Special Days of Sacraments

     Last Saturday to our great pleasure Liam received his First Communion! Looking very handsome in his new suit; he was nervous but excited.  The Mass was beautiful and lets be honest there is nothing like watching children all dressed up and excited to meet Jesus in such amazing way.

The weather while threatening all week turned out wonderful and our friends and family who came to celebrate with us were also able to enjoy our new patio furniture and we were able to grill as planned.  In addition to being very happy for her brother; Lisbeth was also thrilled to visit with her twin cousin.  Caitlin was happy to party in her Easter dress and was the last of the kids to ask to change.

       Then on Sunday we went to Mass in the city at the University parish where Liam was baptized and he received his 2nd Communion.  

Earlier this week I made a quick trip to Richmond to attend the celebration of my niece's Confirmation.  A beautiful Mass and such an honor to included on her special day.

May the Sacramental Graces fall abundantly on them and all their classmates!

Quick Takes #257 Happy Easter and April!!

1. Hi ~ Happy April! Happy Easter!!
2. How was your Lent? Mine was good overall; I really enjoyed the Take Up and Read devotional and felt it helped me dig deep this Lent and revealed areas of ongoing items for my prayer life. I finished the two books I had planned to read and started a third.  I also managed not to 'cheat' on my commitment to not read fiction except on Sunday (and than only my sister's latest).  What did not go as well was almsgiving; we participated in different opportunities the kids school offered but I'm left feeling that aspect was a bit lacking. 
3. Having finished my sister's book Fix My Fall earlier this week I then spent a couple of days like a kid in a candy store trying to decide what to read next; reread a favorite or try something new??  I've decided to split the difference and am reading a story I've never read by a favorite author.  
4. Tridium went well with me attending with the kids Mass of the Lord's Supper, Good Friday Service and Mass Easter morning.  Mass Thursday evening was late for the kids but I loved being able to hear the Panga Linga sung again by Dr Daddy and the rest of wonderful choir he sings with as well as introducing the kids to the custom of Eucharistic Procession and Adoration. 
5. Easter morning was wonderful as the kids explored and enjoyed what the Easter Bunny left in their baskets and we attended Mass together as a family before digging in for the last minute preparation for Easter Dinner where we host the Tridium choir Dr Daddy sings with.  Dr Daddy's annual colcannon was delicious and the dessert table groaning as a friend now living in MD made the trip and brought with her her amazing butter creams.
6. April is locally off to a gray and rainy start but with enough sunshine to convince my daffodils to bloom and forsythia to blossom.  Yes there is snow in the forecast but as Mr Carson often said "We must always travel in Hope."
7. Have a wonderful weekend and please head to Kelly's for more 7QTs!

Open Book ~ May '17

Trusting God with St. Therese by Connie Rossini proved to be a very enjoyable Lenten read. Rossini balanced the biography, with the devotional and self-help aspects very well.  I am enjoyed Rossini's approach as she highlights how St Therese's "Little Way" is grounded in complete trust in God's love and how we can better strive for that kind of trust in our lives.  The reflections and exercises at the end of the chapters were insightful and helpful.

Belonging and Becoming by Mark and Lisa Scandrette was a bit of a risk for me as I tend to dislike most parenting books but this one lived up to its stated intent and its fans.  The book doesn't focus so much on behavior modification but rather how parents can create a culture within the home that reinforces the virtues they value and desire their kids live by.  While not Catholic it is centered in the gospel and the idea that God is present and acting with us to bring about a thriving family culture.  While they share about their failures and successes as parents the book is full of practical exercises to allow each couple (and family if kids are old enough to participate) to determine what their family culture should look and feel like. A useful book now as my kids move beyond the basic keep them feed and clothed; and in the future as they ideally join in the discussion how we as a family want to exist in the world.

Please head over to Carolyn's for more Open Book.

October Weekly 2: Finnegan Begin Again

Linking up with Bobbi of Revolution of Love for weekly writing this October. I had a blast with Write31 last year and am enjoying reading along with those participating this year but knew I didn't have it in me but did want to challenge myself this month so weekly it is.

 Guess what is for breakfast today? French Toast!

 Guess what I meant to have for breakfast last Saturday in honor of the feast day of St Therese of Lisieux and forgot? French toast.

 Guess who planned to pray a rosary (or part of one) with her kids yesterday on the feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary? Me. Which as you are likely figuring out by now did not happen.  I did talk about it with the kids and about how in October we celebrate the wonderful gift of the rosary.  Elisabeth suggested Halloween as a way to finish the month. Liam suggested the 30th and asked if we call that day Halloween Eve; (which I found funny since Halloween means All Hallows Eve ~ does an Eve get it own Eve?).

Hopefully we will not wait till the very end of the month to try again for a family rosary.  And the lesson of the day I will focus on as I enjoy my French Toast, telling anyone who asks that Saint Therese was born in France, is that things don't always come together on the perfect day and what is important is that we finnegan Begin again!


Please head over to Bobbi for more weekly writings.

The day my daughter taught me detachment

   A year ago January Elisabeth came home from school with a permission form for a hair donation drive girls in an upper grade (I believe 6th) was organizing.  I got a ruler to make sure she understood what 6-7 inches looked like but then signed the permission slip and was very excited and proud of her; I had donated myself in the past and plight of those battling cancer is close to my heart what with being married to a pediatric oncologist and all.

  However a week ago when Lisbeth brought home a similar form I was much more reluctant.  It had only been about 15 months since the previous donation and while her hair grows well it was definitely shorter then the first time.  I encouraged her to wait till next year and really worried that her hair would be too short; but she persisted and by doing so reminded me of the good that is done when we are generous with what we are given and worry less about what will be left.

Great definition of detachment in catholic spirituality found here

WWRW: November 4th

Recently finished To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee which I read as part of the Modern Mrs Darcy reading challenge. I don't remember what I read instead of this in high school but better late than never, right? Anyway; I'm glad I have read it ~ the childhood recollections and reflections of Scout Finch a young girl growing up in rural Alabama are touching without being saccharine.  With only a couple of exceptions no character is all good or all bad but rather the full spectrum of neighbors are shown at their best and worse.

Currently reading Jesus Feminist which is a nice change of pace after reading 33 days to Morning Glory. Both excellent in their own way but after reading Michael Gaitley's preparation for Marian Consecration with it's deep questions and profound theology which raised as many questions for me as it answered I needed something a bit lighter. According to the introduction Sarah Bessey intend Jesus Feminist to be a 'sitting around the campfire', sharing of experiences and putting aside the hurts and misunderstandings, and for a bit focusing on the fact that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made.  I'm only about a third of the way through but so far really appreciate Bessey's pacing and easy prose.

Day 25: Ben Hur

When it comes to Charlton Heston and  Old Testament Movies people are either Ten Commandment (1956) fans or Ben Hur (1959). Well put me in the Ben Hur camp! This is a big movie (and long) but the journey both in distance and in faith that Judah Ben Hur makes is so very impressive.  Heston plays a Jewish prince who is first thrilled that a long-time friend has returned to Jerusalem from Rome but the cultural divide proves too big and after a tragic accident this becomes an amazing tale of revenge, forgiveness and redemption.

Day 18: Lilies of the Field

This Sunday I'm talking about Lilies of the Field (1963) starring Sydney Poitier as an unemployed handyman traveling to CA who stops to get water for his overheating car and ends up helping build a church with a group of East European nuns in the desert. I love how Poitier's character and the Mother Superior played by Lilia Skala learn from each other and come to appreciate each
other but remain as formal with each other as when they first met.

Day 11: Magnificent Obsession

While this movie is not overtly religious there is a very strong message of redemption and that anyone who is willing to give of their talents unreservedly can find forgiveness and even peace.

Magnificent Obsession (1954 ) is a beautiful love story with so many fits and starts that it is only because of the wonderful performances by Jane Wyman (for which she was nominated for an Oscar) and Rock Hudson in his first leading role, that it is worth hanging in there for the pay-off.

Day 4: Keys to the Kingdom

As we journey through old movies this month I thought on Sundays I would share movies with  religious themes.

This first Sunday I want to highlight a wonderful little film called Keys to the Kingdom (1944). A young priest, Father Chisholm played by Gregory Peck is sent to China to establish a Catholic parish among the non-Christian Chinese. While his boyhood friend (played by Vincent Price), also a priest, flourishes in his calling as a priest in a more Christian area of the world, Father Chisholm struggles. He encounters hostility, isolation, disease, poverty and a war, but these make him more determined than ever to succeed. Over the span of many years he gains acceptance and a growing congregation among the Chinese, through his quiet determination, understanding and patience.  Truly a lovely little movie!!

Things to remember about when the Pope came to town

   By the time most of you read this Pope Francis will be home, and we will be returning to the day-to-day routine of the week -- in my case with a bit more hope and a renewed sense of purpose.  Attending the Festival of Families last Saturday was exhausting and amazing, as so many things are when you share your days with little people.

  Getting out the door, having checked and double-checked that we had what we would need and were using in the right size bag for security was just the first of many challenges to meet and overcome.  However as I watched the kids marvel at the bus and subway ride and the excitement of being in the city, my excitement also returned and set the tone for rest of the afternoon and evening.

  And as life would have it, that's exactly what Pope Francis spoke so movingly about at the end of the Festival. Family life is challenging, and exhausting at times, and so very worth it if we can see the fun that is to be had with each challenge met and tackled. For example, by the time we arrived at the Festival, they had closed the gate to the seats until the Pope's motorcade had passed (an hour or so later). Initially this seemed to be quite the set-back, but in fact allowed us more time with friends, and meant we got to watch and take pictures of the Pope going by in his pope-mobile.  Later, we were allowed in to find our seats, where we enjoyed the rest of the concert.

Taken by Lisbeth sitting on my shoulders.

  So this Monday finds me back in the car-line and catching up with the laundry, but as this post suggests, remembering to smile a bit more, treasuring my kids (especially when they walk miles without complaint and thank me for a soft pretzel as if it was the tastiest thing EVER!!), and recommitted to the ideal that Pope Francis suggested in his wonderful closing statement: at the end of the day, even with all its miscues and missteps, make peace with those you love and who love you back.

And so happy that the Pope came to town and shared his warmth and wisdom with us!

Linking up with the ladies of CWBN; please visit and enjoy other reflections on the Pope's visit.

May Goals: A follow-up

Hello! Happy June!
   How was your May? Overall mine was good; the weather got very hot very quickly but otherwise a lot of fun was had celebrating birthdays, moms, and starting to get ready for summer.

Goal wise I was glad to have them and feel like I did well overall ~ an old wrist injury from my gymnastic days re-emerge which adversely effected my ability to do the strength training I had hoped to.  And so to recap:

Goals for the month:

Wake up my style by committing to wearing skirts or dresses 3x a week ~ This went well and I really had fun mixing things up and hopefully will continue in June though not planning on aiming for a specific number.

• 5000 steps (counting on my phone which I don't constantly carry) a day and strength training 3x a week.  This was a mixed bag; according to my phone the monthly average was about 4000 (3988) steps so not bad but definitely room for improvement. My wrist is feeling better so I'm planning on just continuing this goal into June and hope to actually manage some consistency with strength training.
• 
  
• 30 oz of water a day ~ feel like I did well with this but not yet a habit so will hold at this level for another month in the hopes of establish this amount as habit before trying for more.
• 
  
• Journaling daily in my nice new Blessed is She journal ~ I only missed a couple of days but too often it was jotting down a couple of notes before turning out the lights. My plan for this month is to be more intentional in planning journaling time and more reflective in my responses.
• 
  
• minimum of 8 posts this month on this little blog here ~ managed 7; close but not quite :)

With school winding down and summer activities starting holding steady and building on the progress of May feels like the way to go for the moment but am also open to seeing what the month brings.

May Goals

I'm a bit late getting this up but spent the weekend traveling ~ better late...

    While there are aspects of winter that I love it is also very true that I often get a case of the 'winter blues' which often means some slippage in the self-care department.  So I'm taking the clear appearance of spring and the start of a new month as a opportunity for a reset; and sharing here so that others can join in and/or holding me accountable.

Goals for the month:

• Wake up my style by committing to wearing skirts or dresses 3x a week
• 5000 steps (counting on my phone which I don't constantly carry) a day and strength training 3x a week.
• 30 oz of water a day 
• Journaling daily in my nice new Blessed is She journal
• minimum of 8 posts this month on this little blog here

There you go ~ 5 goals for the fifth month

A Poem for Holy Saturday

A favorite poem by a favorite author:

Ready for Silence

Madeleine L’Engle

Then hear now the silence
He comes in the silence
in silence he enters
the womb of the bearer
in silence he goes to
the realm of the shadows
redeeming and shriving
in silence he moves from
the grave cloths, the dark tomb
in silence he rises
ascends to the glory
leaving his promise
leaving his comfort
leaving his silence

So come now, Lord Jesus
Come in your silence
breaking our noising
laughter of panic
breaking this earth’s time
breaking us breaking us
quickly Lord Jesus
make no long tarrying

When will you come
and how will you come
and will we be ready
for silence
your silence

Five minute friday: Visit

Feeling the need to stretch my creative muscles and so I'm joining in this week's five minute friday now hosted by Kate Motaung of heading Home

Visit

start:

   One of the new aspects of my faith which came to me in college was making a 'holy hour' and sitting in peace, in adoration for awhile before my Lord. At beginning I of course worried if I was doing it right but in time and with some encouragement I came to relax and enjoy my weekly visits and the graces of being still and quiet and just visiting

  The different seasons of my life have not always an hour a week to visit in such a dedicated way but I carry the lesson forward of great and lasting good of being still and visiting in such a way as to leave space for me to talk, for him to talk, and for the lovely silence to sometimes comes between friends.

Stop

Please visit heading Home for more five minute friday

Happy Birthday Baby Jesus!!

Merry Christmas

from our home to yours!!

WWRW ~ Biblical Living

Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Evan Woods was a wonderful read.  I really enjoyed her writing style; she gave serious topics and issues their proper due but never took herself or the various 'biblical' inspired challenges she undertook over the course of a year too serious.

Each month of the year she focused on a different virtue of biblical womanhood and strove to live it out to the best of her understanding and ability; and from various traditions.  For example the month she focused on silence she attended a weekend retreat at a Benedictine Monastery and services at a Quaker Meeting House.

She shares of her experience and different conclusions she has drawn thoughtfully as food for thought for the reader rather than set in stone wisdom.  She also shares others understands of the virtues she is exploring.

Issues of sex and violence are discussed respectfully but in an adult manner so I would not give this book to anyone younger than perhaps high school.

Linking up with Jessica of Housewifespice for WWRW

Days 7&8: Religion and Customs

Day 7 & 8: Religion and Customs

     I was raised Catholic with a heavy dose of Unitarian; my mom was raised Catholic and my dad was baptized Baptist though they didn't attend much during his childhood, during college he discovered Unitarianism which what he practiced throughout his adult life.  When they married the agreement was that we kids would receive the Sacrament of Baptism and be raised Catholic but exposed to Unitarianism.  Largely we practiced according to American Catholic culture, though our observance of Patron Saint days and leaving our shoes out for St Nicholas spoke to my mom's Belgian culture.
    My husband was also raised Catholic though with a Polish-Irish spin.  Currently we are finding our way as to which traditions and observances to incorporate as we seek to raise our kids in the Church.
We will have them put out their shoes for St Nicholas both as a way to introduce the communion of Saints and de-emphasize Santa Claus etc.  We often spend Christmas Eve with my husband's family but even when we aren't we try and have the traditional Polish meal he grew up with including the oplatek.

Other traditions we hope to continue include:

• Advent Calendar
• Advent Wreath
• Kings Cake
• Crepes on Candlemas (my family)
• Celebrate personal feast days
• Easter welcome platter (husband's family)

Some non-relgious customs we are developing include:

• birthday banners
• cupcakes on actual birthday
• Deck Deals 
• strawberry and/or apple picking

Linking up at Not in Jersey during these 31 days     

Choosing joy: A review

This book makes for wonderful reading.  Dan Lord uses his life experience, and those of others including his father and sister as well as the Saints to write on the joy of the Christian life that takes into account the reality of life.  The book starts with the story of the authors life as a singer/songwriter for a touring rock group and his eventually reversion and his exploration of the fruits of Holy Spirit, focusing on Joy.

What I most liked about this book was the tone of the writing and suggestions given. The writing is engaging and easy to follow.  This is not at all a light hearted look at the daily life of a Catholic but rather obstacles are brought up and subjects such as pain and suffering are explored with common objections acknowledged and addressed. The examples and advice lead up to how you trust God’s will and experience great 'joy'.  The chapters and sections within are well paced to allow for pausing and thinking about points raised.

While the core of the book is about how to invite Christian Joy into your life and live according, Dan Lord does in a sense complete the arc and with the example of his father's passing how Christian Joy aids in a peaceful death.  I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to deepening their relationship with God.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Choosing Joy. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith.

On Reflection

   At first I was very thrown by yesterdays announcement of Pope Benedict's abdication and did not know what to think but just knew I felt crummy.  Obviously I did not doubt the rightness of anything he prayerfully decided to do but it still felt like my dad had announced that he was too old to continue being my dad and was stopping.  However after reading many fine posts I now believe it is more like as if he has admitted that he should no longer be driving and is handing over his keys ~ he still loves us and will always pray for us.  And I will always pray for him.