Reflections of a Wandering Mind

But we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. ~Romans 5:3-4 I'm feeling a little persecuted lately. Nothing I do seems good enough, no matter how hard I work. My motives are questioned; someone in authority over me assumes the worst. Forming opinions without considering all the circumstances and using only the one-sided, limited knowledge they have. I'm fighting a losing battle against a closed mind, and it presses down on me like a ton of rock. Why do we give such unworthy people that kind power over us? Why do we allow them to destroy our peace of mind, our happiness? The answer is clear...we lack the strength and comfort we need, the things that God offers freely to us. Caught up in our daily lives, we fail to partake of the gifts ever at our disposal. The power in Christ to be content with the knowledge that we know the truth of our worth and motivations and not to be bothered with th...

The challenge that is already with us is the temptation to accept as true freedom what in reality is only a new form of slavery. ~Pope John Paul II Freedom! We all cherish it, want it, fight for it...but what is freedom really? Some feel it's whatever they want to do. Some feel it's the rights we enjoy that others don't get to. And there are some that are indifferent, take for granted their freedoms. Freedom is, in fact, a tricky thing. It must be recognized for what it really is, for the courage to be truly free is very rare. On a basic level, Americans enjoy many freedoms compared to many across the globe. How wonderful it would be for every person to live one real day in the life of an oppressed, victimized human being. Most of us live in a cocoon, not realizing the immense suffering that occurs each and every day. It's disheartening to witness how little it takes to upset somebody these days. The lack of character in our society is truly shocking. I witnessed s...

"Lust indulged became habit, and habit unresisted became necessity." ~ St. Augustine "Deep within yourself, listen to your conscience which calls you to be pure...Passing encounters are only a caricature of love; they injure hearts and mock God's plan." ~ Pope John Paul II "More souls go to hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason." ~ Our Lady of Fatima We are shocked by the attitude of our youth in their wanton ways. What do we really expect of them as we admonish their immorality while living with our significant others without the benefit of marriage? I hear that it's just a piece of paper and that they are "married" in heart. That's just a cop out, marriage is putting total faith in someone else to respect, love, support and never give up on you in all things; marriage is REAL commitment. At the very least, if the certificate is just a piece of paper, why are they so afraid of it? Why are we so shocked whe...

Mary Oliver : Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? This is the question I wish someone has posed to me in my 20s...so I'm posing it to you. It seems like young people today are more and more burning the candle at both ends. They're not having fun unless they're drunk or faded. They waste so much time playing relationship games instead of just being happy. Or they're only out for the thrill of hooking up. What a waste of so much energy...if only they knew how much satisfaction they would receive from being productive and helping to make this place a better world. I guess I would have to study history to get a better perspective on social trends. I only have this generation to consider. I hear there has always been vice, caprice, and wantonness rampant within the young of every generation...but it seems so bad these days. At the park I hear 6-12 year olds with filthy mouths, language people used to be ashamed to speak in public....

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing. ~Agatha Christie Tears, on the brink of tears I have been for almost two weeks. Profoundly sad, alternately filled with rage. I will never be the same. I am praying for this resentment and sadness to leave me, but even if it does; I have been changed. Even though I am not important enough in anyone's life for them to take an interest in my thoughts as I express them here, I just cannot take the risk spilling my secrets for they are not mine alone. I carry a heavy burden, but I do know that life is good and will get better once again for me. I know it, but right now I just don't feel it. I have never felt such despair in my life. Sad, helpless, alone - but I am alive and there is hope.

"Man cannot live without joy; therefore, when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures." ~St. Thomas Aquinas We take for granted that there is always tomorrow, that we have all the time in the world to set things right, to take care of our health, or to amend broken relationships with friends or loved ones. How often do we hold grudges, so offended, and not worry that maybe tomorrow may be our or their last day. Am I the only one who tells myself day after day that I will start my diet/exercise program tomorrow, but tomorrow never seems to come? Well, we obviously can't live our lives in a perpetual state of fear of death; it's unhealthy. But, we can take the attitude of urgency when it comes to loved ones or our spiritual state in life. We so easily fall into a state of sin and not worry about the consequences because we take our lives for granted, mainly worrying about the everyday things we need to get by....

There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self. ~Aldous Huxley It's so easy to see the negative in others, and I'm no exception to this rule. The last few entries deal with my view of what's wrong with the world while it would probably be more worthwhile to turn that reflection inward... Yes, I think so. I'm so wanting to control my world around me when, in fact, I'll only end up frustrated because we really only have control over one thing: our reactions/interaction to the world and people around us. A quick temper is one of my greatest flaws and the one I will address tonight. While I may be justified in feeling offended, there is no defense for the level in which I respond when angered. Sometimes my anger has been unjustified just because I have misunderstood the situation, and given my quickness to judge, I have placed myself into sticky situations in which I just look foolish. Other times my pro...