Putting God on the Sidelines

 This is another post on part of a homily that our pastor gave on Sunday.  He quoted a line from the movie "The Punisher".   Apparently it is a Marvel movie. I have not seen it.  Without trying to go into details about that which I have no knowledge (I did read that the main character is either characterized as a serial killer or a vigilante) I will quote the lines and go from there.  

As the punisher is about to go off on a last quest for justice? vengeance? another character says to him "Go with God".  He responds, "God's gonna sit this one out."

In our own lives we often let God "sit this one out".  Whether intentional or not, it is when we forget or refuse to pray about decisions that we are making, be they big or small. 

How many times have we heard or said, "I've got this."? Apparently it's a very male thing, although women also want to feel like they can handle things on their own. 

The truth is, we are dependent!  We have no control over our own heart beating regularly enough to keep us alive.  We must eat and drink by design so that we have the energy to do what we have to do. We need enough sleep to keep us energized and healthy. 

The decisions we face every day are no exception.  My dear one likes to ask me what the next day looks like before we go to bed.  Apart from having a specific appointment that I have to keep, I usually tell him, "God hasn't told me yet." I have found that making a step-by-step plan for many things is asking for frustration when things change. 

If I let God have my day, He usually lets me know what Mass to go to and where. The homily is usually exactly what I need to hear if I go where he leads me. 

 He reminds me of things I have to take care of and leads me in the way to make them happen, most of the time, easily. 

He puts people on my heart that need a phone call or some snail mail. 

He calls me to prayer regularly and recently He is showing me how to sit in adoration in silence and wait for Him to speak. (Very hard for me to be silent in my head.)

There is an old bumper sticker that read: "God is my co-pilot."  We don't need God to be our co-pilot. We need him to take the controls while we wait for His instructions for us. 

Fear not to let Him have that control.  Is it hard at first? Absolutely.  Society tells us we have to have it all together and be all to everyone all the time.  Not so. 

God says,  "take my yoke upon you and learn from me." (Matt 11:29).  Jesus did not scurry from town to town with a to-do list.  He spent time in prayer and learned what the Father's plan was for Him. He lived to do God's will. 

We should too! 

Remember, God's got this.  Go with God. 

 

Writing Your Autobiography

 This Lent, I am participating in Magnify 90. We participants actually started January 5 and will conclude at Easter.  I was sort of keeping up with the demands of the program but on Ash Wednesday I decided to jump in completely and give up my secular audiobooks, scrolling on SnapChat, and definitely chocolate!  

I turned instead to my School of Reading book: Jesus our Refuge by Matt Fradd (highly recommend) and the Hallow app's 40 day challenge.  In this challenge, on the first Sunday of Lent, Fr. Mike Schmitz posted his homily for the day.  WOW.  Homily here 

I am going to summarize the homily but I encourage you to listen to the whole thing.  

Fr. Mike talked about writing our autobiography.  Not starting with our birth and going through a timeline, but rather by making a decision about how our lives will look starting today. Because is it Lent, we are called to three things in particular: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. 

Each Lent is a time for personal renewal and growth in our relationship with God. Giving up "stuff" just to give up "stuff" isn't enough.  We need to lean into these self-imposed crosses as a way to find more time for prayer, to eliminate the false refuges in our life that lead to overindulgence, sloth, vanity, laziness etc., and to help those in need in a more concrete way.  

In short, it is time for a new beginning.  A new strong start, for our autobiography to make a difference, not just for Lent but for a lifetime, is needed.  

Fr. Mike taught that a strong start  has 4 parts:

    -irreversibility

    -identity at stake

    -risk

    -agency

Once we make a decision it is irreversible.  We dive headlong into that decision and whatever it is,  and it will change us. 

Our identity is at stake: who will we be after we make this decision and stick with it?

It is risky: we don't know what the future holds.

Agency is making the decision to start. 

I won't go through the bad choices we could or already have made. You know your shortcomings.  But I will suggest a great choice that will change everything, one I have made a multitude of times in my life:

Confession! 

Going to confession will absolutely change your autobiography (if you are completely honest with the priest, and you are willing to be made whole.)

When you walk into the confessional and unload your life, the effect is irreversible: God forgives you. He washes you clean and those past sins no longer matter. You are free to move forward in your new holiness.

Your identity is really at stake.  After confession, you are a new creation, but that means things in your life will have to change.  The people in your life may have to change if they are holding you back from drawing closer to God. Your habits will have to change.  Your prayer time will have to change. God wants all of you! 

It is risky for all of the above reasons.  You will have to (truly you will WANT to) start being authentically Catholic. What does that future look like?  It's up to you and God.  Ask Him. He will show you. 

You have the power (agency) to make this decision.  Only you. 

Talk to God.  What strong start do you need to make to change the trajectory of your autobiography into one that delights Him? Are you willing?  

A little note on irreversibility: Every decision leads to consequences, good or bad.  If you have made bad decisions, you can reverse course and make better ones. You already know how the bad decisions have molded you, changed your identity, and affected your future.  The point here is, make a strong start toward a better tomorrow. The homily talks about the prodigal son.  He made some really bad decisions. However, he was able, with a strong start, to begin again and be healed. 

Have a blessed Lent.

A HUGE PRAISE REPORT 

Our Tenacious One was in an accident in my truck near campus last Friday.  When the call came from the Ottawa County Sherif's department, my reaction was subdued and hopeful.  I have prayed so hard for her to be safe and not hurt anyone with the vehicle.  

In the back of my mind, there was always a little niggle of a worry that she would have an accident.  Well, this the third one in less than a year.  No one was hurt badly in any of the accidents, but her confidence level in driving has dropped significantly. 

The truck was totaled (according the the sheriff-our insurance company has yet to investigate.) But OTO was checked out the the local hospital and was found fit, but bruised.  All Praise to Jesus Christ for hearing the prayers of this mom and dad and
so many others (including several Saints in heaven) who have been praying for her for a very long time. 

She will not have a vehicle now and that takes care of two prayer requests at once.  One-no more accidents that she is responsible for in her near future (though now I have to pray for her driving friends!) and two- that she would meet some very nice Catholic friends on campus this year. This is not totally taken care of yet, but she will have to attend Mass on campus instead of roaming the area in search of new places for Mass.  This increases the odds of Catholic friends on campus tremendously.  

While we are on the subject of praise, I'm also very grateful that she took a huge step toward getting her laundry taken care of on campus instead of a drive to a friend's house.  So grateful!

God is so good all the time.  Just look around you and find things to thank Him for.  Never miss an opportunity for gratitude. 

Sainthood is for Everyone

In the words of Mother Angelica,

"We are all called to be great saints, don't miss the opportunity."

I read a lot.  I listen to a lot of Catholic speakers.  I watch videos of Catholic teachers.  Lately, the most frequent message I'm hearing is that we are called to sainthood.

No matter who we are.  No matter what our pasts look like.  No matter what our present looks like.

Every new day can be a day closer to the goal.

What does sainthood look like?

Obedience (abandonment) to the will of God.  Another "Mother Angelic lesson" is that if we are struggling, we are probably straining against God's will.  Yes, sometimes life is just hard.  But if we are fighting God's will and trying to do our own thing, it's a different kind of struggle.

We are called to trust God as small children trust that the adults in their lives will take care of them.  They trust that they will be fed, clothed, cared for and loved.

We have to become like little children and believe that God knows what's best for us.  He likes to take us out of our comfort zones and shake us up a bit.  He likes to stretch us until we know without a doubt that He is the one in charge.  All things belong to Him, including us!

Would you like to know the fast track to sainthood?  Don't try to do it alone.  Latch on tight to Mamma Mary and she will lead you right to her Son.

In your struggles, she prays for you.  In your joy, she rejoices with you.  In your need, she is there for you because she has the ear of her Son and He loves to listen to His mother.

There is a BOOK I will recommend that changed my life and changes the lives of those who read it and live it.

It is called 33 Days to Morning Glory by Fr, Michael Gaitley.

In this amazing book, Fr. Gailey leads you down the path to Marian Consecration by introducing you to Saints who have trusted that Mary would lead them to Jesus.

Mary is already our mother by virtue of the fact that Jesus gave her to us from the cross, "Behold, your mother." John 19:27.  We can request her intercession and she will pray for us.  By giving ourselves over to her love completely through consecration,  we give her permission to bless us with the graces God gives her to distribute to those who ask for them.  (And so many people don't ask!!).  So ask, and watch what happens.  You will be amazed.

Sainthood is for all of us.  Don't miss the opportunity.


My other blog

How God Loves Us

I left morning Mass yesterday feeling a little lonely.

I get to communicate with my siblings often as we text and talk and work out a schedule to help our parents.  I get to see our two oldest daughters frequently as I am blessed to watch their children a couple of days a week.  I get to see my parents almost daily.

Still something was missing.

I told God all about it in very few words.  God works with what we give Him, no matter how small.

Yesterday turned out to be a very blessed day.

Two friends that live in separate cities, miles apart, in Massachusetts sent me elaborate heart emojis just to let me know they were thinking about me.

My Florida cousins (husband and wife) both texted me about totally different matters, but I knew that they were thinking about me.

Wayne and I got to have dinner together at the Lenten Fish Supper that our church hosts.

After the fish dinner we went to Stations of the Cross and a couple we are friends with sat behind us.  After the stations we were able to catch up a little bit. Wayne and I shared our date night journaling with them.

Turns out there was a talk for married couples that we and our friends stayed to hear.

The talk was very uplifting and each couple was given two notecards.   We were told to write a prayer for our spouse on the notecard and then pray the prayer over our spouse. It was lovely.

God sent all these people into my day to let me know He heard my prayer and was concerned about my needs.

Then He gave me a little something extra.

There was a give-away at the end of the talk.  The couple with the notecard that matched the card the presenter held up was the winner.

That was us!

We won a heart shaped box of chocolates (Ferrero Rocher-the good stuff) and a $75 gift card to Andiamo (a very nice Italian restaurant close to home)!  I see another lovely date night in our future.


All this to say, take your needs to the Father who loves to love us in so many ways.

#amillionformegan A Word from Megan

Update:

First, God bless each and everyone of you. I would like to take a moment to give thanks to God for everyones' continued spiritual, emotional and physical support this last year.

The international team of doctors involved in my care have agreed that they have exhausted all the medical options to restrict, reduce or remove my tumors.  My family and I were told that my only medical option was to come home and complete my journey with Hospice, to keep me comfortable until our Lord calls me home. I am now leaving this fight at the foot of Jesus' cross.

I would like to extend my loving thanks once again to my family and everyone literally around the world that continues to lift me up in prayer as we complete this journey together.

My sincerest Love and Prayers will continue for ALL of your own special intentions. Please be there to support each other and know of my unending love for each of you.

Megan  💗

www.thatslife12.blogspot.com

Perfect Peace

Do you ever wonder if you're doing just what God wants you to be doing, and not just what you think would make you happy?

God has a way of making His will perfectly clear, even if we aren't listening well.

I've been praying and praying about putting the two high schoolers on the bus next Fall.  It would save me almost 2 hours of commute time each day.  It would free up my morning for chores and the middle of my afternoon to actually cook dinner.

It would also cost $1300.  Sigh.

So, I prayed and I prayed and I messed with the budget and fiddled around with a couple of accounts and I made it work.

I had the checks and the bus form in an envelope to be dropped off at school this morning.

The only thing I didn't have was PEACE about the situation.

As I was brushing my teeth before my daily commute to the school,  I suddenly got a very clear idea of what God wanted with the situation.

Our son will graduate next year.  It would be the last year I would get to spend that much time with him on a regular basis.  I would miss our morning prayer time.  I would miss the quiet rides or noisy rides depending on what day it was and what time of day.  I would miss the lessons I get to teach and the things I get to learn about our kids as they jabber with each other.

I would miss hearing our daughter talk about the cute boy in science or the new song by her favorite artist.   I would miss what homework or test they were not looking forward to.

All of these things would be talked about on the bus, and would have been old news by the time they got home at 4 p.m. exhausted and "starving".

So, I finished brushing my teeth and went to get the envelope, which I proceeded to tear into tiny pieces.

And guess what I found?  PEACE! And JOY at discovering God's perfect will.  Sure, I'll still have interrupted mornings and afternoons.  I've been doing this for such a long time, I probably wouldn't really know what to do with the extra time anyway. And, the money will be spent on that for which God intended in the first place.

It was what God wanted all along. I just wasn't listening.


www.thatslife12.blogspot.com

God is Faithful

Every morning as part of my morning prayers I say, "keep us safe, body and soul".

Twice in the past two days God really had my back.

Sunday, the day before a major freeway was set to reopen after being closed for complete overhaul since April,  someone decided it would be fun to open just a small section for foot, bicycle and long board traffic.

Our tenacious one decided she wanted to go with a friend and ride bikes down there.  They did, indeed, have fun.  In fact, they were having so much fun that they went way (WAY) past the place where they were supposed to stop.

My Dear One called me, trying not to sound too worried, and asked me to pray since the girls had been gone a long time and he did not see them in the crowd.  That was a terrifying phone call, to make and receive!

I immediately called my prayer warrior mom and then hit the floor on my knees.  I just kept saying The Lord's Prayer over and over and the Hail Mary and begging St. Anthony (among others) to show my Dear One where the girls were.

I also called 911.  Seems that every Livonia police officer was already down on the freeway (keeping the fun safe, and as it turns out, looking for other lost children.)  I gave them names and descriptions of the girls and then resumed praying.  Wayne found an officer who took him in his cruiser and they went looking together.

Thankfully they found them soon after!  Once 4 o'clock hit the construction works (or someone in charge) starting sending people off the freeway and made them make their way back to the beginning on the service drive of the freeway (which was full of traffic!)  That's were the girls were found, safe and sound, and tiredly trying to make their way back to Wayne.  They got to ride in a police car back to our vehicle and then rest on the ride home.

They had no idea what a hoopla they had caused.

Today, God was watching over us again.  A vehicle full of us were going with Josh to pick up his new, blue Mustang.

During the drive there, which was very long and involved many freeways and a new driver,  we came very close to being creamed by a pickup truck whose driver was in a hurry. Thanks to guardian angels, quick thinking, and no panicking on the part of the new driver, the vehicle we were in was returned to its original lane with not even a scratch on the fender.

(It was a lot more adrenaline pumping than that, but two stories in one blog is a lot to read!)

Anyway, we are all home and safe.

God be praised!!


www.thatslife12.blogspot.com

Idolatry

Quite near our home there is an electronic outdoor advertising sign.  This particular sign has up to four advertisements on it that flash up one at a time for a number of seconds and then switch to the next.

There is usually a Christian message up there,  I LOVE YOU  signed ~GOD, or something to that effect.

Lately the Christian message has been:  LOVE ALL;  WORSHIP ONE.    Great message.  The sad part is the message that follows it:

GET THE BODY YOU WANT!   LIPOSUCTION!  With a picture of either a finely sculpted man or a bikini clad woman with a "perfect" figure.

Whom or what do we worship other than God?  Our culture demands that we spend lots of time in front of the mirror; literally and figuratively.   We compare ourselves to others: figures, makeup, clothing, even homes and cars.  Do we measure up? Are we good enough?

Good enough for whom?

We are made in the image and likeness of GOD! What more do we need?

Webster's defines idolatry as the immoderate attachment or devotion to something.  In other words, making something or someone (even ourselves) so much more important than they should be.   God wants our hearts.  He doesn't care about the brand name on our backside, or the year, make and model of our vehicle.  He wants our devotion to go to Him from whom all our blessings flow.

Here's an exercise:  name three things to which you are very attached (spouses and children excluded).  Can you live without one or more of these things for one day? One week? One year?  Are you willing to give it a try to see if it is an "immoderate attachment or devotion"?

The new year is coming fast.  I'm trying to come up with the one thing I will give up for the next year.  This year  (well most of it anyway), I decided not to buy any new or used books.  Trust me the desire to buy a book hits more than once a week so this was not an easy task-nor should it be.

In the past,  I've given up chocolate, which to be perfectly honest, I eat (or drink) EVERY day, peanut butter (almost every day) and some other things from which I needed detachment.

I have a few things I could give up this coming year:  Candy Crush, bread, negative thoughts, "spare" time that could be used for prayers.

I challenge you to pick one thing to give up. Pray about it. Trust me, God will show you what it should be!  If you don't think you can make it a whole year, start small; and a day is not too small for all big things start from small things.  This is not a New Year's resolution.  This is a gift to God and to yourself.

If you want to leave a note, I will add you to my prayers;  for courage to stick with your decision and for the growth that always comes with new ways of doing things.  Check back in a few weeks.  I'll leave a note about what God asked me to put aside for a year and then you can pray for me.

Peace.

Ok. Here goes: For 2014 I will be giving up Candy Crush (it was first on my list above for a reason!) This will give me more free time for reading my Bible which I will be reading every day!



www.thatslife12.blogspot.com

Lessons From The Dog Trainer

Our daughter, Erin, has a dog.  Not a bad thing except that I'm not really a pet person, and since Erin still lives at home, the dog lives here, too.  So I guess you could say "we" have a dog.

With 11 people in the house, you can imagine the different ways Mayter has been "raised".  We have learned the hard way that most of them are wrong.

Poor pup is a nervous wreck, (lip licking and yawning) because he doesn't know who's boss.  He barks viciously at some people and some dogs (and all squirrels).  He "christens" one particular niece whom he loves, every time she comes over.

Erin knew something had to be done and so she hired a dog trainer.  This woman is an expert in the field of behavioral training for dogs.  She works with dogs who are one step away from being put down because of their aggressive behavior.  The nice part is she has given us hope that Mayter is rehab-able.

What she taught us, first and foremost is that dogs need to trust and respect the individuals in the "pack" before they will be calm and controlled.  Once they trust and respect, then they can give up control and be led and taught.

Isn't that just like a human?  To whom do we pour out our hearts?  With whom are we vulnerable enough to speak freely about anything?  Only with someone we trust and respect.

How much do we trust and respect God?  Are we so close to Him, because we do our part by making Him the center of our lives, that we run to Him with every joy, sorrow, need, want, praise, thanks, hope?

Not there yet?  Give prayer, true quiet-time, open, honest prayer a try.  God knows everything that is in us anyway.  You can't hide your anger, your guilt, your pain, or your joy, your hopes and your dreams from Him so you may as well offer it to Him in prayer, rather than clinging to it selfishly.

You, too, can be transformed by a little behavioral training.  First learn to trust Him, this will lead to deep respect and before you know it, you will be able to lay everything down before Him and allow Him to lead you. Isn't that the way He wants it?  Isn't that really the way we want it?

Peace!


www.thatslife12.blogspot.com

How's Your Inner Peace?

Have you ever heard the saying, "If you want to make God laugh, make plans"? I know it well and this week has it played out many times and it's only Wednesday.

Last week the kids went back to school. I don't have to drive them this year because our Senior has his license and access to a vehicle.  What a relief!  So, last week went something like this: get up, do my morning routine, pack my gym bag, kiss the kiddos goodbye and head off to Mass and then to the gym.  After my workout, come home, clean a little, read a little, play that darn "Candy Crush" a little.  You know, "me time".

So, come Monday, I was ready for more of the same. I had my gym back packed, Magnificat at the ready, and then my driver came out of his room looking a little green around the gills and told me he was staying home from school.  Ho hum.  Back to last year's routine.  Thankfully I didn't get upset, I just readjusted.  I took the kids to school, went to a different Mass and came home ready to work.  Then I got a phone call from my dear one.  He forgot his glasses; would I please bring them to the office?  Sure thing. {sigh}

Over the weekend I happened to pick up a copy of the book, 'Jesus Calling' by Sarah Young.  On a whim, since I had purchased it to give to someone else, I opened to the page for August 26, Monday.  This is what I read: "Trust me in the midst of a messy day."  I had to laugh.  God knew I needed that.  It went on to say,  "Your inner peace in my Presence need not be shaken by what is going on around you."

Good thing, because next, two of our fleet of vehicles died (thankfully not on the same day), the vacuum died and another child got sick.  Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle? Or, come to Me? Lean on Me?

How often do we let the world and its issues effect our mood, our outlook, our peace?  I could have gotten upset, and maybe next time I will.  This time, however, my peace was not disturbed and God took the time to remind me that I need to be this way all the time, not just on a good mood day.

There are many instances where I could have used this reminder. Sunday night comes to mind.  I was thinking about an issue over which I had no control.  But, not having any control was frustrating me. In the midst of my internal frustration, one of the littles was being very needy, way past bedtime.  I found myself becoming less kind by the minute and so I had to leave the house.

Instead of handing my frustration over to God, and receiving His peace, I let it get to me.  I did the right thing by leaving, so as not to inflict pain on an innocent heart. I fled to the Adoration Chapel, where God refreshed me.  We can't always have it together, but we can always flee to the one who wants to give us His peace.

Every day before my dear one leaves for work he asks, "What can I pray for?"  Ninety percent of the time my answer is peace.  Those prayers are working.  If you find yourself lacking that inner peace, pray for it.   God loves to answer those kind of prayers.

On Confession Part 4

Seeking out a priest to administer the Sacrament.

When choosing a priest for your Confession, especially if it has been a while, the very best advice I can give is to pray.

I was at a Lenten Symposium this weekend and I took advantage of the opportunity to go to Confession.  As I sat in front of the Blessed Sacrament examining my conscience (with the Divine aid of the Holy Spirit...remember I said ask Him and He'll tell you?  I needed a paper and pen), I also prayed for the best priest for me at that moment.  There were four priests available to hear confessions and quite a crowd waiting.   Since I didn't recognize any of the names,  I knew God would have to choose for me.

Earlier in the Symposium, a very holy, young priest was talking about that fact that "on occasion" God gives him the ability to read a person's soul and thus help them to make a much more honest confession.  I thought that would be awesome in that I would know for sure that my confession was complete.

Well, the priest God lead me to appeared able to do that.  I made my confession without mention of my husband or children.   During his advice portion he said to me, "with your husband and your children you have a very full plate.  Make sure to take alone time and pray everyday so that you can be a good wife and mother because you are so busy."  WOW!!

God uses the priest to get His message to us. Do not be afraid.

So, pray.  It may be a priest you already know that you really like.  It may be that you're driving down the road and passing a church and the Holy Spirit says, "turn in here and go to Confession." Or,  you  may be at a conference and be blessed as I was today.

Just do it!

Next up: After Confession

To be continued.

On Confession Part 3

Now that I've discussed why we need Sacramental Confession,  I need to talk about how to prepare for it.

The first part of preparation is knowledge of and sorrow for your sins and contrition. There are two types of contrition and I am going to let the Catechism speak here:

CCC 1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called "perfect" (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.

CCC 1453 The contrition called "imperfect" (or "attrition") is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin's ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.

In order to know your sins you must have knowledge of what God expects of us.  God has given us a blueprint to follow in the Ten Commandments.  Knowing the Commandments is a good way start to living them.  For a list of the Ten Commandments and how to memorize them with relative ease see my post, "Quick, What's the Sixth Commandment?"  (7/26/11)

There are many, many ways to examine your conscience.  Since you can Google search that information I won't list it here.

Find an examination that you like and go through it slowly and carefully.  Get out a piece of paper and write down what you come up with.

Once you've examined your conscience and are contrite you are ready to seek out a priest.

To be continued. . .