330th Post - Yowza!

For Suz! Good morning!

Good morning, my dear friends. You are so dear to me! Thank you all for prayers said and your continued prayers. As SCMom pointed out: Doesn't my body know I do not have time for this? Let me tell you what I have learned about God when I tell Him what to do: He bloody laughs, I'll bet!

I'm still laughing and I would not deny Our Lord a good chuckle either. Even if it's at me! I feel that if He is stooping one iota to gaze upon me, how grand is that?!?

I read a book on the way home from MA by Father Richard Neuhaus titled As I Lay Dying. Now, I only bought this book at the gift shop because I had read some of the First Things magazine (which he spearheaded) - the April "In Memoriam" issue - that this was one of his greatest works. Unknown to me at the time, in it's pages (117-118 to be precise) I would find the answer to personal revelations (there was an incident at the JPII house with another person who . . . well, for charity's sake, I shall refrain - I really need to grow in that department!). I was almost passed out in the passenger seat from exhaustion when my eyes read the words and my brain snapped to attention. LOOK AT THIS! I said out loud. I mean, folks, I was near comatose when I read that, but I shared with "B" and "J" (my traveling companions) what a Priest has to say about personal revelations. Without going into details, the person I am going to be charitable to here, is not someone you can teach anything to. At least, that has been my impression. She is the kind of person who is set in stone about certain things, which is most unfortunate as she is in terrible error about a few things. I know this, those around her know this, but none of us have any success in trying to "reach" her. I have not given up! My approach is prayer. I'm better at that - I can constantly give her to God, to Whom she belongs anyway. And, I can constantly seek His help for my lack of charity.

So, I was not reading that book for the sake of my having a morbid idea of my ending with this funny pinching pain I was experiencing. Not at all. The funny thing about death, for me, is I have always known it is a part of the life cycle. I do not want to die, but I know that at some point in time, I must. I'm okay with it. Being okay with it has allowed me the freedom to really live and evaluate Whom I live for.

Anyway, I also bought another book at the shrine gift shop by Gabriele Amorth (a priest and exorcist) titled An Exorcist Tells His Story. Wouldn't you know that in the ER last night my eyes would fall upon words that answered the predestination question to refute the same person I am trying to extend charity to? She believes homosexuals are predestined for Hell. That is clearly NOT what the Church teaches or believes. So here is what my eyes fell upon last night (and I say, I did get misty-eyed as the Lord gives me the perfect answers in perfect time, yeah?). From page 22: Christ's centrality in the plan of creation, and it's restoration through redemption, is fundamental to understanding God's plan and the end of the world. Angels and men received an intelligent and free nature. When I am told (by those who confuse predestination with God's providence) that God already knows who will be saved and who will be damned, and therefore anything we do is useless, I usually answer with four truths that the Bible spells out for us: God wants that everyone be saved; no one is predestined to go to hell; Jesus died for everyone; and everyone is given sufficient graces for salvation.

I love God! This is how he speaks to me. I have learned that it's not always my job to teach a specific person specific truths. He always supplies the answers to my questions. My questions are usually, "God, how can I put into words so that this person will come to know the Truth?" If it does not roll off my tongue or I find myself irritated with the process, I back off. If I find myself more concerned with being right than the person involved, I back off. Rather, God hinders the process, because when I teach (or anyone for that matter) about the Church and God, if it is not done out of concern for the other's soul, well, I have no business doing it.

I made a rosary while up in MA, too. I gave it to "B". She gave it to her husband. I do these sporadic things and if you knew "B" you would give it to her, too. So, I haven't a hand made rosary to give away here, but I did buy a mini one and a booklet from the Shrine to give away here. The bonus will be a handmade car rosary (purple beads). It's not made yet - probably today or tomorrow I'll get to it, but it will be included with the winner in the "drawing". If you would like to win the car rosary, booklet and DM tiny rosary (seen in the picture), leave me a comment in the comment box for this post. I will draw a winner and mail it out Tuesday next week.

Here is the finished rosary for my friend at Daily Mass. It turned out pretty nice. He's happy and I hope his daughter will be equally as happy.

Okay, on a final note, I am going to my primary doctor to get a check up and get an referral to have an ultrasound done to check for stones. I'll keep you all updated on this mess. But, don't worry too much, I will be fine no matter what. I'm going to keep laughing regardless.

Bonus Disgustingness: Okay, I have to share this one thing. On our trip, we needed to pull over to get petrol and use the loos. At this one stop, "J" and I stayed in the truck whilst everyone else lined up inside to use the loos. One gent came up to "C" and directly asked her, "Are you going number one or number two?" No, seriously. Seriously? Folks, it is a dern good thing I wasn't in line, in the shop, or anywhere near that dude when he asked that. Poor "C" - mortified does not cover the 'feelings'. I'm sure my gob would have dropped to the floor, I would have balled my fists and punched him in his gob. I'm serious. The past issues I have had with some dirty men, I would have taken him down. Don't think my Irish arse wouldn't have. God's grace that I be in the truck was definitely at work that day.