Author: George Fournier

Taking care of a family of three active kids, serving actively in the community, being busy at work, it is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, feel overwhelmed and burnt out.

Jesus Christ had a busy mission life, healing the sick, driving out demons, preaching to thousands and yet He knew to take time off to spend time with the Father.

Thank you Lord for reminding me what matters most, just spending time in personal and intimate conversation with our Father, that’s all that matters and the rest will fall into place.
Happy Monday!

Couples for Christ is not a perfect community, in fact just look around and you will notice all the imperfections easily.  Even in community life, people will disappoint us, hurt us and attack us. But that’s what I love about this community. In the midst of all the imperfections, Christ is there. In the midst of all the hurts, trials, difficulties, Christ is there. My biggest challenge is to see not only through my eyes but also through my heart, so that I may be able to truly love and forgive others, just as Christ loved and forgave me first. This is such a beautiful reading, may it be our prayer today and everyday:

Col 3:12-17

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

Being part of a Catholic community is such a blessing because we have lots of opportunities to connect with Jesus:
Every household meeting is an encounter with Jesus

Every Assembly is an encounter with Jesus

Every Conference is an encounter with Jesus

If we miss any of these, then we miss an encounter with Jesus….

God bless us all!

There’s this guy at work who is so arrogant and unprofessional, especially during meetings, who is really a test of patience and forbearance.

This morning as I was alone in the coffee room, I was thinking, I hope I don’t encounter this person as I don’t really want to greet him and talk to him.  But God really works in the funniest way, and as I turn around, there he was cleaning his coffee cup.  I tried ignoring him and thought of doing a quick escape without having to talk to him but suddenly I heard him say, “Hi George”.  Not wanting to be rude, I returned his greeting and escaped with an insincere “have a nice day”.

Back at my desk, I realize how unChrist-like I acted, Christ even called us not only to love our friends but radically love our enemies.

As we are called to see Jesus not only in the obvious, I pray that the Lord allow me to see Him not only through my eyes but also through my heart.

Lord, may I see you in every encounter I experience in each day you bless me with, allow me to love even the most difficult person in the world, not because it’s the right thing to do, but because I love you.

I was visiting a CLP at my home parish last Saturday, mainly due to my brother-in-law and his wife who are participants.  During the talk, I was feeling nostalgic and remembered my own CLP almost 15 years ago.

So much has happened in the last 15 years, although it represents only 30% of my life so far (now I’m revealing my age, don’t calculate please), this phase of my life has had the most impact.  Suddenly images of my early years in CFC came back:

–          When we just graduated from the CLP and were asked to serve KFC Coordinators

–          Running the first ever Senior Kids Camp in Calgary

–          When we were asked to serve CFC-Youth Coordinators

–          Serving at our very youth camp

–          When we were asked to serve Unit Heads in CFC

–          When we were asked to  serve as Family Ministry Heads

–          Dragging our small kids to CFC activities, retreats and conferences, bringing sleeping bags and laying them in the corner of the conference hall while we serve in the Music Ministry

–          Remembering all my household heads who took care of us and help to mold us

–          All the FTWs, youth and singles who stayed over at our messy house

–          The ups and downs of serving, especially the mistakes made and learning from them

So much has happened, and more to come.  It’s always good to remember where we started so that we can look forward to the future where more great memories are built.

I praise God for the past, the present and the future.

This morning was just an ordinary day, the same wake up and go to work day.  I was not expecting anything  unusual to happen during my normal commute to work.

I usually continue my morning prayer during this morning commute.  While driving, I just thought about praying to the Lord to keep me and my family out of accidents today. I normally pray for safety and deliverance for me and my family, but I don’t specifically pray for safety from accidents.

About 5 minutes later, I saw a pedestrian wanting to cross, so I stopped to give way.  The vehicle behind me also stopped.  A few seconds later, I heard a loud screech and saw in my rearview mirror that the vehicle behind me got rear ended.  I was waiting for my turn to get hit by the vehicle behind me.  Nothing, I got out and noticed that both vehicles were pushed to the right, leaving my van untouched.

God is everywhere, if you are looking for ways for the Holy Spirit to manifest in you, it is in the little moments where you think of something, where the Lord speaks to you.

Thank you God for being everywhere, you are truly amazing!

The last four years of my life have really been life changing.  Of course, ever since we joined CFC in 1999, our life as a family has never been the same.  But the last four years have been amazing.  It made me see the special calling that the Lord has for our community in Canada, missionaries to the rest of the world!

Just listening to the Mission Volunteer and Fulltime Pastoral Worker applicants pour out their hearts and willing to give their all for God, has left me amazed.   How in the world, at their age, can these young adults think of giving up practically everything for the Lord?  How fortunate are they to see what life in this world is really all about!

The next 5 years (from our 20^th year to our 25^th year of the Family Ministries in Canada) will be mind blowing, here’s why:

CFC Canada will be a mission centre, building and sending missionaries to the rest of the world, our problem will be having more Mission volunteers that we can ever imagine (and that’s a Great problem to have)!

The mission in Canada will be on fire, everywhere you go and everywhere you look you will see the face of Jesus in CFC and the Family Ministries in parishes, in schools, in universities, in towns and cities, in all provinces and territories!

Go (CFC Canada), therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

AMDG