While explaining today's Gospel, our own Fr. Nelson said something along the lines of, "Authority cannot be realized without true humility and love." He was speaking of Peter's role as Pope. However, as I read the Fatherhood Blog this morning I realized how very much this sentence applies to Godly men in their vocations as husbands and fathers.
My husband is a true Renaissance Man. He does all the things he's "supposed" to do as the Head of our family. Plus, because I have been either physically or emotionally unhealthy for much of our marriage, he has had to learn the "jobs" of the Heart of the family. And his growth in the Lord has been phenomenal.
I knew the role of a Christian wife when I married; Bill's authority over our family was set. But as I've seen his struggles and successes in the very dailiness of our lives his authority over my heart has grown. I would follow this man anywhere without question. By God's grace I will follow him to Heaven.
When I see my Beloved Bill serving our family with increasing humility and greater love I am inspired to become what I am: a good wife and mother; Beloved of God and beloved of my husband.
"...Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant....Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matt 20:26, 28) The ultimate in Authority tempered with Humility and Love. I pray I can follow His example as well as my husband does.
While young, I often dreamed of being a writer. No, not just a writer; an Author. Stories and poems came as easily as breath. I couldn't imagine a life without words. And I couldn't imagine in those tender years the possibility of failure.
Later I learned writing is a talent to be nurtured, a skill to be honed. And I found I hadn't the self-discipline for the work involved. I've had friends read a letter or a blog entry and ask if I've written professionally. I rarely reply to these queries - I'm too ashamed. Because, of course, other than school newspapers, my "work" has never been published. And that's the only reason one would write, right? To be a success?
Upon further reflection I realized the shame wasn't there because I was a "failure", but because I had abandoned my dream. Recent events have conspired to force me to reconsider that abandonment. My grandma's struggle with dementia; my father's misplaced raging; my own full family life. I've worried that the anti-depressant I must take has robbed me of my creativity: I feel a need to dispel that notion. A growing idea that I should be doing something for myself even as I care for others has been nagging at me.
Today I watched a re-airing of Raymond Arroyo's interview with Ron Hansen. I am not familiar with Mr. Hansen's work, though I soon will be. Budding writers asked him for advice. He said keep writing. Read all you can and write. Anything. Letters, poems... just, write. WRITE. The only way to be a success is to do it.
So. My prayer is that you are seeing the beginning (again) work of a successful writer. Thanks for sticking with me.