WOW! What a powerful statement from our Lord!
In today's Gospel reading (Mark 8:34-9:1), Jesus is asking His followers to deny themselves, take up their crosses, & follow Him.
How's that going for you? If you're anything like me (& the rest of the human race for that matter), you probably struggle w/ this on a daily basis. It's not all about the stuff you acquire, the status you reach in your career, or even the number of friends you have on your Facebook account.
What matters is what is in your heart & how focused you are on getting yourself & your loved ones to Heaven. We've been told all our lives that we can't take our possessions w/ us when we die. God will not judge us on the dollar amount in our back accounts at the time of our death or the award certificates hanging on our walls. He will look into our hearts & see how many times we reached out to help the poor & suffering, how much time we spent in prayer, what we did in the fight against abortion & other moral issues.
I leave you w/ this YouTube video...Toby Mac's Lose My Soul. It fits perfectly w/ today's Gospel.
Friday, February 18, 2011
"What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" (Mark 8:36)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Small Successes
1) I started a series of posts on our family's ADHD journey w/ The Archangel.
2) For Casinodad's Valentine's Day gift, I made brownies from scratch, decorated the top w/ candied heart sprinkles, cut out a dozen heart shaped brownies, wrapped them in a box, AND decorated the box. He LOVED his gift! (Of course, the Munchkins & I were able to enjoy the rest the leftover pieces, too!)
3) I've started thinking of & making some plans for our next school year. I've even found a couple books at great discount prices already, thanks to Catholic Heritage Curricula's two day clearance a few weeks ago.
Hoping you've had a successful week, too! Blessings!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings
My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.As I was getting ready to come up w/ my list this morning, The Princess woke up & came downstairs to greet me. I decided to let her come up w/ a list today.
So here we go...five things The Princess is thankful for:
2) I'm thankful for my mom & dad.
3) I'm thankful for the Manger I have.
4) I'm thankful for my brothers.
5) I'm thankful for my clothes to wear.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Our Family's ADHD Journey - Part One
Here & there, I've mentioned that The Archangel has ADHD. I decided to do a series of posts to share our struggles we've faced as we try to find the balance between peace & chaos in our home.
For as long as I can remember, The Archangel has been a hyperactive child & I've told people that he was constantly on the go - physically & verbally! I was told not to worry, he's a boy. Last year, I came across a list of ADHD symptoms put together by the American Pediatric Association (APA). The DSM-IV (Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition) breaks ADHD into three categories - Inattention, Hyperactivity, & Impulsivity. Those w/ ADHD can have one, two, or all three parts. When I compared The Archangel to the symptoms listed he fit:
2 out of 9 for Inattention
Other qualifications are that the symptoms present themselves before age seven & occur in two or more settings. Yep, that fits!
In addition to the hyperactivity, he is also quick to anger. We've joked in the past that he has a "Jeckyll & Hyde Personality" - kind & loving, getting along w/ others one moment, then mean, spiteful, & argumentative the next. Most days we feel like we're walking on eggshells around him, wondering what will be the next trigger to set him off.
The anger & aggression really increased last year, during his first grade year of homeschooling. Many were the days (& still are) when I would set an assignment in front of him & before I could begin an explanation, he'd say it was too hard & couldn't do it. He'd break his pencil or throw it across the room, tear or crumple his paper, &/or stomp off, pushing over any chairs in his way. Once he calmed down enough to complete the work, he'd say, "That wasn't hard!"
One evening, he became angry w/ Casinodad & The Prophet because he thought they had skipped his turn on a computer game. He stomped to the couch, crying & threw his glasses...which landed by my feet in the next room.
While he argues & fights w/ all of his siblings, The Princess seems to be the one on the receiving end the majority of the time. He talks down to her, calls her names, & says that her songs/stories/creations are dumb. He belittles her & has to disagree w/ anything she says, even it she's expressing her feelings on a subject. If she's doing something that he perceives to be even slightly annoying, his impulsivity kick in. He will begin to yell at her, call her names, push or hit her, kick whatever toys she's playing with, etc. I do have to say that there are times when the two of them play VERY well together. Although those moments are few & far between, we do take the extra effort to recognize & praise the behavior.
With all of his anger & aggression, I began to wonder if he might also have Oppositional Defiant Disorder. After all, he fits all eight of the behaviors listed in the DSM-IV. One thing that distinguishes him from someone w/ ODD, though, is that their actions are intentional & they show no remorse. The Archangel's behaviors at times can be intentional, brought on by the impulse to react in various situations (especially w/ The Princess). However, most times he will apologize on his own & say that he loves us.
The Catholic Company Book Review - The Power of the Sacraments by Sr. Briege McKenna
The Power of the Sacraments by Sr. Briege McKenna, O.S.C.
Physically, our veins carry blood throughout our bodies from our hearts. Without that blood, we would cease to live. In the spiritual sense, we also have something to sustain us..."The sacraments are the veins that flow with life." (pg. 3) These wonderful gifts from God give us supernatural life - the grace to live in holiness.
This book is a quick, easy read - only 64 pages that I read in less than two hours. Using comparisons of the physical and spiritual sides of life, Sr. Briege McKenna, O.S.C. gives readers a greater appreciation of the sacraments. These comparisons help us to see the importance of the sacraments in our lives. For example, we can be physically ill through sickness or injury and need medicine to heal us. Spiritually our souls can be sick, pulling us further away from God. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is the healing medicine needed to make us spiritually well.
Each chapter, in addition to information about the sacraments, includes special stories and miracles from Sr. Briege's own experiences. Through her work, she has seen firsthand how powerful the sacraments really are and she has generously shared those with us. Now that I've read this book, I hope that I, too, will be able to witness the strength of the sacraments in my own life & the lives of those around me.
This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Power of the Sacraments. They are also a great source for serenity prayer and baptism gifts.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Small Successes
1) Last night, I did NOT lose my temper when The Archangel was being mean, spiteful, & disrespectful. I calmly told him it was time for bed, led him upstairs, tucked him in, kissed him, & told him I loved him. Then I walked away...no confrontations, no yelling, no tears (for either of us).
2) I balanced our checkbook on the day after I received our statement in the mail. Usually it sits for a week or two before I get around to it.
3) I have not gone into a grocery store since Sunday afternoon!
