Little Saints in the Making

Until it Ends-- What will you give up?

2012-02-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

I found this wonderful website called.. Until Abortion Ends. Where one can submit (video, email, etc) what you would give up until Abortion Ends. What I found so encouraging was watching some of these short videos of these young adults giving up things until Abortion End. As we watch at the March for Life, we can't be blind to the fact that , the young are the ones who are fighting this war and they are using all of their tools.

This is one my favorite, this young African American guy, at work is giving up soda. But that he made this video at work in front of others until Abortion Ends speaks much more than I can say.

God Bless them All and Pray that they stay strong.

Now, what are you going to give up until Abortion Ends?

I will share with you my video or story notice I make so please share yours!

For the Love of Mary

2012-02-07T15:29:00.000-08:00

Our Mother of Divine Grace co-op that we belong to has been very blessed this year with the help of a religious order called the Alliance of the Two Hearts . Their love for Our Mother , Our Lord and Family is very encouraging and they are full of such grace, joy, youth and energy.

Every month we have a family day get together on Sunday, with a High Mass , lunch and than a wonderful get together with music, talks, and pure fun.

In January, we had a Marian Festival, which the kids could enter into contest such as: essay, songs, slogans , drawings, and baking.

My daughter enter a slogan and the baking. At first, it was hard to explain what a slogan is to her and give her help without giving her too much help. After a few attempts, this was what she came up on her own:She won first place in the slogan.

She also wanted to enter the baking which she made this: (with some of my help but the whole thing was her idea)

She didn't win in the baking but it sure was very good!

It was a beautiful day filled with so much love for Our Blessed Mother!

Here a boy made a lego High Mass. It was very impressive. His mother said he spent two weeks on it and didn't let anyone help him!

I love it!

Sleeping Arrangements

2012-01-26T10:52:00.000-08:00

Click on image to enlarge.

Silence and Word: Path of Evangelisation-

2012-01-25T09:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Our Beloved Pope gave this speech on World Communication Day. We are very blessed to have such a holy and wise Father!
May God protect him always!

On this "World Communications Day 2012, I would like to share with you some reflections concerning an aspect of the human process of communication which, despite its importance, is often overlooked and which, at the present time, it would seem especially necessary to recall. It concerns the relationship between silence and word: two aspects of communication which need to be kept in balance, to alternate and to be integrated with one another if authentic dialogue and deep closeness between people are to be achieved".

"Silence is an integral element of communication; in its absence, words rich in content cannot exist. In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; ideas come to birth and acquire depth. ... By remaining silent we allow the other person to speak, to express him or herself; and we avoid being tied simply to our own words and ideas without them being adequately tested. In this way, space is created for mutual listening, and deeper human relationships become possible. ... When messages and information are plentiful, silence becomes essential if we are to distinguish what is important from what is insignificant or secondary. Deeper reflection helps us ... to make evaluations, to analyse messages; this makes it possible to share thoughtful and relevant opinions, giving rise to an authentic body of shared knowledge. For this to happen, it is necessary to develop an appropriate environment, a kind of 'eco-system' that maintains a just equilibrium between silence, words, images and sounds.

"The process of communication nowadays is largely fuelled by questions in search of answers. Search engines and social networks have become the starting point of communication for many people who are seeking advice, ideas, information and answers. ... Indeed, people today are frequently bombarded with answers to questions they have never asked and to needs of which they were unaware. If we are to recognise and focus upon the truly important questions, then silence is a precious commodity that enables us to exercise proper discernment in the face of the surcharge of stimuli and data that we receive".

"Ultimately, this constant flow of questions demonstrates the restlessness of human beings, ceaselessly searching for truths, of greater or lesser import, that can offer meaning and hope to their lives. Men and women cannot rest content with a superficial and unquestioning exchange of sceptical opinions and experiences of life - all of us are in search of truth".

"Attention should be paid to the various types of websites, applications and social networks which can help people today to find time for reflection and authentic questioning, as well as making space for silence and occasions for prayer, meditation or sharing of the word of God. In concise phrases, often no longer than a verse from the Bible, profound thoughts can be communicated, as long as those taking part in the conversation do not neglect to cultivate their own inner lives. It is hardly surprising that different religious traditions consider solitude and silence as privileged states which help people to rediscover themselves and that Truth which gives meaning to all things. The God of biblical revelation speaks also without words: 'As the Cross of Christ demonstrates, God also speaks by His silence".

"If God speaks to us even in silence, we in turn discover in silence the possibility of speaking with God and about God. ... In speaking of God's grandeur, our language will always prove inadequate and must make space for silent contemplation. Out of such contemplation springs forth, with all its inner power, the urgent sense of mission, the compelling obligation 'to communicate that which we have seen and heard' so that all may be in communion with God".

"In silent contemplation, then, the eternal Word, through Whom the world was created, becomes ever more powerfully present and we become aware of the plan of salvation that God is accomplishing throughout our history by word and deed. ... This plan of salvation culminates in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the mediator and the fullness of all revelation. He has made known to us the true face of God the Father and by His Cross and Resurrection has brought us from the slavery of sin and death to the freedom of the children of God. The fundamental question of the meaning of human existence finds in the mystery of Christ an answer capable of bringing peace to the restless human heart. The Church's mission springs from this mystery; and it is this mystery which impels Christians to become heralds of hope and salvation, witnesses of that love which promotes human dignity and builds justice and peace.

"Word and silence: learning to communicate is learning to listen and contemplate as well as speak. This is especially important for those engaged in the task of evangelisation: both silence and word are essential elements, integral to the Church's work of communication for the sake of a renewed proclamation of Christ in today's world".

VIS News

The Blues -- Fighting for them

2012-01-23T12:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a great article called Stay-at-Home-Mom Blues . We all had them or have them here or there. The weather today here can give anyone the blues. The way of our country can give us the blues... But as we watch the March and see all of those young faces taking a stand for LIFE. Its easy to see the brighter side, the brighter future because we have these pro-life children, the ones at home or at the March.

May God Have mercy on Us and the whole world.

The Art of theTable -- is it Lost?

2012-01-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

We have been hooked on Downtown Abby . We saw the 1st season on Netflix just to catch up to this season, since we didn't know about it. There is so much to say about is show and some much to learn. Here is a great article in our local paper.

But besides all of that, what we have really enjoy is watching the services of the maids, the footman, and Mr. Carson, the Butler. I notice how they take so much pride in the little things of the house and dinner and the dinner table . There was a time where people really did take pride in the little things of a home.

A few months ago, my husband had pick up a book for me called, The Art of the Table. Which my oldest is reading now and very enjoyable and full of knowledge and interesting facts!

But why did this knowledge disappeared? My mother came from money in Cuba, and they did to some degree have this type of life style. She tells of the dinners and her housekeeper did show her the "how to dos" of tables, beds, etc.. But than it stop with her.

I guess a new country, a new culture in the USA, working moms, etc.. threw all that away? And life had to be simple and fast and on the go.

Since God and my husband have given me the opportunity to stay home and having daughters has given me the opportunity to learn the art of the table and to pass that along to my daughters.

This year, we added Little Women Hospitality Problem to our Little Flowers and its a wonderful program for girls and their mothers. This program teaches the virtue of hospitality through classic literature, spiritual insights, the Catholic faith, and hands-on experience. If you have daughters (it says 10 and up but we started at 8 1/2 yrs and up) this is a great catholic programs and even us mothers learn a lot! Our favorite lesson was during Advent and it was the how to set a full table and clear a table.

I was trying to find old pictures of different times we had set the table such as Little Flower Teas, Birthday and Holidays. I found this one from last Easter.

Can you share your pictures of your Art?

God Bless you all!

Wordless Wednesday: Almost

2012-01-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is correct. We are expecting baby number 7 and please keep us in your prayers so that we have a healthy baby at the end of August. I am about almost 7 weeks and feel very sick. I never got sick with the others but this one, I feel sick all the time. I sure hope it will go away sooner than later!!

Any one have any advices about this morning sickness (or all day sickness, really) ?

Have a Blessed Day!

Happy Birthday, St. Philomena

2012-01-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: We have winner; 4 is Crazy. God Bless You All!

Today is St. Philomena's birthday!
If you have not read her story, you have to waste no more time and check her out! Her story is amazing and the most amazing part is all the great works she has done from Heaven. She is the only saint to become a saint without knowing much about her life but due to her miracles she has done from Heaven!

Here are a few great sites to visit. http://www.philomena.us/ We were honor to have met the Msgr. Braschi who runs the Sanctuary of Saint Philomena in Italy and what a holy man, who had great joy in seeing the children and laughing with them!

The Universal Living Rosary Association: If you have not sign up for this, what are you waiting for! You are given a decade that you have to say everyday for the rest of life and the benefits are unbelievable! Check out the connect between the two!

Close to our home there is a beautiful church called St.Philomena where they have a 1st class relic of St. Philomena. We will be heading there tonight for a Extraordinary Form Rite Mass. http://home.catholicweb.com/stphilomenapa/index.cfm

So in her honor, I am giving a way a copy of a great book about her, Saint Philomena the Wonder Worker . Just leave a comment.

Have a Blessed Day!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years

2012-01-08T13:43:00.000-08:00

Greetings, I pray that you had a very beautiful Christmas and joyful New Years. We headed down to Florida for a 18 days vacation. It took us 2 days to drive down and 2 days to drive up! Craziness is all that I can say!

We were blessed to spend time with family that we haven't seen for along time and enjoyed a warm Christmas. Here a few of the pictures. I haven't post lately but I am going to start again and so you few readers aren't so bored with my once a month or so post!
Thank you for bearing with me.

Stay tune for a wonderful announcement!

10th year! Wow.. time goes by..

2011-12-08T06:37:00.001-08:00

Today is the Feast Day of Immaculate Conception which is also our Wedding Anniversary. It's actually our 10th Wedding Anniversary.

Our Story.
I am not sure if I ever share it, so bare with me if you have heard it before! We met online on Ave Maria Singles Catholic. A great way to meet a very good catholic. Our first email was on July 8th, 2000 and we wrote and talk for 3 months before we met on Oct. 8th 2000 in the front steps of St.Patrick's Church in NYC.

While we were dating, I had made 2 special novena.

One was for St.Jude, the impossibles, I thought that by my age at 24, it would be impossible for me to meet my husband (well at least in Cuban time), so ask him to show me this lucky fellow. On the 9th day, my husband now, was the only male contact I had that day via email and to which we found out that we have common friends (that is besides Jesus Christ), He was close friend to a Jacob and my family was very close to Jacob's brother, Father Chris.

The second one was after we had met and yet, I wanted the final seal that this was it. I was very spoil girl back than! I did a novena to my favorite at the time, St. Theresa of Little Flower. I did her 24 days of novena, one for every year of her life. I didn't let anyone know about this novena and least my future husband. Well, you guess it, on the 24th day , when I got home from work, there were not 12 but 24 roses that my future husband had sent me.

I knew that God was watching over us and protecting us. I moved in December up north, got a great job right away and a place to live with great girl roommates.

I recall getting my wedding dress and it was true for me that the moment you put it on, you knew that was one and it was so beautiful and not overly expensive. It was just perfect!

We had a lovely day on Her Feast Day.
She has and is always watching over us these 10 years together. She is our guide, our strength and our wisdom.
We have been blessed with 6 kids and two of them are with her now, on her lap smiling down on us.

I pray that you have a Blessed Feast Day.
May Our Beautiful Mother protects you, guides you
and blesses you today and everyday of your life!

A Picture Perfect - A Perfect Deal!

2011-11-16T14:15:00.001-08:00

A Picture Perfect Childhood by Cay Gibson is on sale for $1.99 as a download.
That is cheaper than a happy meal and it will last your child a lifetime!
Its all about enhancing your child's imagination and education just 15 minutes a day!

October Baby -

2011-11-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

This is a must see movie. It is out right now in Alabama and Mississippi but its to nation wide in Spring of 2012! Warning.. It will bring you tears!

Trick or Treat..

2011-10-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

Here was a great article for Halloween...Don't Trade Halloween for Reformation Sunday

Our Lady of Charity -- Sweet Mother pray for us!

2011-09-07T19:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the sweet birthday of Our Blessed Mother Mary, as well it is the feast day of

Our Lady of Charity, the patroness of Cuba .

Cuba's history (as well my parents) is a beautiful one and very sad one. Its like unseen island that no one pays attention.

I just finish reading a very good and sad book , called Learning to Die in Miami Confessions of a Refugee Boy by Carlos Eire.

"Eire was one of 14,000 unaccompanied refugee children in 1962’s Operation Pedro Pan—through his time in foster homes, both kind and harsh, and eventually to joining his uncle in Chicago" -.Hazel Rochman

He tells us a story about his mother as she visit Rome and crosses paths with His Holiness,

Pope John Paul II.

"Papito, Papito," she yells, at the top of her lungs, which is about three times louder than the average human being can manage to scream.

"Papito, Papito, por favor reza por Cuba," She shouts, again and again. Please, dear little Pope, pray for Cuba. His Holiness stops dead in his tracks, turns around, and finds the crazed women who keeps calling him Papito.

"He speaks to her in perfect Spanish. "Are you Cuban? What are you doing there? How did you get out?
She tells him that she left Cuba a long time ago and is now living in the Untied States, and that her homeland needs his prayers.
In perfect Spanish, as he holds her hands, he tells her he prays for Cuba every day."

He prays for Cuba every day.. I know Pope John Paul the Great is praying right now for Cuba. He has not forgotten.
I pray that I will get to live to see the day that the fruits of his prayers, millions of Cubans /Cuban- Americans, and Our Sweet Lady of Charity are answered!
And we are starting to see the seeds as EWTN reports a great article about how Our Lady of Charity inspires faith in Cuba.

“Cuba needs to strengthen its spiritual life so that our values are not lost and so we all might work together for the common good,” he continued. “The spiritual life of a people is essential for the comprehensive development of a nation. The passing of God through history changes history because it changes the hearts of men,” Cardinal Ortega said.

Please my dear friends, today please pray for Cuba and her beautiful people at home and all over the world!

Happy Birthday, Dear Mother!

Oringial Sin reactment!

2011-08-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

It started as a very peaceful Monday morning. Everyone doing their chores and happy.

Until:

Screaming and crying is heard downstairs..

I run to find this:

A little Guy make-over on little Sister.

Honestly, I wanted to kill him but since I am pro-life I just let him suffer a bit.

His reasons he says: Other sister told him to do it.

Its Eve and Adam all over again!

Thank God for a wonderful "Real Salon" just two minutes away and an opening.

She looks cute but I missed those curls!!

Great Giveaway in Time for School Year!

2011-08-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

Lacy over at Catholic Icing has done a great job giving us moms, teachers, wonderful ideas for craft for the kids. I have been doing her Catholic ABC last year and now she is making it easier on your printer! She has made a book and is having a give-away.
So head over and have a chance to win this great book!!!

Thank you , Lacy and Many Blessings to you and your family!

Wordless Wednesday: A Birthday Boy!

2011-08-03T05:45:00.000-07:00

She is who she is...

2011-08-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

I always amazed how different each of my children are to each other. But the youngest one is really just too much for her own good! Here she is going to bed with her sun glasses on the day that she jumped off the dying board into 13 feet of deep pool water, swam to the ladder and did it all over again. I wonder what God has in store for her as well the others.. I pray that she will listen to Him better than she listens to me!

I just don't feel like it.

2011-08-01T18:54:00.001-07:00

That is what I been feeling about this whole blogging, face book, internet world. I just don't feel like it . Going on, posting, reading, and on and on.. Maybe burn out about it all.

Or maybe because of the 1000 of other things I have been doing..

~I have been working on the house, adding curtains that it has taken me 3 years to do,
~I have been adding and making and reading and writing and studying all about Montessori to add to my home school and the co-op where I teach the pre-school.
~My daughters First Holy Communion, and what we need for that.
~ Working on our garden!! (We have bunnies and their babies hanging out!!)
~ Since we have been going to the Library at least once a week, I have been reading like crazy. I have about 6 books out , one is Farwell, My Queen (great book, can't wait to see the movie coming out!) and few books on Cuba and the stories about children who were flow out of Cuba w/out parents right as Castro took over, Operation Peter Pan (very sad and at the same time it shows you how grateful to have been living here!!) another book on boys, another book on St.Josemaria...
~ And just hanging out at the pool , reading or swimming and just having the best time with my kids!!

Will I ever feel like doing the "internet thing" again? I don't know.

Seven Priests Cause Abortion Mill To Close!

2011-07-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

It is to St. John Vianney that our beloved priests are entrusted, and he said it so eloquently: "Were we to fully realize what a priest is on earth, we would die: not of fright, but of love. It is he who opens the door: he is the steward of the good Lord; the administrator of his goods. Leave a parish for twenty years without a priest, and they will end by worshiping the beasts there. The priest is not a priest for himself, he is a priest for you."

Catholic Online

Are you Inspired to Love?

2011-07-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

Check it out at Inspired to Love!

Pretty, Happy. Funny. Real.

2011-07-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Every Thursday, at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

Pretty & Happy

Here is my oldest First Holy Communion dress, my mother-in-law is bring from Mexico City, a Spanish dress. I have been looking from sometime and I couldn't find one that I like, they all seem to be shelves less and since I can't sew.
I just hope we don't have to adjust to much for her size!
I am very happy with it!

Funny!

Here she is.. Miss America being the clown! She is just too much for two years old. But if you ask her how old she is, she will tell you, I am not two but five years old! Lord, Help me!

Can you feel the love!

Real.

(Invitations made by my very talent sister-in-law)
My oldest is going to have her First Holy Communion in August and its a shock to me. She will receive the most love in the whole world. She will have to also go to confession and be accountable for her sins. That scares me. Why? Have I done enough to prepare her for the most beautiful day of her life? or more important, Have I shown her through my examples how to Love Him?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-06T08:18:00.000-07:00

(I came upon this zucchini today while watering our garden. I didn't see him yesterday. Its like playing hide and seek. But it looks like someone else found him before me.)

Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real!

2011-06-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Every Thursday, at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

Pretty, Happy, Funny. Real all in one!

Here is my oldest playing in her last recital of the year. It has been 3 years since she has started taken lessons and I just love every second of it! She was happy to play!

My Lord, My God!

2011-06-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

My Lord and my God, I firmly believe that you are here, listening to me, that you see me, that you hear me! I adore you with profound reverence! I ask you for pardon for my sins, and grace to make this time of conversation with you fruitful. My Mother Immaculate, Saint Joseph, my father and Lord! My Guardian Angel , Intercede for me!

I learn this dear prayer from a very lovely Saint, St.Josemaria, in order to place myself in the presence of God at the beginning of mental prayer, to help me remove other concerns from our mind.

Can't make a visit, have Him come to you Live at

(warning, you will fall on your knees!)

Pretty, Happy. Funny. Real.

2011-06-16T08:23:00.000-07:00

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Every Thursday, at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

PRETTY

Here are few pictures from our flower garden in the front of the house. One has to very patient with these types of flowers for a long time, they really didn't look so pretty until they bloom! But we happen to have a few bunnies that like them as well yet for dinner!

HAPPY & FUNNY

Its funny to see kids trying to climb a tree and act like monkeys!

They sure were happy climbing!

REAL

Its real, our first garden and its alive!! The kids love to watch it grow from the seeds to flowers and now started to see some veggies!!

Great Wives & Mothers!

2011-06-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

I bought this book, Great Wives and Mothers by Hugh Francis Blunt at the last conference that I went to in April. Really the best word that I can use to describe this book is WOW. You can read it for free online .

I never read a book where I have learn so much about our Church great Saints. I did not know how many saints we have and all that in the book are women, so just to think of it plus men.. WOW! (there is that word again!).

To name a few, St. Sabina, 1st Christian matron of whom we have record among the martyrs, in the year 126, St. Perpetua, St. Marth 270 , St. Juitta who was denounced by her neighbor for being a Christian died by fire but the flames did not harm her body., says these words:
May my estates perish, or be disposed of to strangers, may I also lose my life, and may this body be cut in pieces, rather than that by the least impious word I should offend the God that made me. If you take from me a little portion of the earth, I shall gain heaven for it!"

How about these couples, St. Chrysanthus and St. Daria or St. Melania and her husband Pinianus or St. Fabiola (400) a women that divorce her 1st husband and married another man even while her 1st husband was living. On the day before Easter her 2nd husband dies and she does public penance for offense and was received back into the church.

In the book, he has a full chapter on St. Monica and St. Rita. On a side note, St. Augustine showed in his book On the Good of Marriage, that there have been many married women who have surpassed many virgins in sanctity.

Mr. Blunt writes a very important point here that goes very well with the teachings of St.Josemaria, " Whatever the condition of life, God can sanctify it... When all in their heart know that God will come to dwell in their cottage or in their palace, if they but invite him"

I really enjoy reading about The Queen Saints such as St. Helena a innkeeper whom married a roman general who ends up being a great Roman Emperor in the year 292, Also St. Clotilda, Queen of the Franks, St. Sexburga an English queen, St. Matilda a Germany queen around the year 918 to name a few. I never heard of these inspiring saints. It was very pleasing to read about Queen Isabella the Catholic (which I knew about). "A great queen, indeed, a great wife, a great mother, and all this because she was first of all a great Catholic...""

Then I read about St. Jane Frances de Chantal (1572) as Mr. Blunt writes, " But of all Christian mothers, there is none so strikingly human and at the same time so thoroughly spiritual, as the great wife and mother, a women who lived on earth and in heave at one and the same time." Can I say, Wow.. again!

Every time, I put the book down, I feel encourage and inspired to do a better job as a wife and mother for God is calling me as He called all of those Saints and as He calls you, to be Saints!

Pretty, Happy. Funny. Real.

2011-06-09T09:25:00.001-07:00

Pretty

Last Friday, we took my sister-in-law to this

very sweet and beauty garden called Winterthur.

Happy

We wanted to take some family photos and kids photo.
I forgot how hard it is to get everyone just looking at the camera.
Thank goodness the weather was very nice and cool!

Leave it to Beaver here to stick his hands through.
It captures his true personality but
I was hoping to capture some nice photos for our mantle at home!

Funny.

I guess one couldn't have a true photo session
without those lets make funny faces.

Real

Sister love..
One moment you are happy and hugging and than you are not..

These two are very close in age and
the personality are as far apart as can be.
Lord, give me strength!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-08T13:31:00.000-07:00

Free Ebook! A great find!

2011-06-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

Head over to Catholic Mother Online, Angie is giving away her e-book Educational Activities for Young Children.

Walk for Their Lives!

2011-06-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

Its summer time my friends.. Nice weather, some time for pool, beach, lakes, etc... something to keep you challenge and at the same time give to protect the unborn!

Starting next Sunday, June 12 to August 28, 12 week, its Walk for Their Lives sponsor by Hair Bows 4 Life ... How many miles can you walk to help support the protection of Human Life, those sweet baby feet!

All ages, sizes, colors and faith are welcome to use your feet to walk for theirs!

1.) Let them know you are taking up the Challenge, let everyone you know that you are taking up this challenge.

2.) Have them sponsor you, such as a penny for every mile you walk in these 12 weeks, or a nickle or a flat rate such as $50 for 1, 0000 miles.

3.) Email them at walkfortheirlives@gmail.com with your location (let us see if we can go all over the map), what type of sponsor $ per mile or flat and what Pro-life organization you will donate.

4.) Record your miles, here is a great weekly log . Check this out: Google Map Pedometer

5.) Every Sunday, comment with your miles, they are giving away great door prizes for your comments. Find the cause on Facebook!

6). They will end it with some great top walkers prizes. (more info on the prizes to come)

So, what are you waiting for ? Put your walking shoes on and start walking!!

Please help pass this challenge along, post it on your blog, email it, put it on face book! Put your feet to the test and see how much you can raise to save!

Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real!

2011-06-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Every Thursday, at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

PRETTY

Our Sweet Blessed Mother, being admire by sweet young girls during their May Crowning Tea Parties. As I was sitting after the tea party was done, girls running outside, moms finally sitting down. I thought, I never had this in my life. A tea party, I never was given the chance to sit as a young lady and have nice tea sandwich's, some tea all in a sweet dress. That is what I want to give my girls, its not in the things but its in the memories. I do have to say, thanks to a dear friend who loves teas, we have been to a place where they do treat you all to a nice "tea party"

HAPPY

He is so happy because he got to see this today at National Aquarium:

FUNNY

We have great neighbors and for 22 years they have a great Memorial Day party, right next door. They rent a great water slide for the kids, have volleyball, lots of food, drinks, dessert and a great live band. All we have to do is step over the fence and we are there! For about 6 hours and than take the kids home, bath and put them to sleep. Little one slept in the next day to 10:30! (that's more like it!)

REAL

We finish our co-op for the summer. Its summer time and the kids are going bored already. I just finish up our summer chart and sign up for the pool and gotten our summer books ready to go!

“Parents for Eternal Life”.

2011-05-31T06:59:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this article? Home-schoolers sometimes at odds with dioceses . Warning: it might get your heart rate up and your heart sadden by Father Peter M.J. Stravinskas take on home-schoolers.

There is so much to say about it all but I will just recall what I heard Bishop Fulton Sheen say:

‘If you want your kids to defend their Faith send them to a public school, if you want them to lose their Faith send them to a Catholic School.’

I believe that Bishop Fulton Sheen would say if he was alive would be more in lines in Home-school your children to know and defend their faith.

What is most upsetting is how Fr. Stravinskas makes us out to be anti-church/clergy which is so crazy because thanks to Homeschooling we have a better relationship with our clergy and our children and our whole family have a great love for them and for the church!

So after you read that article head over to Fr. Hardon's article on "The Teaching of the Catholic Church on Home Schooling Parents for Eternal Life" to ensure you that you are call to a higher calling to educate your child not only for this world but Eternal Life.

Our Little Flowers-- May Crowning Tea

2011-05-28T10:52:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, we had our Little Flower May Crowning Tea.

We set the table for 15 girls, ages from 4 to 18 years old.

I was very bless to have a tree bloom these beautiful pinkish flowers.

One of the moms brought a few St. Therese's goodies, such as bookmark with her medal, a very small statue, a rose petal with a virtue, rose stickers and St. Therese's prayer card.

You can't have a tea party with out tea sandwiches, devil eggs, mini cheesecakes and many more delicious treats.

Sweet girls enjoying a wonderful afternoon with dear friends.

As she crowns Our Lady, (which her crown was made out of flowers from one of the families), the girls sang a beautiful song, Mary of Grace.

Well, while the girls were inside, a dad and his boys cut down a dead tree (my husband help some) and then cut the tree into pieces for wood burning for the winter. It sure was a sight to see the tree fall!

The girls and the moms had a very sweet time.
Our Lady must be proud of these young ladies taking the time and pleasure in honoring her!

May you have a Blessed Month of May!

Pretty, Happy, Funny, REAL!

2011-05-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Pretty.
We came home one afternoon to see the mommy bird with worms in her mouth heading right into our front yard bush. So we peek in and what do we see..
3 little baby birds with their mouth open!

Happy.
We had a very nice Mother's day at Longwood Gardens,
my little turtle here was very happy to be there!

Funny.
My little guy warming up for a soccer game. We have lots of fun watching him play and its very funny to see the kids run around after a ball.

REAL.
Yes, it seems every night its either one or two but that night it was 3 of them.
I knew that we should of bought a King's size bed!
Don't they look so sweet and innocent. ;)

Thoughts for Tuesday

2011-05-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

One of my books that I am reading is about St.Josemaria, the founder of Opus Dei, called: The Founder of Opus Dei; The Life of Josemaria Escriva Volume I: The Early Years . What a book. Amazing really. There was something yesterday that I read that has been on my mind a lot and there is a lot of depth to it. I wonder what your thoughts would be.

Even back when I was a child, I thought so often about the fact that there are many good souls who have to suffer so much in this world-sorrows of every type: reversals of fortune, family calamities, the trampling of their legitimate pride. At the same time, I could see other people who did not seem to be good (though I'm not saying they weren't, because we don't have a right to judge anyone), for whom everything was going just great. But then, one fine day, it occurred to me that even the very evil do some good things, although they don't do them for supernatural motives, and I realized that God in some way has to reward them on earth, since he won't be able to reward them in eternity. Then I thought of the old saying, " They also feed the ox that will go to the slaughterhouse."

There is so much to think about in this short passage. The book also has as a footnote this: It was a meditation of 4 Feb. 1962, Josemaria had not yet discovered the deep meaning of suffering, which in The Way (no.699) he would express thus:" Cross, toil, tribulation: such will be your lot as long as you live. That was the way Christ followed, and the disciple is not above his Master."

If you had the chance to see the movie There Be Dragons, you would get a closer understanding of how much Josemaria suffer.

I don't want my reward on earth. I want it with God in eternity. I don't think St.Josemaria was saying that those who have a good fortunate on Earth are doing evil but its true when you think about many who do evil but nothing happens to them or their lives seem so perfect.

Thoughts anyone?

A Foe within A Friend

2011-05-23T05:39:00.000-07:00

This basal thermometer is what I call my Foe within a Friend. Post warning: brutal honesty! About two weeks ago, we thought, this is it.. the temperatures goes up and I mean up. Finally after 3 years... what I thought was my answer to my prayers were coming true. Day one up, day two, etc.. Day 12 comes and its very up and that is usually my day that it drops and my dear friend is visiting again! Day 13 up again..

This is where my mind runs away.. I start planning in my head, due date, sex of the baby, how it will be to feel him or her move inside of me, to breastfeed again. The pure joy of having another child..

Day 14... the drop of the ball!! Yes, my friend, temp drops as if it was jumping of the golden bridge! Down it goes... as well as my heart!

The thing about NFP and charting.. you have too much information too soon. If I didn't chart, if I didn't take my temps., I wouldn't know the unknown.. makes no sense right.

But I think of again, what I do know that is sure. My four beauties.. My four corners of my heart, my children.

To fully trust in the Lord in all matters is what I think is the hardest thing in the world. Yet, I look into Our Blessed Lady's eye and She shows me the way, especially in this month of May!

Pretty, Happy, Funny. REAL!!

2011-05-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

I have come across this sweet blog Like Mother, Like Daughter and you might have seen this at many other blogs, the Thursday's Linky. Which is so sweet and REAL.

Pretty
My Our Lady of Guadalupe Statue, my sweet mother-in-law gave us from the Villa in Mexico City. May She protect us and the unborn!

Happy.
My Kids are happy that their almost 19 year very fun cousin is visiting us from College for 3 weeks. She has lots of energy and just enjoys to be with the kids!

Funny
My niece is an art student and just loves to play with colors and acting out. What better audience then her 4 & 2.5 cousin who love to play dress up!

REAL.
It has rain, all week long from last Saturday.. Did I tell you that it rain all week long? Today, no soccer practice for a little guy that needs to get out! Thank goodness I finally broke down a few weeks ago and bought rain boats! But today, with hail, yes hail, not even the boats could help us!

Share with us your, Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real!

My Mother's Day Special--

2011-05-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day. I hope you had a beautiful day with your family. We had an wonderful day thanks to my family and friends. We start off at Holy Mass, than off to a brunch and than a day at Longwood Gardens. Never be there? I highly recommend if you live or travel to PA.

The kids just love to stop and smell the flowers. Such joy they find in the smallest flower. I bet you that is how God feels about us, if we are a rose or a paisley, He will stop to see us, hold us and love us!

They give you these great little kid's map and they just love to see where they are and where they are heading. It was a great tool for them!

Tulips, my all time favorite. The May before I got married was my first trip to Longwood Garden and it was when I saw colors I never image there was in Tulips. So of course I used tulips in my wedding (which wasn't easy since I was getting married in Florida in December!)

May Our Blessed Mother Love you, protect you and Bless you on your Mother's Day and every day of your sweet life!

Goodwill-- Great Find!

2011-05-11T15:11:00.000-07:00

Today, I was able to get away for a few hours alone! (my niece is visiting for a few weeks) So when I am alone, I go to Goodwill! I have found just too many great things in this place that I can list today.

Here is a beautiful and very clean dress I found for my 8 year. Yes, it says size 9. I thought wow, they just do not make dresses like these for over six years olds. My mother-in-law from Mexico does bring me back very sweet girl dresses for 8 years old. Its seems its a Moda Carina dress but I can't find nothing on the maker. Its very well done and the fabric is just so nice to feel.

I wish I had learn to sew and I will but at the moment, I will do my rounds at Goodwill and keep my eye out for other great buys!

The Winners are..

2011-05-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

First of all, we would like to say thank you all for your lovely comments on our bows! We are very grateful to our fans and customers of all ages, especially those sweet babies!

We added two more prizes to our give - away since there were plenty of entries, we wanted to give more.

We used Random.org

The Winners are...

1). Our Blessed Mother Basket Set: Papist Ph.D.

2.) Our Blessed Pope John Paul Basket Set = Dessi

3.) Our Lady of Fatima Book Set = Mary A.

4.) Our Blessed Mother Book Set = Noreen

5.) Blessed Pope John Paul Bow with Medals blessed by him are:

Roxaline

Tiffany

Cherly

Please email us with your mailing address. We will also contact you.

Our 35% off sale ends May 31st!

Butterflies-- Lapbook~~ free

2011-05-09T14:01:00.000-07:00

It's the season of these beautiful God given creatures! I just love to see them in our gardens... Well, over at CurrClick (which I highly suggestion just getting on their email list for their weekly newsletter with freebies), they have from In the Hands of a Child , pre-k to 4th grade, a nice Butterflies Lap book to download for free! It seems like a nice activity for the kids especially with this lovely spring at hand!

A Celebration Give-away!!

2011-05-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

Happy 3rd year Anniversary for Hair Bows 4 Life!

"We want to say Thank you to all of our customers and fans for another successful year!"

Join them, as they celebrate this beautiful Month of Mary, with lots of give-aways and a 35 % off sale! (click on sale to get the coupon)

Our Give-aways are:

A.) Our Lady of Fatima Basket, Her feast day is May 13th!

It includes: a small Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, a book on the Holy Rosary, stickers of the Holy Rosary, pencil, prayer card, a Our Lady of Fatima bow and a one decade rosary (not shown)!

B.) A Blessed Pope John Paul II Basket, his birthday is May 18th!

It includes: a small statue of Pope John Paul II, book, prayer card, pencil, stickers and a bow!

C.) Our Lady of Fatima Book Set

It includes: The Holy Rosary book, prayer card, pencil, stickers and bow.

These are also located at our store for sale.
(not the Blessed Pope John Paul II bow below)

D.) 2 Blessed Pope John Paul II Bow

This bow is extra special, the medal (not shown) has been Blessed by Blessed Pope John Paul II.

To Enter: Your name gets enter for each one of these below.

1.) Leave comment.
2.) Become a follower of our blog, leave a comment.
(if you are already a follower leave comment)

3.) Become a Fan of our Facebook Page leave a comment
(if you are already a fan, leave another comment)

4.) Post our give-away on your facebook page and leave a comment.

5.) Post our give-away on your Blog and leave a comment w/ur blog post.

The drawing will take place on May 10th so that you can get your gifts before Feast day of Our Lady of Fatima and Blessed Pope John Paul II's birthday!

Click below to get your 35% off Coupon!

Enjoy!

Christ is Risen!

2011-04-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

Christ is Risen, Alleluia!

Faith in the resurrection of Jesus says that there is a future for every human being; the cry for unending life which is a part of the person is indeed answered... God exists: that is the real message of Easter. Anyone who even begins to grasp what this means also knows what it means to be redeemed. - Pope Benedict XVI April 24, 2011

I hope you had a Blessed Easter Sunday.

We were filled with lots of friends, joy, food, and rain!

Thanks to all of this Rain, we are seeing fruit of it in our Tulips.

Our Easter focus point, Christ is Risen! I filled the kids baskets with great catholic books, a chocolate bunny and one toy. They were over joyed. It was simple and real to them. They honestly think that Jesus came and left those things for them. The Innocents of children!~

Few pictures before church and it was warm and best of all it wasn't raining. Just let!

Milestone for my son, he finally left his tie on for mass!

We had a sit down dinner for 11 adults and 17 children. I had a plan A for the kids to eat outside but we had to go to a plan B and was able to make due.

I believe we had over 150 eggs and many children (young and old) going after them!

Here was the biggest problem, my two would find some and stop to eat and than find some more and stop to eat!

She is on a mission!

We found a bird's nest in the front bushes. My husband had seen a mommy bird bring food to her babies!

Can't forget about cake!

Enjoy your Easter Season!

Viva Cristo Rey!

2011-04-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

We have taken alot for granted in Our country for our Faith may we have the courage to protect it in case one day, we will be at war! Here is another movie you must see next to There Be Dragons.

May God keep protecting His Beautiful Holy Church!

"Her Inner Beauty" Thursday

2011-04-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

This a beautiful tradition that happens every year starting tomorrow, the Friday before Palm Sunday, also called "Our Lady of Sorrows Friday" until Good Friday in Spain. It so beautiful to watch. Take the time, watch it with your children. These floats carry statues of our Lady or Our Lord made in the 1500 or so. These floats weight about 300tons and about 60 to 100 men are carrying the floats under. They practice 365 days a year. They leave their church and walk towards the Cathedral of the city and then they turn around. It usually takes 10 hours. Its a high honor to be able to do this as well a way of penances.

The Beauty of the Church lives on!

3 Simple Rules for a Holy Life

2011-04-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

By Pope Benedict said: there are three simple rules for living a holy life:

1. “Never let a Sunday go by without an encounter with the risen Christ in the Eucharist; this is not an added burden, it is light for the entire week.”

2. “Never begin or end a day without at least a brief contact with God” in prayer.

3. “And along the pathway of our lives, follow the road signs that God has given us in the Ten Commandments, read in the light of Christ; they are nothing other than explanations of what is love in specific situations.”

St. Peter’s Square April 13

Don't you just Love our Church! May God protect you, my dear Pope Benedict!

" Inner Beauty Thursdays"

2011-04-07T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today, I saw a wonderful Clip over at Melody's Blog; Blossoming Joy about The Catholic Project. Here a priest talks about how we need to show the world the real church, the Beauty of the Catholic Church. I thought, Father, what wonderful idea, so it would be just wonderful to show the world, the true beauty of Our Faith, Her inner Beauty. Take up this challenge, show your readers the inner Beauty of the Catholic Faith, you may use this image from above or your own but don't forget to link back here or entry your link for the world to see.

Its our right, its our duty to show the world Her inner Beauty but most of all by the way we live our Faith.

Here is my first post on the Inner Beauty of the Catholic Faith. The youth is the future of the Church, may they respond with wisdom, courage and love!

How will you adore Him?

2011-04-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

A Little Chinese Girl

Martyr of the Holy Eucharist

Fr. Karl Maria Harrer Translated from the German, from Die Schonsten Eucharistischen

I don't know her name - a humble little 13 year-old girl, goodness in person, as the Sister told me. And that's all I knew about her, when the Communists came into our town. I knelt at the Communion rail in the church, and stayed there, praying and waiting to see what would happen. Each time there was a noise in the church or a gruff order given out in the street, I expected to be killed. Meanwhile, nothing happened. The next day I had a visitor. The police I thought, and a tremor of fear seized me.

No, this was a very polite officer who spoke perfect Chinese. The conversation went approximately like this: "Just keep on with your work as usual," he said. I offered him a cigar; he bowed and left smiling. Nothing unusual occurred in the few days following. The soldiers were reserved and looked at me with curiosity as I walked down the street. The only thing that bothered me was the visit of a certain inspector. Several months passed and I was beginning to get used to the Communist regime. But a storm arose quickly. One lovely summer day, this inspector came into the school, accompanied by four soldiers. They entered without knocking. "Times have changed now for China," he said, "and all this pious stuff has to be burned. Now, dear children, we are going to start."

While he said this, the inspector and the soldiers tore the crucifix, holy pictures, blackboards and statues from the walls. They laid them on the desks. They ordered the children to carry them to the toilet in a box. The children were frightened. They hesitated. "Faster!" yelled the inspector, "or I'll use my revolver." After, as before, there was resistance. In the last desk there was a little girl, her lips pressed together, her hands folded, motionless as a statue. "Hey, you back there!" yelled the inspector, and rushed toward her. He burst forth in blasphemies. "Take this," he threatened angrily.

The child lowered her eyes, but did not move. The other children were as if petrified. There was a deathly silence. The shot and the falling of broken glass brought forth screams and tears from the children. Attracted by the noise people came running and soon there was a big crowd of people in front of the school. The inspector kept on yelling, the child did not move. Only a big tear rolled down her cheek. The inspector's situation was being made more difficult. He pulled himself together, looked at the people and yelled: "Find her father and gather all the people together in the church..."

When the church was full, the little girl's father was brought in, his hands fastened behind his back. He was placed to the right of the Communion rail. His child was roughly forced to the Communion rail. Then, after the inspector cleared his throat, he began: "You have been taught that your God is powerful and that He lives in the tabernacle. Now I'm going to show you how you have been deceived. He can't do anything! We are going to trample Him with our boots now, and He won't even budge!" Then the soldiers came, and with their revolvers forced open the tabernacle door.

There was an anxious silence. The inspector grabbed the ciborium, opened it and strewed the Hosts all over the sanctuary floor. "Trample their God!" he commanded the soldiers. And they did it. "Now, what do you have to say?" he yelled. Everyone caught his or her breath. "Do you still believe in those fairytales your priest told you?" "Look here." He turned to the child's father. "Answer!" "Yes!" the father answered softly. "Take him away!" he yelled. At that moment a non-commissioned officer approached the inspector and spoke with him. He listened to him and submitted to higher authority. "Everyone leave the church! Only the child is to stay at the Communion rail!"

I was detained and locked in the coalbin of the church. There was a small opening facing the sanctuary where I could see the scattered Hosts and the little girl who was leaning against the wall. Shortly afterwards a lovely young woman entered and smiled. She was wearing beautiful clothes. "Poor child," she said, hugging her. "Poor little one, what have these men done to you? Come with me. Will you?" The child began to sob and fell into the woman's arms and they left. I don't know what happened then. In this dark prison I forgot the day and the hour. I prayed, I slept, I was hungry and thirsty and had a headache.

All around me was deathly still. But I heard sounds that I would not ordinarily have heard. Was it morning yet? I heard a door opening with a soft sound. I looked through my peephole. And what did I see? There was the little girl, who hesitantly approached the sanctuary, stopped, looked around, went a few steps farther, then knelt down, bowed respectfully, bent her head down to the floor and, with her tongue, took a holy desecrated Host. She raised herself, folded her hands, closed her eyes and prayed. After a while she stood up and disappeared. And every morning the same thing happened.

That was my comfort in my dark prison. Impatiently I awaited the first glimmer of morning, and the little girl who came to receive Holy Communion. Her lovely appearance, her smiling eyes, her shy and hesitant movements enchanted me more and more. How often did she come? I couldn't say. But one morning when she came to her Jesus again, knelt, folded her hands and was deep in prayer... the door of the church was opened with a crash. I heard wild shouts, then a shot. The child had fallen, her face paled. Supporting herself with one hand, she crept along painfully to a Host and received Holy Communion. The soldier approached and looked at the child. For the last time she tried to get up and fold her hands, but she fell backwards and struck her head on the floor with a dull sound.

Then she closed her eyes forever. The soldier, looking at the child and the Hosts, remained for a moment deep in thought and undecided. Then with heavy steps he went away and left the church. I was still in shock from the painful sight of what had happened to the child, martyr. Then the door of my prison was opened. The same soldier stood there and said: "Sir, you are free!" I went into the sanctuary as fast as I could. I scarcely knelt down beside the small dead body when the same soldier stood in front of me. "Sir," he said to me, "if in every town there was such a little girl, no soldier would ever again fight for the Communists!"

I still had time to bury the little martyr but, immediately after that, on the main road to the cemetery, a man approached me, invited me to get into his car and brought me to the border

The story above moved Archbishop Fulton Sheen to make a vow to pray a holy hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament for the rest of his life.

How about you? Did it move you? How will you adore Him? When will you adore Him?

May we all adore Him with the most profound love!

I'm wordless, I don't need words, I need Him!

2011-03-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

Today, once again, the close encounter to someone taking the life of an innocent child, just makes it all wordless. There just no words to describe the horror feeling of knowing at every day, every second a sweet baby is going to lose their lives that day. I feel so helpless, I feel so angry, I feel so scared. I beg for God's mercy. What do we do, how can we stop it? How do we get them to have a change of heart?

Well, I think, I need a change of heart, a very pure heart so that it shines forth, God's love and only His love and mercy will ever give them a change of heart. Please forgive me for my writing, since I just can't seem to understand lately, this world of ours. I just can't understand why? Why, hind behind our PC's, our facebooks, our children, our sweet life as is , without really see the world as it is for others, those poor innocent children in a very dangerous place, the womb.

I see, well, God lets me see, that I don't have to hide behind anything but that I have so much that I can do in a few simple words: prayer and fast. Do I really know the power behind prayer and fast (not of just foods)? I guess I don't but I am seeing that this moment of my life, that is what God is really calling me, so that I can give up myself, my very selfish self for those innocent hands, reaching out for a change of heart!

May God take all of it, all of my mind, all of my soul and all of being for His greater Glory. I can no longer do it alone, I can no longer hide behind the wall of unknowns. For I know it's there, I see evil and evil is looking at me. Will I turn my head, will I bow my head or will I look straight ahead and What will it see? Will they see Christ in me? Will they see His mercy, His love ?

I have no choice, I have no time to waste, for that is what the World needs, to see His love, His mercy, His face in us!

Oh, Mightily God, have Mercy on us and Whole World!

Having a Sense of Humor In Marriage

2011-03-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

We have plenty of that in our Marriage! :)

A Family in Great Need.

2011-03-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention of a family that is in great need. The Vasquez Family is a catholic homeschooling family of 8 children and one on the way. The Vasquez Family is Homeless and they have been living in their car. The mother was just sent to the hospital to pass 2 kidney stones. The father a roofer and carpenter is with out a job. They need my help, they need your help.
Their church in New Jersey, Mater Ecclesiae is helping them out. They have written me and said that this family is a very beautiful and very pro-life family, they do a lot for the 40 days for Life.

What Can you do:
1. Have your children pray for this family.
2. Give what you can, either send a check to the church: 261 Cross Keys Road Berlin, NJ 08009-9431 written out to either
a.) Mater Ecclesiae with a notation of the name of the family (Vasquez)
b.) Miguel Vasquez (father)

3. If you would like to send it via paypal, do so to Hairbows4life@gmail.com and we will send off the money to the Vasquez Family (Hair Bows 4 Life will pay the paypal fees) , write in the subject line : Vasquez Family

4. Repost this post, send it to your friends, church.

Thank you and God Bless You and Your Family.

One Thousand Gifts

2011-03-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this book? One Thousand Gifts, I think I am the last one to know about it. A friend lend it to me. Now I understand when I see on different blogs, a list of things they are grateful for. The book, in my thoughts is a bit hard to follow b/c of her writing style and I am not finish but I understand what she is trying to get through.

A friend dare her to write 1,000 things that she is grateful that God has given her. I thought, ok, I can do that. Something new. So I got a notebook, wrote the date and started my list. In all honestly, I am very surprise how I tend to see somethings a bit different in just seeing how God has given me so much. From simple things as the sun on cold days to the smile of my husband every morning. To the very wet backyard to the tulips coming up, to the wire of my computer to the touch of my very wire 2 year old.

I stop seeing what I don't have, such as another child. That has been the hardest thing this past year and with every month that goes by, I am without another child. But I have to see that God is giving me more than I will ever be grateful for. So here is to my One Thousand Gifts..

Why don' t you join me in writing your 1, 000 gifts. You don't have to put them in public for all to share, just write them down. Writing them down is another gift from God!

Isn't He Lovely..

2011-03-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

Ever since we saw this movie a few weeks, the kids have been singing these great songs. This is their favorite one. So last night as everyone is in bed and baby girl starts to cry (she wants to get out and stay up) I hear from across the hall is her big brother singing to her this song so she would stop to cry. And she does stop and does fall asleep. It just was so sweet and he was right on with the words .

The gift of being with each other all day! Thank you, my Lord!

A Fallen Child.

2011-03-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed what a great difference there is between a child falling and a fall by an adult? In the case of children, most falls are unimportant; they are always falling over! If they do start crying, their father tells them: 'Look here now, men don't cry.' And the incident ends with the child trying earnestly to please his father.

But what happens if an adult loses his balance and falls awkwardly to the ground? If it weren't so pitiful, his misfortune would provoke merriment and laughter. Besides, the fall may have serious consequences and, if it's an old man, it might even give rise to a fracture that will never heal. In our interior life, it does all of us good to be quasi modo geniti infantes, like those tiny tots who seem to be made of rubber and who even enjoy falling over because they get up again right away and are once more running around, and also because they know their parents will always be there to console them, whenever they are needed.

If we try to act like them, our stumbling and failures in the interior life (which, moreover, are inevitable) will never result in bitterness. Our reaction will be one of sorrow but not discouragement, and we'll smile with a smile that gushes up like fresh water out of the joyous awareness that we are children of that Love, that grandeur, that infinite wisdom, that mercy, that is our Father. During the years I have been serving Our Lord, I have learned to become a little child of God. I would ask you to do likewise, to be quasi modo geniti infantes, children who long for God's word, his bread, his food, his strength, to enable us to behave henceforth as Christian men and women.
Friends of God - St. Josemaria Escriva

So its the 1st Week of Lent, and boy does my knees hurt from falling! Its just so easy to give in, toss the towel, just to call it quits! But, I recall how Our Lord, fell 3 time during the carrying of the cross and I feel that He did that to show us , that we will fall (millions of millions of times) but what is the most important thing He did after he fell? He got up and kept carrying the cross, die for our sins and on the 3rd Day rose from the dead!

We too need to get up, look at our father in the eyes, and see His hand reaching towards us so that we can get up again! Like a Child, we will cry , feel shame, sad, but He wipes away our tears, and sits us on His lap , and kiss our cheeks and lets us know, He Loves us ! To Be a Child of God, to act like a Child of God, to die as a Child of God, that is what we need to do!

40 Days for LIFE!

2011-03-10T09:14:00.000-08:00

Hair Bows 4 Life has just created a Precious Life Hair bow in honor of 40 days for Life. Each bow has a precious feet heart medal on a red satin bow. 50% of each sale of Precious Life Hair Bow will go right back into saving those precious feet!

Around 1970, physician Dr. Russell Sacco became aware of the highly developed human characteristics of pre-born infants. His striking photo of the perfectly formed feet of a 10-week unborn child was published world-wide. In 1974, it inspired Mrs. Virginia Evers to create the “Precious Feet” lapel pin, identical in size and shape to an unborn baby’s feet at just 10 weeks after conception. They are used by literally millions of people world-wide to demonstrate the humanity of the unborn.

Check out what you can do for Life these 40 Days!

Be imitators of God

2011-03-09T13:42:00.000-08:00

It is, then, a time of penance, but, as we have seen, this is not something negative. Lent should be lived in the spirit of filiation, which Christ has communicated to us and which is alive in our soul. Our Lord calls us to come nearer to him, to be like him: "Be imitators of God, as his dearly beloved children," cooperating humbly but fervently in the divine purpose of mending what is broken, of saving what is lost, of bringing back order to what sinful man has put out of order, of leading to its goal what has gone astray, of re-establishing the divine balance of all creation. St. Josemaria Escriva

Here we are the great season of Lent. I really like reading what St. Josemaria Escriva talks about Lent not being negative but a way to be imitators of God, we are His beloved children.

I recall once a holy priest talk about his conversion and once he was in Rome making a confession with a Holy Holy priest and he said that man's greatest sin is not believing, not living, that we are true sons and daughter of God. But we are so His beloved children, where we can run to Him during our lent and show Him our buries so that He will make it all better. He will kiss it and clean it out and bandage it up with His own life!

What I am planning to do for lent? Huh. I write it as my own reminder really nothing else , as my way of showing face to it, accountability I guess.

* Limit my use of the Internet (I am not much of a T.V. person) with the help of my friend, timer.

* That heroic moment, that getting out of bed at the ring of the bell.

* Reading more. I enjoy to read. Daily reading of Bible, In Conversation with God, Lent series , How to Profit from your faults and Lukewarmness, the Devil in diguise .

* On Fridays, we'll do the Stations on the Cross and we bought the CD from Holy Heroes Station of the Cross (its in Spanish as well!!) , crown of thorns, alms-giving and the Road to Easter.

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, the all-holy one, who gives us life and all things. As we go about our lives, the press of our duties and activities often leads us to forget your presence and your love. We fall into sin and fail to live out the responsibilities that you have entrusted to those who were baptized into your Son.

In this holy season, help us to turn our minds and hearts back to you. Lead us into sincere repentance and renew our lives with your grace. Help us to remember that we are sinners, but even more, help us to remember your loving mercy.

As we live through this Ash Wednesday, may the crosses of ashes that mark our foreheads be a reminder to us and to those we meet that we belong to your Son. May our worship and prayer and penitence this day be sustained throughout these 40 days of Lent. Bring us refreshed and renewed to the celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter.

We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

Another one turns to the Mercy of God!

2011-03-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago , we learn about the death of an Abortionist who fought for the lives of the unborn after God work a miracle in his heart. Here we have another Abortionist turn Defender for the Unborn, Dr. John Bruchalsk who has one of the largest free-standing pro-life medical practices in the country Tepeyac Family Center . Its a place where one combines the best of modern medicine with the healing presence of Jesus Christ, Dr. Bruckalsk explains to LifeSiteNews.

Message of Our Lady

A young woman from Belgium who was there praying for the pro-life cause told him that she had a message for him about Our Lady and began telling him things about his life.

“It was life changing for me.” says Dr. Bruckalsk
His conversion experience shows that “no one is
beyond God’s mercy, no one, no one,” he said. “I was doing
the abortions because I believed it was the lesser of two evils, ... yet
I realized that people were just more broken after the procedure. There
might have been a brief respite from the stress and strain, but most
relationships broke up after the abortion.”

“The mercy of God was what truly penetrated my
heart.”
We need to pray hard and fast and suffer now for the tide is turning. Don't forget that 40 Days for Life is starting on March 9th!

My Girlfriend's Boyfriend Trailer 2010

2011-03-04T07:26:00.000-08:00

Well, when my husband travels, I tend to watch those cute girl movies that he might not really like from Netflexs , so I watch this one , My Girlfriend's Boyfriend , and what a surprise story. A very sweet and clean story. I will go on to tell you that is a pro-life story . I don't want to ruin the end for you but it sure got me. So enjoy!

Wordless Wednesdady: The highlight of my day!

2011-03-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

Its one of those days!

The Child. Your Child. God's Child!

2011-02-28T09:13:00.001-08:00

Next Monday, March 7, Watchman Cinema’s parental rights documentary T he Child: America’s Battle for the Next Generation will be aired on National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) network. The film will air at 8 p.m. Eastern and again four hours later at 12 a.m. Tuesday, March 8. NRB is channel 378 on DirecTV or channel 126 on Sky Angel.

Take the time to view or even just sign the petition. Its real and its out there!

May God protect our most beautiful given right, to bring a child into this world and raise them as true daughters and sons of God.

The Hand of God

2011-02-27T13:47:00.000-08:00

Many of you might of heard of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, the obstetrician and leading pro-abortion advocate who changed his views on abortion and later converted to Catholicism, died February 23 at the age of 84.

He wrote this unbelievable book called: The Hand of God: A Journey From Death to Life by the Abortion Doctor Who Changed His Mind."

Dr. Nathanson was the director of the Center for Reproductive and Sexual Health in New York City. In his two years in that position, he oversaw some 60,000 abortions. In addition, he performed some 5000 abortions with his own hands in private practice, and supervised residents in training who performed another 10,000 abortions and worst of all, he even aborted his own son.

In The Hand of God, Dr. Nathanson writes, "I have aborted the unborn children of my friends, colleagues, casual acquaintances, even teachers" (p.61). He also aborted his own child. He writes, "Yes, you may ask me...[W]hat did you feel? Did you not feel sad -- not only because you had extinguished the life of an unborn child, but, more, because you had destroyed your own child? I swear to you that I had no feelings aside from the sense of accomplishment, the pride of expertise. On inspecting the contents of the bag I felt only the satisfaction of knowing that I had done a thorough job. You pursue me: You ask if perhaps for a fleeting moment or so I experienced a flicker of regret, a microgram of remorse? No and no. And that, dear reader, is the mentality of the abortionist: another job well done, another demonstration of the moral neutrality of advanced technology in the hands of the amoral" (pp.60-61).

My friends, with God nothing and I am mean nothing is impossible. His man went from killing innocent babies to being a big pro-life advocate and to find the beauty of the Catholic Church. He described himself as a Jewish atheist, and he converted to Catholicism in 1996, with the aid of Opus Dei priest Father C. John McCloskey , read his book review. He was baptized that year by Cardinal John O’Connor in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York on the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life,
And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.
I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion,
Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death
by the Resurrection of Your Son.
I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.
Today I commit myself
Never to be silent,
Never to be passive,
Never to be forgetful of the unborn.
I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,
And never to stop defending life
Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,
And our nation once again becomes
A nation with liberty and justice
Not just for some, but for all,
Through Christ our Lord. Amen!

Time.

2011-02-24T15:58:00.000-08:00

Well, I am one of those working progress in all aspects of my life.. I guess those who are saints were working progress on Earth and we now see the end results. What did they do? How did they do it? Oh.. were did they get the energy to do it!

As I work on my mortification this week, wastefulness: TIME. (she's a dear friend and an enemy all at the same time, a love and hate relationship we have.)

A Few of time saving things:

Over at Family-Centered, they are having a Great SALE on their planners. (I have one to help me with prayer intentions, to feast days, to what are we doing today). They are so beautifully done and very useful.
A Little Way Chore Chart/Kid's Rule of Life:

I got this great idea over at Raising(&Teaching) Little Saints . What I did different (we are on week 4 now) is that I made it a kid's chore/schedule all in one place. I laminated it and we just check off with a maker: what is done or not done or done poorly and what is next or not next for them. I have to tell you its be easier and we have saved on Time in what is next for the kids to do or not do and where I should be. For my oldest, since she can read it has no pictures and for the younger two (not counting the 2year just yet) is all in clip art so that they can see and just do and save me from wasting time! :)

What mother doesn't have one of these time saving love making slow cooker:

So Have I wasted time yes, but I have to see that I have been first of all more aware of where my time is going and I learn to use some useful tools.

God Bless you !

Just a Vase

2011-02-22T14:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a little late post on a St. Valentine's or any other Saints or birthday vase craft. I made this for a very special friend those birthday was on the 15th.

Dollar tree Vase $1

Modpodge $3

red/pink tissue paper $1

a sponge paint brush .50

a image of St. Philomena. free

Pink/red flowers $9.50

A Vase for a dear Friend.. Priceless!

Black History: We need to Save them.

2011-02-20T20:35:00.000-08:00

For many its very hard to believe in something of this sort. They think its a right-wing racist movie once again, bring lies and hater towards those who "love " to help the poor. No, my friends, you are wrong. Since 1973, abortion has killed over 13 million, yes 13 million African American Babies, reports the U.S. Center for Disease control.

Maafa 21 is the result of almost three years of research and, since its release, the response has been nothing short of astonishing. One black pro-life leader described it as “lightening in a bottle” and said that for the first time since he’s been in the movement he has a tool that could bring the African-American community on board writes Mark Crutcher

Take time to view if you can, see if you get your local pro-life community to view it, get the word out. In this month of Black History, we need to save them so they will not be history! Remember all that we are all created in His Image!

Put on your walking/running shoes: its A Nun Run!

2011-02-17T13:01:00.000-08:00

God has given me more than I can ever give Thanks. I see once again if one opens up oneself to the Holy Spirit, beauties of the Church pour out.. One of these beauties is seeing other sisters in Christ wanting to do the same.. to Glorify God with Our Temple of the Holy Spirit with Our Sweet Mother! Its a community of sisterhoods for Christ with Mary! Two of these lovely ladies are Melody over at Mama's Little Ditty and Lena over at JOYfilled Family.

Lena has created a wonderful Team called Team ALL FOR!

I have NOT ARRIVED.
I am far from the finish line.
But I am on CHRIST'S TEAM.
His love ignites me.
...His power fuels me.
His mission compels me.
I AM COMMITTED to Christ
and to this race.
I will run STRONG and run LONG.
Who will join me?
Team ALL FOR!

Please join us in participating in the 2nd Annual NUN RUN 2011 - March 12, 2011.

The Nun Run will be held in Tempe, AZ but you do not have to live in AZ to participate. It will benefit the Our Lady of Solitude Monastery and the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration (Mother Angelica’s Order) in AZ.

Team ALL FOR! will be participating as a Shadow Team and will NOT be running in AZ. As a member of Team ALL FOR!, you will run wherever you are and participate as a Shadow Runner.

You can select to run a 10K Run, 5K Run/Walk, or 1 Mile Walk.
While you say the ROSARY!!

Stop over at Lena's Blog to get info for the Nun Run 2011!!

For all of you local mamas, email me so that we can set up a place for our walk/run!

Wordless Wednesday: my spring flowers!

2011-02-16T10:54:00.001-08:00

My Heroic Momment!

2011-02-15T16:08:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to share with you a post from my other blog " A Temple of the Holy Spirit" where I write about my own journey in bring my Temple back to God's plan of being Holy from fitness to the rosary, since Everything with Mary bring us to Our Lord Jesus Christ..

What is your mortification of the week? What will you give up for the greater glory of God?
I have been on this bumping road of a spiritual journey and I finally got off to ask for directions.
So God puts in my lap (really on the computer screen) a beautiful part of a great book called :
Counsels of Perfection for Christian Mothers Monsignor P. Lejeune. (Please click on link to view the book) I get to chapter VI; PROMPTNESS IN RISING .. and wow...

Father writes: Rise early! This slogan holds the secret of a complete and perfect life. By rising early the best hours of the day will be yours; hours when the mind is clear, hours well suited for meditation. If, on the contrary, you defer your rising, an irremediable disorganization will continue throughout the day from this first fault. The intellectual and moral life of a person who rises late, Pére Olivant was wont to say, is seized by an impotency like to that of the Romans at Capua. Hence the words of Holy Scripture: "My son, love not sleep, lest poverty overtake thee." Poverty? Yes, but not so much in the sense of material goods, as of the mind and heart.

He goes on to this beautiful point: To rise at an early hour will be irksome. However, this sacrifice will be a very sweet act of love to our Lord. Oh! how happy that day is in which our first actions are stamped with the sail of sacrifice. Be assured, my daughters, that such a day will be replete with good works. It will be a day in which the heart will overflow with peace.

I always remember a saying of St.Josemaria :

The heroic minute. It is the time fixed for getting up. Without hesitation: a supernatural reflection and... up! The heroic minute: here you have a mortification that strengthens your will and does no harm to your body.

St.Valentine's Love Fest...

2011-02-13T18:31:00.000-08:00

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13
We started a new tradition in our home today. St. Valentine's before hand was something, I guess we shared it among my husband and I besides the candy hearts and cards to the children. I wanted to do something to really show them what St. Valentine's is all about: Love and what better why to celebrate this Love than as a family. We have to fight back to bring these sweet days such as St. Valentine's , St. Patrick, St. Nicholas , Easter , and Christmas, back to their true meaning and its roots: Our Most Beautiful Church!

We started off by making heart sandwiches for Our Social gathering at church.

After Church, my husband took our oldest daughter to their first Daddy and Daughter Dance put together by our home school co-op. (Boy would I love to be a fly on the wall and see it all).
So while they were away dancing, we were at home getting ready for our Love Fest.
We set the table with our finest and a small token of our love for the children.

Dancing with their Daddy! We had Frank Baby to help us in the mood with his famous,
" My Funny Valentine" (the kids love Frank)

Someone got a hold of her "after" dinner treat before dinner.

The kids played with their new puzzles,

Friendship necklace making,

Magnetic dinosaurs while we share a drink or two!

Some more dancing....

I just love how my little guy loves to dance with his sisters!

He is going to be a good dancer after all of this practice.

Finally, we all sat down with our Sunday's Best for dinner.

Can't forget dessert: Strawberry pie with whipped cream

and

Some Heart chocolate to end the night!

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family. ~Thomas Jefferson

Dulcis domus
Sweet home

Sweet Mother of God.

2011-02-11T10:33:00.000-08:00

"Lovelier than I have ever seen" said St. Bernadette.

Happy Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Its a very special day in our home for its my sweet 3rd child's baptismal day four years ago. We celebrate our Children's baptismal days just as a birthday yet more special. For its the Day that my own child becomes a daughter or a son of God. (today my sweet child is sick with some type of stomach flu)

St John: "See how greatly the Father has loved us; that we should be counted as God's children, should be indeed his children."

God of mercy,
we celebrate the feast of Mary, the sinless mother of God.
May her prayers help us to rise above our human weakness.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

+Amen.

A Rosary Workout Give-away!!

2011-02-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

Greetings.. in Celebration of the finish of the 1st Level, the Angel Level of the Rosary Workout,

I will be giving away a copy of the Rosary Workout by Peggy Bowes.

You may choose either a e-book or hard copy.

What do you need to do ?

Head over to A Temple of the Holy Spirt Blog for more details!

Drawing will take place Sunday Night!

Perfection for Mamas

2011-02-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

I found this great book online (not the full book as of yet) but enough thoughts in just one page (there is more than one page)..

Counsels of Perfection for Christian Mothers by Monsignor P. Lejeune and translate by Francis A. Ryan.

I can't say much because its just full of aww and wonder and I am just few pages in. I feel the need to read and read and read again the same page. I also feel that he wrote this just for me and only me.

What is perfection? Here is what he wrote: "My daughters, I trust that the definition of perfection which I shall give, will sink deeply into your hearts. Perfection is accomplishing the will of God in a constant and generous fashion. That person, then is perfect who does at every instant what God wishes."

Yeah.. wow.. But before hand he also writes something that just took my breath away..

He writes: "When Saul's servants sought David in his house, Michol, laying a statue in his bed, and covering it with his clothes, made them believe it was David himself: thus many persons, by covering themselves with certain external actions make the world believe that they are truly devout, whereas they are in reality nothing but statues and phantoms of devotions."

He finishes the first chapter with a prayer that Mme. Elizabeth, sister of Louis XVI, said every morning and he charges us to repeat it everyday.

"My God, what will happen to me today, I do not know; but I do know that nothing will happen to me which Thou hast not foreseen and ordained for my greater good. I accept, then, Thy thrice holy will; I submit myself to it, and desire to delight in it despite all the revolts of my reason, and the repugnances of my nature."

Who is an example of a perfect woman?

Lost Valentine's

2011-01-31T11:01:00.000-08:00

"a great story of a Catholic family whose faith and trust in God's love triumphs over loss and adversity. It's a story that can connect to a general audience, regardless of faith background." Says The president of Paulist Productions, Fr. Eric Andrews, praised the film to CNA for having what he called "poignant moments" where "faith and trust in God's promises are put to the test and not found wanting."

"We learn of the Christ-like, self-sacrificial love of the lost Navy pilot. We witness Betty White character's fidelity to the sacrament of Marriage, through the way she shares her marital love with those around her: family, friends, and in a special way war veterans."
"The movie makes a strong case for those traditional values of service to God, country, and neighbor that are so needed in our world today," he added.

Thankful Thursday

2011-01-27T07:54:00.001-08:00

I am taken away of the beauty of Our Church. I wrote about the lost of my sweet statue of Our Lady of Charity just to let out my feelings of this sort of lost of mine. But what I lost and what I have gain is a true spirit of Our Church. Some of you have share with me your beautiful words , some of you have even given me money towards a new statue of My Mother.

I am so grateful.

On Tuesday, we came home from our co-op to find a beautiful gift in our mailbox. (which I am so glad that the mailman came late, for he had said if he finds anything in the mailbox not having to do with the mail, by law he has to take it to the post office). One of my dear friend gave me a beautiful Charm of Our Lady of Charity and token for Our Lady of Fatima. But what she wrote was very touching. She wrote

" Cecilia, Our Lady is safest , closet to Our Heart."

(hit a necklace charm)

How profound and true is that.

She is safest , closet to Our Heart.

Thank you dear friend, whom didn't say who you are. But I hope you are reading this and truly see how much that meant to me.

Don't we see the beautiful of Our Church. We are true brothers and sister of Christ. We are very bless to have Our Mother Church with us .

God Bless you and your family!

Happy Birthday

2011-01-24T10:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to the Love of my Life.

A very Happy Birthday
The best you can recall
From the person whose life you share
And loves you most of all.
The person who hopes you're happy
Every moment of your life
I've always been so proud and glad
To be your loving wife.

Happy Birthday
To the best Husband
in the world

Does Time Heal all things?

2011-01-21T08:14:00.001-08:00

Does time heal all things? I wonder.

It's a year today, that I felt the evil of this country's culture of Death, the effects of Abortion. How?

I was pregnant with my 6 child, I started to have complications. My mid-wife sends me to have an ultrasound. Miss. Ultrasound is as cold as the winter. Nothing but just another lady having a baby. As I did something wrong, as its my fault that I am there taking up her time. I couldn't go with my husband because it was a very last minute get there thing. As I lay there, I knew, I had lost my baby for I have been there before yet far er along. But I just couldn't get over this Miss Ultrasound, her whole attitude.. No words, no look of sorry , nothing... and when its all done..

She turns to me, she turns the tv towards me and says these heart piercing words..

"You see, there is nothing there anymore... Have a Nice day".. And she leaves me.

That is the culture of Death at hand.

They think that they are helping women. How can they if they can't even treat a women with any respect and some kindness. And yes, after an abortion, there is nothing there, that you can see but that women has something. Something in her heart that was just taken. Something so beautiful that the Angels are in awe.

That Something was someone. Someone who God had call to make a difference in this evil world.

God call my Marta for the sake of other babies, that our sufferings can go a long way for this world when We offer it up to God.

Time might not heal all things but God sure does.

Who else knows the real deal of suffering of a child than Our Blessed Mother.

In your hands my Lady, I give you my children.

Lord have Mercy on me and the whole world.

And she is 4 ..

2011-01-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

My sweet one here has been talking about turning 4 for about a year now... How fast they grow.

May God Bless her today and everyday of her life.

My Newest Journey

2011-01-17T12:43:00.000-08:00

Winter is at hand for sure. Its Cold and snow outside. Today cloudy and tonight chances of snow and rain. It can get your spirits down. As well, as I see that on Friday, Jan.21st is 1 year anniversary of the lost a sweet and gentle soul, my sweet Marta baby girl. I thought that by now, I would be carrying another sweet gift from God but at the moment its not so. And God has His reason for sure. I start to see that I have to take care of what God has given me now and Hope for the best in the future.

One thing for sure is this temple of God that God has given me. I need to nourish it back to glorify God.

"do you not know that your body is temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

And so I start on this new journey again, to glorify God in my body. This time , its different for the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention a great source to start this journey again. Have you heard of the Rosary Workout?

Penelope, a Walk for Life organizer best says it:

"it's a wonderful way to grow in your devotion to Our Lady and the Rosary while also caring for the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the body. It's a beautiful book that teaches beginners and those more advanced in prayer and exercise, how to combine both. It honors and promotes devotion to Our Lady."

As a part of my Rosary Journal, I thought of I would do it the way I enjoy most in a blog.

Its Called: A Temple of the Holy Spirit. Check out and let me know what you think or not .

My broken Lady!

2011-01-14T20:45:00.000-08:00

Tonight , while having our family own "Happy Hour", I experience a deep sadness. On our mantle, I had my precious statue of Our Lady of Charity, parton of Cuba where my family is from. A dear friend that used to live in the states , organized with other friends to buy me this beautiful statue of Our Lady of Charity from leaflet missal, for my birthday, 4 years ago. It was perfect because its very hard to find a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Charity.

As we were sitting there, enjoying each other company, Our Lady tipped over by a fallen decorative on the wall, She fell and was broken into unfix able pieces. Oh.. my heart hurt .. I know some might see it as "its just a statue" but to me, She brought me closeness to my family that is far away, She always seem to bring me home in moments that I missed home very much and She was a center of our own home on the mantle surrounded by the pictures of the children. Oh.. how I cried. Its a beauty in our Beautiful Church how God has given us beautiful images and statues of Our Beloved Mother and Our Lord, to feel that closeness, to feel that love, to see Her and know that She is there and She is my mother...

Wordless Wednesday (a Day late)

2011-01-13T20:54:00.001-08:00

Can you feel her pain! :)

10 Tips for pious New Year!

2010-12-31T10:47:00.000-08:00

10 Tips for better New Years Resolution by America Needs Fatima

1. Be honest. Know yourself. What is your strongest virtue? What is your worst vice? Therefore, tailor your resolution so it strengthens your good side and fights your bad one. A one-size fits all resolution is useless.

2. Be specific. Don't use generalities. They don't work. For example, if you need to be more humble, just saying "I am going to be more humble," is useless. You need to zero in on one situation where you need to practice humility and resolve to improve in that one situation.

3. Be simple. Don't make it complicated. Focus on something you can see and measure easily and that does not overwhelm you each time you try to obtain it. Otherwise, you will become distracted and your energy will be dispersed and misdirected.

4. Be reasonable. Don't try to do too much at once. You won't become a saint in one day. Remember: you have one MAJOR point upon which is hinged your entire fidelity to God and His Holy Laws. This is a called your primordial light. Find out and work on improving it. Everything else will improve if you improve on that one major point.

How to discover your primordial light

5. Be consistent. It's far better to do something small everyday to improve on that one key point in your soul than to make a big resolution that you cannot keep for more than a week or two. Slow and steady wins the race!

6. Be humble. Recognize that you cannot do any good action which has value in the supernatural order without God's grace and the intercessory help of the Blessed Mother. Beg God's grace through Our Lady's intercession constantly in all your thoughts, desires and actions

7. Be disinterested. Remember that God wants us to defend His rights and interests, and to share His thoughts and ways. And therefore, to focus on things, happening and events that are very close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary that are not necessarily linked to our own personal interests.

8. Write it down. It's important to write down your resolution so you can refer back to it often during the year. Also, by writing it down, you will be able to review it when the year is over, and to evaluate your progress since the time the resolution was made.

9. Public expressions of faith. Don't hide your faith. That's just what the devil wants. He knows when you express your faith publicly, others see you and are encouraged to follow your good example. Say grace openly and proudly before meals in a restaurant so people can see. You'll be surprised with the good reactions you will get.

10. Devotion to Our Lady. Have more devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Devotion to the Mother of God is a panacea. Saint Louis de Montfort said that devotion to Holy Mary is the easiest, safest, fastest, most secure, and surest path to Jesus and to our own salvation. If you can do nothing else, resolve to say the Rosary everyday. Saint Louis de Montfort wrote:

"If you say the Rosary faithfully until death, I do assure you that, in spite of the gravity of your sins 'you shall receive a never-fading crown of glory.' Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practice black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul, if-- and mark well what I say-- if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

2010-12-01T14:40:00.000-08:00

Once again, the heart is moved to know that soon, I will hold my Lord in my hand as a sweet child and love Him for He shall live for ever and ever....

Advent Season begins...

2010-11-29T14:03:00.000-08:00

"It is necessary to understand that the whole of our life must be an ‘advent,’ a vigilant awaiting of the final coming of Christ."

Pope John Paul II

Greetings to a Beautiful Advent Season!!

Its also the start of Cyber Week Sales...

Check out what Lacy has done over at Catholic Icing with lots of Great Catholic Deals!!

Hair Bows 4 Life:10% off the Whole Store and Free Shipping..

Sale Ends FRIDAY!

Vote to Kill or not to Kill

2010-11-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

This Minneapolis, Minnesota couple is making waves across the Internet with a web site they created allowing the public to vote on whether or not they should give birth or have an abortion.

This article just came out and it has made my day sick.. very sick to see that their are human beings who would do even such things as to have the public vote to kill or not to kill their BABY. Its bad enough that we have abortion and God knows it makes me sick daily to know its happen every second.

What have we come to in this society? I just can't take it any longer.. I just can't believe that our society will last any longer. I can not understand God's Mercy but His Mercy it is real and their but for how long?

Please take a moment and vote to save this sweet baby. They have to Dec. 9th until in their State its illegal to kill a baby.

To Vote

May God Have Mercy on Us and the Whole World...

Please pick up your rosary and Pray and Pray hard!

Mary..Did you Know?

2010-11-15T06:28:00.000-08:00

This lovely song is played during the Advent Season and its very beautiful. As you view this , just keep in mind that this season upon is more and far beyond anything else but that a child is born to SAVE us.

Random Act of Culture

2010-11-11T05:31:00.000-08:00

You have to check this " Random Act of Culture", it brought me to tears, I don't know, its my favorite off all time music and to see others enjoy it, it moves me. For He Should live for Ever! King of Kings..

All of Our Little Saints...

2010-11-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

We had our 4th All Saints Party..

It was little small this year but we had with us some Big Saints!

We pray the Litany of the Saints.

We had a few games, such as bobbing for Halos..(apples)

Some Trivia Saints Game

Once again.. May Our Little Saints in the Making feel the call to Sainthood on Earth as they strive to live out the true meaning of Christ on Earth..

May God Bless them

All Saints..

2010-11-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

"The glorious company of the apostles praise Thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise Thee.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise Thee.
All Thy saints and elect with one voice do acknowledge Thee,
O Blessed Trinity, one God!"
-- Feast of All Saints , Antiphon at Lauds. from the Te Deum

In honor of Our Saints, Each Friday in the month of November, Hair Bows 4 Life are giving away A Saint Bow with the Saint of your choice. So Email them at hairbows4life@gmail.com with your favorite Saint's feast day to enter to win.

Please alone 2-10 weeks for prize.

Here is a 20% off coupon for the month of ALL Saints.

Please email us if you have any problems with the code.

What Would You Do? - ABC News - Birth Control No Way!

2010-10-28T13:58:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this series before? I never had, came across one today and you have to see this one... So what would you do?

My Love...

2010-10-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

Come to Me

2010-10-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Feast Day of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary... She calls us to Come to Her, She has her arms wide open to hold us , to protect us, to love us and bless us. The Rosary is the most beautiful story told. Its so wonderful to have this very powerful tool, where we can live the life of Our Blessed Lord, from the Annunciation, to His birth, to His Holy Work , to His Death and to the Most Beautiful Crowning of Our Lady... How Blessed Are we to have this beautiful tool, and now more than ever, we need to Come to Her for our country, our world, our Church and Our Family...

May She Bless you today and everyday...

The Beauty of being a young nun.

2010-10-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

In Honor of my favorite Nun... Happy St. Therese Feast Day..

Do you hear your call ? In everyday little things!~

St. Therese's Quotes!

2010-09-30T06:08:00.000-07:00

"Let us see life as it really is...It is a moment between two eternities..."

St. Therese of Little Flower...

Christina from OR. is our winner and she is going to give the bow a little spanish girl in her Parish.

Here are some other great quotes....

"Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be - and becoming that person."

Time is but a shadow, a dream; already God sees us in glory and takes joy in our eternal beatitude. How this thought helps my soul! I understand then why He lets us suffer... - VIII Letter to Her Sister Celine

Yes, even if I have on my conscience every possible crime, I should lose none of my confidence; my heart breaking with sorrow, I should go and throw myself into the arms of my Savior. ~St Therese

"Our Lord needs from us neither great deeds nor profound thoughts. Neither intelligence nor talents. He chrishes simplicity. Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be - and becoming that person."

To Call God my Father and to Know myself His Child, that is Heaven to me ... St. Therese

Our Lord needs from us neither great deeds nor profound thoughts. Neither intelligence nor talents. He cherishes simplicity."

Little Flower --Give-away

2010-09-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

Hair Bows 4 Life is doing another Give-away...

A St. Teresa of Little Flower Pink/White Korker Bow...

Enter by email them at hairbows4life@gmail.com with your favorite St.Terese Quote.

The drawing will take place Monday night and the bow will be ship out Tuesday so that the winner will have it by Friday.. Oct. 1st St. Terese Feast Day..

Please Pray for the Departing Soul of Sara..

2010-09-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

My Husband's grandmother passed away today.. She was 92 years old. She was such a lovely lady always filled with so much life and love for her family. The last time I saw her was 3 years ago in Mexico. Thank God that my husband was able to leave at the last minute to Mexico and spend time with Her before she left earth. On the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrow, how more can one relate to it than a death of a loved one.. For Our Lady's Sorrow of losing her son is so great that we can all relate when we have lost a loved one.. But When we go back to and think that Our Lord rose from the Dead.. He lived again.. That gives us the comfort to see that Our Loved ones will rise again at the end of the World by the Mercy of God!

What is also sad is that my husband's mother celebrates her birthday today. How does one celebrate a birthday with the death of your own mother, with God's love and grace we can celebrate life... Life after Death...

Come to Me

2010-09-11T19:28:00.000-07:00

We had made this short video for Our Blessed Mother two years ago and in Honor of Her Birthday.. We like to share it again. May we always Come to Her so that We can Know and Love Our Lord... GOd bless...

A Gift for Mary, Pray the Rosary of Guadalupan Love...

2010-09-07T19:54:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the Bicentennial of Mexico’s National Independence, the Knights of Columbus are holding a worldwide Rosary of Guadalupan Love, which will be prayed on September 8, the birthday of Our Lady.

Blessed Mother's Birthday Give-away

2010-09-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Our Blessed Mother's Birthday

and

Feast of Our Lady of Chairty on Septmeber 8th,

Hair Bows 4 Life is giving away another Mary's Box as picture below.

Email them at hairbows4life@gmail.com with your favorite Mary's devotion

and They will entry you in the drawning and send you a coupon for 35% off .

Please Pray for Marc Berquist

2010-09-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

"Marc Berquist has been diagnosed with lymphoma. Although reports are still somewhat preliminary, his doctors are hopeful that he will be able to make a recovery. He is quite sick right now, however, and very much in need of our prayers.

Mr. Berquist is a founding member of the faculty of Thomas Aquinas College and one of the principal authors of A Proposal for the Fulfillment of Catholic Liberal Education, the College’s founding and governing document. He has been a tutor and governor of the College for over 40 years. He has on numerous occasions made great sacrifices to help promote the well-being of the community and to keep it committed to its mission of educating under the guidance of St. Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle. Please remember to pray for his health and well-being and for his family during this difficult time."

Laura Berquist is the founder of Mother Divine Grace

Oh.. Where Oh.. Where I have been

2010-09-01T20:18:00.001-07:00

Well.. I bet you haven't notice, but its been a while since my last post.. Lets say.. 2 months.. I have been trying not to be online as few as possible.. Has it worked? yes and no.. I am on fast enough to check emails , print out this or that and off I go.

But to tell you .. I kind of miss it so I am on the horse again.. For now.