Cherries

My lovely daugher brought me some gorgeous, luscious cherries from the South Island. I love cherries, in fact I can't make up my mind which I prefer, beautiful apricots from the Hawkes Bay or S.I cherries. On reflection I think the apricots win but cherries are a close second!

Aren't God's creations amazing?

Little and Hidden.

I like the thought of being little and hidden probably because I am small in stature and hate the limelight. I think of an old French woman, poor and obscure, dressed in black, humble and faihfully going to Mass daily and constantly praying her rosary. Although in Rome the Borgias are in full swing and decadence, immorality and indifference reigns she neither knows or cares about them. I'm not by any means suggesting that the Vatican and our beloved Pope Benedict are like the Borgias rather I feel that the church has been taken over by strident voices, liberal and traditional, each yelling that THEIRS is the true way while Catholics slip away and congregations diminish daily.

I don't want to read, or listen, to any more insults, or arguments bordering on hate, I want to be quietly faithful to the age-old church like my little French woman, to stop criticising and analysing, and to think only of growing in love and faith.

Peace

After Sunday Mass. which was very quiet and peaceful and said by a holy and devout priest, and many decades of the rosary, I feel more at peace with the church.

God is so good. He reaches out to us in our troubles when we pray and seek His grace.

"Come Holy Spirit..."

Tempted

I must admit I'm not enjoying 2012 as much as I hoped. On Jan 1 I discovered my son and his family are not happy with us, and will barely speak to us, but won't say why. On Jan 2 I fell and cut my knee. On January 6 I discovered my dearest and best friend has lung cancer and on January 7 I cut my finger. An even harder trial is I'm also being very tempted to doubt the Catholic Church, not because of these trials but just because...I'm being tempted. I'm very weak and know many people are attacked and retain their unshakeable faith. My friend is one of them and I thought I was.

I praying, and trusting God. Good experience for me to learn trust: but hard.

Beauty

A glorious lavender hedge in full bloom and a stunning orange monarch butterfly joins the myriad of bees feasting off it, and stays there all day.

What breathtaking, heart wrenching beauty!