Just a bit of Laetare Sunday Pink

Easter.

Not here yet.

On its way!

Our Claudia, Michelle and Ben's youngest. 

One True Thing

It's this: The  road to skinny is paved with produce going bad in the crisper drawer...

Am I right?

Woohoo!

My best childhood friend, my brother, Greg (God rest his soul), and I used to do this. It's what we thought swings were for! What good was "back and forth, back and forth, back and forth," with no SSWWOOSH! and a glorious moment of weightless freedom -- before you crashed down into the sand -- and twisted your ankle?

 Little Greg looking down

at Little Me.

 Remember the flat-seated swings? You don't see them any more! A casualty of our hyper-cautious Western world, I'm afraid. But they worked far better for launching yourself out of than today's "sling" seats. I mean -- no kidding, kids! --you were a rocket shooting out of the old-fashioned swings

 at the top of the arc! And then you had to scramble out of the way before the hard wooden seat swung back and crashed down on your head...!

Ah the glory days! It's a wonder we didn't break our backs.

Outside of childbirth, I can't think of many things in my life that -- being so fraught with terror -- were more exhilarating! But, what's the fun if there's no risk?  What good is reward without hard work? Love without sacrifice?

And oh, the leaps we've taken, Dan and I! I'm not sure if we've been stupid or brave -- or both! But, what a rush this life has been so far.  And now I'm scrambling like the dickens over here, hoping I don't get clocked by the swing in the back of the head. And that I'll find my footing, or that God'll catch me before I fall flat on my face in the gravel.

 Regardless, I expect I'll get back on the swing and do it again -- and hopefully end on my feet in the end. Or maybe just keep flying and flying -- which was the original childhood dream. One that I now know is possible. Greg's doing it.

Taking the Long Way Home

This is the Mormon Bridge, one of two or three bridges that connects the city of Omaha with Iowa across the Missouri River. It's our bridge. (grimace)  It's going to be a while before we use it again, I'm thinking...

Dial "P" for Fr. Philip

 What do ya think? A slight resemblance?

The handsome guy on the right is our number four son, baptized Jonathan Charles. An easy-going, but energetic young man, he plays football with school kids, directs church choirs, plays the organ and piano, sings magnificently, is charming and friendly to all, offers the wisest of counsel -- but unlike Bing Crosby in Going My Way-- he really is a Catholic priest!  

Fr. Philip Marie, CMRI, serves a parish in Minnesota nowadays. We love him to the moon, as you can imagine, and are proud -- as we are of all our children -- that he recognized God's will for his vocation and works (and prays) hard to fulfill it to the best of his ability. Fr. Philip was clearly born for what he's doing. 

Bing, now: he was a good actor who played a pretty good Fr. Philip, portraying the challenges of a parish priest in his Academy Award winning role as Fr. Chuck O'Malley, but the script covered just the tiniest portion of the daily and all-encompassing duties of a priest -- and the stress, especially of a cleric in the twenty-first century, when the world, the flesh, and the devil weigh against the priesthood in ways unimagined in the history of the Church. 

In the 1950s Hollywood studios were still making popular movies that praised a priest's role in the community; today, though the priest's role is more vital than ever, the priesthood is reviled and religion in general, especially Catholicism, is worse than unfashionable -- it's hated. In less than a century, the devil has succeeded in turning the world's perceptions upside-down: good is evil; evil is good. And our Catholic priests stand at the tipping point, on the edge of eternity, holding Equilibrium in their consecrated hands. 

Pray for them. Their load is so heavy and carried by so few. Make their intentions your first consideration in prayer and you are joining forces with God's elite warriors. Never forget our priests. All of them.

 (But I'd be especially obliged if you'd take a few seconds right now and offer an Ave and maybe a Gloria for our Fr. Philip. Because, ya know, I'm his Mom.)

Wuhstasher Pronounced Any Other Way...

Worcestershire (/ˈwʊstərʃər/ (listen) WUUS-tər-shər, /-ʃɪər/ -⁠sheer noun

1. a former county in W central England, now part of Hereford and Worcester. 

2. a sharp sauce made with soy, vinegar, and spices; universally mispronounced

* Worcestershire sauce, first formulated in the English county for which it's named, has been around since the 1680s and has seasoned stews and Caesar salad dressing in the Davis household since the 1980s. We all avoid pronouncing it.

Ite Ad Joseph!

Go to Joseph!

Many people begin novenas to end on the day before a special feast, but they may also be timed to fall on the feast day, itself.  That's how we like to do it, but there's no right and wrong way!  In fact, though it's pretty neat to end a novena on a saint's particular feast, you certainly don't need to do that, either!  We're usually not on the ball enough around here to get the timing right, anyway! And the time for starting a novena to St. Joseph to end on his feast day -- today! -- is past. But that shouldn't stop us from using this efficacious means of prayer. Heaven knows, we all have needs that spring up out of the blue -- and some that are just on-going. No need to wait! We can start a novena any time we like. 

Likewise, though there are many beautiful prayers prescribed for novenas, any prayer can be used for the purpose. Just repeat it with your petition nine days in a row. That's the sticking point; you can't miss a day! It seems God is pleased with us when we stick to a thing with commitment and devotion enough to remember it nine days in a row.  (I know I'm always impressed with myself when I make it all the way through, too!)

But, St. Joseph.   How can you say too much in praise of our St. Joseph?  He's the patron of the Universal Church, the patron of the dying, patron of families, patron of workers...  He is always interested in us and in our problems, and always practical in his help.  His Divine Son -- who loves him very much, indeed -- gives St. Joseph what he asks.  He is sure help in our need!

Listed below are a good handful of prayers that are novenas, or can be used as such  Begin any time. There's no better time to go to Joseph than right now!

Words of St.Teresa of Avila 

“I took for my patron and lord the glorious St. Joseph, and recommended myself earnestly to him. I saw clearly that both out of this my present trouble, and out of others of greater importance, relating to my honor and the loss of my soul, this my father and lord delivered me, and rendered me greater services than I knew how to ask for. I cannot call to mind that I have ever asked him at any time for anything which he has not granted; and I am filled with amazement when I consider the great favors which God has given me through this blessed Saint; the dangers from which he has delivered me, both of body and of soul.” —Autobiography, VI, 9

 Prayer to St. Joseph for Our Children

Oh glorious St. Joseph, to you God committed the care of His only begotten Son amid the many dangers of this world. We come to you and ask you to take under your special protection the children God has given us. Through holy baptism they became children of God and members of His holy Church. We consecrate them to you today, that through this consecration they may become your foster children. Guard them, guide their steps in life, and form their hearts after the hearts of Jesus and Mary.

St. Joseph, who felt the tribulation and worry of a parent when the child Jesus was lost, protect our dear children for time and eternity. May you be their father and counselor. Let them, like Jesus, grow in age as well as in wisdom and grace before God and men. Preserve them from the corruption of his world, and give us the grace one day to be united with them in Heaven forever.

Amen.

Prayer in a Difficult Problem

Oh Glorious St. Joseph, thou who hast power to render possible even things which are considered impossible, come to our aid in our present trouble and distress. Take this important and difficult affair under thy particular protection, that it may end happily. (Name your request.) 

O dear St. Joseph, all our confidence is in thee. let it not be said that we would invoke thee in vain; and since thou art so powerful with Jesus and Mary. show that thy goodness equals thy power. Amen, St. Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart, pray for us.

“Would that I could persuade all men to be devoted to this glorious Saint [St. Joseph], for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him and honored him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue: for he helps in a special way those souls who commend themselves to him. It is now very many years since I began asking him for something on his feast, and I have always received it. If the petition was in any way amiss, he rectified it for my greater good . . . I ask for the love of God that he who does not believe me will make the trial for himself—then he will find out by experience the great good that results from commending oneself to this glorious Patriarch and in being devoted to him . . .” —Teresa of Avila, Autobiography, VI, 11-12

Prayer to St. Joseph

We come to you, O blessed Joseph, in our distress. Having sought the aid of your most blessed spouse, we now confidently implore your assistance also. We humbly beg that, mindful of the affection which bound you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, and of the fatherly love with which you cherished the child Jesus, you will lovingly watch over the heritage which Jesus Christ purchased with His blood, and by your powerful intercession help us in our urgent need. Prudent guardian of the Holy Family, protect chosen people of Jesus Christ; drive far from us, most loving father, all error and corrupting sin. From your place in heaven, most powerful protector, graciously come to our aid in this conflict with the powers of darkness, and as of old you delivered the Child Jesus from danger of death, so now defend the holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity. Extend to each one of us your continual protection, that, led on by your example, and borne up by your strength, we may be able to live and die in holiness and obtain everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.

A Boy Sweetheart's Daily Prayer

O St. Joseph, Model of justice, and therefore of husbands, I beseech Thee to direct me in my choice of a future wife. Grant me especially wisdom and deliberation in this choice. Make both my friendship and courtship especially chaste, unselfish, prudent, thrifty, and cheerful. Be my companion in single as well as in wedded life.

A Girl Sweetheart's Daily Prayer

O Mary, Model of pure love, and therefore of sweethearts, I beseech Thee to direct me in my choice of a future husband. Grant me especially wisdom and deliberation in this choice. Make both my friendship and courtship chaste, unselfish, prudent, thrifty, and cheerful. Be my companion in single as well as in wedded life. 

“To other Saints Our Lord seems to have given power to succor us in some special necessity—but to this glorious Saint, I know by experience, He has given the power to help us in all. Our Lord would have us understand that as He was subject to St. Joseph on earth—for St. Joseph, bearing the title of father and being His guardian, could command Him—so now in Heaven Our Lord grants all his petitions. I have asked others to recommend themselves to St. Joseph, and they, too, know the same thing by experience . . .” —St. Teresa of Avila, Autobiography, VI, 9

Indulgenced Prayer to St. Joseph

Patron of the Universal Church 

(TO BE SAID ESPECIALLY AFTER THE ROSARY)
 

To thee, O blessed Joseph, we have recourse in our affliction,
and having implored the help of thy thrice holy Spouse, we
now, with hearts filled with confidence, earnestly beg thee
also to take us under thy protection. By that charity, wherewith
thou were united to the Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God,
and by that fatherly love, with which thou didst cherish the
Child Jesus, we beseech thee and we humbly pray that thou
wilt look down with gracious eyes upon that inheritance
which Jesus Christ purchased by His Blood, and wilt succor
us in our need by thy power and strength.
Defend, O most watchful guardian of the Holy family, the
chosen offspring of Jesus Christ. Keep from us, O most
loving Father, all blight of error and corruption. Aid us from on
high, most valiant defender, in this conflict with the powers
of darkness, and even as of old, thou didst rescue the Child
Jesus from the peril of His life, so no defend God's Holy
Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity.
Shield us ever under thy patronage, that, imitating thy example
and strengthened by thy help, we may live a holy life, die a
happy death, and attain everlasting bliss in Heaven. Amen.

An Ancient Prayer to St. Joseph

Oh St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, assist me by thy powerful intercession and obtain for me all spiritual blessings through thy foster Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, so that, having engaged here below thy heavenly power, I may offer thee my thanksgiving and homage.

O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating thee and Jesus asleep in thine arms.  i dare not approach while He reposes near Thy heart.  Press Him in my name and kiss his fine head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath.

St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for me.

“Those persons who give themselves to prayer should in a special manner always have great devotion to St. Joseph, for I know not how anyone can think of the Queen of Angels during the time that she suffered so much with the Infant Jesus without giving thanks to St. Joseph for the assistance he rendered to them then. He who cannot find anyone to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious Saint for his guide, and he will not lose his way.” 
—St. Teresa of Avila, Autobiography, VI, 12

Prayer to St. Joseph the Workman 

Composed by Pope St. Pius X 

(State your petitions) 

O glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, 

Obtain for me the grace


 To work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations, 

To work with gratitude and joy, in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins, 
considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God, 

To work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties, 

To work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, 
having always death before my eyes and the account that I must render of time lost, 
of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. 

All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thine example, O Patriarch, St. Joseph. 
Such shall be my watchword in life and in death.
 Amen

Prayer to St. Joseph for Employment

Dear St. Joseph, you were yourself once faced with the responsibility of providing the necessities of life for Jesus and Mary. Look down with fatherly compassion upon me in my anxiety over my present inability to support my family. Please help me to find gainful employment very soon, so that this heavy burden of concern will be lifted from my heart and that I am soon able to provide for those whom God has entrusted to my care. Help us to guard against bitterness and discouragement, so that we may emerge from this trial spiritually enriched and with even greater blessings from God. Amen.

Ite ad Joseph!

Do not hesitate:

Go to Joseph!

Ways to celebrate the feast day:

* St. Joseph Altars  and other special celebrations of the day can be found at Fish Eaters.

* We made these cool little faux St. Joseph Altars a couple years ago.  You can find the pdf download here -- and lots more great stuff at Evann's site  -- including coloring pages --dedicated to our great saint!

* Catholic Cuisine, of course, has scads of recipes and ideas for celebrating the feast -- epicurean style.  I love the lily lolipop idea, for instance!

One More Special Prayer to St. Joseph

To thee, O Blessed Joseph, we have recourse in our tribulations, and while imploring the aid of thy most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke thy patronage also. By that love which united thee to the Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God, and by the fatherly affection with which thou didst embrace the Infant Jesus, we humbly beseech thee graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ purchased with His Blood and to help us in our necessities, by thy powerful intercession.

Protect, O most provident Guardian of the Holy Family, the chosen children of Jesus Christ; ward off from us, O most loving Father, all taint of error and corruption; graciously assist us from Heaven, O most power protector, in our struggle with the powers of darkness; and as thou didst once rescue the Child Jesus from imminent peril to His life, so now defend the Holy Church of God from the snares of her enemies and from all adversity.

Shield each one of us with thy unceasing patronage that, imitating thy example and sported by thy aid, we may be enabled to live a good life, die a holy death, and secure everlasting happiness in Heaven. Amen.

** This prayer was written by Leo XIII and attached to his encyclical, Quamquam Pluries. It is to be included at the end of the Rosary, especially during the month of October.

Good St. Joseph, pray for us!

“Some Saints are privileged to extend to us their patronage with particular efficacy in certain needs, but not in others; but our holy patron St. Joseph has the power to assist us in all cases, in every necessity, in every undertaking.”  ~ St. Thomas 

Thought for the Week

When's the last time you scheduled a play date -- for yourself? 

Or cut loose and allowed yourself to just be silly?

Or tried something new and fun?

Light-heartedness isn't a thing we have to give up when we get our adult card.

Fun isn't off limits for Lent.

In fact, if you make a resolution to lighten someone else's load or lift someone's spirits in some way every day between now and Easter, think of the weight you'll be lifting off of Christ's shoulders.

Every day, in some way, find time to play.

Ideas to get going:

* Send a funny meme to someone who you know might need a lift.
* Make a funny meme challenge to see who can find the best LOL
* Leave a silly (or loving) note for your spouse on the bathroom mirror.
* Cut out cartoons to put in your spouse's or children's lunchboxes
* Make green eggs and ham for dinner.
* Get a package of  "googly eyes" and find funny places in the house or car to stick them.
* Make a date with your spouse or kids or best friend to go roller/ice skating.
* Get some "word magnets" for your refrigerator and change the message daily
* Have a tickle fight.
* Read funny short stories out loud with your significant other or children
     -- Try James Thurber, Dave Barry, Wodehouse (adult) Mark Twain, Jon Szieska, Roald Dahl (kids)
* Make new, random, family traditions, like:
    -- everyone in the family wears red on Wednesdays (you pick the color, day and reason)
    -- everyone gets a kiss and blessing on the forehead at bedtime, and maybe a secret handshake
    -- breakfast for dinner night
    -- have a contest with the kids to name your car (your appliances, your houseplants)
 


You get the idea. It's just this: make a point of laughing and smiling, making reasons to laugh and smile. Especially during Lent! The very best of sacrifices are those that are carried out, not only uncomplainingly, but with joy.

Roadblocks and Detours

Much cause to think of re-routed plans these days, what with half our usual roadways having been flooded. But Dan had a half hour extra to bond with Anna taking the loooong way around to school this morning, and Cathy and I will get to wind through the beautiful Loess Hills via the historic Lincoln Highway to hit up the Council Bluffs Hobby Lobby for painting supplies* instead of the Omaha store we usually frequent, quicker to get to, but way less scenic. But it's all good. If I've learned anything from all the craziness of my life, it's that the detours usually turn out to be the best part.

 Make the most of detours, y'all. If nothing else, they make time for another rosary.

* For a project for you, Ann K!  

Meanwhile, in the Midwest

For He commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, 

which lifteth up the waves...

- Psalms 107:25-30

It's a little wet here in Iowa.

Everyone in our little rural community gets the day off today, because ain't nobody going nowhere. Portions of I-29, I-80, and I-680, the chief thoroughfares that surround our home in the hills lie quiet and still, save for the lapping of water on the low places, and countless county roads and farmers' fields are now covered by inland seas. Our house is on high ground and our property drains nicely, so we're literally high and dry, but there are no roads clear to get out, as of this writing. I expect it won't take long for the waters to recede and be gathered to one place, and let the dry land appear, but I don't think it'll be today.  Ask me how sad I am about this. (winking)

Such a lovely novelty, having Anna and Dan home in the middle of the day, safe and dry, though (through the negligible good fortune of an internet connection), Dan's working from home, and Cathy is stranded over at Michelle's -- something they're all perfectly pleased about, to be sure. But Anna and I are loving life. It's a soft, gray, drizzly day, so we're having Guinness Stew and homemade bread for dinner and we're keeping Brown Betty full of tea, and hunkering down with books, and letting the rest of the world just float on by.

Stay dry, my friends!

At Least It's Not Snow

Denver is getting a blizzard today, so, yeah... I'm not complaining.

GASP!

I just took a look at the AWTY stats.

This post right here is blog post #2001!

My first post hit the internet on August 30, 2007.

The most popular post of all time was Good Shepherd Sunday, from April, 2010: 37,495 page views.

Second in line, with far fewer (7,408 page views), was You Don't Look Like You've Had Ten Kids.

AWTY stats calculate the all-time views to date at 583,706. Homeric.

Today so far, it's reportedly had 91 visitors.

Crazy. Humbling. And a little scary. It's rather a responsibility knowing so many people have read my words -- or at the very least looked at my pictures (because I suspect a good number of my page views come from image searches) -- and that folks continue to stumble by. I  hope and pray that it's all been to the good. (grimace) I'm pretty silly sometimes. But, one way or another, thank you for stopping in! Now do, please, sign the guest-book. (winking) It means a lot to hear from you in the comments. I hate monologuing! Don't be shy; just say hi!

Spring Forward

"Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home."

                                  - C.S.Lewis

This is our house in early spring. (sigh) Just look at it. The very thought of it is like heaven: pined for, distant and vaguely doubtful. (It's been a long winter.) I know the seasons will keep rotating on God's axis, as they always do, but outside my window right now cold rain is beating down the slowly melting snow, the sky is gray, the driveway is mud, and there's a cold draft coming in under the door. The clocks may have moved forward to spring last weekend, but Iowa sure hasn't.

Can you bear with me while I stretch an analogy? (I can't help myself, I'm afraid; one thing always reminds me of another. It's a sickness.)

I get irritated with myself for not being satisfied all the time. In the big picture of things, I've got it

almost embarrassingly good; my crosses are really pretty pathetic. But, here you have it: when it's winter, I want spring; when it's spring, I remember about weeds and mosquitoes and how my driveway needs grading after every rainstorm, and I long for winter again. When I was a young mother, I couldn't wait for all my toddlers to grow up and no longer need diaper changes, and then I couldn't wait for all my adolescents to grow up and no longer need me to educate them, and most recently, I've been waiting for my teenagers to grow up and no longer... be teenagers. (Bless their cantankerous hides.)

But, wait. (What was I thinking?) Now I want to put the brakes on it all. Stop the clocks, echoing in the empty rooms of my house! Can I go back to the toddler days now? How simple our troubles were then! But even now, I miss them, the grown up, independent, perfectly lovely people I worked so hard to get to the point that they'd move away and I'd miss them. How did I take for granted that part of the evolution of my job? That all the children would be happily settled elsewhere, but the empty rooms here would only echo with the memory of busy, useful, happy days? It was not all whining and spilt cereal.

 I know that it's the proper order of things, this stage of my life; I'm exceedingly proud of all our children and I love our beautiful home... But, see? There you go. Just not satisfied. Ever.

But here's the thing: I think we're not supposed to be satisfied. The idea we have of  home, true home, is wrapped in a hazy glow of perfect, unending, uninterrupted contentment. We want spring without weeds and mosquitoes and mud, and we want it to last forever and be so perfect that we never grow bored with it. You see where I'm going with this. We'll never find it here.

The ideal of perfection is perfectly real and placed in our hearts by God. We're meant to yearn for it, but since that perfection can only be found in heaven, our attempts to find it or make it in this world are doomed to failure.

The only facsimile of contentment we're ever going to find, really, is when we accept that perfect contentment is reserved for heaven. And we are making every effort to strive hard enough and love well enough to make it there.  The challenge is brushing off the earthly disappointments -- in things, in people, in bad weather, in ourselves -- recognizing them as temporary, and doing all the things with God's goal in mind.

Easy peasy, right? (Not!)

Don't ask me how to be mindful of this all the time. I haven't got a clue. It's a mindset I think the saints learned to cultivate, and I'm not even close to there yet. (If you know how to do it, message me, for heaven's sake!) But I do know, intellectually at least, that I'll be happiest if I remember that the ultimate goal isn't a mudless lawn or perfect health or everyone agreeing with me...  It's the permanent home, the forever spring, and it's not here on this earth. God made our hearts to only be satisfied with Him in heaven, our only true home.

Easy Peasy

Lent

If It's Not Hard You're Not Doing It Right

Most Lents I give up coffee. And sweets. And television. Plus a couple small things that I change around from year to year. On top of the traditional fast and abstinence required: meat only once a day at the main meal every day (and of course, Friday is always meatless), just two small snack-meals twice a day (not to equal the main meal), and no nibbling in-between. Easy peasy. No biggie. Or well, it's a biggie, but I'm used to it. I've come to expect it.  It's a challenge I don't ever really look forward to, but after more than thirty years of practice, it's doable.

But this year. Ugh.  I don't know about this year. I'm on a special diet: no dairy, no gluten, no fun. And suddenly doable is difficult. I'm having to do Lent for reals this year. No comfortable rut. Not like I'm complaining. Do I sound like I'm complaining? Well, maybe I am a little. Let's call it consternation. I'm having to adjust my antenna. And it's difficult difficult lemon difficult.

Which is a good thing. It's supposed to be or what's the point?

Prayers, love, and unity salute, fellow Lenten trudgers tryng not to leave marks in the carpet from dragging our feet. I'm looking behind me for evidence of exertion, but as crosses go, mine's not heavy enough to leave a mark.

Lapsitters

Children are made readers in the laps of their parents.

And aunts.

And uncles.

And grandparents.

And various friends and neighbors.

Momma Michelle with Ella (L),

 Aunt Cathy with Daria and baby Claudia

Cousin Gavin with Ella

Sr. Antonia with Daria and Ella

Uncle William with Ella

Uncle Gabe with Ella and Evie

*NB: I had more photos of reading children and grandchildren, but my internet isn't cooperating. I may add more later! Just for the archives, mind you. This blog has been the best thing for us as a family for saving moments, and reading together has occupied many of our most precious moments.