Too busy? Pray more!

I used to struggle to get everything accomplished in one day.  I'm sure you know the feeling.  Getting kids washed, dressed and fed before school, after school, cooking healthy meals, getting to work on time yourself, homework...endless homework, extra curricular activities, household shopping, paying bills, and keeping up with family and friends that need your time as well.  It seems there is never enough time in the day for anything, let alone real prayer time, right? St. Francis de Sales said "Everyone of us needs half an hour of prayer every day, except when we are busy—then we need an hour."
As it turns out, he was right.  The more time I've made for God and prayer, the more time I seem to have to get everything done and even have a bit of time to myself to unwind.  It's mathematically impossible,  yet it is my new reality.   When you feel overwhelmed and running out of time, take the time for prayer and you will find you have more than enough time, and strength to be the super you He made you to be.  God bless.

Our Children Need Us to Be Godly Adults

In light of recent violent events I feel a need to say something.   I read a news story that deeply saddened me as a human being, and as a parent. A high school student lost his life due to a bullying conflict.  First, my deepest sympathies to the family and friends and community!
We as adults and parents need to do better.  Ask your kids questions,  lots of them.  Pray with them.  Talk with them, not at them.  Give them a safe place at home to voice their feelings and stressors. Don't  dismiss them as kids nonsense.   Adults across the country listen up!  The hatred and violence among us needs to stop! We are teaching our children to hate, belittle and disrespect anyone that is different or has a difference of opinion.   Enough is enough! Children learn what they see, not what they are told.  Let's change the world by changing our own behavior.  Let's set an example of peace, caring and decency, for the sake of our children, our future.

Let's Not Be Blind

There is a lot of tension in our society here in America right now.  People are arguing left and right, up and down but what the true issue boils down to is humanity.

We need to provide a safe environment in our home country.  What good are we to those seeking asylum if we are no more secure than where they are running from? Ok, we need to be vigilant, but also humane.

We can support our President without agreeing with everything he says and does.  No matter whom is President, none of us will agree with everything he or she does.  That's just a fact. We can also speak up when a policy is inhumane.  Many of us are thrilled President Trump is bringing God back to American lives.  Many of us are not.

There is something that we all need to come together on, no matter which side of the fence you're on.

First, let's get something straight here.  Many of those trying to enter our country from the Mexico border are NOT doing it illegally.  They are requesting asylum. That is not illegal.  So then, tell me why their children are ripped from their arms and thrown into detention centers.  I don't care if it were like the Waldorf! This is an outright attack against the family.

Revelation talks about the last war being against the family.  Well here we are! Whether the attack is on your personal family through divorce, or a group of people seeking safety and a chance at a better life for their children, we need to be outraged.  We need to speak up loud and clear.  Just picture for a moment your own children, taken from you, put into the "care" of strangers, scary looking strangers, with big guns, speaking a language you don't fully  understand ...if at all! Can you see it? Picture them, crying and absolutely terrified! Picture them missing you and you not being able to give them any comfort!

Now that you see your children there...how do you feel? And don't say they broke the law.  I'm not talking about major law breakers.  I'm talking about you.  I'm talking about me.  What if our home was unsafe and we knocked on our neighbors door seeking help and compassion, but instead they threw you into a car and drove you away, but not before taking your children and tossing them in the cellar?

This is NOT OKAY! This is NOT OF GOD!  We have to do better!

You Are Exactly Where God Wants You

I work a job I don't particularly love.  I want to be doing something truly meaningful.  I want to somehow make a real impact on society.  I'm sure many of you feel just like that.

When I first began this job I met a woman.  Her current life situation paralleled a part of my life that had since passed.  I couldn't believe the similarities! She was at a crossroads and confided in me....a stranger really.  I felt compelled to tell her my story and the regret I feel every day for the choice I made.  I hoped it would help her avoid making the same sad choice.  It's been a year and so far she has taken my story to heart and has done the opposite.   I believe that was God.  He took my mistake and turned it into a blessing for someone else.

Today, over a year later, I met a man at work.  He asked about my daughter and told me about his children.   Somehow in the brief conversation he said "You must be a Catholic!". He said he can see it in my love for others. He then confessed that he and his  family had not been to church in awhile.  He said they believe, but that it wasn't something they felt they had to do regularly because they celebrate the saints feast days and attend for major holidays.  I immediately -- without thinking, asked him a very serious question.  The question was "Don't you want to receive Jesus in the Eucharist?" To which he looked stunned and replied that that's what his parish priest says! I told him his priest was right.  That Jesus is truly present , body and blood, in the Eucharist and that I cannot survive the week in our world without it!   I suggested he Google "Eucharistic Miracles ". He promised he would.  I pray this is why we met.  I pray that our Lord's message was received.  Will you all pray as well?  I pray you all go to Mass and receive Jesus in the Eucharist each and every week, at a minimum.


I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.  This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.  I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."
John 6:48‭-‬51 ESV

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."  And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you,  for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
Matthew 26:26‭-‬29 ESV

I wish I Had

My arms are too fat. I wish they were more trim and muscular.   My hair is too unruly.  I wish it was more silky and manageable.  I wish I could have parked closer to the event! My legs are tired of walking! I wish I had a different job, a bigger house, more money,  more food, more, more, more.

                                 STOP!
                         Smell your roses.

Someone out there wishes they had arms.  That woman wishes chemo hadn't taken her hair... and her strength.  The young girl bound to a wheelchair wishes she could feel her legs at all.  That father, he wishes..he wishes he had any job to feed his children. And the homeless family wishes they had a home.

There is nothing wrong with working towards goals, but let's not take our blessings for granted.

The Miracle of Reconciliation

So many people carry the burdens of the mistakes they've made, the hurts they've endured, and the trials they have survived— every day, all day.  Many talk with friends about how they feel, some bottle it up in hopes of just forgetting, and some go to therapy. 

Therapy can be helpful; I won't criticize it's positive effects.  I will however, note that therapy can take many, many years to achieve a breakthrough. (And a lot of money!)  What if I told you there was something better, faster and free? What could be better than that?  Well good news!  There is something, and I experienced it first hand for myself last year.  Its effects are so fast, powerful and deep you would think it was magic!  It is the power of God's merciful love through the sacrament of reconciliation.  And I'll tell you with all my heart, there is nothing like it!  

Remember when you were a child and you did something that you knew would really upset your parents?  You did everything you could to hide it from them.  The guilt gnawed at you day in and day out, right?  Like what happens in the children's book A Big Fat Enormous Lie by Marjorie W. Sharmat.  You didn't feel better until you confessed to them what you had done and they of course, forgave you! Oh how relieved you finally were! It felt like a heavy rock was off your shoulders, or a huge ugly monster was no longer sitting on your chest.  You could move forward not thinking of that mistake any more.

That is exactly what the sacrament of reconciliation feels like!  I went through years of therapy off and on in my life.  While I was fortunate to have some wonderful therapists, nothing ever truly felt resolved.  Last year I made my first confession and was absolved of my past trespasses.  I felt....did you hear me?....I FELT Christ's love, mercy, grace and forgiveness flowing through my entire being at the time the priest raised his hand in blessing over me and said the words "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.".  I walked into that confessional in tears, and out 15 minutes later with a smile.  I could begin again with the love of Christ in my soul. I truly recommend it to EVERYONE.  

Cleaning Messes

Calling all parents!

How frustrating is it when you ask your child to clean up their room?  Doesn't it seem as though the mess just gets bigger and bigger every time?  In my house, it drives me mad!  

Our home is a bit cramped and it seems to get tinier and tinier every time my daughter gets even one new toy.  Grrr!  How many times can you tell your child to clean up after an activity before starting the next?   I can't tell you how many times I have cleaned up for her simply because I was tired of yelling, begging and pleading to still only end up with a half done room!  Even then, it wasn't done right.  Mostly, she just shoved as much as she could into a corner after "working on it " all day.  Frustrating right?  

Time and again I found myself angrily redoing her cleaning job so that it will actually be clean.  There had to be a better way I told myself over and over.  While I'm cleaning up her mess, being bitter and yelling at her how I am not the maid, she is just standing there looking at her feet.  This is not the parent I pictured I would be.  I am tired, frustrated and stressed to the max. But this isn't the worst part.  The worst part was seeing the effect my own feelings were having on her.  

It wasn't until I decided to clean out a closet and found myself surrounded by a mess I had created, and feeling overwhelmed at where to start, did I have an epiphany.  If I, an adult with much experience in cleaning and organizing, could feel so overwhelmed and unsure of where to start...my child must feel the same!  

The next time her room got out of hand I decided to say a Hail Mary and offer her my help.  We cleaned out the toy box, made alms giving bags of toys and puzzles, and organized the rest of what she was keeping...together! We even had some fun and laughs.  I didn't yell.  I didn't feel angry.  At the end the room was in order, we had some things to give away to those less fortunate (in the spirit of Lent) and it didn't take up our entire day!  

I started thinking back in my life.  How many messes have I made?  And not just the physical ones.  I mean the ones where maybe instead of saving, I spent and then needed it.  Or how about when you let words you didn't even mean slip out and damage a relationship, because you were angry or feeling hurt?  Every mess I have made, Christ was with me; the gentle, loving Father helping me to clean up the mess.  How many messes has He cleaned up for you?  He is always ready to help us out, even when it's our own fault.  

Thank you Lord for always helping me and giving me this opportunity to learn from you.

Hebrews 13:5-6

"I will never leave you, nor forsake you."  So we can confidently say,  " The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?"