The value of family - a reflection on the Holy Family

Happy Christmas everyone!

Now before everyone goes to me and says, it's past Christmas Day... I know, but the season of Christmas runs till the end of Epiphany so I'm allowed to wish you all :)

With that out of the way, time to get into this weeks blog post.

For those who don't know, today is the feast day of the Holy Family- a celebration of the gift of Mary, Joseph and Jesus to us all and a time of thanks for the great work each of them did to ensure the faith remains alive and well in society, even in 2014.

Now I won't go into what Jesus did in this trinity - if you really want to know, go look it up in the four gospels in the Bible (for those playing at home, they're the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Let's just say he did a whole lot to ensure we are continually saved no matter what mistakes we make and for that we should always be eternally grateful.

Mary, well it was her yes that allowed God to give us the greatest gift of all, his son on this earth to teach and to save us from sin and provide ultimate mercy. She did this despite knowing full well she could be outcast, even put to death for being seen as not following the Jewish law of marriage before children and she did this knowing that she would have the biggest pressure of all being the mother for the Saviour of the world. Along the way, as we know from the bible, it wasn't easy- from losing her son for three days after he ran away, to having to watch in agony as her son was crucified to death - not to mention all the years in-between where family and friends would've been questioning her about her sons choice of life. Yet despite all the difficulties and challenges, Mary showed immense peace and always listened to God word. In this trinity, she is the one who helps us to have an example of how God can bring peace and joy to any situation, and she is the one who we see as the carer for us all, even some 2000 years later.

And then we come to Joseph. He's the forgotten one sometimes in this family- I mean he wasn't even Jesus' Dad technically- God was. He was more the caretaker dad while Jesus was on earth. But despite being forgotten by some, he's got a very important role to play in the story.

It was Joseph who gave Mary the courage to carry the son of God into the world, even though he knew very well the consequences of his decision. He trusted God entirely and while he was hesitant at first, once he heard the angel, he didn't think twice about being ostracized by his family and community, being forced to travel hundred of kilometres to escape persecution, to protect his family at every whim and sacrifice all he had, even to the point of running to Egypt. Joseph's courage and commitment to the cause I am sure gave hope and belief to Mary that she could do this, and through Joseph's openness to God, our Lord ensured that Joseph was ready at every step of the journey. For those who want a role model of Courage in God, Joseph is your man - never giving in to the challenges and always standing
up for the truth and for what mattered to him, his family, no matter the cost.

Now these descriptions are not meant to be historically or biblically correct, but rather are just my insights into what I see in each of these members of the Holy Family. They are however meant to show just how vital each part of the Holy family is.

In the same way the family we have today, whether they are blood related, faith related or friend related are just as important and follow the same sort of structure.

Each of them has a value of some sort and without them, there would be something missing in the vital cog that makes our lives what they are today.

During this Christmas season, I invite each one of you to spend time with your family and see what gifts and talents they may have. You might not have ever thought about this area of your relationship, but it's vital as doing so will allow you to see why they are important. It's an importance that allows you to be humble in life, to love others even when they annoy you and to see them as the Children God made them to be.

I wish you and all your family (whether they are blood related or related through friendship) a wonderful Christmas season and may you continue to inspire each other (even in the challenging times) towards a deeper relationship with God.

Till next time...

The 5 reasons why persistence is the key

Persistence- it's a word we get told so often that sometimes it loses it's meaning. If you're struggling with something, the first thing someone will normally do is say... 'Oh it's ok, just keep persisting and you'll get there'.

But just why is persistence so important. Why can't we just try something, not do well at it and then move on to something else?

Well hopefully these next five points will answer the question above and also give you the will to persist in all areas of your life, no matter how challenging they may be...

1. It builds character - If we never failed at things, we wouldn't be able to know what we were truly good at, what we've been placed on this world for and how we are called to make a difference. In a similar way, if we gave up on everything we do after the first attempt, we'd never know what we're good at either. We need to persist to know who we are and what our limits are.



2. It helps change the world - If we didn't persist through things, greatness would never occur. Imagine if Martin Luther King had given up at his first attempt of trying to rally for equal rights or Steve Jobs had given up after the downturn in Apple while he was exiled from the company in the mid 90s. The reason that great things occur is because people are willing to mess up time and time again until they get it right. I always like to think of Thomas Edison for this one. 1000 attempts and he didn't get it but when he did, the light bulb change history as we know it forever- and it was all due to persistence.



3. Because the aim of life isn't to be perfect - a guy who was formerly in the Army once said to me that the people who didn't succeed in the army were normally not the ones who lacked skills on arrival, but the ones who lacked the attitude to keep going when they hit obstacles. The same is true about life. If there's one thing I've learnt this year it's that most things don't get perfectly achieved on the first turn. The key to anything becoming successful is that you keep pushing on with your passion and if you learn from the mistakes made, you will normally go far.



4. Because God calls us to do it - For those who are reading this who are filled with the faith of Christ, well this point is probably the greatest reason to be persistent. Throughout the Bible, God talks about how we will only understand the greatness he wants to give us if we are willing to be patient and open to his glory. There are so many passages about how people stumble but God uses them for greatness through their persistence and I encourage you all to read them (Galatians 6:9, Proverbs 24:16, Luke 11:5-10) for through this you will just how powerful persistence is, especially when it comes to God.
   
   



5. It inspires others to greatness - Think about all those people you look up to in life. Now think about whether or not they were first up success stories. In most cases, the answer is no. People normally look up to those who have done great things, but who they can also relate to. I know for me, those I look up to, like the late Nelson Mandela, JPII, all made mistakes, but they also persisted to do amazing things. Whenever you are feeling down and challenged, see it as a chance to overcome adversity and inspire people along the way. Your persistence drives others through their challenges and that is only a good thing.

So there you have it, five reasons why persistence is the key. I hope this inspires you all on your journeys to greatness and keeps you focused on the real prize no matter how tiring the road ahead is.

Till next time...

Be open to God's response

Hi all,

It's good to be back with you all. Been a crazy few weeks with lots of projects and no internet but I'm here now and really looking forward to writing today's piece, cause it's something that I'm really passionate about.

Yesterday I was at a wonderful advent retreat and we were asked to do some reflection on some bible passages. One of them was about how the Israelites prayed for a leader and the arrival of John the Baptist. It talks about how John is seen by all those around him as the Messiah because he seems to be a great leader, in line with the law of the time and a real man of the people. However as we find out, there's another one coming- Jesus- who is the actual Messiah, but who is completely not what the people were expecting- someone who challenges their laws, who turns the establishment upside down and who shows all what it truly means to be a man of God, more than just laws, it's about heart as well.

As I read this passage, it got me thinking about how many other times in the bible something like this happens and in the end, it happens a lot.

It seems to be God's way of working. He always answers the prayers of the bible, yet he does it in ways no one could have imagined and ways that aren't always the expected.

So the question has to be asked- if God has been like this since the early days- why is it that ten of thousands of years later (ok maybe just thousands), we still haven't got the message?

We still ask for things and then expect them to appear and get annoyed when they don't happen, meanwhile they are happening, just not in the way we expected.

We need to become a lot more aware of what is happening around us and realise that everything that happens in our lives is due to God- and sometimes, the answers to what we seek are in those things that are happening around us, if only we just took the time to look at them more closely.

Take case in point my asking God for a way to continue to minister and help people after last year. 

I thought that he'd put me in a job in Youth Ministry and I honestly thought I'd be doing stuff with young people now and that was the end of the plan, but God, as always had bigger and greater plans.

I could have never imagined I'd be part of a group that is going on the massive task of working to bring those disconnected back to their faith. Not just youth, but all people. I also didn't think I'd be using all my talents, whether they are youth, communications and marketing, video and tech, vocal or welcoming in one place. I am doing this though and that is only because I realised that while this wasn't what I asked God for in the first place, it was where he wanted me to be and that he was answering my prayer- even if the response was slightly off centre.

Whenever we ask for something from God, we need to realise that: 

1. He is always going to ensure it happens if it's in his will for us, he loves us too much not to do it
2. He is working on his time, not ours, so it may take years to happen
3. He going to do it when it will be best for our lives, not when it is quickest
4. He's not always going to do it in the way asked, but always in the way that's best for us.
   

The sooner we all become more open to God's response, the greater our lives will be, for we will be able to see around us all the amazing works God is doing, even in the smallest of things.

I say this because I know from personal knowledge that this is the case. I've always been a person who focused on what I asked for and if it didn't happen, blamed myself for not doing enough or I got frustrated.

In the last few years however and especially this year, I've become a lot more aware of things around me and I'm realising that while my prayers aren't always answered the way I hoped for, they are being answered and God's way is so much greater as I'm learning amazing lessons and growing even more in myself and who I am every single day.

It's why I encourage you all to be more open to God's response, as I want you to experience what I have been blessed to. Listen for God in every space of your life and don't restrict yourself to the requests you ask God for and the set way you think that should play out- for God's way is always so much greater.

Till next time...

Never give up, never give in, always think you CAN!

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the lack of blog posts the last month, was busy and then didn't have internet.

I'm back though and hope to have a new blog for you this weekend. In the meantime here's a video I saw last night. Hope it inspires you as much as it inspired me!

The story on sacrifice

So, I just finished watching the finale of the Doctor Who and without giving away too many spoilers, there was a lot of discussion about sacrifice ahead of personal happiness.

It's a topic that always brings up a lot of people either side of the fence. 

The thing is though is that regardless of which camp you are in, there is a time when you will be faced with the choice to sacrifice something you want for something that perhaps is for a greater good.

When we get down to choices like this, lots of things can come into our minds. Things such as:

1. Is this going to mean losing a loved one?
2. Is this going to affect me financially?
3. Is this going to put me back on my path?
4. Is doing this going to help others grow in their journey?

And there are many, many more questions besides these. The point is, sacrifice is hard. It's why so many of us don't do it.

True heroes however, as a Bishop said yesterday, are those who are willing to sacrifice their own needs knowing that something greater needs to be done.

As Gandolf says in Lord of the Rings after Frodo complains about having to sacrifice his home to go destroy the ring - "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

It is so easy for us to use our time to look at the things that matter to us and make sure they are happening, It's a lot harder for us to look outward and see that there is so much more to do and that sometimes means we need to give up our own wants for the good of others.

God calls us however to sacrifice. He sacrificed the greatest gift of all, his son so that we can be saved and in being called to follow his example, we almost must prepare as his children to sacrifice in our own lives.

Some of these sacrifices may only be small - like having a little less money to spend on coffee so that we can support those working to help people living on the streets. Others, will be much bigger.

The key to any sacrifice however is to always remember that in doing so, there will be a much greater outcome. We wouldn't do it otherwise.

Whether our sacrifice is calling us to give up money, power, control, comfort or even those things most valuable to us, it is important to remember that our personal want is sometimes not the best thing for the situation and no matter how much we want, we can't let that get in the way of what needs to happen for God's will to occur.

Sure sacrifice hurts- it's not meant to be easy, especially when it means giving up something you love for the sake of someone or something else, but it's crucial for our world to survive and for us to continue to grow in our faith journey.

There's too many people willing to take the easy road and stay comfortable, but we are called as Christians to take the long, narrow one- one in which sacrifice is a part of ensuring salvation.

And we do it knowing that in the end, the greatest reward will come.

Till next time...

The saints are coming - Part 2 - Be the best you can be!

Happy All Saints Day everyone!

I don't know what it is, but there's something about All Saints day that I always look forward to.

It's an opportunity to remember the incredible groups of people who have helped ensure our amazing faith remains strong. It also allows us to take a moment to appreciate the hard work these people did, the sacrifices they made and the way they love God.

If I'm honest though, as I've grown older, the real reason why I love All Saints Day and any time where I get a chance to read about the Saints is that these people are ordinary, normal, everyday people just like me, but they give me hope I can achieve great things by the way they lived out their lives.

As a video I watched on Saints says "most saints are ordinary anonymous men and women".

Earlier this year, I wrote about how we are all called to be saints and spoke about how we need to step out of the lives and be saints, following the great Saints example and growing in humility along the way.

It's easy however to say that we can all be saints. It's a lot harder to get started and actually live the life of one.

While being humble is part of it, the Saints were more than just humble, they also were people who changed the world for the better in all that they did.

The thing that we need to realise for our own lives as saints is that, they all did this task in very different ways.

St Paul for example, was a witness of being saved by God, where as St Nicholas of Myra was an example of believing in God in every circumstance and of generosity. St Joan of Arc went into battle with weapons where as Blessed Mother Teresa also went into battle, but in a very different way as she battled illness, cared for the dying and built a future for young women.

None of the Saints did something that was better than the other- they are all seen equally as being inspiring in the path of God. They were all different but they all had one goal- to do God's will for their lives to the best of their ability.

Every man and woman has a talent, gift or ability that is uniquely theirs. Sure there may be similarities, but the way a persons personality interacts with their skill makes it unique to them and them alone.

God put each one of us on this earth to use that unique ability to change the world for the better. He calls us  to sainthood by giving us the opportunity, as people of faith, to answer this call everyday of our lives. 

Now that might seem like a big task so if you're struggling for ideas, here's some hints as to how you can be a modern saint in the world today...

• If your talent is talking, then get out there and spend time with those who are lonely or don't fit into society. Your words of support and friendship could change a life.
• If your talent is helping out others, then start organising fundraisers and events that raise money or just go out and help by volunteering wherever needed.
• If you like making computer programs, then why not make programs that help make lives better, especially those most in need.

One of the main reasons I write these pieces is because I have realised that one of my talents from God is inspiring others and I can also write, so put these two together and this is what I came up with.

Whether you are cleaning a floor or are balancing accounts for a major corporation, you matter and the gifts you possess will lead people closer to Christ if you're willing to live out his name in all that you do.

So what are you waiting for, get out there from this All Saints Day and go and become the saints that God called us all to be.

Till next time..

Stay positive- there's plenty of good happening in the world!

Hey everyone!

With all the horrible headlines and threats to life this week, I wouldn't blame you for thinking that things aren't as good as they were say a year ago, or five years ago.

Problem with thinking like this is, when we do it, we lose sight of the fact that while these incidents happening around the world are terrible, they only make a fraction of what the world is about and as renowned motivational guru Tony Robbins said in a video I watched this week, it's what we react to that shapes how we react.

Now if that last paragraph sounds a bit confusing, let me spell it out to you- In order to feel good about the world, you need to see the good in it first.

This isn't always easy to do, but this week I'm here to help. Rather than going on about tips and hints and ideas though, I'm instead going to show you three stories that will help you to see that the world is full of good stuff happening and it needs your help.

I hope that by doing this, I'll inspire you, no matter what you are feeling about the world at the moment, to take a fresh perspective and focus on making a difference for the better. We can't always stop people from doing terrible things, but we can go out there and bring happiness to the world instead.

So here it is... three signs of good in the world!

Number 1: Socktober- spreading love through donation of socks and other items to the homeless

Number 2: Check out these high school students inspiring an 8 year old with Down Syndrome to greatness!

http://www.qutnews.com/2014/10/10/mobile-laundry-helps-the-homeless/#.VEw2qfmSwrW

Number 3: Orange Sky Laundry- a great idea to ensure Brisbane's less fortunate have dignity and respect through washing of their clothes on a regular basis.

Why we need to be merciful and forgive

Ok, you might be asking, why am I writing a blog on the need to forgive and be merciful, isn't that like humanity 101? Why tell me something I already know?

The thing is though, we might know about forgiving and being merciful, but do we really understand the power it offers, not only to help others, but to help ourselves.

St Augustine once said something along the lines of forgiveness happening when we "surrender our natural desire for revenge".

What that means is that to forgive, which as I've written before is key to being able to move on with life, we must first be willing to offer mercy.

Being merciful means that we are willing to drop any anger or hurt we have against someone, and love them for who they are. We must accept that like us, they are flawed and will make mistakes sometimes. We don't always have to agree with them and we can fight for our rights and beliefs, but at the end of the day, we understand those around us are valued by God and so we should value them as well.

Our soon to be Blessed Paul VI said it well when he proclaimed "Anger is like throwing a stone into a wasp nest."

If you're angry at someone, something or even at yourself, you are more likely to experience negative effects from it, like you would if you threw a stone into a wasps nest and thousands of wasps tried to sting you.

We must realise as people that we don't need that kind of pain and we don't deserve it. God wants us all to live happy and fulfilled lives, but we won't be able to do that if we are angry and aren't willing to be merciful.

Here's five ways to stop increase your ability to show mercy in your life:

1. See others values, not their faults.
2. Be willing to accept when you make a mistake, it's ok, you are human and that's a part of this fact. The key is to learn from the mistakes and grow.
3. Start seeing things from others views, rather than just your own.
4. Be kind and supportive of others before your needs.
5. Read about those of greatness and humility. Their stories normally will help you see what's really important.

Once we are being merciful, then we are more likely to see reason to forgive for the mistakes we make. In my opinion no one can try to forgive before they experience mercy, that's like trying to walk through a glass door before you've opened it.

After mercy comes forgiveness. Now forgiveness is important because it's ok to be merciful but if we don't forgive as part of that, no matter how much we might want to say we are being merciful, it will be hard as there will be past hurts and pains to challenge our decisions when it comes to mercy.

We need to clear out those past pains and hurts and the only way we can do that is by forgiving those who hurt us. Doesn't have to be face to face (although that'd be great), just as long as you do it. Every step you take is one step closer to moving on and being able to live life on your terms, free of the past.

Here's five important things to remember when looking at forgiveness?

1. Have I been hurt by others or by something I did that didn't work out?
2. Am I willing to accept that tomorrow is a new day and I ain't letting this get me down?
3. Have I looked at the bible and seen the forgiveness Jesus has for us?
4. Do I want to forgive or am I still grieving over the issue?
5. If I do want to forgive, what am I doing about it?

Our own Lord's prayer- the Our Father has the line "as we forgive those who trespass against us", now if that's not a sign of the importance of forgiveness, then I don't know what is.

Furthermore however, forgiving yourself and others and showing mercy in all situations will lead to less stress, more social interaction and overall better health. 

Don't believe me, then check out this video...

So why not give a little bit of thought to being merciful and working to forgive yourself and others this week for the mistakes in life, not only will it free them and help them to move on, but more importantly, it will do the same for you.

Life isn't meant to be lived in the mistakes of the past, it's lived in the greatness of the now!

Till next time..

Why it's sometimes better not to have it all...

It's the message we get bombarded with every day- to be happy, you need to have it all. If you don't have the latest in phone technology, you should probably upgrade. If you're not happy with your current relationship status, then there's a solution (or several hundred). If you want to get that car but don't have the money, well there's a loan company ready to give you a hand.

It is so easy to get caught up in this society that says that when you see something you want, you should get it. I know I do on a regular basis. Oh and don't even get me started about what society says must happen when you don't get what you want.

Which is why, it was quite refreshing to be read the words of St John XXIII today that say...

"Feelings of my smallness and nothingness always kept me good company."

Now I have to admit, I do have a soft spot for John XXIII as the patron saint of my Parish. It is also his Saint day today but putting all that aside, these are some true words of wisdom we should all take note of in our lives.

While feeling in adequate or being treated badly is not right and should not be tolerated, I personally think that is not what John XXIII is talking about here. What he is talking about, is the fact that he comes from a poor family and like our current Pope Francis, lived a very humble life without much money or possessions, yet he didn't see that as a burden, but rather a blessing.

You see, sometimes it is good not to have everything. Just take a moment to think about what would happen if you did have everything you wanted.

Ok so not sure about you, but I'm pretty sure that if I had everything I wanted right now I would be relying solely on myself to make things happen, I'd be pretty unapproachable as others would see me as elitist over them even if they were my 'friends' and I know I wouldn't value things as much as I do know.

For me, having it all would mean the loss of who I am- I wouldn't be as strong in my faith, I wouldn't care about others as I wouldn't know what it means to not have and I wouldn't be grateful as I'd have so much I would just think it's normal, not special.

Feeling like you aren't the best at something or that you are missing something isn't the worst thing in the world. It can actually be a massive advantage if you think about it. 

Humility in yourself can lead you to:

• Better relate to others
• Have greater gratitude in what you have
• See the important things in life as important
• Trust in God rather than yourself

The key is to never see yourself as less than another. If you read one of my earlier pieces on this topic, it says that you should never see yourself as less or greater than anyone, but rather see them as your equal- as we each have unique gifts and talents to offer.

So let's all work today to live a life of humility instead of a life of wanting it all. If there's anytime today when you see something and you feel like I want that or why is that happening to that person but not me, then I strongly encourage you to step away and ask

1. Is this something I want rather than need?
2. Is this a chance to be humble?
3. Is there something in my life I can be grateful for ahead of this?

If the answer is yes to any of these three questions, then remind yourself about the words of St John XXIII listed above and move on. Doing so I can assure you will bring a lot more contentment long term than the object of desire ever will.

Till next time...

Think before you act...

I've recently discovered that I do something that's is really not that great.. something that I'm sure I'm not alone in doing, something that I until recently did without even knowing I did it, but that drastically affects everything that I do.

I've recently discovered that I base how I feel at a particular time on the attitudes of those around me.

I can be in the happiest mood in the world, but if I am surrounded by people who are less than happy, I will quickly go from being happy, to being miserable in a very short space of time. Same thing goes with me losing confidence around those who aren't confident in themselves and being less caring when I'm around those who perhaps don't see caring for others as high on their priority list.

Now I know the simple answer to this new found problem would be to just hang around really positive, happy, caring people all day. To be honest though, number one- I want to be around real people who do have ups and downs and number two- even happy people have bad days, so this isn't really the best solution.

The other option is I could just give into the change in attitude and accept it as a part of life. The thing is, I'm starting to realise that when I do that, I am no longer me. I don't feel like I can laugh as much, dance as much or just be a bundle of fun as much, which to be honest, is not what  I want.

So what's the solution? How can I spend time with real people, without losing who I am?

Well as I've found out, the answer is as simple as making sure I think before I act.

Whenever we are in a situation and something changes the situation, we get one of two options. The first is we can go with the situation and let the journey take its course, or number two, we can go back to what we know is real and true, compare it to the situation and then if it doesn't, go back to the path we know best.

The key here is not so much which option we take, but more that we realise there are options in the first place. 

For example, the other day, I was in a really happy mood, when someone came up to me who was in a tired mood while I had a task to do. Very quickly, because I didn't realise what was going on, I was sucked into that person's tiredness and lack of energy for the task at hand and I too became like this, while at the same time getting frustrated as the person had led me to this feeling. It was only after I had left that task and gone to do something else that I realised that I wasn't tired, but rather the person I was with was making me feel like that through observing their tiredness.

If that didn't make sense, here's a simple explanation:

If I yawn, then the person watching me is likely to yawn too in the minutes following. That person however if they catch that I've yawned early enough, can make the choice not to yawn.

It's important to realise that when we start feeling a certain way, very quickly, without us noticing it, it is normally due to an external influence around us. Realising this allows you to then take steps to work on it or keep focus on positive things in life to get you out of that space.

As Winston Churchill said, "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference". Don't let someone else's bad day make yours a bad one,

I encourage everyone this week to think before they act. If you're feeling angry at someone or been around someone whose had a bad day, before continuing in your task, go for a walk outside, clear your mind and then come back. Doing so will help clear the anger in your head and allow you to make more rational and appropriate responses.

In addition to this, if you're in a good mood, don't let anyone stop that, let alone someone in a bad mood. It's OK to help a person if they need it or share their hurt, but it doesn't mean that your lose your good mood because of it.

It's up to you as to how you feel, so think before you act on anything that you maybe feeling and stay true to yourself always, I know I will be from now on.

Till next time...

Why we need to be aware of the environment we live in

Have you ever heard the saying 'You are what you eat'? 

I'm sure you have and for most of us, it makes a fair bit of sense. If you eat junk food, you're more likely to be unfit and at risk of illness compared to if you eat healthy food. It's a pretty simple concept to understand.

But what about the idea that 'You are where you live', Does this statement have any truth to it?

The answer is in a lot of ways, yes and yes. 

Now before I go any further, I want to make clear that every person can change their circumstance no matter where they are. If you really want to make something different, you can do it.

Why I'm saying yes though is because for the most part, unless you really make a conscientious effort to avoid them, the influences around you will play a large role in who you are.

When I was on the road the last few years, one of the things we use to tell young people at the end of the day was that if they wanted to keep their faith growing strong, they needed to surround themselves with friends who were on that same faith journey. It's like when you want to get good at football, you don't go and hang out with table tennis players, you go hang out with footballers.

The thing that I'm starting to realise though is that it's not just the things we want to become or the goals that we aim for that are affected by where we spend the moments of our day. Even our thoughts on just the simplest of things or our choice of reactions to particular situations are affected by our environment.

For me, one of my weaknesses is that I am highly competitive and I don't just mean in sports. I will aim to win on all fronts of my life and it's only in the last few years that I've started to realise that it is one of the main reasons for me being discontent in life. Just yesterday something happened where I had a reaction and then minutes later realised that was just my competitive side kicking in.

While it is easy for me to say that the solution to this would be to just stop being competitive and to get out of situations that are competitive, the truth is that it just wouldn't work and I wouldn't be me if I wasn't in this environment.

I know that might sound like a cop out, but hear me out because it is true. You see, It might not help my life to be highly competitive when it comes to say relationships, but it is important to me when it comes to keeping me striving to do the things I do to the best of my ability, and in having the passion to keep doing what God's called me to do. 

I get lazy if I'm not being challenged and a lot of the time, my challenges come from wanting to be better. Along with this, if I was to pull out from situations that are competitive, I'd have to lose doing things that are my passion, like watching sports and that would never happen, especially not on AFL Grand Final Day!

We all have weaknesses in our environment, whether they be our love of food, our passion for reading or our need to lead. But then again, these are also our greatest strengths. As a person once said, our strengths are our greatest weaknesses.

The key to ensuring that we keep on striving towards success and don't fall into the pit is that we make sure we are always aware of the environment we are in, so that when we see that there's a hazard ahead, we can take the steps to go around it.

Let me explain. Say for example one of the key elements of your environment is a passion for food. You aren't ever going to not be around food, but if you are aware of your environment, you'll know when you are eating too much, when you're eating way too much unhealthy food or when you might need to stay away from an food event and detox.

Awareness of your environment allows you to know when things within it are either business as usual or when there's an alarm that needs to be addressed.

In the coming weeks, I will be giving some of the tools that will help you to make the right decisions when you discover hazards in your environment but for now, the key is to become aware of the way you are living and start focusing on the areas of your life where perhaps things aren't going to plan, and then see what it is in our life that may be causing it.

By doing this, you will be able to start taking greater control of where your life is headed and you will also be able to start to see what it is that really matters in life and what is just a distraction.

No matter where you are in your life at the moment, you can always be more aware of the environment you live in, and trust me, once you start being more aware, the doors will open and you will discover things about your life that you never thought you would.

The things is though, awareness doesn't just happen, we have to take the step to focus and get in the zone. Now is the time to stop just living life and start living it with purpose so that you can be the person you and God knows you can be.

Till next time...

Have an attitude to gratitude - it won't just help others, but also you!

To be absolutely honest with you, this week has been a tough one for the world. From the fear we are now all faced with about possibly having our lives threatened, to the growing problems with epidemics across the world, you be forgiven if you think that the world is suddenly a darker place.

The thing is though, darkness is all around us and has been since the dawn of time. We have always had things to fear and worry about. Whilst it's great to say that it'd be fantastic to live in a world where everyone got along and all was at peace, the fact is, it isn't.

So where do you turn to when darkness is surrounding you? Where do you go when it seems like everything is caving in or the world seems like it wants to destroy you?

Well for starters, make sure you talk to someone about this. We all have these moments and we're not alone, so it's important we share and support each other.

The other thing that is important to do is when things seem less than hopeful, is to take an attitude of gratitude.

If you're not sure what I'm talking about, then watch the video below as I think it's a great example of how being grateful can change a life.

As one of my favourite speakers Jonathan Doyle said in a podcast I was listening to this week- you have two choices to every situation- to either see the good or the bad.

Having an attitude to gratitude means that more often then not you'll pick the good. 

For example, if you have work/school/uni mates who you think are more talented or capable then you, rather than either getting jealous or feeling inadequate- if you had an attitude to gratitude, you'd be thankful for them being placed in your life and through that, use their talents to achieve your goals.

If you are feeling like you're being dealt a rough hand in a day, an attitude to gratitude will help you to think of the good things that have happened in the last day/week and you'll quickly see that this small moment is insignificant compared to the larger picture.

Now in saying all of this, there are going to be tough times- like when illness, death, heartbreak happen where it's going to be very hard to have an attitude to gratitude.

It's moments like these when we need to remember that we don't have to be happy, but we do need to be grateful. There's always things we can appreciate - even if that thing is just the support of friends and family or a favourite song, movie or food.

Some of the greatest people I've read about recently, from Church saints to saints of the world have suffered so much, but they all have, through an attitude to gratitude, been able to achieve greatness.

Gratitude doesn't just help others by making them feel worthwhile and therefore more willing to achieve their goals, it helps you to see the great wonders and joys that God has given in everyday of our lives.

So here's the challenge this weekend- start looking for something to be grateful for in your life everyday. It may be hard at first, but trust me, if you stick with it, it will change your life for the better.

Till next time...

Cause I'm taking it.. step by step

Growing up, one of the famous lines I heard on TV was... it won't happen overnight, but it will happen!

Sadly those facial creams and cleansers, hair products, bonsai gardens and even training programs weren't the most sound products around- frankly, a lot of them were just lemons.

But I can say that this line does hold true in one area of our lives. It holds true when it comes to changing our lives towards the will of God.

We all have those moments where God makes us realise that we need to change a certain part of our life or that the path we're going down might not be the best option.

When we have those moments, it's all too common that we then go full-tilt into fixing the situation. If it's that we need to get fit, we buy tons of fitness equipment or sign up to a gym and then start going daily to ensure we feel that we are making an impact. If it's that we need be more generous to others, we make sure the next month becomes filled up with catch-ups with people and any spare time left is used on the phone to those we can't physically meet.

The problem with this thought process is that we expect results automatically and when they don't happen, we get frustrated and go back to our old ways. The gym membership becomes something that is bought but never used as we didn't lose that 5kg we were hoping to get rid of in the first week. The exhaustion of not having any time to ourselves makes us resent our friends who are forcing us to catch up with them and so we stop catching up with anyone all together, saying it's time for some me time!

If you're in this situation, before I continue, please don't feel bad about it. You are not alone as we've all been there at one stage of our lives or are still there and I say that from personal experience.

The truth of it all is, you are never going to change something in the space of a few hours, days or weeks. In some cases, you aren't even going to change something in a matter of months. The thing is though, if you keep trying to change, sooner or later, the want becomes a habit and that habit will, overtime, see you make the change you are trying to achieve.

Recently I've come to the realisation that my need for things to be perfect is not good for me, for others or for my life. I never saw myself as a perfectionist, but a few years ago, I realised that while I don't fuss over everything, I do set a very high standard on what I do and that sometimes is either unrealistic or puts way to much pressure on myself and others.

So, I have set about this year working to try to accept that when I make mistakes, that's not a bad thing, but rather a fact of life that comes from being imperfect.

I started by trying to just completely change my thought process. I was going about just accepting the errors I and others made and not really caring much about them, at times I think those around me thought I was just not caring at all I was that laid back about things.

There's an old saying though that says a leopard never changes its spots and in this case, I was the leopard.

As much as I tried to change the thought process, it didn't take long for me to start getting annoyed at how people thought I wasn't caring and from that, I went back to trying not to make mistakes. It got to a point a month ago where I was so worried about doing something wrong, it was affecting my prayer life and my relationship with God, which in hindsight, was ridiculous.

Good news though is that God by his grace let me in the last few weeks hear from some great people who gave me a lot of wisdom and understanding in this area and from that, I realised once more that I wasn't meant to be perfect, that I would stuff up and that it was ok for that to happen.

But that then led me to ask... well then, if I'm not meant to perfect but I feel like I need to be, how can I change where I'm at without going back into the craziness of the last few months?

The answer in the end as I'm finding out, was that I do need to change, but not as drastically as I thought I did. Change in our lives is not like changing clothes. You don't just whip off one thing and throw on another and wham, the job is done.

Change in our lives is a gradual process. It involves us taking small steps every day to make a difference to where we are at. For me with my need to be perfect, it's making the choice everyday to accept I won't be perfect- and then accept that if I stuff up in doing this, it's ok as I wasn't meant to do it perfectly.

I know that there's some days I'll succeed with flying colours and there's other days I'm going to fall into old habits. The key though is that on the bad days, I need to realise that it's a bad day and then get back on the path the next day and to know that on the good days, it's one step closer to my goal.

I was listening to renowned chastity speaker Leah Darrow last night who said that "it's ok to fall seven times, as long as you get up eight". 

The honest truth is that we aren't expected to make it to our final goal in one step. We are going to fall a few times before we get there, just as we did when we were learning to walk. But just as with that process, over time, if we keep on the path and trying, we'll get there eventually if we are meant to be there.

As I said at the very start- it may not happen overnight, but it will happen.

Till next time...

All good things must come to an end..

Recently, I've realised something. It's a thing that has brought a lot of peace to my mind- a lot of understanding and I thought I'd share it with you today.

What I've realised is... All good things must come to an end.

I've always been one of those people who wants to try and hold onto the good in life for as long as possible- especially when it comes to my friends and things I value. I guess that comes from the fact that I didn't have that many friends growing up.

I'm the type of person who would bring up old memories during catch ups just so that I could reminisce about how good those times were. The type of person who hated goodbyes to those near and dear and couldn't get my head around why relationships were so different with people a couple of months after when we weren't so close. Oh and I was also one of those people who tried as hard as possible to keep friendships at the same level as they were long after I knew they weren't there anymore... oh and don't even get me started on actual relationships!

Case in point- I was close friends with someone a few years ago. We would talk a lot, share a lot about our lives and it felt really cool to have another close friend who I could hang out with, share laughs, do lots of really cool things with- I thought we'd be lifelong friends and we'd be sharing about our lives back then in decades time.

That person however went overseas and while I kept up with them over Skype we weren't as close as before- naturally it does happen when you live two separate lives away from each other in different countries doing your own thing. When they came back to Australia- our friendship had changed. I could see that we weren't as close as before- but rather than just accept it and appreciate the fact we were still friends, I instead spent my time questioning what I could have done wrong to ruin what we had- did I say the wrong thing, did I take them for granted etc.

Over time, my lack of focus on what we had meant that I missed out on building the friendship that was still there and while I will say we are still friends, we are nowhere near as close as before.

This is the prime example of what can happen when you aren't open to the fact that all good things will end eventually. Now I'm not saying that every friendship where someone goes away will end like this- I mean I have a good friend of mine who I didn't see for a year thanks to being on mission who I came back to and it was like we'd only been away from each other for a day. The thing is though, that sometimes, whether we like it or not, circumstances are going to change and we need to be ready to accept that time.

As Ecclesiastes says, there is a time for everything and we need to be able to live in the moment as it arises for two main reasons...

1. We only get to live in that moment for a period of time- so we need to make the most of it and treasure every chance we get.
2. If we keep trying to live in a moment once it's gone, we miss the opportunities that might be just around the corner for something better, greater or even a growth that could change everything.

Now there's one other reason for allowing a season in time to pass through and to move to a new one. This reason is greater than the two mentioned above but it's also one of the hardest reasons to get your head around...

- God has called that person to something greater-

Yes people, sometimes we are not the only reason that good things must come to an end. Sometimes it's for the benefit of the other to find their God given calling. 

This is a hard pill to swallow but understanding this concept could be the difference between a lifetime of what if's and pain vs a lifetime of joy and happiness. It's why I admire any man or woman who gives up their significant other so they can become a religious. You might love that person with all your heart, but you know that they are called to a higher purpose and who are you to stand against that. These people are not only brave, but they have tremendous trust in God's plan, I mean, you couldn't do it otherwise.

A few weeks ago, I was faced with this choice. One of my closest friends told me about her dream to go do mission work overseas and I was faced with the fact of whether I was selfish and told her to stay and do it in Australia or was honest and listened to what I knew was God's purpose for her.

To answer the question- she's now training for 9 months of mission in Canada and I couldn't be prouder, happier or feel closer as a friend to her then now- even though she is over 10,000 kms away. Despite the close friendship we have and the chance we may not be as close when she comes back, I knew I had to tell her to go if that's what God wanted for her - and by all accounts to this point- it seems like He did.

You see, I'm realising that no matter how good something may seem- it will only get better if we allow the moments we are in to have their end and for new opportunities to begin. It's like when you prune the beautiful flowers of a plant so new buds can sprout and next season more flowers can grow - we can only keep having life to it's fullest if we are willing to live in the moment- to accept it for what it is and to know that when the time comes to move on, we can, knowing God has something greater in store.

Till next time...

A reminder for us all...Section 1

Hey everyone!

For those who have been reading this blog over the last few weeks, I've been giving out some words of wisdom (or at least I hope they are) on how to get the most out of life.

This week however, I want to do something a little different... I want to give you a reminder that I want you to look at every day- especially during those times you are feeling down or struggling with life.

So here it goes... A little reminder for us all...

• You are made in the image and likeness of God- exactly as he wanted you to be.
• You were made to take what God has given you, your gifts, talents and personality to make the world a better place- so go out there and do it.
• You will face obstacles along the way- but so does every saint, athlete, inventor and important person in this world- even Jesus did- the key is to keep going through those.
• You are worthy of everything that you set your heart on because you are a child of God.
• There's no amount of money, fame or material goods that can match the love that God can give us.
• That love is shortly followed by the love we share with others. If you're feeling down, go do something for someone else, guarantee it'll brighten your day.
• In saying this, sometimes people won't appreciate immediately what you do, or appreciate it at all. In those times, it's important to remember we do this not for our own self satisfaction, but to make the world a better place.
• God sees everything that you do, and will reward you in his time for it.
• You aren't called to change everything- but you are called to ensure you make every moment you live count.
• There's always going to be someone who seems to have it better than you. Thing is though, they still have struggles and challenges, they're human after all.
• Together we make a greater difference-individually we can do great things, but when we set aside wanting to win and instead focus on achieving the goals at hand, we can allow others in and they're talents and gifts and help us achieve greatness.
• And of course, no matter where you are and no matter how challenging, saddening or tough life is, there's always something to smile about. Find that thing and focus on it. Also make sure you're doing things you love during the tough times, so that your mind is focused on the positive.

We all have challenges- it's what we do about them that will enable us to have life to the fullest- case in point, Kid President- the 10 year old who has a brittle bone condition but has managed to still change lives in the process. I think it's best to leave the parting words to him on this one- till next time :)

True humility is not thinking less of ourselves...

Growing up, I remember that I always wanted to be the best at something. I tried sport- didn't really succeed at that, I tried art- and really didn't succeed at that. Then in year 4, I tried my hand at singing- and well, I was actually not bad.

I remember that as the years went on, I became known for being in choir, performing in musicals. I also started to see that I was good at public speaking and that gained me more kudos around my peers and being a kid who had only a few friends in high school, I loved it and was more than happy to show I was being cheered on by the masses. By the end of high school- I was one of those people who either was loved by people or was accused of being falsely loved for the wrong reasons- either way, I loved it and I lapped it up.

Then on top of this, I joined a youth group where people really were interested in who I was and what I was doing- I seemed to be unstoppable, seemed to have it all and confidence was abounding, or so I thought. One day however,  I remember being at a Catholic event and words similar to this were said...

Being a child of God means being humble, being like the saints and seeing yourself as less than others.

At first, I thought that this was rather strange- I mean, God gave me talents to do good things, right? So why should I see myself as lesser than others? 

But the more I read the bible, the more this speakers words ran true. I can't even remember today who that person was, but I can remember those words and the fact that as I searched the bible afterwards for clarity, there seemed to be truth to what was being said. Things like, the first shall be last and you should not try to pull the splint out of your neighbours eye without pulling the plank out of your own first only seemed to justify this idea.

And so, for many years after- I always tried to think of myself as less than others. That there was always someone who could do something better than me and so unless I really needed to, I shouldn't shout my abilities above others- just go about doing things and don't make a scene of greatness. 

I found it really hard to accept accolades of praise as I didn't feel humble when I did, I also found it really hard to strive for goals as I feared I wasn't following my faith by doing that- as I was putting myself ahead of others.

The truth, as I now know is- that's not humility! God gives us gifts and talents for a reason, to use them and to make the world a better place. He thinks we are the most special people in the world- you want proof- read Psalm 139. Why should we think any less of ourselves if God doesn't?

But then you might ask, what is true humility? What is meant by readings such as the one in today's gospel that say...

"Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" - Matthew 23:12

True humility is when we realise that the talents we have are given by God and that we are nothing without him. It's knowing that if someone gets an opportunity ahead of us, we need not be bitter or upset that we missed out, but rather realise that God gives us all and our time will come when He decides it is the right time.

Humbling ones self also means realising that we are in no way better than anyone else. That doesn't mean thinking less of ourselves- but it does mean that we accept that we have no right to say we are greater than another just because we can do something better than them, go to mass more than they do (see last weeks piece for more info) or find it easier to live a faith filled life at this time. 

We are allowed to, in love, show people the opportunities that lie in a life lived in Christ as we experience it, just as Jesus did. We are not allowed to, as the pharisees did, condemn those who don't do what we say - for God loves all and judges all in his own way, one that we will never know or understand until after our time on earth is done. Besides, every person has unique gifts and talents they are good at.

Humility helps to realise all these things as it allows us to see that we are no greater than anyone else when it comes to salvation- and while for some that may a hard pill to swallow, for me, I find that so comforting. It means that while I can admire saints like St Rose of Lima who wore a crown of thorns on her head and slept in a hut on a box of broken tiles and spent days in adoration, I know that I don't have to do all that to be saved by God- I just need to do what he calls me to do and use my gifts and talents for his work.

By being truly humble- that is, seeing ourselves a gift from God, living out our God-given gifts and talents to the best of our ability in all we do and not lauding that over others- we can become not only fine examples of Christ to others, but also inspire them to go out there and be the best person they can be as well- and in turn inspire many more people to do the same.

Till next time...

Being perfect is not the key to a healthy faith life!

Ok, it's time I admit something. I sometimes don't say grace before meals, don't always get my intended hour of prayer in a day and I have arrived at mass either right on the time it starts or after.

To be honest, I know it's not that big a deal. I know that if I was to say this on the street, it wouldn't bat an eyelid- but if I'm being honest, I wouldn't have admitted this a couple of years ago to anyone.

You see, I grew up in the school of thought that if you weren't doing these things- you weren't being truly in your faith. That God would not take kindly to this as you weren't respecting him. That to be a truly strong person in the faith- you had to say grace before meals, not just go to mass every Sunday but ensure you were there at least 15 minutes beforehand- to not do these things was to sin and sin badly.

Well I now know this isn't the case at all. Sorry everyone who believes this thought, but being perfect and saying grace before every meal and making mass 30 minutes before it starts to ensure you have quiet time with God does not make you any more holy than the person who doesn't do these things.

Now before I continue, I will say that we are called to do those things I mentioned above because they help strengthen our relationship with God and allow us to give thanks to our creator for all the great things he has done- or to spend time with him seeing how he is affecting our lives. These things are important and if you can do them, I'd suggest you do as they are great ways to get into the habit of living out your faith in life and to see that there's more to the world than just the material lives we sometimes live.

The thing is though, while they are important, as I have said many times before- God's love is unconditional, which means that he will love us just as much whether we are horrible sinners or the closest thing to saints. 

We need to stop feeling as if we can no longer live the faith just because we may have forgotten to say grace before a meal, or forgotten to reflect on God in two days out of seven, or that we might have a young family and have arrived at mass five minutes late because the kids took a bit more time to get into the car than usual one Sunday morning.

You've only got to look at the bible passage that talks about the Pharisee and the sinner who were praying to see what God finds truly important. The Pharisee followed the law and prayed to God to the letter as he was taught, while the sinner beats his chest and wails to God for forgiveness. Despite his lack of abiding by the law, Jesus explains that the sinner is the one who is more open to God's grace as he is willing to accept he's not perfect and ask for God's help.

As human beings, we are bound to have times where we make slip-ups in our faith, no matter how devout we are and God accepts that as he knows that we have a tendency to sin. No matter how much we try to do God's will, there's going to be times where mistakes are going to be made. Rather than sit in these and wallow about how much less of a Christian we now are- God wants us to realise the mistakes we've made- ask for his forgiveness and then continue on trying to live his path. We just have to look at how Jesus treated Peter after he was betrayed by him to see the way we are called to move on from mistakes.

I know personally for me it's hard not to want to be perfect. To do everything God calls me to gives me a sense that I'm serving him the best I can and when I stuff up, I know I feel pretty annoyed at myself for it. I'm learning though that it is in those times that I sometimes see God more clearly than when I'm just doing what I'm called to do and following the path because at least when I stuff up, I'm needing to turn back to God for his grace, rather than just putting my faith on autopilot and making sure I don't hit the obstacles.

The other thing about being perfect is that it blinds you from what God might truly be calling you to. For example, if you are trying to make Church in time to have 30 minutes before Mass but on the way you ignore a person in need to do so- you aren't living out your faith as while you might be at Church and praying- along the way you've forgotten to address the one key commandment from Jesus- "Love one another as I have loved you."

Finally, one of the biggest no-no's our Church talks about is Spiritual Elitism. Basically this means that you think that because you going to Church more often than others or spending more time in prayer- that you are better than them.

No one person is better than another just because of what they do- everyone is made unique, and equally valued by God and so to say anything otherwise is to deny the real faith that God taught us- to love our neighbours as ourselves.

Further from this, if all people see in us when they see the Church are people who are always doing things perfectly, are always abiding by the rules and who are constantly discouraging those who can't reach this level- they will think that the Church is a place that's too hard for them to be in- as they aren't at the same level of holiness or perfection as those around them.

We would rather create a place where we try to live by the canons of the Church as much as possible but in which people know they are able to make mistakes, that they won't be judged by that and that the community will support them in helping them grow on their journey.

So the next time you forget to say Grace before a meal or make it to Mass late- make sure you apologise to God for doing it- but don't think you are any less Holy, because God certainly doesn't.

Till next time...

Why we all need to stop wanting to be somewhere else- Accepting our place

Why is it that no matter where we are in life- no matter how good life is at the time, we are always wanting to be somewhere else?

I know for me, it's something that I'm guilty of all too often. Despite having lots of friends, a decent amount of money to live by, a job that I find rewarding and so many moments in life that I really should be grateful for, I instead focus on what I don't have.

I don't have enough money to live where I want to live yet, I've still not found the one, I'm still not getting enough support in my endeavours and the list goes on and on.

I use to think I was the only person who is like this, but in recent years, I've realised that we all are like this. No matter how good you may think someone's life is, they are always finding a fault in it. Even some of my friends who are doing amazing things, will tell me that there are areas of their lives they want to change or that they'd rather on some days being doing something else.

There's so many problems with this way of thinking, I could write a book about them. The main issue however is that by thinking like this, we stop seeing the good that we're given and instead focus on the bad. 

This thought process is in my opinion one of the key reasons why our society is the way it is today. We are so worried about what we're doing and the things we're missing out on- that we then spend all our time trying to fix those things or make them happen- rather than helping out those who really need it or caring for those around us.

We need to turn this thought process on it's head- for our own sanity and freedom as well as for the good of the rest of our fellow neighbours.

To start off with, we need to keep reminding ourselves that we are all put in the place where we are at for a reason. This is something I'll touch on more in a future post but needless to say that God doesn't call us to be anywhere other than where we are at this very moment and to make the most of it living his word out in it. 

Yes we're called to be the best we can be and yes God will rewards us all abundantly, but this doesn't have to be tomorrow, or next month or even next year. Think about how Abraham (Abram) and Sarah (Sara) had to wait until Sarah was 90 before they got the child they'd been asking God for. Think about how Jesus had to wait till he was 30 to start his great work, even though I'm sure he'd been given the gifts a long time before hand. We all are called to a plan by God, but that doesn't mean we're going to be doing it tomorrow.

Secondly, we need to start focusing on what is good in our world rather than what is bad. 

It's incredible to see how when tragedy happens, a lot of time that is when the true hearts of people come through. I look at the Rise for Alex initiative as a great example of this, or just the other day the way people around the world gave to help Baby Gammy with the heart defect in Thailand. The thing is though, we need to start acting like this outside of tragedy too.

We need to take a look at our lives on a daily basis and look at the good we have in them. We need to stop worrying about what we don't have and thank God for what we do. We also need to see those who don't have what we have and try to make a difference in their lives so that they can share in our blessings (whether they be material, emotional or spiritual).

I know I'm guilty of not doing this and it's something I need to work a lot harder on, but I am trying everyday to change my mindset as I know it's the only way the world we become a better place. As I've said many times before- God put us here to do something, so we should go out and do it.

Finally, we need to be accepting of where we are. 

Now that doesn't mean we have to be happy with where we are at, or we should stop trying to keep improving or growing even more as people. What it does mean is that we accept that we are where we are is OK, because we know that it is where we will make the most of the life God has given us and it's all a part of the journey.

You see, the truth is, we will always want to be somewhere else for a reason. Not because we are jealous, not because we are flawed, not even because we don't like where we are. The real reason we want to be somewhere else is because it drives us if we allow it to, towards our real purpose, the only place we will be truly content, which is not found here on earth, but in heaven and eternity with God and I know, I wouldn't have it any other way than that.

Till next time...