I just wanted to jump in and encourage you to join in the National 54 Day Rosary Novena. If you aren't sure what that is, it is a series of 6 novenas of rosaries. The first 27 days are days of petition and the second 27 days are days of thanksgiving.
The novena starts today, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and ends on October 7th, the Feast of the Rosary. How providential that these two Marian feast days are 54 days apart! Coincidence? I think not.
If you've been wanting to start praying the rosary together as a family, then now would be a great time to start. This website has all of the information about the national novena, including the intention and the prayers (in case you are unsure of how to pray it). You can even sign up to get email reminders, which I did, of course!
Happy Feast day and I hope you'll join in this national effort to bring our country back to God.
God Bless!
Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Monday, July 6, 2015
Rosaries Aren't Just for Teething on a Retreat
Way back and a day ago, I was on retreat. That's how long ago it seems, although in reality it has only been about three weeks. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius are the retreat of all retreats, and when you can go to one of them preached by the priests of Miles Christi, well then, my friend, you are in Heaven. Once a year they hold a retreat that goes from Monday afternoon until late Thursday afternoon. The rest of the time they are weekend retreats, so this gives you about one extra day which translates into more talks and more time to pray and meditate. There's also more free time so I like to walk around and do all of that praying and meditating stuff outdoors.
This is the first year I had a decent camera on my phone, so I took a few minutes to take some pictures of the grounds.
Isn't it just beautiful? This Shrine is run by the Franciscans and has had Perpetual Adoration EVERY DAY, no matter what, since the 1930s. Unbelievable.
So on that Monday I was preparing to go and I looked up on my information sheet to see what time the retreat started. I saw that registration began at 4:00 and so I knew that meant that the rosary was at 4:30. Good. I left my house about 3:15 and knew I would be in time for the rosary.
Except that I wasn't, because registration really began at 3:00, the rosary was at 4:00 and I arrived at 4:25 with Mass to begin at 4:30. Ugh. I ran up the stairs, threw my stuff in the room and ran back to the chapel so that I could be on time for Mass.
I'm still not sure how that all happened, but later that night I realized WHY it happened. I decided later on that evening to go to the chapel in the photo above to pray my rosary since I had missed it earlier. I remembered that I had won a copy of "Rosaries Aren't Just for Teething" a few weeks back from Cari and had the urge to read it along with my prayers.
This, of course, meant taking my phone out to read it on my Kindle app. That meant possibly seeing a message or an email or a notification and then having to fight the major temptation NOT to look at it. But the urge persisted and so I went directly to the app and began reading the meditations for the Joyful mysteries.
Wow, they were just what I needed to hear. Had I not missed the rosary, I would not have gotten these messages that I needed to get. For example, from the meditation on the Annunciation, "Rather than shake His head at us with a condescending grin, He mercifully offers us something better". I struggle at times with the "loving" God and so this was a great thing to read to set me on the right path.
From the Visitation, "Miracles surround me through the everydayness of life and the suffering and the joys". How often I forget this. Especially the suffering part. Miracles are there...everyday. We just need to look really hard sometimes to see them.
From the Nativity, "God's plans are always better and the stories He writes are always more interesting." Much more interesting and much, much better than anything I could ever write.
Finally, from the Presentation, "Motherhood isn't just about our own pleasure. It is a sharing in the self-giving love of God. It is also a sharing in the suffering of the cross." The cross. Oh how I need to learn to love to embrace the cross. Right now I run away as fast as I can. Much more work to be done there, that's for sure.
I continued to read the other three sections of the book over the next three days I was there. They were chock full of great quotes and insights that really helped me during my retreat. One of the way God typically speaks to me is through the written word and once again, He came through for me.
I hardly ever win things, so I am thrilled that this was one of those rare times. The book is a gem and if you can, you should get yourself a copy and use it to mediate on the mysteries. And, if you haven't done so this year already, you should make time for some kind of retreat with the Lord. I know times are busy, but even an afternoon away at an Adoration chapel will be well worth it.
God Bless!
This is the first year I had a decent camera on my phone, so I took a few minutes to take some pictures of the grounds.
Isn't it just beautiful? This Shrine is run by the Franciscans and has had Perpetual Adoration EVERY DAY, no matter what, since the 1930s. Unbelievable.
So on that Monday I was preparing to go and I looked up on my information sheet to see what time the retreat started. I saw that registration began at 4:00 and so I knew that meant that the rosary was at 4:30. Good. I left my house about 3:15 and knew I would be in time for the rosary.
Except that I wasn't, because registration really began at 3:00, the rosary was at 4:00 and I arrived at 4:25 with Mass to begin at 4:30. Ugh. I ran up the stairs, threw my stuff in the room and ran back to the chapel so that I could be on time for Mass.
I'm still not sure how that all happened, but later that night I realized WHY it happened. I decided later on that evening to go to the chapel in the photo above to pray my rosary since I had missed it earlier. I remembered that I had won a copy of "Rosaries Aren't Just for Teething" a few weeks back from Cari and had the urge to read it along with my prayers.
This, of course, meant taking my phone out to read it on my Kindle app. That meant possibly seeing a message or an email or a notification and then having to fight the major temptation NOT to look at it. But the urge persisted and so I went directly to the app and began reading the meditations for the Joyful mysteries.
Wow, they were just what I needed to hear. Had I not missed the rosary, I would not have gotten these messages that I needed to get. For example, from the meditation on the Annunciation, "Rather than shake His head at us with a condescending grin, He mercifully offers us something better". I struggle at times with the "loving" God and so this was a great thing to read to set me on the right path.
From the Visitation, "Miracles surround me through the everydayness of life and the suffering and the joys". How often I forget this. Especially the suffering part. Miracles are there...everyday. We just need to look really hard sometimes to see them.
From the Nativity, "God's plans are always better and the stories He writes are always more interesting." Much more interesting and much, much better than anything I could ever write.
Finally, from the Presentation, "Motherhood isn't just about our own pleasure. It is a sharing in the self-giving love of God. It is also a sharing in the suffering of the cross." The cross. Oh how I need to learn to love to embrace the cross. Right now I run away as fast as I can. Much more work to be done there, that's for sure.
I continued to read the other three sections of the book over the next three days I was there. They were chock full of great quotes and insights that really helped me during my retreat. One of the way God typically speaks to me is through the written word and once again, He came through for me.
I hardly ever win things, so I am thrilled that this was one of those rare times. The book is a gem and if you can, you should get yourself a copy and use it to mediate on the mysteries. And, if you haven't done so this year already, you should make time for some kind of retreat with the Lord. I know times are busy, but even an afternoon away at an Adoration chapel will be well worth it.
God Bless!
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Lessons from a Semi-Incapacitating Virus
This past week has taught me a few things. You see, I've had this bothersome virus since last Wednesday that has made me dizzy and nauseous - a really annoying combination. It has prevented me from doing a lot of things; important things like moving around, driving and eating. So here's what I've learned
1. To be grateful for my good health. It's only when you can't do something that you realize how much you take doing that thing for granted. As much as I hate to drive a lot, I realize how much my family and I depend on my being able to drive. I had to have one of my kids drive me to the grocery story last week. Thankfully one of them was available. If this turned into a common occurrence (which I know it is for some people), it would make the already dreaded grocery shopping trip into something even more dreaded. Not that shopping with my kids is something I dread, mind you, but depending on them to be around to take me would be dreaded.
2. To pray more for other moms who suffer from some kind of chronic illness that impacts their ability to function as a mother. I know from some of the mom-facebook groups I'm in that there are a lot of moms out there who suffer like this. Trust me, after this minor stint at being somewhat incapacitated, I will pray even more for you when you ask me to!
I'm still having bouts of this on and off throughout the day, so hopefully whatever it is will take the fast train out of town soon! In the meantime, I will pray for those of you who suffer on a daily basis!
God Bless!
1. To be grateful for my good health. It's only when you can't do something that you realize how much you take doing that thing for granted. As much as I hate to drive a lot, I realize how much my family and I depend on my being able to drive. I had to have one of my kids drive me to the grocery story last week. Thankfully one of them was available. If this turned into a common occurrence (which I know it is for some people), it would make the already dreaded grocery shopping trip into something even more dreaded. Not that shopping with my kids is something I dread, mind you, but depending on them to be around to take me would be dreaded.
2. To pray more for other moms who suffer from some kind of chronic illness that impacts their ability to function as a mother. I know from some of the mom-facebook groups I'm in that there are a lot of moms out there who suffer like this. Trust me, after this minor stint at being somewhat incapacitated, I will pray even more for you when you ask me to!
I'm still having bouts of this on and off throughout the day, so hopefully whatever it is will take the fast train out of town soon! In the meantime, I will pray for those of you who suffer on a daily basis!
God Bless!
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Take A Few Moments of Peace
But then I finished my cup of coffee and realized it was time to start dinner so that's what I did. It was a nice few minutes and it made me remember how important those few minutes of peace can be in the midst of our hectic lives. I hope you get a few minutes like that for yourself today (even if they aren't in the sun but are in the bathroom behind a locked door ;) ).
God Bless!
P.S. I originally shared this image on Instagram under my public profile: aplanforjoy. If you're on Instagram, look me up!
Monday, April 20, 2015
A Work of Mercy
On the off chance that you haven't heard the story of Niki Rogan and her eight children, I'm sharing it here so that you can join everyone in praying for them, and offering them financial assistance if that is at all possible.
Early last Friday morning, Niki, her husband Mike and their 7 children (at that time) were driving to the hospital as Niki was in labor with their 8th child. On the way, they were involved in a car accident with a deer. Mike died as a result of that accident and Niki went on to deliver their little boy later that day. The other children sustained only minor injuries from the accident.
Coming on the heels of the prior weekend's deaths, I went into a major spin with this one. I, along with everyone else, I'm sure, cannot fathom this whole scenario. Why, God, why?
In an effort to help the family, a friend of theirs started a GoFundMe for them. They have raised an incredible sum of money in a very short time. If you can, please, please pray for this family and then go here to help them out financially.
I keep hearing more and more stories of moms, dads, kids young and old, dieing very suddenly and it is incredibly unnerving. This takes a HUGE amount of trust in God because it just doesn't all make sense.
Jesus I Trust In You!
God Bless!
Early last Friday morning, Niki, her husband Mike and their 7 children (at that time) were driving to the hospital as Niki was in labor with their 8th child. On the way, they were involved in a car accident with a deer. Mike died as a result of that accident and Niki went on to deliver their little boy later that day. The other children sustained only minor injuries from the accident.
Coming on the heels of the prior weekend's deaths, I went into a major spin with this one. I, along with everyone else, I'm sure, cannot fathom this whole scenario. Why, God, why?
In an effort to help the family, a friend of theirs started a GoFundMe for them. They have raised an incredible sum of money in a very short time. If you can, please, please pray for this family and then go here to help them out financially.
I keep hearing more and more stories of moms, dads, kids young and old, dieing very suddenly and it is incredibly unnerving. This takes a HUGE amount of trust in God because it just doesn't all make sense.
Jesus I Trust In You!
God Bless!
Thursday, April 16, 2015
A Dose of Perspective
Last night I went to the wake of a 33 year old man who found out last Saturday that he had Acute Leukemia and died the following Saturday. I've been friends with his mother for the past 15 years or so but never knew him. What I came to find out was what an incredible young man he was. We stood in line for over two hours last night and that was shortened only because it was getting late and they were "rushing" people through. Most people I talked to stood in line for 3 1/2 to 4 hours to pay their respects. This young man definitely left a mark on the people he encountered. What a testimony to him and to his family. They are burying him today, so if you could please say a prayer for his soul and for his family who will all miss him deeply.
In another town, not all that far away, a woman and her nine children will be burying her husband and their father. He died on Divine Mercy Sunday, as his parish was celebrating Mass, after a battle with cancer. He had a devotion to the Divine Mercy Chaplet, setting his watch alarm for 3:00 and stopping every day that he could to pray the chaplet. What a testimony to his faith. While I can't make it to that wake, I am sure that the lines will be just as long at this wake, too. Please pray for his soul and for his family.
Two things like this, happening on the same weekend, really put your mind in a spin. How would I feel as the mother burying her son? How would I feel as the wife burying her husband? For a short time, at least, it really puts things in perspective. No longer does being inconvenienced seem like such a big deal. Unfortunately I know from experience that time will pass and I'll lose that perspective. For now, I'm just trying to look at each day and be thankful that we are all still here - healthy and happy.
As our pastor said last Sunday, hold on to your spouse and your children, your mother and your father, while you have them here because you just never know when the Lord will want them back. I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer, but there is just so much suffering right now that I'm just trying to keep the right perspective in my life and be thankful for each and every day.
Jesus I trust in you...even when nothing makes sense.
God Bless!
In another town, not all that far away, a woman and her nine children will be burying her husband and their father. He died on Divine Mercy Sunday, as his parish was celebrating Mass, after a battle with cancer. He had a devotion to the Divine Mercy Chaplet, setting his watch alarm for 3:00 and stopping every day that he could to pray the chaplet. What a testimony to his faith. While I can't make it to that wake, I am sure that the lines will be just as long at this wake, too. Please pray for his soul and for his family.
Two things like this, happening on the same weekend, really put your mind in a spin. How would I feel as the mother burying her son? How would I feel as the wife burying her husband? For a short time, at least, it really puts things in perspective. No longer does being inconvenienced seem like such a big deal. Unfortunately I know from experience that time will pass and I'll lose that perspective. For now, I'm just trying to look at each day and be thankful that we are all still here - healthy and happy.
As our pastor said last Sunday, hold on to your spouse and your children, your mother and your father, while you have them here because you just never know when the Lord will want them back. I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer, but there is just so much suffering right now that I'm just trying to keep the right perspective in my life and be thankful for each and every day.
Jesus I trust in you...even when nothing makes sense.
God Bless!
Monday, March 23, 2015
Making the Mass More Interesting
As part of my goals this year, I'm trying to be more deliberate in my spiritual reading, so to that end I'm working my way through Matthew Kelly's book "Rediscovering Catholicism". In this latest chapter he was discussing how most Catholics feel that Mass is boring and then shares some ideas on how he thinks we can turn that thinking around.
While I don't feel that Mass is boring, I will admit to being highly distracted most days during at least part of it. Matthew discusses two things that can help to make Mass much more "interesting", both of which I've tried with varying degrees of success.
During Lent I've been leading a Miles Christi formation group. We meet once a week and go over materials that are sent to us by the MC priests. One of the things they send is a reflection on the upcoming Sunday's Gospel reading. We read the Gospel then the reflection and then discuss them. This is a great way to familiarize yourself with what you are going to hear on the weekend. This is one of Matthew Kelly's recommendations. I will admit, however, that even though I've done this, most Sunday's I still get to the Gospel reading and don't recognize it, or remember much of what we discussed. Horrible, I know. I think it comes down to too many things going on in my brain and not being able to remember something for that long. It is a great idea, I just need to be able to retain the information for longer than 30 minutes.
His second idea is also something I've done in the past, and that is to bring a journal to Mass and write down things that you feel God is trying to say to you through the readings, songs, prayers or homily. This really engages your brain because you're listening to all the different parts of the Mass just waiting for God to speak to your heart. I'm not quite sure why I ever stopped doing this, however. After reading about this again, I think I might give it another go around.
I got to thinking about how a parish might be transformed if the pastor were to introduce these two things and somehow get the majority of his parishioners to try them out. I think it could definitely transform them. I know that if I do both of them and actually pay attention to them, it will definitely transform me.
If you're looking for a good book to read to rejuvenate your spiritual life, I would highly recommend this book. Every chapter has given me a lot to think about...and remember. I'm still working on the remembering part of it, though.
God Bless!
While I don't feel that Mass is boring, I will admit to being highly distracted most days during at least part of it. Matthew discusses two things that can help to make Mass much more "interesting", both of which I've tried with varying degrees of success.
During Lent I've been leading a Miles Christi formation group. We meet once a week and go over materials that are sent to us by the MC priests. One of the things they send is a reflection on the upcoming Sunday's Gospel reading. We read the Gospel then the reflection and then discuss them. This is a great way to familiarize yourself with what you are going to hear on the weekend. This is one of Matthew Kelly's recommendations. I will admit, however, that even though I've done this, most Sunday's I still get to the Gospel reading and don't recognize it, or remember much of what we discussed. Horrible, I know. I think it comes down to too many things going on in my brain and not being able to remember something for that long. It is a great idea, I just need to be able to retain the information for longer than 30 minutes.
His second idea is also something I've done in the past, and that is to bring a journal to Mass and write down things that you feel God is trying to say to you through the readings, songs, prayers or homily. This really engages your brain because you're listening to all the different parts of the Mass just waiting for God to speak to your heart. I'm not quite sure why I ever stopped doing this, however. After reading about this again, I think I might give it another go around.
I got to thinking about how a parish might be transformed if the pastor were to introduce these two things and somehow get the majority of his parishioners to try them out. I think it could definitely transform them. I know that if I do both of them and actually pay attention to them, it will definitely transform me.
If you're looking for a good book to read to rejuvenate your spiritual life, I would highly recommend this book. Every chapter has given me a lot to think about...and remember. I'm still working on the remembering part of it, though.
God Bless!
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Set That Alarm!
A friend of mine sent me an email about "someone" starting up a prayer group to pray for our country. I have no idea if any of this about Churchill is true, but even if it isn't, it sure seems like a good idea to me to take one minute every day to pray for our country. Here's what she sent:
I think we are definitely in need of something organized like this. So, in addition to praying your rosary for our country or offering up prayers during daily Mass, why not set an alarm on your phone to go off at the prescribed time and spend one minute praying for the U.S.?
I was waiting till we actually got our phones to post this. We finally got them the other day and after having spent the past two days figuring it all out, I set a timer for 8:00 pm so I can give this a try. As long as I remember what I set the alarm for, it should work, right? Won't you join us?
God Bless!
Someone has said that if Christians really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless. During WWII there was an adviser to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and for peace.
There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate --every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States and for a return to a Godly nation.
I think we are definitely in need of something organized like this. So, in addition to praying your rosary for our country or offering up prayers during daily Mass, why not set an alarm on your phone to go off at the prescribed time and spend one minute praying for the U.S.?
I was waiting till we actually got our phones to post this. We finally got them the other day and after having spent the past two days figuring it all out, I set a timer for 8:00 pm so I can give this a try. As long as I remember what I set the alarm for, it should work, right? Won't you join us?
God Bless!
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Death and Taxes...
...as you know, are the only two certainties in this world. We dealt with the tax part yesterday. I am happy to report that it wasn't too bad. We've been using the same accountant for the past 8 years or so and even though our taxes are far less complicated than they used to be, we still enjoy meeting with her every year to discuss life and, of course, taxes. She even helped me by telling me how to fix all of the problems I had with the three oldest girls' taxes. Yay!!
Afterwards, as is our usual custom, my husband and I went out to grab a bite to eat. We went for the first time to Chipotle. While I thoroughly enjoyed my burrito in a bowl, my mouth is very wimpy and so my eyes were watering by the time I was done. I think it might be worth the pain, however.
After that, we took a much needed trip to our local mattress store. We've been trying to save up for a new mattress for the past year. We finally have enough (that tax return helping to throw us over the top). My poor husband has been sleeping in the Marianas Trench for the past year. I keep thinking he can't sink any lower and yet he does. We agreed on a mattress (he likes firm, my hips need soft) and we're on our way to him sleeping in a much more elevated position.
Anyhow, the real reason why I started writing this post about taxes was to encourage you to do one VERY important thing with your tax return (assuming you are getting one). Every year we set aside the amount we need for each of us to go on our yearly retreat. We are fortunate to attend a Miles Christi silent retreat. If you live near one, we strongly recommend attending one. If you don't, search the area for another good retreat for you and your spouse to attend sometime this year. When your tax return gets deposited, set the necessary money aside and DON'T TOUCH IT! No emergency or anything. God will honor your desire to go on retreat and make it all work out, don't worry. By doing this, you will be using your money for a great cause. I can't recommend a yearly retreat enough. Life is hard. You deserve the spiritual benefits that a good retreat brings, so set your money aside now and reap the benefits later this year!
God Bless!
Afterwards, as is our usual custom, my husband and I went out to grab a bite to eat. We went for the first time to Chipotle. While I thoroughly enjoyed my burrito in a bowl, my mouth is very wimpy and so my eyes were watering by the time I was done. I think it might be worth the pain, however.
After that, we took a much needed trip to our local mattress store. We've been trying to save up for a new mattress for the past year. We finally have enough (that tax return helping to throw us over the top). My poor husband has been sleeping in the Marianas Trench for the past year. I keep thinking he can't sink any lower and yet he does. We agreed on a mattress (he likes firm, my hips need soft) and we're on our way to him sleeping in a much more elevated position.
Anyhow, the real reason why I started writing this post about taxes was to encourage you to do one VERY important thing with your tax return (assuming you are getting one). Every year we set aside the amount we need for each of us to go on our yearly retreat. We are fortunate to attend a Miles Christi silent retreat. If you live near one, we strongly recommend attending one. If you don't, search the area for another good retreat for you and your spouse to attend sometime this year. When your tax return gets deposited, set the necessary money aside and DON'T TOUCH IT! No emergency or anything. God will honor your desire to go on retreat and make it all work out, don't worry. By doing this, you will be using your money for a great cause. I can't recommend a yearly retreat enough. Life is hard. You deserve the spiritual benefits that a good retreat brings, so set your money aside now and reap the benefits later this year!
God Bless!
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Beating the February Blahs
I might have mentioned before that I really can't stand the month of February. I thank God every day of it that He made it the shortest month of the year (even if it is only by 2 or 3 days!).
Last year was so bad! Between the issues with my less-than-virtuous mental state and the enormous amounts of snow we had (and the stress that that brought with it), I was really dreading this February. I decided I wanted to try to do whatever I could to avoid a repeat. While I don't have control over the snow, I do have control over other things.
I think that our new way of eating (the Trim Healthy Mama way) will help. I also started exercising again, so that's good. On top of that, I sought out the help of a friend of mine on a Catholic mothers' facebook group I belong to. She has this great knack for picking out just the right prayer/novena to pray for any given situation. I pitched my February dilemma to her and she came back with this prayer:
I'm so excited as this is the perfect prayer for me for this month. I figured that I'm not alone in this, so if anyone else struggles during this month with major blahs then maybe you would like to pray this prayer every day, too. If you don't suffer from the blahs, then maybe you'd like to pray with those of us who do. I am so thankful for my sister's in Christ, the gifts that they have and their willingness to share with others.
God Bless!
affiliate links included, thanks!
Last year was so bad! Between the issues with my less-than-virtuous mental state and the enormous amounts of snow we had (and the stress that that brought with it), I was really dreading this February. I decided I wanted to try to do whatever I could to avoid a repeat. While I don't have control over the snow, I do have control over other things.
I think that our new way of eating (the Trim Healthy Mama way) will help. I also started exercising again, so that's good. On top of that, I sought out the help of a friend of mine on a Catholic mothers' facebook group I belong to. She has this great knack for picking out just the right prayer/novena to pray for any given situation. I pitched my February dilemma to her and she came back with this prayer:
I'm so excited as this is the perfect prayer for me for this month. I figured that I'm not alone in this, so if anyone else struggles during this month with major blahs then maybe you would like to pray this prayer every day, too. If you don't suffer from the blahs, then maybe you'd like to pray with those of us who do. I am so thankful for my sister's in Christ, the gifts that they have and their willingness to share with others.
God Bless!
affiliate links included, thanks!
Thursday, December 11, 2014
A Plea for Prayers and Help
I know that you have many GoFund me and other similar accounts to choose from, but remember way back in 2009 when we prayed for a friend of ours named Emily? She beat the odds and survived a rare form of tongue cancer, went on to graduate college and earlier this year got married.
Unfortunately, she was just told that her cancer has returned. They are currently waiting to find out if it has spread to her jaw.
Please, first and foremost, keep Emily in your prayers and if you can help out financially, go check out her GoFund me page and make a donation.
Thank you and God bless you!
Unfortunately, she was just told that her cancer has returned. They are currently waiting to find out if it has spread to her jaw.
Please, first and foremost, keep Emily in your prayers and if you can help out financially, go check out her GoFund me page and make a donation.
Thank you and God bless you!
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Happy All Saints and All Souls Day
These are two of my most favorite feast days of the year. I love that we can celebrate and pray for all of our dearly departed.
In preparation for these two feasts, we had the opportunity to go to a relic exhibit called "Treasures of the Church". Here's what their website has to say about this incredible display:
I spent most of the time walking through the exhibit with Mr 9 yo. He was FASCINATED by all of this. His mission was to touch his Miraculous Medal to every single one of the reliquaries. We did manage to accomplish his goal! Along the way we had some very interesting conversations. Like this one:
Mr 9 yo: Oh, St. Clare! She's the one who held up the tabernacle when the army was coming to get them.
Me: Well, it was a monstrance, but yes, you're right.
Mr 9 yo: Yeah, I guess a tabernacle would be kind of heavy to lift up.
And this one:
Mr 9 yo: Oh, St. Therese! I really wanted to see her relic.
Me: You know this is like the one we have at home?
Mr 9 yo: We should have brought ours. Hey! What if we brought ours and then touched it to this relic of her. Do you think something would have happened??
Me: You mean like sparks or something?
Mr 9 yo: Yeah! We should totally go get it!
Man, I love that kid! The things that go on in his brain are, well, things I could just never make up! He was so excited to leave there knowing his medal is a 3rd class relic 167 times over.
When we went into the gym, Father had told us to listen for the one particular Saint that was "calling" to us. I'm not sure I heard much other than Mr 9 yo and his chattering the whole time, but I felt the most emotion when I venerated the relics of St. Joseph, the Blessed Mother and Bl. Zelie and Louis Martin.
I prayed for so many people that night. It was so incredible to place family and friends before such powerful Saints and to beg their intercessions for healings and peace.
If you EVER get the chance to see this exhibit...RUN, don't walk to it. It was truly a blessed event and a wonderful way to prepare for these two days.
God Bless!
In preparation for these two feasts, we had the opportunity to go to a relic exhibit called "Treasures of the Church". Here's what their website has to say about this incredible display:
Treasures of the Church is a ministry of evangelization of the Catholic Church. Run by Fr. Carlos Martins of the Companions of the Cross, its purpose is to give people an experience of the living God through an encounter with the relics of his saints in the form of an exposition. Each exposition begins with a multi-media presentation on the Church's use of relics that is scriptural, catechetical, and devotional, leading to a renewal of the Catholic faith for many people. After the teaching those in attendance have an opportunity to venerate the relics of some of their favorite saints.After Father's very interesting talk, we all went to the school gym to pray with and venerate the relics of 167 different Saints. There were relics from the True Cross, the Blessed Mother's Veil, St. Joseph and all of the Apostles. Some of my other favorites were St. Maria Goretti, St. John Paul II, St Ignatius of Loyola (one of my favorite Saints!!) and Blessed Zelie and Louis Martin.
I spent most of the time walking through the exhibit with Mr 9 yo. He was FASCINATED by all of this. His mission was to touch his Miraculous Medal to every single one of the reliquaries. We did manage to accomplish his goal! Along the way we had some very interesting conversations. Like this one:
Mr 9 yo: Oh, St. Clare! She's the one who held up the tabernacle when the army was coming to get them.
Me: Well, it was a monstrance, but yes, you're right.
Mr 9 yo: Yeah, I guess a tabernacle would be kind of heavy to lift up.
And this one:
Mr 9 yo: Oh, St. Therese! I really wanted to see her relic.
Me: You know this is like the one we have at home?
Mr 9 yo: We should have brought ours. Hey! What if we brought ours and then touched it to this relic of her. Do you think something would have happened??
Me: You mean like sparks or something?
Mr 9 yo: Yeah! We should totally go get it!
Man, I love that kid! The things that go on in his brain are, well, things I could just never make up! He was so excited to leave there knowing his medal is a 3rd class relic 167 times over.
When we went into the gym, Father had told us to listen for the one particular Saint that was "calling" to us. I'm not sure I heard much other than Mr 9 yo and his chattering the whole time, but I felt the most emotion when I venerated the relics of St. Joseph, the Blessed Mother and Bl. Zelie and Louis Martin.
I prayed for so many people that night. It was so incredible to place family and friends before such powerful Saints and to beg their intercessions for healings and peace.
If you EVER get the chance to see this exhibit...RUN, don't walk to it. It was truly a blessed event and a wonderful way to prepare for these two days.
God Bless!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
The Tough Road
Have you ever noticed that when God calls you to do something He doesn't make it easy? He makes it possible, don't get me wrong; but the road to doing His will usually isn't an easy one.
Every time the theater troupe that we are involved in does a performance, the road there is tough. Each time we do "The Seven Last Words of Christ", the road is even tougher because of how moving this performance is. This year has been no exception. Difficulties, trials, frustrations, exhaustion. All these have plagued us this past month.
In each church we perform in, there is usually about 1,000 tickets to sell. This job is up to each of the families, as well as the parish we are performing at. We had our first performance on Saturday evening, at one of the largest parishes in the country, and until that night, we weren't assured of a sell out. Mind you, a sell out is pretty important because of the cost of this production. We have professional singers and musicians that need to be paid. A sell out insures that that will be done.
For the past week we have been praying non-stop and were rewarded with a full house. God is good, all the time. I guess if He made it too easy, we would have missed out on all that extra prayer time that we put into it.
And that, my friends, seems to me to be the point. When we know we are doing what He wants, then He will give us the grace to sustain us, but will require that we still put in 100% of ourselves in prayer and sacrifice to bring it about. The more we go through this, the greater our trust is that He will come through for us. That's not to say we weren't sweating it this past week, but deep down I think we all knew that everything would work out okay.
We have another performance this coming weekend and, you guessed it, we're at less than 50% of our goal. Now we have a choice. We can sit back and say that somehow it will all work out, or we can spend this week in prayer and sacrifice again so that God can shine forth with another miracle and another full house. Will you join me in praying that we can reach as many souls as possible with this performance? Thanks :)
God Bless!
Every time the theater troupe that we are involved in does a performance, the road there is tough. Each time we do "The Seven Last Words of Christ", the road is even tougher because of how moving this performance is. This year has been no exception. Difficulties, trials, frustrations, exhaustion. All these have plagued us this past month.
In each church we perform in, there is usually about 1,000 tickets to sell. This job is up to each of the families, as well as the parish we are performing at. We had our first performance on Saturday evening, at one of the largest parishes in the country, and until that night, we weren't assured of a sell out. Mind you, a sell out is pretty important because of the cost of this production. We have professional singers and musicians that need to be paid. A sell out insures that that will be done.
For the past week we have been praying non-stop and were rewarded with a full house. God is good, all the time. I guess if He made it too easy, we would have missed out on all that extra prayer time that we put into it.
And that, my friends, seems to me to be the point. When we know we are doing what He wants, then He will give us the grace to sustain us, but will require that we still put in 100% of ourselves in prayer and sacrifice to bring it about. The more we go through this, the greater our trust is that He will come through for us. That's not to say we weren't sweating it this past week, but deep down I think we all knew that everything would work out okay.
We have another performance this coming weekend and, you guessed it, we're at less than 50% of our goal. Now we have a choice. We can sit back and say that somehow it will all work out, or we can spend this week in prayer and sacrifice again so that God can shine forth with another miracle and another full house. Will you join me in praying that we can reach as many souls as possible with this performance? Thanks :)
God Bless!
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Our Imperfect Prayer
It's been awhile since I've posted about praying the rosary and I thought of it again last night while we were praying it as a family. At one point, I looked over and my husband had draped a blanket over his head monk-style and was kneeling down and praying. This, of course, cracked everyone up and the solemn moment was interrupted.
"WAIT, hold on! Solemn moment??? When is there a solemn moment when we pray the rosary??" "You're right," I thought. Even though the kids are older and quite capable of praying reverently, our rosary still is fraught with distractions, conversation and a giggle or two now and again.
Many times our intentions go on for 20 minutes because they become a time for discussion of current affairs, as in, "I pray for the situation in Venezuela." "What situation in Venezuela?" At which point a sometimes lengthy discussion will ensue about what is currently going on in the world.
Or, "I pray for Great Aunt Zelda that she gets out of the hospital soon." "Wait, when did Aunt Zelda go into the hospital and what is wrong?" At which point a sometimes length discussion will ensue about what is currently going on with Aunt Zelda.
I don't mind this because it really has proven to be fruitful in terms of discussing current events as well as bringing everyone up to date on really important things they might have missed while they were out.
What bugs me, however, are the constant mini-discussions that go on during the rosary. Just because your kids get older, don't think they're going to stop talking! Mr 8 yo still squirms and gazes out into space during most of the time, which requires me to poke at him to bring him back down to earth. My husband still prays, on occasion, the rosary of the "person who has been up early and worked a long day". You know the one, "Hail Mary, full of grace, therkh;jddfjklskhf iahou la;jf;l......" Mr 13 yo old has entered that phase of leading in that fast paced, mumbled way, saying something about the fruit of wine and cheeses.
You know what, it isn't perfect, and that's okay. While it would be nice to have an entire rosary prayed on our knees with perfect meditation and recitation, more than likely it ain't gonna happen. But, and here's what I think is most important, as imperfect as it is, we still gather every night to try again. The kids still come willingly and make sure to ask what time we'll be praying so that they can structure their evening around it. So even though we are full of faults, I believe that the important thing is that we keep on keepin' on. May there be abundant graces in the trying and not just in the perfecting!
God Bless!
"WAIT, hold on! Solemn moment??? When is there a solemn moment when we pray the rosary??" "You're right," I thought. Even though the kids are older and quite capable of praying reverently, our rosary still is fraught with distractions, conversation and a giggle or two now and again.
Many times our intentions go on for 20 minutes because they become a time for discussion of current affairs, as in, "I pray for the situation in Venezuela." "What situation in Venezuela?" At which point a sometimes lengthy discussion will ensue about what is currently going on in the world.
Or, "I pray for Great Aunt Zelda that she gets out of the hospital soon." "Wait, when did Aunt Zelda go into the hospital and what is wrong?" At which point a sometimes length discussion will ensue about what is currently going on with Aunt Zelda.
I don't mind this because it really has proven to be fruitful in terms of discussing current events as well as bringing everyone up to date on really important things they might have missed while they were out.
What bugs me, however, are the constant mini-discussions that go on during the rosary. Just because your kids get older, don't think they're going to stop talking! Mr 8 yo still squirms and gazes out into space during most of the time, which requires me to poke at him to bring him back down to earth. My husband still prays, on occasion, the rosary of the "person who has been up early and worked a long day". You know the one, "Hail Mary, full of grace, therkh;jddfjklskhf iahou la;jf;l......" Mr 13 yo old has entered that phase of leading in that fast paced, mumbled way, saying something about the fruit of wine and cheeses.
You know what, it isn't perfect, and that's okay. While it would be nice to have an entire rosary prayed on our knees with perfect meditation and recitation, more than likely it ain't gonna happen. But, and here's what I think is most important, as imperfect as it is, we still gather every night to try again. The kids still come willingly and make sure to ask what time we'll be praying so that they can structure their evening around it. So even though we are full of faults, I believe that the important thing is that we keep on keepin' on. May there be abundant graces in the trying and not just in the perfecting!
God Bless!
Monday, March 3, 2014
This is for You, Jesus
Well, my yearly weekend of silence is over and I've been thrust head-long back into the real world. The retreat was wonderful, as usual, and chock-full of great things to ponder for quite some time.
I've been thinking for awhile about how busy I am doing things that take up time but which do not seem very productive to me, thus making it hard for me to accomplish things that I think are productive. This has been happening for quite some time now and it gets very frustrating day after day to not get done all those things on "my list".
During the retreat I had a chance to speak to Father about this and he said that he could relate to me; that even though we have different vocations, he has this same problem in his life. He suggested that the key is just to do whatever we can during the day, but to do it with love and not worry about the stuff that we just couldn't get to. "Every time you do something," he said, "tell Jesus that what you are doing you are doing for Him so that when you meet Him at your particular judgement and He asks you what you did for Him, you can say, 'Well, I drove you everywhere, I fed you, I cleaned your clothing...'" I like that. I just have to remember to do it!
In just the day that I've been home I've run across this same strain of thought a number of times in different things I've read. I'll take that as a sign that I'm on the right track. What peace it brings to remind myself that I'm not just doing things because they need to be done, I'm doing them all for Jesus. I guess deep down I always knew that, but making a statement about it throughout the day really does help.
Thank you, Lord, for a fruitful weekend and the wonderful priests who made it possible!
God Bless!
I've been thinking for awhile about how busy I am doing things that take up time but which do not seem very productive to me, thus making it hard for me to accomplish things that I think are productive. This has been happening for quite some time now and it gets very frustrating day after day to not get done all those things on "my list".
During the retreat I had a chance to speak to Father about this and he said that he could relate to me; that even though we have different vocations, he has this same problem in his life. He suggested that the key is just to do whatever we can during the day, but to do it with love and not worry about the stuff that we just couldn't get to. "Every time you do something," he said, "tell Jesus that what you are doing you are doing for Him so that when you meet Him at your particular judgement and He asks you what you did for Him, you can say, 'Well, I drove you everywhere, I fed you, I cleaned your clothing...'" I like that. I just have to remember to do it!
In just the day that I've been home I've run across this same strain of thought a number of times in different things I've read. I'll take that as a sign that I'm on the right track. What peace it brings to remind myself that I'm not just doing things because they need to be done, I'm doing them all for Jesus. I guess deep down I always knew that, but making a statement about it throughout the day really does help.
Thank you, Lord, for a fruitful weekend and the wonderful priests who made it possible!
God Bless!
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Excuse Me While My Head Blows Up
Can I hear ya' say it?? Life is Hard! Yep, it is. I'm hearing people around me say it. I'm reading it all over the facebook groups I'm in. A lot of times, though, it takes on the form of a question, "Why is life so hard?" The eternal question that has no answer, I'm afraid.
Let's face it. Relationships are hard. Family life is hard. Managing the meager finances is hard. Keeping your old cars running is hard. Managing the activities of a lot of people is hard. Friendships are hard.
I'm not trying to be a downer here, but it just seems as if at every turn, you have to expect the difficult and not the easy. I think part of it is that the world really needs the sacrifices right now, so the key is to be able to take all this hardness and put it to good use.
In a homily the other day, Father talked about just that. He said that we are all going to suffer, and while some people he knew could actually suffer with joy, he didn't expect that most people, himself included, could do that. "So how do we suffer," he asked. Well, if we can't suffer joyfully, then we at least have to accept our sufferings. He asked us to really think about how we accept our sufferings.
This ties in with an excellent post that Jennifer Fulwiler wrote over at Conversion Diary. She described me to a tee! My mind, right now, is in chaos and the tiniest little thing can tip me over the edge. What I need to figure out is, are the things that are making my mind in chaos things that are here to stay and I just need to learn how to deal with them? Or, is it that those things truly need to go (if, in fact, they can go)? If they are just things I need to deal with, then what kinds of things can I do, as Jen pondered, to bring order to my mind again so that I am a little more stable and not always ready to explode?
Lots to think and pray about. Lots to figure out how to offer up so as to be of some benefit to someone. If I'm more absent than usual, it is because I am trying to figure out how to bring order to the chaos in my mind. Please pray for me, and so many others in this same situation, that we can make it happen!
God Bless!
Let's face it. Relationships are hard. Family life is hard. Managing the meager finances is hard. Keeping your old cars running is hard. Managing the activities of a lot of people is hard. Friendships are hard.
I'm not trying to be a downer here, but it just seems as if at every turn, you have to expect the difficult and not the easy. I think part of it is that the world really needs the sacrifices right now, so the key is to be able to take all this hardness and put it to good use.
In a homily the other day, Father talked about just that. He said that we are all going to suffer, and while some people he knew could actually suffer with joy, he didn't expect that most people, himself included, could do that. "So how do we suffer," he asked. Well, if we can't suffer joyfully, then we at least have to accept our sufferings. He asked us to really think about how we accept our sufferings.
This ties in with an excellent post that Jennifer Fulwiler wrote over at Conversion Diary. She described me to a tee! My mind, right now, is in chaos and the tiniest little thing can tip me over the edge. What I need to figure out is, are the things that are making my mind in chaos things that are here to stay and I just need to learn how to deal with them? Or, is it that those things truly need to go (if, in fact, they can go)? If they are just things I need to deal with, then what kinds of things can I do, as Jen pondered, to bring order to my mind again so that I am a little more stable and not always ready to explode?
Lots to think and pray about. Lots to figure out how to offer up so as to be of some benefit to someone. If I'm more absent than usual, it is because I am trying to figure out how to bring order to the chaos in my mind. Please pray for me, and so many others in this same situation, that we can make it happen!
God Bless!
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Mary - Hope for Good Weather
The forecast for this past Saturday was bleak - rain and thunderstorms by mid afternoon, continuing on into the evening with greater likelihood and greater severity. Of course it was party day and we had to have this event outside. Should we put up the big tents? The ones that can't be taken down at a moments notice? Should we put up the quick tents that were somewhat smaller in area but a lot easier to drop quickly in case of sudden wind?
As I sat there that morning pondering all of this, I had the sudden inspiration to do what my grandmother used to do...place my statue of Mary in the window and pray for her intercession for good weather. She was up against tough odds, I mean it was the Weather Channel forecast after all, but my grandma's previous track record with this method gave me hope.
Ms 14 yo noticed I had done this and then proceeded to take all of our Mary statues and place them in various windows throughout the house. By the time the party rolled around, the sun was shining and the forecast was calling for no rain until later in the evening. Mary, our Hope for good weather, had come through again.
Our Blessed Mother always intercedes for us when we ask her to. She even takes good care of the little details, too. The party broke up about 8:00, which is very unusual for one of our bigger parties. We were all kind of perplexed by that, but began the clean up process and weren't surprised when the first raindrops started falling as the tents were coming down. By the time everything was cleaned up and the last people had left, a whopper of a thunderstorm rolled through. There was a couple of cracks of lightning that were right above our house; the cracks were so loud we all jumped. Had people not left early, it would not have been a pretty sight. Thank you, Blessed Mother, for your tender, loving care and for bringing good weather when we ask.
God Bless!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
O Jesus We Adore Thee...
In light of the events in Boston yesterday, and in continuation with my posts on prayer, I thought a post about Adoration might be in order.
Isn't this a beautiful picture? Right now it is the current image on my desktop and if you like it, you can download it here. Anyhow, my family and I have been participating in weekly Adoration for about 12 years now. At first, when the kids were all little, my husband and I would switch off every week. Now that the kids are old enough, we pack up the van every Monday night and head off to our local Poor Clare Monastery to spend an hour with Our Lord.
Adoration, in case this is new to you as it was to me at one time, is the adoring of Our Lord in the Eucharist, Who is encased in a monstrance on the altar. The proper form for entering into a chapel where Adoration is taking place is, first and foremost, silence, and then genuflecting with both knees on the ground while making the sign of the cross. Many people, while entering and exiting the chapel, prefer not to turn their back on Jesus while He is exposed in the monstrance.
On a spiritual level, Adoration is like a drug. What I mean is, once you get used to going, you find that you need to KEEP going. The Lord draws you in and captures your heart and you want to and need to keep returning to Him. It is a wonderful, peaceful way to pour out your cares, concerns and thanksgivings to the Lord.
Over the years people have told me that they are afraid to go because they don't know what to do once they get there. Other than the silence and genuflecting that I described above, there is not set "formula" for spending an hour, or even a few minutes, with the Lord. You can pray on your knees, lay prostrate, sit or stand. The only stipulation would be that you not interfere with others that may be there with you. You can read a book, read the Bible, write, pray the rosary or chaplet or any other prayers you like to pray. You can just sit quietly and let the Lord speak to your heart. I've also been told that some people "rest quietly in the Lord" while dozing in His presence (just try not to snore, or drop you book loudly on the floor!).
If you don't have a church or chapel near you that offers Adoration on a regular basis, hopefully you're close to a church that offers it once in awhile. If you don't even have that, then just pop into a church for a visit with Jesus in the tabernacle. Even a few minutes every week will bring graces into your soul.
The world is so troubling and the stress in our lives seems to be increasing at a rapid pace. Adoration is just what you need to soothe your soul and calm your nerves. Many weeks I just don't want to drag myself out, especially when it is cold or raining, but I always feel better when I get back home. If you haven't already, I hope you will make weekly Adoration a part of your schedule. God cannot be outdone in generosity, so what you receive back from that time will be immense.
God Bless!
Isn't this a beautiful picture? Right now it is the current image on my desktop and if you like it, you can download it here. Anyhow, my family and I have been participating in weekly Adoration for about 12 years now. At first, when the kids were all little, my husband and I would switch off every week. Now that the kids are old enough, we pack up the van every Monday night and head off to our local Poor Clare Monastery to spend an hour with Our Lord.
Adoration, in case this is new to you as it was to me at one time, is the adoring of Our Lord in the Eucharist, Who is encased in a monstrance on the altar. The proper form for entering into a chapel where Adoration is taking place is, first and foremost, silence, and then genuflecting with both knees on the ground while making the sign of the cross. Many people, while entering and exiting the chapel, prefer not to turn their back on Jesus while He is exposed in the monstrance.
On a spiritual level, Adoration is like a drug. What I mean is, once you get used to going, you find that you need to KEEP going. The Lord draws you in and captures your heart and you want to and need to keep returning to Him. It is a wonderful, peaceful way to pour out your cares, concerns and thanksgivings to the Lord.
Over the years people have told me that they are afraid to go because they don't know what to do once they get there. Other than the silence and genuflecting that I described above, there is not set "formula" for spending an hour, or even a few minutes, with the Lord. You can pray on your knees, lay prostrate, sit or stand. The only stipulation would be that you not interfere with others that may be there with you. You can read a book, read the Bible, write, pray the rosary or chaplet or any other prayers you like to pray. You can just sit quietly and let the Lord speak to your heart. I've also been told that some people "rest quietly in the Lord" while dozing in His presence (just try not to snore, or drop you book loudly on the floor!).
If you don't have a church or chapel near you that offers Adoration on a regular basis, hopefully you're close to a church that offers it once in awhile. If you don't even have that, then just pop into a church for a visit with Jesus in the tabernacle. Even a few minutes every week will bring graces into your soul.
The world is so troubling and the stress in our lives seems to be increasing at a rapid pace. Adoration is just what you need to soothe your soul and calm your nerves. Many weeks I just don't want to drag myself out, especially when it is cold or raining, but I always feel better when I get back home. If you haven't already, I hope you will make weekly Adoration a part of your schedule. God cannot be outdone in generosity, so what you receive back from that time will be immense.
God Bless!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Some Thoughts to Chew On
As I mentioned yesterday, I had the opportunity to go to an Evening of Recollection on Friday and a women's retreat on Saturday. Both were full of good things to chew on so I thought I'd share some notes I took in the hopes that one, or more, of them will resonate with you.
* Suffering is good because it makes amends for our past sins and helps keep us from future sins.
* Pain is the path of sanctification. Pain purifies. We cannot make progress in our spiritual life without pain.
* We must accept our crosses joyfully.
* Suffering is an act of obedience and love to the Father.
* We either accept our sufferings or we reject them; there is no other choice.
* We must overcome our disappointments and see that this is our path to Heaven.
* We should never compare our crosses to someone else's cross. Our cross has our name on it and we must embrace it.
* Remember that Christ suffered before us. He chose suffering. He chose it because He loves us.
* Jesus' flesh and blood came from Mary, but it was nourished through the work of St. Joseph.
* We need to create silence within ourselves in order to find Jesus Christ.
* Jesus shows us that it is possible to say no to sin and to the devil.
* The Holy Spirit is our spiritual GPS. If we head off in the wrong direction, He will keep saying "redirecting, redirecting" until we finally listen and get back on the right path.
Well, I think that's enough to chew on and digest for now. Happy meditating!
God Bless!
* Suffering is good because it makes amends for our past sins and helps keep us from future sins.
* Pain is the path of sanctification. Pain purifies. We cannot make progress in our spiritual life without pain.
* We must accept our crosses joyfully.
* Suffering is an act of obedience and love to the Father.
* We either accept our sufferings or we reject them; there is no other choice.
* We must overcome our disappointments and see that this is our path to Heaven.
* We should never compare our crosses to someone else's cross. Our cross has our name on it and we must embrace it.
* Remember that Christ suffered before us. He chose suffering. He chose it because He loves us.
* Jesus' flesh and blood came from Mary, but it was nourished through the work of St. Joseph.
* We need to create silence within ourselves in order to find Jesus Christ.
* Jesus shows us that it is possible to say no to sin and to the devil.
* The Holy Spirit is our spiritual GPS. If we head off in the wrong direction, He will keep saying "redirecting, redirecting" until we finally listen and get back on the right path.
Well, I think that's enough to chew on and digest for now. Happy meditating!
God Bless!
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Setting a Time for Prayer
It seems like forever, but a few weeks ago I wrote about finding yourself a nice, quiet, comfortable place to pray. Having that place where you can keep your prayer books, journal, rosary, bible and whatever else you need, will make getting to that prayer time so much easier.
But wait. When IS that prayer time? You have your place, you have all of your "stuff", now you need to decide when you are going to go there and actually do that prayin' we're talking about.
I really do think that the best time to pray is first thing in the morning. Maybe you won't even get out of bed before you begin, although I can't do it that way because I fall back to sleep. You might even have your breakfast and then hit your prayer spot. There's something, however, about that somewhat quiet time in the morning, when your brain isn't too overwhelmed with other thoughts, that allows you to converse with God and get your day off on the right foot.
There might be days, or even seasons, when all you can manage for morning prayer is the Morning Offering. Doesn't matter, do it anyway and set a good tone for the day.
If you're a mom with a nursing baby, maybe you find that you can get in some good prayer time during those middle of the night feedings and/or changes. Having a nursing baby who wakes up at night reeks havoc on your sleep, so having some quiet time in the morning might not be possible right now. If it isn't, then carve out a few minutes during your day when it IS quiet and stick with that as your daily prayer time.
If you can't find any other time during the day, try to at least do a few minutes before you go to bed. I find that this can be risky because if you stay up too late and get too tired, you're more likely to vote for sleep over prayers. I have my nightly prayer routine that I stick to religiously, but sometimes I'm just too tired!
This brings up another good point. In order for you to stick with your prayer times, it really is important to decide what time you need to get up and then do it. It really doesn't matter if that time is 5:00 am or 9:00 am, just make sure you get up on time!! There's nothing that will kill your morning prayer faster than oversleeping.
Of course, in order to get up on time, one must make sure that they get to bed at a reasonable hour, too. If you are consistently NOT getting enough sleep because you stay up too late on your computer, then you will have a hard time getting up on time.
If you need more help with finding time in your day to pray, I have a whole section with worksheets and suggestions in my book "A Plan for Joy in the Home" that can help you to plan out an effective prayer schedule that will work for you.
It is Wednesday night when I am typing this and my time is up...must go get started on my night time prayers so I don't fall asleep in the middle of them (again)!
God Bless!
But wait. When IS that prayer time? You have your place, you have all of your "stuff", now you need to decide when you are going to go there and actually do that prayin' we're talking about.
I really do think that the best time to pray is first thing in the morning. Maybe you won't even get out of bed before you begin, although I can't do it that way because I fall back to sleep. You might even have your breakfast and then hit your prayer spot. There's something, however, about that somewhat quiet time in the morning, when your brain isn't too overwhelmed with other thoughts, that allows you to converse with God and get your day off on the right foot.
There might be days, or even seasons, when all you can manage for morning prayer is the Morning Offering. Doesn't matter, do it anyway and set a good tone for the day.
If you're a mom with a nursing baby, maybe you find that you can get in some good prayer time during those middle of the night feedings and/or changes. Having a nursing baby who wakes up at night reeks havoc on your sleep, so having some quiet time in the morning might not be possible right now. If it isn't, then carve out a few minutes during your day when it IS quiet and stick with that as your daily prayer time.
If you can't find any other time during the day, try to at least do a few minutes before you go to bed. I find that this can be risky because if you stay up too late and get too tired, you're more likely to vote for sleep over prayers. I have my nightly prayer routine that I stick to religiously, but sometimes I'm just too tired!
This brings up another good point. In order for you to stick with your prayer times, it really is important to decide what time you need to get up and then do it. It really doesn't matter if that time is 5:00 am or 9:00 am, just make sure you get up on time!! There's nothing that will kill your morning prayer faster than oversleeping.
Of course, in order to get up on time, one must make sure that they get to bed at a reasonable hour, too. If you are consistently NOT getting enough sleep because you stay up too late on your computer, then you will have a hard time getting up on time.
If you need more help with finding time in your day to pray, I have a whole section with worksheets and suggestions in my book "A Plan for Joy in the Home" that can help you to plan out an effective prayer schedule that will work for you.
It is Wednesday night when I am typing this and my time is up...must go get started on my night time prayers so I don't fall asleep in the middle of them (again)!
God Bless!
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