Seeking Grace

So many events over the past month or so have made it very clear to me: without God's grace, life is too darn hard.
Thankfully He pours His grace over us time and time again.

As I thought about this, I realized that He presents us with many opportunities to accept this grace, but are we actively embracing it?
Something is there, just waiting for us, but are we acting on our own to use that gift, and let is transform us?

In the Catholic faith, we have the Sacraments, and in frequenting those Sacraments, it draws us closer to God, and He bestows grace upon us. But that's the catch...making use of those Sacraments.
Mass.
Prayer time.
Adoration.
RECONCILIATION....how many Saturdays do you plan for it, then find a reason you're "too busy"?
("Just as darkness disappears from a room when the light is turned on, so too must sin disappear from the soul with the coming of sanctifying grace.")
Happens here all the time.

I find moments when I realize I could use more grace to be the wife & mother, friend and daughter I need to be, and perhaps, it's my own fault for not seeking out that grace.
For not working harder for it.
God's there, waiting for me.
Why am I not going to Him?

Ephesians 2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God 

As I attempt to get back into the groove of blogging (lots to share;), I kick off with this somewhat deeper thought, coming your way from my brain at 5:45 a.m.

Are You a Control Freak?

In some ways I am, but not as bad as Monica from Friends or Julia from Parenthood.

I like my days mentally planned out, especially the weekends.
I like my Christmas shopping to be nearly finished by the start of Advent.
You get the idea.

Reading this on Facebook:
"...conversion would not have been possible without absolute trust in Him and the recognition that I had to give up control and experience the death of my old self." Randy Hain writes on the ongoing need to surrender to God's will. What are the obstacles? Does out need to be in control get in the way?"
(you can read the post in its entirety here)

Ding!Ding! It's not a fun thing to think about, those parts of ourselves we need to accept the mental death of. You know what's inside of you that's in need of going away. I know what I struggle with. I want more for me & my family, even though our needs are met. I see others succeeding, and immediately wonder why God is ignoring that prayer of ours.

Is that how HE wants me to think and feel? I certainly do not think so. That way of thinking needs to die, surrender to God's will, and grow into a more Christ-like way of thinking. Is it possible while on earth? I don't know, but I know we must try.

My inner control-freak wants to know who-what-when-where-how-and why, right away. I would happily look at my life's road map of the future, if given the chance.
I pray, and I want to immediately know if and how and when that prayer will be answered.

We are called to die to ourselves, putting to rest those bad habits or sinful ways we have within us. It will always be something that we struggle with, as is human nature. But to try, truly try, is rising above and using courage to follow HIS plan.

What a perfect thing to focus on during Advent. Christ's birth, and a new birth within us.
"Laboring" isn't easy, but the end result makes it worth it.

Amen

Several sources have shared words I needed to read lately, so I thought I'd share:

Sunday's meditation from Word Among Us

"You may feel as small as a penny at times, but you should never sell yourself short. In the day-to-day interchange of ideas, relationships, and feelings, you have a vital role to play. You can give a living witness to the joy and promise of a life lived under Jesus’ authority. Yes, you may need to be cleaned up, but don’t stop there. Now that you shine, go out and reflect the light that has filled your soul!"

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From Crosswalk.com
"Do you ever get tired of waiting on God to answer your prayers? Recently, I began to feel a sense of frustration with the wait, and also a little bit tired.

Tired of saying the same old prayer day after day, month after month, year after year. Tired of telling God about the same old problems still going on. Tired of hearing myself pray about the same old problems, leading me to wonder if God was as tired of hearing my prayer requests as I was of praying them.

So I bowed my head and admitted to God that I was simply tired of the wait."

If you are tired of the wait, you may be pleading to God just like Isaac. It may take twenty years for God to answer our prayers, or it may only take twenty minutes. But today, let us find comfort in remembering Isaac's patient faith and take hope in believing that God is not tired of hearing our prayers. Instead, He is simply waiting for the perfect time to answer.

Dear Lord, please help me have patience and faith while I wait to hear from You. Help me live in excited anticipation for the day when I will see how You answer my prayers. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

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"Taking the time to build relationships sometimes means pushing ourselves out of our own little world. Having friends is fun of course, but it’s also an important part of maintaining our sanity and of building the Church." (from Faith & Family Live's blog)

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I have no clue why it's appearing highlighted in some parts, and I couldn't correct it. It's still worthwhile!

White Flag Waving

*Caution: whine included. Reading this may result in wanting some real wine.*


Can I kick & scream, yell "it's not fair!", and cry?
I can't?

Well, then, accept this as me waving my white flag. Wildly waving it.
I'm waving it for God.

I give up! I surrender!
I've tried to find what gets HIS attention, and it seems I've failed.
Why?
Because in our efforts to communicate with Him, we're getting the same ol', same ol'.
Isn't that almost the definition of insanity?

I know, I know, God hears our prayers, maybe He wants just the life we have for us, bla bla bla.

I'm telling ya, I'm waving my flag.
I give up on the prayers I've been praying, because Lord knows there seems to be know relief answer!

Waving that flag....yes I am. Wondering what others are doing to get His attention so well, what we're doing wrong, and how long until the answer is known.

Ugh.

Yes, a bla feeling on a rainy bla Monday.

A wise person today told me "Keep the Faith". I know, deep down, that those are very wise words.
Erroneous not one bit.
While my glass appears half empty, I'll try to look at it for a moment as half full, and Keep the Faith.
It's not feeling easy, but Faith matters, right?

JP II: We Love You!

May 1: the beginning of a beautiful month because it's the month of Mary. Also it finally starts to feel like SPRING (a big deal in the Midwest after many months of snow).

There is another reason why I'm looking forward to May1: Pope John Paul II will be beatified on May 1. 

 

(isn't he cute? Come on...you know he is!)

Ah! That gives me goosebumps. Seriously.

He was Pope for as long as I can remember. He's the Pope whose home country I visited, the only Pope I've seen as part of a Papal Audience. (Italy, November 1999).
My brother is named after him.  My alma mater's library is, too.

He was also Pope when Aidan was born.

His life is more than a good example.

What a blessing to have grown up with this Pope as head of our Church on earth, see his beatification process expedited, and to learn today that we will witness him becoming "Saint" in our lifetime, too. Truly a unique situation.
And as far as I'm concerned, what a gain for us!

May 1: beatification. Woo-hoo!!!!

"12 Reasons Displaying the Cross is Not A 'Violation of Freedom' "

12 Reasons Displaying the Cross Is Not a 'Violation of Freedom'


Excellent article to read. The first sentence sums it up perfectly: "The meaning of 'freedom of religion' has nothing to do with creating a society that is 'free from religion' ".
Amen to that!


Another part that had me screaming "heck yes!" was this:
"Forcibly removing the symbol of the cross is a violation on the same level as it would be to force atheists to mount this symbol." 


In our home, we have a crucifix hanging in nearly every room. 
We fully know and understand that even if we didn't, God would still be with us in every single room. 
Of course. 
That's not the point. 


We believe, and in expressing our belief, we will honor HIM by having that crucifix hanging.
If a visitor to our home doesn't like that, I'd be happy to talk about it, but it will remain.


My thoughts go more deeply than this, but I can't express myself as well as the article. It's a worthy read.

Sunday Prayer~Join Me?

I have gotten away from posting much on my faith and prayer life.
Earlier in my blogging days, I often posted about matters in the Church, being pro-life, etc.
Those things still remain a part of me, but for whatever reason, I no longer blog about them as I used to.

That is going to change.
I plan to try and do a Sunday post each week with a prayerful focus. Not to be holier-than-thou, but to start the week off in a better way, to get my focus in order, and maybe even to offer a gain to you, the reader, as well.

I hope to find the Gospel online and coordinating meditations to go with it. Nothing fancy, but a start.

Will you join me?

Today's Readings are:
Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
1 Jn 4:7-10
Jn 15:9-17 (Gospel)

In Acts we learn of Peter's meeting with Cornelius, wherein Peter teaches Cornelius and his family more about Christ. Cornelius then becomes Baptized.

Cornelius is quite the example. I like the meditation offered here:

Cornelius was blessed because of his virtuous disposition, even though he didn’t know about Jesus. He was blessed because of his desire for God, his faithfulness to prayer, and his willingness to open his home to Peter and his companions. He was blessed because he and his wife led their family in the ways of God according to the best of their understanding. They practiced their faith, however limited it may have been.

The meditation further offered:

Likewise, God will bless our families if we bring him into our homes and if we try to have a right disposition in life. So let this story encourage you. God loves your family, and he will reward your attempts to bring them closer to him.

From this I ask myself how well do I bring God into my home?
Sure, we have a crucifix in each room, along with some religious pictures. We pray Grace before meals, and bedtime prayers with the boys.
But are we actively bringing God into our home, our just doing a routine?
I'm guilty of many days just doing a routine.

This week I want to try and see God more in my home. I hope to bring Him into our home in a new way, a more concentrated, deliberate way.

How do you bring God into your home?

“Lord, I invite you into my home. Come, Jesus, and make your home among us.”

Psalm 98:1-4; 1 John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17