Blessed with Full hands: 2013

A perfect day to ready this heart

Two days before Christmas and I did not feel ready. Sure, most of the food has been purchased for Christmas day meals. Presents bought and awaiting our late night wrapping fest Christmas eve. The house is fairly clean. But, that is not what I mean by ready.

I mean spiritually. My heart has not been ready. I have prayed, meditated a lot this Advent, but this year has been tough. Family issues and adoption set backs have had me weary and all of that carried into Advent. While I totally trust Him and His plan and His timing, it has been abundantly clear that my own plan and timing did not quite match His. And when I entered Advent, a season of waiting, I struggled to wait. Honestly, I was done with waiting and just did not want to wait any longer.

Dec

Meaningful Gifting Ideas

I started this post yesterday, and it became a tome on my philosophies of going without and our own move toward making Christmas more simple. And I may post that, really I might, but for today I decided to scrap that and share ideas and links of meaningful giving. Because, in order to simplify gift giving, without scrapping the whole thing, we are working hard to give more thoughtful, meaningful gifts. No big toys. No shopping at boxed stores.

Dec

Meaningful giving, going without and a Rosary Bracelet Giveaway!

Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!!

I am going to keep this particular post short today, but I have ideas swirling in my head for a couple posts this week. This week I would like to spend some time on sharing my thoughts on intentional giving at Christmas and just plain learning to go without. This whole thing was sparked by seeing the Christmas Bells on the Angel Tree in the back of our church again. I have written about this before and my reaction each year gets stronger.

Dec

What if Mother Teresa was on Facebook?

Saturday afternoon, my hubby and I were hanging laundry outside. My husband had just finished some stuff on the computer, including his weekly scroll through Facebook. While outside, we were talking about Facebook and the time we spend reading things of no consequence just because a few friends have linked to it. My hubby remarked, just think if we spent the time in prayer instead of scrolling through Facebook.

Nov

7 Quick Takes

Thanks Jen for hosting!!

1. St. Andrew Novena starts tomorrow!!

I will spare you all from hearing, once again, how much I love this novena, so all I am going to say is: PRAY IT!

(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (30th November) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)

2. Blessed John Paul II, Pray for us!

Tuesday was our LAST home visit with our social worker.

Nov

Black Friday Beachbody deals starting today!

Hey, all! I am sharing these here, in case anyone is interested. Beachbody has some AMAZING sales for Black Friday that start TODAY!

If inetersted, you can order through my website here. Any money I make from the sales, goes directly to our adoption fund. So, get healthy, shop, and support a great cause.

Nov

Wordless Wednesday - My Advent Reading

Nov

"You have my sympathies."

Last weekend I went on the Joy for Journey retreat. This was a retreat for adoptive moms and pre-adoptive moms. Because the retreat was Christian, my hubby and kids decided to wait for me to go to mass. We went to a local parish that has a Sunday evening mass.

When mass was over and I was walking with my boys, down the aisle. An older women looked at me and asked, "No girls?"

I have gotten this question before.

Nov

Monday's Daybook

Outside my window...

It is 4PM and the sunlight is fading fast. It has been a beautiful day here. The sun was shining and the weather was really nice for a November day. There is snow in the forecast tomorrow . . . I will believe it when I see the snowflakes fall.

I am thankful...

For a nice weekend in Baltimore. My hubby is there for meetings and the boys and I decided to go up for the weekend.

Nov

7 Quick Takes

Thanks, Jen, for hosting!!

1. Katie is blogging, it must mean . . .

her hubby is travelling for work again. I am sorry if that sounds a bit snarky. As I sat down to write these takes, I realized that the only time I have sat down to write any posts in the last few weeks was when my hubby has been away for work. He has been gone alot lately. He is not too far away right now, just 45 min, but the meetings run so late and start so early, that he stays at the hotel they are held at.