I'm back....
I am Catholic... Hear me roar!
Well today I did something I have never done before... I invited coworkers to go to church at lunchtime.
I have to give credit to my wife, it was originally her idea to take a break and go to mass. It was also her idea to see if anyone in the office would be interested in going. Surprising to myself, I followed her advice and actually composed an e-mail that I sent out. Here I was asking others to join in prayer.
God works in mysterious ways for sure. Here it was last night I asked in prayer, that God help me with prayer, and less than twenty-four hour later I am inviting others to pray with me. It was completely out of my character to do that. At first I was hesitant but the more I thought about it, the more courage I got to send it. Inviting people to pray is and was not my thing. I did not think that I would be comfortable showing the religious side of me to people I work with daily. Would they think of me differently, it's hard to tell, even with people you work with daily. In the end, I finally realized no, I would be the same guy since a good handful know I am Catholic and they all know I have three children, and yes, I do want more. The look at me and already think I am a good father (at least I hope so). This would be nothing more then reinforcing my religious and personal beliefs.
Its funny but by offering others to join in prayer, I received a ton of email replies. All said they were unable to for various reasons, but they all asked that I say a prayer for them or they would be there in prayer. The word prayer kept coming up in all of the e-mails. As it turns out, no one that I e-mailed was scared to use the word.
If no one was scared to use the word prayer, then why is it, that word so taboo in our society. Why was prayer removed from schools, why is it being removed from our courtrooms and why is it being removed from our money. Why are people afraid of prayer, is it because prayer can not be studied as scientifically as most everything else in this world? I have decided I really do not care what others think, why should I worry so much about offending people with using the word prayer? If you do not like it then pay no attention. Same goes for the SPAM we receive in our e-mail. If I am offended with an e-mail received, I hit the delete key and think nothing more. Stop walking on eggshells, stop hiding your beliefs. If you want to leave a bible on your desk at work then go for it. Wear your faith on your sleeve and tell the world that you are a Christian, you are a Catholic, you are A Better Catholic Dad!
I have my bible and I think I know just the place to put it on my desk as that subtle hint to the world. I am Catholic and darn proud of it.
"...and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the deciples were first called Christians." Acts 11:26
Prayer...
What is God asking of me as a Catholic Dad? I feel like I am being put to many tests both physically and spiritually. As far as health is concerned I am pretty healthy, (although I could stand to loose a few pounds). I am referring to my career as my physical being. Career wise it is up and down as is the economy. One week is great and the next, not so good. My career is a newly designed roller coaster, you never know what's around that next twist. This leads into spiritually. Spiritually I am better than ever. I feel great and despite my career, my worries are at at an amazing all time low! (kinda like the market). I have put my faith in God and through God everything seems to be just fine.
I know as a Catholic Dad, God is asking me to pray more. I still struggle with prayer. Weather it is to myself and very personal or out loud with everyone at Mass. For whatever reason it still feels "odd". I can say the rosary to myself and I feel great when doing it despite the slight "odd" feeling. My wife on the other hand has been asking me to partake in a family rosary and I feel reluctant. Its almost as if there is a slight embarrassment about praying out loud. Growing up, I just did not do that. No offense to any of my family who may read this but there were no bedtime prayers or meal time prayers. There are many families like mine so I know I was not alone.
As a Catholic man and a Catholic dad, I need to embrace prayer so that I may teach it to my children so there is no shame in prayer. I see my actions in my son. When I ask him to say his bedtime prayers, he will mumble them. Perhaps I mumble them as well. Perhaps I need to ask God to help me conquer this inner turmoil regarding prayer. God, let me pray freely, after all it is what you taught us to do.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14
A whole new appreciation...
Today I feel like super dad! My wife has a nasty cold and has not felt well all day. I must say, if I did not realize how much she did before getting sick, I sure do now. Last night for starters, my youngest woke up around 12:30 am. Typically my wife would get her and get her back to sleep. Well last night that was my job. Then at 4:30 am, I had to switch the laundry over so my son would have clean gym clothes, also something my wife would have done. The rest of the day was pretty much the same, I barely went to work, and instead helped in the nursery for her church group (with both my little girls, my son was in school). This gave my wife the chance to get some rest. I got home and prepared lunches and before I knew it, it was time to get my son from school.
As quickly as the morning went by, so did the afternoon. Before I knew it, the day was over, the kids were sleeping and I was out of energy. The house was still a mess from the kids playing but for once, I will say "it can wait until tomorrow". Quite often I come home to see the house torn apart like a storm blew through and get a little frustrated that nothing could get put away. Today I realize why, when you are taking care of two tiny children, and playing mom with lunches and naps and really needing that down time to watch a little TV in-between tantrums, I realized why things are not always neat and tidy.
As I sit here and write this, my beautiful wife whom I love dearly is sleeping (hopefully getting the rest she needs so I can go back to work tomorrow). As for me, I feel like I should have been in bed two hours ago and here its just after 10 pm. I have learned to appreciate my wife all that much more today. I appreciated her before, but today I appreciate her more than ever. It takes teamwork to get everything done. I have come to realize for the kids to be well taken care of, housework may not always happen around my schedule. Kiss your wife like you mean it, tell her you love her and hold her tight for she is the greatest thing to have ever happened to you. (that's what I think of my wife!)
I'll take a #3 Faith combo... supersize it.....
Faith, exactly what is it. I wish gaining faith were as easy as buying it from a fast food menu. Unfortunately, it's not at all that easy, belive me I've been there and tried that. Perhaps not the fast food approach, but I enjoy walking through Christian stores. I like looking over all of the Bibles and coffee mugs and ties, there is a certain sense of peace walking though those stores. I also enjoy, or should I say love celebrating Christmas and Easter, after all, are those not the holidays of buying!
I don't think I am alone with the perception that a person can "buy" faith. Why cant we? If we go to Church on Sunday we put a few dollars in the collection, isn't that "buying" your faith? It's so easy to buy a Christian fish for your car or a set of Rosary Beads to keep in your glove box as I have done. I am discovering more and more each day that "faith" is something that I have to really work at. I have to work at being open to God and his will. I have to say yes to whatever He is willing to give me. I have to read the manual he left for us. Through the bible and opening my heart and soul to God I think I can eventually discover the true meaning of faith.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not;
In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.
This reading really says a lot, listen to God and what he is telling you, do not listen to your mind. Your mind can easily be skewed by your surroundings. I am sure most would agree that if you surround yourself with negative people, you will think negative thoughts. Clear your mind and let God do the thinking for you.
Mark 10:15
Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.
Again, open your heart, mind and soul. Discover the need for God without question. I see this in my children, my two year old will say every night at the dinner table, "Thank you God, Daddy home". She speaks to God as if he is sitting right there next to her. She has so much faith for being only two years old and at my age I struggle so hard with it. Discover the need for God, talk to God as if you were a child, do not question yourself or have doubt. Put down the newspaper, wipe the dust from the cover of your bible and thumb through it. Look to Psalm 27 and put your "Faith" in God.
Life is not how much you have, but who you love
“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”
He replied to him,
“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”
Then he said to the crowd,
“Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one’s life does not consist of possessions.”
Then he told them a parable.
“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, ‘What shall I do,
for I do not have space to store my harvest?’
And he said, ‘This is what I shall do:
I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.
There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’
But God said to him,
‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself
but is not rich in what matters to God.”
Become a Team Player....
God and our Economy
I think one of the reasons my desire to be A Better Catholic Dad came about was partly because I am tired of bringing home issues and burdens I have no control over. I have no control over the stock market, the housing market, or who is our next president (aside from my one vote which I will gladly cast on election day). I was tired of bringing this burden home to my family.
Since then I have adopted a "to hell with it" attitude on things I have no control over. Granted, there are many worries that we all have that we can not simply say "to hell with it". We all have to pay the electric bill and provide food and shelter for our family. I am referring to those worries that the media pounds us with daily. Learn to say "to hell with it". The economy will rebound. The only person with full control is God, and in God is where we all need to put our faith. He will take care of us. When you are feeling discourage by the constant doom the media is portraying, say a prayer, for yourself, for your country and for the world. If you feel the need for some stabilizing in your life, say a prayer. God is the only thing that can and will remain stable in any economy. In case you ever forget who to put your trust into, pull out a dollar bill and it will be right there in front of you.
Learning the ABCD's
