No Need to Panic

I have been MIA this past week because, well, I have a job.  A job that has taken LOTS of hours in the past week and leaving no more brain power for anything else.  That combined with sleep deprivation does not make for an interesting life.  

This week's Ventage theme was faith.  It is an important topic to me and I wanted to share so that the rest of the gang didn't feel that I picked a tough topic and then didn't even do it!  

a few things:

1.  Grace is an important part of faith.  If you believe, you also have to believe that grace and forgiveness exist.  I am at a place in my life right now where I sometimes struggle to extend the grace to others that i wish they would extend to me.  That doesn't make me a hypocrite, it makes me human.  Life is hard.  There is struggle.  God knows that and wants us all to find ways to forgive as taught by his ultimate sacrifice.  

2.  I am a converted Catholic.  One of the things I find in my new Church that touches me the most?  The theme of Mother in many teachings.  I consider my fear of being a bad or imperfect mother - man, can you imagine Mary?  talk about mommy guilt!  my faith stresses that imperfect motherhood is expected, but that despite imperfections, God knows how critical mothers are and how afraid they can be.  It gives me strength and focus and helps me extend MYSELF some grace.  

3.  People and music.  Church is made up of the people, and the music and without these it is just words on a page.  its primal the way some songs touch my heart and takes my breath away.  

4.  I love nonbelievers.  I am not judging you.  I hope your path brings you to God and faith, and if having me in your life helps you on that journey, that is awesome.  If your journey does not bring you to God or faith, I will still love you and be your friend.  Perfection or conformity is not faith for faithful.  

5.  Don't be afraid.  God is love.  I try to see love in the commandments, the lessons, the church.  But in many ways, like all things touched by humans, we will fail.  That does not mean God has abandoned us.  

Happy Easter friends.  May the love of God, your friends, and family touch you in many ways this holy weekend.