Confirmation Retreat

I spent the day at a retreat with a group of High School Juniors who are going to be receiving their Confirmation.  The guest speaker was Chris Padgett, who is amazing and we had a wonderful day filled with prayer, games, good food, and ending with adoration, confession, and Palm Sunday Mass. 

Chris Padgett

As I was sitting in adoration, I really felt blessed for so many things.  To be able to share this experience with these kids, to be lucky to be born into a family with faith, and to have such a blessed life.  I could really feel God's blessings upon me. 

It's an awesome feeling to know that these kids who are about to be confirmed will be going out in the world not only defending but preaching our faith.  They will then be spreading the Word of God by becoming part of a Ministry and teaching our faith to their own families.  It's an amazing feeling to see God's love grow and spread.

God is an awesome God!  

Prayer and social media

A friend of mine who I've known for over 15 years is going through some major health issues and has been for several years now.  She's had surgeries and pain but has kept strong and confident throughout her ordeal, rarely speaking of it to anyone.  To see her casually, you'd never know anything was wrong. 

Today when I was checking updates on Facebook, I noticed a beautiful post from her mother asking for prayer for her daughter, who was on a flight from Tulsa to another city to undergo yet another surgery.  It was a beautiful yet simple plea for prayers for her daughter's healing and so she will not need to suffer through more surgeries.  It was short but touched me that her mother thought to spread the word through social media asking for prayers for her daughter.

This simple request showed so much.  It showed her faith in God, knowing He will hear the prayers.  It showed her faith in her family and friends, that if she asked for prayers, people would offer them up.  And they were.  The comments following her request were beautiful.  It showed her faith in miracles. 

Some people criticize social media, pointing out it's flaws.  Skeptics say it is encouraging an almost voyeuristic type behavior, people telling everything they are doing at all times.  But I have seen the positive influence it has had.  This is a way for us to spread our faith to masses of people.  This can be from positive postings asking for prayers, spreading the word about faith in our politics, to invitations to know Jesus.


While we must be leery and careful with technology, we can also embrace it as a new way to reach people, especially the younger generation.  Previously prayer chains were used, people calling each other to spread the word prayers were needed, notices were put in bulletins, or just word of mouth at coffee and donuts after Mass.  But welcome to the future.  Through social media, whether it be Twitter, Facebook, or even blogs, many people can receive all sorts of information quickly.  Why not use this to our advantage? 

So I will monitor Facebook, watching for updates on my friend's surgery and recovery, while keeping her in my prayers.   

Praise God

Happy Moments, Praise God
Difficult Moments, Praise God
Quiet Moments, Praise God
Painful Moments, Praise God
Every Moment, Praise God 

  Saw this online and thought, how true it is that we should Praise God in everything we do.  It's easy to sing His praises when everything is going our way, but how often do we stop to think that we should also sing His praise even when life gets rough?  He never deserts us and sometimes allows us to travel rough road to teach us something we may have missed otherwise.   

The times I've learned the most are the times I've struggled.  The times I've drawn closest to my family are times of emergency or we having a rough time.  The times I have felt the most joy and appreciation are the times I have just made it through a struggle.  

God is with us and will see us through the rough and turbulent times if we only rely on Him.  We need to let go of the wheel and trust in His navigation.  We must put our faith in Him and allow Him to guide us through the rough patches.  They never last, thank goodness and when you come out on the other side, you have such an immense relief and happiness. 

We are all here for a reason and we all travel our own path for a reason.  We each have to learn different lessons and serve different purposes.  Some of us are destined to live on this Earth a long time, others for a very short period.  But we ALL have a purpose and God wants us each to discover it.    

Every Moment, Praise God!   

Gifts and Talents

The other day in the Confirmation class I'm assisting in we discussed  recognizing gifts and talents that God has given us as well as other.  Every one of us is given special gifts that God wishes us to discover and use in this life.  Some of us are blessed with the ability to speak in front of others, teach children, make quick medical decisions under pressure, sing, dance, play an instrument, help others recognize and solve problems, or care for the elderly.

Our talents can change over time and some may not actually be discovered until we are much older.  Our life experiences can help us to realize we have a special gift that had previously remained hidden.  Maybe a daughter has to care for her aging parents and realized though this experience that she has a gift of making the elderly feel comfortable.  She could use this gift by visiting those who are in nursing homes or who are home bound.  Working in the ministry of Pastoral Care could be an opportunity she has to use this talent.  Or maybe she is being called to be a nurse or doctor. 

It was not until my son was in cub scouts that I realized that I enjoyed teaching children.  I started by volunteering with scouts and it has grown into a love of teaching.  I've been teaching religious education for several years now to 3rd graders.  Their awe and wonder when learning about our Lord is uplifting and inspiring.  I love teaching them.  I've also taught boy scout religious awards to the older boys.  To hear their thoughts on their future and see how they've matured over the years is amazing.   

Each person has to discern on what their true vocation is.  What it is that God wants them to do with the gifts and talents He has bestowed on them.  You never know when something will happen in your life and it's sole intention is to cause you to be aware of a possible vocation you never knew existed.  God works in mysterious ways.  Keep a prayerful watch for where He is leading you and trust in Him.  Pray you are open to receive whatever gift He gives you and you have the passion to use it.       

Lazy weekend

I had a wonderful weekend with the kids and it reminded me of the simple pleasures in life.

Snuggling with the kids on the bed.
Receiving kisses and squeezes from the Princess.
Getting quick hug from the busy 3 year old man as he runs through the house.

Watching one of the boys help another without being asked.
Laughing at the Princess as she digs in her ravioli and ends up with sauce all over her face, hands, arms, etc.

Watching the two middle boys play computer games without fighting.  
Seeing Princess wave bye bye and blow kisses to Daddy as he leaves for work.
Seeing the 9 year old follow along in the missalette during Mass by himself.
 Witnessing the 3 year old giving the Princess a hug when he thought no one was looking. 


Seeing the reverence the eldest has for the Lord as he assists during the Mass.
Feeling the courage the 9 year old had while learning to horseback ride.  Seeing him feed the horses with a big smile on his face. 


Look back on your weekend and see if you can find some beautiful moments you might have overlooked. 

These are just some of the enjoyments I was able to experience this beautiful weekend.  The Lord has truly blessed me through these beautiful souls He as given me the responsibility and privilege of caring for here on Earth. 
 

Gone too soon

Losing a child due to a miscarriage is devastating no matter how early or late it happens.  For a woman, as soon as she finds out she is expecting, her whole being is devoted to this little miracle in her.  Lots of questions and feelings go through her mind when she loses the child.

Was it something I did, was something wrong, why did it happen?  But there are no answers, just grief.  It is a painful process to go through, grieving.  I lost a baby very early on 5 years ago this month.  I had a horrible time going through the process and I think I pushed the feelings out of the way and tried to go on as normal.  However, the grief and anguish came flooding back a year later in a college class I was in.  We had to paint a picture and explain it.  Without any planning, I drew something that represented the soul I lost. 

I broke down in class when I had to explain it and it was then that I realized I had not finished the grieving process.  I had another 2 babies and kept the feelings of the lost baby suppressed.  My husband and I never spoke about it again.  Then yesterday I was browsing Facebook and noticed a beautiful picture with a title Gone too soon.  It's dedicated to children lost to miscarriage.  I immediately felt drawn to it.  While such a sad topic, the colors were anything but sad.  I mentioned it to my husband and he was surprised I still thought about the baby we lost. 

Gone too soon - Beyond Words Designs

 

 

 

 

He confessed he had put it out of his mind because it was so sad.  He held me while we talked and he thought it was a great idea to get something that would represent the lost baby.  The next day I immediately purchased this print from http://www.storenvy.com/products/285219-gone-too-soon-8x10-print?fb_ref=storefront-product-page&fb_source=home_multiline. 

We're going to put it up in the bedroom with the pictures of our other children to remind us of the one we lost.  Bittersweet knowing that the child is with our Lord in Heaven but we will one day meet him/her.  I like to think that they are looking down on us, praying and protecting us. 

Do unto others

I've noticed more and more recently that respect, manners, and politeness seems to be a thing of the past.  Just this morning, I was driving in to work and due to construction 3 lanes have to merge into one.  Someone in a blue car decided to wait until the last minute and then squeeze right in front of me causing me to have to break fast.  Then in the parking garage after I got to work, I waited for someone who was coming toward the stairwell and held the door for her.  She just looked at me and walked right in with not as much as a thank you or good morning.  Then as I'm making it into the building and heading toward the elevator, a lady sees me coming and hurries in and almost lets me get squished by the elevator doors.  Then on the way home I'm talking on the phone to a family member and she comments that I've "really packed on the pounds lately".

Wow, what is happening to our society that we forget to say thank you, don't hold open doors, and make rude comments?  We've become an "every man for himself" society and common courtesy has become a faint memory.  We don't teach and demand respect from our children, we expect others to follow the Golden Rule but it doesn't apply to us, and we have just gotten downright rude.


But, at the end of the work day, just when I thought all was lost and chivalry was dead,a male co worker let me off the elevator first, another co worker texted that the highway was backed up due to a wreck and to avoid taking it, and my 2 little boys helped set the table without complaining. Even my 23 month old said "thank you" (her new word she learned last week) when I picked up her overturned little car she rides around the house in.   

So I guess there is hope for our society after all. :)   

End of the world

I was reading a story on CNN.com about a preacher who was pretty embarrassed when his doomsday predictions didn't come true (twice).  So many people have tried to read the Bible to predict when the end of the world will be.  But while they are trying to pull information out of the Bible to come up with a calculation to the world's end, they unfortunately are missing the point. 

We are not meant to know the exact day of Jesus' return.  We are just told to be prepared by staying watch.  We need to continue to be diligent in following God's Commandments and living as He wishes us to.  Loving and caring for our neighbor, especially the least of His people pleases God.  I'm reminded of Matthew 25

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous^­_ will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?  And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 

There are always those in society who will need to be cared for.  There will always be the poor, mentally ill, homeless, and those who seem to struggle more.  When we show caring and support for these people we show love to God.  People can see God through our good deeds.  His light shines through us and we can lead others to Him.  

So rather than being hung up on the end of the world, let's focus on pleasing God and living our life as He wishes.  So when our time has come we will hear Him say "Well done good and faithful servant."  

Modesty and Virtue

http://www.totally-catholic.com/

I was shopping online for some Catholic t-shirts for my 17 year old son.  I have bought him several over the years and always like to see him make the choice to wear one out in public.  I think it makes a statement that he is proud of his faith and is not afraid or ashamed to broadcast it.  They have come a long way in the styles of these T-shirts and I found a great site which has a good variety.  http://www.totally-catholic.com/

While shopping on their site, I clicked on the link Girlie T-shirts and went to a sister site that I thought had a wonderful message to the young Catholic women of today.  http://catholicgirlapparel.com/
Females today are being bombarded with messages from society that they have to dress "sexy", revealing their body in order to be thought of as beautiful.  This in fact is quite the opposite.  A women's body is her temple and a gift from God, not to be put on public display but to be kept modest. 

This doesn't mean you have to dress from neck to wrist, completely covered.  However, girls today need to have virtue and represent themselves in a respectful way, thus commanding respect back.  I loved this quote from the site, "The goal of dressing modestly is to emphasize your unique beauty to glorify God, not glorify yourself as an object of someone else's desires." 
Wow, what a perfect statement!  Glorify God, not yourself.

From TV shows, movies, magazines, and peer pressure, girls have a false sense of what is beautiful.  They are being shown images of what a beautiful woman is and unless we monitor what they are seeing and believing, they will feel they must conform in order to be beautiful and fit in.  If you doubt that, watch a Victoria Secret commercial.  I cringe when those come on and can't change the channel fast enough.     

As my little Princess gets older, I am sure we will be having numerous conversations about proper dress and having virtue.  I see the stores in the Mall and the girls that shop there and shudder to think of what society is turning our ladies in to.  We as parents have the responsibility to instill these virtues into our daughters.  They must know they are beautiful in the eyes of God and should not forgo that for earthly desires of men. We also must teach our boys that they are not to covet females but respect them.  

We must protect our children.   

whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, THINK ABOUT these things."
  - Philippians 4:8