It's All About God
One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received was from my 8 year old granddaughter Jazmyn. A couple of years ago, she and her younger sister Anna came to stay with me for a few days over their Christmas break. They’d never been to my apartment so when they walked in the door they looked all around going into every room. Then Jazmyn came over and said the most beautiful thing. She said, “Grandma, it’s all about God!” I looked at her, smiled and said, “Yes, it is all about God isn’t it.”
I had never really thought about my apartment as being all about God before. This made me wonder if others had the same impression. I hope they did. I think this is part of being that light of the world that Jesus speaks about. Not only how we live, but what we surround ourselves with in our homes becomes a clear indication of who we are. Are we “all about God?”
Now that I live with others and have my own room, I guess you could say that my room is all about God. I’ve surrounded myself with the holy icons, my spiritual books and my work area where I write icons. Whenever I look around I think, this is to remind me of who I am and Who I serve. It is a reminder of where I want to go when I leave this life. When I wake up in the morning it’s the first thing I see and when I close my eyes at night I feel that my soul is safe.
This is a very special place. It is where I can go and be alone with the Lord. Everyone should have a special place in their home, even if it’s very small. Eastern Catholics have what is called an Icon corner, where the holy icons are placed with some candles and a Bible. It is a place to go and pray and remember why we are here. It’s God’s special place in our home.
I hope that my little granddaughters will keep these memories with them and if someday they find themselves looking for the right path, they will think of Grandma’s home and remember, “it’s all about God.”
I had never really thought about my apartment as being all about God before. This made me wonder if others had the same impression. I hope they did. I think this is part of being that light of the world that Jesus speaks about. Not only how we live, but what we surround ourselves with in our homes becomes a clear indication of who we are. Are we “all about God?”
Now that I live with others and have my own room, I guess you could say that my room is all about God. I’ve surrounded myself with the holy icons, my spiritual books and my work area where I write icons. Whenever I look around I think, this is to remind me of who I am and Who I serve. It is a reminder of where I want to go when I leave this life. When I wake up in the morning it’s the first thing I see and when I close my eyes at night I feel that my soul is safe.
This is a very special place. It is where I can go and be alone with the Lord. Everyone should have a special place in their home, even if it’s very small. Eastern Catholics have what is called an Icon corner, where the holy icons are placed with some candles and a Bible. It is a place to go and pray and remember why we are here. It’s God’s special place in our home.
I hope that my little granddaughters will keep these memories with them and if someday they find themselves looking for the right path, they will think of Grandma’s home and remember, “it’s all about God.”
posted by Laura | 10:57 AM
4 Comments:
I have about 50 mini nativity scenes all around my house. I guess people who come here might say the same thing. They might not say it in wonder, but they might wonder about it, or about me--if I'm normal, I mean.
I was at a retreat a few weeks ago, and the priest spoke about "white martyrdom", when your testimony is "barely tolerated-or not tolerated" by those who live with you. I don't feel like a martyr and certainly don't want to act like one, in the negative sense, but sometimes it makes one feel as though they are trudging along, rather than running the good race towards the goal. And yet, that cannot be so. My heart tells me it's more the contrary.
God bless you Laura. And God bless me too.
I have a nativity snow globe on my nightstand next to my bed along with a holy card in the shape of a cross with a cute little baby in the center of it sleeping in a manger. I could not bring myself to put them away after Christmas this last year. It is my very favorite time and actually I made a small request to the Lord that maybe I could die on Christmas Eve let's say around midnight. However, as I think about it it may not be the best thing for my family, but you never know. God bless you and I love the 50 mini nativity scenes from here. That is truly "all about God!"
I think that the visibility of "being all about God" may be what caused the Fire Dept. guys to be so kind to us last summer. I sincerely wondered why they hung around for hours in fierce heat, putting in extra smoke alarms.. We own this home, and do not look terribly poor, just kinda poor! I looked around and wondered what was in that young fellow's eyes all of a sudden.
Wall crucifixes (one from uncle's casket), holy palms, drawings, 23rd Psalm, rosary beads, plaques, Madonna, a china cabinet shelf of little breakable saints and of doubly=holy sculptures crafted by a woman with MS who prayed all through them, woven blessing tapestries, the book shelf contents.. some of these items in every room (which all came here over time). Was it these? Was it also the 3-stage pictures of my two U.S. soldiers, gradating from grade school, to high school picture, to US Navy and Marine?
Or was it what always may speak loudest about who we love most: the family. Daughter was home that day with her very young son, her boyfriend was visiting; much older son came in during the FD's room-to-room/chimney, cellar search..dog, cat.. apparently, all are loved. People honor love where they find it.
Love,
Carol
FMN, I hope one day to see those Nativity sets.
And amen, God bless Laura, and you.
Love,
Carol
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