Icon Writing With Kids - Holy Archangels

Oh how I wanted to do a large icon of the angels and paint it with the kids. But, the fact is that I just cannot seem to pull it off at the moment.  I cannot find energy enough to invest in such a project.  However, I am still happy that I have made the effort to continue the coloring book project.  October left me with little time and little inspiration.  This icon is really beautiful and inspiring.  Christ is held by three Archangels showing that their work is for Him.  They serve Him and uphold Him.

Let us pray to the nine Archangels to defend us against sin.

Bless the Lord, All you His Angels, You who are Mighty in strength
And do His Will.
Intercede for me At the throne of God,
And by your unceasing watchfulness
Protect me in every danger Of soul and body.
Bless the Lord, All you His Angels,
You who are Mighty in strength 
And do His Will. 

Intercede for me At the throne of God,
And by your unceasing watchfulness
Protect me in every danger Of soul and body.
Obtain for me The grace of final perseverance,
So that after this life I may be admitted
To your glorious company
And may sing with you
The praises of God For all eternity.
O all you holy Angels And Archangels,
Thrones and Dominations, Principalities and Powers
And Virtues of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim
And especially you, My dear Guardian Angel,
Intercede for me And obtain for me The special favor I now ask
(State your intention here...).
Say 9 Our Father...

A Mother’s Sermon

Thursday, I gave the introduction to my Mom’s Group Bible Study.  I woke up at 4:00 a.m. one morning and could not go back to sleep.  I wondered what to do with myself and decided to read the study for this week (see book here).  The topic was focused on mothers’ sacrifices and sufferings and using the Beatitudes as a guide.  My mind was moving a mile a minute as I read.  And afterward my brain was like a freight train going a hundred miles an hour.  I started writing to empty my head and thought perhaps I should share with the other moms at our meeting.  Here is my mother's sermon on our suffering and sacrifices.  You may recognize some of it if you are a regular follower.

“Why should sacrifice be united with the beauty of love?”  In motherhood, did you find that you finally grew from girl to woman? Have you found yourself experiencing and doing things that you never imagined you would do, or were capable of doing?  Have you been surprised by your sacrifices?  As the author points out, motherhood begins with suffering in childbearing and birth, and a mother continues to suffer through every hardship in both mothering and also the child’s sufferings. Yet, in all this suffering motherhood is beautiful, joyful and desired.  Perhaps it is our suffering and how it transforms us that makes motherhood so great a station in life.

Motherhood brings a special kind of suffering and beauty.  We are all aware of our special kind of suffering.  We have a connectedness to our children in such a way that their every ache and every stumble pains us.  However, the beauty comes in procreation--a gift we share with God.  We are gifted and entrusted with the lives of our children.  We are entrusted their beautiful souls to help mold and guide.  And because this responsibility is so great our burdens are also great.

We should not treat our suffering as an affliction to our lives, but rather as a vessel for our salvation.  Though suffering may bring pain and difficulty, it is in our suffering that we are brought closer to God.  Because we are believers, we are driven to the arms of God, with an open heart and a longing to rest in Him. Truly if you treat all your suffering as though it were for naught, then that is what it will be. 

As mothers it is even more important that we approach our sufferings with love as though they are gifts from God.  It is important to not allow a mother’s suffering to lose sight of our mission.  We must be there for our children and be an example for them.  For our sufferings are an opportunity like no other to step closer to the Lord—to be bathed in His love.  If you suffer with a pure heart, your suffering will not feel like pain, but will be like a moment to rest in the warm embrace of the Lord. 

So, “gird your loins,” and turn to the Lord.  Do not ask Him why you must endure this suffering, but PRAY that it may be offered in communion with the Passion of Christ, that sins may be forgiven and you may be bound to eternal life. The beauty of suffering is that it will bring you to the love of the Lord so long as you do not turn away. 

You may think that this is an impossible ideal to approach your trials with love and even joy.  But, I assure you, as mothers, you already have. You have brought your children this far.  You are raising them to know the Lord.  You have not abandoned your station.  You have held this post out of love and transformed suffering into love.  And it is love that will carry you forth through motherhood, through being a wife and through life, as St. Paul tells us,  “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13:13)

An Easter Luxury

Mmm, I have been enjoying lots of butter lately.  My husband and I both agree that the thing we missed most during Lent was butter.  Everything tastes so much better with butter smeared, or melted on it.  One of my favorite foods for Easter this year was our Pascha Bread.  Every time I ate a slice of our blessed Pascha bread with butter on it I would say a little prayer, because I was reminded of the Sacrifice.  I felt holy eating it. 

Banana bread and butter

My Favorite Moment…

Today was a day in which nothing quite seemed to go right.  I woke up early, but it was still about 45 minutes after I wanted to wake up.  I dove right into laundry, as I wanted to get all of it washed and hung early, so I could get it folded and put away today.  First thing, I turned a load of dish towels pink and spent the next hour bleaching.  I finally hung all the towels and a half hour later the house painters showed up and told us to move all our stuff so they could paint.  They did not show up until almost 10:00 a.m.! I figured they were not coming today, because I thought tradesmen, especially those who work outside, begin work early, certainly before 10:00 a.m.  So I had to take down the wash and had to move all the patio furniture and toys.  But, what really annoyed me was that they did not paint our unit until 4:30 p.m.

I was determined to finish Easter cards this morning and get them sent.  (Don’t be insulted if you didn’t get one. I only sent them to our grandparents and one member of the clergy.)  It took me an hour on Sunday to print a few photographs of the kids (actually, it was a lot of photographs).  This morning I decided to draw pictures on a mere three of the cards.  I wanted to draw them all, but I was realistic with myself.  As few as I had, it took all morning.  The kids kept interrupting as kids do.  Everyone had a need this morning.  Alex insisted on coloring with mommy and using my special colored pencils.  He drew very nice pictures.  Kristiana was very needy today in general.  She woke up ready to be attached to mommy all day.

Some strange little five year old at the park thought it was a good idea to pants Alex and give him a wedgy.  I usually try to stay out of children playing and or fighting. I like Alex and the other kids to figure it out.  But, I definitely draw the line at touching underwear.  He didn’t give Alex a wedgy, because a mob of moms jumped to action.  But, everyone saw Alex’s underwear.  Alex is not really familiar with shame yet, so he shook it off and was ready to play again in seconds. 

More neediness from Kristiana in the afternoon—the kind that drives a mom a little mad.  It took me all day to realize I should put Kristiana in my sling.  She was in the sling while I made dinner.  She loved it.  She felt much better after just half an hour.  I made an awfully salty meatloaf that didn’t stick together in a loaf.  Andrew liked the meatloaf, because he likes salty.  It was just a little like the rest of the day.  It was okay, but nothing seemed to stick together quite right.

My favorite moment of today was when I dressed the children for bed, gave them the last cuddles of the day and tucked them into their beds.  That moment right after I walked away from their rooms was a moment of peace and a sigh of relief.  I finished the laundry—all of it—washed, folded and put away.  The day was truly not bad.

Bright Week & Bright New Ways

From out of the darkness, Christ’s disciples begin to learn that not all is lost.  In fact, eternity is gained.  And one by one, Christ shines His light upon the Apostles and disciples, giving glimpses of Alpha to Omega…

Monday I continued the Spring cleaning and gave the upstairs bedrooms a deep cleanse.  The kids played in Alex’s room.  Kristiana screamed her head off for a while—big brother does not play so well with her.

Monday is also laundry day.  However, laundry day seems to be turning into laundry three days.  It always seems to  take a full day to wash the laundry and then it takes another two days to fold, iron and put away.  Further, this week I started using our cloth diapers on Kristiana, so that added another load. 

We have had the diapers since Alexander was born, but it was too stressful to use them regularly.  I have used them for fours days so far.  The caked on toddler poop is awful.  After my husband changed one poopy diaper we immediately went online and bought some diaper liners so we can simply pull it away and flush it.  The diaper washing went well.  I had some practice from when we used them before. 

My bright new thing is hanging the laundry on a clothesline.  I hung the diapers out on the line and they dried nicely, white and clean.  I was so pleased with the results that I hung the next load on the line and watched the clothing gently waft in the wind.  The load dried in an hour, which is about the same if not quicker than the dryer. I think I am addicted to hanging the laundry.  It just felt right and it saves energy, which means we will save on our electric bill.  I probably will not hang every load, because sometimes it’s raining and or something else might come up that prevents hanging.

I made a mistake though.  I did not tighten the strands of rope enough, so the line sagged when I hung the clothing.  I also hung the lines too close together, so the clothing twisted about each other.  It still got the job done.  I will have to take the line down and re-hang it, but that’s something for the next laundry day.

My mom used to hang clothes on the line when I was little and we lived in Australia.  I remember we used to play in our play pool every day we could and when we were done, we would run over to the clothesline and pull sun warmed towels off the line.  When we moved to Wyoming there were many reasons to not use a clothesline, chiefly the weather.  The air is frozen nine months of the year and the wind blows so hard always that your underpants would be blown to Nebraska by nightfall. 

Somewhere, a couple years ago I read a humorous article about clothesline etiquette and I could not find it again to share.  If I ever find it, I will share it.

Christ is Risen!

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! Alleluia!

Our Easter dinner turned out perfect.  It was glorious.  Truly befitting to celebrate Resurrection and our salvation. We, my husband and I, were highly impressed.  Our guests enjoyed it as well and asked for recipes.  We had ham, green bean casserole, hash browns, cheese and salami, deviled eggs, Pascha bread and butter, a big fruit platter, delicious sweet and bitter beets…I ate some leftovers later in the evening and had to pat myself on the back.  The flavors had set in more and it was better reheated.

We moved our Resurrection icon and our cross to the dining room for Easter dinner. 
They are hanging where our Advent calendar hung, and where my painting normally hangs.
I think we’ll leave it for the remainder of Easter.

This is the first Easter Kristiana was able to hunt for Easter eggs.  She had jelly beans for breakfast.
 

Alex found most of the Easter eggs.  He was also perfectly behaved in church.  Alleluia.
During the consecration he looked up at me folded his arms in prayer and said, “Like this, Mommy.”
He was trying to tell me how to do it as we have told him over and over.  We will make a couple of trips to daily Mass this week for more practice.

My beautiful family.

Great and Holy Thursday and Good Friday

In Easter basket making news…on Thursday I made baked cheese.  It’s a sweet, egg and curd cheese baked in the oven. It turned out nice.

On Good Friday we had a quiet day and baked the Paska bread.  It is also sweet and eggy.  I think it is by far the most labor intensive part of the Easter basket.  It takes hours to make, standing on one’s feet and there is lots of kneading.  It turned out a little puffier and browner than I would like, but we sampled a small roll made from the dough and it should still be tasty.

Now for my lament.  I have the most horribly behaved children in all of our church.  They cannot sit still or listen.  They are noisy, squirmy and prone to fits.  They often are taken out for talking to and spanks and nothing seems to work.  We parents, simply sit, near tears, clutching the writhing children, wondering what we have done wrong.  Short of strapping them to a chair one hour each day and making them watch Mass on EWTN, I do not know what to do.  Is this why so many churches have nurseries?  Why do other children their age at our church seem to behave?  We feel like unholy parents.

Great and Holy Wednesday

It was not simply that over 2,000 years ago, lived a man, a great teacher, who performed miracles, and who folks claimed was God the Word Incarnate, then was sacrificed.  This all could be the fodder of legend.  No, it was His resurrection that was the impetus for our Faith.  It was real. 

Today’s Gospel on www.byzcath.org (Matthew 26:6-16) always gives me shivers—“a woman anoints Jesus with an expensive jar of oil…’Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.’

Which brings me to today’s Easter basket preparation—Bittersweet beets with horseradish.  it is symbolic that Christ’s sacrifice is both bitter and sweet.  And since I had beet juice, I made pickled eggs for the first time.  I love these eggs, because they represent both the sacrifice and the renewal.

  

Great and Holy Tuesday

Holy Monday was long and a little bit hard.  I began my Spring Cleaning and I had to wash all the laundry. I managed to clean all of the downstairs with my little helpers.  I also managed to wash all the laundry and put most of it away.  I was certainly wiped out by the evening.  I decided the Spring Cleaning will need to extend into next week in order to enjoy Sunday’s festivities.
 

The next day, I completed shredding all the papers in our shred bucket and realized that I hadn’t shredded since last Easter.  That was not a good idea on my part to wait so long.  I will have to resolve to shred on a regular basis. 

In the afternoon, I lit incense and candles in our kitchen and made the butter lambs for our Easter basket and prayed the Jesus prayer.  And in the evening, I had to put away to rest of the laundry.  I have not accomplished everything I would have wished this week, but perhaps I can complete the most important things.  

Spring Cleaning Thru Passiontide

Yesterday, I read the Passiontide section of Maria Von Trapp’s book Around the Year with the Trapp Family.  She explained that in Austria the first three days of Holy Week should be spent doing Spring Cleaning in order to begin Easter season new and fresh.  The following three days of Holy Week are spent doing exclusively Holy things.  Not once did she mention food preparation for the festivities.  So when, WHEN! is the baking and preparing done?  Me thinks someone had a cook in Austria and in the U.S. she had 10 children to help.  I have reserved two hours (the children’s quiet time) each afternoon this week to prepare our Easter feast and such.  However, today I am going to really dig into Spring Cleaning, even though I did not prepare myself to do this, because boy does our house need a Spring Cleaning.  I do want to begin the Easter season new and fresh. 

Sunday popsicles, “on a hot summer day,” as Alexander would say.

Doll Baby

  Yes, I know my son has blue chalk all over his face.
My only excuse is that he is three years old
and if I wiped his face every time he had something on it,
I would have wiped his face clean off by now.

Fallen Asleep

I think back to the fall when I had so much energy. I exerted so much energy and effort into household things—decorating and making our home hospitable, cleaning and laundry, meal planning and activities with the children. These days I barely have the energy to feed myself and it is very “buminating,” as Andrew would say. I have boughts of narcolepsy, which I cannot control or avoid.  I long for those days when I was in control of this body.

Poor Andrew can hardly stand my furrowed brow another moment. My face is all knit up holding back the gagging feeling. I thought that I was going to make it through this pregnancy without tossing a meal. Alas, Saturday morning was the end to my record. I was swept away in a gagging fit from which there was no return. I lost my Saturday morning doughnuts.

Then there are the quiet moments. The agonizing quiet moments, which are both edifying and cathartic, and a tempest of misery. From time to time throughout my days, I find myself in a mess of hot, steamy tears. It’s the normal routine that seems a little too stressful in my pregnant state of disarray. It’s the mother in the news article who lost her son. It’s faith on the deepest level—all evoke emotions once untapped.

My least favorite quiet moment is 3:33 a.m. It’s the time I wake up every morning. I hear the whimpers and murmurs of Kristiana in the next room. Then my bladder and my empty stomach begin to nag and I begin to have thoughts for the coming day. I roll out of bed and attempt to quiet all the noise. I settle the baby, visit the restroom and grab a cereal bar from the pantry. Then I flop onto the sofa and I begin to pray intensely to quiet my aching soul.

In a few more weeks I should emerge from this strange other existence. My rewards shall be great—a little kicking baby to bring a smile to my face. I only hope my husband can forgive the severe neglect and crabbiness. I only hope the Lord Almighty can forgive the selfishness I hold to so dearly as I drag myself through the mire.  I do not even suffer the pangs of the first trimester as greatly as some I know.  I will have a lot to make up for when I emerge.

My blogging may be scant for a few more weeks.

Ask and You Shall Receive

Last time I posted, I asked for prayers for the daughter of a friend.  What transpired afterward was far too many coincidences to not be considered a miracle.  I received a series of emails describing their extraordinary experience.  She gave me permission to share her miracle with you. 

“I had the nurses print off the novena [of Saint Raphael] for me because although I have a computer here [at the hospital] it does not connect to the hospital printers so I did not bother trying to print it.  When my husband arrived home last night around 11:00 pm the novena spontaneously spit out our printer. I am serious I did not hit print so it was not in the computers memory! I read from the Bible, the book of Tobit, last night. Feeling very comforted by the physician of God. I called the church for a priest to perform anointing of the sick...

Thursday night was the first night we prayed the prayer and the night it spit out the printer. It is said that if it is God's will St. Raphael will whisper into the doctors’ ears when they need guidance, or obtain an unexplained healing. Friday morning our doctor came in and said, ‘I woke from my sleep at 4:00am and said, I know what it is. It's the Motrin. It just hit me all of the sudden.’ Our eyes were big as saucers! Not an hour later my dad came by to visit and said he had had a dream last night that the doctor had an epiphany and said he knew what was making her sick. After I told my father that that exact thing had taken place we just praised God.  Our priest came by Friday afternoon...

It seems that through the viral illness' she acquired and was not getting over she developed a sensitivity to Motrin. To keep her from having breakthrough seizures she was given Tylenol and Motrin alternating for almost two weeks. Through that time she built up toxins in her system from the martin that actually prevented her from getting better. So she acquired an allergy to Motrin. We stopped the Motrin on Friday morning and has not had a fever since and her rash and swelling are disappearing…

As Raphael tells Tobit and Tobiah in the book of Tobit. ‘Thank God! Give him the praise and glory. Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Before all men, honor and proclaim God's deeds, and do not be slack in praising Him.’ Tobit 12:6.”

So now we pray prayers of thanksgiving. 

St. Raphael Pray for Us

My friend’s baby daughter is in the hospital sick with an undiagnosed ailment. They are trying to get to the bottom of it.  Her parents are requesting friends to pray the Novena of St. Raphael. I am posting it here, so I will remember to pray it.  Join me if you feel inclined.  It is simple and quick.

Glorious Archangel Saint Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court,
you are illustrious
for your gifts of wisdom and grace.
You are a guide of those who journey
by land or sea or air,
consoler of the afflicted,
and refuge of sinners.
I beg you,
assist me in all my needs
and in all the sufferings of this life,
as once you helped
the young Tobias on his travels.
Because you are the medicine of God,
I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities
of my soul and the ills that afflict my body.
I especially ask of you the favour

(Make your request here...)

and the great grace of purity
to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Longing

My dear friends have longed for a baby of their own since they were engaged.  Now five years later, happily married for four years, they are still longing for a child.  God has brought them to adoption.

They have begun their research and for their current living situation they would only qualify to adopt a newborn.  So they are trying to make connections with pregnant mothers who are considering adoption.  They were advised that making personal connections through friends is the best way to begin newborn adoptions.  If you know of anyone who is considering adoption, contact me.  I will put you contact with the best parents anyone could hope for.  They are loving and considerate of each other and of all their family and friends.  Both are well-educated.  Most importantly, they are well-grounded in their faith.  They would have a lot to offer any child.  I would love them to be my parents.  In fact, I have designated them to take my own children in my will.  I trust them with my own children.

Lastly, pray for them in the journey.  Below is the novena prayer for pregnant mothers and those trying to conceive.  May it be done unto them as God wills it.

St. Gerard,
You worshiped Jesus as the Lord of Life.
I ask you today to pray
For my special intention.
(Mention your intention here.)
Lift up to Jesus
All those who seek to conceive a child,
All those having difficult pregnancies,
All who have suffered the loss of a child,
And all who lovingly lift up their children to God.
Pray that all of us,
By caring for mothers, fathers, and children
born and unborn
May build a Culture of Life,
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And the Word Was Made Flesh

  We spent all day making traditional Byzantine meatless Christmas Eve dishes to prepare our souls for the birth of our Lord.  It was intense. I did not sit down or stop cooking all day. Wow! My mother-in-law kept on cleaning up dishes after me all day long. I couldn’t have down it with out her. I don’t think that making all of it in one day was a good idea, but I didn’t have time to do it any other time.




What we made: Kolache (braided bread), Poppy seed bread roll, cabbage rolls stuffed with rice, pyrohy (potato dumpling), prunes and mixed dried fruit, green beans, saute mushrooms, mashed potatoes and stuffed salmon.



My favorite thing was the poppy seed bread roll.  The kids were pretty well behaved all day and even helped at times.

Yesterday, we made some crafts.  I came up with this little craft for our Christmas table. Later in the evening I watched “The Nativity Story” for the first time. I liked it, but I think there were some parts that were really poorly done. Nevertheless, it’s the only feature length film that is about the first Christmas, the Nativity of our Lord.  Anytime I read, see, learn pray about Mary, Blessed Theotokos, I always am deeply stirred.  The only thing I can think is that she was the most pure human who was not also God.  That really hits me. It’s proof to me that anything under God is possible.
I’d like to think of something awe-inspiring to commemorate the birth of our Lord to post, but I am exhausted and I am going to spend the next couple days just enjoying family and focusing on these Holy days. Much love to you and your family and peace on Earth.

Beauty in Suffering

The other night I had a brief, angst filled dream of pain and suffering. At every turn I saw or experienced pain and suffering.  I could not escape. I was lost. Everyone about me were confused and sad—toiling in their pain. All I wanted to do was to tell everyone that this is no way to live out their suffering.  But, I was mute.  Then as hot, aching tears streamed from my eyes I could hear a beautiful poem.  It was my own voice, but I was not saying it.  I cannot remember it all now, but it went something like this:

“You say your suffering is for naught.
Truly if you say it is for naught, then that is what it will be.
There are others who suffer more than you
and live their suffering with love for Thee.

For in their hearts suffering, trials and tribulations, are gifts from God—an opportunity like no other to step closer to the Lord—to be bathed in His love.

If you suffer with a pure heart, your suffering will not feel like pain, but will be like a moment to rest in the warm embrace of the Lord.

So, “gird your loins,” and turn to the Lord.
Do not ask Him why you must endure this suffering, but pray that it may be offered in communion with the Passion of Christ, that sins may be forgiven and you may be bound to eternal life.

The Beauty of suffering is that it will bring you to the love of the Lord so long as you do not turn away.”

…and then I woke up.

Glory to God – In the Form of Turkey

You may think that taking one of God’s creatures in all it’s glory and mutilating it into a shapeless mess is not doing it justice. But the beauty of humans is our ability to create and invent. I feel that after we were done with preparing this fowl for consumption we had infused it with the Good.

This thanksgiving day turkey was an adventure of another kind. We, my mother and I, de-boned our turkey following moderately humorous, instructions in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Then we stuffed it with my mom’s classic homemade stuffing. Why did we do this you ask? A couple of reasons—inspiration from the movie Julie and Julia; we thought that it would be extra moist and tasty; we had visions of slicing our turkey in rings; for fun.

The day did not start well. We woke up a little late. I was the first up and I went to pull the turkey out of the refrigerator. It was frozen! Tuesday night the turkey was soft. Today, it was rock solid and frosty. “Don’t panic.” I thought. “Great, dinner will be late.” I put the turkey in the sink with water and salt. Then, I went and glumly woke my mom. She said not to worry and I should add some warm water to the sink. It thawed in an hour and we were in business.

At first, Julia said, “the first time you try to de-bone poultry it may take 45 minutes due to fright.” It did take a long time. I did not clock it exactly, but about what was suggested. It was interesting—almost intellectual. We stuffed it and sewed it up. Then we cooked it. It was a twelve pound turkey and it took 2 hours to cook.  It came out moist, tender and delicious.  But the best part was how the flavors permeated the stuffing.  We all agreed that it was the best stuffing ever, which is a high compliment in my house because my mom is a gourmand.

We also made the traditional Clayton sides: sweet potato casserole, peas and asparagus casserole, riced potatoes, and cranberry relish. We all thought a boneless turkey might need to become tradition.

In the end, we gave proper glory to God in this meal. If they serve turkey in heaven, it tastes like this. There is much we give thanks for—too numerous to mention—as infinite as the Lord’s love.

The Nativity Fast Commences

And so it begins...So many of my Roman Catholic and Christian family and friends are often surprised that today, forty days before Christmas, we begin a fast. They are normally surprised that there are meant to be Christian fasts during times other than Lent. My response to them is usually, “Yes. What is a feast without first a fast?” As strange as it may seem, I look forward to these fasts. It is an opportunity and excuse to step back and examine my life and the ways I have ventured into sin. I was raised as a Roman Catholic and I was taught that Advent was a time of alms and being good (i.e., be good and Santa will bring you gifts), therefore there is a celebration of bounty and giving. However, as an adult I do not believe there can be a true appreciation of the bounty without first purgation and purification. Truly, these teachings were there in my Roman Catholic upbringing, but in a different way.

So, what does this fast involve. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are strict fast in which we have 1 ½ meals. We cut out all meat, dairy and eggs, including meat and dairy substitutes. Sundays are always feast days, so we can eat meat.

On this week's fasting dinner menu:
Sunday – Saute Garlic, Spinach, Tomato and Meatballs
Monday – Greek Lentil Soup and Homemade Bread
Tuesday – Elbow Pasta with Marinara and Asparagus
Wednesday – Curry Chickpeas with Mixed Veggies
Thursday – Veggie Pizza (Okay this one has cheese, but it's the night of my Mom's group and I don't have time to cook. The next time this occurs, I will work to prepare something ahead of time.)
Friday – Pan Fried Tilapia and Herb Potatoes 
Saturday – (Happy Birthday Andrew) Orzo Soup

This is our especially designed by Anne, Jesse Tree

My favorite ornament for the tree is this censer, complete with bells on the chains. :-)

In Christ - Putting the Life Back Into Life

“Apart from Christ we can do nothing of lasting value—in our lives, marriages or our children’s live.  With Christ everything we do has lasting value because of his grace, his divine life at work in and through us. When his Word [resides] in us, we also receive life because his words are spirit and life.” –Kimberly Hahn, Graced and Gifted.  This was the “aha” moment for me this week at my Catholic Moms Group. 


When I was a senior in high school I went to visit a convent for their “Come and See” week long retreat.  I had said, no, to this retreat several times and had several very legitimate excuses.  But, a nice young priest went out of his way to make it possible for me to go, and I realized that you can’t say, no, when God calls you. 


My time at the Daughters of Saint Paul was very eye-opening.  One of the moments I was most struck happened in passing.  We were to spend the morning with some of the nuns learning what they do at their jobs.  They are the media nuns and they make all sorts of Christian media, Christian music, books and movies.  I spent the morning helping one nun fix the color for the front cover of a magazine.  As we were taking a tour of their printing facility, the nun turned to us and said almost in passing, “We do it all for Jesus!”  This shocked me.  What was the deficiency in my upbringing that I had NEVER heard anyone say that before?  Of course! How could I be so stupid? Of course it’s all for Christ.  Everything from the littlest thing to the greatest, these nuns did keeping in mind that their work was for Christ.  It only had value because it was for the sake of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.


At the end of the retreat, I thanked them and told them I was going to go to college and get an education before I make up my mind about my vocation.  On a personal level, I told one nun that I felt a strong call to be a mother (I was young. I should have said wife and mother, because you cannot have one without the other).  But, what they had shown me had brought me to a place of peace in which I felt that I could be complete if I chose to receive Holy Orders.  After much prayer and contemplation (I cannot express fully what a deep, spiritual journey this “prayer and contemplation” was, but it was like going from being 13 yrs. old to 30. It was a huge maturation), God brought Andrew and I together…in Christ…and the rest is history.  Praise be to God!

This is a picture of Andrew and I shortly after we started courting. 

We're pretty young and cute aren't we? 

That was seven years ago. 

For All The Saints - Pray for Us!

This is the St. Patrick costume I made for Alexander, and even though  he was really excited about it he still would not wear it.

He has been very particular about his clothes lately.

He will not even wear long pants or a jacket when its cold.

 Andrew wore the costume so my feelings wouldn't be hurt.

 

This is Saint Therese the Little Flower (literally the little flower)

 

Saint Juan Diego and Saint Francis

Saint Patrick - Part II

Don't Remember the Saint

Saint George

 Saint Nicholas having a swing
I like the little halo on the Saint pushing the swing.

There were others, but I missed them.