Introducing a new page for book lovers

I am very excited to introduce a new page to my blog! You can access it along the right-hand side.  It's called "My Book List."  I love books, and the fruitfulness good books bring to my life.  I even hope to begin featuring some here in the future.  The information you will find in this post is the same that you will find on the new page.  I hope to update the page every month with the new treasures (I mean books!) I have found.

One of my favorite characters from the days when my oldest daughter watched Sesame Street was "The Girl Who Loves Books."  Indeed, I am one such girl, and I strive to develop a love of books in my children as well.

We recently replaced our dishwasher, and now that Nick
has seen Dad at work, he wants to help too!

I have both shared and given away many books over the years; I think it can be a beautiful and simple form of evangelization.  I have often read that spiritual reading can be very beneficial in helping us grow closer to Christ.  My experience tells me this is true.

When I struggled with depression after the loss of one of my babies at 21 weeks gestation, I asked a dear friend for some reading suggestions, and she shared this beautiful insight: "Yes, it seems that at times like these, the liberal arts can help us in ways little else can."

And when I read Silas Marner by George Eliot, I knew she was right.

I don't know why he climbed into this bowl.  I only know that when a toddler climbs
into a mixing bowl and stays a while, his mom will undoubtedly reach for the camera!

In addition to spiritual reading, I find myself drawn to beautiful children's books as well as young adult literature.  I think this is mainly because I have children who read through books so quickly; I cannot always stay ahead of my oldest daughter any more, but I try to stay familiar with what she is reading, and to continually find new suggestions that will keep her interest, as well as adding beauty and virtue into her life.  My oldest daughter, in particular, does not merely read books.  She lives them.  So the kind of books she reads shape her in so many ways.

I grew up hearing "it doesn't matter what kids read, as long as they are reading."  As a parent, my motto is the exact opposite of this phrase.  My children certainly get their fair share of "twaddle," but when there is so much beauty to be found in books, so many lessons to be learned, and so many friends to be made between their pages, I struggle to understand why so many people are content to provide children with books that offer so little.

I also enjoy cooking with my children.
They enjoy eating banana bread!

I am so excited to share this list of books I have read.  If I don't recommend a book, you can be sure I will make a notation to that effect!  I have been blessed to have found many beautiful book suggestions through blogs; I hope my list can be a blessing to some of you as well.

I hope to update this list monthly, so keep checking in!

I also hope to share, through posts, a more in-depth look into many of these books.  Hopefully that is a feature you can look forward to soon!

Happy reading!

These two have grown closer in the months Kate has homeschooled.
As for the dog ... Nick doesn't say many words, but his clearest one by far is "Rover!"

2013

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (A book for youth that contains many beautiful truths about marriage as well!)

Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome (Great for the young-at-heart of all ages!)

Pickle Chiffon Pie by Jolly Roger Bradfield (A very fun and colorful children's book.)

Miss Twiggley's Tree by Dorthea Warren Fox (Also a beautiful children's book)

Finding God's Will for You by St. Francis de Sales

Alex O'Donnell and the 40 Cyber Thieves by Regina Domen  (This was a gift for my 13-year-old daughter that I previewed first.  We both have fallen in love with Regina Domen and her characters.  However, be warned that her books do deal with mature subject matter.  In this case, there are allusions to Internet pornography.  I chose to let my daughter read this book, after sharing some very fruitful discussions about this important topic.  If you are interested in Regina Domen's books, begin with The Shadow of the Bear: A Fairy Tale Retold.)

Shirt of Flame by Heather King (I cannot recommend this book enough! Seriously, Read.  This.  Book.)

My Sisters the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell

The Urgency of the New Evangelization: Answering the Call by Ralph Martin

Crossing the Tiber by Stephen Ray (I am currently reading this book.  I discovered it at a used book sale at our church yesterday.  I already told my husband it is going on a list of books our children must read before they graduate from high school.  After reading it, they may not remember all of the reasons Catholicism is true, but they will remember those reasons are out there to be found, if only they are willing to put in the effort!)

Prayers for today

Three beautiful prayers recently came into my inbox.

The first is called the Impossible Novena.  It begins today, the Feast of the Annunciation, and continues until Christmas.  Yes, it is nine months long.  It also is a bit longer than the average novena, but as the friend who sent it to me noted, "It IS long, but that is part of the beauty of it; it helps with perseverance."

You choose three intentions.  We happen to be praying about some rather large issues lately, and when I read the email about this novena, I knew it was a perfect fit for us.

Novenas are not promises of miracles for exactly the outcome you may want in a situation.  That doesn't mean those kind of miracles can't happen!  But the important thing is to be seeking God's will, and peace of heart.  There have been times, over the course of a novena, that the biggest change that has taken place has been in my heart.  In some cases, that probably required a miracle even bigger than the changing of circumstances!

If we persevere in taking the biggest three concerns weighing on our hearts, and intentionally and specifically placing them in God's hand every day for nine months, He will work in ways we probably cannot yet imagine.

Trust.  Hope.  Persevere.  And, Wait.

I recently was reminded of St. Teresa of Avila's Bookmark:

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

Do not be afraid to wait on the Lord!  Simply because we cannot see or feel Him does not mean He is not at work.  In fact, it is probably at those times that He is most at work.

During one of my last visits with my Grandmother, she told me she could not feel God's presence.  This astonished me, because simply coming into her presence overwhelmed me with a feeling of Love.  I knew He must be close to her, because I could tangibly feel His presence, and I heard it in her words, in a way I had never before experienced.

I told her this, and I added that what I think was happening was something like this: When one of my children stands very close to me, pressed up against my legs, I cannot see them as I look out at the room around me.  They are so close, but if I were to judge from my view of the room, they would not be there.  That is how I thought it was with my Grandma and God, I told her.  She could not see Him, but that was only because He was so very, very close to her.

I have been learning through this Lent that as long as we are persevering in prayer, and reception of the Sacraments, and are not in a state of serious sin, we can trust He is near us, regardless of what our emotions are telling us.  He will never abandon us!

I pray this novena is a blessing to you and your family!

And since the title of this post promised "Prayers for today," here are two more.

The first, regarding Hobby Lobby's case against the contraception mandate, which is coming before the Supreme Court today:

Lord God, Our Father, you are the Righteous Judge over all the earth. We pray that you will have mercy on the United States as the Supreme Court hears a case that will shape the balance between government power and freedom of religion.
Give words to the attorneys for Hobby Lobby as they argue that our free exercise of religion includes how Christians live and work, not just what we do when we gather for worship, so that whatever we do in word or deed, we may do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

God, enlighten the Justices of the Supreme Court to acknowledge that you alone are Lord of our consciences. Give the Court humility to recognize that you are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and that you have instituted human government so that your people may serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before you, all the days of our life.
And Lord, give us grace and boldness to use the religious liberty that we still have to make your truth and mercy known. Amen.

And finally, have you heard of PrayMoreNovenas.com?  They will send novenas right to your inbox, making easier to remember the prayers you have been wanting to say!  One is starting to St. Padre Pio tomorrow -- one of my most beloved saints! 

There is a vibrant community to pray with at PrayMoreNovenas.com as well.  Visit the website if this sounds interesting to you!

God bless you!

Father Philippe's thoughts on peace

I mentioned earlier that I was blessed to hear Father Jacques Philippe speak during Advent.  Father Philippe's book "Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart" has made a deep and lasting impact in my life, particularly when it comes to discerning God's will.  I wrote a story about his talk for a local paper, The Catholic Times, and thought I would share it here.  It seems fitting for Lent.

Fr. Jacques Philippe recently spoke at St. Pat's in Brighton about what he called one of the “biggest challenges” Christians face – living in Christ's peace.

Philippe, the author of books on prayer and spirituality, regularly preaches at retreats in France and abroad.

He pointed to the fact that we often hear in the news that we live in a world in crisis. Philippe said, “The more the world is in crisis, the more we should be at peace. This is our most powerful testimony – that in spite of our many difficulties, our heart is still at peace.”

He explained this kind of peace does not mean we are “stronger, more intellectual, or have found a solution others haven't.” Philippe said the peace he means is something Christ gives us.

 

It is important to “try as much as possible to not let ourselves be agitated,” Philippe said, because “the more our heart is at peace, the more the Holy Spirit is able to guide us. It is in peace that God accomplishes great things. It is in peace that God can work in the depths.”

Philippe explained that peace is an important ingredient in discernment, because it helps “the decisions we make (to not be) inspired by fear, or the need to protect ourselves, but out of trust.”

Philippe then discussed aspects of our faith that can help us be open to receiving Christ's peace. Eucharist and confession are two important tools in living and maintaining a life of peace, he said.

Perhaps the most important thing that helps us be at peace, said Philippe, is to have faith – to be “convinced of the power of God's love for us.”

“Our degree of peace (is tied to) the degree to which we believe,” he said. “That's why declaring a Year of Faith in the midst of crisis is a great inspiration.”

 

Philippe explained that regularly turning to God's Word can help increase our faith, and our belief in God's love for us. “The Word of God has an authority and strength no human word has,” he said. “We can have (many) reasons to be anxious, but just one Word of God can give us back courage and trust.”

Philippe shared that another aspect of peace is to “be reconciled with one's weaknesses,” and to accept oneself as being little and poor before God.

“God is not scandalized by our limitations; He knows what we are,” explained Philippe. This knowledge should encourage us to trust that “God loves me just as I am,” he added.

Reconciliation is another important aspect of peace, said Philippe. He discussed reconciliation both in terms of forgiving those who have hurt us, and in being reconciled to the difficulties inherent in our lives.

“Instead of dreaming about another life, we need to accept the life God gave us,” he explained. “It's in the real life that God heals, and touches, and saves us.”

The final point Philippe discussed was the importance of prayer.

“We can only find peace through prayer, through contact with God,” he said. “In prayer, I stand face-to-face with God like a little child, and I receive His heart.”

The key to a fruitful prayer life, said Philippe, does not lie in emotions, in a lot of words, or in wearing ourselves out with many prayers. He said the key lies in faithfully persevering in praying at least a little time every day, and in remaining trusting and simple before God.

“The most deep and beautiful prayer is to give God permission to love me just as I am,” said Philippe. “We want to say, 'Wait until I've made myself better,' but that's focused on self. It's in welcoming God's love that I will change.”

Philippe also recommended a weekly hour of Adoration: “At the end of the hour, my problem may not have been solved, but my heart has been pacified, and I can deal with the situation. When we simply come into God's presence, there is something of God's peace that comes into our lives.”

Philippe said that Therese of Lisieux often would fall asleep during prayer, a situation made understandable when one considers her young age and the many demands of convent life. Nevertheless, St. Therese comforted herself with the thought that, “What's important is not what she does for God, but the love God has for her, which is the same whether she is awake or asleep,” said Philippe. He added, “Sometimes when God wants to work deep in us, He makes us very poor and powerless.”

“No deep life of prayer exists without going through moments of poverty,” he said. “Before God, we have the right to be poor. That's not always the case in our society. (But in God,) we have the right to take our rest.”

Acquiring inner peace is a journey worth making, concluded Philippe. He quoted St. Seraphim of Sarov by saying that, in doing so, “many will find salvation around you.”

To learn more about Father Philippe, visit his website at www.frjacquesphilippe.com.

How I really feel about the cleft team ... and gratitude for my son

Luke had a cleft team appointment yesterday.

For those unfamiliar with "team" visits, we sit in a room and the specialists come to us -- we saw social workers, a pediatric dentist, an orthodontist, a pediatrician, our main surgeon (and ENT), an oral surgeon, a speech therapist, and others I probably don't remember.

He has an extensive series of X-Rays taken before the visit, and has pictures taken during the visit.  We leave with a general idea of what steps we need to take related to Luke's cleft over the next year.  In about a month, we should receive a copy of each specialist's thoughts and recommendations.

It's a very effective way of handling care for patients whose needs cross into so many various specialties.  I can understand why a family member once remarked to me, "Oh, so Luke has his cleft team appointment coming up.  You must be excited about that."

But, no, "excited" is not a term I would ever use.

"Thankful" -- yes.  I cannot begin to describe my gratitude at being able to raise my son in a time and place where his bilateral cleft lip and palate is virtually rendered a non-issue, for all truly important purposes in his life.  In some other times -- in some other places even today -- I am not sure whether my son could have survived infancy.  How would he had gotten enough nutrients?

Luke had a prosthetic palate made when he was a week or two old.  Before then, every drop of milk we got into him (using a special bottle) was an effort that required just the right angle and speed, or else he would choke.  How do you swallow when you are a brand-new baby, and you don't have anything for your tongue to push up against so that your airway closes, and your esophagus opens, at just the right time?

I remember the pediatrician, at Luke's first appointment after he came home from the hospital as a newborn, encouraging us to keep the lights low when he got up for middle-of-the-night feedings.  "But we can't!" I cried.  "We really have to see what we're doing with him!"

The importance of this was brought home to me shortly after Luke's circumcision, in the hospital the day after he was born.  The nurse came in to give him some Tylenol.  She had it in a little syringe, and she did what she would have done with any other baby.  She squirted it in his mouth and left the room.

Except Luke wasn't any other baby.

I sat there, looking at him as she walked away.  It was as though time slowed down.

Because after she squirted that into his mouth, he didn't breathe.  He didn't swallow.  He just ... choked.

It took a couple seconds for it to register with me that Luke couldn't catch his breath.  He was not going to start breathing again without help.  So I screamed for the nurse to come back to the room.

She came in, looked at him, grabbed him in her arms, and started running out of the room as she hit his back.  On the way out she hit some kind of button that alerted others to her need for help.

And I sat there, alone in my room, wondering whether those brief moments were the only ones I would have with my dear, sweet son.

Thankfully, they weren't.  Somewhere along that hallway, as the nurse ran and pounded my son's back, the Tylenol came out and air went in, and we were granted that most precious of gifts -- TIME.  Time to care for, and love, and get to know one of the funniest and caring people I know.

That episode, and others, cause me to still give thanks for Luke every day.

And as I give thanks for Luke, I also should think to give thanks for the wonderful doctors who have cared for him over the years.  Like Dr. Davis, the ENT who helped us avoid more serious hearing damage than the mild loss Luke currently has.  Dr. Davis recently retired, but we saw him so often he was like an uncle.  He was there for Luke's first surgery at 5 weeks of age.  Luke referred to him often yesterday, saying how much he missed "the potato farmer."

Since this was a doctor who regularly cleaned out Luke's ears, you can imagine how he got that name:-)

I struggled for a long time about whether I had done something that somehow contributed to Luke having a bilateral cleft lip and palate.  Finally, my husband helped me put that concern to rest, when he said, "It doesn't matter how it happened.  It happened.  And this is just who he is -- Lukey-with-a-cleft."

Please don't misread that.  Luke's cleft does not define him.  But it is part of who he is.  You just can't separate it out from his identity.  Take away the cleft, and would he still have the most empathetic heart I have ever seen in a child (or anyone, perhaps)?  Luke's cleft -- and everything we have experienced as a result of it -- is part of him.  And we love him.  We love him so very, very much.  We have all grown in a million ways as a result of Luke's cleft.  While no one would wish their child to suffer, I would not wish to be who I would have been without Luke and his cleft.

I would not wish to be who I would have been without Luke.

And so going to those visits, where suddenly everything is about the cleft, and where doctors and their interns are peering into my son's mouth, and people are talking about things like how "his lip and his nose will need work in the future" right in front of him, and where I have social workers silently evaluating whether he says he has friends (he does -- phew!), and where I'm just trying to take it all in and formulate questions and stay on my toes in order to be the best advocate I can be for my child ... well, no, it's not fun.  But still, I am grateful.

And I realized yesterday that maybe, just maybe, I have contributed (thanks to the cleft!) to a bit of my son's sense of humor.  I realized that in order to diffuse the tension (probably mine even more than his), I joke around with Luke at these appointments.

Here are some actual excerpts from some of yesterday's conversations: "Hey -- look at that wall that suddenly comes out like a half-circle ... I bet that's the entrance to a secret passageway!"

"And those bricks next to it ... if you press them in the right order, you can open the secret passage!"

"Like Diagon Alley in Harry Potter!"

And in response to the dentist who said I should sneak chapstick on Luke's lips while he sleeps ...

"I'll be like the Chapstick Fairy!"

"But what if I wake up?"

"Then I'll need some Chapstick-Fairy dust to quickly sprinkle on myself so I disappear!"

"No, you should sprinkle that on first!"

I will hand it to our cleft team too.  Despite my dislike for the actual process, they are good sports.  By some amazing turn of good fortune, Luke had an indoor recess at school just before the appointment, during which time he "drew a blueprint to make a castle out of cardboard boxes."

I can't tell you the mileage those specialists got out of that imaginative act of his.  Each doctor came in with instructions to ask Luke about the blueprints.  And now I know we MUST find a way to help those blueprints become a reality.

Because in the end, that's why we're all gathered together in that room.  It's not only about pharyngeal flaps, or frenectomies, or glottal fries (yes, a real thing!).  It's about Luke, and his dreams, and the plan God has for all of his amazing gifts.  All of us, coming together with Luke, to help make all of that a reality.

Finding salvation in folding socks

I stumbled across a beautiful blog this morning.  It would be a perfect companion on your Lenten journey.  Here is a post that spoke to my heart, and to some of my struggles as a wife and mother.

Our work is so often repetitive and unappreciated.  But in all of my reading and listening lately, it seems like those are the places in which we can show God the greatest love.  If we are experiencing them, they also are likely the places in which God can most help us grow.  (We just need to ask for the grace to not run away from them.)

Someone has found a new favorite pastime!

There have been a lot of birthdays around here recently!  Here is Kate
celebrating her 7th Birthday with Great-Grandma!

If motherhood was full of pats on the back and exciting work recognized by all the world for the valuable thing it is, would we seek it out of love for God and our family, or out of love for ourselves?

What looks like repetitive drudgery is actually such a beautiful, priceless jewel: our salvation.  It is an opportunity for us to decrease, so that He may increase. (John 3:30).  It is our opportunity to love those around us -- to really love them (and the One who has blessed us with them), and not just the satisfaction that comes when the world recognizes a job well done.


Nick actually said "Katie" the other day! You can imagine how happy she was!

My husband celebrated a birthday too!

Sometimes I wonder if I really matter to my family -- or if my worth here is merely found in the work I do for them.  But that is such a lie!  I am the daughter of a King!

I tell my children Jesus would have died for them alone; those words are true for me as well.  I worry about my children finding their value in things they do instead of in who they are in Him; I must remember my value comes from Him as well.  It is good and necessary to teach my children to grow in gratitude and in orderliness, but whether or not they thank me, and whether or not the house stays clean long enough for anyone to notice it, is not where my worth is found.  I do these things for Love, but I am Loved regardless.

We now have a teenager in the house!

God loves us, and certainly gives us all we need to walk closely with Him.  So if what we find all around us is laundry, dishes, people with whom we often struggle to communicate well, and children in need of an education, then that "is enough."  Let us accept the work in front of us with a grateful heart, and with trust in a Father Who will undoubtedly "give good things to those who ask him" (Matt 7:11).

God bless you!

Creative ways to serve

Lent is a beautiful time to consider doing some kind of service.  If you are like me, though, it is hard to find ways to serve.  With family obligations, and little ones who you can't exactly take to a soup kitchen and let play while you make sandwiches, sometimes I feel at a loss for knowing how to serve.

When we first began attending my children's school, we had so many young ones that I couldn't get up to their classrooms very easily.  I found my niche writing things to help promote the school.  It was a great way to keep writing, and to help the school, but something was missing.  It was pretty lonely work.  I wanted to do something that built relationships.

Then, near the end of my oldest daughter's first-grade year, my Grandmother moved to Michigan from Florida.  We had always kept in touch, but her proximity encouraged me to call her more.  I could see her loneliness, and although it didn't happen immediately, I eventually began calling her several times a week.  Not for hour-long heart-to-hearts, but just to check in.  To see how she was doing.  To listen.  And to tell her I loved her.

It was so very simple.  But she said it made her day.  And I think it really did.

One day I realized that I had stumbled upon a ministry after all -- my very own telephone ministry.  There may not have been many ways I could get out and help others, but with one phone call, I could brighten someone's morning!

It sounds silly, and I kind of laughed at myself when I thought of it, but the fact remained that with very little disruption to my family, I was able to reach out to someone.  And my Grandma wasn't the only one who benefitted.  Those simple calls strengthened our relationship, and helped me feel like I could make an impact outside of the four walls of my home, even on some of my toughest days.  As an added bonus, when my Grandma invariably asked what she could do for me, I always had someone more than willing to pray for me and my family!

I know Lent is a time for prayer and reflection, and that the telephone can be a source of distraction from our families.  Although these days, the Internet is probably a far greater culprit of that.

But I have found that when the Holy Spirit puts it on my heart to reach out to someone through a simple phone call, or even a short email or Facebook message, the results can be more far-reaching than I imagine.  Just recently, I had someone share with me that I reached out to them at a particularly difficult time, and that it helped them in tremendous ways.  Before that talk, I had no idea I had said anything the woman would even remember.  This woman's words encouraged me to continue listening to the Holy Spirit in this way.  You never know what fruit your "telephone ministry" might bear!  If nothing else, I am certain you will find new friends.

May God continue to bless you as you seek to hear His voice this Lent!

Welcome the desert

Welcome to Lent!

These days are supposed to mirror Jesus' time in the desert, and with all the noise and distractions that seem to constantly bombard me, I am welcoming the desert.  I am grateful for an encouragement to say "no" to some of those things that pull me away from things -- and people -- more needful of my time and energy.  I am hungry for time to listen to where the Lord may be directing my family.

I recently discovered some beautiful podcasts that I think may be very encouraging to anyone who listens to them.  They are talks on Discerning the Spirits by Father Timothy Gallagher.  He discusses St. Ignatius' Rules.  You can find them here.  Just scroll down to DOS#1-16.  (Although I'm sure all of the talks there are worthwhile!)  If you open in another window, you should be able to pause it, and go back and forth to re-listen to certain areas, if you wish.  It's great to listen to while doing some Almost-Spring Cleaning!

I think, if you listen to them, you will agree with me that your heart has been waiting for this for a long time!  Let me know!

May God bless your time in the desert!