My husband and I celebrated our 46th Wedding Anniversary a few days ago. It seems impossible…it feels as though it is impossible that we have been married that long…and also that we are old enough to have been married that long!
It is only through the Grace of God that we are still together, and love each other more than we honestly thought even possible.
The Lord is so good, in His pursuing of each one of us, and we are forever grateful for His patience.
It took us way too long to open our hearts to Him.
We were clueless about what love, relationship, and the Sacrament of Marriage were truly about. We simply took one day at a time, which brought us through a maze of joy, pain, suffering, confusion, accomplishment, and many mistakes and failures.
What we didn’t realize for many years, was that Jesus was always there with us, through everything. He was waiting for us to acknowledge His Presence, and to invite Him into our hearts…into our lives.
We learned to let go and trust Jesus, and we have placed our faith and hope in Him…and know that He is tirelessly and lovingly working through us, and through our marriage. Even when things feel out of control, and not going the way we think it should be going, or what we would want it to be…we trust that all things work toward good for those that love Him.
Today, I was reading some old journals and writings that I have kept, and I found this prayer.
I am sharing these words with you, hoping in some way, it might touch your heart:
Lord, we thank you for the wonderful gift you’ve given us in our marriage. We know that our love and closeness of heart, mind, spirit and body are a gift of your Holy Spirit. We were not able to build this loving relationship on our own. You blessed us through this marriage, our love, and our sons, daughters in law, and our grandchildren.
We are humbled and thankful for all the blessings in our lives, and thank you with our whole being. You have always provided for our daily needs, especially through our most difficult times.
Lord, we know that we are unable to see or know the direction you desire for our lives, or for Your Kingdom. We are trying to do what we believe is your will, but we are at a standstill. We don’t know where to go, which way to turn.
In the world, and even in our Church, there are events and evils that are unfolding around us. What is the part that we must play, in this particular time in history that you have placed us in? What is your Divine Will and purpose for us during these times?
We are very aware that we are not in control, and we can not move ahead without your help.
We ask that you send your Holy Spirit to open our eyes so we can see through your eyes, and see what you are revealing to us.
We ask that you open our ears to your words and your direction.
We ask that you open our hearts to the needs of your people that you place in front of us every day.
We ask that you bless our minds and souls with the desire to serve you with love.
Lord, we ask that you reveal the direction you desire for us to go. We place our trust and faith in You, knowing that you have a specific plan for us, as you do for each one of us in this world.
Please increase our faith in you, Lord. Help us to look to You for answers, and not to trust what the world offers.
Blessed Mother, pray for us, and lead us closer to your son, Jesus.
Saint Joseph, pray for us and protect us as a father would.
Guardian Angels, please guide and protect us from the evil one.
We thank you Lord, in the name of The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
I would like to share a post that was first published in 2020, and I believe it is even more relevant today.
Warning: There is violence described in the description of my dream, which may be upsetting or triggering for you. Please be discerning regarding your decision to read further.
The dream was extremely troubling to me, however, relayed a message that I needed to hear:
A few months ago I had a troubling dream. It was the kind of dream where upon waking, it took me a good while to pull myself out of it and back into reality.
In this dream, I was near a type of small enclosure with translucent walls with a bench positioned in front of it. A beautiful young mother was sitting on the bench, with her two small children in tow.
Seemingly, out of nowhere, an amazingly beautiful white tiger started walking toward us. It was instantly apparent to me that the tiger was a ferocious animal, and I started to slowly back away.
I watched as the woman moved forward with her hand reaching toward it, focusing on the beauty of the animal rather than the reality of its true nature. As she and her children inched forward, I yelled for them to back away, however, they would not listen.
In one instant, the tiger pounced, and the family ran into the enclosure for cover. Before they could close the door behind them, the great beast followed them in.
The door slammed shut. My ears were filled with the pitiful sounds of screaming from the mother and her children, and I could see splatters of blood through the walls.
I didn’t know what to do to help, so I started walking toward them, with the intention of opening the door to allow for a possible way to escape. As I neared the building, a man appeared beside me and gently took hold of my arm. He very calmly guided me away from the atrocity that was happening. He said to me in a slow, deliberate tone…”there is nothing you can do for them now.”
We are living in a time where evil has infiltrated every facet of our world. It is the perfect storm of events, leading us to a place of division and desperation. Because of the fear of Covid 19, not only our relationships have been affected due to “social distancing” and lockdowns, many of us are experiencing financial difficulties, or stressful work situations at home with small children. Many are suffering with the virus itself, many have lost loved ones, and many are living with a high degree of fear. Anxiety levels are skyrocketing, which are leading to health issues, which show up as mental or physical ailments.
There are constant protests, demonstrations, marches, and riots. Labels are being spewed at each other…racist, homophobe, white privilege, xenophobe, fascist, marxist, communist. You need to be aware of your surroundings every minute…you never know when you will be accosted and screamed at while out in your community. Many diners finally enjoying some much needed time away for a meal with a friend or family member, have been shouted down and terrified by hate spewing mobs.
While protests and riots are occurring, or when large groups celebrate in the streets for their candidate that has been elected, there are no mentions regarding social distancing. We have been free to shop in grocery stores, retail stores, liquor stores, and pot dispensaries, while Churches remain closed. I remember walking past an open Victoria Secret store, which of course is “essential,” as opposed to our Catholic Churches, which were deemed nonessential, I suppose.
Our Churches have been “allowed” to open, however only 100 worshippers are permitted into the Church for Mass. We must wear our masks, and squirt on the antibacterial hand cleaners before we are permitted to enter. Did I mention that we are not allowed to sing? But wait a minute, how about all the screaming and chanting happening out in the streets? Does that make sense to you?
Now we are in the midst of a chaotic recount of ballots in many states. There have been many credible accusations of voter fraud.
We are waiting with baited breath for the outcome of this election, once the final ballot counts are in. Either way it goes, it won’t be a pretty sight.
Our Catholic Church has been infiltrated and is under attack. Our current Pope seemed to condone same sex marriage/homosexual civil unions, and actually allowed a fertility goddess “Pachamama” to be displayed and revered in the Vatican Gardens. There has been pedophelia and homosexual abuses in the Church…which was ignored and swept under the carpet, allowing the perpetrators to rise in ranks or be transferred to other parishes. The absolute horrors of abortion…a mother making the decision to be an accessory to killing her own baby is rarely mentioned in the pulpit. Homosexual marriage or lifestyle is never mentioned. The horrors of hell are rarely mentioned. Why???
Many of us are experiencing desperation, confusion, and loss of faith during these trying times.
That is because we are reaching out to the figurative “white tiger,” due to the beauty or majesty we want or choose to see. How do we know exactly what we are reaching out to? How do we discern?
In order to see clearly, and to know what is aligned with God, we need to know God. We need to love God. And we need to serve God.
As Catholics, we need to arm ourselves for the spiritual warfare which is in full force right now. You and I are here on earth at this particular time for a reason. Let’s learn about our faith, learn about Jesus and his teachings. Learn about the early Church, the saints who went before us. Learn about our guardian angels, and the power of St. Michael the Archangel. Learn about the power of Our Blessed Mother, and how she is most hated by Satan himself.
If Mother Mary was a “mere” woman as some believe, why do the demons and Satan fear her?
Do you want to continue going through life seeing the lie of the white tiger’s beauty, or do you want the grace to discern the grotesque, horrendous, evil beast for what he truly is? For I can promise you, if you choose to stay in the dark of deception and ignorance, sooner or later, when you least expect it, that beast will pounce on you.
And when that time comes, it will be too late… there will be nothing anyone can do to save you from yourself.
The time to decide and take that step toward the Truth…which is Jesus… is NOW.
For you have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from falling, so that I may walk before God in the light of life. Psalm 56:13
This morning, this Psalm revealed itself to me, and reminded me of the love and mercy of God in my life. The reality of the words hit my heart like a laser beam…straight to the core.
My life story is filled with many twists and turns, that were navigated in darkness. Even though there were many beautiful moments, and I was blessed with my husband, sons, and family, there were many occasions of deception, confusion, and false pride, which led to my heart’s rebellion and despair.
You see, “I” knew all the answers, and “I” would heal myself of all the hurts, pains and character flaws that I suffered with each and every day.
Even though I believed in God, and believed that Jesus is the Son of God that came to our world to redeem and save us…I honestly believed that His ways were not applicable to me…so I continued on my own way.
And I continued on with my sins, because “I knew best,” and “I knew the right way.”
I kept trying to heal myself, using the medicine of the culture that was happening around me. Never did the thought enter my mind that culture may be wrong, and I never noticed that most of the people I met were also miserable.
We were all looking for a hand to pull us out of the darkness we found ourselves in. But we were looking for a miracle self help strategy, or for another person to save us…you see, we had a very low standard.
We didn’t look to Jesus to pull us out of the disgusting muck we were stuck in. We held ourselves back from searching for The Truth…which is Jesus…because of our pride and what being united with Christ would do to our reputation. People might make fun of us or ostracize us.
So I trudged along.
While I was going through the motions of living, there were a few experiences where I am sure I was saved from death.
One time, I was driving down the street, and didn’t realize that I was approaching an unmarked railroad crossing. I kept hearing loud whistles, but in my mind, the noise was from a toy factory nearby. I happened to look over my right shoulder, and a train was inches away from me. I remember things getting all grainy, and time was in slow motion. I just kept going and was saved from a horrendous demise. To this day, I can remember it vividly, and believe that my Guardian Angel saved me. (maybe slowed time for me)
Another time, I was approaching an intersection, which had a clear green light. It was early in the morning, with no other cars that I could see on the road. As I grew closer to the intersection a very loud, stern, male voice said “STOP NOW.” I didn’t even think…I slammed my foot down on the brake. At that moment, a car flew through the red light, and had I not listened to the voice, I don’t think I would be here now.
There were other times…however, I will leave you with just this last one. My husband, my friend, and I, were on our way home in the wee hours of the morning, returning from an out of town band gig that my hubby had performed in. I was driving. My husband and friend fell asleep, and then I did.
The last I remember of the actual drive, I was traveling at a high rate of speed. When I opened my eyes, I remember looking at the dirt shoulder of the road, speeding past at a blur. I immediately felt terror, and a male voice (which I thought was my husband) said “Everything will be ok, just hold onto the wheel.” I listened, and all of a sudden, the car went into the median of the road, and just stopped gently in the middle. The reality of the event sunk in, and I heard a scream. Actually, it was me screaming, which woke my husband and friend from their blissful rest. So…the voice did not belong to my husband. Again, I believe it was my Guardian Angel saving my (our) life.
Why am I sharing all of this with you?
I am so very thankful that my life has been spared, on so many occasions. You see, I was in darkness, and would not have been heaven bound at that time.
I have been blessed with many opportunities to turn to God and His love, mercy, healing and Salvation. It is overwhelming that God has never stopped pursuing me, and my heart was finally ready for truly inviting Him in.
“For You have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”Psalm 56:13
Do you have stories to share of how God and His angels saved you from harm, that allowed you the time to open your heart to Him?
Remember, that our time on earth is limited. Our time to choose Jesus and salvation, so that we may share in the Beatific Vision in Heaven for eternity, isNOW.
None of us know the time we have left. Jesus is right there…with His heart calling you, and His hand reaching out for you.
You have been given a blessed opportunity, for you are alive at this moment.
Choose wisely. Choose Jesus.
I can assure you…His peace, love and mercy will permeate you, from the inside out, and set you on a higher path that is rooted in Light, instead of the darkness you are accustomed to.
My prayers are with you, as I hope yours are with me. May God bless your journey to Him.
Most Catholics have no full understanding of why they should attend Mass.
There are many reasons that people give for going to Mass which may include:
Receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion
Good Music
Community
Fraternity
To Hear God’s Word in Holy Scripture
To Hear a Great Homily
None of these reasons are sufficient in themselves…they are only the fruits of the one main reason why we should attend Mass.
The One Reason is that the Mass is the re-representation of Calvary…it re-represents the Eternal Sacrifice of The Lamb of God for the sins of the whole world. Out of that…everything flows.
Think of that for a moment… we have the opportunity, and are called, to be present with Jesus at His Eternal Sacrifice. We can be with Him right there at the foot of The Cross.
Let that truth sink in.
In the attached video, Fr. Jonathan Meyer teaches about The Mass…which will change your life if your mind and heart are open to learning truth. The teaching in this talk is something that I am sure you never heard before. I know I have never heard much of what was presented.
So, after listening, this new knowledge and understanding of what The Mass truly is was implanted in my mind. The sheer reverence of where I was as I waited for Mass to begin filled my heart.
For the first time I was keenly aware of the atmosphere of the Church as the pews begun to fill. There were those who were very reverent, and there were those that nonchalantly halfway genuflected while haphazardly making the Sign of the Cross. There were many who just looked for a seat, with no acknowledgement toward the Tabernacle, where Jesus is Present.
Many people take the time to pray and prepare themselves for The Sacrifice of the Mass, and there are those that take that time to “catch up” with friends and family, joking and laughing to pass the time.
When I realized all that was occurring, my mind was imprinted with the thought…WE ARE NOT WAITING FOR A SHOW TO START. WE ARE NOT AT A VENUE WAITING FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT TO BEGIN.
We are at Calvary with Jesus. We are privileged to be with Our Lord as He sacrifices Himself for us. FOR OUR SINS.
Do we even begin to understand this Truth?
Please take the time to examine your own heart, as I am with mine.
Would you be at the foot of The Cross chatting with your loved ones, or joking and laughing as He hung on the Cross?
You do realize He is suffering and giving His life for us…for YOU? Wouldn’t you desire to catch His eye as He suffered, to let Him know that you are grateful for His Sacrifice, that He is actually suffering and dying IN OUR PLACE…IN YOUR PLACE?
Hopefully, we will all meditate on the Truth of what Mass actually is.
And hopefully, you will take the time to watch this podcast, because it could truly change your life. May God open our eyes, ears and hearts, and may He bless our journeys.
Do you sometimes feel that your life is meaningless or empty, and no matter what you do…or try to do…you feel as though you are trapped in an endless merry go round that is leading to nowhere? Even when a goal is reached, or you attain “that thing” you desired, it feels kind of empty…so you move on to “the next thing.”
That was me for many, many years.
My personal merry go round was fighting the after effects of childhood trauma that I was not even aware of. There were so many daily struggles and fears that wore me down…it was impossible to understand what I was experiencing, much less explain it to anyone so that they would understand.
I was in my own little prison, and only I held the key that would free me from my captivity.
For decades, I delved into self help books, learning about all the labels attached to those experiencing similar symptoms and struggles, and attempted to “heal myself” through therapy…which led me deeper into the rabbit hole of confusion and misery. Sharing my story with others, did not bring the healing, relief or comfort that was suggested would happen. For the most part, there were layers of “gunk” being identified, enabling me to confront the truth of my life, and there was a progression of small enlightenments and steps ahead. This was an extremely painful and slow process
However, things started to speed up for me about ten years ago.
What I am going to share with you now, is what I have learned in the last ten years that is helping me to heal…which really culminated in the last few years. Namely the “Covid Years.”
I am not qualified to say what may help you on your journey. You must reach out for any help that is needed…through the medical system and/or therapy. Reaching out for help is paramount. Each thing that is uncovered and dealt with, is a step toward inner growth. With that said, I will share the steps that truly worked for me, and gave me the peace of mind and spirit that I have been searching for…for decades!
About ten years ago, I was drawn to praying the rosary. It was more like a pull…like I wouldn’t even think of not doing it. You can read about it here. My rosary meditation became a daily habit, and I prayed for many different things and especially for those I knew were struggling in some way. I received an inner peace through the rosary, and I began to love that time with Our Blessed Mother and Jesus. It was a type of conversation with God that I had never experienced before.
I was then led to volunteering at our Catholic Library at Church. Reading has always been one of my passions, and up to that point I read countless Christian books, which sometimes brought confusion due to the fact that many of those books leaned very negatively toward the Catholic Church. I was not well versed in my Catholic Faith, so I read all the non denominational Christian books that I could find. Once I had access to Catholic books at the Church Library, my faith and life started to change drastically. I devoured books filled with Saints’ life stories, and the doctrine and catechism of the Church. I learned the graces given through the Sacraments, especially through Confession and Holy Communion. And I learned the meaning…step by step…of the Mass. All of a sudden, my eyes and heart were opened to the beauty and depth of the Catholic Faith. No more doubts, only an ongoing open heart to learning more about The Church. Scriptures and Catholic reading were essential to learning and growing in the Catholic Faith.
Then…after all of my years of learning, therapy, and slow growth, the whole Covid lockdown is what truly helped me and set me on the course that I am on now. When Satan caused the closing of our Churches, I started searching online for Masses. I found the Masses, however, I found something else that was totally unexpected. I found Fr. Chad Ripperger, Fr. Vincent Lampert, and Fr. Altman. I found Fr. Altier and Fr. Beard and Taylor Marshall. All on YouTube…who would have known??? I started to learn an immense amount of knowledge about what it means to be a True Catholic. How to strive to be a saint…what devotions are helpful in my worship of God, what I might think to add to my life, and what I should repent of and let go of…my world was opened up when I started to learn the layers upon layers of beauty that the Catholic Faith consists of.
I found ME when I finally realized that my identity is in and through God…I am not the hurts and evil that were done to me…I am not the sins and mistakes I have committed in the past against others and to God Himself…I am not the weakness, hopelessness and despair that Satan has tricked me into believing was my destiny.
I am just me. Strengths and weaknesses. The one that God created for His Purpose. The only one who can touch the hearts that He places in front of me. The only one who can glorify Our Lord in the ways He gifted me with. I am “just me,” however, when I worship Him, and live my life for Him, He fills me up and radiates out of me. With Jesus, I am not “just me” … I am joined with The Almighty.
I have made the decision to truly live for Him, and I have invited Jesus, Our Blessed Mother, my Guardian Angel, and all of the Saints and angels to help me in my quest to be more like Jesus. The mercy, love, joy and peace that He brings to me, in all that my day to day life brings, is my new identity.
So, if you are confused, suffering, depressed, or feel shame and despair, my heart reaches out to you in love. Only you can make the decision to accept Jesus’ hand of redemption and salvation…He is reaching out to you. All you have to do is reach up and grab on to His Loving Hand.
You were made by your Creator for a purpose that is unique to you…you were made in Love. The world needs your gifts, that were given to you by God.
I will share with you the steps I took that helped me to become closer to Our Lord Jesus. These things changed me, and hopefully, you will make the decision to make some changes in your current life situation..one step at a time.
Ways I have found to become closer to Jesus:
Pray the rosary. Mother Mary loves us and desires to lead us closer to her Son.
Read Catholic Books and Scripture. Learn the Faith. Learn Church Doctrine. Learn the Catechism. Learn different devotions and prayers. Learn about the Saints. There is so much we have been missing! To get you started…click on My Favorite Books Page.
Receive the Sacrament of Confession regularly. Ask Jesus, Our Blessed Mother, and your Guardian Angel to reveal your hidden sins to you. I warn you, the sins will be revealed! Then confess, repent, and amend your life. What graces you will receive!
Attend Mass on Sundays, and if possible, weekday Masses. Receive Holy Communion in the state of grace…with reverence and wonder.
Visit Jesus and actually be in His Presence. Attend Adoration.
Seek out Knowledge of The Catholic Church. Suggestions to search for on YouTube:
Fr. Chad Ripperger (Exorcist of Denver)
Fr. Vince Lampert (Exorcist)
Dr. Taylor Marshall
Fr. Robert Altier
Fr. Beard
Fr. Michael O’Connor
And for those who struggle with life due to Childhood Trauma…this site is an unbelievable resource. Search on YouTube for CrappyChildhood Fairy. So much awesome information to help you in your day to day life. There are many issues and subjects covered that were extremely helpful to me. Hopefully, you will find a few that help you!
“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.
Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ, for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Are you experiencing the feeling that we are all being led toward taking a stand? I am talking about the most important decision we will ever need to make…the kind that forces us off of the comfortable, lukewarm fence that we have been resting on.
As I see it, the choice is between good and evil, and between true joy and bitterness of heart. If our eyes are open, it is obvious that what used to be hidden in the world, has now been released…we are confronted with taking a side regarding many issues, and can no longer pretend that the issues do not exist.
There is a great spiritual battle happening all around us…right now! Can you feel it? The big question we need to ask ourselves is what side are we on?
I have been thinking a lot about my sister, Patti, and what made her life so special. (If you are new to this site, and do not know Patti’s story, click here.) At the age of twelve, she contracted polio, and just like that…was left as a quadriplegic. After rehabilitation, she only regained the use of her left hand (not arm) and her neck.
So…when a person, especially a vibrant twelve year old, is given that prognosis, there is a major decision to be made. Either the person accepts the reality of their situation and strives to make the best of it, or chooses to allow their heart to be filled with the bitterness and darkness that lead to blocking out any light that attempts to shine into their life.
Patti made a definite choice very early on. When she got sick and went through her healing process, which included a tracheotomy and months in an iron lung, she chose to let the light in.
She chose to offer her life to God, and trusted Him in all things.
And because she made the daily choice to allow the light in, that light emanated from her to countless souls. I truly believe that God worked many miracles through Patti’s open and willing soul.
Each one of us is given that same choice. We each walk a different path, and experience personal struggles, discomfort, and suffering as we go along.
Sometimes it feels as though everyone else’s lives are rainbows and butterflies, and we question why God would allow such hardships in our lives. When we think like that, we are looking through very selfish eyes. Each and every person is given some type of struggle.
The question is, how will we choose to react to life’s challenges?
We have two options…we either make the choice to trust God and to place ourselves in His Divine Will and Purpose, or we can choose bitterness, which will lead to darkness of our souls.
When we choose bitterness, and do not choose to trust God, Satan is more than happy to pull us further and further into despair. You will feel as though there is no hope for you, and you can no longer see much goodness anywhere. You might even start to curse God, along with your situation.
However, when we place our trust in God, we rest in the knowledge that all things work toward good for those who love Him. As we grow deeper in faith and receive graces, we start to look outside of ourselves, shedding the skin of selfishness. We are enabled to see the world in a different way, through the eyes of faith.
Everything changes. We are suddenly aware of our Divine Purpose, and are willing to make sacrifices for a world in need. We start to feel gratitude for all of our blessings…and sometimes those blessings are opportunities to offer our suffering and struggles to Our Lord.
My sister, Patti, did just that. She was not a perfect person. However, she made the conscious decision to accept God’s will and to serve Him. Through that decision, she became a vessel of His love and mercy.
I also choose to be a vessel for God to work through. For me, I know that my vessel is one that contains many cracks and jagged edges, and throughout my life, there has been much brokenness. However, I trust that in God, all things will become new.
What choice will you make???
So for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation: the old order is gone and a new being is there to see. 2 Corinthians 5:17
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
If any one purifies himself from what is ignoble, then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work. 2 Timothy 2:21
Today is The Solemnity of the The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary…it is a time of reflection and celebration of the beautiful gift of love that Mother Mary is to all of us.
Many people believe that The Immaculate Conception refers to Jesus’ conception, however, they are mistaken. It refers to Our Blessed Mother Mary’s conception.
While at Mass today, my mind was filled with thoughts of the beautiful open heart, and the humility of Mary. She trusted God completely, and entrusted her life to Him.
“Let it be done according to Thy Word,” spoken by Mary at the Annunciation, and “Do whatever He tells you,” which Mary directs at the servants at the miracle at Cana, are words that speak to my heart directly.
If we look closely at the quiet peace and submission to God that Mary possesses, we can trust that Mary desires to lead all of us to Jesus, her Son.
How many times have I fought and stubbornly held onto my own beliefs of how my life, or the lives of my loved ones should go? How many years have I wasted on trying to figure out all the ways to “fix” myself, totally ignoring that I was actually paving my path in opposition to the will of God?
How do I know that my so called path was not of the will of God???? I know because the ways I chose were selfish and done without giving a thought of what God’s Will might be. I was living for this sinful world, and following the sick downhill “wisdom” of the culture.
Where did that thinking and behavior take me? It led me to confusion and despair.
Our Blessed Mother Mary’s answer to God’s call to become the Mother of Jesus, Our Savior, was “Let it be done according to Thy Word.” The beautiful simplicity of love, honor, submission and faith.
We can trust Mary’s love for us…she longs to lead us to her Son, and models the way to Him. We must allow Jesus to open our hearts and lead us to the will of Our Father. That is the only way for us to find true peace of heart.
The other words of love that Mary spoke were “Do whatever He tells you.” What else do we need to know about Our Blessed Mother…she directs us to follow Jesus and do whatever He says!
What a blessing Mary is to all of us. She models what being a mother should be…to love, protect and guide.
My thoughts turned to my mother, and how she loved me and my sisters. She did the best she could, however, fell short in some areas, as I have with my own sons. Although, much love is there, we come up short in many ways. We all do. However, my mother passed on to me the gift of my Catholic Faith…and she always guided me toward Our Blessed Mother.
Thank you, Mom! (even though it took so long for me to fully understand)
My dad never had a loving mother on earth that knew how to love, protect, or guide him. As a result of this, he was missing something huge in his heart, which was unfortunately acted out upon us. He never gave up, though. Even with his weaknesses, he loved us and never gave up.
Through the years, I couldn’t understand my father’s pull toward Our Blessed Mother. We had many beautiful statues of Mary in our home, and as we each left home on our own, he and mom would gift us with beautiful renditions of Mary, and our own Nativity Sets. I believe as he aged, he became more devoted to Mary, and trusted her, as his Mother, to guide him to Jesus.
My reflections at Mass today helped me to more fully understand part of my dad’s journey…and the great importance of a Mother.
Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us, who have recourse to thee.
There are two seasons that I yearn for each year…peach season and fall.
What can I say, other than there are no better sensory experiences for me than the aroma, fuzzy feel, and taste of a perfectly ripened juicy peach, or the sights, smells, and crispy sounds of fall!
Although my two favorite seasons never let me down, lately I have been thinking of how fleeting they are.
It is November…there are no more fresh peaches to savor, and the last colorful leaves of fall that have hung on, are now letting go and leaving the starkness of bare branches.
That makes me a little sad.
And of course, that led me to think about life in general, that we don’t always even notice that the moments we are experiencing are exactly that…fleeting.
We yearn for relationships, love, careers, family, possessions, travel, financial wealth, good health…the list goes on.
All of these things are ever changing. However, we don’t truly realize that truth until things are not quite the way we envisioned. The relationships are not the same, the possessions lose some of their sparkle, or maybe aches and pains start to push their way into our daily lives.
We usually can recognize and enjoy when we are living our dreams…when we are in the midst of growing a relationship or marriage, raising a family, creating our home, and increasing our knowledge, education, and career. When we are in those “living years,” there is never a dull moment, and we sometimes look forward to a more laid back existence, where rest, sleep, and recreational free time will abound.
We don’t understand that our very lives are fleeting…not to mention all of the day to day “hassles” and difficulties that life brings.
The beauty of the day to day is also fleeting. Although we treasure our memories, and carry those special times in our hearts, a certain sadness sneaks in time and again.
For me, I especially miss family times. Times with my sisters, and all my cousins and friends while growing up.
I miss the times when my sons were growing from one stage to the next…the daily routines. Daily messiness. Daily communication. Daily moments of love.
I miss the feeling of “home” that I felt in those years, and the comfort of being surrounded with the love of those that I loved.
That love is still there…although it shows itself in different ways for me now.
Yes, the seasons of life are passing. We are always changing, and hopefully growing in a positive way.
I realize that this year’s peach season and the colors of fall are now memories. However, God willing, they will reappear next year.
In the meantime, there is Thanksgiving around the corner, filled with the fruits and blessings of our beautiful life.
Our four grandchildren. Our sons and their wives. Family. Friends,
Through all of the seasons of our lives, we are learning the true meaning of love and joy.
It does not fully exist in the short lived moments. It is found in the knowledge that Love is forever…and God is Love.
Our heavenly Father is eternal. All of the moments that we experience are meant for us to become closer to Him, and are being stored in our hearts.
My wish for you, is that you treasure the moments of your life…the day to day…the good and bad. My prayer is that God will fill you with the grace you need to learn from all the seasons of your life, and you will know that the best of seasons is on its way to all of us that are searching…an eternity with Our Heavenly Father.
Since Halloween is around the corner…I would like to once again share this with you! This post was originally written years ago…however, its message is still very much needed in our world today:
The other night, I happened to see a discussion of the movie “The Bride of Frankenstein.” Upfront, I need to let you know I have never seen a Frankenstein movie and have never read the book. It just did not interest me.
Although I usually do not put any credence in what “stars” say, Drew Barrymore’s words interested me. She said it was a beautiful movie, with lots of symbolism. She also inferred there was a strong ethical and moral theme throughout the story, and a person could not help feeling sadness and compassion for the “monster”.
My curiosity was aroused, so I watched the movie.
Then I had to watch it again with my husband. This movie was filmed in 1935. There are many scenes that modern movie enthusiasts might laugh at, because of the acting and low technology, according to today’s standards. However, what I saw was a truly beautiful film, with much symbolism and reference to God, good, and evil. That kind of shocked me…I was not expecting that.
Here was a monster that was created from dead bodies, and given “life” by crazed scientists. When the monster acted like a monster, the people were horrified, terrified, so of course they turned against him. They did not understand him, and were too afraid to even be in his presence. The monster stumbled his way around, because he simply knew no other way. He killed a few people indiscriminately, some of them by accident.
One truly beautiful scene, was when a lonely blind man was playing his violin in his little shack. The monster heard the music, and was drawn in by the beauty. He opened the door to the shack, and expected the man to scream and run. Since the man was blind, he did not do that. He literally prayed to God in thanksgiving…thanking God for sending him a friend in his loneliness. The man nursed the wounds of the monster, provided him with food and drink, and even tucked him into a comfortable bed, so he could rest. He accepted the monster as he was, without preconceived judgment. Not only did the man minister to his new “friend’s” needs, he also taught him to talk, and shared some finer things of life with him…namely wine and cigars. They became friends to each other. Because of the man’s blindness, he was able to show love without fear; he did not see the monster in his friend.
At that time, some men who were lost, happened to come into the man’s shack and saw the monster. They tried to kill him, and pulled the man out. The shack was left burning, and you see the monster escaping out of the flames, sadly calling out for his friend.
I won’t tell you the ending of the story, because I don’t want to completely ruin it for you. But let’s just say, the monster ended up having more humanity than the humans that created him had. I know it sounds weird, but that movie truly touched my heart. How many times do we create “monsters” and then turn our backs on them?
We allow the removal of God from our schools, and then are shocked when throngs of young adults turn their backs on God and the Church. And then, because of political correctness, we allow them to continue on their Godless path without a word, because we do not want to “offend” anyone.
We allow and condone the killing of unborn babies, the “innocents”, and then we wonder why there is so much violence and murder…and such disrespect for life in general. Again, we remain silent, after all, isn’t killing a baby in the womb a woman’s right? Really???
We allow our children to play violent, gory, evil games for hours on end, and then wonder why they cannot relate to people in a normal, healthy, loving way. In extreme cases, they play out their killing games in real life. Again, we make excuses. It’s only a game, it’s only a movie, it’s only music. Again I say…Really???
We allow the infiltration of our society’s minds, including our children’s innocent minds, with immodesty, promiscuity, and disgusting behavior. Then we cringe and back away when we see the results. Physical disease and debilitating emotional and spiritual sickness, unwanted pregnancies, suicide. But we often just want to turn away from what we have created. We judge and point our fingers at the “sinners.” After all they chose that lifestyle, and need to repent. Right???
Because of busy work schedules and lifestyle choices, we spend less and less time together as families. Family meals are far and few between. Because of “smartphones” and other technologies, we have lost the art of personal communication and relationships. Families communicate through pithy and clever phrases, and don’t take the time to truly discuss feelings, dreams and beliefs. Our children are floundering…they are hungry for unconditional love and attention. But we are doing as much as we can; our family needs our two jobs, and we all need to be “active” and involved in community and recreational activities. We are exhausted…no time for anything else. Right???
Maybe we should all step back, and breathe in the love of God. Maybe then we will realize all the monsters we are creating on a daily basis…once created, the monsters we would like to ignore. The monsters we would like to destroy.
However, those “monsters” are our children, our friends, our family, our community, our country. The monsters are us. Instead of going with our first instinct of turning away in fear and disgust, we need to look toward God for the grace to love His children in blindness to their circumstance and guilt, and love them for the beauty that He sees inside their hearts.
Jesus sees the hurt, pain, sin, and darkness that we all have in our hearts. He is waiting for us to open ourselves in faith, submission and humility.
That is how our world will be converted to a much more beautiful place. With less monsters.
Sometimes, as I experience the beauty and genius of creation during my day to day life, I cannot fathom how anyone can not see or know God…or even believe that He exists!
I mean, from a mere sensory, and logical point of view, how could anyone entertain the thought that such intricate and diverse beauty could just appear….out of nothing???
Look around and SEE what surrounds us…amazing sunrises and sunsets that blaze with unique colors every day; cloud formations (especially here in Colorado) that take on phenomenal shapes and dimension; flowers that flaunt their beauty through countless varieties; animals and insects that are so intricate in their physical design, and also in their instincts and capabilities; the power of weather…rain, snow, sleet, thunder, lightning, and all at comes with it; the rhythm and order of life.
Have you lost the wonder of the uniqueness and utter beauty of a single snowflake? Have you forgotten or lost touch with the unbelievable complexity of our human bodies? Or the capability that we as humans have, to create beauty and to love?
When I hear someone credit all that is wonderfully created to “the universe” or pray that “the universe” sends “positive energy” their way, it astounds me and makes me sad at the same time.
Where did this “universe” or “mother earth” originate from???
All living creatures that we encounter in this world, the magnificence of space, and all that is in nature was created…by our Heavenly Father that is perfect love.
Although, God may be a difficult concept or belief for some…I ask you…how could there not be a Creator? Where did all of that beauty, diversity, and intricacy come from?
It is difficult for me to understand how a person could not believe in God.
But then, I am reminded that faith is a gift. And although that gift was offered to me a very long time ago, it took decades for me to accept that gift and open it…and even a longer time for me to delve into Scripture, and start to learn my Catholic Faith.
I had much growth to experience…to learn about the redemptive power and mercy of Jesus, and to ask for Him to heal me…to open my eyes, ears, and heart to Him. To put my trust in only Him.
Once I did that, my heart and my life changed. I am a completely different person, and am able to view what is happening around me in a new way…an honest way. I no longer see things in the way I think they should be, but view them with an honest lens.
I now know that I can not change the world…or change anyone else.
What I CAN do is give my heart and soul to Jesus, and trust Him to fill me with His mercy and love. I can trust Him to work through me, and accept where He takes me.
He is the only way to change this broken world…
All it takes is that we have faith, whether to move mountains, or to heal hearts.
Faith is a gift. Pray that you receive the gift of faith, and especially pray that your loved ones also receive that gift.
True beauty only comes to light through faith. Don’t we all desire more beauty in our lives???
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
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