It's Time!

As I write this post, there is only 19 hours left until I leave for Rome!  I'm very excited!  I wanted to let you know that I will be praying for ALL OF YOU in a special way this week!  Please pray for me too.  I hesitate to call it a vacation because honestly, it IS a pilgrimage.  The evil one has been working double-time to mess things up.....but he won't win!

PRAYER T0 IMPLORE FAVORS THROUGH

THE INTERCESSION OF BLESSED

JOHN PAUL II, POPE

O Blessed Trinity, we thank You for having

graced the Church with Blessed John Paul

II and for allowing the tenderness of Your

Fatherly care, the glory of the Cross of

Christ, and the splendor of the Spirit of love,

to shine through him. Trusting fully in

Your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession

of Mary, he has given us a living

image of Jesus the Good Shepherd, and has

shown us that holiness is the necessary

measure of ordinary Christian life and is

the way of achieving eternal communion

with You. Grant us, by his intercession, and

according to Your will, the graces we implore,

hoping that he will soon be numbered

among Your saints. Amen.

*With ecclesiastical approval

AGOSTINO CARD. VALLINI

Vicar General of His Holiness

for the Diocese of Rome*

For graces received, contact:

Postulazione della Causa di Canonizzazione

del Beato Giovanni Paolo II

Piazza S. Giovanni in Laterano, 6/a - 00184 Roma

Have Blessed Week!!

R.I.P.

My friend Adam passed away this morning.  He fought the good fight.  I am so sad.  Adam and I went to school together.  As a little girl at St. Jerome's Catholic School, I considered him an "icky boy".  Our dancing teacher, Mrs. Washburn, used to make us dance together.  She'd say.."Mr. Ryan, take Miss Corniola's hand".  Then we would waltz our way around the cafeteria with all the others.  He had sweaty hands! 

As adults, we saw each other every once in awhile.  We had mutual friends that occasionally brought us together for parties, graduations, drag races and other car related events.  His wife is an angel!  She is one of the sweetest, most giving people I've ever met.  She has loved and supported Adam since they first met.  They've had ups and downs, just like everybody....but they stuck it out.  They have a beautiful son, Austyn, who is 16 years old.

In November of 2010, Adam was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Brain Melanoma.  Apparently, there was a particular "spot" that his wife urged him to get checked out by the dermatologist....but he never did.  He blew it off like most a lot of men do when they are busy taking care of their family and not taking care of themselves.

If there is anything to be learned by this story, it is to use sunscreen....see a dermatologist periodically and make sure you check dark spots and moles to look for changes.  Melanoma is serious.  Melanoma is aggressive.  Melanoma is deadly.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him.  May he rest in peace.  Amen.

Wordless Wednesday....on Monday!

Photo Credit

Every now and then you run across a photo that is so.....well, let's just say...appropriately perfect, that it just must be shared!  This photo was taken on Easter Sunday evening.  While there is much more that could be said here.....I'll leave it alone considering that this is a Wordless Wednesday Monday!

However, I would love to have a Caption Contest....just for fun!  If you can think of a really good caption for this picture.....email me or leave a comment.  At some point, I'll post the responses (anonymously, of course)!

Is it wrong?

Is it wrong to give my children pink Peeps for breakfast this morning?  What about Sour Patch Jellybeans?  Lollipops?  Well, too bad!  I did it anyway!  I got so tired of saying "NO" to their every request for candy.  They keep asking for their chocolate bunnies, but I did manage to decline that request (Hey, I do have my limits)!

You'll notice my new countdown clock on the top of my sidebar!  I'm definitely in travel mode!  I'll be back later with a more thoughtful post!  I hope you all had a wonderfully blessed Easter!

Rome, here I come!

"Why do you search for the living......

amongst the dead?  Jesus is not here, HE IS RISEN!

Indeed!

The Birdcage

Click here.

Judas!

We just finished watching Franco Zeffirelli's 1977 film "Jesus of Nazareth".  We love this movie!  We usually watch the entire movie during Lent and then we watch snippets of it at other times of the year.  I'm not sure there is anybody that portrays Our Lord quite like Robert Powell. 

Each time I see this movie, I feel a certain connection to Judas.  I realize that he's the 'bad guy' in this situation...the guy that everybody loves to hate...the fall guy.  So what is it that makes me feel so sorry for him?  What is it that makes him so human, so typical, so pathetic?

Before I answer that, let me point out that I am NOT a theologian!  I am not a priest (as if you didn't know)!  I'm not a member of the clergy, religious or secular order of ANY kind.  I don't hold any degree (unless you count an AA) and I'm NOT an apologist.  I'm just a simple 46 year old, overweight wife and mother of 3 who wonders if there was room in heaven for Judas.

I know that there are people who will jump all over me for even the suggestion that Judas could be in heaven.  I get that...he betrayed Christ!  But so did Peter.  We know that Peter repented.  The movie depicts Judas as repentive (is that even a word?), although he fell into despair and ended his own life.  It has been suggested that Judas could have chosen to repent and therefore save himself from eternal damnation. 

In my heart of hearts, I feel fairly sure that Judas "understood" what he had done. I feel as though the unforgivable sin that Judas committed was not the betrayal of Jesus, but that he despaired so much that he felt he could not be forgiven....that even God Himself couldn't (or wouldn't) forgive him.  To me, it just seems highly unlikely that Judas was not sorry for what he had done.  It's hard to wrap my arms around the concept that his confession (as imperfect as it may have been) would not have been accepted.

I have had times in my life when I have felt unforgivable. I have had times when I know I have betrayed Jesus.  During those times, it's as though I've held the nail while it was thrusted into His hands.  Sometimes, I KNOW what I'm doing, thinking or saying is hammering those nails in....but I do it, think it or say it anyway.  How can God possibly love me more than He loved Judas?  How could Judas be destined from before time began to go to hell?

Here's a WILD question......Could the case be made that Judas assisted in our Salvation?  If Judas had not turned Jesus in....would He have been arrested?  Would He have been condemned to die?  How would God have brought about the Salvation of the world without Judas?

The bottom line for me is that NONE of us can know for certain where Judas will spend eternity.  We do not know what happened at the moment of death.  We do not know if he truly repented.  I just know that if there is room in heaven for me, there must be room for Judas.

Prayers for Intercession

O Holy Trinity, we thank you for having given to the Church, Pope John Paul II, and for having made him shine with your fatherly tenderness, the glory of the Cross of Christ and the splendor of the Spirit of love


He, trusting completely in your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession of Mary, has shown himself in the likeness of Jesus the Good Shepherd and has pointed out to us holiness as the path to reach eternal communion with You.

Grant us, through his intercession, according to your will, the grace that we implore (the complete healing of cancer for Pete R., Brenda B., Adam R., and Frank C.), in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.

Amen

photo credit

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Holy Father!  We love you!

Stopping In...

I thought I would stop by and say hello as it's been over a week since I've been here.  So, "hello"!

For the last several years, trying to get myself focused for Lent has really been a challenge.  I can tell you without a doubt that stepping back from the computer has been a big help!  However, I sure miss it!

Since I'm on my lunch break at work, I thought I might take a few minutes to quickly update you on some of the things going on around here.....

1.  My trip to Rome is in 15 days!  I'm excited yet a little apprehensive.  It's always hard to be away from my family for any reason, but to be so far away can make it harder since if something went wrong, I could not get home quickly.  In addition, I'm a nervous flyer and when I say nervous.....I mean NERVOUS!  Just ask my husband or anybody that has ever flown with me.

I'm all packed and ready to go although the special SIM card for my cell phone has not yet arrived (sigh)!  I need to make sure the laundry is caught up and the grocery shopping has been done so that Dan and the kids can move through the week with ease.  I also need to write down lesson plans so there are no arguments about school work!

2.  Nathan's bird laid an egg last night!  (Although, it is my understanding that eggs are now called "spheres" in certain parts of the world!  Sheesh!)  The darn bird has been shredding her newspaper bedding for over a month!  Nesting is a messy business!  Thankfully, she should get back to her normal routine now....until the next time!  The kids were so excited thinking that there would be a baby bird soon.  I had to break it to them that in order to have a baby bird you need a mommy bird and a daddy bird....and we only have a mommy bird.  Nathan and Amelia were satisfied with that answer....not Amelia!  She wanted to know WHY there needed to be a daddy bird too!  It was not a good day for thinking fast.....so I just said, "well, don't YOU have a mommy and a daddy?"   She stopped, cocked her head a minute and said..."yep" and ran off!  I dodged another one!

3.  Speaking of  Amelia, I caught her 'kissing the wall" the other night!  Horrified, I asked her what in the heck she was doing!  She informed me that she was practicing for when she falls into a deep sleep and Prince Charming kisses her to wake her up!  When I lifted myself off of the floor.....I swore off all future princess movies from Disney!

4.  Even though we are technically behind in our school work (week 22, if you were wondering) the kids are doing really well and we've finally made it into a good routine.  The sad part is that now I'm freaking out about whether or not they are going to be prepared to go back to school next year.  The school sent an email yesterday saying that Nathan and Amelia will have "assessment testing" during the week I am in Rome.  I know it's a little crazy for me to be so worried about it....but I admit to having a pride issue!

Maybe I could use a few more weeks of Lent!

May God richly bless all of you during these last two weeks of preparation!!

Used Curriculum

After deciding to homeschool our kids last year, I immediately joined a Yahoo Group called "cathswap".  This group is mainly for Catholic Homeschoolers who are looking to buy or to sell used curriculum and other homeschooling materials. 

This group has been invaluable to me!  I have purchased many hard to find and/or out of print items that I hadn't been able to find anywhere else.  I have also been able to sell many items that I had on hand that I ended up not using or not liking once I had reviewed it. 

Since our kids are going back to our parish school next year, I will have many items for sale in the next few months.  I will likely put them on the Yahoo Group but I thought I would give my blog readers first chance at purchasing the items.  Please feel free to forward this post to anyone you might know of that would be interested in purchasing gently used homeschooling curriculum. 

The prices that I list will include shipping charges (regular book rate).  If you're interested in an item and want more information, feel free to email me with your questions.  It will all be "first come, first serve".  Any items that don't sell will be kept in my inventory and will be on another Used Curriculum post sometime in the summer!

To start us off, here are several items that I am willing to part with now....

1.  Book of Saints: Part 2 by Father Lovasik, S.V.D. (Good condition although the cover has some writing on it).  Retail $1.50......I'm selling for $1.00.  Click link to see the Saints featured.

2.  Book of Saints:  Part 8 by Father Lovasik, S.V.D. (Good condition)  Retail $1.50.....I'm selling for $1.00.  Click link to see the Saints featured.

3.  Faith & Life Series:  Our Heavenly Father, Grade One Student Text (Good condition but this is the older edition, 1987)  Retail $9.95......I'm selling for $5.00.

4.  Faith  & Life Series:  Our Heavenly Father, Grade One Teacher Manual (Good condition but this is the older edition, 1987)  Retail $47.95 (for the revised edition).....I'm selling for $10.00.  ****Will sell the Student Text and Teacher Manual as a set for $12.95*****

5.  Faith & Life Series:  Jesus Our Guide, Grade Four Student Text  (Good condition but this is the older edition, 1987)  Retail $9.95....I'm selling for $5.00.

6.  Faith & Life Series:  Jesus Our Guide, Grade Four Teacher Manual  (Good condition but this is the older edition, 1987)  Retail $47.95 (for the revised edition).....I'm selling for $10.00. ****Will sell the Student Text and Teacher Manual as a set for $12.95****

7.  We Sing and Chant (Grade Four Curriculum) by Seton Press  (Good condition)  Retail $7.00.....I'm selling for $4.00.

8.  The Super Book of Phonics Poems by Linda B. Ross (Good condition....binding slightly damaged)  88 playful poems with easy lessons that teach consonants, vowels, blends, digraphs, and much more!  Retail $12.95.....I'm selling for $6.00.

9.  Pets in a Jar:  Collecting and Caring for Small Wild Animals by Seymour Simon (Good condition)  This is a simple "how-to" book for would be pet owners.  The illustrations are great! Retail $6.99....I'm selling for $4.00.

10.  Proper Manners and Health Habits: Grade 3 by Rod and Staff Publishers  (Good Condition)  This book is offered as part of Seton's third grade curriculum.  Retail $4.00....I'm selling for $3.00.

11.  Easy as 1,2,3:  A Catholic Overview of Science for the Primary Grades by Nancy Nicholson (Excellent Condition)  This book is part of the science curriculum for Catholic Heritage Curricula.  Retail $11.95.....I'm selling for $6.00.

12.  Learning Horizons:  The Science Series, What is in the Sky?  Grade Pk-1 (Good Condition) This book is no longer in print.   Learn about stars, planets, moons and includes science stories to read, puzzles and coloring pages.  Retail  $2.50....I'm selling for $2.00.

13.  The Earth and Me:  A Kid's Guide to Ecology  Grade Pre-K to 2 (Good Condition although binding is peeling off in one spot).  Retail $12.95.......I'm selling for $6.00.

14.  Visual Manna's Teaching Science Through Art:  A science supplement by Sharon Jeffus  (Great Condition)  Retail $13.94.....I'm selling for $8.00.

15.  Image of God Series:  Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life Grade Seven Teacher's Manual (Good Condition)  Retail $14.36.......I'm selling for $9.00.

16.  Please Don't Drink the Holy Water by Susie Lloyd (Good Condition)  Retail $14.95.....I'm selling for $6.00.

17.  The Handbook on Guadalupe by Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate (Good Condition)  Retail $12.95.....I'm selling for $5.00.

18.  Latin Grammar by Robert J. Henle, S.J. (Decent Condition....I found one page where there are some pen marks)  Retail  $9.50.....I'm selling for $4.00.

19.  First Year Latin by Robert J. Henle, S.J. (Decent Condition....cover is slightly bent and I see some pencil marks within the book)  Retail $16.95......I'm selling for $7.00.

20.  Silent Witness:  The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo's Death by Mark Fuhrman (Great Condition)  Retail $25.95......I'm selling for $5.00.

Ok....that's enough for now!  If you're interested in purchasing any of these items.....leave a comment and a way to contact you or email me and I'll get back to you!

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride!

This could prove to be a very interesting morning.  I have a dentist appointment at 9:30am....I think I'm going to call them and reschedule!  We're under a sever thunderstorm/tornado warning until 10:00am.  St. Michael the Archangel, pray for us!

Doing time.

I'm never going to get out of purgatory!  Can I shorten my time there by praying for myself......NOW?  Sigh.
It's LENT, for Pete's sake!  Why do I have to be so judgemental of people all the time? 

For the love of all that holy......WHY OH WHY do people come to Mass half naked?  Why do these young girls find it necessary to wear "cocktail" dresses to a Confirmation?  What part of sleeveless, strapless, boobs hanging out, bare backs and short skirts up to your crotch, says "appropriate attire for Mass" to these kids?  Tell me, I seriously want to know!

I don't get it!  Why weren't they STOPPED at the door and asked to cover themselves up....or better yet.....GO HOME AND CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES!  Who are their parents?  I have to believe that the parents aren't around because I can't believe that any parent would let their daughters out of the house looking like that.....especially going to CHURCH!!  I don't even think it's appropriate attire for the BEACH!

OK...I'm done now.....maybe I've only added a couple of years to my time.