Building Cathedrals
I am sorry to interrupt your Good Friday, but this Peggy Noonan piece is the first response to the scandals, and reporting of scandals, in the Church that has made any sense at all, and I think it is a must read for all Catholics. Read more
I am sorry to interrupt your Good Friday, but this Peggy Noonan piece is the first response to the scandals, and reporting of scandals, in the Church that has made any sense at all, and I think it is a must read for all Catholics. Read more
“Do penance: bury your negligences, offenses, and sins in the deep pit dug by your humility. Thus does the farmer bury rotten fruit, dead twigs and fallen leaves at the foot of the tree that bore them. And what was unfruitful, even harmful, makes a real contribution to a new fertility. Learn to draw from your falls a new impulse: from death, life.” ~St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, 211 I had to read this point a couple of times before... Read more
I was looking for some beautiful images of Holy Week to share with our children and came across the website Joyful Heart’s list with links to many, many beautiful images. I have not reviewed any of the other content on the site, but this list, which includes images of the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the Trial, the Crucifixion and the Pieta, was exactly what I was looking for. Not all the links work, but many can be looked up by artist/title... Read more
My kids have been sick, on and off, for the entire month of march. Not all of them, but one or two at a time, and not really sick, just sort of stay in your pajamas until 11:30 and ask for toast sick. They have also been mean, tired and bickering almost constantly, and there has been a major rain storm for several days each week. March has been a bear, and I am glad to see it go. Read more
Over the past couple of weeks, our family has been enjoying lots of quality time with our newest addition, little Caroline Rose. The older kids are having a great time playing with their baby sister, and we’re all settling into the new routines and schedules of having a newborn in the house again! Here are some random thoughts that I’ve been having: 1) I really must keep a pitcher of lemonade or iced tea in the refrigerator. Here in Texas,... Read more
We heard a homily yesterday that reminded us that this should be a week set a part for all Christians. We have one last push of Lent, a little more time to carefully offer our sacrifices with love, to make some extra time for prayer and to contemplate the Passion. It is particularly special this year as it overlaps with Orthodox holy week and also with Passover, so around the world people are praying this week. Danielle Bean linked to... Read more
Ladies, Christmas may be 9 months away, but Easter is 9 days away and I have an urgent issue. What are your creative substitutes for Easter grass? I am NOT bringing that stuff into our home for another year. Last year my five-year-old daughter wanted to stuff it into ziploc bags, put pillow cases on them and use them for her animals. I am still finding pieces of the stuff. Does anyone have an attractive substitute? Read more
Happy Feast of the Annunciation! This morning at mass, our priest gave a wonderful homily on the beauty of this feast day, reminding us that the Annunciation is one of the great feasts in the Church year. He gave all expectant and new mothers a blessing, as well as a St. Gerard medal and a carnation. Fr. Troy also mixed in some humor, beginning his homily by saying, “You know what today is, right? Today, you officially have 9 months... Read more
The day I received an email from Melanie and Hal Young was probably like any other day with 3 young boys. Except that the commonplace falls, bumps and bruises of this particular day necessitated our first ER visit (I know, not too bad in 9 combined years of little boyhood). “Would you be interested in a review copy of Raising Real Men?” They asked. Still shaking from our first ER visit, I laughed at reading the subtitle, Surviving, Teaching and... Read more
My two year old son Gus teaches me a lot about life. The little guy has some sensory integration issues, and the more he feels in control, the better his reaction to uncomfortable stimuli. We can sometimes avoid tears and tantrums by making him feel in control. For example, after he finishes a meal Gus hates to have his face wiped. If I give him a warm rag, and allow him to wipe his own face, he does not cry... Read more
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