by Barbara | Sep 13, 2012
I have a very dear friend I have known since high school. We were both baptized Catholic as babies, raised in Catholic homes, and received all of our sacraments. I was in her Catholic wedding and she was in mine. We are Godparents of each other’s children. Where we...
by Barbara | Sep 10, 2012
By Barbara Lishko "Where did all the time go" we often comment as we wonder out loud. I might say the same thing as I look at my dusty, neglected, first attempt at blogging and my sadly forgotten writing. What's the deal? How could so much time pass by without as much...
by Barbara | Jan 20, 2012
I am attempting to stay up-to-date with the latest advances in bathroom technology, but every time I use the ladies room it is a whole new learning curve. What do I mean exactly? Some places have automatic faucets that turn on when your hands line up within the...
by Barbara | Jan 1, 2012
A glorious day awaits.... although every breath is a new beginning we make quite the deal of the new calendar year as human beings. I guess any day is as good as the next to begin anew in trying to improve ourselves. My mantra is all about accomplishing so much. I...
by Barbara | Dec 24, 2011
Hard to believe that today is the eve of Christmas. Without a deliberate intention of reminding myself frequently I can easily lapse into the "everyday" mode of life. It is so easy for me to get caught up in that. Stuff to do, more stuff to catch up on, people to...
by Barbara | Oct 3, 2011
Today's Gospel is about the Good Samaritan. Everyone knows the story for the most part (Luke 10:25-37). Right? It's a real "feel good" story and I think we all would want a chance to be a Good Samaritan if it ever came about. I believe that this scenario presents...
by Barbara | Sep 25, 2011
I love giving myself as a gift. I feel God has abundantly blessed me and while I joke about NOT being born with the "NO" gene, I do say yes a lot! Friday, my day off...NOT. I said yes to bake in Flagstaff for the NAU Newman Parents weekend. I loved it. Was blessed to...
by Barbara | Sep 9, 2011
Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine. I got to thinking one day about all those people on theTitanic...
by Barbara | Sep 9, 2011
This summer we had the opportunity to do a road trip together again. It would be the seven of us, packed in the old gray Suburban, just like old times. A few years have passed since we have had the occasion for six hours of this kind of togetherness and I was waiting...
by Barbara | Sep 2, 2011
By Barbara Lishko “Our hearts are restless Lord, until they rest in thee.” St Augustine knew well what he was writing about, having spent part of his life filling the void with everything but God. It is difficult to watch people you care about “fill their voids”...
by Barbara | Aug 28, 2011
I often recall when I come upon certain situations a statement my father used to say all the time when we were growing up: something, something blah blah blah"...were you born in a barn?" You could actually add any statement to proceed the infamous born in a barn...
by Barbara | Aug 12, 2011
Life rolls on ready or not, prepared or not. How can we take the turmoil that hits us between the eyes, the unexpected twist, the drab routine at times...and turn it into a prayer, an offering, a means of salvation? "Blessed be God" in every situation. "Jesus trust in...
by Barbara | Aug 12, 2011
Ever since moving back to Arizona in ’97, we have lived in the same neighborhood; quite a feat these days. Only a few houses were finished back then, and the desert seemed to begin right where our yard ended. We had met on rare occasions, as our homes were being...
by Barbara | Aug 2, 2011
It’s that time of the year in Phoenix, when we really do question why we live here. Could it be because it only gets down to ninety degrees at night, or perhaps because massive dust storms hit without warning? I would suggest that it is something more fundamental than...
by Barbara | Jul 26, 2011
This is the second year I have decided to invest in a home garden here in the desert. That means we start planting by late February or March when most places are still shoveling the nasty white stuff. The only reason I toy with this fantasy has everything to do with...
by Barbara | Jul 16, 2011
I set up a tour of St Mary's Basilica today with our some of our teens. Gordon the Choir Director a wonderfully knowledgeable young man who hails from Scotland, presented the history of the Basilica with such passion and joy it was hard not to be interested. The...
by Barbara | Jul 4, 2011
Today is not supposed to be only about picnics and fireworks. Today we really need to look back and ponder the immense sacrifice that others gave so that we CAN have picnics and fireworks and FREEDOM. I know a young man who is in the Marine bootcamp right now, he was...
by Barbara | Jul 1, 2011
“What can I do to help?” These words echoed again and again as news of my surgery rang through our Church, neighborhood, friends and family. It is awkward being on this end of needing. I like being the giver. I am a Martha, and we like to be the do-ers. What I wanted...
by Barbara | Jun 13, 2011
Successful brain surgery, praise God and the abundance of prayers that flooded heaven. I am adjusting to life without hearing on my left side...it will take some getting used to. As I lay on my right side to sleep.... I won't even hear the angel's approaching to kiss...
by Barbara | May 23, 2011
"[Jesus] consented to empty Himself and become the hardest thing in the universe...a mortal human being...to enter our daily lives. God walks among us, is so simple we refuse to believe it; it fulfills our deepest yearning and binds us to what has actually been...
by Barbara | May 7, 2011
"Mother" a word that strikes all kinds of emotion in a soul. Tenderness, affection, fear, patience, laughter...and unconditional love. Moms come in all shapes and sizes and don't always have to have children of their own. All women are called to motherhood and I want...