Lenten Mini-Reflection

"We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:2)

That is why Lent is about death. We have to DIE to our old selves, DIE to sin so that Christ can make us a new creation. Death is always painful. But resurrection is beyond the best we can imagine!

Seasonal Humor

A mother gathered her three young children around their Christmas nativity and read the story of the Wise Men who traveled to worship the Christ Child. Mom told the children that the Wise Men brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

After the story, her oldest son observed, “You know, Mom, a Wise Woman would have brought diapers.” =)

I'm one day late, but Blessed Epiphany!

Of Walkers and Worship

At Holy Mass this morning, I ran into an elderly gentleman that my family has known for several years, but with whom I have not spoken in a while. We initially got to know him from attending Mass at the Cathedral, and that is where I saw him today. This same gentleman is now quite up in years, and as I watched him return from Holy Communion today I couldn't help but notice what an immense effort it took for him to make each step— even with the aid of his walker. Such fidelity struck me. Here is a man who can barely move, yet he still drives faithfully to Mass each morning, lifts his walker from his car, and propels himself into the Church on two unsteady feet to sit down slowly in a pew and worship his God. Many of the rest of us who are agile and nimble could use to take some inspiration from this depth of effort!

Quality Time

Today I enjoyed an afternoon/evening spent with my goddaughter... drinking in the simple pleasure of each other's company and conversation interspersed with lunch, prayer, adoration of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, a few walks, ice cream, and flowers. :) A lovely and memorable afternoon filled with one of the five love languages: quality time. For someone as continually busy as I am, finding quality time with those I love can be difficult. But still very rewarding...not only for their spirit (hopefully), but for mine!

A Picture of Faithfulness

Today, after spending some time visiting residents in a local nursing home, I sat near the entrance for a few minutes. And while I did, a very old, bent-over gentleman came shuffling into the room with tiny steps. He could barely walk, but he was pushing a wheelchair... with his elderly wife in it. Her voice came in an almost raspy whisper, but when I greeted them and asked her who the gentleman was, she said with a smile, "That's my husband." She was a resident, and he, visiting her. I couldn't help but ask how long they'd been married. "Sixty-three years", they answered me in unison.

Watching him propel his own feet and the chair as they left, and looking over his hunched back at their heads, a tear came to my eye and all I could think was...

Now that's faithfulness.

The Sound of Laughter

I'm sitting in the basement at the laptop, working, and can't help but smile at the sounds filtering down to me through the vents from upstairs. Sounds of laughter. Happy, maiden laughter from a number of young ladies who happen to be here at the moment. A few minutes ago when I greeted them upstairs, I was surrounded by bright eyes, rosy cheeks flushed from the cold, excited voices, and warm hugs. How thankful I am that in a world that is increasingly broken, twisted, and troubling, there are still young girls that can know what it means to be young, wholesome, and innocent.

Young girls who know how to laugh.

The Long Winter... almost

Well, global-warming-theory aside, we've had our share of cold here lately. As in about a solid month (maybe more? I've lost track!) of frigid days, continuous new little (and not-so-little) snowfalls, biting wind, icy sidewalks, slippery roads...

And yes, I really do love snow. I always say I'm glad I live in a climate with four seasons (I love them all), and that's still true.

Despite this, I'll admit I am very ready for Spring. :) But though this winter is starting to seem somewhat endless, I know we've had it easy compared to Laura Ingalls' "Long Winter". If I'm feeling wintered-out after this, I can hardly imagine what seven months of harsh blizzards would do! Wow, folks back then had stamina. And yes, we may be trying to beat the blahs about now, but we've still got it easy.

That being said, I still can't wait to run outside barefoot and discard the heavy coats! =) All in good time...

Solo soy el instrumento

In my morning prayer, I've been reading a little book called "Mother Teresa and the Beatitudes". This morning, I read her quote about being God's pencil— I've heard the first part many times, but never the second before. So beautiful!

"I am only a pencil in the hand of God...

God writes through us,

and however imperfect instruments

we may be,

God writes beautifully."

Let Him write through you today!

My Dad is the Best

I mean, how many guys would volunteer—cheerfully and instantaneously—to go out into a blowing, frigid winter storm at 11:30pm just to get a couple items that I said I needed from the van?

I'm one lucky girl. Rather, one blessed girl. Love you, Dad!

New Beginnings

What a glorious time of year this is. Entering Advent this past Sunday meant the beginning of a new Liturgical year. A good time to make a "new year's" resolution, which we all did here! This is such a rich, wondrous season...each year I love it more. My heart is brimming with thoughts and expressions, but at the moment, no time to form them.

I must say this, though: ¡Me encanta nieve!* And we've been blessed with an abundance of it this week! God's paintbrush... covering the world with his touch of beauty. Pure delight.

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

*A "gold star" to anyone who can translate! ;)

From the Readings for 11/21

"It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God’s law.

Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother,
who saw her seven sons perish in a single day,
yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.
Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage,
she exhorted each of them
in the language of their ancestors with these words:
'I do not know how you came into existence in my womb;
it was not I who gave you the breath of life,
nor was it I who set in order
the elements of which each of you is composed.
Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe
who shapes each man’s beginning,
as he brings about the origin of everything,
he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life,
because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.'"

(2 Maccabees)

Oh, what a heart-tugger this reading is! And what a mother! I can never hear or read that passage without a pang of intense sorrow and admiration for her. To see your seven sons killed before your very eyes, and to respond as she did.... what absolute grace, what supernatural strength. This, indeed, was a mother who knew what her life's purpose was: to bring her children to salvation. And her trust was such that she was able to not only endure, but encourage them in the sacrifice of their own lives for the sake of faithfulness. Lord, grant all mothers the same courage, the same trust, the same resolve!

Funny, but True!

Men and women. Yes, our differences run deep (and thank the Lord!). There's a short but true and amusing point here:

Body language differs by gender. Men tend to stare as they listen and nod to signify they understand. Women may nod when they don't yet understand to encourage the speaker to keep talking.

And the above blog author's comment?

"Ahhh . . . so when she nods it means something different? This is useful."

Absolutely! :)

A Sunrise Update

I don't have the seconds for anything more than "Buenos Dias" and "Que tenga un buen dia"! Most mornings here the sky has been rather overcast when I wake at 5:30, but this morning I was [pleasantly] startled to see an orange glow across the sky when I opened my eyes...a lovely sunrise. It hasn't lasted long (almost gone already), but oh! What a treat.

May your day be full of the glow of the Master!

All in the Terminology

When it occured Sunday, the first thing I said was "I must blog that!" Since I didn't that day, here we are...

Dad was speaking to a group of parents around a table at a party, saying "And the Holy Father came out on the deck..." when my sister quickly interjected "Balcony, dad!". To which another homeschool mom sitting nearby laughed and quipped, "You're such a homeschooler!"

One Year

It was exactly one year ago today that I started blogging. I almost missed the "anniversary"! My prayer is that I've been able to "be a light" here this year, and by the grace of God, may continue to be with increasing trust and faithfulness.

"Our Lord does not call us to be successful, but only to be faithful." (Mother Teresa)

Please feel free to leave a comment or email me if you have any encouragement for me, or suggestions for how to make this blog a more faithful tool for God's glory, or topics or questions you would like to see addressed, or feedback on post themes that may or may not have been helpful to you... this little space is not intended to be merely a personal "journal", or place to "vent", but hopefully a blessing and encouragement for myself and others to remain faithful on our individual calls to holiness. Any and all prayers/suggestions to help me keep focused on that goal are welcome!

Soli Deo Gloria!

~ ~ ~

Today's Funny Moment

Our little 6-year-old friend, when instructed to place his hand on David's cello to feel the vibrations as it was played:

"It feels like a massage!"

~ ~ ~

A Highlight

from our wonderful Bishop Sartain's homily today at our Diocesan-wide Homeschool Mass!

"We might stand with awe at the edge of the Grand Canyon, but really, we should have the same awe when looking at another human being...

of all God's marvelous creation, only we are made in His Image and Likeness."

~ ~ ~

Heard This Morning

on Relevant Radio

"To run from the cross is to run from love...

to run from the cross is to run from our destination...

to run from the cross is to run from JESUS CHRIST."

- Father John Corapi

No, I Didn't Vanish

The last month has been filled with lots of graces. Those of you who may still be with me -- thanks for staying tuned. ;) Every day our Lord has been pruning me, teaching me, smiling on me...I can only be in awe of His transforming power, and yet all too aware of my own littleness, my own NEED for his pruning and teaching.

Right now, I'm blogging from Washington D.C.! Yesterday we were blessed to experience, for the first time, the March for Life. In one word: incredible. More to follow in the days to come...

Today's Encouragement

"Girls are like apples on trees.

The best ones are at the top of the tree.

Boys don't want to reach for the good apples

because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt.

Instead they get the rotten apples from the ground

that aren't as good, but easy.

So the apples at the top think

there is something wrong with them,

when in fact they are amazing.

They just have to wait for the right boy,

the one who will risk everything,

who's brave enough to climb

all the way up to the top of the tree."

- Author Unknown