Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Today I realized something about myself.  I don't mind suffering!  Physical distress, poverty, pain:  none of these bother me at all, as long as I'm not inconvenienced or uncomfortable.  I've read gripping works about Christians in horrid circumstances.  St. Therese on her deathbed, Ignatius of Antioch on his way to martyrdom, John of the Cross imprisoned, Immaculee Ilibagiza huddled in a bathroom.  I usually read these things at night, under soft blankets in my cozy house.  From my comfort zone, I am inspired and challenged and ready to endure anything for God. And then I wonder if someone might have misunderstood something I wrote about prayer.  Or if I might be getting a headache.  Or maybe I'm asked to go a teeeeeny bit out of my way to help someone else.  Alas and alack.  Such things can feel like the very martyrdom of me.   back of hand to forehead; long sigh........ (continue at The Breadbox Lette...

2014 Version of Me Every year I make New Year resolutions. I believe that it's good to improve myself for the honor and glory of God. I know I need God's grace to improve. When God is gracious enough to bless me with a particular grace, I should cooperate with Him. That's where personal effort comes in. So many get discouraged if or when they break their resolutions that they give up. I understand the feeling. One of my Facebook friends has a good suggestion for that problem of perseverance. This is a slightly edited version of what Elizabeth wrote: Lots of us set goals - resolutions - for each New Year. Many of us do not achieve those goals over the course of that 365 days. We lose sight of the goal or we "cheat," and decide there is no point in continuing. But what if you made that your goal for just January? And then, make it a new goal for February, and so on through the year? Do you think you would be more successful? My answer is yes.  I think I ...