Attitude

No, this is not some leadership driven-wonderful cliche about how your attitude helps in all situations.
This is about the attitude that my oldest seems to think is OK to give her mama...yep. Attitude. So, McNugget and I had to have a talk about rudeness and nice, and how she was rude to give mama attitude. (She reported to me that mama was mean to her--little did she know that she was the mean one.)
So I had to be the calm one and not spank her- and explain that she is the one that was mean and that she is the one that will get in trouble for attitude and lying.
Good thing there is not a DVR of my life to play for McNugget to show her examples of attitude...just a thought.
So-to change gears a little bit-the homily last night was about the Holy Spirit-or the trinity and how we seem to ignore the Holy Spirit. How often do we pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit? I know I don't. McNugget needs some grace from the Holy Spirit--she went to Mass yesterday and was pretty good. Needless to say-a big work in progress there.

So I have finished the first 2 gospels. I think my favorite quote is "Amen I say to you"...translated to this century--"listen this is important." Or- "I am only going to say this one more time-and this time NO parable."
I have enjoyed the Matthew and Mark, and begin Luke next. If anyone has anything I should ponder or any verses they would like to discuss-let me know.

How is your wheel? Flat anywhere?
I am physically flat(metaphorically). Need lots of work there. Anyone else?

Branching Out

So, Did you go to Mass? might be a little limiting for this post...
I want to apologize for those of you that felt the earth changing directions this morning while I wogged...yep jog for a while walk for a while. I am such a strong runner-I am afraid I might have changed the earth's rotations there for a little while. Sorry.
This is my attempt at working on my "wheel" all the parts of your life that when put together form a wheel. Career, Financial, Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Family, and Social (in no particular order).
Physical --So I actually broke a sweat this morning jogging.
Social -- Party tonight
Spiritual--Mass tomorrow and the blog
Career--all week
Financial--all week
Intellectual--just finished Good to Great
Family--fun stuff today (gymboree, and we are all going to the party).

Is your wheel flat somewhere?

Keep Going

So, here we are after the KK first communion Mass yesterday and boy was I interested in the homily. Food and parties-what every good catholic needs to hear. Jesus was all about food and parties. Of course, I think the part we were supposed to get from that was not the blessing of our habits to celebrate (although teens everywhere will) but the sharing of your souls during the meals and parties. I really enjoyed getting to see my family and, as always, we have a good time sharing laughter, food, and drinks ( in no particular order).
As we look forward to the next party (this weekend in Corpus for Beach to Bay---oh yeah, and Mackey turning 400) sorry typo, I am excited that we will all be together again. This time hopefully Macmac and Pounder will both be healthy (not in the Stephanie form of the word) but without fever-etc- so we can all participate fully.
I am still on a quest to get some advice on how to read the bible and where to start, etc, but have been unable to find any good resources on line. The Christian bookstores seem to have the King James version and how to read it-but I was looking for a more Catholic version.

Steph, you responded about reading the bible last week and I think you are right about finding time and all the stuff you (and your family are into). So how about the adoration that Peggy suggested (she was the stealthy anonymous last post {which makes sense after all 635 pictures from her camera are now on Steff's computer} ). An hour of adoration-used either reading the bible or at the church-or both...sounds like a good idea to me.

So I am going to find/make that hour as well as the 30 minutes a day I need to get dad off my back, or should I say off my belly accusing me of getting close to "Husky boy" status. Sha as if...

With the lack of any real direction on how to read the bible---I started with Matthew...I think the gospels make the most sense or are at least a good starting point. Who else?

LATER!

Bible Study

Ok...who's in?
I am going to read the ENTIRE bible...not sure how long it is going to take-but I am going to do it.
Anyone want to read it with me and discuss as we go...(we could use the blog).
I am also looking for pointers as it seems a little bit daunting to turn to page 1 and just start.
I have heard there are other orders recommended to read the bible-so if you have a suggestion-I am listening.
Any takers?
I will be reading the Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible from my Kindle ($5 for the bible)...

Shepherds

This picture is of AD-in her now typical motion when she remembers that we are supposed to pray when we are eating...she stops-puts both hands out and says "AMEN"...nice to have a living reminder-not that we should need to be reminded...but she does it at restaurants-anywhere-It is great!

Sunday AM...Fr. Flynn at SJTA interestingly spoke about the shepherds and sheep and how they KNOW the voice of their shepherd. Anyone can call the sheep, but the sheep only respond to their shepherd. I find that interesting. VERY interesting. With all the distractions and with all the voices in the world, how do we know which voice is God's? How do we know what our calling is? Of course, Fr. Flynn-wisely said in order for us to know God's voice we have to try to become familiar with it. We have to pray, read scriptures, go to Mass, etc in order to recognize the true voice we should respond to.
I agree and want to get some practical advice on that...
Any ideas?
What do you do?
How do you do it?

Enough time off

Ok, so once again I sit here typing wondering who will read my ramblings about catholicsm and my struggles with my faith and my spiritual walk-journey-growth, whatever you want to label it. I have been reading an incredible amount lately (much to Becky's chagrin) and I have noticed some strong parallels. First, it seems that in business - to be a great leader you have to be genuine and ethical. You also have to be willing to delay gratification...wow, what a novel concept these days. Delayed gratification goes against everything the "now" generation strives to achieve, and somewhat interestingly all of society as well. We want it now, we want it all now, we don't want to have to work for it, that takes too long-we want it now. (There seems to be a theme).
Second, you have to be willing to sacrifice in order to achieve. Not to sacrifice yourself, or your principles-but something. Perhaps this is not all that different than the first point--but I write this on the fly so too late now.
Interestingly the homily on Saturday evening also had a pinch of delayed gratification thrown in...it goes along with the gospel and the story of Doubting Thomas...and ends with blessed are they who have not seen and still believe (paraphrased).

Or is it just that I see everything through my lens which makes it all seem linked...the books I read, the homily I hear, the events in my life...they all seem to be pointing in the same direction. Leadership, the how to books, are a how to in life, not just business. They all point to relationships and why you must build them well. As important is "know thyself"...
Fr. Flynn spoke about being alone-abandoned in fact. Jesus was all set to meet his accusers with the 11 disciples that were left and when he turned around only John was there...but Jesus knew his purpose and knew what he was working towards was worth it. Saving us. Also, Fr. Flynn mentioned the old excuse why God did you make me this way... this is your fault. You should have made me better. In the book Thou Shall Prosper, Rabbi Daniel Lapin this is described as not letting the brain be dominated by the heart. Meaning, if you take control of your decisions-with purpose-not excuses then you are as good as you want to be. This is parallel with Scott Hahn's picture in Lord Have Mercy that our sins are not bad-they are the less good choice (some are bad, but we are not inherently bad). We are choosing something that feels good, or something that is a short term gain--but in the long run it falls short of our goals, and therefore is less good.
I have lots more to say, but I will save it for another post-and for your comments-if you want.
Yes, I realize that this post is not a literary masterpiece-and I jump around a lot but you take the good with the bad-I guess.

5th Sunday of Lent

Well, there is only 1 more Sunday left, so the readings start pointing more and more to Easter.
Interestingly, we had a deacon that was ordained into the order of the diaconate (sp). The bishop came out to celebrate Mass and it was quite an event. I had never seen the Knights of Colombus in Mass before...wow. Nice hats...
Well, the homily was about the grain that must die in order to seed and grow more. Sometimes I am amazed at how something can speak so directly to what is going on in my life...
In so many ways, I know that things in my life need to die in order for me to grow. I need to go to confession which is also a death of sorts-in order to be reborn fresh. As I learned reading Lord Have Mercy by Scott Hahn. There are changes that need to occur professionally. And it seems so easy to talk about, but so hard to implement.
Why is change so hard for so many?
I am also intrigued by how my professional life mirrors my spiritual life. I guess that makes sense-as I learned last week- Psalm 133:2 (paraphrased) the oil that starts at the top drips through the beard and runs down through the clothes...
So, whatever you pour on yourself will drip and run through the whole body...I guess you could say it a lot of different ways. But there is no way to act halfway at anything...
As Mackey and I discussed this weekend, going halfway turns out bad in almost EVERY situation.