Ok, I'm Back!

We have been home for the last week. The second day I was home I had started to write a little review of our 'synod/vacation' but nothing I wrote came out right and I ended up just closing without saving.

On to other things though...

Have you ever noticed that God gives you more than you ask for?

lol

Matthew 7:7-11

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the
door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds;
and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he
asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know
how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in
heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Luke 11:9-13

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who
seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be
opened.

"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake
instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though
you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will
your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

I have been thinking about funny times when I will think of something that I want that will draw me closer to the Lord or help me understand better or simply bring me more joy in my relationship with him...and how God blesses me.

For example, I was thinking several different times recently as I walked through our local bookstore, "I wish that there were more 'Catholic' Christian Fiction." I enjoy Christian fiction, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend all of it to everyone. Today as I walked through the bookstore, I saw a title that grabbed my attention and held it, but it wasn't with the Christian Fiction, it was in the General Fiction section.

The title of the book is Full of Grace, by Dorthea Benton Frank. This is the first book that I have read in a very long time that not only made me cry, but helped me with a few thoughts I have been struggling with lately: The dichotomy of 'perfection' verses humanity, the grace that is the product of love, what 'doing the best I can' means to me, and healing.

So, this is my next book recommendation. If you dislike the Catholic faith, this book might open your eyes to the difference between the expectation of perfection, and the standard of perfection. If you love the Catholic faith, you will tremendously enjoy this journey of faith. If you are Protestant, you might find that this book expresses itself in a similar way to traditionally Protestant Christian Fiction. What I enjoyed most from this book is that God's standard of perfection is unchanging, but his expectation is far more realistic. That we try, in the midst of our imperfections, is a good start...that we try for love of Him is an even better start. His ways are not our ways, but he knows the end results that we cannot see.

God bless