Weekly Wildflowers #12
It's Been a Minute, 3 Quick Takes, Simplicity
Friends,
I’m not exactly sure how a flea infestation and prayer go together but I believe the Lord works in mysterious ways and I suppose this situation is no different! As you may have noticed I haven’t been writing much on here, or anywhere really, for the past 6 weeks or more depending on the platform.
I’ve been doing some challenging work and wrestling in prayer with some deeper concepts around my writing, the “why” behind it, my personal pride that’s been mixed in and what it means to continue to build a platform based upon my writings while keeping my identity based in Christ and my pride in check. If you’ve been with me for a while you know I’ve mentioned my struggles with pride more than a few times.
While wrestling with these ideas I’ve also been battling fleas in our home. Our lovely, anxious beagle brought some into our house sometime in September because while our son Jacob was recovering from his surgery I forgot to give our dog his flea medicine.
Yes, it’s December now, though I wrote most of this in November, and I think I finally have the infestation under control, but it would be an understatement to say it’s taken up a lot of my time, mental capacity, and physical energy. Friends, I got callouses from vacuuming. Toss in getting sick which allowed the little buggers to resurge after I took 3 days off from vacuuming and I was So. Over. It.
I had to let something go and it was this publication. So if you’re new here, thank you for your patience. I’m not gone but I’m most certainly still trying to regain my footing. Yet, I think God had a plan in all this because during this time that I was trying to understand next steps in my writing journey, to get back to my “why” and all that, the fleas invaded and I suddenly had unexpected hours to pray.
So, during the countless hours of vacuuming, and I do mean countless - I prayed. I lifted my heart to the Lord, I remained silent, I listened, and I reflected on the past 4 years of writing, what purpose it has in my life, and what God wills for it going forward. Who knew vacuuming up fleas could be made holy?
And friends, I know you might be expecting a big revelation. I honestly was hoping for one too, yet all I got was one I’ve had before and my fickle heart just simply forgot it. A humble reminder that I’m very human too.
I suppose it’s comforting that some things never change, but do you know what the last several weeks of prayer have revealed? That God is in fact Lord. That He hasn’t forgotten His call in my life. That I need to refocus and be more trusting. That He “works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose” Rom. 8:28 And that I need to be more patient. Ah, that last part is so hard!
So that’s what I’ve been doing these past several weeks of not writing here - I’ve been wrestling with my own impatience, and fleas, and some sickness.
AMDG
3 Quick Takes
There was another hard hitting article from Freya India a few weeks ago, The Age of Abandonment, and I’ve been spending the better part of this week digesting it. She packs a lot in, but suffice to say, this particular quote is the one that has stuck with me the most. “The hard truth. Like the fact that for many girls, the first man to break their hearts was their father. That some young women today haven’t had a single example of a marriage making it. And maybe the problem isn’t so much that young people can’t buy a home—it’s that they can’t build one; they don’t know what it’s like to belong to one.” It’s driving home something that has been stirring within but I haven’t found the time to put it into words - people need community, they need mentors, and I still can’t think of a better institution that can effectively enact exactly what young people need than the Church. As church going Christians we need to be making the connections, reaching out, being bold to invite others into our communities, into our lives, and have the courage to do so again and again even if we are turned down. Our society needs us.
Can we also talk about Luce (Loo-chay) for a moment? I realize I’m a week, or two (maybe three?) behind the online hysteria surrounding this character but I think it still needs to be said - Luce is adorable. I’m a veil wearing, Latin loving traditional leaning Catholic (to add just a few adjectives) and I think Luce is pretty okay. To be clear, she is a character drawn up to represent the Holy See at a Comic and Games convention in Osaka, Japan and is the 2025 Jubilee year Mascot for the Catholic Church. Her name, Luce, means “light”, and she is dressed as a pilgrim. Her entire person is chalk full of Catholic symbolism. She is so cute, my kids love her, and honestly I think the memes that have resulted online justify this character all by itself. They are for the most part fun, fresh, and speak to a different generation. If you still don’t know who Luce is consider this a moment where ignorance is bliss but if your curiosity has peaked take a look at this.
A couple weeks ago I enjoyed reading this piece from
. It really put to words some of what I was talking about at the beginning of this post. This particular quote caught my attention “Yet in 2024 we’re no longer just maintaining the imaginative presence of others, but trying to maintain their continual affirmation based on their likes, shares, comments, reposts—and if we’re lucky, a nod from some great digital celebrity, who floats in the cyberheavens like a god. No wonder 57% of young people want to be social influencers—and 41% of adults.” This whole piece is worth your time to read, and might just prick your conscience as it did mine, while I was already in the middle of pondering some of these exact points.
Devotional Corner
What does it look like to simply follow after Christ?
That’s been the main question I’ve been asking myself as Advent begins. I’ve also been, not so diligently, reading at book called My God and My All by Elizabeth Goudge, where she narratively tells of the life of Saint Francis of Assisi.
It’s been a good read, when I’ve managed to pick it up, and also convicting. I’m only 1/3 of the way in and I already know I would not have had the courage St. Francis had to do what he did.
Yet, throughout the story he only ever wanted to follow Christ as the Gospels tell us. Simple. Nothing more.
This Advent I find myself yearning for the same simplicity. While I won’t be going and kissing lepers, or walking barefooted to all destinations, nor begging for food, I’ve found that the world has been far too noisy to really find the peace this season can offer.
Being a busy mom of 3, I can’t simply escape to a mountain top for some of that coveted peace and quiet. So instead I’ve been praying a simple prayer in the quietness of my heart, every day that I can remember to do so, before my head hits the pillow.
It goes:
“Lord give me your peace and let me follow your will in my life.”
Simple.
And wouldn’t you know, that is exactly what has started to creep in despite the hectic holidays, school activities, projects, cookie swaps, work parties and more.
The Lord’s peace.
Discussion Questions
This section is a starting off point to help you go deeper with topics discussed above.
In what ways do you need the Lord’s peace in your life? Have you asked Him to give you His peace? If not, consider taking 5 seconds to do it now.
What time of day can you add 5 minutes of prayer? I struggle with this one during busier seasons, but it’s worth making the effort. Think over your day and carve it out, whether in the carline at school, driving to soccer practice (yes, we still have that going on!), or making dinner.
As a family, what is one way you can invite peace into your busy schedules? For our family it has been reducing screens. It’s not been fun at first (yay addictive habits…) but it has made a difference and not surprisingly has opened up space for other activities and prayer together.
Quote of the Week
“How much interior patience and humility a servant of God may have cannot be known so long as he is contented. But when the time comes that those who ought to please him go against him, as much patience and humility as he then shows, so much has he and no more” - St. Francis of Assisi
Do you like Pumpkin Spice Flavor this time of year?
This poll is from a bit ago now but I think we can still consider the results valid, especially because there is nothing official about my polls. What surprised me the most is that not one person said they didn’t like Pumpkin Spice flavoring, which is not what Social Media would have you believe. The dichotomy of Love/Hate for PS is alive and well. I personally like a good PSL, but from local coffee shops where you know what the ingredients are, and that to me makes it more enjoyable
This week’s poll.
My answers to your questions:
1. I need the Lord’s peace in the pace of life. This is not only because of the business, but because of my job. I have a manual labor job that is paid comission. Which is great because of the high earning potential, and when you’re done with your tasks, you get to go home and that can mean going home quite early if you can manage it. With two young kids and a wife who needs help at home, u have lots of incentive to work hard and fast and get home. The problem is slowing down if I've been going full speed all day. My job rewards me for rushing, but at home rushing can cause myself and others unnecessary stress. Home is where I should be free to move more slowly and ralaxed. Not another place with tasks that need to be done immediately. Its funny, I pray for peace in other circumstances but not this. I'll be correcting that.
2. I could add prayer to the later part of the day. I often wake up earlier than the rest of the family to pray and can have lovely devotional mornings but could use prayer in the evening to help reflect on the day and prepare my heart for the next day.
3. We could invite peace by inviting more family over and or going to them and spending more time with them. We are typically pretty good with low screen time. And we love to be home. Which is great, but can be isolating. We have to be very intentional about seeing others.