Rebirth

What a fitting time of year for this post. I found myself reminding myself today of this journey called life, and what it is all really about. I was forced into a truth today that I'd rather have done without, but now it's out.

After my exhusband left I began looking at my life as a series of rebirths, each one resulting in a slighly newer, slightly smarter, slightly more improved version of me.
When I was in fourth grade and we moved to Florida from Ohio, thus getting me away from my abusers, I was reborn.

When I met Andy and started going to Church, I was reborn.

When I graduated from high school and realized that sometimes love hurts - a lot. I was reborn.

When I got married I was reborn.

When I had my first baby I was reborn.
When I caught my husband cheating the first time I was reborn.

When I had my second and third baby, I was reborn each time.

When I returned to Church I was reborn.

When my husband left, I was again reborn.

When I found Andy again, and rediscovered parts of me I thought were gone forever, I was reborn.

And now that my heart has been shattered, I am yet again reborn.

How many times, I began to wonder, must one be reborn? And I realized the answer while driving home from Church, tears streaming down my face: We shall be reborn over and over again until the final time, our own resurrection day. We shall be reborn again and again through this journey called life, and the last time, the final time, that we are reborn, we shall be perfect. And we will live in the Millenial Kingdom as perfect beings.

But in the mean time, I feel like the phoenix rising. And that's why my first tat will be that of a phoenix. I will take pics of it as soon as I finally manage to get it.

Gift

"Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again."

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die...." John 11:25,26

Father Joy told us a story last Sunday that went something like this:

A Bishop was telling a story at a Mass one Sunday that went something like this:

a young man came into a Church and told the priest that he did not care if Jesus died for him, he didn't ask Him to, and he didn't want the gift.

The priest then told the man to go up to the front of the Church, to the huge crucifix hanging from the ceiling, and to yell at the top of his voice "I don't care that You died for me! I didn't ask ou to! I don't want Your gift!"

So the young man did so. He walked up to the front of the Church, to the Crucified Christ, and yelled at the top of his lungs "I don't care that You died for me! I didn't ask You to! I don't want Your gift!"

"Good" the priest said, now do it again!

And so the young man yelled again, this time with a little less might "I don't care that You died for me! I didnt' ask You to! I don't want Your gift!" as his voice was breaking and tears were streaming down his face

"Good" the priest said, now just once more...

And the young man stood there, and began crying in heavy heaves. He replied to the priest "I cannot do it again." and he looked up to the figure of Christ on the Cross.

"And who was this young man and what became of him?" asked the Bishop. "The young man is me." The Bishop replied to the Church full of people.

The moral of the story? Jesus died for all of us, that we all might have the chance to live in Heaven. It was a gift he gave selflessly. The ultimate sacrifice. He gave it for you, and me, and she and he whether or not we wanted it, or asked for it. Please accept his gift. The most precious gift you will ever be offered. And live forever in Him.

Happy Easter everyone.

Day Five in Sarasota!

Day five in Sarasota saw a morning full of snuggling with the sweetest little mini daushund ever. Then a visit for Mass to St. Patricks Catholic Church. This church is probably twice as big as Queen, and *full* of old people. LOL! When I got back to Christina's after Mass she exclaims as I walk in the door "We're going to the beach!". She knows that I was determined to get to the beach before I left Florida, and so as to be expected I am very excited!! I am sure I will write more about my beach day later tonight ;)
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Finally

Caught up on sleep!! After the birth of the twins I went home and slept nearly twenty-four hours!! I was apparently quite tired!

Now I am up and going to Church today, cleaning up, and packing for my trip to Florida to assist my former preceptor at 8 births next month! I am so excited about this trip, I've missed my friends there and I miss working with my old preceptor.

I probably won't write again until I am in Florida, so until then!!
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