Faith Finds Me

I am definitely one of those new year's resolutions types. I set one or two each year. It's usually some achievable goal like run my first marathon (did it), visit a major city like Chicago (did it) or even the age old "lose weight". For this year I chose something a little bit different. I am reading the entire Bible, cover to cover throughout 2023. Father Mike's Bible in a Year made me think of it but I can't keep up with podcasts. I would much rather read on my own. Then I came across Meg Kilmer's "A Year in the Word, Catholic Bible Journal" the very last week of December 2022 and I thought, that's it! Let's just get into the Bible and write about it each day. The schedule is 15-20 mins per day, usually one OT reading and NT reading, along with one of the Psalms or part of a letter from Paul. I am also reading the Catechism in a year, but I have listened to the podcast maybe twice. Again, I do better on my own. The Catechism is somethi...

Been reflecting quite a bit on my marriage. Our anniversary is next month and it will be ten years. I first met him in January 2010 at a place we both worked. I was not looking for anyone and had my heart completely broken only a few months prior. But I knew after we met that day...he was it, the one. He was different from anyone else I had ever met. I felt pretty early on that I could trust him with anything. And he really has been that person for me, the one I can always rely on.  I haven't always been the best wife to him. For a long time, I didn't take my marriage seriously. I took it for granted and that is such a big mistake. It's the worst way to treat a person. He called me out on it a lot over the years and eventually I realized things needed to change, that I needed to confront what was going on with me internally. Now I pray very frequently about my marriage and for simply the ability to better understand him, what he needs etc. I will never forget one time many ...

  This is what I have been eating recently each morning. The pomegranate juice is going to be cut out because it's too carb-y and today I am starting keto. I'd like to lose a lot of weight by my birthday. I have done keto many times before and it has always been successful. It's a great regimen to do after having a baby because if you are diligent about it, the weight will come off quickly.   I'm still taking iron, though I am feeling worlds better. This last pregnancy really took it out of me and I don't know if it was my age or the amount of stress we were under, or maybe both. Having children really is no easy feat, any way you cut it, and I am very grateful my body was able to bring two beautiful new people into the world. But I am also happy to not be pregnant anymore and begin focusing on recovering. I'm also taking a multi that absolutely tears up my stomach, even with food, so I usually end up splitting it in half. The white pill is biotin, for my hair. ...

Many people will ask themselves, "Have I lived well enough?" The better question is "Have I loved enough?" From the Catholic perspective, the true definition of love means to will the good of the other, as stated by Aquinas. And it is oftentimes so difficult to love another person, despite really loving the hell out of them. One must learn to forget yourself, to empty yourself, to give the very gift of self.  I have a three month old baby boy. It is not uncommon for me to be awoken at some horrible hour of the night to the sound of him crying. It is an aspect of motherhood I struggle with the most; lack of sleep on a constant basis. This happened recently on a night when my entire body and perhaps even soul wanted just one more minute under the covers. Do I ignore his desperate cries? Or do I peel myself out of bed and pick him up?  So I cradled him close to me and felt him settle down. I check my phone for the time - 3:49 AM.  I think we will all be faced with this...

We went up to the mountain on Wednesday. It was our third trip there since moving back here. Before we had kids, it was a favorite spot. It always feels like such a getaway and you don't have to drive all that far. It was when we were out there that I thought about blogging. A main reason is I have come to really dislike social media. There was a long time when I used it frequently but have come to abandon Twitter, Facebook and more recently Instagram. It is a time drain, a mind drain, an absolute wasteland. There is a feeling of having to impress or at least "keep up" with others, and I am no longer a person who cares about any of that. However, I would still like to have a little place to churn out some thoughts, just more anonymously.  "The mountains are calling and I must go." -- John Muir Here is a sweet snap of my little girl romping through the snow. The meadow there was one of the first places husband took me to when we began dating. It gets covered in s...