THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE

You are before me,
Drawing me ever closer.
I am lost in loving,
Beseeching and begetting
By Your grace.

You call me,
“The apple of Your eye.”
Look, then, upon my world.
Perfect it,
Through this, my prayer.

Color the ghettos of sin
With hues of charity.
Bring a springtime of purity,
That earth may be as heaven,
Peopled with Children of God.

My loaves and fishes
Can feed the poor and hungry,
Though they be few, You are mighty.
Grace, Grace, O Holy Grace,
Behold me,
As I feast on Thee.

 

©2014 Joann Nelander

“The Republicans are Clueless and the Democrats are Complicit”

“The Republicans are clueless and the Democrats are complicit”, the strong words are those of Robert Spencer. He calls for “a massive change of the political culture in Washington.” His is practically a one man crusade to educate people to the danger of our ignorance. He points out that there simply is very little understanding of Islam, the Qur’an, Muslims, and the Middle-east, so we meet resistance and at times cowardice from the politically correct and politically fearful, despite the bloody evidence splashed in headline banners of 9-11, the Ft. Hood shooting, and the Boston Marathon bombing. Why does it take kidnapping, rape, and mass murder, genocide and beheading to get the attention of our leaders?

Men like Spencer are needed to help us know our enemy and get real.  The United States and probably the entire western world, think they can provide Band-Aids to heal century old wounds, scores, and rivalries.  When Condoleezza Rice, in 2007, can say that the Middle East still has a tendency to see things in “Sunni-Shi’a terms,”  and that they’re just going to have to “overcome” that,  you know we are living in the realm of, not merely wishful thinking, but geo-political and historical ignorance.

Robert Spencer is the director of Jihad Watch and author of the New York Times bestsellers The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The Truth About Muhammad. His latest book, Arab Winter Comes to America: The Truth About the War We’re In.

Jihadwatch.org

Onesimus


Lord make this useless beggar useful.
Like the returning Prodigal
Nothing recommends me,
And everyone but You
Condemns me,
For my rags declare my misery.

You see me
But You do not turn away.
You rush to my side,
And embrace the little one
Who wanders from Your side.

I am to You
The lost and longed for
Child of Your Heart.
My provident possibility
Is all but destiny
Awaiting my “Amen”.

You draw the bath Yourself.
You allow Your angels the joy
Of tending to my wounds.
They touch me in consolation
As they once ministered strength
To You in the garden,
For they beheld me then in Your Holy Agony.

I am the child of Your sorrow
And Your glory.

Wash me and lovingly dress me
In Your robes of holiness and light.
You are creating me even now
While You gaze on me
For I am all “Yes”.

Your kindness and Your gentleness
Convince me beyond doubt.
I yield to You my sinfulness.
Every moment in Your Presence is gracefilled.
I have but to stretch out my hand
That You might place Your ring on my finger,
Put forth my feet to see them shod for
The journey to Your house.

I walk now in Your Kingdom,
For Your Presence makes light my steps
And sure the Way.
In Your embrace I find that I can dance merrily,
For the mysterious steps
Seem to come quite naturally
As long as I follow Your gentle persuasions.

Dance on my Father,
My Friend, my King, my All.
In Your arms I have found myself.
I have become Onesimus.”

Excerpt From: by Joann Salerno Nelander. “Into the Stillness.” Blurb. iBooks. This material protected by copyright.

Joann Nelander
lionessblog.com

Sunday Snippets–A Catholic Carnival

It’s time once again for Sunday Snippets. We are Catholic bloggers sharing weekly our best posts with one another.

As for me, I am a wife of 51 years, a mother of two beautiful daughters, a Sinai nurse (NYC – 1962), a photographer 0f sorts (photo-jo.smugmug.com) a writer (poet in awe of God). Prayer and daily Mass feed me. Lioness ( lionessblog.com ) is my way of evangelizing, a persistent shout out for God.

Join us to read and/or contribute.

To participate, go to your blog and create a post titled Sunday Snippets–A Catholic Carnival. Make sure that the post links back to here, and leave a link to your  snippets post on our host, RAnn’s, site, This, That and the Other Thing.

My Posts for the past week:

Sweetly Count Our Hours

Rosebud

Prayer in Hope and Celebration

Prayers Forever Answered

The Banquet

Tears’ Requite

Set the World Aright

 

 

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The Banquet

You who eat to gladden your gut,
You who indulge to comfort the flesh,
Come to a true banquet!

Rejoice your spirit,
Give joy to your soul.
Fatten your prayer on faith.

Let words ravish the Heart of God.
Even words unspoken, but burning in your heart,
Call angels to your side.

Quiet the world, by stepping apart,
Still your flesh in earnest fast,
Widen the breath of your praise.

The majesty of God inclines to your lips.
For it is He, Who has promised.
Whisper and He smiles.

Copyright Joann Nelander © 2011 All rights reserved.

Prayers Forever Answered

Mary Magdalene, in a dramatic 19th-century pop...

Image via Wikipedia

Saints have prayed prayers,

Prayers hanging over Time,

Still being answered:

“God protect Your Church.”

“God spare Your People.”

“God forgive Sin.”

“God make holy.”

“God preserve and enlighten.”

Prayers that never end,

Prayers forever answered.
by Joann Nelander