Psalms 143:10
Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
One of the things that was hardest for me when I truly began to discover my faith was that I had to let go of the idea that I was in control of everything. I had to relinquish that I am not able to make plans that will absolutely take place. I had to let go of my will and allow His will to become my will. Man is that hard to do when you are a type A personality that likes to have all their ducks in a row! I thought I had been doing a pretty good job of this until recently when I realized that I was falling back into that rut of planning out the next 50 years of my life.
This last week, since I have been jolted back to reality that God is the one with the true master plan, I have really been focusing on asking God to help me do His will rather than asking Him to make my will become reality. I realize that I am truly in control only of how I react to what God's will is. Things are going to happen in my life that are both good and bad. I am able to choose to accept them all as God's will or to fight against them and continue to push my own will. I am way to tired to try to fight! Swimming upstream is way harder than going with the current.
Instead I ask that God help me to do His will, accept His will, and understand that there is nothing He will send me that isn't for my greater good. I still ask for things but also am sure to add "if it be Your will".
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Romans 8:28
Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Sometimes making the connection between what we know to be true and what we feel is difficult. I know that God watches over me and my family at all times and that He always has the best of plans for us, even if we may have to trudge through difficult times to get there. Logically I know this. I know His plan is the right plan. I know worry is senseless because He will always take care of me. I know that if something bad happens in my life that it is not the end, it is only a beginning for something better and greater. In my mind, I know these things.
So why is it that my heart still aches with worry? Not always, not mostly, but, well at least for today. For some reason, today, I am wrought with worry and concern for my unborn child. I have no new information. I don't know what the genetic test says, I haven't had any more ultrasounds. But as a mother, carrying a helpless growing child, I am worried. I want him to have the best life possible. I want him to be able to run around with our other kids. I want him to be able to add to the chaos at dinner and hear his cries in the middle of the night. I want to laugh when he is silly and frown when he is naughty. I want so desperately to know that he is going to be ok.
I have been fine all week really. I have put my faith in God and prayed and called on those I know to pray. I know that all I can do for him right now is pray and have faith in God's plan for him. But for some reason, today, I am overcome with worry and despite my prayers and devotion to the faith, can't seem to shake this worry out of my heart. It's funny I suppose. My husband and I are open to a large family, hopeful really. Having lost babies in the past, I have left my heart open to however many children God is willing to bless us with. When we found out we were expecting, we were overjoyed, even though the timing wasn't what we considered great, being right after my husband lost his job and was just starting a new one. I had faith that God would provide for this new little bundle.
But, we both laugh at how much work our boys are and we would talk about how nice a little girl would be. A little bit more of that calm energy in the house would be a good thing. But now, just hoping he will be ok, I see how silly it is to hope for a specific gender. I would gladly take a hundred more boys if they would all be healthy. I know that God has already taught me something in this last week since the ultrasound. I know he has helped me grow in my prayer life and in the faith. He has shown me that in my times of sorrow, worry, and frustration, that I cling more to my faith than I ever could have imagined. For that, I am thankful.
Those of you reading, I humbly ask that you put my son into your prayers. I know God is good and that there is no miracle to large for Him to accomplish.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Sometimes making the connection between what we know to be true and what we feel is difficult. I know that God watches over me and my family at all times and that He always has the best of plans for us, even if we may have to trudge through difficult times to get there. Logically I know this. I know His plan is the right plan. I know worry is senseless because He will always take care of me. I know that if something bad happens in my life that it is not the end, it is only a beginning for something better and greater. In my mind, I know these things.
So why is it that my heart still aches with worry? Not always, not mostly, but, well at least for today. For some reason, today, I am wrought with worry and concern for my unborn child. I have no new information. I don't know what the genetic test says, I haven't had any more ultrasounds. But as a mother, carrying a helpless growing child, I am worried. I want him to have the best life possible. I want him to be able to run around with our other kids. I want him to be able to add to the chaos at dinner and hear his cries in the middle of the night. I want to laugh when he is silly and frown when he is naughty. I want so desperately to know that he is going to be ok.
I have been fine all week really. I have put my faith in God and prayed and called on those I know to pray. I know that all I can do for him right now is pray and have faith in God's plan for him. But for some reason, today, I am overcome with worry and despite my prayers and devotion to the faith, can't seem to shake this worry out of my heart. It's funny I suppose. My husband and I are open to a large family, hopeful really. Having lost babies in the past, I have left my heart open to however many children God is willing to bless us with. When we found out we were expecting, we were overjoyed, even though the timing wasn't what we considered great, being right after my husband lost his job and was just starting a new one. I had faith that God would provide for this new little bundle.
But, we both laugh at how much work our boys are and we would talk about how nice a little girl would be. A little bit more of that calm energy in the house would be a good thing. But now, just hoping he will be ok, I see how silly it is to hope for a specific gender. I would gladly take a hundred more boys if they would all be healthy. I know that God has already taught me something in this last week since the ultrasound. I know he has helped me grow in my prayer life and in the faith. He has shown me that in my times of sorrow, worry, and frustration, that I cling more to my faith than I ever could have imagined. For that, I am thankful.
Those of you reading, I humbly ask that you put my son into your prayers. I know God is good and that there is no miracle to large for Him to accomplish.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Hebrews 7:25
Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Lately, having received concerning news from the ultrasound dr, it has become more and more clear what is truly important. Not that I didn't know before, but it's funny how you worry only about the things that are truly necessary after receiving bad news. I'm a daydreamer, always have been, and it's not that I long for anything, but I do daydream about what life would be like if.....I'm very happy how life is right now, but it hasn't stopped me from daydreaming.
Now, I see how silly those daydreams really are. Why sit around amusing my brain with different "what if" scenarios when I have concrete things going on right now to concern my thoughts with. I put little concern into the material things in my life, but that doesn't mean that I don't sometimes day dream about what if I had more. I could care less to imagine my life with more things, more money, less financial difficulty.
I can't say I'll never daydream again, but I do know that I really get no pleasure from doing it and it does nothing for my relationship with God. Even though I know I don't long for more, it would appear to Him that I do, if I'm willing to spend my time wasting away in a daydream. There is very little that matters to me. My faith and relationship with God, first and foremost. My family and loved ones. Spreading the word of God and his glorious message to others. Other than that, what else matters? With Him I can do anything. I will never want. I will always be taken care of. Even if the outcomes aren't always what I had "daydreamed" of. His plan is better. And He has already shown me that out of great sadness/disappointment comes great joy.
I trust in Him. I want to be closer to Him every day and am working hard to improve all aspects of my faith life so that I can be as open to Him as humanly possible so that I can spend my forever in eternal bliss. I guess the next bad habit I will have to tackle is my talent to worry. There should be no worry in this life with Him. I'll be working on that, but at least I've been able to kick my daydreaming to the curb!
P.S. A special thank you to Relevant Radio and Drew Mariani for reading my email of intention for the praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The fact that he chose my email out of the numerous emails he receives each day was touching. I felt blessed knowing everyone listening was praying for our little baby and could not hold in my emotion even after the praying of the chaplet had finished. Thank you!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Lately, having received concerning news from the ultrasound dr, it has become more and more clear what is truly important. Not that I didn't know before, but it's funny how you worry only about the things that are truly necessary after receiving bad news. I'm a daydreamer, always have been, and it's not that I long for anything, but I do daydream about what life would be like if.....I'm very happy how life is right now, but it hasn't stopped me from daydreaming.
Now, I see how silly those daydreams really are. Why sit around amusing my brain with different "what if" scenarios when I have concrete things going on right now to concern my thoughts with. I put little concern into the material things in my life, but that doesn't mean that I don't sometimes day dream about what if I had more. I could care less to imagine my life with more things, more money, less financial difficulty.
I can't say I'll never daydream again, but I do know that I really get no pleasure from doing it and it does nothing for my relationship with God. Even though I know I don't long for more, it would appear to Him that I do, if I'm willing to spend my time wasting away in a daydream. There is very little that matters to me. My faith and relationship with God, first and foremost. My family and loved ones. Spreading the word of God and his glorious message to others. Other than that, what else matters? With Him I can do anything. I will never want. I will always be taken care of. Even if the outcomes aren't always what I had "daydreamed" of. His plan is better. And He has already shown me that out of great sadness/disappointment comes great joy.
I trust in Him. I want to be closer to Him every day and am working hard to improve all aspects of my faith life so that I can be as open to Him as humanly possible so that I can spend my forever in eternal bliss. I guess the next bad habit I will have to tackle is my talent to worry. There should be no worry in this life with Him. I'll be working on that, but at least I've been able to kick my daydreaming to the curb!
P.S. A special thank you to Relevant Radio and Drew Mariani for reading my email of intention for the praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The fact that he chose my email out of the numerous emails he receives each day was touching. I felt blessed knowing everyone listening was praying for our little baby and could not hold in my emotion even after the praying of the chaplet had finished. Thank you!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Psalms 130:5
Psalms 130:5
I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope.
Hope. I love that word. It tells us that anything is possible as long as we maintain our faith. Hope is what gets us through each day, the easy ones and the difficult ones. Hope is what keeps our spirits up when facing a seemingly uphill climb. It keeps us optimistic about the future. Hope is what draws us to our faith, to mass, to confession, to prayer. Hope is what keeps us believing that this life is not the end but that eternal life is the goal.
Without hope, what a sad, pitiful world we would live in. I can't even imagine a life without hope. I can only try to instill in my children this beautiful word, hope. I want them to know that there is always hope, no matter how dark. No matter how far we may have fallen away from our faith, from our path, from our core beliefs. Hope is always there, waiting to be let into our hearts. God always has hope for us, His children, that we will drop our selfish ways and choose to live the way that He implores us to. And we too, should maintain the hope that God will always be there for us when we are ready to accept His call.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope.
Hope. I love that word. It tells us that anything is possible as long as we maintain our faith. Hope is what gets us through each day, the easy ones and the difficult ones. Hope is what keeps our spirits up when facing a seemingly uphill climb. It keeps us optimistic about the future. Hope is what draws us to our faith, to mass, to confession, to prayer. Hope is what keeps us believing that this life is not the end but that eternal life is the goal.
Without hope, what a sad, pitiful world we would live in. I can't even imagine a life without hope. I can only try to instill in my children this beautiful word, hope. I want them to know that there is always hope, no matter how dark. No matter how far we may have fallen away from our faith, from our path, from our core beliefs. Hope is always there, waiting to be let into our hearts. God always has hope for us, His children, that we will drop our selfish ways and choose to live the way that He implores us to. And we too, should maintain the hope that God will always be there for us when we are ready to accept His call.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Monday, March 10, 2014
Ephesians 1:7
Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
Lent is such a great time in the liturgical year. It reminds us of that ever uncomfortable sacrament of confession. You know, it's that sacrament that you have to choose to do, on your own time, on a weekend day, during which you could be doing something far less awkward, humbling and embarrassing. It's the one sacrament that reminds us of how imperfect we are and how much we need His grace in our lives in order to reach a life eternal. It's the one sacrament that is easiest to sweep under the rug and say we will make time for next weekend.
Confession is also the one sacrament that allows us to fully let Jesus into our hearts, ask His forgiveness and receive it. It brings us back to the truth that we are all flawed and He knows that, and He still loves us and wants us to be with Him when this life is over. Every time I leave confession, I feel lighter, more optimistic and ready to be a more perfect version of myself that God wants me to be. I also look at others in my life with less judgment and more understanding, having just acknowledged all of my own short comings.
I once became frustrated that I felt I was having difficulties with the same things and needing to confess the same things over and over. I asked a priest if this meant that I wasn't really changing and he told me that God understands when we come and confess that we have true remorse and a desire to change. He also knows that change doesn't happen overnight, it takes time. And as long as I was truly trying to better myself and avoid these same pit falls, God would be willing to forgive me when I slipped up.
I often wish that non-Catholics understood the sacrament of confession better. I feel angry and frustrated every time I hear someone say how ridiculous the act of confession is. "Well, I can just do whatever I want, confess, be forgiven, and then go right back to doing the same thing all over again. What a joke!" Uuuuggghhhh! I want to explain to everyone what it truly means to confess your sins, how intent and true remorse play into a confession and being absolved. I do my best to give a polite explanation that doesn't go "too deep", but I know that these people often aren't interested in what this sacrament really means. It's too bad though. What a beautiful world this would be if we would all humbly bring ourselves to God and acknowledge our imperfectness and beg for His forgiveness....
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
Lent is such a great time in the liturgical year. It reminds us of that ever uncomfortable sacrament of confession. You know, it's that sacrament that you have to choose to do, on your own time, on a weekend day, during which you could be doing something far less awkward, humbling and embarrassing. It's the one sacrament that reminds us of how imperfect we are and how much we need His grace in our lives in order to reach a life eternal. It's the one sacrament that is easiest to sweep under the rug and say we will make time for next weekend.
Confession is also the one sacrament that allows us to fully let Jesus into our hearts, ask His forgiveness and receive it. It brings us back to the truth that we are all flawed and He knows that, and He still loves us and wants us to be with Him when this life is over. Every time I leave confession, I feel lighter, more optimistic and ready to be a more perfect version of myself that God wants me to be. I also look at others in my life with less judgment and more understanding, having just acknowledged all of my own short comings.
I once became frustrated that I felt I was having difficulties with the same things and needing to confess the same things over and over. I asked a priest if this meant that I wasn't really changing and he told me that God understands when we come and confess that we have true remorse and a desire to change. He also knows that change doesn't happen overnight, it takes time. And as long as I was truly trying to better myself and avoid these same pit falls, God would be willing to forgive me when I slipped up.
I often wish that non-Catholics understood the sacrament of confession better. I feel angry and frustrated every time I hear someone say how ridiculous the act of confession is. "Well, I can just do whatever I want, confess, be forgiven, and then go right back to doing the same thing all over again. What a joke!" Uuuuggghhhh! I want to explain to everyone what it truly means to confess your sins, how intent and true remorse play into a confession and being absolved. I do my best to give a polite explanation that doesn't go "too deep", but I know that these people often aren't interested in what this sacrament really means. It's too bad though. What a beautiful world this would be if we would all humbly bring ourselves to God and acknowledge our imperfectness and beg for His forgiveness....
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Psalms 100:4, 5
Psalms 100:4, 5
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.
There is always something to be thankful for. While I was lying in the dr's office having my ultrasound last week, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by how blessed we are to be having another baby! My three year old and one year old were being incredibly difficult but all I saw was that little baby on the screen, that amazing little heart beating so fast. I got up from the table I was lying down on and got ready to go, expecting a routine conversation with the dr about the ultrasound. Instead she hit me with some concerns and my heart dropped into my stomach.
My husband became emotional and sick but I immediately went into "mommy" mode. What do all these things mean for today, tomorrow, and the long term? What can we do now? What is our next step? I immediately thought, not about how upset I was that there might be a very serious problem, but that I am so blessed. I can't explain how or why, but I thought about how blessed I am to have four beautiful children and that this baby is a blessing no matter what!
After focusing on the medical aspects of the situation, I immediately began contacting those I know who are strong in the faith for their prayers and advice. I got some wonderful advice! I was told about different saints to pray to, medals to have blessed, services to attend, prayers to begin, etc. Again, I feel that God is good! He is leading me to a more spiritual life and helping my prayer life grow. This will forever change me, in a positive way. I have already grown and will continue to do so. I pray that God heals His son but also that if it is not His will to heal, that He help me to accept His will and always be thankful and see the positive.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.
There is always something to be thankful for. While I was lying in the dr's office having my ultrasound last week, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by how blessed we are to be having another baby! My three year old and one year old were being incredibly difficult but all I saw was that little baby on the screen, that amazing little heart beating so fast. I got up from the table I was lying down on and got ready to go, expecting a routine conversation with the dr about the ultrasound. Instead she hit me with some concerns and my heart dropped into my stomach.
My husband became emotional and sick but I immediately went into "mommy" mode. What do all these things mean for today, tomorrow, and the long term? What can we do now? What is our next step? I immediately thought, not about how upset I was that there might be a very serious problem, but that I am so blessed. I can't explain how or why, but I thought about how blessed I am to have four beautiful children and that this baby is a blessing no matter what!
After focusing on the medical aspects of the situation, I immediately began contacting those I know who are strong in the faith for their prayers and advice. I got some wonderful advice! I was told about different saints to pray to, medals to have blessed, services to attend, prayers to begin, etc. Again, I feel that God is good! He is leading me to a more spiritual life and helping my prayer life grow. This will forever change me, in a positive way. I have already grown and will continue to do so. I pray that God heals His son but also that if it is not His will to heal, that He help me to accept His will and always be thankful and see the positive.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Saturday, March 8, 2014
James 1:13, 14
James 1:13, 14
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
I think that I am guilty of this, thinking that God is the one tempting me and seeing how I react but truly I know that the devil would be the only one with something to gain by tempting me. Maybe we place the blame on God because we don't want to believe that there is such evil out there, trying to bring us over to his side often. Maybe we want to place the blame on God because then we can complain about our God. Maybe we blame God because it is hard to comprehend how much He truly loves us and we find it hard to believe that He, in no way, would ever want to see us fail.
Whatever the reason, it is important for us to keep in mind that God may test our faith with some of the difficulties we face throughout our lives but that only the devil would tempt us to turn away from Him. It reminds me of my four year old. No matter what decision he makes, it is always someone else's fault. If he chooses to throw a toy across the room, it is because we made him mad. If he hits someone, it is because that person made him upset enough to hit. If he gets a time out it is because we gave him one for no reason.
My son is plenty willing to take credit for a job well done however. If I help him clean his room and then praise him for helping he will say something like, "Well, I just really wanted to have a clean room so I decided to clean it all up." Children are rather self absorbed, that is just part of childhood but don't we often treat our relationship with God in the same way? When something bad happens it is His fault, He "let" this happen to us. He allowed a bad thing into our lives rather than us taking responsibility for giving into the temptation in front of us and inviting this "bad" thing into our lives.
When we achieve successes in life, are we quick to take the credit, or do we say, "By the grace of God" I was able to achieve this. Do we give the glory to Him or do we take it for ourselves? Do we acknowledge that it is God who gives us the gifts, the vision, the drive, etc., to reach our goals? People were surprised that Matthew McConaughey thanked God in his Oscars acceptance speech but I am truly shocked by anyone who doesn't thank God. God is the one who makes all things possible.
Now some of you might be saying that there are bad things that happen in our life that are not due to giving in to temptation such as illness, job loss, extreme weather, etc. Certainly we didn't invite these bad things into our life, they were put there by God, right? Well, I suppose that is one way to look at it. I guess I look at it as "life happens" and everything that occurs in our life is meant to help us grow in some way. When I had three miscarriages in 12 months, I was angry at God, couldn't believe that someone who loves me would allow such misery to creep into my life. But think about your own children. Is there ever a time that you know they are about to encounter something unpleasant but you allow them to continue because you know that the only way they will learn and grow as a person is by experiencing it? Well, I believe that to be true for us as well. God could shelter us from every bad thing in life but He knows that we would never be able to grow and learn and improve as people.
Because of such a bad time in my life, I found my faith in God. I have a solid marriage. I know that there is good that comes from bad. I know that God never abandons me. I am again facing some difficulties, the drs. have some concerns with the little boy I am carrying, and all I can do is lean on my faith. And I have to trust that God is going to heal this little boy or that if He doesn't that there is a purpose, something to be gained and learned, from that too. The devil wants me to doubt Him. I can feel him tempting me every day to not have faith, to think the worst, to curl up in my bed and cry. But I am working very hard on turning more to my faith than I ever have before and by the grace of God, I will achieve success.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
I think that I am guilty of this, thinking that God is the one tempting me and seeing how I react but truly I know that the devil would be the only one with something to gain by tempting me. Maybe we place the blame on God because we don't want to believe that there is such evil out there, trying to bring us over to his side often. Maybe we want to place the blame on God because then we can complain about our God. Maybe we blame God because it is hard to comprehend how much He truly loves us and we find it hard to believe that He, in no way, would ever want to see us fail.
Whatever the reason, it is important for us to keep in mind that God may test our faith with some of the difficulties we face throughout our lives but that only the devil would tempt us to turn away from Him. It reminds me of my four year old. No matter what decision he makes, it is always someone else's fault. If he chooses to throw a toy across the room, it is because we made him mad. If he hits someone, it is because that person made him upset enough to hit. If he gets a time out it is because we gave him one for no reason.
My son is plenty willing to take credit for a job well done however. If I help him clean his room and then praise him for helping he will say something like, "Well, I just really wanted to have a clean room so I decided to clean it all up." Children are rather self absorbed, that is just part of childhood but don't we often treat our relationship with God in the same way? When something bad happens it is His fault, He "let" this happen to us. He allowed a bad thing into our lives rather than us taking responsibility for giving into the temptation in front of us and inviting this "bad" thing into our lives.
When we achieve successes in life, are we quick to take the credit, or do we say, "By the grace of God" I was able to achieve this. Do we give the glory to Him or do we take it for ourselves? Do we acknowledge that it is God who gives us the gifts, the vision, the drive, etc., to reach our goals? People were surprised that Matthew McConaughey thanked God in his Oscars acceptance speech but I am truly shocked by anyone who doesn't thank God. God is the one who makes all things possible.
Now some of you might be saying that there are bad things that happen in our life that are not due to giving in to temptation such as illness, job loss, extreme weather, etc. Certainly we didn't invite these bad things into our life, they were put there by God, right? Well, I suppose that is one way to look at it. I guess I look at it as "life happens" and everything that occurs in our life is meant to help us grow in some way. When I had three miscarriages in 12 months, I was angry at God, couldn't believe that someone who loves me would allow such misery to creep into my life. But think about your own children. Is there ever a time that you know they are about to encounter something unpleasant but you allow them to continue because you know that the only way they will learn and grow as a person is by experiencing it? Well, I believe that to be true for us as well. God could shelter us from every bad thing in life but He knows that we would never be able to grow and learn and improve as people.
Because of such a bad time in my life, I found my faith in God. I have a solid marriage. I know that there is good that comes from bad. I know that God never abandons me. I am again facing some difficulties, the drs. have some concerns with the little boy I am carrying, and all I can do is lean on my faith. And I have to trust that God is going to heal this little boy or that if He doesn't that there is a purpose, something to be gained and learned, from that too. The devil wants me to doubt Him. I can feel him tempting me every day to not have faith, to think the worst, to curl up in my bed and cry. But I am working very hard on turning more to my faith than I ever have before and by the grace of God, I will achieve success.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Friday, December 13, 2013
Psalms 119:10
Psalms 119:10
With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
For those of you who have smart phones, there are so many great apps to help with confession. It's pretty easy to tell when you have committed a mortal sin but those venial sins can be a little tricky. These apps (and also the book Catholicism for Dummies) clarify what some venial sins are that we commit on a rather regular basis. We love our Lord so much but we are human, we all sin, and we all (hopefully) feel remorseful for our sins. Thankfully we have been given the gift of reconciliation and it is this sacrament that brings us back into good graces with our Father. If we truly seek Him, reconciliation is the best way to show our desire to keep His commandments.
I think that reconciliation is the hardest sacrament for us to accept. It is hard to humble ourselves, not just to God but to a priest. Will he judge us? And we want to confess our sins but may hold back out of fear of what the priest will think. I have to admit that reconciliation is something I also struggle with. It is offered once a week and with four kids, being sick, and trying to get things done on the weekend, it is easy to dismiss going. But when I finally gather up the courage to go, I can't explain the lightness I feel when I leave. I know that I am not the only one who feels the same sensation. It is like someone taking a ton of bricks off of my shoulders and (this may be the pregnancy hormones speaking) when I think of the gift God has just given me by forgiving me, I could truly break down and cry.
We ask God to help us to not wander from His commandments. We have to put the work in every day, but we also need to come to Him when we have failed. Go to your Father. Ask Him for His forgiveness with humility and sincerity. You will not only be forgiven, you will feel redeemed and more able to follow His commandments. We may be making the same mistakes over and over despite our best efforts not to, but when we confess this to God, He knows we are trying. He knows our intentions and He will help us overcome that which keeps us from having a good relationship with Him.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
For those of you who have smart phones, there are so many great apps to help with confession. It's pretty easy to tell when you have committed a mortal sin but those venial sins can be a little tricky. These apps (and also the book Catholicism for Dummies) clarify what some venial sins are that we commit on a rather regular basis. We love our Lord so much but we are human, we all sin, and we all (hopefully) feel remorseful for our sins. Thankfully we have been given the gift of reconciliation and it is this sacrament that brings us back into good graces with our Father. If we truly seek Him, reconciliation is the best way to show our desire to keep His commandments.
I think that reconciliation is the hardest sacrament for us to accept. It is hard to humble ourselves, not just to God but to a priest. Will he judge us? And we want to confess our sins but may hold back out of fear of what the priest will think. I have to admit that reconciliation is something I also struggle with. It is offered once a week and with four kids, being sick, and trying to get things done on the weekend, it is easy to dismiss going. But when I finally gather up the courage to go, I can't explain the lightness I feel when I leave. I know that I am not the only one who feels the same sensation. It is like someone taking a ton of bricks off of my shoulders and (this may be the pregnancy hormones speaking) when I think of the gift God has just given me by forgiving me, I could truly break down and cry.
We ask God to help us to not wander from His commandments. We have to put the work in every day, but we also need to come to Him when we have failed. Go to your Father. Ask Him for His forgiveness with humility and sincerity. You will not only be forgiven, you will feel redeemed and more able to follow His commandments. We may be making the same mistakes over and over despite our best efforts not to, but when we confess this to God, He knows we are trying. He knows our intentions and He will help us overcome that which keeps us from having a good relationship with Him.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Psalms 143:10
Psalms 143:10
Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
The power of prayer, I truly believe in the power of prayer. And when we are most lost and most in need of Him, I believe that He will guide us if we open ourselves up to do His will, even if it is not the path we wanted to take. He will always lead us to prosperity and prosperity presents itself in different ways. Our egos often get in the way or maybe it is our fear that blinds us at times. Whatever it is that deters us from carrying out His will, we should pray to overcome it so that we can be closer to Him.
He only wants good things for us. With the tragedy at Sandyhook coming up, it can sometimes be hard to believe this. I remember sitting in my hospital room holding a brand new baby, just hours after giving birth to my fourth child and crying uncontrollably. Maybe it was my hormones but to hear that so many parents had lost their precious children while I was bringing a new one into the world, made little if no sense to me. I felt such sadness for those families, the burden can feel unbearable. I can't imagine how those mothers and fathers felt that day.
I have seen many interviews and videos done by the families of those lost that day, and there is always a common theme. Through the pain, they have realized His presence in their lives more than ever. I watched a video today by one of the parents of a beautiful little girl, and they said throughout the video that their daughter's death, though it brought immense pain, has guided them to a new mission in life and has taught them the power of God. The power He has to bring someone through such tragedy and to bring them to a greater cause. The death of their child is senseless only if they don't use it to help others, raise awareness, or do some greater good.
Out of great suffering comes great good. We have to believe this otherwise suffering would be senseless, suffering would be for nothing. There has to be a greater purpose. He has to be constantly leading us to a greater good, otherwise, what would all this be for? Each day we are doing our best to do His will, because if we aren't, we are doing things for nothing. Jesus suffered greatly, but it was for such a greater good, and He knew that His Father would not have Him suffer in such a way if it wasn't for something that was meaningful, and I can't think of anything more meaningful than saving mankind and giving us the gift of eternal life.
I don't know what everyone's situation is today or what it will be tomorrow, but I implore you to pray to God, that He helps you find the meaning in each day and leads you out of whatever suffering may be hindering you. Believe in the power of prayer and the sureness of His will.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
The power of prayer, I truly believe in the power of prayer. And when we are most lost and most in need of Him, I believe that He will guide us if we open ourselves up to do His will, even if it is not the path we wanted to take. He will always lead us to prosperity and prosperity presents itself in different ways. Our egos often get in the way or maybe it is our fear that blinds us at times. Whatever it is that deters us from carrying out His will, we should pray to overcome it so that we can be closer to Him.
He only wants good things for us. With the tragedy at Sandyhook coming up, it can sometimes be hard to believe this. I remember sitting in my hospital room holding a brand new baby, just hours after giving birth to my fourth child and crying uncontrollably. Maybe it was my hormones but to hear that so many parents had lost their precious children while I was bringing a new one into the world, made little if no sense to me. I felt such sadness for those families, the burden can feel unbearable. I can't imagine how those mothers and fathers felt that day.
I have seen many interviews and videos done by the families of those lost that day, and there is always a common theme. Through the pain, they have realized His presence in their lives more than ever. I watched a video today by one of the parents of a beautiful little girl, and they said throughout the video that their daughter's death, though it brought immense pain, has guided them to a new mission in life and has taught them the power of God. The power He has to bring someone through such tragedy and to bring them to a greater cause. The death of their child is senseless only if they don't use it to help others, raise awareness, or do some greater good.
Out of great suffering comes great good. We have to believe this otherwise suffering would be senseless, suffering would be for nothing. There has to be a greater purpose. He has to be constantly leading us to a greater good, otherwise, what would all this be for? Each day we are doing our best to do His will, because if we aren't, we are doing things for nothing. Jesus suffered greatly, but it was for such a greater good, and He knew that His Father would not have Him suffer in such a way if it wasn't for something that was meaningful, and I can't think of anything more meaningful than saving mankind and giving us the gift of eternal life.
I don't know what everyone's situation is today or what it will be tomorrow, but I implore you to pray to God, that He helps you find the meaning in each day and leads you out of whatever suffering may be hindering you. Believe in the power of prayer and the sureness of His will.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Isaiah 40:8
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
Oh! How true, how true, how true! I think about when I was a kid, especially during those angst filled teenage years, and how everything seemed so permanent. Everything meant the end of the world! Having experience on my side, I realize now how silly things were back then, how temporary and how fleeting!
Jobs will change, friends will come and go, neighbors will move, and children will grow, but God's word will forever be there guiding us through all the changes in our lives. There is nothing more constant or reliable than God's word and His love for us. The scripture is an amazing testament to how much God cares for us, His children. Despite our mistakes, He never gives up trying to help us be reunited with Him in heaven.
Another thing I love about the scripture is that even though the words are thousands of years old, they are still relevant to today! How can that even be possible other than for the grace of God? Look at how many things in our world become practically useless as time goes by. Computers, printers, tvs, vcrs, gaming systems, vehicles, phones, etc. The list goes on. Even a house built ten years ago shows it's datedness. But God's words are not dated. They are for the here and now. They are useful and necessary.
I am always astonished to find that when I am going through a difficult time or have had a trying week, that God's words seem to be reaching out to me at the Mass. How does He know exactly what I need to hear and how does He send it to me so quickly? And how is it that His words can have such meaning to me and then having a completely different yet pertinent meaning for my neighbor? How is it that one passage can reach so many people in their times of need, even though their needs are all different? God is truly amazing, more so than we can even begin to comprehend and I am truly grateful for His words each and every day.
On a side note, I have been feeling pretty sick lately but will get to my blog as much as possible, please forgive my absences!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
Oh! How true, how true, how true! I think about when I was a kid, especially during those angst filled teenage years, and how everything seemed so permanent. Everything meant the end of the world! Having experience on my side, I realize now how silly things were back then, how temporary and how fleeting!
Jobs will change, friends will come and go, neighbors will move, and children will grow, but God's word will forever be there guiding us through all the changes in our lives. There is nothing more constant or reliable than God's word and His love for us. The scripture is an amazing testament to how much God cares for us, His children. Despite our mistakes, He never gives up trying to help us be reunited with Him in heaven.
Another thing I love about the scripture is that even though the words are thousands of years old, they are still relevant to today! How can that even be possible other than for the grace of God? Look at how many things in our world become practically useless as time goes by. Computers, printers, tvs, vcrs, gaming systems, vehicles, phones, etc. The list goes on. Even a house built ten years ago shows it's datedness. But God's words are not dated. They are for the here and now. They are useful and necessary.
I am always astonished to find that when I am going through a difficult time or have had a trying week, that God's words seem to be reaching out to me at the Mass. How does He know exactly what I need to hear and how does He send it to me so quickly? And how is it that His words can have such meaning to me and then having a completely different yet pertinent meaning for my neighbor? How is it that one passage can reach so many people in their times of need, even though their needs are all different? God is truly amazing, more so than we can even begin to comprehend and I am truly grateful for His words each and every day.
On a side note, I have been feeling pretty sick lately but will get to my blog as much as possible, please forgive my absences!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Thursday, December 5, 2013
John 3:36
John 3:36
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
In my journey to enrich my prayer life, I am constantly hearing God through the things within my environment. It's like, "Yes, God, I hear you. I hear you calling me to more prayer." He is so thorough though, making sure that I don't get side tracked or put this on the back burner as is the case with so many things in life. So the other day, while driving to pick up my big kids, I was listening to Relevant Radio and the priest on there tells the listeners about prayer.
He is calling everyone to more prayer. No amount of praying is too much and God answers ALL prayers. What a concept!! He answers ALL PRAYERS! Ok, well I have been praying about something for a while now and I am so excited because the priest said, "God answers all prayers." I start to feel so happy because of course a priest would know, he has a special relationship with God and he passes his wisdom on to us and now he has confirmed to me that GOD ANSWERS ALL PRAYERS!
Good thing I didn't turn the radio off because in the next sentence the priest says, "and sometimes we need to consider that the answer is 'no'". What? So God doesn't always have to say yes?! So I can pray and pray and pray and pray, and sometimes He is going to respond with "No"? Ok, fine, I have to put my relationship with God back into proper perspective now.
We are His children. Now as a mother I know all too well how much children like to ask for things. And I also know that sometimes they ask for things that they want but really don't need or they ask for things that aren't good for them. As much as I would always like to tell my children "yes", I often have to say "no", for their own good.
Well, looking at my relationship with God in this way makes my understanding of how He answers prayer much easier to accept. So I have to consider that even though I am asking Him, He may respond with "yes" or "no" and maybe I need to consider praying for something different. I believe in Him and I believe in His plan. As much as I want God to be listening to me, I need to also be listening to Him, it's eternal life I am striving for after all.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
In my journey to enrich my prayer life, I am constantly hearing God through the things within my environment. It's like, "Yes, God, I hear you. I hear you calling me to more prayer." He is so thorough though, making sure that I don't get side tracked or put this on the back burner as is the case with so many things in life. So the other day, while driving to pick up my big kids, I was listening to Relevant Radio and the priest on there tells the listeners about prayer.
He is calling everyone to more prayer. No amount of praying is too much and God answers ALL prayers. What a concept!! He answers ALL PRAYERS! Ok, well I have been praying about something for a while now and I am so excited because the priest said, "God answers all prayers." I start to feel so happy because of course a priest would know, he has a special relationship with God and he passes his wisdom on to us and now he has confirmed to me that GOD ANSWERS ALL PRAYERS!
Good thing I didn't turn the radio off because in the next sentence the priest says, "and sometimes we need to consider that the answer is 'no'". What? So God doesn't always have to say yes?! So I can pray and pray and pray and pray, and sometimes He is going to respond with "No"? Ok, fine, I have to put my relationship with God back into proper perspective now.
We are His children. Now as a mother I know all too well how much children like to ask for things. And I also know that sometimes they ask for things that they want but really don't need or they ask for things that aren't good for them. As much as I would always like to tell my children "yes", I often have to say "no", for their own good.
Well, looking at my relationship with God in this way makes my understanding of how He answers prayer much easier to accept. So I have to consider that even though I am asking Him, He may respond with "yes" or "no" and maybe I need to consider praying for something different. I believe in Him and I believe in His plan. As much as I want God to be listening to me, I need to also be listening to Him, it's eternal life I am striving for after all.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Colossians 3:17
Colossians 3:17
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
It's so easy to get lost in the day to day. Life is so BUSY! There are always things to worry about, take care of, clean, whatever. Sometimes it can be hard to remember that even those mundane things we do every day can be offered up in His name.
No task is unworthy of being offered up to God. When I am running around with the kids and I can feel the stress building around me, I try to say a quick prayer to God that He helps me through this hiccup in the day. I never want to be "too busy" to be in conversation with God.
If I consider myself too busy to talk to Him then clearly I would be too busy to actually hear him. We have to find some time in every day, no matter how much time that is, to be quiet long enough for God to speak to us. We need to invite Him into our hearts each morning and thank Him for His guidance each night.
I have said before that I am enriching my prayer life and as I was exploring an app that I save all my favorite prayers on, I stumbled upon one that I really love. I'm sure many of you have heard of it but I'll share anyway. It's called a Daily Examination of Conscience using the CPR method.
C-Claim your blessings
It is so important to remember all of the things that we are truly blessed with each day. Health, home, children, jobs, food, heat, whatever. Anything that you are not in need of to me is a blessing. Then of course there are days when specific events or prayers are answered as well.
P-Pinpoint victories and losses
I include things big and small. If my two year old tested my patience and I was able to be cool, calm and collected, that is a victory! If I lost my patience with my spouse, well, that's a loss and something I can pray to God for help with.
R-Renew your loving commitment to Christ
This is my favorite part because it reminds me of what I am working towards each day. Each day is a new day to show God that I am trying to be more like Him and reaffirms that I will not give up on my journey to improve myself in the faith, spread the faith to those around me, and hopefully be a beacon for Him here on earth.
Each day is important and special and there is nothing that occurs or doesn't occur that isn't part of His perfect plan. Our job is to have faith as we go through our days and allow Him to come into our spirits and guide us. Not every day is going to feel special, but every day is special.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
It's so easy to get lost in the day to day. Life is so BUSY! There are always things to worry about, take care of, clean, whatever. Sometimes it can be hard to remember that even those mundane things we do every day can be offered up in His name.
No task is unworthy of being offered up to God. When I am running around with the kids and I can feel the stress building around me, I try to say a quick prayer to God that He helps me through this hiccup in the day. I never want to be "too busy" to be in conversation with God.
If I consider myself too busy to talk to Him then clearly I would be too busy to actually hear him. We have to find some time in every day, no matter how much time that is, to be quiet long enough for God to speak to us. We need to invite Him into our hearts each morning and thank Him for His guidance each night.
I have said before that I am enriching my prayer life and as I was exploring an app that I save all my favorite prayers on, I stumbled upon one that I really love. I'm sure many of you have heard of it but I'll share anyway. It's called a Daily Examination of Conscience using the CPR method.
C-Claim your blessings
It is so important to remember all of the things that we are truly blessed with each day. Health, home, children, jobs, food, heat, whatever. Anything that you are not in need of to me is a blessing. Then of course there are days when specific events or prayers are answered as well.
P-Pinpoint victories and losses
I include things big and small. If my two year old tested my patience and I was able to be cool, calm and collected, that is a victory! If I lost my patience with my spouse, well, that's a loss and something I can pray to God for help with.
R-Renew your loving commitment to Christ
This is my favorite part because it reminds me of what I am working towards each day. Each day is a new day to show God that I am trying to be more like Him and reaffirms that I will not give up on my journey to improve myself in the faith, spread the faith to those around me, and hopefully be a beacon for Him here on earth.
Each day is important and special and there is nothing that occurs or doesn't occur that isn't part of His perfect plan. Our job is to have faith as we go through our days and allow Him to come into our spirits and guide us. Not every day is going to feel special, but every day is special.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
John 16:24
John 16:24
Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
I feel like God is speaking to me (not like that is anything new!) but seeing as I am going through something that is completely out of my control, He knows that I need Him to speak to me more than usual. The feeling of helplessness is difficult to withstand and I know that He is the only one to guide me through.
So I pray. I feel Him calling me to have a stronger prayer life, something I have been trying to do for a while now. It always feels like there is something I am trying to improve when it comes to my faith journey! But seeing as that He is the only one in control over what happens in this particular situation, I know that He wants to enrich my prayer life and I am doing just that.
It helps too that I keep reading and hearing things on the radio asking people to pray more, quiet more, and read more of the scripture. It's like He is trying to reach me through every imaginable outlet. Imagine, even God utilizes the technology around us!
I am specifically working hard in my prayers to include His will and to understand that what I am asking for will be received, even if not in the way I expected to receive it. It is so important for us, as His children, to remember that He never forgets us. He cares about our wants and needs and we will never be forsaken if we keep Him at the center and build our lives around Him.
I have started to begin my day with a prayer, "Dear Lord, I do not know what will happen to me today. I only know that nothing will happen that was not foreseen by You, and directed to any greater good from all eternity. I adore Your holy and unfathomable plans, and submit to them with all my heart for love of You, the Pope, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen."
I say this even before my feet hit the floor so that I remember that everything I do during the day is offered up to Him. I pray for my current situation constantly and it is never far from my mind. Mostly I pray to just have trust in His perfect judgment and plan.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
I feel like God is speaking to me (not like that is anything new!) but seeing as I am going through something that is completely out of my control, He knows that I need Him to speak to me more than usual. The feeling of helplessness is difficult to withstand and I know that He is the only one to guide me through.
So I pray. I feel Him calling me to have a stronger prayer life, something I have been trying to do for a while now. It always feels like there is something I am trying to improve when it comes to my faith journey! But seeing as that He is the only one in control over what happens in this particular situation, I know that He wants to enrich my prayer life and I am doing just that.
It helps too that I keep reading and hearing things on the radio asking people to pray more, quiet more, and read more of the scripture. It's like He is trying to reach me through every imaginable outlet. Imagine, even God utilizes the technology around us!
I am specifically working hard in my prayers to include His will and to understand that what I am asking for will be received, even if not in the way I expected to receive it. It is so important for us, as His children, to remember that He never forgets us. He cares about our wants and needs and we will never be forsaken if we keep Him at the center and build our lives around Him.
I have started to begin my day with a prayer, "Dear Lord, I do not know what will happen to me today. I only know that nothing will happen that was not foreseen by You, and directed to any greater good from all eternity. I adore Your holy and unfathomable plans, and submit to them with all my heart for love of You, the Pope, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen."
I say this even before my feet hit the floor so that I remember that everything I do during the day is offered up to Him. I pray for my current situation constantly and it is never far from my mind. Mostly I pray to just have trust in His perfect judgment and plan.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Monday, December 2, 2013
1 John 5:14, 15
1 John 5:14, 15
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
This is something I have just started to understand, that I can ask God for things or for things to be done, if and only if it be according to His will. I used to pray a lot for the things I wanted or needed and then was disappointed if my prayers were not answered. I didn't take into account that His will need always be done and that His timeline is perfect and that He never makes mistakes.
So now I try to pray in a manner that always includes the phrase, "if it be your will God" or "Your will be done". I am working hard on letting go the idea of my will be done and understand that God always knows what we need and sometimes we might pray for things that He knows are not really what we need. Even if we can't always see God working, we know that God is working.
Continue to send up your prayers to Him and trust in His will over your own. It is hard because our humanness causes us to long and yearn for things but if we continue to pray and trust, we will be rewarded and His divine plan will always be fulfilling.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
This is something I have just started to understand, that I can ask God for things or for things to be done, if and only if it be according to His will. I used to pray a lot for the things I wanted or needed and then was disappointed if my prayers were not answered. I didn't take into account that His will need always be done and that His timeline is perfect and that He never makes mistakes.
So now I try to pray in a manner that always includes the phrase, "if it be your will God" or "Your will be done". I am working hard on letting go the idea of my will be done and understand that God always knows what we need and sometimes we might pray for things that He knows are not really what we need. Even if we can't always see God working, we know that God is working.
Continue to send up your prayers to Him and trust in His will over your own. It is hard because our humanness causes us to long and yearn for things but if we continue to pray and trust, we will be rewarded and His divine plan will always be fulfilling.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Friday, November 22, 2013
Psalms 107:1
Psalms 107:1
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, For His loving kindness is everlasting.
Every day is a day for giving thanks. Many times we talk to God because we need something from Him. I think that God must expect that, that's how children are, but when a child tells their father "thank you", it is warming to the heart. How good it must make God feel to hear us, His children, say thank you for all the good He has done in our lives.
In the book I am currently reading, the author writes that (and I'm paraphrasing), "out of great suffering comes great good". She lists many examples but of course the most obvious is that of Jesus. No doubt His passion was a horrible experiences for Him and those who loved Him, but He knew that what would come of His suffering was so great, that the suffering would be worth it. It is hard to be thankful to God in our own times of suffering but if we can just say a small prayer of thanks in acknowledgement that our suffering will bring something greater.
While listening to Relevant Radio last night I heard Monsignor tell a caller that "God doesn't call us to be successful, He calls us to be faithful." That really resonated with me. We think that to please God we have to make all the right choices and excel at that which we are lead to do, but really, the strength of our faith pleases Him most. So, I choose to be thankful, I feel that it is the best way to show God how much I love Him. Not only love Him, trust Him. I am thankful because I trust His judgment over mine. I trust His plan before mine.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, For His loving kindness is everlasting.
Every day is a day for giving thanks. Many times we talk to God because we need something from Him. I think that God must expect that, that's how children are, but when a child tells their father "thank you", it is warming to the heart. How good it must make God feel to hear us, His children, say thank you for all the good He has done in our lives.
In the book I am currently reading, the author writes that (and I'm paraphrasing), "out of great suffering comes great good". She lists many examples but of course the most obvious is that of Jesus. No doubt His passion was a horrible experiences for Him and those who loved Him, but He knew that what would come of His suffering was so great, that the suffering would be worth it. It is hard to be thankful to God in our own times of suffering but if we can just say a small prayer of thanks in acknowledgement that our suffering will bring something greater.
While listening to Relevant Radio last night I heard Monsignor tell a caller that "God doesn't call us to be successful, He calls us to be faithful." That really resonated with me. We think that to please God we have to make all the right choices and excel at that which we are lead to do, but really, the strength of our faith pleases Him most. So, I choose to be thankful, I feel that it is the best way to show God how much I love Him. Not only love Him, trust Him. I am thankful because I trust His judgment over mine. I trust His plan before mine.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Psalms 119:64
Psalms 119:64
The earth is full of Your loving kindness, O Lord; Teach me Your statutes.
One of the wonderful things about mankind is that it seems to me that God created us with a hunger to learn. From the time we come out of the womb, we begin to learn and grow. We learn what our mother looks like and are finally able to match that beautiful voice to a face. Babies learn how to feed themselves within minutes of being born when they are first placed to the breast to nurse.
We continue to learn with each passing day. Small things at first and then our milestones become larger and grander. We learn to walk, potty train, have our first day of school. Can you remember the first time you realized you could read?! We learn simple things that help us become more independent, like tying shoes and zipping our own coats. And we learn some major things that give us more freedom than our parents probably care for, like driving.
We never stop learning. Once we are married and have children, we have a whole new set of things to learn. Each phase of life brings new challenges and new skills to be acquired. Our faith is no different. And just like everything else in our lives, we have to make an independent attempt to learn. We have to seek out that which we do not know and we have to have a desire to learn more. We also have to have the humility to understand that we need our Lord to teach us. The power does not come from within. As children we understand that our grown ups are there to teach us and because our thirst for learning is so strong we gravitate towards those people who want to help us.
Somewhere along the way our pride takes over and we begin to feel that if we can't obtain the knowledge ourselves it is not worth obtaining. We have a strong rejection to being told "what to do". But God wants to teach us, He wants us to learn His ways. And we, as His children, should rush to Him to help us learn. No matter how old my children will be, they will always by my babies. And no matter how old we grow to be, we will always be His children. Let Him teach you, start with things that are small and work your way into those major milestones. And understand that our journey will never be complete until the day He calls us home.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
The earth is full of Your loving kindness, O Lord; Teach me Your statutes.
One of the wonderful things about mankind is that it seems to me that God created us with a hunger to learn. From the time we come out of the womb, we begin to learn and grow. We learn what our mother looks like and are finally able to match that beautiful voice to a face. Babies learn how to feed themselves within minutes of being born when they are first placed to the breast to nurse.
We continue to learn with each passing day. Small things at first and then our milestones become larger and grander. We learn to walk, potty train, have our first day of school. Can you remember the first time you realized you could read?! We learn simple things that help us become more independent, like tying shoes and zipping our own coats. And we learn some major things that give us more freedom than our parents probably care for, like driving.
We never stop learning. Once we are married and have children, we have a whole new set of things to learn. Each phase of life brings new challenges and new skills to be acquired. Our faith is no different. And just like everything else in our lives, we have to make an independent attempt to learn. We have to seek out that which we do not know and we have to have a desire to learn more. We also have to have the humility to understand that we need our Lord to teach us. The power does not come from within. As children we understand that our grown ups are there to teach us and because our thirst for learning is so strong we gravitate towards those people who want to help us.
Somewhere along the way our pride takes over and we begin to feel that if we can't obtain the knowledge ourselves it is not worth obtaining. We have a strong rejection to being told "what to do". But God wants to teach us, He wants us to learn His ways. And we, as His children, should rush to Him to help us learn. No matter how old my children will be, they will always by my babies. And no matter how old we grow to be, we will always be His children. Let Him teach you, start with things that are small and work your way into those major milestones. And understand that our journey will never be complete until the day He calls us home.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Matthew 5:3
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
How blessed we are that God will welcome us into the promised land even if we are not as rich in our faith as He would like us to be. I love how loving and forgiving our God is. This scripture gives me hope. Hope that even if there are times in my life when I am doubting God and His awesome plan for me, that He won't just cast me aside as a sinner unworthy of Him. There is always time to come back.
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples for them to pass on after He was gone. He never wanted us to lose hope. How many times have you gotten down on yourself for making a poor choice and figured, "Well, I've screwed that up so I guess it's never going to happen." It doesn't really matter what the "it" is, in our faith, this is never the case. We can never screw up so badly that God won't welcome us back with open arms.
I know this from my own personal faith journey. I wanted to create my own path, be my own source of grace. I wanted things to go according to my plan and didn't give much thought to what His plan was. I attended church because my husband wanted us to go. I didn't have any particulars feelings about my faith, neither love nor hate, I was simply there. When I lost three pregnancies in 12 months, my indifference turned to hate and I was angry with God. I abandoned my faith because I felt abandoned by Him. My story of return is another post but slowly I returned to the faith, dipping my toe in at first and carefully immersing myself until I was filled with the Holy Spirit.
While I was pregnant with my first son I had what I consider to be first true confession. I cried to the priest and poured out my soul desperate to be forgiven and scared that he would consider me to be a lost cause. That my sins had been to much for God to bear. With his response to my confession, I wept even more. I wept tears of thankfulness that God still loved me and still wanted me in His Church. Father told me my feelings were natural and ok and that God understands. That God is strong enough to handle our angriest feelings.
The parable of the prodigal son proves to us that it is never too late. So if you don't feel like you pleased Him how you wanted to today, don't give up. Tomorrow is a new day and there is time to repent and return to Jesus Christ, our Savior. There is also time for others you know who have walked away from the faith so don't give up on them either. Pray for them! Pray that they hear His voice calling them back and be their gentle reminder that they are never too far away to turn back to the faith.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
How blessed we are that God will welcome us into the promised land even if we are not as rich in our faith as He would like us to be. I love how loving and forgiving our God is. This scripture gives me hope. Hope that even if there are times in my life when I am doubting God and His awesome plan for me, that He won't just cast me aside as a sinner unworthy of Him. There is always time to come back.
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples for them to pass on after He was gone. He never wanted us to lose hope. How many times have you gotten down on yourself for making a poor choice and figured, "Well, I've screwed that up so I guess it's never going to happen." It doesn't really matter what the "it" is, in our faith, this is never the case. We can never screw up so badly that God won't welcome us back with open arms.
I know this from my own personal faith journey. I wanted to create my own path, be my own source of grace. I wanted things to go according to my plan and didn't give much thought to what His plan was. I attended church because my husband wanted us to go. I didn't have any particulars feelings about my faith, neither love nor hate, I was simply there. When I lost three pregnancies in 12 months, my indifference turned to hate and I was angry with God. I abandoned my faith because I felt abandoned by Him. My story of return is another post but slowly I returned to the faith, dipping my toe in at first and carefully immersing myself until I was filled with the Holy Spirit.
While I was pregnant with my first son I had what I consider to be first true confession. I cried to the priest and poured out my soul desperate to be forgiven and scared that he would consider me to be a lost cause. That my sins had been to much for God to bear. With his response to my confession, I wept even more. I wept tears of thankfulness that God still loved me and still wanted me in His Church. Father told me my feelings were natural and ok and that God understands. That God is strong enough to handle our angriest feelings.
The parable of the prodigal son proves to us that it is never too late. So if you don't feel like you pleased Him how you wanted to today, don't give up. Tomorrow is a new day and there is time to repent and return to Jesus Christ, our Savior. There is also time for others you know who have walked away from the faith so don't give up on them either. Pray for them! Pray that they hear His voice calling them back and be their gentle reminder that they are never too far away to turn back to the faith.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Ephesians 3:20, 21
Ephesians 3:20, 21
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
I have to admit, I am a bit of a daydreamer at times. Not because I am unhappy with my current situation but more so because I like to imagine what other amazing things will occur in my life. I like to imagine having more children, what my children will someday grow into and accomplish, my husband and I growing old together. Now, logically I know that He will do greater things in my life than I could ever imagine. I think in my daydreaming, I am offering up to God my excitement to have Him work through me.
I am excited to where He will lead me, scared too, no doubt, but undeniably excited. The best, and worst, part of life is not knowing what more is to come. He is with us every day, with every decision and every failure is a burden He helps us bear, and every success is due to His glory. Funny how we often take on the blame when things go wrong and then give God the glory for things going right. But He is there for all of it, why not let Him share the experiences with us, good and bad. We do not have to carry these woes on our own and He is constantly working from within us.
When we let ourselves go, and I mean, let go of trying to control all the circumstances around ourselves, we open ourselves up to God's grace. We let Him know that we are ready and willing to do His work. Glory be to God that He will always provide us with what we need. We have to let go of what we think we want. With our children, we pass on our love for God and all His great works in an effort to teach our children not to be arrogant. What can be given can be taken but with Him we will never be at a loss.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
I have to admit, I am a bit of a daydreamer at times. Not because I am unhappy with my current situation but more so because I like to imagine what other amazing things will occur in my life. I like to imagine having more children, what my children will someday grow into and accomplish, my husband and I growing old together. Now, logically I know that He will do greater things in my life than I could ever imagine. I think in my daydreaming, I am offering up to God my excitement to have Him work through me.
I am excited to where He will lead me, scared too, no doubt, but undeniably excited. The best, and worst, part of life is not knowing what more is to come. He is with us every day, with every decision and every failure is a burden He helps us bear, and every success is due to His glory. Funny how we often take on the blame when things go wrong and then give God the glory for things going right. But He is there for all of it, why not let Him share the experiences with us, good and bad. We do not have to carry these woes on our own and He is constantly working from within us.
When we let ourselves go, and I mean, let go of trying to control all the circumstances around ourselves, we open ourselves up to God's grace. We let Him know that we are ready and willing to do His work. Glory be to God that He will always provide us with what we need. We have to let go of what we think we want. With our children, we pass on our love for God and all His great works in an effort to teach our children not to be arrogant. What can be given can be taken but with Him we will never be at a loss.
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Monday, November 18, 2013
Hebrews 11:6
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
I just watched an interview with one of the greatest Green Bay Packers and NFL players of all time, Brett Favre. Besides talking about football, he said something that I found very relevant to this scripture. "I don't just want to be remembered as a football player......Without two people, I wouldn't be here, I would be dead......Those people are Jesus Christ and Deanna (his wife)."
Isn't that true for all of us? That without Jesus Christ, our Father, and the Holy Spirit, that we would all cease to exist? He is the reason life is possible. The reason life is possible after death as well. What a sad existence to think that we would be walking around living our lives and then dying without the possibility of eternal life. I can't fathom the concept....
I guess that's what keeps you going when the days are tough, when times are bad, when tragedy strikes. He keeps us going, even when we would rather give up. Before I found my faith, I was so angry when things did not go as planned. Hopelessness was easy to fall into when facing difficulties. And forget about a light at the end of the tunnel, I was in a cave.
We have to do more than just believe in Him though, we have to seek Him. We have to learn about our faith through communities, literature, radio, etc. We have to go to church. The mass is a gift that He gave to us to receive Him, not His words, HIM. Can you believe that?! He becomes a part of us every time we go to the mass! We must pray to him, formally and informally. Don't be afraid to have a conversation with God. He is always listening. We have to trust in Him. We surrender to His will. The hardest thing to do, trust that He will lead you. Trust that He knows better than you.
All we need in this life to make it to the eternal life is the Trinity. Faith, family, friends, everybody else. Don't mis-prioritize your life. He will reward you!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
And without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
I just watched an interview with one of the greatest Green Bay Packers and NFL players of all time, Brett Favre. Besides talking about football, he said something that I found very relevant to this scripture. "I don't just want to be remembered as a football player......Without two people, I wouldn't be here, I would be dead......Those people are Jesus Christ and Deanna (his wife)."
Isn't that true for all of us? That without Jesus Christ, our Father, and the Holy Spirit, that we would all cease to exist? He is the reason life is possible. The reason life is possible after death as well. What a sad existence to think that we would be walking around living our lives and then dying without the possibility of eternal life. I can't fathom the concept....
I guess that's what keeps you going when the days are tough, when times are bad, when tragedy strikes. He keeps us going, even when we would rather give up. Before I found my faith, I was so angry when things did not go as planned. Hopelessness was easy to fall into when facing difficulties. And forget about a light at the end of the tunnel, I was in a cave.
We have to do more than just believe in Him though, we have to seek Him. We have to learn about our faith through communities, literature, radio, etc. We have to go to church. The mass is a gift that He gave to us to receive Him, not His words, HIM. Can you believe that?! He becomes a part of us every time we go to the mass! We must pray to him, formally and informally. Don't be afraid to have a conversation with God. He is always listening. We have to trust in Him. We surrender to His will. The hardest thing to do, trust that He will lead you. Trust that He knows better than you.
All we need in this life to make it to the eternal life is the Trinity. Faith, family, friends, everybody else. Don't mis-prioritize your life. He will reward you!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
Sunday, November 17, 2013
1 Corinthians 2:9
1 Corinthians 2:9
but just as it is written, "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."
Heaven! There are things we can't even fathom about heaven. We all have an idea of what heaven is. What it looks like, smells like, sounds like, feels like. We talk about what we will finally be able to do, like golf for a person who has been restricted by injury, or eat, for those of us who worry about calories. We talk about who we will see again, those who have passed before us. And we know, not assume, but KNOW that heaven will be everything and anything we could ever imagine it to be.
But now ponder this.....there are things about heaven, or heaven itself, that we can't even begin to imagine, fathom, or anticipate. We have not experienced it, we can't talk to anyone who has experienced it, and it is an experience beyond our earthly comprehension. Everything we do, in theory, is in an effort to get there. Imagine what the world would be like if we were consumed with not only making sure we are behaving in a manner that God will welcome us into heaven, but if we also helped our neighbor get there as well!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
but just as it is written, "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."
Heaven! There are things we can't even fathom about heaven. We all have an idea of what heaven is. What it looks like, smells like, sounds like, feels like. We talk about what we will finally be able to do, like golf for a person who has been restricted by injury, or eat, for those of us who worry about calories. We talk about who we will see again, those who have passed before us. And we know, not assume, but KNOW that heaven will be everything and anything we could ever imagine it to be.
But now ponder this.....there are things about heaven, or heaven itself, that we can't even begin to imagine, fathom, or anticipate. We have not experienced it, we can't talk to anyone who has experienced it, and it is an experience beyond our earthly comprehension. Everything we do, in theory, is in an effort to get there. Imagine what the world would be like if we were consumed with not only making sure we are behaving in a manner that God will welcome us into heaven, but if we also helped our neighbor get there as well!
Thanks for reading!
Busy Mommy Blogger
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