Today's Gospel Reflection for Thanksgiving Day

originally written for CatholicMom.com

Reflections on Luke 19:41-44.

I write this reflection 13 months into the future, during a time when we have had anxiety over our presidential election, the future of our Supreme Court, threats against religious liberty and uncertainty about my children's future. 

Today's Gospel shares similar foreboding - "For the days are coming upon you when...they will encircle you and hem you in."

There's a sense of irony that these verses come on Thanksgiving Day, a day when we thank God despite all obstacles placed in our lives. It's in times of trials and tribulations that God shines through us.

Despite the darkness, we can show God's light. 

And yet, as I write this, I hear nearly 100 youth and teens singing His praises in prayer and worship: "Show Your mighty hand through the streets and land...Set this church on fire. Win this nation back..."

Saying Yes: How to Help Build a High School, Brick by Brick

Yes. It's such a hard word to say. But the ramifications are huge.

I had what I like to call a "flashing billboard moment" last Sunday at Mass. We had a priest from Rwanda visiting to share their hopes of expanding a high school there from housing and classrooms for 125 girls to space for 400. He was asking for help, brick by brick.

Twenty dollars could buy 300 bricks.

And during the service, I kept thinking: "We should do something in our Girl Scout troop."

After all, our troop is active at our church, and their monthly meeting was this week. It could work. We could ask them to earn money at home to help out.

After all, even $2 earned from chores could buy 30 bricks.

But I felt it laid on my heart to do more.

So I spoke with some friends after Mass, who run another troop. They agreed that it would be a great idea.

And then my daughter, who responded with a "Let's challenge other troops to do this! I know scouts at ____ and ___ and ___."

By Tuesday, the seed had grown to a full-fledged bake sale at our church this weekend. After our Saturday evening service, we had raised about $120 - more than 1800 bricks!

But what if I hadn't said that little Yes? What if I had thought, it's the first week of school, no time? Or, we have a project already at scouts scheduled, no time? Or, my house needs to be cleaned, no time?

What if the other leaders and parents who baked on a beautiful summer weekend said, no time?

Instead, we said Yes. And we might have changed a life a world away.

You can read more about the project on my scouting blog:

Little Blessings

Lately two things have weighed on me: sharing my faith more and praying more - specifically diving into the rosary.

My children and I have a morning tradition of praying the minute we back out of the driveway. It' started with a simple, "Dear Jesus, help us have a good day," and has evolved over the years.

"Dear Jesus, please help us have a good day. And help the people who are hurt, or sick or scared, or have cancer. And please help the children in Haiti."

It's gotten a hair more sophisticated over the years, sometimes throwing in a decade of the rosary or  a few Hail Mary's, but I like the conversations we have with God.

The last few days, I've tried something a little deeper.

I downloaded a few mp3 files of scriptural rosaries - because I can seem to focus on those better - to keep on my phone while I'm in the car. I've tried it while folding clothes and while driving on a late night home, and while I haven't had the spiritual "AHHHH" that I someday hope I will find, I am happy to report I'm seeing little blessings, coincidences, whatever you might call them.

Like my daughter, who was sent home from camp because a counselor thought her dandruff was lice (poor kid!). We dutifully checked her hair, prayed, admittedly pouted a bit, but prayed some more. This morning, she told me "I have faith I'll be able to go back."

She's a happy camper this afternoon.

And I'd dragged my heels on registering my son for CYO football (a combination of money woes due to my husband's injury and not really wanting him to play). Today was the last day, and I logged in to register. It turns out I had a $60 credit from two years ago! How that happened, I'm uncertain, but I'm grateful for that little blessing.

And I keep hoping, and praying for the bigger blessings in life. I am offering up the frustration of sleepless nights from insomnia and managing the home alone due to my husband's injury. My hope is those little blessings might show up as a short respite from his pain, or, even better, my husband returning to the church.

In the meantime, waiting on that big "miracle," I'm thrilled to be more and more aware of the little blessings in life. Ones that may have been there all along.

What little blessings have you seen in life lately? 

Our Lady of Kibeho and Father Elijah: Warnings Unheeded

I just finished reading two books that shook me: Our Lady of Kibeho and Father Elijah: An Apocalypse. One is sadly true, one is fiction. Both roused something in my heart.

The warnings unheaded in the Bible, from the pulpit and from Marian apparitions caught up to our days. And the results devastating.

Our Lady of Kibeho, Rwanda

For those unfamiliar with the story of Our Lady of Kibeho, the Virgin and Jesus appeared to several children in Rwanda in the 1980s. What struck me is they didn't just appear to the Catholic faithful. It was to a Muslim, to a pagan. It warms my heart to see these reminders that Our Lord is for everyone, even those who may not know Him yet.

The warnings of Kibeho were to convert their hearts before the looming holocaust, which sadly occurred in the 1990s. While thousands came to witness the miracles and visionaries in Kibeho, perhaps it was a watch-and-see of a show, versus true conversion.

For someone like me, who loves to read about Marian apparitions, it was a reminder that just learning isn't enough. Taking the messages to heart and re-centering ourselves in the love of the Lord is a daily, moment-by-moment process. And it's one I keep working on, struggle with, aim for.

Father Elijah: An Apocolypse

Michael D. O'Brien's fictional account of the Catholic Church in the last days was shocking to me. The tale of Father Elijah, a monk and Holocaust survivor, is thrust into unraveling a scandal that is threatening the faith of millions.

The book begins slowly, but quickly dissolves into chaos for those within the Catholic Church and in the public arena who are trying to retain the trueness of Catholic belief. A politician and humanitarian - known only as the President - has leapt to worldwide acclaim as the one who will be able to save our world. Others within the Catholic Church worry this man may in fact be the Antichrist.

As the President's power and influence grows and the worldwide culture continues to erode to finding and leveraging our internal strengths versus trusting in a God, Father Elijah witnesses the gradual - and then building - destruction of the Catholic Church and its people.

Those who do not ascribe to the new theology are discredited, publicly destroyed, even killed. Yet Father Elijah and the faithful remnant are repeatedly called to forgive, pray and trust in God even as the outside world unravels.

Working on Our Hearts

Both books are prophetic in a larger sense but also on the micro level: We must truly work to convert our hearts.

It's not a simple question of being "saved" or having attended church. It's about being consistently working to strengthen your faith, even in the midst of trials. Trust and true faith in the Lord takes place in moments large and small. I hope one day I can fully achieve that.

I end this book with an excerpt from Our Lady of Kibeho, one that truly spoke to me. Her words are far more eloquent than anything I could ever pen:

My children, there are many who want to pray, who try to pray, but do now know how to pray. You must ask for the strength and knowledge to understand what is expected of you. My love goes out to you all, for there are many here who want to reach the road to heaven, but do not have the strength or knowledge to ask for God's help. My dear children, listen to my words, for I will teach you how to pray from the bottom of your hearts. 

You must begin your prayers by offering God all you conceal in your soul.  God sees your every action and knows your every thought; you can hid nothing from Him. But you must tell Him yourself--you must be wiling and strong enough to confess all of your transgressions of body, mind, and spirit to Him. Hold back nothing; admit your bad deeds and thoughts. Then you must ask for God's forgiveness from the bottom of your heart. Rest assured that if you confess and seek forgiveness sincerely, He will forgive you. By beginning this way, the sins you carried will not distract you from praying sincerely. You can then speak to Him knowing that your heart is clean and your conscious is clear. Pray to Him fervently, make a petition, beg His favor, ask for His blessing; God sees into your soul and knows you seek His help with a repentant heart. 

There, my children, you too must offer forgiveness by asking God to forgive all those who have trespassed against you, all who have caused you suffering or given you insult or injury. Forgive them in prayer and ask God to bless them and help them. 

Then pray for the spiritual and physical welfare of your relatives, for all your brothers and sisters, that God may bless them. Then give thanks to Him for having received and answered your prayers. Most important, you must ask God for the strength you need to do His will; ask for the strength not to stray from His light. Pray for the courage and wisdom to walk only the road leading to heaven.

And never forget, my children, to pray for the strength to be humble. Your prayers have no meaning if they do not come from the depths of your heart, and you cannot open your heart to the Lord without humility. I love you, my children. When you lack the strength to pray, ask for my help. Pray for my intercession, and I will strengthen you and bring you to my son and to the Father through your prayer. 

- the words of the Holy Virgin Mary, message through the visionary Valentine in Rwanda 

Are Catholics Not Christian Enough?

"I didn't know you were Catholic."

That statement from a coworker years ago shocked me. I've worked 15 years in a Catholic organization and next to this person for years, and somehow my faith never showed the light.

That day was a wake-up call for me.

Since then, I've tried to be a brighter light for Christ. Not in a "You must be a Catholic" sense, but in showing God's mercy and love for others. Because for me, it's not about converting numbers but in changing hearts to show love for one another, regardless of faith, regardless of circumstance.

I thought I was living that path.

Not Christian Enough

Lately I had been feeling a tug to start blogging more again but hadn't really taken that step. Sure, I had shared several articles on Catholicmom.com, but those were written months ago.  I just never found the time to do more.

This week, though, I made a baby step.

I posted an article on my scouting blog about a new Catholic scout patch program and shared a pin in a Christian Woman Bloggers Group on a pin sharing thread. Apparently that was too Catholic for this group.

By the afternoon, they announced that no Catholics need apply, that even though this was a "Christian Woman Bloggers" group it was for Protestants only. Nevermind that I was a long-standing member of the group. Nevermind that I had supported all my Christian blogging sisters, without questioning which of the 200+ demoninations of Christianity they were. For me, it was about supporting a Christian way of living.

One that apparently does not include love and respect for the Blessed Virgin Mary, nor of other Christians not of the "right" denomination.

After several nasty posts directed at me about how wrong I am, I was banned from the group before I had a chance to even respond. Because Catholics are not Christian enough.

I do want to thank these women, though.

I want to thank them for reminding me of what Ghandi said once:

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.

For reminding me that I need to do better.

For reminding me that I cannot be complacent in my faith. 

For reminding me that even though we may be claiming to work for Christ, sometimes we are human and truly act that way in a broken world.

For reminding me that I need to do better at sharing my love for Christ.

Not the First Time

Interestingly it's not the first time I wasn't seen as being "Christian" enough  because I adhere to Catholic teachings. In high school, my boyfriend's mother was upset about my faith and let him know she didn't want him to marry a Catholic. (It never happened.) I remember friends in college who belonged to "Christian" organizations who didn't want to be seen with a Catholic in public. (Needless to say, those friendships did not last.)

The funny thing is Christian = believer in Christ.

We may vary on the details - as evident by the hundreds of Christian denominations in the world, as well as the interpretations given by individual pastors and religious leaders.

But the end result, we believe in Christ and hope for a reunion with Him in our next life in Heaven.

Maybe if we all focused on living out our faith and love for Christ for others, and in supporting one another in our faith journeys, regardless of where we are starting, our world would be radically different.

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
- John 13:35 New Living Translation (see other Bible translations here)

Are You Inviting God in the Process?

Are you inviting God into your day? That's the question I ask in today's Gospel reflection on Catholicmom.com.

Serving our family, our friends, our church, our communities is valuable, but become much less so when we forget to invite God into our endeavors. Personally, when I’ve kept my efforts “in the world,” I’ve felt more easily drained, more tired, more resentful that others aren’t doing their part.

But when we invite God into the process – whether simply starting the day with morning prayer or doing more in-depth discernment and prayer – the full force of our energies are blessed by God’s love. We are truly not alone.

Inviting God into Your Daily Life

Do you ever feel like you are going through the motions? That you are so busy doing and less living?

Serving our family, our friends, our church, our communities are all valuable, but become much less so when we forget to invite God into our endeavors. Personally, when I've kept my efforts "in the world," I've felt more easily drained, more tired, more resentful that others aren't doing their part.

But when we invite God into the process - whether as simple as starting the day in morning prayer or doing more in-depth discernment and prayer - the full force of our energies are blessed by God's love. We are truly not alone.

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Haiti Devastation: An On-the-Ground View and How You Can Help

Hurricane Matthew is making its way to the Florida coast, but lives have been devastated already.

Today, I want to share with you a message from a priest in Gandou, Haiti. A friend's cousin runs her Indiana church's Haiti ministry to help this village. Please read this. Pray for relief efforts in Haiti and all other places affected by Hurricane Matthew. Help if you can.

"IT is with great sadness that I send this message after the devastating cyclone that Matthew is terminated Haiti. The words to express the damage this terrible devastating cyclone fail us and we always fail, because it is unimaginable to see in so little time a country knelt and saw his destruction of state as if there was a war in country.
Gandou take such a community that previously was very vulnerable in terms of poverty of the population today, hit the entrails with the passage of Matthew.
At Gandou there is more garden beans, corn, everything is washed away that come in the hills. And the wind is still considered for the inhabitants of Gandou, the greatest enemy even when there is no cyclone like this.
I announce, population Gandou does not know yet where to go.
No roads, drinking water problem.
Animals such as goats, beef, especially mule representing much of the wealth of people Gandou are all washed away by heavy rains caused by the cyclone.
The extent of damage is invaluable.
I promise to send some pictures, but I hope you have the sad courage to look.
For now, there is no telephone network that works Gandou.
No Internet. There is not even a road for donkeys, let alone motorcycle or vehicles, perhaps in the next three months. For now the feast of the community Gandou is not a priority. What is priority now is food, medicines, sheets, nails, cash for work, to support the most needy population.
I count on the support of every living inhabitant of Indiana in particular, the parish of Saint Anthony, my sister parish. I have not had time to greet you but I hope you understand me because the situation is really precarious painful sad and painful.
May God bless you United States, Indiana, and everyone"
Fr. Reginald Voltaire

If you would like to support Haiti relief efforts in Gandou, St. Anthony Catholic Church in Morris, Indiana, works directly with the community there. Checks to St. Anthony Haiti Ministry can be mailed to St. Anthony Catholic Church, PO Box 3, Morris, IN 47033. Please specify hurricane relief.

Easy First Communion Menu

My child's First Holy Communion was an amazing experience.  But it was also stressful for mom. 

The reason?  How to celebrate. 

Creating a First Communion party menu is a challenge at best.  A Google search and you'll be dismayed by big-budget catering menus or elaborate lunch plans. But we're a relatively simple family on a simpler budget. On top of that,  Mass was at noon,  which meant we'd have hungry second graders and guests by the time we got home. 

Oh, and did I mention the 80% chance of storms all day that day? What to do? 

If you're a mom like me,  who needs an easy go-to meal for your First Communion party, today I'm sharing our party plan with you. Hopefully this will ease some of the stress of this big day! 

Stress Free First Communion Party Menu

• Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sandwich 
• Hot dogs
• Coleslaw or Ramen salad
• Chips
• Vegetables and dip 
• Cupcakes

Day before:

• Bake cupcakes.  (Homemade or from a mix)
• Make coleslaw or Asian Ramen salad. 
• Prepare veggie dip if you hadn't pre-bought.
• Slice veggies for vegetable tray. (If you didn't buy pre-cut.)

That morning:

• Start barbecue chicken in slow cooker.

After Mass:

• Shred barbecue chicken; serve on buns.
• Cook hot dogs.
• Set out foods and enjoy a RELAXED meal with your loved ones - because this is what this kind of celebration is about!

Being Messy in God's Work

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.”

I was blessed to be a part of CatholicMom.com's Daily Gospel Reflection Series for 2016. What an amazing experience!

Today's Gospel reflection focuses on the messiness of God's work, how God's path isn't always easy or comfortable. I liken that to this experience. Writing about the Gospels, or teaching about them in a way others might relate to, isn't something I'm used to doing. Others have had that gift and used it well. Being pulled to use my ability to write - in a new way for me, sharing the messiness and uncomfortableness that it can offer - was a difficult but rewarding experience.

I've waited six months since the story was submitted to see it live. If it strikes you, share your thoughts. If it inspires you, I'll feel blessed.

The Jesse Tree Project: I love these patterns!

This is the year our family will be doing a Jesse tree project. Sure, I'd tried it in the past, but it became little more than adding ornaments to the tree when we decorated.

And then I had a chance to review Our Family's Jesse Tree from Faith & Fabric. I love the fact these projects are do-able despite any crafting ability, are simple enough for children to create and come with daily devotions for our family. So we'll be revisiting this tradition in 2015!

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You can learn more about this book on my blog, Use Resources Wisely.

Frugal Friday #2: An exercise in patience

I confess, my Frugal Friday post is a bit late, but not without reason. We've been dealing with illness the last two weeks in our home, and sometimes blogging just falls lower on the priority list.

This week's frugal accomplishments:

1. Sold an extra pair of snowpants to a grandmother on the employee classifieds. Found out that her family's home had burned, and we're able to bless her granddaughter with some additional clothes from my daughter's closet.
2. Carpooled to son's friends' birthday parties. (Sadly, yes, plural. We actually turned a third friend down for today. Too much!)
3. Ate leftovers. (Sorry, it is an accomplishment, it's a tough habit to embrace.)
4. Put my faith in God by putting in a contribution at church. It was a little one, but the habit of sharing, even when it is tough, is one I need to re-instate. I will try to build up to tithing eventually but am embracing consistency over quantity first.
5. Documented all mileage for donations and volunteer hours for taxes.
6. Had a "playdate" with my daughter and her friend that actually was a community service project vs. a go out and spend money activity. They loved making a difference in our community!
7. Reached out to my fellow Girl Scout leaders to see what supplies they could collect in advance of an upcycled ornament event we are doing in December. (Being frugal, though it's not my money!)

What accomplishments did you have this week?

Frugal Friday: My little moments

I've decided to start journaling our family's frugal moments on a weekly basis. As we are now beginning our third month of unemployment, and were denied unemployment assistance by the state, we are having to buckle down even more. By journaling my moments, I feel like I can take more ownership of our family's situation.

Frugal accomplishments this week:

1. I took my son shopping. More specifically, Christmas shopping. Each of my children had received a Toys R Us gift card as a thank you for their participation in a project. My son's first reaction was "I wish it was more" - a typical 7 year old reaction, but one that made me cringe. After some thought and prayer, we approached each kid with the idea they could use the gift card - to buy a Christmas gift for their sibling. He was not allowed to spend over (other than tax, which I would cover), and it was a great way for him to learn about budgeting and decision-making. It was a treat to take my son shopping (before the mad holiday rush) to let him casually, determinedly discover his best gift idea for his sister.
   
2. I sent my brother to space. Yep, the little boy who went to space camp and dreamed of being an astronaut has now grown up to be a computer geek...who visits NASA for fun on summer vacation. So what do I get the brother who has everything? His name on a mission to Mars. (And you can too, but NASA's cutoff is Sept. 8!) So for Christmas, he's getting a framed boarding pass, hopefully with a space camp photo from his childhood.
   
3. I came clean. Birthday parties seem like they are every week in September, and they can quickly become budget-busters. I sent a message to each of the moms, explaining our situation and asking what ideas they have for smaller things we could get. All have been gracious.
   
4. I asked for prayer. We cannot live in this world on our own, and I'll admit this week has been difficult on a number of levels. When I hit my lowest, I reached out on social media, asking for prayers and support. Reaching out does your heart and soul good.
   

What frugal accomplishments did you have this week?

Putting God First: How to Make God the #1 Priority in Every Area of Your Life: A Review

Rarely do I order an e-book and make it past the first page. Reading a book on my phone never ends well.

And then I ordered Brittany Ann's book, Putting God First: How to Make God the #1 Priority in Every Area of Your Life. I've read Brittany Ann's blog, Equipping Godly Women, for some time, and I was intrigued by what she'd say.

How could you not be attracted to a description like this:

Do you ever feel stressed, worn out, exhausted or overwhelmed? Like no matter how hard you work, how late you stay up or how much you plan and multitask, there simply is never enough time to fit it all in? Has quiet time with the Lord become a distant memory? And while you know you should change that, at the end of another long day, all you really want to do is fall into bed and sleep? 

Little did I know how much this book would touch my heart.

I scanned the first paragraph or two once my phone said the book was downloaded, then stopped. And read it.

And then I went to the next page.

By the end of the introduction, I was hooked - enough to share the book with friends.

Throughout my morning, I kept wanting to return to the book, and confess I was secretly relieved that the school called to pick up a sick child - so I could read while she watched her movie on the couch!

What was it about an e-book, written for a reading format I struggle with, that grabbed me so much to draw me from my daily work?

It was the fact that "life" was pulling Brittany away from the life she should be living in the Lord. She was overextended in the wrong things, and neglecting the simple tasks that could bring her peace and comfort. Being faithful to the Lord doesn't require long hours, but it requires mindfulness in Him. It requires a relationship, not a wish list and a check-off box.

For some time, I've been bothered by some personal habits of mine. Like the fact that I, who always felt uncomfortable when a phone meeting plowed through the overhead noontime prayer, now was rushing down the hall when I heard those words of faith over the intercom.

Or the fact that I was going through life without stopping to say grace, or if I did, it was while I was doing six other things for mealtime.

Or the fact, as I told my husband, "I don't have anything else to give."

So instead, I spent a sick day afternoon reading - and hopefully taking to heart - ways I can become a more godly woman. Not in the holier than thou variety, but one who just carries peace in her heart in the most difficult seasons.

I urge you to check out Putting God First: How to Make God the #1 Priority in Every Area of Your Life today. It's a fast read, and one that I hope will touch your heart as well. The book currently is free for download on Amazon, please grab your free copy today!

Prayers for a trial

This is the part where things get real.

So often I tend to stick to the "happily ever after" posts, sugar coating what is happening in my life. It's easier to write simple stories on faith or my children's adventures in scouting.

But life is not always easy.

For several years, our family has battled with the effects of the Recession:

• years of unemployment
• long-term underemployment
• growing debt as we tried to stay afloat
• uncertainty
• worry, and the worst:
• Depression

We've battled from the brink of all of these. I am proud to say that my small strands of faith helped with this. But it's a battle far from over.

My husband still battles with Depression, and it's far from over. He suffers from what we call "Bad days." It's when he hides in his hole, barely able to come out.

He lost his job two months ago, unrelated to his battle with Depression. And he's had two interviews but no successes. Two months later, we are still waiting to see if the state will even give us unemployment.

It's a tough battle. It's an uphill road of faith.

And this is where I ask you for help.

I need prayers.

Prayers for my husband to find faith, faith in himself, faith in God, through this trial.

Prayers for my young children, who are again having to grow up too fast. 

Prayers for me, while I try to balance work and the challenges at home with the extra cross.

Thank you. And if you list your requests below, I'll be sure to pray for you as well.

Unexpected Blessings and Leaning on the Lord

I will never begin to understand God's timing.

I will likely never understand why we went through three years of unemployment and then several years of underemployment. Why we built up debt just trying to stay afloat.

I will likely never understand the rocky last year and a half we have had, dealing with injuries, illness and depression.

But in a small way, we've been blessed.

In recent months, I've slowly began to realize that I need to lean on the Lord. Hard. If Catholic school is a priority for our children's education, we will make it so. If medical bills are a priority, we will make it so. But the combination of the two was deadly. And I leaned. And leaned. I asked God to just show us how.

It's a question I've asked again and again the last six years. I've stumbled, I've fallen. I've hoped.

I even joined on the book launch team for Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After, in the small hopes of finding that nugget of inspiration that could get us through the coming months.

And somewhere between my readings and prayers, something happened. Something moved.

My husband got his first job interview in more than two years. We'll hopeful that it's the right opportunity, as it would mean better hours and a much shorter commute as winter approaches.

And I got blessed with an unexpected raise. I'm shocked. And grateful. And having to look at our budget (which was still all in my head) in a whole new light.

We could do this.

We could pay our debts off.

We could be free.

I'm hopefully optimistic.

Christmas Gift Idea for a Girl Scout Troop: Custom Ornaments

As a Girl Scout leader, I'm always on the lookout for interesting ways to inspire the girls in our troop. I want them to believe that with time and effort, they can accomplish much. And, being that we are a church-based troop, I want them to always remember that faith is not separate from their actions.

I typically have not done Christmas gifts for my girls, though I've seen it discussed a lot on the leader Facebook groups I participate in. But I got a little divine inspiration recently from Pinterest. I stumbled on an image in my feed of an old prayer card with the Virgin Mary with Girl Scouts. The back simply stated the Girl Scout promise. I looked but didn't have much luck finding online - with the exception of finding a set of 100 in bulk. That, and if the other fourth-graders are anything like mine, no matter what the intention, the card would likely be lost in a corner someplace.

A trip to Michaels inspired me. There was a 1/2 off sale on porcelain ornaments. A little Modge-Podge, a printout of the image (scaled to about 3 inches square), and I had a unique gift that hopefully the girls will remember and keep in their homes as they grow up. All for roughly $1 per girl.

Celebrating St. Nicholas Day in Our Home

St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6) is becoming a dear part of our Advent and Christmas season.

St. Nicholas, one of my daughter's adopted saints, is best known as his contemporary, Americanized alter-ego, Santa Claus, but this bishop from centuries past and saint has a deep story of loving and giving - to the point of saving lives.

I first learned about St. Nicholas Day from my kindergartener in Catholic school. There, they set out their shoes before rest time and received a treat. I dug a little more into the real story, and realized this was a fun way to sneak a bit of faith back into the all-too-commercialized Christmas spending season.

Each Dec. 5, our children set out their slippers in front of our tree. They wake this morning to a simple gift in their slippers, typically a candy and a small religious-themed gift like a prayer card or book.

I'm a bit saddened that some of their friends don't enjoy this Advent tradition in their home. It's an easy way to reinforce the reason for the season, without it getting lost in the busy gift-giving shuffle of Christmas gift exchanges.

My children are again looking forward to setting out their slippers before they go to bed on Dec. 5.

This year, they are getting some chocolate coins with St. Nicholas's image printed on them. (You can find the pattern here.) I purchased the chocolate on Halloween clearance, but you can easily find chocolate gold coins in the Hanukkah section as well.

As far as an activity, I'm torn between putting this project in their shoe (size determining it, I'm sure), or into their stocking. I stumbled on this great project online for children to build and create their own wooden rosary holder.

Illuminated Ink creates these kits, which the kids assembly, paint and decorate. I thought it was perfect for my little guy who wants to build things as well as my artist in residence. He'll be getting a kit for St. Michael the Archangel, the protector and a saint he is drawn to, and my daughter will be getting Our Lady of Guadalupe. Other saints offered include Our Lady of Fatima, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Saint Joseph, and there's even a 10 pack if you need multiple gifts. The kits run about $10 each on Amazon, including shipping costs.

Book gifts

We've also given book gifts in our past. Some you might consider include:

The Legend of St. Nicholas: A Story of Christmas Giving 

 

Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend

The Real St. Nicholas: Tales of Generosity and Hope from around the World  

A Special St. Nicholas Day

How do you celebrate St. Nicholas Day in your home? Share your ideas below.

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When someone you love needs help at the holidays

"To learn to give, you have to learn to receive," I was told by a wise nun years ago.

It is the toughest advice I ever had to swallow but one I think I benefit from each day.

I had a baby and a three year old, my husband was out of work, and the Great Recession was in its beginnings. Everyone was scared. And so was I.

This was the year that Christmas came from loved ones - and many secret Santas I'm still grateful for. They blessed us with diapers, clothes, toys for the children. I spent that Christmas day in half tears, devastated by the fact we ourselves couldn't provide things for our family. The Kroger gift card - giving us a week's worth of groceries - drove the point home. Never intended, but our situation was too raw.

I learned my "lesson" that year and despite our financial situation tucked away a few things over the year (clearance summer clothes, etc.), determined not to be empty under the tree. But it took even longer for me to learn the real lesson.

Whatever we have - no matter how little - is a gift from God, and we always have the chance to grace others and share blessings.

Here are some ways we've learned to bless others - and some tips for friends and family who are on the "other side" wanting to help: 

Blessing Others When You're Broke

• Time and talent: I always try to remember that in our church they talk about gifts of not just treasure - but also time and talent. (Note that you'll often hear "treasure" last of these tree!) Gifts of time and talent can make such a difference - whether it's donating time to a charitable organization or making an upcycled gift.
  
  In the last few years, while we try to recover from our financial upset, we have redoubled our efforts to help, whether it's at school, scouts or church. Not only does it provide needed volunteer support, but my children will remember that mom and dad were there! Maybe you can't donate to the Angel Tree, or perhaps you yourself are benefiting from it; instead, can you help wrap gifts or deliver them?
  
  The gift of time is simple too. While I don't do gifts for friends, we do invite them for cookie making - treasured time when everyone is so busy! Or offer to babysit one night for a dear friend.
• Use ExtraBucks wisely. As we don't have a lot of extra money right now, we are very careful in what we can donate. But those ExtraBuck deals can bless others. Now I buy nearly free diapers for our Gabriel Project at church or free foods or medications for the church food pantry. Every bit helps.
• Reach out and ask how you can help. I believe people naturally want to help others but sometimes we need to give them the opportunity. A woman at church knew a family whose home burnt. She certainly couldn't help them in all the ways they needed, so she reached out. And we reached out. A few phone calls later and I had not only clothes for one daughter from us but also clothes for a son and decorations for a Christmas tree I had heard was being donated to the family. 

When Your Family Is Financially Struggling 

• Don't be afraid to ask what they need...and gently encourage them to share. Do the kids need new shoes? Pajamas? Maybe they need diapers (or maybe cloth ones they can reuse?) or gas cards?
  
  Be specific. Saying to let me know if you need anything, or asking what I can do to help may not get you far.
• Help meet emotional needs. While you're not a therapist, even something as simple as movie tickets and an offer to watch the kids for a night can give parents the emotional break from the constant worry of a situation.
• Be practical without feeling"practical." Sure you could buy groceries, but you can also buy a basket of locally made spaghetti sauces, breads and salad dressings (for example) from the winter farmers market or buy a gift certificate to a local produce delivery service. It makes the ordinary - cooking and worrying about feeding the family - feel a bit more decadent.
• Consider gifts of experience instead of stuff for the kids. One year, my mother bought the kids soccer and dance lessons at the parks department instead of toys. She likely even saved money than when she bought stuff, but more importantly, the kids felt a little more "normal" and for once weren't turned down when they asked to do an activity. We've tried to continue this tradition when we could, asking for a drawing class through Girl Scouts, for instance.
• Take the focus, if you can, off money. Invite a family for a popcorn and Christmas movie night at your house, take them to a free or low-cost Christmas event, go caroling or looking at the Christmas lights, or invite the kids out for an afternoon of sledding.
• Remember, while they appreciate any assistance , it's also hard to receive. Being in a position of constant worry is difficult, and it's hard to learn to receive gracefully.

Please help others help their loved ones! Share your tips below.

Our Lady of Guadalupe crafts for kids

The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of my favorite Catholic traditions I have adopted.

Dating back to 1531 in Mexico,  the celebration marks the appearance of the Virgin Mary to a poor man, Juan Diego, who was later named a saint.

I love this description of the lessons of this event, found on catholic.org:

The first lesson is that God has chosen Mary to lead us to Jesus. ...The second lesson we take from Mary herself. Mary appeared to Juan Diego not as a European madonna but as a beautiful Aztec princess speaking to him in his own Aztec language. If we want to help someone appreciate the gospel we bring, we must appreciate the culture and the mentality in which they live their lives. By understanding them, we can help them to understand and know Christ. 

We began celebrating this tradition in our family five years ago, when my daughter began participating in the church's children's processional. We have since grown that part to include crafts, scout patches and activities to help the children better learn and appreciate this aspect of Catholic faith tradition. 

We have adopted a tradition of creating a commemorative Christmas ornament that is simple for the kids to make. Last year's was a simple paper ornament that included a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This year's will likely be a little more complicated as we have an older group. We are looking at these two options:

The Catholic groups for both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts also have patches the children can earn for learning more about St. Juan Diego, and the Archdiocese of San Antonio has an Our Lady of Guadalupe Girl Scout patch as well.. All three of these resources offer ideas and activities to help school-age children learn about this aspect of their faith.

What has worked with you when sharing the culture of your faith with your children? Share your ideas and experiences below.

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