Tag Archives: lessons

It takes a village, even for grown-ups!

1 Reply

It’s been an interesting week and in light of Sede Vacante (no Pope at the moment, in case you missed any/all of the news), it’s a somber time as we wait on the conclave to decide our next Pope.  Historical.  Fascinating.  In light of this transitional time, I thought I’d do my version of 7QTs with Jen and throngs a little differently and offer up some inspiration I’ve come across the blogosphere this week. Be motivated.  Be inspired. Enjoy.

1.  No one knows what the next minute holds — but you let ourselves be moved into it anyways. Because somewhere inside of you, you know Someone holds it.

Ann Voskamp “When you are tired of worrying”

2.  Sometimes you just need a plan….

1) shaken, lea prays. i go to God for help…​

2) let God take care of His part. look at Him. not at the enemy.

3) my job is obedience. the battle is the Lord’s.​

4) praise and worship Him. walk by faith in His promises not by sight. ​

Lea “I didn’t think I needed this book”
3.  :: REMEMBER TO LOVE THESE LITTLE SOULS..just LOVE them .  I can not fix all of everything about them…I can not be perfect and complete for all of them at all the same time…but I can have LOVE for them and show that in ALL that I do for them and around them…

The Little House that Grew

4.  Sometimes we need reminders on making it through the day…during Lent

Fast

Every time a child interrupts you today, stop what you are doing and look into his eyes as he talks.

Pray

“My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

Give

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” (Blessed Teresa of Calcutta)

Elizabeth Foss   Fast.  Pray.  Give.  

5.  There is a fine line between celebrating your gift, using it for the glory of God, and practicing humility.

Katherine “Finding your Gift”

6.  And of course, Pinterest/Tumblr..

8092474300268060

7.  And this one, just warmed my heart, through and through.  What an awesome experience, truly awesome!  Can you imagine?  I don’t know if I could wash my child’s forehead again!!!!

‘When I see you, I see the Church is alive.’
-Pope Benedict XVI

Most blessed baby...EVAH!!!!!!

Most blessed baby…EVAH!!!!!!

Mama Needs Coffee (Image cred and you really have to go read her posts on Papa Bene’s Popemobile exit….Really.  go.  NOW.  go.  HERE!!!!)

To flu vaccinate or no….

12 Replies

An interesting debate to be sure and I’m curious to see why YOU have to say about this.  Of course, this won’t be all serious, I do have some funny-ish stuff to report as well 😉

So, a few months back I heard Mac and Katherine on Catholic in a Small Town podcast discussing Katherine’s preference NOT to get the flu vaccine….#203, you can check it out on iTunes…and it got me thinking about the flu vaccine and WHY do I bother each year?  Is it worth it?  What am I subjecting myself to?  It opened up an internal can o’ worms for certain.

CSTitunes

Anyhoooo…I work in the medical field, my employer provides the vaccine to me at no cost each year and so, I get the vaccine.  I’ve not had the flu in 10 years and quite frankly, would  prefer to not have it again.  However….due to the controversial issues on the flu vaccine for our kids…I’ve not had them get a flu shot.  Ever.  That I remember, anyway.    Questionable ingredients, 62%ish effectiveness rate, roll of the dice on which strain we’ll actually come in contact with, ACK…it’s too much, so we’ve opted out.  However…..things ’bout to change in these parts!

Our 15 yo son came down with Flu B last weekend.  I already blogged on all THAT fun here if you missed it the first time around and the kid ended up missing a WHOLE FLIPPIN’ WEEK OF SCHOOL!!!  yes, High School.  Good times.  The kicker is that I actually started getting sick at the end of the week last week, sucked it up for a couple of days (chalking it up to allergies and pollen), however, by Saturday afternoon–after an ENTIRE day of solo and ensemble stuff with our 13 yo and tag-along 9 yo daughter, I came home and went to bed and got up yesterday.  Monday.  Ugh.  Fever’s gone and I was back to work today, but still…..ain’t.  quite.  right.  And I WAS vaccinated!!!  WTH??!?!?  So when I brought the 15yo BACK to the doc yesterday for additional antibiotics for “possible” pneumonia still not resolved as a result of his flu….I decided next year EVERYONE gets the vaccine.  Mine didn’t last as long as his, certainly wasn’t as brutal and you know “Ain’t NOBODY got time for that” to be staying home with sick kids, for kids to be missing a week of schoolwork (the stuff the teachers didn’t email…) and we ALL know Mama don’t have time to be sick..even though Daddy is a pretty fantastic taker-carer.

So, what’s your take?  Flu vaccine or no?

On the upside…..I got a TON of reading in.  Finished Screwtape letters, almost finished A year of biblical womanhood, completely caught up on my Daily Catechism readings—(I MAY have been 3 weeks behind).  Mailed a long overdue encouragement card and ordered The Power of Positive Thinking to go with said card.  Slept so much my back ached.  Lost a few pounds.  Woke up from a nap to find Hubby and 75% of the kids playing Monopoly….WITHOUT blood shed.  True.  No joke.  Prayed.  (It was a good few days to be on my heart…you are so covered it’s ridiculous).  Continue to play with PicMonkey and learn a little more.

Phew.  It’s been a long couple days.

 

A day off: spring is springing and the flu has flung!

6 Replies

Don’t worry, the WHOLE post won’t be a play-by-play of all the sick deets of our household, just the funnyish bits and lo, they are a plenty.

Our swell journey o’ sickness began Saturday afternoon when our oldest son phoned for a pick-up from his skate day…..at 4:30!!!  For this kid, who will skate from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. given the opp, when he asked for a 4:30 pick up, well….that wasn’t ’bout to be good for anyone.  And so his day ended with an early shower and to bed.

The fun really didn’t begin until about Midnight thirty (smack in the middle of REM sleep) on Monday when our sweet little almost 6 footer stumbled in our bedroom  with a nice little rage of a fever and some apparent hallucinations.  We managed to get him out in the living room just as he went completely limp with Hubby catching him on the way down and myself mildly assisting (and slightly pulling my back).  Fortunately, he didn’t get hurt…unfortunately when he went to use the restroom a few minutes later, it happened again….fortunately the shower curtain/wall combo is strong like bull and Hubby is quick like lightning.  2 concussions averted in a matter of minutes.  Adrenaline rush?  Yup.  Finally managed to get him to take some ginger ale and Tylenol and after some cool compress apps, he managed to settle down and slept on a palette in our room until 2:30 a.m…..when he opted to return to his bed….no, the couch…ugh.  Spinal needle to the eye, please.

Last night/this morning, almost the same time frame, we had another visit, another episode of big boy managing to get me out of bed to help him only to have him climb in and take my spot.  Then back to his bed where he curled in a ball and said “C’mon guys, you can fit, c’mon up, there’s room”…then back out to the living room couch, cold compresses, yada, yada, yada and settled him down much quicker.  Hubs grabbed the youngest who fell asleep on the couch after her migraine/vomitosis episode and put her in her bed lest her big brother hallucinate again and sit on her.

I will just say that it’s been a looooooooooong time since I’ve had regularly interrupted night sleep and I.  don’t.  miss. it.  one.  bit.

This morning with some “changes” in symptoms (I’ll spare you the deets) we headed to the Ped where Flu B is confirmed and possible pneumonia.  He’s on the antibiotics now, managed to hold some ChickFilA down for lunch and is currently on Star Wars Ep 2…with plans to finish up the series tomorrow–as he will be home again.  With Dad.  I’ll be at work.  Recuperating.  Pray for us for some sleep….Mom and Pops are terribly out of practice.  I’ll be praying, too and knocking on all kinds of wood that everyone else is healthy.

Because as Sweet Brown says…Ain’t nobody got time for that

In the meantime, I’ll keep calm and Lysol on!!!

ah, PicMonkey, you are my new favorite obsession! Thanks, Cari!!

ah, PicMonkey, you are my new favorite obsession! Thanks, Cari!!

Spring comes early in these parts and since it is 79 beeeeyoooouuuteeeeeful degrees out and gas is a gut-wrenching, throat strangling $3.91, I forced myself to ride my bike to Publix to pick up the script.  <sigh>  A mother’s sacrifices never end…ammiright??

7QT Return, Ta DAAA!

3 Replies

With my whole social network fasting apparently I have more time to blog…who knew???  So, I’m jumping back in with the tried and true at Conversion Diary with Jen and her peeps…of course, I’m not #1 like Grace, but she’s a new mom again and clearly not sleeping anyway…so go check ’em all out…

1.  Fresh into Lent, folks…Fresh.  Into.  Lent.  You know what that means, right?  All those sacrifices and desires to help more, pray more, do more, etc are FRESH and “technically” two days in we should be going strong.  Ammiright??  Riiiiight, so remember…no meat today. And if perhaps, halfway through that double with cheese you remember “ACK…it’s Friday!!!”, just start over.  We are imperfect people, God knows this.  His joy is in our TRYING to do better.  And when we screw up, dust ourselves off and try again….that’s what we can choose to do.  So, in the classic words of Dori from Finding Nemo…”just keep swimming”!

2.  What did you give up for Lent?  Perhaps you are instead focusing on praying and have some plans of monastic retreat or super fasting to add some oomph to your prayer life,  or maybe working in the soup kitchen or homeless shelter….what’s the plan, Stan?  I gave up Facebook and Twitter.  It’s quite freeing and I actually look forward to this each Lent.  Now, you might say, but “Tracy, your blog shows up on Twitter?”  Yes, it’s set that way automatic, but I am not CHECKING said Twitter account.

3.  Did you get your ashes?  We did.  I must say it was practically WW3 getting there.  A serious force of crazy, crappy, grumpy, tempers came over our household IMMEDIATELY prior to leaving.  We persevered anyway and let me say, people….GOD prevailed.  Oh yes he did defuse that 13 yo, 15 yo and 2 young ladies who readied themselves in their Mass finery only to see EVERY to the ONE was in their regular clothes (including yours truly, fresh off the JOB train in her scrubs).  Hubs took everyone home after the distribution of ashes and I stayed to wait for our 7th grader to take him home after his RE class.  We came home to fish and chips awaiting.  (AKA, fish sticks and fries)  God is good.  All the time.  All the time.  God is good.  

4.  Ash Wednesday I also went to Adoration (a weekly Lenten practice for me this year).  Unknowingly, I arrived during the church’s Mass celebration, therefore the Eucharist was not in the chapel, but in the church.  ENNYWAY….I still prayed the Rosary and intentions and fully enjoyed my quiet time.  If you have noise in your life (you don’t need to be a parent for this) you should take time to go to Adoration…shoot, even if you’re not Catholic….just go…it is AWESOME.  Peace, quiet.  Total gift.  I’d live there if I could.  Really.  Logistically though, just not going to work.

5.  Saved me some cash this week.  Went in to quit the gym, just not feeling it, and I’ve been working out at home (not this week so much…but mostly-ish) but they love me so much they comped me 2 months and lowered my monthly rate to $5.  Sheesh, alright.  I’ll come back.  $5, c’mon.  Who CAN say no to that???

6.  Along with my social fasting, weekly Adoration visit and prayer intentions….I am also trying to focus on some spiritual reading.  This week I finished C.S. Lewis’ “Screwtape Letters”…wow.  wow.  wow.  If you haven’t read it….do it.  Next up…”Visions of the Children” by Janice Connell.  And continued reading of Saint Faustina’s Diary (although that is taking YEARS.  Literally.  YEARS!!  tremendously rich reading.  small bites only)

7.  Finally, if you read yesterday’s post on our little Romeo and his Valentine’s flower promise…I’ll tell you how it went:  He made his first deposit to his math teacher (who, although killing him, has been incredibly helpful and challenging) and from then on out had “hordes” of ladies following him around for roses. He had them labeled and did have a couple extra (to which I was also a recipient….smart boy!)…but he admitted at dinner that it was an impossible task to please all the ladies on Valentine’s Day.  Not to mention expensive.  He’s a mess that one.  A sweet mess.  **For all you Bachelor fans out there….I asked him if he was prepping to do a teen Bachelor and he was unaware of the show/concept etc….PHew.  I don’t watch either, but have the gist of it from some of you…who will remain nameless for the obvi reasons.

Have a great week y’all and enjoy the weekend!!!  We won’t be shoveling snow…thank you, JESUS…but will be wearing jeans and hoodies this weekend here in Central FLA.  Brrr.  High of 50ish tomorrow.  Yikes!!  😉

The hole in the roof

3 Replies

Photo credit

This is a repost from my former blog (no longer available…thanks to apple’s “re-do” and nixing their blog template…whatever.  It is from 2 years ago and this gospel is truly one of my favorites.  I’ve been blessed with tremendous friends (and family) and though distance separates me from my besties, I am fortunate to have a few where I am now.  However, the friends you raise your babies with, the friends who hold your hand and let you soak their shoulders with your tears during your darkest days, the friends who speak the truth when it’s the last thing you want to hear, the friends who watch your children, feed you, clean your house and drive with you through a most difficult season in your life……those friends have a forever place in your heart.  Today’s gospel reading makes me think that the paralytic’s friends hold a forever place in his heart.

This morning’s Gospel Reading is from the book of Mark, Chapter 2.  The story of the paralytic who is lowered through the roof by his friends in order that he could be healed by Jesus.  I’ve heard the story many times and today I am struck by so many details.

The crowd was so big the friends could not get close to Jesus.  So, I wonder, “How did they get on the roof?”  If the crowd was so large, did they go to a nearby house and “roof hop” until they were on the right one?  Many of the houses of that time would have been close together.  Was it right next door or 4 houses down?

And their friend, who was paralyzed.  They bring him along the entire way, on a mat.  What is that mat like?  An oversize sling?  A makeshift stretcher with poles to help carry?  Is he holding on for dear life or resting in the anticipation that he just KNOWS these friends are doing him the favor of a lifetime?  Because if he eventually comes DOWN through a roof, he clearly has gone UP on a ladder or stairset and that can’t be easy on anyone, much less a paralytic on a mat.

And the hole itself.  The above image is how I imagine the roof to be.  Now is that roof really strong enough for FOUR men AND their paralyzed friend to stand on while they MAKE A HOLE THROUGH IT?!?!?!?  I mean it is basically sticks thatched together for crying out loud!   And then……..the lowering of the friend!  OH MY!!!  The mess that clearly made.  Was Jesus right under it while straw and roof bits were sprinkling down on him, in his hair or eyes?  Did He calmly continue along with his healing and then just greet the paralyzed man or did He stop and watch the situation play out silently cheering them on in their plan?

How about the people around Jesus waiting for healing of their own?  Clearly there were many, because the men could not get through.  Were they put out?  Thinking, “Hey! We were here first!”  Grumbling amongst themselves?  Or were they in awe of such a crazy plan and kicking themselves that they had not come up with it themselves?

It’s just an amazing story.  And I think of all my friends who have led me through impossible situations, making a hole where there seemed to be no way in and showing me Jesus.  So patiently waiting.  So ready to heal.  And I am overwhelmed with gratitude and tears at the lengths they have gone through to get me here.  And I am up from my own mat, in sight of all the people and we can all praise God, “We have never seen anything like this.” Mark 2:12b

Because sometimes we have to make the extraordinary effort to reach Him.  The One who heals.  The One who patiently waits.  The One who applauds the hole in the roof, mess and all.  And sometimes we get there with the extraordinary measures of those special friends He brings into our lives.  The ones who have carried you through the crowds.  Up the ladder.  Cleared a path, and lowered you through the roof, right to the feet of Jesus.  WOW.

What a way to start the day.  Praise God for His patience.  Praise God for His Love!  Praise God for the friends He brings to our lives.  Praise God for every day we have the opportunity to live out our lives glorifying Him.