A reflection of the True Light

Last week went well with the kids. Sunday was a tough two year old day. Monday didn't start out any better. At some point I was wondering if we were going to have to get some warranty work on her baptism. ;-)

It is amazing where the Father can point you when you ask for help.

I came across this blog post entitled "Amazing Grace" on Monday night as I was doing some random searches on catholicblogs.com. Wonderful story. Wonderful testimony. I won't spoil it for you. Go ahead and read it. I wouldn't be able to do it justice.

Not that I have it terrible by any stretch of the imagination and don't get me wrong, this isn't a case of "thank God I am not in that situation". It's two things. First a realization of how fortunate I am to be called to the vocation of being a husband and father. Something that I need to remind myself of constantly.

Secondly, the story is inspirational on so many levels. I don't even think I could list them. For me,

• despite the many issues, they kept trying to have children
  
• They adopted a baby and if you read the blog post on fatherhood, you will feel the how this father has made a "quantum leap" in his vocation as a father.

I can identify with these quantum leaps. It is like a switch goes on in your soul that says you are in a different place in regards to where you are at with respect to your fatherhood.

The father, Bill, is a reflection of the True Light.

I don't want to spoil it with any more words. Needless to say I am inspired to be a better father. The best father that I can be.

"reflected in another source of light
when the moment dies
the spark still flies
reflected in another pair of eyes"

Chain Lightning, Words by Neil Peart, Music by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson

Pray for Grace. Pray for Bill. Pray for all fathers.

Blessings to you all

Tim

Friendship

Great little homilette about friendship. I couldn't agree more about how Aristotle sees friendships. How do you see your friendships? For economic purposes, because their good humor or interesting viewpoints, or because we see reflections of our ideal selves?

If we think of these different levels of friendships in terms of light, which type of light are you drawn toward? Hopefully you are drawn more strongly toward the true Light of Jesus Christ. It is this glimmers of this light that we see in people who exemplify the ideal qualities that we would like to see in ourselves. Those people that are reflections or prisms of the true Light.

So to, I have to be a reflection of the true Light to my children. I need to strive to live a life such that they are drawn to friendship and respect because of the glimmer of the true Light in me rather than the other types of friendship.

I pray that I can be a light for my children.

Not only to my children, but my wife, friends, co-workers, etc.

Blessings to you all.

Tim

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Reflections of the True Light

Interesting article from a home town newspaper. Amy's brother, Michael, is a friend who recently volunteered as a chaplain's assistant out here in the Pacific Northwest.

The article is very good. Especially poignant is the impact she is having on her students.

Amy is a reflection of the True Light. An inspiration for us all.

Blessings to you all

Tim

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In Memory of Kathy Westendorf

Kathy was a wonderful woman.  She and her husband Bill led the RCIA program when I "went through" it.  Their marriage was a wonderful example of how things should be in terms of love and marriage.  Their ministry in the RCIA program was also an inspiration.

I attended her funeral today, and I have to say that this is really the first time I have felt so emotional at the passing of a friend or relative or while at a funeral.  What is interesting is that I am not so emotional about passing, all though that is saddening.  What stirred my soul is that Kathy was a great reflection of the True Light that we are all looking for in Jesus Christ.

I've commented before that studying scripture and bible commentaries will often times "convict your soul" when you discover a nugget of truth that shines a light on a part of our life that is sinful or otherwise needs work.  When I say "convict your soul" I mean the part of you that feels like "oh no! I've been dong that. I really need to do better."

Kathy was the type of person that made you want to be a better person because of the way she lived and how the Father's love really reflected in her words and actions.

Kathy passed as a result of a long fight with cancer. Fortunately here family were with her. She was a loving person who was everyone's best friend.  Even through her struggle with the terminal illness, she continued to love.  The circumstances of her struggle also helped those who loved her to love each other more and as well as to learn more about what love is.  A testament to what I think is wrong about the "death with dignity" movement.

Kathy, you will be missed. I pray that the Father welcomes you into his presence and Jesus is there to hold your hand until you are united with Bill.  Kathy, please pray for me so that I may be a better husband, father, and friend

Tim

Toughest Thing About Being a Parent

Do you know what is the toughest thing about being a parent, at least for me?  It's not the long nights up feeding or changing a diaper.  None of the things that one might expect, although some of those things are tough.  

No, the thing that makes parenting tough for me is correcting all of my bad habits so that they do not pick them up.  Things like my short temper, over reacting to things, etc.  I want my kids to be better than me in every way, including not having my bad habits.  Especially the habits that make it extremely difficult to live with.

Children are incredible sponges in the first few years of life.  They soak up everything.  They view life through the lenses that parent's behavior creates for them.  That view of life shapes how they will behave now and in the future. Including, and probably most importantly, when they become parents.

I pray that I can change my bad habits to be a shining light (or reflection of the true Light) for them AND I pray that I will be able to work with them to break the bad habits that they have learned.

Blessings to you.

Tim

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