The Way I See It

We like to sit up front for mass. Today we got the second row.

The altar server was a young girl - probably 9th/10th grade - and was wearing frayed blue jeans and turquoise rubber flip-flops. Hmmmmm

On the row in front of us were 5 young men - maybe 18-20 yrs old. They zipped into the parking lot in their giant pickup and were laughing and cutting up as they walked down the sidewalk. All five looked as if they dressed from the same closet. Rugged boots, worn jeans and longsleeved button-ups, untucked and slightly wrinkled. They all knelt down and prayed before mass started and each participated fully. They chuckled when Fr. Duffy threw in his weekly joke (it's just not Sunday without one) and they stayed in their pew, singing the last hymn until the music stopped.

I'm constantly being taught lessons from above.

Thank you Jesus for your unconditional love.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

I've been meaning to post this picture to share our celebration of the Feast of The Immaculate Conception but life has thrown us a few curve balls. Last Monday both kids were sick so I scheduled an appointment with the pediatrician and turns out they both had strep throat. This is a new occurrence for Jaedon, but unfortunately this was the 5th time since October 3rd for Caela. Poor baby is miserable! We visited the ENT and he has scheduled surgery for the 29th. She is very nervous and so am I! She hates hospitals and I can't say that I blame her, but I know she will feel so much better when her tonsils come out. The ENT said that there is very little space between her tonsils and her uvula. Nighttime breathing has become a challenge and she is extra 'fussy' these days. Please remember her in your prayers.

Back to our 'celebration'...We (the Coach and I) had a white dinner and I made white cupcakes that I decorated with white icing and clear sprinkles. Caela colored the lovely portrait you see above just shortly before she fell out. :) As I'm sure you can imagine, our evening ended early...

Father, You prepared the Virgin Mary to be the worthy mother of your son. You let her share beforehand in the salvation Christ would bring by his death, and kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception. Help us by her prayers to live in your presence without sin.We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.

St. Nicholas Likes Hot Cocoa?

Saturday night we celebrated the feast of St. Nicholas. This was our first year to do this and it was a lot of fun. The kids were so excited to participate in all the activities I had planned. I did not accomplish all I had on my list, but next year I will be 'on my game' and better prepared.

Jessica, Catholic Mom Extraordinaire, is soooo gracious and always shares her fabulous plans. Now that I am working fulltime - outside the home - MOST days I feel completely overwhelmed and underprepared. I love that I have Jessica as a resource. So it is with that disclaimer that I share what our family did on Saturday night. :)

We made St. Nicholas Hot Cocoa (cocoa was said to be his favorite drink), and the kids turned chocolate santa's into chocolate St. Nicholas'...

I really wanted to read, St. Nicholas The Wonder Worker, but I had a hard time finding the book (when I had free time to look). Note to self: Next year order online in advance!

At bedtime, the kids set a shoe at their doorway and woke to a nice surprise...

Altogether, I'd say it was a good evening.

God of joy and cheer, we thank you for your servant, the good bishop Nicholas. In loving the poor, he showed us your kindness;in caring for your children,he revealed your love. Make us thoughtful without need of reward so that we, too, may be good followers of Jesus.

This bloggin' thing....

....takes a back seat to my life. Although, I began blogging for the opposite reason - to keep up with things on a daily basis - it seems I get sucked into living and forget about the rest of it. Not such a bad thing, though. Living is good.

So, in short...

...we went for a day visit to see the kids' favorite cousin

...the kids went back to school

...I've been subbing in our local school district,
...I was sick for a over a week,
...my in-laws came for a visit,
...Jaedon turned 10 (& went to the Fort Worth Stockyards with his grandparents),

...somehow this SUCKER is the PTA president for the district AND over the Intermediate school
...I had a garage sale with my sister
...Caela started dance
...Caela's school just finished their fundraiser
...Jaedon's school just started their fundraiser
...(have I told you that I hate fundraisers?)

Now you know that I wasn't lying when I said I've been living. I hope you are all enjoying your lives as well. Don't get me wrong, we all have our crosses to bear, but right now I'm trying to focus on the grace-filled life I've been blessed with!

Happy Tuesday, Stranger-Friends!!

A Mother's Prayer for her Children

Mary, Mother of Consolation, be with me now as I pray for my children. You, who bore the most perfect Child, know a mother’s concern for her children. You are the finest example of motherhood. Open your heart to my prayer.

There are times, Blessed Mary, when I feel so confused. My love for my children always directs me to do those things each day which will be good for them.

I always try to act in a way which will help them to be better Christians. It is often difficult for me to know what is right. Mary, please guide me through my doubts. Help me to know what is right. Help me to direct and raise my children, not for my own satisfaction, but for the glory of God.

Oh Queen of Heaven, my children are so frail in this world. Help me to guide them to know and love Our Heavenly Father. It is through His will that I have these children. They are truly His gift.

At this time, Blessed Mother of Consolation, I place my children under your care and protection. I know you will help them just as you have helped me. Keep us in your love, always.

Amen.

Some New Jesus Music

I like music. Had I actually finished college (that's another post) I probably would have a degree in some kind of music. I like lots of different genre's to the exclusion of most rap & country. I don't detest either one, just not my fav's.

So, today when I was surfing the web (because I have nothing better to do, right?) I came across Gretchen Harris. She is a contemporary Catholic musician and some of of her titles include, Prayer of St. Francis, You are Near and others. She has rosary CD and one titled "Sing of Mary".

Perhaps you've already been introduced but this was our first meeting. I like her! She has a very sweet voice...listening to her is peaceful. You might like her too. Seriously.

Confident Hope

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Rom 15:13

I Am Blessed

Once I posted the messy house pictures I got a little worried about letting everyone see them. A little 'photographer's remorse' set in. However, "Anonymous" wrote...

Our house is very clean now - and silent. Cleaner than its ever been. Our children are grown and we are stationed a continent from them.

I looked at your pictures with envy...

It put everything into perspective for me. It forced me to look at the pictures with a different set of eyes. Instead of the critical, self-examining vision that comes as such second nature to me, I had to see the mess through corrective lenses.

I have two healthy children who are active, smart, mess-makin' little people. They bring such joy and surprise to our lives. Veggie Boy is so smart, but we liken him to the little cloud of dust on the Peanuts cartoon. He is a bull in a china shop, Messy Marvin, etc. He dirties more clothes than any other person in our house and his heart is bigger than any other 9 yr old boy I know. He is very sensitive to the needs of others - bringing an extra jacket to school for the boy who doesn't have one, offering to be a partner to his classmate with whom no one would pair-up. These behaviors are normal to him. He is a natural born leader. All of this from the 3lb 15oz tiny baby we took home from the hospital 6 weeks before his due date. By all accounts he could be a special needs kiddo, instead God saw fit to bless us with his complete physical and intellectual health.

Saucy is such a princess and adores all things pink & sparkly. She meticulously selects her clothes and has such a distinct personality. She will "tell it like it is" to anyone who asks. (which is a clear reminder that to watch what we say around her :)) She is full of energy and seems to be a natural athlete. She is a good friend but is still definitely 5 when it comes to problem solving. She is our cuddle-bug and will brighten anyone's day with her beautiful smile.

The Coach loves football and is blessed enough to wake up each day and live his passion. Lots of people struggle just to find their passion and the reality of living may evade them forever, but not my man. He works 12 hour days in off-season and we don't even try to count the hours during football season. He misses a lot of life here at the house but we join him when we can. Fall Friday nights are the best. We're all decked out in orange and I have snacks and pom-poms shoved into my purse as we sit on the 50-yard line - about 6-8 rows up - and cheer our team on.

We are busy people. We are involved in our community, our church and the local schools. I may not always get to the laundry and the dishes may fill my sink, but Dear Stranger-Friends, I am blessed.

Isaiah 53:5 (New Living Translation)
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

Luke 24
The Resurrection

1 But very early on Sunday morning[a] the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man[b] must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

He has Risen, Stranger-Friends! He has Risen Indeed!

Easter Fluff

I can vividly remember the Easter dresses of my childhood. Mainly because each one is permanently documented in the traditional photo...

(let's not talk about the mullet hairstyles! :-))

I can also remember coloring eggs at my grandparent's house, hunting eggs in their yard on Sunday afternoon and the candy-trail left by the Easter Bunny from my bed to my basket. But...I can only recall one specific religious memory of Easter past. I can remember, in broken segments, the youth group at our church doing a passion play for the sunrise service. One particular young man, Todd, (whom I thought was quite cute - he was 16 or so...I was 7 or so!) played the part of Jesus and he hung on the cross they erected in the yard behind the church. It was quite realistic (at least to the 7 year old eye).

My point (and I do have one) is that the vast majority of what I remember was completely "fluff". I don't think my parents did anything wrong by spending a fortune buying us dresses, shoes, hose/tights, purses, hats, and pounds of candy, but I do think there's another way.

I'm striving to live a more simple life. A life with less fluff. I admit that it's not always easy. The girl with the most stuff wins, right? To voluntarily take yourself out of the game is contradictory to society as a whole. It frustrates me to think of myself as a pawn in the game of consumerism, but apparently that is what "they" intended all along.

from SortaCrunchy...

Annie Leonard quotes Victor LeBeau's statement that in order for the consumerist model to work, as we "make consumption a way of life," we must "convert the buying and selling of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction in consumption . . ."

ugh. It is sooo irritating! "make consumption of way of life"...well, they've succeeded. We associate stuff with nearly every holiday. Halloween (something like #2 holiday for retail sales), Thanksgiving (do we really need all that food?), Christmas (need I say more?), Valentines (created for consumers I believe), St. Patrick's Day (can you say public intoxication?), Easter, blah, blah, blah. If we're not comsuming large quantities of food, we're consuming even larger quantities of stuff. What do we do with all the stuff when we tire of it? when we outgrow it? when it breaks?

Exactly how does all this stuff at Easter remind us of Christ's resurrection? I know Saucy would love to go shopping and pick out a new something for Easter, but today it's not a priority in our house. She can look cute & frilly in a dress that's already in the closet. Trust me, I'm all about the girly thing - bows, sweet little patton shoes, precious bucket hats with flowers on it - but who says I NEED to go buy new stuff for this particular Sunday?

So, this year I will rummage through the giant bucket of hand-me-downs that have been given to Saucy and I'll let her choose a dress. She will look as beautiful as the others. I pray Christ's light shines through her precious smile.

The bucket o'stuff

Our casual options...

Our fancy options...

A Goodwill find...$2 & Brand
New!

Her choice...

Happy Easter, Stranger-Friends!

Resurrection Cookies

Several years ago I found a recipe for "Resurrection Cookies" in an Easter issue of Faith & Family. I thought it was a fabulous idea and resolved to make them with the kids. Yea. Ok. So. Ummmm.... 2 years later, I'm REALLY making them on Saturday. I promise. Really. Even told the kids. (do you believe me??)

You will need:

1 cup whole nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc)
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
a pinch salt

1 cup sugar

a zipper baggy

1 wooden spoon

scotch tape

Bible

Instructions:

These are to be made the evening before Easter.

Preheat oven to 300F before you do anything else.

Place nuts in baggie and beat them with the wooden spoon until they are broken and in small pieces. Read JOHN 19:1-3 and talk about how Jesus was scourged (another word for beaten) by the soldiers.

Put one teaspoon of vinegar into the large mixing bowl. Read JOHN 19:28-30. Have children smell and taste the vinegar and explain that when Jesus was thirsty, the soldiers offered Him vinegar to drink.

Stir egg whites into the vinegar. Read JOHN 10:10-11. Discuss how eggs are a sign of life and explain how Jesus gave his life so that we could have brand new life.

Sprinkle a little salt into the bowl. Read LUKE 23:27. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers.

Now add 1 cup sugar. Read PSALM 34:8 and JOHN 3:16. Explain that Jesus' love for us sweetens the sorrow of His death. Mix on high speed until stiff peaks are formed (about 15 minutes). Read ISAIAH 1:18 and JOHN 3:1-3 and explain that the white peaks represent our souls when sins have been forgiven by Jesus.

Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed-paper covered cookie sheet. Read MATTHEW 27:57-60 and talk about how each cookie represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was placed after his death.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and TURN OFF THE OVEN (this is very important). Give each person a piece of tape and seal the door to the oven. Read MATTHEW 27:65-66 and talk about the sealed tomb.

Read JOHN 16:20-22 and talk about the sadness Jesus' followers felt when they left Him in the tomb. Leave the cookies in the oven overnight.

On Easter morning, break the tape seals, open the oven and look at the cookies. Read MATTHEW 28:1-9. See how the cookies are cracked like the empty tomb. Have everyone take a bite of a cookie. Notice that they are hollow. Explain that on the first Easter, the women were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Give thanks for the gift of Jesus and the Resurrection!

God Showed Up B-I-G!

A principal who made no effort to establish communication and made quick judgements about the athletic program was trying to push my coach out the door. I wanted to defend my man. Instead, I listened to him talk while anxiety gripped my spirit. I had to take a serious time-out and re-focus. I prayed. I had to be positive so that my coach could see something good each day he dreaded going to school. I prayed some more. A conference with the principal resulted in my coach being completely honest, yet respectful, regarding his thoughts and feelings. (oh yea, I prayed some more) Friday the principal called, "I appreciated your honesty...tear up that growth plan...let's start fresh...I'm sorry". It was probably the roughest 6 weeks we've had, but together we got through it.

%&^$@^& W H A T ???? &^%$ @$

This is a man who went for my coach's jugular at every turn and now he just wants to start fresh? All I can say is that God saw fit to rain down a miracle on My Coach's life!!!

THANK YOU JESUS!

When You're Over the Target...

...you're catching flack.

Ever heard that saying? Our pastor has used it more than once in the last few months and it seems to resonate in our lives lately. The Coach has experienced some struggles in his school over the last month or so and the stress of it weighs on him heavily. As his helpmeet I really desire to help him. I hate seeing him wade through the waters of discontent and discouragement. Although I know God's plans for our lives may include a little refining fire it is still hard.

Beth Moore posted about this topic today and I love love love the way she broke it down. "We don't understand that the pressures we face getting to our places of full-throttle effectiveness in Christ are crucial for developing the muscle to sustain ministry there. He's developing the character the calling requires...Satan will never oppose us more than when he thinks we're onto our callings. Bet on that."

I need to release the anxiety, trust in God's plans and provisions for our family and press on because, when you're over the target...

In the name of The Father, and of the Son...

Saucy Girl has a lil' bff at school this year, G. G is not Catholic. As a matter of fact, G's Daddy is a Protestant pastor. G & Saucy apparently were praying yesterday that I wouldn't be able to make it to the school in time for pick-up and they could go home together (note: twice I've been stuck in traffic trying to get to the school so G's momma took Saucy home with them). During their prayer, Saucy instructed G on The Sign of The Cross.

At bedtime Saucy described the scenario to me. Of course I just about died as I thought of G telling her Mommy & Daddy all about crossing herself! :) I told Saucy that G & her family are not Catholic so they do not cross themselves. Her puzzled little face looked at me while she asked, "Then what do they do when they pray?" I told her that usually they just bow their head and close their eyes. She asked if they make 'praying hands' also.

After thinking about it for a minute Saucy said, "Well, she got the hang of it".

Hard As Nails

The Coach and I happened upon this HBO documentary during the Christmas break. Tonight we've run into it again, only this time we are allowing Saucy Girl and Veggie Boy to watch it with us. It is a moving, honest, compelling look as the Hard As Nails Ministry and it's founder, Justin Fatica.

I would encourage you to view it and I would be interested in what you think about it. Comments open.

I Received My Saint(s) For 2008!

I was quite intrigued by Melissa's post regarding her "patron saint for 2008". Being a "baby" Catholic this was a new idea to me. So, what's a babe to do? Of course. Run out and find the lovely blog that was doing the matching!

I was given St. Thomas the Apostle AND St. Lawrence! Apparently 2 saints wanted me this year. ;-)

I'm very excited and can't wait to really dig my heels into some research on these two guys!

Quick! Time's Running Out!

If you're fast you can still make it! Laced With Grace is holding a great give-a-way that's sure to start the winners' new year off just right! Be sure to stop in and register.

Peace out, Stranger-Friends!

Refreshed, Rejuventated, Revived

We are still in OKC, but, this morning, The Coach told me he felt refreshed! He even said he's ready to get back to football. Wow. Amazing what a few days away from everything will do for ya. We even turned off the cell phones!

As we gathered around my mother-in-law's dining table on Thursday, I was reminded that no matter what you do or how far you stray, a family is always there. We had 4 generations in the same room. From Big Mama (Grandma) to our 2 month old cousin - a sweet little girl who snuggled on my chest and slept (oh, it was pure yellow!); all walks of life were represented. I don't always agree with the way everyone lives their life as I'm sure they have thoughts about me ;-)...BUT, we're family and that's what will always bring us together. Love - a tie that binds!

We will head home this evening AFTER the OU vs. OSU game, of course! We will get back to our lives - schooling, dancing, cooking, cleaning, football & winter sports. I will start Christmas projects and continue traditions as the next few weeks pass by. Life is but a season and if we fail to refresh our spirit, breathe in the goodness and bask in the joy that is our family it will pass us by all too quickly. God has richly blessed us and, for that, I'm eternally grateful.

Blessings & Peace Stranger-Friends!

God's Calling

Ok, Stranger-Friends. I've got to share. Are you sitting down? OK, ahem...

God called me.
Sunday morning.
5am.
On my cell phone.

Oh, I know what you are thinking..."this crazy blogger woman has lost her ever-loving mind". But, I submit to you the following:

777-7777

That's the phone number (I deleted the area code for bloggy safety) that called me at 5 am. I answered and nothing. Then click. I immediately called the number back and it's a recording (not the usual recording lady either) saying that I've reached a number that is not in service! What? How could a phone that's not in service call me?

I've been in heavy prayer and contemplation about 2 particular subjects and I think He was responding.

I'm sure lots of you cynical sceptics will explain this away, but I choose to believe God called me.

Sunday morning.

5am.