The Sacrament of the Present Moment by Jean-Pierre de Caussade

I was excited to discover this book in the Spiritual Direction Institute (SDI) library since I read the full-length translation of Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence in college and absolutely loved it!  This quote from the text beautifully sums up the richness contained in this book: “How I long to be the missionary of your divine will, O God, to teach the world that there is nothing easier, more ordinary, more available to all than saintliness.”   

I found The Sacrament of the Present Moment very encouraging.  So often I have felt that I should conform to certain standards, methods of prayer, types of study and action, but Caussade describes how God’s grace and the inspiration which comes from the Holy Spirit don't look the same for every person.  It is important that we listen to and discern what God is calling us to each moment—a desire to do His will above all else and an openness and submission to His plan for our lives.  

I’m reminded of the song by Danielle Rose called “The Saint that Is Just Me.”  There have been many times in my life when I have seen how someone else is living and figure their path to holiness is one that I should follow or emulate, that their trials, tribulations, joys, and sorrows should also be mine.  I’ve been often reminded that isn’t true.  

God has a unique call in my life that is meant to be lived out in a way that is different from other people’s.  The beauty of it is that we are each called to grow closer to the Lord, develop faith, trust, and love on deeper levels as His grace, mercy, and providence permit.

Being resigned to the will of God is what souls tuned-in to the Holy Spirit share.  Their calls and even the specific ways they live out similar calls, ministries, and/or vocations bring to light the vastness of God love, blessings, inspiration, and nurturing for each one of us on the path to saintliness and eternal life.  Teresa of Avila's poem "Into the Hands of God" is a beautiful prayer for discernment.

What deeper layers and richness would I glean from reading Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence in its original French?  What do people think of me who know the many spiritual books I’ve read?  Do they wonder why the heck I don’t have a more disciplined prayer life and a better grasp of even some of the topics I've studied so fervently?  Does it matter what they think?  No, it matters how God sees me, though I can’t honestly say that I’m not affected or wonder about the opinions of others.

This is a prayer I wrote in one of my many prayer journals in March 2008:

     “Lord, so often we seek the approval of our family, our friends, our colleagues, and society and are easily swayed by their opinions.  Please help us have courage enough to turn to You when we need guidance, and put Your view of us, Your wishes for our future, and Your thoughts about our words and actions, above those of other people around us.

     You alone know our hearts completely.  You alone know what is ultimately best for us.  Inspire us to spend more time listening to You so it is easier for us to separate Your will from our own and those of the people closest to us.  Protect us from despair and disillusionment by arming us with the truth, the strength to do Your will, and the wisdom to submit everything we are and have to You.  Amen.”                   

Something Other than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It

Prepare to be inspired by Something Other than God.  Oh, wait, Jennifer Fulwiler already tried that approach, and it didn’t go at all the way she planned.  The high-powered job, racy sports car, fancy house, decadent parties, and expensive vacations she thought were essential to be content in life weren’t enough.    

    
Fulwiler relentlessly pursued wealth and the finer things.  She met and married someone as ambitious and single-minded as she was when it came to work and worldly measures of success.  They were on the way up the corporate ladder to the penthouse suite when the arrival of a small, helpless human being changed everything.  It was more than sleep deprivation and the weight of being responsible for the safety and well-being of a newborn that made her question all aspects of her life up to that point.  Though she fought against such introspection, she was most distraught over losing her grasp of atheism.

    
Raised as an atheist who made fun of the many Christians around her trying to talk her into accepting Christ as her personal Savior, she was horrified to find herself being drawn to answers that were beyond her understanding and comfort level—ones certainly above her pay-grade.  She became obsessed with reading about Christianity, the Bible, researching as much as she could, and questioning everything along the way. 

    
As you can imagine, there are some very amusing scenarios that factor into Fulwiler’s full-blown existential crisis.  Conversion Diary, the blog she began so she could ask the tough questions about Christianity, morality, ethics, and get responses from people who were willing to answer her questions and concerns on both an intellectual level as well as a spiritual one remains tremendously popular.  What started as a hobby as she was seeking Truth, opened her up to the Catholic faith and a vocation of sharing her journey with others through her humorous writing, harrowing, often humbling tales of motherhood, and her struggle against her tendencies to be a mostly inert introvert.

    
There are a number of people I’ve thought of whom I’d love to have read Something Other than God.  Fulwiler writes in a compelling way that brings to light the many questions she grappled with and the answers she came to over time.  This memoir is an account of how one woman set out to achieve worldly success and how, through the grace of God, she discovered a greater longing, a deeper void, which nothing and no one other than God can fill.  Fulwiler slaved over this memoir while raising several young children, dodging dubious scorpions, inadvertently providing exercise entertainment for her neighbors, and attempting creative ways to corral her children enough to maintain her sanity (most of the time), so the least you can do is buy it, read it, and recommend it to all your friends—atheist or otherwise. 

     
For more information about this book or to order your copy, click here.  To read more about Jennifer Fulwiler's current life events, funny happenings, and daily struggles, check out her blog Conversion Diary.  I received a free copy of this book from Aquinas and More in exchange for an honest review.

A Subtle Grace by Ellen Gable

A Subtle Grace is the latest masterpiece by bestselling author/editor Ellen Gable.  It is the sequel to the award-winning novel In Name Only.  I’ve really been looking forward to this sequel because I was so thoroughly impressed by the first book, which vividly depicts the lives of the O’Donovan family in the late eighteen hundreds.  I love when I get so drawn into a book that I can picture myself in the scenes and have a real sense of the thoughts and emotions surging through the characters.  She blends dialogue and descriptive prose to create full-bodied personalities.  It is easy to identify and relate to each person’s unique charms, quirks, and flaws. 

  
There are scenes in certain books, plays, and movies that stick with us because of how disturbing or upsetting they are.  Maybe it’s an image from one of the ghost stories popular at sleepovers or an urban legend that hits a little too close to home.  We can all think back to a particular scenario we’ve envisioned and relive the emotions as if it was happening to us in the present.  Adrenalin starts pumping.  Our heart beats faster.  Our palms sweat.  Our muscles tense.  Every sound is amplified and ominous.  We are sure of our safety, nevermore. 

  
In each of these novels, there are a number of scenes I found myself reacting to on a visceral level because of how powerfully crafted and carefully portrayed they are.  The suspense made me not want to put the books down even when the turn of events caused me to cringe.  Gable manages to treat a number of the scenarios I would definitely include in my top five biggest fears of all time in ways that compel me to continue onward through the horror and devastation to discover what’s waiting on the other side.  I can’t exactly say that I enjoy feeling awful, but to me it’s a mark of good storytelling if you can get me to empathize with the characters so deeply that a real sense of sorrow rises within me when they are suffering and a genuine joy comes over me when they have triumphed over it.

  
This is one of my favorite contemporary works of Catholic fiction.  (For purposes of classification, I'm defining contemporary as works written between the 1980 and today) .  The storytelling is masterful, the characters fascinating, and the writing is of high literary quality.  People are imperfect—past, present, and future—but each is given the opportunity to grow, change, learn, and be redeemed.  In this story it’s shown how the greatest mistake of our lives can be turned into one of the most amazing blessings and even be a source of hope for others.  Life’s messy.  People are complex.  We’ve all got some skeletons in our closets, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t also fit some trophies and triumphs in there as well. 

A Subtle Grace has all of the elements that good Catholic fiction should.  For more information about In Name Only or A Subtle Grace, click here.  I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.            

Catholicism Blog Tour: March 31-April 9, 2014

     We're celebrating Image Books paperback release of the highly acclaimed book and DVD series by Fr. Robert Barron called Catholicism.  Over 10 days, ten different bloggers (including yours truly) are hosting the Catholicism virtual blog tour by posting a reflection inspired by one of the chapters in the book.  In case you're wondering, the chapters in the book correspond directly with the episodes in the DVD series.  

     For more information or to order your own copy of Catholicism, click here.

March 31 – Chapter 1: Stuart’s Study

April 1 – Chapter 2: Seasons of Grace

April 2 – Chapter 3: A Good Measure
April 3 – Chapter 4: Snoring Scholar

April 4 – Chapter 5: The Catholic Book Blogger

April 5 – Chapter 6: Prints of Grace

April 6 – Chapter 7: Catholic Bibles

April 7 – Chapter 8: Team Whitaker

April 8 – Chapter 9: Single Catholic Girl

April 9 – Chapter 10: The Curt Jester

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 140) Little Ways to Brighten the Day

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Grace is…people from countries around the world coming together for the Olympic games, realizing that if you’ve impressed upon children the important lesson that they need to wash their hands with soap and water you have taught them a skill and health tip with immeasurable worth, especially in the midst of flu season, a delicious meal at a family-owned restaurant, going to daily Mass with your spouse, learning to be gentle with yourself…

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My Reflection on the Little Way How often in our lives are we challenged by the seemingly small things in our day or on our to-do list?  How attentive are we when doing those many mundane chores that don’t seem very significant?  For me, there are many times I really have to slow down and be aware of being present if I am to do even the most menial daily tasks with great love.  
    Most often we are sanctified by looking to the Lord for love and living each moment, doing each minor task set before us as if we were carrying it out for Jesus Christ Himself.  Does that include washing another load of laundry, preparing another meal, doing more dishes, paying the bills, being the chauffeur, holding the door for someone, smiling to cheer someone else up, and being friendly even when you don’t feel like it?  Yes, it includes all of those things and many more…Read more here.

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Three Gifts of Thérѐse of Lisieux As someone with a special affection for Thérѐse of Lisieux (as well as some other well-known St. Teresas), I knew I’d enjoy reading about how a bishop who considered The Little Flower as a sister to him from the time he was in seminary.  He was inspired to serve the Lord and live out the prescribed “Little Way” she wrote about in her autobiography The Story of a Soul.  Patrick Ahern cherished Thérѐse’s writing and example so much that he went to the trouble of learning French when he was 70 for the sole purpose of being able to read the original manuscript and other works written by scholars in her native tongue.  That to me shows a profound respect for the written word and the desire for an even deeper understanding of a saint he loved dearly…Read the entire book review here.  (Since I already know French, I do believe I'll have to read the book in the original language it was written.  I know much can be lost in translation or gained in reading more than one version.)

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Stuff my husband says: while watching the Opening Olympic ceremonies and in regard to what the United States athletes wear for the Opening Ceremony   
I said: “The only people that should be wearing sweaters like that are the mothers of some of the athletes.”

Kevin said: “Did Grandma forget to take her meds?” and later on: “I think they’re psyching out the competition.  If you look at those sweaters long enough it may create convulsions, possible black-outs.”

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Saving Mr. Banks My mom, Kevin, and I went to see Saving Mr. Banks in the theater last Friday night.  I had to laugh every single time someone in the movie said: “You’re perfectly capable of...”  I find myself saying that all the time, especially to young children who are just discovering the many things they can do on their own if only they’re given a chance or expected to take care of such tasks.  When Sunshine is old enough to see the making of the Disney movie Mary Poppins from the book by the same name, I have a feeling it might make her think of me, hopefully with a smile.    

 

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New Winter Weather Faves There are some children’s books that quickly make it on to my list of favorites to read and share with little ones, and here are two of them I love for winter weather: If It’s Snowy and You Know It, Clap Your Paws which is quite entertaining and can be sung to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It” and Ten on the Sled which can be read/chanted to the tune of “There Were Ten in the Bed…”

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Creative Outlets Often I’m inspired by what the kids I am taking care of and/or teaching are interested in doing.  Watercolors were something Sunshine and I enjoyed doing together often when her twin sisters were sleeping.  I’ve pulled my paints out at home a number of times for a quick creative outlet.  This is one of the pieces that I added additional embellishments to with Sharpie markers once the paint dried.

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

God's Bucket List: Heaven's Surefire Way to Happiness in This Life and Beyond

God has a sense of humor.  I’m sure of it, and He likes to remind me of that frequently along with the facts that His timing is better than mine and His thoughts are far greater than mine, and so on and so forth.

Again only the Holy Spirit could have orchestrated when and how I’d come to read a book called God’s Bucket List: Heaven’s Surefire Way to Happiness in This Life and Beyond.  All of this review/reflection I wrote on my most recent birthday.  I haven’t looked forward to my birthday in a while to be perfectly honest, which is one of the many reasons why I found it fitting that I finished reading this book and thought about my bucket list versus God’s over the years.

I was really looking forward to turning 18 way back when, not so much because I’d be a legal adult, get to vote, and all that, but mainly because my mom had decided that was the magic age when I could decide for myself if I wanted to be best friends with Kevin or officially start dating him.  I wanted it all, so that’s what I got.

The idea that we’re best off determining how and with whom we spend our time, energy, talents, and treasure by putting God first in our lives makes sense to me.  I do find it far more difficult to live out when the daily grind turns out a little bitter and isn’t the least bit refined.

In God’s Bucket List, popular EWTN TV and radio personality Teresa Tomeo shares some of the major upsets in her career as a high-profile secular journalist.  What at the time was a devastating blow to her ego, helped ultimately save her marriage, reignite her faith, and give her a clearer purpose in life.

My husband’s been out of work since Labor Day, and we have a lot of decisions to make and things to discern right now, so being reminded that God “works all things for good for those who love Him” is a reassurance we’ve needed these past couple months. 

As the title suggests, Tomeo was inspired by the Bucket List film to write a book outlining eight themes to help you in discerning and carrying out what God would most like you to accomplish before you die.  This concept resonates deeply with me since it is one that shows that God’s way is the best way, though rarely the easiest way, and His Will is the best goal to have.

Since I’ve kept all of my regular journals and prayer journals from over the years I suppose I could eventually find the first entry where God inspired me to write and pray these prayers: “You, Lord, are ALL I have, and You give me ALL I need.  My future is in Your Hands.  Lord, I pray for Your Will.” And  another favorite: “Lord, plant Your Will in my heart and make it my deepest desire and most fervent longing.”

I felt this way long before meeting Kevin, which has made for some really major conflicts between us.  Item number one that is on God’s Bucket List for me is to put Him first, before everyone and everything else in my life.  I believe that’s likely the first item on God’s Bucket List for each of us, though, the way He calls us to live out that vocation can vary greatly from one person to the next.

Trouble was, when Kevin and I fell in love, he wanted to be first on my list and made me first on his, but I wanted, through the grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to keep that #1 spot for God.  That’s not to say I’ve ever been successful in keeping the Lord at the center of my life and at the top of all of my lists.

Kevin had long since fallen away from the Catholic faith in which he was raised by the time we met when I was sixteen.  For many years (and often even now), he can’t for the life of him figure out my relationship with the Lord.  When we were just friends, it didn’t seem to matter as much, but once we were officially boyfriend and girlfriend, we were both uncomfortable with his lack of faith and misconceptions of the Catholic Church.

This conflict and a myriad of others brought me to my knees in prayer, trying to determine the answer to a question beautifully phrased by St. Teresa of Avila in a poem she wrote called “In the Hands of God.”  The question she asks repeatedly in the poem is: “What do You want of me?”  For a time, I was seriously discerning a call to the consecrated religious life, though I’d already fallen in love with Kevin.

That proved to be one of the times when I chose God’s Bucket List, whatever it contained for me, rather than my own numeration of goals far less important in the grand scheme of things in time and eternity.

I am still in the process of discerning aspects of everything that is on God’s Bucket List for me, and that will likely always be the case in this life, but I’ve been able to identify some of what’s on His List.  I’ve embraced the vocations He’s already revealed are mine, and I try to live out those to the fullest while remaining hopeful that some additional ones will be added in the future.

One item I believe is on God’s Bucket List for me has to do with sharing the unusual, often hilarious, at times nearly unbelievable story of how God brought two very different people together and kept them together against the odds.  I have been working on our spiritual memoir for a while, and both Kevin and I have felt another nudge from God recently to keep writing the parts of our story leading up to our wedding.

I’m awaiting further specific instructions from the Lord about the timing of finishing this particular writing project and all aspects of the endeavor involving finding the right agent, editor, publishing company and team.  If you are feeling inspired to be part of this effort, like reading and giving people brutally honest feedback, and/or enjoy a good true story, please let me know immediately.  God already knows that I can use all the help I can get!

I highly recommend reading God’s Bucket List and using it as the jumping off point for discerning what He wants you to have in your bucket.  For more information or to order your own copy of this book, click here.  I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  

Walking with Mary Virtual Book Tour

    

     I’m really excited that my blog is one of the stops on the Virtual Book Tour that begins Tuesday, September 10, 2013, the day the book goes on sale and ends Thursday, September 26. Walking with Mary is a beautifully written book about the one person who knew Jesus Christ most intimately, the Blessed Mother.  The stop at Prints of Grace will be on Tuesday, September 17.  Each day of the tour a new blogger will be hosting for that day and providing additional insights about Walking with Mary.  The schedule and list of all blogs featured on the Virtual Tour is below.

Tour Schedule

Sept. 10: The Catholic BookBlogger

Sept. 11: Catholic Bibles

Sept. 12: Snoring Scholar

Sept. 13: Karen Edmisten

Sept. 14: Snoring Scholar

Sept. 15: Abigail’s Alcove

Sept. 16: Integrated Catholic Life

Sept. 17: Prints of Grace

Sept. 18: CatholicMom

Sept. 19: Where Have We Been and Where are We Going

Sept. 20: Brandon Vogt

Sept. 21: The Joe Sales Blog

Sept. 22: Single Catholic Girl

Sept. 23: Stuart’s Study

Sept. 24: Random Acts of Momness

Sept. 25 – Feminine Genius

Sept. 26 –The Catholic Book Blogger

     For more information about the book Walking with Mary, the author Edward Sri, and/or to order your own copy, visit the Image Catholic Books site here. 

     Click here to read an interview with author Edward Sri about Walking with Mary.

     Checkout Edward Sri’s Facebook page here.

     Do you love books and have a blog of your own? Yes, then you might want to become a member of the new and improved Blogging for Books program.  Click here to read more about it and/or register to get free books.   

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

     Yeah, I know this book’s been out for ages and the hype around it’s died down, but I can’t very well keep up with all the latest and greatest books coming off the Christian presses and read every bestseller that’s made it big, now can I?  The correct response is: no, of course not.  Anyways, I’ve heard great things about Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World ever since the book came out, but I forgot about wanting to read it until recently when meeting with my spiritual director.  She mentioned she had a copy of it. 

     I enjoyed the book, just as I imagined I would.  The more in-depth, story-like approach and commentary on the trio at Bethany was easy to read and the author’s personal struggles to balance work with worship I could identify with all too well.

     For years, I’ve had trouble with living out the “be still and know I am God” (Psalm 46:10).  It’s easy in a world in which your worth is based on what you’ve accomplished, how much you make, the awards you’ve won or the possessions you’ve accrued to believe the lie that your value comes from what you do rather than who you are as a child of God. 

     After having read The Better Part by Thomas Keating a while back, I’d spent some time contemplating the necessity of quiet time spent in prayer as an essential ingredient to loving and serving others generously.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve focused so much on what I’m getting done that I neglect to spend time in “the Living Room” as Joanna Weaver puts it—sitting at Christ’s feet listening attentively. 

     Matthew Kelly talks about the need for “carefree timelessness” in our relationships with others, particularly our loved ones.  That same element is needed to develop and maintain an intimate relationship with the Lord. 

     It can be awkward and uncomfortable spending time alone, in silence with God when we’ve been away for a while or haven’t ever cultivated a personal relationship with the Lord to begin with.  Listening and listening well is quite possibly the most important aspect of intimacy, yet it’s hard to do it well, on a consistent basis, and frequently enough that we remain connected on a deeper level.

     Author Joanna Weaver gives a number of good suggestions and practical solutions for common excuses for not making time for prayer and/or neglecting the service aspect of living life as a Christian.

     The Bible Study included in the book is a great resource for groups as well as individuals seeking to apply these ideas and principles to their own lives and see how they have been and could be affecting their journey of faith as well as their personal relationships. 

     The concept of balance between prayer and service isn’t new, but it’s one I know I”ve often needed to be reminded of over and over again. 

     Quiet prayer takes discipline and practice, as does the service we’re led by God to carry out (versus the things we do for recognition or reasons other than out of pure selfless love for God and our neighbor). 

     I highly recommend Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, especially to Christian women striving for a healthy balance in the pursuit and living out of holiness.  For more information on this book or to purchase your own copy, click here. 

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 114)

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On that farm, he had a…I’ve been the lead teacher at school for a Nature Camp held for students who are between the ages of 2-6 this week.  We did a number of fun activities including: singing various songs such as “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” reading some educational books, making a mobile from a branch, twine, wooden beads, and shells, using little bits of scrap paper and Modge Podge to decorate wooden frog shapes to which we added googly eyes on the front and a magnet on the back, taking a walk during which we collected items from nature that are no longer living in our paper lunch bags.  (Don’t worry.  That’s not where our lunches were.)  It was nice to be back at school with lots of kids and some really amazing adults.  Here’s a video clip involving Old MacDonald which Kevin told me about that made me laugh:

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Is It Really Love? The lyrics of a French song I really like “Savoir Aimer” by Florent Pagny have been going through my head lately when I think about what genuine love is.  True love gives without wanting or asking for anything in return, even the hope of being loved.  There are no strings attached or conditions that need to be met in order for the giver to give love freely.  It’s just there.  No matter what.  It’s patient, steadfast, persistent, and doesn’t diminish or run out.  If it is even within my capability to give others such self-effacing, sacrificial love as this, it is only because this is the love the Lord gives to me, to each one of us every day.

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Still a Bit Surreal Kevin and I have now gone out twice on his motorcycle.  Here’s photographic proof that I’ve been on the bike:

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God’s Still Working Miracles Read this miraculous true story by USA TODAY’s Madeline Eversley about how a priest no one has been able to identify interceded on behalf of  a 19 year old girl in a tragic car accident no one thought she’d make it out of alive.  

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Man to Man, Dad to Dad My father’s birthday has just passed and the anniversary of his death is tomorrow, August 10.  Around this past Father’s Day, I received a free copy of this book from Catholic Company, for reasons perhaps only the Holy Spirit can explain (I didn’t request it or order it), and though hesitant to read it and write a review, because I knew it would be a tough topic for me, I did read it, and this is my review...
I just read a book written by and for Catholic men called Man to Man, Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood edited by Brian Caulfield, so I’ve been thinking about my own father and the role of fathers in general.  The funeral I attended recently for William Barrett Sr. reaffirmed that the best gift a father can give to his children are a dedication to the Lord that comes before all else, and a commitment to family that remains strong, loving, tried, and true... Read the rest here. 

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How to Save a Life A few weeks ago, I was inspired to watch the video to a song I’ve liked for quite a while.  I was surprised to discover the lyrics aren’t what I thought they were.  It’s amazing how one word changes everything.  Because of some of the experiences I’ve had in my life with family and friends, I thought that the chorus to "How to Save a Life" by The Fray was:

“Where did I go wrong?
I lost a friend
Somewhere alone in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
cause I know how to save a life.”  

The actual lyrics are: “had I known how to save a life.”  This deeply moving music video contains a message that can save the life of someone you love.  I invite you to watch, listen, and learn, so perhaps you’re less likely to find yourself in the position of regretting that you could have saved a life and didn't.

For more information on suicide prevention, check out this info-packed website for the signs that someone might be suicidal and tips on how to help them.  Don’t ignore them.  Seek help and support for your loved one as well as yourself.  Suicide prevention is everyone’s business!

    

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A Life-giving Birthday Gift Since my mom has learned and done so much over the years to help give people life, I figured a good present for her now that she is a grandma is Infant First Aid and CPR classes.  

     My mom’s been very involved in the respect life movement (from womb to tomb) for a number of years.  Among many other things, she has kept vigil with those who have lost their will to live, visited the sick and home-bound, given shelter to the homeless, fed the hungry, cared patiently and gently for those who are imminently dying, comforted those who are in mourning, prayed for an end to abortion, supported unwed mothers and helped them get the resources they need, fought doctors and anyone else who has refused to recognize the sanctity and dignity of every human life, shared the Gospel with others…

     Pretty much the only life-giving/saving activity I could think of to add to her repertoire is a couple courses on what to do in the event that a physical emergency arises in which she could be the one to keep her grandson or another young person alive.  I was impressed with the class I took through this company.  If you haven’t been trained in Infant or Adult First Aid and CPR or could use a refresher, I encourage you to check out Enjoy CPR.  

                  

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

Man to Man Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood

My father’s birthday has just passed, and the anniversary of his death is coming up soon.  I just read a book written by and for Catholic men called Man to Man, Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood edited by Brian Caulfield, so I’ve been thinking about my own father and the role of fathers in general.  The funeral I attended recently for William Barrett Sr. reaffirmed that the best gift a father can give to his children are a dedication to the Lord that comes before all else, and a commitment to family that remains strong, loving, tried, and true.

     
Man to Man, Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood addresses some of the concerns many parents, particularly fathers, have about passing on the faith to their children.  Honestly, it is a God-incident that I even received this book as it wasn't the one I selected from Catholic Company to review.  

    
The book arrived near Father's Day, which as you might imagine can be a rough day for me and others who have lost their fathers.  I didn't know why I'd received the book, but I felt that maybe I was supposed to read it, anyway. For a while, I couldn't bring myself to get that far in it as my dad's birthday approached (it was July 25) and while thinking about the upcoming anniversary of his death (August 10).

    
Over a weekend last month, I decided to pick it up again and finish it.  I'm glad I did.  I found it to be encouraging and uplifting to read the stories by various Catholic male authors about what it means to live out the Catholic faith.  I also think it might help you to see that parents who raise their children in the faith have done a lot more than they might think in building a strong foundation for the faith in their children, whether they embrace Catholic beliefs and God right now or in the way you envisioned or hoped for at this time or not.

 
One of the many reasons I believe the Holy Spirit nudged me to the Northside for the funeral Mass of a gentleman who I’d never met is because a woman from St. Michael’s parish recently told me that my dad had been part of the inspiration for the Rosary Prayer Group she started.  At my father’s funeral, which this woman attended, it was mentioned that my dad always prayed the Rosary.

    
I now have the blue bead Rosary he prayed with all the time, and I use it regularly.  One gift for which I am very grateful for from my parents and grandmothers in particular is the gift of the desire to put God first in life and as part of that having a strong devotion to the person who knew Jesus most intimately, the Blessed Mother.

In some ways, we get to choose what legacy we will leave.  Man to Man, Dad to Dad: Catholic Faith and Fatherhood addresses the hot topics and challenges Catholic men, husbands, and fathers face on a daily basis.  The authors provide realistic goals and specific steps to help men become the best they can be.  I highly recommend this book for anyone and everyone interested in reading about what really makes the man, husband, and father more like Christ.  I received a free copy of this book from Catholic Company, for reasons perhaps only the Holy Spirit can explain, and though hesitant to read it and write a review since I didn’t order it and knew it would be a tough topic for me, I did read it, and this is my review.  

I am part of Catholic Company’s reviewer program for which I receive free product samples in exchange for an honest review.  

Leaving a Legacy & One Last Lecture

The Last Lecture was one of the books my dad read and had hung onto.  I put it on my bookshelf figuring I’d get around to it eventually.  I’ve been thinking of my dad James Niermeyer a lot lately because of Father’s Day and the time I’ve spent sorting through boxes of photos and memorabilia of his that I brought to our place after he passed away.  Another thing that’s brought my dad to mind is that I’ve been praying for a couple different families whose fathers recently passed away leaving their wives and young children behind. 

    
I know why my dad enjoyed this book: it’s about reaching your childhood dreams, making a difference in people’s lives, and leaving your mark on your family, friends, and colleagues.  Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and he did everything he could to really live the months he had left with his family and friends.  One of the things he worked on during his illness was a last lecture with tons of pictures and some of the main themes in his life and work.  He included the highlights and wisdom he would have shared with his children when they got a little older. 

It’s a fun look at how imagination and determination, a strong work ethic, and persistence can really pay off.  The stories and anecdotes he shares are amusing.  The Last Lecture definitely has the feel of a motivational speech, though with more personal details and universal values incorporated.  Here's a quick 10-minute reprise of The Last Lecture which he appeared on Oprah to give:
   
There are a few things to note that are vastly different from Randy Pausch’s life and my dad’s: not only was my father not a computer science guru, but he barely knew how to use a PC.  Electronics were not his thing at all.  My dad was the youngest (by 15 years) with three older brothers, so his childhood was a direct contrast in many ways to that of Pausch’s.  Sports and physical strength, then later on success in business were emphasized more than imagination and ingenuity the likes of which would land him working at Walt Disney as an Imagineer.         

    
Some of the clichés he uses remind me of those my dad would always say.  In reading The Last Lecture, I wondered what my dad’s main messages from his life would have been.  What would he have included if he gave one last talk before he passed away? 

    
I’m not sure of everything my father would have thought most important to share, but I know that faith would definitely have played a bigger role in his talk than it did in Pausch’s.  I am positive he would have told some of the hilarious stories about he and his brothers getting into trouble over the years.  He would probably have mentioned how much he looked up to each of them. 

    
I’m not sure of all of the messages he would have included for his three daughters, though.  I guess one of the biggest questions I have is: what would my dad’s talk have included after he’d retired from being one of the top executives at a major corporation, when he had long since lost his football player physique, and when he was faced with the certitude of an early death?  I know from our many talks and visits in the last few years of his life that he saw many things differently from the way he once did. 

    
It also makes me wonder what my “last lecture” would include, what main themes and messages from my life I’d insist on having in it.  Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why I felt this was the right time to read this book: I’d like to sit down sooner than later and figure out what’s most important and live in a way that’s evident in my relationships, work, how I spend my time and money. 

    
For me, discerning God’s will, carrying it out, glorifying Him, and bringing others closer to Him are what I want and try to build my life around.  One of the main prayers I have prayed over the years, I was inspired to write a while back: “Lord, please plant Your will in my heart and make it my deepest desire and most fervent longing,” along with: You, Lord, are ALL I have and You give me ALL I need.  My future is in Your Hands.  Lord, I pray for Your Will.     

   
Since we don’t always know when we’ll give our “last lecture,” we’re best off living today in a way that would embody the legacy we hope to leave for our loved ones and the generations to come.
   
This post is linked to the July 2013 edition of New Evangelists Monthly.

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 105)

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Thank You, God! I'm very grateful to the Lord for getting my sister Theresa safely to Burkina Faso, and for the really amazing, uplifting, wonderful people He's used to show me His love this week. Thanks Laura, Kevin, and Gwen for being open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and willing to share your gifts and just be who you are!

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Fun with French I couldn’t resist the opportunity to have some fun with French.  Since I took French from fifth grade through college, and I spent an academic school year my junior year at Hollins studying in Paris, France, I offered to have some conversations in French with my sister before she went back to Burkina Faso (where she’s studying West African dance this month).  She wanted to brush up on the basics and learn some key phrases that wouldn’t likely be in a textbook.

     I began with one of the few things Kevin learned to say in French before he came over to visit me:

Est-ce que tu m’épouseras?   Will you marry me?

This was not my response when he asked, but is one I suggested for my sister to use if it turns out to be a more appropriate answer in her circumstances.

Non, ma mѐre va me tuer.    No, my mother will kill me.

     Actually, when Kevin said, “Je t’taime du fond de mon coeur Patricia Niermeyer.  Est-ce que tu m épouseras?”  To read the whole story and the entire French phrase post, click here.

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Heartbreaking News One of our recently ordained permanent deacons, Joe Marotta, died suddenly and unexpectedly this week. He was married and the father of five young children.

     Another gentleman who went to be with the Lord this week was in his thirties, had cancer, and has left his wife and two young children behind.

     Please keep of these gentleman, their families, and friends in prayer. 

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Tuesdays with Memories I watched my nephew Ezra for a bit Tuesday morning, went to Mass at St.Peter's, and got some organizational things done at home, along with some writing, and work on the YA novel that's next in the John Paul II High Series. I've gone through scores of pictures this week.  As anyone who knows me, knows I have a bazillion, especially from high school on. Kevin and I are thinking of doing a wall of photos of the two of us throughout our relationship, our favorite places, and such. I'm putting the mass quantity of pics into categories and in photo boxes. The next photo phase will likely involve mailing people prints of themselves and friends that I have that would make them smile, laugh, and remember when...

   

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Daily Prayer Lately, I have had pretty much the same prayer routine in terms of what I read/do in the morning and evening.  I usually do the morning prayer included in the Magnificat, the daily readings and reflection before I leave for work, the evening prayer once I get home, and sometimes also do the night time prayer, but not always.  Of course, I pray spontaneously throughout the day, too.  I've found it helps me to have some regular things I do or I am not as grounded in prayer as is wise and helpful in getting through the day with the right focus.

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Home Tonight I finished reading Home Tonight: Further Reflections on theParable of the Prodigal Son by Henri J.M. Nouwen on Pentecost Sunday.  It gave me a great deal to think, pray, and write about as well as meditate on. 

     As is often the case with Nouwen’s books, I am again very aware that I’m being challenged through these heartfelt personal reflections to accept the love, forgiveness, and mercy of the Lord on a deeper level than I ever have before.  This task is rather daunting because it’s really difficult for me to accept love, especially unconditional love and forgiveness when I know (to some extent) how little I deserve it… To read the full review, click here.
     

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Push It Real Good! This week the girls were extremely excited about having the opportunity to play in a laundry basket big enough for them to fit inside of.  It was funny watching them climb in and out, as the twins are not quite tall enough to step over the sides and get in without stumbling.  Vivi, who is quite a fan of pillows and blankets, snuggled up in the laundry basket as well.

                  

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