Monday Morning Meanderings....It's Snowing Again!

• Coming back from Florida makes the cold seem colder, and I
loved my short getaway in the Sunshine State visiting my blog partner Susan. But I could never move to Florida; I love the changing seasons too much. Right now it's snowing again and is so beautiful. The birds are busy at the feeders. The cardinals in the snowy branches of the trees paint a splash of color against the gray day and the white snow. (My son in Texas probably wants to wash my mouth out with soap about now, although he posted on Facebook that they needed to use the air conditioner in the car today. Go figure!) I can admire the lovely snowfall this morning because the temperatures are on the rise and it's supposed to change to rain with sunshine later in the day. By Wednesday the thermostat prediction is the 60s. February is definitely a changeling!

• The adult catechism class before Mass yesterday and the homily both offered many thoughts for Lenten meditation. Before Mass we heard about the importance of symbols. Our priests weren't able to come on Ash Wednesday, so we were receiving ashes after Mass and Father encouraged us to think about someone opening our coffin ages hence and finding what? -- a little pile of dust. During the homily Father talked about Lenten sacrifices and made two points I've never really reflected on before, but plan to make a serious part of my Lenten meditation:

1) Temptations are a grace. They indicate that we are on God's side. The devil doesn't need to tempt those he's already enslaved in sin. But those who are striving for holiness are targets. So I want to thank God for those temptations and respond to them in a spirit of gratitude. They can shake me out of laziness and complacency!

2) Not only that, but temptations = training. We are, after all, the Church Militant. Temptations are like boot camp. By resisting them we build spiritual muscle making us better prepared to join the battle and fight the devil. He, after all, is the real enemy! 

So from now on when I experience a temptation to unkindness or to fill my day up with distractions (like Mahjong and Solitaire), or hold a grudge, or anything else, I want to thank God instead and imagine myself on the temptation trajectory building muscle to do the Lord's work. 

On to Monday morning chores beginning with the laundry. I hope your day is filled with blessing and, perhaps, a few temptations. Let's pray for each other.