Availability

So, after our romantic dinner the other night, despite the fact that we had a movie and an episode of House to watch, Chris wanted me to hear a talk on prayer by Father Michael Jamail, a priest we knew in Beaumont.  Chris had listened to the CD in the car over the weekend and wanted to share it with me as individual, couple and family prayer are three of the TEAMS endeavors we're supposed to be working on.
The talk was very good but for the most part presented ideas I had heard before.  One point was completely new though and I really liked it.  Fr. Jamail said that holiness can be defined as "availability".  
Which makes sense to me.  I've often heard people say that "holiness" means "wholeness".  I agree with that as well but I find it hard to use as a guide.  "Available" on the other hand is a word I can work with.  I already know that to do a good job in any one of my roles, I have to be available to the people in my life.  In thinking more specifically about what that means, I came up with the following:

What it means to me to be "available":
*being in the present moment
*actively listening and trying to understand
*saying "yes" as often as possible
*being ever willing to subordinate my desires and plans to a greater need (in a child, spouse, friend, stranger)*
*making our resources (treasure, talent, time) "available" to those in need
*opening the door cheerfully when someone knocks and welcoming them
*sharing openly, even difficult things, when it will help someone else
*making my worldly goods available to others
*making my affection available by considering every one I meet a beloved child of God and therefore, family just as much as my family and the family I was born into

*Obviously, we cannot be available to everyone at once.  For a good book on managing all of the competing--and important--demands of life, I highly recommend Life Matters by Roger and Rebecca Merrill.  It is excellent.

That's as far as I've gotten.  I think it's a good starting point for holiness in dealing with other people.  As for what it means to be available to God--at the minimum, I think it means setting aside time exclusively for Him and nothing else--something I'm not good about.  Partly because I'm a busy multi-tasker and partly because--and I hate to admit this but here goes--I do not really like being in the adoration chapel and that is the place I always think of when I think of spending more time with God.  There is a very good reason for that--at SM, we have perpetual adoration  and Jesus is present in the chapel--truly, physically present.  Still, for whatever reason, that particular chapel is not a comfortable place for me.  I've been wrestling with that for awhile now so maybe I'll focus instead on the word "available".  Setting aside time in my life just for God.  Opening my heart and mind to Him.  Whether it's time sitting at a picnic table or sitting in the front seat of the van with the doors locked and the windows up to get away from the kids (HA), it's God's time with me.  Wow.  Why would the God of the universe even want to spend time with me?  An awesome, amazing, crazy thought but there it is.  He does.  Scripture tells us that over and over again.  And I desperately need what He has to give me--every day.  I just need to be available.  I think I'll try a little harder.

May the Luck o' the Irish be with you today and always!!

(Oh--and for anyone who was worried about Sophie's yellow-green face in yesterday's photo--she's fine.  She just covered herself in pastels.  I wish I'd gotten a better picture but I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities!)