Association Of Catholic Bloggers

On this day before Thanksgiving, I would like to wish you, and yours, a very Happy Thanksgiving. At this time of year, we take some time to count our blessings and show our appreciation for loved ones, near and far. Giving thanks to God for all His bountiful blessings is the right thing to do. Yet, we should not reserve giving thanks to one day out of the year. Giving Thanks in Your Morning Offering God is gracious to us every day. Every morning, as we wake, the first thing we should do is give thanks for this day. You can make it part of your morning offering to God. What is a morning offering you might ask? I use the acronym ACTS to describe a morning offering. A stands for  Adoration . A simple prayer will do:  I adore you, Oh Lord . C stands for  Contrition . An  Act of Contrition  will do nicely. T stands for  Thanksgiving . This is where you count your blessings, giving thanks to God for His goodness. S stands for... Read more...

In today’s Gospel, we hear the parable of the ten lepers. Of the ten, only one Samaritan leper came back to thank Jesus for curing him. Jesus’ response was rather frank, and in the form of a series of questions: Ten were cleansed, were they not?   Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God? (Luke 17:17-18) So, I’ll get right to the point, on this post. Are you more like the nine who failed to return to give thanks? Or, are you more like the one Samaritan leper because you thank Jesus routinely for His blessings? Maybe, you are somewhere along the spectrum between these two extremes. Thank Jesus Today Everything good that we have comes from God; from the... Read more...

Mommy, Mommy, When You Pray , is a delightful children’s book for ages 3-5, written and illustrated by Kimberly Cook. In this little gem of a book, children learn about the virtue of gratitude. Mommy is thankful to God for all He blesses her with, and she shares those thoughts with her children. The illustrations are colorful and engaging; surely to capture your child’s attention and interest. This little story will open up dialogue between you and your child; for the two of you share what you are thankful for, and why. Kimberly Cook has a knack for capturing the everyday occurrences of life and highlighting them as special – worthy of thanks! Cook has a lot of love packed into 24 pages. As you traverse through each page/scene, you will quickly see... Read more...

“The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment and to thank God for what He is sending us every day in His goodness.” –St. Gianna Beretta Molla As I raised a large family on a small farm with little disposable income, I received free Christian cognitive therapy. It was my children who taught me how to live in the present moment with joy. I couldn’t help but learn how to live a child of God because I was surrounded by a crew of little people who greeted each morning with wonder and awe. Gratefulness is the key to spiritual joy, no matter how little we think we have in the eyes of modern society. In fact, St. Teresa of Avila once said she “thanked God for the things she did NOT own.” St. Teresa always stressed the need for gratitude: “In all created things discern the providence and wisdom of God, and in all things give Him thanks.” When Joy Eludes Us continue reading

A few years ago, a daily writing prompt asked writers if they could only take five objects from a burning house, what would be the most difficult things for them to leave behind? Well really, the only objects I consider to be important are photos of family, my computer, passport and ID, a Bible and bank card, assuming I am wearing my wedding ring and gold cross like always. That’s it. As for regrets, I really do not think my heart is in things. Since I was a little girl, I have felt content with what I have materially. Even now, when my adult kids ask me what I want for Christmas, I pause for a moment, with a blank mind.  I have to search to come up with a list. Rather a strange state to be in because this is not the result of spiritual striving, fasting or prayer, it is just how I am. Living with little people has only strengthened an innate tendency to enjoy the little things, to be grateful to be alive and in communion with the Spirit. continue...

Thanks is an easy word to say… … but sometimes it doesn’t get expressed as often as it should. Therefore, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to take this time and space to specifically say thank you: To God, for blessing me with abundant graces. He guides me every day. He loves me unconditionally. He forgives my transgressions and extends mercy on my soul. To my husband, for your never-ending, self-giving love, support and friendship. To my family and friends who share my joys and sorrows. Your love is pure gold to me. To all of my followers:... Read more...

“Thank you” can never be said too much. Gratitude is a sense of thankfulness to God and to your fellow man for kindnesses extended to you, expressed in word or in deed. Everything good that comes our way is a gift from God. We came into this world with nothing. We leave with nothing. All that we obtain in between comes from God. Therefore, we say thank you to God for meeting our needs and blessing us in abundance; for providing us with possibilities and opportunities. We even say thank you to God for times of... Read more...

I discovered a secret after years of mothering my tiny children. They taught me to take my eyes off my exhaustion and to take delight in the plethora of tiny details all around me. Little kids are born with a sense of wonder and the ability to enjoy little things. My daughter’s retain an appreciation for detail; they all remember the little things. A friend of mine once asked Rachel, when she was about six, what she liked most about Christmas. She replied immediately, “The pineapple.” My daughter’s answer astounded Martha. Similarly, one evening before dinner Emily, now a young adult, said, “I always remember the fresh smell of clean sheets every week.” Such a small thing, yet a child, with a heart full of gratitude, takes great pleasure from it. Psalms 33:8  ”  let all the inhabitants of the World  stand in awe of Him.”   continue  reading

A  month ago,  a WordPress Daily Prompt asked writers if we could only take five objects from a burning house, what would be the most difficult things for us to leave behind?  Well really, the only objects I consider to be important are photos of family, my computer, passport and ID, a bible and bank card, assuming that I am wearing my wedding ring and gold cross like always. That's it. As for regrets, I really do not think that my heart is in things. Since I was a little girl, I have felt content with what I have materially. Even now, when my nine kids ask me what I want for Christmas, I pause for a moment with a blank mind. I have to search to come up with a list. Rather a strange state to be in because this is not the result of spiritual striving, fasting or prayer, it is just how I am. Living with little people has only strengthened an innate tendency to enjoy the little things, to be grateful to be alive and in communion with the...