Let’s face it we all have crosses to bear. We do not have a choice of the size of cross we are given but everyone has a cross. If you have an illness, children, a husband, siblings, parents, etc. one day they may become your cross. Some crosses are so big they become conspicuous and the world knows about them as you pass by. If you are constantly complaining about your situation in bearing your cross, you are not praying enough. Your positive attitude when carrying your cross will bring a new level of understanding of total dependence of God. We must grow from these experiences, to fulfill what God had intended for us.

I have a dear friend Jane who had mastered the carrying of her crosses. About four years ago her husband of twenty-six years was diagnosed with stage two cancer. If this was not a big enough cross, around the same time God gave her another one when she suffered from a mild stroke.  Both Jane and her husband are on the road to recovery but in May she received an iron cross to bear. Her beautiful twenty-five year old daughter Elizabeth was diagnosed with melanoma stage four. Things are not going well for her precious daughter and the cancer has gained the upper hand in this battle. From the beginning Elizabeth’s plight as been a field of hidden mines and grenades coming her way. Elizabeth’s cancer is too far advanced for her to participate in any experimental drugs therapy. She needed immediate radical treatment to slow down the growth of her malignancy. Through this, Jane has remained steadfast, truly grace under fire. Sadly, I see the wear on her heart and her forlorn eyes from the clandestine pleading with God.  I will never understand how but my friend is a true testament of how to carry a cross with grace. Nothing is worst than watching your child suffer like this and as a parent we will do what ever it take to make it better for them. Jane hold on to Scriptures like “Nothing is impossible with God” This is what keep my friend focused on interceding for Elizabeth. Jane received a call on January 2, 2017 that her daughter was back in the hospital with complication from the brain tumors affecting her speech and other tumor messing with her logic. With Elizabeth in Denver and Jane in California, this add to the already strained situation.  Nonetheless,  this is where God meets Jane and hold her through this grievous trial. January 6, 2017, Elizabeth is scheduled for surgery to remove the cluster of culprit tumors. We are believing that Elizabeth will agree to the procedure and that this will be the road to her miracle. Jane will be at her daughter’s side, as always her rock.

Why Lord must we suffer like this? I ask and the answer is always the same, so that we understand our vulnerability and when we allow God to take over our pain it become His as well. He will bear the cross for us, The Lord is our modern day Simon of Cyrene but He will carry the cross the entire way. We never give up because we are faithful and trusting Christians right? When you are given this type of cross emotions are attached. Anger, blaming, questioning why you? In the end we revert to what comes natural, what brings us back to the foot of the original cross and just humbly bow our heads and pray without ceasing. Please join me in prayer for Elizabeth, she is recently engaged and plans to get married in October of 2017.

Dear Heavenly Father we come to you in urgency on behalf of your daughter Elizabeth. We stand in the gap for Elizabeth and in unity plead her case to you. Lord you know everything and we are begging for a miracle to reverse these cancer cell and to restore Elizabeth’s body. May this surgery be the link to your miracle for Elizabeth, Lord it is  in  your power to manifest a healing for Elizabeth. We understand that from the beginning of this trial you are there holding Elizabeth to your heart. We continue to be before your holy throne for precious Elizabeth in believing for her miracle. Amen!

It came to a screeching holt, then the epiphany, stop eating sweets! Cold turkey, that is the only thing that works in my case. See’s candy, homemade goodies from neighbors, extra rich desserts were dragging me down and even my afternoon nap did not revive my body, the sugar depleted all my energy. This over consumption of sweets was wearing on my mind and bringing me down spiritually. So on Tuesday, December 27th it stopped, no more sweets.

According to Maxwell Maltz, it takes 21 days to establish a good habit but Phillippa Lally, an English research psychologist says it takes more like 66 days.

We have to start somewhere so I started by omitting the sweet jelly on my Ezekiel toast and though it took on the taste of cardboard it was still satisfying. The rest of the day the See’s peanut brittle was calling my name but I ignored the voices and did not cave in.

My history with dieting is complicated, Weight Watcher is not for me because it requires too much planning. I still have all the literature from WW but after three attempts and no real results I abandoned the thought. The worst experience with WW was many years ago a friend and I joined together. It was Easter time and I was eating all the jelly beans and pastel colored M&M’s. On the days that she received her star for a 10 pound loss I got on the scale and gained 7 pounds! This sad true story confirmed my inability to follow a structured program. Jenny Criag and her other diet friends did not go over well with me either. Diet pills make me crazy and keep me up all night so that was out too. The battle is in my head, the mind, the self talk, the outa control, the in control, it’s all in the noggin. I would never go to the extreme of having my gut cut smaller because I understand how my mind works. So though it has only been four days without sugar I feel confident enough to write about it and with the grace of God He will see me through this journey.

This New Years resolution is to establish good eating  habits, no sugar.

I feel that this New Years resolution is an improvement from past ones. One year I decided not to put up with anyone’s antics, yeah that was not a good year and I suffered because of my arrogance. Another time I decided to go on a letter writing campaign if I experienced an injustice, I made money from that one. Then there was the be kinder to others, including my husband Mike. I love Mike but he can really make me break every rule when he upset me. Worst resolution was to speak my mind, unfiltered, hmmm that only lasted about a week and offended a few people. What ever your resolution is remember that it take an effort to change, give it at least 21 days and if you can 66 days. God has given all of us  a free will and he will be with you to see you through your resolution.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Cor 10:13)

May this new year grant you the desires of your heart and direct your path to peace.

The Magnificat, today’s reading at Mass “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations shall call me blessed; the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” This is just part of the reading found in Luke 1:46-55. Mary gives God all the glory with specific clarity proclaiming the greatness of the Lord, she never elevates herself above her Son nor should we. There is a great misconception with Protestants in regards to Mary. Mary is the Mother of God and as servants of Christ we are to honor her just as Jesus did. God gave us Ten Commandments and the fourth is to Honor your father and mother. When we get the wrong idea about Catholics and Mary just ask yourself how you would defend your own mother if someone spoke against her? Jesus will always come to the defense of his Mother Mary. We thank Mary for saying yes to giving birth to her son Jesus and we are ever mindful of her contribution for this celebration of Christmas.

If your home is lit up with Christmas light, a Christmas tree and exchanging gifts you are celebrating the birth of Christ. You can call it a cultural tradition but it has Christian roots.  According to the Pew Research 81% of Christians in the United States celebrate Christmas but 87% 0f non-Christians also celebrate this holiday. What joy it must be in heaven to see such a diverse group of people come together to celebrate our Savior’s blessed event.

It seems that we have secularized most things of Christmas but even Santa Claus is real.

St. Nicholas,was born December 6, 280, a bishop from Patara, modern day Turkey.  There are many legends about St. Nicholas, my favorite is how he helped three poor sisters by putting gold in stocking for their dowry, this saved them from being sold into servitude. The Dutch continued St. Nicholas celebration but to them he was known as Sint Nikolaas but his nickname was Sinterklaas. He came to America in the 1700s and became part of the Christmas celebration. It was the  poem “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore that made him who he is today. So this once charitable bishop evolved to Santa Claus.

Christmas is about giving gifts and sharing love right? Not when it come to my neighbors peanut butter fudge. Adele makes the most delicious fudge in the world and I never, ever share it with anyone. It is unfortunate that no picture can be posted because it’s all eaten up. It took two days of taking small enjoyable bite of this delicacy and the feeling of this Christmas joy rush was blissful. Not one person in my family will ever experience this euphoria, thank you Adele.

May all of Americans celebrating Christmas think of you Lord and may you bless them with a prosperous New Year of peace that surpasses all understanding. From our humble abode to yours, Merry Christmas!