Mt.Tabor and Mt. Calvary

"We need to desire Mt Calvary as much as Mt Tabor. Only then will this hardest of all lessons - that earth isn't heaven and never will be, that the path to abundant meaning and happiness passes through a daily cross, that unless we are willing to sacrifice our personal preferences and worldly desires we will never reach the goal for which we were created - only then will this lesson be able to seep down into our hearts and spread into every corner of our minds." - The Better Part # 181

Dearest Ones, here I am on this lovely Thursday! Our sweet little one is playing on the floor beside me while Joe gets ready to head off for a business call. I'm so lucky!

(OK, I'm posting this 6 days later...'sigh'!)

We are doing very well here in the Packard household, the most interesting development lately being a clear emergence of strong willfulness on the part of our growing bambino. Manifestation? A piercing shriek whenever mama or daddy try to take away anything the miniature person has gotten her hands on. Oh yes, a shriek and a serious wrestling match. I smile and shake my head. I knew it was coming.

Our sweet little person and her mardi gras feather hat...Shrove Tuesday!

Anyhow, why the above quote? Well, because it is the much anticipated season of Lent for us Catholics. Ahhh Lent :) Boy do I need it this year!

I have been excited about Lent for a long time, have you?

I'm amazed (although I shouldn't be), at the omniscience of our great God. He is the ultimate psychologist. He knows that we want to achieve the beauty of heaven on Mt Tabor yet would like to take the fast track and skip the suffering of Mt Calvary. Sad things is, it takes harder work than we like to think to be ready for our heavenly home. This is because life is beautiful and it is so easy to forget that earth is not heaven and we were only made to pass through! Or, on the flip side we are so mired in suffering that we lose our ability to hope for something better or find meaning in our toils. So, here is Lent, and we have the opportunity to remember our Lord's sacrifice on calvary while working to shed those attachments that make us not quite ready to experience the beatific vision.

Anyhow, I struggle in both regards...so captivated by the beauty of our new life that I can't fathom ever leaving this world and its mystery behind, but so mired in the day to day struggles that I forget to seek out meaning and hope. Thus, here I am, at the beginning of these 40 days, with my arms outstretched and a hopeful heart...praying that I can reorient my life to it's Rock and Foundation, and maybe curb the sugar addiction while I'm at it :)

And in these moments where I have a sugar withdrawal headache or it seems too hard to "fit in" mass and frequent prayer time, I just need to remember that our Lord knows what it is to suffer. He showed us the way, he imbued meaning into the mundane through becoming Man.

Love and prayers for you all, near or far away. We will write again soon, we pray for you every day!

XOXO