Consumed

“Eternal Trinity, Godhead, mystery deep as the sea,
you could give me no greater gift than the gift of yourself.
For you are a fire ever burning and never consume,
which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being.”

St. Catherine of Sienna


Do you ever think to yourself ...
"how did I get so wrapped up with me?"
and it's easy to... i don't blame anyone who does (cause I do)
life can start going and seem to never slow down.
This is how I have been lately,
so consumed with my life and my problems
and my failings and my blah blah blah... doesn't
it just sound exhausting already?

When you stop focusing on yourself
it helps you realize how small you really are.
How small "these problems" really are.
In the long run, will you look back
and really care about what was consuming you??
...most likely you won't care.
But you know what you will long for...
that time that was missed in your journey
the time that was lost
while you were staring into the mirror facing another mirror
creating the illusion that the world consist of an infinite number of YOU.

The times I know I cherish the most
are the times I wasn't thinking about ME.
It has been those times that I sought outward
and instead of trying to gain, I was trying to lose...
selfishness, fear, doubt ...
and create- renew what was gone and
fill it with love, respect, dignity, faith.

Are you consumed with yourself? It's so sad because
I know that my life is FILLED with blessings,yet because
lately all I have been worried about is ME , I have failed
to truly embrace the beauty around me...

I have reached a point where all my baggage, all my
worries and anxieties have collected within me and
I am consumed...


Honestly, because this life is not about me...
it's about you .. yes, you the person who
is reading this... it's about my neighbor ...it's about God.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself -Matthew 22:38

If I care so much for myself
then I must care that much for my neighbor...
and I must care that much for God.



So Holy Fire, Burn away...everything
Amen

Release

Sometimes emotions just seem to collide.
It's odd yet predictable, you feel it coming on
and you feel out of control.
Overwhelmed. With joy,laughter,sadness,stress,pain,yearning.

Even though sometimes I find myself caught in
a storm of emotions... God is still the same.
The lyrics that come to mind are
"you are who you are no matter where I am"
from: praise you in this storm, casting crowns
and as I reflect on that I feel peace just knowing
my sovereign King.
As I got into my car after feeling so overwhelmed
by the day I shut the door and praise filled my ears
and I found peace in Him.
Knowing he can comfort me and guide me just
by simply acknowledging him is unbelievable, yet true.

God calls us to praise him, regardless of our situations
at work,home,with family or friends, because amidst the struggles
it is then you can seek His peace. For how do we know the precious
gift of breath if we are always above the surface?


O God, I pray that I may seek you
when I can no longer breathe
and that I may praise you for
the beautiful release that comes
by just knowing you are my King.
Amen.