The future can look very bleak sometimes. The sky may be filled with dark, ominous clouds that stretch from one horizon to the next so that there is no hint of the sun where you are. You may be staring down an obstacle so large that you have no idea where even to begin to overcome it, and help doesn't seem to come from any direction. You may have once been able to hear the voice of God whispering to you, telling you which way to go but now your ears are deaf and you can't hear anything from Him at all. These are the moments when we may be tempted to give up, to give in, to quit fighting, to drop out of the race.
Maybe you've run for so long you don't think you have anything left. Maybe your muscles rebel at the very thought of going one more step. (Yes, we do have spiritual muscles, too!) Maybe it feels like the weight of the entire world rests on your shoulders, and the weight of the cross that you carry makes every step that much more difficult. You'd like to rest, to take a break. It's hard not to envy those who sit on the sidelines. It's hard not to resent those who don't understand how difficult your walk is, or whose burden seems lighter than yours. All you want is just a moment where that crushing weight doesn't tear into your shoulders, and when the splinters don't bite into your skin like tiny nails.
These are the moments when you are so close to the finish line that if you could see it, you could reach out your hand and touch it. The only reason you are feeling so discouraged is because Satan knows what will happen if you reach it, knows what good will come if you achieve it, and he doesn't want you to have it. He wants you to quit, to give up, to give in, to let go. Don't listen. Keep going. The end is closer than you think.
I can't tell you the number of times that I worked hard for something, but my belief wasn't as strong as my fear that it wouldn't happen. I quit, gave up, only to find out weeks and sometimes months later just how close I was to achieving that thing that I had wanted so badly. It took too many times of this happening before I finally got the message: you're never closer to achieving what you want in life than in that moment when you think you just can't take another step. Keep going. Fight through the pain. Remember: one breath beyond the cross lies paradise. What you want is on the other side. Don't give up. Don't give in. Keep up the good fight. Remember that Christ fought this battle before you did, and He's there by your side fighting with you now.
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Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Aspirations
I was five years old when I hatched my first money-making scheme. It was sheer genius, if I do say so myself. My friend's family had taken me blackberry picking with them. My plan was to smoosh the juices out of the blackberries, dry the juice in the sun which (in theory) would leave behind flavored powder - like kool-aid - which I would then sell. Needless to say, it did not go as planned.
Undeterred, I convinced my mother to enroll me in modeling classes. I had big plans for myself. I was going to go to Hollywood and become a star. My mother, however, soon disabused me of this notion. She said that when I got to be an adult I was more than welcome to go to Hollywood if I so chose but no daughter of hers was going to be involved in that. By the time I got anywhere close to old enough, I was too short to be a model.
I have always dreamed of owning a large house on a lot of land complete with many horses. I have always dreamed of being wealthy, or at the very least not owing anything to anyone and living comfortably off my own business. I have dreamed very often of being famous, of being well-known and much-admired. In short, I have been full of aspirations.
As I have faced the ending of my temporary assignment with the City of Elko, my husband and I began fervently to pray for God's will for the next step in our lives. Someone who knew us, who knew that I owned my own business (or at least, owned a business license), sent us a request-for-proposal for web design work. It was a huge opportunity if we could land it, and it seemed like maybe God was saying it was time to start our business in earnest.
Then we lost our power due to an inability to pay the bill. Suddenly a future that had seemed potentially very bright was cast into (literal) darkness. Our lease agreement requires us to have electricity on in our names. Our landlords, who have been so kind and patient for the last year, are showing signs of running out of patience and we feared this might be the last straw. I struggled to accept this turn of events, to understand what God wanted from me. We turned to our friends for help, and some came, but it was not enough to meet the need.
Tears were shed over the next 24 hours, until I finally decided to give up my aspirations. All of them. If God wants me poor, I will be the poorest of them all. If God wants me to have work, I will work at whatever job He provides. My only aspiration is this: To do God's will and to serve Him faithfully. That's the only aspiration I have left. I do not know what tomorrow will bring me, and it no longer matters. What matters to me today, this minute, this hour, is that what I do is His will.
Undeterred, I convinced my mother to enroll me in modeling classes. I had big plans for myself. I was going to go to Hollywood and become a star. My mother, however, soon disabused me of this notion. She said that when I got to be an adult I was more than welcome to go to Hollywood if I so chose but no daughter of hers was going to be involved in that. By the time I got anywhere close to old enough, I was too short to be a model.
I have always dreamed of owning a large house on a lot of land complete with many horses. I have always dreamed of being wealthy, or at the very least not owing anything to anyone and living comfortably off my own business. I have dreamed very often of being famous, of being well-known and much-admired. In short, I have been full of aspirations.
As I have faced the ending of my temporary assignment with the City of Elko, my husband and I began fervently to pray for God's will for the next step in our lives. Someone who knew us, who knew that I owned my own business (or at least, owned a business license), sent us a request-for-proposal for web design work. It was a huge opportunity if we could land it, and it seemed like maybe God was saying it was time to start our business in earnest.
Then we lost our power due to an inability to pay the bill. Suddenly a future that had seemed potentially very bright was cast into (literal) darkness. Our lease agreement requires us to have electricity on in our names. Our landlords, who have been so kind and patient for the last year, are showing signs of running out of patience and we feared this might be the last straw. I struggled to accept this turn of events, to understand what God wanted from me. We turned to our friends for help, and some came, but it was not enough to meet the need.
Tears were shed over the next 24 hours, until I finally decided to give up my aspirations. All of them. If God wants me poor, I will be the poorest of them all. If God wants me to have work, I will work at whatever job He provides. My only aspiration is this: To do God's will and to serve Him faithfully. That's the only aspiration I have left. I do not know what tomorrow will bring me, and it no longer matters. What matters to me today, this minute, this hour, is that what I do is His will.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Dandelions
There is much to admire about the dandelion. Yet millions of Americans loathe them and spend countless hours (and dollars!) attempting to root them out of their yards. They are called weeds, thought of as worthless, and looked down on as a nuisance. It reminds me, in many ways, of the way that Catholics especially and Christians in general are looked at in the current secular/atheistic culture in which we live.
Our cheerful faces blooming anywhere God plants us, in spite of every attempt by our culture to root us out and remove us. Over the last two thousand years, there have been plenty of said efforts, all of which were unsuccessful. We are hardy, thriving in climates too harsh for the more "cultured" flowers of society. We require no special tending, relying on God alone for the sustenance we need. The teachings we adhere to are full of things that are good for both the individual and society - yet our beneficial nature of what we have to offer is often overlooked, misrepresented, or outright ignored.
We are a dandelion people. We will be here long after today's shrinking violets have wilted and the hot house exotic flowers of popular culture have died off. We are a dandelion people. We are not wanted, yet we persist; we are not cultivated, yet we thrive; we do God's will in spite of the attempts by others to stop us. We are a dandelion people. Our essential goodness is proven over time and unchanged by the opinions of those who stand opposed to us.
Here's to the dandelions. May God prosper and bless them, and may the people in whose yards and sidewalks they flourish develop a deep and abiding appreciation of the gift which they are.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Taking Up the Veil
I was raised a cradle Catholic, fell away from my faith due to my ignorance, and returned to it in my mid-thirty's. In all that time, I have never, EVER, been told anything about veils except that they WERE worn by Catholic women but not anymore, not after Vatican II. I never thought anything about it. I never questioned why we no longer wear the veil, or what this might signify.
I have assumed that if it mattered, a priest would speak up about it or a bishop would write about it. Perhaps that was wrong of me to assume. They don't, or won't, speak up about issues like contraception and abortion - or haven't until now, when their position as leaders of the Catholic Church is being challenged by our government over those very things. Then I read this pamphlet by Christian Family Outreach. They point out that Vatican II made no rule on this matter. In fact, there is still a longstanding rule which calls women TO wear the veil.
It's a sign of submission to Christ. Before we get our feathers ruffled by the mere mention of the word submission, let's examine what that word really means. Sub is latin for under, beneath. Mission - that task which we have been assigned to do and must devote our lives toward. To put ourselves in submission to Christ, then, is to put ourselves under the mission of Christ. What was His mission? His mission was and is to die for our sins, redeem our souls, and restore our dignity. I can definitely get behind that mission.
It may not be a popular decision I am making to take up the veil. However, I do not make this decision to please others. I make it to please my Father in Heaven and the Lord of my life, Christ Jesus. It does not make me better than anyone else. It is an outward sign of an inward decision I have made, to be obedient to Him in all things.
I have assumed that if it mattered, a priest would speak up about it or a bishop would write about it. Perhaps that was wrong of me to assume. They don't, or won't, speak up about issues like contraception and abortion - or haven't until now, when their position as leaders of the Catholic Church is being challenged by our government over those very things. Then I read this pamphlet by Christian Family Outreach. They point out that Vatican II made no rule on this matter. In fact, there is still a longstanding rule which calls women TO wear the veil.
It's a sign of submission to Christ. Before we get our feathers ruffled by the mere mention of the word submission, let's examine what that word really means. Sub is latin for under, beneath. Mission - that task which we have been assigned to do and must devote our lives toward. To put ourselves in submission to Christ, then, is to put ourselves under the mission of Christ. What was His mission? His mission was and is to die for our sins, redeem our souls, and restore our dignity. I can definitely get behind that mission.
It may not be a popular decision I am making to take up the veil. However, I do not make this decision to please others. I make it to please my Father in Heaven and the Lord of my life, Christ Jesus. It does not make me better than anyone else. It is an outward sign of an inward decision I have made, to be obedient to Him in all things.
I was a stranger and you welcomed me
"I was a stranger and you welcomed me" Matthew 25:35
If you've ever been someplace where you don't know anyone else, you know how tough it can be. Feelings of loneliness and isolation can give way to feelings of despair and hopelessness. The simple act of being welcomed by another human being, of finding a single friendly face in the middle of a sea of faces you don't know, can be a lifeline. Here's a list of small ways to welcome the stranger.
1) Smile at every person you see.
A simple smile can communicate so much. Never underestimate the value of it. It says "I'm glad to see you", "I'm glad you're here", and "I like you" without a single word being issued. When I was in my early 20's, I was shopping at Wal-Mart and I was stopped by an older woman I didn't recognize. She said to me, "You! You're that little girl! I worked as a lunch lady for Ginnings Elementary. I served hundreds of kids every day, but of all of them you were the only one who smiled at me every single day." That smile meant something to her. It affirmed her worth and her value. I didn't remember her, but more than 20 years later she remembered me, and all because of a smile.
2) Find reasons to offer sincere compliments to people you don't know.
Pay attention to the people around you. Notice how they behave, what they wear, how they treat others. Somewhere in there is something you can use to compliment them, sincerely. Maybe the woman next to you is wearing a really pretty necklace. Compliment her and ask her about it. Maybe the man in the grocery line ahead of you is doing a really great job of handling two children. Compliment him and ask him about them. This kind of thing shows that you have taken notice of this person, builds them up, and opens the door for a conversation.
3) Make an effort to remember names and to speak them correctly.
There is no sweeter sound to our ears than that of our own name. It sends endorphins to our brain anytime we hear it being spoken. Making an effort to remember someone's name tells them that you found them noteworthy and memorable, not just another face in the crowd.
4) Notice when someone around you may be in need of help, and offer that help.
Be observant of body postures, of red and puffy eyes, of someone walking by the side of the road in clothes obviously not geared for exercise, of someone whose hands are full and is struggling to open doors, and things of this nature. Don't wait for them to ask for help, offer it. If someone seems to be having a rough day, offer words of consolation. You never know who you might be helping, and what the results are going to be. It might surprise you.
These things are simple, but very effective ways of connecting with other people. You never know but that doing these things might save someone's life by stopping them from committing suicide. They take mere seconds in most cases, but those seconds can change the world.
If you've ever been someplace where you don't know anyone else, you know how tough it can be. Feelings of loneliness and isolation can give way to feelings of despair and hopelessness. The simple act of being welcomed by another human being, of finding a single friendly face in the middle of a sea of faces you don't know, can be a lifeline. Here's a list of small ways to welcome the stranger.
1) Smile at every person you see.
A simple smile can communicate so much. Never underestimate the value of it. It says "I'm glad to see you", "I'm glad you're here", and "I like you" without a single word being issued. When I was in my early 20's, I was shopping at Wal-Mart and I was stopped by an older woman I didn't recognize. She said to me, "You! You're that little girl! I worked as a lunch lady for Ginnings Elementary. I served hundreds of kids every day, but of all of them you were the only one who smiled at me every single day." That smile meant something to her. It affirmed her worth and her value. I didn't remember her, but more than 20 years later she remembered me, and all because of a smile.
2) Find reasons to offer sincere compliments to people you don't know.
Pay attention to the people around you. Notice how they behave, what they wear, how they treat others. Somewhere in there is something you can use to compliment them, sincerely. Maybe the woman next to you is wearing a really pretty necklace. Compliment her and ask her about it. Maybe the man in the grocery line ahead of you is doing a really great job of handling two children. Compliment him and ask him about them. This kind of thing shows that you have taken notice of this person, builds them up, and opens the door for a conversation.
3) Make an effort to remember names and to speak them correctly.
There is no sweeter sound to our ears than that of our own name. It sends endorphins to our brain anytime we hear it being spoken. Making an effort to remember someone's name tells them that you found them noteworthy and memorable, not just another face in the crowd.
4) Notice when someone around you may be in need of help, and offer that help.
Be observant of body postures, of red and puffy eyes, of someone walking by the side of the road in clothes obviously not geared for exercise, of someone whose hands are full and is struggling to open doors, and things of this nature. Don't wait for them to ask for help, offer it. If someone seems to be having a rough day, offer words of consolation. You never know who you might be helping, and what the results are going to be. It might surprise you.
These things are simple, but very effective ways of connecting with other people. You never know but that doing these things might save someone's life by stopping them from committing suicide. They take mere seconds in most cases, but those seconds can change the world.
Friday, April 6, 2012
True Freedom
Pope Benedict XVI's homily for Holy Thursday contains a reflection on freedom, and on what it truly means to be free. In it, he says, "We think we are free and truly ourselves only if we follow our own will. God
appears as the opposite of our freedom. We need to be free of him – so we think
– and only then will we be free. This is the fundamental rebellion present
throughout history and the fundamental lie which perverts life. When human
beings set themselves against God, they set themselves against the truth of
their own being and consequently do not become free, but alienated from
themselves. We are free only if we stand in the truth of our being, if we are
united to God. Then we become truly “like God” – not by resisting God,
eliminating him, or denying him. "
This quote resonated strongly with me. I began to think about why this is, and it struck me that the most significant portion of the Pope's statement is that we are free only when we are united to God. This makes perfect sense. Who is more free than God? God has no limitations on what He can do except those He chooses. God can go anywhere, be anything, and do anything that He desires to do - and isn't that the very freedom we seek? The amazing thing is that we are able to be just as free as God if we will only unite ourselves to Him. All things can be ours, but we must first unite ourselves completely to the source of all things.
We can indeed be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect, but not on our own. On our own we are incomplete, limited, flawed, and weak. On our own, we can do nothing. United to the Father, though, the impossible becomes possible. Our limits and weaknesses are no longer a hindrance to great things, but are a stepping stone to greater things. God completes us in ways nothing else can, and He removes the boundaries that keep us from achieving our greatest potentials in life.
This quote resonated strongly with me. I began to think about why this is, and it struck me that the most significant portion of the Pope's statement is that we are free only when we are united to God. This makes perfect sense. Who is more free than God? God has no limitations on what He can do except those He chooses. God can go anywhere, be anything, and do anything that He desires to do - and isn't that the very freedom we seek? The amazing thing is that we are able to be just as free as God if we will only unite ourselves to Him. All things can be ours, but we must first unite ourselves completely to the source of all things.
We can indeed be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect, but not on our own. On our own we are incomplete, limited, flawed, and weak. On our own, we can do nothing. United to the Father, though, the impossible becomes possible. Our limits and weaknesses are no longer a hindrance to great things, but are a stepping stone to greater things. God completes us in ways nothing else can, and He removes the boundaries that keep us from achieving our greatest potentials in life.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
The Holocaust of Abortion
Since Roe versus Wade legalized elective abortion in 1973, there have been over 53 million abortions in the United States alone. It's hard to come to terms with what this means in terms of what the United States has lost, but this might help you wrap your head around the numbers to see it for the nightmare that it really is.
These are the populations of the 72 most populated cities in America (as of the 2010 Census)
If every single one of the people living in those cities were killed, you would have an equal to the holocaust of abortion. 72 of the most populated cities in America would simply be gone. It chills me to the bone to think about it, and I hope it chills you, too.
In contrast to our national holocaust, Hitler killed 11 million people, 6 million of them Jews. Stalin killed 20 million people. Pol pot killed 1.7 cambodians. Chairman Mao killed 15 million. Put them all together and you still cannot total the number of babies killed in America's abortion mills. They killed 47.3 million together. We have killed 53 million so far, and that number grows daily.
These are the populations of the 72 most populated cities in America (as of the 2010 Census)
If every single one of the people living in those cities were killed, you would have an equal to the holocaust of abortion. 72 of the most populated cities in America would simply be gone. It chills me to the bone to think about it, and I hope it chills you, too.
In contrast to our national holocaust, Hitler killed 11 million people, 6 million of them Jews. Stalin killed 20 million people. Pol pot killed 1.7 cambodians. Chairman Mao killed 15 million. Put them all together and you still cannot total the number of babies killed in America's abortion mills. They killed 47.3 million together. We have killed 53 million so far, and that number grows daily.
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