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October 1, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Adoration, First Friday, St. Therese

Today, Oct. 1 is the feast day (in the new calendar) of St. Therese. It is also First Friday. We will attend Mass, Benediction, Father’s talk to children and unite our prayers with all those children around the world for the 8th Annual Worldwide Children’s Eucharistic Holy Hour.

The actual event will be broadcasted live on EWTN – Fri. October 1 at 10 AM ET.

St. Therese of Lisieux in her Eucharistic adoration as a child tells us:

"I loved above all the processions in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. What a joy it was for me to throw flowers beneath the feet of God! Before allowing them to fall to the ground, I threw them as high as I could and I was never so happy as when I saw roses touch the sacred monstrance." ~ Story of a Soul, The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux)

It’s All About YOU…

September 29, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Me, Meme, Mom

but here’s a bit about me!

I’m accepting Dawn’s invitation to meme.

1. What’s your middle name?

carmenleta. (little carmen. i was named after my paternal grandmother and my maternal great-grandmother)

2. What’s your favorite magazine?

i don’t subscribe to any and can’t justify the cover price.

3. What are you wearing right now?

dark denim skirt, mauve sweater/shirt, no shoes.

4. What color are your bed sheets?

dark red.

5. Who was your third grade teacher?

mrs. schwenger

6. What is the weather like right now?

HOT (low 100s).

7. Do you know how to ski?

yes – water skiing, somewhat – snow skiing.

8. What was the last thing you drank?

jamba juice (st. michael, ora pro nobis.)

9. Dream vacation?

anywhere were daily mass (in the traditional roman rite ) is available and meals are provided with no clean-up required.

10. Favorite article of clothing?

black anne klien jersey skirt (from the thrift store).

11. Do you prefer baking or cooking?

cooking (my husband prefers the baking).

12. Is your hair above or below your shoulders?

below.

13. What drink do you order when out?

water.

14. What book are you reading?

chosen and cherished: biblical wisdom for your marriage by kimberley hahn.

15. What did you dream about last night?

no dreams last night – i was out cold.

16. What was the last movie you went to?

it’s been awhile. the last movie i can remember is fireproof. i went with hubby.

17. Any injuries at the moment?

nope. unless you consider post baby weight a handicap – i do.

18. What color is your bathroom?

gray sand with dark red accents.

19. What’s the state of your laundry right now?

normal state – a mess.

20. Do you take vitamins?

sporadically take pre-natals.

21. Where do you love to shop?

thrift stores, Kohl’s clearance racks (especially for shoes).

22. How often do you buy groceries?

depends on the budget. my husband does the grocery shopping when my father isn’t bring us food. it has been a rough 3 years.

23. Do you have a pet/pets?

papi has a blue-belly lizard that he named Mickey Mouse.

24. If you are married, when is your next anniversary?

wedding aug 25.

together oct 9.

25. How do you take your coffee and/or tea?

not a coffee drinker. love chamomile tea.

26. Mac or PC? Desktop or Laptop?

prefer mac but settle for pc. laptop is the best.

27. Favorite month of the year?

love the lenten season.

28. Do you have a hobby?

crafting, blogging, jogging (trying to get back in the groove) and anything for the kids.

29. What salad dressing do you prefer?

homemade apple salad dressing.

30. Live or fake Christmas tree?

fake. i’m allergic to real.

31. Did you walk or take a bus to school?

(1 hour) bus ride to grammar school. got a ride to hs.

32. Do you have any phobias?

nope.

33. What’s your favorite snack food?

air popped popcorn.

34. When do you take your shower/bath?

i take a relaxing bath generally in the late evening when husband has put all the kiddos to bed.

35. What time did you get up this morning?

3am for prayer and any unattended business, and again at 7am.

36. What’s your favorite animal?

it used to be a skunk when i was a kid.

37. Have you ever broken a bone?

3 hairline fractures in my left arm. dislocated and broken my thumb.

38. Do you wear makeup?

yes. consider it a favor to all i meet. : )

39. Do you speak any foreign languages?

unfortunately, no.

40. Have you ever played a sport?

soccer (s, mf), softball (tb, p, of), volleyball (ds)

41. Your last UPS package contained …

rose’s hs books from kolbe academy.

42. What’s on your desktop?

a pic of husband, dragonfly and me in tahoe.

43. What is your home page?

my family yahoo’s group/page calendar. i need all the reminders i can get.

44. Extrovert or introvert?

ex-introvert, somewhere in the middle of extrovert and introvert.

45. Favorite board game?

it used to be chess.

46. What class did you like best in high school? In college?

hs – trigonometry. college – entertainment law

47. What would you do with an extra hour each day?

i would need an extra hour of energy to go with it…..clean/organize. my house is due for some major organization.

48. Do you have allergies?

YES. everything outdoors. animals. nuts (not peanuts).

49. Are your nails painted?

only my toes.

50. Where are you right now?

on the rocker in the living room, cutting into my nap time.

+++

Michaelmas Day

September 28, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Archangels, St. Michael

September 29

Feast of the Archangels - Saints Michael (who is like unto God), Gabriel (God is my strength), and Raphael (God has healed)

Old Calendar*: Dedication of the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel (Michaelmas Day)

*This feast commemorates the dedication to St. Michael of an ancient church at Rome at a date earlier than the sixth century. St. Michael the Archangel is honored as the supreme guardian spirit of the universal Church. In heaven Michael led the good angels against Lucifer and his rebel angels. The fallen angels pursue on earth that same war against the Man-God Christ which they began in heaven. Therefore Michael continues to direct the battle against them here on earth. The standard-bearer of the Church, he introduces the departed souls of her children into God’s holy light (Offertory Hymn of Requiem Mass). He also presents our prayers to God (Incensation at High Mass), conquers demons (Prayers after Low Mass), and pleads for us sinners (Confiteor).

This is a special feast day to our family, in a sobering way. My dear husband went to naming our first lost child, Michael. The process of naming our beloved soul came years after our loss. Nonetheless, it provided a great deal of healing for both my husband and I.

Since then we have named two additional babies that have joined Our Heavenly Father, Raphael and Gabriel.

We will be silently reflecting on our angels and the archangels. We will also join the 40 Days of Life prayer vigil at a local abortion mill, to end the evils of abortion.

RESOURCES

– Children’s Activities

St. Michael Paper Doll

Guardian Angel Coloring Page

Feast of the Archangels – Games

More Archangel Activities

– Prayers

Sermon on The Angels Feast of St. Michael – Audio

St. Michael Prayer Card

Angelus Prayer

Archangels Feast Day Info & Prayers

St. Michael Chaplet

Chaplet of St. Michael – EWTN

Consecration Prayer to St. Michael

Michael of the Morning – Story of a Solider

Last Year’s Post

– Pro Life

Pro-life Novena for the Unborn

40 Days for Life for unborn

Michael, Michael of the morning
Fresh chord of dawn adorning,
Keep me safe today,
And in time of temptation
Drive the devil away. Amen.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

This prayer was composed by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 and is offered for the private recitation of the faithful in accord with the decree of Inde Ab Aliquot Annis of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, September 29, 1985.

Glorious Prince of the Celestial Host, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the conflict which we have to sustain against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places (Eph 6:12). Come to the rescue of men whom God has redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. It is thou whom Holy Church venerates as her guardian and her protector; thou whom the Lord has charged to conduct redeemed souls into heaven. Pray therefore, the God of peace, to subdue Satan beneath our feet, that he may no longer retain men captive nor do injury to the Church. Present our prayers to the Most High, that without delay they may draw His mercy down upon us. Seize "the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the devil and Satan," bind him and cast him into the bottomless pit…"that he may no longer seduce the nations" (Rev 20:2-3).

Part 2 of 3 Part 3 of 3

Just 4 Fun

September 24, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Dragonfly

Dragonfly turned 4 months on Sept. 17.

He just broke his first 2 teeth this week (9.20).

He is one happy baby boy.

The kids call him Scooter because he scoots all over the floor.

Have Pity On Me

September 24, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Marian, Mother of Mercy, Our Lady of Ransom

Old Calendar: Our Lady of Ransom

September 24

This feast was extended to the whole Church in thanksgiving to the Blessed Virgin, for having in the thirteenth century inspired St. Peter Nolasco and St. Raymond of Pennafort to found a religious order for the release of Christians captured by the Saracens. The Mercedarians vowed to give themselves up as hostages for the imprisoned Christians when ransom and military means failed. Their heroism saved countless souls from apostasy and despair.

Prayer To Our Lady Of Ransom

O God, Who by means of the most glorious
Mother of Thy Son
was pleased to give new children to Thy Church
for the deliverance of Christ’s faithful
from the power of the heathen;
grant, we beseech Thee,
that we who love and honor her as the foundress
of so great a work
may, by her merits and intercession,
be ourselves delivered from all sin
and from the bondage of the evil one.
Through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen

Mateo Pisarro (at.), Our Lady of Mercy with Saint Peter Nolasco and Saint Ramon Not Naturally Born, and the Trinity.

RESOURCES:

Our Lady’s Feast Days

Traditional Catholic Liturgy

Breviary

St.Peter Nolasco Bio

St. Peter Nolasco – Order of Mercy

Coloring Page – St. Raymond of Penafort, co-founder with St. Peter Nolasco of the Order of Mercedarians

– St. Raymond of Penafort

Mary, My Mother, how shall I stand before my Judge at the day of judgment? How shall I answer for the wasted days and years which God has given me to serve Him alone? I look to you, Mother of Mercy. You are all-merciful that you may obtain for me pardon and mercy. You are kind and loving for you have a mother’s heart, full of pity for the erring. You are a Mother of Mercy to the sinner and the fallen; have pity on me! ~ Rev. Lawrence G. Lovasik, S.V.D.

(scroll to the bottom of this page to turn off the music before playing the video)

St. Pio, Ora Pro Nobis

September 23, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: St. Padre Pio

September 23 – Memorial of St. Padre Pio

Prayer to St. Pio

O God,
You gave Saint Pio of Pietrelcina,
Capuchin priest,
the great privilege of participating
in a unique way in the passion of Your Son,
grant me
through his intercession
the grace of …
which I ardently desire;
and above all grant me the grace of
living in conformity
with the death of Jesus,
to arrive at the glory
of the resurrection.
Glory be to the Father… (three times)

“Every Holy Mass, heard with devotion, produces in our souls marvelous effects, abundant spiritual and material graces which we, ourselves, do not know…It is easier for the earth to exist without the sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!” Padre Pio

“Pray, pray to the Lord with me, because the whole world needs prayer. And every day, when your heart especially feels the loneliness of life, pray. Pray to the Lord, because even God needs our prayers.” — St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Padre Pio’s Five Maxims for Living a Devout Life

“The first one I desire you to cherish is from St Paul: ‘All things work together for the good of those who love God’ (Rom 8:28).

“The second maxim that I desire you to keep for ever engraved on your heart is that God is our Father; and what do you have to fear as the daughter of such a father whose providence would not let a hair of your head be harmed?

“The third maxim is that you must observe what the divine Master teaches his disciples: ‘What do you lack?’ The disciples answered that they lacked nothing. When you were troubled even at the time when you unfortunately did not feel much confidence in God, tell me, were you never oppressed by anxiety? You will answer, ‘No’. So, I will reply, ‘Why do you not have the strength to overcome all the other trials?’.

“The fourth maxim concerns eternity. Living these brief and fleeting moments should not matter much to the children of God, since they will live for eternity in glory with God.”

“The fifth maxim that I implore you to keep fixed in your mind is that of the Apostle St Paul: ‘Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Gal 6:14). Treasure in your heart the crucified Jesus Christ and all the crosses of the world will seem like roses. Those who have been pricked by the crown of thorns of the Saviour, who is our Head, do not feel the other wounds.

“All I am asking you at the moment is to help me with your prayers to God; and know that I will always do the same for you and for your family and for all the souls who worked for my liberation. My gratitude and acknowledgment to God for them will be eternal”.

Litany of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World,
have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Virgin Immaculate, pray for us.
St. Pio of Pietrelcina, pray for us.
Beloved of God, pray for us.
Imitator of Jesus Christ, pray for us.
Good shepherd of the people, pray for us.
Model for priests, pray for us.
Light of the Church, pray for us.
Adorer of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.
Faithful son of St. Francis, pray for us.
Marked with the stigmata of Jesus, pray for us.
Patient in suffering, pray for us.
Helper of the dying, pray for us.
Director of souls, pray for us.
Heart of gold, pray for us.
Apostle of mercy, pray for us.
Worker of miracles, pray for us.
Consoler of the afflicted, pray for us.
Lover of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us.
Helper of souls in doubt and darkness, pray for us.
Comforter of the sick, pray for us.
Example of humility, pray for us.
Source of wisdom, pray for us.
Mirror of the divine life, pray for us.
Lover of Jesus Crucified,
Resigned to the will of God, pray for us.
Doing good upon earth, pray for us.
Filled with the spirit of self-sacrifice, pray for us.
Our help and hope in all our needs, pray for us.
Vessel of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Leading us to Christ, pray for us.
Our spiritual father and advocate, pray for us.
Crowned with glory in Heaven, pray for us.
God our Father, You helped St. Pio to reflect the
image of Christ through a life of charity and self-sacrifice.
May we follow your Son by walking in the footsteps of
St. Pio of Pietrelcina and by imitating his selfless love.
Amen

RESOURCES:

Padre Pio Bio

Padre Bio – The Man

Padre Pio Timeline

Relic Shrine

Email to receive St. Pio prayer card

Audio Presentations on Padre Pio

Audio – He Bore Christ’s Wounds

Coloring Pages

Stigmata Treat

Submit Prayer Intention

Picture Gallery

Padre Pio Links

Padre Pio Miracle Man – Streaming Video

The Little Flower

September 21, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Novena, St. Therese

For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. – St. Thérèse of Lisieux

We will start this novena to St. Therese of LIsieux and the Glory Be to the Fathers Novena(with the little ones) on Tuesday, September 22. The novenas will end on September 30, the eve of her feast day in the new calendar. St. Therese’s feast day in the Old Calendar is Oct. 3.

O Lord, You have said: Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven; grant us, we beg You, so to follow, in humility and simplicity of heart, the footsteps of the Virgin blessed Thérèse, that we may attain to an everlasting reward. Amen.

Litany of the Little Flower of Jesus

Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face
Lord, have mercy on us,
Christ, have mercy on us,
Lord, have mercy on us,
Christ, hear us,
Christ, graciously hear us,
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us,
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us,
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us,
Holy Mary, Pray for us
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Pray for us
Our Lady of Victory, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, servant of God, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, victim of the merciful love of God, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, spouse of Jesus, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, gift of Heaven, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, remarkable in childhood, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, an example of obedience, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, resigned to the Divine Will of God, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, lover of peace, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, lover of patience, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, lover of gentleness, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, heroic in sacrifices, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, generous in forgiving, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, benefactress of the needy, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, lover of Jesus, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, devoted to the Holy Face, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, consumed with Divine love of God, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, advocate of extreme cases, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, persevering in prayer, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, a powerful advocate with God, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, showering roses, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, doing good upon earth, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, answering all prayers, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, lover of Holy Chastity, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, lover of voluntary poverty, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, lover of obedience, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, burning with zeal for God’s glory, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, inflamed with the Spirit of Love, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, child of benediction, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, perfect in simplicity, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, so remarkable for trust in God, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, gifted with unusual intelligence, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, never invoked without some answer, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, teaching us the sure way, Pray for us
Little Thérèse, victim of Divine Love, Pray for us
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Little Flower of Jesus, pray for us.
Let us Pray:
O God, Who didst inflame with Thy Spirit of Love the soul of Thy Servant Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love Thee and make Thee much loved. Amen.

~~~

St. Therese Bio

The Little Known Saint Therese Bio

Miraculous Rose Novena

St. Therese – Way of The Cross

St. Therese e-post card

Shower of Roses Mass Enrollments

Coloring Pages – Waltzing Matilda

Coloring Page – Young Lady

Sacrifice Beads

Little Flower & Her Little Way

(must hear)

Reflection Through Art

September 20, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Crafts, Icons, St. John Chrysostom

The girls worked on coloring this page while dad and I reflected on our family’s patron saint for 2010, St. John Chrysostom.

Rose stepped it up a notch and created an icon. I got the inspiration from iconography found here and an icon project found here via Shower of Roses.

We took the printed coloring sheet and transferred it using a pencil-rub technique to the wood plaque (that was pre-painted with gold tempera paint). Rose then used paint pens and markers to color the image. She preferred the markers. They created a subtle aged look.

She had her first go at iconography in March of 2009 from a “real” art teacher. I posted a few photos here.

I plan to have her try other iconography techniques this year.

St. John Chrysostom exclaimed: "Nothing is equal to prayer; for what is impossible it makes possible, what is difficult, easy" (Catechism, 2744).

Sweetness

September 20, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Baking, Recipe

This pile of yummy goo was made to celebrate Dragonfly’s 4 month mark. It was ultra sweet. Mr. didn’t care for it. He prefers a plain brownie. I didn’t mind, it meant more for me and everyone else. We love anything with marshmallows. It was best once cooled.

I found the recipe here.

Growing Like a Weed

September 20, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Baby, Dragonfly

Our little Dragonfly turned 4 months old on September 17.

16.5 lbs

26.25 in

rolls over sweet disposition sleeps through the night teething loves his fist enjoys being put to sleep by sweetie darling dimples does not like loud voices (that rules out basketball games) content wears size 6 month curly hair takes cat-naps if away from his bed loves outdoors bionic nails that grow by the min. JOY

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