On Suffering

I belong to a web based group for women called Blessed Is She (BIS for short).  (Catholic and Christian women reading this post: if you're interested in joining go HERE to check it out.)

So, I belong to this group and on the FaceBook page the women post prayer requests.  There are so many people out there struggling with so many facets of life.

Suffering...

It's all around us.  Sick kids, parents in hospice, no job, not a good enough job, mean people that we have to deal with, broken cars, etc., etc., etc.

While I've had my share of suffering, I have to admit that right now, life is pretty good.

Our vehicles run (I have mine back from the body shop where they replaced the front end and radiator after a run-in with a parking lot curb- not mentioning any names.) The kids and I are healthy for the most part, two have lingering coughs from colds last week.

I work with really nice people since I'm a stay-at-home mom and help take care of my dad and babysit the grandchildren every once in a while.  It's all family and we all love each other.

On my tired days, I sometimes find myself murmuring about one aspect or other of my life that could be different.  I honestly have nothing to complain about.

The Your Morning Offering page that comes to my email daily included these two gems today:

"All the science of the Saints is included in these two things: To do, and to suffer. And whoever has done these two things best, has made himself most saintly."

— Saint Francis de Sales

"By accepting the sufferings ‘offered’ by life and allowed by God for our progress and purification, we spare ourselves much harder ones. We need to develop this kind of realism and, once and for all, stop dreaming of a life without suffering or conflict. That is the life of heaven, not earth. We must take up our cross and follow Christ courageously every day; the bitterness of that cross will sooner or later be transformed into sweetness."

— Fr. Jacques Philippe, p. 49 (from his book Interior Freedom) 

I spend quite a bit of time in prayer.  I find that all this prayer time makes what would be hard suffering for some, not quite as hard for me.  I can give it all to God and He takes it and turns it into something beautiful.

My morning routine is 5:15 wake up, breakfast with morning prayer, go to Mass, take the kids to school, go to stay with my dad so my mom can go to Mass, and then the rest of the day is mine to figure out what to do with. Usual mom stuff for the most part. 

Well in my weakness, while I was driving home from the school this morning, I just wished that I could go straight home and start on stuff that needed to be done here.  I thought about it a bit and showed up as usual to stay with my dad. 

I had a crossword puzzle with me and my phone so I could Scrabble with friends meaning there was no lack of entertainment. There was hot chocolate available and all the food in the house was at hand.  Then it hit me, this is a tiny suffering for me.  Then this move clip popped into my head:

IMGFLIP. (Oliver and Company)

I pray that when the suffering gets harder, I will handle it with grace. 

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  (Phil 4:13)

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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.


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Meeting God in the Quiet

The past year has been a crazy, busy time.

My schedule was way overpacked and God led me to know that I needed to change that.

Despite my busyness, I found time to read (or  mostly listen to) some really great books that lead me to deeper peace and a closer relationship with our Lord.  (List at the end.)

As we roll into summer several items have been taken off my "to do" list:

-The grandchildren have different babysitters.  Grammy gets to be just Grammy.
-Wayne and I have completed year D of Catholic Biblical School of Michigan - graduation is    Thursday.
-The girls will be out of school tomorrow--the driving ends for a little while.
-I am taking a summer vacation from my Thursday morning Faith Sharing group.

I keep asking God what's next but He clearly told me not to pack my schedule again right away.

So now I have time.

Time to:

-write
-read
-do crossword puzzles
-cook dinner for my family
-clean my house
-spend time with the girls while they are on vacation
-take a couple of vacations with Wayne
-take some walks with friends

And, pray.  I hope to spend a lot of time in prayer, at Adoration, and reading my Bible.

Now that Bible School is officially over and I don't have assigned Scripture readings and homework, I have to leave my Bible where I can see it every morning so I remember to take the time to find the chapter(s) that will guide my day.

I need to put aside my crossword puzzles and get to the chapel.  There is very little to keep me from this precious time with the Lord. I have several books to take there with me over the summer months.  In that sacred silence I hope to learn a lot and grow in my faith and become better able to share my faith with my readers and those with whom I come into actual contact.

Looking forward to the quiet and finding God therein.

Book list:

 Read and rereading:

Fr. Jacques Philippe:

In the School of the Holy Spirit. (Read)
Searching for and Maintaining Peace (Read)
Called to Life (Reading) 

Scott Hahn:

The First Society: The Sacrament of Matrimony and the Restoration of the Social Order (Read)
The Forth Cup (Read)
Hail Holy Queen (Reread)
Signs of Life (Reading)

C.S. Lewis:

The Four Loves (Read)
The Great Divorce (Read) 
Reflections on the Psalms (Read) 

Matthew Kelly:

Resisting Happiness (Read)

Dr. Mark Miravalle:

Meet Your Spiritual Father (Read)

Brian Kennelly:

To The Heights: A Novel Based on the Life of Pier Giorgio Frassati (Read)

G.K. Chesterton:

St. Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox (Read) 

Bishop Robert Barron: 

Thomas Aquinas: Spiritual Master (Reading) 


Happy reading! 

St. Teresa of Calcutta is My Hero

My life right now is a series of helping others.

I help my mom with my dad.

I help my own children and husband with everyday things.  A little more difficult when three of those children are far from home and still need mom.

I help my oldest children with their children.

It is my special joy to pour myself out to all these loved ones.  But it is tiring.

On the days when I feel like napping the day away, or hiding in the shower for an extra five minutes, I think of Mother Teresa.

She took care of the sick and dying (as I am doing) for love of Christ.

The most enormous difference is that she did all she did for STRANGERS.

I am surrounded by people I love and who love me back.  That makes the giving so much easier for me.  I get hugs, kisses, texts, and Masses offer for me by all the people I help and comfort.

Mother Teresa cared for people she'd never met before they were brought to her doorstep in tragic condition.

She poured out the love of Christ on these people who she knew would be meeting Him in person very soon.

I am pretty sure that she did not have access to a hot shower at the end of her long days.  I wonder if she (and her Sisters)  even had washing machines to launder all the clothes and sheets and supplies she went through.

Whenever I am tempted to murmur or silently bemoan my long days,  I immediately bring St. Teresa to mind so that I can put my days in their proper perspective.  I have not one single reason to complain about anything.

God is good all the time.  I am His servant as He called me to be and "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Phil 4:13)


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