When I think of clusters, peanuts immediately come to mind. Those delicious crunchy chocolatey nuggets of yumminess. But I am not writing about those. Apparently, stars are born in clusters, and migraines can cluster. But I am...
Every dad has them. My dad used to make statements that both baffled and challenged me. "Hold her Newt, she's heading for the barn." I spent years wondering who Newt was. When I finally rode a horse, I understood. If I apply that to myself in real life, it translates,...
We have been married over forty-five years and counting, and it wasn't all roses and rainbows. Yet, over the years, what constitutes a loving action has changed. Initially, when we were living overseas, I enjoyed the sparkly things I could put on my fingers. I loved...
My first memory of volunteering took place in South Korea as a new bride during our initial assignment. I said yes and helped at the wives’ club events and at Church, teaching religion classes. I found it to be a great way to meet others, and it felt good to help make a difference.
What I never expected was to discover more about myself in the process. I noticed that I was pretty skilled at specific tasks that were useful to the organizations I served. The more I shared these strengths, the more they grew.
Grant me an artistic license as I step far off my normal path and recount a recent event in imaginative terms rather than its gritty reality. I daresay you will eventually get the point if you remain focused as it meanders through familiar paths, recalling perhaps...
Moms, the best thing we can do is avoid smothering our children and instead train them for battle.
"The graces of My Mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is trust." (Diary 1578) Our Pastor, referring to this quote by St. Faustina, put it into terms we could understand by saying that mercy is a bottomless well. The bucket we use to draw upon God's...
We have entered the Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. These three days culminate Christ's redemptive work on our behalf and mark a new beginning for us. Sin is no longer a noose around our neck. Unless we refuse to repent and continue in our sin....
My plan was to be a nurse, and God’s plan for me was to marry. While not opposed to one another, this simultaneous endeavor was impossible to pursue in a third-world country. Years later, my next plan was to be a pastry chef. God’s plan was a series of unexpected yet...
All we wanted to do was to get the three kids in the car and arrive at the appointed time. The bottle was filled, and extra formula and diapers were checked. Snacks? Are there enough snacks for the fifteen-minute round trip? Potty, did everyone go potty? "I don't have...
Excitedly, she handed me a book entitled Five Little Monkeys to read out loud. Our three-year-old granddaughter then crawled into my lap. As I started reading, I realized I had never seen in print this familiar childhood tune about the monkeys who fell out of bed....
Welcome to my first newsletter where we get to connect on what's new and tap into your brilliant minds to see what direction to focus my memoir. A quick update from me-- Book sales are moving along. I will be at the Christopher West event sponsored by the Theology of...
Last year, as a new parishioner and recently retired, I felt God's gentle prompting to host a marriage retreat. This meant asking the Pastor, who didn't know me well, to take a chance and give me his permission to go forward. I appreciated his trust and vote of...
Getting old is happening faster than I imagined. I knew we would; it's what's supposed to happen in life if all goes well. I'm not suggesting I'm shocked every morning at the wrinkled old lady who greets me in the mirror. But I am. Oil of Olay, you lied to us. As a...
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” (Matt 2:2) These magi knew what they were about. They made all the necessary preparations and traveled the long journey to Jerusalem for a singular purpose, to find...
The day after Christmas, the readings at Mass took a wild turn. Airwaves wrapped up their nominal tribute to Christmas by continuing to divert our attention with the remnants of Santa Baby and fa la la. The Scripture readings instead douse us with the icy water of...
"Unplanned" is often used as a scapegoat and reason to justify the unthinkable. This is not what I planned... fill in the blank. Most of my life was not what I planned. Yet as I look back there is evidence of God doing something good in all those unplanned moments. I...
My work predominately involves the preparation of men and women for marriage in the Catholic Church, as well as listening to those who are struggling within their marriage. This gives me a particular perspective on some of the common communication struggles that can...
This piece serves as a follow up from my previous article entitled, “What Wives Want Their Husbands to Know.” While these articles are in no way exhaustive, they are common stumbling blocks I encounter in my work in marriage ministry. Both in the preparation side and...
What is it about we humans wherein we want diamonds, but we settle for broken glass? We see this in many areas of our life; jobs, exercise, and relationships to name a few. We want good things for ourselves, meaningful work, a sleek rock-hard body, a learned mind, a...
In my work preparing engaged couples for marriage, I find myself pondering what might have been different for us, if my husband and I would have been required to take the same prep that is currently offered in the Diocese of Phoenix. While we were married in Phoenix...