Tag: grace

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Randomness in life

In the car today Nolan asked, “Mom, can we go to Sara’s house again and play Hungry Hippos?”  I would love to spend just a few minutes inside my son’s head to know what triggers random statements like this.  Sara is Jake’s youngest cousin.  She is now getting the chance to play “older cousin” to the great-grandkids in the family.  She is such a delight (I wish we were able to see her more often,) and she loves all of the little boys in the family.  She has the makings of a great babysitter 🙂

It rained again today.  I think the weather encourages creativity in my kids.  Nolan helped unpack the groceries when we got home and proceeded to assemble a tower.  The construction materials of choice were cans of creamed corn & spaghetti.  Oh, and the 2nd attempt contained a random water bottle he was toting around.  (Make sure you click on the picture of the cans to see the tower in all its glory.)

Since random is the theme of the day, I also feel the need to include a link to a speech by the Archbishop of Denver that a college friend of mine posted on Facebook tonight.  Archbishop Cahput recently addressed a group of physicians in Phoenix.  I found what he said to be extremely powerful – specifically, two statements:

“The Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer once wrote that, “A man is truly ethical only when he obeys the compulsion to help all life which he is able to assist, and shrinks from injuring anything that lives.” Every child with Down syndrome, every adult with special needs; in fact, every unwanted unborn child, every person who is poor, weak, abandoned or homeless – each one of these persons is an icon of God’s face and a vessel of his love.  How we treat these persons – whether we revere them and welcome them, or throw them away in distaste – shows what we really believe about human dignity, both as individuals and as a nation.”

“It’s one of God’s ironies that the suffering imperfection brings, can perfect us in the vocation of love.”  (Emphasis Archbishop Chaput)

It seems I’ve just added to my list of things to reflect on during the quiet moments I’m granted during the day.

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Graced & Gifted

Today I had the chance to attend a Catholic Women’s Day at St. John the Baptist Church in Savage.  My friends, Sarah and Michelle accompanied me; we really enjoyed the day.  I can’t say I had an “ah-ha!” moment, but did came away with a lot to process.  I have been given 3 opportunities to think about and discuss “grace” this week – two on this past Wednesday and then throughout the day today.  I’m assuming at this point that God has something He wants to tell/show/teach me involving this subject…

There are several points from today’s talks that I’ll be working through over the next few days & weeks:

From Liz Kelly’s talk:

  • When Jesus entered human history, He extended a dignity to women that had never existed before.
  • Jesus is an intimate friend to us.
  • Loneliness reminds us that our hearts have not become so bitter that they cannot break.

From Ann Osendorf’s talk:
Prayer based on Spiritual Exercises by St. Ignatius:

  • G – Gratitude & Praise: praising God opens our heart for Him.  It enables us to appreciate His gifts for us.  Gifts are sometimes in the gift of what we have not received.
  • R – Request for Light & Strength: part of God’s grace is asking for the willingness to do what is difficult.
  • A – Attention & Awareness: grace builds on nature.  We need to recognize the areas in our life that need fixing so that God can give us more grace.
  • C – Charting the Course to Holiness (Contrition & Confession): God’s divine grace is all about love.  We’re either moving toward God or away from Him.  We need to ask Him to not let go of us.
  • E – Entrustment: surrendering the piece of our heart that needs healing.

From Christina Smith’s talk:

  • For what do you hunger?
  • “Nowhere does the Gospel say: ‘Go away,’ but always ‘come to me.’ ” – Mother Teresa
  • “God is with us.  This is our joy.” – Mother Teresa

From Kimberly Hahn’s keynote talk:

  • We all have a place of service.
  • Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to do it.  – Proverbs 3:27