While enjoying my very first cup of coffee on this Saturday morning, I came across a wonderful blog post on the subject of Spiritual Friendships. I've been blogging for about 5 years now. During that time, I've made some very wonderful friends. Some are "online" friends only, while others have become "real life" friends.
Though rare, some have become "spiritual friends". These are the friendships that draw you closer to Christ. These are the people that walk right along side you. These are the friendships that challenge you to be all that God has made you to be...to go against the flow...to go against the flesh.
This blog post mentions the book, "An Introduction to the Devout Life" by St. Frances de Sales. I happen to be reading this book right now and I just recently read the quote that the author of this blog post used...."Friendship varies according to the variety of these communications, and they vary according to the benefits interchanged; if these are vain and false, then the friendship is vain and false; if they are true, then the friendship will be true; and the more excellent those qualities exchanged, the higher will the friendship be".
Oh, how blessed I am to have spiritual friends! They are placed in our lives by a Divine Appointment! If you have spiritual friends, cultivate those relationships, treasure them and most of all BE a spiritual friend.
Tell me about your spiritual friends!
(H/T: The Practicing Catholic)
Showing posts with label spiritual issues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual issues. Show all posts
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Monday, March 26, 2012
Uncomfortable
Today is the first of 12 preliminary Days that begins my renewal of Total Consecration to Jesus, through Mary for Families. This spiritual journey does not start off easy and then gradually get more intense, it's intense from the very beginning.
The first thing I read this morning was, "Ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to break with everything that displeases God and to become a person for others in imitation of the Holy Family."
Wow.
I want to. But it's hard to gather the courage to ask. I'm afraid of what God will require of me.
I pray that along this road, I can find it within me to truly seek to break from EVERYTHING that displeases God.
The first thing I read this morning was, "Ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to break with everything that displeases God and to become a person for others in imitation of the Holy Family."
Wow.
I want to. But it's hard to gather the courage to ask. I'm afraid of what God will require of me.
I pray that along this road, I can find it within me to truly seek to break from EVERYTHING that displeases God.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Mother and Father are OUT!! (***warning: non child friendly post!)
It seems that the United States government (the passport office, anyway) has decided that it is no longer correct to refer to the 2 (male and female!) human beings that cooperated with God to bring you into existence, as "mother" and "father". Unfortunately, if you have children and are applying for a U.S. passport, you will now be referred to as "Parent 1" and Parent 2". This is according to the Family Equality Council (whatever THAT is)!
You can click HERE to read the story for yourself, if you so dare.
A statement on the State Department website noted: "These improvements are being made to provide a gender neutral description of a child's parents and in recognition of different types of families".
I have a few questions though......would I be considered "parent 1" or "parent 2" and does this mean you could feasibly have "parent 3" or "parent 4" or more? How about "mommy 1" and "mommy 2" or "daddy 1" and "daddy 2"? Isn't that even MORE politically correct?
What is with this "gender neutral" stuff? The world is trying to go neutral! Educational neutrality is when you can't use a RED pen to correct a student's work because it might make them feel bad. Athletic neutrality is when you no longer keep score in school sports because you don't want anyone to LOSE and when you can no longer play dodge ball because everyone picks on the weakest one inside the circle. Sigh!
This is all really getting to me these days. If it's not one thing, it's another. I'm so tired of it all. Times are getting tough and I truly feel sorry for my children and their children...and so on for all of this that they will have to endure.
Today, on my Unto The Hills desk calendar by Billy Graham:
"Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thess.5:17-18
"Praying unlocks the doors of heaven and releases the power of God. God's answers are
always right and good and best. Whether prayer changes our situation or not, one thing
is certain: Prayer will change us!"
You can click HERE to read the story for yourself, if you so dare.
A statement on the State Department website noted: "These improvements are being made to provide a gender neutral description of a child's parents and in recognition of different types of families".
I have a few questions though......would I be considered "parent 1" or "parent 2" and does this mean you could feasibly have "parent 3" or "parent 4" or more? How about "mommy 1" and "mommy 2" or "daddy 1" and "daddy 2"? Isn't that even MORE politically correct?
What is with this "gender neutral" stuff? The world is trying to go neutral! Educational neutrality is when you can't use a RED pen to correct a student's work because it might make them feel bad. Athletic neutrality is when you no longer keep score in school sports because you don't want anyone to LOSE and when you can no longer play dodge ball because everyone picks on the weakest one inside the circle. Sigh!
This is all really getting to me these days. If it's not one thing, it's another. I'm so tired of it all. Times are getting tough and I truly feel sorry for my children and their children...and so on for all of this that they will have to endure.
Today, on my Unto The Hills desk calendar by Billy Graham:
"Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thess.5:17-18
"Praying unlocks the doors of heaven and releases the power of God. God's answers are
always right and good and best. Whether prayer changes our situation or not, one thing
is certain: Prayer will change us!"
Thursday, November 11, 2010
A Question For You!
The author of one of my very favorite blogs has recently asked an interesting question, "What does 'when the well runs dry' mean to you, and what do you do about it?" I've been pondering these questions for the last few days and what I've found is that, I don't really have a definitive answer. I've decided that I'm "wishy-washy"! Does that make sense?
I'll start off by saying that I don't remember how old I was the first time I heard this term. I'm pretty sure I was in grade school though because I know I was asking my dad for something. It was probably some new item that I'd seen advertised on television. I remember that he clearly said to me, "Nancy honey, I'd love to give that to you but I'm sorry to say that our well has run dry." I took that to mean that we didn't have the money, that our bank account was dry, that it was empty. At the time, there wasn't much for me to actually do about it, accept to say that I shrugged my shoulders and moved on to the next thing clogging my prepubescent mind. I guess you could call it, acceptance, mostly because....you just didn't argue with my dad!
Another way of looking at it, and this is where I think I most identify with the term, is to say that emotionally, my well has run dry. I am emotionally spent. As a woman (more specifically a wife and a mother), my vocation is to be the primary nurturer. We are programmed to work towards meeting the needs of others. Sometimes those needs can be overwhelming. Whether it's meeting the needs of my husband, my children, the household or even extended family, it can take it's toll on my emotions. For me, I know I'm at that point when I cry. When I allow my emotions to get to the point where I have nothing left of me to give and all I can do is shed tears, then I know that I'm at my wits end and I need to take a step back and re-group. For me, it usually means taking a trip to a quiet bookstore or just a drive around town..ALONE....just God and I. Just this simple step alone can begin to refill my well.
My well can also run dry spiritually. I know you've heard the term "desert experience", right? To have my well run dry in this context is probably harder than any of the others. Feeling separated or abandoned by God is never a pleasant experience. Whenever I am in the midst of this crisis, I often wonder what it was that I did (or didn't do) to push God away. Did the spiritual dryness come because I didn't have enough faith? Will God bring me back into His fold again or will I have to endure the fire of refinement forever?
During these times of spiritual dryness, I lay low. I don't do anything drastic. I usually seek the advice of a trusted priest and then, well, I just simply pray. Even though sometimes it seems as though God doesn't hear me in the desert, I pray anyway. I pray that I'm open to whatever it is that He's trying to show me. I take advantage of the Sacraments and keep a rosary with me at all times....even if all I do is just hold it! Sometimes, I'll even sleep with it!
Strangely enough, my emotional well is pretty dry right at the moment. I'm sorry if this post seems superficial and impersonal, but, I'm having trouble digging deep these days. Right now I seem to be just going through the motions. I have a lot going on. Please bear with me as I "fill up my well".
If you would like to add your comments to the discussion, please do so here or at Aspiring's Blog.
I'll start off by saying that I don't remember how old I was the first time I heard this term. I'm pretty sure I was in grade school though because I know I was asking my dad for something. It was probably some new item that I'd seen advertised on television. I remember that he clearly said to me, "Nancy honey, I'd love to give that to you but I'm sorry to say that our well has run dry." I took that to mean that we didn't have the money, that our bank account was dry, that it was empty. At the time, there wasn't much for me to actually do about it, accept to say that I shrugged my shoulders and moved on to the next thing clogging my prepubescent mind. I guess you could call it, acceptance, mostly because....you just didn't argue with my dad!
Another way of looking at it, and this is where I think I most identify with the term, is to say that emotionally, my well has run dry. I am emotionally spent. As a woman (more specifically a wife and a mother), my vocation is to be the primary nurturer. We are programmed to work towards meeting the needs of others. Sometimes those needs can be overwhelming. Whether it's meeting the needs of my husband, my children, the household or even extended family, it can take it's toll on my emotions. For me, I know I'm at that point when I cry. When I allow my emotions to get to the point where I have nothing left of me to give and all I can do is shed tears, then I know that I'm at my wits end and I need to take a step back and re-group. For me, it usually means taking a trip to a quiet bookstore or just a drive around town..ALONE....just God and I. Just this simple step alone can begin to refill my well.
My well can also run dry spiritually. I know you've heard the term "desert experience", right? To have my well run dry in this context is probably harder than any of the others. Feeling separated or abandoned by God is never a pleasant experience. Whenever I am in the midst of this crisis, I often wonder what it was that I did (or didn't do) to push God away. Did the spiritual dryness come because I didn't have enough faith? Will God bring me back into His fold again or will I have to endure the fire of refinement forever?
During these times of spiritual dryness, I lay low. I don't do anything drastic. I usually seek the advice of a trusted priest and then, well, I just simply pray. Even though sometimes it seems as though God doesn't hear me in the desert, I pray anyway. I pray that I'm open to whatever it is that He's trying to show me. I take advantage of the Sacraments and keep a rosary with me at all times....even if all I do is just hold it! Sometimes, I'll even sleep with it!
Strangely enough, my emotional well is pretty dry right at the moment. I'm sorry if this post seems superficial and impersonal, but, I'm having trouble digging deep these days. Right now I seem to be just going through the motions. I have a lot going on. Please bear with me as I "fill up my well".
If you would like to add your comments to the discussion, please do so here or at Aspiring's Blog.
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