Liturgical Decorating Gone Awry!

Ever heard the term "you reap what you sow?"

Well, I lived this first hand yesterday when this little 4 year old tried her own hand at decorating her room...

Liturgical decorating gone awry?

This is what I found...3 crosses stuck to her wall with this!

Yep, toothpaste!

She said she couldn't find any tape...

It was one of those moments when I wanted to be mad but I just lost it in laughter instead, aghast at how she thought of that!?

We had a nice talk about getting help with her decorating next time...Maybe Mommy could use her help too!?  

Catholic Guilt or Catholic Gift

I am honored to be a guest writer over at Suscipio today!  If you've never visited, this is a website designed to raise up, support, maintain & accept the Catholic Woman.  The title of my article is Catholic Guilt or Catholic Gift....  It's my first time doing a guest writing assignment so I'd be tickled to death if you'd pop over and let me know what you think!

New Inspiration

Before I Go is my newest night stand reading and I love it!  It's easy reading and one of those books you definitely want to pass on. I recommend it to anyone who is a parent and to any young adult. In fact, I'm considering it as a high school graduation gift to all of the special young people in our life.  I'm going to have my adult son preview it next.  Mostly because I want him to read it too!


Basically, it's a list of 162 things that this Catholic author and professor of philosophy would like his children (and grandchildren) to know before he leaves this earth...He speaks from the heart with profound advice that incorporates faith, life, and a sprinkle of humor.  What I love most about the book is the depth of Peter Kreeft's wisdom.  Some of his words reach deep into the soul.  Let's just say that I want to say "ditto" after every point I read!  If there's one book that lists everything I'd want my own children to know, including the best 'reminders to self', it would be this one.


I'll close with a couple of my favorite excerpts: 
#141.  How Communion Works:
"In it God says to you: Put the lips of your faith to my heart and drink my blood.  It alone will save your life. I give my life for yours in this holy exchange, this holy communion.  I suck the sin, the poison, out of your heart, if you let me.  Open your heart to my lips and I will do it.  And open your lips to my heart and I will give you a blood transfusion."
#39. One Gift for You:
"Suppose God came down the chimney this Christmas instead of Santa Claus and said to me, "I'll give you any one gift.  Anything you ask.  Guaranteed.  What do you want?"  What would I ask for?  
First of all, I'd ask it for you.
Then, I'd ask for Heaven.
My worst hell would be to go to Heaven and not find you there.  To wander across Heaven forever searching for you and not finding you would turn my Heaven into Hell.
Woody Allen says that the most important thing in life is showing up.  That's the most important thing in the afterlife too.
I hope you know how to get to Heaven, how to have a happy eternity.  There is a way, and the way is a person, the one who said "I AM the way." (John 14:6) God gave us a well-marked road map, the Bible.  Both this person and the book are called "the word of God."

The Mother of all Lists

I love a good list and this has got to be the Mother of all Lists!  One of the things that I love about lists is that they keep me focused and this one is no exception.  
Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all worked at checking off a few of these things?  Well, it sure had me looking into the mirror of my soul and wincing just a few times...ouch!  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, please pray for me.
Word of Warning...This list should not be applied to toddlers.  They are the exception to all rules:)


Mother Teresa's Humility List:
1.   Speak as little as possible about yourself.
2.  Keep busy with your own affairs and not those of others.
3.  Avoid curiosity.
4.  Do not interfere in the affairs of others.
5.  Accept small irritations with good humor.
6.  Do not dwell on the faults of others.
7.  Accept censures even if unmerited.
8.  Give in to the will of others. 
9.  Accept insults and injuries.
10. Accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded.
11. Be courteous and delicate even when provoked by someone.
12. Do not seek to be admired and loved.
13. Do not protect yourself behind your own dignity.
14. Give in, in discussions, even when you are right.
15. Choose always the more difficult task.


Be sure to check out Truth and Charity for a thought provoking 3-part reflection! 

You Know You're Catholic When...

You know you're Catholic when your Chore Chart includes Holy Water Patrol!

I thought this was cute...Dad thought of it:)  We have several holy water fonts around the house and at the door of each bedroom.  We just re-filled our jug from the Easter Baptismal water at church so we're all stocked up here at home...Ready to bless!

Dad revised the kids' chore list this week since "some" of the children seem to need reminders every day.  We have always used a chore checklist but seem to have fallen off the wagon (again)  about using them, hence a topsy turvy routine took over.  Obviously when jobs aren't getting done, we need to get back to a list that they can check off.  Doesn't everyone need a list?  This Mama sure does! We also need to adjust our lists periodically as age-appropriate things are constantly changing around our house...We were over-due for all of this!

It's been nice to have Dad home to help us with these organizational tools, though not so nice that he's been injured.  He's doing well with physical therapy so he'll be on the mend soon.  Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers on his behalf!


We're back to the books this week...Feeling refreshed after all the spring cleaning last week.  
Just had to share this photo from our backyard cleaning.  Littlest Miss helped clean our Mary garden...It's a blank canvas now, waiting for the kiss from some beautiful flowers. 
Meanwhile, a kiss for Mama Mary will suffice until the flowers arrive around Mother's Day:)

You know you're Catholic when it's completely natural to give your Mama a kiss, even when she's a statue!
+Happy Feast of St. Bernadette+
How glad was my soul, O good Mother,
when I had the grace to look upon you!
How I love to recall those sweet moments
when I was beheld in eyes so full of kindness and mercy...
Yes, gentle Mother, you stooped down to earth
to appear to a mere child and, in spite of her unworthiness,
to communicate certain things to her.
You, the Queen of heaven and earth, wanted to make use of the most fragile thing in the eyes of the world.
~St. Bernadette Soubirous~