The Voice New Testament Bible

I've started reading The Voice Bible and I really like it of course I know it's not a Catholic Bible but I got it free when I ordered from Family Christian Bookstore and thought it would be worth a try.  So far I'm impressed it has this bible!  I like the fact it has "cliff notes" for each chapter.  I have been trying to read at least a chapter a day some days I don't get it done, but others I read more!

I figure it can't hurt me any....and maybe it will help me!  After all it is God's words.  Whether or not it's Catholic or not I don't have a problem with it.  I'm sure there are lots of Catholics that would cringe to hear me say that but my answer back to that is are you reading the Catholic Bible each and every day?  If your answer is no then I suggest you quit criticizing me and start doing something for yourself!  I really don't like people who sit in judgement of others.  Nothing like being a hypocrite!

All in all I think that this is a good good thing and maybe I'll learn a little on the way!

New Saints!

How exciting!  Two Popes that reigned during my lifetime!  St. John XXIII has always been one of my favorite Popes!  He was so progressive! He died when I was 5 years old.  St. John Paul II of course was a favorite of many, I think the whole world loved him!  He even traveled to Des Moines, IA  I was not able to attend but many from my parish St. John Vianney in Omaha, Ne. went.  I was given a print that depicts his visit in Des Moines by a former Catholic who had received it.  Since she knew I would love it she gave it to me!  I still need to get it matted and framed, I have the perfect place for it in my livingroom!

It is amazing that these two men were canonized together I don't think that this has every happened before in the history of the Catholic Church!  Wow what an honor to have lived at the same time these two men were Pope!  I feel so honored to be a part of a wonderful religion!  I can't imagine being anything than  Catholic.  I really appreciate and love my religion.  I just wish I would have appreciated the fact that my parents had sent us kids to Catholic school, I wish I would have paid more attention when I was in school, what a wealth of information I had before me, being taught by the Sisters of Mercy and our priests.  I guess kids don't think of those things when they are kids.....but I do have to thank my parents for the privilege of being able to attend a Catholic school!  Thanks Mom & Dad!!!

Visiting Other Churches......Appreciating My Own Church

I have a friend that is a new Christian and is hungry for the word of God.  She has encompassed all religions and is now so mixed up on what she believes.  She wanted to try a co-workers church this past Sunday but didn't want to go alone, so I offered to go with her.  The church was a Free Evangelical Church which she said was right up her alley.   She loved the pastor and everything she heard.  I, on the other hand thought the entire service was, well, a jumbled up mess.  Of course you have to take into consideration that I am a cradle Catholic, who has only been to one other church in my entire life, which was a Lutheran church and since their service is so much like Mass I didn't feel uncomfortable in the least.

I will say this I came away from that service feeling like I had gotten NOTHING out of the service at all.  I realize that I'm used to a more structured service and was very uncomfortable with the casualness of  my co-workers service.  They did A LOT of singing and clapping of hands, they had a fully outfitted band, the songs were more contemporary, which I did enjoy, but there didn't seem to have a rhyme or reason to how they conducted the service.  I felt he jumped around a lot and could not connect his preaching to what he had just read in the bible.  I am not trying to criticize the pastor or his service, just comparing and contrasting the differences in the two churches.

This experience was eye opening to me.  I know Mass can at times be boring to some, because it's the same thing each week, but I have come to realize that no matter how boring people think Mass can be I for one, will never take the Mass for granted, it is beautiful, and it connects one to their religion in the deepest way.  When I go to Mass each week, I ALWAYS get something out of it.  I know in my heart of hearts that there is no other religion that I could be a part of.  I am a proud and devout Catholic who loves her religion!

Happy Easter!

Saw this on Facebook and loved it!

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.