The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14th

September 14th is the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and there are many easy ways to incorporate this feast into your day!

Catholic Culture tells us that sweet basil grew over the hill where St. Helena found the Holy Cross, so in Greece the faithful are given sprigs of basil by the priest.  For tonight's dinner you could cook a basil pesto or a tomato basil salad (with the last of the summer tomatoes).

Since the feast falls on a Saturday this year, you may have time to make the following monkey bread recipe from Catholic Cuisine.   

 

 Enjoy this yummy cinnamon bread while reading the Tale of Three Trees to your child.  What a wonderful Saturday morning!!!  
 

Five Finger Prayer

This is a fun idea for teaching your children a simple and quick way to pray.  It's easy enough that you can pray it in the car on the way to work or school and it's a helpful way to transition children into praying on their own.  Here is how it works, courtesy of Haley at  http://abadabing.wordpress.com/.

You start at your thumbs and work back to your pinkies.

Thumb: Those Closest to You

Your thumb is the nearest to you, so it represents those closest to you. For me, this is my family and closest friends.

Pointer finger: Those in Authority

Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. These could be teachers, nurses, doctors and ministers.

Middle finger: Our Leaders

The next finger, the middle finger, is the tallest finger and represents our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. The people who shape our nation and guide public opinion.

Can you imagine how much more peaceful elections would be if we complained less and just prayed more? This is something I am personally working on.

Ring finger: Those Who Are Weak

The ring finger is the weakest finger, and can remind us to pray for those who are dealing with illness, those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.

Pinky finger: Me

And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all. Which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. Your pinky should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

So…how do you pray?

September 5th, Mother Teresa

September 5th is the anniversary of the death of Blessed Mother Teresa.  Mother Teresa stands before us as one of the most compelling personalities of the modern age, and provides us with a striking example of obedience and devotion to God.  For many years Mother Teresa was unable to experience or feel God in her life, yet she carried on  loving, serving and inspiring His people.  She was greatly influenced by St. Therese of Liseux, "The Little Flower", who reminds us all to do small things with great love.  I find this especially important for mothers today.  It seems like we often feel that we are not doing enough, that we need to do great things for our children, families and communities. Yet the truth is that God calls us to love right where we are and to love first and foremost the people he puts right in front of us.   The love we put into our housework, helping our children with schoolwork, or preparing meals brings God great joy. That is what is so beautiful about Mother Teresa's command; it's simple and helps us to keep our priorities in order. All we have to do is start by loving our family well and great things will come!

To honor Mother Teresa today, consider reading a book to your children such as Demi's, Mother Teresa. Perhaps you can read the story while enjoying a bowl of pistachio ice cream to honor Mother Teresa's Albanian heritage.

http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Teresa-Demi/dp/1442421525/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377090020&sr=1-1&keywords=mother+teresa+demi

First Day of School and Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary

This is a throwback to our family's celebration in 2008...

September 8th was our first day of school as well as the birthday of the Blessed Mother. We had a great first day of school and afterward we enjoyed a little birthday celebration for Mary.

Will was really glad we had cake!