Tag Archives: faith

faith, memories

“Little way”

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Me dressed up as St. Therese

With the start of a new month, along comes the job of flipping the calendar pages. As I changed the religious calendar I have hanging on the basement door, I couldn’t help but make note of the fact that October 1st is the feast of St. Therese of the Child of Jesus (aka St. Therese of Lisieux or “The Little Flower“). It made me smile with a memory.

The photo over here on the right? That is me, dressed up as St. Therese. November 1st is All Saints Day, and at least one year while in (basically) bible school, we were encouraged to dress up as our favorite saint. My mom had told me a lot about St. Therese and she was my favorite saint.

Mom made my costume, and she went all out. I was definitely the best dressed of those that dressed up. (Hey, I just call it like I see it.) I still smile at that memory, and I can’t believe I actually found a photo of me in my costume!

Therese was also the saints name I took for my Catholic Confirmation.

That was many, many years ago, and I’ve long since forgotten much of St. Therese’s story. I took last night as my opportunity to research her again. I thought I’d share some of my favorite excerpts from what I read…

“What matters in life,” she wrote, “is not great deeds, but great love.” [Link]

“Instead of being discouraged, I told myself: God would not make me wish for something impossible and so, in spite of my littleness, I can aim at being a saint. It is impossible for me to grow bigger, so I put up with myself as I am, with all my countless faults.” [Link]

Thérèse herself said on her death-bed, “I only love simplicity. I have a horror of pretence” [Link]

The depth of her spirituality, of which she said, “my way is all confidence and love,” has inspired many believers. [Link]

“Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love.” [Link]

blogging, faith, goals

Creating a new goal for myself

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I went to church tonight. I’m embarrassed to admit its the first time I’ve been all year. I’m pretty sure its the first time I’ve been since Christmas. That’s really not like me, to miss mass in this big of a block. I guess to my defense, I AM living these days just trying to catch up, so I guess I should say I am grateful to finally catch up with church!

This weekend’s Gospel was about being fishers of men, and the homily was about how we help one another. With faith that things will work out, we reach out and help our fellow man and as such, we become fisher’s of men in God’s name. That probably isn’t as clear as I mean for it to be, but I think the idea is still there.

A pastor I had through high school pushed using your “time, talents and treasures” to help others. Tonight’s homily made me think of that, and I felt like it went hand in hand with that idea.

I’ve found ideas I have when I’m in church tend to be ones I need to run with… God speaks a little clearer when you’re in a church, after all. I’ve been wanting to write more on faith with a heavier hand toward religion for awhile. After all, writing about it would be using my time, talents and treasures! I really haven’t wanted to do that in this blog, though, and I’ve also felt a lot of fear towards doing it.

However, I’ve decided to start a second blog strictly for my thoughts on God and religion and faith. Like I said, I’ve felt fear about this. It is going to be a big step out of my comfort zone. I’ve sworn for a long time that I wouldn’t talk too much about religion since its so personal to each individual. Its so personal to me, that’s for sure! However, I will strive to keep the blog open and uplifting, but in the same breath be honest and (somewhat) blunt.

It’s a new goal for me! It’ll also be a new challenge… one I am most certainly ready to attempt.