tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post5839571396038656792..comments2024-03-25T02:43:49.115-05:00Comments on Karen Edmisten: When One Converts and the Other One is AtticusKaren Edmisten http://www.blogger.com/profile/04446214835142625161noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-9667774098390879352015-04-18T23:14:06.054-05:002015-04-18T23:14:06.054-05:00I'm so sorry! I will definitely pray for you a...I'm so sorry! I will definitely pray for you and your family. Don't lose hope ... who knows what the Lord has in store for your husband? St. Monica, pray for us .... Karen Edmisten https://www.blogger.com/profile/04446214835142625161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-52949710587762314982015-04-18T20:28:12.869-05:002015-04-18T20:28:12.869-05:00I'm commenting to ask for prayers. My husband ...I'm commenting to ask for prayers. My husband lost his faith a few years back, just as our oldest child was receiving First Communion. It's been incredibly hard, even though he's still willing to come to church and supports my raising the kids in the faith. I feel so alone. We've had to stop talking about so many things in order to avoid fighting all the time. One of our kids will be baptized soon, and another will receive First Communion, and my heart is so wrung with suffering right now. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-89902030073698035482015-04-13T18:56:33.078-05:002015-04-13T18:56:33.078-05:00Jennifer, I don't know if there's anything...Jennifer, I don't know if there's anything I can say that is actually helpful (every marriage is unique, of course.) But know that you're not alone!Karen Edmisten https://www.blogger.com/profile/04446214835142625161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-67253465404677132282015-04-13T16:28:10.983-05:002015-04-13T16:28:10.983-05:00Thank you Karen. I appreciate you taking the time ...Thank you Karen. I appreciate you taking the time to respond and offer encouragement.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02496857844423927442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-70092160762182895492015-04-12T14:34:43.427-05:002015-04-12T14:34:43.427-05:00Jennifer S., I know how hard it is! I remember a t...Jennifer S., I know how hard it is! I remember a time, after my conversion to Christianity, and I was going through a lot of anxiety. It was manifesting physically -- I was feeling tingling in my extremities, etc. I went to a doctor, and when he was asking about recent stressors, I told him I'd been through a conversion and it was causing tension in my marriage. He said, "Why should such a happy thing cause tension?" I was kind of floored by his lack of insight. I said, "We now have completely different world views! We don't agree about anything! Of course it's causing tension." <br /><br />My best advice/encouragement is for you both to try to keep your lines of communication as open as possible, accepting that, at least for now, you have these very differing views but you still have to find ways to make decisions, etc. that work for your marriage and family. So, working on maintaining respect, and patience with each other is vital. For you, having a regular confessor or spiritual director who understands the position you're in can also be helpful, and that person can help you approach things more objectively, while remaining loving and supportive. <br /><br />Also, counseling can be a huge help for couples who are having trouble communicating in general, or finding common ground. We went through some counseling at a particularly difficult point in our marriage, and it was enormously helpful, a real blessing. I think of counseling as Human Communication 101, because it teaches tools that you will use for the rest of your life, and a good therapist is worth his/her weight in gold. I learned things (during out time with a counselor) that I have in turn taught my children, and adopted a lot of approaches that made our communication more emotionally healthy than it had ever been before. <br /><br />And of course prayer -- I know that goes without saying. :) Prayers for you! And a hug, too. :) Karen Edmisten https://www.blogger.com/profile/04446214835142625161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-21177980573282565002015-04-12T14:23:23.496-05:002015-04-12T14:23:23.496-05:00Shayla! :)
Thank you for that. Those words mean a...Shayla! :) <br />Thank you for that. Those words mean a lot to me, and right back at you -- your faith shines! Hugs to you, sweetie! <br /><br />Nancyo, happy Vigil Anniversary. :) Karen Edmisten https://www.blogger.com/profile/04446214835142625161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-47399955022366135842015-04-11T23:10:27.373-05:002015-04-11T23:10:27.373-05:00My husband was a convert after we were married 12 ...My husband was a convert after we were married 12 years (over 20 years ago), and I never saw it coming. We have attended the Vigil nearly every year since.nancyohttp://roughplacesplain.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-8165422873572700162015-04-11T21:17:36.789-05:002015-04-11T21:17:36.789-05:00My husband is Catholic, but to him that just means...My husband is Catholic, but to him that just means going to church on Sunday's. As my faith has become a significant part of my life it has left us on two different pages. For me one of the hardest parts is dealing with major life choices because we look at the situation from very different perspectives. It's difficult to do my thing and let him do his when our lives are joined together. Any suggestions?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02496857844423927442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-29434949672834051572015-04-11T15:59:05.147-05:002015-04-11T15:59:05.147-05:00I really enjoyed reading this post. :) I love lear...I really enjoyed reading this post. :) I love learning the stories of your conversion as time goes on. The way God has used your faith to impact my life, your family's lives, and the lives of others is pretty incredible.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04793409251408694514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-62358595726927986512015-04-11T13:39:46.065-05:002015-04-11T13:39:46.065-05:00Sarah, hugs to you! And prayers, and then more hug...Sarah, hugs to you! And prayers, and then more hugs. :) <br />Karen Edmisten https://www.blogger.com/profile/04446214835142625161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-57338003674427649222015-04-11T12:55:23.381-05:002015-04-11T12:55:23.381-05:00Thank you for this..... the sense of being alone w...Thank you for this..... the sense of being alone when your spouse is not there, it is so consuming. I cried and cried this Easter because even in an overflowing Mass with my children I still felt utterly alone. I needed this reminder to not give up and never stop praying ♡Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01667504692613326166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-14699467813823461592015-04-08T10:51:46.336-05:002015-04-08T10:51:46.336-05:00Kate: It's hard but true. :)
Danae: Thank you...Kate: It's hard but true. :) <br />Danae: Thank you! Praise God! <br />Liz: What happens when you ask what is holding him back? <br />Bob: WOW! :) Praise God, and Wow! Karen Edmisten https://www.blogger.com/profile/04446214835142625161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-16369092860805715552015-04-08T08:43:01.581-05:002015-04-08T08:43:01.581-05:00This is a tinely essay. Well done, Karen. My wife ...This is a tinely essay. Well done, Karen. My wife recently returned to the church after many years away. I started watching the Olam Daily Mass on EWTN with her and felt a real longing to become part of it. I start RCIA soon.Robert Vaughannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-90882562243145154252015-04-08T08:39:10.237-05:002015-04-08T08:39:10.237-05:00Eighteen years later, and I'm still waiting. ...Eighteen years later, and I'm still waiting. He's read the entire Catechism (something very few Catholics have done!), he comes to Mass with us at Christmas and Easter (but never in between). We now have Catholic grandchildren (and he's gone to their baptisms). I still don't know what exactly is holding him back. He's even stopped going to the church he grew up in (although he's still clerk of the church and goes to council meetings regularly as well as annual meeting --- he just no longer goes to church). I get the sense that he's sort of in no man's land right now. He can't, for whatever reason, become Catholic, but he also can't really be part of the church he grew up in which has gone far more liberal than he can stomach.<br />Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05127202199834183627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-16040596061194942092015-04-08T06:51:33.689-05:002015-04-08T06:51:33.689-05:00Awesome story!Awesome story!Danaenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17019672.post-75133768342597900522015-04-08T06:32:16.807-05:002015-04-08T06:32:16.807-05:00My husband is a convert and this is exactly how it...My husband is a convert and this is exactly how it was for me: "I saw it coming and simultaneously was stunned that it was actually happening. But one thing I'd finally accepted: the decision had to be his. This conversion thing had to be between God and him, and I had no control over any of it. "Kate @ Sancta Nominahttp://sanctanomina.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com