Lent.....Not Doing So Well

Well we are three weeks into Lent and I have totally blown it on 2 consecutive Fridays!  I completely forgot and ate meat on Friday, how can this happen?  I must be brain dead.  Hopefully I will be able to get it together and be on my best behavior until Easter.

This year I didn't give up anything instead I decided to read a book on the Passion, well, that is going about as well as my not eating meat on Fridays!  I did good the first 2 days then.....nothing.  I really don't know what the deal is with me this year.  I'm just not "in to it" this year! This is so not like me, I am usually so scrupulous when it comes to my religion! Apparently not this year.

In my defense though, I have been pretty busy at work and all hell has broken out, we have had staff changes and our "office manager" and I use that term very loosely has just been awful to me.  She is not a nice person and she has no brains when it comes to running an office.  She spends more time on the phone to her grown kids that she does running the office!  Yes she is a thorn in my side and I'm not the only one that doesn't like her!  I wish the powers that be would crack down on her, but you can wish in one hand and....well you the rest!

I know I shouldn't let her ruin my day, week, month or year and I know I should forgive her for being a b***h but for whatever reason I feel the need to carry it around for a while.  I know better but I have such a bad temper and I do hold grudges for quite sometime another thing I need to work on!   Wow, I really need to get my stuff straight and quit letting her dictate my moods.  Just one more thing to work on.

Forgiveness....What A Hard Thing To Do

forgive  [fer-giv]

verb (used with object), for·gave, for·giv·en, for·giv·ing.

1. to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve.
2.to give up all claim on account of; remit (a debt, obligation, etc.).
3.to grant pardon to (a person).
4.to cease to feel resentment against: to forgive one's enemies.
5.to cancel an indebtedness or liability of: to forgive the interest owed on a loan.

To do this is very hard for some people, I am one of those people!  Sometimes I can forgive right now and other times I can't do this at all.  There are 2 people I need to forgive so I can move on, but have I done that? Heck NO!  How hard is it for you to forgive?  Does it depend on the person or the situation or both?  For the two that I need to forgive one is the situation, one is both.  How can I expect God to forgive me for my sins if I can't do the same for others? I totally struggle with this.  Since Lent is just around the corner, maybe this is the time to try to forgive.

2014 Is Here!

A new year has started, and I'm excited to see what it brings.... 

I do not make new year's resolutions because I just don't keep them and then I feel terrible because I don't follow through.  I do however make new year's suggestions!  (This way I won't be disappointed when I don't fulfill my suggestions! After all they are only a suggestion!!! Crazy I know!!!)

This year my suggestions are: 

1. get a reading plan in place to read the bible
2. read a devotional each day
3. read one Catholic book a month
4. spend more time in prayer
5. say a rosary at least once a week (if not more)
6. pray for the souls in purgatory
7. be more Christ-like
8. go to confession (if needed) at least once a month
9. learn a new Catholic prayer 
10. attend Mass on my day off

We shall see how many of these suggestions I follow through with in 2014!  Even if only one of these suggestions gets done I'm way ahead of the game. It would be great if  I could do all of them but that is not realistic at least for me.

Stop Being A Control Freak!

I am a control freak!  I really hate to admit that, but it's true!  I come from a long line of control freaks, so I come by it honestly!  I am tired of being this way and want to change my ways (if that is possible).  I found a Christian based book called "Let It Go: How to Stop Running the Show and Start Walking in Faith" by Karen Ehman, and I've started to read it I think I'm on chapter 3 or 4.  What she is saying is making sense, so that is a step in the right direction! I really want to overcome this, I've prayed about it a lot and the good Lord directed me to this book. (It totally amazes me how God can just drop things in your lap just when you need them the most!  I was NOT looking for this book it just hit me in the face when I saw it on another blog!)  I really don't like being this way, and I know that half the battle has already been won because I can admit to being this way.  Hopefully I can put into practice what Karen is guiding me to do.

The one place I think this is going to help me the most is at work.  I have always been the leader, the one who puts out the fires, etc.  I would like for some of my co-workers to step up and try their hand at putting out some of the fires.  It's not that I'm tired of doing those things, but I need to NOT take on so much responsibility, and it's time for others to spread their wings and fly.

The one thing in the this book that bothered me the most,  was that she said that being a control freak is not letting God do what he needs to do and for me and to back off and let him take the lead!  Honestly I didn't think that  my desire to control had anything to do with Him, but I am finding out He wants to lead and that I must follow.  When you put it like that I guess I owe God an apology!  I didn't mean to step on His toes! LOL!

Hopefully 2014 will be a year of learning to let go and learning to follow!   

Counting Your Blessings.....

I hear this all the time...."count your blessings".  Do you really count your blessings?  I for one probably don't do this on a regular basis, even though I should!  I got to thinking about that phrase the other day and realized I have many things to count as blessings.

HERE IS THE SHORT LIST OF MY BLESSINGS:

• Even though my daughter & grandchildren  live 5-1/2 hours away they are a blessing.  I didn't think that I would be a grandma at all since my daughter had had 7 miscarries in 3 years.  She has always wanted to adopt and that became her way of being a mother and my way of becoming a grandmother.  (being a grandma is BLESSING #1)

• I am in a financial situation that is dire, but I don't seem to fret about it as much as I used to.  I think some of that is because I attend Mass on a regular basis which put my head where it needs to be.  I won't say that I don't flip out about once in awhile but for the most part I have given that over to God.  (not flipping out as much over my financial situation is BLESSING #2)

• We do not have health care insurance and haven't had for the last four years....even though my husband has two diseases that will never get better and will only get worse we have stayed pretty health especially in the winter, the worst time ever for my husband he as severe COPD.  (not being sick and maintaining our health is BLESSING #3)

• Having a job (thank you Jesus!) is always a blessing!  I actually like my job and consider the "girls" at work my extended family.  They are there no matter what I need, that is the definition of  family. (thankful for my work family is BLESSING #4)

• I have a very supportive husband he is there no matter what happens.  He and I are the perfect match we think alike, we finish each others sentences, although we don't see eye to eye on religion (I'm Catholic he was baptised Presbyterian but doesn't attend church). For the most part we have each others back. (having him in my life is BLESSING #5)

I have many blessing in my life on a daily basis, I need to have more of an attitude of gratitude to the good Lord because things could be so much worse.  Blessings to all........

Lighting of the Advent Candle

Last week before Mass I was stopped by Sr. Annette she asked me if we would like to light the Advent Candle before Mass.  Of course I said yes!  My hubby even said he would go to Mass with me (Miracles happen everyday!) She was saying that she was trying to get the "new"  parishioners that had joined the church in 2013 to help them feel welcome and involve them with the parish activities.  I think it's a great idea!
I light my candle at the 5:00pm Mass on December 21.  I am so glad that I finally decided on a church and started going back to Mass.  This is the first year that I have even been excited about Christmas in 41 years!

When my mother died, November 30, 1972 and since then all my Christmas's have been rotten (only because I let them be), this year is different, I'm excited just like I was when I was a kid!  I really think that it's because I'm going to Mass like I should have been doing all these years.  I know this is true because the only difference in all those 41 years and now is I'm go church on a regular basis! I know I am right where I am supposed to be.  I love this feeling....I love my religion!

Catholic's and Bible Study

I found this article on Parish World....It's the burning question of the week.  Whether or not it is ok for Catholics to participate in a non-catholic bible studies.  There were many opinions on this one!   Here are some excerpts from that site:

"Catholics who willingly participate in non-Catholic religious activities are sinning for two major reasons: They are exposing themselves to contrary faith positions which could cause serious doubt in their hearts about their own Catholic Faith, and secondly, they could be giving the bad example, "scandal" to those Catholics who know them as Catholics, thereby causing doubt in the hearts of those who witness these Catholics participating in Protestant things. So yes, it is a sin to participate in Protestant religious things. It has always been a sin, not just since Vatican II."

Really? It's a sin? Not sure about that one.

"I personally think it is not a good idea to attend a non-catholic bible study. The reason being that protestant faiths usually depend on the King James version of the bible. Their interpretation is in many times conflicting to ours. I know this from talking to a friend of mine who is Baptist. He is totally way out there. And who was King James anyway to declare himself an expert in rewriting the bible ? We as Catholics believe in the salvation of the cross . They usually do not put any kind of emphasis on our Lord's death."

Hmmmm................

"I personally feel it is okay to attend a Non-Catholic bible study, because frankly they read the bible and we as Catholic don't read the bible that much and know very little about the chapter and verses. I have read the Bible twice and it is an awesome tool for everday life."

I like what she said!

"As far as non-catholic bible studies go, if you go willingly you put yourself in a position (especially if you're not strong and grounded in your faith) to have an opinion of the bible pressed on you that the catholic church does not teach. because that's really what these bible studies are based on sometimes, opinions."

He has a point!

"This subject hits very close to home for me. I was co-leader of a bible study at St. Patrick Church and had a hand full attend. Clearly there is a need for Catholics to become more familiar with Holy Scripture. 

There is however a difference in how Catholic's and Protestants interpret Holy Scripture. Roman Catholic's have an "exegesis" interpretation and Protestant's tend to have a more literal interpretation. Also, there are passages that are strongly Catholic that our Protestant brothers and sisters gloss over or ignore altoghter. The one that stands out for me is "The bread of life discourse" in John chapter 6. Christ says many times in this discourse that you MUST eat his flesh and drink his blood to have life in you or to be "raised on the last day'. Our Protestant brothers and sisters feel and teach that Christ did not really mean that "literally" even though many of his disciples stopped following him because they could not accept this teaching. Christ did not correct them but then turned to the 12 and said do you want to leave as well. 

If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything. I feel that Catholic's should first have an understanding of Roman Catholic interpretation of scripture before attending bible study outside the Catholic Church."

I am on board with this guy!

What do you think?