Winter Blues

The Fall is here! and with it preparations for Thanksgiving and then Christmas and all the fun associated with it! yet, for some of us Fall and Winter are dreaded times.

As if having depression is not enough the whether decides to mirror our low moods. The skies get gray, the trees loose their leaves, etc, etc. Sometimes for a depressed person getting out of bed is hard enough with sunrise...now take the sunrise out of the equation and it just gets harder!

what is a person with depression to do? the following things have helped me:

1) get a light for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), you can find some in amazon. They can be expensive but they are worth it.

2) excercise!! you know the deal, endomorphines, body image... it is always a good thing to do!

2) make a list of things that you love about the season and remember them often. Maybe seeing your children at the pumpkin patch, the changing liturgy at Church, etc...

3) practice comtemplative prayer. The world is slowing down. Beauty is hidden under layers of cold and grey, but very much present in the cold and crisp snow, in the winter birds, in the silence of nature. Contemplate and find God in them. Approach the warmth of His heart, hidden under the layers of cold winter.

Happy Fall & Winter to all! :)

Religious Vocations and Mental Ilness

"good physical and mental health"

That is one of the basic requirements of most religious orders. Yet, what does "good mental health" mean? If a person has a history of depression but has been stable for years... do they have "good mental health "? or should the person aspiring for religious life always be one of those fortunate souls that have never experienced an emotional breakdown?

I don't know the answer to this. I guess it depends on each religious order and on the individual... yet I know that wether the person can or cannot fulfill a vocation, Our Good Lord has a plan of glory for each one of us! Each person, whether sick or healthy, has a mission, a divine task to accomplish!

"He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His Love than in your weakness." Mother Teresa

its been a while!

wow! Its been a while since I've written! Some stuff was going on, familiy wise, which kept me really busy, but I am back! Thank you for reading and commenting. God bless you!

Guild of Saint Benedict Labre

Surfing in the internet I found the Guild of Saint Benedict Labre. Wonderful group! I have not signed up as a member but I am planning on doing it. They commissioned an icon for the Guild that is simply beautiful. The explanation of the icon is wonderful! Enjoy!

Renewal of Offering....

Lord, before the Heavenly court I renew my offering to You. My Lord and My God, I offer you myself. I offer you all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings, specially those related to my illness for the following intentions:___________. I will suffer my illness with patience, trust and in union with You, my Beloved Christ Crucified. I pray for a complete cure if it be Your Will. If not, I pray for the strenght and love to bear this Crown of Thorns in love. Amen.

A prayer during recovery...

My Lord and my God, I just went through a crisis. I thank you for being with me at all times during it. I thank you for the love and mercy of my family, friends, doctors, etc. Please, as I slowly get better guard me under your wings, bless me with your healing oil and protect me againsts anything that might slow my recovery. Lord, I feel weak. This illness has humbled me. But instead of crying out in frustration I will become small and seek comfort in Your arms. I love You, and I entirely trust in You. Amen

complaining to God...

A lot of people who suffer from anxiety disorders are people who bottle up their feelings. Maybe you think that expressing your frustration or deep pain is like complaining. I thought that for a long time and therefore I would not share with anyone my profound pain... not even to God.

I wouldn't share with God my pain in detail because I thought it was "lack of acceptance of His will." So I suffered and moaned in pain absolutely alone. Sure I would share with my therapist and spiritual director but up to a point. I did not want to seem melodramatic or seem like a "whiner."

Yet the pain kept bottling up and I cried out to God... and surprisingly His answer was "tell me everything." He wanted to know the details, he wanted me to moan in His arms. He wanted to share the deepest darkness with me.

"I beg you to put yourself in the presence of God, and to suffer your pains before Him. Do not keep yourself from complaining; but this should be to Him, in a filial spirit, as a little child to its mother. For if it is done lovingly, there is no danger in complaining, nor in begging cure... but do this with love, and with resignation into the arms of the good will of God" - St. Francis de Sales

He wants to share in your darkness. Sometimes we think that others can't handle the amount of pain we are in and we don't talk about it. Do not underestimate your therapist, family and friends...but first and foremost do not underestimate your Heavenly Father. He is Strong, He can handle all of your pain, and most importantly, if You share your pain with Him, if you give it to Him, He will fill you with His Spirit, with His Hope.