My Catholic Journal-April 2011

Ok.....I guess I should explain my little Easter Project. I Think It was last fall at some point I found myself out in my garage staring at a bunch and I do mean a bunch of scrap lumber that kind of came with the house. I was wondering how I was going to get rid of this stuff as I would like to have more room in my garage. At some point It occurred to me that I could make a cross with some of the wood. This would be a way that could fulfill the "action" part of my cursillo commitment and would be a nice addition to my outside landscaping. (It does need some help) Now for the catch! A carpenter I am not! Sorry to all my amish relatives but I can't even drive a nail. I can however bake a mean dessert though! I did decide to give this a try. I decided to notch out the cross so it would look a little more professional. I looked for a chisel but could not find one. I found a screwdriver. I began to chisel out a very crude notch to hold the arm of the cross. The thought came to me that Christ must have had much worse tools. (However I'm sure his work looked much better.) Oh well, I persevered finding whatever I could see. I found some things I did not even know I had....like some trim pieces to apply. Before I knew it I had a cross. I began to have serious doubts as to whether it would look acceptable enough to display. Remember I am no carpenter! I decided to put it up. My cross lasted a couple of hours until it was lying face down in the yard. Well.......I picked it up and put it back in my garage almost forgetting about it. I happened to be at Lowe's one day and passed some plumbing pieces that I thought might work as a mount. I attempted one last try and the cross that was left was the one that are in the pictures at the end of this blog. I wake every morning and meditate on my Easter display. I have come to the conclusion that as Christ was carrying his cross one thing that he could not have done was look back. If he looked back he surely would have perseverated on how heavy the cross was or how much pain he felt or possibly even the cruel crowd that looked on. Instead he moved....how did he move? Forward...in spite of all the reasons to look back he looked ahead. I think my cross just might be acceptable. (Though I am still no carpenter.!) Happy Easter

Number 2

It's been so long that I guess I need to do another post to make so additional updates. Ash Wednesday came and went and once again was unable to go get ashes. I was not feeling well at all very sick from starting my new antibiotic I believe. I was bummed. My Lenten commitment I have decided will be to wake every morning around 5:00 am and pray the rosary. So far God has rewarded me every day with a beautiful sunrise he must really love me! (I do wish he would do something about the snow though!)

My fist day I could not find anything special to focus on as an intention. I have been trying to build a cross to display in my yard. In the process of doing so I thought It might be neat to have a crown to hang from it, so hence the Crazy neighbor walked out to his woods and cut some black berry vines to fashion into a crown of thorns. With every prick I was called to mind Christ's suffering but in the end it actually worked out quite well and I was left with a "crown of thorns." I decided that the crown would be my focus for this the first rosary of Lent.

Day two was the stripes. Since I became Catholic I had heard a lot about stripes, and realized I knew little. After praying I did some research. I learned that there is some contention regarding how my lashes Christ took (Possibly more than 39) I also learned that those that believe it was 39 also believe that Christ not only bore the spiritual punishment for us but that he also took the yoke of physical illness also. Guess what....all disease can be traced to 39 broad categories. This was something that my anatomy and physiology class did not teach me! Though I did not expect it-perhaps I AM BEING SENT A MESSAGE. (PERHAPS I SHOULD CONSIDER LISTENING!)

Day three .....hum-what shall I focus on and there it was COURAGE ! I once heard someone in the military say that courage was not acting without fear but acting IN SPITE OF IT! I traced the steps of the passion from the prayer in the garden to the last breath and decided that this was probably a good one for day three.

I know that this may be rather unorthodox, but these off the cuff intentions seem to be working so at least for now I think I'll roll with it. I told Emory today that God is constantly speaking to us- So for right now I guess I'll choose to listen! With that I guess I'm caught up on my posts.

Almost a year

Been quite a while since my last post....I guess it's time. We went to church a couple of weeks ago and the church was receiving it's candidates for this year. WOW! Hard to believe it's been almost a year since that was me. I can honestly say the best part of my year was Cursillo! There have been so many things though (I am truly blessed!)

As of late, I am dealing with some type of illness. Last Sunday I was supposed to work midnight turn. I laid down for some rest after dinner. I noticed some red streaks going up my forearm and what appeared to be a possible bite. After a few minutes I started to become a little short of breath, having asthma that was not unusual. I decided it was time to go to the hospital. I was treated with some IV antibiotic and diagnosed with cellulitis. In the process of my hospital visit, my redness went away but I developed a marble sized cyst at the foot of where this redness was.

A couple of days later I followed up with my doctor. I have been feeling very achy and tired. He changed my antibiotic and ordered a lot (And I do mean a lot of blood work.) Currently waiting for the results. If anyone is reading this please pray for Christ's healing. One thing I have learned over the last year is that it is ABSOLUTELY NOT GOD'S WILL FOR ME TO BE SICK. Right now I'm just working on it not to be MY will.

My Gift

Something On My Mind

The day I was baptised was a day I will truly never forget. Father Dan Hoffman did a wonderful job at mass as usual. I was surrounded by my family and many new friends wishing me well. I realized that at this point in my life though it was not perfect....I had everything I could possibly want....right!?!

As I began to open my cards and reflect on the happenings of the day, I realized there was one thing missing. You see I kind of secretly wished for a cross to wear around my neck. I actually kind of always wanted one. My family gave me a wonderful rosary which I will cherish forever. My day passed with no cross.

I did contemplate getting one for myself but as time went one it kind of went out of my mind. As I was getting ready for work tonight I slipped on my cross and a beautiful thought came to mind. My cross was not picked out by a well meaning family member or some symbol of personal preference as it would have been if I would have purchased it for myself.

My cross was purchased with 4 days of intense soul searching and dedication to my wonderful savior. It was picked out by the hands of a wonderful priest whom I made my first confession with. It was picked out by none the less than my savior himself as he paved the way for my cursillo weekend. Yes my cross was beautiful and could not have been given by anyone closer. I had to wait a few short months for my cross but my cross is a true symbol of God giving us what we need at just the right time. I will cherish it always!

A busy couple of months!

OK it's been a while....again. Lora has finished her Cursillo. I just recounted to a friend how I walked into RCIA class one day and Joe Presto said to me that there was a Cursillo scheduled for June and that he had an application for me. I consulted my trusty appointment book. Having positions in four different departments in the hospital made it nearly impossible for me to have 4 days off in a row let alone those 4 particular days. I thought for sure my appointment book would save me! Guess what....IT DID! I know that we are discouraged from Thank You's but I can't count how many I've said to Joe as well as the many others involved with that weekend. I truly believe that I have felt God's love at various times in my life. My wedding, the birth of my children, certain quiet times alone just to name a few. I, however had never experienced the "fullness" of God's love until that weekend. What I took from that weekend...... I had always had a footprints mentality when it came to God. You know the poem where Christ walks right there beside us and is even there to carry us. What I took from Cursillo-CHRIST TRULY IS PRESENT IN THE EUCHARIST AND THEREFORE IS PRESENT IN ME! That may not seem like such a big thing to some cradle catholics but it was a whole new way of thinking for me. I can't count how many times since Cursillo that I have questioned how I can be more "Christ Like". I can now take the quote on the back of my cross "Christ is counting on you!" in a much different way.

On a different note....most of you know that my wife Lora recently lost her job. What a blessing....yes that was no typo- WHAT A BLESSING. Though it has presented some "interesting" financial challenges, I have never seen her in the role she is now assuming. She was always a wonderful wife and mother but watching her handle such disappointment with grace and professionalism has been a great example to both myself and my children. We are also enjoying having her all to ourselves It's like we have been given a gift which we are still unwrapping.

With regard to the "financial challenges". I was praying for some kind of a door to open for us. Through a friend, I learned of a position which was open at Northside Hospital. Knowing that this hospital was in dire straits I had never even thought to apply there. I just finished my hospital orientation and will start as a part time employee at the end of August. GOD CANNOT BE OUTDONE!

DE COLORES!

What Just Happened To Me!!!!!

Again, it's been a while since my last post...I suppose that's a good thing because that means I'm busy. Just finished CURSILLO!!!!! All I can really say is WOW! I can't say too much because Lora is going next month. Ask me then...but until then all I can say is I highly recommend it! I have a new perspective on my faith. I always thought of Christ as the poem say...walking right beside me. I'll call it the footprints concept. Now I now that Christ is in my and that I must aspire to be more Christ like. It showed me that indeed Christ is in the Eucharist and in turn most definitely in me! Amen. A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone and also to Fr. Dan who will soon be leaving our parish. You have been an excellent example of these things even when I did not realize it. De Colores!

Band Concert 2010

Just had our band concert for 2010. I am very proud of my children, both are very talented. It is a true blessing to watch creativity....especially when it's your family. I will work on getting some audio of this performance. Congrat's guys....keep it up!