The Truth Will Set You Free

During the time when the government imposed lockdowns and mandates, due to the corona virus, many of us experienced suffering and misery.

Much of this suffering was due to the virus itself, however, much long lasting misery was based on many other issues caused by the isolation imposed on all of us.

 

Parents and grandparents were kept away from their families, many suffered and died alone, and many family members and friends were not allowed to celebrate birthdays, marriages, anniversaries, Holidays, or funerals with their loved ones. This precious time is forever lost to them.

Gatherings with family and friends were “allowed” if all were masked up and 6 feet apart, even when outdoors.  Does anyone else see how silly this was?

We all listened and obeyed “for the good of others.”  This was the time where many people started to eye eachother as “walking germ spreaders,” and started to label and demean each other…spewing hatred as to whether a person was masked up or not, if someone dared to stand too close, or whether or not the person was vaccinated.

Small businesses were shut down, however, large businesses were “allowed” to stay open.  Hmmm.

Bishops and Pastors allowed their Church doors to be locked…no Holy Masses and no Sacraments for the faithful.

Shame on them (supposed shepherds) for being so weak as to allow this evil to occur!

In the meantime, while our Church was locked down, my husband and I noticed something interesting while we walked through the downtown area where we lived. Victoria Secret was open for business!  So our government, in its wisdom, deemed our Churches as non-essential…however, Victoria Secret was “essential?”  Liquor stores remained open…no matter what their size.

Could you see any logic in this? I couldn’t…they knew exactly what they were doing when they closed small businesses and our Churches.

Have you noticed that the masses turned away from their faith, and allowed fear to dictate what they believed and followed?  Have you noticed that those same people would not even watch or hear anything different from the narrative of the day?

Very concerning.

Anyway, during this time of craziness, a funny thing happened.  While my Church was closed down, I discovered Catholic Priests who were not afraid to speak the Truth… on YouTube.  Priests who dared to teach the traditional Catholic Faith and Catechism.  Men who were not afraid to question what was being forced upon us…as a Church, nation and world.

I realized that I had a choice where life and my faith were concerned.

I could remain in ignorance and darkness, or I could choose to be open to The Holy Spirit.

I chose The Holy Spirit.

My purpose is not to argue or cause division. The purpose is to share The Truth…what you choose for your life, and that of your family, is between you and God.  However, each of our choices touches and affects The Body of Christ…His Church.

Choose wisely.  

Pray for faith, mercy, courage, knowledge, love and wisdom.  Pray for the strength to be open to the prodding of The Holy Spirit, and for the strength to make changes in your own life.

The things that need changed are the blotches of darkness in our souls…the very things we strive to hide and ignore.  Pray for The Holy Spirit to illuminate those dark spots.  Acknowledge, confess, repent and make the needed changes regarding those weaknesses/sins.

Go to your Priest and ask him to pray over you.

This is the time….WAKE UP from your slumber!

If you are confused, depressed, angry, or numb…you are living under the oppression of Satan.

FIGHT!  Get appropriate help from mental health professionals. Don’t ignore your issues…CONFRONT and make changes! Turn your whole heart and soul to Jesus, and His (and our) Blessed Mother.  Ask for their help in your fight against your personal demons. They are waiting for you to ask for their help, and invite them into your life.

The most important step is to close the doors you have opened to the evil one.  You know what those doors are…you know… the things you hide from others, and try to hide from yourself and try to excuse away.

Stop trying to hide your darkness from yourself…and from God.  He already knows your struggle…He knows where the struggle came from.  Jesus is waiting for you to give it all up to Him.  

Don’t wait too much longer.  None of us know how long we have on this earth.

You make your decision…I have chosen Jesus and look forward to an eternity with Him and all of His Saints and Angels.

I pray that you make the choice for Jesus…choosing light and not the darkness.  

Do not be afraid of The Truth!  The Truth will set you free.

 

Some of the Catholic Priests who are true shepherds that you can search for on YouTube:

Fr. Altman

Fr. Vincent Lampert

Fr. Michael O’Connor

Fr. Nolan: Those who are ignorant of the past are bound to repeat it

Fr. Chad Ripperger

 

 

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Feeling Hopeless and Empty?

In the last few years, I have personally experienced a roller coaster of emotions and issues, which were brought on by circumstances that I did not fully understand…and probably will never understand. Trudging through the thickness of my own private internal battles, I have managed to learn a few life saving gems.

These gems are not the sparkle and glitz types that are flashed at us through clever, and somewhat deceiving marketing ads.  What I am talking about are true nuggets…the kind that are hidden in plain view.  The kind that summon and invite us in, and once these nuggets are discovered, accepted, polished and lovingly cared for, will actually sustain us for life.

I have found that when I am at my lowest, feeling hopeless and empty, there are two areas that need to be acknowledged and developed. This is true in all of us… I witness it through all of the sadness, depression, confusion, anxiety, hopelessness and despair of those around me.

At this moment in time, there is much darkness enveloping our world.  There is much that attempts to bring fear and despair into our hearts.

However, at the same time, there is always love to be found…goodness that finds a way to radiate from difficult or dark circumstances.

The nuggets that lead us to truly see and and experience goodness and love are the virtues of gratefulness and humility.

Humility is understanding that God is everything.  We are alive because God wills it…every grace and blessing in our lives is gifted to us by God.  It does not matter what the world thinks of us, or how human eyes view us.  God created each one of us, and He alone knows our souls, and knows our true purpose.  He loves us with a love that we cannot comprehend.  

Humility is understanding and accepting that we are nothing without Him.

Gratitude, naturally flows from humility.  Once we know with our minds and hearts that life is truly a gift from God, and that all good things come from Him, we can’t help but to thank Him for every blessing and grace in our lives. One way to develop gratefulness is to thank God every night for each blessing that we experienced that day.

I once read something profound that posed a question to my heart.  “What if you lost all the things that you did not thank God for?”

I try to thank God for everything in my life…starting with the fact that I am still alive. Listing out each of my senses, and how they are a blessing to myself, and can also lead to being a blessing to others.  I can walk. I have clean, running water. Hot showers. A cozy home. Food. Drinks. My husband. Friends. Family. Heat. Air Conditioning. We all have different blessings.

Once you get started thinking about all the goodness in your life, and know that God is the provider of all that is good…you start to see the world in a different way.  You start wanting to align yourself with God…and you learn to look up toward God for your joy and happiness, rather than continuing to search in all the wrong places for peace, joy and love.

Life is not easy, and never will be.  We are here to learn how to know, love and serve God.  And until we truly understand what it means to open our hearts and souls to the perfect love of God, we will struggle.  We must keep our faith in God, and know that we are saved through Christ Jesus. No matter how we continue to fall, and no matter how much we struggle and suffer…our hope and joy is in Him.

 

 

 

 

All the Pieces

Today I completed a rather challenging 1000 piece puzzle.  It was especially fun for me to piece together this particular puzzle, because it pictures what I imagine as the epitome of a welcoming, vibrant autumn day.  And, I must add, autumn is my favorite season.

Working through the process of this puzzle got me to thinking…about life.

I can only speak from my own life experience, however, maybe you can relate.

When my puzzle arrived, the top of the box revealed the beautiful image of the finished product, and nestled inside, was a bag that contained all the pieces thrown together.

Isn’t that like life?

We were created by a loving God, who knew us before we were formed in the womb.  He knows the finished product of who we were created to be.  He knows the beauty of what we truly are.

The first thing I did to start my puzzle, was to dump out the pieces, turn them all over, and then separate the frame pieces from the rest.  Being a 1000 piece puzzle, this took considerable time.

We go through life unaware of the pieces that we are connecting together.  As we experience life as babies, toddlers, children, teenagers, and finally adults,  there comes a time when we realize that there is a heap of puzzle pieces of our life that we can’t find, or can’t figure out where they fit in.  We search and search to find the complete picture of who we are, however, there are many empty spaces, and from our perspective, we are incomplete and rather shabby.

We wonder if we will ever be whole.

Then the process of piecing the puzzle together starts to show the faint makings of what the final result will be.  Slowly, as each piece is found and added, we start to see glimmers of clues that pop up in different areas.

As we live our lives, our memories and our experiences fit together, and reveal snippets of who we are…or who we are becoming.  This often feels as though it will take forever, and there are many times we feel hopeless, and we get very impatient and frustrated.

We want to give up.  We are SO tempted to give in to despair and to JUST GIVE UP.  It is so hard to see the complete picture of who we are meant to be. After all, we are made in God’s image, right?  Why is it so hard to trust Him and have faith that it will all come together?

So, as I look at my completed, beautiful puzzle, I am reminded that God looks at us in that way.  He sees what we are meant to be.  He sees our purpose.  He sees our beauty…and only He knows all the pieces that will fit together in our lives to transform us and make us whole.

 

Only He can see the whole, complete picture.  It doesn’t matter that we can only see the partial image…we need only to trust Him.

Jesus, I trust in You!

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 

I am confident of this: that the one who began a good work in you will bring it to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

 

 

 

Trust and Acknowledge The Lord

My husband and I have been living here in Colorado for about two months.  Of course there are many stories that led up to this moment, and hopefully, many more stories and memories to come.

What is amazing to me, is the absolute beauty of this place, and how God led us one step at a time, to arrive at this very moment…surrounded by the sights and experiences that reveal His signature and His plan in our life.

Although, on the outside, it may have appeared as though my life has been easy and simple, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Actually, even I believed my life was “perfect” in every way.

I believed my family life growing up was loving and closely knit, and then I strived for what I felt was perfection in my marriage and while raising my sons.  I unknowingly created a type of “happy place” in my heart and mind, and did my best to bring peace, love and nurturing to my sons and husband.

Peace is the magical word for me…life was peaceful and happy, and peace is what I thrive on.

I started noticing glimmers that there was something wrong, when I would feel funny or icky when I was around my parents and sisters.  I first noticed this when I was in my twenties, and when I felt those strange feelings, I didn’t understand where they were coming from.  My family was close, and I loved them, so I attributed those negative vibes to my own character flaws…that I didn’t love them enough.

So I stuffed down those feelings…burying them deep.

This is how I traveled down the path of my life. Surrounded by the daily joys and hardships of marriage and raising a family, I focused on the day to day and tried to create a loving home, that was peaceful and welcoming.

What I was doing, was trying to give to my family what I did not have growing up. I guess that is what we all do.

I pushed past the many fears that I had (and still do) by avoiding them, unconsciously avoiding the anxiety and panic attacks that would be triggered.  Although I was starting to realize some of the realities of the childhood trauma I had suffered through along with my sisters, the revelations only came to me in unconnected bits and pieces.  As a layer would be peeled away, exposing a truth, it would take me quite awhile to comprehend and accept what was revealed.  Once I worked on that issue or memory/feeling, I would happily stay on that plateau…until another layer was exposed.

This has been my life for over thirty years. Working hard to deal with issues that keep popping up, and wondering why I can’t just let the past go and face my fears, which I have been admonished for by family members more than once. (this question was finally answered for me in this book)

I always believed in God…that was never a question for me.  What I was missing, was a relationship with Him, and strong faith.

When I was in my early thirties, I attended a renewal weekend at my Catholic Church.  One of the women was giving her witness of faith, and all I remember of her talk was “I forgive you, daddy.”  When I heard those words, pain and tears that I had buried came tumbling out in a torrent of anguish.

From that moment, I knew what the truth of my life was, and I knew that Jesus was with me …that He would never leave me, and that I would do all I could do to develop a relationship with Him.

Colorado Sunrise

It has been a long journey for me, and Jesus has never let go of me.  He has blessed me with my husband who is always there to love me, two sons and their beautiful families, and wonderful friends I have met along the way.

He has also blessed me with the gift of faith, that infuses me with the knowledge that all things work toward good for those who love Him.  I know that all joys, and also the suffering that is part of my life’s journey, will ultimately bring me home to Him.

This is true for all of us.

If you are not at that place of trust yet, take a moment to thank Jesus for all the blessings in your life, and ask Him for the gift of faith.  Everything will fall into place, but most probably, not in the way you would expect.  That is where the faith comes in. Click here for my post “Trusting the Winds of Change.”

So…back to our move to Colorado.  We grew up in Northeastern Ohio, and then lived in Northern VA/DC area for over twenty years.  autumns were beautiful in those areas, and fall is my favorite time of year.

We lived in Central CA for five years, to be near our first grandson. To learn how that fell into place, click here.   In that five years, another grandson was added to our family, and also two granddaughters in the Denver, CO area.  My son in CA just accepted a wonderful job opportunity in Denver, so their family moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, and so did we! The Lord orchestrated (through our other son and daughter in law) a way for us all to be living near eachother again, and my husband and I get to enjoy all of our grandchildren!

Central California has no fall…maybe a little tree or bush here and there.  So, I have been missing my favorite time of year…the colors!

When the beauty and colors of autumn exploded here, my heart just about exploded with it!  Jesus directed our path, and we ended up living in the most beautiful place I have ever seen in the fall!  Colors everywhere, and sunrises and sunsets that take my breath away.

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of your creation, and for leading me in such a gentle way, allowing me to access the truth of my life, and for opening my mind and heart to your love and mercy.

 

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

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

 

The Desire of Our Hearts

Sometimes we forget that God knows our hearts better than we do.  

We trod along each day, searching for those things that we believe will make us happy.  As we attain our dreams and goals, we usually find that when we reach those goals, and actually have exactly what we were desiring, life still isn’t the perfect place we imagined it to be.  So, not understanding the truth and reality of life,  we move ourselves once again toward another imagined perfect scenario of happiness.

We all do it in one way or another.

It’s hard for us to understand that in many of life’s circumstances, there will always be a struggle…and with struggle, there is usually suffering.  We try to skip over the suffering part of life, because it can feel like the twisting of a knife in our soul.  It hurts so deeply, that sometimes we deal with it by ignoring or burying the pain.

That’s what I did for most of my life…ignored and buried the pain. I buried the memories and  feelings that I couldn’t bear to face, into different sections of my mind and heart…and lived  the life that I created for myself…my “happy place.”  For so many years, I strived for my own peace of mind, and to create a warm, inviting, loving home for my husband and sons.  All of my heart and soul were directed toward finding ways to make my family feel safe, loved and nurtured.

For many years, that goal brought me deep happiness, and I felt loved and at peace…until I didn’t.

Somewhere along the way, I started to become aware of a forgotten reality that would show itself to me in flashes and bits and pieces. Like the layers of an onion, the illusions that I held of my life started to peel away, one layer at a time.  As with an onion, the revealing truths that were exposed, caused stinging tears, pain, and heartache.

As I become more and more aware of my own feelings that I never allowed myself to feel,  and remember the reasons for the many issues that I struggle with every day, I am becoming closer and closer to Jesus.  Although sometimes things are unclear and confusing to me, I trust that I am being led to developing certain knowledge and virtues through the suffering.

No matter what life brings, or what pain I may be experiencing, I trust in the Lord. All things work toward good for those who love him.

God has always been with me.  He was there as I was suffering abuse and trauma as a child.  He was there with me as I shut down my feelings, and left my body, so I wouldn’t  experience the pain and horror that my little mind and heart could not fathom. He surrounded me with the gentle love that kept me together, until the time came for me to face all of what happened in our family, as my sisters and I were growing up.

Suffering brings us closer to Jesus (if that is what we choose) and helps us to develop love and empathy for those that we meet that are suffering.  Our eyes and hearts become wide open to knowing and seeing the deep pain and needs of those around us…especially when they experienced the same struggles that we did.

Our Lord doesn’t always protect and keep us from harm.  However, I believe that he is always working in ways we cannot fathom…giving us the opportunity to grow in faith, love and hope here on earth, leading us to the true desire of our hearts, which is eternal life with Him.

 

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

 

 

Becoming Real

“Real isn’t how you are made,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.’

‘Does it hurt?’ asked the Rabbit.  

‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. ‘When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.’

‘Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,’ he asked, ‘or bit by bit?’

‘It doesn’t happen all at once,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
― Margery Williams Bianco, The Velveteen Rabbit

Wow, after all these years of reading this excerpt from “The Velveteen Rabbit,” my heart still fills up and overflows through my eyes.

This beautiful story was one of my favorites since I was a little girl.  My sister, Patti, used to read it to me over and over again.  Sometimes I have to wonder how much I understood…which words reached out and grabbed my child self…how much did I truly understand?

Sometimes we don’t need to understand.  Sometimes love touches us in ways we can never explain. 

This world that we live in, is always attempting to teach us that real love is easy, always sexy, and  beautiful…according to the “world’s” standards.

We are led to believe that we all need to be “sexy” and are bombarded with companies that want to fill that need.  With skin care, cosmetics, hair products, books, health drinks, drugs, clothes, plastic surgery…the list goes on and on.

We are also led to believe that the moment our marriage (or relationship) is no longer the way the world deems it should be, in order to be fulfilled and happy, we must leave that marriage.

Don’t believe the lie.

True love is not always pretty.  True love is not always “sexy.”  True love is not always easy.

However, true love touches us and fills us like nothing else.  It is the one thing that we are looking for and is always there right before our eyes.

We just need to open our eyes…

To see the beauty of a couple working through struggles that are piercing their hearts like daggers…but they refuse to give up on each other, or their marriage.

To see the beauty of a family, engulfed in pain and grief, surrounding their dying loved one with love, peace, and comfort. And to see the beauty of a soul detaching from this world, and being drawn to another.

To see the beauty of aging, and to realize that those “old” people we are seeing, and sometimes ignoring, have a lifetime of wisdom and experience that they could share with us…if we would just take the time to listen.

To see the beauty in those with open hearts, and no matter what they are experiencing in their own personal lives, always have the time to give something of what they have.

To see the beauty of suffering.  Yes…suffering will always exist in this world.  The beauty comes in uniting our suffering with Jesus on the cross, looking past the pain and hardship, and seeing Jesus through it all.

To not just focus on the risen Christ, but on the real love and suffering it took to get to that place.  Jesus did not save us by the “love” that the world teaches.  It was not pretty, or easy.

What it was…was REAL.

What Jesus gave us is everything.

Do we understand what “real” and true love really are?  Do we truly understand?

Real is the suffering, and the giving, that eventually show up as “most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby.”

“Once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

Being real doesn’t happen all at once.  “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.”

Being real is the day to day infusion of God’s love, and the openness to truth and mercy.

Let us all strive to be real. That is what the world truly needs.

We are All Accountable

Praying at the Planned Parenthood abortion center during 40 Days for Life, has been heart wrenching, eye opening, and humbling.  Although I am always very aware of the evil that is flippantly referred to as “abortion,” and offer prayers for the babies and all involved,  spending time in front of the actual abortion mill has been enlightening for me.  Especially during this Lenten time.

There is a mixture of people who offer themselves and commit to pray in front of the “clinics.”  During the time that I have been there, most of the ones praying at the vigil are senior citizens, however, in general, there are all age groups.   The atmosphere is prayerful toward the ones entering Planned Parenthood as clients, and also toward any staff members.  Anytime a person passes by any of the ones holding vigil, they are met with either respectful silence, or with a smile or a quiet hello.

There are a few things that really made me stop to think.

I am aware that there are many reasons that women would choose to orchestrate the killing of the baby that has been conceived in their womb.  Although I truly believe that most mothers are not fully aware that they are already mothers from the moment of conception …and they are participating in the destruction of their babies.

Society, and Planned Parenthood itself has brainwashed many women into thinking that having an abortion is merely “terminating or ending a pregnancy.” THAT IS A LIE.  Abortion is the willful killing of a baby, who is growing in what should be the most natural and safe place possible.

So, I guess I was expecting to see more sadness on the faces of the mothers  that were being walked in to the Covid 19 station in the parking lot..their boyfriends or husbands, walking with them and handing them over to the clinic to put an end to the “problem” that they are dealing with.

What I saw was mostly very young girls/women walking over to get checked in, with some turning around to point and laugh at those of us that were praying. I saw the boys/men “doing their supportive duty” by walking them to the place where babies’ lives are taken from them.  After the women are dropped off, the male companions walk around scrolling on their cellphones, wait in their cars, or briskly walk away.

My thoughts and prayers went out to the babies…that maybe some would be saved by last minute decisions, and also praying for their souls.  I prayed that the Blessed Mother and Jesus would encircle  those mothers, babies and fathers (or anyone that brought them to the abortion clinic) with love and the light of conversion.  That they would realize that they need to seek forgiveness, not only for the abortion, but in many cases, also the lifestyle that lead to the pregnancy in the first place.

Many mothers that abort their babies, suffer through years of despair and guilt before facing the horror of what they have done, making the decision to ask God for forgiveness, and repent of their sin.  The repentance includes a change in lifestyle and beliefs, and will affect all aspects of their lives, just as with any other mortal, grievous sin.  My prayer for these mothers, and all involved, is that their conversion comes quickly, so they can feel the true peace of Jesus’ Love in their hearts.

I thought about the hypocrisy and idiocy of the “Covid 19 Station” that was positioned in the parking lot before the entrance into the facility.  Let’s make sure the clients and staff are well protected with masks, thermometers, and lots of sanitizing gel…as they are led in to kill their babies.  Do they even think these thoughts?  How have we, as a society, come to this point?

Right before my time to leave, a man rode past the vigil on his bicycle.  He was screaming, “perverts, perverts, perverts” at the little group of praying senior citizens.  I don’t think that I have ever seen Satan that obvious…you see, Satan always twists and reverses good and evil.

So, as I prayed, all these thoughts were flicking on and off in my mind.  My focus was on my prayers, however, when I looked up, I couldn’t stop thoughts from forming by what my eyes were processing…however, I continued praying for all involved.  I will also pray for the people who actually live in the house directly next to the abortion mill, for I can not imagine living next door to that evil.  Hopefully, someone in that house prays for those babies and their mothers.

It is so sad and heartwrenching to watch these mothers walk into the clinic, and not be able to talk to them, comfort them, let them know they can choose life…there is much support available to them…that women are stronger than they know, capable of more than they realize, and deeply loved by the True God that created them.

We must, as a world, as a nation, as a community, as families, as Christians, continue to pray for Jesus to have mercy on us and to heal us.  We are all accountable in some way…we are all sinners.

May we humble ourselves and beg God to forgive us, heal our land, heal our Church, and heal our hearts. May we open our hearts to ways that we can be of service to those in crisis, to offer love to those that we meet everyday, and look for ways to share love and support.

And may we share the Good News with all who are suffering…that there is nothing that can keep them away from the love and mercy of God except themselves.  All it takes is a decision to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and then learn the Faith and live it.

May we all hunger to walk in the Light of Jesus, and ask his Blessed Mother and our Guardian Angels to guard us and lead us to Him.

 

Use This Time Wisely

Here we are.

Smack dab in the center of a havoc that most of us have never experienced or even imagined could happen. How are we dealing with it? What can we actually do about it? How can we make our country, and the world, a better place?

What are we focusing on?

A perfect storm of reasons to lose hope are gathering around us. We are constantly being warned regarding the dangers of catching or infecting others with the Covid 19 Virus, which affects our lives in all aspects. Our time (or lack thereof) with family, our choices or even possibilities for recreation, shopping, entertainment, fellowship with friends. Our livelihoods. Our freedom to worship.

Many people are living in depression and despair from lack of physical contact with loved ones, or even simple contact with other human beings. Those needs for comfort, interaction, validation, and inner joy that comes from sharing time with others, are not met by Zoom or Facetime calls. Most of the time, those types of communication make the longing for true physical contact and relationship with loved ones even more intense.

We are living in a time of political strife. There are two basic choices that exist, and it’s important that we all understand the realities of the choice that we make.

Our Church is also experiencing strife from within. There are leaders in the Church that are straying from Scripture and also from the teachings and dogma of the faith itself. Because of Church closures, and limited availability, it is extremely difficult to access Mass and the Sacraments.

How can we navigate through the swirling cesspool that is our current reality, without the grace of God that is dispensed through the sacraments…especially Our Lord in The Holy Eucharist, and also in Reconciliation? How could the Church withhold these blessings from us?

On top of those things, we are still suffering through our normal, day to day life struggles, including physical and mental health, sickness, death, financial needs, and just the anxiety of day to day life in general. However, being that we are under an extra blanket of darkness due to the combination of oppressions, many of us are losing focus and hope.

So…how are you doing, and how are you dealing with all of this?

Are you constantly searching social media or the news to find validation or the magical answer to our dilemma?

Are you retreating from life, and closing your eyes and ears to the truth of our current world?

Have you lost your faith in others and in God?

Are you just giving up, kind of saying, “whatever?”

Because in your heart…in your soul, you are already aware that you are not in control. Although you might have built a world for yourself where you felt successful, happy, peaceful and secure, you now are starting to realize that you are not in control and never were. It was an illusion.

You are looking for peace in all the wrong places…peace can never be found in this world. Not true peace…we can not create it for ourselves or others. We are called to work toward peace, however, we can never be totally sure of the intent in others when they offer “peace” or the “answer” to us. How do we know when that “peace” is an illusion?

Sooo…what I am learning, is to search for true peace in the One True Source.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

Use this “lockdown” time wisely.

If you don’t believe in God, just take a tiny step and pray (even if you don’t believe…yes I’m talking to you!) and ask Him for the gift of faith.

Ask him for the faith to recognize and be open to all the ways He is trying to show Himself to you. Because I promise, He IS pursuing you. Look around and see the blessings He has brought into your life. See your family, loved ones, friends. See the way you are blessed with your senses, to have the ability to appreciate the beauty He has created for YOU. See the home, food, clothing, your career/vocation.

We all have a different calling and purpose. We all have different blessings. We need to be grateful for those blessings.

How will we allow Jesus to work through us to be a point of light in the world…not to add to the darkness. No matter what our divine purpose is, none of us are meant to be a point of darkness…that is a choice to be made.

Make the choice to grow closer to Our Lord…learn your faith. Pray. Reach out in love to those that are struggling. Allow Jesus to flood you with love…so that you finally realize your worth and your place in helping to make this world a better place.

Make the choice to be a vessel of light that the Holy Spirit can work through in this world to touch all that have hardened hearts. Those hearts need to be melted with the pure love and peace of Jesus.

Only then will our world be changed. Only then will we experience true peace. One heart at a time.

 

Thanksgiving Memories

This post was shared a few years back…hope you enjoy my memories, as you are creating memories of your own.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is the first year we will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day without our sons.  They are living across the country with their wives, in Colorado and California.  It’s a weird feeling, because we miss them and wish we could spend this special holiday with them, but at the same time we are really looking forward to having a cozy and wonderful day.  It will be the three of us…my husband Joe, my mother and me.

Sometimes I wonder if my sons savor the memories of Thanksgiving Day in the same way I do.  Just thinking of Thanksgiving brings up all kinds of memories and feelings.

I remember waking up to the sounds of my parents preparing the turkey for roasting.  That would always include a lot of arguing for some reason, but in our house, that was normal.  I loved to watch them stuff the bird, and then pop it in the oven.

Back when I was a little girl, it seemed as though the turkey cooked all day.  I’ve always loved turkey and stuffing, and the smell throughout the house was intoxicating.  I’ve come to realize how my feelings and memories are intensely attached to the aromas and tastes of traditional holiday foods.

To me, traditions convey warmth and family.

The next thing my three sisters and I would do is turn on the Thanksgiving Day Parade.  How we loved to check out all the awesome floats and characters! We would gather together and enjoy the music and wonder of the parade.  Such simple pleasures!

As the morning headed toward noontime, my mom would pass around some appetizers to keep our bellies from rumbling.  This would always include celery stuffed with cream cheese and pineapple, and cream cheese with olives.  (I loved both) There would also be cheese and crackers, and sometimes shrimp cocktail.  And there was always a bowl of whole nuts to keep us busy.  I don’t know what I loved more – eating the nuts or cracking them open with the cool nutcracker!

Thanksgiving would usually include my Grandfather, my Aunt Lillian, and my Great Uncle John.  It was a special day, so we would pull out the tablecloth, and set the table with cloth napkins and silver.  We would light candles.  We didn’t have fancy or expensive china, but I can tell you, I loved those dinners.  It felt so special to me.

After all these years, I finally understand the true gift my mom and dad were giving us through our holiday traditions.  They were planting memories of home and family…little bits and pieces of love that will always be in my heart.

You see, it didn’t matter that the glasses and dishes might not have matched.  It didn’t matter that we lived in a little house, and our “dining room table” was actually in our living room.  To tell you the truth, I never even thought about any of that.

Our family was very far from perfect.  In fact, there were things that happened in our house that should never have been – things that were hurtful and confusing.

But looking back, I see that my parents were always trying to find ways to instill family and stability into our lives.  They gifted us with many wonderful memories, and I never want to forget any of them.

Through our own family traditions, my husband and I have attempted to gift our sons with memories that they will carry with them forever, to share with their families.

It was way more than the turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole,  cranberry sauce and pumpkin and apple pies.

 It was the blessing and miracle of family.

And I hope that when my sons smell their holiday meal cooking, and they are enjoying time with their own families, they will always feel us in their hearts, as they are always in ours.

May we always remember to treasure our family and friends that God has blessed us with. Have a joyous Thanksgiving!

This Very Moment in Time

 

Each one of us was designed and created by God specifically to be in this world, this country, this state, this community, this family, at this very moment in time.

There is much havoc being wreaked all around us.  Many are terrorized by the thought of themselves or loved ones being infected with Covid 19, while others wrestle with the loss of freedoms regarding lockdown orders, business, school and Church closings, and mandatory masks.  As Americans, we are in the process of election fraud investigations and recounts, and many are anxiety ridden regarding the outcome of the election…which makes complete sense, being that the two candidates stand for agendas going in two completely different directions.

Whichever the outcome, there will most likely continue to be distrust and unrest.

When you look around, it’s hard not to see the lack of respect, integrity and civility that has taken to the airwaves and streets.  Walking through our communities, peering at each other over our Covid masks, it’s as though we don’t even see each other as people anymore…but more as walking germ spreaders.  Eyes are averted, so it is hard to connect with each other.

We are on high alert regarding the political leanings of those around us…many are extra sensitive and triggered by any spoken word that may be different from their belief system.

With all that is happening in our daily world, I believe that it is the time to take a step back.  Use this time to really listen to the ones around you on a daily basis. STOP listening to the news, social media and news sites…put those things on PAUSE.

Listen to your family, friends and loved ones.  Really hear what they are saying…reassure them that you love them and are there for them.  Find ways to connect.

Stop focussing on the overwhelming issues that are blazing now…trust that God is weaving the perfect outcome, through each one of us. (whether we are aware or not)

We each have a purpose.  Ask Our Lord to reveal that purpose to you…however, you are already IN that purpose.  There are those in your life that God entrusted to YOU.

Love those people.  Protect those people.  Guide those people.  See Jesus in them, and allow them to see Jesus in you.  

We are all in this together…that fact is clearly evident at this time in history.  As Catholics, as Christians, our purpose is to edify each other, pray for each other, and help each other on our journeys to heaven.

Take time to learn your faith, and develop your relationship with Jesus.  Live in Jesus, and invite Him to live within you.

The temptation is to give in to fear, remain isolated, or to lash out.  Ask Jesus to show you a different way…ask him to touch those around you with his love.  Ask him to work through you, even when you are at a loss of knowing what to do.

Remember, you are here at this very moment in time.  You are valuable, and you never know when someone’s life trajectory will be changed because you cared enough to reach out.  You being here RIGHT NOW is no accident.  

God created you for this moment!

Each and every circumstance of life right now is in his will.  It is either his will, or he has allowed a circumstance for a purpose we do not understand.  Trust in Him.  Do not trust feelings.  Trust in Him.  Do not trust manmade solutions. Trust in Him.  Do not trust political parties. Trust in Him. Do not trust everything that is being fed to you through news and social media. Trust in Him.

Learn to discern through His Catholic Church on Earth…through Scripture.

Stay close to Jesus.  Read His Holy Word…The Bible.  Attend Mass. Receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. Pray the Rosary. Pray for each other, The Church, America, and the world. Pray for eyes and hearts to be opened, and for conversions to Jesus.  Learn your faith.

Most important of all, love God and love each other.  For that is why we are here at this very moment.