I was a bit concerned when I read the title for today's Bible study: Early Martyred Saints. Yes, as a non-Catholic person I grew up thinking the idea of praying to a saint was ludicrous. I couldn't understand why a person buried a statue of St. Joseph in the ground (upside down to boot). Such ridiculous superstition infiltrating intelligent people's lives. Why pray to a saint when you could pray directly to the "big man on campus" (i.e. God).
This was until my grandmother passed on over 7 years ago. Since her passing, I find myself "talking" to her when I need advice. Mostly when I'm cooking or baking and I find myself in a sticky situation. But I find such comfort "talking" with her that I can understand the comfort in praying (or talking) to a saint.
One of the activities for today is to name 10 people whom I am grateful for in my life. The activity only said to name the people, but I thought I'd state a short reason why. Some of the answers may surprise you, and some may not. I almost didn't create the list, because I didn't want to hurt people's feelings. I also made the stipulation: the list must contain people that I know or have known (no Hollywood persona or music people). And I must state that this list wasn't that easy to write. I contemplated over a lot of people in my life. However, I feel that grateful and thankful are different adjectives. I am thankful for many people and things in my life - every day there are many things to be thankful for. But I believe that grateful is a deeper emotion; almost on an elemental level. Without further ado here is the list in no particular order:
Jim - for his outstanding ability to have faith in me and our marriage and parental partnership (albeit a bit unorthodox at times); he always allows for personal and relationship growth and possibility.
Zoe - for her unending questions about how the universe works and our place in it; she daily challenges my brain and that is a fantastic quality about a child.
Eva - for her fascinating exuberance and overwhelming love for everything and everyone in the world.
Dana - for her unending support in EVERYTHING I do and defining what FRIENDSHIP truly is.
Ray - my grandpa and Pal who at 91 is younger in spirit than many 30-somethings that I know.
Mrs. Weber - her facets (and faults) as a piano teacher shaped and continues to shape the choices I make as a teacher and musician.
Tom - my father, my music mentor, and quite possibly my biggest fan (albeit the quietest); his band, "The Knight Kats" were very influential to the music I listen to and write.
Cheryl - my mother and the quintessential "Super Mom" to whom I try to strive daily to become.
Amanda L.- she epitomizes what it means to be a remarkable person; her heart was open to an unorthodox friendship and that means so much to me
Kelly - my sister and a woman that lives the change she wants to see in the world. Not many people can claim that.
Today's scripture
Pslams 88:1-8 (The Message)
God you're my last chance of the day.
I spend the night on my knees before you.
Put me on your salvation agenda;
take notes on the trouble I'm in.
I've had my fill of trouble;
I'm camped on the edge of hell.
I'm written off as a lost cause,
one more statistic, a hopeless case.
Abandoned as already dead,
one more body in a stack of corpses,
And not so much as a gravestone -
I'm a black hole in oblivion.
You've dropped me into a bottomless pit,
sunk me in a pitch-black abyss.
I'm battered senseless by your rage,
relentlessly pounded by your waves of anger.
You turned my friends against me,
made me horrible to them.
I'm caught in a maze and can't find my way out,
blinded by tears of pain and frustration.
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