Emotional struggles and giving

This past few weeks I have been struggling emotionally and I realized it's because I have been too busy focusing on my problems, my frustrations, what I need to do tomorrow, etc. I have gotten caught up in ME and that is a sure formula for discouragement and depression. I went to confession and the priest sent me to give more, I was left in a frustrated state lol I already give, why would he tell me that?! What was the point of the Holy Spirit telling me this when it has nothing to do with my emotional struggle!?, I clearly didn't get it at the time, I felt like it didn't apply at all to me (and I was very annoyed... ask my hubby lol) BUT didn't take long to show me what He meant thanks to a friend sticking a wooden spoon in a box of old vases she gave me... 

My sister had a collection of spoons, she had spoons from all around the world and would have loved this one from Africa, and when she passed in such an unnexpected and surprising way the biggest lesson I learned from it is to focus on what really matters in the end- loving people, creating memories, being there- not the money, not the stuff, not the titles, success or wordly things. This little spoon was a reminder and an answer- He didn't mean for to give more money or more things (I still will anyways) but give of ME.

It was a reminder that no matter how big our problems are someone else has a bigger problem, a tougher road, a heavier cross to carry and we can make a difference in someone's life, ease their burden, give them hope... give a smile, a hug, an act of service, a cake, a letter... someone needs what you have to share, someone needs your love, someone needs your friendship, someone needs your smile, someone needs your encouragement... 

And in my case I know someone needs my sisterly love... the encouragement, the care, the help, the love I would have given my sister in her physical form, I was too blind to see because my eyes were on me, but now I that was guided and reminded of this truth I know what I need to do 💕

How about you?!

Luz Voehl

Popular posts from this blog

our new obsession

Image
I know I wrote "our" new obsession but let's be honest for a minute it's more "my" new obsession... dried flower bookmarks! Yes, I'm back to my school aged arts and craft years and loving it... honestly anything that can keep mama from falling into a depression stage because it's the end of Summer in the Pacific North West and that means we live in Mordor.  What do you mean? Well California, Oregon, and Washington catch on fire. This means we live in a depressing dreary constant gray existence, surrounded by smoke, we sometimes pretend is a hot fog that smells and play Christmas music. Because it's the Pacific North West and winter is gray,  another dreary gray existance but less depressing? The jury is still out on that but at least you can feel the cool crisp air and fill your lungs of pine beautiful clean air. We have not seen the sun in days and when we do is a Red ball, the moon was so eerie red last night kind of bea
Read more

Triumph Muffins

Image
Simple pleasures are the last healthy refuge in a complex world. Oscar Wilde I try to infuse my life with beauty and simple pleasures as much as I can.  Like my previous post where I talked about flowers by my kitchen sink add a touch of beauty and bring pleasure to a mundane and sometimes dreaded task. I think the world is just to full of yuck, hate, separation, stress, worries, pain, etc. And our home should be a refuge. A place where we can rest, breathe, find solace. When we are at home our souls should be at rest, or as much as possible, I don't think we'll ever be at rest until we're united with God like St Augustine writes in his confessions  “ You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You". But you get my point. One of the ways I like to infuse my home with beauty and make it comfortable to be in is by trying to always have baked goods for snacks.  Baking is something I find infused with pleasure from the moment I put
Read more

Rose Cake and some things I have been pondering lately...

Image
Sunday was Mother's Day, oh what a complicated day.  So many women experience an incredible amount of emotions on that one day... the loss of a child, infertility, loss of a mother, oh so many things and triggers that can come up in this one day. My prayers go out to all women on this day, I've known the pain of infertility, of miscarriage, and of not having my own mother on this day. It can also bring up the attack society places on moms. The feeling of not enough, of seing motherhood as a waste of your talents, time, and the saddest one it being a burden.  But it is not, How magnificent it is that as women we get the gift to work hand in hand with God in creating and raising inmortal souls! As a mother your body has at some point held two souls inside of it at one time (or 3 if you had twins!) What a gift! Knowing that and how God gave you those little souls because He thinks you are the best person to raise them, with your shortcomings and flaws, with your gifts, and how we
Read more