Thursday, March 3, 2016

Dear God,

How often, O Lord, have we described a day as an "ordinary" day, nothing special, just ordinary.  Yet, what is ordinary about any 24-hour period we call a day?  The Catholics call a specific time in the liturgical year "ordinary time".  Perhaps it is because it is not Advent or Lent or Epiphany or Pentecost.  But ordinary?  There is no ordinary time in human living, nor really.

We often fail to reflect upon time and really explore the value in it.  If we think of it as ordinary, we see no value in taking a deeper look.  But when we pause to consider any given day of life, we see so much more and the more is extraordinary.  A morning sunrise, the sound of a bird singing, a smile, clean air, a hug, an unexpected grace, food on the table, or the birth of faith makes every day so much, much more. 

When we stop and think about the extraordinariness of each day, we see your gifts, so many of them.  We see blessings hidden in each small thing, waking up feeling refreshed, stepping into a hot shower, sitting down to breakfast, taking medicine that keeps us healthy, knowing we are loved by family and friends, having money in our pockets to pay for our needs, and faith that waits to be realized more fully when troubles arise.  Each and all of these are extraordinary gifts, blessings from on high and what can possibly be ordinary in that?

Blessed God,
you awaken us
in the morning
to say
I love you.
You provide
all day
simply saying
I love you.
As we
fall into bed
at night,
we close
our eyes
in slumber
to have you
speak to us
in our dreams.
Bless you,
Lord,
bless you.

Love always, Andrea