Listen to God's voice at the foot of the crucifix." ~St. Gaspar del Bufaro~

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Falling In Love Again *2013*

This sign was my sign...
For 20*13*

I love *13*!
Thirteen is my good number.
I don't say lucky because I don't believe in luck, so to speak.
I believe God has a plan and everything happens for a reason...
That being said, the number 13 has been good for me:)
13 was my street address for the first real house I lived in as an adult, married, Army officer.
13 was my street address again, different house, different state, when I gave birth to my first child.
13 was the date I met my present husband, Rod.
13 was the date we were married, 2 years later.
I already love this new year...20-*13*.  
It will surely be good.
I have no doubts.
Regardless of the valleys and hills we may travel, God is always good.
Knowing this truth with every inch of my being, I still like to ponder the new year, reflecting upon where I am and pray for a goal or theme to carry forward.  As mentioned last year, it helps me to sit before the Blessed Sacrament.  Jesus never fails to help us out when we listen for His guidance:)
 *LOVE*
This is my answer for the year.
I am falling in love again *2013*
I know I'm bearing my soul here.
Apparently, I need a little work in this area.
I know I do.
I get discouraged when others don't love me back.
I might reach out to someone and receive very little in return.
In this case, my natural inclination is to retreat.
If someone refuses my love, I internalize and shut down.
I'm done loving.
At least for a day. (wink)
*Newsflash*
Maybe I'm not really loving others and what I really want is for others to love me.
How selfish is that?
I think about Mary.
What would she do?
I have no doubt that she just loved people unconditionally. She did this out of her love for Jesus...She only wanted them to know her God-Son, to love Him and see Him through her.  
Now that's how I'd like to be,
all the time.
I'm going to work on that, as per my marching orders,
read during my recent holy hour in this beautiful book...
"My divine Lover, your devices to attract souls are truly amazing.  Dying for us did not satisfy you.  You had to give us this sacrament as a companion, as food, as a pledge of heaven.  You had to become a tiny baby, a poor laborer, a beaten criminal, even a morsel of bread.  Only a God who loves us deeply could conceive such ideas!
But when am I going to respond to your insistent love?
Lord, I want to live to love you.
My life is worthless if I do not use it for that.
And what is there to love but you, who are so good, so kind, so lovable?
May my soul expand with love when it thinks of you.
And when it hears the names crib, cross, sacrament, may it be sparked with the desire to do great things for you.
O Lord, let me do something for you before I die."
If my soul expands with love for the Lord, how can I ask for anything in return?
Sometimes it's not that easy.
How can we tackle such a monumental task?
The answer can be simple...One little bite at at time.
A very wise friend (and Carmelite layperson) recently told me that it helps to pick one person at a time, someone we are struggling with loving.  In our human nature, God knows we are otherwise overwhelmed:)  Within our desire to love God, we can concentrate on praying for this person and for the strength to love them for who they are, created in the image and likeness of HIM, and not for what they give us in return.  God's love for the unlovable will guide us to His perfect light.
I shall try,
I shall do my best,
to love God more truly, deeply and completely.
Only through truly falling in love with Him over and over again, will I be capable of loving those I have the hardest time loving.
I seek help in the manger.
Lord, I want to live to love you.
My greatest desire is to share your love with everyone around me, including the toughest to love.
This prayer crossed my path yesterday.
I'll take it as another sign that I should pray it daily:)
Radiating Christ
By: Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman
Dear Jesus,
Help me to spread Your fragrance wherever I go.
Flood my soul with Your Spirit and Life.
Penetrate and possess my being so utterly
That my life may only be a radiance of Yours.
Shine through me, and be so in me
That every soul I come in contact with
May feel Your Presence in my soul.
Let them look up, and see no longer me but only Jesus.
Stay with me,
And then I will begin to shine as You shine,
So to shine as to be a light to others.
The light, O Jesus, will be all from You.
None of it will be mine.
It will be You, shining on others through me.
Let me thus praise You
In the way in which You love best:
By shining on those around me.
Let me preach You without preaching,
Not by words but by example,
By the catching force,
The sympathetic influence of what I do,
The evident fullness of the love
My heart bears for You.  Amen.
Falling In Love Again *2013*
Won't you join me?
Beloved, let us love one another, because  love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.  Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.  In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.~1 John 4:7-9
{I'm linking up over at Suscipio's Naming the New Year!}

23 comments:

  1. Dear Tiffany, What a beautiful resolve for the New Year, to truly strive to love whether or not the love is returned! The prayer by Cardinal Newman is wonderful-"the evident fullness of the love my heart bears for you"-I'd say you are already there! May 2013 be a year of great love and joy for you! Blessings!

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, dear Anne! Your words of encouragement are always a gift:) A blessed 2013 to you and your family!

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  2. What a wonderful post to read this morning! I read it twice! May God bless you! +JMJ+

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    1. Thank you for visiting this morning, Annita:) It's always a little risky when I bear my soul like this! I am thankful for your kindness:) Many blessings to you and your family in the New Year!

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  3. oh yes I'll join you Tiffany. thanks for this inspiration!

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    1. Awesome, Gardenia...It's always nice to know we are not alone:) Thank you, my friend. WIshing you and your family a joyous New Year, filled with abundant blessings!

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  4. "LOVE" this post! "LOve" the truth and honesty, and yes, I'm with you for this goal. "Love" the beautiful Christmas scenary. May God continue to bless you abundantly, especially through this new year!

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    1. Happy, blessed, New Year and thank you so much, Patty! I am trying very hard to treasure my Christmas scenery so thank you for noticing. I never look forward to taking it down:( Much love to you and thank you for walking with me, dear sister-friend in Christ:)

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  5. prayers for a fruitful journey. may we all follow your lead to selflessly radiate His love.

    ad Jesum per Mariam,
    lena

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  6. Thank you, Lena! I always cherish your encouragement and grateful to know such an inspirational sister in Christ. Happy, blessed, New Year to you and your very special family:)

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  7. Happy New Year! Beautiful post and a beautiful way to start your "good" year!!

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    1. Thank you and New Year's blessings to you and your family, Jen! Thank you for your continued support and bloggy friendship. Your sweet family is an inspiration to me and so many!

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  8. Tiffany...jumped over from Suscipio. What a thought provoking post and I love the *13* theme!

    Your post immediately brought thoughts of St. Therese to mind. Her vocation being *love*! Maybe she would be a good guide for you : )

    Many blessings of love in the New Year!

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    1. Thank you for jumping over, Theresa! I need to get over and reciprocate:) I love St. Therese and really do need to call upon her for a guide more often. I was blessed to make a pilgrimage to Lisieux so I feel a special connection to her. Many blessings right back to you in this New Year!

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  9. Hi Tiffany. Happy New Year. Beautiful post on love.

    Let me thus praise You
    In the way in which You love best:
    By shining on those around me.


    Yes, let's shine!

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    1. Thank you, Jenny! Yes, let's shine:) God bless you for all you do!

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  10. Love your post. Have a Happy New Year!

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    1. Thank you and a Blessed New Year to you and your family!

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  11. powerful word, thank-you-
    this will be my first year to choose a word! off to write

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, Melanie! Blessed New Year and new word discovery:)

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  12. Thank you so much for sharing this, Tiffany. I have felt that way too, that maybe I am reaching out to others in hope that they will satisfy my need for love rather than the other way around. And the shrinking back and into oneself? Yup. I do that, too. Thank you for taking the risk of baring your soul. It creates a circle of sisterhood and inspiration.

    The poem is very inspiring, too. Thank you for including it.

    This is the first year I am choosing a word, and my word, "Do," is designed to focus me on progress rather than perfection.

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    1. Thank you for your sisterhood, Jeannine...Your comment was so encouraging! You voiced so well and reinforced the fact that we really do need each other as the body of Christ, especially us Mom's:) It is so important to know we are not alone. Again, thank you so much. God bless your faith journey in the New Year!

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  13. The word that the Lord gave me I thought strange at first until I understood. My word is FULLY as in fully alive,fully engaged,fully present and in the present and fully open to the Lord's will. This is the first year that I've ever thought about asking the Lord to name for me. Now I feel as though I have a focus and an area to concentrate on improving.

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