God Doesn't Keep Score

Baseball is a game of hope; it’s a game of second chances. Each batter takes a turn at the plate and, no matter if he gets a hit or not, he’s given another chance  – and another and another – when his turn comes up again in subsequent innings. 

God gives us more chances, too. Infinitely more chances. When we choose to do or say something that is unloving and hurtful, something that pulls us away from Him or from each other – when we sin  – He allows us to come back to Him and be forgiven again, and again, and again. 

Our God is Love and Mercy. We may have a hard time believing that God loves us and will forgive us, especially if our parents were hard on us or if they weren’t capable of loving us the way we needed to be loved. But He does, and He will. Always.

Take comfort in the fact that God doesn’t keep score. He doesn’t keep track of the times you’ve failed or the errors you’ve made. He knows you mean well. He sees your efforts to love the people around you in the best ways you know how. He knows your weaknesses and still He loves you and offers you His forgiveness time and time again. He wants to free you from the weight of your sins; He wants you to know the joy that comes with that freedom. 

Think of the relief you felt as a child when you finally told the truth about something you had been feeling guilty about. There may have been consequences for your actions and still, above all else, you felt relieved at having gotten it off your chest. You were forgiven; you could put it behind you, finally. Christ offers us this same kind of relief on a much deeper level in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where we unload our burdens of guilt to Jesus hidden in the priest. We ask our Lord to forgive us for those times when what we chose to say or do hurt someone else or pulled us away from the Love of God. We express our remorse. Then Christ Himself wipes our slate clean, sets us free from our guilt, and lets us try again. Our hearts feel light, our confidence is restored, our joy is deep!

No matter how often you fall, Christ will forgive your sins every time you ask Him to. He will forgive them and forget them. He’ll give you another chance. And another. And another.

“...You gave Your children good ground for hope that You would permit repentance for their sins.”  – Wisdom 12:19

“Lord, thank You for inviting us back to You over and over again.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

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We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

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Gratitude Lightens Our Burdens

They say that if we tossed our troubles onto a pile with our neighbors’ problems and then had the opportunity to take whatever we wanted, we would all choose to take back our own struggles over those of our neighbors. Maybe that’s because, while our challenges are burdensome, they are also familiar to us. 

Our sufferings are real, and life seems full of them. Our current problem may be so oppressive that it’s like a hand being held right in front of our eyes, blocking our view of everything else. If we mentally step aside for a moment, though, and move away from that blocked view, we would see that, even with this burden, we still can find much to be grateful for. This gratitude helps us handle our challenges. 

We can be grateful for our magnificent bodies, with the intricate workings of cells, organs, and systems that function without any effort from us! Even when we’re faced with illness or injury, while we’re taking steps to help our body heal or adapt we can still gratefully think, feel, do, and live! 

You are not a mere product of science or chance! Everything about you was deliberately created by God. You have skills and talents. You may not think yours are anything special, but your gifts are not exactly the same as anyone else’s, and your unique personality shapes how you use them. 

Look outside yourself and consider with gratitude your family, friends, and acquaintances. They are gifts for you, and you are gifts for them! Think of all the happy memories you’ve created together, challenges you’ve conquered together, things you’ve learned from each other, and how you’ve made life sweeter for each other just by being yourselves. 

Look with gratitude at your home, your clothes, and your possessions. Look with awe at the natural world around you. From the food that grows to the stars that capture our imagination, God created all of it for us to enjoy, marvel at, and learn from. 

Finally, consider God’s intangible gifts like laughter that eased your pain; strength that got you through a tough challenge; and answers to your prayers, even when you didn’t get the answer you’d hoped for. You’re grateful for all of it because you know that God does everything out of His love for you. Your gratitude reassures you that He will help you with your current challenge, too.

How do we show our appreciation for all God has done for us?  We take care of our bodies the best we can. We care for each other and cherish our time together. We share our time, talents, and possessions. We use the blessings of nature responsibly. 

We consider the wonders of all His gifts and pray from the heart: ‘‘Thanks.” 

“How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for me?” 

– Psalm 116:12

“Lord, open my eyes to fully appreciate all that You’ve done for me.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Go Deeper Than the Storm

 

Winds howling. Mountainous waves tossing yachts like toys. Rain flying sideways. We’ve seen it in movies, and some of us have experienced it first-hand. Storms on the water can be brutal.

Far below the storm, though, far below the surface of the water, there’s calm. The fish and other creatures lurking at the bottom may not even notice there’s turbulence up above.

We have storms in life, too: A terrifying diagnosis, an accident, or serious illness. Financial difficulties. Family and work troubles. We’ve all had our share of suffering. These challenges may come upon us like the storms on Lake Erie: intense and without warning. We’re blindsided, and that shock adds to our anxiety.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 

– Matthew 11:28

Imagine Christ saying to you, “Go deeper than the storm. Go where there is peace. Rest there, and let yourself be enveloped in peace. You can’t stop the storm but you don’t have to stay in it, either. Let the storm rage, but don’t let it toss you or break you. Surround yourself with My peace and know that, even if you can’t control the storm, you can control whether you stay there and fight it or take shelter in the depths of My love, where you will find peace and calm.” 

What does it look like to ‘take shelter in the depths of His love’? First, sit still. Breathe deeply, and slow your racing mind. Thank God for creating you out of His love. Thank Him for all He has already provided for you. Remind yourself that He is omnipotent; ask Him to help you carry this heavy cross. Trust that He, because of His immense love for you, will answer your prayers in the way that provides you with your greatest good. Ask Him to fill you with His peace. Let go of the tension in your mind and body.

Then, ask Him to show you the next step to take. While you’re sitting still and also as you go about your day, pay attention to the ideas that come to mind. Do you need to consult your medical provider? What changes can you make to lessen your financial strain? What professional resources are available to you? Do you have loving friends who support you, who would be happy to help if you asked them to? 

You don’t have to carry the burdens by yourself. Let Christ lead you toward those people who have been blessed with specific skill sets to assist you. 

Storms are part of life. Take shelter in the depths of His love and trust Him to guide you through the turmoil.

“Say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in Whom I trust.” – Psalm 91:2

“Hold me close, Lord, and show me the way through this storm.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Rewards Now, Rewards Later

Imagine telling a first-grader, “Listen to your teachers and do your homework, and when you grow up you’ll be able to get a good job.” 

Of course we don’t say that. Being a grown-up is so far away; getting a good job can’t be the child’s primary goal. He has to experience the joy of learning and the satisfaction of reaching smaller goals first. So throughout his school years, we let him experience those with each little accomplishment. Only after many years of schooling can he be guided toward using his God-given talents for a particular field of work. 

In last week’s reflection I cited Matthew 7:13-14: “...How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life…” I pointed out that Christ promises that following His Way is the way to eternal life. A couple of people asked: Is our primary goal getting to heaven? Don’t we get rewarded here, too? Isn’t there value in imitating Christ simply because doing so makes our life and our world better?

Yes, we do get rewarded now. God designed us to get a good feeling when we show love to others, whether it’s by giving a special gift, sharing our time, offering a random act of kindness or kind word, or doing any other kind deed. These actions also strengthen our relationships and make our world better. Like the student who experiences rewards for working hard, so do we experience rewards for imitating Christ throughout our life. 

We’ll get rewarded later, too. We look ahead to Christ’s promise of unending joy with Him in eternal life. Most of us are familiar with this verse:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Most of us consider eternal life as life with God in heaven. We know that God is love, so maybe heaven is less of a location and more of a state of being. When we love others through our words and actions, we’re showing God to them. We’re bringing heaven to them. We’re bringing heaven to earth. Christ offers us life after we pass away, and also makes it possible that our life here on earth could be full of His love, His peace, and His joy: 

“I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10

So, yes, our rewards come both now and later. Think of it this way: Loving in this life is kind of like practice for eternity. Our thoughts, words, and actions become who we are. When we’re absorbed in loving others, when our thoughts, words, and actions are rooted in Love, then we experience heaven here and now. We then take who we are with us and continue to be absorbed by Love for eternity.

“Lord, let me grasp every opportunity to bring heaven to earth.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

The Difficult Path: Challenge Accepted

My husband and I have discovered the joy of hiking trails. The Gorge trail runs behind our house, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park is only six miles from here. We’ve recently hiked in state and metro parks in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, plus part of the Appalachian Trail. Each one offers spectacular views plus unique challenges: steep terrain, fallen trees to climb over, massive rocks to squeeze between, shallow rivers to cross… you get the idea. 

While flat trails are easier – and sometimes we do take those easy trails – the hike is more enjoyable when the trail is more difficult. The challenging parts are what reward us with an exhilarating feeling of accomplishment.  

This idea to ‘take the more difficult path’ isn’t new, nor does it apply only to hiking. Anyone who has worked hard to excel in their field of work, master a skill, or grow in virtue knows what it feels like to do what others can’t or won’t do. Those who make extra sacrifices for their families or give more than they’re asked also know that, “If it were easy, everyone would do it.”

How does this translate to living our faith?

We, as maturing Christians, know that we will be rewarded for following Christ’s Way even if others don’t. Taking the less popular path isn’t easy. It sometimes means accepting the challenge to go where others refuse to go. That may look different for each of us. These and other questions may help us see how closely we’re following Christ:

Do I take time each day, and one day each week, to thank God for my life and everything I have?

Do I spend time in prayer and try to understand what God is asking of me at this stage of my life?

Do I treat my neighbors, especially those who are different from me,

as I want to be treated?

How do I treat the stressed wait staff or the customer service rep on the phone?

Do I cling to my possessions?

Do I censor what I watch and listen to on my electronic devices?

Am I hiding anything?

How do I treat my parents and in-laws? Have I forgiven them?

Do I hold a grudge?

Do I ask forgiveness when I’ve wronged someone?

Do I envy others’ possessions or accomplishments?

Following Christ may not be the easy way. But He promises us that His Way is the way to eternal life.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.” – Matthew 7:13-14

“Lord, show me Your way and help me follow You more closely.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Rain and God Don't Play Favorites

I suspect that the local farmers and gardeners danced in the rain last week. After nearly a month of no rain, the heavens finally opened up and drenched the crops. Surely, a huge sigh of relief went up to the heavens from those who grow our food.

If you could control the weather, you’d make sure your own garden got plenty of sunshine and rain, right? Would you be concerned with your friends’ gardens also? What about your cantankerous neighbor’s garden? Also, you’d let the sun shine on your own family’s cookout; would you provide sunshine for that neighbor’s picnic also?  

Notice that God doesn’t play favorites. He lets the sun shine and the rain fall everywhere, on everyone. The same is true of His love. 

Christ continually showers His love on all of us, trying to get our attention, hoping we notice, wanting us to let His Spirit of love and peace permeate our fearful hearts just as the rain soaks the dry, hardened earth. He does all this because He desires to bring us closer to Himself. He wants us to believe that He will always love us, and to see ourselves as He sees us: beloved children of God. 

Jesus didn’t discriminate when He called His disciples; He saw the good in each person and their potential for even greater good, even in individuals who had been labeled ‘bad,’ like Matthew the tax collector.

We tend to judge ourselves and each other as being ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ but Christ sees the good in all of us and the potential for greater good. He sees your goodness. He wants you to see it, even if you’ve let yourself be labeled as ‘bad’ by someone else. You are precious to Him!  

Christ asks us to look for the goodness in others, too, and share His love and peace with them, especially those who are the hardest to reach. That cold and angry neighbor… have you reached out to her with a sincere, friendly greeting or any tangible sign of kindness? Have you considered that maybe she feels unloved or unlovable? Have you prayed for her? Maybe your persistent kindness – God’s love for her expressed through you – could be all that’s needed to soften her heart, just as the rain softens the parched soil. 

“I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for He makes His sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” – Matthew 5:44-45

“Lord, help me see my neighbors as You see them, and love them as You love me.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Love's Reward

The Wizard of Oz said to the Tin Man, ‘A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.’ 

This statement has bothered me for as long as I can remember. Maybe you’ve questioned it, too? How much we’re loved by others may have nothing to do with how much love we give. 

Celebrities are greatly loved by many; this has nothing to do with how much the celebrities love anyone. Mobs of adoring fans pack stadiums to watch athletes perform, regardless of how they treat the people around them. 

Contrary to what the Wizard of Oz said, we are called to love others, not get them to love us. 

There are people whose love for others is much greater than the love others have for them. Jesus is the #1 example. As a man He was Love Incarnate. He used the power of Love to teach, heal, forgive, and free people from emotional distress. Large crowds followed Him, but there were many who mistrusted Him. Some people were so disturbed by His Way of loving that they killed Him. He knew they were plotting to kill Him and yet He continued to love those who came to Him. His love to the point of death was rewarded with His resurrection and eternal life in heaven. 

Mother Teresa expressed love in the dignity she gave to the poorest of the poor, the sick, and the dying. She did it out of love for Christ: she loved them because she saw in each person the image of Christ. Probably few of them could love her back because they were so close to death. She undoubtedly is being rewarded now with eternal life with Christ Himself.

Jesus said, “Love one another'' not “Make sure people love you” or even “Love others so that they love you back.” 

And so, each of us is called to show the love of Christ to those around us – in our own ways, with the talents God has given us – whether or not they also love us, and especially if they don’t love us (see Luke 6:34-36)! We have the capacity for great love because Christ’s Love already dwells inside us. We claim His Love; we thank Him for loving us and we treat ourselves kindly. We look for opportunities to give this Love for the benefit of others, everywhere we go and in everything we do. We know that the more love we share, the more it grows and the stronger it becomes inside us. And we give it with joy and confidence, remembering that Christ assured us that we, too, will be rewarded for sharing His love with others, regardless of whether we’re loved in return.

“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” –Matthew 5:12

“Lord, let my joy come from loving You in the people around me!”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...