counting down the days and still counting gifts

19 days left until my Entrance Day and what am I doing?

Trying to live life as normally as possible, right here, right now,
even as love grows more intense, more urgent with every passing day.

My sister throws herself into my arms over and over again and I don't mind because I know I'll miss her, too.

My brother and I, we dream big, and build tall. Another ball tower, weeks in the making...and it is amazing!

And I yell at him and his teammates on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, cheering them to run fast and hard and well. And he does, he runs the 5k in under19 minutes, breaking his record from last year.

I spend time with beautiful children across the street, and every day I learn love, so many ways I never dreamed of. So many precious moments here!

The students have been back for a week, and though I know only too few of their names, they are part of my family, too. It's a crazy wonderful family, and I'm thankful to be here, if only for a time...

This week, I am going to visit my mother's family for a few days, and hopefully visiting a priest friend  who lives in their area as well, if God wills it. But how will I say goodbye to the land of my first birth?

And I have a letter to write, possibly the last one for some time.
Lord, please help me find the words to say thank-you again!


Giving thanks for God's super-abundant gifts:

-time away from the blog to clear my head...
-but still finding time to write a post on a Sunday afternoon, giving thanks
-a surprise for my sister nearly done
-hugs, hugs, and more hugs
-brother takes me to Compline twice a week : : it's never too late!
-sister's delicious chocolate brownies
-crocheting blue yarn in the round
-advice from a friend
-the Saint Song (just plain fun!)

-tears of fatigue : : tension melting away : : rest
-the last beautiful letter in this series
-more fun with rubber stamps

photo by my neighbor, mother of 3!

-train whistle wishes
-chasing that beautiful toddler across the plaza
- Baby Bjorn : : picture of three girls ready for an adventure

(there were three of us in this picture, but I didn't ask for permission from the parents of the other two to post their pictures online, so just me here. Sorry. But imagine, if you can, a beautiful baby girl in a baby carrier and my sister at my side--that's her hand on my shoulder)

-bursting out happy smiles on our faces

-finding a classmate and cross-country captain at the meet
-cheering the team until my voice starts to give : : 18:59!
-a random kid's thoughtful thanks for my encouragement
-apple cinnamon muffins for breakfast
-running around with 4 amazing kids again : : joy, joy, joy, joy : :Go, Go, Go! on an adventure


Joining the Gratitude Community at A Holy Experience today and every Monday 
(but there are only two Mondays left until E-Day!)
 

 

Blessed be God forever!

To Turn and Become Like Children

Matthew 18:1-5,10, 12-14 is the Gospel for today. And these are my florilegium notes:

"[Jesus] said, 'Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.'" (Mt 18:2)

What does it mean to be child-like? Innocence, trust, and simplicity are some of the characteristics that come to mind...

Bl. Pope John Paul II and Maria Bambina

Aside from the Child Jesus, Tradition has handed down devotion to the Child Mary (Maria Bambina).  Some years ago, a good friend of mine taught me how to pray the Infancy Chaplet and meditate on the virtues of this Infant Mother of ours. Among the countless virtues Mary practiced throughout her life, twelve have been singled out as having been practiced perfectly from her childhood in particular:

*  Innocence  *  Simplicity  *  Humility  *  Obedience  *
*  Patience  *  Love of God  *  Love of Neighbor  *  Detachment *  *  Purity  *  Silence  *  Meekness  *  Modesty  *

With such virtues, the Kingdom of Heaven is taken by storm. For how can God resist a soul endowed with even just one attribute of His Son, the Child Jesus or Mary, His virginal Daughter, Mother, and Spouse?

I am setting this goal for my daily life: to say the Infancy Chaplet every day from now until September 8th, the Nativity of Mary.

Lord, I trust in Your Love.
I am not afraid because You are with me.
All I ask is that You help me to grow in Love 
and in whatever other particular virtues of childhood You desire to see in me.
Lord, I surrender all to You,
for the praise of Your Glory forever!
Amen.

Of Mudpies and Temper Tantrums

Yes, this is going to be a messy post...

We were conversing on the topic of making mudpies as children. Littlest sister said that she had actually eaten one once, at least one small bite anyway.

Eldest sister replied, "Well, it's good for your immune system; it helps build resistance," and explained that germs in small quantities actually make our body's defense system stronger and more prepared.

Immediately, I wondered if the same is not true of the spiritual life as well.

These storms of mine, Desperada going wild, are they making me stronger? It is true that I have not died from the strain of warding off her attacks yet. And it is always such a joy when Hope gains the upper hand and I breathe free once more.

Yes, much as I long to be rid of Desperada once and for all (I waste so much time and energy fighting her!), after every attack, might I be a little bit stronger?

Is my eyesight ever clearer after tears pour out?

I give thanks for my life more fiercely than I had despaired of it not two minutes before.

The sun shines again, the good Lord coaxes a smile out of me and I'm grinning like a fool before I know what hit me.

Eldest sister is right. And Hope?... 

Hope is wick!

Wee Sing Bible Songs...

...Probably one of the best tapes I ever owned as a child.

And for reasons I can't explain, I just got His Banner over Me is Love running through my head, along with an image of my head hidden under the folds of Jesus' mantle. I guess it means that I belong to Him or something ;)

(Actually, all this was probably it was triggered by the fact that I was looking at vocation stories of Dominican Contemplative Nuns in Vocation in Black and White again. It never fails!)

So anyway, I had to find a version of the song on Youtube. Not WeeSing--Cedarmont Kids, but same idea anyway.

Here it is:

And then I listened to some sample clips from Wee Sing Bible Songs itself, because the tape is long gone. :(

If I had an Amazon wishlist, this tape would probably be on it. But I'm 'too old' and so are all my siblings, even the youngest.  :(

What's that you ask me?

No, I never really grew up!

Or did you mean to say, "We're never really too old for Bible Songs!"

I'm glad you agree! :)