"Of the Week's"

My Dog and My God

This morning, my dog got a long overdue bath.  And let's just say that he was not very excited about it.  I tried a new technique with him, where I tried just calling him into the bathroom, instead of leading him there by the collar.  It didn't work.  He just ran circles around my room, trying to avoid me.  I eventually caught him, got him in the bath, and cleaned him up.

But I know he won't stay clean for long.  As soon as I wash him, he goes outside and rolls in something nasty, totally undoing the work that I have done.  And then he'll be stinky and gross again for a while until I bathe him once more.

He thinks that he enjoys being dirty, but I know that he doesn't.  Because, when he is clean, he doesn't spend as much time cleaning himself.  There are times when I know that he is cleaning himself because he is uncomfortable from being dirty.  Plus, I don't give him as much attention when he is super dirty, because he's just gross, and he makes my skin itchy.  But when he's clean, he gets all the attention he could ask for!

Letting God clean us up in Reconciliation can be difficult.  Rather than run in circles around my room like my dog did when avoiding the bath, I make excuses for why I can't go to Reconciliation.  "I'm too busy."  Or, well, that's really the main excuse that I use.  And sometimes, God works so hard to get me there, it's like He's pulling on my collar.

But when I go, I'm far less uncomfortable than when I don't.  I don't have to stress about getting there.  I know that my relationship with God is good, and that any ties that I severed are fixed.  I know that God is there, because I let Him be there.

I eventually roll in nasty sin again.  Sometimes very quickly after Reconciliation.  But being clean, as temporary as it is, is wonderful.

 

Bible Verse of the Week 

I have struggled with self-pity for most of my life (even if I don't have any real reason to pity myself, I still find a reason to do so).  Lately I have been working very hard at this, which has been freeing in many ways.  If you struggle with self-pity, here are some words from Scripture to help you out:
  
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" - James 1:2

Saint Quote of the Week:   

<sup>Again with the theme of overcoming self pity:

"We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trials" - St Theresa of Avila</sup>

Prayer of the Week:  

Again, about self-pity:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference. 
 
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

 Video of the Week:  

I like this video, because I think that the Pope is so brave here!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOx045-UlBc