A Gift in Disguise

Yesterday morning, I was awakened by another migraine.  “Umph!” I thought.  My special diet wasn’t working … yet!  I took medicine, and went back to bed.  When 7:00 rolled around, I felt much better, but still not ready to go to work, so I phoned in and said I’d be late.  At 7:45, still on the upswing, I got myself out of bed and stumbled to the kitchen to get some breakfast.  By this time, everyone else in the family had gone to work or school.  When I sat down in my husband’s easy chair beside the window with my coffee and almond milk, I reached for the remote control to turn on the news.  Something stopped me.

I felt God inviting me to spend some quality time with Him.  I looked sheepishly up at the picture of Jesus hanging above our mantle, and gave a half-smile.  “I’d love to spend some time with you,” I thought.  So I read the morning readings and prayers in my “Magnificat” magazine slowly and pondered them as I looked out into my backyard through the window.  Not surprisingly, the Word of God really spoke to my heart.  The Lord knew that I needed to hear it.  The reading was a continuation on the vine and the branches theme from John’s gospel – saying that if we stay grafted to God, we will not thirst or whither.  Wow, did I feel withered after a couple of weeks of burning the candle at both ends!  I needed to be attached to the Vine once again.

What started out to be a terrible morning, because of the headache, was actually refreshing, because it afforded me a bit of extra time for stillness – to listen to God.  He knows what we need when we need it.  He truly is a loving Father – so kind and so gentle – constantly inviting us into relationship with Him.

“Stealing Jenny” Free

My friend, Ellen, is offering her book, “Stealing Jenny”, a great suspense novel, Free today and tomorrow on Kindle.  Please check out the details on her website at this link.  Happy Reading!

Detoxing

If you struggle with aches and pains on a daily basis, you are not alone.  For the past few years, I’ve been struggling with a myriad of physical “annoyances.”  I’ve pretty much chalked it up to aging.  I’ve had migraines since puberty, but these other little “joys” have cropped up in recent years – things like restless legs when I try to go to sleep, TMJ (clicking in the jaw when I open my mouth) and teeth grinding at night, joint pain, fatigue, and Reynaud’s syndrome in my fingers.

The thing that absolutely put me over the edge, however, was my latest itching spell.   Insane itching will periodically start without rash or warning on my upper arms.  The urge to scratch is overwhelming.   Nothing soothes the itching except ice packs.  Unfortunately, it is difficult to work, or do much of anything holding ice packs on your arms!

A friend of mine recently told me that she was trying a gluten-free diet in an effort to control her migraines.  Last week I had 4 migraines total, along with itch thing.  In utter desperation, I began doing some internet research on autoimmune response/diseases and diet.  Another friend, a nurse, recommended a YouTube video to me.  I watched it and was truly amazed.  Dr. Terry Wahl was diagnosed with MS, and tried all of the  latest medications and treatments.  Still she remained wheelchair bound, until, she decided to try to help herself through a “Paleolithic” style diet – going back to eating simple, preservative free foods like nuts, berries, fresh vegetables, as well as lean meats.   In just three weeks she began walking with one cane.  By five weeks, she was walking unaided.  She believes herself to be cured.

I’m now on day three of an “allergen free” diet.  I’m attempting to detoxify my body, hoping that my symptoms will improve if I treat it more gently.  This means no gluten/wheat products, no lactose/milk products and no artificial preservatives – at least for awhile, until I find out which potential allergen is the culprit.   This has been tough, as I am a bread and milk lover!  I’ve tried almond milk and gluten-free bread for the first time.  They weren’t bad at all.   It does feel good to know that probably for the first time in my life, I’m really paying attention to what I put into my mouth.  It also feels good to know that I’m giving my body the best fuel possible.

I’ve had lots of conversations with God about it all.  Each time I have a migraine, or restless legs, or itch, I try to remember to “offer it up.”  I’ve told Him that I’m willing to suffer for love of Him if that be His Will.  But what if it’s not His Will?  What if I’ve been inadvertently poisoning myself?  I tell you, if this works, my kids and husband are next!   I do plan to work on them this summer when I’m home more, and can prepare fresh food more easily.  My kids love all of the pre packaged, preservative loaded foods.  It’s all they want to pack for school lunches.

I will let you know in several weeks if I’ve been “cured!”  Here’s the link to the amazing YouTube story I told you about.  Enjoy!

Reflection on Today’s Gospel, Sunday, May 6, 2012

Gospel John 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

 

For the past few weeks we’ve been hearing different metaphors for Jesus in John’s gospel.  “I am the Way, I am the Gate, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the Bread of Life…”  I relate to today’s  “I am” statement from Jesus most of all, because I love plants.  I love to garden!

Today, Jesus says, “I am the vine and you are the branches.  Without me you can do nothing.”  It has been my experience in life that no truer words have been spoken.  I often remind myself of Jesus’ words here when the pace of my life quickens and my life becomes centered around responsibilities and events – not properly centered around God and prayer.

Once, when I confessed that I had not been praying enough – giving God the time that He deserves – a wise priest told me that we must discipline ourselves to center the events and duties of our lives around prayer – not prayer around the events of our days.  As we have all experienced, life – with its whirlwind of activity – has a way of squeezing out “God time.”  We don’t do this intentionally.  It just happens.

That is why we must intentionally set aside time each day to read scripture, talk to God and time just to listen.  Whenever I try to “run the show” alone, I get so depleted!  As a disciple, or follower of Christ, I can’t “bear much fruit” if depleted.  I must stay connected to the vine throughout the course of my day in order to bring others to Him.

Bearing great fruit is not as easy as it sounds.  I think of my fig tree in the backyard that I prune severely every other season so that it doesn’t get too tall (proud) for me to reach the fruit.  I also prune it so that it does produce fruit abundantly in early summer.  God prunes us from time to time for our own good and for the good of others.  It is a painful process.  He allows tough times, sickness, job loss, trials, etc. to make us stronger.  If we allow Him to fashion us, He can use our lives as testimony to faith, as living proof of His loving care and Divine Providence.

Whatever good we try to do devoid of God, the Vine, will be naturally thwarted. Apart from Him, we can do nothing.  However, joined to Him, taking our very life and direction from Him, He can use us to change our families, our communities and our world – one soul at a time!

The Best Moms in the Universe

I always try to be uplifting with my posts, and not air too much personal grief.  I just have seemed so deep into it these past few days that it’s all I know to talk about.  Besides, I hope that it helps another person out there to know that he/she is not alone.

My beautiful daughter turned fourteen yesterday.  I was hoping that we could make this birthday special for her, but after several attempts, it may go down in history as a memorable one – not necessarily a good one.  I don’t know.  Anyway, yesterday the poor darling woke up with a migraine and nausea – something that she has unfortunately inherited from me.  She wanted my husband or myself to stay home with her until the medication could work and she was on the road to recovery.  As luck would have it, both my husband and myself had circumstances at work that day that required that we be there – Very bad day to miss.   God bless my mom for stepping in to stay with our girl until the pain and nausea passed.  I have the best mom in the world.  She sat with me and took care of me (and my house) while I was on  bed rest for all three of my pregnancies.

I felt terrible for having to leave my daughter on her birthday at a time when she needed me.  One of the real life struggles of a working mother – So hard.  I felt so small.  On the way to work, I snapped at my son who kept saying from the back seat, “Mom, look.  Mom look.”  I raised my voice in a rant, “How many times do I have to tell you that I can’t look while I’m driving?  Do you want us to get into a wreck?”  Instantly, I regretted it.  I began to cry.  It was a terrible morning, and I hadn’t even gotten to work yet.

I cried out to Mother Mary for help.  “I’m sorry, Mary.  I feel so torn.  Here I am going to work to organize a May Crowning, an event designed to show our love for you as our heavenly mother, and here I have disappointed you (and myself) so badly by yelling at the little one.  I am sorry.  Please help me.  Please help us all.  I offer all of this hurt for the intentions of your Immaculate Heart.  Please help turn this day around.  Please help my daughter to get better, and to have a good birthday…”

We held the May Crowning that afternoon at school.  It was a beautiful prayer service with lots of fragrant, vibrant flowers hand sheared from the children’s home gardens. The priest who led us asked the kids to think of an intention to hold in their hearts while we asked Mother Mary’s intercession.  My birthday girl was my intention.  I prayed hard!

When I spoke to my mom that afternoon, I learned that my daughter had gotten well enough to check into school later that morning.  When I picked her up from school, she had a bag filled with cards and snacks given to her by friends who had remembered her birthday.  She had a big smile on her face.  Mary had interceded for us!  God had answered our prayers and turned the day around for her despite the very rocky start.

I am so glad that I have the best earthly mother and the best heavenly mother in all the universe!  I don’t know what I would do without them!

Reflection on Today’s Gospel, Sunday, April 29th

Gospel John 10:11-18

Jesus said:
“I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.
This command I have received from my Father.”

 

As I sat meditating upon today’s gospel, a smile just crept across my face.  I love this image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd.  I have a big tapestry depicting this in my classroom.  Truly, if we follow Him, He will never lead us astray, but draw us unto Himself.

The line  that really jumped out for me was this, “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.  These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.”   It made me think of all of my brothers and sisters in the world of different faiths.

I do not believe that there is only one way to the Father – one way to heaven.  Certainly, I feel convicted that my way (Catholicism) is the best way, or else I wouldn’t be Catholic!  In heaven though, it will be so beautiful, that all believers will be united again – no divisions – all worshiping God together!    In heaven, there will not be Catholics and Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians, Episcopalians, etc.  We will all be one again.  Praise God!

God’s Ways are Mysterious!

God’s ways are often mysterious, but they are awesome nonetheless!  There have been many times in my life when I look back and see God’s hand in everything.  He definitely has a plan for each of us.  We either tune in and cooperate with that plan or foil it by getting in the way!

At mass this morning, the gospel was from John – the “Bread of Life” discourse.  As I heard the words proclaimed from the ambo, I nodded to myself – “Yes!  Yes!  You are the Bread of Life, Jesus!  That is precisely why I’m here!”  In his homily, the priest told about a martyr who was born on the feast of the Triumph of the Cross.  Hmmm.  He reminded us that certain events/places were prophetic in Jesus’ life as well.  He was born in Bethlehem which translated means “House of Bread.”  He was laid in a feeding trough in the stable.  Coincidences – probably not!  He would grow up to be the one who gave His life for us, and left us his body in the Eucharist to feed and nourish us and give us grace!

One of the neat things that happened to me (certainly not on a grand scale like Jesus) was that my youngest son was born on the feast of St. Theresa of Avila, patroness of headache sufferers.  I have suffered with migraines frequently for years.  She and I have become tight!  Teresa was also the reformer of the Carmelite order.  We had just lost a beloved family member, a lay Carmelite, when we learned that we were pregnant for John.  Coincidences – I don’t think so!

These awesome little gifts help to bolster our faith and reassure us that God is an ever-present, loving, hands-on Father!  How is He working in your life?

Gospel John 6:44-51

Jesus said to the crowds:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:

They shall all be taught by God.

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my Flesh for the life of the world.”

My Garden as the Sun Goes Down

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I’ve enjoyed my garden so much these cool, springtime evenings, that I wanted to share it with you!

Remember that we are still in the Easter Season!   Let us share the joy of Christ’s resurrection alive in our hearts by greeting everyone we meet warmly and with a great big smile! They will want to know our secret!!

Spritual Discouragement

Isn’t this angel statue among the roses just gorgeous?  This is located on our school grounds in a courtyard/grotto dedicated to the victims of abortion.

About a week ago, I changed my wallpaper on my computer from spring flowers to this angel.  I’ve been in kind of a funk, mentally and a bit spiritually as well.  Is anyone else suffering in such a way?

I’m sure it’s the devil trying to discourage or distract me.  Burdens that I could normally overlook or tolerate have seemed heavier than usual.  The final straw for me was learning that not one – but both of our priests at our parish are being transferred within 30 days of each other.  The news just seemed to turn my world upside down.

I know that us parishioners are supposed to follow Christ through the guidance of Holy Mother Church, and not a priest – a human being.   Our priests are really awesome, though, and that makes it hard to let them go.  Under their leadership, the masses have taken on such a reverent tone – completely focused on Christ’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

I think that our Catholic traditions and liturgy are so beautiful.  I am a traditionalist – I would love to have Latin mass said every so often, and would love to see the return of the Communion rail. It’s so wonderful when one’s personal outlook on religion matches that of their priest(s).  It’s a real blessing!

Society in general right now goes against everything that we hold sacred and dear.  Do you ever feel that we are all alone in this fight?  Do you ever begin to despair that things will never get better?  Usually, the truth that the battle has already been won by Jesus consoles me, but I haven’t been able to wrap my brain around that lately.

The one thing I do know is that we are not in this alone.  God is always with us.  I’ve been blessed that throughout my sadness, I have not been spiritually dry – I have been able to feel God’s presence.  I am so grateful that He has not taken that from me. Let us all pray for hope and consolation despite the darkness of this world – despite our personal losses.  God have mercy on us and grant us Your peace!

Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Hanceville, AL

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I hope you enjoy these pictures of (Mother Angelica’s) Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama.  I did not take the pictures of the interior of the church, as picture taking in the church is not permitted.  I respect that the nuns request no picture taking inside to encourage greater reverence for the Eucharist and the House of God.  The interior pictures were borrowed from the internet.

If you’ve ever thought of visiting there, I cannot encourage you enough!  It was a great, peace filled, spiritual experience.  (P.S.  Notice the communion rail:))