Feast Day of Saint Mary Mackillop

 

Hi Faith, Hope and Love by My Mother Rose,

It has been a while since I’ve shared my thoughts and my faith with you all. I have been studying and working a lot. I am excited because I have one more subject to complete.  Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Mary Mackillop, and I was flicking through the radio stations while driving home from school drop off and I caught the end of a Christmas song, and I heard “he will bring us goodness and light” and that part has stuck with me.  Saint Mary Mackillop reminds us today and always that “God will carry us safely through every struggle,” storm and heartache.  She encourages us to value our crosses and see them as a gift from a loving God, and I know that can be very hard to do but as Saint Mary Mackillop says we must hope and trust in God’s plan, even if we don’t understand his plan. Right now, I hear God whispering in my heart “I am here, and my love is upon you.”  

“God knows what is best for all of us.” Mary Mackillop 1891.

Live by faith, for it is our faith that saves us, heals us and keeps us well. Just as he promised we are all worthy of his goodness and boundless tenderness.

May God Bless you all Faith, Hope and Love by My Mother Rose.

Listen

 

“People don’t always need advice. Sometimes all they really need is a hand to hold, an ear to listen and a heart to understand them.” Author unknow.

Lately, I have been in trouble for not listening. Listening to my husband tell me about these spiders that are unknown in the worm farm, or my children tell me something about their day which I know is important and as a parent that is all I ever wanted is for my children to tell me about their day but obviously my mind is elsewhere.

So, it got me thinking, “what does it take for me to truly listen?” According to some research there are a few steps to hearing and it all starts with the outer ear, then the middle ear, the inner ear, our auditory nerve and lastly the brain interpretation.

Well, listening seems easy then, but is it? Because I know I am not a good listener. I am in trouble for not listening, for not giving my full attention to the sounds and noises I hear with my ears.

Did you know that on the 18^th of July it will be World Listening Day? I didn’t know but, on this day, everyone is encouraged to go outside and listen to the sounds you hear, record natural noises such as sirens, people laughing, people crying, you may also like to go for a walk and listen to the birds, insects, dogs barking, trees rustling, the wind, or the rain.

“Listen to the wind, it talks. Listen to the silence, it speaks. Listen to your heart, it knows.” Native American Proverb

Listening takes our entire body, it is receiving a message, reacting, being affected by what we have heard and having the aim to understand the other person. I ask myself this question quite often, how can I expect my children to listen, if I’m not listening to them?

“One of the sincerest forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.”

Byrant H. McGill (INPEACHES.COM)

So far this year I have learnt that I need to become an effective listener, because listening is a way to connect, and an act of love. Pope Francis says, “people are losing their ability to listen and that the greatest need of humans is to be heard.” I couldn’t agree more. To listen better we need to give our full attention, to be the friend or parent who they move towards when they need wisdom, understanding, compassion and love.

“Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirt over ego, others over self.” Author unknown.

Are you ready to listen and hear the sounds with your ears? If so, write what you hear, like right now I can hear the ceiling fan spinning above my head, the windchime on the verandah and my computer.

May God Bless Always, Faith, Hope and Love by My Mother Rose.

Written and created by Katie Robinson