Thankfulness Captured on Camera

picking camoflaged beans in our garden

 

 

 

pumpkins finally appearing (hoping they will ripen before the frost hits)

 

 

 

 cooking peanut butter cookies while praying the rosary and chaplet of divine mercy

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, perpetually helping me draw nearer to Jesus

 

 

praying our family rosary at this peaceful Mary grotto, making our Heavenly mother smile and this earthly mother more at peace

 

 

lighting a prayer candle for our baby at the grotto, placing our little one in her care

 

 

 

taking Nathanael on a walk to our local Catholic college and visiting Jesus in the chapel; He is always there waiting with his arms open wide...what a gift, yet I often forget!

 

 

 

happening upon a busy back-hoe while on a walk with Nathanael

 

 

 

taking my boys to a Brewer's baseball game...

 

 



eating peanuts while cheering for the home team

 

 

 

watching sweet Michael seriously prepare for becoming an altar server

 

 

 

seeing a huge buck napping under a trampolene in someone's backyard--smart deer...he knows hunting season began and town is the safest place to be

 

God's infinite mercy on this selfish soul of mine...I cling to the cross that sets me free 

 

 

and here's a few more without pictures...

all...day...nausea that reminds me this baby is still with me, growing all...day...long

Joseph laughing out loud on the couch while he reads a Garfield book from the library
leansing tears

removable couch coverings that can be put in the wash after getting puked on

friends who listen to me cry--and then bring me chocolates to cheer me up

cool Autumn air

a successful surgery for my mom (one of her parathyroids was removed), and the healing of her knee that had been causing her lots of pain for months

the way Natey says "back-hoe" (wacko) and loves to play with construction machines

the upcoming visit from my mom while my husband is away hunting--helping this hunting widow not get so bitter

Nathanael being so tough as he braved stitches on his forehead

God speaking to me through Faustina's diary (again), teaching me what it really means to love:

"I see that the smallest things done by a soul who loves God sincerely have an enormous value in His holy eyes. And true love is measured by the thermometer of suffering. Jesus I thank you for the little daily crosses..." (#340, 343)

 

When God clearly has too much confidence in you...

When God has more confidence in you than you have in yourself,

He sends you two pink lines instead of one

because double lines leads to double the trust in Him.

When God loves you more than you can comprehend,

He gives you a task you don't think you can handle

because He wants to show you that you can--with Him.

When God gives you a gift you can't unwrap right away,

you simply say "thank you, thank you, thank you"

as you pray and wait to hold that present from above.

P.S. Please pray for me my blogging friends, pray for a healthy baby and for peace for this overwhelmed heart of mine.  I feel like an emotional train-wreck this week (hormones, perhaps?)  Of course I am thrilled with this news, but I'm struggling with the fear of miscarrying again, and also the reality of having 5 children with no family close by.  "Jesus, I trust in You" is perpetually on my lips.  I am due on May 5th, although I typically have my babies a week or more early.  We are all thrilled, and the boys say they are hoping for another boy--which would not surprise me in the least.  I would love having another baby boy, but I sure wouldn't be opposed to buying some pink either!  :)  God's will be done.  Thank you in advance for your prayers!

School Blues?

Today was the 1st day of school for the three older boys, and there was not a blue face in the bunch (only blue shirts).  Dominic was the most excited and was out of bed, hopping down the steps for breakfast at 6:26am (which is unheard of for him...typically he's my sleep-in kid). He was very proud to take his new Helena Brewers backpack, but most of all, he was beaming to be a big school boy like his big brothers.  This mommy was beaming to see them so happy and to know that they are going to a school that shapes not only their minds, but also their souls towards their Savior.

 

Aren't they handsome?

 

 

 

 

Hopefully they will act like perfect gentlemen at school like they always do at home...ha! :)

 

 

I will be prayng for their teachers.

 

Countdown to School



 

School starts this week, so we have been trying to fill the remainding days of summer with all the fun and sun as possible.  Here is a collage of photos from our last day at the beach.  The boys had a blast catching crawdads, digging trenches in the sand, fishing with their friend Alex, throwing rocks in the water, and swimming.  We had a very fun-filled summer, but I can tell the three older boys are eager for school to begin.  Joseph and Michael are ready to play with their classmates again, and Dominic is biting at the bit to start Kindergarten with Mrs. Ahmann (whom he adores...she's a family friend of ours).  It will be very strange for me to have only one little boy at home this year...CRAZY!

 

 



Planks and Pre-Registration

Last week our church had their Vacation Bible School program.  I didn't pre-register my kids for VBS because we were still debating on camping that week, and honestly, I didn't know if I wanted the commitment of running them back and forth every day.  But, after Paul and I discussed it over the weekend, he encouraged me to send the boys---if it wasn't too late to sign them up. 

So, Monday morning (VBS was starting that afternoon) I called the church office and asked if it was too late to sign my boys up.  The secretary said, "No, just come a little early so you can fill out the paperwork."  I was relieved and arrived over a half an hour early to register the boys.  The teenager running the sign-in table greeted me coldly:  "Oh, you're not pre-registered?  Sorry, your kids can't come."  I was a bit stunned.   I kindly explained that I was told this morning that my kids could come.  The flustered teenager found her mother who was the VBS coordinator.  Her mother explained (also a bit coldly) that since I failed to pre-register, the boys could not start today, but they could come back and start tomorrow.  "OK," I replied, as cheery as I could muster and tried to explain the situation to the boys while I was filling out the paperwork.  Dominic was especially troubled.  "But why can't we start today, mom?"  "Well, son, mommy made a mistake and didn't sign you up for VBS last week."  Although I explained things calmly to the boys, inside I was ticked.  I guess I thought the purpose of VBS is to share the gospel, to share God's love with children???  I didn't realize we needed to pre-register to receive the gospel...  I thought the gospel clearly said Jesus' love was free at anytime for anyone?   All day long I stewed over this.  I was even tempted not to send my boys at all, until I humbly realized how I was focusing on the speck in the other person's eye and refusing to see the plank in my own.  First of all, yes, I did fail to follow directions...  I failed to pre-register.  Pre-registration makes it easier for the coordinator to make name tags, organize crafts, snacks, and games, etc.  Secondly, yes, I was treated a bit un-Jesus-like, but I am still called to respond like Jesus.  Which I didn't.  I was judgmental and unforgiving and sarcastic.  I was also reminded how often I make the same mistake that the VBS folks made. How often to I expect people to "pre-register" in my life? If a friend asks me last-minute to babysit so that she can go to an appointment, do I graciously say yes even though it's inconvenient, or do I say no because she didn't give forewarning? Do I invite people over for supper to share a meal and the love of Christ, or do I make excuses and rarely have friends over for supper because my house isn't pristine, my cooking is marginal, and my kids might act imperfect? Do I expect my husband to call even if he's going to be two minutes late from work, or do I lovingly kiss him at the door no matter how late he is or if he failed to call? The list could go on and on... What a good reminder to me to always put on the love of Christ every morning so that I am ready in any circumstance to be His light to all I meet, pre-registered or not! :)

So, long story short...  I did send my kids the following day.  And they loved it.  And they did learn about the Gospel and Jesus' love.  But I think mommy learned the most of all.  ;}

Feast of the Assumption (republished) :}

The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of my favorite feast days!  We will be attending Mass today at noon, and our Joseph gets the special priveledge this year of being an altar server for this great feast day honoring Our Lady.  I didn't have time to write any new, profound theological thoughts on this often misunderstand dogma concerning the Blessed Mother, so I just dug up this post from the archives for folks to ponder and hopefully be inspired by... :}

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption. The dogma of Mary being taken body and soul into heaven is one commonly disputed among Catholics and Protestants today, but not one that was ever really disputed within the Catholic Church since the very beginning. The history of the Church tells us that nearly all theologians embraced this event as truth even before it was pronounced a doctrine. I think the reason it is so hard for many to accept this dogma today is that it is not clearly found in Scripture, and we have become such a "chapter and verse" kind of people. But can our God and His ways only be contained in a book? I think not. It is my opinion that theologians in the earliest Church had a more profound understanding and respect for who Mary was and what her role was in salvation history due to oral traditions and customs originating from the time of the apostles (many of whom are said to have witnessed this miraculous event). I believe Mary was and is "full of grace," spared from sin in order to be the very Mother of God who was chosen to bring our Savior into this world. So how fitting for our God to choose to raise His chosen Mother body and soul to be with Him in Heaven. God can do anything, so why would we doubt this event? After all, Mary wasn't the first or only person he raised in such a way (wasn't Elijah the great prophet taken up to heaven in a similar fashion too? My Old Testament knowledge is rusty, so perhaps there are even more examples of this).

Anyway, for further thought on this special feast, here is an excerpt from the AmericanCatholic.org website that I thought was very interesting:

On November 1, 1950, Pius XII defined the Assumption of Mary to be a dogma of faith: “We pronounce, declare and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma that the immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory.” The pope proclaimed this dogma only after a broad consultation of bishops, theologians and laity. There were few dissenting voices. What the pope solemnly declared was already a common belief in the Catholic Church.

We find homilies on the Assumption going back to the sixth century. In following centuries the Eastern Churches held steadily to the doctrine, but some authors in the West were hesitant. However, by the 13th century there was universal agreement. The feast was celebrated under various names (Commemoration, Dormition, Passing, Assumption) from at least the fifth or sixth century.

Scripture does not give an account of Mary’s Assumption into heaven. Nevertheless, Revelation 12 speaks of a woman who is caught up in the battle between good and evil. Many see this woman as God’s people. Since Mary best embodies the people of both Old and New Testament, her Assumption can be seen as an exemplification of the woman’s victory.

Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 15:20 Paul speaks of Christ’s resurrection as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Since Mary is closely associated with all the mysteries of Jesus’ life, it is not surprising that the Holy Spirit has led the Church to belief in Mary’s share in his glorification. So close was she to Jesus on earth, she must be with him body and soul in heaven.

Quote:

“In the bodily and spiritual glory which she possesses in heaven, the Mother of Jesus continues in this present world as the image and first flowering of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise, Mary shines forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come (cf. 2 Peter 3:10), as a sign of certain hope and comfort for the pilgrim People of God” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 68).

My Real Life...and some tips for real joy



In the blogging world, it's so easy to post pretty pictures and paint your life to appear perfect.  I know I fall into that trap sometimes when I post the highlights of our family events (after all, if I posted the lowlights and the reality of my daily chaos, what would people think of me?! Gasp!)  But today I want to remind myself and my readers how far from perfect my life is.  I feel inadequate and uncomfortable around people who seem to "have it all together."  In fact, people like that annoy me, so perhaps that is why I'm so adamant that no one thinks I'm one of them...  So let me set the record straight...  :)

Daily I struggle to find joy.  Daily I struggle to serve my husband.  Daily I struggle to be patient with my children.  Daily I struggle to wake up in the morning with a smile.  I'm not a cheery morning person; in fact, I sleep in until I'm forced to wake up by necessity (aka Nathanael).  Daily I feel like I'm failing in my vocation...

For example, having my boys home this summer has been sweet in so many ways, but it also has been a constant reminder how much more virtue-training I need to be doing with them.  I usually only blog about my boys when I'm bragging about how great they are or when I want to post pictures of how handsome they are.  No one wants to read about the reality of how often they bicker and whine and choose to be selfish.  No one needs to know that one son has a habit of lying and another who throws a fit when he looses a game. Nor would I want to capture their moments of ugly behavior on my camera to share with the world...  But that doesn't mean it's not part of our home.  Pride often prevents me from blogging about my failures as a wife or a mother, but perhaps being honest would actually be encouraging to others who are also struggling to be better wives, mothers, saints.  So here's more honest examples of some recent challenges... 

Last week I had high hopes of potty training our almost-2-year-old. I felt he was ready for all the textbook reasons; plus, I had potty-trained 3 other boys and felt like I knew what I was doing. It turned out to be a complete failure.  Completely.  That same almost-two-year old has also learned how to throw some dandy tantrums and likes to throw toys at anyone nearby. Nice. Sure makes playdates exciting (and embarassing for mommy).  But honestly I think he learned how to throw tantrums from me...  The other day I completely lost my temper in the car when my boys were complaining that Wendy's messed up our fast food order and, heaven forbid, we'd have to share since we were one sandwich short.  I sarcatically yelled to those little souls sitting behind me in the car, "Well, I guess I'll go without a sandwich since I'm the only only who knows how to sacrifice in this family."  Great demonstration of humble, joyful sacrifice for my kids, wasn't it?  Yes, sometimes it's the little things that turn mommy into a witch.  Thankfully, it's also the little things that can turn us into saints if we win those little, constant spiritual battles.  I read in St. Faustina's diary that she used to keep track of her spiritual victories and defeats each day.  For example, her dairy noted 86 victories, 3 defeats on Monday...64 victories, 5 defeats on Tuesday...etc.  If I kept score of my spiritual battles, I think my diary would have those numbers completely reversed...  Humbling.  Yes, my soul has lots to work on.   I thank God for his mercy and the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation which restore the graces that seem to leak from soul on a daily basis...

Well, while I'm honest, I might as well share with you that as a perfectionist and a hopeless romantic, I go through periods of what Anne Shirley would call "the depth of despair" when I find my marriage to be less than perfect and far from romantic.  It is such a struggle for me to pull myself out of the pit of sadness and bitterness that I fall into time and time again.  It's a challenge for me to serve my husband when all I really want to do is punish him with the silent treatment until he reads my mind and loves me the way I want to be loved.  Yes, sometimes I'm that immature.  I'm a spoiled brat trying to learn how to carry my cross without getting a sliver.  If you haven't figured it out yet, the reason I post those "Thankful Thursday" lists is because it is such a struggle for me most days to be thankful about anything.  My personality tends to wallow in what is wrong and wish things were different rather than embracing the abundant gifts that I have within my reach right now.

Anyway, I know I'm rambling, but I just wanted to give some examples of my weaknesses and the daily chaos of my life just in case I've given the false impression that I live a fairytale.  So I'll shut-up now and show a few recent photos I've taken with some tips on how to win more battles for joy, since I obviously need help in that area! :)

1)  START YOUR DAY WITH COFFEE AND GOOD CREAMER



2)  SEEK OUT NEW TREASURES (i.e. tadpoles)

3)  LAUGH OUT LOUD

4)  LIFE IS FRAGILE, SO LIVE EVERY MOMENT FULLY

5) SOAK IN SOME SUNSHINE

6) HAVE FUN WITH FRIENDS

7) TAKE A HIKE

8) PICK SOME FLOWERS

9) GET DIRTY

10) FIND BEAUTY AMONG THE WEEDS