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Catholic Pinterest Group Board — Catholic Pinterest Board of the Week

Lisa Hendey — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:00:57 +0000

Follow CatholicPinner on Twitter

You may think the title of this week’s post is a bit redundant, but I honestly can’t believe it’s taken me this long to feature “Catholic Pinterest” as our Board of the Week. Established by Catholic Pinterest Queen Allison Girone, the Catholic Pinterest group board now has over 50 pinners, over 1100 pins and nearly 2100 followers. You’ll find some of your favorite Catholic bloggers pinning there, but also great Catholic institutions like Our Sunday Visitor and the Catholic Company.

One of the great things about the Catholic Pinterest group board is that it highlights the synergy that is possible with a tool like Pinterest when we all work as a team. I’m thrilled that so many faith-filled pinners have come together to create a resource that is truly the “go to” place for Catholics on Pinterest. Please follow Catholic Pinterest today, and be sure to check out Allison Girone‘s great boards too — and while you’re there, thank her for her curation of this great community!

Click to follow the "Catholic Pinterest" Group Board

And here’s this week’s tip of the week from Allison Girone of the Catholic Pinterest Group Board who has kindly agreed to offer a weekly pointer for us on how to use some best practices to enjoy and effectively employ Pinterest:

Utilize the buttons to tweet your pin or Facebook your pin…when appropriate. Ask yourself how many of these pins are my followers going to want to see? It could be overdone if your friends receive 10 Facebook updates from you in as many minutes. Because once you’re in a groove on Pinterest, the pins can start dancing…

If you’re a Catholic using Pinterest, please drop a link in the comments below to share your boards. Also, I’d love to hear about why you love Pinterest and how you think this latest craze might be used to spread the Good News.

Lisa M. Hendey loves Pinterest and can be found at http://pinterest.com/lisahendey/

Pushpin image courtesy of Darren Hester

Promote NFP & Enter to Win Digital Camera

Guest — Fri, 25 May 2012 01:00:32 +0000

Goodness Reigns Launches Its First ‘Mini Contest’ on Natural Family Planning

Effort Seeks to Increase Awareness of the NFP Lifestyle and Its Benefits for Couples, Society

LOUISVILLE, May 18, 2012 – It’s green. It’s scientific. It’s holistic and builds strong marriages. Explore these and other reasons for Natural Family Planning – a pivotal teaching and lifestyle choice – while making a short video. Goodness Reigns shows you how, offers incentives for doing it and will provide an online platform for your work.

Building on its mission to engage young adults and media makers to explore important faith-related issues through media and art, Goodness Reigns is launching its first Mini Contest, a short video competition entitled “Natural Family Planning: The Better Way.”

Prizes include a Panasonic GH2 camera, a Manfroto monopod or the choice of a $1,000 gift card to B&H Photo.

Anyone may enter the contest by submitting a video under 5 minutes that either explains or explores Natural Family Planning. Submissions will be accepted from May 25 to June 25 through the Goodness Reigns website, www.GoodnessReigns.com.

Winners will be announced July 16, at which time the public will be invited to participate in a People’s Choice voting period until July 22. The People’s Choice winner will be announced on July 23.

Never made a video? Participants may find helpful tips by visiting the online Goodness Reigns Film School found atwww.GoodnessReigns.com. From using simple equipment to getting great sound, filmmaker Gabriel Castillo explains how to create better videos for those interested in using media production as a tool in their ministry. Baptized Catholic but “raised a pagan,” Gabriel’s pursuit of a college degree brought him home to his faith and has enkindled in him a passion for sharing it through media. His short videos on video production will instruct, entertain and inspire those interested in using technology to share with our culture the way to complete joy through Jesus Christ.

Approaches to presenting material in the Mini Contest may be diverse. Whether choosing to make a documentary, a commercial-style short, an animated cartoon, a news story with interviews or some other approach, all are welcomed.

The Mini Contest is a new offering from Goodness Reigns, which orchestrated an international video contest that brought together many young amateur filmmakers from the United States, India and Mexico for World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid, Spain. There, they presented their videos to other WYD pilgrims and developed friendships and future contacts for collaboration. A similar contest will be launched in July 2012 leading up to WYD 2013 in Brazil.

All contest films, including those from the Mini Contest, will become part of an online media archive accessible to catechists, teachers and anyone interested in learning more about the Catholic faith and lifestyle.

Additional details

Video Link

Grace: The Third Option

Libby DuPont — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:00:13 +0000

Ever been stuck between a rock and a hard place? Mary Magdalene was on Easter morning. Well, actually, it was Jesus’ body that was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and she seemingly had no way to get to him. This consumes her thoughts on the way to the tomb. How will I get that stone moved? Jesus needs to be anointed. If I ask the guards, what will they do to me? Can the disciples move it? They would be thrown in prison if they tried! And further, they don’t have a great track record of sticking around when things get tough…

What I think is most striking about this inner dialogue of Mary is that as she runs through the impossibilities in her head, she keeps moving toward the tomb. It seems like she has two options: to incur ridicule or worse from the guards at the tomb, or to fail to give Jesus a decent burial. Yet when she arrives, she finds something altogether different. Jesus has provided a spectacular third option she never could have dreamed of.

I have been reflecting lately how so many of our pressing social issues come down to a failure to see and embrace that third option. Our society forces people in difficult circumstances into a false dichotomy of horrible solutions. If you’re in a troubled marriage, you have two choices: the trauma of divorce or the long agony of staying together “for the sake of the kids”. Young, pregnant and unmarried? Your choices are abortion or a doomed future of poverty and underachievement. This is a brilliant tool of the devil. No one likes divorce or abortion, but if you juxtapose it with something equally devastating, it suddenly seems like a viable option. The “lesser of two evils”.

Now enter Mother Church, who is increasingly a lone voice against some of these “lesser evils”. Prohibit contraception? You want women to become helpless baby factories! Prohibit assisted suicide? You want Grandma to linger is meaningless pain! Prohibit IVF? You want to deprive people of the beauty of parenthood! What our culture fails to see in every one of these tough cases is the third option. The Church never just slaps on a legislative cuff. Instead she gently takes the struggling sinner by the hand and says, “this is extremely difficult, but you can do it”. In short, the third option is grace.

Grace is a poorly understood concept today, but simply it means God’s supernatural power which we have access to by our Baptism and by the other sacraments. What it means is that we never face our hardest times alone. We face them with the same power that moved the stone for Mary Magdalene. Grace opens doors where no doors should be able to open.

The third option is a transformed marriage where partners can learn to slowly rebuild trust and love again. It is adoption, where an infertile couple becomes parents, the young person is able to continue with their education and the baby gets to live. It is Natural Family Planning, through which couples learn to be generous in their love, open to God’s will for their families and through which they can either space their children or often conceive children despite low fertility.

I’m not naïve. I know that life is not a Hallmark movie. That’s the beauty of grace! I know that sometimes the third option is an ability to survive one of the first two horrible options. If Grandma is terminally ill, grace normally won’t provide a miraculous cure. But God will illuminate the meaning of Grandma’s suffering. Like all suffering endured with Christ, it can be a powerful avenue of grace for others. This is true of any suffering we let God into.

Finally, the best part about the third option is that it is available even after one of the “lesser evils” is chosen. There is hope for those who have divorced, whether that choice was made for safety, against one’s will or in the pursuit of a happier life. There is forgiveness and healing for those who have chosen abortion, or IVF or contraception. Here, too, the third option opens up floodgates of mercy and peace that never could have been imagined before. No matter what the situation, choosing the third option of grace leads to a surprisingly rich joy.

So this Easter season, let’s approach the tomb with our deepest anxieties. Let’s offer them up to the Lord and see what miracles await us.

Note: Grace is often channeled through practical avenues. For help in understanding the issues raised in this post or in getting practical help, please contact your pastor or the Respect Life or Family Life Offices

Spiritual Exercises

Cynthia Ann Costello — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:00:28 +0000

My daughter finished a half-marathon today. My husband and two younger sons were there to cheer her on. The race was a culmination of months of disciplined training, and a testament to the human spirit and will.

For me it was yet another way to see God manifesting Himself in daily events. He allows us to draw from human experiences and be lifted up into contemplation of Him and His plan to be one with us. It never ceases to amaze me how He can bless this way: in the silence of an Adoration Hour, as well as in the midst of a crowded event. Whether a spectator or a participant in this half marathon, one could use the experience as a spiritual “exercise”. I hope St. Ignatius of Loyola would agree!

In Blessed John Paul II’s teaching called the Theology of the Body, he writes,” The body expresses the person”. (TOB 7:2). As I watched the myriad of runners go by, I saw all ages, body types, and running styles. The glory of persons created in God’s image astounded me! How unique and unrepeatable we are! What joy in the recognition that no one of us is the same, and we all bring our individual gifts to the world! Sleek runners – so at home in their stride, and there to break record times -were on the same path as the knee-braced and lumbering who could barely pick up their feet. The burly tattooed and the tough ran alongside fashion colors of “carefully-chosen-for-race-day” running gear. It was difficult to know who evoked more respect: the woman pregnant with child, the flag-holding firefighters who ran in full gear, or girl with one arm, and the Soul Surfer’s strength. Statements were proclaimed: on T-shirts that professed a cause, and on faces that emulated the feeling of the runner’s high or the grimace of a longing for it all to be over.

Are we not all running the race, as St. Paul tells us? Are we not beautiful in the unique ways we are called? No less important were the spectators who lined the path. We imagined ourselves as the saints in heaven cheering souls on to the finish!

Besides the glory of the community of runners as a whole, I found myself thinking about the spiritual exercises of the individual hearts, souls and minds of every runner as they prepared for and then executed the race. What interior gifts of self-motivation, intellect, and will-power had they applied as they trained for months before the race? Frequent conversations with my daughter gave me some insight into that journey. Not a day went by without careful thought about a consistent and well-planned routine. There was an inner discipline established early in terms of a weekly running schedule, specific diet, and enough rest. The challenge was mental as well as physical, and it was the daily commitment that prepared the whole person well.

Again, Theology of the Body teaches us, you cannot separate the soul from the body, the physical from the divine. In no other way do we make visible the invisible, but in and through the body! Without words, the inner reality speaks, and whole pages could be filled with each runner’s body language spoken eloquently on race day.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” my daughter proclaimed soon after she crossed the finish line. How often, I pondered, would she be able to draw on this spiritual exercise and apply it to many other circumstances and events in life? She may be inspired by this one for years to come.

My Husband Isn’t My Girlfriend

Erin Franco — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:00:19 +0000

That’s probably a terrifically terrible title for this blog post, but if you read the post I think you’ll see what I mean.

Especially if you’re one of my girl friends.

I am married to my best friend. But he is a different kind of friend. Michael isn’t one of my girl friends–he’s my husband. I need to remember that more often.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” -Ephesians 5:25

“Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” - John 15:13

The Bible tells husbands that they are supposed to give themselves up for their wives as Christ gave himself up for his Bride, the church. What a challenge and responsibility for husbands! I know Michael would die for me without a second thought. In this sense, he is truly my best and most faithful friend.

Also, none of my friends make me laugh as much as he does.

But Michael will never relate to me, empathize with me, and maybe even understand me in some ways, like my close girl friends do. I can’t expect him to think, act or speak to me like my girl friends. He just doesn’t work that way. In the end, it’s not fair to him for me to become bitter because I think he is supposed to somehow learn how to think, act and speak to me like my girlfriends.

Decades of a few very well-intentioned but terribly harmful tenets of feminism have trained our culture to think that men are the ones who need to figure us out. I wish I could pin all the blame on Michael when I don’t feel a strong connection of understanding and oneness with him on some topic or situation. I wish I could be rightfully upset because he doesn’t say things the way I want (and think I need) to hear them. Not that he and probably every other husband on earth couldn’t probably work on better communication in their marriage. As us wives probably could.

One thing about my girl friends is that I know they can see my heart and understand my intentions. I am always able to communicate effectively with them. Not so in marriage. Not that I don’t try my heart out to communicate and understand. Not that Michael doesn’t try his heart out to communicate and understand. It’s just that, even four years into our marriage, we are still learning.

I think that we wives truly desire our husbands see our hearts. To see how hard we are trying to be good to them.

And how much we just want them to be good to us.

To see how much we have to give, and how much we do give.

To see how much we love them and want to build a happy–and maybe a happier–life together.

We need to look for their hearts, too, though. To see how hard they are truly trying to be good to us.

And how much they just want us to be good to them.

To see how much they have to give, and how much they do give to us and the family.

To see how much they love us and want to build a happy life together.

We want the same things. I think women just talk about it more. And write long rambling blog posts about it more. And talk to their girl friends about it more. :)

I think that sometimes we forget that our marriage isn’t going to the dogs if we don’t feel a connection with our husbands about everything. I think that deciding what is most important, and working as a couple to agree and move forward on those things, is where we should put in the most effort.

So there you have a few sweet musings from a still-newlywed of (almost) four years. I’m glad I will have this post to look back on in thirty years to laugh at myself. Little do I know, I’m sure!

I hope my future self will see that I was really trying, though, to do this marriage thing well. I hope I see that I did the best I possibly could to be a good wife and a woman of God in this moment and in this level of my personal and spiritual maturity.

Now for your entertainment, one of my favorite videos explaining the Differences Between Men and Women. Get ready to laugh. Hard.

Video Link

So Come On In, Without a Fuss — Greetings from Gracieland

Ellen Toole Austin and Jimmy Gownley — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:00:59 +0000

Editor’s Note: We hope you enjoy this week’s Greetings from Gracieland, our fantastic webstrip from Jimmy Gownley and Ellen Toole Austin. Along with the comic, you’ll find “Table Talk”, a terrific conversation starter to share with your children. Be sure to visit the Greetings from Gracieland website at www.GreetingsFromGracieland.com for more fun and inspiration with Gracie and join us here each Thursday morning for a new feature! LMH

Click on the image to view in full detail

Gracieland Table Talk:

We would like to encourage you to share a family meal and Gracieland together. Each week we will be posting some discussion starters that you can share with your family. Share the webstrip with your kids, grab a plate, pull up a chair, and talk.

Ask your child:

How is tending to a garden similar to being a mom?

What “weeds” does your mom try to keep away from you?

Can zucchini get detention? What does Gracie mean by this?

What does mom mean by “an early harvest”?

The Grains Issue From the Other Side – Is There Such a Thing as Healthy Grains?

Kelly the Kitchen Kop — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:00:31 +0000

If you’re as confused as I am about the issue of whether or not grains are good for you, and wonder if there is such a thing as healthy grains, hang in there. Today you’ll learn more and I’m still not done with the topic, we’ll keep sorting through all of this together.

The Grains Issue From the Other Side – Is There Such a Thing as Healthy Grains?

Small Success Thursday: You’re a Winner!

Sherry Antonetti — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:00:22 +0000

Every week we take time to look back at the past seven days and see how we made progress towards our goals, be they little or big. It’s important to stop and take stock, because weeks otherwise can pass without our quite noticing. So breathe deep. Consider how this past week, you were beyond blessed in the minutia and the big picture, and how you in your labors of the day over these past seven days, were a blessing to others both in the minutia and in the big picture. We all are called to be saints, and that sanctification comes through all the things we do, big and small, and how much love we poured into those moments, big and small.

Leave your small successes in the com box or a link to your blog, and then give yourself a pat on the back, because this past week, you were a source of grace to others, and you worked hard. Good job!

This past week I:

1) Shopped with daughter to find her bridesmaid’s dress, ordered it.
2) Mailed a package to my mom, and a second one to my brother.
3) Won tickets on the radio to go to a breakfast with the band on Thursday morning!
4) Exercised (walking) Friday, Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday thanks to all the ladies in this group who inspire with their exercise regimen…it’s progress.
5) Continued working on Helen, wrote a major component (20 pages).
6) Dryer arrived. Clothing now can be folded and put away…I can catch up on the laundry….wait.
7) Began reading the Hobbit with my eight year old son. I’m just prepping him for December when Jackson’s film comes out.

I look forward to seeing what all of you have been up to this week.

Leave your list on your blog and list your blog in the comments or leave your small successes in the comment section itself and thanks for being part of Small Success Thursday!

CatholicMom Falls Silent: #SilenceAndWord

Lisa Hendey — Wed, 23 May 2012 02:00:36 +0000

Editor’s Note: On Wednesday, May 23, CatholicMom.com will “fall silent” as a part of this year’s Catholic Media Promotion Day. We hope that you will also consider taking a day off from your typical online endeavors and that you’ll use this time to pray for your own faithful use of media and for all of those engaged in using it as a part of the New Evangelization. Please read the information below on why we’re doing this, and how you can be a part of the effort. LMH

World Communications Day 2012 is happening this Sunday, May 20. The 2012 Catholic Media Promotion Day will follow on Wednesday, May 23 and Thursday, May 24.

Last year, on Catholic Media Promotion Day, we asked you to promote your favorite 3 blogs, 3 podcasts, 3 other media, 3 random Catholic things online, as well as your own projects. Additionally, we asked you to go to iTunes on that single day and leave at least 3 positive reviews for various Catholic podcasts and 3 positive written reviews for Catholic mobile applications.

Something different this year

This year, in keeping with the theme of Pope Benedict XVI’s message for World Communications Day 2012 — Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization — we’re asking you to do something different.

On Wednesday, May 23, we’re asking you to take a one-day break from posting on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Pinterest, etc… and use that day to reflect on the Pope’s words about the role of silence in communication and evangelization.

Then, on Thursday, May 24, please share the fruit of that day of prayer and silence with everyone, by posting your answer to the question: “What in Catholic Media has had an impact on me during the past year?” Share it on the New Evangelizers website at: http://newevangelizers.com/forums/topic/catholic-media-promotion-day-2012/

Why silence on Wednesday?

So why did we choose Wednesday as the day to be silent? According to a recent study, Wednesday is the day that most people post on Facebook. Remaining silent in the world of social communications on this day is a way to become more aware of the temptation to value doing over being and speaking over listening. No one on the web may notice our silence, but surely God will notice, and hopefully we will notice Him more deeply, and thus come away with a greater readiness to share a word that gives life. As Pope Benedict XVI reminds us: “Silent contemplation immerses us in the source of that Love who directs us towards our neighbors so that we may feel their suffering and offer them the light of Christ, his message of life and his saving gift of the fullness of love.”

In summary, here’s what we ask you to do:

1) PREPARE (May 19-22)

Spread the word about World Communications Day and Catholic Media Promotion Day using all the social media:

a) Link to the page on the New Evangelizers website: http://promotecatholicism.newevangelizers.com/promote-catholicism-day/

b) Like / +1 the page

c) Include the hash tag #silenceandword in your posts

d) Consider using this avatar in place of your profile photo on Facebook, Twitter, etc.:

http://tinyurl.com/silenceandwordavatar

2) FALL SILENT (May 23)

Refrain from using social media to post content on Wednesday, May 23, and use it as a chance to read and prayerfully reflect on the Pope’s message for World Communications Day 2012: http://tinyurl.com/silenceandword

3) EVANGELIZE (May 24)

Share the fruit of your day of prayer and silence with everyone, by posting your answer to the question: “What in Catholic Media has had an impact on me during the past year?” Share it on the New Evangelizers website at: http://newevangelizers.com/forums/topic/catholic-media-promotion-day-2012/

An Incredible Offer for Your Little Angels

Lisa Hendey — Wed, 23 May 2012 01:00:22 +0000

We recently interviewed Roma Downey and featured the wonderful children’s DVD series she created titled LITTLE ANGELS. The DVDs are designed to help teach children their ABC’s, 123’s, and also introduce them to bible stories. Roma Downey who starred in the hugely successful television show “Touched By An Angel” believes that introducing children to the Bible is one of the most important things a parent can do for their child.
LITTLE ANGELS is available at all major retailers such as Wal-Mart and Amazon and all Christian stores, and NOW parents can take advantage of a special coupon offer. From now until May 31, you can use the link below for a coupon to get $3.00 OFF any LITTLE ANGELS DVD for your family.

LITTLE ANGELS COUPON: http://www.coupons.com/couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=13306&zid=iq37&nid=10&cid=17323189

How Well Do You Know Your Bible?

Lisa Hendey — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:08:06 +0000

New Game Show About THE BIBLE Makes Television History This August!

The first ever game show created to test your knowledge of The Bible will make its television debut this August. GSN – the Game Show Network – and the creators of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” are producing “The American Bible Challenge” which will be hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy.

It’s rare these days to find a show on mainstream network or cable television suitable to share with the entire family. In fact it’s pretty much non-existent. For lack of a better phrase, it’s a huge leap of faith for GSN to develop and produce not only a family show, but one in which The Bible takes center stage.

And right now – THE SHOW IS LOOKING FOR CONTESTANTS who have a passion for The Bible and giving back to their community!!!!

“The American Bible Challenge” is criss-crossing America scouting potential players who want to win money for their favorite charity. Individual players or teams of up to three people who have competitive spirits, great personal testimonies, and of course know their bible are encouraged to try out. ALL ARE WELCOME TO THE CASTING CALL.

For a list of casting cities, additional information, and to sign-up as a prospective contestant, please go to: http://tv.gsn.com/shows/the-american-bible-challenge/casting/

“The American Bible Challenge” will debut on Game Show Network this August. Please check your local listing for your GSN channel and join in on the Bible trivia!!!!

Toilet Paper, Stickers And The Great Helper

Jean Briese — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:00:23 +0000

When Allison was a toddler, we used to hold her up to the wall where all our family photos were displayed and play “Who’s that?” You have probably played this with your own kids. “Who’s that?” we would ask. “Grampa Briese,” Allison would reply. This was a way for Allison to know her great extended family, to learn the names of those familiar faces and to learn about family members like Grampa Briese, who passed away before she was born. She could tell you, “Grampa Briese is Papa’s daddy.“ So too, we introduced her to Jesus, Mary and the Saints in the same way. When we played “Who’s that?” Jesus, Mary and sometimes other Saints were always part of our family photos. I didn’t want Allison to only learn of Jesus in “church” or to learn of Jesus in a “special” conversation. I wanted Allison to know Jesus as part of her family, as the King of our family.

And so too, in her room, she has a picture of her two year old self, taken with her great-grandmothers. One of these grandmothers has since passed away. Next to her picture of her grannies is a prayer card with a smiling Jesus, laminated for little hands. She will take both of these down from time to time and kiss them, her grannies and her Jesus. Next to these, she has a statue of Mary (which she always wants to sleep with) and a statue of a young Jesus. We start our day with “Good Morning, Jesus. Good Morning Mary.” We end our day with “Good Night, Jesus. Good Night, Mary.”

Allison is now four years old. Most work days my schedule allows me to not worry about getting into my office at a certain time, so the morning “get out the door” routine is not rushed. However, there are exceptions, mornings when I do need to leave by a certain time. One particular day, when I needed to leave early, Allison wasn’t in the mood to be rushed. “Allison, go get dressed,“ I said. “Okay, Gramma,” she responded. A few minutes later, she returned from her room, pajamas still on, arms overflowing with toys, talking about something that happened at school yesterday. “Allison,” I cried in frustration, “we are going to be late.”

“You are going to be late, Gramma, I’m not.” Well, I guess that put things into perspective for me. She was right about that. She doesn’t have to be anywhere at a specific time. “Let me go with you and help you get dressed,” I responded, as we headed to her room.

As I was standing in the bathroom, waiting for her to choose her hair barrettes, I noticed the empty toilet paper roll. I took the empty roll off just as she cried, “Gramma, I want braids.” Setting the toilet paper holder down on the bathroom counter, I braided her hair for her. Concentrating on the braid, I didn’t notice that she had picked up the toilet paper holder and pulled it apart so the spring came out and it was in pieces.

Now Allison is a curious girl, and very smart. I get that and, trust me, she gets plenty of opportunities to explore her curiosity. This, however, was my last nerve. “Allison!” I exclaimed in a loud enough voice to startle her. Why do you insist on taking everything apart? How many times have I told you that you need to ask before you take things apart? That’s it! I need a time out,” and I stomped out of the bathroom.

Papa went in while I calmed myself down. He fixed the toilet paper holder and when I walked back into the room, Allison was hugging Papa. When she saw me, she came running over to embrace me and said, “I’m sorry, Gramma.” “ Yes, Sweetie, I know.” After explaining to Allison the importance of taking care of our home and our things, Allison nodded in agreement, saying she understood.

I left to get my shoes and told Allison to get her sweater for school. As I came back into the bedroom, I caught Allison attempting to scrape stickers off the wall of her bedroom. We had that discussion yesterday when I came into her room to find stickers everywhere: on the walls, the furniture, and on her stuffed animals. I thought we had removed all of them, but we missed some and Allison was busy trying to remove them. I was so touched that she understood what I said. She was trying to make up for disappointing me and trying to do what I asked of her. As I walked closer to her, I noticed she was using something to lift the stickers from the wall…. what was it? It was her Jesus prayer card.

“Allison, are you using your prayer card to get the stickers off the wall?”

“Yep, Jesus is my great helper.“

“Yes, yes he is.” Thanks, Sweet Baby, for reminding me of that today.

Sometimes we stumble, let us fall on Jesus. Let Him be our great helper in getting us back up and staying on our path. We may need to face the difficult things in our life that we don’t want to hear, that may even startle us. We may need our Heavenly Father’s embrace to find the strength to apologize for our transgression.

Will you let Jesus be your great helper?

Empty

Kate Daneluk — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:00:59 +0000

This week I spent almost 3 days away from my nursing baby. Three days with a machine to extract milk to save for the future, keep me comfortable, and keep my supply abundant. When I finally got home, I was anxious to feed my baby for many reasons, but most urgently, so I could finally feel emptied. For many, many nursing mothers, electronic pumps just can’t coax the milk out like a baby can. As usual, God has used my vocation of motherhood to help me reflect on His selfless love for us.

Empty is usually considered a negative. Pessimists describe the glass as half empty. Someone who lets me down offers me empty promises. A symptom of depression is a feeling of emptiness. But this Wednesday night, empty is my goal. Why would the significant relief of pumping not bring the same satisfaction of being emptied by a hungry baby? Why does the balance of maternal hormones refuse to reward me until there is nothing left to give?

I turn to a piece of scripture I have found so difficult to understand.

“Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8 NAB)

When God had unlimited possibilities and resources with which to save us, why would He do it Himself despite the horrible suffering He would endure? Why would He want to empty Himself?

My simple nursing of my son is nothing compared to God’s self-giving, but it makes me appreciate why God would want to EMPTY Himself completely out of love to keep us alive and with Him. He, of course, would choose the most loving and selfless solution to save us, and He allows us mothers a tiny glimpse of this when we experience the satisfaction of emptying ourselves out of love for our children. Nursing is amazing that way.

Breastfeeding also serves as a microcosmic example of how we were made to love. When our bodies work as creation intends, emptying ourselves is natural, pleasurable, and mysteriously feeds and fills us as we pour out calories, hydration, and nutrition to our children that our bodies would have otherwise received. Isn’t true love the same? It is in giving that we receive. (Can you hear the Song of St. Francis playing in the back of my mind?)

But it can be painful to establish nursing. It can be difficult. Our souls sometimes struggle in learning to love selflessly too. After all, we began as the baby, in a fallen world, focused solely on our own needs and our own self. There are growing pains when gaining spiritual maturity.

Consider too, that nature doesn’t always cooperate. Many times low milk supply, infection, improper latching and other complications can make nursing painful, impossible, or ineffective. But, when it does work, it is beautiful, comfortable, and rewarding for both mother and child with long-term health benefits for both. And the mothers who often have to battle through painful and exhausting obstacles to breastfeed often appreciate and enjoy this the most, in the end.

Likewise, sin, both original and actual can cause our souls to be weakened, sick, or impaired and prevent us from loving as God intended. But through the Grace of God, love does amazing things in this world, especially the love between a mother and child, one of the most powerful examples of human love. My analogy falls short here, because for some mothers breastfeeding is not possible, but for all of us, God’s healing can overcome any sin or scar that may impede our ability to love selflessly.

As my mind ponders these things, I hold my baby close and enjoy the bond, the intimacy of motherhood, and the purity of the mother/child relationship at this early stage. I have older kids. I know it won’t always be this simple. Then I think of the infamous Time Magazine cover of this month and I get why it disturbs me. I believe that mothers should be able to choose attachment parenting without judgment, though I do not. I am obviously pro-breastfeeding and agree that mothers should be able to nurse their children until three or more as is more common historically and in the rest of the world even though my children have weaned at younger ages. The image disturbs me because it has sensationalized, politicized, and cheapened something sacred, special and intimate in a way that is as disrespectful as asking a mother to nurse in a bathroom or pump in a closet. It is the other end of the extreme. I think of what the media, feminism, and the sexual “revolution” did to marital love. Is breastfeeding next?

We all understand that the cover was designed to get publicity, good or bad, and to sell magazines. But at what cost? In our media, “edgy” is now just a code word for lewd or offensive. Dr. Gregory Popcak, noted pastoral counselor, marriage and parenting expert, and attachment parenting advocate, addressed this quite eloquently on his More 2 Life facebook page:

“(T)here isn’t anything psychologically inappropriate about nursing this long as long as (a) it is actually a response to the child’s need for comfort and closeness and not being forced on the child and (b) it is done privately and discretely so as to respect the intimacy communicated by this kind of relationship. The person is not a cup. Mom is not a cow. Nursing is not sipping from a water fountain, its a loving connection between mother and baby.”

And I thank God that I had the opportunity to experience this loving connection, to experience the fullness of emptying for my children.

Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms #2

Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:00:08 +0000

Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle offers support and encouragement for Catholic Moms.

Tech Talk: What Would Be on Mary’s iPad?

Sarah Reinhard — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:00:05 +0000

Find the Tech Talk archive here.

Let’s pretend, for a moment, that Mary had an iPad. (Yes, I know: there’s all sorts of suspension of belief here.)

Here are five apps I think she would have on her iPad:

iPieta – I’ve been trying for years to figure out what iPieta doesn’t include. Near as I can tell, there’s no chocolate.
Magnificat – Yes, the Magnificat magazine, delivered to your device! You get a month free and then you can subscribe for a lower rate, still see the lovely cover art, and have it delivered automatically to your iPad. Mary would surely have it for the way it offers many prayer opportunities, daily scripture readings, and reflections from the saints and holy writers.
Catholic News Live – What better way to know what’s going on in the worldwide Church than this app?
DayOne Journal – Maybe she would use it to make notes of Jesus’ progress, important things she was pondering, or just to make a note of a novena she started. Hard telling, as handy and useful and NICE as this app is.
My Horse – Because, in case you didn’t know, Mother Mary loves horses, so she would be sure to spend time with virtual horses during those times she couldn’t be with them in person.

YOUR TURN: What do you think Mary would have on her iPad?

image source: MorgueFile

CatholicMom & Catholic Media Promotion Day

Lisa Hendey — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:27:42 +0000

World Communications Day 2012 is happening this Sunday, May 20. The 2012 Catholic Media Promotion Day will follow on Wednesday, May 23 and Thursday, May 24.

Something different this year

This year, in keeping with the theme of Pope Benedict XVI’s message for World Communications Day 2012 — Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization — we’re asking you to do something different.

Why silence on Wednesday?

In summary, here’s what we ask you to do:

1) PREPARE (May 19-22)

Spread the word about World Communications Day and Catholic Media Promotion Day using all the social media:

a) Link to the page on the New Evangelizers website: http://promotecatholicism.newevangelizers.com/promote-catholicism-day/

b) Like / +1 the page

c) Include the hash tag #silenceandword in your posts

d) Consider using this avatar in place of your profile photo on Facebook, Twitter, etc.:

http://tinyurl.com/silenceandwordavatar

2) FALL SILENT (May 23)

3) EVANGELIZE (May 24)

Sharath — CFCA Friend of the Month for May 2012

Lisa Hendey — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:00:56 +0000

In many ways, our partnership with Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA) has left me feeling a bit like the good friend of an expectant mother. Every month, we meet a precious new child and anxiously await the moment when he or she will be “adopted” through sponsorship by a caring family who will make a small financial commitment that will drastically change one child’s world. Last month, our friend was little Ada. It took longer for her to be sponsored, and she featured largely in my daily prayers for the month of April. When my CFCA point of contact wrote me to say that Ada had been sponsored, tears of joy came quickly. I know the good work of my friends at CFCA, and am convinced that while Ada will be richly blessed through sponsorship, so will the family who has made the commitment to small sacrifices that will enable them to make Ada’s world a better place.

Sharath — Friend of the Month for May 2012

This month, we’re hoping to find a sponsor for Sharath, a 10-year-old boy in India! Since his father passed away, Sharath’s mother is the sole breadwinner and works as a daily laborer. Her income is seasonal and doesn’t cover her family’s basic needs.

With sponsorship, Sharath will get the opportunity to go to a good school and study as long as he is able to. He would receive needed school supplies, such as books and bags produced by mothers of sponsored children, and access to health care through regular checkups. Sponsorship would also allow him to attend summer camps as well as birthday and holiday celebrations in a manner that is culturally appropriate for his local area.

To learn more about Sharath or to sponsor him (or another child or aging friend), please visit the CFCA website.

Each month, we will be introducing you to our “Friend of the Month” and inviting you and your family to sponsor our friend. It’s my dream that we — as a CatholicMom.com family — will be able to adopt not only one friend, but perhaps even more to share our blessings and God’s love with those who need assistance.

More about CFCA

For more than 30 years, Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)has brought hope to families living in poverty in 22 countries. Founded in 1981 by lay Catholics acting on the Gospel call to serve the poor, it has grown into a movement of more than 250,000 sponsors who are supporting more than 300,000 children, youth and aging friends worldwide.

When a sponsor commits to sponsoring a child, youth or aging friend for $30 a month through CFCA’s Hope for a Family sponsorship program, it impacts the entire family. Sponsorship provides basic necessities like food, education, clothing and access to medical care, along with the encouragement needed for families to build a path out of poverty.

The Hope for a Family sponsorship program provides much more than charity to families in need. CFCA takes a personal approach that focuses on partnering with each family to fulfill their basic needs while empowering them to create a path out of poverty through education, skills training, livelihood programs and community-building activities.

Grounded in the Gospel call to serve the poor, CFCA is a lay Catholic organization working with and serving persons of all faith traditions.

CFCA is among the 200 largest nonprofits in the U.S. according to Forbes, and the only child sponsorship organization to receive an A+ rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy. More than 94 percent of CFCA’s expenses go toward program support.

To learn more about Sharath or to sponsor him (or another child or aging friend), please visit the CFCA website.

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate?

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:30:03 +0000

Vaccination can be a hot-button topic among parents. There are many reasons while parents may object to having their children vaccinated. This article will focus on one moral argument – the fact that tissue from aborted children was used to make many vaccines. In venturing into these tumultuous waters, I would like to make three statements:

1)    I am 100% pro-life.

2)    I believe parents have the right to make the decisions that they feel are best for their children and their consciences.

3)    My children are fully vaccinated.

In 2005, the Pontifical Academy for Life issued a statement regarding the use of these vaccines. I encourage you to read the full document at http://www.cogforlife.org/vaticanresponse.htm. That statement does give parents the right to object to having their children vaccinated for moral reasons, but it emphasizes that this must be weighed against public health risk. The summation at the end of the article states:

-There is a grave responsibility to use alternative vaccines and to make a conscientious objection with regard to those which have moral problems;

- as regards the vaccines without an alternative, the need to contest so that others may be prepared must be reaffirmed, as should be the lawfulness of using the former in the meantime insomuch as is necessary in order to avoid a serious risk not only for one’s own children but also, and perhaps more specifically, for the health conditions of the population as a whole – especially for pregnant women;

- the lawfulness of the use of these vaccines should not be misinterpreted as a declaration of the lawfulness of their production, marketing and use, but is to be understood as being a passive material cooperation and, in its mildest and remotest sense, also active, morally justified as an extrema ratio due to the necessity to provide for the good of one’s children and of the people who come in contact with the children (pregnant women);

- such cooperation occurs in a context of moral coercion of the conscience of parents, who are forced to choose to act against their conscience or otherwise, to put the health of their children and of the population as a whole at risk. This is an unjust alternative choice, which must be eliminated as soon as possible.

In 2008, the Vatican issued the document Instruction Dignitas Personae on Certain Bioethical Questions which also addressed this issue:

Grave reasons may be morally proportionate to justify the use of such “biological material”. Thus, for example, danger to the health of children could permit parents to use a vaccine which was developed using cell lines of illicit origin, while keeping in mind that everyone has the duty to make known their disagreement and to ask that their healthcare system make other types of vaccines available. Moreover, in organizations where cell lines of illicit origin are being utilized, the responsibility of those who make the decision to use them is not the same as that of those who have no voice in such a decision.

We can therefore state on moral grounds that while we do have a responsibility to object to the fact that the vaccines were made using these methods, we can make the decision to use them for the well-being of our children and society at large.

As I reflected on this issue, I tried to find a moral comparison. The one that kept coming to mind was organ donation. If a person is murdered, that person’s organs can still be donated (provided she was not murdered for the purpose of obtaining her organs). Would the recipient be considered a cooperator with evil because he benefited from the wrongful death of another? No. In fact, the gift of organ donation can be considered to bring a good out of a very bad situation.

In the case of these murdered unborn children (in 1964 and 1970), the decision had already been made to murder them. That is the horrible reality. Using the tissue from them does not change that initial evil, but is it possible that, like an organ donation, the vaccines brought some good to the world? Perhaps an ethicist can answer that question for me.

In terms of moral responsibility for the evil incurred in this chain of events, even the Vatican states that a parent who chooses to use these vaccines holds a very small level of responsibility. I certainly do not advocate the committing of sin, but the reality is that despite our best efforts, most of us, myself included, have committed more evil in thought, word, and deed, since we got up this morning. Perhaps considering the wider implications of public health if we refuse these vaccines, our energy in avoiding evil could be directed to more immediate concerns.

As for the practical question of whether to refuse to vaccinate one’s children for this moral reason, as the Vatican has stated, one does have the right to do so. However, vaccines work because a majority of the population is vaccinated. If the number of those who refuse to vaccinate their children increases, that protection will be lost and those diseases we consider eradicated can return. Those who choose not to vaccinate their children are protected because I chose to vaccinate mine. They are still benefitting from the vaccines.

Copyright 2012 Patrice Fagnant MacArthur

The Catholics Next Door by Greg & Jennifer Willits — Catholic Book Spotlight

Lisa Hendey — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:22:48 +0000

I will always remember the first time I met my friends Greg and Jennifer Willits. I was a budding podcaster with something like three episodes under my belt, which were largely inspired by Greg and Jennifer’s groundbreaking Rosary Army podcast. I traveled to Southern California to attend a conference, but truly my goal was to meet the Willits, and Fr. Roderick Vonhögen. Imagine my (barely suppressed) glee when later that day I actually had the chance to sit down for a meal with Greg and Jennifer!

What I learned that day, and what has become crystal clear to me in the years since as our friendship has blossomed, is that Greg and Jennifer truly are the real deal. With the Willits, there is no putting on airs or trying to be something they’re not. Perhaps that’s the key to their success as national radio hosts of The Catholics Next Door, where they inspire, educate and entertain five days a week on Sirius XM’s The Catholic Channel. Greg and Jennifer are just like the rest of us, striving for heaven amidst the craziness of daily family life.

I’m thrilled that the Willits have now published their first book, The Catholics Next Door: Adventures in Imperfect Living. When asked to endorse the book, I shared:

Faith-filled and funny, flawed yet constantly striving for perfection, this book will inspire you and encourage you to more fully commit to your own adventurous path to heaven.

This is a book which will leave you striving to give your best to God, your family and the world around you. I’ve learned from my friends Greg and Jennifer that while life isn’t always easy, it is filled with so much grace and God’s goodness is so abundant. They’ve also taught me that when you give your lives and your hearts to God, there’s no way to possibly imagine the path He will lay before you. I hope you’ll enjoy the following conversation with the Willits and that you’ll treat yourselves and your friends to a copy of The Catholics Next Door today.

Q: Please briefly introduce yourself and your family to our readers.

The Catholics Next Door by Greg and Jennifer Willits

We are Greg and Jennifer Willits. We live in small suburb of Atlanta, GA, have 5 wonderful kids, a few usual pets and a few unusual pets. We broadcast our daily talk radio show called “The Catholics Next Door” for The Catholic Channel on SiriusXM’s 129 right out of our bonus room above our garage. We love to share our faith and laugh, all the while affirming the married life and pro-life witness. We’re either diving into pop-culture and popcorn or dogma and encyclicals. When we’re not on the air, Greg is usually busy managing New Evangelizers, Inc. to help participate in the New Evangelization while I do what I can to nurture the domestic church – i.e. feeding our kids. It’s all part of our zany and Catholic life.

Q: I’ve had the joy of watching your apostolate grow and prosper over the years. What led you to the writing of this book?

While we enjoy the fast-paced nature and excitement of radio broadcasting, we welcomed the opportunity to communicate in a more in-depth fashion through writing. I believe the book opportunity came to us because of the way Greg and I regularly model marital communication on air, for better or for worse. Writing a book together gave us a chance to go deeper with critical and sometimes controversial topics relating to our faith that the radio format doesn’t always allow. Or maybe the fruit was just ripe for the picking. Either way, we feel greatly humbled that the opportunity came to us and that we did in fact have something to share beyond what our listeners hear everyday.

Q: How was it to work on a writing project together? How did you logistically work together in writing? And who was better at meeting their deadlines? Did you edit each other’s work?

Ooooohhh. Great questions! First, the idea of writing this book together seemed much easier in our heads than it proved to be in reality – especially since Greg came into this project with more writing experience than I did. I have to admit that I was a bit intimidated to write along someone like him, but once I saw how fun this project would be, the biggest obstacle became finding a time when we were both in the right frame of mind to discuss the book. Our free time to write never occurred at the same time because of our busy family life and work commitments to the radio show. But eventually, we hammered out an outline of subjects we knew we wanted to include in this book. Once that was done, we divided up the outline and gave each other the freedom to write our respective portions whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Now, you might think this next answer is trivial, but the logistics of writing proved to be another hassle. We quickly found ourselves in a word processor conundrum because we had to be able to share access with each other’s portions to avoid duplicity in our writing. I was fond of simple word processors like Microsoft Word and Greg wanted nothing to do with it. While Greg preferred the practicality of Google Docs because of its web interface and accessibility to other users, Google Docs scared me because it was too easy to mess up the formatting and cause me no end of anxiety. Eventually, we compromised with using a blended approach. I wrote all of my portions on a word processor and then tossed it up to Google Docs for Greg to see. Once we got over the “how to” of writing our book, Greg wisely suggested that I should write all of my portions of the book first and then he would weave in his sections around mine to create a more balanced conversation feel to the book – a he said/ she said style.

Oh, I was definitely better at meeting the deadlines No question about it. Of course, to be fair, I probably had a little more time on my hands and Greg tends to work better under positive pressure. That’s how diamonds are made, right?

We fought about editing, I mean, debated heavily about editing, too. I was adamant that he stay out of my areas of the book. I knew he would be tempted to fix a word here or there and next thing you know the entire sentence would be “Greg-orized” and I would feel like the words were no longer mine. Silly, I know because he would only try to improve my writing for grammar’s sake. But the truth is that I just wanted so badly to stand on my own two literary feet without anyone holding my hands. Greg was so awesome about letting me pout openly about it. Eventually, we wound up letting each other edit one another’s writing because we just stopped caring and the deadline was fast approaching. So, I apparently fussed for nothing.

Q: What were some of your goals for the book and do you think you met them? What priorities did you find shifting during your writing process?

Our goals were to be honest with how our individual and family lives fit in with our Catholic teachings and brutally so. We’ve been told that our transparency with our mistakes and determination to continue onward despite them has been refreshingly honest and relatable. So, yes, we’ll take the positive reviews as a sign that we’ve met our objective with this book.

Sometimes the priority of our book’s outline didn’t always come to fruition once the Holy Spirit was invoked. The outline was a reflection of what WE originally wanted to say and then there’s what we said after praying to the Holy Spirit for writing guidance. For example, while I’m glad we took the time to write about our Catholic viewpoints in today’s entertainment and technology, I’m glad we lingered longer in areas relating to family planning and spirituality. If priorities shift as a result of prayer, then it must be a good thing.

Q: I recommend that couples enjoy reading this book together and using it as fodder for conversation. What did you learn about yourselves and your marriage while writing together?

That we could write a book together without strangling the other. Seriously, we learned that praying about the process of writing while respecting each other’s different writing styles was possible because of our ability to lean on God. Writing this book taught us once again that all things are possible with God. Without Him, we’d just screw it up. And now our marriage has successfully endured the writing adventure. That’s saying something!

Q: What words of support and encouragement do you have for folks who are currently feeling unsatisfied or unfulfilled in their spiritual lives?

We would say that you are not alone. At one time or another, we all go through periods of desolation. While we desire a constant vibrant connection to Christ for a healthy spiritual life, the reality is that we come and go because of our fallen human nature and our tendency towards sin. But if we hold on to the truth as laid out for us in the Gospels, we can take much comfort in knowing that pursuing Christ is often the answer to all of our life’s problems. That and reading our book will go a long way in making you feel better.

Q: How are each us us called to live the New Evangelization?

If you don’t feel energized by Christ in your life, then chances are you don’t know your faith as well as you should. There is much work to do in beefing up our knowledge of living out our call to be disciples for Christ. Ask questions. Research your catechism and other trusted catechetical sources. Don’t settle for not knowing the reason for your hope! Once you start understanding the truth and you get a taste of that zeal for Jesus, don’t keep it all to yourself! Start sharing it with anyone and everyone who will listen. That’s what the apostles did in the early days of the Church. That’s what we are called to do.

Q: Are there any closing thoughts you’d like to share?

Greg and I are not the only Catholics next door. Either you’re one or you know one. Being Catholic is not just something you do at Mass. It’s your identity and it affects every fabric of your life. We are not perfect, but we strive for it because it’s the right thing to do. It’s also not boring! We find ourselves laughing, crying, yelling, moping, questioning and discerning all while continuing to strive toward Christ in this fallen world. If you’re Catholic, our book will affirm your faith. If you’re not, then come take a peek inside our house and see why we do the things we do.

Order The Catholics Next Door: Adventures in Imperfect Living and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase

Copyright 2012 Lisa M. Hendey

I Surrender… Here God, You Take it!

Karen Wolff — Sun, 20 May 2012 21:00:52 +0000

Anxiety and worry. It sure can be addicting. Yup, it starts out with something minor and before you know it, you’re spending a whole lot of time worrying. My all time favorite author, Joyce Meyer equates worrying to rocking in a chair. You can spend hours doing it and not get anywhere at all. What a concept, huh?

What causes it? Why is it such a hard habit to break? People who are total control freaks can probably answer these questions better than most. I was once the biggest control freak that ever lived. I wanted to have total control over every aspect of my life. And when things didn’t go my way, I would spend a ton of time worrying and wondering what went wrong. I needed that feeling of control so I could feel good about myself. I needed to feel like nobody could do it better than me.

Well, I can tell you from experience, it is definitely no way to live. When I look back to those days I realize how far I’ve come in my faith journey. Today I see more clearly than ever that the exact opposite of worry is faith. Now, I’m not talking about the kind of faith where you go to church on Sunday, act like a saint, and then act like a devil the rest of the week. No, that kind of faith isn’t going to stop the worry train from running you over. Rather, I’m talking about the kind of faith that stands right in the middle of the biggest spiritual fight of your life, looks it in the eye, and hands it over to God. Oh, for control freaks that’s tough! I know, I’m right there with you.

But it is in surrendering that fight that you find victory. Now, there are those who willingly surrender the fight. You pray, you believe, and then comes the waiting… Waiting for God to act on your behalf. And if it takes too long, it becomes way too easy to take back the fight, worry until you’re sick about it, and then try to make things happen on your own, which always makes things worse.

Tremendous growth happens when you surrender the fight and then stand in the circle with God, not moving, not flinching, and believing He’s working no matter how things look. The only way to get to the other side is to go through the tough stuff. Would you rather go through the fight by yourself or would you rather have God as your companion? I’ve done it both ways and going through with God produces amazing results.

Stop the Train and Let Me Off!

Here’s some tips on how to go through the tough stuff without worrying:

1. REFUSE to let negative, defeating thoughts come into your head about the situation. You will be attacked in your mind during this struggle. Whatever you do, don’t succumb to those thoughts. They are definitely not from God.

2. Whenever one of those thoughts hits you, repeat scripture over and over. Here are some that have really helped me recently. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. And “God is able to do abundantly more than I could ever dare to hope, dream, or think.” And of course, this one… “God is in control. Nothing is too hard for Him. He has a great plan for me and I know it’s all going to work out right.”

3. Move on with the rest of your life. Refuse to let the situation stop you from doing what God’s called you to do. When you move on with your life, you show God that you trust Him and you know He’s working. It’s not always easy, but it’s so necessary.

And just remember, the time you spend worrying is time you’ll never get back. Worry will never help the situation. Why not replace worry with faith…. What have you got to lose?

For more on overcoming worrying, click here.

Photo credit: Scott Liddell, Morguefile.com

Copyright 2012 Karen Wolff