Dear Reader,
I had a terrific time at the Oklahoma Catholic Women's Conference. I was happy to hear that although Oklahoma has one of the relatively lowest percentages of Catholics in its state, but we have one of the largest Catholic Women's conferences. There were over 750 women there! Praise the Lord. I enjoyed the fellowship with all the women I talked to. Teresa Tomeo was my favorite speaker. She is a true women's libber. The Church has been an advocate and champion of women and women's rights from the beginning of her existence and Teresa gave us a lot of spiritual weaponry on the score. Speaking of spiritual weapons, Elizabeth Ficocelli's presentation on many of the Marian apparitions of the last 200 years, gave us many pointers on the spiritual weapons we could use today for the health of the world. More on that later...
I enjoyed the spirituality of the conference. I got to confession and got some things off my chest. I talked to some lovely women I hadn't seen in a very long time. Hi, Joanne!! Hi, Joelle!! Hi, Jane!! It was really great seeing you. (How come they all start with J? Hmmmm. Interesting)
Then I thought of others I consider(ed) friends. Why are so many women hard on other women? We need each other and can help each other. Why do women always feel that other women are competing with them? I wish women could always be supportive of each other and were willing to support each other no matter what. But, if wishes were horses.... Even when I show support for my 'friends', I feel that I am being suspected of competing. We do have a lot in common, but we also have a lot that is definitely not in common. I don't need to compete.
There have been sooo many times that I have been alone in searching for and getting help and resources for homeschooling, only to come to find out many 'friends' already knew those things. Why does it have to always be such a lonely pursuit? There have been many times where I've given someone advice and they just blow me off and do it the hard way, anyway. I've taken advice from others, some has been good and some not so good. But, I listen and take it into consideration. One of the reasons I started this blog was to try to help others. I plan to get back to that pursuit. If I help one homeschool mom, or one mother, or one woman who wants to be a friend in just one aspect of their life, I will have succeeded.
God bless all women and mothers, everywhere.
"Discard not an old friend, for the new one cannot equal [her]. A new friend is like new wine which you drink with pleasure only when it has aged....As best you can, take your neighbors' measure and associate with the wise. With the learned to be intimate; let all your conversation be about the law of the Lord. Have just [women] for your table companions; in the fear of God be your glory." (Sirach 9:10, 14-16)
2 comments:
Do you ask for the information that they have? I find, a little too often, that when I "discover" something that my friends knew that I forgot to ask them first. I could kick myself when I think of all the time I've wasted searching for things I could have gotten so much more easily. Don't you hate that?
Why aren't you asking the Cupe group? I would swear that those ladies know everything.
The Mom,
First of all, thanks for even reading my little blog. Yours is soooo much better. You are a such a talented writer, and I read your blog often.
Second, thanks for taking the time to comment. You're right, of course, I probably am not asking there right questions of the right people. Sometimes, you get into a rut and can't see the forest for the trees (how's that for mixed metaphors?--ha, ha).
Sometimes I'll get advice from my mom and think, 'Wow, that makes so much sense, why didn't I think of that?' I think that may be true of my homeschooling experience also. Maybe it is just me that is making it hard on me.
God Bless and thank you, again, for stopping by. Hope to see you at Mass.
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