Daily Mass has been my saving grace during these nonsensical times. I cannot get past the madness, and, to make matters worse, I found myself in a state of anger. We all have our coping mechanisms and mine is currently out of whack. I keep reminding myself that God is in control, and He will see us through. As the world continues revolving into more chaos, I turn to Scripture to keep me sane.

So instead of a story with political undertones, I have decided to re-share a story about my younger years, hoping that it will bring a smile to some of you.

For as long as I can remember, I always had a crush on a boy. My mother was a single mom and during our teens she kept us in check; we were taught the fear of God and to remain virgins until marriage.

My first encounter of confused love came as a crush I had on my six grade teacher. He was tall, dark and handsome. He was married with a pregnant wife, but my feelings for him did not change.  During music class , when accompanied himself on his ukulele, that I knew he was the one. As a class we sang “My Gum Tree Canoe,”  but I imagined that he was just singing to me. “Singing row away, row over the waters blue. Like a feather we float, in my gum tree canoe.” This was the most romantic song I had ever heard, but in a couple of weeks I got over him and fell in love with Ruben.

Ruben Hater’s Club

Ruben was my six- grade crush. In our innocence we just stared at each other; our eye contact was the profession of true love as we knew it. Ruben was going to be in the school talent show, playing the part of Ringo Starr, the Beatles’ drummer. For some reason I did not attend the show, so the following day I was no longer Ruben’s girl. He had moved on to Jeanine, who was a beauty. My heart was broken, so I formed a club: “The Ruben Hater’s Club.” I was president and my best friend, Nanci, was vice-president.  We climbed a neighborhood tree and Nanci and I met to discuss our lives and Ruben’s, but within a few weeks the club dissolved. I moved on to other, cuter boys who appreciated my long stares.

Johnny and John

In Junior High Johnny was my secret crush. I told one of my friends how I felt, but  she betrayed me; during recess she ran up to Johnny and told him about my crush. I was mortified, but he told her to tell me that he liked me too. Johnny and I just flirted, and that worked out fine for us. Our family had a telephone, but because it was a party line,  you could hear other neighbors’ conversations: Therefore we never called each other. We had two phones at our home but if you were on one line, another person could carefully pick up the other phone and hear your conversation. Our brothers were notorious for humiliating us like this.

Our mother wanted us to have a better life, so she decided to move us out of Brawley. We moved to be closer to relatives in Fresno. I left my summer boyfriend in Brawley. His name was John, and he promised to write to me. He had this plan, that he called “The Five-Year Plan.” After five years we would meet again and marry. John was committed to this plan and wrote to me on a regular basis. I had a problem with John because in his letters he called it a “Five-Year Plane.” There was also the fact that after reaching the end of the line on the paper, he placed a period.  It didn’t matter if he had written a complete sentence or not. So his letters had periods all along one side of the page. I could no longer continue the long-distance relationship with this over-zealous period guy.

Ninth grade in Fresno was still Junior High, but I loved it because, once again we were the big kids on campus. Another Ruben came into my life, but he really wanted to take me on chaperoned dates. My mother would not hear of this, so I just stopped asking. Ruben and I ran for Spring King and Queen; I won but Ruben did not. Mike, a white, popular, roly-poly boy was crowned Spring King. It was a no brainer for the king and queen to become a couple. Ruben did not take this graciously, so I was his first heartbreak.

Things did not go as expected in Fresno so, once again, our mother moved us, this time to Colton. This was my first high school experience. My sister Jo and I were the new girls no one knew. I  made friends quickly but I didn’t date until my junior year. A friend of mine had a younger brother, I started dating but, he was a freshman. This was scandalous!  Now I was considered a cougar. I went to one dance with him but later we broke up. I dated other boys but did not really like them either.

High School

My senior year I had a boyfriend I did not like at all but I could not find it in my heart to break up with him. My mother did not approve of him either. She once told me, “If you marry him, your kids are going to look like monkeys.” Our mom never held her tongue when it came to who we were dating. I broke up with this guy after the worse prom date. On the day of the prom  he kept driving past our house with his tux hanging from the back seat of his car. It was embarrassing enough for me, but my brothers were relentless in their teasing. He took me to Newport Beach for dinner, but by that time I would have preferred to be anywhere else but there. At a table near us was an older gentleman, in his thirties who sent me a note by the waiter. The note read, “If you smile, I will pay for your dinner.” I was flattered and gave the man a sincere smile. The stranger kept his word and paid for our dinner. On the way home I broke up with my date; I was so upset that I sat in the back seat. All of my high school relationships were pure because I could hear my mother’s strong voice in the back of my head, still influencing me.

College Jalopy Guy

When I was in college I dated but I was never really serious about anyone. I remember this nightmare guy who pursued me until I agreed to go on one date with him. I was getting flowers  anonymously and I thought they were from him (they were not). On the day of our date this guy drove in something that resembled a car. He had spent most of the day hand painting this jalopy. As I got into the vehicle there was a huge opening under my feet and I could see the road and the axel rotating. I was scared for my life! Needless to say, this was our one and only date.

Mike

God was always with me and He had a big plan for my life. I thank Him that in all my past experiences with boys, I have no shameful regrets. I broke hearts and my heart has been wounded, but God had set me  aside for my husband Mike. I was a child bride at nineteen.

When you educate students it’s important to understand the truth and to teach history with the facts. A good teacher makes great leaders. I’ve had good teachers but I’ve also had teachers who put too much emphasis on their own opinions. History teachers have a huge responsibility to teach the truth. The problem with our current society is the fact that some teachers and leaders want the pain from the past to be erased. That’s an impossible task. The truth is that we were all created for great things. Some of will attain them because we’ve learned from our past mistakes. To some it comes naturally, but a few others get stuck in the past.  We are not only capable of learning from our past mistakes, but also learning a lesson from our forefathers. Many of our leaders failed to get that memo on love; they ran with the idea of “conquer and destroy.” If that is the truth, then let it be told. We are all teachers; a good teacher teaches with the heart to achieve clear learning. These life lessons must be instilled for the good of all. Nothing can be accomplished through violence. The louder the voice, the more deafening it is for others. You cannot force your thinking on others unless they are weak in spirit. When you put your trust in God, no man will be able to silence the truth. God is always in control, but if you believe for one minute that He is not, you will fall for any wind of doctrine.

Indoctrination In Higher Learning

If your child got accepted into college, you have a lot more to worry about than frat parties and drugs. There is an evil spirit on most college campuses. These influences hover over the students; they are out to get the future generation by indoctrination. These kids, who were raised by normal, God-fearing parents, are robbed not only by the astronomical tuition, but by the ideological restrictions on the students way of thinking. The protesters from the 70’s have now infiltrated most colleges and are teaching them how to become Marxists.

Our country will remain one nation under God. Any groups or organizations that attempt to come against our God-given beliefs will be held accountable by God, not man. What the enemy is doing to us today is called anarchy. Those of us who do not agree to the demands of these anarchists, are made to appear as indifferent, or without love for our Black brothers and sisters. This is how Satan sets the stage: by pitting  Blacks against Whites. As Christians we stand together to defend the human race. God does not see color; neither should we. The division is inevitable because  the line has been drawn for us to take sides. The hearts of many have waxed cold because without a vision we perish. The vision needs to have a directive that will ultimately end racism, and it must  be done in a peaceful manner.

Proverbs 29:18 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Juan Junipero Serra

On July 1st we celebrated the feast day of  Saint Juan Junipero Serra.  So why were his statues violently removed? These displays of anger were brought on by inaccurate characterization in the history textbooks, written by people who knew nothing of this great saint’s history. Juan Junipero Serra was a missionary who established the first nine missions in California. He never came against the Native Americans; rather it was the Spanish soldiers who exploited them. Juan Junipero Serra was a holy man of God who went out of his way to protect the Native Americans. He made the long trip from Northern California to Mexico City to settle the differences between the Spanish commanders. This trip nearly cost him his life, but the outcome produced great fruit. “Regulation” was the first significant legislation in California to protect the Native Americans. This was a “Bill of Rights” written especially to protect the Native Americans and the missions. Please do not leave these critical facts out of your history lessons. The Franciscan friars were made legal guardians of the Native Americans to protect them. Junipero was a contemplative prayer warrior. His motto was: “Always look forward, never back.” It breaks the hearts of those of us who understand to what extent Juan Junipero Serra suffered to protect the lives of others to see his legacy and statue treated with such great disrespect. This leaves us no other choice but to fight for what we believe in and to protect the history of this great saint.

We’re All In This Together

How many times have you heard this? We can use this same phrase for the evil that lies ahead. History will repeat itself  and these reactions to diabolical events will attempt to tear our country apart. As His Mother cries out for peace, God will be watching our actions. We are in this together and the only way out is through prayer. Our country is now soliciting prayer warriors.

We need strong-minded individuals who willing to fight the wiles of the Evil One. This army is taking applications from any age, any race; disabled, wounded veterans are welcomed. We need all the elderly, all the youth, to come to the high office of God.  Get your weapons: the sword of the Spirit in one hand and the Bible in the other. All sinners are welcomed! Basic training is now taking place, and  it’s never too late to join.

We have hard times ahead of us because this is an election year. You’ll need more than food and toilet paper to get through this one. People are arming themselves with an arsenal of weapons (real guns). Yes, prepare yourselves but ,most importantly, get right with God. Get on the team that will protect your salvation.

Matthew 12:25-26 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

²⁵ But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand. ²⁶ And if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; how, then, will his kingdom stand?

My Prayer

Dear Lord, only you can repair our nation. We cry out to you, to touch those with hardened hearts and lead them to You. We pray for the gift of discernment to allow us to recognize and defend truth. Give us special graces to walk in boldness without fear of retaliation. Remove the mountains of hate and replace them with Your solid foundation of love. Amen.