It’s been a minute (or quite a few) since I’ve taken the time to check in. The irony is I’ve written several blog post over the past few months, but for various reasons never posted, and when I’d finally sit down, all my entries seemed irrelevant or outdated.
But there’s lots of good reasons for incomplete entries...
I found sometimes sharing nothing gives you the opportunity to sit with God, and listen. Ironically, this is where he speaks and where the real lessons flow.
Another part of the reason for no updates has been because I’ve tried to remain present this year, which isn’t always easy for me (and if you ask my family they’ll tell you I have a long way to go).
My oldest finished her last year in highschool and I wanted to be present for whatever I could so I could spend this time with her. We don't get our time back so how we use it is important.
Yet I’ve still managed to squeeze in a few writing projects and podcasting these past several months and wanted to give you some updates.
Through it all there has been some obvious themes...
thanksgiving, glory, sorrow
But the word that sums it up 2024 so far has been JOY.
My family teases me when I say I’m joyful because I point out there’s a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is a great feeling but it doesn’t stay it’s usually dependent on a temporary fix (loving a new hairdo, enjoyment at the movies, having fun at a football game, or some short term pleasure in the moment).
Joy is an entirely different experience. Joy remains when the gallon of ice cream is gone, or the show comes to an end. Joy remains during trying times. And this year I have felt joyful even in some doozies.
Another way to explain this is through an acronym someone told me.
JOY = Jesus…Others…Yourself.
Joy is continual whether I feel happy or sad. Joy is the role in knowing God’s presence and the peace amidst life’s trials and helping others and focusing less on your own trials so that you gain a deeper sense of peace from within and this whole year has been a joyful one.
2024 Joyful Playbacks
I thought I’d give you a quick snip it of some playbacks since the start of the calendar year.
I’ll try not to bore you but hopefully you’ll find in my sharing each month is really about the gems of wisdom I’ve learned and hopefully those will be areas you find meaningful in your own life too.
In January I visited the Abbey of the New Clairvaux monastery for a private retreat a little rest and relaxation. Taking a silent retreat is something I would highly recommend. Believe it or not I didn’t’ take my computer to write, and the journal I did bring, only wrote a short entry but the rest of the time I stayed in prayer. Looking back I think this was the kick off I needed for what was to come. Recognizing the peace in silence. Again, being present and not keeping a plan was proving to be quite fruitful even when uncomfortable.
February, I visited LA Congress with my dear friends Rosaline and Kevin Rine, and Cleo Corillo. It was a special occasion to hear from other Christian speakers and hear their stories of faith. It was also a wonderful opportunity for My cohost Jennifer Thomas and I to meet up from our different points of the country. While the weekend was a quick one, we spent time together catching up and also got to visit with Lisa Hendey and some of my fellow writers from Catholicmom.com
In Late February and March I spoke at St. Bernard’s parish at their Faith Friends and Cabernet Women’s ministry as we talked about the topic of Radical Love. They invited me back to give a parish retreat to the St. Bernards Staff during Lent. We talked about the continued theme of Radical love. In Greek, the word Radical means to get to the root, and we talked about how God’s love is radical, and how we carry our crosses each day to show our love. And again the word JOY was front and center. We also talked about God’s mercy and preparing ourselves to grow in the spiritual life.
My daughter Emily and I also visited Colorado for one of her volleyball tournaments. We were able to reconnect with one of our favorite families, the Hoskers. Both Emily and I loved how God made this trip happen as we were supposed to be scheduled for a different out of town tournament. I just know these are those little blessings that He has provided. In doing so I also got to visit the Basilica where St. John Paul II held World Youth Day back in the 90’s. I was surrounded with a great deal of joy and felt God’s graces abound on me.
However the Eve of Easter took a different turn...
and I realized that true joy would be tested. Late in the evening of Holy Thursday, my dad took a fall and landed in the hospital. As his pain persisted we discovered a week in he had fractured his femur, something the initial Xray’s hadn’t picked up. While everyone else was joyful from Easter, for the first time I felt sorrow. This tested out my understanding of Joy. Seeing his road to recovery and seeing the struggle he endured was heartbreaking.
Despite his physical state, his mental and spiritual side remained strong. I would visit him in his skilled nursing facility, and we would pray together. Rosary in hand, and meditating on the life of St. Joseph it was a special time. And in all honesty we might not have had this time together had he been anywhere else. It allowed me to reflect on the past, the growth of my children, the sacrifices my dad made for our family growing up and in all of this there was tremendous joy.
So despite the struggle it was a time of love, joy, forgiveness and full reliance on God. It helped me meditate on two of the joyful mysteries, the prophecy of Simeon and Finding Jesus in the Temple. Ironically these are also including in the Seven Sorrows of Mary, another Marian Devotion. What I found so perplexing was that both mysteries are represented as both joyful and sorrowful. How can anything show both joy and sorrow? And then it came to me. JOY. Jesus, Others, Yourself. When we focus on Jesus, all is possible. When we give to Others, (Charity) God shows his love and Mercy, God will share his graces with us.
In MAY my oldest child graduated from high school.
Staying present has been the key. This is a huge milestone for Natalie as she starts planning her future and also a huge milestone for my husband and I as we recognize our roles as parents change. I’ll spare you all my emotions (for me its been bittersweet) but we are so blessed by our daughter and the young woman she is turning into.
By the end of the month and the start of June, my dad returned to his apartment. ( a miracle in itself) and right within the nick of time. In the midst of graduation season and summer travels God took care of everything, and this gave me more peace than I can even tell you.
THE BEARS TAKE ON THE USA!
June: If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram than you already know what we did during the month of June. The Griswold’s, uh… I mean the Bears, embarked on a cross country trip. In 20 days we visited 19 different states (okay some of them we just merely passed through but I’m still counting them.) This was a dream vacation that my parents did with my brother and I as kids and I was able to share now with my own family.
Kevin and I still like each other after this trip (three weeks in the same vehicle can be taxing) but we had lots of laughs, and special moments and the girls said they will always remember this.
This trip was also where I recognized many of prayers had been heard. Not like a genie who grants wishes but I realized as we drove through places like Yellowstone Park in Wyoming or the deserts of Arizona, God was so glorious. I recognized my prayers over the years, God was with me through it all. Through the sorrowful, joyful and now the glorious time. (The Rosary!) Read about it here.
July was supposed to be about settling back and enjoying the remaining stretch of the summer, but Dad’s health needed to be readdressed and so that has taken my attention. But he is doing better in a new place of care with excellent caretakers.
We were able to squeeze in some time camping last week and a little time of quiet. Ironically I did bring my computer and was able to get a little farther in some of my projects.
There has been a lot of events this summer and yet I don’t feel tired. When God sustains you and you rely on Him to help you through the intensity of life, peace remains.
I was asked to return to St. Michaels Church in Morada, Ca to give another grief talk so I will be there this coming week. If you’d like to have me come speak at your Church or event please email me at andreabearauthor@gmail.com or leave a note on my website.
In August I’ll be back to the teaching grind. AP exam scores came out and much improvement for my students in their studies.
So in a nutshetll, J.O.Y. has been the key. When I prioritize Jesus as the center, my service to those in need, and make I’m aligned with both than God provides the Joy that sustains.
What JOY’s have you received this year? I would love to hear about them.
If you found my sharing inspiring consider sharing this with a friend.
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