May 2019

www.catholicfam.org

Encouraging, empowering, and equipping families and marriages.

A monthly resource for the entire parish family

Have you ever felt like something was a bit off even though everyone says you’re fine? I have a friend, who for months was complaining of some physical issues. Every time they went to the doctor they couldn’t determine what the cause of the symptoms were. According to many, he was fine. But my friend knew that there was something wrong and continued to go in for various tests. It turns out he has lime disease. It is important to be aware and sensitive to what our bodies are telling us. This awareness isn’t just for our physical wellness or productivity. We need to be sensitive and aware of what is going on spiritually with us and our family so that we can thrive as Christians and not simply survive.

There are times when we feel like we are spiritually healthy. Why? Often this understanding is because we find all of the things that we think are important are checked off our imagined spiritual health list. We went to Church, we prayed at night and before meals, and we didn’t yell too much at our kids. Check, check, check and check. But there are times we often feel that we didn’t accomplish any of the good things that we knew we should and so we feel bad. Is this what determines our spiritual health? Doing some things in order to feel joy and feeling regret when we don’t do

Spiritual Health Check -By Chris Padgett

Bring the Flowers - Linda Padgett “April showers bring May flowers.” We have all heard this saying since our early days in school. Those illustrated calendars that hung on the bulletin boards always represented April with an umbrella and rain drops, while May showed a bouquet of flowers. Despite our irritation with the continual rain of spring, we tolerate the weather because we know that flowers will come. In fact, we may even have a day of snow in mid April, yet the daffodils still bloom and the new leaves present themselves on the trees. It’s a fact, spring always follows winter.

So much of our life and faith plays out in the same fashion as these two seasons. We can look back over those really difficult moments and recognize the positives that came from them. Even our darkest times of doubt and fear can give birth to renewed and stronger hope.

Are you in the middle of one of those dark and difficult times? Is your winter dragging on longer than you had expected? Be encouraged. Spring will arrive. Hope will return. Beauty will find its way back into your view. The God who made the seasons also has his hand on you. He will not fail to bring back life.

May 2019

Spiritual Health Check (Continued)

them?

Spiritual health isn’t about doing a few rules. Spiritual health comes down to a sensitivity to a very simple question: why. Why? That word must be a question that we continue to examine. Why are we feeling sad? Why are we feeling good? Why do we do a certain thing and not another? When we ask why we can begin to make choices that will not only help us root out the things that will make us spiritually sick (sin) but we can also add things to our spiritual health that will make us thrive (virtue).

Sometimes you can look at your spiritual life and see the thing that is making you sick. It is obvious. The sin can be addressed or the bad habit modified. Other times the problems can be filled with a variety of symptoms that are not easily recognized. Just as my friend needed doctors to listen carefully to his symptoms so we too often need spiritual doctors to help us find the source of our symptoms.

Here are a few tips to help determine the source of spiritual sickness.

1. What is different now from the times you have felt spiritually healthy? 2. Is there a sin you have been struggling with and have not confessed? 3. Ask your loving family if they have any insight into your behavior (this can be a recipe for disaster if your are not

careful). 4. Spend time in the Scriptures and listen to worship music to get your thoughts on things above. 5. Recognize that many saints went through dry periods, and so will you if you are striving for holiness. 6. Look at possible triggers as to your feelings: HALT(S)- Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired (sin).

The last point is simply a reminder. Remember that spiritual health and growth is not about doing things but being with a Person. Remember that Jesus is not waiting for you to perform perfectly so he can bless you. He loves you now! Be at peace. The Great Healer is aware of your symptoms and is ready to teach you about what it means to be in a relationship with him. Why? Because he loves to be with you and wants you to thrive.

Check out our online magazine at www.catholicfam.org

A monthly resource for the entire parish family

Chris and Linda love being married and doing ministry together. They live in Central New York, have nine kids, three grandkids, and live in a red nine-sided house. When they aren’t shoveling snow, they are likely speaking about God’s love in

a parish near you. To find out more, check out www.catholicfam.org.

Chris & Linda Padgett

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