Friday Five Finger Prayer

 All the credit goes to Pope Francis for this one. I found it on Facebook last night and shared it, but I couldn't help but share it here too.

In Pope Francis style, super simple and attainable. I'm grateful to have this little reminder as I struggle to find make time to pray and the needs/prayers for so many seem like a multitude in my brain.

I think this would be a great little way to teach my children to also pray using something they already have: their five fingers!

Maybe this will help you out too or inspire you in a new way how to pray. While you're at it, don't forget to pray for Pope Francis (and Benedict too)!

Spiritual Health Check-up

           

Lent can really get us asking questions about our spiritual health and finding honest answers about our relationship with Christ.

It can also help us find a new place to start spiritually or finding our niche to keep this up for the duration. I find that it's the test of endurance AFTER the six weeks of Lent that really measures my fitness level.

Let's be honest. I'm trying to find the endurance to keep plugging along in the third week of Lent, let alone the all out marathon that keeps on afterward.

I'm finding though, that spiritual health and growth are very prudent and necessary to my physical well being too.

Our parish priest graciously bought each family in our parish the book The Four Signs Of A Dynamic Catholic by Matthew Kelly. He has asked us to read it prayerfully over lent and he will expand on each chapter in his Sunday homily. (Have you read it yet? I highly recommend it.)

Last week I was struck by Matthew Kelly's words:

'One of the key indicators of spiritual health seems to be gratitude. When I am spiritually healthy I am grateful. But when I am not, even the smallest things drive me crazy. At those times I tend to be irritable, restless, and discontented.' (page 41)

Straight to the heart, "Ah-ha" moment!

How true! I have felt this so many times, but didn't always make the connection. When my heart is restless, I am irritable, (seemingly) nothing goes right and life is drudgery, I am guilty of being less grateful. I then made the connection that those times are also times when my prayer time isn't fulfilled or I just plain didn't make the time.

Matthew Kelly also frequently mentions in the book becoming the 'best-version-of-myself'. I love this term. When I am irritable, restless and discontented, I am not my best version of me. In fact, I get even more irritable and frustrated at myself that I am not.

This Lenten season I am trying to stay the course and follow through with what I set out to do. I am striving to match both my spiritual and physical exercise to build a better me. The best version of myself, if you will. I've done this before, but rarely have I been able to keep the physical and spiritual equally balanced. I find that the morning is the best time, most suitable time, to start my day in prayer. Most days I am also getting the exercise time in as well right away in the morning.

Can I tell you how much better my days are going even when they are less than ideal? How much more gratitude is in my heart and contentment even in the midst of trial?

I have often equated spiritual fitness and physical fitness as two separate entities. Over these last  six+ months of my being physically fit and in shape, I have started to see how closely intertwined the two really are.

'To run the race of Catholic motherhood, we need to strengthen ourselves emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Part of this means building our stamina through fitness, exercise, good nutrition, and proper sleep.' (A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms by Lisa Hendey, page 41)

I can attest to all of this and I know what a difference it has made for me. And what a difference it made in my thinking when I realized how all aspects fit together.

As I strive to keep on getting more spiritually healthy, I hope that it will also give me the endurance for my physical fitness goals as well.

(You have no idea how many prayers I'm praying when I try to bust my butt and run just a little further when I hop on that treadmill!)

This Lent is a season of journeying.  Let my Lenten practices continue as I run the marathon of life toward becoming the best-version-of-myself that God created me to be.

Lighting The First Candle

Happy Advent!

Truly one of my most favorite times of year, despite the chaos and stress that it seems it inevitably brings. How could I not love a season of preparation, baking and gift giving? All of those things that are near and dear to my heart.

In an attempt to actually get a post up on my new background and feel like an ACTUAL blogger again, this is gonna be quick.

Advent seemed to sneek up on me despite my planners heart. Oh sure, I read your posts and your wonderful ideas and longed to do such beautiful things in our home this Advent. However, keepin' it real is how we roll lately and with a bout of a series of colds in our family, I just plain ran out of time.

And then Jamie's post arrived in my reader. She's inspirational, that Jamie. And practical. That's exactly what I've got to stick to right now. Her post that had photos of an easy Advent countdown that gave ideas for each day was right up my realistic alley.

Away I went, cutting and creating our own Advent coutdown on Friday. With some of our own creativity and help from the big kids, we came up with a number of simple ways to prepare our hearts, our home and our days.

Our completed countdown serves hangs on a cupboard in the kitchen and serves well as Chrismtas decor too.

A few items from our list:

Several other ideas we came up with included:

-a couple of baking days for the kids and I

-preparing a plate of goodies for a family member in assisted living

-praying for certain intentions

-celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe

-purchasing items for the food shelf

-the kids' Christmas piano recital that is at a home for elderly

-going to confession as a family

-driving around looking at Christmas lights

-watching a Christmas movie as a family

Jamie even did a follow-up with her list so I could fill in where my feeble mama brain was lacking. Thanks Jamie! Check it out if you haven't already.

Another Advent favorite has been the St. Andrew Christmas novena, which we started on Friday. We have so loved making this an Advent tradition in our home over the last few years.

Tonight, as we lit our first purple candle, we also began our Advent family story book. This year we continue through the books by Arnold Ytreeide and are reading Tabitha's Travels.

Finally, in order to give our Advent a fun jump-start we had one of our diocesan seminarians over to visit this weekend. He came yesterday evening and stayed until after supper this evening. You can't believe the fun our kids had with him! He had my big kids kept busy with card games, board games and Wii while it allowed for Reed and I to catch up on odds and ends around the house. Of course, we visited with him too. Hopefully he felt right at home, because we felt right at home with him here. Hey, he was a cheap 'nanny' for a day! I sure wish he wasn't going back to Rome to study after his pastoral year this year. I would hire that guy for my 'manny' in an instant. I guess God has other plans for him instead.

I hope that all of you are enjoying the beginning of Advent in your home as you celebrate this beautiful season of preparation.

Sometimes The Race Is Tiring

After last night's main event, I've felt like I am in an Election Hangover today.

No, my guy did not win and take the Presidency.

No, my state amendment to keep marriage between one man and one woman did not pass.

No, my U.S. Senator was not elected.

Disappointed, very disappointed. For me, for my family, for my children. For all of us.

But somewhere in the midst of today while my heart still heals, I saw several postings from today's Mass readings:

'Do everything without grumbling or questioning,

that you may be blameless and innocent,

children of God without blemish

in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,

among whom you shine like lights in the world,

as you hold on to the word of life,

so that my boast for the day of Christ may be

that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.'

My husband also shared this with me from today's office of readings:

' The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;

blessed be the name of the Lord!

We accept good things from God;

and should we not accept evil?'

Let our hearts not grow weary in fighting the fight and let us always stand on guard protecting our children and our families.

Our Lady of Hope, Pray For Us!

   

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Due to the fact that I'm just plain tired of the politics, tomorrow I'll bring a fun, new post from a guest blogger.

Perhaps that will at least put something in your reader to smile over.

Until then, may our hearts be light, our prayers more powerful than before and may we rise up even stronger.

Our Family Advent

It's several days into Advent and I've been reading post after post of amazing Advent plans. You all have such wonderful ideas and book lists galore!

For some reason, Advent snuck up on me and I was unprepared. Some place in my brain I am still stuck in September. Not sure why.

When one of my kids asked on Saturday morning what book we were reading this Advent season as a family, I sat with a blank stare. I hadn't a clue. In fact, I had completely forgotten to research and purchase something for us. Shoot!

To Amazon I went and found that the author of Jotham's Journey (a past Advent read we all enjoyed)had two other books to choose from. I ordered both so as to be prepared next year and not be caught off-guard again!





We'll be reading Bartholomew's Passage this year, after it finally arrives today or tomorrow. We'll be starting a little late, but we'll be sure to catch up. Within a day after purchasing these books, I read from several bloggers and facebook friends that they too were planning to read Bartholomew's Passage. Looking forward to reading along with so many of you!

Throughout the weeks we'll also pull out a number of excellent Christmas books that I've bought over the last few years. In addition to those, I've got a mile long list of them requested from the library. I've gotten my list over the years mostly from Jessica that she posted again this year.

Our other Advent family tradition that we will again do this year is the St. Andrew Christmas Novena. It has blessed our Advent abundantly and our evening family prayer time as we prepare for Christmas. We prayed it two years ago in hopes of our own little one and last year we prayed it again and offered it for Mr. and Mrs. B. They are expecting Baby B this year in a couple of weeks! This year we will pray it for Baby Gem and a safe delivery and many bloggers/friends/family who are expecting little ones in the coming months.

The novena starts TODAY, St. Andrew's feast day!


St. Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer to Obtain Favors

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.


(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (November 30) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)


No other big plans here for Advent, but I think a few small traditions are wonderful memories to make with our growing family. If you have a prayer request you would like our family to pray for during our Advent novena, please leave a comment or email me (see sidebar). We'll gladly include your intentions with ours.


Happy Advent!!

Keep Smiling!

Today's meditation from Small Steps for Catholic Moms


Think

"It is above all in the home that, before ever a word is spoken, children should experience God's love in the love which surrounds them."

~John Paul II~


Pray

Dear sweet Lord, before I open my mouth to speak, help me to relax my shoulders and smile. Then, let whatever comes out of my mouth be an expression of your love.


Act

How do your children experience God's love in your home? When we smile, our faces reflect the joy we have in knowing we are loved unconditionally by your benevolent Father. Smile at your family today-often.




Have a Happy Monday and Keep Smiling today!!

Advent Tradition/Novena

Today begins the St. Andrew Christmas Novena! We joined in last year and enjoyed adding this to our Advent prayer as a family.

Of course, the novena can be prayed for any petition to be obtained but it is also known to be prayed by/for those wishing to conceive. I believe that our Advent prayers last year were leading our family in preparation for our child we are awaiting the arrival of this year. Believe me, this year we will be praying with heartfelt gratitude to St. Andrew during this beautiful season.

This year we will pray too for so many blogging women I've met whose hearts and arms still remain empty this coming Christmas. We will especially be praying for Mr. and Mrs. B who continue to walk the infertility journey. Mrs. B over at Joy Beyond the Cross offered St. Andrew novena chaplets she made to her readers. I just received mine yesterday and my kids will appreciate it since they enjoyed counting and following along faithfully every evening last year.

Join me in this time of preparation (today until Christmas) in prayer as we make way for the child Jesus to be born in our hearts.

Blessed Advent to all of you!!

In Time For Thanksgiving

Some of you may recall this prayer request. Almost a year later, there's good news! We just found out this week that my cousin is in REMISSION!! His cancer that was found last year and his original diagnosed cancer, are both in remission.

Praise God!

We are definitely celebrating this miracle and thanking God for His healing touch that He laid upon him. Thank you for your prayers too!

Our family is now offering prayers of Thanksgiving for this wonderful news. Please join us in this season of Thankfulness.

Gentle Reminder

Quote:

You will effect more by kind words and by a courteous manner than by anger or sharp rebuke, which should never be used except in necessity.

~ St. Angela Merici ~


Prayer:

Give me your voice, Lord. Help me to see that the words I choose can build up or tear down. When I grow tired of repeating myself and want to give up or shout, inspire me with a better way to gain my children's attention. Give me grace to correct fairly and inspire virtue. Help me to say out loud the things that are good and true about my children. I want to encourage them.

~ Author Unknown ~

Favorite Catholic Prayers

My Midwestern neighbor, Therese, has tagged me for this special Catholic edition meme.


Here are the rules:

"Name your three most favorite Catholic devotional prayers, and explain why they're your favorites. Then tag five bloggers - give them a link, and then go and tell them they have been tagged. Finally, tell the person who tagged you that you've completed the meme. The Liturgy and the Sacraments are off limits here. I'm more interested in people's favorite devotional prayers."


1. St. Michael Prayer
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do though O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell, satan and all the other evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

2. Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I long for you in my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my soul. As though You have already come, I embrace you and unite myself entirely to you; never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

3. Prayer to St. Anne
Good St. Anne, you were especially favored by God to be the mother of the most holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Savior. By your power with your most pure daughter and with her divine Son, kindly obtain for us the grace and the favor we now seek. Please secure for us also forgiveness of our past sins, the strength to perform faithfully our daily duties and the help we need to persevere in the love of Jesus and Mary. Amen.



The first two prayers are favs of mine since they are two that I have memorized and have become part of a series of prayers I pray when I wake up in the morning, before my feet even hit the floor. We also invoke St. Michael for all sorts of things and I pray it frequently throughout the day.

The prayer to St. Anne was added a year or two ago to my morning prayers when I try to read the daily readings and meditation for the day. I just kind of began to like the prayer and began praying it after I saw it posted on another mom's blog.



Let's see, I'm going to try and tag some ladies I haven't tagged before and are relatively new blogs to my list I read:

1. Mrs. Bubbles at Adventures in Mommyville

2. Mrs. B at Joy Beyond the Cross

3. Hope at Memoirs of a Hopeful Housewife

4. Kim at Falling on His Grace

5. Holly at Falling Upward

Worry Not

I found this quote this morning during prayertime. It's fitting since I've got something on my mind lately that starts to get me frettin' more than usual. Timely, I'd say.



It is such a folly to pass one's time fretting, instead of resting quietly on the heart of Jesus.

~St. Therese of Lisieux~

In His Own Sweet Time

I found this prayer on a comment to an old post over at Margaret's. Once again, I couldn't help but see the perfect timing. A simple prayer for me to abide by this season.

"Lord, teach me to be patient-with life, with people, and with myself. I sometimes try to hurry things along too much, and I push for answers before the time is right. Teach me to trust your sense of timing rather than my own and to surrender my will to Your greater and wiser plan. Help me let life unfold slowly, like the small rosebud whose petals unravel bit by bit, and remind me that in hurrying the bloom along, I destroy the bud and much of the beauty therein.

Instead, let me wait for all to unfold in its own time. Each moment and state of growth contains loveliness. Teach me to slow down enough to appreciate life and all it holds. Amen."

At The Cross

While it's not uncommon for lyrics from songs to resound in my head long after the iPod is turned off, I pay attention to why particular lyrics linger for awhile.

And most often, their meaning is revealed in a short amount of time. Christian music echoes in my mind quite often and it rests in my heart to serve as another faithful reminder in God's loving grace and mercy when I need those little nudges.

On my mind prior to Lent was just a line or two from a song that is shuffled about on my iPod during my Wii workout. And it's that song that has become my meditation, my theme, for this Lenten season. Drawn to it with tear-filled eyes and a heart ready for abandonment to Christ's greater plan, that in His time will be revealed.

'To the cross I cling,
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I'm sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous your redeeming love and
How great is your faithfulness'


(Taken from 'Sweetly Broken' by Jeremy Riddle)


I recently shared with a friend something I heard at a Women's Conference a couple of years ago, regarding our Cross that God gives to us. The speaker shared that sometimes taking up her cross was a lot to handle. More than she could bear. Something she struggled with carrying day in and day out. She then mentioned that although she never completely sets that cross down, sometimes she just needs to lean on it for a bit. Isn't that an interesting way to envision it?

Although some crosses and adversities that God is asking for me to carry and bear seem to be too much for me, I still embrace them and carry them on my journey. Not always willingly or with a contented heart, I'll admit. I am not resigned to my infertility cross. I still despise it and I'll admit that truthfully. I'll also admit that I've leaned on it an awful lot. But I think during this Lenten season I'm being asked to pick it up and carry it again for a bit and we'll see what comes of it by Easter. Perhaps carrying it won't be as difficult as it has been in the past.

Just wait and see. I hope to prayerfully be beckoned to this particular cross of mine, that I may gently be drawn to my knees. Pray with me, won't you?

Laughter!

Several things came upon my path yesterday and in the recent week that I couldn't help but notice.

Although these weren't any huge 'light bulb moments' or heavenly enlightenment followed by choirs of angels, they were enough for me to string together as little pearls of hope. Reminders that God is up to something very good and (hopefully) very soon it will be revealed.

Last week, Elizabeth shared of a friend who recently stated on facebook that she was "laughing as Sarah laughed today" and Elizabeth made the quick connection that this friend was expecting. She found out later that, Colleen was indeed pregnant.

This struck me and has stayed with me since then. The laughter of Sarah. And for a number of reasons I can relate. The name, the barren womb, you know, all of those things. So I have pondered the story of Sarah and Abraham and their prayers for a child and that when Sarah found out she was to bear a son, her response was to laugh. I then recalled a class I once went to while single, given by a priest and he happened to read the scripture verse about Sarah's finding out her pregnancy and I remember him repeating and emphasizing the response, "and Sarah laughed". That has always struck me and stayed with me. And now, I know why. Thinking on it, I think that is exactly the same way I too will respond, hopefully one day again soon. Laughter at God's greatness and goodness that He would see fit to answer my prayers.

Yesterday, I pulled a book off of the shelf. One I had even forgotten was there. It was a journal for Mom-to-Be that I had while pregnant with Lily. Each day had a scripture verse to pray and it encouraged praying for your child within your womb. I found it peculiar that it would suddenly stick out among the others and I'd be drawn to it. I flipped through it, remembering the days of pregnancy so long ago. And then I came to the scripture verses in the very back of the book and my eyes immediately fell upon this verse from Genesis 21:6:

And Sarah said, "God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me."

It seemed only fitting that I'd run across another verse on the following page, during this Advent when our family has specifically been praying to St. Zachariah and Elizabeth:

Do not be afraid, Zachariah, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. Luke 1:13

Fittingly enough, upon returning to my computer in the afternoon, I came upon a blog with a sidebar scripture of the day. Yesterday's was from Job 8:21:

God will let you laugh again; you'll raise the roof with shouts of joy.


I continue to wait in joyful hope this Advent and I know that when I laugh again, you will hear it and join me in the celebration.

Happy Third Week of Advent!

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Sweatin' To The Rosary

Almost two months ago when I clicked to read my daily dose Faith & Family Live! and spotted this one, I must admit that I was slightly confused. I re-read the post title and literally thought that it was the weirdest thing I'd heard in awhile. I mean, I've heard of both exercising and of praying the rosary and have done both, clearly. But had never heard the two intertwined quite like this.

Feeling oddly inspired to learn more, I went on to the website to learn more about The Rosary Workout. At the time I was in a sort of exercising lull, if you want to call it that. I felt that I was at a good fitness level and really lacking the inspiration toward my exercise routine. I get like that sometimes. The more I read, the more I figured there really wasn't much too lose and lots more to be gained.

How could I not at least test it out and try it? I could add spiritual growth and renewal at the same time as working toward continued health. I could use the extra prayer time. I could use a new way to lead me into deeper meditation. I could use some guidance from someone who clearly knew fitness. So I tried it.

Seven weeks later, I'm still on my Rosary Workout journey. Although I was tempted to skip ahead since my fitness level was more advanced than 'beginner', I did at least follow along the first few weeks in order to walk through the process and find the rhythm and beauty of the workout. I am at a level now where I am doing it three days a week and there are a few other days that when the weather is still nice I take a walk with the kids or some other type of exercise instead. I did eventually jump ahead to where it fit my fitness level a little better and am just about into the interval training. I'm enjoying it. It's allowed for more frequent praying of the rosary and again feeling wrapped in the arms of our Blessed Mother.

The Workout is very well laid out and designed. It can be for the most beginner of beginners, the postpartum mom who is ready to get moving a little more and for those of us in the frigid Midwest it will be wonderful to keep up with in the winter months too. It can be simply implemented with or without exercise equipment (elliptical, recumbent bike, treadmill,etc.) or used just plain old walking or jogging. Pretty versatile and easily accessed. No excuses or limitations. I like to try other exercise routines on the days I don't do this workout and if I am able, but adding this each week certainly lends a hand in keeping my routines from becoming just that and then to my eventual lack of interest.

If you are looking for something new or for something inexpensive (did I mention it's just under $10 and is in ebook format?) to jump start you in the right direction, I'd give this a try! If you are looking for a deeper devotion to Mary and greater consistency in a meaningful, prayerful rosary, this is a great tool.

Obviously, if you have not exercised in awhile and have physical limitations and conditions, as with all exercising, consult your doctor before beginning.


*Editor's Note: For the record, I decided to use the above post photo of a random, exceptionally fit woman, rather than one of myself. Being all modest and all. Well, that and that I don't feel like I look anything like that woman! We're all a work in progress and it all starts with tiny steps...

Behind These Doors

It's true that we often do not know what lies beneath or what goes on behind closed doors. Every person is fighting some kind of battle or struggling in some way. How often we pass them by without even a glance. We assume that all is well and each person is thriving, until we hear differently.

The same goes on here, in the land of Blogville. So easy is it to encourage another, praise them in their achievements and pray for them in their trials. But most often, it's much easier to portray a picture-perfect lifestyle and life free of pain and struggle. When I read the heart-felt, honest posts of another blogging wife and mom, my heart goes out to them. I know how very difficult it is to be brutally honest, even if you are virtual 'strangers' on the other side of a computer screen. It's difficult to do since, well then I'd have to admit after all that I am not perfect, have the perfect family nor lead a completely perfect life. It's easy enough to fill in my posts with the beauty of it all and a chuckle or two, but it's the hurting, honest ones that are tricky.

If you've read here for any length of time, you know that occasionally those heart wrenching posts do show up and most often they center around the same theme:my infertility. I do not write them for pity or even for you to acknowledge my pain, but I write them so that you see what the face of infertility looks like. And today, I am reminded that it looks like me. Perhaps it does serve as more of an outlet for me to share what I cannot even verbalize if we were to meet face to face. Most often infertility wears a mask and it's one of smiles and sunshine, while hiding the deep pain that we carry around in our aching hearts.

Had I ever had the chance to choose my cross, this would not have been the one I would've chosen for myself. But then, would any of use choose pain for ourselves if it did not help us to gain eternity in heaven? Fertility is a gift and I made an assumption that if you had it when you were twenty, you'd have it until you were forty. Today I am reminded that I do not have that gift fully within my grasp every month and pregnancy may never come to me with ease again. And I have to learn to be okay with that. One day. Probably not today.

I spent a lot of time in the early hours of this morning contemplating again an unknown future and unknown fertility. After dealing with the infertility for over three years, you'd probably think that with each cycle it gets easier or that you just press on toward the next. And most often, your logical mind prepares you and makes you do these. But then there are cycles where I just can't help but hope a little more than usual, being aware of every ache, sickness and symptom that leans toward feeling like pregnancy. With each day I pray to make it through 'just one more day' to get me further along in my cycle to indicate that we had finally achieved a positive.

All of that comes to a halt when there is evidence to the contrary. I cannot help but try and guard my heart and my head in order to keep me from despair. I am raw with heartache and feel as though I dare not even go beyond the surface of my emotions, so afraid of the complete grief that will consume me. But I rest today knowing that tomorrow comes with new grace, new hope. I also rest today because in those early morning hours, my husband felt my pain and sadness and consoled me by praying a rosary for healing and comfort for me as I wept. He also knew that today I needed him and to rest from the daily duties of being mommy and he stayed home from work. Such a wonderful man he is, that one.

Yesterday, words from a song that I learned as a teen suddenly rang in my ears:

They that wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength.
They shall mount up with wings
as eagles.
They shall run and not grow weary,
they shall walk and not faint.
Teach me Lord, Teach me Lord,
to wait.

And today I understand why I was being reassured with those words. I will continue to wait. I will continue to hope. I cannot help but eagerly anticipate what may be just around the next corner waiting for me.

At The Feet of Mary

My family is leaving this morning for a short pilgrimage until Saturday. We'll be visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It is long overdue and I am so glad we are finally making the trek. Our original plan had been to visit last summer, but that never happened and the shrine was not officially dedicated until late July of last year. I am anxious to visit the beautiful grounds and church to offer my prayers of petition. I will be praying for each of you and will lay your petitions at the feet of Mary on your behalf. I'll be sure to post all about the trip when I arrive back home.


And yes, there are sure to be plenty of photos too!

Anointed (and hopefully fruitful again)

My womb that is.

I finally did it. I finally got the much coveted 'Womb Blessing' Jamie has mentioned to me several times. If you are not familiar with it, read more here from Jamie and be inspired. And again, Miss Jamie, thanks for the nudge!

If you are like us and struggling to conceive or plagued with an infertility diagnosis, you may seriously want to consider receiving this blessing. Or perhaps, do as Jamie did to me and merely suggest it as a powerful tool of intercession.

This afternoon and evening my family was blessed to have two of our favorite priests over for a visit. It was much overdue and we were really excited for it. You must know that these two particular priests we are already much indebted to, since it was through them that Reed and I were introduced and met. And, well, you can figure out the rest.

Any way, we had so much fun visiting, conversing, eating and laughing with these two dear friends today. It really did my heart good to be in their presence laughing together again. It has been much too long. Our visits are always bittersweet since they remind me fondly of the days when I used to work at their parishes in youth ministry. Oh the good laughs we had! Every time we get together again it is a reminder of God's providence and His plan as I clearly see how everything comes together for good and comes 'full circle'.

Finally, after a spring evening walk with them and our little family, the one priest had to be leaving. Darn it! Missed opportunity. But alas, God's generosity and grace would not be outdone before this evening was through. I finally sputtered out the words and carefully opened my heart and was vulnerable and shared the truth as I know it. Conception has not happened for three years. Unexplained Infertility diagnosis. They can't figure out what the problem is. I'd like to ask you for a Womb Blessing.

There it was. I had said it. And really, it didn't hurt to admit that as much as I thought it might. (Have I mentioned how alone and sad this road can be?) And then I looked him in the eyes and saw eyes of compassion and I saw Christ as our dear friend gratefully accepted our request, went to his vehicle to get his holy oil and called my children to my side in prayer. Sweet rejoicing in my heart and tears stinging my eyes. I sat there as words of comfort and blessing and anointing freely flowed ever so gracefully from his mouth. And then, we prayed with dear hubby and blessed and anointed him as well. He gave our family a blessing together and prayed that our home would be filled with more children that we would faithfully raise and teach. He promised that his Mass he offers tomorrow will be for our intention and that his rosary on his drive home would be as well.

Dear friends, tonight I am at peace and filled with renewed hope. It's not that I think this blessing is a 'magic' prayer, but I am a faithful woman who believes in miracles and so desperately hopes for one.

Sweet honey to fill my soul, indeed.

May I be filled with fruitfulness once again one day very soon.

St. Gerard, pray for us!

Hope & Faith

From the title of this blog you could probably tell that Hope has become somewhat of a theme in my life, especially in the last few years. In the last week or so it has become evident that it once again is taking a dominant role in surfacing in A LOT of places. A number of books and articles recently have mentioned the virtue and drawn me into deeper reflection. Did you notice I even changed my header here to incorporate it?

Perhaps it's the springtime feeling of new life and new hope or perhaps, as my dear husband put it in an email to a priest friend (no, REALLY to a PRIEST!!) who asked how I was doing, 'She's doing pretty good right now. There's certain times of the month when hope springs eternal'. Excuse me again for the TMI, but yes, this is true. Depending on my hormonal fluctuations and what did or didn't happen at certain times in a month, definitely either dampens my spirit of hopefulness or encourages it! Nonetheless, I've been renewed with Hope!

I was re-reading in My Way of Life the other day and found the section regarding Hope. It talked about happiness of heart, faith and hope. Truly, no accident that my blog title is what it is! I was struck by the part that mentioned the importance of both faith and hope and how they correspond to one another:

Faith is the beginning of happiness in the mind. Because faith proposes to man the possibility of attaining the vision of God, it gives man the beginning of happiness in his heart. Faith then lays the foundation of hope in the heart of man. it is obvious that faith precedes hope. It is faith which tells man that God is ready to assist him to attain true happiness. In this way it is faith which opens the door for hope in the human heart. Faith makes us cling to God as the source of knowledge. Hope makes us cling to God as the source of our happiness, the goodness and power from which we hope to receive happiness.

How true this is! One thing that I have maintained as we've journeyed through our secondary infertility diagnosis is that I have tried to remain full of hope and I have trusted in my faith to help me and guide me. I have mentioned numerous times that I didn't know what I would have done had I not had BOTH of these! Truly, my faith has opened the door for hope in my heart.

Recently as I was contemplating the gift of faith and faithfulness, I recalled a homily once spoken while I was single and searching deeply for God's revelation of my vocation in life. I was filled with despair and anxiety as I felt that God's voice in my life had barely become audible any more. The priest spoke of faithfulness to Christ and His call in our lives. I only remember the line he spoke frequently through that homily: Sometimes faithfulness feels a lot like unfaithfulness. As I recalled this last week, I felt how true that is. My faithfulness and determination to follow Christ and the Catholic Church's teachings has sometimes indeed felt like unfaithfulness when I have felt that I have not been rewarded. I have felt like I have tried my hardest and done all that I could do to be faithful and yet felt grief, despair and anxiety as I wallowed in a feeling of unfaithfulness.

But it is our faith that truly opens our heart to hope. We cling to God as our true source of happiness and fulfillment. Faith really does lay the foundation in our heart. How blessed are we to have faith and fulfillment in our heart in order to bring about true hope!

Hope continues to reign in my heart and in abundance these days. Is it any wonder that this morning, hubby mentioned the short Lenten reflection he had just read? It talked about the patience of Abraham and Sarah. Ok, this is relevant for a number of reasons, but the obvious would be that my name is Sarah and we too are waiting for a child! The reflection talked about how when we are waiting for something we wait with eager expectation and anticipation. When we have to wait for something we really want that it can become distressing, especially if we are uncertain if or when it will happen. We grow restless, anxious and doubtful, or feel trapped and impatient. How true that has been! Truth is, waiting on the Lord isn't supposed to be an exercise in frustration: it's an opportunity to exercise our faith! Did you see that? It mentioned FAITH. Waiting for God's answer and His timing is enhancing our faith and therefore our hopeful hearts! What a blessing that waiting on the Lord is supposed to be, but do I always see it that way? Not hardly. Patient waiting is tough don't you know.

Can you tell that HOPE has been like a resounding gong in my head lately? As if that is not enough, I've been getting reacquainted with Our Lady of Hope (sometimes referred to as Our Lady of Pontmain). Have you heard of her?

Our Lady appeared in the French village of Pontmain in 1871. She revealed herself as the "Madonna of the Crucifix" and gave the world her message of "Hope through Prayer and the Cross." The basilica built at Pontmain by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate is one of the great French pilgrimage places, noted for its miracles of grace. The Oblate Fathers introduced the devotion to America in 1952.

I received a prayer pamphlet to Our Lady of Hope ironically at the Women's Conference I attended in January. I had heard about her a number of years ago, but had kind of forgotten about her. You can find novena prayers to her at EWTN's site here.

Hope and Faith. Truly two helpful virtues on our journey through life. God bless my hopeful heart!

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
~ Hebrews 11:1~




Our Lady of Hope, Pray For Us!