The Mom Weekly Volume 66: November 12, 2024
You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the website here.
Speaking of Holy Spirit nudges as I do this week, I plan to share and write about the election, in a general, but not a specific way. But not this week!
Holy Spirit Nudges(TM)
One morning recently, I had a thought while walking the dogs: I should invite my neighbor to ride with me to Mass.
I was planning to go to a later morning Mass than I usually do, one that I have seen her at, and she had had a hip injury from a camping accident. I wasn’t even sure if she was driving yet, and I thought, maybe I could drive her? I did nothing about it right then, and the thought passed.
As I was feeding the dogs their breakfast, the same, but louder, impulse occurred to me, and I realized that I should act on it! So I sent her a quick text (the dogs could wait), and felt glad that I did.
I confess that I thought for a second, well, I won’t have that ride time to myself, and I’ll have to explain that I want to stop at Panera for my sip club drink on the way home, etc. etc. There’s a resistance to this kind of thing, but I recognized it as a prompt from the Holy Spirit.
A few minutes later, she responded that she had been planning to drive to Mass and her Bible study, but she would rather drive with me. It turns out that while she can drive, she is using a cane, and is walking very slowly.
It would have been hard for her to navigate everything. I could drop her at the front door of church, and tell the Eucharistic minister to bring her communion at the back of church. The ladies from her Bible study took it from there.
Since she was staying at church for her Bible study, and someone else could drive her home, so I didn’t even have to explain about Panera. It seemed almost too easy.
I felt great about doing the right thing there, and especially grateful that I listened to that prompting of the Holy Spirit. Let’s call them Holy Spirit Nudges (TM).
I’m sure by writing about it I have negated any merit that I might receive from actually doing that good deed, but I will take one for the team. That’s because the concept is much more important: trying to become more aware of the Holy Spirit’s prompting in our lives, and to act on them.
I am not great at this, but I am trying to get better.
I’m not really sure how it works, but here’s how I imagine it:
The Holy Spirit sends me a nice gentle nudge to do something, pray something, or say something.
When I don’t respond, I imagine my guardian angel rolling her eyes, sighing, and telling the Holy Spirit, “Don’t worry, H.S., I’ve got this one.” She then gets up, nudges me a little more forcefully, as my guardian angel knows that I need!
Who knows if that is theologically accurate? It’s fun to imagine it that way, and to have pity on my poor guardian angel, who all too often has to repeat, in a LOUDER SPIRITUAL VOICE, what the Holy Spirit has so kindly and gently nudged me to do.
I have been slightly more aware of Holy Spirit Nudges TM (can I trademark this?) lately. To be honest, I don’t always respond to them.
Sometimes I am not sure it’s from the Holy Spirit (time to read St. Ignatius of Loyola on the discernment of spirits); and sometimes I just find myself not acting right away, and the moment passes.
It’s really important, at least for me, to not reproach myself for missing a Holy Spirit Nudge (TM). These nudges appear all the time, and there will be another opportunity often. And a terrific guardian angel to repeat it a little louder when I (almost always) need it.
Remember how much I love you,
Mom
Interesting/Notable:
42,000 Jigsaw Puzzle Time Lapse — it took this person almost a year to complete this jigsaw puzzle.
The sorting alone took 2 months. Where does one purchase such a puzzle? I definitely do not want one, I just found it very interesting to watch the time-lapse!
An Action Item: Think About Christmas Ideas
Christmas is 43 days from today. That’s quite a bit of time, but that time will go quickly. Do you know things that you want to do, bake, or see? Time to make a list.
Some ideas:
*who do you need to get a gift for? Office exchange?
*do you want to bake any special Christmas cookies or treats? Do you want to give those to others? Plan ahead for containers, and setting aside time to do the baking. Maybe invite a friend?
*any November/December events you want to put on the calendar? I have a ToDoist reminder for Shop & Stroll at the nature center. There’s also Christmas light displays like the Festival of Lights, and more.
*end of year charity giving. The approach of Advent is a great time to consider some giving to your church, a charity that you want to donate to. This could also be a good chance to volunteer, or consider an ongoing volunteer commitment.
What are you doing this weekend?
So, now that it’s Tuesday, what are you planning for the weekend? I’m going to suggest trying to cover four “F”s to get ideas flowing:
*faith—when are you going to Mass?
*friends—what friends will you see or connect with?
*food—any fun recipes you plan to try, or restaurants you plan to visit?
*fun—anything interesting you are going to play, watch, or do this weekend? Now’s the time to think it through, and put it on the calendar (even informally).