It is my contention that the evil one is specifically targeting individuals of light; Christian marriages and even nations like Ireland blinding the people to the evil of abortion. It is tough going for us at the moment but we must persevere. We must never give up. This first quote sums up the struggle I am going through at the moment as I have run out of gas. Many of us harbor hidden low self-esteem. We deem everything and everyone more important that ourselves and think that meeting their needs is more important than eeting our own. But if you run out of gas, everyone riding with you will be left stranded [TDJakes] CS Lewis God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them. Becoming like Christ is a long, slow process of growth.- Rick Warren And my favourite By perseverance the snail reached the ark.- Charles Spurgeon
[quote And my favourite By perseverance the snail reached the ark.- Charles Spurgeon [/quote] AMEN TO THAT! you cannot pour from an empty pitcher!
My 12 year old daughter is a very talented and expressive writer and she has great comedic skill and great memory. She loves making videos. Tonight at dinner she said she was going to make a comic strip of our family and that we are all rabbits. We started listening to her describe us and it was hilarious! I found myself almost hurt inside when she got to me. She said, "Mom the rabbit always says something serious when everyone else is laughing, and mom the rabbit always laughs out loud to her own jokes in her head when no one is even listening to her." Everyone thought it was funny of course... but it made me think of myself as an outsider. I am SO MUCH in my own world that I sometimes feel I am leaving my family behind. I know my family is suppose to be my prayer, but I simply talk to God all day long. In my heart and head. I talk to him more than ANYBODY. I need to find the peace that allows me to have fun without breaking into tears that souls need to be saved! Everytime I am in a crowd--an airport, a stop light, a restaurant--something happens and I stare off and start talking to our Lord or our Lady in my heart and I start asking them to bless these people--PLEASE save them---please don't leave them behind and to move their hearts for just one more day so they may be saved, what ever happens to them. I find myself doing it more and more and I know it embarrasses my family. I feel such a responsibility right now.
Ms7&Garabandal we are lucky and blessed to have people like yourselves in this world,you both make God happy I mean that sincerely. There is a piece of scripture that I will post later I hope it is of some consolation to you both God Bless
Come to me all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you And learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves . for my yoke is easy and my burden light. Mt. 11:28-30 My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness 2 Cor. 12:9
Even though you may not think so yourself you are an inspiration to your family, us on this board and all God's children. I remembered you all on this board at Adoration and will continue.
It's hard for me to comment on the inner experience of married people as I am not sure there what could be considered normal or not since I am single. But as the years go onward in my own spiritual life I felt more and more the call to , 'Come apart'. To withdraw more and more from the world and the things of the world. For instance its Christmas agin, they seem like SUndays to me they come so quick. Everything and everyone is passing. I feel more and more like a pilgrim just passing through. Yet there is a paradox the more I leave the world the more I love it. Life often isn't easy but it would be a billion times worse wothout Christ in it.
I think what Padraig says about 'going apart' is the key. Spend alone time with the Lord and the Holy Spirit will replenish. I notice we are all driven to exaustion these days. Keep some time for yourself and dont feel guilty about it. You need time for yourself. I will pray for you to regain your peace of mind. God bless Mary
I am never quite sure of what it means, 'To give up', anyway We're on a one way train we none of us can ever get off. I have always found even the worst of times to be the best of times with Jesus within. He is like a fountain of joy welling up constantly within. If GOd is with us, who shall stand against us?
I had to go back and re-read after mass this morning your post MS7. I think you are experiencing grief. Your beloved Bishop has passed and with him a "knowing" if you will, but also dreams, plans and hopes to say nothing of a dear, deep, loving friendship. Life isn't the same. It's not meant to be the same but with this passing things have shifted interiorly and dislodged things that were familiar and/or unfamiliar- and they bubble up to the surface, usually at the most unexpected times. Be gentle and kind with yourself...there's work in progress here. Your probably need a retreat in Sacramento!
MS7, Your beautiful spirituality may not be wholly understood by your children right now, but someday they will think back on it again and again, and be brave in their own walk with God, because they had an amazing witness in their Mother of someone VERY close to God
MS7, The lesser of the miracles was the centurian's servant being healed by Jesus. The real miracle was the centurian maintaining his faith. I know you can do it. Please do the same.
You all are so kind. Thank you for the words of wisdom! I feel better today. Even tho I stayed up to late last night as my last 'hurrah' before the first Monday of Advent..(I'm giving up much computer time). I was sitting in Church last night and it was almost funny because it was a 'duh' moment. Duh-its Advent-a time of sacrifice and prayer. Duh-don't you always go through a tough time before major feast days? (yes). Duh-IF YOU WERE LIVING THE FAITH YOU WOULD KNOW THIS! Duh-GET OFF the computer and work within the boundaries of your family life and get it together, you know you will feel better when you are organized! Duh-did you pray your rosary today? Don't even EAT until that rosary is prayed. Its MORE important than food! The NOISE in our lives overwhelms and interferes with our hearing and our listening to God. Then my oldest son emailed last night and asked me this: "Hey mom, I got holy water and am thinking of buying bees wax candles. Where do I get them and what else do I need besides a prayer and a moon base?" It brings a parent SO much joy when your children seemingly ACT like they are going down that right path!! HOW MUCH MORE JOY does it bring to Jesus and Mary when WE LIVE THE FAITH!!? THEN--my husband who never shares his spiritual experiences comes to me and says that while praying the rosary in adoration he began asking questions regarding safety, shelter and water and received pictures and understanding what he is suppose to do. WOW! THAT IS AWESOME! We were all excited. Praise God! So--your prayers have opened my heart and my family's heart--thank you. I heard on EWTN last night that Mother Theresa used to pray to Jesus that if there was anything that displeased Him about her or that she was doing that she wanted him to make it 'fall apart before her eyes' so that she would understand and be able to follow the path he wanted her on....very, very wise. That was my prayer last night. My computer should stop working anytime now...lol
I too feel called to let go of a lot of things of this world. Slowly over the years and especially these past 3 years I've let go of a lot of physical possessions and worldly attachments like entertainment (music, movies, etc.). I never feel like I am doing enough along these lines...but this thanksgiving while among family members I felt extremely isolated because my belief system and my life is now so different from theirs (most sadly no longer believe in God, and those still catholic are lukewarm and cafeteria at best). It was sad both in the sense that I feel like I live in a different world than my family members and I worry about their salvation...but I also felt rejected in a way and lonely, as I know it's my job now to stick out like a sore thumb and try to be the light in the darkness. And I'm not very good at it and I was asking Jesus on the way home...are you sure you've got the right person to be an apostle...are You sure you can do no better than me...I'm not very good at this...and it's very, very hard...etc. But that's our job now...and every eye roll we receive from family members (like when I told my brother that I don't know where I'll be living in the spring, but I'm trusting in God to provide some shelter for me) is just another badge of honor for us to wear as world changing events are around the corner...
Hi all, I am sorry for being gone so long. My life as a teacher is overwhelming me and whenever I am on the computer I am doing schoolwork or lessons and when I'm not I am correcting papers. I am also taking online classes still too for endorsements and etc. I have not been doing anything extra online, I don't get on Facebook anymore either. I just keep telling myself that I need to focus on schoolwork and the kids and not on my old time-consumers. So much has happened since my last post, and I had no intention of posting tonight either, but God had other ideas. While I was on Web CT posting a question for a school seminar I have to go to this weekend, I honestly do NOT know what happened but suddenly the MotherOfGod forum was in front of my face! Apparently I moused over a tab I had on top of my browser and clicked on it. I swear to you, I have no recollection of going up there and clicking. I had looked away to answer a question my husband asked me and when I looked back, the forum was there! Well, as we know, sometimes posts "happen" and sometimes posts "disappear" and we wonder why but figure it is for a reason. So I decided that though I have tons to do with finals happening next week, I should take some time to post for the first time in a couple months. Apparently the Holy Spirit or my angel clicked the mouse for me. So I better listen. Browsing through the current posts, I came to this one because I saw Potatosack was the last poster. She was the last person I posted to last time. Then I read Garabandal's post that started the thread. Garabandal, like you again, I am in a similar place as you. Not with school, but at home. This is going to be a very different Christmas this year. I have been trying not to let it get me down, and in fact have tried to see the relief in it. Our family is a bit disjointed at the moment. However, like you MS7, my faith has been very strong lately and like you Potatosack, I am growing spiritually personally, but it seems I am becoming separated from some of my family members (who are further away than they were before) because of it. I too cry now and then for others. Like you sometimes Lee, I had a little cry at Mass last week. I caught my mom looking at me wondering why, but she never asked me. I couldn't have told her anyway, it was just one of those things as you know Lee. Whenever I tear up at Mass I think of you, Lee. Potatosack, when you said, "but that's our job now" it hit me in my core and you are so right. We are no longer denying it, we can't, not like some of our family members can, not like we may have done in the past. We are too deep into it now, aren't we? My Franciscan path has taken a back seat but my mission for God hasn't. I have 14 children hanging on my every word in a religion class, and another 40 or so in other classes who are now influenced by me in one way or another in two different schools. What happened? How did I get here? It is fabulous and terribly frightening! Sometimes I wonder how I am going to get up in the morning and do it all again, but then I do, and something new happens. The father of one of my 8th grade students died yesterday from brain cancer, so here is another new thing happening that I may be involved in. What do I do with this? Never been here before...Every day something happens that makes me more involved with these kids and then their parents, or other teachers, it is crazy how my life has changed. In fact, some of this I didn't even really think heavily about until I started writing this post. Maybe that is why God made me do it. Hmmm. Anyway, HI EVERYBODY! I missed you all and I think about you all the time!
so glad to see you posting MCalling!! I've missed your posts!! I'm so glad God gave you a little nudge...well, okay, He took control of your keyboard...and you are here for a visit! Sounds like things are going well for you and your new job...how awesome!! God's plan for you is clearly to be involved in all those kids lives...really an opportunity to positively influence them. It's great when you see God's plan for you right in front of your eyes. I'm sorry to hear you feel separated from family members as I know how that feels. But I know you are praying for them and setting a wonderful example for them and witnessing your faith. It's so very hard when at times it seems like we are doing this alone or it makes us feel isolated...but as the time of mercy winds down, that's what we've got to do. It's more important now than ever. whatever sadness you feel you can just offer up! Let's pray for each other, as I feel that Christmas will be the same as Thanksgiving was for my family gathering...I'll feel pretty isolated again. But I must remember to offer it up. Again, nice to see you visit!
