Back from the dead

It's been a while. I feel like I was brought back to life recently. I was pretty wiped out for a while just being sick with first a cough and then a cold...man...the east coast is brutal! My new favorite thing is a vapor tablet that you put in the shower with you and it's amazing!!! ANYWAY...enough about that...I have been praying this Advent about the coming of our King and how blessed we are to have so many chances to run back to Jesus when we fall. I feel like December is a great time to be close to the Church because there are so many great feast days and Advent services to prepare yourself for Christ. Just yesterday in Mass we heard some of the most amazing readings because they were all about rejoicing...sometimes our world is pretty dark and twisty and we don't see a lot to rejoice in, but everyone loves Christmas, (except the Grinch) and it is a time to reconnect with our childhood. Or at least we should reconnect with our childhood...recapture some innocence that brings hope back into our hearts! Rejoicing in the Good News that was brought to Mary is a way that we see hope...we rejoice that she said "yes" to God even when she didn't know what would happen. We are blessed in this season to be brought back from the dead, and be brought to life in the celebration of the birth of our Savior...O come, O come Emmanuel, let us rejoice that you have brought us back from the dead!

Come Lord Jesus, Come!

We just started our New Year! What's your New Year Resolution? Did you make one yet? I never keep my "drop 10 lbs" goal on January 1st, that pretty much goes out the window on January 2nd. But as I prayed today in front of the King of Kings, I made a resolution that I intend to keep. In the gospel of Matthew Jesus talks about not allowing yourself to worry about tomorrow because today's worries are enough for you to handle. I sat there today and I heard just a LITTLE itty bitty voice say "I always take care of you, AnnaMarie." It took me a second and I heard it again, and I felt days of worry and anxiety melt away in a breath. Why do I worry? It's satan, that's all it is. He's nothing compared to Jesus! And what a wonderful time to remember that in this season of Advent.

The word "Advent" literally means "to come to" and the Church is very wise in giving us a time to prepare ourselves to allow Christ to come to US! I always try to be mindful of this season because it can get overlooked very easily because Christmas season is so much fun to decorate for and celebrate, but it IS a time to make ourselves ready FOR the Christmas season. See, our society just gets it wrong...we STOP celebrating Christmas after December 25th. That's just when it starts! But we can get carried away in the moment. This year I had to take a step back and say "God what do you want me to learn in this season of preparation?" And what I heard was the gospel reading when Jesus says "can any of you, by worrying add a single moment to your lifespan?" and later goes on to say seek first the kingdom of God, and don't worry about tomorrow because today is all God is asking of you. He is taking care of the rest. My prayer this Advent is that I can prepare myself for the celebration of the King of Kings who is coming to us every moment of every day saying "I always take care of you!" Come Lord Jesus, Come!!!