I luv Seinfelds Bride

First let me give credit where credit is due. Seinfelds wife has does wonders in my life. I now am almost a pro at putting various healthy veggies in almost anything I can. Don't get me wrong, we still eat regular veggies during dinner, sometimes as a snack... But now... now I am in control of veggie consumption and NO whining! I have purchased 'Deceptively Delicious' and have been using it for awhile. But this my friends, takes the veggie cake.

Spinach and eggs. 'Halloween Eggs'. Frankenstein eggs. And it worked. Oh how it worked!

Halloween? A msg from Fr. Corapi

This was sent by a friend of my to read. We trick-or-treat but always attend an All Saints Day Party to celebrate the true holiday. What do you do to bring to light the the beauty of All Saints Day?

The Battle Between Good and Evil: an Update from Fr. Corapi

As Halloween approaches, we are surrounded by themes of the occult, ghosts, demons, curses, and hauntings. Demonic and occult themes permeate the media at this time of year. Most of this material is pure fiction, yet the part that is not fiction is an acknowledgment that angels and demons exist. One cannot understand reality if one brackets out a large portion of reality -the pretenders order (angels and demons). If you try to arrive at valid conclusions concerning reality, but have left out a good part of that reality you are engaged in an exercise in futility. So many things today can only be understood in the light of this spiritual reality. Have you ever wondered why so many apparently educated and intelligent people just don't get it, especially with respect to such life and death matters as abortion?There is a battle that goes on in the spiritual order between the forces of God and the forces of Satan, "the adversary." This battle between cosmic good and evil, between angels and demons, has man caught in the cross hairs. Man is an active player in his own salvation. We need the help of our allies the angels. To fail to enlist their help is reckless. To fail to realize the reality of the enemy forces, the demonic legions, can be ultimately and eternally fatal. We are at war and our battle is not against flesh and blood, as St. Paul warns us in Ephesians 6. The battle between good and evil, truth and lies, life and death involves these angelic legions - good and evil. We are soldiers in God's army, like it or not, believe it or not.We must be aware of these fundamental teachings, learn them, and live in accordance with them.

Mother Teresa and Grace

I should- No, I could!

Tuesday Tid-bit:

I have eliminated the word 'should' from my vocabulary. I had this ridiculously long list of 'shoulds'. For example:

I should go workout.
I should do more laundry.
I should be more patient.
I should be more loving.
I should pray more.

This is only a minute portion of the 'should list' but watch what happens when I take the 'shoulds' and make them 'coulds':

I could go workout.
I could do more laundry.
I could be more patient.
I could be more loving.
I could pray more.

It feels like I have taken off 99% of the pressure by changing one little word. 'Coulds' allow me to rely on the Lord for the grace to be more loving or patient, to get that laundry done or make it to the gym. 'Shoulds' make me feel as though I have failed. When I use the word 'could' it becomes empowering. Through the grace of our Father I can get things done.

Try it.... change your 'shoulds' to 'coulds'!

Free pregnancy tests!

In light of the pro-life theme I thought I would post about a really amazing offer. Sacred Heart Mission, a non for profit organization, is offering readers 10 pregnancy tests, ovulation tests or a combination of both for free! Check it out here.

Thank you Thrifty andChic Mom!

The 13th Day- Story of Fatima DVD

I came across this information about Ignatius Press releasing the movie 'The 13th Day'. This is a movie about the story of Fatima.

At that time Jesus said in reply, 'I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.' – Gospel of Matthew 11:25

Based on the memoirs of Sister Maria Lucia de Jesus dos Santos, and thousands of independent eyewitness accounts, The 13th Day is a dramatic retelling of the experiences of three shepherd children between May and October 1917.

The 13th Day, the first major motion picture by directors Ian and Dominic Higgins, opens with Sister Maria Lucia de Jesus dos Santos recalling the events that transpired between May 13, 1917 and October 13, 1917 in the Cova da Iria (Cove of Irene) region of Fatima, Portugal. The date is 1937 and Sister Lucia, at the Convent of Ponteverde, has been asked by her superiors to write down the events that she said "changed her life forever." cont here

You can order the DVD here.

Did you know?

Did you know?

Ezekiel 4:9 contains a recipe for bread? And in that recipe is all the essential amino acids required for health as well as a major amount of protein. How amazing that God knew ahead of time to create a food so pure and healthy.....

Did you know:

In the Bible it is recommended for an infant child to be circumcised on the eighth day of his life. Later it was discovered that the eighth day of an infants life is when they have highest immunity.

God is so good!

Feast Day of St. Therese and Novena

October 15th marks the Feast Day of St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897) also known as the Little Flower. Here is a link to EWTN's novena. If you begin tomorrow (Wednesday) it will end on the 15th.

What is a novena?

Taken from www.catholicanswers.com

A novena is simply the pious practice of praying for a particular intention nine times. It is usually done with one prayer over a nine-day period but can be done by praying the same prayer nine times in a row. Any formal, informal, or spontaneous prayer done in a set of nine times constitutes a novena. You may use a formal novena that is approved for devotional use or you may put together your own set of prayers for your private use. The only requirement is that the prayers not be said with the intention to manipulate an answer from God. Whatever they are—if they are said faithfully and with trust in God that he will answer your prayer in the manner he wills to do so—they are fine.

Happy Feast of St. Francis

Happy Feast of St. Francis!
I did not have the opportunity to celebrate today so I think that I will pretend the feast day is tomorrow! The kiddos will never know!

This weekend has been very challenging as my three year old is sick. And it's not the 'down and out' sick, it's the 'constant whining sick'. And it is wearing this mom down.... My dh is back on nights which always ends up being fun.... He gets home around 5am and sleeps until noon. Gets up for about an hour and goes back to sleep until he goes back to work at 5pm. Too much complaining? Okay, no more complaining. :-)

The funny thing is, sickness can really cause a family to slow down. Typically on Monday's we have a very busy morning schedule. Swim lessons, play group, etc. But tomorrow we are going to stay home. And you know, I am kind of excited about that. There will be no where we will 'have' to be and nothing we have to do. We can do a little school, some art and maybe just go for a walk. Sometimes I feel like we are just moving at such a fast pace. It's nice every once and awhile to just get off the train and breathe.

So my prayer for tonight is that I have the patience to parent my three year old, the peace to enjoy a quiet day, and the motivation to get the normal household chores accomplished.

More prayers

I have a friend from back home who lost her baby today. Her due date was tomorrow and she was going into labor when she lost the baby. She is young and I am asking your prayers as she deals with the loss of her much desired child. Her name is Monica.

Also, there is a rosary request for tonight at 9p for my friend Bob who had the stroke. Please join in with a rosary or your own prayer at this time for his recovery and his family.
www.prayfortheb.com

Thank you all for your spiritual support!

Tiber River Catholic Reviews

I recently started providing book, CD, and DVD reviews for a website called Tiber River Catholic Reviews.

Tiber River is dedicated to providing authentically Catholic information and opinions about Catholicmedia (books, movies, cds). And the reviews are done by the lay people. It is a great site to check out that latest book you are thinking about reading and see if it really is something you want to read! Check out the orthodoxy of that latest kids DVD or CD. Bookmark this site for a quick way to access reviews on Catholic products.

Mission from website: Tiber River is dedicated to providing authentically Catholic information and opinions about different areas of Catholic culture and to promote liturgical education throughout the Catholic world. The support of family values through our work will help to rebuild a truly Catholic culture that can be the salt of the earth and a light on the hill.

Vanish

I recently read a fascinating book called 'Vanish' by Tom Pawlik.





It is a Christian thriller... I use to read a lot of Dean Koontz (SCARY) and never felt peaceful after reading them. I would feel anxious and actually a little afraid. But Pawlik's 'Vanish' is different.

This book really makes you look at good versus evil. People in society try to mute the horror of hell. If we can ignore the truth of hell then we do not have to worry about our actions because they have no long term consequences. When an author decides to tell a story based on the Truth I love it. Check this book out for an action packed and thought provoking read.


From Amazon:

Three strangers each encounter the same mysterious storm and awake the next day to find that everyone else has vanished. There's Conner Hayden, a successful but unscrupulous trial lawyer who has forsaken his family for his career; Helen Krause, a middle-aged model struggling to come to grips with her fading beauty; and Mitch Kent, an enterprising young mechanic unable to escape a past that still haunts him. Afraid and desperate for answers, their paths eventually cross and they discover they are being watched. Elusive and obscured in shadows, the "observers" are apparently forcing them to relive vivid hallucinations of events from their past. They discover a mute homeless boy in tattered clothing and believe he may hold the key to the mystery, but the "observers" soon become aggressive and the four are forced to flee. When the boy disappears, the four decide to head from Chicago to Washington, D.C., in search of answers…and more survivors. Winner of the 2006 operation first novel contest, Vanish is a nonstop suspense thriller in the vein of Ted Dekker.

The miracle of life

As you may know, I have a friend who is 32 and has recently experienced three strokes. He is in shape having just ran a marathon last year. He has five children, a beautiful bride and a thriving non-profit organization called 'Dirty Vagabonds' that ministers to inner-city kids. He is an amazing example of Christ's call to be apostles for the Lord and preach the Gospel. You can read about his recovery here at www.prayfortheb.com. (Please continue to pray for Bob and his family).

Once I heard about his stroke I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. How can a 32 year old, strong and hilarious man be taken down by a stroke? Why does this type of thing happen?

Last night I read a post by his faithful brother. In this post he shared about the miracle that had taken place. I expected a full recovery. They rejoiced because he was able to move his left hand. I burst into tears. His left hand? I guess I knew that he is unable to use the left side of his body but I just didn't process it.

After a few moments it occurred to me that this is indeed a miracle. When tragic things happen like a stroke I think it takes you back to the basics. Things that may have never crossed your mind as a miracle from God suddenly become precious and treasured. If your loved one is fatally sick every extra amount of time that he or she lives becomes a miracle. Every breath, every word, every gesture suddenly becomes a miracle.

Maybe this is a reminder to that life is indeed precious. And every breath is a miracle. I want to take the time today to really look at my daughter and see the miracle of life in her being. I want to look at my husband and see the love of God through him. I want to be thankful for the miracle of the sun when we have had much rain in the past few days. I don't want to take for granted that my left hand moves freely to type, to hug, to love on my dog, to blow kisses to my three year old and especially to receive the Eucharist today at Mass.

My heart aches for those who are experiencing the pain of a loved one who is ill. Or a loved one who has recently passed away. May God bless your Sunday and may you embrace the miracle of life today!

My friend Bob

Hi MCM readers,

Here is a website that has information about my friend Bob. If you know him or even if you do not I ask that you take the time to read this post and commit to praying for this amazing man. He is a true apostle of Christ and has been committed to serving the Lord as a missionary for as long as I have known him. Bob and his family serve the poor youth in inner cities. He has started an amazing ministry called 'Vagabond Ministries' and he and his family of seven have been shining example of Christs love to everyone they meet.


Thanks everyone.

www.prayfortheb.com





Reflection 9/24/09

I haven't been to the hospital yet today, so this is a bit more of a reflection on the past week or so than an update.

Last week when this all started, we thought that Bob went to hospital with some sort of bad migrane. I remember telling someone to pray for Bob and told them what was going on, and they asked me if they had ruled out a stroke. I think I looked at him like he was a fool; I thought to myself, "A stroke? My brother is 31 and in terriffic health - that's so dumb." Sure enough, a few hours later, I got a phone call from my sister-in-law Kate, telling me that Bob had had a stroke.

I remember when I told someone about this they had told me to tell Bob not to give up; the person told me about how they had a stroke and the long process they went through to get back to health. I politely thanked that man for sharing his story, but informed him "that my brother was okay," and "that he just had a minor stroke." I was pretty sure this was going to be over in a few days. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

I also remember go into the ICU to see Bob for the first time. I was waiting for my brother Bob to jump out at say, "I got you!" and find out this is all some big, sick practical joke. But sure enough, there he was in a hospital bed.

Here's what we know about Bob- Bob had 3 strokes and the main stroke was pretty massive. Praise God that Bob's not in any immediate danger anymore of having more strokes. They've located the source of the stroke and the blood thinners should have by now broken down that clot. The parts of Bob's brain that were affected by the stroke can't heal or come back, however, what normally happens is that other parts of the brain compensate for those that are not working. Since Bob is so young and in great health, the doctors believe that Bob can make a good recovery. We know that Bob can only get better from here. That being said please realize the situation is still very serious.

Bob had 3 strokes and only time and rehab will tell exactly what comes back and what does not. This is why we continue to ask for your help in praying for Bob and for donations for his family. Thank you first of all for your prayers. Our entire family is so thankful that you would pray for Bob and his family. We are also so overwhelmed by your donations to his family. It's really amazing to see how everyone's been a part of this through their donations. Every bit helps- I've been touched by those who have given even $5 - knowing that for some people that's a sacrifice. I am reminded of the story from the Gospel of Mark of the widow who gave her last "penny" to God.

If you are reading this and don't know Bob that well, please know that Bob's never really lived his life to collect a big paycheck or been focused on money. In fact, his family of 7 lives a pretty simple life. I remember that once Bob bought a modest HDTV only to give it away a few weeks later to the poor because he and his wife thought it was too extravagant for their lifestyle. We (Bob's family) are just trying to ensure that Bob and Kate don't have to be concerned with finances for the time being while they are going through all this since Bob is self-employed.
We also know that God is in control and that God is at work even through this situation. More than anything please keep on praying.

One of the things that Bob has been repeating over and over is that "he feels really loved," and I can speak for all my family and tell you that we all feel that way.

Andy

Update 9/23/09

Bob began intensive rehab and will be on a pretty packed schedule of rehab every day. His spirits are still good and he believes that he can do it with God's help. He's told me numerous times that he told God, "he doesn't mind getting fat, as long as he gets bettter." He learned today how to push his own wheel chair, which was a little dangerous when he started going into other people's rooms and turning the lights on. Everyday Bob will have to go through both physical, speech, and occupational therapy. Bob will have a long journey back to health and I want to invite you to send emails to Bob letting him know how you and your families are praying for him, send him some words of encouragement, and/or let him know why he has a special place in your life. I will print those emails and give them to Bob.

Pray for his wife Kate- she has been with Bob pretty much around the clock. Pray that she would get some rest and that God would be her strength in the days ahead. Pray for a miracle.

If you want to send cards to Bob in the hospital they can be sent toBob Lesnefsky, Room 6234UPMC Mercy1400 Locust St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Please no visitors without checking with the family

Thanks for the prayers. Keep them coming. Andy