![Put It To Work 32]()
by Catherine | Jun 22, 2015 | Faith
Another Monday means another opportunity to swap prayer intentions and start “putting them to work” for one another!
Here are my prayer intentions for this week:
- For continued healing after the Charleston shooting
- For our parish (and parishes around the world) who are taking up the call to become missionary witnesses of the Joy of the Gospel.
Your turn! What prayer intentions can I “put to work” for you this week? As always, I will add them to my prayer journal and pray for you by name throughout the week–especially during my morning prayers. Please share your intentions in the comment box below, on the blog Facebook page, or send them to me via the blog contact form. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
Have a great week!
![Decorating Our Domestic Church]()
by Catherine | Jun 12, 2015 | The Homefront
We’ve been in this home for a year, and we’re still slowly finding places to make it feel more like our own. Philip and I found some beautiful prints done by local artist, Sue Kouma Johnson, at our Catholic bookstore. We bought 3 of our favorite 8x10s.
From left to right, they are The Three Marys, Mystical Rose, and Our Lady of Guadalupe. Don’t you love the bright colors? I especially love her joyful representation of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Last week, I found some frames at Hobby Lobby that I thought would be perfect for them. They are wooden frames with silver paint that looks weathered–almost like reclaimed barn wood.
After trimming them to fit into the frames, Philip expertly hung them in our entry hall.
I am so happy to have more religious artwork in our home. More than that, they’re in a spot where we see them often.
The frames face the wall where we hung our family crucifix that we had blessed by our pastor at our GodTeens home Mass. (Our beautiful wooden crucifix that we received at our nuptial Mass fell and broke into a bunch of pieces. We are still searching for someone who can repair that one so that we can rehang it in our bedroom. Let me know if you know someone who can help us out!) We originally had a large print left by the former owners on the wall. The 3 smaller frames make the hall seem larger and open up the space. I’m glad I stuck with a subtle, uniform look to make them look like a mini gallery.
Do you have a favorite religious artist, website, or Etsy shop to share?
![Jane’s Mass Sketch Book]()
by Catherine | Jun 11, 2015 | Faith
A few weeks ago, Philip suggested that we start bringing two notepads and pens to Mass for Jane and Walt to keep their hands busy since they both like drawing so much. Walt mostly doodles and loses interest quickly, but Jane gets absolutely focused on everything she’s drawing. I encourage her to draw what she sees and hears at Mass to keep her with us at Mass instead of in her mind. The Mass sketch book is proving to be a beautiful reflection of how the Holy Spirit is working in her. Here are a few of her drawings from last Sunday’s Mass (on the Feast of Corpus Christi):
“A wise man”
“Licking a lollipop” Aren’t those shoes fantastic? I especially like the huge lollipop and the tongue.
“This is Pentecost. That’s Mary, and she’s saying, ‘Woah! I have fire on my head!’ The dog under the table is afraid of the fire.” Our pastor spoke about Pentecost during his homily, so that must have been the inspiration for this drawing. I think this picture must be some of what Jesus meant when He said we need to become like children. I wish I could enter into His Word the way Jane does with her amazing imagination.
“That’s Jesus on the cross for us.”
“That’s Jesus’ birthday!”
“That’s the Angel Gabriel.”
Jane poked me during Mass to show me this one. “Look, Mama! I drew those flowers!” She replicated the beautiful rose arrangements on the altar for Corpus Christi.
Another poke. “Mama! Look! I drew that girl!” (She pointed across the aisle to a sweet, freckle faced first communicant dressed in her white dress and veil. The parish first communicants were invited to lead the congregation in following the Eucharistic Procession after Mass.)
This picture is among my top 3 favorite pictures Jane has ever drawn. “That’s Mary trying to protect the Baby Jesus from mean King Herod when he was trying to kill Baby Jesus.” I’m so impressed by her ability to convey movement and emotions so well. Is Herod on a stool to make himself look taller? Perhaps Jane is letting us know that he had a Napoleon complex before that was a thing.
“That’s another one of Jesus on the cross for us.”
“That’s Jesus and the 3 Marys.” Jane must have taken her inspiration from one of our new hallway prints and remembered it at Mass. She positioned the Marys the same.
It’s my goal this summer to make it to weekday Mass at least once per week with Jane on a morning when Philip’s home with the boys. That way, she can get more practice at Mass with me and (in theory) can be a good example to her brothers on Sundays. When she is a good leader, the boys follow suit more often than not. It sure can’t hurt! I know it’s not perfect and that in an ideal world my 5-year-old would be able to sit with her hands folded on her lap, but we’re not there yet. In the meantime, the Mass sketch book has been a beautiful baby step in the right direction. These drawings show me that her ears, eyes, hands, and heart are open to the stirrings of the Holy Spirit. That’s what matters most to me right now.
![Jane's Mass Sketch Book]()
by Catherine | Jun 11, 2015 | Faith
A few weeks ago, Philip suggested that we start bringing two notepads and pens to Mass for Jane and Walt to keep their hands busy since they both like drawing so much. Walt mostly doodles and loses interest quickly, but Jane gets absolutely focused on everything she’s drawing. I encourage her to draw what she sees and hears at Mass to keep her with us at Mass instead of in her mind. The Mass sketch book is proving to be a beautiful reflection of how the Holy Spirit is working in her. Here are a few of her drawings from last Sunday’s Mass (on the Feast of Corpus Christi):
“A wise man”
“Licking a lollipop” Aren’t those shoes fantastic? I especially like the huge lollipop and the tongue.
“This is Pentecost. That’s Mary, and she’s saying, ‘Woah! I have fire on my head!’ The dog under the table is afraid of the fire.” Our pastor spoke about Pentecost during his homily, so that must have been the inspiration for this drawing. I think this picture must be some of what Jesus meant when He said we need to become like children. I wish I could enter into His Word the way Jane does with her amazing imagination.
“That’s Jesus on the cross for us.”
“That’s Jesus’ birthday!”
“That’s the Angel Gabriel.”
Jane poked me during Mass to show me this one. “Look, Mama! I drew those flowers!” She replicated the beautiful rose arrangements on the altar for Corpus Christi.
Another poke. “Mama! Look! I drew that girl!” (She pointed across the aisle to a sweet, freckle faced first communicant dressed in her white dress and veil. The parish first communicants were invited to lead the congregation in following the Eucharistic Procession after Mass.)
This picture is among my top 3 favorite pictures Jane has ever drawn. “That’s Mary trying to protect the Baby Jesus from mean King Herod when he was trying to kill Baby Jesus.” I’m so impressed by her ability to convey movement and emotions so well. Is Herod on a stool to make himself look taller? Perhaps Jane is letting us know that he had a Napoleon complex before that was a thing.
“That’s another one of Jesus on the cross for us.”
“That’s Jesus and the 3 Marys.” Jane must have taken her inspiration from one of our new hallway prints and remembered it at Mass. She positioned the Marys the same.
It’s my goal this summer to make it to weekday Mass at least once per week with Jane on a morning when Philip’s home with the boys. That way, she can get more practice at Mass with me and (in theory) can be a good example to her brothers on Sundays. When she is a good leader, the boys follow suit more often than not. It sure can’t hurt! I know it’s not perfect and that in an ideal world my 5-year-old would be able to sit with her hands folded on her lap, but we’re not there yet. In the meantime, the Mass sketch book has been a beautiful baby step in the right direction. These drawings show me that her ears, eyes, hands, and heart are open to the stirrings of the Holy Spirit. That’s what matters most to me right now.
![Summer’s Candy]()
by Catherine | Jun 10, 2015 | Family
We got a box of absolutely delicious peaches last week, and they were perfectly ripe by Friday night for dinner. I call ’em summer’s candy. There is no better summer fruit.
Just ask these monkeys!
Do you have a favorite peach recipe? If we’re not munching away on raw peaches or need to use up the extras, we love peach crisp with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream.
