Wisdom … & More Wisdom (asking God for…)

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Virginia

“…If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him…”  (James 1:5)

Living overseas in challenging and often confusing contexts, asking God for wisdom each day seemed like a good idea. King Solomon asked for it, so why not us?

Life and faith can be tricky endeavors in a world filled with deceitful contraptions of the enemy – temptation, corruption, even detours of God’s will in our lives masquerading as ‘good.’ Oswald Chambers once said, “The good can be the enemy of the best.”  How do we know what constitutes ‘the best’ in working for the Kingdom wherever we are placed?

We need God’s wisdom – all of us – (extra doses preferred!!)

Jesus challenges us to “be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves…” I’ve been privileged to know and work with dedicated activists who stand up against injustice, violence and evil – not with rhetoric of hate matching hate, but cleverly disseminating truth, fighting ignorance with education, friendship and love – like innocent doves who won’t accept that white can’t be friends with black, Israeli with Palestinian, Serbs with Albanians, Moslems with Christians, Catholics with Protestants….

“The holy cross is the book that teaches true wisdom,” wrote Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan.  We watched the “Road of Hope” documentary of his life – as Bishop in Saigon he was imprisoned by the North Vietnamese for 13 years, spending 9 years in solitary confinement. Although humiliated and mistreated, he told his guards, “I love you.” When they asked why, he said, “Because Jesus loves you.”

Some of those hard-hearted guards were converted by this amazing love.

God’s wisdom is intertwined with the love-blood of Jesus on the cross – sacrificed for all.

In the world’s eyes the wisdom of Jesus is hard to accept – “Love our enemies.  Pray for those who persecute us.  Forgive those who trespass against us..”   But, as the Lord proclaimed through Isaiah, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways…”

St. Paul also asked for wisdom:  “May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.”  (Ephesians 1:17)  Since St. Paul ‘kept asking’ this for the Ephesians, this has become an every day request of this red head.

Let’s pray that our eyes, hearts, minds and spirits will be enlightened with the Spirit of God’s wisdom and revelation to know Him better, to better make Him known.

  “O Lord, please transform our minds & hearts with Your wisdom and fill our hearts & spirits with Your love.”

Grace, Peace & Transforming Wisdom

Virginia  : )

 “The wisdom which the Holy Spirit bestows will enlighten your projects, guide your plans, and transform your actions by giving them an eternal value.”   Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan in The Road to Hope – a collection of his writings smuggled out of prison on scraps of paper to encourage his flock.

 

(*the Wisdom icon above is from Wikicommons)

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Nuns in the Fun… (on St. Patrick’s Day)

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Virginia

As we celebrate the life of Saint Patrick  (& all things Irish) i always contend that God grants special dispensations on this day (like, if we’ve given up alcohol for Lent, God doesn’t mind if we indulge in a few wee drinkies in the interests of spreading Irish cheer & all that around..)

Reflecting on St. Patrick’s days past, the one most a blast occurred in Africa (go figure!) during my 1st year in Dar es Salaam with my Irish buddy Catherine.  We met during Swahili studies & became kindred spirits as we bumbled our way through initial challenges in our respective placements…  (ok, maybe not ‘bumbled’  – ‘as we courageously took on big tasks for the ‘greater good!‘ : )

Somehow Catherine’s job was sponsored by the Irish Government, so she came down from Arusha to Dar for the Embassy’s big party on Saint Patrick’s Day.  We put on our party dresses hoping to meet Handsome Irish Fellas (as a 20-something Irish pub-hopping in D.C., i scientifically discovered that Irish males tend to like Redheads &… they often spring for free drinkies!)

Dripping (literally) with hopeful intentions, we found the way to our assigned table to find: not gorgeous Irish fellas, but a bunch of white-haired Irish NUNS.

Sigh.

But then things got interesting. On the beautifully laid table (Waterford crystal centerpiece, you get the idea) the Irish distillery Jamesons thoughtfully provided a complimentary bottle of Irish Whiskey. One of the nuns (the oldest, pushing 80+) grabbed that big bottle & whisked it into her tote-bag. “You understand i’ve come from Singida & we sometimes need a wee something to help us through the nite..”

(Singida is the boondocks of Tanzania… no offense intended, i visited our projects several times there, but think really rural Africa. Sister Mary had been there OVER 20 YEARS serving with their Irish order the Medical Missionaries of Mary.)

… after eating yummy Irish food (& imbibing a few wee draughts of Guiness, i recall) … we danced … and danced … and danced(!)  Catherine & I had to leave at 3:00AM but THE NUNS were still cutting a rug on the dance floor …  so totally, completely FUN…

Their jobs were so very serious (i ran into Sr.Margaret several times after at HIV/AIDS meetings – she worked with AIDS patients in Dar & the other sisters all had challenging medical positions…) but these Nuns with deep hearts of Faith & Love also enjoyed life (& were proud of being Irish!)

i have never had so much fun at a Party… and to think, it was with Nuns in the Fun!!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

grace, peace & Irish Cheer

Virginia : )

p.s. if you’re looking for an inspiring Irish film (& Michael Collins is a bit rough) check out the movie Evelyn (2002) starring Pierce Brosnan. Not his usual debonair James Bond role, Brosnan plays a down-on-his-luck father who tries to get custody of his children who are taken to orphanages after his wife abandons them… We watched this again a few weeks ago – truly an inspirational tale (based on a true story) that will move your heart!

“The past is in God’s hands, so is the future and the present.” 

Mother Mary Martin MMM

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Saint Patrick (more prayers from…)

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Virginia

For this Friday in Lent, given the proximity of Saint Patrick’s day (one day over) here’s another prayer attributed to this Irish saint.  I first heard this from the angelic voice of Lisa Kelly, one of the Celtic Women, singing ‘The Deer’s Cry’ on her CD.  (we are groupies of these Irish ladies. wow, can they sing!) … the words are taken from the longer prayer traditionally known as…

…Saint Patrick’s Breastplate

… I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendour of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak to me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me,

.. Against every cruel merciless
power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and
smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge
that corrupts man’s body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poisoning, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So there come to me
abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye of every one who sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

Andreas F. Borchert: St. Joseph's Church, County Tipperary, Ireland

grace, peace & Irish Prayers

Virginia : )

p.s. if you want to listen to the Deer’s Cry (so beautifully inspirational!), click here for a YouTube link with Lisa Kelly singing:   www.YouTube.com – I Arise today…

 

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Celebrate Good Times (come’ on!) Let’s have a Celebration…

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Virginia

This is a Big Week in the Woodward Home:  Today is my Mama’s Birthday and Saturday is my parents’ 56th Wedding Anniversary.  ‘Twould not be good of me to give you my Mama’s age (i might Get In Trouble) but the story goes thusly:  Mama turned 21 & married my Papa 2 days later so HER papa couldn’t object (he didn’t like preacher types or folks who worked for The City & my Papa had just come from seminary & drove a City Car as a Social Worker – for the City) … However, the day before the wedding my Grandfather Put Aside his Prejudice & was all smiles to Papa & Mama.

whew!  blessings all around… Mama had met my Papa’s father before she met him. Twas a Good Thing, as after playing violins with my GrandPap-To-Be, she told her mother, “if that man has a son, i want to marry him!”… so when my Papa came to town & saw Mama singing in the Church Choir with the light shining on her Red Hair, he was SMOOTED & quickly Scooted to my Aunt Lolly for an Introduction that led to Mama’s Induction into his life as his wife…

They did not tarry, but got married …a Very Long Time Ago …. YIKES!

That’s lots to celebrate this week… plus we’re thanking God today (Big-time) for the Gift of Mama’s life – so many years filled with love, laughter, good times, challenging times, fun times, tears, overcoming fears, faith, joy, patience (raising FIVE KIDS, yeah right on that one!) & perseverance – especially through 30+ years of my Papa’s quadriplegia (!!!)

FAITHFULNESS… i am so grateful for God’s faithfulness to Mama & Papa, their faithfulness to God… & to Each Other… for FIFTY SIX YEARS.

That’s enough inspiration for me today (the birthday elf must dash as there are Many Things To Do) but HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!!  (we love you…) & HAPPY ANNIVERSARY  (we’re very glad you & Papa met!!)

Mama & Papa on their 50th Anniversary (6 yrs ago!)

grace, peace & Celebration(s)

Virginia : )

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Wednesday Photographs: …at the Beach (on Pemba!)

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Virginia

ok, so it’s Rather Warm here  (80s today & tomorrow almost 90??) …which is Not Normal for this time of year (the flowers are peeking out & in some places blooming Full Blast… let’s hope a cold front doesn’t blast them to a quick Droopy Oblivion past!)  Scrounging for my summer shorts, i got to thinking about THE BEACH & all the fun times enjoyed at various beaches around the world…

Pemba (a small island not too far from Zanzibar) is SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE… beautiful, blue turquoise water, smooth sandy beaches… uncrowded… nice.

It was a blessing to do R&R on Pemba & Zanzibar – which were both a ferry (ok, a sometimes bumpy ferry ride!) away from Dar es Salaam where i lived 4 years… (& luckily for me, our office was only 1 block from the ferry port!)

Hope these pics remind you to take time out to relax a bit today (if it’s snowing, think warm thoughts… if you’re hot, think about taking a dip in the soothing-but-not-necessarily cool-waters of the Indian Ocean…) … & may the Peace of God our Creator be with you!!!

 

 

grace, peace & Beach Tranquility

Virginia : )

 

 

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you… do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”   John 14:27

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U2: Inspiring Music, Inspiring Musicians…

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Virginia

“Get on your boots, hey sexy boots…”                                                                                            

As a U2 groupie from way back (like, i bought War, October & the Joshua Tree albums – those black disc thingies that spin round & round?!) & have collected almost all of their compilations since. There are so many songs i really, really like (too many to list!) but today focusing on an inspiring song from their 2009 CD, No Line on the  Horizon.

(heard it this a.m. on my “Upbeat” kitchen playlist. ‘Twas hard not to jump up & down as in ’80s Slam Dancing, a dance form of which, my poor knees creakily know, i was once Quite Proficient.)

Back to this Very Upbeat Song: “Get on Your Boots”  … give it a listen: It Rocks!

And the words are rather inspiring… sometimes when i look in the mirror & feel like the Pillsbury Dough Girl, i like to listen to this song (especially the refrain) Really Loud….

Hey, sexy boots
Get on your boots, yeah …

Here’s where we gotta be
Love and community
Laughter is eternity
If joy is real
You don’t know how beautiful
You don’t know how beautiful you are…
Women of the future
Hold the big revelations…

You don’t know how beautiful
You don’t know how beautiful you are…
GET ON YOUR BOOTS!….

So, if you’re feeling a little Blue today – especially my lady friends, be inspired and know YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL… & it’s time to get on our boots and make some Big Revelations.

The thing about U2, they’re not just about making great music, they’re also about Making a Difference… Bono with all his debt-relief work, HIV/AIDS awareness, the ONE Campaign (& on & on..) and the Edge with his recent involvement in ‘The Break’ a documentary about the Homeless (click here to learn more about it..)

Totally inspiring…

hey, we might not be rock stars, but we can take a lesson from their busy lives: they make time for the poor & they use their voices to let the voices of the poor BE HEARD.

‘just saying (not preaching)… we all have voices wherever we may be placed – maybe through legal stuff, education, photography, music, art, words, film… Let’s all get on our boots and do our respective somethings…

“Music can change the world because it can change people.”  BONO

grace, peace & Sexy Boots

Virginia : )

“At a certain point, I just felt, you know, God is not looking for alms, God is looking for action.”   BONO

The Edge & Bono (photo from Wikicommons...)

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….Saint Patrick & Irish prayers….

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Virginia

Prayer of Saint Patrick

May the strength of God pilot us,

may the wisdom of God instruct us,

may the hand of God protect us,

may the Word of God direct us.

Be always ours this day and forevermore.

 

grace, peace & St. Patrick’s Day (is coming)

Virginia : )

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… on being sick….

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Virginia

Nobody wants to read a deadbeat blog & when you’re sick, it’s sure hard not to be a downer.   But so many chronically ‘sick’ people (my bedfast quadriplegic Papa inclusive) face down the sick bullet each day & keep on keeping on – with Joy even!

I’m still in the ‘must-learn-to-do-better’ stage (with constant neck/nerve pain in Africa i’d hear the Dar team whispering as they tiptoed by my door, “how is Madam’s mood today?”  hmmn, had to send that Heavenly Memo for an inner-office Grace Dispenser, starting 1st with my office!!)

Bad backs, broken ankles (i have this thing about stairs, i fall down them & even once fell UP the stairs, on the 1st day of a new job, no less.. material for a hilarious post on how to manage 6 weeks on crutches getting around D.C. & a new job!), sore knees (after knee surgery in the Middle East when i complained about the Always Swollen Knee That Would Not Heal, Dr. Finsterbush said, “Virginia, if you would just stay off it, it WILL heal!”)… & disc troubles in the neck:  all that pain is terrible (indeed) but bearable.

Nausea, however, knocks me flat…

In my younger days overseas, i could manage all-nite-nausea ordeals & even Do Work the next day… in Africa that was a Bit Harder, as had to go for shots & an IV to Stop The Problem at the clinic (they knew me well there..) but sometimes while traveling i had to Keep On Going (literally, & let’s not discuss Montezuma’s Revenge…augh! : )

But now, i’m like a little baby: Totally Wiped Out.

Why is this being sick stuff relevant on a Sunday in Lent?

In the throes of emptying nausea, my prayers get Really Short:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner.”                 (Abbreviated version: oh Jesus, have MERCY MERCY on me!)

Given the high frequency repetitions of this prayer (especially during bad nausea cramps) sometimes Mercy is granted in a physical way (believe me, i know how bad Things Can Get!)… but there’s also that important Heavenly Account where i hope these Mercy prayers are Adding Up.

‘Cause guess what, being sick reminds me to ask for Mercy… but i also think it’s a Good Idea to ask for Mercy all the time (& grace & love & peace & wisdom &…)  But Mercy (like Meekness) is Rather Important.   I am too sick to tell you why (my head is also a bit fuzzy today) … but here’s a quote from one of my favorite spiritual writers:

“Lent is a sea of God’s mercy, warm & quiet and inviting for us to swim in… but we say to ourselves, ‘if I enter into that sea of mercy & I am healed, I will be sort of bound to practice that which Christ preaches, His law of love…It will mean that if I seek mercy, I will have to dish out mercy; I have to be merciful to others.’  …Lent is here to remind us that the mercy of God is ours, provided we embrace that which He has given us to embrace – His law of love – provided we realize that it’s going to hurt and hurt plenty, but the very hurting will be healing.  That is the strangeness and paradox of God:  that while you hurt, you heal.”            Catherine de Hueck Doherty  (Grace in Every Season)

grace, peace & Seas of Mercy

Virginia : ( –  : )

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MOVIES: Fast, Fast, FAST FIVE!!

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Virginia

After a few War Movie viewings, Papa (deciding to Be Nice to Mama) suggested we watch Anne of Green Gables (definitely rated “G” for Grandmama) which we really enjoyed several nights (we have the whole 1st series + the 2nd series + the movie where Anne goes to find Gilbert in WWI) …Unfortunately we only made it until Anne leaves P.E.I. to teach (even before the Love Story) when Papa requested something a Bit More Exciting.  So, I selected the movie Fast Five (thinking PG-ok-for-Mama), but after the first car heist scene (Off a Moving Train), she suddenly had Things To Do elsewhere…

whew! FAST 5… i haven’t seen any of the other Fast movies (evidently there are a few, maybe 5?) but this one is Really Amazing: lots of beautiful scenery (Rio de Jenaro  & environs) brawn, brawling, Good Guys vs. Not So Good Guys vs. The Really Bad Guys, and REALLY FAST CARS!

The Inspiration Factor is Not Too Bad (for an Action Flick.)  There are family values (Vin Diesel’s character, the Head Car Thief Dom Toretto, stresses Family relationships & that families Must Stick Together.)  The Rock/Dwayne Johnson’s muscles can be rather Inspirational (they ripple as he Bashes the heads of the Bad Guys.)  And there is a subtle message of ‘judge not that ye be not judged’ – in a Robinhood sort of way – especially of Dom & his sidekick Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker) an FBI agent turned Thief who is very  much in love with Dom’s sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster)…

The Teamwork as Dom calls in a diverse global team is my favorite part. So Very Cool as the diverse team members converge on Rio with his (or her) expertise to plan & pull off a Major Heist (stealing $1oo million from Mr. Rich Drug Kingpin who is rather debonair when he is not having people killed…)

There is Inspiration to be found in this movie (looking behind the Rubble) but basically it’s  a Full On Action flick with unbelievable chase scenes, fight sequences …& Fast Cars (definitely a theme here! )

….oh, & a wee bit of violence…

vrrooooom vrrrooooom!

www.fastfivemovie.com/

 

grace, peace & Inspirational Mayhem

Virginia : )

p.s. after seeing this movie in the Theater last summer, i bought the DVD as one of the those ‘merry christmas to me’ presents.  Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for Mayhem (without Too Much blood & guts! : )

 

 

p.s.2 Feeling a wee bit sick today (some kind of flu) so re-posted this something from Somewhere Else (my ‘mostly’ Sci-Fi blog that Needs a Bit of Work!) But this movie really can be inspirational if you look past the rubble & if you’re in the mood for mayhem!

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…Friday in Lent: Pope John Paul II (wise words from…)

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Virginia

“The fruit of a courageous ascetical journey can only be a greater openness to the needs of our neighbor.  Those who love the Lord cannot close their eyes to individuals and people who are tried by suffering and poverty.  After contemplating the face of the crucified Lord, how can we not recognize Him and serve Him in those who are suffering and abandoned? Jesus himself, who invites us to stay with Him watching and praying, also asks us to love Him in our brothers and sisters, remembering that as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me.

The fruit of a Lent intensely lived will thus be a greater and more universal love.”

Pope John Paul II  (Ash Wednesday, 28 February 2001)

grace, peace & Lenten fruit

Virginia : )

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