Be Impressed with Those that LIVE Scripture

I'm a practicing Roman Catholic Christian. I love the word "practicing" to describe my "religious status". I pray regularly & often as well as attend Church weekly plus religious holidays & holy days of obligation. I go through the motions in order to feel connected and to enhance my spiritual connection to God. Every so often, I'll hear a great sermon from a priest at Mass that resonates with me. But I'm not a preacher and I don't emote my Faith to whomever I come in contact with. I'm comfortable with that because in all honesty I'm a flawed human being that is constantly trying to be better--kinder, more accepting, less judgemental...the list goes on & on. I'm "practicing", knowing that I'll never be perfect, but that I'm constantly working towards it.

Growing up around a religious community, I've encountered all types of personalities. I've met some amazing Catholic Christians that have impressed me in the way they choose to live--with love & service. But on the other side of that coin, I've encountered others that I feel don't represent the kind of person I'm striving to be. It doesn't matter that they attend Church regularly or can, without provocation, recite a Bible passage to help "enlighten" who they are speaking to. As cliche as it sounds, what matters the most is how they behave.  Do they exude a light and energy that speaks to the kind of human the stories of Jesus in the Bible tries to inspire?  Or do they just sound "smart" because they can tell you a Bible verse?

One of my favorite Parish Priests (now retired) often spoke of his flaws and the constant journey to better himself. I'll never forget during one of his sermons, he candidly expressed his journey towards removing his racial biases & prejudices and becoming aware he had them in order to move towards eradicating them. I think it's what made his sermons so relatable. He wasn't trying to present himself as all-knowing or all-perfect. Because truly, if he was (or any of us), we would be Divine or pretty close to it. My current Pastor has the same energy and although I've been mostly "attending Mass" online, I've been finding inspiration in his words as well.  I'm grateful to have this kind of religious leadership because it's something that I deliberately search for...I drive a further distance to a Parish I CHOOSE just because I want to feel that the community has a higher purpose than just judging and condemning.

I want to continue working towards the kind of Catholic-Christian that constantly self-reflects, self-evaluates & makes moral choices based on what I feel is right for me and the teachings of Jesus.  I don't want to be someone who is "throwing stones" and assuming I know what's right for others.  Sounds like an ultimate destination in enlightenment and believe me, I'm still on that journey.  And part of that journey is awareness and identifying people around me who easily & readily expresses the Scripture instead of living it (unfortunately, there are plenty out there). It's not about just listening to Christian podcasts & making sure people know that you do.  It's about doing the right thing even when no one is looking. Valuing humanity above material possessions. Protecting your integrity & being kind. Sending light & love to all of you! XOXO

How Are You Always So Calm?

Do you have a person in your life that feels the need to offer unsolicited opinions about a range of topics including personal life choices? Well if you do, you're not alone. We have that "precious" person as a member of our extended family, so it is something that we have to deal with periodically (although we choose to limit exposure to her energy) but indefinitely for the rest of our lives.

Even most recently, she offered a strong opinion on how we choose to deal with Pandemic 2020 & how we choose to stay safe & protect our mental health (something I take very seriously in regards to every member of my immediate family).  Her judgements on this matter (as well as other matters in her life) have been sketchy to us but we don't offer our opinion because I believe in respecting one's personal choices. I've always held the belief that what is right for one, doesn't mean it's right for the other. But nonetheless, she tells us what she thinks & does it in a way that makes one feel attacked.  That's how she's always been.

Does it bother me?  Ok, I'm going to be honest.  Yes! It irks me & I find myself spending wasted (or at least it feels like it) time on feeling irritated & angry at her & her behavior. But after I allow myself time to feel annoyed & vent, I realize that it truly isn't worth it to allow her to reside in my mind.  Ultimately, I've never made a decision based on any advice she's ever offered & have never altered life events due to her criticisms. So why give her the power to make me feel any negative emotions? Realistically, she will always be in our lives (hopefully in small doses), and she's not someone we can remove--like we would a toxic friend or acquaintance (feel free to banish those from your life). I can't control how she behaves, but I can control how much energy I put into reacting to her "input".

So, how does one remain calm? Just like Spock says, don't argue--I prefer no response at all, but if you want to take sarcastic pleasure try out the "You're right" response. It's the ultimate form of diplomacy.  And take it from me, when you're dealing with this type of person, you will never "win"--in the sense that she will never be kind or just offer support or just root for you to be happy.  Take a deep breathe & channel that Spock Vulcan energy. It's the most peaceful way to deal with toxic people you can't expel from your life.

If you have someone like this in your life, I hope knowing that you're not alone offers some comfort.  Choose to be happy & don't let negativity get you down. Stay safe, everyone & live long and prosper! XOXO 

Perfect Moments Along the Way

The Huz and I have always been pretty involved in our sons' lives--from their teeny tiny bodies to the adventurous journey of growing up into teenage & young adult humans. When Quarantine 2020 hit, we buckled down together--work-at-home & school-at-home life became a thing and we just had to adjust. There were definitely stumbling blocks along the way especially for the Offsprings who thrived in their academic & extracurricular life. Like most teens in their same situation they experienced many disappointments from cancellations of anticipated events and the loss of person-to-person interaction with their friends and peers.  Distance Learning is not the same & will never be the same, but as in everything in life, you gotta do what you gotta do & just push on. We're doing pretty ok and frankly, it could be worse. So, we take it day-by-day and do the best we can under the circumstances.

I genuinely feel blessed that my QuaranTeam are people I truly enjoy and like. Sure, they are my husband & children, but from the posts I've seen, especially at the start of quarantine, that's not always a guarantee for a pleasant life. We get along. I'm thankful for this and try to never take it for granted.

The other day we all had this tremendous craving for a shake & french fries.  We've been supporting local take-out restaurants every so often so it wasn't unusual for us to go out & get something to eat. But this time, we just decided to take our shakes & french fries & just scarf them in our vehicle. Ok, full disclosure--we sometimes did this pre-quarantine too.  But for this particular moment, it just felt special. As we were eating & having a thoughtful & meaningful conversation (something parents of younger kids can look forward to), a feeling of profound gratefulness just hit me. Despite all the craziness that is going on in the world, we continue to make memories.  There will always be a winding road with occasional bumps, but these moments--these perfect moments are what makes it all worthwhile.

I wish everyone great safety out there.  Please make an effort to respect people around you--most everyone is going through something you'll never understand--so be a light instead of someone's darkness.