Posted on by Charly

Leaves Were Falling This Morning

“Noooo,” I thought as I stood in my sunroom watching the first fall leaves glide down to the ground.  It is so cliche but; Time Flies!

It is inevitable and I do love the fall it just came so fast this year. Summer was a delightfully exhausting season that now lies in the past. We made many memories that I have begun to hold even more dear as my family continues to grow older at a rate of speed that I can’t always believe.

As I watched those first leaves falling it was just another reminder that time doesn’t slow down. No matter what is going on God holds the universe in existence.  I thank Him for giving us this dependable pattern of seasons.  With all that is constantly changing we can always count on His unchanging love for all He created.

Let us hold life dear and find the blessings in our struggles because like the leaves, we to will come to the end of our season and, unlike the leaves, will move on to eternity.

Photo from Pixabay.com

Posted on by Charly

Eve asked Adam, “Do you love me?”

“Who else?” He replied

The priest we have when we go to the cabin always has a funny story or joke. This weekend was no different. Our large family took up an entire pew at this little church and we tried hard not to be a spectacle, but completely failed. It seems it is inevitable that we get stares and do some entertaining during mass. Not in a disrespectful way but just naturally by having so many children. It seems it should be the one place where we shouldn’t get stares for having a large family. Unfortunately there are not a lot of young families at mass. I wonder if God is asking these missing families, “Do you love me?” I wonder if he is asking the families that are there, “Do you love me enough to share me with others?”  What if we told people about the love Jesus has for them?  If they really understood I don’t think they could stay away, even if they have a gaggle of children to tend to during mass.

I love the rosary almost as much as I love the mass. It gives me a peace that can only be from Jesus. However, I have always struggled with the mystery of the ascension. Why would Jesus leave? I’m sure the apostles struggled with this too.  They must have felt abandoned, lonely, confused, and maybe even unloved. We heard this past Sunday from the gospel of John chapter 14 verse 28; “If you loved me you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the father is greater than I.” We are reminded in this to love Jesus. To rejoice in the fact that He is ascending to heaven. The very place He died to open for us. He has gone to be there with His father who is The Almighty. There is no question about His love for us. He even asks his father to send us an advocate, the Holy Spirit, so that we can be reminded of Jesus’ love for us and not use the fleeting feelings we as humans experience as an excuse to forget what He has taught us.

His love for us cannot be denied, it is our love for Him that falters. So as we prepare to celebrate Pentecost, the great gift of the Holy Spirit,  in just a couple of weeks I will be praying;

“Come Holy Spirit fill me with your love so I can trust in You.  So I can spread your love to others and encourage them boldly to love you back.  So we are all strengthened by your love and have no choice but to live in it and share it.”

 

Posted on by Charly

Gratitude; Part of the Light of Christ

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Until I had Jesus and the church in my life I lived in the shadows. I wasn’t willing to let my guard down and truly enjoy or grieve things. I always kept the thought in my mind that I would be let down so I shouldn’t get my hopes up. I didn’t have a true understanding of trust. I was putting my trust in myself and in other humans, this leads to disappointment.  When I chose to put my trust in God I was shown that He will never disappoint.  I was given the light of gratitude which produces joy, peace, and hope.  I will still experience pain and suffering but I can see past that because of the joy He has blessed me with.   The joy in knowing Him.  The joy in His beautiful creation.  The joy in the promise of eternal life with Him.

Before opening up to God I missed out on a lot of true joy. I didn’t allow Jesus to fully shine in me. I thought I was protecting myself from pain and suffering but I was guarding myself from His blessings.  Experiencing pain without the joy of God holds no hope.  That is what draws me to Christ. The light of hope that can’t be burned out. The peace and the joy He gives that can be shared over and over and never run out.

This  wall around my heart robbed others of joy too. The hugs I held back. The smiles I froze before they crept across my face. The words of praise I swallowed.  The excitement I kept inside. The tears I didn’t shed with another…

There are people I know who can’t hold back their joy. It radiates from them.  They have so much pure joy and peace that even in horrendous situations their eyes still glow with a light that can only be Jesus shining from within them.  He lights the world around them showing them all the good that exists and these joy-filled people are grateful.  They are grateful for every good that they see because they do not drown in the darkness they seek out things to be grateful for.

I think that the light of Christ is flickering in me and I continue to fan it and fuel it in hopes that the rest of that wall will be burned away and I will be able to fully embrace and share His light with others.  It is a gift that each of us can receive from Him and as it burns brighter inside of us it can be a light to others who are looking for peace, joy, and hope.

I have started a gratitude journal. It is amazing how it changes your outlook.  It has become a concrete way of fanning the light of Christ inside me.  Everyday it is a new challenge to find moments to be grateful for.  To seek them out and thank God for them in  prayer.

Here’s a little sample from my gratitude journal:

For new pink rubber boots and the little feet that went into them

For big sister who held hands with the little ones and splashed in spring puddles

For the smell of dinner

For a case of the giggles with my big kids

For the moment we both got up with the baby in the night

 At times the things to be grateful for are so small they may be overlooked if they are not being sought intentionally.  The things to put on the list can be difficult when anger, fear, or doubt are clouding the view and at the same time there is never so dark a day we can’t find something to be grateful for.  Jesus gives thanks at the Last Supper.  He knows what is coming; His betrayal by friends, His arrest, His torture, His crucifixion and yet He gives thanks.  He shows us how to be grateful for all the good that God has blessed us with.  He gives us light to shine in the shadows and encourages us to be grateful.

 

Posted on by Charly · 1 Comment

Love Your Enemies

Love: to will the good of others. It is easy to love those who love us, who are kind to us, who help us, or do things for us. We aren’t asked to do only what is easy though we are told to love our enemies.

Who are our enemies?

People who are out to physically harm us? Yes. However loving them doesn’t mean allowing them to hurt us. It means wanting justice for them. Loving them means wanting them to be healed of their cruelty and set free from it. We are to move past our anger and desire what is best for that person. This is not to say we need to continue a relationship with them. We do need to look out for our safety and protect ourselves from harm.

For the average person the “enemy” might be people in our lives that irritate us. We are called not to just be kind but to love them. They maybe people we have to interact with on a daily basis; co-workers, neighbors, family members. They may make our blood boil and our emotions erupt with anger but we are called to love them. Actually it doesn’t end there. The passage goes on to say “… and do good for them.”

So not only do we have to want good for them we are told to do good for them. It is easy to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless when you don’t know them. What if I knew their political views and their sins before I scooped a warm heap of hot dish onto their plate? What if I knew how they treated their children before I handed over handmade blankets to their shivering bodies? It clearly doesn’t matter we are called to love and act.

It seems to me this is what the command love your enemies is getting at, there are no if, ands, or buts. God calls us to: “Love your enemies and do good for them.” Luke 6:35

Photo from pixabay.com Bible verse from New American Bible Standard Edition 1970

Posted on by Charly

How About Mercy?

How about mercy as a New Years resolution?

Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm (dictionary.com). This sounds simple enough. Most people do not want to harm anyone. Sometimes we just don’t notice that is what we are doing. Sometimes I want my way so badly I don’t realize that I have harmed someone. My smug grunt when I feel something is obviously stupid. My eye roll when I think someone has done something ridiculous. Staring at my phone in the midst of other people sending the message that they don’t matter because I have better things to do. There are truly many ways I harm people every day. It’s on my heart to be more intentional about how I treat others, to be more merciful.

How about every morning we pray that everyone we encounter will be shown God’s mercy through us. Starting with those in our own homes, including ourselves. Reaching out for God’s mercy in our hearts as we interact with friends and strangers around us. Smiling tenderly, making eye contact, and remembering that everyone is made in the image of God. Showing and or asking for God’s mercy in every situation, especially difficult ones.

Digging deeper into my faith on the topic of mercy I came across the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.  What if we use this as a guide for mercy in 2019? The fourteen things Jesus teaches us to do to help our neighbors. Fourteen things in 12 months. Mercy for all those whom we come into contact with in 2019. Think of the effect!

With all the division in our world today we need to look to God for the answer. He gives us the Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments, and tells us none of that matters if we do not put on love. It seems to me when we show mercy we are being loving. As I look at the Works of Mercy I see things I can do that aren’t fluffy and fruitless. These aren’t superficial or self-serving tasks. They are ways to serve our Lord and to bring His mercy to the world He created.

Image of the Divine Mercy from praymorenovenas.com

James 2:13For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

(Biblehub.com/ New American Standard Bible)

May God bless you this 2019!

 

Posted on by Charly

The Gift is a Baby

Merry Christmas!

Yes it is still Christmas even though many have already taken down their decorations and there is not a radio station playing Christmas music any longer. The stores are getting ready for spring now but we continue to celebrate a bit longer taking more than just a day to reflect on the gift of Jesus’ birth.

I had the gift of being nine months pregnant one Christmas. I thankfully got to deliver my baby in a hospital without much fear. I wonder if Mary and Joseph felt fear? My guess is that they did not. How could one feel fear when you are in the very presence of Jesus? Of course I suppose it was possible they did as He was a baby and completely in need of their care. That may have been very stressful.

Whatever they felt I am grateful for Mary’s yes, for Josephs cooperation, and for the ultimate gift of the tiny baby given to all of us from our Father in Heaven. First wrapped in Mary’s womb and then in swaddling clothes. He was laid in a manger, a feed box. Laid there as food for His people. He will sustain us for eternity if we allow Him to.

Continue your celebration of Christmas and may blessings pour down on you and yours!

Posted on by Charly

Joy

This week we are reminded to rejoice. We have a savior and he has already won the battle for us. As we sang “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” this past Sunday at mass I noticed I was not paying much attention until the words “rejoice rejoice” brought a smile to my face as I realized I can have joy no matter what is going on in this crazy world because I have Jesus. It reminded me of a little acrostic that the kids brought home from school. The J is for Jesus. The O is for others. The Y is for yourself.

When I struggle to be joyful in a world full of darkness and despair I remind myself to put Jesus first in my life by engaging in mass, praying, reading the Bible, receiving the sacraments, spending time at adoration, and simply being hopeful in the Lord.

Then I focus on those around me, others. What can I do to help them find joy? Maybe just a smile or a word of encouragement. Maybe I need to cook, bake, or clean for them. Maybe they need to be lifted up in prayer. Maybe I can find joy again by serving others.

Last only because it keeps me humble and not because I am unimportant; is to look inward. To look and see if my needs are being met. Am I getting enough rest, nutritious food, exercise, and enjoyment?

When I am lacking in joy the answer is short and sweet. It is seemingly simple yet can be a daily struggle to keep in perspective:

Jesus

Others

Yourself

Posted on by Charly

Loneliness

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In spite of my unworthiness He; the King of the Universe and Creator of the World chooses me. He allows me to receive His very body and blood and to have a meaningful relationship with Him. This alone should keep me from spells of loneliness. To know that I have the Almighty Father as a guide, a friend, and a savior reminds me that I am never truly alone. Yet sometimes, especially this time of year when the days are short, the air is cold, and life seems frozen in grey tones my feelings can overshadow reason and a sad lonely cloud envelopes me.

I am at the cemetery where my mom is buried staring at a tree. It stands bare and alone on the snowy winter landscape. This tree has all it needs; soil, water, and sunshine yet it looks lonely to me. By design that tree has no feelings. It doesn’t feel left out even though just 100 yards away there is a whole forest of trees that are together. If I were in its spot alone and exposed I would be sad and lonely. It took me a while of staring before I realized that Jesus has felt this too. It seems there is nothing He didn’t feel when He took on human form.  He felt so many terrible feelings during the crucifixion.  I believe loneliness was included, afterall He asked God “Why have you abandoned me?”

I learned long ago in my elementary science class that all animals need to survive is food, water, and shelter. Maybe that is all other species need but as humans we also need meaningful relationships. We have a painful desire deep in their heart to have others around us who truly care for us. That tree may survive and even thrive in its’ lonely spot. The woodland animals nearby can serve their purpose by taking the food, water, and shelter provided to them. Us humans though, we will merely survive with only food, water, and shelter.

Relationships with people can partially fill that loneliness inside of us.  God can fill it completely.  Even though we are not worthy He chooses us, He wants to be with each one of us to care for our needs and bring us into eternity with Him. He provides the people He wants in our lives we just have to notice, take time to see them, and welcome them into our lives. Ironic or maybe so obvious that I don’t even think about it but when the sun shines and it’s a bright beautiful day I don’t feel lonely. Maybe that’s a reminder that like the sun the Son wipes away my loneliness.

Posted on by Charly

Is My Heart Drowsy?

Image result for sleepy heart(Sleepy heart by drawception.com)

Advent is fast approaching.  It is a time to reflect and prepare for the coming of Christ.  We were reminded last weekend that He is our king.  How do we sufficiently prepare for the king of the universe? It sounds quite overwhelming.  I’m sure it’s something like preparing our homes for the Christmas holiday but in a way that bears our true self not just the neat and tidy version.  This coming Sunday we will hear “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life…” Luke 21:34

Carousing and drunkenness do not seem to be issues I struggle with.  Usually when reading this passage of scripture I just skim it over and arrogantly think,  “I don’t become drowsy from those things, so I’m okay.”   I am not a naturally anxious person, even so the anxieties of everyday life can take over my mind. Thank God for this month of Advent to remind me to take a step back and slow down.  Not a time to worry about the perfect gifts to get, the perfect photos for the Christmas card, what we will all wear for Christmas dinner, or the most beautiful Christmas decorations, but a time to pray through each of these “anxieties”.  My trust needs to be in the Lord.

One word caught me off guard as I read this passage.  The word “heart”.  I am somewhat relieved it does not say do not let your eyes become drowsy because I often feel like closing them and catching a nap!  My heart though, what does it mean for it to get drowsy?  I’m sure it isn’t in the sense of it’s beating, as we can not control that.  It could mean in the sense of getting tired of loving.  There are people who are difficult to love.  I need to remind myself that the lord himself loves every human and although I may become irritated or frustrated by them my heart should desire their good.  It is time to prepare my heart for the coming of our king by not allowing it to get drowsy.  So while my focus may seem to be on preparing my home, my children’s gifts, and the annual Christmas letter I need to beware of the state of my heart!

Things to do to protect your heart from drowsiness:

Pray and read the Bible, strengthen your relationship with Jesus.

Receive the sacraments.

See everyone you come in contact with as a child of God.

Seek wisdom and knowledge from people whose faith is strong.

Give time, talent, and treasure.

Share Jesus with others!

Posted on by Charly

His Will

I feel like God is nudging me to get out of my comfy prayer corner and get my hands dirty.  My mind is like a mess of spaghetti, ideas flowing all over and around each other.  I would love to take my family on a mission trip to some far away country.  I would like to head down to the border and help care for the thousands of South American people that are coming to the US.  I would like to go to Minneapolis and help out at Sharing and Caring Hands.  I’d like to serve Him by tutoring the kids and adults.  I’d like to teach CCD. I’d like to take in foster kids.   I’d like to sell all my belongings and just serve people. These are lofty ideas when you have six kids to care for and three businesses to run.  Thank God some people are called to serve in these ways.  As much as I would love to do something huge and impactful like Mother Theresa or Mary Jo Copeland it isn’t what God is calling me to right now.

When I pray about His will in my life I keep hearing Mother Teresa’s words, “Go home and love your family.”  Sometimes I just want an adventure! I know in my heart I am doing important work by supporting and working with my husband and raising our children.  Yet I still feel a call to get out of my comfortable prayer chair and do something.  Maybe He is calling me to be more joyful in the sometimes monotonous duties of raising a family.  This thought makes me think of the Little Flower, St. Terese of Lisieux who never did anything “huge” yet served our Lord with her whole heart.

I was reminded at mass this weekend that Jesus is coming again and we don’t know when. It could be today. It could be tomorrow. I need to be ready. I need to be doing what the Lord wants me to be doing.  For now I will continue to pray for His guidance and  serve my family, the family that God himself has blessed me with.