Preparation for Total Consecration: Day 6

If only the pursuit of virtue were as easy as this:

Nos Insisto Tempestas - our family motto.

Last night we drove through rain so severe that I had to slow down to less than 45 mph. That has never happened before, even though my beloved wife said there were other times when I should have slowed down....My wife prayed, unlike this woman:





Storms have covered North Texas for the past several days. I can't complain, for in several months the precipitation will be thought of as a cherished memory. The grass, which is now a robust green color, will fade to brown and turn dry and crackly. It will be a fire hazard.

On Thursday, I had been working late at the hospital and during an operation the lights had flickered several times. Thankfully the case was done, but we still had to transport the patient to the 11th floor ICU. That went without a hitch, but I decided to take the stairs instead of risking getting stuck in an elevator.

I was afraid of this happening to me:



For now, the grass is growing like crazy, requiring several cuttings to keep it at bay.

There is more than grass growing around here. Our garden project, consisting of tomatoes, carrots, squash, cilantro, peppers, and some things where the label blew off are sprouting on our back porch table. After a few more days they will go into the ground. I need to check on the quinoa. One day I looked out and saw one of the cats sitting on top of the makeshift planters. We used the all-natural biodegradeable egg holders to start growing some of the plants, and so it looked odd to see a cat sitting on top of the rather bumpy and spikey egg-holders. It was especially strange because that cat was very pregnant.

Until last night. When we got home from Stations of the Cross, we discovered that our cat had given birth to 5 kittens. I am happy that she did not sneak into the garage to set up a nest, because I have been working diligently to make the garage cat-free. After I get her consent, I will put up some pictures of the proud mother and her kittens.

The Preparation for Total Consecration has been proceeding well. After 5 days, I have only fallen asleep ONCE while sating the prayers! The readings are from one of my favorite spiritual readings, My Imitation of Christ:

from Book 3, Chapter 7 or 40:

"He who would be too secure in time of peace will often be found too much dejected on time of war. If you could always continue to be humble and little in your own eyes, and keep your spirit in due order and subjection, you would not fall so easily into danger and offense. It is good counsel that, when you have conceived the spirit of fervor, you should meditate how it will be when that light shall be withdrawn."

Yup! That's me! Here is a good aspiration from Book 3, Chapter 40:

"Let Thy Name be praised, not mine; let Thy work be magnified, not mine; let Thy Holy Name bel blessed, but let nothing be attributed to me of the praise of men. Thou art my glory; Thou art the exultation of my heart; in Thee, I will glory and rejoice all the day; but for myself, I will glory in nothing but my infirmities."

I have been trying to live up to this aspiration, with limited success. Right now I am concentrationg on keeping my mouth shut unless speech is necessary. Practicing this has shown me that most of what I say is rather cynical, derisive, derogatory and cetrtainly unnecessary. The next step is to work on my thoughts; you know, the ones that I have to struggle to keep from saying. I have to keep these things in mind as well.

Recommended reading:

My Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis. This is the copy I have, with nice little pictures in it.

anything by St. Louis-Marie De Montfort.