Giving Thanks in the Storm

"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. I understand the grief of people who have to endure great suffering, yet slowly but surely we all have to let the joy of faith slowly revive as a quiet yet firm trust, even amid the greatest distress: 'My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is… But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness…'" Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel, 6

There are days I struggle to be thankful. I get bogged down by the responsibilities, the disappointments, the frustrations, the sorrows, the mundane things of day to day life, and I forget. I forget that I was given another day to breathe, another day to live, another day to love, another day to share the many gifts God has given me. If I were to make a spreadsheet comparing my struggles with my blessings, clearly my blessings would win out every time.

I also know that there are times when our wounds are so fresh that joy and thanksgiving are mustered with great difficulty. I know what it is to lose someone near a holiday, what it is to wish that they were able to share those moments of festivity and celebration, the milestones and the everyday. This Thanksgiving, I know more than a handful of people who are in the midst of that struggle, the battle to stay afloat in the joy and the thanksgiving though their hearts are breaking. Young wives and mothers who have lost husbands and children, families who have lost beloved parents and grandparents, military families who mourn the loss of their loved ones or ache to be reunited, those who are still struggling with unemployment and loss of homes...the ache of our brothers and sisters is plenty.

Through all the heartache, Jesus reminds us that we will rejoice again, that His goodness and mercy endure beyond any darkness we might face now. Amidst the storm, we know He is with us. While he may not take away all the pain, unlike any other person on the face of the earth, Jesus knows what it is to suffer. More than that, Jesus promises us that if we unite our crosses to His cross, if we cling to His promise, if we surrender everything to Him, we will rise with Him. Blessed Mother Teresa reminded us to never be so filled with the sorrow of Good Friday that we forget the joy of Easter Sunday. So it is on a daily basis, and so it is this day when we celebrate our gratitude for all God has done for us in this last year.

Let us pray for all those who are in mourning, those who are missing loved ones on this day. Let's pray that the Lord might fill their hearts with peace, that they may be surrounded by those who bring them comfort and share with them the joy of the Lord when they may not be able to feel it on their own. Let us pray that we might always be able to praise God and take comfort in His promises, even in the midst of life's biggest storms.




A blessed Thanksgiving to one and all from our home to yours! I am thankful to be on this journey with each of you, whether in person or in spirit.

If you enjoyed reading this post, follow The Pitter Patter Diaries on Bloglovin, Facebook and/or Twitter!

WIWS: I Heart Autumn & God Hearts You

I'm baaaack! It's been a long while since I've participated in the What I Wore Sunday linkup over at Fine Linen & Purple. Now that autumn is in full swing, I feel fashionably refreshed...at least this weekend. While the "fall back" didn't work for the littles, I somehow did feel like I was more rested, even being up several times. Go figure. I guess that sunlight helps at 7 o'clock in the old a of m. I heart autumn!

Oh, and God hearts you. A lot. Unceasingly and without bounds or question or restriction. He does. That was the priest's message at Mass this morning. Despite our sin, despite our conditional love, God loves us without end. Romans 8:38-39 came to mind as he was speaking, and sure enough, that was the verse he used at the end of the homily. 

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As we approach Advent in this season of thanks, I am so thankful that God loves me in spite of me. He loves me because He created me, knowing full well my faults and failing better than I do, and loving me through them, drawing me back to Himself over and over and over. In proclaiming the first reading from Wisdom today, I was moved again and again as God reminded us just how persistent and gentle He is, and just how much He loves us. 

Before the LORD the whole universe is as a grain from a balance
or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.
But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things;
and you overlook people's sins that they may repent.
For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing that you have made;
for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.
And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it;
or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?
But you spare all things, because they are yours,
O LORD and lover of souls,
for your imperishable spirit is in all things!
Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little,
warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing,
that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O LORD!

Wisdom 11:22-12:2 

Now that you know how much God loves you, here's what I wore today. 

Jacket: Resale $1

Skirt: Resale $3

Shirt you can't see: JC Penney clearance

Tights: Target

Shoes: DSW

Glasses: Costco

Pumpkins: Meijer - I didn't actually wear those, of course

Close up of tights and boots below:

There you have it. That's what I wore!

Happy Sunday - hope it is filled with many blessings for which to be thankful!

Seven Quick Takes: Hello, November!

First things first. How is it November already?

Now that I have that off my chest, I'm ready to link up with Jennifer over at Conversion Diary for some Quick Takes. I know you are waiting with anticipation of epic proportions.

1) Month of Thankfulness: It seems to be a new trend to spend the month of November posting a daily update on what we are thankful for that day (or to use interwebs lingo, it's trending). It's a big hit amongst my youth minister friends fo' sho' - see, I can be trendy. I was going to spend some of October gathering different bits of Scriptures on thankfulness and gratitude, but it seems Ann Voskamp not only anticipated my thoughts, but being the rockstar she is, far exceeded my expectations with her little "craft" to go along with it (including a version for Spanish speakers). It can be found on her website in this post. You might want to check out her post from today also, about how/why November is statistically the hardest month and how we can help combat that. If you're not already in love with Ann's blog and books, get on that! I wish I had the discipline to have thought out my own activity for November, but I am so thankful she already has. And there is my first post on thankfulness! :)

(from www.aholyexperience.com)

2) NaBloPoMo: Say that ten times fast. Go. If you don't know what that stands for (as was my case not too long ago), it is National Blog Posting Month. BlogHer hosts one every month (I think), but November is THE official month to encourage bloggers to post daily. Speaking of my desire to grow my writing discipline, I've chosen to play along this month and try to post something every day. No worries - I have no aspirations to wax philosophical on a daily basis. I have always intended to provide some type of "inspiration" for the day through the blog though, be it quotes or Scripture, so at the very least I hope I can acquire the discipline to share something meaningful each day to help us along the (sometimes trying) journey...like when the baby decides to throw up on you at 10 pm and then pee all over his dad when you're getting the tub ready. Yup, for days like that, we need inspiration. Or wine and chocolate, but I can't send you that through this little bit of electronic space, sorry.

3) Halloween Photos: First, Halloween is nuts. These kids are way too active to try to get them to stand still and look at the camera and smile long enough for a nice picture. So, here are our "action" shots. Little dude was the Gingerbread Man (next year, he's going to be a turtle or a rock to inspire less movement) and Li'l G wanted to be a pumpkin, so she was a punky punkin. Who knows - I tried other things, but she settled on a pumpkin. The Hubs' cousin has everyone over for Halloween in costume, so we went as Popeye and Olive Oyl. Not the best family selfie, but maybe there will be others posted on Facebook I can grab later...

4) Saint Swap: Speaking of Halloween, how do you decide how much candy is enough for the kids? I really don't like the kids to have candy or sweets, though their dad sneaks them donuts when they go out. Ok, I'll let them have a few bites here and there too. I just don't want to share my chocolate. Anyway, here's my little post on having a Saint Swap to transition from Halloween into All Saint's Day. Let me know if you have creative ways of rationing candy or celebrating All Saints' Day. (Oh, and after a question on what to do with the candy you swap, hat tip to my friend Amy from high school for this Advent activity - cones of paper with the date, an Advent Scripture reading and some candy for a home made advent calendar.)

5) Natural Foods: Speaking of rationing candy, how do you ladies who really do the natural foods or no processed foods for the kids do it? It seems to take so much energy to figure out what to give them that they can eat, especially the one year old, but doesn't require a lot of prep time...oh, and that we can afford on a limited budget. When I've been intentional about looking at labels, I feel like there just isn't much out there that wouldn't increase our grocery bill by a couple hundred dollars a month. Insert sad face here. I definitely desire to purchase and prepare better foods, or rather real food versus a bunch of chemical, fake foods. I also know I get overwhelmed easily these days and want to be smartly frugal as well as healthy. So, I suppose I could ask Mary to hijack one of her Tuesday question free-for-alls, but we'll start here. Any ideas? And...go!

6) Audrey Assad: I just wanted to share how much I am loving her new CD. I love that she left her label to focus more on worship music. I love the soft, reverent, current tones. I love every lyric, every song. Mostly, I love that it is the perfect soundtrack to naptime at the Casa. Audrey Assad, you're my naptime heroine. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I pray, they sleep. Can't get much better than that!

7) Foster parenting: Ahhh, I was set to write about something probably trivial here, then I sent a note to a friend from high school who has been fostering a little girl. Her response broke my heart with the complete unreliability of anything having to do with foster care, not always to fault the system or the players. It is just not an ideal system. When foster parents such as this amazing family give their love, their whole hearts and their home, knowing that separation may be inevitable, those ups and down and the unreliability become ever more infuriating. This is, of course, not only because of the pain this family now experiences, but more so that little person in their care. If the foster family is suffering, how much more so the child? It is a pain I cannot imagine, as is the case with so many of the stories I hear at work. My heart and prayers go out to these children, and my admiration and prayers to the foster parents who go into the work with humble, loving hearts for the good of the children and not the extra cash from the state. Here's a November double-hitter: I am so thankful you give of yourselves so freely that another little person might know what it is to begin to feel loved and feel safe. God bless you all. 

If you enjoyed reading this post, follow The Pitter Patter Diaries on Bloglovin!

Five Faves: Garage Sale Edition

This was going to be the Wednesday I had it all together and got this post up before noon. I was on the ball (after I recovered it from the seals). Everything was mostly written just awaiting some photos and a decision on the Hubs' Choice Award favorite. Then, I would press publish and ... voila! Well, voila is happening a lot later than I planned. Life again is not always about my planning. What was supposed to be a quick trip to the store with the kiddos ended abruptly. There's nothing like a phone call coming from the Hubs' phone with someone else on the line that sends your throat into your stomach. Luckily, it was a colleague of his who is a friend of mine so the first words were, "he's fine" before there was an explanation of why I was getting a call. 

He really is okay - just had passed out and needed to be checked out. Praise God he is fine. That is never the first thought - my mind always leaps to the worst possible scenario first, perhaps as a self preservation mechanism. Either way, praise God he is fine. There have been some great posts on marriage, and strangely enough that's what Hallie's Fave Five highlights this week. I won't elaborate with my thoughts tonight, but I'll tell you that phone calls like that remind me how very very blessed I am by my husband. And how very thankful I am that he is fine. And how much fun we have together even when life seems to keep throwing curveballs and seems to be filled with the mundane. So my five favorites were really spot on with some of the mundane fun we have been soaking up this summer.

We have a new addiction at Casa McCormick. Garage sales...or as we like to call it, sale-ing. Sure, some people think we are avid boat enthusiasts, but we (and now you) know the truth. We have found some lovely new-to-us treasures over the summer, so here are five of my favorite finds as I link up with Hallie over at The Moxie Wife.

1) Outdoor benches & chairs ($20 for the set)

2) Tricycle for Li'l G ($1)

3) Rocking chair for Li'l G ($5)

4) Mirror for Li'l G ($3 + paint I already had at home)

5) The Hubs' Choice Award goes to the shelf in our beautiful new bathroom ($10).

Yes, I know - it's pretty much been a haul for the little girl, though the little man has gotten himself a few trucks to play with too.

And now, I bid you all a good night as another long day faces me much sooner than I would like. Be sure to stop by Hallie's at Moxie Wife and read up on those fabulous posts on marriage!

If you enjoyed reading this post, follow The Pitter Patter Diaries on Bloglovin!

Belated Beatitude Attitude {vol. 10}

It is clear that I've been on a bit of a hiatus from writing much since the onset of the respiratory virus from the netherworld. Between being out of commission and then trying to make up time lost at work and home, not much writing has been completed. Started, yes. Completed...well, not so much. I've been remiss in publishing these Beatitude Attitudes, when even in the midst of illness there is such blessing.

1) Blessed am I that the Lord has given me such a wonderful family of my own. Even through all the complaining and impatience, He worked patiently to fulfill the deepest desires of my heart.

2) Blessed am I that I was given time to slow down. For a type A gal like me it was sheer torture, but I needed time to rest. 

3) Blessed am I that I have a hard working Hubbers who picks up my slack on a regular basis, but picks it up threefold when I am out of commission.

4) Blessed am I to have healthcare, even when I feel that perhaps my expertise in my illnesses is greater than their knowledge of my history. I can question them, but am still provided excellent care.

5) Blessed am I that the weather has been near perfect over the last week or so. Even though I could not venture outside too often, it was a great blessing for the kids to be able to go play outside and to see the sun shining in through the windows.

6) Blessed am I to have a daughter who I believe is pretty keyed into the Holy Spirit, even at 2. It is, of course in small, sporadic ways, but so amazing to reflect upon. We had been trying to get tickets for my mom to come visit in July, and the tickets are now always expensive. The kicker is that even at $600, the flight times are not reasonable for a 70+ year old woman. No red eyes or 10 hour layovers please. One morning this weekend, Li'l G and I were talking about my mom for some reason, and she bursts out saying, "Dida should come. We need Dida to come." I hadn't looked at tickets in a few days, so I figured I'd give it a try. Cost was the same, but two direct flights at completely reasonable times on the airline she prefers to fly. I know, it is a completely silly moment to see the the Holy Spirit working in my daughter, but I do. 

7) Blessed am I to be eating from our garden. There is something special about eating from food that has grown in your own garden by your own hands. We are still in the early stages of reaping the deliciousness, but it has begun! 

Hoping you are all blessed beyond your wildest dreams!

Beatitude Attitude {vol. 9}: Blessed Assurance

It's that time again for Beatitude Attitude Tuesday, where I look on life's blessings and take a break from all the complaining. Well, for a quick moment, at any rate. Let's not waste any time!

1) Blessed am I to live in an age where I am so connected so easily. Gathering at the virtual well has never been easier or more meaningful as I meander on the path of motherhood, wifery and discipleship. For this I am truly thankful. More on that in another post.

2) Blessed am I that we've had enough rain to keep our garden watered, and enough sunshine to allow for playing in the backyard in the evenings. These kids adore the out of door play.

3) Blessed am I to have a husband who is a strong man of faith. We don't always stay strong on our prayer path as a family, but he is always steadfast in finding us opportunities to be inspired and energize our efforts.

4) Blessed am I to be connected to some people who are incredible examples of lively faith and living by the seat of the Holy Spirit. I am floored when I think about all the truly prophetic and influential people the Lord has brought into my life to help me along the way. Better figure out where He's leading me so I don't bury me own talents, eh lads and lassies?

5) Blessed am I to have spiritual leaders who call me on the carpet...and whose calling I know is coming when I see them. Just had that experience this weekend showing up too late for a morning Mass before a mini-retreat on the Eucharist. Saw father coming. Tried ducking, but he knows us. Joyous to see us, and quick to call me on the carpet for coming for a talk and missing the actual Eucharist. Doh.

6) Blessed am I that the Lord protects me from situations before I even know there are situations from which to be protected. I am far more patient when driving (mostly) when I remember that the reason things may be slow is that God is keeping me out of harm's way.

7) Blessed am I to have friends who really challenge me to think and not just react. While we do not always agree on everything, and with some, rarely agree on things, I appreciate being brought back from emotional ranting to unite faith and reason as it should be.

What is God doing to turn your frown upside down this week?

If you enjoyed reading this post, follow The Pitter Patter Diaries on Bloglovin!

Beatitude Attitude {vol. 8} - Revenge...

...is a dish best served cold...summer cold that is. I dared to call this summer cold dastardly last night, and today it is taking its full revenge. The positive side is that I get extra time to reflect on my blessings as I rest and try to keep my nose from running away or taking on too close a resemblance to Rudolph. The down side is that I really have to refrain from snuggling the babes or smothering them with kisses, which is so.stinking.hard when they are the most snuggable, kissable babes in toyland!!

Without further ado (or achoo, as it is in the moment)...

1) Blessed am I to have a beautiful family that I have gotten to enjoy over the holiday weekend. Given the Memorial Day holiday, I know there are many families who did not get to enjoy time with all their loved ones.

2) Blessed am I to have figured out that our yard is too small for swing sets or play structures. It frees us up to do some other things and take more walks to the park.

3) Blessed were we with absolutely beautiful weather for the weekend so we could enjoy time together outside playing and planting.

4) Blessed am I that that weather quickly turned to rain yesterday, both for the sake of my garden and for the sake of quashing the amateur fireworks that would have inevitably shattered the silence of sleeping children.

5) Blessed am I that this sickness didn't hit full force until after my shift at work yesterday, and that the next two days are my "work from home" days.

6) Blessed am I that the Hubbers doesn't listen to me and was able to take the day off work to give me time to rest, even after my insistence that we would be fine and he should go.

7) Blessed am I that the little babe has been sleeping through the night. I was so worried that I would have to get him last night and then make him sick as well, but he slept right on through like a champ! Hooray!

Share your blessings with us! To participate, add the link to your Beatitude Attitude post below, and please add a link back here on your post. Thank you in advance!

(Submissions close in 6d 20h 10m)

URL:	(URL of your blog post)
Name:
Email:	(Not visible)
	Trouble linking up? Try here

Link tool by inlinkz.com

If you enjoyed reading this post, follow The Pitter Patter Diaries on Bloglovin!

Beatitude Attitude {vol. 7}: In the Aftermath...

"The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

It seems surreal to write a post about how blessed my life is when so many are grieving and in shock after the storm in Oklahoma. News like this brings out the fight v. flight instinct in most of us, and in some of us a "fright v. flight" instinct. Some of us want to deploy and go help*, others become anxious for themselves and their children, and then others of us become detached and bury our heads in the sand because it would probably just be too much to admit that "but for the grace of God go I."

However you slice it, this should shake us out of our daily routines enough to take a good look at how much we have and realize how temporary the things of this world are. Imagine where you are - now imagine a mile around you decimated. Imagine two miles. Look at those tiny people (and not so tiny people) in your lives. Sure, those screams and antics are like nails on chalkboard right now, but what if you woke tomorrow to them ripped from your life? Even the screaming gets put into a bit of perspective. We are not here forever, those we love are not here forever - it makes it more evident that we need to be sure our lives and priorities are rightly ordered. It really shouldn't take tragic news for that perspective to wash over us. More on that in another post.

Today, while lifting up prayers for those who are suffering in the aftermath of this current tragedy, it is even more important that I live out of an attitude of thankfulness for all of God's blessings and how He continues to turn those things I think are "hardships" into fodder to draw me closer into the heart of Christ and teaching me to love more purely, which should be my first priority.

1) Blessed am I that God continues to use the smallest things, like sunglasses, to show me areas where I am still attached to earthly things so I may better follow Him and realize that the laughter of a child is more important than a pair of glasses...even if I might not acknowledge it right away.

2) Blessed am I that we have holy priests who help me to grow in wisdom and love leading me to greater holiness...now if only I would make a beeline to it instead of a meandering path!

3) Blessed am I that I have children who enjoy the simple things in life, and lead me to remember that there is joy in simplicity.

4) Blessed am I that we live by several parks within walking distance, so when the morning turns into a veritable whinefest, I can scoop up the babes and head over for some fun. There isn't a single whine or scream a good swing can't fix at least momentarily! After that, blessed am I that this house came with air conditioning, even though the upper level doesn't cool off well. Mama was not made for overheating!

5) Blessed am I that God waited to bring me my husband until I was on a path seeking Him. I can't imagine my life with someone who wasn't in love with Jesus or seeking to help me attain sainthood.

6) Blessed am I with a husband who adores his children...and whose children adore him, especially at the end of a day where I struggle to adore the littles!

7) Blessed am I that the Lord came seeking after me, even if I was slow to follow. I cannot imagine living without the hope of Christ or the wisdom of the Saints or the Sacraments of the Church or the promise of heaven. I need to get better about sharing that blessing in word and in deed, and get to writing more about my conversion. Summer project.

*If you would like to reach out to those affected by the tornado in Oklahoma, here are a couple of organizations who are already helping and can best help direct your charitable donations. In the aftermath of disasters such as these, it is important that we allow the experts to assess, organize and direct our efforts - please, oh please, do not just go to help - it often ends up adding extra chaos. Also, as a friend wrote quite wisely, "paying attention to the organizations that you are donating to is important - do they already have feet on the ground in the area and therefore know the community before the disaster? Does your money really go to where you want it to go?"

Catholic Charities - Catholic Charities of Oklahoma City have set up a site where you can donate whatever amount you would like. This will help them offer assistance and support to all affected.

Mercy Chefs - Mercy Chefs is a non-profit, faith based, charitable organization committed to serving high quality professionally prepared meals, during local, state and national disasters and emergencies.

Thanks, Jennifer and Ashley for those links!

I hope you will take a moment to thank God for all the little things in your life that you may take for granted normally. 

Belated Beatitude Attitudes {vol. 6}: Lemonade Stand?

Sorry to have gone missing in action this Tuesday - I've been feeling a little worn down and haven't had as much of an opportunity to write. Nothing like Jen's scorpion sagas, but enough to keep me away from the keyboard. Thanks, Anna, for reminding me that people do read what I write, and that we are all connected in a very real sense in this mystical body of Christ. Sometimes I allow myself to wallow in my self-created misery and forget that I do not exist in isolation but am part of a much bigger picture.

Today is a beautiful pre-summer day, so let's drink some lemonade! (When life hands you lemons...get it?)

1) Blessed am I that God uses people to shake me out of my self-pity. Thanks again, Anna! (If you don't read her blog, you really should. She has such a gentle spirit and her writing is poetically beautiful. Go. Read. Now.)

2) Blessed am I that God's mercy is new every morning. Even the darkest night eventually ends, and most of the dark nights of my soul are made darker by my own creation, so morning usually brings a new perspective and realization that I choose to sit in darkness much of the time since Light is always waiting. (How's that for a run-on sentence?)

3) Blessed am I that when we are in the land of meltdowns and mass chaos, the Hubbers stays calm. I never thought I was not calm, but these few days have proved me rather wrong. My soul is not still - praise God his is!

4) Blessed am I that in the midst of a tantrum (mine) about a craptastic day, the Hubbers took the kids to play and came back with flowers. Oh, I mean that Li'l G brought her mama some flowers, which are a rare commodity in our house since our feline companions would like nothing more than to feast on those tasty treats.

5) Blessed am I that even at my worst, Hubbers sees in me my best.

6) Blessed am I to have meaningful work and people I truly enjoy working with and learn from every day how to be a better person, and better mother and a better ambassador for Christ on this earth. In sometimes stressful work, it is a true blessing to have many days where I leave inspired to be better.

7) Blessed am I that God sends me little reminders every day of what He intends me to do. When I just want to throw in the towel, he sends the tiniest whisper of a reminder that he wants me to hone and use all he has given me as gift, be it photography, writing, mothering or simply loving. I have to choose to remember that it is all for His glory and stop moping when I'm not an internet sensation overnight...or ever. As I was reminded today, even if all my work is simply to reach one person, Jesus left the ninety-nine for one, and one is enough. Now on to returning some emails...

I pray that you are all enjoying some fine lemonade this week, and I promise to chin up and host on schedule as best I can from now on! Blessings to you and your families as we approach Pentecost - rain down on us oh Fire of Love, rain down!

Beatitude Attitude {vol. 5}: Begrudgingly Grateful

Sorry to be a little delayed in posting this Tuesday. We got going this morning and I realized I never scheduled a post! This weekly feature is starting to really prove its purpose. Today has overall been a day where I am writing "blessed am I" rather begrudgingly. I'm honestly struggling to come up with my seven. That's really the point of the exercise, though, isn't it? I look at moments and it seems nothing in the world is going right. God sees those moments and says, "I AM. I am with you. I will make beauty out of this, especially since it's not as bad as you think it is." It really isn't. Here it goes...

1) Blessed am I that in what seems to be the slowest moving traffic ever, God reminds me that He is the author of time and is in complete control.

2) Blessed am I that God gives me moments in my life that will be fodder for laughter later on.

3) Blessed am I with the ability and time to make lasting memories with my littles.

4) Blessed am I with joyful children, who remind me what it is to be amazed in the little things.

5) Blessed am I in the noise, when God reminds me how valuable silence is.

6) Blessed am I in the silence, when God teaches me how to find peace.

7) Blessed am I that the Hubbers takes the kids on a walk so I can step back and be thankful!

Bonus - Blessed am I that there is chocolate in the house and I am not allergic to it!

And there you have it - this week's edition of the Beatitude Attitude! When I finally sit down to count my blessings, it turns out I have more difficulty stopping at seven. Who'd have guessed?

Please join in so we can see what beautiful things are blessing your lives this week!

Beatitude Attitude {vol. 4}: Noisy Coffee

Has it been a week already? Time flies when you've got little people running about!

1) Blessed am I when God breaks me down, because He builds me up stronger.

2) Blessed am I that others are patient with me as I try to find my way.

3) Blessed am I that others see me through the eyes of God, especially when I can't.

4) Blessed am I when the whining and crying of little people turns to laughter.

5) Blessed am I that spring seems to finally have stuck so we can play outside more!

6) Blessed am I when I am jolted out of my self absorption in time to catch moments of joy and beauty.

7) Blessed am I when the house is filled with noise - it is a reminder of life and joy and how richly we are blessed. Don't remind me of this when I am pulling my hair out later. :)

Bonus blessing: husbands who understand a need for coffee...

Yesterday

Today

What are you thankful for this week?

Beatitude Attitude {vol. 3}: Rejoice Always

The last week has contained a few days that have left me wondering exactly what the netherworld wants with me. In the wake of news that could leave anyone feeling as though the light might be fading, I am reminded that we are called to praise Him through the storm.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

And so we give thanks and recognize the blessing hand of God in the midst of chaos and rubble, of tragedy and heartbreak, of simply crummy days we think may never end. Here are my seven praises for this week:

1) Blessed am I to have a husband that shares my sense of humor, who I can laugh with, cry with, pout with, and grow with, knowing that at the end of the day, we will wash off the day and start anew tomorrow.

2) Blessed am I with healthy children, even with their own little ailments. This week I am reminded that not every parent is so lucky.

3) Blessed am I to have meaningful work.

4) Blessed am I that God is patient and gentle in his correction of me.

5) Blessed am I to have some holy men as good shepherds in both our home parish and our "backup" parish who preach the name of Jesus, challenge us to live the Gospel fully, and preach the hard message of truth in our times.

6) Blessed am I that spring is coming here, and the sun has been shining at least a few times a week allowing for outside time with the littles.

7) Blessed am I to have joyful children who savor life and know Christ at such a young age, even through their tantrums and growing pains. I am amazed by them daily if I shed myself of the blinders of selfishness and busy-ness

.

Join me in praising God through the storms of life and link up with this post below!

Beatitude Attitude {vol. 2}: Overcome Evil With Good

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21 (NRSV)

With the headlines over the past week, it can be tempting to believe that the world is a dark place and that there is nothing that we can do. It can even be tempting to seek vengeance in the name of justice. As I continued to reflect on the horror that is the Goswell case, a soft voice came to me in prayer seeking mercy, seeking intercession for his soul, the soul that was created by God to love Him just as much as mine was. I was reminded that Jesus asks for mercy for us and from us, to leave eternal justice to the Author of Life. When I logged onto Facebook earlier today, I came across this article shared by a priest in our diocese which is challenging, but so clearly gave me confirmation that the voice I heard was in fact the voice of the Lord. With him facing the death penalty (which I didn't realize until I read the article), I know the Lord is asking us to be that prophetic voice, making little sense in the ways of the world, but seeking mercy on this man's life, a life which somewhere allowed evil to be the louder voice, a life which still has the opportunity to repent and turn to God, unless we take his life into our hands and away from Him.

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.” “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:27-28,32,35-36

Then today. Today that threatened to make us lose our center, lose our perspective that good outweighs evil. Today when evil once again hit the streets, this time in Boston, taking innocent lives and wreaking havoc. Isn't that what evil likes to do? Throw us off our game enough that our senses become dulled by the numbness that enough senseless evil threatens to create, and maybe we will forget that there is a greater force at work in the world, that there is a Person who has made a promise that the gates of hell would NOT prevail.

Instead, I am reminded that the light came into the world and darkness could not overcome it. I am reminded that we must actively seek to do good rather than get pulled into the darkness. Mostly, I am reminded how very blessed we are. With that long reflection, here are my seven points of gratitude this week.

1) Blessed am I that all those I know who might have been in the Boston Marathon area are safe.

2) Blessed am I that my faith continues to inform me that light overcomes darkness, even when it seems like darkness just won't subside. (Not a reference to spring in Michigan, either!)

3) Blessed am I that I have a job that provides me great flexibility to do what I need to for and with my family. That includes the ability to spend the afternoon in the warming spring weather out with my littles.

4) Blessed am I that Li'l G is an amazing girl, though she is growing up so fast. Tonight she actually cleaned up all her blocks and toys by herself while I gave Baby J a bath. All by herself! Then she heard J Dawg crying in the tub when I ran the water, so she put on her sunglasses and came to distract him. We are so very blessed with beautiful children, inside and out.

5) Blessed an I that I have a Hubbers who works two jobs so that I can enjoy a flexible part time one and stay home with the kids more.

6) Blessed am I that I have a Hubbers who supports my hobbies and passions, and encourages me to write and photograph more often.

7) Blessed am I that the Hubbers does laundry. We would never have clean clothes for ourselves otherwise, but the littles would look great!

In this Easter season, let us never be so filled with sorrow that we forget the joy and promise of Christ risen. Let us always be thankful for that, alleluia!