courage – Page 44 – hugsnblessings

“Pleased to meet you, Monica.” Said Rita.

Published on January 21, 2015January 23, 2015 by Dawn Marie3 Comments

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Pleased to Meet You.”

One of my bucket list items is to take time to read more for pleasure. I tend to read to learn something. Usually about my faith, or those who help me to live out my faith. (Role-models.) Many of the Saints are these for me.

I don’t think there’s some deep dark physiological reason why I no longer read much for pleasure. (There must be worse things than this, right?) As a child/teenager I only read for pleasure! It was a wonderful form of therapy for me, (which often helped me to escape from the sometimes dramatic life of my childhood.)

Every year at the start of summer vacation I began with a wish list of books I wanted to read! And every year I always began with the same book to start me off: Island of the Blue Dolphin, by Scott O’Dell! (I still have my treasured copy!) I never tired from this. I always looked forward to Karana, the brave twelve year old protagonist, kick-starting me into the frenzy of gobbling up the many books I’d read in the course of those few short months.

Maybe forgetting to read for pleasure happened when the kids started to be born. (Yes, always blame the kids.)

There was so much to learn now. (Beyond how to live abandoned alone on an island that from your perspective belonged to dolphins.)

So much to accomplish. (Besides befriending a pack of wolves.)

So much to live for. (Not that making my own canoe to escape from the island was no longer important.)

Thus, my faith and the heroes who lived it out were the inspiration I needed to live out this evolving life of mine. (And still need today.)

5ab78c2a6b77e6560e849ecb8c1c83f2 — St. Gemma Galgani

Did the Saints, as they were living out their own ordinary lives, think the same thing? Did they look to others for inspiration and support? Did they draw upon the examples of others to live out their own life in a manner pleasing to God? Did they seek out others to help them understand the “blue-print for living,” which our God had written?

I like to imagine they did.

I like to imagine that Joan of Arc looked back upon the courageous way the Blessed Virgin Mary lived out her faith and found the added amount of strength she needed to do battle. I like to imagine that Teresa of Avila drew great wisdom from Catherine of Siena in the journey to be named together as great Doctors of the Church.

St. Terese of Avila Statue St. Peter Cathedral, Erie, Pa

They are all ordinary women who ended up doing extraordinary things for the Lord, precisely because of their deep and abiding intimate communion with Him in prayer. They walked the talk.

All of us are called to the same manner of life. We are all called to gather strength from the other to live in a community that has been given the same Holy Spirit, access to the same wonderful saving Word of God, and the graces which are mediated from Jesus Christ through His Body, in the Sacraments of His Church.

I am grateful for these people. I have learned much from them. And I find pleasure as I imagine them having met one another along the road in their own personal faith walk, from time to time.

“Monica, meet Rita.”

Speaking from the Heart

Published on January 19, 2015November 30, 2016 by Dawn Marie5 Comments

“As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard…”

1Samuel 1:12

Justin (name) – an anglicized form of the Latin given name Justinus, a derivative of Justus. Justinus was the name borne by various early saints, notably a 2nd-century Christian apologist and a martyr of the 3rd century. Fair and just. You are full of high inspirations. You are courageous, honest, & determined. You are a leader, especially for a cause. Sometimes you do not care to finish what you start, and may leave details to others. You can do well in position of authority, and prospers in professional fields. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.

Outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before an audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate his ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.

A mother’s prayer for a child is always spoken in her heart; even when not seen on her lips, or heard in her voice. Happy Birthday, my dear sweet son…

TheseHugs n’ Blessings are just for you!

Music by: Fort Minor

Unless the heart is knit in love….

Published on January 6, 2015January 19, 2015 by Dawn Marie3 Comments

Practice, practice, practice. None of which has made me perfect. (Dratz!)

My first blogging 101 assignment is to publish “who I am & why I’m here.” I know that the title is an opportunity to introduce myself, describe what I’m about, and explain why ANYone would care to read my blog. But…the annoying deep thinker that I am could not help but answer internally (to myself, I did NOT talk out loud to myself…even though I was tempted.)

“THAT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT FOR THE PAST 40++ YEARS!!”

Who would have ever thought that this defining question in my life would one day be reveled to me by writing an assignment for a blog.

A scratch the surface answer would be: I am a creative-spirited red head who often needs to temper her passion for what she believes in & who has been privileged, humbled, and honored to have been a Domestic Engineer for the past 29 years. I am writing this blog because I have always documented my thoughts, prayers, joys, and struggles through journaling since a very young girl and blogging will be my 21st century rendition of this.

The deeper answer is: I am a woman of faith who enjoys closeness with God and seeks Him out in all ways, always. In the year 2000, while recuperating from surgery, I stumbled upon a book written by a seventeen century French monk, Brother Lawerence, who learned to practice the presence of God at all times. The book, The Practice of the Presence of God, promised “and you can, too.” This has been my truth.

The book revealed to me how to practice God’s presence and see His glory in every facet of my life. Even if it were only standing at the kitchen sink doing dishes.

“Lord of all pots and pans and things…

Make me a saint by getting meals

And washing up the plates!”

– Brother Lawerence

Thus, Brother Lawerence was able to turn even the most commonplace and menial task into a living hymn to the glory of God. And so too my journey began by attempting to put into practice the presence of God at all times. How have I done these past 15 years, you may ask? Terrible, I’m sure most would say!!! (Especially when that human, less than perfect, side of me comes out! wink-wink!) And so I practice, practice, practice, and practice some more. And I am eternally grateful for my progress. I see God abunduntly working & it has nourished my soul.

This past year, in particular, I have turned a huge corner. I have come to experience, just as Brother Lawerence, that the soul that seeks the companionship of God may (and does) find Him.