Praising God

I once heard an interview with an atheistic scientist. He said something along the lines of," If God is real He sure keeps Himself hidden well!" I was struck by how sad, cynical, and most of all false his statement was. I suppose if one is not looking, it is possible to miss God at work in the world around us. But, ahhh with the eyes of faith one can see Him everywhere!
Thankfully, I have been called to a life of faith. God has lovingly bestowed upon me His beautiful gift of faith. It is a gift I believe He has for each of us. Some, apparently have chosen to reject it. I have humbly, though imperfectly, attempted to cultivate this gift. I am so grateful to have my faith to guide me through each day. It is my faith that helps me in my struggles and strengthens me in my challenges. I know, without a doubt, that God is here with me. I know that His love for me is endless and unconditional. I know that in my life, and in the world, all things work for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28).
My faith is surely a gift from God. And through it many other blessings come! I see God everywhere and everyday. My love for God is great and I am grateful to be able to share it with others so that no one will miss out on His goodness!
Why just today, I saw God every time I turned around. He was in the eyes of my children, as they shared with each other in their play, and as they helped each other in their work. I saw God in my husband, when he awoke at 5:30 am to go to work so he could fit in both of his jobs today to support us, and still have the evening to spend time with us! I saw God in my quiet time, filling my heart with contentment and peace. And He was there in the noise as my children goofed off and giggled while they should have been doing their school work. God is in the rain outside my window, nourishing the plants and animals, and in the sunshine that comes out afterward to dry and warm the land. He is in the Church where I went to pray, and in my heart as I headed home. In fact, I guess that is the key to seeing Him at all. God must be allowed to enter our hearts and once He does, He will truly be with us wherever we go!

A Beautiful Picture of Our Unborn Baby

My 6 year old daughter's drawing of our baby in utero.

Our Sunday Best?

With recent news stories such as Fr. Marcel Maciel fathering a child and Fr. Albert Cutie admitting to having a girlfriend the debate about priestly celibacy seems to be everywhere these days. I thought I would add my two cents. Now, clearly I have little to go on, being first of all women and second of all happily married for practically my entire adult life (I was 21 when I tied the knot!). I admit I know little to nothing about a life of celibacy or about living a life fully consecrated to God.
However, I do live in this world and that, I believe, qualifies me to at least note the immorality of it. Furthermore, that, I believe is precisely the problem. We live in a world of constant temptation, and fuzzy boundaries, at best. On my way to Mass on Sunday, I saw at least two billboards with women in string bikinis. Now, church is only 10 minutes away from my house, and in those ten minutes my children, my husband, and I were "treated" to this lovely peep show of flesh, twice! Then, during Mass, I saw two young teenage girls both wearing dresses that barely covered their upper thighs. I am not exaggerating at all. Apparently, this is the latest fashion. I could not help but wonder what their mother's were thinking letting them leave the house dressed like that. Then, to think it was acceptable to them to allow their daughters to dress that way to go to church!
Is it any wonder our priests, who incidentally are men with natural, normal desires, struggle with their vow of celibacy? It is my belief that the vast majority of our priests absolutely mean it when they vow to live a life of celibacy. They are good and holy men, who desire to serve God in the vocation they have been called to. They are willing to make sacrifices in order to do that. But they are men, and this world does not support them in their decision to follow God. Nor does it make it easy to resist the desires they must feel everyday. I look at the sexual images around us and I understand why men, all men- married, single, and consecrated, have trouble staying true to the chastity they are called to in whatever vocation they are living.
Besides the blatant sexuality all around us every single day, there also seems to me to be a lack of healthy boundaries between men and women. I recently saw, in response to a friend's status update on Facebook, a woman referring to her own fertility in very crude terms. Does she realize how many complete and total strangers are now aware of the state of such an intimate part of her life? And, did it ever occur to her that that might be information we would rather not have?!?!?!? Similarly, my husband and I have recently been privy to a conversation with an acquaintance about the private details of her fertility treatments. I felt embarrassed hearing such personal information in the company of my husband but this woman was apparently not at all embarrassed to share them. If women are willing to so openly share this with strangers and casual acquaintances would it be surprising to find out they also shared it with their parish priest? And if not this specific information, something similarly inappropriate?
Our priests are trying their best. They are, unfortunately, as vulnerable to temptation as any of the rest of us. I am not condoning anyone's sin. I am sad and upset about the betrayal of trust whenever a priest falls into the trap of worldly temptation. But, I am also mindful of their need for our support and prayers. And in addition to our prayers, our gratitude, and our appreciation, they would probably greatly benefit from a little modesty in our Sunday Mass attire!

Leaving the Upper Room

Tim and I pray together every night before going to sleep. We start our time of prayer with the daily Mass readings and a meditation from The Word Among Us. It being Easter season, many of our reading over the last few weeks have been from the book of Acts. For those who have not spent much time reading the Scriptures, or at least the book of Acts, it is all about building up the church. Jesus had ascended to heaven. His apostles had received the Holy Spirit ( in rather dramatic fashion) and they were now spreading the Gospel to all the world.
It seems every night lately, our reading includes a small sentence that goes something like this, "Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number," from yesterday's Acts 16:5. Or "...they had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples.." Acts 14:21. Or even, "...(the church) was being built up and walked in fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit it grew in numbers," Acts 9:31. Or this one, "The word of God continued to spread and grow," Acts 12:24. Now I got to thinking, how come it was so easy to convert the people back then, and it seems so impossible today? Was it that the people were hungering more for a Savior back then? Were the stories of Jesus' life and teachings more spectacular? Was the message more meaningful at that time in history?
As I pondered I was sure the answer to all these questions was a resounding, "No!" The world is certainly just as in need of a Savior today. And it is obvious to me, most people are searching, though certainly not in right places most of the time. Of course, Jesus' life and teachings are still significant. That is the beauty of the Scriptures- they are timeless. They are alive in our lives today! The Gospel message is for all time and is certainly as applicable to our modern, busy lives as it was in Biblical times. So....what is missing today that our church is NOT increasing in number and strength each day but instead seems to dwindle in apathy?
I believe it is us. As Catholic Christians, we are often missing the zeal and passion the early church fathers had. We are missing the self confidence to go forth and share the gospel with the world. Instead I see us, strong Catholics, often huddled together as if in the upper room. We are sharing our faith, but mostly with each other! We are confident in our beliefs but keep it within the walls of our own churches and homes. My friends and neighbors know I am Catholic, they know what being Catholic means to me, but I rarely attempt to share it with them. I never invite neighbors, or non-Catholic acquaintances to learn more about the church, or to join me at Mass. I do not talk with them about all the amazing things God has done in my life. Sure, I smile and wave occasionally. I make small talk about the weather from time to time. I comment on how big their kids are getting. But when it comes to my faith, I tend to stick to the "upper room" of my Catholic home schooling group, my friends from Church, my Teams of our Lady group and ignore the needs of the rest of the world.
The disciples at the time of the Acts of the Apostles spent every waking moment committed to sharing Jesus with others. Their mission was to take the Gospel to all the ends of the Earth and they were tireless in that mission. They were not afraid of how it would be received. And, it was certainly their zeal and commitment that made people stand up and listen. They were not only preaching, but living out fully, the message of the Gospel. They were loving God and their neighbors (even their Gentile neighbors) completely and with their whole lives. People on the "outside" saw all this and wanted to be on the "inside!" They wanted a part of this life of faith. And so, when the disciples started to preach and share their stories and experiences, of course, everyone listened with rapt attention!
We must be as excited about our faith! We must be as courageous about living and sharing it! The Holy Spirit is within us and ready to guide us in our mission to share the Gospel! May we be as tireless in spreading Jesus' message! If we are willing and excited, they will come! God will bring others closer to Him through our efforts and save our friends and neighbors from their own apathy!

Giving God my worst?

I have had a few really bad days this week. Now, of course, bad days are unavoidable. I tell my kids that all the time. Still, I wish I could avoid them. I don't like feeling crabby. I don't like feeling frustrated, or tired, or annoyed. I don't like these feeling, but I do usually give in to them. Furthermore, I make sure EVERYONE around me knows I am suffering through them. Then, I end up feeling guilty after wards. I really don't like feeling guilty after wards, knowing I should have been more patient, more understanding, more selfless.
So, what do I do? Do I stay in bed on those bad days and avoid the world like I want to? Sometimes, I think that would be best (though not very realistic). Instead, I need to try to unite my suffering, small though it may be, to Jesus' suffering on the cross (as one of my "twitter" friends suggested). It is hard to believe when I am in the midst of my crabby moods that God can really use my suffering for good. It is true though. There are those who can not help themselves, helpless souls in need of prayers and sacrifices on their behalf. What a better way to glorify God on those days I barely feel capable of it, than to remember and suffer on behalf of the least of God's children. So, I hope in God's time, it is not too late to offer all the difficulties I have endured this week, for those most in need. I hope God will take my meager sacrifice and use it for the good of others. As much as I might like to, I cannot avoid grumpy moods or challenging days but I can still glorify God in my compromised state of mind if only I offer it all to Him.

My Mother's Day Alphabet of Blessings

On this Mother's Day I want to take the time to count my many blessings....especially those most unexpected little blessings of motherhood that I never anticipated but am so grateful to have the chance to experience......

A. artwork. My children are truly my favorite artists. I love their drawings especially the pictures of themselves when they first start making people. There is something so precious about a lopsided smiley face with arms and legs coming out!
B. baby baths. I love the smell of fresh clean kids, their drippy little hair and faces, the cute little squirty toys....but I mostly love when my husband takes a turn giving baths!
C. conversations. The things my kids and I talk about range from silly to meaningful to ridiculous but I love hearing their thoughts and views on life.
D. dinner. I have said it before, both a blessing and a challenge with kids, but mostly a blessing.
E. ears. It sounds so silly but my kids have the cutest little ears.
F. friends. Both my own friends, who I met through my kids, and the wonderful little friends my children have made through the years. I am blessed to have lots of great kids in my life.
G. giggling. Those first belly laughs when they are only a few months old are priceless, and hearing the giggle of a child never loses gets old.
H. helpers. In a house full of kids, no one has to work alone, especially when baking cookies or brownies!
I. ideas. The things they come up with- their imaginations are inspiring!
J. just hanging out. Sometimes it seems like I'm in the minority but I actually enjoy spending time with my children!
K. kicks, and especially rolls in utero. It is indescribable but so amazing to feel your unborn baby stirring within you.
L. learning. As a mother, I have learned so much....and only about half of it during our school time! There are so many lessons that can only be learned by giving of yourself.
M. Mass. What an amazing blessing to share and pass on my Catholic faith to my children.
N. notes, on my pillow at night in shaky handwriting with creative spelling that I sometimes have trouble deciphering= some of my most treasured love letters.
O. overalls. My little boys lived in them until they were potty trained. There is no cuter outfit for a little boy than plain old denim overalls!
P. pitter-pat of little feet. I love the sound of toddlers running on the tile floor, it is like listening to a smile of sheer joy!
Q. quiet-game. Who can be quiet the longest? One of their favorites, and my all-time favorite!
R. reading. I love reading to my children, they love being read to even more. We have spent countless hours cuddled up together with good books.
S. sound of thumb-sucking thru the baby monitor in the middle of the night. Too cute, and so comforting to not have to walk down the hall to check if they are breathing to know they are all right.
T. Tim. Of course, Tim has been a huge blessing in my life since I met him, even before we had children, but seeing him as a daddy has given me a deeper love and appreciation for him.
U. ultrasound. It is like getting a glimpse of God at work, as He creates a new masterpiece.
V. Veggietales. Okay, I admit it I am just as entertained by Bob, Larry and Junior Asparagus as they are!
W. watching. The pride in watching a child learn to read, tie their own shoes for the first time, or ride a bike with no training wheels... nothing can compare!
X. x-citement over the littlest things. Having children changes your perspective on everything- who would have thought I would get so thrilled about seeing VW Beetles drive past us on the road?
Y. yucky list. A personal family solution to picky little eaters. It works for us.
Z. zzzz- I may have never really appreciated a good night’s sleep until I brought my first baby home and realized how rare sleep would become!

My Rosary Broke!

Family prayer is so vital to maintaining strong families and raising faith-filled kids. We have always prayed as a family before bedtime but as our children got older we wanted more time together in prayer. We started praying the rosary together as a family close to two years ago. We decided the best time would be immediately following dinner. We are all at the table already and, at that time, no one should be hungry or overly tired. We started keeping our rosaries in a decorative bowl in the middle of the table and found it was a perfect way to remind ourselves to keep God in the center of our lives as well.
At first, the kids really seemed to enjoy this time of prayer together. We didn't aim too high but began with only one decade a night. In order to really include the kids we took turns leading. It did not take long until it was a regular part of our routine and one that we all benefited from. In fact, for the first year we had very few problems. There was one night when in the midst of our praying, our youngest son wandered off for a while only to come back to the kitchen with his rosary in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other. He cried out, interrupting us, "My rosary broke!" Most evenings, though, aside from a little wiggling and children losing their place on their rosary beads, our prayers were offered without incident.
Slowly, as the novelty wore off, so did the children's interest and attention spans. Instead of a nice, respectful time of prayer our family rosary became a time of giggling or griping, depending on the night. The kids started to resent the extra time at the dinner table. I was unsure of how to handle it.
One night, after a brief but stern lecture about the appropriate attitude towards prayer, I looked each child in the eye and asked them pointedly, "Are you going to pray with us and do so properly?" Thankfully, they all solemnly nodded their little heads and grabbed their rosaries obediently. I started asking them each night if they were going to participate and be respectful during our prayers. Night after night, they answered affirmatively and behaved themselves. I thought our problems were solved. And, upon further reflection, the solution seemed almost perfect. After all, the children should be praying because they choose too. They should not have to be forced into it but should want to come together in prayer. I was grateful for having come up with a way to help them appreciate the privilege of family prayer. Unfortunately, one night my 7 year old son, being at an age when he loved to test his boundaries and get a reaction out of his mother, surprised me by answering “no” to my nightly pre-prayer question. He decided he did not want to pray with us and would instead go play in his room.
I smiled at him and excused him from the table and we proceeded to pray without him. I hoped if I did not react that he would come back on his own. But now there was a new novelty, so night after night he respectfully declined to join the family and went off to play instead. Tim and I discussed it but could not come up with a way to entice our son back to the table. We knew making a big deal out of it would only make things worse.
The Holy Spirit was surely at work when a friend shared with me about her family “prayer bucket”. “We have so many prayer requests,” she told me, “that we put them all into a bucket and then pray for each request in the bucket.” I told Tim about it and he suggested we adapt her idea to make our family rosary even more meaningful. So one night, after the kids went to bed, he and I sat up writing out prayer requests on little pieces of paper and putting them into a jar. To make a long story slightly shorter, it worked.
Each night, whoever is leading the rosary starts by choosing a slip of paper and announcing who the prayers will be offered for. Every one wants a turn to choose and lead, so everyone wants to be present for prayers. The children have added their own prayers requests to our “jar” and eagerly await the night we choose their submission.
I suppose there is never an easy answer to how we pass our faith onto our children or how we introduce them to the power and beauty of prayer. Thankfully we are always led by the Spirit when we ask and our efforts, though sometimes meager, will be rewarded in time.