Being a Christian isn’t simply following a list of to-dos (or don’ts), but a living, breathing, relationship. First of all a relationship with our triune God, then with all those that are in His fold. The world gives us hook ups and quickies and says that relationships are passé. God says that we are better than that, and that we will never be truly satisfied until we partake of His Divine will!
Tag: relationships
Taking Ownership of Your Life
In the video that I have linked to at the bottom of this page, he talks about Personal Responsibility. I’m telling you…this is EXACTLY what I needed right now. In fact, what he’s talking about here is what this entire blog is about.
I’ve mentioned my struggle with anxiety and depression HERE , and I really believe that bad habits developed throughout my life have contributed to it. As controlling and obnoxious as I can be, I’m also very needy. In other words…I’m a big baby…or I WAS. This blog is all about documenting the process of me changing into who I’m supposed to be, who the Lord created me to be.
So I’ve acknowledged my issues, I see clearly what was holding me back…so what now? I take personal responsibility for where I’m going, that’s what. 😀 Lacking that, I’ve been lacking self esteem and confidence. That leads me to feel FROZEN, unable to live up to my responsibilities in life. I feel like a victim a lot, filled with frustration and oh so lost. And yes…DEPRESSED! Sounds familiar doesn’t it? I really think this is big in our society right now.
So Brendan in this video lays out FIVE areas that we need to take responsibility for.
1)Our Aim: We need to plan out our life. Find out what we want, what we really really want. 😀 What makes you happy? What makes you energized? What gives you life? No clue? Do you have a Pinterest account? If so, go take a peek. lol. Start being proactive on what you’d like to see happen in your life. Here’s my list .
2)Our Attention:This is a big one for me. I’m all over the place. I’m always saying that I have ADD, but truth is we all do. It’s just the nature of the beast…no…really. I believe that Satan throws every kind of distraction our way to keep us from fulfilling God’s plan for our lives. And the ‘distractions’ can be pretty much anything, if it’s taking our mind out of what we should be doing, then it’s a distraction. If it’s not adding to our aim in some way, then it’s a distraction. Our focus needs to be laser sharp.
3)Attitude: We can actually choose the attitude that we are going to be having through out our day, instead of letting others dictate it to us. Oh and being constantly grumpy is NOT cool. Where did we get that idea from anyway? lol. We don’t have to be wishy washy, and always allowing everyone to always walk over us. But we CAN choose our battles. We don’t have to go through life straightening everyone else out. Just let it be. Let it go, let it go…lol.
4)Our Affections: Love, connect deeply, enter into relationships. Don’t be afraid. I’m reading this book that is pretty awesome “Hiding from Love” and it goes deeper into why we ‘hide’ in the first place. I get it, we are all terrified of getting hurt. But really…what is the alternative? Shallow encounters like what this generation is embracing with ‘hook ups’ and the like, literally kills your soul. Everyone is scared silly of each other, yet it is exactly what we need for wholeness. Remember the story of Lazarus in the Bible? When Jesus calls him out of the tomb. He then asks those around him to unbind him. We too need to be ‘unbound’, and it’s only in community that this can happen. We need each other, it’s as simple as that. So…in the words of my beloved St. John Paul II, BE NOT AFRAID!
5)Our Actions:We need to be disciplined and start walking the talk. Maybe baby steps at first and then as we gain confidence we will do better. It’s not about walking in perfectly measured strides, but just moving forward.
Six Steps to Wholeness
I’ve determined that I need to make some changes in my life in order to feel ‘nourished’ in mind, body and soul. In a previous post, I listed the areas that are important to me. I’ve decided to start working on it, one area at a time…just baby steps…and hopefully I can connect with someone else out there that may be reading this and we can inspire each other.
So from that list I’ve come up with these six target areas that I need to address, so that what I believe is more in line with what I do. I will be following up on each one in greater detail as I go along. For now I’m just setting up a ‘wish list’ if you will.
1)First target area is that entire realm of health, with diet and exercise being the most predominant factors. I’m what some would consider ‘crunchy’. I believe in the power of wholesome foods and herbs for keeping us strong and healthy. I believe in embracing a fairly clean diet and exercise program as a way of life, one that provides energy and does not make me or my family ill. I believe that pharmaceuticals have a purpose, but should be kept to a minimum.
As an Autism mom, the book that has made the most sense to me in explaining the why as well as offering a solution is The GAPS diet. So this is what I aim for in my family…or at least The Paleo diet which is very similar and more people are familiar with it.
2)Intimacy with my Creator. For me as a Catholic, at the top of that list is frequent Reception of the Sacraments in a place that feels authentic. I’ve found that as a ‘sensitive soul’ a more traditional setting serves me best. I like all the bells and whistles in my Liturgy.
3)Intimacy with others. To be in relationships where I can lay it all out and feel accepted for who I am but yet challenged to be better. To be surrounded and reaffirmed by people who are similarly called. Where I can both feed and be fed and nurtured and can have a safe exchange of ideas.
4)To guide and nurture my children in the most authentic way possible. Being attentive to their special needs and distinct calling. For me, this involves choosing a homeschooling curriculum that fits our needs. And developing a method of discipline that reaches their heart.
5)To live in an organized and fairly clean setting. Surrounded by nature and beauty. Beautiful music, art and good books surround me.It means de cluttering my living spaces and putting together a cleaning schedule that works for us. A la Flylady.
6)To express my creativity and make a living at it.
Productivity is of huge importance to me, as is providing financially for my family and for the things that The Lord puts in my heart of course. Right now, my photography is my passion. I believe that this is my current calling, and the tool that I’m to use to connect to others.
Just Be Yourself
I have this problem when dealing with people…ok…so most probably wouldn’t see it as a problem, but for someone so focused on being authentic it is. It’s that when I first meet someone, people automatically want to paint me with a halo. My stories are good and I’m very drawn to beauty, and holiness appeals to me…so that’s the story that comes out first…I get it. What they do not realize, and perhaps what I am most cautious with, is the fact that the other side also beckons me. Meaning…I’m HUMAN!
The problem arises due to the fact that people then develop certain expectations, which I then strive to meet. However no one is all one thing or the other…at least no one this side of heaven. We are all a beautiful mixture. Yes beautiful…because it is exactly our flaws that allow for grace to come in and do its work. So why not embrace transparency? I’m not saying to flaunt our flaws, or pridefully resist change…heck no. We should always strive for better…but you can’t force it on yourself. We can’t force it on anyone else either. How about if we were to just embrace each other…warts and all?
Isn’t that what soul friends do? We see each other as flowers when the world would consider us weeds.
Stepping Into It
THIS, is stepping into it. This is totally what I had in mind when I changed the name of my blog. You need to watch this. Yes, I know that I say this all the time. But you really do! And then please come tell me how awesome this is. 😀
AD QUID VENISTI
Please read this beautiful homily by Father Mario Esposito, O. Carm.
It targets my questioning and disquiet these past couple of years and what I’m still struggling to answer. “Why have you come here.” Here…to this community…to this marriage…to this life. Why are YOU here? Once that has been answered we can no longer sit back and play small. We can choose self giving, obedience and submission, only when we have something to actually give.
“People submerged in their work and other pursuits who begin to lose the meaning of their lives, to feel lost, overwhelmed, angry and frustrated, have to stop and breathe and re-orient themselves to ask what is really important, and what really matters.” Yes, if we don’t ask it of ourselves…life will do it for us and usually in the harshest of tones.
“Why are you here? I am most zealous for the Lord of hosts, for the service of God’s people, in purity and with love.”
What my soul needs
I’m trying to live proactively, and not just accept life as it happens. So I sat down and jotted some things down. What do I like? What gives me true pleasure and peace of mind? This might seem a bit too self focused, but at the point where I am in my journey it’s what needs to be done. I need to remember myself…who I was created to be.
Life and other people…often well intentioned…seem to band together to push you down…to keep you ‘in your place’. You need to put up a struggle…the world needs you!
My Soul enrichers
* Frequent reception of the Sacraments in a place that feels authentic.
* A good diet and exercise program that will provide energy and not hurt me (paleo at the moment)
* Intimacy…relationships where I can lay it all out and feel accepted for who I am but yet am challenged to be better…be surrounded by people who are similarly called, where I can both feed and be fed and nurtured…and exchange ideas safely. A setting where I give and receive plenty of words of affirmation and appropriate physical touch.
* To express my creativity…(my photography at the moment.)
* To feel productive and useful.
* To live a simple life in an organized and fairly clean setting.
* Be surrounded by nature and beauty
* Beautiful music and art
* Good books
I’m going to tackle each of these areas individually in future posts, so stay tuned. 😉
All of me a duet
Do you ever sing romantic songs to Jesus? I used to do it all the time, but haven’t done it in a while. Until this special song came out. It’s one of my favorites and yet not quite worthy to be sung to a mere human…so I sing it to Him, the lover of my soul, the One who does not disappoint, the One who will never leave me. The one who will indeed love me through it all. It’s a beautiful duet…a Communion Song if you will. 🙂
[Verse]
(Jesus)What would I do without your smart mouth
Drawing me in, and you kicking me out
Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can’t pin you down
(Me)What’s going on in that beautiful mind
I’m on your magical mystery ride
And I’m so dizzy, don’t know what hit me, but I’ll be alright
[Bridge]
(Me)My head’s under water
But I’m breathing fine
(Jesus)You’re crazy and I’m out of my mind
[Chorus]
(Jesus)‘Cause all of me
Loves all of you
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections
Give your all to me
I’ll give my all to you
(Me)You’re my end and my beginning
Even when I lose I’m winning
‘Cause I give you all, of me
And you give me all, of you
[Verse]
(Jesus)How many times do I have to tell you
Even when you’re crying you’re beautiful too
The world is beating you down, I’m around through every mood
(Me)You’re my downfall, you’re my muse
My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues
I can’t stop singing, it’s ringing, in my head for you
[Bridge]
(Me)My head’s under water
But I’m breathing fine
(Jesus)You’re crazy and I’m out of my mind
[Chorus]
(Jesus)‘Cause all of me
Loves all of you
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections
Give your all to me
I’ll give my all to you
(Me)You’re my end and my beginning
Even when I lose I’m winning
‘Cause I give you all, of me
And you give me all, of you
(Jesus and me together)Cards on the table, we’re both showing hearts
Risking it all, though it’s hard
[Chorus]
(Jesus)‘Cause all of me
Loves all of you
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections
Give your all to me
I’ll give my all to you
(Me)You’re my end and my beginning
Even when I lose I’m winning
‘Cause I give you all of me
And you give me all of you
(Jesus and me together)I give you all, all of me
And you give me all, all of you.
Hiding from Love
(Click on picture to take you to Amazon)
I’m in the middle of reading this book and it is amazing! It really gets down to the root of most of our problems today.
“God had a “plan A” for us: a life of unbroken connectedness with Him and each other. Not only was there to be unbroken attachment, but we were also to experience a deep, satisfying sense of purpose and accomplishment in performing the task that He gave us.”
So we were meant to live our lives feeling deeply loved and appreciated, in relationship with Him and our brothers, with a sense of purpose and productivity. WOW! No wonder so many of us ‘sensitive souls’ just feel so darn restless all the time. Our main connections are either totally gone, or so distorted that it’s difficult to draw an ounce of pure love from them. Like trying to breathe in a polluted environment.
Also the productivity thing…yea…umm…take a look around. It’s not that we aren’t ‘busy’ enough…I mean, no one has time for anything as it is, right? But how ‘productive’ are we really? What are we putting out? Do we have pride of accomplishment in our work? It doesn’t matter what it is…a farmer, a writer, an artist, a home maker, a contemplative nun…all productive members of society. It’s in our mind set and how we go about our lives.
And I also venture to say that the two are connected. As in…by being ‘productive’ we serve our brothers and sisters and thereby enter into relationship…and as we enter into relationship and feel loved, we want to be more productive. The ultimate example of this of course being marriage. Where are called to be fruitful and multiply…in other words, be productive!”
Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
(Genesis 1:28)