Fast
Think of time when you knew you were a good wife or a good mom. Re-create that moment today.
Pray
When some small person tugs at your sleeve, remember that God's voice is sometimes very small.
Give
Be your authentic self. What does it matter if every person in the world admires you but none of it is real?
I apologize for the tardiness of this post. Between a stomach bug and a computer bug, we've been rockin' Lent pretty well around here, so far.
Please come back tomorrow for an amazing giveaway!
Stained glass image courtesy of www.StainedGlassInc.com
Fast:
Skip reading magazines, blogs, Pinterest, Instagram or anything else in the world that inspires self-pity instead of self-confidence.
Pray:
Listen. God is speaking to you right now. Stop interrupting.
Give:
People are more important than things. Remember that your time and your attention are more valuable commodities to your family than your accomplishments.
Stained glass image courtesy of www.StainedGlassInc.com
Fast
Let it go to voicemail! Let your caller leave a message and only return essential phone calls today.
Pray
“Blessed are the ears which hear God’s whisper and listen not unto the whispers of the world”—Thomas a Kempis
Give
“Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.” —Mother Teresa
Stained glass image courtesy of www.StainedGlassInc.com
Fast
"Outward sacrifice, to be genuine, must be the expression of spiritual sacrifice: "The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit..." The prophets of the Old Covenant often denounced sacrifices that were not from the heart or not coupled with love of neighbor. Jesus recalls the words of the prophet Hosea: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." The only perfect sacrifice is the one
that Christ offered on the cross as a total offering to the Father's love and for our salvation. By uniting ourselves with his sacrifice we can make our lives a sacrifice to God." (CCC #2100)
~
Pray
Listen. God is speaking to you right now. Stop interrupting.
~
Give
The new evangelization is accomplished with a smile, not a frown ... it is all about a 'yes' to everything decent, good, true, beautiful and noble in the human person. The Church is about a 'yes!', not a 'no!'
—His Eminence Timothy Michael Dolan, Cardinal-Archbishop of New York
Read or watch the entire reflection here. Truly a gift for this time.
I find myself:
::noticing God's glory
The light in the morning comes earlier every day. I don't think I've ever appreciated it so much as this year. Sunshine is a beautiful thing.
::listening to
Fox News. I need a visual on the Pope's announcement.
::clothing myself in
A UVa sweatshirt. Just reminding myself to redouble the prayer effort for my student.
::talking with my children about these books
Well...I guess it's time to pull out some of our favorite books by and about the Pope.
Lolek, The Boy Who Became Pope. (my favorite)
::thinking and thinking
About the Pope.
::pondering prayerfully
On the days of Lent, from morning until the end of the third hour let them apply themselves to their reading, and from then until the end of the tenth hour let them do the work assigned them. And in these days of Lent they shall each receive a book from the library, which they shall read straight through from the beginning. These books are to be given out at the beginning of Lent. ~from The Rule of St. Benedict
I plan to use Consoling the Heart of Jesus again this year. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It's life-changing. I read it last year, on an unexpected and unusual "retreat," and I shared these thoughts:
I spent Holy Week reading Consoling the Heart of Jesus. There are a small handful of books in my life where I remember exactly where and when I read them because those times and places are turning points. This book is one of those. It is easily at the top of that list. This incredibly readable volume makes some of the most beautiful truths and devotions of the Catholic faith understandable (at last) and accessible (even to busy mothers of large families). Fr. Gaitley brings together fine threads of several spiritual traditions and weaves them into a beautiful and exceedingly useful tapestry of a do-it-yourself retreat. It is Ignatian spirituality made accessible. It is the Little Way of St. Therese for all of us. It is consecration to Mary and devotion to Divine Mercy explained in plain language and made clear to little souls. Mostly, it is a rich volume of Merciful Words that brings Merciful Love to its readers. You don't have to have a weekend to make the retreat. You can just read a little each day until you are finished. If it's your heart's desire to get to know and understand Jesus better, tell Him.
I'm so looking forward to re-reading this book this year.
::carefully cultivating rhythm
I'm moving my gym time to the early morning, setting a rhythm that will sustain me through soccer season. Not sure where I'm moving my blogging time. I do hope, though, tht since I won't be out of the house during the school day, I'll be able to find the sewing time again.
::creating by hand
::learning lessons in
The papacy. It's time to study anew the conclaves prior to the one coming in March, to look at the lives of the popes past and the lives of current cardinals, to share how the pope becomes the pope. The last time a new pope was announced, my current eighth grader wasn't even reading yet. Let's begin to gather resources together. Please leave your ideas in today's comments. I'll start to pull things together for a post later this week.
::encouraging learning
I'm feeling a bit of midyear pressure. I really, really want to finish the year's math for everyone. We might need to double-time math for the next few months.
::a little link for you to click ASAP
Ginny's blog has been nomiated for Apartment Therapy's Homies Award for The Best Family and Home blog. It's a big deal and it is so nice to a blog with faith nominated for something like this award. So, people of faith, go vote! you have to register. it only takes a moment. Voting ends Wednesday, so hurry on over.
::begging prayers
for all the intentions of our prayer community.
::keeping house
I have discovered that Stephen is not only the most diligent of all my students but the most reliable of all my chore-doers. Maybe I should promote him and have him train the little ones?
::crafting in the kitchen
I'm so excited to begin Heather's workshop today. The virtual classroom space is beautiful. Of course it is; everything Heather touches is beautiful. We had a chance to meet other workshop attendees over the weekend and I'm just so tickled to get going. It's time to learn some new things and to sweep away some bad habits. I love that it will coincide with Lent. I intend to fully immerse Mary Beth in the workshop and to fill in here with some very intentional, hands-on grocery shopping lessons. I hope she'll have her driver's license by the end of those two months, as well. And she'll be all set to become the family's primary grocery shopper. And I have a hunch Kristin will join some of our cooking endeavors, too. She and some friends have been blogging food lately...
::loving the moments
When a Monday morning begins in a clean house, with all-caught-up laundry. Stephen, Katie, and I managed to make it so. Go us!
::giving thanks
for the Church.
living the liturgy
This week is all about preparing for Lent. More thoughts here. I'm in a little bit of liturgical chaos this week. Valentine's Day falls on the day after Ash Wednesday. Mary Beth and I have decided that it's not going to work. Our plan is to celebrate Valentine's Day on Tuesday and somehow integrate it with Fat Tuesday. We always have waffles and sausage for dinner on Fat Tuesday. I think they'll look a little more valentine-y this year. And I've promised Katie she can make a cake like the one Jennifer shared during last week's needle & thREAD.
::planning for the week ahead
Lent begins. There will be a palpable shift in the demeanor of the household.
::about the photo
Lori found this picture last night and shared it with me on Facebook. It was in the background of a shot from the reception. It captures so perfectly for me the spirit of that day. I feel like I was just peaceful, happy and very much grateful to be celebrating with my family...
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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