Focused and Resolved for the New Year

I've been reading other's resolutions and thinking I should come up with some of my own. But I hadn't because I didn't want to come up with a list unless I was REALLY resolved to work at them. And I didn't want them to be superficial. This years resolutions were along the lines of being more consistent with our daily rosary, losing weight, being more charitable in my thoughts, being more patient, being more disciplined, etc. But I have REALLY been praying for the inspiration and resolve to do these. For the grace to form these habits permanently. I guess to be zapped with grace so these things would just be easy to do!! The nerve of me!!

Tonight Craig and I were watching my Christmas gift to him: a Fulton Sheen DVD entitled: "A Family Retreat." I didn't know much about it but figured it would be good. I've only watched a few segments and already I am resolved. I feel changed and I haven't even done anything yet! Just like sin starts with the thought before the action. I am changed because my thinking has been refocused. I am so glad I bought this DVD for Craig because it was actually a gift for us both, our marriage, our family!!

After watching and listening to Archbishop Fulton Sheen, I realize how much my vision is out of focus and he has helped to focus my sight again!!! I have an urgency now. However, my resolutions will not be the ones I've always chosen in the past!!

He explained with such clarity things I never thought about before or hadn't thought about in a long time. He pointed out sins and weaknesses that I have but don't want to see. My vision is refocused. I wish I could buy this DVD for everyone I know. Only because I can't summarize everything he said. He doesn't waste any words.

Alot has been going on in my heart recently. I like to blog about the kids because I think of this as a memoir and because I've not been very successful with albums. And because I really don't know who all is reading my blog. But I LOVE to share my faith and speak with others about it. I used to do that once upon a time. But when I became a full time stay-at-home, homeschooling mom to little kids I thought I had lost some of that "importance" I used to feel. How prideful of me!! This past year God has been working in my heart and giving me so many graces and much peace. And I can't believe he's given me yet another gift in the beautiful sermons of Fulton Sheen.

Here is my first resolution for the new year:

1. Mortification.
And so this might result in me losing weight but that is no longer the reason why. And this IS the reason why I must persevere in being patient. Archbishop Sheen talked at length about the Devil and how St. Peter could accept a divine Christ but not a suffering Christ. St. Peter didn't want Our Lord to die and so Jesus calls him Satan and rebukes him. Archbishop then talked at length about how we must accept suffering and mortification too!! And how we can't be like Peter and try to do away with it.

MORTIFICATION!! This is also the reason I must care less about material things!! And why I must embrace suffering. Not just for my sake but for the sake of others as well. I'll leave you with a joke Archbishop Sheen shares that really speaks to the urgency I now feel.

A man dies and goes to Heaven. But he's curious about what hell is like. So he asks St. Peter if he can visit hell just for the weekend. St. Peter agrees and the man goes to hell and is surprised by how much he enjoys it. He returns to Heaven.

The following weekend he asks if he can visit hell. Again, St. Peter agrees. The man goes to hell and again finds it pleasant and enjoyable. He returns to Heaven at the end of the weekend.

The following weekend he asks to visit hell yet again. St. Peter says he can't continue to do this but allows him to go. So the man goes back to hell but is surprised to find himself in the hottest corner. And its VERY AWFUL!! He asks the devil why it isn't as pleasant as the last two visits. The Devil replies that the other two times he was a visitor but this time he is a resident

Sheen then points out that we are visitors on earth and so sin seems pleasant. I don't think I did justice to how Archbishop Sheen ties in this joke with his sermon on mortification. But its crystal clear to me.

Well, I didn't intend to start the new year with a fire and brimstone type of post. I just wanted to share a gem I've found. Please search out this DVD or email me and I'll send you one.