The Blessed Virgin is like a good mother who, not content with looking after all her children in general, watches over each one separately. —St. John Vianney As I think about my relationship with my children, I recognize how I relate to each child differently. I am grateful to know them so well. I can anticipate their needs, what will help them in certain situations, and when they just need a hug or time to talk. A mother has a…
Today is the Feast of St. Faustina. She was a young nun in Poland in the 1930s. She came from a poor family, and she did not have much education, so her tasks in the convent were simple and humble. During her time in the convent, Jesus appeared and spoke to Sister Faustina. She compiled her conversations with Him in notebooks, which became what is known today as the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. The message is one of God’s…
It is a bright, sunny fall day. (Do you notice how even on the sunniest day in fall the light just seems to have a warm glow to it?) I head into St. Paul to meet my spiritual director. I feel so blessed to have found this Catholic woman, who loves the Lord and who somehow “gets” me. Her office is in an old mansion that the university purchased and renovated into offices and classrooms. Since it is on campus, parking…
Today is the First Saturday of October and Day 3 of my 31 Days With Mary series! I spent the day cheering on my oldest daughter at a volleyball tournament, while the rest of my family is on a fall camping trip. It is hard to split up, especially on such a beautiful fall day, but this is what this busy season asks of us. Fortunately, this is just a season, and the end is in sight. The first Saturday of…
Welcome to 31 Days With Mary! In the Catholic tradition, the month of October is devoted to the Rosary, the beautiful prayer that the Blessed Virgin Mary gave to St. Dominic, which invites thoughtful contemplation on the life of her Son, Jesus Christ. For the past few years, the month of October also is marked in the blog-world with a 31-day writing challenge, founded by The Nester, Myquillin Smith. I thought I would merge two of my favorite things—Our Blessed…
For more than 12 years, I have been suffering from Hypothyroidism, which means I have an under-active Thyroid gland. It is not uncommon, but it has been tricky to find just the right medication and dosage to regulate it. Low iron and adrenal fatigue have not helped my situation. This January, I learned that my health took another turn for the worse, and my Hypothyroidism turned into an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s. The more I researched, the more I realized that my…
One idea for staying connected to our faith during the summer months is to visit a local shrine or find one near your vacation spot. Here is my family at the living Rosary of the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Two Inlets, MN. Two weeks from today is my children’s last day of school. Summer is right around the corner. While sifting through summer camp brochures and swim lesson schedules, I wonder how to intertwine our Catholic faith…
This Easter, plan on going on your own Emmaus walk. Photo via geograph.org.uk. As you probably already know, Easter is not just a one-day holiday in the Catholic Church. It is a 50-day season of celebrating and meditating on Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead, the event on which our entire faith is centered. During the Octave of Easter, which is the eight days between Easter Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday, it is as if each day is Easter Sunday!…
Today, I thought it would be fun to participate in #WorthRevisitWednesday, co-hosted by Reconciled to You and Theology is a Verb. It was kind of fun to look back in the archives and find a post I had completely forgotten about! I first wrote today’s repost FIVE years ago this month. I had five of my six children at that time, and their ages were 7, 5, 4, 2 and 2 … No wonder I say in the post that…
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. —Ecclesiastes 3:1— The Christmas decorations are finally put away, and I admit, my house looks a little bare, a little ordinary. In the cloudy darkness of January, I definitely miss the twinkling lights of our Christmas tree and garlands. I have never truly welcomed the season of Ordinary Time, the way I welcome Advent, Christmas and Easter. Even Lent has this very clear purpose of repentance necessary…