A Year Already?!?!?

I can hardly believe we've been Catholic for a whole year. Mostly because I still have so long to go. Looking back, I've learned a lot and adopted a few better habits. But a year ago, I described entering the Church like entering a mansion with many rooms to explore. And right now I feel like I've only managed to get 6 inches from the threshhold. May God be merciful and grant me many more days to pursue true devotion to Him!

To that ends, I treated myself to a new book, Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales. If you've never read it, put it on your list. Because this book rocks!

I need it so much...Divine Mercy Sunday passed without me doing everything I had planned to do, including the novena and confession prior to Mass on Sunday. I was routinely thwarted by my parents' visit. But I think God understands that, you know, I had to feed them and what not while they were here. And they're not Catholic, so they aren't terribly understanding of Catholic practices.

I sure was glad it was Divine Mercy Sunday, though, because I needed the reminder to be merciful to my parents. It is terribly hard to reach any sort of middle ground with people who are so completely opposite of yourself in their morals and understanding of the world. I don't need to go into details -- I'm sure anybody reading this knows what it is like to try to function with another person whose attitudes and opinions are 180 degrees off from your own. It wasn't easy for my folks, either. They were undeniably happy to head back home. I'm sorry to say I am equally relieved, but that's how it is right now. Maybe with God's help, our relationship will improve in the future and at least be closer to what God intends a family to be. For now, though, it is what it is.

--Sparki