Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real

I am linking up with Like Mother, Like Daughter this Thursday.

Pretty

My children are crafters, well I don't know about Little Man, but since most of the free time in this house is spent doing arts and crafts, I think he has little choice but to join in.  For my birthday on Tuesday, I was greeted with the following prizes when I woke up.  Cowgirl made me a handmade card and a leather bookmark that she upcycled from her father's broken belt.  Buddy made me a "lunch box and thermos."  The lunchbox included a lip balm. I'm not sure what else I could really carry in it, but you have to admit it is creative, and I do need a new thermos.  We like to carry along water wherever we go in reusable bottles, mine recently broke. 

Happy

I had a very happy birthday that included a yummy pie from one of our local orchards.  I am not a cake person, although I am beginning to like it more as I get older which actually is not a benefit.  When I was a child, my great-grandmother always made me a lemon meringue pie for my birthday.  It as a perfect lemon meringue pie and I have yet to find any that come close.  I suppose that is part of the reason I always like pie for my birthday.

I also got great news that I won a copy of The Little Oratory!  I will be reading it this summer and hooking up with Auntie Leila in her series on building little oratories in the home.  Happy Birthday to me!

Well, I had to include a few pictures of Little Man under happy because he IS the happiest baby on the block!

                                                   Delicious teas from my husband

Funny

Did I mention that my children like to make things?  Buddy has been wanting a workbench for his tools and building projects.  There just isn't room in the house and we aren't in the position to build a workshop in the backyard right now, but we found this table on the side of the road and it has been just wonderful.   Before you look too closely at the picture, let me issue a disclaimer.  My husband is fond of quoting Father M's dad who once said in his Irish brogue, "I'm raising kids, not grass."  I keep asking why we can't try to do both, but so far no one agrees with me.  We live in a very shady valley on top of a hill (yes, you can live in a valley on top of a mountain!)  This also means tons of run off from the surrounding hills, add to that children that love to tear around the yard and you get mud.  Oh, and those toys strewn about, they aren't negelcted, that is one of Cowgirl's jumping courses where the kids pretend to be horses and race through obstacles.  A couple of years ago, I reseeded the whole yard and was excited that the bare patches (at that point it was only patches) would be gone.  Just as the seed was starting to sprout, Buddy came to me one day and told me he had done a great job cleaning up the yard.  I followed him to see what he had done, proud that I had raised such a responsible young child, much to my dismay, he had gathered up all the grass seed that was "littering" the yard and put it in a pile in the corner of the patio. So the state of the yard is funny but not, I'm hoping to get some green in there again this summer.   

The kids spent the afternoon of my birthday building me more projects and painting away.  They tested out Buddy's new coping saw, too.  This is the finished product.

A welcome sign, who needs that silent e anyway.

I inherited my grandfather's crucifix, when we moved into this house I was so happy to get to hang it over the front door.  When Cowgirl was about four, she made the colorful cross taped next to it in Sunday School and told me my crucifix wasn't very fancy so I should replace it with her paper cross.  I compromised and taped it next to the crucifix and it's still there.  Last Christmas, Buddy made the large paper cross on the door because he said we need to remember Jesus died on the cross and that is more important than Christmas decorations.  For my birthday, he made me the log decoration hanging in front of his cross.  It is a reminder to think about Christ's cross and is supposed to be something I can look at when I need to think about Jesus.  Does this count as a little oratory?

Real

I have warned my children since they began to toddle not to run on wet stones and grass, they have always thought I was being ridiculous. Well, last Thursday, Buddy learned the hard way why I don't want them running on wet ground.  He was completing one of Cowgirl's jumping courses when he slid on a slate paver and came down right his knee on the edge of said paver.  After  texting photos to my ER nurse sister, we were on our way to the pediatrician's.  I will spare you the gorey photos.

They washes out the wound with betadine four times, then put a ton of dermabond glue over it.  The doctor wrapped his leg in an ace bandage splint and ordered that he not bend his knee until Monday.  Seeing as Buddy does not know the term gently, he was relegated to the couch watching movie for four days, to save me from having to bring him to the hospital for stitches..  The wound finally stopped bleeding on Tuesday.   This is the fourth wound in 18 months that has required doctor intervention, I have handled the other 956 at home.
...and as I finished typing that paragraph, I heard Buddy scream and come running into the house with yet another injury.  Need to run and get the antiseptic and bandages....

He really wasn't sulking when I took the camera out, but he wanted to be sure to garner lots of sympathy from whomever saw the photo so he put on his saddest face.

Buddy is a born couch potato, if I let him have unlimited movie access he would never sleep nor leave this position.  So, four days watching movies on the couch was not much of a hardship.  I explained to him that there would be a mark on his knee called a scar that is permanent and would not go away.  He asked if it would go away if he became a saint, and I said yes.  So, he said, "Then I just have to work really hard at becoming a saint."  :)

Books for Daughters

I am taking a break from the "Talk" series to offer this list of recommended readings.  When I worked on the Mother/Daughters, one of my favorite assignments was when I became the coordinator of resources to sell and give away.  I enjoyed researching the products and reading the books to come up with the best resources there were.  The following list of books is a sample of what we offered at our "book shop" for each retreat.  I have read through all of them at some point.  If you have other books to recommend, please leave a comment. Please note that most of these books, unless otherwise noted, are linked to CBD website.  I am in the process of becoming an affiliate with CBD and so these may soon be updated as affiliate links.  Thank you.

For the Girls

This is a favorite of mine.  I recommend that you also purchase the Life Lessons from the Princess and the Kiss, also by Jennie Bishop.  It is a story that is so rich that young children will enjoy the tale and beautiful illustrations, but older girls will get the deep messages of this allegory.

 

This next one we discovered in a church library and really enjoyed checking it out over and over again.  It is a great tale of what it means to be pure and the importance of boundaries.  Again, it is good for younger children and tween girls.

These two books always sold out before the half way point of the retreat.  They are written in an easy to read format and present the types of things tween girls like to know, like hair-do how to's, from a Godly perspective.  There are many books in this series and they go in and out of print, so buy them when you can and realize that there are many covers for these books.

This another really popular book.  It is also well written and engaging, and it tells the life stories of teens who have been canonized.  There is also a sequel Radiate, but I have not read that, yet.

http://www.amazon.com/BeTween-Preteen-Girls-Guide-Life/dp/080544193X

I like this book because it is presented like a "tween" magazine and includes all the features girls like from those types of magazines but is wholesome and Godly.  It teaches positive body image and relationships in a chaste way.  I have given this many times as gifts. It is not available on CBD.

 

One of the only Catholic series out there fr young girls, this was also a show on EWTN for awhile. Many of these titles are out of print and selling for obscene amounts of money.  However, I see that Amazon has some for sale.   Only two titles are currently available on CBD,  Truth for Teens andAll Things Girl: Friends, Fashion and Faith Journal. EWTN also has a video out now, I have never seen it but thought it was worth noting.

This last one, I just recently picked up and have read the first couple of chapters.  It is beautifully written and absent of the strong imagery and explicitness often present in more modern tween books.  There is also a companion book to use as a mother/daughter study.


I will be posting a list of books for mothers later this week.  Thanks.

The Talks: Part 3--Love is Patient

Life is good, God is better.  I am taking the opportunity as the three kids are enjoying the outdoors (Cowgirl is pushing Little Man his swing, he enjoys his swing so much) to give myself a birthday treat of a nice cup of 7 Blossom Tea, a gift from my husband, and a blogging session sans interruptions--I hope.  Even though I long for the coming glory of Heaven, I do not bemoan getting older, life is a gift and I have a very good life.  Sure, I wouldn't mind being 10 years younger, but I am happy where I am and thankful for all the blessings these 38 years have brought.

Anyway, here is the third talk in the series, "Love is Patient".  As I have said before, please feel free to use these talks to host a mother/daughter of your own, but realize that all that is written on the blog is copyrighted and cannot be published or reproduced without permission---oops, time is up!  Cowgirl got tired of pushing the swing. Good thing I already wrote the talk in Word so I just need to copy and paste.  Enjoy and don't forget about the giveaway! The other giveaway have ended, but mine is still going until Friday.

Love is Patient

Love is patient, love is kind...you have probably heard that verse many times.  As you grow and begin to build your own life outside of your family, you will need to learn how to build good relationships and friendships.  Love is the basis of all the world.

St Paul also wrote, "in the end these three things remain, hope, faith, and love.  The greatest of these is love.". Without love there is no faith, without faith there is no hope, love really is the greatest of all.  This world was formed by love, because God is love incarnate.  He is the basis of all creation, because He created it, and He created it all in love.  So, we are called to love, as we are created to strive to become like God and be His hands and feet here on Earth.

What is love?  Lets read the full passage from St Paul's letter to the Corinthians:

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, NIV)

If you notice it doesn't says love is fun, or a good feeling, or butterflies in your stomach or everything going right.  Love is a choice that we make not a feeling we have.  To love someone is to be willing to give all you have for their sake, not yours.  Each time we choose to love, we are acting as Gods hands and feet, we are fulfilling the Church's mission on Earth.  In love, you put the other person first, you give out of your heart and not just what is left over, you think always about how to make things better and how to lead that person to Heaven.

 Jesus said that there is no greater gift than to lay down ones life for a friend, and so we are called to do just that.  However, it is important to know that laying down one's life is not letting yourself be trampled.  Love does not demand what is wrong or makes you uncomfortable.  Love does not lead you away from God, but strives to make you holy.  Love does not hurt intentionally or hold grudges or demand attention to the exclusion of your other friends, family, or faith.  Love is good, because love is God.

 If you find yourself in a situation that is unsettling, if your friend or love interest is asking you to do things that seem wrong, it is not love.  Love is demanding of energy and time.  All the mothers will agree to that, it is out of love that we wake up six times in a night to help a sick child, or clean the house over and over when we would rather sit in the sunshine reading a book, or pay for piano lessons with money we hoped to use for new curtains.

But love does not bully, love does not demand more than you can give.  Love is patient.  It bears all things.  In love there are ups and downs, there are feasts and famines, there are highs and lows, but there is always faith and hope.  Remember, your mothers love you more than anyone except God, if you need help we are always here and if you are presented with a situation that makes you uncomfortable, you can always use us as an excuse not to join in.

 None of us would be upset if you told someone, my mom says I can't, even if we haven't discussed what is going on, we are telling you to avoid what is uncomfortable and use us as a safety net. Call on us at any time, we will always come get you if you find yourself in a place you don't want to be because love is patient, love is kind, love bears all things, and a mothers love knows no bounds.

**I plan on playing this song for the girls while they work on their craft.  It has been such a driving force for me lately because it truly describes the call to love as God loves.  Click on the icon below  to listen on Youtube, lyrics are below..

With Every Act Of Love

by Jason Gray

from the album Love Will Have The Final Word

Sitting at the stoplight

He can't be bothered by the heart cry
Written on the cardboard in her hand
But when she looks him in the eye
His heart is broken open wide
And he feels the hand of God reach out through him
As Heaven touches earth

(Chorus)
Oh - we bring the Kingdom come
Oh - with every act of love
Jesus help us carry You
Alive in us, Your light shines through
With every act of love
We bring the Kingdom come

There's silence at the table
He wants to talk but he's not able
For all the shame that's locked him deep inside
But her words are the medicine
When she says they can begin again
And forgiveness will set him free tonight
As Heaven touches earth

(Chorus)

God put a million, million doors in the world
For his love to walk through
One of those doors is you
I said, God put a million, million doors in the world
For his love to walk through
One of those doors is you

(Chorus)

Oh - we bring the Kingdom come
Oh - with every act of love
Jesus help us carry You
Alive in us, Your light shines through
With every act of love
We bring the Kingdom come
With every act of love
We bring the Kingdom come
With every act of love
We bring the Kingdom come




Publishing: © 2013 Centricity Music Publishing, Nothing Is Wasted Music (ASCAP) / Sony-ATV Timber Publishing, Open Hands Music (SESAC)

Writer(s): Jason Gray, Jason Ingram

Thanks for coming! Anything you would add to this talk?

The Talks: Part 2--God Made you Perfectly

Here is the second talk in the series, there will be five posted in all.  Please don't forget about the giveaway!

God made you perfectly.  You aren’t perfect, but He made you perfectly.  It is easy to complain and compare.  We see others and think, I wish I were like her or them, but you are exactly who God wants you to be.  If you are following His Will, if you are seeking Grace and guidance, you are already who God wants you to be.  He has a plan for you, and that plan is perfect no matter what others think or how glamorous that plan looks on paper.  You were created for a reason, and just like a single strand of thread in a great tapestry that seems unimportant, possibly a bit uneven or knotted, or does not make sense the path it takes across the loom, when you look at the whole tapestry, every strand of thread works together to make a masterpiece.  They are all needed and planned and important.
As you grow, you may begin to wonder why you look a certain way or your voice sounds a certain way or you have certain talents but not others.  You may get upset and wish you could change.  When you feel down or discouraged or confused about who you are, remember this quote from St Catherine of Sienna, “Be who you were created to be and you will set the world on fire!”
On Fire!

You can set the world on fire just by being who God designed you to be.  If He wanted you taller or shorter, or with lighter hair or darker eyes, or more musically inclined or more talented at sports, He would have created you that way.  But, He created you to be you and by being you, you can change the world.  I have a coloring page that you can use as a poster or keep in a notebook or journal.  It doesn’t matter how you use it, but over the next couple of years—or really over the rest of your life—when life gets rocky and confusing, when you are feeling like you aren’t good enough or wish you were more like so-and-so; I want you to look at this page and remember that being who God created you to be is the best you that you can be.  The kind of you that can set the world on fire!
It is important to take care of your body.  You need rest and good food.  You need exercise and to get washed properly.  You need to have time to rest and time to laugh, you sometimes even need time to cry.  Being who you were created to be requires some work to make sure that you are the best version of yourself.  Make sure to feed your body, mind and soul every day.

Feed your body with good, wholesome foods.  Eating colorful vegetables and fruits, good proteins like lean meats and yogurt, limiting sweets and salty snacks will not only help your body grow strong but help you to grow spiritually and mentally as well.  When your body is full of good foods and well hydrated—you need to drink plenty of water, too—then your brain can concentrate on other important things.

To feed your soul, remember to pray each day and often.  Set aside a bit of time each morning and evening to talk to God.  Make it a habit to say a short prayer throughout the day whenever you need to refocus on God.  There are many simple prayers like, “Mary, Joseph, and Jesus help!” or “Jesus I trust in You!”  You could even say a quick Glory be or Hail Mary.  Be sure to get to confession regularly and read about the saints so that you learn how to live as a friend of God.

Lastly, you need to feed your mind.  Try to learn something new whenever you can.  Take time to think about challenges that are in front of you and figure out a way to overcome them (pray about your challenges, as well).  Read good books, listen to good music, learn about history and science.  Make it your mission to never stop learning because the more you learn the more you have to share.  Learning isn’t just about books either, explore the outdoors, try a new craft, do experiments (with your mom’s permission of course).  Grow your brain and your body well so that you are well prepared for whatever God asks of you.  And never forget, God made you perfectly!

A Last Minute Father's Day Giveaway

Hop over to Melanie's blog for one more chance to win The Little Oratory for Father's Day, and don't forget the Veils and Vocations giveaway!  Best wishes.

The Little Oratory--a Father's Day Blessing & Giveaways Galore

I have posted about Charlotte's giveaway of a new and wonderful book, The Little Oratory.  However, there are other blogs also offering giveaways, even better there are blogs showing how to implement the lessons of this book.  The Little Oratory is a guide to fostering prayer in your home, it builds of the concept of "the domestic Church" in an intentional way.  Don't we all want our homes to be houses of prayer?  Look below for links to enter to win, as well as links from fellow bloggers who have read the book and are teaching others how to live in a "Little Oratory."  I also have a smattering of other giveaways--it is a very fruitful Friday!  Scroll to the bottom for the first ever Veils and Vocations giveaway!!

The Little Oratory giveaways:

In the Heart of My Home--not only a giveaway but a beautiful walk through of the lessons of this book.  I am a hands-on, pratical learner.  There could be the greatest concept in the world, but just seeing it in black and white words, does little to help me implement it.  This blog helps break down how to implement each chapter in a read-along fashion.  Need to go back and catch up?  No problem, it is so easy for everyone to use.  Check it out and enter to win.

 

The Clan Donaldson is also hosting a giveaway and book review, check out this cute little blog.

 

Amongst Lovely Things is another lovely blog and home to another great book, Teaching from Rest which I am currently reading and hope to do a book review for very soon.  Enter the Father's day give away here:

 

Other Giveaways:

Brandon Vogt is hosting one of his many book giveaways for Scott Hahn's new book.  I really enjoy reading and listening to Scott Hahn.  I have also enjoyed reading brandon's blog and even won one of his giveaways a few months ago.  You can find him on Facebook and enter the giveaway here:

    

I also learned from Brandon's blog that Logos Bible Software for Catholics is hosting a giveaway for a Macbook Air that is pre-loaded with a complete Catholic e-library!  Enter that giveaway here:

 

And the moment you have all been waiting for--the Veils and Vocations first ever giveaway.  So, it is not as spectacular as a new Macbook but it is a collection of books that my family has truely enjoyed collecting and reading.  My children have quite a library of Father Lovasik books, and I have always been impressed with them.  They may be compact but are full to the brim with information and solid Catholic teaching.  I am offering a set of SIX NEW books to only blessed Veils and Vocations reader.  Please enter below and spread the news to friends and family.   Click on the picture or link below to enter. Thanks.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Talks: Part 1

The real meat of any mother/daughter gathering is the talks.  It's important not to lecture or over talk, filling every moment with someone speaking and the audience listening.  However, the information shared can be truly life changing because there are many mothers who have not heard these morsels of truth.  So, the presenters are not only teaching the girls, they are reaching out to the moms and showing them how precious they are in the eyes of God.  Over the next few days, I am going to post the main talks for our upcoming "tween" mother/daughter. Please feel free to use them as scripts for a mother/daughter of your own or use them as springboards for your own ideas.  I just ask that they not be published or used for profit without contacting me first.  Thank you. 

God’s Design for Our Bodies

All people are made in the image and likeness of God.  No other creature on Earth is anywhere close to looking or being like God, except for humans.  We are not completely like God but we have a lot of God’s traits—it is kind of like when a baby is born and everyone wants to know which family member the baby looks like or sleeps like or smiles like.  Men are like God because they are generally, physically strong; they are called to protect others; they are hard workers and have voices that get noticed even in noisy situations because they are deep and full.  Men are called to be fathers.  Women are special, too.  We are designed to be part of creating new people, we nurture and care for young, usually we are able to keep track of many things at once and like to talk and share.  Together, women and men show you what God Himself is like—He can do all these things, but He gave us each other so that when we come together we can worship Him in a very special way.  This is called marriage, a husband and wife’s love for each other and how they create, care for, and nurture their children is a special way of serving God.

Before anyone knew that you were going to be a new person in this world, God knew.  He was there at the second that you came to be.  He gave you an immortal soul in that instant and decided exactly who you would be and how your life would go.  Before anyone decided what your name would be or when you would be baptized or what special clothes you would need, God had already planned every one of your days on Earth.  God decided that each of you would be born a girl.  Everyone has a purpose and mission, a reason that God brought you here.  We will talk more about finding that reason in a little bit, but let’s talk about a mission that each of you have, one that each of us moms had, too.  Girls are designed to become women.  Before you were born all the decisions your body would need to make—eye color, how tall you will be, how your voice would sound, how your feet are shaped—it was all programmed into you by God, kind of like how computers have programs put on them so that you can do things like check email or watch a movie.  And part of that program tells your body when it is time to prepare for being a grown woman.  It doesn’t happen all at once, but little by little, from the day you were born, you have been growing into the adult God designed you to be.

Women are designed to be mothers, even though not every woman will be a mother or even carry a baby in her body, all women have a body that would allow them to do that.  That is very special, so there are some parts of a woman’s body that are special, too.  Women develop breast that are designed to make milk to feed their babies.  They also have wider hips, so that a growing baby can fit in their abdomen—and probably so that a growing baby outside of the belly has a convenient place to ride as his mommy gets all her work done.  These special traits make us look like women, but they are special gifts from God that make us able to help Him here on Earth.

Everyone has a special mission.  Some of us, like Mother Teresa, have very big missions that are well known and change many people’s lives.  Some of us have missions that are big, but are never written about in the newspaper or shown in the movies.  The point is not to be famous or rich or popular, but to serve God well.  There are many lives that can be touched in little ways, and like St Therese always said, doing small things with great love is more important than doing great things.  You may have started wondering what you will do when you grow up.  There are many paths your life can take.  Some women are called to get married and raise children, some women are called to marry Christ and live a life as a nun, there are other women who are called not to marry but to serve God in other ways such as being a missionary.  All of these paths are special, the most important part of each is that each woman is doing God’s will.  It is really difficult in the busy world to find quiet time to think and pray, but you need to do both to find God’s Will, and finding God’s Will is not a one-time occurrence, you must continually find it again and again, because there are always new decisions to make.  Try to make quiet time, even just a few minutes each day to stop and say a little prayer and then listen to God.  I like to listen to God when I read the Bible, or when I go to Adoration and everything is so peaceful and still.  Sometime this week, come up with a plan of how you will find 5 minutes of quiet to spend with God, and also how to find just a few more minutes to pray with your mom so that the two of you can have some special time with God together.

We are going to do a couple of fun activities right now and they are ones that you need to work on with your mom.  The first is called “When I was your age/When I am your age.”  I am going to give each of you a piece of paper with some sentences that are started but not finished.  For the moms, the sentences are about when she was your age, so she needs to try to remember back to being your age and fill in the blanks.  For the girls, the sentences are about what you hope, dream, or believe life will be like for you once you get to be the age your mom is now.  Everyone will have some time to fill in their paper and then each mom and her daughter(s) will take a few minutes to share their answers with each other.  Let’s do that now.

(Complete pages and share—about 5-7 mins)**I will be posting these documents next week!

This is the last part of this talk, the girls are going to start a craft that they will finish while the moms are getting everything set up for the tea.  This craft is also a special memento of this day.  You are each going to make a photo frame and I will come around and take a picture of each mother/daughter pair.  Then I will send the pictures to you once I have had them developed, and you can put them in the frame to remember this special day.  The frames are going to be decorated with puzzle pieces, because life is like a puzzle, every piece is a mystery until it is put in place, so we need to remember to pray and ask God for guidance all the time so we are building the most beautiful puzzle for Him and so that we are always picking good pieces to add to our puzzle.  Puzzle pieces also signify something else.  God put you together with pieces of this and pieces of that so you have a lot in common with your ancestors, but you are also completely unique. 

(Craft part 1—7-8 mins)