Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Reading Excerpt

I am reading 3 books right now.  It is a bad habit, I know.  One book is spiritual, one is a novel (a mystery), and one is a professional book on teaching reading well.

This is an excerpt from the spiritual book ( a gift from a great friend).  It is by Katrina J. Zeno and is entitled "Discovering the Feminine Genius".

"Take a moment and ask yourself:  Do I experience my life as a journey to the house of the Father, a Father whose unconditional love has melted my heart so that I know I am His daughter?  Or am I struggling with my foundational identity, with my self worth?"

I dealt with this just last week.  Someone who doesn't know me or my dedication to my home and family or to my teaching at school made an unfair comment based on a situation that was not in my control.  And I let that comment throw me for about 2 and a half days.  The grace of prayer finally pulled me out of my self absorbed hurt pride and into God's love.  But I've realized how much stake I place on my roles in life as to the level of my worth.

And yet, God says I am His daughter, therefore beloved. Just for existing.  For sharing my God-given light in this corner of the world. 

There's a release and a great freedom in that.  I intend to meditate upon this some more.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

This Week's Resolutions

In keeping with my formation in the Regnum Christi movement, I still make weekly resolutions.  This has been very helpful to me in my day to day life.  I will keep the really personal ones in my prayer journal. It is my thinking-planning-brain purging spot.  But I gladly share my other resolutions in case they can be light for anyone else who may stumble upon my tiny, new blog.

This week's resolutions - April 20-27

1.  To bring my current anxieties/worries to God and put them in His hands. 

(Trying to get better at practicing dependence upon Him and deeper trust.  He's been my help so many, many times, it's sad that I still struggle so much with feeling I have to be so self sufficient and reliant all the time. I think it is our culture that influences this.) 

2.  Send an e-mail that I don't want to send but it needs to be done. 

(Reaching out is a necessary part of living in Christ, even if it is difficult.)

3.  To remember to pause at 3 and say a Divine Mercy prayer, even for just a minute.

(So many reasons we need God's mercy to flow down upon our country and world.)

4.  To make the time to get my walking in this week. So beneficial in every way.

5.  Last resolution, but most important one this week, to begin to pray to the Holy Spirit for the ability to not only forgive (which I've done) but also to forget. 

(The key to this is meekness and humility. This post titled 'How can I forgive?  How can I Forget?'  in the blog Catholic by Grace turned the light bulb on in my heart for this resolution.  I had been searching for the answer to this problem of not being able to forget.  I truly want to forgive AND forget.)