The final two meetings of 2012 complimented each other nicely in their focus on both the struggles and rewards of living in accordance with God's Will and His Church. October's meeting centered around a discussion of the logistics, benefits, and challenges of practicing Natural Family Planning (NFP). The group reviewed the theological underpinnings of the Church's requirement that married couples remain "open to the gift of life" and considered what such a call means in our current day and age. Many of the misconceptions about NFP were highlighted and the open and comfortable forum allowed practicing NFP members to offer answers and encouragement to those interested in learning more about this topic. Additional information, including a schedule of upcoming classes, may be found at The Couple to Couple League, and more resources about Marriage and Family may be found on our Favorite Resources page.
One of the benefits to practicing NFP and opening your hearts and your Marriage more fully to God's Will comes in the deeper sense of gratitude we experience with such surrender. In this way, November's discussion on the concept and importance of gratitude in our lives was a perfect tie in. Julie Gavin centered this discussion around the lyrics to Paul Simon's "Call Me Al." The group considered what the song's message truly was, then carried it into their own lives. We identified times in our lives when we felt the most grateful, and many of us realized that it was often during the times when we had "little," or when we were actually struggling the most. Therefore, we reminded each other that gratitude itself is a gift, and that we are called to be grateful every day for all that God presents to us -- even when His "gifts" seem more like punishments or failures. Thank you so much to Julie for helping MYC end its first year on such a positive note!
- Maria File
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