Family At The Foot Of The Cross

A Peek Into Our Purple (Lenten) World

2012-02-29T17:14:00.008-08:00

This year we are making more of a conscious effort to decorate our home with the liturgical color of Lent~Violet/ Penitential Purple.

(This Cross hangs in our stair well)
Upon being called to live out the church year more wholly in our home several years ago, I've been intrigued by the signs and symbols of our faith. We have so many visuals within the celebration of our beautiful liturgy, made just for the "visual learner" in me! As we have learned more about the liturgy, our faith has come alive for our family. Bringing the signs and symbols into our home has made it more tangible, hands-on, alive, allowing us to better respond to the beauty and power of God.

Now I know very well that Catholic images and sacramentals do not make a Catholic home. Over and above, we must live the faith and radiate love in keeping with Christ's commandments and example. However, at the same time, our homes are competing with the outside culture as our children are being bombarded by practices that are contrary to Jesus. It seemed to us (my husband and I) that handing down the Christian faith boiled down to what's important to parents becomes important to children. Transmitting our values and attitudes had to be transparent in our home, to include visible reminders.

Just a simple visual sign like the color purple helps our family remember that it's not Easter yet. Though the secular retail stores try to sell us otherwise, we resist the temptation to celebrate too early. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving strengthens us on the road to Calvary...A road we must travel first, leading us to Easter and the hope of our Salvation.

Though we didn't plan it, Lacy (Catholic Icing) also wrote a post a long these same lines about resisting Easter until Lent is over.
Kara and Gardenia both inspired me with their grape vine (crown of thorns) wreaths so I put together the one pictured above.

During Lent, I love the symbol of sand that reminds us of Jesus' time in the desert and the time we also need in the desert to sacrifice and grow, praying for a new conversion of heart. This is our family table center piece this year. I changed things up a bit from last year.

By the way, Barbara also has a beautiful candle/sand display to see.

This year I even found a purple table cloth for our kitchen table for only $3.00 on Amazon. Couldn't resist that! Our table fits a 90 inch round but there were others that were also surprisingly low in price...Just search Amazon for purple table cloths:)

I've mixed up the shades of purple throughout our home so some things might not be the "perfect" or most accurate violet color but it's the thought that counts, right?
Our prayer corner table has a lavender covering right now...
(We use the same one for Lent and Advent)

Holly and I must think alike as we both created Lenten Mantels. This is what ours looks like...

I found a great deal on the purple glass votives (candles sold separately) on Amazon, as well as this pretty purple table runner for our mantel for only $3.99...Another great bargain! It's been nice to light the votive lights in the evenings as a reminder of the ancient prayer traditions of our church. It's been a special addition to our Lent. I bought the Calvary Crosses (pictured) at Oriental Trading Company a few years ago.

Our front door dons a Dogwood Lenten wreath. Have you heard about the Legend of the Dogwood? It's a beautiful Lent/Easter story to know and share.

I added a purple ribbon (Hobby Lobby has the perfect purple colored ribbon on their wedding aisle) and this little crown of thorns door hanger that I found at Autom last year for $4.99.

Purple in the bathroom, maybe? After all, some of my best prayer time goes on here;)

I told you I was a liturgical loon!

And finally, I couldn't resist planting a few (very early) purple pansies for our front entry. We have had an unusually warm winter this year so I'm not sure what to expect in the coming months. Will they survive? I'm not sure but nevertheless, they are a perfect pretty purple for now!

+Thanks for joining us for a peek into our purple Lenten world+

Lent Is Like A Root Canal

2012-02-27T16:00:00.003-08:00

Ok, maybe that's exaggerating things a bit to say that Lent is like a Root Canal...Or is it?
Ever had a Root Canal?

They stink!

(And that's putting it nicely)

On the other hand, Lent really doesn't stink. Yes, it can be a somber reflection on the death of Our Lord but it's also a sober reality of the price that was paid for our sin. Lent has come to be my favorite time of year for tending to spiritual growth. I love Lent so why the connection to something so dreadful?

*It has a lot to do with Letting Go and Living Lent*

In my case it begins with penance. I tried, OH yes, I tried to "offer it up" as they numbed half of my face (all the way down my throat) and stretched that plastic balloon (or whatever it is) over my mouth. Talk about feeling a little choked out and tied down for 2 hours, listening to that horrid grinding, scraping, and drilling. Sheer torture, I say!

I think I'd rather have 2 C-sections in a row than a root canal. Ok, ok, maybe not 2.

Some people might just think I'm being a big baby but it really was awful. I've had several of them and each time I am reminded how much they stink.
I think God had a good chuckle as I proclaimed that I had made my full Lenten Penance after that;)

Regardless of our penance, Lent is certainly a time when we need something stronger than ourselves to break through our pride and false sense of control. Some of us...ahem...need a bigger knock than others. I suppose I'll take it as a compliment that the Refiner loves me enough to have pity on me to keep working on my weaknesses, rooting out my sin that never fails to keep sprouting. Fasting anyone? Yep, He took care of that one too...Humble Pie is served!

Thankfully, I leaped up and grabbed my Rosary before they started the procedure. I clenched it with white knuckles from beginning to end of the 2 hour ordeal, praying as many Hail Mary's that I could muster up.

All of my hopes and plans to begin Lent "my way" were quickly blown to the wind as I've struggled with tooth pain the week prior to the dreaded root canal and it continues post root canal today. My Lent certainly began (and continues) with prayer...Just not the kind of prayer I had intended. You know, 'quiet' reading somewhere? Nope, didn't happen, nor did my Consecration renewal that I was looking SO forward to. I'm still sad about this one and hard on myself that I should have persevered through the pain...

As I layed in the dental chair with my heart racing from the side effect of the numbing shots, the weakest part of me prayed for trust.
Despite strong faith, my trust must be lacking...I truly needed to trust that God has things under control and I really don't. Surrender, maybe?

Regardless of what we have in mind for prayer, God always sees fit that we are redirected to the prayer that is best for us. Lent is a time to be looking for these directions as we reprioritize or reevaluate our prayer lives. If we pay attention, He always points the way. We may not always like it and sometimes it takes a root canal to see, more clearly, the direction we need to go. I am constantly re-learning the fact that things do not have to be "perfect" or go as we have planned to be GOOD for us.

This must be what God wills for me this Lent...All those things that I had in mind must not have been in the bigger plan...Not an easy thing for me to sink my teeth into (literally). I suppose I needed something more to get my attention, something more that would pull me in closer. Apparently I needed to be reeled in!

Well it worked.
The pain continues in a forceful way and no relief in sight quite yet.
However, Lent continues in a beautiful way. Without going into detail, lets just say that God places amazing opportunities to go beyond ourselves in these circumstances. He presents others who are in greater need than self...Practices of almsgiving have been presented in ways that I could have never planned myself. Any plans that I had prior to Lent are new and not my own. I am grateful beyond words.

Maybe Lent isn't really like a root canal but I do think that a root canal is good analogy of how God can work with us, refining us, sculpting us, making us new, even through our weaknesses...

I am constantly reminded that no matter the size of our daily challenges, amazing grace is there waiting to erupt through the groans of our human trials and pain. In the case of Lent, it has been an epiphany for me that Lent isn't something we do but something we should live. We need only to do one thing here and now and that is to
*Let Go and Live Lent*

Going Faceless

2012-02-22T22:23:00.001-08:00

Is anyone else Unplugging in (some way) for Lent?
Facebook, Television, or Other?
Heading to the desert...?

This is a difficult thing to do these days as we are so accustomed to getting instant information and being connected to anything and everything.

I love the thought of simplifying our lives and homes...And also our souls for Lent. I don't know about you but sometimes the input is more than I can bare.

I've been dreaming about UNplugging from some of my Internet usage ever since I read this beautiful article from our Holy Father about silence as an essential part of communication. He delivered this message as part of World Communications Day, 2012. Here is how it begins:
On this "World Communications Day 2012, I would like to share with you some reflections concerning an aspect of the human process of communication which, despite its importance, is often overlooked and which, at the present time, it would seem especially necessary to recall. It concerns the relationship between silence and word: two aspects of communication which need to be kept in balance, to alternate and to be integrated with one another if authentic dialogue and deep closeness between people are to be achieved".

I've been holding off until Lent as it seemed like a natural time to make the break...
I don't Twitter or use Pinterest so I'm going "Faceless" as I've heard the term used for giving up Facebook.

Having access to all of my favorite Catholic news sources and favorite blogs is definitely my favorite thing about Facebook. It still amazes me that we have access to such wonderful information but at the same time, I also find myself getting saturated with a little too much news and stuff to read. Speaking for myself, it has become overwhelming, as of late, and time consuming, to say the least...
I was thinking maybe it was "just me"... Until I read these
words of the Holy Father help to explain why this is:
"The process of communication nowadays is largely fuelled by questions in search of answers. Search engines and social networks have become the starting point of communication for many people who are seeking advice, ideas, information and answers. ... Indeed, people today are frequently bombarded with answers to questions they have never asked and to needs of which they were unaware. If we are to recognise and focus upon the truly important questions, then silence is a precious commodity that enables us to exercise proper discernment in the face of the surcharge of stimuli and data that we receive".

This really spoke to me as I know that I have definitely felt bombarded with information that I have never thought much about before.
This helped seal the deal...My brain needs a rest and so does my soul.

However, the questions I DO have about the "social" part of Social Networking never DO really get answered. Do you ever get that notion? So I'm going out on a limb here, just like the tallest limb in that tree photo...

One of my questions is regarding the false friendships that exist in the Facebook world. Don't get me wrong, I have some lovely friends but somehow they get caught up in the murky waters behind the ones that aren't so nice. Do you ever just want to go through your list and hack away?

Is it just me or do you have a few friends (in real life) that act like you don't exist on Facebook? I just don't get it. These are people I know well, who live close by, but they just don't act like they know I'm there...They might even dance around me but just choose to ignore, even when you make a constant effort to interact with them. What would you make of a "friend" like this?

Then I ask myself the question...Why wouldn't one of your "real friends" want to encourage you, support you? And most importantly,
why am I starting to wonder who my "real friends" are? This is ridiculous.

Then there's friends that I haven't been in touch with for years who pop up out of nowhere on Facebook...I have one of those friends who I love dearly and I was so excited when I got her "friend request." Since then, I've left her many notes and messages but nothing is ever returned, no reply, nothing, nada. What's that supposed to mean?
Doesn't "social networking" imply that you want to have conversation?

Obviously, I'm spending too much time thinking about things when I should be praying in silence somewhere and contemplating the important questions in life, as the Holy Father suggests. I'm banning myself to the desert!

Yet how do we avoid these "other questions"?
I could go on with a battery of questions, trying to understand many aspects of social networking, while having a sneaky feeling that I never will.
Is all of this putting me in a place to sin?
This is the part that concerns me...The constant test of charity can be draining. Boy, this is starting to feel like Confession!

Well, our dear Holy Father must have seen me coming with my restless questioning of superficial interactions that are driving me crazy!
"Ultimately, this constant flow of questions demonstrates the restlessness of human beings, ceaselessly searching for truths, of greater or lesser import, that can offer meaning and hope to their lives. Men and women cannot rest content with a superficial and unquestioning exchange of sceptical opinions and experiences of life - all of us are in search of truth".
"Attention should be paid to the various types of websites, applications and social networks which can help people today to find time for reflection and authentic questioning, as well as making space for silence and occasions for prayer, meditation or sharing of the word of God. In concise phrases, often no longer than a verse from the Bible, profound thoughts can be communicated, as long as those taking part in the conversation do not neglect to cultivate their own inner lives. It is hardly surprising that different religious traditions consider solitude and silence as privileged states which help people to rediscover themselves and that Truth which gives meaning to all things. The God of biblical revelation speaks also without words: 'As the Cross of Christ demonstrates, God also speaks by His silence"
Meaning and hope...That's what I'm talking about! There you go, finally an answer to all of the questioning, regardless of what the questions are about. Making more space for silence and occasion for prayer is obviously in order. He goes on...
"If God speaks to us even in silence, we in turn discover in silence the possibility of speaking with God and about God. ... In speaking of God's grandeur, our language will always prove inadequate and must make space for silent contemplation. Out of such contemplation springs forth, with all its inner power, the urgent sense of mission, the compelling obligation 'to communicate that which we have seen and heard' so that all may be in communion with God".
How beautiful is that?
"In silent contemplation, then, the eternal Word, through Whom the world was created, becomes ever more powerfully present and we become aware of the plan of salvation that God is accomplishing throughout our history by word and deed. ... This plan of salvation culminates in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the mediator and the fullness of all revelation. He has made known to us the true face of God the Father and by His Cross and Resurrection has brought us from the slavery of sin and death to the freedom of the children of God. The fundamental question of the meaning of human existence finds in the mystery of Christ an answer capable of bringing peace to the restless human heart. The Church's mission springs from this mystery; and it is this mystery which impels Christians to become heralds of hope and salvation, witnesses of that love which promotes human dignity and builds justice and peace.

"Word and silence: learning to communicate is learning to listen and contemplate as well as speak. This is especially important for those engaged in the task of evangelisation: both silence and word are essential elements, integral to the Church's work of communication for the sake of a renewed proclamation of Christ in today's world".

There is so much to think and pray about here in these powerful words of our Pope, isn't there? The whole article just filled my spirit. Yet I wonder... Where and how can I ever begin to heed his advice with all of my imperfections?Talk about a balancing act... Once again, a restless question rises with an answer that must lie somewhere within... and not online.

I have a feeling that contemplation about all of this and stepping back a bit will be a good thing for me. I need a little bit of work on those listening skills too so I think my Lenten work is cut out for me:)

I have to note that my blog posts are connected to my Family At The Foot of the Cross Facebook Page automatically. I don't know how to disconnect those, even though I'm not logging on to Facebook? They might continue to appear even though I'm not logging on. I'm not going to worry about it too much as I will continue to blog right here in this little space. I do find meaning and hope, here among friends.

Peace for this restless human heart sounds perfect right about now! Wishing anyone who visits here a blessed Lenten journey...May it be a fruitful period of reflection and spiritual growth for your precious soul.

.

Got Lent?

2012-02-18T22:44:00.000-08:00

Yay Lent!
OK, I'll admit, I'm a bit of a "Liturgical Loon":) That's what you call a crazy lady like me who gets their toes ready for Lent! *grin*
Hey, it's a journey and these feet are 'made for walkin'!

Pretty purple toes and all, they've got me looking forward to trekking the Way of the Cross with so many of you who encourage me to persevere.
+++
I created a few Liturgical Page Tabs near the top of the blog that give ideas for how we celebrate the Liturgical Year. Living Lent in our Domestic Church is one of the tabs. (It also includes ideas for Holy Week) We are using many of the same ideas and decor, again this year, that have become traditions for our family. Feel free to grab an idea or two if you need to!

As Patty from Reasons for Chocolate mentioned, we are also using this beautiful new Lenten book for the whole family. It includes Fast, Almsgiving, and Prayer. Looking forward to it as it looks wonderful and something we can all do together each day!

I will also be reading Amon's Adventure to the younger children. The same author has an Advent series that we originally heard about from Laurie at Catholic Baby Steps. Our family LOVED it. I can't say enough wonderful things about these books...Our kids are SO excited for this Lenten story and devotional...They can't wait!

Have you seen this neat Amazon Lenten best seller list? Wow, good stuff here. I ordered Matthew Kelly's Rediscover Lent for my adult son and I am contemplating the Sacred Space Irish Jesuit book or Simplifying the Soul, by Paula Huston for my husband and I. Anyone have any feedback on either of these two? Speaking of simplifying, Gardenia from My Little Flower has a neat Lenten challenge going. I'm in!

Anyone else renewing or making Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary? February 20th...2 more days! I'm JOYfully joining Lena at JOYfilled Family with my 5th Anniversary renewal. She has a generous invitation waiting:)

We are headed off for another little camping trip for a few days...Hopefully no more accidents to disturb the peace AND teeth like last time! It will be nice to take our Lenten family "team huddle" on the road to a quiet place for contemplation. I'm praying for fruitful spiritual preparation before the big kick-off on Wednesday.
Got Lent?
+The journey begins+
+++

Five Things A Bereaved Person Might Say

2012-02-17T13:21:00.000-08:00

...My son at the grave of his father...

This is kind of a random post but it's a topic that's always on my heart. I'm certainly no expert in the field of grief but I know there are some common threads that run through the rivers of loss. It is my hopes that in sharing a few things, maybe we can minister to one another with a little more compassion and understanding. I thought I'd jot a little post about these things since I DO bring it up every once in awhile, now don't I? That's one thing that I think is fairly common in bereaved people...They like to talk about it and write about it. As with anything, there are always exceptions but for the most part,
1. Bereaved people love to talk and write about their loved ones... It doesn't matter how many years go by...We still love to talk about the ones we miss and the memories we shared. Only through the pain, through the Cross, can we find healing. I have actually found writing to be extremely therapeutic so welcome to my "session."*wink* As the years go by, talking and writing are ways for us to keep memories alive for as long as we survive without them, it's the salve on our wound...until we meet again and our mourning is turned into dancing.
Please don't judge us unless you've walked in our shoes...

It's no surprise to most of the readers here that I have lost a dear husband. His name is Chris and names are important when you have lost someone. A name becomes a musical note that plays the tune of love that never ends. I think that's why it's so healthy to name our babies that we've lost to miscarriage.

2. Never be afraid and never forget to mention a name to someone who has lost. This is the greatest gift you can give...Even years later. All those we love are never far from our thoughts.

I also bring up this point because some people might find it odd that I still miss one husband while being happily married to another man. It's a very difficult concept to explain, I know. The closest example I can give is that of losing a child. After talking to friends who have experienced this loss in their lives, they know that they could never "replace" that child with another child. That is why it's such a wrong thing for someone to say: "Oh, you can have "another one"...
3. Please don't ever try to comfort a grieving person by telling them they can "get another one"...whether it be a spouse or a baby. (Like you can run out to the grocery store and buy another!?)

Yes, you may have other children that bring joy to your life again, but that one missing human being is irreplaceable. Well, in a nutshell, this is how I feel about losing a husband. He was a dear and precious soul who was his own person, a spouse and a Dad that is dearly missed. It used to drive me mad when people would say: "Oh, you're young so you can still get married again." Sure, I'll just get right on that! Not. I had no plans or a desire to remarry but God obviously saw things differently. It is a miraculous blessing that He saw fit to bring me another wonderful man to share the rest of my life with. Being remarried brings me great joy that only a Sacrament can bring. However, one person does not replace another. You can still miss the past and love in the present, if that makes sense?. Ultimately, it's very difficult to put all of this in words because it boils down to a matter of the heart. That's one thing I do know how to put into words...your heart grows in it's capacity for love after loss.
4. Your love for a deceased loved one is not a threat to any living loved ones. God fills our hearts with enough love to go to the moon and back!

I recently watched a new Christian movie called Courageous. The pastor in the movie states things perfectly when he suggests that losing someone you love is like being an amputee...You are never the same again. This is so true. However, with time, you are able to conquer the world in new and wondrous ways that you would never have been able to do without that wound. The love I share for my husband now is deeper than an ocean of grief, only because of the ocean of grief. It might be complicated for some people...Yes it's complicated, what can I say? But for those who have experienced this loss, it makes perfectly good sense, it just does!

5. Suffering a loss never goes away. The pain undoubtedly diminishes with time and we can certainly move forward with greater ease but speaking for myself, loss of a spouse stays with us all of our lives. For the most part, I am a faith-filled person who undertands that my suffering has been a great gift. I know for a fact that my anguish has made me a better Catholic Christian and it has bathed me in showers of mercy, opening the dam to pour forth forgiveness that was necessary in my situation. Most recently, my personal grief has brought me to my knees in thanksgiving...Grateful for grace and hope that prevail. However, (there are lots of 'howevers' in grief;) there are days when I don't always sit perfectly well with it. The ocean of grief ebbs and tides like the natural rhythms of life...It comes and goes with waves that are all shapes and sizes. Hence, compassion and prayers are gifts during these times.
A bereaved person would be thankful for this any day, any month, any year.

+++A special thank you to all who have offered prayers for me this year as I journey through another Lent, up that Calvary Hill to my own Good Friday. I appreciate this more than I can express. I will also be praying for all of you in return for your generosity+++

Lent~The Cross Beckons

2012-02-16T12:58:00.000-08:00

I heard a song on Christian radio this morning that talked about the Cross beckoning us. Wow, this described just how I feel as we move closer to Lent...A week from today!

The Cross really does beckon us, reminding us of many things but ultimately that this earth is not our home.

My heart is always heavy this time of year as I remember most vividly, the death of my late husband who was tragically killed on Good Friday. If you've ever lost a loved one, you know that the death anniversary is forever the most difficult time of year, regardless of the years that have passed. I can feel my physical mind and body bracing itself to remember as we slowly approach "that time." There are still moments, after 18 years, that the painful memory is unbearable...

The Cross beckons me.

I think it can be a similar feeling as we approach Lent, maybe more for some than others, I'm not really sure. I do know that it can be a somber time of reflection. Our hearts and minds prepare for difficult images and stories of the murderous death of Our Savior. It is a stark reminder that life will end for all of us, here on earth.

The Cross beckons us.

There are many things spinning around my head as we move into Ash Wednesday. I yearn to quiet myself and unplug from the noise of the Internet, I am eager to press the reset button and get back to more intimate prayer, and I am looking forward to preparing our Domestic Church for a new liturgical season. Still there is one thing I desire more than anything else...

... That is re-fixing my gaze on the Cross.

The Cross is beckoning...

For it is casting our eyes on the Crucifix that we find answers, comfort and instant truth;

Mercy was designed right there for all of us, no exceptions;

Love raised up in glory;

Life ending on this earth turned the key to open the gates of heaven;

Sorrows became the bridge to joy;

Suffering became strength for the journey home;

The Cross beckons.

Despite any pain we might feel or the struggles we carry inside, it is certain that there will be reason to rejoice, if only we embrace the instrument of our salvation. Lent is the perfect time to do this and I'm looking forward to it!

Let us stretch out our arms and surrender...

The Cross beckons.

I'm participating in the Catholic Bloggers Network Monthly Round-Up!

St. Valentine And Beyond!

2012-02-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

St. Valentine's Day was special since Dad was off this year...

This is SO exciting for a Fire Family! We are always grateful when we have our Dad home on special days. We never take them for granted since he works many, many holidays.

We had this fun breakfast planned as we had recently discovered the idea from one of our children's cook books.

Pop over to Catholic Cuisine for the easy instructions! We called it Heart of St. Valentine Egg Toast:)

Did you see Holly's St. Valentine printables this year? She shares so many neat things at her blog, Three-Sided Wheel.

Princess made a couple of Valentines for her friends with these printables and some construction paper. What a great way to bring the "real" St. Valentine back into our celebrations...Thank you, Holly:) She added a lollipop and holy card to the inside.

I know many friends who make Valentines and take them to a local Care Home...We didn't get to this but what a beautiful idea!

We also re-purposed Holly's Valentines for another Secular-to-Sacred project. I found these cute boxes at the Dollar Tree. They came with a clear picture window that fit the face of St. Valentine perfectly. I only had time to make these 3 but I really liked the way they turned out...Maybe more next year?!

Beyond St. Valentine's Day...
Getting back to our routine is always difficult after a day full of fun and a little too much sugar...BUT furry friends sure help out!

Love Is Never Last Minute!

2012-02-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

Boy, St. Valentine's Day has really snuck up on me this year!

I found myself scurrying around the house today having the kids help me make and put up last minute decorations. Don't all kids love to decorate for special occasions? But love really isn't last minute, is it? Or is it?

Love, coming from God, is always on time. But are we on time with our Love for Him?

St. Valentine's Day is a day we focus on the love and charity that we should really have all year round.

I like taking a little time to reflect on God's love and how I can best show a little more love, a little more often. This is a great day out of the year to think about that:)

If you are looking for an easy idea to decorate for St. Valentine's Day, remembering how God first loved us, think about His Sacred Heart.

We just took a package of heart-shaped cutouts and made them into the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

AND some cookies...by adding a little brown icing!
These were just store-bought;)

What an easy way to transform the secular to the sacred...

Even if it is last-minute decoration, love itself is never last minute!

This was the scripture wreath we made last year...

My favorite scripture quote about love is stenciled above our kitchen table...

"Beloved let us love one another for love is of God...

"1 John 4:7

Last night we completed our "Socks of Love" St. Valentine service project...It went great!

Our parish youth and their families helped fill up 70 pairs of socks with toiletries for our local homeless shelter...

What a great job they did in less than an hour!

I should not be amazed but I WAS...God provided the perfect amount of supplies for the number of socks we received, including the exact amount of tags.

Nope, God's love is never last minute...It is perfect and right on time. Amen!

Socks of Love were dropped off at the local homeless shelter on St. Valentine's Day...I am always filled with joy over the love of Jesus in the hearts of these servants!

"O St. Valentine, lover of Christ and of the Church, we ask your intercession that we may learn how to love God above all things, and to selflessly love one another. O glorious St. Valentine, pray for us, that we too may have the steadfast faith of the martyrs."

What If The HHS Mandate Is A Blessing In Disguise?

2012-02-12T18:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I bet you said "WHAT?" with a little voice of surprise when you read this blog title...How can we view the HHS Mandate as any kind of blessing?

Well, I came to this place of pondering AFTER I've had more than a little voice of surprise and a bit of an attitude over this whole HHS Mandate-Obamacare ordeal. I admit that I've really let it get the best of me at times and that's not good...At all. That's to put it lightly as there have been some days where I've been pretty ticked off. I just know there's got to be MORE to this...God's hand must be here somewhere?

Before I recognized where His hand might be, I spent ~~a lot~~ too much time being mad at President Obama and his whole administration for introducing such an evil plan. Then I've felt anger towards fellow Catholics who support this crazy idea, not knowing or living their faith as they ought to be. Feeling betrayed by people in your family of faith has got to be one of the worst feelings ever! Can you say "Judas"? How can they be so ignorant, I'd ask myself? How can they not SEE? How can a "certain female" politician (and others) call herself Catholic and group other Catholics into her own crazy category? I've wanted to just shout out to the world...

"C'mon people,what in the world are you thinking?" (I don't ever write about politics so what am I thinking? I may not write about politics but I am a Mama Bear when it comes to defending my faith!)

I've wanted to blast a few friends on Facebook too...But I've prayed really, really, hard about biting my tongue in certain situations, in a monumental attempt to stay charitable.

Oh my goodness, for the love of charity!

I'm really not a person that likes to get worked up over things but it was hard as I continuously read articles on both sides of the fence that just seemed SO negative. It's been a major dose of "gloom and doom!" This has not been good for the mood around here. It just doesn't feel good to be drenched in bad news. Through it all, I have been searching for some light and optimism in these murky waters...My prayers turned into begging: "Please, Lord, shed some light!" I really like to think (like this cartoon) that every day is a miracle and NOT a disaster.

Then one day last week, a thought came to me in prayer...

What if this is all part of God's plan?

Well of course it is. God has a plan for everything...

But REALLY, what if this is part of a very big and GOOD plan, designed to test ALL of us?

What if it brings Catholics and Protestants closer together...The unity that we have always prayed for?

Hmmm, I think it already has.

What if it unites us with our Jewish brothers and sisters?...Again, something we always pray for.

Hmmm, yes to that one too.

What if it brings lukewarm Catholics face to face with their faith and what it really means (or doesn't mean) to them? You know, poop or get off the pot? Oh believe me, I've been there so I know this isn't an easy task.

What if it brings all Catholics together over issues that have split them for decades?

What if it provides better education about the evils of contraception, sterilization, and abortion?

What if people see the church as a place of God's mercy and not a place of damnation?

What if all of this is a blessing in disguise?

We are always being taught that nothing in the spiritual life comes easy...Temptation comes easy; resisting temptation does not.

So I've decided to resist temptation, the difficult thing to do, and not get down over this whole thing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not rolling over or giving up on this battle...Let's roll, I say! I'm just changing my perspective and putting on the armor of hope, trusting that God has this all under control, Obama and all;)

I don't know what the outcome will be but there is one thing I do know...Our salvation, after all, came about from the greatest evil of all time... death of Our Lord and Savior on the Cross. God Himself was murdered so that we may have Eternal Life. If that's not a blessing in disguise, I just don't know what is!

+++
Note: One of my favorite articles on this subject was written by the Passionate Papist. He also offers some real and practical ways that we can fight this battle. Be sure to check out his article.

Birthday Blessings

2012-02-07T16:28:00.000-08:00

*Birthday blessings received while Altar server siblings assist*

~Our Angel Baby turned 4 last weekend~

It has become a family tradition that we attend Mass on (or near) the birthday person's date of birth. It kicks off the birthday celebration with what matters most... Thanksgiving to God for our family members. {Especially since Eucharist means Thanksgiving!}

I just so happened to be talking to Father the day before Angel Baby's birthday and told him we would love for her to receive a birthday blessing at the following morning Mass. We were just expecting the blessing when we came forward for Communion. She received that of course, plus an extra bonus...Father called us forward after the Mass and prayed a special birthday blessing and sprinkled Angel Baby with Holy Water. She loved that!

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a blessing is a "divine and life-giving action" that when applied to human beings, "means adoration and surrender to the Creator in thanksgiving." (1078)

Isn't a blessing to have special priests to bless us all?

Angel Baby enjoyed a pink, ballerina, themed birthday.

She was determined to teach herself how to dance ballet:) We got her this little Usborne Little Ballerina Dancing book that came with a music CD and she spent hours teaching herself some "moves"!

I captured the best videos to treasure for years to come!

Nothing like a self-taught ballerina with Marian wings. (She chose blue wings since they were Mary's color:) Knowing she was named after the Blessed Mother, she often comes up with these little things that ~~surprise~~ bless us.

I conceived Angel Baby shortly after making my Consecration to Jesus, through Mary. Considered a "later pregnancy,"at Age 42 (sheesh, what do they know?) she was the easiest and most peaceful pregnancy of all 6. (4th c-section and all)
This was no coincidence, I say!

The blessings continued with a visit from both sets of Grandparents and a Great Grandma too!

We appreciate these blessings, the older they get...

This is Grandma Sybil and Grandpa Rudy, Angel Baby's fraternal grandparents...both in their 80's;)

[Shhh, we still have a Christmas Village up after Candlemas!]

These are my parents...still in their 60's:)

And here is the Matriarch of our family...

Great Grandma Jackie, just turned 92!

Doesn't she look great?

~Birthday blessings overflowed~

"To utter a blessing is to acknowledge how much we have been blessed by God, even "with every spiritual blessing in the heavens." Eph. 1:3
Every baptized person is called to be a blessing and to bless...Blessing expresses the basic movement of Christian prayer: It is a encounter between God and man.

+Blessings to you and yours+

Fast Pass To Jesus

2012-02-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

~Here I am Lord; I come to do your will~

I just love reminders that it is only God's will, and not our own, that brings us true joy and peace. We can search the world over and seek the comforts of personal pleasure but nothing, absolutely nothing, satisfies us like the dwelling place of the Lord.

On the way to that dwelling place, I am also reminded that Our Lady waits for all of us, eager to take us directly to her Son. After all, who better to deliver us promptly to the Father than Our Mother? Like any good Mother, she holds out her hand. When one of her little children grabs hold, we are suddenly zipped to the front of the line and lead quickly to the Lord; She is the ticket and "Fast Pass" to Jesus.

We were honored to witness 2 young men make their First Profession of Vows to the Discalced Carmelite Friars. The ceremony was beyond beautiful and beyond words, really.

In was their first profession of vows to the order, after being a novice for 1 year. They were glowing from their "Fast Pass", seen and heard by all who witnessed and listened to the first words of their vows:

"I desire to live faithfully with the Virgin Mary, a life of allegiance to Jesus Christ..."
It is no surprise that Our Lady was their leader to the Lord!
{These 2 Brothers will proceed to renew their vows each year for the next 4 years, for a total of 5 years. After the 6th year, they make their final vows to the Carmelite Order.}

Here were these 2 young men, courageously counter-cultural, exclaiming: "Here I am Lord; I come to do your will." This was the Mass Responsorial Psalm so the congregation prayed a long with them. These words spoke volumes today. After the Rite of Religious Profession, Examination, and Profession, it was as if we, the lay people, renewed our own personal vows as Catholic Christians, right a long with them.

Their "yes" to God's will was the impetus to my own renewed "yes." Their brave example fueled my resolve to persevere and keep fighting the good fight.
Nope, we can't do a single, darned thing on our own but we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us... And our Mother who carries the Fast Pass!

{We can also encourage one another. If you haven't picked up your Fast Pass, the Consecration to Jesus through Mary will change your life. I post some links in this post from the archives} She is calling us all to her Army as the battle wages on.
*The next start date is coming up on February 20th*

One of the brothers gave us a tour of the Monastery grounds after the Mass. The views were incredible!

Heaven on a hill...The Rat Race does not live here!

Believe it or not, our family went back to the "rat race" encouraged. Despite the culture around us that tries its best to discourage, we were renewed in hope by the faithful. Just as the witness of these 2 men, we are called to be the same light to one another. It is my deepest prayer that we may pass on the torch of hope and encourage others to the same.
"I command you; be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go." ~Joshua 1: 9~
*Don't forget your Fast Pass*
Is your Mother calling you?

St. Valentine "Socks of Love"

2012-01-31T19:22:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share a St. Valentine "Socks of Love" service project idea that I'm heading up for our Parish Youth Group. It would be a great service project for just about any group or even an individual family!

~Spreading the *Love of God* is the Main Mission~

We are hoping it will become a perpetual project that will stretch far beyond St. Valentine's Day and just stand on its own as Socks of Love.

The project entails filling new socks with travel size toiletries for our local homeless shelters and other groups that serve the poor or needy.

[I've even thought about making a few extras to keep in our car for our children to give out when we pass someone in need standing on a street corner.]

My idea was a spark from something similar that I read about over at Our Sunday Visitor's Teaching Catholic Kids during Advent, for the Feast of St. Nicholas. I just tried to come up with a name that would (hopefully) catch the spirit of charity all year long:)

Essentially, a recipient receives a new pair of socks (one sock stuffed inside the other) with all the goodies they might need for personal care, including the love of God shared by compassionate hearts.

After doing a little test sample, I discovered that about 12 items make the perfect fit!

We are also enclosing these {free} printable St. Valentine's Day cards from Crafolic. They fold up to a perfect small size for the socks:) Thank you for helping us share God's love, Jennifer!

...Along with a St. Valentine Holy Card!

Sharing the love of God through scripture and prayer is a great way to love the less fortunate. You never know when you might be holding out a lantern for someone else to see the light of Christ.

I put together a little flyer to help with soliciting donations for the project so hopefully it will be a success!
The tags and ribbon I picked up at the Dollar Tree;)

"Amen, I say to you, what you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me."

~Matthew 25: 40~

A Smile Is A Curve That Sets Everything Straight

2012-01-30T21:39:00.000-08:00

Isn't this the cutest?

Well, I just had to pass it on since I've got my smile back!

The dentist fixed my mouth so you can barely tell that I have been kicked in the teeth:) I am truly amazed.

Praise God, my appointment today was an answer to prayer...Thank you all so much! I am truly grateful for everyone who offered a kind thought or prayer on my behalf.

From the dental x-rays, my roots do not appear severed. This means that the prognosis is good that my teeth will be saved. Hallelujah!

I was really hoping and praying for this.

It looks like a root canal or 2 might be in my future but all will depend on how the healing goes in these next few weeks. I'm not out of the woods but thankful for healing, thus far.

I shall not take a smile for granted!

I will spare you the "before" photo...But this is the "after."

You probably can't see the little brace over my front teeth but it's holding everything together quite nicely. The pain is manageable with Motrin so I am also grateful for that as well.

Thank you again for your compassion and prayers!

Thank you Jesus, Mother Mary, St. Apollonia, All the Angels and Saints for blessings received.

Here are a few smile quotes to smile about:)

"Peace begins with a smile."

~Mother Teresa~

A smile is a language that even a baby understands.

Sometimes Life Kicks You In The Teeth...Calvary or Bust!

2012-01-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

Well our weekend started out with ultimate peace! We got away camping with some neighbor friends and loved having our little lakeside campground all to ourselves. What is classified as a very busy place in the summer months was nearly empty in January. The quiet was deafening and just what we needed to reset the compass of our souls to the simple setting of God's creation. As I sat back and enjoyed this beautiful sunset, it felt like a little piece of heaven. I felt like I wanted to stay here forever:)

The littles had fun running through the trees chasing wild bunnies...They were so cute with their white cotton tails:)

And scootering the hills...

We always play fun games when we go camping that we don't always make time to do at home.

I love this about stopping to take things back down to the basics.

Nothing like a campfire!

Do I look relaxed???

Well... this was right before life kicked me in the teeth! Lest I think about leaving, the Cross beckons.

The next day we headed up the hill to visit one of my husband's Fire Department friends (his crew Engineer). He had invited us to his beautiful property up on a hill so people in our group could shoot their rifles and shotguns. Their gun range overlooks the foothill mountains and it was a gorgeous day. We aren't regular gun users, nor are we hunters, but we respect those who are.

I hadn't shot any type of rifle since my Army days so I was encouraged to participate in this day's adventure...You know, homeschooling "domestic warrior" that doesn't get out much!

Long story short, when I held the gun up to my face and fired, the kick-back from the butt of a shortened gun KICKED me square in my 2 front teeth!!! BAM...It actually felt more like a horse just kicked me in the teeth. I was literally stunned as I realized that both teeth might be gone.

As it turned out, one of my front teeth was barely hanging on...It had been pushed back quite a bit from the blow and was very loose and bleeding. The other tooth was also out of place and had chipped.

Luckily, my dentist is a personal aquaintance and she has known our family for years. I called her cell phone right away and she agreed to meet me at her office for an emergency check. It was a blessing that we were only about an hour from home so a dear friend in the group drove me down the hill.

The sweet dentist proceeded to push my teeth back in place to stabilize them and but a little brace across the front, which acts as sort of a splint for the weekend. I think I was in shock because I prayed a Hail Mary and headed back up the hill right away. Though it felt like the hill to Calvary, I was eager to be with my family again.

We proceeded to fish and I made a spaghetti dinner before we headed home... Denial maybe?

I was glad that I made it just in time to see my daughter's first fish!

In sharing this story, I realize I run the risk of judgement for participating in a risky activity that led to a significant accident. Yet it is my humble opinion that sometimes terrible accidents happen when we are just moving a long through life. I have been witness to that on more than one occasion! My oldest son suffered a terrible bike accident and skinned up half of his face when he was younger, all while being properly supervised and wearing a helmet. Yet I don't move forward by telling my other children that they shouldn't ride bikes out of fear that they "might crash." I believe that even the best intentions don't prevent accidents...Sometimes "stuff just happens" and life kicks us in the teeth. If everything moved a long perfectly, we would never learn a thing.

In fact, when things move a long smoothly, or we have great things happen in our lives, our pastor refers to these as "wow moments." During his homily today he noted that these "wow" moments aren't going to carry us through life. It's the trials and tribulations that lead us closer to God. So here I am, closer to God than I was yesterday...Hallelujah for that!

I even began my morning, before Mass, feeling anxious about the possible damage that will be assessed on Monday. It's not the end of the world to have your teeth smashed yet it was still quite traumatic. The first Mass reading was another special grace and consolation as it began with "Brothers and Sisters: I should like you to be free of anxieties." ~1 Corinthians 7:32~ This was just what I needed to hear...Together with the homily, and the Bread of Life, I am equipped to tackle another day.

May I kindly ask for your prayers?

Tomorrow I'll have dental x-rays to find out where to go from here...Best case is that I'll need a root canal or two on those front teeth and get to keep them. Worst case is that I'll lose a tooth and need oral surgery and a tooth implant.

I am also praying for the intercession of St. Apollonia, who is the Patron of dental issues. She had all of her teeth knocked out as she was persecuted for her faith. My goodness, my injury is nothing compared to hers!

Sometimes life kicks us in the teeth but we make haste to pick up our Cross and head back up the hill. "Calvary or Bust", I say! Thank you so much for prayers received:)

My Mama Cave

2012-01-25T21:58:00.000-08:00

I love blogging because this little space is like my "Mama Cave"...

A cave of contemplation.

It is here that I can crawl into a little space as big as a box and pour out my heart.

It is here where I can share what the Lord has done for me in big and little ways, in hopes that maybe He will read my Thank-You notes, now and then.

{Sometimes I truly forget just how "public" this cave actually is}...

Nevertheless, it is here where I can express the gratitude for my sufferings in a way that makes sense to my soul, even when it doesn't make sense to me.

I can only hope that I may hold out a lantern for someone else who might be groping in the dark like I once was...and often still am in many ways.

What I'd love to say is...

C'mon inside and feel the warmth of God's love and let His grace reign down.

I'd like to pull up a bench next to our creator and just gaze into his eyes, wouldn't you?

I sometimes feel inadequate because I'm not fancy nor do I write to please any particular readers.

Sometimes I don't even have a clue about who cares to read what I have to say.

I guess it doesn't really matter since I don't write for numbers or recognition... I only hope that my boss, that "big man upstairs" recognizes that.

In a world where information is flying around faster than I can think, I am grateful for this place to sit and actually contemplate the wondrous ways that God works. If I can share an idea for living our one, true, Catholic faith, I am happy. For it is only in giving that we receive. I have received amazing and abundant blessings from my relationship with Christ, living and breathing through the church. We are so blessed and that is meant to be shared!

I have made some beautiful friends here, many who inspire me to keep living, working, and striving for sanctity. I am inspired by many bloggers who are real, honest, warriors for the faith. It is here where I come to gather new prayer intentions that give my prayer life real purpose and meaning.
I am certain that I see saints-in-the-making all around me. I see hope in this world through the windows of many faith-filled blogs.
WIth a sincere heart, I step into this cave and with conviction, I step out.
Now that is a cave worth crawling into!

Life Multiplies Love

2012-01-23T00:05:00.000-08:00

I grew up with this comic strip and I still love it, to this day! Isn't this a good one?

I found it particularly appropriate for this day of prayer and penance for LIFE as we multiply our love, not only in families with children, but for one another as children of God. All human life is sacred and deserves love.

I am thankful to be pro-life.
As I see it, it has always been about choice...

Being the child of a young teen-aged Mother, I grew up realizing what could have been my fate had my Mother had "the choice" of distinguishing my life. I have always been deeply grateful that she did have a choice but it centered around life...allowing me to live, one way or another. Keeping a baby or giving them up for adoption were the main "choices" of that time...Abortion wasn't legal. Though my Mother's life took a difficult turn with marriage and a baby to raise at a young age, she has never complained. I learned a lot from what she did and never said about her choice. I was later blessed by 4 more siblings:)

My husband was also a child of that same generation of choices. Given the situation that she found herself in, my husband's birth Mother chose to give him up for adoption. He went on to be raised in a loving family by parents who suffered from infertility. They also adopted a little girl so my husband had the privilege of growing up with a sister. The choice of life saved his life.

Years later, I met my husband after I had been tragically widowed and my son was fatherless. He later told me that it was easy to accept my son as his own because he, himself, was adopted. Being a father was not about a blood relationship, just as he had known and learned from his own father. Love was the choice and the choice was love. Much like the relationship that Jesus had with Joseph, his foster father, my husband has fostered with our son.
Who better to model this choice for love than the Holy Family?

Getting back to the comic strip, what a blessing that love has not been divided in my family. This same oldest son recently wrote about this in his college autobiography:

"We have grown into a large family circle where love abounds. We are all different but mutual unconditional love is what we have in common."

Just like the Family Circus, our love has multiplied with 5 other children that my husband and I have since shared, losing one through miscarriage but loving still the same.
After all is said and done, love is the greatest choice there is!

I am praying for all of those warriors who are Walking For Life today in Washington D.C. and looking forward to watching coverage on EWTN:)
We were sad to miss the Walk For Life (West Coast) this year but I am reflecting on the post I wrote last year and the fabulous testimony that we heard first hand from Abby Johnson.

Be sure to visit Jen's Adoption blog and her post about the Sanctity of Life. She offers a great vidoe there and I love that she included some wonderful resources for women who might be suffering from an abortion. I know many women who have been hurt deeply by their abortion and what a great grace to know that there is healing and mercy to be found. God's unfailing love is only a choice away!
Novena to St. John Bosco
Please join us in praying for hope, life and love. The St. John Bosco Novena started yesterday.

You can sign up for handy email reminders to get the the novena prayers here:http://www.praymorenovenas.com/st-john-bosco-novena

Link up or read more articles on LIFE here!

Animals, Art, and Hair That Sticks Out

2012-01-19T21:49:00.000-08:00

I always enjoy hearing tid-bits about how other family homeschools operate. Sometimes we can learn new things, just from a little detail here and there so I thought I'd share one of my discoveries. Over time, I have found it most successful when we study our science and social studies, one subject at a time, over a week's period. (This would be instead of trying to do both subjects in the same week)

Our daily mornings include math and language arts, ideally finishing at lunch time. Then we rotate weeks for science and social studies in the afternoons. Sometimes I will also devote a week to a particular writing assignment if we need more time than our regular mornings.

Soooo...

This week was science week!

One of my sisters was visiting this week from Oregon. Her husband was away on business so we got to spend some fun time with her and my niece, plus new baby on the way:)

One of my favorite things about homeschooling is the flexibility, not just with scheduling, but also with subject matter and curriculum. For example, yesterday we combined an afternoon of science AND art.

Sound like an odd combination?

Hey, it worked and it was so much fun...even for this Mama who struggles with finding science much fun*wink*

This Wildlife Center has been on our "science bucket list" and our Princess (who loves animals) has been dying to check it out!

It's primarily a refuge for injured, sick, or abandoned wild animals.

We met Bella, the Red Fox...

who quickly became a favorite! She was quite lively and definitely interested in us. What a friendly fox:)

Skunkie the Skunk...

who UNkindly sprayed us with her stinky perfume. Can you believe that got captured on film? Look at that thick and smelly fog...P-U! She didn't like us gawking at her one little bit:)

This was a beautiful barn owl...whose name I forget:(

But the highlight was Fizzle the Squirrel who rolled around in this plastic ball. Everywhere we went, he'd follow us! The littles got the biggest kick out of him:)

Afterwards, we headed home for an art project tying into our field trip.

It was perfect timing that we had recently re-discovered an art book that held instructions for drawing the same animals we had just met at the Wildlife Center.

The art came alive because of our personal encounter with the animals!

Later on we also spent time looking into habitats and information about the animals we learned about here.

The latter part of the week was spent studying static electricity with the youngers and all of the fun ways that electrons work...Always ~~Fun~~ Good review for Mama too:)

Hair that sticks out is always a hit!

You should see MY hair in the morning...I don't even need a balloon to make it stick up or out, nor can science explain it!

Do you have any tid-bits to share?

Sports And The Spiritual Life

2012-01-14T21:46:00.000-08:00

I watched a lot of basketball today since 3 of my children are playing recreational basketball. One child had 2 games so that was 4 games to watch. It's such a fun sport! I have to admit that I love the fast pace and the fact that games are only about 40 minutes and you're done:) It's only about a 7 week season and it's great physical exercise during the winter...Good lessons on teamwork are learned by all.

And what about the spiritual life?

This game of basketball got me to thinking...

I enjoy looking at things around me through the eyes of my Catholic Christian faith. It's so beautiful and it helps keep my eyes "on the ball."

I thought about our life of faith as I watched the kids race back and forth with the ball. They struggled and wrestled with that ball until they were red in the face and sweating buckets...All in the name of making that beloved basket, the goal of the game.

I wondered what life would be like if we worked that hard, both physically and spiritually, for our heavenly goal. No one really wants to die but we all certainly want to go to heaven...Don't we all want that "slam dunk?" My goodness, then we ought to be working up a sweat to get there!

I pictured this scene...There I am jumping up and down, waving my arms, shouting, "Over here, Lord, it's me, it's me!"...Do you recognize me on your team? Am I worthy of your pass?

Just as I'm shouting out to the Lord, someone runs by and steals my joy, running off with it, just like the opposing team runs off with the ball. That reminded me of my sin and how it feels to be robbed of that intimate closeness with Jesus.

If only we got that sense of urgency for reconciliation that we race down to the confessional, just like those kids racing down the court, to get our JOY back. Lord knows I should be wrestling for it all the way!

Once we get that JOY ball back, we are always ready to head back down the court, eternally grateful:)

Along the way, we might lose sight and feel alone...

But just as these kids are part of a team, so we are all one body of Christ...We are one team with many members. We walk together, we should never feel alone.

1 Corinth. 12:12-14

What are we doing to help one another...

Are we pointing the way to heaven?

Are we showing we are Christian by our love?

Well, that's what I love about the spiritual life...Never a dull moment and there's always enough work to keep my ball bouncing off the court, that's for sure.

Will we WIN or LOSE?

Just as we tell our kids...

The answer lies in how well we play the game!
The ultimate win is the goal of course, hoping to someday exclaim...
"I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance."
~2 Timothy 4: 7-8~

Little Cups of Grace

2012-01-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

I started a file some time ago entitled Gallons of Grace...1 Cup At A Time. The idea was to write/blog about the moments of grace that God gives us if we just quiet ourselves for a moment to hear Him out. I am not always the best at doing this, being the ultimate busy-body-multi-tasker, so it was a great "reminder to self" more than anything else. I began journaling about these moments of grace to remind myself of God's presence and the gift he gives us of Himself at ALL times. Even in those dark, lonely, or just plain, every day challenging moments of our lives; He is waiting to sit down with us and pour out a little cup of grace (or two:) Before we know it, gallons of grace fill us up... one precious cup at at time.

Well, this week has been a little bit stink-y.
Let's just say that people can disappoint us...Often those who are the closest to us.

Along with minor inconveniences and financial strains that consume my brain, I am quite aware that the devil is prowling around, tapping me on the shoulder as I work through my daily Surrender. With a hard working husband gone most of the week, I should be strong in holding down the fort, yet I am weak. It's a battle, I tell ya!

The first little cup of grace...came during my ~~sanity~~ Rosary walk. It felt so good to get back on track. I'm not moving too terribly fast right now but it feels good to MOVE, period. This moving and praying combination always leaves my cup open for a little grace to be poured in. Thank you, Lord, I'll sip to that!

The second little cup of grace...came upon picking up one of my favorite devotional reading books, The Imitation of Christ. If you don't know about this book, it's a true gem. It's one that I don't read every day but pick up periodically when I need a real shot in the ~~arm~~ soul. Like the bible when you pick it up and open it ~~randomly~~ providentially, you will most certainly read what God wants you to at that very moment!

In the heart-struggle with being disappointed by someone close to me, the book fell open to the Considerations For Leading An Interior Life....
Here is what I read:
"How quickly people change and fail us; but Christ abides forever (Jn 12:34) and remains at our side to the end.
No confidence is to be placed in mortal human beings, no matter how helpful they may be or how dear to us, for we are all frail. Neither should you be downcast if one day they are on your side and the next day they are against you; for humans are changeable like the wind.
Therefore, put your complete trust in God and let Him be the center of your love and fear. He will answer for you and will do what He sees best for you." (pg. 68)
Whoa, thank you, Jesus!

Then the next passage REALLY helped me put a change into action. It's nice to read something that is helpful but harder to shift your thoughts or know how to DO something about it. This was perfect!

"If you are unable to contemplate the Godhead, then let your thoughts dwell on the Passion of Christ, finding in those sacred wounds a home. If you fly to the wound in Christ's side, you will find comfort in all your troubles. You will not care then if others despise you, and will easily bear up under criticism."
Perfect shift...And a beautiful thing I can DO...
It was a grrrrreat reminder to read this next:
"When our Lord lived on earth He was looked down upon by people, and in the hour of His great need, He was left by His friends to bear insults and shame.

And this really hit home!
"Be silent and endure for awhile and you will experience the help of God in your need."
Gulped down this cup of grace!

The third little cup of grace came from dear Anne over at Imprisoned In My Bones. I always call her "dear Anne" because I think she is such a dear! (I have never met her but I can just tell she's a dear:) She selected this blog for a Liebster Award...Liebster is an endearing word of

German origin meaning dear, good, beloved, lovely, and welcome. The award is designed for little blogs, less than 200 followers. Yay, I love being little:)

If you haven't visited Anne, be sure to do so. I am always inspired by her. Her writing is like a beautiful love story between her and the Lord. Thank you, Anne...I am truly honored. Now I have to choose 5 little blogs to pass this on to. Hmmm, I will have a tough time narrowing that one down!

Moving forward with the rest of the week...I am grateful for a little peace in my heart, a song in my soul, and a few cups of grace under my belt.
"The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you."~Jn 14:26~

20+C+M+B+12~New Patron Saints!

2012-01-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

We followed the star,

And blessed our home...

Patron Saints will follow us where we roam.

Gifts were given to the Newborn King...

Thank you God, for everything.

I can't tell you how excited I am about my personal Patron Saint for this year...St. Margaret Clitherow. I am already inspired by a new saint that I have never known, yet I feel like I already know her! I will be writing more about her soon. After using the Saint Generator, we taped these Patron Saint images on all of our bedroom doors...

I also put in my request with Allison, over at Totus Tuus to select a Patron Saint for this blog. I am excited to find out who that may be!?

St. Jude is our family Patron Saint for the year...

He's tacked up over our home prayer table to remind us!

St. Jude, please pray for us.

Our prayer table cloth is changed to green and back to Ordinary Time we go...but only for a "time"...Lent will be here in a jiffy!

I Surrender (again) 2012

2012-01-07T00:10:00.000-08:00

This first week of 2012 was one of surrender.

It all began after reading these articles that I posted on the 7th day of Christmas. I began to reflect and ask myself what my personal goals were for this New Year...but I came up with no immediate answers?
And then I read this quote that described how I felt:
"The New Year notion of beginning again is built into us and God made us this way so that we would never stop longing for Him."
~Fr. James M. Sullivan~

That was it, I was longing for God, to grow deeper in my faith...And suddenly I didn't know what to do or how to get there? However, I knew one place where I needed to start. As I have mentioned before, when I have trouble with discernment in my life, I head to the Blessed Sacrament...Jesus never fails to provide an answer. This is certaninly no surprise or earth-shattering news for fellow Jesus Junkies:) Sometimes it takes some time and the answers aren't what I want or expect but He answers still the same...I have actually grown to love that it's not about what I want OR expect:)

As I knelt there in silence before the Lord, I felt my slate being cleared. You know those Etch a Sketch games that clear your scribbles? That's what I felt like.

A veil of peace swept over me and this is what poured forth from my heart...I did not "think"these words, they just flowed out, like a steady river.

(I recorded this prayer in my Adoration Journal)

"Here I am, Lord.

I surrender myself to You...

All of me, every bone in my body,

Take me Lord, as unworthy as I am and do with me what you will for me.

I am all yours, body and soul.

Help me to know what you want for me.

Help me to see your face and hear your still small voice in everything and everyone around me.

Have mercy on me a poor, poor sinner.

My heart floods with sorrow before you,

Yet I am filled with joy and thanksgiving that you should gaze upon me from your throne of grace.

With my arms outstretched, I call out to you.

Lord, I surrender,

Lord I surrender.

Help me to know your will.

Help me to do your will.

Help me to be your will.

Whatever it is, Lord, I am ready."

So there you go, my personal theme and goal for 2012...
I surrender.

The funny thing is that when I looked back at my marching orders for the 2011/12 school year, lest I be surprised, it was a similar message. How quickly I had forgotten what God wanted of me. Yet somehow, the deepest part of me must have known as my heart gushed out in prayer before Him. My soul remembered even if I didn't:) It is apparent that I need to work on the surrender of all of me, all of the time...Not just "for a time" and forget about it!

Silly me, God doesn't want to reinvent the wheel every darned time, does He? He just wants us to listen the first time! How many times a day do I scold my own children for not listening and here I am with the plank in my eye. But God is always gracious and patient and merciful with His little children, maybe I should take heed there as well;)

Today, through my surrender, I was "reminded" to let go of my big ideas, to adopt a spirit of surrender and be content to be weak. (Again) Though it sounds like an uncomfortable place to be, it's really quite the opposite. I am free when I surrender and only when I surrender am I free. God, in turn, provided immediate opportunities for me to test this new freedom:) Yes, there are miracles all around us waiting to happen, if only we just stop to listen, let go and let God.

These 5 goals came to my heart thereafter:

1. Surrender myself daily, that I may better see what God wills instead of what I will. (Pray daily the prayer above:)

2. Take heed to exercise daily, both spiritually and physically. I created an outline of what my prayer and Sacrament schedule should look like, accompanied by physical exercise.

3. Know, love, and serve those in my own home better. I cannot know, love, and serve God outside my home until I start within.

4. Pray and discern a family service project.

5. Appreciate and be grateful for each day that I have all 5 children at home...Our oldest will be leaving home this summer. Begin a Gratitude Journal for this son, recording my thankful thoughts for him these last 8 months before he leaves for a faraway college. I am also running to Mary, praying for the generosity to allow and encourage my son to respond to God's call, just as she allowed her Son to leave His home.

It has been a beautiful week of surrender and for this, I am grateful. What else does this year hold, I wonder? Whatever it is, I pray that it includes more of Him for He is the only answer to my heart's desire and that of all created human beings as well. I pray that anyone who reads this might be blessed with the following prayer in this promising New Year!

"In whatever way the New Year will unfold before us remains a matter of God's providence. Our fulfillment of his will rests in what we choose to do. In the midst of all of that, no matter what happens, never stop desiring more~more happiness, more joy, more of Him. ~Father James M. Sullivan~

Amen!

Epiphany Royal Celebration (Repost)

2012-01-06T08:47:00.000-08:00

Happy Traditional Epiphany Day!

January 6, 2012

Looking for ideas and ways to celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord?

I am reposting this celebration from last year. We will be doing much of the same thing this weekend when our Dad comes home from work:)

While much of the world left Christmas behind over a week ago,

I have truly been savoring the season.

Gratitude for my Catholic faith overflowed this week as things

slowed down after the flurry of Advent activity;

I have FINALLY been able to enjoy Christmas!

Twinkling lights and peaceful Christmas music lingered in my car CD player

AND in my soul all week long...

Today was the 12th Day of Christmas and the celebration of the visit from the Magi to the manger~

The traditional Epiphany Day.

(Matthew 2:1-12)

I suppose it's also time to make the transition from Christmastide to Ordinary time...

(after this Sunday)

Though I AM tempted to wait until

The Presentation of the Lord in February;

For some reason, I am just not ready to say goodbye

to Christmas quite yet!

Regardless of the quiet digging in of my heels, we made the best of this ending, as we celebrated the Magi coming to Christ in the manger.

Marking the closing of our Christmas season,

we enjoyed an evening of celebration, complete

with an Epiphany Royal Supper!

~The evening began with the Traditional Home Blessing~

The “C, M, B also stands for the Latin blessing Christius Mansionem Benedicat which means “May Christ Bless this House”.

Be sure to visit Catholic Icing for Lacy's post on the Epiphany House Blessing and more linkys for Epiphany ideas:)

We have started a tradition of choosing a Patron Saint for our family for the New Year. We have been doing this via the Saint Generator.

Dad picks companion saints for our family

to follow, learn about, and pray with us through the New Year.

Our Epiphany Royal Supper Menu:

Crown Pizza

"Golden Pear" Winter Fruit Salad

Royal Punch

Dessert: King's Cake

We brought our Three Wise Guys to the center of our

dinner table to join our Royal Supper, also posted over at Catholic Cuisine.

Rod cut a family-sized Take and Bake Pizza

in half and then carved

2 crown shapes from the top and bottom halves:

The "Golden Pear" Winter Salad

was a new and simple recipe I tried

It turned out incredibly Yuuuuumy!

Bosco Pears

Ambrosia Apples

Oats and Honey Granola

Greek Yogurt~Honey Flavored

The Epiphany~ Manifestation of the Word made Flesh~

Gave us reason to CHEER!

I also wanted to share this simple recipe for our

~Royal King's Cake~

One of our family favorites!

Ingredients:

Yellow Cake Mix

1 pkg. Vanilla Pudding mix

4 Eggs

1 Cup Dry Sherry Wine

3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

*Beat all ingredients together on high for approx. 5 minutes*

Spray Bundt Pan and Bake at 350 degrees

for 45-50 minutes

Sprinkle with Powdered Sugar

(We added the Royal Garnish for our Epiphany Celebration)

As the Magi brought gifts to Jesus,

we closed out the evening by bringing Him our hearts,

renewing our love and commitment

to the Christ child and Savior of the world.

After crowning the King of Kings,

Each person thought of one way to improve their spiritual life and wrote the promise or "gift to Jesus" on a paper heart. We placed our hearts at the feet of the Christ Child for the evening.

The hearts will be taped on bathroom mirrors or school stations to remind us of our

New Year's gift to Jesus.

This weekend we will take down our Christmas decorations...

I don't look forward to the bare nakedness of my home after the last

string of lights are put away.

But the beauty of our faith DOES remind me of the cycle of our human spirit as we

constantly strive for our ultimate goal.

We are continually reminded that we must decrease and empty

ourselves in order to open up a space to receive the graces of heaven.

I may not want Christmas to end but it is a reflection of what's best for me and for us all. The good news is that Lent is coming...

As our homes reflect the emptying out of Christmas, they also serve as visual reminders that our strength longs to be renewed. After the Baptism of the Lord, we set forward on the journey into Ordinary Time until we reach the liturgical season of Lent in a few short weeks.
I love the season of Lent!
Am I the only one looking forward to Lent already?

Until then we are called to rediscover the sanctity of our every day lives in this Ordinary Time...

Only from death, can we be raised to eternal life.

"Naked and stripped there came forth

from her, He who clothes all."

~St. Ephrem the Syrian~

Breaking Free

2012-01-05T18:41:00.000-08:00

Today we experienced one of those 'Just Do It" moments!

How could we resist heading out on a sunny, 65 degree "winter" day, on the 12th day of Christmas? Well, sometimes it's easier said than done! It felt good to let go and break free. One of the things I dislike about myself is that I have a hard time being spontaneous. If its not in my "plan" for the day, I meet huge resistance with myself. But today was a day of surrender in many ways. For me personally, I also made a New Year's surrender. That post is up next:)

Life is so simple when we just let go. There's something about walking or riding a bike in the fresh air that feels like freedom. Not just the physical freedom from the confines of a vehicle or the walls of a home around you but the spiritual freedom of detachment. There's nothing much that stands between you and God when the sunshine's on your back, a gentle breeze blows through your hair and fresh air fills your spirit.

Not to mention that the musical chatter of children who are thrilled to be free is enough to break down the best of us!

We set out after lunch leaving the dishes, school books, and laundry behind. I'm not sure how many miles we traveled but the whole outing lasted for about 2 hours. That's not much time for all the fussing I go through about doing stuff like this. (Shame on me)!

We stopped by to see our Mother...

We didn't even get off of our bikes as she quickly led us to her Son next door...Where He was present in the Blessed Sacrament!

We all got to pay a special visit and offer our love and prayers.

The park was our next stop, right down the street from the church.

Our monkey loves the monkey bars!

Who doesn't love a slide?

And you know the park holds hidden treasures, other than the play set, right?

Big brothers and Dad sure missed out!

One big brother was doing what he loves best...spending time on duty with Dad:) This is his own way of "breaking free." How many other Middle School Homeschoolers get this amazing opportunity?

I keep telling him that the Army needs more Chaplains...There are a shortage of Catholic priests right now. But I think he may have already discovered his calling.? I'll keep praying, just in case!*wink*

Heading home, Angel Baby insisted on pulling the wagon...She's a tough cookie, I tell ya!

Goodbye to Mr. Tree, until we meet again.

Princess loved the looks of this tree and wanted me to take a photo so she could try to paint it when we got home:)

Back home the dishes and laundry jumped out to meet me...

But I greeted them joyfully in return as I am free, free as in the figurative sense.
I'm certainly no St. John Neumann but he certainly set the example for getting uncomfortable. Today was about breaking free from my own comfort zone, even in this small way, and stretching myself to better places.

Just do it!

If I can do it, anyone can:)

Holy Name of Jesus

2012-01-05T16:28:00.000-08:00

This was a really fun project for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus or anytime, really.

I'm posting it for my own records and to share it forward:)

We found these neat free printables over at Bible Story Printables. It was a simple project to print them out, color, and string them up for a decorative garland. We hung ours from our school room prayer shelf. It was the perfect activity as we call upon the name of Jesus to help us back to school this week:)

The same link has a packet to print out for looking up the scriptures for some of the names of Jesus found in the Bible.

Upon reading up on the Most Holy Name of Jesus, we discovered that there are over 100 different names referring to Jesus in scripture. Wow, I learned something new there! These are just to name a few.

I am looking forward to the scripture hunt for these names!

Praying everyone is having a good week getting back to steady routines.

I LOVED this quote:

"There is no improving the future without disturbing the present."

~Catherine Booth~

Catholic 12 Days Of Christmas (Day 11 & 12)

2012-01-03T08:24:00.000-08:00

~A clean school room in honor of Mother Seton~

It's back to school around here!

These are the last plans for the final days of Christmas as we get back "to work."

Note: I created a Catholic 12 days of Christmas page on our blog sidebar that lists all 12 days in one spot:) I know that I will need it for future reference!

Day 11 (January 4)

Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Read and Reflect on the life of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. She is an important saint for all Americans being the first American-born canonized saint. After the death of her husband, she continued to raise their 5 children and became a nun while doing it! Numb with grief, she marched on to found many Catholic schools, orphanages and the American Sisters of Charity. She holds a special place in my heart as the Patron Saint of Widows and those who have lost children. (She later lost 2 children to tuberculosis) Read the Gospel (John 1:35-42) and reflect on following Jesus.

Reflection: Would we be ready to change our plans for Jesus? Would we drop what we are doing as readily as both the apostle Andrew, Simon and even Mother Seton? I am in awe of this when I reflect on my own widowhood and how paralyzed I was at the time. I pray that I will have the strength and grace to handle future trials with deeper trust and hope in the Lord.

Respond: In preparation for the Epiphany and the arrival of the Magi to honor Jesus, we are cleaning house! (Not taking down our decorations quite yet, but cleaning and organizing the clutter:) As a special honor to Mother Seton, we hit our very MESSY school room this week!

Here are the "before" photos...

One VERY cluttered desk!

After a full day of work, we are tidy again and ready to hit the books!

Our pre-schooler wanted to start back "to work" today! Every child is different but this one LOVES her work books.

(AND she was the only one with an eager spirit)

The rest of us will start back to school on Tuesday.

Pray Psalm 23, known to be Mother Seton's favorite prayer, and/OR this prayer:

Prayer by Mother Seton

O Father, the first rule of our dear Saviour's life 
was to do Your Will. 
Let His Will of the present moment 
be the first rule of our daily life and work, 
with no other desire 
but for its most full and complete accomplishment. 
Help us to follow it faithfully, 
so that doing what You wish 
we will be pleasing to You.

Day 12 (January 5th)

Last of the 12 days of Christmas

Feast of St. John Neumann

Read and Reflect on the life of St. John Neumann who came as a missionary to

America. He ministered to American Catholics when there was an extreme shortage.

(Only 36 priests to serve over 200,000 Catholics) Discuss how it must have felt for

John to be uncomfortable as he lived in poverty to serve the poor...How can we get

"uncomfortable" to serve those that Jesus calls us to? In what ways can we stretch

ourselves from our comfort zone?

What have we learned the most from these 12 days of

Christmas?

Respond:  We will be planning for our Epiphany Royal Celebration to celebrate on

Sunday.

It will take a bit of organizing to gather what we need... We will pretty much

following the same menu and plan as last year. Our Firefighter Dad will be on duty

through the weekend, until then, so we will look forward to him coming home:)

Prayer for the Epiphany of the Lord:

Dear Jesus, as You led the Three Kings to You by the light of a star,

Please draw us ever closer to You by the light of Faith.

Help us to desire You as ardently as they did.

Give us the grace to overcome all the obstacles that keep us far from You.

May we, like them, have something to give You when we appear before You.

Mary, Our Mother, help us to know Your Son.

Amen.

Wishing everyone a glorious and royal celebration!

Catholic 12 Days Of Christmas~(Days 9 & 10)

2012-01-02T10:21:00.000-08:00

Day 9 (January 2):

Feast of St. Basil the Great & St. Gregory Nazianzen

Read and Reflect upon the Saints for today who had a well-known and admirable friendship. Discuss qualities that make a good friend. How can we be a good friend to others?

How can we be a good friend to our siblings and those in our own home???

Respond by reaching out to a friend. Make a point to let your friends know how much they mean to you. A tangible action can be made by writing Christmas Thank You Notes:)

Pray the 2nd Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary, The Visitation. Meditate on Mary's gift of charity to her cousin Elizabeth and offer up your friends and all of their intentions.

Day 10 (January 3):

The Most Holy Name of Jesus

Read and Reflect on the Holy Name of Jesus. We will be using this booklet but there are also many online resources, some good ones listed over at Joyfilled Family.

Respond: with a craft or project to honor the name of Jesus. We found this neat idea over at Bible Story Printables, where you can print colored or black and white Names of Jesus Ornaments to hang or place in a binder.

They have even included scripture versus to find all of the names of Jesus in the Bible! We are thinking about making a fireplace garland to hang through the Presentation of the Lord on February 2 and work on looking up each name in the Bible over the next few weeks! I'm looking forward to this:)

*Since January is also dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus, we will also work on memorizing this scripture:

"At the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those in heaven and earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."~Phil 2:10-11~

Last year we made a Holy Name of Jesus plaque for our liturgical door wreath and this yummy breakfast snack:) This yummy pizza was also a lunchtime hit!

Pray: The Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus

New Years Prayer

2012-01-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

New Years Prayer Poem

By: Charlotte Anselmo

Thank you, Lord for giving me

The brand new year ahead.

Help me live the way I should,

As each new day I tread.

Give me gentle wisdom,

That I might help a friend.

Give me strength and courage,

So a shoulder I might lend.

The year ahead is empty,

Help me fill it with good things.

Each new day filled with joy,

And the happiness it brings.

Please give the leaders of our world

A courage born of peace

That they might lead us gently

And all the fighting cease.

Please give to all upon this earth,

A heart that's filled with love,

A gentle happy way to live

With your blessings from above.

Catholic 12 Days Of Christmas~(Days 7 & 8)

2011-12-30T21:25:00.000-08:00

Day 7: (December 31)

Feast of St. Sylvester I

New Year's Eve

Read and Reflect upon John 3:16 and St. Sylvester. It's the last day of the year so we will pause to be thankful for God's greatest gift of salvation, through the birth and death of His only Son. We are also grateful for personal blessings received throughout the year, including the challenges that are inevitable gifts. Discussion: What are we most grateful for this year? What difficult things have we experienced that have helped us grow closer to God?

Respond: It is a New Year's Eve tradition in our family that we rotate through our Parish 24 hour Adoration. It is the perfect way to pause and return thanks to God as we express our love to Him, ringing in a new calendar year.

Prayer: For the adults and older children, there are beautiful meditations and prayers in the Magnificat that are perfect for the Adoration Vigil, concluding with this prayer: (Note: Magnificat has a wonderful Iphone/Smartphone App...I believe it's still free for a trial period:)

"I waited, I waited for the Lord, and he stooped down to me...He put a new song into my mouth."~Psalm 40:2,4~

Happy New Year!
I also thought I'd share 3 New Years articles that I enjoyed from other places:
National Catholic Register "Pope Gives Thanks to God"
Integrated Catholic Life
Jeff and Emily Cavins

Day 8: (January 1~Octave Day of Christmas)

Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God

Read and Reflect: upon Mary as the Mother of God. Read Luke 1:38 when Mary proclaimed her "Yes" to God: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word. Discussion: In what ways can we renew our own "Yes" to God as we enter this New Year? In what ways can we renew our faith?

How can we have the faith of a little child?

"Mommy, last night I dreamed about Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus and ALL the angels..."

My response: "Wow, Mommy would love to have a dream like that!"

Respond: Last year we made Blessed Mother of God Brownies. My wheels are still turning on this one:)

Pray the Rosary as a family and the Magnificat prayer.

"In thanksgiving for the time that has been,

in hope for the time that is to come,

Let us pray through the intercession of Mary,

the Mother of God:

We praise you, O Lord, and we bless you."

Catholic 12 Days Of Christmas~(Day 5 & 6)

2011-12-29T20:09:00.000-08:00

Day 5: (December 29)

Feast of St. Thomas Becket

Theme: The Nativity of the Lord

Reflect and Read the Nativity of the Lord, as a family, from the Gospels (Matthew 1 and 2 or Luke 1 and 2) We will be following a long with the beautifully illustrated picture book, The Nativity. The focus of our discussion will be the angels and shepherds. The angels first proclaimed the Good News and the shepherds made haste, or rushed in from the hills, to see God's promise fulfilled with the birth of the Messiah.

Discussion questions: How can we be heralds of the Gospel?; Have we seen God's glory in our own lives?; In what ways can we rejoice with the angels: "Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!"~Psalm 96~ How can we move closer to the Lord, keeping the shepherds in mind: "The shepherds went in haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the Infant lying in the manger."~Luke 2:16~

Respond: Make an angel craft AND a Gingerbread Manger. We used this Usborne book as our guide for this hand print angel art.

Angel Baby in action...

I am not a "messy Mom" so I always have to relinquish my desire to keep things neat and clean. This is a struggle for me and something I always have to work at!

The end results are usually worth it when hands and faces (and sometimes hair) are all cleaned up!

(Especially when art project turn out so cute:)

The older kids worked on this Gingerbread Manger with Dad:) Yep, I admit we bought the 'cheater' supplies so it was pretty effortless.

The Claydough Nativity set can be found online here. By the way, mine came in a nice plastic encasement for storage and protection...That makes the price a little more bearable. Plus, they sure are cute!

As I've mentioned before, Dad is pretty good at this stuff:) He wanted to create a humble and simple manger, without any gumdrops on the roof. You know what that means? More candies from the kit for the kids to eat right away:)

As you can see, they used Nutella for the frosting on the Gingerbread Manger....YUM. "Somebody" got a fun sampling of the Nutella:)

We browned some coconut for the manger hay and this is the finished project, mostly edible! (Except for the claydough figures of course)

Pray: Stations of the Manger that were created last year.

Today we also decorated our white Christ candle that we light each night during the Christmas season. It was simple to add some Nativity stickers and glitter.

Our parish bulletin had a nightly Christmas table blessing that I Mod Podged to the back of the candle for easy prayer access!

Just in case you are wondering if we are some "holy family", think again! I always like to point out that we are not perfect by any means. Striving for holiness is something we take to heart but we certainly have a long journey ahead with routine struggles:) For example, we no sooner get done with our pleasant angel discussion tonight and our 3 year old Angel Baby yells out from her bedroom: "MOM! My jammie drawer is all jacked up!" Well, it certainly wasn't a 'sweet as an angel' exclamation but I got a good chuckle anyway ...Hmmm, wonder where she heard that one? Time for nightly Guardian Angel prayers!

**Dad and 2 older boys are serving dinner at a local homeless shelter with our Parish Youth Group. Praying this makes up for a few of our imperfections*wink*

Day 6: December 30th

Feast of the Holy Family

Reflect upon Jesus living a real human life with a Mother and Father chosen by God. Discuss how our parents were chosen by God to raise and care for us. How can we follow the example of Jesus as a child? How can we follow the example of St. Mary and St. Joseph as parents?

Read the Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians 3:12-21. Discuss how we can treat eachother as St. Paul writes to the Colossians.

Respond: Do something together as a family today, even if it's just sitting down for a meal. Today our Dad will be gone to work so the rest of us plan on attending daily Mass and getting donuts afterwards. Didn't the Holy Family eat donuts? OK, maybe not...But it's still a real treat for us:)

Three of our children served daily Mass for the Feast of the Holy Family. Army Dude helped Father T. give us all a good dousing of Holy Water for a blessing...Sure beats a shower!

Our activity will be picking the name of a family member from a hat. We will spend a little time writing about the great qualities of that person and why we love them. The letters will be read in the evening around dinner or prayer. Dad can e-mail us his letter from work!

Pray for all families, including those from our Christmas cards started earlier in the week.

"God and Father of all, you gave us the Holy Family to serve as an example of love and obedience. Grant to all people, in family homes or alone, the grace to hold in honor the bonds of love and respect which bind the human race chosen for adoption as your children, through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.

~Magnificat Morning Prayer~

Christmas Devotion to the Holy Family

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

From the heavenly household on high

Look upon all earthly households today,

Pray for us!

Holy Family,

You were not welcome in Bethlehem;

Embrace those rejected by the world.

Pray for us!

Holy Family,

You were sheltered in a stable;

Protect those who have no home.

Pray for us!

Holy Family,

You heard the angels' song;

Sing to us of heaven's joy.

Pray for us!

Holy Family,

You faithfully observed the divine law;

Show us how to do the will of God.

Pray for us!

Holy Family,

Protected and guided by St. Joseph,

Pray for us!

Holy Family,

Cared for, looked after by Holy Mary,

Pray for us!

Holy Family,

Fulfilled by the Presence of Christ,

Pray for us!

Be our strength in life,

Be our hope in the hour of death.

Pray for us. Amen.

The family is a school which enables men and women to grow to the full measure of their humanity...

" O God, who in the Holy Family left us a perfect model of family life lived in faith and obedience to your will, help us to be examples of faith and love for your commandments."~Pope Benedict XVI~

Catholic 12 Days Of Christmas~(Days 1-4)

2011-12-28T19:58:00.000-08:00

(I know this is kind of a goofy picture but I guess we're just dorks that way:)

On the 12 days of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

A plan for our family!

My husband and I sat down together this year to make a family plan for celebrating the 12 days of Christmas. (We decided to go beyond the Octave, or eight days, of Christmas and "go for the gusto"...all 12 "plus some" to include the Epiphany proper:) Either way, it was fun to share our goals to keep our Catholic faith burning and churning through the rhythm of the liturgical wheel, into the New Year. I thought we'd share what we have planned so far! [Please note...This year,(2011) the Christmas season "officially" lasts 16 days plus an evening. If you want to get the low-down, The National Catholic Register has a great article to explain the count!]

We incorporated family reflection or discussion topics with ways to respond and an evening prayer as we light our white Christ candle in the center of our Advent wreath.

DAY 1: (December 25th)

It's Christmas Day~Rejoice!

Read and reflect upon God as love coming as a baby, a Messiah, a promise to His people. God loves us so much that he wants us to be happy with Him forever; knowing, loving and serving Him.
Respond: We express our charity by placing baby Jesus in the manger, exchanging gifts, and celebrating Christ's birth.
"When are we most happy? When we do that for which we are made"~Archbishop Fulton Sheen~
Pray: We pray for all of our family and friends to know God's love.

DAY 2: (December 26th)

It's the Feast of St. Stephen, the church's first martyr.

Read and reflect (Acts 6 and 7) on St. Stephen. Being one of the church's first deacons, ordained by Jesus himself, Stephen was given the task of helping care for the poor. It was fun to discuss the story of King Winceslas and his connection to the Feast of St. Stephen and the Christmas Carol:)

~Resources for our reading and prayer~

Respond: As we clean spaces and make room from gifts and new toys received, spend time this day gathering toys and clothes for a local shelter. We gathered a loot and still working on more to take to our local shelter on Thursday!
Pray for those who are persecuted in other parts of the world, for those physically and spiritually poor, and for those who care for them.

DAY 3: (December 27th)

Feast of John the Apostle & Evangelist

Read and reflect on St. John through the Gospel and letters attributed to him. The more we read the Bible, the more it becomes a part of our way of thinking and living. St. John's message is the central them of the teachings of Christ: "Love one another."
Respond: As an act of love, gather up all of our Christmas cards and place them in a basket. Choose one at random each evening to read at dinnertime. Explain how we know them and how they have blessed our lives. This feast day is also a day of reconciliation. In 1983, it was the day that Pope John Paul II reconciled with the man who tried to assassinate him. Resolve to take an opportunity during these Christmas days to reach out to an estranged family member or friend, even if it's just sending an e-mail. If there is no reconciliations to be made there are always reconnections to strive for! I have a list of people who I need to reconnect with:)
Pray for all of those in our basket...One of the children thought of putting together a litany prayer with all of the names of people who sent us Christmas cards...great idea! We'll see how it goes:) We will also pray for the intercession of St. John for reconciliations and forgiveness.

"Bridge building is costly, as the Cross demonstrates, but the people stranded on both banks are all freed by the bridge."-Magnificat 10/6-

DAY 4: (December 28th)

Feast of the Holy Innocents

Read and reflect upon the Holy Innocents (Gospel of Matthew and Saints for Young Readers) when King Herod sent his soldiers to kill all male babies in Bethlehem under the age of two, in the hopes of killing the Messiah among them. These little children are honored today by the Church as martyrs and are called the Holy Innocents.
Good Resource: Word on Fire
Respond: Make Baby Jesus Rolls! I found this cute idea over at Catholic Missionary Family.

Pray for those who abuse and neglect children. We can also ask the Holy Innocents to intercede our prayers for the protection of all children from harm and to change the hearts of those who promote abortion.

~We pray this list may be helpful to others...More days to come!~
Ideas adapted from this great article at U.S. Catholic

Daily Prayer for Christmastime
Lord Jesus, God from God,
Guide my every thought today.
Heaven and earth, rejoice!
Lord Jesus, my Redeemer,
Let my lips speak only your word.
Heaven and earth, rejoice!
Lord Jesus, my King,
Fill my deeds today with your love.
Heaven and earth, rejoice!

Christmas Is Not Over!

2011-12-28T10:27:00.000-08:00

Baby Jesus is in the manger, gifts are opened and the house is finally cleaned up but "Hallelujah", Christmas isn't over! We don't touch our decorations until after the 12th day of Christmas, the Epiphany. I just love the 12 days of the Christmas Season so I can finally breathe a little easier and enjoy. The schedule is still a little lighter, a long with money in the bank, so there's certainly more time around the house to listen to Christmas music, reflect on our Advent journeys and focus a little more on the Christmas story.

It is said that the Twelve Days of Christmas song lyrics were written as a catechism song to help young Catholics learn their faith, at a time when practicing Catholicism was discouraged in England (1558 until 1829). One article I found suggests that the song was written by English Jesuits during the 16th century.

You can also read more about the meaning behind the song at Catholic Culture and Our Sunday Visitor.

I just love the symbolism and meaning to share with my children as we enjoy the

12 Days of Christmas this week.

We are reading this book with beautiful illustrations from the traditional song.

Then we are comparing the book and traditional song with the real meaning that I have compiled below here from what I have read and added my own images.

The Twelve Days of Christmas” as a Catechism Song

Gift Interpretation:

The "12 Days of Christmas" song gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."

December 25: A Partridge in a pear tree …….. Jesus.

December 26: Two Turtle Doves …….. The Old and New Testaments.

December 27: Three French Hens ……. The three theological virtues – faith, hope and charity.

December 28: Four Calling Birds ……. The four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists:

~Matthew, Mark, Luke and John~

December 29: Five Gold Rings …… The Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, giving the history of man's fall from grace.

December 30: Six Geese a-Laying …. The six days of Creation.

December 31: Seven Swans a-Swimming ….. Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (piety, fortitude, knowledge, understanding, counsel, fear of the Lord, wisdom). Also it can help us remember the seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Matrimony, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick.

January 1: Eight Maids a-Milking …… The Eight Beatitudes – a set of eight blessings contained in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. Four beatitudes also appear in the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke, where they are contrasted with four woes.

January 2: Nine Ladies Dancing ……. Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-31.

January 3: Ten Lords a-Leaping…… The Ten Commandments.

January 4: Eleven Pipers Piping….. The eleven faithful Apostles.

January 5: Twelve Drummers Drumming …… The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed.

From the Hours of Catherine of Cleves, ca. 1440. The border shows the legend of the composition of the Apostles' Creed, according to which the Twelve, before dispersing thoughout the world to preach the Gospel, composed the Creed as a sure rule of the Faith, each of them contributing one of the twelve articles. In the center is depicted the legend of the Ten Thousand Martyrs, represented here symbolically by only ten figures.

"Regardless of whether this tale is made up of both fact and fiction, hopefully it will be accepted in the spirit it was written. As an encouragement to people to keep their faith alive, when it is easy, and when any outward expressions of their faith could mean their life. Today there are still people living under similar conditions, may this tale give them courage, and determination to use any creative means at their disposal to keep their faith alive."

~Fr. Hal Stockert~