Thoughts Along the Journey

A few months ago, I splurged a bit and bought myself a tablet (of the electronic variety).  I think Samsung's Galaxy is a great product!  It's very user-friendly, not as expensive as the Apple brand products, and...I have Angry Birds. I used to scoff at those addicted to such things.  But there is something about a pig laughing at this girl that just doesn't go over well with me.  (I grew up on a farm.  A laughing pig would quickly become bacon!)  Seriously?  I have several versions of the game on my tablet now, and all those swine truly annoy me.  No wonder those birds are so angry.  Who wants a grunting pig making fun of their lousy ability to figure out the perfect angle? Here are some things I have learned from those birds: 1.  Never give up the battle.  There is always another way to fight the temptations Satan throws at you. 2.  Let God use your abilities.  They are gifts to be used, not kept to yourself. ...

A few months ago, I was listening to one of our local Christian radio stations.   The d.j. mentioned something about a prize package--all that was necessary was clicking a link on their website.  So, on a whim, I found the link and filled in my name and address.  Two weeks later, I was surprised when a free Josh Wilson CD showed up.  Hurray!  I won a prize! Yes, I did. The next week, an envelope came, with the radio station's return address.  Inside were four free tickets to Point Fest , which is held at Cedar Point .  Tickets to this event were around $50 each, so we were super excited!  Not only that, but they also provided free entry into the park, which has an abundance of roller coasters.  Hurray!  I won another prize! I won't belabor the prize thing.  Let's just say a Coach purse and 5 more Josh Wilson CD's completed my prize package.  Hurray!  More prizes! This past Saturday was Point Fest.  The hubs had a...

Today is the feast of St. Martha.  You have probably heard of her, even if you don't know much about Scripture.  Her legacy seems to be that of someone who worked a lot, but needed to do something "better".  After all, her sister Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet, which is the preferred role, rather than serving, right?  We'll get back to that question in a bit. I have to say, if Martha lived in 2013, she and I would be best friends.  I am SUCH a Martha-type personality.  Especially if there are people visiting.  I want everything "just so" and don't want any glitches:  burned food, lint on the carpet, an empty toilet paper roll...oh, just name it.  I don't want it to go wrong!  I also don't want to be the only one working to make things ready for guests.  I don't want it all to fall on my shoulders.  I may not have said anything to Jesus, but I definitely would have been rolling my eyes enough to get the message across. I ...

Today's readings for Daily Mass are from Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15; Psalm 78:18-19, 23-28; and Matthew 13:1-9.  The whole message I hear is this:  stop relying on what God gave you before.  He has something new for you--a new manna! If we keep longing for what we once had (those leeks and onions by the Nile--ick), we will never fully appreciate and receive what God has for us now (manna!). Something else I see here is the need to trust God daily.  The Israelites couldn't accumulate extra manna for the next day.  They had to trust that, each morning, it would fall from the sky, and they would have exactly what they needed. Oh, to have that complete trust in God's love and provision, for physical, spiritual, financial, and emotional needs.  Never leaving us in want.  Never running short.  Always exactly what we need--daily.                      ...

Happy anniversary to my wonderful husband.  God has been so faithful to us, and has blessed our marriage in so many ways. I am thankful for you, my dear!

A tribute to my very special dad... First of all, let me preface this post by saying this:  my dad will never read this.  There is no computer/internet access in their home.  I don't think he has ever even touched a computer, unless he was helping move one. Having said that, I want to honor him.  I am the youngest of 4 girls.  I'm sure Dad would have loved to have a son.  I'm sure my sisters can attest to the fact, though, that he never showed it.  Each of us has a very special relationship with Dad, and we know he loves us so much. Being the youngest, I have to admit that I learned the ways of a little girl with her daddy.  Batting the eyes, sticking out the bottom lip, and just a bit of whining...sometimes worked!  I especially remember being on vacation in Colorado one summer.  I had my eyes on a cap gun.  It had the whole Old West sheriff's gun look, and came with a roll of caps.  I have no idea why I wanted it, but...

Today's post is more of a rant than any theological- or devotional-type message.  Just so you know! I have been a parent for about 18 years now (counting the pregnancy, because that is definitely a stage of parenting).  I have learned a lot in the past 18 years--some good, some bad.  I have heard a lot of parenting advice over those years, too--some good, some bad. You know how it goes:  as soon as anyone finds out you're expecting a child, they have tons of free advice to share on how you should parent. "Don't spoil them.  Let them cry sometimes." "Never let them cry.  It's a sign of need.  Pick them up." "Never let a child sleep in bed with you." "The best parents allow their kids to share their bed." "Put them on a strict schedule." "A baby sets its own schedule." "Never use a pacifier.  Thumb-sucking is more natural, and an easier habit to break." "Use a pacifier.  Thumb...