100% Committed- The Conclusion

  As we walked back into the gym, Sister Clara invited us to find a comfortable place to sit.  "I want to tell you how much I have enjoyed these last few weeks with you.  I want to leave you with one last thought before our final meditation.  Never take for granted your relationship with Jesus.  Let your faith be 100% Committed to discovering all you can about Him."

(Press play to start the meditation)

-Susan

100% Committed-part 8

(Please read previous posts in this series- 100% Committed, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7).

  It was the third and final week of my class with Sister Clara.  I wondered what we would be doing today.  I smiled as I remembered jumping into the pond last week.  I was really happy I had signed up for these classes. I was definitely making positive changes in my life.  I was letting my faith become more active.  I was no longer satisfied with letting my faith be the silent part of me that I allowed out on a Sunday morning or late at night to pray.  I found that my faith and my moments of prayer throughout the day were actually encouraging me to see my life in a whole new light.  It felt invigorating.
  As I entered the building, I saw Renee chatting with a few others.  I smiled when I noticed she wore shorts today.
  "Kay, how's it going?" Renee called out.  "We have to wait here.  There not letting anyone in yet.  I guess they're still setting things up."
  "Do you know what their setting up?" I asked intrigued.
  "No.  But I feel like it would be a safe guess to say that I will not be swimming in a pond today.  I did wear shorts, though, just in case."  We both started laughing.
  Just then we heard the door to the gym open.  "Hello everyone, come on in.  Sorry to keep you all waiting," declared Sister Clara.  
  As we walked in we noticed four large trampolines set up in the gym.  "This looks interesting," I said to Renee.
   "I'm going to ask all of you to find your partners from last week and then head to one of the trampolines," instructed Sister Clara.  She gave us all a few minutes to find our spots and then continued.  "Today we will be talking about the saints you have been reading about.  Now you will notice hung above each trampoline is a yellow ring.  I like to refer to these rings as the halo of sainthood.  Remember when we first met, I asked how many of you wanted to become saints?  Today we are all going to strive towards sainthood.   I want each of you to jump as high as you can and try to grab the halo.  Then I want you and your partner to try jumping together in order to grab the halo.   Does everyone understand?"  Sister Clara looked around and noticed us nodding our heads in agreement.  "Good.  Okay then, go a head and get started."

  Renee looked at me and said, "Okay, show me how it's done."

 I climbed up on the trampoline and started jumping. I was no where near reaching the halo.  After a few minutes, I started getting tired.   "Renee, it's your turn.  I'm not even coming close."

  "Don't feel bad, I've been watching, nobody has been coming close. Not even Allen and he is easily 6' 3"."

  Renee gave it her best shot, but she didn't come any closer than I did.  "Alright," she said, "Let's try this together." Together, I think we may have come slightly closer.  We tried to play off each other's bounce, but we were still unsuccessful.  After about twenty minutes Sister Clara called us all over.

  "Did anyone manage to grab the halo either as a team or individually?"  Sister Clara scanned the class and noticed that no one was raising their hand. "Well what do you think that means?"

  "That none of us are going to become saints," someone yelled out. 

  "Well I don't know about that, but let me tell you what I do know. Becoming a saint isn't easy, and it has nothing to do with physical ability. What does matter, however, is your desire to accomplish God's Will. It is living out and proclaiming the gospel not just with words, but how you treat others and how you respond to challenges and difficulties. I know I heard someone of you say that the halo was too high,  the expectation was too much. And I would be the first to agree with you. God does have high expectations for us, and if we had to rely on our own abilities, we would never make it. That is why we have to put our trust in God. God desires to bathe us in His graces so that we have the courage to act boldly in His name for the good of the Kingdom. So, the first thing you need to decide is, how important is the Kingdom of God to you?  How much do you want it and are you willing to love and listen to the voice of God over all others?  And just because you didn't aquire sainthood today, doesn't mean you won't tomorrow or next year or thirty years from now. You have to keep striving towards The Kingdom. You have to listen to the voice of God throughout all of life's distractions, and you have to talk to Him through prayer. The point of this exercise is to encourage you to keep trying, and to surround yourself with others who are also trying. So many people view sainthood as something so above them, that they never even try to see how close they could come to achieving it. My advise would be to never stop trying to become a saint and let Jesus determine how high He wants you to jump.

  We are going to go outside into the clearing for our next excercise."

  We all followed Sister Clara outside and stopped in front of an area with several balance beams. "I would like all of you to walk across at least one of the balance beams."

   After we all proceeded to walk across the beams without difficulty, Sister Clara said, "You all did a fine job. Now I would like you to come over to the picnic table area.  Each table has wooden cubes on it.  I want you to each choose five of these cubes."

  As I picked up my five cubes, I noticed each had a different weight attached to them, and each one had a chain connected to it.   One side of the cube had been painted with chalkboard paint. Sister Clara asked us to use the chalk on the table, and write one challenge on each block that our saints had to face during their lifetime. 

  "When you are ready, I would like you to bring your cubes over to the balance beams."

  Each of us was then handed a pole, and we were asked to slide all five cubes on one side.  We were told to place both of our hands next to each other in the middle of the pole, and then walk across one of the balance beams.  Needless to say, the added weight to only one side of the pole, made balancing much more difficult. It took most of us a couple of tries to get all the way across.  

  Sister Clara stood in front of us and said, "How many of you found this much more difficult to do when you were off-balanced?"  Everyone's hands went up.  "Life is definitely more difficult when we feel off-balanced for whatever reason. Now I want you to set your poles down for a minute and choose five more cubes. On each of these cubes write how your particular saint balanced or overcame their problems or challenges.  When you are finished please bring your cubes over to your poles."
  This next question took a little more time to answer.  At first everyone just wrote their saint prayed, but Sister Clara asked us to dig deeper.  How did they pray, what were they feeling, how did they trust God?  This definitely took more thought.  I thought about the long hours St. Faustina spent in front of the Blessed Sacrament, her obedience to her Superior's and to the priests she confessed to,  her devotion to Mary, and her complete trust in Jesus.  When I was finished I joined the other's by the balance beams.
  We were instructed to place these next five cubes on the other side of the pole and try to cross the balance beams again.  Not surprisingly, we all crossed with less difficulty.  Sister Clara smiled and said,  "We all need to find balance in our lives.  We can't let our fears, problems and disappointments overshadow our relationship with God. Nor can our relationship with God be one-sided.  We our fortunate to be able to learn how these saints had to overcome great difficulties.  Sainthood wasn't just handed to them.  They had problems and frustrations just like us.  The saints are not just role models for us, they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.  They are eager and ready to intercede on our behalf.  When you are feeling off-balanced, ask for their help and guidance.  Remember, the saints pray with us and for us, and it is easier to walk a path that has already been paved, then to plow a new path ourselves.
  Next, we will be heading back inside for our final exercise."

(to be continued...)

-Susan

100% Committed-part 7

(Please read previous posts in this series 100% Committed, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6.)

  The young woman thought for a minute before answering my question.  Most people do alright.  Some seem to struggle a little bit.  I guess it's a little different for everyone."
  Renee and I started down the path wondering if we were in for a struggle.  Mentally, I said a quick prayer to Jesus, "Thank you for being with me and helping me overcome my fears.  Please continue to be with me.  I couldn't do this without you."
  As we got closer to the next challenge I heard Renee gasp, "Oh no, not rope swings.  I have no upper body strength."
  "Well maybe this will be easier than you think," I said trying to sound hopeful.
  "Alright you two, come on over here and let me explain this next challenge," said a nice older gentleman.  "What you need to do is swing from one lily pad to the next, until you make it across the pond.  Make sure you time your jump right and try to land in the middle of the lily pad or you'll fall into the water.  But don't worry the pond is only 4 ft deep and if you fall in you can just swim to the next lily pad.  Any questions?"
  "Just one," said Renee.  "Can I just skip this challenge?  I don't want to get wet."
  The man smiled and said, "Don't worry only a couple of people got wet today.  I'm sure you ladies will do fine.  Just remember your a team, you both have to finish the challenge.  I would suggest taking your shoes and socks off, just in case your foot slips a little.  That way you won't ruin your shoes."

  The "lily pads' were actually what looked like small trampoline  inflatables, big enough for two or three people to stand on at one time.  The rope swings were connected to a pulley system.  Once your rope was attached, you would just have to get enough momentum and hold on tight until you reached the next lily pad.  It looked manageable to me, but Renee looked a bit nervous. 

  "I think we're going to be able to handle this next one," I said with optimism.

  "I don't  know. I don't feel good about this. I was never good with ropes swings even when I was a kid," Renee admitted.

  "Well you follow me this time and I'll coach you through it.  Deal?  Don't worry we make a great team. We totally got this."

  "Alright.....I'm going to do whatever you do. ". Renee said.

    We took our shoes and socks off and approached the platform.  I grabbed the rope in my hands, jumped off the platform, and held on tightly.  Before I knew it, I was nearing the first lily pad. I let go and dropped right in the middle of the lily pad.

    "Renee don't worry it's not hard.  Just hold on tight and I'll tell you when to drop."

  Renee took a small jump and slowly came towards me.  I wished she would have had a little more momentum, but she did fine.

  "I did it!" she said after landing safely.  "That's kind of a long time to hold on.  You made it look a lot easier."

  " I think you just need to put a little more oomph into your take off jump, that way you will go faster and won't need to hold on as long." I advised. " Alright we've got one down and five more to go.  Are you ready?"

  "Yep, let's do it!"

   We made it to the second and third lily pad without any trouble, but I could tell Renee was getting tired.  She just didn't get enough momentum behind her when she jumped.  On the fourth lily pad Renee was tired and misjudged her landing.  She dropped too soon and her right foot slid off the edge.  She fell to her knees and began sliding into the water.  Quickly I reached out my hand and helped pull her back to the middle of the lily pad.

  "Oh my gosh, thank you so much for saving me!  I thought I was going to fall in completely.  Oh, that was so close.  Look at the bottom of my pants, though, they are completely wet. I wished I would have worn shorts like you.". Renee let out a big sigh.  "I don't think I can keep going.  I'm completely exhausted now."

  "Well how about we just sit and take a rest?  There's no time limit on the challenge." I suggested.

  "Well that's true. Ok, let's just sit here for a little bit."

    "So you never told me what saint you were reading about."

  Renee smiled and said, "Oh, I'm reading about St. Paul.  He really  fascinates me. I would love to live in a world where everyone was that dedicated to spreading the Gospel.  He faced so many challenges like being stoned, shipwrecked and imprisoned, and yet it never stopped him from doing God's Will.  He was totally committed to Christ.  I've gone through some stuff the last couple of years, and I have a plaque with one of his famous quotes on my dresser.  It helps keep me going when I feel like giving up."
  "Really?  Which quote?" I asked.
  'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.'  I love that quote.  That's why when I saw Sister Clara's book on St. Paul, I knew I had to read it."
  "I know what you mean.  I felt like I was meant to read St. Faustina's Diary.  So what do you think St. Paul would do in our situation?"
  Renee started laughing.  "He would probably go from lily pad to lily pad powerfully preaching the gospel and converting the entire city.  He probably would not care that his pants were wet ,or that he was tired, or that he wasn't strong enough for the challenge."
  "Well then, should we finish this challenge, so you can begin converting sinners?" I jokingly asked.
  "Yes.  Let's finish this challenge."
  Although Renee was tired, she made it to the fifth lily pad.  We had one more lily pad to go and then we would finish by swinging to the landing dock.  As I stood on the last lily pad, I noticed that Renee had a very little momentum behind her.  Her face was turning red.  As she slowly approached it look like she was getting ready to jump.
  "Renee, hold on, don't let go!" I yelled.  But the warning was too late.  Renee let go of the rope too soon and tried to jump onto the lily pad, but missed.  I lunged forward hoping to grab her hand, but I missed.  Renee splashed into the water.  I held my hand out to help her climb up, but Renee was really struggling.  Her wet pants were weighing her body and spirit down.
  "I can't get up on the lily pad.  I'm just going to give up.  You go ahead without me."
  "Renee, we're a team remember.  We are going to finish this together.  Come on, I'll help you get up."
  After a few unsuccessful attempts, Renee was very discouraged.  "I just can't do it."
  "Don't give up.  I'm praying for you."

   From the side of the pond Sister Clara had been watching Kay and Renee.  She had grown a little concerned when she saw the two sitting down for awhile.  When Renee fell in the water, she wondered if they would need help.  She heard Kay tell Renee she was praying for her and that's when Sister Clara jumped into the water and headed towards them.
  "Ladies, can I help you out?" asked Sister Clara.
  "Sister Clara what are you doing out here?"  Renee asked.
  "Well I think I'm the answer to Kay's prayer.  I heard Kay say she was praying for you, and the Holy Spirit just about pushed me into the water urging me to help out.  So here I am."
  "Oh my gosh, I'm so embarrassed," Renee admitted.  "I can't believe you jumped in the water to help rescue me."
  "There's nothing embarrassing about needing help, Renee.  That is what prayer is all about.  Bringing our needs to Jesus.  Asking His assistance for those who are suffering.  It was never God's Plan for us to be self-sufficient.  God wants and desires us to take care of each other.  Now, how can I help?"
  "Well, we were trying to get Renee up on the lily pad, so that we could finish the challenge," I explained.  "I think if I pulled and you gave her a little boost, we could do it." 
  Sister Clara looked at Renee and said, "Renee I want you to do something for me.  Don't focus on your limitations, focus on what God feels is possible for you to do."
   We tried my idea and it worked.  Then Renee and I helped Sister Clara up, too.  The three of us sat there breathing hard for a minute or two, trying to catch our breath.
  Renee looked at Sister Clara and said, "Thank you so much for helping me.  I'm so sorry you got all wet."
  "Renee, I don't want you to be sorry.  Every morning I pray 'God I am all yours today.  Put me in those places and situations that need me the most.'  Trust me, I would be more mad at myself if I was still dry and standing at the pond's edge.  I love it when my faith boldly leads me forward to help others!  You know that saying 'God never gives you more than you can handle?'  Well I sometimes wonder about that.  I think sometimes God does give us more than we can handle.  I mean if we could always handle everything ourselves, we wouldn't have to rely and trust God so much.  We wouldn't have to help one another.  Our faith grows in many different ways.  Sometimes the crosses we carry in our lives bring us face to face with God.  We feel His touch, we listen for His voice, and we cry out for His love.  God is always at our side, but if we aren't constantly talking to Him in prayer, we forget that.  When our problems are too heavy we have to be careful not to sink into despair.  Despair leads to despondence, where as prayer leads us to respond.  We respond to the graces God pours on us and we are strengthened.  I honestly think that one of God's favorite ways to love us, is when He can inspire others to be a reflection of His love."
  Renee's eyes filled with tears.  She reached over and gave Sister Clara a hug and said, "Tell God I said thank you for loving me so much, and thank you for helping me to understand.  I always feel like a loser when I can't do everything myself and I need others to help me, but maybe that's God's Plan." Then Renee gave me a hug as well.  "Thank you for being such a good friend to me today."

  "Alright ladies lets jump back in the water and head to shore." announced Sister Clara. 

  "But what about the challenge?  Don't we have to finish?"  I asked.

  Sister Clara smiled. "You did complete the challenge. And if you ask me, I think you nailed it."

  "What do you mean?" I wondered.

  "You worked as a team and allowed your faith to actively lead you. You helped each other and you put your trust in God.  What else can one do when faced with a challenge or an uncertainty?"
  Renee and I smiled at each other as we together counted, "One, two, three!"  We made a giant splash and then laughed our way towards shore.  I never imagined learning about prayer was going to be this much fun.

(to be continued...)

-Susan   

100% Committed-part 6

(Please read previous posts in this series.  100% Committed, part 2, part 3, part 4, and part 5.)

  Fortunately for us, Renee and I were not experienced with putting on safety harnesses, and a few other partners were ready before us.  I was a little nervous and excited at the same time.  I hoped I would not look too foolish trying these challenges.
  "Okay you two, your next," said a nice young man in his late twenties.  The young man clipped my safety line to my harness and said, "Don't worry you'll do fine.  It's not as hard as it looks."
  "That's easy for you to say, because you're a lot younger." Renee said teasingly.  "I'm sure this would have looked a lot easier when I was in my twenties."
  The man looked at Renee and playfully said, "Well I've heard Sister Clara say it's not about your age, but how mature your faith is." They both laughed as he clipped her safety line as well.
  I joined them in their laughter before I quietly admitted to Renee, "I have a slight fear of heights."
  "Don't worry," she said, "We'll get through this together."
  We began to climb the rope tower which was about three stories high. I did the first two stories much quicker than Renee, so I decided to stop and let her catch up.  I yelled down, "Renee you're doing a great job!" 
  "I don't think I can do it." responded Renee.
  "Of course you can. Remember, with God all things are possible."
  Renee smiled.  "You're right.  I trust God will help me through this challenge."
  "He will.  In fact that is my new prayer mantra- 'Jesus, I trust in you.'  I picked St. Faustina for our reading assignment.  Are you familiar with her?" I asked.
  "Yes, I know about the Divine Mercy Image and about the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.  I like to pray the chaplet every day." Renee answered.  I think talking with Renee helped distract her from giving up.
  "You know, I'm just learning about the chaplet.  I think I should try to pray it daily, too.  It doesn't seem like it would take a long time."
  "Oh, it definitely doesn't.  Ten minutes tops. ... You know you don't have to wait for me.  I can meet you at the top." Renee said with hope.
  I just smiled.  "I can wait.  I'm not so anxious to see what's at the top."
  Before long, Renee caught up to me and we continued talking and climbing the rest of the way together.  I was glad I had asked her to be my partner.  She was very nice and easy to talk to.  When we reached the top of the tower,  my stomach got a little queasy as I took in the next part of the challenge-the high ropes. We both stood on the small platform and assessed our next move while another young man switched our safety lines to the next run.  In front of us, were at least what appeared to be, 10-12 horizontal planks, independently tied to the ropes above us.
  Renee seemed a little more optimistic than I as she said, "Ok, it looks like we need to walk across these planks to get to that platform over there," she said pointing at the platform 100 yards away.  "I think if we steadily walked from one plank to the next, it shouldn't swing too much."
  I looked down and realized I probably shouldn't have.  "Wow, we are really high up.  I'm not feeling too good all of a sudden."
  "Ok, stop looking down and just look at me.  I'll go first.  Just do whatever I do-unless I fall, don't do that."
  "Oh my gosh, do you think I'll fall?" I said terrified.
  "No, of course not.  I was just kidding.  You are much more athletic than I am.  This will be a piece of cake for you," Renee said with a big smile.
  "Hmmm... I could go for a big piece of cake right now."
  "Well I promise if we get through this, I mean when we get through this, I will buy you one, and we will have a good laugh about this challenge.  Alright, I'll go first and you follow behind."  Renee slowly stepped unto the first plank.  "Oh, this is not that bad at all.  You definitely can do this."
  I watched Renee go from plank to plank and followed her lead.  We were halfway across when I made the mistake of looking down again.  I could feel my heart racing and I suddenly broke out into a cold sweat.  My feet froze and I couldn't move.  I could hear Renee talking but I couldn't concentrate on her words.  My fears were getting the best of me.
  "Kay, stop looking down," yelled Renee.  "Your faith is bigger than your fears.  You got this.  Come on look towards heaven that's the path for you.  What would St. Faustina pray when she was afraid?"
  I managed to let a small voice escape from my fears as I said, "Jesus, I trust in you.  She would say, 'Jesus I trust in you.'"
  "Well there you go.  There's your answer.  Let go of your fears and trust in Jesus."
  I closed my eyes for a minute and tried to picture Jesus standing beside me.  "Ok, Jesus, I'm going to give you my fears and my trust.  Please help me get through this, " I silently prayed.  When I opened my eyes again, I could see Renee patiently waiting for me.  "Renee, you're right, I can do this."  I kept my focus on the next platform and didn't allow my fears to distract me from the plan.  Step by step, I was doing it.  I could hear Renee humming the song 'When the Saints Go marching In' and I almost started laughing.  As I stepped off the last plank and on to the platform, Renee and I screamed with excitement, "We did it!" as we exchanged a high-5.
  "Ok, what's next?" I asked the next young man.
  "This is the fun part.  I'm going to switch your safety line and harness you up to the zip line.  Just relax and enjoy the ride."  As I was being harnessed up and instructed, I caught sight of a poster tacked up to one of the poles.  'Feel the power of the Holy Spirit in the wind.  Let the Holy Spirit refresh and renew you.'  As I jumped off the platform and soared towards the bottom I felt completely exhilarated.  My inner joy was bursting out of me and I screamed for the pure joy of it!  When I reached the bottom, a young woman helped unhook my line and gave the signal to let Renee go down.  I laughed as I heard Renee screaming just like me.

  "Wasn't that awesome?!" I asked Renee.
  "That was so cool!  I loved it!" Renee exclaimed.
  "Ok, ladies, just climb down this ladder and follow the path to your next challenge."
  "Is this next challenge easy or hard?" I asked.

(to be continued...)

-Susan

100% Committed- part 5

Please read previous posts 100% committed (posted 7/19/16), part 2 (posted 7/22/16), part 3 (posted 7/25/16), and part 4 (posted 7-29-16).

  "I would like everyone to find a partner and then meet me outside," announced Sister Clara.  "Please go out the back door.  Walk through the courtyard, and then take the path just to the right. Just follow that path through the trees and into the clearing for our next exercise."
  I looked around for a partner and walked over to a woman tying her shoes.  "Hi!  I'm Kay, would you like to be partners?" I asked.
  The woman stood up and smiled.  "Yes, that would be great.  I'm Renee."
  The two of us followed  the others out the back door and down the path.  My mouth dropped when I saw what was in the clearing.  I started laughing with disbelief.  "Are you kidding me?  Oh my gosh, I didn't know we were going to be participating in an episode of 'Ninja Warriors'!"
  Renee looked at me and said, "You're going to be sorry you chose my for a partner, I'm really not that athletic."
  Everyone began to talk excitedly as we took in the obstacle course ahead of us.  Of course, it was not as extreme as Ninja Warrior competitions, but it did look a bit intimidating.  I could see a high ropes portion, a large tower, a balance beam, a rope swing, and what looked like floating lillypads.
  "I bet you are all wondering what is going to happen next," declared Sister Clara as she stepped onto a small platform by the large rope tower.  "Please let me explain.  You see, I don't want your faith to be a noun-something you keep inside you.  I want your faith to be a verb.  I want your faith to be active in your life.  Faith is full of challenges and requires hard work.  Your prayer life should strengthen your faith and actively propel you forward, even when it seems impossible.
  I asked you to pick partners, because I want you to encourage and cheer each other on.  We need one another.  That's why Jesus made a point of stressing that we should love one another.  We have to care and look out for each other.
  Today I hope you all learn something about yourself.  I want you to take that faith you keep safely inside your heart or head, and I want you to let it lead you.  This course represents the challenges we all face at different times in our lives.  I want you to all pray that your faith will be strengthened in times of need.  Faith is not about giving up.  Let your faith lead you and encourage you to dig a little deeper, try a little harder, or give it one more chance.  Pray that your faith will help you accept and learn from your mistakes, and be open to forgiveness.  And lastly, remember to let your faith smile and radiate joy, even when it appears that you have been

beaten.

  I'm going to have you all come over here and sign some release forms before you slip into some safety harnesses.  Do I have any volunteers to go first?"

(to be continued...)

-Susan

100% Committed-part 4

 Please read 3 previous posts 100% Committed (posted 7/19/16), part two (posted 7/22/16) and part 3 (posted 7/25/16). 

  I thought about Sister Clara's suggestions about putting God first as I made my list.  I was embarrassed to admit, even to myself, that she accurately described my problem with prayer.  I always waited to the end of the day to pray, and I was usually too tired or too distracted to put any real effort into it.  I guess a part of me knew I wasn't giving God my best, and that's why I was so intrigued when my friend had raved about how this class had helped her to see things differently.  I remember my friend saying, "And now I'm 100% committed to my prayer life."  I wanted that same attitude and commitment.
  I walked over to look at the books displayed on the table at the other side of the of the gym.  There were so many different saints to choose from, I had no idea which one I should pick.  I seemed to be drawn to a thick red book with the picture of Jesus with rays coming from His heart.  I had seen that image a lot this Jubilee Year of Mercy, and I had meant to find out more about it.  I picked up the book and took a closer look at the title- "Diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul."
  "Oh, that would be an excellent choice," said Sister Clara.  The Diary of St. Faustina is one of my favorites.  I have read it several times, myself.  Don't be intimidated by the size, remember it's an ongoing process of discovery.  The book is broken into diary entries which makes it easy to read even for someone who is very busy.  That way you can read as little or as much as you want on any given day.  St. Faustina is a modern day mystic and this diary is filled with wisdom as she records conversations she had with Jesus."
  "Really?  That sounds very intriguing, but it is a very thick book," I said politely.
  "You're right, there are plenty of shorter books you could read, but I think reading the Diary would be well invested time for your soul.  Trust me.  Or better yet, trust Jesus.  'Jesus, I trust in you' is a very important part of the Divine Mercy message."
  "Sister Clara could you help me?" I heard a voice say from the other side of the table.
   Sister Clara politely excused herself, and I stood staring at St. Faustina's Diary.  I know this sounds strange, but I just felt a connection with the book.  It was as if I was "meant" to read it.  "Jesus, I trust in you," sounded like a good way to start my new commitment to prayer. When Sister Clara was free, I inquired about buying the book.
  "Absolutely!  I would be happy to sell you the book.  I can't tell you how excited I am for you!" Sister Clara exclaimed.

  The next week went by fast.  I found that praying to God throughout the day was a lot easier than I thought it would be.  Turning the radio off on my way to work was actually a great way to start the day with prayer.  I also found that taking a short walk after lunch was another opportunity for quality time with God.  I found myself really looking forward to these times with God.  At night I dedicated at least 20 minutes to reading the Diary.  Sister Clara was right, this book was truly enlightening.  St. Faustina was given the mission to tell the world about God's loving mercy.  I was learning so much about Jesus through her diary.
  Saturday came and I was eager to get to class again.   I wondered what insight Sister Clara might share with us today.
  "Hello everyone!" Sister Clara announced with enthusiasm as she walked across the gym floor.  "We have a very exciting day ahead of us!"

(to be continued...)

-Susan

100% Committed- part 3

Please read 2 previous posts 100% Committed (posted 7/19 /16) and part 2 (posted 7/22/16).

  We all walked into the gym and noticed small stacks of hand weights on one side of the gym.  "Alright I would like each of you to line up on the far side of the gym," announced Sister Clara.  As I walked pasts the piles, I noticed they each had different weight limits.  They looked similar to ones that I had used in an aerobics class last year.  I wondered why we would need these.
  Sister Clara stood in front of the class ready to instruct.  "I want each of you to think of three responsibilities you need to attend to every day whether it be work, taking care of the kids, cooking, cleaning, school, etc.  Now for each of these responsibilities I want you to pick up a 5 lb. weight."
  We all found our 5 lb. weights and brought them back to our spots.
  "Now I want you you to think of three things you do for relaxation each day, for example, going out to dinner, hanging out with friends, going on social media, TV, computer games, etc.  I would like you to pick up a 3 lb. weight for each of these things."
  Again we all found our corresponding weights and returned to our spots.
  "Great!  Now we are ready to begin!" Sister Clara said with enthusiasm.  "Every day each of us must juggle different responsibilities.  Some of these responsibilities weigh on us a little more that others.  What I would like each of you to do next,  is to think of the 3 responsibilities you assigned to the 5 lb. weights.  Pick up one of the 5 lb. weights and jog around the gym, up the stairs, go across the upper gym, descend the other set of stairs, and then return that weight to this rack.  I would like you to do that for all 3 of your 5 lb. weights.  After you have done that I would like you to do the same things with your 3 lb. weights.  Does everyone understand?"  Sister Clara smiled as she saw us nodding our heads "yes" and then blew a whistle.  "Okay, let's get started!"
  I managed to do the first two laps without any difficulty.  I felt myself slow down a bit on the third lap and I was definitely breathing a little harder.  Although there were a few people ahead of me, there seemed to be more behind me.  I felt bad when I saw two middle aged woman slow down to a walk.  As I jogged I wondered what this even had to do with praying.  Was Sister Clara trying to tell us we needed to be in better shape?  Does praying take endurance?  
  By the time we were finishing the last lap with our 3 lb. weights, we all seemed to be spread out more.  As we put our last weight on the rack, Sister Clara pointed to another pile of weights and said,  "Only one more lap left.  Go ahead and pick up the 2 lb. weight which represents your prayer time and complete the last lap.
  Although this was the lightest weight, I was feeling pretty winded and tired.  Now I know why my friend said to wear my running shoes today.  I heard others moaning and complaining when they were given one more weight.  I did my best not to gripe as I very slowly jogged the last lap.  As each of us finished, Sister Clara handed us a pen and a piece of paper. 
  "Please compose a very personal prayer to God thanking Him for His Presence and asking Him for guidance." Sister Clara instructed with a big smile.
  I took the pen and paper and collapsed on the floor alongside everyone else.  Nobody seemed to be writing.  Everyone seemed to be taking a rest instead.  I did my best to think of something, but I was spent.  I couldn't think of anything.
  After Sister Clara and an assistant rolled the carts of weights back into storage, she stood in front of the class again.  "So who would like to share their prayer with the class?"  She looked around and saw no volunteers.  "Okay, let me ask you this: How many of you feel you wrote a very meaningful prayer to God?"
  "Does please don't let me have a heart attack after running so much count?" someone whined.
  Of course this statement was followed by laughter and other similar comments.  Sister Clara looked around and asked, "Does anyone know what the point of this exercise was?"
  We all shook our heads "no".
  "Every day we are faced with choices and responsibilities.  They consume a great deal of our time.  Sometimes they exhaust us physically, emotionally, and mentally.  We do our best to multitask and fit as much as we can into each day, and then at the very end of the day, when we are completely exhausted, we try to pray."  Sister Clara paused for a moment before continuing.  "Why do you think that most people feel it is alright to give so little of themselves to God in prayer?  Should God just be grateful that we at least remembered to pray?"  Again she paused.  "Earlier today I asked you to think of the many ways God had blessed you.  I asked you if you wanted to be one of heaven's saints.  Something all the saints had in common was a strong prayer life.  They didn't give God a little bit of time at the end of the day when they were exhausted, their thoughts were centered around God throughout the day.  In order for our prayer life to grow, in order for us to grow closer to God, we can't put Him last on our priority list.  He has to come first."  Again she paused. 
   "Before we break for the day, I want you to take the next fifteen minutes and think of three things you could do differently in order to spend better quality time with God.  Maybe you could wake up fifteen minutes earlier each day and begin your day with prayer.  Maybe you turn the radio off in your car on the way to or home from work and have a conversation with God instead.  Maybe you pray before you go on social media or watch tv.  It's entirely up to you.  Choose things that make sense to you and your lifestyle. 
   Also, before we meet next week, I would like each of you to spend some time reading about one of the saints.  I have lots of books here you could choose from, or you may choose to read a book you already have, or some of you may prefer to acquire an e-book.  I realize you may not have the time to read the entire book this week, and that's fine. This is an ongoing assignment without a specific deadline.  While you're reading ask yourself, 'How does this particular saint approach prayer and is this something I can emulate?'  I am looking forward to meeting again next week and please do your very best to spend quality time with God."

(to be continued....)

-Susan

100% Committed- part 2

(This is a continuation of the story 100% Committed posted on 7/19/2016)

  As we went outside, we all tried to head in a different direction.  I decided to cross the street and head towards the grocery store at the end of the street.  As I walked I tried to think of all the blessings in my life starting from my early childhood.  I thought first of my parents and siblings, and then my grandparents.  I thought about all the wonderful moments we had shared and how those moments had influenced many of my life choices.  I thought about the many friends I have had throughout my life, and how God had surrounded me with some very good people.  Of course, I could not forget about my husband and kids.  Being a wife and mother had changed, challenged, and transformed me to become a better person.  I probably could have spent the entire day trying to count all the blessings we had shared as a family.
  Next, I tried to remember when I first learned about God, and how blessed I had been to have people willing to share their faith with me.  As I continued my thoughts, I caught my reflection in the window of a parked car and noticed I was smiling.  Perhaps I was beginning to find my inner joy.  Had you asked me earlier this morning if I had felt blessed, I probably would have just shrugged my shoulders up and down and said, " umm...I guess."  But the truth of the matter, is that I had been blessed so many times in my life and in so many ways.  I wonder why I never spent much time thinking about it?
  As I stepped inside the grocery store, I mentally reminded myself, "God loves me and He has blessed me.  I am filled with the joy of God's love."  I knew as I stepped into the store I was stepping out of my comfort zone and into new territory.  "How exactly do you share God's joy with others?"  
  I remembered Sister Clara's words, "I want you to smile and radiate God's love to others."
  "Okay, here goes," I thought to myself.  As I walked up and down the aisles I just smiled at people and said, "Hello." And I found that people returned my smile and greeted me as well.  It felt pretty good and I could feel my inner joy getting stronger. I was about halfway through the store when I glanced at my watch and realized I needed to head back to the gym.  By this time I was feeling pumped with joy and decided that I could easily jog back and make it in time.  As I got closer to the gym I could see Sister Clara smiling and talking with everyone.  Amazingly, everyone seemed to be  a little more friendlier and at ease now. 
  After a few more minutes of talking Sister Clara announced, "Okay, I need everyone to follow me back into the gym for our next exercise."

(to be continued...)

100% Committed

 I put my tennis shoes on, grabbed my water bottle, and headed for the gym.  I was committed.  Today I was determined to make some positive changes in my life.  No more being lazy.  I was ready to give 100%.
  As I walked into the gym, I noticed the trainer at the front of the class.  She was smaller than I had expected, and not the dynamo everyone had described her as being.  She flashed the class a smile and said, "Welcome everyone!  I can't tell you how delighted I am to see so many of you here today.  I know you all have busy lives, so I want to get started right away.  I am Sister Clara and this is Prayer Training 101.  Let's get warmed up.  I want everyone to start running in place."
  We all began to jog.
  After about two minutes Sister Clara said, "How many of you want to get to heaven?"
  I heard a few people mumble the word "yes" quietly, unsure if they were supposed to answer out loud.
  "I'm sorry, but that was a very poor response.  If you're not seriously interested in getting to heaven, feel free to just run right out that door.  Now, let me ask you again, who in here wants to get to heaven?"
  "I do," chanted everyone.
  "I need to know your commitment.  Let me hear your conviction.  Who wants to go to heaven?"
  "I do!" we all shouted.
  "Good.  That's what I wanted to hear.  Now, who here wants to be a saint in heaven?"
  "I do!" we all shouted again.
  "That's great!" exclaimed Sister Clara.  "How many of you are starting to feel your heart pumping pretty good?"  Most of us rose our hands.  "That's called life.  God gave you life and He's got a plan for you.  Are you ready to discover His Plan?"
  "Yes!" we again shouted.
  "Inorder to discover God's Plan we have to pray from the heart.  Everyone put your hand over your heart.  Can you feel that energy?  That is a heart that is committed to God and discovering His Will.  Isn't it exciting?!  Continue to keep jogging, except now I want to see everyone smiling.  God wants you to be happy.  Let everyone know that doing God's Will fills you with joy and excitement!  In a minute, I'm going to send each of you out into the streets of this neighborhood.  I want you to smile and radiate the love of God to everyone you encounter.  I'm going to give you 30 minutes to work on finding your inner joy.  Think of all the ways God has blessed you in your life.  Meditate on this thought- God loves me and He has blessed me!  Okay, I'll see all of you back in 30 minutes.  Go spread joy into the world!"

(to be continued...)





















-Susan