Fast
Give up an extra hour before bedtime. Read with your children--all of them
Pray
Sit quietly and listen and pray this song.
Give
"If people would do for God what they do for the world, what a great number of Christians would go to heaven!" (St. Jean Vianney)
Fast
Refrain from self promotion. "The only way to make rapid progress along the path of divine love is to remain very little and to put all our trust in Almighty God. That is what I have done." (St. Therese of Lisieux)
Pray
Is there someone who inspires feelings of inferiority in you? Offer a Memorare for that person's intentions.
Give
Page through your wedding album with your children today. Remember how loved you felt that day. Love your family well.
This is Kristin and her beloved grandfather. He's quite the wonderful guy and she once told me he's her "favorite person in the world." He's gravely ill. She left here yesterday morning, hoping to get home before he died. The hospital staff prepared them all and encouraged them to say goodbye. Today, he is awake and talking! Medically, all we know is that we don't know. Kristin and her mom have asked that you would pray. Please pray for peace and grace and strength and wisdom for everyone. And pray especially for Donald Carron; he is so well loved!
~~Update~~
Mr. Carron is amazing! His heart stopped early yesterday and doctors declared him dead. But he had another idea and today he is breathing and eating and drinking and talking. By no means is he out of the woods. There was a considerable bleed on his brain and he's still bleeding. Terumi, Kristin's mom, told me this afternoon that she is just so grateful for the gift of extra time--however much time that is. So, please keep praying for peace and grace and strength for all. Thank you so very much!
~~ Final Update~~
Kristin's grandfather, good Irish Catholic that he was, died peacefully in his sleep a few minutes after midnight on the Feast of St. Patrick, a Sunday this year. Please pray for the repose of his soul and for grace, strength, and comfort for his family.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord
and may perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed
through the mercy of God
Rest in Peace.
How can our family pray for yours this week?
Are you, like me, looking for the perfect little treasures to tuck inside Easter baskets?Then, are you looking ahead to First Communion and Confirmation gifts? Ah, springtime in a Catholic home--our gift and devotional needs are just as predictable in the Easter season as they are in December. And that's a good thing! The liturgical calendar blesses us with an awareness of the sacred year 'round.
Usually, I wander around my local Catholic gift and book shop the week before Holy Week. Sadly, that shop is gone this year. So, my wandering will probably be of the digital kind. We are blessed by shops like Catholic Child, where we can readily find just what we're looking for. Please allow me to introduce you:
Greetings, from our Catholic family to yours! We invite you to visit us at catholicchild.com and browse our collections of books, games, movies & audios, toys, music and Sacramental gifts. We hope you’ll stop by to see all the wonderful resources we offer to help your Catholic child learn about, live and love his or her faith. There’s something for everyone, from board-book toting tots, to college-bound young adults!
Clicking around, I see some great ideas for Easter baskets.
This pretty, smooth comfort cross will be a tactile pleasure for a young child, but will also be a lovely gift for a student away from home.
My children are all very adept at taping scapulars and medals before competitions in order to be able to continue to wear them while they play. A medal or scapular tucked inside a taped wrist makes it past referree inspection every time! These medals are particularly well suited to young athletes.
Brazilian saints bracelets are all the rage and have been for a few years now. They don't last forever, though. I'm looking to replenish a few and some of my children will love bright ones like these.
I spent some happy moments this morning looking around the "bookstore" and discovered my favorite big books of saints' stories: The Kids' Book of Saints and The Kids' Book of Heroes. Those books are used weekly Along the Alphabet Path.
With an eye towards Marian consecration, I made note of a beautiful girl's Miraculous Medal and this lovely 4-way medal.
My favorite First Communion gift, particularly for May celebrations is a two volume set of pictures books, tied with a big, white tulle bow. The books of choice are delightful picture books written by Josephine Nobisso.
The Weight of a Mass was inspired by a true story that took place in Luxemborg. An old woman enters a bakery and begs a crust of stale bread. The baker refuses and she asks if she can offer Mass for him. He jeeringly writes "One Mass" on a scrap of paper and then tries--and fails-- to counterblalance it on his scale with an assortment of baked goods. No matter how many times we read this book, my children love it.
Take it to the Queen is a stunning tapestry of allegory, original fable, and lush illustration which honors the Blessed Mother. In the story, once favored villagers transgress against their king, then seek the intercession of the queen, who is a native of their own village. The book has won multiple awards and thrilled fans of Nobisso's earlier works. It is quite possibly her finest work. The book is a joy to share with others and truly meets the qualifications of a fine picture book: it is a story loved by every generation.
~Giveaway~
What about you? What are your favorite gifts to give during this time of year? Have a few minutes to poke around at Catholic Child? If you tell me what you'd give, you'll be entered to win a $30 gift certificate to use towards whatever gift you'd like.
The winner is Katherine who said...
I'd love to buy the smooth comfort cross for my three daughters... Two have been complaining of nightmares and the third still wishes we could lay down with her to get her asleep but we are usually busy with her two younger sisters. How wonderfully comforting it would be if they could hold onto the cross when we can't suffice! Thanks for the chance!
Fast
You are the world to your family. Beyour best world for them and only them today.
Pray
Be still and know that God is with you. Right here, right now, in the mess and under the noise.
Please pray today for our family's special intention?
Give
When you face a motherhood crisis, remember that, way back on your wedding day, God gave you all the graces you need to handle it. Claim them.
I'm Elizabeth. I'm a happy wife and the mother of nine children. I grab grace with both hands and write to encourage myself and others to seize and nurture the joy of every day. I blog here with my daughter, Mary Beth, a wholehearted young lady on the brink of adulthood.
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