First comes love...

Kate Wicker, Lisa Hendey and I are talking about Valentine's Day, love and marriage over at Faith and Family Live! today. Come join us for the podcast!

Choose Joy

As I was reading online the other day, a quote by Sally Clarkson, author of numerous excellent books for mothers, caught my eye. She wrote, “Loving one another, as adults find out in marriage quickly enough, is a choice, not a feeling.” There was really nothing earth-shattering there. I think we can all agree that over the life of a marriage, spouses are presented, time and time again, with opportunities to choose to act with love, even when they don’t especially feel a surge of romantic emotion. Sally goes on to write, “Honor given to another is an attitude of humility and respect that is trained into a young child and practiced over many years. So, those who cultivate love and respect find it blooming more than those who leave it unattended.” Her point is that children need to be taught intentionally to behave charitably and to respond to their fellow man with the virtue of love. When they are deliberately taught to love, they do love.

Read the rest here, please?

Chasing Away February Gray

When the outside is undoubtedly gray, day after day after day,

it's time to make color come alive inside.

I like to wait until midwinter for

an infusion of new color

with which to doodle,

jot,

and journal...

We can get them all broken in just before it's time to capture the glorious colors of spring.

See Ginny for a grand collection of color.

{This winter's art supplies come from Stubby Pencil Studio. I was not compensated in any way for this post. We're just getting to know them, but so far, we're pleased:-)}

"Love-ly" Afternoon

We have a brand new girls' club in our mission church. The girls meet once a month to talk about virtues and craft a little, and, hopefully, grow in Godly friendships. This month, the older girls discussed the different kinds of love.

Then, they sat down to a plethora of cardstock and stamping materials and made spiritual bouquets with a Valentine theme. The bouquets were intended for the pastoral staff of the mission and for shut-ins. These girls outdid themselves.

The little girls listened to the story of St. Valentine and then talked a bit about acts of charity. Together, we memorized a Bible verse.

Let all that you do be done in love.

1 Corinthians 16:14

On watercolor paper, they drew acts of charity inside hearts, using good quality colored pencils (that resist water) and crayon. Then, they colored their pictures with a watercolor wash.

They also made huge stacks of heartfelt spiritual bouquets. We had several pre-printed verses on hand for them to attach to their handmade cards. The verse reads:

I said a prayer for you today

and I know God must have heard.

I felt the answer in my heart

although He spoke no words.

I prayed that He'd be near you at the start of each day,

to grant you health and blessings

and friends to share your way.

I asked for happiness for you in all things great and small,

but it was for His loving care I prayed for most of all.

On your behalf, I will offer

___a rosary

___Holy Hour

___fasting

___acts of charity

And when they were all finished, they sat and sang and enjoyed Valentine Dots.

Sweet, lovely girls.

Thankful for "Little Boys"

I'm a wee bit behind in capturing memories here. Stephen turned 12 on February first and I didn't even post a birthday post. (He was feeling pretty awful that day, but we did make a peppermint chocolate cake like last year's and it didn't slide off the plate this year:-). Actually, the only posts that have gone up since January's end were those that were programmed and ready to go before various viruses and other ailments hit our house. The kids have all been sick and I've been in autoimmune overdrive (not a good place to be).

But time marches on and, in this case, I really do want to capture it. Nicholas turned 10 just before Christmas. Stephen is 12. We still refer to them as the "little boys," but the reality is there are no more little boys around here. There are two boys poised on the edge of young manhood. Two boys who bless each other. Two boys who bless us. Two boys for whom I am very, very grateful.

~ God knew--really knew--when he surprised us with Nicholas that Stephen needed exactly that brother at exactly that time.

~Every time they are mistaken for twins, they think it's grand and wish it were so.

~ Stephen is gracious and unflappable whenever he's mistaken for the younger.

~They had a "Super" combined party this year and their mutual friends are really great kids.

~Nicky's hair is a mess because he refuses to let anyone but Patrick cut it for him. Patrick won't be home for another 18 days (not that anyone is counting or anything).

~They adore their basketball coach (who happens to be their big brother, Christian) and he is so very proud of them.

~They think Michael is about to start the coolest job on the planet.

~They recently discovered ping pong and now I'm quite sure we'll all make it through the winter.

~They are always tender and sweet to their little sisters even though I know they pray daily that God will send them a little brother.

{and so do I --because really, what a gift, a little boy...}