Good morning out there - almost afternoon! The temp at 11:58 am is 92 degrees with 35% humidity. I can always tell when it's humid outside because my hair poofs out like I'm back in the 80s. The expected high for today is 98 degrees. Yee haw! I watered all my outdoor plants and topped off my regular birdbath, my redneck birdbath, and my oblong goldfish pond/birdbath/water for all animals great and small! And...I was blessed to have an orange dragonfly swoop up and down around me as I filled up the assortment of birdbaths!
Today's date is special to me - my mom's birthday. She passed away when I was twelve and I've been thinking about her a lot this week. Her name was Martha and everyone called her Marty. We were members of a Methodist Church and my mom was a very faithful woman. She was a wonderful example for me. She had cancer and died a little more than three and a half years after her initial diagnosis. I learned many life lessons from her. I remember when one of our neighbor's husband died. Mom and I went to the store and she purchased a large can of coffee, a package of foam coffee cups, a canister of powdered creamer, and box of sugar cubes. We only knew these neighbors by sight and would wave when we saw them outside. My mom explained to me that it's important to reach out to those who have lost a loved one. She and I walked across the street with our bag full of things needed to make coffee for all those who visited. My mom taught me how to mourn with those who mourn. My mom and our neighbor became friends. One of my friends, had to have her appendix removed and was in the hospital. My mom and I went to the flower shop and she bought a pillow corsage and then we went to the hospital to visit my friend and her mother. She loved the corsage and they pinned it on her pillowcase. My mom took me to visit the sick. We hardly ever missed going to church on Sunday morning. There were times I know my mom didn't feel like getting ready but she did and we went to church. My mom taught me to persevere when things are tough. She was a beautiful woman and I miss her still.
After Jim and I were married I converted to Catholicism. I know my mom would have approved - she would have been glad that Jim and I were committed to raising our family in a faith filled home. I had been raised that way and understood the importance of our going to church together as a family. My dad enjoyed going to Mass with us when he would come and visit.
Today is the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. I love that my mother was born on this special day and that she was named Martha. The scriptures below are from my post last year on this date:
Mary and Martha. On their journey Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her home. She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and listened to his words. Martha, who was busy with all the details of hospitality, came to him and said, "Lord, are you not concerned that my sister has left me to do the household tasks all alone? Tell her to help me." The Lord in reply said to her: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and upset about many things; one thing only is required. Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it." Luke 10:38-42 (Saint Joseph Edition of the New American Bible)
Back to today's date!
In my Magnificat, today's Gospel is from John 11:19-27
Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died]. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."
When my mom died, our church family and friends reached out to my dad, my brother, and me and the rest of our family. Life is a journey. Let's walk with each other through the good times and the bad.
The following is one of my favorite hymns. I know it by heart and sing it often:
The Servant Song by Richard Gillard
Verse:1,6
Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you;
Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant too.
Verse:2
We are pilgrims on a journey, we are travelers on the road;
We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.
Verse:3
I will hold the Christ-light for you in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.
Verse:4
I will weep when you are weeping; When you laugh I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow til we've seen this journey through.
Verse:5
When we sing to God in heaven we shall find such harmony,
born of all we've known together of Christ's love and agony.
Verse:6
Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you;
Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant too.
Peace and blessings to you and yours,
near and far, wherever you are!
Bye for now, Sharla
My mom cut this out of a magazine and it was tucked inside her bible.
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