January 3, 2022

 

 

THERE IS A GOD!

 

Our family is a family of card players!

 

It beats TV every time – especially if you win the most games that evening.

 

Down through the years, having played so many game, our family has a list of stories, memories, sayings, traditions sand customs.

 

One of our sayings is, “There is a God!”

 

Whenever someone says THAT, you know you’re about to lose the hand you’re playing.

 

“There is a God!”

 

It’s a saying usually used when someone draws a joker, or the winning card – and then they put their hand down on the table.

 

The tension – the inner tension – had mounted.  Everyone figured someone else has their card – or the card they need is already down and covered. Surprise we draw a joker or someone discards our card – and we can pick it up to win the game.

 

“There is a God!”

 

“Rummy!”

 

“There is a God!”

 

What a great prayer.

 

We’re in the supermarket.  We turn into a new aisle. We see a beautiful 18 pound baby sitting up in a shopping cart – staring at us – with a supermarket smile.

 

Without pausing we say, “There is a God!”

 

We’re on vacation at the beach.  We get up early and walk down to the ocean say and look out into the Eastern sky. It’s just as the sun is rising and we automatically say,  “There is a God!”

 

We’re out walking the dog at night.  We pause as the dog does his business. We look up into the heavens – something he hadn’t done in weeks. The night sky is filled with stars  - the moon is a bright flashlight – and we say, “There is a God!”

 

“There is a God!”

 

“What a great prayer!”

 

 

 

 

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2022

 January 3, 2022

 

Thought for Today

“The important thing in life is not to have a good hand but to play it well.”

 

Louis-N. Fortin

Penses, Proverbs, Maxims

 January 2, 2022

100  BLESSINGS  A  DAY

 

 

According to the Menachot (43 b), a Jew is to recite 100 bendictions every day.

 

What a great idea.

 

What a great practice to practice.

 

It would make us more and more aware of all the blessings we receive each day.

 

Start counting.

 

We wake up in the morning – alive – filled with the gift of life.  We open up our eyes.  We say, “Another day. Thank You God.”

 

We just made our first prayer of thanks – our first benediction - of the day.

 

99 to go.

 

We stand under the shower. The water showering on our neck and the top of our shoulders feels so good. “Thank You God! Water! A shower. Hot and cold water combined in such a way to make it all feel so comforting.”

 

98 to go.

 

Orange juice … cereal … coffee … cold butter and peanut butter on toasted English muffins … and also strawberry jam sometimes. “Praise You God.”

 

97 to go.

....

 

It’s 11:30 P.M. and we’re falling asleep.  “Thank You God for a great day and for this comfortable bed.”

 

0 to go.

 

“Wow, God, did 100 benedictions today. Thank You.”

 

“Ooooops…. That was 101. Thank You.”

 

“There’s another. 102!”

 

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2022

January  2,  2022

 

Thought for Today

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass.   
It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

 REFLECTIONS

Since 2007 - when I started this blog - most of my reflections have been poems and verse pieces.

This year - 2022 - I'm going to offer 365 reflections - in a short prose format. 

I'm going to take each piece from the over 10 volumes of handwritten - about 140 pieces in a volume - that I have been writing through the years.

That's all.  The first piece is enitled "Sticks and Stones."

Amen.  Hope all goes well. 

 January 1,  2022

STICKS AND STONES

 

 

Which do you prefer: sticks or stones?

 

Was it a question of taste – or was it a necessity – our ancestors choosing wood or stone?

 

Obviously, it was both – stone homes with wooden doors – stone axes with wooden handles.

 

Wood – so much easier to work with – to carve – to carry – to use – but I wood rots. It burns.

 

Stone – so much heavier,  so hard to carve, to cut, to carry,  but it doesn’t burn.

 

Wood or stone or what?  What describes my personality better? Best?

 

Wooden?  No, don’t call me wooden.

 

Rock?  Maybe sometimes. Yet who wants to be described as having a stone head or stone face?

 

Yet, I guess, I would want to be seen as strong and solid and someone you can lean on.  Wouldn’t you?

 

And Peter, the apostle, was nicknames, “Rock” by Jesus. Yet he was not that rocky when he denied Jesus 3 times.

 

And he sank, when he tried to walk on water.

 

And Jesus was a carpenter and he worked with wood – and walked on water – and he died on a wooden cross.

 

Me?  Okay too flexible at times – not strong enough at other times?  Is that always bad? Isn’t there strength in gentleness and suppleness and bendability?

 

Water?  Now that’s more like it.  That’s more me.

 

Sticks and stones?

 

Stones sink and wood floats.

 

I think I need to do some more thinking on all this.

 

Sticks and stones will break my bones - but names will never hurt me.

 

Wait a minute!

 

Want to bet on that?

 

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2022

 January  1,  2022

 

Thought for Today

 

“What a wonderful thought it is, that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet.”

Anne Frank