Today's first reading for Holy Mass continues the First Letter of the Apostle John. How I love this "beloved disciple" and the writings credited to him. Remain in Him.
"As for you,
the anointing that you received from Him remains in you,
so that you do not need anyone to teach you.
But His anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false;
just as it taught you, remain in Him."
Here in my temporary "cell", I continue to claim victories for the Lord!
I briefly explained in the previous post, some of why and of what good is learning to see the positives in each present moment, of which the Lord gives us victories and to which we can claim for Him, as God Is All.
I am finding this rather revolutionary for me, just at this time of transition from one location to another and seeking a permanent hermitage--permanent as the Lord wills and desires. I do not know the day nor the hour; God's will be done. But to realize what an amazing opportunity the difficulties have become, in staying with family who are unused to someone else in their space, particularly the pre-teen.
Another misunderstanding arose this morning after last evening's several victories in communicating, in dining together, in my joy at doing the dishes as a means of added thanksgiving for the inclusion and lovely dinner. It is all progress. However, this morning as I rose and greeted with a cheerful, "Good morning, sweetheart," we had digressed to no responses once more. However, I claimed a victory for the Lord in that I was not discouraged but simply returned to my cell with a cup of coffee and remained in the cell until the mother returned from teaching some lessons.
But then I heard my being accused of breaking a toilet in the parents' bathroom. What? I was not the culprit. I decided to speak up and say that I'd not been in that bathroom but would be happy to fix the toilet or at least check to see what is needed in the repair. However, the lad declared that I had indeed used that bathroom, that he heard me walk into the parents' bedroom and also their bathroom and used it.
I said I had not. The boy went to his room, angry; the mother said to let it go, and I knew she did not believe me. I said I simply appreciate honesty. I offered again to check the toilet and offered to do the repair, whatever it might be. She thought the chain. Simple enough, although my offer was declined.
A few minutes later after the mother conferred with the son, trying to calm his anger, she then came to me and said he insisted I had used that bathroom. Oh, then I remembered! Yes, I had used that bathroom several evenings before--first time in the three months, as the boy was for a long time in the other bathroom.
Ah! How tricky it can be! How deceptive the devil can manipulate! Yes, I had used that bathroom but obviously whatever is wrong with that toilet would have occurred this morning. However, honesty is honesty, and in all honesty my mind was not at all thinking of any time in the past that I used that bathroom, since it had been once and not something I ponder much.
So I have claimed more victories for the Lord! It is a victory to see how clever is the devil, and how the deception can be so devious. Also, I claimed a victory for the Lord for my own attempt to defend myself over something so ridiculous. I claim a victory for the Lord now and on-going to realize that the young man will be inclined to blame me, as he continues to wish I were not here. I claim victory in seeing how positively persevering he is, and pray that this excellent quality will be put to much good.
I claim a victory for the Lord in how the mother continued to make effort to converse whereas until yesterday there was little effort made. I did tell her after I realized there was some truth in the bathroom use--albeit several days ago and admittedly my mind had forgotten in the present moment. I said I am continuing to strive to build bridges and make in-roads with the boy, as best I can.
These are quite simplistic and perhaps seemingly ridiculous events for which I claim victories for the Lord. Yet it is in the miniscule details of daily life that we find our opportunities to turn darkness to light, to turn negative to positive, to indeed and joyfully claim victories for the Lord!
There was another major victory to claim for the Lord last night! I received an email from a woman who had received the notification from the tertiary Dominican leader in the area, inquiring of his group if anyone knew of someone willing to rent a room on temporary basis while I continued to seek a place of my own. This woman has a friend in need of companionship, to do some driving for her. She does not have an extra room, but could I sleep on a pullout sofa?
A bed or sofa is not a problem; my back is so treacherous at this phase of life I must sleep on the floor. However, the woman lives a distance out in another town, and driving and sitting are the worst for my back pain. Also, when the pain sieges come, I simply need a room to be off by myself to suffer it out, which can take 3-5 days and sometimes much longer, depending upon the severity. And, given my vocation, while hospitality part of a hermit's calling, and charity ever the top theological virtue, a lot of conversing is not only exhausting with my pain issues, but over a longer time period really not included in the silence of solitude.
I claimed a victory for the Lord in that a fish was put in the nets cast. I claimed a victory for the Lord in the discernment of why this particular fish--realizing that He has given me a woman in great need to pray for, as she has had some sort of break down in which the treatments caused her some amnesia; two others have been helping her off and on to make sure she does not "over-schedule herself," of which the person responding said was what caused the woman to need treatments to begin with.
I am learning to claim victories for the Lord in so many aspects of daily and nightly life, that the essence of my temporal dilemma has shifted much like the fog lifting from dank mornings or seaside evenings in which the fog also rolls toward shore. The claiming of victories for the Lord is a permeating type exercise which challenges the body, mind, heart, and soul in delightful ways--seeking the victory always no matter if the situation seems repugnant or easily pleasant.
When I cannot seem to locate a victory to claim, I always know there is yet one. I am not yet adept at locating the victories and know when I do find one or more, there are others yet that I am probably missing. At those times I ask the Lord to find the victories, for I know He has proffered them for me to find and embrace and claim for the "praise of His Glory!"
So now I've shared a bit more about claiming victories for the Lord and the power of doing so. There is much positive and holiness in this exercise, for it develops an attitude of loving, hopeful, faith-filled expectation that never disappoints one and always pleases God. It is a simple, practical learning of giving all praise and glory to His Real Presence.
On a practical and realistic note, in my current situation which was unexpected in the unfolding, claiming victories for the Lord has altered at least my perspective and somehow is shifting the tension, and is providing a peace and stability at least within myself. And that is quite something, indeed. Stability is one of my Hermit Nine S', and I am contemplating facets of "stability" with also consideration of the noun: stable--including the humble stable in which Jesus was born.
God bless His Real Presence in us! Remain in Him; remain in His Love. Now, that, too, is a call to stability. Remain in Christ.
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