Spiritual Growth

A week ago Joyce and I took a wonderful overnight trip up north. Our main purpose was to see the fall colors. We were not disappointed as we saw some majestic displays of God's artistic handiwork. We toured up through Ludington, Manistee, Manistee National Forest, Cadillac and Traverse City. We enjoyed brilliant sunshine on the landscape and waters. We had not been to Traverse City before and were awed by the beauty of the bays, orchards and vineyards. There must be in the teens of wineries. We only stopped at one which was a name mentioned to us by our son-in-law Kurt. We picked up a few more honey crisp apples also. We also walked a little on the river boardwalk in the heart of the city though it wasn't as nice as we had anticipated.
This past weekend we were privileged to have Joyce's brother Dan and his wife Barb visit us from Lookout Mountain Ga. The weather was cool, cloudy and damp but we had a great time showing them the sites of the Holland area. There was a lot of talking and eating as well as riding and shopping. They also got to see Emma play soccer in the rain. They sat in the car with Leah and Joyce. I stood outside with an umbrella. I do not understand the logic of playing in the rain which only shows my age and lack of priority for the game.
Joyce, Emma and I will travel to Milwaukee on Wednesday so that I can travel to Fulton on Thursday to visit my mom in the nursing home. They will enjoy time with Sarah, Maya and Cora (we'll see Joel at night). We will return to Holland on  Friday so that Emma can play soccer on Saturday.
Here are some meaningful or helpful quotes from recent readings in Pilgrimage into the Last Third of Life subtitled 7 gateways to spiritual growth.

In my later years I came to embrace the exciting freedom of being who I really was. I no longer had any need to stand out, achieve or be better than anyone else. Now is the time to take off the masks, be vulnerable, and be who we are.

God's love draws us from the egocentric self to a self in Christ. God calls us every day to selfless living in a needy world.

I have discovered that a meaningful life comes not in rushing from one place to another but in committing to life where we find ourselves. Stability denotes perseverance with patience.

As Christians we never outgrow our vocation to bring Christ to others. (I might say to be Christ to others.)

It is good to give, but sometimes the act of receiving is a greater gift. Unless we are willing to be one-down -- to be the recipient of care -- at least once in a while, we have no business demanding to be the person in power, always doing the care giving. This mutuality is what interdependence entails.

Finally, from Thomas a Kempis: "My dear friend, abandon yourself, and you will find me (God). Give up your will and every title to yourself, and you will always come out ahead, for greater grace will be yours the moment you turn yourself over to me once and for all."

Remember: "do what God says and say what God does."