Drawn to Service

During these troubling times I keep coming back to the idea of service. As though I am being drawn to it like a moth to a flame. There are so many difficult things happening in our life right now. Really hard things, some which I just don't want to go into here and others like my parents new home flooding and loosing nearly everything from a lifetime built together. It simply breaks my heart.

How can life be so unfair? Why do good people have to go through so many struggles? These questions run through my head so often on a daily basis? Why does God test us so much? 



As I scroll through social media and see images and videos like these it makes me feel like we are forsaken. Is that what God wants for us? As I sit here typing this in tears, I can emphatically say NO! NO! He does not! Our Lord Jesus Christ died for us and he would not want for us to feel lost, forgotten or alone! He is our anchor. So why do we not seek others out more? Why in times of need like this do we not bind ourselves to him and to each other? 

I am a firm believer in giving our FAITH FEET! For we can not truly live as Christ wants us to if we are not willing to live as he would! This means reaching out to one and other and DOING for each other when we and those around us are in times of need. It doesn't always need to be something tragic like a terrible flood of a lifetime or a terrible illness. We need to do more for each other all the time. In big and terrible times of need and in the smaller moments too. Moments when we see a mother with her hands full and struggling with a door, or when we see someone asking for help. We need to remember to treat each other as though we ARE the gift from GOD that we each ARE. 

This can mean many things, to many different people. But if God came as man (Jesus) to teach us how to treat one and other, which I truly believe that he did, then we must know that we are meant to live a life of service. 



The people, like those in these boats rescuing mothers, fathers, children and animals in need and doing what they can to help their neighbors are SO amazing. They are living their faith and to me that is so wonderful!

I certainly can be better at this. I know that I can do more and be better! Over the last week I have felt such a pull to go to eastern North Carolina to serve as I know Jesus would want me to. I want to go and pull up soaking wet carpeting and floor boards and help mothers go through all their lost precious mementos. I want to help the Churches that lost everything rebuild. I want to DO! I hate sitting here and doing nothing to help all these people rebuild their lives. 

If I could do anything, I would GO and do, but it isn't always that easy. I have a family and a job and responsibilities here at home, but missionary service is something that I feel my heart pulling me to do. As a Catholic, we do not require missionary service, but it is something that I feel my heart calling me to do, more and more.

As I go through difficulties I remind myself of the lyrics in this Matt Redman song, 10,000 Reasons. 

"The sun comes up

It's a new day dawning

It's time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass

And whatever lies before me

Let me be singing 

When the evening comes.

...

You're rich in love

And You're slow to anger

Your name is great 

And Your heart is kind

For all Your goodness

I will keep on singing

Then thousand reason

For my heart to find."

It's Been A While

Hey there! It's been almost 10 years since I posted and so much has changed. I have decided to start back blogging personally mainly for me as a journal and if you'd like to read along that is great! I started by updating the look of this blog and cleaning it up a bit.

I don't even know where to begin and I have so many things to say. Do you ever feel like that? Let's see...

One big change is the kids aren't little ones any longer! Allie just turned 13, I still can't believe that! How is it possible that the baby that made me a mom is growing up so quickly? She is in 8th grade, loves her cats (some things do not change), Irish dances, is an amazing student and a wonderful friend!

Jackson is no longer my squishy little snuggle buddy that he was 10 years ago. He just turned 11 over the summer and started 6th grade! WHAT?! He loves baseball all year long and basketball in the winter. He completed Cub Scouts and is now on to Boy Scouts and loving it! I really can't say how proud I am of both of them! They are both really amazing kids!

I have also gone through a lot of change. I stopped teaching in public school eight years ago (I could write a whole post about that and some day I will) and ran my own photography studio for many years, which I loved! I am now the K-5 Director of Religious Education at our Parish. This is my second year doing this and I have to say, I really enjoy it quite a bit! I love having a positive impact on the faith of the children in our parish. One of my favorite things is to teach them how to give their faith feet and as Catholics if we can do that it gives us a reason to be in the pew each week!

Wilmington River walk at Sunset! So beautiful! This summer, I fell in love with Wilmington, NC and the surrounding area. My brother moved to the area a couple of years ago and my parents moved there this spring. Early this summer they purchased a new home and I flew down to help them unpack and settle in! Needless to say, I LOVED it there. Beautiful location, family and friendly people, what more can you ask for?

I am really looking forward to documenting more and writing more.