A stinky stable and the giving and receiving of Christmas
“Salvation came to us from the “yes” uttered by a lowly maiden from a small town on the fringes of a great empire. The Saviour was born in a manger, in the midst of animals.” …
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Things I think about because I watch Chopped
If you were to ask the Sisters I live with what my favorite TV show is, they would probably say Chopped. It’s true. I really am very passionate the show Chopped. If you’ve never watched, here’s the premise. Each episode is a competition between four chefs. There are three rounds: appetizer (in 20 minutes), main course and…
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Snuggle in
I hate it when my children are sick: when their normally endless energy is replaced by a whimpering lethargy. When their bleary eyes can muster no enthusiasm for treats or excursions. When I know they are suffering and there’s nothing I can do to make it better. Except for snuggles. Oh, how I love to…
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The process of lightening up my living
A few weeks ago, my whole life flashed before my eyes. Well, maybe it didn’t actually flash. But, I really did feel I re-lived my 33 years of living in five days. In those five days, I looked at all of my stuff and made a choice about whether to keep each item (not the goal), throw it…
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Toddler Tantrums and the Kingdom of God
By Guest Blogger Nicole Wooldridge. It was one of those moments every parent dreads: my two-year-old had worked herself into an ugly public tantrum, and I had to abandon our planned activity in order to haul her thrashing body out to the car. Frustrated and embarrassed, I couldn’t help but think to myself: “Seriously, Jesus?…
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5 good ones
Sometimes really good things can get buried underneath other good things. At times, we are called to uncover and re-expose the hidden goodness in the Kingdom of God, so that the blessings can help us be renewed. This blog has been going for about three and half years now and includes over 230 posts. Wow! Thanks…
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The conundrum of kids at church
One of my Facebook friends recently posted a rant about mothers who show up late to and leave early from Mass. He stated that he has more respect for people who don’t bother coming at all: “Either be all in or all out.” Others chimed in with “Amens” and further complaints about the entertainment and…
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Jesus and the Mommy Wars
I am a conscientious objector to the Mommy Wars. If you’ve never heard of the Mommy Wars, then you (mercifully) missed last year’s media frenzy surrounding a Time magazine cover that featured a mom breastfeeding her four-year-old son. The accompanying article, provocatively titled “Are You Mom Enough?,” spawned a vitriolic nation-wide debate that was sadly emblematic…
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Motherhood and Not-So-Simple Simplicity
By guest blogger Nicole Steele Wooldridge I always used to find it challenging to live out the value of simplicity in a contemporary Western context. Now, as a mom, I find it nearly impossible. I am blessed to be the mother of a twenty-month-old daughter and another little girl due in two months. I desperately…
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Over-Blessed
By guest blogger Elizabeth Diedrich It is 7 p.m. and there are two things on my mind: I am hungry and I need to use the bathroom. Dinner service ended a half hour ago but one person has yet to leave. I wait at the back door, ready to finish my job, which involves making…
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On the corner of 12th Ave. and Jefferson
True story shared by guest blogger Liz Diedrich I was happy to see William pull up next to me on his bike. Last I heard he had been stabbed in a fight and I did not know the extent of his injuries. Surprised at the opportunity, I ask him how he was doing. He seems…
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Who is your family?
Guest blogger: Sister Sarah Hennessey Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. We remember Jesus did not zoom into human existence in a space pod or appear on a mountaintop shining in gold. He came in family. Mary is more than her “yes.” She lived the daily joys and sorrows of family. Joseph…
