I was sent this wonderful video by a young seminarian friend.
Greg and I are taking the course on Catholicism that Fr. Barron created, and have enjoyed learning the truths of our faith at even deeper levels.
In this video, Fr. Barron talks about what it means to form a Christian marriage, and the importance of the foundation of faith. I love the clarity with which he teaches!
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be His, and ponder His great glory!
Amen.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Just Because It's Friday...
This is a four day weekend for our school district!
Greg and I are heading over the mountains later this afternoon to visit with (most of) our children. Sean and Janet and Naomi will be off at the Oregon Coast, and we will miss them!
Greg will be helping Kevin with "new-home/old house" project, and I hope to head to the nursery with Audrey to pick out a plant or two for their garden.
We are looking forward to seeing Bryan and Tracie too!
I have been so missing my family, so this trip is perfectly timed!
Have a blest weekend!
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be His. And give His smile to other.
Amen.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Honestly Courageous...Courageously Honest
A courageous woman speaking out after 15 years:
Fifteen years later and silent no more…
Oh Lord, touch hearts that cry out from the ravages of brokenness/sin with Your holy healing.
Give us courage to be honest, first within our own hearts and in the living of our lives as your redeemed children.
Amen.
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be of good courage: God is with us. Be with Him.
Amen.
Fifteen years later and silent no more…
Oh Lord, touch hearts that cry out from the ravages of brokenness/sin with Your holy healing.
Give us courage to be honest, first within our own hearts and in the living of our lives as your redeemed children.
Amen.
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be of good courage: God is with us. Be with Him.
Amen.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Butterfly Snacks
The theme in our class this week, is butterflies!
Actually, it's caterpillars and butterflies, along with learning new words like "cocoon" and "chrysalis".
I found this adorable idea on "Pinterest", and made up a "rabble" (fancy word for a group of butterflies) of them for our class.
What fun!
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be God's smile for others.
Amen.
Actually, it's caterpillars and butterflies, along with learning new words like "cocoon" and "chrysalis".
I found this adorable idea on "Pinterest", and made up a "rabble" (fancy word for a group of butterflies) of them for our class.
What fun!
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be God's smile for others.
Amen.
Welcoming
A picture of the Holy Family from the Church in Nazareth:
Good morning bloggy friends!
For the last week I have been scurrying around, putting our home back in order, planting 40 million flower, sewing a pillowcase for our sweet grand-daughter, finishing 2 quilts, and yes, I even got the laundry done and put away.
It feels so good to make our home a lovely place!
When we were in the Holy Land, one of the places I was very interested in was the Holy Family's home in Nazareth. I wanted to see where our dear spiritual mother Mary created a loving and welcoming home for Joseph and Jesus.
Here is a picture of the steps going down into their home. Just imagine Jesus scampering up and down them as he was a toddler, and Joseph coming down them from a long days work, and Mary climbing up and down the steps for water, and other things her family needed.
In Nazareth, people lives in caves. The interior of the Holy Family's home was laid out like this:
Looking down into the Holy Family's home, the green light helps to illuminate and show the details of the cave.
Life was hard back in Jesus' time.
Survival was a primary concern. Comfort and beauty was a luxury.
I could imagine as we looked and prayed in their home, how the Holy Family worked together, learned and worshiped together, and especially loved one another.
I imagine that most of all, their home was a place of cheerfulness and welcome.
Recently I have been reading a wonderful book, "Radical Hospitality" that talks about the importance of opening our hearts to one another, to be God's welcome to others, even when it is not necessarily convenient or easy for us.
Life can be busy. I can plan my day one way, then "bam!" something/someone pops into it unexpectedly and my plans are redirected!
Seeking holiness in welcoming means to greet/welcome each person as we would Christ: with joy and a smile.
A few years ago the priest in our parish was Fr. Rich.
Fr. Rich was a bundle of joy and energy, and passionate love for God.
The thing I remember best about him is that when he would see someone, when he would see me, he would light up like a Christmas tree, saying "well, hello Doreen!", like seeing me was the best thing that had happened to him all day! He was like this with everyone! He welcomed each as if they were a gift God had blest him with, and he couldn't be happier.
This is welcoming in its truest form.
How I welcome my family to my heart, or friends, or the disabled person at the store by my smile, or greeting is important.
It is my part of "creating Nazareth" in the corner of the world that God has given me.
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be God's welcome: create Nazareth in your corner of the world.
Amen.
Good morning bloggy friends!
For the last week I have been scurrying around, putting our home back in order, planting 40 million flower, sewing a pillowcase for our sweet grand-daughter, finishing 2 quilts, and yes, I even got the laundry done and put away.
It feels so good to make our home a lovely place!
When we were in the Holy Land, one of the places I was very interested in was the Holy Family's home in Nazareth. I wanted to see where our dear spiritual mother Mary created a loving and welcoming home for Joseph and Jesus.
Here is a picture of the steps going down into their home. Just imagine Jesus scampering up and down them as he was a toddler, and Joseph coming down them from a long days work, and Mary climbing up and down the steps for water, and other things her family needed.
In Nazareth, people lives in caves. The interior of the Holy Family's home was laid out like this:
Looking down into the Holy Family's home, the green light helps to illuminate and show the details of the cave.
Life was hard back in Jesus' time.
Survival was a primary concern. Comfort and beauty was a luxury.
I could imagine as we looked and prayed in their home, how the Holy Family worked together, learned and worshiped together, and especially loved one another.
I imagine that most of all, their home was a place of cheerfulness and welcome.
Recently I have been reading a wonderful book, "Radical Hospitality" that talks about the importance of opening our hearts to one another, to be God's welcome to others, even when it is not necessarily convenient or easy for us.
Life can be busy. I can plan my day one way, then "bam!" something/someone pops into it unexpectedly and my plans are redirected!
Seeking holiness in welcoming means to greet/welcome each person as we would Christ: with joy and a smile.
A few years ago the priest in our parish was Fr. Rich.
Fr. Rich was a bundle of joy and energy, and passionate love for God.
The thing I remember best about him is that when he would see someone, when he would see me, he would light up like a Christmas tree, saying "well, hello Doreen!", like seeing me was the best thing that had happened to him all day! He was like this with everyone! He welcomed each as if they were a gift God had blest him with, and he couldn't be happier.
This is welcoming in its truest form.
How I welcome my family to my heart, or friends, or the disabled person at the store by my smile, or greeting is important.
It is my part of "creating Nazareth" in the corner of the world that God has given me.
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be God's welcome: create Nazareth in your corner of the world.
Amen.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Being Home
Hello dear bloggy friends!
Greg and I at the place Jesus was born!
How wonderful it is to be home again!
We came home to grass that has fully become green, and the leaves on the the maple trees are now as big as my hand! Saturday afternoon, I headed the the nursery and bought two flats of flowers: delicate lavender and white alyssums, and happy yellow and orange and blue and purple violet pansies. Four beautiful coral colored geraniums also caught my eye as I thought how pretty they would be next to our blue gray house, and they too came home with me.
Spending time in a nursery always inspires me, calms me, and makes my heart smile.
On the home front, suitcases have been unpacked and stowed, laundry has been done and put away. Greg is working on organizing and labeling our pictures, and I have just begun to process the whole wonderful time in the Holy Land.
What a gift it was to be able to go!
Greg had long wanted to go to the Holy Land, after hearing a co-worker talk about his trip and show slides. I initially was reluctant, but said that if we decided to go, I would like to go with other Catholics, and on a pilgrimage with Steve Ray.
Last summer, after Greg's prostate cancer surgery was very difficult.
I began to pray, asking God to help me find a way to strengthen out marriage, and our relationship with Him.
The pilgrimage kept coming to mind, so I told Greg that I think it was time for us to try to go. Before we could officially start planning and getting excited, I needed to ask for the time off from work.
More prayer was needed!
And by the grace of God, I was given approval, and planning began in earnest.
So you see, it really was a gift!
Greg keeps saying how grateful he is that I suggested it.
And I tell him, it was a gift from God.
It really truly was.
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be His, and be amazed.
Amen.
Greg and I at the place Jesus was born!
How wonderful it is to be home again!
We came home to grass that has fully become green, and the leaves on the the maple trees are now as big as my hand! Saturday afternoon, I headed the the nursery and bought two flats of flowers: delicate lavender and white alyssums, and happy yellow and orange and blue and purple violet pansies. Four beautiful coral colored geraniums also caught my eye as I thought how pretty they would be next to our blue gray house, and they too came home with me.
Spending time in a nursery always inspires me, calms me, and makes my heart smile.
On the home front, suitcases have been unpacked and stowed, laundry has been done and put away. Greg is working on organizing and labeling our pictures, and I have just begun to process the whole wonderful time in the Holy Land.
What a gift it was to be able to go!
Greg had long wanted to go to the Holy Land, after hearing a co-worker talk about his trip and show slides. I initially was reluctant, but said that if we decided to go, I would like to go with other Catholics, and on a pilgrimage with Steve Ray.
Last summer, after Greg's prostate cancer surgery was very difficult.
I began to pray, asking God to help me find a way to strengthen out marriage, and our relationship with Him.
The pilgrimage kept coming to mind, so I told Greg that I think it was time for us to try to go. Before we could officially start planning and getting excited, I needed to ask for the time off from work.
More prayer was needed!
And by the grace of God, I was given approval, and planning began in earnest.
So you see, it really was a gift!
Greg keeps saying how grateful he is that I suggested it.
And I tell him, it was a gift from God.
It really truly was.
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be His, and be amazed.
Amen.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Israel Day 8
Its hard to believe our pilgrimage has come to an end. In just a few short hours we'll be heading for the airport in Tel Aviv to take our flight home.
I feel very ready to be home.
I have seen, and touched, and tasted, and heard and prayed. I have had the joy of encountering God's grace in many ways, some being very unexpected joys!
Being around so many wonderful devout Catholics, that love Christ passionately, and live their faith with joy has be a great inspiration.
Greg and I have been talking about what affect this pilgrimage has had on us, and how we want to live out this gift.
I really don't think I will be doing much different. I hear God's call to simply continue on, at the same time, to go deeper in my relationship with Him, by living His love for others even more fully.
I also am going to re-organize my library/chapel, and move the "altar" to a different bookcase so it is more central in the room.
Small things, but important because they bring my heart to Him.
I will write when I get home.
Shalom, dear bloggy friends! May the peace of our dear Lord be with you!
Be Salt.
Be Light.
Be His. Let Him love you, right where you are!
Amen.
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