You gotta have faith…

Faith: the important goals.

There are a few lines from songs that I absolutely love! One is “love in her eyes and flowers in her hair” from Led Zeppelin’s Going to California. My love is evident by the flower headband I am wearing today. Another line that I have let influence me is “I have become increasingly overwhelmed, but not discouraged” from Jack’s Mannequin’s Cell Phone.

The latter affects me in a different way. This line reminds me (simply as it says) that it is ok to be overwhelmed as long as you don’t become discouraged. I always keep this in mind. Always. Things are going to go wrong or feel like they’re too much that is certain, but you can’t let that stop you. Now here is where knowing and doing diverge just a little bit. Yesterday, I didn’t have a lot of actual lab work to do, so I began to work on my final presentation and paper. This was overwhelming for many reasons ridiculous limits and my lack of results to name a couple. So, I was overwhelmed not discouraged. I know that this stuff will find a way to work itself out. Then, I got this frustrating email, and there was the discouragement. In the right context, nothing was frustrating about this email, but in my overwhelmed mindset this was too much. So, I left work early, and went home to sleep. Sleep is my cure! I very rarely get really stressed, but when I do, a nap is what I need. So, I went home and slept for about 30 minutes, and I woke up to an encouraging email, fixed dinner, online shopped and all was right with the world.

In hindsight, I broke my number one faith goal.

Faith Goal Number 1: Always be in communion with Christ.
The first week I was here I found the nearest Catholic Church, and I have gone every Sunday since. I have really enjoyed going to mass here, each week the homily is fantastic. It is always good to hear a different perspective. A few weeks ago, the gospel reading was the story of Mary and Martha. I heard what I believe to be a good interpretation of the story. So, here it goes.

Lk 10:38-42
Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
"Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me."
The Lord said to her in reply,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part

and it will not be taken from her."
This is one of those stories that makes you be like “Wait! Didn’t you say..” Martha was serving our Lord. Service is good! How did Mary chose the better part? Shouldn’t she help her sister? We are called to live the word by serving Jesus as Martha was doing. Before she stopped. By asking Jesus to tell Mary to work, she was taking herself out of communion with Christ. She had stopped serving Christ, and she had begun serving herself. Mary who was still listening to the word was still in communion with Christ. So, that is how she chose the better part. When I heard this, I made the goal to always be in communion with Christ.

So, for me. Yesterday, when I let things get me anxious and worried to the point I stopped doing them, I was for sure being a Martha. Goal not met. So, I must work on that.

Faith Goal Number 2: Daily mass readings.
I am getting better at this, but that isn’t saying very much! I had started just reading books randomly, but I think this will be a more organized way of going about it.

Faith Goal Number 3: Mass every week.

Faith Goal Number 4: Confession once a month.
I really enjoy this and believe it to be important (more on this later), so this should be good!

Faith Goal Number 5: Prayer Journal.
I haven’t started this, but I should. Simple reminders.

Faith Goal Number 6: Spend more time talking about God.
Maybe start going to a bible study or at the very least talking to my friends about what I am reading. A few days ago I read a parable and didn’t really know what it was trying to say. So, it would be nice to in a sense bounce ideas and interpretations around with other people. Gain a new perspective.