Where are you on life satisfaction scale? Are you feeling that you have finally arrived at destiny you have been working so hard for all of your life? Do you feel like you are energetically pursuing your calling and God’s plan for your life? Or are you more in camp that things are going okay on a day to day basis? Neither passion or peace have come knocking in a while. Now that you think about it, more accurately you are just getting by!

To get a true feel for where you are in your life satisfaction and significance quotient, answer following questions: Do you feel like your relationship with God is a little distant and at times feel disconnected?

Do you feel that you are working at a job, and it pays bills, but you are not making a significant contribution to world, your community, or even people you work with?

Do you come home at night wondering what you accomplished today?

Are you playing tag team parent with your spouse just to cover bases?

Are you able to enjoy time you spend with your spouse and children, or do you find that you are distracted thinking about other things that you need to get done?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may want to consider that this may be time for you to put a plan together for life you want to lead. More importantly, for life God wants you to lead. Less than 5 years ago, I was working in a corporate management job. I worked about 60 to 70 hours a week and when I wasn’t working I was thinking about work. I had all of electronic gear. I had a cell phone and a pager where people could reach me 24/7. I had a laptop that could log in to company computer and provided updated sales numbers by hour. For all practical purposes I had no hobbies, no friends outside of work, and passed my husband and 3 children in night. Even with a nanny, housekeeper, lawn boy, pool guy and any other service money could buy; I still didn’t have time for any kind of quality family time, spiritual pursuit, or health focus. I thought I was happy and doing it all in pursuit of American Dream. At least for a while I was happy. When hectic pace began to catch up with me I looked around and said to myself “what am I getting out of this”? I am never at home to enjoy fabulous house we had bought. I didn’t enjoy my children like I should because I was always stressed about what else I needed to get done for work. I was tired, burned-out actually. My relationships outside of work were on auto-pilot and I couldn’t even name something I would enjoy doing for fun.

The concept of peace; a relationship with God; loving God and other people as a purpose; belonging to a community; combining work/family/church; volunteer service to others; hobbies and leisure time with family; were off of my path. Finally, God got my attention. It was a little dramatic really. And I am sure you can guess I lost all encompassing job. But just leaving job was not enough. I had to make a conscious change in way I viewed world and lived in world. It started with Christ. I needed to stop looking to this world for success because world doesn’t care about me. Jesus promised to always be with me. And then He went to work in my life. Reading His word, praying and following his guidance I developed a plan to transition my life. It is a constant work in process but over past 5 years I have gone from:

•A workaholic corporate manager. •No religious or spiritual faith or practice. •Playing tag team parent and farming out almost all personal responsibilities. •Relationships on-hold if they were outside of work. •Minimal time with my children.

And have moved to:

•Working to help other people. •Feeling truly connected to God. •Taking back responsibility for my kids. •Becoming a part of a church community – through service, worship, and friendship. •Creating a close knit group of friends that includes spouses and children. •Having hobbies and time to pursue them.

I believe this is life that God had reserved for me. It took me 35 years to trust Him and ask Him for His plan for my life. I had no concept. I had no idea how generous and merciful our God is and how faithful he would be. But I had to do my part first. I had to:

•I had to step out in faith.

•I had to give up control of my life to God. (This wasn’t a hard decision since my way wasn’t working.)

•I had to follow His directions and try to be obedient.

Don’t get me wrong; like I said earlier, I put together a plan. I did many self-assessments. Read several books about “meaningful life, significance, family, community.” If it’s a self-help book of any notoriety, I have read it. I wrote in journals pouring my heart out to God and begging for a “flashing sign.” I would even complain sometimes when I didn’t get it. But over time I found that God was leading me all along. I learned that when I looked to Him and followed Him doors would open. When I was feeling peace I finally realized this must be His plan. And He has been so faithful to me it is truly indescribable. After neglecting my family, pursuing worldly success, and completely ignoring God in my life, he helped me anyway. All He said was “I have been waiting for you. I am so glad you are here. The plans I have for you…..” It is so incredibly humbling to see how God can use anyone, even someone as lost as I was. He helped me to find real me. The person who wants to help other people. The woman who needs friends and family. The kid who wished she had played tennis and rode horses. God freed me from my irrational beliefs about success and significance. And He has provided for me even at this late date. At 40, I am still a work in progress, but I am at least on path now. God is amazing. And believe me, if you answered “yes” to any of questions at beginning of this article, I can promise you that He is waiting for you too…with open arms.

So how do you go about doing your part in equation?

Huge amounts of money can be made by priests who recognize rich people lose their faculties as they near death and feel guilty for acts they have been part of in their life. The Catholic Church had instituted celibacy for express reason of making it so no priest could pass his fortune to any offspring (and they treated illegitimates as if they had no legal standing while also making any adoptees subject of rumor or charges about sexual impropriety). This meant that priest or cleric would in fact have to leave his estate to church. I like reading reports of Gregory of Tours. Make no mistake about it, there are financial opportunities galore in these spiritual high places, and some of good priests found ways to circumvent Church even after celibacy laws were made. There are two Bishops of Carcassonne that deserve our inspection. It is possible that Saunière was especially gifted in getting old people’s money but I doubt he could have raised amounts he spent and whatever amount he left with his concubine Marie, through such efforts. The first Bishop may have taught Sauniere some things about these illicit affairs and they may have had a public fight to keep attention away from some of their mutual hanky-panky.

“In Sauniere's garden is a statue erected to commemorate visit of Bishop of Carcassonne, Mgr. Billard.