Today the abortion clinic was closed again, for the third straight week in a row, thanks be to God! We are not quite sure, but we suspect it has something to do with this which I blogged about before. The clinic in my area is not actually involved, but Dr. Brigham is also the owner of the this clinic. I am thankful that he has (again) lost his license and I pray this brings an end to his killing spree. I pray for God's will and for justice and I hope that justice includes a felony charge in Maryland.
I got to experience some random acts of kindness today too. Some sweet lady from a nearby office brought over donuts for all of us there praying. She didn't give her name, or even linger to chat, but she just said that she and some people in her office wanted to do something nice to thank and support us. Another man stopped to talk to us today also, just to thank us and say God bless. It's in the 40's here and it's pretty cold and tiring being on your knees all morning, so those little acts of kindness mean a lot. Some days it even means more than having a lot of folks there praying with you. If you've ever wish you could participate in the 40 Days for Life, or the year-round prayer vigil at an abortion clinic, but you feel you don't have time, just drive by and wave. Stop and say a kind word. Donuts were nice, hot coffee might be nice too. Anything to let those folks know you are behind them and that you are praying too.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the many gifts you give to us: our life, our families, our health, our friends... and thank you Father, also, for those who bestow small acts of kindness upon us, for in their giving we see and feel your love and mercy. Bless those who bless us in our work, which is truly Your work. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Word of God speak
For a while now I have been slacking a bit in my prayer life. I keep a running conversation with God all day long, but the formal praying I used to make time for, I haven't really made time for. Even when people ask me to pray for them, I've been kind of doing what I thought of as "copping out" and just saying an Our Father for their intentions. Granted, I do try to say the Our Father slowly and meditatively, emphasizing the words and really thinking about what I am saying. Ironically, the only time I really ever say it by rote is during Mass, when I am usually completely distracted by my children. Anyway, I've been struggling with this, really feeling guilty about it. I've talked to my priest about it a few times, tried to take his advice, and, amusingly enough, I've "prayed" about it (meaning I've included it in my running conversation with God), but mostly I have just felt guilty. So the other night I had insomnia and as I lay there in bed at, like, 3:00 a.m., I just kept saying the Our Father over and over and then feeling guilty that I couldn't pray better than that. So I finally got up, came downstairs, grabbed my Bible and decided to try Lectio Divina.
It's been a long time since I have done Lectio. It was part of that formal prayer I used to find time for but just can't seem to anymore. To explain it quickly, Lectio Divina is basically a way of reading Scripture and opening yourself up to hearing what God has to say to you through His Divine Word. Generally you begin by praying to the Holy Spirit to guide you and to help you understand what God is speaking to you, then you open the Bible, read where you fall, or in a group you may have a pre-selected passage, and then you read slowly and reflectively.
So I prayed for the Holy Spirit's guidance, and then I opened the Book. It fell directly open to the beginning of Luke, Chapter 11! These are the verses where the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray and He teaches them the Lord's Prayer!! I was completely amazed. I read down two more paragraphs and in those Jesus is basically telling the disciples that what they need to do is keep a running dialogue going with God at all times. I felt like I had been hit over the head with a 2x4! Could the Lord be more clear in what He wanted me to know? Here I was feeling guilty that all I ever do is say the Our Father and Jesus was reminding me that this is the only prayer He gave us! He said, if you want to pray to your Father this is what you should say. And then the only other direction He gave us on praying was to continue to seek out God, speaking to Him all the time, in persistence. Wow! I was feeling like I wasn't doing enough, and here I was doing exactly as Jesus directed! I felt so blessed.
Now, I will say, Lectio Divina has never been so completely direct like that for me, and I doubt that it usually is. I have certainly learned much from it and received many graces, but this was an incredible experience of the Lord speaking directly to my concerns and it was so amazing and powerful. I still feel very much like I need to get back to getting on my knees, saying my Rosary every night, and not just here and there, and other types of formal prayer. But it is so good to know that the Lord is happy with me nonetheless and that it is not useless or a cop out to do what I have been doing. God is so good to His children, especially those who seek Him out, persistently, urgently.
It's been a long time since I have done Lectio. It was part of that formal prayer I used to find time for but just can't seem to anymore. To explain it quickly, Lectio Divina is basically a way of reading Scripture and opening yourself up to hearing what God has to say to you through His Divine Word. Generally you begin by praying to the Holy Spirit to guide you and to help you understand what God is speaking to you, then you open the Bible, read where you fall, or in a group you may have a pre-selected passage, and then you read slowly and reflectively.
So I prayed for the Holy Spirit's guidance, and then I opened the Book. It fell directly open to the beginning of Luke, Chapter 11! These are the verses where the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray and He teaches them the Lord's Prayer!! I was completely amazed. I read down two more paragraphs and in those Jesus is basically telling the disciples that what they need to do is keep a running dialogue going with God at all times. I felt like I had been hit over the head with a 2x4! Could the Lord be more clear in what He wanted me to know? Here I was feeling guilty that all I ever do is say the Our Father and Jesus was reminding me that this is the only prayer He gave us! He said, if you want to pray to your Father this is what you should say. And then the only other direction He gave us on praying was to continue to seek out God, speaking to Him all the time, in persistence. Wow! I was feeling like I wasn't doing enough, and here I was doing exactly as Jesus directed! I felt so blessed.
Now, I will say, Lectio Divina has never been so completely direct like that for me, and I doubt that it usually is. I have certainly learned much from it and received many graces, but this was an incredible experience of the Lord speaking directly to my concerns and it was so amazing and powerful. I still feel very much like I need to get back to getting on my knees, saying my Rosary every night, and not just here and there, and other types of formal prayer. But it is so good to know that the Lord is happy with me nonetheless and that it is not useless or a cop out to do what I have been doing. God is so good to His children, especially those who seek Him out, persistently, urgently.
And I tell you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and
the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one
who seeks, finds; and the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What
father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for fish? or hand
him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know
how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the father in heaven
give the holy Spirit to those who ask him? (Luke 11:9-13).
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Random thoughts on a Tuesday
While out riding their bikes the other day, my kids found a prayer card laying on the ground, presumably dropped by someone. It wasn't in front of a house or anyplace where it might be obvious who the owner was, so they brought it home to me. I had to laugh at the irony: it was St. Anthony, Patron Saint of lost items.
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I was out shopping at the mall this weekend, all by myself for the first time in I don't know how long, so I ducked into a little shop I've seen before called Pretty Pretty. I am attracted to this shop because it is basically all things shiny, glittery and satiny that one can put in their hair. I love shiny things! I also love playing with my hair; so Pretty Pretty is pretty much my store. I was the only person in the place so the saleslady and I are talking and somehow we end up in the back with the wigs and hair pieces. She starts clipping these things into my hair and pretty soon I've got a softly curling, waist long ponytail. Then she starts sticking the shiny hair decorations in it. It looks beautiful! A group of girls come in and they are watching and complimenting the different combs, hair sticks, etc. Finally I stand up to go and when I take the hair piece off the girls freak out because they thought it was really my hair (were they scamming me?). Now I am actually thinking of going back to buy it. Is it wrong for a 40 year old mom of 5 to wear a waist long hair piece like Miley Cyrus or something?
Sent from my iPod
**********
I was out shopping at the mall this weekend, all by myself for the first time in I don't know how long, so I ducked into a little shop I've seen before called Pretty Pretty. I am attracted to this shop because it is basically all things shiny, glittery and satiny that one can put in their hair. I love shiny things! I also love playing with my hair; so Pretty Pretty is pretty much my store. I was the only person in the place so the saleslady and I are talking and somehow we end up in the back with the wigs and hair pieces. She starts clipping these things into my hair and pretty soon I've got a softly curling, waist long ponytail. Then she starts sticking the shiny hair decorations in it. It looks beautiful! A group of girls come in and they are watching and complimenting the different combs, hair sticks, etc. Finally I stand up to go and when I take the hair piece off the girls freak out because they thought it was really my hair (were they scamming me?). Now I am actually thinking of going back to buy it. Is it wrong for a 40 year old mom of 5 to wear a waist long hair piece like Miley Cyrus or something?
Sent from my iPod
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