Written by
in
Alarmingly, I find an uncontrollable urge comes upon me every so often to “share my thoughts.” This is yesterday’s result!
I enjoy putting these up on YouTube. After a day or so I check, find maybe six people have viewed, and give my own Thumbs Up.
I am learning one tiny thing at a time and having fun. I feel Jesus would approve.
Do you ever feel that you have “nowhere to lay your head”–in and out of the Church? Join the club. The good news is that makes us available and open to everyone.
Thank you for sharing. Happy Birthday!!! No way you are turning 70!!!! It’s been on my ‘to do’ list to email you. Something you wrote long ago helped to free my heart, and I’d like to share it with you. And yes, I don’t think Jesus would ever holler at anyone the way you described. But, to each their own I guess. Blessings.
Aw thank you, Lauren–I’d love to hear from you. Just in case you don’t have it, hdking719@gmail.com. And that’s right–to each his or her own!
Happy Birthday Heather!!!
Thank you, Mary Ellen! Oh wait, this is Meg (?!)
Happy Birthday!!!
May God grant you many more!
Thanks Brother Rex…of course Morning Prayer today included “Our lives are over like a sigh/Seventy years, or eighty for those who are strong…” That’s okay. I’m strong! Hope all’s well in Maine and God bless–
Great recommendation, thank you! I just ordered Prison Angel.
Oh fantastic–there’s a video somewhere of Mother Antonia where she says when we gossip, it’s as if the devil is using our mouth as a washbowl..leaving her kids behind must have opened her up to censure from various quarters. What a remarkable woman…and the distinction she makes between pleasure and happiness is key…glad you were inspired by her, too.
Nice video. Seemed as if you were right across the table from me and we were having a lovely chat. Enjoy your birthday!
Thanks, Marianne, I have received flowers, talked to about ten people on the phone, and been to Mass! That’s a 10-star birthday in my book…
Happy Birthday Heather! I watched the YouTube video and thought it was honest and affirming for me. I was thinking I’d need a small group who can teach me how to love more like Jesus. In the end, for me it always comes back to his Love. *sigh* Also, I gave the video a “thumbs up” haha. You’re a bright light. Peace
Oh fantastic, Laura, now I’ll have TWO thumbs up. I know, I too love the idea of small group sharing but I’m also going to be doing a nine-month intensive Ignatian exercise program starting in the fall so I’ll probably end up focusing on that…but maybe you will find some people close to where you are. Thanks so much for the good wishes.
Thank you so much for commenting on the differences in generational motivational speaking! I don’t relate to Holy cattle prodding either. Your necklace is beautiful. Have a wonderful birthday. I’ve been a huge fan for years. Please keep believing, speaking, and writing. You are loved.
Thank you, fellow Heather!! Ha yeah the alpha male motivational Jesus speakers don’t really do it for me–hey people, join up with the WINNING TEAM!! I’m kind of like–Sheesh, not so loud. Can’t I just continue being a loser?…I’m so glad you like my cool necklace! I’ve been pondering for weeks, What should I “do” for this next leg of my journey? I’m beginning to see…Oh. The same thing(s) I’ve been doing along. Very grateful to be doing them with you all–you are loved, too.
I love to read all your columns. Loved this video. I believe you are called to write and teach. Could it be that you have heard His voice and are laying your head exactly where you are meant to be, but you don’t consciously know it? All of us who follow you can hear His voice through you. Keep leading us, your flock. Blessings, Joyce
You’re so right, Joyce–I actually DO have a place to lay my head…I’m laying it…I just don’t have much of a name or title or category! So so grateful for you and all my readers–more to come…
WOW! What a Story of such Faith, thanks for sharing it. Ms Heather King👌🏾
My pleasure, Dion, thank you for watching!!
hi heather
i just think that we are christians. that is where we lay our head. on our faith. maybe there is no real place, but there always is , in prayer and in being a christian. i find that we are around and hopefully we find, realize each other to lay our head.
You’re so right, Tina–if we belong nowhere, in a sense that also means we belong everywhere. To associate with a faction, side, tribe means that we’ve automatically cut ourselves off from everyone who’s NOT in our tribe…so to have nowhere to lay our heads is to be like Jesus. Always available, always open, and forever discovering, as you say, that we can lay our heads on the “homes” of each other…
Ah, dear Heather! You touch my heart with your closeness to Our Lord. I’m so glad you speak the truth of our faith from the perspective of a woman, single, recovering alcoholic. Happy Birthday!
Grateful for your readership, Martha–I think maybe part of what I’m trying to convey is that we get to count ourselves in–we don’t need to feel marginalized, oppressed, left out, overlooked–as women, as childless women, as people possibly without spouses, as the only Catholic in our families, circle of friends, or parish (kidding!), as alcoholics or people with any number of other disorders. “I no longer call you servants, but friends.” (paraphrase). Good GOOD news. If Jesus is my friend, I can withstand lack of status, approval etc. Plus I had the best bday ever!
Dear Heather,
your comments are so relevant today as they were in the time of Jesus.
Pray in secret, do not stand on street corners drawing attention to yourself. Blessed are the meek and humble of heart, for they shall inherit the earth.
I’ve read several of your books and I particularly liked, “Notes on womanhood” and especially the chapter on your children. The Holy Spirit entered you that day.
I learn more about Christ like that than from any aggression from the pulpit.
Thank God you for your gift of writing.
Tony, many thanks–you are so so right about the Holy Spirit–in a very real way, my heart is anchored in and by those unborn children…when I started to heal, my being reassembled around that felix culpa–happy fault…in my better moments, I’m reminded of how very squarely I belong at the back of the church, beating my breast and praying, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.” That doesn’t make me a doormat or neurotically wishy-washy or morbidly guilty–it just means I’m (again, optimally) grounded in reality, and a grounding in reality is maybe the first prerequisite to loving one another as Christ loved us.,,
I’ve thought a lot lately about the line in one of the Eucharistic prayers: “Thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and minister to you.” Us–minister to Christ?! What could we possibly bring to Mass that would please him more–provide balm for his wounds–than humble and contrite hearts? Not resentful hearts, self-righteous hearts, frightened hearts, hearts hardened against our brothers and sisters, hearts drowning in ideology, but hearts that are humble and contrite. “The operation of the Church is entirely set up for the sinner, which creates much misunderstanding among the smug.”–Flannery O’Connor. And boy, can I be smug!
So glad you enjoyed Notes on Womanhood. That means a lot.
We’ve been waiting for another video! You’re funny and charming. I would want a small group to have a purpose at the outset, like a book study. You do seem to already have your “ministry” in hand, and not to need to find a mission. We get a lot from your thoughtful posts. The “recovery” perspective is something we have in common.
We went to a fish fry/bingo benefit at our parish last Saturday, put on by the Knights of Columbus. Ended up sitting with some other “Friends of Bill”. It was easy and fun to do, the first big in-person event since the pandemic. And there everybody was again! The hall was packed. Our pastor was so happy!
Beautiful, Brett! Nothing like a fish fry to bring people together. We all need human communion so much–I’m prejudiced of course but I do believe that we “Friends of Bill” tend to be some of the best company around. At our best, our basic stance is gratitude and as Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer we said in our life was thank you–that would be enough.”
Thanks for the kind words about the video/my weird little outreach. My life does give me a sense of purpose and keeps me absorbed–I can’t ask for more than that–more videos to come! Blessed summer to you and long live your pastor–
Happy Birthday Heather! I’m really enjoying your videos.
Thank you, Sue! I am on a roll and am having a Zoom conversation today with my brother who’s been in a punk band for 40 years. So that’ll
be one upcoming video–
Well, I’m a sheepish sheep and I wandered. I think Christ is pulling me back. He left the fold and came looking for me. I just know he has. I want to be found. I realize I can’t pull the wool over anyone’s eyes so I might as well practice being authentic like you have done….and so well I must say….Being open to everyone has been a struggle for me. So if I say the prayer that has those words something like this…Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ behind me…..(Sorry I don’t know who to credit that prayer with), I can get through being with others moment by moment.
“Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me and before me. Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore.”
St. Patrick’s prayer–I think there are many versions. Thank you, Barbara. Of course Christ is pulling you back.
Leave a Reply