Worth...

Except for my husband, everyone who knows me today thinks me to be an extrovert. I can approach most anyone and start a conversation. I can speak in front of 5, or 50, or 500, it makes no matter. But it wasn't always so...

Due to the circumstances of my nature and childhood, I was an excruciatingly shy child and teenager. Not only could I NOT speak in front of people, I spent most of my time trying to be invisible. It was so much easier if nobody noticed me. Looking back, I had no idea how worthless I thought I was. Isn't it funny how much easier it is to believe someone who says bad things about you?

God was not happy with me...but He didn't give up on me either. I say He wasn't happy, that's probably not an accurate statement, I'm sure I broke His heart...everyday. He had created me, loved me, held me, comforted me and yet I doubted Him. It's all part of the thinking...why would the Creator of the Universe even cast an eye toward me?

It took a long time for me to get to this point, but God is nothing if not patient. He put me with a husband and a family who wouldn't let me think less of myself than they did.

He does have a way of giving us exactly what we need, when we need it, if we but let Him. Are you standing in His way? I was.

In the end I understood that it wasn't me that was worthless, it was my attitude toward me. I cannot possibly conceive what my worth is to Him, but that doesn't matter. He knows and I'm so glad ...

Speaking words of hate

in the name of Christ? How does one reconcile that? The circumstances of the death are sad enough and I will never understand WBC but I do love the response of Texas A&M students and alumni...

Texas A&M alum Lt. Col. Roy Tisdale was killed on June 28 during a training exercise at Fort Bragg, N.C. Tisdale was killed by another soldier who then shot himself.
In the days following the soldier's death, word spread that Westboro Baptist Church members were planning to protest Tisdale's funeral.
Ryan Slezia, a former Texas A&M student, heard of the group's plans and hatched a plot to foil their efforts. He called upon fellow students on a Facebook event page he created: "In response to their signs of hate, we will wear maroon. In response to their mob anger, we will form a line, arm in arm. This is a silent vigil. A manifestation of our solidarity."

Broken hearts....

do heal, but they're never the same.

Happiness?

Excellent Article...

Indulgence is often closely trailed by its chubby sidekick, overindulgence. While the concept of overindulgence is probably all too familiar to anyone who’s ever attended a Thanksgiving dinner, the word “underindulgence” doesn’t exist. (Type it into Dictionary.com, and you’ll be asked, “Did you mean counter intelligence?”) But research shows that underindulgence — indulging a little less than you usually do — holds one key to getting more happiness for your money. 

Read the rest here...

Future

“The Church will become small, and will to a great extent have to start over again. But after a time of testing, an internalized and simplified Church will radiate great power and influence; for the population of an entirely planned and controlled world are going to be inexpressibly lonely . . . and they will then discover the little community of believers as something quite new. As a hope that is there for them, as the answer they have secretly always been asking for.”
– God and the World Pope Benedict XVI

He says more on the subject, but this started me thinking...if this is the future of the Catholic Church, what is the future of other denomintations? Although we may approach it from different places, we are all the Church of Jesus Christ...will we survive? Sure, the churches are considered out-of-step by the mainstream. And we are all-too-human, flawed, messy, clumsy, and yes, unpopular. But we struggle on in the Name of One who is all-Just and all-Merciful. He will guide...

Are there enough true and faithful hearts to face the coming crisis?

Listen

Honesty...