Children

Children
"God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
(1 Jn 4:16)

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Goodbye May Daybook!


Outside my windows,
Our flowers are blooming. The crocuses, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, azaleas, and lilacs have faded.


Roses, Our Lady's pincushion (scabiosa 'butterfly blue'), angel daisies, armeria, dianthus, peonies, and lupines are now in full bloom.


I thoroughly enjoy spending time outside weeding because it gives me an opportunity to appreciate the beautiful flowers that God has made.


The children and I are thrilled that we have grapes, peaches, plums, raspberries, and strawberries forming too.

In the kitchen
I tried a new recipe. Pork isn't a favorite in our house, but I made this for dinner recently, along with the vegetables mentioned, and everyone was raving. Some of the children had seconds. It was so tasty that I made it again when our pastor came over for dinner.

I am hearing Agnes and Cecilia practicing for their violin recital in June, a shower running, and children talking.

I have been listening to Enthronement and Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.



My husband gave me these beautiful roses for Mother's Day.

I am still thinking about the amazing sermon that our pastor gave on Mother's Day. It was a wonderful gift. I know that I am not the only one thinking about it, as I was told by one of my daughters that she and her sisters were discussing it. I am also thinking about the excellent catechetical class that he gave recently. It was the last class that he was offering before he leaves for his new assignment in July.

We are going to miss Fr. S. a lot when he leaves for his new assignment as FSSP District Superior of North America, but he has promised to visit our parish often, and I know that he will make an extraordinary District Superior. Please keep Fr. S. in your prayers as he takes on his new responsibilities.

I am praying for Fr. S. and for our future pastor.

I am reading Footprints in a Darkened Forest by Ven. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. Like all of his books, it is very insightful. These quotes are just a few of the nuggets of wisdom found in the pages of this book:
"Youth was meant to live like wheat in a field, not to be pulled up until it was ripe."
~ p. 11 
"Eternity is without succession, a simultaneous possession of all joys. To those who live toward Eternity, it really is not something at the end; it is that which influences every moment of the 'now.'”
~ p. 18 
"In every prayer there is at least a brief wedding of time and Eternity."
~ p. 19 
"Our Blessed Lord said, 'If you do My Will, you will know My doctrine.' He did not say, 'If you know My doctrine, you will do My will.'
~ p. 208

I am thankful for my little boys. Kieran was thrilled to receive this cowboy outfit for his birthday.


He was delighted with his cake. Upon seeing it, he exclaimed, "That's a neat cake!"


Our youngest thoroughly enjoyed eating his brother's birthday cake.


Anecdote:
Me: "Smell this rose."
Kieran: "It smells good. We need to cut these pricks."
Me: "Oh no, we don't want to cut those. They are part of the rose that you thought smelled good."
Kieran: "But these are pricks. See!"
Me: "They are thorns, and they are part of the rose."
Kieran: "We need to cut them."
Me (breaking a thorn off): "Look, this is a thorn. We can break them off, but you don't want to cut them."
Kieran: "Why do you want to break them off?"
Me: "So that you don't cut my roses."
Kieran: "I don't want to cut your roses. I want to cut the pricks."

I can't win. A few weeks ago, he cut down a rose bush, or "prickles" as he called them. Last Saturday, he cut a bunch of the roses pictured below. The roses, or "pricks" that he was referring to here are yellow roses that are growing in our backyard. Hopefully, one day he will appreciate the roses, despite the thorns.

I love my little boy!

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Our Blessed Mother

by Giuseppe Magni

One of my friends shared this beautiful picture with our local Catholic homeschool group. I think that it would look lovely hanging on a wall in our home. I can dream...

Sweet Mother! lend me Thine eyes
to see the beauty of Jesus;
Thine ears to hear His faintest whisperings;
Thy lips to adore, praise, bless,
petition and love Him;
Thine arms to hug Him to my soul;
Thy heart to hold Him in time and eternity.

Let our thoughts become lilies for Mary's shrine,
and our hearts tabernacle lamps for His sanctuary.

~ The Bee Hive by A.M. Grussi, Imprimatur 1906

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

First Confession and First Holy Communion

"The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white Host."
~ Ven. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen ~


"Who, the day before He suffered, took bread into His Holy and venerable hands, and having lifted up His eyes to heaven, to Thee, God, His Almighty Father, giving thanks to Thee, blessed it +, broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying: Take and eat ye all of this."


Last week, I heard a countdown each day. My little girl would announce each morning, "Mommy, there are only ___ more days until my First Confession, and ___ days until my First Holy Communion." On Saturday, May 16, our youngest daughter went to confession for the first time. The next day, Sunday, May 17, our little girl was so excited to receive Our Lord, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.


Prior to the Mass, the First Communicants participated in our parish's May Crowning. After Mass, they knelt to pray with our pastor and their First Holy Communion teacher.


Elizabeth received her First Holy Communion from the holy priest who baptized her, Fr. Saguto, FSSP. 


"When Our Lord sees pure souls coming to visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament He smiles on them. They come with the simplicity that pleases Him so much." 
~ St. John Vianney ~


My friend, Thea, designed and had this beautiful cake made for the First Holy Communion reception.


May God bless all of the First Communicants!

Monday, May 11, 2015

The Prayers of a Child

Easter Vigil 2015
A couple of years ago, Elizabeth started praying for a family after our family Rosary each night. She prays for each member of this family by name. Recently, we learned that this family has started going to Mass again. Yesterday, we had confirmation of this, and I mentioned it to Elizabeth and some of her brothers and sisters. Upon hearing that this family is going to Mass, Elizabeth said, "Oh, Fr. S. told us that we might want to pray for someone on our First Communion day who isn't going to Mass! I will pray." God answers prayers, especially the prayers of a child!

Friday, May 01, 2015

Happy "Mary" Month of May


Bring flow'rs of the fairest,
Bring flow'rs of the rarest,
From garden and woodland
And hillside and vale;
Our full hearts are swelling,
Our Glad voices telling
The praise of the loveliest
Rose of the vale.

O Mary! we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May,
O Mary! we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May.
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