Daily Actions

I will examine how I perform the ordinary actions of the day.

Have I risen at the sound of the bell and immediately turned my thoughts to God and to the subject of my meditation?

Have I prepared well the points of my meditation, and sincerely tried to make to make a good one; applying my memory, understanding, and will, and taking practical resolutions?

Did I hear Mass with reverence and receive Holy Communion with due preparation and thanksgiving?

Have I recited my prayers with attention and devotion, remembering that I was then praising God in the name of the whole mystical Body of Christ and in union with the saints and angels in heaven?

Have I applied myself seriously and constantly to my duties and occupations, with a right intention, seeing the dispositions of Providence in all circumstances of the day?

Have I avoided sensuality and selfishness in eating and drinking, and attended to the wants of my neighbor at table?

Have I been faithful in my devotions to the Sacred Heart, the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, my patrons and my guardian angel?

From Catholic Prayer Book

Faith (Do I.........?)

Questions to ask yourself:

Do I make an honest effort to grow in the virtue of faith by daily mental prayer on the mysteries of the faith, as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ?

Do I make at least a short act of faith everyday?

Do I pray daily for an increase in faith?

Do I ever tempt God by relying on my own strength to cope with the trials in my life?

Do I unnecessarily read or listen to those who oppose or belittle what I know are truths of my Catholic Faith?

What have I done today to externally profess my faith?

Have I allowed human respect to keep me from giving expression to my faith?

Do I defend my faith, prudently and charitably, when someone says something contrary to what I know is to be believed?

Have I helped someone overcome a difficulty against the faith?

from Catholic Prayer Book

Holy Week

"And the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest."

Today is Palm Sunday and the first day of Holy Week which leads to the most important feast of the year.

Important days of Holy Week:
Palm Sunday – Jesus enters Jerusalem.
Maundy Thursday – The Last Supper and betrayal.
Good Friday – The arrest, trial, crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus.
Easter Sunday – The day Jesus rose from the grave.

I pray for a blessed week and a glorious Easter for all, and I hope everyone takes full advantage of all opportunity for spiritual growth this week and the entire Easter season.

18 Again!

Today was my husbands birthday, and like many years before and many that are to follow he is 18. :)

I hope you had a happy & wonderful birthday Sweetie, I love you so much and I am truly blessed and thankful that you have chosen to share your life with me.

I made my first from scratch cake today, in his honor. To check it out please CLICK HERE to visit my food blog.

Spring Is Near

A couple of months ago I threw some wild flower seeds in the planter along our retaining wall, and they're finally starting to bloom. I'm so excited!!

Most flowers I plant die, so I thought this time around I'd start with seed, I sure hope they make it. The mix I chose is supposed to attract birds and butterflies, I didn't see today but then it is raining. I did however find a Lady Bug. I love lady bugs and I used to catch them all the time as a kid.

The very last picture is the view from my bathroom window. It was such a beautiful day I had to take a picture.

Possible Obstacles

7 Possible Obstacles to Our Sanctification:

1. Mortal sin
2. Deliberate venial sins
3. A lack of generosity in pursuing God's will and uniting our will to His.
4. Lack of bodily mortification.
5. Lack of interior mortification.
6. Lack of spiritual reading.
7. Lack of mental prayer.

"All the saints became saints because of mental prayer."

Lenten Discipline

A discipline won’t bring you closer to God. Only God can bring you closer to Himself. What the discipline is meant to do is to help you get yourself, your ego, out of the way so you are open to His grace.

~James Kushiner

During Lent

I will not be posting very often during the Lenten Season, but will not stop all together.

The plan is to spend more time reading the Bible, and finishing my books on St. Rita and St. Bernadette. I will also be practicing my baking skills more during this time. I know it doesn't seem spiritual, but I do a lot of thinking and have some great conversations with God while making things like Cake Balls.

There are many more things on my list for Lent, but lets see how much I accomplish and follow through with before I mention them.

Maybe you have some activities planned or challenges to accomplish? I would love to hear about them. I can always use more ideas.

Casting Crowns

A Good Read

Gina at Life Matters has made a great post, one that I think should be passed around so that maybe someone who fits into the catagories named will read this, stop, and think about their lives.

Although the article is directed towards men, I think it applies to women as well.

Read post HERE.

Life, the Potential

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

Dominican Sisters On Oprah

Aggie Catholics posted all the clips from yesterday's Oprah show and Paul and I just finished watching them.

The Sisters presented themselves wonderfully and answered commonly held questions about convent life.

If you have not already seen it check out Aggie Catholics for all the clips.

Tulips

I bought some tulips at Trader Joe's today, and after I put them in the vase I felt inspired to practice my photography.

Happy Monday

Though we stumble, we will never fall, for the Lord holds us by the hand.

Saint Colette

Colette was born in Corbie, France. At 21 she began to follow the Third Order Rule and became an anchoress, a woman walled into a room whose only opening was a window into a church.

After four years of prayer and penance in this cell, she left it. With the approval and encouragement of the pope, she joined the Poor Clares and reintroduced the primitive Rule of St. Clare in the 17 monasteries she established. Her sisters were known for their poverty—they rejected any fixed income—and for their perpetual fast. Colette’s reform movement spread to other countries and is still thriving today. Colette was canonized in 1807.

Quiet Moments

You would think that I would have many "quiet moments" given that I spend a big part of the day by myself, but that all depends on what you mean by a quiet moment. When I think of a quiet moment I don't think of just being alone and in silence, I think of something much better.

A quiet moment is a moment of peace, when the scene that surrounds you is so relaxing that it calms not just your nerves but your mind, and helps you see everything more clearly. When I have these moments I am usually left with an energy that I may not have had in awhile. I know when I experience a quiet moment I get inspired to do all sorts of things, like baking, cook something I haven't tried yet, create a few blog posts, call my mom when she's not at work & can actually talk, lie on the couch and read the entire afternoon, plan something fun, or just clean the house.

Quiet moments are important and usually much needed for everyone from time to time, but also hard to come by. Creating moments for yourself is sometimes just as beneficial as the moment itself, and I wish I did that more often.

Here are some of my favorite quiet moments.

* Walking around Home Depot (no really). I love looking at all the flowers and imagining how they would look around our home, and there's just something about flowers that bring me closer to God than I may have been 5 minutes prior.

* Looking through cookbooks. Not only does it relax me & have me wanting to make something bad & really fattening, but I enjoy it so much that when I'm done I feel as if I've had a mini vacation from my brain. Love it.

* Going for a walk with Paul. I do most of the talking on these walks (and every other time too) and between the exercise and being able to just let everything out it's like someone gave me a shot of adrenaline, and it usually lasts a couple days, at least. OK, it might not be quiet, but it has the same effect.

* Adoration. Spending time kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament does wonders for one's soul. I believe that's when I pray my best and truly remember all of the little things I'm blessed with and grateful for. A moment spent with the Lord is always the best moment.

What are your favorite "Quiet Moments"?

Things your burglar won't tell you

From an email.

Your Security team is committed in keeping you safe at work as well as at home. Below is a list of things your burglar won’t tell but we will.

Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your
shutters or delivering your new refrigerator.

· Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

· Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste ... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of computer gaming system they have.

· Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on your driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

· If it snows while you're out of town, Virgin drifts in the driveway are dead giveaways. I look for car and foot tracks to the house. [Get a neighbor to create tracks to your house.]

· If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy. And if your dead bolt has a thumb latch that’s great, now I can break the glass and enter by opening the door. Dead bolts that are keyed on both sides make it hard for me to enter.

· Some alarm company will alarm only some of your windows and doors. But I check all of them including windows on the second floor, which often access your master bedroom-and your jewelry. Most garage doors are not alarmed. I hate it when you have a good idea to put motion detectors there too.

· It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.

· I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)

· Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

· Helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.

· You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.

· I look for a house were no one is home. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If I think you are home I will find another home to check. If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com.)

· Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

· The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

· I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.

· I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

· I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or computer gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

· I look for you to announce your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.

· To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.

· If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

· Give me a brake. Don’t listen to those KRMC Security Guys. When you are at work is when I will be checking on things.

Thank you for helping us in keeping you safe and secure,

KRMC Security Services

350,000 March For Life

Chocolate Rose & Cake Balls

Tonight I decided to make Chocolate Rose Lollipops...they were really easy but I wish I would have bought more red chocolate 'Cos I ran out, which is OK since I also LOST the pretty wrappers that I wanted to use for them. Errrrrrrr!! Paul helped me look for them for a long time, long after I had given up he kept on looking. :) But they never turned up.

My plan was to take these to everyone at work tomorrow, but I guess it will have to wait, which is OK since I'm not sure I like the taste. I added some cherry flavoring to the Red Chocolate & I think I should have left it alone. I think if someone else made it I'd think they were great, maybe I'm too critical with myself.

I also made cake balls, which is something I make quite often. These ones were chocolate cake with butter cream icing mixed with Bailey's Irish Cream. Yummy!

The Word Hypocrite

Without actually looking up the meaning of the word "hypocrite" I'm going to talk about what I think it means & how I feel others use it.

My example of a hypocrite: Someone who speaks publicly about how a particular action is wrong, immoral, or just shouldn't be done to make themselves look good, but has recently participated in what they're speaking of (without owning up to it), or knowingly plan to in the near future.

How I feel too many people use the word hypocrite: Someone who speaks against any act that they feel is wrong, immoral, or just shouldn't be done, but has at anytime in their past participated in what they speak of.

Many people do things when they're young, uniformed, and misguided. Does that mean that they should live their whole lives according to the past, that once they realize that what they did was wrong that they have no right to speak of it, or prevent others from the same mistakes.

NO! No matter how small the incident, if it is wrong, it is wrong, and if any of us can possibly save someone from making the same wrong choices it is our MORAL obligation to do so.

I encounter people too often who I feel don't use this word correctly and I find it so frustrating, and I pray for the strength to speak up more when I can.

Am I the only one that feels this way?

Happy Anniversary!!

Two years ago today I married the most wonderful man in the world, and every day I know I am blessed to share my life with him. I never tire of spending every moment with him, and we never run out of things to talk about.

I'd like to mention a few things I love & appreciate about him, to him and to you, and even though I could list 100+ I'll only name 10.

1. I love how you wake me up every morning to talk while you eat your cereal, so that we have some morning time together.

2. I appreciate every time you help with the dishes & that you always wash all the dishes you use. THANK YOU!!

3. You're a man of true faith, and strength, and are a great example to everyone around you.

4. Thank you for working so hard to stay in good health, and for dragging me along kicking & screaming. :)

5. You have taken such great care of your mom this past year and have spent countless hours/days by her side, which just proves that you're a true blessing to so many others.

6. Creating reading weekends was one of your best ideas ever! I really enjoy spending the weekend on the couch doing nothing but reading and snacking all day together.

7. It was you who helped guide me home to the Catholic Church, and showed me how to have complete faith in God without even trying to, just by living out your faith daily, effortlessly.

8. Sometimes when you get really excited about something, a look comes across your face that makes you look 8 years old. I love that!!

9. Thank you for working so hard to provide for us. We are very fortunate to have what we do, and I am thankful to you and to God everyday for making it possible.

10. You are sooo much fun to be around, no matter where we go, or what the activity is, even if we go nowhere and do nothing, we have a blast together. You have a gift for making every moment special, fun, and unforgettable (yes I'm singing it-inside joke).

I love you so much Paulo and I can't wait to experience all of life's future adventures with you.

Family Prayer

Lord God, Creator and Sustainer of life, watch over our family gathered in Jesus' name. Guide and Guard us, keep us united in love for one another. Let your grace be our support in whatever emergencies may lie ahead.

Show us, Father, how to put the past behind us, give You our best today, and place our tomoorows in your hands. Bless our laughter and tears, ease our sorrows and fears. Teach us to appriciate every good gist from your paternal heart. Amen.

Church Traditions

Wearing a veil to Mass or Adoration is one of my favorite traditions. Veiling yourself in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament is a symbol of dignity and humility, and it makes me very sad that it is a tradition which is hardly practiced. The Tabernacle is usually veiled (or it should be) because it is a Sacred Vessel, and women should also be veiled because we too are sacred vessels.

The Cross

Little headaches, little heartaches

Little griefs of every day

Little trials and vexations.

How they throng upon our way.

Yet all life is formed of small things.

Little leaves make up the trees.

Many tiny drops of water

Blending, make the mighty seas.

Asking Him for grace sufficient

To sustain us through each loss

And to treasure each small suffering

As a splinter from His Cross.

~unknown

Wasp Spray

Another interesting email.

Please pass this on to your friends and loved ones, especially the women.

Even if you have a gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone's evil plans for you....and you can carry it in your car with no problem!!

Thought this was some good advice.

Did you know this? I didn't. I never really thought of it before.

I guess I can get rid of the baseball bat.

Wasp Spray

A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her thatshe get a can of wasp spray instead.

The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection. Thought this was interesting and might be of use.

On the heels of a break in and beating that left an elderly woman in Toledo dead, self defense experts have a tip that could save your life.

Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High School. For decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your door or bed.

Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can teach them."Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or pepper spray. The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into your home, Glinka says "spray the culprit in the eyes". It's a tip he's given to students for decades.

It's also one he wants everyone to hear. If you're looking for protection, Glinka says look to the spray.

"That's going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out.

"Maybe even save a life.

Walmart Commercial

I saw this over at A Broken Fortress and it's just too funny not to pass on.

New Layout

Well I've decided to go with 3 columns, but I'm not sure if I like it.

Please tell me what you think.

Does it seem too cluttered/crowded?

UPDATE:

Ok, so it's no longer three columns and though I loved my original backround...I really like this one too.

I know, I know, such a big deal about what the blog looks like, what's the big deal??

Well, it is a big deal for me. I want all of my readers to love what they see when they stop by.

Plans for 2011

I love old mission style Churches as I'm sure many people do, and I've been thinking that I would love to take a road trip dedicated to visiting these old Churches. I don't see a trip like this being possible for 2010, but I'm hoping we can make it work in 2011.

I haven't looked into this yet, but I'm pretty sure we can find lots of Churches if we stayed along the coast. What a beautiful drive that is, even though I drove some of that last year, I would do it again in a heart beat.

Highway 1 is gorgeous, but, I would demand (yes, I said demand) that we drive up highway 1 and find another way to get home. Even if we rent a car to drive up and fly back down. Driving down the 1 means being on THE EDGE of the cliff and after nearly having a nervous break down the last time, I refuse to go through it again. As long as we're on the side of the road closes to the mountain, I'm good to go.

What places are you planning or just hoping to go to?

The picture was taken on last years road trip, it is the top of San Carlos Cathedral in Monterey, Ca. The reason I only took a picture of the top is because the rest of the Church was covered by scaffolding due to repairs.

Prayers for Sean

Tomorrow at 2:30 PM my nephew Sean Michael will be having surgery for an abdominal hernia. Sean is only 9 years old & I'm sure he is pretty scared about the operation since most adults I know get completely freaked out when having to go under.

He's a tough kid & I'm sure he will recover nicely & will be back to playing baseball, football, riding dirt bikes, and all the other activities he loves so much in no time.

While I know all of Sean Michael's family and friends are praying for him, I'd like to ask all of you to offer a prayer for him as well, not only for the outcome of the surgery but for a quick and easy recovery. Every prayer helps.

We love you Sean Michael!

Uncle Paul & I are praying for you.