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Time:  1970's  Location: Midwest farm...the Kitchen. A young boy of the age of 12 with brown hair sat at a kitchen table, writing something on a paper, possibly a homework assignment.  Into the kitchen comes a woman with brown hair, tied in a bun in a blue dress with a baby on the hip.  There are two small children trailing behind her, and she is carrying a bag of groceries.  "Jesus..." She didn't even have to finish His name, the young boy at the table had turned when she came in the room and was already rising from his chair, taking the grocery bag from her and digging into the bag to put the food away.  TO READ MORE...CLICK HERE!

Only one path lets you keep your soul. Francis Xavier had it pretty good. In fact, to some, he may have seemed to have the whole world. After all, he was an aristocrat; he was highly educated, wealthy, young, respected,...you name it, Francis really did seem to have it all. Including a pesky little illiterate friend named Ignatius, later known as Saint Ignatius of Loyola - founder of the Jesuits. Francis Xavier was at the university of Paris when Ignatius began hounding him to join religious life. Saint Francis wanted no part of it. He planned to pursue worldly things, to be counted among the intellectuals, the respected, the admired of the world. How could this happen if he gave up his own goals to follow Christ? But Ignatius knew better. “What profits a man,” Ignatius repeatedly asked Francis, “if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” ( See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com ) The question took a while to sink in but eventually, Saint Francis b

1) Father, I love You… 2) Jesus, Thank You… 3) Sweet Lord, Teach me… 4) Holy Spirit, Inspire me… 5) God, Hear me… 6) Lord, I know You know this… 7) When will things change, Lord? 8) We Praise You… 9) I am nothing.  You are my all! 10) Inspire me, Lord, 11) I am yours, Jesus! 12) This has been a rough day, Lord… 13) Without You, I am nothing… Read More At:: His Unending Love

St. Francis Xavier was one of the greatest evangelists and missionaries the Church has ever known. No doubt this quote had something to do with his effectiveness. Humble sharing of your personal witness to God's love and mercy is one of the most effective evangelization tools and one few can argue against.     Click hear to read more powerful quotes from St. Francis Xavier and to find out which 4 powerhouse saints he was canonized alongside in 1622. 

We’re in Advent, the season of waiting, waiting for God. We Americans don’t like to wait. We are frustrated by red lights, long lines at the checkout counter, and lengthy downloads. But as poet R.J. Thomas observed, “The meaning is in the waiting.” The Israelites waited centuries for salvation from Egypt and centuries for salvation by the Messiah. Now we await the Messiah’s second coming in glory. Bombarded with bad news from around the globe, we feel like praying with the psalmist, “How long, O God” (Ps. 13) before we enjoy your kingdom of peace and justice. click to continue

This is certainly not your traditional Christmas wreath, but it is the one that will be hanging on the front door to greet all visitors and our Newborn King.  Can you imagine the surprise of Mary and Joseph as they sought a place where Mother Mary could give birth to the King of Kings, and they saw a wreath like this hanging on the door to welcome The Holy Family? Would they feel welcome? "In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.  All went to their own towns to be registered.  Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.  He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.  And she gave birth to her fi

There are mere days between today and our family's favorite feast day of the year--St Nicholas Day! To say the children are excited is an extreme understatement.  I have been planning and picking up little bits and pieces here and there. So, I thought I would share my plans, and the handful of photos I took last year, and encourage you to embrace this beautiful tradition. First, I need to put forth a disclaimer that this feast has grown and evolved in our family over a decade of time. We did not jump in with both feet the first year. Our celebration traditions began with simple gifts left in shoes. We still cling to the idea of truly simple gifts. One of the sweetest parts of this holiday is how excited the children are for tiny treats and how it helps us to turn our sights to Jesus, not to wants and desire for more. Read much more at Veils and Vocations.

Something very different is going on at Grace's prayer blog. . . . Prepare yourself at Praying with Grace .

Theology Degrees  contacted me, wondering if I would share their latest infographic entitled “Pope Francis:  The Greatest Modern Pope?”   Using images and text in a long "graph", this is a concise history of Pope Francis, including where he came from, what he believes and how he fits into both the history of the Church and modern Catholicism. it is an invaluable aide to help people get to know a little bit more about this unique pope.   to see the entire infograph  continue

Advent is here!!! This truly is my favorite time of year, and this is my 100th post. Thank you to all my readers. This started on a whim as a creative outlet, it's incredible how far it has reached--I am especially thankful for those of you who read over seas.  I know this is still a small enterprise but it is growing by God's grace.  If you are on Facebook, please  visit and like my page . There are many little tidbits that I only get to share on there. Thanks. Last night, as we unpacked the nativities--we have eight--the kids were so excited. I always enjoy how much they enjoy the nativities. If you do not have a child safe nativity, I strongly encourage you to buy or make one.  It truly helps build the anticipation and keep their focus on Christ. Read more on Veils and Vocations!

HOW TO GIVE TO CHARITY WITHOUT SPENDING A PENNY? SOLVE THE MYSTERY HERE

Each month, Pope Francis entrusts his particular prayer intentions to the Apostleship of Prayer, which has offices around the world. The Pope has these two prayers on his heart in December: Universal Prayer: Christmas, Hope for Humanity Evangelization Prayer: Parents Please visit the Apostleship of Prayer website for videos and reflections on Pope Francis' prayer intentions.  Children can pray with the Pope too! Age-appropriate reflections and activities are here . Thank you for praying with us!

Throughout history the word “light” has been used to portray goodness, charity, kindness, and salvation. Light, after all, removes darkness—whether literally or metaphorically. People say, “She lit up the room when she entered,” or “He is the light of my life.” We understand the significance of those phrases. During the Christmas season—when the amount of actual daylight is at its most limited—we are most fully aware that Christ is the light of the world. It seems rather fitting that in the long hours without light that we contemplate how He dispels the darkness in our lives. We are able to become keenly aware that He conquers the shadows that sometimes seem to overtake us. During the Christmas season we most fully realize that through the light of Christ we find our way to the Father. read more here

   Advent begins today! I love this time more and more each year as I turn my focus to teaching my children the importance of the season. December and the entire holiday season can be so very stressful. I used to survive the whole season, and feel like I could breathe again when it was over. That is a terrible way to move into the time of preparation for our Saviors birth. These past few years, as I have made more of an effort to teach my girls more about the season I have learned more myself, and have a renewed love for the season. Funny how that works! Here is the plan for this Advent... Blessings, Jen

The season of Advent is upon us, beginning this Sunday November 30. Advent is a time to prepare ourselves for Jesus to come again anew in our hearts. The Catechism of the Catholic Church in section 525 states: “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing for the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming...” Advent is a time to reflect on the words of the psalmist- Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him... This is a challenge indeed to take time to 'be still' before the Lord. This can be a very busy and hectic time for many of us—Christmas shopping, decorating our homes, baking goodies, celebrating the season with Christmas parties, family, and Church gatherings. All of these activities can bring us closer to family and friends. But sometimes we get so caught up in all the activities, we ease God

Love His Mother. Start your day with God. End you day with God. Pray. Offer your day to Him. Give Him your night. Tell God you love Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in all His ways. Follow His Commandments. Be kind to all you meet. Pray for the souls in Purgatory. Pray for non-believers. Pray for your children. Pray for your families. Pray for the lonely. Pray for the sick. Pray for the depressed. Pray for our military personnel. Pray for the homeless and hungry. Pray for those who are alone. Read More at:: His Unending Love

Happy New Year! No - I haven't mis-scheduled a blog post. On the first Sunday of Advent, the Church marks the first day of a new Liturgical year. As with the celebration of the new calendar year each January, the new Church year is a time of new beginnings, of fresh starts, and of renewed purpose. Click here to read 7 ideas for New (Liturgical) Year's Resolutions!    

I never greet an Advent without remembering a much earlier one, a pivotal one, in which God began to reach me. He did so not in spite of the Christmas glitz and commercialism all around, but through it. That Advent, I was twenty years old.... (read the rest here)

Today's Gospel reading starts on the second verse of this excerpt: " 'But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. " Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. " It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. " Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. " May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. " What I say to you, I say to all: "Watch!" ' " ( Mark 13:32 - 37 ) More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

 Every now and then I am given the opportunity to see life through a different lens. I have experienced some difficult and even scary circumstances that have compelled me to view life differently. These times challenge my faith, present me with a different perspective and allow me to draw closer to God. There have been tragedies among family members and dear friends, my own miscarriage, and health scares with my children, just to name a few. I think the scariest time of waiting as a mom, was four years ago. We were told that our newborn had a hole in her heart. (This actually was rivaled by some scares with our first daughter years ago, when we had a lymph node removed to see what it was. Thankfully it was nothing, but that waiting was hard.) Back to four years ago when we needed to wait to follow up with a cardiologist when the baby was two weeks old. The hospital could tell us nothing else. We left with complete uncertainty and had no choice but to wait and pray. To view what i

We are offering  FREE SHIPPING  on a limited number of  Mother-Daughter Christmas Packages  The package? For mom...a copy of  Elizabeth: A Holy Land Pilgrimage For daughter...a copy of  Erin's Ring  (But we are sure mom will love reading this one, too!) Order your $17.99 Mother-Daughter Package Here:    (this offer is good for shipping to U.S. contiguous states only and one per address) picture: ID 35001761 ©  Roman Dekan  | Dreamstime.com

YoungJew as Christ , Rembrandt, c.1656 Staatliche Museen, Berlin [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel  Mark 13:33-37    (New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, Canada) Jesus said to his disciples: Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn,    or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” Liam Whelan   (1 April 1935 - 5 February 1958) If this is the end, then I'm ready for it .  These were t

There's always some wiseacre on the interview panel who suddenly says, "And what do you think your biggest weaknesses are Mr. Torkington?" He usually chooses the moment when your confidence is at its height and you've been presenting yourself as Mr. Total Competence , who could do the job in his sleep. Suddenly you've got to back pedal warily, losing as little composure as possible, while showing that even you are human after all with faults and failings like the rest of human kind. A skilful operator can usually turn the situation to their advantage by humbly admitting to faults that just happen to make them an even more desirable candidate. You know the sort of thing I mean...."I'm afraid I've got a punctuality problem I simply can't be late for an appointment", or "I do tend to neglect my family sometimes, because I can't bring myself to leave the office until I've cleared my desk."  read on...

DAILY HOMILIES CLICK HERE

The Mass had ended.  We began to gather at the back of the church to wait for our priest  to hear confessions.  Usually there was a second priest assigned to hear confessions after Saturday Mass, but he wasn't there, so we waited.   Ally, a young high school teacher, saw an elderly lady waiting in line behind us.  Ally suggested that we allow this lady to go to confession ahead of us.  The woman was grateful as she opened the confessional door.  When she closed the door, Ally and I noticed that the line had grown behind us.  Shortly, the second priest arrived and the lines melted into two separate, shorter lines.  As Ally and I waited for our turn in confession, Ally asked me for prayers.  She confided that she had just accepted a job as a Catholic missionary on college campuses.  She could be sent anywhere.  She hadn't told her parents yet.  Ally is a young woman who is very close to God.  I prayed then, and I ask for your prayers for this young woman.  I looked at t

A Rosetta mission team leader's British reserve snapped when Philae's data showed "a lot of peaks." There's carbon on comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko: probably part of complex organic compounds, which doesn't mean there's life there. Researchers on this side of the Atlantic reported that double planets may be more common than we'd thought: a lot more more common.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

"They tried to bury us, they didn’t know we were seeds.”  Mexican proverb Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  John 12:24 May I also live out  this biblical verse.

There's a new item on the blogroll : Homeschooling Works " ...Here you will also find interesting topics about, health, science, family life, religion, spirituality and much more!... " That's it. That's the entire post. But if you want to see what it looks like on A Catholic Citizen in America, this is the link.

Just a short post today on my awakening to the fact that God is good always ! Have a blessed Thanksgiving, Jen

Pursued by the Furies by John Singer Sargent (Wikimedia Commons).  Okay, you’ve all poured over the chart of the seven mansions from Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle that I posted last week and now you’re ready to study each in depth, right? Let’s dig right in. Many people, unfortunately, live completely outside the castle of their souls. These include the unbaptized, atheists and agnostics, and Christians who have unconfessed mortal sin.  Their state is truly pitiable and only an act of God can open their eyes to it. So accustomed have they grown to living all the time with the reptiles and other creatures to be found in the outer court of the castle that they have almost become like them; and although by nature they are so richly endowed as to have the power of holding converse with none other than God Himself, there is nothing that can be done for them. Unless they strive to realize their miserable condition and to remedy it, they will be turned into pillars of salt