Reflections of a STAY-AT-HOME Catholic, sports fanatic, pro-life activist, intermittently-avid fitness buff, political junkie, MOM...and then some. None of which I stay home for.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Spiritual Direction and Political Candidates
No, this is not my attempt to name all of the Catholic-in-name-only politicians who need spiritual direction. How much time do you think I have?? What I mean is, those are the two things I did today* - got some spiritual direction, and met with a political candidate.
Spiritual direction. Boy, was I in need! I've been wanting to find a spiritual director for years. Yes, years. Jen Fulwiler wrote about her wonderful experiences with hers, I just had no idea how to go about finding one. Especially one I'd trust. I've asked around, not just for names, but even for ideas on how to find a good one! I never really received an answer. This past weekend, however, I was really in need. I decided to just try to catch my priest after mass and see if I could make an appointment to talk to him. But priests are always so hard to get a hold of, so I wasn't optimistic on being able to set something up. And though he's an amazing priest, he's not so quick on the email responses! :)
Anyway, we were actually able to get out of the house on Sunday morning about 5 minutes early - a small miracle, especially since our church is 30 minutes away. And it truly proved to be a miracle, because when we arrived, my priest was standing alone in the lobby, just hanging out waiting for mass to begin. I said hello and he complimented my facebook photo (for those who aren't my facebook friends, my photo is a pic of Mitt and me. What what!!). Aaaaaanyhoo... So we got to talking and I was able to ask if he could schedule a meeting with me. Of course he agreed. I happened to ask, "By the way, do you do spiritual direction?" "Oh yeah, definitely," he answered. Well whattya know. My own priest. *head. desk.*
So we met today and I'm feeling like a new person (he also heard my confession...phew). I've been struggling a lot lately with a spiritual dryness. I mean, I don't have any trouble with Church teachings or defending her outwardly. It's the inward part that I've been having trouble with. And honestly...I think I still have a wall up since my infertility. Yes, I have a beautiful 9 month old. But that scar is deep. And I'm still pissed. And I know I don't have a right to be. But what can I do? Hence...spiritual direction, I suppose.
He suggested I begin my prayer life from scratch. Start by really getting to know Jesus. The man. And start by reading the Gospels. I struggle with prayer because a lot of times I feel like it's just words. I also get extremely overwhelmed when I actually get a few minutes to sit and have prayer time, because there are SO many things I want to pray and even more things and people I want to pray for. I also have a habit of deciding I want to have a devotion to a saint. So I pick one. And then I change my mind. And then I hear of another cool one and change my mind again. And then I go schizo and give up.
So he suggested I get up a few minutes early in the mornings and just read (he said he always has a better day when he prays in the mornings). Then ask God, even just quickly, to let me know Him. Ok, sounds like a good start. That I can do. I don't really have to feel like I'm just talking to myself. We're going to meet on a regular basis and there's nothing I need more right now.
So after my meeting with Father, I went to meet with the woman running for Lt. Gov in Delaware. She's a great lady and running a wonderful campaign. She's very conservative and that's not an easy thing to be when running for office in DE! I've been a supporter of hers for a few months.
Recently, she was asked to speak at the RNC. Her speech was fantastic, but she's not a seasoned politician and wasn't really prepared for the onslaught of interviews and questions hurled at her afterwards. There was really no preparation for it. She had just finished up one interview when she immediately began another with a radio host. He asked her several questions before asking, "what is your stand on the abortion issue?"
Unfortunately, not being a polished and smooth-talking politician, she misspoke. She spoke as a post-abortive woman about not having enough information prior to her own abortion, and said, "In that respect, I am pro-choice." This caused a firestorm in the pro-life community, which up to that point had trusted her. What she meant was that she is pro-information, and women actually HAVING a choice. I'm sure we can all understand what she meant by a true choice. Unfortunately, the pro-aborts have hijacked that word and it's so politically charged now, that as a pro-life candidate, you can simply NEVER, EVER say the words "I am pro-choice" in ANY context.
She then released this statement on facebook. I was still concerned so I asked to meet with her. Long story short (?), she turns out to be completely genuine. A zero exceptions pro-life candidate. And she is devastated by her own words. She said to me through tears, "If one baby dies because I lose this election because of one misstep in one interview, I couldn't live with myself." God bless this brave woman. Please support her if you can.
*Uhh...yeah...obviously I didn't do all this on a Saturday. It was actually yesterday, but I got interrupted mid-blog and didn't get it finished until today!
Spiritual direction. Boy, was I in need! I've been wanting to find a spiritual director for years. Yes, years. Jen Fulwiler wrote about her wonderful experiences with hers, I just had no idea how to go about finding one. Especially one I'd trust. I've asked around, not just for names, but even for ideas on how to find a good one! I never really received an answer. This past weekend, however, I was really in need. I decided to just try to catch my priest after mass and see if I could make an appointment to talk to him. But priests are always so hard to get a hold of, so I wasn't optimistic on being able to set something up. And though he's an amazing priest, he's not so quick on the email responses! :)
Anyway, we were actually able to get out of the house on Sunday morning about 5 minutes early - a small miracle, especially since our church is 30 minutes away. And it truly proved to be a miracle, because when we arrived, my priest was standing alone in the lobby, just hanging out waiting for mass to begin. I said hello and he complimented my facebook photo (for those who aren't my facebook friends, my photo is a pic of Mitt and me. What what!!). Aaaaaanyhoo... So we got to talking and I was able to ask if he could schedule a meeting with me. Of course he agreed. I happened to ask, "By the way, do you do spiritual direction?" "Oh yeah, definitely," he answered. Well whattya know. My own priest. *head. desk.*
So we met today and I'm feeling like a new person (he also heard my confession...phew). I've been struggling a lot lately with a spiritual dryness. I mean, I don't have any trouble with Church teachings or defending her outwardly. It's the inward part that I've been having trouble with. And honestly...I think I still have a wall up since my infertility. Yes, I have a beautiful 9 month old. But that scar is deep. And I'm still pissed. And I know I don't have a right to be. But what can I do? Hence...spiritual direction, I suppose.
He suggested I begin my prayer life from scratch. Start by really getting to know Jesus. The man. And start by reading the Gospels. I struggle with prayer because a lot of times I feel like it's just words. I also get extremely overwhelmed when I actually get a few minutes to sit and have prayer time, because there are SO many things I want to pray and even more things and people I want to pray for. I also have a habit of deciding I want to have a devotion to a saint. So I pick one. And then I change my mind. And then I hear of another cool one and change my mind again. And then I go schizo and give up.
So he suggested I get up a few minutes early in the mornings and just read (he said he always has a better day when he prays in the mornings). Then ask God, even just quickly, to let me know Him. Ok, sounds like a good start. That I can do. I don't really have to feel like I'm just talking to myself. We're going to meet on a regular basis and there's nothing I need more right now.
So after my meeting with Father, I went to meet with the woman running for Lt. Gov in Delaware. She's a great lady and running a wonderful campaign. She's very conservative and that's not an easy thing to be when running for office in DE! I've been a supporter of hers for a few months.
Recently, she was asked to speak at the RNC. Her speech was fantastic, but she's not a seasoned politician and wasn't really prepared for the onslaught of interviews and questions hurled at her afterwards. There was really no preparation for it. She had just finished up one interview when she immediately began another with a radio host. He asked her several questions before asking, "what is your stand on the abortion issue?"
Unfortunately, not being a polished and smooth-talking politician, she misspoke. She spoke as a post-abortive woman about not having enough information prior to her own abortion, and said, "In that respect, I am pro-choice." This caused a firestorm in the pro-life community, which up to that point had trusted her. What she meant was that she is pro-information, and women actually HAVING a choice. I'm sure we can all understand what she meant by a true choice. Unfortunately, the pro-aborts have hijacked that word and it's so politically charged now, that as a pro-life candidate, you can simply NEVER, EVER say the words "I am pro-choice" in ANY context.
She then released this statement on facebook. I was still concerned so I asked to meet with her. Long story short (?), she turns out to be completely genuine. A zero exceptions pro-life candidate. And she is devastated by her own words. She said to me through tears, "If one baby dies because I lose this election because of one misstep in one interview, I couldn't live with myself." God bless this brave woman. Please support her if you can.
*Uhh...yeah...obviously I didn't do all this on a Saturday. It was actually yesterday, but I got interrupted mid-blog and didn't get it finished until today!
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