In God We Trust...

I normally discard most of the Forwarded stories I receive in the e-mail. Many are untrue or just too long. This one I got came from a good friend, but I looked at the length and was just about to hit "delete" when something stopped me. A little voice said, "Read this one". So, I did. Boy, am I glad I did. To be truthful, sometimes I struggle with putting ALL my trust in God. I say I do, but many times in the recesses of my mind, I know I still have work to do - especially when things get tough. This was a great, timely message straight to me so I figured I'd share it with you in this venue. I hope you enjoy...

Dan

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.

Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.

He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says." She read the words"

United States of America"
"No, not that; read further."
"One cent?" "No, keep reading."
"In God we Trust?"
"Yes!" "And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS
in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.

It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient…

Announcing the 2008 Teleconference Series!!!!

I'm very pleased to announce that starting in January 2008, The Catholic Dad will be hosting a monthly teleconference intended to help you become stronger in your Catholic faith. After much prayer and thought, this has become a reality with the announcement of my first guest.

Teresa Tomeo is a nationally syndicated Catholic radio personality and author. Her book Noise is a must-read for any Catholic or Christian parent as it details the dangers of today's secular media. Save the date of January 23, 2008 at 6:00 PM Pacific, 9:00 PM Eastern (and you can figure out the ones in between) for this 60-minute interview with Teresa Tomeo!

Your investment for this teleconference is only $29.95. Not only will you get to listen live by Internet or your phone, you will have the chance to ask Teresa questions via e-mail that come straight to me. What a great opportunity to "Ask the Expert".

The opportunity to register will be on my web site soon. If you don't want to wait, call (360-271-1592) or e-mail (dan@danweedin.com) me and I will personally register you today!

I'm very excited about this series and about Teresa joining me for my first one. I will keep you updated with more information over the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Vivat Jesus!

Dan

Finding Balance on Gilligan's Island

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you felt totally unable to function? Last night, I was staring at my computer monitor trying to get a little work done after a busy weekend. My oldest daughter Mindy had been home from college for several days and my wife Barb was taking her to the airport. I was at home because our old dog Blondie is starting a steep decline and we didn’t want to leave her alone. Lack of sleep, a helter skelter few days, and a debilitating overtime loss by the Seahawks had me completely distracted. You probably know that weird feeling of just staring blankly at e-mails!

That’s about the time I realized that balance was needed right then and there for my life. I subscribe to Alan Weiss’ newsletter, The Balancing Act (which I highly recommend – wwwsummitconsulting.com). Alan is constantly talking about life balance. In my case, sometimes you just have to take a break.

My method for taking a break was to turn off the computer (so as to not be tempted to come back), pour a smooth glass of wine, and watch my Gilligan’s Island DVD. Now you may be thinking “Gilligan’s Island! Is this guy a kook?” Maybe so. But, at that point and time, I needed a good dose of slapstick humor and relaxation to re-charge my batteries. After a relaxing evening and a good night’s sleep…I was able to tackle the next day with more vigor and focus. If I had continued on my path of work the night before, I’m certain I wouldn’t have had the same focus.

What about you? Are there times that you need to reward your mind and body with a much needed break to find balance? Now, you may not find Gilligan’s Island to be the right remedy for you. But a nice walk, a game of chess, or a quiet dinner with your spouse or significant other may be just what the doctor ordered.

Workaholics abound in our society. The desire to get ahead at all costs often lead to high blood pressure, stress disorders, and failed relationships. One thing I have learned in my life, and continue to be reminded of, is that balance is good for the mind, heart, and soul. Remember that next time you are staring blankly at your computer monitor.

Dan

Happy All Saints Day

At Mass today, Father talked in his homily about using role models to achieve your goals. He used the example of if you wanted to become a professional basketball player, you might model the habits and traits of Michael Jordan or Larry Bird. If you wanted to be an inventor, you would likely model Thomas Edison or Alexander Graham Bell. If you wanted to be a musician, perhaps Mozart or Beethoven.

Don't we all want to be saints? Our goal should be heaven and everyone who has made it into heaven is a saint. If that is our goal, then wouldn't modeling the lives of the saints be wise?

I have several favorite saints that I have studied over the years - St. Joseph, St. Augustine, St. Therese, and St. Faustina to name a few. I am beginning a book on a saint-to-be, Mother Teresa of Calcutta. My daughter Mindy is reading the book, and because of a lengthy trip home for a visit, she is almost done with it. I think I will grab it before she leaves (she needs to finish it!) and get started. The term "latter day saint" is appropriate for Blessed Mother Teresa as canonization should be shortly forthcoming. Other than Pope John Paul the Great, I can't think of another person of our generation that would be a better role model to getting to heaven - can you?