Groping for God

Hello God, it's me, Tiffany.

Where are you?

My family has fallen apart and I don't understand.

One day I was a homeschooling Mom who made liturgical food and crafts with my kids and the next day, my whole world crashed down around me. 

I thought I had it all. 

Where has that life gone? 

Oh, how I'd give anything to have it back.

Things haven't been the same since that fateful day...

Our family, our children, our marriage...

Crumpled under the cross.

Holy week came this year and my husband was getting his own apartment. 
I don't know who this man is?

No more Husband, no more Dad in our home.

I saw you carrying your Cross, Lord.  

Every Friday, I watched and listened to your suffering.

I wanted to be just like you but I couldn't.

I just knelt there and poured out my grief upon you because I was too weak to bear it...

Consumed by the cross.

Somehow I got through it...Another Holy Week. 

You were there, Lord.  I know you were. 

Suddenly I see that clearly because

that's where you love us best...on Calvary.

Our Calvary is your Calvary.

Time and time again, you meet us there to show us we can do it.

What holy irony it is that we are closest to you there.

My pain and sorrow is also your pain and sorrow.

You show us that suffering is not the end.

I choose hope.  I choose you, Lord.

Help me to model this for our children...

Huddled near the cross.

Please forgive me for wondering what this is all about

and for missing the old life. 

Like it or not, I'm traveling a new road.
No more homeschooling but still a home built on faith.

Help me to keep you alive in our family, Lord.

Help me to remember that when we are weak, you are made perfect in us.

When we are empty, you have more room to fill us up.

Always and forever...

Family At the Foot of the Cross.

"What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." ~John 1:1-18

Lent and Easter Photo Journal~(2nd Half) +2014+

 Palm Sunday...Holy Week begins here!

 

Found these cute (and free) little guys on Pinterest and printed them on cardstock. (The site is in Spanish but it's not difficult to figure out;) They were a good "hands on" for the little one, helping her move Jesus on His journey through Jerusalem to Calvary.

Here is a link to my Holy Week Pinterest Board. 

 

 

Palms make a beautiful centerpiece:)

 

 Older kids were blessed to serve Palm Sunday Mass with our new Deacon, soon-to-be Priest

 

Rod and I made it to the Chrism Mass this year at the Cathedral...Put on our Lenten purple for the occasion:)

All of the Holy Oils were blessed and the priests of our diocese renewed their vows...Soul stirring!

 
 

 

 One of my favorite Holy Week projects this year was this...Super easy and printable crucifix to watercolor. I framed them and still have them up! Be sure to visit Do Small Things With Love:)

 

 
 

  Our church got a new altar, just in time for Easter!  It's hand carved and gorgeous!

 

 One of our favorite Lenten traditions is pretzel making to remind us of the importance of prayer during Lent.  The pretzel forms arms crossed in prayer.  We usually save it for Holy Week.  Read more about this ancient tradition here!

 

Look who else is ready for Easter...Our very own Easter "Benny"!

 

Holy Thursday...

Loved this Triduum printable!

(I printed on cardstock so it would stand up)
Also used it for or CCD class...Perfect.

 

This year we tried our hand at making unleavened bread for a Holy Thursday lunch.  Thanks to Lacy at Catholic Icing, it was a breeze!  The kids really enjoyed making it.

 

 

I'm cherishing the moments that my children still like to color...It's not very often that anyone but the 6 yo still likes to do it.  Yikes, the "younger" children are now getting "older!"  Three of them seemed to enjoy coloring The Last Supper this year.  I framed these too for keepsake purposes, knowing these days are fading fast!

 

 

Good Friday

(This cardstock printable is from the same site I first linked to for Palm Sunday at the beginning of this post)

We do our best to participate in our local Walk for Life on Good Friday each year...It always seems to set the right tone for the day...

AHG Girls represented at the Walk for Life!

 

Kids served Mass again on Good Friday...It was an honor that our family was able to serve so many times during Holy Week:)  The older boy is one of our dear family friends.

 

Our oldest son at home (far left) served Easter Vigil with his friends...They are here with Father getting ready. (Not expecting my candid camera!)  I enjoyed watching these older boys serve with such reverence!  What a good example they are up there.

The Easter altar always looks so fresh and clean with the Paschal Candle waiting to illuminate the lives of the newly baptized!  It was a beautiful Mass ringing in the JOY of Easter Sunday...

 



Alleluia, He is Risen and we are Easter people!

Sacrifice beans became jelly beans and the colors of new life burst forth!  Easter celebrations were in order:)

I had fun with Easter food this year, thanks to fun ideas being shared on Pinterest.  This was my Easter Food Board.

+Wishing everyone who might pass this way a beautiful and blessed Easter season...It's not over yet!+



Thank goodness I've posted many photos to my blog over the years...With our recent computer problems, finding old photos has been a heart ache!  Photo journals on the blog are good for my soul:)



Hence, for my personal records, First Half of Lenten Photo Journal 2014 linked here:)