On reading, 2013 style.

"A man is known by the books he reads." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let's talk books; specifically in the context of reading thoroughly and being edified.  Since I graduated from college a few years ago, I find that if I don't read something substantial every week, my brain does start to de-solidify. Truly. My mind feels stale and un-exercised, and I might notice a slump in my grammar and a lack of variety in my choice of words. I believe that even as mamas, we have an obligation to continue to cultivate our minds and increase our knowledge of God and of things, so as to be more fruitful in the lives of our families and in the world. If our children see us being responsible with our God-given minds and reason by continuing to form and educate them, they will understand the importance of learning. Of course, we can pick knowledge up from the Internet, but not in the same depth or with the same degree of mental stimulation, I think. And so, I've made it a personal goal to always have a book in progress on my coffee table or nightstand. The following titles are some I greatly enjoyed in 2012 and highly recommend:

- Unplanned - Abbey Johnson

- The Appalling Strangeness of the Mercy of God; the Story of Ruth Pakaluk - Michael Pakaluk

- A Severe Mercy - Sheldon Vanauken

- The Four Loves - C.S. Lewis

- Kristin Lavransdatter - Sigrid Undset

- A Mother's Rule of Life - Holly Pierlot

- The Heart of Motherhood - Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

- Donkey Bells, Advent and Christmas with Catherine Doherty

I may have read one or two more, but these are the titles that stood out in my memory. The many other unmentioned titles here, were books having to do with health, pregnancy, birthing, babies, etc., which I devoured according to a first successful pregnancy and that season in my life.

Ongoing reference titles which have been extremely helpful in dwelling upon and celebrating the the Christian life and liturgical year:

- Around the Year with the Trapp Family - Maria von Trapp

- The Year and Our Children: Catholic Family Celebrations for Every Season -
Mary Reed Newland

- A Continual Feast: A Cookbook to Help Celebrate the Joys of Family and Faith Throughout the Christian Year - Evelyn Birge Vitz

- Grace In Every Season - Catherine Doherty

Now that my baby boy is getting more and more active, curious, rambunctious, inquisitive, semi-destructive (the adjectives could continue), I find it hard to read more then a few paragraphs during, the day, and so have made it a point to read at night before going to bed. Michael is starting to greatly enjoy books, and so perhaps I can introduce a time during the day when he can sit and look at his books while Mama gets a few pages in. (I'll do a post soon on our current favorite baby books.) Anyhow, here is my working book list for 2013:

- The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur: the Woman Whose Goodness Changed her Husband from Atheist to Priest (currently in progress, and what a read!)

- Searching for and Maintaining Peace - Fr. Jacques Philippe

- Extreme Makeover: Women Transformed by Christ, not Conformed to Culture -
Teresa Tomeo

- Discovering the Feminine Genius - Katrina J. Zeno

- Marriage, the Mystery of Faithful Love - Dietrich von Hildebrand

- The Cross and the Beatitudes - Fulton J. Sheen

- Yesterday, Today and Forever - Maria von Trapp 

- Dorothy Day, Selected Writings - edited by Robert Ellsberg

- How Do You Tuck in a Superhero: And Other Delightful Mysteries of Raising Boys-
Rachel Balducci
- Ramona - Helen Hunt Jackson

Most of these books are on the smaller size, so I have faith that I should be able to finish this set and start on another before the year is out! What good reads have you had lately or plan to read this year? Please do share below!!

"To recoil from duty and sacrifice is cowardly. Today, there is a duty to bear children (and it is often a sacrifice); it is a duty to have a care for those in less fortunate circumstances than our own in the matter of wealth or education; it is a duty to develop unceasingly one's intelligence, to strengthen one's character, to become a creature of thought and will; it is a duty to view life with joy and to face it with energy. Finally, it is a duty to be able to understand one's time and not despair of the future. All this a woman can do...But for that she must come and draw her strength from the source of all strength, and to increase her intelligence she must bring it into contact with the supreme Intelligence." 
~Elisabeth Leseur

This time.

This is a time of continuous growth - 9 months!

It is a time to observe.

A time to learn new things...for all of us.

A time to hold tightly. 

A time of wonder.

A time to teach.

A time to love and smile.

It is a time of hopeful anticipation. Let us prepare, for behold, He comes!

This past Sunday marked Michael's 9th month mark. Our little baby is fast transitioning into a little boy. It amazes us at how fast he develops at this stage; his cognition and awareness of the things in his little life, of things like pushing and pulling chairs in the kitchen, swinging doors open and closed, an understanding of words like up and down, outside and home. "Mama" and "Papa" are words he has understood for some time and it makes our hearts swell to see his reaction to those words grow increasingly excited and affectionate. He knows that Papa comes home twice during the day and at the evening homecoming, it is not unusual for Michael to bestow Papa with 4 kisses in a row. He prefers to stay in whichever vicinity in the house one of us are located, and will sit and play or pull himself up on our chair for some chatting or smiles. Michael is also learning not to pull books off the shelf, not to pull on wired cords, and not to touch the wobbly leg of the piano. He is doing well on most accounts, but a corner from a book page did disappear into his mouth the other day...I say he is just trying to internalize what is to be gained by book reading, faster. ;) Michael loves being read to and turning the pages; his favorite books are the "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" books, "Trucks" by Byron Barton, and "Babies on the Go" - it is especially fun to see him recognize the pictures of his own kind in the last book. Michael loves children and babies, and tries to talk to, and reach out to them whenever he sees them. I love this, and hope that it reveals some of the loving, concerned characteristics of an older brother. Also especially timely, as I keep referring to Baby Jesus and show Michael His hiding place in the last pocket of the Jesse Tree. And Michael smiles. And I wonder what is being retained in that little head.

During this 2nd week of Advent, we are purposefully taking time for listening...for the arrival of God and to the needs of others. God gave His own Son to descend into the pit of humanity to serve and save; so must we for our neighbors in need. There are cookies to be baked for our parish's Advent mission, a dinner to make for Andrew's co-worker whose father just passed, a coffee-time treat for my RCIA candidate, something for the homeless person who always stands at our freeway exit, and little party to be planned for Andrew's catechist volunteers. We are having a very simple Christmas this year, and are finding that without the monetary preoccupations and distractions of too much gift buying, we are able to focus on simply being present for others; hopefully being that light of Christ that we are each called to be. The necessity for a simple Christmas for us is really making me dwell on the stark simplicity of the stable and the manger, the way our King entered the world. It is making me slow down and listen...for His arrival, to the needs of my family and others, and for this I am grateful. I have so so much for which to be grateful!

An excerpt from my Advent read, Donkey Bells by Catherine Doherty:

"I'm sure that, as a child, Christ rode on a donkey many times. And also as a man, of course. But 'officially' when the donkey carried Our Lady, who in turn carried God, from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The other time was when the donkey carried Christ into Jerusalem as the people laid palm branches before Him, proclaiming Him king. Let us think for a moment: what kind of animal is a donkey? It is a beast of burden, the animal of the poor. Once again, the immense theme of poverty is illustrated in an animal. God chose the humblest, the smallest in status, because among the animals the donkey is considered very low. So God is teaching us a lesson here - a lesson of humility, of poverty, and of simplicity...The breath of the donkey and the ox made the stable warm. So we meditate on several things at once: the poverty and humility of the donkey, which God chose and which should be our poverty and humility; and the breath of our love, which should warm God in our neighbor constantly."

I love how Catherine tells the story of how her mother would emphasize the necessity for goodness during Advent so as to be able to hear "the donkey's bells", carrying the Virgin and Child closer and closer. A perfect image to help remind us to keep our spiritual ears and hearts awake and attentive at this time, and eager for His beautiful arrival.

"Today it is very quiet. Are you listening? If you are listening, you can hear the faint sound of tinkling bells. He who is pure of heart an childlike shall hear the bells of the donkey ringing in his life."

Reflections over laundry.

The domestic life leaves many hours for silent thought, especially when one has a baby and not much (intelligent) conversing occurs throughout the day. When I was working my former jobs, I would usually complete my chores while thinking about school/work projects, music for my choir, activities for my students, etc., but now, I do not have priorities outside of the home on which to dwell. Of course I think about my family and friends often, but for the most part, I feel like there is too much time in which to think. If one is not careful, a wandering mind can cause disquiet, doubts, room for temptation, or sin, so I believe that in quiet time, the mind should be put to good use by reflection, prayer, and interior cultivation; I like to call it mindful quiet. I try to keep my mind working along with the hands, and my soul always always needs a good tilling. "The soul of the sluggard craves in vain, but the diligent soul is amply satisfied." (Proverbs 13:4) I think we can fall prey to the sin of sloth not only in our actions, but also in the movements, or lack thereof, of our minds. I am learning to be more contemplative within my duties around the house. It goes without saying that it helps me find more peace in the daily nitty-gritty to remember that our Lord is His complete humanity, experienced/performed the necessities of the physical/material world.  And of course, I can always ask myself, "How would the Blessed Mother have gone about this task?" Perfectly and peacefully and lovingly, of course. Also, work can be accompanied by prayer. All things I've known since I was young and try to implement. I feel that I need to continuously develop and strengthen my works/mind/soul connection, in order to aim for a more unified and holier sense of purpose.

Mondays are usually my wash day, however this week, I had overflow which I dealt with today, in addition to diapers. Laundry is not my favorite chore, but as providence would have it, today's spiritual reflection from one of the books I am working through, Grace in Every Season by Catherine Doherty, concerned a meditation on doing laundry!  I have to share part of her beautiful insight which encouraged me: 

"The laundry is a place where you can learn contemplation. The repetitive work of ironing and folding clothes is conducive to the freedom of the Spirit which allows you to roam at will, now beholding Christ in Nazareth, now meditating on the Eucharist, now thinking about the Scriptures. Your work is redemptive too. Souls depend on the perfection of your work and the spirit in which you approach it. That spirit should be peaceful, prayerful, and full of charity."

While running the diaper wash (twice through with a rinse), I thought about how Christ is continually running our souls through the wash of His never-ending mercy and love. And don't we need it. Our worldly thoughts and desires need rinsing, our virtues need brightening, our sinful stains need whitening, our spirits need refreshing. It is all found in Him alone. Additionally, a good tumble akin to that of the dryer, never fails to remind us to remain humble and tighten our grasp on Him. :) I found this snippet in Gunilla Norris' Being Home (a wonderful little book with meditations on each domestic work) which paralleled my thoughts:

"Soon the clothes will be drenched in water and soap. It will be a different time, and sorting will no longer matter in the midst of the wash cycle. I need to learn this in life: when to recognize, to name, and to sort - and when to immerse, to soak, to tumble, and be rinsed free of opinions. Grant that I may as much as possible honor You in all things...I pin these wet clothes to the line...an image of joining, of clinging to something. If I really know that You are my lifeline, then to cling to You is my primary business."

So thankful He made Himself known to us and allows me to cling to Him, my Strength and Saving Grace, my Lifeline.

Cheery colors drying in the laundry room today - after summer travels and a few colds, Michael's stuffed toys were in need of a good wash. :)

On the Holy Rosary.

As October is the month of the Holy Rosary, I have been trying to do some reading pertaining to the benefits and promises of this beautiful prayer given to us by our Lady. Below is a snippet from Catherine Doherty:

"The Creed is our declaration of faith and allegiance to the Holy Trinity, to the commandments of God and his spouse, the church. Recite it slowly and let each word sink in - for thousands have died for these words and what they stand for. The Our Father is our prayer for the fellowship of men and women under the fatherhood of God, a prayer of love, trust, hope, and faith. And the Hail Marys are the angelic salutation that brought the incarnation and the redemption to this earth! It still does, to those who say it with their hearts as well as their lips. The repetition, slow and reverent, of these prayers, is not monotonous. It is a companion to our retracing of the life of God, his mother, and his church, a pilgrimage of love and faith. Mary continually holds out to us, her children, the slender thread of a rosary, asking that we say it, perhaps because it is as slender as she, and as strong as the God we pray to. October is the months of the rosary. Let us pray it daily, spanning the word with its slender, unbreakable strength, lifting it, lifting it up, up to the very feet of God."

I found this to be a perfect summation of the Rosary; the origin of its words and a reason for its repetition. Amazing, all the trans-formative power to be found within this simple string of prayers, in its ability to draw our minds and hearts to contemplate the Divine. Pope Pius XI provides excellent reasons to dwell on the mysteries of the Rosary:

"How could love not be made more fervent by the Rosary? We meditate on the Suffering and Death of our Redeemer and the Sorrows of His afflicted Mother. Will we not make a return for the love received? ...The Rosary enlivens the hope for things above that endure forever. As we meditate on the glory of Jesus and His Mother, we see heaven opened and our heartened in our striving to gain the eternal home."

The Rosary is especially beautiful to me because it meshes so well with humanity and makes Christ and the Blessed Mother more tangible to us. Its mysteries present us with the occurrences of our Lord's life; the birth, joys, growth, good works, sorrows, death, and eternal life. By meditating on the very humanity of the Divine, we learn how to be perfect as He is perfect. But isn't that always the goal of our Lady...to continuously lead us to her Son.

"To become perfect, say a Rosary a day."  St. Louis de Montfort

On that note, I should get to my daily Rosary as I work in the kitchen. :)

Angels around us.

"For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone."
Psalm 91:11-12

Today is another special feast today - that of our guardian angels! I don't think I could sum up the beautiful importance of this feast day in the lives of our families better than Maria Augusta Trapp in her book, Around the Year with the Trapp Family - yes, the real words of Maria from "The Sound of Music."

"Long before our little children learn to know Peter Rabbit, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, and Winnie the Pooh, they must be made familiar with their most faithful companion-their best friend, their guardian angel. The beauty of telling stores to little ones lies in their ready acceptance. They believe that their guardian angel is around all the time, day and night, and they will talk to him, greeting him in the morning, discussing things with him during the day, thanking him in the evening. When children grow up with a strong sense of a spiritual power at their service instituted by God for the very special and sole purpose of being their very own helper and protector, such children need never be afraid, need never suffer from the modern ailment of insecurity. It is up to us mothers to bring about this early and very personal friendship with their guardian angel. The feast of the Holy Guardian Angel on October 2nd should be a big event in our nurseries."

I have seen this very kind of relationship in action with some children. They make remarks such as, "I asked my guardian angel to signal to my brother's angel to wake him up when I saw him sleeping in church," or "I asked, 'Please guardian angel, help me remember the answer to that problem'...and then I did!" It is striking to hear youngsters talk with such confidence about a being they have never experienced with any of their 5 senses, and to see a complete trust in their angel's concern for their welfare, especially understanding guardian angels' importance for the protection of the soul. 

Maria Trapp continues, describing the need for children to understand the stories of the good angels as described throughout the Bible; their purpose and their desire to help us gain Heaven. Just as important, is the understanding of evil, and how the bad "angels" influence sin.

"And as we tell the children about the good angels, we shall also have to mention the bad ones who turned into devils. If the highest of them, Satan himself, dared to tempt Our Lord, who are we to think that it "can't happen to us" or that such stories belong to the Middle Ages and do not apply to modern times? What St. Peter says to all of us we must tell to the little ones as well: "Watch and pray, for the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." 

I am relishing re-discovering this book and Maria's beautiful spirituality. She has so much wisdom to impart, and a close-knit, God-fearing, virtue-seeking family as proof of her careful, holy mothering; I hope to share more of her thoughts throughout the year.

Holy Guardian Angels, protect us from the evil one. Help us to raise our children to burn with a desire to love the Lord, and to be able to recognize and shun the evil one.

Peace in the kitchen

After a busy and scrambled past few days, I took to the kitchen for some culinary therapy this afternoon. Bread was needed anyways, and why not whip up some cookies for a special sweet treat this week? :) A few months ago I received my favorite cookie cookbook in the mail courtesy of Amazon. The pages of this book hold many pleasant memories of cookie baking/decorating as a young girl with my mom and sisters, and some simply delicious recipes! I highly recommend it, as it presents the good old fashioned recipes along with unique cookie recipes for every holiday and season of life. Today I chose to keep it quick and easy with the snicker doodle recipe and also cranked out a batch of my staple honey whole wheat bread. And nothing goes better with the aroma of baked goods than some poetry...

KITCHEN MAGIC

by Violet Rouke Broder

When gray days sometimes leave you

At a loss for what to do,

Fill your house with warmth and fragrance...

Bake a pie, a cake, or two.

Make some heart-shaped sugar cookies

Or a creamy pudding, fine;

A batch of fudge or brownies

Helps to pass the gloomy time.

A tin of golden muffins

Or some loaves of fresh-baked bread,

I am sure will be more pleasing

Then some "store-bought" bread, instead.

What a thoughtful, cheery greeting

For your loved ones...at the door

When they sniff your homemade goodies,

Wafting welcome evermore.

**Yes, I did give a new look to my blog and did create the header all on my own (simple as it is) = I impressed myself a little!  I was delighted to come across that graphic, as I wanted something whimsical and colorful to portray joy, movement, and the ever-changing seasons in life.