Surprise blessings

I think everyone struggles with how to balance planning/scheduling and being open to the surprise blessings God has in store for us. My arthritis does not permit us to sign up for 1,001 activities, so, it is often the case that I am "winging it". Older people and people with disabilities often know the pleasure of seeing each day as a gift. Of course, this is a generalization, but we, in the above category, tend to not get too attached to human planning. This is a good thing as it allows us to pray more and be open to what the Holy Spirit wills to bring us. I do make plans, set goals, and, like everyone, I love it when things run smoothly, and good plans stay on course. My big "ah-ha" is that this happens only through prayer. Our plans are carried off when they are a response to God in prayer.

When I get around to figuring out how to post photos on this blog, I will post some photos from our outings with Father James, our new friend. He is a dedicated priest who lives in loving service to our Lord. He is travelling, for the first time, away from his country of birth, Ghana. What a blessing he is to our family!

Thank you Mother Mary for your gentle guidance, your loving embrace and your power to encourage us in prayer. Often, sweet and holy Mother, we do not ask for enough. Help us to be at peace with our commitments, knowing that you will go to your Son, who is God, and He will give us grace sufficient for the tasks at hand. In Christ name, I pray, Amen.

What a woman!

Today I really needed some inspiritation. I am having one of those "too-many-irons-in-the-fire" moments. What a treasure is our faith! I am working on publishing a blog for our homeschool moms reading group and also for our family's learning/planning journal. I do not like to overschedule my family. We get stressed more easily than some and need lots of time outdoors, time to pray, to talk, to cook, to play with and tend to our animals and to work on projects in the home, garden and community. I want to keep the academics "small but strong," so as to maximize retention and solid communications skills. We have the gifts of music, math, science, religion, history and the arts in this family. I see us learning well when we do not spend too much time seeing these areas as separate subjects. There is clearly a time for this, in particular, with older students and adults.
So, I know this (click for full bio:) beautiful woman will pray for me. Blessed Maria Romero, pray for the Sullivans and pray for all families who strive to live lives of truth, beauty and goodness!

God's Secret Agents

I was asked last night, at a Fourth of July gathering, in which period of history would I least like to have lived? Because I am reading this book, I answered, "Elizabethan England."