I’m Back!

As an 18-year-old youth I was a registered Democrat. In my twenties the Peace and Freedom Party took hold of my young, pliable mind. My thoughts were deeply entrenched in the thoughts that liberated and freed my cerebral branches. I had a mind with God in the shadows, a mind on its own path. I was taking in anyone who would listen, not realizing back then that I had a gift to influence others with seeds of toxic ideologies that had taken hold of my soul. I believed in women’s rights and all that their agenda represented. No man was going to rule my life. This mind had only room for self; my views settled comfortably, and they controlled me. I was angry, but not really sure why.

“There is a way which seems right to man, but its end is the way of death.”  Proverbs 16:25

The Republican Party

As far as I was concerned the Republican Party was evil, hated minorities and only represented the rich. My jaded thoughts were steeped in my heart;  my entire family were registered Democrats; our thoughts were one; we ate the same manna laced with relativism. We had a picture of President Kennedy in our living room, he was our demigod.  Our mother loved him and taught us to respect and love our Commander in Chief. President Kennedy will always rate high in my heart.

Mothers Do Know Best

Our mother always had a political influence on me, and up to her dying day she exercised her right to vote. I loved and respected this lesson that she instilled in all of us. She was a patriot and always rooted for the underdog. I honored her dedication to always be heard.

The Transition

Imagine being part of the Peace and Freedom Party and then becoming a Born-Again Christian (I am now Catholic). This was a paradox and the two forces collided with only one winner. During these formative years at Biola University the Word of God was taking hold of my heart, and I could no longer be angry surrounded with so much peace. The growth in my beliefs superseded all, and nothing was more important than  pleasing God. My life was finally on track; this gradual but gentle change caused me to see things in a different light. Understanding the meaning of life, the purpose of why I was born, and how God chose Mike as my helpmate was part of His plan. As I surrendered my will to God, my mind was maturing to understandwhat was expected of me as a Christian.

President Trump

I voted for this man because I knew he would make changes. We may not all agree on the fast pace he is taking,  but, in reality, he only has four years to clean up the mess. In the usual manner I will continue to pray for God to guide President Trump in every decision.

Immigration

I pray for all undocumented immigrants who have been in our country for many years, the ones who are law-abiding, God-fearing good people. We need to protect them and develop a system that will help them to become citizens. I understand the protest, but what baffles is that they’re  flying  flags from their countries. Am I wrong to think that Americans like myself feel that this approach is not helping the matter? I can almost guarantee that these protests are organized by Americans, not undocumented individuals. Regardless of  our different opinions, immigration must be conducted in a humanitarian manner.

Mike and I will be celebrating our 53rd wedding anniversary.

The Transition

As a young bride I lived in a world of bliss. God was secondary because I wanted freedom. In my past blogs you can read about the years I spent protesting against the war in Vietnam, along with any far Left Wing political wave that came my way. Then I  got the wake-up call from God.

God First

God must always be first in a marriage. If you did not prioritize God in your marriage, there will be conflict. Then the conflict will turn into division. You draw your lines, set boundaries and somehow, without prayer, you may get through without resolving the issues. For instance, in my case, I’d  quietly  place these unresolved issues on a  shelf as ammunition for the next battle. It took me years of  maturing and mostly turning to God to soften my hardened heart. I was that person who had to explain why, how, and when I was offended. I wanted remorse, but instead God taught me to forgive.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is an essential tool  God has bestowed on us. I’m an extroverted, unorganized, strong-willed person. I married an introvert with a Type A personality. In other words, if we played  in an orchestra I’d blow the trumpet while Mike would play the violin. God knew what he was doing when he brought us together because, in an extraordinary manner, we balance each other. Forgiveness is one of the most important elements in a marriage.

It does not matter how deep the offense may be, if there is love there is always room to forgive. Of the many times Jesus spoke on forgiveness the verse that stands out the most is from Matthew 18:21-22:

Don’t air your dirty laundry, especially on Social Media. Some things you can never take back. Social Media should be used to edify, not to tear down.

I guess the Devil knew all along that this appointment was going to be one of the most spiritual visits.

I’m not taking the role of Elijah, thinking that I am the only one who can minister to Mario  ( I Kings 18:22) but I feel a strong calling to help him readjust to life once he becomes a free man. A person who has known God on a deep level will always rely on prayer, and trusting the Lord will see him through all that is ahead of him. No one can make it without God.

Later that evening I drove to St. Martin de Porres in Yorba Linda for Adoration and stayed for the 6:30 p.m. Mass.

The Visit

As usual  the guards were one half-hour late in checking us in. The weather was going to remain 60 degrees, so I asked for a table in the sun. I quickly asked one of the aides for the “Good News Bible,” then purchased our meals. Two beef and bean burritos, one hamburger, one Santa Fe Chicken salad, two bags of chips a coke for Mario and water for myself. The burritos brought back a fond memory of my high school days. “I used to buy burritos like this at the student store in high school,” I shared with Mario. We split the cheeseburger, and Mario ate the salad.

Service Dog Training

In March of last year Mario signed up for a service dog training program. He had totally forgotten about it until last week when he was approached by two men dressed in business suits who selected him to be part of the program. Mario will either receive a Golden Retriever or a Labrador. The puppy will stay with Mario during the entire time of training. Mario was very excited about this because he has always been a dog lover.

College Courses

Last semester Mario received A’s in all of his classes and discovered that statistics was his favorite and most challenging subject. He is currently taking another load of classes and enjoying his Social Problem class. These classes are taught by local college instructors. He is in his second year of sign language to fulfill part of his language requirement.

Bible Study

I have mentioned in past blogs that many times I get inspired by the homilies  at daily Mass. We are blessed with two wonderful, spirit-filled priests at our parish. A recent  homily was about Jacob wrestling with God; two weeks ago my blog was about this subject matter.

The study was deep and Mario, who is pretty knowledgeable about the Bible, gleaned new spiritual insight. Genesis 32-33 is about Jacob receiving a blessing. He needed this favor from God before restoring  his relationship with his brother Esau. Jacob feared the worse and wanted God to assure him that all would go well.  This was a pivotal moment in Jacob’s life, so much so that God changed his name to Israel.

I always encourage Mario  to convert to the Catholic faith, but he is still reluctant to make such a big commitment.

Substance Abuse Program

SAP is a program that has made its rounds in prisons, but for the first time Mario is attending the classes. This program educates inmates about  substance abuse and the consequences that come with it. The inmates will learn about the addiction cycle and recovery. They will also learn the connection between alcohol and drug abuse. Eighty percent of prisoners suffer from substance abuse. SAP helps inmates understand behavior such as anger, criminal thinking, and habit development.

Some of these programs include addressing dysfunctional family dynamics and issues of domestic violence. Mario is attending these meetings on a regular basis. With all his extracurricular classes, he is getting an earlier release. He wants his parole to be in the state of Arizona to be near his mother and sisters. Please continue to pray for God’s favor over Mario’s life, so that he can live near his family. It’s a lot of bureaucratic paperwork for him to receive permission to live out of state.

During the devastating wildfires, guess what our California legislators were doing? They were securing $50 million to Trump proof-California. They want to make sure that our state remains a sanctuary state. Our governor is more concerned about the illegals than its citizens.

My Prayer

Please continue to pray for all those people who lost their homes that God will protect them as they navigate through recovery. Lord, may Your hand be upon these hurting souls. Comfort them and allow them to feel Your holy presence through all the ashes. Amen.