Stations of the Cross and Kids

As much as I love the devotion of the Stations of The Cross, it can be hard to get away to do them by myself. Not to mention the fact that kids like doing the stations. It can be hard, though to take a 4 year old and a 7 year old that cannot stop talking to pray the stations. They both feel the need to talk about what they think happened. This is not bad, but disruptive to the elderly lady who is there by herself. A few years back I came up with a solution. Pray them at home.

Of course this seems obvious, it is. We however, have added a few little things to keep the the ADD at bay. First of all, we make the preparation last a few days. One day we color the pictures that I have copied from  Lent and Easter in the Domestic Church. The next day, we walk around the house and decide out path for the stations. We then tape up the pictures, and hope hyper 4 year old does not rip them down. The last day of the project, we pray the stations, walking from room to room and through the halls that have the pictures. We sing Stabat Mater, and do short meditations, all the while the kids are talking, usually about what they think was happening on the road to Calvary. We only spend about 30 minutes doing the stations, longer than that and we lose  someone. For us, it has been the perfect solution. We pray the stations, the kids get to experience them, and the elderly lady at church gets the silence that after years of kids, she deserves.

Getting old stinks

The primary reason is you have to witness even older friends suffer the things that come with age. Yesterday, a woman I credit more than any other person with helping me become who I am, was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I know this woman well enough to know she will embrace her cross with great joy, seeing God in her pain. That does not take away the worry I will have or the fear of losing her. Again my selfishness shows. It's all about me, my need for her. 

I was 13 when I met her, and threw up on her shoes. Nice intro, but she tenderly cared for me and drove me home from church. For some reason, God has let us keep in touch though my rough teen years, rebellious college days and the chaos of my life as a wife and mother. I have so many moments of joy and learning from her. She is who I would like to be as I age, Please pray for my friend, I still have so much to learn from her.

Favorite Quotes from Favorite Saints

Today two of my favorite saints to quote have their Feast Day. Enjoy!

Nothing seems tiresome or painful when you are working for a Master who pays well; who rewards even a cup of cold water given in love of Him - St. Dominic Savio

It is Most Laudable for a woman to be devout, but she must remember she is a housewife and sometimes she must leave God in the altar to find him in her housekeeping- St. Frances of Rome

How to Handle an Economic Crisis

If you don't laugh, you'll end up crying!

H/T: to my friend Julie

Where there there is saddness, Joy

This weekend has been hard, two of my best friends had miscarriages, one yesterday, the second, today. For lack of a better way of putting it, I'm tremendously sad for them. I cannot imagine their  sorrow, loss or pain, but I can feel mine. It seems so selfish of me, to mourn their babies.  I was so excited for them, they both were delighted to welcome a new little life into their lives, and I was delighted to witness their joy and eager to meet their little one. That life is gone. 

How can the sorrow of a promise never fulfilled be soothed? I long for the perfect words to say to them, for the right glance or embrace to make it better, but I know, I have little to offer. I have never felt this pain firsthand, thank God. I feel even worse that I put off pregnancy while so many of my friends long for a baby, it just feels selfish of me. I know that that is how it has to be for now, but still, I wish I could take away their longing. 

Moments like this are beyond my understanding, I am not meant to see how this fits in God's plan for my friends. It is not a crisis of faith, or a moment of doubt, just a lack of knowledge, but faith picks up where knowledge leaves off. 

Sometimes it's Best to Not Say it Out Loud

At least in the presence of a 4 year old who might repeat what you say. Take for example, my feelings about the current weather resulting in the 4 year old declaring, " I'm gonna kick that damn groundhog if I ever see him! Six more weeks of winter" when he was cold.Hmmm, wonder where he heard that one?

Oh, Sure, Now You Tell Me

Every year I give up coffee for Lent.  And every year a new study comes out stating the health benefits of coffee. Why would this year be different? My poor pale Irish skin needs coffee. I'll guess I'll risk it for 40 days!

To add insult to injury, I heard for the first time this morning the "Coffee Cantata" by J.S. Bach. A piece of sheer brilliance!I really really really like coffee. Off to drink a nice dull cup of tea.

Motto for Motherhood, Expect the Unexpected.

Like your son throwing up all over the church 4 minutes before the Ash Wednesday evening Mass begins.  Father DeSalvo's only commnet, "Second one today". 

Books for Lent

Lent and Easter in the Domestic Church 

We have had this book for years, and still really enjoy it. It is chocked full of ideas, recipes and crafts, not to mention the coloring pages. Much of it is available at this site.

Lent and Easter Wisdom from G.K. Chesterton

I just got this, but I use the Advent counterpart. Chesterton happens to be my favorite author, however, if he does not float your boat( and given his girth, he might sink it!), there are many other options available in this series.  I love this series for the fact that each day's meditation consists of a writing from the author, a scriptural passage, a prayer and an action.

In Conversation with God Volume 2, Lent and Easter

Again, something I try to use each year. The In Conversation series is a classic. Everyday the mediation is a springboard to prayer. The Gospel is reflected upon in each meditation, but in the light of the richness of the Catholic Faith,  writings of the Saints, Church councils and theologians are used in conjunction. 

Look for more tools for Lent in the coming weeks. 

Something different on Economy and Stimuli

From Glimpses of the Church Fathers:

"In the economy of the mysteries of Christ, the miracles are graces and stimuli which reinforce doctrine. This enables us to follow the actions of Him whom we confess in the spirit of faith." - Saint Leo the Great, Homilia XII in ieiunio decimi mensis, 1-2