Discerning Our Charisms & How God Wants Us to Share Them

In May our parish gave out a booklet titled Discern Our Charisms as part of the Increased Commitment Campaign for 2014.  I’m glad they’ve provided one of these for each of us to fill out, because I can’t for the life of me locate the charisms survey I took some eight years ago in spiritual direction.  I’m sure it’s here somewhere, but I haven’t found it, yet.  Maybe that’s just as well, because discernment is an ongoing process and our gifts and what we’re called to do with them can certainly, and often do change over time.  I would be very interested to see the particular charisms I identified eight years ago which are still very much a part of who I am now as I know a number of them would overlap with the results I reached through examination and prayer this go-round.

    
During the month of June, each person is being asked to complete a Ministry Commitment Form for July 2014-June 2015.  All of the current ministry rosters are being considered null and void.  If you want to participate in a ministry that you have done in the past, you have to register to be part of it again.  If you’re ready to take on or at least learn about a new ministry, you’re encouraged to do so.  This is a big leap of faith, in my opinion.  There are so many different ministries to be involved with and through our parish that it takes more than a full page of legal-size paper just to list them all.

That was then, this is now

I realize it says a great deal about my personality and way of looking at things that reviewing the sheet of all the ministries at our church, I feel bad that I’m not involved in more of them rather than simply grateful that we have so many opportunities for outreach.  Processing and praying has helped me move from feeling I’m not doing enough to being grateful for the many gifts we have in our parish that we use to serve others, while being more aware of the specific ministries we’ve been called to focus on at this point in our lives. 

    
This has been a period of pretty intense discernment for Kevin and me as we have been praying about what ministries to be involved in and what God’s calling us to in terms of our work and careers.  I’m feeling greater peace now that the Lord has shown me the ministries we’re involved in are where He wants us to be devoting our time and energy right now. 

    
For a while, we’ve been serving as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.  We served regularly at the Sunday 5:30pm Mass and have been filling in as substitutes as needed more recently when our Cursillo commitments have had us at different Masses and sometimes even different parishes from one week to the next.  We do miss taking up most of a row at Mass with the three silly sisters and their parents, but fortunately, we got to be together for Mass and dinner afterward on Father’s Day.

Christ Renews His Parish

Kevin and I have both made a Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) weekend and served on the teams for the next weekends put on at our parish.  I still gather pretty regularly with my CRHP sisters, both as a group and individually. I first met a friend who introduced me to a couple of other ministries I hadn’t known about before: the Charismatic Prayer Group and Theophostic Prayer Ministry.  This friend has since moved to Chicago to attend pharmacy school, but the connections she created before leaving remain strong.    

 

Theophostic Prayer Ministry

Through that prayer group and because of that friend, I learned about a very powerful type of healing ministry called Theophostic Prayer Ministry (TPM).  She invited me to attend a session with her in Chesapeake, Virginia, and that’s how I met the people at our parish and at New Creation Renewal Center who would journey with me as I witnessed and experienced the healing that the Holy Spirit does through this ministry. 

When they began a group in Richmond that would study Theophostic Prayer, I eagerly joined.  Over the past few years, I’ve been studying and learning everything I can about Theophostic Prayer Ministry through books, workbooks, DVDs, live demonstrations, and by practicing doing the ministry with people who have been doing this for over ten years now.  Over this next year, I will be completing the live practicum portion of my training as a TPM facilitator with the hope that in the summer of 2015, I’ll be ready to take part in a three-day intensive workshop with Dr. Edward Smith, the pastor and counselor who developed this ministry and has been teaching it around the world.  

Spiritual Direction Institute

Kevin and I have begun a two-year course modeled after Monsignor Chester Michael’s Spiritual Direction Institute (SDI) program.  We had our first class last Saturday.  As part of the program, we commit to spending one hour in prayer in addition to doing one hour of study (faith formation) five days each week for the duration of the program. We have two retreats each year.  We have to read at least one book a month and write a one page book report on it.  Obviously this is a big chunk of time and a major commitment which we took time to discern carefully and prayerfully.

    
Anyone who knows me knows that I devour books, often ones that are spiritual and/or religious in nature, so reading a book each month and doing a book report isn’t intimidating for me at all.  The possible challenges posed to me through prayer and when it comes to applying to what I’ve learned from the books is likely to be the most difficult aspect of the process for me.  I knew it would be the prompting of the Holy Spirit if Kevin, who doesn’t usually read books and rarely sits down to write much of anything, discerned now is the time for him to go through this program as well.

Cursillo

We learned about the SDI program from active members in another ministry which we have been very involved in over the past eight years: Cursillo.  Kevin and I attended our first Ultreya  at St. Edward’s the spring of 2006.  We walk into the school hall where the Ultreya was being held, and the first two people we meet are Mary, who was pregnant, and Joseph.  I kid you not.  The married couple who greeted us that evening are actually named Mary and the husband goes by Joey for short.  Their son’s name is Isaiah.  They are still a wonderful, joyful part of our Cursillo family.       

    
We have been members of the Cursillo community since June 2006 when I made my weekend at Mary Mother of the Church Abbey and sat at the table Sea of Conviction, but we renamed ourselves the Spiritual Divas, and that’s how we’re known in the community.  Kevin made his in September 2006.  We’ve each served on team before and were asked to do so again this year.  I served on team for the Women’s Cursillo Weekend that took place April 2014.      

    
Kevin is currently in team formation for the Men’s Cursillo Weekend being held July 24-27, 2014.  I have been a contributor and the editor of the Cursillo newsletter, The Rooster Review, for the past seven plus years.  I’ve lost track of the number of candidates Kevin and I have sponsored and/or co-sponsored to go on Cursillo weekends, but I’m certain it’s over ten. 

    
Through our involvement in Cursillo, we have met some of the most faithful, dynamic, and dedicated Christians we know.  Our close friends, many of whom are already strong people of faith, have been reenergized by making a Cursillo.  The Cursillo Movement is an international, proven method of evangelization designed to bring people closer to Christ in all areas of their lives.  

Pentecost Weekend Festivities

Pentecost Weekend was very enjoyable.  We spent it with loved ones, many faith-filled people who are passionate about serving the Lord and others.  Saturday I had some good prayer, reading, study, and writing time.  In the evening, Kevin and I had dinner with my mom at a delicious Italian place on the Southside called Angelo’s.  Their stromboli is scrumptious!

From there we headed over to Church of the Epiphany, where Kevin and I were married on September 4, 2004.  Two of our friends from Cursillo were doing a concert as part of their Give Me Jesus tour.  The band S2K they’re in plays for Kairos retreat weekends.  I knew it would be a blast, because our two friends are characters on their own, but are even more hilarious together.  The concert was awesome, and the banter among the guys entertaining, as always! We got to sing along to the praise and worship music they performed, and heard their take a on a few classics that fit in with the theme of Kairos. 

   
In between sets, one of the men in the band would talk about how, when, and why they became involved in prison ministry.  Each of them has gone to one or more Virginia prisons to put on Kairos retreats for the inmates.  It was really awesome to hear the stories of how these men from a variety of faith denominations and backgrounds came together to serve men, women, and juveniles who are incarcerated. 

     
One of the most moving testimonies was from a gentleman who had been an inmate on the very first Kairos retreat that ever took place in our area back in 2002.  When released from prison, he began studying to become a minister.  Now he’s one of the chaplains who serves Kairos.  Talk about transformation and metanoia! There you have it!

   
Sunday morning Kevin and I went to 11:15 Mass at our church because our friend was doing the second reading in Hindi as part of the celebration for Pentecost.  It was neat to hear the reading in an unfamiliar language, and the music was beautiful.  Afterwards, we headed up the hill for the church picnic that the Knights of Columbus had organized and were preparing for.  I ended up sitting with a few friends from Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP), a couple of whom are now also Cursillistas, and we had a good time.  Good friends, good food, and good fun!

     
Then I got to catch up with a dear friend I met through CRHP who has been at pharmacy school in Chicago for the past couple years.  We were assigned to be roommates for the overnight portion of the CRHP retreat, and we stayed up half the night talking and have been good friends ever since.  We weren’t sitting at the same table when we made our retreat, so we wouldn’t have gotten to know each other as well had we not been assigned to the same room.  Another God incident indeed! 

   
Lord, thank you for surrounding us with so many people of faith to inspire us and pray for and with us.  We are grateful to have friends who are family steeped in the love of Christ and the dedication to serve His people.  Amen.

In Case You Were Wondering Where I've Been

     As part of the ongoing discernment I know to be life-long necessity for all who try to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit,  I have been prayerfully listening and making some changes I have felt urged to undergo in how I spend my time, energy, etc.  It has been a tremendous gift and encouragement that Kevin has decided going to daily Mass several times during the week would be his Lenten devotion, because there are few things that remind me of God's love and ability to change hearts and minds than sitting and holding hands with my dear husband at Mass.  

     I've been subbing at school pretty often, still reading a lot (mostly in English but also some French), and Kevin's been doing some odd jobs here and there while still looking for a full-time job with benefits.  We're both still praying and waiting for whatever will be the next big thing we undertake, but right now we're content to be serving on really wonderful Cursillo teams and growing closer to the Lord and each other.   

     I realized in hopping from one blog to the next to try and keep up with what’s going on in the world and the blogosphere, attempting to participate in the right link-ups and get the most visitors to my blog with frequent, timely posts was making my prayer time, faith formation, closest relationships, and my vocation to write (particularly: spiritual reflections, personal letters, and prayers) suffer.  

     This is why I have not been participating in 7 Quick Takes Friday recently or posting quite as often as I have at other times.  I have been getting back to a more regular chunk of time for daily prayer, journaling, writing reflections, letters, and things more often, and it's been good to process things with pen and paper and decide what I will share, if anything, on my blog.  Writing because I love to write and am inspired is something I don't want to lose and can too often get away from when I have too many of the how to have a wildly popular blog or what you should be writing about or commenting on things going through my head.  

     It's more important to me to have an active prayer life, loving relationships in person, and time to listen and reflect on what God is asking of me, than it is to see how much blog traffic I can get.  I get caught up in the shoulds and coulds ideas, and suddenly, I find myself stressed out, fragmented, unsettled without enough prayer time, disconnected from loved ones.  

     Plus, I figure that if I am dedicated to prayer and open to what the Lord wants of me, then what I write will reach the people that would find it helpful to read and ponder whenever and if ever they happen upon my blog.     

     I stepped back to look at how I have been spending my time by asking and praying about the following: 

1. What goals or motivation have influenced my choices the most? 

2. Does the Lord come first and my relationship with my husband second before everyone and everything else? 

3. What do I need to do differently so that my time, actions, energy, and on what I spend money reflect that God is first and foremost in my life and that our marriage comes before all else?

     I know it’s not a coincidence that I’ve been prompted to ask myself these questions when I am more often around people for whom prayer, faith formation, and acts of service are a way of life.  Certainly, when surrounded by those who do their best to put Christ first, I am more inclined and challenged to do the same thing.  For those reasons, I am incredibly grateful for the local Cursillo community as well as the Christ Renews His Parish contingency from our parish. 

     Earlier this week I had lunch with my mom, and we had an interesting discussion about how the decisions we make—both big and small, public or private—affect other people, especially those closest to us, whether we want them to or not.  I was mentioning how apparent it has been to me that I want and need to be around Christian community who make prayer, ongoing discernment, and faith formation a priority in their lives.  Their example inspires, encourages, and motivates me.

     The other side of that is also true: the time I spend with the Lord (or don’t) affects every single one of my interactions with other people—not just in terms of their faith and prayer lives, but in every aspect of our lives. 

     The best thing I can do is God’s Will both for me and for everyone else.  To be conformed to God’s Will, I have to spend time in prayer, take part in the Sacraments, and be aware and respectful of His Presence in each person and living thing. 

     In order to do this, I need to be aware of my own proclivities, downfalls, and sinful inclinations, so that I draw closer to Christ.  Once I step into the light of Jesus, He then creates in me a new, more loving, gentle, compassionate, tender, and merciful heart.  With a renewed heart and spirit, I am able to be a better, bigger vessel for the Holy Spirit to work in and through. 

     The more I am open to the Lord and fully present to the people He’s put in my life, especially those physically in my presence, the more God’s love will shine in, through, and around me. 

     Lord, so often I look around and see what others are doing and determine in my own mind the value of what they’re doing and how they’re doing it, but I’m much more hesitant to observe and be mindful of my own thoughts and actions.  If I spend too much time looking inward, I easily become discouraged, depressed, doubtful, sorrowful, and afraid.  If I remain focused on You, then love, great mercy, living hope, and compassion will be closer to the surface. 

     God can and wants to work in and through me to bring others closer to Him.  Am I going to rejoice in that and cooperate or resist and refuse to go along? 

     Truthfully, I’ll likely do some of each.  Fortunately, He can bring about good even from my unwillingness and stubbornness in responding to His grace.    

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 95)

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The Easter Triduum: By the time you read this, we will have started the three holiest days in the Catholic Church: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.   

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Proof of Miracles in Our Lives This is a very special time in the Church year when we reflect on Christ's Passion, death, and Resurrection. It is also a treasured time of memories for Kevin and me as we have journeyed together to grow closer to the Lord and one another. 
 

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Stay with me, remain here with me This week I've made sure to pray some extra prayers for all parents and caregivers who are deprived of sleep due to caring for loved ones of any age.  There are times when we would like nothing more than to go to sleep, but a more pressing need it at hand.  While taking care of others especially when it means going without much sleep, consider that you are keeping Christ company in the Garden of Gethsemane watching, praying, and staying with Him. Lord, be close to these loving people and take care of them as they take care of others. Amen. 

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40 Days for Life  It's still hard to believe it was snowing on Palm Sunday in Richmond, Virginia! We are continuing to pray for all around the world and in our town who are celebrating the wrap-up of another successful 40 Days for Life campaign. There were 601 children whose lives were spared (and whose parents were spared) from the tragedy of abortion, and those are just the ones we know about thus far. God is good! www.40daysforlife.com

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Christ Renews His Parish & Sisters Last Saturday evening, one of my CRHP sisters hosted a going away party for another member of our group who is returning to her home in Eastern Europe with her adorable baby daughter.  As is often the case when we gather, there was lots of talking, laughing, sharing, plenty of good food to eat, lots of hugs, more laughing, more food, and some tears in there, too.  We will miss our CRHP sister, but we're praying she and her beautiful daughter will soon be rejoicing with family members eagerly awaiting them. 

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Prayer Warriors  I felt very honored when one of my spiritual mentors asked me to pray for someone she knows who has been very sick and close to death.  Through the grace of God, this man has taken a turn for the better, so he's no longer in hospice.  God always hears our prayers, but it's such a joy to hear when they've help other be open to the Perfect Physician and Wonderful Counselor.    

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Consider it done! One thing we can offer others no matter what is going on in our lives is prayer.  When someone gives me someone to pray for or God places someone on my heart who He knows needs some extra prayer cover, I lift the person and their family up numerous times throughout the day.  I have to smile when my mom asks me to say some extra prayers for her or one of my sisters, since they are the very people who are often on my mind and heart, and therefore several times a day are in my prayers.  Actually, prayer requests are one of the reasons I check Facebook. 

I pray you and your family have a wonderful Triduum and a glorious Easter!

  

Check out Jen Fulwiler’s tradition of 7Quick Takes Friday at her tremendously popular blog Conversion Diary.

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 94)

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Mass Effect Had some really good prayer time Tuesday. Kevin and I enjoyed that evening’s Mass at St. Benedict's for the Feast of St. Joseph and the Installation of Pope Francis. I got to have dinner with a dear friend/sister/spiritual diva, then our fave brother in Christ called to catch up for a bit. Lord, thank You for lovelines family!

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Lucky for Laughter Me: “I have a leprechaun in my pocket.  A girl at school colored it in, cut it out and gave it to me.”  A little later, after his third failed attempt to toss something into the recycling, Kevin says: “I didn’t have anybody give me a leprechaun today, so I’m fresh outta luck.”  Lord, thank You for my husband and his sense of humor!

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Thank Heavens for Sisters in Christ  Was just going through all of my Christ Renews His Parish photos. Everything from retreat planning meetings, Halloween and Christmas parties, book studies, and prayer sessions to being there for community outreach projects.  Wow! It's hard to believe that I first met this amazing group of women back in February 2010.  We've had some really fun times CRHP sistas! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again very soon.  One of our sisters who had a little baby girl in December will be coming to this gathering.  I'm looking forward to meeting her for the first time and taking part in a send-off party for her mom. 

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Goes Hard Even at Home Had a wicked headache that started Thursday afternoon when Livie “the livewire” as I like to call her launched herself at my face for the millionth time in a nine hour period, and that time smashed into my nose with the part of her skull that is already formed and freakin' hard. Ouch!  My head was still hurting when I went to bed.  Watch out for the head-banger!  

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Tell-tale Poop I have learned many things over my twenty plus years of taking care of children.  One of those things is that the proof is in the poop.  When little ones aren't able to mash up their food due to lack of teeth or additional need for chewing practice once teeth have come in, the things they are unable to mash on their own and therefore can't digest (or get nutritional value from) end up basically whole in their diapers.  
     Seemingly small finger foods easy to make and grab can be deceptively enticing, though not the best of ideas.  Peas, corn, peppers, pretty much any veggies with skin on them, need to be pureed or mashed, otherwise, they go in one end and come undigested out the other.  Blueberries are another one, and of course grapes.  The other drawback to finger foods with skin they can't chew through is that they make for really messy poopy diapers and a higher chance of diaper rash.  

     Good rule of tongue: if you can't mash it or mush it up with your tongue and the roof of your mouth, then your little one isn't likely to be able to mash it with anywhere from 2-4 teeth enough to digest it.

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Give Me a Beat Vivi, Livie, and Sophie absolutely love music.  Singing, dancing, playing instruments (actual or make-shift) are high on their list of favorites.  Since I really like the music from Step Up 4, I've been playing the final mob dance scene on Youtube so we can dance to it.  I pull up a blank screen so they aren't watching the video (which certainly isn't meant for kids), but it's been fun to see how they dance and move to different beats and how they respond to me doing various types of dance.  Vivi's had lots of fun with the baby cello Holly gave me to pass along to her.              
     

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Fringe Benefits It never ceases to amaze me how much the things we use daily can quickly become a source of joy, fascination, and no small amount of giggling for small children and those taking care of them.  The girls love one of the blankets in the living room.  It's one of those you can make fairly easily by cutting one inch strips of material and knotting two panels together.  Vivi is always inviting everyone to "go hiding" with her.  Regardless of what else has been going on, playing with the blanket usually gets everyone in a better mood.     

Check out Jen Fulwiler’s tradition of 7Quick Takes Friday at her tremendously popular blog Conversion Diary.

Too Pooped to Tweet, Pio, or Chirp?

     A number of life events and circumstances have contributed to Kevin and me both feeling too exhausted by the end of the week, or the middle, or sometimes even the beginning, to be as involved in the regular gatherings and goings on of two ministries through which we’ve made some of our closest, dearest friends: Cursillo and Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP).

     I’ve felt guilty about it, frustrated, and upset, but it hasn’t helped (no surprise there).  Recently, as well as in previous months, some things have happened that reminded me that Kevin and I often end up being there for people who we’ve become friends with through Cursillo and/or CRHP even when we are doing so outside of the pre-arranged activities and gatherings. 

Back to Basics

     I have needed to be reminded that ministry can be defined in many ways.  Being a good friend, there to listen when someone needs to process aloud, offering support when things get rough in whatever ways we have available to us, and sometimes just being present can be a very important and often overlooked way of serving others. 

     As Kevin and I discern what God wants of us and where He seems to be leading us, over and over again, He’s made it clear that there are many day-to-day things that seem small, though they’re actually quite important in expressing God’s love to those around us. 

     We haven’t been to an Ultreya recently, but we were there for a friend who was really struggling spiritually and unsure of what to do next.  We weren’t at the last organized gathering, but we prayed for all of the participants at Mass and at home while they were on their weekends. 

     I haven’t signed up to host a month’s gathering with the CRHP ladies with whom I made my weekend and served on team, but when one of them who’s now in graduate school in Illinois texted one afternoon this week and said she’d like to meet that evening if possible, I dropped everything and was there, grateful to spend time together. 

     In Cursillo, the newly initiated participants are called Babe Chicks for the first year.  When Kevin and I were still considered “Babe Chicks” in the Cursillo community, we faced some extremely difficult times.  That’s when I first coined the expression that we were: “too pooped to Pio!”  Babe Chicks in Spanish say pio! pio! pio! and that was more than Kevin and I were up to during a particular period. 

     That’s when we found out the deeper meaning of Christian community and discovered the importance of “lovelines” (rather than strictly bloodlines) family. 

Sisters in Christ

     I have to admit, sometimes it’s still really tough not to be as close with my biological family as other people are with theirs.  At my sister’s baby shower when she spoke about two of her friends from church who had really supported her and encouraged her throughout her pregnancy, I felt bad I wasn’t one of the people included in that circle.  Fortunately, I also thanked God for giving my sister such loving, caring friends to walk with her on her journey.  After all, my one sister and I have never been close. 

     She passed her due date (as of February 26), and she hasn’t had the baby, yet.  Even after 9+ months, I’ve still never seen a single ultrasound picture, don’t know what names my sister and her husband are considering for the baby (whose gender they will find out upon his/her birth), and, though they only live about 10 minutes away, I haven’t even seen the nursery, yet.  Other than bringing them some meals, checking in on my sister via text message, sending her an occasional e-mail, praying for all three of them daily, and joining her and my mom for lunch sometimes, I feel like I’ve been quite a failure as a big sister through this major change and blessing in her life, just like I have been a monumental disappointment through so many other key moments for a variety of reasons.  Through the grace of God, my mom's been a constant support, and my sister has had many sisters in Christ who have walked alongside her.      

Forever Friends, Lovelines Family

     I’ve had more open and honest conversations with my best friend from high school in recent weeks than I have with either of my sisters.  There are instances when that makes me feel really down, and other times I know I’m blessed to have close, loving friendships even if they’re not with people in my (traditional) family. 

     I really don’t know who Kevin and I would be or where we would be if it weren’t for the friends who have become family to us and who, in turn, treat us as family members.  Thankfully, we haven’t had to think about that in quite some time.  And hopefully, if we’ve been doing something right, there are people in our lives who know they are family to us.

     I’m not saying that family relationships aren’t important.  (They are.)  Or that I couldn’t do a lot better at staying in touch, reconnecting, and/or maintaining the ones I have.  (I could do way, way better.) 

     What I’m saying is that I’m grateful and feel very blessed that my husband, sisters, mom, friends, and I all have people who aren’t related to us who love us, pray for us, care about us, and encourage us.  Where there is love, there is God.  God is love.  God is in us and with us, and if we let Him, working through us, and that’s what most important. 

Blessings Out of the Blue (& Photos too!)

Friday Evening

Carl and Jess invited us over for pizza at their place.  This was definitely a blessing for numerous reasons.  It gave me a time that I’d have to finish working at my mom’s to be somewhere else, solved the what to have for dinner dilemma, and, best of all, gave us an opportunity to spend some down time with five of our favorite people (Carl, Jess, and their three young girls, whom I have the privilege of nannying three days a week).  We had an enjoyable evening, which included watching an episode of the Dinosaurs TV show on the Terrible Twos.  We used to love watching that show with my dad.  He found it hilarious, especially the part where their infant always refers to his father as “Not-the-Mama.”     

Friday Night

Kevin and I went to pick-up ice cream from our dear beloved brother’s favorite place, Gelati Celesti’s before we went over to the house to see him and his friend James.  John and his friend came to Richmond for a whirlwind (less than 24 hours in town) trip from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, to serve at the special Mass when nineteen men in our diocese were ordained as permanent deacons.  It was great to see John in person for the first time in two months. 

Saturday Evening

We went over to see Purity, the woman our friend James connected us with over a year ago because he knew about our involvement in 40 Days for Life.  She came to town this past weekend with her nearly one-year-old son Nathan and her mom (who’s been here from Kenya for a few months) to visit family and friends.  Sunday morning, we met Purity, Nate, and Esther for breakfast.  Of course, we had to get a few pictures. 

     
Purity’s mom has to go back to Kenya Oct. 22, and she won’t be taking Nate with her as was originally planned.  I can completely understand how Purity can’t bear to part with her son for an indeterminate amount of time while she saves up money working at her job here. 

The great news is Purity has moved closer to where she works, now has a full-time job working a normal five days a week schedule.  She’s found affordable childcare nearby.  She and Nate look like they’re doing great.  Visiting with them reminded me that we never know how God might work in and through us when we’re willing to be vessels of His love. 

     
It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since we gathered at my mom’s house for Purity’s baby shower, which was a really fun party with plenty of Kenyan food, company, and traditions.  It was definitely a joy-filled occasion, blessed with love and reinforced with prayer.    

Sunday Afternoon 

One of my Christ Renews His Parish sisters had us over to her home for a delicious lunch and a discussion of the book Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo.  I hadn’t seen Leslie, the hostess in several months, and brightened just to see her warm smile again.  We sat out on their back deck eating soup and catching up.  We watched a show that Leslie had recorded in which Colton Burpo, the boy who went to Heaven when he was extremely ill earlier in his life, appeared with his parents for an interview.  Two other guests on the same show were an orthopedic doctor who had a near-death experience that completely transformed her from being a lukewarm Christian to a true prayer warrior.  The third guest was the now teenage girl who painted the picture of Jesus that Colton Burpo said looks like the Christ he saw in Heaven. 

     I stayed for a little while after everyone else left, sensing Leslie wanted company.  We sat on the front porch and talked.  It reminded me that it’s been almost three years since the two of us paired off to go on our Emmaus Walk when we made our Christ Renews His Parish weekend. 

Sunday Evening

Kevin and I usually go to 5:30pm Mass on Sundays and reserve most, if not all, of a row when we get there.  Carl, Jess, Vivi, Livi, and Sophie usually sit with us, and we want to make sure there’s room for everyone.  It means a great deal to me to sit with loved ones we know well at Mass.  It’s even better when some of those loved ones happen to be irresistibly cute and cuddly.  As she often does, Vivi spent much of Mass on my lap or in my arms.  She gave me lots and lots of her spontaneous hugs, the little snuggle bug.  She did a modified version of running from across the room into my arms, by opening her arms and mouth wide, then gripping me in a tight hug.  Very cute!  . 

I finally couldn't help but burst into tears when Kevin took Vivi's hand when he walked up for Communion.  Seeing them holding hands pierced my heart as I will probably never get to see my husband hand-in-hand with a child of our own.
After Mass: Gwen and Laura, two very loving, caring people came over and gave me great big hugs!
     Lord, thank You for the many loved ones You have brought into our lives who bring joy, laughter, and hope.  Help us to be an encouraging, warm, supportive presence to others, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, when sowing in tears and harvesting while rejoicing.  Amen. 

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 70)

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My Grandma Celebrates her 89th birthday: Here's one of the people through whom God has shown me that miracles really do happen.  Read more here.

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What did that say?! Kevin and I have become a pretty good team when it comes to copy editing or just reading and laughing about poorly written already published pieces.  We have a favorite publication which often provides us with plenty of comic relief, though nothing in it is really meant to be humorous. 
     Not only do we each find ways to help others improve their essays, articles, proposals, etc., but we also have lots of fun doing it.  Among the most amusing tidbits we helped refine this week involved someone claiming to have “spearheaded a blood drive.”  Kevin was doubled over laughing.  I simply made the comment that they must have gotten much higher donations than usual.  Another gem was that someone claimed they had experience “working sexual minorities.”  This must be rather confusing to employers minus the preposition “with” included.  
 

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Big Sis Removes Stumbling Blocks Vivi kindly removed the building blocks from her sisters’ rolling, creeping, wishing-to-crawl path today after being asked only once when I explained that we don’t want either of her sisters to roll onto one of her wooden blocks and get hurt.  An explanation, stated calmly, along with the suggestion of a nearby place to put them seemed to be the right combination for cooperation.  (Good reminder for future use.)    

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The Water Buffalo Song You know you must have done something right if you have children requesting books they want you to read them and songs they’d like you to sing with them.  One of my personal favorite requests is Veggie Tales Silly Songs.  “The Water Buffalo Song” has been quite high on the top 10 request list this week. 
 

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My first home Mass This past Monday, we had a lovely treat.  My Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) sister Nora invited us over for a meaningful evening of prayer, breaking bread, and fun.  Nora had us out to her place (which isn’t exactly over the river, but you do have to go through lots of woods to get there) for an in-home Mass that our pastor Fr. Dan Brady came to do.  It was really neat that it was the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, one of my favorite saints, and certainly someone I had in mind when suggesting names for my youngest sister.  We sang hymns, broke open the Word, shared the Most Holy Eucharist, and powerful prayer.  Afterwards, we caught up with each other over a delicious homemade chili dinner with all the fixings. 
  
 

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Stapleton Style Hospitality Kevin and I were invited over for dinner with our good friends Laura and Jeff.  Their place is so warm and inviting, decorated beautifully.  The food they make is absolutely delicious.  We feel really comfortable chatting, relaxing, laughing, praying, and sharing together.  It’s truly a glorious gift to have this Catholic couple in our lives who are also active in our parish, Cursillistas, Christ Renews His Parish alum, and who are also committed to loving the children God puts in their lives.

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Make New Friends, But Keep the Old This week I’ve been reminded again of how wonderful it is to have people in my life now who have known me for a long time.  My best friend from high school Holly and I have kept in touch through the years, and we’re still there to listen and support each other in good times and bad.  Laura, who I met in fifth grade at St. Mary’s School, and I have reconnected after being out of touch for a number of years, and it’s been such a delightful rekindling of an old friendship.  Kevin and I are grateful we have many old friends mixed in with the new friends we’ve made, and we also thank God for the new friends that very quickly feel like they’re old friends.  Thanks God for our bloodlines family and our lovelines family (people of our choosing who aren’t necessarily related by blood or law).     
 
Head over to Conversion Diary, to read Jen Fulwiler's wonderful tradition of 7 Quick Takes Friday.

 

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 60)

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Fed by Faith is the theme of the Men’s Cursillo weekend currently in progress in Petersburg.  I hope you will join me in praying for the participants as they grow closer to the Lord.  Read my reflection on this theme here, which was written in honor of the Men's Cursillo weekend taking place July 26-29, 2012, originally appeared in the June 2012 issue of The Rooster Review.

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The People You Meet at the Library This past Monday evening, a number of women I know from being involved with Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) met for a potluck supper and a book discussion of The Five People You Meet in Heaven, a bestselling novel by Mitch Albom.  The evenings activities were held in the community room at Glen Allen Library.  We had time to catch up, shared a meal together, prayed, and then engaged in a very interesting discussion facilitated by Fr. Dan Brady, the pastor at our parish. 

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Funniest Olympics Bit by Seinfeld Kevin and I absolutely love this bit, and I believe you will enjoy it as well:

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You’ve Got Mail!  It’s been a lot of fun to receive actual mail from our best friend John while he’s been traveling in Europe.  Last week we got a postcard he sent from Poland, and this week we got the letter he sent from Lisieux.  He’s kept us in the loop via e-mail, but it’s always nice to receive actual, open up the envelope mail.        

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Our Lady of Lourdes has been on my mind a lot this week.  John is currently in Lourdes, France and sending us updates about and pictures from his trip.  I had quite an adventure when I went Lourdes, one of the few pilgrimages I took when I was studying abroad in Paris my junior year of college.  That story is a post in and of itself, though.  Perhaps a few of them.  And it will definitely be part of the memoir.  Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

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Babes in Toyland This was my first Monday, Wednesday, and Friday taking care of Vivi (nearly 2 and ½), Livi and Sophie (her nine week old twin sisters) by myself.  Overall it went well.  Of course it was hectic at times, particularly when the domino meltdown effect would consume all three of them at intervals, but we’re all adjusting pretty well I think. 

     I felt bad for Vivi today.  This morning it finally hit her that she is going to have to share me with her sisters and that things are going to be a bit different because of that.  She went to the  front door this morning and told me she wanted to “ride in Trisha’s car in special seat” and “go to the playground” which we did quite regularly when the as she put it, her mom had "babies in pants."    When I offered to take her out to her playset in the backyard, she had a full-out, knockdown, drag-out meltdown and refused to even go outside (usually the dispute comes when it's time to go inside). 
     I have been giving her extra hugs and kisses and have been doing things one-on-one to engage her when the twins are fed, changed, sleeping or at least content, but I know it will still take some adjusting to after having me to herself.  As a firstborn myself, my heart goes out to her. 

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In my “free-time” In addition to nannying for the Baab girls Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Kevin and I had commitments and other ministry things to do pretty much every night this week as well as this Saturday and Sunday. 
     When people ask me what I do when I’m not working at school or nannying, I’m not quite sure what to tell them.  I spend a good chunk of time doing ministry-related things that fall under an assortment of categories, writing certainly being one of the main ones, but not the only one. 
     Some tasks under the writing ministry heading are: Catholic/Christian book reviews, faith-based blog posts, letters, cards, and e-mails. I also edit/review/revise applications, essays, talks, presentations, etc. sent to me by family, friends, and others who have heard about my tendency to be thorough, honest, and willing to coach those who want to turn something in that’s been corrected and polished. 

Head over to Conversion Diary, to read Jen Fulwiler's wonderful tradition of 7 Quick Takes Friday.

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 56)

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Inconceivable!” On Tuesday this week when I went to noon Mass at the Pastoral Center, Fr. Wayne Ball gave a great homily beginning with a quote from his favorite movie, The Princess Bride: “I do not think that means what you think it means.” 

     Fr. Wayne Ball spoke about how the Scripture readings for that day weren’t interpreted or meant the way people thought they were at that time.  The Lord wasn’t saying that the earthly cities and kingdom mentioned would remain untouched, always protected, and out of the enemy’s reach forever; He was saying that the Kingdom of Heaven would never be destroyed.

     Fr. Ball was quite amused when I came up to him after Mass and exclaimed: “Inconceivable!”

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Religious Freedom Again, the quote: “I do not think that means what you think it means” from The Princess Bride fits perfectly.  For centuries, religious freedom has been one of the most important liberties protected by our constitution.  The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has provided a number of clear reasons why and explanations of how Obamacare policies and provisions infringe upon one of our most important liberties.  I invite any who are serious about protecting religious freedom for all to check out these articles and this information. 

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Health and Human Services are best governed by God and those who intend to protect the health and respect the dignity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death. 

Judie Brown, president of American Life League, issued the following statement:

    “This is indeed a sad day for the people of this once great nation where liberty has always been equated with freedom of religion, freedom from oppression, and freedom of speech. The government's draconian healthcare law denies so many rights that the true result is yet unknown, but surely liberty has been trounced in unbelievable fashion.

    Let us pray for our nation. We must remember in these dark days that, while we are proud to be Americans, our primary loyalty is to God, not man and surely not the government. Civil disobedience appears to be one of the few options we have, and we say bring it.”

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Local Spiritual Enrichment Opportunities Kevin and I have been praying extra for the teams in formation and the candidates who will attend the following upcoming weekends put on by members of our parish for members of our parish: Christ Renews His Parish retreat for Men July 21-22, 2012 and Christ Renews His Parish retreat for Women August 4-5, 2012.  For more information and to register, click here.

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Calling Catholic Men! Another opportunity for Christ-like transformation is fast approaching.  The next Cursillo Men’s Weekend in our area will be held, July 26-29, 2012, at Church of the Sacred Heart in Petersburg, Virginia.  The team members who have been in formation for several months are making their overnight retreat tonight (June 29, 2012), and would appreciate your added prayer cover.  For more information or to register for this very moving “short course in Christianity,” check out the national websitehere.  To register for the July Men’s weekend in Petersburg, Virignia, contact Pre-Cursillo coordinators: Mike and Jane Walsh at Precursillo09@yahoo.com

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Why I’m back to reading YA novels As I’ve mentioned previously, I have a YA manuscript I’ve been working on for a number of years, and I’ve gotten the nudge to get back to it recently.  Because in order to write well you need to read well-written books in that genre, I’ve found myself back in the teen section of the library.  This means I’m reading YA novels in addition to a number of nonfiction works that I will be writing book reviews on for my blog.  Delving back into the teen scene via YA novels has already given me some exceptional ideas for how to take my manuscript to the next level while at the same time reminding me how morally depraved many popular works of fiction are these days.

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Vocation Discernment Yes, I realize I’ve mentioned this often lately, but that’s because it’s been on my mind and heart frequently: please pray for Kevin and me and all who are discerning what major steps to take in their lives.  Lord, please help us to be open to Your Will, to set time aside to listen for Your still small voice guiding us to the Truth.  Keep us focused on You, above everyone and everything else, so that we may say, do, and become better vessels for Your love, healing, Truth, joy, hope, peace, compassion, and gentleness.  Amen.

 

Head over to Conversion Diary, to read Jen Fulwiler's wonderful tradition of 7 Quick Takes Friday.