>>One day, the boss asked one of his frequently absent employees, “Do you believe in life after death?”

“Why I do, yes of course I do,” said the employee.

“Well, then that makes everything just fine,” said the boss, “Because after you left yesterday to go to your grandmother’s funeral, Grandma stopped in to see you.”

[laughter]

You know, I like that one. Life is filled with many, many surprises and the unexpected. An elderly man was walking along the beach after a big storm. Twenty yards ahead of him was a young woman, who was picking up starfish that the storm had stranded on the beach.

She was throwing the starfish back into the ocean – one at a time, one at a time. When the man caught up with her he asked the woman what she was doing. She replied that the starfish would die unless they were returned to the sea before the hot sun began to get them baked and die.

The man said, “But the beach goes on for miles and miles and there are thousands and thousands of starfish. What possible difference can you make one at a time?”

The woman picked up one starfish, looked at it, and said, “To this one it makes all the difference.” And she returned it gently back into the sea.

The Lord lovingly and tenderly holds each one of us in the palm of his hands. And each one of us makes a big difference in the sight of the Lord.

There’s sometimes the seasons in our lives are storming, sometimes the seasons in our lives are very calm. Two days are probably never the same. Seasons change and the seasons of our lives also change. The winds may blow hard, but the Lord is always with us. The Lord takes each one of us by the hand and says, “Trust me. I love you. I’ll never abandon you.”

Ultimately, we’re not in control, therefore let go and let God. Ultimately in life, we think we’re in control, but we’re not. Let go and let God. The gospel of the Lord says, “Do you not yet have faith?” “Why are you terrified?”

Worry and fear do not empty tomorrow but sorrow, rather worry, fear, and lack of faith empties today of its joy. You may not be able to direct the winds, but we can adjust our sails. And if we adjust our sails, with the Lord in control things have a way of working out. But not always on our terms or time table.

Thomas Merton says it best, “We’re not at peace with others because we’re not at peace with ourselves. And we’re not at peace with ourselves because we’re not at peace with God.”

Take one day at a time, trust in God, Happy Father’s Day.