by Barbara Lishko | Mar 3, 2026
None of us can avoid suffering or death. This complex body of ours can withstand extreme situations with nary a bruise, but sooner or later it is going to undergo suffering and eventually death—which is always looming in the future. Way to be a downer, Barb! Hang on,...
by Barbara Lishko | Feb 12, 2026
In these reflections, I aim to show how the gift of our bodies benefits everyone. Our bodies are meant for more than pleasure or pain. Even angels lack bodies; God gave us ours with purpose, making the visible reveal the invisible—much like a Sacrament, a visible sign...
by Barbara Lishko | Feb 5, 2026
As I sat in the ear doctor's office last week, waiting to be seen, I was mesmerized by the pencil drawing of the inner ear on the wall. The detail was incredible. Wow, Barb, you should get out more. No, seriously, we've all seen anatomical posters of the body in the...
by Barbara Lishko | Jan 29, 2026
It’s almost that time of year again when we work on our halo, Lent. How cool is it that the Church gives us so many opportunities in our everyday life that stretches and disciplines us on our way to sainthood. No, I didn't always think this way, but I'm getting older,...
by Barbara Lishko | Jan 8, 2026
Today was an unexpected joy. A dear friend was celebrating her birthday and had invited me to tag along with her sisters for a spa day. I need no excuse for a spa day, and was happy to join them. We were all around the same age and had an uncanny number of similar...
by Barbara Lishko | Dec 28, 2025
Today is the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The perfect family that sets the bar high, yet attainable for us regular folks, too. There were days when it felt like nothing was going right. Having never been a mother before, each day was a new...
by Barbara Lishko | Dec 22, 2025
I advanced another year today. Thank you, Lord, for all the years gone by and for never giving up on me. More frequently, I hear myself saying without thinking, “I used to be able to…” (fill in the blank). A couple of years back, one of our granddaughters was...
by Barbara Lishko | Dec 18, 2025
Have you ever been confounded by how something turned out? Confounded? What does that mean? To be perplexed by situations or people that do not meet your expectations. That hardly sounds like a gift. As Christians, we can assume life should be a walk in the park, and...
by Barbara Lishko | Dec 8, 2025
I happened to pass a home lavishly decorated for the holiday season. What’s the big deal, 'tis the season! Yes, it’s true, and a joyful Merry Christmas to you. I made a point of going back the following day out of curiosity and to check it out after dark. The front...
by Barbara Lishko | Nov 24, 2025
It was a beautiful evening as we celebrated my husband’s birthday. In and out we went as we grilled fajitas and pushed grandkids on swings through the wide-open patio doors. My mother says I charge through life, which is not surprising, as I rushed back outside to get...
by Barbara Lishko | Nov 13, 2025
A couple of friends and I were commenting on how the warm weather still hanging around was getting tiresome. It then occurred to us that in Phoenix, we do not have to worry about tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, or snow. No unexpected earthquakes send us scampering to...
by Barbara Lishko | Nov 2, 2025
I'm fascinated by stained-glass windows. However when the sun isn't shining through, they appear dark and uninteresting, but oh, when the light shines through, they're enchanting. As the sun changes angles, we see clearly the details and colors painstakingly crafted...
by Barbara Lishko | Oct 27, 2025
I remember one of our daughters sending me a photo that, at first glance, looked like a happy toddler in a car seat. Upon closer inspection, her daughter was covered in chartreuse vomit. She had colic as a baby, and her little tummy was still trying to figure out...
by Barbara Lishko | Oct 18, 2025
If there is anything I've learned over these sixty-plus years, it is this: trust Jesus. It's easy, but we tend to make it difficult. We like being in control and calling the shots. Have you ever sat down and really thought about how much power you actually have over...
by Barbara Lishko | Oct 6, 2025
Do we ever think about asking God to increase our faith? Increase my paycheck, or my bank account, but not my faith. I want to propose that asking for an increase in faith benefits us personally, collectively, and eternally. Jesus responds to the Disciples' request to...
by Barbara Lishko | Sep 20, 2025
Jesus knew we all need a mom, so He gifted us with His perfect Mother.
by Barbara Lishko | Sep 2, 2025
We arrived at the City of the Immaculata in Niepokalanow, Poland, located outside of Warsaw. It was here that Fr. Maximilian Kolbe, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, would begin his passionate work in the year 1927. “The City saw its original staff of...
by Barbara Lishko | Aug 1, 2025
You never know what cartoon characters you’ll encounter at the airports these days. Today, my flight had Plum Pudding, of Strawberry Shortcake fame, and Mercury Moon, from the Manga series. Really? No, they’re fictional characters. However, these mature women...
by Barbara Lishko | Jul 27, 2025
Fr. Dave Pivonka, President of Franciscan University, stated in his Holy Spirit podcast on Hallow, that there are 350-thousand Masses celebrated around the world each day. I had to pause and let that sink in. That’s both staggering and amazing! My little grey cells...
by Barbara Lishko | Jul 17, 2025
We are a people who are stretched to the breaking point. We carry burdens too heavy for us to bear alone. We try and try, to no avail, and are more burdened due to our delay, and the troubles compound. We need that friend named Jesus.
by Barbara Lishko | Jul 9, 2025
Was all of Phoenix at the airport today?