Beauty Tuesday: Children in Church

I'm pretty late getting this up.  To be honest I have been a bit discouraged with the blog.  My time is so short all the time and the whispers of doubt keep making me toy with quitting.  Is there anyone out there that wants me to continue?  If you do, please comment so I know these words are reaching somebody.

Sunday is a workout.  Getting everyone up, dressed, and out the door is a Herculean effort every week.  It shouldn't be, we get dressed every day.  Why is it so hard to even just find socks and underwear on Sunday?  Why are the same dress shoes that you have tripped over three times during the week now no where to be found? Why?  Why is it so hard?

Then there is making it through Mass.  I regret to say that as much as I love the Mass and thrive on its nourishment, I am often just surviving it until the final blessing.  Sweaty and tired, I silently rejoice when the priest extols us to "go in peace." Alleluia, no more wrangling little ones in the pew praying no one sees the antics that are going on.  How it would hurt my heart to think my little ones are disrupting others' Mass prayers as well.  Gospel?  I think there was one.  Homily?  Oh, did I miss it.  Consecration? There must have been, it's a Mass, but honestly for me it's just a blur.

This Sunday was particularly rough.  We got to the van and the gas light was on, I promise you there had been a quarter tank the night before or I would have stopped.  Little Man was irritable and uncooperative.  Lovie-Lu was clingy and easily upset.  I was tired going in, praying for a good soul quenching Mass. I needed it so badly.  I think I heard the Second Reading, the Gospel I apparently missed because when the Homily began and our priest began to preach on the Gospel I had to figure out which one he was even referencing.

Then Lovie-Lu lost it.  She cried and screamed.  I attempted to nurse her but she couldn't settle and Little Man was suddenly so intrigued by my nursing cover that I use practically every day!  I quickly exited just before consecration. Discouraged that I am not better at managing this.  Fatigued by the lack of quiet in my life.  Standing just outside the baptistry where there are windows to look in on the altar.  I swayed and rocked the baby for the rest of Mass.  At the final blessing, I sighed a breath of resignation and relief at the same time.

That is when it happened.  Our priest hushed the choir from beginning the recessional and spoke to the parish. He acknowledged that there were a lot of children who had not been happy and had been very noisy through Mass.  (Oh dear, the screaming had been one of mine.) He invited all the children who had struggled through Mass to come up to the altar for a minute. 

Fr R proceeded to grant them a special blessing.  He turned to the full church and praised the beautiful sounds of the vocal children.  He thanked God for the blessings of each little one who had come to Mass, and he asked all the parishioners to pray for the parents who had brought them because they were working so hard to just be there each week. Fr R said, "Parents, please, bring your children to church.  This is your home.  Do not ever be ashamed to be here with these little ones.  You belong here and we welcome you always.  Jesus said, 'Let the children come to me!' You are bringing your children to Jesus and you deserve our deep appreciate and love.  Always bring your children to church. We want them here and so does God."

Thunderous applause arose throughout the church.  Those few moments were such balm to my soul, I don't know that Fr R will ever know just how much. After the Mass, I approached Father and thanked him.  I admitted that my little girl was the screamer and he blessed her so tenderly. He looked at me, said he loved hearing her beautiful voice and thanked me for coming.

Children are beautiful. They are little snips of heaven. Each is a gift, a glorious gift from our LORD.  They are His, and we owe it to them to bring them to Jesus at every opportunity. I will most likely miss a good portion of Mass this week again due to distraction and the need to discipline a very active little boy.  However, I know that my fellow parishioners, my brothers and sisters in Christ, love me and applaud my effort.  How sad it must be to have a church with no children.  They are our future and our primary mission in this life to is lead the little one to heaven.  How can we do that apart from the Mass? Let the little children come to Me....


Today is Beauty Tuesday as we have been doing this summer on Veils and Vocations.   If you have a blog post you would like to share, please add it in the comments.  Thanks.

Beauty Tuesday: A Faithful Community

It's Tuesday, please link up below and link back to this post!

As I sat at our Catholic homeschool group's annual pool party, this post from a couple of years ago kept running through my mind.  I have been striving to respond to the prompts of the Holy Spirit more readily and decided to share this, again, today.  I have been so blessed by our community, but I am most indebted to Our LORD because without Him I am and have nothing!

Thank you, dear Christ, that I have you to worship and praise!

Before our current parish, we belonged to a small, traditional, country parish.  The priest was very devote and devoted, and known for well developed, lengthy, serious homilies.  His homilies contained a good deal of catechism but we're sprinkled with stories to drive the point home.  Decades later, there are stories that my husband and I still repeat and reference.

One, particularly amusing story went like this. (Imagine if you will the following delivered in a strong Polish accent.) There was a man who went to church every Sunday, and then one Sunday he didn't come.  After three Sundays, his priest was concerned and decided to pay him a visit.  The man lived in a big house on the hill over looking the village.  It was dark, cold, and windy when the priest walked up to the house. He knocked on the door and the man opened it and welcomed the priest into his living room where there was a large, warm fire blazing. The man sat down in his armchair and started talking, "I know why you are here, Father. I just don't see why I need to go to Mass.  Sunday is a day of rest, I say my prayers, I read my bible, why do I need to walk all the way to church to worship God?"

The priest said nothing, he turned and picked up the fireplace tongs and took a bright ember from the fire and placed it on the hearth. The ember glowed bright and seemed to grow in size, then it swiftly faded to grey and was just cold ash.  The priest, then picked up his hat and coat and began to leave. As the man showed him out, he said, " Thank you for the firery sermon, Father.  I will see you on Sunday."

 The priest simply smiled and walked back to the Church.

The point is, without a community, worship begins to die out.  You may begin all afire but just as swiftly begin to cool.  Jesus promised that where two or more are gathered in his name, there He also will be.  He realized that we needed support and each other to stay the course and attain deeper worship.  Our present parish has a church "motto" if you will, the begins with the phrase, "a community of believers."

That is our aim, to not be solely a collection of church attendees but a community, a family.  Apart from fellow believers, it is difficult to maintain focus on the narrow path, to keep going when the going is tough.  It is not to say that we go to church for the people, but we go for the collective worship.  We each have a part in the worship, no matter what our role in the Church, if any, is. Our collective prayers are joined to those of the angels to form the highest of all prayers, the Mass.  Even if we were unable to have the Eucharist present, Jesus would be there because we are gathered in His name.

However, we tread a fine line in building community and losing our sacred purpose. While we are a family, our primary purpose of attending Mass is giving glory to God and receiving grace from the Eucharistic sacrament.  Our sight is to be on the LORD, not each other.  It is a joy to have such dear friends through our parish, but social circles are not the aim of Sunday obligation. Our first obligation is to God.  We must remember this and strive to point others toward God that together we may grow in faith.  So please, remember that Church is God's house, come and leave quietly and reverently. Dress in a way befitting of meeting the King of Kings intimately in the sacrifice of the Mass, so as not to draw attention away from our heavenward advance.  Seek to not just get at the Mass but to give your whole self to Him who has given you all, not even sparing His only Son.

Let us be a community of believers striving evermore for holiness and grace.  In little ways, with great love, we can revitalize our churches, but it is not found in greater comfort or ease nor more socialization. It is found in a deeper, collective purpose to worship and exalt He who is above all, the Great I AM, our beginning and end.  For why did God make us? God made us to know,  love and serve Him, to show forth His goodness and to share with us His everlasting happiness in Heaven. (Baltimore Catechism) Let us show forth His goodness to every member of our worshiping community by coming together for the sole purpose of lifting high the cross and bowing down to our Loving Savior who from all good things come.  God bless you!

An InLinkz Link-up

#7QT-A Shop for Veils and Vocations

Did you miss Beauty Tuesday?  If so be sure to check it out!

I'm linking up with Kelly again this week--Hi, Kelly!

1

Anyone who blogs knows that all those ads for getting rich off of blogging are akin to signing your child up for little league at 3 because baseball will make you rich. Can it happen?  Yes.  Does it happen every time?  No way, and there are far more who just enjoy playing the game than will ever make a single dollar doing so.

So, I have been looking for a way to help support this blog and my family while still staying true to my mission.

2

As you may know, I have had an etsy shop for quite awhile but it has only been active on and off.  I never had a good business plan or a clear direction. I knew what I wanted but hadn't figured out how to get there or what it would look like.

3

Well, that has changed!  My shop is now fully stocked, with more items on their way this weekend. I am partnering with some amazing Catholic crafters to create the shop I have always dreamed of having.

4

What does this have to do with the blog?  Well, I don't want the blog to become a billboard for the store.  My reason for blogging is not to earn profit. However, my vision for my blog is a treasure trove of resources for Catholic moms just like me.  Am I there yet? No, but I am on a mission from God to provide those as best I can.

Enter my shop.  It dovetails so nicely with my blog because I offer veils and vocation dolls.  My plan is to expand the shop to provide items I would most like for my family at prices that make them accessible to every Catholic home.

5

All of the products are high quality.  I am to make my customers happy. I know as a mom how much work it is to provide for a family and how tight money can be.  When I purchase something, I want it for be something that will last and be well used.

6

This shop and Beauty Tuesday are my way of spreading light, beauty, truth, goodness, and joy.  I hope that you will become a fan even if you can't buy anything from the shop.  I am an expert window shopper, window shoppers are always welcome in my store!

7

I am going to highlight different products each Thursday over the next few months.  We have some amazing deals planned and many more products in the works. 

Do you own a book shop or parish store?  Do you have a Catholic shop that you frequent?  We are looking for wholesale outlets and are open to group, bulk orders.  Maybe get a group of friends together and order new veils.  You will get quality veils and a discount, and my family will receive the extra financial support we need right now.

Can't buy anything?  No problem--I understand more than you know!  Like us on Facebook and have a chance to enter one of our giveaways!

Is there a product you wish you could find? Please comment below. I really want this shop to be a service to the Catholic community.

Thank you for reading my little press release.  I hope you don't mind.  It is very hard for me to pursue self promotion, but I wanted to let all of you know what is new and different.

Please come back Tuesday for more Beauty Tuesday and next Friday I will have a new Let's Get Planning post! Thank you and God bless!

Beauty Tuesday: The Pattern of God

It is Beauty Tuesday, again, please link up below and remember to link back to this post.

A number of years ago, I took a Bible Study class on the ancient Tabernacle of the Israelite.  It was fascinating to realize how much care and preparation went into this traveling house of God.  What has stuck with me the most, though, is how the Tabernacle mirrored Heaven.  It was not just a random plan.  The LORD was not just being persnickety in asking for precise adherence to His Plans.  His Plans already exist and He was merely giving the human world a glimpse of the splendor of his kingdom.

Form, posture, and constrains of pattern matter.  Our entire world is modeled on the patterns of God because His fingerprints remain in His Creation.

All the Earth adores His name, and in time all will bow before Him.  Until that time, our liturgy is how we learn of Heaven.  Like the Tabernacle, the liturgy is divinely inspired. It has been handed down over the ages to instruct and lead those who prayerfully attend in the ways of God.

Liturgy is beautiful not because of what man add to it, but because it is a gift from God, a royal celebration.  Preserving and reverencing this pattern of worship is vital to the propagation of the faith and the evangelization of the people.

We now have two forms of the Mass, and I am not going to debate which is more valid.  The Vatican has deemed each licit and that is what I am accepting as true at this time.  However, there is still a pattern to the Novo Order, it is not a license to remake the pattern of God in man's image.  We must take pains to keep Christ the center of our liturgy and stay true to the ordained method of worship.  It, like the Tabernacle, was not created by happenstance.  The liturgy has purpose and function.  It is solemn and reverent because we are sitting at the feet of Our LORD and Savior.  Through the Mass we are welcomed into the threshold of Heaven where we are free to worship with the angels and saints.

The unity and universal nature of our Church is why we are called Catholic.  That is our true strength, not the individuals but the Church as a whole being the Hands and Feet of Jesus in the world.  Next time you assist at Mass, let you mind travel upward to the highest of Heavens, the to Holy, Holy, Holy.  Remember that this is our sabbath, this is our feast of the Lamb.  We must ever raise our hearts to Him and bow our heads in awe and wonder.

An InLinkz Link-up

Beauty Tuesday: The Bride of Christ

Please link up below and remember to link back to this post.  I decided to republish this oldie but goodie. Originally published May 23, 2014.

So many times we hear, "the Church doesn't like women," or worse, "God doesn't like women."  Nothing could be further from the truth.  For a few years, I led a Little Flower Girls Club group at my church.  It was something that the girls enjoyed and I felt passionate about, but it became increasingly difficult to get solid commitments from families with the pulls of so many other activities and sports.  Anyway, organizing the meetings required me to study not only the virtue of the month but Catechism and scripture to support it.  I believe I actually learned more than the girls I was teaching.

In my studying, I found an explanation of why women can't be priests that blew me away. It wasn't because of oppression, it wasn't chauvinist ideas, it was a solid truth that actually elevates women, not degrades them.  (Forgive me for not remembering the source, if anyone recognizes this and knows the source, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.) The core of the argument went like this, priests are married to the Church, they are the caretakers and guardians of Christ's bride.  They are the Church's earthly husbands, while Christ is ever the head of it all. However, women religious are--get ready--the brides of Christ.  Let that sink in, THE BRIDES OF CHRIST.  Is there anything better than that?  They are wedded directly to the Lord of lords and King of kings.

However, it is not just consecrated women that are special, all women are special.  Women have the hidden beauty of cooperating with God in His plan of creation.  They come as close as possible to being the very Hand of God.  When a woman conceives in her womb by God's grace, her body not only lends itself to the Will of God, but also works to construct what God has deemed to be created.  Women are a miracle of God's love.  Think about it, Adam was created from dirt, Eve from his rib.  God could have chosen any means possible to introduce new humans into His creation--stork deliveries, cabbage patches, anything!  We think that the tales of storks gliding down from heaven with a blanket sling that hold a precious baby to be left on someone's front porch is ridiculous child's play, of course that isn't how it happens. Think, though, about our all powerful, all capable, all knowing God who is able to speak, simply speak, anything and everything into being.  Yet, He chose a mere mortal to be His source of continued creation. It is through a woman that the world was first occupied and subdued, and it is through a woman that the Savior, the Son of the Living God came to redeem us all.

Mary was the first tabernacle, a living tabernacle.  She cradled in her body the Redeemer of all mankind, the prophesy of ages, the Alpha and Omega, the incarnate Word of God.  Can you imagine that?  Can you imagine the thoughts that raced through her head as her abdomen grew and she felt tiny feet kick her ribs.  Can you even imagine? While priests are anointed to consecrate the hosts and are placed as guardians of the tabernacle; a woman WAS the tabernacle.

We must always be mindful of how God loves women and reveres them.  As the hymn goes, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed in turn all women, too." (Hail Mary, Gentle Woman by Carey Landry) Our daughters and Goddaughters must know also how loved they are by God and how special they are in His Plan.  In upcoming posts, I will explore more deeply how to teach our girls their beauty and purpose in the Church and in Creation.

Does anyone have any other gems of wisdom that they have shared with women or girls about their beauty in the Faith?

An InLinkz Link-up

Beauty Tuesday: America the Beautiful

Happy 4th of July!  I have to apologize for totally forgetting last week.  I have to admit that I considered just ending this blog this week. I am juggling quite a bit and feeling like something has to give.  However, I don't think God is done with this blog yet, and when 3 more people decided to "like" my page on Facebook, I took that as a sign to press on.

My post is short this week.  I know that there is much controversy in our land and across the globe.  I know that America s not perfect, nor has it ever been.  We have made mistakes, some very large and tragic.  However, there is still so much  beauty to sing of.

This is a fallen world.  We are all sinners, me especially.  I am not going to try to point fingers, inflict blame, or act in self-righteousness.  I am just as guilty as the next person and know I have not always held up my end of the bargain to make America great and serve my fellow man.

Yet, I have such love for my country, and I believe wholeheartedly in our founding principles. Our founding fathers were sinners as well, many of them brilliant, but sinners all the same.  In their brokenness they sought to build a land founded on God's principles.  In their failings, they strove to succeed.  They envisioned the best and gave their lives to see it through.

Yes, America is not perfect, only Heaven is. America is beautiful, though.  We have beautiful lands, vista, plains, and bodies of water.  We have beautiful citizens who do love others, and live by the golden rule.  We have a beautiful history, too.  We must stop short changing ourselves with self deprecation.  Our future can be beautiful, too, if we just focus more on what can bring us together and less on what could tear us apart.

God bless, America!

Please link up below and remember to link back to this post.  Thanks.

An InLinkz Link-up

Beauty Tuesday: Beautiful Woman

My Lovie-Lu is six months old today!  Time is going by too quickly.  I know she has always been known as Little Lady on this blog, but Lovie-Lu is her nickname in real life so I may just change that.

Anyway, her half-birthday got me thinking of all kinds of sentiments and ideas.  I hope to do a whole photo shoot with her tomorrow to try to capture some of these most precious days that go by all  too quickly.  As I was musing over my plans for the shoot, I realized that today would have been my great-grandmother's 115th birthday.  It is also just two days after what would have been my grandmother's 96th.  These two women shaped me in way I am still discovering and taught me so much about faith, hard work, and what it means to be a woman.

I thought about my great-grandmother, to whom I was very close, remembered how she was, and what I could glean from how she conducted herself. Nonnie, as I called her, was a lady through and through.  She was dressed impeccably and beautifully every day of her life, whether she was washing dishes or attending a fancy party it made no difference, she was dressed from head to toe.  Nonnie always had her hair fixed, heels on, her outfit starched and pressed, her jewellery flawless.

My great grandmother was an amazing homemaker who could bake anyone under the table, including well-noted, professional bakers.  (Truth be told, her gift to me every birthday was her signature lemon meringue pie. It was my all time favorite, until she stopped baking because no one's has every tasted even close to hers!)  She kept an immaculate but warm home.  Nonnie was a fantastic host, an accomplished crocheter, a phenomenal cook, noteworthy decorator, and prim fashionista.

I began to contemplate what this beloved woman would think of my gaggle of children.  My oldest who shares her first name, my first son with his Italian features and hearty appetite, my little blondie who shares the name of her first son, and my little gem who is her only daughter's namesake. In trying to dream of what she would say, remember how she loved children and the time we spent together, I began to understand the beauty she taught me.  I began to mull over how it was not the clothes she wore than made her beautiful but how well she carried her femininity and lived her vocation that spread light through the world.

In today world, beauty seems to be everything, but it is not true beauty.  What the world sees as beauty is attraction and lust.  What it portrays as love is mere infatuation and unbridled desire.  None of these are beauty, not beauty ordained by God.  True beauty lies in living the expectations of a holy woman and embodying grace to those around you.

Like the Proverbs 31 woman, my great-grandmother was robed in fine linen. She rose early to serve and ensured her family had the best of all that mattered.  She was a gently beam of sunshine and a calming breeze of joy, yet, she was a fierce and tireless worker who was tough as nails where life required.  My Nonnie taught me what a beautiful woman is, not by her designer clothes, svelte figure, and trendy hair and makeup--she possessed none of those. Her beauty was in how she carried the precious gift of being a woman, how she veiled her sacred vessel and kept her lamp lit.

All of this as made me want to dive deeper into exploration of the beauty of woman--not for her physical features or what she does but for how she does it.  Perhaps all of this is but a rambling, I have ideas to share but still no words to express them. My Nonnie was one of my best friends.  I was so blessed to have had her for 15 years, and only appreciate now all that she endeavored to teach me. I long to turn back the clock 25 years and soak up what she was offering.  However, that I cannot do.

Instead, I intend to find out how she built her beautiful castle that I might teach that beauty to my girls and granddaughter, if God grants me any. Without grandmother or great-grandmother, it is my duty to teach them the fineries of feminine life.  I feel so insufficient.  Then I remember the Paraclete, the endless Love of God.  Perhaps this is my fiat.  "Behold the handmaid of the LORD, be it done to me according to Your Will"

The LORD's Will was through a woman, a kind, gentle, light filled woman.  She would not be splashed across the magazines of our time, yet was there ever a more beautiful woman?

Please share your post of beauty and link back to this post.  Let's be a lamp stand for Our LORD!

An InLinkz Link-up

Beauty Tuesday: The Communion of Saints

Welcome to another Beauty Tuesday.  Please link your post below and remember to link back to this post. Thanks.

We live in a fallen world. Whatever can go wrong will. It is easy to feel alone or discouraged even when we know that God is always with us.

This is the beauty of the saints.  I know that I know that I know that there is a God and He will never fail me, that Christ rose from the dead and He reigns.  However, I am just a humble mom here on earth a little pin prick on the blue planet, a speck of life in human history.

What do I really know of our All Powerful God?  The saints on the other hand, they are amazing but they were just like me.  Many were simple moms, some were very young, others  late bloomers, all were sinners.

The saints chose the better part here on earth and have gained their reward.  Although I feel so deeply flawed, I know it is possible for anyone to become a saint.  I also know those who have obtained the crown of glory, are praying for us still in the trenches.

Calling on a patron saint at any time is a great blessing of our faith.  There is a patron saint for everything and anything.  Did you know St Veronica is the patron of laundry??

The saints and angels surround and pray with us each Mass.  We are incredibly blessed to get to meet Heaven here on earth and have the backing of those who have fought the good fight, know our incredible struggles, and are cheering us into the ever after of eternal rest.

Have you sought the aid of any heavenly friends today?

An InLinkz Link-up

Beauty Tuesday: My Journey to Veiling

Welcome back to the Beauty Tuesday linkup.  I greatly apologize for the lack of linkup last week.  I was traveling and tried for hours to get into Blogger but my Kindle just wouldn't let me.  Even though, I could get into every other Google account I own.  However, I am here now, and I am glad you stopped by.  Please link up your post below and don't forget to link back to this post.  Thanks.

I am a cradle Catholic, although a much more conservative, orthodox one as an adult than I was raised.  I was always attracted to the beauty and majesty of the Church.  When I was in eighth grade, my family switched from our geographical parish to a small, Polish one. 

This parish was a blend of old and new.  It remained unchanged in appearance since it's inception in the early 1900's, however the Novo Order Mass was celebrated, much to the chagrin of the traditional priest.  He incorporated Latin and tradition wherever he could to keep the Mass in line with the past.

Such a traditional minded priest attracted traditional minded parishioners.  He even served a traditionalist community with Extraordinary Form Masses at he parish, weekly. It dismays me that i never took advantage of that opportunity, but I didn't know what I was missing.

But, I digress.  There were a handful of women who veiled that assisted the regular weekend Masses because Father preserved the communion rail and distributed Holy Communion both standing and kneeling--a practice I sorely miss. 

These women, and their daughter looked so beautiful in their lacy mantillas.  I longed to have one, but my family was not traditional and was happy to be done with the old ways.  I spent my adolescence marveling at this practice and yearning to know more.

Once I was grown, I continued my search, always wondering where these women even bought the veils and not even knowing what they were called.  Here is where the beauty of the Internet has blessed me.  Without it, I would probably still be searching.

After I was married, I began working with the local diocese on mother/daughter programs which inspired my own mother/daughter retreats.  I was in charge of collecting resources to sell and distribute at the event.  in one of my orders, I found the pamphlet, The Veil.  Finally, there were answers to my questions.

It took me nearly a year to get up the courage to order my own mantilla and broach the subject with my husband.  He was thankfully happy with my decision.  I veiled for the first time while we were away, still timid about standing out.

The first few months, maybe even year, I was still self conscious but at peace.  Now, I feel down right naked without a veil. As the years have passed, almost eight years now, I have fallen more and more in love with the devotion.  It is a devotion I choose to share and promote both here on my blog and through my etsy shop.

My simple, but beautiful devotion has brought my heart so much closer to God and our Blessed Mother. 

What is your favorite devotion?  How did you come to it?

An InLinkz Link-up

My week in #7QT

Ok, so I am linking up with Kelly to bring you a little glimpse at the past 8 days at the Veils and Vocations homestead.

1

Last Friday, Cowgirl spent a day at the Parish Visitors convent.  She had a great time at the "girls day."  What an amazing experience for young girls.  This meant 4 hours in the car but it was well worth it.

2

The weekend was so busy.  I racked up another 8+ hours in the car those two days.  Good thing we have the van with plenty of room and decent fuel economy! Sunday, the boys had a fishing derby at a friend's farm for Troop of St George.  Everyone needs a friend with a farm.

3

Monday we tried to just catch our breath after a crazy few days.  I had that travel hang-over you get from long road trips but we were local and home the whole time. I should note that in our neck of the woods anything under an hour is considered local.

4

Had my first link up on #BeautyTuesday  Did you miss it?  Check it out and please be sure to come back next Tuesday!

There was that little incident with the fire ants,  four ticks, a broken glass, a maimed ceramic bunny, and a slow cooker dinner that finished cooking about 20 mins after we ate a makeshift meal, but hey, all in all, nothing worth noting happened around here.

5

End of the year recital for our fine arts school took most of our day followed by Buddy's Irish step class.  I truly appreciate that my children have these opportunities but I am so ready for summer vacation.  Eight hours at fine arts school followed by a step class is a REALLY long day with my littles.

6

Thursday was the type of day made for a warm quilt, a cup of tea, and a good book.  None of those happened but that was the type of day it was--rainy and dark.  

I spent a lot of time setting up social media accounts for my etsy shop and mobilizing the troops to lean up the mess that is trailed throughout the house after so many hectic days.

7

It's Friday, again.  We are supposed to go to riding but it is still damp and rainy.  However, we are packing up for a road trip adventure to visit family this holiday weekend.  I will probably drive less this weekend on our out of state trip than I did last weekend just staying local.

Say a little prayer for me.  This is my first solo road trip with all four kiddos.  Little Lady's first road trip ever--although she is well acquainted with car rides thanks to her very social and active siblings.

How is your week going?  Any plans for the holiday weekend?

To all my readers who serve or have spouses or children who do, thank you for your service!

 

Beauty Tuesday: A Link-up

 I decided to add a new tradition to Veils and Vocations.  Each Tuesday, we will be having a link up party where you can share your latest post about the beauty of the world, the Church, your life, etc. 

We are bombarded with darkness everywhere we turn, but God created this world to be filled with beauty, goodness, and joy!  Please link your post below and help spread some light.  

Oh, and don't forget to link back to my post so others can find the collection of lovely posts each week.  Thanks.

Speaking of beauty, in my book there is little more beautiful than women and girls who veil as a devotion to our LORD.  It is a devotion that is close to my heart and part of my inspiration for this blog. 

Next week, I will be sharing my story of how I came to veiling.  However, this week, I want introduce you to something that is very exciting for me. 

In an effort to find ways to encourage and support my readers' journey of faith, I opened my etsy shop.  I will be the first to admit that it has not been very active of late.  Right now, though, I am working on restocking it and am overjoyed to now be carrying Fleur de Lis veils--lovingly, handcrafted by Marsha.

Her veils are true works of art.  I am thankful to have gotten to know Marsha and can tell you that her heart is just as beautiful as her veils. 

As a special gift to my readers, I am offering free shipping in my store through June 30th with the code FREESHIPMAY.  Thank you for being there to read my humble blog.  I know this isn't the fanciest nor most popular blog out there, but when I read the stats of how many visit this little corner of the Internet and how many coutries are represented by my readers, I am truly touched.

You may come here because you like my blog, but really I keep coming back because of all the love and support that has been shown to me by every click on this blogger link.  God bless you all!

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