Eve of Ash Wednesday

"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Phil 4:8

That is what I am going to strive to do this Lenten season. I am going to cut way back on my internet time, though I will be here everyday at least. I know that I have been spending too much time on my computer and that I need to force myself to curtail it and this is the best way I know how.
I am going to strive to fix my mind more on our dear Lord. I truly think that difficult times are coming; I feel it in my heart. The world is about to change somehow, unless there are many conversions and that would be a change in itself.
I am finding myself praying more and more for His wisdom and strength. I am not afraid right now though I know that I may have moments of fear if bad times come. I pray that I may have the grace to persevere; that my children and extended family; my dear friends all have the strength and grace to persevere.

"Walk while you may have the light, so that darkness may not overcome you." Jn 12:35

There may be very dark times coming, but the Lord will be our light. Always remember that the light of even one small candle can overcome the darkness but it is impossible for darkness to overcome the light of even just one small candle. Let Christ be your light that the darkness can never overcome.

Be not afraid...

A blessed night to all.....

Writer's block

There are so many things I should be writing. I have at least three emails I should be answering and another that our dear Lord is putting on my heart, but I keep hesitating to write them. I have posts that I have been pondering and thoughts going through my head, but I have felt too weary to put them down here.
Perhaps when the time is right, the words will flow.
I have been seeing lately that my dear husband is becoming more wise. Sometimes the words just flow out of him that I know must be the Holy Spirit at work. Some of these words have been comforting; some have been convicting. Last night he said words that were convicting to a group of our dear friends that were greeted with various reactions.
Last week, he spoke words of comfort to me concerning someone dear to my heart who has been pushing me away lately. He pointed out to me the reason why this is probably happening and it was such a comfort to know that it is because I have been doing something right, not wrong.

We have been working on praying together more, always something that the evil one works against because it has such power. It is such a comfort.

On a lighter note, the shower went well, though I was exhausted when it ended. I realized that I had not sat down the whole afternoon except for one brief respite. My kitchen is still not completely back to order but I have been working on it in bits and pieces. Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest after all....
I hope and pray that all of you have had the peace and joy of His love this blessed day...

A Bridal Shower

I'm going a little crazy this week....
I'm having a bridal shower tomorrow for Will's sister. We invited about 40 people, it's for lunch, and I've only heard back from 10 of them. Trying to guess how much food to make is interesting. I'm figuring on 30 people and if there's leftovers, I'm sure I can feed them to my teenage sons who always seem to be hungry....hehe.....
It's also supposed to snow tomorrow and I'm worried about where everyone will park if it does. Our driveway will hold about 10 cars and we don't live on the type of street where you can park on it. Usually we have extra people park on our lawn, but that probably won't work tomorrow. I think I'll send Mark outside and he can handle it....
Hopefully, I will have time on Sunday to write some more.
A blessed weekend to all....

My Box of Memories

I know I've been very quiet on here this week....
I have been catching up with some of the people I taught 25 years ago on Facebook. I found a group for the alumni of the school and I've written messages back and forth with some of my students who are now all in their late 30's. I'm finding out all about their lives...
I have often wondered about them and how they're all doing. I do pray for them as a group often and when one of them in particular pops into my mind, I pray for them individually.
Some people have put up pictures from way back when including one of my class from 1983-1984. All those beautiful young faces....

Tonight I pulled out my box of memories...memories that go back 40 years. Papers I wrote in grade school, high school, college. Pictures, cards, calendars....one including the first year Mark and I were dating. Every week I wrote down what we did on our date.
Letters and cards from my students, pictures they drew for me, lesson plans and grade books....
So many memories....
But it felt so strange....as if I was looking at the memories of someone else....a girl I no longer am. It made me realize how much my life has changed; how much I have changed. The young girl with all those dreams has grown up and has new dreams....
If the dear Lord blesses me with 40 more years, I wonder what I will think when I look back at the box of memories from now....

A blessed, peaceful night to all.....

I was just thinking that I have never added any pictures to this blog. Here is one of me and me darlin' family last year on our beach vacation.

The snow is melting.....the wind is blowing.....I hear the water dripping from the eaves. It feels like a March day.

I am thankful for the love of my dear Lord and my dear Blessed Mother. I am thankful for the love of my faithful husband, my parents, my children. Their love soothes my heart when others wound it.
I am not perfect....I am not a perfect mother, a perfect wife, a perfect daughter, a perfect friend....yet I am a child of our Lord and still lovable. He sees me as I will be when His work is finished in me. He is always patient with me. He sends His consolations when my soul needs them most.
I pray that I may have the grace to keep loving; to do whatever He wills with my life. I put it in His hands. I will ever strive to follow Him, though I know sometimes I will fail, will fall. He will hold my hand and pick me up again.
I have His peace; His quiet joy....

In an instant

I was reading some blogs last night after my last post and I was saddened to read of the death of Amy Welborn's husband. I don't know how many of you have read her blog but she's been around a long time and she and her husband Michael Dubruiel are both speakers and authors of Catholic books.
He had just turned 50 several months ago and was working out at the gym when he had a heart attack and died. They have 5 children, aged 26 to 4, and I just laid awake for a long time last night thinking how devastated she must be feeling. I'm sure she's feeling like she's living in a nightmare she wishes she could wake up from.
It makes you think again about how quickly live can be over and how our circumstances can change in an instant. Here is a man who seemed to be in good physical shape, younger than myself, and he's gone without warning.
May our dear Lord have mercy on his soul and grant him eternal rest and may He comfort his wife and children and surround them with His peace and strength....

Facebook

I joined Facebook several months back and today has brought some happy memories back to me. I had found a Facebook group for the alumni of the school where I taught and I recognized one of my former students and sent her a message. She messaged me back tonight and it was so good to hear from her. I always find myself wondering what happened to all of them...they were all so special to me. The school had very small classes and I taught the only 6th grade and changed classes with the 7th and 8th grade, so I had some of the same students for 3 years. Some of them came from such sad family lives and I was always wishing I could take a few of them home with me. Those were the years I was struggling with my infertility and I was always wanting to mother some of those poor kids who needed it.
So I am glad to make contact and maybe I will find a few more on there too...