St. Catherine of Siena

 

 

We are closing out the month of September and the end of the year is creeping closer and closer. 2025 has been a difficult year for many of our friends, our country and the world. Violence, war, illness, broken dreams, hurting family and friends.

 

 

My husband and I had several downs this year. We had to make hard decisions and change plans. It all makes me tired and sad, but I do not give up. We cannot give up. 

We can see all the injustice going on around us, we can get scared and feel like what can little me do? 

What I have learned this year as we have gone through a difficult season, is that I just have to keep doing the best I can each day. 

Smile.

Give a surprise bouquet to a friend and neighbor. 

Bake cookies for a friend going through a hard time.

Send a surprise package in the mail.

Listen... just listen.  

And pray.

I found the below dialogue from St. Catherine of Siena comforting and I wanted to share it as we all continue to do the best we can.

 

 

You must not break away from holy prayer for any reason except obedience or charity.

For often during the time scheduled for prayer the devil comes with all sorts of struggles and annoyances - even more than when you are not at prayer. He does this to make you weary of holy prayer. Often he will say: "This sort of prayer is worthless to you. You should not think about or pay attention to anything except vocal prayer." He makes it seem this way so that you will become weary and confused and abandon the exercise of prayer. 

But prayer is a weapon with which you can defend yourself against every enemy. If you hold it with love's hand and the arm of free choice, this weapon, with the light of most holy faith, will be your defense.

 

Sitting at the Bank

 

Hello Friends, today I am going to share a little story that happened to me a few weeks ago. I will set the stage first. My husband is the treasurer for our local Sportsmen's Club. He recently designed the website for the club Check it out! During one of our days of errands he needed to do a deposit for the Club. He went into the bank, I sat outside in the car with the window down enjoying the summer breeze blowing on me. I was busy people watching and enjoying the summer breeze when a man came up to my open car window.

He gave me the above artwork. He shared with me that God gifted him with the talent to draw and he likes to give his artwork away, along with the important message of The Good News. 

I thanked him and he got in his car and off he went. 

My husband came out of the bank, got in the car, and looked down on my lap. 

"Where did you get that?"

I shared the story above with him.. and he said "You just never know what might happen to you when you are sitting waiting at the bank."

We both were touched because this happened shortly after our son returned home from deployment. The American Eagle is a favorite in our family. 

♥

Carla

 

Happy Easter and it is the Hodgepodge!

The tradition continues.. I will be making my annual Easter Cake. 

The big reveal will be on the blog Monday.

 Today is Wednesday and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Click here to join the fun!

 

 1. How will you celebrate Easter this year?

 

It will be the three of us, my husband, me and our Senior in High School son, Atticus.

We plan to grill, make homemade fries, coleslaw and for dessert my annual Easter Cake.

 

 2019 Easter Cake

 

 2. Is it easier for you to receive grace offered or extend grace to another? Explain.

 I think it is easier for me to extend grace.

I like to bless others in little and big ways.

I recently went through an awful time at my work place with a bully. I extended grace each day I had to work with this person. It was extremely hard for me towards the last month I worked with her, but  I pressed on.

As far as receiving grace..

 
God’s grace is not cheap. It cost Jesus his life. Grace is the most expensive commodity there is. Jesus died on the cross to pay for it.

Jesus’ death on the cross accomplished three things in our lives:

• It paid the penalty for sin.Someone had to pay for the penalty for our sin. If you have a relationship with Jesus, he has taken care of your penalty.

• It broke the power of sin. Jesus’ death on the cross gives us the power to change the habits, hurts, and hangups that derail our lives.

• The presence of sin will be obliterated. One day all who follow Jesus will go to Heaven, where there won’t be any sin.

The costly grace God offers will change everything about your life.
You just have to accept it!

I am so thankful to have a relationship with God. He helps me each and every day and I know I can not do it with out Him.

3. Do you say grace before meals? Yes, we do. If so do you have a standard dinnertime grace or is it more 'off the cuff' ? We have a standard dinnertime prayer and we take prayer requests. Do you say grace when dining out? We do. Do you have a favorite grace? I do, it is a special prayer I learned when I was in Girl Scouts, that we sang before we ate. Any special memory associated with 'saying grace'? My second favorite grace is sung to the tune of Edelweiss.

4. What are some challenges you think the next generation will face? (Generation Alpha-born between 2011 and 2025)

Hate .. there is so much anger and blame out in this big old world. 

 5. Share a favorite quote or lyric featuring the word faith.
 

 ~ source ~

 6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

 Happy Easter my Friends.

♥

~ below photo taken at the Como Conservatory last Easter ~

Happy Days

May 7th our family attended a wedding of a young friend of mine. It was a special day for me to see her get married to her best friend. I met her when she was in 7th grade. I was a volunteer in my son's kindergarten class, and I also helped part time in the 7th grade classroom.

We became friends quick, she enjoyed my boys, and I became friends with her family as well.

Time passed and when she was in 11th grade dark clouds loomed. She fell into some sad times and needed special help. I wrote her letters when she was away and she wrote me back, she shared her hurting heart. I prayed and loved her through my letters.

She healed and went on to Cosmetology school.

She went on to do mission work.

She worked hard to  pay her way through college to become a teacher.

She climbed and clawed her way out of the dark times.

She had family and friends praying for her.

 I was so happy for her last Saturday! She met James, a wonderful dedicated young man. 

My prayers are for them both.

I am so proud of her and for James too.

"If you set your mind and heart toward a healthy way of living and thinking, you'll find a way to climb out of the biggest pit life throws your way."

Rules of the Road

Joan Bauer

 

All Things

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

And all things wise and wonderful;

The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens up.

Each little bird that sings, 

He made their glowing colors and He made their tiny wings.

Happy Sunday

I'll Fly Away

Over the 4th of July weekend we Celebrated the Life of my grandma.

My sister had the idea of doing a balloon relase at the end our our ceremony.

It was a beautiful time.

 We are walking out to the field to release our balloons. Each family member got one to release.

 Getting ready to release.

 I'll Fly Away

I'll fly away old glory

I'll fly away

When I die hallelujah by and by 

I'll fly away

Some glad morning when this life is over,

I'll fly away

To a home on God's celestial shore,

I'll fly away

When the shadows of this life have gone,

I'll fly away

Like a bird from prison bars has flown

I'll fly away

Just a few more wary days and then,

I'll fly away

To a land where joys will never end,

I'll fly away

 I love how my Aunt Sharon is waving good bye in this photo.

 To every follower of the Lord,

there comes a time when they'll hear God say,

"Welcome Home!"

The sound of those two words at journey's end is something

every traveler longs to hear.

It means you're in a place 

where you are fully embraced,

appreciated, and enjoyed.

Most of all, it means

you're in the presence

of those who'll love you forever.

Roy Lessin

Book Review ~ The Horse and His Boy

The Horse and His Boy 

The Chronicles of Narnia

C.S. Lewis

The Horse and His Boy is the third book in The Chronicles of Narnia.

Just when the boy Shasta is about to be sold into slavery, he makes a surprising friend ~ a talking horse! The two decide to run away north, to the land of Narnia. On the way they meet two other travelers as unusual as themselves. When they discover an evil plot to invade and conquer Narnia, the four companions' escape to freedom becomes a race against time and peril to save themselves and everything they have come to love.

Our favorite lesson of this book is how Aslan has been in control of Shasta's whole life.

Aslan is a picture of Jesus, and as Jesus become a man to bring us to the Father.

The Horse and His Boy helped us better understand God and His working in our life.

"I do not call you unfortunate," said the Large Voice.

"Don't you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?" said Shasta.

"There was only one lion," said the Voice.

"What on earth do you mean? I've just told you there were at least two the first night, and-"

"There was only one: but he was swift of foot."

"How do you know?"

"I was the lion." And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued.

"I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."

"Then it was you who wounded Aravis?"

"It was I."

"But what for?"

"Child," said the Voice, " I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own."

 

C.S. Lewis dedicated The Horse and His Boy to David and Douglas Gresham.
And that is another story.

 

God Will Be With Me in the Hard Times

I am the Ground

 I am the ground.

The plow cuts deep, again and again and again!

It cuts away my roots, my desires to be altogether,

my desires to look good.

It turns me over, inside out, till I am a mess of crumbly soil.

The rains come; seed are planted.

I miss the lovely pasture I used to be,

with calves frolicking in the sunshine,

butting heads, coming to me for nourishment.

Here I lie, useless and alone - except for this farmer who constantly runs over me with his tractor, seeding, cultivating. 

I am changing.

I finally recognize the farmer.

Lord, do with me as you choose, for I belong to you.

Plant the seeds, cultivate out the weeds, 

send the sunshine and rain.

Oh Lord of the harvest, may I yield abundantly for you

whatever crop you choose.

Amen

By Judith Vander Wege

 

I thought I was lost...

"Where to now?"

He smiles and puts a hand around your shoulder. As He does so, you see the scar on his wrist left by the nail long ago. He says "Where do you want to go?"

You reply, "Well, I thought I was lost..."

And He says, "That is one of the good things! There are many roads to take. Some lead home, and some lead to new adventures. But whichever road you take, I will go with you. I will always be available to encourage you and care for you. That is what friends do. And in the end, you will find that all roads lead to the same place. You and I will go to a wonderful home I have prepared for you. But that is in the future. Until, then, you have adventures to experience and wisdom to learn. Until then, you have one day after another, each one offering its own gift and its own surprise. Come on, walk with me."

Lee Strobel

As they say, the adventure of a lifetime begins with one step. Which step will you take today?

 

On the Road Friday ~ Down the Valley

Thank you to all for your support and kind words the past week regarding my grandma.

She is in palliative care at the Marshfield Hospital.

Our family continues to visit her. We read, listen to music and talk to her.

Thank You again for your prayers and support.

My prayer ~

Is that I would learn to trust You more. It is a comfort to know that my life is in Your hands, and the circumstances surrounding me are in Your control.

Remind me daily that choosing to be happy is an option. May I find my strength in Your joy.

Amen.

As you hold these candies....

This year our boys were given a nice packet after Christmas Eve Service at our church. Inside was a candy cane, a small book featuring the Christmas story, a game book, some more candy and M&M's with the following card attached.

 As you hold these candies in your hand and turn them, you will see, the M becomes a W, an E and then a 3.

 They tell the Christmas story; it's one I am sure you know.

It took place in  a stable a long, long time ago.

The E is for the East where the star shone so bright.

The M is for the Manger where baby Jesus slept that night.

The 3 is for the wise men bearing gifts when they came.

W is for Worship, Hallelujah, Praise His Name.

So, as you eat these candies or share with your friends,

remember the meaning of Christmas, it is a love story that never ends.

It is a love story that never ends!

Happy 2014

Happy New Year

2014

Father, may that holy star 

Grow every year more bright,

And send its glorious beams afar

To fill the world with

LIGHT.

William Cullen Bryant

  

Do not wander

Don't wander without purpose.

Ask God for direction.

On the Road Friday

Today we are going to travel to a special place. A place that if you have not entered, I want to encourage you. 

 

" I accept you as you are."

"I believe you are valuable."

"I care when you hurt."

"I desire only what is best for you."

"I erase all offenses."

We could call that the ABC's of love. 

It may seem a bit scary at first. I know, I was scared. I did not grow up in a home who went to church, read the Bible or talked about God. 

I was 28 years old, when I first entered a church and started to learn about Jesus. Yes, I was afraid. I did not know anything! 

If you are scared and are not sure, no worries, you do not have to know anything. You just need to have an open heart.

Yes, Jesus, really loves you. 

I know this for a fact!

This Easter season open your heart.  Give Him your heart.

       

The Day and Hour Unknown

The Day and Hour Unknown

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It's like a man going away. He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

Therefore keep watch because you do  not know when the owner of the house will come back - whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do no let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone; "Watch!"

Mark 13 32 - 37

God's household

1 Timothy 3   12 - 16

A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.  Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:

He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

Why Don't We Pray About It?

Why Don't We Pray About It?

Sometimes we do not pray because we honestly aren't sure it will do any good. We figure that because God is sovereign and omni-everything he has everything under control. It seems logical that he's going to move according to his timing and will, regardless of our requests.

Let's be honest now. We probably all feel this way at times.

Yet, Paul, in 2 Thessalonians 3:1 clearly urges the Thessalonians to pray. For him, for the message of God to spread. Paul does not give up.

Perhaps Paul realized that when we stop praying we hail Satan as victor of our struggles. When we stop praying for others who are having trouble, we leave them without support.

We leave ourselves without God's presence at a time when he most wants to be with us.

Let us join together to pray for our nation, famlies and friends.

      

All things...

All things bright and beautiful, 

All creatures great and small, 

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings, God made their glowing colors and made their tiny wings.

The purple headed mountains, the river running by, the sunset and the morning that brightens up the sky.

  

 

Merciful

We are most like beasts when we kill. 

We are most like men when we judge.

We are most like God when we forgive.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Matthew   5:7

I am linking up with Lori at Life, Love, and Laughter in a Large Family  with think quotes.

Light the way

Glow stick Lanterns

 These glow stick lanterns were fun to make ... but I will warn you. We had one break, while shaking the glow stick. So be careful or be ready for a mess.

For this project you will need

 Canning jars with lids

Glow sticks

Sharp scissors 

What to do

 Use a pair of sharp scissors to cut off the end of a glow stick and pour the contents of the glow stick into the canning jar. It works best to have the stick down in the jar when you cut it so you won't get the liquid everywhere. We bought glow sticks in several different colors and poured two glow sticks into each jar.

If you have never seen the inside of a glow stick before, there are small pieces of glass floating around in the glowing liquid. Just dump in the jar, put the lid on and let your child roll the stuff around. The liquid will coat the  inside of  the jar.

After you are done, you can rinse out your jar and use again.

Add your jars for tonight...as you light the way for Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween

  You are  like a pumpkin, too!

Jesus picks you, washes you;

Takes away the slime of sin,

Lets his light of love shine in.

Now you smile with Jesus' light,

Helping make the world more bright!

Light the Way!