A Yankee has Landed in Texas

I was born and raised Catholic.  I ‘left’ the faith for a while but have returned, much stronger and more alive in it than I ever was before.  It’s been a long journey for me, sometimes hard, to finally reach this point where I feel like I am alive in faith.  It is a saving grace for me to finally feel God’s presence in my life and to trust and lean on Him completely. 

I never ‘got it’ before, not until this stage of life.  As they say, on God’s time and in His way.  He very slowly led me back to Him.  I guess He had to do it slowly because I wasn’t ready before now.
I grew up in a family of 8 kids.  My mom was and continues to be a devout Catholic.  She is Irish and was raised in New England; Massachusetts to be exact.  She would have become a nun if her mom would have allowed her.  My dad, on the other hand, is a convert, which often times makes him even more devout than my mom.  I always thought I was a good Catholic girl and did all the ‘right’ things.  But, I discovered in college that I was actually pretty weak and was not as strong in my faith as I (and everyone else) thought.  It was a surprise to me and to my parents to say the least.  I essentially quit my faith, except for the occasional mass when I was at home with my parents and had to keep up appearances.  But, for all intents and purposes, I was not a Catholic anymore.  I think the reason I could give it all up so easily was that I always felt God was a judge sitting on a throne above somewhere, watching me and waiting for me to mess up.  I didn’t feel the love part and the forgiveness part at all, only the judgmental part.  So, it was easy for me to turn away.  And turn away I did, for about 15 years.   Looking back, it is sad that it took so long, but I learned so much that I probably never would have if it hadn’t.

The restaurant was chosen carefully.  Several were in the running but this had to be special.  The very handsome prince charming was going to join his princess and her family there.  Her family consisted of her mom and dad and younger sister.  The princess chose the place, which was not too classy, not too plain, not too expensive, not too cheap but just right - the perfect place for a perfect meal.  Reservations were made for 6:00 PM.  The princess and her family arrived on time and were escorted to their table.  The prince had not yet arrived.  Mom & dad summoned the waiter and asked if they could look over the menu.  They were told that tonight they were having a ‘buffet only’.  That would be fine - it makes it easier for everyone.  No one has to make any decisions based on the menu. 

Mom and dad looked at their watches as the prince still had not arrived.  It was now 6:20 and they patiently sat and waited, and waited, and waited.  6:30, still no prince!  They waited and waited.  6:45, no prince yet - tummies were starting to growl!  The decision was made to call prince charming.  Yes, he was on his way!  (He had just gotten out of the shower at 6:20!)  At 7:00 PM, prince charming arrived and met a group of ravished people, especially the mother of the princess.  She had nothing to eat all day!  

“Let’s get our plates”, mom said, and up she went to the buffet table, followed by her family and the prince.  Back at the table, mom devoured her food very quickly and excused herself to go back for a second serving.  This time, no one followed.  With her second plate in hand, she returned to the table and finished off the second plate.  She excused herself and headed back to the buffet.  Once again, with more food on her plate, she rejoined the family and the prince at the table.  The princess and her sister were getting a bit uneasy.  But, good old mom was really, really hungry that night and never noticed that the eyes of the princess, her sister and even prince charming were wide with amazement!  They had never seen their mother eat so much!  As the mother started to get up from the table once again and head tot he buffet for her fourth plate, the sister said aloud “You’re not going back again, are you?”.  The dad joined in, “Don’t tell me you want more!”.  The prince and the princess only looked at each other and said nothing!  The mother explained she was just looking for a few more little shrimp and off she went!  Finally, dinner was over, the prince said goodnight and thanked them all for a wonderful meal, smiling twice at the mom.  He departed and the princess said, “Well that was awkward!”

Was it?

A young girl, 16 years old and still in high school, looking at her senior year approaching, has met a very attractive guy.  Tall, dark curly hair, beautiful teeth, kind hearted.  She feels he is her true prince charming.  He shows he is interested in her and cares about her.  What a nice relationship they have made.  Proms are coming up and because they attend different schools, she will be going to his prom and he, to hers.  OK! 

She has met his parents and they are quiet and reserved.  Not much conversation takes place but everything seems good.  Now he must meet her parents.  He comes over to her house and the ice is broken.  No doubt about it, her parents are more outgoing, friendly, more modern, even religious and much more exciting!  After about their 3rd meeting, the girls grandparents come to visit from another state.  The girl is very anxious for her prince charming to come to her home and meet her grandparents so she invites the boy over.  One early evening, in walks the girl with her prince charming.  Introductions are made, a little small talk, lots of smiles and then the girl and boy depart into the dining room.  They are sitting there playing songs (Country Western) on a laptop computer.

The girl’s dad walks in the room and the girl says to her prince charming, “My dad loves the song, ‘I Loved her First’.”.  The dad elaborates a bit and says “Wait, I have the song!” and off he goes to get it.  The girl, using her computer, brings up the song and calls her dad back into the dining room.  Her dad then calls to the grandparents who are in the kitchen, “Come on out here and listen to this song - I just really love this song!”  Into the dining room go the grandparents and also the girl’s mother.  The father is standing beside the dining room table singing in his loudest finest voice “I loved her first…”, sending a message loud and clear to her prince charming! 

After the song ends, the dad leaves the room and comes right back with another song- “Gotta Clean My Gun”.  Whew!  This song is about a father and how he keeps his gun clean and if anything ever happened to his daughter, how he would use it.  Whew!  Now the father starts singing in the dining room once again and REALLY gets into this song, rolling his eyes over to his daughter and to her prince, especially the prince!  He lays it on thick!  He sings again - “I’ve got a gun and I know how to use it.  I really need to clean it and keep it nice and handy.”  Of course, all this done with a happy-go-lucky smiling face.  Grandparents, mom, dad, girl and prince charming are all grinning too.  The song finishes after being played twice and then the girl announces they have to get going and starts to leave.  Prince charming says his goodbyes politely and the father says, “Don’t stay out too late  although it really doesn’t matter much, because I’ll just be sitting right here cleaning my gun and it’ll be REAL clean!” 

In about an hour, the girl comes home.  She walks in and says, “Well that was awkward!”  I understand it to mean she was embarrassed by her father - the songs, the gun - all just too much for her!  Then again, maybe she means it was awkward for her Prince Charming.  Perhaps it could have been awkward for the grandparents and maybe for the mother?  An awkward situation for all?  Indeed!! 

So, we all say goodnight and go to bed.