Aloha and Mahalo God

Aloha means hello in Hawaii
Mahalo means thank you in Hawaii

We went through fire and water but you (God) brought us into a place of refreshment
(Psalm 66:11)

God hears our prayers.  God roots out evil from our hearts.  God does not withhold His love from us.  Prayer is the soul breathing.  Just like we inhale and exhale with every breath we take, so prayer is spiritual breathing.  Prayer is an exercise of faith that keeps the day in rhythm.  Prayer is a slower rhythm and moves at a slower pace throughout the day.  Prayer watches for the hand of God and takes time to pay attention to God's beautiful creation all around.  Prayer is part of the creation cycle of planting and sowing, harvesting and reaping.  There are seasons of life and death and rain from heaven cleansing the earth which eventually rises back up to the heavens and the cycle repeats all over again.  Prayer is the breath of God on your face and it is in prayer that one sees the face of God.

Parasailing

These words meditative words I wrote after my wife and two of my four kids went parasailing in Hawaii:

Parasailing lifts you in the deep blue sky
The ocean below and nothing in the air but a girl and a guy
The ocean breeze fills the air
The wind rushing through your hair

Way down below the boat looks so mall
The earth so beautiful like one great giant ball
Riding in the sky so peaceful and so free
One can look at land as far as the eye can see

Sailing through the sky like a kite
It's hard to believe you're flying at such a great height
My kids wave aloha with big smiles
Traveling across the waters for a great while
One can see the big picture from way up above
The beauty of creation is so full of God's love

Saints of Hawaii

I am always on a look out for a good book to read.  I saw in the gift shop at Pearl Harbor two books on the Christian background of Hawaii.  Fr. Damien of Molokai and later Mother Marianne of Molokai were Christian missionaries who served the poor, the sick, lepers, and the dying.  They were tireless in their sacrificial love they showed the Hawaii people.  Fr. Damien died with the same disease of leprosy as he lived and cared for the untouchables.  Most people will not remember these two departed saints but these were the very people who showed the people of Hawaii the face of Jesus.