Let it Shine, Let it Shine, Let it Shine

                                                              JMJ
Faith Journeys are for us to share.  The song I learned as a child and sang with my children and grandchildren says it all. 

                                 This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
                                  Hide it under a bushel, NO, I'm gonna let it shine.
                                  Don't let Satan blow it out, NO, I'm gonna let it shine.
                                  Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

 I do believe we can give each other strength and confirmation that feelings, thoughts, actions, words, whatever seems like coincidence, just might not be.  I believe that in sharing we become aware that God is and wants to be personally involved in our lives and that He reaches us in our personalities.  He may not play "little tricks" on you like He does me but that's how He knows He can get my attention.  I always seem to put my foot in my mouth and so He lets it happen only to quickly show me the errors of my ways.  He's given me the gift of tears( that's what I'm told) so I cry a lot when I'm shown those errors.  For so long I considered myself the missionary, the worker..... lets get it done..... change the world.  I can't believe I'm going to actually say this out loud, but I use to think prayer groups, charismatics, praying in tongues, were the weaker link.     I mean just sitting there praying, while i was busting my butt, running around like a chicken with it's neck cut off trying to save the world.  I thought of myself as a doer, not a receiver. And i guess i was good at it because the women would say "I don't know how you do it but you get us to do things we don't even want to do". I so wish i had that effect on my kids!!!  In one of our moves i became President of the Women's Club at our church. I became so involved with Social Justice ....nursing home, orphanage, religious ed for children, daily Mass in the church, the poor.   I wanted to make everything right.  I had really bad allergies at the time. I walked around with a man's white handkerchief hanging from each nostril so i couldn't breathe in the pollen. My eyes cried and I sneezed constantly.  I looked a sight, but refused to stop. 

One day someone from the "prayer group" came up to me and asked if they could pray over me for a healing..... i guess i looked really silly and miserable.  I had never been prayed over before so i became speechless, which as you can imagine was very unusual for me.  I finally said yes, i mean, what did i have to lose.  I was so nervous as these holy men and women gathered around me and layed hands on my head and on my shoulders..... and began to pray and eventually prayed in tongues.  At first i felt very uncomfortable but after a while i became calm and felt so much peace and as tears flowed down my cheeks i could feel the burning power of love.  I thanked and hugged them, fed them cake and coffee and they left.  I went back to my business of changing the world.  I never again suffered with allergies but just moved on and thought nothing of it.....at the time.  Again years later, I began to  realize that i wasn't having miserable days during Spring and Fall.  No more white handkerchiefs hanging from my nose.  I claimed my healing out loud and blessed God with praise and thanksgiving.

It was then that God began to reveal to me that He was satisfied with my missionary work but now it was time for me to come and take a place at His feet and listen to the teachings of His amazing Heart...... in prayer. You know it's not like i never prayed.  Not long after that i went on a Life in the Spirit retreat then later a 30 day home retreat with Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola(remember that's when i was asked if I love Him). I had developed a relationship with Jesus early in childhood with teachings from my mother and then the Sisters of Mt. Carmel.  Now i had met the Most Holy Blessed Trinity.       

                                                       AWESOME