It is wonderful, PS that you are taking such a positve attitude to your Cross, you encourage me to pray tpo Our Lady even more!. I think I will pray to Our Lady Queen of the Angels today for you and get our winged friends on the case as well! Habakkuk 2:3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
Thanks Padraig...but it's only been in the last few weeks that I've felt positive. When I posted this initial thread, I was near desperation as I felt so hopeless and why bother praying type of attitude. It is so hard for me to ask for help and let people help me but I'm so glad I asked this forum for some prayers. It's been humbling to have to let so many people help me through this and I guess that's another lesson learned too. There was an article on Spirit Daiy a week ago about spiritual strongholds and now I realize I have some of the "spiritual strongholds" entrenched in my life that I need to overcome. It all comes back to trusting in God. Right now I cling to anything that might help me keep my spirits up and remind me that God has a plan for my life, whether it be a post here, caller to Mother Angelica, or article on Spirit Daily. I'm praying a lot more now and slower too, and I believe that has all helped with my attitude. Below is the article from Spirit Daily. Be prepared to battle life's strongholds A stronghold is defined as a place that nature or man has made strongly defensible. From a military standpoint, it was practically impenetrable. The place of Jericho was one such place. This great walled city stood as an obstacle between the people of Israel and them claiming all that God had for them. Therefore, before they could go deeper into the land of Ca¬naan and receive the promises of God, Jericho had to fall first. This ancient city represents those things that are en¬trenched and rooted in our lives that prevent us from going on and receiving the blessings and promises of God. Oh, we all have them! Regard¬less of how pious you may think you are, no matter what others may say, there are some things embedded in your life that hinder your walk with God. Perhaps it is a lost loved one we would like to see the Lord touch and save; a lost commu¬nity over which we are bur¬dened; a ministry from the Lord that we feel inadequate about; or financial trouble that stresses us to the limits of our patience and faith.It may be a root of bitter¬ness, an unforgiving spirit that stands between you and God's best for you. It may be some old habit or bad attitude that is holding you back. It could be something from your past that you continue to struggle with to this day. Before you will ever receive all God has for you, that stronghold must be torn down! We must learn not to look upon our obstacles as dead-ends, but as opportunities for the Lord to work in our lives. Just as real are physical and mental strongholds that plague us, so are there spiritual strongholds. These are lies that Satan whispers into our mind as a simple thought. Then it grows up to a giant that con¬trols our will and life against God's plan. It took builders many years to erect a physical stronghold and it is the same with spiritual strongholds -- they are not built overnight. A major step in the path to¬ward physical, mental and spir¬itual victory over the strong¬holds of life is confidence in the Lord -- confidence in his promise and confidence in his power. We may think that we will never see our strongholds fall at our feet, but we must ever remember that God will always keep his promises! He has promised us the victory, and the victory shall be ours (I Corinthians 15:57; II Corinthi¬ans 2:14; Romans 8:37). At Jericho, Israel was about to learn the truth that victory was in the Lord and not in themselves. They were about to participate in the strangest victory in the annals of history. For them, victory would come about not as the result of try¬ing, but as the result of merely trusting God.
I took your prayers for employment with me to the apparition site in Wisconsin and I will continue to pray for both of you. God has something in store for you both, be it employment or something else. I'll pray for your economic stability in the meantime. Pray, pray, pray, Kath
Well, God has answered part of my prayers and novenas. Along with asking for employment for myself and potatosack, I have been practically begging for God to put a good job in the path of my son...he took a job selling vacuum cleaners for a month and though he has sales experience, it was terrible! They had him literally working 14 hours every day (a lot of the time waiting with others in a van for an appointment) and even on Saturdays, and in 5 weeks he only sold one vacuum! He had several potential sales though who did not qualify for the financing in these bad economic times, so it was very frustrating for him. They had promised him $425 a week for the first month to get started, but of course after he started there were requirements he had to meet to get that, making a minimum number of calls. Well, THEY were in control of the number of calls he made, so of course he never made enough calls to make the $425! I think he got around $100 each week max for 70-80 hours of work! Very sad for him. His wife was going crazy with him gone so much, and little Adam would look for him in the house all day. Anyway, he finally did quit, but then was without a job for another month. I was praying during the whole time for his employment even more than my own. Employment is still eluding me, but I am talking to a previous employer now as it looks like the job I was laid off from 2 years ago may be opening up again. But today I am thanking God!!! My son got a full-time daytime job!!! At a good hardware store chain - he starts tomorrow. Benefits and all! Thank you God!!! This is such a relief for me as his situation was really getting me down. I could not help them much, having no job myself, so this is great news! Thanks everyone for all your prayers too. So Now I am thanking God in my novenas (still praying for my own good opportunity too though).
Praise God, thank you God11 You are a real prayer warrior Connie! I am still praying hard for PS. :wink:
What wonderful news on your son Momscalling! He must be very relieved, especially to get benefits too! I'm sure your job is right around the corner! At least the cross must feel a little lighter now that at least your son has something. The unemployment cross is very heavy for the person not working, but it is also heavy for that persons friends and family. It is heavy for everyone and I can't wait to be liberated from mine. Thanks for the continued prayers Padraig and everyone as I continue to need them. I'm hoping this ends for me soon. At least I am back to praying, and I only have a few weeks left of my 54-day rosary novena for my family member who has lost their belief in Jesus. I'm hoping that my doing this for my family member will bear fruit on my search for a job as well...and not the fruit of turning Padraig's dog into a pineapple :lol: I know we often say that time flies by and we don't even know where it goes. Well, if you want to slow things down...do a 54-day novena...it will drag by :mrgreen: It feels like I've been doing this novena forever, and I still have a few weeks left!!
LOL tell me about it! I know what you mean there!!! I didn't do my first half of the novena very well, as I also fell into a bit of a prayer-lull depression for a while, and am just finishing the first half now. So now I am starting the second half - the giving thanks half. Which is great as I feel so thankful now. Last night I prayed my Crown rosary novena very slowly and with great reverence and thankfulness...I didn't get sleepy until the last decade! I actually nodded off at the very end for a minute, but a cat woke me up (thanks to my angel Carroll, I bet) and I finished the rosary, and went immediatly into great night's sleep, which I haven't had for a while!
I am going camping again next eek. I think I will especially pray to St Therese for PS to get work. I am reading a book about her at the minute. When she was dying someone gave her a rose and she pressed the petals against the wounds of Christ to comfort Him on the crucifix. She told her sister to pick up the petals as they would help folks after she went home to heaven. I am going to pick up one of those petals from the Little FLower. PS wil lend up working in the White House..wait and see. :lol: :wink:
MC- thats wonderful! What a relief for your son. I'll keep praying for you now. Did I every say how my trip to Wisconsin went? Very well famiy wise but spiritually- oddly hit a dry spot. I think Stan was really on me that day we went to the shrine, but my son's reaction to the shrine was so intense that I felt much better by the end. It was very hot that day so my husband rushed me through and out so I never got my scapula's blessed- frustrated was how I felt at the time, but I see how Stan gets ahold of my heart and twists my mind now. I am learning a few things about myself that I didn't realize- so this is good. My husband is fully crossing himself before prayer, kneeling during church in front of the sacrement, genuflecting- but still hasn't agreed to go through RCI. I was hoping for some movement on that front but my son's reaction has been very strong. He is talking about going to the seminary and I don't ever remember telling him what it is. Anyway- I loved the shrine but I let Stan bug me that day and had to pray all day to get him away. It was frustrating. I'm better now. back on track. I think blessing the house with the holy water and then again with the holy oil has made me feel more in control (not to mention its protecting me). Prayers for you and PS for jobs. I hope you are both able to maintain while you wait on God's time line. Sometime's God has to wait for other people to move into their new jobs before he can get you into the vacated one that you need.
LOL - like God is moving us all around on a checkerboard! Jockying for job positions! Thanks for that review of Our Lady of Good Help. I too had trouble there, my husband rushed me through it the first time, it was below 0 when we went the first time, and still I wanted to walk the grounds. We spent a fair amount of time in the chapel, but didn't spend any time outside. Even this last time we went, we did the same thing. We got there rather late in the afternoon and went to the chapel and the church but then had to rush out because we were running late and he wanted to get to Mass in Green Bay. I just have this "want" to spend time on the gorunds...I want to wander around it, sit under a tree and pet the old dog there, have a picnic...perhaps see inside of the other buildings. I would like to make a retreat there, I think. I didn't attribute my problems with getting more out of it to Stan, but perhaps he is involved. I know I feel "unfulfilled" so far with my experiences, like I am looking for something there that I have not been allowed the time to find. You say your son reacted strongly there, was he deeply moved, or what happened for him? You know, maybe your husband is just fighting the peace...sometimes I see that in my husband when we visit places like this. In Medjugorje he couldn't run from it (because it is all around you) and so he surrendered to it there. Also at Notre Dame he stops and rests at the grotto and the basilica (although there are many distractions for him as well there and he mega-plans out the hours and days, which I think does remove some of that peace and serenity I long for at these places). Last time we were there, while he went to the bookstore, I went to the Basilica and just wandered around it and all its treasures until he came back to get me, then we wandered together for a bit. It was perfect. I had 2 hours in the Basilica, and he had about a half-hour. We were both very happy! :lol: I am trying to find deeper peace in my life, and I search out these places to make myself stop and try to feel what its like to actually be at peace...whereas he isn't in the same place with spiritual peace as me. We clash a little there. Your husband is uncomfortable with the faith still, and trying to learn, so for him peace at these places is probably a long way off, whereas, like me, you are craving it now in your life, and you recognize when Stan keeps you from experiencing it fully. Your son is excited about the faith rather than peaceful...which is where a child should be! Oh to be a child, to be that sponge, eager to soak it all up! Horray for him!!!
He was beautiful to watch. He is generally at my side for most things, hanging on my elbow but this was his moment. He insisted on taking the time to go around to each of the stations of the cross, kneel and pray. He did this completely on his own. I was spending time looking at the statues and admiring them with my daughter but waiting at the front end of the statuary. He did not rush this process. I took pictures of him doing it. I totally relate to your story of your visit. I want to go back. I want to pray the Rosary and the stations of the cross without being rushed out of there. Next time, I'm make that an expecation. I did get to pray for my brother-in-law in the cript and light candles for him. So I did get to do what I went there for- and thats very good. Someday. I'm heading there if we ever need refuge- so at least we all have seen it and know where to go. Pray, pray, pray Kath
See, I didn't even get to do that yet! We have not explored the outside much at all! I also definitely think it is a sanctuary, a safe place. After all, the story of the devistating fire that engulfed the entire area but left that site unharmed is proof enough. Didn't you love the collection of canes and crutches that were left behind from the healings of older days? http://www.shrineofourladyofgoodhelp.com/htmPages/g_hst_p5.html "The Peshtigo Fire—Miraculous Preservation Much has been written about the great Peshtigo Fire, which claimed an estimated 2500 lives; 10 times more than the great Chicago Fire, which occurred the same day." BOTH fires occurred on the same day? I didn't know that! Probably most of the world doesn't know that because the Chicago fire is all you read about in History books. Part of the messages given to Sr. Adele had to do with punishment for the wrongdoing of men. The fire has been considered a part of this punishment...was the Chicago fire also? Here is more on the fire if anyone is interested. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wioconto/Fire.htm It has been speculated that a meteor shower caused both this fire and the Chicago fire. They are in a "line", along the lake Michagan coastline. Sodom and Gomorrah comes to mind, doesn't it? I wonder if there were other fires in other areas that night?
I got my first substitute teaching call for this fall. I am a Chemistry teacher tomorrow... I am still praying and begging God to show me what I am supposed to do on the employment scene. I am working so hard applying, taking assessment tests, and so on and so on, I spent an hour doing an online test tonight for some employer who won't hire me, and another 2 hours applying to any job I can find out there. A few days ago though, I prepared my Substitute teaching "bag", bought a few school supplies, and called all my contacts from last May to let them know I was available on the list again for the fall. So one of them called me tonight...yay. It's something anyway. Subbing will not pay the bills though...it pays so little, about a third of what I used to make, and that's only if I get called every day. Sad, really, because it is a worthwhile thing to do. I would make the same or more working full time at McDonalds. I keep thinking though, that maybe the reason I have gone jobless all summer is because God wants me in a classroom when the warning happens...? I have asked him for some specific things to let me know that teaching is what I should be doing, in spite of the bad pay - like providing a different solution to my debt problem so I can be free to teach. Nothing. So I keep looking for a different career before it's too late. I have a bunch of student loans...you cannot teach if you are in default on any student loans, so that is a bad paradox. So far I am in deferment, not in default, but time is running out for my deferments. It is possible for me to become a real teacher, but the earliest that can happen is NEXT fall, and I have to find a school who is willing to hire me in order to do an accelerated program they have for folks like me to move from industry into teaching. Even at that, the teaching position will be only about half of my former salary so I will still have a problem with my debts, and then I will have to pay more tuition! I just wish I knew what to concentrate on, you know? Makes me tired and a little loopy...
How frustrating- seems like a loop. I do think you have the right mindset though- God needs you somewhere special. Pray to God to help pay the bills for you in the meantime. God will get you out of or keep you in that loop for a reason- so pray he helps you do his bidding. (I think your temperment is great for being a teacher- I'm betting he wants you with a bunch of kids when this all goes down) Who has an accelerated program? I am curious about this. I still like to do career counseling and haven't heard there was one- except out of Chicago. Where is the one you are considering? Pray, pray, pray Kath
I didn't know this either back in May when I started subbing. Later my ex husband told me about it, said he had considered it at one time. When I first started the sub process, I asked the regional office if there was any way I could avoid three months of student teaching and two years of college, and they didn't give me information on this either!!! Then I spent a considerable amount of time talking with Western Governer's University about how I could possibly get through the schooling faster, sent them my transcripts and everything, and they never told me about this either...and THEY are on the list of schools who have the program! I don't get it either, seems like the best-kept secret since the third secret of Fatima! Look Here, there are a bunch of schools in Illinois that participate: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/profprep/pdfs/alternate.pdf One I will look at closely is Eastern IL Univ: http://www.eiu.edu/~eiuttp/ PS - Today was High school Chemistry and Physics and a Computer class...lots of fun, but of course they never give subs anything too intense to do in science classes, just movies and quizzes and worksheets and chapter review questions is about as intense as it gets. No cool stuff like turning a potato into a battery or blowing up something, or dissecting a pig, but still, it's fun just being in a science lab all day!
So glad you got some subbing assignements MC. Even if it's not what you want to do or the money is not what you need, at least you can show on your resume you are actively doing something, and mentally it's important to be working, even if its temporary. Hang in there!
Padraig Wrote: I am going to pick up one of those petals from the Little FLower. PS wil lend up working in the White House..wait and see. Potatosack, can you write? I am looking for a sales/marketing position of some kind, or a technical writing position. Just got this in an email: Hey, DC! Need Work? Technical Writer supporting the Executive Office of the President It is a real job opening. Padraig, you hit it again! LOL :lol: I laughed out loud when I read it, thinking of the post you made for Potatosack. Maybe the petal fell in the wrong inbox... Anyway, I cannot relocate to DC, so the job is still open if you want it, PC!
