“Whatever God wants.” ~St. Gianna Beretta Molla I’ve been saying this quote a lot lately. I am officially in the ninth month of pregnancy with our sweet baby girl and for some reason I’ve been saying and thinking this quote a lot lately. Perhaps it’s my way of surrendering to the upcoming changes that our family will go through as we lovingly welcome our newest member. There is so much unexplainable joy and excitement about having another child, another miracle, another gift from God that we are somehow worthy of receiving. But there are also fears and trepidation that come along. Such as many other occurrences in life. Many mothers and fathers feel the same joys and fears as the family grows and another cherished member is added. Instead of succumbing to those fears, which I all too often do, I am instead acknowledging the fears, thanking myself for being aware of them and trusting God that, in the end. whatever He wants is what is best. The steadfast commitment to our Faith and to our family has gotten us through both. God is with us through both trial and triumph. While it is completely normal to feel fearful and anxious, reminding myself that “God has our back, and we, as a family, have each other’s backs,” keeps me at peace.
He has blessed my life beyond what I could have planned for myself. When in college, I planned that once I graduated, my goal would be to eventually move to and live in San Francisco as a newspaper reporter. God, marriage and children were the furthest things from my mind. If you would have told me then, that in present-time I would instead: come back home to Catholicism, live in my home state, be married, work from home, have two children (one of which on the way) and home-school; I would have laughed in your face. Now, I couldn't have imagined any other life than this. I have my dream come true. I realized this today as I looked out our window at our toddler and my husband playing in the snow. As I watched them play, I was preparing some meals for a “30 day meal stock up” for when baby girl arrives, praying the Rosary and listening to Benediction chant music. This dream realized is one I never knew I wanted to come true. Thank you God, for giving me this dream and knowing what was best for me all along.
0 Comments
This Saturday is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a feast day in the United States of America and a Holy day of obligation for Catholics to attend Mass. Since this Holy day of obligation falls on a Saturday, it essentially means that Catholics must attend Mass twice in one weekend to satisfy both the Holy day and Sunday obligation. This infographic provided by Old Fashioned Girl explains the various scenarios in which one would satisfy both obligations. Unfortunately, there are those who gripe about attending mass twice in one weekend. While I usually try to refrain from blog posts such as this, a reading from my 'Give us this Day' daily devotional sparked this entry. I understand there are many people who do not gripe about attending Mass twice in one weekend and that there are many who attend mass daily. (Also, there are those of us who want to attend mass each day but are unable to due to personal reasons.) So who am I speaking of that griped about going twice in one weekend? Me. Yes, me. I griped. Before you start the canonical process to have me excommunicated, allow me to explain. This pregnancy has caused some new, surprising and exciting (note: sarcasm) side effects. While the daily nausea has subsided, it was quickly replaced by carpal tunnel syndrome. While the pain comes and goes, when it comes it is excruciating, debilitating and can't be alleviated. Leaving me to rely almost 100% on my husband and mother to accomplish the simplest of tasks. When the pain subsides, it leaves a constant ache that, like the pain, can't be alleviated. Since I am pregnant, I am unable to take medications that will help reduce the pain and can only rely on ice and wrist splints that I have been wearing almost 24/7. More to come in a later journal when my hands hurt less to type. So, when I recalled that this Saturday was a holy day of obligation, I griped. Then, as usual, I was gently reminded to suck it up and deal. The gentle reminder came after I read about Saint Crispina, a Saint that I had heard about before but clearly needed a refresher on her history. St. Crispina was a wife and mother of several children in Africa. She was arrested for being a Christian and in December, 304, she was put on trial before the proconsul of Theveste. During her trial she was ordered to deny Christ and worship false gods. St. Crispina refused. “The proconsul told her she could either live a long life, or die in agony before being beheaded. Saint Crispina told him, “I would thank my God if I obtained this. I would gladly lose my head for the Lord’s sake, for I refuse to offer sacrifice to those ridiculous deaf and dumb statues.” She was then “ordered to be executed by the sword.” “Saint Crispina said, “Thanks be to God, Who has deigned to free me from your hands.” She made the Sign of the Cross and stretched forth her neck to the executioner.” To read the full record of Saint Crispina (which I pray you will), please visit: https://oca.org Saint Crispina is not the first, nor is she the last person killed for professing the Catholic faith. There are many, many people who have been persecuted and killed in the name of Jesus Christ. Reminding myself of this makes the most severe carpal tunnel pain that I have endured seem like a scratch. Here are just four examples of those killed or persecuted in present-day:
We are blessed in this country, beyond measure, to be able to attend mass whenever we please. We can attend mass each day at various times of the day. So while I was ashamed at first about griping for having to attend mass twice in one weekend, I hope my humbling experience inspires you. I pray that Saint Crispina and the endless others who have died or been persecuted in the name of Jesus Christ inspire you to not only live out the Gospel but share the Good News with as many people as you can. As, St. Pio of Pietrelcina said: "If we only knew how God regards this Sacrifice, we would risk our lives to be present at a single mass." So, share that with someone you know. Invite them to attend mass with you. As always, thank you for reading. Please visit and like me on Facebook! God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always! The Feast Day of Saint Nicholas falls annually on December 6th! While much of what is known of St. Nicholas is derived of legends passed down over the years, Saint Nicholas of Myra, like many other saints, has a rich and extraordinary history. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, children, students, among others. Here is how our family celebrates Saint Nicholas Day! Leaving Out Shoes Last year was the first year that my son and I celebrated St. Nicholas Day. This year, like last year, my son will awake in the morning to a special treat. Before he goes to bed at night, we set out his shoes by the fireplace. In the morning, my husband and I place some treats (trail mix, a few chocolate coins, etc…), a candy cane in his shoes and an apple and an orange beside them. He was so excited last year, and I can’t wait for him to enjoy the surprise again this year! While we do tell him that mommy and daddy fill his shoes with the treats, he knows that it is because it is St. Nicholas day! Mass We try to attend daily Mass as much as possible, with as much as possible being the operative phrase here. If we get to daily Mass a few times each year, I consider it a win. We try extra hard to get to daily Mass on feast days. Last year we made it to Mass on St. Nicholas day and intend to try to go this year as well. Saint Nicholas Children Book I checked out the book, “Saint Nicholas” by Ann Tompert from the library and plan to read it during snack time. It is one of our favorite books and another that I think we may have to add to our library at home. Candy Cane Blessings The candy cane represents Saint Nicholas’s crozier, otherwise known as a staff or a Bishop’s staff. We said a ‘St. Nicholas Day Blessing of Candy Canes’ and our little love will get to put it on our almost bare Christmas tree. Saint Nicholas Cookies My son and I love to bake together, and I especially love to bake when the recipes are easy to follow and there is minimal cleanup. I used this recipe for ‘Super Soft Sugar Cookies’ by Six Sisters’ Stuff and not only is it easy to follow but the cookies are scrumptious. If all goes as planned, I will use a “Santa” cookie cutter to cut out individual cookies. Fun and Fast Facts About St. Nick:
Saint Nicholas was born during the third century in a small village called Patara which is now a city in southern Turkey. Nicholas was the only son of two wealthy, Christian parents but they passed away when he was young. Nicholas learned much of his pious, generous ways from his devout parents and after they passed away, he gave away his inherited fortune in gifts to orphan children and others in need. His uncle, a Bishop, raised him after his parents passed and continued to guide Nicholas on a Christian path. By the time he was 19, Nicholas was ordained a priest and then eventually became Bishop of Myra. Due to his young age when he became Bishop, Saint Nicholas was called the “Boy Bishop.” There are many legends attributed to this great Saint. To read more, please visit the Saint Nicholas Center’s website, here. How are you celebrating Saint Nicholas’s Feast Day? Please share with us on Facebook! As always, thank you for reading. God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always! *Please note that this journal contains information about abortion and the subject may be sensitive for some. This past weekend, my husband and I enjoyed a rare treat: a trip to the movie theater. It has been several years since we’ve gone to the cinema and several weeks since we had a date sans our loving, rambunctious toddler. While we were excited to spend time together, we both had trepidations about our movie selection. We had decided to see Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer. If you have not heard about the movie, don’t feel badly. It is a film that the mainstream media has largely (if not completely) ignored. Gosnell is about “the shocking true story of the investigation and trial of [abortionist] Dr. Kermit Gosnell - his 30 year killing spree and the political and media establishment that tried to cover it up.” GosnellMovie.com Everyone should see this movie and regardless if you are pro-life or pro-choice, you should do so with an open mind. Why? Not just because it is an excellent film and deserves as much recognition as possible. But, because while the events that the film details are chilling and the nature of the violent crimes that Gosnell committed are horrific, the children and women that were his victims deserve to have their story told. The film powerfully details the atrocities committed by Gosnell without gore or any overly graphic or sensational scenes. Also, as George Santayana once said: “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” and Winston Churchill quoted Santayana and stated: “those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” Now, I am saying it: we need to ensure that something like this never, ever, ever happens again. Background on Gosnell Since 1979, Kermit Gosnell ran an abortion clinic called the Women's Medical Society in West Philadelphia. Within that clinic, Gosnell, who was not a licensed obstetrician or gynecologist, committed various, illegal and horrific acts until 2010 and was arrested in 2011. In 2013, Gosnell was convicted of murdering three infants who were born alive during attempted abortion procedures and one woman during an abortion procedure. He murdered many, many more babies and perhaps even more women for three decades. Not only that but, "the medical practice by which [Gosnell] carried out this business was a filthy fraud in which he overdosed his patients with dangerous drugs, spread venereal disease among them with infected instruments, perforated their wombs and bowels - and, on at least two occasions, caused their deaths." * So why didn’t any patient, employee or anyone else try to stop him? They tried. Even the National Abortion Federation (NAF) deemed Gosnell’s clinic as “the worst abortion clinic she had ever inspected” but “never told anyone in authority about all the horrible, dangerous things she had seen.” * In fact, according to the grand jury, The Pennsylvania Department of Health has records as far back as the 1980s documenting Gosnell’s dangerous practices. “Several oversight agencies stumbled upon and should have shut down Kermit Gosnell long ago. But none of them did.” * Wait, what?! So how was this monster finally stopped? It wasn’t until 2010 that Gosnell was “originally investigated for illegal prescription drug sales.”* As the film details, a raid by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and local Pennsylvania law enforcement revealed crimes they could not have expected within the [abortion] clinic.”* The reason no one came forward to charge Gosnell before the illegal prescription drug sale investigation and subsequent raid is that no one was willing to be viewed as interfering with a “women’s reproductive rights.” In my opinion and that of others, even though many agencies knew about the various illegal practices within the abortion clinic, no one said anything because it was not “politically correct.” So instead, the very laws and agencies that are established to protect women and babies turned their heads and allowed this monster to continue these crimes. While I am proudly pro-life and long for the day when no child is aborted and all children can be treasured and valued as the miracle and blessings that they are so that they can live life to their fullest potential, if I saw this movie 10 years ago, when I was proudly pro-choice, I can’t say that I would continue to be so. Every person who vows to be pro-life should see this movie. I also challenge every pro-choice advocate to see this movie and I also suggest those who pledge themselves to be Switzerland, or neutral, as neither pro-life nor pro-choice, to watch the film. You should see this movie even if it makes you uncomfortable and even if it pops the bubble you’ve cocooned yourself inside of never thinking about abortion. Yes, abortion is a hot topic, and controversial, but there is a reason for that. Slavery and the Jim Crow laws were controversial. “An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It uses medicine or surgery to remove the embryo or fetus (aka baby) and placenta from the uterus.”* Controversial? Yes. Should we pretend it does not exist? No. History Can Repeat Itself As I watched this film, while 18 weeks pregnant, I asked myself: could this or something like this be happening at other abortion clinics in the world? In the United States? In Rhode Island? Before you shake your head and say “no, you’re just a hormonal, pregnant woman; there is no way,” remember that Gosnell was finally shut down only in 2010, which is less than 10 years ago. The truth is that it could very well be happening elsewhere. The truth is that since 2017, Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinics in Pennsylvania have failed 14 health inspections.* The truth is that in 2018, Planned Parenthood sued the State of Indiana for its new law requiring annual inspections of abortion clinics. * The truth is that many perceive abortion to be a “controversial, hot topic” and want to avoid it as much as possible. Let’s remember that is the very reason that Gosnell was able to carry on his horrific crimes for three decades. Will citizens of the United States allow so-called “women’s rights to choose” or “women’s reproductive rights” to overshadow both a mother’s and child’s right to life? Have you seen the Gosnell film? Please share your thoughts on the movie with us on Facebook! Don't forget to click "like" and share our page! As always, thank you for reading. God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always! Find a theater near you: gosnellmovie.com/theaters Sources:
“Gosnell | The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer.” Gosnell | The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer, www.gosnellmovie.com/. Friedersdorf, Conor. “Why Dr. Kermit Gosnell's Trial Should Be a Front-Page Story.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 17 July 2013, www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/04/why-dr-kermit-gosnells-trial-should-be-a-front-page-story/274944/. “Abortion | Medical Abortion.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 6 Mar. 2018, medlineplus.gov/abortion.html. “Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinics Have Failed 14 Pennsylvania Health Inspections Since 2017.” LifeNews.com, 7 June 2018, www.lifenews.com/2018/06/05/planned-parenthood-abortion-clinics-have-failed-14-pennsylvania-health-inspections-since-2017/. Caralle, Katelyn. “Planned Parenthood Sues Indiana over Law Requiring Annual Inspections of Abortion Clinics.” Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2018, www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/planned-parenthood-sues-indiana-over-law-requiring-annual-inspections-of-abortion-clinics. My son is in a stage of his toddlerhood where he wants to hear stories, repeatedly! One story is how our cat hated our dog when they first met almost 9 years ago and how she would wage war on him any chance she got. Another story is how our dog ran around our house on the day we closed and before we moved all our furniture in. He also loves hearing how my mom had to clean up rotten watermelon off my grandparent's kitchen table when they went to Block Island for a week and forgot to take it with them. His favorite story ever is how a few years ago, our dog jumped into the tub while I was showering because there was a thunderstorm outside. (Yes, I know it can be dangerous to shower during a storm, but it started after I got into the shower.) Our son wants to hear these stories ALL DAY LONG. He also wants to hear new stories from present-day as well and will demand that we repeat things over and over again. Our little love listens intently to daddy when he comes home from work and demands that daddy not only look ONLY at him while telling us about his day, but will demand that daddy repeat various parts of his story. In order to combat this onslaught of demands which I KNOW is totally normal and a good sign of brain development (according to his pediatrician), I came up with an idea. I've started to talk about bible stories and tell them to my husband in front of my son. When my son first started hearing them, he stuck to them like a moth to a flame and now constantly wants to hear the same bible story over and over again. While it can still be maddening to repeat the same story over and over again, at least he is learning about Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Here are some of his favorite bible stories to hear again and again and again and again...(you get the picture!)
What are some stories, bible or not, that your child loves or loved to hear on repeat? Share with us on Facebook! Don't forget to click "like" and share our page! As always, thank you for reading. God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always! If you follow us on social media, you may have noticed my inactivity as of late. More likely, however, you probably didn't even realize said inactivity because who do I think I am. Regardless, for those who are interested in hearing about this pregnancy with sweet baby number two, continue on! As of October 4, 2018, I am 15 weeks pregnant and the baby is the size of an APPLE! It has been such a delight to share these fruit comparisons with our toddler who (for now) loves to hear all about the baby and especially likes to hear what a great big brother he will be. One of our favorite weekly activities is to take a picture with the corresponding fruit of how big the baby is measuring during our trips to the grocery store. Seeing the fruit comparisons each week reminds me of just how miraculous each child is and makes me think of Luke 13: 18-19. "[Jesus] said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches." The baby starts as small as a mustard seed and, God willing, develops and continues to grow strong. While I am finally in the second trimester, looking back, the first trimester was rough. I had unending nausea and "morning sickness" that paradoxically lasted all day. The nausea was coupled with soul-crushing exhaustion that caused me to fall asleep promptly at 8:00 PM each night. When I was pregnant with our little love three years ago, I had some nausea and felt tired but experienced nothing like I did this time around. Needless to say, I was extremely excited for the second trimester and prayed that these symptoms would subside. While I know that these symptoms pale in comparison to many of the other symptoms I could have experienced, I still looked to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Anne, Saint Gerard and Saint Gianna (to name a few) for some strength. This prayer for expectant mothers has been one of my favorites to pray during this pregnancy. Luckily, my prayers were answered and the nausea and exhaustion have subsided. What took their place instead is carpal tunnel syndrome. "Wait, what? You've got to be kidding me!" That was my first reaction when my husband searched online and explained the probable cause of the sudden pain in my hand, wrist and forearm. My doctor confirmed his "Dr. Google" findings the next day. Yes, carpal tunnel syndrome can be common in pregnancy and while it typically occurs later in pregnancy, it can occur earlier as well. Yay! A wrist splint, ice and daily stretches have helped the pain subside and I am certainly more aware of how I am using my hands throughout the day. It has also caused me to scale back a bit in my journaling and social meda-ing (if that is even a word.) While I am not swollen and even though I have not gained a lot of weight, I am trying to ease the symptoms by limiting my sodium intake and drinking more water. While we are unsure if the baby is a boy or a girl as of right now, we will be finding out within the coming weeks and are excited to call the baby by name instead of "baby" or our "newest little love." We plan (for now) on having a small gender reveal gathering and plan on bringing our son to the ultrasound to see his little brother or sister again. He went with us to the first ultrasound at 9 weeks and since then has told us the baby is "MY BABY!" and loves to point out the ultrasound photo on the refrigerator. Overall, this pregnancy has been significantly different than my previous pregnancy. Unlike last pregnancy, we declined all genetic testing, I have a new OBGYN doctor and I will be delivering this baby at Kent Hospital instead of Women and Infants Hospital. Earlier this year, and before I was pregnant, I found out that Women and Infants Hospital performs abortions. The moment I found out I changed doctor immediately as my former OBGYN only delivered babies at Women and Infants.
Our son is excited that his nonna (grandmother in Italian) will have to get a car seat for her car so that he can visit the baby once the little miracle is born. Actually, our son's real excitement in grandma having a car seat in her car was explained by him exclaiming: "Nonna, we go get food!" Toddlers! As always, thank you for reading. God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always! Please remember to like and share our Facebook page. Horror, devastation, anger, repulsion and sorrow. That partly sums up my reaction over the recent grand jury report and other corresponding news. My prayers of support and love go out to all who have been involved or impacted in any way by these monsters or by those who did nothing, said nothing or covered up the horrific actions.
To any member of the clergy who is guilty but not yet charged, heed our Lord's promise: "For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light." Luke 8:17 Each and every one of these monsters are truly a devil in sheep clothing and deserve every bit of what our Lord promises will happen to those who are evil. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." Matthew 18:6 And also.... "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned [up] with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear." Matthew 13:37-43 Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s prophetic warning came in 1948 when he said, “[Satan] will set up a counterchurch which will be the ape of the [Catholic] Church … It will have all the notes and characteristics of the Church, but in reverse and emptied of its divine content.” What can I do? What can we do? I kept repeating that to myself as I read more and more of the horrific reports. What can I do? How can I help? “Who is going to save our Church? Do not look to the priests. Do not look to the bishops. It’s up to you, the laity, to remind our priests to be priests and our bishops to be bishops.” Another prophetic piece of advice from Archbishop Sheen. Looking to the Saints and especially the Blessed Virgin Mary, the answer, for me right at this moment at least, is clear. Prayer (especially the Rosary), Eucharist and adoration. There is nothing more than the evil one wants right now than for people to turn their backs on the Catholic Church- the ONLY TRUE CHURCH FOUNDED BY JESUS CHRIST. The evil one wants you to be completely sickened by the actions of these monsters disguised as Catholic clergy that you say “I can’t be Catholic anymore,” or “I am going to stop going to Church,” or “what will prayer do?” or any variation of the above. No! The Catholic Church is the Church that Jesus Christ started, loved and is with to this very moment. Don’t let the devil win. Cling to Jesus. Continue to pray, go to Mass, receive the Eucharist, attend adoration and pray the Rosary each day. There is a reason why great saints like St. Maximillian Kolbe, St. Louis de Montfort and St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina loved the Rosary so much. St. Padre Pio called the Rosary beads a weapon of extraordinary power against Satan. On October 7th 1571, the Christian “Holy League”, of which the main powers were the Venetian Empire and the Spanish Empire were triumphant against a fleet of the Islamic Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Lepanto. Pope Pius V ordered the churches of Rome to be open for prayer both day and night and encouraged the faithful to petition the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary by praying the Rosary. Despite being outnumbered by the Ottoman Empire, the Holy League possessed “superior firepower” and won the battle. Pope Pius V then added a new feast day to the Roman Liturgical Calendar for October 7th: the feast of Our Lady of Victory which would be later changed to the feast of the Holy Rosary by Pope Gregory XIII. If you aren't already praying the Rosary each day, please do. (Learn how to pray the Rosary, here.) To join a new Holy League, become a part of the U.S. Rosary Coast to Coast movement. Learn more: http://rosarycoasttocoast.com Another prayer to add to the end of your Rosary is this powerful prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel: St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.. Need more tips on how to combat the evil which has not only infiltrated the Church but our entire world? Rev. Fr. Edwin Palka, Pastor of Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Church in Tampa, Florida advises the following weaponry for spiritual battle: “Pray and fast. Make Holy Hours. Daily Mass. Daily Rosary. First Fridays and First Saturdays. Go to confession frequently. Offer up all aches and pains and sufferings. Wear your Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, your miraculous medal and your St. Benedict medal. Pray the blessing before and grace after meals. Recite the Angelus. You know, just be Catholic!” Remember, we are in this together, with Jesus Christ as our leader and our strength. God bless you always and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always. SOURCES: Our Lady of the Rosary and the Battle of Lepanto.” Word On Fire, 6 Oct. 2017, www.wordonfire.org/resources/blog/our-lady-of-the-rosary-and-the-battle-of-lepanto/1220/. Heilman, Fr. Richard “Things Accelerate Toward The End- Prophecy of Archbishop Fulton Sheen.” Roman Catholic Man, April 13, 2016, https://www.romancatholicman.com/things-accelerate-toward-the-end-prophecy-of-archbishop-fulton-sheen/ The Catholic Bible: the New American Bible, by Jean Marie Hiesberger, Oxford University Press, 2011. Palka, Fr. Edwin, "One Proposed Solution." Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Church, August 19, 2018. , https://epiphanytampa.weebly.com/pastors-bulletin-article/one-proposed-solution
I have anxiety. For most of my life I have had anxiety and always recall being "anxious" as a child and an adult. My anxiety got much worse during a difficult pregnancy and then even worse once my little love was born and I unknowingly suffered from Postpartum Anxiety. Since I do not want to take medication for my anxiety, I have had to find ways to cope otherwise.
*Note: I am not against mediation, I do not look down upon anyone who takes any medication for any mental illness nor am I suggesting that anyone should not take medication. This post is not medical advice, should not be misconstrued as medical advice and should definitely not be a substitute for medical advice or treatment. I am not a medical professional. I am merely a Catholic wife and mother who happens to have anxiety and wants to share what works with others. Please speak to your doctor if you have any questions regarding your health.
With that disclaimer said, there are four questions that I ask myself whether I am either getting even a smidgen of anxiety creeping up or when I am about to have a full-on panic attack (which, thank God, is now rare.)
This Catholic Mom's Four Questions To Bring Down Anxiety:
1. Am I breathing? It may sound odd, ridiculous, obvious or all of the above, but reminding myself that I need to breath almost always helps bring down my anxiety. I find that when I get anxious, my breathing becomes shortened and shallow. When I notice this happening, instead of allowing myself to continue with the rapid breaths, I take a moment to inhale deeply and fill up my lungs with air. Holding the air for a moment and then slowly releasing the air, repeating as many times as necessary. While deep breathing exercises are a popularly known method to reduce anxiety, for me at least, I have to be conscience about reminding myself to not only breathe, but really breathe. (Find some great tips, here.) What also happens when I remind myself to breathe is that I am telling my "anxiety" that I am in control and that it can calm down. My therapist gave me this tip. She told me that everyone has a fight or flight trigger. Mine is just on overdrive. She said that I should thank my trigger when I am feeling anxious but then remind the trigger that all is well and that I've got it under control. This works. 2. How much water have I had today? Whenever I am not drinking enough water, I find that I am more susceptible to anxious moments. I aim to drink an adequate amount of water throughout the day and for me that means drinking half of my body weight in ounces. That amount may be too little or too much for you, so see what works best for you. I almost always have a water bottle or glass with me (and one for my husband and son as well.) It goes everywhere with me! Whether I am at home, running errands, in a meeting or at the playground with my family, it actually helps me to know that I have water with me at all times. Just be sure to wash your bottle each day so that it doesn't harbor bacteria. (Gross!)
3. How much food have I eaten today?
Since I am a believer in the "brain-gut connection" (you can read more here) and agree with Hippocrates that [mostly] "all disease begins in the gut," I strive to eat a healthy and well-balanced diet. That means that I try my hardest to get enough protein, healthy fats, grains, fruits and veggies in each day. Unfortunately, striving and actually accomplishing are two very different things. I notice that when I am not eating "well" my anxiety, among other health factors, are greatly impacted. Thanks to our little love, I am used to keeping healthy snacks on hand and especially when we are on the go. If I find that I haven't eaten well or even enough during the day, I will sneak some of his snacks and in a short time I am feeling better.
4. Have I asked God for help?
This, like the rest of the questions I ask myself, seems like "duh, that's obvious!" but, for me at least, I have to remind myself that God is on my side and I can ask Him for help whenever I want. He is on your side too and is ready in a moments notice to help whenever we call on Him. Sometimes (okay, often) it is hard for me to ask for help, even from God. I downplay my anxiety and think that it isn't as significant or extreme as other peoples worries or problems. But God doesn't work that way. He wants to help all of us. He wants to help those who have "big" and "little" problems. To God, we all matter and we are all worthy of his help in life. In fact, life is easier when I remember to ask God for help and then remember to thank Him as well. Just knowing that I do not have to go through life alone, helps tremendously. Prayer brings miracles and even anxiety is no match for our Lord. But remember, if you are feeling anxious, depressed, etc... you do not have to do it all alone or even alone plus God. God gives us people like therapists and psychiatrists and even naturopathic doctors for a reason. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness. Mental illness is not a sign of weakness. My former therapist said to me once when I was feeling sad because of my anxiety, "you wouldn't feel ashamed if you had anemia you would just seek treatment." The same is true for mental illness, don't be ashamed and remember, you don't have to do it alone.
For more information on mental illness and to get help, please click here.
As always, thank you for reading. God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!
Please remember to like and share our Facebook page. Humanae Vitae- Proclaiming God's gifts of love and life to husband and wife Humanae vitae is a papal encyclical written by Blessed Pope Paul VI in 1968. The encyclical “provides beautiful and clear teaching about God's plan for married love and the transmission of life.” Today, July 25, 2018, marks the 50th anniversary of Humane vitae. I wish that I had found and read this encyclical sooner as, for me and my husband, it clearly states God’s plan for us both as a married couple and as parents. Before, we were confused on the Church’s teachings on certain issues, especially birth control. While we didn’t feel right using any form of birth control, we did not know that contraception was a mortal sin. It wasn’t until after our son was born that we began to get the feeling that birth control, in any form, was morally and intrinsically evil. So, I listened to God, who was patiently encouraging me to seek His truth and did the obvious next step; I googled: “Is birth control a mortal sin?” And I found the following: Every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible is intrinsically evil (Catechism of the Catholic Church: 2370). At first, I felt scared that we had disobeyed God but then felt relief that we had found the truth and knew that this is why we are so blessed to have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. After more prayer and research, my husband and I learned and accepted the fact that there are only two purposes for the marital act. 1. To bring forth children and 2. To unite the husband and wife together. “[Married love is] above all, an act of the free will, whose trust is such that it is meant not only to survive the joys and sorrows of daily life, but also to grow, so that husband and wife become in a way one heart and one soul, and together attain their human fulfillment.” ~ Humanae vitae, 9 About one year ago, we started to practice Natural Family Planning (NFP).
In the year that we had been practicing NFP to delay pregnancy (it can also be used to conceive a child), we’ve gone through a tremendous transformation as a married couple. At first, it was difficult. Really difficult. Not only did we have to abstain at certain times each month, but when we didn’t have to abstain, we had to put 100% of our trust in God that if He wanted us to conceive a child, then we would. After a while we began to get the hang of NFP and found that not only was it easy to implement, it helped us grow closer as a couple by working together to learn my fertile and infertile times in my cycle. NFP also alerted me to some possible health issues that are being addressed, which I otherwise may have never noticed. Despite the difficult times that we faced in our first pregnancy with our son and shortly after, God has healed us and allowed us to realize that children are a gift. In fact, “the ‘supreme gift of marriage’ is a human person. (CCC: 2378) Now we are no longer trying to delay pregnancy, and instead, we are still using NFP but to try and achieve pregnancy. Humanae vitae contains so much more beautiful and necessary information that I highly recommend everyone read the encyclical, especially those who are married, engaged, dating or single and desiring a marriage for the future. Resources: To read Humanae vitae, please visit: http://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html For a number of additional resources that will help deepen one’s understanding of the encyclical, please visit: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/resources/humanae-vitae.cfm#hv Natural Family Planning: www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/what-is-nfp/nfp-process.cfm As always, thank you for reading. God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always! Please remember to like and share our Facebook page. Sources: Blessed Pope Paul VI. “Humanae Vitae (July 25, 1968) | Paul VI.” Biography | w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html “Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText.” Vatican, www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P86.HTM “The Sacrament of Marriage and Its Primary Purpose.” Traditional Roman Catholic Thoughts, 2 June 2016, trcthoughts.com/2016/06/the-sacrament-of-marriage-and-its-primary-purpose July 24th is the Feast Day for Saint Charbel. If you have yet to hear about this saint, you aren't alone. I, too, had never heard of him until one of the moms at our Catholic Mom's Group mentioned this wonderful saint to us at one of our group meetings. Saint Charbel has been associated with thousands and thousands of miracles, blessings and cures in his home country of Lebanon and throughout the entire world. In fact, I am one of these thousands and thousands who is eternally grateful to St. Charbel for his intercession. (More on that topic for another journal.) St. Charbel was born in Lebanon in 1828 and his birth name is Youssef Antoun Makhlouf. Ordained in 1859, St. Charbel lived in a monastery and then a hermitage until his death in 1898. About St. Charbel, from Catholic.org: "He was a typical saint and hermit, who spent his time praying and worshiping. Rarely had he left the hermitage where he followed the way of the saintly hermits in prayers, life and practice. Few months [after his death], dazzling lights were seen around [his] grave. From there, his corpse, which had been secreting sweat and blood, was transferred into a special coffin. Hordes of pilgrims started swarming the place to get his intercession. And through this intercession, God blessed many people with recovery and spiritual graces. In 1925, his beatification and canonization were proposed for declaration by Pope Pious XI. In 1950, the grave was opened in the presence of an official committee which included doctors who verified the soundness of the body. After the grave had been opened and inspected, the variety of healing incidents amazingly multiplied. A multitude of pilgrims from different religious facets started flocking to the Annaya monastery to get the saint's intercession." To read more about Saint Charbel, visit Catholic.org For the Prayer to Saint Charbel, please click here. For a Novena to Saint Charbel, please click here. As always, thank you for reading. God bless you and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always! Please remember to like and share our Facebook page. Sources:
Saint Charbel, Catholic Online, https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=112 Image: By Unknown (Old Photo) (www.st-charbel.fr) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
October 2020
Categories |