50 Shades of Neon: The Joy of the Gospel

The much anticipated Apostolic Exhortation from Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium), was released today. Like all other fellow Catholic nerds, I have been poring over the English text of his message. I'm so glad that I was off work today to be able to dive into his words! They are in total a challenging, thirst-quenching balm for the soul of a disciple who sometimes feels out of place in the Church.

Don't get me wrong - I love that Christ called me. I just wonder if we aren't sometimes missing the point. A Church that is so busy looking only inward will close in on itself. If the only thing a person thinks when hearing Catholic is "rules and regulations" or in this culture "hostile to women" or "anti-abortion, anti-gay" we have more than missed the mark.

I crave the day when the average someone hears Catholic and thinks of the lineage of men and women who sacrificed their lives to share the message of salvation. I yearn for the day when people hear Catholic and think of the schools, hospitals, and missions that have taught, healed and saved so many millions of people over the years. Most of all, what I would dearly love is that when people hear Catholic, they don't see "institution," they feel what this work-in-progress convert to the faith feels - "Jesus loves me and has made me for Himself."

The message of Pope Francis, per usual, is filled with so much goodness that my highlighting begins to look like fifty shades of neon.

I'll admit, this doesn't continue through every page of the document, but there are segments that look rather similar (Section 3 is particularly colorful). While I'm soaking this all in, I am not able to digest it all as quickly as many other bloggers given the two hooligans that have boycotted naptime, so I will share a few of the initial passages that struck me from this rainbow. I do hope to be able to sift through the document and pull together some main thoughts that cross denominational borders, and for my non-Christian family and friends, are words that lead them to encounter Christ and know the Love I have come to know.

I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”. The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms. Now is the time to say to Jesus: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace”. (EG, 3)

There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter. I realize of course that joy is not expressed the same way at all times in life, especially at moments of great difficulty. Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved. (EG, 6)

Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a thousand conditions were met. (EG, 7)

I will leave it at that for now. If you would like to read the full document, and I really do recommend it, you can download the PDF version here. (Incidentally, way to go Vatican! Something good came of the Brandon Vogt brouhaha it seems. Sorry Brandon had to be raked over the coals to increase accessibility, though...)

I'm off to eat some Skittles now...

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What I Wore Sunday: Makeover Time!

It is makeover weekend here at The Pitter Patter Diaries! No, I didn't get a makeover, though I may need one. It's the blog's day in the sun for now. Check out our new look and make note of our new URL - www.thepitterpatterdiaries.com! No worries - the old address will still get you here as well.

As for mama's makeover, perhaps a little interior one is called for first. Check the face before Mass along with what I wore today.

Pants: olive linen from Le Clearance de Meijer (aka Meijer clearance racks)
Shirt: thrift
Jacket: thrift
Shoes & Jewelry: standard everyday non-interesting stuff.

For more Mass fashions, click over to Mandi's blog at Messy Wife, Blessed Life - she's guest hosting this week as Emily from Fine Linen & Purple was busy sporting a very white, very fancy dress for a Mass this weekend (she got married!). Here's praying that her marriage is richly blessed!

Now for the interior makeover. Here are a couple prayers I love, especially the bold line in the second one for days when I'm not in the best frame of mind heading into Mass. Hope the rest of you had a splendid Sunday!

St. Thomas Aquinas Prayer Before Communion:
Almighty and Eternal God, behold I come to the sacrament of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. As one sick I come to the Physician of life; unclean, to the Fountain of mercy; blind, to the Light of eternal splendor; poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. Therefore, I beg of You, through Your infinite mercy and generosity, heal my weakness, wash my uncleanness, give light to my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness. May I thus receive the Bread of Angels, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, with such reverence and humility, contrition and devotion, purity and faith, purpose and intention, as shall aid my soul’s salvation.

Grant, I beg of You, that I may receive not only the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord, but also its full grace and power. Give me the grace, most merciful God, to receive the Body of your only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, in such a manner that I may deserve to be intimately united with His mystical Body and to be numbered among His members. Most loving Father, grant that I may behold for all eternity face to face Your beloved Son, whom now, on my pilgrimage, I am about to receive under the sacramental veil, who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas Post-communion:
I give You thanks, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God, who has granted, not for any merit of mine, but solely out of the condescension of Your mercy, to satisfy me a sinner, Your unworthy servant, with the precious Body and Blood of Your Son our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that this holy Communion be not to me a condemnation unto punishment, but a saving plea unto forgiveness. May it be unto me the armour of faith and the shield of good will. May it be the emptying out of my vices, the extinction of all concupiscence and lust, the increase of charity and patience, of humility and obedience, and of all virtues; a strong defense against the snares of all enemies, visible and invisible; the perfect quieting of all my evil impulses, both carnal and spiritual; a firm cleaving unto You, the one true God; and a pledge of a blessed destiny. And I beseech You, that You grant to bring me, a sinner, to the ineffable banquet, where You, with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, are to Your saints true light, fullness of content, eternal joy, gladness without alloy and perfect bliss. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

What I Wore Sunday {4.14.13}

We are quite ready for spring at Casa McCormick! If only it would get here to stay. Then again, I suppose then we wouldn't be in Michigan...

Mama McCormick (me)

Denim dress thrifted ($6!)

Lime green blazer thrifted ($10)

I just said I didn't like the comeback of neon the other day, yet I fell in love with this jacket. I blame the buttons you see in detail in the top center photo.

Li'l G

Denim dress & leggings - birthday gift

Sparkly shoes from Payless on clearance

Apparently mama and G were all matchy matchy today.

Baby J

Nothing too fancy, but what not-quite-9M old is wearing an 18 month shirt and not swimming in it? Yeah, that kid. Sigh. Time to make the switch to the 12 month clothes. We are running out of everyday clothes that fit this boy!

The Hubs didn't pose for pics, but he went with khakis and a short sleeve plaid shirt that's been in his closet for a few years. Maybe I'll get him to play along next week. :)

For more Mass fashions, visit Fine Linen & Purple for the link up!

Five Faves 4.11.13

First and foremost, congratulations to Hallie on the birth of her son, Charlie. Of course he would be your five faves this week! Go check him out at Moxie Wife! Also a prayer of thanksgiving for Jen over at Conversion Diary on a healthy delivery after all the maternity drama. More prayers that her baby boy will be out of NICU and reunited with them sooner rather than later! (Apparently, my fertility calendar didn't get the memo that Catholic mom bloggers were birthing babies this spring. I'm kind of thankful for that to be honest.) Now my five faves that came to me whilst up with a baby:

1) Facebook. Yes, I know it has its shadow side, and giant shadow at that. However, you can't deny that it is a powerful tool as well. This is evidenced by this page I ran across yesterday put together by family trying to reunite a holocaust survivor with his lost twin brother. Both were taken to Auschwitz, but ended up separated. If you want to help, check out their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/A7734/499971010060858.

2) I heart these earrings. I haven't been wearing earrings an awful lot what with two babies in the house (apparently for good reason as one of them got accidentally yanked from my ear this morning). These, however, are easily in my top 5 pairs I own. They are small, which minimizes the possibility of said yanking, though clearly not eliminating it. Mostly, though, they remind me of our honeymoon. These were found in a wee little shop in Boboli Gardens on the Florence "leg" of our trip. Sigh. I miss Italy.

3) I came across this little bottle o' goodness at Meijer as I was picking up my "usual" styling product. It looked intriguing, made enticing promises for a gal with thin, fine and sparse hair, and is made by Schwarzkopf. What poli sci major with fine hair wouldn't want to try it out?? Absolutely delivers on its promise to thicken and plump up the ol' hairs, and it smells lovely. People think I'm wearing a light perfume - not so, it's me hair! It is also reasonably priced (compared to salon brands, not Suave). Thinking about stocking up in case they decide to discontinue it, which tends to be my luck.

4) Hi. Meet Elliott. I'm not sure why he hasn't been part of our family from 2010 when Li'l G needed a humidifier. I went down the "traditional" humidifier route based on reviews. Oh, what a fool I was. Elliott has become my favorite pet. Sorry Hamlet and Noel - he's quiet, he helps us sleep and he cleans up easily. Oh, and I can turn him off when I don't need him. The only downside is that every time I think "Elliott," I think of ET saying it. So it's not really a downside, just amusing.

5) Oh, that crazy French Madame Blueberry. I have grown to love her, which is a good thing since Li'l G likes to watch her on repeat daily. "Last time, mama!" (which really means "one more time until I ask again"). I've been working on counting my blessings, so watching it every day is really okay for me. "A thankful heart is a happy heart," sung along by my 2 year old is a fine reminder in the morning. So much so, that I've started my own little link-up called Beatitude Attitude. Yeah, that name may not last, but the rhyming was just too tempting! Come and play along, won't you? Share your thankful heart to inspire us all to greater gratitude!

Now for a little eye candy from a wedding we attended this past weekend. I do love old churches. Draws the eyes and heart to something greater... 

Easter Isn't Over: A is for Alleluia (and Acts of the Apostles)

"We are an Easter people and alleluia is our song." So Blessed Pope John Paul II reminded us on many an occasion. Why? Evidently we forget. A lot.

What does it mean, though? According to New Advent's entry, a brief definition of "alleluia" is as follows: "it may be literally rendered, "All hail to Him Who is!"--taking "All Hail" as equivalent to "Glory in the Highest," and taking "Who is" in the sense in which God said to Moses: "Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel; WHO IS hath sent me to you." Basically - praise the name of the Lord!

Throughout Lent, Catholics refrain from using the word altogether. Lisa Schmidt has has a great, short synopsis of the why behind this practice at her blog, The Practicing Catholic. Her blog was the inspiration for my own journey through the alphabet this Easter season. 

Why is Blessed Pope John Paul's statement is significant? First, we are an Easter people - what does this mean for us as Christians? Quite basically, it means we are a people of the resurrection. Yes, Christ was crucified, but we live with the lens of new life and eternal life. This world and the things of it are not the final word or what hold the greatest glory. Jesus breaks open the gates of heaven to let us in, and that is our identity. We share an inheritance with the saints! We are a people of joy and life, not doom and gloom.

Secondly, alleluia is our song - what do we sing with our lives? Are our lives glorifying the Most High, or are we stuck in the ways of the world? On more than one occasion this week I've seen the quote from St. Irenaeus that reads, "The glory of God is man fully alive." What does this mean for us? What does it mean to sing alleluia with our lives? I think to fully understand this we must visit the Acts of the Apostles. The Easter story didn't,end with Christ's resurrection. It continued on with the story of the first apostles, and their journey in carrying out the mission Jesus left for them. It begins with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and follows their stories of conversion, healing, miracles and persecution. This time after Easter is a continued season of miracles!

For us to be fully alive, to sing glory to the Most High, we must live out joyfully our purpose - to love God and bring others to union with him. We must claim the unique blend of talents and gifts he has given us and use them for his purpose, not ours. We cannot be afraid to share the good news of redemption and eternal life, of resurrection and of hope. We are an Easter people and alleluia is our song - this must be our battle cry! Jesus is risen, truly he is risen! This must be our message, especially in a world that is rapidly forgetting. Steve Ray posted an article on his blog stating that 16% of people (I presume Christians) do not believe in the resurrection of Christ. St. Paul tells us that if the resurrection is untrue and never happened, we are great fools indeed. I do not believe we are fools, but sadly more and more people are being fooled by the evil one.

Just like the first apostles, we have to carry the banner of the cross and resurrection into the world. That is our challenge in this Easter season and beyond. Sing alleluia, my Easter people, sing to the rafters...

I'll close with the words of Pope Francis from his first Easter Wednesday audience:

"Let us be enlightened by the Resurrection of Christ, let us be transformed by His power, so that through us the signs of death give way to signs of life in the world! I see that there are many young people in the Square! Young boys and girls, to you I say bring forth this certainty to the world: the Lord is Alive and walks beside us on our life’s journey! Bring forth this hope, be anchored in this hope, the hope that comes from heaven! Be anchored and bring forth the hope! You witnesses of Christ bring forth hope to this world that is aged by wars and sin!"

Ten Things I Never Want My Children to Hear

I have found myself lately stopping in mid-sentence whilst saying things around the kids, especially Li'l G the Parrot. It's not that I am swearing, but I find that I sometimes make comments or try to be funny or self-deprecating without thinking of the larger consequences. As I was really reflecting on what I want my children to know and remember of us as parents, I know that there will be the things that 20+ years from now will make them roll their eyes or think "I'm not going to do that to/with my kids." I just want to be intentional in trying our darndest to make sure that their list is mighty short.

1) Disparaging words about them from our lips. We have amazing kids. They are littles. They are tough sometimes, but they are amazing. In our sarcastic, self-deprecating nature, it is easy to extend that deprecation onto our brood. I have found myself mid-sentence when someone pays us a compliment about how polite our Li'l G is about to tell them the dirty secrets of our sometimes tantrum-filled home. Then I remember how much it bothers me when my mother repays a compliment about me with a "if you only knew" comment or look. Our children have been created in the image and likeness of God, and like us, they are working their way back to Him. That comes with some rough steps, but it's our job as parents to help them get through those without holding it against them or publicly embarrassing them. Li'l G IS very polite. She is gentle and kind and expressive and beautiful inside and out. She is 2. That comes with some acting out - she is not a Stepford kid. So, thank you for noticing how sweet and gentle she is. 

2) Comparisons to their siblings (or anyone) as a negative statement about them. Having been an only child, I never really got to see the developmental differences between siblings. Friends, yes, and I heard those comparisons. I also made those comparisons in terms of parents, truth be told. Now having two very different children, I find that it fascinates me to compare their developmental milestones. One talked much sooner (and hasn't stopped). The other is definitely more physically adept at an earlier age. Neither is better. Yet, it is so easy to speak in terms of comparison. For instance, it took our Li'l G awhile to give up her bottle. Baby J is already trying to sip from a cup. Yes, he is light years ahead of his sister, but I found myself actually saying that aloud. It really bothered me to think that she might have heard that and thought that she was somehow not as good as her brother. Kids are different, siblings or not. God has wired each of them to his special purpose, and I need to encourage each of them in their strengths and not affirm them by degrading the other. My bad. 

In a similar vein, I never want them to feel that I am comparing them to their friends or anyone else for that matter. If we are having any serious issues in development, then we will address that head on with our pediatrician - not because Suzy down the street is doing things faster, but because there is a problematic delay in growth or development. There are going to be a lot of milestones in these young years, and many opportunities for achievement in the years to come. Our children need to know that none of that carries any weight when it comes to our love. We have to make them confident that we love them as they are, even while trying to get them to where we know they should be. Isn't God doing the same for us each and every day? He doesn't want us to be like anyone else he has made. He wants us to discover the potential and gifts he has bestowed on us in His time, not in ours. These kids, these very specific children with their very unique DNA, were given to me. To be graphic, God chose that egg and that sperm to come together at that specific time to create this life and bring to fruition beyond the womb. Why would we possibly want them to be like someone else, when God has specifically designed them for us?

3) Self-deprecating humor or comments about myself. If I want them to know and love themselves as precious children of God, I cannot treat myself any differently. This will take work. I don't always see myself through Christ-colored glasses. My hearing is not always attuned to blocking the devil's soundwaves. I'm getting better, but I have a long way to go. It will take intentional focus to not see myself as the Pillsbury Doughboy (or even if I do, to swat that aside and see instead Jesus radiating through me). It will take focus not to see every blemish. I want to do it for my children. These littles are ridiculously observant of even the tiniest detail and behavior. I don't want them to remember me always struggling with my weight or fixated on what might make me feel better about myself. How droll. God made me in his image just as much as he made them. I need to work on owning it and proclaiming it about myself, not in a pompous way, of course. Rather, if someone compliments me I need to be grateful and not guffaw or roll my eyes as I normally do. (And yes, I just used the word "guffaw.")

4) That's stupid/silly/dumb [enter non-validating word here]. I want my children to know that all their thoughts and emotions are valid. They may not be rooted in reality, but they are feeling whatever it is that their minds have concocted. I want them to know that as they grow, they can bring their fears and desires to me without ridicule or dismissal. Sure, some of it is going to be a bit off the wall. They are my kids. They will figure that out on their own, though, or I can talk them through it. I never want them to fear being laughed at by us for anything, however irrational. I want them to know I will hold them through their fears and encourage their dreams, grounding them in reality and faith.

5) That's gay/retarded/[enter attribute of person here to mean undesirable]. It's just not okay. I know there is a lot of controversy around it. I know people think we're all getting bent out of shape. The deal is that these terms we now know define characteristics of individuals who are disparaged in society. We know that these words are hurtful when used to insinuate that something is wrong, bad or not-smart. We also know that it just doesn't articulate what is really being said. It's become a colloquialism that, much like swearing, uses disparaging terms to convey an emotion without actually expressing what the emotion is. I never want my children to hear or say such things. Never.

6) Just go away. Ohhh, this one is tempting. When you are in the midst of simultaneous meltdowns and nonstop chatter for 8 hours, this one is so tempting...and so very damaging. There is not one shred of me that ever wants my children to think that I do not want to be in their presence. I need to teach them that they cannot and should not demand immediate attention during every waking hour, but I want them to know I receive great joy in being with them. Even in the midst of angst, I rejoice in them. God rejoices in me even when I'm a pain. I need to be sure they know I delight in them through thick and thin. 

7) You're ugly/fat/undeserving of love. Boy oh boy if I ever hear someone say this in any of its forms to my children, you had better watch out for mama bear. It comes out in many forms not so overt as the words themselves. I never, never, never want to be the one who insinuates such things. I actually remember hearing my own parents talking about me gaining a little weight. Want to know how old I was? Six. That's right. Six years old. And then again around my teenage years. I know they never meant it to be hurtful, but I believe there are certain things you say that no matter your intention are damaging. This is one of them. I do not believe it is isolated to the young ladies out there. There is just as much pressure for boys, and sometimes less opportunity for them to express their hurt. I find myself brushing Li'l G's hair or pretending to put powder and lotion on her face and then saying "oh, pretty girl!" Then I cringe. She IS pretty - she is BEAUTIFUL! Not because her hair is done or there is powder or lotion on her face, but because that is how God made her. There is so much she will have to fight in society to retain her dignity and a solid self-image. I do not want to contribute to the notion that exterior things make her more or less beautiful. My job is to help each of them claim and own their beauty as children of God so when the evil one throws the poo at them through the mixed messages of the world, they can throw it right back and say "no, thank you." They will be polite about it clearly - it is part of their beauty.

8) Parental arguments. Yes, they happen, even in our perfect and always happy home. (cough). Our children should never be embroiled in them. We should never use them as a bargaining chip. They should only know that mommy and daddy love each other dearly, and love them dearly. Yes, sometimes mom and dad disagree on things, but that does not lessen our love for each other, or our love for our children. El fin.

9) Constant complaining. Yes, I am guilty of perhaps seeing the glass as half empty or just another one the Hubbers will have to wash. I want to nip that in the bud while the kids are young. I want our home to be a home of joy, where we count our blessings, not mope over what we do not yet have. We are blessed beyond belief. God is always faithful and that is what I want our children to know. To quote Annie, "the sun will come out tomorrow." Even in Michigan, it's not cloudy forever. To paraphrase Blessed Mother Teresa, we should never let anything fill us with such sorrow that we forget the joy of Christ risen. We are an Easter people, a people of hope and a people of joy. Complaining betrays our heritage as adopted sons and daughters of the Most High. Will I still complain a little...as in did I go on a tirade about our house just an hour ago? Probably likely. I hope very much, though, that this will not be the prevailing characteristic for which I am remembered or known. 

10) Condemnation from judgement. This one is a little bit more of a "things I want my kids to differentiate between." I never want my children to hear someone criticize them or correct them and think that because they were wrong, that they are worthless or inherently bad. I want them to know that as sinners we all stray from the path, but our identity is in our redemption as children of a living God. I want them to know they are loved not for what they do (right or wrong), but because they exist. I want them to know how to take criticism and judgment in a way that they can discern God's voice in what is corrective and know the voice of the evil one enough to dismiss him. I want them to know that others will tell them not to judge, but it is good for them to judge right from wrong, sacred from profane, holy from evil. It is good to judge, but never to condemn - that alone belongs to God. We can judge an action for ourselves, but the person should never feel anything but our love. It is a tricky line to toe most of the time, especially when we talk about touchy subjects like sex. It is good for them to know they can toe that line with confidence and with our support. It is good for them to know that when they make mistakes, we will judge what they did as wrong, but we will love them just the same. It is good for them to know that we will set boundaries for them and instruct them in the faith in ways that will likely get us labeled as "judgmental," but that it is okay only if we live out that faith in love and service of our neighbors indifferent to their failings (hello, did you see the log in my own eye?). It allows us to live in the blessings of the beatitudes: 

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.' Matthew 5:11-12 

I want them to live as much in the Beatitudes as I want them to obey the Commandments. Perhaps that is another post for another time, though.

Raising Rebels: In Conversation with Steve Ray

The Hubs and I have been blessed to be able to be away over the last couple of weekends to go to some Catholic conferences. Last weekend we were at the Charism School at Christ the King in Ann Arbor (which I wrote about here), and this weekend we were at the Michigan Catholic Young Adult Conference in Lansing. In my former life as a young adult minister, I was rather involved in the planning of this conference. Since the littles have come along and I've stopped working in full time ministry, my involvement has...waned, shall we say? I'm quickly aging out of the young adult bracket as well, as I crawl toward the big 4-0, too, so this was a bittersweet year for me as I approached the weekend. God always has better things in mind. What we approach with sadness or fear, he turns to joy and peace. This was no exception.

We had the honor and privilege of having Steve Ray (aka Jerusalem Jones) as our keynote speaker. If you don't know of him, you really should check out his work. His conversion story is pretty amazing. What struck me most about him, though, wasn't the utter wealth of knowledge he possesses, which he does. In listening to him speak, what really amazed me is how much God prepared Steve for His purpose in His time. All the experiences of Steve's life added up to what God was calling him to do. His parents' life and conversion, being raised and trained in the Baptist tradition, the friends he had made...everything led to him being who he is today and what he is doing for the Kingdom. This struck me as especially poignant at a time in life where I'm not always sure what God is preparing me to do or where I belong. Clearly there is a grander plan that is perfect in His time and purpose - I just have to be faithful to what He is calling me to today, big and small. Additionally, we had been trying to book Steve for the conference for three years and something always interfered. I think God was using those who came before Steve to plow the field to make it ready for the message he brought this weekend (along with Bishop Boyea of Lansing and Bishop Cepeda of Detroit). It is one of being on the offensive in our discipleship and armed for our mission of bringing souls to Christ, of reuniting them in love with their God, who loved them so much He gave His life for them. I'm not sure we would have had an audience ready to receive that fully three years ago.

Outside the realm of talks, the Hubs and I were also fortunate enough to be sitting right next to Steve's vendor table, so we took the opportunity to introduce ourselves and chat with him a bit throughout the day. There was one part of the conversations that really struck a chord with me. Steve and his wife have raised four children and have eleven grandchildren (as of now). He was sharing stories about parenting and mentioned a bit about the teenage years. His advice? Raise rebels, but raise them to be rebels for Christ - that's what's truly rebellious in our culture anyway. The years ahead will bring our children many temptations to think they are rebelling when in fact they are just going with the crowd. Don't be afraid to steer them in a rebellious direction arming them with morals and faith. Find them their own rebel army - surround them with friends who will rebel with them and hold each other accountable. Most of all, don't be afraid to be firm - just give them faithful alternatives and always help them to see the truth. Tall order, but one that is really pretty exciting! Who doesn't want to raise a rebel army?!?

This means, of course, that we ourselves have to deepen our faith and stand firm in the truth handed down to us. We need to be intentional about strengthening our friendships with those who are also firm in their faith and raising their families that way. We have to do all this without locking ourselves in a Catholic bubble or living in fear of the culture and the people in it. We have to prepare our children to eat with the sinners as Jesus did to share with them His love and His kingdom (and realize we all fit that bill). We have to be willing to do this ourselves so our children see and understand their identity and role as God's children, and the dignity all people were given created in the image and likeness of God.

Again, it's a tall order, but we absolutely cannot settle for less. There are too many people who wander lost and broken in this world not knowing there is One who has already shed his blood to save them and restore them to the glory of God. What a perfect message as we approach the season of Easter!

Happy Palm Sunday and prayers for a blessed Holy Week!!

The Pope is Heading to Prison?

Sherry Weddell posted on Facebook, "Pope Francis will spend Holy Thursday in prison." She is quite right, and quite adept at getting your attention! The Holy Father will be celebrating the Mass with prisoners at a juvenile detention center. It is no longer business as usual at the Vatican, though I hardly think we can feign surprise at this point. Not a church of and for the poor, huh? I have a feeling much is about to change in the public image of the Church with the Holy Father getting his own hands and feet dirty for Jesus (and in example of Christ for us). [Insert the Catholic Lenten "A" Word here. Not the one that rhymes with Mass. The one that rhymes with BalletMooYa.]

Here's the article from Vatican News:

Pope Francis to celebrate Holy Thursday Mass at juvenile prison

(Vatican Radio) It was announced by the Holy See Press Office on Thursday that Pope Francis will celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the juvenile prison 'Casal del Marmo' in Rome, the same facility visited by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper, which commemorates the institution of the Eucharist, also features the rite of the washing of the feet. In his ministry as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Bergoglio used to celebrate the Mass in a prison, hospital or hospice for poor and marginalized people. The other Holy Week celebrations are expected to follow the schedule already released by the Office for Liturgical Celebrations.

Read more at The Deacon's Bench...

The Living Power of God

The Hubbers and I were tremendously blessed to get away this weekend to a conference in Ann Arbor. Called the Charism School, the weekend allowed us to grow closer to Christ, practice the presence of the Holy Spirit, and deeply recognize how little we tap into the power that God has given us through our baptism and the gift of his Holy Spirit. We realized how easily we are enslaved by the flesh and ways of the world and how little we truly believe the promises God has given to us as believers. 

I'm going to begin with an apology. I am breaking every rule of witness I have ever learned and was definitely given to me this weekend. This is a LOOONG post, so I hope you will stick with me. To play by the rules, I'll give my elevator minute version first. This weekend I gave words of knowledge from God to a stranger and received words of knowledge from a stranger that were accurate and relevant. I saw people miraculously healed of physical ailments. I experienced deliverance from things I had been struggling with for a long time, some of which I didn't even name correctly. I have been convicted in a very real way that Jesus is alive - today and every day. Now for the longer story for more details...

I confess, I read Scripture and while I "believe" that miracles are still possible, I kind of figure God has chosen other people to work them. Priests, pastors, preachers, missionaries, etc etc etc dot dot dot. Not little old me who struggles with her own spiritual darkness and lack of discipline. Well, let's just say that this weekend shook my out of my "not me tree." Now, I'm not claiming to be performing miracles just yet, but I am convicted that each and every one of us who has been baptized into the life of Christ as priest, prophet and king can, in fact, be a conduit for miracles. Let's be clear - we do not perform them. We offer our active faith and allow God to use us to perform supernatural deeds.

The school is taught by Damian Stayne, who founded Cor et Lumen Christi, an international ministry devoted to miracle healings and deliverance. He is clear. As believers, especially in this world, for the glory of God, we must perform signs and wonders - we are commanded to perform greater miracles than Christ. (We are, of course, commanded to do this out of love for God and our neighbor, not vanity in our ability to do wonders in demonstration of our own glory.) "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it." John 14:12 

During the course of the weekend, we focused on placing ourselves in the presence of the Holy Spirit and growing in faith to open our hearts to do His works. First we practiced giving words of knowledge. These are bits of information or insights from God for another person - this weekend specifically people we had never met before and had no way of having prior knowledge about. I was ridiculously nervous. What if I was the only one who didn't have a revelation? What if I didn't have enough faith or wasn't holy enough? What if, what if, what if? Well, the other piece of the puzzle that Damian was clear on was that acting with the power of God requires a willingness to risk - to risk being foolish, to risk our reputations, to risk being wrong (being cautious not to do harm). So there I sat, praying, waiting for God to give me giant revelations. And my heart started beating faster. I could feel every bit of anxiety welling up and springing forth. In faith I took a deep breath and kept praying for something, anything that might be a word of knowledge from God to my partner. You know what? The littlest thing that I thought was nothing and a distraction in my prayer was in fact a word to my prayer partner. I had an image and phrase come into my mind that meant nothing to me and seemed irrelevant. Well, to me it was - but not to her. It wasn't some giant revelation, but it was relevant to something she was struggling with recently. Holy smokes! I know the Hubbers had a similar experience. In fact, almost everyone there was able to give a word that was specific and relevant to their partner (who in all cases was supposed to be a stranger to them). We're not talking in vagueries here, either. No "your fortune will increase" or "you will meet a stranger" nonsense of fortune telling. We are talking about very specific, albeit seemingly small, words from God.

Imagine if we always were able to discern what some random thoughts in our minds during prayer were meant!??

Part of the school included a miracle healing service led by Damian Stayne as well. Though I will admit a certain prejudice to skepticism, I cannot be skeptical of healings that I saw with my own eyes. I will share one - there was a man who came in able to walk only with the aid of a walker. It turns out he had just had surgery earlier in the week. After being prayed over, the man was not only able to walk, but could jog around the church with Damian. Yes, it is the stuff of movies, yet it was very, very real. No plants in the audience - we saw this man on our way in well before the service. Scores of others were healed of less dramatic ailments, and admittedly, some did not receive healing (myself included). It is easy to remain skeptical, but after seeing that man I mentioned before, I cannot be fully so. What power we have if we act in faith and are received in faith! Certainly, it may be God's will that a healing not occur for the greater good of salvation, but what if He wants to heal us and we don't grant him our faith and our will to "make it so" - what then?? How many of us walk around burdened with ailments that God has intended to heal? 

The last part of the school that was a profound experience for me was the deliverance session. I should be clear - first, this has nothing to do with that horrendously, awful, disgusting movie. And two, it is not the stuff of movie exorcisms. Those are conducted only by approved and official exorcists. Somewhat reassuring to me, as the supernatural haunting genre seriously creeps me out, was the reminder that if we earnestly give our will and assent to God (regardless of our human failings in that respect), we are not able to be possessed. So the deliverance here was from oppression and other areas of spiritual warfare. No Exorcism of Emily Rose moments, praise God. I know for me, it was the most powerful prayer I have ever received, at least since my initiation into the Church. I've shared that I had been struggling with frustration and anger, as well as self-doubt, to a point where it was truly weighing down on me. I can explain it no better than this - we first prayed a prayer of renunciation of a multitude of sins - as soon as self-hatred was mentioned, tears were flowing. I never knew THAT was what it was...I just thought of it as low self esteem in certain plaguing areas. When the prayer of deliverance was said over us, all that weight, weight I really hadn't even sensed as physical  completely lifted. I literally felt myself stand up straighter and hold my head up. Immediately. Then the weeping started, because let's face it, I'm a woman and that is my method of release (apparently emotional AND spiritual). We saw and heard many other things during that session which I cannot and will not share, but if I didn't believe that we were in a battle of powers and principalities before, I surely do now. I believe that it is NOT the big things that plague us, either - we can be faithful people and be oppressed by things that we open ourselves to unknowingly and willingly. The little things most definitely matter and can be used for the power of God or by the power of darkness. It's not just for movies or the pages of a Bible or the third world. It is real. It is now.

So what is the moral of this story? I need a stronger prayer life for myself. We as a family need to simplify and make more room for God so that we can be used by him to fulfill his mission and spread his Gospel so all may believe. We need to pray, pray, pray for our children and with our children. Pray for their protection. Pray for their faith. Pray for an intimate knowledge of the unyielding love of God so when other forces tempt them to stray, they know they are forever in the arms of love. We must be wise and in constant discernment of the things that we allow to influence us. Do we live in excess? Do we hold on to pastimes and entertainment that takes our eyes off of Christ? This isn't to say that we can only watch EWTN or listen to Christian music. What is it we are opening ourselves to, though, in what we allow in? Fr. John Riccardo in his preaching says "garbage in, garbage out." The garbage sticks to us, too, though, so we have to be ever mindful without becoming over-scrupulous, of course. Lastly, we reflect what surrounds us - we are in need of a community of believers where we can practice living in the power of the Holy Spirit and exercising the gifts God has given us. There simply are not enough communities around - Christ the King in Ann Arbor is exceptional. We are not in Ann Arbor. We are not in the Diocese of Lansing. We need community here that fits our season of life. We need the Church to be that gift to us so we can grow in our gift to the community. Sadly, we realized that as so much in young adult and young family ministry, if we want it, we may have to build it. At a time when we are so very stretched, that is a sad realization after such a fantastically high weekend. We know, though, if God is calling and it is His will, He will pave the way. Let's see what the months ahead reveal...

7QT: White Smoke & Midnight Oil, Among Other Things

I'm just going to cut to the chase this week - no snappy intro!

1) Habemus Papam! I mean, how can I not lead with that? (And yes, I am the nerd who sat fixated to the television, camera in hand to be able to capture the moment through teary eyes. I'll admit it, I was a little emotional.) I've already written quite a few thoughts, so I'll not write too much on this one. All I can say is that the more I see, read and hear, the more easily I can see the work of the Holy Spirit. In reading around the Catholic blogosphere (is there a more trending topic among Catholic blogs this week?!?), I see many reactions. Some are rejoicing that so many new firsts may mean significant changes - this is probably true, though not in the way some mean, especially the MSM. Pope Francis has been clear that the deposit of faith is the deposit of faith. In contrast, some are trepidatious that his will be a very different papacy, and downright vitriolic about it.

Both reactions make me giddy with joy at prayers answered! I have a feeling Pope Francis is going to shake up our human understanding of what it means to be Catholic, with an unyielding witness of radical love for the marginalized reconciled with an unyielding proclamation of the Gospel message and God's plan for life, love and freedom in Christ. He will challenge us to live as true disciples with a witness set apart from life as usual and church as usual. As I said in a previous post, I'm so thrilled that the Holy Spirit shook things up. If I'm thrilled, I can't imagine how excited Sherry Weddell and the Catherine of Siena Institute must be (mostly Sherry). Our own Li'l G was pretty darn cute - when she woke up from her nap right after all the hullaballoo, I told her we had a new Pope whose name was Francis, like the saint she liked to read about. She said "Pope Francis? Go see Francis!" All right, kiddo, let's go - any generous donors willing to send my Li'l G with her family to Rome??

2) Speaking of Sherry... Must reads that I'm working through, especially in light of the white smoke: Forming Intentional Disciples by Sherry Weddell. If you ever have a chance to attend a Called & Gifted workshop with her, I highly, highly recommend it. Sherry's work inspires a similar reaction in me as that mentioned above.

Works of Mercy by Mark Shea. As I said, part of this blog will be evolving into helping us to live out the call to works of faith in the corporal an spiritual works of mercy.

(Interesting note: Sherry and Mark both came into the Church in the same RCIA class at Blessed Sacrament parish in Seattle. The Holy Spirit was up to something, and working efficiently!)

Hubbers tells me the last one to add to my list is Evangelical Catholicism by George Weigel. He's convinced these three books may be foundational in how we move forward as a church. Though I'm still making my way through them, I tend to agree.

3) We are into a terrible sleep pattern with baby J. I'm not sure if we are teething (likely at almost 8 months), but we have yet to sleep through the night. Most nights I end up holding him a good number of hours more than I should. I know it will soon end, but the result is that I am bit sleeping and feeling the repercussions.

4) One repercussion is a short fuse. I hate that the littlest annoyances threaten to send me over the edge these days. That is not the mom I want my kids to know or remember, or the kind of wife I want to be. I do pray more in those moments, but it isn't the quality of prayer I had before. Sometimes I feel trapped in a cycle of exhaustion and outbursts with no end in sight, and I feel like the biggest spoiled drama mama around. I have help. I have good kids. If you look at my house, it's not like my family demands white glove care or expects home cooked, gourmet meals nightly. I still lose it and wonder how our moms did it without taking to the drink.

5) I'm beginning to get to that age where I worry about my health and my weight beyond just feeling like a fat cow who doesn't look cute in anything. My best friend from college tipped me off to an app which I like better than anything I've used. It's called "Lose It!" and has an orange scale as the icon. Admittedly it's not even been a week. Here's what I love so far, though. First, it's free. Second, you can enter just about any food, or scan items, and it will give you the caloric info per serving and track it. Third, it gives you options for weight loss goals and bases your plan off how much weight you want to take off and how quickly you'd like it gone. It's pretty much modeled after Weight Watchers online tracker, but purely caloric and not points based. You can upgrade for a fee for more planning tools, but so far I'm liking the free version. Next up: the dentist and a physical. Check back in the fall. ;)

6) Sweetest sounds this week:

Baby J starting to consistently talk in syllables - first "word"? Dada(dadadada). Totally okay with that. I've learned my lesson - once they say mama, it.never.ends.

Li'l G singing hymns and praise. Love hearing her little off key voice belting "your grace is enoooough" from the back seat or "el shaddai" as I'm singing to her at bedtime.

7) So.ready.for.spring. Bring it! Walks and open windows, more road trips with the kids during the day...yup. Ready! Also starting to get the spring cleaning bug, but wouldn't mind having the kids out of the house for a couple days to be able to clean uninterrupted. Any takers? I'll swap, too! :)

And one last picture for the week. 

Viva il Papa!!

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio will from this day forward be Pope Francis, the 265th successor of St. Peter. The little part of me that was hoping we'd be surprised is quite pleased. I understand that he was the second contender at the last conclave, but the "experts" thought his age would keep him from consideration this time. Get to know a little bit about the new Holy Father at http://www.catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=50111. (Again, not sure how to hyperlink from the Blogger App - anyone know?)

Pope Francis, a Jesuit priest, is 74 and is the Archbishop of Buenos Aires. So many firsts for the papacy: first Jesuit, first Argentinian, first American, first Francis! Exciting times, exciting times...open the windows and breathe in that fresh air of the Holy Spirit!

I am hoping that with so many new firsts, people will not go overboard with their speculation about major changes in Church teaching as relates to the standard hot button US issues. Clearly there are bigger fish to fry... Poverty, war, religious persecution, not to mention a waning spread of the Gospel. To quote Cardinal Hume, "I suspect that it is a trick of the Devil to divert good people from the task of Evangelization by embroiling them in endless controversial issues to the neglect of the Church's essential role, which is mission." Let's keep our eyes fixed on Jesus in prayer for our new Holy Father, who faces turbulent times ahead to be sure. Viva il Papa! What a World Youth Day to come in Rio - was the Holy Spirit working overtime, or what?

In other news, when Li'l G woke up from her nap and I told her we had a new Pope named Francis, she wanted to go see him. Yes baby girl, we certainly should go see him. Anyone want to send us to Rome??

Pray Give Us A New Pope!

As the Conclave of Cardinals begins at St. Peter's, let's take a minute to unite our prayers with theirs, that the Holy Spirit may guide their hearts and minds in granting us a new Holy Father and earthly shepherd. The prayer below is taken from EWTN.com.

Lord God, You are our Eternal Shepherd and Guide. In Your mercy grant Your Church a shepherd who will walk in Your ways and whose watchful care will bring us Your blessing. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen.

What She Wore Sunday

So I've seen the "What I Wore" posts for some time, but I've already mentioned my issues with body image, so for now I can't bring myself to contribute. That, and with 2 little ones to get ready for Church, and still struggling with the post-baby weight clothing size fluctuation, my wardrobe just isn't that interesting yet. It's been on my heart to get all done up for Jesus, though, so who knows what a few months might bring.

For now, I'm just going to share with you how cute Li'l G looked in her dress and coat. Fashions via Costco (dress) and resale (coat). Yeah, we're high rollers when it comes to fashion.