Going Beyond Our Wants, by Henri Nouwen

Everyday I get different and regular emails. Some devotionals, some thoughts of the day, some quotes of the day, some notices from Facebook, and always junk mail. Usually gross things that I would like to ring their necks, and today, 15 ads for a watch that I would never buy. Would like to wring their neck too. (Just an expression, not literal).

Today, as always, I received a devotional from Henri Nouwen, a man who lived in community, with handicapped, forgotten people, that no one wanted. People who what would seem, only to take, but really, gave Henri, & Jean Vanier, and others, so much love and enrichment, and showed them how to really live. Below is a quote from Henri Nouwen, about knowing what you really want, and not being double minded. I think I can really say what it is that I really want, and that is, for all of my children and family to know and love God, through Jesus.

Going Beyond Our Wants, by Henri Nouwen
Sometimes we behave like children in a toy shop. We want this, and that, and then something else. The many options confuse us and create an enormous restlessness in us. When someone says, "Well, what do you want? You can have one thing. Make up your mind," we do not know what to choose.

As long as our hearts keep vacillating among these many wants, we cannot move forward in life with inner peace and joy. That is why we need inner and outer disciplines, to go beyond these wants and discover our mission in life.

Much of my life is spent in serving the homeless women at the shelter that I have worked at for the last 10 years. I do and have done what I can, in as far as serving my family here, and my parents in North Dakota. (There is family there, and mostly, my sister Shirley Hooey, has helped our parents in so many ways. I feel like she is their, and my angel, for this. I wait and pray for the time that I can go and visit again, and hopefully help in some way).

Mostly, with my family here, who are all grown children, I give birthday parties, host holiday celebrations, make pies, do mending for them, and do anything that I possibly can. Mostly, I pray for everyone everyday. They all have my heart dearly, and I give them all back to God, and pray for His direction and help.

My husband Jon, who also loves them all, seems like he has an easier time of putting them all into God's hands, and leaving them there, for his peace of mind, that is how he copes best. I am thankful for a loving, adoring and endearing husband and help meet to me, maybe more to me than I to him. Jon would want this too, but feels that he won't want something that he can't have. We look at a question and answer differently. To me a want is a want, whether it's in our power or not.

So, my wants, I can do nothing about, but just pray and trust God. And, in my daily life, I go on serving God in the best way that I know how.