Loving Christ Jesus

Reading this blog post by Mark Mallett and trying to stay upbeat even though we have a lingering stomach-flu over here. It gives more time for prayer; I wish I had more energy for cleaning.

This post is sure to warm the soul.

from the Liturgy of the Hours

An answer to prayers of late:

"...Be glad then that you are overwhelmed, and do not be saddened because he has overcome you. A thirsty man is happy when he is drinking, and he is not depressed because he cannot exhaust the spring. So let this spring quench your thirst, and not your thirst the spring. For if you can satisfy your thirst without exhausting the spring, then when you thirst again you can drink from it once more; but if when your thirst is sated the spring is also dried up, then your victory would turn to your own harm.

Be thankful then for what you have received, and do not be saddened at all that such an abundance still remains. What you have received and attained is your present share, while what is left will be your heritage. For what you could not take at one time because of your weakness, you will be able to grasp at another if you only persevere. So do not foolishly try to drain in one draught what cannot be consumed all at once, and do not cease out of faintheartedness from what you will be able to absorb as time goes on..."

Second reading
From a commentary on the Diatessaron by Saint Ephrem, deacon
God’s word is an inexhaustible spring of life
Office of Readings 2/13/2011

February Daybook

I am listening to...

Dogs laping up water and circling the kitchen ready to go out after a late breakfast.

I am wearing...

Lots of layers as the rain makes me cold.

I am so grateful for...

My husband's job, my children's strong bodies and active minds, my arthritis.

I'm pondering...

The best possible rhythmn for an inspired, Catholic family life. Every family has different needs, challenges, joys, sorrows that go in to the way they work out their schedule. It is a juggling act; and, we need not work so hard at it that there is no room to let God help us. I find that when I push too hard, all the balls fall.

I am reading...

"The Secret Garden" aloud to our son (so good!) and many other things. I was over reading this post by Elizabeth Foss this morning and it gave me needed time and space to pray and think and breathe about our approach to education, especially religious education. It all starts at home and ends at home.

I am thinking...

So much about how we live and how we might live a better quality of life. I am frustrated by "suburban sprawl" and its difficulties. Catholics see "challenges" and "opportunities" in every circumstance and our adventure of home education has greatly helped in "making lemonade from lemons." I am trying hard to pray, study and think and do little things to help the children and young be prepared for what I think will surely be some very challenging times ahead in our social landscape.

I am creating...

Too much clutter on our main level. I am constantly piling things on the dining room table, kitchen table, and kitchen counters and have plenty of room to organize a little prayer corner and "mini study" up in our master bedroom. I am creating this in my mind, now to get the job done! Like many, we do most of our homeschooling at the kitchen table. I need a new habit of taking things up in the mornings, after coffee and up again in the evenings after tea ("pegging" as many moms call it).

To live the Liturgy...

Jay and I are watching the Ken Burns series on the Civil War off Netflix and tomorrow us the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita of Sudan so I pulled our Pauline biography off the shelf of this saint and hope to read it over the next couple of days. I hope to make at least one daily Mass this week and to get us AS A FAMILY to Confession. This has been very hard this school year.

I am hoping and praying...

That with our BELOVED pastor leaving that things will work out to give God glory. I am praying for many intentions.

Around the House...

Really need to create the mini study upstairs and keep the main level clutter free.

From the kitchen...

Made a chicken and fresh broccoli casserole last night that was a hit, served with hot buttered rice.

One of my favorite things...

A husband who hoses off the back patio and stepping stones out back on a weekend when he is tending to lots of driving, animal care..."He does things for me, I do things for him" (from an article I read last week on marriage-- I'll add link later,if I think of it).

A few plans for the rest of the week...

So happy with son's ice hockey camp and homeschool ice skating at The Ice here in Cumming. Making plans for upcoming swim team banquet for the girls and big grandparent visit (we have three winter bdays that we will celebrate together). And, need to make small steps every day toward that upstairs space and back to "tried and true" de-clutter habits and add a few new ones, by God's grace.

Picture thoughts...

We are less than two weeks away from a big 10 for our son, and just celebrated the big 13 for JB, so here is this:

You are the hands with which He is to bless men now.

I just found this quote attributed to St. Teresa of Avila in this book:

Christ has no body on earth but yours,
no hands but yours, no feet but yours,
Yours are the eyes through which is to look out
Christ's compassion to the world;
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about
doing good;
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.

His grace is sufficient for the task at hand...

I was over here pausing for a little prayer time and cannot believe how the Scriptures give the good and wise counsel needed for me personally but even down to the exact challenges that I face today.

Here is the concluding prayer, and it is like music to my ears:

Father,
yours is the harvest
and yours is the vineyard:
you assign the task
and pay a wage that is just.
Help us to meet this day’s responsibilities,
and let nothing separate us from your love.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
– Amen.

St. John Bosco, pray for us!

Authentic Compassion

This blog post over at La Salette Journey gives a thought-provoking meditation on compassion. As I prayerfully work out my vocation as a Catholic married woman, I hope that the "fear and trembling" caused by the action of the Holy Spirit clarifies my spiritual vision.

Open my eyes, Lord! Open my ears, Mother!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

Queen of Heaven, pray for us!

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

I am posting this link for the amazing artwork included at the bottom of the Wikipedia article. May the Mother of Mercy bring us to Life Everlasting!

Savoring Christmas Memories and Joyful Winter Decluttering....

Is decluttering really a word? It is a wonderful concept. A noble action. Removing clutter, a.k.a. "decluttering," is my 2011 resolution.

Webster's defines "clutter" as both noun and verb. It is "an untidy mess, a state of disorder" or "liter, things left around untidily." As well, to clutter is "to disorder, make untidy."

So, to declutter is to role one's sleeves up and put things in proper order. I like it. I need it. I was just telling the girls that I love seeing the human hope for renewal and improvement that roles around every January. All the shops showcase cleverly designed shelving, colorful storage boxes and some very nice exercise suits. In these North Atlanta suburbs, the air is full of resolution and of home and self improvement.

As Catholics, we pass on to our young the idea that "Hope springs eternal." From the Sacraments, God's grace springs forth giving us baptized faithful life, renewal, strength and reconciliation. We Catholics are called to declutter our souls regularly through daily prayer, good works, frequent reception of our Lord Jesus in the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation (also called Penance and Confession).

We had the beautiful gift of hosting our dear family friends from Miami over Christmas week. Other homeschooling friends joined us for Christmas feasting; and, it was one of the merriest Christmas seasons of my life. My dear sisters in Christ have always shown me the joys of authentic Catholic housekeeping and homeschooling. We all know that joy is not an absence of pain. My personal experience is that joy increases where there is deep and abiding faith. We are up against a culture that challenges our faith on so many levels. But back to Christmas and grace-filled resolutions for 2011...

All of us moms enjoyed revisiting certain practical and spiritual topics; and I felt the quiet, yet powerful, presence of the Holy Spirit in all of the love and friendship of our Christmastide festivities and warm, homey visits. Along side all the festivities with our homeschooling brothers and sisters in Christ, we gathered with grandparents and much loved brothers and sisters in Christ from our parish during Christmastide, including Happy New Year 2011! It was so hard to get back to work and school, but God had a marvelous plan! We had just been back to the "daily grind" for a week when we got a HUGE and wonderful SNOW. We were trapped and I was about as far from "cabin fever" as you can get (I was hoping for more snow!).

As the snowstorm hit ten or so days ago, I was surprised at the blessing of this gift to stay put for a number of days. My houseguests had left the house cleaner than when they came, so I kept the cleaning/decluttering ball rolling. I also gave much more time than usual to quiet and to prayer. I realized how much shopping that I had been doing and how exhausting and depleting that can be for me. With our middle child's 13th birthday this week, we finished our snow days making merry with friends and family again over these past few days.

I know God speaks to us through our friendships and our daily duties and our family ups and downs. The good news for us Sullivans is that 2011 is already, and I pray it continues, a year of rolling up the sleeves and decluttering our souls, our home and our schedule. I learn every year that our sweet Savior and His Blessed Mother, draw us in to their Holy Hearts. Jesus and Mary want us to help them save souls.

An act of housekeeping, a home-cooked meal,a warm embrace from a loved one, a listening ear or kind remark can all be little works of redemption. Wow and Alleluia all at once! We must keep house for Christ and build a strong Mother Church from our little domestic churches. God will bring us guests and make us guests of His awesome Love and Mercy. Jesus burns for love of us, fallen creatures that we are. He wants us to give every possible effort to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with His Eucharistic Heart. We must, in earnest, ask the Mother of Mercy to hide us in her Immaculate Heart so that we will be properly disposed to receive her Son in a spirit of truth and light. I am reading an excellent treatment of this, The Passion of the Infant Christ, by Caryll Houselander.

Read this book. It could change your life, and we must pray for the grace to be constantly changing and growing. May we all bless God in thought, word and deed. I look forward to all of us making Confession soon, knowing in my heart that Holy Mother Church will declutter her children. I am learning more and more about our Heavenly Father's plan for all of His children. He wants us all to be a new creation in Christ Jesus. We have only to ask our Blessed Mother for her help, and grace will do the work in our souls.

Thank you, Lord Jesus and Mother Mary for all of our many blessings! May the Infant Christ reign in our hearts -- Amen.

Great Conversion Story

Confessions of a Convert by Robert Hugh Benson

Our first Thanksgiving in the 'new' house

Our MENU 2010
a 16lb oven-roasted TURKEY (first one)
jellied cranberries
green beans
gourmet mac and cheese (recipe below)
mashed potatoes and gravy
baked sweet potatoes and marshmallows
homemade stuffing casserole
yeast rolls and Irish butter
Joybeth's pumpkin bread
pumpkin pie and whipped cream

My daughter, Jb was looking through the November Food Network Magazine and she came across "Bobby Flay's Macaroni & Cheese Carbonara." We decided to make the recipe for Thanksgiving 2010 and I wanted to share the recipe with you!

Unsalted Butter, for the baking dish
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1-inch thick slice pancettam cut into small dice (or fatty part of bacon)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk, hot
4 large egg yolks, lightly whisked
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups grated asiago cheese, plus more for top
1 1/2 cups grated Irish white cheddar cheese, plus more for top
1 1/2 cups grated American Cheddar cheese, plus more for top
1 cup aged fontina cheese, plus more for top
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for top
Kosher salt & ground black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked just under al dente
1/2 cup coarsley chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves.

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Butter the bottowm and sides of a 10-by-10-by-2-inch baking dish and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
3. Add the garlic to the fat in the pan & cook until lightly golden brown, 1 minute. Whisk in the flower & cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk, raise the heat to high & cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 3 to about 5 minutes. Whisk in the eggs until incorporated & let cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat & whisk in the thyme, cayenne & all the different cheeses until completely melted. Season with salt & pepper. If the mixture appears to thick, add additional warm milk, 1/4 cup at a time.
4. Put the cooked macaroni in a large bowl, add the cheese sauce, reserved pancetta, and the parsley. Stir until combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
5. Combine an addition 1/4 cup each asiago, cheddars, fontina, & parmesan in a bowl & sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake until the dish is heated through and the top is a light golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

God is weaving the tapestry of life and using everything!

Dear children; With motherly perseverance and love I am bringing you the light of life to destroy the darkness of death in you. Do not reject me, my children. Stop and look within yourselves and see how sinful you are. Be aware of your sins and pray for forgiveness. My children, you do not desire to accept that you are weak and little, but you can be strong and great by doing God’s will. Give me your cleansed hearts that I may illuminate them with the light of life, my Son. Thank you.
Medjugorje message, November 2, 2010

I copied this utterly inspiring message from this blog. I am amazed at how pertinent this is to my life right now, in this very moment. I had my first day -- ever-- of physical therapy today and am really looking forward to working with Linnet, a young and capable woman, who has a plan to help me help myself to strengthen my body, especially my lower back. This commitment to physical therapy is itself the fruit of almost two years of monthly spiritual direction, one of the many gifts of my life in Regnum Christi.

I try hard to live a life filled with apostolic zeal and the daily perseverance required to live well (see Despite Lupus blog -- so good!) with a chronic illness is the same daily perseverance needed to pray well. I often do neither well. (I blog to reflect and to take time to count my blessings.) In my younger days, I was such a talker and loved to "think out loud," with a good friend. These days, I nearly crave silence, and I find that writing helps me get my thoughts out. I can put words to concerns and blessings. I can try to complain less and live more. I can stop and love the rich tapestry of life, even if my particular tapestry has lots of frayed spots!

I, by temperament (sanguine), am not one who likes to plan. I find it boring and would rather "fly by the seat of my pants". All my duties require flexibility, prudent spontaneity and, yes, lots of planning. Through the eyes and ears of faith, it is abundantly clear to me that I "cannot always get what I want but I just might find that I get what I need". I want to encourage myself and others to "work against themselves," meaning to dig hard and learn what it is that personally impedes LOVE. Through almost 10 years of living with "something like Lupus," I have found that I do not have to say "yes" to all the (perceived) needs and activities around me --that sounds anti-Gospel but HOLD ON...

I must say "yes" to Christ, "yes" to time in prayer, "yes" to interruptions and to duties, "yes" to a daily rhythm that leaves a calm and smiling face on this constantly tired and achy woman and "yes" to laughter and to tears. "Yes," my Lord, "yes," my Mother, I will stop and garner strength from the Holy Spirit, so that I am not sinking in to my lower nature, sinking in to the sin that potentially separates me from who God has created me to be. For me, making the commitment to Regnum Christi was a means to deepen my practice of the Catholic Faith. Living in the "ever ancient, ever fresh" daily routine of prayer and penance is to continually feel the providential hand of the most perfect and loving Blessed Trinity, Who has the answers to all the questions, even those questions that we do not, as yet, know exactly how to formulate.

God makes no mistakes. We are perfectly capable, in any and all circumstances, to be a conduit for His Love and His most glorious salvation. This makes even a tired person smile. I cannot express properly how humiliating life with chronic illness can be; at the same time, it is a great blessing to be able to stop and offer all of the physical and psychological pain for my own salvation and the salvation of others, as if it were a lovely pearl. This is the gift of suffering -- it is a time to open up, to share with those around you that THIS IS NOT ALL THERE IS. We are pilgrims. We are going somewhere and all of these exercises are preparations to draw us closer and closer to Him who is LOVE.

I have a dear friend who I have not seen in too long, and she used to tell me that God "wastes nothing and weaves everything!" (maybe from St. Paul?) It is so true. We ought to pause often throughout the day and think of Heaven. Heaven is, in some ways, as near as the beating of our hearts. Heaven is always challenging us to change -- to be better, holier and happier.

Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

Thoughts as we approach All Hallows Eve, All Saints, and All Souls

Counting our blessings: we lived in such a good neighborhood for 15 years and enjoyed such lovely, wholesome Halloween celebrations with a hay ride and chili cookoff before the trick or treating began. I wish I could find the photo the year the girls and I dressed up as a medieval queen and princesses. Every year, my husband carves the pumpkins and roasts the seeds with lots of seasoning salt. Usually, his parents have come down to enjoy the children and help hand out candy and watch an old classic movie.

Still counting our blessings: we are in a new, much smaller neighborhood with many kind people and families, and the annual, fall festival atmostphere of our Roswell celebrations accompany us here. The memories of good people and good times help us to bring forth new celebrations and new friends. We have our Faith and have always had many good family prayers around this time to the holy souls and to the saints. One year we even made a little saints museum in one of the children's rooms as the big days (read good link on All Hallows Eve, All Saints and All Souls) approached. At our parish (which has not changed, even though we moved farther north), there is that lovely feeling of expectation for Advent, just a few weeks away! Fall blazes in and out so quickly; it is such a lovely time of year!

Each year, in August, I pick a saint to pray to for our homeschooling. Education means to nurture; and, many parents see the family as a garden, a place where we work, play and pray to bring forth good produce. I have asked St. Gemma Galgani to be our special, educational protectress this year. It is not an easy culture within which to raise children and young people.

I regret letting my children read and watch all the Harry Potter stories, but I have to move forward continuing to humbly pray for the Blessed Mother's intercession and the fathomless Mercy of Christ our King, our Lord and Savior of all who call upon Him in faith, hope and love. Of these, the greatest is LOVE.

Here is my Halloween post from last year.

I just found this thought provoking article.

St. Gemma Galgani, pray for us and for all families striving to bring up their young in the best possible garden.