Lena {JOYfilledfamily}

Lenten Recap

April 10, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Easter, Lent, Picture Recap 6 Comments

I give thanks to the Good Lord for a blessed Lenten season full of loss, mercy, family time, and service.

My family adopted two quotes from Bl. Teresa of Calcutta as our Lenten motto.

Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of the Christ risen.

~~~

Do ordinary things with extraordinary love.

Here is a recap of some Lenten happenings in my family.

~~~

Shrove Tuesday 2.20

Visiting the elderly on Shrove Tuesday is a family tradition that was started some years ago with the prompting of a sister in Christ. My family shared this tradition with our parish community this year.

Park Days

kite flying and fence climbing

40 Days for Life

We prayed for the unborn babies and an end to abortion every Monday in front of the abortion clinic.

Family Start-Up 2.28

It’s official! We filed our paperwork for our start-up LLC. We have much more work ahead of us but we are all excited about the possibilities that await us as we grow this family business.

We pray that this business will lead us to financial freedom, be a source of income for our children in whatever vocation that they are called to, allow us to become providers for family as they enter full retirement, permit us to start a ministry, create jobs for families desiring to work out of their home, and fund the call that our Heavenly Father has placed on our heart – All for the greater glory of God.

Loss & Healing

Maria Louisa’s face was not seen but her love will remain forever imprinted on our hearts.

Dad and I were moved to share the reality of our five saints with the littles. For whatever reason, we did not find it fitting to do so earlier. We trust that our angels are not for us alone and we desire for all of our children to form bonds with all their siblings.

Maria Louisa has also led us to further discern something big that the Good Lord has been prompting us to. We pray to cooperate with His grace and move forward with unwavering faith – Ad Jesum per Mariam.

St. Patrick’s Day 3.17

no pictures since there were no free hands

Dad took the lead from Fr. L and helped to coordinate a parish clean-up day. The day started with a Solemn High Mass since St. Patrick’s day is a first class feast day in our diocese. Then the work began with many helping hands. The day ended with a BBQ potluck.

Hair Cut 3.20

I like my boys with long hair but couldn’t tell Papi no when he requested to “look like” dad.

Job Shadow 3.21

Rose participated in a job shadow with the HR department at the University of the Pacific (my alma-mater). She walked away with more than the average participant, the normal goodie bag with a shirt and a job offer.

Birthday Date Night 3.24

MarchBaby

Consecration Renewal 3.25

My family made our renewal on 3.25 (Feast of the Annunciation) since we knew that we would not be able to attend Mass on Monday (Feast of the Annunciation for 2012) as a family.

Passion Sunday 3.25

Potty 3.29

Dragonfly started using the potty, sporadically.

Uma 3.29

We got a new family member.

I really don’t know what I was thinking when I responded to the email.

I want to offer an 8 yr old AKC registered chocolate lab. She was spayed last week. She is very calm, does not bark much, and does not chew. She is housetrained, leash trained, fetches, swims, travels well, loves kids. She is really a great dog. Her one problem is that she does not get along with other dogs. I have had to keep her separate from my other dogs. She needs to be someone’s only dog.

This was not planned but she needed a new home and as it turns out, we needed her.

Confirmation 3.30.12

Confirmation was scheduled on my birthday this year. Dad gave me the ok to sign up to help with the reception since he knew that I desired to be serving on my birthday.

Rose and I were in charge of the cakes. We ordered them from Costco.

Rose and her confirmandi who chose St. Thecla as her patron.

Bishop Jamie Soto

Birthday Blessing 3.30

Rose and I received our birthday blessing by our spiritual director, Fr. M. A fun side note, Fr. M is the same age as Dad and I. In fact, is one day older than Dad.

Palm Sunday 4.1

Mass, Blessing of Palms, and Procession

Birthday Celebration 4.1

Rose and I celebrated with family on Sunday.

~~~

AD JESUM PER MARIAM

Act of Consecration

March 26, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 03 March, Annunciation, Consecration, Marian, Total Consecration

In honor of my family’s recent renewal of our Total Consecration, I am sharing with you a printable Act of Consecration.

You are free to print and share this printable.

AD JESUM PER MARIAM

~~~

Full Color – Printable Act of Consecration

White – Printable Act of Consecration

~~~

After Consecration

from Fish Eaters

Once you have consecrated yourself to Jesus through Mary, live that consecration. St. Louis-Marie de Montfort recommended the following:

Keep praying to develop a “great contempt” for the spirit of this world
Maintain a special devotion to the Mystery of the Incarnation (e.g., through meditation; spiritual reading; focusing on Feasts centering around the Incarnation, such as the Annunciation and the Nativity, etc.)
Frequently recite the Ave, Rosary, and the Magnificat
Recite, every day if it is not inconvenient, the “Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin” — a series of Paters, Aves, and Glorias — one Ave for each star in the Virgin’s Crown. St. Louis has a special way of praying the Little Crown, which is recommended.
Do everything through, with, in and for Mary for the sake of Jesus, with the prayer, “I am all thine Immaculate One, with all that I have: in time and in eternity” in your heart and on your lips
Associate yourself with Mary in a special way before, during, and after Communion (see Supplement of the book, “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary” above)
Wear a little iron chain (around the neck, arm, waist, or ankle) as an outward sign and reminder of holy slavery. This practice is optional, but very recommended by St. Louis. The appearance of this chain is not further specified.
Renew the consecration once a year on the same date chosen above, and by following the same 33-day period of exercises. If desired, also renew the consecration monthly with the prayer, “I am all thine and all I have is thine, O dear Jesus, through Mary, Thy holy Mother.”
Optional: Join the Confraternity of Mary, Queen of All Hearts. Their address:
Director, Confraternity of Mary Queen of All Hearts
26 South Saxon Avenue
Bay Shore, NY 11706

My MarchBaby

March 26, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Lent, Pro-Life, Rose, Rose GFG

My MarchBaby and I went to view OctoberBaby for our birthday ~~retreat~~ date night. We invited friends, another mother and her two teen daughters. Dad and I usually do not permit any social dates during Lent but we thought that this occasion and cause warranted an exception.

I opted for this simplified birthday retreat as soon as March rolled in. The budget was already stretched and a heavy heart was made.

It was much more than just a retreat. It was an almsgiving of sorts. Dad and I knew that we would eventually watch OctoberBaby but we wanted to make a difference. We wanted to send a message to the entertainment industry that there are people out there who want wholesome movies and are willing to support a prolife message.

October Baby jumped into the overall top 10 despite its screen count, taking in $1,718,427….The film’s total is actually now $1,917,869… -IndieWire.com

OctoberBaby is a powerful movie that hit me on many levels. It had a similar impact on Rose and her girlfriends. I encourage all teens, parents, youth ministers,…all prolifers to take the time and money to view this movie.

{pretty, happy, funny, real} Health & Fitness Edition

March 23, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: {phfr}, Fitness, Health, Picture Recap 3 Comments

{pretty}

Dad is getting ready for Camp Sacred Heart (in June) and has been going through the camp album. (this picture was taken by Papi’s Godfather)

{happy}

I successfully brewed my first batch of kombucha tea.

{funny}

~~My carnivore~~ Papi didn’t skip a beat after his bath. He went straight to the left-overs from dinner, tri-tip.

{real}

I’m working on getting strong for health.

I’m keeping it real at my other blog – Health & Fitness ALL FOR!

I’m taking the 7 Day Challenge in hopes to make it through my physical Lenten Program.

~~~

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~
Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

Thy Will Be Done

March 20, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: GFG, Miscarriage

It is with a sad but joyful heart (only His grace could make that possible) that I announce the following news. My beloved unborn baby, Maria Luisa has returned home.

I give thanks and praise to the good Lord for blessing my family with another saint in heaven. I pray that we will all be reunited with the five blessings that have gone before us. I have not shared this reality with the littles, yet I pray that they will find peace and joy knowing that their family is not bound to this earth.
I will continue to seek Holy Slavery and to joyfully conform to His holy will this Lenten season.

My beloved children and saints; Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Teresa Agnes, and Maria Luisa ~ orate pro nobis

~~~

St. Louis De Montfort’s Prayer to Jesus

O most loving Jesus, deign to let me pour forth my gratitude before Thee, for the grace Thou hast bestowed upon me in giving me to Thy holy Mother through the devotion of Holy Bondage, that she may be my advocate in the presence of Thy majesty and my support in my extreme misery. Alas, O Lord! I am so wretched that without this dear Mother I should be certainly lost. Yes, Mary is necessary for me at Thy side and everywhere: that she may appease Thy just wrath, because I have so often offended Thee; that she may save me from the eternal punishment of Thy justice, which I deserve; that she may contemplate Thee, speak to Thee, pray to Thee, approach Thee and please Thee; that she may help me to save my soul and the souls of others; in short, Mary is necessary for me that I may always do Thy holy will and seek Thy greater glory in all things. Ah, would that I could proclaim throughout the whole world the mercy that Thou hast shown to me! Would that everyone might know I should be already damned, were it not for Mary! Would that I might offer worthy thanksgiving for so great a blessing! Mary is in me. Oh, what a treasure! Oh, what a consolation! And shall I not be entirely hers’? Oh, what ingratitude! My dear Saviour, send me death rather than such a calamity, for I would rather die than live without belonging entirely to Mary. With St. John the Evangelist at the foot of the Cross, I have taken her a thousand times for my own and as many times have given myself to her; but if I have not yet done it as Thou, dear Jesus, dost wish, I now renew this offering as Thou dost desire me to renew it. And if Thou seest in my soul or my body anything that does not belong to this august princess, I pray Thee to take it and cast it far from me, for whatever in me does not belong to Mary is unworthy of Thee. O Holy Spirit, grant me all these graces. Plant in my soul the Tree of true Life, which is Mary; cultivate it and tend it so that it may grow and blossom and bring forth the fruit of life in abundance. O Holy Spirit, give me great devotion to Mary, Thy faithful spouse; give me great confidence in her maternal heart and an abiding refuge in her mercy, so that by her Thou mayest truly form in me Jesus Christ, great and mighty, unto the fullness of His perfect age. Amen.

Moments of Grace – Suscipio

After Consecration

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

St. Louis De Montfort’s Prayer to Jesus

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