I have a Facebook Friend who went through a divorce several years ago. I finally had to block her posts because every comment was tinged with anger and bitterness. Sadly, she is a prisoner to pain of the past she has bundled up and drags around with her everyday. It has become a heavy burden […]
About a year after my divorce was final, I was invited to go on a spiritual retreat. During the retreat I heard a talk about the need to forgive those who have hurt you. Well, I could definitely relate to the being hurt part, but, frankly, the thought of forgiving my ex just made me angry. I […]
I came across a picture today that I had received of my nephew on his first day of second grade. I was struck by his radiant smile and eyes shining with pride, purity, and eagerness as he faces another school year. He is being raised by his grandparents. Their adult daughter, my nephew’s mom, has […]
In an effort to appease my not-so-religious spouse, I had to temper my enthusiasm for my Catholic Faith. One compromise I made was to delegate Mary to the back yard during the years of my marriage. She had been placed in a beautiful garden, but I always felt sorry that I had felt compelled to […]
Often, I find myself asking our Lord to help me with a problem or to grant a certain outcome. I put all my trust in Him that He will grant my request. After all, I know that He loves me and wants what is best for me. Who better to know what is best for […]
A woman recently told me that her biggest fear is she would die alone with just her cats. Her view of the future just seemed to communicate a deep sense of hopelessness. It makes me think of what the souls in Hell must have felt before Christ came and freed them. They had nothing to […]
The year or two after my divorce was final was a very confusing time. I sure did my share of fumbling around as I tried, often in vain, to figure out this new life I had been thrust into. I would like to say I learned quickly, and I was able to promptly bring order […]
“I still can’t bring myself to tell people I am divorced.” Linda shared with her Recovering from Divorce group. She had been divorced for over three years, and the shame of being divorced and Catholic still held her hostage. This is very common. I must admit that it has been over thirteen years since my […]
Hope is often looked upon as a kind of luck. The “grease”, if you will, that helps you slide through difficult situations. We tell ourselves: “I hope I don’t run out of gas.”, or, “I hope I win the lottery.”, or, “I hope I am not alone the rest of my life.” Unfortunately, this is not […]
SPLASH! The cold water now drenching my running shoes yanked me back into reality. I was outside with my four-year-old son watching him play with water balloons. He was getting a big kick out of filling them up and throwing them at the brick wall of the house and the bed of my pick-up. Him […]