“Desperado…why don’t you come to your senses; you’ve been out ridin fences for so long now.  Oh, you’re a hard one…I know that you got your reasons, these things that are pleasin you, can hurt you somehow…”  I love the Eagles, but this song may have influenced my life far to much!

Does anybody else do everything in their power to make themselves look stronger than they really are, or am I the only one who does that? 

“In the silence of the heart, God speaks!”  This is a quote by Mother Theresa that has come to mean a whole lot to me in my life.  Our world is so full of distractions and is so very loud.  I thought after I left my full-time job to come home that things would slow down, and the distractions would be less…Who was I kidding?  Now instead of five adults telling me what to do I have five wonderful children harping orders at me.  I think, no I know, that my kids are more demanding than the Bishop I used to work for!  (Man do I miss working for my bishop!) 

Why Wait?  Is anybody as bad as a procrastinator as I am?  I find a reason to put off anything!!!  It is a blessing and a curse!  Of course, the blessing is that I have learned to work very well under pressure, the curse is that I have to work under pressure.  I have had plenty of conversations in my head that go something like this: “I should do, x, y, or z!  But if I do that now I can’t do this?  Oh no worries Tara, you can do that tomorrow!”  I live by the motto of, “Why do today, what I can do tomorrow!” Instead of the ever-famous Benjamin Franklin quote, “Don’t put off until tomorrow, what you can do today!”

Why do bad things happen to good people?  I have worked in church ministry for over twenty years, and this is the question that I have been asked several times within that ministry?  I know there are many articles and books written about this topic, but still the question remains.  In fact, I would be lying if I did not say that I was asking that same question right now in life!  Not about my own life…I feel incredibly blessed most days, even though my life is certainly not perfect, but about the life of one of my dearest friends. 

“Why are you troubled?”  These are the direct words Jesus spoke to His apostles during one of His appearances following the Resurrection.  The living God stood in front of His apostles and asked them, “Why are you troubled?”  That same living God stands in front of us today, asking us that same question.  As I spent time in prayer pondering that question, I realized there was much on my mind and my heart that seemed to be consumed with trouble.  God does not want our heart to be troubled…He desires for us to give Him those troubles and allow Him to work within our lives. 

Every year the Church asks 1.2 billion faithful Catholics to pray, fast, and give alms more for 40 days (plus a few for the Triduum and such) to prepare for 50 days of celebrating Jesus’ resurrection.  

If you asked those 1.2 billion people which is longer, Lent or Easter, how many would realize it’s Easter?  

“I wished we lived in a world where everything was as simple as it is for my six-year-old son.”  This was the thought that swam around my head over and over today as I watched his joyful face and stamina as he competed in his FIRST Track Meet.  This was not just any track meet, but instead it was a track meet full of children who have different “special” needs.  He did every, single event from throwing the discus, to running an obstacle course, and then his favorite…the long jump.  He did it all with a smile on his face, never complaining if he did not get it the first time and cheered for himself no matter how “good” or “not good” he did, according to the world’s standards.  Those standards did not matter to him…he did it with joy, and he did it for the glory of God.