As I Reflect....Blessings From Suffering?

I mentioned in a previous post.. that our everyday inconveniences and disappointments in life can be thought of as building our muscle for the greater sufferings we may experience in life. 

My dear dad suffered with and passed away from cancer years ago.   For my siblings and I....it brought our family closer together.  We were all married with families of our own and a few of my siblings lived out of state.  We pulled together to be there for my mom and my dad.  For a few months there wasn't a night that my dad had to spend alone.  For my mom it gave her a chance to get a better nights rest.  

A little over a year ago...mom suddenly became ill and she had to be hospitalized for 10 days. Although...we were hoping for a better outcome for her... it wasn't God's plan.  It was God's plan for my siblings and I to come together again.  We were concerned for her, scared for her, hopeful for her, scared again for her and finally having to let go and mourn her. 

I had the humbling experience of being with both of my parent's when they faded from this life into the next.   As I reflect back...I see now... it was through their suffering and my grieving for them that has enabled me to embrace our Savior on the Cross.  I am blessed. 

Building Muscle

Taken from our front porch.  Spring....2011

I can assure you that we all will experience suffering within our lifetime. The question is....what will we do with that suffering? Will we shutdown and abandon God or will we grow spiritually? Suffering is never easy and really something we don't even want to think about. We'll deal with it when it happens...right? I'm not saying...I'm going to like suffering or will welcome it but I want to be able to make sense of it. Yes...something good can come out of our suffering if we trust God. I can offer up my suffering in union with Christ's suffering on the cross for the purpose of helping someone else. Maybe...all of our everyday inconveniences and disappointments are building our muscles for greater sufferings we may have to experience. In suffering... we're not called to endure the cross but to embrace it. I pray to have complete trust in our Lord.

No Cross...No Crown

'Home' Inside looking out.  Late Fall....'2011'

Welcome to my blog and welcome to my very first post. I've seen and experienced suffering and I really didn't know what to do with it.  Paul says in Romans 8:17-18...But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. 

Our church teaches that I can offer my suffering up to Jesus for the petition of others.  My suffering has a purpose! This Catholic teaching was a game changer for me. This is one of the many beautiful whispers of Catholicism that I discovered. I'm thankful to Jesus Christ that he gave me his beautiful church and I want to converse with others that feel the same joy as I do. I look forward to hearing from you and learning more about this beautiful gift called Catholicism. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you'll visit again.   ~amy