All summer my roses have continued to bloom, blessing us with a fresh crimson bouquet every couple of weeks though I never cease to be amazed by them. Each and every velvet petal seems a unique and masterful work of art.
Velvet
Month: September 2023
Unpack the Boxes
I came across this post, Love the Place You Want to Leave by Intentional Faith, a fellow blogger and had to reread it several times. I was so deeply moved by it as it perfectly articulates the profound ache of homesickness. I just passed my fourth year in the Midwest and, while I’m immensely happy in my marriage, my home and my life in general, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss everything about life in Colorado. Part of my heart will always belong there.
However, I had a couple of spectacular epiphanies while reading this post. Obviously, I’m hardly the first or the last to feel this way. That bit of perspective is easy to forget during the daily grind. I’ve also come to realize that not every longing in my heart, no matter how intense, is a call from God to action. He put me here in this place right now for a reason and He doesn’t make mistakes.
Even though I’ve taken many measures to embrace life in the Midwest, there’s still a part of me that hesitates when approaching new home improvement projects or when considering getting involved in some church or community group. There’s part of me that wonders how long I’m going to be here anyway. Should I really get too entrenched here when I still yearn for different scenery?
I believe the short answer is yes. I’m only human. I can’t see the future. Who knows what the next 5, 10 or even 20 years will bring? But what better way is there to glorify God than to live my very best, most Catholic life in this place and this home that He’s given me? Living with one foot out the door because our situation might change in another few years is precisely the opposite of what He calls us all to do. It isn’t wrong to miss where I came from. It’s wrong to use that desire as an excuse to not “unpack the boxes” here. I should make this place as much of a home as I possibly can for as long as I am called to be here. Anything less is a deliberate failure to do God’s will.
Colorado Postcards
On a recent trip to Colorado, in addition to the usual family hikes to remote mountain lakes, my husband and I also visited some of the most well known and iconic views in the area. Colorado smiled for us in all of its’ summer glory as we soaked in Gods blessings.
Maroon Bells and Crater Lake are some of the most famous sites around, situated just outside of Aspen, CO where visitors from nearly every walk of life can take a short bus ride to the trailhead and witness God’s spectacular creation for themselves.
The Colorado Blue Columbine is fairly native to the Rocky Mountains which is likely why it was long ago named the state flower. Although we were visiting in late summer, well past prime time for spring wildflowers, we were still blessed to catch a couple of these along our way.
Hanging Lake is one of the great wonders of Colorado and a testament to God’s infinite creativity. Much like Maroon Bells, people flock to this lake, nestled high up in the walls of Glenwood Canyon. Its crystal blue depths are reminiscent of the healing mystical waters one might read about in an epic fantasy tale of brave knights and elven kingdoms.
The Thankless Jobs
People get so caught up with being the equal. Equal representation has become equal celebration and now everyone is out to claim their day on the calendar. We as humans truly are the walking wounded. Everyone on the planet has experienced some hardship in their lives and likely will again. Suffering is one of the few guarantees in this life. We’ve grown so used to it and so fond of it that we’ve started trying to outdo one another, trying to squeeze ourselves into every possible suffering minority in an effort to claim that our pain is greater than everyone else’s and we ought to be recognized for it.
This is one of the countless reasons that I thank God for blessing me with the two loving people who raised me. My parents taught me to know my worth. Of course, they also instilled in my sister and I an attitude of humility which we both still strive for. We were brought up to be kind and polite and to always respect our elders. However, we also grew up with the understanding that no mountain was too high to summit. There was no impossible undertaking in our lives, just enough hard work to get it done. Even in Disney movies, dreams don’t come true for free. I’m human just like everyone else, flawed and fallen. I make mistakes, fall short and begin again as we all do but by God’s grace, every single prayer in my life has been answered.
I don’t need a month or a week or a day on the calendar to know my worth. I have already proved myself capable of overcoming obstacles that life throws my way. I have found success in all facets of my life and I believe that, so long as I continue to take up my cross daily as God calls us to do, I can still achieve great things. I know that I’m capable of being a good wife and a good Catholic and someday I believe I can be a good mother. It doesn’t matter how many people will celebrate me for it. Even if no one ever thanks me for my efforts to one day raise a loving, Christ centered family, I will still know that it was worth it. In my experience it’s often these seemingly thankless jobs in life that ultimately lead us toward true fulfillment which is found in Christ.
Everyday Sunshine
I’m blessed to have found a man who’s happy to take wifey for regular walks around town where we get to experience bright sunny moments like this, a tiny miracle for an ordinary day.
Genuflecting Before the Blessed Sacrament
I once heard it said that if Christ were truly present in the consecrated host at mass we would crawl to the altar to receive Him. Of course this is not our practice in the communion line and so a logical person might conclude that the bread and wine we receive at mass is not actually the body and blood of Christ. Indeed, if it were we certainly would handle it with far greater reverence and care.
As a devout baby Catholic still journeying toward a deeper understanding of Christ, I strongly disagree with the conclusion drawn from this observation but it does shed light on the state of our church, especially when spoken by a child undergoing faith formation. They are told that they ought to love Christ above all else and with their whole hearts. They are instructed to turn to Him in their sorrows and to praise Him for every blessing because we owe our salvation to Him. They are also told in faith formation that through the sacrament of Holy Eucharist, the actual body and blood of Christ, that we can obtain graces in our lives by receiving God Himself.
This is all true but it would be difficult to believe by simply observing the average lay person at mass, particularly through the eyes of a young person still discovering their faith. We are a society that has forgotten how to show respect for anything. Many of us can’t even stand for our national flag, much less kneel for the cross and our Lord and God. When it comes to public displays of subservience we are more than out of practice. We are downright defiant. We hate the idea of bowing to anyone or anything, even to our creator. Through the gifts and talents He blesses us with we can have incredible agency over our own lives and can easily be drawn into the trap of wondering what we could possibly need Him for.
What’s more, this attitude of indifference has not gone unnoticed by our younger generations. They are beginning to imitate us, wondering why they ought to care so much when we clearly don’t. If we truly grasped the fullness of God and the sacrifice of Christ on the cross we would fall on our knees. It’s true that many practicing Catholics just don’t know any better, never having been taught the meaning behind all the happenings at mass. But ignorance is no excuse for our societal lapse in proper practice. As baptized members of Christ’s church it is our duty to know and understand its teachings and traditions and to be living examples of Christ.
Next time you go to mass remember to take a knee and solemnly make the sign of the cross before taking your seat in the pews. Genuflect also and make the sign of the cross every time you cross in front of the altar. When approaching the altar, whether as a sacristan, reader or server, always bow deeply in total deference to Christ. In the communion line as you bow before receiving the Eucharist don’t rush. Consider who you are about to receive, the sacrifice He made for you and the grace He will impart through His own body and blood. All these actions may feel awkward or trivial at first but practice makes perfect and we all ought to practice what we preach a little more. You never know who might be watching.
No Place Like Home
If only returning to my childhood home was as easy as clicking my heels together three times. Blessedly, I married a man who is willing to clear our calendar for the better part of two weeks and spend more than 18 hours in a car with me, trekking halfway across the country so that I can drag him up every mountain I’ve ever had the pleasure of traversing in my short 26 years. I traded my ruby slippers for an old, dirty pair of hiking boots this trip. This vacation was long overdue though, under normal circumstances, is an annual trip my family has affectionately termed Colorado bootcamp. Despite scrapes, bruises, blisters, a strained back and fantastically soar feet, my heart is perfectly light and happy having recently returned from treading both new and familiar paths to places like this. Here, caught between the clouds and the wildflowers is a little slice of heaven.
Books for the Catholic Reader
Even before I was Catholic, I was an avid book lover. Throughout our childhood my sister enjoyed listening to a slew of epic fantasy novels which always came to us through our dad’s voice. No matter how many books I read (or had read to me), my reading list never gets any shorter. My husband’s learned to avoid Barnes & Noble on busy afternoons because it’s never a quick trip.
Over the last couple of years as I’ve grown in my faith I’ve started viewing my reading material through a much more Catholic lens, even the fantasy books. Here is my current book list for other Catholic readers.
Religious
- The Bible – This is a Catholic no-brainer. It may not always be the easiest read but is something that every Catholic should familiarize themself with. Questions will undoubtedly arise as you go and you should never be afraid to bring these to your local priest. I also found it helpful to work through the Bible using the Fr. Mike Schmitz podcast series, The Bible in a Year.
- The Catechism – Similar to the Bible, this book is incredibly useful for understanding not only Catholic texts but traditions as well. You can also digest this through a podcast series from Fr. Mike called The Catechism in a Year.
- Miracles Through Our Lady: True Stories of Everyday People That Can Change Your Life Forever originally written by Fr. Karl Maria Harrer and translated by Renate Mross – This was one of the first books my husband ever read to me and I’m still deeply moved by the tales of marian miracles all over the world throughout history.
Dating Advice
- How to Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul by Jason and Crystalina Evert – This book is full of Catholic dating advice. It pounds home the necessity of saving sex for marriage, a conclusion I arrived at independently of my faith before picking up this book. However, my key takeaway was to never settle for someone who only tolerated my values. Although that lesson may seem obvious it was a shining moment for me in riddling out exactly what went wrong in a past relationship. This and many other relationship lessons were among the first to set me on the path to God.
Non-Fiction
- Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand – Immediately after watching the movie adaptation of this story I pulled the book off my parents’ shelf and started reading. Despite all of the unspeakable things that Louis Zamperini endured during WWII, I found this was ultimately a tale of Christ-like forgiveness and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it.
Fantasy
- The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien – Much like The Bible the epic tales of Middle Earth will never disappear from my list no matter how many times I read them. These are among the first books I remember my dad ever reading to my sister and I and someday I hope to share them with my own kids. They are bursting with Catholic teachings, Tolkien having been a devout Catholic himself, and the struggles and character of Christ can easily be seen in several of the main characters in this fantasy universe.
Honorable Mentions
Many of these are not strictly Catholic but for one reason or another I found myself relating various characters or scenes to similar biblical happenings and had difficulty putting these stories down.
- Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
- The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
- The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson
- Harry Potter by J.K Rowling
- The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis
Desert Blooms
I’ve always felt that I was a bit of a desert flower, thriving on stony peaks and in sandstone canyons much like these. They were captured over several family hiking trips through Colorado National Monument and Arches National Park. Although the dry desert air might be off putting to some, it is still teeming with color and life if you take a closer look. It is yet another wondrous display of God’s creative work.
Blessed in the Midwest 