The Nineveh 90 for Kids

I have found that the surest way to not get to post something is to put in a previous post when I will be publishing.  It happens every time.  Sorry about that!

The Nineveh 90 began on on Monday.  It may be four days in, but it is never too late to repent and amend your ways, right?

I signed up to follow the program and am finding it challenging, but I need a challenge right now.  I'm truly hoping by the end of the 90 days, this plan has kicked my spiritual life into shape.  After explaining the program and the purpose to the children, they wanted to get on board--well, at least the two older ones.

It's wonderful that they are taking this on, but the requirements are a bit daunting even for an adult and I did not want it to become something I had to police for them.  Nor did I want them to get easily discouraged.  Fasting and praying are vital parts of building a solid faith formation.  It needs to be something that can be met with success to become a life long practice.

So, here is the modified version of the original 10 step plan.  I took out the exercise and sleep requirement because they are getting plenty of each, so there is no need.  However, alter this as you see fit.  The legalistic nature of the program is not the point, being more mindful of our actions and offerings to God is!

 

I will be posting photos of our prayer bouquets later this week.  For instruction on how to make your own look here.  How is your Nineveh 90 going?

 

 

A Little Chat

So, I found Michele's post in my emails recently.  I have to admit,  I am behind on any blog reading.  Trying to keep up with the lofty goals I set for Lent.  Anyway, it got me thinking.  Maybe she is right.  I mean, I really love those chit-chatty posts as well.  This blog has been suffering from lack of time and energy, coupled with pressure (all self inflicted) to produce the best post ever, every time!

Here's a resolution to post more and analyze less.  We currently have some sort of nasty virus sweeping through the house--people are dropping like dominoes flies (if my husband reads this post he will appreciate my mixed up idiom usage)  So, perhaps I am a bit delirious--I feel like I am next.

How is your Lent going?  Too quickly?  I know what you mean.  I am so enjoying the Matthew Kelly's Best Lent Ever and St Paul's Center for Biblical Studies course on Mary and the Bible.  However, the best part of my Lent, so far, has been my last minute decision to throw together a small group study for 33 Days to Morning Glory.  I received the book as a gift at least four years ago, completing it in a group has made me stay on track and not give up.

These Lenten gems have been just what the doctor ordered for my homeschooling fatigue.  Please tell me that I am not the only one!  Middle school, Communion prep, and a noisy, crazy toddler have worn me down.  I keep asking myself, "Why am I doing this?"

I know the answers, I can give them myself--I just don't always like them.  I keep looking for another option, even though I know that one does not exist that will meet my goals and standards.

Speaking about "why am I doing this?" it is time to begin working on the Children's Stations of the Cross for Good Friday.  I was not looking forward to tracking down kids to play each part, and pleading with singers and readers.  However, God is good.  I already have five children signed up in the first few hours of registration--including Jesus, which is usually the hardest sell!

How about you, do you have any special events for children at your parish this Lent?  Thanks for stopping by to chat awhile. 

The Greatest New Baby Announcement of them All!

The Angel of the LORD declared unto Mary

And she conceived by the Holy Spirit

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Thus begins the Angelus, one of my Lenten devotions this year.  Can you imagine the joy that Mary felt, despite any concerns she had about being a young mother?  I can remember when we discovered each of our pregnancies. The joy, nervousness, excitement, awe.  They were each a gift, even those that we had to bid goodbye too soon.  The moment of learning of a new little being waiting to be born, is indescribable. Throughout Lent, I have pondered how much more those emotions would be if an angel of the LORD had delivered the news.

Tomorrow is the Feast of the Annunciation.  It is only nine months until Christmas, but those original nine months changed the course of history forever.  How fitting that in the midst of Lent, while we wait in the desert, we receive the best gift--a royal baby announcement, the heralding of the long awaited Son of God.  Our entire salvation is wrapped up and handed to us through Mary's fiat, her yes, her submission to the almighty. Without her acceptance, Easter would never be. She gave her whole self so that God could give all He had--His Son--and welcome us into the Kingdom.

In the coming weeks, I am going to run a series on the Works of Mercy and how we can incorporate them into our daily life, as a sort of baby shower present to our Blessed Mother. She gave her life, so that Christ could give His. In thanks, let us find some ways to give more of ourselves for the least of these.

God bless!

Our Lady of Guadalupe Statue Tutorial in Seven Quick Takes

It's Seven Quick Takes Friday!

When I was a little girl, I loved dolls--actually I still do. When my mom finished a bottle of dish soap, we would craft homemade rag dolls using the bottle as a form. I have not made one in over 25 years, but as I was finishing up my last bottle of dish soap, I had a yearning to do it once more. Perhaps it was a wish to reconnect with my memories of my mom. Either way, I wanted Cowgirl to have a taste of my childhood. So, I put the empty bottle aside and took it out today for a special Our Lady of Guadalupe craft.

1

Assemble your materials.

We raided the scrap pile and also took out a Styrofoam ball, floral wire, two cotton balls, glue gun, gold glitter glue, ribbon roses, and a couple pieces of ribbon. Please note, in the photo is a pipe cleaner, I know my mom used to use this for the arms but it didn't seem long enough so we switched to floral wire. You will also notice the knee high, that is needed for our first step, and thankfully I had a stray in the laundry area just the right color.

2

Attach the head.

Take the Styrofoam ball and place it in the toe of the knee high. Tie a knot at the base of the ball and cut off the remainder. Save this for later. Glue the ball to the top of the bottle. Make sure to run a bead of glue around the edge for stabilization.

3

Add arms and hands.

Cut a 16 inch piece of floral wire. Find the center and place it at the back of the "neck", then twist the end around and over each other twice. Secure with a little glue.

Bend the two ends up in loops to form hands. Glue a small cotton ball over each hand.then cut a two 1" lengths of knee high. Cut one side of each tube to make a flat rectangle. Cover the cotton balls with the knee high rectangle and glue around the "wrist." Adjust arms to fall naturally.

4

Add hair.

We used a scrap of black felt, but black yarn works well, too. Cut strips of black felt and glue to either side of head. We also cut and attached half moon shaped pieces to form bangs. Hair is only needed in the front because of the mantle.

5

Put on the gown.

I folded the pink fabric in half. I then cut a rectangle that was about 11.5 inches wide and 9.5 inches high, with the crease at the top so that the total rectangle is about 19 inches high.  Keep crease at top and cut a small neckline about 1.5 inches wide in the center. Also, cut a one inch slit down from the center point of the back neck hole. This will help to get the robe over the head.

Slip on the robe.Glue around neck to secure. Then with a 1/4 inch wide ribbon or scrap of fabric, make collar to cover top bottle as well as edges of fabric.

6

Tie waist band and add roses.

Us a a ribbon about 8 inches long to tie the waist band. Adjust gown to form arms and secure with glue around wrists. Glue roses to front hem of gown.

7

Add Mantle.
Hold blue sheet of felt in a diamond shape. (I realized after we were finished that her mantle should have been green. However, we didn't have any green felt. Once I get to the craft store, I am going to put on a green mantle over the blue one and make new stars.)  Fold over top corner and glue to top of head. Secure around head and in lower back to keep from it popping up. Then decorate with dots of gold glitter glue for stars.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.

Linking up with Catholic Bloggers, hop over there for more inspiration.

Faithful Prayers Can Move Mountains

For those of you who follow this blog on Facebook, I posted an urgent prayer request that I received from Mary.  Below is my original post, copied from an email:

An Urgent Prayer Request, Please Read and Pass On:

Dear Friends,

Just a few minutes ago I received the following text message on my phone from Sean Malone who leads Crisis Relief International (CRI). We then spoke briefly on the phone and I assured him that we would share this urgent prayer need with all of our contacts.
"We lost the city of Queragosh (Qaraqosh). It fell to ISIS and they are beheading children systematically. This is the city we have been smuggling food too. ISIS has pushed back Peshmerga (Kurdish forces) and is within 10 minutes of where our CRI team is working. Thousands more fled into the city of Erbil last night. The UN evacuated it's staff in Erbil. Our team is unmoved and will stay. Prayer cover needed!"

Please pray sincerely for the deliverance of the people of Northern Iraq from the terrible advancement of ISIS and its extreme Islamic goals for mass conversion or death for Christians across this region.

May I plead with you not to ignore this email. Do not forward it before you have prayed through it. Then send it to as many people as possible.

Send it to friends and Christians you may know. Send it to your prayer group. Send it to your pastor and phone him/her to prayon Sunday during the service - making a special time of prayer for this. We need to stand in the gap for our fellow Christians.

I posted this on Facebook and then forwarded to several friends.  My friend, Dara, sent me back the Our Lady of Knock Novena and asked everyone on the email chain to pray it for the persecuted and those ministering to them.  So, I am starting another pray-along.  Starting today, please pray this Novena with me, fast if you are so led.  Prayer and fasting can truly move mountains.  So, please take this opportunity to do great work.  It may seem like praying in your living room is doing nothing, but petitioning the Almighty is never a lowly task.  Through prayer, fasting, and alms-giving we can change the world and led our enemies to Christ.  Thank you.

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF KNOCK
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Give praise to the Father Almighty,
To His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord,
To the Spirit who lives in our hearts,
Both now and forever. Amen.

Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, you gave hope to your people in a time of distress, and comforted them in sorrow. You have inspired countless pilgrims to pray with confidence to your divine Son, remembering His promise, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find."

Help me to remember that we are all pilgrims on the road to heaven. Fill me with love and concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who live with me. Comfort me when I am sick, lonely or depressed. Teach me how to take part ever more reverently in the Holy Mass. Give me a greater love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Pray for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world;
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world;
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world;
Grant us peace.

ST. JOSEPH,

Chosen by God to be
The Husband of Mary,
The Protector of the Holy Family,
The Guardian of the Church.
Protect all families
In their work and recreation
And Guard us on our journey through life.
(Repeat - Lamb of God, etc.)

ST. JOHN,

Beloved Disciple of the Lord,
Faithful priest.
Teacher of the Word of God.
Help us to hunger for the Word.
To be loyal to the Mass
And to love one another.

(Repeat - Lamb of God, etc.)

Our Lady of Knock Pray for Us
Refuge of Sinners Pray for Us
Queen Assumed into Heaven Pray for Us
Queen of the Rosary Pray for Us
Mother of Nazareth Pray for Us
Queen of Virgins Pray for Us
Help of Christians Pray for Us
Health of the Sick Pray for Us
Queen of Peace Pray for Us
Our Lady, Queen and Mother Pray for Us
Our Lady, Mother of the Church Pray for Us
(Here mention your own special intentions)

With the Angels and Saints let us pray:
Give praise to the Father Almighty,
To His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord,
To the Spirit who lives in our hearts,
Both now and forever. Amen.

Instruction:
The Rosary or Mass and Holy Communion is recommended each day.

A pamplet of the novena can be downloaded, here.

An Explaination of the Mantilla for Children

Throughout history, women and girls have kept their heads covered to protect them from the weather but also to show honor to God.  A girl's long, beautiful hair is like a princess' crown.  It crowns her with glory and makes her special.  God designed every girl to be one of His most beautiful creatures.  When a girl covers her hair it does not make her less beautiful, it makes her more special.  She is showing that she is special and God's princess, but also set apart for God.

 

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Mary, Our Blessed Mother, has always appeared with her head covered.  She is the most beloved and special of any woman to ever have lived or that ever will live.  Her veil is a symbol of her fiat, her saying the most precious "yes" to God.  Mary said yes not just to being Jesus' mother, but to serving God always in every way.  She gave her whole self to God for His Plan, that is why she is most blessed.



When women and girls veil it is not to draw attention to themselves but to draw attention to God and that in turn makes them even more beautiful and radiant.  Mantillas are beautiful works of art in themselves.  They are a unique and attractive way that God sets girls apart and shows how precious they are.  The beauty of the lace conceals and amplifies, or make better, the beauty of the girl wearing it.

 

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As it says above, generations and generations of girls and women covered their heads.  In the south of Europe, it is very hot most of the year.  So, mantillas were created because they were a way to show modesty and honor, but the light, lacy fabric made them more comfortable to wear in the heat.  Popularity of mantillas for worship spread throughout the world and became the standard way that Catholic women and girls covered their heads.  In America, the tradition ended a few decades ago, but it beginning to come back again.  In Spain, mantillas are still worn for all of Holy Week, to bull fights, and other religious ceremonies and worship.

 

Traditionally, young and unmarried girls wore white mantillas, and married women and widows wore black.  However, today there are so many colors to choose from.  Many different styles, colors, shapes, and variations of mantillas exist but all for the same purpose, to veil the sacred and special.  Until recently, everything in the Church that was most special was veiled in exquisite lace and quality fabrics.  The most decorative veils were reserved for the Tabernacle, where Christ is present in the Eucharist, and the precious vessels that hold the consecrated Hosts for Communion, which is also the living Jesus.

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If you see someone with a mantilla and you want to ask questions, do so politely, I am sure that she would love to explain why she wears it, where she bought it, and what the devotion means to her.  If you are interested in wearing a mantilla yourself, talk to your mom and look online.  There are so many, many shops online that offer beautiful mantillas in all different price ranges.  The most important thing to remember about wearing the veil is that it is a devotion to God and an outward sign of an inner commitment to serve and love Him with all you have.  You may feel a little self conscious at first, especially if not many other girls are veiling, but I think you will quickly see that the veil draws your attention to the altar and your thoughts to God, and soon you will be so involved in the Mass you will forget about what anyone else thinks.

If any girls have questions, please leave them in the comment box or email me.  I am happy to answer or I could have my daughter answer.  Thanks and have a blessed week.

The Golden Hail Mary

I once had a prayer card with a beautiful poem entitled "The Golden Hail Mary."  After many years and several moves, I can no longer locate it, but I always remember reading it over and over some days.  I have searched high and low for that poem online and have not been able to find it again.  The gist of the message was though, that a simple Hail Mary said in haste is worth more than many other
prayers repeated at length.

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The Hail Mary is a perfect prayer, it not only calls upon the Blessed Mother's intercession but extols her Holy Son to his proper place of being within the middle of every act of worship.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace

The LORD is with thee

Blessed are thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb

Jesus

Holy Mary, Mother of God

Pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death. Amen

The name of Jesus, that is above all names, that is the source of all strength and peace, within which when two or more gather, God is present; is the very center of this prayer.  It is not a worship of Mary but an acknowledgement of her holiness because she was chosen to carry the Savior, the Messiah, the Christ, the Great I AM.  Mary is our garden path to the treasure of Heaven, our stepping stool to the heights of the Holy, Holy, Holy.  Christ is our Redeemer, but without Mary, our salvation would not be.  We know little of Mary's life apart from her carrying, delivering, and rearing the LORD on earth.  She is a constant throughout His earthly journey and ministry and there at His last moments on the cross.  However, consider that she may have been an accomplished baker or sought after seamstress.  She may have earned accolades through the community for her sweet singing voice or creative mind.  There are many facets of her life that may have been, yet we know little of them.  Why?  Because her entire being is wrapped up in the fulfillment of prophesy and salvation. It is not important what else she did, because she did the greatest of all acts by fully giving herself over to God for his express plan and purpose.  As St Catherine of Siena said, "Be who you were created to be and you will set the world afire." At her Fiat, her autonomy ceased, and her servitude began.  However, it was not a slavery of drudgery but of joy.  She became the living Tabernacle and through her tenderness Christ learned to love His Bride, the Church.

In this prayer, the Name of Christ is placed directly between the biblical passages that compose the first half and the catechetical affirmation of her true identity, mother of God.  In that exact position is where Christ lives, between biblical prophecy and the tradition and growth of the Church.  He is the connection between the God of the old covenant and the two millennia of the Catholic Church, the hierarchy and laity, the past and the future, the Church at rest and the Church militant.

In these days of persecution when we feel evil and darkness all around, many may be searching for the prayer that will land sweetly on the Father's Ear.  The Hail Mary is that prayer.  She is our mother, eager to soothe and console her broken children, but she is also the mother of God and who could love Christ more than her, other than the great God of love that passes all understanding.  In this persecution it is not just believers that are being broken, but her precious Son, Himself.  In hating Christians, Christ is being defiled.  Mary is the mother of the Son, Spouse of the Spirit and Handmaid of the Father.  She is the most intimate of saints to the Heavenly Trinity.

There have been reports of the Marian statue in St Joseph's Church in Iraq weeping tears of oil that turn to blood. This is not a substantiated claim and there are plenty of cynics, but you can bet that Mary is weeping even if her statue isn't.  She is crying for the mothers who have watched their children die, for the children lost and longing for their mothers, for those who are huddled scared of terror coming for them in orders to kill the followers of Christ, for those who have fled to an unknown land to try to protect their family with nothing but the clothes on their backs.  She has been all of these people, she knows the pain of torment and torture, of being a refuge, of being hated and hunted.

Let us all turn to our Mother and beg her intercession and request her gently caring upon all who mourn and weep.  May St Michael defend us and Our Lady of Victory pray for us!