of warm and fuzzy feelings...

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I will begin this day.
I thank you, Lord, for having preserved me during the night. I will do my best to make all I do today pleasing to You and in accordance with Your will. My dear mother Mary, watch over me this day. My Guardian Angel, take care of me. St. Joseph and all you saints of God, pray for me.
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my relatives and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

Have you ever noticed that validation and gratitude go hand in hand? That when you cultivate an attitude of gratitude, you are also making someone feel good about themselves for having extended themselves to you? This is why it is better to accept a gift or an offer of goodwill rather than to proudly announce, "I have never accepted charity from ANYONE...EVER!"

Yesterday, my eight year old neighbor girl came to my door. She gave me a huge smile and a small box of chocolates. It was Valentine's Day and she wanted to share the day in a special way with me. I was SO touched...and no, I did NOT say, "but I am watching my sugar intake, so I have to decline this gift!" Instead, I hugged her, accepted the box while she just BEAMED! Her smile could have lit up a desert at midnight! (My boys were so grateful for the chocolate!)

Validation. The act that elevates self esteem. Knowing that you have done something to make another's day better or brighter. What this taught her was that the world is a good place to be in and to perform a good deed can make one feel all warm and fuzzy. I like the warm and fuzzy feeling!

When my husband was out of work, a nearby church would bring over a bag of bread from the grocery store. It was day-old bread the store was going to throw out, so the pastor of the church would pick it up and distribute it to neighbors in need nearby. I was so touched to have received this bread. I put it to good use in making French toast, stuffings and more. I didn't decline this gift. I didn't say, "I have always gotten along without handouts and I won't start accepting them NOW!" Instead, I gave thanks to God for "my Daily Bread;" to me, it must have been what the Israelites felt when they received their own manna from heaven.

Pride goes before a fall. It is perfectly acceptable to feel pride. We take pride in our children, our work, our successes. But to allow Pride to go that extra step, to cut ourselves off from receiving a gift or an offer of help is to take away the whole message of what Jesus was about. He spent three years of His life, teaching, healing, eating and praying with people. His example is the example that we should emulate today. Sadly, many don't. That Pride goes that one extra step: "why should I give some of what I have to them? They don't deserve it!" It isn't up to us to judge who is "deserving." When it comes right down to it, we are not deserving at all of God's Love, yet He gave it so freely. I often wonder if Jesus also had the warm and fuzzy feeling after He healed someone, or sat with someone and just talked to them. I also wonder how that must have felt...for someone to have dined with Jesus...or to have been told, "go now, your sins are forgiven you!" Wow! It is mind boggling!

Today...and every day....practice validation and gratitude. And when you are the recipient of something so wonderful, be sure to thank God as well as the giver for the generosity that you were bestowed with. That warm and fuzzy feeling goes BOTH ways!!