Do we make enough time for God?

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J.M.J.

We had an awesome discussion this week!  We talked about some Church history, of course, but what I think was most fulfilling was our spirituality discussion in the last half of class.  Here's a little bit about what we discussed:

Do we make enough time for God?

This is a question that I think we all need to really give some thought to.  Before we can make time for God, we need to put into perspective what we currently see as important in our lives.  Sometimes I believe we get so caught up in the secular, we tend to forget about the spiritual.  We have to give up something before we can truly make time for God.  This is the definition, in my opinion, of Lent.  As Dale said, we must die to ourselves before we can be reborn and devote ourselves to God.  I know that this week, I have really struggled to make time for God.  I won't go into details, but let's just say that I was thinking tonight...if I can sit in front of the TV for an hour watching a show or if I can go run for 30 minutes outside, why can I not devote that hour and a half to God?  So, instead of watching TV right now, I decided to come upstairs to pray and to finish this week's blog (which I see as a type of "mission" that I can do that will hopefully help someone).  And instead of listening to my regular old music on my iPod when I run, I put on a recording of the rosary and of some good Christian music.

This is the time to be "reborn"!  It's Easter!!  We are all seeking the Lord in some way or another, so here are my suggestions...

• Go to confession...this is one of the greatest sacraments we have as Catholics!!  You will feel so much healing and peace!!
  
• Make a new commitment to God and to yourself that you will give up something, not just for Lent, but forever so that you can devote more time to Him in your own way.
  
• When you can, go pray before the Blessed Sacrament.  Our chapel where the tabernacle is located is open from around 7 am to 9 pm each day, plus on first Fridays and first Saturdays we have Eucharistic Adoration, which is a wonderfully peaceful time.  It is a great blessing that we are able to have this at St. Mary's as many churches do not.  I've tried to find first Saturday Adoration in many places we've traveled and have yet to do find a parish that has it.
• Finally, this one thing has truly helped me find peace when I'm at home, and it gives me a quiet place to spend time with the Lord...make your own little prayer corner in a room.  It doesn't have to be elaborate;  it may just be your favorite chair.  But make it somewhere where you won't be distracted and you can quietly pray and talk to Our Lord, read Scripture, or simply sit and listen.  I've got a little place in my office upstairs where I can shut the door.  I have my crucifix, rosary, holy cards, etc. on a little table where I can sit and just talk to the Lord.  Not that some of you might really care to see it, but here are a couple of pictures of it just to kind of show you what I'm talking about.  I've got a few candles, statues, holy water, one of my rosaries, some Holy Cards, and my 1962 Latin Missal that I keep on there, plus a few more things.  I also have Sacred Heart image that is above my crucifix that you can't see.  If you have any questions about what anything is or where I got anything just let me know; I'll be happy to share.  I know this is what many non-Catholics see as strange or odd about us as Catholics, but it is one thing that I'm so glad we have.  Seeing an image of Our Lord, a saint, or of Mary helps me so much in prayer.  
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Anyway, I hope some of what I've put in this (really long) blog has helped you in some way.  It has definitely helped me renew myself this week when I've been going through some rough patches and realize that there are some things that I need to put before anything else.  

So, this week, why not think about making some extra time for God?

-Kristy