This is not a bashing of my Catholic brethren, but I am curious:

That is like calling my uncle JOE when his name is ED. Two different entities; two different names. Read more here, here, and here if you think I am kidding.

On an "oh, I see now" note: this is from a bishop in the Netherlands. With all the moral relativism here in the United States recently, I am a little surprised that this did not come from some pastor or priest on the "left" coast. (that would be those that are of the "Can't we just all get along?" "I don't want to offend my neighbor." crowd)

The other day my wife told me of a situation at work that was really getting her down. As a nurse, she has a great many challenges each and every day at work. The last thing that she needs to experience is one of those "female clique[s]" things that Angela was recently concerned about. She had been experiencing some issues with a few of her co-workers that was really starting to weigh on her. She was frustrated, angry, and really wanted to do something about it...in her own power. The funny thing was, that small still voice in her kept saying, "Now V, if you don't let it go, how can I ever deal with it?"

After some quiet time and prayer, she relinquished her struggles to God. The next day, the individual that had been causing her so much grief, apologized to her.

As we sat on the back patio this evening discussing this incident, the ongoing discussion in my life with God became the focus of the conversation. V asked, "Why is it that we all struggle so much with God and not surrender more readily? Why do we go through the pain we do just to try to prove that we can do it without Him, when we know better? It just doesn't make sense!" She's absolutely correct...Why do we continue to grasp for that little bit of control that we think we have when in reality, complete surrender brings more comfort, joy, and real control than we could ever experience under our own power?

*Artwork by Jonathan Rogers.