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...
by Barbara | May 7, 2011
May 6th, 2011 by Barbara Lishko It’s a boy!! Five long years of infertility had come to an end. It took a miracle at Lourdes, a lot of prayers, and a hope that never died. I think because I desired to be a mother for such a long time, I find such humor and joy in...
by Barbara | Apr 21, 2011
Today marks the end of Lent and the beginning of the Church's holiest 3 days. Tonight, Pope Benedict reminds us, that "God doesn't want to trample on us, but kneels down before us to exalt us. The mystery of the greatness of God is seen precisely in the fact that he...
by Barbara | Apr 9, 2011
All of us, I dare say, played in the sand at one point or another in our childhood. In fact we still head towards the sand as adults; it is just usually with a swim suit on and umbrella drink in hand. As children there was much to learn in the sandbox. They were a...
by Barbara | Mar 27, 2011
Twenty six years of kids will leave you with a lot of accumulated junk. Lost and forgotten treasures lurk within every box, stuffed in long forgotten tubs and drawers, all for the unsuspecting mommy to go through when the brood flies the coop. They seem to only take...
by Barbara | Mar 20, 2011
Pope Benedict says that when the disciples through the Transfiguration "experienced ahead of time something that will constitute the happiness of paradise" These "brief experiences that God grants on occasions, especially in anticipation of harsh trials." God knows...
by Barbara | Mar 16, 2011
So I am praying about this new challenge in my life to hear or not to hear that is the question. Surgery or radiation on my ear to reduce or remove a tumor growing at the base of my brain where my ear and brain meet. Good news...no cancer, bad news no hearing with...
by Barbara | Mar 12, 2011
“Give me a J, give me an E, give me a S-U-S, what’s that spell? Go-oooo Jesus!” That’s me at times, a real cheerleader for the Lord. As a mother and youth minister I have opportunities galore to get out the pom poms and give the rally cry for Christ. No, I don’t...
by Barbara | Feb 2, 2011
“You just don’t understand.” she told me in exasperation. “No”, I sighed. “I guess I don’t.” We had just finished this amazing day and a small inconsequential occurrence, that any other time would have been easily dismissed, caused her to rethink everything as the day...
by Barbara | Dec 12, 2010
As a fellow human being on the road to hopeful salvation, I can at times let myself be overcome with the load of my own cross. Like anything else in my life the more I make of my burdens the heavier they can become from the bothersome weight of pity that I needlessly...