St. Mary-Holy Cross Parish

August 2 & 9, 2020

Greetings from Me & My House!  I hope you’re all managing through the summer heat. It’s been a while since you’ve heard from me. The last few months have been something right? We have to make decisions on upcoming elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic and while our nation is fraught with protests and changing policies surrounding civil liberties. The entire world seems to be at odds. How do we handle it all? 

First and always, pray without ceasing. Take time every day to talk to God. This is so important. He is listening and He answers, but sometimes you must be still enough to hear it. Slow down and reflect, even if it's just for a few minutes each day. 

If you have still not made it back to weekend Masses due to health concerns, take the time to worship during the time that you normally would. Go over the readings of the day and reflect on them. These can be found online at http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings And always feel free to reach out to Father Andrew and other church staff for anything you may need at home. 

Furthermore, take the time to go out and educate yourself while taking a break from the news and social media platforms. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve never had much of a problem with anxiety until beginning right around this past March. And trying to follow the media for updates only made it worse. It didn’t ease up until I stopped tuning in every day and turned off all notifications on my phone. Now, if I need to know something I just go out and look for it when I need to know it. It’s made life a bit more pleasant. 

I am going to leave you with Psalms Chapter 46. God is always with us, no matter what is happening in the world. It can be hard to remember during trying times.

1    For the leader. A song of the Korahites. According to alamoth.

2    God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress.

3    Thus we do not fear, though earth be shaken and mountains quake to the depths of the sea,

4   Though its waters rage and foam and mountains totter at its surging.

5   Streams of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High.

6    God is in its midst; it shall not be shaken; God will help it at break of day.

7    Though nations rage and kingdoms totter, he utters his voice and the earth melts.

8    The LORD of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.

9    Come and see the works of the LORD, who has done fearsome deeds on earth;

10    Who stops wars to the ends of the earth, breaks the bow, splinters the spear, and burns the shields with fire:

11    “Be still and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”

12    The LORD of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas and opinions you have.

June 7, 2020

Greetings from Me and My House!I wanted to take this opportunity wish everyone well. I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy. If there is anything that you need, no matter how small it seems—please don’t hesitate to reach out to SMHC, we are here to help. I want to also talk about what’s happening outside of our doors this past week. Our country is kind of a mess these days. I don’t know about you but I’m struggling to watch the news or even stay current on what’s happening because there is just so much and it’s hard to stay positive.

It’s okay to turn the news off if you need to. It’s okay to give yourself a break from it all. And you don’t have to feel guilty about it. We can’t pour from an empty cup, it’s so important to take time to rejuvenate yourself and re-evaluate what’s going on. And then, after you’ve done that—jump back in the game.

No cupcakes and rainbows this time around, I am just going to say it exactly how it is. We are a wasteful, selfish, distracted, and sinful society and we’ve had a wakeup call. We all know that God allows evil and suffering because it’s part of the deal. There is no Sainthood without sins. We can’t openly love Him and have a relationship with Him unless it’s on our accord. But, the other side of that is hate. We can’t have one without the other. And it’d be great if someday we could erase it from the world entirely-but that’s not realistic. In the words of St. Therese of Lisieux, “The world is thy ship, not thy home”. This is not our final destination. And although living our physical lives is short compared to our eternal home, how we choose to leave our footprints in the dirt is an important part of a much grander scheme.

Living our lives here on earth is somewhat of a test and as of late, we’ve been seeing some very unexpected times. We weren’t prepared for a virus like COVID and having to live a new normal in the wake has been challenging. But to add to that, we have a rising civil movement in its early stages. A virus is one thing, but to turn on the news and see people hurting others and intentionally destroying our neighborhoods is not only tragic, but scary. The difference between COVID and civil matters is that we’ve seen the latter before. It’s easy to look back in history and see the effect of discrimination on our society. We can look back and see what brought positive changes and what only exasperated the problem.

In short, because I could talk about this for a very long time—I’m urging everyone to play their part. Violence is not the answer and will not bring the changes that need to happen. I implore everyone to exercise your rights as an American. Please contact your leaders and find out their stance on the things that are important to you. There are definitely reforms that need to take place and we can make that happen through the channels we have, let your representatives know that we can no longer sit back and allow hate and brutality and ask them what they intend to do about it. Peacefully protest the human on human hate and help to bring down the walls that are dividing us. Please go vote for people with like minded morals and values.

This past Sunday was Pentecost. And much like the Holy Spirit descended onto the Apostles in a tiny room, when they felt lost and fearful of the world around them, let it wash over us now. Let it open our minds like the wind that blew the shutters open. Let the ground shake with our recompense and reverence as we unite as one people of God and His church. Let us go forward with fire on our tongues and love in our hearts. This is not a “certain group of people” kind of problem, this is a “human race” kind of problem. You might be thinking you can’t contribute to the solution, but no act of kindness or righteous action is too small. Go and love thy neighbor as God commanded.

Until next time, be happy, healthy, and safe. 

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas and opinions you have.

May 10, 2020

Spring greetings! I hope that this finds you healthy and happy. It has almost been 2 months since we were last able to gather to celebrate Mass. It’s been that long and yet so many of us are still trying to wrap our head around what’s happening.

We are being inundated with a frenzy of media. It’s hard to decipher what is true, false, accurate or exaggerated. I don’t feel like I know any more now than I did at the beginning and I find myself second guessing everything. I can say with certainty that much has changed and if I’m being honest, I’m delighted about it. 

I’ve seen so much “loving thy neighbor” lately that it makes my heart swell. Communities are answering the call of those in need and are coming together just like the good old days but in some new and unique ways too. The good old days being those when we saw a stranger walking down the road looking disheveled, we didn’t immediately assume they meant us harm. Days when there was a little more love and trust in the world. 

People are writing letters again. The care of the most vulnerable in our communities: the young, elderly, weak, poor, ill etc. has become more of a priority than I’ve seen in my lifetime. Community gardens are being planted, food banks are filling up, groceries and supplies are being delivered. Families are cooking at home and sitting down to eat dinner together often. And people are reaching out to check on each other on a regular basis. 

Social media pages titled: How can we help? are popping up everywhere. Parades are the new way to celebrate things. Those with birthdays, graduations, or weddings have lines of cars driving by to say hello and mailboxes are filling up with cards. Even though we cannot get together, celebrations are bigger than they’ve ever been before. People are freely passing on things they no longer use-rather than seeking a profit. 

The time and talents of many are being shared with the world. From opera singers on the balconies of Italy to American singers doing a free concert from their living room. The entire city of New York stops what they are doing at the same time each day to cheer on essential workers from their doors and windows. Yoga instructors and fitness gurus are offering their classes free online. Teachers are learning new ways to teach through technology and staying connected to their students. 

We are all learning to live with a new normal and there is so much good coming out of it. How often have we taken for granted the ability to just go somewhere, or reaching out to those in isolation? How many Masses have we skipped thinking… I’ll go next week? How many opportunities have we pushed off only to realize now it is vastly different? I sincerely hope that much of this new attitude of caring, giving, and staying connected is here to stay. Until we can gather again if you need help — keep asking for it. And if you can help, keep giving it! 

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have.

April 5, 2020

Hello from Me & My House! It’s been a while, not only since you heard from me but also since we’ve all been able to gather together. 

I’ve tried to come up with a word or two that can describe how I’m feeling. Overwhelmed and unsettled are the best ones I can think of and even then, I still can’t give you a great explanation behind it. What’s happening is a lot for all of us. But I do have some reflections that have helped me, and I wanted to share them with all of you. 

Grace. It has been on my heart so many times lately. Give some grace to our leaders making big decisions that affect so many people. Give some grace to everyone even if they are acting in ways that are hard for you to handle. This is a new territory for everyone and each of us will react in different ways. We will go through stages and have a different reaction today than we had yesterday. And leave a little grace for yourself. Be patient and remember that all the things you’re feeling are okay and you are not alone. 

In the words of Governor Reynolds, “This is a marathon, not a sprint.” We are literally at a standstill and cannot make plans past the next 2 weeks, so what better time than now to slow down and take things in strides. Humans can be overwhelmingly wasteful, selfish, distracted and sinful. It’s time to slow down and get yourself back to the basics. Pray, as much and as often as you can. Pull out your bible and start that study you’ve been wanting to do. Prioritize laughter and connections. Take the opportunities you are given to connect with people through technology. Sit down and write a letter. Let people know you are thinking about them. Check on your loved ones and your neighbors and help others in any way that you are able. 

“So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Corinthians 13:13

Stay inside, keep washing your hands and pray for us all. Together is the best way to overcome anything.

Please share your ideas by sending an email to joshua2415smhc@gmail.com.

March 1, 2020

There are times when I think I can’t hear God, and I don’t know what He’s trying to tell me. Then there are times that I’m practically tripping and falling over His plans. And even then, I feel like I’m walking around with a blindfold on. I can feel it, I know it's there and I just stubbed my toe on it. But since I can’t see it right in front of me, I’m not ready to admit it yet. I think that we as humans like to make things much more difficult than they really have to be. Take a phrase like: “Trust in God and His timing for you”. It’s pretty simple, but when we actually consider handing over the controls, it becomes a very complicated process. 

I really like to be in control, and I’m sure I’m not alone here. I don’t like asking for help or accepting help. And even though I’ve gone through some humbling moments in my life that should have proven to me that assistance is safe, it’s usually not long before I’m trying to take the reigns again. I know that I should try my best to be present in the moment, practice mindfulness, trust in God and His plan and timing. But it's safe to say that I’m terrible at all those things. I talk a good talk and then when it comes time to act, it's like I’ve forgotten all the wonderful advice I’ve given to other people. What can I say? I’m a sinner. 

I think that trusting in God and His timing wholeheartedly is difficult because understanding that God is tangible hasn’t always been easy for me. I’ve always had this notion of Him as a being that I can’t see or touch. And how can I possibly give up so much control to someone I can’t see or touch? 

In the last year, my life could be summed up in two words: HELP NEEDED. I might as well be standing in the middle of the road waving my hands. Some of the things my family has been through are the hardest we’ve ever faced. There were times when I was so exhausted that my answer to any question was, “I don’t know”. There were days that I was just running on empty and it was hard to muster the courage and energy to accomplish anything. And this is when it happened. This is when I realized that God is the most tangible thing there is. 

When we couldn’t make it to the store or be home to cook dinner, it literally showed up at our door. In the form of smiling human faces with fully prepared meals and bags of groceries. When we were so tired and had nothing left to give, people came to us in flocks. They listened to me ramble because that’s what I do when I’m nervous. They comforted us and gave any help they could. Our children were always taken care of, even if we couldn’t be there to do it. We didn’t even have to ask for help with our dogs, that was offered up as well. And if someone couldn’t be there physically, they helped with financial support and prayers. People we had never met donated to us freely and prayed for us reverently. 

We have faced life altering decisions with only hours to make them. We’ve had to adjust to new family dynamics more than once. And we’ve made choices that will dramatically change our lives forever. We’ve been through a lot. There were so many times that I wondered what was going to happen next. Hindsight is 20/20, so it's easy to look back at things and see that everything has happened exactly how it's supposed to. But it's hard to remember that when you’re buried in the trenches. 

God is everywhere. He is in every person who is, has ever, and will ever walk this earth. He made us in His image. He knew us by name before we came to be. God will make Himself known in our time of need through the people around us or by working through us for the sake of others. No act of kindness is too small. Either way, He is all around us and that is something we can count on.  

Please share your ideas by sending an email to joshua2415smhc@gmail.com.

January 26, 2020 

We hope the holidays treated you all well. I have already dived into 6 of the Catholic Social Teachings: Life and Dignity of the Human Person; Call to Family, Community and Participation; Rights and Responsibilities; Option for the Poor and Vulnerable; The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers; and Solidarity. They each seem to fit together and form a kind of staircase. You can’t have one without the next. But how can we practice any of the former teachings without Caring for God’s Creation, our home: The Earth? 

I would like to focus specifically on reducing, reusing and recycling. Many of you may be aware that recycling in the United States has been in crisis mode since 2017, when China tightened their standards on what kinds of materials they would take. In 2016, 760 million tons of our scrap plastic went to China. By 2017 that amount went down by an astounding 95%. When the U.S. responded by moving their shipping south in Asia, this prompted other countries to instill new standards on receiving recyclables as well, many have banned imports of recycled plastics all together. The average American produces 234 pounds of plastic waste per year. We have much better recycling abilities than most of the world but the sheer amount of waste that we generate is the problem. And now our largest export country has stopped accepting it. 

Some communities have stopped collecting many recyclable materials simply because they have no where to put it. Our cities used to make money by selling recyclables and now they are paying to have it taken away. New plastic has become cheaper than recycled plastic, the cost to sort recycled materials after they leave our curbs is going up. Due to all of this, the waste we produce here in America is piling up. 40-50 years ago, we started a movement to recycle and we have come a very long way, we do recycle well. Recently some major companies in the U.S. have vowed to only use recyclable plastics and this is a great start. But things need to change drastically. It’s time to shift the focus to reducing and reusing. 

We can purchase things that are reusable rather than disposable: water bottles, straws, ziplock bags, grocery bags. Forget the paper plates and plastic silverware. This of course leads to more washing and using more water. This website has a great list of ways to reduce the use of water, to go along with more reusable items: https://www.mauicounty.gov/245/25-Things-You-Can-Do-To-Prevent-Water-Wa. 

There are many ways you can reduce waste as well. Try to maintain and repair things like clothes, tires and appliances so that they don’t have to be thrown out as often. Remember that one person’s junk is another’s treasure. Donate whatever can be reused. There are many places that will accept donations and sometimes you can even write them off your taxes. You are not only helping the planet; you are helping other people who need it. Also try to buy used items as much as possible. It takes resources and energy to produce new products. You can purchase just about anything used, including appliances and building materials and they are often less expensive. 

Our own parish has a group called Friends of Saint Francis whose primary focus is the 7 social teachings, specifically caring for our home: Earth. You may think that one person or family cannot make a difference. But big changes always start small. The best way to ensure that this beautiful world is here for future generations is to begin taking care of it the best ways that we can. Start with attainable goals like reducing and reusing. What do you and your family do to care for our planet? Please share your ideas by sending an email to joshua2415smhc@gmail.com.

December 8, 2019

Hello and Happy Advent from Me and My House!  In continuing with the 7 themes of Catholic Social Teaching, I continue this week with: The dignity of work and the rights of workers and solidarity. 

It may seem like people are here to serve the economy but it’s the other way around. The economy should be serving the people. Working every day is about more than making a living. If you aren’t happy with your choice of job or career, then its likely you are not doing what you’re meant to do. When we work, its our chance to be creative. To develop our talents and to use the gifts we’ve been given by God. Computers and machines replacing humans working is increasing and this isn’t good for us. We were created to work in order to grow and have personal fulfillment. While helping the poor financially should always be a priority, the bigger picture must be to provide everyone the dignity of being able to work, having access to steady employment.

In addition to offering steady employment, workers rights must be protected as well. When we work, we should have the right to fair and decent wages, to join or organize unions, to private property and to economic initiative. It’s very important for employers to understand that protecting their capital means protecting their employees. Happy employees are productive and can contribute to our economy better than anything else.

Solidarity means that we are one global family no matter any difference that we may have. National, racial, ethnic, economic or ideological differences should never be reasons for indifference. In many places people are considered expendable and their basic human rights are being stripped due to such differences. Caring for the poor and vulnerable is also part of solidarity. Political and social differences are getting worse. People with more power or a higher social status are being favored more frequently than ever before.

Most of us would just assume that this is all common sense, but it isn’t. Many people believe we have come a long way as humans when it comes to solidarity and in many ways we have. But with the divide between the poor and wealthy becoming greater comes a greater divide in social and political status. Think about what you see on social media, or on the news. The divisions between humanity are growing with the increasing access people have, to spread ideas of hate and indifference to others.

Its hard not to worry about the state of the world we are living in. The scary things can make it difficult for us to have the courage to do what we are called to do. Remember “Do not be afraid” is one of the most used phrases in the Bible. We have the same access to spread love and joy as those spreading conflict. Take the first step today in creating a better world tomorrow. Begin with kindness. 

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have.

 November 17, 2019

If there is one common theme from the words of the Lord, it’s the need to care for the poor and vulnerable. Matthew 25:31-46, the Story of the Last Judgement ends with, “He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’”

If the division between the wealthy and the poor is a gauge at determining how the poor are faring in a country, then the United States is in trouble. In 2018, the top three wealthiest people held more in their fortunes than the total of the poorest half of Americans. The trends are showing that the wealthy have had increasing incomes in the last 30 years while the poverty rate just varies up and down. The republican tax cuts that were passed back in 2017 will help to widen the gap. The richest 1% will receive 27% of the benefits going into effect this year and alarming 43.5% of the population in the United States are either poor or low-income. 

I’ve known about this gap and the statistics for quite some time. I can remember talking about it in high school and college, which was quite a few years ago. But it’s still tough to look at these statistics. The United States is advanced, we have led the way in so many different areas. We are a nation of smart and open-minded people. Yet we still allow for this to happen. 

Life expectancy rates are also affected by this gap as well. Almost three-quarters of rich Americans who were in their 50s and 60s in 1992 were still alive in 2014. Just over half of poor Americans in their 50s and 60s in 1992 made it to 2014. People who are wealthier have better access to live a healthier lifestyle than those who are not. There are many people who either wait to go to the doctor or who don’t go at all due to cost. Even with medical insurance, doctor visits and medicine copays can still become expensive for a typical family. The same goes for how we nourish our bodies. The cost for a box of hamburger helper and a pound of hamburger equals the cost of a bag of grapes. There are many families who shop for groceries on a very tight budget. It’s less expensive to buy the processed unhealthy food. A person who struggles to pay for groceries isn’t thinking about what’s the best for their bodies, they are thinking about what’s cost effective and as I’ve already said that’s probably about 43.5% of our population. 

There are many things that can be blamed: outsourcing, tax cuts to large corporations, competing with the low cost of products made in China, investments that drive the cost of food up and so much more. Even though these things are to blame, they aren’t how we solve the problem. Any corporation is going to do what they need to do in order to compete with others, and it’s hardly their fault that this competition even exists. 

The best way to solve the problem is to invest in people. This is where we go back to equal access to education. The fact is: a person with a higher education is likely to earn more money in their lifetime. Employment training would also be another great solution. It’s easy enough to charge the wealthy more in taxes to cover these costs. We can begin by spreading the word, educating ourselves and voting. Our country has led the way with democracy, but there are still so many that don’t even make their way to the polls. Voter turnout in the US is much lower than other established democracies. Change can begin with the simplest thing. Vote in every election big and small. Volunteer at the polls, help other people who may not be able to make it, get there. Change begins just like a stone tossed into a pond. The smallest splash can make waves on the banks. You are never too small to affect the world.   

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have. 

 November 10, 2019

Greetings SMHC! What better way to protect the dignity of life and participate in our families and communities is there than to be responsible in safeguarding the basic rights we are all entitled to as human beings? The next social teaching in the spotlight is rights and responsibilities.

When you think about your rights, what comes to mind? As an American people we tend to go straight to the Constitution. We have the right to free speech, to practice our religion without fear of persecution, to bear arms, to vote etc. But try and go a little deeper.

Our basic rights are pretty simple. We have the right to having sufficient development of life. We have the right to have adequate food, clothing, shelter. It’s a basic human right to have access to things like decent medical care, education and social services. This all seems like it would be common sense, and that in this day and age we could manage a world where everyone has proper access. But there are still so many people in the world who go without these very basic things.

The problem begins right in our own neighborhoods. In Iowa in 2018 there were an estimated 2,749 people experiencing homelessness on any given day. Of that total number 325 were family households, 196 were veterans, 209 were young adults (18-24) and 270 were individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Check out https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/ia/ for these stats and so many more. More than 11 million children in the United States live in “food insecure” homes. This means that these households do not have enough food for every member of their family. And as much as we would like to believe that everyone has access to the same education in our great nation, it is sadly untrue. The fact is, schools located in a wealthier area have access to private funding that public schools in lower income neighborhoods would never receive. Only 10% of students in the best 146 universities in the U.S. were from lower - or middle - class income households according to a 2015 study. The Obama Administration worked hard to make changes in funding and access, but we still aren’t to a point of equality.

I could talk about proper access to medical for days. If you don’t have assistance from your employer for insurance coverage it can be difficult and expensive to get coverage at all. And employee health insurance isn’t all created equal either. If you or someone you know has a condition that requires medication or supplies, then you know the struggle with cost. In 2017 1 in 10 adults reported that they delayed or did not get care at some point due to costs.

There is so much work to be done in order to ensure that we all have equal access to the things we need right here and across the world. Pope Francis has covered this topic extensively through On Care for our Common Home. I know that sometimes it seems like there is very little that you can do to help. But even a little goes a long way. Donate to a local food pantry like The Blessing Box right down the road! Our parish also has our Friends of St. Francis group who work to provide education and practical things we can do that align with Pope Francis and caring for our common home. If a certain illness or ailment is important to you, research ways that you can help. My family and I enjoy participating in the JDRF Walk to Cure Juvenile Diabetes. It’s the responsibility of all people to protect, promote and support the rights we have as human beings.

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have.

 October 27, 2019

I hope you’re enjoying this blustery autumn weather. This week I will continue with the next social teaching, the Call to Family, Community and Participation. The way that we integrate ourselves into our social surroundings directly relates back to the call to protect the dignity of life. We are social by nature and yearn for community.

It is important to remember our unique individuality but also to understand that we belong to so many other communities and the role we play in each is equally as significant. The first and most important is to support our family. The way that our society is built, and the history of our culture is based on the structure of the family. Think about your role in your family? In what ways do you contribute? How has it helped to shape you and the way that you contribute to society? Is there a way that you can help support other families as well as your own?

Next, we must think about how we can best benefit the community around us. This is by serving the common good or “that which benefits the society as a whole.” It can be difficult because it can mean something different to many people. The idea of serving the common good has strong roots in political philosophy. Anytime 2 or more people combine to create a group, organization, or community—the common good is at its core. Think about it, we have many public organizations whose sole purpose is the good of the community of people they serve. What contributions do you make to the community that you are in? This can be as small as your neighborhood and as big as the country you live in. How do you help? Is there anything big or small that you can do to support the common good?

We know that we should have contribution to what’s around us. And although it wouldn’t seem so, there are things that make it hard to answer this call. An over emphasis on individualism and being self-centered is problematic and can make it difficult for us to see that even our own happiness depends on how we are integrated into the family and community around us. Also, too much intervention or micromanagement from a government can interfere with a person’s right to choose how they will contribute.

It can be confusing trying to decide where you should focus your energy and attention. Remember to pace yourself. Being overcommitted can turn into chaos and work against not only your own happiness but the common good as well. When responsibilities begin falling through the cracks, you are paying no attention to anything outside of work or are cutting into your sleep—it’s time to re-evaluate. It’s important to ourselves, our families and our communities that we take our personal care serious. You can’t do it all. Take a few minutes to sit down and think about your lifestyle. Take a look at this website: https://www.smartrecovery.org/smart-recovery-toolbox/lifestyle-balance-pie/. There is a great activity to help you balance your life, check it out!

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have.

9-29-19

Happy Fall from Me & My House. Remember, if you don’t like the weather here in Iowa just wait 5 minutes! If you read my last article, you will remember that I plan to take a deep dive into the 7 themes of Catholic Social Teaching, beginning with Life and Dignity of the Human Person.

When’s the last time you either heard, thought or maybe even said one of these things: “Wow, you look exactly you’re your mom! You’re a spitting image of your dad! It’s easy to tell who your parents are!” I’m used to hearing this. I look a lot like my dad, and my own children resemble their dad so much that I hear others calling them his mini’s or juniors all the time. It’s pretty typical for children to look like their parents, act like their parents, even talk like their parents. This just makes sense and most people wouldn’t think to question it. And just like we bear so many similarities to our parents on earth, we were also created in the likeness of God.

In Genesis 1:26-27 it says: “Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth. God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” And even though we know this to be true the world seems to be at odds.

No one is expendable, everyone is worthy of becoming what God intended them to be from conception to natural death. We all have a purpose and are part of the plan, but it is still so common to hear of people being spoken of like they are objects, like human life is not sacred in all cases. When a child is in the womb, when a person is suffering of an illness or a disability. Even when someone is sitting on death row in prison- their lives are sacred, and we are called to protect them. There are things that no one seems to question such as acts of war, poverty, and the safety we deserve just doing our everyday jobs. But there are things that continue to be a debate with no end in sight.

If you are one of those people who struggle to understand the dignity of life under all circumstances, I implore you to educate yourself. Don’t take my word for it because there is no need to. There are cold hard facts and evidence to support it. Take the death penalty for example. True crime has become a popular topic over the past few years through documentaries, podcasts and even fictional works. You might be surprised to see how many people have been wrongfully convicted in the United States. Check out www.innocenceproject.org if you’re interested in learning more about those statistics.

“When we speak of mankind, we must never forget the various attacks on the sacredness of human life. The plague of abortion is an attack on life. Allowing our brothers and sisters to die on boats in the Strait of Sicily is an attack on life. Dying on the job because the minimum safety standards are not respected is an attack on life. Death from malnutrition is an attack on life. Terrorism, war, violence; so is euthanasia. Loving life means always taking care of the other, wanting the best for him, cultivating and respecting her transcendent dignity.” – Pope Francis, Address to Meeting of the Science and Life Association

We can’t all attend the March for Life in Washington DC, but there are still things we can do. We can support lawmakers, corporations, and organizations with the same goals. And most importantly, we can be kind. We don’t always have to agree, we don’t have to be friends with or even like everyone we meet. But we are called to be uphold the dignity of human life and the very root of that is to simply be kind because we were all created equally in the likeness of God, our Father.  

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have.  

9-29-19

I realize it’s been a while but summer gets crazy for Me and My House. We are finally settling into the routine of being back to school. I love summer for all the fun it brings but it’s not long before I’m craving the stable and steady routine that comes with school time.

We have just passed the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time. It’s a wonderful time to brush up on a few things before Advent is upon us. Catholic social teaching is basically central to our faith. Just about anything we do and teach falls into one of the 7 themes of social teaching. They have come from many different sources within the Church such as papal statements, encyclicals, statements and pastoral letters from Bishops, but are rooted to what we learn from Jesus in the Gospels. They call for us all to work for the common good by building a just society and living lives of holiness. They are: Life and Dignity of the Human Person; Call to Family, Community, and Participation; Rights and Responsibilities; Option for the Poor and Vulnerable; The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers; Solidarity and Care for Gods Creation. 

Over the next several weeks I will dive into each theme, what it means and how we can follow it’s principles. There is a good possibility that most of you are already living by these values and going above and beyond for a social teaching that you feel particularly strong about. If so, let me know about it? I would love to feature you in one of the upcoming articles. Stay tuned next week to read about Life and Dignity of the Human Person. Happy Autumn SMHC!

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have.

 June 30 & July 7, 2019

Humans are social by nature and our “villages” are vital to our well being. I have been thinking a lot about this lately and how thankful I am to have it. Recent happenings in my household have forced me to look beyond and see who I can depend on when the going gets tough and it’s made me realize just how important the people around us are. It’s not that I didn’t know how valuable my people were, but I can admit that I have taken some of them for granted a time or two. 

The idea of community has changed a lot in recent decades. I can still tell you the names of the families who lived in the neighborhood I grew up in. I haven’t seen or heard from them in over 20 years, but I remember those days and the people vividly. 

I remember all the parents on our road taking turns carpooling kids back and forth to school when it was too cold to walk. And when it was warm, we all walked home together. We built snow forts in the winter and in the summer, we swam in the creek. It was literally the end of my world if I was in trouble and couldn’t go outside and play.

Back then, the entire neighborhood kept watch over the kids. If there was an unrecognized person or car around, everyone knew within the hour and many had probably made their way to question the circumstances and it was done all without social media. We knew the rules and we followed them. And if we didn’t, someone would let us know, whether it was our own parents or other parents. Children respected the adults in the neighborhood and the adults knew their boundaries. 

I know that many people will say that the difference between now and 30 years ago, when it comes to how we raise our children, is the crime rate and I can’t completely disagree. I hear people say that we didn’t have all the “crazy” in the world back then, but I think it’s always been there. We haven’t always had breaking news delivered directly to the palm of our hands. We were blissfully ignorant, and it was magnificent. I miss the days where I didn’t constantly question everything because of what I read or saw online. I trusted myself and others around me a lot more. With the rise of technology, we have seen a downfall of face to face human interaction. This is undeniable.  

Community is so very important. The neighborhood I described above is like the one that many of us grew up in. They were our “village”. How close are you with the people who live around you? Developing a relationship with them can make all the difference in the world when you face a hardship, in how your children are brought up and when you celebrate victories. It surprises me to think about how many people I see daily without even knowing their names. Even though it’s very hard for me to admit, I’ve let the world scare me into believing to keep my family safe I should hold them at arms length and to question before assuming the good in anything or anyone. I think there are many people who feel the same as me, though they would rather not admit it. 

I keep looking out at the streets around me wishing that my children could experience the same sense of community I had when I was younger. And some days it feels very similar. But it isn’t. Because the sense of safety I felt and that my parents felt doesn’t exist anymore. I have made it my goal this summer to get to know as many people around me as I can. The first step in creating a sense of security for my family is to create a large and loving village and we will begin at home, in my own neighborhood. 

Wishing you and your family a happy and safe Independence Day, from Me & My House!

June 16 & 23, 2019

Hello, I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather.  VBS is this week and is a great opportunity to welcome our new RE Co-Directors.

It’s been a pretty busy summer break at our house so far. Every time I think things will slow down a bit, it never seems to work out that way. There are always high hopes of relaxation in the sunlight and somehow, it’s thwarted by outdoor projects, summer sports or lessons. I am starting to find out that quality time together doesn’t come as easily as it should.

This past Mother’s Day my youngest son filled out one of those “All About Mom” pages. You know the one. How old is your mom? 167 years old of course! What’s your mom’s favorite food? Macaroni & Cheese which just so happens to be his favorite food. And what’s your mom’s favorite thing to do? He answered: work. I didn’t feel like I worked that much but in the eyes of my 5-year-old, it’s one of my preferred pastimes.

Just a few weeks later we brought two sweet little boys to live in our home through emergency kinship care. We received a call and had only a few hours to make the decision. Within 24 hours they were with us. They are 1 and 2 years old. We thought having one adventurous, high energy filled little boy was hard; having three exactly alike and at the same time has been challenging.

Just a few days ago we took a long walk to a new park we hadn’t visited before. We had spent most of the day inside doing housework and had three little boys itching to release some energy. So, what better way to get them ready for bed than to let them run and climb for a few hours? While we were watching them play, I began to think about how quickly our lives had changed. Instead of scheduling time together, we have to block off time to get work done. Keeping three boys aged 5 and under entertained while simultaneously providing mind stimulating experiences daily isn’t easy. Especially when we went from a 6 member to an 8 member family basically overnight. I used to go to bed sometimes feeling a little guilty because I spent the entire day working and missed out on some family time. Now, I go to bed wondering if I will have enough time the next day to get all my work done. The difference is that I don’t feel guilty about it. The work will still be there tomorrow. But seeing the look of accomplishment on my son’s face after climbing a rock wall may not happen tomorrow.

The boys haven’t been with us for long, but I am already beginning to see the benefits our family will gain from having them with us. Playing more and working less is the one I will value most. Most adults will tell you that their most cherished memories from childhood are the ones that were spent with people, not receiving an expensive gift because of all their parents hard work. And if you ask them if quality time is the most important, they will say, yes of course!! But how many people live by that rule? I challenge you to count your hours of awake time for one week. How many hours are spent working your job, doing housework, yard work, or extra projects for other people? And how many hours are spent doing things you don’t have to do and spending quality time with your loved ones? It may surprise you. At the end of my life I don’t want someone to talk about how hard I worked; I want them to remember how hard I loved.

With this being Father’s Day, I cannot say it enough. Spoil each other with presence instead of presents. Happy Father’s Day from Me and My House!

  Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have.

May 19 & 26, 2019

Spring has finally sprung! We’ve had a few days of actual May weather and it feels better than I ever thought it would. Have you ever watched something grow in the spring? I am always amazed each year at how quickly the trees and flowers grow. Nature is truly amazing and resilient.

When is the last time you thought about self care? We had a long Winter and Spring is a wonderful time to commit or recommit to something. Go outside and take a deep breath and think about things that bring you joy. Maybe it’s something creative like drawing, painting, or journaling. Get outside and go walking, hiking, biking or kayaking. Try something new or bring something old back. Whatever you decide, make sure that its something that makes you smile. Happy Spring!

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have. 

May 5, 2019

In Matthew 18:20-22 it says: ‘“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” Then Peter approaching asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.”’

Have you ever noticed that we have a few more people join us in Mass throughout Lent? On Easter Sunday our attendance nearly doubles. Over the years I’ve heard a lot of different mumbles and grumbles regarding our friends the C & E Catholics (Christmas and Easter Catholics). I’ve even been guilty of some ill thoughts myself. Mostly when I have to sit in the Social Hall while the people who rarely attend Mass fill up the Sanctuary.

I began Easter day being a little annoyed thinking about all the extra people who would be at Mass. This actually drove the decision I made to skip Mass. I just didn’t feel like fighting the crowd. I had that guilty feeling in my gut. I was torn between feeling annoyed with the extra people at Mass and with myself for not being there. I started making excuses to myself. I went to every other Mass during Holy Week before Easter Sunday. Shouldn’t that make up for it somehow? But when I came across Matthew 18:20-22 my thoughts changed completely. It made me realize two very important things.

One: how could I ever be annoyed with the fact that our church is full of people gathering together in His name? This is a wonderful thing! Easter is for rejoicing and having an overflowing church is a truly awesome problem to have. Two: we are all sinners. Here I am thinking ill of someone who doesn’t attend Mass very often while I’m sitting at home not attending Mass. On Easter we are literally celebrating the man who died on a cross for our sins. And just a few weeks before that I read the line: “Am I like Jesus right now? Or am I like one of the Roman Soldiers?” I was acting more like one of the soldiers that morning.

It’s hard to be kind with your thoughts. Just because you didn’t say something bad about another person out loud, doesn’t mean that God can’t see and hear what’s in your heart and on your mind. I think that’s easy to forget, I know I do. People are sometimes very quick to form an opinion about others based on such trivial things. Maybe someone is doing something a little or even a lot different than how you would do it. This doesn’t mean they are doing it wrong. Having differences is something to celebrate. How boring would the world be if everyone was the same?

I believe that if you ask yourself, “Am I like Jesus right now?” Or “What would Jesus do?”, when making decisions or are tempted to pass judgement onto others-it will most generally lead you down a good path. Jesus looked for people who were different than him, on purpose. And then he went and hung out with them! I challenge you to do the same.

Happy Easter from Me & My House! 

April 7, 2019

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes…

Relationships                       Part 5: Children

I have often said that raising children is the single most wonderful and terrifying thing I’ll ever do in my entire life. Since there is no manual that comes with the tiny humans, what I offer are my thoughts based on the experiences I’ve had. Sometimes it’s easy, other times I feel like a complete failure. My children are all so different from each other with varying strengths and abilities. But even with their contrasting personalities, there is still one way that I can parent them all equally. The best advice I could ever give is that children deserve the same respect that adults. An environment of respect fosters love and mutual understanding. And in my opinion love, respect and understanding are the best qualities of any relationship.

Say it with me: children are people too. They are going to act inappropriately often, because they just don’t have the experience adults have yet. They don’t really like to be told what to do, so sometimes they are going to protest. They are going to get upset, act out, and make mistakes. But they should be treated like any person, with respect.

At our house we focus on communication and collaborative problem solving. The fact is that if they are having a hard time doing something they may behave in an unsavory way. But there is likely a problem that’s causing their difficulties. And problems can be solved. Solve the problem and you stop the unsavory behavior from happening at all. We do this by sitting down and talking about the struggles. Then we help each other come up with a solution that meets everyone’s concerns, the parents and the children. This works the same with all ages. If a 3-year-old is throwing a tantrum, there is likely a reason why. Find the reason, eliminate the tantrum. Are they hungry or tired? Do they have a hard time going into a store because they become over stimulated? Do they find it difficult to transition from one thing to another? We have that issue at our house, so I give a 5-minute warning and set a timer that goes off when it’s time to move on to the next task. I find that when they are younger it’s also easier to do thumbs up or thumbs down to yes or no questions rather than trying to have sit down conversations.

If one of my older children are failing a class, we figure out why by asking as many questions as necessary to get to the bottom of what’s causing the problem. Maybe he doesn’t like to write and there is a lot of writing to do for this class. So, how do we solve that problem? Not with 2 weeks of being grounded. That is not likely to change the fact that he doesn’t like to write. Together, we can come up with a plan to solve the problem and make the class easier for him.

There are exceptions of course, we have our non-negotiables and we still have to handle each of our children a little differently. But since we began using this method not only have our relationships grown stronger and deeper, we are all happy more often than not. And of all the things I want for my children, their happiness is at the top of the list. It may not be the best way to parent, but it’s certainly not the worst. I cannot take credit for it either. I can only attest to the fact that it works really well. If you would like to learn more about this method, pick up a copy of The Explosive Child by Dr. Ross Greene (even if you don’t have an explosive child). Or check out livesinthebalance.org. It has done wonders for the parent-child relationships in our house. No matter what don’t forget that it’s the hardest job on the planet and there is no instruction manual. You will have bad days so cut yourself some slack, and don’t forget to celebrate the good days!

March 24, 2019

Hello From Me & My House!

“I love you. I don’t always like you but, I’ll always love you.” This is a favorite line at our house. It reminds us that in our marriage we are called to love each other and it’s something we choose to do everyday. It’s also a good reminder that our relationship will never be perfect. We are committed to being fully present to each other for the rest of our lives. When something great happens and when something not so great happens—we call each other first. We must be able to step outside of ourselves and be the one the other goes to for everything: the good, the bad and the ugly. 

Relationships Part 4: Marriage

Have you ever heard of the “honeymoon period”? This is a real thing. It’s the period at the beginning of a relationship where things are really exciting. You spend a lot of time trying to impress the other person and they do the same for you. You are learning what they like and don’t like. You are little more patient and accepting of differences. This period leads up to a wedding. It can be stressful planning a wedding, but the day is truly magical. It brings back all those feelings that you had when you first realized you were in love. Then with the newness of marriage comes the second honeymoon period but it doesn’t last long.

Marriage can get boring. Every day isn’t a romantic walk on the beach or a celebration of your love. And on top of this, it can be hard. There isn’t much that can prepare you for what it’s like to live every single day with someone else, manage your finances with someone else, and raise a family with someone else. You have your own way of doing things and to compromise and do it someone else’s way may not be easy. You wake up, go to work, come home, go to sleep and do it all over again the next day. This is it. This is where being married becomes mundane. But don’t worry you don’t have to look far to find beauty in everyday things.

One of the best ways to keep the flame burning is to be mindful of each other. A smile and a kiss can be a game changer after a hard time at work. Cleaning up after dinner can feel lifesaving after an exhausting day. A few words of affirmation can change your mood in an instant: I love you, I appreciate you, thank you for… etc. In the same way, unkind words can change a mood just as quickly. You know the person you married better than anyone else. This means that you know exactly how to make them happy, and how to make them feel their worst. Part of marriage is remembering that we are called to build each other up, not break each other down.

Make time to cultivate your marriage. Leave the work and every day things behind often to enjoy each other alone. Go on vacations together, take day trips, go shopping together. Can’t leave the house? Have a date night at home. Set the table for dinner and watch a movie or play a game after. The mistake that many couples make is focusing all their time and attention on their children and/or careers. One day the children will begin their own families and retirement will come. Eventually your relationship will circle back to where it began: just the two of you. It can either be blissful for you both or it can be so distant that you must get to know each other all over again. The most important thing to realize is that your marriage is only as good as you make it. The odds will be in your favor if you choose to see the beauty instead of the mess and when you remember as often as possible, the love that started it all. 

March 10, 2019

Hello From Me & My House!  Lent is upon us! I am taking a break from the relationship series to talk about this wonderful time of year! Why am I calling a time of penance and self-sacrificing wonderful you ask? I’ll get to that. First let’s talk about some ways that you can observe Lent that don’t have to do with giving up chocolate, caffeine or junk food.

Giving up an unhealthy food or habit is not a bad thing, but how meaningful is it to you? “We must be careful not to practice a formal fast, or one which in truth ‘satisfies’ us because it makes us feel good about ourselves. Fasting makes sense if it questions our security, and if it also leads to some benefit for others, if it helps us to cultivate the style of the Good Samaritan, who bends down to his brother in need and takes care of him.” Pope Francis, Homily March 5, 2014. 

Here are 10 great ideas for Lent!

1) Do something that’s not easy. This could be anything from an exercise routine or activity to having a conversation with someone.

2) Replace 30 minutes of time spent on electronics with 30 minutes of prayer. You’d be surprised how much time the average person spends on a phone, tablet, computer or watching TV each day.

3) Do not complain. You never realize how much you make small complaints or whine about things until you intentionally try not to. “Do all things without grumbling or questioning…” Philippians 2:14

4) Say 3 nice things to your spouse and kids daily. This might seem easy, but try to not count normal things like: thanks, good job or you look nice.

5) No gossip. If someone says something bad about another person just don’t say anything at all.

6) Do one thing each day that you don’t want to do, for the sake of another. This could be extra chores at home, or helping a friend at work or school with a task they need to complete.

7) Take part in the sacraments. What better time is there to grow closer to Jesus through the sacraments than during Lent? Don’t skip Mass, try going to reconciliation.

8) Don’t go out to eat for 40 days.

9) Consider going through your house and donating things that you don’t use or wear.

10) Delete some time sucking apps from your phone.

Don’t forget about prayer and almsgiving. It’s through this that we can grow deeper in our relationship with Christ and become more used to freely giving. Lent should be a somber and quiet time. Take your Lenten journey offline. Remember, we are not to be like the Pharisees. It’s not supposed to be fun, and if it’s not a little painful then you’re not doing it right. It is through suffering that we can become closest to Jesus, so take this opportunity to do just that. From Me & My House to yours, make Lent wonderful this year SMHC! 

February 24, 2019

Hello Again From Me & My House!  I hope you are surviving this Midwest winter at its finest. Think happy thoughts…Spring!! So far in the relationship series I’ve talked about your relationship with God and your relationship with yourself. This week I’ll be talking about the relationship that is next on my list: finding that special someone!

Relationships Part 3: Finding Love

    I certainly don’t claim to be an expert on love but most of us become a bit wiser with age and experience, so I feel like I’ve learned enough to share some thoughts on the subject. Falling in love with someone is an experience that most people never forget. But, how do you know when you’ve found the “one”?

    Many people have claimed to know the secret to finding that special someone. There are countless books, magazine and online articles with lists of attributes and feelings that you can check off to show you that you have found your soulmate. But I’ll save you a lot of time and let you know the real secret. You don’t know when you’ve found them. It’s like taking a giant leap of faith because you’re saying, “I really love the person you are today, and I have faith that in 40 years I will still love the person that you are.” I hate to burst your bubble, but there is no sure way to know that you’ve chosen the right person to spend your life with. But I do have some tips for you if you’re discerning the next step. Maybe you’re already married. That’s okay, we can all use a reminder every now and again!

    When you decide to love someone, you love everything about them—even their flaws. We all yearn for a selfless kind of love. At the end of a really bad day, can you put your feelings aside to give attention to the person you love? Will they do that for you? Take 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and insert the name of the person you love in place of the word “love” in the verses. For example, “John is patient, John is kind… John does not seek his own interests, is not quick tempered.” and so on. If you can answer yes to all of these—you may have just found the one!

    There is work involved as well. We aren’t all used to being loved in the same way. Sometimes it can take you out of your comfort zone to learn to love someone the way they want to be loved. Maybe you really need to hear words of affirmation and they really need to be showered with gifts to feel loved. Are you compatible? Do you have the same morals and values? Do you see eye to eye? Can you compromise when your opinions differ from each other? Can you talk about the hard stuff right along with the easy stuff? This is where the work comes in. To be able to love someone for better or for worse is not as easy as you would think.

    Loving someone is a selfless act. You are going outside of yourself and giving yourself to another human being. It’s something that cannot be taken for granted and must be freely given as well as received. It’s choice that must be made, to love someone on their good and bad days. You may have to love them in a way that you aren’t used to being loved. But when you find them, magic can happen. Being in love brings out the best in you and can have a powerful affect on your life and others around you. Have you found your special someone? Are you still looking? Rest easy, if there is one thing, I’ve learned in my years on this earth it’s that everything happens in the exact order it’s supposed to happen—and usually when you least expect it!

Email joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have.   

February 10, 2019

Greetings from Me & My House!  This week I will be continuing on with the second part of the Relationship Series. Last time I talked about the relationship you have with Jesus being the number ONE priority in your life. No matter who you are, what journey you are on, or what season of life you are in: your relationship with God has to come first. But who should be the next priority?

Relationships Part 2: Yourself

In Matthew 22:39 we hear “…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus made it very clear that to love God was the greatest commandment and then followed it with this as next most important. We are called to care for the vulnerable, the weak, the sick and the poor. We are called to listen with a compassionate ear and accept others with a kind heart. These are all very important things, no doubt about it!

The thing is, Jesus did not just command us to love others but to love ourselves as well. How much do you really love yourself? Think about that for just a few minutes. When you are sick, do you take the time to rest and get better? When you are hurting do you have someone that will lend you that compassionate ear? How often do you do the things that you love to do? How high are your expectations for yourself? How often do you just rest? And no… I’m not talking about sleeping.

Remember when I said you can’t pour from an empty cup? Well you can, but after a while that is exactly what will consume you: emptiness. People today are busier than ever! Maybe you have to work more than one job just to make ends meet. In college you have to go to school all day and work all night. By the time you graduate, you may need 2 jobs to pay your student loans. If you are a parent you might spend many evenings and weekends running kids around to various activities. These are just a few examples, I could go on and on. Take all of these duties you have outside of your home and then add in the duties you have at home and it’s no wonder self care is put on the back burner.

Personally, I sat down a few months ago and started to wonder, why wasn’t I happy? I was so blessed and had so many things to be thankful for, yet it still felt like something was missing. When I came across Matthew 22:39, it hit me like a ton of bricks. If my expectations for other people were the same that I hold for myself, that would be an awful way to love anyone. If I didn’t allow other people to rest the same way that I don’t allow myself to rest, what kind of person would I be? If I don’t have someone to hear me when I need to let it all out, how could I truly listen to anyone else? How could I appreciate watching others do what they love if I wasn’t also doing things that I love to do? I had reached a point where I was the person I loved the least.

Loving yourself looks different for everyone. But, here is what it looks like for me so far. Going to bed a little earlier to get up and do some reading, writing, reflection and praying before the crazy day begins. This is my “me” time. I love to draw but haven’t for a while. So, I’ve started sketching while my kids are doing their activities. Sacrificing that healthy dinner with 30 ingredients for something a little less healthy but allows me more time to sit down and enjoy it with my family. I intentionally block time out of my day to do things that I want to do, for me. Once I began to hold myself to a standard of grace and not perfection, things started to change. My cup began to fill up, and now I am ready to show the world the kind of love that everyone deserves, even me.

What do you love to do for yourself?    Let me know at joshua2415smhc@gmail.com. 

January 28 & February 3, 2019

Greetings from Me & My House!  Two weeks ago, I talked about New Year’s Resolutions. I am twenty-something days into living by a standard of grace and not perfection. It’s much more difficult than I thought it would be. Really! It seems like it would be easy to stop trying to be perfect but once you spend years doing something a certain way, and then try to change it—it doesn’t just happen overnight. I’ve decided to make my changes in steps. Very small steps. And I’m going to take you all with me!

Relationships Part 1: God

Relationships are perhaps one of the most important aspects of our lives. Almost everything we are involved in requires us to have the ability to maintain relationships with a variety of people. Not only this, but as humans we crave them deeply. We are social by nature. So, it makes perfect sense to begin with a focus on relationships.

Most people know how important relationships are, but they do take work. There are many studies that talk about the importance of having deep and meaningful connections with others. Like anything else, we must make priorities with each relationship we have. If you’ve never heard the phrase, “you can’t pour from an empty cup” then I’m going to sum it up for you. Having a relationship with God is the frontline to every other relationship in your life. One of the best ways to “fill your own cup” is through a relationship with Christ.

The great news is that there is no perfect way to have a relationship with Jesus, there are some best practices though. Prayer is a great place to start. Remember that praying is different for everyone. You don’t have to do it a certain way or say a specific prayer. There are many people who do say specific prayers and do it at a certain time of the day because it helps them to build a routine and remember to do it as often as possible. Personally, I am fond of writing, so I have a journal that is specifically for praying. I write to God like I’m writing a letter to a friend. A good guide to follow when praying is A.C.T.S.--The Four Steps of Prayer. Adoration-Praise God, because without Him we wouldn’t be much. Confession-Humble yourself by confessing something that you need to work on within yourself. Thanksgiving-Give thanks to God for all the blessings in your life. Supplication-And intercession. What or who are your prayer intentions for today?

There is no better way to strengthen yourself with God than the Eucharist. It is literally the closest you can get to Christ. Jesus knows what it is to suffer more than anyone. When you are on your way up the aisle to celebrate the sacrament, think about everything weighing on your heart and ask Jesus to share the burden with you. When we gather for Mass our prayers are nothing but greater and more powerful. Go to Mass and bring your family. Parents are the first catechists for their children, show your children how important it is to take the sacrament of the Eucharist and to partake in Mass. Our church is your very own community in Christ, join it!

The most important thing is that your relationship with Christ is unique to you. It doesn’t have to be how others do it. It needs to feel right for you. It’s really hard to cultivate your relationships with the people in your life, if you aren’t intentional in your relationship with Christ. Go ahead and fill your cup with the love that God has for you. It’s time to get right with Jesus! Watch for the next installment on relationships in 2 weeks.

I look forward to hearing from you! The intention of ‘Thoughts from Me & My House’ is to be a collaborative column within our parish. Email me at joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have! 

January 13 & 20, 2019

It’s 2019! A new year is upon us once again! People love new things. I once knew a person whose favorite thing in the world was a new pair of socks. He loved the feeling of putting on a fresh new pair. It’s the little things, right? A new year means the sometimes-daunting question: what is your new year’s resolution?

How much thought do you put into your resolutions? And how attainable are they? For years, I would set my goals the same repeatedly. I would vow to quit some bad behavior, exercise 30 minutes a day, get that promotion at work, get a new car, get that room in the house remodeled. I was always so specific and usually it was to get something. The last few years, I’ve put much more thought and reflection into my resolutions. It’s sad that it’s taken so many years for me to realize how little the “things” in life really matter. And I know what you’re thinking, “well of course I know that ‘things’ don’t really matter that much, I am not materialistic.” I would have never considered myself materialistic either, but nevertheless my resolutions consisted of “things”.

While it’s wonderful to try and live a healthier lifestyle, advance our career or any number of the other goals people invest so much excitement into at the start of a new year. What we must be careful of is how we feel if these things don’t come easily or even at all. What thoughts come to mind? Well maybe I’ll try again next year? If I can’t do this one thing, why even try? Well, I exercised for the first 2 weeks and then quit, that didn’t last long. Sometimes when we feel disappointed in ourselves, we begin to hear that nagging voice. You aren’t good enough, smart enough, organized enough, quick enough, strong enough. You just aren’t enough. If you could just be better at this or that—things might be different.

The trouble is, this comes in the form of your own voice only--it’s not your voice at all. It’s the voice of the enemy to keep you disillusioned by disappointments. This is when the walls go up. Sometimes you get defensive when others inquire about that goal you so publicly announced on social media. Maybe you become demotivated and just decide it’s not worth it to keep trying. Do you become paralyzed and unable to move forward because you simply weren’t good enough to achieve that one thing?

This is when we quit. This is when we just get a job to make money instead of doing what we are truly called to do. This is when we slide by in our relationships rather than investing in them. This is when the going gets tough and we slowly trickle away from Christ. The myth that many of us believe about having a relationship with Christ is that it must consist of only prayer, discipline and church. Having a relationship with Christ is also about loving ourselves the way that God loves us. And God’s love for us is astounding. It’s a perfect, accepting and unrelenting love.

My only resolution for 2019 is this: I will hold myself to a standard of grace, not perfection. I am that person that becomes paralyzed with thoughts of not being good enough. I let myself fall so far behind on my responsibilities and things and people that I love because of that one thing I didn’t accomplish. This year, instead of resolving to achieve something, I am vowing to not achieve something. I am purposefully living an imperfect life. And so far, it’s going great!! I am fairly certain this is a resolution I can stick with.

Happy New Year from Me & My House. May your year be filled with as much joy and as many blessings as can be possible! May you move swiftly through disappointments and remember to relish in the glory of the good things, even if they are small, few or far between.

I look forward to hearing from you! The intention of ‘Thoughts from Me & My House’ is to be a collaborative column within our parish. Email me at joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have!

December 2, 2018

Advent is upon us once again and while most of us have a general understanding of what Advent is, it’s a celebration worth talking about! The first thing I want to make sure that everyone knows is that Advent is not a penitential season like Lent. The very definition of Advent is the “arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.” It also marks the beginning of the liturgical year of the Catholic Church. Advent serves to remind us of two very important things: to prepare our hearts to celebrate Christmas when we remember the First Coming of Christ and this remembrance directs our minds and hearts to await the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time.

The color violet or purple is used for almost the entirety of Advent except for the third Sunday, known as Gaudete Sunday. On the third Sunday we see pink or rose. The third Sunday represents something like a turning point of joy. While the happiness we get from friends, family and an overflowing plate is wonderful; it is not the same joy we receive when Christ comes.

Happiness and joy are both marvelous feelings, but they are different from each other. Happiness often comes from our circumstances. We are happy when we get to see our loved ones around the holidays. We are happy watching a child’s face light up when they open a gift, and when things are simply going well.

Having joy means that you have a certain happiness no matter what your circumstances are. It’s a sense of being content because you know that God knows your name. Having joy is making a choice to remember that God loves you. Your circumstances could be awful, and you can still choose joy by choosing to abide in His love. Advent is the devout and joyful preparation for the coming of Jesus into our lives.

If Jesus showed up today, would you have the time for him? We have shopping at our fingertips, Christmas music playing 24 hours a day, cookies and hot cocoa, Jolly Holiday Lights and don’t forget to get a picture of the kids with Santa! Some of us have so many parties and gatherings to go to we lose sleep during the month of December. Our options are never ending and sometimes too much. This Advent, I challenge you to “just say no.” Maybe just watch one holiday movie instead of 5. How about just 1 or 2 parties? Do you really need to spend an entire week baking cookies? Put presents in gift bags rather than spending hours wrapping them to perfection.

We don’t say no to disappoint ourselves or anyone else—Advent is not a penitential season. Say no to the rushing from one place to the next and stress of being so busy we have no time for rest. When we say no, we give Christ room to enter our lives. Say no so that you can say yes to Jesus.

I look forward to hearing from you! The intention of ‘Thoughts from Me & My House’ is to be a collaborative column within our parish. Email me at joshua2415smhc@gmail. com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have!

September 23, 2018

By now most families with young children and teenagers are well into the hustle that the new school year brings. It can be very challenging to accomplish everything in a week. We only get 168 hours in a week, 24 in a day—no more, no less. Making it to everything on the calendar while maintaining a home for your family is hard and leaves many parents running around with coffee in hand trying to be in two places at once and rarely seeing each other. Me and My House live by the calendar. There is one on the wall and one on everyone’s devices, so we can all be in sync. But sometimes, just knowing what’s coming up isn’t enough to juggle it all. Here are some great tips to help balance your world. 

    · Don’t mistake something urgent for something important: Family time is important, as well as kids sports and SLEEP. But sometimes we have things come up like a phone call that needs to be made for work, or returning emails, a meeting etc. Extra sports practices for kids are great and will help them improve, but repeat after me: Is my child going to grow up to be an Olympian athlete, go to the World Cup or the NFL? The extra work stuff, extra sports practices are urgent things that end up taking over the important things. Re-evaluate your priorities and choose to make certain days or times a priority for the important things, not the urgent things. 

    · Stop putting so much credit into what others think of you: Do any of you have trouble with the word no? I know I do! Sometimes we take on too much because we just can’t tell someone no. It’s okay to want to please people but not to the point where you are cutting out the important things. It’s okay to let some people down. 

    · Personal agenda vs. a family agenda: We all how our own personal agenda, the things we have going on. For a parent it could be work, volunteer activities, attending kids’ activities etc. For kids it could be school work, sports, a part time job. And even if that calendar on the wall shows everything we all must do, there is still something missing. Try sitting down as a family at the beginning of the week and talk about your schedules and see if you can make more time to spend to together.

Let’s recap! Take time for the important things and don’t prioritize urgent things over important things. Say no to some good things so you can have time for better things. We are not here to please everyone else. Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.”

And on that note, see you at Mass. Do not let other things rival God in your life. Sports, work and sleeping in on Sundays are things that can often be held in higher esteem than going to Mass. We owe God this weekly obligation and have been invited to partake is something everlasting—this is on the important list.

I look forward to hearing from you! The intention of ‘Thoughts from Me & My House’ is to be a collaborative column within our parish. Email me at joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have!

Sept. 9, 2018

The Religious Education year is right around the corner. We have wonderful faith formation programs here at SMHC and here are 5 benefits to sending your children to RE classes.

     · Sometimes it’s difficult for children to understand what is happening at Mass. RE can help them to understand what is going on at Mass and in the Church in a fun way that is specific to their age and level of understanding.

     · Our Parish is made up of so many communities and school systems. The kids get to come and see friends who they may not see otherwise, not to mention they get to meet in a positive and loving environment!

     · Growing closer to God is never a bad thing. The earlier in life the bond with God is formed the better. When a person develops that connection young, it is likely to last a lifetime.

     · Parents are the first Catechists in their child’s life, but there is so much to know about the Catholic Church and our faith—it can seem daunting. But, you are not alone. Your Parish is here to help!

    · And the best part?? It’s FUN! Just stop by on a Wednesday evening to see all the smiling faces. The kids and the Catechists are excited to be here. Parents are ALWAYS welcome to come on in and check it out, so don’t hesitate.

I look forward to hearing from you! The intention of ‘Thoughts from Me & My House’ is to be a collaborative column within our parish. Email me at joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have!

August 12 & 19, 2018

In Matthew 28: 18-20 it is said “Then Jesus approached and said to them, ‘All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."  And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.’”

The Great Commission. It is specific instruction from Jesus Christ to turn our faith into action. Christianity is a personal encounter with Jesus. To turn faith into action, we must first cultivate our relationship with Jesus. The fact is that many people simply have not experienced this personal encounter with Christ. Many of us go through the motions, we receive the Sacraments and go to Mass, but we are still missing out on the friendship we are meant to have with Jesus. Sometimes we are just waiting for God to do something dramatic in our lives, like waiting for an

 “A-HA” moment. But, that’s not how God typically works. Here are just a few tips that can help you to pursue your own personal connection with Christ.

Listen and don’t be afraid of silence. A relationship with God is much like a marriage. Most of us know where pretending to listen or being impatient with our spouse will get us. And it will get us just as far with our faith. Invest your time and focus on listening.

Be humble and honest—and not just with others. Many people lie and tell “almost truths” about who we are and what our intentions may be. Sometimes it seems harmless or it’s done without even noticing. I know you’re probably thinking, no that’s not me. I am an honest person. But I am talking about being honest with yourself. Realizing and admitting your own motives behind your actions can be more difficult than you think. An honest mind is a clear mind, and a clear mind is ready to listen.

Pray. There is no right or wrong way to pray. You can write in a journal, listen to music, or even meditate. You can make it a habit by praying while you brush your teeth, waking up or going to sleep, when you pass by an object in your house or at work. There are so many ways to pray!

Read Scripture. This is the best way to listen. The Bible is a big book, but there are many ways to begin it! You can focus on the readings of the day. They can be found on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website: www.usccb.org under the Bible tab. If you would like to begin reading the Bible itself, it’s good to begin with the Gospels and then go back and read the Old Testament. It’s a great way to make connections between the prophecies foretold about Christ. Maybe you don’t want to tackle the Bible right now, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Georges Bernanos are just a few authors who have many intelligent writings to cultivate a relationship with Christ.

The Sacraments. Celebrate the sacraments as often as you can. Penance and the Eucharist are so important. God literally makes himself available to us through these, so why wouldn’t we take advantage of the opportunity?

The first step to acting on your faith is to make sure that you have a genuine friendship with Christ. It’s so easy and he’s a friend that will never turn us away—why not start today?

I look forward to hearing from you! The intention of ‘Thoughts from Me & My House’ is to be a collaborative column within our parish. Email me at joshua2415smhc@gmail.com with any thoughts, ideas, and opinions you have!

July 29 & August 5, 2018

“The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.”    Mark 12:31

There is no question that summer in Iowa has been challenging this year. We have seen everything from torrential downpours, and flooding to tornadoes. Our own St. Mary Church and rectory have seen major damage from the water. Just when many folks were getting back to life as usual after flooding in June, tornadoes came along last week to remind us that it wasn’t time to relax just yet.

With flooding in June, an overwhelming amount of people stepped up to help others. Damage to homes due to flooding is not typically covered by homeowner’s insurance and sitting there just watching the water come in and not being able to do anything to stop it is heart wrenching. Community sandbagging became almost a daily occurrence in some places. Cities were quick to set up relief sites and immediate pickup of damaged items from the curb. People walked the streets coming to the aid of others whether it be pulling carpet from a basement or just someone to talk to for a few minutes.

On Thursday, July 19, 2018 tornadoes ripped through Bondurant, Marshalltown, and Pella. Property damage was substantial to all three communities, with Marshalltown seeing the worst of it. The average lead time for a tornado warning is about 13 minutes. Bondurant received 60 seconds lead time, Marshalltown was 17 minutes and Pella was 30 minutes. Even with any lead time, it’s hard to prepare yourself for a natural disaster of any type. The uncertainty of loss of property, or worse—life, can be immense and it’s easy for fear to take over.

As these communities emerged from their shelters to see the damage that had taken place, the helplessness began to set in again, but not for long. My family and I set out that evening to see where our help was needed, and we saw more than we ever thought we would. The damage was indescribable. But seeing the support from others was powerful. There were hundreds of people cleaning up damage less than 30 minutes after the sirens stopped wailing. First responders from so many communities came rushing in. We saw people walking around with arm loads of pizza boxes handing out dinner. And even though it was hard to believe, there was no loss of life.

Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor...” He said to love God and everyone else and nothing was greater than these commandments. There is always hope and joy to be found amid tragedy. It’s very easy to think that humanity is in decline. The goodness of people isn’t typically as newsworthy as the evil is. But, after all that we have suffered locally in the last month, I beg to differ. I have seen humanity at its finest and in action.

Tell me your stories! How have you seen some “love thy neighbor” in action? Let’s celebrate the kindness of our every day heroes! 

Email Me & My House at joshua2415smhc@gmail.com. 

July 15 & 22, 2018

“The chief beauty about time is that you cannot waste it in advance. The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you, as perfect, as unspoiled, as if you had never wasted or misapplied a single moment in all your life. You can turn over a new leaf every hour if you choose.” – Arnold Bennett

How many times have you ever heard, “I’ll start on Monday.” Whether it be changing something about your life, starting something new, ending something, we often say we will start on Monday. It seems through the evolution of the workweek, we have forgotten that Sunday is the first day of the new week.

I was a “start Monday” person for a long time. It was only within the last few months that I realized there was a better way. Sunday is the beginning of the week and the best part is that I can start my week with Mass. We always hear that we should be listening to God, but how do we do that? It can be difficult to hear God. Our lives are so busy and so loud sometimes. I finally figured out the best way to hear what God was saying to me, and to turn my Mondays into Sundays!

I begin on Monday. I know, that seems like an ironic thing to do but hear me out? I look up the readings for the upcoming weekend and spend the week preparing myself by using the H.E.A.R. method. On Monday, I focus on the first reading. Wednesday is for the second reading and Friday is for the Gospel. I have a notebook that I write everything down in and follow the steps in this order.

H – His word. Record the verse.

E – Examine it. What did I observe about the verse? Write down 2-3 facts that I discovered as I looked more closely. These facts may answer some of the 5 “W’s” and “H” questions which I’ll cover below. And did I learn anything about God from this verse?

A – Apply it. How can I apply what I learned from this verse to my life? Is there a command to obey? A sin to confess? A promise I can claim? I write down my plan to live out this verse and the thoughts that God brought to my mind as I read it.

R – Respond in prayer. I write down my response to God, my prayer to him speaking to me from His word. Father thank you for…. Father please help….

Then I move on to the 5 “W’s” and “H”.

1) Who? Who is speaking? To whom are they speaking? Who is this verse about?

2) What? What is happening? What event/topic is discussed? What do I learn about the event? Topic? People? I look for key words, phrases, lists, comparisons and contrasts. What is the theme? I look for repeated words.

3) When? When does/will the event take place?

4) Why? Why does/will the event happen? Why is the topic mentioned?

5) How? How does/will the event unfold? How is the topic to be handled or made possible?

This method is not something I came up with myself, but by doing this I am better prepared to start my week and all of my “Monday starts” have much more meaning to me. Usually, whatever change I need to make comes out at some point through the week as I am listening to God. Go ahead! Give it a shot! And let me know how it works for you. 

                                                                                                                  Joshua2415smhc@gmail.com

6-17 & 24-18

Hello SMHC Parish,

Baseball, “The Great American Pastime”. A hot summer day at the ballpark is like heaven to many. As my family and I were sitting (in the air-conditioned bliss of our home) and watching the St. Louis Cardinals teach the San Diego Padres a lesson, I began to ponder the similarities between love for Baseball and love for God.

The Roman Catholic Church can be traced back more than 2000 years. Throughout that time, it’s been met with love, loyalty, faith, hate discrimination, wars, and poverty. Yet its pillars stand tall and it continues to be a stronghold of solace and hope for its 1.1 billion members and countless communities worldwide. Baseball, although not quite 2000 years old has stood the test of time. The first recorded game in New Jersey was in June of 1846 where the New York Nine defeated the Knickerbockers 23-1. Baseball has been a comfort to our Nation during many wars, national hardships, and times of peace and prosperity.

Home, that’s what Church feels like to me. The Bible says, “And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7.  Baseball is all about coming home and finishing where you began: home plate.

The Church has St. Peter, Mother Teresa, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Therese of Lisieux. Baseball has Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Barry Bonds and Jackie Robinson. Baseball even has its suffering servant, the Chicago Cubs. And even if there were nothing else to compare, there is hope and love, sins, and redemption.

“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday’s success or put its failures behind and start over again. That’s the way life is, with a new game every day, and that’s the way baseball is.” Bob Feller.

Me & My House

joshua2415smhc@gmail.com

6-3 & 10-18

Hello SMHC Parish,

Just in case you missed the introduction of Thoughts from Me & My House in the bulletin in April, here it is again! It is a new column in our bulletin and will be updated bi-weekly. Sometimes this will be an insert or on one of the bulletin pages, depending on the length. It is designed to give ideas, advice, and provide local and worldwide Catholic news. We are looking for fun and creative ways to engage as many people of our Parish as possible. If you have an idea, question, or response: please send an email to joshua2415smhc@gmail.com.  We want to hear from you!  

Vacation Bible School is coming to our Parish from June 18th to the 21st for current preschoolers through 4th grade. “Shipwrecked: Rescued By Jesus” VBS is sure to be a hit this summer! There are so many different summer camps for kids to choose from and VBS has the best of all worlds. Not too long, not too short and packed full activities! How do we love VBS? Let’s count the ways! 

1)  FOOD: No one can deny that with each year of VBS, the food gets more delicious and fun! Our kitchen volunteers under the guidance of Lisa Kautza are sure to please the crowd!

2)  MUSIC: Who doesn’t love to sing and dance? VBS is full of fun music and dances to go along with it, don’t forget to ask your kids to show you their moves!

3)  CRAFTS: Handmade is the best, and all the kids will be buzzing to show you what they’ve made!

4)  FUN: Object lessons to challenge the imagination and keep those hands busy!

5)  FAITH: Add time for the Bible and God to all the fun, and VBS is complete!

What makes VBS even MORE fantastic? Volunteers! The names and faces you see all the time, and the new ones that come each year! Don’t worry if your child is older than 4th grade, there are many opportunities to help. Contact Stacie Hergenreter to register or with any questions you may have. Hope to see you there! 

5-20-18 

Change is inevitable. Both welcome and unwelcome changes shape who we are and where we are to go. The Catholic Church is no stranger to changes. Some have been drastic and quick, others slow and steady. 

Think about Vatican II. It was a shock to many when Pope John XXIII convened the Second Vatican Council, which sought to renew and revitalize many aspects of the Catholic Church. Some have welcomed and encouraged it, while others have reacted with confusion and worry about the direction Catholics were to go. 

Changes are coming again. It doesn’t take much more than the evening news to see it. Pope Francis has said, “We are not living in an era of change, but a change of era.” The line between the critics of Pope Francis and his adversaries is thin, but his stance on Pastoral change seems to be moving in the same direction our society is.  The challenges that we face today are very different than they have been in the past. In 60 years will we be talking about today the same way we talk about Vatican II? 

The age of technology is upon us. The latest news is a notification away on our handheld devices. Social media is constantly pushing and pulling our attention. This can be seen in different lights. On one hand, the access that we have now is vast and it’s easy to educate ourselves and stay in touch with what is happening all around us. On the other hand, is this a threat to the family unit? Kids are not just learning from their parents and teachers anymore, but from everything they see on the screen. People of all ages can be swayed by a piece of false information on the internet. Our country is at a point of distress and separation, and the headlines being pushed to everyone instantly don’t seem to be helping. “The internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” – Bill Gates

Is there a way to embrace the change and make it work to help our future generations? Families are much busier now than they ever used to be. We can’t just rely on Catechists to teach our youth, there is a vast pool of information online that is available at the click of a button. Hey Google….

Closer to home, our own Parish can see the effects of the change of era we are facing. Our pews are not so full on Sundays. The traditions that shaped the Baby Boomers and Generation X are changing. Many children come to religious education classes but that is the extent of their involvement in the Church. This can work for a while, but eventually not just the programs, but the whole community will suffer.

How do we respond? How do we move into a modern era that embraces the family unit of today and keeps our Parish moving? What are YOUR ideas SMHC? Child care during Mass? Different Mass times or days? What are your thoughts on filling up the pews? What are YOU seeking from our Parish? Joshua 2415 wants to hear from you!

~ Joshua2415smhc@gmail.com 

4-29-18 

Hello SMHC Parish.  Joshua 2415 here for your entertainment, support, and pleasure! Summer is quickly approaching. Religious Education classes have either ended or will soon. The business of church activities is slowing down and making way for a busy summer. Vacation time is here. Summer sports have begun, and we are all looking forward to long days on the ball fields. The weather is nice, the days are longer. With the longer daylight hours, we often try to fit even more into our schedules than we do the rest of the year. Where will the church fit into your crazy summer schedule?

Saint Mary – Holy Cross Parish is looking for new (and tried and true) ways to keep our Parish thriving! As said in 1 Corinthians 12:12, “As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.”

What you would like to see more of? Summer Bible studies for the whole family? Have an idea for a small group of any kind? Summer youth group ideas? Picnics, BBQ’s, Ice Cream Sundaes, or kickball after Mass?  

Tell me how your family fits church into your busy summer schedule.

~ Joshua2415smhc@gmail.com