St. Joseph's Feast Day

Oh St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. Oh St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while he reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss his fine head for me, and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us.
Amen.

Thank you, Lord, for such a dear father, a universal protector, doer and guide. Blessed St. Joseph, how great was your worth, the one chosen shadow of God on earth; the father of Jesus....(Danny Schneible)

Again, we are blessed with the beautiful feasts that Jesus gave us in the Catholic Church. "We are an 'Easter People!'" - St. John Paul II. We had a beautiful day with Mass in the morning, school and a house full of good smells and a lot of action as we cooked for the feast day before setting up our St. Joseph altar. 

St. Patricks. Day 2019

Christ within me, Christ before me. Christ behind me, lest I stray. Christ beneath me, Christ above me. Christ to shield me through the day. Christ on my right side, Christ on my left side. Christ in my sitting, Christ in my sleep. In peace surrender all of my sorrows, Christ when I rise my soul to keep. Christ in the hearts of those thinking of me and in the mouths of all who speak of me. Christ in every eye that sees me and ear that hears me, Christ shall be. - St. Patrick

...A blessed day in our home on St. Patrick's Day after Sunday Mass and a walk near the Shenandoah.

Thankful...

as November draws to a close today, our hearts have just begun to learn again what it means to plant seeds of gratitude, every single day. But, I think about all that I am grateful for and it all begins here at home. I am thankful for quiet moments with Our Lord when I can just lean into Him and be. I am thankful for one giving husband who is out grocery shopping right now with three big helpers in-tow, while my other gift of gratitude, Sweet Penelope, nestles in on my lap.

A Month of Thanksgiving

What a blessing it is to start the month of November out with the virtue of Gratitude, as we near the end of 2012. Each month in our school room we look to the 12 virtues of the year and slowly navigate our ribbon-tied clothes pin toward the next virtue to grow in as the months change, and hopefully, our hearts change too for the better. This month, though, I cannot be more grateful for the gifts God has showered upon us over the year. But, the gift that I am truly grateful for and want to thank God for is the gift of my husband, God's son, the giving Dad to our sweet four children, and the soul that teaches me to be the person God wants me to be. Caleb, I love you.

As I read from one of Penelope's patron "saints" writings (that is Elisabeth Leseur's), I reflect on one part of her diary, taken from March 6, 1912, in which she speaks of her dear husband and his good soul. The beauty in her writings here shows to me that each spouse is able to open up, help channel, deeply love, assist, suffer for, the good of his or her spouse in ways that the world or those in the world will never see and are maybe never meant to see. But, the point is that God deigns to each person, particularly in marriage, an "excavator," one's spouse, who , according to a spiritual director I had in DC, spoke of as being "a channel of grace," one to the other.

Servant of God, Elisabeth Leseur's words from March 6, 1912 (taken from, The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur, p. 122):
A short conversation with my dear Felix a little while ago deeply stirred the hopes and desires of my soul concerning that dear soul. Oh yes, my God, I must have it, Thou must have it, this straight true soul; he must know Thee and love Thee, become the humble instrument of Thy glory, and do the work of an apostle. Take him entirely to Thyself. Make of my trials, my sufferings, and my renunciations the road by which Thou shalt come to this dear heart. Is there anything that belongs to me alone that would not be ready to offer Thee to obtain this conversion, this grace so longed for? My sweet Savior, between Thy Heart and mine there must be this compact of love, which will give Thee a soul and will give me for eternity him whom I cherish, whom I want to be with me in Heaven."

In marriage, in friendship, in each relationship, thanks to God, He gives us the opportunity to freely give (and to receive in the like) forgiveness and love: totally what He did for us, without ever dangling something over our heads and saying that it is against His better judgement to forgive us. No, God in the Father, Son and Spirit, fully, totally, lovingly forgives us second after second, without any sign of reserve, if only we accept it. Again, Elisabeth Leseur writes beautifully on the loving act of the will: forgiveness:
To know how to forgive is the special mark of the Christian. Forgiveness should not merely be passive; it should be a lively act of love. (p.174)

I am Grateful

Throughout this week, we have had many transitions: multiple contractions coming and going at various points in the day and the night, early morning awakenings, later nights, and then: the real onset of labor, something that I hold near to my heart, something that I love, something that I am so grateful for, as a soul that has lain 9 months beneath my heart, transitions to a new world where God calls her to mission, but needs help in passing from one quiet world to the other, where noise, demands, confusion and joy will ultimately be scattered upon her path toward Him Who calls her forward. In all these moments, you were there, Caleb. You held my hand. You encouraged me to focus. You gave me my "daily bread" by bringing food to me upstairs as I labored in our room Monday morning as the kids played, and you remained home from work.

 Remember that morning?: 5:40am? The last big contraction came. I was excited. I thought, "This must be it." I remember leaning over to you as we set the plan for the morning for you to stay back because I thought "the baby would come soon and fast!" Intuition: what a gift from God, and how grateful I am that I told you and we acted on that together. Throughout that morning, you played with the kids two rooms down from ours: Lego time! You fed them breakfast, read with them, loved them as they passed in and out of our room to sit with me as contractions, long contractions, short contractions came and went, and grew closer together. You served. You served Him: you prayed with me. You served us: you loved, you fathered. You were. You were in the present moment with us. I am grateful for that. 

 

I am Grateful

Throughout this week you have made the days so enjoyable. Your presence alone has soothed me, knowing that our three treasures are secure as I rest. Swimming everyday. Ice cream treats to celebrate Penelope's birth. Enjoying Mass yesterday: you and our threesome together and then lunch at Giraffa's while Penny and I rested. Movie night. A beautifully-organized All Saints' In-Home Trick-or-Treating with well-organized clues, guiding Maddy, Pita and Caleb from door-to-door throughout the house. And, specially-bought candies from the Commissary, and specially-ordered Saint holy cards to pass out with each "Knock, knock! Trick-or-treaters!"

I am Grateful

 

 Thank you. Thank you for sharing your life with me. For, as our wedding song, Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor (I Am Nothing Without Your Love) says, weathering the storms of life together. For making the way up the mountain of life with me, together. Blessed John Paul II says it so well: "The way Jesus shows you is not easy. Rather, it is like a path winding up a mountain. Do not lose heart! The steeper the road, the faster it rises towards ever wider horizons." Nothing is perfect, but all can be perfected in Him with the hand that Jesus lends to us on this journey. I am so Grateful He lent me yours to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. While others can quickly relinquish another's goodness, I am Grateful that God binds us to one another in Him, in our marriage vows, to never ever give up no matter what difficulties, struggles, joys, confusions, moments of loneliness, heartache, come. 

There is so much to be grateful for, and I could continue to write in one letter here, but I will leave these thoughts to God's timing as I look to each moment to be grateful in these days of November as we celebrate the call to sanctity and reflect on the real moment God will call us home and ask us how we each cultivated the good He gave to us and if we shared that with our beloved. I love you, Caleb. Thank you for you and being open to God's graces and transforming love.

Praying for and Protecting Our Marriages with God's Grace and Help

The Tearing of the Flesh

It was all very beautiful the day we were Wed
We stood before God and our vows had been said
For richer or poorer, for better or worse
Til death do us part, what a beautiful verse
-We meant what we vowed and started our life
The way God intended, as husband and wife
We felt very blessed with the life that we had
The trials and triumphs, both happy and sad
-And as the years passed, what we both didn’t know
Is love can’t be felt if you don’t let it show
You settle for comfort instead of life’s joy
Then in roars the lion to steal, kill and destroy
-You’re not sure what happened, you try at all cost
To win back their heart, but your loved one is lost
Their soul has been stolen, one flesh torn apart
You cry out to God for their soul and your heart
-Then God whispers softly, “My child, come here
Put on your full Armor, for battle is near
Pray and have faith that the devil’s been beat
Go wait in the light, lay your pain at My feet
-This battle is mine, your prayers have been heard
My victory is certain, you know by My Word
So walk by your faith, and not by your sight
My Word is my promise, all wrongs will be right
-It may take some time, our ways aren’t the same
Keep love in your eyes and try not to blame
Satan will shoot you with fiery darts
To try to confuse you and harden your hearts
-Don’t let him fool you with lies and deceit
Keep your eyes fixed on Me and don’t think of defeat
For I AM the Lord, there’s none stronger than Me
And I will build hedges you can’t even see
-So fear not my child and take up your Sword
And walk right with Me, your Savior and Lord
Their hearts’ like a river that turns in My Hand
Just wait for My Promise while taking your stand
-Remember Beloved and rest while you sleep
Your tears in a bottle forever I’ll keep
I AM the Restorer, I’ve spoken, it’s done
The Flesh torn apart will again become One”

Micki Lowery

Listen: By Your Side, by Tenth Avenue North

Our Lives and Our Calls (Except for Sanctity) are Incomparable

Mary, humble handmaid of the Lord, we need your example today to discover God's will in our lives. You always gave God the first place in your life. Just as you pondered his Word in your heart, help each of us to seek his plan in all that we do. Give us the conviction that nothing is more important than doing the will of our heavenly Father. May we spend each moment in loving and pleasing him. Help us follow your example in proclaiming, I am the servant of the Lord, I will what God wills, when he wills it, as he wills it, because he wills it.
(Mother of Perpetual Help Devotions, Redemptorists) 

I do not concern myself about what God might be asking of others. Whatever God asks of me always makes me happy.

St. Therese of Lisieux

We must keep ourselves detached from all we feel or do if we are to travel along his path and live only for God and the duties of the present moment. We must stop all imaginings about the future, keep our attention on what is happening now and not bother about anything that has gone before or what may follow. I imagine that God's will always governs you. You will then have some inner prompting which makes you say: "I feel drawn toward this person or this book; I would like to give another person some advice or ask for some myself; I wish to complain about something, to open my heart to someone and in turn receive confidence, to give something away or to perform a certain action." We should at once obey these promptings of grace without relying on our reason or considering the matter at all. We must give ourselves to whatever God wishes and for as long as he wishes and yet never get personally involved in them. In this condition of self-abandonment the will of God moves us because he dwells within us, and it should completely replace everything on which we usually rely for strength and support...


All we can say can be reduced to this: "I feel drawn to write, to read, to question and examine. I obey this feeling, and God, who is responsible for it, thus builds up within me a kind of spiritual store which, in the future, will develop into a core of usefulness for myself and for others." This is what make it essential for us to be simple-hearted, gentle, compliant and sensitive to the slightest breath of these imperceptible promptings.


If we have abandoned ourselves, there is only one rule for us: the duty of the present moment. The soul is as light as a feather, as fluid as water, simple as a child and as lively as a ball in responding to the impulses of grace. We are like molten metal which takes the shape of the mold into which it is poured, and can just as easily assume any for God wishes to give us. We are like the air which stirs continually, or water which fills every vessel no matter what its shape.

We must offer ourselves to God like a clean, smooth canvas and not worry ourselves abut what God may choose to paint on it, for we have perfect trust in him, have abandoned ourselves to him, and are so busy doing our duty that we forget ourselves and all our needs. The more closely we devote ourselves to our little task, which is so simple, so secret and so hidden and apparently so paltry, the more does God enrich and adorn it: "God works wonders for those he loves" (Psalm 4: 3).

It is true that a canvas simply and blindly offered to the brush feels at teach moment only the stroke of the brush... We might ask it: "What do you think is happening to you?" And it might answer: "Don't ask me. All I know is that I must stay immovable in the hands of the [artist], and I must love him and endure all... to produce the [art] he has in mind. He knows how to do it. As for me, I have no idea what he is doing, nor do I know what he will make of me. But what I do know is that his work is the best possible. It is perfect. I welcome [it] as the best thing that could happen to me... I concentrate on the present moment, think only of my duty..."

Yes... leave to God what is his business and carry on peacefully with your work. Be quite sure that whatever happens to your spiritual life or to your activities in the world is always for the best. Let God act, and abandon yourself to him. Let the... brush do [its] work even though the brush covers the canvas with so many colors that, instead of a picture, it seems there is only a daub. Let us work together with the will of God by a steady and simple submission, a complete forgetfulness of self and concentration on our duties.

Let us go straight ahead. Never mind the lack of a map, ignore the lie of the land and take no notice of the places you pass through. Keep going and you will attain all you desire. Everything will be given you if, with love and obedience, you seek God's kingdom and his righteousness. There are many people who are uneasy and ask: "Who will guide us toward that mortification of self which will lead us to perfect happiness?" [...]

Let us stay united with God by love and let us walk blindly along the clear straight path of duty. His angels protect you, and if he wants more from you he will let you know.

-----Jean-Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751), a Jesuit priest and mystic. This quote is taken from Abandonment to Divine Providence published posthumously.

Grateful and Glad

We had such a good time together. Thank you for sharing a work trip with us: many adventures, yummy meals, pool time in cool weather atop the roof of a hotel in Sao Paulo's open-air Fall weather (memorable!), taxi car rides, enjoying the beauty of 4 little people lying on top of us in the back seat of a taxi, praying the Rosary in the taxis as we crossed the city from here to there and there to here. I love you.

We love you, Daddy!

Dad and his girls.

 Dad and his threesome for story time. Madge had a story, from the Children's Book of Virtues, on her mind before everyone headed to bed.

 Daddy's fourth Little Blessing still growing inside, to arrive in October.)

Caleb and Daddy in the bom-bu (as Little Caleb calls it.:)


We love you for the blessing you are in our lives. Thank you for sharing God's gift of life and welcoming our treasures into this world with loving arms. We give you this song to say, we love you. Happy Father's Day. May St. Joseph always remain your help and strength in perseverance in the face of difficulties, joys, and sufferings.

Prayer to Saint Joseph for Fathers

Saint Joseph, guardian of Jesus and chaste husband of Mary, you passed your life in loving fulfillment of duty. You supported the holy family of Nazareth with the work of your hands. Kindly protect those who trustingly come to you. You know their aspirations, their hardships, their hopes. They look to you because they know you will understand and protect them. You too knew trial, labor and weariness. But amid the worries of material life, your soul was full of deep peace and sang out in true joy through intimacy with God's Son entrusted to you and with Mary, his tender Mother. Assure those you protect that they do not labor alone. Teach them to find Jesus near them and to watch over Him faithfully as you have done. Amen. Pope John XXIII
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May God continue to bless our Dads, who said "yes" to our lives and lovingly and sacrificially served us in the family. We love you and are grateful for you. 

Love Notes Everyday

Madge and Pita, I love the notes (and flowers) you give to me each day. Just when I need a reminder of the simple joy that God sheds on each of us, daily, you bring such beautiful love notes. These are just a few Mommy keeps on the fridge to remind her of how much love you give, and how much love I need to remember God's love all day long. I love you, sweet girls, my angels.

A Train Track! Necklaces. A fun Saturday.

This afternoon Little Caleb was playing with "tchoos-tchoos" while Maddy and Pita finished making their bead necklaces with Dad's assistance and coordination. (Way to go, girls! Those necklaces turned out beautifully after you persevered with your needle and thread!) Little Caleb was looking for his "tchoos-tchoos" saying, "Tchoo-tchoo? Tchoo-tchoo?" Then, he found the bin of them and said, "Hi, Tchoo-tchoos!" When the girls finished with their necklaces, they joined Caleb, and wa-la, Madge made a beautiful train track. Calling us into the living room, she said, "This is the first one I have done all by my self!" It was a beauty and very much-appreciated by your siblings. We love you.At the end of Madge's necklace-making she said, "This has been such a fun day." It was. Just being together, at home, on a sunny Saturday was a perfect way to spend the day.