With Franciscan Eyes

Know the Joy of "God Moments"

Reflect on this "God Moment" captured in the quote and image above. It is a moment of awe, realizing that nature is the artwork of our God, and it changes every single day. Have you ever seen a sunrise or sunset that was the same? Not only has God given us the beauty of nature, but nature is constantly changing! God is truly the expert painter! How blessed we are to live in a world filled with beauty! One day we look at a plant, and soon it blooms with amazing flowers on it. Or we hear a new bird song. The poor bird has been singing its heart out, and we haven’t truly heard it until one day we actually stop, look, and listen! We walk or drive past the same place every day and notice something beautiful that has been there forever, but this time we really SEE it. Or we look up into the night sky and see the stars and planets in a new and different way that delights us. These are "God Moments"! God has blessed us with so many small miracles in nature, but we need to be like St. Francis who could put two sticks together and play a symphony! If only we would pay attention without being distracted! Listen to this song, "Open My Eyes" by Jesse Manibusan:  https://youtu.be/wI3tQLnD8yM?si=Osprd7Te4T4p8vlQ. The singer asks God to "open our eyes to see ... our ears to hear ... our hearts to love…" Let us try to appreciate God’s expert painting skills, and may we SEE the beauty of God around us today and every day!

I Am That I Am

I Am That I Am

I am that I am.
I am not the body.
I am not the emotions.
I am not the thoughts.
I am not the mind.
The mind is only a subtle
instrument of the soul.
I am the soul. 

I am a spiritual being of
Divine intelligence,
Divine love, Divine power.
I am one with the higher soul.
I am that I am. 

I am one with the Divine spark.
I am a child of God.
I am connected with God.
I am one with God. I am one with all.

Slowing Down Our Life

The American culture we live in values speed and getting things done quickly. Doing is more valuable than being, thus our hurried pace. The more we do, the faster we do it and that makes us feel harried and disconnected. I often wonder why we continue to live in this way if it makes us feel agitated and hectic. When we hurry through life we miss the simple wonders around us. Rushing through activities can diminish the quality of our work and relationships.

So how can we solve this dilemma we are in? Here are some tips that might be helpful. Relish your morning and evening rituals such as brushing your teeth and showering. Eat your meals with intentionality. Really taste what you are eating. Live each moment consciously and deliberately. You will find that brings greater pleasure and peace when you do. Stay in touch with yourself. Do some soul-searching, meditation and journaling. Take time to think and reflect, nurture yourself and savor moments with friends. Spend time with people who seem to live a simple life at a slower pace. Learn from them.  Doing things in a relaxed manner will open your mind and heart to deeper levels of awareness which will make you feel more alive. Slowing down allows you to savor your experiences and will help you to fully focus on the task at hand. Make time for stillness, silence and solitude. We don’t have to be doing something all the time.

All the above seems easy but it is not, especially when everyone around you is rushing at a frantic pace.  It takes practice and discipline. The secret is being conscious and aware. If you have that, you can catch yourself when you are rushing through life. Once you take notice, then you can do something about it. We all have only one life to live. That does not mean we have to always be in a hurry to experience everything. No, it means we want to live our life with meaning and purpose, consciously and deliberately which eventually brings peace and contentment.