Dear Ones,
Hope you had a wonderful weekend. Al and I are thankful to be well and to attend church again. We also got to walk on Cypress with our friends that we hadn’t seen for a while. This morning I made egg dishes and choc covered raspberries and went to my exercise class. This afternoon I am going to do more baking!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Western culture is obsessed with being entertained. People complain of being bored and want continual excitement and entertainment. In many ways it is because hearts are empty and weary and have lost meaning, therefore they want to be entertained. Sadly, our culture assumes that our lives are without meaning if we don’t have a constant stream of stimulation and some form of excitement.
Television has only taught people to be more passive and to feel and not to think deeply. It is a time waster and often erodes our spiritual values.  At the close of a busy day, most people settle in passively watching T.V. rather than read a worthwhile book. We tend to vegetate rather than be stimulated or taking time to reflect.
When we go on a trip, I bring several books along, and I read in the car and at the motel. I usually bring several books from Al’s library but I also bring some lighter reading that perks my interest. Al says books are like good friends and he has a library full of friends! It’s good to read books that give us knowledge but also those that help us evaluate where we are at in our journey and the direction we are taking.
A good book needs to be savored and not hurried to be read; who knows how it may influence how we think and our very lives. Years ago, a book by a catholic priest changed my life and helped me to let my self be known to others. Otherwise, I may never have been sending out the personal devotions that I do each day.
As I child I loved books so much and only had to walk  a few blocks to the Longfellow Library where there were always more. I loved just being in the quiet library and could hardly wait to get home to read. For most people today it is easier to just turn on the TV and let it fill our minds, and excuse us from thinking too deeply or enlightening us in new ways. Like Father Michael Casey said, a good book is an invitation to grow beyond what we are at present, and to view issues from a different perspective.
A good book brings enjoyment and refreshment and of course, we should not neglect to daily read the best gook ever written, that feeds our faith. “The Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ” (Acts 4:12 NIV)
Challenge for today: Take some leisure time to read a book that will challenge you in new ways.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy