Part of the Mary Moment Monday series

I had an attack of PoorMe the other day. There was no good reason for it (but, really, is there ever?): I was just not feeling well and was watching a home improvement project take longer than usual (which is, sadly, normal with this place…we always seem to get into more than we bargain for). It was discouraging, somehow, to see two men I love dearly working so hard and coming up against hurdles and complications.

I was facing my own series of challenges in the house, between my temper and my girls. I saw a hole where a wall used to be and wondered how this house would ever be a haven, a place of beauty, a home. My washer had stopped working earlier in the week, and little things that normally don’t phase me were bringing me to my knees.

It was all looking pretty hopeless to me.

Things got better later in the day, and on Sunday, I woke up and, after breakfast and the semi-completion of the project, started thinking in a whole different way about things. What if, I thought, I made our porch entrance into something that would make us smile? What if I made a few small changes (valences on the windows, repainting the floor, moving the freezer to make the area look larger) and did a few small (and, for me, unfamiliar and uncomfortable) decorative improvements?

When I mentioned them to my husband, that Prince Charming who not only puts up with my whims and who keeps our castle livable, he was supportive. He even let me use his tape measure. I measured here and I measured there. I made a list and a plan to go to the home improvement store where they must recognize us by now.

And, this morning, after my quiet devotional time, I went out and started the first step of my Pretty Porch Plan. I swept and lugged and battled cobwebs, all to the tune of the Divine Mercy Chaplet. I considered how differently I was looking at my entire house in light of this one small project.

Over the last ten years, I’ve come to the conclusion that home ownership is highly overrated. I might protest it, loudly and often, if not for the fact that I love the land that makes up our property, and I see beauty and peace all around me.

And then there’s the thought of what Mary would do. Did she feel ill-equipped in her home? Did she find herself wishing, longing, hoping for more and better? Did she wonder what God had in mind, exactly?

And if so, where did she find the strength to continue to say Yes, to embrace the call to higher work in the ordinary humdrum of her days?

I find her here, with me, in this old farmhouse, and it gives me hope. I need that hope right now. I’m clinging to it.

And I’m looking at color swatches for other areas of the house.

I’m honored to welcome Jerry Weber back for a discussion of his favorite books and his hobbies.  If you have missed his earlier posts, you can read them here:
Anxiety and Depression
Faith as Foundation

Recent Reading
The last book I read was The Lamb’s Supper, by Dr. Scott Hahn.  The book is already ten years old, but it is really a great book and one that I think Catholics will be enjoying for years to come.  For me the book really shed a whole new light on the Catholic Mass, as well as end times.  It also brought out a new appreciation within me for the many beautiful churches we have within the Church.  I understand a lot more now about the décor inside the Church, some things that go on at Mass, as well as how our time as Mass is truly Heaven on Earth.  That is what Dr. Hahn really gets to in this book.  I think the book is also very good for non-Catholics who would like to learn more about Catholic ritual.

I also have to recommend The Complete Idiot’s Guide To The Catholic Catechism, by Mary DeTurris Poust.  Don’t let the title fool you.  I know some people get turned off with the books that have “Idiots” or “Dummies” in the title, but both have produced some very good books, and this is definitely one of them.  You can learn a lot, or even refresh your knowledge on many things regarding the Catechism, it‘s definitely worth reading.

Hobbies and Relaxing
I love to work with my hands, as well as to be outside working on landscaping.  I take pride in making my home look better, and it really makes me feel good  to do a project myself, knowing I saved money.  Working hard around the house is healthy, and I highly recommend it for anyone who physically can go about doing such things.

Another favorite hobby of mine is watching baseball.  I’m a fan of other sports as well, but baseball is my favorite.  I’m very proud to be a fan of the San Diego Padres, and living in San Diego I get to watch close to every single game, as well as attending some in person.

I will never forget the experiences I had during the 1998 season when the Padres went to the World Series for the second time in franchise history.  I went to many games in person that year, and I can’t put words to the joy those times brought me.  They went on to lose the World Series, but it never took away the fun and the excitement I was part of.  God dropped it into my heart to be a Padres fan:  it was tempting to root for other teams, especially because the Padres have had far more losing than winning seasons over the years, but He knew what 1998 was going to mean to me.  I was dealing with some tough personal issues at the time, but only God would care so much to think of how much a baseball team could mean to a guy like me, especially in those days.  Let’s not forget that I’m Catholic, and Padre means Father in Spanish.  The mascot for the Padres is a Friar.  Praise God I was born to be a Padres fan! 

If you’d like to hear more about Jerry’s journey, you can listen to the interview he did a while back on Catholic Moments.  Thanks, Jerry, for sharing your journey and more about yourself with us in the last few weeks!