I love you even though

My last post was about forgiveness and poorly written.  I had a severe cold and I don't feel like fixing what I wrote.  But I believe it to be true, even though my writing was not up to par.

"I love you, even though."  This is something my mother said to me a lot growing up.  I have taken it as both a compliment and an insult.

Before I go on, I would like to say something about my mother.  First, she taught me about love and therefore about who Christ is.  Secondly, she grew up in a broken home filled with fighting and alcoholism.  She has known true poverty and hardship.  This has played a major role in her development, and knowing what I know, I am able to continually forgive any parenting mistakes I feel she has made with me.

Even though she experienced things that could have made her filled with hate and dissatisfaction, she has chosen to be a caring and loving individual.  She always met her children's frustration and anger with love.  That example has led me to try to do the same.  Love, even though.

Through that love, she has forgiven us continually in our selfishness and shallowness.  She has always said it's so important to say you love family even though you may be hurt, angry or proud.  You never know if you won't see them again, so tell them you love them.

I am not a very good writer, but maybe this post will touch a heart to love, even though there are hurts and tough times. Merry Christmas.

Climbing Mt. Everest

Climbing a straight path to the top of Mt. Everest seems like the quickest way to success, until you start to tumble.  As in life, there is no straight path to the top, the end or the finish. The necessity of bearing each step with new equipment becomes more important as the road becomes rough.
Recently someone asked for advice about dealing with a difficult person. My journey with that person has been hard too, because there are other things I would like to be dealing with. I told my friend immediately that I pray for that person A LOT.  I did leave out the hard part of the journey in the conversation, which is that I am still learning to forgive A Lot. Or as much as I can.
It often feels like a journey with a person can start and end so quickly.But there is so much to learn along the way. Many times there is light or darkness around the corner we cannot see. Our preparation of striving to love and forgive is going to be the seemingly hardest way, but the best preparation.
For me, conquering doubt, sorrow, adversity and anger with love is the success, the top and the finish. It is definitely a climb of Mt. Everest proportions.  My motto the last two years has been 'hard work and preparation'.  I still have a ways to go. The journey makes me happy and challenged these days because it's not so hard once you have been challenged at the beginning of the path.
Right now, I have a long way to go. I would like to assume there's an elevator later on, but what strength would I gain from that? So a path of least resistence is purposeless. My equipment is what I have gained by choosing to love and forgive. That is the easy road. That is the straight way. That is the finish.

What does Mary know?

A Pilgrimage.
Tomorrow, I will travel with a friend to see the Cathedral Basilica of St. Anthony in Beaumont, Texas.  It is just a small pilgrimage in the middle of my semester of studying more chemistry and math.  So I will offer this travel for God's will in what I study and for my efforts in that.
Knowing little, loving more.
But more so, I want to offer all things for the Sacred Heart of Christ.  Jesus Christ loves before we know.  Most of us, don't know until we are older, and wiser.  When I say know,  I mean all kinds of knowing.  What's really cool is that Jesus does 'know'.  Of course he knows, and is all-knowing, but for every individual heart there is a call and a path that Jesus knows.
For my sake,  I am interested in following that path which he knows I will follow.  Good or bad, I hope it leads me closer to him.  When I veer off slightly, Our Lady lovingly guides me back.
What does Mary know?
I tend to turn to Mary, Queen of the Universe when my own doubts assail me because she is my first mother.  I love her dearly and she has graciously accepted me as her child.  But she also knows.
She knows that Jesus Christ and the Trinity has overcome the world.  The world which wants to tear up our sense of knowing Christ.  The world that wants to twist our thoughts to relativism and immorality.
Mary, Ark of the Covenant has known from the moment of her fiat, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God is the answer.  He is more powerful than any Earthly thing.  More powerful than bosses, stress, maliciousness, ignorance and more powerful than the fall of sin.
Mary, the Theotokos, has knowledge that whatever my faith, work or efforts done with the love of the Sacred Heart of Christ, will be worthy in their small way.
As the Theotokos, she has known when I will need her and how my journey will go tomorrow.
Repentance.
I am always thinking that to fast and repent for my sins is a good thing.  Jesus knows my faults.  Our Lady knows my faults.  Both draw me close and embrace in the love of God the Father.  I really don't need to 'know'.  I just need to have faith and put more work into that faith that Mary and Jesus will be with me every step of the way.

The New War

The new war is not a war of ground forces or air strikes. The new war is to turn others away from love by twisting truth. One can ask how do we fight against moral evils in our world from our pulpit be it lonely or crowded?
The righteous are the ground forces of God and the angels His backup airstrikes.  We can call upon them and act ourselves with temerity and boldness in the footsteps of Christ.
It scares me to see the cruelness that humans inflict upon others, but prayer changes things.
Prayer has the power to reach the most hardened heart. The weakness that is the faithful, is the scourge of the evil. Through dying he restored our life. We can fight by our meekness and generosity to give of ourselves and let the Holy Ghost guide us on the path of teaching love to others.

Approaching the Precipice

Three weeks until I finish my career as a teacher.  I have many thoughts and opinions on the years but I would like to share a few reflections.

First, it takes an amazing person to be a teacher. I have interacted with many different teacher personalities and the first priority is always the children.  You have those teachers that complain and grumble or don't show for duty, but they do care.  Teachers have become the father, mother and sometimes friend that children need in this changing world.  It is very hard to be a teacher and I bet everyone one of them looks back at the end of each school year and says 'how did I make it through?'.

Secondly, I have learned so much. I see awesome teachers and know I could bump up my skills and be more compassionate, but then I think of how far I have come.  God has used this profession to really burn away poor characteristics and helped me prepare for this harsh world.  Nothing helps you learn quick like ANY classroom of high school students.  I have been telling myself I should keep on in order to grow, but it's time to use my skills elsewhere.

Finally, I'm sure when I see yellow buses rolling in the fall again I'll have a twinge of nostalgia for the school room.  It will fade quickly for the precipice ahead will already be at my toes. I care about the success of Americas children and I think I can help by setting an example to go after what you want and second chances.

God is so good. It would be easy to fail at my endeavor. I have finally learned hard work is the key. Wish me success in my new undergraduate degree in engineering and say a prayer for me!

Little Things Count

Even when I feel most at fault, Our Lord answers little prayers before I ask.  Though highly undeserving, I feel my way is paved by His mighty hand.

How can this be when I am as sinful as my neighbor?  God amazes in every second of the day with His Love. His Love is endless and unfathomable. His Love is pure without expectations.  He is just always, there.

The scope of His love extends through time and dimension. I suspect it is this Love that is the basis for atomic theory. Hard to prove, but so fulfilling to recognize.

The Creator's Love is more than the heresies of this world. The Father's Love is faster than light and sound speed combined. Once received and in receiving, the Almighty's Love penetrates to the essence of your future and past spirit.

Because this life is a passing, and short expanse of time, God's Love must be multiplied for those who have built barriers.  It is the duty of those who love Him to love others.

If you find it hard to share your love, when you do, Love will clear all past hurts because of its depth and reach. As you give it, Love will change the makeup of your inner being like a chemical reaction.  You cannot love and be left unchanged. You cannot recognize love and forget.

Love is the light, Love is the little way to your salvation.

Galactic Catholic Universe Photo of the Day: Louisiana

Only a few weeks ago I was enjoying the fall foliage in Franklinton.

And now old man winter rears his head...and icy wind.

Wishful Thinking

Everybody starts the new year off with a little wishful thinking.  I wish for a new car, for a new job, for a new place to live, and the list goes on. It feels good to think about wishful thinking before you even make the wish.  "Oh, I know what I will wish for!" or "I can't wait to make my New Year's wish!"  

Wishful thinking is delightful, whimsical and hopeful. Wishful thinking is also better than, greater than, bigger than and faster than the last wishful thinking that happened.  It feels great.  And it's good to start a new year off feeling great!  Wishful thinking inspires the best of us to make good resolutions that can make us feel like winners or losers for at least the month of January.

My favorite wishful thinker from scripture has got to be David.  This psalm writer gave us years of wishes that were in fact petitions to our Father in Heaven.  The petitions from David were sincere and hopeful, much like most of today's new year resolutions.  But in his case the petitions were for God's favor.

Wishful thinking got me thinking about the favor of God upon real people like King David all the way down to Mary, the Virgin Mother of God.  In David's case, we can relate to both his faults and his gains.  Most of us don't have a kingdom to run, but we have some charge over ourselves and the people around us.  His psalms relate so easily to our times of trial and struggle and joy.  He is thankful and triumphant and persistent in his faith.

In the Virgin Mary's case, she had one wish to do that of the will of God.  She might have wished for a nicer ride to Bethlehem, but we'll never know.  She never sinned but only had care of one of the greatest wishes of mankind, that of a savior for the people of God.  She had God's favor and couldn't wish for more.

There are many people that don't believe God exists or that turn away from Him.  Can you imagine the emptiness of their wishes?  Where is the joy or hopefulness for the future? You could say, they will work and earn money for what they want or acquire it somehow.  But those things will never be perfect.

I wish to explain.   God is delightful, whimsical and hopeful.  God is better than, greater than, bigger than and faster than the last time you needed him.  God feels great.  And it's good to start a new year off feeling God!  God inspires the best of us to make good resolutions that can make us feel like winners or losers for at least the month of January.