Tag: Jesus

Holy Spirit

It felt good to be back in the classroom last night. You could sense, and feel, and see God’s Holy Spirit in the classroom.

This is our son’s third year in Catechism. This is my second year having the privilege to be a classroom helper. However, I missed all four September classes due to my business travel schedule.

A colleague commented at the end of the business day, “I don’t know how you do it”.

I asked her, “You know I write five blogs, everyday, then run five miles, and volunteer for things our son is involved in”?

And she already knows how hard I work as a professional speaker – she is, after all, a colleague, and a parent, and Catholic, etc.

What I have learned is that being incredibly busy is part of life. Or not. Figure out what you want to contribute and then go from there. Carpe diem.

WWJD

WWJD. What would Jesus do? Most are familiar with this.

Because my mind works in mysterious ways, this acronym could also have a second meaning:

What would jeff do? No one is familiar with this.

That’s okay. As long as it means something to me (everyday), then the odds increase that better choices are made. One day at a time. Always an eye on the future. Always a reflection on the past. But mostly, carpe diem.

What do you do every day, to get and stay focused – in the moment to moment opportunities that today brings you?

You are preparing for this TODAY, right?

CLOW – Children’s Liturgy

Sundays during the school year, our Church offers Children’s Liturgy of the Word for Kindergarten through fifth grade. Two or three adult leaders form a team and lead a particular week each month.

The volunteer leaders perform various functions to help bring Mass down to an Elementary level and to engage the children differently (better) than the adult Mass.

My wife, a good friend, and I, lead 50-100 children through Children’s Liturgy every the fourth Sunday.

This past Sunday, for a variety of reasons, my wife Cheryl led it solo. Sixty-five children in all. She said they were incredibly well behaved. If you’ve never done this, you’d be amazed at how challenging it is.

We began volunteering in this ministry several years ago after a parishioner made a plea for more volunteers or the program would end.

Funny how life puts things in your path. This experience has me delivering homilies (sermons). Who would have ever thought? Me? You’ve got to be kidding.

Blessed Passing

Have been following a friend’s recent journey with cancer. Her brother-in-law, who lives with her and her husband, was recently diagnosed with cancer – seems like less than a month ago.

Waking at 3:30AM this morning, with coffee in hand, fired up the laptops for the morning routine. Checked several social media “Favorites”, including Facebook.

My friend posted this update regarding her beloved brother-in-law: “He walked softly out the door with Jesus a few minutes ago”.

Moments like these are constant reminders that life is fragile, and an incomprehensible gift.

That life is painfully challenging and gloriously wonderful.

Please Pray For This Family

Please pray for this Family. There’s a very special Family in mind, and you most likely don’t know them, but also most likely, you know someone just like them.

A year ago today, in what was simply another ordinary day for this Family, the phone rang that night.

“Your daughter has been in an accident”.

Their precious daughter was severely injured and she was not expected to make it through the injuries.

Somehow she did.

But in a fate most of us can’t even remotely comprehend, nine days later, she unexpectedly passed.

To go to the edge of the cliff, then pulled back from it, and then to suddenly plunge unexpectedly over, breaks my heart to think about.

In a CaringBridge update yesterday, I was reminded of this “anniversary”, and will honor their request to never miss an opportunity to tell my son or my wife, “I love you”.