31 Days of Gratitude (Day 1): Feast of St. Therese

By bobbi
October 1, 2014
10 Comments

It’s Day 1 in the 31 Day of Writing Challenge. St. Therese has been on my mind lately and since it is her feast day today, I thought this quote would be a good start to my 31 Days of Gratitude.

Growing up, many Catholics I knew had a great devotion to St. Therese. Me? Not so much. I had nothing against her, I just preferred the less popular saints who wouldn’t be so busy praying for everyone else. 😉 However, in the last couple years, I have read more about St. Therese and her “little way” and have grown to love it and her.

When I redesigned the blog two years ago, her motto is what motivated me. I suppose for a mom busy in the trenches of raising kids and maintaining a home, it can be a little daunting with all the menial tasks that must be performed throughout the day… over and over again. Intellectually, I know it is important work, but psychologically, it can weigh on a mom’s hear when she is up to her neck in dishes, diapers, dirty laundry, spilled milk and toys all over the place. It’s hardly glamorous. Yet, God has a deep love for the humble… for those who follow the “little way.”

It’s easy to say, “Do the little things with great love,” but, at least for me, it is much harder to actually do. More often than not I’m uttering a groan and an “Oh, come on!” at a little cross than kissing it and saying, “For love of you, my Lord.” Thankfully, God is patient and merciful. He knows that I am trying to surrender to Him and trying to live in a spirit of gratitude.

Instead of complaining about all the dishes and laundry, I should be thankful that we have warm clothes to wear and plenty of food on the table. Not everyone is so blessed. I ask for the grace to keep turning my eyes to God throughout the day. To accept whatever cross I have at that moment in time – whether it is scrubbing a toilet or bathing a stinky munchkin or working on a school fundraiser – this is where God calls me. This is where God teaches me sanctity. This is my opportunity to be a witness of love to my little ones, to my husband, to my neighbor and to those in my community. This is my mission field. I am grateful for the grace to understand that. Now I pray for the grace to live it.

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 or Instagram. (It’s set to private but I’ll approve you.) 😉

Flashback: St. Louis de Montfort, Pray for Us!

By bobbi
April 28, 2012
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To celebrate the 9th Birthday of the RoL Blog, I am posting flashback posts from the first year of blogging. This was originally posted in 2003 on this day April 28, the feast of St. Louis de Montfort

Today is the feast day of St. Louis de Montford. Whenever I hear his name I think of my old parish priest and spiritual director Fr. Louis Marx. I met Fr. Marx in my early 20’s after my conversion and he was immensely instrumental in my deepening faith and spirituality.
I vividly remember on one New Year’s Eve service, I took his advice and made a general confession of all my sins. (And there were plenty from when I was far from God.) I was so ashamed I could barely get the words out in the confessional but he was kind, understanding and gave me the hope I needed to live my life anew. His deep faith and incredible reverence during the Mass spoke volumes without saying a word. I recall his counsel when I considered a religious vocation and just as he thought, it was not my vocation. Later he gave private classes to Brian and me as we prepared for our marriage.
It has been a few years since I’ve talked to Fr. Marx, having moved after I was married, yet he is still close to my heart. I owe him so much. He has been a true spiritual father to me and I love him like a spiritual daughter. It make me wonder if he knows how much he’s touched my life. I think this afternoon I will write him and tell him just that.
Let’s all say a prayer of thanksgiving for the wonderful priests in our lives that have made our lives richer and faith more alive!

St. Joseph: Ready to Do God’s Will

By bobbi
March 19, 2012
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(Since today is the feast of St. Joseph I thought I would post a past article Brian wrote for RoL.)

St. Joseph: Ready to Do God’s Will
by Brian

The ideal saint for any husband and father is St. Joseph. Why? Because St. Joseph did what every husband and father is capable of doing – God’s Will.
Since God never placed a money tree in the back yard of the Holy Family’s home, St. Joseph had to provide for his family by earning his living as a carpenter. I’m sure he experienced good days and bad days and months when work was slow. Yet I can picture him, no matter what kind of day or month he had, as working hard and offering his labors to God.
St. Joseph not only provided for his family by keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table, but also by loving them, respecting them and being part of their everyday lives. Just as he was faithful to his temporal duties within the home, St. Joseph was also faithful to his spiritual duties. In Scripture we are told that he listened to and obeyed God. He followed the Law of Moses, this is evident when he and Mary took the infant Jesus to the temple to be circumcised. I am also quite certain that St. Joseph said his daily prayers, faithfully went to the Synagogue, and celebrated the Jewish feasts. He was a man who practiced and lived his faith.
Since becoming a husband and father my relationship with St. Joseph has grown. I not only find myself learning more about him, but also seeking his help and guidance. I have heard many say and write that the saints are worthy of imitation. I totally agree. However after reading the lives of many saints I have often felt discouraged because they lived such extraordinary lives and did so many amazing and holy things. Yet, when I turn to St. Joseph I see someone who humbly followed the law of Moses, faithfully fulfilled his temporal and spiritual duties, obeyed God and loved his family. In my opinion St. Joseph was ordinary, but the ordinariness that surrounded his life as head of the Holy Family is precisely what makes him so great and so holy.
I encourage all of you, especially husbands and fathers, to turn to St. Joseph and seek his intercession and help. He knows exactly what you are going through in providing for the temporal welfare of your families while at the same time being its spiritual head.
St. Joseph, protector of the Holy Family, pray for us!

A Blessed Lent 2012

By bobbi
February 22, 2012
2 Comments

Happy Ash Wednesday! Or as it is more commonly known out in public – Happy “hey, you’ve got some dirt on your forehead” day. 😉 Hopefully most of you decided long ago what you are going to give up or what you are going to do. If you are a procrastinator like myself, then you are still debating what you should do this lent.

If you need some inspiration, Danielle Bean has always had great ideas about what to do for Lent! Two years ago I did the 40 Bags in 40 Days as she suggested. This year she posted 40 Ways for 40 Days. The ideas are excellent covering the areas of prayer, fasting and alms giving. You could surely find something perfect for you. You could even print off her list and cut out each suggestion. Place in a jar and pick one out to work on that day or that week. It could make it a little fun, especially if the kids are involved in picking!

For our kids we are doing the Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure. We purchased the Lenten Adventure Activity Book Set for the kids.

For the younger boys who can’t do the older puzzle pages, we purchased the Life of Christ Complete Coloring Pack to help them learn the all the mysteries of the rosary.

You can also sign up for the free Lenten Adventure emails that sends you activities to do with your kids during Lent.
For me personally, during this Lent I want to work on my time management – lessen my time spend on frivolity (hello, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Downton Abbey websites…) and spend more time praying, reading Scripture/spiritual books and teaching my kids about the faith.

I don’t want to cut these “frivolous” things out completely because frankly, it’s a part of my life and I might as well learn how to moderate it. It reminds me of being on a diet. You can starve yourself and lost 10 pounds but eventually you are going to have to learn how to eat moderately and in a healthy manner. So that is my goal. Learn how to spend my time in a spiritually healthy manner. This can still seem a bit vague so each day during my morning prayer I make one or two mini-goals – a concrete act I can do to get me closer to the big picture.

How about you? What are you doing this Lent? Feel free to share and have a blessed Ash Wednesday!

A Valentine’s Treat for You

By bobbi
February 14, 2012
No Comments

Happy St. Valentine’s Day! Lots of love to all my family and friends (and anyone else who may be be hanging around the blog.) Thanks for listening to me and giving me a chance to step away from the business of life and have a little creative fun online. 🙂

Since it is Valentine’s I am giving you a treat. You can choose which of these Valentine’s you prefer. If none of them are of any interest to you then you probably clicked on this blog by mistake. My apologies. Google is to your left.
Have fun!

For Lovers of the Catholic Faith

I give to you a synopsis of St. Valentine’s life from UCatholic.com.

St. Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. (Continue reading at UCatholic.com…)

For Lovers of Downton Abbey

I give to you a Valentine Abbey. You can find more at Chad-thomas.com. So funny!

For Lovers of Their Vocation to Motherhood AND/OR Lovers of Laughing So Hard You Spit Out Your Drink

I give to you a post from my newest favorite Catholic Mom blogger Cari over at Clan Donaldson.

Tales from the Kid Ghetto
If you have children, you know what the kid ghetto is. You’ve been there. Whether you wanted to or no, you’ve been there.

The kid ghetto is where you’re seated at the restaurant when you show up with people requiring booster seats or high chairs.

The basement you find yourself in during family reunions, where your senile great uncle and four nameless adolescent cousins are the only other people hanging out? That’s the kid ghetto.

Trip to the mall? The kid ghetto there is that shockingly unsanitary play area you swear you’ll never go to, but one day you push your luck one store too many and that’s where you end up.

Even church has one. Oh yes, a place as welcoming and forgiving as the church has its own kid ghetto. It’s the last five or six rows- the pews aaaaaaalllllll the way at the back of the church, where you’re in the liturgical catch-22 of children who can’t see what’s going on and get restless, but aren’t yet behaved enough to be trusted closer to the altar.

You know you’re there when all the missals are missing covers and the smell of Desitin and apple juice hover perpetually in the air.

That’s where we were today for Mass. Normally, I avoid the kid ghetto, and try to sneak my way into the no-man’s land of the middle pews, but since we had to attend the 5:00 p.m. Mass, we knew we had five potential time bombs on our hands. Hunger, fatigue, and an hour of having to stay in the same 3 foot area are not a good mix if you’re a kid. (Continue reading at Clan Donaldson…)

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

Category Archives: saints & blesseds

31 Days of Gratitude (Day 1): Feast of St. Therese

Flashback: St. Louis de Montfort, Pray for Us!

St. Joseph: Ready to Do God’s Will

A Blessed Lent 2012

A Valentine’s Treat for You