15) & 7 Quick Takes: Birthdays, Books & Movie Reviews

By bobbi
June 8, 2015
10 Comments

I was supposed to post this Friday but I was too busy with school events! Oh, well. I’m linking up with Kelly for 7 Quick Takes and Jenny for Online Daybook Journal.

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Grateful…

That John-Paul is back in school after a week of being ill.
For sunshine after days and days of gray gloom.
That there are only three school days until summer vacation.
For unexpected acts of kindness.

Praying for..

Those who are being persecuted for their faith.
That I don’t take my faith (or God’s grace) for granted.
All the students who are graduating and for their future ventures.
Those who are ill, especially for those fighting cancer, and that Brian remains cancer-free.
All pregnant moms, those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies and for moms contemplating an abortion.
The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.
Some special intentions.

Pondering…

Last week I got an email from a sweet reader named Vanessa and it really brightened my day. I kept thinking about this one line she wrote.

“Thanks for giving other moms a peek into your life! Sometimes all we need is to know we’re not alone in this.”

I could not agree more!! What is that saying? “Motherhood is not for wimps!” (Or it could have been, “Pass me the chocolate. STAT!”) Either way, I am always encouraged when I hear/read about another mom share her triumphs and her trials. I am eager to rejoice with her or to give her a shoulder to cry on.

I remember awhile ago when a friend confided in me with some struggles she was having interiorly. I was a little shocked, not because of what she said, but because in my eyes she was Mrs. Happy Super Catholic Mom and I envied her more than once. Once I took her off the pedestal I saw her for who she really was – a mom that has done amazing work but who also struggles in different areas of her life. I’ve felt a lot closer to her since then. I also stopped imagining that other people have this “perfect” life.

All of us Catholic moms, no… Make that all of us Catholic women should have a sort of kindred spirit. We are all in this fight together and no matter where we are in our vocation or circumstances in life, we all need support, respect and encouragement to be the women of God that we’re meant to be.

So thanks for reaching out to me, Vanessa. It meant a lot.

My challenge to you who happens to be reading this, go reach out to someone who could use a kind word or a hug of encouragement. 🙂

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Around the House…

Yeah, you don’t even want to look around my house because I’ve been gone all week and am sooo behind. Yesterday Andrew had to wear pajamas when he got home from school because there were literally no more clean clothes to wear. Thankfully, this weekend I did a lot of catching up! My kids happen to still be in pajamas but it is strictly by choice, I swear! 😉

Family Chit Chat…

Thursday was Matthew’s last day at pre-school. We have been attending the same pre-school for the past decade. All four kids are alumni and today was our last official day there. Next year Matthew will attend the big kids school in the Pre-K (or Transitional Kindergarten) class. It will be our one year to have all four kids in the same school before Bella goes off to high school. High school! Gosh, that really freaks me out! We are entering a whole new era in our family and I’m not quite sure how I feel about that! 🙂

Today is a special day because it is my sweet Andrew’s birthday! Eight years ago, after years of secondary infertility and two miscarriages, God finally blessed us with the gift of Andrew’s life. He can be funny and crazy but he is more often my soulful child who likes to ponder and think about deep subjects. He reminds me so much of Brian and I pray he grows up to be a good and holy man like his father. I love you, sweetie boy!

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In the Kitchen…

I haven’t picked out my new recipe to try this week yet. Any suggestions? I’ve got a lot of chicken in the freezer. Actually, I also have a bag of red potatoes to use up. Hmm…a recipe is starting to formulate. I’ll keep you posted. 😉

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Watching…

(At the Movies) Over the past two weeks I saw two movies.

It has been awhile since I’ve been to a great period drama movie and Far From the Madding Crowd did not disappoint. Honestly, I loved it. I have never read the book (by Thomas Hardy) so I can’t tell you how it compares. The main character Bethsheba Everdene is an independent woman that comes into unexpected wealth. She sets out to prove that she can be a strong and successful mistress of her land despite the conventions of the time. Meanwhile, Everdene is courted by three suitors – a humble farmer, a rich land owner and a dashing soldier. In theory it may seem a little cliched but it works really well and you feel for not only Everdene but for each suitor, in some capacity. I didn’t know how the story was going to end and was holding my breath that there would be some tragic conclusion that would depress me but I was ever so pleased with the way the movie ended. This has definitely fallen into my “Buy the Blu-ray when it is released” category. (Parent note: Adult themes. Some sensuality. A scene of animals dying violently. It was sad but the woman sitting next to me completely freaked and was sobbing.)

The second movie I watched was Tomorrowland. I really, really wanted to like this movie but I came out thinking, meh. The story premise was interesting and the visual effects were stunning at times but in the plot there were too many moments when the movie just lagged and got boring. (Bella literally almost feel asleep on me at a few points.) The ending was getting heavy with it’s soapbox preaching, however, my favorite part of the movie was the last five minutes when they were searching for people who were creatively making a difference in the world. It was beautiful. It’s too bad there weren’t more moments like that. This has definitely fallen into my “Sat through it once but wouldn’t watch it again” category. (Parent note: The violence is stylized and but it could be unsettling for the youngest viewers.)

(On TV)

This week Brian and I started watching the Netflix series Daredevil. We’ve only seen two episodes so far but we both love it. It is dark and gritty but very well done and it has a touch of Catholicism. I’m interested to see how it develops.

Listening to …

This song is a couple of years old but it is still a favorite and the video is just cool. Plus, John-Paul’s’ Pre-K class lip synched the song today for their end of the year ceremony. Now the song is stuck in my head but thankfully the memory is sweet. 🙂

Reading…

I finally finished The Girl on A Train. I gave it three out of five stars. The story was slightly confusing since it was written from the viewpoint of three women and you had to keep track of each of their points of view and whether is was a flashback or real time but it wasn’t that big of a deal. However, the lives of the women are so depressing, it’s hard not to feel a little down after reading. One is an alcoholic struggling with a number of personal issue. One is sleeping around as she struggling with pain from her past. The third is a home wrecker who has no remorse. That being said, by the time the mystery started unfolding and clues were being gathered, I could not put the book down until I found out what happened. If you were a fan of Gone Girl, then you’d most likely enjoy this story too. (Parent notes: Not for Kids. Sex is mostly implied and not graphic. Some language.)

The next book on my list…

Dear Mr. Knightley: A Novel

~ 5 ~

Here are last couple of posts…

Pinterest Party & Link-up (vol 36): Slow Cooker Pulled Pork – The RoL Pinterest Party is back! The link-up is open for another week so join in with a new or old posts. 🙂

Dating Q&A: I May Have Faults but Can’t I Want a Guy to Like Me as I Am and Not Expect Me to Be Perfect?

Dating Mr. Wrong: Questions to Ask about Your Relationship

Also, a big thanks to all those who voted for my new logo. This design was the winner.

I just tweaked it a bit with a different font and added the tagline.

~ 6 ~

In the blogosphere…

A small sample of posts I’ve been reading and enjoying…

The Triumphant Return of Answer Me This – Catholic All Year.com (Yay!)

How to Keep the Spirit of the Visitation Alive by Heather guest posting at CatholicMom.com

Tricks to Help You Save Money and Stop Impulse Buying by VerilyMag.com

Sodality: How I came to be a “Church Lady” by Parenting with Peer Review

From Sales Manager to Laundry Lady by Little Silly Goose.com

Going Deeper {Fabulously Featured at Catholic Sistas by Real Catholic Mom.com

Caring for Oneself by Muffindome.com

Why I Always Tell My Age by Annery at Home

I was going to pick one of Erica’s posts from Saint Affairs but the girl is on fire and there are too may good posts to choose one. So just head on over and read you last few posts!

Pinned…

One Fun Thing A Day by Big White Farmhouse

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Here are some Instagrams I’ve taken these past two weeks.

1. #projectblessed – Plant. I am notorious for killing my plants with neglect. However, now that I’ve put Andrew in charge of watering, they’ve blossomed! No filter.

2. #projectblessed – On the ground. Go into ANY room in our house and you’ll find something similar on the ground. (I didn’t even have to pose it.)

3. #projectblessed – Waking up. Upon waking up I thank God for another day of life and pray for the grace to love Him through the happenings of the day. (Something that has yet to come easy.)

4.#projectblessed – Small. I set my alarm for 9:30am to remind me to pray for a friend at that time. A simple prayer seems so small but those prayers are like drops of water in the ocean. Alone is may not be much, but joined together with others, it goes farther than the eye can see.

5. #projectblessed – It’s time for #BISsisterhood Monday intros and #projectblessed – portrait. I’m Bobbi, wife to Brian, mama to a teen daughter and 3 Jedi aged 7, 5 & 4. I live along the coast of central Cali so I enjoy being outdoors. When I’m indoors I’m blogging at Revolution of Love.com, contributing to BIS, catching a movie or rationalizing why it’s okay for me to put off laundry until tomorrow. The question this week is what are my hopes. Short term: this summer I hope to get my house in order and get rid of the growing clutter. Long term: I hope to love God more deeply, love my husband more selflessly and love my kids more patiently.

6. #projectblessed – Reflection. The last few days have been drizzly but I love raindrops of leaves and the reflections they hold.

7. I feel like I’ve been slacking in the kitchen lately so today I’m making up for lost time. I’ve got pulled pork in the slow cooker, homemade BBQ sauce on the stove and banana bread in the oven. Next up is coconut granola.

8. #projectblessed – What I’m reading & On my table. On my nightstand table is my ridiculous stack of books I was supposed to read by the end of the year but I have a hard time just sticking with one! I’ve been forcing myself to finish one before moving on. Right now it’s “Dear Mr. Knightly.”

9. #projectblessed – Waking up & Listen. I woke up to the sound of birds tweeting. I think they were excited to see a bit of blue sky after days and days of gloom!

So that’s what I’ve been up to lately! What about you? What’s currently happening in your life? Do share.

Have a great weekend!

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads Letterboxd, Spotify or Instagram. 😉

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.

Pinterest Party & Link-up (vol 36): Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

By bobbi
June 3, 2015
16 Comments

(Note: This was supposed to be posted yesterday but I literally feel asleep on the couch as I was attempting to get it done. LOL.)

Can you believe it is June already? This past week has been busy, plus JP got impetigo so it has been super fun trying to keep him quarantined so he wouldn’t pass it on to anyone else. Thankfully he is back in school and all seems well. With school winding down, I am hoping to spend a little more time on the blog.

As such, I decided to return to my monthly RoL Pinterest Party!

Join me every first Tuesday of the month as we link up and pin it, create it, and inspire others to do the same. Recipes and crafty ideas are encouraged but think outside the box too. Think organizing ideas, birthday themes, a cute outfit, a new hairstyle, marriage tips, Catholic inspiration, traveling destinations, a great quote – anything you’d post to Pinterest.

Show us how you didn’t just pin it but brought it to life!

Not on Pinterest? No problem. Link-up your own creation to inspire us so we can pin in to our own boards. Don’t have a post ready? The link-up will be open for a month so there’s still time. Plus, feel free to link up a new post or an older post that hasn’t had much traffic lately. 🙂 (If you want to grab the button, scroll to the bottom.)

* * * * *

This past week I felt like I have been completely slacking in the kitchen. To make up for it, on Sunday I pulled out one of my favorite cookbooks to try out two new recipes.

100 Days of Real Food: How We Did It, What We Learned, and 100 Easy, Wholesome Recipes Your Family Will Love

I started following Lisa’s blog 100 Days of Real Food two years ago when Brian was first diagnosed with cancer. It was a struggle to move from fast food and overly processed food to more natural cooking. Luckily, Lisa made the transition much easier with her easy and tasty recipes.

I was excited when her new cookbook came out last year. I know some of the recipes are online but there is something fun about holding a physical book and sitting down and turning real pages so I ordered a copy.

Photo Source: 100 Days of Real Food

I have been working through the recipes and I have been wanting to make Lisa’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pork and Homemade BBQ sauce. I didn’t change up the recipe at all but added my photos of how it turned out. You can find the original recipe on Lisa’s blog here.

I gathered the ingredients, which were all basic staples (except for the pork roast.)

First I mixed together the seasonings.

Next I added the wet ingredients to the bowl and made a paste. It was poured on top of the roast, which was placed on top of a halved onion.

The dish smelled sooo good as it was cooking. I didn’t want the meat falling into the fatty juice so I moved it over to a plate. I shred the meat up with a fork and cut out all the fat. Next I made a batch of Lisa’s super easy BBQ sauce and poured it all over the meat. (Since the BBQ recipe was not posted online by Lisa, I won’t post it here. You can google another homemade BBQ recipe or buy the cookbook. 😉 ) Was the BBQ sauce good? Well, next time I need to double the batch because the fam licked the bowl clean!

Here is the final product. I had some “days old” whole wheat hamburger buns to finish up so I buttered them and sprinkled them with garlic salt and cooked them in the toaster oven until they were lightly toasted. It was a huge hit. I sent a sandwich over to my MIL so she wouldn’t have to cook that night and even she thought it was great. (When you pass the mother-in-law test, you know it’s good!) 😉

So, that was the pin I brought to life this week. What have you been creating? Blog about it and link up. Or share about it in the com box.

Want to follow me on Pinterest? You can find me here – https://www.pinterest.com/bobbi_rol/

* * * * *

Now it’s your turn.

1. Choose your creation, share about it and snap a photo if you can.

2. In your post, link back the original blogger/idea, rather than your Pinterest pin. That way credit goes to the proper person. 🙂 (But feel free to add your Pinterest profile link so we can follow you!)

3. Add a link back here so others can play along.

4. If you want to use it, here is the html code for the logo:

5. Link up below. Make sure you’re sending us to your actual post, and not to your general blog address.

The link up will be active for a month. Have fun!

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd, Spotify or Instagram. 😉

PPS – This post contains affiliate links.

An InLinkz Link-up

Dating Q&A: I May Have Faults but Can’t I Want a Guy to Like Me as I Am and Not Expect Me to Be Perfect?

By bobbi
May 28, 2015
No Comments

NOTE: I have shut down our old RoL website. I am moving the most popular posts over to the blog so they will still be available online. This week I will be moving the posts about Dating.

(Many times we receive emails asking similar questions. We have turned some of these questions into posts so others can benefit from them. Brian and I aren’t experts and we simply share our experiences with you.)

Question:

Dear Bobbi, I wanted to ask your advice. I love God but am not “super religious.” I like to go out and have fun. I have a sense of humor but my jokes may be considered crude, but that’s just how I am. I want to find a decent Catholic guy but I also want him to like me for who I am not expect me to be “perfect.” Any advice? Thanks, Jane Smith

Answer:

Hi Jane,

Since none of us are perfect, I should hope a guy does not expect you to be! I guess my answer partly depends on what you call “fun.” It could be going out and having a margarita and some laughs with your girls or going out and getting so plastered that your friends have to carry you back home. As such, I’ll answer in a general way. 😉

When I was dating, my mom used to always tell me, “You won’t get a holy guy if you are not trying to be holy yourself.” Even when I was younger and not living my faith, I came to realize that I attracted guys that reflected my own weaknesses. When I was cussing and talking crudely I was with the same type of guy. When I was partying or not being very “moral” I was with the same type of guy. If I did not respect myself…etc, etc.

In the same way, a person that is trying to follow God is going to be attracted to others who are also working to follow God.

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In the same way, a person that is trying to follow God is going to be attracted to others who are also working to follow God. You can be different in personality but if you have a common core, so to speak, it can work.

Take Brian and myself, for example. Brian and I are very different. Brian is naturally prayerful and contemplative, while I am have to force myself to sit still and listen to God. He is methodical and I am more spontaneous. He doesn’t cuss but I am often biting my tongue to stop a four letter word from coming out of my mouth. We are both very different and far from perfect but in the things that matter – our love for God, our love for each other, a desire to raise a holy family – we are on the same page and working together as a team.

In general, whether you are single or married you want to take a good look at yourself and evaluate yourself honestly. We all have our own personalities and tendencies. Many time there are things about us that we think are a part of us. We won’t change these things for anyone because that is just who we are and we want to be true to ourselves. I know I have said this myself. And for some things, it was true. I am who I am. However, sometimes the trait I was defending was not actually a part of who I was meant to be in God’s sight. It was closer to lack of virtue or a result of sin.

None of us are perfect and God certainly loves us as we are but he also loves us enough to want the best for us.

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None of us are perfect and God certainly loves us as we are but He also loves us enough to want the best for us. You and I are both daughters of a King. Our lives (and conduct) should be a reflection of God’s love. However, God does not expect us the change who we are. We are unique with our own traits. Rather, He wants to refine who we are so we can better exemplify the person of Christ.

So guy or no guy, no matter how “holy” we are, there are always ways in which we can improve ourselves and come closer to God. So in that sense, we all are on the road of conversion and change. You don’t want to change the essence of YOU and what makes you unique, you just need to be open to God smoothing out the rough parts. 😉

Take it to prayer. Find yourself a good examination of conscience. Review over it and see if there are some areas of your life that need working on – not just so you can “get a guy” but so you can get closer to Christ, who should always be the most important Man in your life, whether married or single.

Start with the biggies. Are you living in a state of grace? Are you in serious sin? I highly recommend confession! Then work your way down. Choose just one or two things to work on first. We all have enough points to work on to last us until a ripe old age!

Then as you work on these things in yourself, you’ll also be aware of the traits that you are looking for in a future spouse. As you are working to become more like the person you are meant to be, you will see God do amazing things in your life. You may be surprised to find the guy who is not “perfect” but perfect for you. And you, in turn, will be perfect for him.

I’ll be praying for you!

Love in Christ,

Dating Mr. Wrong: Questions to Ask about Your Relationship

By bobbi
May 26, 2015
No Comments

NOTE: I have shut down our old RoL website that we started in 2002. I am moving the most popular posts over to the blog so they will still be available online. This week I will be moving the posts about Dating.

During my dating years when I was in my 20’s, I went through a number of “phases.” At first I was not practicing my faith and dating any guy that I found interesting. This lead to a number of dysfunctional relationships, with a few being more damaging to my soul than others.

After my conversion and returning to God, I moved up in my standards and only considered guys who were practicing Christians. (I didn’t know any really practicing Catholics at the time.) This led to my meeting some nice guys, but when it came down to getting more serious our differing faiths always stopped us from continuing the relationship.

In my mid 20’s, I considered a religious vocation and struggled with the idea of never marrying. However, it was at this point that I learned the true meaning of a vocation (whether married to Christ or a man) and my relationship with Jesus grew and deepened. After some time I was eager to love Our Lord in whatever my chosen vocation.

Needless to say, religious life was not the route God chose for me so I was back to praying for a holy spouse, except that this time I was a faithful Catholic only interested in dating another faithful Catholic. Frankly, this greatly narrowed the amount of datable prospects. Where was I to find a guy who was a faithful Catholic, believed and lived all the teachings of the Catholic faith, was someone that I was interested in and, to top it off, was interested in me? Let’s just say, there were times when I was more than just a little frustrated.

I had to ask myself if I was truly in love with John Smith or was I in love with Love?

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In Love with Love

I distinctly recall times when I started to become a little lax in how I judged a man. As a result I had to ask myself if I was truly in love with John Smith or was I in love with Love? I wanted to be married and to raise a family so acutely, that as time went by I became more willing to look the other way when I saw “red flags” in the relationship or when my gut told me that things were not right.

Sometimes I was too wrapped up to see it myself. Sometimes it was a family member or a friend that was concerned about my choices, but I didn’t want to listen to them. I told them that I knew John Smith better than they did. I told them that I had prayed about it and saw countless “signs” telling me that he was Mr. Right. Looking back now, what were my signs? Were they circumstances that I twisted around to appear in my favor? Or were God’s “signs” actually the voices of my loved ones cautioning me? God was answering my fervent prayers all right, but the answer was “No” and I didn’t want to hear it.

Thankfully, I never did marry one of those John Smiths, but what if I had? I am sure God would not have abandoned me. I am sure He would have helped me to make the best of my marriage and grow in my love for my spouse. But it would not have been God’s first choice for me. My road in life would have been more difficult, leaving me feeling restless and discontent. It would not have given me the same peace that comes from doing God’s will first and foremost.

If you believe God loves you as His own child, then you should know He only wants the best for you.

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When In Doubt, Check It Out

So why bring all this up? Because too often I have seen friends in the same situation that I was in – where everyone saw the red flags but the person involved. Perhaps you are in a relationship and your loved ones are telling you that there is a problem. Or perhaps you have inner doubts, but are scared of what the consequences may be if you listen to them. That doesn’t mean you should dump your significant other right away, but you should definitely take all the time you need to work through these things. Marriage is far too important and too sacred not to. Besides, if you truly love your boy friend/fiance then you should want the best for them. If you believe that God truly loves you as His own child, then you should know He only wants the best for you. Now is the time to be certain that you are both following the path God has chosen for you.

Topics to Discuss

If you are not sure what kind of things you should be considering, allow me to end this article with a sampling of questions that you and your boy friend/fiance should both consider and discuss.

Am I in a state of grace? Am I working to grow closer to Christ by taking time to pray each day and going to Mass and Confession regularly? Am I working to be a woman of God now or am I waiting until I am married to be holier? Is my fiance?
Is this relationship bringing me closer to God? Have I been more lax in my faith because it makes him uncomfortable? Is God the center of our lives and all the decisions we make?
Do we both believe that marriage is our path to heaven? Have we been preparing practically and spiritually for marriage? Do we believe and follow all the teachings of the church? Are we sleeping together? If not, do we plan to use contraception once we are married?
Am I playing the role of the “savior” in our relationship? Are there serious problems or emotional issues that I am trying to save him from? Do I think that after marriage everything will change for the better?
Do I realize that love is not just an emotion or feeling but a choice? Do I realize that love is self-sacrifice and dying to self for the sake of another? Does my fiance feel this way? Have we discussed it?
Have I studied the meaning of the bible passage, “Wives be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church…” (Eph. 5:21-33) Is my boy friend/ fiance the kind of man that I want to be the head of the household? Do I respect and trust him to listen to my opinions and make the sacrifices needed to be a godly husband and father? Does he see religion as more “my job”? Have I discussed this with him?
How does my boy friend/ fiance get along with his family? How do I? Did he have a troubled childhood? Did I? Have we discussed these things and how it will affect our own roles as future spouses and parents?
How do we communicate with each other? Do we spend a lot of time talking with each other, including serious things? (our ideas about kids, finances, life style, etc) Do we know each other as best friends or are there certain things I am not comfortable discussing? Does each discussion get cut short by physical contact?
Are there behavior patterns in my boy friend/ fiance that should trouble me, such as: always criticizing, constantly jealous, too “clingy”, flirtatious with the opposite sex, has a bad temper, a foul mouth, reads/watches inappropriate material, drinks too much, is physically or verbally abuse, etc.?
Are either of us in debt? Are we able to afford to get married now? Will one of us be able to quit our job once a baby arrives? Do we both agree on what is a “want” and what is a “necessity”?
Are my loved ones and/or friends seeing problems in the relationship that I am just not seeing? Why are we disagreeing about this? Have I honestly dealt with these things with a holy confessor/spiritual director?

Be Not Afraid

If after reviewing these, you are troubled by some of your answers don’t be afraid to face and deal with them. Pour your heart out to God. Turn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Seek the guidance of a holy priest, spiritual director, or mentor who is a strong, practicing Catholic to help you see the matter more clearly. It’s a tough business but don’t forget that you want more than just a happy wedding day, you want a lifetime of love that will bring many years of happiness as you, your spouse, and your children work together to build the Kingdom and bring glory to God.

Online Daybook & 7 Quick Takes (5/22/15): Smog Checks, New Logos & Prompts from the Holy Spirit

By bobbi
May 22, 2015
16 Comments

I’m linking up with Kelly for Friday’s Quick Takes.

~ 1 ~

Grateful for…

A car that runs well, even though I am currently at the service center getting a mandatory smog check.
My sweet Matty, even though he is at the age when he constantly asks one question after another without taking a breath.
The sun that is breaking through these gloomy clouds.
Family and friends that fill our lives with love.

Praying for..

Those who feel alone and unloved.
Those who are suffering abuse and for the conversion of their abusers.
Those who are ill, especially for those fighting cancer, and that Brian remains cancer-free.
All pregnant moms, those trying to get pregnant, those who have lost their babies and for moms contemplating an abortion.
The souls in purgatory, especially family, friend and those most forgotten.
Some special intentions.

Pondering…

The prompting of the Holy Spirit. I remember many years ago listening to a priest give a talk about the Holy Spirit. He said that the HS will often prompt us to do something, usually to help another person. Maybe something will pop into your head, such as – I should give so-and-so a call or I should offer that lady in the grocery story some help or I should tell that struggling young mom at school that despite what she may feel, she is doing an awesome job. The priest said that often these kind of things comes from the Holy Spirit. It really made me think about how we are Jesus’ hands and feet. We are the ones who are called to share his love with others.

There are many times when I get these kind of ideas in my head. My first reaction is, “Yes! That would really be a kind ting to do.” My second reaction is to think, “Yeah, but I’m kinda busy or that person is going to think I’m crazy if I go up and talk to them.” I either procrastinate so long that the opportunity is gone or I just plain chicken out. Lately, I’ve been trying to listen to this little prompts in my head. I do a quick “test” of the action. Will it cause me harm? That eliminates prompts like, “Maybe I should pick up that scary looking hitchhiker on the side of the road.” Um, no. Is it safe and doesn’t take me away from my immediate duties? For example, I think I should bring over soup to a sick friend but I have to pick up my kids from school. Instead I make plans to bring the soup after I pick them up. Other spur of the moments ideas can be done right away – like offering a word of encouragement to someone. The only thing I may harm is my pride if I am rebuffed.

For example, on Mother’s Day we were at Mass and we had the usual mothers’ blessing. All the moms were asked to stand up and after the priest blessed us the ushers went around and handed us little angel pins as a gift. I noticed that there was one older mom/grandma standing on the opposite side of the aisle from me that was mistakenly overlooked. I felt bad for her and thought that I should go over there and give her my pin. My mind answered, “Wait, what? I can’t just walk over to a stranger. She’s not going to care about some pin. That’s silly.” But the thought would not go away so as soon as the priest walked passed me during the procession, I went over to her and told her that I noticed she didn’t get a pin and I didn’t want her to think she was forgotten so please take mine. She said she didn’t want to take mine but I told her not to worry because there are more in the back of church and I’ll get another. She looked at me and smiled and then gave me a big hug and said thank you. (I’m getting teary eyed just recalling that look on her face.) It was the simplest of gestures but for that woman, it was what she needed to hear just then. So the next time you get a little prompt from the Holy Spirit, take it to heart. God may need you to be his hands and feet at that moment.

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Around the House…

I am in the process of working on my June goals and one of them is to tackle the numerous areas of the house that need serious purging and cleaning. I’ll share that with you on another posts. 😉

Family Chit Chat…

As I mentioned I am the gas station getting my car smogged. Luckily, the gas station has a table, umbrella and surrounding flowers so customers have a nice spot to wait. I am getting some writing done while Matthew watches Spiderman videos. 🙂

We are nearing all the end of the school year activities. Next week is spirit week at school followed by the annual mini-Olympics. Plus Bella is in the school musical of Annie, Jr so she has been having long practices after school and on the weekends. It is fun but very busy and I am really looking forward to the slower days of summer when I am not constantly shuttling around kids from one activity to another. Plus we have our Tahoe trip coming up next month and I am sooooo excited for that! Woohoo!

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In the Kitchen…

It is Memorial Day weekend so I will definitely need to make something BBQ. And since I am I trying to make one new recipe a week, I thought I’d try this Healthy 7 Layer Dip. Sounds tasty!

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Watching…

(At the Movies) No new movies this week but I’ll be back in the theater next week. I’ve got a list of ones I want to watch in the coming weeks including The Avengers: Age of Ultron (I’m waiting for a date night with Brian to see that one), Tomorrowland (I’ll be taking Bella and her best friend), Far from the Maddening Crowd (I’ll probably go see that solo next week). If time allows I may see Woman in God before it leaves theaters. I was going to skip Mad Max but Jennifer Willits was talking about how much she enjoyed it on her podcast so maybe I’ll add it to the list. For those who are wondering how I can go to the movies so often, that is one of the perks of your kids being a little older. They go to bed and (usually) stay asleep and you can slip out for two hours without it becoming a monumental endeavor. That and I have a rockin hubby who lets me have the night off. (Plus I have a number of theater gift cards I am using up.) 😉

What movies are you looking forward to this summer?

(On TV)

Awhile back I wrote about the Hallmark series When Call the Heart. I said:

We’ve been watching a lot of action/superhero movies so tonight we will catch up on the new Hallmark series When Calls the Heart. It is based on the book(s) When Calls the Heart (Canadian West Book #1) by Janet Oke. The show has a “Little House on the Prairie” feel, perhaps because it is directed by Michael Landon, Jr. Plus, I am a sucker for a romance story and I’m rooting for Elizabeth and Jack.

Season two has started and the love triangle has shifted, now giving Jack some competition for Elizabeth’s affections. If you haven’t been watching, Season 1 is now available on Netflix.

Listening to …

I won’t be able to download the new Monsters and Men album Beneath the Skin until June 9th but in the meantime I can enjoy their single Empire. 🙂

Reading…

Same as last week.

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I am working on updating my blog logo. I narrowed it down to four choice. Please do me a favor and tell me which one you like the best! Thank you!! 🙂