I am preparing for my annual silent retreat weekend, and I have been thinking about my past retreat experiences. Sometimes I doubt that they are doing any good. Have I really grown spiritually in the past 2, 4, 6 years? I know that discouragement can be normal in the spiritual life, which is why I’m trying not to pay too much attention to the nagging voice. Still, as I reflect back on the post I wrote for CatholicMom.com three years…
When I was a little girl, I loved the mail. I heard the mail truck, with its distinct clunky noises, much sooner than I saw it, and when it finally came into view, I waited by the window until the mailman drove to our mailbox to deliver the mail. Then, I rushed out the front door to collect it. I am not sure what it was about the mail that I loved. Most days, it was nothing but bills and…
So, the summer is flying by for me and my family. June was a whirlwind of activities with three sleepover camps, VBS, typing class, tutoring, and a couple trips to the pool. The Fourth of July was spent grilling out, watching fireworks, and spending time with good friends. As I gear up to take a beach vacation with my family, I am taking a break from my planning to join Carolyn Astfalk’s Open Book feature on CatholicMom.com. Here is a sampling…
Have you heard the Christmas song “Grown-Up Christmas List”? Many singers have recorded it, but the version I am most familiar with is on Amy Grant’s Home for Christmas album. The lyrics reflect back on childhood when Christmas included writing out a wish list and sending it to Santa Claus. As children, we hope for the magical appearance of presents underneath the tree on Christmas morning. However, as we grow up, our Christmas wishes change. We realize that we care…
Less than one month after I was born, my parents brought me to our local parish and asked the Catholic Church for a gift on my behalf. They asked that I receive the sacramental grace of Baptism, to become a daughter of God and a member of the Catholic family. Growing up, I loved Jesus. I was one of those kids who enjoyed Mass and Sunday school. Church was a familiar, comfortable place. Looking back, I didn’t attend a particularly…
It is 8 AM. I walk into my quiet house, and I stand in the kitchen. Breakfast dishes are piled next to the sink, waiting to be loaded into the dishwasher. The stools around the kitchen island are pushed out, a reminder of the people sitting on them an hour ago. I can hear the hum of the refrigerator; I can hear my own footsteps. When is my house ever this still? With no one around, I wonder what I…
As a mom, I look forward to a little pampering on Mother’s Day. Of course, I don’t expect lavish gifts or for my kids to wait on me while I lounge around eating truffles. Rather, I look forward to seeing the excitement they have to give generously. Their handmade cards are filled with love, and I can see the effort they put into them. They are excited to shop for brunch ingredients and flowers with Dad. It’s sweet and enduring, and no matter…
Today, I am joining the #WorthRevisitWednesday link-up, hosted by Allison of Reconciled to You and Elizabeth of Theology is a Verb. Since May is the month of Mary, I am sharing a piece I wrote for a 31-day series on the Blessed Mother. I pray that it will inspire you in your own relationship with the Mother of God, the Mother of us all. It is a bright, sunny fall day. (Do you notice how on the sunniest fall day the…
It was January 1, and I was gung-ho to begin my New Year’s resolution. My plan was to start a rigorous elimination diet in the hope of feeling better. I purchased ingredients to make healthy meals, and I set aside time to cook for the week. I knew it was going to be hard, but I reached a tipping point in my chronic illness and knew I had to try more drastic measures. After a week, I started to regain…
Today, I am joining the monthly CWBN Blog Hop. I have been part of plenty of link-ups, but this is my first blog hop! So, here goes … I clearly remember the conversation that got me into blogging. It was 2008, and I discovered that my friend Anna wrote a blog. At the time, I didn’t even know what a blog was! As my friend described blogging, I thought, “I would love to do that.” You see, as a communications major and life-long…