Arms of Love - a great book

If you'd see my reading stack, you would know that I've read almost no fiction in the last few years.  I've mostly been reading books to keep up spiritually, so this book was quite a surprise.  Arms of Love was first recommended to me by Fr. Brad.  He also recommended it for my son, the dating teen-ager.

Fr. Brad told about this book at least a year ago.  I dilly-dallied around, finally ordered it.  I looked at it a while, then finally started reading it.  I put it down after about 10 chapters, knowing I'd have to finish it some day.

Well, the last time I saw Fr. Brad (a couple weeks ago), he reminded me that it was a good book.  A week later, I picked it up again, and couldn't put it down.  He was almost right - it's a great book! (Too bad I can't drive and read!)    Here's the website.

It's fiction, it's Catholic.  What a refreshing combination.  Joanie gets a new job at a TV station.  Brandon is the lover-boy looking for another girl to conquer.  This book is about chastity, courting, sacraments, true love and family.  And even though it's fiction, it's got quite a message for evangelizing.  

A bit of a warning, though.  I'm not sure everyone prays before the Blessed Sacrament before they go out for dinner on a date.  Some people struggle a lot in their journey to the Catholic faith, but not much here.  Parts like that seemed kind of hokey.  But...

BUT, those were the times that made me realize what little things I can actually do to increase my prayer time and to let others know that I will live what I say I am.  It also gave some great verbage to say when people ask about my faith.  So, through this novel, there was a lot to learn.

I could use your prayers for getting the son to read it, don't know how that will go over yet.

I'm wanting to order the sequel, Surrender.  There's a special when you order 10 books or more mix-and-match.  You in? 

The Summons

The summons came in the mail.  Jury duty.  What are they thinking?  I was just there - 12 years ago or so.  And right there on the paper is says: "Jury Summons  Do Not Discard."

I looked up the definition of summons.  Here's what google says:

• bidding: a request to be present; "they came at his bidding"
• an order to appear in person at a given place and time
• summon: call in an official matter, such as to attend court

Actually, if I don't fill out the form and sent it back, or if I don't show up, I'd get charged with contempt of court.  They'll come lookin' for me!

We have a song called The Summons in our music books at church.
"Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?"  Who, me?
"Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?"  Well that takes a leap of faith and it depends on where we're going.
"Will you let my love be shown? Will you let me name be known?"  Sure. when people ask me first.
"Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?"  OK, that parts sounds pretty good.

How come we get our hiney's to jury duty, but when God calls, we pretend we don't hear.  Free will is a gift, but do we use our free will for things that REALLY matter?  What will it take for people to say "yes" to God when he calls them?  God has called you and me!  But unlike jury duty, when I just have to show up once (hopefully less) God's summons has me going back to him every day (or more often.)  I like it that way.  I sometimes call that "daily bread."

If we want His life to be grown in us and us in him, we probably should go and follow when he calls our name.  But it does take a leap of faith to answer that summons.  And it's worth everything.

Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I'll go where Your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

When Scripture comes together

Well, it made a connection to me, how about you?  This is from Friday's reading from 1 John:

Beloved:
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three who testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord...
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son. 

Remember today's reading?  The Baptism of Jesus.  In this short bit of Scripture, there are three who testify, the Father, the Son and the Spirit.  God has testified on behalf of his Son.  The Spirit is there, too, in the form of a dove.

Not just that, it's a family reunion!  The Holy Trinity - all in one place.

Surely, John knew the significance.  I wonder if he was swept off his feet. I'd like to think that I would have been!  

May Jesus find a way to sweep us off our feet this week!

My column for the Globe

Prayer life feeling foggy?

I work 23 miles away from home.  I really don’t mind the commute at all.  The time is actually the perfect length to pray the rosary.  I’m in the habit now that when I get in the car, the Apostle’s Creed just rolls off my tongue, and I may even be just going to the grocery store.  I’ve been trying to practice “praying” the rosary instead of “saying” the rosary, which is what doing one day last week while I was driving to work in the fog.

Before I left home, I carefully planned the route – go east, turn south, giving me only one corner to find in the fog.  Can’t mess that up!  However, few miles out of town, I realized that I didn’t know how far down the road I was and I didn’t know if I’d missed the corner.   I looked for some familiar landmarks (like the clock barn –cant miss that!), but everything was hidden in the fog. A brief moment of panic struck.  I hoped I hadn’t missed the corner to turn south, but knew if I did, I could always turn around.

A mile or so later, there was my corner and I felt relieved that I now knew where I was heading - still the fog, but staying on the right path, confident that my destination was 14 miles ahead.  Even though I couldn’t see the landmarks, and I couldn’t see what was ahead, I knew all was well.  I had faith that the town was still there, and that no one had moved St. Thomas Church.  Later that afternoon a most beautiful thing happened.  The sun came out, the fog rolled away, the earth warmed.  The bright light and the blue skies made for a most perfect December afternoon.

I thought about that for a while, and I realized that sometimes prayer is like that.  Day after day, hour after hour, we pray, we look for God, and we wait to hear his voice, but it seems like we’re in a fog, feeling desolate.  We know He’s there, but we couldn’t tell by our senses.  Still, we forge ahead, hoping that some day we’ll break through and see or hear His sign.

Even if we’ve taken the wrong path and/or we miss the corner, we can always turn around.  Sometimes we call that “reconciliation.”  Even when praying with the Blessed Sacrament I don’t see or hear anything, but know in faith, that my soul has been strengthened.  Sometimes we need to get back to the Bible, the best map of all.  Then, once again we carry on.  Don’t lose hope.  It’s our faith in God that assures us that he is there.  It may feel like we have to wait a while (a longer while than what we’d like!), and we wonder if this fog will ever clear up.  Maybe God is using that time to remind us who is really in charge!  But have no doubt, soon the Son will shine and envelope us in His warmth and light and burn the fog away.  May 2011 bring you closer to Him who always keeps us close.

Family Life Advisory Board

We're on it.  We're looking forward to meeting the other board members, and we're excited about having the chance to be of service to the Diocese.  You can read the whole article here.


The Diocese of Sioux City’ Family Life Advisory Board has recently appointed new members that bring a well of experience and perspectives relating to marriage and family life.
Sean Martin, diocesan director of religious education, family life and youth and young adult ministry, said, “In the next year or so our task will be to discuss our current diocesan policies and practices regarding marriage preparation, comparing them with some dioceses across the country and make recommendations to Bishop Nickless based on our discussions.”
As stated in the board’s by-laws, the purpose of the Family Life Advisory Board is to be a consulting body recommending policies, practices and resources to the Bishop and the Office of Family Life pertaining to the needs of the Sacrament of Marriage and family life in the Diocese of Sioux City.
Martin pointed out that it is important to have a representation of all those in the Diocese of Sioux City involved in marriage and family life on this board.
“It is important that decisions regarding Diocesan Marriage and Family Life policies and practices are made in a collaborative effort,” he said.
The new members agreed to serve on the board for a variety of reasons.  
Father Shane Deman said, “Each day families are met with cultural challenges in maintaining a holy and healthy Christian identity.  Anything that our parishes can do to assist these families needs to be a priority.  Hopefully, new initiatives will be taken to help each Catholic household reflect to their local community a radiant love of Christ.”
Julie and Pat Storr said that while they don’t have all of the answers, they have been through a lot in their marriage.
“Our experiences as a team couple for Engagement Enrichment have been enlightening for us, also.  We've found that being a part of those events have strengthened our faith and our marriage,” the Storrs said in a written statement. “As parents, we want to pass on to our sons the importance of marriage and family life in the church.   That's our goal for our for the AFM Advisory Board, as well, and we're grateful for this opportunity.”
The family is the central structure of the parish, the church and the diocese.  With the challenges from today's society straining the family unit, they said it was more important than ever to do whatever they can to reinforce the family because when families are strong and thriving, so are churches and communities.