Lenten check up

So, how's lent going for you?  Have you kept up with your promises you made?  The things you gave up?  The "extras" you promised yourself you would do?

If you haven't, it's not too late!  Even if you have kept up with what you intended to do, but perhaps feel that maybe it "isn't enough" -- there's still time!  Add something else into the mix!

These forty days were meant to strengthen us as Catholics.  We give up in order to receive, we do extra in order to please God, and hopefully ourselves.  We want to do what is pleasing to God, even though sometimes it is hard!

I had the pleasure of attending "Cast Your Nets" last night in McCartyville.  This is an annual gathering of the youth from the northern part of our diocese, in an effort to foster vocations.  It's always fun to go to -- to see old friends and to see my kids make new ones.  There was prayer, and song, reconciliation, and, of course pizza.  Fun night.  My favorite part came last.  Mass.  Honestly, I'm not really a night time mass person -- I find I pay much better attention first thing in the morning, but I usually go to this mass because of the energy.  This year, Bishop Binzer was the presider.  I've really come to like this man.  He's fairly new to his position as Bishop (I think right at a year), but has come to fill the shoes perfectly.

His homily was spot on.  Firstly, his homilies are straight and to the point.  I like that!  He was discussing a couple of items with everyone in the congregation, but the one that struck me most was his talk about giving up and doing extra.  He mentioned that he gave up March Madness this year (hearing his schedule, I'm not sure he had a choice :) -- but I thought that was a fun thing to give up.  He also said he enjoys doing "extra things".  He didn't really say what he likes to do extra, but did mention taking time each day to write down (either on paper or electronically!) something that you are thankful for.  A word, a reading, a person, a song....whatever.  Big or small.  You may be thankful for the daffodil you saw when leaving your house in the morning.  Or that red light that you had to stop at, for it prevented you from being in an accident.  Whatever it is, write it down and be thankful for it.

And then, in two weeks on Easter Sunday, you will have a list of 14 things you are thankful for.  You can look back on them and review them.  Then start again!  But keep the old list.  Think of all the things you could come up with in a year.

I've been reading a lot about thankfulness lately.  It's an interesting thing.  If we center ourselves more on what we are thankful for, our lives as a whole begin to improve.  It's a fact.  When we dwell on the negative, it makes our lives way more negative.

So let's try this.  Can you do it for two weeks?  I can.  I've started my list on my iPhone.  (See?  I'm thankful I know how to make lists there!  LOL)

Have a great week everyone!

Pam

Dissecting the Our Father......

Loved loved loved Wednesday night's religion class (what am I supposed to call them now -- it isn't CCD any more -- religious ed?  Who knows??  :)

We are currently on a section called "Prayer".  There was an extremely large sign up, so I am team teaching this time with my friend, Scott Frey.  I've never taught with him but have found we complement each other really well.  As much as I love my faith, I am not really into history (especially the historical facts of the church) so I find that team teaching with someone who knows these things really puts a new spark into class!

Up last night:  dissecting the Our Father.  We took it line by line and discussed what it is we are really saying when we say that prayer.  I love the Our Father -- firstly because it is a prayer prayed by most faiths -- so we have that in common.  I also love its simplicity -- just asking for a few things and a little guidance!!!

I can't ever really tell when I/we are gettting through to a class.  We have some interaction, and a little discussion -- I'm not silly enough to think that everyone loves the classes all the time -- but last night seemed to go extra well.  We were looking for "things" in the Our Father -- the petitions -- and they were really thinking about it.  We talked about the prayer line by line and discussed what the prayer really means.

There are so many prayers that we just say and don't take the time to think about, or realize, what we are really saying.  In this case, the Our Father has seven petitions.  Did you know that?  There are three petitions that are out of reverence for Jesus.  There are four that are for us.  Seven petitions.  Often the number seven means perfection (not luck!) -- so sometimes the Our Father is called the perfect prayer.

Did you know all of that?  I didn't really until I started diving into my info for the class.  This is exactly why I teach -- I learn something each and every week!  Then I turn around and teach it and hope the kids learn so they, too, can pass it on!

We had previously decided to take the last 15 minutes of class and have the entire high school together for an assembly of sorts to discuss the rice bowl activity that is going to be taking place.  I have to say that there are some nights when I am watching my clock waiting for class to be over -- last night was not one of them.  I was sad when we were not able to get through all of the information!

I promised them next week's class is going to be memorable.  I can't wait.  I have never done a class like this, about this before......so it should be great!  (I hope!).

Have a great day!!!

I love the Catholic faith!

Wednesday night, as I was in church with all the high schoolers, I was thinking how much I love our faith.  How much I love our traditions and rituals.  I know that some folks, who don't understand our faith (and even some who are Catholic!) don't always agree or understand some of them, but I have to say I love them!

Once a year, the classes gather in church for reconciliation services.  It's a time reserved for the high schoolers to spend time with a priest and reconcile their actions.  For some, it's a nerve-wracking time.....having to face their inadequacies, and sometimes, some poor choices they've made.  To me, it's a time to start with a clean slate and start anew!  I try really hard during these services to help "loosen them up" before they go.  To help them feel more comfortable.  To smile.  Because, when it's all over -- they are going to feel much better!

At one point, I was standing towards the front of the church and glanced diagonally towards the baptistry, where one of the priests was sitting with one of the youth.  I was so struck by the conversation I saw happening.  This youth, sitting down, having a conversation with the priest.  And the priest absolving his sins.  It was such a beautiful sight!

I know that many people question this activity -- going in front of a priest and telling him our sins.  Why?  They ask.  Why can't you just pray about them -- or tell your sins directly to Jesus in prayer, they ask?

My first question back is always, "How honest would you be if you did that?  And how often would you do it?" 

I do pray about it when I have committed a sin.  I ask for God's guidance to help me not commit this same sin again.  I ask Him to steer me in the opposite direction of where I just went.

I love the fact that we have confession because it forces us to come face to face with our poor choices.  And verbalize them.  And discuss them with the priest.  Gone are the days when we would give a list to the priest, get our penance, receive absolution and walk out the door of the confessional.  We have conversations now -- and I love it so much more.  I feel connected. 

Thank you, God, for understanding that we make mistakes.  And giving us a chance to try all over again.  Time and time again.

Heaven Is For Real

Just back from tonight's CCD class, and really wanted to share.  We're starting a new stretch of classes (hard to believe this one will take us through Thanksgiving already!).  So, if you're keeping track, we're done with the YouCat and are moving on to the book, "Heaven Is For Real".  Have you read this book?

If you have, I'll try to post some of our discussions on here and perhaps we can have a mini book club online!  If you haven't read it, see if you can find it (at the library or a bookstore or even online at Amazon.com!) and read it.  I promise you you will not be disappointed!!! 

Basically, it is the story of a 4  year old who gets very sick and is mis-diagnosed.....and while waiting for answers, his parents sense they are losing him.  When they finally find the doctor that can help them, Colton (the 4-year-old) has to have surgery to repair a ruptured appendix.  A few months after he is released from the hospital, he starts revealing details about his time in heaven with Jesus -- and has details that he could not have known otherwise!

It is a wonderful book.  We will start discussing it on November 2, so if you want to read along, try to have it read by then.  It probably will not take much longer than 2-3 hours to read.  It's a great read!  :)

I hope you have a wonderful week!  I hear it's to warm up a bit, which I actually will take right around now! 

Hebrews 10:24
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

(Sorry, I forgot to upload this on Wednesday -- I thought I had.  Thought I would still put it up today!  :)