tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68221571424803928632024-03-12T20:41:38.612-07:00Actual GracesReflections on the Little Gifts of Everyday LifeChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-48878028043093566132017-10-17T07:25:00.003-07:002017-10-17T07:26:52.179-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFXsl6XrJOWy0jF_uYl1lUE5PwzXBLM7xDyULs-mSl7gm2EcGdrX9jKazmeJdNcrSqrlUQNCIFTG8rWa4TnCYioyMlK3cm6H2htp1pmhHgg7e64Q2ofzojzA23hIpBcELCm7Wm0VP7rc/s1600/Slide1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="669" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFXsl6XrJOWy0jF_uYl1lUE5PwzXBLM7xDyULs-mSl7gm2EcGdrX9jKazmeJdNcrSqrlUQNCIFTG8rWa4TnCYioyMlK3cm6H2htp1pmhHgg7e64Q2ofzojzA23hIpBcELCm7Wm0VP7rc/s400/Slide1.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-54401189166343041882017-04-13T09:28:00.001-07:002017-04-13T09:28:01.471-07:00My Summer Projects! Faith Formation for this Fall<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjncza4MiyJIRrZXYL7zkKFdSZt7Bu76o05cDI7TwlQZGr9eyigrwpsxKypfpfpundz8atNzx-B2phRbmgjPW4oxAEWxr5-DbKzULsf4ETAtpoKq92pgO5naTOmN4nvXOuoe5srLN_3hvo/s1600/Slide1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjncza4MiyJIRrZXYL7zkKFdSZt7Bu76o05cDI7TwlQZGr9eyigrwpsxKypfpfpundz8atNzx-B2phRbmgjPW4oxAEWxr5-DbKzULsf4ETAtpoKq92pgO5naTOmN4nvXOuoe5srLN_3hvo/s320/Slide1.PNG" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/St-Joseph-Baltimore-Catechism-I-Worksheets-Lesson-Plan-Answer-Key-SAMPLE-3108891">Try the first packet FREE, click to download Week 1 </a></td></tr>
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I've really been burning the midnight oil as I put together short saint studies (about 4 a month) for elementary students, and it has been so much fun to see these come together! Each study is just one page, with a short kid-friendly biography, saint image to color, and fun review activity (cro<br />
sswords, word search, word scramble, etc). <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/April-Saint-Study-Bundle-3106790">April's saints are on TpT now</a> (individually and as a bundle) and I've already begun preparation of my first May saint, St. Damien of Molokai. Others for May will be St. Rita, St. Philip Neri, St. Augustine of Canterbury, and St. Joan of Arc.<br />
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The other project that has enriched my evening hours so deeply is a set of supplemental lessons for use with the St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism I. I've used SJBC I in my religion classes for years, and find that my students love the illustrations and review questions at the end of each lesson. My project expands on these activities, adding greater use of the treasury of prayers, devotions, and information available in SJBC I, especially the dictionary and index at the back for helping students understand the theological terms used in the catechism. Each lesson also includes catechism Q&A sheets requiring students to fill in missing words from each Question/Answer set. The first week's packet is available for free in my TpT Store. <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/St-Joseph-Baltimore-Catechism-I-Worksheets-Lesson-Plan-Answer-Key-SAMPLE-3108891">To download this sample, click here. </a>And be sure to FOLLOW my store for updates as the remaining lessons become available online. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhy-kMfxJpNISsqpXVGX7DkCBIacSD6DfSBMz3SS1kHe0ms6XIBfxGVoqwBLAACL-Ji4zIr_1He0381c1RJOsyayVCBPndH7DJf4LtM_Mw7JeHa4FKkiZtPprWrNMcmInvhJIB5nPBPvA/s1600/Slide0.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhy-kMfxJpNISsqpXVGX7DkCBIacSD6DfSBMz3SS1kHe0ms6XIBfxGVoqwBLAACL-Ji4zIr_1He0381c1RJOsyayVCBPndH7DJf4LtM_Mw7JeHa4FKkiZtPprWrNMcmInvhJIB5nPBPvA/s320/Slide0.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/April-Saint-Study-Bundle-3106790">Click here to purchase the April Saints Bundle</a></td></tr>
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Please pray for these projects as summer activities ramp up and the school year winds down. My daughter is really eager to begin work on her set this fall. I hope you also find them useful!<br />
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God bless!ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-65652859410159785162017-04-05T18:52:00.000-07:002017-04-05T18:52:14.345-07:00Reviving the Mobile Atrium 2016-17<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPc-taGr_Bq5D7Oe0reIb9WeEWxWO0g-7HNMSxdg09hAWG1VLECIjb38bKlBurNcuZFvKp3nax-1bp82MNvrH0Jzgllyg3KHNDlFJlv0ZHXm2kVKTULqah_OAvzFL7PT27VF2wpBvsu-8/s1600/20161101_163419_30084355253_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPc-taGr_Bq5D7Oe0reIb9WeEWxWO0g-7HNMSxdg09hAWG1VLECIjb38bKlBurNcuZFvKp3nax-1bp82MNvrH0Jzgllyg3KHNDlFJlv0ZHXm2kVKTULqah_OAvzFL7PT27VF2wpBvsu-8/s320/20161101_163419_30084355253_o.jpg" width="180" /></a>Below is a link to a slide show of our Atrium on the first day of school. We've added several new works since September, and more are on the way.<div>
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Photos of our works and activities this year will be posted soon (after the last day of classes at the end of April). All of this material is transported into and out of the church once a week, and sets up in about 30-40 minutes. Thankfully, the bookshelves belong to the church, as they would never fit in my van!</div>
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The responses of the children and their parents to this effort have made it all worthwhile! I have had a wonderful year and am looking forward to another in the fall.<br /><h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://seatofwisdom.vpweb.com/apps/photos/?ss=16018870" target="_blank">SEE OUR ATRIUM (SEPT 2016) </a></h2>
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ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-55875284026630611032017-04-05T18:23:00.000-07:002017-04-05T18:23:24.286-07:00Helping Kids Know the Saints --> That's My Goal!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXB66ZjtXq1XVxawkEWf4ZYdBiHvR7LQiKuUlz3kdHeaZ1Xv8TlUXRtOHt5MSQijjgeySrNpFSlx4ZuCPho0JBQkqWsyBRwztZtEsf1PWO0esEVATzrSwwvSO_GwmiTkaLV8yKdb6NDA/s1600/Slide1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXB66ZjtXq1XVxawkEWf4ZYdBiHvR7LQiKuUlz3kdHeaZ1Xv8TlUXRtOHt5MSQijjgeySrNpFSlx4ZuCPho0JBQkqWsyBRwztZtEsf1PWO0esEVATzrSwwvSO_GwmiTkaLV8yKdb6NDA/s200/Slide1.PNG" width="200" /></a>My most recent adventure has been the creation of short (one-page) saint studies for grades 1-3, with an answer key and teaching notes. I am learning so much myself, and my daughter loves the colorful images of the saints and the fun review activities. This month's saints (so far) are:<br />
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKay8rGjtZwJqAuAatPsLdDXbv6PanRxO0msYOGYvF-eS0lnRnbwQTqg0R40uENPG76bMJEaIISYeAtCCq65PllQmdPhZksguxm7UI87ype9_YU2M7eclBMf7tD-4Yxxua-oQo3eRdqk/s1600/Slide1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKay8rGjtZwJqAuAatPsLdDXbv6PanRxO0msYOGYvF-eS0lnRnbwQTqg0R40uENPG76bMJEaIISYeAtCCq65PllQmdPhZksguxm7UI87ype9_YU2M7eclBMf7tD-4Yxxua-oQo3eRdqk/s200/Slide1.PNG" width="200" /></a>
<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/St-Gemma-Galgani-Short-Saint-Study-3097627" target="_blank">St Gemma Galgani</a>, April 11</li>
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3G3bViAGzI_72PJHDagJaKi5Qprncrpltdnl8iLmZbkCAgHqNXHHD0SS0Shc8C40wNnnIRP-7dKyxWVCExNNuEPhJUeSeCJBwBZp4t7BTwcXSO7E4ZXCofS5RUY6av9A-bpwuMqIWNI/s1600/Slide1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3G3bViAGzI_72PJHDagJaKi5Qprncrpltdnl8iLmZbkCAgHqNXHHD0SS0Shc8C40wNnnIRP-7dKyxWVCExNNuEPhJUeSeCJBwBZp4t7BTwcXSO7E4ZXCofS5RUY6av9A-bpwuMqIWNI/s200/Slide1.PNG" width="200" /></a>
<li>St Bernadette, April 16 (coming soon)</li>
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<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Saint-Mark-the-Evangelist-Short-Saint-Study-3091259" target="_blank">St Mark the Evangelist</a>, April 25<br />
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<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/St-Catherine-of-Siena-Saint-Study-3092594" target="_blank">St. Catherine of Sienna</a>, April 29</li>
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New saints will be added every month, so check them out! God bless!ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-82576466345375926982017-03-31T23:29:00.000-07:002017-03-31T23:29:43.401-07:00Handwriting Resources for Catholic Children<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Big-Thoughts-for-Little-Hands-Saints-Trace-and-Copy-with-14-Coloring-Pages-3090028" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQYl4enWJ8HKz0FgszhcvDWarIHPzeNHMvcSIkeeweI05p8a6aNQZACAb9WxJ4S_8zScsbi_HBM-LozUTkCB8FhqBNQWu4053tB4Jz3Df9_bmiPtutZlc0lIHVEsBDmlvisB9yjC0aqM/s320/Slide1.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It is very exciting to see my "creations" serve other moms, dads, catechists and teachers. I feel so blessed to have a chance to offer low-cost and free resources to others who are working to instill the Catholic faith in young children.<br />
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Since I opened my TeachersPayTeachers online store in February, dozens of resources have been downloaded, and hundreds of views have been recorded. I've purchased several free resources and new products to enhance these teaching tools, including images related to the mass, the saints, and more. <br />
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Two of the most recent offerings I've added <br />
are my "Trace and Copy" handwriting worksheets for young children or elementary students in need of copywork. <br />
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<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bible-Trace-Copy-Packet-3043756" target="_blank">Big Thoughts for Little Hands Bible "Trace & Copy" packet</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Big-Thoughts-for-Little-Hands-Saints-Trace-and-Copy-with-14-Coloring-Pages-3090028" target="_blank">Big Thoughts for Little Hands Quotable Saints "Trace & Copy" packet, with 14 coloring pages</a></li>
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A collection of weekly lessons and lesson plans for use with the Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism I is under construction, and is slated for release by the start of the new school year this fall. To be notified when this resource is ready, <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Olg-Creations" target="_blank">visit my store</a> and<span style="color: blue;"><i><b> click the "follow me" link under my store name </b></i></span>to receive email updates about this and other products as they become available. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1Fmq-dgqiQdQxL8HOqDCNpU8P4RkU4jjRhSSNrFV60AtsaCneoKVrn53V4tqUlDhgCUqRiHgVUUrFCN-uzGMMB2ux0VbNgvKUJNEbZphSFZKHWh_vhs48SdVcETCzp903JVJsmzZITQ/s1600/Slide1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1Fmq-dgqiQdQxL8HOqDCNpU8P4RkU4jjRhSSNrFV60AtsaCneoKVrn53V4tqUlDhgCUqRiHgVUUrFCN-uzGMMB2ux0VbNgvKUJNEbZphSFZKHWh_vhs48SdVcETCzp903JVJsmzZITQ/s320/Slide1.PNG" width="247" /></a>My other catechism resource, <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/First-Communion-Flash-Cards-3015881" target="_blank">First Communion Flash Cards for use with the Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism</a> is available now and has been very well received. It is available in a full color, and an inksaver format. <br />
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Some of my popular <b><span style="color: red;">free resources</span></b> are also available at the store:<br />
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<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Gifts-of-the-Spirit-free-mobile-craft-3023454" target="_blank">"Gifts of the Holy Spirit" mobile craft</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Saint-Teresa-of-Calcutta-Copy-Work-3026480" target="_blank">Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) copy work packet</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/St-Rose-of-Lima-Trace-Copy-Freebie-with-coloring-sheet-3067641" target="_blank">Saint Rose of Lima "Trace & Copy" packet with coloring sheet</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/3in1-Trinity-Diagram-3036024" target="_blank">3in1 Trinity Diagram packet</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Perfections-of-God-ColoringTracing-Sheet-3015901" target="_blank">"Perfections of God" coloring/tracing worksheet</a></li>
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If you purchase or download any of these items, please take a moment to rate the product. TPT provides store credits for ratings on any purchased items.</div>
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I hope these resources are useful and affordable tools for your faith formation endeavor. May God bless you!</div>
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Shelia</div>
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<br />ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-87630706650847304932017-02-16T14:54:00.001-08:002017-02-16T14:54:45.338-08:00A New Bible Study Resource for Young Catholic Students<br />
The dishes are not done. The laundry is not folded. BUT the kids are fed and I've got a great new resource for Catholic faith formation that teaches how to study both the Bible and the Catechism!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOY8h44e3IsZLMMnfeTbQZW6Pwp0e5A5K4EN9jVIl2y4JntV9xx5Vxw9eYxlUK53wAAAwFHXJGJMMtDUj4hrS6ubfA19-zk_3Iuqpls8DGPv6qGcLHcZ_6PAIXg_Kf3_kPMMd-MQsIjRk/s1600/Slide1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOY8h44e3IsZLMMnfeTbQZW6Pwp0e5A5K4EN9jVIl2y4JntV9xx5Vxw9eYxlUK53wAAAwFHXJGJMMtDUj4hrS6ubfA19-zk_3Iuqpls8DGPv6qGcLHcZ_6PAIXg_Kf3_kPMMd-MQsIjRk/s640/Slide1.PNG" width="494" /></a></div>
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ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-50086257091188002382017-02-14T14:35:00.000-08:002017-02-14T14:35:14.771-08:00Introducing OLG Creations for Faith Formation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGzwtXnwKQ9RuDN_nw6VDeJmueoVGreS8pAVbFUxKnUvB-LqtdKxbUah4JRee3LW7Bb1RvY3yRtdGmWw0K7QTZLAB4_GjnbZzMaZjLnyPEDILlB4AITa_uWEc78Ura-nCJ8-APAWPF3w/s1600/Slide1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGzwtXnwKQ9RuDN_nw6VDeJmueoVGreS8pAVbFUxKnUvB-LqtdKxbUah4JRee3LW7Bb1RvY3yRtdGmWw0K7QTZLAB4_GjnbZzMaZjLnyPEDILlB4AITa_uWEc78Ura-nCJ8-APAWPF3w/s320/Slide1.PNG" width="247" /></a>After years of teaching Religion at our parish, our co-op, and in my homeschool, I am pleased to roll out some of my teaching tools for use by others. My first items were posted at www.TeachersPayTeachers.com earlier today, including:<br />
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<li><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Perfections-of-God-ColoringTracing-Sheet-3015901" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">God's Perfections - Decorative tracing worksheet for kindergarten through 2nd grade</span> <span style="color: red;"><b>(Free)</b></span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://flash%20cards%20for%20st.%20joseph%20first%20communion%20catechism%20%28color%29%20-%20colorful%20flash%20cards%20that%20can%20be%20laminated%20and%20used%20for%20classroom%20review%20%28%2410.00%29%20-%20save%2020%25%20%20february%2015%20-%2018%2C%202017/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Flash Cards for St. Joseph First Communion Catechism (Color) - Colorful flash cards that can be laminated and used for classroom review <b>($10.00)</b></span> - <span style="color: red;"><b>SAVE 20% when you buy between February 15 - 18, 2017</b></span></a></li>
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<a href="http://flash%20cards%20for%20st.%20joseph%20first%20communion%20catechism%20%28color%29%20-%20colorful%20flash%20cards%20that%20can%20be%20laminated%20and%20used%20for%20classroom%20review%20%28%2410.00%29%20-%20save%2020%25%20%20february%2015%20-%2018%2C%202017/" target="_blank"><br /></a>
Please check out these items and follow me at TPT for future products, including a black & white version, and combo pack for the First Communion flash cards.<br />
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<br />ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-90958598249833369502016-08-24T22:30:00.003-07:002016-08-24T22:30:34.817-07:00Homeschooling Our Way - Making Math FunMath -- the ultimate homeschool battlefield. Since pre-school, I have struggled to help my daughter grasp the basics of addition and subtraction. It was, as my husband called it, the explosive subject. I tried many different approaches suggested by other homeschooling moms, to no avail. And it all came to the surface this fall, when my 7 year old daughter packed a bag and walked away in frustration. I watched her sitting on a neighbor's porch, trying to hide from me, feeling like a failure in everything I was trying to accomplish as a mom and as a teacher. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had already moved her back from the advanced level she did last year to an easier, second grade curriculum. We were battling over the basics: <b><i>1 + 1 = I hate you. </i></b>And this was after she had succeeded in triple-digit addition and subtraction at the end of her first grade year (although not without a fight).<div>
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As my husband returned from his walk, I alerted him by text to stop by our neighbor's porch and comfort her. Once he arrived, she felt compelled to cooperate. Yet, I knew he would be returning to campus very soon, and I would not have him present to help when the next skirmish might arise.</div>
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In the days that followed, my husband and I discussed our daughter's very unique personality and temperament. We decided on an experiment I greatly doubted -- introducing her favorite "puppet personalities" into the classroom. Since she was two, we've had a host of puppets around to entertain her, and each has developed its own quirky character over the years. While I reluctantly consented to this approach, I was convinced it would not work.</div>
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To my husband's credit, I was wrong. Our classroom experience has been transformed. She and I are no longer at odds over homework, not even MATH. In fact, it has gone from her least favorite subject to her new favorite pastime. Today her reward for helping with chores was an extra math lesson taught by her puppet pals, Piggy and Cow. With me urging them on, these two fuzzy puppets write problems on a white board and wait eagerly with red pen for grading (Piggy loves the red pen!).</div>
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They encourage her as she reads. And whenever her quick temper begins to spark, Cow yells "Bacon" and Piggy faints. The familiar banter continues, as a temper tantrum and total homeschool shutdown is averted.</div>
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We've come a long way over the years, and we have finally learned the most important lesson of homeschooling -- it doesn't have to mirror the methods traditionally used in the public or private school classroom. Common errors can be made by a puppet, and corrected by another, so that our daughter learns from the mistake without having to make it herself. Schoolwork can be chaotic and silly. It can anticipate distraction and a puppet can shout "Focus" without invoking great wrath and defiance from my extremely strong-willed child when her attention wanes. </div>
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We have gone from "making:" her do schoolwork to begging her to STOP doing so many extra lessons so I can prepare the evening meal! Math has gone from being a dreaded chore to a special reward. And that's just fine with us!</div>
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ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-49374013788477684402016-07-09T06:25:00.001-07:002016-07-09T06:25:14.293-07:00When Foundations Crumble, Build Again<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ei9CfOhye2VIrTJveyz-9B7kbCgpWkRM_P7aoFvkTU1hhtltIHpOd3A8tHLd9fCIed_L8atiy974-w0PasjVgpTiybDdilXpOPBaJ1wwK6KtntERfcYgss3TCV_mursSCoOQvKTDtTg/s1600/is.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ei9CfOhye2VIrTJveyz-9B7kbCgpWkRM_P7aoFvkTU1hhtltIHpOd3A8tHLd9fCIed_L8atiy974-w0PasjVgpTiybDdilXpOPBaJ1wwK6KtntERfcYgss3TCV_mursSCoOQvKTDtTg/s320/is.jpg" width="320" /></a>Funny, but when things are going well, we barely notice. Then, out of the blue, change falls upon us so suddenly and unexpectedly that we never even see it coming. It's been that way for us with homeschooling.<br />
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For the last five years, our daughter participated in a local homeschool co-op, whose members were very much like family to us. But then one day when we least expected it, we received the news that our co-op was dissolving, and the remaining families were left to pick up the pieces and forge ahead. It was a very emotional time for all of us. I don't think it would be unfair to say we mourned the loss of our co-op just as we might the passing of a beloved family friend. <br />
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In the days that followed, we tried to hold on to what remained of our group's foundation, even as it crumbled beneath us. We then learned of another group in our area and attempted to work with them, but their foundation had already been set after much time and research. They did not want to go back to the drawing board or begin again to accommodate us, and who could blame them? Some members of our group were instantly ready to join their efforts. Yet, I and a few<br />
others felt it was important to have a voice in how things are done. So, our group was faced with a choice -- join the new group's efforts or build something new of our own.<br />
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For our family, we chose to build. A few others joined in, and what remained was a splintered and hurting remnant of families who will not be working with each other on a regular basis as in the past. This was particularly painful for me, as I felt some blame by others for the divide, for not "going along for the sake of unity." Should I have just accepted the option presented, though in my heart I knew it was not what my own daughter needed?<br />
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I could not, and it was an emotional and heartbreaking choice. Though I have great respect for what the other group aims to accomplish, I decided to help build something different, something more in line with our family's needs and goals. And what a blessing, and what a cost, that followed!<br />
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Seeing a new co-op come to life and grow is a tremendous gift from God. Being an active part of such growth is a great blessing and comfort to me. I've met new people and made new friends. Yet the cost of losing frequent contact with so many who are dear to me is difficult, not only for me, but for our daughter, as well. She no longer sees some of her friends on a regular basis, though we and the other families are trying to maintain contact as well as our schedules allow.<br />
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Not a day goes by that I don't mourn the loss of the beautiful bond we shared with the families of our original co-op. I miss them all, and I miss their children. As one mom put it, we are all still "mourning the loss that we can't all be together." I echo that feeling, though I will not sacrifice my hopes for the future. My daughter is coping better than I in many ways. She makes new friendships easily, and is looking ahead to the future. I, on the other hand, can be melancholy over all that was lost and wonder what might have been if I'd chosen another path.<br />
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So do I regret my decision? Never. I know I chose what is right my family and I trust that I am following God's will for my family. Is it easy? Nope. All I can do is offer the pain, the discouragement, and feelings of loss to God, for the sake of both efforts and especially for the children. I do believe God will make both groups bloom and grow in amazing ways, though along different paths. The part of me that has always tried to please everyone must let go and move on. And another, more confident, decisive and purposeful part of me has emerged. Each day I feel the joy of watching the Holy Spirit at work in our efforts. We've grown from three to nine families, with great potential for even more. And I feel my efforts have not been wasted. In short, I feel tremendously needed and useful.<br />
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It is time to let go of the grief and guilt, and move ahead. I will always remember fondly all that was past, but now is the time to trust God and look to the future. Much work lies ahead. May God bless our efforts -- all efforts -- to raise His children up to know, love and serve him in this world!<br />
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<br />ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-64166985969397695552013-01-24T21:11:00.000-08:002013-01-24T21:11:19.334-08:00My New Religion Resource for 2012-13: Witness, A Role Playing Game of Christian Faith<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINjkezK5mp5ymFVu3K_ybwJI8aOyXVlgrPXQK14iq_kpQoOQ392n-tgDur4VB9s8woq-lm6MRvGL7nLpGQAePfR3MMraRH-NPnQ6HWPFPmmeUIpSvl9CNyflIV5LIJmnKOh49dWmaNVc/s1600/IMG_9306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINjkezK5mp5ymFVu3K_ybwJI8aOyXVlgrPXQK14iq_kpQoOQ392n-tgDur4VB9s8woq-lm6MRvGL7nLpGQAePfR3MMraRH-NPnQ6HWPFPmmeUIpSvl9CNyflIV5LIJmnKOh49dWmaNVc/s400/IMG_9306.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Letting their Light Shine -- Candles are a key element of role play within the <i>Witness</i> curriculum. Students face both mundane and moral choices as they encounter the Word of God in a weekly classroom setting.</span></td></tr>
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When I became involved in our local Catholic home school cooperative, I had no idea how much I would enjoy teaching, how much work is involved, or how many graces I would receive from this experience.<br />
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We are well into our second year, and again I am teaching religion (3rd, 4th/5th, and 7th grades), as well primary Latin (2nd & 3rd grade). In addition, I teach Kindergarten and Pre-K religion in a Montessori-style catechetical program known as the <a href="http://cgsusa.org/" target="_blank">Catechesis of the Good Shepherd</a>.<br />
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Watching my daughter grow from an unruly 2-year-old to an almost well-behaved 4-year-old at mass has been a true journey of faith and hope. Just today, she sat quietly at mass, with only one minor outburst ("Look Mommy, he's holding a paten!"). Given that I helped teach nomenclature for the altar, I was proud to see that her time in the Atrium (the CGS learning environment) was paying off.<br />
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For me, teaching religion has been more rewarding than I could ever imagine. I began the school year with the admonition of James 3:1 in mind: "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly." If that doesn't serve as ample motivation, perhaps religion is not the subject to teach. So I set out to give God and our children my very best this year.<br />
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As soon as I knew which classes I'd be teaching, I began preparing. We have some great materials -- the <a href="http://www.ignatius.com/promotions/faithandlife/index.htm" target="_blank">Faith and Life</a> series from Ignatius Press, and the Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism. These are wonderful resources that present the faith in progressively greater depth from year to year, and align wonderfully with the liturgical year. I've also incorporated several well-made videos on the lives of Catholic saints (e.g., <a href="http://www.adoremusbooks.com/padrepiomiracleman-dvd.aspx?zmam=46742494&zmas=1&zmac=2&zmap=91310&gclid=COHRyZLXgrUCFSemPAod71UACw" target="_blank">Padre Pio</a>, <a href="http://www.catholiccompany.com/clare-francis-dvd-p4003802/" target="_blank">Clare and Francis</a>) and others who have yet to be beatified but lived lived lives of great faith and virtue, such as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Teresa-Olivia-Hussey/dp/B000EXDS52/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1359087968&sr=8-3&keywords=mother+teresa+video" target="_blank">Blessed Mother Teresa</a> and <a href="http://www.sheenfilm.org/film_trailer.html" target="_blank">Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen</a>. And I again incorporated last year's favorite, <a href="http://www.boystownmovie.org/" target="_blank">Boys Town</a>, as we studied the life of <a href="http://www.boystown.org/about/father-edward-j-flanagan" target="_blank">Fr. Edward Flanagan</a>. Lastly, I couldn't resist presenting the adorable classic, <a href="http://www.christianbook.com/miracle-of-marcellino/pd/839122?en=google-pla&kw=dvds-0-20&p=1167941&gclid=CJOOw-bXgrUCFWGnPAodF1EAKg" target="_blank">Miracle of Marcelino</a> to my 3rd graders.<br />
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Still, for my 4th and 5th grade class, I wanted something that would bring last year's classroom challenge ("I dare you to be saints") to life in a fun and imaginative way. I searched, but was unable to find a resource that would translate the knowledge the students were gaining into a tangible, albeit virtual, reality in their minds. One day I realized this resource had yet to be written, and perhaps God was calling <i>me</i> to write it.<br />
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We had spent the last few weeks of the 2011-12 school year in a basement, and I couldn't help but think of the early Christians gathering in dimly lit catacombs to study, live and pass on their faith. And that's how the idea took root within my heart. I wanted a resource that would fit within our existing curriculum in compact, fun and imaginative way. Much of the content was written as I prepared during the summer. The rest is born weekly, as a result of our classroom application of the materials. <br />
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The students' responses have been encouraging, and other classes have even asked to take part. My third graders have already begun reminding me that next year will be their turn to play <i>Witness</i>, just like their older peers and siblings this year.<br />
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As the school year progresses, the choices each character faces become more intense, as do the challenges for me as a writer. I can't even begin to describe what it's like to see my words come to life in the classroom, as students bring their own imagination and creativity to the assignments. <br />
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With roughly 12 weeks to go in our school year,<i> </i>the final chapters of our story remain to be written. Much depends on the roll of the dice and the choices each student makes. Students greet me with great anticipation each week, "Are we doing witness today, Mrs. Hunt?" Time will tell whether this resource accomplishes the long-term goals I have in mind for it, but for the present, my students are fully engaged and eager to participate.<br />
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As the school year draws to a close, I will post updates and photos from the classroom. Ultimately, my hope is that God will be pleased with the effort, and that four special students will live their faith more intensely and grow up to become great saints!ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-18045750649831600752012-05-25T19:18:00.001-07:002012-05-25T19:19:26.933-07:00My Daughter and I Wrap Up A Successful First Year of School Together<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7ajoqhGxKdVoMQeQ7PmP0El2gFPCooDDjqiIGz06cgwICsM3pzjLJoFXMSoasWEWatWg9lKe6i4hyphenhyphenpBPyOv2KS4pzgbVXdiwxf-U6irmZB8XGRaG_m95bEU8sLIjLkYoz2RIsqOeqDM/s1600/IMG_7754copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7ajoqhGxKdVoMQeQ7PmP0El2gFPCooDDjqiIGz06cgwICsM3pzjLJoFXMSoasWEWatWg9lKe6i4hyphenhyphenpBPyOv2KS4pzgbVXdiwxf-U6irmZB8XGRaG_m95bEU8sLIjLkYoz2RIsqOeqDM/s320/IMG_7754copy.jpg" width="320" /></a>We did it! Grace and I finished our first year of school together. It was a great learning experience for us both. </div>
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I look at her today, and I am amazed at how much she's grown, and how well she's matured over the past nine months. She started out "wishing" she had playmates. Now, she runs to greet them as she arrives at school. She began the year clinging to my ankles as I walked across the hall to teach a class. Now she hugs me and goes straight to her classroom. <br />
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She is growing in her autonomy and independence, and it's beautiful to watch. And while it could be said that much of this would have happened anyway as part of the developmental process, I believe the structure of attending school has aided in the process -- both for her, and for me. Heaven knows, I'm very much a free spirit when it comes to time management. Having a schedule and the necessity of establishing and following regular lesson plans seemed to weigh me down at first, but ultimately provided a much needed anchor to the rhythms of my day. And even the "break" of leaving my child in one room to accept responsibility for a half dozen others was a relief. <br />
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As we wrapped up the school year with a picnic, I was so impressed by what God has done for us through this experience in such a short time. He has given me the encouragement and support of other homeschooling moms like myself, and He's made it possible for Grace to learn more about His love through friendships I hope will last a good, long time.ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-3866297395363250912012-02-02T20:51:00.000-08:002012-02-02T20:51:52.307-08:00The BIG Question: Are YOU Ready to be a Deacon's Wife?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJU_r2JjI7QrikcgCVGoA2o84W73phh8GRWcqOZS21i0AtfBXbJbE1XQwrUpXjUO5bZGLGrY0qnTtYxptphFUcxNMOOEGhkVwYeSx68XE30x_QpxhzzXmIfKUXmSGZD3azMTb24IXfSqI/s1600/IMG_6819(rev-0).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJU_r2JjI7QrikcgCVGoA2o84W73phh8GRWcqOZS21i0AtfBXbJbE1XQwrUpXjUO5bZGLGrY0qnTtYxptphFUcxNMOOEGhkVwYeSx68XE30x_QpxhzzXmIfKUXmSGZD3azMTb24IXfSqI/s320/IMG_6819(rev-0).jpg" width="213" /></a></div>It's been nearly five years since my husband Scott began discerning whether he might be called to serve as a deacon in the Catholic Church. It's a long process, so there's been a lot of time for him to consider whether this is where God wants him to be.<br />
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All along the way, I've been a part of the process. I've answered many questions. <em>Yes</em>, I feel he may be called. <em>Yes</em>, I think he's ready. <em>Yes</em>, I know it won't be easy. <em>Yes</em>, I support him 100 percent.<br />
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But then came <em>the</em> question I never saw coming: <em><strong>So, are YOU ready to be a Deacon's Wife?</strong></em><br />
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Hold on, I thought. A <em>Deacon's Wife?</em> Aren't "they" wise beyond their years, poised and calm in every situation, capable of calming the most rambunctious CCD class without blinking an eye, and able to leap tall pot-luck menus in a single bound? <br />
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They're a different breed of women, for sure -- like <em>superwives</em>. They're always there to help, and they never complain or find themselves searching for just the right words to say when someone's just lost a loved one or made a really bad decision that begs for better advice. <br />
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I stammered for a minute. "Um....I hadn't thought of it that way before," was the best answer I could muster. I remembered one day, early in the process, when there was a row of about five or six of these amazing women sitting before me. I drank in their advice eagerly and filed it away in a mental folder labeled "Someday". What was it they said? I should have taken notes! <br />
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This whole time I've listened to the theology, cultivated a healthy respect for the liturgical rubrics, and even learned to say the Liturgy of the Hours on my own, without Scott having to mark the pages for me anymore. But as we prepare to leave the classroom environment and enter true "service" mode, I notice more and more eyes on me and mine (which includes a very noisy and energetic 3-year-old who seldom stays quiet during mass). I'm suddenly feeling inadequate and unsure of where I fit into this new role. I'm pretty certain there's not even one liturgical supply company that offers a spousal "cloak of invisibility," though any company that could produce such a thing would certainly add to their sales revenue in no short order.<br />
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No, there's no way around it, I thought. <em>I am NOT ready</em>. I'm willing. But I'm not ready. So being the procrastinator that I am, I set the question aside for a while, just like Scarlett O'Hara. "I'll think about that tomorrow, at Tara," she would often say, and so do I. Never mind that in my closet there's a box of things I've never decided what to do with (aptly labeled, "Tara"). But this question just won't fit in the box. So what else could I do, but "blog it out?" And at just about this point the words stop coming. <br />
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True, some answers flash quickly through my mind. <em>God will give you what you need. </em> <em>It's not about you.</em> But they sound so much like lines from a greeting card that I just don't know.... maybe ... if<em> </em>you're one of the superwives. My husband's potential ordination comes with an alb, a dalmatic, and a stole. But as far as I know, there's no "Superwife" cape for me, and no cloak of invisibility either. And now I'm smack dab in the middle of a huge "blog it out" question that I have no idea how to answer.<br />
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And then I hear it, that quiet little voice: "Mommy, I threw up." <br />
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I immediately stop typing and take my daughter into my arms. I gather a washcloth, towel, and change of clothes for her. I take her to her room and clean her up. Then I clean "it" up (God does bestow on us mothers a grace I call "Love's Iron Stomach"). I soothe her, caress her, and hold her in my arms until she's sound asleep again. <br />
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Then I return to the laptop and ask myself, <em>what was I saying? </em>Oh yeah, the Hallmark answers that don't seem to ring true.<br />
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<em>God gives you what you need. </em>Well... Maybe... Yes. Definitely! He did, in fact, just send a sign (and a messy one, at that). Could it be that this "Deacon's Wife" thing is a lot like motherhood? You start out willing, but unprepared. <br />
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<em>It's not about you. </em>It's about the little one(s) God has given you. <em>You</em> may not be ready, but <em>they</em> still need you. Somehow, out of love and joy for these little blessings called children, you "do your best, and forgive the rest."<br />
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Before long, you know what's coming. From out of no where, you have the patience, and the iron stomach, to do it. Then, one day over coffee, you're able to smile to yourself when your single friends say things like, "I could never do that<em>."</em> But you know they can, and they will, someday, when the time is right.<br />
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And so it is. <em>I am not yet what I'll need to be</em>. But I love my husband, and even more so, I love my Lord. And I love the Church he's given us here on earth. I'll do what I need to, one day at a time, because I love them. <br />
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<em>God <u>will</u> give me what I need.</em> I know it won't come all at once, just like the graces of motherhood. There will be mistakes (forgiveable ones, I pray).<br />
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<em>And it's not about me.</em> Becasue if it were, I'd never be able to do it. <em> </em><br />
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<em>And ... the best is yet to come.</em> Wait, wasn't that a Carpenters' song? <br />
<br />
<em>No, we've only just begun. </em> Lord willing, we shall.ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-23509857635698877442012-01-29T21:21:00.000-08:002012-02-02T20:58:14.075-08:00Mary, Ark of the Covenant, Pray for Us!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNzMAx1LicoKNQSF76D2giGJG1iCDTVSXoK26SnF4lBIVqwekQeiOXjtMZ0PFhMA-027UzmmWMhSdn3Doj3P7fHWvm46G0PecvRBkmRwk2C7_TjYFuN65SyTsywT1GNaXtRbxse8ldcw/s1600/IMG_2256(rev-0).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNzMAx1LicoKNQSF76D2giGJG1iCDTVSXoK26SnF4lBIVqwekQeiOXjtMZ0PFhMA-027UzmmWMhSdn3Doj3P7fHWvm46G0PecvRBkmRwk2C7_TjYFuN65SyTsywT1GNaXtRbxse8ldcw/s320/IMG_2256(rev-0).jpg" width="213" /></a></div>What touches me tonight, as I think of the great struggle in our nation to save the unborn and protect our religous freedom from recent attacks, is how we as God's people are now engaged in a great battle -- one of ideals and allegiances. Yet, though many of us ask our Blessed Mother for her intercession, few of us call on her in her capacity as the Ark of the New Covenant (<a href="http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/mary-the-ark-of-the-new-covenant">http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/mary-the-ark-of-the-new-covenant</a> ). Would this not be apprpopriate, since God himself revealed her to us as the Ark in Revelation 12? <strong>In the Old Testament, God's people carried the Ark of the Covenant with them into battle and were victorious. Should we not also trust the Ark of the New Covenant as we battle the culture of death around us?</strong><br />
<br />
To her I've offered my rosary for our Nation this evening. Please join me in prayer and petitions that Our Lady, the Ark of the New Covenant, will intercede for us in this battle, along with St. Micahel and all the Holy Angels and Saints in Heaven. May God be victorious, and may His mercy bring into to full conversion and communion with us all who oppose the sanctity of human life.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><em>ROSARIES TO OUR LADY, ARK OF THE NEW COVENANT, as of 2/3/12: 4</em></strong><br />
Add your rosaries to the count by commenting below and letting me know how many to add to the count above. If the list grows too fast, I'll find a way to add a counter : ) I'm so "low tech"....ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-5305320457513107702012-01-20T20:18:00.000-08:002012-01-20T20:18:11.363-08:00Sending My Two-Year-Old to School: Five Months Later, She's Blooming <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3frxuV6uG-4LfT6h6O2qB9xUZKuOkRnax3sURlkO9aQr0pMCET-9wmS2RqT6VIHnH2V2aOIRk3yBlmEcM9jKObPg55Hs23iDGQkH3MaDqKkjMkgTjecKv8X-IzLhL68VWVDxdiLCVlmQ/s1600/IMG_7450+-+Smaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3frxuV6uG-4LfT6h6O2qB9xUZKuOkRnax3sURlkO9aQr0pMCET-9wmS2RqT6VIHnH2V2aOIRk3yBlmEcM9jKObPg55Hs23iDGQkH3MaDqKkjMkgTjecKv8X-IzLhL68VWVDxdiLCVlmQ/s320/IMG_7450+-+Smaller.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">E is for Elephant -- Grace works on a craft at home </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">during one of our "not at co-op" school days.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Last September, my daughter and I enrolled as student and teacher at a homeschool co-op in our area. I had my doubts, and my reasons, for starting her out so young. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Those first few weeks tore me up inside, and there were even days when I wanted to give up. But, somehow, I stuck with it. And as the school year continues, I see more and more evidence that my husband and I made the right choice.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Grace has fully transitioned into the routine, and no longer tags along with me to the classes I teach. In fact, yesterday she went skipping down the hall to her classroom and said "Bye, Mom" so matter-of-factly that I stood there dazed for just a moment (<em>Wait!</em> I thought. You're <em>not even going to cry for me, just a little</em>?). She plays well with the other kids now, has friends, helps her teachers, and comes running into my arms at lunchtime and at the end of the day! Of course, she's not perfect and still has her off days, but overall things are going as they should.</div><br />
The only regret I have at this point is that for the first few months I spent such a big chunk of my "not at school" time working on lesson plans, lecture outlines, and grading that I didn't get to spend as much fun time with my daughter as I would have liked. And for the first four months, I didn't get around to our "at home" curriculum at all.<br />
<br />
Now, as the second half of the year is well underway, I've been able to resume our home lessons. Today was one of those days when a breakthrough happens and can't go unmentioned. She's coloring inside the lines, and able to trace some of the easier letters of the alphabet. She's counting, reciting her ABCs well, and knows almost all of her basic colors and shapes. Her vocabulary is impressive. And she's able to follow directions so much better than when we started out. <br />
<br />
Sure, much of this would have happened anyway since she just turned three recently. But, by homeschooling, I SEE it -- the fine motor skill development, the social play at school, and the seeds of independence that will no doubt haunt me and make me proud in years to come. And there are 19 other children in my heart now, as well. These are my students. I look forward to seeing them each week, hearing their stories, and sharing what I can of our faith with them in the classes I teach. They are such good kids! <br />
<br />
And finally, I must not forget to mention the friendships that are growing between me and the other moms at the co-op. It is so refreshing to share ideas, offer sympathy (on those really, really bad days), and know there's someone else who understands what it's like to always walk around with a handful of dry erase markers in your purse that don't really write any more.<br />
<br />
It's all been such a rich journey for us. I know there are wonderful curricula out there for families who don't want to be bound by the choices others have made. I had my "ideal curriculum" chosen also. But without the co-op experience, I don't think I'd have the confidence to do it on my own. I am one who can easily overdo it and expect too much, too soon. So seeing what other children in my daughter's class can and can't do at this age has helped me go into this with much more realistic expectations.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The adventure is still ongoing, but I'm ready and willing to call it a success. I can't wait to see how we're doing when the school year ends in May. Maybe then I'll clean out my purse ...</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUoL5Og4K5kg-POKlA-F8utMid_ILo3EwwBh4znjSY5KvLLlN-y5pXGV2hhNr0MDG54qGirdfX6wK3qL-OM4HXjy_QtQUwkxHHaW5WkCjOAfwV9ej68UwpIMRTCdHdfLoulbmxXI00MU/s1600/IMG_7453+Smaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUoL5Og4K5kg-POKlA-F8utMid_ILo3EwwBh4znjSY5KvLLlN-y5pXGV2hhNr0MDG54qGirdfX6wK3qL-OM4HXjy_QtQUwkxHHaW5WkCjOAfwV9ej68UwpIMRTCdHdfLoulbmxXI00MU/s320/IMG_7453+Smaller.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">Our "math" work -- not my favoite subject to teach,</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">but we still managed to have some fun and </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">do some counting.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-7743448842420589112012-01-01T21:45:00.000-08:002012-01-01T21:45:16.993-08:00No Swimming in the Holy Water!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Som</span></em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfoucoHn9RukamFBPc08CtpUb2vfycPwHfcNw3NLnXESRCiY14vrLvTy9RTv8G5Xm1Q9iWf5lXtcRvr_FsjU_XFT9pCKzVzb_KMW8aL3I6G3JbPgSn3sNb-l80Ghfg49rzxuyCN21-BE/s1600/IMG_6994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfoucoHn9RukamFBPc08CtpUb2vfycPwHfcNw3NLnXESRCiY14vrLvTy9RTv8G5Xm1Q9iWf5lXtcRvr_FsjU_XFT9pCKzVzb_KMW8aL3I6G3JbPgSn3sNb-l80Ghfg49rzxuyCN21-BE/s640/IMG_6994.JPG" width="640" /></span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">eday there's gonna be very loud splash before mass! </span></em></strong></div>ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-47987186355029504452011-12-13T20:04:00.000-08:002011-12-13T20:04:15.217-08:00Who Needs A Trendy Tree?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong> <span style="color: #783f04;">Our Homey Hodge-Podge of Old & New Memories Can't Be Beat</span></strong></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvxqaODBzJ2DSH1TDTCNn8PYeYDesPIir74LC37YWym-5qapg8_YQ4R8aqXVu8UxafC10EzpjGPNEGR3GFb8Q8YgAoIUlAnBkVv8gCTJAW51eKbNM0fXz28uWhkFFTaLUOPiMN7-Rq4U/s1600/IMG_7224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvxqaODBzJ2DSH1TDTCNn8PYeYDesPIir74LC37YWym-5qapg8_YQ4R8aqXVu8UxafC10EzpjGPNEGR3GFb8Q8YgAoIUlAnBkVv8gCTJAW51eKbNM0fXz28uWhkFFTaLUOPiMN7-Rq4U/s320/IMG_7224.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My daughter and I made wooden ornaments like this one, </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">using markers and glue pens.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Once upon a time, long, long ago, I had a carefully balanced mix of silver and blue ornaments, silver garland, and twinkly white lights adorning a lovely white Christmas tree. It was such a perfect work of art. Or so I thought.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now, whether visiting the dentist or the mall, I see trees adorned in far more stylish themes -- from all-out Disney to fairies, to glittery fish. Yes, I said fish. There are sports themes, based on your favorite team's colors, logos and mascot. There are designer themes, so carefully crafted and sparkly that one would be afraid to touch them. When it comes right down to it, there are so many design options out there that just about anyone can find something that will have folks buzzing over his or her creativity and unique holiday touch over the cookies and egg nog. </div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl24NmtWq_QtTLKk5FO1einn_S3Jx7ANJT9XMjfp7ROzf5ubASkIhbMQlEoH0z4hbbkhL4CxUh8nREjxbwlaa8SfW0v5gQWp5MU3eDcg7TJWY9cPlC5DbinpXr_dcY7qiiVcwDAkcWRRQ/s1600/IMG_7221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl24NmtWq_QtTLKk5FO1einn_S3Jx7ANJT9XMjfp7ROzf5ubASkIhbMQlEoH0z4hbbkhL4CxUh8nREjxbwlaa8SfW0v5gQWp5MU3eDcg7TJWY9cPlC5DbinpXr_dcY7qiiVcwDAkcWRRQ/s320/IMG_7221.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One of my faorites -- a photo of my husband as a boy, with</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">his parents and little sister. Both his Dad and Sister have </span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">passed away, so this photo gives us a way to keep</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">them with us at Christmas time.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> And if you'd asked me a dozen or so years ago what I thought about this plethora of yuletide personality, I would have filled a cart with such goodies and dashed for the checkout counter. Not so, today. <br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Today, I have a family. Not just a "Mommy-Daddy-Kids" kind of family, mind you. I have a full-on, Waltons' style, multi-generational home with Grandma and Cousin Cathy, too. It's the equivalent of a four-generation household, with decades of memories and a basement obstacle course of over a dozen plastic tubs full of Christmas ornaments, lights, decorations, stockings and other odds and ends. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0_QyPci7LO1dRjvrbLZgkR6Nk-xq9-RoyNPgJXQ_bG4afz_fMpBcMHktNORFCMG9g4elm-MiSK2z0jidG3bIW82CWHjphIwuFS36KNsoDZmiZOmJ76ePkjmpA56aT4tcJN8dUmMCNI4/s1600/IMG_7227.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0_QyPci7LO1dRjvrbLZgkR6Nk-xq9-RoyNPgJXQ_bG4afz_fMpBcMHktNORFCMG9g4elm-MiSK2z0jidG3bIW82CWHjphIwuFS36KNsoDZmiZOmJ76ePkjmpA56aT4tcJN8dUmMCNI4/s200/IMG_7227.jpg" width="186" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A tin treasure from my</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">husband's "bachelor" days</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This can lead to a pretty baroque sort of tree, mind you. Especially when you add up all the ornaments of each individual family member. We have some "back when we were dating" souvenir ornaments, special wedding keepsake ornaments, old and new "baby's first Christmas" treasures, new home ornaments, favorite pet ornaments, photo ornaments, cloth ornaments, vacation keepsakes, lace ornaments, candy cane ornaments, inspirational ornaments, and some very special ornaments from family members who are no longer with us. There are those handmade treasures my niece brought home from school as a girl. And those she and my daughter create today. Some are nearly falling apart. Others have barely had time for the glitter glue to dry.</div> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Certainly, those specialty ornaments so prevalent today have their place, and I suspect it is among the young, those with a lifetime of memories yet to be made, companies needing to promote their "brand," doctors' and dentists' offices, and those folks whose hobbies are so much a part of their lives that their trees are a fitting extension of their personalities. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUPAv5CtK47O8v9zmKFvuz2Kg6xF25KQWyUkZSramWuE1YUdgV4Lz-W52DBaapHgXwi2iegbcYY2x4GGLzOD2qOBrLT_BECMa3gworV2XaPsS5mXd2z2sz8QBXKLO4R_aF2SkrbuAd_Y/s1600/IMG_7250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUPAv5CtK47O8v9zmKFvuz2Kg6xF25KQWyUkZSramWuE1YUdgV4Lz-W52DBaapHgXwi2iegbcYY2x4GGLzOD2qOBrLT_BECMa3gworV2XaPsS5mXd2z2sz8QBXKLO4R_aF2SkrbuAd_Y/s200/IMG_7250.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A reminder of our basset hound, Jackie,</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> beside a handmade cloth and cotton </span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Santa my Mother-In-Law received</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">from a friend decades ago.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But after so many Christmasses as I have enjoyed, nothing takes the place of a sitting on the living room floor amid giant plastic tubs of memories next to a real, live evergreen tree that fills the whole house with the smell of joyful anticipation. It's a ritual to be treasured. Perhaps it takes our family so long to decorate the tree because we pause and tell the stories behind each ornament, so our daughter and niece can appreciate them as well. </div> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I look at them all together, I see something so truly unique that my heart swells with happiness. These are the memories of our childhood, of "romance," of commitment, challenges, loss, blessings, and just plain fun. It's a theme so unique no store can replicate it, and so common every family has one. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">May God bless you and yours this Christmas season -- whether you're decking the halls with the latest trend or a mountain of fine memories! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Merry Christmas!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-6361222948713254942011-11-06T18:10:00.000-08:002011-11-06T18:12:39.294-08:00Thoughts On Sending My 2-Year-Old to School: An Update on the Experiment So Far<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6jhGkyxBIk2-OtrJ-rjgZXCa2Y95bHYKCWxihMBzV1YCxtPzumrLAkxz1IevKljFpGGO4Bn7Lkizr2Dn94kl8XtrPQOV0uxP7JioYeXWxeVITxktJMEhAVxGZ53L2yfAZy_9YrQGLd0/s1600/IMG_6923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6jhGkyxBIk2-OtrJ-rjgZXCa2Y95bHYKCWxihMBzV1YCxtPzumrLAkxz1IevKljFpGGO4Bn7Lkizr2Dn94kl8XtrPQOV0uxP7JioYeXWxeVITxktJMEhAVxGZ53L2yfAZy_9YrQGLd0/s320/IMG_6923.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Was I wrong to send my 2-year-old to school?<br />
<br />
We're six weeks into the school year now, and there's been a lot of adjusting ... but a routine seems to have emerged. <br />
<br />
Grace is in school twice a week, for a full day. I am teaching four classes, and I am with her in the nursery for the remaining three periods, as well as at mass, lunch and recess. Initially, she stayed in the nursery while I taught, but I could not bear hearing her cry for me as I dropped her off. Being just across the hall, I could hear her screams go on for what seemed forever. I couldn't concentrate. I just wanted to give up, take her in my arms, and run.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>But we had her best interest in mind when we started, and I couldn't see myself backing out and leaving my students without a teacher. So now she is with me when I teach, sitting at a table with crayons, coloring book, puzzles, and whatever else I can think of to entertain her for a 40 or 50 minute block of time. I just have to make it a priority to hide the dry erase markers each time, so she doesn't come home with more of those abstract works of art on her arms and face.<br />
<br />
She says she enjoys going to school now that I don't 'abandon' her to the nursery. She really likes coming to class with me. And when we get home, it's fun to watch her mimick me as she teaches her teddy bears that God made them, and gives them occasional permisson for bathroom breaks.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKOEQ1q7KUSje0p_SW8wUlEV1bvHnqCHJGuRqbSS_MeKsGeaXNrcsZzGg2E2ThO38GjrjRLYvhNnixGhsr-9a0vlPC6vb4Uudy1mFRvVFSw2ms-XtX5oUIwHE4UyutMdQMMK_EoS73i0/s1600/IMG_6846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKOEQ1q7KUSje0p_SW8wUlEV1bvHnqCHJGuRqbSS_MeKsGeaXNrcsZzGg2E2ThO38GjrjRLYvhNnixGhsr-9a0vlPC6vb4Uudy1mFRvVFSw2ms-XtX5oUIwHE4UyutMdQMMK_EoS73i0/s320/IMG_6846.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>Having fun with the other children at the All Saints Party.</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> She knows the names of most of the children in the nursery now, and the answers to some of the kids' catechism questions! She really loves the babies in the nursery, and being with the first grade class. As they color the pages of their prayer book project, she does the same right there with them.<br />
<br />
Her behavior at mass has really changed over the past few weeks. She is learning to sit quietly without snacks or apple juice. I don't bring toys for her. She still likes to stack and play with the missals, but at least she's much more quiet than before. She doesn't talk through the mass any more. She still moves around a lot...and I have to see that there's someone on the other end of the pew so there's no route of escape to the holy water font / pool in the back. Someday, I am sure we'll all hear a big splash. I just hope she's not the one who takes the plunge (a number of our toddlers share her fascination for the holy water font).<br />
<br />
She's learning to be around other children, though she can't focus on one thing for long enough to really enjoy playing with another child very long. There are sweet moments, and those that result in time-outs. But she is learning...gradually...how to get along. The sweetest thing has been seeing her learn to "watch out" for those she feels are younger than her, even if the difference in age is only a few months. She makes it her misson to be sure the littlest ones have toys, even if they are too young to actually play with them. At least she's sharing! Sometimes. I won't mention the tug-o-wars over building blocks or train tracks with those closest to her own age.<br />
<br />
I also enjoy watching her run with the others at recess. The joy on her face is immense. And my heart gets a good warm/fuzzy coat as I see the older children watching out for her making sure she knows where I'm at (recess is the one time when she ISN'T clinging to me, it seems...though she still likes to know where I am, just in case).<br />
<br />
All in all, my doubts are fewer. I'm enjoying the company of the other homeschooling moms, and the chance to break up our old routine with this new adventure. If all she learns this year is to "play nice," make friends, and have fun, then mission accomplished!ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-78426271278406027272011-10-20T18:12:00.000-07:002011-10-20T18:12:20.704-07:00Just for Fun: Quotable Grace, No. 3<span style="font-size: small;"> <ul><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFn_ZA02M-vJzGRbf9l1_ztAruLIAdVG45qfgrvLqAzL9MOAKErtAXKjHPU6V_LZ7W1xwiB-w1q115lneyR-WeHkUYnb0ZviIa1hs60aMsyU6BR7UQVlANMv5on81OEpW2VRano9Hwzg/s1600/IMG_6652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFn_ZA02M-vJzGRbf9l1_ztAruLIAdVG45qfgrvLqAzL9MOAKErtAXKjHPU6V_LZ7W1xwiB-w1q115lneyR-WeHkUYnb0ZviIa1hs60aMsyU6BR7UQVlANMv5on81OEpW2VRano9Hwzg/s320/IMG_6652.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><strong>Why birthday cake at bedtime is a bad idea ; )</strong></span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><li>Macaroni's don't grow in a garden. They live in a can.</li>
<li>Jesus is Christ and the Father. He eats food and loves children. (her own made-up song).</li>
<li>Mommy and me we're best friends.</li>
<li>Mommy, my skeleton hurts.</li>
<li>I wanna have a tea party with my Daddy.</li>
<li>Pleeeeeeease, Mommy!</li>
<li>I wanna see the big pumpkin.</li>
<li>I no love you Mommy. Hold me.</li>
<li>Those little people! They fireworks wake me up!</li>
<li>My crayons! Mommy! My crayons! (while sleeping).</li>
</ul><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Segoe Print; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Segoe Print; font-size: small;"><span lang=""></span></span></span>ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-34887218948547072152011-09-08T10:43:00.000-07:002011-09-08T12:07:09.920-07:00My Turn: Critics of Catholic Blogs Lack Fairness, Understanding of the FaithI'm all for free speech. Long live the 4th Amendment! But I have to take a moment from the joys of Mommy-land to vent at some of the comments I see in response to Catholic blogs about modern culture. A good debate enlightens all involved; however, a truly good debate follows rules of fair play and requires an adequate understanding of the subject matter, and enough reason to rebut it in a civil manner. The best "critics" are able to present both sides and build a solid case that merits consideration. But I don't see that. What I'm seeing most often lacks both fair play and a reasonable understanding of the subject matter.<br />
<br />
For example, today I read a string of comments criticizing a Catholic blogger and declaring that she'd never get a tenured position in the field of sociology for implying a cause/effect relationship based on a correlation between the introduction of widespread contraception and the objectification of women. This feeble attempt to discredit her made me laugh out loud! First, I doubt that was ever her intention. It was a BLOG. She was expressing an opinion. Second, sociologists don't abide by scientific standards in all that they do, and much of what is presented as research is based on anecdotal or ethnographic accounts rather than statistical analysis or studies that can be repeated and proven by other scientists in a methodical way.<br />
<br />
But I digress. For I must readily admit I am no expert in the field of sociology. I'll leave that to those with a grounding in this academic discipline, who are better able than I to question such research. What I am reacting to is the venomous rage I see in so many unfair comments aimed at anyone of faith who speaks out in a public way. It borders on hatred, and the irony is that many of these folks are the ones accusing us of "hate speech." While Americans claim to value "free speech" and "discourse," there is no room for differing opinions on subjects of sexual ethics, reproductive "rights," and gender identity, for example. It is as if saying certain behaviors are not compatible with one's faith is the same as saying we detest the individuals involved and would burn them alive if we could get away with it. We are painted as fear-mongers who promote hatred. While there have been those who have promoted hatred in the name of Christian faith, it is as unfair to say we are all bigots as it is to say those of alternate sexual identities are all child molesters (in fact, most of my friends who fall this category are wonderful, kind people in stable, committed relationships). They are not of my faith, so I do not have the same expectations for them as I do of those who share my faith. They are not called to the same life which I am called. <em>However,</em> if they wish to be what a Catholic is, <em>then change is needed</em>. But that is true for all of us! Being a follower of Christ means taking up one's cross and pursuing virtue to heroic extremes. It is dying to our own self. So for someone to say my faith is full of hatred because it is not compatible with their lifestyle is unfair and goes against all that has been achieved toward promoting fairness. It is akin to the oppressed becoming oppressors.<br />
<br />
As Catholics, our call is not one of hatred. To be what we are called to is to give up our very lives (figuratively and in many cases literally) for love of Christ and neighbor, even those who hate us. It's a tall order. But the rewards we expect are worth the sacrifice. If we are in any way promoting hatred, unfairness, or cruelty, then we are not truly followers of Christ.ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-56034422010020533542011-08-20T17:18:00.000-07:002011-08-20T17:24:44.159-07:00Thoughts on Sending My 2-Year-Old to "School"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAp_dethZpVqD1VLcSiqnkUFT-otwlWhADhy4bsO0Jh9_oFwE8pNM8n_X_lgso4I5VaTjbfERsmllP-WKQggzvbEwupMz5Fou_CyZz7vyXQsoOTsxRKF6xA-pQY9cyQymguYXgnM-yNc/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHAp_dethZpVqD1VLcSiqnkUFT-otwlWhADhy4bsO0Jh9_oFwE8pNM8n_X_lgso4I5VaTjbfERsmllP-WKQggzvbEwupMz5Fou_CyZz7vyXQsoOTsxRKF6xA-pQY9cyQymguYXgnM-yNc/s200/Picture1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>As I get the clothing, supplies, and other items in order to send my 2-year-old daughter to nursery school, I am finding that my mother-in-law and others think this may be the worst decision I've ever made -- thus making me the worst mother in human history for pushing her out the door too soon. <br />
<br />
It's a decision I've been torn about, but my husband and I believe it is the right one for our daughter. Our home is not typical in that we are juggling the needs of multiple generations as well as some very special needs. We don't want our daughter to get lost in that mix. While having Grandma in the house with us comes with numerous blessings, it also presents a few challenges (especially when Mommy and Daddy are old enough to be grandparents ourselves). The same is true for having a young adult who is developmentally about the same age as our daughter, but physically many times her size. While it is heartwarming to see them play together, not all the behaviors our daughter has picked up in the process are appropriate for her, regardless of whether our niece can help what she does or not.<br />
<br />
I hope I don't sound cold-hearted. We do want our daughter to love and appreciate every person she meets regardless of age, race, disability, and so on. We believe our home situation will help foster greater empathy for other people, regardless of differences. We are aware of the good that can come from our family structure. But we are also seeing in our daughter a hunger for playmates her own age. Having no young family members nearby, we have often taken her to play with other children at the library, park, mall, and other public play spaces. This has been good for her, and she enjoys it, but there is no regularity in the kids she sees or the behaviors she learns from them. She will never see most of them again and I think on some level she is a little sad about that. One day she asked why there were no little girls or boys who come to her house to play with her. Having been an only child myself, this nearly broke my heart. <br />
<br />
So this is why we're sending our two-year-old to nursery school -- we don't care if she learns phonics or spelling right now. We just want her to have the opportunity to form ongoing relationships with children her age, who share her faith, and whom she will see on a continuing and regular basis. And we are blessed to have found an affordable place where she can spend a couple of days a week outside the home singing songs, playing, and making friends she WILL see again. We are so grateful to have found a co-op of Catholic homeschooling parents who have formed a wonderful little "school" for their children.<br />
<br />
And the best part? I don't have to drop my daughter off and leave. I get to stay, help in a variety of ways, and possibly even teach others. I am so excited to get to share this experience with her! She is not "leaving" me. We are setting out on an adventure together, where she can learn to be independent while still knowing I'm just in the next room if she needs me. To me, that is the best of both worlds.<br />
<br />
So even if this does make me the worst mother in the world in the eyes of some, I know my husband and I have made a choice that will bring our daughter joy and put her on the road to making friends and learning at a comfortable pace. This is a time for joy, and loneliness doesn't foster joy. She's extremely excited about the prospect...so why shouldn't we be? ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-17361225054032866162011-08-01T21:39:00.000-07:002011-08-01T22:09:20.451-07:00Learning to Trust Like the Lilies...From my senior year in high school until the adoption of my daughter, I've worked in some capacity, almost all of it full-time in the professional realm. So now as I sit out another year at home as a new mother, I am learning how frustrating it is to have very little control over our household income, especially in these difficult economic times. While my lifestyle has never been extravagant, I was always able to dine out on a whim, go on vacation, and buy gifts generously when birthdays and holidays rolled around. Getting married only added to my financial security -- we had two sets of income and only one set of household expenses.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUN0g_zVnsXAPAN7P7d6p87_lSWIK_vD1v3hn_0JLJrGdMQvfxlacFCViJuFlaItMaVGAmWR7g2aDS-crm_paT6P2voCpWE_OPehckgO5ZlCYtRiktkCOuMH3nUwXj0WqzVTrM22kggg/s1600/Lilly.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUN0g_zVnsXAPAN7P7d6p87_lSWIK_vD1v3hn_0JLJrGdMQvfxlacFCViJuFlaItMaVGAmWR7g2aDS-crm_paT6P2voCpWE_OPehckgO5ZlCYtRiktkCOuMH3nUwXj0WqzVTrM22kggg/s320/Lilly.png" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div>Yet, after the arrival of our daughter, we gladly cut back so I could be home with her during these important and early years. I'm a pretty mean budget-maker and a fairly decent "enforcer". And when it comes to coupons, I have mine neatly arranged by category, store and expiration date. I'm also learning to sell old items on Craig's List and buy in bulk to get more bang for our buck. But despite this, I'm worried. No, I am SCARED. My husband's income is not meager by any means, but between taxes, a mortgage, insurance, home and auto repairs, and the rising costs of just about everything, the paychecks are gone almost as soon as they come in, and our savings cushion has lost a lot of its once-comfy padding. Gasoline prices keep going up, as do groceries and utilities. And we're among the lucky ones. We haven't had to depend on credit to get by. We've trimmed the "fat" from our lifestyle significantly. We seldom eat out, and fast food chains have become our choices when we do. But making ends meet still stresses me out as I match the bills and the budget against the skinny reality of our checking account.<br />
<br />
So what's the good news in all of this? God, of course. He's teaching me an important lesson rather late in life: He's there to get us through and all we have to do is trust in Him. I've always "known" this in an intellectual sort of way. Yet, my self-reliance has always produced the results I needed, so the lesson never truly sank into practice in my life. Jesus' words in Matthew 6 have so much more meaning for me now than they ever did before:<br />
<br />
<em>Do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? </em><br />
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<em>Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, "What are we to eat?" or "What are we to drink?" or "What are we to wear?" All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.</em><br />
<br />
So there's my challenge - learning to trust like the lilies. Others have learned this lesson so much earlier in life than I. Yet, it's never too late to learn something new. So it's time to close the spreadsheets and turn to prayer -- not for my own needs (because all my family's basic needs are met, and then some) but for others, especially those whose need is so much greater, and those who lack faith and feel hopeless in the face of these tough times. <br />
<br />
May God bless our country, our neighbors, and especially our children with faith, true joy, and simple trust in Him!ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-5671643190681723482011-07-15T08:58:00.000-07:002011-08-01T21:48:52.776-07:00Just for Fun: Quotable Grace - No. 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQK5mPAtmksz0dRcIcoajHEt2zm2OjpWI2u-aRlTChdmxg6_y2Ise_BgRGaBl7QAJT3n4tbf6go2_14kcMQ3HWvuBXdfP2C1leSLnLd2bLZyeKppN_hzu3kJYknZSY195GT7hp78cV5A/s1600/IMG_6246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQK5mPAtmksz0dRcIcoajHEt2zm2OjpWI2u-aRlTChdmxg6_y2Ise_BgRGaBl7QAJT3n4tbf6go2_14kcMQ3HWvuBXdfP2C1leSLnLd2bLZyeKppN_hzu3kJYknZSY195GT7hp78cV5A/s320/IMG_6246.JPG" t$="true" width="213" /></a></div>Here are a few more fun quotes from my little Grace. She continues to amaze me with the things she says.<br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: small;">I want to get married.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">I need an x-ray.</span></li>
<li>Daddy, can I have a pet?</li>
<li>No, <em>Mother. </em></li>
<li>You wanna play blocks with me, Mickey Mouse, Yes?</li>
<li>Do puffer fish drive cars?</li>
<li>I want to see God.</li>
<li>Oh No! I don't know how to drive!</li>
<li>Mommy, I need a favor. </li>
<li>I so tired of coloring.</li>
<li>Can I have a cup of sugar, please?</li>
<li>Is Jesus' owwie like Humpty Dumpty?</li>
<li>I no like fire quackers.</li>
<li>Where are all the purple fish?</li>
</ul>ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-92000600008657409752011-06-22T11:19:00.000-07:002011-06-22T11:32:12.543-07:00You Know You're A Stay-At-Home Mom When...<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76bwbr54K6JxG0zm9ovUMbRUtBD-yTRsiUIYU3ksKXYJlDgmZCFojLMjn8fu_Tcp0cJ-0LuCPxodd1Run7B-OavlpBmXhP5bUj3-LvDf4rt5RcYayAmOGO6l2d9Ud_HVj-AAWeF27fkI/s1600/58935_1500859275081_1042141986_31429459_931709_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76bwbr54K6JxG0zm9ovUMbRUtBD-yTRsiUIYU3ksKXYJlDgmZCFojLMjn8fu_Tcp0cJ-0LuCPxodd1Run7B-OavlpBmXhP5bUj3-LvDf4rt5RcYayAmOGO6l2d9Ud_HVj-AAWeF27fkI/s320/58935_1500859275081_1042141986_31429459_931709_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Here are a few tell-tale signs that you may be a stay-at-home mom, based on my experience. I'd love to add yours to the list!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>1. You know the names of all the Sesame Street characters.<br />
2. You prefer the original yellow Wiggle to the new guy.<br />
3. You catch yourself chatting with telemarketers.<br />
4. You have a dirty diaper in one hand and a pizza coupon in the other.<br />
5. You catch yourself saying things like "I mean it...I'm not kidding!"<br />
6. Going to the supermarket is the high point of the day.<br />
7. You've run out of ideas for things to make out of construction paper, pipe cleaners, and other craft supplies.<br />
8. You have a day of the week devoted to scrubbing crayons and washable marker graffiti off the furniture and the walls.<br />
9. You have a favorite diaper commercial.<br />
10. Laundry has become as second-nature to you as breathing.ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-50981577902403112192011-06-13T22:25:00.000-07:002011-06-13T22:32:01.111-07:00A Prayer from My PastA few years after I came into the Catholic Church in 2004, I discovered in my dusty NIV Bible something of a treasure -- a prayer I had scribbled inside the cover more than a decade earlier. I had written it just before the communion portion of the worship service. The prayer goes like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9fo4_ZvTkwOo0r9QYaLr1pdcKR7zyXA9MHLssn7wbyVuyvjwLLKYl7RmeMwYsHSPyH6IFEYUK_JwvjRcnRpMHGvW6ZxS0eVialpbGTprZ_7PF4HjUW3duabUi0HwSU-Va-HJACL5tyg/s1600/Eucharist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9fo4_ZvTkwOo0r9QYaLr1pdcKR7zyXA9MHLssn7wbyVuyvjwLLKYl7RmeMwYsHSPyH6IFEYUK_JwvjRcnRpMHGvW6ZxS0eVialpbGTprZ_7PF4HjUW3duabUi0HwSU-Va-HJACL5tyg/s320/Eucharist.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em>Jesus, live in me.</em></div><em>Make my heart your home.</em><br />
<em>With your love inside me,</em><br />
<em>I can never feel alone.</em><br />
<em>Fill each empty longing</em><br />
<em>With your love</em><br />
<em>and joyful peace.</em><br />
<em>Jesus, live inside me.</em><br />
<em>May you be found in me.</em><br />
<br />
Of course, at the time I actually wrote these words, I viewed them as a metaphorical expression of my desire to be more like Jesus. I had no idea that God could or would answer this prayer in a literal way. But He did.<br />
<br />
Today, Communion is no longer symbolic. I have tasted the Love, the utter Light of Jesus who transforms bread and wine into His very own Body and Blood. Regardless of what I see and taste, I know now without a doubt that He is not only <em>with</em> me. He is <em>inside </em>me. <br />
<br />
In fact, the moment I realized what was happening amid all the "excessive ceremony" (as I perceived it during the first few masses I visited) was an expression of what Catholics believe. We kneel. We genuflect. We honor God physically present among us in the humble disguise of bread and wine. But until the moment I "got it", the liturgy seemed overdone.<br />
<br />
But then it happened. The priest elevated the bread as he said the words of consecration, "This <em>is </em>my body." <em>Wait a minute</em>, I thought.<em> If those words were actually true, I'd kneel and genuflect too.</em> That's when it hit me. I believed in a God who was all-powerful. Why couldn't it be true? And why would Jesus say those words if it weren't true? <br />
<br />
Everything I knew of Scripture only supported the truth that confronted me. As the Church, we are Christ's body and His bride. How does that happen? By allowing Him to enter our hearts, not just emotionally or spiritually, but <em>physically, </em>in order to transform us. And once inside us, He accompanies us and helps us know His Father's will, while still allowing us the freedom to choose God's will for ourselves in every circumstance of our lives. He fulfills our longing and unites himself to us intimately in an embrace of pure and absolute Love that burns from within and radiates from us to others in love of neighbor. <br />
<br />
Now, I am able to remember God's mercy and grace every time I receive Christ during the celebration of the Eucharist. He heard and answered my prayer, and I remember and cherish the words of this prayer as I savour the sweetness of His Presence within.ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6822157142480392863.post-38681358658168860592011-05-22T11:45:00.000-07:002011-06-19T19:14:58.042-07:00Just for Fun -- Quotable Grace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUT7IMxLghLy4DR53Ewr5Pgymkq2ZMII0HmlDNGczOFumcfoEnnEDRQTTFEMHugP_9fZCM8ZJ6VBXFlHAkme08SKz0B-XG5JE4ATVvGrneF_Vo5D4AwvzCDTcV20aAet90s9ZPn1NzIs/s1600/IMG_6165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfUT7IMxLghLy4DR53Ewr5Pgymkq2ZMII0HmlDNGczOFumcfoEnnEDRQTTFEMHugP_9fZCM8ZJ6VBXFlHAkme08SKz0B-XG5JE4ATVvGrneF_Vo5D4AwvzCDTcV20aAet90s9ZPn1NzIs/s320/IMG_6165.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>This list is short, but I'm sure it will grow over time. Below are my favorite quotes from our adorable little toddler:<br />
<br />
1. Jesus, Mary, Apple Juice (instead of "Jesus, Mary, Joseph"?)<br />
2. Holy God, have some lemonade (we think she was trying to sing "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name")<br />
3. Show me the thunder...<br />
4. Mommy, can I drive?<br />
5. Mommy, what's that? (approximately 500 to 1000 times per day).<br />
6. Hey, boy, what you doing? (making friends at the lake).<br />
7. Mamma, I want "nose get" (her way of saying "music").<br />
8. Mamma, I love you.<br />
9. That-a-that (this one is about a year or so old...it was her only word besides Mamma and Dadda).<br />
10. And now....I princess!<br />
11. This old man, he had a farm, E I E I O !<br />
12. I need shoes, Dadda.<br />
<br />
Have a blessed day!ChasingGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02799498665588893834noreply@blogger.com1