Lessons from great leaders

My father-in-law would always ask trivia questions at dinner. One night he asked "Who was the greatest leader in the history of the world?" We were stumped. We threw out answers like... Alexander the Great?, Caesar?, George Washington?... The answer was "Jesus, he still has millions of followers even 2000 years after his death."

Today I am left with the thought that I need more Jesus, and less Caesar in my life. People fallowed Jesus out of love not fear. Cesar lead with his might. After their death each was remembered, books written about them. Yet, it is obvious which one was the greater leader. The one that changed hearts, and minds.

I was listening to my husband talk to our son about doing his best. He was encouraging him with love and kindness. He was pointing out his strengths, and encouraging him to work on his weaknesses. He did not use threats to persuade him to do what was right, he used love. I find it hard to fallow this path sometimes. I just want to say as Caesar would "DO IT! GET IT DONE." or "Stop That!" The path that Jesus would take would be a much longer road. I know it has more rewards, but in the heat of the moment it is not easy to choose the high road. If everyone always behaved as they should ... well then I guess we would still be in Eden.

So that is my prayer tonight and through the day. My prayer as I work on my dishes, and a commotion starts in the next room. I am praying for more patience, strength, and grace. I am praying to have more Jesus and less Caesar in my life, and in our home.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel (Right Judgment), Fortitude (Courage), Knowledge, Reverence, and Fear of the Lord. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-Control, and Chastity. This is stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and from Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians 5:22-23.



Over the weekend I met up with an acquaintance. She has one son and one daughter, expecting one more. She asked me, since I have three boys, if I had a favorite. I closed my eyes and told her a quote that I had recently learned from church. It was about God's love for us. "God loves each and every one of us as if we were the only one." I told her that was easy to understand because it is the same way that we love our children. Each as though they were the only one. We love them as they need us to, and in the ways that they will let us.


A year ago my answer would have been a simple no. Left at that...true, but not very helpful. She needed more then that. I closed my eyes, and gathered courage to give more. It was part of a plan. The idea that I would go out of my comfort zone to join a group I would not normally join. Learn so much that I can share with others, and find the courage to say it out loud. That was a gift from the Holy Spirit.

God allows U turns

I saw a bumper sticker today. It simply read .........

"God Allows U Turns."

Those four words say so much.