Category Archives: Prayerfulness

Ever Lasting Day…No Other

Ever Lasting Day

Ever Lasting Day…from the writings of St. Therese of Lisieux

My Life is but an instant, a mere passing hour,
My Life escapes and flies away, this single day, no other

You know O Lord:  a future bleak?
Beg you for tomorrow, I shall not, cannot!…
But keep my heart pure,
put me in your shade
Just for this day, no other.

Soon I shall fly to sing your praise,
And I leave this day, no
other. Then I shall play the angels lyre
And no longer say that on my soul it sets,
This day no other,
But on my soul it shines:
Your everlasting day, all other!

This beautiful poem was written by St. Therese of Lisieux.  Her life and writings greatly inspire me.  Even as a small child, she had the gift of knowing the greatness of God’s love and through simple every day gestures, she showed her love for Him. In many of her writings, she tells us not to focus so much on our weaknesses.  Instead, we must accept God’s love for who we are – flaws and all.  He is not wanting us to be super human beings – only our love.  I am sharing this with you friends to pass along her wonderful message of “living for the day”.  It isn’t easy in today’s world to live our lives one day at a time.  There is so much uncertainty, so much on our mind, and very good reason to think about all things we must plan now to prepare for tomorrow.

How do we not let all of this thinking consume us?  We can easily lose our sense of peace if we are not careful.

In her prayer, St. Therese first acknowledges the brevity of life. She admits that the future can look worrisome.  Yet though she knows that she can ask the Lord for the assurance and promise of another day, she vehemently chooses not to.  Instead she asks for the purity of heart and for the protection of his shade.  She asks this of God – just for the day – no other day – not tomorrow or always – just for that moment of time.  That day alone.  I am not sure at what point in her life she wrote this poem.  She may have written it during her tremendous illness.  This beautiful Saint suffered greatly and was given no aid to ease her physical pain. It may very well be that she knew she was approaching her last day on the earth.  She completes her prayer by describing the magnitude of the day in which she was living.  It is a day that is – everlasting – because it was given by God.  She gives him ownership and says “your everlasting day.” A day filled with so much wonder that it shines on her soul.  St. Therese gives us a wonderful way to think.  To treat each day as no other – to let every day be worth — all other.  How wonderful are her words….I continue my journey in learning all I can about my patron Saint, my beautiful St. Therese – the Little Flower.

St. Therese of Lisieux - the Little Flower and my patron Saint

St. Therese of Lisieux – the Little Flower and my patron Saint

Hold on to Me As We Go (Song Home)

sea storm

The Waves in My Dream

From Phillip Phillips Song “Home”

Hold on to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along…
Just know you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m gonna make this place your home

Settle down, it’ll all be clear
Don’t pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone
‘Cause I’m gonna make this place your home

The first time I heard Phillip Phillips new song “Home” it brought back the memory of an incredible dream I had of my brother James, who we lost on September 11th.  I am sharing it because in the past two months, several families I know lost someone dear. It is my hope that my dream can inspire faith in knowing that the people we love and lose in this life, are always with us.   I wish I could say that I have had countless dreams of James – but that is not the case.  I have only had three in twelve years.  Though the number is small – these dreams are my among my greatest treasures.

Phillips words “Hold on to me as we go” took me right back to the place where I found myself in the dream.  A stormy sea.  There I was in the middle of the ocean swimming for my dear life.  Up and down I went with every hurtling wave.  Each time I came up from under the water I searched for something, anything to hold on to – but there was nothing. Just when I thought all was lost, a huge wave shot up from the water that seemed to just get higher and higher.  There he was.  James.  I saw him in that wave, effortlessly moving with it, with absolute ease he swam.  I could only see the back of his head and his arms cutting into the water. “Jaaaaaames, Jaaammes…James” I called him over and over, but he kept swimming and never turned to look back at me.  I tried desperately to catch up to him somehow..and then I realized that the distance between us was getting shorter.  With every stroke James took, I was somehow moved closer to him. The waves were now pushing me to him and I realized that it was James who was moving them. Closer and closer we got until finally I was within reach…I stretched out my arms and circled my right around his neck and rested my forehead against the back of his head.   I held him tightly and knew he would keep me afloat. After a few bitter-sweet moments, I noticed that his head was turning back to look at me…finally I will see him..then he turned and I saw his face – but it wasn’t James I was holding on to any longer, but one of my younger brothers.  I put my face against his (my younger brother), hugged him and woke up.

Days before I had this dream, my younger brother and I had an argument.  We weren’t talking to each other for a few days. In a prayer, I asked James to help me figure it out.  And through my dream – he did – James was there as Phillips song says for me to “hold on to although the wave was stringing me along” and he let me know what I should do – he led me back to my brother — through the storm — to an embrace of love.

There is no doubt that my dream connected me to James in a blessed way.  That it let me know he was very much with me and heard my prayer for help. I believe with all my heart that those we lose in this life never leave us.  Our Lord said that they become “like the angels.”  He said, I go to make a place for you, so that where I am, you may be also.

They are there – with our Lord – in the center of his glory.