Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Besides the money thing, Ann Romney and I have a lot in common. Well, maybe not a lot, but we have enough in common that I consider her a woman who I admire. And I don’t admire a lot of women—at least not a lot of ones currently living. Is that bad? I’m not sure. I have my reasons for loving women from Scripture: we see how things “turned out.” We know they finished the race set before them. In some cases we know their struggles and the way they faced those struggles. We learn so much from them. That’s why I stand at attention when a woman of my own generation makes me notice qualities that resonate with me, qualities that I admire. Now does this mean that Ann Romney is perfect? I’m guessing not. But since no one is, I’m confident proclaiming that perfection doesn’t have to be a gold standard. The gold standard, for me, is how a woman engages in her life’s circumstances in a way that reflects commitment and acceptance. The gold standard, for me, is to see a woman make a cho

For years the only person who knew I suffered from a chronic illness was my husband. Over time, and out of necessity, a few more people were allowed into my world of health issues—and yet no one really knew the severity of what I went through, except my husband. What I’ve come to realize is that I prefer my world be divided into two clear parts: the private, reclusive Cheryl and the author, writer, teacher, social Cheryl. Mostly, though, at the heart of who I am is the private, reclusive Cheryl. My quiet, alone time is important to me—even more so since I began spiritual direction a few years ago and sought to understand the movements of God in my life and live accordingly. I need to be with God in a very real way and have learned how to respond to the ache for Him through my prayer life and “down time.” As the years progressed and I understood that my physical suffering had value, I began sharing bits and pieces of what I was going through: severe joint problems, nights of di

I love the site  www.WholeNewMom.com  for the ways in which it has allowed me to satisfy my sweet tooth since I've gone gluten-free (and more recently anti-candida). What a great site! If you are, like me, dealing with health issues that have forced you to navigate a whole new way of looking at food, you will love what Adrienne offers on her site.  I've found it to be a wonderful resource with great print-ready recipes that really do taste great (don't get me stated on how many e-books I've downloaded only to find the recipes taste like cardboard). Adrienne has a nice team of bloggers and contributors that are tackling the same sorts of things I am--and maybe you are, too.  If you are gluten-free and still crave some sweets, or if you or someone you love has allergies that restricts the sort of cooking you can do, you will love what you find at  www.WholeNewMom.com !  Today I am going to try making the grain-free lemon squares:-) Thank you, Adrienne