Don’t Get Mad, Get Glad!

May 24, 2016May 23, 20162 Comments

Some days I’m just so glad I have God. I know that statement should be that ALL days I’m glad to have God – believe me, I am – but some days (you know those kinds of days) the gladness is just that much more opaque. Situations that would have gotten me pretty depressed when I was younger, in the last couple of years, are now just reasons to remind me to think of the blessings I have and that everything will be okay.

Sometimes I find that the more people I’m around, the lonelier I feel. Maybe that’s just my introversion…I don’t really know. But I do know that other people do feel the same way so at least I’m not alone in my loneliness (however that works). It has something to do with not feeling like many people really know me I’m sure. I can count on one hand the number of people I feel like I can talk to, they listen, and they have empathy for what I tell them. They don’t just automatically tell me what to do, or explain how I SHOULD think or feel, or try to down-talk my concerns.

But when I start to dwell (which I am known to do occasionally – but I’m getting better!) on not having anyone to talk to, I now do a little mental forehead slap and say, “but GOD understands!” In my life I’ve looked into Buddhism and Hinduism and random other religions trying to find my niche but they all left me with the same loneliness. Then I came back around to try Christianity again (I’d been raised that way with religious education classes and all but it never hit home for me).

Now, with Christianity, you can’t ever feel alone. Especially if you’re Catholic and have the whole communion of Saints! A God who experienced what it’s like in a puny people body? Terrorized, persecuted, bullied, tortured, love, work, relationships…yeah, I think that God can empathize with what my simple little day is like! God “gets” it so much that we even were gifted the Holy Spirit to get through it all! I mean, how can you not love the Holy Spirit? Seriously, I think Pentecost should be a MUCH bigger celebration than it is. It’s sorta my favorite holiday. Too bad it’s always on a Sunday or else we should really be allowed to take the day off work for it and wear special hats 🙂

So “Paws to Pray” by acknowledging that through faith, we are never alone in our journeys. Never left to flounder without an anchor. God’s presence and unremitting love is with us always – even during our times of snotty grown-up teen angst, blooper moments, and all-out failures. Especially during those times.

I don’t get any kickbacks; this is just how my brain thinks:

Chasing Francis

May 11, 2016May 11, 2016Leave a comment

Chasing Francis: A Pilgram’s Tale,

by Ian Morgan Cron (2013)

I’m generally not a fan of biographies. Which is strange because I love to hear about all the amazing things that happen in people’s real lives – but I don’t like when it feels like a glob of details being thrown at you like a dull history class. So a book like this one is perfect for me. The plot line is fictitious but it pulls in historical facts as it goes.

The main character, Chase Falson, is a pastor who has grown tired of church being a form of superficial entertainment and is longing for something deeper. Off he goes to Italy where he ends-up falling into the steps of St. Francis of Assisi and learning about what it means to have true faith.

It is an entertaining quick read that inspired me to want to learn more about St. Francis which I consider a “win” because I think that means I didn’t really want the story to end!

Living Words

May 8, 2016May 5, 2016Leave a comment

A reading according to the Holy Gospel of John (17:20-26)

Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:
“Holy Father, I pray not only for them,
but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
so that they may all be one,
as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be in us,
that the world may believe that you sent me.
And I have given them the glory you gave me,
so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me,
that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me,
that they may see my glory that you gave me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,
but I know you, and they know that you sent me.
I made known to them your name and I will make it known,
that the love with which you loved me
may be in them and I in them.”

Before you just read and run off (it’s so easy to do on a busy day), take your “paws to pray” on the second line of what Jesus said. He asked that God the Father not only pray for the people present with Him but for those who will hear those people’s words – that through their words, others would know Jesus.

Take a minute or two to meditate while listening to today’s Gospel. Really visualize situations you commonly encounter that you could consciously choose to use words that would have you embody Jesus for others. If we plan ahead of time, it is easier to know the best way to respond in some circumstances that are routine. And then through consistent practice, it becomes more than just a habit but, rather, a part of our character.

Miracle at Higher Grounds Cafe

May 5, 2016May 4, 20162 Comments

Miracle at Higher Grounds Cafe, by Max Lucado with Candace Lee & Eric Newman

This book has angels in it. So it is automatically better than a book without angels. That being said, however, this is a pleasant fictional read with a Christian-based moral foundation. It touches on some topics that are very realistic and effect everyday modern life like divorce, parenting, and the obsession with social connectivity. It’s a light, quick read that, when I had my mother read it, she said, “Mention that it takes a little bit to get ‘into’ the plot but then you can’t put it down!”

“Where I Am Right Now”

May 1, 2016May 2, 2016Leave a comment

“Where I am Right Now” by Jared Anderson

I absolutely love this song. Not only is it a toe-tappin’ tune, but it reminds me of one of my favorite sayings:

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Teddy Roosevelt

Whenever I get too type-A and hard on myself, I remind myself of that quote so I can slow down all the “should” statements bouncing around in my head. Because how can you expect yourself to do more than what you can do? It doesn’t even make sense to think you can! But there are a lot of us that still try to do it on a daily basis.

So the line in the song that goes, “And the enemy tells that lie, That I’m missing out on a better life,” especially hits home for me because if I’m focused on things I can’t even do (the “should” nags), that dialogue definitely isn’t coming from God. Even the small things we do, as long as it is done with great love (paraphrased from Blessed Mother Theresa) are what God asks us to do…big and grandiose makes only for earthly rewards.

The next time that you find you are comparing yourself with the Jones’ take a moment to evaluate your true situation…some days you really can only function at 80% of your absolute best, and that’s okay because it is what where you are at that day. Just make sure that you recognize the difference between avoidance and self-preservation. We all need a break from running at our maximum from time-to-time, however, make sure to identify whether you are doing it to re-energize your mission of serving God or if it is to avoid being a servant of God. As with so many things about faith…it is the intention that is most important.

If you haven’t already, take a moment to be present as you listen to Jared Anderson’s song. Make your “paws to pray” for the day a self-evaluation of where you are right now.

From Novice to Bodybuilder

April 29, 2016May 3, 2016Leave a comment

A 40-Day Spiritual Workout for Catholics by Bob Rice (2013)

I facilitated an at-home spiritual retreat using this book with my church. We started January 1st as a New Year’s Resolution. It was a cute play-on-words since so many people’s New Year’s resolution is to workout for physical health, we were doing it to improve our spiritual health. And since any workout is difficult to maintain without a little motivation, having an accompanying online blog was a wonderful addition. We all really supported each other to keep going for the whole 40 days as well as go more in-depth into the author’s reflections.

I honestly can’t say enough good things about this book! Bob Rice created such a thoughtful progression from day to day that he really did foster a deeper connection to the traditions of the Catholic faith. I kept having so many ah-ha, light bulb moments that it started to get humorous almost. One of the things that can be hard for a lot of people is to move their faith from their heads to their hearts. But, on Day 12, Mr. Rice provided such beautiful imagery of what our reception into Heaven would be like, it provoked very deep emotions for me. The next time I was at Communion, I had a much stronger connection to what I was taking part in. Others in my online group mentioned similar connections throughout.

So whether you are able to read this book as a group (which I HIGHLY recommend) or on your own, I suggest that your spiritual growth is worth the 40 days. I plan on doing another cycle through it, too – since there are always little details that you don’t necessarily pick-up on the first time through a book. Not-to-mention, you are always at a different stage of your spiritual journey, for messages to hit you from another direction. But that’s the fun part that makes religion “alive”!

Paws to Pray

If not now, then when?

Tag: Christian