“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18: 10
Tag Archives: Christian
Sunday Snippets–A Catholic Carnival
It’ time for Sunday Snippets, Catholic bloggers sharing our posts.
To participate: from your blog, create a post with links to the posts from the last week that you want to share, entitle it, “Sunday Snippets – a Catholic Carnival”, link back to the Sunday Snippets post at RAnn’s site, This, That and the Other Thing, there leave a link to your post with your week’s best.
About me, I am a wife, a mother, a Sinai Nurse. I do photography, paint, write and pray.
My Posts for the past week:
Ocean of Grace
Thanks Be to God
At Your Table
Advent Prayer in Waiting
Photo of boy hugging officer at Portland’s Ferguson protest goes viral | Fox News
Meet Devonte, the little boy with a big heart – Paper Trail
“A young boy who was born into a life of drugs, extreme poverty, danger and destined for a bleak future is defying stereotypes in the most remarkable way. And his latest encounter at a grocery store is bound to open your eyes, widen your mind and capture your heart.
To truly understand just how incredible this encounter was, you need to know some history.Devonte Hart entered the world 12 years ago with drugs pumping through his tiny newborn body.
By the time he was 4 years old he had smoked, consumed alcohol, handled guns, been shot at, and suffered severe abuse and neglect.
He knew only a handful of words, including fuck and shit, and he struggled to identify with the names of food, body parts and every day objects. Devonte was a violent toddler and his health was weighed down by a heavy list of disabilities.
It was a life with little hope and a future that seemed over before it began.
That is until Jen Hart and her wife Sarah entered Devonte’s life and adopted him and his two siblings seven years ago.
Jen says the day she met Devonte was frightening and traumatic.
“That night, after we finally got him to sleep, I cried harder than I had ever cried in my life. I felt like there was no way we could raise this child, and the five others we had adopted.”
Yet, she says, there was something inexplicable pulling at her heart.
“I felt more connected to this fragile little boy more than I had ever felt to anyone in my life.”
With their unconditional love, nurturing natures, patience and acceptance, Devonte defied all odds and has grown into a young charismatic man with a heart of gold.
Devonte supporting one of his favourite charitable campaigns, Free Hugs.
Devonte supporting one of his favourite charitable campaigns, Free Hugs.
“He inspires me every single day. He has proven doctors, psychologists and teachers wrong. His future is most definitely not bleak, he is a shining star in this world. His light shines bright on everyone on his path.
“People always tell us how lucky he is that we adopted him. I tell you, we most certainly are the lucky ones. Yes indeed he is living proof that our past does not dictate our future.”
via Meet Devonte, the little boy with a big heart – Paper Trail.
Ocean of Grace
By the gracious gift of God.
You, the Invited,
Receive His Peace.
Heartbeat by heartbeat,
Breath by breath,
In each instant,
His Will comes to you,
The Chosen,
To freely choose.
Remain His by faith.
Living in His favor,
A rain of blessing falls,
To water your being,
And penetrate the ground
On which, and in which,
You stand.
You give consent,
And desire in Love,
And as a plentiful valley,
Moment by moment.
Rooted in the holy,
Sanctified by the Sanctifier,
Life and abundance of fruit,
Are multiplied in you,
And grown up around you,
Grace upon grace,
Help, healing and holiness,
Flow in abundance.
From the springing up,
To the watering flow,
Then to rush,
As to the waiting arms a beloved,
Presuming bath and baptism,
To the ingathering of rivers,
In consecration and convergence,
Love returns to the Ocean
Of its Source.
As a homecoming,
Meandering streams
Cut courses through Time.
The many become seas
To, at long last, mingle
In the Mighty Mind,
And Minder of our souls.
copyright 2014 Joann Nelander
lionessblog.com
Advent Prayer in Waiting
Advent is upon my soul.
Divine gift of season,
I listen for the cry of a First Born Son,
Begotten before Time begun,
And enfleshed in the Virgin’s womb.
I come to her,
Who is the Ark,
Your Mercy Seat.
Kneeling beside her,
In these pregnant moments,
I lay my head upon her lap.
Her wonderment, and awe,
In steadfast contemplation,
Inspire angels’ songs.
I hear their reverent voices
In my night.
Their chorus bids me come.
Come to the stable of simplicity.
Leave the noisy city for a deserted place,
The Wilderness, whose hidden way
Leads to the waiting manger,
Now, in expectant readiness,
For the Food, that will feed
The hungry world.
My Advent prayer,
Come, O Holy Infant!
Come to my straw
©2010 Joann Nelander
Thanks Be to God
For what am I thankful? How about that I am.
Yes, I am here, a creature,one among others, willed into existence by the God of All, and He constantly calls me to know Him. I am free, in other words.
Yes, I am free, free to be free of God, if I so choose.
There it is again, scary freedom, free to be ignorant of the One Who calls, the One Who Loves.
He calls through His creation, look at Me, I Am Truth. I Am Beauty. I Am Love. His call proclaims me not one among others, but His one and only. Be not only being but exceedingly blessed. Be, by faith, and “Amen”, My Son. Reign as priest,and prophet and King.
For what am I thankful? I am thankful that I am grateful. With my eyes, I have seen,and with my heart, I have said, “Amen”. I answer “Amen” with my every heartbeat, my very breath. With all the moments of my life, I call to my God, my “Amen”. I am Son, caught up in Triune Being. He wears my “Yes” as eternal glory.
He is, and I am all thanksgiving.
copyright 2014 Joann Nelander
Joann Nelander
lionessblog.com
Be Holy! 