Not Alone Series: Looking Ahead to 2015

How are we going to make 2015 different than last year? What goals are you planning/making to be more YOU this year? These can be goals can be personal growth, spiritual life, physical/health, or even your love life! Maybe you don't have concrete ones yet, but it helps to talk them out and get motivated!

My plan this year was to wait on the resolutions, let the high of the holiday season and starting a new year wear off before I fully commit to something that I would have a hard time sticking to.

My main thing is that I want to continue to grow in my Faith. To grow closer to God. To learn to trust Him more. Especially learning to trust Him more. I know this is a struggle for me and I want to continue working on that.

Make my bible my constant companion. I read my bible regularly but when life get busy it can sometimes be the first thing to get put aside. I don't just want to read it either I want to really get into what is there for me to learn, to take away and apply to my life.

More spiritual reading. I started weekly Adoration last year and I want to continue it this year. Remember to seek the intercession of my saint everyday, St Joachim pray for me.

What are your plans to be more you this year? Visit Morgan for the link up and Jen to see what everyone else is planning.

Not Alone Series: A Day In The Life

Let's get back in the swing by sharing what our typical day is like! Tell us however you like, minute by minute or a blurb about your day! Be sure to answer these questions: 

- What is your favourite part of your day?

- What is your least favourite part of your day?

- Are you making any changes to your daily routine now that the new year has begun?

Happy New Year to all!!!!! We are back Jen and Morgan are starting off with a nice fun topic, a day in our life. My days are like snowflakes no two alike so I documented one day, yesterday, with some side commentary.

4:08 I wake up 2 minutes before my alarm, it's cold and I still feel tired so I tell myself I have plenty of time so I just roll over. I am a morning person generally and would happily bound out of bed at that early hour except in the winter months. I live in the Caribbean people there are no winter months but the mornings here I so cold now I feel like I am in the frozen tundra and would prefer to stay in bed until the sun comes up.

4:10 My alarm goes off. I don't hear it.

4:40 I hear an annoying buzzing (my alarm automatically goes to snooze unless I turn it off) and open an eye to check the time. Crap. I actually think about if I really want to get out of bed for just a millisecond before I actually fly out of bed to start making my lunch. I say a morning prayer, "Now I wake and see the light...." It's my in a pinch, off the top of my head prayer, I've said it with enough kids that I'll never forget it. The pray with my saint for 2015 stuck to my door reminds me to ask St Joachim to pray for me today.

5:15 My sister gets up. I'm putting away last night's dishes and finishing up this morning's. I am super anal precise about leaving my kitchen clean, tidy and organised. I will leave laundry (clean) on the couch for a week (or more) but I like my dishes clean and put away in a timely manner.

5:45 or thereabouts I finally get in the shower. I need to leave by 6:15 if I want to make it to the 6:30 Mass plus I have to drop my sister off first. Today of all days she needs a lift but at least it's on the way.

6:30 I make it to Mass, it's Fr C, it's going to be a long one.

7:15 In my car still parked at the church starting my Rosary so I pray as I drive to work. Mass went long. I usually work from 8 - 4 but if I get to work early I can leave early, I want to leave early today.

7:40 Get to work. Traffic was not horrible.

8:00 - 3:00 I'm getting to leave early, yay!!! Before I get there though I get to meet the new employee for our department. Rush a payment. Finish off my first cycle of month end reports. Try to explain the rational of the codings that we use to the new employee, lose her part of the way so I start again. Read emails, answer a few, print a few to deal with later in the week. Complain to I.T that one of my programs is not working. I work in the accounts department where we are always on a deadline for something. Monthly reports, quarterly reports, reports with deadlines in the middle of the month, the beginning of the month and the ending of the month. Reports that you have nothing to do with but if someone doesn't do it on time it throws of your report because info is missing. I actually like the chaos most of the time

3:05 I have been leaving work for the last 5 minutes but got pulled into a conversation.

3:12 Finally driving away. Headed to Adoration. I started going once a week last year and I want to continue this year.

3:40 Get to the Adoration Chapel, there a lot of people here today and I actually get to be alone for a while. I love alone time with Jesus. I always feel like I have to be super quiet and proper (not that I am improper when I am alone) when other people are are around.

5:05 Leave the Adoration chapel, remember that I have some clothes to drop off to be altered.

5: 40 Get home. Heat up some leftovers for dinner

7:00 Evening prayer. Once upon a time I faithfully prayed morning and evening prayer daily. I have kind of stuck with the evening though most nights I just pray the Magnificat.

9:00 I veg in front the T.V for a while but there is nothing on that I want to watch so I read until bedtime.




What is your favourite part of your day? Morning. I am a morning person (on mornings that I don't feel like I am getting hypothermia)  and my sister is not so I usually have mornings to myself. It's peaceful and quiet. I usually curl up on the couch with a book, my journal and my bible, a cup of tea or hot chocolate and I am in heaven


What is your least favourite part of your day? My commute to and from work, especially from. Traffic free it's about 30 minutes, it is rarely traffic free.


Are you making any changes to your daily routine now that the new year has begun? Down time before bedtime. Many evenings I have ministry meetings or projects so when I have free evenings I always feel like I have to play catch up so I am busy until I go to sleep that is so tiring. So an hour or even just half an hour before bed I need to just sitting, reading, anything but "getting things done".


What does a day in your life look like? Favourite or least favourite part of your day? Any change you would like to make to your daily routine? Visit Jen for the link-up and to see everyone else's day.

My Saint 2015

On the first day of the year, late into the afternoon I finally sat down to see which Saint wanted to pick me this year. I have been using Jennifer Fulwiler's Saint Generator for a few years now and I have not been very good with always keeping up with my saint or asking their intercession.

This I year I told myself it would be different. I am going to remember to celebrate his/her Feast Day (I did remember to do that last year) and I would ask their intercession in every circumstance.

I sat and I prayed as instructed before I pressed that little button. I do not remember the prayer exactly but I did ask for a Saint that would really help me to grow closer to God and would be very helpful to me in my life this year. I took a deep breathe and pressed the button.

He is also the patron of married couples, cabinet makers and linen traders

The saint who is the patron of married couples picked the girl who is single but would love to be married. I had a few minutes of hmmm.

St Joachim...... I have a deep love for his daughter and his Grandson. I pray a yearly novena to his wife but I don't think I ever really paid much attention to him.

Joachim in Hebrew means "God prepares" or "God will establish".
He is the husband of St Anne
The father of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The grandfather of Jesus Christ
He is the patron saint of fathers, grandfathers, grandparents, married couples, cabinet makers and linen traders.
He shares a Feast Day with his wife, July 26

I can speculate a lot about why this saint picked me and believe me I have, although I think it's safe to say I will not be going into the linen trade soon, he could have picked me for any reason. God could be using him to prepare me for anything and I want to be open to that.

St Joachim pray for me.

Prayer to Saint Joachim

O great and glorious Patriarch, Saint Joachim, what joy is mine when I consider that thou wast chosen among all God's holy ones to assist in the fulfilment of the mysteries of God, and to enrich our earth with the great Mother of God, Mary most holy!

By this singular privilege, thou hast become most powerful with both the Mother and her Son, so as to be able to obtain for us the graces that are needful to us; with great confidence I have recourse to thy mighty protection and I commend to thee all my needs and those of my family, both spiritual and temporal; and especially do I entrust to thy keeping the particular favour that I desire and look for from thy fatherly intercession.

And since thou wast a perfect pattern of the interior life, obtain for me the grace of interior recollection and a spirit of detachment from the transitory goods of this life, together with a lively and enduring love for Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me in like manner a sincere devotion and obedience to Holy Church and the sovereign pontiff who rules over her: to the end that I may live and die in faith and hope and perfect charity, ever invoking the holy names of Jesus and Mary, and may I thus be saved. Amen.

2014

It's the last day of the year, 2014 is almost over (or over depending on how long it takes me to write this). Yesterday I was listening to the radio and they were asking callers to say why 2014 was a great year so I decided that is what my last post of 2014 would be. I'm here to say why 2014 was a great year because it was.

2014 was a great year because it started with Mass at one of my favourite places Mt St Benedict

I missed the Mass that I wanted to go to because I was running late, decided to hang around for the next one so I ended up getting to spend some time before the Blessed Sacrament where I prayed the Rosary and then there was Confession. I had a pretty great start to my year.


I rode down a river into a swamp in a very tiny boat. There was some screaming and holding tightly

to the boat but the destination was worth it.

I ran into way more iguanas than usual this year. They were everywhere.

I planted a garden that did pretty well. The peppers especially were plentiful ending my black thumb,

inspiring me to try some more gardening in 2015.

I flew to Savannah and met up with some amazing women. It was so great to meet bloggers in person

and learn that they are just as awesome in person as they come off on their blogs. #NASavannah

I took a cooking class, the food definitely made up for having to wear a hairnet. I so want to do more

of this in 2015. It's fun, there is rewarding food at the end plus it's a great way to meet people and put yourself out there.

I met Teresa Tomeo over my birthday weekend, and got her to sign my book. She spoke at the

Women's Conference I attended.

Finally, I spent a lot of time in Adoration.

2014 was great and I am really looking forward to 2015.

An Advent Blog Hop - O Anthiphons

Today I joining Bethanne's Advent Blog Hop. Be sure to check out all the great bloggers who are participating.

Today is seven before Christmas, one week. This season of waiting is almost over.

Yesterday the O Antiphons started. I love the O Antiphons, besides the fact that they act as a count down to the end of Advent and therefore the start of Christmas, they provide a way to contemplate Jesus under seven unique titles.

O Wisdom, O Adonai (Lord), O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, O Dayspring (Light), O King, O Emmanuel.

Each day's prayer ends with a plea for the Messiah to come. To end our wait. To be here with us.

From the 16th to the 23rd the O Anthiphons are the Alleluia verse at Mass. They are the antiphon before and after the Magnificat in the evening prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours. They can also bee prayed on their own.

O Sapientia (December 17) O Wisdom (Eccl 24: 5), you came forth from the mouth of the Most High (Sir 24: 30), and reaching from beginning to end, you ordered all things mightily and sweetly (Wis 8: 1). Come, and teach us the way of prudence (Isa 40: 14).

O Adonai (December 18) O Adonai or O Lord and Ruler (Exod 6: 13) and Ruler of the house of Israel (Matt 2: 6), you appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush (Exod 3: 2), and on Mount Sinai gave him your Law (Exod 20). Come, and with outstretched arm redeem us (Jer 32: 21).

O Radix Jesse (December 19) O Root of Jesse, you stand for the ensign of all mankind (Isa 11: 10); before you kings shall keep silence and to you all nations shall have recourse (Isa 52: 15). Come, save us, and do not delay (Hab 2: 3).

O Clavis David (December 20) O Key of David (Apoc 3: 7) Scepter of the house of Israel, you open and no man closes; you close and no man opens (Isa 22: 22). Come, and deliver him from the chains of prison who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death (Ps 107: 10).

O Oriens (December 21) O Rising Dawn (Zac 6: 12), Radiance of the Light eternal (Hab 3: 4) and Sun of Justice (Mal 3: 20); Come, enlighten those who sit in darkness & the shadow of death (Ps 107: 10; Lk 1: 78).

O Rex Gentium (December 22) O King of the Gentiles (Hag 2: 8), Desired of all, you are the cornerstone that binds two into one (Eph 2: 20). Come, and save poor man whom you fashion out of clay (Gen 2: 7).

O Emmanuel (December 23) O Emmanuel (Isa 7: 14; 8: 8), our King and Lawgiver (Gen 49:10; cf. Ezek 21: 32), the Expected of the nations and their Savior (Isa 33: 22): Come, and save us, O Lord our God.

The first letters of the Latin words read backwards are ERO CRAS meaning Tomorrow I will come.

Rejoice

Today is Gaudete Sunday. We've lit the pink candle and we get into a rejoicing mood. We rejoice!!!

Do we?????

Christmas is a little over a week away. Everywhere we go the crowds are ridiculous. That uncle we deleted from our gift list has decided that he will come to the family Christmas gathering after all so we should really get him a gift did I mention he has suddenly gone gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. You spend an hour driving around a parking lot, 25 minutes navigating the crowds in store, 45 in a line at the check out and all you wanted was 3 items yet still forgot one of them.

Yesterday I found myself in my car praying about my attitude. I left home an hour later than I wanted to after getting a phone call about a Christmas get together that I was asked to plan that I didn't really want to plan but felt pressured to. I was now driving around and around a car park looking for a space to park, cars behind me we honking because we hadn't moved in a few minutes, I was thinking of everything I still had to get done that day plus I needed to make some headway with that party.

I felt myself getting frustrated, annoyed, overwhelmed and mean. I sat in a car that was neither moving nor parked, waiting for the ones in front to figure out what they we doing and my mind, heart and attitude just tanked. I was having unpleasant thoughts, a pity party and arguing with myself (I swear I am not crazy), definitely nowhere near rejoicing or finding joy in this beautiful season that we are in.

Thankfully God's graces abound. Just before I made another loop of the parking lot I caught myself. This is not the person I want to be, this is not how I want to find myself in these days leading up to Christmas. I took deep breath and just started pray asking God to change my attitude. To give me an attitude and spirit of joy, patience and love. To take away my anxiety and to give me peace in the situation.

It is very easy to let the petty annoyances build up and cause us to react. To let disappointments become bigger than they really are and lead us away from the peace and joy that we are trying to have this Advent.

This Gaudete Sunday let us find one thing to rejoice about. You got one present wrapped. Your favourite Advent song was sung at Mass. Someone complimented you on your clothes, hair, smile or the wonderful behaviour of your kids.

Rejoice!!!!

Our Lady of Guadalupe

On my trip to Mexico a few years ago one of the most obvious things to me was the number of tourist knick knacks that bore the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Why not after all the story is remarkable and even more remarkable is the millions converted because of it.

Don't know the story.

Juan Diego, a Mexican from the 1500's, had encountered Our Lady on a number of occasions on his walk to and from his home to the Catholic Mission. She wanted him to get the bishop to build a church, not that Juan Diego was rich and influential, he was a simple man. The bishop didn't go for it. Then on the faithful day of December 12, 1531 his uncle was very sick and JD needed to get help quickly. In order not to be slowed on this obviously important mission Juan Diego decided to use another route. Our Lady was pretty, the mother of God, definitely someone you want to make time for but his uncle was sick she would definitely understand that he needed to avoid her just this one time. No. She found him.

Our Lady told JD that his uncle had been cured and asked him to go back to the place where they had first met. You know the one he was avoiding on this particular day. There on the frozen ground he found roses and not just any old roses, roses that were not native to Mexico. Miracles of miracles right, roses on the frozen ground in the middle of winter and non-native roses in the bargain.

That was just the opening act of the miracle. JD gathered the roses in his tilma, Our Lady arranged them (a woman's touch is so important) and rushed to show this wonderful miracle to the bishop. Those beautiful roses should be more that enough proof to the bishop. However when Juan Diego opened his tilma to show the flowers to the bishop the main event really happened. As the flowers fell away an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was imprinted on the cloth.

The bishop was amazed, I'm not even sure he paid all that much though to the flowers, God after all is an amazing artist. The Basilica of Guadalupe was built, millions were converted. Mary once again lead many to her Son.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the unborn so for her Feast Day I leave you with a prayer.

A Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe

Virgin of Guadalupe,

Patroness of unborn children,

we implore your intercession

for every child at risk of abortion.

Help expectant parents to welcome from God

the priceless gift of their child's life.

Console parents who have lost that gift through abortion,

and lead them to forgivenss and healing

through the Divine Mercy of your Son.

Teach us to cherish

and to care for family and friends

until God calls them home.

Help us to never see others as burdens.

Guide our public officials

to defend each and every human life through just laws.

Inspire us all to bring our faith into public life,

to speak for those who have no voice.

We ask this in the name of your Son,

Jesus Christ, who is Love and Mercy itself.

Amen