New Links

Been 'playing' all day on updating my blog here with lots of great (imho) links. Spent time reading through some of the new ones I found (new to me) before adding them. Hope you find them useful. I'll add a little disclaimer here: I have not been able to extensively read through every site I have linked to. My intention is to link to sites that are consistent with Church teaching and faithful to the Magisterium. If you happen to notice anything inconsistent on one of the links, please leave a comment here so I can address the issue (remove the link, etc) as needed. Thanks so much!



God Bless you all!

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Last Tuesday I spent a wonderful time out at the convent as the sisters celebrated 107 yrs! I was able to attend a special installation mass for the incoming board and afterwards got to sit with 2 younger novices who will soon take their vows.

All in all it was a great experience and I enjoyed meeting so many people.

I'm still waiting to meet with some sisters from a different order. I'm waiting to hear from them. Hopefully I can visit with them soon.

While I feel very good about the direction I'm headed in, I haven't had any group stand out as being "the one". I will continue to pray and attempt patience!

Celebration!

I had another lovely visit with Sister D out at the convent nearby. She's such a wonderful person. I'm excited that she invited me to this coming Tuesdays anniversary celebration at the Motherhouse. 107 yrs I believe she said. Many sisters are coming from all over the country to join in the festivities and they are having a special Mass at 10:30am followed by a dinner (lunch).

I plan on taking that day off - or at least 1/2 the day. So I'm hoping to attend. I just have to make sure my boss knows. He is use to me working 6 days a week, although he doesn't 'require' me too. But now, that I've cut back to a regular work week, he's been having to adjust. LOL He is super good about it, just throws him a little when I say, "oh, I won't be in that day, it's my day off"....he's not use to hearing "it's my day off" from me. Poor guy! lol

I'm really looking forward to the day. I'm also looking forward to the Come & See they are having August 1-3. I have already scheduled myself off for that - just told my boss I will be at a retreat. I'm not ready to tell him yet that I'm looking into this change in my vocation. Not sure how he'll react.

For now I'm finding that this time of prayer & reflection and deepening of my understanding of Church teaching has been so vital to my daily life. I really can tell the days that I've been more neglectful of my prayers & reading. Especially when I can't make daily mass - that's the worse!

Father, thank you so much for putting me in touch with supportive people who love you and serve you and who are helping me love you more. Thank you for my work that you have provided for me in order to meet my needs. Thank you for guiding me to an active church family who loves you deeply and seeks you daily....thank you for access to daily mass, weekly Eucharistic adoration, confession, and resources to help me draw closer to you. Father you have blessed me in so many ways, and I pray that I will come to recognize all your blessings each & every moment of my life and that I will not take you or them for granted. I ask for your continued guidance while I walk this path, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our beloved Lord. Amen.

Good Friends

This morning I'm just grateful that the Lord has given me such wonderful friends, in particular my best friend, S.

I was really hurting from a migraine Tuesday night and tried to reach S to take me to the ER. However she was out with her kids & got home late.

So I laid in bed, after taking massive quantities of ibuprofen throughout the evening and just couldn't get rid of the migraine. I've had them for over 20 yrs - let me tell you, they don't get any 'easier' to handle.

Around 2 am I finally decided to call her again - by this time I was just sobbing from the pain. I tried her home number twice but kept getting the answering machine. After a few minutes I thought to call her cell number (she later told me that the kids misplaced the handset for the phone she keeps in her room, and she was already in bed when she thought she better at least get her cell phone "just in case"). Luckily she answered.

I could barely talk at this point - it was the worse migraine I've ever had - bless her that she came out to get me & drove me into the ER about 25 minutes away.

She kept praying for me in the car -- boy if you ever need prayer - She is the one to go to! Prayer Warrior! I know that's an evangelical term - but she's wonderful - and it really helped me calm down.

I had to wait for a bit at the ER - but not too long. Thank the Lord! After two injections (one for pain, one for nausea) they had me wait about 20 minutes then released me.

I'm so grateful for having a friend like that. I'm so thankful to the Lord for bringing us together. I've grown so close to the family over the 10 yrs I've known them - I even work for her husband now (for the past few years) and I'm like an aunt to the kids. Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow! For they truly are a blessing to me - and not just when it's an emergency - but at all times.

I pray that each & everyone of you will have a friend like these - who love you regardless of your faults, unconditionally, and are Jesus 'with skin on'! Sometimes we all need that!

God Bless!

Busy Busy Busy

Well...it's been awhile since I wrote. The past several days have been very busy but oh so much fun! :)

Friday: Went to visit a local convent & meet with the vocation director. It was great! Meet a few of the older sisters and chatted with one for a bit. She was a dear! I can't wait to go back and visit. The Voc. Dir. gave me some materials to start going through and said she'd help me. She also encouraged me to meet with other groups so I can see the differences between them. I'm so thankful that she took that time to help me out.

After my meeting with her (3 hrs total to tour & visit) I went over to my church to help set up the silent auction for the church picnic. Met some very nice ladies & had a good time.

Saturday: Helped out a bit at the church picnic some more - mostly at the pork dinner - that was fun! Met even more people. Everyone was so nice in welcoming me to the parish. Although they did tease me & said if I didn't do a good job serving they would tell Father K to hold up my 'application'. LOL

Sunday: Was running late for 10am Mass so I went to another parish for their 10:30am Mass. It was nice. I then went over & ate lunch at the picnic then volunteered for awhile at the concession stand. Then I took a break, ate a little bit, then went to the church for some quiet time. I was there a little over an hour when I realized that I missed the deadline for the silent auction. So I hurried over to help out there like I had promised. I left around 6:45pm. Went home to my dog, Sasha, and had a nice quiet evening. I really enjoyed the whole day.

As for today - it's almost time to get to start work! I need to do a write-up for that employee we are having difficulty with. Please pray for me, I'm not looking forward to this afternoon. Unfortunately I woke with a migraine and I don't feel well at all. So I hope most of my day can be a quiet one.

Peace Everyone! Have a lovely day!

Bats in the Belfry!

Ok -- there was a bat! I swear there was!

I came into church at about 8:15am to pray & I got dive-bombed by this 'swoopy' thing. At first I thought it was a bird, then I realized it was a bat.

I quickly departed...LOL

I tried calling the church office but kept getting a busy signal...after about 10 minutes I got through. In the mean time I kept a close eye on that bat. I was not happy when he roosted on the statue of our Blessed Mother...but if she's like St. Francis, then I'm sure she forgives it. Poor little (actually big!) thing must have been scared.

Anyway...in come the two seminarians to 'capture' the bat....but since one of them was carrying a baseball bat with him, I wasn't so sure they meant to do a 'live capture'.

Of course, this is the moment the bat decided to disappear. It must have known it's days where numbered! Personally I can't blame the poor thing.

Now I have to give a nod to one of the lads who actually genuflected at the altar before searching for the bat. I was too distracted to do that.

So in the last few days I've dealt with a stray bird and a bat...I wonder what's next? hmmmm...

St George & my dragon

Lord, as this day draws to a close, I wish to thank you for the many blessing you gave me, especially for the gift of time with you this morning. Thank you also for answered prayers. I ask for your continued help in strengthening me Lord, especially when I am brought before others who deny you or say untrue things about your church. Please guide me Holy Spirit, give me the words to say, and help me in my studies to draw ever closer to the Lord. Dearest Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins. I am so sorry for the pains I have caused you. Please help me to be ever conscious of all that I do and may it all be pleasing to your most Sacred Heart. All glory & honor & praise, Father, Son & Holy Spirit, for evermore! Amen

Dear St. George, help me to be a defender of the Faith as you were...please pray to me to the Lord, our God. Amen <><