Embracing Uncertainty

Ah, if only we knew that Florida would be spared, Michael could've stayed down in Ave Maria even longer...but since I am selfish, I'm glad he came home a day early. We had the whole weekend together and now the rest of the week as well. I'm not getting much work done because we take too many chatty tea breaks and cook nice meals and watch Tropical Tidbits and a movie every single night--sound like a good hurrication, no? These pretty pink skies will give way to gray before too long.

Hurricanes are highly distracting even if they're a thousand miles away I truly feel for the poor people of the Bahamas getting pounded and not just for a few hours but over a whole day and more. Who knew something like this would happen? We didn't expect it with Florence either. But Dorian feels like it's going to take a similar trajectory as Matthew. As in the past, we will button up the porch and stay indoors. I've printed out several things I need to work on in case we lose power. But there's always music and books.

Speaking of books, I have to rave over one that Max recommended: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. It's a story of one man's dying and it is so beautifully written I cried. Requiescat in pace, Paul. I hope we meet in heaven one day. I'm also in the middle of these two books: Night Diary by Veera Hirandandi (set during Partition) and The Second Mountain by David Brooks. My biggest complaint about Brooks is that he doesn't commit to anything, even while writing. It always surprises me when brilliant people don't take that leap of faith. And since we've all read the book in our family, we refer to people we know as first or second mountain people. Hehe. 

Anyway, what does any of this have to do with embracing uncertainty? Everything and nothing. It's something I've been thinking about because I realized that one of the greatest gifts of our faith has been the ability to throw ourselves fully into any venture even if we do not know the outcome. It's about placing your trust in Christ, and doing the right thing, as much as you can know something's right. I'm always asking the Holy Spirit to guide my hours, my days, and to help me walk the right path. And I ask the same for our children, who are so far from us now. But I do not worry. Christ is with them and Mary keeps pointing the way to her Son. There is so much joy in embracing uncertainty. I've now come up with a litmus test for discernment: is it drawing me nearer to our blessed Lord or farther away? It's that simple.    
      
Our lives can change in a blink of an eye. All we can do is prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and know that not even a sparrow falls without our Lord's knowledge. He is with us. I am praying for all in the path of Dorian to remain safe.  

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/03/hurricane-dorian-satellite-photos-show-bahamas-underwater.html

On Truth and Discernment

I am always so amazed by the prayers of the Church. Our priest unpacked yesterday's for us. 
1. Truth exists.
2. You can know it.
3. It's relationship to justice, which is the precursor of peace.

He offered some thoughts on higher education and how it has failed our children. There's such an emphasis on deconstruction, which is a good method for understanding the various bits; however, there is no rebuilding, reconstruction, and no search for the truth. It's good to question, but at what point does it become absurd? How do I know something is real? Catholic philosophy is based upon reality. If it conforms with reality, then it's true. And if something is true, it doesn't matter whether you believe it or not, it remains true. And I must admit, it's very difficult to discuss anything nowadays given how emotional everybody gets. Reason has been thrown out the window. People talk about being kind, but I have to wonder what kind of kindness is letting someone remain in sin or their delusions. Lord, help us all. 
 
Good Shepherd Sunday is one of my favorites. And I will never forget how our Catholic community on Daniel Island began with the Good Shepherd Club. Within two years, we became a parish--St. Clare of Assisi. God is so good! 
 
Good Shepherd Sunday is also devoted to praying for religious vocations and here our priest offered some thoughts and observation. Vocations arise from the following:

1. Good theology
2. Eucharistic Adoration--knowing and spending time in the Real Presence of God
3. Good understanding of what the priesthood is--offering Sacrifice of the Mass
4. Where the traditional Latin Mass is offered--liturgy reflects teachings of the Church
5. Knowing priests
6. Families open to the gift of children
7. Homeschooling--seminaries have 4x more men who were homeschooled than those educated in public or private schools.

Of course, no discussion of a religious vocation can be made without discernment and our priest offered some thoughts on it as well, which is good advice for all, not just those considering a religious vocation.
1. Can I picture myself doing this and being happy?
2. Test of time--if it is from God, it will endure the test of time.
3. Thinking about it. Duh. He recalls lying in bed on a hot summer evening with the window open (this was before air conditioners) and thinking about being a priest. And it occurred to him that no dove was going to fly in through a window to let him know for sure :)
4. Encouragement from others--friends and family who know you 

 

 

Harvesting the first of our lettuce! Yum!

And so we pray. The Master will send workers to work in His vineyard. Of course, I had to share a picture of my sweet Benny--he always wants to be on my notebooks. It's a wonder I can write or type anything at all. He's so purry and demanding, I have to give in!