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? 

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 #6

Happy day before Halloween! I'm sure your children are wound up about fall parties and Halloween celebrations at school as well.

We've been trying to keep our Halloween celebrations on the frugal end as well. Here are some of the things our family has been doing:

Our Girl Scout and classroom party admittedly featured the same activities. (Buy once, use twice, right?) We're upcycling a ton of toilet paper rolls for our $1 spooky craft and are playing the "Bag of Bones game" in the classroom today.

Halloween costumes have been homemade creations too. My son was a ninja for one party but has since decided to trick or treat as a skeleton. Both came from his closet (we bought skeleton pajamas on clearance last winter.).

My daughter went as "Night" to the scout party and may still raid her closet to be Luna Lovegood for her friend's party.

And as per tradition, we'll be greating trick or treaters tomorrow with Happy Meal toys, party bag trinkets and other items.

How are you having a frugal Halloween celebration?

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.

Save Time with Amazon School Supply Lists

Back to school time saving tip: Amazon has loaded many schools' school supply lists on its website. While I can't swear by the price comparison versus hitting the local sales, it can certainly save you the headaches of kids who want a folder with ___ on it, or not finding any glue!

Check out their School Supply Shopping Site, and search by zip code to find your school!

Lego Birthday Party on a Budget

Birthday parties are a cause for excitement - and discouragement.

Excitement for the little ones. Discouragement due to the messy house and even messier costs of excitement.

I've always tried to limit the costs of my child's birthday party to $75 or under, but I know there has been some budget creep. 

This year, when my son wanted a Lego theme for his seventh birthday, we went for it. 

We brought out every Lego in the house and set up a building zone in the toy room.

We let the boys watch The Lego Movie and munch on bowls and bowls of freshly popped popcorn while it rained.

We had plans for a low-key homemade cake with a small Lego figure and vehicle on top. When the cake crumbled - literally - we went to a plan B  - Lego "cup"cakes - literally frosting and cake pieces in a cup. Those first-graders gobbled it up.

And when the rain finally came to an end, we took advantage of the still-warm weather to play games on the driveway.

Our goodie bags were replaced with a bag with a thank you note, a Lego Ninjago DVD we got on Black Friday, and a copy of the Lego magazine (which we received for free just by emailing the Lego company.)

Did anyone notice there was no bounce house? No unique location? No wild activities? 

No. These were just boys having a good day.

Just remember: Bigger isn't always better. 

Budget Star Wars Jedi Party for Our Boys

The Force should be with all birthday party planners.

A December birthday is a tough act. Most years the weather doesn't cooperate, and the spirits are high with the over-sugared, over-active Christmas season.

But when our 6 year old wanted a Star Wars birthday, we knew we could make it happen.

The great thing is we pulled this party off on a budget. Here's how we did it.

Cake: 
I'm not afraid of making the "homemade" birthday cake out of a box mix. Rather than pay for a high-price bakery, we frosted the cake and put a small Lego Star Wars figure on top for a decoration. (Sorry, I just can't do all the Pinterest amazing cakes, nor do we necessarily have to!)

Pinata:
We splurged and did a pinata (something I rarely do). There was a party store going out of business, so we took a pinata and converted it to Darth Vader with a little paint and creativity. Poor Darth got a beating out of him both during the pinata game and after.

Costumes:
Yes, we pulled out all the stops, including Jedi costumes for the boys. Lest you think I have great skills, these entailed a large-sized brown T-shirt and inflatable light sabers from the party section at Target.

Activities:
Jedi training was the name of the game. And even though the weather outside was frightful, we had plenty of activities to keep the boys busy.

We laid the ground rules early. As part of our training, after each training session we went to the "Jedi circle." We then did silly party games like keep the balloon in the air using your Jedi skills, light saber training, a training maze created by the girls, etc.

At the end, we watched part of the Star Wars movie until parents picked the boys up.

You don't need fancy or high cost to do a party that the boys will remember...even if it's like the boy at the left who told me a year later that he liked everything but the light sabers should not have been pink!

Slaying Debt in 2015? This Book is For You

Getting rid of our credit card debt has been a dream of mine since my husband was able to return to work a few years ago. But the details made it tricky. Getting half his former salary, combined with the expenses of Catholic school (a priority for us as well) and the unexpected expenses, and our debt, despite our efforts kept trickling up.

I'll admit it. I've been frustrated. I've been angry. I've wondered more than once, How could this happen?

But I'm relieved to learn I'm not alone. Recently I read - and re-read - an advance copy of Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After, written by Indiana author and blogger Cherie Lowe.

Here's the thing: It doesn't matter if your debt happened over a big mistake, a lot of small mistakes or misfortune. The reality is you can get out of it.

Here's what I love about Slaying the Debt Dragon: It's a book filled with baby steps, hiccups and great advice. I love that Lowe comes clean about the impact massive debt has on her family, her marriage, her faith and her sense of self. And I love that she has a success story to share.

Lowe's story is about a leap of faith and a series of small changes that over time built her family's success in paying off $127,000 in debt. I've read this twice already - once just after it arrived, looking for small tips to glean and try, and a second with new eyes after getting a small raise. What can I do differently? The answer is it starts with a plan and ends with consistency. But a little sense of humor never hurts too.

Help me get in the Christmas spirit

"Help me get in the Christmas spirit," I cried out on Facebook the other day.

It was a week before Christmas, and I just wasn't feeling the season this year.

Looking back, it's easy to see why. Our family hasn't all been well since October (and if you count our injury-laden year, May). While we were blessed the worst was my husband's week of bedrest due to bronchitis, illness of any level will take its toll.

My children were out of sorts and out of schedule. My daughter had just gotten a detention for missing five assignments that week. My son's birthday was looming, and I, finally getting my turn at being sick, was so disheartened looking at the house and all that was needed to be done before Christmas.

Instead of relishing all things about Advent and the Christmas season, as I normally do each year, I was feeling more and more like this:

"Help me get in the Christmas spirit," I asked my friends. And there, I learned I wasn't alone, but I got a few worldly tips to help perk me up.

• Seek the Three Kings... Jack Daniels, Jim Beam and Johnny Walker.
• Watch your favorite Christmas movie? Do something nice for someone else? These things always put me in a Christmasy mood.
• Give. Giving always puts me in the spirit. Even if it's giving smiles, or leaving 50c taped to the vending machine. It's the Christmas spirit.
• Bake cookies and see friends:)

"Help me get in the Christmas spirit," I asked my blogging community. And here I got the best advice of all.

...not all Christmases are created equal. I'm sure you know that. Christmas is a conglomeration of emotions and memories. Sometimes, circumstances get in the way of our enjoyment of the season. 

Sometimes, we rely too heavily on old memories for that feeling of Christmas. Memories are wonderful, and sometimes, not so wonderful, but we can't rely on them to boost our spirit. I think the one thing that boosts my Christmas spirit (which was really sagging this year and not like me either but justified because of circumstances) is praise and thanksgiving. And doing something for someone else.  

Thinking outward rather inward takes the focus off of us. And praise puts our focus on Jesus. To think He bowed down to earth and came in human form to give us grace, peace, love, forgiveness, salvation, and an eternal home with Him is an awesome thought. I pray the Lord will give you a special touch of His presence to arouse your Christmas spirit. Be blessed!

Wishing you all a return to the Christmas spirit this week 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.

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.

My baby's staying a baby: That's all I need.

My baby just announced he was getting rid of all his "little books."

"I just need chapter books now," my first grader said.

And my heart took a skip.

What? My baby doesn't read his books anymore?

"No Goldbug?"

"I'm too old for this book."

"No Three Little Jayhawks?" I asked.

"No I love the Jayhawks. I need it."

"No John Deere?"

"I love John Deere!" he said, taking it back.

"And this one. I love this one."

"And I need this one."

It felt a little bit from the scene from The Jerk...




But what all I need? My baby to stay little just a little bit longer.

Olivia: An inspirational character for my fourth-grade girl

As my fourth-grader becomes more advanced in reading, we've struggled with finding appropriate stories for her to read. Finding compelling stories that aren't about monsters, vampires or other scary topics or themes hasn't been an easy task. I have an impressionable girl, and one that's tender at heart. I'd like to preserve that as long as I can, and even in a Christian school, it's tough to find good books in the school library that she can read.

But I've been pleasantly surprised with the discovery of a new author and Nancy Carabio Belanger's Olivia books.

Olivia and the Little Way tells the story of a fifth-grade girl who moves to a new state. As a way with dealing with the nerves of starting a new school, her grandmother gives her a St. Thérèse chaplet and tells her about "The Little Way," that St. Thérèse believed that "you can show your love for God by doing little things for Him with great love."

Olivia learns how to love others through the Little Way, whether it's dealing with mean kids or other grade-school concerns, but she learns that the Little Way is not always easy.

Her grandmother tells her, "You cannot expect to follow the Little Way without some hardship along the way. It is a work in progress. Do not get discouraged...God does not expect perfection; He only wants you to try your best every day." Great advice, not only for Olivia, but for all of us.

I had received this book for a review copy, but in all honesty haven't had much time to peruse it. My daughter has had her nose in this book since it arrived at our home. But I love that her head pops up to share with me a fact about St. Thérèse or Joan of Arc or other strong women that my daughter should look up to as inspiration.


Olivia and the Little Way is a 2009 Catholic Press Association book award winner, children's books. It is also a 2010 recipient of the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval.

The sequel, Olivia's Gift, (which I'm certain will wind up on my daughter's bookshelf!) has received the Catholic Writers Guild seal of Approval and is a 2011 Catholic Press Association book award winner.

Note: This post does include affiliate links for ordering. Thank you for your support of my blog.

Saints for When You're Getting Nothing for Christmas

At bedtime, worries come out. And in a hushed tone, my 6 year old said, "Mom, I don't think I'm getting anything in my stocking. I've been too naughty."

Yes, we've had more than our share of "naughty moments" in the last few weeks. But the awesome thing was, my son was realizing that maybe those moments add up.

I gave him a hug. There is still time to change, I assured him. And even really big saints were naughty - really naughty, far worse than what a 6 year old could do - but changed their minds and turned to God.

Take St. Augustine. Known today as one of the doctors of the Catholic Church and the author of Confessions , a mainstay in university World Civilizations classes, Augustine wasn't always so clean-cut. He hung around with the wrong crowd, and made a series of not-so-great choices. (Not that I'd share this with my first-grader, but his famous prayer was "Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet."

Even St. Francis of Assisi, a beloved saint for my son, wasn't so saintly to begin with. He loved his lavish lifestyle and all it brought. A spiritual crisis and illness ultimately led him to his personal conversion, and a quest to "rebuild my church."





What impresses me about the lives of saints is that, for all of those who were known to lead a Godly life their whole lives, there seem to be just as many who struggled, fell, and yet turned their way to God. And that is what I want my children to know.

And Saints are our friends in Heaven. We can ask them for help, just as we might talk to a loved one who had passed. Last night, we began talking to our saint friends Augustine and Francis, and asked them to help us not be naughty.

Sweet words coming from the mouth of a 6 year old. But I believe, a friendship could lead to great change.

The Gift of Time

Time. It's such a precious thing. It's something we count so greedily, whether wishing it away or wishing it would stop. What if we gave more of it, instead of unwrapping things under the tree? Maybe this world would be a different place.

What if...

We spent an hour having coffee with our friends?

We spent time as a family volunteering before the holidays or even during Winter Break?

We wrote a note to a teacher, a mentor, a grandparent, thanking them for their contributions in our lives?

We did a team volunteer project at work as part of our Christmas celebration?

We made Christmas cookies or baked treats and shared them with our pastor, our coaches, our small group, the homeless?

We spent an hour in the classroom instead of collecting for a teacher gift?

We ate lunch at school with our kids -- like they so often ask us to do?

We asked the volunteers for groups our kids participate in: What do you need help with? And follow through.

Many hands make light work.  - African proverb

Share your favorite ideas for giving the gift of time.