Tired of TURKEY? God's Got DONOTS!!!

    Nope, that is not a misspelling!   God serves up better than ‘donuts’---He give us ‘donots’ that have no calories, don’t plug up the arteries and keeps us ALIVE and Well when we daily eat these sweet breads.

  Recently, we spoke of another BREAD (Holy Eucharist-Oh Holy Host). The next day--eating when I should not—I was enjoying Bread and butter. Well, let me explain or rationalize my weakness. Like most of you, when we are tired and weary, we go to comfort food, instead of His special touch.  I found myself eating bread and butter a comfort food of my youth. My mother made the best homemade bread and for this reason warm bread and butter always comforts me. But you know what BREAD we really need to eat for ‘God’s comfort.” We are to feast on the Word of God—the bread that God serves us to strengthen us and keep us healthy.

That was when God served me a ‘donut.’ That’s right, God serves DONUTS? Not Donuts, however, Donots!!”  

   As I prayed in the silence, seeking God---I am reminded of the many Scripture verses starting with the words ‘do not,’ that we have been given for a healthy, contented PEACE filled life. The image of Donuts came to mind and how these quotes are like Donots---a sweet bread that is so good and you want more of.

   The shape itself---round with a hole in the middle---an empty place that is no more once you eat the ‘donot.’ Our emptiness, our hunger is gone the more we consume and live those words of God.   Let us see how many we can reflect on and digest!!!

Donot FEAR.   Donot be afraid.   Donot be discouraged. Donot be angry. Donot be vexed. Donot be worried. Donot think about tomorrow (BIG DONOT there)   Donot doubt. Donot be anxious for nothing. Donot hoard up. (memories, money, grudges, processions, guilt, SINS!)

Donot hate your brother/sister—donot hate PERIOD!   Donot have other gods before Me. (starting with the god of self, your emotional needs, your desire to be ‘liked.’ The desire to be noticed and appreciated, affirmed and on and on.)

Donot grow weary of running the race.

Donot mumble, complain, whine, gripe, swear, gossip, lie, (or use you words or mouth for anything but to speak GOOD Words that we all need to hear starting with the inner being that you need to love and care for—that temple of God.)

Donot put pearls before swine. “What?” This is associating with and hanging out with people who will bring you down and lead you into sin.   It is also those who do not want to hear the Good News and are so hard of heart that whatever you say or speak is just trampled on.   (Silently pray for all those you love and are concerned about and leave them in God’s Hands and Time to do His work in their lives.)

Donot believe the lies of the Evil one who will speak through others, the world, media and events that look really convincing that they are speaking the truth ---but they are lies. You know they are by the negative results they produce.

Speaking of hard hearts---DONOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS!   (by anger, resentment, bitterness, jealousy, pride, gluttony causes clogged heart vessels J, doubt and despair) which leads us to DONOT GIVE UP!!! Let us feast on the Bread of God—His Word---Jesus in the Eucharist and His love. God’s donots will not clog up our heart and will keep us pumped up—strong and enabling us to keep rowing the boat—for we all are in the same boat. Remember, when one person stops rowing, the others will suffer as they have to work extra hard.  

Donot despair and remember how important you are in the lives of others. You make a BIG Difference even if your eyes DONOT see or your ears DONOT ear what they long to see. DO see the Presence of God everywhere and DO hear His words and the many ways He will speak to you as you live for Him daily. DONOT stop praying, being still, drawing away and DONOT GIVE UP!!!

One last Donot to offer you---“DONOT eat unclean food.”   “What is unclean food?   Any food that is not healthy for you! If you are a diabetic you already are ‘donoting’ this rule carefully. For the rest of us, if we are overweight, it would be any food that is eaten when we are NOT hungry, and are just eating to be eating, as an addiction to comfort food or sugars.

   This type of food that we eat when we are bored, anxious, worried, depressed and so on—that food is like another god in our life. When we ‘donot’ eat food at this time ---it is a prayer of Fasting that we can give to God as a sacrifice for all those who are suffering and in need of ‘food.’ This can be actual food for the starving or the spiritual food for the ones who have no one to pray for them. So, DONOT eat unclean food. I will be honest with you, like many of you---this is the hardest of all the donots to consume and digest into our prayer life and daily habits. To which God would be saying---“Ya better be hearing me now—before it is too late. Many are depending on you and your prayers.”