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Measure Twice

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My dad would often say, “Measure twice, cut once.” As an engineer and general handy man, this had quite a significance for his work. As I’ve grown older, I have come to appreciate the deeper meaning to this phrase.

For me, the literal meaning is true, but also a deeper meaning. The deeper meaning is to take the time to measure a situation before you act, so you don’t make an error you can’t reverse. Once you cut something, there is no going back to fix it. If we spent more time weighing situations, whether it be the words we say, actions we take, or time we use, we would spend less time having to repair the damage. I also thought about how to spend differently. I intentionally purchased gifts for family and friends from independently owned and operated stores vs. big box stores. I prayed for inspiration when purchasing gifts to make sure they were meaningful and personal.

Then I thought about how I needed to spend time differently – to measure twice and cut once. I have been trying to stop and be present in every situation rather than multi-task. Multi-tasking does not allow me to measure wisely. I have made some cutting errors when I am not careful. This is what I have decided to make as my new year’s resolution: to spend less time being in so many places at once and spend more time being present. I owe it to the people around me to do that. I owe it to myself to do that. The work will always be there, but the people won’t. People matter.

The Blessing Box

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One of our family Thanksgiving traditions is the Blessing Box. The concept is simple. As family members arrive, they take a moment to write down on a colorful strip of paper the one thing they are most thankful for from the past year. These written blessings are placed in the Blessing Box. Just before dinner, the collected strips are distributed randomly among the guests. We circle around in anticipation of the sharing and begin with “May the blessings of one be the blessings of all.” Then we take turns reading what is on each slip. When the circle of sharing is complete, we say the meal prayer.

We were blessed with Elmo, “blankies”, and school when the children were younger. As the years go by, our blessings are becoming more profound and sentimental. Each year, these collected blessings are placed in scrapbooks. The scrapbooks have become part of the Thanksgiving tradition as well. It is fun to look back on pictures of dearly departed family members and their blessings written in their handwriting. These little nuggets of history begin “remember when” conversations that knit our family tighter together, and when we do have guests join us, they become part of our story too.

Posted by Jill Fischer

The Beauty of Prayer

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I spend a lot of time in prayer. It is woven through the fabric of my day. The beauty of prayer - when you are quiet and listening to the stirrings of your soul - is that you will hear the voice of those you pray to and with. That is why I love going to Adoration. It is a quiet spot in my week to just "be" before the Lord. I love it when I am actually able to adore alone. That is some powerful stuff - to be alone with the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. That quiet time can exhaust me of the need to talk and move me into listening mode. In listening, God reveals His plan. I feel I've become a good listener. I'm a good listener, but I am not patient. I’ve learned that God does answer in His own time and in His way - the best way.

I spend a lot of time in prayer. Always have. Always will. I won't ever make a decision without it. God is my best friend. He never steers me wrong.

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