Receiving via Asking

I was talking with a dear friend not too long ago and she stated something that made perfect sense and took me by surprise. It mostly took me by surprise because she was so humble about her statement and,well, point  blank, with no frills. She said this
"... well you just have to deal with it and realize that no child will ever realize what extent it takes to provide for exactly what they are wanting ... "
Now, let me just say that I MAY of been complaining a little about not receiving recognition for running around all day and checking several stores to find EXACTLY the brand that I was sent to find. That it just appears like it was asked for, no thanks or thought of the ordeal it sometimes takes to make that object magically appear. 
Now you may ask, why on earth are you telling me this.....
Well here's why, her statement got me thinking. If we have this sort of flippant expectancy from ordinary people, what exactly is are attitude towards God? Do we thank Him? Do we trust that He will provide for our every need and most of our wants? Do we know that our heavenly Father is providing for us?
Then today I read this passage and it so summed up everything for me. Especially in light of the recent events in the U.S. We ask why why why?!?!?! Why are these things happening! But we must remember... 

"Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. Is there a man among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or would hand him a snake when he asked for a fish? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

Now the key here is to remember our Father knows best and like when asking most parents, we may not receive in exactly the way we had envisioned  BUT we must always ask the way our Lord taught us in the most perfect prayer ... Thy will be done... and trust in our heavenly Father's great wisdom and love for His children. 

Disappointed

This one will be pretty short and sweet, even though I am known to start rambling. My heart is saddened tonight at the state of our world, the world we live in. And it reminds me of two things...


1. As Christians we are called to prayer. Prayer changes things, it really does, whether we see the immediate effects of it or not
2. Also as Christians, we are called to be counter-cultural. We aren't called to go with the flow and do as others do. Yes we are taught to love others, as Christ loves. But we are also taught to stand firmly knowing what God is asking us, knowing the different between right and wrong, good and evil. ( Now mind you I could go on and on about how the world has softened us and that the lines between right and wrong, good and evil get so blurred  today but I won't right now)


So I guess what I am wondering is if anyone else is saddened as well. I hope that we see this, and that it reminds us that we need to pray, pray, pray and when you think you're done pray some more and don't forget


Be the change YOU want to see in the world

All Women are Born with a Disease!

Did you know, all of us, women are diseased and we need to be medicated? Our disease is given us at  conception when God's decision to make us male or female is manifested. We are ..... FERTILE!! I know, I know you are thinking, what is she talking about! But it is a sad truth that we are faced with as women today. Our fertility is viewed as harmful and inconvenient and we must be medicated immediately! From the time we hit puberty to the time of menopause, only to be unleashed if we so feel like we can take time out of our busy schedules to bring life into the world.
I made a statement today at lunch that I thought was going to get me exiled from the table but I feel it is true. If you feel like children are not for you, which they aren't for everyone, maybe you shouldn't get married. Marriage, as well, is not for everyone. Shocking isn't it, but God calls all of us to different vocations.
Prayer is much needed in our decisions for life, especially our vocation. There are lots of signs God gives us in the discernment of our life calling we just have to be patient and willing to listen.
If the idea of kids does not excite you, maybe you aren't called to marriage. If the idea of kids makes your world go 'round, stand strong! and hold out for that "perfect" man God has designed for you and for you alone. AND DO NOT LET SOCIETY TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE DISEASED AND THAT WANTING CHILDREN IS IRRESPONSIBLY (or any other of the ridiculous things that we are told).

New Age?

Lately it has become painfully aware to me how little we care of about others or ourselves. Regardless of whether you are at your place of business or someone else's. On the road or in your home (or someone else's for that matter). The customer is no longer right and we are told to trust no one.
We don't care, and it's acceptable, that we don't give anyone full attention anymore, and splitting your attention between the phone, tv or computer and an actual person is the norm. NO WONDER EVERYONE HAS ADD! Or ADHD or whatever it is called now. Used to be you'd have your kid go run around outside for a little while and then do what your told, now it's an excuse for anyone who would rather be doing something else... so they are day dreaming about that rather than the moment. Who wouldn't rather be doing something else? Grass is always greener right?
We have become a throw away society, and not just of goods but of people. We don't keep anything that's older than a couple of years and if you do, well what's wrong with you? We need the newest phones and electronics, all so we can throw away people. The more "social media" we "consume" the less social we are, and the more we watch tv the more we decide it's acceptable to be cranky and yell at people and be a diva.
I wonder what my kids will have to endure, what kind of society they will be faced with. It scares me a little to think about it. Hard work and determination, family and friends, are no longer cherished but discarded.
I wonder if we all got off FB, Pinterest (my new fav) and our blogs for just a few hours, dare I say half the time we spend of them now, how much of a difference it would make in our lives, our society.

Reflections on a Year

So as I was preparing myself to write this, I realize what a year it has been!! Last January I was returning from my 2 week vacation in Tennessee back to Belcourt, North Dakota. I spent the next 5 months finishing out the school year at St Ann's Catholic School. (While Chris was in South Carolina working and waiting for his marine brother to return from the Middle East.) Teaching was a true blessing and though it was not always easy, I would not trade that time. In May promptly after attending one of his best friend's weddings, my wonderful boyfriend, flew to North Dakota from South Carolina to make the drive back with me. That night I do believe my life changed forever, he asked me to marry him, to be his wife. I SAID YES of course!!
The next several months were hard, there is no other way to put it. Between family drama and trying to put all of my trust in God, I was a bit of a mess, and not the hot kind! I blew through my hard earned savings trying to find a job in a very difficult market. Finally, God provided me, a part time gig at the public library. Right up my alley, right? Well not so much. I don't know if nothing can compare with the La Veta Public Library and my time their or if I was not destined for the world of libraries, but I was soon moved to find something else. After many exciting interviews, I landed the dream job! Full time doing all of my favorite things! Organizing, shopping, running errands, cooking, driving and hanging out with kids! Not to mention my boss is pretty dang amazing! 
In between looking, finding and landing a job, Chris and I were getting used to being the same place! We had spent all but 2 weeks of our entire relationship several states and thousands of miles between us. 
We have finally gotten a groove to our lives. We made our first big purchase together, a new to us car, after his lil Honda died out of the blue. Several months later, we made our second big purchase, a new car for me after again out of the blue, my car died!!! Chris moved into the apartment we will live in as a married couple and we have had a ton of fun decorating it and combining our tastes. His penguins and my elephants USUALLY get along well. His housewarming present, a beta fish named Benny, as become a very important part of the family. I can't tell you how many times I have caught Chris talking with or just staring at the lil guy.    
 In October, Chris' grandmother went in for a routine surgery. Some 50+ days later, after weeks in the ICU and several more weeks of recovering and therapy we were all blessed with her return home.It's amazing what a bond illness can bring to a family. We are filled with gratitude that she has returned home and we get to spend more time with her here on Earth.
 Chris and I have starting forming our own traditions and finding hidden gem restaurants in our new surroundings. I try not to drive him insane eating Mexican food, ALWAYS! He's endure my cooking, the good the bad and the breakfast that flew across the dining room (broken table, hilarious story).We have spent every weekend in mass together and getting chicken on Sunday. He's endured my wedding meltdown moments and my crazy obsession with food network. 
We spent our first Christmas divided up between our traditions and fitting in 3 families all within driving distance of us. We've met some wonderful friends and found a best friend within each other. 
Regardless of whether we were having an up or down, we were 2000 or 10 miles from each other or we were laughing or frustrated beyond belief, we are relying on God for His goodness and the ultimate reminder that when we turn to Him for all things, all of our prayers will be answered. We know that God is the one who brought us together and we know that God will keep us together and continue to bless us more than we could ever imagine. 

2012 has some great things in store for us as well. The most obvious being our wedding, April 28th. The not so obvious being Chris getting a new job and hopefully starting school again in the fall. As always, we have no idea exactly what God has in store for us all we know is to trust in Him and keep on a paddling. 

The Simple Life

I have to admit first and foremost that I was inspired by something said in the homily I heard yesterday but here goes, I hope my jumble of thoughts and words make sense.

Father was talking about what Mary, Mother of God, was doing when the Gabriel came to her. He noted that throughout history there has most commonly been depictions of Mary kneeling and reading her Torah. Which got Chris and I thinking, would she really of had her own copy? But that's besides the point! In reality Mary could of been doing numerous things, and it was most likely something "menial" like sweeping the floor or helping with a meal.

This stirred up a debate between Chris and I. There was some discussion about whether or not this "down played" Mary, hence what got my little wheels a turning!!!

It got me thinking about what I would be doing if one of God's messengers appeared to me to tell me I was going to help change history and the lives of all of His people, from now till the end of time. Unfortunately, the best I could come up with was watching TV, checking my emails or running around trying to finish one of the many tasks on my never ending TO DO List, I mean we all of one of those don't we (even if you're not planning a wedding)?

Which again got me thinking! Oh, the wheels are a turning! Those of you who know me know that I spent some time living in Canada, staying at an apostolate there. To me one of the most beautiful things about Madonna House was their simplicity. There are no TV's (well one but it didn't get watched except when JPII died), no Wi-Fi, and the only thing on your TO DO list was to be in the moment with the people around you, whether that be your daily work, prayer or mass. There wasn't worry about what was for dinner because everything we ate was either grown on the farm or donated by the generosity of someone else. The biggest lesson I learned there however is that your work IS a prayer. I learned to pray even sweeping the floor, something as simple a prayer as Lord, please bless all of those who walk across this floor. I have found though that once I returned to "the real world" that I forgot to pray UNCEASINGLY, as I had once done, as Mary did.

Stick with me here, it will become full circle here in a moment ( I hope).

If the Mother of God can do something as humble and as simple as sweeping the floor and the Angel of God appears to her, why can't we strive to be simple too? You hear about families who don't have television and we all wonder, what do they do with their time or for fun, it must get so boring! What I ponder now is, how rich their lives must be!

I am giving myself a Christmas gift, a challenge. Find the simplicity in life, the richness of it all and to pray without ceasing. And if for some reasoning beyond recollection a messenger of God appears to me, I will be able to say with certainty that I was not watching TV and wasting my time but hopefully doing something enriching for myself and others.

The "perfect" man

As usual, of most little girls turned young women, I dreamt of the day I would find my Romeo, my night in shining armor, my future husband. Now those of you who know me know that I kissed a lot of frogs, hoping to find my forever in one of them. All the while my friends and Mom wiped away my tears after each one and they told me about how one day I'd find the perfect man. My mother especially reassuring me I'd discover a guy who would find my snort adorable, along with all my other quirks.
Now I will tell you I wanted to believe them all, sure I'd find that guy one day. All the while in the back of my head thinking what I'd really have to do was settle for someone who didn't find me completely annoying.

Well after many bad dates and lots of inpatient patience, I did stumble across that man. What I am finding along the way ( 15 months into our relationship and 6 months into our engagement) is that he is perfect.... for me. NONE of us are perfect and we can't search for someone who is, they DO NOT exist. But finding the one who is perfect for you.... (to be cheesy is) PRICELESS.

I know that Chris finds my snort adorable and listens ( and I'm sure silently laughs) at my random spatting of statistics. He loves me for exactly who I am and we are learning to love the other's hobbies too. I have gone to the airport to watch planes take off and land more than I can count and find myself watching to see if they are in a holding pattern or not. But probably the cutest thing, and made me laugh the hardest was this..

I am a lover of books, Chris .. not so much. I asked if he would ever listen to an audiobook with me and he said no thanks, that he wouldn't like it. Well with my parents being several hours away and us taking trips there, I snuck a book I hadn't  quite finished in the car. He obliged and let me listen, I told him it would only be til it got to a slow part, then we could turn on the radio. Well when it was time to turn it off, he said "no no we can keep listening". Now if you've ever listened to an audiobook, they tend to be longer than our trips to Tennessee and back. So this particular book we finished together over a couple of evenings. WELL the last trip we took to Tennessee, we were MINUTES from finishing but we were EXHAUSTED. So we turned it off and the next day when I asked when he wanted to finish he tells me, "oh I already did, it just turned on when I was headed to work this morning..."
I could help but laugh. I couldn't believe he has finished without me, the guy who doesn't listen to audiobooks, but how could I be mad?

Long story short.... The perfect man isn't perfect but he's perfect for you.