Doodle Acres

Over at Money Saving Mom, I found out about a great movie deal.  Not all the movies are to my liking but we will definitely be taking advantage of this opportunity at least a few times this summer!!!

“Shepherd me, O Lord, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life.”

Thus begins one of my favorite hymns at my parish.  And the line “beyond my wants” is particularly striking for me.  I think that the lyricist was probably referring to “wants” as we might use the term in the phrase “a person in want of a good meal”.  This has an implication of a real need.  However, for me I take the word ”want” in a different way. 

All my needs have been more than amply met by my Lord through my dear husband and others.  On the other hand, I have a long list of wants and plans that may or may not be in the Lord’s plans for me.  In the movie “Bella”, there is a line to the effect that if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.  Boy, did I get a good laugh out of that!!!

I find the hymn to be a good reminder to temper my plans remembering always that God is in control, shepherding me past my wants and my fears.  And I thank God that he is in control.  If I held the remote control for my life, what a mess it would be!!!    

Is there a better way to end a day that was filled with morning mass, the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and ice skating with a wonderful new Catholic home-school group we just joined than watching a well-made movie about a beautiful saint with my children?  This movie about Therese of Lisieux (aka Therese of the Child Jesus and Therese of the Little Flower) touched us all so deeply.  My daughters and I were in tears at the end of the movie.  I can see the way it touched my daughters’ hearts. 

I’ve been a Catholic since 1998 but I’ve only recently come to embrace the Catholic traditions.  One of the areas that I am enjoying is learning about the lives of the saints.  What inspiration can be found there! In a world looking for heroes, I am grateful that I have discovered a wealth of lives to whom my children can look up and emulate.  A special thank you to Nissa for recommending it.