Be a Faith Mountaineer, often Joyous, sometimes Weary, making your way up the Mountain of God.

I have come so far, but I have so far to go!

It's easy to concentrate on how far we have to go to be where we want to be. We generally want to achieve perfection, especially in prayer and in our relationship to the Lord. For me, I tend to look at far I have to go, instead of how far I've made it.

LOS ANGELES, CA - When I was away from the Faith, I was FAR from the Faith and from God. When I came back last year, I had no idea where to start; thankfully, my priest in the Confessional got me started with a Rosary, and I've prayed it hundreds of times since then.

It's like climbing a mountain. As you climb it, especially if it's a gradual slope, you adjust to your steps, your surroundings. You don't realize how the height you've achieved until you look back.  When we went to Lookout Mountain (above), there were times we felt like we were on flat ground and not achieving any elevation. Other times it was winding and was a little scary; again, like life can be. Sometimes, again like life, we seemed to (and did) go down a bit, lower. But we kept going anyway, believing in our final destination. When we finally reached the top, I couldn't believe how high up we were (I'm scared of heights!!).

Light a virtual candle...

This is something Father  mentioned in confession last week.  He reminded me not to think of all I had yet to do, or what I wasn't doing, but to remember what I have done, how far I've come.  Perhaps I still have some of the same sins (like a sharp tongue) but do I use it as often as I did before? Have I gotten better? I don't have to get 'perfect' but I do have to get better. Perfect would be ideal, obviously, but perfection of life is not achievable in this world. I don't need to share what I've done or what I'm doing to move forward; but since I was basically doing nothing just over a year ago, being this far along is a miracle; I wouldn't have believed it if you had told me that it was going to be this way.
It's easy to think of all that we haven't done to honor God. We should do more. That's guaranteed, for most of us. But if we are moving forward, let's remember that, too.  We can't make it to the top if we don't take that first step, and each step afterward, even when they don't make sense at the time.

This was today's verse on Bible Gateway, which I checked after I wrote this post:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 NRSVCE

Light your Free Virtual Prayer Candle for Christmas

Amen! Amen! Father, thank you for this journey! Help me to bless and honor you in all I do and say. Amen!

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