Category Archives: Smorgasbord ‘n Smidgens

Stuff ‘n’ June 2021 Gallery

22 Tuesday Jun 2021

Posted by in Catholic Home Life, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 4 Comments

A fun post!

Some recent videos Gin and I had fun making….

My daughter, Gin, gives a little tour of her son’s shop that he built.

Gin‘s beginnings of making a vintage dress out of a curtain. (Part one)

Gin gives us a brief peek into her crafty business of making a vintage dress out of a curtain. (Part Two)

Just a little tour of Gin‘s world on a Monday morning in spring time 2021.

A tour of our spring flowers at the beginning of their growth, the beautiful rock garden handiwork and our two grottoes. 🌺💐🌸🌷
“Where flowers, these emblems of purity are found, you may rest assured that they represent a hope, and speak of a goodness of heart not to be found where they are absent.” -Fr. Lasance
“I have always noticed that wherever you find flowers, no matter whether in a garret or in a palace, it is a pretty sure sign that there is an inner refinement of which the world is not cognizant. I have seen flowers cultivated and cherished by some of the lowest and poorest of people. Where these emblems of purity are found, you may rest assured that they represent a hope, and speak of a goodness of heart not to be found where they are absent.” -Fr. Lasance, My Prayer Book

Welcome to my June Gallery of…Home

What do you think makes a beautiful and happy home? How important is this?

Having a happy home is crucial to the spreading of our Faith. To whom do we want to spread our faith? First of all, to our children. They need to see the deep and lasting beauty of our faith shining forth in our everyday lives, making our home beautiful and happy.

Our faith is oftentimes an unspoken reality, the undercurrent in the everyday bubbling brook, that flows into every facet of our lives.

This happiness does not have to be unrealistic. Life is what it is and there are many days where the smiles don’t come as easy and nerves are rawer because of whatever is upsetting the apple cart at the time. These are opportunities too.

A good priest said that if our kids see ONLY that life is perfect at home, if they grow  up wearing rose-colored glasses all the time, they are going to get quite a jolt when they enter into their own vocation and it is less than perfect…and it will be. So it is good that the kids see reality, too.

That being said, we need to create a home that is joyful and lovely, in amongst the “real”-ness.

Let us live more for our homes. Let us love one another more. Let us cease to complain, criticize, and contradict each other. Let us be more patient with each other’s faults. Let us not keep back the warm, loving words that lie in our hearts, until it is too late for them to give comfort. Soon separations will come. One of every wedded pair will stand by the other’s coffin and grave. Then every bitter word spoken, and every neglect of love’s duty, will be as a thorn in the heart. -J.R. Miller, early 1900’s

Click on the first picture to view the gallery…. (Thank you to Henry Toenjes for permission to use some of his Pilgrimage photos.)

Notable Quotes/New Grandbaby!

07 Friday May 2021

Posted by in Inspiring Quotes, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 20 Comments

Some inspiring quotes for your day…..

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“It is wrong to deny one’s self all diversion. The mind becomes fatigued and depressed by remaining always concentrated in itself and thus more easily falls a prey to sadness. Saint Thomas says explicitly that one may incur sin by refusing all innocent amusement. Every excess, no matter what its nature, is contrary to order and consequently to virtue.” – Light and Peace, Quadrupani, 1795

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“Dear Girls, contemplating the final leap, I want you to understand that you can afford a great deal less to be careless after marriage than before; because you have now to keep the husband you have won. Men like what is bright and cheerful, and pleasant to behold. So far as you are concerned see that you are never an eyesore. Even if you have your own work to do, there is no necessity why you should be a dowdy or a slattern. Even a cotton dress clean and daintily made can be as becoming to you as a robe of silk and lace.” -Courtship and Marriage and the Gentle Art of Home-making, Annie S. Swan, 1894

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“Christian humility does not lower, it elevates; it does not cast down, but gives courage, for the more it reveals to the soul its nothingness and abjection, the more it moves it toward God with confidence and abandonment.” – Divine Intimacy, Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D.

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“Children must not feel that because of their littleness, their prayers lack power. Because of their stunning purity and their childlike love, their prayers are probably far more powerful than our own. We should encourage them to pray boldly and should point out all they can accomplish by uniting their prayers to Christ’s prayers for all men. This gives them the soundest, most mature, and most inspiring reason for acquiring habits of prayer.”
-Mary Reed Newland, How to Raise Good Catholic Children

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“The first area that you must succeed in, since you are a woman, is in the home, in the roles of compassionate wife, diligent mother, and successful keeper of the home. Yes, the key to your happiness lies within your own four walls. To reach these goals you may have to go beyond the call of duty…go the second mile, doing more than is asked or expected. ” -FW

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The truly religious wife finds God at Mass and from Him receives the strength to become the ideal helpmate to her husband. She does not leave God at church but keeps Him with her every minute of the day in every nook and cranny of her home. Each menial, repetitious task she must perform is a work of love for her husband and children, and through them, a work of love for her Creator. – Fr. Raoul Plus, S.J. 1950’s

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“Lord, You know my weakness; every morning I make a resolution to practice humility, and every evening I acknowledge that I still have many failures. I am tempted to be discouraged by this, but I know that discouragement also has its source in pride. That is why I prefer to put my trust in You alone, O my God. Since You are all-powerful, deign to create in my soul the virtue for which I long”. – St. Therese of the Child Jesus

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St. Francis de Sales gives us some words of warning on the company we keep: “Be very careful, therefore, dear reader, not to have any evil love, because you will in turn quickly become evil yourself.
Friendship is the most dangerous of all love. Why? Because other loves can exist without communication, exchange, closeness. But friendship is completely founded upon communication and exchange and cannot exist in practice without sharing in the qualities and defects of the friend loved.”
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“Although it is doubtless pleasant to feel assured that no microbe-producing speck can possibly lurk in any corner of the house, and to be certain that food and everything pertaining to it is perfect so far as cleanliness is concerned, there is a sense of insecurity and unrest in the abode of the over-particular woman which often develops into positive misery and discomfort. It is the sort of discomfort specially distasteful to the male portion of mankind.”
Annie S. Swan Courtship and Marriage And the Gentle Art of Home-Making, 1894

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“The many troubles in your household will tend to your edification, if you strive to bear them all in gentleness, patience, and kindness. Keep this ever before you, and remember constantly that God’s loving eyes are upon you amid all these little worries and vexations, watching whether you take them as He would desire. Offer up all such occasions to Him, and if sometimes you are put out, and give way to impatience, do not be discouraged, but make haste to regain your lost composure.”
― St. Francis de Sales

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Congratulations to David and Margy!!

It was an extremely long and arduous labor, with two trips to the Birth Center and finally one to the hospital, but Margy was able to deliver naturally and they are both very happy!

Welcome Sean David (Sean is Celtic for John), 6lbs., 8 oz.!

First Photo after Baby is Born

Sweet little one. His head was swollen and bruised because of the long birth process. But it is already looking much better!

Through a little miracle I was able to visit in the hospital. We were all happy to see each other and ooo and ahhhh over baby! (And discuss the details of a labor that started Sunday night and ended Wednesday morning! The midwife said baby was transverse arrest meaning the side of the head, instead of the top, was on the cervix. Margy did exercises during labor to change that.)

Margy and Baby

David is so relieved. He was the best “Dad Coach” I have ever seen!

Avila holds her cousin.

Grandpa and Gemma admire him.

Make a statement with this lovely and graceful handcrafted “St Anne and Our Lady” apron….fully lined, lace overlay….made with care. Aprons tell a beautiful story…..a story of love and sacrifice….of baking bread and mopping floors, of planting seeds and household chores. Sadly, many women have tossed the aprons aside and donned their business attire. Wear your apron with joy….it is a symbol of Femininity….”Finer” Femininity! 🌺 💗 Available here.


Set of all 20 Children’s Saints Lives

For ages 10 and up. Great stories of the saints for youth that are easy to read; yet extremely edifying and instructing! We all need good examples how to live a good Catholic life — these books will not overwhelm or turn off those who need them most.

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

 

 

 

Sharing Our Creativity….

23 Friday Apr 2021

Posted by in Creativity, FF Tidbits, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 10 Comments

The following post is for your creative inspiration. It is good to have some kind of craft or hobby going. It lightens the spirit!

Being creative is something that we love to do here!

We all have some sort of creativity within us. Oftentimes it lays dormant because of busy lifestyles, lack of ambition, finances, etc.

This post is meant to encourage you to pick up that needle, that paintbrush, pick that bouquet for the middle of your table, get your camera and go out in nature to take a photo, etc. These things bring joy to the one who is creating and joy to the recipients! It doesn’t have to take a degree, lots of money or tons of time.

I think it is very important to bring back to life the creativity that God has given us! Don’t let your lifestyle get so busy that you don’t squeak in a little something, just a moment or two where you can let those creative juices flow! It is like therapy to a weary soul!

These past few months we have done some creating around here. I love the beauty of such innovative things and so…. I take pictures!!

Some of my girls are not creative in the way you would think of creativity. I tell you this because there are many ways to express ourselves….baking, a lovely dinner, a beautiful garden, etc. It’s not all about a needle and some yarn….Find your niche and begin your innovative path!

Here’s a picture of me with all of my girls. They are all so unique and very special! They have creative streaks, every one of them, expressing  them in different ways. I don’t have pictures of each one’s “streaks” but I have included some of them here.

Rosie has been working on crocheting the Baptismal gown for David and Margy’s new little one that is due in about a week. She finally got it done, down to all the embellishments and waited for a good moment to present it to them. Margy was pleased!

Gin made the slip and crocheted the emblem of Our Lady on it. So sweet!

 

Our daughter-in-law, Sarah, loves to make tallow (rendered from beef) and soap (made with her fresh goat milk). She is very savvy when it comes to matters pertaining to natural healing. So, depending what the person she is giving the gift to is going through, she may add some special essential oil to the lovely tallow that seems to work wonders for many skin conditions!

Dominic is getting ready to cut the soap.

Augustine helps….

Her lovely tallow.

Augustine helps….haha

Here’s Margy’s cute egg for Easter….

She has been into needlework lately, too. Here is what she is working on for someone who is probably looking at these pictures. Namely…me and hubby! Time consuming and detailed, that’s for sure!

 

Gin is busy with many things! Here is a pinafore she made for Emma….

Here is a dress she made for herself. Pretty complicated…..

At a cousin’s wedding….

More projects for Easter…..

Colin and Z’s projects right now include putting up fencing and taking care of their many goats they are raising. Wish I had some photos…but next time! Here are a couple from Easter. Charlotte finds her basket! And the kids are happy!

Jeanette has been busy with many things outside! She has a new greenhouse this year and is excited about starting many plants in it! Her and Mike have been planting trees and flowers and other projects to beautify their home.

I went to Theresa’s to do a photo shoot for her new line of wonderful, completely natural homemade soap! Right now she is selling locally but hopes to expand onto my Etsy Shop eventually. Here’s a peek….

Coffee Cedarwood Exfoliating:

Coffee Cedarwood Exfoliating

Activated Charcoal (very good for drawing impurities out of the skin):

Honey Oatmeal Soap….

Sunrise (Lemon Mint, I think)

Rosemary Mint….

Lavender….

A gift for my birthday….

Here’s a little bit of God’s Handiwork. We had a pretty good snow 3 days ago. It covered the blossoming trees and tulips, etc. The first picture was taken in our yard in the morning. The second one of the same place in the evening….

We must take great care to be encouragers of our children. They will only be with us for a short time. What kind of legacy do we want to leave for our children? ….One of hope, love and inspiration or one of negativity and criticism? Take those moments today to listen to them, to smile at them and to see the wonderful good inside of them. Let’s start the habit today of seeing the positive in our children!

NEW! Blessed Mother Graceful Religious Pendant and Earring Set…Wire-Wrapped, Handcrafted. Available here.

 

Hands Free Mama is the digital society’s answer to finding balance in a media-saturated, perfection-obsessed world. It doesn’t mean giving up all technology forever. It doesn’t mean forgoing our jobs and responsibilities. What it does mean is seizing the little moments that life offers us to engage in real and meaningful interaction. It means looking our loved ones in the eye and giving them the gift of our undivided attention, living a present, authentic, and intentional life despite a world full of distractions.

With his facile pen and from the wealth of his nation-wide experience, the well-known author treats anything and everything that might be included under the heading of home education: the pre-marriage training of prospective parents, the problems of the pre-school days down through the years of adolescence. No topic is neglected. “What is most praiseworthy is Fr. Lord’s insistence throughout that no educational agency can supplant the work that must be done by parents.” – Felix M. Kirsch, O.F.M. https://amzn.to/2T06u28 (afflink)

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A Gallery March 2021

23 Tuesday Mar 2021

Posted by in Give-Aways, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 69 Comments

Lent is slowly coming to a close. Many of our couples and guys have been taking part in the Exodus 90 program which started in January….shortly after Epiphany. So it has been a long haul of cold showers, no snacks, no sweets, no unnecessary internet, fasting, meditation, etc. It is very rewarding…..and how happy they are when Easter arrives!

Below is a gallery of some our doings this last month.

Click on the first picture to view the gallery….

“Do the things you don’t want to do. Do them cheerfully and well. E.Schaeffer wrote, ‘Somebody has to get up early, stay up late, do more than the others, if the human garden is to be a thing of beauty.’ At first glance it doesn’t seem fair, but there are hidden and precious rewards for dying to self and serving. Stomping and self-pity cancel the reward points.” 🙂 -Charlotte Siems

Blessed Mother Graceful Religious Pendant and Earring Sets…Wire-Wrapped, Handcrafted. Get it blessed and use it as a sacramental. Available here.

A masterpiece that combines the visions of four great Catholic mystics into one coherent story on the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Based primarily on the famous revelations of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich and Ven. Mary of Agreda, it also includes many episodes described in the writings of St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Elizabeth of Schenau. To read this book, therefore, is to share in the magnificent visions granted to four of the most priviledged souls in the history of the Church.

In complete harmony with the Gospel story, this book reads like a masterfully written novel. It includes such fascinating details as the birth and infancy of Mary, her espousal to St. Joseph and her Assumption into Heaven where she was crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth.

For young and old alike, The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics will forever impress the reader with an inspiring and truly unforgettable understanding of the otherwise unknown facts concerning Mary and the Holy Family. Imprimatur.

He was called the man of his age, the voice of his century. His influence towered above that of his contemporaries, and his sanctity moved God himself. Men flocked to him–some in wonder, others in curiosity, but all drawn by the magnetism of his spiritual gianthood. Bernard of Clairvaux–who or what fashioned him to be suitable for his role of counseling Popes, healing schisms, battling errors and filling the world with holy religious and profound spiritual doctrine? Undoubtedly, Bernard is the product of God’s grace. But it is hard to say whether this grace is more evident in Bernard himself or in the extraordinary family in which God choose to situate this dynamic personality. This book is the fascinating account of a family that took seriously the challenge to follow Christ… and to overtake Him. With warmth and realism, Venerable Tescelin, Blesseds Alice, Guy, Gerard, Humbeline, Andrew, Bartholomew, Nivard and St. Bernard step off these pages with the engaging naturalness that atttacks imitation. Here is a book that makes centuries disappear, as each member of this unique family becomes an inspiration in our own quest of overtaking Christ.

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Lenten Smidgens

01 Monday Mar 2021

Posted by in Lent, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 2 Comments

The Lenten Season

by Therese Mueller, Our Children’s Year of Grace, 1958

Daily Mass is the real “Lenten sacrifice,” and the studying of the daily Mass formula on the evening before is the best means to lead us the way the Church wants us to go. Work out together one or two thoughts that can be easily remembered the next morning and during the day.

Let us remember that the Church has two ideas woven into the Lenten liturgy: the preparation of the catechumens for baptism on Holy Saturday, and the reconciliation of sinners and their atonement. We prepare for the renewal of our baptism; we suffer with Christ for our sins; we are buried with him in penance so that we may rise with him to a new life in grace and glory.

The Sundays of Lent are meant by Mother Church as a pause on the hard way. They are a measure of relaxation and reward for our effort, in order to gather new strength for the coming week. Especially the “Midfast,” the Sunday Laetare, is full of joyous anticipation of a victorious Easter day, since in nature by that time the sun has already conquered the darkness and the cold, and spring has driven out winter. Let us foretaste the coming Feast, and let us rejoice that we have reached and conquered half of our steep way.

The Spirit of Lent

by Mary Reed Newland
The Year & Our Children: Catholic Family Celebrations for Every Season

The young and the old may not be bound by the fast, but they are bound by its spirit, each according to his capacity.

If we feel that it is unnatural to ask penances of children while they are still very young – penances within their reach – we forget that self-denial must be learned very young, that it is the forming of character, that the very grace of their Baptism flows from the Cross.

The end of the penitential seasons imposed by the Church is not mere performance.

The Church is a wise mother, who knows that the cutting away of self-will frees our souls for a more radiant love affair with Christ.

If we think of the penance without pondering its effect, we misunderstand it.

It is not over and done with the doing but will bear fruit, if it is done with the right spirit; not alone by the piling up of “treasure in Heaven” but by an increase in our taste for God, a change in the habits of our souls.

Our Lord tells us how to behave during Lent when He speaks to us in the Ash Wednesday Gospel (Matt. 6:16-21): When you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head and wash thy face, that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, will repay thee.

Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth, where the rust and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in Heaven, where. neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.

So let us remember, when we choose something to give up: no moaning and groaning! Hypocrites (our Lord was talking about the Pharisees) make much of their performances because they want attention. That being their motive, He says, they already have their reward: attention.

There will be opportunities, before Lent is over, for us to attract attention; but so long as this is not our motive, we can accept and use whatever God permits to come to us.

A father will be asked by business associates why he, too, doesn’t order steak for lunch. One mother will be asked by fellow club-members why she doesn’t eat sandwiches and cake after their evening business meeting.

Some children will be asked why they say “No, thank you,” to proffered candies at school, to decline an invitation to a movie during Lent, or do not join with others to watch a television show.

These are the opportunities, with many more, to give reasons “for the faith that is in you.” It is as necessary to give an honest explanation if one is asked, as it is to keep quiet about it if one is not.

God chooses His own time and place to teach the lesson of good example; our part is merely the good example.

“Anoint thy head; wash thy face….” Be cheerful!

The Pharisees wore gloomy looks and long faces to indicate the great anguish their interior purifications cost them.

Not for us.

Our Lord suggests that we “anoint” our heads – that is, prepare ourselves as though we were going to a banquet.

Look cheery and bright even if it is Lent and we miss the between-meal snacks. Our Father in Heaven sees what it is costing us.

One of the Lenten resolves in our family was to omit from all conversation the familiar groan “I’m starving.”

Then He tells us to lay up our treasure in Heaven, because where your treasure is, there your heart is also.

The Second Sunday of Advent has just passed! There are approximately 30 more days left in Lent. I hope it is fruitful for all of us!

Maybe you are doing the Lenten Journal and working on the Crown of Thorns? Here are pictures and thoughts from a few years back….

Here, Rosie is preparing the Crown of Thorns made from unleavened bread dough. It will harden and the toothpicks (thorns) will be waiting to have a pretty silk flower topping it as the children do their sacrifices….

By Easter it will look lovely and the sacrifices the children made will live on forever….

We have no place to put a “bread” Crown of Thorns so we put the idea to paper. This is a big poster board that is mounted to the fridge. If it is a big sacrifice, the sharpies come out and a flower is drawn on a thorn. Three little sacrifices suffice for a flower, too.

Filling up! Interesting species of flowers, wouldn’t you say? What artists I have!

Virginia’s family also has a jar of beans. Every time a sacrifice is made a bean is put in the jar. At Easter, the beans will be replaced with jelly beans and divvied out between the kids.

This year, our friend from Minnesota, Paul, drew the Crown of Thorns for us. We are late getting started…..

Hopefully by the end of Lent, each thorn will have a flower drawn on it. One has to do 3 sacrifices to draw one flower.

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Make your kitchen a place of warmth! “Wherever I’ve lived, the kitchen has always seemed to be the place where warmth and love reign. Family and friends are drawn there like chickens to their roosts. Of all the rooms in our home, the kitchen is the place of comfort, the preferred gathering place for shared conversations and the teamwork of preparing good meals for and with each other.” – http://amzn.to/2ndp5bu Emilie Barnes (afflink)

Make a statement with this lovely and graceful “Bee Sweet” handcrafted apron….fully lined….made with care. Aprons tell a beautiful story…..a story of love and sacrifice….of baking bread and mopping floors, of planting seeds and household chores. Sadly, many women have tossed the aprons aside and donned their business attire. Wear your apron with joy….it is a symbol of Femininity….”Finer” Femininity! 🌺 💗 Available here.

I have prepared this Lenten journal to help you to keep on track. It is to assist you in keeping focused on making Lent a special time for your family. We do not have to do great things to influence those little people. No, we must do the small things in a great way…with love and consistency…

Timeless words from the pen of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen inspire the heart and imagination as readers embark on a Lenten journey toward a better understanding of their spiritual selves. Covering the traditional themes of Lent–sin and salvation, death and Resurrection, sorrow and hope, ashes and lilies–these 50 passages and accompanying mini-prayers offer readers a practical spiritual program as a retreat from the cares and concerns of a secular world view.
If you enjoyed learning about holiday traditions in The Christmas Book, you are sure to love its sequel, The Easter Book. Father Weiser has here applied his winning formula to an explanation of the fasts and feasts of the Lenten and Easter seasons with equally fascinating results.

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Tea Time With Finer Femininity and A Gallery!

19 Friday Feb 2021

Posted by in Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens, Tea-Time With FinerFem - Questions/My Answers

≈ 20 Comments

The following are answers to a few questions that I have received lately…

Question: Please, if you could give me some advice about the Internet in the home. We are careful what we allow the children to have access to but now that one of my children has reached 18, he wants his own laptop for studying, etc.

How much freedom do you allow as your children get older?

I am going to tell you what we do….

Our kids don’t have smart phones until they are married, as a general rule. Rosie has one. She is older than any of our other children have been as a single. She is devout and responsible…so she has one. She was not too hyped about it…which is a good indication she could handle it. She was stuck in her room, very sick and listened to audio books. Thus, the smart phone (for the audio books).

I am very much on top of who is looking at computers. The password is only known by me, my husband and Rosie. The computer is in a high traffic area. I don’t leave it open when I go out. The kids know they have to wait until I get home. They are not clamoring for it because their life hasn’t included it in everything.

We have been strict. And we call the shots when the kids are older but still living in the home. We aren’t apologetic about that. It’s the way it is. The internet is such a dangerous tool so we feel it is important enough to monitor things closely.

Our boys are wary of the computer. They know how quickly people can fall….especially boys…but girls, too. We just have one boy (Angelo) at home and he has written a journal for boys. He was on the laptop a lot while he was doing that. But I could see it at all times and I kept a close eye on things. Don’t ever just “trust” your son. As good as he may be, he is human, has curiosity…and it is just one click away. Covenant Eyes and other such monitoring software are valuable. We haven’t done this. I have chosen to watch things closely. But I do believe it would be a very good thing to have.

So, my advice is…be strict. If they have to use the computer then do be diligent…and make sure they are, too. It takes work but there is nothing more important than the souls of our children.

(I have seen many guys around these parts have flip phones. They don’t trust themselves with a smart phone. These guys run businesses, do Ebay or Craigslist and could really use a smart phone. The convenience is not worth it to them.

My married boys all have smart phones now. It is up to them and their wives to monitor things. And they do. They are not perfect but at least they were old enough to make these decisions before they had the world…good and bad….in the palm of their hands!)

Question: Do you have pdf’s or downloads available for your Boy’s and Girl’s Journals?

Not at the moment. I will work on this. I need to make them black and white first. I will put it up on the blog here when I have that accomplished. I will also get the Gratitude Journal so that you can buy the download. I know many of you are from out-of-country and shipping is expensive for the physical book.

Question: Do you have your taste and smell back after Covid?

Very slightly. And some days not at all. It has been over 3 months so I had a chat with our local Catholic doctor. He said that Covid can cause nerve damage in that area. When you have nerve damage, it can take a year to heal. One of the best things to do with when it comes to nerves, is to work the area. So that is what I am doing. It is called “Sniff Therapy”. I tell you this so you can pass it along to anyone who wants to try it. Here are the four “smells” that are recommended in this article. They sit by my computer and I try to do it twice a day. (Lemon, Rose, Eucalyptus, Clove, in that order.) We’ll see….

Question: Our country seems to becoming more and more Communist. As lay people taking care of our families, what can do we do?

Our family recently went to the Convent in Gower and spent some Days of Recollection there. The good priest gave a sermon on Sunday about being under the “Thumb of Communism” and what we can do. Here was the four things he said:

  1. Holy Mass
  2. Divine Office
  3. Holy Rosary
  4. Devotion to the Holy Face

I found that last one interesting. Father said it is a devotion especially for Communism. We got the book about the Holy Face Devotion, called The Golden Arrow and we will be reading it.

Here is a lovely prayer to the Holy Face from my Little Flower Prayerbook:

Prayer of St Therese to the Holy Face of Jesus

“O Jesus, who, in Thy cruel Passion didst become the ‘reproach of men and the Man of Sorrows,’ I worship Thy divine Face. Once it shone with the beauty and sweetness of the Divinity; but now, for my sake, it is become as ‘the face of a leper.’

Yet, in that disfigured Countenance, I recognize Thy infinite love, and I am consumed with the desire of making Thee loved by all mankind.

The tears that flowed so abundantly from Thy Eyes are to me as precious pearls that I delight to gather, that with their worth I may ransom the souls of poor sinners.

O Jesus, whose Face is the sole beauty that ravishes my heart, I may not see here below the sweetness of Thy glance, nor feel the ineffable tenderness of Thy kiss, I bow to Thy Will—but I pray Thee to imprint in me Thy divine likeness, and I implore Thee so to inflame me with Thy love, that it may quickly consume me, and that I may soon reach the vision of Thy glorious Face in heaven.”

Amen.

Question: I feel so inadequate. I feel like I am not doing enough. It really stresses me out because I see my kids growing up and I know what big things they will face. I have got to do more spiritually in order to equip them….but I am tired. I have several children and life is busy and hectic. Do you have any advice?

Yes, I do. First things first. Let’s make a TO-DO List. No, not one of those lists that are telling you to clean the refrigerator, mop the floor and go to the grocery store. No, this is a “First Things First” List. Here’s how it could look (or something like this):

Morning Prayers

Mercy Chaplet (Or some other prayer for mid-afternoon to bring the family together…not too long…maybe a special litany or a different chaplet)

Family Rosary

Night Prayers

There, that’s not too long, is it? Get these done daily and they will give you the grace to handle the rest of life. Here’s a post to help with your Morning and Night Prayers. And then make sure your kids are saying their own Morning and Night Prayers. Get a little booklet to help your kids along when they are real small.

Then do the best you can for the rest of the day. We must be diligent with our daily duties but the spiritual is the most important and if you get that done, you are doing good. Rely on God for the rest.

I know that sounds simplistic but simple is best…and will help us to maintain that peace that is so crucial in the business of raising children. Well, and crucial for our own well-being and peace of mind! At the end of a hectic day, when we think we have not accomplished much, if we can look at that spiritual list and they are all checked off, you have done much!

Question: I am very worried about my children growing up in the world and in our country with the way things are going. How do you deal with these kind of thoughts?

I am going to quote a dad to answer this question:

Don’t feel sorry for or fear for your kids because the world they are going to grow up in is not what it used to be.
God created them and called them for the exact moment in time that they’re in. Their life wasn’t a coincidence or an accident.
Raise them up to know the power they walk in as children of God.
Train them up in the authority of His Word.
Teach them to walk in faith knowing that God is in control.
Empower them to know they can change the world.
Don’t teach them to be fearful and disheartened by the state of the world but hopeful that they can do something about it.
Every person in all of history has been placed in the time that they were in because of God’s sovereign plan.
He knew Daniel could handle the lions den.
He knew David could handle Goliath.
He knew Esther could handle Haman.
He knew Peter could handle persecution.
He knows that your child can handle whatever challenge they face in their life. He created them specifically for it!
Don’t be scared for your children, but be honored that God chose YOU to parent them! Teach them God’s love and to share it with everyone!
Rise up to the challenge.
Raise Daniels, Davids, Esthers and Peters! 💪🏼
God isn’t scratching His head wondering what He’s going to do with this mess of a world.
He has an army He’s raising up to drive back the darkness and make Him known all over the earth!!!
Don’t let YOUR fear steal the greatness God placed in them.
I know it’s hard to imagine them as anything besides our sweet little babies, and we just want to protect them from anything that could ever be hard on them, but they were born for such a time as this.

Just some thoughts from a dad who is rocking his sleeping baby and thinking about what a crazy day it has been in our country.

–Alex Cravens

And now…A GALLERY!

 

 

 

A Book Giveaway!! ….and Notable Quotes

11 Thursday Feb 2021

Posted by in Inspiring Quotes, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 94 Comments

a Book Giveaway!!

Today, I’d like to offer you a Pre-Lenten Giveaway!!

The winner will receive these lovely books to add to your book collection!

You will get…

~My Life With Thomas Aquinas, Common Sense from St. Thomas Aquinas for Your Family…articles taken from the Integrity Magazine of the 1950’s.

~The Catholic Mother’s Traditional Lenten Journal to help keep you and your family on track this Lent.

~The Precious Blood and Mother Prayer Booklet, a little book full of beautiful prayers that I have used all through my married life…

Just leave a comment here, and your name will be added! It is always great to hear from you. 🙂

I will announce the winner next Thursday, February 18th!

Some inspiring quotes for your day….

“Happiness in marriage must be earned. It is something you must work out for yourself, chiefly by forgetting yourself and serving others. No marriage is a success unless less you make it so, and that takes persistent effort and, still more, a constant and humble reliance on God.” – Fr. Lawrence G. Lovasik. The Catholic Family Handbook http://amzn.to/2rsThRU (afflink)

“It’s better to submit a thousand times to losing an argument than let children see a parent fail to exhibit the patience and consideration he’s trying to teach.” – Mary Reed Newland, How to Raise Good Catholic Children https://amzn.to/2v4Reaj (afflink)

Introduce your children into the family’s prayers at the earliest age possible. As often as possible, say morning and night prayers or the Rosary with your children. Train them to take part in prayers before and after meals. In time of danger or sorrow, resort to prayer as the first and most important source of help and consolation. -Fr. Lawrence G. Lovasik. The Catholic Family Handbook http://amzn.to/2r8cxGP (afflink)

Since marriage is beautifully sacred, so should be the courtship that precedes it. Your courtship must be pure if it is to be happy; and pure and happy, it will provide the test of character that is necessary for a blessed and a happy marriage. -Fr. Lovasik, Clean Love in Courtship https://amzn.to/2JZBF8A (afflink)

“A desire to be beautiful is not unwomanly. A woman who is not beautiful cannot properly fill her place. But, mark you, true beauty is not of the face, but of the soul. There is a beauty so deep and lasting that it will shine out of the homeliest face and make it comely. This is the beauty to be first sought and admired. It is a quality of the mind and heart and is manifested in word and deed.” – Beautiful Girlhood, Mabel Hale http://amzn.to/2pOKmtj (afflink) Illustration by http://www.genevievegodboutillustration.com/

The thought of the Holy Family suggests the love of simplicity. Domestic and marital happiness are closely bound up with the simple but good things of your state of life. Seek your happiness within the range of your income and your social, domestic, and family circles, and you will spare yourself many heartaches. -Fr. Lawrence G. Lovasik. The Catholic Family Handbook https://amzn.to/2JY52YS (afflink)

Love begets and elicits counter-love. It is easy for you to guide and train a child that sincerely and fondly loves you.
Enter into their interests, take part in their games and pastimes, as much as possible, and help them with their studies and other laudable efforts towards success. You will thus win their trust and confidence. -Fr. Fulgence Meyer, 1927

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Vintaj Wire Wrapped Rosaries! Lovely, Durable… Each link is handmade and wrapped around itself to ensure quality. Available here.

This booklet contains practical advice on the subjects of dating and choosing a spouse from the Catholic theological viewpoint. Father Lovasik points out clearly what one’s moral obligations are in this area, providing an invaluable aid to youthful readers. Additionally, he demonstrates that Catholic marriage is different from secular marriage and why it is important to choose a partner who is of the Catholic Faith if one would insure his or her personal happiness in marriage. With the rampant dangers to impurity today, with the lax moral standards of a large segment of our society, with divorce at epidemic levels, Clean Love in Courtship will be a welcome source of light and guidance to Catholics serious about their faith.

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A Frank, Yet Reverent Instruction on the Intimate Matters of Personal Life for Young Men. To our dear and noble Catholic youths who have preserved, or want to recover, their purity of heart, and are minded to retain it throughout life. For various reasons many good fathers of themselves are not able to give their sons this enlightenment on the mysteries of life properly and sufficiently. They may find this book helpful in the discharge of their parental responsibilities in so delicate a matter.

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Merry Christmas! 2020

24 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by in Advent/Christmas, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 11 Comments

Well, here we are, it is Christmas Eve. This year has been harder for most but we have still arrived at the same place as last year….awaiting the coming of Our Savior in anticipation and expectant joy!

The Advent season has quickly passed (seems quicker each year!), and we have had many, many joys along the way.

The girls have been practicing for choir and will be singing at Midnight Mass and at 9:00 a.m. High Mass. They will be tired but happy (unless they really mess up a song or two, in which case they will obsess for the day until their family comes over for dinner to distract them).

We have four children at home….Rosie, Hannah, Gemma and Angelo. They are busy and our lives are full.

Rosie (second from the left) is our “driven” daughter. She is always accomplishing something and can’t resist doing the next thing on her list even though she should be taking a break. She sings in the choir, is always baking something “Keto”, diligently looks after the yard (doing landscaping and cleaning it….urging her dad to get his “junk” out of it). She works for her sister, for an elderly lady and then paints with her dad and brothers 3 days a week. She struggles with headaches every day. We are still looking for answers for her health problems.

Hannah (to the right of the groom) is our mild-mannered, sensitive one. She is a teacher’s aid for her sister, Gin, who has a wonderful teacher/tutor come in to school her children. She does that 2 days a week and then works for her other sisters another day of the week. She finally got her license and bought a minivan from her brother. It was his work van (and looked like it) and the price was right. Hannah cleaned it up and bought sunflower (bright ones!) seat covers for it…now it feels like her own instead of an old paint van! She has taken up crocheting and is still diligently working on last-minute gifts for Christmas! She is sweet and kind and children love her.

Gemma (far right) is vivacious, precocious and has an excellent sense of humor…always making us laugh…when she isn’t making us cry! She loves to read books and to write letters. She takes violin and piano lessons. She is self-motivated and practices faithfully. She was VERY disappointed when their (hers and Hannah’s) Chartres Pilgrimage in France was canceled last May due to Covid. This year isn’t looking that great, either. She is our political activist and urges us regularly to pray, do sacrifices, go to rallies, etc., for the betterment of our great nation!

Angelo (back row, left) is our gem. He is inventive, good-natured, religious and just a great young man. Oh sure, he has his faults, but in general….what a guy! He is a leader when it comes to his nephews or anyone else that he feels he can influence for good. He published his own journal….The Squires of Don Bosco Journal…for his nephews and he keeps them on track. He is mechanically inclined and has a golf cart and a four wheeler that he bought (fixer uppers). He runs errands for me and for his sisters all the time. He usually does it without complaining…though he has his moments.  🙂   He is hoping to start his own lawn business in the spring.

Vincent (hubby) works very hard each day. He has always been a physically very hard worker and it is catching up to him but he does not complain. He remains in a good mood and tends to always look on the bright side of things. He has started to raise rabbits and is quite enamored with them right now. His little greenhouse has been converted to a rabbit haunt. He has hooked up all the waterers and has neat little cages built to separate them. It’s nice to see his excitement.

I am busy and love it. After my Covid, I have felt better than ever (though my taste and smell refuse to return). I am almost done a new Maglet…on parenting. I was hoping to get it done for Christmas but the virus knocked that out of me. I have been doing most of the cooking again, and I am, in general, enjoying it. I also have been on Keto with Rosie and I do Intermittent Fasting (although since I’ve been sick, I have slacked with that one…hoping to get back to it soon). I have lost 20 pounds and feel much better. I take care of my sister since Mom is gone. This is our first Christmas without her….

As you must know, one of my passions is this website. Thank you for your support, I truly hope your Christmas is a time of rejuvenation, peace and joy!

Below are photos of our couples. Colin & Z and Sep & Molly are not included. Hoping to post later….

Vin and Gin with Edward, Tony, Benjamin, Johnathan, Emma, Nathan, Juliette, Peter and Anne Marie

Devin and Theresa with Brendan, Sienna, Adrian, Avila and Adam

Dominic and Sarah with Rita, Augustine and Lucy

Mike and Jeanette with Agnes, Magdalene, Tobias and Elias

David and Margy (our newlyweds)

A Christmas Gallery….