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In the early years of our marriage, I used to get so angry with my husband for not seeing the messes and not organizing things just like me.
He would always tell me, “Amy, if you need my help, just ask.”
But, that wasn’t good enough for me. I wanted him to see things the way *I* saw things. I wanted him to have my eyes, my brain, my way of being.
I fumed and fumed and then, I realized, that I didn’t marry my husband because he was just like me. It was unfair to ask him to be just like me. I was never going to “fix” him to be more like me.
So, I decided to take him up on his offer. Now, whenever I need his help, I simply ask nicely, and he never denies me. Never.
I can’t even remember the last time we got in an argument about cleaning or helping around the house and all it took was me changing my approach just a tad.
It was unreasonable for me to expect my husband to think as I do. He’s not me. He told me what would work—ask him—and it did work. I just had to let go of my pride and not demand “my way or the highway.”
Not only did I change, but over the years, my husband has become more attuned to the “messes” that need tending to. He takes the initiative more and, in that way, he has made himself better for me.
It’s not our job to “fix” our spouse, Catholic Pilgrims. It’s our job to fix ourselves and be better for them because, honestly, that is the only thing we can truly control.
Have a blessed Wednesday.
Today's small-town church showcase comes to us from Ammannsville, TX, a tiny unincorporated town between San Antonio and Houston. This is St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and it is one of the famous painted churches of Texas. Stop in Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce for a Painted Churches Tour map if you plan to cruise around and see these works of art. I'm getting conflicting numbers on exactly how many churches are on the tour, so maybe one of you in the know can fill us in. They are called painted churches not because of the outside, but because of the inside. St. John the Baptist is known for its pink interior, which looks like it is always ready for Gaudete and Laetare Sunday. The inside is lovely and shows how the German and Czech people put a lot of devotion into making these churches beautiful. I've never been on the Painted Churches Tour, but it definitely looks like a "pilgrimage" I need to take. All the churches are on the Registry of National Historical Places. So, if ever wandering around the big 'ole state of Texas and you need something to do, go on the Painted Churches Tour. I think you'll love it. Live the Faith boldly, Catholic Pilgrims, and travel well.
Continue ReadingIt’s been almost half a year, but I finally finished “The Brothers Karamazov.” It’s not because I didn’t like it that it took me so long. It’s just that other book clubs, traveling, and moving got in the way. This is probably the most complex fiction book I have ever read. It feels like Dostoevsky took a year, watched his town and the people in it, and then weaved all their lives together in this story. There are at least five different stories running through this book and, in my opinion, they don’t all fit together in a way that is satisfying. The central story follows four brothers—Mitya, Ivan, Alyosha, and Smerdyakov—as they live out their very different lives. Alyosha being the only one who isn’t sunk in some kind of sin. Only two of the boys—Ivan and Alyosha—have the same mother. Their father is not a good man and he ends up murdered. Mitya is the one arrested for his murder and put on trial. By the time you finish the book, the beginning with Father Zosima seems like a lifetime ago. I was disappointed in the ending. After such a long book with so many details, I was frustrated that it kind of just leaves you hanging and ends abruptly. Overall, I enjoyed the book and am happy I read it. It is a book that is referenced so much that it is good to gain an understanding of it. It is very involved and isn’t a light-hearted read, so be ready to put in some effort. The man, Luke Thompson, who reads it on Audible does a fantastic job of giving the characters voices and dramatizing the sentences. He really makes it come alive and helps you to see how something should be read. So, I would recommend his reading of it. All in all, a great piece of literature that probably takes more than one reading to fully let it seep into your bones. Not my favorite book of all time, but worth the read. Have a great Wednesday, Catholic Pilgrims!
Continue ReadingGood morning, Catholic Pilgrims. Light is a very strange thing. You can see it, but you cannot hold it or grab it. You can pass your hand through it and nothing really happens. It's called a wave and a particle. It delivers energy. It allows us to see color. I'm sure you've noticed how in a dark room, nothing has color until light hits it. I find light fascinating and to me it is one of the things that proves that God is real. There is nothing like light here in our created world. We are completely dependent upon it and people even suffer sadness when there isn't enough of it. When God decided to create everything, it was light that kicked the whole thing off. Light was brought into existence by God's word. It's hard to fathom what that even means. Jesus is called the Light. Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, we are dependent on Him. He adds "color" to our world and without Him, sadness will consume. He is, also, what brings us out of darkness. Have a wonderful day, Catholic Pilgrims. Live the faith boldly and travel well this Monday.
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