In Memory - Peg and her Pearls of Wisdom

Today was a very special day. I went to the funeral for a woman who made a significant impact on my life as a Catholic wife and mother. Today I was flooded with memories of where and how my faith journey has grown since that first day when I joined a Mother's Bible Study with Peg in 1989. All I could think today - was that her legacy lives on through all the people's lives she touched. 

I think it is entirely appropriate and fitting that this blog, devoted to sharing my personal faith journey, family life, and homeschooling wisdom is being initiated with a post in memory of the person who helped me, more than anyone else in my life, to build a firm foundation in my Catholic faith. So in honor of you Peg, this blog is dedicated to you. I am who I am, as a faithful Catholic, because God gifted me with you, your commitment, your love, your faith, your hope, your insight, and your wisdom.

I am a cradle Catholic. When I started going to the Mother's Bible Study led by Peg, I was at a point in my life where I had always acknowledged there was a God, and that there was an "ultimate Good,"  but I had never seriously considered what happens in the unseen spiritual realm, nor had I truly recognized the "ultimate Bad" until I read the books by Frank Peretti: This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. Thanks to Peg's words of wisdom, I was able to protect myself while reading these books by blessing myself with the sacramental use of the sign of the cross whenever I felt uncomfortable or fearful with what I was reading. As noted at Catholic Culture, "during trials and temptations our strength and protection is the Sign of the Cross." These books came at a life-turning point in my spirituality, when I was beginning to acknowledge the whole truth of what happens, both visible and invisible, in the our world. 

I was also beginning, through the grace of the reflections on the Sunday readings and weekly discussions in Bible Study, to own for myself, the Fullness of the Truth, which only the Catholic faith has to offer. Shortly before I began attending the Mother's Bible Study I was at the home of a Mormon, giving a home party with House of Lloyd: Christmas Around the World. As often happened, I was visiting with the hostess after the party, and we wandered into a three-hour discussion about religious beliefs. I left that home praying with discernment and asking God whether I should read the Book of Mormon as the woman had suggested. God's voice spoke to my heart and confirmed that I should not read the Book of Mormon, but confirmed that I did need to learn more about my own Catholic faith. I will be sharing many more stories and experiences from my Bible Study days in posts to come.

Thank you God, for giving us Peg.
(Point of Interest: Peg's funeral was on the Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist)

Welcome to my Blog!

As I have posted in my Profile: "I have been blessed with a large family, artistic and writing talents, and a solid foundation in my faith. I just go where the Spirit leads me and I'm getting used to the surprises along the way." I have felt called to start a Catholic blog for some time now, and on several occasions God told me to wait. LOL... Story of my life: "Wait upon the Lord." But you know, I have learned that God's timing is perfect and for whatever reason the timing is finally right - now - to start this blog. I do find it interesting  that my very first post happens to fall on the Feast of the Sacred Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi.

Faithful Dove:

There is great significance in the blog's header photo and name of my blog, "Faithful Dove, Light of Truth." The dove in this blog's header photo is the very same dove that often sits on the light pole in front of our home. There are so many stories to tell about that dove and eventually I will get to them, but for now just know that I am looking forward to sharing my faith journey with you.

Light of Truth:

I find it awesome and utterly amazing when the Holy Spirit makes connections for us! When this happens there is no doubt that God is trying to teach us something, or to stress something that we need to know at that particular point in our lives. Several times this week the words of G.K. Chesterton have surfaced. My 20yo daughter had received an audio CD from the Newman Center entitled: "Relativism: Do you Know How it is Affecting You?" She played the CD while we were sitting in the car at a soccer game. The CD quoted Chesterton who said:

"The point of having an open mind, like having an open mouth, is to close it on something solid."  

Chris Stefanick continues by saying ... 

"...we are told that we have to always remain open-minded about everything, but it is good to close your minds on certain things. When you discover the truth, your mind is supposed to close on it."

My daughter had seen the same Chesterton quote on Facebook a few days earlier, while the very next day we read the exact same quote in our homeschooling. I was reading aloud to my kids from Did Adam & Eve Have Belly Buttons, where Matthew Pinto says:

When we don't know the truth but seek it, we're free to be open minded. But once we've come to a firm conviction of the truth of something, to remain "open-minded" about it is foolishness...When it comes to religious issues the Catholic Church has "made up its mind." There are good reasons for what the Catholic Church teaches, so it isn't a matter of "close-mindedness" in the wrong sense...Neither the pope and the other bishops, nor the priests and the deacons, nor the laity are free to change Catholicism to appear "open-minded." Their job is simply to tell people the truth in a loving manner. They don't make up or determine the truth for themselves.

Thank you God, for giving us the Catholic Faith.