of pain, aggravation, stress, happiness, peace, and joy which are inside you, you shed the negative energy and share the good.

God hears and cries with you; will you allow yourself to cry with Him? Crying is a sign of strength and courage and not of weakness. We are humbled through our tears, and it is in that act of humility that God can heal us and bring us new life.

My prayer: Lord, grant me a spirit of humility so that as I cry with you and share my joys, sorrows, and desires with you, I may be healed and made whole.

The Parakeet or Bungie

At Assisi House there are two parakeets; Francis and Clare, (go figure) that are the center of many of the Sister's focus as well as staff and visitors. You might ask why? There are probably as many reasons as there are Sisters, staff and visitors, some being that they are a beauty to behold, a stroke of amazing colors on God's canvas of creation, relaxing to look at and observe, and they can learn to repeat what they are told on a repetitive basis. The Sisters, staff and visitors can be found talking to the birds, quietly admiring them, playing with them, or just enjoying conversation with others in the bird's presence, and in many cases the birds respond with various levels and sounds of chirps, words, and noises.

Why or how are the birds a Glimpse of God? Think about it for a moment. Birds are in a cage, yet they are free to fly and be who and what God created them to be. We are free; free to be who we want to be and do what we want to do, we have a free will that God will not interfere with, yet we are bound or unfree for a variety of reasons ranging from sin to shame, resentment to revenge, and the opinion of others that conflicts with God's message of love, reconciliation, and peace.

These types of birds are called Bungies. The bungies communicate with each other with various sounds, and they communicate with the Sisters with certain words, kisses, pecks, and great trust. They swing on their swings, take baths, admire their view in the mirror, sleep and even bicker, yet afterward they can be seen kissing each other.

Their little bodies, feathers, beaks, and bottoms are a canvas of color, beauty and an exquisite creation made with love. We admire their colors because no two birds are the same, no two humans are the same. God designed each of us individually, as well as the birds, so that they too have their own personality or in this case, birdsonality.

These creatures are God's gift to us, but what does God expect us to do with them? Beyond the obvious, love, respect, and care for them, but more importantly the unobvious, and that is to be open to learn from them and take the lesson to heart.

As we begin a new week, let us strive to recognize in the simplicity of the bungie, how to be the free person that God created us to be by believing in His message of love for our self, Him, and others, by dismissing the negative words, actions and attitudes that contradict His message, and by extending our self so that we can help others to be free and not unnecessarily bound or unfree.

SUNDAY: B—You are Beloved, Blessed, and Beautiful

We are God's beloved, blessed, and beautiful sons and daughters, loved unconditionally and His greatest creation. God has created us each with complete and unconditional love, compassion, happiness, and joy. Do we believe that? Many of us hesitate to. We think of the opposites; we are unlovable and missed out on blessings because of our sins, bad choices, or crosses. We see only the blemishes, scars, and wounds instead of seeing the beauty of God that shines through us despite the stumbling blocks or obstructions that we have placed before Him.

For today, strive to see the true beauty that you possess, the beauty that comes from within. The beauty that shines in and through your compassion, your love for God, others and self, your joy for life, how you extend mercy, seek peace, and witness to Christ, and give thanks to God for revealing this to you.

MONDAY: U—You are a Unique child of God, with an Undivided heart

God, as our creator, knows our hearts better than we do. He knows that although we sin, our heart, our deepest desire is to remain faithful to Him, witness to his love in and through our lives, actions, words, deeds, attitudes, and prayers, and be His disciple as we together build up the kingdom of God here on earth. This is what we want to hold onto and not lose sight of or let go of. Sin separates us from God as we let go of a little bit at a time, the hand of God as He tries to lead us and show us the way, the truth, and the light. At the sound of remorse, sorrow, contrition, He mends our hearts again, makes us whole so that we can move forward, and be the best person that we can be and have the potential to become; our unique and undivided hearted follower, a sinner striving to be a saint.

For today, strive to seek wholeness and ask for the grace to let go of that which is keeping your heart divided; illness, estranged or broken relationship, revenge, bitterness, resentment, frustration, stress, shame, or sin.

TUESDAY: N—You are a New creation and Renewed in the Holy Spirit

We are all a new creation in God and Jesus His son. What does that mean? That God made a mistake and had to do us over? No. I believe that it means we are new in and through our baptism and faith in Jesus Christ. He suffered and died for our sins and calls us to live in the light of that final act of reconciliation and not in the death of sin or shame, disgrace, or fear. We are renewed every time that we let go of the old way of life that has taken us away from God or others, that has caused us to sell our soul to the devil at any cost, that has made us believe that we are unlovable and that we have to earn God's love to be loved. You are a new creation; how does it feel? Are you invigorated? Excited? Awakened? Refreshed? God's Holy Spirit dwells within you and has all your life, do you recognize Him?

For today, strive to recognize how the Holy Spirit has renewed you and made you whole. Seek to tap into that holy energy and share it with another who might also be running on empty and needs to be made new.

WEDNESDAY: G—You are Gifted and Graced by God

You are a gift from God to others. You are gifted with many talents that are as unique as you are. We might possess the same talents, but how we use them to glorify God, share them with others and grow from them, is our gift to God. God's grace is abundant. In many cases we think of that passage when we are struggling, stressed and need to be affirmed that we will not be overcome or defeated.

Yet it is also true when we need to use our gifts, especially when we are tempted by others to diminish them, dismiss, them, forget them or misuse them. What could or would that look like?

If you have the gift of prayer where your prayers are answered for others, but people make you feel bad or make fun of your faith, where as you decide to deny or not talk about your relationship with God, or if you have the gift of being musically, sports, or intellectually talented and others are jealous and talk about you so that you don't want to excel but rather would just like to hide.

God's grace is plentiful and will help you overcome the negative squashing of your gifts so that you can use them to the best of your ability, and not allow others to make you feel as if you can't, shouldn't or will be judged negatively if you do.

For today, reverence, honor and thank God for your many talents and gifts that make you the special person that you are.

THURSDAY: I—Individual, who is Inspired and Imaginative

You are an individual, you are you, there is no one like you nor will there ever be anyone like you again, you are one of a kind, you are the one and only you. you are an imaginative creation, and you are an inspired follower of Jesus Christ. There is a lot of you to be grateful for? Do you think others are grateful for the person that you are? Are you grateful for the people that have inspired you to be the person that you are?

Can you imagine yourself being different? Sometimes we wish that we were someone else because of their wealth, smarts, social status, athletic ability, and when we do that, we are dismissing our own uniqueness and giftedness from God. This is not what God wants of others and this isn't what God intends for us. It is nice to admire others, but to be jealous or to covet what others have, is to turn away from what God has so graciously given to us.

For today, thank God for those who have inspired you to be the faithful witness to His good news that you are.

FRIDAY: E—You are Exceptional because of your Empathy and Energy

Being empathetic is no easy task especially when your energy level is low, your stress is high and your ability to be patient is gone. When others need us to be present to them in the midst of their pain or struggle, and we feel as if we can't be, that causes us more angst because we feel that we should always be present and listen to those who are suffering and need to be consoled. God sees through us, and HE would not want us to pretend to listen, but rather be honest when we do not feel as if we can truly be present to them. God does not demand that of us, we demand that of our self. All God asks of us is that we do the best that we can, that we be the best person we can be.

We would do more harm and it would be a greater injustice if we faked empathy or pretended to be present to another especially one who is in great pain. Others can see through our pretension. We are called to serve and help others who are in need, but we cannot be or give what we are not and do not have. It takes an exceptional person to recognize the need to be empathetic and share their presence with others and are unable to do that.

For today, try to be more understanding and compassionate with those who challenge your patience, zap you of your energy, and diminish your self-esteem, rebellious children, idle coworkers, elderly parents, siblings, estranged family members, or community members. Do unto others as God has done unto you.

SATURDAY: S—You freely give of your Selfless love and choose not to be Selfish

God's giving of Jesus to us was an act of selfless love, Mary's YES to God was an act of selfless love, and Jesus's death on the cross was the ultimate act of selfless love. Where does that leave us? We are not prophets, martyrs, or saints, we are ordinary people trying to live our Catholic Christian faith in an extraordinary way. What makes it extraordinary? When we encounter the living God and choose to follow, serve, and spread the good news about Him by the way we live our lives. We go from ordinary to extraordinary because once we encounter our living God, we are changed and cannot remain as we were. We go from selfish to selfless, from self-centered to God centered, from closed minded and hard of heart, to open minded with an expanded heart, from looking into the mirror where we can only see our needs, wants and desires, to looking out the window where we are blessed to see the needs, wants and desires of others as well as God' great creation which is bigger than we could have ever imagined

For today, do a random act of selfless love to someone that you find difficult to love.

The Fish Tank

My Glimpse of God for this week comes from a seemingly unlikely source. As I think of a Glimpse of God and how He chooses to reveal Himself, I have come to realize it is not just in the how but also in the what. I think of not only how He chooses to reveal Himself and the message in that revelation, but also what does He use to show Himself and His message. He created all things and creatures, so He can choose to reveal His message, His presence, His love, in any way that humanity can behold it. For this week, I see His glimpse in the beauty of a big fish tank that stands in the lobby of the Assisi House, in the Clare unit as well as the one in Sister Mary Teresa Coll's room.

The beauty of the fish tank lies not only in the various types and sizes of fish, but also in the colorful decorations inside the tank, the beautiful crystal-clear water and the greenery that reaches up and stretches out with the water to help keep its shape.

How is a beautiful fish tank a glimpse of God? Besides in the calming effects that it holds for those who behold it, and the kaleidoscope of colorful fish that swim in it, it also tells a love story, the love of God for all His creation and the love of the Sisters for his creation.

The fish tank is a window to the world, their window to the human world and our window to their world. Living in a fish tank might seem constricting, perhaps controlled, but only if you are looking for it to be. The beauty of a fish tank filled with fish and other creatures can open one's eyes to how God would like us to strive and imitate what we are beholding. As we go through another week, let us begin it with a new set of eyes and seek to behold God's beauty in the least of His creatures.

SUNDAY: THE GLASS FISH TANK

The tank, the four walls if you will, that make a home for the many and varied fish and other creatures that live within it. How is a glass fish tank a Glimpse of God, or how can we see God by looking in it? The tank is the window to the world of the inhabitants. There is an automatic transparency. Nothing is hidden, no creature that is within its glass walls can really hide without being seen, yet all are safe. Isn't that a good way to be? A life of transparency, a life with no barriers, obstructions, or walls to hide behind, or keep others away. As a follower of Christ, we should be authentic, consistent, and transparent, and not a hypocrite. The gospel of love, the gospel that Jesus preached is the one that we should strive to follow and live by. Our life should reflect a genuineness and authenticity from the inside out. We cannot lie to, deceive, or run from God. God knows all and there is nothing hidden that He is not aware of. He does not use His knowledge of our sinfulness against us, but rather He embraces our hearts with His hope, consolation, peace, and compassion. He knows our hearts better that we do and when our heart, the home that He abides in, is broken, He wants to bring healing upon it and make it whole again. God seeks us out especially when we try to hide because we are ashamed, or embarrassed. We can choose to remain in the muddy waters of sin or bad choices, but His desire for us is that we come to Him, not run away. That we choose to be transparent, trusting that we can and will exude and reflect His love and mercy, peace and compassion because we want to be the best person that we can be and have the potential to become.

For today, seek to be more transparent because in your transparency, others will see your heart the heart of love, your love for God and others and God's love for you.

MONDAY: THE WATER THAT FILLS THE FISH TANK

God gives us home here on earth; it may not be filled with water, but it is the waters of baptism that will bring us to our heavenly home when our earthly journey has ended. The waters of new life, of renewal, of purification, are ours. Every time we bless our self with holy water, we are recalling our baptism with a prayer and the sign of the cross. The waters of baptism invite us to enter into the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the passion and death where we encounter the devil's temptations to resist Christ and be true to the gospel, but it is the same waters that remind us that Jesus is and will always be with us so that we can remain faithful. It is the waters of baptism that, although we may not be feeling the refreshing and cleansing experience that water brings, we are always living in the light and effects that our baptism forever gives us. The effects of our baptism enable us to live in union and love with each other. Notwithstanding our differences but in honor of them. Like the fish we can freely be our self, be true to our self and honor those we encounter as they too try to live and be true to them self as children of God.

For today, as you bless yourself with holy water, recall the gift and cleansing power that it holds and seek to accept it, not reject it or dismiss it. You are blessed and a blessing, reverence your gift of self and that of others.

TUESDAY: THE FILTER

The filter in the fish tank is there to keep the water clean, to remove excess food and decaying organic matter, free floating stuff, and the waste from the fish.

What is our filter? How do we, as Catholics, rid ourselves of those things that cause us to feel less than our better self, the best person that God created us to be? What does it look like? What keeps our souls clean, our hearts open, and our minds focused? The Church gives us the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist as our filters in union with our personal prayer life. God provides these filters so that we can stay focused on Christ. They allow us, or invite us, to be strengthened in body, mind, and spirit so that we can be true to Him and to our self. They allow us to keep an open mind and open our hearts to Him and His great love for us, so that we can share that love with each other, even those we do not know, but will encounter.

For today, say a prayer of gratitude for the gifts of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist, and remind yourself that the graces received go a long way and are the filters that keep the wasteful things: revenge, anger, bitterness, resentment at a distance and bring the good: mercy, compassion, forgiveness, peace, and joy, closer.

WEDNESDAY: THE STONES THAT CREATE THE FOUNDATION

Every stone in the tank exudes the beauty of God that each person or in this case, fish, possesses. We are all unique in the eyes of God. We are all His beloved children, loved unconditionally and are His greatest creation. We are loved for who we are and not for what we do. Although the stones may all look alike, some are the same color and the same size, each one is different, no two stones are the same. We as humans are all different, there are no two humans that are the same. We all have the love of God in our heart that calls us to love and respond to love in our unique and individual way. The stones represent how we as humans can sometimes be: hard of heart, resisting of change, not wanting to be transformed, but rather stay just as we are. The stone, although entrenched in water, does not break down. We, if we choose not to recall our baptism or the filters that God gives us, cannot experience transformation or conversion, and we remain hard of heart. BUT if we allow the graces and filters of God to truly affect us, then like the stones, we add to the beauty of creation by being the loving, caring, and giving people that God created us to be, and knows that we want to be. God knows that although we can sometimes be hardheaded and hard of heart, we also have the potential to change and seek to be formed, reformed, and transformed into the image and likeness of the true Body of Christ. If you removed any one of the stones, there would be a void, something would be missing. How much more would there be a void if one of us would be removed or worse yet, if we were to remove our self from interaction with others because of shame, sin or weakness? There would be a void, we would be missed. We all are called to build the Kingdom here on earth, and we all add to the beauty of the Kingdom, but if we pluck out or leave from our mission of co-creating God's kingdom here on earth, we then create an empty space that makes the big picture incomplete. When God calls us home, our hope is that whoever replaces or fills in for us so that the kingdom can continue to be built, it is by someone that we were witness to and will choose to follow Christ and b His witness as we tried to be.

For today, pray for those who have gone before you, and recall one aspect that they passed on to you that has inspired you to continue to be a co-creator in God's kingdom here on earth.

THURSDAY: THE FISH

As one gazes into the fish tanks, the first and most beautiful sight is the movement of the many types of and varied sized fish that swim next to, underneath, around each other, without attacking each other. They, unlike humanity at times, all seem to get along despite their differences. There is no blatant killing of a small fish by a big fish, or the frog eating the small fish, if there were, the tank would be empty. Their habitat is a safe habitat because they have been carefully chosen and placed there, and