IMITATION OF CHRIST: meditation of the day

The Fifty-First Chapter
When We Cannot Attain to the Highest, We Must Practice the Humble Works


The Voice of Christ
MY CHILD, you cannot always continue in the more fervent desire of virtue, or remain in the higher stage of contemplation, but because of humanity’s sin you must sometimes descend to lower things and bear the burden of this corruptible life, albeit unwillingly and wearily. As long as you wear a mortal body you will suffer weariness and heaviness of heart. You ought, therefore, to bewail in the flesh the burden of the flesh which keeps you from giving yourself unceasingly to spiritual exercises and divine contemplation.

In such condition, it is well for you to apply yourself to humble, outward works and to refresh yourself in good deeds, to await with unshaken confidence My heavenly visitation, patiently to bear your exile and dryness of mind until you are again visited by Me and freed of all anxieties. For I will cause you to forget your labors and to enjoy inward quiet. I will spread before you the open fields of the Scriptures, so that with an open heart you may begin to advance in the way of My commandments. And you will say: the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall be revealed to us.

Book three of the Imitation of Christ really is difficult. No one really wants to talk about suffering. There are eight more chapters then we move on. I know for myself it is important for me to be reminded that through any suffering it strengthens me for future problems. If I can persevere through the little inconveniences than I will be able to be stronger during real trials.

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

IMITATION OF CHRIST: daily meditation...

The Fiftieth Chapter
How a Desolate Person Ought to Commit Himself Into the Hands of God (PART THREE)

The Disciple to God:

You know all things without exception, and nothing in man’s conscience is hidden from You. Coming events You know before they happen, and there is no need for anyone to teach or admonish You of what is being done on earth. You know what will promote my progress, and how much tribulation will serve to cleanse away the rust of vice. Deal with me according to Your good pleasure and do not despise my sinful life, which is known to none so well or so clearly as to You alone.

Grant me, O Lord, the grace to know what should be known, to praise what is most pleasing to You, to esteem that which appears most precious to You, and to abhor what is unclean in Your sight.

Do not allow me to judge according to the light of my bodily eyes, nor to give sentence according to the hearing of ignorant men’s ears. But let me distinguish with true judgment between things visible and spiritual, and always seek above all things Your good pleasure. The senses of men often err in their judgments, and the lovers of this world also err in loving only visible things. How is a man the better for being thought greater by men? The deceiver deceives the deceitful, the vain man deceives the vain, the blind deceives the blind, the weak deceives the weak as often as he extols them, and in truth his foolish praise shames them the more. For, as the humble St. Francis says, whatever anyone is in Your sight, that he is and nothing more.

Say it with me: "Grant me, O Lord, the grace to know what should be known, to praise what is most pleasing to You, to esteem that which appears most precious to You, and to abhor what is unclean in Your sight." wow... and the word "rust of vice" that Thomas À Kempis uses really convicts me today...

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

Boy name contest!!!

My husband is sure we are having a girl...so he won't even discuss boy names!!! Over at his blog he is having a PET PEEVE PHRIDAY about names. He doesn't have room to talk...since he won't even give me some choices to pick from...

My favorite is: KOLBE PETER

Kolbe for one of my favorite saints: Maximillian Kolbe and Peter for by big bro!!!

Post your best boy name and maybe you could win one of my husband's old running shoes or something cool!!!

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

Raised them too well??? Doubt it!!!

MY FIVE TEENAGERS!!!

Last week one of my teenagers (remaining nameless) was whining about not having any thing to do. All friends were busy and it was a good night to go out and have fun..."the teenager" looked at me and said, "This is your fault, IF YOU DIDN'T RAISE ME TO BE SO AMAZING I WOULDN'T BE SO PICKY ABOUT WHO I HANG OUT WITH!!!"

Now I remember blaming my mom on alot when I was a teen...but this was way out there...I just looked totally confused toward the "teen" and winced. The "teen" then said, "If I wasn't amazing I would hang out with partiers, dirt bags, mean people, and the like".

SO, I guess I accomplished the good old self esteem lesson in life and now I know the "teen" has my husband's and my pride problem!!!

I will say the first five have turned out pretty good...well so far...let's all pray for the next seven to be as amazing!!!

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

Imitation of Christ: meditation for the day

The Fiftieth Chapter
How a Desolate Person Ought to Commit Himself Into the Hands of God (part two)

The Disciple

Let him be a little slighted, let him be humbled, let him fail in the sight of men, let him be afflicted with sufferings and pains, so that he may rise again with You in the dawn of the new light and be glorified in heaven.

Holy Father, You have so appointed and wished it. What has happened is what You commanded. For this is a favor to Your friend, to suffer and be troubled in the world for Your love, no matter how often and by whom You permit it to happen to him.

Nothing happens in the world without Your design and providence, and without cause. It is well for me, O Lord, that You have humbled me, that I may learn the justice of Your judgments
and cast away all presumption and haughtiness of heart. It is profitable for me that shame has covered my face that I may look to You rather than to men for consolation. Hereby I have learned also to fear Your inscrutable judgment falling alike upon the just and unjust yet not without equity and justice.

Thanks to You that You have not spared me evils but have bruised me with bitter blows, inflicting sorrows, sending distress without and within. Under heaven there is none to console me except You, my Lord God, the heavenly Physician of souls, Who wound and heal, Who cast down to hell and raise up again. Your discipline is upon me and Your very rod shall instruct me.

Behold, beloved Father, I am in Your hands. I bow myself under Your correcting chastisement. Strike my back and my neck, that I may bend my crookedness to Your will. Make of me a pious and humble follower, as in Your goodness You are wont to do, that I may walk according to Your every nod. Myself and all that is mine I commit to You to be corrected, for it is better to be punished here than hereafter.

I know many people have a hard time with the idea of "fear of the Lord" I have been taught that it is not fear, but respect. Respect is falling away from today's society. We forget that it is a loving response and not a feared one. I know many have lost the right to be respected, but God is a God of love and as His followers we should look to him for guidance.

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

easy chicken fajitas:

CHICKEN FAJITAS

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 stick butter
1 cap full Mrs. Dash (regular or chipotle)
1 large onion
1 green pepper
1/4 brown sugar
lettuce, tomato, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, tortillas

Slice chicken into long strips, place in pan with half of the butter and Mrs. Dash. Cook until done and lightly browned. Stir in a small amount of water or chicken broth and the brown sugar. Cook until caramelized.
Chop the pepper and onions into strips and rings, sauté in a separate skillet with the remaining butter. Cook until onions are caramelized and peppers have crispy edges.

These fajitas are really easy to make and a little different because they're sweet and spicy.

IMITATION OF CHRIST: meditation for the day

The Fiftieth Chapter
How a Desolate Person Ought to Commit Himself Into the Hands of God (part one)

The Disciple
LORD God, Holy Father, may You be blessed now and in eternity. For as You will, so is it done; and what You do is good. Let Your servant rejoice in You—not in himself or in any other, for You alone are true joy. You are my hope and my crown. You, O Lord, are my joy and my honor.

What does Your servant possess that he has not received from You, and that without any merit of his own? Yours are all the things which You have given, all the things which You have made.

I am poor and in labors since my youth, and my soul is sorrowful sometimes even to the point of tears. At times, also, my spirit is troubled because of impending sufferings. I long for the joy of peace. Earnestly I beg for the peace of Your children who are fed by You in the light of consolation. If You give peace, if You infuse holy joy, the soul of Your servant shall be filled with holy song and be devout in praising You. But if You withdraw Yourself, as You so very often do, he will not be able to follow the way of Your commandments, but will rather be obliged to strike his breast and bend the knee, because his today is different from yesterday and the day before when Your light shone upon his head and he was protected in the shadow of Your wings from the temptations rushing upon him.

Just Father, ever to be praised, the hour is come for Your servant to be tried. Beloved Father, it is right that in this hour Your servant should suffer something for You. O Father, forever to be honored, the hour which You knew from all eternity is at hand, when for a short time Your servant should be outwardly oppressed, but inwardly should ever live with You.

As usual, I am no one to talk about suffering...I am a big wimp. Even in my little suffering I am weak. I will try to remember it is all for Christ.

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+