Journey to Joy

Ronald Rauckhorst

Description

Start with a man motivated by fear, hemmed in by rules and regulations, knowing his obligations, but not aware of his feelings, with an eye strictly focused on an uncertain future of heavenly happiness. Where is this man really going and where will he end up? Only when he questioned the rules, rebelled, and set off on his own path did he begin to become free enough to grow and become more fully human. “Journey to Joy” takes you on a walk with him on his spiritual path to freedom and joy.

Sujets

• Personal Memoirs
• Biography
• Joy
• Journey
• Autobiography
• Obligation

Informations

• Publié par: Balboa Press
• Date de parution: 05 octobre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798765232033
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

JOURNEY TO JOY
 
From Spiritual Rigidity to Freedom: A Spiritual Autobiography
 
 
 
 
Ronald (Al) Rauckhorst
 
 

 
Copyright © 2022 Ronald (Al) Rauckhorst.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
 
The information, ideas, and suggestions in this book are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Before following any suggestions contained in this book, you should consult your personal physician. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising as a consequence of your use or application of any information or suggestions in this book.
 
Balboa Press
A Division of Hay House
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Bloomington, IN 47403
www.balboapress.com
844-682-1282
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
ISBN: 979-8-7652-3163-0 (sc)
ISBN: 979-8-7652-3203-3 (e)
 
Balboa Press rev. date: 09/28/2022
DEDICATION
To my wife, Louise and to our daughters, Ann and Lisa, who have been such great companions and have shared so much of this Journey to Joy.
To all the wonderful people I have met and walked with, some for just a short time and others for significant and lasting friendships during my 89 year journey. The journey road has been challenging, but never lonely.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A heartfelt thank you to Carol Zimmerman,
The von Raesfeld Agency, Henderson, NV for her immense help in making this autobiographical work publishable.
To Louise Rauckhorst for her loving, generous support and editorial feedback throughout the writing process.
To Sandy Martin for her editorial skills.
To Marilyn McCartney, Kathy Futa, Barb Witt, Suzanne Corey, and Rev. Linda Pilato for their early readings, feedback, and encouragement.
To my fellow writers in the Anthem Authors Club for their encouragement, feedback and support.
I owe each of them many, many thanks.
CONTENTS
Dedication
Acknowledgments
1Introduction: Getting to Know Me
2Growing Up
3Early Missionary Life in Korea
4Return to Korea
5Louise
6Ann and Lisa
7My Awakening to Communication with the Spirit World
8Becoming Open to Living with Uncertainty
9My Creed
Epilogue
ONE Introduction: Getting to Know Me
I’m an average guy who believes he has lived an extraordinary life. I came to earth with a purpose and believe I am attaining it. It’s truly amazing! This belief that as a spirit we have made a sacred contract with God to be born is a belief that thousands share and perhaps millions do not.
We learn through the human experience of each successive life what our soul needs to grow in love. Although most of us are ordinary and don’t have the potential to be a Mozart or an Einstein, we all have the potential to live extraordinary lives of love. Understanding that gives meaning to our lives.
I know that attaining a greater knowledge of God has enabled me to grow in the love of God and my neighbor. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I have reached any great level of love, only that I love now more than I did before I was born into this life.
I started out as a very narrow-minded, rigid thinker, fitting everything neatly into concrete black and white categories. I was born the fourth of five children. My parents were very religious Catholics. As a young child, I learned that the Church and my parents were to be obeyed. If I didn’t obey my parents, disapproval and punishment would be incurred and disobeying the Church would incur eternal damnation.
On the other hand, by obeying I would become a good person, especially pleasing to my parents and to God. I didn’t learn to distinguish between light, serious, and very serious commands or between just and unjust ones. I simply bought the whole package. Obeying them all was my way to be safe. It would enable me to become a good person headed for Heaven. A deep fear of not doing so and ending up in Hell for eternity was a strong motivating factor through my first thirty-five years. My parents, the Church and I myself used fear and guilt as motivating factors automatically. It wasn’t a conscious decision. It was just the way it was.
I’m not complaining. My parents and family have been very good for me. I guess that’s why I chose them as part of my sacred contract. My childhood was good, not perfect. I inherited a strong case of introversion from my mother which put us on the same wavelength. My father was an extrovert, which left me feeling he didn’t understand me. Isn’t that a common complaint of kids about a parent or even a spouse about a spouse?
I identified with my mother, a quiet woman who seldom verbalized her beliefs, religious or otherwise, but surely lived them. If she did verbalize a belief, it was especially strong. One belief that meant much to me was her saying that we were to decide our own future, to become what we wanted to be. When I was ordained a priest, she supported me completely (as did my father).
Ten years later, she accepted my decision to leave the active priesthood without judging me. It hurt her, I’m sure. She said she just couldn’t understand how I went from being a very happy, committed priest to being a very angry former priest. At the time, I couldn’t explain it either. Because I had grown a beard, my mother thought I was trying to be a beatnik. At the time, I didn’t even know what being a beatnik meant. I was just enjoying my freedom to be me.
My father never showed me his disappointment when I left the priesthood. His only comment was that he hoped I would be able to settle down. It was only many years after he died that my brother told me he had cried.
I met many women after I left the priesthood, but none of the relationships really clicked. . .then I met Louise. I was in awe. It felt so extraordinarily exciting to be in her company or to walk down the street with her. I was always at ease when I was with her. I understood her caution about entering into an intimate relationship, and when I didn’t she would tell me. Thank God I listened! Throughout fifty years of marriage we have had some serious disagreements, but nothing we haven’t been able to work out. Our political, religious, parental, and psychological beliefs have complemented each other and have helped us to grow together.
One of our few areas of disagreement has been financial. Louise is a careful, savvy buyer. She checks the sales and clips coupons. She will make the extra effort and go out of her way to purchase an item a little cheaper. She feels foolish paying more for an article than is absolutely necessary.
The amazing thing is that when the occasion arises, she doesn’t shrink away from very expensive purchases. Buying a house, a car, furniture, etc. doesn’t faze her. She enjoys it. It’s like an adventure and she’s off in pursuit. She compares and looks at everything available to make sure she’s getting a good buy and then she signs on the dotted line.
If there’s an obstacle, Louise doesn’t get angry. She just backs up, considers the whole situation, and works out a solution. Finally, she works hard to back up her commitment. A Vedic astrologer once told her that she would never have a problem earning money. In her high school yearbook Louise was noted as “most sophisticated.” She is, but it’s so natural. She doesn’t act it. She’s not aware of it. She’s just herself.
I have a habit of teasing Louise but sounding very serious. Fortunately for me, Louise has never taken me seriously and simply laughs or ignores me. It’s one of her wonderful traits that I love and appreciate. It’s also an example of how we have always seemed to understand each other.
When I would say something outrageous to Louise, my mother never commented or intervened, but she would give me a look that said it all: How can you say such a terrible thing to such a kind and beautiful woman like Louise? Do you know what you are d oing?
My father died shortly after I met Louise. He never met her. My mother lived ten years longer. We stayed with her whenever we visited family in Akron, Ohio.
I have been a rather colossal failure as an income earner. I have never been able to match my e