Catholic Hermit, the Lord Answers

It is not often that this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit has a phone conversation with my spiritual father.  But not long ago, he called.  Among other aspects, I reported that in his letter he'd said to get the house done and get to my writing.

"So what should I write?" I asked.  "What genre--one of the book ideas or keep writing on my blog?"

I added that between tending the gardens and trying to make progress on this place, and praying and trying to do spiritual reading, plus with pain fatigue, I did not have seemingly the energy or focus to write much of length.

He said he was not savvy with technology--computers, internet, and so forth.  But whatever it is--a blog or whatever I can write--to just keep writing!

So I have.  I have continued with the blog writing despite not knowing if what I am writing is helpful to anyone in particular.  I try to go with God's flow and the Order of the Present Moment.  I share personal experience as a Catholic hermit, privately professed, a member of the Body of Christ and in accordance with the institutes of the Church and the United States Bishops, an eremitic in the Consecrated Life of the Church.

Yes, my hermit life has its growth phases.  Physical pain does seem to interfere with energy level, and thus my daily horarium is more a "momentarium"--whatever of each present moment the Lord allows as well as what my body, mind, heart, and spirit can do, think, feel, and aspire!

But I have been writing on this blog, not knowing if that is what the Lord desires for now yet very much knowing He understands implicitly and explicitly my temporal and spiritual circumstances.  He knows I am doing my mortal, imperfect best.

The blog views have increased amazingly, setting records for views.  Who knows if the views equate with people reading through the posts?  Who knows if those who do read through are benefitting in any way?  Only God knows.  But I figure this is the genre to continue with for now, or the level of readership would not be increasing to this degree, nor would there be an increase in the number of countries of which the viewership derives.

Often in life, we do not have a means of knowing even with basic tools, the fruit of our efforts.  I do not have a specific statistical means for this blog but rather have chosen a very basic modality which simply offers an overview of posts viewed, countries of readership, and search engines used. 

The variety of countries represented by you dear readers--well, it is a source of more prayers from me to you and for you, plus for your countries.  I discover new places on this earth, such as recently the island of Mauritius.  It is fascinating that also, recently, Russia has exceeded viewership over the United States.  The Lord is expanding my window to the world to people and places I might not otherwise think about! 

Perhaps it would be better to not have any such means of knowing, but Google includes this with the blog site and thus it is as it is.  I accept it as a gift--a means of discernment in writing as well as a well-spring of prayer intentions.

Maybe for no other reason that to discern that yes, the Lord is showing me  since I asked my spiritual father what I should write--the blog statistics are a blessing to help me know to just keep writing, and to keep writing the blog...for now.

Perhaps if I am able at some point, if the Lord wills, writing other than a blog, such as writing a small book or a larger one--the Lord will let me know in some way or another.  This is how He operates within our lives.  He always lets us know.  Had the readership fallen off instead of surging ahead rather dramatically, I would now be trying my best to write even a short book despite not having access to camera or undistracted capability to better focus on something of lengthier magnitude.

So this works.  Blog-writing fits the present moment circumstances. I can't say that it is all that great of writing, not super-quality, but it is from the heart and what I can manage at this phase of my temporal, spiritual, hermit-lived life.  And most of all, regarding what to write for now:  the Lord answered.

God bless His Real Presence in all of us, little children, as we remember to love one another as Jesus loves each of us and all of us, no matter what.

Catholic Hermit Remains in Suffering, Praise

Well, I had hoped by today to better able stand, walk about, even get the mulch off the truck.

There is some progress, slight.  I was able to gingerly creep outside--more guardedly than perhaps gingerly--and I was able to bend over and hook up two soaker hoses and turn on the spigots.  Now am back on the mattress using ice pack.

A woman who--turns out--lives not far from this hermit's hermitage, advertised on an area internet site that she has much PVC piping available; she had used it for many berry bushes.  Ah!  One of my needed tasks--past due--is to get bird netting over the blueberry bushes as well as spread out over strawberry patches of which birds and critters are already helping themselves to the first fruits.

I called, and the woman is holding the PVC for me until Wednesday.  I was sure that I could be up and about by today, empty the truck of mulch, and drive to pick up the piping.  But alas, no.  The Lord has me stilled for longer than I thought would be.  His will reigns and rules now.  My thoughts yet are not replaced by His thoughts, though.  Not nearly enough but are a bit.  And that bit of His Mind replacing whatever of my thoughts, is a blessing!

Thus, my mind can recall previous times of despair when some physical ailment would fell me to the mattress.  I would begin to fret over how I would get more done here, how I would exist, how I would progress or even be able to leave if necessary.  But now, the thoughts view those old ways of thinking, yet my thoughts do not traverse those frets.

I simply wait in the silence of solitude, of suffering.

There is news of the family member cycling solo in Europe.  Much rain had him soaked as he biked through French countryside.  He ended up needing to stop for the night but had difficulty finding lodging.  Finally a tourist office employee who happened to be open (France observes four-day work week fairly seriously) made many phone calls to locate a Bed-and-Breakfast in a nearby village.  It is aptly called:  The Pilgrim.

Many prayers are being offered for the bicycling pilgrim from various others as well as this debilitated, consecrated, Catholic hermit.

A friend from a couple thousand miles away called this morning and reported on her now full-time health care of husband in ill health.  Finances are tough for them--extremely so.  She is trying to get mortgage remodification and debt consolidation and is swamped with necessary paperwork.  She also has researched various online forums for alternative, simple treatments that might help her husband's lung problems, immune system, and overall well-being.

As for my severe muscle or rib pain issues, currently, she thought surely I should go to the doctor.  Well, there is no way I could possibly suffer through getting dressed, into the truck, and drive anywhere at this point.  And there is really no need.  By and by, the pain will lesson, whatever is aggravated will simmer down and heal.

She suggested perhaps there is some linkage of this physical derailment and the strange events of last week's bi-location and ensuing discovery that the family member is on this--what I will now term--pilgrimage of seeking to find whatever is there to be found.  Yes, I'd considered there might be a connection, that somehow the Lord has allowed the rather bizarre flare up somewhere between pitchforking a bit of light-weight mulch into a wheelbarrow and dumping and spreading the mulch over a small area of landscape fabric, between fence and some soft Boxwood shrubs.

Whatever, I am laid out on this cross now, and will climb down from it briefly to change the soaker hoses if the pain level allows.  Otherwise, I will turn off the spigots and return to the cross of physically limiting pain, the mattress that so much of my life is lived out upon, and will praise God for yet another phone call from someone making some important decisions on major purchases for home as well as the email message from a spiritual friend reporting some crucially disappointing news but also asserting her courage in going forth with what will be painful medical procedures.

God provides!  He gives us answers always.  His will be done, not ours.  And I am certain that He also will replace this hermit's mind with His Mind, bit by bit, for I have need of His Wisdom and Thoughts, His Ideas and Insights.  Mine are sluggish, uncooperative with His will, blurred and foggy in vision compared to His View.

The Living Word has been uplifting, as usual.  The other day Jesus spoke about by whose authority, for he was asked that, accused, really, by those who felt He did not have the authority to be saying what He spoke.  It is all very good and reminds me of some temporal aspects in which some might get caught up in similar criticism, questioning if this or that one has authority for this or that.  It is all rather silly, and Jesus makes it quite clear, the issue of authority and Whose authority authorizes.

We really do not need to get too worked up over much of much.  Other than...

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Let us love God above all things and one another as Jesus loves us!