Come Holy Spirit!

Mass readings for Sunday, May 19, Feast of Pentecost

“I am going to reveal to you the secret of sanctity and happiness. Every day
for five minutes control your imagination and close your eyes to the things of
sense and your ears to all the noises of the world in order to enter into      yourself. Then, in the sanctuary of your baptized soul (which is the temple of the Holy Spirit) speak to that Divine Spirit, saying to him:

Oh, Holy Spirit, soul of my soul.  I adore Thee.  Enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me.  Tell me what I must do and help me to do it.  I promise to submit myself to all that You ask of me and to accept all that You permit to happen to me.  Let me only know Your will.
                   

If you do this, your whole life will flow along happily, serenely and full of
consolation, even in the midst of trials.  Grace will be proportioned to the trial, giving you the strength to bear it and you will arrive at the gate of Paradise, laden with merit. This submission to the Holy Spirit is the secret of sanctity.”
                                        —CARDINAL MERCIER— (1851-1926)

Breathe in me O Holy Spirit
That my thoughts may all be holy;
Act in me O Holy Spirit
That my work, too, may be holy;
Draw my heart O Holy Spirit
That I love but what is holy;
Strengthen me O Holy Spirit
To defend all that is holy;
Guard me then O Holy Spirit
That I always may be holy.
—St. Augustine—

Got a New Camera:)

My sweet husband surprised me with a new camera today.  I was distraught last weekend when we were celebrating two birthdays, Mother’s Day and a graduation -  I discovered that the camera I love to use much was kaput -  dead as a doornail!  Well, our eldest son will graduate from Southeastern Louisiana University tomorrow morning.  That is a huge event for which I was going to be camera-less.  Yikes!  My hubby is the best!

I went out in the backyard this evening to test the new camera.  Check out what is going on in the Doyle garden:

 

 

 

Summer Fun Ideas

Just thought I’d post my “brainstorm” of summer fun activities.  Of course, some of the items are specific to the St. Tammany/New Orleans area – but they might give you some ideas for things to do with your own children.  I want to do a lot of relaxing this summer, however, I also want to spend more time playing with my kids – they are growing up tooooo fast!!!

Summer Activities:

visit other area churches not yet seen

Walk in the rain

Make a big puzzle

Library guest speaker

Shop – bring food to foodbank

Fountainbleu park

Coquille water park

Abita Trailhead

Koop Dr. shaded playground

Visit bee farm?

Treasure map hunt

Camp in backyard

4^th July party prep

explore ancestry – culture, flag, music, food – Germany, France, Ireland, Scotland

bowling

skating?   Dunaway Ice, Slidell?

Movie

$3 movie!!

Chuck  E. Cheese

lazer tag – Hammond

swim at Grammie’s

research and make an old fashioned toy

saint of the Day – St. Anthony June 13th

celebrate baptismal days

paint plates for special days – pottery place

make homemade butter/ice cream

nature collage

photographs – from different perspectives – funny dog

table ping pong

science experiments

Wii sports

Listen to old radio programs through internet – use our imaginations!

Read novel at night as a family

Board games

Evening – walk and play at lakefront

Watermelon seed spitting contest

Badminton

Free concert/outdoor movie

Snowballs

Summer theatre

Airplane ride?

Water balloon toss

Thrift shop

Plan our next vacation

 

 

 

Saturday Trips:

BR Zoo

UCM museum & Momma D’s Pizza Place

Grand Isle State Park

Tammany Trace Bike ride

Honey Island Swamp tour?

Abita Creek Flatwooks Preserve

Ridemore Farms, Covington – blackberry and blueberry picking

Water park – Denham springs

Go see Beau Rivage lobby and Lynn Meadows Hands on Museum

Visit St. Patrick’s Church, Street car ride, Lunch, Aquarium?

JPII Exhibit/city park

Buccaneer St. Park – Gulfport?

Planetarium BR

Go fishing/crabbing

Canoe trip

 

One of the Greatest Blessings in my Life

The last few weeks have been filled with anticipation at school – we (students, teachers, parents) were eagerly awaiting the end of middle school for our “graduates” – the end of homework, tests, grading, getting up early – the discipline involved in every day.  Well, last night, our 7th graders had their closing ceremony and reception.  It was beautiful and magnificent – from the mass to the elegant farewell party and walk down memory lane.

As I was leaving the reception, my heart was completely overcome with gratitude for being blessed to have the best job in the world!  I have been given the gift of having a job that I truly love to go to everyday.  I realize that most people cannot say that.  To have just a tiny part in educating a young mind and soul is a tremendous responsibility and treasure at the same time.  The kids have given so much more to me over the years than I could have possibly given to them – just in being themselves – precious people made in the image and likeness of God – EVEN when they have not acted so “precious.”

Ironically, I hated school as a child – from first to twelfth grades.  Things didn’t get better for me until I got to college.  I think that subconsciously – and maybe even consciously sometimes – I set out to try to make the classroom a much better place for my students than it was for me.  God allowed me to have that terrible experience as a child to shape me my teaching today.  I only hope that I will be able to retire before I get cranky!  I never want it to be said of me that, “she should have quit a long time ago.”

My niece, who I am so proud of, is studying to be a teacher.  I hope that she will love it as much as I have loved it!  I can’t think of a better way to spend my life (outside of being a wife and mother, of course!)  Thank you, Jesus!!

Be Not Afraid

“Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ.”
-Venerable John Paul II

Did you know that the phrase “be not afraid” is the phrase used most in the bible?  I’ve listed some of my favorite “Be not afraid” moments from the New Testament.

 

 
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I.  Do not be afraid.”  Matthew 14:27  (Jesus walking on the water. Peter thinks he is seeing a ghost. )

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  Luke 1:13

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Luke 1:30
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”  (Jesus foretells his Ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit.)  John 14:27

Take courage, friends:) 

 

Absolutely Incredible

If you didn’t read my reflection on the gospel yesterday, do me a favor and read that first.  It’s not long or complicated.  Without that background, you would miss the significance of this post.

I just left the adoration chapel – pouring my heart out to Jesus – and giving Him my troubles – for the second time today:)

On my way back to my classroom, I stopped to pick up a piece of trash on campus.  It was a post it note – when I turned it over, I was astonished and ever so grateful.  When God is this good, who needs anyone or anything else.  It is true what St. Theresa said, “…God alone suffices.”  God, thank you for continuing to reassure me.  I am a slow learner.  You are my ALL!

Reflection on the Readings for Sunday, May 5, 2013

Readings for Sunday, May 5, 2013

Can you guess my favorite verse this week?  “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”  In the gospel, Jesus eludes to His impending Ascension.  Often, when I contemplate the Ascension, I envision myself standing there with the disciples watching Jesus float up into the sky.  In my heart, I want to pull on His tunic, or hold onto His foot and not let Him go.  I suppose that is not the proper response.  I should be happy for Jesus that He got to return to the Father.  After all, isn’t that where we all hope to eventually wind up?

It’s the same when we lose someone we love.  We have the real hope that he/she is going to a better place, but we still want to hold on, because it hurts too much to be without that person.  Jesus has not left us alone.  He sent us the Holy Spirit to fill us, to guide us, to advocate for us.  Sometimes, I think that we don’t recognize and rely upon the Holy Spirit enough.  In the Holy Spirit, we have grace for the asking.  Do we remember to ask?

I have experienced this wonderful, deep peace that Christ promised to give, from time to time.  Inevitably, I let the worries and struggles of living in this world steal it from me.  Thankfully, I have only to visit Jesus in the adoration chapel, or receive Him in the Blessed Sacrament and some of that peace is restored.  It’s also cumulative – the more one visits, the more peace one receives.  If you are looking for peace in this mixed-up, stress filled world we are living in, the Holy Spirit and the peace of Christ is your answer -  the only answer.

 

Come Holy Spirit!

Just for a smile:)

We moved into our new home on January 8 of this year.  My children have gained space, but have lost their basketball goal, swing set and trampoline.  Today was a gorgeous day, so we gathered the pieces of the trampoline that have been stored at my parents’ house for months and put them together this afternoon.  The kids were elated, as the pictures reveal.  I took some shots of them celebrating before we attached the safety net.  There’s nothing that makes me smile more than unrestrained kid happiness:)

My Reflections on the Joyful Mysteries

This morning, I had the supreme pleasure of attending mass with a friend and having breakfast with her in one of my favorite local restaurants, The Broken Egg, just one block off of the lake.  It was so good to get caught up, and to be supported by another mom “in the trenches” – trying to raise happy, holy kids in today’s world.  Thanks Mary Danna for being encouragement on this journey!

Afterwards, I went to the chapel.  I had intended just to pop in and sit in Jesus’ presence for five minutes, but felt compelled to pray the rosary.  The joyful mysteries said on Mondays and Saturdays are my favorite!  I just wanted to share what popped into my head this morning as I prayed those mysteries -

The Annunciation – Of course, I pictured beautiful, young, frightened Mary in the presence of the angel.  Through her fear, she also trusted God completely, and said yes, which effected the whole plan of salvation.  I thanked Mother Mary for saying “Yes”, and asked her to help me to always say “Yes” to God – to allow God to work through me to bring others to Him – in fact – to not let me get in the way of the flow of GRACE.  Help me to want only the Father’s Will – whatever that may be.

The Visitation – Mary (who probably felt a bit nauseated, tired, PREGNANT), put her own feelings aside to go help Elizabeth who was probably having a much more difficult pregnancy because of her advanced age.   I asked Mary to help me to “Get over myself.”  How often does fatigue, grumpiness, aches and pains stop me from being helpful or pleasant to others?  I asked Mary to help me to help me to be much less selfish and more giving – in spite of myself.

The Nativity – I love to envision myself right there at the manger, admiring the beautiful baby Jesus.  In my mind I ask Mary and Joseph’s permission to hold Him in my arms, and they tell me that Jesus came for me – that He is as much mine as He is theirs.  Mary generously and willingly lets me hold Jesus.  I admire Him, and praise Him for coming to me in such a humble, simple and tangible way.

The Presentation – Mary and Joseph go to the Temple to present Jesus in accordance with Jewish law.  They bring the child and the prescribed sacrifice.  I imagine myself presenting all that I have and all that I am to God.  I ask Him to take me and do what He wants with me.  Take it all – You, Lord, know what to do with “it” better than me.

The Finding of Jesus in the Temple – Often, I look at this mystery from a parental standpoint – of losing a child.  Today, I thought of looking for Jesus myself – how at times I hunger for Him – how the whole world is hungering for His presence today (whether they know it or not).  I am reminded that I need not look far – that Jesus is truly as close to us as the very beating of our hearts.  I leave feeling assured, hopeful once again and at peace.

Have a beautiful day!

The Joyful Mysteries

 

Celebrating the Month of Mary with Children

Please read my latest post at NOLA CATHOLIC EXPERIENCE.