And Then God Told Me to Take a Chill Pill

Sunday morning was one of the rougher pregnant-while-raising-a-toddler mornings.

 

Jacob had a cough that kept him from sleeping very well the night before. I rested well enough, except that I’m back to waking up every single morning (and nap) from a crazy dream. Apparently, pregnancy hormones go straight to my subconscious. A few nights prior, it was Jacob falling off a dock into a lake from which I should have been able to save him, but my body wasn’t moving quickly enough. Scary.

 

Saturday night, it was an odd field trip situation wherein I was very hungry and trying to get some food in an incredibly long line—which I couldn’t find the end of, to start—while avoiding dairy. I was something like a storey up, finally getting an eggplant parmesan sandwich (turns out, the dairy wasn’t that big of a problem), when one of my closest friends insisted on jumping on the unstable bridge-like support we were standing on, despite my being pregnant and trying to pick something up from the floor. That might not make sense via blog, but trust me, it was a wacky, wacky way to wake up.

 

So Jacob was on edge; I was still looking for a firm hold on reality; John was in the shower. Long story short (because what should have been a short explanation in the last paragraph was long), Jacob refused to get dressed. A couple of time outs meant we were running out of time before Mass. Eventually, I wrestled him into his clothes. Despite being adorable, baby socks can cause a whole lot of trouble. Clothes on, we needed shoes and a coat.

 

The crying hadn’t stopped for a good twenty minutes, and for a moment when I went to brush my teeth, Jacob wasn’t the only one in tears. At this point, we were certainly going to be late. Extra bad news when you sit in the front couple of pews.

 
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Finally, we looked like we were ready to go. I grabbed my keys and phone, checking to see how late we were for 9:30 Mass.

 

Except we weren’t late at all. It was 8:30; we were an hour early. Thanks, Daylight Saving Time.

 

As frustrated as I was, I felt the tension melt out of my face. “Calm down,” it felt like God was saying. “I know you’re trying really hard, but I’ve got a handle on this, on everything.”

 

Unfortunately, I couldn’t let that sense of peace last more than a moment. The reality is that John can do a lot more with Jacob right now, and Jacob would rather be with him when he has the option. It was a frustrating and disappointing kind of day, one where it’s hard to remember that these really are good times and they will pass quickly.

 

Still, I am grateful for the perspective that moment gave me, even if I wasn’t strong enough to let it really settle in. But then that’s another thing God knows: I’m not strong enough to do this whole parenting/marriage/Christian life thing on my own. I can keep putting my all into it, and that’s good. But sometimes I need to sit back and remember His mercy, in whatever situation, will be enough.

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Sandy, Post-Storm

First of all, thanks to all our friends who checked in on us last week to make sure we—and our families in New Jersey—were okay after the storm. Thank goodness everyone is all right. Our families lost power for the better part of the week (they all have it back now), but they were prepared with food, generators, and gas. The trees and branches that did fall were quickly cleaned up by stellar neighbors. Everyone is safe and sound.

 

Our area of Brooklyn didn’t really see any of the storm. We’re too far inland to have been affected by the surges and too far east to be affected by the power outages. While it was difficult for John to get to work in Manhattan and it was a bummer to have the parks closed, we really, really can’t complain about any kind of inconvenience. Our home is dry and warm, and we have plenty of food and drinkable water. We are thanking God every day that we were so fortunate, and praying for those who were not so.

 

The thing about New York is that we kind of think we’re invincible here. It’s the greatest city in the world, right? (To be clear, Brooklyn is one of five boroughs of New York City.)

 

But the Coney Island boardwalk we visited for weekend beach trips this summer is now covered in sand. The skyline we love to see when we fly or drive back into the city was half blacked out for a couple of days.

 

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While I spent the few extra days together with my family making donuts and finishing a sweater for Henry, there were a whole lot of people whose homes were damaged beyond repair. We’ve done a little to help out where we can, and we’re not done yet. Rebuilding will take weeks, months even, and the needs will exist just as long.

 

I encourage you, my readers, to help out where you can. If you’re in New York or New Jersey, bring food, blankets, or batteries to a shelter for evacuees. If you’re farther away, find a charity you trust who is on the ground, helping people get back on their feet. I’m currently knitting scarves and hats for evacuees.

 

Leave a comment with what you’re doing, and let’s inspire each other!

 

Sandy might have knocked New York and New Jersey down for a little while, but if I know anything about these two great states, two of my greatest loves, there ain’t nothin’ that can keep us down for long.

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Year of Faith, Lesson 1

Although man can forget God or reject him, He never ceases to call every man to seek him, so as to find life and happiness. But this search for God demands of man every effort of intellect, a sound will, “an upright heart”, as well as the witness of others who teach him to seek God.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 1, Section 1, Chapter 1, 30

 

We are just a few weeks into the Church’s Year of Faith, and I am already behind my goal. My current initiative is to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I even signed up for an email service that would provide a little bit each day, so that I could complete the full document in a year.

 

You know what day the emails are on? Twenty-one. You know which day I’m on? Six.

 

I think this is how a lot of us feel about our faith: there’s a lot we want to learn, explore, deepen, but not enough time in the day to make it happen. Recognizing that I’m getting further and further behind every day has, thankfully, been a kind of wake-up call for me. I don’t expect to ever be totally “on top of” my faith, whatever that might mean. But I can make a stronger effort to be faithful to the little things I feel called to. Right now, that’s the Catechism.

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The good news is that I’ve reflected on what made my plan ineffective. Reading online is not a fully engaging process for me. I always have another window or tab open, loading the next thing. It’s too easy to scroll through things and not really spend time letting the meaning of the symbols before me resonate.

 

Earlier this year, John bought a beautiful hardcover edition of the Catechism. In the past few days, I’ve taken that from the shelf, reread the portions I had read online, and continued to move forward. Already, I find myself connecting more with the text, thinking more about it as I go. My mind still wanders, and I’m not going to commit much to memory, but the practice is starting to have some meaning for me. I find myself looking for time to reach for the book, rather than coming up with six other things to do instead.

 

Maybe in a few months, I’ll find that an audio edition of the Catechism works better for me. Maybe not. For now, having the book in hand, with a notebook by my side, is helping me to learn more about my Faith. So for now, that’s what’s right for me.

 

YoF Lesson One: If a certain practice isn’t working, change it so that it will, without diluting the fruits of the practice.

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