A Catholic Mom in Minnesota

A quick update in all the craziness or what I call "my life"

2011-08-06T15:36:00.002-05:00

Our "Little's" left our home July 21 (I won't write where they went as I don't want to get into any form of trouble) but I will say they went with their mom in a supervised situation. That situation didn't work out and we were called 11 days later and asked if we would take them back into our home.

The "Little's" arrived very late August 2nd, pretty much gave them something to eat and put them to bed.

The days that have followed have been full of ups and downs and trying to get back into some sort of schedule, not easy and little guy still has his many issues, so that has been a challenge.

At this point.. still don't know what will happen, I have a some ideas.. but I won't share at this time, again, don't want to get into trouble and as I'm quickly finding out.. things change day to day in this system!

So, for the time being.. we are back to being a family of 8 with 8 people going in all directions and the crazy that follows!

I ask for your continued prayers, I felt them before and I will need them in the coming days and weeks ahead.

I ache for the day when I can share "the whole" story:) But until then.. God Bless You All my dear friends!!

So frustrated with the system... prayers needed!!

2011-07-09T13:42:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone,

Well, we've had the "Little's" since April 27th and we've totally fallen hook, line and sinker:)

But.. that does NOT mean that we are still not for RU (reunification with bio mom) if that is in the kiddos best interest, that is what should always happen, that is what fostering is all about!

What we didn't know or what we were not prepared for.. the slippery slope of the "system" that puts the needs of everyone BUT the children first!!

I don't know right at this moment how much longer our little friends will be with us and I don't want to go into detail and risk getting into trouble.

But.. I am asking for prayers please!! Prayers that the right people will put these little one's interest first, right at this moment.. that is not happening.. and the future will be very unstable for these little sweeties.. if the right people don't get involved.

I'm not saying that they are not around.. we have met a few very fine people in the "system" who indeed want the best outcome for the kids.. but will their voices be heard??

So, I'm asking for lots and lots of prayers on behalf of our little friends.. I hope to be able to share more one day... but please just trust me in this.. two little ones need our prayers that someone will finally do what is right for them.

thank you all:)

Tracy

I'm still here!!!

2011-06-15T17:31:00.005-05:00

Hello dear friend!!

Yep, still here and trying to catch up on your blogs when time allows (which tends to be not so much these days).

Yes, we still have our foster kiddos whom I'll be referring to as lil man and lil lady.

Life is busy, busy, busy and hectic, crazy and chaotic all at the same time... and yes.. life is very good as well!!

Now, I know many of my readers have six kids and some more than that as well.. and your probably thinking to yourselves.. "what is all the fuss" and yes, I have girlfriends with six and more.. but the fuss for us.. 1. I did not have nine months to prepare myself and my family for the arrival of these kids... 2. they are 3.5 and not babies 3. they have been through more than a child this age should EVER have to go through which 4. leads them to act far more differently than any of my children ever did at this age, 5. Mr. Alex having been the baby of the family for 8 years is having quite some challenges adjusting to sharing his dad/mom which leads to 6. lots of crying, fights & jealousy that lead to 7. lots of guilt, frustration, doubt for this mom.

So.. how are we doing?? Really? most days we are doing pretty darn good.. most days we have melt downs that involve lil man and lil lady with the issues they have to deal with.. usually at least once a day we also have Mr. Alex melt down as well (but this is getting better each day)

How have things changed? Well, I used to enjoy sleeping in on weekends and during the summer... not anymore!!! And yes, this is selfish but I do love my sleep and tend to do better as a mom/wife when I'm very well rested, that said.. most days start with lil man waking me up around 6 a.m. (yep, we have had a few earlier mornings.. but 6 is the norm) so we get up and try to keep the house quiet, in hopes to not wake lil lady.. but that usually is unsuccessful and she wakes up within 20 minutes of lil man. So then.. we need to stay quiet so as not to wake Mr. Alex who really needs his sleep!! The rest of the house? They keep right on sleeping with no problems (lucky:)

Now that my kids are home for the summer I have the luxury of a decent shower while they watch lil man and lil lady.

Then its everyone dressed, breakfast, teeth, and heading out the door for the little's (another nick name for our foster kids) summer rec program for pre schoolers. While the little's are gone for two hours.. I'm running any errands, doing laundry, washing floors etc.
Pick up little's at 10 a.m. and home again and usually outside to play (Tuesday's and Thursday's) their bio mom and the case worker come to our home for bio mom's visit for one hour) that is something new we are trying and after six visits (so far so good) the biggest thing.. the little's do really good when they can visit their mom where they feel safe and comfortable and due to good weather thus far, all visits have taken place outside in our back yard.

After mom leaves we head in for lunch and right to nap for one hour and never past noon (they nap past noon and they are up all night) so while they nap I fix lunch for my kids and spend some time with Mr. Alex and get him ready for his afternoon park and rec activities.

After dropping off Mr. Alex, little's and I spend at least an hour if not more outdoors (they love being outside and could stay out 24/7 if allowed!! This is the time when my older son's Zach and Matt come and help out, sit and visit on our patio etc.

Our daughter Kendra has been an amazing help, when she is not working at her job at a daycare center (which is Mon-Fri) she is helping me with the little's as well as helping me with house work etc.

Exciting news for Kendra... she bought her very first car one week ago!

Next week our oldest son Zach will begin drivers training classes!!! How the time will fly:-)

Zach has marching band practice in the evenings and our son Matt has summer band practice once a week during the day! So.. lots of running!!

And dear hubby?? When not at work you can find him helping me out at home and making sure that everyone's needs are being met!!

Me?? Well, I'm not getting much me time right now.. but this is summer and I never got much me time during the summer months, once school starts again and if the little's are still with us they will be back in head start... I'll get my "me" time.

Is it worth it? Well, I ask myself that several times each day... my answer, yes, it is indeed worth it.
I'm scared for these kids.. they have been through so much in such a short time and I hope and pray that their future is bright and safe and wonderful and all the things that children should be able to count on growing up... but that is not up to me, so I just keep offering it up and believe that God brought them to us for a reason.. we don't know that reason yet.. but someday we will.

It is hard, without a doubt.. they have so much baggage, they are in so many ways your regular 3 year old little kids... and yet.. in so many ways.. they are not.. and the part where they are "not" is the part that is very hard for me and takes lots of time and energy and lots of disruptions in my day, but if not me, who? These poor kids have been in 3 different foster homes in 6 months, so am I going to push them out the door when the going gets tough? No Way!! They are here to stay for as long as that may be and for as hard as that may be.. one day at a time (sometimes, one hour at a time) is our new motto around our house!!

So please, continue to keep us in your prayers as I continue to keep you in mine.

Hopefully I can update more often:-)

Thank you for the prayers and messages of support!

2011-05-21T18:24:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to post and let you all know that I've read your posts and they are most appreciated!

I haven't been able to blog or check out other blogs out of pure chaos around our home, to top this off I got sick yesterday.. threw up half the night and slept most of today.. all I can say it Thank God it was the weekend!! All my kids and hubby have stepped up to help so ole mom can get some sleep.. feeling somewhat better.. still not my best.. but enough to sit up and do some help.. that has been my biggest worry.. how will I take care of six kids (well.. two teens and four not teens) if I get sick... not easy and I am scared of how I could have done this if I didn't have the help I've had... I just keep praying that God will get me thru when this stuff happens, I have been sitting and wondering how the heck my mother in law and grandmother had 11 kids and got through their own personal sick days, headaches, etc. without going crazy... somehow they did it.. I'll admit, I'm a very poor sick person and I don't jump back into action very easily... but.. one day at a time!!

I'm hopeful that now that the twins are out of pre school for the summer months I can get them into a routine that will leave us less harried and crazy feeling.... I tell ya.. you think you can easily just pick up this toddler stuff when you've done it before.... well... for me? Not so easy... I give a huge shout out to all my friends who are in the trenches doing it everyday.. you guys rock!! Shame on me for thinking it would be "no problem" ha!!

I'll update when I can... again.. thanks for the support.. much appreciated!!

What is new at my house??

2011-05-11T20:49:00.000-05:00

Well, I've never shared here before but my husband and I are licensed foster parents. We have only had one placement, lots of calls, but none we felt were right for our family.. that is until two weeks ago today... got the call for 3 year old twins (brother and sister) needing long term placement care, so we decided to jump right in. In hours our family of six became a family of eight!

It has been crazy chaos around our place, the first few days I will admit to being a total wreck.. I became sure I had made a horrible mistake and no way could I mother six kids.. but each day by the Grace of God has gotten better, no doubt it still is very, very busy around my house.. but a good kind of busy and somehow we are getting used to it and each one of us is stepping up to make things work out.

These lovely little children need a place where they can feel safe, secure and loved, they have been moved around way too much.

So, we are keeping busy and I ask for your prayers for me, my family and these precious little children!!

Minute Meditations

2011-04-03T14:45:00.002-05:00

Jesus' Promise

As we notice where our hearts are most deeply drawn while pondering our life's direction, we may be able to hear and believe Jesus' ultimate promise: "Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

The Eucharist

2011-03-14T11:48:00.001-05:00

"The Eucharist is at the very center of our life; such was the teaching of Jesus. When commenting on the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves He told His apostles that He Himself is the Living Bread that came down from heaven. He called on the twelve for an act of faith and it was Peter who answered in the name of all: 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God' (John 6:69). Christian faith is faith in the Eucharistic Christ."

- Jean Galot, S.J.

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T12:57:00.000-06:00

Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return.

Update on my mom

2011-03-02T16:00:00.003-06:00

Mom came through her surgery with flying colors!! Everything went exactly as planned and she was sent home two days after her surgery (they get you moving fast these days!!)
Her sister Marcia took a week off from work and came to stay with my parents so she can take care of mom!! I went to see my mom yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to see her doing so well, up and moving around, of course some pain and she was coming off a pretty difficult night (the pain had been quite bad until the meds kicked in) mom is as always in great spirits and ready to go back to the doctor tomorrow to have some of her tubes removed, she is ready to start the next phase of her journey which will involved some chemo and possible radiation (but that won't be decided until after the chemo is all done, which will be a few months).

I thank you all so very much for your prayers for me and my mother and family, I have really felt all the love and prayers and have had such total peace in all of this.

Pet Scan Results

2011-02-23T18:59:00.002-06:00

My mom found out her results late Monday ( I'm just getting to this now as I've been sick with the flu)

The scan showed two spots, one in her breast and one lymph node (both of which were expected and known about) and thank the Lord... no cancer anywhere else!!!!!

So, as it stands now, she will have a double mastectomy this Friday.

I thank you in advance for prayers that have been said and ask you to keep on praying for good results.

I'll write more when I'm feeling better.. which is hopefully very soon!!

Blessings!

Try, Try, Try.....

2011-02-20T18:21:00.002-06:00

Lo and behold you can now "un delete your blog" and if your reading this you will see that is what I've done!

I can't make any promises, I love reading blogs but I don't have much to say as of late that seems worth blogging about. I do however have news... my mom has breast cancer... that ugly word... you never want to have to hear it and each time you do, you just never get used to it.
We are very thankful that this is a slow growing cancer with a high cure rate, of course even with that said.. my mom has cancer.. and that alone is like a punch in the gut!

My mom is one heck of an amazing woman.. such a fighter with the most positive attitude, this is making it bearable for me, as I take my cue from her.. if she became panicked I would as well, again.. she is my mama and knows me so well, if she is having those moments (as I'm sure she has and will) she keeps them from her anxiety ridden daughter... again.. what an amazing woman.. always thinking of her family first.

So, now we wait.. wait to find out the results of her PET scan to make sure that nasty cancer hasn't spread to any other area.. if it is contained to her breast then off they come within a week or so.. if not.. some chemo first... waiting, waiting, waiting... praying, praying, praying!!!

And then we have Alex... poor thing has been sick for six days with stomach flu... looks like he may finally be on the mend.. his appetite is still poor but he has finally been up and about today and playing some toys (always a good sign!) now if I can stay well.. then it will all be good!

So... I am back.. I am going to try to post more often and see if I can't find the joy that I used to from blogging... Peace to you all my dear blog friends!!

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture

2011-01-11T19:39:00.001-06:00

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Hebrews 2:5-12
Psalm 8:2ab and 5, 6-7, 8-9
Mark 1:21-28

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

As we leave the Christmas and Epiphany seasons and return to Ordinary Time, our gospel readings begin in St. Mark at the very beginning of our Lord's ministry. In today's gospel, we read, "The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes." This is a very important verse from Mark as it reveals both the then-current state of the faith and what was yet to come.

The scribes, along with the other religious leaders of the time, taught as though they had authority to do so, but the fact is that their hypocrisy and false religion disqualified them from being the true teachers of the faith. When Christ appeared, He spoke with such obvious authority that the masses saw what had truly happened: they had been taught wrongly, in many ways, and the truth was now upon them in this message from the Christ.

When we read His sacred words, we need to remember that these are the words of the Almighty God and that they speak the truth with complete authority. There is no other truth on earth.

Baptisim of the Lord

2011-01-09T10:03:00.002-06:00

This weekend, we celebrate the Lord’s Baptism, and reflect on the meaning of baptism itself. This sacrament gives us many pro-life lessons.

When we baptize a baby, it proves that God chooses us before we choose Him, for every life belongs to Him. And baptism is not just about that baby, but about the whole church welcoming her. All the members of the Church extend their hearts and arms in welcome of that new life. Baptism shows that we are always called to give a welcoming “YES” to life, and never the harsh “no” of abortion.

The so-called “pro-choice” message is that we choose whom we will care for. Baptism teaches us that we are responsible even for those whom we do not choose.

The obligation to vote pro life

2011-01-08T09:41:00.003-06:00

The basic principle of pro-life voting is the following: being pro-abortion (or "pro-choice") disqualifies a person for public office. This includes those who claim to be "personally opposed" to abortion, but are unwilling to do anything to stop it.

The right to life is the fundamental human right, on which every other right depends. It follows that no matter how attractive a particular candidate's policies on other issues may be, if he is anti-life, he is unworthy of support.

Pro-lifers are often accused of being "single-issue" when it comes to voting. This is true, in a sense. If you believe that the killing of innocent human beings is gravely wrong, your conscience will not permit you to vote for someone who is pro-abortion - no matter what.

On the other hand, the "single-issue" accusation is quite false. Pro-lifers are concerned about a host of life issues which are distinct from abortion, like euthanasia and reproductive technologies - not to mention the spectrum of pro-family concerns which pro-lifers generally share.

No issue comes close to being as important as the abortion issue. Some people say that other "social problems" are equally important; but how many of those problems involve the deliberate killing of well over 100,000 Americans every year?

Sometimes it happens that there is more than one pro-life candidate, in such a situation, a pro-life voter should then consider other things: which candidate has the stronger pro-life record; which candidate is more likely to be elected; which candidate's overall platform is more attractive; and which party is more worthy of support.

Often it happens that there is no pro-life candidate , in such a situation, a pro-life voter might choose to mark each of the spaces, or, if space permits, write, "No pro-life candidate," (In other words, there is no pro-life candidate running for the party which that voter would otherwise support.)

This is not a waste of a vote. On the contrary, the party will take note if their candidates' support for abortion has cost them votes. And since "spoiled ballots" are recorded ,this act of conscience is not merely private. But even if this were not so, however, voters should remember that the only "wasted" vote is the vote cast for a candidate which the voter does not truly support. Choosing the "lesser of two evils," in other words, still leaves us with evil.

Whatever the situation, pro-lifers should go to the polls on election day. The absence of a pro-life candidate is no reason to stay away.

Yep, I'm a one issue voter.. and proud of it!

2011-01-07T22:44:00.000-06:00

OJ & Suzanna McDowell » Blog Archive » In Defense of Being a One-Issue Voter: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

What can I do to help end abortion?

2011-01-07T20:56:00.003-06:00

The work and message of Priests for Life is rooted in the conviction that there is much that all of us can do to end abortion. What follows are links to suggested activities, as well as strategic considerations regarding pro-life work.

"You Can Save Someone's Life Today"--Dozens of Suggested Activities for Everyone [PDF Format]

Action items from our TV series

Electing Pro-Life Candidates

Three Simple Activities

What Priests Can Do

Letter to our brother priests regarding Respect Life Observances

Click here for a simple handout providing numbers for abortion alternatives and post-abortion counseling

What Students Can Do

Starting a Pro-Life Group

Public Speaking on Abortion

Strategic Considerations regarding the Presentation of the Pro-life Message. You can hear this in [RealAudio] or [MP3 Format part 1: Listen or Download and part 2: Listen or Download]

Proclaiming the Pro-life Message on Public Streets and Sidewalks

Should We Use Graphic Photos?

The Unity of the pro-life movement

Abortion- What You Can Do - A reflection by Gregg Cunningham

Some Resources from Other Groups

Links to other Pro-life Groups

Priests for Life Brochures

Mr. Speaker

2011-01-07T11:45:00.001-06:00

Emily Buchanan
Executive Director, Susan B. Anthony List

The New 112th Congress and the Fight to Repeal Obamacare

Marjorie was honored to witness in-person the emotional swearing-in ceremony of Speaker John Boehner and the rest of the 112th Congress.

She wrote on National Review: “And yes, he teared up. I, for one, will start crying if he ever stops. It is a sign of humility and sensitivity to what is moving because it is true. Humility opens folks’ eyes to the plight of the vulnerable — to the children intended for this world who are in danger. I have seen him moved to tears by this reality too."

Speaker Boehner and the rest of the pro-life leadership team in the House has hit the ground running and have already successfully introduced a resolution to move forward on the repeal of Obamacare. Next week, the House is expected to vote on repeal of the entire law, which allows our tax dollars to go towards ending innocent unborn Life.

Take Action: Tell Your Representative to Repeal Pro-Abortion Obamacare.

Saints Quotes

2011-01-04T19:56:00.000-06:00

'If he be blind who refuses to believe in the truths of the Catholic faith, how much blinder is he who believes, and yet lives as if he did not believe!'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

My Blessings

2010-12-31T18:05:00.000-06:00

Zach (15) our dog Lucky, Matt (12) , Alex (7), Kendra (17)

Happy New Years!!

2010-12-31T10:02:00.000-06:00

World Youth Day 2005, Jesus Christ you are my life

2010-12-28T14:14:00.000-06:00

Catholics Come Home

2010-12-28T14:12:00.000-06:00

Reciprocating Mercy

2010-12-28T13:27:00.001-06:00

We cannot live together in harmony, in a family or in another kind of community, without the practice of forgiveness and reciprocal mercy.

Feeling blessed!!!

2010-12-27T14:44:00.001-06:00

I feel so blessed with a wonderful family!!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T11:02:00.000-06:00

A light shall shine upon us this day: for the Lord is born to us: and He shall be called Wonderful, God, the Prince of Peace, the Father of the world to come: of whose reign there shall be no end.

-- Is. ix. 2, 6

Angelic Voices

2010-12-18T13:29:00.001-06:00

(Jer 23:5-8; Mt 1:18-25)The Gospels reveal precious little about the man who became Mary's husband, and how he overcame the cultural and religious traditions that stood between them. What we do know is that Joseph had the courage to listen to an angel in a dream so vivid that it could not be ignored. In what ways have you listened to angelic voices?

Alleluia, Hurry the Lord is Near

2010-12-16T19:39:00.000-06:00

Discern the Signs

2010-12-15T15:53:00.001-06:00

(Is 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25; Lk 7:18b-23) When John the Baptist needed to know if Jesus was truly "the one who is to come," Jesus responded by listing his deeds of compassion. He spent himself in love for all those who needed him. By this sign, we will know him. By what signs will others know us as Christ's disciples?

Living Simply

2010-12-13T15:59:00.000-06:00

(Sir 48:1-4, 9-11; Mt 17:9a, 10-13) During the countdown to Christmas, we are bombarded by glittering commercials urging us to spend freely. But now is the time to remember John the Baptist, dressed in camel skin and dining on insects. He receives high praise from Jesus for calling the people to repentance and paving the Savior's way.

An excerpt from Scott Hahn's new book Signs of life

2010-12-09T19:50:00.005-06:00

Christ has come, and yet we await him anew. He has saved us, and yet we still await a day when "he will wipe away every tear... and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more" (Rev 21:4). Christ has come, and he continues to come to us in the Eucharist. But he will come again, at the consummation of history. For this day, even the souls of the just in heaven cry out, "How long?" as did the ancient prophets (see Rev 6:10)

Advent reminds us that there are still two dimensions to our salvation: "already" and "not yet".
In Advent we sing the ancient song of longing and expectation, because we await our Savior's coming in fullness, his "plenary parousia," as the theologians call it. When he comes at the end of time, he will have no more glory that he has now in the Eucharist, but then we'll see him as he is. The difference will be not with him, but with us: "we know that when he appears...we shall se him as he is" (1 Jn 3:2).

(This book is on my Amazon Wish List for good reason:)

Immaculate Conception: Say Yes

2010-12-08T08:44:00.000-06:00

(Gn 3:9-15, 20; Lk 1:26-38) When Mary received a shocking invitation to mother the Messiah, she wisely inquired how a virgin could bear a child. In faith, she accepted the assurance that nothing is impossible with God. Conceived without sin, Mary, like the Son of God himself, always said yes to God.

Seek the lost

2010-12-06T19:54:00.001-06:00

(Is 40:1-11; Mt 18:12-14) If Jesus had a favorite self-image, it was most likely the Good Shepherd. Even if 99 of his 100 sheep were fine, he would still head out to track down the wanderer. Like his Father, he does not want to lose a single “little one.”

Build on the rock!

2010-12-03T20:20:00.000-06:00

(Is 26:1-6; Mt 7:21, 24-27) Is the house of your life resting on a rock foundation? Or might it be slipping onto the sand of good intentions? It isn't saying "Lord, Lord," but doing what the Lord says that prepares our hearts to be his dwelling place.

Hello

2010-12-02T21:05:00.002-06:00

So here I am!!

I don't know where the time has gone, I thought I would take a short blog break... well that turned into a long blog break.

Quick update:

Daughter Kendra turned 17 in August and is now in her junior year of high school, she is doing great and works Monday thru Friday at a daycare center after school.

Son Zach turned 15 in August and is a freshman!! How the time does go once they start school!! Zach is doing great and began marching band and marched in several parades over the summer.

Next son Matt turned 12 in August and is in 6th grade and his final year at our small parish school. He is also doing great and enjoys school, friends and playing his trumpet.

Youngest son Alex is 7 and is in first grade, he loves school, does great in school and enjoys his classmates very much.

I am still at home and taking the time of the kids being in school to get as much done during the day as possible. Still very involved with the MACH Bible study group as well as the Pro Life group at my parish.

Hubby is doing great and the dog too:-)

I've missed you all and now that I've allowed myself to go read everyone's blogs.... I'm excited to be back!!

Blessings!

A Prayer for the 5th day of Advent

2010-12-02T13:54:00.000-06:00

Lord, watch over your people, who come to you in confidence. Strengthen the hearts of those who hope in you. Give courage to those who falter because of their failures. In this holy season of Advent, lead them closer to you in hope, by the power of your Holy Spirit. In this holy season of Advent, lead them closer to you in hope, by the power of your Holy Spirit. May they one day proclaim your saving acts of kindness in your eternal kingdom. Amen.

shhhhhh.......

2010-12-02T13:44:00.001-06:00

Quietly.. oh so quietly.... I'm coming back!!

Look for a new post coming to this blog... really soon!!

Oh how the time does fly!!

2010-07-29T18:35:00.003-05:00

Wow, just thought I'd log into my blog and oops... didn't realize how long it has been since my last post!! Please don't think I have forgotten any of you my dear blog friends, thankfully for facebook I'm able to stay in touch with so many of you in that way.

I've just been enjoying the summer and really loving spending the time with my kids... they grow up way too fast, so it is nice to take this time when they are home from school and really spend that one on one time with them!!

I hope you are all doing well and I do promise that I'm not done blogging... I'll be back.. promise!!

Enjoy your summer!!

2010-06-17T12:17:00.000-05:00

Let us put ourselves into His
hands, and not be startled though
He leads us by a strange way, a
mirabilis via, as the Church speaks.
Let us be sure He will lead us right,
that He will bring us to that which
is, not indeed what we think best,
nor what is best for another, but
what is best for us.

John Henry Newman

2010-06-03T13:58:00.000-05:00

Should I really be surprised??

2010-05-19T11:56:00.002-05:00

FOXNews.com - Annette Bening: Women Have to Make Decisions About Reproduction 'On Their
Own'

And in preparation for the role, Bening met with an array of women who became pregnant very young and out-of-wedlock, and was deeply moved by the intense guilt many of these ladies still carry about signing their young one away.

“Some people got married, had children and were able to get on with life… but a lot of girls were really traumatized, they were such a shame to their families . Often these were “good girls” who weren’t sloppy about their lives, they just made a terrible mistake,” Bening said. “They end up bearing the burden of embarrassment for their families and things weren’t really discussed… They were sent away, had to give birth and sign the papers and not have any say.”

What I want to know is why Ms. Bening didn't (in preparation for her role) also meet with some of the millions of women who regret their abortions and the fact that they now have to live with the fact that they murdered their baby? Why no mention of them? Has Ms. Bening ever viewed videos and pictures of aborted babies? I bet not!

Thank you Ms. Bening.. you have been added to my "never watch anything they are in list"

sunshine award

2010-05-14T19:10:00.000-05:00

Here are the rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog and/or within your post.
2. Pass the award on to twelve bloggers.
3. Link to the nominees within your post.
4. Let them know they received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and the link to the person from whom you received this award.

So my awards go to…

Now, to whom do I bestow this award? I mean, it means I have to work at it. After choosing, then listing here, I have to let you all know about it, too. Honestly, it’s too much work for me. SO, can I just say that I don’t visit one blog where I would not give this award to? Yes, because that is the truth. Therefore, I declare that if you come here and you like my blog, and you know I go to your blog: it’s yours! Congratulations! Leave me a comment to let me know you have accepted!

God has blessed my life in so many ways, and in no small way with the likes of all of you. Amen.

Friday music pick

2010-05-14T12:30:00.002-05:00

Finding My Way Home

2010-05-10T19:38:00.000-05:00

Dear Lord, as long as you are with me in the Where, the How and the Who of my life, I know I will find my way home to You. For You are both my path and my compass.

Please Pray.....

2010-05-07T20:50:00.003-05:00

A young woman who goes to the same high school as my two oldest do, took her life today.

She was in her senior year of high school... my heart absolutely is breaking for her family and friends.

Please keep them all in prayers.. her name was Ashley.

Hello, I'm Back!!

2010-05-05T13:23:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone!!!

Well, after taking some time off, I think I'm back.
(You think your back??) Well, I hope I'm back to blogging, but I'm not totally sure, (if that makes any sense?).

I've had a great deal of difficulty coming up with things that I felt were worth contributing to in the blogging world, and I'm still not sure as of yet, what I have come up with.

But, I do miss all my dear blog friends, even though many of you are now my face book friends and that is such a huge blessing!!

I've had a great deal of personal discernment that I am going through right now in my life, I'm spending much of my day in deep prayer with the Lord, even while I do my daily household tasks, I am often in prayer and visiting with God.

I am still learning a lot about discerning God's will for my life, I have found that it is easy to think I know what he wants for me, only to realize that I'm actually thinking it's God's will for me (because I secretly want it to be and not because I really feel I have heard from him on the matter) I'm really working on being open to his will and trying so hard to be obedient to his will for me, I think that very well may be a life long struggle I am going to face, wanting to give my life over completely to God's very capable hands and then not taking it back into my own, please pray for me on this my friends.. I so need those prayers!!

So..... hello friends... I'm back=-)

on hiatus

2010-04-20T20:06:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Papa!!!!!

2010-04-16T11:47:00.002-05:00

Jesus' Love

2010-04-16T11:31:00.001-05:00

When I consider Jesus' love on the one hand and my own ingratitude on the other, I should like to tell him that if I cannot correspond to his love he should stop loving me; only in this way do I feel less guilty. But this is too terrifying a thing for me, and hence it makes me invariably pray Jesus to continue to love me and to help me himself if I do not succeed in loving him as much as he deserves.

-- St. Padre Pio

The Gates of Hell Will Not Prevail: Time to Defend the Pope - International News - Catholic Online

2010-04-13T21:21:00.000-05:00

The Gates of Hell Will Not Prevail: Time to Defend the Pope - International News - Catholic Online

We are not alone!

2010-04-13T11:13:00.000-05:00

As Jesus commended himself into his Father’s hands at the cross, so the Church is in the hands of Jesus. He is with us, and He holds us; we are not alone.

Thank You God!!

2010-04-09T09:30:00.002-05:00

The highest compliment we can pay God is to tell Him we are eternally grateful for what He has done in creating and saving us and that we want to become like Him following the path He has marked out for us.

Daily Meditations

2010-04-06T19:30:00.002-05:00

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. Ephesians 5:31

Becoming one flesh is hard, Lord. What's more, it sounds painful. And sometimes it is painful.
It's hard not to think and act as two. Help my husband and me today and every day to strive to be one flesh. Remind us that we are in this together. Help us to take care of each other, as we each want to be taken care of.

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

2010-04-04T08:16:00.000-05:00

See you in a week!!

2010-03-28T08:37:00.002-05:00

I am not going to blog this week so that I can give myself more fully to this Holy Week.

Blessings to you all my dear blog friends as we journey into this Holy week!!

Palm Sunday

2010-03-28T08:24:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-24T07:41:00.002-05:00

Monday, Fifth Week of Lent

2010-03-22T14:05:00.002-05:00

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me...Psalm 23:4

The more you come to know God, the lonelier you may become because your heart is too small to contain the love of God. You move into a "second loneliness," a very painful time that often springs from the loss of an important relationship or dream. Only in that place of pain can you discover a much deeper sense of belonging that is more intimate than any belonging the world can offer. It comes from the depths of loneliness and moves us to true "communion" with God.
What you may first experience as the highest level of separation may be revealed to you as the highest level of becoming one with the human family.
Mysteriously, it is within the experience of alienation where the greatest loneliness and the greatest solidarity with the human condition come together. When we experience our loneliness as a call to be deeply connected with the human race, we are growing to become more like the father in the parable, and more like the Father Divine.

When I feel alone, save me. Teach me, God, to wait in solidarity with others who suffer. Remove my heart of stone and transplant your heart of love.

Feast of St. Joseph

2010-03-19T12:17:00.002-05:00

“He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph’s wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: ‘Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord’” (St. Bernardine of Siena).

Friday, Fourth Week of Lent

2010-03-19T12:03:00.002-05:00

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. John 15:9

Sometimes we feel confused and insecure, and we may discover that we are asking other people's permission to exist. We offer them the option to reject us, and if they do reject us we can be deeply wounded, feeling as though we are nothing. But that way of life is futile and gives power to people who do not want or deserve it. It is also enormously painful for us, having to wait to be judged mostly on externals.
Your true identity is not in the hands of other people. Your identity can never be what some other person may think about you. You were fashioned by God in your mother's womb. God knew you intimately before you were born. You are God's beloved child. That is who you truly are.

O Giver of Life, empower me to claim that I am loved first, and with that love, let me love my human family.

Happy St.Patrick's Day!!!

2010-03-17T06:50:00.003-05:00

Fourth Sunday of Lent

2010-03-14T17:38:00.003-05:00

Take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor let them slip from your mind....Deuteronomy 4:9

The prodigal son's return begins at the moment he realizes that he has lost everything but the most important thing. What finally allows him to return is his awareness of the one thing that remains. "I'm still the child of my father. I still belong to someone."
In our lives, too there are moments when we realize that, even if we may have done everything to destroy ourselves, we have never lost our true identity as beloved daughters or sons. That identity is never taken away. And that moment of realization is a very, very important moment.
Remember that when Judas and Peter had to decide and act, Peter shakily claimed his true identity as Jesus' friend, but Judas didn't.
Peter went back, but Judas hanged himself. They had both acted badly by denying and betraying Jesus. Judas, however, was unable to hold onto the truth of his identity as the friend of Jesus. We, too, in our lives sometimes make choices beyond our physical, mental and emotional capacity to claim an authentic identity as a beloved son or a daughter of God. May we always try for a shaky return!

May I always remember, Lord, that I am your child.

Friday, Third Week of Lent

2010-03-12T13:16:00.002-06:00

Return, O Israel, to the Lord, your God..... Hosea 14:1

The world seduces us to claim false identities. The world says, "you are what other people say you are. You are what you accomplish. You are what you own." So, if we don't do well in the eyes of the world, if we don't have admirers, money, and success, it's as if we don't exist. This is the illusion that powers our world, and this illusion creates movies, and a lot of art, and a lot of manipulation. It also divides the world into rich and poor. Jesus speaks often about it to his disciples.
You and I are part of this world and we also are seduced to believe the illusion: we are what we do, we are what we have, we are what we control. The great conversion is to return from a dissipated life to a contained life. The contained life is the life from which we learn the courage to say, " I don't have to ask permission from the world to live. I am not what other people say I am. I am not what I produce. I am not what I own. What I truly am is the chosen, beloved child of Divine God." And it is from this conviction that we make our return.

Breathe your divine breath in me, O Giver of Life, and teach me to be true to my primal identity.

Tuesday, Third Week of Lent

2010-03-09T09:50:00.006-06:00

Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Psalm 25:6

Somehow original sin, that inner anguish and brokenness that is beyond our own doing, becomes the place where we touch our original blessing. Somehow our broken fathers, our limited mothers, our neurotic brothers, our confused sisters, and our own inner struggles work to create in us a hunger to move beyond our pain. "My soul is restless," as Augustine says, "until it rests in you, O Lord."
Once we approach intimacy with God dwelling within, and once we accept others and ourselves as we are, we may begin to speak about "happy guilt" or "happy brokenness." The inner struggle is no longer such a burden, but a way to truth, to light, and to life. How is it possible to be children of God, embraced by Divine Love, and allowed into intimacy with the Creator of the Universe if God hadn't already welcomed us, with compassion, just as we are? Through Jesus' life on earth we come to know about the inner life of God. It is in our fragile and mortal flesh that God's original blessing, God's immense love, is revealed to us.

O promise of the ages, help me experience my original blessing and my happy brokenness and guilt.

Prayer Rock... another great one for kids

2010-03-07T09:28:00.002-06:00

My friend Gina also gave me this great idea...

Supplies: cloth, yarn, rock, tag with poem

Cut your cloth into squares (8’x8’). Place your rock in the center of the cloth and wrap it up in the cloth. Use the yarn to tie the cloth around the rock and also to attach the tag with the following poem to the rock.

I’m your little prayer rock and this is what I’ll do.
Just put me on your pillow till the day is through.
Then turn back the covers and climb into your bed
And WHACK … your little prayer rock will hit you on your head.
Then you will remember as the day is through
To kneel and say your prayers as you wanted to,
Then when you are finished just dump me on the floor,
I’ll stay there through the night-time to give you help once more.
When you get up the next morning CLUNK…I stub your toe
So you will remember your prayers before you go.
Put me back upon your pillow when your bed is made,
And your clever little prayer rock will continue in your aid.
Because your heavenly Father cares and loves you so,
He wants you to remember to talk to him… you know.

The Jelly Bean Prayer, nice idea for kids....

2010-03-06T18:45:00.002-06:00

My friend Gina shared this with me, she enjoys doing this with her children as well as nieces and nephews.. I think it looks great and plan to do this for my own kids.

Friday, Second Week of Lent

2010-03-05T19:48:00.002-06:00

When the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. Matthew 21:45

When we are resentful we are lost in a very significant way. The younger son gets lost in a far more spectacular way than his elder brother-giving into his lust and his greed, using women, gambling, and losing his money. His wrongdoing is very clear-cut. He knows it and everybody else does too.
Because of that, he's able to come back and be forgiven.
The problem with resentment is that it is not so clear-cut. It's not spectacular and it is not overt, and it can be concealed by the appearance of a holy life. Resentment is so pernicious because it sits very deep within us: in our hearts, in our flesh, in our bones. Often, we aren't even aware that it is there. We may think we're so good, when in face we're lost in a very profound way.

Loving God, point the way for me to move in my life from resentment to gratitude.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-03T08:18:00.003-06:00

Alex and his new glasses!

Our Mother's Monthly Message

2010-03-02T13:27:00.005-06:00

"Dear children, In this special time of your effort to be all the closer to my Son, to His suffering, but also to the love with which He bore it, I desire to tell you that I am with you. I will help you to triumph over errors and temptations with my grace. I will teach you love, love which wipes away all sins and makes you perfect, love which gives you the peace of my Son now and forever. Peace with you and in you, because I am the Queen of Peace. Thank you."

Tuesday, Second Week of Lent

2010-03-02T13:03:00.002-06:00

Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord. Isaiah 1:18

Discipline follows from being a disciple. It is our effort to do as our Master does. Jesus gave space for the Father to give him what he needed. When you and I are fearful and anxious, we want to take control of our lives. We want to do things our own way, whether it's like the younger son or like the older son. When we follow Jesus we practice a discipline that gives space to let the Father touch us, forgive us, and receive us. Like Jesus, we need to be available; we must be "home."
We must have an address if we want to be addressed. We must be home in order to receive a guest, or to receive God. So disciplines are ways of creating space, a home within, where God can come into our lives to forgive, to heal, and to bring important gifts.
The first discipline is listening. The word listening in Latin is audire. If we listen with great attention the words are ob audire. That is the word for "obedience." The word obedience means listening. If we are not listening, we are deaf. The Latin word for deaf is surdus, and if we're actually deaf, we're ab surdus. The "absurd" life is a life in which we're not listening. An obedient life is a life in which we are listening.

Jesus, Loving Friend, give me inner space to listen to you showing me how to love those around me.

Monday, Second Week of Lent

2010-03-01T12:56:00.002-06:00

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:36

When you look at the world from the heart of God you can see anew the enormous love that God has for us. We are God's people. You can also see the enormous suffering of people who don't know who they are. Looking from the heart of God inspires deep solidarity in us. We recognize and feel and sympathize; our hearts are filled with immense compassion. We suffer to see the suffering but are not shattered because we suffer in union with God and in the heart of God.
This is an important mystery for us because the return to God, the return to the womb of Love, to the God of compassion, is a return to other sisters and brothers in the human family, especially the poorest and the weakest. It is the right way to return to the world.

Merciful God, fill me with acceptance and welcome for those in my life who are hardest to love.

Second Sunday of Lent

2010-02-28T10:11:00.002-06:00

This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him! Mark 9:7

The question is how to go from an absurd life to an obedient life, from a deaf life to a listening life.
If you are anxious and nervous and tense and upset, you don't listen because your anxiety allows you no space to listen. You can't receive the voice of God that assures us, "You are with me always, and all I have is yours." Let us try to give time and space to that amazing voice, speaking in our hearts.
Listening is creating the space in which you can hear the voice that says, "You are my beloved son, you are my beloved daughter, you are special to me. All that is mine is yours." The whole Gospel, the whole message of Jesus, is precisely that: "All that is mine is yours.
All that I say is for you to hear, all that I know is for you to know, all that I do is for you to do."
Jesus is saying, "Nothing that the Father gave me do I hold back from you." Really try to listen to that so as to gradually become like Jesus. That is the journey of our adult life.

Loving God, help me to hear you and to become free and loving like you.

Friday, First Week of Lent

2010-02-26T12:05:00.002-06:00

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Psalm 130:1

It is important to learn to move from a "first loneliness" to a "second loneliness". The first loneliness is a kind of emotional loneliness: needing friends, family, and home. But when all those needs are more or less met, you learn there is second loneliness. God is calling you to deep, personal intimacy, an intimacy that is wonderful and very demanding. God asks you to let go of many things that are emotionally, intellectually and affectively very satisfying. You must grow into the trust that this deeper loneliness is not to be overcome, but lived. You must live it with trust, standing tall. You must try to say, "yes, I am lonely, but this particular loneliness sets me on the road to intimacy with God. It does not pull me away from God or my deepest self, but brings me closer to the source of love in the depths of my being."
It's very important for us to dare to welcome the fullness of our second loneliness because it relates to the oldest mystical traditions about the spiritual journey. The "dark night of the soul" is another expression of the second loneliness. In a way, this loneliness opens us to personally know the true God. When we touch the darkness we know that God cannot be owned or grasped within the affections of the human heart. God is greater than our hearts, greater than our minds, always alive, always longing for a response.

O everlasting God, lead me from fear to love and from loneliness to communion with you.

Wednesday, First Week of Lent

2010-02-24T17:33:00.004-06:00

Just Return - Again

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity....Psalm 51:2

Have a sense of compassion for your own journey, for your own leaving and returning; a sense of, "Yes, yes, I'm loved when I take a risk. I'm loved even when I make a mistake because, somehow, it's an expression of my desire to claim myself. I did it in a wrong way, but I didn't have any other way to do it at that moment." Otherwise you start hurting yourself and putting yourself down and then the return becomes guilt-ridden and the One who awaits you becomes a dark God who says, "Heh, heh. I always knew you would need me again."
That's not what God is saying. God is not sitting there laughing that you couldn't do it on your own and you finally had to confess you needed a parent's love. That's not the God we are talking about.
Our loving Creator is so much more caring. Our God awaits us with compassion and tenderness.

Draw me into your boundless embrace, O Loving Creator. Thank you for such overwhelming acceptance.

Monday, First Week of Lent

2010-02-22T08:44:00.002-06:00

Love and Relationships

You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. Leviticus 19:2

All our struggles in relationships are connected with what I like to call the relationship between the "first love" and the "second love." The first love is from God, who loved us before we were born.
The second love is from our parents, brothers, sisters, and friends, and it is only a reflection of that first love. Sometimes we expect from the second love what only the first love can give. Then we experience anguish. My personal struggle has always been that I expected a first love from someone who could only give me second love.
As soon as we demand a first love, an unconditional, total, self-giving love, from another human being, who is limited in ability to give and receive, we will be disappointed. Quite quickly we feel anguish and may even resort to violence because we demand from a person what that person cannot give. The other person has no choice but to back off, pull back, and perhaps feel hurt, angry or guilty.

Gracious God, give me courage to find the first love in you, and to not demand it from my loved ones.

Chair of Peter the Apostle

2010-02-22T08:36:00.004-06:00

This feast commemorates Christ’s choosing Peter to sit in his place as the servant-authority of the whole Church.

After the “lost weekend” of pain, doubt and self-torment, Peter hears the Good News. Angels at the tomb say to Magdalene, “The Lord has risen! Go, tell his disciples and Peter.” John relates that when he and Peter ran to the tomb, the younger outraced the older, then waited for him. Peter entered, saw the wrappings on the ground, the headpiece rolled up in a place by itself. John saw and believed. But he adds a reminder: “..[T]hey did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead” (John 20:9). They went home. There the slowly exploding, impossible idea became reality. Jesus appeared to them as they waited fearfully behind locked doors. “Peace be with you,” he said (John 20:21b), and they rejoiced.

The Pentecost event completed Peter’s experience of the risen Christ. “...[T]hey were all filled with the holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4a) and began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted them.

Only then can Peter fulfill the task Jesus had given him: “... [O]nce you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). He at once becomes the spokesman for the Twelve about their experience of the Holy Spirit—before the civil authorities who wished to quash their preaching, before the council of Jerusalem, for the community in the problem of Ananias and Sapphira. He is the first to preach the Good News to the Gentiles. The healing power of Jesus in him is well attested: the raising of Tabitha from the dead, the cure of the crippled beggar. People carry the sick into the streets so that when Peter passed his shadow might fall on them.

Even a saint experiences difficulty in Christian living. When Peter stopped eating with Gentile converts because he did not want to wound the sensibilities of Jewish Christians, Paul says, “...I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong.... [T]hey were not on the right road in line with the truth of the gospel...” (Galatians 2:11b, 14a).

At the end of John’s Gospel, Jesus says to Peter, “Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). What Jesus said indicated the sort of death by which Peter was to glorify God. On Vatican Hill, in Rome, during the reign of Nero, Peter did glorify his Lord with a martyr’s death, probably in the company of many Christians.

Comment:

Like the committee chair, this chair refers to the occupant, not the furniture. Its first occupant stumbled a bit, denying Jesus three times and hesitating to welcome gentiles into the new Church. Some of its later occupants have also stumbled a bit, sometimes even failed scandalously. As individuals, we may sometimes think a particular pope has let us down. Still, the office endures as a sign of the long tradition we cherish and as a focus for the universal Church.

Quote:

Peter described our Christian calling in the opening of his First Letter, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...” (1 Peter 1:3a).

First Sunday of Lent ; Jesus: The Father's Portrait

2010-02-21T13:44:00.003-06:00

He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan...Mark 1:13

Jesus' three temptations in the desert were about choosing "upward mobility". Be relevant: do something the world will praise you for like making bread out of stones. Be spectacular: jump from the tower so that everybody can see you as someone so influential, so important. Be powerful: kneel before me and I will give you dominion over everyone and everything. But Jesus said, "No."
Because Jesus knew that God's way is not to be relevant, or spectacular, or powerful.
God's way is downward. "Blessed are the humble. Blessed are the poor of heart. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the peacemakers."
Here we have a self portrait of the Jesus who is also a reflection of the Father: "Who sees me sees the Father." When we read the Beatitudes, we are given an image of the face of Jesus, a face that reflects the love of the Father. Humble. Poor. Meek. Peacemaker. Thirsting for justice and peace.
Full of Mercy. Jesus invites you and I to become more and more like he was: the image of God appearing in flesh among us. To follow him is our way: The way to glory.

Jesus, let me abandon my fear, embrace your love, and be transformed by your grace.

Saturday After Ash Wednesday, Let the Father Forgive

2010-02-20T09:23:00.003-06:00

I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:32

The real challenge is to allow yourself to be forgiven, to be healed, to be given something. To truly believe God years to wipe away all your guilt and shame and give you a new heart and new spirit is a test of love. Why? Because it changes how you perceive yourself as "the strong one."
Living within families and communities you discover that you have some talents, and others have talents, and you need each other. In a way, what happens within the family, the receiving of gifts from each other, becomes a reflection of the great giving and receiving of God's faithful love.
It's hard to live in close relationships and to discover that our greatest gift is often to receive. It means giving up control and admitting, "Yes, I needed your help." When we make that conversion from being the strong one to being the one who receives, then true mutuality grows and makes love real and visible.

Open me, Loving Savior to the precious gifts of family members. Open me to receive with gratitude.

Friday after Ash Wednesday, A Healing Revelation

2010-02-19T13:35:00.004-06:00

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your shall spring up quickly. Isaiah 58:8

In the light of Divine Love, we are encouraged to enter into our deepest hearts, often hidden even to ourselves. There we actually touch God's light, and discover more and more our desire for that presence within. It's where we experience God saying, "I love you so deeply. I want to be present to you in all your 'lost' places so you will know not just your lostness but also in how many places I love to find you."
This is an exercise of communion: to sit with God in the inner chapel of your heart and to say, "I've heard so often of your love but I just don't believe it. Mostly I believe that you only wish to judge me, but today I'll remain here in your loving presence, and present myself to you in all my vulnerability." Heart speaks to heart.
This is not to say, "Well, you'd better start thinking about how awfully dissipated and resentful you are." No! This is to say, "When you're in touch with your dissipation and resentment, you're in touch with the very places that God waits to touch in you more deeply, and to heal you."

Forgiving God, I fear to stop. I need love and want love, but I fear what you might ask of me.

Every Child Is Blessed

2010-02-18T08:59:00.002-06:00

I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. John 15:15

We are all blessed in our very creation, and this blessing never leaves us. Our challenge is to claim our "original blessing" as children of the One who gave it to us. We may have been wounded by what is known as original sin, but we are healed by our original blessing. The original blessing, the unconditional love of God, was present in God's mind and heart long before our conception. It touches us from before our beginnings until after our deaths. It embraces us forever. Each of us is "a blessed one." That is our primary identity. Every time we take bread, bless it, break it, and give it, we summarize the whole movement of Divine Love. Jesus also takes (chooses) us, blesses us, breaks us with all our undeserved suffering, and gives us for others. Before we are broken we are blessed. We are not broken because of fault but because we are blessed sons and daughters, like Jesus. Our brokenness allows us to be given in solidarity with all others in the world, just as bread is broken and given to many. We constantly see Jesus doing this: he takes, he blesses, he breaks and he gives. That's what he does. Let us not forget that. Like Jesus, we also are taken, blest, broken and given, because, like Jesus, we are beloved sons and daughters from our very beginning.

Thank you, Lord, for creating me out of love.

Ash Wednesday

2010-02-17T06:30:00.002-06:00

Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return."
Gn. 3:19

Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. (Joel 2:13)

Reflection.
The liturgical use of ashes originated in the Old Testament times. Ashes symbolized mourning, mortality and penance. In the Book of Esther, Mordecai put on sackcloth and ashes when he heard of the decree of King Ahasuerus to kill all of the Jewish people in the Persian Empire (Esther 4:1). Job repented in sackcloth and ashes (Job 42:6). Prophesying the Babylonian captivity of Jerusalem, Daniel wrote, "I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes" (Daniel 9:3).
Jesus made reference to ashes, "If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they would have reformed in sackcloth and ashes long ago" (Matthew 11:21).
In the Middle Ages, the priest would bless the dying person with holy water, saying, "Remember that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return."
The Church adapted the use of ashes to mark the beginning of the penitential season of Lent, when we remember our mortality and mourn for our sins. In our present liturgy for Ash Wednesday, we use ashes made from the burned palm branches distributed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year. The priest blesses the ashes and imposes them on the foreheads of the faithful, making the sign of the cross and saying, "Remember, man you are dust and to dust you shall return," or "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel." As we begin this holy season of Lent in preparation for Easter, we must remember the significance of the ashes we have received: We mourn and do penance for our sins. We again convert our hearts to the Lord, who suffered, died, and rose for our salvation. We renew the promises made at our baptism, when we died to an old life and rose to a new life with Christ. Finally, mindful that the kingdom of this world passes away, we strive to live the kingdom of God now and look forward to its fulfillment in heaven.

PRAYER~

Almighty and everlasting God, you despise nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent.
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our brokenness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer for "Fat Tuesday"

2010-02-16T15:31:00.000-06:00

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for it is from your goodness that we have this day
to celebrate on the threshold of the Season of Lent.
Tomorrow we will fast and abstain from meat.
Today we feast.
We thank you for the abundance of gifts you shower upon us.
We thank you especially for one another.
As we give you thanks,
we are mindful of those who have so much less than we do.
As we share these wonderful gifts together,
we commit ourselves to greater generosity toward those
who need our support.
Prepare us for tomorrow.
Tasting the fullness of what we have today,
let us experience some hunger tomorrow.
May our fasting make us more alert
and may it heighten our consciousness
so that we might be ready to hear your Word
and respond to your call.
As our feasting fills us with gratitude
so may our fasting and abstinence hollow out in us
a place for deeper desires
and an attentiveness to hear the cry of the poor.
May our self-denial turn our hearts to you
and give us a new freedom for
generous service to others.
We ask you these graces
with our hearts full of delight
and stirring with readiness for the journey ahead.
We ask them with confidence
in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Minute Meditations

2010-02-15T11:34:00.000-06:00

Whether you are in a time of suffering or joy, interior war or peace, feeling weak or courageous--your thirst and God are with you.

-from Awakening To Prayer

Daily Meditation

2010-02-15T10:00:00.002-06:00

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
James 1:1-11
Psalm 119:67, 68, 71, 72, 75, 76
Mark 8:11-13

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Why does this generation seek a sign? (Mark 8:12)

"Why?" we answer back. Why should we believe in Your kindness when You allow the world to suffer?

Lent begins this week, and despite the mix of heartache and joy that will accompany the faithful, they'll hold tightly to their belief without asking God why He allows suffering - especially His Son's. They'll accept as true what they cannot see, cannot touch, cannot fully comprehend.

Faith is a supernatural gift from God to us, but in the next forty days, many will doubt because they won't receive mighty wonders and signs, despite their fasting and prayers. How God reveals Himself to us is uniquely ours and is a part of His gift. Our gift back to Him is our complete trust in His ways, whether we receive a wondrous sign or not. In return, He deepens our faith with understanding and we begin to receive all we ask for because we stop asking with misgivings but with the Wisdom He so faithfully gives us.

By - Elizabeth A. Tichvon

Saint Of The Day

2010-02-15T09:45:00.003-06:00

St. Claude la Colombière

(1641-1682)

This is a special day for the Jesuits, who claim today’s saint as one of their own. It’s also a special day for people who have a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus—a devotion Claude la Colombière promoted, along with his friend and spiritual companion, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The emphasis on God’s love for all was an antidote to the rigorous moralism of the Jansenists, who were popular at the time.

Claude showed remarkable preaching skills long before his ordination in 1675. Two months later he was made superior of a small Jesuit residence in Burgundy. It was there he first encountered Margaret Mary Alacoque. For many years after he served as her confessor.

He was next sent to England to serve as confessor to the Duchess of York. He preached by both words and by the example of his holy life, converting a number of Protestants. Tensions arose against Catholics and Claude, rumored to be part of a plot against the king, was imprisoned. He was ultimately banished, but by then his health had been ruined.

He died in 1682. Pope John Paul the Second canonized Claude la Colombière in 1992.

Happy St. Valentines Day!!!

2010-02-14T07:30:00.000-06:00

Minute Mediations

2010-02-12T07:55:00.000-06:00

Look for Jesus

Help me to see the face of your Son in the least of us, even when it is difficult.

Feast Of Our Lady Of Lourdes

2010-02-11T13:45:00.001-06:00

We pray, no longer silently but as a great number. We enlighten each other. We carry each other along. We depend on our faith in Jesus.
--Pope John Paul II

St. Scholastica

2010-02-10T16:54:00.005-06:00

twins often share the same interests and ideas with an equal intensity. Therefore, it is no surprise that Scholastica and her twin brother, Benedict, established religious communities within a few miles from each other.

Born in 480 of wealthy parents, Scholastica and Benedict were brought up together until he left central Italy for Rome to continue his studies.

Little is known of Scholastica’s early life. She founded a religious community for women near Monte Cassino at Plombariola, five miles from where her brother governed a monastery.

The twins visited each other once a year in a farmhouse because Scholastica was not permitted inside the monastery. They spent these times discussing spiritual matters.

According to the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great, the brother and sister spent their last day together in prayer and conversation. Scholastica sensed her death was close at hand and she begged Benedict to stay with her until the next day.

He refused her request because he did not want to spend a night outside the monastery, thus breaking his own Rule. Scholastica asked God to let her brother remain and a severe thunderstorm broke out, preventing Benedict and his monks from returning to the abbey.

Benedict cried out, “God forgive you, Sister. What have you done?” Scholastica replied, “I asked a favor of you and you refused. I asked it of God and he granted it.”

Brother and sister parted the next morning after their long discussion. Three days later, Benedict was praying in his monastery and saw the soul of his sister rising heavenward in the form of a white dove. Benedict then announced the death of his sister to the monks and later buried her in the tomb he had prepared for himself.

Comment:

Scholastica and Benedict gave themselves totally to God and gave top priority to deepening their friendship with him through prayer. They sacrificed some of the opportunities they would have had to be together as brother and sister in order better to fulfill their vocation to the religious life. In coming closer to Christ, however, they found they were also closer to each other. In joining a religious community, they did not forget or forsake their family but rather found more brothers and sisters.

Daily Meditations for busy moms

2010-02-09T11:54:00.002-06:00

I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. JOHN 15:5

Lord, I want to grow in faith with you today.
But my day is already so busy. When will I find
time to read the Bible or pray? Help me, dear
God, to understand that my faith is like a
fragile flower. If I don't take care of it and
water it and nurture it, it will eventually wither
and die. Remind me to daily water my faith
with your living water and to nurture it with
your life-giving Word.

Amen.

Daily Inspiration

2010-02-08T09:38:00.001-06:00

Monday of the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time

I have truly built you a princely house, a dwelling where you may abide forever.
-1 Kings 8:13

Can our humanity be a dwelling for God as the Jerusalem temple once was? St. Josephine from Sudan claimed this reality. Bakhita means “the lucky one”—a strange nickname for a nine-year-old sold into slavery and spirited off to Italy. Her owner sent her to a convent to be educated. When Josephine refused to leave, declaring her vocation, church and state ruled in her favor. Pope John Paul II noted that she is given to us as “a universal sister.” Josephine, share with us your boldness!

1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13
Psalm 132
Mark 6:53-56

Reflection on today's Sacred Scripture

2010-02-07T10:45:00.001-06:00

Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8
Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or 15:3-8, 11
Luke 5:1-11

A reflection on today's Scripture:

When we're young, most of us have glamorous or exciting careers we want to follow. "I want to be a fireman - I want to be an astronaut - I want to be a movie actress." As we grow older, our choices are more realistic. "I want to be a veterinarian - I want to be a nurse. . . ." More rarely, a person feels "called" to be or do some special work. It sounds so noble, for it takes both courage and humility to answer a call!

The two persons in today's readings, Isaiah and Peter, were both called, but felt unworthy to accept until strengthened and encouraged by God. In today's reading from the first chapters of Isaiah, the young prophet is aware of his sinfulness as he experiences a vision of God on His throne about to make a decision. Whom will God send as His messenger to clean up the mess left by King Uzziah and bring the people back to fidelity? After one of the heavenly seraphim has touched a burning coal to his lips (ouch!), Isaiah now feels worthy enough to cry out, "Here I am! Send me!" And so, Isaiah's whole life's work begins.

The Gospel is just as dramatic. It portrays an unforgettable day on the Lake of Gennesaret. Simon Peter and his partners, James and John, are tired and discouraged after a night of fruitless fishing. Jesus prevails on them to let Him use their boat as a pulpit. After Jesus has preached a while to those on the shore, He dares to ask these tired fishermen to try just once more. Simon must have thought, "He's a good preacher, but He doesn't know much about fishing!" However, Peter obeys, and puts out to the deep. To his amazement, the nets are filled to breaking with huge fish. In panic, Simon calls for help. Now the two boats are in danger of capsizing as they carefully head for shore.

Like Isaiah, Simon feels unworthy. He falls on his knees, crying out, "Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man." With amazing powers of persuasion, Jesus says to Simon Peter, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." They leave a profession they know very well, for a new life filled with uncertainty and danger. And not just Simon Peter but also his partners James and John are willing to take the same risk.

While we may not have the stature of an Isaiah or a St. Peter, God knows better than we do what vocation in life will make us truly happy and fulfilled. The wisdom of God often seems like foolishness to humans. Jesus that day issued an invitation. Simon Peter, James and John had trust enough to answer it!

We must pray every day that young people (and older people, too) will have the courage and the humility to answer God's call to the consecrated life and to the Priesthood. They need a lot of encouragement from their families, the Christian community and close friends who know them.

~ Msgr. Paul Whitmore

The Year for Priests

2010-02-04T19:30:00.000-06:00

“When the bell calls you to church, if you
were asked, “Where are you going?” you
might answer, “I am going to feed my soul.”
If someone were to ask you, pointing to the
tabernacle, “What is that golden door?”
“That is our storehouse, where the true Food
for our souls is kept.” “Who has the key?”
Who lays in the provisions? Who makes
ready the feast, and who serves the table?”
“The priest.” “And what is the food? “The
precious Body and Blood of our Lord.” O
God! O God! How Thou hast loved us! See
the power of the priest; out of a piece of
bread the word of a priest makes God present. It is more than creating
a world…” St. John Vianney

Reflection on today's Sacred Scripture

2010-02-04T12:08:00.001-06:00

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Go,the Mass is ended!

We hear that directive from the priest at the end of every Mass. It is not just a statement that the Mass is over. It is a directive to go forth from the Church with the message of Christ for all those we encounter.

The gospel of today describes how Christ sent out the twelve apostles. (Mark 6:7-13) They had spent three years with Christ. They must have felt exuberant about their own connectedness to Christ. What if they had just gone back to their lives acting the same as before they had met Christ? Where would we be today? It is hard to even imagine!

Granted, most of us are not going to be missionaries in the sense that the apostles were, but we are expected to spread the Word of Christ in our daily lives at home, at work, with our families, friends, and even our enemies.

We too, received the Holy Spirit on the day of our Confirmation. Let us react with zeal and confidence the next time we hear the priest say, "Go, the Mass is ended!"

- Joan of Jesus, OCDS

A Prayer by John Paul II

2010-02-03T18:17:00.001-06:00

Holy Spirit and Seat of Wisdom
help us in the great endeavor that we are
carrying out
to meet on a more and more mature way
our brothers and sisters in the faith.
Through all the means of knowledge, of mutual
respect, of love,
may we be able to rediscover gradually the
divine plan.
Teach us constantly the ways that lead
to unity.
Help us all to proclaim Christ and reveal the
power of God
and the wisdom of God hidden in His Cross.
How greatly I desire to entrust to You
all the difficult problems of the societies,
systems, and states—
problems that cannot be solved with hatred, war,
and self-destruction,
but only by peace, justice, and respect for the
rights of people and nations.
Amen.

A Prayer

2010-02-01T15:38:00.002-06:00

Our Father....

O God, the giver of all good gifts, our desire to praise you is itself a blessing you have bestowed upon us. We can offer you nothing that you do not already have except our love, which we render to you in worship and in service to all those whom you redeem in Jesus Christ.
Grant us glad gratitude in him, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.
Amen.

Daily Meditation

2010-01-31T11:58:00.004-06:00

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19
Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17
1 Corinthians 12:31—13:13 or 13:4-13
Luke 4:21-30

A reflection on today's Scripture:

Many of us "older" folk remember how an important part of our Sundays was gathering around the radio to listen to Msgr. Fulton J. Sheen's weekly broadcasts on The Catholic Hour. Later on, he became the most popular TV personality of the 50s and 60s with his "Life is Worth Living" weekly telecast. With his deep resonant voice and piercing eyes, he mesmerized millions of people, both Catholic and non-Catholic. People crowded into bars and public places, as well as in their own living rooms, to listen to his warnings about godless communism in Europe and the dangers of its infiltrating all parts of America.

[Later, as Archbishop Sheen, he headed the Office for the Propagation of the Faith, raising millions of dollars for missions throughout the world. Only Billy Graham could match this fearless modern-day prophet. As such, he was vilified, envied, and persecuted. This came from outside the Church, but also from within.]

Today's first reading is about God's choice of Jeremiah, one of the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you." (Jeremiah 1:5) Jeremiah, knowing how badly people treated prophets, protested, but to no avail. God told him to stand up and be a man, promising that "I am with you to deliver you." After he spent his life battling false religions and the cowardly fear of weak political leaders, Jeremiah was finally stoned to death in Egypt!

Jeremiah is often compared to Jesus, since both were consumed with love for the Father, zeal for the truth, and both suffered death because of that truth. The Gospel today demonstrates how Jesus, from the very beginning of His ministry in His hometown of Nazareth, suffered rejection from the very villagers He had grown up with! Here, it all boiled down to envious remarks like, "Who does he think he is?" "We know his family and his relatives!" "Where does he get all of this?" As Jesus' fame grew, so too did the opposition from religious leaders who feared for their standing among the people. The words of the prophets will always anger and upset those who will not face their own sinfulness.

The power that drove both Jeremiah and Jesus to persevere to the end was their fire of love for the Father and for His Glory. Today's second reading describes that love. It is the classic text from St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians: "Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous. . . ." At our baptism, the priest anointed us with Holy Chrism to be "prophet, priest, and king." We, too, need a burning love for the Truth, for our ministry as prophets. Are we willing to pay just a portion of the price that it takes to love as Jeremiah and Jesus did?

~ Msgr. Paul Whitmore

The Year for Priests

2010-01-29T10:59:00.000-06:00

“The benefits of God would be of no
avail to us without the priest. What
would be the use of a house of gold, if
you had nobody to open the door! The
priest has the key of the heavenly treasures;
it is he who opens the door; he is the
steward of the good God, the distributor
of His wealth. Without the priest, the
Death and Passion of Our Lord would be
of no avail. Look at the heathens, what
has it availed them that Our Lord has
died? Alas, they can have no share in the
blessings of Redemption, while they have no priests to apply His Blood
to their souls through the Sacramental graces of the Church.” St. John Vianney

Daily Inspiration

2010-01-25T10:58:00.001-06:00

Daily Inspirations

Monday, January 25

The Conversion of St. Paul, apostle

I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” I replied, “Who are you, sir?” And he said to me, “I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.” I asked, “What shall I do, sir?”
—Acts 22:7–8, 10

Franciscan Richard Rohr points out that Jesus asks Paul a curious question: “Why are you persecuting me?” Paul was under the impression that he was persecuting the movement behind Jesus—not Jesus himself. But through his encounter with the risen Lord, Paul learns there is no distinction between Jesus and his church. Once Paul embraced this mystical reality, his next question was clear: “What shall I do?"

Acts 22:3–16, or Acts 9:1–22
Psalm 117
Mark 16:15–18

37 years ago things changed, I'm praying for an end to that change!

2010-01-22T16:12:00.002-06:00

"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."
Mother Teresa

The wedding at Cana

2010-01-17T09:46:00.006-06:00

Jn 2:1-11
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
“They have no wine.”
And Jesus said to her,
“Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servers,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told them,
“Fill the jars with water.”
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.”
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
“Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now.”
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

My reflection:
Mary asked Jesus to turn the water into wine, she understood exactly who he was and that he could do this task. Jesus replies to her "Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come.”
Does Mary argue with Jesus? No. She simply states "Do whatever he tells you to do to the servers"
Does Jesus argue with his mother? No. He does exactly as she has asked.
What does this mean for us? Mary, the Mother of Our Lord most certainly can and will intercede for us to her Son Jesus and Jesus most certainly without any doubt listens to his mother as this gospel so clearly states.
For anyone who would doubt the role that Mary has in her sons life, this reading clearly puts an end to such doubt.
Thank You Jesus for giving us your Mother Mary to be a Mother to us as well!!