Fruit and Fuel of the Holy Spirit

A generous parish family has a Pentecost party every year.

It's always nice to socialize with church families and celebrate one of the biggest Church feast days of the year, next to Easter of course.  

I like to look at it like a "coming out" party.  The apostles could finally come out of their fearful hiding places because the Holy Spirit gave them the courage to move forward, live their faith, and spread the Good News.

We have the most amazing strawberries at a local fruit stand, practically walking distance from our house!  

I thought this fruity Holy Spirit dove was a fun thing to bring to the party.  It was a super simple design:) It also serves as a visual reminder that the Holy Spirit fuels us to come out of our own hiding places.

I shared it over at Catholic Cuisine as an idea to celebrate Confirmation as well.

(I'm making it again for my son's Confirmation party this weekend)

Just as our dear priest said in his homily, Pentecost is not just a thing of the past, it's the here and now.

For that reason, Pentecost is a great reminder for all Christians to come out and live Godly examples...Not always in words but in actions.

I know for me, it's a great time to get motivated when sometimes it's just easier to hunker down and not "go out" of my comfortable box, so to speak.

The Holy Spirit helps me get unstuck when I get mired down and gives me the fuel in my soul tank to live as I should.  Without it, I'm on E, for empty!

+May the force (of the Holy Spirit) be with you, too!+

Soul Stamp

For selfish reasons, I just love when my children receive a new Sacrament.  Not only do they receive abundant graces themselves, it's also an opportunity for the whole family to strengthen our faith...Most importantly, we, the parents!  As Catholics, we are not "once saved." We are saved through our Baptism, of course, but our salvation is an ongoing process; We believe our lives are a series of constant and continual conversions.  The Sacraments are one of many blessed opportunities to experience a new conversion, to revisit the gifts of our faith, and renew our commitment to the greatest Giver.

I've heard it said before that "Once a Catholic, always a Catholic." It's no wonder when we receive a permanent, indelible mark on our souls, received through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.  From these special moments forward, we are always recognizable by the Father...And the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  We are loved. Soul Stamp! Permanent gifts are given. 
Of course we have free will not to practice our Catholic faith but in doing so, we deny such beautiful gifts so lavishly poured upon us.   For goodness sakes, it makes sense that we aren't at peace until we are back on the home page. We are restless until we rest with God. {Home in the Church}.  (St. Augustine) 

In a nutshell, we are marked by God. We are His forever. Our souls are stamped. He loves us so much that he gave us many gifts through the Sacraments...Not just one gift but many. Whoa, I saw this in a new way ...A realization of the many gifts freely given to us by God Himself, specifically through the Sacrament of Baptism and strengthened in Confirmation.  How many times have I squandered these gifts? Oh My!  Yes, I was "one of those."

There were times in my life that I ignored the gifts and even so much as tried to send them back.  Nope, didn't work.  The gifts remained.  They sat there waiting for me to look at them, dig down deep, open them up, adore them, be grateful for them.  God waited patiently and lovingly, as He always does for his children.  He never takes back His gifts or His soul stamp.   
His mercy endures forever.

Now I do my best to appreciate those gifts, hoping to never take them for granted again. As my second son prepared for his Confirmation, I was reading about the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit.  They jumped out at me, not just as words to memorize for Catechesis, but vitamins to strengthen us for our journey.  They're spiritual self-help, real, tangible, instructions and helpful hints for how to live.  I'm saying that again for myself...How to live.  We aren't just Catholics by name but it's how we live our lives that count.  I'm always trying to talk the talk to my children while most importantly, reminding myself that I need to walk the walk, live by example.  Note to self: Children watch more than they listen! 
(Can you tell they aren't listening?:)

In the midst of keeping things real, we were really excited as the time came for our son to receive the Holy Spirit. 

Everyone was ready and eager for this exciting day.  

Ohhhh, what a very special moment it was...

His soul was stamped and mine was dusted off and shined up again.
A faith ignited,
A faith renewed.
"It was not you who chose me, says the Lord, but I who chose you."~John 15:16~

A Cup Of Grace from Above

Dove Cloud Flying

Over our Parish Shrine to

Our Lady of Fatima

Feast of St. Padre Pio

9-23-10

What a cup of grace I received on my morning walk last week!  As I approached our Parish Shrine I was struck by the glory of this cloud that was flying above Our Lady of Fatima.

Can you see the dove?

I kept snapping photos with my phone, just praying I'd have some good pictures to keep and share!

I just loved this one with the sunlight reflecting...

This breath-taking dove cloud seemed to hover over the shrine for quite some time, not breaking up very quickly.  I was nearly frozen as I gazed upon this wondrous image in the clouds....Holy Spirit came to mind.

Thirty minutes later, I read this scripture before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament: 

"But, as it is written, what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him, God has revealed to us through the spirit.  For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God."

~1 Corinthians 2:9-10~

WHOA!

Then I read this:

In the words of St. Therese of Lisieux:

(See Resource below)

"When...trials come my way...I shall remember what my eyes have seen today.  This thought will encourage me and I shall easily forget my own little interests, recalling the grandeur and power of God, this God whom I want to love alone."

Followed by this Prayer:

"So many times I have seen spectacular views and was amazed at Your goodness.  Thank You, Father, for this gift You have given to me.  Help me to stop more often in the middle of my busy schedule and appreciate all of nature's beauty around me.  Your creation is a treasure to hold.  Amen"

What can I say, I have no words... Just a heart filled with thanksgiving for this cup of grace from above!

~Excerpts taken from "Praying In The Presence of Our Lord with St. Therese of Lisieux"~

{All photos shown here were taken by the author of this blog}

*Please do not reproduce without permission*

Come, Spirit, Come!

Happy Pentecost & Happy Birthday to the Church!

~The Holy Spirit is alive and well today...And for this we are thankful~

It has been a day for celebration!

This is how we started our morning, before Holy Mass...

~These are Holy Spirit Pancakes, cut out from a cookie cutter and sprinkled with powdered sugar~

(We used fresh raspberries for the tongues of fire)

Angel Baby was a good helper!

Isn't this what Fire Fighters do best....Handle flames?

After Mass we made these Church Birthday crowns!

~These are actually Burger King crowns and we added flames of fire (to the tips) and the Holy Spirit dove to represent how the spirit descended upon the heads of the apostles on the Feast of Pentecost~

~These were easy little Gifts of the Holy Spirit candle covers (made on the computer) for 7 votive candles on the dinner table~ This made for great discussion as we read the meaning of each gift as we lit the candles~

You could even make these candles a little fancier but I just had time for basic!

These Holy Spirit Cupcakes were dessert!

Our dinner table set with the Pentecost Placemats we made on Friday and a white table cloth for "White Sunday"

~Three red roses (from our yard), representing the Trinity, now complete by the presence of the Holy Spirit~

Our Pentecost Dinner Menu:

"Flames of Fire" BBQ Hamburgers

Pentecost (Sweet Potato) Fries

12 Fruits of the Spirit Salad

Holy Spirit Cupcakes

Pentecost Red Fruit Juice

We used food coloring in the mayonnaise to give it the orange"Pentecost" flame color~The sweet potato fries were a natural flame color...And they're healthy too:)

12 Fruits of the Spirit Salad
(Tangerines, apples, blueberries, raspberries, green grapes, purple grapes, pomegranate, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, bananas, raisins)

We served drinks that were Pentecost Red (In Color)

Holy Spirit Cupcakes

Happy Pentecost!
We had an early dinner since hubby leads youth group for Mer-man (oldest son)

Now for clean-up...I am here blogging instead (wink)

Come, Spirit, Come!

~May the Holy Spirit bless and guide you and your families today and always!~

Pentecost Placemats

We kicked off our weekend making Pentecost Placemats...

These were simple and fun!  We will use them to adorn our dinner table on Sunday.

These were our supplies:

Finger Painting the Spirit...Sky,Wind, & Flames of Fire

Even 2-year old Angel Baby could participate!

Final products, ready to laminate!

Army Dude~ Age 11

Angel Baby~ Age 2

Super Boy~Age 6

Princess~Age 7

Group Photo~ 7 Placemats for each member of our family

A Glimpse of God's Creation and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

As my daughter and I enjoyed the gift of nature this week, I reflected upon the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, from whom gives life to our Christian faith.   As we approach Pentecost Sunday, I am especially grateful for these gifts that inspire my family to live a holy life, amidst inevitable trial and challenge.

~In nature, I always rediscover the abundant peace in the beauty of God's creation~
...I wanted to share these glimpses of gifts that I saw through my camera lens...

~1. Wisdom ~ 
I saw the perfection of faith through the heart of Christian belief. ..The value of loving Creation for the sake of God, rather than for its own sake...

~2. Understanding ~ 

I saw more clearly the mysteries of faith~We gain a certitude about our beliefs that move beyond faith,  when we see the hand of God at work all around us.  

~3.  Counsel ~
 Am I able to judge how best to act by intuition and am I warned of the deceits of the devil?  I pondered this over swift water that could sweep anyone down the rushing abyss in an instant!

~4. Fortitude ~

I yearn to do the will of God in all things.  It helps me walk out into the world and feel prepared to stand up for what I believe...I desire to be a living witness so my children may have courage to do the same.

~5. Knowledge ~ 

I pray for my family to know ourselves and the world around us.  This will enable each of us to discover the will of God in all things.

~6.  Piety ~

I also pray that our family may always love God as a Father and obey Him, beyond a sense of duty, because we love Him.

~7. Fear of the Lord ~ 

I seek unending desire not to offend God because of my true love for Him.  I stand firm in certainty that God will supply me and my family the grace to do this...

The Spirit of God is the life that animates the Church, the Body of Christ.  The vivid images of breath, wind, fire, and water help our limited imaginations to catch a glimpse of the intense mystery without which the church would be lifeless...

(May Magnificat pg. 311)

"I will pour out water upon the thirsty ground, and streams upon the dry land.  I will pour out my spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing upon your descendants. ~Is 44:3~

When the spirit from on high is poured out on us.  Then will the desert become an orchard and the orchard be regarded as a forest.  Right will dwell in the desert and justice abide in the orchard.  Justice will bring about peace; right will produce calm and security.  My people will live in peaceful country, in secure dwellings and quiet places.~Is. 32:15-18~

~I am grateful for this little glimpse of God's grace~

Lord, send forth your spirit and renew the face of the earth.

~Ps. 104:30~

Resource Used:  Gifts of the Holy Spirit