Thankful for Blessings- Puppies and Diets

My blogging friend, Judy, has an inspiring blog, A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings. Please join her every Wednesday in giving thanks for the many blessings we receive from God. When we remember our blessings, we find that we have a new attitude of gratitude! Write a list of 5 blessings and then link to Judy's blog. Also be sure to check out her new meme and her newly published book!
My blessings this week:

1. Daily Mass. I know that I mentioned this last week but I am so grateful that our Catholic Church has daily Mass. Going back to daily Mass has really helped my prayer life and outlook. More peace during the storms of life. I have had a rough couple of days at work and my "attitude" sailed through it fine. Thank you Lord!

2. Puppies. I love puppies. I am a dog person but I cannot have a dog where I live. However, someone I know just got a new puppy and he is soooo adorable. He brings a smile to my face every time I see him! Thank you, Lord.

3. Writing. I am so grateful for the gift and joy of writing and being able to share my faith this way. Good news - I have just published a new ebook. More information forthcoming soon! Thank you, Lord.

4. Freedom - being an American Catholic and able to vote and to speak my mind. I voted in my state's primary today. And I sent letters to my representative and senator this week asking for the HHS Mandate to be rescinded. I am grateful that we have the freedoms we have in this country. But we have to pray and we have to be vigilant. We are in danger of losing our religious freedom. Thank you Lord for our freedom. May we never take it for granted.

5. Diets. Welllll .... I am not really grateful for having to go on a diet, but I am grateful that some diets actually work (kinda - sorta) and my husband has found some good recipes to use on our diet which makes it bearable. So maybe I should say that I am grateful for my husband and his cooking talents rather than diets. Just don't tell him I tried a kahlua coffee today (not really kahlua - just flavored like it) but I am not sure it is on our diet. (Darn.)

Have a blessed and grateful week!

On My Mind

I do not usually blog about political issues. I prefer to keep my blog and website about Catholic spirituality and prayer life. Politics do not fit, most of the time.

Well, I have been getting that nudge all week. The nudge that says it is time to speak out about the HHS mandate.

I am sure most of you know what I am talking about. If you don't, you need to. You can visit the USCCB website or you can go here to read Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan's article on it. He really says it all, better than I will say it here. Here is an excerpt - 

"The Catholic Church defends religious liberty, including freedom of conscience, for everyone. The Amish do not carry health insurance. The government respects their principles. Christian Scientists want to heal by prayer alone, and the new health-care reform law respects that. Quakers and others object to killing even in wartime, and the government respects that principle for conscientious objectors. By its decision, the Obama administration has failed to show the same respect for the consciences of Catholics and others who object to treating pregnancy as a disease."

These are my feelings about it - anger and fear.
As an American Catholic, I am angry that the Obama administration would actually intrude on our religious freedom in this way.
I am afraid what this can mean for religious freedom for all religions and what this can mean for all of our freedoms.
When one is taken away, it is not difficult to see that others will soon follow.
It is unfathomable to think that our democratic government can actually force the Catholic Church to provide sterilization and contraception, including some abortion-producing drugs. This shows a lack of understanding of freedom of religion and a lack of understanding of the Catholic conscience. Catholics must be free to follow their own beliefs and way of life. 
Do we have to start building our own Mayflower?
Please read this article on the our Holy Father's reaction. Here is a quote from that article:

"Pope Benedict XVI warned today of a “grave threat” to religious liberty in the United States that requires American Catholics to respond with intelligence and courage.

“It is imperative that the entire Catholic community in the United States come to realize the grave threats to the Church’s public moral witness presented by a radical secularism which finds increasing expression in the political and cultural spheres,” he said Jan. 19 in an address to a group of American bishops visiting the Vatican."

It is time for us to speak up. We must respond to this attack on religious liberty. We must respond to the attack on life. And we must educate our fellow Catholics.

The February 2012 issue of the U. S. Catholic reports that 51% of their readers that responded to a survey say they intend to vote for Barack Obama in the 2012 election.

Lord, have mercy.

Who Do We Listen To?

The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. – Mark 1:22

We get it from all sides. People who tell us what to do or what to think. People who seem to speak with authority.
How do we know who is right? Who are we supposed to listen to?
Listen to the One who frees us from unclean spirits.
Listen to the One who heals us from illness and sin.
Listen to the One with perfect authority.
Jesus speaks to us through His Word. He speaks to us through His sacraments. He speaks to us through His Church.
Jesus speaks with authority.
There are some who do not hear Jesus.
There are some who hear but do not listen.
There are some who pick and choose what teachings of Jesus to keep and what teachings to dismiss.
We need to remember who speaks with authority.
We need to remember who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
We are not free until we make Jesus the Lord of our lives.
Dear Lord, help me to hear your voice. Help me to remember your authority. Help me to choose Your Way, Your Truth, Your Life. Amen.

Sunday Snippets - January 29

This is the weekly Catholic Carnival! Be sure to visit RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing and check out some posts from other bloggers participating in Sunday Snippets this week. Why not join us and share a blog post or two from last week?

Here are my contributions for this week:
1. All That Really Matters
2. Thankful for Blessings - Retreats and Air Conditioning
3. Loving My Husband

The Perfect Prayer

Our retreat master last weekend told us that the Mass was the perfect prayer. Amen. And it got me to thinking how much I miss going to daily Mass.
I used to go everyday when my boys were young. I would bring them to Mass and then to school and then I would go back to church to work in the parish office.
Now I am an empty-nester but we moved about 40 minutes away from our church. Mass is at 7 am and I work 10-hour days. And I spend a lot of my time off, writing and sharing about prayer and faith and Catholic spirituality.
So my days are long and I get tired. Eventually I got out of the “habit” of going to daily Mass and would only go occasionally, probably out of a feeling of guilt.
Read more at the Community of Catholic Bloggers.

Sabbath Moments - Retreat, Rain and Rest

Sabbath moments are a way of taking time to rest in God, to enjoy God in silence or in nature. The word sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning "cease." And that is what we need to do sometimes, cease our activity and live in the moment and breathe in God.

I invite you to share your Sabbath moment(s) here on Saturdays. Be sure to sign into Mr. Linky below.
Some of my moments this week:
1. Sitting in my comfy cozy chair one night, listening to the rain, I felt such peace and comfort. I immediately thanked God for His gifts and let go of any worries I might have had. And just rested.
2. Another evening, I was praying while in my chair and I fell asleep!
3. Spent more time in the chapel this week, resting in the silence and love of Jesus in the blessed Sacrament.
4. I wrote earlier this week about going on a retreat last week with my husband. What a restful and spiritual weekend it was! Beautiful grounds. Quiet and peaceful. Inspiring talks. Daily Mass.

Thankful for Blessings- Retreats and Air Conditioning

My blogging friend, Judy, has an inspiring blog, A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings. Please join her every Wednesday in giving thanks for the many blessings we receive from God. When we remember our blessings, we find that we have a new attitude of gratitude! Write a list of 5 blessings and then link to Judy's blog. Also be sure to check out her new meme and her newly published book!
My blessings this week:
1. Hubby and I went on a diaconate retreat last weekend and it was awesome! The best ever! The retreat master was a priest from Ireland and he was so inspiring. His meditations were moving and went straight to my heart. Thank you, Lord, for sending us this holy priest.
2. While on retreat, I had an opportunity to go to confession. Experiencing Jesus in this sacrament is such a gift and this priest was just amazing. I felt so filled with the love of God. I wish I could find better words.
3. I am so blessed with my job as parish secretary. To be able to work with a wonderful pastor and to be part of the church in this way is a blessing. I have been working at my parish as the parish secretary for almost 20 years! God is good.
4. I feel so blessed to be a Catholic and to be able to go to Mass everyday. I remember as a child, living across the street from a Catholic church and wondering why they got to go to church everyday and I did not (I was protestant at the time.) Thank you, Jesus, for the Mass.
5. I know this is a little different from my other 4 blessings, but I am grateful for air conditioning. Believe it or not, I am using air conditioning tonight as I write this because it was too hot in our house. In January. I know, I live in Florida, but still, air conditioning in January??? Over 80 degrees today!
 

Lovin' My Husband

Judy from A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings has started a new meme on Tuesdays called Lovin my Husband. Share three ways in which you are blessed by your husband. Link to Judy's blog and leave your link there so others can read your blog post! And get the image from her blog, too!

Here is my first try at this meme!

1. My hubby is so funny He cracks me up. He has a natural wit. No one can make me laugh like he can.

2. Hubby is a deacon and I am so proud of him. He is truly happy in this vocation. Deacons are called to service and I have always seen him as one who likes to serve.

3. My husband takes such good care of me. He is retired but keeps busy as a deacon and taking care of our house. He cooks, cleans, shops, does laundry. He works so hard. He has always been one who likes to keep busy. He is very busy these days!

All That Really Matters

“Jesus said to them, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” – Mark 1:17

At the end of the day, all that really matters, is meeting Christ.*

I have heard this message and I have experienced this truth over and over. We can go to church and we can do good works and we can be forgiving - all very good things. But they really do not mean much, if we have not experienced the love of Christ.

If we have not personally encountered Jesus.

And if we do not know Jesus, then we cannot bring His love to others. We cannot be fishers of men.

Come after me, said Jesus.

And the disciples dropped everything. They had encountered the Christ and they dropped everything and left everyone behind to follow him.

Have we done that? Have we decided that Jesus is number one in our lives? Are we willing to drop everything?

When all is said and done, meeting Jesus is all that really matters.

Come after me.

Dear Lord, thank you for loving me. Thank you for your patience through all the times I do not put you first. Forgive me for all the times that I just go through the motions. Help me to love more. Help me to know your love more. Amen.

(*This was the message given to us by our retreat master this weekend.)

Sabbath Moments - Some Favorite Moments

Sabbath moments are a way of taking time to rest in God, to enjoy God in silence or in nature. The word sabbath comes from a Hebrew word meaning "cease." And that is what we need to do sometimes, cease our activity and live in the moment and breathe in God.

I invite you to share your Sabbath moment(s) here on Saturdays. Be sure to sign into Mr. Linky below.
(I am posting this meme early this week as I am not going to be able to do so on Saturday and sometimes scheduling ahead doesn't work.)
Some of my moments this week:
1. I love to go into our chapel before Mass and spend some silent time before the Blessed Sacrament. When I hear the church bells ring, I go to find a seat. I have some alone time with Jesus and then I join my church community for Mass. It is a favorite moment of mine.
2. Throughout my day, I try to just stop where I am to take a deep breath and say hello to Jesus. On busy days at work, it is a very brief moment but a sabbath moment nonetheless.  
3. At this time of year, I am blessed to be able to see sunsets on my way home from work. Some evenings the sunset is spectacular and it takes my breath away. Other times the sky's colors are more subdued but just as beautiful as they blend together. Every day God paints a different picture.
(and not just with sunsets)!