I really need to start writing my blogs earlier, because my biggest fan, Mom, goes to bed much earlier...and to be completely honest, I am finding that as a teacher, I feel like I could sleep through the night if I crawled into bed at 4:30pm. No joke. And I'm 22. So, I'll start to blog early to be more detailed.
This morning had a really interesting start. I set my alarm for an hour earlier than I normally wake up to make it to mass, but I did not succeed in the heroic minute, and I set my alarm for another hour. It was hard enough to do that while trying to keep my eye-yes, my eye open. Mornings have always been hard for me, even when I get 8 hours of sleep! Well to top that all off, I got a ton of shampoo into my left eye, and then I really couldn't keep it open. Don't worry, I was eventually brave enough to put in my contacts and move on with my morning. Then, I decided to eat breakfast (Aunt Dede's delicious cinnamon bread-toasted, of course) and ended up choking on that! I finally brought the garbage bag down because Tuesday mornings are garbage pick up, then set off on my bike, praying that I wouldn't fall of that! I mean, I though anything crazy was possible after the struggles of my morning thus far. Thankfully, I made it to school in one piece and without any issues!
Class was wonderful- we analyzed a number of moral dilemmas including Lawrence Kohlberg's "Heinz Dilemma" which should be familiar to any of you psychology people/ people that took or are currently taking Dr. Shadle's Christian Morality class. Before going into that, we went through the sources of morality as stated in the Catechism- object, intent, and circumstance. Main points, something bad can never be good, but something good can become bad. Like I said, I'm tired, and not interested in going into all of that. If you must know, take our your catechism or google CCC 1750-1756 :) My students definitely appreciate the YouCat because it is translated into more common words, but it's the same info! To sum up class, they were really making connections and did a great job connecting today's lesson into moral dilemmas- scripted scenarios and ones that I made up on the spot. Morality is what we ought to do and who we ought to be....and sometimes our actions do not always match up with what we should do....but Jesus is merciful and awaits us. Allow your good shame guide you back to Jesus. His forgiveness and love is endless!
Tonight it Bible Study, the topic we covered was shame. And I recognized some bad shame I've been carrying around- the kind that doesn't help you guide your conscience or protect your values. I'm talking about the shame that has no good reason, the shame that runs from God's blessings and in realizing how our dignity lies in Him. The kind that we take on because we allow someone or multiple people to make us feel bad about ourselves without good reason. And my friends, I forgot about those wounds until I was reminded of them as we dived into scripture tonight as a group. Here is a beautiful prayer if any of you are reading this and have or are experiencing bad shame:
Dear Lord,
You created mankind in your image, you deemed it "very good." Help me to recognize that this is true today in my life, and that you see me as valuable and worthy of love just becauase I am. I offer you all the hurtful, negative words and deeds that have been aimed at me and which have shaped a view of myself that is contrary to yours. Take my offering and create something beautiful in me, your beloved child.
Amen.
And for all of you experiencing good shame, run to our Lord! "Listen to shame but don't live there."
Please know of my prayers for all of you, especially my Grandma Nancy and my little cousin Matthew. I'm telling you, us Martini Family members are some tough people!
May God continue to love and watch over all of you.
"His eye is on the sparrow and I know He is watching me!"
No comments:
Post a Comment