Prayer for travelers over the holiday

Father,
Please hear our prayers for all those traveling during this busy holiday weekend in the United States.  We send up all our prayers to You for safety for all those traveling, especially those with families.  We ask St. Christopher to pray for us, and bring our petitions to You, oh God Almighty Father. You are Amazing and Powerful, and we know You hear our prayers.  We pray for those that have accidents, that You keep them healthy and safe.  Lord, we also pray for those that are injured this coming weekend, that You may guide them to health.  Please, oh Consoler, be with those who will be in need of such consolation this weekend, that Your Spirit ease their hearts, and fill them with Your Love.   May they know Your Mercy and Love.

Oh God, our beloved and perfect Creator, I offer up to you any and all graces that I receive from attending Mass this week, for those travelers in need of Your Mercy and Love, whether by their own neglect, or their deaths or injuries during travel.  Surround them with others who will share Your Love and Mercy.  Thank you, O Great One, for the freedom that we have to travel where we need or want to go this weekend.  We thank you for keeping us safe, for You are Love beyond all things.  We praise You, God, our only need. We love You; we want to glorify You in all things, great and small.

Amen, Alleluia, Amen!
(cmg 5-20-14)




Prayer to Saint Christopher, Patron Saint of Travelers, for
St. Christopher's Protection

Dear Saint Christopher,
protect me today
in all my travels
along the road's way.
Give your warning sign
if danger is near
so that I may stop
while the path is clear.
Be at my window
and direct me through
when the vision blurs
From out of the blue.
Carry me safely
to my destined place,
like you carried Christ
in your close embrace.
Amen.
http://www.toweringpines.com/stchristopher.html

Remember, the devil isn't just working on 'us'

Sometimes, we do all the things we should do
Pray all the prayers we are supposed to pray.
Honor God in all His Glory
Love others with the heart He has given us.

And we get slapped in the face.
Kicked in the side.
Spit on the head.
Tripped down the stairs of emotion.

Why? Why? Why?

If the devil can't get to you
Through you...
If you've resisted his lies
Resisted his temptations.

He will work on the ones
Next to you
In front of you
Behind you.

He will try to get to you
through them
They might tempt you
or hurt you in your weakest spot.

Maybe they can't resist
the chance to put you down,
To be mean or hateful
They don't know how to be strong.

It's hard.  It hurts.
Pray for them.

It's sad and it's difficult.
For you.
But more difficult and sad for them.
Pray for them.

You've not always held your tongue.
You've not always been kind.
Now you've welcomed the Lord into your heart.
He gives you strength

The actions or words that have hurt you
may have been their one mistake of the week.
Their moment of weakness is directed at you
Because you can bear it.

Another person, one who is weak,
One who doesn't know the love of Christ
And His Sacrifice
might crumble under the assault or temptation.

Pray for them.

Rejoice in the challenge that you
have been given
for with Him, you can do
All things.

The 5th Joyful Mystery: The finding of the child Jesus in the Temple

The Joyful Mysteries are truly a joy to meditate upon.  These first five significant events can teach us so much, especially about being childlike and receiving God's love.  Today, I'll share with you my thoughts on this morning's meditation on the 5th Joyful Mystery: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple.

Luke 2: 41-51 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him: "Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing". And he said unto them: "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 

My meditation on this Bible passage brought me to these thoughts this morning.

Of course Jesus was obedient to His parents on earth, Mary and Joseph.  But His Father called Him to share His Wisdom with those around Him, with those that needed it, and Him.  Even though Mary and Joseph know He is God, our Savior, they must have been concerned, if not worried, about Him when they were apart. Jesus knew that He must obey God, and was teaching us to do so, even at the expense of His parents' concern.

The part that I focused on this morning was this: Jesus was not actively disobeying His parents Mary and Joseph, but was obeying His Father, our Father.

It seems like right now, our country is forcing us to choose between obeying our country, or obeying our Father.  Yes, Jesus said:  Matthew 22:21 ...Then he saith to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God, the things that are God's.

Father, I pray to You to help me to remember that I am Yours above all things, above all people, above all nations.  Give me the strength to give to You, and You alone, what is Yours and due You.  All that I have, all that I am, all that I can be, is Yours.  Help me to understand and be strong for Your Desires for me. Give me the wisdom and knowledge needed to explain to others when I seem to be dissenting from my country's popular opinion.  Father, I want to be obedient to You above all else, even when the world around me tells me differently. My heart is Yours; my body is Yours.  I must serve You above all else; not an ant on the ground, or a ruler of any nation, can supersede Your morals and demands that You have put upon us.  Thank you for the nation, Father, in which I live and dwell while on this earth.  I pray that it may become even greater as a servant of You, O Lord.  I pray for You to be in the hearts of our leaders and our fellow citizens, to see the righteous way of Your Path.

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

For more on the Joyful Mysteries:
http://www.rosary-center.org/joyful.htm
http://www.theholyrosary.org/joyfulmysteries
http://wdtprs.com/blog/2006/10/5th-joyful-mystery-the-finding-in-the-temple/
http://www.pinterest.com/scarlette81/the-rosarythe-joyful-mysteries/

For a friend

Why me, God? Why?  I follow You, I pray to You, I honor You, I praise You. I thank You, I glorify You.  My God, why have you forsaken ME?!!!??

Why not me, God? I know You are by my side, even when I can't see or feel You.  Help me to remember that when things are bad, that they could be worse. You are there cradling me, protecting me, from even worse things happening.  Why do you make it so hard, Father? Help me to understand that even when I cannot see the reasons behind what is happening in my life, that YOU, my Lord, are in control.  Every breath I take is sanctioned and given by You, o Lord.

Let my pain and suffering not be for naught; may it teach me to find You in all things. May I bear the pain and disappointment of this world; let my suffering relieve someone else's suffering: for that mother about to say goodbye to her infant; for the child grieving the loss of a parent; for someone who received bad news about his health.  Let my suffering, even for a moment, relieve theirs and give them a moment of peace when they need it most. I know you are there; let the suffering see through their pain to You.

Father, forgive me my sins committed while in this pain and suffering.  I try to be strong, but it's almost more than I can take. Let me find the strength You have given me.

Psalm 22

Plea for Deliverance from Suffering and Hostility

To the leader: according to The Deer of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

    Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?

2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;

    and by night, but find no rest.

3 Yet you are holy,

    enthroned on the praises of Israel.

Why did God become man? Teach me how to love, teach me how to live

Why did God become man?  The quickest answer we usually say is, "To die for our sins." That is true, but that's not the only reason.  (more.....)

Beauty

For my husband:

Silver strands

                swirling from the sky,

                                sparkling, cascading,

        dancing diamond dust, breath of angels

                   Each crystal a hymn of 

                                      Heavenly rejoicing

floating, falling, lifting in a breeze

            each flake - a wish

               every drop - a dream 

Comes a glistening Gift from God

         swirling, softly, caressing the soul

                           nourishing the spirit

                                       Whispering, sweetly 

              His consuming Love.

cmg 2-4-2014 copyright 2014

Pray without ceasing...even in song

It's been an amazing 9 months since returning to God and to the Faith.  So many things have changed, and too many have remained the same; I pray that the the things that have remained the same change and grow, instead of deteriorating.  Sometimes, growth is in not falling!

I want to pray more. I want to pray better. This is truly what I hope to accomplish: pray without ceasing. 
 I want to pray when I awake, when I fall asleep; I want to pray without actively 'seeking' to pray.  I want to have the interior constant conversation with God.  When I awake in the mornings, my first thought is sometimes, 'What time is it? Can I sleep a little longer? What 'me' thing do I need to attend to?'  I wish to pray immediately, but my first thought....ME. Ugh. That's not good.  However, lately I've been waking up, and I hear a song in my heart, in my head. Is it Bon Jovi or Halestorm? No. I've been blessed to wake up to a song of the Lord.  It might be contemporary Christian, or a modern hymn, or a traditional hymn.  I don't listen to music as I fall asleep, but every day I do listen to at least a little contemporary Christian music (K-Love, Air1, etc.) .At first, I'd been trying to put it out of my mind, in order to pray.  Then I've remembered something I've always said, and heard others say: Singing is praying twice.  The song in my heart IS a prayer.  What a great gift!  I don't wake up thinking, "What song should I sing this morning?"  I wake up and it's there!  I don't usually wake up with the beginning of the song in my heart, so I like to think that I started praying/singing even before awaking; perhaps the angels were singing it to me as I lay sleeping in the morning.  I want this song to be the prayer before my prayers, the intro to my day and to my prayers to God.  Perhaps this song that I hear in the morning should be the theme of my day....

Oh my Lord, thank you so much for the song, and the revelation that I am praying upon awakening! Each morning, You awaken my soul, Your Spirit who dwells within me.  Let my soul always give you praise and thanksgiving. Thank you for the gifts you have given me and all of us.

1 Thessalonians 5 (Douay Rheims 1899)

16 Always rejoice.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.

19 Extinguish not the spirit.

Some of the songs I've been waking up to:

All You've Ever Wanted by Casting Crowns (LOVE LOVE LOVE the piano intro!!)

Abba Father

And clearly because it's Advent: O Come O Come Emmanuel

Favorite Saints for today!

We are so blessed to know the names of our saints and some of the angels in Heaven!  Their lives are examples of how we can and should live, and sometimes, examples of how we shouldn't live!! (St. Augustine comes to mind.)  No one on Earth, not even the Pope, is as close to God as these saints; many encountered Him face to face here on Earth.  Just as we ask those close to us on Earth for their prayers and intercessions, we can ask, through prayer, the saints and angels in Heaven to pray for us as well.  If you are not Catholic, or even if you are, understand that we are not 'worshiping' angels or saints, but our only means of communication with them is through prayer, and through God's allowance of that communication.

St. Dymphna, please pray for me and all those who suffer either directly or indirectly from the effects of depression, mental illness, and other such diseases.  Give us strength to overcome these diseases, or the strength to bear the burden.



St. Augustine, please pray for all of us who suffer from addictions of any kind, that we may overcome them through His Love and Mercy, and our Love for the Lord.  You lived part of your life as far from God as possible, yet you became a saint.  Please pray with us and for us to conquer these burdens, or to accept these crosses and chains according to His will.  Give us the strength to walk away from our addictions, or the ability to stand to bear them.  Please pray with us for those of our children who are away from the Faith, away from God, and living apart from His Life for us; your mother, St. Monica, suffered this daily until you returned to the Lord.  St. Monica and St. Augustine, pray that all wayward children, especially our sons, see the way back that the Lord has given them.

St. Cecilia, please pray to help us to find the joy of God in the beauty around us, especially in music and art; please bless those gifted to share those talents, that they may share God's Love for us in those ways that touch us.

St. Teresa of Avila, please pray for me and all those who suffer from severe headaches, migraines, and other painful physical conditions.  Help us to offer up our suffering when we are unable to alleviate our pain conventionally.  If so, please offer our suffering to God so that someone else's suffering might be eased.

St. Therese of Lisieux, pray for us to be children of God, and to appreciate all His Wonders we have in our daily lives.  Share your roses with those that need the sign to complete this love and appreciation of our God's great love for us.

St. Anne, we ask you to pray for us and with us; you were Mary's mother, and saw the path your Grandson took to save the world, as well as the pain that His Mother suffered.  Pray for our families, especially those families that have an unborn baby.  We pray that this, and every baby, be born as to God's plan, and not killed in the womb.  Pray with us for the end to abortion, and for the situations to end that cause those who think there is a need for these murders.

St. Faustina, through you we have learned the Divine Mercy prayer, and it has been prayed millions of times for God's Mercy.  You are so close to Jesus, we ask for your prayers that we also may see Jesus in our daily lives, and be open and able to hear His own Message for us.  Help us to live to see His Divine Mercy.

St. Francis de Sales, please pray with me that my words, actions, writings, may be led by Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, that somehow others are drawn to learn more, and perhaps be led to Christianity and Catholicism in order to serve their lives as His Children.  Please pray that my discernment may be easily understood and clear to me.

St. Catherine of Bologna, please pray for us against the temptations both of the body and soul.  After seeing your habit and hearing your story last week, I have felt drawn to learn more about you.  Be with me as I begin this journey of learning, and that I may acquire any of your amazing attributes that allowed you to turn your back on the ways of the world to serve Christ as He called you.

St. Mary Magdalene, please pray for all us sinners; you were accused of being a sinner by the public, and that your sins were too great for even the Lord to forgive.  You asked His forgiveness, even feeling unworthy.  Help us to remember that no sins are too great to be forgiven, for His Love and Mercy are limitless. Pray for us and with us for our contrition for our sins, and that we may be closer to Christ.  Our Lord could see into Mary's heart, and He said: "Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved very much." Then to Mary He said kindly, "Your faith has made you safe; go in peace." From then on, with the other holy women, Mary humbly served Jesus and His Apostles.  Help us to serve Him, and to be an example to those who have condemned others for their sins, while hiding their own.

All you saints and angels in Heaven, pray for us, and for the departed souls in purgatory.

~~~~~~~~~~

Watch, O Lord (St. Augustine)

Watch, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight,
and give Your angels and saints charge over those who sleep.
Tend Your sick ones, O Lord Christ.
Rest Your weary ones.
Bless Your dying ones.
Soothe Your suffering ones.
Pity Your afflicted ones.
Shield Your joyous ones, and all for Your love's sake. Amen.

What I'm reading this week.....

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray. O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~
Here are some interesting links and blogs I'm reading this week:

http://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/novena.htm

http://www.catholic.org/prayers/

http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/

http://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/saints.htm

http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2013/09/01/syria-and-the-wages-of-dissembling-about-benghazi/

http://www.patheos.com/Catholic.html

http://blog.adw.org/2013/07/four-common-tactics-of-the-devil/

http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/macfarlane/givinggod20.html

http://www.catholicdoors.com/courses/howtopray.htm

http://theramblingsofacrazyface.wordpress.com/

Little Catholic Bubble

31 days with Saints

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Grace

More about grace....

The MOST Theological Collection: Mary in Our Life

Rosary Indulgences

Saints

Novenas

Praying with the Saints

Catholic links on Catholicity

Catholicity (editorial post)

Mary...
~~~~~~~~

May God bless and keep you safe today.

Mother: Having a mother, loving your mother, being a mother, honoring your mother

I love my mom so much!  I'm adopted, so while she might not be the one who gave birth to me, she is my mother. Why is that? Society, in general, defines a mother as one who has given birth to a child.  I've never held with that.* A mother is the one who loves you, comforts you, holds you, protects you. She is often the one you turn to when you need something, or someone. She will stand between you and danger; she will do everything possible, when appropriate, to make you happy.  It may not always be what you want or expect. But nonetheless, it's always done in our best interest.  If we think we want a dozen chocolate chip cookies for dinner, she's not usually going to accommodate that. :)

Our Lady is our mother.  Think about it. She loves us, comforts us, holds us, protects us.  She wants to stand between us and danger; she wants to give us everything we need, but only if it's best for us.  We are God's children, as detailed in the Bible.  Mary is the Mother of God.  This is confusing for us humans, but that's the way it works.  She is the closest person who was on earth who is with our Lord. She gave birth to our Savior. Do you (or would you) love a mother as wonderful as Mary? He does. She is very special.  Don't be confused or misled: Catholics do not worship Mary.  We honor her, as is her due.  The Lord has seen fit to let her appear to us over the last 2000 years, and especially over the last few centuries.  That wouldn't happen if He didn't believe that we should honor and love her.  As Catholics, we are called to honor Mary, but we aren't required to believe in the miracles associated with her, or to give her extra attention.  But what a great gift we are given in our mother!

When I was a child, we said the Hail Mary prayer (which can be found on the Rosary page on this blog) during Mass. That wasn't standard, but apparently acceptable.  I rarely recall praying the Rosary as a child or an adult, until last February.  

When I was 16, I was in a wreck.  I had been sneaking out to see my boyfriend, and was in a hurry to get home before curfew (which, to be honest, was rare for me).  I rolled my '65 Mustang numerous times, end over end, side over side.  Despite the fact that I usually wore my seat belt when on the road, I didn't wear it on short 'town' errands in my rural/farm community.  I remember being upside down, hitting my head, as the car rolled.  Parts of the interior came off somehow (it was impossible to figure out how they came apart, given the small opening and the large object), the roof was crushed, and the front was demolished.

But the part I remember most is what came to me in those few seconds that seemed like hours.  I didn't consciously think "I need to pray!", or "what should I pray?". I prayed the Hail Mary. Not once, not twice.  It felt like I prayed it dozens of times in those few seconds that seemed like hours.  I walked away with a slight concussion. By walked away, I actually I walked a mile in the dark on a dirt road in the country 5 miles from town.  When I saw the car later, I had no idea how I wasn't hurt more.  

I love how, without even thinking, I turned to Mary in my scariest moment of my young life.  I had said the Lord's Prayer many, many more times in my life, and I had known it longer.  While I love our Father, and could have prayed directly to Him, it is comforting to know that Mary is here for us, is there for us.

Thank you Father for gifting us with such a wonderful mother, and for all the Graces You provide to us through her, and her intercessions.

Please pray for me.  God bless you.

Romans 8:16

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





*Side note: I get upset when I hear a newscaster refer to an abusive or neglectful woman as 'mother'. I don't mean mothers who aren't perfect, because I'm surely not! But, as in the Erica Green/Precious Doe case, the woman who was supposed to be her mother, either via birth or raising the little girl, didn't do a thing to protect her, and instead assisted in the abuse and murder of the innocent child. I will never forget that murder.  

Truly humbled....

I'm taking a wonderful class at our parish that covers the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church (our leader is amazing!).  This is invaluable to me as a fallen-away/returned Catholic.

It was after one of these classes this spring, that I had an amazing experience.

I was headed to my car, and was debating with myself if I should stop in the Adoration Chapel for awhile.  I had only been a couple of times, usually before or after Mass.  I had my Bible and Rosary with me (I rarely go anywhere without my Rosary). I sat in the car for a moment, and hadn't yet decided. I was parked in front of the Chapel.  I decided to open my Bible and see if something inspired me.

I had recently been praying for Humility. (Decrease me so that You Lord may increase in me.) I hadn't had it in the forefront of my mind, though. My Bible was new, and I hadn't read it enough to have it fall open to certain pages, and definitely not to Sirach, which I hadn't read before. So I just placed my fingers on the outside of the Bible, and opened it. I looked down and the first thing I saw was this (with the header and everything):

Sirach 3

Humility

17 My child, perform your tasks with humility;[a]
    then you will be loved by those whom God accepts.
18 The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself;
    so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord.[b]
20 For great is the might of the Lord;
    but by the humble he is glorified.
21 Neither seek what is too difficult for you,
    nor investigate what is beyond your power.
22 Reflect upon what you have been commanded,
    for what is hidden is not your concern.
23 Do not meddle in matters that are beyond you,
    for more than you can understand has been shown you.
24 For their conceit has led many astray,
    and wrong opinion has impaired their judgment.

Footnotes:

1. Sirach 3:17 Heb: Gk meekness
2. Sirach 3:18 Other ancient authorities add as verse 19, Many are lofty and renowned, but to the humble he reveals his secrets.

WOW!  That quite literally took my breath away! After I finished reading those verses and those around them, I was most certainly going inside to pray and worship our Lord and Savior.  I don't remember what I prayed that evening, although I'm sure I said a Rosary, as well as Praise and Thanksgiving. 

This has happened a few other times to me since then, and it's just as amazing.  Since I had been praying specifically for Humility, and then the HEADLINE of the chapter and verse I opened to had that exact header.....truly it was a sign from God.  I so love how the Holy Spirit works His wondrous ways in and around us.

Luke 14:10-12
10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12 He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid.

Please pray for me and my Faith Journey, and that I may learn Humility.

Resources:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Sirach%203:17-29&version=NRSVCE
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07543b.htm

Offer it up

Over recent weeks, I've pondered the phrase, “offer it up to God!”.  It didn't make sense to me. What did that mean? When I have a headache, does offer it up mean ask God to ease it? If we are to offer it up, should we not take medicine to relieve our pain? I have been at a loss for awhile on this, and had planned to talk to my pastor this week about it.

One day, as I rested to take a short nap, I was having trouble calming my mind, and as the minutes grew, the longer my nap-insomnia (napsomnia?) was cutting into sleep time.  I began to whisper and pray on each breath, “Praise you, God. I love you, God. Thank you, God.” I focused on the words, and if a thought came to my head, I just kept breathing.  I have never been good at focusing (ADD!) or meditation, or even inducing relaxation!  Suddenly, like a lightning bolt, it came to me! 

“Offer it up” means to take on suffering so that another’s pain might be eased.  I went through some very trying times in my 20s when my birthmother’s response was not anywhere in the realm that I expected.  Did I think I might be rejected? Maybe. Denial, and rejection, in the manner it was handled? I didn't expect that at all, and it sent me into a tailspin.  The pain was great, and we weren't going to Church, so I didn't have my Faith to fall back on, although I know God was there with me, and I cried out to Him often.  At the time, I told my husband that maybe my deep pain and agony were to save another from going through it.  I thought of a few people I knew that wouldn't have been able to handle it had they been in my shoes.  What if there was a finite amount of pain in the world on any one day?  Would I take on that pain so that another, weaker person who couldn't have lived through it, could be happy?

That’s what Jesus did for us. He took on our sins, our pain, and suffered for us, so that we could live life with Him everlasting, without pain.  We were not even born, and He died for us.   The cross was so heavy and burdensome; I imagine each splinter as the weight of thousands of our sins.  Each and every nail, thorn for the wars in the world.  He offered His life for us. Whether we choose to offer up our physical or emotional suffering so that another may be eased is our choice.  My human mind has a difficult time wrapping around this concept. It doesn't make ‘sense’.  Thankfully, when I let go and let God, as the saying goes, He told me.

Earlier this week, during a weekday Mass, the Monsignor talked about prayer is not about yanking God’s chain. In my words, you don’t pull on the chain, or ring the bell, and tell Him what to bring you in the parlor like a servant. We are the servants!  We do not pray to change God; we pray so that we change ourselves!  When we pray, we should not tell God what His solution should be; we tell Him our problems.  He is our Father.  As a mother, if my children came to me and gave me a problem that they couldn't fix themselves, I would take care of it if I could, and in the best interest of them.  Now, of course, God can take care of anything.  However, it might not be in our best interest. He knows His plan for us. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

Next time you have a headache, or are hungry, or a sprained ankle, offer it up to Him.  “Father, I’m in pain right now; I pray that my suffering will ease another’s suffering, even for a short time.”  Of course, I could take a Motrin, or eat a sandwich.  I definitely would go to the doctor if it was required.  I believe that God gives us modern medicine and expects us to use it.  

True suffering is not sitting in traffic on your way to work. You have a car; you have a job. If you want to offer that up to Him as suffering, that is your choice. Instead, though, thank Him.  You can even thank Him for your suffering.

Imperfection in prayer

As I might mention off and on, I have OCD tendencies. Some things must be perfect, or not at all. This doesn't apply to others, only to myself. It doesn't affect everything, but enough.  What is one of the things we wish to be perfect in? Prayer.  We are talking to our Master, our Father. Only He is perfect. I sometimes struggle in prayer, especially in the past. I thought I had to pray a certain way, or with certain words. When I couldn't meet that standard I placed upon myself, I would give up and move on.  This didn't just impact my prayer life, it impacted  many areas of my life: parenting, friendships, relationships, health, work. I have to learn to accept in some areas, imperfect is still good enough. But in prayer, I sincerely wish to pray the perfect prayer; while it may be impossible, I never want to quit striving for perfection, but accept that it's a process, and that no matter how hard I try, I will always be imperfect.

For many years, I prayed rarely, unless I needed something. Even then, I thought since it was less than perfect prayer, it wasn't good enough. I would quit.

My mistake? Praying with my human mind, instead of my heart and soul.  Close your eyes and talk to Him. If you want to use a prayer such as the Our Father, that is wonderful.  Maybe that’s all you can do.  I encourage everyone however to speak freely with the Lord, without being irreverent.  

A talk I heard recently on the radio talked about prayer, and it made me think of how I can pray better.  

• First, praise Him. 
• Next, thank Him. 
• Third, ask forgiveness. 
• Fourth, give Him your problems. 
• Then, listen. 

If your mind is scattering thoughts like dandelion seeds inside your head, try this: “God, I love you. God, I praise you. God, I thank you. God, forgive me.”  Say each phrase with each breath; one word breathing in, two, three, four words breathing out.  It’s my prayer circle. I could say, “I love you, God.” I actually did, the first time, but it turned around in that circle, putting God first. God is first, not me. It has no beginning and no end (does that sound familiar?). As it loops around, it cleanses those dandelion seeds, and leaves behind what is important: God.  

The first time I did this, I wasn't asking God for a thing, not even an answer for my questions. A lightning bolt struck! I suddenly understood what something meant! I hadn't even pondered the question that day; I knew I would get the answer, but thought it would be when I met with my pastor. So I had put it aside. But He didn't. He chose that moment when I was doing nothing more than loving Him.  I did this while resting. (I used to watch the TV before falling asleep; prayer is so much more fulfilling!) I was exploding with Joy! I called out to my husband, and told him of the answer God had given me.  I had tears in my eyes; I’m still so excited when He touches me; I hope that I always will be.  I was no longer tired at that moment. I was sure I wouldn't be able to nap, but I continued to rest and pray my circle. I fell asleep quickly, especially considering the energy inside my soul. I also had a wonderful 30 minute nap.

Sometimes, you don’t even need words.  Recently, I shared on a message board a wonderful experience with a stranger and the Holy Spirit. One of the replies blew me away; through the essay I wrote, God answered one of her prayers, and quite directly! It was a miracle that of the millions of Catholics in the world, and a lesser amount on the internet, let alone on this particular site and message board, she chose that day to read that story.  I couldn't speak. I couldn't think. I couldn't put a word together.  I closed my eyes, and my heart prayed. My soul prayed. That was as close to perfection as I think I can get. Thank you, Jesus.