I bet the guy (Mr. Murphy?) who came up with Murphy’s Law went through a divorce. How else could he have known how to so perfectly describe what going through a divorce is like? Ol’ Murphy said: “Everything that can go wrong will go wrong at the absolute worst possible time.” Yup, that sounds like […]
I happened upon this quote a few years after my divorce and it has never failed to renew my hope. I pray it does for you, too. As servants of God, we must learn to make room for Him-to give God “elbow room.” We plan and figure and predict that this or that will happen, […]
My dad made a beautiful armoire for my oldest daughter when she was little. He poured his heart and soul into this piece of furniture. Although my dad passed away several years ago, the armoire is a lasting reminder of his abundant love for his granddaughter. Jesus has left behind reminders of His abundant love, […]
Dealing with teenagers can be a real challenge. A typical teenager is concerned with one thing in their lives: themselves. As a result, they tend to make their relationship with their parents very transactional. They expect to request and to receive, and nothing more. Give them the car keys, and they are happy. Give them money […]
One morning I walked into Mass very distracted and anxious. I had many things on my mind: projects due at work, challenges with the kids, financial pressures, dealing with the ex, etc. On top of that, I wasn’t feeling well. It was hard to focus on the Mass. Frankly, I was just going through the motions. […]
I remember as a kid, my brother and I went rafting down a river by our house. We played this game where we would take turns going down this particular stretch of rapids in a raft. I would jump in the water, grab the rope, and navigate the raft through the rapids while my brother […]
As I look back on the years immediately following my divorce, I often reflect and think,”How did I do it?” Divorce often thrusts us into a world of activity and responsibility that no mere schedule can accommodate. We can attempt to become ultra-disciplined by managing our time, our responsibilities with kids, work, legal issues, and […]
Going through my divorce turned my world upside-down. I suddenly started to question everything in my life. What was true? Who could be trusted? It was like my life was thrust into darkness and I was stumbling around trying to gain my bearings. I would talk to anyone who I thought could help me: friends, family, […]
Fr. Larry Richards tells a very powerful story of God’s abundant love. The night before he was to be ordained a priest, he was wrestling mightily with the vow of celibacy he was going to have to take the next day. It was not the sexual temptations that were causing him the greatest struggle. It […]
I have a Catholic prayer book that is over one hundred pages long. In this book there is every imaginable prayer. Prayers you would expect, like prayers for healing, but also some you would not, like prayers for safety during bad weather. Catholics never seem to be at a loss for ready-made prayers. It is not […]