March 14, 2012 – How Did You See God Today?

I still cannot believe this great weather! What a day again. Went to Mass this morning, did a few errands, then had a fairly free afternoon. We visited with Doug & Peg, our good friends from Parkston for a bit this afternoon as they stopped on their way home from visiting the kids in the Twin Cities. We had a nice visit. They are the couple who introduced Margaret and I to each other way back when. They are kind of the reason this all got started.

We stopped down for Adoration for a bit after Doug and Peg left. What a peaceful time and place to be. I enjoy that time more each week I am able to get there. I am reading hard on that book on Catholicism by Father Robert Barron – lots of good good stuff in there.

I had heard the birds singing all day, and even heard my cardinal’s song several times. I decided to not try to look for him today, as I did not want to keep talking about him, but as I grilled steaks tonight on the deck, there he was, big, red, and singing loudly in the neighbors tree again. I can’t even seem to avoid God’s touching me these days! Isn’t that great!

I have been very moved by the many people who are reading these blogs and commenting on them. I enjoy jotting my thoughts down, and I do enjoy sharing them. I want everyone to know that I feel that as a part of this whole incredible Gift I have received, it is part of my journey to share my faith with others and to try to get people to see God in each other and the world around them. It is not about what I can write or say, but it is all about God. If I can help one person to get closer to God, this is a worthy venture. He wants all of us in heaven with Him. Make it a Blessed Day.

March 13, 2012 – How Did You See God Today?

It is only 9:53 AM, but I have been up since before 5:00 AM. I got some good reading in, daily scriptures, and even a rosary completed. Those steroids are great!

          Margaret and I had been taking that course on Catholicism at St. Michael Church prior to this diagnosis and surgery etc. I have been continuing to read the book by Father Robert Barron. It is a great read, and will tell you much about the history of our Catholic Church. Anyway, some good stuff in there that I will blog later today.

          As I am reading in the morning, I can begin to hear those birds sing each day – it is so wonderful. I have always loved the outdoors, I probably just notice the birds more now. Anyway, I had heard the cardinal singing earlier, but tried to down play it a bit because I don’t want to be a broken record on this cardinal thing. Later I was again out in the Hearthroom area, and he was singing away. I finally stepped out onto the deck, and there he was, a large red male cardinal singing at the top of his little bird lungs. That is my touched by God moment already this morning. Make it a great day!

Love, The Greatest Gift

The Greatest Gift

1 Corinthians 13:1-2: 1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

          In the book called “Catholicism - A Journey To The Heart Of The Faith” by Father Robert Barron, there is a chapter called The Indispensable Men. This chapter is about Saints Peter and Paul and how they were so very instrumental in the foundation of our Catholic Faith and of all Christian Faiths.

          The quote from 1 Corinthians above is frequently used in wedding ceremonies, and I have heard it hundreds of times. Father Barron really made it hit home to me today as I read this chapter. To quote the author, “As I have said earlier, love is not primarily a feeling or emotion (although love can be accompanied by feelings and emotions); it is willing the good of other as other. When we love, we escape the black hole of our own clinging egotism and live for someone else; to love is to leap ecstatically out of self.”

          Further down the page, St. Paul concludes his observation with “Love never fails.”  1 Corinthians 13:8. Father Barron goes on to say “ In heaven, when we are sharing the divine life, even faith will end, for we will see and no longer merely believe; hope will end, for our deepest longing will have been realized. But love will endure, because heaven is love. Heaven is a state of being in which everything that is not love has been burned away. And that is why “faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthian 13:13.

          Pretty deep stuff, but isn’t that wonderful. It all makes sense to me now better than ever before. God Bless and make it a great day!

March 12, 2012 – How Did You See God Today?

On Sunday afternoon, as you may have read in the Grandchildren blog, I was touched by God’s love holding little Kolbe while he slept.

Earlier that day I had also been lying on the bed trying to catch a little nap. When I can’t quite doze off, I rely on the Rosary and Mother Mary to bring me peace. I was through about the second decade, and the cardinal started singing outside my bedroom window quite excitedly.

Today, I was sweeping the garage a bit and they were singing away across the street.

At the Avera Cancer Center, I had an appointment to get fitted with a head gear today. In the waiting room prior to my going in to my appointment, I had the opportunity to visit with a couple of folks going through similar experiences to mine. One gentleman was in town for 10 days to have radiation on a tumor in his neck – Grade 4 cancer. His started in his rectum, that area was taken care of, then it moved into his lungs, he is on oxygen now and in a wheelchair, now he has a lump in his neck they are working on. Another fellow has the same type of cancer I have, but his tumor is the size of a pear – he didn’t like to go to doctors, so the tumor got a good start on him – he too is in a wheelchair now. I have it pretty darn easy the way I see it. I will pray for these folks and all who are suffering from disease and illness tonight. Each of these folks believes in the power of prayer and has amazing faith in God’s plans for them. We have to learn to let go of the wheel and just ride along. God has it handled.

Grandchildren

  This afternoon, as Mark and Sara were getting their van loaded to head back home to Omaha, Sara handed my grandson, Kolbe to me to hold for while. Kolbe is15 months old, and a pretty active little boy. He is too squirmy to sit long, and I cannot lift much for a few weeks as the craniotomy surgery heals. Kolbe had fallen into one of those peaceful sleeps that only a small child can attain. He was out like a light and Sara’s thoughtfulness allowed me to hold Kolbe in my arms for about a half hour while he slept.
 As I looked down at his beautiful sleeping face, many thoughts went through my mind. I had a few tears thinking of those other dozen or better grandchildren that I will only be able to hold in my heart, and not in my arms. They will only get to know Grandpa Jarding through the pictures and articles I leave behind. I will be with them in their hearts and I will pray for them constantly, but we won’t get much face time. The hugs, kisses, and rocking work now comes down to Grandma Margaret. She will do great. I picture her at a future Christmas surrounded by the many grandchildren and just smiling with a heart bursting with joy. She is a good and loving wife, mother, and grandmother, and she will be just fine, surrounded by my love and the love of God.
We have a new granddaughter arriving in mid June, so we are eagerly anticipating her birth. Grandma Jarding will have her first baby girl after four sons and one grandson! I imagine the clothing store stock values will increase on the short term.
 If God, time, and my strength allow me to, I have to build a few more rocking horses to stock up for future Christmases.
 When I was holding Kolbe, sleeping peacefully in my arms, I imagined how I will soon sleep peacefully in the arms of God. That is a very comforting thought. Make it a great day and know that God loves you.

March 10, 2012 – How Did You See God Today?

What a gorgeous day! You could see God in the blue skies and the warm sunshine!

          We went to Mass at 8:15 at St. Michael’s Chapel - Always a nice service. After the Mass, Ed invited me to come down to a bi-monthly meeting of a men’s prayer group. I said I would, and had a nice visit, some good discussion, and some prayer with this great group of guys. That’s a tap on the shoulder from God!

          We went to Mass at 4:00 PM at St Michael this afternoon – full house – great Homily, and a nice service. At the time we said the Lamb of God prayer, I was just filled with a sense of gratitude for Jesus coming down to earth and taking on the form of a man. He spent time with us giving us the Word of God, teaching us to love one another, and healing and helping all that He met. Then, these same people He came to save (we would have probably done the same to Him if He came to us now – we are all guilty of hurting Him from time to time), beat him, mocked Him, and crucified Him. He did all of that for each of us. Not me, not you, but all of us. I got a little teary at that thought. A little tap.

          I saw my favorite teacher in all of my years of school at Mass – Mrs. McFarland. She stopped to shake my hand on the way by, and we shared some nice hugs after Mass. I still have a monkey made out of a coconut that she gave me about 45 years ago. She was and still is the best! A third tap. Thank you, God for all you do!

Tools

           I have always loved tools.  Woodworking has been a hobby and a passion of mine since I was in High School shop. The Jarding family has been into construction work of some sort or the other for several generations. Throughout my career as a building contractor, I have had opportunities to design many projects, and to even build a few things. Whenever I come across a new woodworking gadget, I usually pick one up. I love the variety of cordless tools now available as well.

          The key to completing almost any job in a timely fashion is to have the correct tool for the job. If I am trying to exercise my very weak mechanic skills by fixing something on one of our vehicles, I usually do not have that one tool that would make it go just right. That usually ends up in more time spent on that task than I wanted to, some scraped knuckles, and a bit of cursing the engineer who designed this thing.

          But wood working and I have usually gotten along very well. There is something about working with a once living piece of wood that has always intrigued me – but we digress – that may be a future blog. We were talking about tools.

          Christ gave us the tools we need to shape and form our lives to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. That is God’s plan for each of us – to be the best version of you that is possible. The tools we have are the sacred scriptures, daily prayer, daily meditation, attending Mass, and receiving the sacraments. Now you will find that if you try to be yourself and not use these tools, often times you will end up frustrated, with scraped knuckles, cursing under your breath at the way things are going for you, or just quitting on the project. Use the tools that God gave us.