Lord, Hear Our Prayer

The internet is a formidable force for bringing the comfort and consolation and hope of the Lord to all of us. It can be an incredibily powerful medium for community. There is an unfathomable resource for prayer here. We have on the 'net the privilege of praying for people and of being witness to the miracles brought forth when fervent, faith-filled people pray for one another.

Let's be that community of hope and faith for one another.

How about this idea? What if I pop in here every weekend, share Sunday's gospel and talk a wee bit about how we can live it and pray it in our homes? And then you tell me how we can pray for you that week? Deal?

{And please, do return and let us know how prayer is bearing fruit.} 

Gospel

Luke 9:51-62

When the days for Jesus’ being taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him. 
On the way they entered a Samaritan village 
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. 
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?” 
Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.

As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him,
“I will follow you wherever you go.” 
Jesus answered him,
“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”

And to another he said, “Follow me.” 
But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” 
But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. 
But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 
And another said, “I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” 
To him Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”

.

Think

One of Mother Teresa’s most frequent messages was to “Smile.” She would often tell her sisters, “This is holiness – to do His will with a big smile.” She also believed that a smile was a gift that we could give to one another and that when we followed Jesus it would be easy to smile because we would know that we were doing what God asked us to do. Mother Teresa once saw one of her sisters looking very sad, so Mother Teresa told her, “What did Jesus say - to carry the cross in front of Him or to follow Him? Why are you trying to go ahead of Him?” When we follow Jesus we smile. When we try to be out in front for Him we don’t see Him and we cannot smile. From Archdiocese of St. Louis

Pray

Lord, help me to let you lead.

Act

Follow Him. Keep your eyes on Him. And  smile.

Dance thoughts

The recitals were Saturday. Three shows. Countless costumes and accessories. I've got lots of thoughts. But my introverted self really needs quiet stillness for a bit.

Last winter, Karoline begged to do a solo. Mary Beth begged to choreograph one for her. I didn't think it a good idea. She's still so little and I want to guard her innocence (and those of her sisters). I was--and still am--very leery of "dance culture." Mary Beth met my admonition to let her be little head on. They worked on this dance together and asked if she could just dance it at the recital "as a gift to Daddy." Then, Mary Beth was injured, her duet already paid for, and well, we let Karoline take her place at competition. This is a video of Karoline's very first solo dance performance ever--her first time on stage alone. It was shot in March. I've kept it until now because I wanted Mike to have his special gift at the recital. So, he first saw her dance this on Saturday. 

That's all I've got for today. I pray the day brings to your the brightness and beauty of summertime in all its glory--and a little slow time, too. 

Giveaway in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

To celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Ruth Tucker of Loreto Rosaries is offering this beautiful rosary and matching earrings. 

In order to be considered for the giveaway, visit Loreto Rosaries and look around. Come back here and tell us what you like. I'll announce the winner on July 16, Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

The winner is Carmen, who said,

Our Lady of Lourdes rosary is my favorite. Lapis lazuli is the Chilean stone ...had never seen a rosary made with them. Absolutely beautiful!!! Might be ordering the bracelet! :)
Beautiful pieces Elizabeth. And learning that the family came from Puerto Rico gives it an extra special touch! :)

This Moment

Look who came home while they slept last night!

needle & thREAD

I'm finally hitting my groove with this costume thing. Dance costumes are outrageously expensive. So, when they arrive, one naturally expects something well-made from quality fabric. That's the first piece of education. They are never well made and the fabric is cheesy. The next piece is that there will always be mistakes in sizes. Then, there's the greatest piece: don't be afraid to improvise and rig it to make it work. 

This dance season has been quite the education for a fairly new seamstress who has been fighting perfectionism all her life:-). 

But I'm hitting my groove. I'm learning to cut and piece and make do. I'm also learning that not much can happen that sequins don't improve.

Reading has been light. I can't find my copy of Magical Journey: An Apprenticeship in Contentment. It's here somewhere. I'm counting on it reappearing next week when I have some calm days for binge reading. Maybe I'll finish Kristin Lavransdatter , too.

In the meantime, I picked up Second Nature, Michael Pollan's new book. I'm a fan of Michael Pollan, so this one is the perfect to fit into my tidy threesome of Mother Culture books.

"There is no sadder sight in life than a mother, who has so used herself up in her children's childhood, that she has nothing to give them in their youth. When babyhood is over and school begins, how often children take to proving that their mother is wrong. Do you as often see a child proving to its father that he is wrong? I think not. For the father is growing far more often than the mother. He is gaining experience year by year, but she is standing still. Then, when her children come to that most difficult time between childhood and full development she is nonplussed; and, though she may do much for her children, she cannot do all she might, if she, as they, were growing!...

Is there not some need for 'mother culture'? But how is the state of things to be altered? So many mothers say, 'I simply have no time for myself!' 'I never read a book!' Or else, 'I don't think it is right to think of myself!' They not only starve their minds, but they do it deliberately, and with a sense of self-sacrifice which seems to supply ample justification.

Mother must have time to herself. And we must not say 'I cannot.' Can any of us say till we have tried, not for one week, but for one whole year, day after day, that we 'cannot' get one half-hour out of the twenty-four for 'Mother Culture?'--one half-hour in which we can read, think, or 'remember.'

The habit of reading is so easily lost; not so much, perhaps, the power of enjoying books as the actual power of reading at all. It is incredible how, after not being able to use the eyes for a time, the habit of reading fast has to be painfully regained...

The wisest woman I ever knew--the best wife, the best mother, the best mistress, the best friend--told me once, when I asked her how, with her weak health and many calls upon her time, she managed to read so much, 'I always keep three books going--a stiff book, a moderately easy book, and a novel, and I always take up the one I feel fit for!' That is the secret; always have something 'going' to grow by. If we mothers were all 'growing' there would be less going astray among our boys, less separation in mind from our girls...

A brisk walk will help. But, if we would do our best for our children, grow we must; and on our power of growth surely depends, not only our future happiness, but our future usefulness.

Is there, then, not need for more 'Mother Culture'?"  

~Charlotte Mason Volume III, no. 2 The Parents' Review

 

 

Do you have three books going? Would you like to have three books going? Which three?