Hope

There is something to be said about adversity. Many will say that it makes one stronger. Many times in my life I have failed to see the 'stronger' part and wallowed in the 'adverse' part.

These past few days have been both emotionally and physically draining. At the worst of it I really thought we might lose my best friend, my mother. We have spent almost every minute in a hospital room praying silently to ourselves and wondering if we were going to be left orphaned. Can grown women be orphaned? I think so.

But now my mom is feeling better and the worst is over. My four year old and my sisters seventh month old have made it through the hospital visits and the hotel room. We have healed from bed bugs, eaten more Tim Hortons then I care to admit and made due with only a few sets of clothing. But the real miracles of this experience have been plenty.

First we can praise God for my mothers recovery. Second my sisters and I have had the chance to reconnect considering we live all over the United States. Third I have had the chance to get to know my nephew and God child. Out family has had the chance to spend precious time in close quarters and take comfort in one another. I am also able to attend my other God Childs first communion as he lives in Steubenville. Friends have offered their time and support by watching the kids and lending us their ears. Some pretty amazing gifts God has provided amidst adversity.

I am grateful for the chance to even see these gifts and hopeful that if He can get us through this He can help us even through the lowest moments.

A True Mothers Day

Right now I am in Steubenville, OH for my sisters graduation from Franciscan University.  She also was proposed to last night by an amazing man who we are proud to bring into our family.  She is on cloud nine as she should be!


Unfortunately my poor mom has just been diagnosed with diverticulitis so I have been with her at the hospital almost the entire time we have been here.  She has been in so much pain and endured the engagement and graduation so gracefully.  Actually I thought I would tell you about the selfless love of a mother.


We were able to be there for the proposal which was so sweet.  My mom was in excruciating pain but kept silent and smiling as we watched my sisters boyfriend go down on one knee to ask her hand in marriage.  He asked on  his baseball field with candles, flowers and a home plate dance set to their fave song on the speakers.  It was awesome.  My mom and I left right after for the ER.  Around 3:30 in the morning I came back to hotel because we received news that my mom was going to be admitted.  At 6a I received a call from the nurse.  My mom was leaving the ER against medical advice.  What?!


Turns out she pleaded with the ER doctor to let her leave and return later in the day.  She desperately wanted to see my sister graduate.  As many of you know my dad died 4 years ago so it has been very important for all of us to support one another as much as possible.


So she sat through most of the graduation and then we came back to the ER and went back through the ER process until we ended up in a room.  I am still amazed at the sacrifices my mom made (even though my sister promised it wasnt a big deal if my mom missed!).  My sister said to me, ' It's okay.  Mom doesnt have to be there... she needs to get better!'  Of which I responded, ' Mom wants to be there for you!  She wants to see yougraduate!'


There's something selfless and crazy about that.  I like to think I would do the same for my little one if I was in the same position but then I would have to say that I learned from the best. 


So we will be spending Mothers day in the hospital room instead of P.F. Chang's.  (Man I love P.F!)  But we will all be together and appreciative of the sacrifices our mom has made for all of us.  And of course the first gift we must recognize is the gift of life!


If you would, please keep my mom in your prayers this weekend as we wait out this painful problem.


I pray you have a wonderful Mothers Day and please know I will be keeping all of you in my prayers.

Dr. Drew and pushing an agenda

I am so upset.  Dr. Drew (from VH1 and MTV) has been a great source of compassion and wisdom in regard to counseling.  Up until now I really thought he was an effective instrument of change in people's lives.

I've been a fan of '16 and Pregnent' mainly because is it touching and truly shows the reality of being a teen and having a baby.   Additionally Dr. Drew is very supportive of adoption.

But I am so upset because Dr. Drew is PUSHING contraceptives... Every teen he talks to he asks what their new means of contraception is for preventing future pregnancies.  And when talking to one of the teen parents he offered the morning after pill as a future option for contraception.  The teen responded that she did not believe in the morning after pill because she believes it is an abortive.  Dr. Drew openly LIED and stated that it is NOT an abortive method.  It truly seemed that is was a 'set-up' question just so he could say that it is not an abortive pill. 

But Dr. Drew.... IT IS AN ABORTIVE METHOD!  I don't understand how he could just openly put that out there.  Am I missing something? 

Plan B (the morning after pill):  If conception has already occurred it prevents the implantation of the fertilized egg.  This is abortion. 

From Catholic.com:

The "morning after" pill is not a contraceptive--it does not prevent conception--its only purpose is to induce the abortion of an already conceived child. 

Ugh.  I am done with Dr. Drew.  And it makes me sad!  But I cannot support someone who is a board certified physician and KNOWS that truth and lies to a completely impressionable population.   I am not asking for Dr. Drew to agree with the Catholic Church.  I just want Truth.  And someone who is in such a powerful position needs to be honest.  :(   I guess we just have to pray for his conversion. 

Explaining the Trinity to a 4 year old:

My 4 year old and I had 'the talk' the other night.  You know, the one that goes something like this....

Me:  And then God gave us his only son... and Jesus did wonderous things on earth and then died on the cross for our sins.  He is our Savior, Our God.

4 yo:  And Jesus is God's son.

Me: Yes

4 yo:  And Jesus is God?

Me: Yes

4 yo:  And God is God?

Me: Yes

4 yo:  But Jesus is God, and God is God, and Jesus is God's son?

Me: Um, yeah. 

Insert perplexed 4 yo look.

Me:  I know its confusing but God loves you very much.

4 yo:  Okay mom :)

Ego and God

A box that is filled with sand cannot be filled with gold; a soul that is bursting with its own ego can never be filled with God.

The Worlds First Love
Bishop Fulton Sheen

You know you're Catholic when....

You know you are Catholic when you are singing along to the local Christian radio station (which I love) and there is a great song about being forgiven....

"I am forgiven....." 
and you add
"when I go to Confession!........"
So your 4 year old knows whats up!  :)

The one whom every man loves

She (Mary) is the one whom every man loves when he loves a woman- whether he knows it or not.  She is what every woman wants to be, when she looks at herself.

The Worlds First Love
Bishop Fulton Sheen

Landmark Law passes in Nebraska

Good news! On Tuesday, the Nebraska Legislature passed the "Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act." The new law prohibits abortions in Nebraska after the unborn child can feel pain, which happens at twenty weeks. NLRC and Nebraska Right to Life lobbyists successfully worked closely with Nebraska Speaker Mike Flood to make the bill's language as strong as possible. The legislation is the first of its kind. It is being described by observers as nothing short of "landmark." No state has ever passed a similar pain law.


The law will save lives. It will protect the twenty-week and older unborn child in the womb from the pain and horror of abortion. It will protect mothers from the grief that so often accompanies the decision to abort. The law is expected to be reviewed by the Supreme Court. If so, it could redefine a state's legitimate interest in protecting the child in the womb.

This bill is a real victory for grassroots pro-life Americans and the unborn. Thank you!-
National Right to Life Committee, Inc.
 

True Freedom

To be devoid of love is the essence of hell. 

Scripture tells us: "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty".

The Worlds First Love
Bishop Fulton Sheen

Defenders of the Family

All pagan religions begin with the teaching of adults, but Christianity begins with the birth of a child. From that day to this, Christians have ever been the defenders of the family and the love of generation.

The Worlds First Love
Fulton Sheen

Fiat

There are mothers who yearn for children, but they have to wait on the processes subject to nature. In Mary alone, a child waited not on nature, but on her acceptance of the Divine Will.  All she had to say was fiat, and she conceived.

The Worlds First Love
Bishop Fulton Sheen

Alleluia!

Have a blessed Easter season!

He is RISEN!!

Alleluia!

Divine Mercy Novena

Today begins the Divine Mercy Novena.  It begin on Good Friday and ends on Divine Mercy Sunday. 

EWTN provides the novena here.

Jesus asked that the Feast of the Divine Mercy be preceded by a Novena to the Divine Mercy which would begin on Good Friday. He gave St. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the Novena, saving for the last day the most difficult intention of all, the lukewarm and indifferent of whom He said:



"These souls cause Me more suffering than any others; it was from such souls that My soul felt the most revulsion in the Garden of Olives. It was on their account that I said: 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass Me by.' The last hope of salvation for them is to flee to My Mercy."

In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her:
"On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy ... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls."

Holy Baby DVD Giveaway Winner

Cam you were chosen at random.org as the winner of the Holy Baby DVD set! Yay!

St. Louis de Montfort's Way of Total Consecration

Today starts the first day of St. Louis de Monfort's Way of Total Consecration to Mary.  This is an amazing opportunity to know Christ in a beautiful and intimiate way.  I found a great website that explains how to do it.  Go here.  And if you have any questions please feel free to email me.