Roses and Thorns

Our family does a quick little game at the dinner table most evenings called "Roses and Thorns."  It's a game that gives everyone at the table a chance to share their "high" and their "low" of the day, a game that reminds us to stop and think about what we are thankful for, as well as giving us the freedom to share our feelings about what made us sad.  Long-term, I hope it helps us become closer as a family as we learn to listen to what is going on in each of our hearts, sharing in each others' joys and sorrows.

Well, the other day, we were going around the table in a clockwise manner, and then we got to Isaiah.  We usually skip him because we figured he was too young to have a clue what we were talking about, but this time I asked him, "So, Isaiah, what were you thankful for today?"  And without skipping a beat, he said: "God."  We were all stunned.  Then I asked, "And what made you sad today?" and again he replied without hesitation: "Wasps." (He is terrified of wasps and encountered one that day). We all busted out laughing.  What a joy it is to have small children to make us laugh and remind us of Truth!

Enter Under my Roof---but wait, let me clean it first!

Last week was my son Joseph’s birthday, which should be an exciting occasion, right?  Yes, it should be, and it was, but it also turned into a stressful occasion for his mother who is a perfectionist (which is just a nicer way of saying that I’m vain and worry way too much about what other people think of me).  So I spent the week over-analyzing the details of his big day and over-cleaning my house (oh, ya, and making my kids clean the house too).   How fitting that the Mass reading that Sunday contained the miraculous story of the centurion with the sick servant who was so humble and filled with so much trust that He told Jesus, “I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant will be healed.”  Then it hit me:  I have been worrying all week about making my house “worthy” of having guests, but what I really should be focusing on is not a clean house, but a clean and humble soul.  What does it matter if my house is worthy for Jesus to come inside if my soul is not worthy for Him to find rest there?  Jesus isn’t concerned with fingerprints on the window (in fact, those toddler prints would probably delight Him);   Jesus is only concerned with what is going on under the roof of our soul---is our soul peaceful or anxious, humble or prideful?  Ouch.

How perfect that as Catholics we get to say those powerful words of the centurion at every Mass right before we receive Jesus into our bodies!  “Jesus, I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof…(for I am full of pride and anxiety, and vanity...or name whatever sin that plagues you at the time)…but only say the words (of mercy) and I will be healed.”  Jesus wants to heal us, and we get to literally touch Him in the Eucharist and be healed at every Mass--but first we must be humble enough to admit our sins and confident enough to ask Him for healing.   So how about you?  Is there an area under the roof of your soul that needs some cleaning or healing?  Ask the Holy Spirit, and I'm sure He will show you---but be prepared, it might hurt a little bit!  As for me, I truly do pray that He heals my “Martha complex,” that He gives me the grace to focus on the “one thing” that really matters (loving and serving Him) and just leave those adorable fingerprints on the window for all to see and smile at!


Praise God for His infinite mercy and endless patience with us!  Praise God for using Scripture to encourage and admonish us when we need it!   And praise God for the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist, Who heals us and saves us from our sins!

Our Lady of Sorrows teaches us to TRUST

Here is a touching reflection for today's Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows.  It is written by Shannon Evans from the "Blessed is She" website:

She stood there at the foot of the cross as her Son choked out His last breaths. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.

She had just watched the crowd mock, torture, and jeer at the babe of her heart, the one she gave life to, the one she nursed at her breast, the one she had once protected but could no longer. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.

She shook her head and wept as, in His final hour, He made arrangements for her. He was thinking of her, even up there on that cross, her beautiful boy.  Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.

She recalled the prophesy given to her in His infancy; she felt the sword piercing her chest. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.

And in all of it she had to hope, had to believe that the Father was good. She would give Him thanks, even when she couldn’t understand. She had to trust in her Son, too, for she knew that He “must be about [His] father’s business” (Luke 2:49).

I will likely never suffer the way that Our Lady of Sorrows has, but motherhood once brought its own kind of sorrow upon me. Maybe for you it’s been brought on by bad relationships, or depression, or abuse, or severe loneliness. Maybe the cause of our sorrow doesn’t matter as much as the existence of it.  We all know the darkness of despair.

And yet in humanity’s bleakest hour, our Mother chose trust. When nothing made sense, in the height of her agony, I believe she reminded herself that God was good and worthy of thanks. And if she could do it even in her suffering, there is grace for me to do it in mine.

Happy Birthday, JP!!!

Our eldest son, Joseph (who now goes by "Joe" from his friends and "JP" from his mom just to irritate him because she refuses to call him "Joe"), turned 15 last week!  :)  He invited all the boys from his class to our house (all 5 of them) for a BBQ party.  They had a blast...boy-style.  They played a few rounds of Capture the Flag, which works out awesome on our property full of boulders and trees and places to hide.  Then, after eating LOTS of hot dogs and hamburgers, they played a new outdoor game we bought called Cuub, followed by some ping-pong in the basement, and finished off with a Reese's Peanut Buttercup Dairy Queen ice cream cake.  It's so much easier throwing a birthday party for a teenager.  There's no party theme, no decorations, no party favors, no candles or singing of Happy Birthday, and no picture taking (because all of the above would embarrass my teenage son, so I tried to appease him...after all, it was his birthday!) :}

Happy Birthday, Joseph Patrick!

How special you are to your daddy and me!
As our first-born, you turned our world upside down

and expanded our hearts more than we thought was possible.

What a joy it has been to watch you grow and to wonder at what the Lord will do with your life.

You have more talent in your pinky toe than many of us have in our whole bodies.

You are gifted in music, art, academics, athletics. and remaining calm in all conditions--

the first few  of those you got from your mother, and the last one definitely from your father!

You are so talented, yet humble, obedient and kind.

You are a stellar role-model for your younger brothers.

We could not have asked for a better first-born.
God always gives us better than what we ask for anyway, and exactly what we need.

God gave us you 15 years ago, and we are so thankful He did.

We love you and pray that you will continue to grow closer to Christ 

each and every year of your life!

Happy Birthday, Blessed Mother Mary!!!

On this special Feast Day celebrating Our Lady's birth, I thought it would be fitting to share her latest message from Medjugorje.  How blessed we are to have such a loving mother, who is constantly trying to lead us to Jesus and to eternal happiness in Heaven!


September 2, 2016 Message to Mirjana

“Dear children, according to the will of my Son and my motherly love, I am coming to you, my children, but especially to those who have not yet come to know the love of my Son. I am coming to you who think of me and who invoke me. To you, I am giving my motherly love and I am carrying the blessing of my Son. Do you have pure and open hearts, and do you see the gifts, the signs of my presence and love? My children, in your earthly life, be led by my example. My life was pain, silence and immeasurable faith and trust in the Heavenly Father. Nothing is by chance: neither pain, nor joy, nor suffering, nor love. All of these are graces which my Son grants to you and which lead you to eternal life. Of you, my Son asks for love and prayer in Him. As a mother I will teach you: to love and to pray in Him means to pray in the silence of your soul and not only reciting with your lips; it is even the least beautiful gesture done in the name of my Son - it is patience, mercy, the acceptance of pain and sacrifice done for the sake of another. My children, my Son is looking at you. Pray that you also may see His face and that it may be revealed to you. My children, I am revealing to you the only and real truth. Pray that you may comprehend it and be able to spread love and hope; that you may be able to be apostles of my love. In a special way, my motherly heart loves the shepherds. Pray for their blessed hands. Thank you.”

Summer Recap in Pixels

This summer went faster than any other summer that I can remember!  But it was also one of the best that I can remember too.  It was our first summer in our new house, so it was so much fun exploring our property, planting a garden, picking the raspberries, cherries, and strawberries that grew, and watching the wildlife all around us.  

But we also had fun going on a couple of trips.  We took a vacation to Sioux Falls, SD to visit Paul's whole side of the family that gathered for his brother Tom's wedding to sweet and beautiful Kathleen.  And then we continued on to Aberdeen, SD to visit Maria's whole side of the family that gathered for the 4th of July festivities.  What a blessing to see all the cousins get reacquainted and to get to see every single member of our families all in one summer!

Other than that we just had fun in Montana with our friends--hiking, mountain biking, or hanging out at the beach.  It was a glorious, grace-filled summer and gave us so much for which to be thankful to God!

Here's a summary of our fun in photos!!!

The new bride and groom--Kathleen and Tom--along with Paul's entire family in Sioux Falls, SD.

All the cousins from Paul's side

(Isaiah had just woken up from a nap) :}

All the cousins on Maria's side of the family at Storybook Land in Aberdeen.

The highlight for my big boys was fishing for walleye with Grandpa Pat in SD.

The highlight for my little boys was playing in the lake at Uncle Mike's house.

Dominic and his daddy on the jet ski--with Natey doing a surprise water attack from behind.

Michael would rather fish all day than swim.  He lost count of how many he caught!

Joseph playing beanbag toss with Uncle Jon.

Joseph tried skiing this summer...

...and he got up easy peezy.  

Next summer he'll probably learn to slalom on one ski!

Storybook Land is always a fun favorite for the little ones!

This year Storybook Land added a rollercoaster---how cool!!!

And the old carousel just never seems to get old!

Dominic and Isaiah helping me pick pie cherries off our tree for the first time!

Nathanael, my handsome cherry-picker!

Yum...can't wait to make our first cherry pie from these bright cherries!

Isaiah lovin' the lake!

Paul and the boys braving the chilly lake

Catching crawdads was a hit for Natey.

Dominic and Natey having a crawdad fight

Paul teaching Isaiah how to be brave in the water

Paul teaching Dominic how to be brave in the water

Paul teaching Dominic how to float in the water

Another big summer event was Joseph getting braces

Hanging out at the beach with great friends

Joseph with his buddy Isaiah

Our little boys playing in a mountain stream after a long hike

Natey hanging onto his new friend Nickolas.

And in the background you'll find the big kids being brave (or foolish?)

Joseph did not get this kind of bravery from his mother!

Dominic and his friend motivating each other to jump

What a fun way to cool off on a hot summer day!

Or, there's this method of cooling off...

I call this "Mountain Man Push-ups" :)

Today the weather is cold and rainy, with a high of 50 degrees.  I guess it is officially "good bye summer" and "hello autumn" in Montana!