Rest, day two. Resting from success.

"We are called upon not to be successful, but to be faithful."

And I see in my heart too many cares about "success." I care about book sales and blog stats, and I allow happiness or discouragement to flow from those numbers, as if they were my judge.

To be faithful to my vocations, and not to be sidetracked by "success," as Mother Teresa said, and lived. I learned only this week that her real name was Agnes. 

Oh Agnes, my Aggie who cares nothing for success but who teaches me to be faithful, simply by living full of faith and love. God's love pours down on that dear child, and she takes it up with joy and passes it out freely to anyone around her with open hands. 

Fill me up Lord, this week with rest, and Your Truth, and Your Solid Love; that it my pour out generously on those around me. Make me faithful. Amen.

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And hear us, O world, who would commend or condemn, 

So quick to throw flowers or stones,

We have never sought what you acclaim

Nor shunned what you are accustomed to defame,

You saw us fasting,

Each perpared to make the final sacrifice--

When we, the wanderers lay down for the rest eternal,

Give others great names,

call us the faithful.

Erik Axel Karlfeldt

(as quoted in The Knights of Rhodes by Bo Giertz )