Devotions Meme

Helen tagged me a few weeks ago and I have been wanting to share, but have been unable to do so until now. If you have not done this meme, please consider yourself tagged.

1. Favorite devotion or prayer to Jesus?
My Jesus mercy, Thy will be done in my life and in my death. (I learned this prayer while home from college from a visiting priest from India.)

2. Favorite Marian devotion or prayer?
I like saying the Rosary and the Memorare. My mom taught me about the beauty of the Miraculous medal by wearing one.

3. Do you wear a scapular or medal?
Until 2 years ago, I wore a crucifix that I received for my First Communion. I buried it with our little girl whom I miscarried.

4. Do you have holy water in your home?
Yes, my husband uses it each night to bless our children before bed. I need to be better about filling our fonts.

5. Do you offer up your sufferings?
Yes

6. Do you observe First Fridays and First Saturdays?
I do my best to observe First Fridays and First Saturdays.

7. Do you go to Eucharistic Adoration? How frequently?
I go to Eucharistic Adoration almost every Monday night and on First Fridays.

8. Are you a Saturday evening Mass person or Sunday morning Mass person?
Definitely, Sunday morning.

9. Do you say prayers at mealtime?
Yes, we renew our consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at mealtime. We also say Grace before Meals and Grace after Meals.

10. Favorite Saint(s)?
St. Joseph, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Catherine Laboure, St. Bernadette, St. Theresa, St. Francis de Sales, and St. Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort.

11. Can you recite the Apostles Creed by heart?
Yes, I grew up praying the Rosary with my family (each night, on our way to school, and on extended car trips), so this was a prayer that I learned naturally.

12. Do you usually say short prayers (aspirations) during the course of the day?
Yes.

13. Where is your favorite place to pray?
In our parish church.

14. Bonus Question: When you pass by an automobile accident or other serious mishap, do you say a quick prayer for the folks involved?
Yes.

Helen's bonus question:
15. If you could visit any of Our Lady’s apparition sites, which one would you choose?
I have visited Lourdes and would like to go back there.
I would also like to visit Fatima and Rue de Bac (I don't know why I have never made it to the latter).

Thankful Thursday

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

~ Colossians 3:15-17 ~

I am thankful to God for blessing me with a wonderful life.

I am thankful for my husband who never forgets to tell me that he loves me when he comes home from work.

I am thankful for my dad who brightens my day whenever he calls.

I am thankful for my mom who loved me unconditionally and taught me so much, even when she was dying.

I am thankful for my children who make me smile and laugh and give me an excuse to read children's books.

I am thankful for my older sister. She has a heart of gold and is always willing to help however she can.

I am thankful for all of my siblings. They bring a lot of joy to my life.

I am thankful that our Little Flowers' meeting went well on Monday.

I am also thankful for Alice. For the last three years, my Little Flowers' co-leader (Peggy) and I have been coming up with craft ideas for our Little Flowers' group. This year, I have used three wonderful crafts from Alice. We made Our Lady Star of the Sea (by the sea) in September, Marian Shelves in October, and Saint spoons in November. These craft ideas have been very helpful to this pregnant mother and truly enjoyed by all of the girls.

I am thankful for my husband's co-worker (Brenda) and her son who made a delicious lasagna for our family and sent it home with my husband on my birthday. It was the tastiest lasagna I have ever eaten.

Finally, I am thankful that God called my husband and me to homeschool our children. Living and learning with my children is a wonderful blessing.

Thank you, Diane, for hosting Thankful Thursdays this week.

10 Random Facts about Meme

I've had the honor of being tagged by Alice at Cottage Blessings and Margaret a.k.a. Minnesota Mom. Now for the challenge:

1. I am a middle child.

2. I was born in

3. Before moving to the United States, my family stayed in Switzerland and Canada. We visited various shrines, etc. while in Canada.

4. We entered the U.S. in New York and then proceeded to drive across the U.S., stopping at all the shrines along the way, until my mom found a state in which she wanted to live. When we arrived in Oregon, she had to decide whether we should go North or South. She chose North, but often said she should have chosen South. When we drove into Seattle, it was the middle of winter, clear weather with an incredible blue sky ~ my mom fell in love and ultimately helped shape the rest of our lives.

5. From the age of 12 or 13, I babysat for 3 wonderful children, Kyran, Kristin, and Kara, almost every week. I also stayed with them when their parents went on trips. When it came time to write my high school memories for my year book. I mentioned them as KKK, not knowing about the awful organization that uses these letters (yes, I was naive). When I learned what KKK means to most people, I was mortified. I pray that anyone who read or reads my memories never thought or thinks that I was referring to the organization. Kyran, Kristin, and Kara will always have a special place in my heart.

6. I was a valedictorian.

7. I double-majored in English and French with a minor in Philosophy, but my favorite subject is Math.

8. I saw Pope John Paul II in British Colombia (of course this doesn't hold a candle to the numerous times that my brother saw him in Rome).

9. I thought that I was being called to be a nun, until I met my best friend, my husband, at a young adult prayer group. We have continued to pray the Rosary together almost every night.

10. List making is not something that I typically do. I keep almost everything in my head from grocery lists, to telephone numbers, to schedules (since having children, I write appointments on the calendar for my family's benefit and mine when I am pregnant). My husband and some of my children are definite list makers, which might be good since I suffer from memory loss during pregnancy.

If you read this, please consider yourself tagged.

Tagged

I was tagged by Lynn, at the inspirational blog Life is Beauty, five days ago. I guess it's time for me to share, BookMeMe style.

1. ONE BOOK THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE:
True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis De Montfort.

2. ONE BOOK THAT YOU'VE READ MORE THAN ONCE:
How to Raise Good Catholic Children by Mary Reed Newland

3. ONE BOOK YOU'D WANT ON A DESERT ISLAND:
The Bible

4. ONE BOOK THAT MADE YOU LAUGH (I have to list two):
My Cup Of Tea: Musings Of A Catholic Mom by Danielle Bean and Please Don't Drink the Holy Water! by Susie Lloyd

5. ONE BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY:
The first book that I remember reading that made me cry was Karen by Marie Killilea.

6. ONE BOOK THAT YOU WISH HAD BEEN WRITTEN:
Hmmm, I will have to think about this.

7. ONE BOOK THAT YOU WISH HAD NEVER BEEN WRITTEN:
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

8. ONE BOOK YOU'RE CURRENTLY READING:
The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton (I started this a few months ago, but I have been reading it off and on. I am determined to finish reading it before starting something else.)

9. ONE BOOK YOU'VE BEEN MEANING TO READ:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (My husband and I started reading this together, but we never got very far.)

10. TAG FIVE OTHERS (I only have time to tag 4):
Among Women

Castle of the Immaculate

Catholic Mom's Journey

The Family-Centered Life