The importance of having fun and finding joy!

Dear Family of Love,


Happy Keeping the Faith Friday Fearlessly Without  Fretting. I hope everyone had  a wonderful day and that you were able to start getting rid of all of your worries, anxieties, and fears in order to prepare for our Self and Sabbath Care weekend. I also hope all of you were able to get outside and go off the grid for a time. If you didn't today let's do it tomorrow. Fresh air will do our  bodies, minds, and spirits a world of good. Don't forget to take time for fun and amusement. We sometimes take it for granted that these are to be seen as just as important than prayer, physical fitness, and sensible eating. Lifting our spirits give us wonderful endorphins that will take us out of ourselves and make us feel light and joyful. Our challenge this weekend is to find something that will lighten our moods, lift our spirits, and allow for our selves much needed rest, relaxation, renewal, and refreshment by taking time for fun and frivolity. Let's give it a try!  Having fun is very important and so is finding joy. Let us meditate on the hymns Joyful, Joyful, we adore thee and O Praise Ye the Lord, How many of you raised your voices in song? I hope many of you did because singing is one of the best ways to find joy and lift our spirits that have been down. So give it a try tonight after we place our worries, anxieties,fears, and anything else that might keep us from being in connection with God and all that is holy this weekend into our Worry/ Sabbath Box. Let us begin our time of meditation and preparation by dong our own breathing and relaxation exercises.  Here are a few pieces that will help. 

Ralph Vaughan Williams - Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and  Ralph Vaughan Williams-Fantasia on Greensleeves  

We pray this night that as we lay down our burdens we will find peace in our bodies, minds, and spirits.

We pray this night for all of our family members who have trouble doing this.

We pray for all who are newly grieving and who are learning new and emotional normals that they do not understand.

We pray for all children who are beginning to face going back to school that we may be aware of any anxiety they may have.

We pray for all adults who are struggling to keep their sanity in daily living.

We pray for peace in the world and an end to violence and terror. We pray that we may step it  up and be peacemakers without fear.

We pray for all of our family members who have asked us for our prayers remembering________

We pray for any concern you have in your hearts this day.

We give thanks this day for __________________and the ministry of  St. Ignatius of  Loyola as we remember the prayer associated with his day:

 O God, by whose grace your servant Ignatius, enkindled with the fire of your love, became a burning and a shining light in your Church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and may ever walk before you as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

We lift up these our prayers in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.

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Good Night Dear Ones! Have a blessed and restful night! I love you and give thanks to God for you this night and always.


Love and joy,

Sara